2020
Briones, O.; Reyes-García, C.; Díaz-Álvarez, E. A.; Tinoco-Ojanguren, C.; de la Barrera, E.; Andrade, J. L.
A few islands of preliminary research among a sea of unknown: moving plant ecophysiology forward in megadiverse countries Journal Article
In: Botanical Sciences, vol. 98, no. 98, pp. 212-216, 2020.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: atmospheric pollution, climate change, drought, ecophysiology, environmental productivity index, epiphytes, food security
@article{Briones2020,
title = {A few islands of preliminary research among a sea of unknown: moving plant ecophysiology forward in megadiverse countries},
author = {O. Briones and C. Reyes-García and E. A. Díaz-Álvarez and C. Tinoco-Ojanguren and E. de la Barrera and J. L. Andrade},
url = {http://botanicalsciences.com.mx/index.php/botanicalSciences/article/view/2546},
doi = {10.17129/botsci.2546},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-03-11},
journal = {Botanical Sciences},
volume = {98},
number = {98},
pages = {212-216},
abstract = {A principal intention of ecological sciences is to explain biodiversity: why are some species and not others found in certain places. As an experimental science, plant ecophysiology focuses on the interactions among plants, the environment, and other biological species. In this context, the VII Mexican Ecology Congress focused on "addressing the complexity of nature." Some examples of how ecophysiology can address said complexity were discussed during the symposium.},
keywords = {atmospheric pollution, climate change, drought, ecophysiology, environmental productivity index, epiphytes, food security},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
2019
Díaz-Álvarez, E. A.; de la Barrera, E.
Drying protocol does not alter plant δ13C and δ15N: a baseline survey for ecological studies Journal Article
In: Isotopes in Environmental & Health Studies, vol. 55, pp. 526-531, 2019.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: atmospheric pollution, biomonitoring, ecophysiology, microwave, stable isotopes
@article{Díaz-Álvarez2019c,
title = {Drying protocol does not alter plant δ13C and δ15N: a baseline survey for ecological studies},
author = {E. A. Díaz-Álvarez and E. de la Barrera},
doi = {10.1080/10256016.2019.1673747},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-10-09},
journal = {Isotopes in Environmental & Health Studies},
volume = {55},
pages = {526-531},
abstract = {The use of stable isotopes in plant ecological studies has become widespread over the past few decades, given the potential of this tool for integrating physiological processes within an individual and allowing to track ecosystem-wide processes at various scales, with applications ranging from determining past meteorological conditions and potential adaptations of ecosystems to climate change, to biomonitoring studies of atmospheric pollution. However, the drying protocol might alter the isotopic signatures of plant samples given that high temperatures can volatilize various organic compounds or delay the halting of physiological processes at lower drying temperatures. We thus evaluated the effect of four drying protocols on the carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures for 23 species of plants. In particular, leaves were either freeze dried, placed in a herbarium drying stove (ca. 50 ºC), in a gravity convection oven (80 ºC), or microwaved (900 Watts) in 2-minute pulses, until constant weight. For each species, neither treatment led to significantly different δ13C values, which ranged from ‒31.7‰ to ‒12.4‰. The δ15N values of 21 of the species considered were not affected by the drying protocols, ranging from ‒11.6‰ to ‒8.8‰. For Tillandsia makoyana, significant differences were observed between the freeze dried and the microwaved samples and between the freeze dried samples and those dried at 50 ºC for Macroptilium gibbosifolium. },
keywords = {atmospheric pollution, biomonitoring, ecophysiology, microwave, stable isotopes},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Díaz-Álvarez, E. A.; Felix, J. D.; de la Barrera, E.
Elemental and isotopic assessment for Colombian orchids from a montane cloud forest: a baseline for global environmental change Journal Article
In: Acta Physiologiae Plantarum, vol. 41, no. 6, pp. 99, 2019.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: biodiversity, CAM, ecophysiology, epiphytes, global change, nitrogen, orchid, photosynthesis, stable isotopes
@article{Díaz-Álvarez2019,
title = {Elemental and isotopic assessment for Colombian orchids from a montane cloud forest: a baseline for global environmental change},
author = {E. A. Díaz-Álvarez and J. D. Felix and E. de la Barrera},
url = {https://rdcu.be/bCRG6},
doi = {10.1007/s11738-019-2893-y},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-05-16},
journal = {Acta Physiologiae Plantarum},
volume = {41},
number = {6},
pages = {99},
abstract = {Orchidaceae is the largest family of plants, reaching its maximum diversity in Colombia where 4000 species have been registered. One particular ecosystem with high diversity of orchids is the tropical montane cloud forest characterized by high humidity and low air temperatures. However, due to anthropic pressure such as land use change its area has been reduced. This is not the only anthropic disturbance that can affect the continuity of this forest and orchids, climate change and nitrogen deposition also become threats. By means of elemental composition and isotopic measurements of carbon and nitrogen, we determined the photosynthetic pathway for orchids from a tropical cloud forest in Colombia, for which, we also evaluated the nutritional status of nitrogen and its relationship with atmospheric deposition. We found 46 species from 18 genera; of these, 19 species were epiphytic, 9 lithophytic and 18 terrestrials. The carbon content was not significantly different among the species evaluated, averaging 46.4 ± 0.41% (dry weight). In turn, only one terrestrial orchid had a nitrogen content above 2.2%, averaged 1.4 ± 0.07% for the remaining 45 species. The δ13C that averaged − 28.1 ± 0.4‰ for 45 species was typical of C3 plants, while only one species, whose δ13C of 18.8‰ can be considered CAM. The δ15N values for 44 orchids were negative, in total they ranged from − 8.1 to 4.5‰. It can be concluded that the temperatures in this area are not yet high enough to produce a noticeable change in photosynthesis as evidenced by the carbon content of orchids, however, the expected rise would bring harmful consequences for these populations of orchids, especially when considering that these orchids were collected at the highest altitudinal range of the region. Moreover, the rates of nitrogen deposition are not high enough yet to leave a significant signal in the vegetation.},
keywords = {biodiversity, CAM, ecophysiology, epiphytes, global change, nitrogen, orchid, photosynthesis, stable isotopes},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
2017
Díaz-Álvarez, E. A.; de la Barrera, E.
PREPRINT: Mapping pollution in a megalopolis: the case for atmospheric biomonitors of nitrogen deposition Journal Article
In: BioRxiv, vol. doi: 10.1101/118257, 2017, (This article is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. ).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: biomonitoring, ecophysiology, global change, lichen, megacities, mosses, nitrogen, Tillandsia, urban ecology
@article{Díaz-Álvarez2017b,
title = {PREPRINT: Mapping pollution in a megalopolis: the case for atmospheric biomonitors of nitrogen deposition},
author = {E. A. Díaz-Álvarez and E. de la Barrera },
url = {https://doi.org/10.1101/118257
},
doi = {10.1101/118257},
year = {2017},
date = {2017-03-19},
journal = {BioRxiv},
volume = {doi: 10.1101/118257},
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. However, deployment of automated networks can be excessively costly for most cities so the utilization of widely distributed biological species suitable for biomonitoring may be a good alternative. The aim of this work was thus to assess the suitability of different atmospheric organisms as biomonitors of nitrogen deposition, by means of an extensive sampling of a lichen, two mosses, and one bromeliad throughout the Valley of Mexico, the basin where the megalopolis of Mexico City (population 20 million) is located, and subsequent measurements of nitrogen metabolism parameters. In all cases significant responses of nitrogen content, C:N ratio and 15N were found for the lichen Anaptychia sp. the mosses Grimmia sp. and Fabronia sp., and the bromeliad Tillandsia recurvata in response to season and collected site. In turn, 15N for the mosses responded linearly to the wet deposition (R2= 0.7 for Grimmia sp. and R2=0.2 for Fabronia sp.). Also, the nitrogen content (R2=0.7), the C:N ratio (R2=0.6), and 15N (R2=0.5) for the bromeliad had a linear response to NOx. However, latter species was not found in sites with NOx concentrations above 212 ppm. These biomonitors can be utilized in tandem to determine the status of nitrogenous pollution in regions without monitoring networks.},
note = {This article is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. },
keywords = {biomonitoring, ecophysiology, global change, lichen, megacities, mosses, nitrogen, Tillandsia, urban ecology},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
2016
Díaz-Álvarez, E. A.
¿Qué tanto es tantito? Una breve historia del nitrógeno en la era industrial Online
Morelia, UNAM Campus (Ed.): 2016.
Links | BibTeX | Tags: ecophysiology, nitrogen, pollution, urban ecology
@online{Díaz-Álvarez2016,
title = {¿Qué tanto es tantito? Una breve historia del nitrógeno en la era industrial},
author = {E. A. Díaz-Álvarez},
editor = {UNAM Campus Morelia},
url = {http://agro.mx/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/diazalvarez-2016-BUM.pdf},
year = {2016},
date = {2016-12-31},
journal = {Boletín UNAM Morelia (BUM)},
volume = {64},
keywords = {ecophysiology, nitrogen, pollution, urban ecology},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {online}
}