Estudo proteômico da interação do Aspergillus fumigatus com células endoteliais da veia umbilical humana (HUVECs)

O Aspergillus fumigatus é o principal agente etiológico da aspergilose invasiva, uma infecção fúngica oportunista que acomete, principalmente, pacientes de Unidades Hematológicas, como aqueles com neutropenia profunda e prolongada. Após a filamentação este fungo angioinvasivo é capaz de ativar e causar danos em células endoteliais de veia umbilical humana (HUVEC) que passam a expressar um fenótipo pró-trombótico. A ativação destas células, dependente de contato célulacélula, é mediada por TNF-α e caracterizada pela expressão de moléculas próinflamatórias, como citocinas, quimiocinas e moléculas de adesão. Recentemente, nosso grupo comparou a ativação endotelial de HUVECs desafiadas com cepas selvagens e uma cepa mutante para o gene UGM1. Nestes experimentos a cepa mutante Δugm1, que apresenta um fenótipo de maior produção de galactosaminogalactana (GAG) na parede celular, mostrou um fenótipo hiperadesivo e uma capacidade maior de ativar células endoteliais. Entretanto, os receptores e as vias de sinalização envolvidos nesta ativação permanecem desconhecidos. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar as proteínas envolvidas nestes processos através do estudo das proteínas diferencialmente expressas nas HUVECs após a interação com A. fumigatus, usando a técnica proteômica 2D-DIGE. Brevemente, as HUVECs foram infectadas com tubos germinativos da cepa selvagem (AF293) e da cepa Δugm1 de A. fumigatus. Em seguida, as proteínas foram marcadas com diferentes fluorocromos e separadas por eletroforese bidimensional. A análise quantitativa foi realizada utilizando o software DeCyder. Foram identificadas por MS/MS cinco proteínas diferencialmente expressas, incluindo a galectina-1 e a anexina A2, ambas mais expressas após a interação, sendo a primeira ~25% mais expressa após a interação com a mutante Δugm1. Este trabalho propõe que a galectina-1 poderia ser o receptor endotelial para polímeros de galactose presentes na parede celular do A. fumigatus, e que a Anexina A2 poderia estar envolvida na sinalização intracelular em resposta a este patógeno. No entanto, experimentos complementares, em curso, são necessários para comprovar esta hipótese.

Use of homeo drug for curing ulcerative syndrome in fishes

Fungal infection was observed in Catla catla and Labeo rohita cultured in two private fish farms. The later stage of the infection resulted in ulcerations followed by haemorrhage on the dorsal surface of the body. Initially, usual treatments of copper sulphate, potassium permanganate and common salt solution were tried, but no improvement was observed. Then repeated intramuscular injections of homeopathic drug Heaper Sulpher and Arnica spray were given with encouraging results. Infection reported in another farm was also successfully controlled using a similar treatment.

The spatial pattern of the small fish community in the Biandantang Lake - a small shallow lake along the middle reach of the Yangtze River, China

The spatial pattern of the small fish community was studied seasonally in 1996 in the Biandantang Lake. Based on plant cover, the lake was divided into five habitats, arranged in the order by plant structure complexity from complex to simple: Vallisneria spiralis habitat (V habitat), Vallisneria spiralis-Myriophyllum spicatum habitat (V-M habitat), Myriophyllum spicatum habitat (M habitat), Nelunbo nucefera habitat (N habitat), and no vegetation habitat (NV habitat). A modified popnet was used for quantitative sampling of small fishes. A total of 16 fish species were collected; Hypseleotris swinhonis, Ctenogobius giurinus, Pseudorasbora parva, Carassius auratus and Paracheilognathus imberis were the five numerically dominant species. In both summer and autumn, the total density of small fishes was about 10 ind m(-2). Generally, Ctenogobius giurinus, a sedatory, benthic fish, was distributed more or less evenly among the five habitats, while the other four species had lower densities in the N habitat and NV habitat, which had the simplest structures. The distribution of the small fish species showed seasonal variations. In winter, most species concentrated in the V habitat, which had the most complex structure. In spring, the fish had low densities in the N and NV habitat, and were more or less evenly distributed in the other habitats. In summer, the fish had a low density in the NV habitat, and were evenly distributed in the other habitats. In autumn, the fish had higher densities in the V-M and M habitats than in the others. Generally, spatial overlaps between the dominant species were higher in winter than in the other seasons. It was suggested that the variations in the importance of predation risk and resource competition in habitat choice determined the seasonal changes of spatial patterns in the small fishes in the Biandantang Lake.

乙草胺、甲胺磷及其复合对黑土真菌的生态效应

农药对土壤微生物区系结构和功能的影响以及潜在的生态风险成为人们关注的热点之一。本文以中科院海伦生态站农田黑土作为实验土壤，采用室内模拟的方法，利用传统的（CFU和ergosterol）及分子微生物生态学技术（DGGE，real-time PcR，clolle library）研究了乙草胺、甲胺磷及其复合对黑土真菌的生态效应，并得出以下结果：经8周处理，中、高浓度乙草胺（150和250mgkg-1）对土壤真菌数量、生物量和可培养真菌种群多样性具有长期抑制效应。乙草胺处理8周后可培养真菌和土壤固氮微生物n州基因的种群结构不能得到恢复，而总的真菌结构可基本恢复。甲胺磷对土壤可培养真菌数量和生物量具有促进作用，以高浓度（250mgkg~(-1)）尤为显著。高浓度甲胺磷（25omgkg~(-1)）对nifH基因多样性有长期抑制效应。甲胺磷处理8周后可培养真菌种群结构不可恢复，而总的真菌和n积基因种群结构可部分恢复。两者复合后对真菌数量，生物量，多样性及n担基因多样性的影响无论是促进还是抑制其作用强度都大于单因子。处理8周后可培养真菌、总的真菌和n州基因三者的种群结构均不可恢复。克隆测序分析发现乙草胺、甲胺磷及其复合可明显促进植物致病真菌（colletolrichum；truncatum，Rhizoctonia zeae，Fusarium oxysporum）的生长，同时使土壤中常见的青霉菌数量减少，使农药处理后具有潜在的植物病害爆发的风险。本试验结果表明，乙草胺、甲胺磷及其复合对土壤真菌数量、结构、多样性和功能基因nifH的多样性及其种群组成有不同程度的影响，甚至产生某些不可逆的长期生态效应。复合处理对土壤真菌的影响要大于两个单因子作用，表现了明显的复合生态效应。一般来说受到午扰的真菌种群结构不容易自然恢复，因此建议在施用这两种农药过程中要避免大量、频繁的单独或复合施用。

花椒的化感作用对凋落物分解的影响及机理研究

花椒（Zanthoxylum bungeanum）是川西干旱河谷地区重要的经济作物，化感作用是花椒连作障碍的重要原因之一。花椒凋落物分解是影响花椒林地土壤肥力及花椒产量的重要因素，因此系统研究花椒化感作用是否对花椒凋落物的分解产生影响可以为解决花椒连作障碍导致的产量下降等问题提供科学的理论依据。本文通过室内模拟实验研究了花椒凋落物的四个分解动态以及分解后凋落物浸提液对花椒林地土壤性质的影响；通过野外盆栽实验研究了花椒凋落物浸提液对花椒幼苗的生长、花椒凋落物的质量及土壤性质的影响。最终从生理生化角度揭示了花椒的化感作用对凋落物分解的影响机理，为深入解决花椒连作障碍问题、对花椒凋落物采取有效的人工措施提供了科学的理论依据。主要的研究结果如下： 1. 室内分解实验证明，花椒凋落物在分解的60 d 内分解速率呈现由大到小的变化趋势，并且凋落物分解呈现明显的毒性动态。凋落物在分解的10 d、30 d 时，分解速率较大，30 d 以后分解速率显著降低。凋落物分解的10 d 左右酚酸释放量最大，此时凋落物的毒性最大，凋落物分解到10 d 以后，酚酸释放量逐渐减少，凋落物的毒性也逐渐减小。 2. 四个分解动态的花椒凋落物浸提液对土壤化学性质产生了显著的影响。花椒凋落物在分解的60 d 内，其浸提液使土壤pH值均显著的增加。分解0 d 的凋落物浸提液显著的降低了土壤铵态氮的含量，抑制了纤维素分解菌的生长；分解60 d 的凋落物浸提液显著的降低了土壤酚酸含量，增加了土壤有效磷的含量；分解30 d 和60 d 的凋落物浸提液均显著的促进了好气性纤维素分解菌的生长。这说明花椒凋落物在分解过程中呈现出明显的毒性动态：凋落物分解的初期毒性作用较大，随着分解的继续进行特别是在分解的30 d 以后，其毒性作用慢慢降低。 3. 花椒凋落物浸提液对花椒幼苗表现出明显的化感作用。不同浓度的浸提液对花椒幼苗地上及地下生物量、叶面积均产生了显著的抑制作用，并且随着浸提液浓度的升高抑制作用加强。凋落物浸提液对叶片厚度的影响较小，只有Y1对叶片厚度的生长抑制作用显著。 4. 花椒的化感作用改变了凋落物的质量，并对凋落物分解产生了显著的影响。对花椒幼苗用不同浓度的凋落物浸提液进行处理，Y1使凋落物有机碳含量、木质素含量、C/N、木质素/氮显著降低，纤维素含量显著升高；Y3使凋落物有机碳含量、木质素含量、C/N、木质素/氮显著升高。花椒凋落物质量的改变显著的影响了凋落物的分解，凋落物的分解速率大小依次为：Y1（10.15 a-1）> Y2（8.71 a-1）> CK（6.41 a-1）> Y3（5.08 a-1）。 5. 花椒的化感作用改变了土壤性质，并对凋落物分解产生了显著的影响。对花椒幼苗用不同浓度的凋落物浸提液处理的同时，也改变了土壤性质。不同浓度的凋落物浸提液显著的升高了土壤pH值、有机碳含量。各种浓度的凋落物浸提液对土壤多酚氧化酶的活性均起到了显著的促进作用。凋落物浸提液Y1对土壤纤维素分解酶的活性、细菌和真菌的生长也具有显著的促进作用。土壤性质的改变显著的影响了凋落物的分解，凋落物的分解速率大小依次为：Y1（10.30 a-1）>Y2（9.60 a-1）>CK（6.41 a-1）>Y3（6.29 a-1）。 6. 不论是凋落物质量发生改变还是土壤性质发生改变，在凋落物分解的整个过程中，C元素始终处于单调净释放的状态，并且C释放量与分解速率成显著的正相关，即凋落物分解越快，凋落物C释放量越大。凋落物分解过程中，均出现了酚酸大量释放的情况，并与凋落物分解速率成显著正相关。凋落物分解后的木质素含量、木质素/氮均增加，并且随着浸提液浓度的升高，凋落物木质素含量、木质素/氮升高。 Zanthoxylum bungeanum is an important economic crop in dry valley of the Minjiang river (Sichuan, Southwest China), but allelopathy is one of the important reasons for its continuous cropping. Zanthoxylum bungeanum litter decomposition affects Zanthoxylum bungeanum soil fertility and its output. So systemically investigate if allelopathy affects litter decomposition could provide the scientific methods to solve the problem of output fall caused by the continuous cropping. In this paper, the releasing dynamics of phenolic acid during Zanthoxylum bungeanum litter decomposition (0, 10, 30 and 60 days) and the effects of its aqueous extract on soil chemical properties were investigated via the laboratory study. Effects of Zanthoxylum bungeanum litter aqueous extract on the growth of young Zanthoxylum bungeanum seedlings, litter qualities and the soil qualities were investigated via the field study. Finally, we open out the action manner of Zanthoxylum bungeanum allelopathic effect on the litter decomposition, and provide the theoretical basis to solve the Zanthoxylum bungeanum continuous cropping. The main results showed that: 1. The laboratory litter decomposition experiment showed a trend of decomposition rate from large to small and an occurrence of phytotoxicity with clear dynamic patterns during Zanthoxylum bungeanum litter decomposition. The litter decomposition rate was larger at the tenth and 30th day during 60-day litter decomposition and gradually decreased after 30 days of litter decompostion. The releasing quantity of the litter phenolic acid was the highest at the tenth day, and here, the litter toxicity was the biggest. The releasing quantity of the litter phenolic acid gradually decreased after 10 days of litter decomposition, so the phytotoxicity of litter was gradually decreased with the litter decomposition. 2. The Zanthoxylum bungeanum litter aqueous extract after four decomposition stages had significantly effect on the soil chemical qualities. The pH value in soil was significantly increased in litter aqueous extract of four decomposition stages. The NH+4-N concentration was significantly decreased in soil amended with litter aqueous extract of 10-day decomposition which inhibited the growth of Aerobic cellulose-decomposer. The growth of soil Aerobic cellulose-decomposer was promoted by the litter aqueous extract of 30-day decomposition. Available phosphorus concentration was significantly increased and phenolic acid content was significantly decreased in soil amended with litter aqueous extract of 60-day decomposition which promoted the growth of Aerobic cellulose-decomposer. The study results showed an occurrence of phytotoxicity with clear dynamic patterns during Zanthoxylum bungeanum litter decomposition. The phytotoxicity of litter was the largest at the initial stage, but the phytotoxicity gradually decreased with the litter decomposition, especially after 30 days of decomposition. 3. The field study indicated that the Zanthoxylum bungeanum litter aqueous extract had significant allelopathic effects on the growth of young seedlings.Different concentration aqueous extract had signinficant inhibiting effects on biomass and leaf area of young seedlings. The inhibiting effect on the biomass strengthened with the litter aqueous extract concentration augment. Litter aqueous extracts had less effect on the leaf thickness, and only Y1 had significant inhibiting effect on the leaf thickness. 4. The Zanthoxylum bungeanum allelopathy had significant effect on the litter qualities and the litter decomposition. Treating the young Zanthoxylum bungeanum seedlings with different concentration of litter aqueous extracts, the leaf litter organic C, lignin, C/N and lignin/N all decreased and the cellulose content increased under Y1 treatment. The leaf litter organic C, lignin, C/N and lignin/N all increased under Y3 treatment. So the litter decomposition was significant affectded by the litter qualities, and the litter decomposition rate was Y1(10.15 a-1)> Y2(8.71 a-1) > CK(6.41 a-1) > Y3(5.08 a-1). 5. The Zanthoxylum bungeanum allelopathy had significant effect on the soil qualities and the litter decomposition. Treating the young Zanthoxylum bungeanum seedlings with different concentration of litter aqueous extracts, also changed the soil qualities. Different concentration of litter aqueous extracts had significant effects on the soil pH and organic C content. Every concentration of litter aqueous extracts accelerated the soil Polyphenol Oxidase activity and Y1 accelerated the soil Cellulase activity, the number of soil bacteria and fungi. So the litter decomposition was significant affected by the soil qualities, and the litter decomposition rate was Y1(10.30 a-1) > Y2 (9.60 a-1) >CK(6.41 a-1)>Y3(6.29 a-1)。 6. Whether the litter or soil qualities changed, the litter C element at the state of release at all times during the litter decomposition, and the release quantity increased with the decomposition rate augment. Litter released plentiful total penolics content during decomposition, and the release quantity had the positive correlation with the litter decomposition rate. The litter lignin content and the lignin/N all increased with the litter aqueous extracts concentration augment after litter decomposition.

不同林龄植被培肥改良土壤效益研究

在黄土丘陵沟壑区森林植被能够明显改善生态环境 ,防止土地退化 ,提高土壤中有机质、速效氮和速效钾的含量 ,降低土壤pH和容重 ;快速显著地增加土体中 >0 .2 5mm水稳性团聚体和 >5 0 μm微团粒的数量 ,使土壤结构改善 ,协调供应养分和水分的能力提高 ;能促进黏粒形成 ,坚实度增加 ,土壤的抗蚀性和抗冲性提高 ,有效地减少水土流失。植被对土壤的培肥改良是一种正向持续反馈机制 ,时间越长 ,效益越显著

蔬菜温室土壤某些化学性质的演变特征

To explore the changes of soil chemical properties in vegetable greenhouse,a comparative study was carried out with the samples gathered from vegetable greenhouse fields and their adjacent upland fields in Damintun Town,Xinming County,Liaoning Province.The results showed that compared with upland fields,the contents of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen in greenhouse fields increased significantly.At the depth of 0～30 cm,soil organic carbon in greenhouses of 1-,4-and 10-year increased by 31.09%,35.44%,and 66.80%,respectively,compared with the upland soil.Soil nitrate content at the depth of 0～30 cm in greenhouse fields was 5.05～12.49 times as much as that in upland fields.The nitrate content in different soil layers increased with the increasing age of greenhouse field.,e.g.,at the depth of 20～30 cm,soil nitrate content was significantly higher in 10-year than in 1-and 4-year greenhouse field,with an increase of 65.73% and 50.89%,respectively,and 6.55 times as much as that in upland field,which indicated that soil nitrate transported downwards,and obviously enriched in deeper soil layers under heavy application of fertilizer.Also with the increasing age of greenhouse field,soil pH decreased,while soil soluble salts accumulated.

Possible interactions between environmental factors in determining species optima

Questions: 1. Indicator values, such as those of Ellenberg, for different environmental factors are seen as independent. We tested for the presence of interactions between environmental factors ( soil moisture and reaction) to see if this assumption is simplistic. 2. How close are Ellenberg indicator values (IVs) related to the observed optima of species response curves in an area peripheral to those where they have been previously employed and 3. Can the inclusion of bryophytes add to the utility of IVs?

Location: South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK.

Methods: Two grids (ca. 2000 m x 2000 m) were sampled at 50-m intervals across the transition from machair to upland communities covering an orthogonal gradient of both soil pH ( reaction) and soil moisture content. Percentage cover data for vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens were recorded, along with pH and moisture content of the underlying sand/soil/peat. Reaction optima, derived from species response curves calculated using HOF models, were compared between wet and dry sites, and moisture optima between acidic and basic samples. Optima for the whole data set were compared to Ellenberg IVs to assess their performance in this area, with and without the inclusion of bryophytes.

Results: A number of species showed substantially different pH optima at high and low soil moisture contents (18% of those tested) and different soil moisture optima at high and low pH (49%). For a number of species the IVs were poor predictors of their actual distribution across the sampled area. Bryophytes were poor at explaining local variation in the environmental factors and also their inclusion with vascular plants negatively affected the strength of relationships.

Conclusions: A substantial number of species showed an interaction between soil moisture and reaction in determining their optima on the two respective gradients. It should be borne in mind that IVs such as Ellenberg's may not be independent of one another.

A generalized functional response for predators that switch between multiple prey species

We develop a theory for the food intake of a predator that can switch between multiple prey species. The theory addresses empirical observations of prey switching and is based on the behavioural assumption that a predator tends to continue feeding on prey that are similar to the prey it has consumed last, in terms of, e.g., their morphology, defences, location, habitat choice, or behaviour. From a predator's dietary history and the assumed similarity relationship among prey species, we derive a general closed-form multi-species functional response for describing predators switching between multiple prey species. Our theory includes the Holling type II functional response as a special case and makes consistent predictions when populations of equivalent prey are aggregated or split. An analysis of the derived functional response enables us to highlight the following five main findings. (1) Prey switching leads to an approximate power-law relationship between ratios of prey abundance and prey intake, consistent with experimental data. (2) In agreement with empirical observations, the theory predicts an upper limit of 2 for the exponent of such power laws. (3) Our theory predicts deviations from power-law switching at very low and very high prey-abundance ratios. (4) The theory can predict the diet composition of a predator feeding on multiple prey species from diet observations for predators feeding only on pairs of prey species. (5) Predators foraging on more prey species will show less pronounced prey switching than predators foraging on fewer prey species, thus providing a natural explanation for the known difficulties of observing prey switching in the field. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental factors, clipping and fire: effects on cerrado (Brazilian savanna) native and invasive grasses

The Brazilian Cerrado houses a hugely diverse biota and is considered a conservation hotspot. One of the greatest threats to the integrity of this ecosystem is introduced African grasses, which can competitively exclude native grasses and cause changes in the microclimate and other disturbances. The Cerrado is a mosaic vegetation that provides different combinations, both spatially and temporally, of conditions that can become natural stressors to the herbaceous vegetation (water, nutrient and light availability). These mosaics are reflected in differences in relationships among native and invasive species, affecting competition and creating situations (place/season) that are more, or less, susceptible to invasion. The present study aimed to identify the different biological responses of native (Aristida recurvata, Aristida setifolia, Axonopus barbigerus, Echinolaena inflexa, Gymnopogon spicatus, Paspalum gardnerianum, Paspalum stellatum, Schizachyrium microstachyum, Schizachyrium sanguineum) and invasive (Melinis minutiflora and Andropogon gayanus) grasses to variations in natural stressors and to disturbance (fire and clipping), in order to understand changes in ecosystem functioning and competition processes between the grasses, and to understand invasion dynamics in this ecosystem. The presence of invasive species proved to affect the ecosystem functioning by increasing soil feeding activity. These differences were no longer observed in the dry season or when fires were frequent, showing that water availability and fire are more detrimental to soil feeding activity than is the vegetation. Laboratory experiments showed that both drought and flood simulated scenarios damaged both species, although the invasive species performed better under all watering conditions and responded better to fertilization. Underlying mechanisms such as the efficiency of photosynthesis and antioxidant mechanisms helped to explain this behavior. The invasive species grew faster and showed less cellular damage and a healthier photosystem, reflected in higher assimilation rates under stress. These differences between the native and invasive species were reduced with clipping, especially in dry soil with no fertilization, where the native species recovered better in relation to the pre-clipping levels. Flooding was as stressful as drought, but the invasive species can bypass this issue by growing an extensive root system, especially in the better-drained soils. Fire is more detrimental than clipping, with a slower recovery, while post-fire temperatures affect the germination of both invasive and native seeds and may be an important factor influencing the persistence of a diverse biota. This approach will finally contribute to the choice of the appropriate management techniques to preserve the Cerrado’s biodiversity.

Single and joint effects of natural and chemical stressors to the terrestrial isopod Porcellionides pruinosus

Environmental contamination and climate changes constitute two of the most serious problems affecting soil ecosystems in agricultural fields. Agriculture is nowadays a highly optimized process that strongly relies on the application of multiple pesticides to reduce losses and increase yield production. Although constituting, per se, a serious problem to soil biota, pesticide mixtures can assume an even higher relevance in a context of unfavourable environmental conditions. Surprisingly, frameworks currently established for environmental risk assessments keep not considering environmental stressors, such as temperature, soil moisture or UV radiation, as factors liable to influence the susceptibility of organisms to pesticides, or pesticide mixtures, which is raising increasing apprehension regarding their adequacy to actually estimate the risks posed by these compounds to the environment. Albeit the higher attention received on the last few years, the influence of environmental stressors on the behaviour and toxicity of chemical mixtures remains still poorly understood. Aiming to contribute for this discussion, the main goal of the present thesis was to evaluate the single and joint effects of natural stressors and pesticides to the terrestrial isopod Porcellionides pruinosus. The first approach consisted on evaluating the effects of several abiotic factors (temperature, soil moisture and UV radiation) on the performance of P. pruinosus using several endpoints: survival, feeding parameters, locomotor activity and avoidance behaviour. Results showed that these stressors might indeed affect P. pruinosus at relevant environmental conditions, thus suggesting the relevance of their consideration in ecotoxicological assays. At next, a multiple biomarker approach was used to have a closer insight into the pathways of damage of UV radiation and a broad spectrum of processes showed to be involved (i.e. oxidative stress, neurotoxicity, energy). Furthermore, UV effects showed to vary with the environment medium and growth-stage. A similar biomarker approach was employed to assess the single and joint effects of the pesticides chlorpyrifos and mancozeb to P. pruinosus. Energy-related biomarkers showed to be the most differentiating parameters since age-classes seemed to respond differently to contamination stress and to have different metabolic costs associated. Finally, the influence of temperature and soil moisture on the toxicity of pesticide mixtures was evaluated using survival and feeding parameters as endpoints. Pesticide-induced mortality was found to be oppositely affected by temperature, either in single or mixture treatments. Whereas chlorpyrifos acute toxicity was raised under higher temperatures the toxicity of mancozeb was more prominent at lower temperatures. By the opposite, soil moisture showed no effects on the pesticide-induced mortality of isopods. Contrary to survival, both temperature and soil moisture showed to interact with pesticides to influence isopods’ feeding parameters. Nonetheless, was however the most common pattern. In brief, findings reported on this thesis demonstrated why the negligence of natural stressors, or multiple stressors in general, is not a good solution for risk assessment frameworks.

Antifungal nanofibers made by controlled release of sea animal derived peptide

© The Royal Society of Chemistry 2015

Inventories and concentration profiles of 137Cs in undisturbed soils in the northeast of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

Inventories and vertical distribution of (137)Cs were determined in La Plata region undisturbed soils, Argentina. A mean inventory value of 891 ± 220 Bq/m(2) was established, which is compatible with the values expected from atmospheric weapon tests fallout. The study was complemented with pH, organic carbon fraction, texture and mineralogical soil analyses. Putting together Southern Hemisphere (137)Cs inventory data, it is possible to correlate these data with the mean annual precipitations. The large differences in (137)Cs concentration profiles were attributed to soil properties, especially the clay content and the pH values. A convection-dispersion model with irreversible retention was used to fit the activity concentration profiles. The obtained effective diffusion coefficient and effective convection velocity parameters values were in the range from 0.2 cm(2)/y to 0.4 cm(2)/y and from 0.23 cm/y to 0.43 cm/y, respectively. These data are in agreement with values reported in literature. In general, with the growth of clay content in the soil, there was an increase in the transfer rate from free to bound state. Finally, the highest transfer rate from free to bound state was obtained for soil pH value equal to 8.

Space-time monitoring of prescribed burnt soils performance – an effective tool for forest management

Among the most important measures to prevent wild forest fires is the use of prescribed and controlled burning actions in order to reduce the availability of fuel mass. However, the impact of these activities on soil physical and chemical properties varies according to the type of both soil and vegetation and is not fully understood. Therefore, soil monitoring campaigns are often used to measure these impacts. In this paper we have successfully used three statistical data treatments - the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test followed by the ANOVA and the Kruskall-Wallis tests – to investigate the variability among the soil pH, soil moisture, soil organic matter and soil iron variables for different monitoring times and sampling procedures.

Characterization of soils in an area of prescribed fire

The prescribed fire is a technique that is often used, it has several advantages. Pedological and hydropedological techniques were tested to assess the prescribed fire changes may cause in soils. This work was performed in Tresminas area (Vila Pouca de Aguiar, Northern Portugal), during February and March 2011. In the present study we applied several techniques. For the field sampling was followed the ISO 10381-1[1], ISO 10381-2[2], and FAO rules [3], as well as were used a grid with 17 points for measuring the soil parameters. During the fire, we have tried to check, with the assistance of the Portuguese Forestry Authority, some important parameters such as, the propagation speed, the size of the flame front and the intensity of energy emitted per unit area. Before the fire, was collected carefully soil disturbed and undisturbed samples for laboratory analysis, and measured soil water content; we also have placed four sets of thermocouples for measuring soil temperature. After the fire, were collected the thermocouples and new soil samples; the water content were measured in the soil and collected ashes. In the laboratory, after preparing and sieving the samples, were determined the soil particle size. The soil pH and electrical conductivity in water was also determined. The total carbon (TC) and inorganic carbon (IC)[4] was measured by a Shimadzu TOC-Vcsn. The water content in soil has not varied significantly before and after the fire, as well as soil pH and soil electrical conductivity. The TC and IC did not change, which was expected, since the fire not overcome the 200° C. Through the various parameters, we determined that the prescribed fire didn’t affect the soil. The low temperature of the fire and its rapid implementation that lead to the possible adverse effects caused by the wild fire didn’t occurred.