Nutrient Losses by Runoff and Sediment from the Taluses of Orchard Terraces

The nutrient fluxes of nitrate, ammonium, phosphorus and potassium in runoff and sediments were evaluated over a two-year period (1999–2000) on the taluses of terraces, in a zone of intense subtropical orchard cultivation (SE Spain). The erosion plots were located on a terrace of 214% (65°) slope, at 180 m in altitude and with 16 m² (4 × 4 m) in area. Shrubby covers were tested for effectiveness in controlling the nutrient fluxes caused by runoff and sediments. Covers of Thymusserpylloides Bory sbsp. Gadorensis and Salvia officinalis L. reduced the NO₃ ^- runoff losses by 53 and 48%, with respect to the bare soil without natural vegetation, the NH_-4 ⁺ 61 and 56%; the PO₄ ^-3 65 and 56%; and K⁺ 58 and 46%, respectively. A greater proportion of NO₃ ^-, NH_-4 ⁺ and K⁺ were transported in runoff than in sediments. Thyme and sage with respect to the control reduced NO₃ ^- loss in sediments by 74 and 65%, NH_-4 ⁺ by 71 and 62%, P by 72 and 67%, and K by 69 and 61%, respectively. The total loss (runoff and sediments) in the bare-soil plot for NPK was 260, 39 and 888 mg m^-2 yr^-1, in the sage plot 119, 15 and 460 mg m^-2 yr^-1, and in the thyme plot 105, 12 and 360 mg m^-2 yr^-1, respectively. The results show the importance of the plant covers in soil conservation and in the recycling of nutrients on terrace slopes. This has far-reaching implications in the sense that the control of pollution from erosion is vital in reducing the eutrophication of both surface waters and groundwater located in lowlands.     

Structural characterization of new malvidin 3-glucoside-catechin aryl/alkyl-linked pigments

The condensation reaction between malvidin 3-glucoside and catechin mediated by isobutyraldehyde, benzaldehyde, and isovaleraldehyde was conducted in model solutions at two pH values (1.5 and 3.2). The formation of new alkyl/aryl-linked adducts corresponding to the structures malvidin 3-glucoside-isobutylcatechin, malvidin 3-glucoside-benzylcatechin, and malvidin 3-glucoside-3-methylbutylcatechin was respectively observed from each aldehyde. The structural characterization of these new structures has been elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR, mass spectrometry, and UV-vis techniques. These new adducts showed the same lambda(max) in the visible region at 540 nm, which is bathochromically shifted 15 nm when compared with the original anthocyanin (lambda(max) = 525 nm).     

Conservation action in the Galàpagos: feral pig (Sus scrofa) eradication from Santiago Island

Introduced mammals are major drivers of extinction and ecosystem change. As omnivores, feral pigs (Sus scrofa) are responsible for wholesale adverse effects on islands. Here, we report on the eradication of feral pigs from Santiago Island in the Galápagos Archipelago, Ecuador, which is the largest insular pig removal to date. Using a combination of ground hunting and poisoning, over 18,000 pigs were removed during this 30-year eradication campaign. A sustained effort, an effective poisoning campaign concurrent with the hunting program, access to animals by cutting more trails, and an intensive monitoring program all proved critical to the successful eradication. While low and fluctuating control efforts may help protect select native species, current eradication methods, limited conservation funds, and the potential negative non-target impacts of sustained control efforts all favor an intense eradication effort, rather than a sustained control program. The successful removal of pigs from Santiago Island sets a new precedent, nearly doubling the current size of a successful eradication, and is leading to more ambitious projects. However, now we must turn toward increasing eradication efficiency. Given limited conservation funds, we can no longer afford to spend decades removing introduced mammals from islands.     

Variability of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) with regard to earliness

Eighty cotton varieties (Gossypium hirsutum L.) from the collection of VIR (N.I. Vavilov Research Institute of Plant Industry, St. Peterburg, Russia) collection were studied for variability with regard to the duration of their vegetation period. The experiments were carried out in the conditions of the marginal zone of the cotton growing area, that is the city of Krasnodar in the Russian Federation. Thirty-four varieties were studied in 1996–1998, forty-six varieties in 1997–1998. The purpose of this research was to determine the threshold of sensitivity in the varieties of the duration of the period of vegetative growth, which depends upon weather conditions, and to record variations in morphological characters associated with earliness. The data obtained were processed by the method of statusmetry. The mathematical models which were constructed showed the relationship between the criteria for earliness and other morphological and agronomic characters of the plants.     

Improved synthesis and deployment of (2S,3R)-2-(2Z,5Z-octadienyl)-3-nonyloxirane, a pheromone of the pink moth, Lymantria mathura

We report two new syntheses of (2S,3R)-2-(2Z,5Z-octadienyl)-3-nonyloxirane, the main sex pheromone component of the pink moth, Lymantria mathura. The key step in the first route was the construction of (Z,Z)-1-bromo-1,4-heptadiene (6), which was coupled in the final step with 2-iodomethyl-3-nonyloxirane 4 via a Grignard reaction. The second approach employed alkylation of 1,4-heptadiynyllithium with epoxy triflates 7 in ether/hexane and provided the pheromone in >/=37% overall yield from alcohol 2. The 4:1 ratio of pheromone enantiomers, reportedly the most attractive to pink moth males, can be directly crafted from appropriately selected Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation conditions.     

Atmospheric deposition at Rothamsted,Saxmundham, and Woburn experimental stations,England, 1969–1984

The pH of precipitation, and the concentrations in precipitation and depositions by precipitation of H⁺, major cations, N, S, and chloride were measured in bulk collectors at three sites in Eastern England. The Rothamsted site is 100 km from the coast in a semi-urban environment. The Saxmundham site is 13 km and the Woburn site 120 km from the coast; both are in rural environments. Precipitation is acidic at all three sites, with a pH of 4.3 at Rothamsted and 5.0 at Saxmundham and Woburn at present, but the pH has been increasing. Precipitation chemistry is chiefly controlled by sea-salts (Na, Mg, Cl) and earth salts (K, Ca, Mg, NH4, N03). Sea-salts dominate near the coast at Saxmundham, but earth salts become much more important inland at Rothamsted and at Woburn. The concentration and deposition of non-sea Cl are increasing at Rothamsted and Saxmundham, those of non-sea SO₄-S are increasing at Woburn, and those of NO₃-N are increasing at all of the sites. Precipitation acidity is associated chiefly with non-sea SO₄, and only a little with NO₃ and non-sea Cl, at Rothamsted and Woburn. At Saxmundham, no correlation between acidity and anions is observed, presumably because of the overwhelming effect of sea-salts.     

Ovum pick-up and in vitro maturation in spotted paca (Cuniculus paca—Linnaeus, 1766)

We tested FSHp, eCG and FSHp + eCG to establish ovum pick-up (OPU) and in vitro maturation method in spotted paca. Eight healthy adult females were subjected to each of four treatments to stimulate ovarian follicular growth. All females were subjected to a hormonal protocol using a single dose of 45 mg of injectable progesterone and single intramuscular injection of 0.075 mg d-cloprostenol on day 6. Ovarian stimulation was carried out as follows: in Group TFE (FSHp and eCG), animals were treated with a single dose of 80 mg of FSHp and 200 IU of eCG intramuscularly on day 6 after the application of progesterone; in Group TF (FSHp), they were treated with a single dose of 80 mg of FSHp intramuscularly on day 6 after application of progesterone; in Group treatment eCG, they were treated with 200 IU of eCG intramuscularly on day 6 after application of progesterone; and in Group TC (saline solution), 1 ml of saline solution was administered to control does. The OPU was performed between 22 and 26 hr after gonadotropin treatments. All recovered oocytes were placed into maturation media and incubated for 24 hr. There were no differences among the mean number of observed follicles, aspirated follicles and oocytes recovered per treatment. Oocyte maturation rates did not differ among groups, except, TF and treatment eCG oocytes had greater maturation rates than TC oocytes. In this study, gonadotropin administration failed to superovulate treated does and increase oocyte retrieval efficiency. Despite the feasibility of the procedure, further studies are needed to develop and refine hormonal protocols for oocyte recovery and in vitro maturation in this species.     

Growth and the effect of grading, of turbot in a shallow raceway system

Juvenile turbot Scophthalmus maximus (L.), ranging in size from 30 to 407 g were graded into small, large, and unsorted groups in a low-water-level raceway system. Water depth was 7 cm. The rearing design proved self-cleaning and well suited for turbot ongrowing. Mean initial weights 146.2, 236.1, 162.7 g increased to 299.1, 465.6 and 343.1 g in the small, large, and unsorted groups respectively during the 86 day experiment. The corresponding SGRs were 0.84, 0.79 and 0.87% day-1. No positive effect of grading on biomass production was revealed. The coefficient of variance gave no indication of social interactions, but plotting the start weights against estimated individuals SGRs did, although the effect was minor.     

Establishing the most productive stocking densities for each stage of a multi-phase shrimp culture in BFT system

The present study aims to define the stocking density limits for each stage of Litopenaeus vannamei culture, considering that the system’s carrying capacity is able to maintain the water quality parameters at desired levels. This study was divided into four phases according to the size: phase 1, shrimp were stocked with initial weight of 0.002 g; phase 2, initial weight of 1.04 g; phase 3, initial weight of 6.09 g; and phase 4, initial weight of 12.51 g. Each phase lasted for 40 days, and the treatments applied were the different stocking densities. All stages were cultured in biofloc technology system (BFT). The results demonstrate that the shrimp stocking density affects the productive parameters, such as final weight, survival, apparent FCR, and yields for all the different phases. In addition, using a quadratic regression, the maximum stocking density for each tested phase was estimated. Also, the present study revealed that even with the ideal water quality parameters, the production was limited by the carrying capacity, which reached, e.g., 14 kg.m^??3 at phase 4.