Effect of Si soil amendments on As,Cd, and Pb bioavailability in contaminated paddy soils

Paddy and Water Environment - Numerous greenhouse and laboratory experiments have shown that the application of Si-rich materials may affect the mobility and transport of hazardous elements in the...     

Depth matters for bivalve culture in integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) and other polyculture strategies under non-eutrophic conditions

Bivalve cultivation, in single cultivation or in polyculture (including integrated multitrophic aquaculture; IMTA), is generally limited to eutrophic waters. We carried out a modeling study to test if, under meso- and oligotrophic conditions, depth could be a key factor for bivalve productivity associated to IMTA and other polyculture strategies. We applied the model Farm Aquaculture Resource Management (FARM) at three strata of the water column in two coastal fish farm areas in the Mediterranean Sea, using water column variables sampled seasonally to estimate the potential mussel production. According to FARM, mussel production was high in both areas and, in some cases, almost doubled when mussels were cultured below 25-m depth compared to shallower levels. Phytoplankton abundance is expected to notably influence mussel production compared to particulate organic matter. Thus, in meso- and oligotrophic stratified waters, where chlorophyll maximum is relatively deep, depth can be a key factor for the productivity of mussel cultivation. The obtained results could help to maximize the production of suspension-feeding bivalve cultivation and, therefore, the expansion and development of sustainable aquaculture in non-eutrophic marine waters.     

Unusual Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Egg Case of the Bolas Spider <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mastophora corpulenta</Emphasis> Banks (Araneae,Araneidae)

Bolas spiders of the genus Mastophora are very uncommon orb-weaver spiders, famous for their unusual predatory behavior. Being strictly nocturnal and very cryptic, they are extremely difficult to reveal, which explains their rarity in world arachnological collections. After a recent finding of an adult female of Mastophora corpulenta Banks (one of especially rare representatives of the genus), a few egg cases of this species became available, which seem to be very different from those of more common spiders due to their unusual hardness and coloration. We characterized some spectral, structural, and mechanical properties of this unusual silk material, by using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), 3D profilometer imaging, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). For comparison, similar studies were performed for egg cases of the Southern black widow Latrodectus mactans Fabricius, since spiders of the genus Latrodectus are known to produce silk fibers of comparable toughness. Some similarities were observed between the silks produced by Mastophora corpulenta and Latrodectus mactans in terms of the size and chemical composition of egg cases. At the same time, SEM imaging and AFM force characterization revealed striking differences between them, due to the fact that Mastophora egg cases, unlike those produced by more common Araneae species, includes a solid (fused) wall, lacking evident porous structure, which results in their outstanding stiffness and strength.     

Factors impacting blackleg development caused by Dickeya spp. in the field

Stem rot symptoms caused by pectinolytic bacteria of Genus Pectobacterium and Genus Dickeya, which are commonly referred to as blackleg, strongly impact the quality of seed potato production in most European countries. Several biotic and abiotic factors, such as cultivar susceptibility, isolate aggressiveness, mother tuber infection density and a wide range of soil-related and climatic factors have been identified in the literature as having an effect on blackleg development. The aim of this study was to identify which biotic and/or abiotic factors are most critical to the development of blackleg in the field. In Switzerland, the predominant species have belonged to Genus Dickeya as far back as 1992, which is why this study only investigates blackleg symptoms induced by Dickeya isolates. Seven field trials, in which inoculated tubers were planted, were conducted during a 3-year period and the number of blackleg-diseased plants was counted. Multiple regression analysis was used in order to determine the factors that had the greatest impact on two different variables: (i) periods between emergence of the plant and disease outbreak and (ii) overall blackleg incidence throughout the growing season. The results of this analysis have revealed that environmental factors, such as evapotranspiration and soil moisture, explain about half of the variability in the number of days before disease outbreak, and the total number of diseased plants is widely dependent upon cultivar susceptibility and isolate aggressiveness.