Persistence in diving American mink

Background American mink forage on land and in water, with aquatic prey often constituting a large proportion of their diet. Their long, thin body shape and relatively poor insulation make them vulnerable to heat loss, particularly in water, yet some individuals dive over 100 times a day. At the level of individual dives, previous research found no difference in dive depth or duration, or the total number of dives per day between seasons, but mink did appear to make more dives per active hour in winter than in summer. There was also no difference in the depth or duration of individual dives between the sexes, but there was some evidence that females made more dives per day than males. However, because individual mink dives tend to be extremely short in duration, persistence (quantified as the number of consecutive dives performed) may be a more appropriate metric with which to compare diving behaviour under different scenarios. Results Mink performed up to 28 consecutive dives, and dived continually for up to 36 min. Periods of more loosely aggregated diving (termed ‘aquatic activity sessions’) comprised up to 80 dives, carried out over up to 162.8 min. Contrary to our predictions, persistence was inversely proportional to body weight, with small animals more persistent than large ones, and (for females, but not for males) increased with decreasing temperature. For both sexes, persistence was greater during the day than during the night. Conclusions The observed body weight effect may point to inter-sexual niche partitioning, since in mink the smallest animals are females and the largest are males. The results may equally point to individual specialism’s, since persistence was also highly variable among individuals. Given the energetic costs involved, the extreme persistence of some animals observed in winter suggests that the costs of occasional prolonged activity in cold water are outweighed by the energetic gains. Analysing dive persistence can provide information on an animal’s physical capabilities for performing multiple dives and may reveal how such behaviour is affected by different conditions. Further development of monitoring and biologging methodology to allow quantification of hunting success, and thus the rewards obtained under alternative scenarios, would be insightful.

The hidden organic carbon in deep mineral soils

Aims Current estimates of soil organic carbon (SOC) are based largely on surficial measurements to depths of 0.3 to 1 m. Many of the world’s soils greatly exceed 1 m depth and there are numerous reports of biological activity to depths of many metres. Although SOC storage to depths of up to 8 m has been previously reported, the extent to which SOC is stored at deeper depths in soil profiles is currently unknown. This paper aims to provide the first detailed analysis of these previously unreported stores of SOC. Methods Soils from five sites in the deeply weathered regolith in the Yilgarn Craton of south-western Australia were sampled and analysed for total organic carbon by combustion chromatography. These soils ranged between 5 and 38 m (mean 21 m) depth to bedrock and had been either recently reforested with Pinus pinaster or were under agriculture. Sites had a mean annual rainfall of between 399 and 583 mm yr−1. Results The mean SOC concentration across all sites was 2.30 ± 0.26 % (s.e.), 0.41 ± 0.05 % and 0.23 ± 0.04 % in the surface 0.1, 0.1–0.5 and 0.5 to 1.0 m increments, respectively. The mean value between 1 and 5 m was 0.12 ± 0.01 %, whereas between 5 and 35 m the values decreased from 0.04 ± 0.002 % to 0.03 ± 0.003 %. Mean SOC mass densities for each of the five locations varied from 21.8–37.5 kg C m−2, and were in toto two to five times greater than would be reported with sampling to a depth of 0.5 m. Conclusions This finding may have major implications for estimates of global carbon storage and modelling of the potential global impacts of climate change and land-use change on carbon cycles. The paper demonstrates the need for a reassessment of the current arbitrary shallow soil sampling depths for assessing carbon stocks, a revision of global SOC estimates and elucidation of the composition and fate of deep carbon in response to land use and climate change

Commensalism in an agroecosystem: hydraulic redistribution by deep-rooted legumes improves survival of a droughted shallow-rooted legume companion

We investigated commensalism of water use among annual shallow-rooted and perennial deep-rooted pasture legumes by examining the effect of hydraulic lift by Cullen pallidum (N.T.Burb.) J.W.Grimes and Medicago sativa on growth, survival and nutrient uptake of Trifolium subterraneum L. A vertically split-root design allowed separate control of soil water in top and bottom soil. Thirty-five days after watering ceased in the top tube, but soil remained at field capacity in the bottom tube, an increase in shallow soil water content by hydraulic lift was 5.6 and 5.9 g kg−1 soil overnight for C. pallidum and M. sativa, respectively. Trifolium subterraneum in this treatment maintained higher leaf water potentials (with M. sativa) or exhibited a slower decline (with C. pallidum) than without companion perennial plants; and shoot biomass of T. subterraneum was 56% (with C. pallidum) and 67% (with M. sativa) of that when both top and bottom tubes were at field capacity. Uptake of rubidium (a potassium analog) and phosphorus by T. subterraneum was not facilitated by hydraulic lift. Interestingly, phosphorus content was threefold greater, and shoot biomass 1.5–3.3-fold greater when T. subterraneum was interplanted with C. pallidum compared with M. sativa, although dry weight of C. pallidum was much greater than that of M. sativa. This study showed that interplanting with deep-rooted perennial legumes has benefited the survival of T. subterraneum.

A comparative study of the characteristics of French Fries produced by deep fat frying and air frying

Air frying is being projected as an alternative to deep fat frying for producing snacks such as French Fries. In air frying, the raw potato sections are essentially heated in hot air containing fine oil droplets, which dehydrates the potato and attempts to impart the characteristics of traditionally produced French fries, but with a substantially lower level of fat absorbed in the product. The aim of this research is to compare: 1) the process dynamics of air frying with conventional deep fat frying under otherwise similar operating conditions, and 2) the products formed by the two processes in terms of color, texture, microstructure, calorimetric properties and sensory characteristics Although, air frying produced products with a substantially lower fat content but with similar moisture contents and color characteristics, it required much longer processing times, typically 21 minutes in relation to 9 minutes in the case of deep fat frying. The slower evolution of temperature also resulted in lower rates of moisture loss and color development reactions. DSC studies revealed that the extent of starch gelatinization was also lower in the case of air fried product. In addition, the two types of frying also resulted in products having significantly different texture and sensory characteristics.

Planning in the face of ‘deep divisions’: a view from Beirut, Lebanon

This article discusses planning in the global South-East while focusing on the specific context of social divides, political turmoil and conflict situations. The article proposes a five-way framework based on political science and planning to theory to analyse such contexts. The article explores the case of Beirut, Lebanon that has undergone several episodes of internal and external conflicts resulting in a society splintered along sectarianism. Three Two case studies of open urban spaces and their public activities are analysed using the five-way framework The discussion indicates how economic liberalism that is prevalent in countries of the South-East, along with place-based identities, interest-based identities, consensus orientated processes and institutionalism might facilitate a cultivation of deep values away from a narrowly constructed identity. The article argues that planners should understand the options for positive action that aim to bridge deep divisions and suggests that the five-way framework provides a reference for contextualising in different ways to suit particular contexts. Therefore, the framework is not necessarily restricted to the South-East but could be applicable to any context which manifests deep divisions.

Associations of dietary dark-green and deep-yellow vegetables and fruits with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: modification by smoking

Smoking has been positively and fruit and vegetable intake has been negatively associated with cervical cancer, the second most common cancer among women worldwide. However, a lower consumption of fruits and reduced serum carotenoids have been observed among smokers. It is not known whether the smoking effect on the risk of cervical neoplasia is modified by a low intake of fruits and vegetables. The present study examined the combined effects of tobacco smoking and diet using a validated FFQ and serum carotenoid and tocopherol levels on cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 (CIN3) risk in a hospital-based case-control study conducted in Sao Paulo, Brazil, between 2003 and 2005. The sample comprised 231 incident, histologically confirmed cases of CIN3 and 453 controls. A low intake (<= 39 g) of dark-green and deep-yellow vegetables and fruits without tobacco smoking had a lesser effect on CIN3 (OR 1.14; 95% CI 0.49, 2.65) than among smokers with higher intake (>= 40 g; OR 1.83; 95% CI 0.73, 4.62) after adjusting for confounders. The OR for the joint exposure of tobacco smoking and low intake of vegetables and fruits was greater (3.86; 95% CI 1.74, 8.57; P for trend < 0.001) compared with non-smokers with higher intake after adjusting for confounding variables and human papillomavirus status. Similar results were observed for total fruit, serum total carotene (including beta-, alpha-and gamma-carotene) and tocopherols. These findings suggest that the effect of nutritional factors on CIN3 is modified by smoking.

Reduction of oil uptake in deep fat fried chicken nuggets using edible coatings based on cassava starch and methylcellulose

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of edible coatings based on methylcellulose (MC) and cassava starch (CS) to reduce oil uptake and improve water retention of chicken nuggets during deep fat frying. Edible coatings were prepared with I g of MC/100 g solution and 4 g of CS/100 g solution, with 25 or 55 g glycerol/100 g biopolymer. These solutions were applied to nugget samples before battering. Pre-fried and fried nuggets were analyzed to determine lipid and water contents. Color and texture were also measured in the fried nuggets. In general, there was no effect of the two concentrations of plasticizer of either of the biopolymers on the water retention of whole nuggets. But, higher oil uptake reduction, and consequently, lower lipid content was observed on nuggets coated with CS and 25% plasticizer. The coated samples were darker and had a brighter yellow color when compared with the control. There was also a significant decrease in the shearing force of the fried coated samples, indicating reduced hardness of these samples.

Magnetotelluric deep soundings, gravity and geoid in the south Sao Francisco craton: Geophysical indicators of cratonic lithosphere rejuvenation and crustal underplating

In the south Sao Francisco craton a circular and 8-m amplitude geoid anomaly coincides with the outcropping terrain of an Archean-Paleoproterozoic basement. Broadband magnetotelluric (MT) data inversions of two radial profiles within the positive geoid and Bouguer gravity anomaly yield geo-electrical crustal sections, whereby the lower crust is locally more conductive (10 to 100 Omega m) in spatial coincidence with a denser lower crust modeled by the gravity data. This anomalous lower crust may have resulted from magmatic underplating, associated with Mesoarchean and Proterozoic episodes of tholeiitic dike intrusion. Long-period MT soundings reveal a low electrical resistivity mantle (20 to 200 Omega m) from depths beyond 120 km. Forward geoid modeling, using the scope of the low electrical resistivity region within the mantle as a constraint, entails a density increase (40 to 50 kg/m(3)) possibly due to Fe enrichment of mantle minerals. However, this factor alone does not explain the observed resistivity. A supplemented presence of small amounts of percolated carbonatite melting (similar to 0.005 vol.%), dissolved water and enhanced oxygen fugacity within the peridotitic mantle are viable agents that could explain the less resistive upper mantle. We propose that metasomatic processes confined in the sub-continental lithospheric mantle foster the conditions for a low degree melting with variable CO(2), H(2)O and Fe content. Even though the precise age of this metasomatism is unknown it might be older than the Early Cretaceous based on the evidence that a high-degree of melting in a lithospheric mantle impregnated with carbonatites originated the tholeiitic dike intrusions dispersed from the southeastern border of the Sao Francisco craton, during the onset of the lithosphere extension and break-up of the western Gondwana. The proxies are the NE Parana and Espinhaco (130 Ma, Ar/Ar ages) tholeiitic dikes, which contain (similar to 3%) carbonatites in their composition. The occurrence of a positive geoid anomaly (+ 10 m) and pre-tholeiites (age > 138 Ma), carbonatites and kimberlites along the west African continental margin (Angola and Namibia) reinforces the presumed age of the Sao Francisco-Congo craton rejuvenation to be prior to its fragmentation in the Lower Cretaceous. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Deep crustal structure of the Parana Basin from receiver functions and Rayleigh-wave dispersion: Evidence for a fragmented cratonic root

The deep crustal structure of the Parana Basin of southern Brazil is investigated by analyzing P- and PP-wave receiver functions at 17 Brazilian Lithosphere Seismic Project stations within the basin. The study area can be described as a typical Paleozoic intracratonic basin that hosts one of the largest Large Igneous Province of the world and makes a unique setting for investigating models of basin subsidence and their interaction with mantle plumes. Our study consists of (1) an analysis of the Moho interaction phases in the receiver functions to obtain the thickness and bulk Vp/Vs ratio of the basin`s underlying crust and (2) a joint inversion with Rayleigh-wave dispersion velocities from an independent tomographic study to delineate the detailed S-wave velocity variation with depth. The results of our analysis reveal that Moho depths and bulk Vp/Vs ratios (including sediments) vary between 41 and 48 km and between 1.70 and 1.76, respectively, with the largest values roughly coinciding with the basin`s axis, and that S-wave velocities in the lower crust are generally below 3.8 km/s. Select sites within the basin, however, show lower crustal S-wave velocities slightly above 3.9 km/s suggestive of underplated mafic material. We show that these observations are consistent with a fragmented cratonic root under the Parana basin that defined a zone of weakness for the initial Paleozoic subsidence of the basin and which allowed localized mafic underplating of the crust along the suture zones by Cenozoic magmatism.

Checklist and morphometry of benthic cnidarians from the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Brazil

The Fernando de Noronha Archipelago (Pernambuco State, Brazil), a national marine park, is formed by 21 islands and islets of volcanic origin. An update of the checklist of the benthic cnidarians from some of the archipelago`s reef environments, as well as a study of their corals and calcified hydroids morphometry, was the major goal of this work. Fieldwork was undertaken in February 2005 and in April 2006 and observations were carried out at 13 stations during snorkeling and/or scuba diving up to 30 m deep. Thirty-four species of cnidarians were recorded, of which 17 are new occurrences for the studied area. When added to the species previously listed in the literature, the total number of benthic cnidarians recorded for the Archipelago increases to 57. Stephanocoenia michelini, a new occurrence of zooxanthellate coral, is worthy of mention, as well as the calcified hydroid Millepora braziliensis. Mussismilia hispida tenuisepta showed several variations among its skeletal characters that surpassed the limits of intraspecific morphological variation when compared to those of Mussismilia hispida.

Two new species of Loricariidae (Teleostei: Siluriformes) from main channels of the upper and middle Amazon Basin, with discussion of deep water specialization in loricariids

Hemiancistrus pankimpuju, new species, and Panaque bathyphilus, new species, are described from the main channel of the upper (Maranon) and middle (Solimoes)Amazon River, respectively. Both species are diagnosed by having a nearly white body, long filamentous extensions of both simple caudal-fin rays, small eyes, absence of an iris operculum and unique combinations of morphometrics. The coloration and morphology of these species, unique within Loricariidae, are hypothesized to be apomorphies associated with life in the dark, turbid depths of the Amazon mainstem. Extreme elongation of the caudal filaments in these and a variety of other main channel catfishes is hypothesized to have a mechanosensory function associated with predator detection.

Sudden stratospheric warmings seen in MINOS deep underground muon data

The rate of high energy cosmic ray muons as measured underground is shown to be strongly correlated with upper-air temperatures during short-term atmospheric (10-day) events. The effects are seen by correlating data from the MINOS underground detector and temperatures from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts during the winter periods from 2003-2007. This effect provides an independent technique for the measurement of meteorological conditions and presents a unique opportunity to measure both short and long-term changes in this important part of the atmosphere. Citation: Osprey, S., et al. (2009), Sudden stratospheric warmings seen in MINOS deep underground muon data, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L05809, doi: 10.1029/2008GL036359.