Impact of Fertilizer Application and Agricultural Crops on the Quality of Groundwater in the Alluvial Aquifer,Northern France

In France, the quality of water resources with respect to nitrates deteriorated between the beginning of 1970s and 2000s. A stabilization of the situation and of the improvements has been observed punctually since the 2000s. Despite the application of the Nitrates Directive in France (91/676/CEE), the overall situation remains degraded, with numerous increases in nitrate concentrations in the underground waters. In the North of France, an alluvial groundwater’s nitrate concentration exceeds the drinking water limit fixed at 50 mg/l, in the sectors of Catillon-sur-Sambre and Rejet-de-Beaulieu. In order to quantify and model the impact of agricultural nitrogen on groundwater, an approach based on an integrated model has been established using three specific codes for each lithological horizon: Agriflux (for the root zone), VS2DT (for the unsaturated zone), and ModFlow-MT3D (for the saturated zone). The results illustrate the sensitivity of quality to agricultural crops used. Based on scenarios over 20 years, the predictions show a link between nitrate concentrations in the groundwater and agricultural crops as well as fertilization. Improving quality with a concentration of nitrate less than 50 mg/l requires a reasoned management accompanied by rotations of crops and transformations into grasslands and for sensitive areas the use of the culture producing the least nitrogen flow such as beets. The integrated model constitutes an efficient tool for predicting the evolution of the groundwater quality, especially in sensitive areas like the valleys with a rapid nitrate transfer to the aquifer. The model makes it possible to correctly evaluate the concentrations of nitrates reaching the groundwater with a monitoring of the concentration evolution in each lithological horizon, thus constituting a good tool for the management of agricultural pollution.     

Ventilation distribution assessed with electrical impedance tomography and the influence of tidal volume,recruitment and positive end-expiratory pressure in isoflurane-anesthetized dogs

Objective

To examine the intrapulmonary gas distribution of low and high tidal volumes (V_T) and to investigate whether this is altered by an alveolar recruitment maneuver (ARM) and 5 cmH₂O positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) during anesthesia.

Assessing genetic diversity in the cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) germplasm collection in Brazil using PCR-based markers

Knowledge of the origin, organization and nature of the cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) germplasm collection in Brazil is incomplete due to lack of critical information on several aspects of the collection. This study verifies the utility of SSR-primed PCR markers for germplasm assessment and then utilizes these markers as well as RAPD's to characterize the Brazilian collection. We specifically address the following questions: 1)what is the relationship of morphologically closely related species to cultivated cassava? 2) What is the genetic diversity of cultivars within and between different habitats in Brazil? 3) Do agronomic traits and molecular markers reveal the same relationship among cassava accessions? 4) How complete is the Brazilian cassava collection and how well is it represented in the Word Core Collection of cassava, maintained by CIAT? Results of the interspecific studies of cassava and its wild relatives confirms the close relationship of cassava, Manihot esculenta ssp. esculenta to Manihot esculenta ssp. flabellifolia as well identifying several other closely related wild species. Next, PCR-based markers indicate a strong grouping of varieties related to the region of cultivation in Brazil. Moreover, important regions such as Cerrados and Amazon are relatively poorly represented in germplasm collections. Interestingly, the relationships of accessions based on agronomic traits are not fully congruent with relationships revealed with RAPD markers. Finally, the genetic diversity of the Brazilian cassava collection is not fully represented in the Core of the Word Core Collection of CIAT.     

Glucoraphasatin and glucoraphenin, a redox pair of glucosinolates of brassicaceae, differently affect metabolizing enzymes in rats

Brassica vegetables are an important dietary source of glucosinolates (GLs), whose breakdown products exhibit anticancer activity. The protective properties of Brassicaceae are believed to be due to the inhibition of Phase-I or induction of Phase-II xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes (XMEs), thus enhancing carcinogen clearance. To study whether GLs affect XMEs and the role of their chemical structure, we focused on two alkylthio GLs differing in the oxidation degree of the side chain sulfur. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were supplemented (per oral somministration by gavage) with either glucoraphasatin (4-methylthio-3-butenyl GL; GRH) or glucoraphenin (4-methylsulfinyl-3-butenyl GL; GRE), at 24 or 120 mg/kg body weight in a single or repeated fashion (daily for four consecutive days), and hepatic microsomes were prepared for XME analyses. Both GLs were able to induce XMEs, showing different induction profiles. While the inductive effect was stronger after multiple administration of the higher GRH dosage, the single lower GRE dose was the most effective in boosting cytochrome P-450 (CYP)-associated monooxygenases and the postoxidative metabolism. CYP3A1/2 were the most affected isoforms by GRH treatment, whereas GRE induced mainly CYP1A2 supported oxidase. Glutathione S-transferase increased up to approximately 3.2-fold after a single (lower) GRE dose and UDP-glucuronosyl transferase up to approximately 2-fold after four consecutive (higher) GRH doses. In conclusion, the induction profile of these GLs we found is not in line with the chemopreventive hypothesis. Furthermore, the oxidation degree of the side chain sulfur of GLs seems to exert a crucial role on XME modulation.     

The toxicity of deltamethrin to pine beauty moth Panolis flammea schiff. and its parasitoids Barichneumon bilunulatus grav. and Rictichneumon pachymerus katz

The toxicity of deltamethrin to larvae of the pine beauty moth, Panolis flammea Schiff., and its two parasitoid species, Barichneumon bilunulatus Grav. and Rictichneumon pachymerus Katz., was evaluated. Two methods, exposure of insects on treated filter paper and topical application of insecticide, were used. Results showed that larvae of the pest were many times more susceptible to deltamethrin than imagines of either of the two parasitoid species.     

Belowground interactions for water between trees and grasses in a temperate semiarid agroforestry system

A fundamental hypothesis of agroforestry is the complementary use of soil resources. However, productivity of many agroforestry systems has been lower than expected due to net competition for water, highlighting the need for a mechanistic understanding of belowground interactions. The goal of this study was to examine root–root interactions for water in a temperate semiarid agroforestry system, based on ponderosa pines and a Patagonian grass. The hypotheses were: (a) A greater proportion of water uptake by pines is from deeper soil layers when they are growing with grasses than when they are growing alone; (b) Growth of grasses is improved by the use of water hydraulically lifted by pines. We used stable isotopes of O to analyze water sources of plants, and we measured sapflow direction in pine roots and continuous soil water content with a very sensitive system. We also installed barriers to isolate the roots of a set of grasses from pine roots, in which we measured water status, relative growth and water sources, comparing to control plants. The results indicated that pines and grasses show some complementary in the use of soil water, and that pines in agroforestry systems use less shallow water than pines in monoculture. We found evidence of hydraulic lift, but contradicting results were obtained comparing growth and isotope results of the root isolation experiment. Therefore, we could not reject nor accept that grasses use water that is hydraulically lifted by the pines, or that this results in a positive effect on grass growth. This information may contribute to understand the complex and variable belowground interactions in temperate agroforestry.     

How do trees affect spatio-temporal heterogeneity of nutrient cycling in mediterranean annual grasslands?

? In this study we analyzed heterogeneity in nutrient cycling induced by trees in Mediterranean annual grasslands, comparing years of higher and lower than average precipitation and analyzing the effects of two different solar radiation scenarios.

? Organic matter and consequently upper soil N, K, Ca and Mg were significantly greater in those locations receiving the highest levels of solar radiation, and as expected from many other studies in the literature, there was an increase in all macronutrients (except P) as well as pH below the canopy.

? Contrary to what was expected, plant nutrient concentrations did not directly reflect those found in the soil, with the exception of K. The studied grassland responded to increased nutrient availability by enhancing growth and changing botanical composition rather than by increasing plant nutrient concentrations. Hence, the total amount of accumulated nutrients in the ecosystem was larger below the tree than outside it, although this is mainly a consequence of plant growth enhancement. The levels of Ca, Mg, and Na in plants decreased during the driest year, and the N content was mostly determined by the composition of the grass.

? Temporal nutrient variability, particularly within-years, explained most of the variability in plant nutrient concentration, while spatial variability induced by trees was determined to be of secondary importance. These results are significant for ecosystem nutrient modelling.

     

A comparison of different methods for forest resource estimation using information from airborne laser scanning and CIR orthophotos

This article compares three methods for forest resource estimation based on remote sensing features extracted from Airborne laser scanning and CIR orthophotos. The estimation was made exemplarily for the total stem volume of trees for a given area, measured in cubic metres per hectare [m3 ha⁻¹] (as one of the most important quantitative parameters to characterise a forest stand). The following methods were compared: Regression Analysis (RA), k-NN (nearest neighbour) method and a method that utilises regional yield tables, referred to as the yield table method (YT-method). The estimation of stem volume was examined in a mixed forest in Southern Germany using 300 circular inventory plots, each with a size of 452 m2. Remote sensing features relating to vegetation height and structures were extracted and used as input variables in the different approaches. The accuracy of the estimation was analysed using scatter plots and quantified using absolute and relative root mean square errors (RMSE). The comparison was made for all plots, as well as for averaged plot values located within forest stands that have the same age class. On “plot level” the RMSE yielded 79.79 m3 ha⁻¹ (RA), 81.93 m3 ha⁻¹ (k-NN) and 81.78 m3 ha⁻¹ (YT-method) and for the averaged values 35.75 m3 ha⁻¹ (RA), 35.06 m3 ha⁻¹ (k-NN) and 42.98 m3 ha⁻¹ (YT-method). Advantages and disadvantages, as well as requirements, of the methods are discussed.