The ecosystem services concept: a new Esperanto to facilitate participatory planning processes?

Landscape Ecology - Several case studies investigated the role of ecosystem services in participatory planning processes. However, no systematic study exists that cuts across a large number of...     

Temperate zone coastal seascapes: seascape patterning and adjacent seagrass habitat shape the distribution of rocky reef fish assemblages

Landscape Ecology - Whilst the composition and arrangement of habitats within landscape mosaics are known to be important determinants of biodiversity patterns, the influence of seascape patterning...     

Effects of substrate sterilization,fungicide treatment,and mycorrhization helper bacteria on ectomycorrhizal formation of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) inoculated with Laccaria laccata in two peat bare-root nurseries

Summary Pedunculate oak seedlings (Quercus robur) inoculated with the ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria lacata were grown for 1 year on fertilized sphagnum peat in two nurseries. Three factors affecting microbial populations in the substrate were studied, fungicide treatment of the seeds, peat disinfection before sowing (methyl bromide or steam pasteurization), and inoculation with mycorrhization helper bacteria. Treatment of acorns with Iprodione had no depressive effect on mycorrhiza formation. Both disinfection techniques were equivalent, stimulating or depressing mycorrhiza formation depending on the initial microflora in the peat. The introduction of two previously selected mycorrhization helper bacteria (one Pseudomonas fluorescens and one unidentified fluorescent pseudomonad), isolated from L. laccata sporocarps associated with Douglas fir—L. laccata ectomycorrhizas in other nurseries, significantly increased the mycorrhizal rate from 30 to 53% of the short roots. The implications of these results for the controlled mycorrhization of planting stocks and the specificity of mycorrhization helper bacteria are discussed.     

Fine-earth translocation by tillage in stony soils in the Guadalentin, south-east Spain: an investigation using caesium-134

Tillage erosion is increasingly recognised as an important soil erosion process on agricultural land. In view of its potential significance, there is a clear need to broaden the experimental database for the magnitude of tillage erosion to include a range of tillage implements and agricultural environments. The study discussed in this paper sought to address the need for such data by examining tillage erosion by a duckfoot chisel plough in stony soils on steep slopes in a semi-arid environment. Results of the investigation of coarse fraction (rock fragment) translocation by tillage in this environment have been presented elsewhere and the paper focuses on tillage translocation and erosion of the fine earth. Tillage translocation was measured at 10 sites, representing both upslope and downslope tillage by a duckfoot chisel plough on five different slopes, with tangents ranging from 0.02 to 0.41. A fine-earth tracer, comprising fine earth labelled with ¹³⁴Cs, was introduced into the plough layer before tillage. After a single pass of the plough, incremental samples of plough soil were excavated and sieved to separate the fine earth from the rock fragments. Translocation of the fine-earth tracer was established by analysing the ¹³⁴Cs content of the samples of fine earth. These data were used to establish translocation distances for each combination of slope and tillage direction. Translocation distances of the fine earth were not significantly different from translocation distances of the coarse fraction. For all sites, except uphill on the 0.41 slope, translocation distances were found to be linearly related to slope tangent. The soil flux due to tillage for each site was calculated using the translocation distance and the mass per unit area of the plough layer. For slopes with tangents <0.25, the relationship between soil flux and tangent was linear and the soil flux coefficient derived was 520–660 kg m⁻¹ per pass. This is much larger than the coefficients found in other studies and this high magnitude is attributed to the non-cohesive nature and high rock fragment content of the soil in this investigation. A second contrast with previous studies was found in non-linearity in the relationship between soil flux and tangent when steeper slopes were included. This was a product of variation in plough depth between the steepest slopes and the remainder of the study area. On the basis of the study it is suggested that an improved understanding of tillage erosion may be obtained by considering the dual processes of tillage detachment (mass per unit area of soil subject to tillage) and tillage displacement (equivalent to translocation distance per pass) in assessing, comparing and modelling tillage translocation. An improved model is proposed that recognises the complexity of soil redistribution by tillage, provides a framework for process-based investigation of the controls on tillage fluxes, and allows identification of potential self-limiting conditions for tillage erosion.     

1-methylcyclopropene increases storability and shelf life in climacteric and nonclimacteric plums

The effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) at three different doses (0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 microL L(-1)) on the ripening processes of a climacteric, cv. Santa Rosa, and a suppressed climacteric type, cv. Golden Japan, plum was studied. For both cultivars, positive effects were observed in terms of inhibition of ethylene production and delays of the physical, chemical, and biochemical changes associated with ripening. 1-MCP-treated plums were firmer with lower weight loss, reduced degrees Brix/titratable acidity ratios, and lower color changes during cold storage and subsequent shelf life at 20 degrees C than controls. For most factors, the effectiveness of 1-MCP was dose-dependent in Santa Rosa but dose-independent for Golden Japan.     

Use of nootkatone as a senescence indicator for Rouge La Toma Cv. grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macf.)

The objective of this research was to study the usefulness of nootkatone as a senescence indicator for Rouge La Toma cv. grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macf.), simulating different treatments that included the normal postharvest handling of citrus fruits: temperature conditioning, cold storage, shipment periods to overseas markets such as Japan and the U.S., marketing conditions, and storage at nonchilling temperature (control treatments). The highest nootkatone levels, determined by GLC-MS analyses, were detected in fruits subjected to control treatments. No significant differences were observed in nootkatone levels between treatments either with or without temperature conditioning prior to the start of the cold storage. Levels of nootkatone increased throughout time for all assayed treatments. The linear regressions of nootkatone levels showed correlation coefficients of 0.80 and 0.83 with storage time (29 and 42 days, respectively). Therefore, nootkatone appears to be a good indicator of senescence for Rouge La Toma grapefruit.     

Food consumption patterns in an adult urban population in Beirut, Lebanon

OBJECTIVES: To investigate, measure and assess the food consumption pattern of the adult population living in Beirut, Lebanon, and to identify inadequate or excessive intake of food groups particularly linked to non-communicable diseases. DESIGN: A cross-sectional food consumption survey was conducted in 2001. Dietary habits were assessed by means of a quantitative food-frequency questionnaire. SETTING: Dietary survey of the urban population (Beirut). SUBJECTS: Random sample of 444 adult subjects (aged 25-54 years) in Beirut. RESULTS: The mean consumption of food by the study population was estimated to be 3,030 g day(-1), providing an energy intake of 2,523.57 kcal day(-1). Fat contributed 38.9% to the average daily energy intake, protein 13.4% and carbohydrates 47.2%. Mean consumption of fruits and vegetables was approximately 367 g day(-1) and 45.3% of subjects consumed less than the recommended 400 g daily. Cereals contributed 324.5 g day(-1), providing 35.0% of daily energy intake, with bread being the most highly consumed (146.2 g day(-1)) in this food group. The mean intake of meat and poultry products was 91.7 g day(-1) and provided 8.8% of daily energy intake, with consumption of butchery products especially beef being the highest (47.6 g day(-1)) followed by poultry (36.1 g day(-1)). A low consumption of fish was noted (19.7 g day(-1)), with 73.6% of subjects consuming less than the recommended 2 servings of fish per week. Dairy products contributed 243.1 g day(-1) or 10.9% of daily energy intake, and milk was the least consumed dairy product (56.8% of consumers). The intake of added fats and oils, excluding those in cooked recipes, was 20.4 g day(-1); olive oil was not used in cooking but was added solely at the table and its mean intake was 5 g day(-1). The consumption of butter was low (0.86 g day(-1)) and vegetable oil was the type of fat mostly used in cooking. The average intake of alcoholic beverages was low (33.6 g day(-1)), accounting for 0.7% of total energy intake. Women had significantly higher intakes of milk, dairy products, vegetables and coffee than men (P < 0.05). The percentage of women who reported the use of low-fat items was significantly higher than that of men. Younger people (25-34 years) ate significantly more meat, sugar, alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, and consumed significantly less cooked vegetables and legumes, than older ones (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The rather high contribution of fat to daily energy intake, the low intake of fish and the relatively high percentage of people consuming less than the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables observed in this study suggest that the adult Lebanese population is at increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, obesity and other non-communicable diseases, which provides the basis for recommending increased intakes of fish, particularly fatty fish, and fruits and vegetables.     

Use of Aloe vera gel coating preserves the functional properties of table grapes

Table grapes (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Crimson Seedless) were coated with Aloe vera gel according to our developed patent (SP Patent P200302937) and then stored for 35 days at 1 degrees C, and the subsequent shelf life (SL) was monitored at 20 degrees C. Uncoated clusters showed a rapid loss of functional compounds, such as total phenolics and ascorbic acid. These changes were accompanied by reduction of the total antioxidant activity (TAA) and increases in total anthocyanins, showing an accelerated ripening process. On the contrary, table grapes coated with Aloe vera gel significantly delayed the above changes, such as the retention of ascorbic acid during cold storage or SL. Consequently, Aloe vera gel coating, a simple and noncontaminating treatment, maintained the functional properties during postharvest storage of table grapes.     

Food animals as reservoirs and potential sources of multidrug-resistant diarrheagenic E. coli pathotypes: Focus on intensive pig farming in South Africa

BackgroundDiarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) strains are a major cause of diarrheal diseases in both developed and developing countries. Healthy asymptomatic animals may be reservoirs of zoonotic DEC, which may enter the food chain via the weak points in hygiene practices.AimWe investigated the prevalence of DEC along the pig production continuum from farm-to-fork.MethodsA total of 417 samples were collected from specific points along the pig production system, that is, farm, transport, abattoir and food. E. coli was isolated and enumerated using Colilert. Ten isolates from each Quanti-tray were selected randomly and phenotypically identified using eosin methylene blue agar selective media. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to confirm the species and to classify them into the various diarrheagenic pathotypes. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined against a panel of 20 antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method and EUCAST guideline.ResultsThe final sample size consisted of 1044 isolates, of which 45.40% (474/1044) were DEC and 73% (762/1044) were multidrug-resistant. Enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) was the most predominant DEC at all the sampling sites.ConclusionThe presence of DEC in food animal production environments and food of animal origin could serve as reservoirs for transmitting these bacteria to humans, especially in occupationally exposed workers and via food. Adherence to good hygienic practices along the pig production continuum is essential for mitigating the risk of transmission and infection, and ensuring food safety.