FOAM, a new simple benthic degradative module for the LAMP3D model: an application to a Mediterranean fish farm

The modelling framework already introduced by Doglioli, Magaldi, Vezzulli and Tucci to predict the potential impact of a marine fish farm is improved following different directions, namely (1) real historic current-metre data are used to force the simulations, (2) settling velocity values specifically targeting Mediterranean fish species are used, and (3) a new benthic degradative module, the Finite Organic Accumulation Module, is added to the modelling framework. The Finite Organic Accumulation Module uses the output of the other functional units of the modelling framework to calculate the organic load on the seabed. The Finite Organic Accumulation Module considers the natural capability of the seafloor in absorbing part of the organic load. Different remineralization rates reflect the sediment stress level according to the work of Findlay and Watling. Organic degradation for both uneaten feed and faeces is evaluated by changing the release modality (continuous and periodical) and by varying the settling velocities. It is found that the maximum impact on the benthic community is observed either for quickly sinking uneaten feed released twice a day, or for less intense near-bottom current conditions. If both the above-mentioned scenarios coexist, a high stress level is established in the sediment. The model also suggests that the use of self-feeders in cages can reduce farm impacts significantly. These results show how the new and more complete modelling framework presented here is able to improve the objectivity in the decision-making processes and how it may be successfully used for planning and monitoring purposes.     

Natural radioactivity of some red Mediterranean soils

Seventeen samples of B-horizon of Pleistocene Terra Rossa soils from carbonate rock were collected in different Countries of the Mediterranean regions (Spain, Italy and Southern Turkey).     

Impact of new measured Mediterranean mineralization rates on the fate of simulated aquaculture wastes

In order to provide values of key parameters in aquaculture waste degradation modelling specifically for the Mediterranean, sampling campaigns were carried out in 2006. Accurate measurements of particulate carbon input and benthic respiration rates were performed using sediment traps and intact core incubations. The in situ measurements, compared with data from Atlantic salmon production, showed lower carbon flux and oxygen consumption, while a greater degradation capability was observed. Moreover, a temperature dependence of the benthic parameters was highlighted. Successively, the model Finite Organic Accumulation Module was used for an accurate comparison between different parameterizations. Finite Organic Accumulation Module simulates the organic carbon degradation and the net carbon accumulation on the sediment, yielding a benthic state index. In comparison with previous results, there was a decrease in benthic impacts due to minor inputs of carbon and higher mineralization rates. Moreover, a seasonal variation could be observed in the organic carbon concentration. Nevertheless, the new results remain consistent with the old ones on two points: (a) the negligible benthic impact of faeces with respect to uneaten feed and (b) the dependence of that impact on the different feed release conditions.     

A micromorphological index of soil development for the Quaternary geology research

Profile development indices of Harden [Harden, J.W., 1982. A quantitative index of soil development from field: examples from a chronosequence in Central California. Geoderma 285, 1–98] and Ferrari and Magaldi [Ferrari, G., Magaldi, D., 1983. Significato ed applicazioni della paleopedologia nella stratigrafia del Quaternario. Boll. Mus. Civ. St. Nat. Verona 10, 315–340] have shown their utility for comparative dating of some paleosols during geomorphological and geological surveys. In Italy and other countries, pedostratigraphic methods have been commonly applied to soil profiles formed in continental formations. Unfortunately, buried and relict paleosols are very scarce or badly preserved in some areas of Italy due to past and recent tectonic activity and to strong human impact dating back to prehistoric times.In order to use relict paleosols for correct chronostratigraphic interpretation of relict paleosols and in order to correlate them with old landscape forms for the reconstruction of Quaternary sequences, a new micromorphological index (MISODI) for assessing soil development and degree of weathering was devised. The index was tested in the extensional tectonic basin of L'Aquila-Scoppito (Abruzzi, Central Italy) where some chronostratigraphic information is available.Results demonstrate that there is a good relationship between presumed relative age of paleosols and degree of weathering and pedogenesis in B and B/C horizons as assessed by this index. The index has the potential to be adapted for application to other paleosol types in other countries.     

Hierarchical Rank Aggregation with Applications to Nanotoxicology

The development of high throughput screening (HTS) assays in the field of nanotoxicology provide new opportunities for the hazard assessment and ranking of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). It is often necessary to rank lists of materials based on multiple risk assessment parameters, often aggregated across several measures of toxicity and possibly spanning an array of experimental platforms. Bayesian models coupled with the optimization of loss functions have been shown to provide an effective framework for conducting inference on ranks. In this article we present various loss-function-based ranking approaches for comparing ENM within experiments and toxicity parameters. Additionally, we propose a framework for the aggregation of ranks across different sources of evidence while allowing for differential weighting of this evidence based on its reliability and importance in risk ranking. We apply these methods to high throughput toxicity data on two human cell-lines, exposed to eight different nanomaterials, and measured in relation to four cytotoxicity outcomes. This article has supplementary material online.