The Echimyidae family is the largest group of Hystricognathi rodents, with 28 genera and 103 species, which are widespread throughout South and Central America. Despite a remarkable degree of karyotypic diversity, with a diploid number (2n) ranging from 14 to 118 and autosomal fundamental number (FNa) ranging from 14 to 168, the karyotypes of eight genera are not known. Here, we determine the karyotype of Echimys chrysurus species from the eastern Amazon, based on two samples collected in Paragominas and Santa Bárbara municipalities, Pará state, Brazil. The karyotype was analysed through G-banding, C-banding, and Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) with telomeric and 18S rDNA probes. Echimys chrysurus has a 2n=80/FNa=134 karyotype. The autosomal set consists of 28 meta/submetacentric pairs (1-28) and 11 acrocentric pairs (29-39); the X chromosome is large and acrocentric, and the Y chromosome is small and acrocentric. The constitutive heterochromatin is distributed in small amounts at the centromeric region of all autosomes and the X- and Y-chromosomes. FISH with telomeric probes showed only distal signals, and FISH with rDNA 18S probes exhibited a signal in the interstitial region of a small metacentric pair. Echimys chrysurus is nested within a cluster with 13 other Echimyini (Echimyinae) representatives, in which about 89% of the karyotypes show a tendency towards high 2n (50-118) and an elevated number of biarmed chromosomes (FNa=100-68). Similar to the other three subfamilies, the Echimyinae have karyotypes exhibiting high and low 2n (from 14 to 118) but with distinct 2n ranges: Capromyinae (34-88), Carterodontinae (66), and Euryzygomatomyinae (32-65). The majority of Echimyidae taxa exhibit distinct karyotypes for each species but with a prevalence of biarmed chromosomes, regardless of the 2n value. This indicates that the chromosomal evolution of this family was complex and with intense genomic reshuffling due to several rearrangements, such as fusion/fission, pericentric inversions, and multiple translocations.

The submarine Piip Volcano (southwestern Bering Sea, 55^◦445N, 167^◦263E, 368–495m) hosts the northernmost hydrothermal vents in the Pacific region. Benthic hydrothermal vent communities were explored during the two cruises of the RV Akademik M.A. Lavrentyev using the ROV Comanche 18 (June 2016 and 2018). The samples were collected using the slurp-gun, net or mechanical arm of the ROV. Among the 131 species recorded on the volcano, there were at least 12 amphipod species (11 genera) from 10 families. Amphipod species were among the most common animals in the vent communities, some of which formed dense aggregations in bacterial mats. New data revealed that the three most abundant amphipod species are potentially new to science. Two closely related species of amphipods occurred exclusively on thick-layer bacterial mats, forming local aggregations, which was determined using a laser-scale up to 10000 ind/m². The morphology and phylogenetic analysis based on three molecular markers (CO1, 16S and 28S) suggest that these species belong to a new genus of the superfamily Lysianassoidea Dana, 1849. They differ from each other in their mouthparts (arming of Mx1), form of interantennal lobe, armament of gnathopods, uropods, form of epimeral plate 3, form of telson and other characteristics, as well as by their CO1 and 16S markers. The third species, tube-building Byblis sp. (Ampeliscidae), was recorded on Calyptogena beds, bacterial mats and some sites without visible vent manifestations. These three amphipod species, which perhaps obligate for reducing habitats, increase the general number of obligate species of the volcano to eleven, belonging to six taxonomic groups (bivalves, gastropods, polychaetes, isopods, leptostracans and amphipods). The lysianassoid species possibly adapted to more pronounced reducing conditions than Byblis sp. Lisianassoid amphipods are diverse in Pacific hydrothermal vents and abundant in some of them. The relationships between amphipod faunas of the Piip Volcano and other hydrothermal vents of the northwestern Pacific are discussed. This research was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (grant 24-27-00242).

Wild edible plants are species that naturally grow and reproduce in their native habitats without cultivation. Humans have harvested these plants since ancient times, and they have long been integral to traditional diets and food systems. Beyond their food and economic value, these plants also possess significant socio-cultural value, particularly in preserving traditional knowledge. This study was conducted in the Tingitan Peninsula region of Northern Morocco to compile and evaluate the existing ethnobotanical knowledge on wild edible plants sold by women vendors in local markets and traditionally used for human consumption. Out of the 728 women vendors interviewed in this study, 48% were aged between 18 and 49 years, while 28% were between 50 and 59 years old. Regarding socio-economic status, 76% of the women were married, 11% were widowed, 9% were unmarried, and 4% were divorced. In terms of education, 80% of the vendors had not attended school for various reasons, including societal attitudes, household and grazing responsibilities, early marriage, and poverty. The remaining 20% had a primary level of education. A total of 728 interviews were conducted across 13 open-air markets, utilizing semi-structured questionnaires for data collection. Two types of data were collected: socio-economic information from the informants and details about their traditional knowledge and consumption of wild edible plants. Our findings identified 52 consumed species across 23 botanical families, with Asteraceae and Lamiaceae being the most prominent. Most of these plants (68%) are considered weeds and are harvested from cultivated fields, while the remaining 32% are collected from natural habitats. The study also highlighted the diverse consumption methods, categorizing the species into four forms: fruit (17%), vegetable (59%), salad (12%), and condiments (12%). Given the commercial and cultural significance of these species, preserving both their genetic resources and the associated traditional knowledge is crucial.

Phoronids are a small type of exclusively marine invertebrate. They are distributed in most areas of the world ocean and often play an important role in marine communities as ecosystem engineers. However, the phylum consists of only 15 species, divided into two genera: Phoronis (11 species) and Phoronopsis (4 species). The identification of phoronids is usually very difficult due to the lack of distinctive morphological characteristics.

This contribution represents the first description of a deep-sea phoronid species. The material was collected in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk from seven locations (50°58.434'N 148°14.182'E; 50°58.566'N 148°14.271'E; 53°59.946'N 146°14.868'E; 54°00.207'N 146°18.581'E; 50°30.930'N 155°18.456'E; 50°30.928'N 155°18.444'E; and 50°30.956'N 155°18.489'E). Samples were acquired from depths of 786 to 1551 m using a bottom sampler and a remotely operated underwater vehicle. The morphology and anatomy of the specimens were studied using light microscopy, histological sections, and three-dimensional reconstructions of metanephridia. The obtained data were used for cladistic analysis.

Based on the obtained morphological and anatomical data and cladistic analysis, it was concluded that the discovered specimens belong to a new species of phoronids from the genus Phoronopsis. The studied species differ from other species of this genus in the number of longitudinal muscle bands and the number of tentacles in the lophophore. In addition, spermatoceigmata, clusters of spermatozoa, have been described for the first time in phoronids. It has been suggested that spermatoceigmata increase the probability of sperm delivery from one individual to another and, thus, are an adaptation to a deep sea lifestyle.

In Morocco, potato production is set to rise from 1641 thousand tonnes in 2021 to 1768 in 2022, an indication of increasing consumer demand. The Tanger-Tétouan Al-Hoceïma region accounts for 15% of national potato production, with almost 82% of production in the province of Larache. Potato cultivation can have a range of impacts on the environment due to its high fertilizer requirements compared with other crops, particularly with regard to percentages of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Otherwise, agricultural practices commonly used to grow potatoes in the study area include the following: field preparation, the incorporation of organic fertilizers into the soil, seeding, fertilization, irrigation, pesticide spraying and plant protection. In order to determine the environmental impacts associated with potato cultivation in the Larache region, we used the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology using openLCA software, focusing on the following impact categories: Acidification (AP), Global Warming (GWP), Eutrophication (EP), Human Toxicity (HT), Freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity (FAE), Terrestrial ecotoxicity (TE), cited in the CML method, and USEtox to identify the following categories: freshwater ecotoxicity, human health—carcinogenic and uman health—non-carcinogenic.
A "cradle-to-gate" approach was adopted, taking into account the type of technological practices followed, the machinery used, its operating time, and the quantity of potato plants, fertilizers, pesticides, fuels used and water for a functional unit of 1 hectare of cultivated potato. The results show that the main contributors to the environmental impact of potato cultivation are the relatively high consumption of diesel and machinery.

During their evolution, plants started to produce a vast array of biologically active compounds, called specialized metabolites, to face diverse environments, including their interaction with other organisms. The number of plant specialized metabolites has been estimated to range from 200,000 to 1,000,000 compounds, reflecting an extensive diversity in structures, functions, and bioactivities. However, these values are probably a great underestimation because there are approximately 350,000 plant species and only a few of them have been well investigated from a metabolic point of view. Therefore, there is a great and concrete possibility of discovering new metabolites potentially endowed with peculiar bioactivities.

In this context, the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC) promotes the valorisation of Italian flora, not only by carrying out monitoring, preservation, and restoration of biodiversity but also through bioprospection, which consists of the exploration of plant diversity to discover new phytochemicals for social and commercial goals.

Bioprospection was initially performed by collecting 700 vascular and non-vascular plant species, representing all Italian plant families. Plants were harvested from botanical gardens and in open fields located in different geographical zones of Italy. In some cases, plants were directly bought from nurseries. The collection included 75% native vascular species and 25% alien vascular species. Among the former, 53 species were endemics, whereas the latter included 48 casual and 92 naturalized species (38 invasives).

The phytochemical investigations are currently underway and exploit an untargeted metabolomics approach based on the UPLC-HRMS technique. Only the species accumulating rare and interesting specialized metabolites will be subsequently evaluated to detect potential bioactivities towards non-communicable diseases, crop improvement, and plant protection. In this way, specific phytochemicals or phytocomplexes might be exploited in the future to produce new formulations able to prevent or treat human diseases or to ameliorate agricultural practices.

Lagoons occupy 13% of the planet's coastal area, provide various ecosystem services, and are among the most threatened ecosystems in the world, mainly due to the intense urbanization of their surroundings. Macroalgae are efficient bioindicators used worldwide for monitoring aquatic environments. In Brazil, studies on macroalgae are concentrated in marine regions. The objective of this work was to conduct a systematic review of studies on marine macroalgae in Brazilian lagoons. Using Google Earth, the lagoons were located and mapped to assess national patterns. Between 09/2021 and 03/2022, searches were conducted in five databases in all languages, using the following keywords: (*alga* OR seaweed) AND (lagoon) AND (Brasil* OR Brazil*). Our results identified about 290 lagoons on the Brazilian coast. The Rio Grande marine ecoregion had the highest number of lagoons (n=125), followed by the northeastern and southeastern ecoregions. Of the 17 coastal states, only four lack lagoons. This systematic review cataloged 36 studies on macroalgae conducted in only 11 lagoons, identifying 216 taxa, with 57% being Rhodophyta, 32% Chlorophyta, and 11% Ochrophyta. Lagoa dos Patos and Araruama had the highest number of studies. The use of these organisms as bioindicators is essential for monitoring the ecological status of these environments. It is recommended that a greater number of lagoons be the focus of long-term monitoring programs such as PELD. The natural conservation of coastal lagoons is important not only for their ecological significance but also for the valuable ecosystem services they provide for human well-being.

Introduction: Yeasts are usually considered the spoiling agents of food products, although they can be used in many fermentation processes, in particular in milk products. As lactic acid bacteria, they contribute some beneficial properties affecting the organoleptic features of dairy products and acting as probiotics. Studying the variability of yeasts isolated from dairy products can broaden our understanding of yeast genome organization and functioning and define some genetic markers to differentiate their species and strains. The purpose of the present study was to examine inter- and intraspecies variability among yeast species isolated from Ukrainian dairy products with the help of several molecular genetic markers.

Methods: Species of Saccharomyces, Kluyveromyces and Rhodotorula genera isolated from dairy products were used in this study. Bioinformatic analysis was carried out on nucleotide sequences of 18S rRNA, 26S rRNA and ITS-sequence from GenBank using the FaBox (1.41), MEGA 10 and Geneious R6 programs. Molecular genetic analysis was performed by ISSR PCR and RT-qPCR.

Results: The results of the bioinformatic analysis showed a strict differentiation between Ascomycota and Basidiomycota species using conservative sequences of rRNA genes and ITS-sequences. Molecular genetic analysis using ISSR markers revealed a high level of inter- and intraspecies variability of yeast species. The size of the amplification products varied from 300 to 3000 bp; the number of amplicons in the total spectrum for each species was 16–33; and the percentage of intraspecies polymorphisms was 68–100%. A high level of variability in the expression of flocculin genes, which could be associated with different adhesive properties, was also detected between the various species and strains.

Conclusions: The results obtained in this study showed that the highest level of polymorphic loci was observed between K. marxianus strains using ISSR markers. Relevant and informative markers were suggested to analyze the inter- and intraspecies diversity of yeast isolated from dairy products.

Phoronids are a small phylum of marine invertebrates consisting of only 15 species, most of which have a worldwide distribution. In the majority of marine ecosystems, phoronids are the dominant species, forming high-density aggregations and thus playing an important edificatory role.

The external morphology of phoronids is poor, and for an exact identification of the species it is necessary to obtain a complete series of histological sections and construct a three-dimensional reconstruction of some internal of its organs. If such morphological work is carried out, it becomes clear that most phoronid samples from previously unexplored water areas are new species. Another problem in phoronid taxonomy is the synonymization of species, which in many cases is very controversial. One important issue in phoronid taxonomy is the description of species by their larval stages—actinotrochs. More than 50 so-called "larval species" have been described, which indicates the existence of undescribed species of adult phoronids.

The present work is devoted to the anatomy and phylogenetic analysis of two populations of Phoronopsis harmeri: from Vostok Bay, the Sea of ​​Japan, and from Friday Harbor, on the Pacific coast of North America. Morphological studies made it possible to describe in detail the structure of organ systems important for species identification, such as the lophophore's shape, the structure and number of longitudinal muscle bands, the structure of giant nerve fibers, and the shape of metanephridia. For molecular genetic analysis, we studied the sequences of the 28S rRNA and COX1 genes obtained by us from Phoronopsis harmeri / viridis samples from the indicated locations, as well as those taken from the GenBank and belonging to individuals of these two species from different waters of the World Ocean. The obtained data allow us to raise the question of the possible revalidation of the species Phoronopsis viridis.

Alternaria are widespread fungi, saprophytes, and pathogens of agricultural plants which often colonize the seeds of cereal crops and are part of the complex of pathogens that causes black point. Their seeds and products are capable of synthesizing toxic metabolites, mycotoxins, which have an impact on the health of humans and animals.

This study was carried out at the Crop Research Institute in Prague, Czech Republic. Winter wheat seeds of the 2021-2022 harvest of the most common varieties were collected in different regions of the country. Mycological analysis of the seeds was carried out in the laboratory of Genetics and breeding methods of the Crop Research Institute. The identification of fungi of the genus Alternaria was carried out based on the morphological and cultural characteristics of colonies on PCA, the size and structure of conidia, and sporulation habits.

As a result of this study, the distribution of fungi of the genus Alternaria in winter wheat seeds affected by black point was studied. It was found that the frequency of occurrence of fungi of the genus Alternaria in the mycoflora of affected winter wheat grain in the Czech Republic in 2021 was 64,6%, and in 2022, it was 74,3% on average. The most frequently identified species were those belonging to the section Alternata, including Alternaria arborescens, Alternaria alternata, and Alternaria tenuissima. Their share in the population was 85,8% in 2021 and 96,5% in 2022. The species A. arborescens occupied a dominant position (47-49%) among fungi of this genus in the Alternaria population in the Czech Republic.

The Alternaria population in wheat seeds in the Czech Republic is dominated by fungi belonging to the section Alternata, which are capable of toxin formation. Regular monitoring of species diversity is necessary given its potential harmfulness when using wheat seed products.