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Maria Luisa Pignata - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Antioxidant Response of Three Tillandsia Species Transplanted to Urban, Agricultural, and Industrial Areas
Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2011Co-Authors: Gonzalo Miguel Angel Bermudez, Maria Luisa PignataAbstract:To evaluate the physiological response of Tillandsia capillaris Ruiz & Pav. f . capillaris, T. recurvata L., and T. tricholepis Baker to different air pollution sources, epiphyte samples were collected from a noncontaminated area in the province of Córdoba (Argentina) and transplanted to a control site as well as three areas categorized according to the presence of agricultural, urban, and industrial (metallurgical and metal-mechanical) emission sources. A foliar damage index (FDI) was calculated with the physiological parameters chlorophyll a , chlorophyll b , malondialdehyde (MDA), hydroperoxyconjugated dienes, sulfur (S) content, and dry weight-to-fresh weight ratio. In addition, electrical conductivity (E-cond), relative water content (RWC), dehydration kinetics (Kin-H_2O), total phenols (T-phen), soluble proteins (S-prot), and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase were determined. The parameters E-cond, FDI, SOD, RWC, and Kin-H_2O can serve as suitable indicators of agricultural air pollution for T. tricholepis and T. capillaris , and CAT, Kin-H_2O, and SOD can do the same for T. recurvata . In addition, MDA, T-phen, and S-prot proved to be appropriate indicators of urban pollution for T. recurvata . Moreover, FDI, E-cond, and SOD for T. recurvata and MDA for T. tricholepis , respectively, could be used to detect deleterious effects of industrial air pollution.
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comparison of the air pollution biomonitoring ability of three Tillandsia species and the lichen ramalina celastri in argentina
Environmental Research, 2009Co-Authors: Gonzalo Miguel Angel Bermudez, Judith Hebelen Rodriguez, Maria Luisa PignataAbstract:Bioaccumulation ability and response to air pollution sources were evaluated for Tillandsia capillaris Ruiz and Pav. f. capillaris, T. recurvata L., T. tricholepis Baker and the lichen Ramalina celastri (Spreng.) Krog. and Swinsc. Epiphyte samples collected from a non contaminated area in the province of Cordoba were transplanted to a control site and three areas categorised according to agricultural, urban and industrial (metallurgical and metal-mechanical) emission sources. Bioindicators were exposed for 3-, 6- and 9-month periods. A foliar damage index was established for Tillandsia and a pollution index for the lichen, and S, Fe, Mn and Zn concentrations were determined. An order of efficiency for the species and conditions studied is proposed taking into account heavy metal accumulation: T. recurvata >T. tricholepis >R. celastri >T. capillaris. All species studied showed Mn to be related to agricultural activity and Fe to industries and soil particles, and Zn was related to urban and industrial sources. As far as physiological response is concerned, T. tricholepis and T. capillaris were more sensitive to agricultural activities, whereas T. recurvata was sensitive to urban and industrial sources, and only partially to agricultural sources. No relationship was found for R. celastri.
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assessment of heavy metal accumulation in two species of Tillandsia in relation to atmospheric emission sources in argentina
Science of The Total Environment, 2006Co-Authors: Eduardo Daniel Wannaz, Hebe Alejandra Carreras, Carlos A Perez, Maria Luisa PignataAbstract:The ability of Tillandsia capillaris Ruiz and Pav. f. capillaris and Tillandsia permutata A. Cast. to accumulate heavy metals was evaluated in relation to potential atmospheric emission sources in Argentina. The sampling areas (n=38) were chosen in the province of Cordoba, located in the center of Argentina, and categorized according to land use, anthropogenic activities and/or distance to potential heavy metal emission sources. In each sampling site, pools of 40-50 individuals of each species were made from plants collected along the four cardinal directions. The concentrations of V, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb and Br of these samples were measured by Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence (TXRF) analysis with Synchrotron Radiation. Each species was submitted to a cluster analysis in order to discriminate different groups of heavy metals as tracers of natural or anthropogenic sources. A Contamination Factor (CF) was calculated using the concentrations of the elements in each sample compared to their concentrations in the control samples. Finally, the rank coefficients of correlation between the CFs and the categorical variables characteristic of each site (land use and anthropogenic load) were analyzed. A positive correlation was found for T. capillaris between the CFs of V, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn and the urban-industrial category, whereas the CF values for Zn and Pb were positively correlated with the road category. In T. permutata there was a positive correlation between the CF of Zn and the urban-industrial category and the CF of Pb with the road category. We therefore conclude that T. capillaris is a more efficient metal accumulator in passive biomonitoring studies.
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calibration of four species of Tillandsia as air pollution biomonitors
Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry, 2006Co-Authors: Eduardo Daniel Wannaz, Maria Luisa PignataAbstract:Many organisms have been used as bioindicators of atmospheric contamination, with moss and lichen species being the most common. However, studies using epiphytic vascular species of Tillandsia have shown a good correlation between the presence of pollutants and the bioindicator's response. Therefore, the aim of our investigation was to calibrate and compare the response of four Tillandsia species of Argentina to ascertain whether they could be used as atmospheric contamination biomonitors. For this, we analysed the correlation between the levels of heavy metals in total atmospheric deposition samples and: a) their rate of enrichment; b) the physiological response of the plant samples.
Alejandro Florespalacios - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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dispersal limitation of Tillandsia species correlates with rain and host structure in a central mexican tropical dry forest
PLOS ONE, 2017Co-Authors: Elizabeth Victorianoromero, Susana Valenciadiaz, Victor Hugo Toledohernandez, Alejandro FlorespalaciosAbstract:Seed dispersal permits the colonization of favorable habitats and generation of new populations, facilitating escape from habitats that are in decline. There is little experimental evidence of the factors that limit epiphyte dispersion towards their hosts. In a tropical dry forest in central Mexico, we monitored the phenology of dispersion of epiphyte species of the genus Tillandsia; we tested experimentally whether precipitation could cause failures in seed dispersal and whether seed capture differs among vertical strata and between host species with high (Bursera copallifera) and low (Conzattia multiflora) epiphyte loads. With the exception of one species that presents late dispersion and low abundance, all of the species disperse prior to the onset of the rainy season. However, early rains immobilize the seeds, affecting up to 24% of the fruits in species with late dispersion. We observed that Tillandsia seeds reach both Bursera and Conzattia hosts, but found that adherence to the host is 4-5 times higher in Bursera. Furthermore, seeds liberated from Bursera travel shorter distances and up to half may remain within the same crown, while the highest seed capture takes place in the upper strata of the trees. We conclude that dispersion of Tillandsia seeds is limited by early rains and by the capture of seeds within the trees where populations concentrate. This pattern of capture also helps to explain the high concentrations of epiphytes in certain hosts, while trees with few epiphytes can be simultaneously considered deficient receivers and efficient exporters of seeds.
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seed number germination and longevity in wild dry forest Tillandsia species of horticultural value
Scientia Horticulturae, 2015Co-Authors: Alejandro Florespalacios, Angelita Belem Bustamantemolina, Angelica Maria Coronalopez, Susana ValenciadiazAbstract:Abstract Life history traits like seed number, seed germination and seed longevity, are useful traits for the persistence, production and conservation of plants. We compared seed number per capsule, seed longevity and the effect of contrasting light conditions on seed germination in six wild Tillandsia species of tropical-dry-forest in central Mexico. For two species, we also tested the effect of storage temperature on seed longevity. Seed number per capsule differed among species and was positively associated with the time of fruit maturation. The seeds of all Tillandsia species were capable to germinate in light and dark conditions. Seed longevity in all species was at least 478 days after collection and improved under cool temperatures (7–11 °C). Seed germination followed a quadratic decline in T. achyrostachys and T. schiedeana, which become steeper toward the end of the rainy season. In the remaining species, seed germination followed a linear decrease. Our study suggests that T. caput-medusae is the most susceptible species to be produced for ornamental purposes because it presents numerous seeds with long longevity as well as high percentages of germination under both light and dark conditions. Moreover, these results could help to generate protocols of ex situ conservation for endemic species.
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are breeding system and florivory associated with the abundance of Tillandsia species bromeliaceae
Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2015Co-Authors: Octavio A Orozcoibarrola, Elizabeth Victorianoromero, Angelica Maria Coronalopez, Perla S Floreshernandez, Alejandro FlorespalaciosAbstract:Plant species abundance is partly determined by reproductive success and the factors that limit this success. We studied the flowering phenology, breeding systems and florivory in a community of seven epiphytic Tillandsia spp. in a tropical dry forest in central Mexico. Flowering periods were distributed throughout the year, and corolla sizes suggested that most species share pollinators. The most common breeding system was self-incompatibility (Tillandsia achyrostachys, T. caput-medusae and T. hubertiana), T. lydiae was infertile, T. circinnatioides was partially self-compatible and T. recurvata and T. schiedeana were self-compatible with high autonomous self-pollination. Floral morphology suggests that delayed selfing occurs in the autonomous self-pollinated species, and separation between stigma and stamens could result in self-pollination in the remaining species being avoided. Less than 5% of the inflorescences in the most abundant species (T. recurvata) suffered damage by florivores, but > 40% of inflorescences were damaged in the other species. In damaged inflorescences, fruit set decreased by up to 89%. Our data show that the dominant species (T. recurvata) is autogamous and its reproductive success is slightly reduced by resource constraints and florivory. In the less abundant species, resource limitation and florivory dramatically reduced reproductive success, but the strength of these limiting factors is season dependent. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2015, 177, 50–65.
Roberto Sayago - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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anthropogenic and hurricane disturbances had similar negative effects on epiphytic Tillandsia species in a tropical dry forest
Forest Ecology and Management, 2020Co-Authors: Samuel Novais, Roberto Sayago, Jacob E Cristobalperez, Grettel Salguerohernandez, Silvana Martenrodriguez, Martha Lopezaraizamikel, Mauricio QuesadaAbstract:Abstract The distribution of epiphytes in tropical dry forests has been associated with the availability and traits of their phorophytes. Thus, strong disturbances of the phorophyte community are expected to affect the abundance and composition of epiphytes. Here, we address the effects of anthropogenic and hurricane disturbances on the richness and abundance of Tillandsia species in a tropical dry forest of Mexico. Tillandsia species were sampled at sites corresponding to early, intermediate, and late stages of succession in 2007 and 2016, before and after two successive large hurricanes, Jova (October 2011; Category 2) and Patricia (October 2015; Category 5). Tillandsia species richness and abundance were greater in the late successional stage compared with intermediate and early stages, which did not differ from each other. In addition, both richness and abundance were positively correlated with the abundance of large trees. Tillandsia species richness and abundance were greater before than after hurricanes. We conclude that only old-growth forests or secondary forests in late successional stages can support large populations of Tillandsia species, probably because their recovery time is dependent on the presence of large host trees that provide higher quality substrates. Our results also demonstrated that catastrophic hurricane disturbances are important density-independent factors that decrease the species richness and abundance of Tillandsia epiphytes in tropical dry forests.
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consequences of habitat fragmentation on the reproductive success of two Tillandsia species with contrasting life history strategies
Aob Plants, 2018Co-Authors: Roberto Sayago, Martha Lopezaraizamikel, Mauricio Quesada, Ramiro Aguilar, Lorena Ashworth, Silvana MartenrodriguezAbstract:Fragmentation of natural habitats generally has negative effects on the reproductive success of many plant species; however, little is known about epiphytic plants. We assessed the impact of forest fragmentation on plant-pollinator interactions and female reproductive success in two epiphytic Tillandsia species with contrasting life history strategies (polycarpic and monocarpic) in Chamela, Jalisco, Mexico, over three consecutive years. Hummingbirds were the major pollinators of both species and pollinator visitation rates were similar between habitat conditions. In contrast, the composition and frequency of floral visitors significantly varied between habitat conditions in polycarpic and self-incompatible T. intermedia but not in monocarpic self-compatible T. makoyana. There were no differences between continuous and fragmented habitats in fruit set in either species, but T. makoyana had a lower seed set in fragmented than in continuous forests. In contrast, T. intermedia had similar seed set in both forest conditions. These results indicate that pollinators were effective under both fragmented and continuous habitats, possibly because the major pollinators are hummingbird species capable of moving across open spaces and human-modified habitats. However, the lower seed set of T. makoyana under fragmented conditions suggests that the amount and quality of pollen deposited onto stigmas may differ between habitat conditions. Alternatively, changes in resource availability may also cause reductions in seed production in fragmented habitats. This study adds to the limited information on the effects of habitat fragmentation on the reproductive success of epiphytic plants, showing that even related congeneric species may exhibit different responses to human disturbance. Plant reproductive systems, along with changes in pollinator communities associated with habitat fragmentation, may have yet undocumented consequences on gene flow, levels of inbreeding and progeny quality of dry forest Tillandsias.
Robert W Pemberton - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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assessment of cs and sr accumulation in two epiphytic species of Tillandsia bromeliaceae in vitro
Chemistry and Ecology, 2017Co-Authors: Guiling Zheng, Robert W PembertonAbstract:ABSTRACTMultiple nuclides commonly occur together and exert toxicity simultaneously, but the difference between single and combined effects of the nuclides is rarely investigated. Epiphytic Tillandsia species are efficient air pollution biomonitors, but rarely used to monitor nuclide contamination. Two Tillandsia species, that is, T. brachycaulos and T. stricta, were chosen to test their capacity to accumulate Cs and Sr. Most plants were able to endure Cs and Sr stress for a long period, which suggested these species could resist toxic elements physiologically and metabolically. With the increasing Cs or Sr concentrations, nuclide contents in both species increased significantly, indicating the potential of Tillandsia species in monitoring nuclide pollutants. However, when the plants were treated with combined nuclides, the content of each ion decreased distinctly compared to those treated with single ion, which suggested Cs and Sr influenced and inhibited each other. In addition, T. brachycaulos seemed m...
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bioindicating potential of strontium contamination with spanish moss Tillandsia usneoides
Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 2016Co-Authors: Guiling Zheng, Robert W PembertonAbstract:Tillandsia species have been recognized as efficient biomonitors of air pollution, but rarely exploited in bioindicating of strontium, an important nuclide. We exposed Tillandsia usneoides, colloquially known as Spanish moss due to its filamentous morphology but is an atypical angiosperm in the family Bromeliaceae, to the solutions with different Sr concentrations (0.1–100 mmol/L). The results showed that plants were able to endure Sr stress for a relatively long period, which suggests that T. usneoides is able to resist this toxic element. T. usneoides had the highest uptake ratio of Sr (82.21 ± 0.12%) when the plants were exposed to 0.1 mmol/L Sr solutions. Sr contents in T. usneoides increased significantly with the increase in applied metal solution concentrations. Low Sr stimulated the formation of chlorophyll, but high Sr decreased the contents of chlorophyll, and no significant effect on the total biomass was found in T. usneoides. In contrast, the permeability of plasma membrane based on the relative electronic conductivity in T. usneoides increased significantly under Sr stress, indicating that Sr probably caused oxidative stress. Moreover, correlation analysis showed that the leaf relative conductivity was significantly positively correlated with Sr contents in the plants after Sr treatments. Therefore, T. usneoides has considerable potential for monitoring Sr polluted environments through measuring Sr contents in the plant directly or exploiting the leaf relative conductivity as an indirect biomarker.
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foliar trichome aided formaldehyde uptake in the epiphytic Tillandsia velutina and its response to formaldehyde pollution
Chemosphere, 2015Co-Authors: Robert W Pemberton, Guiling ZhengAbstract:Abstract Epiphytic Tillandsia (Bromeliaceae) species have been found to be efficient biomonitors of atmospheric heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants, but have not been used to monitor or remove the primary indoor atmospheric pollutant formaldehyde (FA). The absorptive capacity of Tillandsia trichomes is well-established, but potential secondary effects of foliar trichomes on gas exchange remain unclear. Our study investigated whether Tillandsia species can absorb FA efficiently and if the leaf trichomes function to improve FA uptake, using Tillandsia velutina. Plants with intact trichomes, decreased FA concentration by 48.42% in 12 h from 1060 μg m−3 to 546.67 μg m−3, while FA concentration decreased only by 22.51% in the plants without trichomes. Moreover, the more trichomes removed from the leaves, the lower the capability of FA uptake per unit leaf area, which suggested that T. velutina was capable of absorbing a large amount of FA via the leaves and specialized trichomes facilitated the whole leaf tissue FA absorption. In addition, all plants exposed to FA were chloric, had a reduction in measured leaf chlorophyll, and an increment in permeability of plasma membranes. However, plants in which trichomes had been removed declined or increased more quickly than plants with intact trichomes, indicating Tillandsia leaf trichomes also give the leaves some protection against this toxin.
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potential of monitoring nuclides with the epiphyte Tillandsia usneoides uptake and localization of 133cs
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2012Co-Authors: Guiling Zheng, Xuan Chen, Robert W PembertonAbstract:Abstract Epiphytic Tillandsia plants are efficient air pollution biomonitors and traditionally used to monitor atmospheric heavy metal pollution, but rarely nuclides monitoring. Here we evaluated the potential of Tillandsia usneoides for monitoring 133 Cs and investigated if Cs was trapped by the plant external surface structures. The results showed that T. usneoides was able to survive relatively high Cs stress. With the increase of Cs solution concentration, the total of Cs in plants increased significantly, which suggests that the plants could accumulate Cs quickly and effectively. Therefore, T. usneoides has considerable potential for monitoring Cs polluted environments. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) analysis showed that Cs was detected in each type of cells in foliar trichomes, and the ratio of Cs in the internal disc cell was higher than that in ring cell and wing cell, which indicates that the mechanism of adsorption Cs in Tillandsia has an active component.
Martha Lopezaraizamikel - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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biomonitoring and sourcing toxic elements using vascular epiphytes of the Tillandsia genus in the mining region of taxco de alarcon guerrero southern mexico
Water Air and Soil Pollution, 2021Co-Authors: Juan Ernesto Mendozaramos, Martha Lopezaraizamikel, Oscar Talaveramendoza, Sergio Adrian Salgadosouto, Roberto Sayagolorenzana, Joaquin Ruiz, Laura Sampedrorosas, Jose Luis RosasacevedoAbstract:The concentration of As, Pb, Cd, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu and the Sr and Pb isotopic compositions were determined in four species of the vascular epiphyte Tillandsia (T. caput medusae, T. ionantha, T. recurvata, and T. sp), to evaluate their capacity to biomonitor the air quality and the sources of lithogenic particles and toxic elements in a severely contaminated site from the mining region of Taxco de Alarcon, Guerrero (southern Mexico). With the exception of Cu, mean concentrations are typically higher in the contaminated site relative to a reference (uncontaminated) site, and the incrustation of metal-bearing particles (mainly PM10 and PM2.5) on leaves and roots seems to be the most significant mechanism of incorporation of these pollutants to plants. The Sr isotopic composition indicated that surrounding lithology is the main source of lithogenic particles, whereas statistical tools and Pb isotope ratios revealed a genetic link of toxic elements in epiphytes with Taxco ores and mining wastes, which confirm the capacity of the evaluated epiphytes to record local environmental conditions. The presence of abundant metal-bearing particles, particularly in the PM2.5, may represent a serious threat to the health of wild fauna, livestock, and humans in the zone. The study demonstrated that vascular epiphytes of the Tillandsia genus could be used as an efficient, low-cost, biotechnological tool for monitoring the air quality in severely contaminated polymetallic sites such as mining and smelting zones, as well as for sourcing lithogenic and metal-bearing particles.
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anthropogenic and hurricane disturbances had similar negative effects on epiphytic Tillandsia species in a tropical dry forest
Forest Ecology and Management, 2020Co-Authors: Samuel Novais, Roberto Sayago, Jacob E Cristobalperez, Grettel Salguerohernandez, Silvana Martenrodriguez, Martha Lopezaraizamikel, Mauricio QuesadaAbstract:Abstract The distribution of epiphytes in tropical dry forests has been associated with the availability and traits of their phorophytes. Thus, strong disturbances of the phorophyte community are expected to affect the abundance and composition of epiphytes. Here, we address the effects of anthropogenic and hurricane disturbances on the richness and abundance of Tillandsia species in a tropical dry forest of Mexico. Tillandsia species were sampled at sites corresponding to early, intermediate, and late stages of succession in 2007 and 2016, before and after two successive large hurricanes, Jova (October 2011; Category 2) and Patricia (October 2015; Category 5). Tillandsia species richness and abundance were greater in the late successional stage compared with intermediate and early stages, which did not differ from each other. In addition, both richness and abundance were positively correlated with the abundance of large trees. Tillandsia species richness and abundance were greater before than after hurricanes. We conclude that only old-growth forests or secondary forests in late successional stages can support large populations of Tillandsia species, probably because their recovery time is dependent on the presence of large host trees that provide higher quality substrates. Our results also demonstrated that catastrophic hurricane disturbances are important density-independent factors that decrease the species richness and abundance of Tillandsia epiphytes in tropical dry forests.
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consequences of habitat fragmentation on the reproductive success of two Tillandsia species with contrasting life history strategies
Aob Plants, 2018Co-Authors: Roberto Sayago, Martha Lopezaraizamikel, Mauricio Quesada, Ramiro Aguilar, Lorena Ashworth, Silvana MartenrodriguezAbstract:Fragmentation of natural habitats generally has negative effects on the reproductive success of many plant species; however, little is known about epiphytic plants. We assessed the impact of forest fragmentation on plant-pollinator interactions and female reproductive success in two epiphytic Tillandsia species with contrasting life history strategies (polycarpic and monocarpic) in Chamela, Jalisco, Mexico, over three consecutive years. Hummingbirds were the major pollinators of both species and pollinator visitation rates were similar between habitat conditions. In contrast, the composition and frequency of floral visitors significantly varied between habitat conditions in polycarpic and self-incompatible T. intermedia but not in monocarpic self-compatible T. makoyana. There were no differences between continuous and fragmented habitats in fruit set in either species, but T. makoyana had a lower seed set in fragmented than in continuous forests. In contrast, T. intermedia had similar seed set in both forest conditions. These results indicate that pollinators were effective under both fragmented and continuous habitats, possibly because the major pollinators are hummingbird species capable of moving across open spaces and human-modified habitats. However, the lower seed set of T. makoyana under fragmented conditions suggests that the amount and quality of pollen deposited onto stigmas may differ between habitat conditions. Alternatively, changes in resource availability may also cause reductions in seed production in fragmented habitats. This study adds to the limited information on the effects of habitat fragmentation on the reproductive success of epiphytic plants, showing that even related congeneric species may exhibit different responses to human disturbance. Plant reproductive systems, along with changes in pollinator communities associated with habitat fragmentation, may have yet undocumented consequences on gene flow, levels of inbreeding and progeny quality of dry forest Tillandsias.