Changes in pH as a measure of photosynthesis by marine macroalgae

An automatically operated method for high precision measurements of steady-state photosynthesis by macroalgae was developed. Changes in pH and oxygen content of seawater passing the algae in a flowthrough system, could be measured with extremely high accuracy over very long periods of time. The method is especially suitable for measurements on flowthrough systems with high rates of water exchanges (i.e. short retention time), and can be used to study exchange processes for marine plants, animals and small ecosystems. Since the same measuring unit is used for several flowthrough chambers, the method is very suitable for comparisons between different species, or between differently pretreated specimens of the same species (e.g. in toxicological studies). The method was used to study the ratio: [oxygen production] to [CO₂+H⁺ uptake] at different light intensities for several macroalgae belonging to different systematic groups and from different habitats. At lower photosynthetic rates this ratio was similar for all of the algae studied (1.17±0.02). For brown algae of the fucacean family, the ratio increased by 0.08 units at higher photosynthetic rates. This increase was thought to be related to the crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM)-like strategies connected to these algae. For all other algae studied, the ratio remained constant or decreased slightly (at most by 0.04 units) at higher photosynthetic rates. The relations between the abovementioned ratio and the photosynthetic quotient are discussed on a theoretical basis.     

Observations on the function of the glands of the foot of the pediveliger of Ostrea edulis during settlement

The use during settlement of secretions of the 9 different types of gland in the foot of the pediveliger of Ostrea edulis L. was examined experimentally. During settlement, there is a progressive decrease in the crawling speed of the larva and a strengthening of its bond with the substratum. Both changes are related to (a) a change from ciliary to muscular pedal locomotion; (b) the increasing acidity and viscosity of the mucoid secretions used; (c) the secretion of a byssus thread by the glands of the byssus duet; (d) changes in the form and composition of this byssus. At the termination of settlement, the entire contents of 2 types of gland are discharged. Their secretions give rise to the cement which permanently fixes the larva to the substratum. The 9 types of gland are utilised sequentially in a manner closely related to the 6 phases recognised in settlement behaviour.     

Behavioral aspects of sperm competition in cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis (Sepioidea: Cephalopoda)

Sexual selection studies in cephalopods indicate that sperm competition is a central feature of their mating systems, yet this has not been studied experimentally in any detail. In 1998 we staged 20 matings of the cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis L., in the laboratory. Males rapidly initiated mating in the “head-to-head” position, with no apparent courtship. Mating lasted an average of 10 min (range 7 to 14 min). For the first 6 min (on average 63% of the mating duration), the male flushed strong jets of water directly at the female's buccal membrane, which sometimes resulted in the expulsion of parts of spermatangia placed there in recent matings. Then, in a single discrete movement that lasted an average of only 14 s, the male's modified fourth left arm – the hectocotylus – wrapped around a single large bundle of spermatophores (ca. 150 to 300) and transferred them to the female's buccal membrane. For the remainder of the mating (average 3 min, range 1.5 to 5.0 min), the hectocotylus repeatedly broke the spermatophores open, and manipulated them, so that sperm were released and many spermatangia were attached along the ventral buccal membrane, near the paired seminal receptacles. Approximately 140 spermatangia were attached in rows 3 to 5 deep around the ventral buccal membrane in a single mating; the rest were usually discarded during mating. Histology revealed that each of the seminal receptacles consists of a series of sperm storage bulbs connected by a central duct, which leads to a single pore at the surface of the buccal membrane. Baseline data on sperm motility were obtained, but the mechanism by which sperm enter the seminal receptacle remains unknown. Females seemed to initiate termination of mating, then males guarded their mates temporarily. These results, combined with other recent laboratory experiments, provide evidence that sperm competition may be a major feature of the mating system of S. officinalis. Received: 4 January 1999 / Accepted: 18 May 1999     

铬渣的热解无害化处理

采用热解工艺无害化处理铬渣,探讨了稻秆在铬渣无害化处理中的作用.研究了热解温度、稻秆与铬渣质量比、铬渣粒径及保温时间对铬渣热解无害化处理的影响,并分析了热解前后热解产物中铬元素形态的变化.结果表明,热解工艺能有效地将铬渣中Cr(Ⅵ)还原,稻秆热解过程中产生的气相挥发分对Cr(Ⅵ)的还原起核心作用.较为适宜的热解条件:热解温度为400 ℃,稻秆与铬渣质量比为0.10,铬渣粒径<2 000 μm,保温时间为10 min.在该热解条件处理下,热解产物中的Cr(Ⅵ)质量浓度为121 mg/kg,低于热解前铬渣中的Cr(Ⅵ)(3 400 mg/kg).热解后,可交换态及碳酸盐结合态铬含量降低,大部分铬转化成了稳定的有机结合态和残渣态,极大地降低了铬渣的危害.第一作者:张大磊,男,1982生,博士研究生,研究方向为固体废弃物热处理.     

Means to improve the effect of in situ bioremediation of contaminated soil: an overview of novel approaches

Different aspects of bacterial degradation of organic contaminants in soil, and how to improve the efficiency and reproducibility is discussed in this review. Although bioremediation in principle includes the use of any type of organism in improving the condition of a contaminated site, most commonly bacteria are the degraders and other organisms, such as soil animals or plant roots, play a role in dissemination of bacteria and, indirectly, plasmids between bacteria, and in providing nutrients and co-substrates for the bacteria active in the degradation process. There are a number of different procedures that have been tested more-or-less successfully in attempts to improve reliability, cost efficiency and speed of bioremediation. The methods range from minimal intervention, such as mere monitoring of intrinsic bioremediation, through in situ introduction of nutrients and/or bacterial inocula or improvement of physico-chemical conditions, all the way to excavation followed by on site or ex situ composting in its different varieties. In the past the rule has been that more intervention (leading to higher costs) has been more reliable, but novel ideas are continuously tried out, both as a means to come up with new truly functional applications and also as a line of studies in basic soil microbial ecology. Both approaches generate valuable information needed when predicting outcome of remediation activities, evaluating environmental risks, deciding on cleaning-up approaches, etc. The emphasis of this review is to discuss some of the novel methods for which the value has not been clearly shown, but that in our view merit continued studies and efforts to make them work, separately or in combination.     

Influence of ozone stress on growth processes, yields and grain quality characteristics among soybean cultivars

Field studies were conducted at USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland, in 1984 and 1985 using open-top chambers to acquire information on the responses of 12 soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) cultivars to O3 stress and to examine the interactions between maturity groups and O3 stress. Cultivars representing Groups III, IV, and V were exposed for approximately 3 months to charcoal-filtered air (CF) and nonfiltered air plus 40 nl litre(-1) O3 (NF + O3). Ozone was added 6 h d(-1), 5 d week(-1) for 13 weeks. The CF effectively reduced the accumulative oxidant exposure (AOX) to less than 1.0 microl litre(-1) h and the NF + O3 treatment approximately doubled the ambient AOX (16.7 microl litre(-1) h) to about 30 microl litre(-1) h. The AOX estimates the total O3 exposure above 30 nl litre(-1) during an entire growing season. Plant growth rates and relative growth rates were reduced by 17.0 and 14.4%, respectively, when averaged over cultivars. Based on growth rates, the Group III cultivars were the most affected by O3 stress. Averaged over cultivars, leaf expansion rates, leaf conductance, and transpiration rates were lower in the NF + O3 treatment compared to the CF control; however, wide variation was found with the stomatal results from field observations. Combined over years and cultivars, grain yield was reduced by an average of 12.5% by O3 stress with 3 of 12 cultivars showing significant reductions. Grain protein content was increased by 0.7% by O3 stress, but cultivar differences were equal to the differences caused by the O3 treatments. Grain oil content was unchanged by the O3 treatments. Group IV cultivars showed the greatest decrease in grain yield due to O3 stress. Multiple regression analyses were calculated using the difference between the CF and NF + O3 treatment as a measure of O3 stress. Significant positive relationships were found among net assimilation rates, plant growth rates, relative growth rates, and leaf expansion rates, which suggest that growth analysis characteristics would be useful in addition to yield in air pollution tolerance improvement studies with soybeans.     

Pollution characteristics of 23 veterinary antibiotics in livestock manure and manure-amended soils in Jiangsu province,China

The aim of this study was to investigate the pollution characteristics of typical veterinary antibiotics in manure and soil of livestock farms in Jiangsu province. This investigation employed solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). A total of 53 manure and 50 amended soil samples from 16 livestock farms in Jiangsu province were collected for analysis. In the manure samples, the highest detected frequencies and concentrations were those of tetracyclines (TCs, 54.1 ± 5775.6 μgkg^?1), followed by fluoroquinolones (FQs, 8.4 ± 435.6 μgkg^?1), sulphonamides (SAs, 3.2 ± 5.2 μgkg^?1) and macrolides (MACs, 0.4 ± 110.5 μgkg^?1). Statistical analysis was used to illuminate the pollution characteristics of 23 veterinary antibiotics for various animal types and different regions in Jiangsu province. The results showed that the pollution level in cow manure was relatively lower compared with pig and chicken manure due to the relative restriction of medication. Furthermore, contamination was serious in amended soil from chicken farms. The pollution level in manure among different regions was higher to the south and north compared with the centre of the region. The same outcome was found for soil. Antibiotic residues in organic fertilizer were also investigated in this study. We found that although the detected concentration was lower in organic fertilizer than in fresh manure, detection frequencies (10–90%) were high, especially for roxithromycin (90%) in MACs (30–90%). This finding suggests attention should be paid to the pollution levels in organic fertilizer. This study is the first extensive investigation of the occurrence and distribution of many kinds of typical veterinary antibiotics in manure and soil from livestock farms of Jiangsu province. This investigation systematically assesses veterinary antibiotics usage and related emissions in southeast China.     

Urban observatories opportunities for environmental monitoring: solid wastes

Towns concentrate around 50% of world-wide population and the trend is oriented to underscore an urban profile of population. In addition, towns have become important for their economic contribution to the Gross Internal Product. The negative side of towns is the environmental and social impacts as a result of productive and domestic activities, besides the lack of available data. In order to overcome these shortcomings, the United Nations has established a project of urban monitoring throughout the Global Network of Urban Observatories; Mexico joined the project in 2005. The Local Urban Observatory of Mexicali has the task to produce information about cities that is useful to design public policies. Some of this information deals with a set of environmental indicators in the United Nations Habitat Agenda, which includes solid wastes. Therefore, this paper deals with two main topics; firstly, from the Habitat Agenda, a comparative urban analysis of waste production and coverage of domestic waste collection services; secondly, from the Local Agenda, the identification and ranking of environmental problems according to public perception coming from people involved in the municipal planning and decision making process. Results will be used to develop local indicators and public environmental policies.     

The effects of landscape-level disturbance on the composition of Minnesota caddisfly (Insecta: Trichoptera) trophic functional groups: evidence for ecosystem homogenization

Over 300,000 caddisfly specimens representing 249 species were collected from nearly 250 sites throughout Minnesota during 2000 and 2001 to determine the effects of human disturbance on the composition of caddisfly trophic functional groups at the landscape level. Canonical correspondence analysis determined that stream width was the most important variable influencing functional group composition in regions of the state with relatively low disturbance, and that differences in the caddisfly fauna between sizes of streams generally followed trends predicted by the river continuum concept. In regions of the state with moderate disturbance, both stream width and the percentage of disturbed habitat upstream of a site were important variables influencing functional group composition. In highly disturbed regions, no variables corresponded to changes in the composition of caddisfly functional groups. Instead, ecosystems were homogeneous: fine-particle filtering collectors dominated in all sizes of streams. The observed aquatic ecosystem homogenization is attributed mostly to input of fine-particle organic and inorganic sediment from extensive agriculture.