Klimawandel in Küstenzonen

The IPCC-TAR (2001) depicts the consequences of climate change on a global scale with a central focus on vulnerability and adaptation. The objective of this article is the important regional/local scale: First, sea-level rise, storm surges and related issues are perceived here, and second, decisions about precautionary measures, and coastal protection are mostly initialised on this scale. The Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) is described as an auspicious approach managing conflicts in coastal zones.     

Germination and seedling development of switchgrass and smooth bromegrass exposed to 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene

It is estimated that explosives contaminate approximately 0.82 million cubic metres of soil at former military installations throughout the US; major contaminants often include 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and its degradation products. At some sites, phytoremediation may be a viable option to incineration or other costly remediation treatments. Grasses may be particularly suited for remediation because of their growth habit and adaptability to a wide range of soil and climate conditions. We characterized the effects of TNT on germination and early seedling development of switchgrass and smooth bromegrass to evaluate their potential use on contaminated sites. Switchgrass and smooth bromegrass seeds were germinated in nutrient-free agar containing 0 to 60 mg TNT litre(-1). Smooth bromegrass germination decreased as TNT concentration increased, while switchgrass germination was unaffected by TNT. Concentrations up to 15 mg TNT litre(-1) did not affect switchgrass root growth rate, but bromegrass root growth was reduced at TNT concentrations above 7.5 mg litre(-1). At 7.5 mg TNT litre(-1), however, shoot growth rate was reduced in both species. Examination at 20-fold magnification revealed switchgrass radicles were unaffected by TNT, while smooth bromegrass radicles appeared slightly swollen. Results indicate switchgrass is more tolerant of TNT than smooth bromegrass, but the establishment of both species may be limited to soil containing less than 50 mg kg(-1) of extractable TNT.     

Mosaicism and accuracy of prenatal cytogenetic diagnoses after chorionic villus sampling and placental biopsies

Discrepant chromosome findings in placenta and fetus (false negative and false positive) after chorionic villus sampling (CVS) are mainly due to confined mosaicism. Non-mosaic normal or abnormal chromosome counts after direct preparation and culture nearly always correctly reflect the fetal chromosome constitution. False-negative results have almost exclusively been restricted to cytotrophoblast cells not representing a fetal chromosome abnormality. Diagnosis of placental mosaicism definitely requires an adequate follow-up by amniocentesis, fetal blood sampling, or sonography before a pregnancy is terminated. When direct preparations and cultured cells are used for cytogenetic diagnoses and placental mosaicism is not taken as proof for a chromosomal abnormality in the fetus, CVS is an accurate diagnostic tool.     

Copepodid and adult Argestidae Por, 1986 (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) in the southeastern Atlantic deep sea: diversity and community structure at the species level

Drawing on the example of Argestidae Por, 1986b, community structure and large-scale distribution patterns of harpacticoid copepods at species level were examined in the three southeastern Atlantic deep-sea basins. The study was based on 30 multicorer deployments at depths from 5,035 to 5,655 m during the DIVA-2 expedition. The 1,176 adult and copepodid Argestidae from CIII onwards belong to 114 species. Some species occurred at all five stations; others appeared to be exclusive for single stations. Inclusion of copepodids revealed a higher similarity in species composition among the five stations than consideration of just adults and caused a slight shift toward dominance of single species in the sediments at most locations.     

Closing the phosphorus loop in England: The spatio-temporal balance of phosphorus capture from manure versus crop demand for fertiliser

Every year 90 million tonnes of housed livestock manures are produced in the UK. This is a valuable reservoir of global phosphorus (P) and a point in the cycle where it is vulnerable to being lost from the terrestrial system. Improved manure management for the effective reuse of phosphorus is vital to simultaneously tackle a major source of water pollution and reduce our dependence on imported fertilisers. This paper quantifies, for the first time, the spatial and temporal challenges of recycling the required amount of manure P from areas of livestock production to areas of crop production in eight regions of England. The analysis shows that England has a P deficit and therefore the capacity to fully utilise the manure P on arable land, but that uneven spatial distribution of livestock poses a significant challenge to closing the P loop in agriculture. Two of the eight regions were shown to have surplus manure P, with the remaining six regions having P deficits, indicating that an annual export of 4.7 thousand tonnes P (2.8 million tonnes manure) must take place from the west to the east of the country each year to balance P supply and demand. Moreover, housed manure production peaks between October and February, requiring an excess of 23.0 thousand tonnes P (15 million tonnes manure) to be stored until it can be used for crop fertilisation from March onwards. The results demonstrate the scale of the challenge in managing manure P in an agricultural system that has separated livestock production from crop production, a pattern that is echoed throughout the developed world. To overcome the spatial and temporal challenges, a logistical system is recommended that will balance the nutrient potential (nitrogen and P content and availability) and pollution potential (eutrophication, greenhouse gas emissions, particulates and nitrous oxide from transport) for cost-effective and environmentally compatible redistribution of manure P from areas of surplus to areas of deficit, when required.