Effects Of Different Environments Research Articles

Explicit Modelling of Spectral Bandshapes by a Mixed Quantum-Classical Approach: Solvent Order and Temperature Effects in the Optical Spectra of Distryrylbenzene.

The absorption and emission spectral shapes of a flexible organic probe, the distyrylbenzene (DSB) dye, are simulated accounting for the effect of different environments of increasing complexity, ranging from a homogeneous, low-molecular-weight solvent, to a long-chain alkane, and, eventually, a channel-forming organic matrix. Each embedding is treated explicitly, adopting a mixed quantum-classical approach, the Adiabatic Molecular Dynamics -- generalized vertical Hessian (Ad-MD|gVH) model, which allows a direct simulation of the environment-induced constraining effects on the vibronic spectral shapes. In such a theoretical framework, the stiff modes of the dye are described at a quantum level within the harmonic approximation, including Duschinsky mixing effects, while flexible degrees of freedom of the solute (e.g. torsions) and those of the solvent are treated classically by means of molecular dynamics sampling. Such a setup is shown to reproduce the distinct effects exerted by the different environments in varied thermodynamic conditions. Besides allowing for a first-principles rationale on the supramolecular mechanism leading to the experimental spectral features, this result represents the first successful application of the Ad-MD|gVH method to complex embeddings and supports its potential application to other heterogeneous environments, such as for instance pigment-protein complexes or organic dyes adsorbed into metal-organic frameworks.

Pressurized environments directly influence friction and wear of dry steel contacts—Investigations in a novel high fluid pressure tribometer

AbstractTo reduce the usage of classical lubricants in deep drawing, a new tribological system based on volatile lubricants was developed. Therefore, a volatile medium is injected under high pressure into the interstice between drawing tool and sheet metal. Depending on temperature and pressure, the temporary lubricant may exist in its gaseous or liquid phase. In this study, a novel high fluid pressure tribometer was designed to investigate the friction and wear of dry steel contacts under comparable conditions like in dry deep drawing. Therefore, a new ball-on-disc tribometer was designed and integrated into a high-pressure vessel. To specifically investigate the effects of different environments (technical air, liquid and gaseous carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon) at atmospheric and high pressure (0.1 MPa, 6 MPa) on tribology, the specimens and all components were operating unlubricated. During the experiments, the friction was measured continuously. Results show that the highest friction occurs in air and the lowest in carbon dioxide environment. Subsequent to the experiments, the wear of the specimens was assessed along with changes in surface chemistry related to tribochemical reactions. Therefore, the tribology of the dry sliding contacts is correlated to changes of the surface chemistry. Also differences as well as similarities regarding the different fluid environments are shown. As the results show, the differences between the media used are most pronounced at elevated pressure. Concluding, this work gives clear indications on the suitability of volatile lubricants in dry friction or rather gas lubrication, especially for dry deep drawing.

Temporary meniscus extrusion is caused by cumulative stress from uphill and downhill tasks in healthy volunteers.

Excessive mechanical stress accumulates and causes knee injury. Meniscal extrusion is a key factor in detecting the reaction to cumulative mechanical stress. The accumulation of stress strongly depends on environmental conditions such as flat ground or uphill/downhill, and accumulates in knee compartments; only a few studies have reported the effects of different environments on lateral and medial meniscus extrusion. This study aimed to investigate the effects of cumulative uphill/downhill stress on the meniscal extrusion in each compartment. A total of 30 healthy volunteers with 30 affected knees were involved in this cohort study (mean age, 22.0 ± 1.1 years; men, n = 14). The participants were divided into flat-walking, uphill/downhill-walking, and uphill/downhill-jogging groups and their numbers of steps taken were recorded during the effort. Moreover, medial and lateral meniscal extrusions during walking were evaluated using ultrasound three times, before and after efforts (T1) and (T2), and one day after efforts (T3), respectively. In the flat-walking group, no significant differences were observed between the follow-up periods. Conversely, in the uphill/downhill-walking and jogging groups, the medial meniscus extrusion at T2 was significantly higher than that at T1. Conversely, the medial meniscus extrusion at T3 was significantly lower than that at T2. By contrast, the lateral meniscus did not show any difference between the follow-up periods in any group. Temporary extrusion of the meniscus occurred after uphill/downhill tasks in healthy volunteers, and its reaction was observed only in the medial meniscus.

Biodiversity, mental health and well-being: psychological mechanisms and moderators of a complex relationship (BIOWELL)

Human activities and their consequences, such as environmental pollution, the exploitation of resources or deforestation, are major causes of biodiversity loss. However, humans depend on a biologically diverse and healthy environment in many ways, as it provides access to clean water, air and food. The loss of biodiversity is an ecological crisis that threatens human health, and ultimately their very existence. At the same time, there is an unwavering interest in the positive effects of "nature" on mental health. Although these examples point to a connection between biodiversity and health, little is known about the causal effects of different facets of biodiversity on mental health. Exploring these relationships and the underlying psychological mechanisms is a major goal of this project. We will build on the expertise of an interdisciplinary team involving scholars from psychology, biodiversity research, human geography, and behavioural economics and combine this expertise with a variety of methods, with a focus on quantitative research, experimental and intervention designs, and investigate participants from different age groups to understand the causal effects of different environments with varying degrees of biological diversity on mental health, and to identify the physical, social, and psychological boundary conditions of these causal effects.

Comparison of the Growth, Physio-Biochemical Characteristics, and Quality Indices in Soilless-Grown Strawberries under Greenhouse and Open-Field Conditions

Soilless cultivation represents a promising method for the future of the horticulture industry as it offers advantages such as improved quality control over the growth environment and mitigation of uncertainties related to soil, water, and nutrient availability. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of different environments, specifically greenhouse (GH) and open-field (OF), on the growth, phenotypic characteristics, physio-biochemical properties, qualitative parameters, and antioxidant capacity of strawberries cultivated using a soilless system. The aforementioned parameters were measured in both the GH and OF settings. Our findings revealed that the growth, yield, and morphological parameters were significantly higher in the GH environment compared to the OF. However, when considering fruit quality indices such as fruit texture firmness, fruit dry matter percentage, taste index (TSS/TA ratio), and post-harvest shelf-life, the OF cultivation method exhibited significantly superior results. Moreover, various aspects, related to plant physiology and biochemistry, antioxidant enzyme activity, total antioxidant capacity (DPPH), vitamin C content, and secondary metabolites, were found to be significantly higher in the OF environment compared to the GH. Overall, the results of our study suggest that OF soilless cultivation outperforms GH cultivation in terms of fruit quality, antioxidant capacity, and post-harvest shelf-life. Despite the observed decrease in fruit growth and yield, soilless strawberries grown in OF are likely to yield a final product of higher quality and nutritional value compared to those cultivated in a GH environment. These findings highlight the potential of OF soilless cultivation as a viable approach for strawberry production, emphasizing the importance of considering not only yield but also qualitative aspects and the nutritional value. Further exploration and optimization of soilless cultivation techniques in OF settings could contribute to the advancement of sustainable horticultural practices.

Does the Environmental Air Impact the Condition of the Vomeronasal Organ? A Mouse Model for Intensive Farming.

Chemical communication in mammals is ensured by exchanging chemical signals through the vomeronasal organ (VNO) and its ability to detect pheromones. The alteration of this organ has been proven to impact animal life, participating in the onset of aggressive behaviors in social groups. To date, few studies have highlighted the possible causes leading to these alterations, and the farming environment has not been investigated, even though irritant substances such as ammonia are known to induce serious damage in the respiratory tract. The goal of this study was to investigate the environmental impact on the VNO structure. Thirty mice were split into three groups, one housed in normal laboratory conditions and the other two in confined environments, with or without the release of litter ammonia. VNOs were analyzed using histology and immunohistochemistry to evaluate the effect of different environments on their condition. Both restricted conditions induced VNO alterations (p = 0.0311), soft-tissue alteration (p = 0.0480), and nonsensory epithelium inflammation (p = 0.0024). There was glycogen accumulation (p < 0.0001), the olfactory marker protein was underexpressed (p < 0.0001), and Gαi2 positivity remained unchanged while Gαo expression was upregulated in confined conditions. VNO conditions seemed to worsen with ammonia, even if not always significantly. These murine model results suggest that the housing environment can strongly impact VNO conditions, providing novel insights for improving indoor farming systems.

Enhancement of emulsification properties by modulation of egg white protein fibril structure with different heating times

Egg white protein (EWP) has poor emulsification ability due to the hydrophobic groups buried in the molecular structure. In contrast, the protein fibrils produced by acidic heat treatment are able to expose the hydrophobic groups and firmly adsorb to the surface of oil droplets. Therefore, the preparation of egg white protein fibrils (EWPF) can broaden the range of applications of EWP, such as low-fat emulsion-based foods. Since the heating time affects the growth condition of the fibrils and thereby the properties of their stabilized emulsions. The effect of treatment time on the structure properties and emulsification properties of EWP during fibrillation, also the effect of different environments on the stability of EWPF emulsion were investigated. The EWPF content increased with heating time. During the heating of EWP under acidic condition, proteins were hydrolyzed into peptides, subsequently peptides aggregated unidirectionally to form fibrils due to electrostatic repulsive forces at low pH. Compared with EWP, EWPF had larger particle size, higher ζ-potential, higher β-sheet content and greater surface hydrophobicity. In addition, the emulsifying activity and emulsification stability of the EWPF emulsion increased nearly two-fold compared with that of the EWP emulsion. Furthermore, it had smaller droplets, higher ζ-potential, and better thermal and ionic stability. This study could provide insights into the improvement of EWP emulsifying properties and fibril-modified EWP as stabilizing ingredients for emulsion-based foods. • EWP rich in acidic amino acids is an excellent material for fibrils preparation. • EWPF morphology gradually prolonged and aggregated with heating time. • The fine curled structure of EWPF can better encapsulate the oil droplets. • EWPF had the best emulsification properties when heated for 8 h. • Thermal stability and ionic stability of emulsion with EWPF were increased.

Potential of sediment bacterial communities from Manila Bay (Philippines) to degrade low-density polyethylene (LDPE).

The persistence of plastics and its effects in different environments where they accumulate, particularly in coastal areas, is of serious concern. These plastics exhibit signs of degradation, possibly mediated by microorganisms. In this study, we investigated the potential of sediment microbial communities from Manila Bay, Philippines, which has a severe plastics problem, to degrade low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Plastics in selected sites were quantified and sediment samples from sites with the lowest and highest plastic accumulation were collected. These sediments were then introduced and incubated with LDPE in vitro for a period of 91days. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy detected the appearance of carbonyl and vinyl products on the plastic surface, indicating structural surface modifications attributed to polymer degradation. Communities attached to the plastics were profiled using high-throughput sequencing of the V4-V5 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Members of the phylum Proteobacteria dominated the plastic surface throughout the experiment. Several bacterial taxa associated with hydrocarbon degradation were also enriched, with some taxa positively correlating with the biodegradation indices, suggesting potential active roles in the partial biodegradation of plastics. Other taxa were also present, which might be consuming by-products or providing nourishment for other groups, indicating synergy in utilizing the plastic as the main carbon source and creation of a microenvironment within the plastics biofilm. This study showed that sediment microbes from Manila Bay may have naturally occurring microbial groups potentially capable of partially degrading plastics, supporting previous studies that the biodegradation potential for plastics is ubiquitously present in marine microbial assemblages.

Impact of Environmental Factors on Short-term Eye Strain Relief during COVID-19 Quarantine: A Pilot Study

Some policies implemented during the pandemic extended the time that students spend on electronic devices, increasing the risk of physical and eye strain. However, the role of different environments on eye strain recovery has not been determined. We recruited 20 undergraduate students (10 males and 10 females) from a university in eastern China and explored the restoration effects of their eye strain in different types of spaces (wayside greenspace, a playground, a square, and woodland) on campus through scale measurements. The results showed that the eye strain of the students accumulated by 15 min of e-learning was significantly relieved after 10 min of greenspace exposure compared to the indoor environment, and the recovery effect varied depending on the type of landscape. The effect of eye strain relief was found to be positively correlated with temperature, wind speed, visible sky ratio, canopy density, tree density, and solar radiation intensity, while it was negatively correlated with relative humidity. These findings enrich the research on the restoration benefits of greenspaces and provide a basis for predicting the effect of different environments on the relief of eye strain.

Diffusion of Agricultural Technology Innovation: Research Progress of Innovation Diffusion in Chinese Agricultural Science and Technology Parks

With the rapid development of agricultural technology in China, a new model of agricultural technology diffusion, represented by agricultural science and technology parks, has been formed. We systematically sort out the progress of agricultural technology diffusion-related research based on a proposed research framework of technology diffusion in agricultural science and technology parks. The growth mechanism of agricultural technology poles, agricultural technology diffusion system, and its characteristics are analyzed. An index system of technology diffusion environment evaluation is summarized. From the perspective of the “basic” paradigm, we discuss the characteristics of the time process (diffusion stage, diffusion speed, diffusion breadth) and the spatial process (diffusion effect, spatial pattern) of technology diffusion in agricultural science and technology parks and their influence mechanisms. The fundamental law of “point-axis” diffusion of technology diffusion in the park is summarized. From the perspective of the “adoption” paradigm, we analyzed the influencing factors and mechanisms of farmers’ technology adoption. The effects of different environments and technologies with different attributes on farmers’ adoption behavior are explored. Based on the latest research results, we summarized new business agents’ technology adoption behaviors and mechanisms. Finally, we point out the issues that need to be further explored in studying the technology diffusion of agricultural innovations.

The Impact of Nature Imagery and Mystery on Attention Restoration

The factors contributing to urbanization, such as population growth and the development of mega-cities, have increased environmental stressors on top of everyday stressors, resulting in information overload. This has led to the increasing incidence of direct attentional fatigue, which causes stress and mental fatigue. The attention restoration theory centres on the environment’s capacity to restore attentional deficits and suggests that there are certain qualities in the environment that restore attention, which leads to improvements in our physical, mental, and social well-being. An environment can be restorative through the activation of involuntary attention, which limits the need for directed attention. This study explored for effects of natural, built, and mixed environment types and levels of mystery on attention restoration in university undergraduates. Perceived and actual levels of attention restoration were measured using a perceived restoration scale (PRS) and the digit symbol substitution task (DSST), respectively. A total of 101 participants viewed a restorative image followed by the completion of the DSST and the PRS for each of the 18 images depicting different environments. Actual attention restoration was measured by latency values in the DSST instead of through both speed and error rates due to some operational issues with the DSST which interfered with the full achievement of the study’s aims. There was an effect of different environments and mystery on perceived attention restoration. However, there appeared to be no effect on actual attention restoration, indicating a disconnect between perceived and actual restoration. Further research is required to confirm the specific effects of natural and built environments and mystery on attention restoration.

Fabrication, characterization and application of single-phase hollow BiFeO3 nanofibers as an efficient visible-light photocatalyst for degradation of Rhodamine B in wastewater

In this paper, we conducted a study on the structural modulation and photocatalytic performance of single-phase hollow BiFeO3 nanofibers (SPH–BFO NFs) photocatalysts, investigated the effect of heat treatment temperature on the structure of BFO NFs and the formation mechanism of a hollow structure. The SPH-BFO NFs consist of BiFeO3 nanocrystals without other heterogeneous phases, with diameters of 400–600 ​nm and extraordinary flexibility, allowing easy separation of the catalyst from the solution. As a result, the SPH-BFO NFs possess outstanding photocatalytic performance and higher photocatalytic efficiency compared with other forms of BiFeO3. In addition, the effects of different environments and water quality on RhB degradation were investigated. It was found that the vacancies (h+) and superoxide radicals (·O2−) as active substances were less environment-dependent, making the SPH-BFO NFs more resistant to environmental interference. The RhB degradation efficiency of BFO NFs was about 99% in 10 ​mg/L of RhB dye solution at pH ​= ​6. This work provides valuable insights into the application of SPH-BFO NFs in photocatalysis and the design of nanofiber photocatalysts.

Salt stress and ambience in the culture of yellow passion-fruit

Salt stress negatively affects the emergence and initial growth of crops. However, the use of protected environments emerges as an alternative to enhance these parameters. In this sense, the objective was to evaluate the effect of different environments and the salinity of the irrigation water on the emergence and development of yellow passion-fruit seedlings. The experiment was conducted at the University for International Integration of the Afro-Brazilian Lusophony, in the city of Redenção, Ceará. The experimental design was entirely randomized in a subdivided plot scheme, with four cultivation environments under different shading screens (black screen; white screen; red screen; all with 50% shading; and full sun), and two electrical conductivities of irrigation water: 0.3 dS m-1 and 3.0 dS m-1, with five repetitions of 25 seeds. The protected environment with 50% black roofing stood out from the others providing a better percentage of emergence, seedling height, stem diameter, number of leaves and radicle length in yellow passion-fruit. The deleterious effects of salts on the rate of emergence and shoot dry matter were reduced when the 50% black shade cloth was used. Irrigation with water of higher conductivity caused reductions and retardation in the emergence of passion-fruit. Besides negatively affecting seedling height, stem diameter and shoot dry matter.

Femtosecond laser drilling in superalloy with water-based magnetic assistance

Experiment of femtosecond laser drilling in superalloy with water-based magnetic assistance was carried out. The effects of different environments (in air, magnetic assistance, water assistance and water-based magnetic assistance) on the hole morphology, hole diameter, taper angle and sidewall roughness after femtosecond laser drilling were compared and analyzed. The effects of magnetic flux density on the hole diameter, taper angle and sidewall quality with water-based magnetic assistance were discussed. The mechanism of femtosecond laser drilling in superalloy with water-based magnetic assistance was revealed. The results show that transverse magnetic assistance and water assistance could both improve the hole quality and drilling efficiency, and the effect of water assistance was greater than that of magnetic assistance. The drilling efficiency was the highest with water-based magnetic assistance, which was mainly manifested in the increase of the hole diameter, and the increase of the hole cross-section size; on the other hand, the hole quality was the best, which were mainly manifested in the increase of the perpendicularity of the hole cross-section, the decrease of the taper angle, the reduction of irregular micro scale defects such as grooves on the hole sidewall, and the decrease of the roughness of the hole sidewall. Compared with that in air, the hole taper angle was reduced by 24.63 %, and the hole sidewall roughness was reduced by 38.38 % with the water-based magnetic assistance. With the water-based magnetic assistance, the higher the magnetic flux density, the higher the hole quality. This research provided theoretical basis and technical support for femtosecond laser drilling.

Phytochemical Components and Human Health Effects of Old versus Modern Italian Wheat Varieties: The Case of Durum Wheat Senatore Cappelli.

The Mediterranean diet has significant beneficial health effects and wheat is a major component of the Mediterranean diet, mainly in the form of bread and pasta. Modern wheat generally refers to varieties that were developed after the introduction of dwarfing genes in the 1950s, while old varieties are considered those developed before that time. Research findings on Italian wheat varieties showed that the total polyphenol content in both old and modern durum and soft wheat varieties are similar; but the old varieties have a higher number of polyphenols and of isomer forms. In particular, the durum wheat Senatore Cappelli genotype shows a very high variety of polyphenolic components. Recent studies have demonstrated healthy cardiovascular effects (favorable changes of atherosclerosis markers such as lipid parameters and hemorheological variables) as well as a marked reduction in gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms in non-celiac gluten sensitivity subjects with the consumption of pasta obtained by old durum wheat Senatore Cappelli variety, even though this type of wheat contains high amounts of gluten. In conclusion, old wheat Italian varieties, and in particular the Senatore Cappelli genotype, are characterized by multiple nutraceutical specificities that could suggest their use for health-promoting purposes. Additional research is needed to confirm these findings, focusing attention also on the effect of different environments and years.

Controllable group tailoring enables enhanced pH-responsive behaviors of polydopamine delivery system in smart self-healing anticorrosion coatings

Nanomaterials as delivery systems loaded with corrosion inhibitors is a promising strategy for achieving self-healing anticorrosion coatings. However, the uncontrollable passive release of inhibitors brings challenges for scalable anticorrosion applications in different environments with wide-range pH values. Here, we propose an effective strategy for regulating the pH-responsive behaviors of polydopamine (PDA) delivery system by controllable group tailoring to enhance the corrosion inhibition effects in different environments. The delivery system (BTA@PDA) consisting of PDA and benzotriazole (BTA) were prepared by a convenient one-pot method. Based on the pH-dependent changes in charge of amine groups and hydroxyl groups, BTA@PDA showed the enhanced corrosion inhibition effects in acid or alkaline environments. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy were performed to characterize the self-healing behavior of scratched coatings added with BTA@PDA. The scratched coatings exhibited an increased impedance modulus due to the dual corrosion inhibition effects of BTA and PDA, triggered by the corrosion-induced pH variation. Moreover, the impedance modulus of the coating maintained at 2.03 × 109 Ω cm2 after 21 days of immersion (only 1.06 × 108 Ω cm2 for an epoxy coating). This study has a great significance for the design of pH-responsive smart coatings for scalable applications in different environments.

Thinking about Healing Landscape Design from Environmental Psychology Perspective

With the rapid development of the economy and the improvement of people's living level, people's material conditions and activities are enriched at the same time, and the efficient living methods have also brought huge pressure to people. Life and work have led to the emergence of sub-health. What's more serious is that various diseases appeared. In severe cases, depression and other conditions may occur. Therefore, our physical therapy and psychological therapy are receiving more attention to the requirements of new effective medical tools. At the same time, world-wide problems are getting worse, medical care has become the major expenditure in many countries/regions, and it increase significantly as the average age increases. As a new type of garden, healing garden is gradually being adopted seriously. From a psychological point of view, people need a mental and physical healing environment. This article analyzes some of the effects of different environments on the mental and physical healing from the perspective of sensory (vision, hearing, smell, touch and other senses).

Physiological Response of the Freshwater Mussel Unio douglasiae in Microcystis aeruginosa Bloom Waters

In the present study, we evaluated the effects of different environments on the filtering rate (FR), mortality, and biodeposition (BD) of the freshwater mussel Unio douglasiae in bloom waters containing the toxic cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa. The mean FR of 19 selected individuals (shell length, 5.0–9.8 cm) was 0.30 ± 0.03 L g−1 h−1 (range = 0.24–0.35 L g−1 h−1). Shell length was strongly correlated with both net and gross BD of mussels (P < 0.0001). The mean FR was higher in river water (0.405 ± 0.052 L g−1 h−1) than in lake water (0.304 ± 0.051 L g−1 h−1). In contrast, the BD of mussels was higher in RW (0.671 ± 0.609 mg g−1 h−1) than in LW (0.275 ± 0.027 mg g−1 h−1). For algal species, the FR of mussels ranged from 0.114 ± 0.024 to 0.553 ± 0.019 L g−1 h−1. The FR of U. douglasiae was higher in river water (mainly diatoms), whereas BD was higher in lake water (mainly Microcystis). U. douglasiae did not prefer toxic M. aeruginosa, which was significantly accumulated in pseudofaeces and faeces. The maximum FR of U. douglasiae in algal bloom water was recorded at a water temperature of 25°C and water depth of 50 cm. Moreover, the in situ mortality of U. douglasiae was strongly affected by water temperature and nitrogen concentration. Overall, U. douglasiae can enhance water quality in eutrophic areas by removing dominant cyanobacteria, although its removal efficiency depends on environmental parameters and site of introduction.

The Dynamic Creativity Framework

Abstract. The dynamic creativity framework (DCF) represents a new theoretical perspective for studying the creativity construct. This framework is based on the dynamic definition of creativity, and it has both theoretical and empirical implications. From a theoretical point of view, we review the characteristics of the dynamic creative process and its extension into the dynamic universal creative process, encompassing creativity at different layers of complexity. We discuss the key concept of creative potential, considering individual, sociocultural, and material viewpoints, and we show how the DCF is instrumental in clarifying the relationship between creativity and intelligence, between creativity and anticipation, as well as in introducing the concept of ‘organic creativity’. From the empirical perspective, we focus on the dynamic creative process broken down into four phases: i) drive, ii) information, iii) idea generation, iv) idea evaluation. We review results obtained through investigations accounting for the dynamic interplay between emotional and cognitive components defining creative performance for each. Experiments were conducted to measure the role of emotions and attention in driving the dynamic process, considering the processing of apparently irrelevant information and the interaction between idea generation and idea evaluation, always taking into account individual differences as measured through personality traits, performance variables, or lifetime achievement. Neurophysiological evidence is considered in discussing dynamic effects in divergent thinking, such as the serial order effect, as well as the possibility to enhance creative potential through neurofeedback. Finally, we report on the effects of different environments on the creative process, highlighting the dynamics produced by context-embeddedness.

Evaluation and modeling of fungi towards wood degradation

ABSTRACT Fungi play a significant role in wood fiber degradation since they possess enzymatic tools for the degradation of recalcitrant plant polymers. The study aims to demonstrate the interactive fungal traits when they grow together and its development with total dead wood fiber degradation speed. A lab experiment was designed to describe decomposition rates and fungal properties using nonlinear fitting model and logistic equation from preliminary data sets. The degradation speed of five (A, B, C, D, and E) different types of fungi with different growth rates were calculated at various relative humidity’s (35, 50, 65, 80, and 95 g.kg−). Results showed that the mycelium length of fungus A, has faster ideal growth rate than that of fungus B, with ecological niche width A < B. Besides this the growth rate of fungus 1 was vg1 = 0.12 and the environmental-holding capacity k1 = 3000; vg2 = 0.15 and k2 = 2000 for fungus 2. Comparing the results of fiber decomposition with a single fungus, we were able to find that the overall efficiency of the two-fungal system decomposition model was higher in a defined environment. Besides this the successfully simulated the competitive relationship between different species of fungi and the effect of different environments on the decomposition rate of fungi, with a good fit and in accordance with the biological laws. Our model is well generalizable and can be extended to multiple environmental variables (light, temperature, and heat) with good accuracy.