Changes in saprophytic organism's gut microbial communities may present a threat to organic matter breakdown which can ultimately lead to soil function impairment. In this study, Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis (ARDRA) was evaluated as a potential simple molecular tool to assess shifts in bacterial community structure in hindgut populations of Porcellio dilatatus exposed to contaminated food. This prospective tool can also be used for a variety of purposes and samples prior to the use of more specific and sophisticated methods. 相似文献
Food and Environmental Virology - Enteric viruses have been described as important contaminants in fresh and ready-to-eat foods such as sandwiches, deli meat and dairy products. This is a... 相似文献
Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Copper (Cu) can be toxic to vegetables when it is absorbed and accumulated at large concentrations, a fact that increases the risk of excessive... 相似文献
Heterogeneous photocatalysis is highlighted to treat volatile organic compound (VOC) emission. Then, this work analysed the influence of palladium (Pd) content loaded in TiO2 on n-octane and iso-octane photodegradation. For this, TiO2 was loaded with Pd in different contents: 0.4%, 0.7%, and 1.0%. The samples were characterized, and the photodegradation experiments were conducted by Pd/TiO2/UV process. The characterization analyses showed that the metal presence did not change the catalyst structure or its surface area; however, it reduced the bandgap energy. The photocatalytic results proved that palladium improved n-octane degradation from 62% (pure TiO2) to 92.6% (0.4%Pd/TiO2) and, iso-octane degradation enhanced from 59% (pure TiO2) to 90.6% (0.7%Pd/TiO2); all results were obtained in the space time of 39 s. Therefore, 0.4%Pd/TiO2 and 0.7%Pd/TiO2 showed better oxidation results to degradation n-octane and iso-octane, respectively. The kinetic model of pseudo-first order showed a good fit for the data of both VOCs. Heterogeneous photocatalysis with Pd/TiO2 showed to be an adequate technique to reduce VOCs emission.
The effects of light exposure on the photosynthetic activity of kleptoplasts were studied in the sacoglossan mollusc Elysia viridis. The photosynthetic activity of ingested chloroplasts was assessed in vivo by non-destructively measuring photophysiological
parameters using pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) fluorometry. Animals kept under starvation were exposed to two contrasting
light conditions, 30 μmol photons m−2 s−1 (low light, LL), and 140 μmol photons m−2 s−1 (high light, HL), and changes in photosynthetic activity were monitored by measuring the maximum quantum yield of photosystem
II (PSII), Fv/Fm, the minimum fluorescence, Fo, related to chlorophyll a content, and by measuring rapid light-response curves (RLC) of relative electron transport rate (rETR). RLCs were characterised
by the initial slope of the curve, αRLC, related to efficiency of light capture, and the maximum rETR level, rETRm,RLC, determined by the carbon-fixation metabolism. Starvation induced the decrease of all photophysiological parameters. However,
the retention of photosynthetic activity (number of days for Fv/Fm > 0), as well as the rate and the patterns of its decrease over time, varied markedly with light exposure. Under HL conditions,
a rapid, exponential decrease was observed for Fv/Fm, αRLC and rETRm,RLC, Fo not showing any consistent trend of variation, and retention times ranged between 6 and 15 days. These results suggested
that the retention of chloroplast functionality is limited by photoinactivation of PSII reaction center protein D1. In contrast,
under LL conditions, a slower decrease in all parameters was found, with retention times varying from 15 to 57 days. Fv/Fm, αRLC and rETRm,RLC exhibited a bi-phasic pattern composed by a long phase of slow decrease in values followed by a rapid decline, whilst Fo decayed exponentially. These results were interpreted as resulting from lower rates of D1 photoinactivation under low light
and from the gradual decrease in carbon provided by photosynthesis due to reduction of functional photosynthetic units. 相似文献
Accurate prediction of the biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationship requires adequate understanding of the interactions
among species in a community. Effects of species diversity on ecosystem functioning are usually considered more pronounced
with increasing functional dissimilarity, although species within functional groups may also perform non-identical functions
and interact with each other. Here we present results of a laboratory experimental study aimed at elucidating whether interspecific
interactions among species within a single nematode trophic group, bacterivores, (1) affect population development and community
structure, and (2) depend on food availability. We studied the population growth of Rhabditis (Pellioditis) marina, a rhabditid nematode known to favour very high food densities when in monoculture, and of Diplolaimelloides meyli and D. oschei, congeneric Monhysteridae known to perform better in monocultures at intermediate food availability. Both Diplolaimelloides species showed significantly different patterns of food-density dependence in combination culture compared to monoculture.
At very high food availability, the rhabditid nematode facilitated growth of both monhysterid species, probably as a result
of down-regulation of bacterial density. At the lowest food availabilities, the presence of even low numbers of monhysterid
nematodes lead to exclusion of the rhabditid, which at such low food availability has a very inefficient food uptake. At intermediate
food availabilities, abundances of both Diplolaimelloides species were strongly depressed in the combination culture, as a result of food depletion by the rhabditid, indirect inhibitory
interactions between the two congeneric species, or both. The complexity of the species interactions render predictions on
the outcome and functional consequences of changes in within-trophic-group diversity highly problematic. 相似文献
Summary. Under laboratory conditions, the multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis is well known as an intraguild predator of other ladybirds. However the real impact of this exotic species on native species
was poorly investigated in the field. Because many ladybird species produce alkaloids as defensive compounds, we propose here
a new method of intraguild predation monitoring in coccinellids based on alkaloid quantification by GC-MS. In laboratory experiments,
adaline was unambiguously detected in fourth instar larvae of H. axyridis having ingested one egg or one first instar larva of Adalia bipunctata. Although prey alkaloids in the predator decreased with time, traces were still detected in pupae, exuviae and imagines of
H. axyridis having ingested one prey when they were fourth instar larvae. Analysis of H. axyridis larvae collected in two potato fields shows for the first time in Europe the presence of exogenous alkaloids in 9 out of
28 individuals tested. This new method of intraguild predation detection could be used more widely to follow the interactions
between predators and potential chemically defended insect preys. 相似文献
In mammalian polygynous mating systems, male reproductive effort consists mainly of male–male competition and courting of
females, which entail substantial somatic costs. Males are thus expected to adjust their reproductive effort according to
their age and condition. In this study, we examined how activity budgets of male mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus), a polygynous ungulate, varied with age in a marked population over two periods: (1) summers 1995–2006 and (2) ruts 2004–2006.
We then assessed if the proportions of time spent in male–male competition and courtship behaviors were influenced by age-specific
body mass and social rank during the rut. Males spent most of their time foraging and resting during summer, and rested more
and foraged less with increasing age. During the rut, pronounced shifts in activity budgets occurred as juveniles (1–2 years)
increased time spent foraging, whereas adults (≥3 years) increased standing and time spent in social interactions at the expense
of foraging. At old age, reproductive effort either stabilized or decreased slightly, providing weak support for the ‘mating
strategy–effort’ hypothesis, predicting that courtship behaviors should peak in prime-aged males. Age-specific body mass did
not affect time spent in male–male competition, but was positively related with time spent in courtship behaviors, providing
support for the ‘individual quality’ hypothesis, predicting that males with more resources at the start of the rut should
spend more time in mating-related activities. Age-specific social rank did not affect reproductive effort. Surviving to prime
age while increasing mass each year should thus allow male ungulates to gain greater ability to court estrus females. 相似文献
Dendrochemistry has been used for the historical dating of pollution. Its reliability is questionable due primarily to the radial mobility of elements in sapwood. In the present study, the extractability of seven elements was characterized to assess their suitability for the monitoring of environmental conditions. Nine mature sugar maple trees (Acer saccharum Marsh.), a wide-ranging species in eastern North America that has suffered decline in past decades, were sampled in three Quebec watersheds along a soil acidity gradient. Five-year groups of annual tree rings were treated by sequential chemical extractions using extractants of varying strength (deionized H2O, 0.05 M HCl, and concentrated HNO(3)) to selectively solubilize the elements into three fractions (water-soluble, acid-soluble, and residual). Monovalent K; divalent Ba, Ca, Cd, Mg, Mn; and trivalent Al cations were found mostly in the water-soluble, acid-soluble, and residual fractions, respectively. Forms more likely to be mobile within the tree (water-soluble and acid-soluble) do not seem to be suitable for temporal monitoring because of potential lateral redistribution in sapwood rings. However, certain elements (Cd, Mn) were responsive to current soil acidity and could be used in spatial variation monitoring. Extractability of Al varied according to soil acidity; at less acidic sites, up to 90% of Al was contained in the residual form, whereas on very acidic soils, as much as 45% was found in the water-soluble and acid-soluble fractions. Sequential extractions can be useful for determining specific forms of metals as key indicators of soil acidification. 相似文献
The aims of this study were to verify the suitability of in situ tests using the tropical midge Kiefferulus calligaster and to evaluate the most sensitive endpoint for the assessment of aquatic pesticide contamination. In situ tests were carried out in freshwater drainage channels (farm channels) that supply vegetable crops and receive considerable pesticide spray drift, and at channels outside farms (main channels). Moreover a pesticide-free farm was used as reference site. The endpoints analysed were: survival of the larvae, body length increment, capsule width increment, cholinesterase activity and glutathione S-transferase activity. Seasonal change was investigated as rainy season and dry season. Deleterious effects were observed at some farms especially during the rainy season when farmers apply heavier doses of pesticides. However, high mortality rates observed in main channels suggest that these water bodies are also affected by other impacts besides pesticide use. This work shows the potential of the in situ assay with K. calligaster as a tool for the environmental quality assessment of tropical aquatic ecosystems. 相似文献