Current status, uncertainty and future needs in soil organic carbon monitoring

Increasing human demands on soil-derived ecosystem services requires reliable data on global soil resources for sustainable development. The soil organic carbon (SOC) pool is a key indicator of soil quality as it affects essential biological, chemical and physical soil functions such as nutrient cycling, pesticide and water retention, and soil structure maintenance. However, information on the SOC pool, and its temporal and spatial dynamics is unbalanced. Even in well-studied regions with a pronounced interest in environmental issues information on soil carbon (C) is inconsistent. Several activities for the compilation of global soil C data are under way. However, different approaches for soil sampling and chemical analyses make even regional comparisons highly uncertain. Often, the procedures used so far have not allowed the reliable estimation of the total SOC pool, partly because the available knowledge is focused on not clearly defined upper soil horizons and the contribution of subsoil to SOC stocks has been less considered. Even more difficult is quantifying SOC pool changes over time. SOC consists of variable amounts of labile and recalcitrant molecules of plant, and microbial and animal origin that are often operationally defined. A comprehensively active soil expert community needs to agree on protocols of soil surveying and lab procedures towards reliable SOC pool estimates. Already established long-term ecological research sites, where SOC changes are quantified and the underlying mechanisms are investigated, are potentially the backbones for regional, national, and international SOC monitoring programs. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Análise do imprinting e da expressão dos genes H19 e IGF2 em células de Sertoli humanas apos exposição in vitro ao 2,3,7,8-Tetraclorodibenzo-p-dioxina (TCDD)

Pós-graduação em Biologia Geral e Aplicada - IBB

Desenvolvimento do sistema radicular de amaranto (Amaranthus cruentus, variedade BRS Alegria), de milheto (Pennisetum glaucum (L.), variedade BN-2) e de pé de galinha (Eleusine coracana L.) em duas classes de solo e quatro densidades

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Desenvolvimento de larenjeira 'Pera' Citrus Sinensis (L.) Osbeck enxertada em limoeiro 'Cravo' (Citrus Limonia) e cultivada em pó de balsalto

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Botânica) - IBB

Análise de crescimento, curva de absorção de macronutrientes (N, P e K) e teor de beta- ecdisona em fáfia (Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng). Pedersen em função de adubação orgânica

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Avaliação sazonal dos efeitos do enriquecimento por N e P sobre o perifíton em represa tropical rasa mesotrófica (Lago das Ninféias, São Paulo)

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Biologia Vegetal) - IBRC

Structure and thermal behavior of PMMA-polysilsesquioxane organic-inorganic hybrids

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Electrochemical Determination of Organic Compounds in Automotive Fuels

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Generation and Concomitant Organic Dye Oxidation under TiO2 Nanotube

The present work describes the photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation during a photodegradation of an organic compound. For this, it was chosen the reactive black 5 dye as a model of organic pollutant and its oxidation under TiO2 nanotube in a two compartment cell. The photoelectrocatalysis is conducted in 0.1 mol L-1 Na2SO4 pH 6 medium under photoanode biased at +1.0 V (SCE) and activated by UV and visible light using 150W Xe-Arc lamp (Oriel) and 125 W Hg lamp (Osram). The concomitant hydrogen production was monitored at cathodic compartment using a Pt cathode. Using optimized condition of Na2SO4 0.1 mol L-1 pH 6 as supporting electrolyte, applied potential of +1.0V it was verified 100% of discoloration and 72% of TOC removal of 1.0 x 10(-5) mol L-1 Reactive Black 5 dye after 120 min of treatment (rate constant of 10.6 x10(-2) min(-1)). The concomitant hydrogen generation was 44% in this condition.

Heavy Metals Extracted by DTPA and Organic Acids from Soil Amended with Urban or Industrial Residues

Understanding soil responses to the application of urban or industrial residues is necessary. In the current experiment, both sources of residues were applied to the soil surface of a Hapludox soil for 8 years. The four residues studied were biodigested and centrifuged sewage sludge (LB and LC, respectively), steel slag from the metallurgic industry (E), and limed mud from the pulp and cellulose industry (LCal). The residues were applied at 0, 2, 4, and 8 Mg ha(-1) four times from 2002 to 2010 when soybean was cultivated in the summer and lopsided oat and sorghum were cultivated during the winter. The contents of heavy metals were evaluated with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) and organic acids. The LB was the residue that increased the contents of soil micronutrients and heavy metals to their greatest levels, although within limits that impair the risks of environmental contamination.

Vibrational spectroscopy for probing molecular-level interactions in organic films mimicking biointerfaces

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Evaluation of a commercially available organic acid product on body weight loss, carcass yield, and meat quality during preslaughter feed withdrawal in broiler chickens: A poultry welfare and economic perspective

The effect of a commercial organic acid (OA) product on BW loss (BWL) during feed withdrawal and transportation, carcass yield, and meat quality was evaluated in broiler chickens. Two experiments were conducted in Brazil. Commercial houses were paired as control groups receiving regular water and treated groups receiving OA in the water. Treated birds had a reduction in BWL of 37 g in experiment 1 and 32.2 g in experiment 2. In experiment 2, no differences were observed in carcass yield between groups. Estimation of the cost benefit suggested a 1: 16 ratio by using the OA. In experiment 3, conducted in Mexico, significant differences on water consumption, BWL, and meat quality characteristics were observed in chickens that were treated with the OA (P < 0.05). These data suggest this OA product may improve animal welfare and economic concerns in the poultry industry by reducing BWL and improving meat quality attributes.

Use of organic acids and competitive exclusion product as an alternative to antibiotic as a growth promoter in the raising of commercial turkeys

Processo FAPESP: 10/20655-3

Root system and root and stem base organic reserves of pasture Tanzania grass fertilizer with nitrogen under grazing

The goal of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) and of total nitrogen (N), as well as, to evaluate the root system in Tanzania-grass pastures fertilized with doses of urea in fall, spring and summer. The experiment was conducted at the Experimental Farm of Iguatemi, Maringa, Parana, Brazil, from March 2007 to March 2008. The experimental design was complete random blocks with subplots and four repetitions. The plots showed doses of N (50, 100 e 150 kg ha(-1) of N) plus the control (no N fertilization), and the subplots the season of the year. Root samples were taken at depths of 0-10, 10-20 and 20-40 cm. Root biomass showed a trend for mass accumulation up to a dosage of 100 kg ha(-1) for all seasons evaluated. Also, about 80% of the root system of Tanzaniagrass plants was found on the 0-10 cm layer for all dosages of N. Nitrogen fertilizer above 100 kg ha(-1) may foster fast forage plant growth reducing its NSC root storage capacity although favoring NSC and total N storage at stem base. NSC and total N concentrations were highest in fall, demonstrating that its usage is greater in spring due to the weather conditions being favorable to plant growth. In the regrowth, the largest reserve of total N was at the 0-10 cm root layer and the largest NSC reserve is at stem base.

Ozonated water and chlorine effects on the antioxidant properties of organic and conventional broccoli during postharvest

There is growing interest in studies on sanitizers other than chlorine that can maintain the quality of organic products without affecting their phytochemical content. The effects of using chlorinated and ozonized water treatments, as sanitizing procedures, on the post-harvest quality of organic and conventional broccoli (Brassica oleracea L.) cv. Italica was evaluated. The biochemical parameters (chlorophyll, polyphenols, flavonoids, vitamin C and antioxidant capacity) of the broccoli samples were analyzed at day (C) (arrival of the plant from the field, original features), and 1, 4 and 7 days after harvest. The polyamine analysis was performed on arrival of the plant from the field and on the first and seventh days. The cultivation procedure influenced polyphenol, vitamin C and total chlorophyll content, and the highest value was observed in organic broccoli after the fourth day. Flavenoid content was higher in organic broccoli. The use of ozone appears not to have had an influence on the amount of polyphenolic, flavonoids and vitamin C during storage. Total chlorophyll content was less affected by ozonized water than by the chlorine treatment as at the first and fourth days of storage. The highest content of putrescine was found in conventional broccoli, while the highest levels of spermidine and spermine were found in organic broccoli. Antioxidant capacity was highest in organic broccoli after day 4 of storage and was affected by the bioactive compounds analyzed. Methods of cultivation influenced natural antioxidant and chlorophyll contents in broccoli under cold storage.