Carbon/electron source dependence of polychlorinated biphenyl dechlorination pathways for anaerobic granules

The effect of acclimating anaerobic granules from commercial bioreactors with different carbon/electron sources on their ability to reductively dechlorinate a tri-(2,3,4-CB) and heptachlorobiphenyl (2,2',3,3',4,5,6-CB) was studied. The anaerobic granules were first grown in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors fed with two different mixtures of carbon/electron sources, i.e., propionate/butyrate/methanol and formate/methanol. Differences in dechlorination patterns for 2,2',3,3',4,5,6-CB were observed in batch experiments inoculated with granules from these two sets of UASB reactors. Variation of the carbon/electron source, during the dechlorination process, had no effect on the dechlorination pathway, but the extents and rates of dechlorination were highest for ethanol and formate and lowest for pyruvate fed batches. Pre-acclimation of different anaerobic sludges to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) shortened the lag period, but did not influence the PCB dechlorination pathway. This is the first time that similar acclimation conditions for several anaerobic microbial communities prior to inoculation were reported to yield similar substrate specificities for the reductive dechlorination of specific PCB congeners. This research demonstrates a successful strategy for the development of biocatalysts to serve as the inoculum of partially decontaminated sites in order to provide microorganisms with specificities complementary to those of naturally occurring dechlorinators.     

Patterns of metal soil contamination and changes in terrestrial cryptogamic communities

Correlations between terricolous bryophyte- and lichen- vegetation and edaphic parameters (pH, organic matter, nitrogen, Carbon/nitrogen ratio, Cation Exchange Capacity, and Cd, Pb and Zn soil contents) of soils submitted to a gradient of metal contamination in northern France were performed using statistical analysis. Six classes can be distinguished according to the low-, intermediate- and high-trace metal levels respectively, leading to the conclusion that bryophyte- and lichen-groupings have a strong bioindicative value of the heavy metal pollution of soils.     

Review of disposal technologies for chromated copper arsenate (CCA) treated wood waste, with detailed analyses of thermochemical conversion processes

Several alternative methods for the disposal of chromated copper arsenate (CCA) treated wood waste have been studied in the literature, and these methods are reviewed and compared in this paper. Alternative disposal methods include: recycling and recovery, chemical extraction, bioremediation, electrodialytic remediation and thermal destruction. Thermochemical conversion processes are evaluated in detail based on experiments with model compounds as well as experimental and modelling work with CCA treated wood. The latter category includes: determination of the percentage of arsenic volatilised during thermal conversion of CCA treated wood, identification of the mechanisms responsible for arsenic release, modelling of high temperature equilibrium chemistry involved when CCA treated wood is burned, overview of options available for arsenic capture, characterisation of ash resulting from (co-)combustion of CCA treated wood, concerns about polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/F) formation. Finally, the most appropriate thermochemical disposal technology is identified on short term (co-incineration) and on long term (low-temperature pyrolysis or high-temperature gasification).     

Influence of ash on the fiber composition of dried dairy manures

The objective of this work was to examine the role of ash in the compositional analysis of dried dairy manures. Ninety-nine dairy manures obtained from Connecticut, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia were dried at 60 degrees C, and ground to 20 mesh. Samples were analyzed for neutral and acid detergent fiber, acid detergent lignin, total carbon, total nitrogen, and ash. In addition, cellulose and hemicellulose were computed by difference. Results indicated that high ash contents (8-52% of dry matter) can dramatically and unpredictably alter various measures of fiber composition and are a significant source of error in the determination of manure composition and how it relates to mineralization or other compositional influenced factors. Also, while the ash content of the dried intact manure can easily be determined, it is difficult to estimate the ash contribution to the individual fiber determinations, especially if sequential assays are performed.     

Gross fluxes and estuarine behaviour of pesticides in the Scheldt estuary (1995-1997)

As part of the Fluxes of Agrochemicals into the Marine Environment (FAME) project, the gross fluxes of selected pesticides (i.e. the herbicides atrazine, simazine, alachlor and metolachlor, the atrazine degradation product desethylatrazine, the insecticide dichlorvos and the antifouling agent Irgarol 1051) transported by the river Scheldt and the Canal Ghent-Terneuzen were determined from March 1995 through February 1997. In general, the observed temporal trends were related to the application period of the pesticides, except for metolachlor for which elevated concentrations were observed in the winter of 1995-1996. Relatively large gross fluxes were found for desethylatrazine compared with its parent compound. A study on the estuarine behaviour of pesticides showed distinct differences between the compound classes. The mixing plots of the organophosphorus insecticides dichlorvos and diazinon revealed clear evidence of estuarine loss processes which agrees with their low DT50 values reported for water/sediment systems, their relatively high Henry's law constants and, for diazinon, its relatively high Koc value. The mixing plots of the acetanilides alachlor and metolachlor were strongly influenced by an additional direct emission into the estuary, which was evident from a maximum in dissolved concentration near a salinity of 10@1000. An apparent conservative behaviour was observed for the triazine compounds atrazine and Irgarol 1051. This was in contrast to simazine, which showed an apparent non-conservative behaviour. However, the time profiles of the riverine concentrations of simazine did not exclude that the observed curvature was solely caused by estuarine losses; therefore, additional modelling is required. In a follow-up study a suitable hydrological model of the Scheldt estuary was constructed; the results will be presented in a forthcoming paper (Steen, R.J.C.A., Evers, E.H.G., Van Hattum, B., Cofino, W.P. and Brinkman, U.A.Th. Net fluxes of pesticides from the Scheldt estuary into the North Sea: a model approach. Environmental Pollution, submitted.     

Carbendazim sorption-desorption in Vietnamese soils

Four Vietnamese soils (denoted AG, CT, ST and TG) which differed with respect to pH (pH 2.9-5.4), clay (17-50%) and organic matter (0.3-9.8%) content, were selected for sorption and desorption studies of carbendazim using the batch equilibration technique. Sorption increased with increasing organic carbon (OC) and clay content. Kd values for carbendazim sorption on AG, CT, ST, TG soils at initial concentration of 20 microg/g were 12.5, 127, 8.1 and 9.6 ml/g, respectively. The OC partition coefficients (Koc) for AG, CT, ST and TG were 1140, 1300, 2700 and 960 ml/g, respectively. Carbendazim was strongly sorbed and the binding was less reversible in the acid sulfate soil (CT), than in the other soils. The CT soil had both the highest OC content (9.8%) and the highest clay content (49.8%). The influence of pH on carbendazim sorption was studied in the ST and CT soils. Sorption of carbendazim by the sandy ST soil (OC 0.3%; clay content 26.3%) increased as the pH decreased, while sorption of carbendazim by the CT soil decreased as pH decreased.     

Bird species and traits associated with logged and unlogged forest in Borneo.

The ecological consequences of logging have been and remain a focus of considerable debate. In this study, we assessed bird species composition within a logging concession in Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. Within the study area (approximately 196 km2) a total of 9747 individuals of 177 bird species were recorded. Our goal was to identify associations between species traits and environmental variables. This can help us to understand the causes of disturbance and predict whether species with given traits will persist under changing environmental conditions. Logging, slope position, and a number of habitat structure variables including canopy cover and liana abundance were significantly related to variation in bird composition. In addition to environmental variables, spatial variables also explained a significant amount of variation. However, environmental variables, particularly in relation to logging, were of greater importance in structuring variation in composition. Environmental change following logging appeared to have a pronounced effect on the feeding guild and size class structure but there was little evidence of an effect on restricted range or threatened species although certain threatened species were adversely affected. For example, species such as the terrestrial insectivore Argusianus argus and the hornbill Buceros rhinoceros, both of which are threatened, were rare or absent in recently logged forest. In contrast, undergrowth insectivores such as Orthotomus atrogularis and Trichastoma rostratum were abundant in recently logged forest and rare in unlogged forest. Logging appeared to have the strongest negative effect on hornbills, terrestrial insectivores, and canopy bark-gleaning insectivores while moderately affecting canopy foliage-gleaning insectivores and frugivores, raptors, and large species in general. In contrast, undergrowth insectivores responded positively to logging while most understory guilds showed little pronounced effect. Despite the high species richness of logged forest, logging may still have a negative impact on extant diversity by adversely affecting key ecological guilds. The sensitivity of hornbills in particular to logging disturbance may be expected to alter rainforest dynamics by seriously reducing the effective seed dispersal of associated tree species. However, logged forest represents an increasingly important habitat for most bird species and needs to be protected from further degradation. Biodiversity management within logging concessions should focus on maintaining large areas of unlogged forest and mitigating the adverse effects of logging on sensitive groups of species.     

Feeding biology of the shrimp Rimicaris exoculata at hydrothermal vents on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

A newly described species of shrimp, Rimicaris exoculata Williams and Rona, 1986, dominates the megafaunal community at two hydrothermal vent sites on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Behavioral observations and gut-content analyses indicate, that these shrimp ingest large amounts of sulfide particles from black smoker chimneys. We found no evidence for chemoautotrophic endosymbionts in R. exoculata, based on analyses of morphology, stable isotopes, lipopolysaccharides, and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (RuBPCase) activity. Instead we suggest that the shrimp, are normal heterotrophs, grazing on free-living microorganisms associated with black smoker chimneys. We infer that high bacterial productivity is required to sustain populations of R. exoculata at these vent sites.     

Analysis of an intertidal population of the amphipod Gammarus palustris using a modified version of the egg-ratio method

An intertidal population of Gammarus palustris Bousfield was sampled over a 23-month period and analyzed by a modified form of the egg-ratio method. Total numbers and size-frequency distributions revealed small numbers in the early spring which later increased to a peak in the summer months. This was followed by a marked reduction near the end of sumer and a subsequent rise in numbers during the early fall. Finally there was a second decrease to very low numbers in the late fall and early winter. Average brood size was calculated and used as an indication of food limitation. Attempts to correlate this with per capita rate of change (r), birth rate ( \((\hat b)\) and death rate ( \((\hat d)\) ) suggested that the population increase in the early summer was food-rather than predator-limited. The late summer decline appears to be the result of predation pressure as well as food limitation. The fall peak is attributed to juvenile release from ovigerous femals escaping previous predation and to an increase in adult males resulting from a release in predation pressure. The winter decline may be due to adverse environmental conditions.     

A dispersal model for larvae of the deep sea red crab Geryon quinquedens based upon behavioral regulation of vertical migration in the hatching stage

Behavioral responses to gravity, hydrostatic pressure, and thermoclines are described for Stage I zoeae of the deep sea red crab Geryon quinquedens Smith. Survival and rate of development as a function of temperature is presented for all larval stages. Although temperatures between 10° and 25°C have no direct effect upon survival, development time is five times longer at 10°C than at 25°C. Stage I larvae show strong negative response to gravity. Swimming rate increases with an increase in pressure up to 20 atm above ambient at 11°C, but not at 15°C. Swimming rates at 15°C are higher than those measured at 11°C at each pressure tested. Stage I larvae readily penetrate sharp thermoclines. Potential dispersal ranges of G. quinquedens larvae in the Mid-Atlantic Bight are suggested based on larval behavior, development time, and coastal hydrography. A testable recruitment model is proposed for G. quinquedens.Contribution no. 1365 of the Center for Environmental and Estuarine Studies