Incidental capture of marine turtles by the Italian trawl fishery in the north Adriatic Sea

In the north Adriatic Sea on-board observations on midwater and bottom trawlers were carried out during years 1999 and 2000. Results indicate that the north Adriatic Sea, and especially the north-east part, is a very important foraging and overwintering habitat for loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta). Since the distribution of fishing effort in the area is not known, the total turtle catch by the Italian bottom trawl fleet was conservatively estimated from the lower catch rate observed in the south-west sub-area: 4273 turtle captures/year (95% C.I.=2186-8546). The actual total catch in the whole north Adriatic is likely to be much higher, due both to an unknown Italian trawling effort in the south-west part with multi-gear vessels and to the Italian and Croatian trawling efforts in the north-east part, where catch rate was 15 times greater than in the south-west part. In the south-west sub-area 9.4% of captured turtles were dead and potential mortality (assuming that all comatose turtles would die too) was 43.8%. Hence, trawling in the north Adriatic is likely to represent a serious threat to the populations, and possible conservation measures are discussed.     

An efficient method for the collection of root mucilage from different plant species—A case study on the effect of mucilage on soil water repellency

Root mucilage may play a prominent role in understanding root water uptake and, thus, there is revived interest in studying the function of root mucilage. However, mucilage research is hampered by the tedious procedures of mucilage collection. We developed a mucilage separator which utilizes low centrifugal forces (570 rpm) to separate the mucilage from seminal roots without the need of handling individual seeds or removing the germinated seeds from the tray/mesh to a centrifuge tube. For the different plant species, between 1 and 3.7 mL tray^?1 of hydrated mucilage could be produced, with 6 trays being handled successively within 45 min. For Triticum aestivum, which showed a dry matter content of 0.5%, this was equivalent to 98.6 mg mucilage dry matter. The lowest total production was found for Zea mays with just 34 mg dry matter. The amounts of mucilage produced normalized to root tip agree well with literature data. The mucilage obtained by the new method was used to measure its effect on repellency of soil as this property directly relates to the phenomenon of lower rhizosphere soil water content during rewetting. It could be shown that repellency of the rhizosphere is affected by the quantity as well as by species‐dependent quality of mucilage in the rhizosphere. Among the species tested (Lupinus albus, Vicia faba, Zea mays, Triticum aestivum), the largest differences were observed between the two legumes. For Zea mays seminal root mucilage obtained with the new system was compared to mucilage of air born brace roots. The differences between these two mucilages, representing different root orders, indicate clearly that there is still a need for methods which enable the investigation of roots from older plants.     

Coffee mucilage impact on young coffee seedlings and soil microorganisms

A greenhouse pot experiment was carried out to assess the effects of fermented coffee mucilage applied as mulch together with maize leaves on the growth of young coffee plants of two different varieties and on soil microbial biomass indices. The coffee variety Catuai required 32% more water per g plant biomass than the variety Yellow Caturra, but had a 49% lower leaf area, 34% less shoot and 46% less root biomass. Maize and mucilage amendments did not affect leaf area, shoot and root yield, or the N concentration in shoot and root dry matter. The amendments always reduced the water use efficiency values, but this reduction was only significant in the maize+mucilage‐14 (= 14 g mucilage pot^?1) treatment. Soil pH significantly increased from 4.30 in the control to 4.63 in the maize+mucilage‐14 treatment. Microbial biomass C increased by 18.5 µg g^?1 soil, microbial biomass N by 3.1 µg g^?1 soil, and ergosterol by 0.21 µg g^?1 soil per g mucilage added pot^?1. The presence of mucilage significantly reduced the microbial biomass‐C/N ratio from a mean of 13.4 in the control and maize treatments to 9.3, without addition rate and coffee variety effects. The application of non‐composted mucilage is recommended in areas where drought leads to economic losses and in coffee plantations on low fertility soils like Oxisols, where Al toxicity is a major constraint.     

Utilisation of mucilage C by microbial communities under drought

Root mucilage modulates soil-plant-water dynamics, but its interactions with microbial community functioning remain poorly understood. The aims of this study were to estimate (I) the impacts of mucilage and soil water content on the microbial community composition and (II) the mucilage consumption by individual microbial groups. C4 root mucilage from maize (at 40 and 200 μg C per gram dry soil, corresponding to 10 and 50% of soil microbial biomass, respectively) was added in single pulses to a C3 soil at two moisture levels: optimum (80% of water-holding capacity (WHC)) and drought (30% of WHC). After 15 days of incubation, the microbial community composition was studied by phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) analysis and incorporation of mucilage-derived ¹³C into individual microbial groups was determined by compound-specific isotope analysis. Microbial community composition remained largely unaffected by mucilage addition but was affected by moisture. Whereas an increase in water content reduced mucilage ¹³C recovery in PLFA for the low-dose mucilage amendment from 19 to 9%, it had no effect under the high-dose amendment (11–12%). This suggests that the role of mucilage for microbial functioning is especially pronounced under drought conditions. The fungal PLFA 18:2ω6,9 was present only under drought conditions, and fungi profited in their mucilage C utilisation from the lower competitiveness of many bacterial groups under drought. In this study, Gram-negatives (G?, characterised by PLFA 18:1ω9c, 18:1ω7c, 16:1ω7c and cy17:0) showed the highest mucilage-derived ¹³C in PLFA, especially at the high-dose amendment, suggesting them to be the major decomposers of mucilage, especially when the availability of this C source is high. Gram-positives (G+) included different sub-groups with distinct responses to moisture: G+ 1 (a15:0) were only competitive for mucilage C under drought, whereas G+ 3 (i17:0) were only able to utilise mucilage-derived C under optimal moisture conditions. During the 15-day incubation, they built up more than 40% of their membranes from mucilage-derived C, suggesting that in the case of high availability, mucilage can act as an important C source for this microbial group. However, under drought, G? 1 and fungi were incorporating the most mucilage C into their membranes (approx. 20% of PLFA-C). The observation that, for some groups, the high-dose mucilage amendments under drought led to higher ¹³C incorporation into PLFA than under optimum moisture suggests that mucilage can compensate drought effects for particular microbial groups. Thus, mucilage may not only act as a C source for microorganisms but may also mitigate drought effects for specific rhizosphere microbial groups.     

Distribution of non-native trout in Slovenia and their introgression with native trout populations as observed through microsatellite DNA analysis

In Slovenia, the Adriatic basin inhabited by native marble trout (S. marmoratus), and the Danubian basin inhabited by native Danubian lineage of brown trout (S. trutta) have been intensively affected by stocking with non-native trout strains. In order to assess spread of non-native strains and their introgression with native trout, a population study based on five microsatellite loci was applied across ten marble and ten brown trout populations, ranging from allegedly non-introgressed to heavily managed. On the basis of correspondence analysis, which revealed three clear groupings consisting of the Danubian and Atlantic lineages of brown trout and the marble trout, the alleles, characteristic of each grouping were identified and used for estimating genetic composition of each population according to the three possible origins. Among the wild populations, five marble and one brown trout populations were found to be pure; all the others were introgressed with exotic alleles (Atlantic and marmoratus alleles in the Danubian basin and Atlantic and Danubian in the Adriatic basin) that markedly dominate in intensively managed populations. As revealed by non-significant F_IS values, panmixia between native and introduced fishes has for the most part already been reached. Our research showed that it is not only marble trout whose identity is endangered in Slovenia but also the existence of autochthonous Danubian brown trout is critically compromised, which is new information to be taken into account for local trout conservation.     

Additions of maize root mucilage to soil changed the structure of the bacterial community

The organic compounds released from roots (rhizodeposits) stimulate the growth of the rhizosphere microbial community. They may be responsible for the differences in the structure of the microbial communities commonly observed between the rhizosphere and the bulk soil. Rhizodeposits consists of a broad range of compounds including root mucilage. The aim of this study was to investigate if additions of maize root mucilage, at a rate of 70 μg C g⁻¹ day⁻¹ for 15 days, to an agricultural soil could affect the structure of the bacterial community. Mucilage additions moderately increased microbial C (+23% increase relative to control), which suggests that the turnover rate of microorganisms consuming this substrate was high. Consistent with this, the number of cultivable bacteria was enhanced by +450%. Catabolic (Biolog^® GN2) and 16S-23S intergenic spacer fingerprints exhibited significant differences between control and mucilage treatments. These data indicate that mucilage can affect both the metabolic and genetic structure of the bacterial community as shown by a greater catabolic potential for carbohydrates. We concluded that mucilage is likely to significantly contribute to differences in the structure of the bacterial communities present in the rhizosphere compared to the bulk soil.     

Can Vegetal Biopolymers Work as Coagulant–Flocculant Aids in the Treatment of High-Load Cosmetic Industrial Wastewaters?

The aim of this work was to evaluate the role of three biopolymers used as coagulant?Cflocculant aids in the treatment of a high-load cosmetic industry wastewater (WW) located in Mexico. Discussion is based on a surface response methodology. When using guar, locust bean gum, and Opuntia mucilage, conductivity and turbidity removals as high as 20.1 and 67.8?% were found, respectively. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removals as high as 38.6?% were observed. The maximum removal efficiency was found for mucilage, with 21.1?mg?COD/mg polymer. At the end of the process, pH was in the range of 5.8?C7.3 for an initial wastewater pH value of 5.6. The production of sludge was very dependent on the WW organic load. An analysis of some metal content in the sludges is presented. From the response surface analysis, it was observed that the parameter which strongly affected the removal of COD, turbidity, oil and greases (O&G), and the amount of sludge including their metal contents was the polymer dose. Only in the case of O&G removal was a combination of dose?Cwastewater organic load responsible for the removals. The values of R ² for the correlation process were between 0.5451 (O&G) and 0.7989 (COD). The p values for the different expressions were between 0.1985 (COD) and 0.7195 (O&G). The values of adequate precisior (AP) indicate how feasible it is to use the surface response analysis (AP?>?4). Most of the analysis indicated that AP?>?4, except in the case of the O&G removal analysis where AP?=?2.9.     

Albania, the domestication country for pomegranate (Punica granatum L.)

A special discussion, regarding the domestication of wild pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) in Albania, has first started in 1995. This discussion triggered a study that continued for the next several years. This research resulted in the identification of a wild pomegranate belt of about 300?km, along the Adriatic and Ionian coastline of the western part of Albania. Considering the results of this study regarding morphological, biological and biochemical assessments, toponymic and linguistic data, it is revealed that there are some indications that pomegranate could have been domesticated in Albania independently from other regions.     

Maize root mucilage decreases adsorption of phosphate on goethite

 This work was carried out to determine the influence of root exudates on phosphorus solubility in the presence of a strong phosphate sorbant. Root mucilage was collected from maize grown under field conditions. Polygalacturonic acid (PGA) was also used as a model of exudates. Adsorption of phosphate by synthetic goethite was measured in the absence of either (1) root mucilage collected from maize in the field, or (2) PGA. The ranking order of the adsorption on goethite was phosphate at low concentration >PGA >mucilage >phosphate at high concentration. Then, competitive adsorption between phosphate ions and PGA or mucilage was studied. Increasing the concentration of PGA or mucilage added to the goethite suspension decreased the amount of phosphate adsorbed on goethite. It is likely that PGA, mucilage and phosphate compete for the same adsorption sites on goethite: the effect of the coating of the mineral by the mucilage is another possible explanation. Received: 18 April 2000     

Controls on microbial mercury transformations in contaminated sediments downstream of the Idrija mercury mine (West Slovenia) to the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic)

Purpose

Concentrations and transformations of mercury were measured in river, estuarine, and marine sediments to determine factors affecting the fate of mercury entering the northern Adriatic Sea.

Materials and methods

Radiotracer methodology was used to compare rates of mercury methylation (²⁰³Hg), MeHg demethylation (¹⁴C), and sulfate reduction (³⁵S) in sediment depth profiles to concentrations of total and dissolved mercury species in the lower freshwater region of the Isonzo River, the coastal lagoons, and in the Gulf of Trieste, northern Adriatic Sea.

Results and discussion

Mercury was readily methylated and demethylated in all sediments, but the relative activity of these processes varied greatly with location. Methylation activity increased greatly from freshwater to the marine regions; however, demethylation was extremely high in the estuarine and lagoon sites. Ratios of methylation to demethylation were low in these coastal sites but increased further offshore in the gulf, which agreed with increased ratios of MeHg to total Hg (%MeHg) in gulf sediments. Comparisons of microbial activities indicated that sulfate reduction strongly controlled both methylation and demethylation. However, Hg methylation in coastal lagoon sediments was controlled by rapid demethylation and the bioavailability of Hg that was affected by Hg adsorption and precipitation. Methylation in offshore marine sites correlated with sulfate reduction but not the partitioning of Hg between pore water and solid phases. The decrease in sulfide production offshore exacerbated Hg methylation.

Conclusions

The freshwater to marine gradient in the Idrija/So?a/Isonzo/Adriatic region is dynamic, exhibiting horizontally variable rates of microbial activities and Hg transformations that create “hot spots” of MeHg accumulation that are controlled differently in each region.

     

Effect of root mucilage and modelled root exudates on soil structure

Plant roots release in the rhizosphere diverse organic materials which may have different effects on soil structure. We have evaluated the effect of natural and modelled root‐released materials on soil aggregates and the biodegradation of carbon from roots in the soil. The effects of root mucilage from maize and of a modelled soluble exudate were compared with those of simple compounds (glucose, polygalacturonic acid). For all treatments, soil was amended with 2 g C kg^?1 soil and incubated for 30 days at 25°C. The biodegradation of mucilage was similar to that of polygalacturonic acid, and slower than the decomposition of modelled exudates and glucose. Addition of all substrates increased the stability of aggregates, but the duration of this effect depended on the chemical nature of the material. Compared with the control, the proportion of stable aggregates after 30 days of incubation was multiplied by 3.8 for root mucilage, by 4.2 for modelled soluble exudates, by 2.5 for polygalacturonic acid and by 2.0 for glucose. The different fractions of root exudates in the rhizosphere evidently affected the aggregate stability.     

Behavior of Cd,Pb, and Cu in the marine deltaic area of the Po River (North Adriatic Sea)

An analysis of the spatial trend of concentrations and of the correlation between heavy metals and total suspended matter was performed in a multidisciplinary study of transport of pollutants in the marine coastal area involving in situ investigations, remote sensing techniques and modeling. This paper presents results concerning the chemical behavior of heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Pb) in the North Adriatic Sea and in particular in the marine deltaic area of the Po river. The samples were collected during the JRC Remote Sensing Campaigns ADRIA 84 and ADRIA 85, carried out in the entire North Adriatic Sea and in the selected area in front of the Po when passing from the fluvial to the marine environment. In the dissolved phase, Cu undergoes a dilution process consistent with the mixing theory, while there is a tenfold increase in Pb concentrations. A pronounced tendency to augment the level in the dissolved phase is observed for all three elements in the pelagic waters. In the particulate phase, Cd and Cu, after a diminution in the nearshore stations, their concentration increases as the pelagic area is approached. The total amount of heavy metals in solid phase of the water decreases according to the dispersion and the sedimentation processes of the fluvial load in the marine water. A satisfactory correlation was found between the Cu and Pb with the total suspended matter (TSS). An attempt was made to characterize sediments and suspended matter in order to assess the role of the organic and mineralogical components on heavy metal behavior.     

Spectroscopic characterization of mucilage (Chia seed) and polygalacturonic acid

Polygalacturonic acid (PGA) has frequently been suggested and used as a model substance for studying mucilage properties and effects in soil. While PGA has a defined chemical structure, the composition of mucilage as natural product can vary in space and time depending on the plant and soil conditions. However, it is still unclear if PGA can be used as surrogate for original mucilage when considering soil–mucilage interactions in the rhizosphere. Here the organic matter (OM) composition of PGA was compared with that of Chia seed mucilage and small‐scale spatial distribution of OM composition in mucilage droplets was analysed using Fourier transform mid infrared spectroscopy in KBr‐transmission technique (FTIR). Selected regions of dried Chia seed mucilage droplets were analysed using micro‐ Fourier transform mid infrared spectroscopy in transflection technique (micro‐FTIR). For PGA, the FTIR spectra revealed lower C–H/C=O and higher C=O/C–O–C ratios as compared to Chia seed mucilage, indicating a relatively lower potential hydrophobicity and higher sorption capacity of the OM in PGA than OM in mucilage. The micro‐FTIR spectra revealed that the potential hydrophobicity of a single freeze‐dried mucilage droplet was higher at the tip as compared to regions located above the tip. The results suggest that the use of PGA as model substance for mucilage is limited especially when trying to imitate the sorption and wettability properties of the Chia seed mucilage OM. The spatial heterogeneity in OM composition as well as shifts in maxima of C=O and O–H bands in micro FTIR spectra of the cross sectioned mucilage droplet suggest that the composition of mucilage is changing with time. These findings may help initiating future studies on the dynamics and variability of OM composition of mucilage.     

Bivalves and Heavy Metals in Polluted Sediments: a Chemometric Approach

Copper, lead, cadmium, zinc, chromium, manganese, iron and nickel were determined in near-shore sediments in the harbour of Trieste (Northern Adriatic), in an area highly exposed to urban and industrial wastes, where severe alteration of benthic population was observed. A typical bivalve of this area,Corbula gibba, was used as bioindicator of sea-bottom pollution. Multivariate statistical analysis of the chemical data interpret concentrations and distributions of heavy metals in these sediments, attesting anthropogenic source for Cu, Pb, Cd and Zn. Using labile fractions of heavy metals in sediments as ‘predictors’, and length or bionnass of the bivalve as dependent variables, we obtained, by a multiple regression procedure, a predictive model showing the influence of metals on this benthic organism of this polluted area.     

Effect of soil drying on mucilage exudation and its water repellency: a new method to collect mucilage

Despite the importance of mucilage for soil–plant relations, little is known about the effect of soil drying on mucilage exudation. We introduce a method to collect mucilage from maize growing in wet and dry soils. Mucilage was collected from brace roots. The amount of mucilage exuded did not change with soil water content and transpiration rate. Mucilage exuded in dry soils had a higher degree of hydrophobicity, suggesting that the wetting properties of mucilage change in response to soil drying.     

Gel formation mechanism and gel properties controlled by Ca2+ in chia seed mucilage and model substances

Polygalacturonic acid (PGA) is considered as a model substance for mucilage to study mucilage–soil interactions, assuming that the gel formation mechanism of mucilage is comparable to the one of PGA. However, some studies question the accepted hypothesis, which states that, like for PGA, this mechanism relies on cross‐links between uronic acid and calcium for mucilage. The aim of this study was therefore to understand the influence of the abundance and degree of esterification of uronic acids and the influence of calcium on the gel formation mechanism in mucilage as compared to model substances. The mucilage used was from chia seeds, as it is easily available in great quantity and has gel properties shared by root mucilage. Results reported here demonstrate that, while the gel formation mechanism of PGA relied on specific cross‐links with calcium and led to heterogeneous gels, low‐methoxy pectin (LMP) formed homogeneous calcium gels also characterized by nonspecific ionic interactions with calcium. On the contrary, despite similar uronic acid content to LMP, chia seed mucilage was mostly governed by weak electrostatic interactions between entangled polymer chains, which conferred the gel poor water retention. Addition of calcium reduced repulsion and molecular expansion, resulting in a reduction of the water content in chia seed mucilage. Finally, the discrepancies between PGA, LMP and chia seed mucilage discredit the use of PGA as model for chia seed mucilage. Comparison with root mucilage is still needed. This study offers the keys for further mechanistic understanding on the influence of mucilage on soil properties.     

Modelling of Pore Water Nutrient Distribution and Benthic Fluxes in Shallow Coastal Waters (Gulf of Trieste, Northern Adriatic)

Pore waters, extracted monthly from short cores at two sedimentologically and biologically different locations (AA1 and F) in the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic), were analyzed for NH₄ ⁺, NO₃ ⁺, PO₄ ³⁺, Si(OH)₄, DIC and periodically for DOC, DON and DOP. Nutrient concentrations were used to model vertical profiles using a diffusion-reaction model which included the macrofaunal influence on sediment-water exchange rates. Winter nutrient profiles showed nearly an exponential increase, or decrease in the case of NO₃ ⁺, in nutrient concentrations with depth while the profiles from other seasons exhibited concentration maximum at 3–6 cm, a minimum around 8–10 cm, and then, except for NO₃ ⁺, a gradual increase or constant values. This vertical distribution is attributed to seasonal variations in the benthic infauna activity, mostly composed of polychaetes and bivalves and concentrated in the top 4–5 cm, being less active during the winter. The vertical profiles of DOC and DON showed the vertical distribution described above in all periods, while DOP was similar to that of PO₄ ³. The comparison of modelled fluxes of nutrients across the sediment-water interface at the location AA1 and those measured usingin situ benthic chamber showed quite good agreement for NH₄ ⁺ and PO₄ ³, fluxes but not for NO, and Si(OH)₄. Discrepancies could be caused by a topography effect and for Si(OH)₄ by an additional dissolution of the solid phase balancing the diffusive loss into burrows and lessening the effect of bioturbation.     

黑豆边缘细胞对干旱胁迫的响应和对根系生理特性的影响

以黑豆Glycine max (L.) Merrill为材料,采用静置培养(保持边缘细胞和黏液附着在根尖)和振荡培养(移除边缘细胞及根尖黏液)方法,比较研究干旱胁迫下黑豆根尖边缘细胞(root border cells, RBCs)产生和黏液分泌以及对根系生理特性的影响。结果表明,与对照相比,11%和22%的聚乙二醇(PEG)处理使RBCs数目分别降低了18.1%～21.6%和28.8%～30.4%,胞外黏液分泌分别增加了62.8%～140.7%和133.8%～172.7%,表明干旱胁迫抑制了RBCs的发育,增加了RBCs黏液分泌量。移除边缘细胞的根伸长抑制率、根系相对电导率和丙二醛(MDA)含量高于保留边缘细胞的根,而根系脯氨酸含量则是前者显著低于后者。说明干旱胁迫下,黑豆根尖附着的RBCs及黏液分泌量的增加,减缓了根尖细胞损伤,有利于根系生长,从而提高黑豆的抗旱能力。     

A Survey of Organotin Compounds in the Northern Adriatic Sea

The extent of pollution with organotin compounds was investigated in water, sediment and bivalve mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from the Northern Adriatic Sea. Butyl-, phenyl- and octyltin species were quantified after extraction and derivatisation by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry in a total of 99 samples from the period from 2000 to 2006. The accuracies of the analytical procedures were checked by spiking of unpolluted water samples and by the analysis of standard reference materials (harbour sediment PACS-2 and mussel tissue ERM-CE 477). Among organotin species analysed in samples butyltins were the predominant. Tributyltin was found to be present in the highest concentrations, suggesting its recent input into the marine environment. Butyltins were detected at all sites surveyed (sum of butyltins was up to 718 ng Sn L^?1, 3,552 ng Sn g^?1 d.w. and 9,991 ng Sn g^?1 d.w. in water, sediment and mussel samples, respectively), phenytins in much lower concentrations (up to 31 ng Sn L^?1, 326 ng Sn g^?1 d.w. and 442 ng Sn g^?1 d.w. in water, sediment and mussel samples) and to a much smaller extent, while octyltins were not detected at any location. The spatial distribution of tributyltin was closely related to boating, with the highest concentrations found in marinas (up to 586 ng Sn L^?1 for water samples, 1,995 ng Sn g^?1 d.w. for sediment and 6,434 ng Sn g^?1 d.w. for mussel samples). The temporal distribution clearly indicates a decrease of organotin pollution at all sites.