Adaptive evolution in urban ecosystems

Urban ecologists have demonstrated that cities are functioning ecosystems. It follows then that species living in these contexts should participate in and experience the same suite of biological processes, including evolution, that have occupied scientists for centuries in more “natural” contexts. In fact, urban ecosystems with myriad novel contexts, pressures, and species rosters provide unprecedentedly potent evolutionary stimuli. Here, we present the case for studying adaptive evolution in urban settings. We then review and synthesize techniques into a coherent approach for studying adaptive evolution in urban settings that combines observations of phenotypic divergence, measurements of fitness benefits of novel genetically based phenotypes, and experimental manipulations of potential drivers of adaptation. We believe that studying evolution in urban contexts can provide insights into fundamental evolutionary biology questions on rate, direction, and repeatability of evolution, and may inform species and ecosystem service conservation efforts.     

Twentieth century droughts and agriculture: Examples from impacts on soybean production in Kentucky,USA

Drought is a significant natural hazard that slowly evolves over time. Because of its character, drought is difficult to monitor and impacts are often poorly documented. Agriculture is one of the most sensitive sectors that are prone to drought. The objective of this research is to assess the impacts of drought on soybean production and revenue in Kentucky. Soybeans are one of Kentucky’s most important commodities. In this study, impacts of 1930–1931, 1940–1942, 1952–1955, 1987–1988, 1999–2000, and 2007 droughts were considered. It was found that over the recent years, up to 56 % of the revenue from soybeans was lost due to drought. During the first half of the twentieth century, revenue loss reached up to 77 %. This research is valuable to the general public as well as planners and policy makers. Proper documentation of impacts of past droughts will help identify drought vulnerabilities and results in better risk management and mitigation.     

An Avoidable Tragedy at the Sea Cliff (Rincon) Oil Field

Three men were killed and four others were injured during a well drill operation on Hobson Well C-10A in the Sea Cliff Oil Field (also known as Rincon Oil Field), in Ventura County, California, United States, on August 10, 1994, as a result of errors made by the work supervisors at the site. The oil field was under management by Vintage Petroleum, Ltd., which was sued for negligence by the families of the deceased and injured. The coroner's autopsy examination concluded that the cause of the deaths was due to the inhalation of the toxic gas carbon monoxide (CO). This gas was assumed to have been released from the firing of high-energy guns (HEGs) using carbon-rich explosive pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) in an oxygen-depleted environment, during a fracking operation by Schlumberger Corporation on Well C-10A. The author of this article was appointed as an expert witness by Schlumberger to evaluate if the coroner's conclusion was correct. A series of chemical analytical analyses were conducted on the vapor phase of samples, in addition to dissolved components in water from Well C-10A and two adjacent wells. Stable isotope analyses were also conducted on hydrogen (H₂), methane (CH₄), nitrogen (N₂), CO, and water (H₂O) 3 weeks after the accident, as well as on four additional occasions from September to December 1994. Control test analyses were performed on the products from HEG firings, using the same explosives as those used in the perforation of Well C-10A in control chambers at a Schlumberger facility in Houston, Texas. The conclusion reached was that the dominant products of PETN detonations are H₂, CH₄, CO, and N₂. However, the isotope ratios (D/H and ¹³C/¹²C) of methane in the control experiments were different in Well C-10A, following the detonation on August 10, 1994, than those resulting from controlled PETN explosions. The conclusion reached in this study was that the fracking of the well at a depth of around 2,150 ft had increased the permeability of the sediment layers in the Padres Zone at that depth to allow the rapid release of a large quantity of natural gas, primarily CH₄, which supersaturated the water in the well. This event caused the formation of a large bubble, which ballooned out of the well to the surface, displacing air in the location where the men were working, and thus causing asphyxiation, which resulted in the death of the three men. The judge accepted this interpretation.     

城市污水生物处理系统中微生物酶的活性及其分布

通过水解模式底物进行分光光度测定的方法,研究了城市污水生物处理系统中微生物酶的活性.选取亮氨酸氨基肽酶、β-葡萄糖苷酶、碱性磷酸酶和脂酶等胞外酶进行分析,结果发现4种胞外酶的平均活性在31.O～88.5 μmol/(L·h),其中76.9%～94.8%的酶活性分布在活性污泥中,说明绝大部分胞外酶是与细胞相连或固定在细胞外多聚絮体基质里.混合水样和出水水样中的DOC几乎相等,而各胞外酶与DOC不存在任何显著的相关关系.增加NO3-浓度可提高亮氨酸氨基肽酶和β-葡萄糖苷酶的活性,但对碱性磷酸酶和脂酶却有明显的抑制作用.     

Production of new concrete with leather tannery waste used as partial replacement of the natural sand

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Leather production is a technology that boosts the economy because of its versatility and durability. However, the wastes generated throughout the...     

Face mask and medical waste generation in the City of Baguio,Philippines: its current management and GHG footprint

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The daily use of facemask to prevent virus transmission increases the negative effect on the environment because of improper waste disposal. Due to...     

Revalorization of Macadamia nutshell residue as a filler in eco-friendly castor polyol-based polyurethane foam

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The use of lignocellulosic fibers as fillers in polymer matrices has aroused the interest of the scientific community and industrial sectors. In...     

Recycling potential of MWCNTs/HDPE nanocomposite filament: 3D printing and mechanical characterization

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Fused filament fabrication (FFF) based additive manufacturing (AM) process is a widely used and emerging manufacturing process for...     

Biogeochemical consequences of a changing Arctic shelf seafloor ecosystem

Unprecedented and dramatic transformations are occurring in the Arctic in response to climate change, but academic, public, and political discourse has disproportionately focussed on the most visible and direct aspects of change, including sea ice melt, permafrost thaw, the fate of charismatic megafauna, and the expansion of fisheries. Such narratives disregard the importance of less visible and indirect processes and, in particular, miss the substantive contribution of the shelf seafloor in regulating nutrients and sequestering carbon. Here, we summarise the biogeochemical functioning of the Arctic shelf seafloor before considering how climate change and regional adjustments to human activities may alter its biogeochemical and ecological dynamics, including ecosystem function, carbon burial, or nutrient recycling. We highlight the importance of the Arctic benthic system in mitigating climatic and anthropogenic change and, with a focus on the Barents Sea, offer some observations and our perspectives on future management and policy.