Nonnative species that form novel habitats strongly affect ecosystem processes. The effects of these ecosystem engineers can be both positive and negative but the mechanisms behind their effects are not well described. In this study we determined the relative importance of three main mechanisms by which invasive ecosystem engineers can facilitate native fauna. The engineer may provide new physi...

Physiological damage to macroalgae from both UVA (320-400 nm) and UVB (280-320 nm) radiation is well documented in the scientific literature. Due to the occurrence of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) in marine algae from the poles to the tropics, and their UV absorption maxima between 310 and 360 nm, it is assumed that MAAs act as sunscreens to counter this stress while allowing the light-ha...

Vacuum drying of Salicornia herbacea L. was performed at different drying temperatures (50, 60, 70, and 80°C) to evaluate the drying characteristics and the effect of drying temperatures on the quality of Salicornia. As the drying temperature increased, the drying time decreased significantly (P< 0.05). The drying rate decreased with decrease in moisture content and increase in drying time. On ...

Shoots of the halophyte Salicornia bigelovii are larger and more succulent when grown in highly saline environments. This increased growth and water uptake has been correlated with a large and specific cellular accumulation of sodium. In glycophytes, sensitivity to salt has been associated with an inability to remove sodium ions effectively from the cytoplasm in order to protect salt-sensitive ...

Soil salinity and drought are among the environmental stresses that most severely affect plant growth and production around the world. In this study the rhizospheres of Salicornia plants and bulk soils were collected from Sebkhet and Chott hypersaline ecosystems in Tunisia. Depiction of bacterial microbiome composition by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis unveiled the occurrence of a high...

The related red seaweeds Gracilaria sp. from the eastern Mediterranean and Gracilaria chilensis from Chile were similar in their enzymatic inventory for halogenation. In both species, halogenation was dependent upon H(2)O(2) and thus driven by haloperoxidases. These could be inhibited with phosphate and reversibly inhibited with azide and were therefore apparently dependent upon vanadate. Both ...