Shoot architecture and growth in the south Florida wet prairie macrophyte, Eleocharis cellulosa

Eleocharis cellulosa is a dominant macrophyte in Everglades wet prairie communities. The development of the shoot system in the genus has been described as sympodial but with an unusual adnation of the horizontal and vertical shoots. The growth pattern of E. cellulosa was studied from field collected plants and plants grown in the greenhouse. Plants were extracted and measurements of horizontal and vertical shoot were taken. Dissections, paraffin sectioning and SEM's were used to examine shoot structure in early developmental stages. E. cellulosa was transplanted from the field to the greenhouse and different levels of Nitrogen and Phosphorus were added to determine how it responded phenotypically. Dissections and microscopy showed that growth of the vertical shoots of E. cellulosa is sympodial, while growth of the horizontal shoots is mixed, beginning monopodially then transforming to sympodial growth. Additions of nutrients did not have any effect on the morphology of E. cellulosa.

Phosphorus enrichment effects on interactions among the ecosystem components in a long-hydroperiod oligotrophic marsh in Everglades National Park

Hydrology and a history of oligotrophy unite the massive landscape comprising freshwater marsh in Everglades National Park. With restoration of water flow to the Everglades, phosphorus (P) enrichment, both from agricultural and domestic sources, may increase nutrient load to the marsh ecosystem. Previous research of P enrichment of Everglades soil, periphyton, and macrophytes revealed each of these ecosystem components responds to increased P loads with increased production and nutrient content. Interactions among these ecosystem components and how P affects the magnitude and direction of interaction are poorly understood and are the focus of my research. Here I present results of a two-year, two-factor experiment of P enrichment and manipulation in Everglades National Park. I quantified biomass, nutrient content, and production for periphyton and macrophyes and found macrophyte removal drives change in nutrient content, biomass, and production of periphyton. Periphyton removal did not appear to control macrophyte dynamics. Soil chemical and physical characteristics were explained primarily by site differences but there was an enrichment effect of soil porewater nitrite + nitrate, nitrite, and soluble reactive phosphorus. Flocculent materials production and depth were significantly affected by macrophyte removal where depth and production were significantly greater with the no macrophyte treatment. The dominant macrophyte of the marsh, Eleocharis cellulosa, increased more in the unenriched marsh than in the enriched marsh. The combination of these findings suggests that dynamics in floc and periphyton are controlled primarily by the presence of periphyton and that this relationship is significantly affected by low-level P enrichment. These results may be valuable in their application to both managers and policy makers who are involved in the Everglades restoration process. ^

Rapid responses of vegetation to hydrological changes in Taylor Slough, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA

We analyzed the dynamics of freshwater marsh vegetation of Taylor Slough in eastern Everglades National Park for the 1979 to 2003 period, focusing on cover of individual plant species and on cover and composition of marsh communities in areas potentially influenced by a canal pump station (‘‘S332’’) and its successor station (‘‘S332D’’). Vegetation change analysis incorporated the hydrologic record at these sites for three intervals: pre-S332 (1961–1980), S332 (1980–1999), post-S332 (1999–2002). During S332 and post-S332 intervals, water level in Taylor Slough was affected by operations of S332 and S332D. To relate vegetation change to plot-level hydrological conditions in Taylor Slough, we developed a weighted averaging regression and calibration model (WA) using data from the marl prairies of Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. We examined vegetation pattern along five transects. Transects 1–3 were established in 1979 south of the water delivery structures, and were influenced by their operations. Transects 4 and 5 were established in 1997, the latter west of these structures and possibly under their influence. Transect 4 was established in the northern drainage basin of Taylor Slough, beyond the likely zones of influence of S332 and S332D. The composition of all three southern transects changed similarly after 1979. Where muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris var. filipes) was once dominant, sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense), replaced it, while where sawgrass initially predominated, hydric species such as spikerush (Eleocharis cellulosa Torr.) overtook it. Most of the changes in species dominance in Transects 1–3 occurred after 1992, were mostly in place by 1995–1996, and continued through 1999, indicating how rapidly vegetation in seasonal Everglades marshes can respond to hydrological modifications. During the post-S332 period, these long-term trends began reversing. In the two northern transects, total cover and dominance of both muhly grass and sawgrass increased from 1997 to 2003. Thus, during the 1990’s, vegetation composition south of S332 became more like that of long hydroperiod marshes, but afterward it partially returned to its 1979 condition, i.e., a community characteristic of less prolonged flooding. In contrast, the vegetation change along the two northern transects since 1997 showed little relationship to hydrologic status.

Quantitative and Qualitative Aspects of Dissolved Organic Carbon Leached from Senescent Plants in an Oligotrophic Wetland

We conducted a series of experiments whereby dissolved organic matter (DOM) was leached from various wetland and estuarine plants, namely sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense), spikerush (Eleocharis cellulosa), red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), cattail (Typha domingensis), periphyton (dry and wet mat), and a seagrass (turtle grass; Thalassia testudinum). All are abundant in the Florida Coastal Everglades (FCE) except for cattail, but this species has a potential to proliferate in this environment. Senescent plant samples were immersed into ultrapure water with and without addition of 0.1% NaN3 (w/ and w/o NaN3, respectively) for 36 days. We replaced the water every 3 days. The amount of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), sugars, and phenols in the leachates were analyzed. The contribution of plant leachates to the ultrafiltered high molecular weight fraction of DOM (>1 kDa; UDOM) in natural waters in the FCE was also investigated. UDOM in plant leachates was obtained by tangential flow ultrafiltration and its carbon and phenolic compound compositions were analyzed using solid state 13C cross-polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (13C CPMAS NMR) spectroscopy and thermochemolysis in the presence of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH thermochemolysis), respectively. The maximum yield of DOC leached from plants over the 36-day incubations ranged from 13.0 to 55.2 g C kg−1 dry weight. This amount was lower in w/o NaN3 treatments (more DOC was consumed by microbes than produced) except for periphyton. During the first 2 weeks of the 5 week incubation period, 60–85% of the total amount of DOC was leached, and exponential decay models fit the leaching rates except for periphyton w/o NaN3. Leached DOC (w/ NaN3) contained different concentrations of sugars and phenols depending on the plant types (1.09–7.22 and 0.38–12.4 g C kg−1 dry weight, respectively), and those biomolecules comprised 8–34% and 4–28% of the total DOC, respectively. This result shows that polyphenols that readily leach from senescent plants can be an important source of chromophoric DOM (CDOM) in wetland environments. The O-alkyl C was found to be the major C form (55±9%) of UDOM in plant leachates as determined by 13C CPMAS NMR. The relative abundance of alkyl C and carbonyl C was consistently lower in plant-leached UDOM than that in natural water UDOM in the FCE, which suggests that these constituents increase in relative abundance during diagenetic processing. TMAH thermochemolysis analysis revealed that the phenolic composition was different among the UDOM leached from different plants, and was expected to serve as a source indicator of UDOM in natural water. Polyphenols are, however, very reactive and photosensitive in aquatic environments, and thus may loose their plant-specific molecular characteristics shortly. Our study suggests that variations in vegetative cover across a wetland landscape will affect the quantity and quality of DOM leached into the water, and such differences in DOM characteristics may affect other biogeochemical processes.

Drivers of Decadal-Scale Change in Southern Everglades Wetland Macrophyte Communities of the Coastal Ecotone

Understanding the relationships between hydrology and salinity and plant community structure and production is critical to allow predictions of wetland responses to altered water management, changing precipitation patterns and rising sea-level. We addressed how salinity, water depth, hydroperiod, canal inflows, and local precipitation control marsh macrophyte aboveground net primary production (ANPP) and structure in the coastal ecotone of the southern Everglades. We contrasted responses in two watersheds - Taylor Slough (TS) and C-111 - systems that have and will continue to experience changes in water management. Based on long-term trajectories in plant responses, we found continued evidence of increasing water levels and length of inundation in the C-111 watershed south of the C-111 canal. We also found strong differentiation among sites in upper TS that was dependent on hydrology. Finally, salinity, local precipitation and freshwater discharge from upstream explained over 80 % of the variance in Cladium ANPP at a brackish water site in TS. Moreover, our study showed that, while highly managed, the TS and C-111 watersheds maintain legacies in spatial pattern that would facilitate hydrologic restoration. Based on the trajectories in Cladium and Eleocharis, shifts in plant community structure could occur within 5–10 years of sustained water management change.

Materials nanocomposits a partir de whiskers de cel•lulosa i matriu polimèrica de cautxú

De acuerdo con los objetivos generales del proyecto y plan de trabajo previsto, para esta anualidad, se obtuvieron fibras y microfibras de celulosa a partir de dos fuentes: celulosa vegetal de pino y eucalipto y celulosa bacterial. Las microfibrillas han sido utilizadas como material de refuerzo para la fabricación de materiales compuestos a partir de caucho natural, policaprolactona y polivinil alcohol. Las muestras se fabricaron mediante la técnica de "casting" en medio acuoso y temperatura ambiente. Las muestras fueron caracterizados en sus propiedades mecánicas, físicas y térmicas. Se observó que, en general, la adición de las microfibrillas de celulosa en las matrices poliméricas provoca una mejora sustancial en las propiedades mecánicas del material en comparación con el polímero sin reforzar. Los resultados pueden resumirse de la siguiente manera: 1.Fabricación de materiales compuestos a base de caucho natural y fibras de celulosa. Se obtuvieron fibras y nanofibras de celulosa que fueron modificadas químicamente y usadas como refuerzo en matriz de caucho. Los resultados mostraron mejora de propiedades mecánicas del material, principalmente en los materiales compuestos reforzados con nanofibras. 2. Obtención de whiskers de celulosa y su utilización como material de refuerzo en una matriz de policaprolactona. Se obtuvieron whiskers de celulosa a partir de pasta blanqueada. La adición en una matriz de policaprolactona produjo materiales compuestos con propiedades mecánicas superiores a la matriz, con buena dispersión de los whiskers. 3. Obtención de fibras de celulosa bacterial y nanofibras de celulosa, aislamiento y utilización sobre una matriz de polivinil alcohol. Se obtuvo celulosa bacterial a partir de la bacteria Gluconacetobacter xylinum. Además se fabricaron nanofibras de celulosa a partir eucalipto blanqueado. La celulosa bacterial como material de refuerzo no produjo importantes mejoras en las propiedades mecánicas de la matriz; en cambio se observaron mejoras destacables con la nanofibra como refuerzo.

Temporal variations in the primary productivity of Eleocharis acutangula (Cyperaceae) in a tropical wetland environment

Wetland vegetation typically includes aquatic macrophytes with high primary production capacities. The present study investigated how hydrological variations affect biomass allocation and primary productivity in the emergent macrophyte Eleocharis acutangula (Roxb.) Schult. Eleocharis acutangula ramets were collected from the Campelo Lagoon flood plain (21°39'S, 41°12'W and 21°37S, 41°11'W) between March/2005 and February/2006. This region experienced an unusually short rainy period between November/2005 and February/2006 that generated atypically high primary production levels (128gDWm-2month-1) and total biomass gains (447gDWm-2) in May and June/2005 respectively. Our data indicated that primary production and biomass allocation were strongly influenced by variations in wetland water levels and that macrophytes quickly invested in biomass accumulation when surface water levels rised.

O Gênero Eleocharis R.Br. (Cyperaceae) no Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

O estudo taxonômico do gênero Eleocharis R. Br. para o Rio Grande do Sul foi desenvolvido através dos métodos tradicionais em taxonomia. Os dados foram obtidos através da bibliografia, revisão de herbários regionais e coleta de exemplares a campo. O gênero está representado no Rio Grande do Sul por 27 espécies: Eleocharis acutangula (Roxb.) Schult., E. bonariensis Nees, E. contracta Maury, E. dunensis Kük., E. elegans (Kunth) Roem. & Schult., E. filiculmis Kunth, E. flavescens (Poir.) Urb., E. geniculata (L.) Roem. & Schult., E. interstincta (Vahl) Roem. & Schult., E. loefgreniana Boeck., E. maculosa (Vahl) Roem. & Schult., E. minima Kunth var. minima, E. montana (Kunth) Roem. & Schult., E. montevidensis Kunth, E. nudipes (Kunth) Palla, E. obtusetrigona (Lindl. & Nees) Steud., E. ochrostachys Steud., E. parodii Barros, E. aff. quinquangularis, E. quinquangularis Boeck., E. rabenii Boeck., E. radicans (Poir.) Kunth, E. sellowiana Kunth, E. squamigera Svenson, E. subarticulata (Nees) Boeck., E. viridans Kük. e Eleocharis sp. O trabalho apresenta descrições, ilustrações, dados sobre distribuição geográfica, habitat e períodos de floração e frutificação das espécies, além de uma chave dicotômica para diferenciá-las.

Karyotypic diversification and its contribution to the taxonomy of Eleocharis (Cyperaceae) from Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Distribution of 45S and 5S rDNA sites in 23 species of Eleocharis (Cyperaceae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Phylogenetic Relationships in Eleocharis (Cyperaceae): C-4 Photosynthesis Origins and Patterns of Diversification in the Spikerushes

Eleocharis (Cyperaceae) is a morphologically and physiologically diverse lineage of 250 + species with a cosmopolitan distribution. We here explore phylogenetic relationships in this lineage using maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference analyses of nrDNA ITS and cpDNA trnC-ycf6 and ycf6-psbM sequence data with the goals of comparing our phylogenetic hypotheses to previous classifications, morphological variation, and photosynthetic pathway variation. Our results suggest that in Eleocharis C, photosynthesis has been derived at least three times, with several cases of possible reversion to C-3-like or intermediate pathways and several additional origins of C-3-C-4 intermediate photosynthetic pathways, as inferred by carbon isotope ratio measurements. Many classification units currently recognized in Eleocharis are not monophyletic, however, E. subgenus Limnochloa and E. subgenus Scirpidium are monophyletic. Other classification units largely corresponding to clades include E. subgenus Zinserlingia, E. subseries Chaetariae, and E. series Maculosae. Problems with species circumscription and morphological variation in several groups are discussed in light of the phylogeny, particularly in the context of species membership of seven focal clades found in the analyses.

Cytogenetical and cytotaxonomical analysis of some Brazilian species of Eleocharis (Cyperaceae)

Karyotype analysis of 21 samples of 11 species of Eleocharis ( Cyperaceae) from 10 localities in Brazil, showed the presence of chromosomes without primary constrictions and parallel movement of chromatids at metaphase-anaphase transition. Only the terminal nucleolar constrictions ( satellites) were visualised. The chromosome numbers varied from 2n=6 in E. subarticulata to 2n=54 in E. acutangula, but the chromosome basic number x=5 was confirmed. Generally, C-CMA(3)(+) bands appear mostly in the extremities of the chromosomes, associated to NOR, and interstitial C-CMA(3) bands were found only in E. geniculata and E. acutangula. C-DAPI(+) bands were not found. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation ( FISH) with the 45S rDNA probe was performed in five species. The results showed from four to eight hybridisation signals, always terminal. The analysed species include representatives of the following three subgenera of Eleocharis that occur in Brazil: Limnochloa, Scirpidium and Eleocharis. Species from the subgenus Limnochloa have small and numerous chromosomes. The remaining species, belonging to subgenera Eleocharis and Scirpidium, possess fewer and larger chromosomes. In subgenus Eleocharis, karyotypes of the section Eleocharis were differentiated by symploidy, agmatoploidy and polyploidy, whereas species of the section Eleogenus were all polyploids. Polyploidy seems to be the most frequent event in the karyotype differentiation in Eleocharis, but changes in the chromosome size and repetitive DNA sites were also observed.

Chromosome reduction in Eleocharis maculosa (Cyperaceae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Estudo citogenético e evolutivo em espécies brasileiras de Eleocharis (Cyperaceae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Idrolisi diretta di cellulosa e lignocellulosa in catalisi eterogenea

This work deals with a comparison of the catalytic behavior of several heterogeneous acid catalysts in the direct hydrolysis of an untreated softwood dust. Amongst the various catalysts investigated, some were characterized by relatively high yield to monosaccharides, such as a Zirconium phosphate and the reference Amberlyst 15. Conversely, some catalyst types, ie, Sn/W mixed oxide and Zirconia-grafted trifluoromethanesulphonic acid, were selective into glucose, since sugars derived from hemicellulose dissolution and hydrolysis were rapidly degraded. A detailed analysis of the reactivity of Zr/P/O was pursued, in the hydrolysis of both untreated and ball-milled microcrystalline cellulose; at 150°C and 3h reaction time, the catalyst gave high selectivity to glucose, with negligible formation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and moderate cellulose conversion. After ball-milling of the cellulose, a remarkable increase of conversion was achieved, still with a high selectivity to glucose and very low formation of degradation compounds. The catalyst showed high affinity for β-1,4-glucans, as demonstrated by the activity in cellobiose hydrolysis into glucose.