Diel oscillations of the photosynthesis-irradiance (P-I) relationship in natural assemblages of phytoplankton

Diel oscillations in the photosynthesis-irradiance (P-I) relationship are described for marine phytoplankton assemblages at 6 stations in an upwelling area off the southern California coast (USA) between May and August 1980. The initial slope () and asymptote (P _max) of P-I curves changed significantly over the day; both parameters were in phase and had similar changes in amplitude. The diel oscillations in photosynthesis appeared unrelated to changes in chlorophyll a concentrations. Amplitudes of daily variations in photosynthesis ranged from approximately 3 to 9, as measured by the maximum to minimum ratio for photosynthetic capacity (P _max). Diatom-rich samples collected during an upwelling event and those dominated by dinoflagellates both had midday to early afternoon maxima in and P _max. Samples from other locations had peak photosynthetic activity later in the afternoon. The relationship between and P _max was consistent in all phytoplankton samples analyzed, with a surprisingly high correlation considering the spatial and temporal scales encompassed in this study. These results indicate that the photosynthesis-irradiance (P-I) relationship is time-dependent and, moreover, that changes in and P _max are closely coupled for a variety of natural phytoplankton assemblages.     

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) effects on marine phytoplankton photosynthesis and cell division

Inhibition of photosynthesis and cell division by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was studied using 7 marine phytoplankton species representing 4 algal classes. PCB concentrations as low as 1.0 g l^-1 reduced cell division of Thalassiosira pseudonana 3H and Isochrysis galbana. Both photosynthesis and cell division of T. pseudonana 3H, Chaetoceros socialis, Skeletonema costatum, T. pseudonana 13-1, Monochrysis, lutheri and I. galbana were inhibited at a PCB concentration of 10.0 g l^-1. The effects on photosynthesis were immediate and probably resulted in reduced rates of cell division. Interspecific differences in susceptibility were observed. These differences have significance with respect to primary production and the species composition of phytoplankton communities. The initial slopes of photosynthesis-irradiance (P-I) curves for the diatoms S. costatum and T. pseudonana 3H were reduced in the presence of PCBs. These results suggest that PCBs affect the photosynthetic light reactions.     

Vibrating hand-held machines in the construction industry

The aim of this study was to investigate and measure vibration levels of the most commonly used machines within the construction industry. In the report 186 hand-held machines divided into more than 15 different machine groups have been studied. The project is a joint venture between Bygghälsan (The Constructions Industry's Organization for Working Environment, Safety & Health) and the National Institute of Occupational Health.     

Influence of environmental factors and female size on reproductive output in an invasive temperate marine gastropod <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rapana</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">venosa</Emphasis> (Muricidae)

Life history and reproductive strategies influence population dynamics at the inter- and intra-specific level. Environmental conditions suitable for gonad development and spawning, the reproductive range, may be a smaller portion of the broader species distribution. The only known breeding population of veined rapa whelks (Rapana venosa) in North America is in Chesapeake Bay, USA. There is considerable interest in the potential reproductive range of this non-indigenous species given the rapa whelk’s negative impacts on commercial shellfish species in both its native and introduced ranges. Weight-specific reproductive output is described for wild caught Chesapeake Bay rapa whelks maintained in flow-through mesocosms for 2 years. Measured reproductive output within and between egg capsule deposition seasons (years) in relation to water temperature, salinity, daylength, and female size is used to describe the rapa whelk’s reproductive range. Egg capsule production is influenced by seasonal and absolute water temperatures as well as seasonal daylength cycles. Egg capsule deposition by Chesapeake Bay rapa whelks begins at water temperatures of approximately 18°C and continues for 11–15 weeks. Forty to 70% of female whelks deposited egg capsules in most weeks during this season, producing 150–200 egg capsules female⁻¹ week⁻¹. Water temperatures >28°C caused reduced egg capsule production relative to temperatures of 20–25°C. Egg capsule production was positively related to seasonal changes in daylength, and two peaks of egg capsule deposition were observed in the 2001 and 2002 deposition seasons. The combination of declining daylength and higher water temperatures in late summer was associated with the cessation of egg capsule deposition. A lower average weight specific reproductive output in 130–145 mm SL rapa whelks (average 12 ± 1%) than in 90–106 mm SL rapa whelks (average 22 ± 1% of body weight) may reflect a life history that balances the physiological costs of maintaining a large body mass with the production of many planktonic larvae from multiple clutches of egg capsules per breeding season over a 10–15-year lifespan. Estimates of the cumulative day-degree requirements corresponding to the annual initiation of egg capsule deposition were 238 and 236 for 2001 and 2002, respectively. Reproductive output and day-degree requirements for Chesapeake Bay rapa whelks were similar to values calculated from previous studies of native muricids (Eupleura caudata and Urosalpinx cinerea). A latitudinal range of 30–41° (N and S) is predicted as the realized reproductive range for rapa whelk populations on the basis of the day-degree requirements for native whelks and reproductively active invasive rapa whelk populations. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Prey density and the behavioral flexibility of a marine predator: the common murre (Uria aalge)

Flexible time budgets allow individual animals to buffer the effects of variable food availability by allocating more time to foraging when food density decreases. This trait should be especially important for marine predators that forage on patchy and ephemeral food resources. We examined flexible time allocation by a long-lived marine predator, the Common Murre (Uria aalge), using data collected in a five-year study at three colonies in Alaska (USA) with contrasting environmental conditions. Annual hydroacoustic surveys revealed an order-of-magnitude variation in food density among the 15 colony-years of study. We used data on parental time budgets and local prey density to test predictions from two hypotheses: Hypothesis A, the colony attendance of seabirds varies nonlinearly with food density; and Hypothesis B, flexible time allocation of parent murres buffers chicks against variable food availability. Hypothesis A was supported; colony attendance by murres was positively correlated with food over a limited range of poor-to-moderate food densities, but independent of food over a broader range of higher densities. This is the first empirical evidence for a nonlinear response of a marine predator's time budget to changes in prey density. Predictions from Hypothesis B were largely supported: (1) chick-feeding rates were fairly constant over a wide range of densities and only dropped below 3.5 meals per day at the low end of prey density, and (2) there was a nonlinear relationship between chick-feeding rates and time spent at the colony, with chick-feeding rates only declining after time at the colony by the nonbrooding parent was reduced to a minimum. The ability of parents to adjust their foraging time by more than 2 h/d explains why they were able to maintain chick-feeding rates of more than 3.5 meals/d across a 10-fold range in local food density.     

PestScreen: a screening approach for scoring and ranking pesticides by their environmental and toxicological concern

A chemical ranking and scoring method entitled PestScreen has been developed as a screening tool to provide a relative assessment of pesticide hazards to human health and the environment. The method was developed to serve as an analytical tool in screening and identification of pesticides of environmental concern used in agriculture. PestScreen incorporates both the toxic effects of pesticides and their fate and exposure characteristics in different compartments of the environment. This is done by combining measures of chemical toxicity pertaining to both human health and the environment with chemical release amounts and information on overall environmental persistence, long-range transport potential and human population intake fractions. Each hazard measure is scored and weighted and finally combined with the pesticide application dose to provide a single final indicator of relative concern (PestScore). Results for 217 pesticides are presented and the practical implementation is illustrated on behalf of three practical case studies.     

CONSUMPTIVE USE OF STREAMFLOW INCREASES IN THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN1

ABSTRACT: This study examined the disposition of streamflow increases that could be created by vegetation management on forest land along the upper reaches of the Colorado River. A network optimization model was used to simulate water flow, storage, consumptive use, and loss within the entire Colorado River Basin with and without the flow increases, according to various scenarios incorporating both current and future consumptive use levels as well as existing and potential institutional constraints. Results indicate that very little of the flow increases would be consumptively used at current use levels, or even at future use levels, if water allocation institutions remain unchanged. Given future use levels and economically based water allocation institutions, up to one-half of the flow increases could be consumptively used. The timing of streamflow increases, and the institutional constraints on water allocation, often limit the potential for consumptive use of flow increases.     

Role of naphthenic acid contaminants in the removal of p-xylene from synthetic produced water by MEUF

The high demand for water in oil sands operations in addition to the shortage of fresh water resources mandate continuous search for reliable and cost effective water treatment technologies. Micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF) is potentially applicable to produced water treatment. MEUF is, however, susceptible to membrane plugging and back contamination, especially at high surfactant dosages. Recent investigations showed that addition of small amounts of a non-ionic surfactant to an ionic surfactant solution reduces the critical micellar concentration (CMC) of the mixed surfactant solution, and consequently reduces the surfactant dosage required to achieve certain removal of contaminants using MEUF. In the present study a naphthenic acid, octanoic acid, typically existing in produced water is shown to play a similar role as the non-ionic surfactant when added to the cationic surfactant cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC). Cross-flow MEUF using three different molecular weight cutoffs (MWCOs) of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) hollow fiber membranes was used to treat synthetic produced water containing p-xylene. The mixed CPC/octanoic acid solution removed comparable percentages of p-xylene contaminant at much lower concentrations of CPC. Decreasing CPC concentration in the feed resulted in less fouling and higher permeate flux and reduced back contamination. This, in turn, enhanced the performance of MEUF.     

Mercury concentration in black flies Simulium spp. (Diptera, Simuliidae) from soft-water streams in Ontario, Canada

Total Hg in Simulium spp. (Diptera, Simuliidae) was measured in 17 soft-water streams in the District of Muskoka and Haliburton County (Ontario, Canada) during 2003 and 2004. Black flies contained 0.07-0.64 microg/g total Hg (dry weight). The methylmercury concentration was measured in 6 samples of the 17, and ranged from 58% to 93% of total Hg. The concentration of total Hg is much higher than has been found in other filter feeding insects, and represents a significant potential source of Hg to fish. Mercury concentrations in Simulium spp. at different sites were strongly positively correlated with dissolved organic carbon, and the proportion of land within each catchment that was wetland. There was also a strong negative correlation with pH. By examining Hg concentration in filter feeding insects we have found a significant entry point for Hg and MeHg into the food web.     

Use of Hygiene Protocols to Control the Spread of Viruses in a Hotel

The goals of this study were to observe the spread of viruses in a hotel setting and to assess the effectiveness of a hygiene intervention in reducing their spread. Selected fomites in one hotel room were inoculated with bacteriophage ?x-174, and fomites in a conference center within the same hotel were inoculated using bacteriophage MS2. Cleaning of the contaminated room resulted in the spread of viruses to other rooms by the housekeeping staff. Furthermore, viruses were transferred by hotel guests to the conference center and a communal kitchen area. Additionally, conference attendees transferred viruses from the conference center to their hotel rooms and a communal kitchen area. This study demonstrated how viruses can be spread throughout a hotel setting by both housekeepers and guests. A hygiene intervention, which included providing hand hygiene products and facial tissues to the guests and disinfecting solutions with disposable wipes to the housekeeping staff, was successful in reducing the spread of viruses between the hotel guest rooms and conference center. The hygiene intervention resulted in significantly reduced transfer of the ?x-174 between the contaminated hotel room and other hotel rooms, communal areas, and the conference center (p = 0.02).