Response of benthic foraminifera to heavy metal contamination in marine sediments (Sicilian coasts,Mediterranean Sea)

To examine the suitability of benthic foraminifera and their test deformations as bioindicators of pollution in coastal marine environments, we studied foraminifera and metal concentrations in 72 marine sediment samples, collected from the inner shelf along the Sicilian coast (Gulfs of Palermo and Termini) and on the south-eastern coast of Lampedusa Island. These areas are characterised by different environmental conditions. On the basis of pollution sources and foraminiferal assemblages, we recognised different zones in the Gulf of Palermo. The most polluted zones showed high metal concentrations, and low diversity of benthic foraminifera with species typical of stressed environments. By contrast, the lowest polluted zones showed a high population density and the highest percentages of epiphytes. Epiphytes were abundant where a Posidonia oceanica meadow was present and decreased in the most polluted zones. Sediments of the Gulf of Termini and Lampedusa exhibited high percentages of benthic foraminifera typical of well-oxygenated waters and low concentrations of metals, with the exception of sites located near sewage outfalls and harbour areas. Furthermore, even though deformed tests are commonly known in natural stressed environmental conditions, this study shows that in the most polluted zones, benthic foraminifera were characterised by the highest percentages of deformed individuals.     

Factors affecting the distribution of trace elements in harbour sediments

A large number of data (n=488) were acquired from 2003 to 2006 for five Italian harbours and three control areas to determine trace element (Al, As, Cd, Cu, Zn, Pb, Hg, Cr, and Ni) levels in sediments. Results were utilised to evaluate, on a multivariate statistical basis, pollution levels, significant relationships between observed levels and specific factors, and enrichment factors. Of the factors tested, main human use of harbour, was best able to determine segregations in the observed trace element fingerprints. Compared with the concentration limit approach, the evaluation of enrichment factors, even if affected by mathematical approximations, represented a useful tool for environmental studies, allowing evaluation of the presence of sediments enriched by human activities and reducing the occurrence of both false positives and false negatives due to natural differences in aluminosilicate levels.     

Egg production and hatching success in North Adriatic Sea populations of the copepod acartia clausi

Egg production, fecal pellet production and hatching success are reported for Acartia clausi females sampled during three cruises in February 1997, 1998 and June 1997 at 20-24 stations along 4 transects in the North Adriatic Sea. Dramatically low hatching rates were recorded during both diatom bloom events in February as opposed to much higher rates during post-bloom conditions in June, even though A. clausi productivity during the bloom was apparently high. These results are discussed in the light of recent findings on the negative impact of diatoms on copepod reproductive potential.     

Higher sorption of arsenate versus arsenite on amorphous Al-oxide, effect of ligands

Arsenic pollution is currently a major health issue because As is toxic for human beings, animals, and plants. Knowledge of As mobility is therefore important to assess health risk. The sorption of arsenite and arsenate on metal oxides in the presence of various anionic ligands is closely linked to the mobility, bioavailability, and risk. It was reported that the sorption mechanisms and characteristics of arsenite and arsenate on Al-oxides were different from that on Fe-oxides. Previous work reports the sorption of arsenite and arsenate on Fe-oxides in the presence of ligands. Whereas there is few knowledge on the sorption of arsenite and arsenate by Al-oxides in the presence of ligands. Here, we studied the sorption of arsenite and arsenate on amorphous Al-oxide by batch experiments. We tested the effect of organic ligands: oxalate, malate, tartrate, citrate; and inorganic ligands: sulfate, phosphate, selenate, selenite. Results show that amorphous Al-oxide has more sorption affinity for arsenate than arsenite. The inhibition of As sorption by ligands at pH 6 is higher for arsenite than arsenate. For arsenite, the As sorption inhibition decreases in the order phosphate, citrate, malate, selenite, oxalate, tartrate, sulfate, and selenate. For arsenate, the As sorption inhibition decreases in the order phosphate, malate, citrate, selenite, tartrate, oxalate, sulfate, and selenate.     

Cryptic species within the commercially most important lobster in the tropical Atlantic, the spiny lobster Panulirus argus

Panulirus argus (Latreille in Ann Mus Hist Nat Paris 3:388–395, 1804) is the lobster of greatest economic importance throughout its distribution. In this study, mitochondrial (Cytochrome Oxidase I and 16S ribosomal genes) and nuclear (Adenine Nucleotide Transporter gene) sequences were used to evaluate the taxonomic status of P. argus sampled from five sites in the Caribbean Sea and nine sites in the Southwest Atlantic. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that lobsters from the two regions form two monophyletic groups with a molecular divergence similar to that observed between distinct congeneric lobster species and much larger than that found between conspecific lobster populations. Therefore, the Caribbean and the Southwest Atlantic lobster populations originally attributed to P. argus belong to different species, with an estimated time of isolation of around 16 Million years. An important consequence of these findings is that the fisheries of spiny lobsters from the Caribbean and the Southwest Atlantic species must be managed separately.     

Volatile organic compounds of Acacia longifolia and their effects on germination and early growth of species from invaded habitats

Acacia longifolia, a highly invasive species that invades coastal ecosystems in Mediterranean areas, produces significant impacts at different scales. Abundant foliage and thick canopies create a dense atmosphere that led us to hypothesise that the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could play a role in the reduction of biodiversity observed in invaded areas. Therefore, we suggested that VOCs emitted by A. longifolia could exert inhibitory effects on physiological and biochemical parameters of native species. Using glass chamber bioassays, we evaluated the effect of aerial contact between VOCs from different plant parts of A. longifolia material and some native species. Volatile chemical composition was further analysed using GC-MS. Our results indicated that VOCs produced a notably reduction of seed germination. Furthermore, volatiles from leaves and flowers significantly decreased root length, shoot length and biomass for all species. Proline and malondialdehyde content did not significantly increase after contact with VOCs. Finally, chemical profile of VOCs from flowers, leaves and litter was significantly different, both qualitatively and quantitatively. As far as we know, our results constitute the first evidence of phytotoxicity induced by VOCs from A. longifolia, suggesting that flowers and leaves could influence its surrounding environment through VOCs release.     

When does centrality matter? Scientific productivity and the moderating role of research specialization and cross‐community ties

The present study addresses the ongoing debate concerning academic scientific productivity. Specifically, given the increasing number of collaborations in academia and the crucial role networks play in knowledge creation, we investigate the extent to which building social capital within the academic community represents a valuable resource for a scientist's knowledge‐creation process. We measure the social capital in terms of structural position within the academic collaborative network. Furthermore, we analyse the extent to which an academic scientist's research specialization and ties that cross‐community boundaries act as moderators of the aforementioned relationship. Empirical results derived from an analysis of an Italian academic community from 2001 to 2008 suggest academic scientists that build social capital by occupying central positions in the community outperform their more isolated colleagues. However, scientific productivity declines beyond a certain threshold value of centrality, hence revealing the existence of an inverted U‐shaped relationship. This relationship is negatively moderated by the extent to which an academic focuses research activities in few scientific knowledge domains, whereas it is positively moderated by the number of cross‐community ties established. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Innovation for sustainable development in artisanal mining: Advances in a cluster of opal mining in Brazil

The objective of this article is to understand how the promotion of clusters of small economic agents in the gem sector has brought some improvements in the economic, social and environmental conditions in the mining sector and activities related to it. The research provides policy and theoretical contributions to the field of gem production, as well as enhances understanding of the under researched opal production in Brazil. It argues that government funding and technical support dedicated to the development of mining clusters, i.e. working with small economic agents as a whole and not individually, could promote not only more economic development, but also effectively incorporate social and environmental issues, such as workers safety, water management and tailings recycling. The argument is based on an evaluation of environmental, economic, social and institutional aspects of the opal mining cluster in Pedro II municipality, Piauí state. The results suggest that some formalisation of existing practices and adequate policies have triggered innovation with some positive effects on the performance of artisanal mining. Nevertheless, there are indications that if decision-makers plan to make this cluster more sustainable, they will have to include other issues in the debate including developing substituting economic activities.     

C and N Content in Density Fractions of Whole Soil and Soil Size Fraction Under Cacao Agroforestry Systems and Natural Forest in Bahia,Brazil

Agroforestry systems (AFSs) have an important role in capturing above and below ground soil carbon and play a dominant role in mitigation of atmospheric CO₂. Attempts has been made here to identify soil organic matter fractions in the cacao-AFSs that have different susceptibility to microbial decomposition and further represent the basis of understanding soil C dynamics. The objective of this study was to characterize the organic matter density fractions and soil size fractions in soils of two types of cacao agroforestry systems and to compare with an adjacent natural forest in Bahia, Brazil. The land-use systems studied were: (1) a 30-year-old stand of natural forest with cacao (cacao cabruca), (2) a 30-year-old stand of cacao with Erythrina glauca as shade trees (cacao + erythrina), and (3) an adjacent natural forest without cacao. Soil samples were collected from 0-10 cm depth layer in reddish-yellow Oxisols. Soil samples was separated by wet sieving into five fraction-size classes (>2000 μm, 1000–2000 μm, 250–1000 μm, 53–250 μm, and <53 μm). C and N accumulated in to the light (free- and intra-aggregate density fractions) and heavy fractions of whole soil and soil size fraction were determined. Soil size fraction obtained in cacao AFS soils consisted mainly (65 %) of mega-aggregates (>2000 μm) mixed with macroaggregates (32–34%), and microaggregates (1–1.3%). Soil organic carbon (SOC) and total N content increased with increasing soil size fraction in all land-use systems. Organic C-to-total N ratio was higher in the macroaggregate than in the microaggregate. In general, in natural forest and cacao cabruca the contribution of C and N in the light and heavy fractions was similar. However, in cacao + erythrina the heavy fraction was the most common and contributed 67% of C and 63% of N. Finding of this study shows that the majority of C and N in all three systems studied are found in macroaggregates, particularly in the 250–1000 μm size aggregate class. The heavy fraction was the most common organic matter fraction in these soils. Thus, in mature cacao AFS on highly weathered soils the main mechanisms of C stabilization could be the physical protection within macroaggregate structures thereby minimizing the impact of conversion of forest to cacao AFS.