Sow reproductive and progeny growth performance when fed Pichia guilliermondii yeast postbiotic: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Previous research suggested that feeding sows with a product containing an inactivated strain specific Pichia guilliermondii yeast postbiotic (PG; Citristim, ADM Animal Nutrition, Quincy, IL) has the potential to support fecundity, and progeny performance at birth, weaning, and after weaning. To summarize these effects, a systematic review followed by a meta-analysis was carried out to determine the effects of feeding sows with PG during gestation and lactation on reproductive the performance of sows and the growth of progeny after weaning. All experiments included were randomized trials reporting side-by-side comparisons of an appropriate control (CON) and the CON with the inclusion of PG. The effects of PG inclusion in sow diets were evaluated using the raw mean difference and effect size calculations. Analysis included seven trials for sow reproductive and litter performance until weaning, and eight trials for progeny performance after weaning. The risk of publication bias was assessed by funnel plots. In the case of publication bias, the Trim and Fill method was used. Heterogeneity was assessed using I 2 statistics. Sows fed PG during gestation and lactation had more piglets born alive (BA), BA + stillborn, and BA + stillborn + mummies (P < 0.001). The individual birth weight of the piglets was not affected by the supplementation (P = 0.835). As a result, litter weight at birth was greater in sows-fed PG (P < 0.001). Piglets born from PG-fed sows tended to be weaned 0.34 d younger than those from CON-fed sows (P = 0.060). Twenty-one-day adjusted pig weight at weaning tended to be lighter by 0.122 kg in the PG sow group (P = 0.069); however, litter weight at weaning adjusted to 21 d remained similar across groups (P = 0.516). The number of piglets weaned and mortality-adjusted number of piglets weaned per sow were greater in PG than in CON sows (P < 0.023). A carryover effect was observed for progeny of PG-fed sows after weaning. Piglets born from PG-supplemented sows had greater weight gain (P = 0.030) and tended to have a better survival rate (P = 0.055) until the end of the nursery phase. These results indicate that feeding PG to sows during gestation and lactation consistently and significantly improves not only the performance of sows at farrowing but also performance of the progeny after weaning.

Benthic litter in fishing grounds of the Northern Adriatic: Role of the trawling fleet as cleaners of the seafloor.

This study represents the baseline of estimation of the potential service provided by fishermen as "cleaners of the sea". The amount, composition and depth distribution of marine litter in fishing grounds of the Northern Adriatic seafloor has been investigated through the fishing for litter (FFL) scheme. Passive FFL campaigns were carried out by trawlers from two of the most important fishing ports in the northern Adriatic, Chioggia and Goro, from May 2020 to May 2021. Over the course of 256 days of fishing, over 6 tons of litter were removed from 265 km2 of seafloor. Abandoned, lost and derelict fishing gears (ALDFG) were the most represented litter category (48 % of the total litter), and of these 67 % were plastic ALDFG (mostly mussel socks and fishing nets). Fouling on plastic waste was analyzed to determine the fraction of collected litter items that could be destinated to recycling. Only a small percentage of the plastic litter analyzed was "clean" from adherent and/or encrusting organisms. Approximately 2.4 tons of plastic were recovered, but, due to the biological colonization of surfaces, they cannot be recycled by using the technologies present in the area.

The use of partially slatted floor designs as an alternative to littered systems in broiler chickens. I. The effects on the performance, slaughter and carcass traits.

In this study, the effects of fully littered, slatted and their varying combinations on growth, performance, carcass and meat quality characteristics in broiler chickens were investigated. In the experiment, five treatment groups were formed as fully littered (FL), fully slatted (FS), 1/3 littered + 2/3 slatted (2/3 SF), 1/2 littered + 1/2 slatted (1/2SF), 2/3 littered + 1/3 slatted (1/3 SF). Each treatment group included 5 replicates (24 chicks in each) and a total of 600 male-female mixed fast growing broiler chicks (Ross-308) were used during 6 weeks. Weekly body weight (BW, g), feed intake (FI, g), feed conversion ratio (FCR, g.feed intake/g.weight gain), livability (%) and EPEF (European Production Efficiency Factor) were determined as performance characteristics. Carcass yield (CY, %), and the percentages of abdominal fat (AFP, %), edible internal organs (EIOP, %), gizzard (GP, %), breast (BRP, %) and thigh (TP, %) meat were the carcass characteristics. Meat quality measured by pH and color (L*: lightness, a*: redness, b*: yellowness) of breast and thigh meat, and occurrence of white striping and hemorrhaging in breast meat. The weekly BW differences among the floor treatments were significant (P < 0.01), and 1/3SF broilers were the heaviest at slaughter age (3311.6 g). The 6-week FCR in FS broilers was significantly worse than the others (1.471), but FI, livability and EPEF were similar among treatments. AFP tended to be higher in FL birds (P = 0.066), while CY, EIOP, GP, BRP and TP did not differ between groups. Breast pH was similar between treatments, with 1/2SF showing the highest (6.34) and FL the lowest (6.24) breast pH (P < 0.01). The partially slatted systems caused lighter, redder and yellower color values in breast meat (P < 0.01) than the fully littered or slatted systems, but did not change the color of the thigh meat. White striping and hemorrhaging in breast meat were not affected by the floor treatments. This study suggests that the use of partially slatted systems in broiler chickens improves meat color without compromising performance traits (body weight, feed efficiency, EPEF), litter moisture and slaughter traits and these systems could be an alternative to fully littered systems.

Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus contents and their ecological stoichiometric characteristics in leaf litter from the Jianfengling Tropical Montane Rainforest.

Investigating carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents and ecological stoichiometric characteristics in leaf litter from tropical rainforests is crucial for elucidating nutrient cycling and energy flow in forest ecosystems. In this study, a 60-ha tropical montane rainforest dynamic monitoring plot in Jianfengling, was selected as the research site and 60 subplots were selected for detailed study. Leaf litter was collected monthly throughout 2016, branches of similar height were placed atthe four corners of each sample square to support a nylon cloth (1 m× 1 m) with 1 mm apertures. The collected plant leaves were sorted,placed into envelopes, labelled, and transported to the laboratory and samples from various plant species were identified, resulting in a total of 107 samples collected and analyzed. For the 31 dominant species, the leaf litter had C, N and P contents of 312.71 ± 28.42, 4.95 ± 0.46 and 0.40 ± 0.03 g/kg, respectively. The C:N, C:P and N:P ratios were 63.61 ± 7.50, 790.91 ± 82.30 and 12.49 ± 1.00, respectively, indicating moderate variability. The C, N and P contents exhibited greater variability among the plant groups, indicating significant heterogeneity among the samples. In contrast, the data from the subplots exhibited less variability, highlighting significant homogeneity. Overall, the mean carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus contents in the leaf litter from tropical montane rainforests were lower than those observed at national and global scales. The N:P ratios in leaf litter below 14 indicated that nitrogen limited litter decomposition in Jianfengling. However, no significant correlations were observed between the C, N and P contents and their stoichiometric ratios in leaf litter and those in soil. The above results provide important reference data and scientific basis for the nutrient cycling and energy flow processes, and in the future, we can explore the limiting role and mechanism of nitrogen in the decomposition process of leaf litter.

Litter in French urban areas-part 1: composition, sources, and spatio-temporal variations on urban surfaces.

Urban areas concentrate on human activities that generate large amounts of waste. A small fraction is mismanaged and ends up on urban surfaces and eventually in waterways. The fraction reaching waterways is usually estimated using poorly constrained data, while litter density on urban surfaces and its subsequent transfer dynamics are also poorly documented. This study provides new insights into litter composition, sources, and spatio-temporal variations in the urban catchments of Pin Sec and Jules Verne (Nantes, France), which are dominated by industrial/commercial, collective, and individual housing areas. Regular litter collection on selected street sections was combined with visual counting of street litter (> 1 cm). In total, 50.8 kg (dry weight) of litter were collected and 232,217 items were counted, mainly smoking and food consumption-related items. Litter densities ranged between 40,000 and 452,000 items/km2 depending on local activities, item mobility, and land use as a driver of road and foot traffic. A median litter accumulation rate of 7 g/inhabitant/day was estimated, suggesting that 0.6% of the total amount of waste generated in public places is mismanaged. Results over space show that litter is strongly correlated with land use and that litter accumulation is promoted in green spaces. Results over time show that litter stock is quickly renewed and that items may have long residence time on urban surfaces.

Patterns of decomposition and functional traits for flower and leaf litter in tropical woody species.

The variation within and across species has afterlife effects on carbon and nutrient cycling through the alteration of litter decomposability. However, the focus on leaves may not reflect a whole-plant economic spectrum of strategies. Here, we assessed the patterns and predictors of flower and leaf-litter decomposition at the intra- (i.e., flowers and leaves of the same species) and inter-specific (i.e., flowers and leaves from different species) levels for 29 tropical woody species in northeast Brazil. We evaluated nine functional litter traits, including structural and chemical traits. Flower litter decomposed, on average, three times faster than leaf litter (11.9% and 39.4% mass remaining, respectively) and exhibited higher water-holding capacity (WHC), leaching (LEA), and N, P, and K content. Otherwise, leaf litter showed higher density (DEN) and Ca, Mg, and Na content. The average relative differences in decomposition rate and functional traits between flower and leaf litter did not differ at both intra- and inter-specific levels. The predictors of decomposition were mostly similar, explaining 39% and 37% of flower and leaf litter, respectively. Leaching, P, Ca, Mg, and Na predict both flower and leaf-litter decomposition. However, WHC exclusively predicted flower-litter decomposition, and DEN, N, and K exclusively predicted leaf-litter decomposition. The observed differences in decomposition rate and functional traits between flower and leaf litter indicate that the afterlife effects differ between these plant organs and leverage the role of flower litter and its secondary consequences to nutrient and carbon cycling on ecosystems.

Incorporation of plastic debris into the nests of great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) in the Gulf of Finland.

Several bird species are known to utilise marine debris among their nest materials in different parts of the world. This study examines the prevalence of debris in cormorant nests in the Gulf of Finland, focusing mainly on plastic debris. 200 nests were sampled on four different nesting islets, and plastic debris in the nest was counted and classified according to their type, colour, origin and polymer type. In total, 58 % of the nests contained debris (95 % plastics), but the prevalence of debris in the nests varied between the colonies. Core nests contained more debris than periphery nests. The relative number of threadlike plastics in the nests was higher than that in the surrounding environment, indicating active selection by cormorants. Based on the results, nest surveys could be a useful tool in evaluating the effectiveness of certain reduction measures aiming to tackle marine plastic pollution in the Baltic Sea.

Contrasting responses to aridity by different-sized decomposers cause similar decomposition rates across a precipitation gradient.

Litter decomposition is expected to be positively associated with precipitation despite evidence that decomposers of varying sizes have different moisture dependencies. We hypothesized that higher tolerance of macro-decomposers to aridity may counterbalance the effect of smaller decomposers, leading to similar decomposition rates across climatic gradients. We tested this hypothesis by placing plant litter baskets of different mesh sizes in seven sites along a sharp precipitation gradient, and by characterizing the macro-decomposer assemblages using pitfall trapping. We found that decomposers responded differently to precipitation levels based on their size. Microbial decomposition increased with precipitation in the winter while macro-decomposition peaked in arid sites during the summer. This led to similar overall decomposition rates across the gradient except in hyper-arid sites. Macro-decomposer richness, abundance, and biomass peaked in arid environments. Our findings highlight the importance of macro-decomposition in arid-lands, possibly resolving the dryland decomposition conundrum, and emphasizing the need to contemplate decomposer size when investigating zoogeochemical processes.

In most ecosystems on land, it is largely small organisms such as microbes that break down dead plant material (known as plant litter) into nutrients that are recycled into the soil. Given that microbes need moisture to survive, scientists have long questioned how plant litter undergoes this decomposition in dry ecosystems. Previous research focused primarily on how solar radiation and other environmental factors affect how quickly plant litter decomposes in these harsh conditions. However, another possibility is that larger decomposers, such as animals like beetles and termites that feed on dead plant material, are better adapted to arid conditions and may be more abundant in areas with low rainfall. As a result, plant litter in dry environments may decompose at similar rates to areas with higher rainfall. Torsekar, Sagi et al. tested this idea by monitoring how quickly plant litter decomposed at seven sites with similar average temperatures but different rainfall levels. Dozens of baskets with different sized mesh ­ which excluded some or all animal decomposers based on size ­ were placed at each site and a technique called pitfall trapping was used to identify the decomposers at each site. The experiments showed that plant litter broke down at similar rates across five of the seven sites, but decomposition was slower at extremely dry sites. In the winter, when rainfall is typically higher than at other times in the year, microbe decomposers played a bigger role in breaking down the leaf litter than in the (drier) summer months. On the other hand, animal decomposers were more abundant at sites with low rainfall than sites with higher rainfall. Furthermore, decomposition by animals at these arid sites during summer was just as fast as microbial decomposition at the wetter sites in winter. The findings of Torsekar, Sagi et al. suggest that larger, animal decomposers compensate for the lower microbial decomposition of plant matter in ecosystems with little rainfall. In the future, a better understanding of how nutrients are recycled in dry areas will help predict how different ecosystems will respond to climate change.

Effects of organic and inorganic selenium mixes in pregnant sows on piglet growth, selenium levels in serum and milk, and selenium deposition in newborn piglet tissues.

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of organic and inorganic selenium mixes in pregnant sows on piglet growth, selenium levels in serum and milk, and selenium deposition in newborn piglet tissues. Methods: A total of 44 multiparous sows (Yorkshire×Landrace) with average body weight (BW), backfat thickness, and parity were assigned to one of the three treatments with 14 or 15 sows per treatment in a completely randomized design. The treatments were as follows: i) Control, corn-soybean meal-based diet with no addition of selenium premix; ii) ISOS(mixed inorganic selenium and organic selenium) 30, a basal diet supplemented with 0.15 ppm of inorganic Se and 0.15 ppm of organic Se; iii) ISOS50, a basal diet supplemented with 0.25 ppm of inorganic Se and 0.25 ppm of organic Se. Results: At day 21 of lactation, supplementing a high level of mixed Se at 0.50 ppm resulted in higher piglet BW and weight gain than adding a low level of mixed Se at 0.30 ppm (p<0.05). Selenium concentration of colostrum in sows fed ISOS50 diet was significantly higher than those in sows fed ISOS30 diet (p<0.05). Selenium concentrations in the serum at days 90 and 110 of gestation and 24 hours postpartum were highest when sows were fed ISOS50 diet (p<0.05). Additionally, increasing levels of mixed Se led to an increase in piglet serum Se concentration at 24 hours postpartum (p<0.05). Before ingesting colostrum, piglets from sows fed a mixed selenium (Se) diet had significantly higher kidney Se concentrations compared to those from the control group, with the ISOS50 treatment showing the most significant difference (p<0.05). Conclusion: Supplementation of the gestation diet with 0.5 ppm of mixed Se may improve piglet growth performance, increase Se concentrations in milk, and enhance Se status in the serum of sows, as well as in the serum and tissues of their offspring.

Whole-genome sequencing identified candidate genes associated with high and low litter size in Chuanzhong black goats.

The reproductive performance of goats significantly influences breeding efficiency and economic returns, with litter size serving as a comprehensive indicator. Despite this, research on the genetic control of litter size remains limited. Therefore, we aimed to explore the candidate genes affecting fecundity and compared the whole-genome sequences (WGS) of 15 high-litter (HL) and 15 low-litter (LL) size in Chuanzhong black goats. Then genetic diversity and genomic variation patterns were analyzed by phylogenetic, principal component and population genetic structure analysis, it was found that HL and LL subpopulations diverged. Population evolutionary selection elimination analysis was performed by Fst and θπ resulted in 506 genes were annotated in HL and 528 genes in LL. These genes were mainly related to Hippo signaling pathway, G protein-coupled signaling pathway, G protein-coupled receptor activity, cell surface receptor signaling pathway, gonadal and reproductive structure development. According to the significantly selected genomic regions and important pathways, we found that the g.89172108T > G variant locus in the exon of the AMH gene was significantly associated with litter size (P < 0.05), which could be used as an auxiliary selection gene for the high fertility of Chuanzhong black Goat.

Analysis of terrestrial and riverine sources of plastic litter contributing to plastic pollution in the Western Black Sea using а lagrangian particle tracking model.

The present case study aims to understand the complex dynamics and implications of plastic pollution along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast through a detailed assessment of plastic marine litter. This includes examining the density of floating litter and indicators like the Pollution Load Index. The study identifies primary sources of plastic pollution, focusing on rivers and land-based settings through the Probability of Plastic Emissions. The OpenDrift Lagrangian model was used to track litter sources and patterns of transportation. Findings show that major sources include Varna, Bourgas, the Kamchia River, and transboundary transport via the Danube. These sources significantly impact the southwestern region due to anti-clockwise surface currents and eddies. Validation against field data confirmed that the Lagrangian simulations accurately reflect in-situ distribution.

Recognizing microplastic deposits on sandy beaches by altimetric positioning, µ-Raman spectroscopy and multivariate statistical models.

Understanding the extent and implications of microplastic (MP) pollution along the São Paulo State coastline in southeastern Brazil is crucial, considering the significant environmental burden imposed by industrial and port activities in this region. This research aims to understand the complex dynamics of MP deposition on sandy beaches, which poses severe environmental risks to coastal ecosystems, marine organisms, and humans. Using a comprehensive five-step methodology-geodetic surveys, sediment collection, µ-RAMAN spectrometry for polymer identification, and multivariate statistical models-we analyzed the distribution of MPs across six coastal compartments (C1 to C6). The results (128 samples from 34 profiles) revealed relatively high MP concentrations in C3 and C2, which were likely influenced by local human activities. Various shape types of MPs, such as pellets, fragments, and fibers, present distinct distribution patterns based on their physical properties and emission sources. Fragments and foam were the most prevalent, accounting for 42 % and 35 %, respectively, of the 1026 MP items identified in total. Statistical analyses revealed significant correlations between MP types and beach morphometric features, with higher elevations correlating with increased MP concentrations, particularly for pellets and foam. Beaches with intermediate slopes (0.05 < tanß <0.12) and openings to the southern quadrant tended to accumulate more MPs. This research underscores the importance of tailored management strategies that consider the unique characteristics of each coastal region to mitigate the impacts of MP pollution. The findings contribute to the development of targeted monitoring and environmental remediation strategies, which are crucial for protecting marine life and maintaining the integrity of coastal environments.

Riverbed litter monitoring using consumer-grade aerial-aquatic speedy scanner (AASS) and deep learning based super-resolution reconstruction and detection network.

Underwater litter is widely spread across aquatic environments such as lakes, rivers, and oceans, significantly impacting natural ecosystems. Current automated monitoring technologies for detecting this litter face limitations in survey efficiency, cost, and environmental conditions, highlighting the need for efficient, consumer-grade technologies for automatic detection. This research introduces the Aerial-Aquatic Speedy Scanner (AASS) combined with Super-Resolution Reconstruction (SRR) and an enhanced YOLOv8 detection network. The AASS system boosts data acquisition efficiency over traditional methods, capturing high-resolution images that accurately identify and categorize underwater waste. The SRR technique enhances image quality by mitigating common issues like motion blur and low resolution, thereby improving the YOLOv8 model's detection capabilities. Specifically, the RCAN model achieved the highest mean average precision (mAP) of 78.6 % for object detection accuracy on reconstructed underwater litter among the tested SR models. With a magnification factor of 4, the SR test set shows an improved mAP compared to the Bicubic test set. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in detecting underwater litter.

Warming decreased plant litter decomposition by modulating soil fauna interactions in a Tibetan alpine meadow.

Litter decomposition is a vital process for maintaining ecosystem carbon cycling. It is affected by soil fauna which are predators and decomposers of litter. However, how the interactions of soil fauna communities affect litter decomposition remains unclear under warming. Here, we conducted a five-year in-situ manipulative warming experiment by Open-Top Chamber (OTC) in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau to reveal how warming affects litter decomposition. The results demonstrated that warming decreased the litter decomposition rate by 29 %, the soil collembola abundance by 25 %, and the nematode abundance by 27 %. Nematode ecological indices remain stable but a shift in the decomposition of litter to the fungivores pathway under warming. The piecewise structural equation modelling result revealed that the combined reduction in soil collembola and nematodes synergistically leads to a massive decline in litter decomposition rate under warming. Our results highlight that the interactions of soil fauna can regulate litter decomposition under warming, and collembola abundance as the "speed-limiter" of litter decomposition. Therefore, the response of changes in soil fauna relationships to warming should be completely considered in future climate change modelling of the grassland carbon cycle.

Monitoring of contamination by microplastics on sandy beaches at Vulcano Island (Sicily, Italy) by hyperspectral imaging.

In this work, the monitoring and characterization of large microplastics (1-5 mm) collected from sandy beaches of Vulcano Island (Aeolian Islands, Sicily, Italy) were carried out for the first time. Microplastics were sampled from two beaches, "Gelso" and "Sabbie Nere," in three different time periods. The following characteristics of microplastic samples were assessed: quantity, distribution, categories, color, polymer type, size, and shape parameters. The polymers were identified using hyperspectral imaging, whereas an automatic image analysis approach was employed to determine microplastics' morphological and morphometrical attributes. Finally, the microplastic diversity integrated index was computed to obtain information on the potential emission sources of microplastics. It was found that the concentration of microplastics varies from 0.27 particles/kg_dw to 1.35 particles/kg_dw with fragment being the main collected category, with minor amount of pellet, foam, film, and filament. The predominant color of microplastics was by far white, followed by blue and yellow. The identified polymers were polyethylene and polypropylene followed by expanded polystyrene, polyamide, polystyrene, and polyethylene terephthalate. The morphological and morphometrical characterization highlighted a large variability for most size and shape parameters. Finally, the Microplastics Diversity Integrated Index results showed average indices compared to the literature, with higher values for the "Gelso" site (0.656), indicating a higher heterogeneity of sources, with respect to "Sabbie Nere" beach (0.530).

Identifying patterns of microplastic accumulation in coastal vegetated habitats: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Microplastic (plastics <5 mm; MP) contamination in the marine environment has gained global attention due to its continuous accumulation and serious threats to ecosystems. This review evaluates patterns of MP accumulation in seagrasses, mangroves, and saltmarshes to provide an integrated view of MP pollution. Since 2011, studies have examined the sources, distribution, characterization, and fate of MPs in these habitats. We found an unequal geographic distribution with most studies conducted in the Northern Hemisphere and in mangroves, which have the highest MP concentrations compared to saltmarshes and seagrass beds, particularly near urban centers and fishing zones. Almost 40 % of the outcomes of our meta-analysis show a higher MP accumulation in vegetated than unvegetated sites. Also, degraded and highly-degraded sites exhibited higher amounts of MPs than less-degraded areas. In addition, secondary MPs are the dominant form, with less dense polymers (polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene) being more abundant and blue, black, and transparent the most common colors. Methodological differences in reporting units, sampling depths, and extraction methods reduce study comparability and increase variability. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of MP research in coastal ecosystems, revealing critical knowledge gaps affecting MP distribution, such as vegetation density, diversity, and hydrodynamics, and emphasizes the need for standardized methodologies for accurate comparisons.

Influence of herbaceous litter thickness on bacterial community structure and physicochemical properties of aeolian sand.

The change and mechanism of soil and soil bacterial diversity during the change of herbaceous litter thickness in desert areas is crucial to understand. In the study, the dominant herbaceous litter mixture in Baijitan National Nature Reserve was selected as the research material, and an experiment was established by adjusting the litter depth. The results showed that the measured values of soil physicochemical factors (total nitrogen, total protein, total potassium, available phosphorus, available potassium, pH, and soil water content) increased with the increase of herbaceous litter mixture thickness in 0-5 cm soil layer. Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Gemmatimonadetes were the dominant bacterial phyla under different thicknesses of herbaceous litter in 0-5 and 5-10 cm soil layers. Balneimonas, Rubrobacter, and Geodermatophilus were the dominant bacterial genera under different thicknesses of herbaceous litter in 0-5 and 5-10 cm soil layers. There was no obvious change in the α-diversity index of bacterial community the same soil layer, but the α-diversity index in the 0-5 cm soil layer was lower compared to the 5-10 cm soil layer. The results of this study revealed that the change of herbaceous litter thickness had no significant effect on soil bacterial community structure in desert areas.

Photodegradation in terrestrial ecosystems.

The first step in carbon (C) turnover, where senesced plant biomass is converted through various pathways into compounds that are released to the atmosphere or incorporated into the soil, is termed litter decomposition. This review is focused on recent advances of how solar radiation can affect this important process in terrestrial ecosystems. We explore the photochemical degradation of plant litter and its consequences for biotic decomposition and C cycling. The ubiquitous presence of lignin in plant tissues poses an important challenge for enzymatic litter decomposition due to its biological recalcitrance, creating a substantial bottleneck for decomposer organisms. The recognition that lignin is also photolabile and can be rapidly altered by natural doses of sunlight to increase access to cell wall carbohydrates and even bolster the activity of cell wall degrading enzymes highlights a novel role for lignin in modulating rates of litter decomposition. Lignin represents a key functional connector between photochemistry and biochemistry with important consequences for our understanding of how sunlight exposure may affect litter decomposition in a wide range of terrestrial ecosystems. A mechanistic understanding of how sunlight controls litter decomposition and C turnover can help inform management and other decisions related to mitigating human impact on the planet.

The effect of coffee husks used as pellet bedding material on the intestinal barrier, immune-related gene expression and microbiota composition in the broiler chicken caecum.

Introduction: Using coffee husks as waste material for bedding contributes to sustainable development. A sustainable choice of bedding has also, however, to be a safe choice for poultry. The study analysed immune-related gene expression in the intestinal mucosa and indicator bacteria in caecal content collected from broiler chickens bedded on material with coffee husk addition. Material and Methods: One-day-old Ross 308 chickens were divided into four groups of 10 birds each in five replicates: C, the control group kept on wheat straw bedding; CH10, a group kept on bedding of 10% coffee husks and 90% wheat straw; CH25, a group kept on bedding of 25% husks and 75% straw; and CH50, a group kept on bedding of 50% husks and 50% straw. After 42 days, the birds were slaughtered, the caecal mucosae were removed for RNA isolation and the caecal content was collected for bacterial DNA isolation. The expression of genes involved in intestinal immune response and host organism defence and the relative abundance of indicator bacteria were analysed. Results: Upregulation of the expression of genes related to the immune response and intestinal tightness was correlated with an increase in the percentage of coffee husks in the pellet. Coffee husk pellets at 50% bedding content caused a significant numerical increase in Bifidobacterium and a statistically significant increase in Lactobacillus. A significant reduction in E. coli bacteria was also demonstrated in this group. Coffee husk pellets at all content percentages resulted in a statistically significant diminution of the level of Streptococcus bacteria. Conclusion: The addition of coffee husks to poultry litter effects beneficial changes in the expression of genes related to intestinal health and the caecal bacterial profile.

Lignite reduces odour from broiler farms without reducing production performance.

An unavoidable consequence of chicken meat production is the generation of substantial quantities of spent litter. This poses several environmental and social challenges, as broiler farms become hotspots for odour emissions. The main source of odour from broiler litter is the microbial decomposition of organic material. Thus, lignite's previously shown capacity to reduce microbial activity in broiler litter was expected to reduce odour emissions from broiler housing. The effect of lignite on odour emission rate (OER) (ou/s) was investigated using dynamic olfactometry over two consecutive summer broiler grow-out cycles in Victoria, Australia, with lignite applied at 3.5 kg/m2. The air quality dispersion model, AERMOD, was used to investigate how lignite's effect on OER influenced the predicted odour dispersion distances and concentrations in the context of various Australian regulatory requirements. Additionally, the effect of lignite on bird production performance was also determined. This study showed that lignite reduced the OER from commercial broiler housing by an average of 56% over both grow-outs. This effect was observed for the duration of the trial. The observed reduction in OER reduced the required separation distances by 44-53% according to the state odour criteria for Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia. There were no observed differences in feed conversion ratio, bird live weight or mortality throughout either grow-out. This study demonstrated the capacity of lignite to reduce odour emissions from commercial broiler housing without reducing bird production performance.