C-Lock (Patent Pending): A System for Estimating and Certifying Carbon Emission Reduction Credits for the Sequestration of Soil Carbon on Agricultural Land

The C-Lock system was developed to address the need for an improved method of quantifying and certifying project-level carbon emission reduction credits (CERC). It was designed to enable individual landowners to efficiently quantify, certify, pool, market and trade CERCs generated by agricultural management practices. We provide a general overview of the C-Lock system as it has been implemented for the USA State of South Dakota. C-Lock is comprised of four linked components: a web interface, a client database, a Geographic Information System (GIS) database of soil, climate and generalized land use history parameters, and the CENTURY soil carbon model. The user-friendly interface elicits generalized land-use and crop history information from the client from 1900 through 1989, then explicit annual information from 1990 onward. A climate-zone level landuse and crop management database is used to fill in gaps in the client-provided data. These data are used to drive the CENTURY model, which estimates annual changes in soil carbon stocks. Monte Carlo simulation is used to estimate uncertainty bounds, and these are applied to the CENTURY outputs in order to provide probabilistic estimates of accrued CERCs in a manner that is transparent and verifiable. In a demonstration application, CERCs are estimated for three different land-use scenarios on a representative field in eastern South Dakota: reduced tillage or conservation (no-till) management of a corn (maize)/wheat/soybean rotation, and enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program, which entails establishing permanent grass cover. The credits are based on a business-asusual scenario of conventional tillage.     

内蒙古草原典型草地异戊二烯的排放特征

为准确了解内蒙古草原典型草地异戊二烯的排放状况 ,在 2 0 0 2和 2 0 0 3年观测实验的基础上 ,利用已有的经验模式和观测资料 ,计算了羊草样地 2 0 0 2和 2 0 0 3年生长季节异戊二烯的排放通量 .结果表明 :2 0 0 2和 2 0 0 3年异戊二烯排放具有明显的日、逐日、月、年变化 ,其排放通量首先依赖于可见光辐射 ,其次是温度 .2 0 0 2和 2 0 0 3年生长季羊草样地异戊二烯总排放 (以C计 )分别为 1 10 ,1 0 0g·m- 2 ,2 0 0 3年比 2 0 0 2年减少9 0 % .此现象主要是由于 2 0 0 3年可见光辐射减弱和气温降低造成的 .2 0 0 2和 2 0 0 3年生长季排放通量的最大值 (以C计 )分别为 2 3 3 2 0和193 3 8μg·m- 2 ·h- 1 ,当可见光辐射小时累计值小于 0 4MJ·m- 2 时 ,异戊二烯的排放通量一般为零     

Fluorogenic compound hydrolysis as a measure of toxicity-induced cytoplasmic viscosity and pH changes

If a fluorogenic compound, such as fluorescein diacetate, is added to a water solution containing living cells it becomes hydrolyzed by intracellular esterases into a fluorochrome whose fluorescence can be used to monitor the cytoplasmic pH and the cytoplasmic viscosity of the cells. In this paper we have used this technique to measure the effects of different concentrations of Co2+ and Cd2+ ions on the cytoplasmic pH and the cytoplasmic viscosity of a single cell culture. Our results indicate that the observed decrease in the efficiency of the intracellular hydrolyzation of fluorogenic substances in the presence of different concentrations of heavy metals could be caused by both a decrease in the cytoplasmic pH and an increase in the cytoplasmic viscosity. A decrease in cytoplasmic pH would decrease the effectiveness of the intracellular enzymes, whereas an increase in cytoplasmic viscosity would decrease diffusion which would also reduce the effectiveness of the reaction. The dependence of the reciprocal of the cytoplasmic viscosity on the concentration of these metals correlates well with published results on their toxicity.     

Biochemical composition,energy content and chemical antifeedant and antifoulant defenses of the colonial Antarctic ascidian<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Distaplia cylindrica</Emphasis>

The colonial ascidian Distaplia cylindrica occurs both as scattered individual colonies or in gardens of colonies in fine-grained soft substrata below 20 m depths off Anvers Island along the Antarctic Peninsula. Individual colonies, shaped as tall rod-like cylinders and anchored in the sediments by a bulbous base, may measure up to 7 m in height. D. cylindrica represent a considerable source of materials and energy for prospective predators, as well as potential surface area for fouling organisms. Nonetheless, qualitative in situ observations provided no evidence of predation by sympatric predators such as abundant sea stars, nor obvious biofouling of colony surfaces. Mean energy content of whole-colony tissue of D. cylindrica was relatively high for an ascidian (14.7 kJ g^–1 dry wt), with most of this energy attributable to protein (12.7 kJ g^–1 dry wt). The sympatric omnivorous sea star Odontaster validus consistently rejected pieces of D. cylindrica colonies in laboratory feeding assays, while readily ingesting similarly sized alginate food pellets. Feeding deterrence was determined to be attributable to defensive chemistry, as colonies of D. cylindrica are nutritionally attractive and lack physical protection (conspicuous skeletal elements or a tough outer tunic), and O. validus display significant feeding-deterrent responses to alginate food pellets containing tissue-level concentrations of organic extracts. In addition, high acidity measured on outer colony surfaces (pH 1.5) as well as homogenized whole-colony tissues (pH 2.5) are indicative of surface sequestration of inorganic acids. Agar food pellets prepared at tissue levels of acidity resulted in significant feeding deterrence in sea stars. Thus, both inorganic acids and secondary metabolites contribute to chemical feeding defenses. D. cylindrica also possesses potent antifoulant secondary metabolites. Tissue-level concentrations of hydrophilic and lipophilic extracts caused significant mortality in a sympatric pennate diatom. Chemical feeding deterrents and antifoulants are likely to contribute to the abundance of D. cylindrica and, in turn, play a role in regulating energy transfer and community structure in benthic marine environments surrounding Antarctica.Communicated by P.W. Sammarco, Chauvin     

Kinship recognition and grouping in hatchling green iguanas

Summary The research addressed two questions: (1) doIguana iguana hatchlings recognize their kin, and (2) what are the recognition mechanisms? Eggs were collected from wild and captive-raised females and hatched in semi-natural incubators. In the first experiment we used eggs from two females. One of the clutches was subdivided to be placed in different incubators. Immediately after emergence one of these hatchling groups was introduced into a 10 m x 10 m enclosure. At the same time we introduced hatchlings from another female. The remaining hatchling group was kept separate for 3 weeks and was then introduced into the same cage. Unrelated hatchlings separated from each other. Related but separated hatchlings grouped according to introduction date. In the second experiment we maintained eight kin groups in individual cages and two hatchlings per kin group in an additonal cage. Hatchlings from the mixed group showed no preference for their kin before physical contact with pure kin groups had occurred. After physical contact hatchling recognized their kin by feces smell. Body odor is likely to be also involved.     

Contribution of Roads to Forest Fragmentation in the Rocky Mountains

The contribution of roads to forest fragmentation has not been adequately analyzed. We quantified fragmentation due to roads in a 30,213-ha section of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest in sout heastern Wyoming with several indices of landscape structure using a geographic information system. The number of patches, mean patch area, mean interior area, mean area of edge influence, mean patch perimeter, total perimeter, and mean patch shape identified patch- and edge-related landscape changes. Shannon-Wiener diversity, dominance, contagion, contrast, and angular second moment indicated effects on landscape diversity and texture. Roads added to forest fragmentation more than clearcuts by dissecting large patches into smaller pieces and by converting forest interior habitat into edge habitat. Edge habitat created by roads was 1.54–1.98 times the edge habitat created by clearcuts. The total landscape area affected by clearcuts and roads was 2.5–3.5 times the actual area occupied by these disturbances. Fragmentation due to roads could be minimized if road construction is minimized or rerouted so that its fragmentation effects are reduced. Geographic information system technology can be used to quantify the potential fragmentation effects of individual roads and the cumulative effects of a road network on landscape structure.