Search

The wild dioecious plant Corema album, endemic to the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula, has potential to become a new crop and to integrate the berry fruit market. Due to its potential, the aim of this study was to propose a BBCH (Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt and CHemical Industry) scale for the species. Based on field observation, the principal growth stages were described and sequentially established. Photographs and stereomicroscope acquisition software were used to illustrate the phenological stages of male and female plants.The scale includes seven principal stages starting with bud development (stage 0), followed by leaf development (Stage 1), main stem elongation (Stage 3), inflorescence emergence (Stage 5), flowering (Stage 6), fruit development (Stage 7) and ending with fruit maturation (stage 8), with mesostages for male and female inflorescence (stage 5) and flower development (stage 6). Through field observations carried out in plants in different growth conditions, the proposition of this extended BBCH scale was made, to have a standardized system for Corema album phenological stages. This study will have an application especially in fields of agronomy and plant breeding and will also be a stepping stone for the inclusion of this species as a novelty crop in a nearby future.

Abstract Background We applied Fourier-Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques in combination with selective humus extractions to investigate in situ the chemical features of organic matter in three soil profiles recently developed from Dutch sand dunes, under well-documented vegetation sequence and containing a relatively simple mineral-organic matter system. Water-soluble and alkaline-soluble extracts were also studied to match the changes of humus in the soil residues. Results Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform (DRIFT) and transmission spectra differed in resolution and sensitivity. DRIFT was superior in revealing structural information on the organic matter present in the soil samples whereas transmission spectra showed higher resolution for the bands of inorganic material at lower spectral frequencies. Differences between H and B horizons were due to the amount of hydrophilic organic acids, partly unsaturated, that were extracted by alkali. Extractable carboxylic acids and other hydrophilic compounds such as peptides and carbohydrates were larger in the less developed soils under pine and crowberry than in the more advanced profiles under beech. Humin residues from both H and B horizons retained unextractable aliphatic components and carboxylic groups involved in strong complexes with minerals, thereby confirming other findings that showed the largely aliphatic character of the unextractable humic fraction. Accumulation of poorly-soluble organic materials in these soils occur by protection from biodegradation due both to complexation with soil minerals and to a process by which apolar humic constituents form a separate hydrophobic phase where no biological activity can take place. Transport of poorly soluble compounds from H to B horizons, noticed especially in the more developed profiles, may have occurred through humic aggregates containing hydrophobic phases. Conclusions This work shows that the DRIFT technique in combination with soil chemical treatments can be suitably employed to investigate the changes of organic matter in whole soil samples and represents a valid tool to investigate the role of organic matter in soil profile development.

The wild dioecious plant Corema album, endemic to the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula, has potential to become a new crop and to integrate the berry fruit market. Due to its potential, the aim of this study was to propose a BBCH (Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt and CHemical Industry) scale for the species. Based on field observation, the principal growth stages were described and sequentially established. Photographs and stereomicroscope acquisition software were used to illustrate the phenological stages of male and female plants. The scale includes seven principal stages starting with bud development (stage 0), followed by leaf development (Stage 1), main stem elongation (Stage 3), inflorescence emergence (Stage 5), flowering (Stage 6), fruit development (Stage 7) and ending with fruit maturation (stage 8), with mesostages for male and female inflorescence (stage 5) and flower development (stage 6). Through field observations carried out in plants in different growth conditions, the proposition of this extended BBCH scale was made, to have a standardized system for Corema album phenological stages. This study will have an application especially in fields of agronomy and plant breeding and will also be a stepping stone for the inclusion of this species as a novelty crop in a nearby future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Empetrum (Ericaceae) is controversially classified taxonomically. It is conservatively treated as comprising one variable widespread circumboreal/circumarctic species, E. nigrum, usually known as black crowberry (although there are other fruit colors), and a comparatively localized circumantarctic species, E. rubrum, called red crowberry. For millennia in the Northern Hemisphere crowberries have been a valuable source of berries for Indigenous Peoples, and indeed Empetrum is one of the most important berry crops of the Arctic. It has recently begun to be marketed as a commercial processed fruit crop, with increasing evidence of possessing phenolic compounds of high value for nutrition and medicine. Ecologically, Empetrum is a keystone species, sustaining numerous birds and mammals, and dominating many tundra and heathland ecosystems through allelopathic toxins that exclude competitive plants. With climate change expected to greatly alter the northern world in the near future, there is considerable concern about the welfare of Empetrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new dihydrochalcone, namely 2',5'-dimethyl-3'-methoxy-4',6'-dihydroxyl-dihydrochalcone (1) together with five known compounds were isolated from the CHCl3 extract from Empetrum nigrum L. var. japonicum K. Koch (E. nigrum). The structures of 1 was elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS and extensive 1D and 2D NMR techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We applied Fourier-Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques in combination with selective humus extractions to investigate in situ the chemical features of organic matter in three soil profiles recently developed from Dutch sand dunes, under well-documented vegetation sequence and containing a relatively simple mineral-organic matter system. Water-soluble and alkaline-soluble extracts were also studied to match the changes of humus in the soil residues. Results: Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform (DRIFT) and transmission spectra differed in resolution and sensitivity. DRIFT was superior in revealing structural information on the organic matter present in the soil samples whereas transmission spectra showed higher resolution for the bands of inorganic material at lower spectral frequencies. Differences between H and B horizons were due to the amount of hydrophilic organic acids, partly unsaturated, that were extracted by alkali. Extractable carboxylic acids and other hydrophilic compounds such as peptides and carbohydrates were larger in the less developed soils under pine and crowberry than in the more advanced profiles under beech. Humin residues from both H and B horizons retained unextractable aliphatic components and carboxylic groups involved in strong complexes with minerals, thereby confirming other findings that showed the largely aliphatic character of the unextractable humic fraction. Accumulation of poorly-soluble organic materials in these soils occur by protection from biodegradation due both to complexation with soil minerals and to a process by which apolar humic constituents form a separate hydrophobic phase where no biological activity can take place. Transport of poorly soluble compounds from H to B horizons, noticed especially in the more developed profiles, may have occurred through humic aggregates containing hydrophobic phases. Conclusions: This work shows that the DRIFT technique in combination with soil chemical treatments can be suitably employed to investigate the changes of organic matter in whole soil samples and represents a valid tool to investigate the role of organic matter in soil profile development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new methoxylated bibenzyl and 9,10-phenanthrene were isolated from the shoots of Empetrum nigrum. • Structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. • The first time 1-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(3-hydroxy-4,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethane was shown to be contained in E. nigrum. Two new natural products - 1 and 2 , together with four known compounds (3-6) were isolated from aerial parts of crowberry (Empetrum nigrum L.). All structures were elucidated by extensive 1D and 2D NMR experiments and HR-ESIMS data along with comparison of their spectroscopic data with those reported in the literature. Compound 1 (1-(3,5-dihydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-2-phenylethane) is a bibenzyl (dihydrostilbene) derivative. Compound 2 was found to be 6-hydroxy-2,3,4-trimethoxy-9,10-dihydrophenantrene. Compounds 3 and 4 were established as 4,7-dihydroxy-2,3-dimethoxy-9,10-dihydrophenantrene (ephemeranthol-A) and 1-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(3-hydroxy-4,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethane, respectively. Compounds 5 and 6 were identified as 4′-hydroxy-2′-methoxydihydrochalcone and 2′,4′-dihydroxychalcone, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Tree tissue chemistry has proven successful in guiding advanced exploration in the early stages of mineral exploration projects in Arctic and subarctic regions. In this paper, the biogeochemical response of three circumboreal shrubs, crowberry (Empetrum nigrum L.), Labrador tea (Ledum palustre) and bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), and one conifer, common juniper (Juniperus communis L.), to the underlying hydrothermal Juomasuo Au-Co deposit was assessed in southeast Finnish Lapland. A variety of contrasting spatial multi-elemental anomaly patterns were found for the elements Au and Co, along with Fe, Th, U and rare earth elements, such as Ce, La and Nd, in different plant tissue types over the subcropping lodes and also deep (blind) mineralizations down to a depth of 200 m in two seasonally varying campaigns: in late summer (August) 2013 and early summer (June) 2014. Besides these elements verified by lithogeochemistry, Ag, Bi, Mo, Se, Te, W and Ni exhibited anomalous spatial patterns over the mineralization. Based on the Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test, the Au concentrations in twigs/stems of crowberry, bilberry, Labrador tea and common juniper over the mineralization were found to be higher than the background, but the evergreen species gave the most consistent response to the mineralization. This also applied to U, W and Mo, as well as Nd and several other rare earth elements. Using unsupervised clustering with self-organizing maps and k-means, the location of the underlying mineralized zones could be determined with high overall accuracy (70–90%). This indicates that the biogeochemical anomaly patterns over the Juomasuo sulphidic lodes are strong, and the deposit would have been detected from the biogeochemical data even without prior knowledge gained from a diamond drilling campaign. The sampled vascular species are widely distributed over the pan-Arctic and circumboreal terrains, thus demonstrating their considerable significance to mineral exploration for hydrothermal Au ores at northern latitudes. Highlights • Spatial multi-elemental anomaly patterns in crowberry, Labrador tea and juniper tissue were observed. • Sub-outcropping lodes and deep (blind) Au-Co mineralizations were detected in biogeochemical data. • Anomaly patterns could be observes in samples collected in early summer and late summer. • These species can be considered significant to exploration of hydrothermal Au ores in northern latitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, researcher are focusing on colored berries crops because its high antioxidant capacity of fruits. Black crowberry (Empetrum nigrum L.) represents an important source of flavonols and anthocyanins. So the berries of crowberry are use in the cure of diseases, or as an effective antimicrobial remedy. Moreover, reduce of lipid accumulation and improvement of postprandial hyperglycaemia are proved. An evaluation of antimicrobial activity of the aqueose extracts of crowberry (Empetrum nigrum L.) fruits against bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus mutanus, Streptococcus fecalis, Streptococcus agalagtia, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella typhimurum, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas fluroscences, Proteus merabilis, Proteus vuligaris, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter spp., Acinetobacter, Escherichia coli and Serratia spp. Aqueous extracts of crowberry (Empetrum nigrum L.) fruits was used to determine the antimicrobial effectivity of crowberry by Agar well diffusion method, biofilm inhibition test using tissue culture plate method, adherence and swarming inhibition assays were done for estimation and evaluation of the antibacterial activity. Results showed that aqueous extracts of crowberry (Empetrum nigrum L.) fruits has potential antibacterial activity. The result was measuring by the inhibition zone diameters, the bacterial motility inhibition assessment by swarming assay with all gradual different concentrations of aqueous extracts of crowberry fruits (Pearson correlation = 0.9; P value ≤ 0.05, the bacterial cell adherence inhibition to oral epithelial cells, quorum sensing and formation of biofilm. Aqueous extracts of crowberry exhibit marked antimicrobial activity bacteria activity. It can inhibit motility, reduce the formation of biofilm and inhibitbacterial cell adherence to oral epithelial cells. Based on the results, it can be concluded that they able to reduce bacterial adherence and colonization oral cavity, intestinal tract and respiratory tract and provide production against different human pathogens and this may have clinical relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional drinks enhanced with putatively bioactive polyphenols are receiving extensive interest due to their potential health benefits. A randomized, controlled, double-blind cross-over study design was used to assess postprandial glycemic responses to a basic blackcurrant juice and a blackcurrant juice fortified with crowberry powder (respective polyphenol contents 159 and 293 mg/100 mL), both sweetened with sucrose. Concurrently, we studied the presence of polyphenol-derived metabolites in plasma and urine to confirm their bioavailability. Urinary metabolites characteristic of cyanidin anthocyanins (such as dihydroxybenzoic acid sulphate and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid sulphate) increased after intake and were present in higher levels after intake of the fortified juice. Compared to the basic juice, the fortified juice elicited slightly attenuated and sustained plasma glucose and insulin responses. In conclusion, fortification of blackcurrant juice with crowberry doubled the polyphenol content and improved postprandial glycemic control in healthy subjects. This gives encouragement for further functional food development.

Many nutritional interventions that increase lifespan are also proposed to postpone age-related declines in motor and cognitive function. Potential sources of anti-aging compounds are the plants and fungi that have adapted to extreme environments. We studied the effects of four commonly consumed and culturally relevant Interior Alaska berry and fungus species (bog blueberry, lowbush cranberry, crowberry, and chaga) on the decline in overall health and neuron function and changes in touch receptor neuron morphology associated with aging. We observed increased wild-type Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan and improved markers of healthspan upon treatment with Alaskan blueberry, lowbush cranberry, and chaga extracts. Interestingly, although all three treatments increased lifespan, they differentially affected the development of aberrant morphologies in touch receptor neurons. Blueberry treatments decreased anterior mechanosensory neuron (ALM) aberrations (i.e., extended outgrowths and abnormal cell bodies) while lowbush cranberry treatment increased posterior mechanosensory neuron (PLM) aberrations, namely process branching. Chaga treatment both decreased ALM aberrations (i.e., extended outgrowths) and increased PLM aberrations (i.e., process branching and loops). These results support the large body of knowledge positing that there are multiple cellular strategies and mechanisms for promoting health with age. Importantly, these results also demonstrate that although an accumulation of abnormal neuron morphologies is associated with aging and decreased health, not all of these morphologies are detrimental to neuronal and organismal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crowberry ( Empetrum nigrum L.) is a wild berry commonly found in the northern hemisphere. Crowberry fruits have been suggested as good resources for functional applications in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, but the high polyphenolic content in crowberry leaves also indicates crowberry aerial parts as potential dietary health supplements. In this study, therefore, the biological activities of the aerial parts of Korean crowberry ( E. nigrum var. japonicum ) were investigated. Antioxidant activity was measured by three different assays on DPPH free radical scavenging, reducing power, and total antioxidant capacities. Dose-dependent antioxidant activities were exhibited by crude methanol extract and its fractions, suggesting that the crude methanol extract and EtOAc fraction possessed strong antioxidant activities and capacities. In addition, the crude methanol extract and EtOAc strongly inhibited α-glucosidase activity and suppressed the secretion of pro-inflammatory mediator and nitrite oxide from LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. These findings provide valuable evidence for the potential of such parts as good dietary sources of natural antioxidant, α-glucosidase inhibitory, and anti-inflammatory components, suggesting that using the non-edible parts (e.g., leaves and stems) of crowberry can be a potential natural avenue for improving human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arctic geese often feed on berries during premigratory fattening. We hypothesized that during autumn staging on the Alaska Peninsula, the distribution of Taverner's cackling geese ( Branta hutchinsii taverneri) would be correlated with spatial variation in crowberry ( Empetrum nigrum) abundance. We also predicted that daily rates of fat increase among cackling geese would be higher in years when crowberries were abundant, compared to years when the crowberry crop was poor. Apparent distribution of geese based on fecal densities mirrored patterns of berry abundance, with areas that had highest densities of crowberries being used most heavily by geese. In areas where apparent use was greatest, geese consumed approximately 30 % of the berry crop between early September and mid-October. From 1999 to 2002, annual mean crowberry density in early September ranged from 205 berries m (1999) to 12 berries m (2002). Daily rates of lipid increase averaged 7.6 g day for juvenile and 11.4 g day for adult cackling geese and did not differ among years despite a >90 % difference in annual berry abundance. Although cackling geese used areas with higher densities of berries and apparently consumed a relatively large percentage of the crowberry crop, we could not detect an effect of annual variation in berry abundance on rates of fattening. Berries may have provided relatively little metabolizable biomass due to their high (90 %) water content. However, consumption of crowberries may provide geese with other physiological benefits such as water for osmoregulation or antioxidants and fatty acids that contribute to metabolic performance during migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Berry juice anthocyanins degrade significantly during storage. [•] Storage temperature is the major influence on anthocyanin stability. [•] Juice matrix has the greatest effect on anthocyanin stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies indicate that variation in juvenile survival may be particularly important in driving avian population dynamics. The quality of habitats available to inexperienced juveniles of migrant species is critical to their survival because they must obtain enough food to build up fat reserves for migration, while avoiding predation. We radiotracked 110 juvenile Ring Ouzels Turdus torquatus, a species of high conservation concern in the UK, to quantify for the first time seasonal patterns in foraging habitat and food abundance during this potentially key life-history period. Key attributes of foraging plots were compared with those on control plots (representing the broad habitat types selected by foraging juveniles) during 2007-08. Birds foraged on invertebrates in grass-rich plots during June to mid- July and then shifted to foraging mainly on moorland berries in higher-altitude, heather-rich plots during mid- July to early- September. Juveniles selected invertebrate foraging plots with low soil acidity, and increasingly selected plots with high earthworm (an important food) biomass and grass cover, but low grass and all vegetation height as the season progressed. In contrast, earthworm biomass and grass cover remained constant, and grass and all vegetation height increased, on control plots. Juveniles selected berry foraging plots with higher abundance of ripe Bilberries Vaccinium myrtillus and Crowberries Empetrum nigrum than found on control plots. Juvenile Ring Ouzels thus appear to require access to short, grass- and invertebrate-rich habitat during early summer, and taller, heather-dominated and berry-rich areas in late summer. The use of two distinct habitat types during the pre-migratory period illustrates the need for a detailed understanding of the requirements of juvenile birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Functional drinks enhanced with putatively bioactive polyphenols are receiving extensive interest due to their potential health benefits. A randomized, controlled, double-blind cross-over study design was used to assess postprandial glycemic responses to a basic blackcurrant juice and a blackcurrant juice fortified with crowberry powder (respective polyphenol contents 159 and 293mg/100mL), both sweetened with sucrose. Concurrently, we studied the presence of polyphenol-derived metabolites in plasma and urine to confirm their bioavailability. Urinary metabolites characteristic of cyanidin anthocyanins (such as dihydroxybenzoic acid sulphate and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid sulphate) increased after intake and were present in higher levels after intake of the fortified juice. Compared to the basic juice, the fortified juice elicited slightly attenuated and sustained plasma glucose and insulin responses. In conclusion, fortification of blackcurrant juice with crowberry doubled the polyphenol content and improved postprandial glycemic control in healthy subjects. This gives encouragement for further functional food development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Neuroinlammation is found both in the brain of humans suffering from Parkinson's disease and in animal models of disease. It is suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. In the present study, in order to study the effects of antioxidants on neuroinlammation, microglial phenotypes were evaluated in rats fed with diets containing bilberries, blueberries, or crowberries at 1 and 4 weeks following striatal injection of 6-hydroxydopamine. The dopamine innervation was visualized using antibodies raised against tyrosine hydroxlase (TH) in the striatum and in the globus pallidus. One week post-lesion, the expression of Iba1-positive cells, a general microglial marker, was signiicantly increased in the striatum of all animals fed with antioxidant-enriched diets compared to control-diet fed animals, while the diameter of the TH-negative zone was similar in all animals. At four weeks post-lesion, the Iba1-positive microglia was signiicantly reduced in animals fed with antioxidant-enriched diets. The diameter of the TH-negative zone was signiicantly reduced in animals fed bilberry and crowberry. The expression and distribution of ED1-positive cells was similar to that of Iba1-positive cells found in the lesioned areas. A cell division marker Ki67 revealed that few microglia were proliferating in crowberry-treated animals. Otherwise dividing cells were associated with blood capillary cells. Although the antioxidant level should be equal in the entire brain, no regeneration was found in globus pallidus, suggesting the mechanism promoting regeneration in the striatum is not effective in the globus pallidus. In conclusion, diets rich in bilberries and crowberries and with high contents of antioxidants stimulate an early phase of accumulation of reactive migroglia that fades at longer time points i.e. promotes regeneration of the striatal dopamine system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Berries of crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) were fractionated by juice pressing, ethanol extraction, solvent evaporation and supercritical fluid extraction. Phenolic compounds, sugars and acids in the fractions were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography. The sensory characteristics of the fractions were studied by using generic descriptive analysis. Most of the sugars were located in the juice and this was perceived as the sweetest of the fractions. The majority of the phenolic compounds were anthocyanins, located in the press residue. Ethanol extracted nearly all the phenolic compounds from the press residue. The extracts were the most bitter and astringent of the fractions. Eight flavonol glycosides and two flavonol aglycones were discovered to contribute particularly to bitterness and astringency. After ethanol extraction, only fibres and seeds were left, and the supercritical fluid extraction removed only a small amount of compounds from this fraction, which did not have any impact on sensory properties. This study shows that crowberries are rich in different nutrients and some of them are contributing to orosensory properties. The sequential fractionation by ethanol ended up in products with substantial differences in their orosensory characteristics and nutrient composition. Stepwise fractionation empowers versatile and beneficial ways to exploit the berries in food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alaska wild berries were harvested in 2003 to evaluate levels of antioxidants in non-cultivated fruit. Berries were stored frozen for up to 20 months until analysis for levels of quercetin and hydrophilic oxygen radical absorbance capacity (H-ORACFL). H-ORACFL levels were highest in lingonberry Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.(119-320, average 203 µmol of Trolox Equivalents (TE)/g fresh weight (FW), n = 13). H-ORACFL levels in other berries from interior Alaska averaged 174 µmol TE/g for highbush cranberry Viburmml edule (Michx.) Raf., 107 µmol of TE/g for crowberry Empetrum nigrum L., and 77 µmol of TE/g for bog blueberry Vaccinium uliginosum L. Quercetin levels ranged from 0.5 to 14.6 µg/g FW in these 4 species from interior Alaska. Lingonberry and bog blueberry had higher levels of quercetin than most other berries tested. Alaskan wild berries are rich sources of antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empetrum nigrum L. is one of the few species growing on highly polluted areas in the northern boreal forests and it accumulates considerable amounts of heavy metals especially in its older stems. Previous-year stems of Empetrum nigrum were collected from two different sites located at distances of 0.5 km (highly contaminated) and 8 km (low contaminated) from a Cu–Ni smelter at Harjavalta, SW Finland. The element (Al, As, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ca, K, P, S, Mg, Na) localization was performed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) after cryofixation, freeze-drying and pressure infiltration of the material. The results showed higher levels of Cu, As and Fe in cell compartments of E. nigrum close to the smelter than at further distance. The Al and Zn levels, in contrast, showed no clear differences between the sites. Cu was distributed homogeneously in the tissue and occurred in vacuoles, cytoplasm, cell walls as well as in lumens of the vascular tissue. The higher amounts of As were localized in the outer regions of the stem cross-section and the amounts were higher in the primary cell walls of living (ray cells, phloem) than dead cells (xylem, sclereids). Ray cells, phloem and sclereids had elevated Fe amounts compared to the other tissues in the contaminated stem samples but owing to the high variation between the replicates, no significant differences were found. Based on the rather homogeneous localization of Cu, As and Fe in the living tissue and increased levels of Cu, As and Fe in vacuoles, cell walls and cytoplasm near the smelter, it seems that more than one specific mechanism contribute to the heavy metal tolerance of E. nigrum. Macronutrients did not show clear differences between the two distances or connection to heavy metal localization. Neither the role of complexing agents in heavy metal tolerance in the cytoplasm or vacuoles could be shown by this study. Because of the more frequent localization of electron dense phenolic material in the polluted samples, it might also have a function in the heavy metal tolerance of E. nigrum. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Fin land abounds with wild ber ries. The an nual har vest of wild ber ries in Fin land has been es ti mated at more than 50 mil lion ki lo - grams (110 mil lion lb)-more than ten ki lo grams (22 lb) per Finn. Ap - prox i mately 50 dif fer ent spe cies can be found in Fin land in all kinds of en vi ron ments from rocky sea shores to swamps and for ests. Of all the dif - fer ent spe cies of wild ber ries in Fin land, roughly 20 are ed ible. The best known and most valuable are lingonberry, bilberry, cloudberry, and buckthorn berry. The most commonly traded of the wildberries is thelingonberry. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Cu and Ni tolerance of 3- to 5-year-old cuttings of crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) were tested in controlled conditions. Six levels of Cu (0.1/100 mg l-1), five levels of Ni (0/100 mg l-1) and nine levels of Cu+Ni were applied. The elongation of the shoots, new shoot and root dry weights indicated an adverse effect of increasing Cu and Ni concentrations. At low Cu levels the addition of Ni decreased the dry weights more than at high Cu levels. The resultsshow that E. nigrum accumulated high concentrations of Cu and Ni mainly in old stem tissue, which contained a maximum of over 3000 mg kg-1 Cu and 1000 mg kg-1 Ni. The concentrations ofCu and Ni in E. nigrum were higher than those measured in plants growing in areas near to Cu/Ni smelters, but the accumulation pattern was similar. The survival of the cuttings was not affected suggesting that E. nigrum possesses an internal heavy metal tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neda Farahbakhshazad, Gregory M. Morrison and Eneas Salati Filho This paper reviews the knowledge on crowberry (Empetrum nigrum ssp. nigrum and ssp. hermaphroditum) dominated ecosystems in the Nordic region. Empetrum leaves and litter have high phenolic content resulting in slow decomposition, and with the formation of an organic top soil, nutrients are kept in an organic nutrient bank in the soil mainly available for plants with ericoid mycorrhiza. Empetrum nigrum ssp. hermaphroditum is a strong nutrient competitor and outcompetes most plants in late successional stages. This is due to chemical interference (allelopathy) and resource competition. Crowberry as an organism is resistant to atmospheric pollution and may even increase in vigor by high atmospheric N deposition in nemoral coastal heaths, but is very sensitive to mechanical disturbances and fire. However, there are indications that the closed nutrient cycle established when Empetrum is dominant may be disturbed after airborne inputs of inorganic N. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]