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Belowground effects of enhanced tropospheric ozone and drought in a beech/spruce forest (Fagus sylvatica L./Picea abies [L.] Karst) Texte intégral
2010
Nikolova, Petia S. | Andersen, Christian P. | Blaschke, Helmut | Matyssek, Rainer | Häberle, Karl-Heinz
The effects of experimentally elevated O3 on soil respiration rates, standing fine-root biomass, fine-root production and δ13C signature of newly produced fine roots were investigated in an adult European beech/Norway spruce forest in Germany during two subsequent years with contrasting rainfall patterns. During humid 2002, soil respiration rate was enhanced under elevated O3 under beech and spruce, and was related to O3-stimulated fine-root production only in beech. During dry 2003, the stimulating effect of O3 on soil respiration rate vanished under spruce, which was correlated with decreased fine-root production in spruce under drought, irrespective of the O3 regime. δ13C signature of newly formed fine-roots was consistent with the differing gs of beech and spruce, and indicated stomatal limitation by O3 in beech and by drought in spruce. Our study showed that drought can override the stimulating O3 effects on fine-root dynamics and soil respiration in mature beech and spruce forests. Drought has the capacity to override the stimulating ozone effect on soil respiration in adult European beech/Norway spruce forest.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Urbanization-related changes in European aspen (Populus tremula L.): Leaf traits and litter decomposition Texte intégral
2010
Nikula, Suvi | Vapaavuori, Elina | Manninen, Sirkku
Urbanization-related changes in European aspen (Populus tremula L.): Leaf traits and litter decomposition Texte intégral
2010
Nikula, Suvi | Vapaavuori, Elina | Manninen, Sirkku
We investigated foliar and litter responses of European aspen (Populus tremula L.) to urbanization, including factors such as increased temperature, moisture stress and nitrogen (N) deposition. Leaf samples were collected in 2006-2008 from three urban and three rural forest stands in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, southern Finland, and reciprocal litter transplantations were established between urban and rural sites. Urban leaves exhibited a higher amount of epicuticular waxes and N concentration, and a lower C:N ratio than rural ones, but there was no difference in specific leaf area. Urban litter had a slightly higher N concentration, lower concentrations of lignin and total phenolics, and was more palatable to a macrofaunal decomposer. Moreover, litter decay was faster at the urban site and for urban litter. Urbanization thus resulted in foliar acclimatization in terms of increased amount of epicuticular waxes, as well as in accelerated decomposition of the N-richer leaf litter.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Urbanization-related changes in European aspen (Populus tremula L.): Leaf traits and litter decomposition Texte intégral
2010
Nikula, S. | Vapaavuori, E. | Manninen, S. | Metsäntutkimuslaitos
Detection of antibiotic resistance and tetracycline resistance genes in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from the Pearl rivers in South China Texte intégral
2010
Tao, Ran | Ying, Guang-Guo | Su, Hao-Chang | Zhou, Hong-Wei | Sidhu, Jatinder P.S.
This study investigated antibiotic resistance profiles and tetracycline resistance genes in Enterobacteriaceae family isolates from the Pearl rivers. The Enterobacteriaceae isolates were tested for susceptibility to seven antibiotics ampicillin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, sulphamethoxazole/trimethoprim, tetracycline and trimethoprim. In Liuxi reservoir, with an exception to ampicillin resistant strains (11%) no other antibiotic resistance bacterial strains were detected. However, multiple drug resistance in bacterial isolates from the other sites of Pearl rivers was observed which is possibly due to sewage discharge and input from other anthropogenic sources along the rivers. Four tetracycline resistance genes tet A, tet B, tet C and tet D were detected in the isolates from the rivers. The genes tet A and tet B were widely detected with the detection frequencies of 43% and 40% respectively. Ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin resistant enteric bacteria were also isolated from the pig and duck manures which suggest a wider distribution of human specific drugs in the environment. This investigation provided a baseline data on antibiotic resistance profiles and tetracycline resistance genes in the Pearl rivers delta.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Combining sap flow and eddy covariance approaches to derive stomatal and non-stomatal O3 fluxes in a forest stand Texte intégral
2010
Nunn, A.J. | Cieslik, S. | Metzger, U. | Wieser, G. | Matyssek, R.
Stomatal O3 fluxes to a mixed beech/spruce stand (Fagus sylvatica/Picea abies) in Central Europe were determined using two different approaches. The sap flow technique yielded the tree-level transpiration, whereas the eddy covariance method provided the stand-level evapotranspiration. Both data were then converted into stomatal ozone fluxes, exemplifying this novel concept for July 2007. Sap flow-based stomatal O3 flux was 33% of the total O3 flux, whereas derivation from evapotranspiration rates in combination with the Penman-Monteith algorithm amounted to 47%. In addition to this proportional difference, the sap flow-based assessment yielded lower levels of stomatal O3 flux and reflected stomatal regulation rather than O3 exposure, paralleling the daily courses of canopy conductance for water vapor and eddy covariance-based total stand-level O3 flux. The demonstrated combination of sap flow and eddy covariance approaches supports the development of O3 risk assessment in forests from O3 exposure towards flux-based concepts.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Historical mercury contamination in sediments and catchment soils of Diss Mere, UK Texte intégral
2010
Yang, Handong
A 5.3 m sediment core and soil samples were taken from Diss Mere and its catchment. The sediment core was dated and Hg analysed on the sediment and soil samples. The Hg record of the sediment core shows that Diss Mere has been contaminated for the past thousand years and the historical trends in sediment contamination are in good agreement with the development of the weaving industry in Diss and hemp cultivation in the region. Mercury contamination in Diss Mere has been significant and reached a peak in the mid-19th century with sediment Hg concentrations over 50 μg g-1. Elevated Hg concentrations were also found in contemporary soils in residential areas with former industrial land use. Although local hemp cultivation and the traditional weaving industry were abandoned a hundred years ago, Hg contamination caused by these activities still exists in the catchment, and affects the lake.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Quantifying sediment-associated metal dispersal using Pb isotopes: Application of binary and multivariate mixing models at the catchment-scale Texte intégral
2010
Bird, Graham | Brewer, Paul A. | Macklin, Mark G. | Nikolova, Mariyana | Kot︠s︡ev, T︠S︡vetan | Mollov, Mihail | Swain, C. H. (Catherine H)
In this study Pb isotope signatures were used to identify the provenance of contaminant metals and establish patterns of downstream sediment dispersal within the River Maritsa catchment, which is impacted by the mining of polymetallic ores. A two-fold modelling approach was undertaken to quantify sediment-associated metal delivery to the Maritsa catchment; employing binary mixing models in tributary systems and a composite fingerprinting and mixing model approach in the wider Maritsa catchment. Composite fingerprints were determined using Pb isotopic and multi-element geochemical data to characterize sediments delivered from tributary catchments. Application of a mixing model allowed a quantification of the percentage contribution of tributary catchments to the sediment load of the River Maritsa. Sediment delivery from tributaries directly affected by mining activity contributes 42-63% to the sediment load of the River Maritsa, with best-fit regression relationships indicating that sediments originating from mining-affected tributaries are being dispersed over 200 km downstream.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Biomass fuel burning and its implications: Deforestation and greenhouse gases emissions in Pakistan Texte intégral
2010
Tahir, S.N.A. | Rafique, M. | Alaamer, A.S.
Pakistan is facing problem of deforestation. Pakistan lost 14.7% of its forest habitat between 1990 and 2005 interval. This paper assesses the present forest wood consumption rate by 6000 brick kilns established in the country and its implications in terms of deforestation and emission of greenhouse gases. Information regarding consumption of forest wood by the brick kilns was collected during a manual survey of 180 brick kiln units conducted in eighteen provincial divisions of country. Considering annual emission contributions of three primary GHGs i.e., CO2, CH4 and N2O, due to burning of forest wood in brick kiln units in Pakistan and using IPCC recommended GWP indices, the combined CO2-equivalent has been estimated to be 533019 t y-1.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Effects of ammonia from livestock farming on lichen photosynthesis Texte intégral
2010
Paoli, Luca | Pirintsos, Stergios Arg | Kotzabasis, Kiriakos | Pisani, Tommaso | Navakoudis, Eleni | Loppi, Stefano
This study investigated if atmospheric ammonia (NH3) pollution around a sheep farm influences the photosynthetic performance of the lichens Evernia prunastri and Pseudevernia furfuracea. Thalli of both species were transplanted for up to 30 days in a semi-arid region (Crete, Greece), at sites with concentrations of atmospheric ammonia of ca. 60 μg/m3 (at a sheep farm), ca. 15 μg/m3 (60 m from the sheep farm) and ca. 2 μg/m3 (a remote area 5 km away). Lichen photosynthesis was analysed by the chlorophyll a fluorescence emission to identify targets of ammonia pollution. The results indicated that the photosystem II of the two lichens exposed to NH3 is susceptible to this pollutant in the gas-phase. The parameter PIABS, a global index of photosynthetic performance that combines in a single expression the three functional steps of the photosynthetic activity (light absorption, excitation energy trapping, and conversion of excitation energy to electron transport) was much more sensitive to NH3 than the FV/FM ratio, one of the most commonly used stress indicators.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Effect of water treatment residuals on soil phosphorus, copper and aluminium availability and toxicity Texte intégral
2010
Lombi, E. | Stevens, D.P. | McLaughlin, M.J.
Effect of water treatment residuals on soil phosphorus, copper and aluminium availability and toxicity Texte intégral
2010
Lombi, E. | Stevens, D.P. | McLaughlin, M.J.
Water treatment residuals (WTRs) are produced by the treatment of potable water with coagulating agents. Beneficial recycling in agriculture is hampered by the fact that WTRs contain potentially toxic contaminants (e.g. copper and aluminium) and they bind phosphorus strongly. These issues were investigated using a plant bioassay (Lactuca sativa), chemical extractions and an isotopic dilution technique. Two WTRs were applied to an acidic and a neutral pH soil at six rates. Reductions in plant growth in amended soils were due to WTR-induced P deficiency, rather than Al or Cu toxicity. The release of potentially toxic Al from WTRs was found to be mitigated by their alkaline nature and pH buffering capacity. However, acidification of WTRs was shown to release more soluble Al than soil naturally high in Al. Copper availability was relatively low in all treatments. However, the lability of WTR-Cu increased when the WTR was applied to the soil.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Effect of water treatment residuals on soil phosphorus, copper and aluminium availability and toxicity Texte intégral
2010
Lombi, E. | Stevens, D. | McLaughlin, M.
Water treatment residuals (WTRs) are produced by the treatment of potable water with coagulating agents. Beneficial recycling in agriculture is hampered by the fact that WTRs contain potentially toxic contaminants (e.g. copper and aluminium) and they bind phosphorus strongly. These issues were investigated using a plant bioassay (Lactuca sativa), chemical extractions and an isotopic dilution technique. Two WTRs were applied to an acidic and a neutral pH soil at six rates. Reductions in plant growth in amended soils were due to WTR-induced P deficiency, rather than Al or Cu toxicity. The release of potentially toxic Al from WTRs was found to be mitigated by their alkaline nature and pH buffering capacity. However, acidification of WTRs was shown to release more soluble Al than soil naturally high in Al. Copper availability was relatively low in all treatments. However, the lability of WTR-Cu increased when the WTR was applied to the soil. | E. Lombi, D.P. Stevens and M.J. McLaughlin | http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405856/description#description
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Mercury profiles in sediments of the Pearl River Estuary and the surrounding coastal area of South China Texte intégral
2010
Shi, Jian-bo | Ip, Carman C.M. | Zhang, Gan | Jiang, Gui-bin | Li, Xiang-Dong
The spatial and temporal variations of mercury (Hg) in sediments of the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) and the surrounding coastal area (South China Sea) were studied. In surface sediments, the concentrations of Hg ranged from 1.5 to 201 ng/g, with an average of 54.4 ng/g, displaying a decreasing trend with the distance from the estuary to the open sea. This pattern indicates that the anthropogenic emissions from the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region are probably the main sources of Hg in this coastal region. Using the 210Pb dating technique, the historical changes in the concentrations and influxes of Hg in the last 100 years were also investigated. The variations in Hg influxes in sediment cores obviously correlate with the economic development and urbanization that has occurred the PRD region, especially in the last three decades.
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