Attalea speciosa Mart. ex Spreng (babaçu) is a palm tree of considerable economic importance in Brazil, especially in the northeast portion of the country. The myxobiota of babaçu was studied by examining living and dead trunks, leaves, inflorescences and fallen fruits on the ground during the wet season at the Teresina Park, Piauí State, Brazil. Taxonomic diversity, species diversity, frequenc...

The two principal methods for studying fungal biodegradation of lignocellulosic plant tissues were developed for wood preservative testing (soil-block; agar-block). It is well-accepted that soil-block microcosms yield higher decay rates, fewer moisture issues, lower variability among studies, and higher thresholds of preservative toxicity. Soil-block testing is thus the more utilized technique ...

Genome sequencing of basidiomycetes, a group of fungi capable of degrading/mineralizing plant material, revealed the presence of numerous cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) in their genomes, with some exceptions. Considering the large repertoire of P450s found in fungi, it is difficult to identify P450s that play an important role in fungal metabolism and the adaptation of fungi to diverse ...

Abstract Quantifying the structural complexity provided by biogenic habitat structures is important in ecology, conservation and management, yet remains a challenging task, particularly deep sea polar environments, that current photogrammetry tools can alleviate. In this study, we demonstrate how small remotely operated vehicles compact underwater GoPro® action cameras be easily integrated into...

Brown-rot decay results in rapid reduction in degree of polymerization of holocellulose, with concomitant strength loss without removing lignin. Development of new methods of wood protection will require focusing on early events in the sequence of fungal attack during colonization. Pit membranes (sapwood) of wood cell walls represent a readily available source of nonlignified carbohydrate, i.e....

DURING an investigation of the blood system in polychaetes of the families Serpulidae and Sabellidae the musculature of the alimentary canal has been studied. In the following species the only muscle coat, which consists of fibres lying transverse to the main axis, lies outside the blood sinus which envelops the canal: Serpula vermicularis L., Hydroides norvegica (Gunnerus), Vermiliopsis infund...

ture in homes (frequent showers, new cooking methods, inadequate airing of bedrooms, etc.). From 1981 to 2000, the Scientific Institute of Public Health sampled more than 500 home environments of allergic and/or asthmatic patients in urban or rural areas throughout Belgium. Results showed that more than 150 fungal species, among them Cladosporium, Penicillium and Aspergillus, were collected in ...