You reap what you sow – or do you? – volunteers in organic row-sown and broadcast-sown oilseed rape fields

The frequency and origin of oilseed rape volunteers in organic row and broadcast-sown oilseed rape fields was evaluated using DNA markers (ISSR) for analysis of potential volunteers in nine organic oilseed rape fields with different history. Using the software AFLPOP, the potential volunteers were assigned to variety by comparing their ISSR fingerprints with those of present and previous varieties. Results showed that two of the five row-sown fields, had high numbers of volunteer in the row (5 and 9 volunteers m^?2), and as inter-row volunteers were also present (0.9 and 3.6 volunteers m^?2), the recommended inter-row hoeing should not be neglected. Potential volunteers were also identified in the broadcast-sown fields, but their identity could not be proven. In a scenario where GM oilseed rape is cultivated previous to the organic oilseed rape, the present results indicate that the frequency of GM volunteers would exceed the threshold of 0.9%, and thus GM labelling would be demanded. Some of the volunteers belonged to varieties cultivated 8–11 years previously, indicating a long persistence of volunteer populations. What you reap might be added in the past – with consequences for organic farmers’ production and earning.     

Competition Affects the Production of First Backcross Offspring on F1-hybrids, Brassica Napus × B. Rapa

Summary Interspecific F₁-hybrids may arise in fields with transplastomic oilseed rape where B. rapa occurs as a weed. Spilled seeds, including transplastomic F₁-hybrids with B. rapa, may germinate, which creates an opportunity for production of transplastomic BC₁ with B. rapa as father (BC_1r). Field trials were made with three different proportions of B. napus, B. rapa and F₁-hybrids and three different densities. Contrary to most studies on how plant competition affects introgression between oilseed rape and B. rapa, this study focused on offspring produced on F₁-hybrids, where the F₁-hybrids had oilseed rape as maternal parent. We estimated the BC_1r production in all combinations of proportion and density, and found that B. rapa sired from 0.6–7.8% of the offspring. At the proportion with the highest abundance of F₁-hybrids the entire paternity was assessed. There was a significant density effect on the production of BC_1r but the effect differed among proportions. Both the highest and lowest frequencies of BC_1r were obtained at high plant density. Neither the proportion nor density affected the number of BC_1r per square-meter significantly. Biomass components decreased significantly from low to intermediate density, whereas a further increase in density only affected the thousand-seed weight significantly. On the basis of the results from the present experiment we conclude that introgression of transgenes from transplastomic oilseed rape to B. rapa seems most likely at current field densities of B. napus, and when B. rapa is an abundant weed.     

Modelling agricultural expansion in Kenya’s Eastern Arc Mountains biodiversity hotspot

The Taita Hills are the northernmost part of the Eastern Arc Mountains of Kenya and Tanzania, which is one of the most important regions for biological conservation in the world. The indigenous cloud forests in this area have suffered substantial degradation for several centuries due to agricultural expansion. In the Taita Hills, currently only 1% of the original forested area remains preserved. In order to create effective policies to preserve the natural resources and biodiversity of the Eastern Arc Mountains it is crucial to understand the causes and interactions involved in the landscape changes in the most degraded areas. The research presented here aimed to understand the role of landscape attributes and infrastructure components as driving forces of agricultural expansion in the Taita Hills. Geospatial technology tools and a landscape dynamic simulation model were integrated to identify and evaluate the driving forces of agricultural expansion and simulate future landscape scenarios. The results indicate that, if current trends persist, agricultural areas will occupy roughly 60% of the study area by 2030. Agricultural expansion will likely take place predominantly in lowlands and foothills throughout the next 20 years, increasing the spatial dependence on distance to rivers and other water bodies. The main factors driving the spatial distribution of new croplands were the distance to markets, proximity to already established agricultural areas and distance to roads. Other driving forces of the agricultural expansion, as well as their implications for natural resources conservation, are discussed. Further studies are necessary to integrate the effects of population pressure and climate change on the sustainability and characteristics of local agricultural systems.     

Kepler detected gravity-mode period spacings in a red giant star

Stellar interiors are inaccessible through direct observations. For this reason, helioseismologists made use of the Sun's acoustic oscillation modes to tune models of its structure. The quest to detect modes that probe the solar core has been ongoing for decades. We report the detection of mixed modes penetrating all the way to the core of an evolved star from 320 days of observations with the Kepler satellite. The period spacings of these mixed modes are directly dependent on the density gradient between the core region and the convective envelope.     

Near-infrared characteristics of forest humus are correlated with soil respiration and microbial biomass in burnt soil

Near-infrared spectroscopy and soil physicochemical determinations (pH_H2O, organic matter content, total C content, NH _inf4 ^sup+ , total N content, cation-exchange capacity, and base saturation) were used to characterize fire-or wood ash-treated humus samples. The spectroscopic and the soil physicochemical analysis data from the humus samples were used separately to explain observed variations in soil respiration and microbial biomass C by partial least-square regression. The first regression component obtained from the physicochemical and spectroscopic characterization explained 10–12% and 60–80% of the biological variation, respectively. This suggests that information on organic material collected from near-infrared spectra is very useful for explaining biological variations in forest humus.     

Inhibition of protein and lipid oxidation in liposomes by berry phenolics

The antioxidant activity of berry phenolics (at concentrations of 1.4, 4.2, and 8.4 mug of purified extracts/mL of liposome sample) such as anthocyanins, ellagitannins, and proanthocyanidins from raspberry (Rubus idaeus), bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), and black currant (Ribes nigrum) was investigated in a lactalbumin-liposome system. The extent of protein oxidation was measured by determining the loss of tryptophan fluorescence and formation of protein carbonyl compounds and that of lipid oxidation by conjugated diene hydroperoxides and hexanal analyses. The antioxidant protection toward lipid oxidation was best provided by lingonberry and bilberry phenolics followed by black currant and raspberry phenolics. Bilberry and raspberry phenolics exhibited the best overall antioxidant activity toward protein oxidation. Proanthocyanidins, especially the dimeric and trimeric forms, in lingonberries were among the most active phenolic constituents toward both lipid and protein oxidation. In bilberries and black currants, anthocyanins contributed the most to the antioxidant effect by inhibiting the formation of both hexanal and protein carbonyls. In raspberries, ellagitannins were responsible for the antioxidant activity. While the antioxidant effect of berry proanthocyanidins and anthocyanins was dose-dependent, ellagitannins appeared to be equally active at all concentrations. In conclusion, berries are rich in monomeric and polymeric phenolic compounds providing protection toward both lipid and protein oxidation.     

Rowanberry phenolics: compositional analysis and bioactivities

Berries contain a large variety of different phenolic compounds such as anthocyanins, flavonols, tannins, and phenolic acids. Due to variation in the nature and content of the phenolic compounds, the antioxidant effect and other bioactivities of berry phenolics are strongly dependent on the berry raw material as the activities differ between the different phenolic constituents. In the present study, wild rowanberries ( Sorbus aucuparia ) and four cultivated sweet rowanberries, Burka, Granatnaja, Titan, and Zoltaja, were characterized for their phenolic composition and screened for antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiadhesive activities. The HPLC and LC-MS analyses of phenolic composition revealed that the main phenolic constituents were caffeoylquinic acids, varying from 56 to 80% total phenolics. The cultivated species contained less caffeoylquinic acids and more anthocyanins (up to 28.5%). The phenolics derived from wild rowanberries were significantly effective at inhibiting lipid oxidation both in liposomes and in emulsions, especially when assessed by inhibition of the formation of hexanal (86-97% inhibition depending on concentration). The increase in anthocyanin content in the cultivated species did not result in significantly increased antioxidant activity. Both wild and cultivated rowanberry phenolics exhibited a bacteriostatic effect toward Staphylococcus aureus . In addition, the phenolic extract from Zoltaja was weakly inhibitory toward Salmonella sv. Typhimurium, whereas both Zoltaja- and Granatnaja-derived phenolics retarded Escherichia coli growth. The phenolic extracts of wild rowanberries and Burka showed an inhibitory effect on hemagglutination of E. coli HB101 (pRR7), which expresses the M hemagglutinin. It can be concluded that cultivation of rowanberries resulted in increased anthocyanin content, but this did not diminish their bioactivity in comparison to wild rowanberries rich in caffeoylquinic acids.     

Insight in the PCB-degrading functional community in long-term contaminated soil under bioremediation

Purpose  

A small-scale bioremediation assay was developed in order to get insight into the functioning of a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) degrading community during the time course of bioremediation treatment of a contaminated soil. The study was conducted with the aim to better understand the key mechanisms involved in PCB-removal from soils.     

Improving broad specificity hapten recognition with protein engineering

Sulfa antibiotics (sulfonamides) are derivatives of p-aminobenzenesulfonamide that are widely used in veterinary medicine. Foods derived from treated animals may be contaminated with these drugs. However, current immunobased sulfonamide detection methods are unfit for screening of products because they are either too insensitive or specific for a few compounds only. An immunoassay capable of detecting all sulfas in a single reaction would be ideal for screening. For development of a binder capable of binding all sulfas, a protein engineering approach was chosen and the properties of monoclonal antibody 27G3 were improved with mutagenesis followed by selection with phage display. Several different mutant antibodies were isolated. The cross-reaction profile of the best mutant antibody was significantly improved over that of the wild-type antibody: it was capable of binding 9 of the tested 13 sulfonamides within a narrow concentration range and also bound the rest of the sulfas, albeit within a wider concentration range.     

Spatial and temporal variation of nitrous oxide and methane flux between subtropical mangrove sediments and the atmosphere

We quantified spatial and temporal variations of the fluxes of nitrous oxide (N₂O) and methane (CH₄) and associated abiotic sediment parameters across a subtropical river estuary sediment dominated by grey mangrove (Avicennia marina). N₂O and CH₄ fluxes from sediment were measured adjacent to the river (“fringe”) and in the mangrove forest (“forest”) at 3-h intervals throughout the day during autumn, winter and summer. N₂O fluxes from sediment ranged from an average of −4 μg to 65 μg N₂O m⁻² h⁻¹ representing N₂O sink and emission. CH₄ emissions varied by several orders of magnitude from 3 μg to 17.4 mg CH₄ m⁻² h⁻¹. Fluxes of N₂O and CH₄ differed significantly between sampling seasons, as well as between fringe and forest positions. In addition, N₂O flux differed significantly between time of day of sampling. Higher bulk density and total carbon content in sediment were significant contributors towards decreasing N₂O emission; rates of N₂O emission increased with less negative sediment redox potential (E_h). Porewater profiles of nitrate plus nitrite (NO_x⁻) suggest that denitrification was the major process of nitrogen transformation in the sediment and possible contributor to N₂O production. A significant decrease in CH₄ emission was observed with increasing E_h, but higher sediment temperature was the most significant variable contributing to CH₄ emission. From April 2004 to July 2005, sediment levels of dissolved ammonium, nitrate, and total carbon content declined, most likely from decreased input of diffuse nutrient and carbon sources upstream from the study site; concomitantly average CH₄ emissions decreased significantly. On the basis of their global warming potentials, N₂O and CH₄ fluxes, expressed as CO₂-equivalent (CO₂-e) emissions, showed that CH₄ emissions dominated in summer and autumn seasons (82-98% CO₂-e emissions), whereas N₂O emissions dominated in winter (67-95% of CO₂-e emissions) when overall CO₂-e emissions were low. Our study highlights the importance of seasonal N₂O contributions, particularly when conditions driving CH₄ emissions may be less favourable. For the accurate upscaling of N₂O and CH₄ flux to annual rates, we need to assess relative contributions of individual trace gases to net CO₂-e emissions, and the influence of elevated nutrient inputs and mitigation options across a number of mangrove sites or across regional scales. This requires a careful sampling design at site-level that captures the potentially considerable temporal and spatial variation of N₂O and CH₄ emissions.