Developing and Managing a Tropical Forest Regeneration Project

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Developing and Managing a Tropical Forest Regeneration Project 02E007I Worcester Polytechnic Institute 100 Institute Rd. Box 665 Worcester, MA 01609 2 July 2002 Señora Eugenia Solano Rain Forest Aerial Tram Calle 5-7, Avenida 7 150 metros oeste del edificio INS Apartado Postal 1959-1002 San Jose, Costa Rica Dear Sra. Solano: Enclosed is our report entitled Developing and Managing a Tropical Forest Regeneration Project. We began work on this report on 13 March and completed it on 2 July 2002. We conducted preliminary research in Worcester, Massachusetts before our arrival in Costa Rica. We have submitted copies to Professors Peet and Addison for evaluation. We hope this report meets your expectations and we thank you for the time you and the staff of Rain Forest Aerial Tram have given us. Sincerely, Jake Collins [email protected] Cathe Ross [email protected] Kate Youmans [email protected] Developing and Managing a Tropical Forest Regeneration Project Jake Collins ▪ Cathe Ross ▪ Kate Youmans Developing and Managing a Tropical Forest Regeneration Project Sponsor: Rain Forest Aerial Tram Report Submitted to: Professor Creighton Peet, WPI Professor W. A. Bland Addison, WPI Eugenia Solano, Rain Forest Aerial Tram Costa Rica Project Center Submitted by: Jacob M. Collins ______________________ Catherine B. Ross ______________________ Katherine L. Youmans ______________________ Submitted on: July 2, 2002 This Interactive Qualifying Project Report is submitted in partial fulfillment of the degree requirements of Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions or opinions of the Rain Forest Aerial Tram or Worcester Polytechnic Institute. This report is the product of an educational program, and is intended to serve as partial documentation for the evaluation of academic achievement. The report should not be construed as a working document by the reader. i ABSTRACT Dosel S.A. operates the Rain Forest Aerial Tram, and is developing a similar ecotourist site near Jacó, the Central Pacific Aerial Tram. The Company would like to restore to secondary and primary forest the guanabana fields and dense secondary growth of the new site. After archival research, interviews, field observation, and a questionnaire for tram guides, we recommend methods and tree species for developing a tropical forest regeneration project for this site. To maintain Dosel S.A.‘s standards for ecotourism, our plan also recommends community and educational programs encouraging ecological awareness. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Several people have been very helpful to us during the last four months. First, we would like to thank our liaison and General Manager of the Rain Forest Aerial Tram, Eugenia Solano, for taking time out of her busy schedule to make sure our project was a success. Carla Ramirez, Zenia Le Coz, and other staff of the San José Rain Forest Aerial Tram office were also very helpful. We would also like to thank all the guides of Rain Forest Aerial Tram for their contributions. Thanks to our interviewees, Margherita Bottazzi, Fernando Cortez, Luis Sánchez, Fabián Hernández, and especially Daniel Torres, who went out of his way to make our field trips interesting and entertaining. Last but not least, we would like to thank our advisors for their painstaking efforts to help us perfect this report. ¡Muchas Gracias! iii AUTHORSHIP This project is a product of the joint efforts of Jake Collins (JC), Cathe Ross (CR), and Kate Youmans (KY). We list the authors with primary responsibility for the writing of each section below. TITLE PAGE ...............................................................................................................................................CR ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................................................. ALL AUTHORSHIP.............................................................................................................................................. JC ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................................. JC, CR TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................................................. JC LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................................ JC LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................................... JC EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................... ALL CHAPTER 1. Introduction .........................................................................................................................CR CHAPTER 2. Background Information 2.1. Natural Tropical Forests ..........................................................................................................CR 2.2. Reasons for Reforestation ...................................................................................................... KY 2.3. Barriers to Tropical Forest Regeneration ................................................................................. JC 2.4. Methods of Facilitated Regeneration ....................................................................................... JC 2.5. Select Animal Species on the Pacific Side ............................................................................... JC 2.6. Landscape Ecology and Environmental Aesthetics ............................................................... KY 2.7. Ecotourism ..............................................................................................................................CR CHAPTER 3. Methodology 3.1. Tropical Forest Regeneration ................................................................................................... JC 3.2. Ecotourism ..............................................................................................................................CR 3.3. Involving the Community ...................................................................................................... KY CHAPTER 4. Results and Analysis 4.1. Tropical Forest Regeneration ................................................................................................... JC 4.2. Ecotourism and Education ......................................................................................................CR 4.3. Involving the Community ...................................................................................................... KY iv CHAPTER 5. Recommendations 5.1. Strategy for Ecotourism ..........................................................................................................CR 5.2. Tour Guides ............................................................................................................................CR 5.3. Educating Tourists about Environmental Issues .....................................................................CR 5.4. Tropical Forest Regeneration ................................................................................................... JC 5.5. Nursery ................................................................................................................................... KY 5.6. Projects and Programs ............................................................................................................ KY 5.7. Plans for the Future .................................................................................................................CR CHAPTER 6. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... KY REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................................... JC, CR APPENDICES APPENDIX A: Sponsor Information ....................................................................................................... KY APPENDIX B: Questionnaire ............................................................................................................ CR, KY APPENDIX C: Interview Protocol .......................................................................................................... ALL APPENDIX D: Species Catalog................................................................................................................... JC v TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE ................................................................................................................................................... i ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...........................................................................................................................iii AUTHORSHIP............................................................................................................................................... iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................... vi LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................................
Recommended publications
  • Ecotourism As a Development Strategy: Experiences from Costa Rica
    Environ Dev Sustain (2009) 11:1225–1237 DOI 10.1007/s10668-009-9214-3 Ecotourism as a development strategy: experiences from Costa Rica Jacobus Franciscus Koens • Carel Dieperink • Miriam Miranda Received: 15 August 2005 / Accepted: 3 January 2006 / Published online: 8 October 2009 Ó The Author(s) 2009. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Abstract This article reflects on the Costa Rican experiences with ecotourism by assessing the positive and negative environmental, economic and social impacts of eco- tourism development at four tourist destinations—Manuel Antonio, Monteverde, Tortuguero and ASCOMAFOR. These destinations represent different stages of tourism development. The assessment shows that the development of ecotourism has a dilemma character. Compared to alternative land-use options, ecotourism remains a promising development strategy. However, it should be embedded in a broader process of capacity building. Keywords Costa Rica Á Development strategy Á Ecotourism Á Impact assessment Á Sustainable tourism 1 Ecotourism: potentials and pitfalls Since the mid-1980s, Costa Rica has been very successful in attracting tourists. Annually, more than one million tourists visit the country, and the tourism industry has an annual turnover of over 1,200 million dollars (ICT 2002). The country has especially much to offer to nature enthusiasts. Ecotourism is the leading concept in the country’s development Readers should send their comments on this paper to [email protected] within 3 months of publication of this issue. J. F. Koens Á C. Dieperink (&) Utrecht University, Copernicus Institute for Sustainable Development and Innovation, Chair of Environmental Studies and Policy, P.O. Box 80115, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands e-mail: [email protected] J.
    [Show full text]
  • Preliminary Survey of Poisonous, Useful and Medicinal Bee Plants in Ethiopia: Review
    Bulletin of Pure and Applied Sciences. Print version ISSN 0970 4612 Vol.39 B (Botany), No.2. Online version ISSN 2320 3196 July-December 2020: P.106-121 DOI: 10.5958/2320-3196.2020.00016.6 Review Article Available online at www.bpasjournals.com Preliminary Survey of Poisonous, Useful and Medicinal Bee Plants in Ethiopia: Review 1Ahmed Hassen*, 2Meseret Muche Author’s Affiliation *Corresponding Author: 1,2Department of Biology, Faculty of Ahmed Hassen Natural and Computational Sciences, Department of Biology, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia Faculty of Natural and Computational Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia E-mail: [email protected] Received on 15.03.2020 Accepted on 23.07.2020 Keywords: Abstract Honey bee plants, Introduction: Ethiopia is one of the world's hotspot areas in biodiversity Nectar, including poisonous, useful and medicinal higher honey bee plants. Poisonous plants, However, some are poisonous and lethal to honey bees and humans. This Pollen, attracts attentions across the globe. There are major gaps in knowledge of Toxic exploring local poisonous, useful and medicinal honey bee flora of the country. Aim: The main purpose of this review was so survey of poisonous, medicinal and useful honey bee plant species, document the most common poisonous plant species to Ethiopia and the world; and then to reach on conclusion in comparison of different authors findings. Methods: Various studies from different electronic data bases(Google scholar, Science direct, PubMed, Scopus) and from repositories were searched and assessed on the poisonous, useful and medicinal honey bee plants of Ethiopia. Discussion: Flowering plants provide nectar and pollen or both for bees.
    [Show full text]
  • Entrepreneurs and the Co-Creation of Ecotourism in Costa Rica
    Entrepreneurs and the Co-Creation of Ecotourism in Costa Rica Geoffrey Jones Andrew Spadafora Working Paper 16-136 Entrepreneurs and the Co-Creation of Ecotourism in Costa Rica Geoffrey Jones Harvard Business School Andrew Spadafora Harvard Business School Working Paper 16-136 Copyright © 2016 by Geoffrey Jones and Andrew Spadafora Working papers are in draft form. This working paper is distributed for purposes of comment and discussion only. It may not be reproduced without permission of the copyright holder. Copies of working papers are available from the author. Entrepreneurs and the Co-Creation of Ecotourism in Costa Rica Geoffrey Jones and Andrew Spadafora ABSTRACT Between the 1970s and the 2000s Costa Rica became established as the world’s leading ecotourism destination. This working paper suggests that although Costa Rica benefited from biodiversity and a pleasant climate, the country’s preeminence in ecotourism requires more than a natural resource endowment explanation. The paper argues that the ecotourism industry was a co-creation of the public, private, and tertiary sectors. While the role of the government and conservation NGOs is acknowledged in the existing literature, this study draws attention to the critical role of small entrepreneurs. Making extensive use of oral history, the working paper demonstrates the role of tour companies in drawing affluent Western ecotourists to the country, and of the creators of ecolodges and other forms of accommodation in providing them with somewhere to stay. These entrepreneurs, many of them expatriate Americans, helped ensure that formally protected areas remained sustainable parks and reserves, by providing revenues, education in conservation to tourists, and community development and jobs.
    [Show full text]
  • ORNAMENTAL GARDEN PLANTS of the GUIANAS: an Historical Perspective of Selected Garden Plants from Guyana, Surinam and French Guiana
    f ORNAMENTAL GARDEN PLANTS OF THE GUIANAS: An Historical Perspective of Selected Garden Plants from Guyana, Surinam and French Guiana Vf•-L - - •• -> 3H. .. h’ - — - ' - - V ' " " - 1« 7-. .. -JZ = IS^ X : TST~ .isf *“**2-rt * * , ' . / * 1 f f r m f l r l. Robert A. DeFilipps D e p a r t m e n t o f B o t a n y Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. \ 1 9 9 2 ORNAMENTAL GARDEN PLANTS OF THE GUIANAS Table of Contents I. Map of the Guianas II. Introduction 1 III. Basic Bibliography 14 IV. Acknowledgements 17 V. Maps of Guyana, Surinam and French Guiana VI. Ornamental Garden Plants of the Guianas Gymnosperms 19 Dicotyledons 24 Monocotyledons 205 VII. Title Page, Maps and Plates Credits 319 VIII. Illustration Credits 321 IX. Common Names Index 345 X. Scientific Names Index 353 XI. Endpiece ORNAMENTAL GARDEN PLANTS OF THE GUIANAS Introduction I. Historical Setting of the Guianan Plant Heritage The Guianas are embedded high in the green shoulder of northern South America, an area once known as the "Wild Coast". They are the only non-Latin American countries in South America, and are situated just north of the Equator in a configuration with the Amazon River of Brazil to the south and the Orinoco River of Venezuela to the west. The three Guianas comprise, from west to east, the countries of Guyana (area: 83,000 square miles; capital: Georgetown), Surinam (area: 63, 037 square miles; capital: Paramaribo) and French Guiana (area: 34, 740 square miles; capital: Cayenne). Perhaps the earliest physical contact between Europeans and the present-day Guianas occurred in 1500 when the Spanish navigator Vincente Yanez Pinzon, after discovering the Amazon River, sailed northwest and entered the Oyapock River, which is now the eastern boundary of French Guiana.
    [Show full text]
  • Dinitrogen-Fixation by Three Neotropical Agroforestry Tree Species Under Semi-Controlled Field Conditions
    Plant Soil (2007) 291:199–209 DOI 10.1007/s11104-006-9186-0 ORIGINAL PAPER Dinitrogen-fixation by three neotropical agroforestry tree species under semi-controlled field conditions Humberto A. Leblanc Æ Robert L. McGraw Æ Pekka Nygren Received: 19 October 2006 / Accepted: 15 December 2006 / Published online: 2 February 2007 Ó Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2007 Abstract Cultivating dinitrogen-fixing legume E. poeppigiana, E. fusca, and V. guatemalensis trees with crops in agroforestry is a relatively were planted in the same field using the existing common N management practice in the Neotrop- cylinders. The 15N application was repeated at the ics. The objective of this study was to assess the rate of 20 kg [N] ha–1 15 days after planting and –1 N2 fixation potential of three important Neotrop- 10 kg [N] ha was added three months after ical agroforestry tree species, Erythrina poeppigi- planting. Trees were harvested 9 months after ana, Erythrina fusca, and Inga edulis, under planting in both years. The 15N content of semi-controlled field conditions. The study was leaves, branches, stems, and roots was deter- conducted in the humid tropical climate of the mined by mass spectrometry. The percentage Caribbean coastal plain of Costa Rica. In 2002, of atmospheric N fixed out of total N (%Nf) seedlings of I. edulis and Vochysia guatemalensis was calculated based on 15N atom excess in were planted in one-meter-deep open-ended leaves or total biomass. The difference between plastic cylinders buried in soil within hedgerows the two calculation methods was insignificant of the same species.
    [Show full text]
  • Erythrina Mothsterastia Meticulosalis Guenée and Agathodes Designalis
    EENY 516 Erythrina moths Terastia meticulosalis Guenée and Agathodes designalis Guenée 1 Andrei Sourakov2 Introduction In Florida, and throughout the North American popula- tions, A. designalis is represented by the subspecies A. Although little known, the Erythrina moths Terastia designalis monstralis, while A. designalis designalis was meticulosalis Guenée and Agathodes designalis Guenée originally described from South America. Additional work represent a remarkable case of niche partitioning (Sourakov on the genus, including new methods such as the DNA 2011). In Florida, throughout the southern United States, barcoding, is likely to change current classification of the and from Mexico to Argentina, these two species feed on genus (Dan Janzen, pers. com.). For instance, larvae of A. plants of the genus Erythrina (Fabaceae). This genus, while designalis in Costa Rica are different from those in Florida, mostly known as attractive ornamentals, has medicinal and perhaps emphasizing the underlying taxonomic differences other uses (Powell and Westley 1993). The descriptions of (Janzen & Hallwachs 2011; Sourakov 2011). the moths’ life histories below are based on north-central Florida populations that use the coral bean, Erythrina herbacea, as a hostplant. This plant is not only native to the region, but is also frequently used as an ornamental. Synonymy There are four other species within the genus Terastia. In the past, T. subjectalis (found in Australia and throughout Asia) had been considered a synonym of T. meticulosalis, but now is listed in modern literature as a separate species. The taxonomic status of T. meticulosalis populations in Africa, where it is listed from Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Sierra Leone, is unclear.
    [Show full text]
  • Costa Rica: on the Beaten Path
    Chapter 5 Costa Rica: On the Beaten Path Costa Rica is ecotourism's poster child. Since the mid-1980s, this tiny Central American country has been transformed from a staging ground for the covert U.S. war against Nicaragua and a testing ground for USAID'S free-trade and privatization policies1 into a laboratory for "green" tourism. More than any other event, President Oscar Arias Sanchez's 1987 receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize propelled Costa Rica onto the world stage, secur- ing its image as a peaceful country and marking the start of the ecotourism boom. In the 1990s, Costa Rica jumped in popularity to the head of the ecotourism queue, ahead of older nature travel destinations such as the Gallipagos Islands, Kenya, and Nepal. In 1992, the U.S. Adventure Travel Society dubbed Costa Rica the "number one ecotourism destination in the world," and a survey conducted by Costa Rica's government showed that most tourists were entering Costa Rica for ecotourism-related reason^.^ Ecotourism projects run a wide gamut in Costa Rica. Whereas many developing countries have only a handful of really fine ecotourism experi- ments, Costa Rica offers a cornucopia of choices, ranging from rustic to lux- urious, from counterculture to indigenous culture, from spiritual to scien- tific, from purely Costa Rican to undeniably North American or European to eclectic, cross-cultural blends. The best of these ecolodges, totaling sev- enty-nine in 1997, are listed at the beginning of a tourism guidebook titled The New Key to Costa Ri~a.~This annual survey, begun as a pilot project in 19934 and perfected by researchers Anne Becher and Jane Segleau with the assistance of many of Costa Rica's leading ecotourism experts, was the world's first thorough, impartial assessment of nature tour destinations and ecolodges.
    [Show full text]
  • Globalization, Ecotourism, and Development in the Monte Verde Zone, Costa Rica
    University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 11-16-2004 Globalization, Ecotourism, And Development In The onM te Verde Zone, Costa Rica Edgar Allan Amador University of South Florida Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the American Studies Commons Scholar Commons Citation Amador, Edgar Allan, "Globalization, Ecotourism, And Development In The onM te Verde Zone, Costa Rica" (2004). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/940 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Globalization, Ecotourism, And Development In The Monte Verde Zone, Costa Rica by Edgar Allan Amador A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Anthropology College of Arts and Sciences University of South Florida Major Professor: Trevor W. Purcell, Ph.D. Mark Amen, Ph.D. Kevin Yelvington, Ph.D. Date of Approval: November 16, 2004 Keywords: tourism, central america, survey, demography, anthropology © Copyright 2004 , Edgar Allan Amador Dedication This thesis is dedicated to the most important people in my life: my wife, Jennifer, my mother, Gioconda, and my brothers, J. Alejandro and Alvaro. Acknowledgements I want to thank my wife, Jennifer, for her criticism, patience, and support during the writing of this thesis. I also thank my mother for her self-sacrifice, so I could get this far.
    [Show full text]
  • A Phytochemical and Ethnopharmacological Review of the Genus Erythrina
    16 A Phytochemical and Ethnopharmacological Review of the Genus Erythrina João X. de Araújo-Júnior, Mariana S.G. de Oliveira, Pedro G.V. Aquino, Magna S. Alexandre-Moreira and Antônio E.G. Sant’Ana Universidade Federal de Alagoas Brazil 1. Introduction Considered in acient times as a connection to the divine, the use of this medicinal plant is as old as human civilization itself. Whole nations dominated its secrets, often associated with magic and religious rites, searching in nature’s resources to improve life conditions, and increase chances of survival (Herbarium, 2008). In 1978, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized folk medicine and its beneficial effects to health, during the Alma Ata conference, which published in 1985 that approximatly 80% of the global population, resorted to traditional medicine as their primary health treatment (Herbarium, 2008). Medicinal plants have been used as a means of curing or preventing diseases, now called phytotherapy, in all regions of the world, with regional variations due to the influence of cultural characteristics of the population, as well as its flora, soil and climate (Lewinsohn, 2003). Since the nineteenth century, humanity discovered the endless and diverse therapeutic arsenal present in medicinal plants, due to the discovery of active substances that in their natural state or after chemical transformation showed biological activity, and often already confirmed by popular use and/or proven scientifically (Miguel & Miguel, 2004). According to Yamada (1998) it is necessary to carry out more studies and to propagate medicinal plant utilization as a way to diminish the costs of public health programs since the utilization of these plants may constitute a very useful therapeutic value due their efficacy coupled with low operating costs and the relative ease of obtaining the plants (Matos, 1994).
    [Show full text]
  • GÉNERO Erythrina: ACTUALIDAD EN LA INVESTIGACIÓN Y PERSPECTIVAS DE DESARROLLO CIENTÍFICO
    GÉNERO Erythrina: ACTUALIDAD EN LA INVESTIGACIÓN Y PERSPECTIVAS DE DESARROLLO CIENTÍFICO Luisa Fernanda Velásquez Holguín Diego Fernando Montoya Yepes Ángel Arturo Jiménez Rodríguez Walter Murillo Arango Jonh Jairo Méndez Arteaga UNIVERSIDAD DEL TOLIMA Género Erythrina : actualidad en la investigación y perspectivas de desarrollo científico / Luisa Fernanda Velásquez Holguín … [et al.] -- 1ª. ed. -- Universidad del Tolima, 2019. 156 p. : il., gráficas, tablas Contenido: Generalidades del género Erythrina – Tendencias de investigación en la última década del género Erythrina – Chachafruto : alimento del futuro. Incluye bibliografía ISBN: 978-958-5569-03-4 1. Género Erythrina – Botánica 2. Género Erythrina – Farmacología 3. Género Erythrina – Agricultura 4. Chachafruto I. Título II. Montoya Yepes, Diego Fernando III. Jiménez Rodríguez, Ángel Arturo IV. Murillo Arango, Walter V. Méndez Arteaga, Jonh Jairo VI. Velásquez Holguín, Luisa Fernanda 583.74 G326 © Sello Editorial Universidad del Tolima, 2019 © Luisa Fernanda Velásquez Holguín, Diego Fernando Montoya Yepes, Ángel Arturo Jimenez Rodríguez, Walter Murillo Arango, Jonh Jairo Méndez Arteaga, Primera edición digital ISBN electrónico: 978-958-5569-03-4 Número de páginas: 132 Ibagué-Tolima Facultad de Ciencias Básicas Género Erythrina: actualidad en la investigación y perspectivas de desarrollo científico Grupo de Investigación en Productos Naturales -GIPRONUT Universidad del Tolima [email protected] [email protected] Impresión, diseño y diagramación: PROVEER PRODUCTOS Y SERVICIOS
    [Show full text]
  • Antioxidant Activity of the Hydro-Alcoholic Extract of Erythrina Fusca Lour
    Available on line www.jocpr.com Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research J. Chem. Pharm. Res., 2010, 2(5):379-383 ISSN No: 0975-7384 CODEN(USA): JCPRC5 Antioxidant activity of the hydro-alcoholic extract of Erythrina fusca Lour . bark against the animal models of epilepsy Subal Debnath 1* , M. Kannadasan 2, Arghya Acharjee 2, Chiranjib Bhattacharjee 1, Santhosh Kumar. C 1, G. Ganesh kumar 1, 1Srikrupa Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dist. Medak, Siddipet, Andhra Pradesh 2College of Pharmacy, SRIPMS, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu ___________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT The objective of the present study was to evaluate the anti-oxidant activity of the hydro- alcoholic extract of the bark of Erythrina fusca Lour (HAEEF) using different in vivo experimental models. Animals are used for the demonstration of an injury by exogenous agents of epileptic seizure on the brain with its physiological significance. Epileptic seizure challenged animals treated with HAEEF at doses of 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg showed antioxidant activity. Thus, it can be inferred that the hydro-alcoholic extract of Erythrina fusca Lour bark possess antioxidant effect against the animal models of epilepsy. The malondialdehyde levels were significantly increased in serum and brain tissue, the levels of SOD is significantly decreased in brain tissue and epileptic seizures caused a significant (P<0.01) depletion in reduced glutathione (GSH) level in the rat brain tissue with intoxication of epileptic seizures by MES, PTX and PTZ models of epilepsy. The effect of HAEEF on oxidative stress in MES, PTX and PTZ models of epileptic seizures was evaluated and there was a simultaneous significant decrease in the SOD and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels.
    [Show full text]
  • Erythrina Spp., Fabaceae) in the Ancient Gardens of Naples (Campania, Italy)
    plants Article DNA Barcoding to Confirm the Morphological Identification of the Coral Trees (Erythrina spp., Fabaceae) in the Ancient Gardens of Naples (Campania, Italy) Adriana De Luca 1 ID , Giancarlo Sibilio 2,* ID , Paolo De Luca 2 and Emanuele Del Guacchio 2 1 Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Produzioni Animali, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137 Napoli, Italy; [email protected] 2 Botanical Garden of Naples, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Foria 223, 80139 Napoli, Italy; [email protected] (P.D.L.); [email protected] (E.D.G.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 4 April 2018; Accepted: 4 June 2018; Published: 6 June 2018 Abstract: The coral trees (genus Erythrina) have been fostering great interest among the botanists and gardeners of Naples, since their arrival in Europe in the second half of the 18th century. Numerous species were present in the royal and private botanical gardens of the region, but their number has decreased today. The purpose of this work was to verify which species occur nowadays in the public areas of Naples and associate them with the historical information about their introduction. The identification was carried out also by molecular methods, by means of sequencing nuclear and chloroplast DNA markers. The comparison of the sequences obtained for the specimens present in Naples with those present in the literature, together with a morphological examination, allowed us to identify with accuracy the species anciently introduced or nowadays cultivated in Naples. Keywords: botanical garden; botanical history; Dehnhardt; DNA barcoding; urban gardens 1.
    [Show full text]