Vegetable Organisms Research Articles

Концепція створення автоматизованих біотехнічних систем у рослинництві

. For the decision of food and ecological problem, necessary creation of high-yield sorts of plants, but it needs long-term plant-breeding and agronomical work. One of ways of acceleration of this process there is creation of biotechnical CAS with the use of plants in quality of information generator about the terms of life-support. In research of plant, as an integral biosystem, there was a paradoxical situation to this time: at sufficient plenitude of information about the primary processes of exchange of matters and developed theory of productive process, description of vital functions of integral plant appears uttery difficult. An integral plant behaves fully otherwise, what aggregate of cages, and its vital functions are not taken to the aggregate of physiology processes. Complications which arise up at the attempt of description of vital functions of plant, connected mainly, with absence of adequate models. The numeral real and practical effects in a plant-grower, got the method of casual tests, can not give optimum statistically reliable information. The most perspective way of decision of this question is realization of conception of creation of the closed automated vegetable biotechnical systems, with the use of plant, in the link of zvorotnego connection, in quality of information generator . A research purpose is a ground of going near creation of CAS of management adaptation and productivity of plants, on the base of application of external electro-physical influences and hardware’s which allow to control the reaction of vegetable biological organism on such family influences. On the basis of researches of domestic and oversea researchers a conclusion is done about expedience of the use of bioelectric descriptions in quality of objective test of the functional state of plants. Both environment and plant, there is difficult object. Intercommunications are in-process analyzed in the system a plant is an environment, the resource and informative ducting’s, certain aggregate of parameters of the state, character of direct and cross connect, found out sources of indignations are selected. Certainly minimum set of parameters of biological object of phytogenous, which enables to control and correct the adaptation and products processes of plant. A hardware is developed, that allows to execute measuring of bioelectric potential in the mode of current time. Key words: automated control system, plant, bioelectric potential, technology, state parameters, electromagnetic radiation

Diversitas Gastropoda Berdasarkan Tingkat Kerusakan Mangrove Di Pulau Towea Kabupaten Muna Sulawesi Tenggara

The purpose of this study was to find out the diversity index of molluscs (gastropods & bivalves) based on mangrove degradation level in Tobea Island of Muna Regency. The data were collected from May until July 2017, in Wangkolabu municipal area of Tobea sub-district, using observation method and direct observation in the research location to find out the index of ecology of molluscs such as index of diversity (H'), evenness (E), density (N), dominance (D), and dispersion pattern (Id) from both gastropod and bivalve classes based on mangrove degradation level. Direct identification in the field is applied to the type of mangrove vegetation and mollusc organisms that have been known by it’s scientific name. But if not, then the samples are taken and the documentation is then done further analysis at the Laboratory of Biology Unit of Ecology and Taxonomy of FMIPA UHO with reference to the guide book of Introduction of Mangrove in Indonesia and book Snail & Shell Indonesian. Then for water environment parameters in the form of water and substrate samples are further analyzed at Biology Laboratory of UHO Forensic and Biomolecular Unit using Miller triangle fraction method and APHA standard method. Statistical analysis is done using Excel Stat to determine the major components affecting the ecological index of molluscs in degraded mangrove areas. The results showed four species mangroves in Wangkolabu Village are Rhizophora mucronata, Rhizophora apiculata, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, and Sonneratia alba and that mangrove degradation on the coast of Tobea Island, Wangkolabu village, Tobea sub-district has varied values for good mangrove criteria (Density/RDi = 1.600 individuals/hectare), medium mangrove (Density/RDi = 1.175 individuals/hectare), and mangrove broken/rare (Density/RDi = 375 individuals/hectare). Besides that, Cerithium spp., Nerita costata, Terebralia sulcata, and Clypeomorus sp., type gastropods is able to adapt to mangrove forests that have moderate density (RDi= 1.000–1.500 individuals/hectare), with mangrove substrate types in the form of sandy loam that has soil organic content (BO = 3,18%). While the gastropod type Telescopium telescopium prefers low density mangrove forests (RDi < 1.000 individuals/hectare) with the type of substrate in the form of clay containing organic matter (BO = 2,35%). Based on the results of the study it is expected that the need for mangrove forest management in the study area for the sustainability of aquatic biota, especially molluscs that can be developed as conservation areas by looking at the level of mangrove damage through non-fish aquaculture activities (shellfish) for the welfare of coastal communities and islands small in Southeast Sulawesi.

Some Effects of Sound and Music on Organisms and Cells: A Review

In animals, the sound vibrations are captured by the auditory cells, then transformed into electrical signals and conveyed to the nervous centers where they can be interpreted such as music. A lot of studies concern the effect of sound on the auditory cells and on the brain. Nevertheless, musical vibrations also affect other cells types in several organisms. These researches being not of the same nature, they need to be classified in order to provide elements of understanding the effects of music on cell biology. A lot of works were done on the effects of music on non-auditory cells. Effects on growth, apoptosis, immune system, protein activities in animal, plant and bacterial cells have been shown. These effects are of a physiological nature and require molecules and physicochemical mechanisms. Some works were performed on vegetal or animal total organisms, others directly on cells themselves, using cell cultures. Few works concern eukaryotic unicellular organisms. Results of these studies show music and sound exert effects on the physiology. But the experiments and results are still well disparate, with effects of different types of music on organisms via auditory on non-auditory cells, sometimes involving both auditory and non-auditory cells. Whatever the large variation of results, the study of the effects of sound and especially music on the cells is a subject on the future, considering the immense possibilities offered by music in modulating physiology, with potential therapeutic applications.

Evaluation of the Raphanus Sativus Varieties Response to the Application of Dinitrophenol in Terms of Oxidative Stress Enzymes and DNA Amplification

The oxidative stress at the vegetable organisms represents a complex chemical and physiologic phenomenon which appears as a result of the different influence of biotic and abiotic stressor factors, the negative strong impact of these ones being due to the massive superproduction and to the accumulation of the oxygen reactive species. The present material demonstrate the dinitrophenol phytotoxicity, chemical agent which enters in composition of lots pesticides, on the Raphanus sativus var. sativus species viability, the M�nchen Bier and French Breakfast varieties cropped in lab conditions through antioxidant enzymes� activity modifications, but also to those appeared at the genome�s level.

Altered fire regimes cause long-term lichen diversity losses.

Many global ecosystems have undergone shifts in fire regimes in recent decades, such as changes in fire size, frequency, and/or severity. Recent research shows that increases in fire size, frequency, and severity can lead to long-persisting deforestation, but the consequences of shifting fire regimes for biodiversity of other vegetative organisms (such as understory plants, fungi, and lichens) remain poorly understood. Understanding lichen responses to wildfire is particularly important because lichens play crucial roles in nutrient cycling and supporting wildlife in many ecosystems. Lichen responses to fire have been little studied, and most previous research has been limited to small geographic areas (e.g. studies of a single fire), making it difficult to establish generalizable patterns. To investigate long-term effects of fire severity on lichen communities, we sampled epiphytic lichen communities in 104 study plots across California's greater Sierra Nevada region in areas that burned in five wildfires, ranging from 4 to 16years prior to sampling. The conifer forest ecosystems we studied have undergone a notable increase in fire severity in recent decades, and we sample across the full gradient of fire severity to infer how shifting fire regimes may influence landscape-level biodiversity. We find that low-severity fire has little to no effect on lichen communities. Areas that burned at moderate and high severities, however, have significantly and progressively lower lichen richness and abundance. Importantly, we observe very little postfire lichen recolonization on burned substrates even more than 15years after fire. Our multivariate model suggests that the hotter, drier microclimates that occur after fire removes forest canopies may prevent lichen reestablishment, meaning that lichens are not likely to recolonize until mature trees regenerate. These findings suggest that altered fire regimes may cause broad and long-persisting landscape-scale biodiversity losses that could ultimately impact multiple trophic levels.

Contributions to the Knowledge of Aquatic and Paludous Macrophytes and of Some Epiphytic Algae with Role in Processes of Self-Cleaning in the Urban Sector of Nicolina River - Iasi

Abstract This paper brings a contribution to the knowledge of vegetal organisms that participate in the processes of self-cleaning in the urban sector of Nicolina river. By periodical outings on the field, observations on the field and in laboratory, we have identified species of aquatic and paludous macrophytes in the composition of water biocenosis of Nicolina river and algae taxons in the periphyton of some dominant or frequent aquatic and paludous macrophytes. We identified 28 species of superior macrophytes (paludous, aquatic); most of them are perennial species and prefer a sub-layer rich or excessively rich in mineral nitrogen. In the periphyton, the species of Phylum Bacillariophyta are predominant. The species taken into account fulfil numerous ecological services and are essential to assure the dynamic balance of the aquatic ecosystem.

Critical Review of the Effects of Glyphosate Exposure to the Environment and Humans through the Food Supply Chain

Glyphosate is a synthesis product and chemical substance that entered in the global market during the 70s. In the beginning, the molecule was used as an active principle in a wide range of herbicides, with great success. This was mainly due to its systemic and non-selective action against vegetable organisms and also to the spread of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) crops, which over the years were specifically created with a resistance to glyphosate. To date, the product is, for these reasons, the most sprayed and most used herbicide in the world. Because of its widespread diffusion into the environment, it was not long before glyphosate found itself at the center of an important scientific debate about its adverse effects on health and environment. In fact, in 2015 the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France), an organization referred to as the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization (WHO, Geneva, Switzerland), classified the substance as “likely carcinogenic” to humans. This triggered an immediate and negative reaction from the producer, who accused the Agency and claimed that they had failed to carry out their studies properly and that these conclusions were largely contradictory to published research. Additionally, in 2015, just a few months after the IARC monography published on glyphosate, the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority, Parma, Italy), another WHO related organization, declared that it was “unlikely” that the molecule could be carcinogenic to humans or that it could cause any type of risk to human health. The conflict between the two organizations of the World Health Organization triggered many doubts, and for this reason, a series of independent studies were launched to better understand what glyphosate’s danger to humans and the environment really was. The results have brought to light how massive use of the herbicide has created over time a real global contamination that has not only affected the soil, surface and groundwater as well as the atmosphere, but even food and commonly used objects, such as diapers, medical gauze, and absorbent for female intimate hygiene. How human health is compromised as a result of glyphosate exposure is a topic that is still very debatable and still unclear and unambiguous. This paper is a review of the results of the main independent recent scientific studies.

Estimation of Stream Health Using Flow-Based Indices

Existing methods to estimate stream health are often location-specific, and do not address all of the components of stream health. In addition, there are very few guidelines to estimate the health of a stream, although the literature and useful tools such as Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHA) are available. This paper describes an approach developed for estimating stream health. The method involves the: (1) collection of flow data; (2) identification of hydrologic change; (3) estimation of some hydrologic indicators for pre-alteration and post-alteration periods; and (4) the use of those hydrologic indicators with the scoring framework of the Dundee Hydrologic Regime Assessment Method (DHRAM). The approach estimates the stream health in aggregate including all of the components, such as riparian vegetation, aquatic species, and benthic organisms. Using the approach, stream health can be estimated at two different levels: (1) the existence or absence of a stream health problem based on the concept of eco-deficit and eco-surplus using flow duration curves; and (2) the estimation of overall stream health using the IHA–DHRAM method. The procedure is demonstrated with a case example of the White Rock Creek watershed in Texas in the United States (US). The approach has great potential to estimate stream health and prescribe flow-based goals for the restoration of impaired streams.

Esterification Between Citric acid and Pumpkin Pips’ Organic Molecules – Esters Hydrolysis And Esters Used as Hydrocarbons Additives

Commonly, organicians used various technical like pressurized extraction, solvent extraction to extract essential oils and to isolate thereafter organics molecules in a vegetable organism. This new method consisted in extracting selectively and directly the organic molecules present in a vegetable organism, in this case the organic molecules present in pumpkin pips by esterification with citric acid molecules which were not only esterified by the alcohols and amines functions of the organic molecules present in the vegetable organism but also they esterified, by its alcohol functions, the acid function of the organic molecules present in the same vegetable organism. Operating conditions and procedure were taken into account and these allow us to reach an esterification rate equals to 72.80% at the most. Thus, esters of citric acid and esters of organic molecules’ acid present in the pumpkin pips in quantities but also with quality were obtained. The presence of xanthophyll esters, riboflavin esters, citric acid esters, well quality fatty-acid esters and probably amides of citric acid molecules were certain. That led us to do auto-inflammation tests of hydrocarbons (Super-Gasoil-Fueloil) with esters of pumpkin pips’ organic molecules as additives. Finally, trying to separate the organic molecules having been esterified or esterifying with the citric acid molecules, hydrolysis reaction tests were carried out with a regeneration rate of citric acid molecules equal to 36.50% compared with the initial citric acid molecules quantities and 50.14% compared with the total ester quantity of the sample. The extraction of pumpkin pips’ organic molecules like xanthophyll, riboflavin, well quality fatty-acids and probably other interesting organic molecules according to the bibliography were certain.

Шляхи підвищення продуктивності люпину вузьколистого в умовах радіоактивного забруднення районів зони Полісся

Шляхи підвищення продуктивності люпину вузьколистого в умовах радіоактивного забруднення районів зони Полісся

Spaceborne radar identification of desert regions as suppliers of dust into the atmosphere

Atmosphere dust represents a mixture of minute particles of various salts and minerals. Also it contains remains of animal and vegetable organisms, spores of causative organisms and so forth. The dust is carried by winds over considerable distances and its presence in the atmosphere is among the factors which have essential influence on the global climate of the Earth. At present the Aeolian processes and their consequences are monitored from space using multispectral optical systems (TOMS, METEOSAT, MODIS etc.) only. These are not capable of reliable identification of the areas themselves that are sources of raising the dust in the atmosphere independently of the cloudiness, solar illumination and transparency of the atmosphere. This problem can be solved with the use of space radar systems of the Earth remote sensing. The paper presents the first results of the development of a radar technique of identification of desert regions in which dust from the surface is transported up into the atmosphere under the action of Aeolian processes. The work was performed using data of Earth remote sensing SAR Envisat-1 obtained over deserts of Mauritania. Specific features of display of the narrow-beam backscattering of radio waves in radar images in dependence on the surface wind speed and direction and direction of radar illumination of the surface. It is concluded that the radar means of remote sensing represent an efficient tool for detecting regions of dust raise into the atmosphere. Results of the study can be used for the development of new methods of remote monitoring of the processes in desert areas that affect the climate of vast regions of the Earth.

ФИЗИОЛОГИЯ ФОТОПЕРИОДИЧЕСКОЙ ЧУВСТВИТЕЛЬНОСТИ У РАСТИТЕЛЬНЫХ ОРГАНИЗМОВ ПРИ РАЗЛИЧНОЙ ПРОДОЛЖИТЕЛЬНОСТИ СВЕТОВОГО ПЕРИОДА

The most important characteristic of the environment for vegetable organisms is the photoperiod - duration of daylight. Plant Responses to the day length (photoperiod conditions) is of great importance in the development of environmental monitoring, providing the necessary spatial and temporal regulation of physiological processes in plants and optimizing the processes of photosynthetic activity. Objective: To estimate the photoperiodic sensitivity of samples of Raphanus sativus, and to identify his reaction to the increase in the length of daylight hours in conditions of Central Black Earth region. Change the duration of daylight is largely affects the development of plants. In terms of the long lightday photoperiodic sensitivity radish Raphanus sativus in the Kursk region is manifested in the increased growth of above-ground parts of plants and development of the generative organs. When growing radishes in the Kursk region in the conditions of artificially shortened daylight hours the plant for a long time remained in a vegetative state. It is clear that the formation of the major root crops of radish with good taste must be his growing under short photoperiod. The best planting time for the Central Black Earth zone - the end of March-April and the end of July-August, when the daylight hours of about 10 hours. When growing plants during the long daylight crops is necessary to create an artificial shading.

Molecular and structural changes induced by essential oil treatments in Vicia faba roots detected by FTIR and FTNIR spectroscopy.

Essential oils have recognized antimicrobial and antifungal properties which allow their utilization in agriculture like an alternative to pesticides, but their utilization requires the knowledge of all the potential structural changes and damages produced by the interaction with the vegetal organisms. In this paper, we investigated the effects of two essential oils, the tea tree oil (TTO) and the mixture of clove and rosemary oils (C+R), on the molecular structure of Vicia faba roots by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Fourier near infrared transform (FTNIR) spectroscopy. FTIR spectroscopy showed structural modifications of the absorption bands related to DNA (1100 and 1050cm-1, carbohydrate backbones, and nucleotide bands within 900 and 850cm-1), proteins (1700 and 1600cm-1 amide I band, 1580 and 1520cm-1 amide II band), and lipids (methylene group of aliphatic chains between 2950 and 2800cm-1). The changes in the secondary structures of proteins consisted of a denaturation depending on increased presence of random coil structures. In addition, in the samples treated with TTO oils, we observed the presence of protein oxidation, an effect negligible instead for the C+R-treated samples. The modified shapes of the infrared methyl bands of aliphatic chains suggested an increased lipid disorder which could also determine lipid peroxidation. The changes observed for the DNA structures at the highest concentration of the above essential oils can be related to the genotoxic effect of eugenol, an important constituent of both TTO and C+R mixture oils. FTNIR spectroscopy showed the modified shape of the second overtone bands belonging to methyl and methylene groups, between 8500 and 8000cm-1. This confirmed the increased lipid disorders already observed by FTIR spectroscopy. The results obtained on the probe organism V. faba show that FTIR and FTNIR spectroscopy can become a useful support to the conventional cytogenetic tests used in the evaluation of the allelopathic uses of essential oils in agriculture.

Water level, vegetation composition, and plant productivity explain greenhouse gas fluxes in temperate cutover fens after inundation

Abstract. Peat extraction leaves a land surface with a strong relief of deep cutover areas and higher ridges. Rewetting inundates the deep parts, while less deeply extracted zones remain at or above the water level. In temperate fens the flooded areas are colonized by helophytes such as Eriophorum angustifolium, Carex spp., Typha latifolia or Phragmites australis dependent on water depth. Reeds of Typha and Phragmites are reported as large sources of methane, but data on net CO2 uptake are contradictory for Typha and rare for Phragmites. Here, we analyze the effect of vegetation, water level and nutrient conditions on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for representative vegetation types along water level gradients at two rewetted cutover fens (mesotrophic and eutrophic) in Belarus. Greenhouse gas emissions were measured campaign-wise with manual chambers every 2 to 4 weeks for 2 years and interpolated by modelling. All sites had negligible nitrous oxide exchange rates. Most sites were carbon sinks and small GHG sources. Methane emissions generally increased with net ecosystem CO2 uptake. Mesotrophic small sedge reeds with water table around the land surface were small GHG sources in the range of 2.3 to 4.2 t CO2 eq. ha−1 yr−1. Eutrophic tall sedge – Typha latifolia reeds on newly formed floating mats were substantial net GHG emitters in the range of 25.1 to 39.1 t CO2 eq. ha−1 yr. They represent transient vegetation stages. Phragmites reeds ranged between −1.7 to 4.2 t CO2 eq. ha−1 yr−1 with an overall mean GHG emission of 1.3 t CO2 eq. ha−1 yr−1. The annual CO2 balance was best explained by vegetation biomass, which includes the role of vegetation composition and species. Methane emissions were obviously driven by biological activity of vegetation and soil organisms. Shallow flooding of cutover temperate fens is a suitable measure to arrive at low GHG emissions. Phragmites australis establishment should be promoted in deeper flooded areas and will lead to moderate, but variable GHG emissions or even occasional sinks. The risk of large GHG emissions is higher for eutrophic than mesotrophic peatlands. Nevertheless, flooding of eutrophic temperate fens still represents a safe GHG mitigation option because even the hotspot of our study, the floating tall sedge – Typha latifolia reeds, did not exceed the typical range of GHG emissions from drained fen grasslands and the spatially dominant Phragmites australis reed emitted by far less GHG than drained fens.

Quarantine facilities and legal issues of the use of biocontrol agents in Brazil

Abstract: The objective of this work was to address the classical biological control of pests in Brazil, regarding procedures to import and export native biological material. A brief introduction will be given on the current legal issues on the use of biocontrol agents, as well as some considerations on the existing quarantine pests and actions already carried out in the country. The safety in the introduction of exotic organisms is important for Brazilian phytosanitary defense and for a higher adoption of classical biocontrol, making it available for integrated pest management (IPM). Legal and normative aspects establish the procedures that must to be adopted, not only to protect bioprospecting and native organisms, but also to minimize risks to the national genetic patrimony associated with the introduction of exotic organisms. Furthermore, the import/export procedures adopted for vegetal and useful organisms for pest biological control and for other genetic material must be subjected to phytosanitary measures performed in government-certified quarantine facilities and diagnostic laboratories. Finally, the quarantine activities listed here are strategic for safeguarding the country from potential problems arising from border transit of living organisms.

Daptomycin-β-Lactam Combinations in a Rabbit Model of Daptomycin-Nonsusceptible Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Endocarditis.

Beta-lactams enhance the in vitro activity of daptomycin against methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus Experiments were performed in a rabbit model of aortic valve endocarditis caused by methicillin-resistant daptomycin-nonsusceptible S. aureus strain CB5054 to determine if a cephalosporin, ceftriaxone, administered as a once-daily dose of 100 mg/kg of body weight, or a carbapenem, ertapenem, administered as a once-daily dose of 40 mg/kg, improved the efficacy of daptomycin, administered as a once-daily dose of 12 mg/kg. Daptomycin was ineffective alone in reducing organism densities compared to untreated controls in vegetations and spleen, but densities were 1.4 log10 CFU/g lower in kidney. The combination of daptomycin plus ceftriaxone or daptomycin plus ertapenem reduced bacterial densities in all tissues compared to single agents, with 0.6 to 1.0 log10 CFU/g fewer organisms in vegetations, 1.5 to 2.5 log10 CFU/g fewer organisms in spleen, and 1.8 to 2.5 log10 CFU/g fewer organisms in kidney, although differences were statistically significant only in spleen for daptomycin plus ceftriaxone and in kidney for daptomycin plus ertapenem. Drug exposures in rabbits were less than those achievable in humans, which may have limited the in vivo activity, particularly in vegetations.

Cumulative effects of an herbivorous ecosystem engineer in a heterogeneous landscape

AbstractForaging by herbivores alters individual plants and vegetation communities directly, and engineering behaviors such as bioturbation (digging and turning soil) and biodeposition (deposition of feces and urine) can affect soils and physical properties that indirectly influence vegetation and other organisms. Patchy environments often concentrate the activities of animals, potentially increasing the magnitude of their impacts on the vegetative community over time. To evaluate the potential for herbivorous engineers to enhance existing heterogeneity, we quantified the direct and indirect effects of a burrowing herbivore, the pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis), on soil and vegetation in the sagebrush steppe ecosystem of the western United States, and we evaluated whether the effects were related to duration of occupancy by rabbits. Mounded microtopography (i.e., mima mounds) creates distinct resource islands with relatively tall and dense sagebrush shrubs where pygmy rabbits concentrate burrowing and foraging activities. We quantified soil and vegetation characteristics on mima mounds occupied by rabbits for 1–12 yr and on unoccupied mounds. We expected that browsing would negatively influence slow growing sagebrush shrubs, but that digging and biodeposition would enhance soil nutrients and water infiltration. In addition, we hypothesized that the net effect on sagebrush reproduction would be positive because indirect effects on soil would enhance seed production by mature sagebrush and seedling growth, and because bioturbation would increase seed retention and germination. Pygmy rabbit occupancy had significant cumulative effects on both soil and vegetation properties on occupied mima mounds. Over time, browsing reduced sagebrush canopy cover and percent of individual shrubs that were alive. Soil properties were less influenced by the duration of occupancy of mima mounds than by the localized spatial influence of burrowing; elevated nitrogen levels were associated with burrow entrances. Two measures of sagebrush reproduction (seedling recruitment and inflorescence biomass) increased with duration of burrow occupancy, suggesting that over longer time frames pygmy rabbits enhanced reproduction and recruitment of sagebrush shrubs. Our data demonstrate multiple pathways by which an herbivorous engineer can influence habitat heterogeneity, and they suggest that although pygmy rabbits are inconspicuous on the landscape, the species might play an important role in maintaining and augmenting heterogeneity in the sagebrush steppe.

The content and development of biochemical concepts in the school course of biology

The article reveals the content of biochemical concepts constituting school biology course, shows their development during the study of all the units of the subject mentioned above: from the vegetable organism to the general laws of nature. Biology as a school subject is a system of biological concepts, developing in a logical sequence. The handling of the relevant concepts shows the degree of assimilation of biological knowledge. That is why the teachers work on assimilation and development of biological concepts is so important. The study of biochemical concepts is included in the school course of biology. They can be classified according to the nature of the content, along with morphological, anatomical concepts etc. Some biochemical concepts belong to the group of basic biological concepts, i.e. concepts about the biological regularities concerning with the whole wildlife. They are: metabolism and interchange of energy, nutrition, breathing, selection, photosynthesis. A number of biochemical concepts such as proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, enzymes and some others are special, as they are studied within a specific section. The article analyzes school curricula and textbooks on biology; it allows making a conclusion that biochemical concepts are formed and developed throughout the biology course from 6 to 11 grades. There is a succession in formation and development of these notions: at first they are special and are studied as processes characterizing the functioning of a plant; considering the processes occurring in animal organism, biochemical concepts become general. In the General Biology unit they become special again. Such regularity is substantiated by the logic of construction of biological material. The formation of biochemical concepts is contributed to by all kinds of verbal, visual and practical methods of teaching biology, the role of the latter is particularly important. It requires the use of activity approach during the formation of biochemical concepts, because one of the conditions for their proper formation is the application of knowledge in practice. Skills acquired by students are the indicators of the effectiveness of education, together with the amount of subject knowledge.

Storage and release of road-salt contamination from a calcareous lake-basin fen, western Massachusetts, USA

Road salt (NaCl) applications to highways have increased stream sodium and chloride concentrations due to retention within watersheds. The mechanisms for retention and export of Na+ and Cl− from different environments are not fully understood. This field study examines the hydrologic and cation exchange processes that store and release Na+ and Cl− from a calcareous fen adjacent to a highway. Despite high concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+, elevated salt concentrations enable Na+ to occupy up to 15% of the cation exchange capacity of shallow peat. Calculations of selectivity coefficients show that Na+ preferentially exchanges with Mg2+, and Na+ can be desorbed under more dilute conditions caused by precipitation and snowmelt.Detailed sampling of surface and ground waters during three snowmelt events illustrate early releases of Na+ and Cl− at the onset of melting, with maximum fluxes coinciding with peak discharge. From 7 March through 4 April 2005, the flux of dissolved salt exiting the wetland amounts to 13% (Na) and 17% (Cl) of annual rock salt applied to the highway. For all of 2005, the total salt mass leaving the wetland via Kampoosa Brook is similar to the amount of road salt applied; 50% of the annual salt efflux occurred during the snowmelt season of March through May. In general, exported Na+ and Cl− correlate with the number of lane miles of highway crossing the watershed. Large rain events outside of winter months are more effective than snowmelt with reducing dissolved salts because snowmelt also introduces contamination. For this and other wetlands having alkaline geochemistry and high flushing rates, management strategies that reduce rock salt amounts to roadways will assist with reducing salt contamination to levels less toxic to vegetation and aquatic organisms.

Tree water relations can trigger monoterpene emissions from Scots pine stems during spring recovery

Abstract. Tree canopies are known to emit large amounts of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) such as monoterpenes into the surrounding air. High VOC emission rates from boreal forests have been observed during the transition from winter to summer activity. The most important sources of these are considered to be the green foliage, understory vegetation and soil organisms, but emissions from the living stand woody compartments have so far not been quantified. We analyzed whether the non-foliar components could partially explain the springtime high emission rates. We measured the monoterpene emissions from Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stem and shoots during the dehardening phase of trees in field conditions in two consecutive springs. We observed a large, transient monoterpene burst from the stem, while the shoot monoterpene emissions remained low. The burst lasted about 12 h. Simultaneously, an unusual nighttime sap flow and a non-systematic diurnal pattern of tree diameter were detected. Hence, we suggest that the monoterpene burst was a consequence of the recovery of the stem from wintertime, and likely related to the refilling of embolized tracheids and/or phenological changes in the living cells of the stem. This indicates that the dominant processes and environmental drivers triggering the monoterpene emissions are different between the stem and the foliage.