Management Options to Conserve and Sequester Carbon in the Agricultural Sector of the Former Soviet Union

Several management practices are available to conserve and sequester C in the agricultural sector of the former Soviet Union (FSU). The highest rate of C accumulation would result from the implementation of a no-till management option which will only continue during the first ten years until new C equilibrium is reached. Agroforestry management options provide a longer period for C accumulation, but at a lower rate. It is possible that the longest period of C conservation may be achieved by increasing the area under perennial grasses in the crop rotation. During the first decade of implementation of the management practices, the amount of C conserved or sequestered would be approximately equal to the current rate of net C sequestration in FSU forest sector. At present, agricultural soils and vegetation of the FSU store approximately 120 Pg C; the accumulation of soil organic matter is 0.032 Pg C yr^-1. The annual C loss in the FSU agricultural sector was estimated at 0.21 Pg C yr^-1.     

Proximal traits and mechanisms for biasing paternity in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

A comprehensive understanding of sexual selection requires knowledge of the traits and mechanisms responsible for increasing a male’s paternity share (proportion of progeny sired) relative to that of other males mating with the same female. In this study we manipulated by starvation the expression of traits that might influence male paternity share in Tribolium castaneum. We then conducted experiments to examine how male starvation affects male performance during sequential episodes of sexual selection from mating to progeny production, and investigated female control over specific stages by using live vs dead females. Comparison of starved vs fed males revealed that T. castaneum females have control over spermatophore transfer during mating, as live females rejected inseminations by starved (“low quality”) males. None of the measured male copulatory behaviors (leg-rubbing frequency, asymmetry, and percent of time spent rubbing) affected the probability of successful insemination, but the last two were positively associated with male paternity share. Spermatophore positioning within the female reproductive tract was not affected by male treatment (starved/fed), by female treatment (live/dead), or by male copulatory behaviors. Starvation, however, had a dramatic effect on male reproductive physiology, decreasing both accessory gland size and total number of sperms transferred (but not sperm viability in seminal vesicles). In addition, females who mated to starved males stored fewer sperms in their spermathecae, which, together with decreased ejaculate size, may explain the reduced paternity share of starved males compared to fed males. This study elucidates some cryptic mechanisms influencing male reproductive success and aids our understanding of trait evolution through sexual selection.     

Invasive insect abundance varies across the biogeographic distribution of a native host plant.

Studies of biogeographic variation in species abundances are fundamental to understanding and predicting the impacts of invasive exotic species. We quantified the abundance of the introduced and now invasive biocontrol weevil, Rhinocyllus conicus, on a newly adopted native host plant, Cirsium canescens (Platte thistle), across the plant's distributional range. We used regression and structural equation analyses to examine variation in weevil abundance at 92-108 sites over three years in relation to variation in abiotic and biotic parameters hypothesized to be important in insect or plant dynamics and distribution. We found that R. conicus now occurs throughout the majority of the range of C. canescens, even in the center of the native plant's distribution where its coevolved, targeted weed host (Carduus nutans, musk thistle) is absent. In fact, weevil densities were greater in the center of the native plant's distribution in the Sand Hills formation than in peripheral sand patches closer to areas where the targeted 'exotic thistle is common. None of the macroclimatic variables examined were consistent predictors of the large-scale variation in weevil abundance on C. canescens. In addition to biogeographic position, the only other consistent predictor of weevil densities across sites was the number of flower heads per C. canescens plant. These results exclude the "spillover" hypothesis to explain nontarget feeding on this newly adopted native host species. Instead, the results are consistent with the alternative hypothesis that exotic weevil abundance on C. canescens is related to the local availability of native floral resources. Because C. canescens densities have declined with increases in R. conicus at sites central in the plant's distribution, these results suggest that isolated, peripheral populations of C. canescens are likely to be critical for persistence of Platte thistle. More generally, this study suggests that the persistence of a native species that is impacted by an exotic natural enemy may require preservation of populations in habitats outside the optimal portion of the native species' distribution.     

Greenhouse gas mitigation options in the Forest sector of Russia: National and project level assessments

Greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation options in the Russian forest sector include: afforestation and reforestation of unforested/degraded land area; enhanced forest productivity; incorporation of nondestructive methods of wood harvesting in the forest industry; establishment of land protective forest stands; increase in stand age of final harvest in the European part of Russia; increased fire control; increased disease and pest control; and preservation of old growth forests in the Russian Far-East, which are presently threatened. Considering the implementation of all of the options presented, the GHG mitigation potential within the forest and agroforestry sectors of Russia is approximately 0.6–0.7 Pg C/yr or one half of the industrial carbon emissions of the United States. The difference between the GHG mitigation potential and the actual level of GHGs mitigated in the Russian forest sector will depend to a great degree on external financing that may be available. One possibility for external financing is through joint implementation (JI). However, under the JI process, each project will be evaluated by considering a number of criteria including also the difference between the carbon emissions or sequestration for the baseline (or reference) and the project case, the permanence of the project, and leakage. Consequently, a project level assessment must appreciate the near-term constraints that will face practitioners who attempt to realize the GHG mitigation potential in the forest and agroforestry sectors of their countries.     

Variation in herbivore-mediated indirect effects of an invasive plant on a native plant

Theory predicts that damage by a shared herbivore to a secondary host plant species may either be higher or lower in the vicinity of a preferred host plant species. To evaluate the importance of ecological factors, such as host plant proximity and density, in determining the direction and strength of such herbivore-mediated indirect effects, we quantified oviposition by the exotic weevil Rhinocyllus conicus on the native wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum in midgrass prairie on loam soils in the upper Great Plains, USA. Over three years (2001-2003), the number of eggs laid by R. conicus on C. undulatum always decreased significantly with distance (0-220 m) from a musk thistle (Carduus nutans L.) patch. Neither the level of R. conicus oviposition on C. undulatum nor the strength of the distance effect was predicted by local musk thistle patch density or by local C. undulatum density (<5 m). The results suggest that high R. conicus egg loads on C. undulatum near musk thistle resulted from the native thistle's co-occurrence with the coevolved preferred exotic host plant and not from the weevil's response to local host plant density. Mean egg loads on C. undulatum also were greater at sites with higher R. conicus densities. We conclude that both preferred-plant proximity and shared herbivore density strongly affected the herbivore-mediated indirect interaction, suggesting that such interactions are important pathways by which invasive exotic weeds can indirectly impact native plants.     

Electro and Baromembrane Methods of Petrochemical Enterprises' Wastewater Treatment

The paper focuses on the development of production methods for new ion‐exchange membranes on the basis of ED‐20 industrial epoxide resin, resorcinol diglycidyl ether (RDGE), vinyl ether of monoethanolamine (VEMEA), and different di‐ and polyamines (polyethylenepolyamine (PEPA), polyethyleneimine (PEI), and hexamethylenediamine (HMDA)) in the presence of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as a thermoplastic polymer binder. With the purpose to establish optimum conditions for synthesis of interpolymer membranes, the influence of reactants' concentration, of the temperature, of the nature and the quantity of the solvent, and of the process duration, was studied. It was found that when the VEMEA content in the reaction mixture is increased, the static exchange capacity (SEC) of the membrane increases in the presence of: PEI in the range of 1.2 to 4.7 mEq/L; PEPA: 1.0 to 4.0 mEq/L; and, HMDA: 1.4 to 5.2 mEq/L. It was shown that the optimum synthesis conditions are heating the reaction mixture to 60 °C to 70 °C for six to seven hours with constant stirring. For increasing the basicity of membranes, N‐alkylation was carried out using known alkylating agents (methyl iodide, dimethyl sulfate, and epichlorohydrin (ECH)). The primary electrochemical and physic‐mechanic properties of the obtained membranes were studied on pilot electrodialysis cells. The process flow diagram of the electrodialysis plant, as well as the engineering design documentation thereof were developed, and a pilot electrodialysis plant was constructed. The maximum production capacity of the pilot plant was 600 L/hr with a 30 percent desalinization rate. To increase the desalinization rate up to 75 percent, circulation of the solution and a decrease of production capacity was suggested. For meeting the treated water requirements in terms of salt content, a partial recirculation mode was introduced. In the course of the studies conducted, a process flow diagram was developed, and an experimental installation and a pilot reverse osmosis plant were fabricated for phenol and ammonium nitrogen purification. The pilot plant was tested using process condensate from the Pavlodar Petrochemical Plant. It was found that prior oxidation of the condensate with ozone in alkali medium resulted in phenol purification up to 85 percent and ammonium nitrogen up to 93 percent. ©2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Photocatalytic ozonation of terephthalic acid: a by-product-oriented decomposition study

Terephthalic acid (TA) is considered as a refractory model compound. For this reason, the TA degradation usually requires a prolonged reaction time to achieve mineralization. In this study, vanadium oxide (V_xO_y) supported on titanium oxide (TiO₂) served as a photocatalyst in the ozonation of the TA with light-emitting diodes (LEDs), having a bandwidth centered at 452 nm. The modified catalyst (V_xO_y/TiO₂) in combination with ozone and LEDs improved the TA degradation and its by-products. The results obtained by this system were compared with photolysis, single ozonation, catalytic ozonation, and photocatalytic ozonation of V_xO_y/TiO₂ with UV lamp. The LED-based photocatalytic ozonation showed almost the same decomposition efficiency of the TA, but it was better in comparison with the use of UV lamp. The oxalic acid accumulation, as the final product of the TA decomposition, was directly influenced by either the presence of V_xO_y or/and the LED irradiation. Several by-products formed during the TA degradation, such as muconic, fumaric, and oxalic acids, were identified. Besides, two unidentified by-products were completely removed during the observed time (60 min). It was proposed that the TA elimination in the presence of V_xO_y/TiO₂ as catalyst was carried out by the combination of different mechanisms: molecular ozone reaction, indirect mechanism conducted by ·OH, and the surface complex formation.     

Terrestrial Carbon Dynamics: Case Studies in the Former Soviet Union,the Conterminous United States,Mexico and Brazil

This research assessed land-use impacts on C flux at a national level in four countries: former Soviet Union, United States, Mexico and Brazil, including biotic processes in terrestrial ecosystems (closed forests, woodlands, and croplands), harvest of trees for wood and paper products, and direct C emission from fires. The terrestrial ecosystems of the four countries contain approximately 40% of the world's terrestrial biosphere C pool, with the FSU alone having 27% of the global total. Average phytomass C densities decreased from south to north while average soil C densities in all three vegetation types generally increased from south to north. The C flux from land cover conversion was divided into a biotic component and a land-use component. We estimate that the total net biotic flux (Tg/yr) was positive (= uptake) in the FSU (631) and the U.S. (332), but negative in Mexico (−37) and Brazil (−16). In contrast, total flux from land use was negative (= emissions) in all four countries (TgC/yr): FSU −343; U.S. −243; Mexico −35; and Brazil −235. The total net effect of the biotic and land-use factors was a C sink in the FSU and the U.S. and a C source in both Brazil and Mexico. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Morphology, molecular phylogeny and photosynthetic activity of the sacoglossan mollusc, Elysia nigrocapitata, from Korea

The morphology, external coloration as well as the life span of a kleptoplastic mollusc, Elysia nigrocapitata, was affected by its algal diet. Among algal diets, Chaetomorpha moniligera was the best for growth but not for animal longevity. TEM studies showed several distinctive layers composed of different cell types in sectioned parapodia. The chloroplast-containing digestive cells were located beneath the layer of vacuolated cells. The digestive cells contained 10–15 chloroplasts, in varying states of intactness, and several nuclei. Chloroplasts were not enclosed by any membranous structure in the host cytosol. Chlorophyll a fluorometry showed that the photosynthetic activity of kleptoplasts in E. nigrocapitata could be maintained for a long time only when animals were kept in the dark. The photosynthetic activity of kleptoplasts lasted 3–4 days when the animals were exposed to continuous illumination of 200 μmol photons m^?2 s^?1. These results suggested that the contribution of kleptoplasts to the survival of the animals might be minimal if the chloroplasts are not sequestered continuously. Cox I, 16S rDNA, and 28S rDNA sequence data have been obtained in order to phylogenetically place the new species of Elysia found in Korea.