An evaluation of the applicability of microarrays for monitoring toxic algae in Irish coastal waters

The applicability of microarrays to monitor harmful algae across a broad range of ecological niches and toxic species responsible for harmful algal events has been one of the key tasks in the EU Seventh Framework Programme (FP7)-funded Microarrays for the Detection of Toxic Algae project. The technique has a strong potential for improving speed and accuracy of the identification of harmful algae and their toxins to assist monitoring programmes. Water samples were collected from a number of coastal sites around Ireland, including several that are used in the Irish National Phytoplankton and Biotoxin Monitoring Programme. Ribosomal RNA was extracted from filtered field samples, labelled with a fluorescent dye, and hybridised to probes spotted in a microarray format on a glass slide. The fluorescent signal intensity of the hybridisation to >120 probes on the chip was analysed and compared with actual field counts. There was a general agreement between cell counts and microarray signal. Results are presented for field samples taken from a range of stations along the Irish coastline known for harmful algal events during the first field trial (July 2009–April 2010).     

Pastoralists' responses to variation of rangeland resources in time and space.

We explore the response of pastoralists to rangeland resource variation in time and space, focusing on regions where high variation makes it unlikely that an economically viable herd can be maintained on a single management unit. In such regions, the need to move stock to find forage in at least some years has led to the evolution of nomadism and transhumance, and reciprocal grazing agreements among the holders of common-property rangeland. The role of such informal institutions in buffering resource variation is well documented in some Asian and African rangelands, but in societies with formally established private-property regimes, where we focus, such institutions have received little attention. We examine agistment networks, which play an important role in buffering resource variation in modern-day Australia. Agistment is a commercial arrangement between pastoralists who have less forage than they believe they require and pastoralists who believe they have more. Agistment facilitates the movement of livestock via a network based largely on trust. We are concerned exclusively with the link between the characteristics of biophysical variation and human aspects of agistment networks, and we developed a model to test the hypothesis that such a link could exist. Our model builds on game theory literature, which explains cooperation between strangers based on the ability of players to learn whom they can trust. Our game is played on a highly stylized landscape that allows us to control and isolate the degree of spatial variation and spatial covariation. We found that agistment networks are more effective where spatial variation in resource availability is high, and generally more effective when spatial covariation is low. Policy design that seeks to work with existing social networks in rangelands has potential, but this potential varies depending on localized characteristics of the biophysical variability.     

Analytical protocol for the analysis of polybrominated dibenzo-dioxins and dibenzofurans: Data quality objectives and single-laboratory evaluation

An analytical protocol for the measurement of part per billion and sub-part per billion levels of PBDDs and PBDFs in selected flame retardant chemicals (polybrominated diphenyloxides; PBDPO) was developed. The fractionation/enrichment procedures were optimized to minimize the effects of the PBDPOs upon the ability to recover and measure the PBDD/PBDFs. Results from the method validation show that the current methodology is capable of accuracies ranging from 70% to 150% at the 0.1 to 10 ppb levels while larger sample sizes (from 20–200 mg to 4 g) are necessary in order to meet the EPA target Test Rule limit of quantification (LOQ) requirements.     

Assessment of the sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer technique for measuring enteric methane emissions from cattle

A commonly used method of measuring enteric methane (CH4) emissions from ruminants is the SF6 tracer technique that measures respired and eructated CH4. However, within the animal, a small proportion of CH4 is produced post-ruminally and some of this may escape through the rectum. The comparison of emissions using a chamber technique that measures all enteric CH4 losses, and the SF6 tracer technique, could give some insight into the magnitude of post-ruminal emission. The objective of our study was to assess the precision and accuracy of the SF6 tracer technique against a chamber technique for cattle fed a range of diets. Using a repeated-measures design, eight beef heifers were offered a high grain or high forage diet for ad libitum or restricted (65% of ad libitum) feed intake to vary the site of digestion within the gastrointestinal tract (n = 24). The SF6 tracer technique underestimated CH4 emissions on average by 4% relative to the chamber technique. This difference was not significant (P > 0.05) and suggests low post-ruminal CH4 emissions. There was a trend for greater accuracy and precision of the SF6 tracer technique when used with cattle fed a high forage diet at a restricted level of intake. The high forage diet corresponds to the conditions of cattle grazing pasture, suggesting the SF6 tracer technique is most reliable for the grazing system.     

污水二氧化氯和氯消毒过程中遗传毒性的变化及氨氮的影响

采用umu遗传毒性测试方法考察了二氧化氯和氯消毒对几种城市污水生物处理出水遗传毒性的影响,发现当二氧化氯消毒剂从0　mg/L增加到30　mg/L时,几种污水的遗传毒性均先迅速降低后趋于稳定,而当氯消毒剂从0　mg/L增加到30　mg/L时,几种污水的遗传毒性的变化规律不同.进一步研究氨氮对污水消毒过程中遗传毒性变化的影响,发现氨氮对污水二氧化氯消毒过程中遗传毒性的变化规律没有显著影响,但是对污水氯消毒过程中遗传毒性的变化规律却起着至关重要的作用.当氨氮含量较小（<10～20　mg/L）时,污水氯消毒后的遗传毒性小于消毒前;当氨氮含量较大时（>10～20　mg/L）,污水氯消毒后的遗传毒性大于消毒前.     

Microbial communities and greenhouse gas emissions associated with the biodegradation of specified risk material in compost

Provided that infectious prions (PrP^Sc) are inactivated, composting of specified risk material (SRM) may be a viable alternative to rendering and landfilling. In this study, bacterial and fungal communities as well as greenhouse gas emissions associated with the degradation of SRM were examined in laboratory composters over two 14 day composting cycles. Chicken feathers were mixed into compost to enrich for microbial communities involved in the degradation of keratin and other recalcitrant proteins such as prions. Feathers altered the composition of bacterial and fungal communities primarily during the first cycle. The bacterial genera Saccharomonospora, Thermobifida, Thermoactinomycetaceae, Thiohalospira, Pseudomonas, Actinomadura, and Enterobacter, and the fungal genera Dothideomycetes, Cladosporium, Chaetomium, and Trichaptum were identified as candidates involved in SRM degradation. Feathers increased (P < 0.05) headspace concentrations of CH₄ primarily during the early stages of the first cycle and N₂O during the second. Although inclusion of feathers in compost increases greenhouse gas emissions, it may promote the establishment of microbial communities that are more adept at degrading SRM and recalcitrant proteins such as keratin and PrP^Sc.     

南水北调中线工程调水前后汉江下游水生态环境特征与响应规律识别

随着我国南水北调中线工程（简称“中线工程”）于2014年底正式通水运行,科学识别调水前后汉江下游水生态环境特征与响应规律,是国家重大水利工程优化调度的迫切管理需求.基于系统收集的2010—2017年汉江下游水文、气象、水质及水生态数据匹配资料,利用多种数据模型方法识别了中线工程调水前后汉江下游主要环境要素特征和响应规律,探索了导致河流生态退化的关键驱动因子及其贡献.结果表明:①中线工程开通后,受丹江口水库下泄流量减少的影响,汉江下游多年平均流量下降了11.5%,流量年内分配趋于不均匀,流量变幅增大,人类活动对汉江下游径流过程的影响更为显著.②调水后汉江下游ρ（TP）、ρ（TN）减小,武汉段ρ（Chla）和藻密度显著上升,汉江下游水华的发生对水文过程改变更加敏感.③基于GAM模型（广义相加模型）的相关分析,调水前后影响汉江下游藻密度变化的关键因子是流量和ρ（TP）,调水前贡献率分别为27.7%和20.5%,调水后贡献率分别为65.4%和20.5%,调水后汉江下游流量对藻密度变化的贡献率显著升高,说明上游调水引起的汉江下游流量减小对水华暴发的影响十分明显,而TP等营养盐的影响相对减弱.      

Physical and chemical properties of feedlot pen surfaces located on moderately coarse- and moderately fine-textured soils in southern Alberta

Southern Alberta has the highest density of feedlot cattle in Canada, and there is a concern that leaching of water and contaminants may be greater for feedlots located on coarser-textured than finer-textured soils. Our objective was to determine if infiltration and leaching were greater for a 4-yr-old feedlot located on a moderately coarse-textured (MC) soil compared with two feedlots located on moderately fine-textured (MF) soils (5- and 52-yr-old pens). Various soil physical properties of feedlot pen surfaces were measured, including field-saturated hydraulic conductivity (K(fs)) and near-saturated hydraulic conductivity at -0.9 and -3.9 cm water potential. Selected chemical properties of feedlot soil layers were measured, as well as the chloride content of the soil profile (0-100 cm). Mean K(fs), K(-0.9), and K(-3.9) values were not significantly (P > 0.10) greater at the MC site than the two MF sites, indicating no evidence of greater infiltration on coarser-textured soils. In addition, mean K(fs), K(-0.9), and K(-3.9) values of soils within feedlot pens at all three sites were significantly (P < or = 0.10) reduced by 46 to 78% compared with soil outside the pens. Depth of chloride accumulation was greatest at the 52-yr-old feedlot on MF soil (60-70 cm), followed by 4-yr-old feedlot on MC soil (40-50 cm) and 5-yr-old feedlot on MF soil (30-40 cm). Visual inspection determined that the black interface layer formed within 2 mo of cattle stocking at all three sites.     

高职高专绿色食品专业实践教学环节的内容与方法研究

实践性教学是培养高职专业人才不可缺少的重要的教学环节，实践性教学环节主要包括专业认识性实习、课程实验（实习）、专业生产实习、毕业实习四个方面。本文论述了高职高专绿色食品专业的各个实践教学环节的内容和方法。