Quantifying carbon dioxide and methane emissions and carbon dynamics from flooded boreal forest soil

The boreal forest is subject to natural and anthropogenic disturbances, but the production of greenhouse gases as a result of flooding for hydroelectric power generation has received little attention. It was hypothesized that flooded soil would result in greater CO(2) and CH(4) emissions and carbon (C) fractionation compared with non-flooded soil. To evaluate this hypothesis, soil C and nitrogen (N) dynamics, CO(2) and CH(4) mean production rates, and (13)C fractionation in laboratory incubations at 14 and 21 degrees C under non-flooded and flooded conditions and its effect on labile and recalcitrant C sources were determined. A ferro-humic Podzol was collected at three different sites at the Experimental Lakes Area, Canada, with a high (19,834 g C m(-2)), medium (18,066 g C m(-2)), and low (11,060 g C m(-2)) soil organic C (SOC) stock. Soil organic C and total N stocks (g m(-2)) and concentrations (g kg(-1)) were significantly different (p < 0.05) among soil horizons within each of the three sites. Stable isotope analysis showed a significant enrichment in delta(13)C and delta(15)N with depth and an enrichment in delta(13)C and delta(15)N with decreasing SOC and N concentration. The mean CO(2) and CH(4) production rates were greatest in soil horizons with the highest SOC stock and were significantly higher at 21 degrees C and in flooded treatments. The delta(13)C of the evolved CO(2) (delta(13)C-CO(2)) became significantly enriched with time during decomposition, and the greatest degree of fractionation occurred in the organic Litter, Fungal, and Humic forest soil horizons and in soil with a high SOC stock compared with the mineral horizon and soil with a lower SOC stock. The delta(13)C-CO(2) was significantly depleted in flooded treatments compared with non-flooded treatments.     

Stable Isotopes of Nitrogen in Fossil Cladoceran Exoskeletons: Implications for Nitrogen Sources in the Central Baltic Sea During the Past Century

15  N of bulk sediment, organic carbon concentrations, and abundances of exoskeletons of Bosmina longispina maritima in the sediment, the data are used to evaluate significant sources of nitrogen in the food web over the past century. Nitrogen isotopic composition of bulk sediments ranges from 2.5 to 4.5?, that of exokeletons varies between 0.4 and 6.2?. The two are positively correlated. A marked increase in the abundance of Bosmina since 1965 (from less than 500 specimen to more than 5000 specimen cm³ of sediment) is correlated with a significant increase in sedimentary organic carbon concentrations (from 4% to more than 10%). The isotopic data do not identify increased land-derived nitrate as the dominant nitrogen source fuelling the increase. Instead, we postulate that nitrogen fixation by diazotrophic bacteria has been one of the larger sources of nitrogen in the Baltic Sea, as it is today. Received: 29 April 1998 / Accepted in revised form: 13 August 1998     

Prenatal DNA diagnosis of Noonan syndrome in a fetus with massive hygroma colli,pleural effusion and ascites

Prenatal molecular genetic diagnosis for Noonan syndrome I is reported. Noonan syndrome was suspected because of large cystic hygroma colli, massive pleural effusion and ascites at 23 weeks of gestation and normal karyotype (46,XX). DNA was prepared from amnion cells and screened for mutations in the PTPN11 gene. In exon 8, a missense mutation (S285F) was found. Delivery was induced at 33 weeks of gestation because of silent cardiotocography (CTG). Despite immediate drainage of the hydrothorax, mechanical ventilation was insufficient and the child died 9 h after birth due to severe pulmonary hypoplasia. Pleural punctate was enriched for small lymphocytes and thus was characterized as chylus. Prenatal ultrasound findings in Noonan syndrome usually are unspecific and rarely lead to a diagnosis. However, with the combination of cystic hygroma, pleural effusion, ascites and normal karyotype Noonan syndrome should be considered and DNA testing for PTPN11 mutations may be appropriate. Malformations of lymphatic vessels and/or chylothorax in Noonan syndrome seem to be more frequent than usually anticipated. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Effects of Environmental Brand Attributes and Nature Imagery in Green Advertising

Following Hartmann and Apaolaza-Ibáñez’ [(2009). Green advertising revisited. Conditioning virtual nature experiences. International Journal of Advertising, 28(4), 715–739] approach, this experimental study compares the effects of three types of green print ads: a non-green ad, a functional green ad promoting environmental product attributes, and a combined nature ad featuring a pleasant nature image in addition to functional attributes. We extend prior research by simultaneously testing moderating and mediating mechanisms to explain brand attitudes and purchase intention. Using a quota sample of 456 consumers, findings suggest that the functional ad enhances perceptions of environmental brand benefits, which positively affect purchase intention partially mediated by brand attitudes. The combined nature ad, by contrast, activates an additional emotional process of virtually experiencing nature which positively influences brand attitudes and purchase intention beyond perceptions of environmental brand benefits. The effects of the combined nature ad are even stronger for highly involved consumers.     

Time and pH-dependent sorption of the veterinary antimicrobial sulfathiazole to clay minerals and ferrihydrite

Substantial amounts of sulfonamides, ionizable, polar veterinary antimicrobials, may reach the environment by spreading of manure. Sorption to soils and sediments is a crucial but not sufficiently understood process influencing the environmental fate of sulfonamides. Therefore, we investigated sorption of sulfathiazole to clay minerals (montmorillonite, illite) and ferrihydrite for varying pH values and two contact times (1d, 14 d) under sterile conditions. Results were compared to sulfathiazole sorption to organic sorbents. Sulfathiazole sorption to inorganic sorbents exhibited pronounced pH dependence consistent with sorbate speciation and sorbent charge properties. While sulfathiazole cations were most important for sorption to clay minerals, followed by neutral species, ferrihydrite was a specific anion sorbent, showing significant sorption only between pH 5.5-7. Experiments revealed a substantial increase of sorption with time for ferrihydrite (pH 5.5-7) and illite (pH<5.5). Reasons may be disaggregation of clay minerals and, for ferrihydrite, diffusion and sorption of sulfathiazole in micropores. Independent of contact time and pH, sorption to inorganic sorbents was more than an order of magnitude lower than to organic sorbents. This implies that in many topsoils and sediments inorganic sorbents play a minor role. Our results highlight the need to account for contact time and speciation when predicting sulfonamide sorption in the environment.     

Determinants of habitat association in a sympatric clade of marine fishes

Triplefin fishes reach their greatest diversity in New Zealand with 26 endemic species, and habitat diversification has been implicated as a key factor in the divergence of this group. Despite this, it is unknown whether species-specific habitat patterns in these sympatric fishes are established by passive processes (e.g. differential mortality) or by habitat selection during settlement. We investigate this question by comparing the habitat associations of new recruits with those of conspecific adults in five species. In addition, the amount of variation in habitat use of conspecific recruits and adults was calculated to identify ontogenetic shifts in habitat association. The results indicated that while there were some differences between recruit and adult habitats, these differences were small in magnitude and habitat use of new recruits was similar to that of adult conspecifics. This finding was further supported by the small difference in variation of habitat use between conspecific recruits and adults. The study suggests that new recruits are actively involved in the selection of habitats at settlement and maintain the use of these throughout demersal life. Habitat use in these territorial species has a large influence on mate choice, thus habitat selection by new recruits would provide a powerful mechanism for pre-zygotic isolation between individuals with different habitat preferences. Together these findings support the notion that habitat diversification has been a major component in the radiation of this sympatric group.     

Monitoring of the microbial community composition in saline aquifers during CO2 storage by fluorescence in situ hybridisation

This study reveals the first analyses of the composition and activity of the microbial community of a saline CO₂ storage aquifer. Microbial monitoring during CO₂ injection has been reported. By using fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH), we have shown that the microbial community was strongly influenced by the CO₂ injection. Before CO₂ arrival, up to 6 × 10⁶ cells ml⁻¹ were detected by DAPI staining at a depth of 647 m below the surface. The microbial community was dominated by the domain Bacteria that represented approximately 60% to 90% of the total cell number, with Proteobacteria and Firmicutes as the most abundant phyla comprising up to 47% and 45% of the entire population, respectively. Both the total cell counts as well as the counts of the specific physiological groups revealed quantitative and qualitative changes after CO₂ arrival. Our study revealed temporal outcompetition of sulphate-reducing bacteria by methanogenic archaea. In addition, an enhanced activity of the microbial population after five months CO₂ storage indicated that the bacterial community was able to adapt to the extreme conditions of the deep biosphere and to the extreme changes of these atypical conditions.