Systemic root signalling in a belowground, volatile-mediated tritrophic interaction

Plants attacked by leaf herbivores release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) both locally from the wounded site and systemically from non-attacked tissues. These volatiles serve as attractants for predators and parasitoids. This phenomenon is well described for plant leaves, but systemic induction of VOCs in the roots has remained unstudied. We assessed the spatial and temporal activation of the synthesis and release of (E)-β-caryophyllene (EβC) in maize roots upon feeding by larvae of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, as well as the importance of systemically produced EβC for the attraction of the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis megidis. The production of EβC was found to be significantly stronger at the site of attack than in non-attacked tissues. A weak, but significant, increase in transcriptional activity of the EβC synthase gene tps23 and a corresponding increase in EβC content were observed in the roots above the feeding site and in adjacent roots, demonstrating for the first time that herbivory triggers systemic production of a volatile within root systems. In belowground olfactometers, the nematodes were significantly more attracted towards local feeding sites than systemically induced roots. The possible advantages and disadvantages of systemic volatile signalling in roots are discussed.

RUNOFF FROM COAL PILES: EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE PUBLIC'S HEALTH

The use of coal for fuel in place of oil and natural gas has been increasing in the United States. Typically, users store their reserves of coal outdoors in large piles and rainfall on the coal creates runoffs which may contain materials hazardous to the environment and the public's health. To study this hazard, rainfall on model coal piles was simulated, using deionized water and four coals of varying sulfur content. The simulated surface runoffs were collected during 9 rainfall simulations spaced 15 days apart. The runoffs were analyzed for 13 standard water quality parameters, extracted with organic solvents and then analyzed with capillary column GC/MS, and the extracts were tested for mutagenicity with the Ames Salmonella microsomal assay and for clastogenicity with Chinese hamster ovary cells.^ The runoffs from the high-sulfur coals and the lignite exhibited extremes of pH (acidity), specific conductance, chemical oxygen demand, and total suspended solids; the low-sulfur coal runoffs did not exhibit these extremes. Without treatment, effluents from these high-sulfur coals and lignite would not comply with federal water quality guidelines.^ Most extracts of the simulated surface runoffs contained at least 10 organic compounds including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, their methyl and ethyl homologs, olefins, paraffins, and some terpenes. The concentrations of these compounds were generally less than 50 (mu)g/l in most extracts.^ Some of the extracts were weakly mutagenic and affected both a DNA-repair proficient and deficient Salmonella strain. The addition of S9 decreased the effect significantly. Extracts of runoffs from the low-sulfur coal were not mutagenic.^ All extracts were clastogenic. Extracts of runoffs from the high-sulfur coals were both clastogenic and cytotoxic; those from the low-sulfur coal and the lignite were less clastogenic and not cytotoxic. Clastogenicity occurred with and without S9 activation. Chromosomal lesions included gaps, breaks and exchanges. These data suggest a relationship between the sulfur content of a coal, its mutagenicity and also its clastogenicity.^ The runoffs from actual coal piles should be investigated for possible genotoxic effects in view of the data presented in this study.^

Maternal exposure to hazardous air pollutants and oral clefts among offspring: Texas, 1999-2008

Birth defects are a leading cause of infant mortality in the United States. About one in 33 births in the United States is diagnosed with birth defects. Common birth defects include neural tube defects, Down syndrome and oral clefts. The present study focused on oral clefts. ^ Oral clefts refer to the malformation of lip, mouth or both. Birth prevalence of oral clefts in Texas is about 11 per 10,000 births. Etiologically, oral clefts have been classified into two groups, cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL±P) and isolated cleft palate (CP). In spite of their high prevalence and clinical significance, the etiology of oral clefts in humans has not been well understood. Though a number of risk factors have been identified in epidemiological studies, most of them do not explain the majority of the cases. The need to identify novel risk factors associated with oral clefts provided the motivation for this study. The present study focused on maternal exposure to several hazardous air pollutants. A common subgroup of hazardous air pollutants is the volatile organic compounds found in petroleum derivatives. Four important hydrocarbons in this group are benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylenes (BTEX). ^ The specific aim of this study was to evaluate the association between maternal exposure to environmental levels of BTEX and oral clefts among offspring in Texas for the period 1999-2008. ^ A case-control study design was used to assess if maternal exposure to BTEX increased the risk of oral clefts. The Texas Birth Defects Registry provided data on cases of non-syndromic oral clefts delivered in Texas during the period 1999-2008. Census tract level maternal exposure to BTEX concentrations were obtained from the Hazardous Air Pollutant Exposure Model (HAPEM) developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Unconditional logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between maternal exposure to BTEX levels and risk of oral clefts in offspring. ^ In the selected population, mothers who had high estimated exposure to any of the BTEX compounds were not more likely to deliver an offspring with oral clefts. Future research efforts will focus on additional birth defects and thorough assessment of additional potential confounders.^

Proceedings of the Eighteenth Annual Biochemical Engineering Symposium

The eighteenth annual biochemical engineering symposium was held during April 22–23, 1988 at the YMCA of the Rockies conference center in Estes Park, Colorado, under the sponsorship of the University of Colorado. Previous symposia in this series have been hosted by Kansas State University (1st, 3rd, 5th, 9th, 12th, 16th), University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2nd, 4th), Iowa State University (6th, 7th, l0th, 13th, 17th), University of Missouri–Columbia (8th, 14th), and Colorado State University (11th, 15th). Next year's symposium is scheduled to be held at the University of Missouri-Columbia. The symposia are devoted to talks by students about their ongoing research. Because final publication usually takes place elsewhere, the papers included in the proceedings are brief, and often cover work in progress. ContentsApplications of mass spectrometers in biochemical engineeringJohn P. McDonald, Ayush Gupta, and Lourdes Taladriz, Kansas State University Enzymatic hydrolysis of corn gluten proteinsJulie Hardwick; Iowa State University Improved Acetone-Butanol Fermentation AnalysisZ. Buday; Colorado State University On-Line State Identification for Batch FermentationD. A. Gee and W. F. Ramirez; University of Colorado Role of Spargers in Air-Lift ReactorsPeter U. Sohn and Rakesh K. Bajpai; University of Missouri–Columbia The Interaction of Microcarriers and Turbulence within an Airlift FermenterG. Travis Jones; Kansas State University Oxygen Diffusion in the Inter-Fiber Gel/Cell Matrix of NMR-Compatible Hollow Fiber Bio-ReactorsS. L. Hanson, B. E. Dale, and R. J. Gillies; Colorado State University Characterization of Ca-alginate Gel Beads FormationHorngtwu Su, Rakesh K. Bajpai, and George W. Preckshot; University of Missouri–Columbia Metabolic Effects of Chloramphenicol Resistance in the Recombinant Host/Vector System: E. coli RRl [pBR329]William E. Bentley, Dana C. Andersen, Dhinakar S. Kompala, and Robert H. Davis; University of Colorado Genetic Engineering of Beta-Galactosidase to Aid in Fermentation Product Recovery by Polyelectrolyte PrecipitationD. E. Parker, C. E. Glatz, J. Zhao, C. F. Ford, S. M. Gendel, and M. A. Rougvie; Iowa State University Biodegradation of Organic Compounds in SoilLourdes Taladriz, L. E. Erickson, and L. T. Fan; Kansas State University Effect of Dilution, pH and Nutrient Composition on the Biodegradation of Metalworking FluidsAyush Gupta, L. E. Erickson, and L. T. Fan; Kansas State University Dissolved Hydrogen Correlation with Redox Potential in Acetone-Butanol FermentationXiangdong Zhou; Colorado State University Modeling of Ensiling Fermentation of Sweet SorghumA. K. Hilaly; Colorado State University

Concentrations of metals and POPs in liver tissue of wild sea bird chicks from the Norwegian arctic region

Lysosomal membrane stability, lipofuscin (LF), malondialdehyde (MDA), neutral lipid (NL) levels, as well as halogenated organic compounds (HOCs), Cr, Cd, Pb and Fe concentrations were analyzed in liver of black-legged kittiwake (BK), herring gull (HG), and northern fulmar (NF) chicks. There were significant species differences in the levels of NL, LF and lysosomal membrane stability. These parameters were not associated with the respective HOC concentrations. LF accumulation was associated with increasing Cr, Cd and Pb concentrations. HG presented the lowest lysosomal membrane stability and the highest. LF and NL levels, which indicated impaired lysosomes in HG compared to NF and BK. Lipid peroxidation was associated with HOC and Fe2+ levels. Specific HOCs showed positive and significant correlations with MDA levels in HG. The study indicates that contaminant exposure can affect lysosomal and lipid associated parameters in seabird chicks even at low exposure levels. These parameters may be suitable markers of contaminant induced stress in arctic seabirds.

Faecal pellet production of copepoda collected in water depth up to 30 meters in the eastern Mediterranean Sea in Oktober 2008 during SES_GR2

Mesozooplankton is collected by vertical tows within the Black sea water body mass layer in the NE Aegean, using a WP-2 200 µm net equipped with a large non-filtering cod-end (10 l). Macrozooplankton organisms are removed using a 2000 µm net. A few unsorted animals (approximately 100) are placed inside several glass beaker of 250 ml filled with GF/F or 0.2 µm Nucleopore filtered seawater and with a 100 µm net placed 1 cm above the beaker bottom. Beakers are then placed in an incubator at natural light and maintaining the in situ temperature. After 1 hour pellets are separated from animals and placed in separated flasks and preserved with formalin. Pellets are counted and measured using an inverted microscope. Animals are scanned and counted using an image analysis system. Carbon- Specific faecal pellet production is calculated from a) faecal pellet production, b) individual carbon: Animals are scanned and their body area is measured using an image analysis system. Body volume is then calculated as an ellipsoid using the major and minor axis of an ellipse of same area as the body. Individual carbon is calculated from a carbon- total body volume of organisms (relationship obtained for the Mediterranean Sea by Alcaraz et al. (2003) divided by the total number of individuals scanned and c) faecal pellet carbon: Faecal pellet length and width is measured using an inverted microscope. Faecal pellet volume is calculated from length and width assuming cylindrical shape. Conversion of faecal pellet volume to carbon is done using values obtained in the Mediterranean from: a) faecal pellet density 1,29 g cm**3 (or pg µm**3) from Komar et al. (1981); b) faecal pellet DW/WW=0,23 from Elder and Fowler (1977) and c) faecal pellet C%DW=25,5 Marty et al. (1994).

Halocarbons in surface water from SWEDARP97/98

A number of parameters of biogeochemical interest were monitored along a north-southerly transect (S 43-S 63°) in the Atlantic Sector of the Southern Ocean from the 8th to the 20th of December 1997. Changes in total dissolved inorganic carbon (CT) and total alkalinity (AT) were mostly dependent on temperature and salinity until the ice edge was reached. After this point only a weak correlation was seen between these. Highest mean values of CT and AT were observed in the Winter Ice Edge (WIE) (2195 and 2319 µmol/kg, respectively). Lowest mean AT (2277 µmol/kg) was observed in the Sub-Antarctic Front (SAF), whereas lowest mean CT concentration (2068 µmol/kg) was associated with the Sub-Tropical Front (STF). The pH in situ varied between 8.060 and 8.156 where the highest values were observed in the southern part of the Antarctic Polar Front (APF) and in the Summer Ice Edge (SIE) Region . These peaks were associated with areas of high chlorophyll a (chl a) and tribromomethane values. In the other areas the pH in situ was mainly dependent on hydrography. Bacterial abundance decreased more than one order of magnitude when going from north to south. The decrease appeared to be strongly related to water temperature and there were no elevated abundances at frontal zones. Microphytoplankton dominated in the SAF and APF, whereas the nano- and picoplankton dominated outside these regions. Volatile halogenated compounds were found to vary both with regions, and with daylight. For the iodinated compounds, the highest concentrations were found north of the STF. Brominated hydrocarbons had high concentrations in the STF, but elevated concentrations were also found in the APF and SIE regions. No obvious correlation could be found between the occurrence of individual halocarbons and chl a. On some occasions trichloroethene and tribromomethane related to the presence of nano- and microplankton, respectively.

Geochemistry of surface and groundwaters from lower Tom Basin wetland, western Siberia

New data are reported on the major- and trace-component compositions of acidic and weakly acidic low-concentration wetland waters and other water types. Special attention was given to dissolved organic compounds: fulvic and humic acids, bitumens, and hydrocarbons. The first comprehensive data are presented for organic trace components in the wetland waters of western Siberia: alkanes, pentacyclic terpenoids, steranes, alkylbenzenes, naphthalenes, phenanthrenes, tetraarenes, etc.

Geochemistry and soil characteristics of sediment core GeoB4234

Stable isotopes of sedimentary nitrogen and organic carbon are widely used as proxy variables for biogeochemical parameters and processes in the water column. In order to investigate alterations of the primary isotopic signal by sedimentary diagenetic processes, we determined concentrations and isotopic compositions of inorganic nitrogen (IN), organic nitrogen (ON), total nitrogen (TN), and total organic carbon (TOC) on one short core recovered from sediments of the eastern subtropical Atlantic, between the Canary Islands and the Moroccan coast. Changes with depth in concentration and isotopic composition of the different fractions were related to early diagenetic conditions indicated by pore water concentrations of oxygen, nitrate, and ammonium. Additionally, the nature of the organic matter was investigated by Rock-Eval pyrolysis and microscopic analysis. A decrease in ON during aerobic organic matter degradation is accompanied by an increase of the 15N/14N ratio. Changes in the isotopic composition of ON can be described by Rayleigh fractionation kinetics which are probably related to microbial metabolism. The influence of IN depleted in 15N on the bulk sedimentary (TN) isotope signal increases due to organic matter degradation, compensating partly the isotopic changes in ON. In anoxic sediments, fixation of ammonium between clay lattices results in a decrease of stable nitrogen isotope ratio of IN and TN. Changes in the carbon isotopic composition of TOC have to be explained by Rayleigh fractionation in combination with different remineralization kinetics of organic compounds with different isotopic composition. We have found no evidence for preferential preservation of terrestrial organic carbon. Instead, both TOC and refractory organic carbon are dominated by marine organic matter. Refractory organic carbon is depleted in 13C compared to TOC.

Chemical composition of mineral phases of serpentinized and steatized peridotite from the Mid Atlantic Ridge (15°20'N Fracture Zone, ODP Leg209)

Serpentinization of abyssal peridotites is known to produce extremely reducing conditions as a result of dihydrogen (H2,aq) release upon oxidation of ferrous iron in primary phases to ferric iron in secondary minerals by H2O.We have compiled and evaluated thermodynamic data for Fe-Ni-Co-O-S phases and computed phase relations in fO2,g-fS2,g and aH2,aq-aH2S,aq diagrams for temperatures between 150 and 400°C at 50MPa.We use the relations and compositions of Fe-Ni-Co-O-S phases to trace changes in oxygen and sulfur fugacities during progressive serpentinization and steatitization of peridotites from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the 15°20'N Fracture Zone area (Ocean Drilling Program Leg 209). Petrographic observations suggest a systematic change from awaruite- magnetite-pentlandite and heazlewoodite-magnetite-pentlandite assemblages forming in the early stages of serpentinization to millerite-pyrite-polydymite-dominated assemblages in steatized rocks. Awaruite is observed in all brucite-bearing partly serpentinized rocks. Apparently, buffering of silica activities to low values by the presence of brucite facilitates the formation of large amounts of hydrogen, which leads to the formation of awaruite. Associated with the prominent desulfurization of pentlandite, sulfide is removed from the rock during the initial stage of serpentinization. In contrast, steatitization indicates increased silica activities and that highsulfur-fugacity sulfides, such as polydymite and pyrite-vaesite solid solution, form as the reducing capacity of the peridotite is exhausted and H2 activities drop. Under these conditions, sulfides will not desulfurize but precipitate and the sulfur content of the rock increases. The co-evolution of fO2,g-fS2,g in the system follows an isopotential of H2S,aq, indicating that H2S in vent fluids is buffered. In contrast, H2 in vent fluids is not buffered by Fe-Ni-Co-O-S phases, which merely monitor the evolution of H2 activities in the fluids in the course of progressive rock alteration.The co-occurrence of pentlandite- awaruite-magnetite indicates H2,aq activities in the interacting fluids near the stability limit of water. The presence of a hydrogen gas phase would add to the catalyzing capacity of awaruite and would facilitate the abiotic formation of organic compounds.

Composition of swamp waters from the lower Tom' River Basin

New data on chemical and trace component compositions of acidic and low acidic swamp waters and other types of low mineralized waters are reported in the paper. Special attention is paid to dissolved organic compounds: fulvic and humic acids, bitumen, and hydrocarbons. For the first time detailed data on organic trace components (alkanes, pentacyclic terpenoids, steranes, alkylbenzenes, naphthalenes, phenanthrenes, tetraarenes, etc.) in the swamp waters of the Western Siberia: are reported.

Composition of bottom sediments and their exchange with seawater in the Amur and Zolotoy Rog bays, Sea of Japan

Transition of Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb into solution is studied for experimental suspensions of coastal marine sediments with different degrees of pollution from the Amur Bay (Sea of Japan) over 30-70 days. Concentrations of dissolved metals were measured by a voltammetry method. Transition of Zn and Cd into solution was shown to be linearly dependent on initial pollution of sediments with these metals. Cadmium mobilization is due to gradual degradation of organic matter from sediments. Under degradation processes Zn quickly goes into solution during sedimentation and from silts, while in case of polluted sediments it is slowly mobilized during oxidation of sulfides. Behavior of Cu is complex because of binding of mobilized metal by dissolved organic compounds. Transition of lead into solution is negligible. Calculation of potential transition of metals from sediments into water on the basis of experimental data and its comparison with downward sedimentary flux showed that in the studied area secondary pollution of water by aerobic degradation of sediments is possible only for Cd.

Palynological investigations of profile Cergowa in Poland

The decomposition rate of organic, Compounds, following the death of a plant, is dependent on several external factors. Assimilatory pigments generally undergo a rapid degradation. In certain condition, however, their decomposition may be considerably retarded; e.g. compounds similar to chlorophyll and some carotenoids, as a and ß-carotene, lutein and others, may persist several thousand years in marine and lake Sediments (Vallentyne 1960). Derivatives of chlorophyll were also found in the surface layer of wood soil (Gorham 1959). In this connection the question arises, in what a way a still different environment, namely peat, influences the decomposition rate of pigments. The starting point in these investigations was the fact observed by one of the co-authors, that many subfossil fir needles from various depths of the peat bog in Cergowa Gora were bright yellow green pigmented. Macroscopic otoservations have already suggested that, at least, a part of the pigments did not undergo decomposition. A study was undertaken with the aim to determine the quantitative and qualitative changes in assimilatory pigments, occurring in fir needles in dependence on the pexiod of time they were lying in the peat bog.