Introduction The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are disorders that cause chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the pathogenesis of IBD. There are currently >200 known genetic susceptibility loci for the development of IBD. The physiological impact of the majority of these loci remain a gap in our knowledge. On...

Mediterranean spring ecosystems are unique habitats at the interface between surface water and groundwater. These ecosystems support a remarkable array of biodiversity and provide important ecological functions and ecosystem services. Spring ecosystems are influenced by abiotic, biotic, and anthropogenic factors such as the lithology of their draining aquifers, their climate, and the land use of their recharge area, all of whi...

This study reports the aboveground biomass response of a fire‐regenerated Florida scrub‐oak ecosystem exposed to elevated CO 2 (1996–2007), from emergence after fire through canopy closure. Eleven years exposure to elevated CO 2 caused a 67% increase in aboveground shoot biomass. Growth stimulation was sustained throughout the experiment; although there was significant variability between years. The absolute stimulation of abo...

The thinning of loblolly pine plantations has a great potential to influence the fluxes and storage of carbon within managed stands. In this study we investigated the effects of thinning on mineral soil carbon distribution and storage 14 years after the thinning of an 8-year-old loblolly pine plantation on the Piedmont of Virginia. Additionally, we examined patterns of soil CO2 efflux (Es) for 1 year after the second thinning...

Fertilization is a common, cost-effective method to increase productivity of managed forests in the southeastern United States; however, little is known about how fertilization will affect the processes that drive total soil CO2 efflux (F S) and ultimately net ecosystem productivity (NEP). The objective of this research was to intensively monitor the response of F S, and its respiratory components during the first year after N...

In managed forests, the amount of carbon further sequestered will be determined by (1) the increased amount of carbon in standing biomass (resulting from land-use changes and increased productivity); (2) the amount of recalcitrant carbon remaining below ground at the end of rotations; and (3) the amount of carbon sequestered in products created from harvested wood. Because of the region's high productivity and industrial infra...