Litter quality drives the differentiation of microbial communities in the litter horizon across an alpine treeline ecotone in the eastern Tibetan Plateau.

Cellulose and lignin are the main polymeric components of the forest litter horizon. We monitored microbial community composition using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis and investigated the ligninolytic and cellulolytic enzyme activities of the litter horizon across an alpine treeline ecotone in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. The activities of ligninolytic and cellulolytic enzymes and the biomass of microbial PLFAs were higher in the initial stage of litter decomposition than in the latter stage in the three vegetation types (coniferous forest, alpine shrubland and alpine meadow). Soil microbial community structure varied significantly over the course of litter decomposition in the three vegetation types. Furthermore, the BIOENV procedure revealed that the carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio, carbon to phosphorus (C:P) ratio and moisture content (MC) were the most important determinants of microbial community structure in the initial stage of litter decomposition, whereas pH and the lignin concentration were the major factors influencing the microbial community structure in the later stage of litter decomposition. These findings indicate that litter quality drives the differentiation of microbial communities in the litter horizon across an alpine treeline ecotone in the eastern Tibetan Plateau.

[Ecological-hygienic evaluation of the environment of territories being adjacent to decultivated uranium mines].

On the territory of Kazakhstan there are uranium deposits, many ofwhich are in mothballed since times of perestroika. Often, the mines are flooded and represent a "time-delay bomb". Inside of mines various there are accumulated gases of both organic and inorganic nature, periodically thrown out and adversely affecting on the health of local populations. The aim of the study was the investigation of the state of the environment of Esilsky district of the Akmola region by common pollutants and chemicals. As the basic variable for the investigation of ambient air there was accepted the maximum one-time concentration of suspended substances, phenol, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide. The results were evaluated in relation to the MPC for the analyzed substance in the air according to maximal single MPC (MPCms) and daily average MPC (MPCda). The content of metals in the water was determined with the use of spectrophotometer PD-303S. Evaluation of the results was executed in relation of the MPC of substances in water, by means of the comparison with the requirements of Federal standards for drinking water, samples from drinking water sources. There were executed calculations of the overall index of water pollution (IWVgen), the index of water pollution by heavy metals (IWVhm). Chemical analysis of soil was carried out with the use of spectrophotometer PD- 303S (Japan), the photometer expert-003 "Ekoniks". Evaluation of the results was carried out with the respect to the MPC in the soil, the toxicity of all components. Summarizing soil pollution index was evaluated for metals contained in the soil at the level of more than or equal to 1 MAC. The settlement Krasnogorskiy and the village of Kalachi were found to be characterized by a low level of air pollution, increased rigidity of drinking water exceeded the maximum permissible concentrations of copper by 3.45 times and chloride by 1.17 times in the soil cover.

Co-treatment of fruit and vegetable waste in sludge digesters. An analysis of the relationship among bio-methane generation, process stability and digestate phytotoxicity.

The co-digestion of a variable amount of fruit and vegetable waste in a waste mixed sludge digester was investigated using a pilot scale apparatus. The organic loading rate (OLR) was increased from 1.46 kg VS/m(3) day to 2.8 kg VS/m(3) day. The hydraulic retention time was reduced from 14 days to about 10 days. Specific bio-methane production increased from about 90 NL/kg VS to the maximum value of about 430 NL/kg VS when OLR was increased from 1.46 kg VS/m(3) day to 2.1 kg VS/m(3) day. A higher OLR caused an excessive reduction in the hydraulic retention time, enhancing microorganism wash out. Process stability evaluated by the total volatile fatty acids concentration (mg/l) to the alkalinity buffer capacity (eq. mg/l CaCO3) ratio (i.e. FOS/TAC) criterion was <0.1 indicating high stability for OLR <2.46 kg VS/m(3 )day. For higher OLR, FOS/TAC increased rapidly. Residual phytotoxicty of the digestate evaluated by the germination index (GI) (%) was quite constant for OLR<2.46 kg VS/m(3)day, which is lower than the 60% limit, indicating an acceptable toxicity level for crops. For OLR>2.46 kg VS/m(3) day, GI decreased rapidly. This corresponding trend between FOS/TAC and GI was further investigated by the definition of the GI ratio (GIR) parameter. Comparison between GIR and FOS/TAC suggests that GI could be a suitable criterion for evaluating process stability.

Desempenho e características de carcaças de cordeiros suplementados com diferentes níveis de resíduo de biodiesel / Performance and characteristics of lamb carcass supplemented with differents levels of biodiesel residues

Estudou-se a suplementação de dietas de cordeiros confinados com resíduo de biodiesel, utilizando-se 25 ovinos, SRD, machos, castrados, com média de peso de 20kg. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos ao acaso, com cinco repetições por tratamento e esquema de parcelas subdivididas para os dados de biometria. O experimento teve a duração de 70 dias. As dietas eram compostas de 34% de volumoso e 61% de concentrado, à base de milho, soja, minerais e 5% de óleo de dendê ou resíduo de biodiesel, em percentagens crescentes - zero, 25, 50, 75 e 100%. Os animais foram abatidos ao final do experimento para avaliação da carcaça. Foram observados efeitos significativos (P<0,05) de percentagem de inclusão do resíduo, para as variáveis de desempenho e biometria demonstrados nos efeitos lineares crescentes das equações de regressão, assim como para peso da carcaça quente (PCQ) -, com médias de 14; 15,92; 16,14; 16,42 e 18,02% - e peso da carcaça fria (PCF) -, com médias de 13,12; 14,78; 15,06; 15,70 e 17,25% -, para dietas com, respectivamente, 0, 25, 50, 100% de resíduo de biodiesel de dendê. A utilização de resíduo de biodiesel de dendê na alimentação de cordeiros em crescimento é alternativa para aumentar a densidade energética de suas dietas.

Diet supplementation with biodiesel residues of confined lambs, utilizing 25 sheep, without definite breed pattern (WDB), male, castrated, with average weight of 20kg was studied. The experimental design was random blocks, with 5 repetitions per treatment and a split plot scheme toward biometrics data. The experiment lasted 70 days. The diets were composed of 34% of roughage and 61% of concentrate, based on corn, soy, mineral and 5% of oil palm kernel or biodiesel residues, in increasing percentages - zero, 25, 50, 75 and 100%. The animals were slaughtered at the end of the experiment for carcass evaluation. Significant effects (P<0.05) of percentage inclusion of residues were observed for the performance and biometrics variables demonstrated in the crescent linear effect of the regression equations, as well as for the hot carcass weight (HCW) - with an average of 14; 15.92; 16.14; 16.42 and 18.02%; and the cold carcass weight (CCW) - with an average of 13.12; 14.78; 15.06; 15.70 and 17.25% for diets, respectively, containing 0, 25, 50, 75, 100% of palm kernel biodiesel residues. The palm kernel biodiesel residue utilization in feeding growing lambs is an alternative to increase the energetic density in their diets.

Influência alelopática de hortelã (Mentha x villosa Huds. ) sobre emergência de plântulas de alface (Lactuca sativa L. ) / Allelopathic influence of mint (Mentha x villosa Huds. ) on the emergence of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. ) seedlings

Objetivou-se com esse trabalho avaliar a interferência de possíveis efeitos alelopáticos de Mentha x villosa Huds. sobre a emergência de Lactuca sativa L. As atividades foram conduzidas em laboratório, no Instituto de Ciências Agrárias (ICA) da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, em Montes Claros/MG. Foram propostos três tratamentos, sendo esses: solo A, coletado em área cultivada com hortelã no horto medicinal do ICA/UFMG; solo B, coletado em áreas adjacentes e, testemunha (papel germiteste).O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado (DIC), com sete repetições. As variáveis avaliadas foram: porcentagem e índice de velocidade de emergência. Observou-se que a emergência de plântulas de Lactuca sativa foi significativamente afetada pelo solo A (6,95 por cento) se comparada com o solo B (21,71 por cento), representando assim, uma inibição da emergência, ou seja, efeito alelopático da hortelã sobre a emergência de alface. Já o índice de velocidade de emergência (IVE) não diferiu significativamente entre os solos testados.

This study aimed to assess the interference of possible allelopathic effects of Mentha x villosa Huds. on the germination of Lactuca sativa L. The activities were carried out in laboratory, at the Institute of Agricultural Sciences (ICA) of the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The following three treatments were proposed: soil A, collected in area cultivated with mint at the garden of ICA; soil B, collected in adjacent areas; and control (germitest paper). Experimental design was completely randomized (CR), with seven replicates. The evaluated variables were: germination percentage and speed index. The emergence of Lactuca sativa seedlings was significantly affected by soil A (6.95 percent) when compared to soil B (21.71 percent), indicating thus emergence inhibition, i.e. an allelopathic effect of mint on lettuce emergence. On the other hand, the germination speed index (GSI) did not differ significantly between the tested soils.

Elevated trace element concentrations in southern toads, Bufo terrestris, exposed to coal combustion waste.

A number of recent studies have linked developmental, physiological, and behavioral abnormalities in amphibians to coal combustion wastes (coal ash). Few studies, however, have determined trace element concentrations in amphibians exposed to coal ash. In the current study we compare total body concentrations of 20 trace elements in adult southern toads, Bufo terrestris, inhabiting coal ash settling basins with toads that were not exposed to the combustion wastes (reference). In addition, we document the accumulation of trace elements in toads transplanted from reference sites to field enclosures in an ash settling basin for 7 and 12 weeks. Arsenic, selenium, and vanadium levels were significantly elevated in toads captured at the ash-contaminated site in comparison to toads from the reference site. All three of these elements were also significantly elevated in toads exposed to the contaminated habitat for only 7 weeks. Our study suggests that adult anurans can bioaccumulate particularly high levels of selenium and may be useful bioindicators in agricultural and coal ash-impacted habitats.

Species-specific selection on soil fungal population after olive mill waste-water treatment.

Soil was treated with olive mill waste water (OMW) in order to study the effect of this agriculture waste on soil fungal population. Changes in fungal composition were observed after soil pollution. In order to test OMW selective pressure, growth kinetics of Penicillium cyclopium, Scopulariopsis brevicaulis and Cladosporium cladosporioides were studied on solid media supplemented with different OMW concentrations. S. brevicaulis and C. cladosporioides did not grow at OMW concentration higher than 50%, while at concentrations lower than 50% a growth decrease was observed. Instead, P. cyclopium was able to actively grow at all concentrations of OMW tested. Therefore the OMW can influence and modify the soil fungal homeostasis.

Parkinsonism caused by petroleum waste ingestion.

A 20-year-old laborer developed moderate parkinsonism 1 week after accidentally ingesting a petroleum waste mixture. Parkinsonism persisted for 3 months and then began to improve, although subtle signs remained 29 months after exposure. 6-Fluorodopa-labeled positron emission tomography (6-FD PET) performed 3 months postexposure revealed a striatal dopamine rate constant level of 0.170 ml/striatum/min, nearly 3 SD below the mean for age-matched controls. However, subsequent PETs demonstrated 6-FD PET rate constants not significantly different than controls. Although the causative agent has not yet been identified, this case suggests that compounds capable of causing parkinsonism may exist in commonly used petroleum products.