Assimilative Capacity Research Articles

Contribution of Atmospheric Depositions to Inventory of Nutrients in the Coastal Waters of Crimea

Coastal zones are extremely vulnerable and, at the same time, anthropogenically pressed. Excessive enrichment of marine waters with nutrients and organic matter can lead to “red tides”, oxygen deficits, decreasing assimilation capacity, etc. The purpose of this work is to study atmospheric precipitations as a source of nutrients directly affecting waters of the coastal areas of Crimea and, ultimately, strengthening eutrophication consequences. In 2004–2008, and from 2015 to present, samples of atmospheric precipitations have been collected at the Marine Hydrometeorological Station in Sevastopol. They have been analyzed for the content of inorganic nitrogen, phosphorus, and silica. For 2009–2014, direct measurements are unavailable and a previously retrieved multiple nonlinear regression equation has been used to estimate the concentration of inorganic nitrogen in atmospheric precipitations depending on meteorological conditions, including the number of precipitations, number of days without precipitations, relative air humidity, wind direction vectors, and air temperature. Data obtained in this study have revealed that atmospheric precipitations are one of important inputs of nutrients for local areas. Their relative contribution increases on the time scale of days, while the role of rivers remains the most important on the annual scale. The contribution of atmospheric precipitations to the inventory of nutrients becomes more significant in the summer, when seasonal stratification in the water column prevents vertical mixing of waters, and the ambient concentration of nutrients in the upper layer of water is minimal.

Assessment of Genomic and Metabolic Characteristics of Cholesterol-Reducing and GABA Producer Limosilactobacillus fermentum AGA52 Isolated from Lactic Acid Fermented Shalgam Based on "In Silico" and "In Vitro" Approaches.

This study aimed to characterize the genomic and metabolic properties of a novel Lb. fermentum strain AGA52 which was isolated from a lactic acid fermented beverage called "shalgam." The genome size of AGA52 was 2,001,184bp, which is predicted to carry 2024 genes, including 50 tRNAs, 3 rRNAs, 3 ncRNAs, 15 CRISPR repeats, 14 CRISPR spacers, and 1 CRISPR array. The genome has a GC content of 51.82% including 95 predicted pseudogenes, 56 complete or partial transposases, and 2 intact prophages. The similarity of the clusters of orthologous groups (COG) was analyzed by comparison with the other Lb. fermentum strains. The detected resistome on the genome of AGA52 was found to be intrinsic originated. Besides, it has been determined that AGA52 has an obligate heterofermentative carbohydrate metabolism due to the absence of the 1-phosphofructokinase (pfK) enzyme. Furthermore, the strain is found to have a better antioxidant capacity and to be tolerant to gastrointestinal simulated conditions. It was also observed that the AGA52 has antimicrobial activity against Yersinia enterocolitica ATCC9610, Bacillus cereus ATCC33019, Salmonella enterica sv. Typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:h7 ATCC43897, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC7644, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC13883, and Proteus vulgaris ATCC8427. Additionally, AGA52 exhibited 42.74 ± 4.82% adherence to HT29 cells. Cholesterol assimilation (33.9 ± 0.005%) and GABA production capacities were also confirmed by "in silico" and "in vitro." Overall, the investigation of genomic and metabolic features of the AGA52 revealed that is a potential psychobiotic and probiotic dietary supplement candidate and can bring functional benefits to the host.

Tree Growth and Vegetation Diversity in Northern Idaho Forest Water Reclamation Facilities

Forest water reclamation can improve tree growth and renovate municipal wastewater. Although there are indications that long-term application may exceed forest assimilation capacity, there is limited information on the long-term effects of reclaimed water application on coniferous ecosystems. The purpose of our study was to assess the impacts of prolonged reclaimed water application on forest growth responses and vegetation diversity. We examined the effects of reclaimed water at five water reuse facilities established between 1978 and 2013 in a four-decade time series. We collected tree cores and stem measurements to determine current and retrospective increments. We assessed plant diversity with vegetation surveys. The greatest diameter response observed for reclaimed water amendment compared to controls was 166.1% for western redcedar, while Douglas-fir increased up to 116.4% and ponderosa pine increased up to 100.6%. The minimum response observed was 30.3%. Current annual increments showed that the basal area and volume were significantly greater at long-established facilities for reclaimed-water-amended plots. The understory vegetation diversity declined with application time, while overstory vegetation diversity increased with application time. We conclude that reclaimed water can be a valuable resource to improve forest productivity, but continued application without stocking control may have detrimental effects on forest growth and vegetation diversity.

УСОВЕРШЕНСТВОВАНИЕ СИСТЕМЫ ВОДОИСПАРИТЕЛЬНОГО ОХЛАЖДЕНИЯ КОРОВНИКОВ

The research was carried out in order to solve the problem of elevated air temperatures in livestock buildings during the hot season. The maximum intensity of moisture evaporation from the surface of the sample, blown by air flows of different speeds and directions, is achieved with the alternating action of the flow from opposite directions. As a means of creating a comfortable microclimate that can provide a change in the direction of air flows in barns, it is most advisable to consider the joint use of accelerating axial fans installed along the entire room and fine spraying of water, which gives a significant (up to 11°C) cooling effect. The developed devices for inducing air exchange and air conditioning for livestock farms have design features that allow you to change the direction of the air flow injected by the fans by 180 °, which provides a non-stationary ventilation mode that prevents the formation of stagnant zones in the air volume of the room, increases the assimilation capacity of the air and improves its quality indicators. The direction of the air flow is set using a reversible electromagnetic starter, or a system of cables and counterweights. At the same time, the cooling of the air flow using fine water spray is carried out taking into account the direction of its movement and is regulated by the control unit. Changing the direction of the air flow to the opposite also provides an increase in the surface area of the bodies of animals in contact with the flow, and, as a consequence, an increase in the cooling effect. The use of the proposed developments will make the microclimate in the summer more comfortable for animals, which will positively affect their productivity.

Characterization of Short-chain fatty acid-producing and cholesterol assimilation potential probiotic Lactic acid bacteria from Chinese fermented rice

Probiotic strains are phrased as beneficial for life because this bacterial association has substantial effects on human and animal health when administrated orally, among which bio-active metabolite short-chain fatty acids production and cholesterol assimilation are most significant. All the short-chain fatty acids, mainly acetate, propionate, and butyrate reveal valuable effects on human health. In this research, the ability of 9 the potential lactic acid bacteria food-isolated probiotics was investigated to produce bio-active metabolite short-chain fatty acids directly or indirectly, and cholesterol-lowering ability through various mechanisms. Their 16S rRNA gene sequences were analyzed. short-chain fatty acids were quantified by gas chromatography, while cholesterol assimilation was measured using the o-phthalaldehyde method with slight modifications. All isolated strains through this study have the ability to optimize cholesterol content in the culture broth, short-chain fatty acid production, and survival in extreme alkaline and acidic conditions. The highest resistance to bile salt concentrations, γ-hemolysis, and strong antibacterial activity against pathogenic indicators, especially Escherichia coliATCC25922. The highest Lipid accumulation inhibitory effect was noticed in Lentilactobacillus hilgardii LMG 07934 as a potential probiotic isolate on the basis of cholesterol assimilation capacity (i.e., 91.4%), along with the ability to produce abundant i.e., butyric acid, propionic acid, and acetic acid, followed by Lacticaseibacillus paracasei ATCC 334 which has 85.3% cholesterol assimilation ability. These findings demonstrated that these isolated strains from Chinese fermented rice can be used as a potential probiotic and alternate therapeutic supplement because of their ability to produce short-chain fatty acids and their cholesterol-lowering ability.

Responses of the photosynthetic characteristics of summer maize to shading stress

AbstractThe vast majority of the energy and substance required for maize growth and development and related metabolic processes come from the photosynthesis of leaves. Over the past 60 years, the amount of solar radiation reaching the earth's surface has decreased significantly, reducing the photosynthetic rate of crops and leading to a significant reduction in yields. However, (1) the effects of shading stress on stomatal characteristics, electron transport efficiency of summer maize leaves and (2) the adaptability of summer maize to low light are still unclear. In order to investigate this problems, maize hybrid Denghai605 (DH605) was used as the experimental materials, and two treatments of shading (shading degree is 60%) and CK (natural light as control) were set in the field. The results showed that shading stress resulted in chloroplast dysplasia, and the overall performance of the two photosystems was reduced by 27.85%. The number of stomata per unit area decreased by 15.6% and the proportion of stomatal opening decreased by 73.1% after shading, which resulted in a significant 27.7% reduction in intercellular CO2 concentration. Shading significantly reduced photosynthetic rate by affecting stomatal characteristics and electron transport, and the former was the main influencing factor. The decrease in carbon assimilation capacity resulted in insufficient assimilate supply and significantly reduced grain allocation ratio, resulting in a significant yield reduction of 57.5%. However, in the low‐light environment, the expression of chlorophyll‐binding protein in the leaf of summer maize was upregulated, the content of Lhcb1 protein of the light harvesting pigment protein complex II (LHCII) was increased, and the content of photosynthetic pigment, especially chlorophyll b, was increased, which increased the absorption and capture of blue light, improved the efficiency of light energy utilization, and was a stress manifestation of summer maize adapting to shading stress.

New coefficient for water quality modelling in meandering rivers: Fatigue Factor

The accuracy of water quality predictions is essential, especially in countries affected by climate change and ecological water diversity. Water quality modelling in rivers is a valuable tool for enabling decision-making in surface water management because water quality prediction using sampling methods is expensive and time-consuming. The collection of technical knowledge of river characteristics and information about the sources of pollution plays a vital role in this context. This research focused on the effects of river geometry and meandering on the one-dimensional pollutant transport process. Flow velocity magnitude and direction in meandering rivers are frequently variable, leading to uncertain dispersion coefficients and massive changes in pollution concentration even over short distances of these rivers. So, the geometry of meandering rivers has a significant effect on their ecological indicators. A new coefficient called Fatigue Factor was introduced and defined in this study to consider this effect. Colidale Beck (CB) and Tyne rivers were selected for water quality modelling and implementation of the Fatigue Factor. The simulation-optimization method was employed to calculate zinc concentrations along the CB river using measured data for performance assessment of the model. The genetic algorithm performed well in predicting measured zinc concentration with high accuracy. Results of the model demonstrated that the mean effect of the Fatigue Factor in reducing the peak concentration of zinc increases by 3.8% compared to ignoring the Fatigue Factor along the CB length. With the Fatigue Factor consideration, the Mean Percentage Error between model outputs and measured data is 4%, while without it is 18%. Also, the Fatigue Factor had a greater impact on river pollution transport than the dispersion coefficient. With a 50% increase in the Fatigue Factor, the zinc concentration decreased by 6.1% more than the same increase in the dispersion coefficient. Moreover, results indicated that a 100% increment in the Fatigue Factor increases the assimilation capacity up to 3.5 times in CB.

The differential modulation of secondary metabolism induced by a protein hydrolysate and a seaweed extract in tomato plants under salinity.

Climate change and abiotic stress challenges in crops are threatening world food production. Among others, salinity affects the agricultural sector by significantly impacting yield losses. Plant biostimulants have received increasing attention in the agricultural industry due to their ability to improve health and resilience in crops. The main driving force of these products lies in their ability to modulate plant metabolic processes involved in the stress response. This study's purpose was to investigate the effect of two biostimulant products, including a protein hydrolysate (Clever HX®) and a seaweed extract with high amino acids content (Ascovip®), and their combination, on the metabolomics profile of tomato crops grown under salt stress (150 mM NaCl). Several stress indicators (leaf relative water content, membrane stability index, and photosynthesis activity) and leaf mineral composition after salinity stress exposure were assessed to evaluate stress mitigation, together with growth parameters (shoot and root biomasses). After that, an untargeted metabolomics approach was used to investigate the mechanism of action of the biostimulants and their link with the increased resilience to stress. The application of the biostimulants used reduced the detrimental effect of salinity. In saline conditions, protein hydrolysate improved shoot dry weight while seaweed extracts improved root dry weight. Regarding stress indicators, the application of the protein hydrolysate was found to alleviate the membrane damage caused by salinity stress compared to untreated plants. Surprisingly, photosynthetic activity significantly improved after treatment with seaweed extracts, suggesting a close correlation between root development, root water assimilation capacity and photosynthetic activity. Considering the metabolic reprogramming after plant biostimulants application, protein hydrolysates and their combination with seaweed extracts reported a distinctive metabolic profile modulation, mainly in secondary metabolite, lipids and fatty acids, and phytohormones biosynthetic pathways. However, treatment with seaweed extract reported a similar metabolic reprogramming trend compared to salinity stress. Our findings indicate a different mechanism of action modulated by protein hydrolysate and seaweed extract, suggesting stronger activity as a stress mitigator of protein hydrolysate in tomato crops under salinity stress.

Comprehensive characterization of Candida isolates in a given geographical area for the determination of prevalence and drug sensitivity

An alarming increase in Candidiasis infections has been observed worldwide as well as in India. This increase is attributed to increase in immune-compromised individuals and an increase in plethora of species causing the disease. The emergence of drug resistance of isolates has further worsened the situation. Candida isolates causing infections were obtained from patients and evaluated for their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics by colony morphology and staining procedures. The patients’ demography was also analyzed to identify any correlation between the isolates. Doubling time was determined to analyze growth characteristics of these isolates. Isolates were also characterized biochemically for their ability to assimilate carbon and nitrogen sources and for fermentative capabilities. Additionally, drug sensitivity profiles of these isolates were analyzed towards Azoles. Demographic analysis of the isolates suggested that all age groups were affected by Candida via both albicans and non-albican species. The infections were not gender biased but majority of isolates were obtained from urine samples suggesting Candida as an important species causing urino-genital infections. Macroscopic and microscopic analysis showed cream- colored circular colonies with smooth surface and entire margins with cells in single and budding stage. Biochemical characterization showed sucrose to be the most metabolizable sugar with maximum fermentative capacity with glucose. Surprisingly, very low nitrogen assimilation capacity was observed with all the nitrogen sources tested (nitrate, urea and glycine). Drug sensitivity towards Azoles suggested almost 50% and 90% isolates were resistant to Fluconazole and Itraconazole respectively, the most common Azoles used against fungal infections in the current scenario. The results obtained from the study suggested differential characteristics of the isolates towards various parameters thereby indicating the relevance of isolate characterization, for appropriate control and prevention of the disease.

Interactive Allocation of Water Pollutant Initial Emission Rights in a Basin under Total Amount Control: A Leader-Follower Hierarchical Decision Model.

The initial emission rights allocation is the key measure to achieve the goal of total amount control and deepen the emission trading system. Although many studies have focused on the modeling of initial emission rights allocation, such as using game theory and multi-objective optimization methods, few studies have observed the hierarchical relationship of mutual interference and restriction between watershed management agency and local governments in each subarea during allocation. This relationship directly affects the rationality of the results of regional emission rights allocation. In this study, a leader-follower hierarchical decision model (LFHDM) for allocating initial emission rights in a basin is developed. Based on the bilevel programming approach, the model simulates the interactive decision-making process between the watershed management agency of the upper-level model (LFHDM-U) and the local government of the lower-level model (LFHDM-L) in the allocation under total amount control. A case study of China's Yellow River Basin is conducted to demonstrate the feasibility and practicality of the model. Findings reveal that, compared with the single-level model, the developed LFHDM has higher satisfaction with the allocation scheme. Under different scenarios, the overall satisfaction of the configuration schemes of COD and NH3-N in each province and autonomous region remains above 0.9. In addition, the allocation volumes of COD and NH3-N in each province of the Yellow River Basin in planning year increase with the enhancement of allowable assimilative capacity of water bodies, but the interval gap of satisfaction with allocation schemes gradually narrows. It shows that when the allowable assimilation capacity of a water body is low, the decision-making of the allocation scheme needs to be more cautious. Moreover, for the Yellow River Basin, apart from Qinghai and Sichuan, the task of reducing water pollutants in other provinces in the next few years is very arduous. The average reduction of total COD and NH3-N in the basin is about 48% and 46%, respectively.

Warming and microplastic pollution shape the carbon and nitrogen cycles of algae

Oceans absorb most excess heat from anthropogenic activities, leading to ocean warming. Moreover, microplastic pollution from anthropogenic activities is serious in marine environments and is accessible to various organisms. However, the combined effects of environmentally realistic ocean warming and microplastic pollution (OW+MP) on dominant marine species phytoplankton and related biochemical cycles are unclear. We investigated the combined effects on the dominant genera of diatoms (Chaetoceros gracilis, C. gracilis) over 100 generations. As a biological adjustment strategy, the growth rates of C. gracilis were nonsignificantly changed by OW+MP, body size decreased, and the chlorophyll a (Chl a) content and photosynthetic efficiency significantly decreased by 32.5% and 10.86%, respectively. The OW+MP condition inhibited carbon and nitrogen assimilation and sequestration capacity and allocated carbon into flexible forms of carbohydrates instead of proteins. Furthermore, the decrease in Si:C and Si:N ratios affected carbon transport to both the mesopelagic layer and deep ocean. Integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics showed that OW+MP disturbed ribosome and nitrogen metabolism. Given the rising concurrence of warming and MP pollution, the changes in metabolism suggest that the covariation in carbon, nitrogen and silicon biochemical cycles and the hidden influence on biodiversity and food web changes in the ocean should be reconsidered.

Interval two-stage stochastic programming model under uncertainty for planning emission rights trading in the Yellow River basin of China.

As a critical way to realize the optimal allocation of water environment capacity resources in the basin, emission rights trading faces multiple uncertainties, making it extremely hard and challenging to formulate appropriate decisions and plans. Therefore, this study uses interval two-stage stochastic programming (ITSP) method to model the emission rights trading process with multiple uncertainties. It can promote the secondary optimal allocation of the emission rights between the demander and the supplier after the initial allocation. Externalities caused by environmental problems are internalized through the form of emission rights trading, thereby reducing the transaction costs and promoting the coordination and integrity of water pollution control among governments in a basin. Finally, the Yellow River basin is taken as an example for case analysis. The results show that the net revenue of emission rights system in the transaction status is better than that in the non-transaction status, and the average gap of net income reaches [171.031, 193.056] billion yuan. Under different reduction policies, the average water pollutant emission reduction in transaction status is [451.15, 628.34] thousand tons, which is generally less than [516.57, 670.05] thousand tons in non-transaction status. As policies get stricter and assimilative capacity of water bodies dwindles, reduction shrinks, leading to higher risks and economic loss from being unable to meet the discharge demand. When reduction policies are relatively loose and assimilative capacity is high, emission rights trading volume peaks. At this time, the trading volume of COD reached [29.05, 40.76] thousand tons, and that of NH3-N reached [3.74, 4.31] thousand tons. All these findings will offer insights for decision-makers on how to strike a balance between economic benefits and emission rights trading plans in the Yellow River basin.

X-ray Diffraction study for chemical analysis of Rajat based bhasmas

X-ray diffraction analysis of the Rajat based selected bhasmas was one of the advanced parameter for detailed scientific scrutiny in this study. Ayurvedic literature is enriched with various techniques for establishing dimensions to quality control for achieving standard acceptable form of bhasma. X-ray diffraction is modern and sophisticated method which provides relevant chemical database of the herbo-metallic drugs. Quality of bhasma determines on the basis of chemical composition, processing and applications, so it can be used safely. X-ray diffraction pattern data detects size, physical state and surface properties. For Rajat based selected bhasmas, reduced particle size was observed in this study which will be useful to determine extent of therapeutic effectiveness of particular bhasma as per amount of quantity and quality in each dose. Rajat based selected bhasmas are herbo-mineral complex compounds which are recommended for treatment of several ailments from reputed pharmacies. Systematic pathways for the synthesis of ayurvedic bhasmas from heavy metals include Lead, Iron, Gold, Copper, Zinc, Silver, Mercury and Arsenic. The potential of ayurvedic literature and drugs need to be validated by assessing quality and purity on the basis of modern medicine protocol for treatment. During drug delivery, absorption as well as assimilation capacity enhances with particle size of drugs in the body. Hence selection of drug associated with physical parameter for best result as per prescribed doses in treatment. Bhasmikarana is the significant step in the preparation of bhasma. The idea underlying the process of “bhasmikarana” is to convert the substance into ash having the resultant properties in an active state. The bhasma not only radically remove the root cause of the disease, but also enhances the immune system inherent in the human body. Now market is having a wide range of bhasmas, as required to be processed according to unique, standard and advanced ayurvedic method.

Batendo à Porta da França: Políticas e Dados sobre a Recepção de Migrantes (2015-2019)

Abstract Is there an alignment between France’s migration policies and its pattern of receiving immigrants and refugees? Immigrants represent 13.1% of the French population, and debates about their impact and assimilation capacity date back to the 19th century. National and European legislation sets the rules governing entry permits and the conditions for obtaining permanent residence. This article analyzes France’s migration policy based on the legislation enacted between 2015 and 2019 and data on the granting of residence, asylum, and resettlement in the same period. The results reveal: (i) a trend towards open border and better reception conditions due to legislation; (ii) an increase in the number of successful applications for residence and resettlement, accompanied by a decrease in successful asylum appeals, conditioning refugees to stay outside French territory to be accepted.

E-Waste Management in Malaysia: Residents’ Willingness to Pay for Household E-Waste Recycling in Kuching, Sarawak

‘E-waste’ refers to electronic and electrical appliances that are no longer beneficial to consumers. An increasing amount of e-waste generated due to an increasing demand for electrical and electronic equipment in line with the rapid growth of the global population has become a growing global concern. Furthermore, limitation of the assimilative capacity of the environment and depleting natural resources have also urged the need to prioritize sustainable household e-waste management. This paper aims to examine the resident’s willingness to pay for household e-waste recycling in Kuching, Sarawak. A questionnaire survey was administered among 397 residents living in Kuching. The findings of the study show that majority of the residents in Kuching are not willing to pay for household e-waste recycling of electrical appliances such as fridges (50.6%) and fans (59.4%). However, it also depends on the distinctive types of household electrical appliances they possess. In this study, 10 types of household electrical appliances were selected and the average cost of WTP is expressed based on a percentage of its purchased values of the respective electrical household items listed. It was found that residents from Kuching are only willing to pay an average of 2.3% till 2.6% of recycling fees based on 10 types of the purchased values of their electrical home appliances in this study. This could be explained by the findings that show a low awareness level of sustainable e-waste management practices among the residents in Kuching. Therefore, the study recommends that more environmental education programs are to be carried out in the formal education system to sensitize the residents and children to the risks associated with the importance of household e-waste recycling to promote sustainable household e-waste management, particularly among the growing population in Kuching, Sarawak. Chiam (2013) reported that the residents of Kuching lack knowledge of how to manage their household e-waste and are unaware of the available recycling facilities in the region. However, over time, the e-waste management situation in Kuching has improved, with more recycling facilities being made available to the public for proper disposal of e-waste (Louis, 2020). The Kuching Integrated Waste Management Park, which caters to municipal solid waste and scheduled waste (including e-waste), is claimed to be one of the first integrated waste management parks in Southeast Asia (Trienkens, n. d.).

DEVELOPMENT OF NEW RICE STRAIN WITH IMPROVED SINK SIZE AND SOURCE CAPACITY USING A MULTI-PARENT ADVANCED GENERATION INTERCROSS (MAGIC) APPROACH

A new rice strain that grows six feet tall with four times higher potential yield than the conventionally bred variety, JP5, was developed using the MAGIC approach. This new rice type underwent analysis on sink size and source capacity traits, including superior and inferior spikelets, vascular bundles of panicle neck and stem internode, tillering pattern, grain filling pattern, yield, and other morphological attributes. Results indicated that the new strain had more vascular bundles of the stem (42) and panicle neck (35), primary rachis branches of panicle (16.1), superior spikelets, and greater grain weight than the conventionally bred variety, JP5. The panicle measured 45 cm long, with fertile grains of 500 per panicle and a stem diameter of 1.2 cm. During the grain filling duration, the spikelets of this strain and superior spikelets of JP5 gained maximum weight earlier than the inferior spikelets of JP5. Six feet tall plants of this new strain with long and heavy panicles had greater stem wall thickness. There occurred a positive and significant correlation (0.97) between yield and small vascular bundles of the panicle neck, lumen diameter (0.98), leaf length (0.99), leaf width (0.99), flag leaf length (0.99*), flag leaf width (0.97<), panicle length (0.97), fertile grains per panicle (0.98), and plant height (0.97*). The study noted that improving sink size, source capacity, and transportation of assimilation contributed positively toward yield. This novel strategy for grain yield enhancement in rice proved beneficial for other cereals to get significant breakthroughs in their production for ensuring food security.

Application of malrstone-based conditioner and plantation of Jerusalem artichoke improved properties of saline-alkaline soil in Inner Mongolia

Soil salinization is a critical environmental issue restricting agricultural production. Inner Mongolia is one of the areas with severe land salinization in China. This study aimed to investigate the effects of conditioning agent (containing marlstone and a range of enzymes) and cultivating Jerusalem artichoke on saline soils in Inner Mongolia. The effects of conditioner (0, 0.06 and 0.18 kg/m2) on soil physical, chemical and biological properties, including soil carbon fractions and microbiota in saline soils planted with Jerusalem artichoke, were characterized. The results showed that soil salinity was reduced significantly after cultivating Jerusalem artichoke and declined also after the conditioner addition. The application of conditioner increased the content of DOC (dissolved organic carbon), HFOC (heavy fraction organic carbon) and the content of aggregates >0.25 mm compared to the soil planted with Jerusalem artichoke alone. The relative abundance of halophilic bacteria such as Thioalkalivibrio and Thiohalobacter was greater in the CK (non-treated control). By contrast, the relative abundance of microorganisms with the carbon assimilation and nitrogen fixation capacities, such as Cyanobacteria and Rhodovulum, was greater in the conditioner-treated and Jerusalem artichoke-planted treatments. The planting of Jerusalem artichoke reduced soil salinity, increased soil organic carbon fractions, improved soil structure, and altered the soil microbial community, with the application of the conditioning agent enhancing these positive changes. The co-occurrence network structure of “Jerusalem artichoke-conditioner-saline soil-soil microorganism” was established, which provided scientific basis for Jerusalem artichoke-conditioner to improve saline soil.

A bitter future for coffee production? Physiological traits associated with yield revealhigh vulnerability to hydraulic failure in Coffea canephora.

The increase in frequency and intensity of drought events have hampered coffee production in the already threatened Amazon region, yet little is known about key aspects underlying the variability in yield potential across genotypes, nor to what extent higher productivity is linked to reduced drought tolerance. Here we explored how variations in morphoanatomical and physiological leaf traits can explain differences in yield and vulnerability to embolism in 11 Coffea canephora genotypes cultivated in the Western Amazon. The remarkable variation in coffee yield across genotypes was tightly related to differences in their carbon assimilation and water transport capacities, revealing a diffusive limitation to photosynthesis linked by hydraulic constraints. Although a clear trade-off between water transport efficiency and safety was not detected, all the studied genotypes operated in a narrow and/or negative hydraulic safety margin, suggesting a high vulnerability to leaf hydraulic failure (HF), especially on the most productive genotypes. Modelling exercises revealed that variations in HF across genotypes were mainly associated with differences in leaf water vapour leakage when stomata are closed, reflecting contrasting growth strategies. Overall, our results provide a new perspective on the challenges of sustaining coffee production in the Amazon region under a drier and warmer climate.

Structural diversity in salt excreting glands and salinity tolerance in Oryza coarctata, Sporobolus anglicus and Urochondra setulosa

Unlike the bicellular glands characteristic of all known excreting grasses, unique single-celled salt glands were discovered in the only salt tolerant species of the genus Oryza, Oryza coarctata. Salt tolerance has evolved frequently in a large number of grass lineages with distinct difference in mechanisms. Mechanisms of salt tolerance were studied in three species of grasses characterized by salt excretion: C3 wild rice species Oryza coarctata, and C4 species Sporobolus anglicus and Urochondra setulosa. The leaf anatomy and ultrastructure of salt glands, pattern of salt excretion, gas exchange, accumulation of key photosynthetic enzymes, leaf water content and osmolality, and levels of some osmolytes, were compared when grown without salt, with 200mM NaCl versus 200mM KCl. Under salt treatments, there was little effect on the capacity for CO2 assimilation, while stomatal conductance decreased with a reduction in water loss by transpiration and an increase in water use efficiency. All three species accumulate compatible solutes but with drastic differences in osmolyte composition. Having high capacity for salt excretion, they have distinct structural differences in the salt excreting machinery. S. anglicus and U. setulosa have bicellular glands while O. coarctata has unique single-celled salt glands with a partitioning membrane system that are responsible for salt excretion rather than multiple hairs as previously suggested. The features of physiological responses and salt excretion indicate similar mechanisms are involved in providing tolerance and excretion of Na+ and K+.

Relationships between Organic Matter Content in Seawater and Sediment in the East Coast of Bengkalis Island, Riau

Organic matter is one of indicators of environmental fertility in both land and aquatic ecosystem. In the coastal area, the content of organic matter in a certain amount can be useful for aquatic biota, but it can also cause a disturbance if the amount exceeds the assimilation capacity of the waters. This study aims to determine the organic matter content in the water column and sediment at high and low tide conditions in the waters of the East coast of Bengkalis Island as well as to determine their relationships. The study was carried out by survey method where samples and data were collected directly in the field and then were taken to the laboratory for further analysis. The results showed that the mean organic matter content in the seawater was lower at high tide (17.38 mg/L – 25.28 mg/L) than at low tide (29.63 mg/L – 35.55 mg/L), whilst in sediments the organic matter content at high tide conditions was also lower (2.28% - 5.37%) compared to low tide (3.46% - 8.62%). The sediment of the east coast of Bengkalis Island was dominated by mud type (53.62 - 93.94 %). The organic matter content in seawater and sediment showed a strong correlation with r value of 0.730 both during high tide (Y= -1.423 + 0.271X) and also during low tide (Y= -14.912 + 0.615X with r value of 0.844), respectively. Further study is still needed to provide a comprehensive understanding on the sustainable environmental condition of the east coast of Bengkalis Island as it is one of the important fishing ground.