The role of bud protection and bark density in frost resistance of savanna trees.

Frost events occur with a significant frequency in savannas of the Southern Hemisphere, especially in the Cerrados of Brazil. One of the main strategies to deal with such events is to invest in thick and dense bark, which can insulate internal branch tissues and protect buds, essential to ensure resprouting if frost damage causes plant canopy die-back. Such strategies may be fundamental to determine the persistence of savanna species in regions where low temperatures and frost events are recurrent. Here we describe bud protection and bark strategies of 53 woody species growing in typical savanna vegetation of central Brazil. In addition, we used an experimental approach exposing branches to 0 °C to measure temperature variation in internal branch tissue and test its relationship to bud protection and bark properties. We found that the majority of species (69%) showed medium to high bud protection against extreme temperatures; however, the degree of bud protection was not clearly related to bark properties, such as bark thickness and density. Bark density is a fundamental trait in determining protection against low temperatures (0 °C), since species with low bark density showed lower temperature variation in their internal branch tissues, independently of the bud protection degree. Bark properties and bud protection are two different (albeit related) strategies for the protection and persistence of savanna trees under extreme environmental temperatures and can explain ecological observations related to savanna tree responses after frost events.

A comparative study of aluminium and nutrient concentrations in mistletoes on aluminium-accumulating and non-accumulating hosts.

Mistletoes offer a unique model to study interactions among Al and nutrients in vascular plants, because they grow and reproduce on hosts with distinct Al uptake strategies. We investigated Al distribution and nutrient relations of mistletoes on Al-accumulating and non-accumulating hosts. We hypothesised that mistletoes would exhibit similar leaf nutrient and Al concentrations as their host plants, but a strong compartmentalisation of Al when growing on Al-accumulators. We measured concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn in leaves and Al in leaves, seeds and branches of Phthirusa ovata and Psittacanthus robustus infecting Miconia albicans, an Al-accumulator, and Ph. ovata infecting Byrsonima verbascifolia, a non-Al-accumulator. High leaf concentrations of Al in Ph. ovata only occurred while parasitizing the Al-accumulating host; there was no accumulation in branches or seeds. In P. robustus, large concentrations of Al were found in leaves, branches and seeds. Mistletoe seed viability and leaf nutrient concentrations were not affected by Al accumulation. Passive uptake of Al, Ca, Mg, Mn and Cu in mistletoes was evidenced by significant correlations between mistletoes and host leaf concentrations, but not of N, P and K. Al was retranslocated to different plant organs in P. robustus, whereas it was mostly restricted to leaves in Ph. ovata. We suggest that Al might have some specific function in P. robustus, which only parasitizes Al-accumulator hosts, while the host generalist Ph. ovata can be considered a facultative Al-accumulator.

Evaluation of Sinos River water genotoxicity using the comet assay in fish.

The Sinos River, in southern Brazil, is polluted by industrial discharges and untreated urban wastes. Fish genotoxicity biomarkers are valuable parameters for environmental risk assessment. In this study, we used the comet assay to detect genotoxicity due to multiple sources of pollution in the peripheral blood of a native fish species (Hyphessobrycon luetkenii). In addition, we analysed possible DNA damage from aluminum, lead, chromium, copper, nickel, iron and zinc contamination. Water samples were collected seasonally from three sampling sites and the fish were assessed under laboratory conditions. Water chemical analysis showed an increased level of aluminum and iron in most of the samples at sites 2 and 3, located in the middle and lower river course, respectively. The index of DNA damage assessed by the comet assay demonstrated no significant differences in different seasons or at the different sampling sites, while the frequency of cells with DNA damage was higher in water samples collected at sites 1 and 2 during the spring season. None of the metals studied seems to be associated with the increase in the frequency of cells with DNA damage observed during the spring season. The results of this study indicate that the Sinos River is contaminated with substances that are genotoxic to fish, including the waters near the river spring.

Comparison between tympanic and anal temperature with a clinical infrared ray thermometer in dogs / Comparação entre a temperatura timpânica e a temperatura anal usando um termômetro clínico de raio infravermelho em cães

A clinical thermometer of infrared rays was used twice to record consecutively the temperature of the tympanic membrane in each ear and in the anus of 53 dogs. Temperatures did not differ significantly between organs, and were strongly correlated. The anal temperature measurement with an infrared thermometer in dogs is feasible and trustworthy, as well as the thermal checking of tympanic temperature.

Utilizou-se um termômetro clínico de emissão de raios infravermelhos para medir, duas vezes consecutivas, a temperatura da membrana timpânica de cada ouvido e duas vezes a temperatura no ânus de 53 cães. Não houve diferença entre as temperaturas quanto ao órgão estudado e a correlação entre as temperaturas foi alta. Em cães, a medida da temperatura anal com o termômetro clínico de emissão de raios infravermelhos é rápida e confiável tanto quanto a da temperatura timpânica.