• Energy Research
• 15. Life on land close
• AU close
• BE close
• Nottingham Trent University close

As Earth’s climate has varied strongly through geological time, studying the impacts of past climate change on biodiversity helps to understand the risks from future climate change. However, it remains unclear how paleoclimate shapes spatial variation in biodiversity. Here, we assessed the influence of Quaternary climate change on spatial dissimilarity in taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional composition among neighboring 200-kilometer cells (beta-diversity) for angiosperm trees worldwide. We found that larger glacial-interglacial temperature change was strongly associated with lower spatial turnover (species replacements) and higher nestedness (richness changes) components of beta-diversity across all three biodiversity facets. Moreover, phylogenetic and functional turnover was lower and nestedness higher than random expectations based on taxonomic beta-diversity in regions that experienced large temperature change, reflecting phylogenetically and functionally selective processes in species replacement, extinction, and colonization during glacial-interglacial oscillations. Our results suggest that future human-driven climate change could cause local homogenization and reduction in taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity of angiosperm trees worldwide.

AbstractGlobal impact models represent process-level understanding of how natural and human systems may be affected by climate change. Their projections are used in integrated assessments of climate change. Here we test, for the first time, systematically across many important systems, how well such impact models capture the impacts of extreme climate conditions. Using the 2003 European heat wave and drought as a historical analogue for comparable events in the future, we find that a majority of models underestimate the extremeness of impacts in important sectors such as agriculture, terrestrial ecosystems, and heat-related human mortality, while impacts on water resources and hydropower are overestimated in some river basins; and the spread across models is often large. This has important implications for economic assessments of climate change impacts that rely on these models. It also means that societal risks from future extreme events may be greater than previously thought.

An integrated understanding of both social and ecological aspects of environmental issues is essential to address pressing sustainability challenges. An integrated social-ecological systems perspective is purported to provide a better understanding of the complex relationships between humans and nature. Despite a threefold increase in the amount of social-ecological research published between 2010 and 2015, it is unclear whether these approaches have been truly integrative. We conducted a systematic literature review to investigate the conceptual, methodological, disciplinary, and functional aspects of social-ecological integration. In general, we found that overall integration is still lacking in social-ecological research. Some social variables deemed important for addressing sustainability challenges are underrepresented in social-ecological studies, e.g., culture, politics, and power. Disciplines such as ecology, urban studies, and geography are better integrated than others, e.g., sociology, biology, and public administration. In addition to ecology and urban studies, biodiversity conservation plays a key brokerage role in integrating other disciplines into social-ecological research. Studies founded on systems theory have the highest rates of integration. Highly integrative studies combine different types of tools, involve stakeholders at appropriate stages, and tend to deliver practical recommendations. Better social-ecological integration must underpin sustainability science. To achieve this potential, future social-ecological research will require greater attention to the following: the interdisciplinary composition of project teams, strategic stakeholder involvement, application of multiple tools, incorporation of both social and ecological variables, consideration of bidirectional relationships between variables, and identification of implications and articulation of clear policy recommendations.

Se espera que la población mundial aumente de 7.300 a 9.700 millones para 2050. El brote de plagas y el aumento del estrés abiótico debido al cambio climático representan un alto riesgo para la producción de cultivos tropicales. Aunque las técnicas de mejoramiento convencionales han aumentado significativamente la producción y el rendimiento de los cultivos, se requieren nuevos enfoques para mejorar aún más la producción de cultivos con el fin de satisfacer la creciente demanda mundial de alimentos. La tecnología de edición del genoma Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 (CRISPR-associated protein9) ha demostrado ser muy prometedora para abordar rápidamente los desafíos emergentes en la agricultura. Se puede utilizar para modificar con precisión la secuencia del genoma de cualquier organismo, incluidas las plantas, para lograr el rasgo deseado. En comparación con otras herramientas de edición del genoma, como las nucleasas con dedos de zinc (ZFN) y las nucleasas efectoras de tipo activador transcripcional (TALEN), CRISPR/Cas9 es más rápido, más barato, preciso y altamente eficiente en la edición de genomas incluso a nivel múltiplex. La aplicación de la tecnología CRISPR/Cas9 en la edición del genoma de la planta está surgiendo rápidamente. El CRISPR/Cas9 se está convirtiendo en una herramienta fácil de usar para el desarrollo de plantas de cultivo editadas con genoma no transgénico para contrarrestar los efectos nocivos del cambio climático y garantizar la seguridad alimentaria futura del aumento de la población en los países tropicales. Esta revisión actualiza el conocimiento actual y los potenciales de CRISPR/Cas9 para la mejora de los cultivos cultivados en climas tropicales para ganar resiliencia contra plagas emergentes y tensiones abióticas. La population mondiale devrait passer de 7,3 à 9,7 milliards d'ici 2050. L'épidémie de ravageurs et l'augmentation du stress abiotique en raison du changement climatique constituent un risque élevé pour la production de cultures tropicales. Bien que les techniques de sélection conventionnelles aient considérablement augmenté la production et le rendement des cultures, de nouvelles approches sont nécessaires pour améliorer davantage la production agricole afin de répondre à la demande mondiale croissante de denrées alimentaires. La technologie d'édition génomique Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 (CRISPR-associated protein9) s'est révélée très prometteuse pour relever rapidement les défis émergents en agriculture. Il peut être utilisé pour modifier avec précision la séquence du génome de tout organisme, y compris les plantes, afin d'obtenir le trait souhaité. Comparé à d'autres outils d'édition du génome tels que les nucléases à doigt de zinc (ZFN) et les nucléases effectrices de type activateur transcriptionnel (Talen), CRISPR/Cas9 est plus rapide, moins cher, précis et très efficace pour éditer les génomes même au niveau multiplex. L'application de la technologie CRISPR/Cas9 dans l'édition du génome des plantes émerge rapidement. Le CRISPR/Cas9 devient un outil convivial pour le développement de plantes cultivées non transgéniques éditées sur le génome afin de contrer les effets néfastes du changement climatique et d'assurer la sécurité alimentaire future d'une population croissante dans les pays tropicaux. Cette revue met à jour les connaissances et les potentiels actuels de CRISPR/Cas9 pour l'amélioration des cultures cultivées dans les climats tropicaux afin de gagner en résilience contre les ravageurs émergents et les stress abiotiques. The world population is expected to increase from 7.3 to 9.7 billion by 2050. Pest outbreak and increased abiotic stresses due to climate change pose a high risk to tropical crop production. Although conventional breeding techniques have significantly increased crop production and yield, new approaches are required to further improve crop production in order to meet the global growing demand for food. The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 (CRISPR-associated protein9) genome editing technology has shown great promise for quickly addressing emerging challenges in agriculture. It can be used to precisely modify genome sequence of any organism including plants to achieve the desired trait. Compared to other genome editing tools such as zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs) and transcriptional activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), CRISPR/Cas9 is faster, cheaper, precise and highly efficient in editing genomes even at the multiplex level. Application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in editing the plant genome is emerging rapidly. The CRISPR/Cas9 is becoming a user-friendly tool for development of non-transgenic genome edited crop plants to counteract harmful effects from climate change and ensure future food security of increasing population in tropical countries. This review updates current knowledge and potentials of CRISPR/Cas9 for improvement of crops cultivated in tropical climates to gain resiliency against emerging pests and abiotic stresses. من المتوقع أن يزداد عدد سكان العالم من 7.3 إلى 9.7 مليار بحلول عام 2050. يشكل تفشي الآفات وزيادة الضغوط اللاأحيائية بسبب تغير المناخ خطرًا كبيرًا على إنتاج المحاصيل الاستوائية. على الرغم من أن تقنيات التربية التقليدية قد زادت بشكل كبير من إنتاج المحاصيل وإنتاجها، إلا أن هناك حاجة إلى مناهج جديدة لزيادة تحسين إنتاج المحاصيل من أجل تلبية الطلب العالمي المتزايد على الغذاء. أظهرت تقنية تحرير الجينوم Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 (البروتين المرتبط بـ CRISPR9) وعدًا كبيرًا للتصدي بسرعة للتحديات الناشئة في الزراعة. يمكن استخدامه لتعديل تسلسل الجينوم بدقة لأي كائن حي بما في ذلك النباتات لتحقيق السمة المطلوبة. بالمقارنة مع أدوات تحرير الجينوم الأخرى مثل نوكليز إصبع الزنك (ZFNs) والنوكليز المستجيب الشبيه بالمنشط النصي (TALENs)، فإن CRISPR/Cas9 أسرع وأرخص ودقيق وعالي الكفاءة في تحرير الجينوم حتى على مستوى الإرسال المتعدد. إن تطبيق تقنية CRISPR/Cas9 في تحرير جينوم النبات آخذ في الظهور بسرعة. أصبح CRISPR/Cas9 أداة سهلة الاستخدام لتطوير نباتات المحاصيل المعدلة جينياً غير المعدلة وراثياً لمواجهة الآثار الضارة الناجمة عن تغير المناخ وضمان الأمن الغذائي في المستقبل لعدد متزايد من السكان في البلدان الاستوائية. تقوم هذه المراجعة بتحديث المعرفة والإمكانات الحالية لـ CRISPR/Cas9 لتحسين المحاصيل المزروعة في المناخات الاستوائية لاكتساب المرونة ضد الآفات الناشئة والضغوط اللاأحيائية.

Phosphate (Pi) deficiency in soils is a major limiting factor for crop growth worldwide. Plant growth under low Pi conditions correlates with root architectural traits and it may therefore be possible to select these traits for crop improvement. The aim of this study was to characterize root architectural traits, and to test quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with these traits, under low Pi (LP) and high Pi (HP) availability in Brassica napus.Root architectural traits were characterized in seedlings of a double haploid (DH) mapping population (n = 190) of B. napus ['Tapidor' × 'Ningyou 7' (TNDH)] using high-throughput phenotyping methods. Primary root length (PRL), lateral root length (LRL), lateral root number (LRN), lateral root density (LRD) and biomass traits were measured 12 d post-germination in agar at LP and HP.In general, root and biomass traits were highly correlated under LP and HP conditions. 'Ningyou 7' had greater LRL, LRN and LRD than 'Tapidor', at both LP and HP availability, but smaller PRL. A cluster of highly significant QTL for LRN, LRD and biomass traits at LP availability were identified on chromosome A03; QTL for PRL were identified on chromosomes A07 and C06.High-throughput phenotyping of Brassica can be used to identify root architectural traits which correlate with shoot biomass. It is feasible that these traits could be used in crop improvement strategies. The identification of QTL linked to root traits under LP and HP conditions provides further insights on the genetic basis of plant tolerance to P deficiency, and these QTL warrant further dissection.