Ultramafic soils are characterized by high levels of metals, and have been studied because of their geochemistry and its relation to their biological component. This study evaluated soil microbiological functioning (SMF), richness, diversity, and structure of bacterial communities from two ultramafic soils and from a non-ultramafic soil in the Brazilian Cerrado, a tropical savanna. SMF was represented according to simultaneous analysis of microbial biomass C (MBC) and activities of the enzymes β-glucosidase, acid phosphomonoesterase and arylsulfatase, linked to the C, P and S cycles. Bacterial community diversity and structure were studied by sequencing of 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. MBC and enzyme activities were not affected by high Ni contents. Changes in SMF were more related to the organic matter content of soils (SOM) than to their available Ni. Phylogeny-based methods detected qualitative and quantitative differences in pairwise comparisons of bacterial community structures of the three sites. However, no correlations between community structure differences and SOM or SMF were detected. We believe this work presents benchmark information on SMF, diversity, and structure of bacterial communities for a unique type of environment within the Cerrado biome.

O meloeiro tem reconhecida importância sócio-econômica no Nordeste do Brasil, porém a falta ou excesso de água limita o seu cultivo. Para tanto, é necessário determinar a quantidade ideal para a obtenção do máximo rendimento. Assim, objetivou-se avaliar a eficiência fotoquímica e o rendimento do meloeiro Cantaloupe sob diferentes lâminas de irrigação. O trabalho foi conduzido em condições de campo, adotando-se o delineamento em blocos ao acaso com 4 tratamentos [(60; 80; 100 e 120% da ETo (mm dia -¹)] que corresponderam aos volumes de água acumulados de 1250, 1680, 2110 e 2540 m 3 ciclo -¹, respectivamente; e 6 repetições com 10 plantas úteis por parcela. Analisaram-se as variáveis: fluorescência da clorofila a, rendimento e atributos físico-químicos dos frutos. A lâmina de água de 80% da ETo promoveu maior eficiência do fotossistema II. Houve menor produção de frutos da Classe I na lâmina superior a 100% da ETo; a incidência de frutos das Classes II e III cresceu linearmente com o aumento das lâminas de água. O tamanho dos frutos foi reduzido com irrigações superiores a 100% da ETo; no entanto, o teor de açúcar foi satisfatório até irrigações com 80% da ETo. Lâminas de água baseadas em 100% da ETo proporcionam os melhores índices fisiológicos e incrementos nas variáveis de produção. Palavras-chave: Cucumis melo cantaloupensis Naud., lâminas de água, fluorescência da clorofila a, produção de frutos AbstractThe melon crop has great social and economic importance to Northeastern Brazil, however, lack and excess of water affect growth. Therefore it is necessary to determine ideal water amount to obtain the maximum yield. This research work aimed to evaluate photochemical efficiency and yield of Cantaloupe melon under different irrigations levels. The work was carried in field conditions, adopting a randomized block design with 4 treatments [(60, 80, 100, and 120% of ET0 (mm day , respectively, and 6 replications with 10 plants per experimental unit. The following variables were analyzed: chlorophyll fluorescence, yield and physical and chemical attributes fruits. The 80% ETo water level provided the higher efficiency

The granular glands of anuran skin secrete an array of bioactive molecules that protect a frog against pathogens and predators. The skin also harbors a microbial community. Although there is evidence to suggest that the microbiota complement the innate immune defense systems against pathogen infection, the effect of the frog bioactive molecules on its resident microbiota has not yet been fully investigated. In the present study, the skin microbiota of Phyllomedusa distincta obtained from two different geographical areas was evaluated with molecular and culture-based approaches. The antagonistic effects exhibited by the host's microbiota and by a novel dermaseptin peptide isolated from P. distincta skin were investigated. Four isolated bacterial colonies displayed antimicrobial activity against known frog pathogens. Our results were consistent with the hypothesis that microbiota from P. distincta may interact with pathogenic microorganisms to protect a frog's health. On the other hand, the novel dermaseptin peptide exhibited an antimicrobial effect on pathogens as well as on some of the bacteria obtained from the skin microbiota. The richness of bacteria on P. distincta skin was further investigated by 16S rRNA gene clone libraries, which revealed that the family Enterobacteriaceae was prevalent, but a high variability at the species level was observed among individual frogs. Differences observed on the microbiota of frogs from contrasting habitats indicated an influence of the environment on the structure of the skin microbiota of P. distincta.

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The adaptation to adverse environmental conditions can lead to adapted microbial communities that may be screened for mechanisms involved in halophily and, in this case, metal tolerance. At a former uranium mining and milling site in Seelingstädt, Germany, microbial communities from surface waters and sediment soils were screened for isolates surviving high salt and metal concentrations. The high salt contents consisted mainly of chloride and sulfate, both in soil and riverbed sediment samples, accompanied by high metal loads with presence of cesium and strontium. The community structure was dominated by Chloroflexi, Proteobacteria and Acidobacteriota, while only at the highest contaminations did Firmicutes and Desulfobacterota reach appreciable percentages in the DNA-based community analysis. The extreme conditions providing high stress were mirrored by low numbers of cultivable strains. Thirty-four extremely halotolerant bacteria (23 Bacillus sp. and another 4 Bacillales, 5 Actinobacteria, and 1 Gamma-Proteobacterium) surviving 25 to 100 mM SrCl2, CsCl, and Cs2SO4 were further analyzed. Mineral formation of strontium- or cesium-struvite could be observed, reducing bioavailability and thereby constituting the dominant metal and salt resistance strategy in this environment.