Influence of Salinity in the Bioavailability of Zn in Sediments of the Gulf of Cádiz (Spain)

This study assesses the effect of salinity in bioavailability and toxicity of Zn by means of laboratory bioassays by observing contamination in both sediment and water, accumulation of Zn in biological tissues, and histopathological damage in the gills and guts tissues of Ruditapes philippinarum clams, which were exposed to different types of sediments from the Gulf of Cádiz (SW Spain) as well as two dilutions of toxic mud coming from an accidental mining spill. With this objective, the coefficients of distribution (K _D) for Zn between overlying water and sediments were calculated, the histopathological frequencies in the tissues of the gills and guts of clams were determined, and the biota-sediment bioaccumulation factors as well as the bioaccumulation factors were quantified in the different stations. Results showed that the greatest histopathological damages appeared when the salinity values decreased. Statistical results showed that salinity was inversely correlated with histopathological damage (p?<?0.01) for the lesion index for gills. The most outstanding results were observed in the two dilutions of toxic mud (0.3% and 7.9%) at a salinity value of 10. Salinity was inversely correlated with the concentration of Zn in biological tissues (p?<?0.05) and inversely correlated with the concentration of Zn in water and sediment. Zn mobilization to the overlying water is produced when salinity values decrease.     

Application of a rice husk-derived biochar in soil immobilization of iodide (I−) and iodate (IO3 −)

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Radioiodine is an inevitable product of nuclear fission during nuclear fuel reprocessing and nuclear accident and finally is brought back to surface soil by...     

Characterization of anthocyanins from the fruits of baguaçu (Eugenia umbelliflora Berg)

Anthocyanin pigments in the berries of bagua?u (Eugenia umbelliflora Berg), a tropical fruit from Brazil, were extracted with 0.1% HCl in ethanol, and the crude anthocyanin extract was purified by Amberlite XAD-7 open-column chromatography. Six major anthocyanins were isolated by preparative HPLC, and their chemical structures were identified by spectroscopic methods (TLC, UV-vis, MS, and (1)H NMR). Delphinidin 3-O-beta-glucopyranoside, cyanidin 3-O-beta-glucopyranoside, petunidin 3-O-beta-glucopyranoside, pelargonidin 3-O-beta-glucopyranoside, peonidin 3-O-beta-glucopyranoside, and malvidin 3-O-beta-glucopyranoside were identified. On the basis of chromatographic data the total anthocyanin content was 342 mg/100 g of fresh bagua?u berries. Therefore, the concomitant presence of six anthocyanins in a single plant species makes this product promising as a new pigment source.     

Effect of seed‐placed fertilizer on the emergence (germination) of soybeans (Glycine max L.) and snapbeans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Abstract

Field trials were established on a loamy fine sand and a silt loam using snapbeans and soybeans as test crops, respectively. Row fertilizer was placed with the seed (seed‐placed). Treatments were arranged in a 3×3×3 factorial experiment, and N, P, and K were applied in all combinations at three rates (0, 3.4, and 6.8 kg/ha). Ammonium nitrate (AN), monoammonium phosphate (MAP), concentrated superphosphate (CSP) and potassium chloride (KCl) were used as sources of N, P and K. Additional treatments compared MAP with diammonium phosphate (DAP) and KCl with potassium nitrate (KNO₃).

The salt index of each treatment was inversely related to emergence, i.e. as the salt index increased, the emergence decreased. Level of N was more important than level of P or K in regards to reduction in emergence. Snapbeans grown on a loamy fine sand were extremely sensitive to damage from seed‐placed fertilizer, even at rates as low as 3.4 kg/ha of N, P or K. Soybeans planted on a silt loam soil were less sensitive than snapbeans planted on a loamy sand. The soybeans were able to tolerate up to 10.2 kg/ha of seed‐placed P plus K or 6.8 kg/ha of seed‐placed N plus P or N plus K without causing a significant delay in emergence.     

Microbial communities of buried soils of the Tsaritsyn Defense Line (1718–1720)

Microbial communities of recent surface soils and the soils buried beneath the rampart of the Tsaritsyn Defense Line (1718–1720) in the Little Ice Age were studied. The contribution of the time factor to the variability in the number of microorganisms from different trophic groups was shown to be minor (0.2–0.3%), although significant. In the upper horizon of the paleosols reflecting the environmental conditions intrinsic to the period of the rampart construction, the lower (by two times) content of live microbial biomass, the lower metabolic activity of the microbial community, and the more contrasting changes in the microbiological parameters as compared to these characteristics in the recent soils were found for all the elements of the local topography. The stabilities of the microbial communities in the buried and recent soils were almost the same. The ecological–trophic structure of the microbial communities in the buried soils evidences that, the climate of the 18th century in the southern Privolzhskaya Upland was more humid than now. At the same time, temperature conditions of the Little Ice Age did not prevent the development of steppe vegetation and corresponding soil microbial communities in this area. Our data on the morphology and physicochemical properties of the soils confirm the assumption about more humid climatic conditions at the beginning of the 18th century in the studied area.     

AGRICULTURAL METEOROLOGY A Comprehensive Table of Main Contents of 2002(Vol.23)

Ｎｏ .1ＩｎｆｌｕｅｎｃｅｏｆｔｅｍｐｅｒａｔｕｒｅａｎｄｃｏｎｃｅｎｔｒａｔｉｏｎｏｆＣＯ2 ｏｎｃｒｏｐｒｅｓｐｉｒａｔｉｏｎ ＬＩＵＪｉａｎ ｄｏｎｇｅｔａｌ.(1)……………Ｃｏｒｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎａｎａｌｙｓｉｓｏｆｔｅｍｐｅｒａｔｕｒｅａｎｄａｇｒｏｎｏｍｉｃｃｈａｒ ａｃｔｅｒｓｏｆｒａｔｏｏｎｉｎｇｒｉｃｅ ＲＥＮＴｉａｎ ｊｕｅｔａｌ.(4)………Ａｓｔｕｄｙｏｎｔｈｅｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎｓｈｉｐｂｅｔｗｅｅｎｔｈｅｉｎｄｅｘｏｆｓｐｒｉｎｇｄｒｏｕｇｈｔａｎｄｗｉｎｔｅｒｗｈｅａｔｏｕｔｐｕｔｉｎ…     

AGRICULTURAL METEOROLOGY A Comprehensive Table of Main Contents of 1996(Vol.17)

1.CropmeteorologyModelanalysisofclimaticconditionsandiceamountforthesafetransportationofvegetablesfromChengdutoNorthwestChina………………ChenGangyietal.(1.6)………………………Effectofwaterstressongrowth,developmentandecologicalfeaturesofdifferentanti-aridtypyofpeanutsLiJunqingetal.(1.11)…………………ErroranalysisofPenmant-Monteithequationun-dertheconditionsofunvalidityofflux-gradientre-lationshipsDengHuiping(1.14)…………………Meteorologicalfactorsandyieldincreaseeffectofoptimumcondition…     

Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) in Acid Forest Soils at Gådsjön (Sweden): Natural Variabilities and Effects of Increased Input of Nitrogen and of Reversal of Acidification

Effects of (1) the addition of 35 kg N ha^-1yr^-1(as NH₄NO₃) and (2) interception of throughfall and litterfall by means of a roof on concentrations, chemical characteristics and dynamics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in acid forest soils (podzols) were studied at Gårdsjön, Sweden. A non-manipulated catchment served as a reference. After 4 yr of treatment no significant effects of either manipulation were found on concentrations and characteristics of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON). The variability of these parameters within catchments appeared to be of the same order of magnitude as the variability between catchments. At all sites, DON contributed more than 70% of the total dissolved nitrogen. In general, the proportion of hydrophilic DOC increased with depth. In contrast, to other studies the C/N ratio of DOM at Gårdsjön did not show a clear pattern with depth. Other studies in SE U.S.A. have suggested that relatively low C/N ratios at depth are due to increased contribution of hydrophilic neutrals to DOC. However, this fraction appears to be small in temperate and boreal spruce forest soils, including Gårdsjön.     

Behaviour of Potassium and Trace Elements in Rhizosphere of Flue-Cured Tobacco (Nicotiana Tabacum L.)

The study on the behaviour of potassium,phosphate and trace elements,Fe,Mn,Cu and Zn,in the rhizosphere of different varieties of flue-cured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.)with high and low potassium application rate with rhizobag technique showed that soil available K,soil available P,and slow available K was in depletion status,whereas DTPA extractable Fe,Mn,Zn and Cu accumulated obviously in rhizosphere.The depletion and accumulation rates of mineral nutrients differed in degree with K application rate,soil type,and tobacco variety.The content of available K in both rhizosphere and bulk soil and K concentration in tobacco leaf increased significantly,and the available P in rhizosphere dropped with more K application.The DTPA-Fe content of red soil much lower in pH was higher than that of calcareous soil in bulk soil.But the DTPA-Fe content of calcareous soil was much higher than that of red soil in rhizosphere,which was considered perhaps to be mainly related to releasing of Fe phytosiderophore.Nitrate coule increase depletion of a vailable K in rhizosphere and also soil pH in comparision with ammonium.     

Effect of 2(N‐morpholino)ethane)sulfonic acid (MES) on the growth and tissue composition of cucumber

The effect of 2(N‐morpholino)ethane)sulfonic acid (MES) on the growth of cucumber (Cucumis sativa L. var. Marketer) in hydroponic culture was determined at 0, 1, 5, and 10 mM concentrations. The effect of adding the MES to the solution at the time of transfer to hydroponic culture or waiting one week was also determined. MES was observed to strongly affect plant growth with increasing concentration in nutrient solution. Tissue and nutrient solution analysis determined that MES affects manganese (Mn) uptake. MES appears to be reduced by Mn, precipitating the Mn out of solution. The suitability of MES as a pH buffer in hydroponic culture is discussed in terms of this effect.     

Phenolic composition of the edible parts (flesh and skin) of Bordô grape (Vitis labrusca) using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS

The aim of this study was the detailed characterization of the phenolic composition and the determination of the antioxidant activity of the Bord? grape (Vitis labrusca) cultivated in South Brazil. The edible parts of Bord? grapes (flesh and skin) contained 1130 mg/kg of total phenolic compounds (as gallic acid), mainly located in the skins. Anthocyanin content in the skins was high, largely as 3,5-diglucosides (1359 mg/kg, as malvidin 3,5-diglucoside). Total flavonols accounted for 154 μmol/kg, mainly located in the skins and with myricetin 3-glucoside as the principal flavonol in both grape parts. Very low amounts of flavan-3-ol monomers and dimers and low amounts of polymeric proanthocyanidins, with a composition similar to that reported for V. vinifera grape varieties, were found in Bord? grape skins. Hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives mainly derived from caffeic acid and were found in the skins in high amounts, ten times higher than in the flesh (total amount: 483 μmol/kg). Finally, the Bord? grape cultivar can be considered a high resveratrol producer (10.91 mg/kg) and also exhibited a high value of total antioxidant capacity (37.6 ± 1.0 mmol/kg, as Trolox).     

Application of the Spectral Neighborhood of Soil Line Technique to Analyze the Intensity of Soil Use in 1985–2014 (by the Example of Three Districts of Tula Oblast)

The technique of separation of the spectral neighborhood of soil line (SNSL) makes it possible to perform quantitative estimates of the intensity of agricultural land use. This is achieved via calculation of the frequency of occurrence of bare soil surface (BSS). It is shown that the frequency of occurrence of BSS in 1984–1994 was linearly related to the soil type within the sequence of soddy strongly podzolic, soddy moderately podzolic, soddy slightly podzolic (Eutric Albic Glossic Retisols (Loamic, Aric, Cutanic, Differentic, Ochric)); light gray forest (Eutric Retisols (Loamic, Aric, Cutanic, Differentic, Ochric)), gray forest (Eutric Retisols (Loamic, Aric, Cutanic, Ochric)), and dark gray forest soils (Luvic Retic Greyzemic Phaeozems (Loamic, Aric)); podzolized chernozems (Luvic Greyzemic Chernic Phaeozems (Loamic, Aric, Pachic)) and leached chernozems (Luvic Chernic Phaeozems (Loamic, Aric, Pachic)). The intensity of exploitation of the least and most fertile soils in this sequence comprised 28 and 48%, respectively. In the next decade (1995–2004) the relationship between the type of soil and the intensity of its exploitation drastically changed; the intensity of exploitation of the leas and most fertile soils comprised 14 and 43%, respectively. Nearly a half of agricultural lands in the zones of soddy-podzolic and gray forest soils were abandoned, because the cultivation of the soils with the natural fertility below that in the podzolized chernozems became economically unfeasible under conditions of the economic crisis of the 1990s. The spatiotemporal relationships between the character of the soil cover and the intensity of exploitation of the agricultural lands manifest themselves by the decreasing frequency of occurrence of BSS from leached chernozems to soddy strongly podzolic soils and from 1985 to 2014.     

Comparison of volatile constituents of Persicaria odorata(Lour.) Soják (Polygonum odoratum Lour.) and Persicaria hydropiper L. Spach (Polygonum hydropiper L.)

Polygonum odoratum Lour. has been reclassified as Persicaria odorata (Lour.) Soják [Wilson, K. L. Polygonum sensu lato (Polygonaceae) in Australia. Telopea 1988, 3, 177-182]; other synonyms currently used are Vietnamese mint or Vietnamese coriander and, in Malaysia, Daun Laksa or Laksa plant. The aerial parts of Laksa plant are highly aromatic, and they contain many organic compounds such as (Z)-3-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexenol, decanal, undecanal, and dodecanal that are typical for green, citrus, orange peel, and coriander odors. In addition to these aldehydes, 3-sulfanyl-hexanal and 3-sulfanyl-hexan-1-ol were discovered for the first time in this herb. The fresh leaves are pungent when they are chewed, although the active compound has never been identified. The pungency of Persicaria hydropiper (L.) Spach (formerly Polygonum hydropiper L., synonym water pepper) is produced by polygodial, a 1,4-dialdehyde derived from drimane terpenoids. We also identified polygodial as the active pungent compound in P. odorata (Lour.) Soják.     

Assessment of the Potential Cyto�CGenotoxicity of the Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) Diclofenac on the Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)

A battery of eight biomarkers was used on the freshwater bivalve Dreissena polymorpha in order to evaluate potential sub-lethal effects of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac (DCF; 2-[(2,6-dichlorophenyl)amino]phenylacetic acid). By an in vivo approach, mussels were exposed for 96 h to increasing concentrations (0.3, 1, and 2 nM) of DCF perfectly comparable with current surface water levels. We determined the single cell gel electrophoresis assay, the apoptotic frequency (DNA Diffusion assay), the micronucleus test (MN test), and the lysosomal membrane stability (Neutral Red Retention Assay) in mussel hemocytes. Moreover, the activity of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and the phase II detoxifying enzyme glutathione S-transferase was measured in the cytosolic fraction extracted from a pool of entire bivalves to reveal possible alterations of the oxidative status of exposed specimens. The biomarker battery pointed out a negligible cyto- and genotoxicity on zebra mussel hemocytes since only a slight decrease of lysosomal membrane stability from baseline levels was measured at the end of exposures at the highest concentration (2 nM). In addition, environmental concentrations of DCF seem to have a negligible effect on the activities of antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes.     

Analysis of volatile compounds of taperebá (Spondias mombin L.) and cajá (Spondias mombin L.) by simultaneous distillation and extraction (SDE) and solid phase microextraction (SPME)

Volatile compounds of cajá and taperebá fruits, both classified as Spondias mombin, but from different geographic origins, were extracted (and analyzed) using solid phase microextraction (SPME) and simultaneous distillation and extraction (SDE). Forty-eight compounds were identified in taperebá and 47 in cajá by SPME using a DVB/CAR/PMDS fiber. (E)-Caryophyllene (18.7%), ethyl butyrate (10.0%), and ethyl hexanoate (7.0%) were the most abundant components in taperebá volatiles extracted by SPME, whereas myrcene (41.1%) and beta-phellandrene (8.5%) were the major compounds in cajá. In the taperebá SDE extract, 46 substances were identified, and (Z)-caryophyllene (13.2%) and limonene (9.5%) were predominant. From the 42 substances found in the SDE extract of cajá, the major components were myrcene (38.0%) and p-cymene (6.2%). The two fruits showed similar chromatograms upon the use of SDE and SPME. These methods made it possible to determine 30 identical components in both fruits by using SDE and 32 by using SPME.     

Can the Activities of Acetylcholinesterase and Glutathione S-Transferases of Crangon crangon (L.) be Used as Biomarkers of Fuel Oil Exposure?

This work aimed to determine the sensitivity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and glutathione S-transferases (GST) activities of Crangon crangon (L.) to the water-accommodated fraction (WAF) of the fuel oil spilled by the oil tanker Prestige, in order to assess their usefulness as markers for this kind of pollution. Laboratory exposure of shrimps to WAF of weathered Prestige fuel oil showed no significant interference with AChE activity. Significant induction of GST activity was observed, potentially as a result of high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. However, these results were only obtained with the higher WAF concentrations tested. It was concluded that AChE and GST activities of C. crangon were not useful biomarkers for short-term exposure to the WAF of fuel oil spilled by the tanker Prestige and carried to the beaches of Galicia (NW Spain).     

Irrigation of steppe soils in the south of Russia: Problems and solutions (Analysis of Irrigation Practices in 1950–1990)

Experience in irrigation of chernozems in the steppe zone of Russia for a period from 1950 to 1990 is analyzed. By the end of this period and in the subsequent years, the areas under irrigation reduced considerably, and the soil productivity worsened. This was caused by the improper design of irrigation systems, on the one hand, and by the low tolerance of chernozems toward increased moistening upon irrigation, on the other hand. The analysis of the factors and regimes of soil formation under irrigation conditions shows that irrigation-induced changes in the soil hydrology also lead to changes in the soil physicochemical, biochemical, and other properties. In particular, changes in the composition of exchangeable cations lead to the development of solonetzic process. In many areas, irrigation of chernozems was accompanied by the appearance of solonetzic, vertic, saline, and eroded soils. The development of soil degradation processes is described. In general, the deterioration of irrigated chernozems was related to the absence of adequate experience in irrigation of steppe soils, unskilled personnel, improper regime of irrigation, and excessively high rates of watering. In some cases, the poor quality of irrigation water resulted in the development of soil salinization and alkalization. To improve the situation, the training of personnel is necessary; the strategy of continuous irrigation should be replaced by the strategy of supplementary irrigation in the critical periods of crop development.     

Organic Matter of the Air-Dry and Water-Stable Macroaggregates (2–1 mm) of Haplic Chernozem in Contrasting Variants of Land Use

Eurasian Soil Science - The content and the composition of soil structural units of different hierarchical levels were studied for Haplic Chernozems (Loamic, Pachic) of Kursk region under...