2020
Díaz-Álvarez, E. A.; de la Barrera, E.; Barrios-Hernández, E. Y.; Arróniz-Crespo, M.
Morphophysiological screening of potential organisms for biomonitoring nitrogen deposition Journal Article
In: Ecological Indicators, vol. 108, pp. 105729, 2020, ISSN: 1470-160X.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: atmospheric pollution, CAM, global change, Latin America, Mexico, neotropical, nitrogen
@article{Díaz-Álvarez2020,
title = {Morphophysiological screening of potential organisms for biomonitoring nitrogen deposition},
author = {E. A. Díaz-Álvarez and E. de la Barrera and E. Y. Barrios-Hernández and M. Arróniz-Crespo},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X19307228},
doi = {10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.105729},
issn = {1470-160X},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-06},
journal = {Ecological Indicators},
volume = {108},
pages = {105729},
abstract = {The intensification of different anthropic activities has led to a doubling of the emitted reactive nitrogen species since the second half of the XX century, resulting in the increase of nitrogen deposition. This poses a major threat to global biodiversity. However, in developing countries the monitoring of atmospheric deposition has shown to be difficult. For these reasons, the aim of this study was to assess, by means of a greenhouse dose-response experiment, the biomonitoring potential of two mosses, Braunia secunda and Thuidium delicatulum, and two epiphytic bromeliads, Tillandsia recurvata and Tillandsia usneoides, which are widely distributed in Latin America. A significant increase of the phosphomonoesterase activity was observed for the mosses, particularly under a High-nitrogen treatment, a parameter that decreased for the bromeliads. In turn, the nitrate reductase activity decreased over the course of the experiment for the mosses, but it remained almost unchanged for both tillandsias. While the nitrogen content for the mosses increased, it fluctuated for the bromeliads. Braunia secunda became greener under the Low-nitrogen than under the other treatments, while the coloration for T. delicatulum turned to brown under all treatments. The tillandsias remained visually unchanged under all treatments. The mosses had a clear response to the simulated nitrogen deposition, with B. secunda being more tolerant than T. delicatulum. Neither tillandsia presented a clear response to the treatments. Thus, the moss B. secunda is a very suitable species for biomonitoring nitrogen deposition, while the other species evaluated were deemed unsuitable.},
keywords = {atmospheric pollution, CAM, global change, Latin America, Mexico, neotropical, nitrogen},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The intensification of different anthropic activities has led to a doubling of the emitted reactive nitrogen species since the second half of the XX century, resulting in the increase of nitrogen deposition. This poses a major threat to global biodiversity. However, in developing countries the monitoring of atmospheric deposition has shown to be difficult. For these reasons, the aim of this study was to assess, by means of a greenhouse dose-response experiment, the biomonitoring potential of two mosses, Braunia secunda and Thuidium delicatulum, and two epiphytic bromeliads, Tillandsia recurvata and Tillandsia usneoides, which are widely distributed in Latin America. A significant increase of the phosphomonoesterase activity was observed for the mosses, particularly under a High-nitrogen treatment, a parameter that decreased for the bromeliads. In turn, the nitrate reductase activity decreased over the course of the experiment for the mosses, but it remained almost unchanged for both tillandsias. While the nitrogen content for the mosses increased, it fluctuated for the bromeliads. Braunia secunda became greener under the Low-nitrogen than under the other treatments, while the coloration for T. delicatulum turned to brown under all treatments. The tillandsias remained visually unchanged under all treatments. The mosses had a clear response to the simulated nitrogen deposition, with B. secunda being more tolerant than T. delicatulum. Neither tillandsia presented a clear response to the treatments. Thus, the moss B. secunda is a very suitable species for biomonitoring nitrogen deposition, while the other species evaluated were deemed unsuitable.
2018
Díaz-Álvarez, E. A.; de la Barrera, E.
Characterization of nitrogen deposition in a megalopolis by means of atmospheric biomonitors Journal Article
In: Scientific Reports, vol. 8, pp. 13569, 2018.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: biomonitors, epiphytes, Mexico, mosses, nitrogen, pollution, stable isotopes, Tillandsia, urban ecology
@article{Díaz-Álvarez2018b,
title = {Characterization of nitrogen deposition in a megalopolis by means of atmospheric biomonitors},
author = {E. A. Díaz-Álvarez and E. de la Barrera },
url = {https://rdcu.be/6jWU},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-018-32000-5},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-09-11},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
volume = {8},
pages = {13569},
abstract = {An increase of nitrogen deposition resulting from human activities is not only a major threat for global biodiversity, but also for human health, especially in highly populated regions. It is thus important and in some instances legally mandated to monitor reactive nitrogen species in the atmosphere. The utilization of widely distributed biological species suitable for biomonitoring may be a good alternative. We assessed the suitability of an ensemble of atmospheric biomonitors of nitrogen deposition by means of an extensive sampling of a lichen, two mosses, and a bromeliad throughout the Valley of Mexico, whose population reaches 30 million, and subsequent measurements of nitrogen metabolism parameters. In all cases we found significant responses of nitrogen content, C:N ratio and the δ15N to season and site. In turn, the δ15N for the mosses responded linearly to the wet deposition. Also, the nitrogen content (R2 = 0.7), the C:N ratio (R2 = 0.6), and δ15N (R2 = 0.5) for the bromeliad had a linear response to NOx. However, the bromeliad was not found in sites with NOx concentrations exceeding 80 ppb, apparently of as a consequence of exceeding nitrogen. These biomonitors can be utilized in tandem to determine the status of atmospheric nitrogenous pollution in regions without monitoring networks for avoiding health problems for ecosystems and humans.},
keywords = {biomonitors, epiphytes, Mexico, mosses, nitrogen, pollution, stable isotopes, Tillandsia, urban ecology},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
An increase of nitrogen deposition resulting from human activities is not only a major threat for global biodiversity, but also for human health, especially in highly populated regions. It is thus important and in some instances legally mandated to monitor reactive nitrogen species in the atmosphere. The utilization of widely distributed biological species suitable for biomonitoring may be a good alternative. We assessed the suitability of an ensemble of atmospheric biomonitors of nitrogen deposition by means of an extensive sampling of a lichen, two mosses, and a bromeliad throughout the Valley of Mexico, whose population reaches 30 million, and subsequent measurements of nitrogen metabolism parameters. In all cases we found significant responses of nitrogen content, C:N ratio and the δ15N to season and site. In turn, the δ15N for the mosses responded linearly to the wet deposition. Also, the nitrogen content (R2 = 0.7), the C:N ratio (R2 = 0.6), and δ15N (R2 = 0.5) for the bromeliad had a linear response to NOx. However, the bromeliad was not found in sites with NOx concentrations exceeding 80 ppb, apparently of as a consequence of exceeding nitrogen. These biomonitors can be utilized in tandem to determine the status of atmospheric nitrogenous pollution in regions without monitoring networks for avoiding health problems for ecosystems and humans.