Vegetation dynamics after compost amendment in a Mediterranean post-fire ecosystem

On Mediterranean calcareous soils, high fire frequency induces soil impoverishment and the development of stable Quercus coccifera garrigues. Organic amendment could increase soil fertility levels, and could alter the vegetation dynamics and the established dominance relationships. In this study, the plant cover evolution is monitored in an amended burnt shrub during two years. Three treatments are studied: control (D0), 50 t ha⁻¹ (D50) and 100 t ha⁻¹ (D100) of fresh co-composted sewage sludge and greenwastes.First, the spreading process leads to the squashing of the vegetation, whose intensity reaches a threshold on D100 and limits the woody species’ recovery after amendment. Consequently, the dominant herb Brachypodium retusum is favoured. On D50, woody species are favoured compared to herbs, probably due to the space colonization strategy of Q. coccifera after squashing. Thus, compost at both rates favours the two dominant resprouter species until they have colonized all the free space created by squashing.Secondly, compost has some fertilizing effects on Rosmarinus officinalis and Ulex parviflorus, that improves their cover on D50. However, compost also increases U. parviflorus’ sensitivity to drought.At the end of the experiment, a third compost effect appears, as seeder cover becomes greater than D0 on D50. After amendment, compost covers rocky stones, which creates a new territory where species with superficial rooting can establish (mulch effect).     

水坝建设影响下澜沧江中游沉积物重金属形态分析及污染指数研究

采集了漫湾库区和大朝山库区25个采样断面的沉积物样品.每个库区均从上游到下游分为河流区、过渡区和湖泊区,研究了沉积物中As、Cd、Cr、Cu、Mn、Ni、Pb、Zn元素的含量和赋存形态差异,利用次生相与原生相分布比值法(RSP)分析重金属元素的污染水平.结果表明,各库区从上游到下游沉积物中的重金属元素和碳氮元素均呈现出增加的趋势,而沉积物的中值粒径呈现出减小的趋势.漫湾库区的As、Cd、Zn元素平均含量均高于大朝山库区;大朝山库区的Cr、Mn、Ni、Pb元素平均含量均高于漫湾库区.在重金属赋存形态中,Cd和Mn元素以可交换态和残渣态为主;Cu、Pb以有机质态和残渣态为主;其余重金属元素均以残渣态为主.沉积物中的可交换态在有机碳的络合作用下转化成有机质态.在水坝建设的影响下沉积物中细颗粒和有机质含量明显上升,重金属在细颗粒物和有机质的共同作用下蓄积于坝前的沉积物中.PSR分析结果表明,在水坝运行影响下,各库区湖泊区和过渡区的污染水平均高于河流区.其中,Cd元素所有地区处于重度污染水平;Mn和Pb大部分区域处于中度污染水平;Cu元素大部分区域处于轻度污染水平;其余元素基本无污染.     

Structure and fate of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa population originating from a combined sewer and colonizing a wastewater treatment lagoon

The efficacy of a wastewater treatment lagoon (WWTL) at preventing the spread of Pseudomonas aeruginosa into natural aquatic habitats was investigated. A WWTL and its connected combined sewer and brook were exhaustively sampled. Physico-chemical analyses showed a stratification of the first pond according to pH, temperature and oxygen content. The P. aeruginosa counts partially matched this stratification with higher values among the bottom anaerobic waters of the first half of this pond. Genotyping of 494 WWTL P. aeruginosa strains was performed and led to the definition of 85 lineages. Dominant lineages were observed, with some being found all over the WWTL including the connected brook. IS5 was used as an indicator of genomic changes, and 1 to 12 elements were detected among 16 % of the strains. IS-driven lasR (genetic regulator) disruptions were detected among nine strains that were not part of the dominant lineages. These insertional mutants did not show significant elastase activities but showed better growth than the PAO1 reference strain in WWTL waters. Differences in growth patterns were related to a better survival of these mutants at an alkaline pH and a better ability at using some C-sources such as alanine. The opportunistic colonization of a WWTL by P. aeruginosa can involve several metabolic strategies which appeared lineage specific. Some clones appeared more successful than others at disseminating from a combined sewer toward the overflow of a WWTL.     

Influence of spontaneous vegetation in stormwater infiltration system clogging

The paper presents the role of spontaneous vegetation on the hydraulic performance of an infiltration basin. The objective of the research was more particularly to study this role of different types of spontaneous vegetation found in situ in an infiltration basin near Lyon. The saturated hydraulic conductivity of three areas covered by Phalaris arundinacea, Polygonum mite, Rumex crispus and similar non-vegetated zones was compared. Eight field campaigns were carried out from July 2010 to May 2011 in order to compare the performance of each type of vegetation and its evolution over time. The results suggest a positive impact of vegetation on hydraulic performance in particular in summer during the growth of the plants. The hydraulic conductivity in this period was twice to four times higher than in bare areas or in vegetated zones during the plant rest periods. Some species were also found more appropriate to limit clogging (Phalaris arundinacea) likely due to its specific structure and growth process.     

Applying artificial neural network methodology to ocean color remote sensing

Artificial neural networks (ANN) are widely used as continuous models to fit non-linear transfer functions. In this study we used ANN to retrieve chlorophyll pigments in the near-surface of oceans from Ocean Color measurements. This bio-optical inversion is established by analyzing concomitant sun-light spectral reflectances over the ocean surface and pigment concentration. The relationships are complex, non-linear, and their biological nature implies a significant variability. Moreover, the sun-light reflectances are usually measured by satellite radiometers flying at 800 km over the ocean surface, which affect the data by adding radiometric noise and atmospheric correction errors. By comparison with the polynomial fit usually employed to treat this problem, we show the advantages of neural function approximation like the association of non-linear complexity and noise filtering.     

The Effect of Green Investments in an Agent-Based Climate-Economic Model

Climate-economic modeling often relies on macroeconomic integrated assessment models (IAMs) that in general try to capture how the combined system reacts to different policies. Irrespective of the specific modeling approach, IAMs suffer from two notable problems. First, although policies and emissions are dependent on individual or institutional behavior, the models are not able to account for the heterogeneity and adaptive behavior of relevant actors. Second, the models unanimously consider mitigation actions as costs instead of investments: an arguable definition, given that all other expenditures are classified as investments. Both are challenging if the long-term development of climate change and the economy shall be analyzed. This paper therefore proposes a dynamic agent-based model, based on the battle of perspectives approach (Janssen [1]; Janssen and de Vries [2]; Geisendorf [3, 4]) that details the consequences of various behavioral assumptions. Furthermore, expenditures for climate protection, e.g., the transition of the energy system to renewables, are regarded as investments in future technologies with promising growth rates and the potential to incite further growth in adjoining sectors (Jaeger et al. [5]). The paper analyzes how a different understanding of climate protection expenditures changes the system’s dynamic and, thus, the basis for climate policy decisions. The paper also demonstrates how erroneous perceptions impact on economic and climate development, underlining the importance to acknowledge heterogeneous beliefs and behavior for the success of climate policy.     

Responses of juvenile European flounder (Platichthys flesus) to multistress in the Vilaine estuary, during a 6-month survey

Physiological and genetic responses of age 0+ Platichthys flesus were investigated in the eutrophicated and moderately contaminated Vilaine estuary, during a 6-month survey. The main objective of this study was to explore the biological responses of fishes during their juvenile period in an estuarine system in order to detect a possible selective pressure induced by the environmental stress. Our results showed a general convergence in physiological responses along the survey: an increase in genotoxicity was associated with an increase in mRNA expression of ATPase and betaine homocysteine methyltransferase. These results could suggest an increase of cellular damage, energetic request, and detoxification rate related to the growing exposure time to stress. Considering the aging of the cohort, the genetic characteristics of the Vilaine flounder cohort came closer to the one observed in a highly stressed system, the Seine estuary, suggesting a potential selective pressure mainly induced by the chemical stress.     

Solvent toxicity to amphibian embryos and larvae

Organic micropollutants are often damaging for aquatic organisms. Being usually hydrophobic compounds, they are often dissolved in an organic co-solvent which increases their solubility in water. The aim of this study was to study the toxicity of various solvents on embryos (protected or not by jelly coat) and on tadpoles of the common frog (Rana temporaria). Tested solvents were methanol (MeOH), methylene chloride (CH(2)Cl(2)), dimethyl sulfoxyde (DMSO), acetone (Ac) and ethanol (EtOH). Embryos exhibited higher mortality rates than tadpoles. Embryos with jelly were more sensitive to high concentration of solvents than embryos without jelly (except for acetone). According to these results, Ac, DMSO and CH(2)Cl(2) can be used as co-solvents in water to help the dissolution of micropollutants at concentration equal to or lower than 0.001 ml/l for frog embryos, and EtOH, Ac and CH(2)Cl(2) at concentration equal to or lower than 0.01 ml/l for Rana temporaria tadpoles.