Degradation of the insecticide fensulfothion by a mixed culture of soil microorganisms

Abstract

Fensulfothion was incubated in nutrient media with a mixed culture of soil microorganisms obtained from sandy loam. The half life of fensulfothion in both inoculated samples and sterile controls was about 16 wk. There was some conversion to fensulfothion sulfone (16% at 6 wk) in inoculated samples, but not in the controls. Traces of fensulfothion sulfide were found in both inoculated samples (<3%) and controls (<2%) . When 1% ethanol was added to the inoculated nutrient mixture the fensulfothion disappeared rapidly (t_½>～1_½> wk) with 32% conversion at 20 wk to fensulfothion sulfide.     

Incorporation of Spatial and Economic Analyses of Human‐Use Data in the Design of Marine Protected Areas

Abstract: Social, economic, and ecological criteria contribute to the successful design, implementation, and management of marine protected areas (MPAs). In the context of California's Marine Life Protection Act Initiative, we developed a set of methods for collecting, compiling, and analyzing data about the spatial extent and relative economic importance of commercial and recreational fishing. We interviewed 174 commercial fishers who represented the major fisheries in the initiative's north‐central coast region, which extends from Point Arena south to Pigeon Point. These fishers provided data that we used to map the extent of each of the fishing grounds, to weight the relative importance of areas within the grounds, to characterize the operating costs of each fishery, and to analyze the potential economic losses associated with proposed marine protected areas. A regional stakeholder group used the maps and impact analyses in conjunction with other data sets to iteratively identify economic and ecological trade‐offs in designations of different areas as MPAs at regional, port, and fishery extents. Their final proposed MPA network designated 20% of state waters as MPAs. Potential net economic loss ranged from 1.7% to 14.2% in the first round of network design and totaled 6.3% in the final round of design. This process is a case study in the application of spatial analysis to validate and integrate local stakeholder knowledge in marine planning.     

Biodiversity Consequences of Genetic Variation in Bark Characteristics within a Foundation Tree Species

Abstract: The developing field of community genetics has the potential to broaden the contribution of genetics to conservation biology by demonstrating that genetic variation within foundation plant species can act to structure associated communities of microorganisms, invertebrates, and vertebrates. We assessed the biodiversity consequences of natural patterns of intraspecific genetic variation within the widely distributed Australian forest tree, Eucalyptus globulus. We assessed genetic variation among geographic races of E. globulus (i.e., provenances, seed zones) in the characteristics of tree‐trunk bark in a 17‐year‐old common garden and the associated response of a dependent macroarthropod community. In total, 180 macroarthropod taxa were identified following a collection from 100 trees of five races. We found substantial genetically based variation within E. globulus in the quantity and type of decorticating bark. In the community of organisms associated with this bark, significant variation existed among trees of different races in composition, and there was a two‐fold difference in species richness (7–14 species) and abundance (22–55 individuals) among races. This community variation was tightly linked with genetically based variation in bark, with 60% of variation in community composition driven by bark characteristics. No detectable correlation was found, however, with neutral molecular markers. These community‐level effects of tree genetics are expected to extend to higher trophic levels because of the extensive use of tree trunks as foraging zones by birds and marsupials. Our results demonstrate the potential biodiversity benefits that may be gained through conservation of intraspecific genetic variation within broadly distributed foundation species. The opportunities for enhancing biodiversity values of forestry and restoration plantings are also highlighted because such planted forests are increasingly becoming the dominant forest type in many areas of the world.     

Depletion of forest resources in south eastern Nigeria: who loses?

Forest management in south eastern Nigeria has changed hands from the forest communities to foreign technology. As a result the sustainable, conservative and cyclical use that characterised the communities that lived in balance with their forest resources are no longer practised. Consequently, a great deal of the region's valuable timber trees has been lost and the environmental influences of the forest grossly reduced. The local communities have not only been deprived of a multitude of non-timber forest resources upon which they depend for their survival and well-being but have also lost their knowledge of traditional forest management. Although these consequences are far-reaching, the neglected majority in the rural areas bear the brunt. To save what is left of the once vast forest areas, communities in and around the biome need to be empowered to manage their forest resources. Empowerment will challenge their responsibility and their ability to function for the common good—themselves, the State and the world at large.     

The mechanism of different cyanobacterial responses to glyphosate

Glyphosate, the most extensively used herbicide globally, has raised ecotoxicological concerns because it can be transported into the aquatic environment and cause adverse effects on the aquatic system. However, the functional mechanism of glyphosate on cyanobacteria are not completely disentangled. In this study, we selected six common cyanobacteria to evaluate glyphosate effects on cyanobacterial growth in monoculture experiment. Results showed that the growth of five tested cyanobacterial species were promoted under different degrees, and only Pseudanabaena was inhibited by glyphosate. In the phylogenetic tree based on gene sequences of 5-enol-pyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS), a target for glyphosate, we found that the position of Pseudanabaena is the closest to plant, which was sensitive to glyphosate, thereby explaining the inhibitory effect of Pseudanabaena following glyphosate exposure. The primary degraded metabolites or analogs did not induce cyanobacterial growth, laterally demonstrating that glyphosate was used as a source of phosphorus to accelerate cyanobacterial growth because phosphorus levels increased in the medium of glyphosate treatment. Overall, this study provides a better understanding of the influence of glyphosate on the composition of aquatic microbiota and explains the mechanism of cyanobacterial response to glyphosate.     

The European Conformity Assessment Procedures and the Quality Assurance Instruments for Personal Protective Equipment in the Internal Market

Conformity assessment procedures prescribed by European legislation are presented and their concrete implementation is illustrated by the example of personal protective equipment (PPE). The different categories of PPE defined by Council Directive 89/686/EEC are explained with reference to the applicable conformity assessment elements. Quality assurance of production is presented as the central element of the conformity assessment procedure for complex PPE. Special emphasis is put on the necessity of having a regular exchange of views and information among notified bodies in Europe. Ways in which third countries can eventually carry out conformity assessment on the basis of a contract with the European Community Commission are explained.     

蚯蚓处理对污泥中微生物碳量及脱氢酶活性的影响

将含水率80.6%的脱水污泥制成5 mm的污泥颗粒,以添加蚯蚓(赤子爱胜蚓)为处理组,无蚯蚓为对照组,测定不同时期污泥的理化性质、微生物碳量(MBC)和脱氢酶活性(DHA)的变化,重点研究了蚯蚓对污泥降解过程中MBC和DHA变化的影响.结果表明,相比对照组,蚯蚓处理组p H变化幅度较小;实验结束时,蚯蚓处理组的电导率(EC)和溶解性有机碳(DOC)显著高于对照组,而有机质(OM)显著低于对照组.实验前30 d,蚯蚓处理组MBC显著高于对照组,40 d至实验结束,蚯蚓处理组MBC显著低于对照组.DHA的结果表明,蚯蚓处理组和对照组在前30 d并没有显著性差异,40 d后蚯蚓处理组的DHA显著低于对照组,DHA稳定在2.98~6.40 mg·g-1·h-1(以TPF计).相关分析表明,DHA、MBC和OM之间显著正相关.研究表明,接种蚯蚓在实验前期显著提升了系统的微生物量,加快污泥有机质的降解,从而导致后期产物的微生物量及其活性较低,最终产物更稳定.     

泰乐菌素的微生物降解途径及其降解产物研究

研究了越南伯克霍尔德氏菌(Burkholderia vietnamiensis)对泰乐菌素的降解能力,并通过对降解产物的分析,推测了泰乐菌素的微生物降解途径.在自主筛选驯化分离到1株泰乐菌素高效降解菌B.vietnamiensis的基础上,采用高效液相色谱法测定其在不同条件下降解泰乐菌素的能力,并利用制备液相色谱分离纯化降解产物,质谱鉴定其结构.实验结果表明:B.vietnamiensis能高度耐受并快速降解泰乐菌素,用B.vietnamiensis处理初始浓度为50、100、200、300、400或500 mg·L-1的泰乐菌素培养基7 d,泰乐菌素的降解率均达到99%以上.B.vietnamiensis降解泰乐菌素的可能途径是:泰乐菌素A首先脱去碳霉糖转化为泰乐菌素B,然后分子中内酯键和醛基再经水解和还原生成2个新的降解产物.研究结果为泰乐菌素微生物降解机制的研究以及在此基础上降解酶的确定提供有价值的技术参考.     

利用光微生物燃料电池实现养猪废水资源化利用研究

采用光合细菌和微藻分别作为阳极和阴极接种物构建了双室光微生物燃料电池,考察了氮、磷浓度及阳极处理后的养猪废水对阴极微藻生长的影响,探讨了构建的光微生物燃料电池产电性能及去除养猪废水中COD、氨氮和总磷的效果.结果表明,阴极微藻不仅能利用无机硝态氮和氨氮,而且更喜好有机氮尿素;此外,阴极微藻可适应较高浓度的氮(250 mg·L-1)和磷(64.8 mg·L-1).构建的光微生物燃料电池以养猪废水为基质,外载为1000Ω时,稳定输出电压为161 m V;养猪废水的COD、氨氮及总磷去除率分别为91.8%、90.2%和81.7%.养猪废水经阳极光合细菌处理后培养微藻16 d,藻细胞光密度(OD680)可达3.40,略低于对照BG11培养基.因此,构建的光微生物燃料电池在处理养猪废水产电的同时,可收获微藻实现养猪废水资源化.     

三峡工程三期蓄水初期长江口水域春季浮游动物群落特征及其与环境的关系

三峡工程于2010年10月26日达到三期正常蓄水位,为了研究三期蓄水后初期长江口的生态环境特征,于2011年4月对长江口水域24个站位进行了浮游动物的采集,分析了其种类、丰度、优势种及其与环境的关系.结果表明,调查海域共发现浮游动物97种(含20种浮游幼体),其中,桡足类33种,水母类13种,介形类5种,毛颚类5种,还有一些其它浮游种类.夜光虫和中华哲水蚤是该水域的绝对优势种.根据各站位浮游动物种类组成及其丰度,采用聚类分析法将该水域的浮游动物分为4组群落区域:外海高盐区、冲淡水和外海水混合区、长江口南支附近、长江口北支附近.物种丰度和多样性在空间分布上呈相反的趋势,在长江冲淡水和外海水的混合水域丰度最高,多样性指数最低.物种与环境的CCA(典范对应分析)显示,影响长江口春季浮游动物群落结构的主要环境因子为盐度、营养盐和水温.