Fine‐scale population structure and connectivity of bottlenose dolphins,Tursiops truncatus,in European waters and implications for conservation

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A comparative analysis of water application and energy consumption at the irrigated field level

Most government policies and community perception of the irrigation sector promotes the conversion from gravity-fed to pressurised irrigation methods as a way of reducing water consumption by the irrigation sector. However, optimising for one aspect of a system can have unintended resource and environmental consequences e.g. an increase in energy consumption patterns of irrigated crops. Two Australian irrigation areas were studied: a surface-water supplied region in New South Wales; and a groundwater dependent region in South Australia. The water and energy budgets for crop production from land preparation to harvest were quantified on several farms. Converting from flood to pressurised systems resulted in a reduction in water application of between 10% and 66%. However, in the surface-water supplied region, it also resulted in energy consumption being increased by up to 163%. In the groundwater dependent region, energy consumption was reduced by 12% to 44%. There is potential to reduce energy consumption due to increased water use efficiency, resulting in less water being pumped due to efficiency gains. Therefore, to optimise energy and water use, it is recommended that pressurised irrigation systems be used in areas requiring pressurised extraction of groundwater, while efficient gravity based irrigation methods, coupled with good management practices, be promoted in surface-water supplied areas.     

Lignin deposition during earlywood and latewood formation in Scots pine stems

Lignin deposition at consecutive secondary wall thickening stages of early and late xylem cells during annual ring wood formation in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stems was studied. Lignin patterns, isolated by thioglycolic acid method, consisted of alcohol-soluble (LTGA-I) and alkali-soluble (LTGA-II) fractions. The sum of two fractions, being the total lignin content, gradually increased in the course of lignification. However, the increments of lignin amount at each development stage of early and late tracheids were different. The intensity of lignin deposition increased in the course of earlywood tracheid maturation and decreased toward the end of latewood cell differentiation. The deposition of two lignin fractions in each layer of forming wood also occurred oppositely. The increment of LTGA-I descended, whereas that of LTGA-II increased from the beginning to the end of early xylem lignification. In contrast, LTGA-I increment dropped, whereas LTGA-II rose during late xylem lignification. Gel permeation chromatography showed that the lignins, formed at the beginning of lignification, were more homogeneous and had higher molecular weight compared with the lignins at the end of cell differentiation. Besides, the content of cellulose, estimated as the residue after lignin isolation, and of cell wall substances, presented as cell wall cross-section areas, at consecutive maturation stages of early and late xylem cells have been found to be different. The data show that lignin deposition occurred in different conditions and with opposite dynamics during early and late xylem formation.     

Quantification of Heavy Metals from A.M.D. Discharged into a Public Water Supply Dam in the Iberian Pyrite Belt (SW Spain) Using Centered Moving Average

In this work, the determination of moving averages is proposed as a method for quantifying metal, arsenic, and sulfate discharges into a water course undergoing acid mine drainage processes which flows into a public water supply dam in the Iberian Pyrite Belt. The analysis of the results obtained by applying moving averages shows that the highest metal and sulfate concentrations occur in October, coinciding with the first rainfall and the sponging of mine dumps, with November and December being the months when the highest contributions to the Andevalo Dam take place. The discharge of acid mine waters with its corresponding metal load into the Andevalo Dam means, for a single hydrological year, more than 6,000 t of sulfates, almost 600 t of iron, and 1 t of As, of special relevance for the hydrochemical quality of the stored waters. When they arrive at the dam, these metals precipitate, since the water pH is near 7, and remain latent in the bottom sediment as long as the chemical makeup of the dam water does not change.     

Minimum alveolar concentration of desflurane in llamas and alpacas

OBJECTIVE: To determine the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of desflurane in llamas and alpacas. DESIGN: Prospective study. Animals Six healthy adult llamas and six healthy adult alpacas. PROCEDURE: Anesthesia was induced with desflurane delivered with oxygen through a mask. An endotracheal tube was inserted, and a port for continuous measurement of end-tidal and inspired desflurane concentrations was placed between the endotracheal tube and the breathing circuit. After equilibration at an end-tidal-to-inspired desflurane concentration ratio >0.90 for 15 minutes, a 50-Hz, 80-mA electrical stimulus was applied to the antebrachium until a response was obtained (i.e. gross purposeful movement) or for up to 1 minute. The vaporizer setting was increased or decreased to effect a 10-20% change in end-tidal desflurane concentration, and equilibration and stimulus were repeated. The MAC was defined as the average of the lowest end-tidal desflurane concentration that prevented a positive response and the highest concentration that allowed a positive response. RESULTS: Mean +/- SD MAC of desflurane was 7.99 +/- 0.58% in llamas and 7.83 +/- 0.51% in alpacas. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The MAC of desflurane in llamas and alpacas was in the range of that reported for other species.     

Response of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sorghum bicolor</Emphasis> varieties to soil salinity for feed and food production in Karakalpakstan,Uzbekistan

Water and land salinization, caused by ill-practiced irrigation and drainage is acute and widespread in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan. A crop frequently grown in these marginal areas is sorghum because of its capability to adapt to saline conditions. However, the salt uptake potential of local varieties for salt-ameliorative purposes, as well as possible income-generation benefits, have not yet been studied. Therefore, field experiments on low, medium and highly saline soils were conducted using four sorghum cultivars (S. vulgare, S. cernuum, S. durra, and S. technicum). The effect of soil salinity on biomass, stover and grain yield, the baking and feed quality, and total water soluble salt (TDS) accumulation, was assessed according to varieties, plant fractions and growth phases. Results showed that S. cernuum had the highest grain yield on the low (5.13 t ha⁻¹), medium (6.05 t ha⁻¹) and highly (3.3 t ha⁻¹) saline soil. S. technicum showed the lowest growth potential under all salinity levels. TDS accumulation varied between 406 and 185 kg ha⁻¹ depending on variety, site, plant fractions and growth stage. Irrespective of the soil salinity levels and varieties, TDS was highest in stover and leaves, while highest TDS uptake, mainly chlorides and bicarbonates, occurred between booting and flowering. Baking quality of all varieties was extremely low, whereas the in-vitro feed was assessed as of medium quality. The findings indicate the scope of local sorghum varieties for phytomelioration of marginal lands in Karakalpakstan, while concurrently satisfying a wider range of rural livelihood needs.     

Carbon and nitrogen dynamics in a forest soil amended with purified tannins from different plant species

Tannins are purported to be an important factor controlling nitrogen cycling in forest ecosystems, and the ability of tannins to bind proteins in protein-tannin complexes is thought to be the primary mechanism responsible for these effects. In this study, we examined the influence of well-characterized tannins purified from five different plant species on C and N dynamics of a forest soil A horizon. Tannic acid, a commonly used and commercially available hydrolyzable tannin (HT), and cellulose were also included for comparison. With the exception of tannins from huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum), the amendments increased respiration 1.4-4.0 fold, indicating that they were acting as a microbial C source. Tannic acid was significantly more labile than the five purified tannins examined in this study. All treatments decreased net N mineralization substantially, through greater N immobilization and decreased mineralization. The six tannins inhibited gross ammonification rates significantly more than cellulose. This suggests that added tannins had effects in addition to serving as an alternative C source. Tannins purified from Bishop pine (Pinus muricata) were the only tannins that significantly inhibited potential gross nitrification rates, however, rates were low even in the control soil making it difficult to detect any inhibition. Differences in tannin structure such as condensed versus HTs and the hydroxylation pattern of the condensed tannin B-ring likely explain differences observed among the tannin treatments. Contrary to other studies, we did not find that condensed tannins were more labile and less inhibitory than HTs, nor that shorter chained tannins were more labile than longer chained tannins. In addition to supporting the hypothesis that reduced N availability in the presence of tannins is caused by complexation reactions, our data suggests tannins act as a labile C source leading to increased N immobilization.     

Chronic toxicity of unresolved complex mixtures (UCM) of hydrocarbons in marine sediments

Background, Aim and Scope  Unresolved complex mixtures (UCM) of hydrocarbons, containing many thousands of compounds which cannot be resolved by conventional gas chromatography (GC), are common contaminants of sediments but little is known of their potential to affect sediment-dwelling organisms. Evidence exists for reduced health status in mussels, arising from aqueous exposure to aromatic UCM components acting through a narcotic mode of action. However, UCM contaminants in sediments may not be sufficiently bioavailable to elicit toxic effects. The aim of our study was therefore to measure the sublethal effects of chronic exposure to model UCM-dominated oils at environmentally realistic concentrations and compare this to effects produced by a UCM containing weathered crude oil. A further aim was to determine which, if any, fractions of the oils were responsible for any observed toxicity. Materials and Methods  Whole oils were spiked into estuarine sediment to give nominal concentrations of 500 μg g⁻¹ dry weight. Juveniles of the estuarine amphipod Corophium volutator were exposed to the contaminated sediment for 35 days and their survival, growth rate and reproductive success quantified. Using an effect-directed fractionation approach, the oils were fractionated into aliphatic and two aromatic fractions by open column chromatography and their toxicity assessed by further chronic exposures using juvenile C. volutator. Results  The growth rates of amphipods were reduced following exposure to the oils although this was only statistically significant for the weathered oil; reproductive success was reduced by all oil exposures. Sediment spiked with UCM fractions also caused reduced growth and reproduction but no particular fraction was found to be responsible for the observed toxicity. Survivorship was not affected by any oil or fraction. Discussion  The study showed that chronic exposure to sediments contaminated by UCM-dominated oils could have population level effects on amphipods. The observed effects could not be explained by hydrocarbons resolved by conventional GC and effects were similar for both UCM-dominated and weathered oils. All of the fractions appeared to contribute to the observed effects; this is in contrast to previous research which had shown that an aliphatic UCM did not cause adverse effects in mussels. Conclusions  To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate population-level effects arising from exposure to sediments contaminated by realistic environmental concentrations of UCM hydrocarbons. The results are consistent with many compounds, at very low individual concentrations, contributing towards the overall observed toxicity. Recommendations  Risk assessments of contaminated sediments should take into account the contribution towards the potential for toxic effects from UCM hydrocarbons. Studies into sediment contamination should report both aliphatic and aromatic UCM concentrations to aid risk assessments. ESS-Submission Editor: Henner Hollert (hollert@uni-heidelberg.de) This paper has been developed from a presentation at SETAC Europe 16^th Annual Meeting 2006 held at the The Hague, The Netherlands.     

Resistance of Organic Horizon to Acidification from Snowmelt in Podzolic Soil of the Kola Peninsula (6 pp)

Background  

The Kola Peninsula (the most northern region of the European fringe of Russia) is covered with podzolic soil and is considered the most sensitive area to acidification in Europe because of the low input rate of base cations by weathering. About 300 thousand tons of SO2 are annually emitted from stationary sources in this region. Acidic precipitation accumulates in the snow during winter, and acidic water suddenly flushes into the soil during spring snowmelt (so-called acid shock). It is therefore important to assess how the acid-sensitive podzol responds to an intensive increase in acid load. The main purpose of this paper is to show the observed data rather than to provide an analytical interpretation of the observed phenomenon.     

Patterns of harvesting foliage and bark from the multipurpose tree Khaya senegalensis in Benin: Variation across ecological regions and its impacts on population structure

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) represent important resources for millions of communities worldwide. Concerns over NTFP overexploitation has led to a growing number of studies on the ecological impacts of harvest. Few studies however, have addressed species harvested for multiple parts or investigated how spatial variation affects harvest patterns and their impacts. We documented rates and patterns of pruning and debarking and their impacts on density and population structure, for 12 populations of the multiuse tree, Khaya senegalensis (Meliaceae) in two ecological regions (Sudano-Guinean versus Sudanian) of Benin, West Africa. Half of the populations had low or no harvest and half were highly harvested. Patterns of pruning and debarking were size-specific, with harvesters tending to prefer larger trees. Foliage harvest pressures were very high across both regions, with >70% of trees harvested for 100% of their crowns. A significantly greater proportion of trees were harvested for foliage in the wetter Sudano-Guinean region than in Sudanian region. The reverse was true for the proportion of foliage and bark-harvested per tree. In the Sudano-Guinean region, high harvest populations had significantly lower densities of seedlings and saplings than low harvest populations. The size-class distribution coefficient of skewness was significantly correlated with rainfall, habitat, and soil type. Variation in harvesting patterns and their ecological impacts can be explained in large part by differences in water availability between the two regions. Effective conservation plans for K. senegalensis require close consideration of the environmental and land-use context in which populations occur.