Avaliação do crescimento de Ankistrodesmus braunii em reator tubular empregando diferentes concentrações de nitrato em diferentes condições de cultivo

Microalgas são organismos unicelulares, eucariontes, fotossintetizantes e eficientes fixadores de gás carbônico que apresentam grande potencial para produção de ácidos graxos além de pigmentos, como os carotenóides e a clorofila, de interesse nas indústrias de alimentos, química, farmacêutica e de cosméticos. Dentre as microalgas, o microrganismo Ankistrodesmus braunii vem sendo citado como capaz de produzir grandes quantidades de lipídios, podendo corresponder a até 73% de sua massa seca, com produção de ácidos graxos insaturados, como o ácido linolênico. Esse microrganismo se destaca do ponto de vista industrial por poder ser conduzido em reatores e em meios de cultivo complexos. As fontes de nitrogênio, as concentrações empregadas destes nutrientes, bem como o tipo de processo de cultivo interferem na composição de biomassas fotossintetizantes. O uso de reatores tubulares tem sido estudado e tem se apresentado interessante por permitir a obtenção de altas concentrações celulares. Nesse sentido, este trabalho teve a finalidade de estudar o crescimento de Ankistrodesmus braunii em reator tubular com uso de diferentes quantidades de nitrato de sódio por processos descontínuo, descontínuo alimentado e semi-contínuo. Nos cultivos descontínuos, a máxima concentração celular (Xm) encontrada foi de 1588 ± 11 mg.L-1 com uso de 20 mM de NaNO3. O uso do processo descontínuo alimentado, o qual teve adição de 20 mM de NaNO3 feito num intervalo a cada 48 horas sendo iniciada a adição no primeiro dia, permitiu a obtenção de Xm = 2753 ± 7 mg.L-1; porém não foi possível eliminar a fase lag do cultivo, levando a uma produtividade em células (Px) de 351 ± 1 mg.L-1.dia-1. O processo semi-contínuo foi eficiente para eliminar a fase lag do cultivo, permitindo a obtenção de Xm = 2399 ± 5 mg.L-1 e um aumento de até 50% em Px, que chegou a valores de 525 ± 1 mg.L-1.dia-1 em cultivos com uso de 20 mM de NaNO3. Nesta condição os teores de proteínas e lipídios nas biomassas foram de 34,8 ± 0,2% e 38,6 ± 0,2%, respectivamente. Foi observado que, independentemente do tipo de processo empregado, há um decréscimo do valor do fator de conversão de nitrogênio em células (YX/N) com o aumento da adição de NaNO3. O maior valor de YX/N foi obtido no experimento com processo semi-contínuo e uso de 2 mM de NaNO3 no meio de cultivo, com valor médio de 29,1 ± 0,1 mg mg-1 ao final do segundo ciclo. Porém, nesta condição, o teor de proteínas da biomassa foi de 17,3 ± 0,4%. Já os maiores valores de YX/N encontrados nos processos descontínuo e descontínuo alimentado foram, respectivamente, de 22,5 ± 1,6 e 7,1 ± 0,1 mg mg-1. Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho evidenciam o potencial de Ankistrodesmus braunii como fonte de proteínas e lipídios para uso industrial.

Estabelecimento e desenvolvimento de mudas pré-brotadas de cana-de-açúcar sob diferentes lâminas de irrigação

Na atual conjuntura, no que se refere à energia renovável, o etanol é um dos principais, se não o mais importante, produto brasileiro. Proveniente da fermentação de açúcares, processo conhecido há séculos, tem se tornado o carro chefe do país como garantia de voz ativa nas discussões energéticas pelo mundo afora. Porém, atualmente, o setor sucroalcooleiro está passando por um momento de cautela devido à queda de produtividade e longevidade dos canaviais ao longo dos últimos anos ocasionados principalmente pela mecanização da colheita e plantio da cana-de-açúcar. Cabe ressaltar que as perdas de produção podem ser ainda maiores diante da ausência do manejo varietal e de cuidados adequados em relação à sanidade de mudas utilizadas para a multiplicação de viveiros. Nesse sentido, nos últimos anos, o emprego da irrigação no cultivo da cana-de-açúcar associada a outras tecnologias de plantio, tais como formação de viveiros com mudas pré-brotadas, vem merecendo papel de destaque. Esse cenário obriga pesquisadores a buscar novas tecnologias para aumento de produtividade, longevidade dos canaviais e redução do custo por tonelada de cana produzida, tais como a produção de mudas sadias para formação de viveiros de cana-de-açúcar. Diante disso, a presente pesquisa teve por objetivo, submeter mudas pré-brotadas de cana-de-açúcar, durante plantio de inverno, na região de Piracicaba, SP, sob diferentes lâminas de irrigação (10 mm; 20 mm; 30 mm e 40 mm), utilizando um sistema de irrigação por aspersão com alas móveis. Dessa forma, buscou-se determinar qual seria a melhor lâmina de irrigação, necessária para garantir o melhor índice de pegamento e alto vigor no estabelecimento e desenvolvimento das mudas pré-brotadas de cana-de-açúcar para a região de Piracicaba-SP. Foram feitas avaliações periódicas (não destrutivas), tais como: mortalidade das mudas; clorofila total na folha; tamanho da muda; índice de área foliar; número de perfilhos brotados por metro; percentual de falha no canavial. Além de avaliações periódicas (destrutivas), tais como: avaliação do tamanho da raiz; massa seca da raiz; massa seca da parte aérea e número de perfilhos totais. As análises estatísticas das lâminas de irrigação foram realizadas pelo método de Tukey ao nível de 5% de probabilidade. Diante dos resultados obtidos, verificou-se que a lâmina de 10 mm possibilitou os melhores índices de pegamento e proporcionou um índice superior a 97,8% de sobrevivência de mudas. Também, observou-se uma estreita relação entre o índice de mortalidade no plantio de inverno das mudas pré-brotadas de cana-de-açúcar com o manejo da irrigação, a qual nos primeiros dias após plantio foi fundamental para o estabelecimento e desenvolvimento das mudas. Cabe ressaltar que em caso da adoção de outro manejo de irrigação, com lâminas maiores, nessas condições experimentais, possivelmente haveria perdas de água, cujo fato nos dias atuais não é o ideal tendo em vista a busca por economia e manejo racional da água.

Sedimentology at the continental margin of the southern Weddell Sea

During four expeditions with RV "Polarstern" at the continental margin of the southern Weddell Sea, profiling and geological sampling were carried out. A detailed bathymetric map was constructed from echo-sounding data. Sub-bottom profiles, classified into nine echotypes, have been mapped and interpreted. Sedimentological analyses were carried out on 32 undisturbed box grab surface samples, as well as on sediment cores from 9 sites. Apart from the description of the sediments and the investigation of sedimentary structures on X-radiographs the following characteristics were determined: grain-size distributions; carbonate and Corg content; component distibutions in different grain-size fractions; stable oxygen and carbon isotopes in planktic and, partly, in benthic foraminifers; and physical properties. The stratigraphy is based On 14C-dating, oxygen isotope Stages and, at one site, On paleomagnetic measurements and 230Th-analyses The sediments represent the period of deposition from the last glacial maximum until recent time. They are composed predominantly of terrigenous components. The formation of the sediments was controlled by glaciological, hydrographical and gravitational processes. Variations in the sea-ice coverage influenced biogenic production. The ice sheet and icebergs were important media for sediment transport; their grounding caused compaction and erosion of glacial marine sediments on the outer continental shelf. The circulation and the physical and chemical properties of the water masses controlled the transport of fine-grained material, biogenic production and its preservation. Gravitational transport processes were the inain mode of sediment movements on the continental slope. The continental ice sheet advanced to the shelf edge and grounded On the sea-floor, presumably later than 31,000 y.B.P. This ice movement was linked with erosion of shelf sediments and a very high sediment supply to the upper continental slope from the adiacent southern shelf. The erosional surface On the shelf is documented in the sub-bottom profiles as a regular, acoustically hard reflector. Dense sea-ice coverage above the lower and middle continental slope resulted in the almost total breakdown of biogenic production. Immediately in front of the ice sheet, above the upper continental slope, a <50 km broad coastal polynya existed at least periodically. Biogenic production was much higher in this polynya than elsewhere. Intense sea-ice formation in the polynya probably led to the development of a high salinity and, consequently, dense water mass, which flowed as a stream near bottom across the continental slope into the deep sea, possibly contributing to bottom water formation. The current velocities of this water mass presumably had seasonal variations. The near-bottom flow of the dense water mass, in combination with the gravity transport processes that arose from the high rates of sediment accumulation, probably led to erosion that progressed laterally from east to West along a SW to NE-trending, 200 to 400 m high morphological step at the continental slope. During the period 14,000 to 13,000 y.B.P., during the postglacial temperature and sea-level rise, intense changes in the environmental conditions occured. Primarily, the ice masses on the outer continental shelf started to float. Intense calving processes resulted in a rapid retreat of the ice edge to the south. A consequence of this retreat was, that the source area of the ice-rafted debris changed from the adjacent southern shelf to the eastern Weddell Sea. As the ice retreated, the gravitational transport processes On the continental slope ceased. Soon after the beginning of the ice retreat, the sea-ice coverage in the whole research area decreased. Simultaneously, the formation of the high salinity dense bottom water ceased, and the sediment composition at the continental slope then became influenced by the water masses of the Weddell Gyre. The formation of very cold Ice Shelf Water (ISW) started beneath the southward retreating Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf somewhat later than 12,000 y.B.P. The ISW streamed primarily with lower velocities than those of today across the continental slope, and was conducted along the erosional step on the slope into the deep sea. At 7,500 y.B.P., the grounding line of the ice masses had retreated > 400 km to the south. A progressive retreat by additional 200 to 300 km probably led to the development of an Open water column beneath the ice south of Berkner Island at about 4,000 y.B.P. This in turn may have led to an additional ISW, which had formed beneath the Ronne Ice Shelf, to flow towards the Filcher Ice Shelf. As a result, increased flow of ISW took place over the continental margin, possibly enabling the ISW to spill over the erosional step On the upper continental slope towards the West. Since that time, there is no longer any documentation of the ISW in the sedimentary Parameters on the lower continental slope. There, recent sediments reflect the lower water masses of the Weddell Gyre. The sea-ice coverage in early Holocene time was again so dense that biogenic production was significantly restricted.

Ichthyolith (fish tooth and denticle) counts from DSDP Site 91-596 and ODP Site 145-886

While the history of taxonomic diversification in open ocean lineages of ray-finned fish and elasmobranchs is increasingly known, the evolution of their roles within the open ocean ecosystem remains poorly understood. To assess the relative importance of these groups through time, we measured the accumulation rate of microfossil fish teeth and elasmobranch dermal denticles (ichthyoliths) in deep sea sediment cores from the North and South Pacific gyres over the past 85 million years. We find three distinct and stable open ocean ecosystem structures, each defined by the relative and absolute abundance of elasmobranch and ray-finned fish remains. The Cretaceous Ocean (pre-66 Ma), was characterized by abundant elasmobranch denticles, but low abundances of fish teeth. The Paleogene Ocean (66-20 Ma), initiated by the Cretaceous/Paleogene Mass Extinction, had nearly 4 times the abundance of fish teeth compared to elasmobranch denticles. This Paleogene Ocean structure remained stable during the Eocene greenhouse (50 Ma) and the Eocene-Oligocene glaciation (34 Ma), despite large changes in overall accumulation of both groups during those intervals, suggesting that climate change is not a primary driver of ecosystem structure. Dermal denticles virtually disappeared from open ocean ichthyolith assemblages about 20 Ma, while fish tooth accumulation increased dramatically in variability, marking the beginning of the Modern Ocean. Together, these results suggest that open ocean fish community structure is stable on long timescales, independent of total production and climate change. The timing of the abrupt transitions between these states suggests that the transitions may be due to interactions with other, non-preserved pelagic consumer groups.

Dinoflagellate cysts analyses from sediment cores of the Po River discharge plume over the last two centuries

To obtain insight into the natural and/or human-induced changes in the trophic state of the distal portion of the Po River discharge plume over the last two centuries, high temporal resolution dinoflagellate cyst records were established at three sites. Cyst production rates appear to reflect the natural variability in the river's discharge, whereas cyst associations reflect the trophic state of the upper waters, which in turn can be related to agricultural development. The increased abundances of Lingulodinium machaerophorum and Stelladinium stellatum found as early as 1890 and 1920 correspond to the beginning of the industrial revolution in Italy and the first chemical production and dispersion of ammonia throughout Europe. After 1955, the increased abundances of these species and of Polykrikos schwartzii, Brigantedinium spp. and Pentapharsodinium dalei correspond to agriculturally induced alterations of the hypertrophic conditions. A slight improvement in water quality can be observed from 1987 onward.

Lake sediments from Store Koldewey, Northeast Greenland

A 2.9 m long sedimentary record was studied from a small lake, here referred to as Duck Lake, located at 76°25'N, 18°45'W on Store Koldewey, an elongated island off the coast of Northeast Greenland. The sediments were investigated for their geophysical and biogeochemical characteristics, and for their fossil chironomid assemblages. Organic matter began to accumulate in the lake at 9.1 cal. kyr BP, which provides a minimum age for the deglaciation of the basin. Although the early to mid-Holocene is known as a thermal maximum in East Greenland, organic matter accumulation in the lake remained low during the early Holocene, likely due to late plant immigration and lack of nutrient availability. Organic matter accumulation increased during the middle and late Holocene, when temperatures in East Greenland gradually decreased. Enhanced soil formation probably led to higher nutrient availability and increased production in the lake. Chironomids are abundant throughout the record after 9.1 cal. kyr BP and seem to react sensitively to changes in temperature and nutrient availability. It is concluded that relative temperature reconstructions based on biogeochemical data have to be regarded critically, particularly in the period shortly after deglaciation when nutrient availability was low. Chironomids may be a suitable tool for climatic reconstructions even in those high arctic environments. However, a better understanding of the ecology of chironomids under these extreme conditions is needed.

Organic matter based proxies from surface sediments along three transects on the Pakistan continental margin

A valid assessment of selective aerobic degradation on organic matter (OM) and its impact on OM-based proxies is vital to produce accurate environmental reconstructions. However, most studies investigating these effects suffer from inherent environmental heterogeneities. In this study, we used surface samples collected along two meter-scale transects and one longer transect in the northeastern Arabian Sea to constrain initial OM heterogeneity, in order to evaluate selective aerobic degradation on temperature, productivity and alteration indices at the sediment-water interface. All of the studied alteration indices, the higher plant alkane index, alcohol preservation index, and diol oxidation index, demonstrated that they are sensitive indicators for changes in the oxygen regime. Several export production indices, a cholesterol-based stanol/stenol index and dinoflagellate lipid- and cyst-based ratios, showed significant (more than 20%) change only over the lateral oxygen gradients. Therefore, these compounds do not exclusively reflect surface water productivity, but are significantly altered after deposition. Two of the proxies, glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraether-based TEX86 sea surface temperature indices and indices based on phytol, phytane and pristane, did not show any trends related to oxygen. Nevertheless, unrealistic sea surface temperatures were obtained after application of the TEX86, TEX86L, and TEX86H proxies. The phytol-based ratios were likely affected by the sedimentary production of pristane. Our results demonstrate the selective impact of aerobic organic matter degradation on the lipid and palynomorph composition of surface sediments along a short lateral oxygen gradient and suggest that some of the investigated proxies may be useful tracers of changing redox conditions at the sediment-water interface.

The distribution of macrobenthos in surface sediments at Fladen Ground stations, North Sea

A general study of structure, biomass estimates and dynamics on the macrofauna was carried out in August 1975 and March 1976 during PREFLEX (1975) and FLEX (1976), the Fladen Ground Experiment. On the basis of these data an attempt was made to estimate macrobenthic production expressed as minimum production (MP). The macrobenthic production is discussed together with meiobenthic annual production and with indirectly estimated microbenthic production in relation to an energy input from the water column of about 25 g C m**-2 year**-1. From the production estimates of the three benthic components a rough energy budget is proposed. Sampling was performed at five stations for endofauna twice during the time of investigation and for epifauna once. At each station two replicate box core samples (30 X 20 cm) were taken for endofauna. Epifauna was sampled with an Agassiz trawl once at each station. The total numbers of endofauna increased from station 1 to 5. This was valid as well for August 1975 (4,233-12,166 individuals per m**2 and 10 cm sediment depth) as for March 1976 (1,008-2,925 individuals). The polychaetes were the dominant organisms with a share of 33 to 62 %. The densities for the endofauna decreased from August 1975 to March 1976 by a mean factor of 2.8. Abundances of epifauna amounted to values between 11 and 102 individuals per 1000 m**2. The biomass dry weights (DWT) for macrobenthic endofauna varied between 0.97 g DWT m**-2 and 6.42 g DWT m**-2 in August 1975 and between 0.27 g DWT m**-2 and 2.64 g DWT m**-2 in March 1976. The mean amounted to 1.74 g DWT m**-2. Dry weights of epifauna biomass gave values between 4.9 and 83.1 g DWT * 1000 m**-2. The minimum production for the total macro-endofauna at Fladen Ground amounted to 1.43 g DWT m**-2 yr**-1 or 0.82 g C m**-2 yr**-1. This resulted in a minimum turnover rate (P/B) of 0.8. The share produced by the polychaetes amounted to 1.06g DWT m**-2 yr**-1 or 74 %.

Comparative study of periphyton community structure in long and short-hydroperiod Everglades marshes

The Florida Everglades is a mosaic of short and long-hydroperiod marshes that differ in the depth, duration, and timing of inundation. Algae are important primary producers in widespread Everglades’ periphyton mats, but relationships of algal production and community structure to hydrologic variability are poorly understood. We quantified differences in algal biomass and community structure between periphyton mats in 5 short and 6 long-hydroperiod marshes in Everglades National Park (ENP) in October 2000. We related differences to water depth and total phosphorus (TP) concentration in the water, periphyton and soils. Long and short-hydroperiod marshes differed in water depth (73 cm vs. 13 cm), periphyton TP concentrations (172μg g−1 vs. 107 μg g−1, respectively) and soil TP (284 μg g−1 vs. 145 μg g−1). Periphyton was abundant in both marshes, with short-hydroperiod sites having greater biomass than long-hydroperiod sites (2936 vs. 575 grams ash-free dry mass m−2). A total of 156 algal taxa were identified and separated into diatom (68 species from 21 genera) and “soft algae” (88 non-diatom species from 47 genera) categories for further analyses. Although diatom total abundance was greater in long-hydroperiod mats, diatom species richness was significantly greater in short- hydroperiod periphyton mats (62 vs. 47 diatom taxa). Soft algal species richness was greater in long-hydroperiod sites (81 vs. 67 soft algae taxa). Relative abundances of individual taxa were significantly different among the two site types, with soft algal distributions being driven by water depth, and diatom distributions by water depth and TP concentration in the water and periphyton. Periphyton communities differ between short and long-hydroperiod marshes, but because they share many taxa, alterations in hydroperiod could rapidly

Água residuária da mandioca como fertilizante orgânico em pasto de Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu

Brazil is the world's second largest producer of cassava, which most of the production is used to make flour and starch, generating large amounts of waste, cassava. In general, this waste is disposed of directly into the soil and waterways, causing serious environmental impacts. In view of this, the aim of this work was to evaluate the use of cassava wastewater water (cassava) as organic fertilizer in Brachiaria brizantha pasture. Marandu. The experiment was conducted at the Campus Macaíba the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. The treatments were increasing rates of cassava, applied to the soil as organic fertilizer. The experimental design was a randomized block design with six treatments and four replications. The treatments consist of cassava doses (0, 15, 30, 60 and 120 m³ ha- 1 ) and a treatment with mineral fertilizer (AM) in the form of NPK (140: 30: 120 kg ha-1 ). Three cuts with an interval of 60 days were carried out. The variables evaluated were: plant height; accumulation of morphological components of fodder; Trapping Light (IL); Leaf Area Index (LAI); Total chlorophyll (CT); Feature Production Seca (PMS). The dry matter production at a dose of 120 m³ha-1 had a quantitative increase, with a total production in 2796 kg ha-1 DM in the second cut, providing an increase of 493% compared to control, and the residual effect observed in the third cut caused a 100% increase compared to 0 m³ ha-1 . Comparing the PMS obtained with the use of AM and other treatments it was observed that it was the second cut equivalent to a dose of 120 m³ ha-1 and the third equivalence has been cut at doses 60 and 120 m³ha-1. For the variables plant height, IL, IAF, CT and leaves Mass adding cassava in the soil promoted a positive linear increase for the three cuts. However, with the AM the IAF was superior to the other treatments. The thatched mass reached its highest production (838 kg ha-1 DM) in the second cut when using a dose of 120 m³ha-1 . In dead material mass in the second and third sections, there was increased linearly increased total of 322 and 452% respectively, compared to a dose of 0 m³ha-1 . The use of cassava showed herbicidal effect for the variable mass of the undesirable negative linear response resulting in decreasing the amount of residue with increasing doses. Manipueira can be used as organic fertilizer in Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu for improvements in the productive characteristics, as promoted significant increases in 8 most of the variables studied, especially at a dose of 120 m³ha-1 . This benefits the environment by being alternative for disposal of cassava.

Seawater carbonate chemistry and calcification in the tropical urchin Echinometra viridis in a laboratory experiment

Atmospheric carbon dioxide (pCO2) has risen from approximately 280 to 400 ppm since the Industrial Revolution, due mainly to the combustion of fossil fuels, deforestation, and cement production. It is predicted to reach as high as 900 ppm by the end of this century. Ocean acidification resulting from the release of anthropogenic CO2 has been shown to impair the ability of some marine calcifiers to build their shells and skeletons. Here, we present the results of ocean acidification experiments designed to assess the effects of an increase in atmospheric pCO2 from ca. 448 to 827 ppm on calcification rates of the tropical urchin Echinometra viridis. Experiments were conducted under the urchin's winter (20 °C) and summer (30 °C) water temperatures in order to identify seasonal differences in the urchin's response to ocean acidification. The experiments reveal that calcification rates decreased for urchins reared under elevated pCO2, with the decline being more pronounced under wintertime temperatures than under summertime temperatures. These results indicate that the urchin E. viridis will be negatively impacted by CO2-induced ocean acidification that is predicted to occur by the end of this century. These results also suggest that impact of CO2-induced ocean acidification on urchin calcification will be more severe in the winter and in cooler waters.

Alterações fisiológicas causadas por fungicidas em soja infectada naturalmente por oídio

Soybean crop is substantially important for both Brazilian and international markets. A relevant disease that affects soybeans is powdery mildew, caused by fungus Erysiphe diffusa. The objective of this master’s thesis was to analyze physiological changes produced by fungicides in two greenhouse-grown soybean genotypes (i.e., Anta 8500 RR and BRS Santa Cruz RR) naturally infected with powdery mildew. A complete randomized block design was used with six replications in a 2x5 factorial arrangement. Treatments consisted of applications of Azoxystrobin, Biofac (fermented solution of Penicillium sp.), Carbendazim or Picoxystrobin fungicides, and a Control (no fungicide application). Three applications were performed in the experimental period, and each eventually represented a period of data collection. Gas exchanges, chlorophyll content, fluorescence of chlorophyll a and disease severity were measured twice a week. Dry grain mass production was measured at the end of the experiment. Areas under progression curve of variables were submitted to both ANOVA and Tukey’s test at 5% significance. Treatments Azoxystrobin, Biofac and Picoxystrobin had higher photosynthetic rates than Control in the second period, with genotype Anta having higher rate than Santa Cruz. Biofac had higher transpiration rate than Control in the second period, while Biofac and Picoxystrobin had higher figures in Santa Cruz in the third period. Carbendazim had greater stomatal conductance in Anta, whilst Azoxystrobin, Biofac and Picoxystrobin had greater values than Carbendazim in Santa Cruz. Biofac and Picoxystrobin had greater intercellular CO2 concentration in Santa Cruz. Azoxystrobin and Picoxystrobin had greater instantaneous water use efficiency than Control, with Anta being more efficient than Santa Cruz. Biofac and Picoxystrobin had greater intrinsic water use efficiency in Anta, while Carbendazim increased efficiency in Santa Cruz. Azoxystrobin, Biofac and Picoxystrobin had greater carboxylation efficiency than Control in the second period, with Anta being more efficient than Santa Cruz. Azoxystrobin and Biofac had greater contents of chlorophylls a, b and a+b than Control in the second period. Azoxystrobin had greater effective quantum yield than Control and Picoxystrobin. All treatments faced increasing disease severity over time, with Anta being less resistant than Santa Cruz. As for production, data showed that: (1) Santa Cruz was more productive than Anta, having the greatest dry grain mass with Carbendazim, and (2) Anta’s lower disease severity did not translate into higher productions. In conclusion, strobilurins (Azoxystrobin and Picoxystrobin) and Biofac performed similarly as to their physiological effects on soybeans; however, these effects did not lead to increased dry grain mass by the end of the experiment.

Table 1: Station list with macrobenthos biomass results from the ocean floor

Among the Siberian shelf seas the Kara Sea is most strongly influenced by riverine runoff with nearly 1500 km fresh water discharge per year. This fresh water, discharged mainly by Ob and Yenisei, contains about 3.1 * 106 and 4.6 * 106 tons of total organic carbon per year, respectively (Gordeev et al. 1996). Little is known about the relevance of this organic material for biological communities, neither for the Kara Sea nor for the adjacent deep basins of the central Arctic Ocean. Aiming at elucidating the fate of fluvial matter transported from the rivers via estuaries into the central Arctic Ocean and the relative importance of marine organic matter being produced such information is crucial. Here we present calculations on the organic carbon demand of the Kara Sea macrozoobenthos based on measured biomass (total wet weight [ww] per 0.25 m ) from quantitative box corer samples and empirical relationships between biomass, annual production, annual respiration, and carbon remineralisation. This bottom-up approach may serve as a first estimate of the carbon remineralization potential of a given zoobenthos community (or area) as long as no data on in situ respiration rates are available. Our data basis comprises 54 stations sampled in summer seasons 1997, 1999 and 2000 in the Kara Sea at water depths between 10 and 68 m. The geographical area represented by stations analysed covers roughly 178 000 km**2, which is about one fifth of the total Kara Sea area. In this area, 290 species of invertebrate macrozoobenthos were identified with polychaeta, Crustacea, mollusca and echinodermata being the most abundant. For all stations analysed, mean biomass values ranged between 4.3 and 778.1 g ww/m**2 with organic carbon demands between 3.5 and 43.2 mg C/m**2/d. For the area of 178 000 km2 a preliminary total consumption of 1.4 * 10**6t Corg/y (equivalent to 21.5 mg C/m**2/d) was calculated for the macrozoobenthos. An extrapolation of our data would lead to an annual carbon demand of about 5-7 * 106 t for the whole Kara Sea macrozoobenthos (or 15.5-21.7 mg C/m2/d).

Effects of hypercapnia on aspects of feeding, nutrition, and growth in the edible sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus held in culture

Land-based aquaculture facilities experience occasional hypercapnic conditions due to the accumulation of the metabolic waste product carbon dioxide. Pre-gonadal Lytechinus variegatus (horizontal diameter=20 mm) were exposed to control (608 µatm pCO2, pH 8.1) or hypercapnic conditions (1738 µatm pCO2, pH 7.7) in synthetic seawater for 14 weeks. Sea urchins exposed to hypercapnic conditions exhibited significantly slower growth (reduced dry matter production), primarily due to reduced test production. Higher fecal production rates and lower ash absorption efficiency (%) in individuals exposed to hypercapnic conditions suggest the ability to process or retain dietary carbonates may have been affected. Significant increases in neutral lipid storage in the gut and increased soluble protein storage in the gonads of individuals exposed to hypercapnic conditions suggest alterations in nutrient metabolism and storage. Furthermore, organic production and energy allocation increased in the lantern of those individuals exposed to hypercapnic conditions. These results suggest chronic exposure to hypercapnic conditions alters nutrient allocation to organ systems and functions, leading to changes in somatic and reproductive production.