Yeast diversity isolated from grape musts during spontaneous fermentation from a brazilian winery

Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeast species from a winery located in Brazil were identified by ribosomal gene-sequencing analysis. A total of 130 yeast strains were isolated from grape surfaces and musts during alcoholic fermentation from Isabel, Bordeaux, and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties. Samples were submitted to PCR-RFLP analysis and genomic sequencing. Thirteen species were identified: Candida quercitrusa, Candida stellata, Cryptococcus flavescens, Cryptococcus laurentii, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Issatchenkia occidentalis, Issatchenkia orientalis, Issatchenkia terricola, Pichia kluyveri, Pichia guilliermondii, Pichia sp., Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Sporidiobolus pararoseus. A sequential substitution of species during the different stages of fermentation, with a dominance of non-Saccharomyces yeasts at the beginning, and a successive replacement of species by S. cerevisiae strains at the final steps were observed. This is the first report about the yeast distribution present throughout the alcoholic fermentation in a Brazilian winery, providing supportive information for future studies on their contribution to wine quality. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Rastreamento de leveduras autóctonas para a produção de pectinase, tanase e invertase

Pós-graduação em Engenharia e Ciência de Alimentos - IBILCE

Seleção de leveduras isoladas de uvas e mostos com atividade enzimáticas para melhoramento de vinhos

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Climatic and stratigraphic paleoindicators from the Canary Island

[EN] The last 5 Myr  are characterized by cliamatic variations globally and are reflected in ancient fossiliferous marine deposits visible in the Canary Islands. The fossils contained are identificated as paleoecological and paleoclimatic indicators. The Mio-Pliocene Transit is represented by the coral Siderastrea micoenica Osasco, 1897; the gastropods Rothpletzia rudista Simonelli, 1890; Ancilla glandiformis (Lamarck, 1822); Strombus coronatus Defrance, 1827 and Nerita emiliana Mayer, 1872 and the bivalve Gryphaea virleti Deshayes, 1832 as most characteristic fossils  and typical of a very warm climate and littoral zone. Associated  lava flows  have been dated radiometrically  and provides a range between  8.9 and about 4.2 Kyr. In the mid-Pleistocene, about 400,000 years ago, the called Marine Isotope Stage 11, a strong global warming that caused a sea level rise happens. Remains of the MIS 11  are preserved on the coast of Arucas (Gran Canaria), and associated with a tsunami in Piedra Alta (Lanzarote). These fossilifeorus  deposits contains the bivalve Saccostrea cucullata (Born, 1780), the gastropod Purpurellus gambiensis (Reeve, 1845) and the corals Madracis pharensis (Heller, 1868) and Dendrophyllia cornigera (Lamarck, 1816). Both sites have been dated by K-Ar on pillow lavas (approximately 420,000 years) and by Uranium Series on corals (about 481,000 years) respectively. The upper Pleistocene starts with another strong global warming known as the last interglacial or marine isotope  stage (MIS) 5.5, about 125,000 years ago, which also left marine  fossil deposits exposed in parallel to current in Igueste of San Andrés (Tenerife),  El Altillo, the  city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria  and Maspalomas (Gran Canaria),  Matas Blancas, the Playitas and Morrojable (Fuerteventura ) and in Playa Blanca and Punta Penedo (Lanzarote ). The fossil coral Siderastrea radians (Pallas , 1766 ) currently living in the Cape Verde Islands , the Gulf of Guinea and the Caribbean has allowed Uranium series dating. The gastropods Strombus bubonius Lamarck, 1822 and Harpa doris (Röding , 1798 ) currently living in the Gulf of Guinea. Current biogeography using synoptic data obtained through satellites provided by the ISS Canary Seas provides data of Ocean Surface Temperature (SST) and Chlorophyll a (Chlor a) . This has allowed the estimation of these sea conditions during interglacials compared to today .

Climate signatures in corals of the tropical-temperate transition zone (Late Miocene, Crete/Greece)

The present study describes a Late Miocene (early Tortonian - early Messinian) transitional carbonate system that combines elements of tropical and cool-water carbonate systems (Irakleion Basin, island of Crete, Greece). As documented by stratal geometries, the submarine topography of the basin was controlled by tilting blocks. Coral reefs formed by Porites and Tarbellastrea occurred in a narrow clastic coastal belt along a „central Cretan landmass“, and steep escarpments formed by faulting. Extensive covers of level-bottom communities existed in a low-energy environment on the gentle dip-slope ramps of the blocks that show the widest geographical distribution within the basin. Consistent patterns of landward and basinward shift of coastal onlap in all outcrop studies reveal an overriding control of 3rd and 4th order sea level changes on sediment dynamics and facies distributions over block movements. An increasingly dry climate and the complex submarine topography of the fault block mosaic kept sediment and nutrient discharge at a minimum. The skeletal limestone facies therefore reflects oligotrophic conditions and a sea surface temperature (SST) near the lower threshold temperature of coral reefs in a climatic position transitional between the tropical coral reef belt and the temperate zone. Stable isotope records (δ18O, δ13C) from massiv, exceptionally preserved Late Miocene aragonite coral skeletons reflect seasonal changes in sea surface temperature and symbiont autotrophy. Spectral analysis of a 69 years coral δ18O record reveals significant variance at interannual time scales (5-6 years) that matches the present-day eastern Mediterranean climate variability controlled by the Arctic Oscillation/North Atlantic Oscillation (AO/NAO), the Northern Hemisphere’s dominant mode of atmospheric variability. Supported by simulations with a complex atmospheric general circulation model coupled to a mixed-layer ocean model, it is suggested, that climate dynamics in the eastern Mediterranean and central Europe reflect atmospheric variability related to the Icelandic Low 10 million years ago. Usually, Miocene corals are transformed in calcite spar in geological time and isotope values are reset by diagenetic alteration. It is demonstrated that the relicts of growth bands represent an intriguing source of information for the growth conditions of fossil corals. Recrystallized growth bands were measured systematically in massive Porites from Crete. The Late Miocene corals were growing slowly with 2-4 mm/yr, compatible with present-day Porites from high latitude reefs, a relationship that fits the position of Crete at the margin of the Miocene tropical reef belt. Over Late Miocene time (Tortonian - early Messinian) growth rates remained remarkably constant, and if the modern growth temperature relationship for massive Porites applies to the Neogene, minimum (winter) SST did not exceed 19-21°C.

Stable isotope ratios and chemistry on corals from the Caribbean Sea

Instrumental climate data are limited in length and only available with low spatial coverage before the middle of the 20th century. This is too short to reliably determine and interpret decadal and longer scale climate variability and to understand the underlying mechanisms with sufficient accuracy. A proper knowledge of past variability of the climate system is needed to assess the anthropogenic impact on climate and ecosystems, and also important with regard to long-range climate forecasting. Highly-resolved records of past climate variations that extend beyond pre-industrial times can significantly help to understand long-term climate changes and trends. Indirect information on past environmental and climatic conditions can be deduced from climate-sensitive proxies. Large colonies of massive growing tropical reef corals have been proven to sensitively monitor changes in ambient seawater. Rapid skeletal growth, typically ranging between several millimeters to centimeters per year, allows the development of proxy records at sub-seasonal resolution. Stable oxygen isotopic composition and trace elemental ratios incorporated in the aragonitic coral skeleton can reveal a detailed history of past environmental conditions, e.g., sea surface temperature (SST). In general, coral-based reconstructions from the tropical Atlantic region have lagged behind the extensive work published using coral records from the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Difficulties in the analysis of previously utilized coral archives from the Atlantic, typically corals of the genera Montastrea and Siderastrea, have so far exacerbated the production of long-term high-resolution proxy records. The objective of this study is the evaluation of massive fast-growing corals of the species Diploria strigosa as a new marine archive for climate reconstructions from the tropical Atlantic region. For this purpose, coral records from two study sites in the eastern Caribbean Sea (Guadeloupe, Lesser Antilles; and Archipelago Los Roques, Venezuela) were examined. At Guadeloupe, a century-long monthly resolved multi-proxy coral record was generated. Results present the first d18O (Sr/Ca)-SST calibration equations for the Atlantic braincoral Diploria strigosa, that are robust and consistent with previously published values using other coral species from different regions. Both proxies reflect local variability of SST on a sub-seasonal scale, which is a precondition for studying seasonally phase-locked climate variations, as well as track variability on a larger spatial scale (i.e., in the Caribbean and tropical North Atlantic). Coral Sr/Ca reliably records local annual to interannual temperature variations and is higher correlated to in-situ air temperature than to grid-SST. The warming calculated from coral Sr/Ca is concurrent with the strong surface temperature increase at the study site during the past decades. Proxy data show a close relationship to major climate signals from the tropical Pacific and North Atlantic (the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)) affecting the seasonal cycle of SST in the North Tropical Atlantic (NTA). Coral oxygen isotopes are also influenced by seawater d18O (d18Osw) which is linked to the hydrological cycle, and capture large-scale climate variability in the NTA region better than Sr/Ca. Results from a quantitative comparison between extreme events in the two most prominent modes of external forcing, namely the ENSO and NAO, and respective events recorded in seasonal coral d18O imply that SST variability at the study site is highly linked to Pacific and North Atlantic variability, by this means supporting the assumptions of observational- and model-based studies which suggest a strong impact of ENSO and NAO forcings onto the NTA region through a modulation of trade wind strength in winter. Results from different spectral analysis tools suggest that interannual climate variability recorded by the coral proxies is II largely dictated by Pacific ENSO forcing, whereas at decadal and longer timescales the influence of the NAO is dominan. tThe Archipelago Los Roques is situated in the southeastern Caribbean Sea, north of the Venezuelan coast. Year-to-year variations in monthly resolved coral d18O of a nearcentury- long Diploria strigosa record are significantly correlated with SST and show pronounced multidecadal variations. About half of the variance in coral d18O can be explained by variations in seawater d18O, which can be estimated by calculating the d18Oresidual via subtracting the SST component from measured coral d18O. The d18Oresidual and a regional precipitation index are highly correlated at low frequencies, suggesting that d18Osw variations are primarily atmospheric-driven. Warmer SSTs at Los Roques broadly coincide with higher precipitation in the southeastern Caribbean at multidecadal time scales, effectively strengthening the climate signal in the coral d18O record. The Los Roques coral d18O record displays a strong and statistically significant relationship to different indices of hurricane activity during the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season in boreal summer and is a particularly good indicator of decadal-multidecadal swings in the latter indices. In general, the detection of long-term changes and trends in Atlantic hurricane activity is hampered due to the limited length of the reliable instrumental record and the known inhomogeneity in the observational databases which result from changes in observing practice and technology over the years. The results suggest that coral-derived proxy data from Los Roques can be used to infer changes in past hurricane activity on timescales that extend well beyond the reliable record. In addition, the coral record exhibits a clear negative trend superimposed on the decadal to multidecadal cycles, indicating a significant warming and freshening of surface waters in the genesis region of tropical cyclones during the past decades. The presented coral d18O time series provides the first and, so far, longest continuous coral-based record of hurricane activity. It appears that the combination of both signals (SST and d18Osw) in coral d18O leads to an amplification of large-scale climate signals in the record, and makes coral d18O even a better proxy for hurricane activity than SST alone. Atlantic hurricane activity naturally exhibits strong multidecadal variations that are associated with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), the major mode of lowfrequency variability in the North Atlantic Ocean. However, the mechanisms underlying this multidecadal variability remain controversial, primarily because of the limited instrumental record. The Los Roques coral d18O displays strong multidecadal variability with a period of approximately 60 years that is closely related to the AMO, making the Archipelago Los Roques a very sensitive location for studying low-frequency climate variability in the Atlantic Ocean. In summary, the coral records presented in this thesis capture different key climate variables in the north tropical Atlantic region very well, indicating that fast-growing Diploria strigosa corals represent a promising marine archive for further proxy-based reconstructions of past climate variability on a range of time scales.

Calcareous nannofossil stratigraphy and datums of sediments from ODP Leg 198 sites

During Ocean Drilling Program Leg 198, Sites 1207, 1208, 1212, 1213, and 1214 were drilled on Shatsky Rise, coring Lower to mid-Cretaceous successions of nannofossil chalk, porcellanite, and chert. Although recovery was poor, these sites yielded an outstanding record of calcareous nannoplankton, providing valuable data concerning the evolutionary succession and paleobiogeography of the largest Cretaceous marine habitat. Mid-Cretaceous sections (Aptian-Cenomanian) were recovered at all sites, and Site 1213 includes an apparently complete Berriasian-Hauterivian section. Biostratigraphic dating is problematic in places because of the absence or rarity of zonal fossils of both Boreal and Tethyan affinity. The majority of nannofossil assemblages are relatively typical of this age, but there are clear differences that set them apart from coeval epicontinental assemblages: for example, Lithraphidites carniolensis is common to abundant throughout and was most likely an oceanic-adapted taxon; the cold- to temperate-water species Crucibiscutum salebrosum, Repagulum parvidentatum, and Seribiscutum primitivum are entirely absent, indicating the persistence of tropical, warm surface water temperatures; and the warm-water species Hayesites irregularis is common. Most striking, however, is the virtual absence of Nannoconus and Micrantholithus, both taxa that were conspicuous and often common components of many Tethyan and Atlantic nannofloras. These forms were almost certainly neritic adapted and usually absent in deep open-ocean settings away from guyots and platforms. Other Tethyan taxa are also absent or rare and sporadically distributed (e.g., Calcicalathina oblongata, Conusphaera spp., Tubodiscus verenae, and Lithraphidites bollii), and factors related to neritic environments presumably controlled their distribution. Site 1213 also records extended Early Cretaceous ranges for species previously thought to have become extinct during the Late Jurassic (e.g., Axopodorhabdus cylindratus, Hexapodorhabdus cuvillieri, and Biscutum dorsetensis), suggesting these species became Pacific-restricted prior to their extinction. Watznaueria britannica may also have been a species with Pacific affinities before reexpansion of its biogeography in the early Aptian. One new genus (Mattiolia) and thirteen new species (Zeugrhabdotus clarus, Zeugrhabdotus petrizzoae, Helicolithus leckiei, Rhagodiscus amplus, Rhagodiscus robustus, Rhagodiscus sageri, Rhagodiscus adinfinitus, Tubodiscus bellii, Tubodiscus frankiae, Gartnerago ponticula, Haqius peltatus, Mattiolia furva, and Kokia stellata) are described from the Shatsky Rise Lower Cretaceous section.

Plio-Pleistocene benthic foraminifera of the Tyrrhenian Sea

Benthic foraminifers from Site 652, Site 653 (Hole 653A), and Site 654 of Leg 107 (Tyrrhenian Sea, Western Mediterranean), which penetrated with more or less good recovery the Plio-Pleistocene stratigraphic interval, were studied in a total of 699 close-spaced samples. A total number of 269 species have been classified and their quantitative distribution in each sample is reported. The benthic foraminifers assemblage is more diversified in Site 654, less diversified in Site 652. Less than a half of the benthic foraminifers species listed from Plio-Pleistocene Italian land sections are present in the coeval deep-sea Tyrrhenian record, in which shallow water species are missing and Nodosarids are poorly represented. A very few species have comparable stratigraphic distribution in the three deep-sea sequences and in Italian land sections when compared against calcareous plankton biostratigraphy. In the same three sites, the first appearance levels of several species are younger and younger, and last appearance levels are earlier and earlier from Site 654 to Site 653 and Site 652. Five biostratigraphic events, biochronologically evaluated and occurring at the same level in the deepsea Tyrrhenian record and in several land sections, have been selected as zonal boundaries of the proposed benthic foraminifers biostratigraphic scheme. The Plio-Pleistocene interval has been subdivided into four biozones and one subzone, recognizable both in the deep-sea and land-based sequences. The Cibicidoides (?) italicus assemblage zone stretches from the base of the Pliocene to the extinction level of the zonal marker, biochronologically evaluated at 2.9 Ma. The Cibicidoides robertsonianus interval zone stretches from the Cibicidoides (?) italicus extinction level to the Pliocene Mediterranean FO of Gyroidinoides altiformis, evaluated at 2.4 Ma. The Gyroidinoides altiformis interval zone stretches from the Mediterranean Pliocene FO of the zonal marker to the appearance level of Articulina tubulosa, evaluated at 1.62 Ma. The Articulina tubulosa assemblage zone stretches from the appearance level of the zonal marker to the Recent. In the Articulina tubulosa biozone, the Hyalinea baltica subzone is proposed. The appearance level of Hyalinea baltica is evaluated at 1.35 Ma, well above the Plio-Pleistocene boundary as defined in the Vrica stratotype section.