@article{ShikangalahMapaniMapaureetal.2021,
  author    = {Shikangalah, Rosemary and Mapani, Benjamin and Mapaure, Isaac and Herzschuh, Ulrike},
  title     = {Responsiveness of Dichrostachys cinerea to seasonal variations in temperature and rainfall in central Namibia},
  series = {Flora},
  volume    = {286},
  journal   = {Flora},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Amsterdam},
  issn      = {0367-2530},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.flora.2021.151974},
  pages     = {7},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Woody plants provide natural archives of climatic variation which can be investigated by applying dendroclimatological methods. Such studies are limited in Southern Africa but have great potential of improving our understanding of past climates and plant functional adaptations in the region. This study therefore investigated the responsiveness of Dichrostachys cinerea to seasonal variations in temperature and rainfall at two sites in central Namibia, Waterberg and Kuzikus. Dichrostachys cinerea is one of the encroacher species thriving well in Namibia. A moving correlation and response function analysis were used to test its responsiveness to seasonal climatic variations over time. Dichrostachys cinerea growth rings showed relationships to late summer warming, lasting up to half of the rainy season. The results also revealed that past temperatures had been fluctuating and their influence on growth rings had been intensifying over the years, but to varying extents between the two sites. Temperature was a more important determinant of ring growth at the drier site (Kuzikus), while rainfall was more important at the wetter site (Waterberg). Growth ring responsiveness to rainfall was not immediate but showed a rather lagged pattern. We conclude that D. cinerea differentially responds to variations in rainfall and temperature across short climatic gradients. This study showed that the species, due to its somewhat wide ecological amplitude, has great potential for dendroclimatological studies in tropical regions.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{LopezSanchezBarethBoltenetal.2021,
  author    = {L{\´o}pez-S{\´a}nchez, Aida and Bareth, Georg and Bolten, Andreas and Rose, Laura E. and Mansfeldt, Tim and Sapp, Melanie and Linst{\"a}dter, Anja},
  title     = {Effects of declining oak vitality on ecosystem multifunctionality},
  series = {Forest ecology and management},
  volume    = {484},
  journal   = {Forest ecology and management},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Amsterdam},
  issn      = {0378-1127},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.foreco.2021.118927},
  pages     = {12},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Mediterranean oak woodlands are currently facing unprecedented degradation threats from oak decline. The Iberian oak decline "Seca", related to Phytophthora infection, causes crown defoliation that may adversely affect ecosystem services (ESs). We aim to improve our understanding of how Seca-induced declines in crown foliation affect the provision of multiple ecosystem services from understory vegetation. We selected holm (Quercus ilex) and cork oak (Q. suber) trees in a Spanish oak woodland and evaluated three proxies of canopy effects. One proxy (crown defoliation) solely captured Seca-dependent effects, one proxy solely captured Seca-independent effects (tree dimensions such as diameter and height), while the third proxy (tree vigor) captured overall canopy effects. We then used the best-performing proxies to assess canopy effects on key ecosystem services (ESs) such as aboveground net primary production (ANPP), grass and legume biomass, species diversity, litter decomposition rates, and a combined index of ecosystem multifunctionality. <br /> We found that both types of canopy effects (i.e. Seca-dependent and Seca-independent effects) were related, indicating that ANPP was disproportionally more affected by Seca when defoliated trees were large. Responses of other ESs were mostly not significant, although lower species diversity was found under trees with intermediate vigor. Our results underline that a Seca-related decline in canopy density triggered a homogenization of ecosystem service delivery on the ecosystem scale. The ecosystem functions (EFs) under trees of low vigor are similar to that in adjacent open microsites indicating that the presence of vigorous (i.e. old and vital) trees is critical for maintaining EFs at a landscape level. Our results also highlight the importance of quantifying not only defoliation but also tree dimensions as both factors jointly and interactively modify canopy effects on ecosystem multifunctionality.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SedaghatmehrThirumalaikumarKamranfaretal.2021,
  author    = {Sedaghatmehr, Mastoureh and Thirumalaikumar, Venkatesh P. and Kamranfar, Iman and Schulz, Karina and M{\"u}ller-R{\"o}ber, Bernd and Sampathkumar, Arun and Balazadeh, Salma},
  title     = {Autophagy complements metalloprotease FtsH6 in degrading plastid heat shock protein HSP21 during heat stress recovery},
  series = {The journal of experimental botany : an official publication of the Society for Experimental Biology and of the Federation of European Societies of Plant Physiology},
  volume    = {72},
  journal   = {The journal of experimental botany : an official publication of the Society for Experimental Biology and of the Federation of European Societies of Plant Physiology},
  number    = {21},
  publisher = {Oxford University Press},
  address   = {Oxford},
  issn      = {0022-0957},
  doi       = {10.1093/jxb/erab304},
  pages     = {7498 -- 7513},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Moderate and temporary heat stresses prime plants to tolerate, and survive, a subsequent severe heat stress. Such acquired thermotolerance can be maintained for several days under normal growth conditions, and can create a heat stress memory. We recently demonstrated that plastid-localized small heat shock protein 21 ( HSP21) is a key component of heat stress memory in Arabidopsis thaliana. A sustained high abundance of HSP21 during the heat stress recovery phase extends heat stress memory. The level of HSP21 is negatively controlled by plastid-localized metalloprotease FtsH6 during heat stress recovery. Here, we demonstrate that autophagy, a cellular recycling mechanism, exerts additional control over HSP21 degradation. Genetic and chemical disruption of both metalloprotease activity and autophagy trigger superior HSP21 accumulation, thereby improving memory. Furthermore, we provide evidence that autophagy cargo receptor ATG8-INTERACTING PROTEIN1 (ATI1) is associated with heat stress memory. ATI1 bodies co-localize with both autophagosomes and HSP21, and their abundance and transport to the vacuole increase during heat stress recovery. Together, our results provide new insights into the module for control of the regulation of heat stress memory, in which two distinct protein degradation pathways act in concert to degrade HSP21, thereby enabling cells to recover from the heat stress effect at the cost of reducing the heat stress memory.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GorinScherzKorostetal.2021,
  author    = {Gorin, Vladislav A. and Scherz, Mark D. and Korost, Dmitry V. and Poyarkov, Nikolay A.},
  title     = {Consequences of parallel miniaturisation in Microhylinae (Anura, Microhylidae), with the description of a new genus of diminutive South East Asian frogs},
  series = {Zoosystematics and evolution : Mitteilungen aus dem Museum f{\"u}r Naturkunde in Berlin},
  volume    = {97},
  journal   = {Zoosystematics and evolution : Mitteilungen aus dem Museum f{\"u}r Naturkunde in Berlin},
  number    = {1},
  publisher = {Pensoft Publishers},
  address   = {Sofia},
  issn      = {1860-0743},
  doi       = {10.3897/zse.97.57968},
  pages     = {21 -- 54},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {The genus Microhyla Tschudi, 1838 includes 52 species and is one of the most diverse genera of the family Microhylidae, being the most species-rich taxon of the Asian subfamily Microhylinae. The recent, rapid description of numerous new species of Microhyla with complex phylogenetic relationships has made the taxonomy of the group especially challenging. Several recent phylogenetic studies suggested paraphyly of Microhyla with respect to Glyphoglossus Gunther, 1869, and revealed three major phylogenetic lineages of mid-Eocene origin within this assemblage. However, comprehensive works assessing morphological variation among and within these lineages are absent. In the present study we investigate the generic taxonomy of Microhyla-Glyphoglossus assemblage based on a new phylogeny including 57 species, comparative morphological analysis of skeletons from cleared-and-stained specimens for 23 species, and detailed descriptions of generalized osteology based on volume-rendered micro-CT scans for five speciesal-together representing all major lineages within the group. The results confirm three highly divergent and well-supported clades that correspond with external and osteological morphological characteristics, as well as respective geographic distribution. Accordingly, acknowledging ancient divergence between these lineages and their significant morphological differentiation, we propose to consider these three lineages as distinct genera: Microhyla sensu stricto, Glyphoglossus, and a newly described genus, Nanohyla gen. nov.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SchmidtReilJeskeetal.2021,
  author    = {Schmidt, Sabrina and Reil, Daniela and Jeske, Kathrin and Drewes, Stephan and Rosenfeld, Ulrike and Fischer, Stefan and Spierling, Nastasja G. and Labutin, Anton and Heckel, Gerald and Jacob, Jens and Ulrich, Rainer G. and Imholt, Christian},
  title     = {Spatial and temporal dynamics and molecular evolution of Tula orthohantavirus in German vole populations},
  series = {Viruses / Molecular Diversity Preservation International (MDPI)},
  volume    = {13},
  journal   = {Viruses / Molecular Diversity Preservation International (MDPI)},
  number    = {6},
  publisher = {MDPI},
  address   = {Basel},
  issn      = {1999-4915},
  doi       = {10.3390/v13061132},
  pages     = {17},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Tula orthohantavirus (TULV) is a rodent-borne hantavirus with broad geographical distribution in Europe. Its major reservoir is the common vole (Microtus arvalis), but TULV has also been detected in closely related vole species. Given the large distributional range and high amplitude population dynamics of common voles, this host-pathogen complex presents an ideal system to study the complex mechanisms of pathogen transmission in a wild rodent reservoir. We investigated the dynamics of TULV prevalence and the subsequent potential effects on the molecular evolution of TULV in common voles of the Central evolutionary lineage. Rodents were trapped for three years in four regions of Germany and samples were analyzed for the presence of TULV-reactive antibodies and TULV RNA with subsequent sequence determination. The results show that individual (sex) and population-level factors (abundance) of hosts were significant predictors of local TULV dynamics. At the large geographic scale, different phylogenetic TULV clades and an overall isolation-by-distance pattern in virus sequences were detected, while at the small scale (<4 km) this depended on the study area. In combination with an overall delayed density dependence, our results highlight that frequent, localized bottleneck events for the common vole and TULV do occur and can be offset by local recolonization dynamics.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{StraubePreickNayloretal.2021,
  author    = {Straube, Nicolas and Preick, Michaela and Naylor, Gavin J. P. and Hofreiter, Michael},
  title     = {Mitochondrial DNA sequencing of a wet-collection syntype demonstrates the importance of type material as genetic resource for lantern shark taxonomy (Chondrichthyes: Etmopteridae)},
  series = {Royal Society Open Science},
  volume    = {8},
  journal   = {Royal Society Open Science},
  number    = {9},
  publisher = {Royal Society},
  address   = {London},
  issn      = {2054-5703},
  doi       = {10.1098/rsos.210474},
  pages     = {13},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {After initial detection of target archival DNA of a 116-year-old syntype specimen of the smooth lantern shark, Etmopterus pusillus, in a single-stranded DNA library, we shotgun-sequenced additional 9 million reads from this same DNA library. Sequencing reads were used for extracting mitochondrial sequence information for analyses of mitochondrial DNA characteristics and reconstruction of the mitochondrial genome. The archival DNA is highly fragmented. A total of 4599 mitochondrial reads were available for the genome reconstruction using an iterative mapping approach. The resulting genome sequence has 12 times coverage and a length of 16 741 bp. All 37 vertebrate mitochondrial loci plus the control region were identified and annotated. The mitochondrial NADH2 gene was subsequently used to place the syntype haplotype in a network comprising multiple E. pusillus samples from various distant localities as well as sequences from a morphological similar species, the shortfin smooth lantern shark Etmopterus joungi. Results confirm the almost global distribution of E. pusillus and suggest E. joungi to be a junior synonym of E. pusillus. As mitochondrial DNA often represents the only available reference information in non-model organisms, this study illustrates the importance of mitochondrial DNA from an aged, wet collection type specimen for taxonomy.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{AndreevRaschkeBiskabornetal.2021,
  author    = {Andreev, Andrei and Raschke, Elena and Biskaborn, Boris and Vyse, Stuart Andrew and Courtin, J{\´e}r{\´e}my and B{\"o}hmer, Thomas and Stoof-Leichsenring, Kathleen R. and Kruse, Stefan and Pestryakova, Luidmila Agafyevna and Herzschuh, Ulrike},
  title     = {Late Pleistocene to Holocene vegetation and climate changes in northwestern Chukotka (Far East Russia) deduced from lakes Ilirney and Rauchuagytgyn pollen records},
  series = {Boreas : an international journal of quaternary research},
  volume    = {50},
  journal   = {Boreas : an international journal of quaternary research},
  number    = {3},
  publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell},
  address   = {Oxford [u.a.]},
  issn      = {0300-9483},
  doi       = {10.1111/bor.12521},
  pages     = {652 -- 670},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {This paper presents two new pollen records and quantitative climate reconstructions from northern Chukotka documenting environmental changes over the last 27.9 ka. Open tundra- and steppe-like habitats dominated between 27.9 and 18.7 cal. ka BP. Betula and Alnus shrubs might have grown in sheltered microhabitats but disappeared after 18.7 cal. ka BP. Although the climate was rather harsh, local herb-dominated communities supported herbivores as is evident by the presence of coprophilous spores in the sediments. The increase in Salix and Cyperaceae similar to 16.1 cal. ka BP suggests climate amelioration. Shrub Betula appeared similar to 15.9 cal. ka BP, and became dominant after similar to 15.52 cal. ka BP, whilst typical steppe communities drastically reduced. Very high presence of Botryococcus in the Lateglacial sediments reflects widespread shallow habitats, probably due to lake level increase. Shrub Alnus became common after similar to 13 cal. ka BP reflecting further climate amelioration. Simultaneously, herb communities gradually decreased in the vegetation reaching a minimum similar to 11.8 cal. ka BP. A gradual decrease of algae remains suggests a reduction of shallow-water habitats. Shrubby and graminoid tundra was dominant similar to 11.8-11.1 cal. ka BP, later Salix stands significantly decreased. The forest-tundra ecotone established in the Early Holocene, shortly after 11.1 cal. ka BP. Low contents of green algae in the Early Holocene sediments likely reflect deeper aquatic conditions. The most favourable climate conditions were between similar to 10.6 and 7 cal. ka BP. Vegetation became similar to the modern after similar to 7 cal. ka BP but Pinus pumila came to the Ilirney area at about 1.2 cal. ka BP. It is important to emphasize that the study area provided refugia for Betula and Alnus during MIS 2. It is also notable that our records do not reflect evidence of Younger Dryas cooling, which is inconsistent with some regional environmental records but in good accordance with some others.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{HuChengXuetal.2021,
  author    = {Hu, Ting-Li and Cheng, Feng and Xu, Zhen and Chen, Zhong-Zheng and Yu, Lei and Ban, Qian and Li, Chun-Lin and Pan, Tao and Zhang, Bao-Wei},
  title     = {Molecular and morphological evidence for a new species of the genus Typhlomys (Rodentia: Platacanthomyidae)},
  series = {Zoological research : ZR = Dongwuxue-yanjiu : jikan / published by Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongguo Kexueyuan Kunming Dongwu Yanjiusuo zhuban, Dongwuxue-yanjiu Bianji Weiyuanhui bianji},
  volume    = {42},
  journal   = {Zoological research : ZR = Dongwuxue-yanjiu : jikan / published by Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongguo Kexueyuan Kunming Dongwu Yanjiusuo zhuban, Dongwuxue-yanjiu Bianji Weiyuanhui bianji},
  number    = {1},
  publisher = {Yunnan Renmin Chubanshe},
  address   = {Kunming},
  issn      = {2095-8137},
  doi       = {10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.132},
  pages     = {100 -- 107},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {In this study, we reassessed the taxonomic position of Typhlomys (Rodentia: Platacanthomyidae) from Huangshan, Anhui, China, based on morphological and molecular evidence. Results suggested that Typhlomys is comprised of up to six species, including four currently recognized species ( Typhlomys cinereus, T. chapensis, T. daloushanensis, and T. nanus), one unconfirmed candidate species, and one new species ( Typhlomys huangshanensis sp. nov.). Morphological analyses further supported the designation of the Huangshan specimens found at mid-elevations in the southern Huangshan Mountains (600 m to 1 200 m a.s.l.) as a new species.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{TungSunWangetal.2021,
  author    = {Tung, Wing Tai and Sun, Xianlei and Wang, Weiwei and Xu, Xun and Ma, Nan and Lendlein, Andreas},
  title     = {Structure, mechanical properties and degradation behavior of electrospun PEEU fiber meshes and films},
  series = {MRS advances : a journal of the Materials Research Society (MRS)},
  volume    = {6},
  journal   = {MRS advances : a journal of the Materials Research Society (MRS)},
  number    = {10},
  publisher = {Springer Nature Switzerland AG},
  address   = {Cham},
  issn      = {2059-8521},
  doi       = {10.1557/s43580-020-00001-0},
  pages     = {276 -- 282},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {The capability of a degradable implant to provide mechanical support depends on its degradation behavior. Hydrolytic degradation was studied for a polyesteretherurethane (PEEU70), which consists of poly(p-dioxanone) (PPDO) and poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) segments with a weight ratio of 70:30 linked by diurethane junction units. PEEU70 samples prepared in the form of meshes with average fiber diameters of 1.5 mu m (mesh1.5) and 1.2 mu m (mesh1.2), and films were sterilized and incubated in PBS at 37 degrees C with 5 vol\% CO2 supply for 1 to 6 weeks. Degradation features, such as cracks or wrinkles, became apparent from week 4 for all samples. Mass loss was found to be 11 wt\%, 6 wt\%, and 4 wt\% for mesh1.2, mesh1.5, and films at week 6. The elongation at break decreased to under 20\% in two weeks for mesh1.2. In case of the other two samples, this level of degradation was achieved after 4 weeks. The weight average molecular weight of both PEEU70 mesh and film samples decreased to below 30 kg/mol when elongation at break dropped below 20\%. The time period of sustained mechanical stability of PEEU70-based meshes depends on the fiber diameter and molecular weight.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{XuNieWangetal.2021,
  author    = {Xu, Xun and Nie, Yan and Wang, Weiwei and Ullah, Imran and Tung, Wing Tai and Ma, Nan and Lendlein, Andreas},
  title     = {Generation of 2.5D lung bud organoids from human induced pluripotent stem cells},
  series = {Clinical hemorheology and microcirculation : blood flow and vessels},
  volume    = {79},
  journal   = {Clinical hemorheology and microcirculation : blood flow and vessels},
  number    = {1},
  publisher = {IOS Press},
  address   = {Amsterdam},
  issn      = {1386-0291},
  doi       = {10.3233/CH-219111},
  pages     = {217 -- 230},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are a promising cell source to generate the patient-specific lung organoid given their superior differentiation potential. However, the current 3D cell culture approach is tedious and time-consuming with a low success rate and high batch-to-batch variability. Here, we explored the establishment of lung bud organoids by systematically adjusting the initial confluence levels and homogeneity of cell distribution. The efficiency of single cell seeding and clump seeding was compared. Instead of the traditional 3D culture, we established a 2.5D organoid culture to enable the direct monitoring of the internal structure via microscopy. It was found that the cell confluence and distribution prior to induction were two key parameters, which strongly affected hiPSC differentiation trajectories. Lung bud organoids with positive expression of NKX 2.1, in a single-cell seeding group with homogeneously distributed hiPSCs at 70\% confluence (SC 70\% hom) or a clump seeding group with heterogeneously distributed cells at 90\% confluence (CL 90\% het), can be observed as early as 9 days post induction. These results suggest that a successful lung bud organoid formation with single-cell seeding of hiPSCs requires a moderate confluence and homogeneous distribution of cells, while high confluence would be a prominent factor to promote the lung organoid formation when seeding hiPSCs as clumps. 2.5D organoids generated with defined culture conditions could become a simple, efficient, and valuable tool facilitating drug screening, disease modeling and personalized medicine.},
  language  = {en}
}