No abstract

Trees Outside Forests (TOF) were recognized in the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization’s 2000 Global Forest Resource Assessment as an essential component of sustainable development. Today, however, TOF remain an undervalued resource, with no comprehensive review of the wide spectrum of ecosystem services that are provided by TOF nor of the diversity of tree species that comprises TOF globally. Thus, a global analysis of TOF is vital to quantify their contribution to sustainable development and international climate initiatives. We reviewed the scientific literature to (1) classify and compile a repository of information on TOF resources, including the types of ecosystem services provided by TOF, geographic distribution, land-use type, and spatial pattern; and (2) document the diversity of tree species that comprises TOF globally. After screening the literature, 203 species of TOF were investigated across 20 countries in the 28 articles that we analyzed; another 15 articles across 57 countries did not include taxonomic information. Our results showed that the global distribution of TOF studies was biased toward Europe, revealing data deficiencies across the Global South, despite its contribution to biodiversity and ecosystem services. We also observed a bias in ecosystem service type toward regulating and supporting services, with studies lacking in cultural and provisioning services provided by TOF. Furthermore, studies conducted in urban areas were also lacking. To realize the full potential of TOF for sustainable development and climate initiatives, we conclude that a more holistic understanding of their ecosystem services must be established under national and intergovernmental reporting mechanisms.

No abstract

Haematozoa are present in avian species around the world. In some cases, parasite infection may be fatal. For example, Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon cause avian malaria and anemia, respectively, which can be detrimental to host species. These parasites are responsible for massive reductions in the populations of birds native to Hawaii, the Galapagos, and other archipelagos. However, the same parasites have seemingly benign effects in other avian species. Here, we use liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry to analyze lipid profiles and study host‐parasite interactions in a population of Northern saw‐whet owls (Aegolius acadicus) known to be infected with Leucocytozoon (49.5%), Plasmodium (10%), Haemoproteus (5%), and Trypanosoma (2.9%). Fragment ions from MS/MS analyses revealed major classes of glycerophospholipids, including phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidylcholine (PC). Comparison of the total lipid profiles of infected and non‐infected owls revealed distinct features (p < 0.001) between the two groups in the negative‐ (30) and positive‐ion (376) mode. The lower levels (>1.7‐fold difference) of PC in infected individuals suggests haematozoa infections may influence lipid production, which may impact the health of birds. Further investigations can advance our understanding of bird physiology and the role lipid biomarkers may play in the conservation of parasite‐susceptible avian species.Support or Funding InformationSupported by National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation Grant #1039659.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.