Regulation of symbiotic interactions and primitive lichen differentiation by UMP1 MAP kinase in Umbilicaria muhlenbergii.

Lichens are of great ecological importance but mechanisms regulating lichen symbiosis are not clear. Umbilicaria muhlenbergii is a lichen-forming fungus amenable to molecular manipulations and dimorphic. Here, we established conditions conducive to symbiotic interactions and lichen differentiation and showed the importance of UMP1 MAP kinase in lichen development. In the initial biofilm-like symbiotic complexes, algal cells were interwoven with pseudohyphae covered with extracellular matrix. After longer incubation, fungal-algal complexes further differentiated into primitive lichen thalli with a melanized cortex-like and pseudoparenchyma-like tissues containing photoactive algal cells. Mutants deleted of UMP1 were blocked in pseudohyphal growth and development of biofilm-like complexes and primitive lichens. Invasion of dividing mother cells that contributes to algal layer organization in lichens was not observed in the ump1 mutant. Overall, these results showed regulatory roles of UMP1 in symbiotic interactions and lichen development and suitability of U. muhlenbergii as a model for studying lichen symbiosis.

Fungal-Algal Association Drives Lichens' Mutualistic Symbiosis: A Case Study with Trebouxia-Related Lichens.

Biotic and abiotic factors influence the formation of fungal-algal pairings in lichen symbiosis. However, the specific determinants of these associations, particularly when distantly related fungi are involved, remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the impact of different drivers on the association patterns between taxonomically diverse lichenized fungi and their trebouxioid symbiotic partners. We collected 200 samples from four biomes and identified 41 species of lichenized fungi, associating them with 16 species of trebouxioid green algae, of which 62% were previously unreported. The species identity of both the fungal and algal partners had the most significant effect on the outcome of the symbiosis, compared to abiotic factors like climatic variables and geographic distance. Some obviously specific associations were observed in the temperate zone; however, the nestedness value was lower in arid regions than in cold, polar, and temperate regions according to interaction network analysis. Cophylogenetic analyses revealed congruent phylogenies between trebouxioid algae and associated fungi, indicating a tendency to reject random associations. The main evolutionary mechanisms contributing to the observed phylogenetic patterns were "loss" and "failure to diverge" of the algal partners. This study broadens our knowledge of fungal-algal symbiotic patterns in view of Trebouxia-associated fungi.

Efficacy and safety of atropine at different concentrations in prevention of myopia progression in Asian children: a systematic review and Meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

AIM: To assess the efficacy versus the adverse effects of various concentrations of atropine in the prevention of myopia in Asian children. METHODS: Databases (PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and Web of science) were comprehensively searched from inception to April 2022. Types of studies included were randomized clinical trials (RCTs). The published languages were limited to English. Two researchers assessed the quality of included studies independently using Cochrane risk of bias tool based on the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Funnel plots and Egger's test were used for detection of publication bias. Meta-analyses were conducted using STATA (version 15.0; StataCorp). RESULTS: A total of 15 RCTs involving 2268 patients were included in the study. In the atropine group, spherical equivalent progressed at a significantly lower rate [weighted mean difference (WMD)=0.39, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.23, 0.54] than in the control group. A WMD of 0.15 mm was associated with less axial elongation (95%CI -0.19, -0.10). Different doses showed statistically significant differences (P<0.05) and an improved effect could result from a higher concentration. Changes in photopic pupil size and mesopic pupil size in atropine group is 0.70 mm (95%CI: 0.33, 1.06) and 0.38 mm (95%CI: 0.22, 0.54) more than the control group. In the present Meta-analysis, no changes in accommodative amplitude (AA) were associated with atropine administration. Atropine administration increased the risk of adverse effects by 1.37 times. CONCLUSION: Concentrations of less than 1% atropine are able to effectively retard diopter and axis growth of myopia in Asian children in a dose-dependent manner. Meanwhile, it caused pupil enlargement, but induced no change in the AA within this range. Further study is required to determine the dosage needed to achieve maximum efficacy and minimal side effects.

Differential analysis of aqueous humor cytokine levels in patients with macular edema secondary to diabetic retinopathy or retinal vein occlusion.

AIM: To evaluate the difference and the correlation between the concentrations of cytokines in the aqueous humor of eyes with macular edema secondary to diabetic retinopathy (DR) or retinal vein occlusion (RVO). METHODS: This is a retrospective case control study. The aqueous humor samples were collected during intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) for patients diagnosed with macular edema secondary to DR (DME) or RVO (RVO-ME) at Xijing Hospital from August 2021 to July 2022. Meanwhile, aqueous humor samples during vitrectomy from patients with idiopathic macular hole (IMH) were also collected and served as controls. The aqueous humor concentrations of VEGF, platelet-derived factor (PDGF), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-18, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) were measured with Human Premixed Multi-Analyte Kit (Luminex). The difference of the aqueous cytokines and the correlation between the two diseases were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 40 eyes of 38 patients were enrolled in the study, including 13 eyes of 11 DME patients (DME group), 16 eyes of 16 RVO-ME patients (RVO-ME group) and 11 eyes of 11 IMH patients (control group). The VEGF, PDGF, IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 levels of the aqueous humor were higher in both DME and RVO-ME groups compared with the control group (all P<0.05), the levels of TNF-α was higher in the DME group than in the control group (P<0.05). The VEGF, IL-6, MCP-1, and TNF-α levels in the aqueous humor were significantly higher in the DR group than those in the RVO group (all P<0.05). Correlation analyses revealed that there were complex positive correlations between IL-6, IL-8, IL-18, MCP-1, and TNF-α levels in the aqueous humor of eyes with two diseases. CONCLUSION: Although ischemic and inflammatory factors are similarly involved in the pathogenesis of DME and RVO-ME, the roles of these factors are more significant or more likely to be activated in DR patients, suggesting different treatment strategies should be considered for the two diseases.

Discovery and excavation of lichen bioactive natural products.

Lichen natural products are a tremendous source of new bioactive chemical entities for drug discovery. The ability to survive in harsh conditions can be directly correlated with the production of some unique lichen metabolites. Despite the potential applications, these unique metabolites have been underutilized by pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries due to their slow growth, low biomass availability, and technical challenges involved in their artificial cultivation. At the same time, DNA sequence data have revealed that the number of encoded biosynthetic gene clusters in a lichen is much higher than in natural products, and the majority of them are silent or poorly expressed. To meet these challenges, the one strain many compounds (OSMAC) strategy, as a comprehensive and powerful tool, has been developed to stimulate the activation of silent or cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters and exploit interesting lichen compounds for industrial applications. Furthermore, the development of molecular network techniques, modern bioinformatics, and genetic tools is opening up a new opportunity for the mining, modification, and production of lichen metabolites, rather than merely using traditional separation and purification techniques to obtain small amounts of chemical compounds. Heterologous expressed lichen-derived biosynthetic gene clusters in a cultivatable host offer a promising means for a sustainable supply of specialized metabolites. In this review, we summarized the known lichen bioactive metabolites and highlighted the application of OSMAC, molecular network, and genome mining-based strategies in lichen-forming fungi for the discovery of new cryptic lichen compounds.

Liver X Receptor Agonist Inhibits Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein Induced Choroidal Neovascularization via the NF-κB Signaling Pathway.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common blindness-causing disease among the elderly. Under oxidative stress, low-density lipoprotein in the outer layer of the retina is easily converted into oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL), which promotes the development of choroidal neovascularization (CNV), the main pathological change in wet AMD. Liver X receptor (LXR), a ligand-activated nuclear transcription factor, regulates various processes related to CNV, including lipid metabolism, cholesterol transport, inflammation, and angiogenesis. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the LXR agonist TO901317 (TO) on CNV. Our results demonstrated that the TO could inhibit OxLDL-induced CNV in mice as well as inflammation and angiogenesis in vitro. Using siRNA transfection in cells and Vldlr-/- mice, we further confirmed the inhibitory effects of TO against the inflammatory response and oxidative stress. Mechanistically, the LXR agonist reduces the inflammatory response via the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 in the pathway for NF-κB activation and by enhancing ABCG1-dependent lipid transportation. Therefore, an LXR agonist is a promising therapeutic candidate for AMD, especially for wet AMD.

The Jurassic epiphytic macrolichen Daohugouthallus reveals the oldest lichen-plant interaction in a Mesozoic forest ecosystem.

Lichens are well known as pioneer organisms or stress-tolerant extremophiles, potentially playing a core role in the early formation of terrestrial ecosystems. Epiphytic macrolichens are known to contribute to the water- and nutrient cycles in forest ecosystem. But due to the scarcity of fossil record, the evolutionary history of epiphytic macrolichens is poorly documented. Based on new fossil of Jurassic Daohugouthallus ciliiferus, we demonstrate the hitherto oldest known macrolichen inhabited a gymnosperm branch. We applied energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and geometric morphometric analysis to complementarily verify lichen affinity of D. ciliiferus and quantitatively assess the potential relationships with extant lichenized lineages, providing new approaches for study of this lichen adpression fossil. Considering the results, and the inferred age of D. ciliiferus, a new family, Daohugouthallaceae, is established. This work updates current knowledge to the early evolution of epiphytic macrolichens and reveals more complex lichen-plant interactions in a Jurassic forest ecosystem.

Host selection tendency of key microbiota in arid desert lichen crusts.

Lichen genus Endocarpon in biological soil crust form was chosen as a model to investigate the bacterial communities for the first time across four vertically distinct strata. Key bacterial microbiota in lichen thallus were discovered, which were gradually filtered and mainly derived from the crust soil, with clear host selection tendency. The study provided key information to better understand the homeostasis maintenance mechanism of the lichen symbiont and community assembly of desert lichen crust.

Morphological and Phylogenetic Characterizations Reveal Five New Species of Astrothelium (Trypetheliales, Ascomycota) from China.

The lichenized fungal genus Astrothelium is an important element of crustose lichen communities in tropical to subtropical forests. Morphological and molecular phylogenetic approaches to investigate species diversity of Astrothelium (Trypetheliaceae) from Southern China were carried out in this study. Bayesian and maximum-likelihood (ML) analyses were generated based on the combined data set of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), partial regions of the nuclear ribosomal large subunit (LSU), and the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II gene sequences (RPB1). The morphological comparison with the known Astrothelium taxa and molecular phylogeny support five new species: Astrothelium jiangxiense sp. nov., A. luminothallinum sp. nov., A. pseudocrassum sp. nov., A. subeustominspersum sp. nov., and A. subrufescens sp. nov. All these species are described and illustrated in detail.

New Insights into Lichenization in Agaricomycetes Based on an Unusual New Basidiolichen Species of Omphalina s. str.

The genus Omphalina is an ideal genus for studying the evolutionary mechanism of lichenization. Based on molecular phylogeny using ITS and nuLSU sequences by means of Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses and morphological examination, combining the existence of green algae in basidiomata stipe and a Botrydina-type vegetative thallus, we described a bryophilous new basidiolichen species, Omphalina licheniformis, from a residential area of Jiangxi Province, China. This finding of unusual new basidiolichen species updated our understanding of the delimitation of Omphalina, indicating that both non-lichen-forming and lichen-forming fungal species are included simultaneously. The presence of algal cells in the basidiomata should receive more attention, as this would be helpful to distinguish more potential basidiolichens and explore the cryptic species diversity. This work provides new insights and evidence for understanding the significance of lichenization during the evolution of Agaricomycetes.

Two New Species and Two New Records of the Lichen-Forming Fungal Genus Peltula (Ascomycota: Peltulaceae) from China.

In this study, two new species, Peltula confusa Q.X. Yang & X.L. Wei, sp. nov., growing in a dry microenvironment within a semi-humid area, and Peltula subpatellata Q.X. Yang & X.L. Wei, sp. nov., occurring in arid and semi-arid regions, are described. In addition, two species, P. polyspora (Tuck.) Wetmore and P. obscuratula (Nyl.) Poelt ex Egea, are recorded for the first time in China. All four species are described based on morphological, anatomical and molecular data. Peltula confusa is characterized by a lighter, brighter, and more yellowish upper surface than other species of this genus, with discs concentrated in the central part of squamules, and a thick lower cortex. Peltula subpatellata can be distinguished from P. patellata (Bagl.) Swinscow & Krog by its non-thickened and sometimes darkened margins and sometimes the presence of peltate squamules. Phylogenetic analysis based on DNA sequences of four loci (ITS, nrSSU, nrLSU, and RPB2) demonstrates the placement of these species within Peltula, and supports current species delimitations. We suggest that the growth substrate should be considered as an additional characteristic for species delimitation.

Hidden Species Diversity was Explored in Two Genera of Catapyrenioid Lichens (Verrucariaceae, Ascomycota) from the Deserts of China.

Verrucariaceae is the third-largest lichen family with high species diversity. However, this diversity has not been well-explored in China. We carried out a wide-scale field investigation in the arid and semi-arid regions of Northwest China from 2017 to 2021. A large number of lichen groups, especially those commonly distributed in deserts, were collected. Based on molecular phylogeny using ITS and nuLSU sequences by Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses, combining morphological characters, seven taxa of catapyrenioid lichens in Verricariaceae were found in this study, including one genus (Clavascidium) and one species (Clavascidium lacinulatum) new to China; one genus (Placidium) new to the mainland of China; and four species (Clavascidium sinense, Placidium nitidulum, Placidium nigrum, and Placidium varium) new to science. It enriched our understanding of the high species diversity in Verrucariaceae and the lichen flora of Chinese arid and semi-arid deserts.

Five New Species of the Lichen-Forming Fungal Genus Peltula from China.

The genus Peltula is an important cyanobacterial lichen group. We performed a taxonomic study on the Peltula from China using phylogenetic analysis based on three gene loci (ITS, nuSSU, nuLSU) together with additional species delimitation analyses by ABGD, bPTP and GMYC approaches and the phenotypic characteristics. Five new species (Peltula lobulata, P. polycarpa, P. polyphylla, P. pseudoboletiformis and P. submarginata) were found and described. Peltula lobulata is diagnostic in its small thallus with plenty of lobules, rolled down and irregularly lobed margins, and uneven cracked surfaces. Peltula polycarpa has convex and rolled down lobes and numerous apothecia with a thalloid rim covering the whole lobe, and it can be distinguished from fertile P. farinosa (southern Switzerland) by a bright olive-green and epruinose surface, and the absence of isidia. Peltula polyphylla is differentiated from any other known Peltula species by a very small polyphyllous thallus composed of abundant olive-brown to olive-black small lobes growing tightly and sometimes anastomosing and attaching to the substrate by a large and strong umbilical cluster. Peltula submarginata is similar to P. marginata but differs in the presence of encircled epinecral and algae layers, and the absence of a lower cortex. Peltula pseudoboletiformis is different from the similar species P. boletiformis in greener lobes, more yellow-green umbilici and certain phylogenetic differences. Moreover, a key to the species of Peltula in China is also provided here.

Twelve New Species Reveal Cryptic Diversification in Foliicolous Lichens of Strigula s.lat. (Strigulales, Ascomycota).

We employed a molecular phylogenetic approach using five markers (ITS, nuSSU, nuLSU, TEF1-α, and RPB2) to assess potential cryptic speciation in foliicolous members of Strigula s.lat. (Strigulaceae), including the recently segregated genera Phylloporis, Puiggariella, Raciborskiella, Racoplaca, and Serusiauxiella, from tropical areas in Asia, with selected materials from the Neotropics as reference. On the basis of combined molecular and phenotypic datasets, two new species of Racoplaca and 10 new species of Strigula s.str. are described: Racoplaca macrospora sp. nov., R. maculatoides sp. nov., Strigula guangdongensis sp. nov., S. intermedia sp. nov., S. laevis sp. nov., S. microcarpa sp. nov., S. pseudoantillarum sp. nov., S. pseudosubtilissima sp. nov., S. pycnoradians sp. nov., S. sinoconcreta sp. nov., S. stenoloba sp. nov., and S. subtilissimoides sp. nov. In addition, we propose the new combination Phylloporis palmae comb. nov. (≡ =Manaustrum palmae) and we validate the earlier combination Racoplaca melanobapha comb. nov. (≡ Verrucaria melanobapha; Strigula melanobapha). Our data clearly indicate a considerable degree of cryptic diversification in foliicolous representatives of Strigula s.lat., particularly in the presumably widespread taxa Strigula antillarum, S. concreta, S. nitidula, and S. smaragdula. Given that these phylogenetic revisions are thus far limited to few regions, we predict that our findings only represent the proverbial tip of the iceberg in this group of lichenized fungi.

Coregulation of dimorphism and symbiosis by cyclic AMP signaling in the lichenized fungus Umbilicaria muhlenbergii.

Umbilicaria muhlenbergii is the only known dimorphic lichenized fungus that grows in the hyphal form in lichen thalli but as yeast cells in axenic cultures. However, the regulation of yeast-to-hypha transition and its relationship to the establishment of symbiosis are not clear. In this study, we show that nutrient limitation and hyperosmotic stress trigger the dimorphic change in U. muhlenbergii Contact with algal cells of its photobiont Trebouxia jamesii induced pseudohyphal growth. Treatments with the cAMP diphosphoesterase inhibitor IBMX (3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine) induced pseudohyphal/hyphal growth and resulted in the differentiation of heavily melanized, lichen cortex-like structures in culture, indicating the role of cAMP signaling in regulating dimorphism. To confirm this observation, we identified and characterized two Gα subunits UmGPA2 and UmGPA3 Whereas deletion of UmGPA2 had only a minor effect on pseudohyphal growth, the ΔUmgpa3 mutant was defective in yeast-to-pseudohypha transition induced by hyperosmotic stress or T. jamesii cells. IBMX treatment suppressed the defect of ΔUmgpa3 in pseudohyphal growth. Transformants expressing the UmGPA3G45V or UmGPA3Q208L dominant active allele were enhanced in the yeast-to-pseudohypha transition and developed pseudohyphae under conditions noninducible to the wild type. Interestingly, T. jamesii cells in close contact with pseudohyphae of UmGPA3G45V and UmGPA3Q208L transformants often collapsed and died after coincubation for over 72 h, indicating that improperly regulated pseudohyphal growth due to dominant active mutations may disrupt the initial establishment of symbiotic interaction between the photobiont and mycobiont. Taken together, these results show that the cAMP-PKA pathway plays a critical role in regulating dimorphism and symbiosis in U. muhlenbergii.

Lichen mimesis in mid-Mesozoic lacewings.

Animals mimicking other organisms or using camouflage to deceive predators are vital survival strategies. Modern and fossil insects can simulate diverse objects. Lichens are an ancient symbiosis between a fungus and an alga or a cyanobacterium that sometimes have a plant-like appearance and occasionally are mimicked by modern animals. Nevertheless, lichen models are almost absent in fossil record of mimicry. Here, we provide the earliest fossil evidence of a mimetic relationship between the moth lacewing mimic Lichenipolystoechotes gen. nov. and its co-occurring fossil lichen model Daohugouthallus ciliiferus. We corroborate the lichen affinity of D. ciliiferus and document this mimetic relationship by providing structural similarities and detailed measurements of the mimic's wing and correspondingly the model's thallus. Our discovery of lichen mimesis predates modern lichen-insect associations by 165 million years, indicating that during the mid-Mesozoic, the lichen-insect mimesis system was well established and provided lacewings with highly honed survival strategies.

Many insects mimic other organisms or use camouflage to hide from predators. For example, some modern animals mimic the organism lichens, which are formed from algae and fungus, and grow almost everywhere on Earth, from the Arctic to the desert. The most iconic example of an insect mimicking a species of lichen is the peppered moth. During the industrial revolution, darker colored moths were better at surviving. But when the revolution ended and pollution levels declined, species of lichen began to re-emerge and increase the survival of paler moths. Yet, it is unclear how and when insects first evolved this ingenious survival strategy, as distinctive examples of insects mimicking lichens are missing from fossil records. To answer this question, Fang et al. set out to find fossils of lichen-mimicking insects that occurred at the same time as fossils of lichens. This approach led to the discovery of two new species of lacewing insects and their related species of foliose lichen. Previous work suggested that the foliose lichen, which has a lobe like shape, did not exist more than 65 million years ago. However, the findings of Fang et al. indicate that the foliose lichen existed 165 million years ago during the age of dinosaurs, and therefore arose much earlier than previously thought. The two new species found in north-eastern China, form a new subgroup within the moth lacewing family that Fang et al. have named 'Lichenipolystoechotes'. Close examination of both species of lacewing and the lichen under the microscopy revealed a near perfect match in their appearance. The branching patterns of the insects' wing markings fit the branching patterns of the lichen. Taken together, these findings suggest that, not only did lichen mimics exist in the age of the dinosaurs, but that this strategy of using lichen mimicry as a form of survival was already very effective during this time period. This discovery suggests that, 165 million years ago, a micro-ecosystem of lichens and insects existed in north-eastern China. It invites new questions about how that ecosystem worked. For example, how did the lichen benefit from its relationship with lacewing insects? Further investigations could reveal the answers and uncover more interesting insects hidden in the fossil record.

Dual RNA-seq of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola infecting rice reveals novel insights into bacterial-plant interaction.

The Gram-negative bacterium Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoc) is the causal agent of rice bacterial leaf streak (BLS), one of the most destructive diseases of rice (Oryza sativa L.) that is the important staple crop. Xoc can invade host leaves via stomata and wounds and its type three secretion system (T3SS) is pivotal to its pathogenic lifestyle. In this study, using a novel dual RNA-seq approach, we examined transcriptomes of rice and Xoc in samples inoculated with wild type Xoc GX01 and its T3SS defective strain (T3SD), to investigate the global transcriptional changes in both organisms. Compared with T3SD strain, rice inoculated with wild type Xoc GX01 resulted in significant expression changes of a series of plant defence related genes, including ones altered in plant signalling pathway, and downregulated in phenylalanine metabolism, flavonoid and momilactone biosynthesis, suggesting repression of plant defence response and reduction in both callose deposition and phytoalexin accumulation. Also, some known transcription activator-like effector (TALE) targets were induced by Xoc GX01, e.g. OsSultr3;6 which contributes to rice susceptibility. Some cell elongation related genes, including several expansin genes, were induced by GX01 too, suggesting that Xoc may exploit this pathway to weaken cell wall strength, beneficial for bacterial infection. On the other hand, compared with wild type, the T3SD strain transcriptome in planta was characterized by downregulation of ATP, protein and polysaccharide synthesis, and upregulation of antioxidation and detoxification related genes, revealing that T3SD strain faced serious starvation and oxidation stresses in planta without a functional T3SS. In addition, comparative global transcript profiles of Xoc in planta and in medium revealed an upregulation of virulence factor synthesis and secretion in planta in favour of bacterial infection. Collectively, this study provides a comprehensive representation of cross talk between the host and bacterial pathogen, revealing insights into the Xoc-rice pathogenic dynamic and reveals novel strategies exploited by this important pathogen to cause disease.

New 1, 2-naphthoquinone-derived pigments from the mycobiont of lichen Trypethelium eluteriae Sprengel.

A new yellow pigment trypethelonamide A (1), and a new dark violet-red pigment 5'-hydroxytrypethelone (2), as well as three known dark violet-red pigments (+)-8-hydroxy-7-methoxytrypethelone (3), (+)-trypethelone (4) and (-)-trypethelone (5) were isolated from the cultured lichenized fungus Trypethelium eluteriae. The structures of 1 and 2 were determined to be 1, 2-naphthoquinone derivatives by extensive spectroscopic analysis. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were assigned by quantum electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation. All isolated compounds were evaluated for cytotoxicities against A549, HepG2 and RKO cell lines, and antioxidant effects on DPPH. Compounds 1-5 showed moderate and weak cytotoxicities against RKO cell line with IC50 from 22.6 to 113.5 µM.

A new species of the lichenised genus Anamylopsora (Baeomycetaceae, Baeomycetales) from Tengger Desert of China.

The monotypic lichenised genus Anamylopsora (Baeomycetaceae, Baeomycetales), with its single species A.pulcherrima, is distributed in the arid areas of the Northern Hemisphere, including China. In this paper, we introduce another species new to science, Anamylopsorapruinosa. The new species is characterised by a densely pruinose upper surface, abundantly thick and strong rhizines and terricolous habitat. It is also strongly supported by the phylogenetic and species delimitation analyses based on nrDNA ITS sequences, in which A.pruinosa forms well-supported clade separated from A.pulcherrima.

Supervised PolSAR Image Classification with Multiple Features and Locally Linear Embedding.

In this paper, we propose a new method of land use and land cover classification for polarimetric SAR data. This algorithm consists of three parts. First, the multiple-component model-based scattering decomposition technique is improved and the decomposed scattering powers can be used to support the classification of PolSAR data. With this decomposition, the volume scattering of vegetated areas is enhanced while their double-bounce scattering is reduced. Furthermore, the double-bounce scattering of urban areas is enhanced and their volume scattering is decreased, which leads to an improvement in the classification accuracy especially for the urban areas. Second, this classification strategy is carried out on the superpixel level, which can decrease the influence of speckle noise and speed up the classification. Moreover, the contexture and spatial features extracted from these superpixels are utilized to improve classification accuracy. Lastly, we introduce the supervised locally linear embedding approach to map the high dimensional features into the low dimensional features as the inputs of classifiers. The classification is completed using the nearest neighbor classifier. The effectiveness of our proposed method is demonstrated using the AIRSAR C-band PolSAR data set, which is compared with the original MCSM-SVM and newly published LE-IF PolSAR classification methods. Further investigation is also carried out on the individual contribution of the three parts to LULC classification using AIRSAR C-band data. It indicates that all three components have important contributions to the final classification result.