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Transfer functions for solid–solution partitioning of cadmium for Australian soils Texto completo
2011
de Vries, W. | McLaughlin, M.J. | Groenenberg, J.E.
Transfer functions for solid–solution partitioning of cadmium for Australian soils Texto completo
2011
de Vries, W. | McLaughlin, M.J. | Groenenberg, J.E.
To assess transport and ecotoxicological risks of metals, such as cadmium (Cd) in soils, models are needed for partitioning and speciation. We derived regression-based “partition-relations” based on adsorption and desorption experiments for main Australian soil types. First, batch adsorption experiments were carried out over a realistic range of dissolved Cd concentrations in agricultural soils in Australia. Results showed linear sorption relationships, implying the adequacy of using Kd values to describe partitioning. Desorption measurements were then carried out to assess in-situ Kd values and relate these to soil properties The best transfer functions for solid–solution partitioning were found for Kd values relating total dissolved Cd concentration to total soil Cd concentrations, accounting for the variation in pH, SOM contents and DOC concentrations. Model predictions compared well with measurements of an independent data set, but there was a tendency to underestimate dissolved Cd concentrations of highly polluted soils.
Mostrar más [+] Menos [-]Transfer functions for solid-solution partitioning of cadmium for Australian soils Texto completo
2011
De Vries, W. | McLaughlin, M. | Groenenberg, J.
To assess transport and ecotoxicological risks of metals, such as cadmium (Cd) in soils, models are needed for partitioning and speciation. We derived regression-based "partition-relations" based on adsorption and desorption experiments for main Australian soil types. First, batch adsorption experiments were carried out over a realistic range of dissolved Cd concentrations in agricultural soils in Australia. Results showed linear sorption relationships, implying the adequacy of using Kd values to describe partitioning. Desorption measurements were then carried out to assess in-situ Kd values and relate these to soil properties The best transfer functions for solid-solution partitioning were found for Kd values relating total dissolved Cd concentration to total soil Cd concentrations, accounting for the variation in pH, SOM contents and DOC concentrations. Model predictions compared well with measurements of an independent data set, but there was a tendency to underestimate dissolved Cd concentrations of highly polluted soils. | W. de Vries, M.J. McLaughlin, J.E. Groenenberg
Mostrar más [+] Menos [-]Mechanisms of purple moor-grass (Molinia caerulea) encroachment in dry heathland ecosystems with chronic nitrogen inputs Texto completo
2011
Friedrich, Uta | von Oheimb, Goddert | Dziedek, Christoph | Kriebitzsch, Wolf-Ulrich | Selbmann, Katharina | Härdtle, Werner
Mechanisms of purple moor-grass (Molinia caerulea) encroachment in dry heathland ecosystems with chronic nitrogen inputs Texto completo
2011
Friedrich, Uta | von Oheimb, Goddert | Dziedek, Christoph | Kriebitzsch, Wolf-Ulrich | Selbmann, Katharina | Härdtle, Werner
We analysed growth strategies (biomass allocation, nutrient sequestration and allocation) of heather (Calluna vulgaris) and purple moor-grass (Molinia caerulea) seedlings in monocultures and mixtures in relation to N, P, and N + P fertilisation in a greenhouse experiment in order to simulate a heath’s pioneer phase under high airborne nitrogen (N) loads. N fertilisation increased the total biomass of both species in monocultures. In mixtures, M. caerulea sequestered about 65% of the N applied, while C. vulgaris suffered from N shortage (halving of the total biomass). Thus, in mixtures only M. caerulea will benefit from airborne N loads, and competition will become increasingly asymmetric with increasing N availability. Our results demonstrate that the heath’s pioneer phase is the crucial tipping point at which the competitive vigour of M. caerulea (high belowground allocation, efficient use of belowground resources, shortened reproductive cycles) induces a shift to dominance of grasses under increased N availability.
Mostrar más [+] Menos [-]Mechanisms of purple moor-grass (Molinia caerulea) encroachment in dry heathland ecosystems with chronic nitrogen inputs Texto completo
2011
Friedrich, Uta | Oheimb, Goddert von | Dziedek, Christoph | Kriebitzsch, Wolf-Ulrich | Selbmann, Katharina | Härdtle, Werner
Mercury in United Kingdom topsoils; concentrations, pools, and Critical Limit exceedances Texto completo
2011
Tipping, E. | Poskitt, J.M. | Lawlor, A.J. | Wadsworth, R.A. | Norris, D.A. | Hall, J.R.
The median total mercury concentration in 898 UK rural topsoils, sampled between 1998 and 2008, was 0.095 μg g⁻¹. Approximate adjustment for unreactive metal produced an estimate of 0.052 μg g⁻¹ for reactive Hg. The highest concentrations were in the north and west, where organic-rich soils with low bulk densities dominate, but the spatial pattern was quite different if soil Hg pools (mg m⁻²) were considered, the highest values being near to the industrial north of England and London. Possible toxic effects of Hg were best evaluated by comparison with soil Critical Limits expressed as ratios of Hg to soil organic matter, or soil solution Hg²⁺ concentrations, estimated by chemical speciation modelling. Only a few percent of the rural UK soils showed exceedance, and this also applied to rural soils from the whole of Europe. UK urban and industrial soils had higher Hg concentrations and more cases of exceedance.
Mostrar más [+] Menos [-]The effect of metal pollution on the population genetic structure of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) residing in the River Hayle, Cornwall, UK Texto completo
2011
Durrant, Christopher J. | Stevens, Jamie R. | Hogstrand, Christer | Bury, Nicolas R.
The River Hayle in south-west England is impacted with metals and can be divided into three regions depending on the copper and zinc concentrations: a low-metal upper section; a highly-contaminated middle section and a moderately contaminated lower section. Hayle river water is toxic to metal-naive brown trout, but brown trout are found in the upper and lower regions. The study aimed to evaluate the population genetic structure of River Hayle brown trout and to determine if the highly-contaminated section acts as a chemical barrier to migration. Population genetic analysis indicated that metals were not a barrier to gene flow within the river, but there was a high level of differentiation observed between fish sampled at two sites in the upper region, despite being separated by only 1 km. The metal tolerance trait exhibited by this brown trout population may represent an important component of the species genetic diversity in this region.
Mostrar más [+] Menos [-]Screening of Cd tolerant genotypes and isolation of metallothionein genes in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Texto completo
2011
Wang, Xiaojuan | Song, Yu | Ma, Yanhua | Zhuo, Renying | Jin, Liang
In order to evaluate Cd tolerance in wide-ranging sources of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and to identify Cd tolerant genotypes which may potentially be useful for restoring Cd-contaminated environments, thirty-six accessions of alfalfa were screened under hydroponic culture. Our results showed that the relative root growth rate varied from 0.48 to 1.0, which indicated that different alfalfa accessions had various responses to Cd stress. The candidate fragments derived from differentially expressed metallothionein (MT) genes were cloned from leaves of two Cd tolerant genotypes, YE and LZ. DNA sequence and the deduced protein sequence showed that MsMT2a and MsMT2b had high similarity to those in leguminous plants. DDRT-PCR analysis showed that MsMT2a expressed in both YE and LZ plants under control and Cd stress treatment, but MsMT2b only expressed under Cd stress treatment. This suggested that MsMT2a was universally expressed in leaves of alfalfa but expression of MsMT2b was Cadmium (Cd) inducible.
Mostrar más [+] Menos [-]Inorganic arsenic and trace elements in Ghanaian grain staples Texto completo
2011
Adomako, Eureka E. | Williams, Paul N. | Deacon, Claire | Meharg, Andrew A.
A total of 549 samples of rice, maize, wheat, sorghum and millet were obtained from markets in Ghana, the EU, US and Asia. Analysis of the samples, originating from 21 countries in 5 continents, helped to establish global mean trace element concentrations in grains; thus placing the Ghanaian data within a global context. Ghanaian rice was generally low in potentially toxic elements, but high in essential nutrient elements. Arsenic concentrations in rice from US (0.22 mg/kg) and Thailand (0.15 mg/kg) were higher than in Ghanaian rice (0.11 mg/kg). Percentage inorganic arsenic content of the latter (83%) was, however, higher than for US (42%) and Thai rice (67%). Total arsenic concentration in Ghanaian maize, sorghum and millet samples (0.01 mg/kg) was an order of magnitude lower than in Ghanaian rice, indicating that a shift from rice-centric to multigrain diets could help reduce health risks posed by dietary exposure to inorganic As.
Mostrar más [+] Menos [-]Combustion-derived substances in deep basins of Puget Sound: Historical inputs from fossil fuel and biomass combustion Texto completo
2011
Kuo, Li-Jung | Louchouarn, Patrick | Herbert, Bruce E. | Brandenberger, Jill M. | Wade, Terry L. | Crecelius, Eric
Reconstructions of 250 years historical inputs of two distinct types of black carbon (soot/graphitic black carbon (GBC) and char-BC) were conducted on sediment cores from two basins of the Puget Sound, WA. Signatures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were also used to support the historical reconstructions of BC to this system. Down-core maxima in GBC and combustion-derived PAHs occurred in the 1940s in the cores from the Puget Sound Main Basin, whereas in Hood Canal such peak was observed in the 1970s, showing basin-specific differences in inputs of combustion byproducts. This system showed relatively higher inputs from softwood combustion than the northeastern U.S. The historical variations in char-BC concentrations were consistent with shifts in climate indices, suggesting an influence of climate oscillations on wildfire events. Environmental loading of combustion byproducts thus appears as a complex function of urbanization, fuel usage, combustion technology, environmental policies, and climate conditions.
Mostrar más [+] Menos [-]Transport of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in highly vulnerable karst systems Texto completo
2011
Schwarz, Kerstin | Gocht, Tilman | Grathwohl, Peter
Fluxes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated along the route of transport in a south German karst system. Atmospheric deposition, seepage water in caves and spring water at the outlet of the catchment were monitored continuously over 1.5 years allowing the establishment of an input/output mass balance at the catchment scale. The results reveal that, even in the highly vulnerable karst catchment, PAHs are effectively retained in the soils. Only during high discharge events, such as snowmelt in spring, increasing PAH concentrations at the outlet of the catchment indicates a mobilization of the pollutants. These events are typically correlated with increasing particle concentrations. Based on our results, we conclude that particle-facilitated transport is the dominating cause of PAH mobilization. In summary, PAHs accumulate over time in soils and only occasionally high discharge events cause a short concentration pulse to be flushed through the karst system.
Mostrar más [+] Menos [-]Urban forests and pollution mitigation: Analyzing ecosystem services and disservices Texto completo
2011
Escobedo, Francisco J. | Kroeger, Timm | Wagner, John E.
The purpose of this paper is to integrate the concepts of ecosystem services and disservices when assessing the efficacy of using urban forests for mitigating pollution. A brief review of the literature identifies some pollution mitigation ecosystem services provided by urban forests. Existing ecosystem services definitions and typologies from the economics and ecological literature are adapted and applied to urban forest management and the concepts of ecosystem disservices from natural and semi-natural systems are discussed. Examples of the urban forest ecosystem services of air quality and carbon dioxide sequestration are used to illustrate issues associated with assessing their efficacy in mitigating urban pollution. Development of urban forest management alternatives that mitigate pollution should consider scale, contexts, heterogeneity, management intensities and other social and economic co-benefits, tradeoffs, and costs affecting stakeholders and urban sustainability goals.
Mostrar más [+] Menos [-]Modelling the influence of peri-urban trees in the air quality of Madrid region (Spain) Texto completo
2011
Alonso, Rocío | Vivanco, Marta G. | González-Fernández, Ignacio | Bermejo, Victoria | Palomino, Inmaculada | Garrido, Juan Luis | Elvira, Susana | Salvador, Pedro | Artíñano, Begoña
Tropospheric ozone (O₃) is considered one of the most important air pollutants affecting human health. The role of peri-urban vegetation in modifying O₃ concentrations has been analyzed in the Madrid region (Spain) using the V200603par-rc1 version of the CHIMERE air quality model. The 3.7 version of the MM5 meteorological model was used to provide meteorological input data to the CHIMERE. The emissions were derived from the EMEP database for 2003. Land use data and the stomatal conductance model included in CHIMERE were modified according to the latest information available for the study area. Two cases were considered for the period April–September 2003: (1) actual land use and (2) a fictitious scenario where El Pardo peri-urban forest was converted to bare-soil. The results show that El Pardo forest constitutes a sink of O₃ since removing this green area increased O₃ levels over the modified area and over down-wind surrounding areas.
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