Subhumid pasture plant communities entrained by management

Many annual cropping lands are being converted to perennial pasture in humid and subhumid areas of the USA as the economic, social, and environmental benefits of managed grazing become evident. Recent evidence about the positive effects of plant diversity on productivity is driving farmers towards management for more complex species mixes than were promoted historically for grazed pastures, but this emphasis has highlighted a lack of understanding about plant community management in pastures. To better understand this system we examined sources of variability in the plant community of a subhumid grassland that was subjected to combinations of disturbance (graze or burn), and amendment (nitrogen, carbon, or ambient), and native grass seeding treatments over 3 years (2004 to 2006). We estimated species cover five times during the study period and ordinated these data with nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMS). The ordination explained 80% of the variation in the plant community data set. Variance in ordination site scores was ascribed to management (disturbance, soil amendment, and native grass seeding time), the environment (year, season within year, and block), or unexplained (residual) realms with a linear mixed-effects model. The overwhelming source of variability in the plant community (62–99%) was attributed to management. Ordination results illustrated that plant groups sorted out along management gradients: burned plots were shifted towards grasses while forbs and clovers were associated with grazed plots. We demonstrate how a community-level approach can be used to evaluate management regimes in agroecosystems. Our results indicate that disturbance and soil amendments can be used to shape plant communities in subhumid grasslands for specific agronomic and conservation goals.     

Karyotype,phenotype and parental origin in 19 cases of triploidy

The parental origin of triploidy in 19 cases was examined by inheritance of DNA microsatellites and by methylation patterns of SNRPN or PW71 (where parents' blood was unavailable). The fetal and placental morphology on these cases was reviewed. The phenotype of the fetuses with non-mosaic triploidy was assessed in relation to the two types described by McFadden and Kalousek. Of the diandric fetuses three of the six showed mild-to-moderate symmetrical growth retardation and the other three had growth characteristics in accordance with their gestational ages. This study would suggest the fetal triploid ‘Type 1’ definition be modified to ‘well grown to moderate symmetrical IUGR’ to allow for such variation. In the digynic fetuses (McFadden/Kalousek Type 2) there were poor growth characteristics with IUGR being more severe and asymmetrical. The diandric fetuses were as common as digynic fetuses in this series. The ratio of diandric to digynic specimens was 11:8 but if only fetal specimens (not embryos or mosaic children) were included the ratio was 6:5. Many diandric conceptions end as partial moles but later in gestation diandric fetuses may be well grown. It is proposed that there may be a survival barrier for diandric fetuses early in gestation (possibly based on the proportion of vascularised placental villi), although once this is passed the diandric fetuses are comparatively more viable and better grown than digynic fetuses. In the XXY triploid fetuses, 5/6 had hypoplastic or ambiguous external genitalia (two were recorded as of female phenotype) as has been reported previously. In these, the gonadal histology was testicular in all the diandrics but in the single digynic XXY case, sex reversal was complete with normal uterus and Fallopian tubes and the gonads were histologically ovaries. Two triploid/diploid mosaics were proven to be due to digyny. The probable cause is delayed incorporation of the second polar body into a blastomere and there was evidence of identical alleles from the same sperm being present in both diploid and triploid cells. In one of these triploid/diploid mosaics in which there was a termination of pregnancy (TOP) after prenatal karyotyping the diploid cell line had trisomy 16 which was not evident in the triploid line. This trisomy was probably of post-zygotic origin and we suggest the fetus was rescued by the prominence of the triploid line. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bisphenol S induces oxidative stress and DNA damage in rat spermatozoa in vitro and disrupts daily sperm production in vivo

Bisphenol S has been introduced into some industrial applications and it may act as a xeno-estrogen that can alter endocrine functions and reproduction. The present study was carried out to examine the effect of bisphenol S exposure on oxidative stress, generation of reactive oxygen species, and DNA integrity in rat spermatozoa in vitro and daily sperm production and sperm DNA damage in vivo. Sperm were incubated with bisphenol S at concentrations of 0.5, 1, 10, and 100 µg/L. At the highest concentration, bisphenol S induced formation of reactive oxygen species, caused lipid peroxidation, affected superoxide dismutase levels, and increased DNA fragmentation. Adult rats were exposed to doses of 0.5, 5, 25, and 50 µg/kg/d for 28 days. Decrease in daily sperm production and an increase in sperm DNA damage was observed at the highest dose in the 50 µg/kg/d treated group, but sperm motility was not reduced.     

Understanding the Factors That Influence Headwater Stream Flows in Response to Storm Events1

Stanfield, Les W. and Don A. Jackson, 2011. Understanding the Factors That Influence Headwater Stream Flows in Response to Storm Events. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 1‐22. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2010.00518.x Abstract: Headwater drainage features (first‐ to second‐order streams) are the capillaries of the landscape that, among other things, moderate the timing and volumes of water available to the riparian and aquatic ecosystems. How these features respond to summer rainfall is poorly understood. We studied how geology and an index of land use/land cover influenced peak flows following rainfall events in 110 headwater stream sites that were studied over a four‐month period during a drought year. Highest peak flows were observed in the most urbanized catchments and in poorly drained soils, but specific responses were variable depending on both geology and land disturbance. Redundancy analysis indicated that both surficial geology and land disturbance were important factors influencing peak flows under drought conditions. We conclude that responses of these headwater streams to individual storms during drought conditions are unpredictable from data collected using our methods, but increased peak flows were associated with increased urban and agricultural development, but mitigated by surficial geology. These findings demonstrate the challenges to accurately predict flow conditions in headwater streams during periods of extreme weather that concurrently have the greatest potential effect on biota. The combination of these challenges and importance of such events indicates the need to develop new approaches to study and manage these resources.     

Toward an ecological classification of soil bacteria

Although researchers have begun cataloging the incredible diversity of bacteria found in soil, we are largely unable to interpret this information in an ecological context, including which groups of bacteria are most abundant in different soils and why. With this study, we examined how the abundances of major soil bacterial phyla correspond to the biotic and abiotic characteristics of the soil environment to determine if they can be divided into ecologically meaningful categories. To do this, we collected 71 unique soil samples from a wide range of ecosystems across North America and looked for relationships between soil properties and the relative abundances of six dominant bacterial phyla (Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, alpha-Proteobacteria, and the beta-Proteobacteria). Of the soil properties measured, net carbon (C) mineralization rate (an index of C availability) was the best predictor of phylum-level abundances. There was a negative correlation between Acidobacteria abundance and C mineralization rates (r2 = 0.26, P < 0.001), while the abundances of beta-Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were positively correlated with C mineralization rates (r2 = 0.35, P < 0.001 and r2 = 0.34, P < 0.001, respectively). These patterns were explored further using both experimental and meta-analytical approaches. We amended soil cores from a specific site with varying levels of sucrose over a 12-month period to maintain a gradient of elevated C availabilities. This experiment confirmed our survey results: there was a negative relationship between C amendment level and the abundance of Acidobacteria (r2 = 0.42, P < 0.01) and a positive relationship for both Bacteroidetes and beta-Proteobacteria (r2 = 0.38 and 0.70, respectively; P < 0.01 for each). Further support for a relationship between the relative abundances of these bacterial phyla and C availability was garnered from an analysis of published bacterial clone libraries from bulk and rhizosphere soils. Together our survey, experimental, and meta-analytical results suggest that certain bacterial phyla can be differentiated into copiotrophic and oligotrophic categories that correspond to the r- and K-selected categories used to describe the ecological attributes of plants and animals. By applying the copiotroph-oligotroph concept to soil microorganisms we can make specific predictions about the ecological attributes of various bacterial taxa and better understand the structure and function of soil bacterial communities.     

A simple technique for obtaining high quality chromosome preparations from chorionic villus samples using FdU synchronization

A fluorordeoxyuridine (FdU) synchronization technique was applied to 30 chorionic villus samples (CVS) from patients undergoing first trimester fetal diagnosis. The villi were incubated for 15 h in the presence of FdU. The block in DNA synthesis was subsequently released using thymidine and after an additional 5 h of incubation the mitotic cells were arrested in metaphases using a high concentration of colcemid. This method results in improved morphology of the chromosomes and a high mitotic index. A diagnostic chromosome analysis could be obtained in each clinical case using at least 15 well-spread metaphases. G-banded karyotypes were prepared of four metaphases in each case. The diagnostic procedure was completed within 48 h from the time of CVS. Use of this technique significantly improves the success rate of ‘direct’ chromosome analyses from CVS in a busy cytogenetic laboratory.     

Toxic chemicals in an abandoned phenolic waste site

The nature and extent of pollution was determined at the site of a former pinetar manufacturer. Compound distributions at various areas about the site revealed that, in addition to groundwater leaching of soluble phenolics, insoluble contaminants were spread by a dike-breach incident and subsequent construction activities. Differences in the patterns of chemicals in various wells suggested that more than one source of pollution occurred. The distribution of compounds about the site indicated that a general clean-up would not be cost-effective. Placement of an interceptor to collect groundwater seepage that contaminates surface water is being considered as an alternative.     

Advanced manufacturing technology and work design: Towards a theoretical framework

This paper introduces a theoretical framework to guide research into the psychological effects of advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) on shopfloor operators. The framework has two main aspects. First, based on the emerging literature on the job content implications of AMT, it identifies four key constructs, namely: control, cognitive demand, production responsibility and social interaction. Second, by drawing on the more established job design, stress and related literatures, it predicts how these independent variables differentially affect system performance, job-related strain and job satisfaction. The wider implications and limitations of the theoretical framework are discussed.