scholarly journals Influence of Human Activities on Broad-Scale Estuarine-Marine Habitats Using Omics-Based Approaches Applied to Marine Sediments

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shah ◽  
Crosswell ◽  
Metcalfe ◽  
Carlin ◽  
Morrison ◽  
...  

Rapid urban expansion and increased human activities have led to the progressive deterioration of many marine ecosystems. The diverse microbial communities that inhabit these ecosystems are believed to influence large-scale geochemical processes and, as such, analyzing their composition and functional metabolism can be a means to assessing an ecosystem’s resilience to physical and chemical perturbations, or at the very least provide baseline information and insight into future research needs. Here we show the utilization of organic and inorganic contaminant screening coupled with metabolomics and bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequencing to assess the microbial community structure of marine sediments and their functional metabolic output. The sediments collected from Moreton Bay (Queensland, Australia) contained low levels of organic and inorganic contaminants, typically below guideline levels. The sequencing dataset suggest that sulfur and nitrite reduction, dehalogenation, ammonia oxidation, and xylan degradation were the major metabolic functions. The community metabolites suggest a level of functional homogeneity down the 40-cm core depth sampled, with sediment habitat identified as a significant driver for metabolic differences. The communities present in river and sandy channel samples were found to be the most active, with the river habitats likely to be dominated by photoheterotrophs that utilized carbohydrates, fatty acids and alcohols as well as reduce nitrates to release atmospheric nitrogen and oxidize sulfur. Bioturbated mud habitats showed overlapping faunal activity between riverine and sandy ecosystems. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria and lignin-degrading bacteria were most abundant in the sandy channel and bioturbated mud, respectively. The use of omics-based approaches provide greater insight into the functional metabolism of these impacted habitats, extending beyond discrete monitoring to encompassing whole community profiling that represents true phenotypical outputs. Ongoing omics-based monitoring that focuses on more targeted pathway analyses is recommended in order to quantify the flux changes within these systems and establish variations from these baseline measurements.

2015 ◽  
Vol 77 (24) ◽  
Author(s):  
Najwa Husna Sanusi ◽  
Phang Ing Chia ◽  
Noor Faizul Hadry Nordin

Contamination of soil and groundwater pollution is a severe problem, has been attracting considerable public attention over the last decades. With the demand for green and cleaner technology for remediation process, there is an increased interest in moving away from conventional technologies towards bioremediation technologies. Rhizospheric zone is a suitable place for harboring bacteria that are capable to utilize chemical compounds which will be used either to facilitate growth of bacteria or the host plants. Identification of the specific microbial members should allow for better strategies to enhance biodegradation. This study aimed to isolate and identify the rhizospheric associated microbes of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), a plant that commonly available in South East Asia, which could be used in future research on degradation studies of dibenzofuran. This probably is due to their ability to harbor large numbers of bacteria on their highly branched root systems. A total of 68 strains of dibenzofuran (DF)- degrading bacteria isolated from the rhizospheric soil of lemon grass from 2 different unpolluted sites were characterized. The isolates showed the ability to utilize dibenzofuran as the sole carbon and energy source up to 40 ppm. Identification of the isolates based on 16S rRNA gene sequence assigned them as members of the phyla Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, among which those of the genera, Proteobacteria were most abundant. The presented results indicated the potential of these bacterial isolates in bioremediation of dibenzofuran-contaminated soil.


Britannia ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 40 ◽  
pp. 41-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raphaël Clotuche

ABSTRACTThe research undertaken on the Scheldt Valley Commercial Activity Zone was the frst large-scale excavation in the Valenciennes region (northern France), permitting an insight into the organization of a large territory. It has yielded a great wealth of data on land use and settlement and it forms a key point of reference for any future research within the region for each of the studied periods. The article discusses the characteristics of the occupation of the territory, allowing the development of new models for the occupation, structure, and management of the land and the institution of settlements and their related material culture. It argues for a Roman-indigenous land cadaster, until now not observed for this part of Roman France. The different enclosures and their internal organization are described (buildings, wells, ponds, an artisanal zone, a road system, and a burial zone), showing the persistence of numerous protohistoric sites into Roman times, which is explained by the continuity of the agricultural system and a voluntary integration into a Roman administration. The Onnaing-Scheldt Valley demonstrates the importance of large-scale excavations for the understanding of land use.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy Galbreath

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore the extent to which women are advancing in the wine industry, and whether there are conditions which help facilitate their advancement. There is a perception that women are making great strides in the wine industry. However, this perception is largely anecdotal. Design/methodology/approach – All wineries in Australia are examined in each year for the years 2007 to 2013. By relying on a leading wine industry database, women in CEO, winemaker, viticulturist and marketing roles are examined. Findings – With the exception of the marketing role, women are under-represented relative to predicted representation rates. Regarding regional differences, there is no consistent pattern with respect to where women representation in the roles is higher. The findings also suggest that where there is a woman CEO, women are more likely to be represented in winemaker, viticulturist and marketing roles. Research limitations/implications – The study represents Australian wine regions and should not be taken as a general population sample. The representation rates of women in top roles in other wine firms around the world may vary, which could lead to results different than those found in this study. Practical implications – For firms and policy makers interested in increasing the representation rates of women in the wine industry, the results of this study offer some insight into where current rates stand, and what might be underlying these representation rates. This is expected to facilitate debate around the means and mechanisms through which to increase the representation of women in the wine industry. Originality/value – This is the first known large-scale study to examine the representation rates of women in top roles in the wine industry; therefore, it offers both new insights and avenues for future research.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joy Buongiorno ◽  
Katie Sipes ◽  
Kenneth Wasmund ◽  
Alexander Loy ◽  
Karen G. Lloyd

AbstractDistinct lineages of Gammaproteobacteria clade Woeseiales are globally-distributed in marine sediments, based on metagenomic and 16S rRNA gene analysis. Yet little is known about why they are dominant or their ecological role in Arctic fjord sediments, where glacial retreat is rapidly imposing change. This study combined 16S rRNA gene analysis, metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), and genome-resolved metatranscriptomics uncovered the in situ abundance and transcriptional activity of Woeseiales with burial in four shallow sediment sites of Kongsfjorden and Van Keulenfjorden of Svalbard (79°N). We present five novel Woeseiales MAGs and show transcriptional evidence for metabolic plasticity during burial, including sulfur oxidation with reverse dissimilatory sulfite reductase (dsrAB) down to 4 cm depth and nitrite reduction down to 6 cm depth. A single stress protein, spore protein SP21 (hspA), had a tenfold higher mRNA abundance than any other transcript, and was a hundredfold higher on average than other transcripts. At three out of the four sites, SP21 transcript abundance increased with depth, while total mRNA abundance and richness decreased, indicating a shift in investment from metabolism and other cellular processes to build-up of spore protein SP21. The SP21 gene in MAGs was often flanked by genes involved in membrane-associated stress response. The ability of Woeseiales to shift from sulfur oxidation to nitrite reduction with burial into marine sediments with decreasing access to overlying oxic bottom waters, as well as enter into a dormant state dominated by SP21, may account for its ubiquity and high abundance in marine sediments worldwide, including those of the rapidly shifting Arctic.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Gibson ◽  
Andrew T. Crombie ◽  
Niall P. McNamara ◽  
J. Colin Murrell

Abstract Background Isoprene accounts for about half of total biogenic volatile organic compound emissions globally, and as a climate active gas it plays a significant and varied role in atmospheric chemistry. Terrestrial plants are the largest source of isoprene, with willow (Salix) making up one of the most active groups of isoprene producing trees. Bacteria act as a biological sink for isoprene and those bacteria associated with high isoprene-emitting trees may provide further insight into its biodegradation. Results A DNA-SIP experiment incubating willow (Salix fragilis) leaves with 13C-labelled isoprene revealed an abundance of Comamonadaceae, Methylobacterium, Mycobacterium and Polaromonas in the isoprene degrading community when analysed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Metagenomic analysis of 13C-enriched samples confirmed the abundance of Comamonadaceae, Acidovorax, Polaromonas, Variovorax and Ramlibacter. Mycobacterium and Methylobacterium were also identified after metagenomic analysis and a Mycobacterium metagenome-assembled genome (MAG) was recovered. This contained two complete isoprene degradation metabolic gene clusters, along with a propane monooxygenase gene cluster. Analysis of the abundance of the alpha subunit of the isoprene monooxygenase, isoA, in unenriched DNA samples revealed that isoprene degraders associated with willow leaves are abundant, making up nearly 0.2% of the natural bacterial community. Conclusions Analysis of the isoprene degrading community associated with willow leaves using DNA-SIP and focused metagenomics techniques enabled recovery of the genome of an active isoprene-degrading Mycobacterium species and provided valuable insight into bacteria involved in degradation of isoprene on the leaves of a key species of isoprene-emitting tree in the northern hemisphere.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyce Taylor-Brown ◽  
Rosie Booth ◽  
Amber Gillett ◽  
Erica Mealy ◽  
Steven Ogbourne ◽  
...  

AbstractIncreasing human population size and the concomitant expansion of urbanisation significantly impact natural ecosystems and native fauna globally. Successful conservation management relies on precise information on the factors associated with wildlife population decline, which are challenging to acquire from natural populations. Wildlife Rehabilitation Centres (WRC) provide a rich source of this information. However, few researchers have conducted large-scale longitudinal studies, with most focussing on narrow taxonomic ranges, suggesting that WRC-associated data remains an underutilised resource, and may provide a fuller understanding of the anthropogenic threats facing native fauna.We analysed admissions and outcomes data from a WRC in Queensland, Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, to determine the major factors driving admissions and morbidity of native animals in a region experiencing rapid and prolonged urban expansion.We studied 31,626 admissions of 83 different species of native birds, reptiles, amphibians, marsupials and eutherian mammals from 2006 to 2017. While marsupial admissions were highest (41.3%), admissions increased over time for all species and exhibited seasonal variation (highest in Spring to Summer), consistent with known breeding seasons.Causes for admission typically associated with human influenced activities were dominant and exhibited the highest mortality rates. Car strikes were the most common reason for admission (34.7%), with dog attacks (9.2%), entanglements (7.2%), and cat attacks (5.3% also high. Admissions of orphaned young and overt signs of disease were significant at 24.6% and 9.7%, respectively. Mortality rates were highest following dog attacks (72.7%) and car strikes (69.1%) and lowest in orphaned animals (22.1%).Our results show that WRC databases offer rich opportunities for wildlife monitoring and provide quantification of the negative impacts of human activities on ecosystem stability and wildlife health. The imminent need for urgent, proactive conservation management to ameliorate the negative impacts of human activities on wildlife is clearly evident from our results.


Machines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 281
Author(s):  
Michal Matějásko ◽  
Martin Brablc ◽  
Martin Appel ◽  
Robert Grepl

In large-scale manufacturing and assembly applications, especially when trying to automate most steps, implementing quality control as early in the process as possible is the key to prevent expenses later. We deal mainly with the production of DC motor powered fuel pumps, which are commonly used in the automotive industry. The goal of this paper is to present a newly developed technique for non-invasive fault detection of a DC motor’s direction of rotation using a stray magnetic field out of the motor chassis. The results presented in this paper show that it is possible to detect faults even on low-power motors while the algorithm is kept as simple as possible to allow for large-scale deployment on a production line. It also gives new insight into the behavior of the stray magnetic field of electric motors, which may benefit other applications and future research.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-82
Author(s):  
Soumi Paul ◽  
Paola Peretti ◽  
Saroj Kumar Datta

Building customer relationships and customer equity is the prime concern in today’s business decisions. The emergence of internet, especially social media like Facebook and Twitter, changed traditional marketing thought to a great extent. The importance of customer orientation is reflected in the axiom, “The customer is the king”. A good number of organizations are engaging customers in their new product development activities via social media platforms. Co-creation, a new perspective in which customers are active co-creators of the products they buy and use, is currently challenging the traditional paradigm. The concept of co-creation involving the customer’s knowledge, creativity and judgment to generate value is considered not only an upcoming trend that introduces new products or services but also fitting their need and increasing value for money. Knowledge and innovation are inseparable. Knowledge management competencies and capacities are essential to any organization that aspires to be distinguished and innovative. The present work is an attempt to identify the change in value creation procedure along with one area of business, where co-creation can return significant dividends. It is on extending the brand or brand category through brand extension or line extension. This article, through an in depth literature review analysis, identifies the changes in every perspective of this paradigm shift and it presents a conceptual model of company-customer-brand-based co-creation activity via social media. The main objective is offering an agenda for future research of this emerging trend and ensuring the way to move from theory to practice. The paper acts as a proposal; it allows the organization to go for this change in a large scale and obtain early feedback on the idea presented. 


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