Comparison of phosphorus forms in wet and dried animal manures by solution phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and enzymatic hydrolysis

Both enzymatic hydrolysis and solution (31)P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy have been used to characterize P compounds in animal manures. In this study, we comparatively investigated P forms in 0.25 M NaOH/0.05 M EDTA extracts of dairy and poultry manures by the two methods. For the dairy manure, enzymatic hydrolysis revealed that the majority of extracted P was inorganic P (56%), with 10% phytate-like P, 9% simple monoester P, 6% polynucleotide-like P, and 18% non-hydrolyzable P. Similar results were obtained by NMR spectroscopy, which showed that inorganic P was the major P fraction (64-73%), followed by 6% phytic acid, 14 to 22% other monoesters, and 7% phosphodiesters. In the poultry manure, enzymatic hydrolysis showed that inorganic P was the largest fraction (71%), followed by 15% phytate-like P and 1% other monoesters, and 3% polynucleotide-like P. NMR spectroscopy revealed that orthophosphate was 51 to 63% of extracted P, phytic acid 24 to 33%, other phosphomonoesters 6 to 12%, and phospholipids and DNA 2% each. Drying process increased orthophosphate (8.4% of total P) in dairy manure, but decreased orthophosphate (13.3% of total P) in poultry manure, suggesting that drying treatment caused the hydrolysis of some organic P to orthophosphate in dairy manure, but less recovery of orthophosphate in poultry manure. Comparison of these data indicates that the distribution patterns of major P forms in animal manure determined by the two methods were similar. Researchers can utilize the method that best fits their specific research goals or use both methods to obtain a full spectrum of manure P characterization.     

Efficacy of Vegetated Buffers in Preventing Transport of Fecal Coliform Bacteria from Pasturelands

An experimental study was conducted in Tillamook, Oregon, USA, to quantify the effectiveness of edge-of-field vegetated buffers for reducing transport of fecal coliform bacteria (FCB) from agricultural fields amended with dairy cow manure. Installation of vegetated buffers on loamy soils dramatically reduced the bacterial contamination of runoff water from manure-treated pasturelands, but the size of the vegetated buffer was not an important determinant of bacterial removal efficiency. Only 10% of the runoff samples collected from treatment cells having vegetated buffers exhibited FCB concentrations >200 colony forming units (cfu)/100 mL (a common water quality standard value), and the median concentration for all cells containing vegetated buffers was only 6 cfu/100 mL. The presence of a vegetated buffer of any size, from 1 to 25 m, generally reduced the median FCB concentration in runoff by more than 99%. Results for FCB load calculations were similar. Our results suggest that where substantial FCB contamination of runoff occurs from manure-treated pasturelands, it might be disproportionately associated with specific field or management conditions, such as the presence of soils that exhibit low water infiltration and generate larger volumes of runoff or the absence of a vegetated buffer. Buffer size regulations that do not consider such differences might not be efficient or effective in reducing bacterial contamination of runoff.     

Wood carbon content of tree species in Eastern China: interspecific variability and the importance of the volatile fraction

Data on the mass density and carbon content of tree organs, and in particular stem wood, are essential for accurate assessments of forest carbon sequestration. However most available data, including that for East Asia, has neglected the volatile C fraction. Wood samples were collected and assayed for C content from 14 native tree species in Jilin Province, NE China. C content showed statistically significant variation among species, ranging from 48.4% to 51.0%. The volatile C fraction was non-negligible, averaging 2.2%, and showed high variation among species. As found in prior studies, wood C content was appreciably higher in conifer than hardwood (angiosperm) species (50.8+/-0.1% vs. 49.5+/-0.2%, respectively). Wood carbon density (gC/cm(3)) showed very high inter-specific variation, due mainly to differences in wood specific gravity. Our analyses, in conjunction with recently published data from North America, indicate a global mean value of 47.5+/-0.5% wood C content exclusive of volatile C; the widely used 50% figure corresponds more closely to total wood C inclusive of the volatile fraction. Failure to include volatile C or to use species- or higher-taxon-specific C content values in forest C assessments is likely to introduce biases on the order approximately 4-6%. In addition, the stocks and flows of the volatile C fraction in wood are in themselves an important and sorely neglected aspect of forest C processes likely to be strongly impacted by harvests and other management practices.     

Forest Biodiversity Monitoring for REDD+: A Case Study of Actors’ Views in Peru

The climate change mitigation mechanism Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in developing countries (REDD+) is currently being negotiated under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Integrating biodiversity monitoring into REDD+ facilitates compliance with the safeguards stipulated by the UNFCCC to exclude environmental risks. Interviews with actors engaged in REDD+ implementation and biodiversity conservation at the national and sub-national level in Peru (n = 30) and a literature review (n = 58) were conducted to pinpoint constraints and opportunities for monitoring effects of REDD+ management interventions on biodiversity, and to identify relevant biodiversity data and indicators. It was found that particularly sub-national actors, who were frequently involved in REDD+ pilot projects, acknowledge the availability of biodiversity data. Actors at both the national and sub-national levels, however, criticized data gaps and data being scattered across biodiversity research organizations. Most of the literature reviewed (78 %) included indicators on the state of certain biodiversity aspects, especially mammals. Indicators for pressure on biodiversity, impacts on environmental functions, or policy responses to environmental threats were addressed less frequently (31, 21, and 10 %, respectively). Integrating biodiversity concerns in carbon monitoring schemes was considered to have potential, although few specific examples were identified. The involvement of biodiversity research organizations in sub-national REDD+ activities enhances monitoring capacities. It is discussed how improvements in collaboration among actors from the project to the national level could facilitate the evaluation of existing information at the national level. Monitoring changes in ecosystem services may increase the ecological and socioeconomic viability of REDD+.     

Pro-Environmental Beach Driving is Uncommon and Ineffective in Reducing Disturbance to Beach-Dwelling Birds

Vehicles on beaches cause numerous deleterious effects to coastal wildlife. These impacts may, hypothetically, be lessened if drivers act to reduce disturbance. Since it is unknown to what extent such behavior occurs, and whether it can reduce disturbance, we quantified the behavior of drivers who encountered birds on open-coast, sandy beaches in eastern Australia and the consequent bird responses. Drivers of commercial tourist buses never slowed or altered course (“evaded birds”) to avoid disturbing birds; conversely, 34 % of drivers of private cars did evade birds. Drivers of vehicles with fishing rod holders tended (P = 0.09) to evade birds more frequently than non-fishing vehicles. Evasion, when it occurred, was modest, and did not significantly decrease the intensity of bird response or the probability of escapes on the wing. Voluntary behavioral adjustments to alleviate impacts on wildlife may be unworkable, suggesting that other solutions (e.g., beach closures) might be the only effective and feasible way to reduce disturbance to birds on ocean beaches.     

Achieving uniform regulation of environmental lead exposure and poisoning in wildlife and humans

Lead from spent ammunition causes preventable lead exposure in wildlife and humans that may ingest it. Nontoxic substitutes for lead ammunition exist but are not adopted widely because of hunter opposition. Other forms of lead exposure in the human environment have been heavily regulated because there is no safe level of exposure. The use of lead ammunition should be regulated similarly to protect wildlife from this common disease.     

Spray mechanism of crepidogastrine bombardier beetles (Carabidae; Crepidogastrini)

Summary.   The defensive glandular apparatus of primitive bombardier beetles of the tribe Crepidogastrini (Carabidae) is described for the first time. As exemplified by two African species (Crepidogaster ambreana and C. atrata), the apparatus conforms to the basic bombardier plan, in that the glands are bicompartmented and the secretion is quinonoid (it contains 1,4-benzoquinones and hydrocarbons), hot, and discharged audibly. In a number of morphological respects the crepidogastrine apparatus resembles that of the classical bombardiers of the tribe Brachinini (rather than that of bombardiers of the paussoid lineage), reinforcing the view, already held on taxonomic grounds, that the Crepidogastrini and Brachinini are closely related. That the Crepidogastrini may be primitive relative to Brachinini is underscored by the finding that, unlike brachinines, crepidogastrines do not pulse their secretory emissions. Moreover, they discharge their secretion as a mist, rather than forcibly in the form of jets. Received 22 May 2001; accepted 29 May 2001.     

Characterization of the Odor Properties of 101 Petrochemicals Using Sensory Methods

The absolute and recognition thresholds, odor index, quality, and hedonic tone of 101 petrochemical compounds have been determined using a trained panel and a laboratory method. The odor fountain method combines the features of accurate results, simplicity, reproducibility, and speed.