Lifelong population connectivity between large rivers and their tributaries: A case study of shovelnose sturgeon from the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers

Fishes that depend on large‐river habitats have declined in many regions due to human alteration of both mainstems and tributaries. Conserving these species is often complicated by their dependence on long‐distance movements to complete their life cycle, but the location of key habitats is difficult to assess across multiple life history stages. Movement of large‐river fishes between mainstems and major tributaries is commonly observed, but the role of these exchanges at the population level is uncertain. We used shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) as a case study for assessing the lifelong spatial ecology of large‐river fishes. Fin ray microchemistry data indicate that shovelnose sturgeon from the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers represent a unified population that relies on connections among multiple large‐river habitats throughout life history. The tributary serves as an important spawning area, but fin ray chemistry data suggest larvae subsequently drift downstream to nursery habitats in the mainstem; an assertion that is supported by extensive field survey data. Our analyses underscore the lifelong importance of connections within river networks for maintaining viable populations of this, and likely other large‐river species that have been documented to use tributary habitats. These findings support a metapopulation perspective on species that depend on large‐river habitats, many of which are now highly altered and fragmented. For shovelnose sturgeon and species with similar life history, protecting or restoring linkages between mainstem rivers and their tributaries should be a conservation priority.     

Characterization of a Unique “Super Soft” Kernel Trait in Wheat

Kernel texture in wheat (Triticum sp.) is central to end‐use quality and utilization. Here we report the discovery of a novel soft kernel trait in soft white winter wheat (T. aestivum L.). Two heritable kernel phenotypes were selected among F₃‐derived sibs, hereafter designated “normal soft” (wild‐type) and “super soft.” Normal soft lines exhibited single kernel characterization system (SKCS) hardness index (HI) values typical of soft wheat (HI ≈ 20), whereas the super soft lines were unusually soft (HI ≈ 5). Under some environments, individual super soft lines exhibited HI values as low as HI = –4. The super soft trait was manifested in reduced SKCS kernel texture and higher break flour yields, with some increase in sodium carbonate SRC (solvent retention capacity) values and sponge cake volumes. Straight‐grade flour yield, flour ash, milling score, and cookie diameter were largely unaffected. With the possible exception of the sodium carbonate SRC values, we observed no indication that the super soft trait conferred any negative aspects to commercial soft wheat quality. As such, the super soft trait may provide wheat breeders with new opportunities to modify the end‐use quality of wheat.     

A Comprehensive Survey of Soft Wheat Grain Quality in U.S. Germplasm

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) quality is dependent upon both genetic and environmental factors, which work in concert to produce specific grain, milling, flour, and baking characteristics. This study surveyed all of the 132 soft wheat varieties (cultivars and advanced breeding lines) grown in the U.S. regional nursery system, which encompassed the three main soft wheat producing regions of the United States (eastern and southern soft red winter and western soft white). The quality parameters included test weight, kernel hardness, weight, and diameter, wheat and flour protein, polyphenol oxidase, break flour yield, flour yield, flour ash, milling score, flour swelling volume, flour SDS sedimentation volume, solvent retention capacity (SRC) for water, sodium carbonate, sucrose, and lactic acid, Rapid Visco Analyzer peak pasting viscosity, and cookie diameter. High levels of variation were observed among varieties, regions, and specific environments, with environment being in general a much greater source of variation than varieties. Variety was observed to have a relatively stronger influence on wheat quality in the western nurseries, compared with the eastern and southern regions, where location effects had a stronger impact on overall wheat quality. The greater influence of variety was particularly notable for kernel hardness in the western nurseries. Kernel hardness also varied considerably as a result of environment. For the two soft red winter wheat nurseries, the western U.S. environment produced substantially harder kernels (37–40) compared with the same varieties grown in eastern U.S. locations (15–20). Intertrait quality relationships were observed to be unique to the specific nursery and germplasm in which they were studied, and these relationships were not consistent across nurseries. Nevertheless, on average, soft wheat quality was fairly similar across the United States, indicating that breeding and testing models have been successful in achieving a relatively uniform target for quality. However, many traits showed high levels of variability among varieties, suggesting that a greater level of selection for end‐use quality would benefit end users by increasing consistency and reducing variability. The often large role of environment (location) in quality indicates that end users must be assiduous in their origination and grain procurement. Clearly, “nursery mean” quality does not reflect the potential that can be obtained, as reflected by a few exceptional soft wheat varieties.     

Forest restitution and protected area effectiveness in post-socialist Romania

The effectiveness of protected areas can diminish during times of pronounced socio-economic and institutional change. Our goals were to assess the effectiveness of Romanian protected areas at stemming unsanctioned logging, and to assess post-socialist logging in their surrounding landscapes, during a time of massive socio-economic and institutional change. Our results suggest that forest cover remained fairly stable shortly before and after 1990, but forest disturbance rates increased sharply in two waves after 1995 and 2005. We found substantial disturbances inside protected areas, even within core reserve areas. Moreover, disturbances in the matrix surrounding protected areas were even lower than inside protected area boundaries. We suggest that these rates are largely the result of high logging rates, triggered by rapid ownership and institutional changes. These trends compromise the goals of Romania’s protected area network, lead to an increasing loss of forest habitat, and more isolated and more fragmented protected areas. The effectiveness of Romania’s protected area network in terms of its ability to safeguard biodiversity is therefore most likely decreasing.     

Structure elucidation of new fusarins revealing insights in the rearrangement mechanisms of the Fusarium mycotoxin fusarin C

Fusarin C is a Fusarium mycotoxin that rearranges under reversed phase chromatographic conditions. In this study, the rearrangement of fusarin C was examined in detail, and the formation of fusarins under different conditions was optimized. All relevant fusarins including (10Z)-, (8Z)-, and (6Z)-fusarin C were isolated and identified by NMR. To confirm the involvement of the 2-pyrrolidone ring in the rearrangement of fusarin C, 15-methoxy-fusarin C was synthesized. For the first time, the structure of open-chain fusarin C was elucidated, and on the basis of these data, the rearrangement product of fusarin C was identified as epi-fusarin C. The results were confirmed by detailed NMR measurements and density functional theory calculations. Furthermore, a new fusarin C like metabolite, which was named dihydrofusarin C, was detected by analysis of the crude extract of fusarin C with high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to UV and Fourier transform mass spectrometry.     

Toxic Metal Removal from Polluted Soil by Acid Extraction

Sulfuric acid leaching is a promising technique to extract toxic metals from polluted soils. The objective of this study was to define the optimum sulfuric acid leaching conditions for decontamination of the fine particle fraction (<125???m) of an industrial soil polluted by Cd (16.8?mg?kg^?1), Cu (3,350?mg?kg^?1), Pb (631?mg?kg^?1) and Zn (3,010?mg?kg^?1). Batch leaching tests in Erlenmeyer shake flasks showed that a soil pulp pH between 1.5 and 2.0 using a solid concentration (SC) ranging from 5 to 20?% is adequate to efficiently solubilize toxic metals. Leaching tests performed at different temperatures (20, 40, 60 and 80?°C) also revealed that it is not beneficial to heat the soil suspension during the leaching treatment. The application in a 1-L stirred tank reactor of five consecutive 1-h leaching steps at 10?% SC and ambient temperature, followed by three water washings steps resulted in the following metal extraction yields: 30?% As, 90?% Cd, 43?% Co, 7?% Cr, 88?% Cu, 75?% Mn, 26?% Ni, 18?% Pb and 86?% Zn. The decontaminated soil conformed to Quebec norms for commercial and industrial use of soil.     

Consequences of hydrological events on the delivery of suspended sediment and associated radionuclides from the Rh?ne River to the Mediterranean Sea

Purpose

Almost 20 nuclear reactors are situated along the Rh?ne valley, representing Europe??s largest concentration of nuclear power plants. The fate of suspended sediments and natural and artificial particle-bound radionuclides in relation to extreme hydrological events was assessed at the lower course of the Rh?ne River, which provides the main source of water and sediment inputs to the northwestern Mediterranean Sea.

Materials and methods

We sampled water at a high frequency over the period 2001?C2008 and measured suspended particulate matter (SPM) loads and particle-bound natural and artificial radionuclide concentrations at the SORA observatory station in Arles, France. We monitored various hydrological events (either natural or anthropogenic origin) and characterize their influence on concentrations and fluxes.

Results and discussion

The relationship between SPM concentration and the very wide range of water discharges did not differ significantly from previous periods, indicating no significant shift in the average sediment delivery over the last 20?years. Unexpected hydrological events of anthropogenic origin, in particular those associated with flushing of reservoirs that are generally not captured by sampling strategies, were recorded and were shown to transfer significant additional sediment and associated contaminants towards the marine environment. Concentrations of anthropogenic radionuclides associated with sediment (i.e., ¹³⁷Cs, ⁶⁰Co, ⁵⁴Mn, ^110mAg, and Pu isotopes) varied over two to three orders of magnitude during periods of low and moderate flow due to variations in the liquid release from nuclear facilities. Except for Pu isotopes, the concentrations of the various particle-bound radionuclides generally showed a decreasing trend with increasing discharge, revealing the geochemical or anthropogenic background values, and providing a useful flood fingerprint for this large fluvial system before its entry into the marine environment.

Conclusions

Our approach produced key data on the level and fate of suspended solids and radionuclide concentrations during flood events occurring in a large river system that could be contaminated by chronic or accidental radioactive releases. These results are of fundamental importance for further interpretations of sediment dynamics at the river mouth.     

Examining the ecological paradox of the ‘mycorrhizal-metal-hyperaccumulators’

This analysis identifies and attempts to resolve the paradox of combining plant hyperaccumulators and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) for the purpose of post-industrial bioremediation due to the divergence of their respective ecological and evolutionary stress-tolerance behaviors. The identification of a ‘dilemma of resource allocation’ associated with plant resources consumed in intrinsic (e.g. metabolic) vs. extrinsic (e.g. symbiotic) stress-tolerance mechanisms could provide a suitable evolutionary reasoning for the apparent dichotomy existing between the hyperaccumulators and AMF–plant life-history strategies. Ultimately, it is considered that any efforts toward integrating such biotechnology innovations into bioremediation strategies (e.g. ‘mycorrhizal–metal-hyperaccumulators’) should first explicitly consider their inherent environmental and (or) evolutionary contexts to avoid misleading and possibly even unproductive outcomes prior to incorporating these attributes as potential technological solutions.     

Carbon and eco-footprints of adult incontinence products

This research article discusses the modelling and simulation results of carbon and eco-footprints of adult incontinence products. Four types of products are considered in this study: two types of diapers-commercial and new diapers and two types of pants-commercial and new type of pants. New types of diapers and pants were developed by our research team in the Institute of Textiles & Clothing of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Carbon and eco-footprints were modeled by using IPCC 2001 method (100 Years) and ecological footprint method (taken from Ecoinvent 2.0) of SIMAPRO 7.3.2 version of LCA software. Datasets from Ecoinvent database inbuilt with SIMAPRO software were used to build the life cycle scenarios. Life cycle scenarios of four types of incontinence products were built for the entire life cycle of products from cradle to grave stages. In this research study, the contribution analysis (hot-spots in the life cycle stages) of carbon and eco-footprints of each type of product under consideration are highlighted. From the modeling and simulation results, it was noticed that the new reusable pants created the lowest carbon and eco-footprints compared to its counterparts. New type of diaper created slightly higher carbon and eco-footprints compared to the commercial diaper type. From the process contribution analysis, it was found that the production and disposal of SAP, generation of electricity for polypropylene, production processes of cotton were the contributors of major impacts in the order of hierarchy. From this detailed LCA study, it was understood that if the new type of reusable pants will be used without disposable inserts, it can bring carbon and eco-footprints significantly down.