No abstract

Plants synthesize a diversity of tannin structures but little is known about whether these different types have different oxidative activities in herbivores. Oxidative activities of hydrolyzable and condensed tannins were compared at pH 10 with two methods: EPR spectrometry was used to quantify semiquinone radicals in anoxic conditions and a spectrophotometric assay was used to measure the rate of browning of phenolics oxidized in ambient oxygen conditions. A little-studied group of hydrolyzable tannins (ellagitannins) contained the most active tannins examined, forming high concentrations of semiquinone radicals and browning at the highest rates. On average, galloyl glucoses and high-molecular-weight gallotannins had intermediate to low oxidative activities. Condensed tannins generally formed low levels of semiquinone radicals and browned most slowly. The results suggest that ellagitannin-rich plants have active oxidative defenses against herbivores, such as caterpillars, whereas the opposite may hold true for plants that contain predominantly condensed tannins or high-molecular-weight gallotannins.

We examined whether tannin composition plays an important role in explaining the oxidative activities of tree leaves of Acer saccharum (sugar maple) and Quercus rubra (red oak). Sugar maple leaves contained substantial amounts of ellagitannins, condensed tannins, and galloyl glucoses, whereas red oak leaves contained almost exclusively condensed tannins. Oxidative activities of the crude phenolics from both species, and the phenolic fractions from sugar maple, were measured with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometry and UV-visible spectrophotometry. The two assays produced similar results: (1) sugar maple phenolics produced larger semiquinone radical concentrations,and higher semiquinone decay rates and browning rates than did red oak phenolics; (2) ellagitannin levels were positively associated with the three measures of oxidative activity; and (3) condensed tannin and galloyl glucose levels were negatively associated with these measures. The negative relationship between condensed tannin levels and oxidative activity resulted from the antioxidant effects of condensed tannins on hydrolyzable tannins; several purified condensed tannins significantly decreased the concentrations of semiquinone radicals and browning rates of pedunculagin (an ellagitannin) and pentagalloyl glucose. As expected, whole-leaf extracts from sugar maple produced elevated levels of semiquinone radicals, but none were observed in red oak extracts when the two species were compared with an EPR time-course assay. We conclude that the oxidative activities of tree leaves may be affected by tannin composition, and that the prooxidant activity of ellagitannins may be decreased by co-occurring condensed tannins.

Part I of this two-part paper provides an overview of the HAZUS-MH Flood Model and a discussion of its capabilities for characterizing riverine and coastal flooding hazard. Included is a discussion of the Flood Information Tool, which permits rapid analysis of a wide variety of stream discharge data and topographic mapping to determine flood-frequencies over entire floodplains. Part II reports on the damage and loss estimation capability of the Flood Model, which includes a library of more than 900 damage curves for use in estimating damage to various types of buildings and infrastructure. Based on estimated property damage, the model estimates shelter needs and direct and indirect economic losses arising from floods. Analyses for the benefits of flood warning, levees, structural elevation, and flood mapping restudies are examples of analyses that can be performed with the Flood Model.