Water tanks as ecosystems. Local ecosystemic perception for integral management of water tanks in Tamil Nadu, South India

Water tanks offer from many centuries ago solutions in South India for several problems related with water scarcity. They are a traditional water harvesting system wide spread in this territory, allowing a potential decentralized and participatory management of the local population on their own resources. Although water tanks¿ main function is irrigation, they have many other uses, functions and natural resources associated, involving stakeholders in the villages apart from those farmers making use of the irrigation. Water tanks provide a variety of landscapes and biodiversity that creates a valuable heterogeneous territory. The complexity of such an ecosystem should be managed with an integral perspective, considering all the elements involved and their relations, and understanding that water tanks are not just water deposits. This multidisciplinary study tries to demonstrate the idea of water tanks as ecosystems, describing and analyzing deeply and in an unprecedentedly way the functions, uses, natural resources and stakeholders. The research also focuses in the assessment of the ecosystemic perception of the local population of some villages in Tamil Nadu, employing diverse anthropological methodology.

Dose-dependent effect of atrial natriuretic peptide on blood pressure, heart rate, and skin blood flow of normal volunteers.

Synthetic atrial natriuretic peptide, containing 26 amino acids in the rat sequence, L-364, 343 (Ileu-ANP), was infused intravenously at increasing rates (1-40 micrograms/min) into four normal volunteers. Mean intraarterial blood pressure decreased and heart rate increased in cumulative-dose-dependent fashion. Skin blood flow as measured with a laser Doppler device rose already with a cumulative dose of 55 micrograms Ileu-ANP and further rises were directly related to dose. The only side effects observed were those accompanying symptomatic hypotension at higher doses. These findings provide strong evidence that Ileu-ANP acts as a vasodilator in normal volunteers.

Flow of Cases For Civil Rights Complaints,

Please note the following process describes handling employment, public accommodation, credit, or education cases. The process for housing complaints differs, from timelines to opportunities to seek judicial remedies.

Books, publications, project completion reports, M.S. and Ph. D. theses : research supported by Iowa State Water Resources Research Institute under the Water Resources Research Act of 1964, U.S. Public Law 88-379, U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Water Resources Research, 1970

This book, published jointly by the American Society of Agronomy, Soil Science Society of American and Iowa State University presents the papers that were given at a symposium held in Ames, Iowa, on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 1965 on the general topic of plant environment and efficient water use.

Concentration and estimated flow of soluble non-ammonia nitrogen entering the omasum of dairy cows as influenced by different protein supplements

Selostus: Valkuaistäydennyksen vaikutus lypsylehmän pötsistä virtaavan liukoisen rehuperäisen typen pitoisuuteen ja määrään sisärehuruokinnalla

Assessing the environmental impact of water consumption by energy crops grown in Spain

The environmental impact of the water consumption of four typical crop rotations grown in Spain, including energy crops, was analyzed and compared against Spanish agricultural and natural reference situations. The life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was used for the assessment of the potential environmental impact of blue water (withdrawal from water bodies) and green water (uptake of soil moisture) consumption. The latter has so far been disregarded in LCA. To account for green water, two approaches have been applied: the first accounts for the difference in green water demand of the crops and a reference situation. The second is a green water scarcity index, which measures the fraction of the soil-water plant consumption to the available green water. Our results show that, if the aim is to minimize the environmental impacts of water consumption, the energy crop rotations assessed in this study were most suitable in basins in the northeast of Spain. In contrast, the energy crops grown in basins in the southeast of Spain were associated with the greatest environmental impacts. Further research into the integration of quantitative green water assessment in LCA is crucial in studies of systems with a high dependence on green water resources.

Effect of water stress on nitrogen fixation and nodule structure of common bean

The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of water stress on N2 fixation and nodule structure of two common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars Carioca and EMGOPA-201. Plants were harvested after five and eight days of water stress. Carioca had lower nodule dry weight on both water stress periods; shoot dry weight was lower at five days water stress and did not differ from control after eight days stress. Both cultivars had lower nitrogenase activity than control after five and eight days water stress. For both cultivars, after eight days stress bacteroid membranes were damaged. Carioca presented more pronounced damage to infected tissue, with host cell vacuolation and loss of the peribacteroid membrane at five days after stress; at eight days after stress, there was degradation of cytoplasm host cells and senescence of bacteroids, with their release into intercellular spaces. Intensity of immunogold-labeling of intercellular cortical glycoprotein with the monoclonal antibodies MAC 236/265 was different for both cultivars.

Differences in ureide and amino acid content of water stressed soybean inoculated with Bradyrhizobium japonicum and B. elkanii

The objective of this work was to study the response to water stress of a drought sensitive soybean cultivar inoculated with Bradyrhizobium japonicum (strain CB1809, Semia 586) and B. elkanii (strain 29W, Semia 5019). CB1809 nodulated plants produced a significantly higher root fraction (19%) than 29W (14.6%). Plants inoculated with CB1809 produced less nodules and accumulated more nitrogen than those inoculated with 29W. In general, low amounts of ureides in nodules were found in watered plants inoculated with either CB1809 or 29W strains, but those levels were five-fold increased in stressed plants inoculated with CB1809. Nodules formed by strain CB1809 had aspartate and glutamate as major amino acids, while those formed by 29W had glutamate, asparagine and alanine. In nodules of plants inoculated with CB1809 aspartate showed the highest accumulation (5 µmol g-1); in stressed plants this amino acid reached a value of 26 µmol g-1, and asparagine was not detected. Nodules formed by the strain 29W accumulated 1 µmol g-1 of aspartate, whether plants were stressed or not. Asparagine was the major amino acid found in nodules from watered plants (6 µmol g-1) and the amount of this amino acid was six-fold increased when plants were water stressed.

Genetic structure and gene flow of Eugenia dysenterica natural populations

This study was carried out to assess the genetic variability of ten "cagaita" tree (Eugenia dysenterica) populations in Southeastern Goiás. Fifty-four randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) loci were used to characterize the population genetic variability, using the analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA). A phiST value of 0.2703 was obtained, showing that 27.03% and 72.97% of the genetic variability is present among and within populations, respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) among the genetic distances matrix (1 - Jaccard similarity index) and the geographic distances were estimated, and a strong positive correlation was detected. Results suggest that these populations are differentiating through a stochastic process, with restricted and geographic distribution dependent gene flow.

Tracing of the Rhône River, wastewater, and mixing within Lake Geneva : stable isotope compositions of water and dissolved inorganic carbon

This study presents an evaluation of the stable isotopic composition of water (hydrogen and oxygen) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) of Lake Geneva, a deep, peri-alpine lake situated at the border between Switzerland and France. The research goal is to apply vertical and seasonal variations of the isotope compositions to evaluate mixing processes of pollutants, nutrients and oxygen. Depth profiles were sampled at different locations throughout Lake Geneva on a monthly and seasonal basis over the course of three years (2009-2011). The results of the oxygen isotopic composition indicate a Rhône River interflow, which can be traced for about 55 km throughout the lake during summer. The Rhône River interflow is 7 to 15 m thick and the molar fraction of Rhône water is estimated to amount up to 37 %. Calculated density of the water and measured isotopic compositions demonstrate that the interflow depth changes in conjunction with the density gradient in the water column during fall. Partial pressure of CO2 indicates that the epilimnion is taking up CO2 from the atmosphere between spring and fall. The epilimnion is most enriched in 13CDIC in September and a progressive depletion of 13CDIC can be observed in the metalimnion from spring to late fall. This stratification is dependent on the local density stratification and the results demonstrate that parameters, which are indicating photosynthesis, are not necessarily linked to δ13CDIC values. In addition, the amount of primary production shows a strong discrepancy between summer 2009 and 2010, but δ13CDIC values of the epilimnion and metalimnion do not indicate variations. In the hypolimnion of the deep lake δ13CDIC values are constant and the progressive depletion allows tracing remineralization processes. The combination of stable carbon and oxygen isotopic compositions allows furthermore tracing Rhône River water fractions, as well as wastewater, stormwater and anthropogenic induced carbon in the water column of the shallow Bay of Vidy. In combination with the results of measured micropollutants, the study underlines that concentrations of certain substances may be related to the Rhône River interflow and/or remineralization of particulate organic carbon. Water quality monitoring and research should therefore be extended to the metalimnion as well as sediment water interface.

Effect of water contamination on the shear bond strength of five orthodontic adhesives

Objectives: To evaluate the shear bond strength and site of failure of brackets bonded to dry and wet enamel. Study design: 50 teeth were divided into ten groups of 5 teeth each (10 surfaces). In half the groups enamel was kept dry before bonding, and in the other half distilled water was applied to wet the surface after etching. The following groups were established: 1)Acid/Transbond-XT (dry/wet) XT; 2) Transbond Plus Self Etching Primer (TSEP)/Transbond-XT paste (dry/wet); 3) Concise (dry), Transbond MIP/Concise (wet), 4) FujiOrtho-LC (dry/wet); 5) SmartBond (dry/wet). Brackets were bonded to both buccal and lingual surfaces. Specimens were stored in distilled water (24 hours at 37ºC) and thermocycled. Brackets were debonded using a Universal testing machine (cross-head speed 1 mm/min). Failure sites were classified using a stereomicroscope. Results: No significant differences in bond strength were detected between the adhesives under wet and dry conditions except for Smart- Bond, whose bond strength was significantly lower under dry conditions. For all the adhesives most bond failures were of mixed site location except for Smartbond, which failed at the adhesive-bracket interface. Conclusions: Under wet conditions the bonding capacity of the adhesives tested was similar than under dry conditions, with the exception of SmartBond which improved under wet conditions

Esterification of oleic acid catalayzed by an Aspergillus niger strain. Influence of water activity and alcohol concentration

Effects of water activity and 1-propanol concentration on synthesis of propyl oleate from oleic acid using Aspergillus niger cell-bound lipases in isooctane are described. A. niger produces lipases (EC 3.1.1.3) which partly bind to the mycelium during growth. Ester production was monitored for 72 hours at different 1-propanol concentrations and water activities. Aliquots were sequentially withdrawn and propyl esters were quantified using GC and methyl palmitate as an internal standard. In all assayed conditions A. niger cell-bound lipases catalysed propyl oleate synthesis, but at different degrees.

Papaya pulp gelling: is it premature ripening or problems of water accumulation in the apoplast?

Gelled aspect in papaya fruit is typically confused with premature ripening. This research reports the characterization of this physiological disorder in the pulp of papaya fruit by measuring electrolyte leakage, Pi content, lipid peroxidation, pulp firmness, mineral contents (Ca, Mg and K - in pulp and seed tissues), and histological analysis of pulp tissue. The results showed that the gelled aspect of the papaya fruit pulp is not associated with tissue premature ripening. Data indicate a reduction of the vacuole water intake as the principal cause of the loss of cellular turgor; while the waterlogged aspect of the tissue may be due to water accumulation in the apoplast.

Local perception and use of the multifunctionality of water tanks in two villages of Tamil Nadu, South India

Using data from free listings and a survey in two villages of Tamil Nadu, India, we discuss local perceptions and uses of water tanks, a traditional irrigation infrastructure. We hypothesize that both farmers and nonfarmers perceive and use water tanks for purposes other than irrigation. We found that informants recognized the importance of water tanks for irrigation, but also acknowledged other socioeconomic uses and ecological functions. Marginal sectors (i.e., Scheduled Castes) use tank resources in more diverse ways than other sectors of the population. Findings are relevant for development. International organizations working on the revival of water tanks aim to transfer water management to farmers for the purpose of irrigation. By recognizing that tanks benefit people other than farmers and in ways other than providing irrigation water, organizations working on tank rejuvenation could achieve a more equitable management of tank resources.

Response of the Thermal Conductivity as a Function of Water Content of a Burnt Mediterranean Loam Soil

The purpose of this research is to explore the variability on the soil thermal conductivity -λ- after a prescribe fire, and to assess the effects of the ashes on the heat transfer once it"s were incorporated into the soil matrix. Sampling plot was located in the Montgrí Massif (NE of Spain). A set of 42 soil samples between surface and 5 cm depth was collected before and after the fire. To characterize the soil chemical and physical variables were analyzed. To determine the vari-ability on the soil λ a dry-out curve per scenario (before and after fire) was determined. SoilRho® method based on ASTM D-5334-08 which was validated by LabFerrer was used. Soil thermal conductivity has shown changes in their values. Indeed, in all moisture scenarios the values of soil λ decreased after soil was burnt. The critical point in the rela-tionship ϴ (λ) for the soil after fire which always was stronger than soil before to be burnt. Soil with"white" ashes showed a high thermal conductivity. An X-Ray diffractometry analysis allowed to clarify and to verify these results. To sum up, we could say that thermal conductivity presents changes when the scenario changes, i.e. before and after to be burnt. On the other hand, the volume of ashes incorporated on the soil increased the differences between no burnt and burnt soil, showing even some improvements on the heat transfer when water content started to govern the process.