Removal of low concentrations of carbon tetrachloride in compost-based biofilters operated under methanogenic conditions.

Research was performed to demonstrate the removal of carbon tetrachloride (CT) using compost biofilters operated under methanogenic conditions. Biofilters were operated at an empty-bed residence time of 2.8 minutes using nitrogen as the atmosphere. Hydrogen and carbon dioxide were supplied as an electron donor and carbon source, respectively, during acclimation of the bed medium microbes. Once methanogenesis was demonstrated, CT flow to the biofilter was established. Biofilters were operated over a CT concentration range from 20 to 700 ppbv for 6 months. Bed medium microbes were able to remove up to 75% of the inlet CT. At excessively high CT concentrations (> 500 ppmv), methane production and hydrogen utilization by the bed medium microbes appeared to be inhibited. CT removal by the biofilter decreased when the hydrogen supply was removed from the biofilter inlet, indicating that hydrogen acted as the electron donor for reductive dechlorination. The removal efficiency and relatively low empty bed residence times demonstrated by these laboratory-scale biofilters indicate that anaerobic biofiltration of CT may be a feasible full-scale process.     

Ecology and Conservation of the Endangered American Burying Beetle (Nicrophorus americanus)

Field studies were conducted on the western population of the endangered American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) in Oklahoma and Arkansas to determine its habitat affinities. A common cause of declining populations is some specialized adaptation that makes it difficult to respond to a rapidly changing habitat. We evaluated the hypothesis that N. americanus is a habitat specialist in its search for food, preferring mature forests with deep, humic soils. This hypothesis was rejected. Based on comparisons of niche breadth among syntopic congeners and niche overlap, N. americanus is relatively generalized in its use of a range of habitats when searching for food. It is likely that the generalist nature and the endangered status of N. americanus both derive from the fact that it is the largest member of its guild. In comparison to smaller species, N. americanus breeds on larger carcasses, which are more unpredictable in space and time. It is likely, therefore, that N. americanus must search over a larger area and greater diversity of habitats than its smaller congeners.     

Limb regeneration and subsequent asymmetry in a male secondary sexual character influences sexual selection in wolf spiders

Males of the brush-legged wolf spider Schizocosa ocreata (Hentz) have conspicuously decorated forelegs used in courtship and agonistic displays. Approximately one in five juvenile males has a missing or regenerating foreleg, and regeneration of a leg lost during development usually results in the absence of a decorative tuft on that leg. The subsequent asymmetry in this male secondary character significantly decreases success in both courtship of females and male-male agonistic interactions. Experimental removal of tufts from one leg of previously successful symmetric males produces similar results. As a test for concomitant behavioral effects, female spiders were shown video images of a courting male with symmetric tufts and the same video image altered to have asymmetric tufts. Female receptivity to the asymmetric video image was lower. In contrast to fluctuating asymmetry resulting from developmental instability, leg tuft asymmetry in S. ocreata most likely arises from a single event during ontogeny – possibly leg loss from an aggressive or predator encounter  – and may serve as a quality indicator in female mate choice. Received: 27 July 1995/ Accepted after revision: 19 November 1995     

The risk assessment–policy gap: An example from the UK contaminated land regime

Risk-based regulation assumes that risk assessment can evaluate risks against policy objectives. However, policy goals are often ambiguous and require risk assessors to interpret them for use in risk assessment. This risk assessment-policy gap stems partly from normative and imprecise policy language but is rooted more fundamentally in society's uncertain expectations for the environment. Until this uncertainty is resolved, the democratic and regulatory effectiveness of risk regulation will be undermined by ad hoc policy decisions abdicated to risk assessors.     

Detection of rubella virus in fetal and placental tissues and in the throats of neonates after serologically confirmed rubella in pregnancy

From 35 therapeutic abortions performed because rubella had occurred at 2–19 weeks of pregnancy, 120 fetal organs, 12 specimens of mixed products of conception, and 15 placentae were tested for rubella virus. Virus was isolated from 10 out of 11 fetuses (91 per cent) from women infected at 2–8 weeks, from 5 out of 8 (63 per cent) infected at 9–10 weeks, and from 2 out of 16 (13 per cent) infected at 11–19 weeks. Hybridization tests for viral RNA on 39 fetal organs from eight cases revealed infection in four additional fetuses. Virus was isolated from only 3 out of 15 aborted placentae, but hybridization tests on six placentae revealed infection in three additional specimens. Hybridization was superior to virus isolation for detecting rubella infection in products of conception and is therefore potentially the better method for examining chorionic villus biopsies. Rubella virus was isolated from the throats of 4 out of 9 infants (44 per cent) infected during the first 12 weeks of gestation, but from none of 13 infected after 17 weeks. Infants in the latter group are unlikely to infect susceptible contacts.     

Characterization of two glutamate dehydrogenases from the symbiotic microalga Symbiodinium microadriaticum isolated from the coral Acropora formosa

In view of their possible involvement in ammonium assimilation in the coral/algal symbiosis, we have purified two distinct glutamate dehydrogenase isoenzymes from the symbiotic dinoflagellate Symbiodinium microadriaticum (Freudenthal) extracted from the staghorn coral Acropora formosa collected from Magnetic Island, North Queensland, Australia, in 1986–1987. An NADPH-specific glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) displayed biphasic kinetics with respect to ammonium as the variable substrate; at low substrate concentrations the apparent K _m was below 1 mM, whereas at high substrate concentrations the corresponding value was approximately 200 mM. The NADPH-GDH displayed extremely low activity in the direction of glutamate oxidation; together with the kinetic data this suggests a probable role in ammonium assimilation. A second (NADH-specific) GDH was found to have both amination and deamination activities, and presumably functions in vivo in glutamate oxidation. Kinetic constants are reported for both GDH isoenzymes.     

Comparative study of 137Cs partitioning between solid and liquid phases in Lakes Constance, Lugano and Vorsee.

The methodology for estimating radiocaesium distribution between solid and liquid phases in lakes is applied for three prealpine lakes: Lake Constance (Germany), Lake Lugano (Switzerland) and Lake Vorsee (Germany). It is based on use of the exchangeable distribution coefficient and application of the exchangeable radiocaesium interception potential (RIPex). The methodology was tested against experimental data. Good agreement was found between estimated and measured 137Cs concentrations in Lake Constance and Lake Lugano, whereas for Lake Vorsee a discrepancy was found. Bottom sediments in Lake Vorsee are composed mainly of organic material and probably cannot be described in terms of the specific sorption characteristics attributed to illitic clay minerals.     

Variations in Densities of Invertebrate Benthos of the Clyde Estuary Tidal Flats

The Clyde Estuary is recognised as an important area for overwintering flocks of ducks and waders (Smyth et al., 1974. Here we draw attention to some of the spatial and temporal variations in the invertebrate populations on which these birds feed. Smyth et al. (1977) discuss possible relationships between the bird populations and their invertebrate prey. A 12-month survey, 1976-77, provides the main information on numbers of feeding birds (Halliday, 1978), complemented by sampling over the estuarine flats for invertebrate prey species and for chemical environmental factors: salinity, organic carbon, organic nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, as well as sediment grades. Although there is no constant monitoring shceme for the estuarine flats, a series of surveys provide data over the period 1973-1981.