Multispecies and Multiscale Conservation Planning: Setting Quantitative Targets for Red‐Listed Lichens on Ancient Oaks

Abstract: Species occurrence in a habitat patch depends on local habitat and the amount of that habitat in the wider landscape. We used predictions from empirical landscape studies to set quantitative conservation criteria and targets in a multispecies and multiscale conservation planning effort. We used regression analyses to compare species richness and occurrence of five red‐listed lichens on 50 ancient oaks (Quercus robur; 120–140 cm in diameter) with the density of ancient oaks in circles of varying radius from each individual oak. Species richness and the occurrence of three of the five species were best explained by increasing density of oaks within 0.5 km; one species was best explained by the density of oaks within 2 km, and another was best predicted by the density of oaks within 5 km. The minimum numbers of ancient oaks required for “successful conservation” was defined as the number of oaks required to obtain a predicted local occurrence of 50% for all species included or a predicted local occurrence of 80% for all species included. These numbers of oaks were calculated for two relevant landscape scales (1 km² and 13 km²) that corresponded to various species responses, in such a way that calculations also accounted for local number of oaks. Ten and seven of the 50 ancient oaks surveyed were situated in landscapes that already fulfilled criteria for successful conservation when the 50% and 80% criteria, respectively, were used to define the level of successful conservation. For cost‐efficient conservation, oak stands in the landscapes most suitable for successful conservation should be prioritized for conservation and management (e.g., grazing and planting of new oaks) at the expense of oak stands situated elsewhere.     

Influence of the Anterior and Middle Cranial Fossae on Brain Kinematics During Sagittal Plane Head Rotation

A 2D physical model of the human head was used to investigate how the irregular skull base structure affects brain kinematics during sagittal plane head dynamics. The model consisted of a rigid skull vessel with interchangeable skull base structures. One version of the model used a skull base mimicking the irregular geometry of the human. A second version used a skull base structure approximating the anterior and middle fossae as a flat surface. Silicone gel simulated the brain and was separated from the vessel by a paraffin layer which provided a slip condition at the interface between the gel and vessel. The model was exposed to 7600 rad/s² peak rotational acceleration with 6 ms pulse duration and 5° forced rotation. After 90° free rotation, the model was decelerated during 30 ms. Five repeated tests were conducted with each version. Rigid body displacement, shear strain and principal strains were determined from high-speed video recorded trajectories of grid markers located at different positions in the surrogate brain. The humanlike skull base reduced peak displacements of the inferior surfaces of the temporal and frontal lobes up to 87% and 48%, respectively. Up to 48% and 36% higher peak strains were obtained in the frontal and superior regions of the surrogate brain in the version containing the humanlike skull base. In contrast, the humanlike skull base decreased peak strain up to 28% in the central region of the surrogate brain. The results indicate that the irregular skull base offers natural protection of nerves and vessels passing through fissures and foramina in the cranial floor but also that it affects kinematics in different regions throughout the cerebrum. Implications of these results are discussed with respect to brain injury and modeling of head impact.     

Bee pollens as biological indicators: An ecological assessment of pollution in Northern Turkey via ICP-MS and XPS analyses

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this study, pollens were collected from 25 different locations of Northern Turkey to investigate pollution monitoring. Surface chemistry of pollen...     

Potential use of thermophilic dark fermentation effluents in photofermentative hydrogen production by Rhodobacter capsulatus

Biological hydrogen production by a sequential operation of dark and photofermentation is a promising route to produce hydrogen. The possibility of using renewable resources, like biomass and agro-industrial wastes, provides a dual effect of sustainability in biohydrogen production and simultaneous waste removal. In this study, photofermentative hydrogen production on effluents of thermophilic dark fermentations on glucose, potato steam peels (PSP) hydrolysate and molasses was investigated in indoor, batch operated bioreactors. An extreme thermophile Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus was used in the dark fermentation step, and Rhodobacter capsulatus (DSM1710) was used in the photofermentation step. Addition of buffer, Fe and Mo to dark fermentor effluents (DFEs) improved the overall efficiency of hydrogen production. The initial acetate concentration in the DFE needed to be adjusted to 30–40 mM by dilution to increase the yield of hydrogen in batch light-supported fermentations. The thermophilic DFEs are suitable for photofermentative hydrogen production, provided that they are supplemented with buffer and nutrients. The overall hydrogen yield of the two-step fermentations was higher than the yield of single step dark fermentations.     

Metal accumulation in sediment,water, and freshwater fish in a Dam Lake

Metal concentrations were determined in water, sediment, and freshwater fish samples (Squalus cephalus, Barbus esocinus, and Barbus xanthopterus) collected from Karakaya Dam Lake, Turkey, to estimate the risk of human consumption and pollution. Metal concentrations differed between the species (p??Zn?=?Cu in water and Fe?>?Zn?>?Mn?>?Ni?>?Cu in sediment. In general, the accumulation order of elements in the tissues all of the species sampled were found as Fe?>?Zn?>?Se?>?Mn?>?Cu?>?Ni?>?Cd in muscle, Zn?>?Fe?>?Mn?>?Se?>?Cu?>?Ni?>?Cd in gills, Fe?>?Zn?>?Se?>?Mn?>?Cu?>?Ni?>?Cd in liver and gonad, and Zn?>?Fe?>?Cu?>?Mn?>?Se?>?Ni?>?Cd in kidney. It was concluded that the fish from the dam lake are not heavily burdened with metals, but they should be controlled periodically to avoid excessive intake of trace metals by humans, and to monitoring the pollution of aquatic environment.     

Prenatal diagnosis of laryngeal atresia

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital atresia of the larynx is difficult but is possible by the findings of increased lung echogenicity and size coexisting with fetal ascites in ultrasonography. Sonographic findings may not always be typical. We report on a case of congenital laryngeal atresia diagnosed prenatally by the findings of fetal hydrops and hyperechogenic lungs. Our case presented with oligohydramnios. We also review syndromes that demonstrate laryngeal anomalies. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Biological hydrogen production by Rhodobacter capsulatus in solar tubular photo bioreactor

The purpose of this study was to develop a pilot scale tubular photo bioreactor (80 L) for photo fermentative hydrogen production by photosynthetic purple-non-sulfur bacterium, Rhodobacter capsulatus, operating in outdoor conditions, using acetate as the carbon source. The reactor was operated continuously in fed-batch mode for 30 days throughout December 2008 in Ankara. It was placed in a greenhouse in order to keep the temperature above freezing levels. It was found that R. capsulatus had a rapid growth with a specific growth rate of 0.025 h^?1 in the exponential phase. The growth was defined with modified logistic model for long term duration. The hydrogen production and feeding started in the late exponential phase. Evolved gas contained 99% hydrogen and 1% carbon dioxide by volume. The average molar productivity calculated during daylight hour was 0.31 mol H₂/(m³ h) with regard to the total reactor volume and 0.112 mol H₂/(m²·day) with regard to the total illuminated surface area. It was proven that even at low light intensities and low temperatures, the acetic acid which was fed to the system can be utilized for biosynthesis, growth and hydrogen production. The overall hydrogen yield was 0.6 mole H₂ per mole of acetic acid fed. This study showed that photofermentation in a pilot scale tubular photo bioreactor can produce hydrogen, even in winter conditions.     

Nanosecond pulsed laser micromachining of PMMA-based microfluidic channels

This paper reports an investigation into the effects of nanosecond laser processing parameters on the geometry of microchannels fabricated from polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). The Nd:YAG solid-state pulsed laser has a wavelength of 1064 nm and a measured maximum power of 4.15 W. The laser processing parameters are varied in a scanning speed range of 400–800 pulses/mm, a pulse frequency range of 5–11 Hz, a Q-switch delay time range of 170–180 μs. Main effects plots and microchannel images are utilized to identify the effects of the process parameters for improving material removal rate and surface quality simultaneously for laser micromachining of microchannels in PMMA polymer. It is observed that channel width and depth decreased linearly with increasing Q-switch delay time (hence average power) and increased non-linearly with higher scanning rates and not much affected by the increase in pulse frequency.