Reconstruction and variability of tropical pollination networks in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Loss of biodiversity comprehends not only the extinction of individual species, but also the loss of the ecological interactions among them. Survival of species, continuation of ecosystem functioning in nature, and ecosystem services to humans depend on the maintenance of well-functioning networks of species interactions (e.g. plant-pollinator networks and food webs). Analyses of ecological networks often rely on biased and incomplete survey data, especially in species-rich areas, such as the tropics. We used a network inference method to reconstruct pollination data compiled from a large tropical rainforest habitat extent. To gain insight into the characteristics of plant-pollinator interactions across the region, we combined the reconstructed pollination network with species distribution modeling to obtain local pollination networks throughout the area. We explored how global network properties relate to natural forest cover and land cover heterogeneity. We found that some network properties (the sum and evenness of link weights, connectance and nestedness) are positively correlated with forest cover, indicating that networks in sites with more natural habitat have greater diversity of interactions, stability and resilience. Modularity was not related to forest cover, but seemed to reflect habitat heterogeneity, due to the broad spatial scale of the study. We believe that the methodology suggested here can facilitate the use of incomplete network data in a reliable way, and allow us to better understand and protect networks of species interactions in high biodiversity regions of the world.

Multi-marker metabarcoding resolves subtle variations in freshwater condition: Bioindicators, ecological traits, and trophic interactions

Freshwater systems are experiencing rapid biodiversity losses resulting from high rates of habitat degradation. Ecological condition is typically determined through identifying either macroinvertebrate or diatom bioindicator assemblages and comparing them to their known tolerance to stressors. These comparisons are typically conducted at family or genus levels depending on the availability of taxonomic keys and expertise for focal groups. The objective of this study was to test whether a more taxonomically comprehensive assessment of communities in benthic samples can provide a different perspective of ecological conditions. DNA metabarcoding was used to identify macroinvertebrates and diatoms from kick-net samples collected from sites with different habitat status. Sites with good condition were associated with higher beta diversity as well as slightly higher directed connectance and modularity indicating higher resilience compared with fair condition sites. Indicator value and correlation analyses used DNA metabarcoding data to detect 29 site condition indicator species consistent with known bioindicators and expected relative tolerances. DNA metabarcoding and trophic network analysis also recovered 11 keystone taxa. This study demonstrates the importance of taxonomic breadth across trophic levels for generating biotic data to study ecosystem status, with the potential to scale-up ecological assessments of freshwater condition, trophic stability, and resilience.

Positive Influence of a Probiotic Mixture on the Intestinal Morphology and Microbiota of Farmed Guinea Fowls (Numida meleagris)

To understand the effectiveness of a probiotic mixture on intestinal morphology, mucus layer composition, and cecal microbiota diversity, 40 10-day-old Guinea fowls (Numida meleagris) were assigned to two groups: the control group (C), receiving drinking water, and the treated group (P), receiving water plus a commercial multi-strain probiotic (Slab51®, 2 × 1011 CFU/L). Birds were slaughtered after 4 months, and the intestines were collected. Samples from the duodenum, ileum, and cecum were processed for morphological and morphometric studies, and conventional glycohistochemistry. Cecal samples were also used to assess the microbiota by 16S metataxonomic approach. Group P showed significant increase in the villus height (p < 0.001 in the duodenum and p < 0.05 in the ileum and cecum), villus width (p < 0.05 in all investigated tracts), depth of crypts (p < 0.001 in the duodenum and cecum; p < 0.05 in the ileum), and goblet cells per villus (p < 0.001 in all investigated tracts) compared with group C. Cecal microbiota of the birds varied considerably and comparing the relative abundance of the main observational taxonomic units (OTUs), a positive enrichment of several beneficial taxa, such as Oscillospira, Eubacterium, Prevotella, and members of the Ruminococcaceae, was observed. The enrichment of those taxa can improve microbiota stability and resilience facing environmental stresses, enhancing its resistance against invading pathogens. Ruminococcaceae, which represent the most important taxon in both groups, and Prevotella have a key role in the gut physiology due to the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are a vital energy source for enterocytes, improve glucose metabolism, and exert an overall anti-inflammatory effect. Probiotic administration enriches the presence of Coprococcus, Oscillospira, and Eubacterium taxa that produce butyrate, which exerts a beneficial effect on growth performance, structure of villi, and pathogen control and has anti-inflammatory properties too. This study indicates that Slab51® supplementation positively affects the morphology and microbiota diversity of the guinea fowl intestine.

BRICS, G20 and global economic governance reform

The article reviews cooperation between the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and their collective efforts to promote reform of international financial institutions, shape global financial regulation and improve financial cooperation. The authors focus on the BRICS–G20 engagement for global economic governance reform. To assess the progress so far, the study employs original quantitative data on the BRICS and G20 commitments and compliance, and qualitative analysis of the BRICS and G20 discourse and the transformation of the international economic architecture. The results suggest that, contrary to the common perception of the BRICS as a challenger of the traditional western-dominated international monetary and financial system, it acts in a cooperative manner, seeking to make the international financial architecture and global regulation more representative and responsive to emerging markets and developing economies needs, and strengthen the stability and resilience of international and domestic financial markets.

Methyl salicylate as a signaling compound that contributes to forest ecosystem stability

Key message This review for the first time gathers the current state of knowledge on the role of plant and microbial methyl salicylate (MeSA) signaling processes in forest ecosystems. It aims to establish a basis for the use of high-MeSA-emitting trees as a silvicultural tool aiming to enhance stability and resilience in managed temperate forests affected by climate change. Abstract Methyl salicylate (MeSA) is a volatile plant and microbial signaling compound involved in systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and defense against pests and microbial pathogens, and antagonists. MeSA emitted by plants is also believed to trigger SAR in neighboring plant individuals, thus contributing to the resilience of the entire plant community. In this review, we discuss volatile plant-to-plant communication processes with a special focus on MeSA and provide an overview about the occurrence of MeSA in fungi and other microbes. We summarize present findings on the role of MeSA in plants and particularly in birches (Betula spp.) and discuss the potential use of MeSA and MeSA-emitting plants in agriculture and forestry. MeSA levels in plant tissues are adjusted by methylation of salicylic acid to MeSA and the reverse process of demethylation. Some plant species possess constitutively high MeSA levels and thus are suitable for experiments of admixture of high MeSA plants, e.g., birches of the subgenera Betulenta and Acuminata in plant communities such as mixed forests. Furthermore, knowledge of candidate genes and the molecular pathways underlying high MeSA emission is expected to offer a basis for altering MeSA levels and/or the selection of high MeSA mutants.

Tracking Greenfield FDI During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Analysis by Sectors

We study the trends and fluctuations in greenfield foreign direct investment (GFDI) during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis on a global scale. We analyse the data of a data set of GFDI provided by fDi Markets ( Financial Times) to understand the contraction of GFDI during the first three quarters of the year 2020, taking into account the sector of the investment and the host and home country. We analyse both the long-run trends and the quarter-over-quarter changes in GFDI to capture its fluctuations before and during the first wave of the COVID-19 crisis and the 2008 global financial crisis. Our findings cast light on which countries’ and industries’ GFDIs were most affected by the pandemic crisis and draw a comparison to the global financial crisis. To our surprise, many services industries have shown unexpected resilience of GFDI due to the flexibility for remote work. On the contrary, GFDI in the manufacturing industries, as well as the extractives and the utility industries, has shown a dramatic decline during the pandemic. These contractions raise questions of stability and resilience of the global supply chains these industries are a part of. JEL Codes: F21

Zeolite/Cellulose Acetate (ZCA) in Blend Fiber for Adsorption of Erythromycin Residue From Pharmaceutical Wastewater: Experimental and Theoretical Study

The expanding amount of remaining drug substances in wastewater adversely affects both the climate and human well-being. In the current investigation, we developed new cellulose acetic acid derivation/zeolite fiber as an effective technique to eliminate erythromycin (ERY) from wastewater. The number of interchangeable sites in the adsorbent structures and the ratio of ERY to the three adsorbents were identified as the main reasons for the reduction in adsorption as the initial ERY concentrations increased. Additionally, for all adsorbents, the pseudo–second-order modeling showed better fitting for the adsorption than the pseudo–first-order modeling. However, the findings obtained in the pseudo–first-order model were still enough for explaining the sorption kinetics of ERY, showing that the surface displayed all chemisorption and physi-sorption adsorption processes by both adsorbents. The R2 for the second order was very close to 1 for the three adsorbents in the case of pseudo–second-order. The adsorption capacity reached 17.76 mg/g. The three adsorbents showed negative values of ΔH, and these values were −6,200, −8,500, and −9600 kJ/mol for zeolite, CA, and ZCA, respectively, and this shows that the adsorption is exothermic. The desorption analysis shows no substantial loss of adsorption site after three trials, indicating higher stability and resilience of the three adsorbents, indicating a strong repeatability of their possible use in adsorption without contaminating the environment. In addition, the chemical attitude and possible donor–acceptor interactions of ERY were assessed by the quantum chemical parameters (QCPs) and NBO analysis performed, at the HF/6-311G** calculations.