Large Biomass Research Articles

Productivity and cost of harvesting roadside brushwood and small trees in Sweden: a simulation study

ABSTRACT There is a large biomass potential in harvesting brushwood and young trees on roadsides in Sweden (about 3 PJ yr−1). In this study, a simulation model for analyzing time consumption and profitability of strip-harvesting brushwood and young trees under different conditions was developed and validated. A simple stand generator was used to generate twenty-nine stand types with an average diameter at breast height (DBH) ranging from 4–10 cm and stand density from 2,500 to 20,000 stems ha−1. Thereafter, harvest of these stands was simulated and analyzed. The results showed a positive correlation between harvester performance, DBH, and stand density. At approx. 10,000 stems ha−1, however, the performance flattened out. There was a clear relationship between costs and the number of stems felled. In contrast, the cost per tonne of dry matter was governed by a combination of tree size and number of trees felled (lowest cost when felling many thicker stems and vice versa). It was concluded that this simulation model, using data that was quite easy to obtain, can address one of the main challenges for brushwood harvesting, i.e. identifying areas where operations will be profitable.

Investigation of the Desalination Capacity of Activated Carbon Materials from Water Hyacinth (<i>Eichhornia crassipes</i>) Stems

To reduce the hazards brought by water hyacinth, many applications of water hyacinth have been studied and continuously expanded. The large biomass of water hyacinth is applied in many fields such as for wastewater treatment, wastewater purification, biological raw material sources, animal feed production, medicine, antioxidants, agriculture, and household appliances. This research investigates the desalination capacity of freshwater hyacinths, raw materials from water hyacinths, biochar, and activated carbon materials from water hyacinth stems. Results have shown that the suitable temperature for charring fresh water hyacinth is 420 °C. The activated carbon from the water hyacinth stems with a BET surface area of 200.4 ± 1.9 m²/g can be desalinated under the conditions of 0.4 g of activated carbon mass, 15 min of reaction time, 2.0 ppt of salt concentration, and at neutral pH. In contrast, raw materials from water hyacinths and biochar were unable to desalinate. This study evaluates the desalination ability of the activated carbon material of water hyacinth.

Insight into the role of chitosan in rapid recovery and re-stabilization of disintegrated aerobic granular sludge

The disintegration and instability of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) systems during long-term operation pose significant challenges to its practical implementation, and rapid recovery strategies for disintegrated AGS are gaining more attention. In this study, the recovery and re-stabilization of disintegrated AGS was investigated by adding chitosan to a sequencing batch reactor and simultaneously adjusting the pH to slightly acidic condition. Within 7 days, chitosan addition under slight acidity led to the re-aggregation of disintegrated granules, increasing the average particle size from 166.4 μm to 485.9 μm. Notably, sludge volume indexes at 5 min (SVI5) and 30 min (SVI30) decreased remarkably from 404.6 mL/g and 215.1 mL/g (SVI30/SVI5 = 0.53) to 49.1 mL/g and 47.6 mL/g (SVI30/SVI5 = 0.97), respectively. Subsequent operation for 43 days successfully re-stabilized previous collapsed AGS system, resulting in an average particle size of 750.2 μm. These mature and re-stabilized granules exhibited characteristics of large particle size, excellent settleability, compact structure, and high biomass retention. Furthermore, chitosan facilitated the recovery of COD and nitrogen removal performances within 17–23 days of operation. It effectively facilitated the rapid aggregation of disintegrated granules by charge neutralization and bridging effects under a slightly acidic environment. Moreover, the precipitated chitosan acted as carriers, promoting the adhesion of microorganisms once pH control was discontinued. The results of batch tests and microbial community analysis confirmed that chitosan addition increased sludge retention time, enriching slow-growing microorganisms and enhancing the stability and pollutant removal efficiency of the AGS system.

The Application of an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor in the Treatment of Brewery and Dairy Wastewater: A Critical Review

Brewery (BW) and dairy (DW) wastewater are two types of agro-industrial wastewater that are generated in large amounts and, therefore, should be treated effectively and in an environmentally beneficial manner. Both these wastewater types are characterized by a high COD, BOD5, and nutrient content, and conventional wastewater treatment methods such as an activated sludge process may prove to be inefficient due to the possibility of foaming, large biomass production, low activity at low temperatures, and risk of overloading the reactor with a load of organic pollutants. In the context of the described difficulties, anaerobic processes seem to be the best alternative. An interesting research area is the co-digestion of these wastewaters. However, this research direction, so far, has not been frequently reported. Given the gap in the current knowledge, this literature review aims to assess the possibility of BW and DW digestion in anaerobic reactors and provide up-to-date data on the post-treatment methods of effluent generated after the anaerobic digestion process. Despite numerous advantages, anaerobic treatment often requires post-effluent treatment to complete the treatment cycle.

Creation of the Route of Bamboo, a Contribution to Net Zero by 2050 in Vietnam

The Phu An bamboo village, created in 1999, maintains over 200 taxa of living bamboo, collected in Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia, and was awarded the UNDP Equatorial Prize in 2010. This ex situ conservation not only provides data for basic research and preserves biodiversity resources, but also contributes to actions on CO2 to reduce the greenhouse effect in climate change and create sustainable livelihoods for the community. From the Phu An Bamboo village, the "Bamboo Route" has been built since 2016 from the north to the south of Viet Nam, with the aim of multiplying bamboo in situ conservation sites, associated with research programs and public awareness actions on the importance and environmental benefits of bamboos. Along the bamboo route, an ex situ conservation site has been developed at Dong Thap with plants of 67 different vernacular species, another at Phan Rang, in the arid region, with 62 species, and a third at Dak Nong, where the climate is more favourable, with 12 different vernacular species from the in situ conservation site at Chieng Ban, Son La, where 19 vernacular species have been recorded. Thanks to its fast-growing characteristics and large biomass production, bamboo plays an important role in carbon sequestration. Research to mesure CO2 absorption was done in three different habitats on three different bamboo species. The CO2 absorption capacity of Bambusa blumeana Schultes in Gao Giong, Dong Thap province, indicates an important role of this thorny bamboo under climate change conditions. On the " Route of Bamboo", we studied also the surface area of bare soil from north to south, except in the Mekong Delta, we can plant more than 200,000 ha of thorny bamboo to complete the existing surface area of 1.5 million ha which could contribute 30% of Viet Nam’s CO2 absorption. This enables us to estimate how planting 50% of these areas could contribute to Viet Nam’s Net 0 2050 target.

Nutrient uptake efficiency and stoichiometry for different plant functional groups on spoil heap after hard coal mining in Upper Silesia, Poland

Various plant functional groups (PFGs) used in the reclamation of post-mining heaps may differ in their nutrient uptake efficiency and thus in their effect on the ecosystem development. The effect of PFGs may be additionally modified by the applied reclamation measures such as e.g. topsoiling. In this study we compared the nutrient uptake efficiencies and plant stoichiometry for two PFGs (grasses and forbs) growing on the sites reclaimed by applying topsoil (TS) and unreclaimed sites on carboniferous bare rock (BR) in hard coal spoil heap in Upper Silesia (southern Poland). Basic soil parameters, including pH, texture, soil organic carbon, and nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg), were measured, and the aboveground plant biomass and nutrient content in plant tissue were determined. Forbs were characterized by a larger biomass and higher nutrient concentrations (except for P) than grasses. The TS treatment supported higher concentrations of N and P in plant tissues but not to the level ensuring more significant primary biomass production. The nutrient concentration and elemental stoichiometry in plant tissue indicated that N was the primary limiting element. However, the major growth limitation for N-fixing forbs was from P. Forbs were much more efficient in nutrient uptake than grasses, independent of the reclamation treatment. Therefore, they stimulate nutrient cycling in the restored ecosystems more than grasses.

History of the pacific capelin Mallotus catervarius (osmeriformes) fishery near the sakhalin coast and reasons of its catch records in present period

Far East capelin is characterized by long-term cycles of its biomass dynamics. During XX and early XXІ century fishery of Far East capelin near Sakhalin Island was more intensive in the years of high abundance. In 1930s annual catches of this fish was not more than 0,8– 0,9 thousand tons. In 1970s catches varied from 0,93 to 2,50 thousand tons. In 2016–2022 capelin catches attained to record level, 3,5–13,7 thousand tons. Grate catches connected by complex reasons such as large spawning biomass, intensive fishery and its season near Sakhalin coast and some others. It is already clear that the northwestern coast of Sakhalin is the most ideal for reproduction, growth, and survival of capelin in the waters around Sakhalin Island. Reproduction productivity of this fish species in the Sakhalin area of Okhotsk Sea is much lower as an annual catches.

Nitrogen and phosphorus availability alters tree‐grass competition intensity in savannas

Abstract Plant essential macronutrients like nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) can limit savanna tree growth and are important determinants of savanna vegetation dynamics, along with rainfall, fire and herbivory. How nitrogen and phosphorus shape tree‐grass competition and their coexistence remain unclear, hindering our ability to predict how savannas may respond to altered nutrient cycling. Here, we evaluate (1) if trees and grasses respond differently to N versus P availability, or (2) if grasses are more competitive in low nutrient environments while trees are more competitive in high nutrient environments. To do this, we grew saplings of 6 tree and 1 grass species from the Kruger National Park, South Africa, for 16 weeks under fully factorial nutrient and competition treatments (with/without competitors, low/high rate of N supply and low/high rate of P supply) under a watering regime designed to mimic wet season rainfall in a mesic savanna. Trees and grasses foraged most aggressively for nitrogen and allocated biomass differently depending on nitrogen availability. Overall, tree growth decreased in competition with grass, even in high nutrient environments where they grew faster. Grasses were always better below‐ground competitors, utilising aggressive nutrient foraging strategies, including high root phosphatase activity in response to nitrogen and large root biomass allocation. Synthesis. In low nutrient environments (e.g. on nutrient‐poor sandy soils), nutrients may limit tree growth. Nutrient rich environments enable tree growth, but grasses continue to compete effectively with trees. Understanding what this means for ecosystem responses to nutrient availability is not trivial, especially in the context of fire and herbivory. However, it is clear that soil nutrients likely affect tree and grass growth and competition in savannas, which suggests that future changes in nutrient cycling, such as N deposition, may have important effects on savanna vegetation.

A temperature-based model of biomass accumulation in humid forests of the world

Forests benefit humans in numerous ways. Many of these benefits are greater from forests with large trees and high biomass (i.e., above-ground biomass) than from young forests with small trees. Understanding how the biomass accumulation rate depends on climate is therefore important. According to a classic theory, the biomass accumulation rate first increases until canopy closure, as leaf area and gross primary productivity increase, and decreases thereafter because leaf area cannot increase further and maintaining larger biomass is energetically costlier as living tissue increases even though its proportion of all biomass decreases. We based our modeling on this classic theory and defined relative productivity, pr indicating productivity, and relative maintenance cost, cr, signaling the expense of sustaining a unit of biomass in humid climates of the world. The biomass accumulation rate of low biomass forests is determined by pr − cr and maximal biomass by pr/cr. We then compiled a global data set from the literature, with 3,177 records to fit a parameter for the efficiency of converting surplus carbon into accumulated biomass and another parameter determining biomass at canopy closure. Based on the parameterized models, a constant temperature of 22.3°C leads to the most rapid biomass accumulation in low biomass forests, whereas 16.4°C results in greatest maximal biomass. Our parameterized model can be applied to both climate change adaptation and mitigation by optimizing land use.

Synergistic effect of pyrene and heavy metals (Zn, Pb, and Cd) on phytoremediation potential of Medicago sativa L.(alfalfa) in multi-contaminated soil.

The environment in India is contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) due to the occurrence of large anthropogenic activities, i.e., fuel combustion, mineral roasting, and biomass burning. Hence, 13 toxic PAHs were detected: phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, and benz(a) anthracene, ben-zo; (b) fluoranthene, benzo(k) fluoranthene, benzo(a) pyrene, benzo(ghi)perylene, dibenz (ah) anthracene, indeno1,2,3-(cd) pyrene, coronene and coronene in the environment (i.e., ambient particulate matter, road dust, sludge, and sewage) of the most industrialized area. Pollutants such as heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons co-contaminate the soil and pose a significant hazard to the ecosystem because these pollutants are harmful to both humans and the environment. Phytoremediation is an economical plant-based natural approach for soil clean-up that has no negative impact on ecosystems. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of pyrene (500 mg kg-1), Zn (150 mg kg-1), Pb (150 mg kg-1), and Cd (150 mg kg-1) alone and in combination on the phytoextraction efficiency of Medicago sativa growing in contaminated soil. Plant biomass, biochemical activities, translocation factors, accumulation of heavy metals, and pyrene removal were determined. After 60 days of planting, compared with those of the control plants, the growth parameters, biomass, and chlorophyll content of the M. sativa plants were significantly lower, and the reactive oxygen species activity, such as proline and polyphenol content and metallothionein protein content, was markedly greater in the pyrene and heavy metal-polluted soils. Furthermore, the combined toxicity of pyrene and all three metals on M. sativa growth and biochemical parameters was significantly greater than that of pyrene, Zn, Pb, or Cd alone, indicating the synergistic effect of pyrene and heavy metals on cytotoxicity. Pyrene stress increased Cd accumulation in M. sativa. After pyrene exposure alone or in combination with Zn-pyrene, a greater pyrene removal rate (85.5-81.44%) was observed than that in Pb-pyrene, Cd-pyrene, and Zn-Pb-Cd-pyrene polluted soils (62.78-71.27%), indicating that zinc can enhance the removal of pyrene from contaminated soil. The resulting hypotheses demonstrated that Medicago sativa can be used as a promising phytoremediation agent for co-contaminated soil.

Simulations of flaming combustion and flaming-to-smoldering transition in wildland fire spread at flame scale

Our objective in the present study is to provide basic insights into the coupling between external-gas and solid biomass vegetation processes that control the dynamics of flame spread in wildland fire problems. We focus on a modeling approach that resolves processes occurring at vegetation and flame scales, i.e., the formation of flammable vapors due to the thermal degradation of the solid biomass, the subsequent combustion in ambient air, the thermal feedback to the biomass through radiative and convective heat transfer, and the possible transition from flaming combustion (taking place outside of the solid biomass) to smoldering combustion (taking place inside the solid biomass). The capability uses a multiphase combustion framework and treats external-gas processes through a Large Eddy Simulation solver and solid biomass processes through a discrete particle model. The discrete particle model adopts a one-dimensional porous medium formulation, includes descriptions of drying, thermal pyrolysis, oxidative pyrolysis, and char oxidation, as well as a description of the external-gas-to-solid-biomass diffusion of oxygen mass; the discrete particle model thereby provides a treatment of in-depth oxidative processes and allows the simulation of smoldering combustion. The modeling capability is applied to the simulation of fire spread across a surrogate biomass vegetation bed corresponding to a discrete array of cylindrical-shaped, vertically-oriented, pine wood sticks, characterized by a monomodal size distribution, in horizontal flat terrain and under wind-aided conditions. The numerical results demonstrate that the model can simulate successful flaming-to-smoldering transition followed by complete biomass consumption.Novelty and Significance statement:• A new computational model is proposed to simulate wildland fire behavior at high levels of resolution capable of capturing vegetation- and flame-scale phenomena.• Solid biomass vegetation processes are treated using a discrete particle model that features a porous medium formulation and includes a description of in-depth oxygen mass diffusion, and exothermic oxidative pyrolysis and char oxidation reactions.• The computational model is shown to be capable of simulating the transition from flaming to smoldering combustion, often observed in wildland fire spread problems.

Modelling effects and control of soil contaminants on the dynamics of plant–herbivore species system

In this paper, we have proposed and analysed a mathematical model to study the effects of impulsive input of contaminants in soil on the dynamics of interacting species system consisting of contaminants, soil-nutrients, plant biomass and herbivore population in order to investigate the criteria for the survival or extinction of plant biomass and herbivore population. The uptake function for herbivore population considered in the model of the paper shows saturation effect and this type of uptake function behave linearly with respect to plant biomass for low density. Also, the saturation for large plant biomass is a reflection of the limited herbivore capability or perseverance when the plant biomass is abundant. Therefore, the uptake function considered in this paper is more natural to lotka volterra and holling type functional responses. We have shown that the plant–herbivore extinction periodic solution exists and also the plant–herbivore extinction periodic solution is locally and globally stable if the impulsive depletion rate of nutrients due to contaminants is more than some critical value. Further, it is concluded that if the impulsive input period for contaminants is increased and impulsive depletion rate of nutrients due to contaminants is decreased then both the plant and herbivore population will survive otherwise they will tend to extinction.

Fungal symbiont diversity drives growth of Holcus lanatus depending on soil nutrient availability

Abstract Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi frequently colonise plant roots and can affect plant morphology and physiology through their contribution to plant nutrition. However, the functional role of AM fungi in the presence of other microbial symbionts, including widespread Mucoromycotina ‘fine root endophytes’ (MFRE) fungi, remains largely unknown. While both AM fungi and MFRE transfer nutrients, including nitrogen, from inorganic and organic sources to host plants, their combined effects on co‐colonised plants have only been investigated in liverworts. Here, we compare the morphology and physiology of the grass Holcus lanatus grown with an AM fungal community versus a more diverse symbiotic fungal community containing both AM fungi and MFRE. Holcus lanatus plants were grown in the presence of either a diverse MFRE+AM fungi soil inoculum or a multi‐species AM fungal inoculum. Plant traits associated with growth were quantified, along with fungal transfer of 15N tracer to plants from a variety of sources (ammonium chloride, alanine, glycine and algal necromass). Holcus lanatus grown with the AM fungal community had greater root and shoot growth during early development and prior to the addition of 15N‐labelled sources, compared with plants grown with the more diverse symbiotic fungal community. When nitrogen sources were made available to the fungal symbionts in the pot microcosms, plants growing with the MFRE+AM fungi soil inoculum had a faster growth rate than plants growing with the AM fungal community. At harvest, H. lanatus grown with the AM fungal community had a larger biomass, and there were no differences in 15N tracer assimilation in plants across the two fungal community treatments. Our results demonstrate that the diversity of fungal inocula in conjunction with soil nutrient availability determine the benefits derived by plants from diverse fungal symbionts. Our research contributes to understanding host plant outcomes in diverse multi‐symbiont scenarios. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Trait‐based mechanistic approach highlights global patterns and losses of herbivore biomass functional diversity

Abstract Mammalian herbivores play a pivotal role in Earth System processes by affecting biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem functioning, potentially leading to significant repercussions on atmosphere–biosphere feedbacks. Global dynamic models of mammalian populations can improve our understanding of their ecological role at large scales and the consequences of their extinctions. However, such models are still lacking and mammals are poorly integrated in Earth System Science. We developed a mechanistic global model of terrestrial herbivore populations simulated with 37 functional groups defined through the analysis of eco‐physiological traits across all extant herbivores (2599 species). We coupled this model with a global vegetation model to predict herbivores' maximum potential biomass in pre‐industrial and at present‐day and to study the environmental drivers explaining the distribution of herbivore biomass. Present‐day biomass was estimated by accounting for anthropogenic activity causing habitat and range losses. We show that natural ecosystems could have sustained a potential wild herbivore wet biomass of 330 Mt (95% CI: 245–417), comprised of 193 Mt (95% CI: 177–208) by large species (body mass >1–10 kg, depending on functional group) and 138 Mt (95% CI: 68–209) by small species. We estimate that the remaining present‐day large herbivores biomass is 82 Mt (95% CI: 32–133), reduced by 57% due to anthropogenic activity; consequently, small herbivores currently dominate global herbivore biomass with 98 Mt (95% CI: 91–106, −29%). Losses vary greatly across climatic zones and functional groups, suggesting that size is not the only discriminant feature of biomass decline. Actual evapotranspiration is the most important driver of total, large and small herbivore biomass and explains 64%, 59% and 49% of its variation, respectively. Distribution of modelled and observed large herbivores' biomass suggested a high dependency on energy and water with more biomass in hot and wet areas. These results challenge the notion that large herbivore biomass peaks primarily in ecosystems with intermediate precipitation levels such as savannas. Outside Africa and the Tropics, pre‐industrial biomass hotspots occur in areas today dominated by humans; this could undermine the recovery of larger species biomass in certain areas. Our herbivore biomass estimates provide a quantitative benchmark for setting conservation and rewilding goals at large spatial scales. The herbivore model and functional classification create new opportunities to integrate mammals into Earth System Science and models. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lambert) Hooker: A Promising Candidate for Phytoremediation of Cd-Contaminated Soils

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the most common toxic heavy metal elements in soil pollution, which can be continuously enriched in the food chain and eventually threaten human health. Phytoremediation, which is using plants to transfer heavy metal elements from soils, is a promising solution for the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils. In this study, we evaluated whether Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lambert) Hooker (Chinese fir), a widely planted timber tree worldwide, had the potential to remediate Cd-contaminated soils through 90 days pot of experiments with different Cd concentration soils (0, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 mg kg−1). C. lanceolata did not show obvious toxic symptoms in Cd-contaminated soils, although Cd inhibited plant growth and decreased net photosynthetic rate slightly. The activities of antioxidant enzymes increased significantly under Cd stress, indicating that C. lanceolata had a strong self-regulation ability and can tolerate Cd stress. The Cd bioconcentration factor (Cd concentration in plant divided by Cd concentration in soil) of C. lanceolata were greater than 1 at all Cd concentrations, indicating that C. lanceolata had a strong ability to absorb Cd, although Cd was mainly accumulated in roots. Our results indicated that C. lanceolata had a strong tolerance and phytostabilization ability of Cd. Considering the wide distribution worldwide, large biomass, and rapid growth of C. lanceolata, it could be a promising candidate for phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated soils.

Genotypic variations in phosphorus accumulation in wild cowpea relatives (Vigna vexillata) grown under phosphorus deficiency

ABSTRACT Vigna vexillata is a wild cowpea relative inhabiting tropical and subtropical regions. Because phosphorous (P) deficient soils are widely found in these regions, such wild relatives may have an ability to efficiently capture and utilize P in soils and thus can be potential materials of green manure to improve soil-plant nutrient cycles and subsequent crop production. Genotypic variations in shoot P content were evaluated in P-deficient (−P) and P-fertilized (+P) conditions of the pot experiment to clarify the ability of P accumulation in V. vexillata. Among the 14 accessions, five with a high shoot P content under P deficiency were identified. The high shoot P contents were attributed to large shoot biomass rather than high shoot P concentrations. The larger biomass of these accessions was consistent under the -P and +P conditions, indicating that potential growth characteristics without P restriction were a major driving factor of P accumulation even under P deficiency. In contrast, accessions with low shoot P content had small shoot biomass with high P concentrations. These accessions exhibited superior drought tolerance than those with large shoot biomass, presumably because of the small water consumption due to the small shoot biomass. The trade-offs between the shoot P accumulation and drought tolerance should be considered for genotype selection under the conditions where P deficiency and drought risks are often complex.

Unlocking the hidden potential: Enhancing the utilization of stems and leaves through metabolite analysis and toxicity assessment of various parts of Aconitum carmichaelii

Ethnopharmacological relevanceAconitum carmichaelii is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine clinics as a bulk medicinal material. It has been used in China for more than two thousand years. Nevertheless, the stems and leaves of this plant are usually discarded as non-medicinal parts, even though they have a large biomass and exhibit therapeutic properties. Thus, it is crucial to investigate metabolites of different parts of Aconitum carmichaelii and explore the relationship between metabolites and toxicity to unleash the utilization potential of the stems and leaves. Aim of the studyUsing plant metabolomics, we aim to correlate different metabolites in various parts of Aconitum carmichaelii with toxicity, thereby screening for toxicity markers. This endeavor seeks to offer valuable insights for the development of Aconitum carmichaelii stem and leaf-based applications. Materials and methodsUHPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS/MS-based plant metabolomics was employed to analyze metabolites of the different parts of Aconitum carmichaelii. The cardiotoxicity and hepatotoxicity of the extracts from different parts of Aconitum carmichaelii were also investigated using zebrafish as animal model. Toxicity markers were subsequently identified by correlating toxicity with metabolites. ResultsA total of 113 alkaloids were identified from the extracts of various parts of Aconitum carmichaelii, with 64 different metabolites in stems and leaves compared to daughter root (Fuzi), and 21 different metabolites in stems and leaves compared to mother root (Wutou). The content of aporphine alkaloids in the stems and leaves of Aconitum carmichaelii is higher than that in the medicinal parts, while the content of the diester-diterpenoid alkaloids is lower. Additionally, the medicinal parts of Aconitum carmichaelii exhibited cardiotoxicity and hepatotoxicity, while the stems and leaves have no obvious toxicity. Finally, through correlation analysis and animal experimental verification, mesaconitine, deoxyaconitine, and hypaconitine were used as toxicity markers. ConclusionGiven the low toxicity of the stems and leaves and the potential efficacy of aporphine alkaloids, the stems and leaves of Aconitum carmichaelii hold promise as a valuable medicinal resource warranting further development.

Direct numerical simulation of the drag, lift, and torque coefficients of high aspect ratio biomass cylindrical particles

Biomass straw fuel has the advantage of low-carbon sustainability, and therefore, it has been widely used in recent years in coupled blending combustion with coal-fired utility boilers for power generation. At present, the drag force FD, the lift force FL, and the torque T evaluation model are very limited. In this study, within a wide range of Reynolds numbers (10 ≤ Re ≤ 2000) and incident angles (0° ≤ θ ≤ 90°), the computational fluid dynamics open source code OpenFOAM-body-fitted mesh method is used to carry out the direct numerical simulation of the flow characteristics of large cylindrical biomass particles with a high aspect ratio of L/D = 9:1. The results show that (1) the projected area of the cylinder begins to decrease after reaching the maximum at θ = 15°, while the change in the incident angle causes the formation of a smaller recirculation zone on the leeward side of the structure, and the effect of the pressure difference on the drag coefficient (CD) is reduced. (2) The lift coefficient (CL) displays a parabolic symmetric distribution when θ = 45°, and then the distribution becomes asymmetrical when Re > 100. The torque coefficient (CT) exhibits a similar trend. (3) Based on the simulation data and the literature data, new models for CD, CL, and CT for cylinders with L/D = 9:1, 10 ≤ Re ≤ 2000 and 0° ≤ θ ≤ 90° are obtained, and the mean square errors are 2.4 × 10−2, 1.4 × 10−2, and 6.4 × 10−2, respectively. This new model can improve the accuracy and adaptability of the universal model of gas–solid dynamics for biomass particles.

Fungi of Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA: a spatial survey.

The natural system at Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA was augmented by the construction of a rock-filled railroad causeway in 1960, creating two lakes at one site. The north arm is sequestered from the mountain snowmelt inputs and thus became saturated with salts (250-340 g/L). The south arm is a flourishing ecosystem with moderate salinity (90-190 g/L) and a significant body of water for ten million birds on the avian flyways of the western US who engorge themselves on the large biomass of brine flies and shrimp. The sediments around the lake shores include calcium carbonate oolitic sand and clay, and further away from the saltwater margins, a zone with less saline soil. Here a small number of plants can thrive, including Salicornia and Sueda species. At the north arm at Rozel Point, halite crystals precipitate in the salt-saturated lake water, calcium sulfate precipitates to form gypsum crystals embedded in the clay, and high molecular weight asphalt seeps from the ground. It is an ecosystem with gradients and extremes, and fungi are up to the challenge. We have collected data on Great Salt Lake fungi from a variety of studies and present them here in a spatial survey. Combining knowledge of cultivation studies as well as environmental DNA work, we discuss the genera prevalent in and around this unique ecosystem. A wide diversity of taxa were found in multiple microniches of the lake, suggesting significant roles for these genera: Acremonium, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Clydae, Coniochaeta, Cryptococcus, Malassezia, Nectria, Penicillium, Powellomyces, Rhizophlyctis, and Wallemia. Considering the species present and the features of Great Salt Lake as a terminal basin, we discuss of the possible roles of the fungi. These include not only nutrient cycling, toxin mediation, and predation for the ecosystem, but also roles that would enable other life to thrive in the water and on the shore. Many genera that we discovered may help other organisms in alleviating salinity stress, promoting growth, or affording protection from dehydration. The diverse taxa of Great Salt Lake fungi provide important benefits for the ecosystem.

Registration of Early Maturing “Erer” Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) Variety

“Erer” with pedigree designation of 3443-2- OP X P9403 is sorghum variety was released in 2021 for Eastern part of Oromia specifically, Fadis and Babile districts and other similar agro-ecologies of Ethiopia. The variety was developed and released by Oromia Agricultural Research institute, Fadis Agricultural Research Center. Originally it was obtained from Melkasa Agricultural Research Center of Sorghum Research Program which was crossed material followed by screening method. The regional variety trial was done at two locations of Fadis research station and Erer sub-station for three years (2016-2019). From the genotypes evaluated Erer variety recorded high grain yield, large biomass and stay green traits than the standard check Dekeba and other genotypes. Mean grain yield of Erer ranged from 49 to 51 Qt ha-1 on research field, and 34 to 40 Qt ha-1 on farmers’ field. Finally, ‘Erer’ released as superior sorghum variety East Hararghe low lands and similar agro ecologies in 2021.