Current status of two endangered Caribbean rodents

Living rodents of the genus Geocapromys of the hutia family have been known during this century on three Caribbean islands (Walker, 1968). Visits were made in 1974 to Jamaica and Little Swan Island to check the current status of two of these endangered populations. It appears from these field investigations that the Swan Island hutia, Geocapromys brownii thoracatus, has been exterminated from Little Swan Island. The main cause may have been predation by cats introduced in the late 1950s and after. The Jamaican hutia, G. b. brownii, remains in three remote areas of Jamaica. It exists at low population levels which have been much reduced from those occurring 30 years ago. The Jamaican hutias are shy and secretive in habits compared to the undisturbed Bahamian hutias, G. i. ingrahami, of East Plana Cay, Bahama Islands.     

Thermal and spectrophotometric analysis of some fungal melanins and soil humic compounds

Seven types of fungal melanins were compared with humic compounds from chernozem and podzol soils and with commercial humic acid. The results indicate some similarities but also distinct differences between the melanins and humic substances in spectral characteristics in the UV and visible regions and in their resistance to thermal degradation.     

The distribution of nitrogen in some highly organic tropical volcanic soils

The qualitative and quantitative distribution of N-compounds in 10 tropical soils, and in a number of humic materials extracted from representative samples thereof, was determined after 6 N HCl hydrolysis.Eighty to 98% of the total N in the soils and humic materials was hydrolysable by 6n HCl. Slightly less than one half the hydrolysable N in the soils and humic fractions consisted of amino acids. Well-drained soils and fulvic acids extracted from them contained unusually high concentrations of the acidic amino acids, aspartic and glutamic acids. Between 80 and 95% of the amino acids in the soils was accounted for in the humic materials + NaOH-insoluble organic residues. NH⁺₄-N released by acid hydrolysis was generally higher for the soil samples than for the humic materials. Amino sugar-N constituted relatively small proportions of the total N in the soils and humic fractions.Our data suggest that large quantities of amorphous allophanic materials coupled with relatively high enzymic activity are responsible for the observed accumulation of acidic amino acids in the well-drained tropical volcanic soils.     

Volatilization of sulfur from unamended and sulfate-treated soils

Volatilization of sulfur from unamended and sulfate-treated soils was studied by sensitive gas chromatographic techniques using a flame photometric detector fitted with a sulfur filter. The soils employed were surface samples of 25 Iowa soils selected to obtain a wide range in properties. No release of volatile sulfur compounds was detected when 11 of these soils were incubated under aerobic or waterlogged conditions before or after treatment with sulfate (400 μg sulfate S/g soil). Fourteen soils released volatile sulfur compounds when incubated under waterlogged conditions before and after addition of sulfate, but only 4 of these soils released volatile sulfur compounds when incubated under aerobic conditions. Where volatilization of sulfur was observed, the volatile sulfur detected was identified as dimethyl sulfide or as dimethyl sulfide associated with smaller amounts of carbonyl sulfide, carbon disulfide, methyl mercaptan, and (or) dimethyl disulfide. No trace of hydrogen sulfide was detected. Where release of volatile sulfur was observed, the amount of sulfur volatilized at 30°C in 60 days under aerobic or waterlogged conditions was very small and did not account for more than 0–05% of the sulfur in the unamended or sulfate-treated soils studied. It is concluded that gaseous loss of sulfur from unamended or sulfate-treated soils is insignificant under conditions likely to be encountered in the field.     

Mineralogisch-chemische umwandlungen bei der verwitterung pyroklastischer gesteine auf teneriffa (Kanarische Inseln)

In a weathering profile on pyroclastic material four phases of volcanic activity could be defined by mineralogical analysis. Halloysite in 10 Å- and 7 Å-modifications is the predominant new mineral formed by weathering processes. Various degrees of development of this clay-mineral were found in scanning microscopy.The paragenesis of gibbsite, ilmenite and anatase is characteristic for horizons of most intense weathering. The gibbsite found in distinct layers indicates an alteration of climatic conditions between eruption-stages 3 and 4. Absolute age determinations on potash-felspars from a layer of stage 3 yield 1.53 mio. years (+ 10%).