Books by Glaucia Mendes Souza
One approach to solving today’s energy challenges is to use modern bioenergy practices to harness... more One approach to solving today’s energy challenges is to use modern bioenergy practices to harness the solar energy captured by photosynthesis. Bioenergy derived from plants can play an essential role in satisfying the world’s growing energy demand, mitigating climate change, sustainably feeding a growing population, improving socio-economic equity, minimizing ecological
disruptions and preserving biodiversity. There is broad consensus that modern bioenergy will be necessary to achieve a low-carbon future. The idea that the large-scale use of bioenergy compromises efforts to meet these challenges is unsupported by the current scienti c evidence when bioenergy practices are implemented properly.
So says the new report “Bioenergy & Sustainability“, a SCOPE series assessment, led by researchers associated to the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) Programs on Bioenergy, Biodiversity and Climate Change, and developed under the aegis of the Scienti c Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) and a Scienti c Advisory Committee.
This report combines a comprehensive analysis of the current bioenergy landscape, technologies and practices with a critical review of their impacts. Experts from over 80 institutions contributed to the extensive evaluation of the current status of bioenergy resources, systems and markets and the potential for sustainable expansion and wider adoption of this renewable resource.
What “Bioenergy & Sustainability” proposes is not only improving energy security for over 1.3 billion people with no access to electricity and lifting rural areas out of poverty, but ultimately securing a sustainable and equitable future.The resources and technologies for the transition from fossil to renewable energy are within our reach, but achieving the critical contributions needed from modern bioenergy call for political and individual will. The report nds that land availability is not a limiting factor. Bioenergy can contribute to sustainable energy supplies even with increasing food demands, preservation of forests, protected lands, and rising urbanization. While it is projected that 50 to 200 million hectares would be needed to provide 10 to 20% of primary energy supply in 2050, available land that does not compromise the uses above is estimated to be at least 500 million hectares and possibly 900 million hectares if pasture intensi cation or water-scarce, marginal and degraded land is considered. As documented in the 21 chapters of the report, the use of land for bioenergy is inextricably linked to food security, environmental quality, and social development, with potentially positive or negative consequences depending on how these linkages are managed.
Building on over 2,000 scienti c studies and major assessments, this 700-page e-publication outlines how:
● Development of bioenergy can replenish a community’s food supply by improving management practices and land soil quality
● New technologies can provide communities with food security, fuel, economic and social development while effectively using water, nutrients and other resources
● The use of bioenergy, if done thoughtfully, can actually help lower air and water pollution
● Bioenergy initiatives monitored and implemented, hand in hand with good governance, can protect biodiversity, and provide ecosystems services
● Ef ciency gains and sustainable practices of recent bioenergy systems can help contribute to a low-carbon economy by decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and assisting carbon mitigation efforts
● With current knowledge and projected improvements 30% of the world’s fuel supply could be biobased by 2050
The report’s authors see both practical and ethical imperatives to advance bioenergy in light of its potential to meet pressing human needs not easily addressed by other renewable energy sources. At the same time, they acknowledge that just because bioenergy can be bene cial does not mean that it will be. Research and development, good governance and innovative business models are essential to address knowledge gaps and foster innovation across the value chain. With these measures, the report argues, a sustainable future is more easily achieved with bioenergy than without it, and not using the bioenergy option would result in signi cant risks and costs for regions, countries and the planet.
Papers by Glaucia Mendes Souza
GCB Bioenergy, 2016
Understanding the complex interactions among food security, bioenergy sustainability, and resourc... more Understanding the complex interactions among food security, bioenergy sustainability, and resource management requires a focus on specific contextual problems and opportunities. The United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals place a high priority on food and energy security; bioenergy plays an important role in achieving both goals. Effective food security programs begin by clearly defining the problem and asking, 'What can be done to assist people at high risk?' Simplistic global analyses, headlines, and cartoons that blame biofuels for food insecurity may reflect good intentions but mislead the public and policymakers because they obscure the main drivers of local food insecurity and ignore opportunities for bioenergy to contribute to solutions. Applying sustainability guidelines to bioenergy will help achieve near-and long-term goals to eradicate hunger. Priorities for achieving successful synergies between bioenergy and food security include the following: (1) clarifying communications with clear and consistent terms, (2) recognizing that food and bioenergy need not compete for land and, instead, should be integrated to improve resource management, (3) investing in technology, rural extension, and innovations to build capacity and infrastructure, (4) promoting stable prices that incentivize local production, (5) adopting flex crops that can provide food along with other products and services to society, and (6) engaging stakeholders to identify and assess specific opportunities for biofuels to improve food security. Systematic monitoring and analysis to support adaptive management and continual improvement are essential elements to build synergies and help society equitably meet growing demands for both food and energy.
Journal of Fundamentals of Renewable Energy and Applications, Jun 21, 2016
<p>The time of peak of rhythms in transcript levels of genes associated with sucrose and st... more <p>The time of peak of rhythms in transcript levels of genes associated with sucrose and starch metabolism was identified in a schematic metabolic pathway. Each circle corresponds to a specific gene model. Metabolic pathways were colored according to the median of the phase of their constitutive genes. The time of peak of probes associated with starch and sucrose synthesis pathways was between ZT20 and ZT4, while the time of the peak of probes associate to sucrose and starch degradation was between ZT8 to ZT16. Genes that were not circadian (n. c.) were in gray. Rhythmic with a time of peak at ZT0 are in yellow, ZT4 in dark orange, ZT8 in red, ZT12 in blue, ZT16 in dark blue and ZT20 in light blue. Enzymes for sucrose synthesis are: (<b>1</b>) sucrose-phosphate synthase; (<b>2</b>) sucrose phosphatase; (<b>3</b>) sucrose synthase; (<b>4</b>) neutral invertase; (<b>5</b>) hexokinase; (<b>6</b>) fructokinase; (<b>7</b>) glucose-6-phosphate isomerase; (<b>8</b>) phosphoglucomutase; (<b>9</b>) UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0071847#pone.0071847-Rohwer1" target="_blank">[75]</a>. Abbreviations: S6P – sucrose 6-phosphate; UDP-G - UDP-glucose; G1P – glucose 1-phosphate; G6P – glucose 6-phosphate; F6P – fructose 6-phosphate; ADP-G – ADP-glucose; 3P glycerate – 3-phospho glycerate.</p
Abstract Sugarcane exemplifies many challenges associated with genetic and genomic analysis of an... more Abstract Sugarcane exemplifies many challenges associated with genetic and genomic analysis of angiosperms, being a recently formed autopolyploid with a large genome, and with its most economically important forms being aneuploid interspecific hybrids. Despite nearly two decades of vigorous activity, current genetic maps remain&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; incomplete&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;(with some chromosomes/segments lacking informative sequence-tagged polymorphism) and physical mapping tools are of insufficient depth to cover each allele in any one genotype. ...
Antecedentes: perspectiva histórica 1532: a introdução da cana-de-açúcar no Brasil A história do... more Antecedentes: perspectiva histórica 1532: a introdução da cana-de-açúcar no Brasil A história do Brasil está intimamente ligada à biomassa, tendo o nome "Brasil" se originado da madeira do pau-brasil 1 , cuja exploração constituiu a primeira atividade econômica após a chegada dos portugueses. Com o duplo objetivo de produzir açúcar, altamente valorizado na Europa, bem como "ocupar e desenvolver" as novas terras portuguesas, em 1532 a cana-de-açúcar 2 foi introduzida em terras brasileiras, inicialmente na parte meridional da demarcação estabelecida pelo Tratado de Tordesilhas (Figura 1), na capitania de São Vicente, por seu primeiro donatário Martim Afonso de Souza (Figura 2), utilizando mudas trazidas da Ilha da Madeira ou de Cabo Verde 3. Poucos anos depois, a produção de açúcar de cana foi introduzida com sucesso na capitania de Pernambuco, por Duarte Coelho Pereira 4. 1 No ciclo econômico do pau-brasil, que antecedeu o da cana-de-açúcar no Brasil, a madeira era simplesmente explorada visando à obtenção de um corante natural alternativo ao azul de índigo indiano. 2 A cana-de-açúcar é uma planta pertencente ao gênero Saccharum L. Existem várias espécies do gênero, e a cana-de-açúcar cultivada é um híbrido multiespecífico que recebe a designação Saccharum spp. As espécies de cana-de-açúcar são provenientes do Sudeste Asiático. 3 Segundo Câmara (2004), as primeiras mudas de cana-de-açúcar chegaram antes, em 1502, vindas da Ilha da Madeira, trazidas por Gonçalo Coelho. Segundo o autor, Martim Afonso de Souza e outros quatro sócios construíram os primeiros engenhos, sendo que o Engenho dos Erasmos (também conhecido como Engenho do Governador) é o único que deixou vestígios: as ruínas encontram sob a proteção da Universidade de São Paulo. 4 Embora não se saiba com certeza por onde a cana-de-açúcar entrou no continente americano e como se espalhou, especula-se que, em 1493, Cristóvão Colombo teria introduzido no "Novo Mundo" a variedade Crioula, resultado de uma hibridação natural entre Saccharum officinarum e Saccharum barberi
Addressing the challenges of understanding and managing complex interactions among food security,... more Addressing the challenges of understanding and managing complex interactions among food security, biofuels, and resource management requires a focus on specific contextual problems and opportunities. The United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals prioritize food and energy security; bioenergy plays an important role in achieving both goals. Effective food security programs begin by clearly defining the problem and asking, “What can be done to effectively assist people at high risk?” Headlines and cartoons that blame biofuels for food insecurity may reflect good intentions but mislead the public and policy makers because they obscure the main drivers of local food insecurity and ignore opportunities for biofuels to contribute to solutions. Applying sustainability guidelines to bioenergy will help achieve near- and long- term goals to eradicate hunger. Priorities for achieving successful synergies between bioenergy and food security include (1) clarifying communications with clear and consistent terms, (2) recognizing that food and bioenergy need not compete for land and instead, need to be integrated with improved resource management, (3) investing in innovations to build capacity and infrastructure such as rural agricultural extension and technology, (4) promoting stable prices that incentivize local production, (5) adopting flex crops that can provide food along with other products and services to society, and (6) engaging stakeholders in identifying and assessing specific opportunities for biofuels to improve food security. Systematic monitoring and analysis to support adaptive management and continual improvement are essential elements to build synergies and help society equitably meet growing demands for both food and energy
The identification of target genes, metabolic and signaling pathways associated with characterist... more The identification of target genes, metabolic and signaling pathways associated with characteristics of interest to the sugarcane improvement are still poorly known and studied. Some transcritptome studies through microarray platforms has tried to identify lists of genes, for tissue-specific experiments or subjected to conditions of biotic and abiotic stress. In the literature specific studies of these data has already been associated with metabolic or signaling pathway, in order to identify changes in these tracks related to patterns of gene expression. However, these relations are still little know and generally defined slightly. The study and understanding of sugarcane by means of genetic diversity and its adaptation to the environment is a major challenge, mainly due to the absence of a sequenced genome and by your complex genome. We present our results to surpass this barrier e challenges for the study of gene expression. Methodologies were developed for the transcriptome functional annotation, focused on the annotation transfer, identification of metabolic pathways and enzymes by the bidirectional method; prediction of full-length genes; ortology analysis and probe design for customized microarrays, resulting in the sugarcane ORFeome, the identification and classification of transcription factor families and identification of ortholog genes between grasses. Besides that, we have developed a plataform for automated processing and analysis for microarray experiments, to store, retrieve and integration with the functional annotation. Additionally, we have developed and implemented methods for identification of differentially and significantly expressed genes, and approaches for over-represented analysis and functional class scoring (FCS). To integrate the functional annotation and the studies by gene expression profile, we have developed the CaneRegNet platform and an interface to integrate this network of biological data and knowledge, composed by searching and data mining tools for clustering and correlations between microarray experiments, enabling the generation of new hypothesis and predictions around the organization of cellular regulation.
Sugar Tech, 2016
Many types of molecular marker systems have been developed to detect and map genomic regions rela... more Many types of molecular marker systems have been developed to detect and map genomic regions related to disease resistance in many major agronomic crops. However, in sugarcane, molecular marker systems for genetic mapping of genomic regions associated to disease resistance is not yet established mainly due to its complex polyploid genome. In addition, there is a lack of information to develop molecular marker systems (e.g., TRAP and EST-SSR) targeting specific genic regions related to disease resistance. In the present work, a set of 10 EST-SSR primer pairs and 16 fixed TRAP primers designed from sugarcane-derived sequence related to disease resistance are reported. Most of the primers were amplifiable and polymorphic in the sugarcane genotypes tested. In addition, these set of primers were also tested in sorghum, Miscanthus and a cross between sugarcane commercial varieties showing good cross-transferability. This new set of primers, in particular the TRAP ones, will be useful in genetic mapping of genome regions related to disease resistance in sugarcane and related genera.
Handbook of Bioenergy Crop Plants, 2012
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Initially, natural antisense transcripts (NATs, natRNAs, or asRNAs) were considered repressors; h... more Initially, natural antisense transcripts (NATs, natRNAs, or asRNAs) were considered repressors; however, their functions in gene regulation are diverse. Positive, negative, or neutral correlations to the cognate gene expression have been noted. Although the first studies were published about 50 years ago, there is still much to be investigated regarding antisense transcripts in plants. A systematic review of scientific publications available in the Web of Science databases was conducted to contextualize how the studying of antisense transcripts has been addressed. Studies were classified considering three categories: “Natural antisense” (208), artificial antisense used in “Genetic Engineering” (797), or “Natural antisense and Genetic Engineering”-related publications (96). A similar string was used for a systematic search in the NCBI Gene database. Of the 1132 antisense sequences found for plants, only 0.8% were cited in PubMed and had antisense information confirmed. This value was...
Genetics, Genomics and Breeding of Sugarcane, 2010
When there are many players operate in a particular market, it encourages competition. Thus, heal... more When there are many players operate in a particular market, it encourages competition. Thus, healthy competition in the market leads to efficiency performance. Takaful and conventional insurance are the two parallel methods used to transact insurance business. The emergence of the Takaful market has contributed to competitiveness and conventional insurance is facing competition with Takaful. Therefore, this paper attempts to review the literatures relating to the relationship between competition and efficiency between Takaful and conventional and whether there exist a positive or a negative relationship.
Paulo, the coordinator of several initiatives in bioenergy research in Brazil and the President o... more Paulo, the coordinator of several initiatives in bioenergy research in Brazil and the President of FAPESP Bioenergy Program (BIOEN). FAPESP is the State of São Paulo Research Agency. Under her coordination the BIOEN Program stands in a prominent role in the international bioenergy arena and has had so far over 1,300 peer-reviewed articles published with collaborators from 29 countries. BIOEN aims at articulating public and private R&D, using academic and industrial laboratories to advance and apply knowledge in fields related to bioenergy (http://bioenfapesp.org). BIOEN engages in fundamental, applied and horizontal research efforts and contributed to many technological and social advancements in Brazil. Dr. Souza is now actively engaged in disseminating the new knowledge she has helped create and working with several organizations to define roadmaps for a low carbon future. She is a member of the Scientific Committee of Problems of the Environment Board, coordinates the Brazilian representation at the International Energy Agency Task Force on Bioenergy under the coordination of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Relations and is a member of the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP) Bioindustry and member of the FIESP Innovation Council Bioeconomy committee where she works to develop the bioeconomy.
Briefings in Bioinformatics, 2021
Promoter annotation is an important task in the analysis of a genome. One of the main challenges ... more Promoter annotation is an important task in the analysis of a genome. One of the main challenges for this task is locating the border between the promoter region and the transcribing region of the gene, the transcription start site (TSS). The TSS is the reference point to delimit the DNA sequence responsible for the assembly of the transcribing complex. As the same gene can have more than one TSS, so to delimit the promoter region, it is important to locate the closest TSS to the site of the beginning of the translation. This paper presents TSSFinder, a new software for the prediction of the TSS signal of eukaryotic genes that is significantly more accurate than other available software. We currently are the only application to offer pre-trained models for six different eukaryotic organisms: Arabidopsis thaliana, Drosophila melanogaster, Gallus gallus, Homo sapiens, Oryza sativa and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Additionally, our software can be easily customized for specific organisms ...
New Phytologist, 2021
Most research in plant chronobiology was done in laboratory conditions. However, they usually fai... more Most research in plant chronobiology was done in laboratory conditions. However, they usually fail to mimic natural conditions and their nuanced fluctuations, highlighting or obfuscating rhythmicity. High-density crops, such as sugarcane (Saccharum hybrid), generate field microenvironments that have specific light and temperature, as they shade each other. Here, we measured the metabolic and transcriptional rhythms in the leaves of 4-month-old (4 mo.) and 9 mo. sugarcane grown in the field. Most of the assayed rhythms in 9 mo. sugarcane peaked >1 h later than in 4 mo. sugarcane, including rhythms of the circadian clock gene, LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL (LHY), but not TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION (TOC1). We hypothesized that older sugarcane perceives dawn later than younger sugarcane, due to self-shading. As a test, we measured LHY rhythms in plants on the east and the west side of a field. We also tested if a wooden wall built between lines of sugarcane also changed their rhythms. In both experiments, the LHY peak was delayed in the plants shaded at dawn. We conclude that plants in the same field may have different phases due to field microenvironments, which may impact important agronomical traits, such as flowering time, stalk weight and number.
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Books by Glaucia Mendes Souza
disruptions and preserving biodiversity. There is broad consensus that modern bioenergy will be necessary to achieve a low-carbon future. The idea that the large-scale use of bioenergy compromises efforts to meet these challenges is unsupported by the current scienti c evidence when bioenergy practices are implemented properly.
So says the new report “Bioenergy & Sustainability“, a SCOPE series assessment, led by researchers associated to the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) Programs on Bioenergy, Biodiversity and Climate Change, and developed under the aegis of the Scienti c Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) and a Scienti c Advisory Committee.
This report combines a comprehensive analysis of the current bioenergy landscape, technologies and practices with a critical review of their impacts. Experts from over 80 institutions contributed to the extensive evaluation of the current status of bioenergy resources, systems and markets and the potential for sustainable expansion and wider adoption of this renewable resource.
What “Bioenergy & Sustainability” proposes is not only improving energy security for over 1.3 billion people with no access to electricity and lifting rural areas out of poverty, but ultimately securing a sustainable and equitable future.The resources and technologies for the transition from fossil to renewable energy are within our reach, but achieving the critical contributions needed from modern bioenergy call for political and individual will. The report nds that land availability is not a limiting factor. Bioenergy can contribute to sustainable energy supplies even with increasing food demands, preservation of forests, protected lands, and rising urbanization. While it is projected that 50 to 200 million hectares would be needed to provide 10 to 20% of primary energy supply in 2050, available land that does not compromise the uses above is estimated to be at least 500 million hectares and possibly 900 million hectares if pasture intensi cation or water-scarce, marginal and degraded land is considered. As documented in the 21 chapters of the report, the use of land for bioenergy is inextricably linked to food security, environmental quality, and social development, with potentially positive or negative consequences depending on how these linkages are managed.
Building on over 2,000 scienti c studies and major assessments, this 700-page e-publication outlines how:
● Development of bioenergy can replenish a community’s food supply by improving management practices and land soil quality
● New technologies can provide communities with food security, fuel, economic and social development while effectively using water, nutrients and other resources
● The use of bioenergy, if done thoughtfully, can actually help lower air and water pollution
● Bioenergy initiatives monitored and implemented, hand in hand with good governance, can protect biodiversity, and provide ecosystems services
● Ef ciency gains and sustainable practices of recent bioenergy systems can help contribute to a low-carbon economy by decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and assisting carbon mitigation efforts
● With current knowledge and projected improvements 30% of the world’s fuel supply could be biobased by 2050
The report’s authors see both practical and ethical imperatives to advance bioenergy in light of its potential to meet pressing human needs not easily addressed by other renewable energy sources. At the same time, they acknowledge that just because bioenergy can be bene cial does not mean that it will be. Research and development, good governance and innovative business models are essential to address knowledge gaps and foster innovation across the value chain. With these measures, the report argues, a sustainable future is more easily achieved with bioenergy than without it, and not using the bioenergy option would result in signi cant risks and costs for regions, countries and the planet.
Papers by Glaucia Mendes Souza
disruptions and preserving biodiversity. There is broad consensus that modern bioenergy will be necessary to achieve a low-carbon future. The idea that the large-scale use of bioenergy compromises efforts to meet these challenges is unsupported by the current scienti c evidence when bioenergy practices are implemented properly.
So says the new report “Bioenergy & Sustainability“, a SCOPE series assessment, led by researchers associated to the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) Programs on Bioenergy, Biodiversity and Climate Change, and developed under the aegis of the Scienti c Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) and a Scienti c Advisory Committee.
This report combines a comprehensive analysis of the current bioenergy landscape, technologies and practices with a critical review of their impacts. Experts from over 80 institutions contributed to the extensive evaluation of the current status of bioenergy resources, systems and markets and the potential for sustainable expansion and wider adoption of this renewable resource.
What “Bioenergy & Sustainability” proposes is not only improving energy security for over 1.3 billion people with no access to electricity and lifting rural areas out of poverty, but ultimately securing a sustainable and equitable future.The resources and technologies for the transition from fossil to renewable energy are within our reach, but achieving the critical contributions needed from modern bioenergy call for political and individual will. The report nds that land availability is not a limiting factor. Bioenergy can contribute to sustainable energy supplies even with increasing food demands, preservation of forests, protected lands, and rising urbanization. While it is projected that 50 to 200 million hectares would be needed to provide 10 to 20% of primary energy supply in 2050, available land that does not compromise the uses above is estimated to be at least 500 million hectares and possibly 900 million hectares if pasture intensi cation or water-scarce, marginal and degraded land is considered. As documented in the 21 chapters of the report, the use of land for bioenergy is inextricably linked to food security, environmental quality, and social development, with potentially positive or negative consequences depending on how these linkages are managed.
Building on over 2,000 scienti c studies and major assessments, this 700-page e-publication outlines how:
● Development of bioenergy can replenish a community’s food supply by improving management practices and land soil quality
● New technologies can provide communities with food security, fuel, economic and social development while effectively using water, nutrients and other resources
● The use of bioenergy, if done thoughtfully, can actually help lower air and water pollution
● Bioenergy initiatives monitored and implemented, hand in hand with good governance, can protect biodiversity, and provide ecosystems services
● Ef ciency gains and sustainable practices of recent bioenergy systems can help contribute to a low-carbon economy by decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and assisting carbon mitigation efforts
● With current knowledge and projected improvements 30% of the world’s fuel supply could be biobased by 2050
The report’s authors see both practical and ethical imperatives to advance bioenergy in light of its potential to meet pressing human needs not easily addressed by other renewable energy sources. At the same time, they acknowledge that just because bioenergy can be bene cial does not mean that it will be. Research and development, good governance and innovative business models are essential to address knowledge gaps and foster innovation across the value chain. With these measures, the report argues, a sustainable future is more easily achieved with bioenergy than without it, and not using the bioenergy option would result in signi cant risks and costs for regions, countries and the planet.