Floristics and biodiversity research in Australia: the 21st century

1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 161
Author(s):  
J. G. West
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Functioning ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Biogeographic Patterns ◽  
Biodiversity Research ◽  
Australian Plant ◽  
Plant Groups ◽  
Real Challenge

Australian botany has reached the point where the vascular flora of this country is relatively well documented; we have sound basic information on what species are present, and where they occur (geographically and ecologically). The real challenge facing plant systematists now is to grasp the inspiring opportunities that exist in the areas of floristics and biodiversity research. The time has come to capitalise on the enormous existing knowledge base. This includes ‘mobilising’ the data we have and promoting potential usage by making clients aware of the quality and nature of the information. Australia has the international-level expertise and the institutional mechanisms to make this happen. We need to build political goodwill within State and Commonwealth agencies to develop strong national linkages. This would enhance the accessibility and applicability of existing baseline datasets, e.g. specimen and taxon databases should be transparently interchangeable and readily available to all potential clients. Although our basic floristic knowledge is good, our understanding of phylogenetic, evolutionary and biogeographic patterns of major Australian plant groups is lacking. Such analyses will ensure accurate predictions and advice on conservation and exploitation of elements of the flora. Future research should concentrate on understanding the processes operating at the genetic and species level in order to answer critical questions about ecosystem functioning. Modern technology will be utilised, particularly in information systems and molecular techniques. Systematists have a clear obligation under the National Biodiversity Strategy to contribute information essential to conservation of biodiversity and to land-use decision making.

scholarly journals A pilot for implementing environmental DNA (eDNA) based methods into environmental and biomonitoring

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiina Laamanen ◽  
Veera Norros ◽  
Sanna Suikkanen ◽  
Mikko Tolkkinen ◽  
Kristiina Vuorio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Information Exchange ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Environmental Dna ◽  
Bulk Sample ◽  
The State ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Dna Metabarcoding

Environmental DNA (eDNA) and other molecular based approaches are revolutionizing the field of biomonitoring. These approaches undergo rapid modifications, and it is crucial to develop the best practices by sharing the newest information and knowledge. In our ongoing project we: assess the state-of-the-art of eDNA methods at Finnish Environment Institute SYKE; identify concrete next steps towards the long-term aim of implementing eDNA methods into environmental and biomonitoring; promote information exchange on eDNA methods and advance future research efforts both within SYKE and with our national and international partners. assess the state-of-the-art of eDNA methods at Finnish Environment Institute SYKE; identify concrete next steps towards the long-term aim of implementing eDNA methods into environmental and biomonitoring; promote information exchange on eDNA methods and advance future research efforts both within SYKE and with our national and international partners. Scientific background Well-functioning and intact natural ecosystems are essential for human well-being, provide a variety of ecosystem services and contain a high diversity of organisms. However, human activities such as eutrophication, pollution, land-use or invasive species, are threatening the state and functioning of ecosystems from local to global scale (e.g. Benateau et al. 2019; Reid et al. 2018; Vörösmarty et al. 2010). New molecular techniques in the field and in the laboratory have enabled sampling and identification of much of terrestrial, marine and freshwater biodiversity. These include environmental DNA (eDNA, e.g. Valentini et al. 2016) and bulk-sample DNA metabarcoding approaches (e.g. Elbrecht et al. 2017) and targeted RNA-based methods (e.g. Mäki and Tiirola 2018). The eDNA technique uses DNA that is released from organisms into their environment, from which a signal of organisms’ presence in the system can be obtained. For example, in aquatic ecosystems, eDNA is typically extracted from sediment or filtered water samples (e.g. Deiner et al. 2016), and this approach is distinguished from bulk DNA metabarcoding, where organisms are directly identified from e.g. complete biological monitoring samples (e.g. Elbrecht et al. 2017). Despite the demonstrated potential of environmental and bulk-sample DNA metabarcoding approaches in recent years, there are still significant bottlenecks to their routine use that need to be addressed (e.g. Pawlowski et al. 2020). Methods and implementati on The project is divided into three work packages: WP1 Gathering existing knowledge, identifying knowledge gaps and proposing best practices, WP2 Roadmap to implementation and WP3 eDNA monitoring pilot. Please see more details in the Fig. 1

Phylogenetic relationships among species of Ganoderma (Ganodermataceae, Basidiomycota) from Cameroon

2012 ◽  
Vol 60 (6) ◽  
pp. 526 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. R. Kinge ◽  
A. M. Mih ◽  
M. P. A. Coetzee
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Phylogenetic Relationships ◽  
Internal Transcribed Spacer ◽  
New Records ◽  
Small Subunit ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Tropical Species ◽  
The Tropics

Ganoderma is an important genus of the Polyporales in the tropics. Identification of tropical species has mainly been based on morphology, which has led to misidentification. This study aimed to elucidate the diversity and phylogenetic relationships of Ganoderma isolates from different hosts in Cameroon using morphological and molecular techniques. Analyses of basidiocarp morphology and the internal transcribed spacer and mitochondria small subunit were undertaken for 28 isolates from five plant species. The results show that the isolates belong to eight species. Three of the species were identified to species level; of these only G. ryvardense has been previously described from Cameroon while G. cupreum and G. weberianum are new records. The five remaining species did not match with any previously described species and have been designated as Ganoderma with different species affinities.

scholarly journals Species-Level Vegetation Mapping in a Himalayan Treeline Ecotone Using Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Imagery

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niti Mishra ◽  
Kumar Mainali ◽  
Bharat Shrestha ◽  
Jackson Radenz ◽  
Debendra Karki
Keyword(s):  
Extreme Environments ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Object Based ◽  
Ecological Patterns ◽  
Geographic Object ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Aerial Systems ◽  
The Himalaya

Understanding ecological patterns and response to climate change requires unbiased data on species distribution. This can be challenging, especially in biodiverse but extreme environments like the Himalaya. This study presents the results of the first ever application of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) imagery for species-level mapping of vegetation in the Himalaya following a hierarchical Geographic Object Based Image Analysis (GEOBIA) method. The first level of classification separated green vegetated objects from the rest with overall accuracy of 95%. At the second level, seven cover types were identified (including four woody vegetation species). For this, the suitability of various spectral, shape and textural features were tested for classifying them using an ensemble decision tree algorithm. Spectral features alone yielded ~70% accuracy (kappa 0.66) whereas adding textural and shape features marginally improved the accuracy (73%) but at the cost of a substantial increase in processing time. Contrast in plant morphological traits was the key to distinguishing nearby stands as different species. Hence, broad-leaved versus fine needle leaved vegetation were mapped more accurately than structurally similar classes such as Rhododendron anthopogon versus non-photosynthetic vegetation. Results highlight the potential and limitations of the suggested UAS-GEOBIA approach for detailed mapping of plant communities and suggests future research directions.

Extraction of microsporidial DNA from modified trichrome-stained clinical slides and subsequent species identification using PCR sequencing

Parasitology ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 135 (6) ◽  
pp. 701-703 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. S. CHAN ◽  
T. H. KOH
Keyword(s):  
Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Species Identification ◽  
Environmental Samples ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Clinical Specimens ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Pcr Conditions ◽  
Hiv Negative

SUMMARYMolecular techniques involving polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing provide a relatively simple and objective means of identifying microsporidia to species level. We modified previously described methods of DNA extraction and PCR conditions for identification of microsporidia from museum slides, clinical specimens and environmental samples and successfully identifiedVittaforma corneaein 11 out of 13 cases of microsporidial infection from used trichrome-stained slides of corneal scrapings from HIV-negative patients with keratoconjunctivitis.

scholarly journals Oral Cancer: A Historical Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (9) ◽  
pp. 3168
Author(s):  
Francesco Inchingolo ◽  
Luigi Santacroce ◽  
Andrea Ballini ◽  
Skender Topi ◽  
Gianna Dipalma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oral Cancer ◽  
Cochrane Review ◽  
Integrated Treatment ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Medical Texts ◽  
Modern Times ◽  
Oral Cancers ◽  
Cancer Management

Aim: This historical medical literature review aims at understanding the evolution of the medical existence of oral cancer over times, particularly better comprehending if the apparent lower prevalence of this type of cancer in antiquity is a real value due to the absence of modern environmental and lifestyle factors or it is linked to a misinterpretation of ancient foreign terms found in ancient medical texts regarding oral neoplasms. Methods: The databases MedLne, PubMed, Web of Science, Elsevier’s EMBASE.com, Cochrane Review, National Library of Greece (Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Athens) and the Library of the School of Health Sciences of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece) were extensively searched for relevant studies published during the past century on the history of oral cancer and its treatment from antiquity to modern times, in addition to the WHO website to analyse the latest epidemiological data. In addition, we included historical books on the topic of interest and original sources. Results: Historical references reveal that the cradle of the oral oncology was in ancient Egypt, the Asian continent and Greece and cancer management was confined to an approximate surgical practice, in order to remove abnormal masses and avoid bleeding with cauterization. In the Medieval Age, little progress occurred in medicine in general, oral cancers management included. It is only from the Renaissance to modern times that knowledge about its pathophysiological mechanisms and histopathology and its surgical and pharmacological treatment approaches became increasingly deep all over the world, evolving to the actual integrated treatment. Despite the abundant literature exploring oncology in past civilizations, the real prevalence of oral cancer in antiquity is much less known; but a literature analysis cannot exclude a consistent prevalence of this cancer in past populations, probably with a likely lower incidence than today, because many descriptions of its aggressiveness were found in ancient medical texts, but it is still difficult to be sure that each single description of oral masses could be associated to cancer, particularly for what concerns the period before the Middle Ages. Conclusions: Modern oncologists and oral surgeons must learn a lot from their historic counterparts in order to avoid past unsuccessful efforts to treatment oral malignancies. Several descriptions of oral cancers in the antiquity that we found let us think that this disease might be linked to mechanisms not strictly dependent on environmental risk factors, and this might guide future research on oral cavity treatments towards strategical cellular and molecular techniques.

Bacterial species to be considered in quality assurance of mice and rats

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Axel Kornerup Hansen ◽  
Dennis Sandris Nielsen ◽  
Lukasz Krych ◽  
Camilla Hartmann Friis Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Animal Research ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Screening Methods ◽  
Salmonella Spp ◽  
Streptobacillus Moniliformis ◽  
Real Risk

Bacteria are relevant in rodent quality assurance programmes if (a) the animals are at risk and (b) presence in the animals makes a difference for animal research or welfare, for example because the agent regulates clinical disease progression or impacts its host in other ways. Furthermore, zoonoses are relevant. Some bacterial species internationally recommended for the health monitoring of rats and mice, that is, Citrobacter rodentium, Corynebacterium kutscheri, Salmonella spp. and Streptococcus pneumonia, are no longer found in either laboratory or pet shop rats or mice, while there is still a real risk of impact on animal research and welfare from Filobacterium rodentium, Clostridium piliforme, Mycoplasma spp., Helicobacter spp. and Rodentibacter spp., while Streptobacillus moniliformis may be considered a serious zoonotic agent in spite of a very low risk. Modern molecular techniques have revealed that there may, depending on the research type, be equally good reasons for knowing the colony status of some commensal bacteria that are essential for the induction of specific rodent models, such as Alistipes spp., Akkermansia muciniphila, Bifidobacterium spp., Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides vulgatus, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Prevotella copri and segmented filamentous bacteria. In future, research groups should therefore consider the presence or absence of a short list of defined bacterial species relevant for their models. This list can be tested by cost-effective sequencing or even a simple multiple polymerase chain reaction approach, which is likely to be cost-neutral compared to more traditional screening methods.

scholarly journals Root traits as drivers of plant and ecosystem functioning: current understanding, pitfalls and future research needs

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grégoire T. Freschet ◽  
Catherine Roumet ◽  
Louise H. Comas ◽  
Monique Weemstra ◽  
A. Glyn Bengough ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Functioning ◽  
Root Traits ◽  
Current Understanding ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Needs

Mobile Business Retailing: Driving Experiential Learning on Campus

2017 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Fischbach ◽  
Veronica Guerrero
Keyword(s):  
Digital Media ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Marketing Plan ◽  
Marketing Concept ◽  
Mobile Business ◽  
Food Trucks ◽  
Implementation Evaluation ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Hands On

Engaging students in the classroom is a struggle all faculty face especially in the age of modern technology. This article proposes a novel approach to engage and motivate students through the mobile business “on wheels” marketing concept. The growth in mobile business retailing (e.g., food trucks, mobile dog groomers, etc.) is an appealing concept for today’s entrepreneurial-minded students. This concept provides students with an opportunity to combine their creativity with their understanding of the seminal marketing concepts of a principles of marketing course. The project involves two marketing challenges: the promotion of a mobile business retailing event on campus and the development of a marketing plan for a unique mobile business retailing idea developed by the students. The project provides a variety of hands-on, engaging pedagogies to guide the students from concept creation based on primary research through campaign proposals integrating digital media examples. Resources in project design, implementation, evaluation, and critical analysis of this comprehensive marketing project are outlined in this article. Recommendations for future research and implementation are also provided.

Leveraging Frontline Employees’ Small Data and Firm-Level Big Data in Frontline Management

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Son K. Lam ◽  
Stefan Sleep ◽  
Thorsten Hennig-Thurau ◽  
Shrihari Sridhar ◽  
Alok R. Saboo
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Small Data ◽  
Frontline Employees ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Customer Interaction ◽  
Data Volume ◽  
Improve Service Quality

The advent of new forms of data, modern technology, and advanced data analytics offer service providers both opportunities and risks. This article builds on the phenomenon of big data and offers an integrative conceptual framework that captures not only the benefits but also the costs of big data for managing the frontline employee (FLE)-customer interaction. Along the positive path, the framework explains how the “3Vs” of big data (volume, velocity, and variety) have the potential to improve service quality and reduce service costs by influencing big data value and organizational change at the firm and FLE levels. However, the 3Vs of big data also increase big data veracity, which casts doubt about the value of big data. The authors further propose that because of heterogeneity in big data absorptive capacities at the firm level, the costs of adopting big data in FLE management may outweigh the benefits. Finally, while FLEs can benefit from big data, extracting knowledge from such data does not discount knowledge derived from FLEs’ small data. Rather, combining and integrating the firm’s big data with FLEs’ small data are crucial to absorbing and applying big data knowledge. An agenda for future research concludes.

Money, Morphology and Molecules. Some comments on Wortley, Bennett and Scotland (2002), Taxonomy and phylogeny reconstruction: two distinct research agendas in systematics. (see p. 335 of this issue)

2002 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 451-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. F. STEVENS
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Systematics ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Morphological Data ◽  
Phylogeny Reconstruction ◽  
Reasonable Time ◽  
The Past ◽  
Short Time ◽  
Made In

The state of systematics, for convenience here divided into taxonomy (the delimitation, description and inventory of species) and phylogeny reconstruction, is evaluated. Molecular systematics may seem overemphasized, but the resulting gains made in our understanding of relationships in a relatively short time are very considerable. Although morphological data currently play only a limited role in detecting large-scale phylogenetic pattern, the analysis by Wortley et al. of the role morphology has played in the past is not easily interpreted. At species level, it is unclear what effect molecular techniques will have on our understanding of species limits, but it is likely to be considerable. Although taxonomy is both essential and underfunded, there seems little point in asking for more money until we can justify the limits of the species we describe more clearly and until we have cleared up the impediments that so much slow the practice of taxonomy. Business cannot remain as usual if any of the grand inventory projects we have started are to be finished within a reasonable time, or even to be of much use when they are.

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