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Eric G Cosio

Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru, Ciencias, Faculty Member

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Phone: +51-1-626-2000 ext. 4218
Address: Sección Química
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú
Av. Universitaria 1801
San Miguel, Lima 32, Peru

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Dorian Q Fuller

University College London

Javier delBarco-Trillo

Illinois State University

Prof. Nagwa Mohamed A . Aref

Ain Shams University

Prof. Dr. Moustafa Moharam

Sohag University

York University

Miami University

Merrill L Gassman

University of Illinois at Chicago

Manvendra Kachole

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University

Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University - Hisar (INDIA)

Mónica Moraes R.

UNIVERSIDAD MAYOR de SAN ANDRES UMSA

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Papers by Eric G Cosio

Calibration of the SMAP soil moisture retrieval algorithm to reduce bias over the Amazon rainforest

IEEE journal of selected topics in applied earth observations and remote sensing, 2024

Soil moisture (SM) is crucial for the Earth's ecosystem, impacting climate and vegetation health.... more Soil moisture (SM) is crucial for the Earth's ecosystem, impacting climate and vegetation health. Obtaining in situ observations of SM is labor-intensive and complex, particularly in remote and densely vegetated regions like the Amazon rainforest. NASA's Soil Moisture Active and Passive (SMAP) mission, utilizing an L-band radiometer, aims to monitor global SM. While it has been validated in areas with low Vegetation Water Content (VWC) (<5 !"), its efficiency in the Amazon, with dense canopies and high VWC (>10 !"), is limitedly investigated due to scarce in situ measurements. This study assessed and analyzed the SMAP SM retrievals in the Amazon, employing the single-channel algorithm (SCA) and adjusting vegetation optical depth (τ) and single scattering albedo (ω), two key vegetation parameters. It incorporated in situ SM observations from three old-growth rainforest locations: Tambopata (Southwest Amazon), Manaus (Central Amazon), and Caxiuana (Eastern Amazon). The SMAP SM deviated substantially from the in situ SM. However, calibrating τ and ω values, characterized by a lower τ, resulted in better agreement with the in situ measurements. The study emphasizes the pressing need for innovative methodologies to accurately retrieve SM in high-VWC regions like the Amazon rainforest using SMAP data.

Peru’s zoning amendment endangers forests

Science, Mar 1, 2024

Forest management affects ecosystem functioning (predation and herbivory) but not ecosystem constancy: A comparative study across four forest ecosystems around the world

Global Ecology and Conservation, Dec 31, 2023

Bioengineering potato plants to produce benzylglucosinolate for improved broad-spectrum pest and disease resistance

Transgenic Research, May 6, 2021

Correction to: Bioengineering potato plants to produce benzylglucosinolate for improved broad-spectrum pest and disease resistance

Transgenic Research, Jun 14, 2021

Patterns and drivers of evapotranspiration in South American wetlands

Research Square (Research Square), Apr 14, 2021

Evapotranspiration (ET) is a key process linking surface and atmospheric energy budgets, yet its ... more Evapotranspiration (ET) is a key process linking surface and atmospheric energy budgets, yet its drivers and patterns across wetlandscapes are poorly understood worldwide. Here we assess the ET dynamics in 12 wetlands complexes across South America, revealing major differences under temperate, tropical, and equatorial climates. While net radiation is a dominant driver of ET seasonality in most environments, ooding also contributes strongly to ET in tropical and equatorial wetlands, especially in meeting the evaporative demand. Moreover, signi cant water losses through wetlands and ET differences between wetlands and uplands occur in temperate, water-limited environments and in highly ooded areas such as the Pantanal, where slow river ood propagation drives the ET dynamics. Finally, oodplain forests produce the greatest ET in all environments except the Central Amazon, where upland forests sustain high rates year round. Our ndings highlight the unique hydrological functioning and ecosystem services provided by wetlands on a continental scale.

Biosynthesis, herbivore induction, and defensive role of phenylacetaldoxime glucoside

Plant Physiology, Aug 16, 2023

Aldoximes are well-known metabolic precursors for plant defense compounds such as cyanogenic glyc... more Aldoximes are well-known metabolic precursors for plant defense compounds such as cyanogenic glycosides, glucosinolates, and volatile nitriles. They are also defenses themselves produced in response to herbivory; however, it is unclear whether aldoximes can be stored over a longer term as defense compounds and how plants protect themselves against the potential autotoxic effects of aldoximes. Here, we show that the neotropical myrmecophyte tococa (Tococa quadrialata, recently renamed Miconia microphysca) accumulates phenylacetaldoxime glucoside (PAOx-Glc) in response to leaf herbivory. Sequence comparison, transcriptomic analysis, and heterologous expression revealed that two cytochrome P450 enzymes, CYP79A206 and CYP79A207, and the UDP-glucosyltransferase UGT85A123 are involved in the formation of PAOx-Glc in tococa. Another P450, CYP71E76, was shown to convert phenylacetaldoxime (PAOx) to the volatile defense compound benzyl cyanide. The formation of PAOx-Glc and PAOx in leaves is a very local response to herbivory but does not appear to be regulated by jasmonic acid signaling. In contrast to PAOx, which was only detectable during herbivory, PAOx-Glc levels remained high for at least three days after insect feeding. This, together with the fact that gut protein extracts of three insect herbivore species exhibited hydrolytic activity toward PAOx-Glc, suggests that the glucoside is a stable storage form of a defense compound that may provide rapid protection against future herbivory. Moreover, the finding that herbivory or pathogen elicitor treatment also led to the accumulation of PAOx-Glc in three other phylogenetically distant plant species suggests that the formation and storage of aldoxime glucosides may represent a widespread plant defense response.

Tropical forest lianas have greater non-structural carbohydrate concentrations in the stem xylem than trees

Tree Physiology

Lianas (woody vines) are important components of tropical forests and are known to compete with h... more Lianas (woody vines) are important components of tropical forests and are known to compete with host trees for resources, decrease tree growth and increase tree mortality. Given the observed increases in liana abundance in some forests and their impacts on forest function, an integrated understanding of carbon dynamics of lianas and liana-infested host trees is critical for improved prediction of tropical forest responses to climate change. Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) are the main substrate for plant metabolism (e.g., growth, respiration), and have been implicated in enabling tree survival under environmental stress, but little is known of how they vary among life-forms or of how liana infestation impacts host tree NSC. We quantified stem total NSC (NSC) concentrations and its fractions (starch and soluble sugars) in trees without liana infestation, trees with more than 50% of the canopy covered by lianas, and the lianas infesting those trees. We hypothesized that i) liana in...

Detection and Imaging of the Plant Pathogen Response By Near Infrared Fluorescent Polyphenol Sensors

Meeting abstracts, Jul 7, 2022

Plants use secondary metabolites such as polyphenols for chemical defense against pathogens and h... more Plants use secondary metabolites such as polyphenols for chemical defense against pathogens and herbivores. Despite their importance in plant pathogen interactions and tolerance to diseases,i tr emains challenging to detect polyphenols in complex plant tissues.H ere,w ec reate molecular sensors for plant polyphenol imaging that are based on nearinfrared (NIR) fluorescent single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). We identified polyethylene glycol-phospholipids that render (6,5)-SWCNTs sensitive (K d = 90 nM) to plant polyphenols (tannins,f lavonoids,…), whichr ed-shift (up to 20 nm) and quenchtheir emission (ca. 1000 nm). These sensors report changes in total polyphenol level after herbivore or pathogen challenge in crop plant systems (Soybean Glycine max) and leaf tissue extracts (Tococa spp.). We furthermore demonstrate remote chemical imaging of pathogen-induced polyphenol release from roots of soybean seedlings over the time course of 24 h. This approach allows in situ visualization and understanding of the chemical plant defense in real time and paves the way for plant phenotyping for optimized polyphenol secretion.

Isolation and photosynthetic characteristics of mesophyll cells from developing leaves of soybean

Physiologia Plantarum, Dec 1, 1983

Page 1. PHYSIOL. PLANT. 59: 595-600. Copenhagen 1983 Isolation and photosynthetic characteristics... more

Frontispiece: Detection and Imaging of the Plant Pathogen Response by Near‐Infrared Fluorescent Polyphenol Sensors

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Basin-wide variation in tree hydraulic safety margins predicts the carbon balance of Amazon forests

Nature

Tropical forests face increasing climate risk1,2, yet our ability to predict their response to cl... more Tropical forests face increasing climate risk1,2, yet our ability to predict their response to climate change is limited by poor understanding of their resistance to water stress. Although xylem embolism resistance thresholds (for example, $$\varPsi $$ Ψ 50) and hydraulic safety margins (for example, HSM50) are important predictors of drought-induced mortality risk3–5, little is known about how these vary across Earth’s largest tropical forest. Here, we present a pan-Amazon, fully standardized hydraulic traits dataset and use it to assess regional variation in drought sensitivity and hydraulic trait ability to predict species distributions and long-term forest biomass accumulation. Parameters $$\varPsi $$ Ψ 50 and HSM50 vary markedly across the Amazon and are related to average long-term rainfall characteristics. Both $$\varPsi $$ Ψ 50 and HSM50 influence the biogeographical distribution of Amazon tree species. However, HSM50 was the only significant predictor of observed decadal-sc...

Carbon and water exchange between the atmosphere and a southwestern Amazonian forest

AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, Dec 1, 2019

Microbial growth and respiration are differently controlled by P availability in tropical forest soils across the Amazon Basin

AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, Dec 1, 2019

Evapotranspiration and photosynthetic parameters determined by eddy covariance and infrared photosynthesis analyzers in a drip-irrigated olive grove on western coastal South America

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Peru and Chile occupy second place in South America in area devoted to o... more &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Peru and Chile occupy second place in South America in area devoted to olive cultivation. Although small by Mediterranean standards, the 21,000 ha in each country represent a significant recent expansion of olive cultivation, 500 years after its introduction from Europe. The main climatic characteristic of olive cultivation in Peru is the coastal desert environment with moderate temperatures (12-28 &amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;o&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;C), almost nil precipitation and high atmospheric water content in the winter season. There is still insufficient information about olive physiology and water management under these climatic conditions. This report is part of a long-term study of water and carbon fluxes in a drip-irrigated olive grove in sandy soil, located in the Pisco province in Peru (13&amp;amp;#176;45&#39;03.25&quot; S, 76&amp;amp;#176;09&#39;36.77&quot; W at 74 m elevation). Due to the absence of precipitation during the main growing season, plants depend on the local aquifer and drip irrigation for growth and yields. We installed an eddy covariance system in September of 2019 in a 9 m tower over a 5 m canopy height. The canopy covered 60% of the surface, the rest being sandy soil with very limited grass cover. The flux footprint of the system covered 3 ha for 80% of the information gathered. Peak average hourly water flux from the grove to the atmosphere in the summer season took place at 1 pm, with values of 1.8 m&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;3&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; ha&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; h&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;. &amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;&amp;amp;#160;&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;Average daily fluxes ranged from 5 m&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;3&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; ha&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; day&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; in August (winter) to 20 m&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;3&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; ha&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; day&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; in February (summer). EddyPro-calculated ET values are essentially similar and represent 41% of ET&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;o&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt; as calculated by the Penman-Monteith equation and 58.6% using a crop coefficient correction. Drip irrigation was set at 63 m&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;3&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; ha&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; day&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; during the growing season (October through April) and reduced to half that amount in the winter. Optimization of water usage in relation to productivity has been pursued by monitoring photosynthetic efficiency and transpiration with an Li 6800 system in sun and shade leaves of the canopy along with use of Ekomatik digital dendrometer monitoring as a proxy for sap flow.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

Tropical montane forests and climate change in the Peruvian Andes: Micro-environmental, biotic and human impacts at tree line

AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, Dec 1, 2019

Combination of single-point standard addition calibration and natural internal standardization for quantification of terpenes in Pisco samples

LWT, 2021

Abstract Combination of single-point standard addition calibration and natural internal standardi... more Abstract Combination of single-point standard addition calibration and natural internal standardization was investigated as a practical strategy for the quantification of terpenes in Pisco samples using HS-SPME-GC-MS. All GC-MS data were acquired under simultaneous Full Scan and SIM modes using two quantification strategies identified as “reference strategy” and “simplified strategy”. Linearity was first confirmed for linalool oxide, linalool and α-terpineol in a non-aromatic Pisco sample. The simplified strategy consisted of standard multicomponent addition of these same three terpenes to aromatic Pisco samples evaluating functionality of naturally present esters acting as candidate internal standards. The reference strategy consisted in the individual addition of every terpene standard to samples, using other naturally present terpenes as internal standards. Uncertainty budgets were presented for both calibration strategies. Relative combined standard uncertainties were between 6.6 % and 10 % for the reference strategy and between 1.9 % and 33 % for the simplified strategy using isoamyl acetate as natural internal standard and obtaining zeta-score values smaller than 2. Combination of single-point standard addition and use of a natural internal standard for HS-SPME-GC-MS measurements appears to be a potentially useful and reliable approach for measurements of terpenes Pisco, and possibly in other measurements fields still in development.

Controls over phosphorus mineralization and immobilization rates in different tropical soils

&lt;p&gt;Highly weathered soils depleted in minerals and phosphorus (P) support large tra... more &lt;p&gt;Highly weathered soils depleted in minerals and phosphorus (P) support large tracts of the tropical rainforests in the Central Amazon, which significantly contribute to the global carbon (C) sink. In these soils (oxisols and ferrasols), P is either occluded in Al/Fe-oxides, bound to the soil mineral matrix or in soil organic matter, and therefore not directly available for uptake as inorganic phosphate (Pi). To liberate Pi for plant or microbial uptake two processes are key: (i) changes of sorption-desorption equilibria of Pi with the soil matrix and (ii) the release of Pi from organic compounds (Po) catalyzed by enzymes, such as phosphatases. Plant roots and soil microbes have developed strategies to stimulate the release of P by accelerating P dissolution and desorption and by releasing extracellular phosphatases into the soil environment, which requires however C and energy investment. Because of P limitation in this ecosystem, the relative contributions of abiotic and biotic controls over P mineralization is of pivotal importance. Yet conclusive results are still scarce.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We therefore aimed to disentangle abiotic and biotic controls over P mineralization in tropical soils. To achieve this, we collected forest soils from the Amazon Basin covering a range of soil texture and P concentrations, determined soil mineralogy and measured gross P desorption and mineralization rates using a &lt;sup&gt;33&lt;/sup&gt;P isotope pool dilution assay. Moreover, we determined acid phosphatase activity rates and microbial biomass C and P. We found significant differences between the studied sites in gross P influx and efflux rates into the Pi pool. Gross influx rates (i.e. the sum of Pi desorption and organic P mineralization) exceeded efflux (i.e. sorption or biotic Pi uptake rates) only in sandy and silty soils, while in clayey soils efflux rates dominated P fluxes indicating a very high Pi sorption capacity. However, gross influx and efflux rates were not related to total or dissolved P. Microbial biomass and acid phosphatase activity normalized to microbial biomass C were highest in sites with overall low total P microbial biomass P accounting for up to 40 % of total P in low P soils. We therefore conclude that in low P soils organic P turnover plays a major role in soil P cycling, and despite of the high P sorption capacity of clay rich soils, microbes can be strong competitors for plant available P.&lt;/p&gt;

Physiological responses of maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) plants to UV radiation in its high-altitude mountain ecosystem

Scientific Reports, 2020

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a small fraction of the solar spectrum, which acts as a key environ... more Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a small fraction of the solar spectrum, which acts as a key environmental modulator of plant function affecting metabolic regulation and growth. Plant species endemic to the Andes are well adapted to the harsh features of high-altitude climate, including high UV radiation. Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walpers) is a member of Brassicaceae family native to the central Andes of Peru, which grows between 3500 and 4500 m of altitude, where only highland grasses and few hardy bushes can survive. Even though maca has been the focus of recent researches, mainly due to its nutraceutical properties, knowledge regarding its adaptation mechanisms to these particular natural environmental conditions is scarce. In this study, we manipulated solar UV radiation by using UV-transmitting (Control) or blocking (UV-block) filters under field conditions (4138 m above the sea level) in order to understand the impact of UV on morphological and physiological parameters of maca crops...

Satellite-derived forest canopy greenness shows differential drought vulnerability of secondary forests compared to primary forests in Peru

Environmental Research Letters

Understanding tropical secondary forest canopy greenness and responses to climatic conditions is ... more Understanding tropical secondary forest canopy greenness and responses to climatic conditions is important for climate change mitigation, particularly in the tropics where secondary forest growth is a substantial carbon sink and a promoted natural climate solution. We here test three hypotheses: (a) forest canopy greenness is higher in younger, secondary forests than in older, primary or mature forests, (b) secondary forests are more vulnerable to climatic pressures and (c) there are significant differences between forest types regarding primary–secondary canopy greenness and their differential responses to drought anomalies. To explore these relationships, we monitored wet and dry seasonal greenness from 2001 to 2020, estimated through the enhanced vegetation index (EVI), of Peruvian tropical dry, montane and lowland secondary forests and compared it to nearby primary forests. We developed predictive models of seasonal EVI using remotely sensed variables, including land surface tem...

Calibration of the SMAP soil moisture retrieval algorithm to reduce bias over the Amazon rainforest

IEEE journal of selected topics in applied earth observations and remote sensing, 2024

Soil moisture (SM) is crucial for the Earth's ecosystem, impacting climate and vegetation health.... more Soil moisture (SM) is crucial for the Earth's ecosystem, impacting climate and vegetation health. Obtaining in situ observations of SM is labor-intensive and complex, particularly in remote and densely vegetated regions like the Amazon rainforest. NASA's Soil Moisture Active and Passive (SMAP) mission, utilizing an L-band radiometer, aims to monitor global SM. While it has been validated in areas with low Vegetation Water Content (VWC) (<5 !"), its efficiency in the Amazon, with dense canopies and high VWC (>10 !"), is limitedly investigated due to scarce in situ measurements. This study assessed and analyzed the SMAP SM retrievals in the Amazon, employing the single-channel algorithm (SCA) and adjusting vegetation optical depth (τ) and single scattering albedo (ω), two key vegetation parameters. It incorporated in situ SM observations from three old-growth rainforest locations: Tambopata (Southwest Amazon), Manaus (Central Amazon), and Caxiuana (Eastern Amazon). The SMAP SM deviated substantially from the in situ SM. However, calibrating τ and ω values, characterized by a lower τ, resulted in better agreement with the in situ measurements. The study emphasizes the pressing need for innovative methodologies to accurately retrieve SM in high-VWC regions like the Amazon rainforest using SMAP data.

Peru’s zoning amendment endangers forests

Science, Mar 1, 2024

Forest management affects ecosystem functioning (predation and herbivory) but not ecosystem constancy: A comparative study across four forest ecosystems around the world

Global Ecology and Conservation, Dec 31, 2023

Bioengineering potato plants to produce benzylglucosinolate for improved broad-spectrum pest and disease resistance

Transgenic Research, May 6, 2021

Correction to: Bioengineering potato plants to produce benzylglucosinolate for improved broad-spectrum pest and disease resistance

Transgenic Research, Jun 14, 2021

Patterns and drivers of evapotranspiration in South American wetlands

Research Square (Research Square), Apr 14, 2021

Evapotranspiration (ET) is a key process linking surface and atmospheric energy budgets, yet its ... more Evapotranspiration (ET) is a key process linking surface and atmospheric energy budgets, yet its drivers and patterns across wetlandscapes are poorly understood worldwide. Here we assess the ET dynamics in 12 wetlands complexes across South America, revealing major differences under temperate, tropical, and equatorial climates. While net radiation is a dominant driver of ET seasonality in most environments, ooding also contributes strongly to ET in tropical and equatorial wetlands, especially in meeting the evaporative demand. Moreover, signi cant water losses through wetlands and ET differences between wetlands and uplands occur in temperate, water-limited environments and in highly ooded areas such as the Pantanal, where slow river ood propagation drives the ET dynamics. Finally, oodplain forests produce the greatest ET in all environments except the Central Amazon, where upland forests sustain high rates year round. Our ndings highlight the unique hydrological functioning and ecosystem services provided by wetlands on a continental scale.

Biosynthesis, herbivore induction, and defensive role of phenylacetaldoxime glucoside

Plant Physiology, Aug 16, 2023

Aldoximes are well-known metabolic precursors for plant defense compounds such as cyanogenic glyc... more Aldoximes are well-known metabolic precursors for plant defense compounds such as cyanogenic glycosides, glucosinolates, and volatile nitriles. They are also defenses themselves produced in response to herbivory; however, it is unclear whether aldoximes can be stored over a longer term as defense compounds and how plants protect themselves against the potential autotoxic effects of aldoximes. Here, we show that the neotropical myrmecophyte tococa (Tococa quadrialata, recently renamed Miconia microphysca) accumulates phenylacetaldoxime glucoside (PAOx-Glc) in response to leaf herbivory. Sequence comparison, transcriptomic analysis, and heterologous expression revealed that two cytochrome P450 enzymes, CYP79A206 and CYP79A207, and the UDP-glucosyltransferase UGT85A123 are involved in the formation of PAOx-Glc in tococa. Another P450, CYP71E76, was shown to convert phenylacetaldoxime (PAOx) to the volatile defense compound benzyl cyanide. The formation of PAOx-Glc and PAOx in leaves is a very local response to herbivory but does not appear to be regulated by jasmonic acid signaling. In contrast to PAOx, which was only detectable during herbivory, PAOx-Glc levels remained high for at least three days after insect feeding. This, together with the fact that gut protein extracts of three insect herbivore species exhibited hydrolytic activity toward PAOx-Glc, suggests that the glucoside is a stable storage form of a defense compound that may provide rapid protection against future herbivory. Moreover, the finding that herbivory or pathogen elicitor treatment also led to the accumulation of PAOx-Glc in three other phylogenetically distant plant species suggests that the formation and storage of aldoxime glucosides may represent a widespread plant defense response.

Tropical forest lianas have greater non-structural carbohydrate concentrations in the stem xylem than trees

Tree Physiology

Lianas (woody vines) are important components of tropical forests and are known to compete with h... more Lianas (woody vines) are important components of tropical forests and are known to compete with host trees for resources, decrease tree growth and increase tree mortality. Given the observed increases in liana abundance in some forests and their impacts on forest function, an integrated understanding of carbon dynamics of lianas and liana-infested host trees is critical for improved prediction of tropical forest responses to climate change. Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) are the main substrate for plant metabolism (e.g., growth, respiration), and have been implicated in enabling tree survival under environmental stress, but little is known of how they vary among life-forms or of how liana infestation impacts host tree NSC. We quantified stem total NSC (NSC) concentrations and its fractions (starch and soluble sugars) in trees without liana infestation, trees with more than 50% of the canopy covered by lianas, and the lianas infesting those trees. We hypothesized that i) liana in...

Detection and Imaging of the Plant Pathogen Response By Near Infrared Fluorescent Polyphenol Sensors

Meeting abstracts, Jul 7, 2022

Plants use secondary metabolites such as polyphenols for chemical defense against pathogens and h... more Plants use secondary metabolites such as polyphenols for chemical defense against pathogens and herbivores. Despite their importance in plant pathogen interactions and tolerance to diseases,i tr emains challenging to detect polyphenols in complex plant tissues.H ere,w ec reate molecular sensors for plant polyphenol imaging that are based on nearinfrared (NIR) fluorescent single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). We identified polyethylene glycol-phospholipids that render (6,5)-SWCNTs sensitive (K d = 90 nM) to plant polyphenols (tannins,f lavonoids,…), whichr ed-shift (up to 20 nm) and quenchtheir emission (ca. 1000 nm). These sensors report changes in total polyphenol level after herbivore or pathogen challenge in crop plant systems (Soybean Glycine max) and leaf tissue extracts (Tococa spp.). We furthermore demonstrate remote chemical imaging of pathogen-induced polyphenol release from roots of soybean seedlings over the time course of 24 h. This approach allows in situ visualization and understanding of the chemical plant defense in real time and paves the way for plant phenotyping for optimized polyphenol secretion.

Isolation and photosynthetic characteristics of mesophyll cells from developing leaves of soybean

Physiologia Plantarum, Dec 1, 1983

Page 1. PHYSIOL. PLANT. 59: 595-600. Copenhagen 1983 Isolation and photosynthetic characteristics... more

Frontispiece: Detection and Imaging of the Plant Pathogen Response by Near‐Infrared Fluorescent Polyphenol Sensors

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Basin-wide variation in tree hydraulic safety margins predicts the carbon balance of Amazon forests

Nature

Tropical forests face increasing climate risk1,2, yet our ability to predict their response to cl... more Tropical forests face increasing climate risk1,2, yet our ability to predict their response to climate change is limited by poor understanding of their resistance to water stress. Although xylem embolism resistance thresholds (for example, $$\varPsi $$ Ψ 50) and hydraulic safety margins (for example, HSM50) are important predictors of drought-induced mortality risk3–5, little is known about how these vary across Earth’s largest tropical forest. Here, we present a pan-Amazon, fully standardized hydraulic traits dataset and use it to assess regional variation in drought sensitivity and hydraulic trait ability to predict species distributions and long-term forest biomass accumulation. Parameters $$\varPsi $$ Ψ 50 and HSM50 vary markedly across the Amazon and are related to average long-term rainfall characteristics. Both $$\varPsi $$ Ψ 50 and HSM50 influence the biogeographical distribution of Amazon tree species. However, HSM50 was the only significant predictor of observed decadal-sc...

Carbon and water exchange between the atmosphere and a southwestern Amazonian forest

AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, Dec 1, 2019

Microbial growth and respiration are differently controlled by P availability in tropical forest soils across the Amazon Basin

AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, Dec 1, 2019

Evapotranspiration and photosynthetic parameters determined by eddy covariance and infrared photosynthesis analyzers in a drip-irrigated olive grove on western coastal South America

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Peru and Chile occupy second place in South America in area devoted to o... more &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Peru and Chile occupy second place in South America in area devoted to olive cultivation. Although small by Mediterranean standards, the 21,000 ha in each country represent a significant recent expansion of olive cultivation, 500 years after its introduction from Europe. The main climatic characteristic of olive cultivation in Peru is the coastal desert environment with moderate temperatures (12-28 &amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;o&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;C), almost nil precipitation and high atmospheric water content in the winter season. There is still insufficient information about olive physiology and water management under these climatic conditions. This report is part of a long-term study of water and carbon fluxes in a drip-irrigated olive grove in sandy soil, located in the Pisco province in Peru (13&amp;amp;#176;45&#39;03.25&quot; S, 76&amp;amp;#176;09&#39;36.77&quot; W at 74 m elevation). Due to the absence of precipitation during the main growing season, plants depend on the local aquifer and drip irrigation for growth and yields. We installed an eddy covariance system in September of 2019 in a 9 m tower over a 5 m canopy height. The canopy covered 60% of the surface, the rest being sandy soil with very limited grass cover. The flux footprint of the system covered 3 ha for 80% of the information gathered. Peak average hourly water flux from the grove to the atmosphere in the summer season took place at 1 pm, with values of 1.8 m&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;3&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; ha&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; h&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;. &amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;&amp;amp;#160;&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;Average daily fluxes ranged from 5 m&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;3&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; ha&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; day&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; in August (winter) to 20 m&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;3&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; ha&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; day&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; in February (summer). EddyPro-calculated ET values are essentially similar and represent 41% of ET&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;o&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt; as calculated by the Penman-Monteith equation and 58.6% using a crop coefficient correction. Drip irrigation was set at 63 m&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;3&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; ha&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; day&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; during the growing season (October through April) and reduced to half that amount in the winter. Optimization of water usage in relation to productivity has been pursued by monitoring photosynthetic efficiency and transpiration with an Li 6800 system in sun and shade leaves of the canopy along with use of Ekomatik digital dendrometer monitoring as a proxy for sap flow.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

Tropical montane forests and climate change in the Peruvian Andes: Micro-environmental, biotic and human impacts at tree line

AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, Dec 1, 2019

Combination of single-point standard addition calibration and natural internal standardization for quantification of terpenes in Pisco samples

LWT, 2021

Abstract Combination of single-point standard addition calibration and natural internal standardi... more Abstract Combination of single-point standard addition calibration and natural internal standardization was investigated as a practical strategy for the quantification of terpenes in Pisco samples using HS-SPME-GC-MS. All GC-MS data were acquired under simultaneous Full Scan and SIM modes using two quantification strategies identified as “reference strategy” and “simplified strategy”. Linearity was first confirmed for linalool oxide, linalool and α-terpineol in a non-aromatic Pisco sample. The simplified strategy consisted of standard multicomponent addition of these same three terpenes to aromatic Pisco samples evaluating functionality of naturally present esters acting as candidate internal standards. The reference strategy consisted in the individual addition of every terpene standard to samples, using other naturally present terpenes as internal standards. Uncertainty budgets were presented for both calibration strategies. Relative combined standard uncertainties were between 6.6 % and 10 % for the reference strategy and between 1.9 % and 33 % for the simplified strategy using isoamyl acetate as natural internal standard and obtaining zeta-score values smaller than 2. Combination of single-point standard addition and use of a natural internal standard for HS-SPME-GC-MS measurements appears to be a potentially useful and reliable approach for measurements of terpenes Pisco, and possibly in other measurements fields still in development.

Controls over phosphorus mineralization and immobilization rates in different tropical soils

&lt;p&gt;Highly weathered soils depleted in minerals and phosphorus (P) support large tra... more &lt;p&gt;Highly weathered soils depleted in minerals and phosphorus (P) support large tracts of the tropical rainforests in the Central Amazon, which significantly contribute to the global carbon (C) sink. In these soils (oxisols and ferrasols), P is either occluded in Al/Fe-oxides, bound to the soil mineral matrix or in soil organic matter, and therefore not directly available for uptake as inorganic phosphate (Pi). To liberate Pi for plant or microbial uptake two processes are key: (i) changes of sorption-desorption equilibria of Pi with the soil matrix and (ii) the release of Pi from organic compounds (Po) catalyzed by enzymes, such as phosphatases. Plant roots and soil microbes have developed strategies to stimulate the release of P by accelerating P dissolution and desorption and by releasing extracellular phosphatases into the soil environment, which requires however C and energy investment. Because of P limitation in this ecosystem, the relative contributions of abiotic and biotic controls over P mineralization is of pivotal importance. Yet conclusive results are still scarce.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We therefore aimed to disentangle abiotic and biotic controls over P mineralization in tropical soils. To achieve this, we collected forest soils from the Amazon Basin covering a range of soil texture and P concentrations, determined soil mineralogy and measured gross P desorption and mineralization rates using a &lt;sup&gt;33&lt;/sup&gt;P isotope pool dilution assay. Moreover, we determined acid phosphatase activity rates and microbial biomass C and P. We found significant differences between the studied sites in gross P influx and efflux rates into the Pi pool. Gross influx rates (i.e. the sum of Pi desorption and organic P mineralization) exceeded efflux (i.e. sorption or biotic Pi uptake rates) only in sandy and silty soils, while in clayey soils efflux rates dominated P fluxes indicating a very high Pi sorption capacity. However, gross influx and efflux rates were not related to total or dissolved P. Microbial biomass and acid phosphatase activity normalized to microbial biomass C were highest in sites with overall low total P microbial biomass P accounting for up to 40 % of total P in low P soils. We therefore conclude that in low P soils organic P turnover plays a major role in soil P cycling, and despite of the high P sorption capacity of clay rich soils, microbes can be strong competitors for plant available P.&lt;/p&gt;

Physiological responses of maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) plants to UV radiation in its high-altitude mountain ecosystem

Scientific Reports, 2020

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a small fraction of the solar spectrum, which acts as a key environ... more Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a small fraction of the solar spectrum, which acts as a key environmental modulator of plant function affecting metabolic regulation and growth. Plant species endemic to the Andes are well adapted to the harsh features of high-altitude climate, including high UV radiation. Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walpers) is a member of Brassicaceae family native to the central Andes of Peru, which grows between 3500 and 4500 m of altitude, where only highland grasses and few hardy bushes can survive. Even though maca has been the focus of recent researches, mainly due to its nutraceutical properties, knowledge regarding its adaptation mechanisms to these particular natural environmental conditions is scarce. In this study, we manipulated solar UV radiation by using UV-transmitting (Control) or blocking (UV-block) filters under field conditions (4138 m above the sea level) in order to understand the impact of UV on morphological and physiological parameters of maca crops...

Satellite-derived forest canopy greenness shows differential drought vulnerability of secondary forests compared to primary forests in Peru

Environmental Research Letters

Understanding tropical secondary forest canopy greenness and responses to climatic conditions is ... more Understanding tropical secondary forest canopy greenness and responses to climatic conditions is important for climate change mitigation, particularly in the tropics where secondary forest growth is a substantial carbon sink and a promoted natural climate solution. We here test three hypotheses: (a) forest canopy greenness is higher in younger, secondary forests than in older, primary or mature forests, (b) secondary forests are more vulnerable to climatic pressures and (c) there are significant differences between forest types regarding primary–secondary canopy greenness and their differential responses to drought anomalies. To explore these relationships, we monitored wet and dry seasonal greenness from 2001 to 2020, estimated through the enhanced vegetation index (EVI), of Peruvian tropical dry, montane and lowland secondary forests and compared it to nearby primary forests. We developed predictive models of seasonal EVI using remotely sensed variables, including land surface tem...