Seed ecology informs restoration approaches for threatened species in water-limited environments: a case study on the short-range Banded Ironstone endemic Ricinocarpos brevis (Euphorbiaceae)

2017 ◽  
Vol 65 (8) ◽  
pp. 661 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shane R. Turner ◽  
Wolfgang Lewandrowski ◽  
Carole P. Elliott ◽  
Luis Merino-Martín ◽  
Ben P. Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Threatened Species ◽  
Short Range ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Abiotic Environment ◽  
Seed Biology ◽  
Restoration Success ◽  
Seed Ecology ◽  
In Situ Conditions

Translocation of threatened species is challenging in semiarid environments, especially when seeds are the principal means of in situ establishment. Worldwide, the overall success of translocations using seeds is highly variable and generally unpredictable. Most seed-based translocations are embarked upon with limited understanding of the species’ seed biology or the nuances of the local abiotic environment in which to guide restoration approaches. For instance, within Australia just 14% of threatened species translocations use directly sown seeds and consequently, to improve the chances of restoration success, both the seed biology and the influence of the abiotic environment need to be adequately understood. We investigated these aspects in Ricinocarpos brevis R.J.F.Hend. & Mollemans – a short-range Banded Ironstone endemic – by focusing on a series of laboratory and field experiments to understand the key drivers of dormancy alleviation and germination promotion, as well as in-situ conditions of natural and recipient translocation sites. Fresh seeds were found to have high viability, fully developed linear embryos and possess physiological dormancy, with enhanced germination when exposed to smoke water, karrikinolide (KAR1) and gibberellic acid (GA3). Under laboratory conditions, seeds germinated over a range of temperatures (15−30°C), but germination was suppressed by light and highly sensitive to water stress. Seeds had reduced germination when sown on the soil surface, but could emerge from up to 13 cm in depth. Under field conditions, in-situ emergence was <2%. Using in-situ emergence results, soil loggers and rainfall data, we developed a model of the recruitment bottlenecks faced by this species under in-situ conditions, an approach that provides useful insights to assist future translocations. Understanding seed biology and seed ecology enables better insights into the principal bottlenecks restricting in-situ emergence and consequently restoration success, leading to the development of more effective approaches for conserving other threatened flora in future.

Atrazine persistence and toxicity in two irrigated soils of Australia

Soil Research ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 339 ◽  
Author(s):  
KH Bowmer
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Contaminated Water ◽  
Soil Extracts ◽  
Atrazine Concentration ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Heavy Clay ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Irrigated Soils

The persistence of atrazine in two contrasting irrigated soils from the Riverine Plain of south-eastern Australia was measured in the laboratory at three constant temperatures. Particularly at lower temperatures atrazine was more persistent, by an order of magnitude, than reported for soils overseas; but in two successive field experiments, encompassing both surface and incorporated applications of atrazine in the heavier soil, residues measured after about 7 months were within the range expected from the literature. The measured residues were 2-6 times smaller than predicted using a simulation model, probably reflecting volatilization and other losses which are not included in the model, but which are expected to be substantial at the extremely high soil surface temperatures observed in the field. Comparative measurements of aged residues in the heavy clay soil showed higher results from chemical analysis of acetonitrile-water soil extracts than by in situ glasshouse bioassay using oats and turnips, demonstrating that only one third of the extractable residue was available to crops. Comparison of soil-based and hydroponic assay using soybeans showed that this soil reduced the effective atrazine concentration in solution by at least 16-fold, but sensitive crops could still be damaged when grown in rotation after tolerant crops, or if irrigated with contaminated water.

scholarly journals Reviews and syntheses: Ocean iron fertilization experiments – past, present, and future looking to a future Korean Iron Fertilization Experiment in the Southern Ocean (KIFES) project

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (19) ◽  
pp. 5847-5889 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joo-Eun Yoon ◽  
Kyu-Cheul Yoo ◽  
Alison M. Macdonald ◽  
Ho-Il Yoon ◽  
Ki-Tae Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Dimethyl Sulfide ◽  
Mixed Layer Depth ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
Fertilization Experiment ◽  
Iron Fertilization ◽  
In Situ Conditions

Abstract. Since the start of the industrial revolution, human activities have caused a rapid increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations, which have, in turn, had an impact on climate leading to global warming and ocean acidification. Various approaches have been proposed to reduce atmospheric CO2. The Martin (or iron) hypothesis suggests that ocean iron fertilization (OIF) could be an effective method for stimulating oceanic carbon sequestration through the biological pump in iron-limited, high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll (HNLC) regions. To test the Martin hypothesis, 13 artificial OIF (aOIF) experiments have been performed since 1990 in HNLC regions. These aOIF field experiments have demonstrated that primary production (PP) can be significantly enhanced by the artificial addition of iron. However, except in the Southern Ocean (SO) European Iron Fertilization Experiment (EIFEX), no significant change in the effectiveness of aOIF (i.e., the amount of iron-induced carbon export flux below the winter mixed layer depth, MLD) has been detected. These results, including possible side effects, have been debated amongst those who support and oppose aOIF experimentation, and many questions concerning the effectiveness of scientific aOIF, environmental side effects, and international aOIF law frameworks remain. In the context of increasing global and political concerns associated with climate change, it is valuable to examine the validity and usefulness of the aOIF experiments. Furthermore, it is logical to carry out such experiments because they allow one to study how plankton-based ecosystems work by providing insight into mechanisms operating in real time and under in situ conditions. To maximize the effectiveness of aOIF experiments under international aOIF regulations in the future, we therefore suggest a design that incorporates several components. (1) Experiments conducted in the center of an eddy structure when grazing pressure is low and silicate levels are high (e.g., in the SO south of the polar front during early summer). (2) Shipboard observations extending over a minimum of ∼40 days, with multiple iron injections (at least two or three iron infusions of ∼2000 kg with an interval of ∼10–15 days to fertilize a patch of 300 km2 and obtain a ∼2 nM concentration). (3) Tracing of the iron-fertilized patch using both physical (e.g., a drifting buoy) and biogeochemical (e.g., sulfur hexafluoride, photosynthetic quantum efficiency, and partial pressure of CO2) tracers. (4) Employment of neutrally buoyant sediment traps (NBST) and application of the water-column-derived thorium-234 (234Th) method at two depths (i.e., just below the in situ MLD and at the winter MLD), with autonomous profilers equipped with an underwater video profiler (UVP) and a transmissometer. (5) Monitoring of side effects on marine/ocean ecosystems, including production of climate-relevant gases (e.g., nitrous oxide, N2O; dimethyl sulfide, DMS; and halogenated volatile organic compounds, HVOCs), decline in oxygen inventory, and development of toxic algae blooms, with optical-sensor-equipped autonomous moored profilers and/or autonomous benthic vehicles. Lastly, we introduce the scientific aOIF experimental design guidelines for a future Korean Iron Fertilization Experiment in the Southern Ocean (KIFES).

scholarly journals Rock Surface Fungi in Deep Continental Biosphere—Exploration of Microbial Community Formation with Subsurface In Situ Biofilm Trap

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 64
Author(s):  
Maija Nuppunen-Puputti ◽  
Riikka Kietäväinen ◽  
Lotta Purkamo ◽  
Pauliina Rajala ◽  
Merja Itävaara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Debaryomyces Hansenii ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Fungal Colonization ◽  
Rock Surface ◽  
Mica Schist ◽  
Deep Subsurface ◽  
Bacterial Phyla ◽  
In Situ Conditions

Fungi have an important role in nutrient cycling in most ecosystems on Earth, yet their ecology and functionality in deep continental subsurface remain unknown. Here, we report the first observations of active fungal colonization of mica schist in the deep continental biosphere and the ability of deep subsurface fungi to attach to rock surfaces under in situ conditions in groundwater at 500 and 967 m depth in Precambrian bedrock. We present an in situ subsurface biofilm trap, designed to reveal sessile microbial communities on rock surface in deep continental groundwater, using Outokumpu Deep Drill Hole, in eastern Finland, as a test site. The observed fungal phyla in Outokumpu subsurface were Basidiomycota, Ascomycota, and Mortierellomycota. In addition, significant proportion of the community represented unclassified Fungi. Sessile fungal communities on mica schist surfaces differed from the planktic fungal communities. The main bacterial phyla were Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteriota. Biofilm formation on rock surfaces is a slow process and our results indicate that fungal and bacterial communities dominate the early surface attachment process, when pristine mineral surfaces are exposed to deep subsurface ecosystems. Various fungi showed statistically significant cross-kingdom correlation with both thiosulfate and sulfate reducing bacteria, e.g., SRB2 with fungi Debaryomyces hansenii.

scholarly journals Discrete element analysis of the punching behaviour of a secured drapery system: from laboratory characterization to idealized in situ conditions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Pol ◽  
Fabio Gabrieli ◽  
Lorenzo Brezzi
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Response ◽  
Steel Wire ◽  
Discrete Element ◽  
Wire Mesh ◽  
Steel Plates ◽  
Loading Conditions ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
In Situ Conditions ◽  
Wire Meshes

AbstractIn this work, the mechanical response of a steel wire mesh panel against a punching load is studied starting from laboratory test conditions and extending the results to field applications. Wire meshes anchored with bolts and steel plates are extensively used in rockfall protection and slope stabilization. Their performances are evaluated through laboratory tests, but the mechanical constraints, the geometry and the loading conditions may strongly differ from the in situ conditions leading to incorrect estimations of the strength of the mesh. In this work, the discrete element method is used to simulate a wire mesh. After validation of the numerical mesh model against experimental data, the punching behaviour of an anchored mesh panel is investigated in order to obtain a more realistic characterization of the mesh mechanical response in field conditions. The dimension of the punching element, its position, the anchor plate size and the anchor spacing are varied, providing analytical relationships able to predict the panel response in different loading conditions. Furthermore, the mesh panel aspect ratio is analysed showing the existence of an optimal value. The results of this study can provide useful information to practitioners for designing secured drapery systems, as well as for the assessment of their safety conditions.

scholarly journals Relating Induced in Situ Conditions of Raw Chicken Breast Meat to Pinking

2004 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Holownia ◽  
M.S. Chinnan ◽  
A.E. Reynolds ◽  
JW Davis
Keyword(s):  
Chicken Breast ◽  
Breast Meat ◽  
In Situ Conditions ◽  
Chicken Breast Meat

scholarly journals A field perspective on effects of fire and temperature fluctuation on Cerrado legume seeds

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Felipe Daibes ◽  
Talita Zupo ◽  
Fernando A.O. Silveira ◽  
Alessandra Fidelis
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Fluctuation ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Seed Viability ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Temperature Fluctuations ◽  
Fire Effects ◽  
Fuel Load ◽  
Physical Dormancy ◽  
Legume Seeds ◽  
Field Perspective

AbstractInformation from a field perspective on temperature thresholds related to physical dormancy (PY) alleviation and seed resistance to high temperatures of fire is crucial to disentangle fire- and non-fire-related germination cues. We investigated seed germination and survival of four leguminous species from a frequently burned open Neotropical savanna in Central Brazil. Three field experiments were conducted according to seed location in/on the soil: (1) fire effects on exposed seeds; (2) fire effects on buried seeds; and (3) effects of temperature fluctuations on exposed seeds in gaps and shaded microsites in vegetation. After field treatments, seeds were tested for germination in the laboratory, together with the control (non-treated seeds). Fire effects on exposed seeds decreased viability in all species. However, germination of buried Mimosa leiocephala seeds was enhanced by fire in an increased fuel load treatment, in which we doubled the amount of above-ground biomass. Germination of two species (M. leiocephala and Harpalyce brasiliana) was enhanced with temperature fluctuation in gaps, but this condition also decreased seed viability. Our main conclusions are: (1) most seeds died when exposed directly to fire; (2) PY could be alleviated during hotter fires when seeds were buried in the soil; and (3) daily temperature fluctuations in gaps also broke PY of seeds on the soil surface, so many seeds could be recruited or die before being incorporated into the soil seed banks. Thus seed dormancy-break and germination of legumes from Cerrado open savannas seem to be driven by both fire and temperature fluctuations.

scholarly journals A microscopic approach to investigate bacteria under in situ conditions in sea-ice samples

2001 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
pp. 304-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Junge ◽  
Christopher Krembs ◽  
Jody Deming ◽  
Aaron Stierle ◽  
Hajo Eicken
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Pore Space ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Epifluorescence Microscopy ◽  
Microbial Populations ◽  
Microbial Life ◽  
Dimensional Network ◽  
In Situ Conditions ◽  
Fluorescent Stain

AbstractMicrobial populations and activity within sea ice have been well described based on bulk measurements from melted sea-ice samples. However, melting destroys the micro-environments within the ice matrix and does not allow for examination of microbial populations at a spatial scale relevant to the organism. Here, we describe the development of a new method allowing for microscopic observations of bacteria localized within the three-dimensional network of brine inclusions in sea ice under in situ conditions. Conventional bacterial staining procedures, using the DNA-specific fluorescent stain DAPI, epifluorescence microscopy and image analysis, were adapted to examine bacteria and their associations with various surfaces within microtomed sections of sea ice at temperatures from −2° to −15°C. The utility and sensitivity of the method were demonstrated by analyzing artificial sea-ice preparations of decimal dilutions of a known bacterial culture. When applied to natural, particle-rich sea ice, the method allowed distinction between bacteria and particles at high magnification. At lower magnifications, observations of bacteria could be combined with those of other organisms and with morphology and particle content of the pore space. The method described here may ultimately aid in discerning constraints on microbial life at extremely low temperatures.

Technologies of drop irrigation of young almond garden on terraces in foothland conditions of the Kyzylsu-Yuzhnaya river basin

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-15
Author(s):  
Daler Domullodzhanov
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Minimum Amount ◽  
Almond Orchard

The article presents the results of field experiments on the study of the technology of drip irrigation of a young almond orchard on terraces with clear cover with tillage soil surface, with use of mulching and overseeding of perennial grasses. In the variant with mulching, the minimum amount of irrigation observed – 24, with the irrigation norm – 1904 litre per tree. In other cases, the number of irrigation events increases from 8 to 23, respectively, the irrigation norms are 1.39 and 2.06 times.

Trial applications at gymnasiums of in-situ sound absorption measurement method by ensemble averaging technique

2021 ◽  
Vol 263 (2) ◽  
pp. 4532-4537
Author(s):  
Toru Otsuru ◽  
Reiji Tomiku ◽  
Noriko Okamoto ◽  
Siwat Lawanwadeekul
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Method ◽  
Sound Absorption ◽  
Glass Wool ◽  
Absorption Measurement ◽  
Ensemble Averaging ◽  
Averaging Technique ◽  
In Situ Conditions ◽  
Measurement Consistency ◽  
Absorption Characteristics

The authors have been published a series of papers on a measurement method for sound absorption characteristics of materials using ensemble averaging technique, i.e., EA method. The papers' results included measurement mechanisms, measurement uncertainty, and so on. Herein, to examine adaptability, especially in in-situ conditions, the EA method is applied to measure absorption characteristics of materials installed in two gymnasiums. A glass-wool panel with the dimension of 0.5 m by 0.5 m by 0.05 m and with the density of 32 kg m^-3 was brought around and measured to check the measurement consistency. Several measurements were conducted during badminton plays were undergoing. Measured sound absorption coefficients revealed that most results agree well with those measured in reverberation rooms. Certain improvement is necessary for the specimen brought to the in-situ measurement to keep the consistency. The inconsistency is considered to originate from unstable conditions between the specimen and floor.

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