Osmotic Stress Induces Expression of Choline Monooxygenase in Sugar Beet and Amaranth1

Choline monooxygenase (CMO) catalyzes the committing step in the synthesis of glycine betaine, an osmoprotectant accumulated by many plants in response to salinity and drought. To investigate how these stresses affect CMO expression, a spinach (Spinacia oleracea L., Chenopodiaceae) probe was used to isolate CMO cDNAs from sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L., Chenopodiaceae), a salt- and drought-tolerant crop. The deduced beet CMO amino acid sequence comprised a transit peptide and a 381-residue mature peptide that was 84% identical (97% similar) to that of spinach and that showed the same consensus motif for coordinating a Rieske-type [2Fe-2S] cluster. A mononuclear Fe-binding motif was also present. When water was withheld, leaf relative water content declined to 59% and the levels of CMO mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity rose 3- to 5-fold; rewatering reversed these changes. After gradual salinization (NaCl:CaCl2 = 5.7:1, mol/mol), CMO mRNA, protein, and enzyme levels in leaves increased 3- to 7-fold at 400 mm salt, and returned to uninduced levels when salt was removed. Beet roots also expressed CMO, most strongly when salinized. Salt-inducible CMO mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity were readily detected in leaves of Amaranthus caudatus L. (Amaranthaceae). These data show that CMO most probably has a mononuclear Fe center, is inducibly expressed in roots as well as in leaves of Chenopodiaceae, and is not unique to this family.

The role of large woody debris and riparian forest in channel avulsion in the Carbon River, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

A specific type of natural log jam in the upper alluvial reach of the Carbon River was found to influence secondary channel avulsion, causing flooding hazards to the adjacent Carbon River Road in the northwest quadrant of Mount Rainier National Park, Washington. The fence-like natural log jam was characterized by large woody debris buttressed horizontally against standing riparian trees (i.e. ìfence railsî and ìfence postî). The objectives of this report are two-fold. First, physical characteristics and spatial distribution were documented to determine the geomorphic controls on the fence-like log jams. Second, the function and timing of the natural log jam in relation to channel avulsion was determined to provide insight into flooding hazards along the Carbon River Road. The fence-like log jams are most abundant in the upper reaches of the Carbon River between 3.0 and 5.5 kilometers from the Carbon Glacier terminus, where longitudinal gradient significantly decreases from about 0.06 to 0.03. Sediment impoundment can occur directly upstream of the fence-like log jam, creating vertical bed elevation difference as high as 1.32 meters, and can form during low magnitude, high frequency flood event (3.5-year recurrence interval). In some locations, headcuts and widening of secondary channel were observed directly to the side of the log jams, suggesting its role in facilitating secondary channel avulsions. Areas along the Carbon River Road more prone to damages from avulsion hazards were identified by coupling locations of the log jams and Relative Water Surface Elevation map created using the 1-meter 2012 Light Detection and Ranging Digital Elevation Map. Ultimately, the results of this report may provide insight to flooding hazards along the Carbon River Road from log jam-facilitated channel avulsion.

Use of drought response index for identification of drought tolerant genotypes in rainfed lowland rice

Drought is a major constraint for rice production in the rainfed lowlands in Southeast Asia and Eastern India. The breeding programs for tainted lowland rice in these regions focus on adaptation to a range of drought conditions. However, a method of selection of drought tolerant genotypes has not been established and is considered to be one of the constraints faced by rice breeders. Drought response index (DRI) is based on grain yield adjusted for variation in potential yield and flowering date, and has been used recently, but its consistency among drought environments and hence its usefulness is not certain. In order to establish a selection method and subsequently to identify donor parents for drought resistance breeding, a series of experiments with 15 contrasting genotypes was conducted under well-watered and managed drought conditions at two sites for 5 years in Cambodia. Water level in the field was recorded and used to estimate the relative water level (WLREL) around flowering as an index of the severity of water deficit at the time of flowering for each entry. This was used to determine if DRI or yield reduction was due to drought tolerance or related to the amount of available water at flowering, i.e. drought escape. Grain yield reduction due to drought ranged from 12 to 46%. The drought occurred mainly during the reproductive phase, while four experiments had water stress from the early vegetative stage. There was significant variation for water availability around flowering among the nine experiments and this was associated with variation in mean yield reduction. Genotypic variation in DRI was consistent among most experiments, and genotypic mean DRI ranged from -0.54 to 0.47 (LSD 5% = 0.47). Genotypic variation in DRI was not related to WLREL around flowering in the nine environments. It is concluded that selection for DRI under drought conditions would allow breeders to identify donor lines with high drought tolerance as an important component of breeding better adapted varieties for the rainfed lowlands; two genotypes were identified with high DRI and low yield reduction and were subsequently used in the breeding program in Cambodia. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of thermal neutron radiography for the mass transport of moisture through freezing soil

This thesis reports on the development of a technique to evaluate hydraulic conductivities in a soil (Snowcal) subject to freezing conditions. The technique draws on three distinctly different disciplines, Nuclear Physics, Soil Physics and Remote Sensing to provide a non-destructive and reliable evaluation of hydraulic conductivity throughout a freezing test. Thermal neutron radiography is used to provide information on local water/ice contents at anytime throughout the test. The experimental test rig is designed so that the soil matrix can be radiated by a neutron beam, from a nuclear reactor, to obtain radiographs. The radiographs can then be interpreted, following a process of remote sensing image enhancement, to yield information on relative water/ice contents. Interpretation of the radiographs is accommodated using image analysis equipment capable of distinguishing between 256 shades of grey. Remote sensing image enhancing techniques are then employed to develop false colour images which show the movement of water and development of ice lenses in the soil. Instrumentation is incorporated in the soil in the form of psychrometer/thermocouples, to record water potential, electrical resistance probes to enable ice and water to be differentiated on the radiographs and thermocouples to record the temperature gradient. Water content determinations are made from the enhanced images and plotted against potential measurements to provide the moisture characteristic for the soil. With relevant mathematical theory pore water distributions are obtained and combined with water content data to give hydraulic conductivities. The values for hydraulic conductivity in the saturated soil and at the frozen fringe are compared with established values for silts and silty-sands. The values are in general agreement and, with refinement, this non-destructive technique could afford useful information on a whole range of soils. The technique is of value over other methods because ice lenses are actually seen forming in the soil, supporting the accepted theories of frost action. There are economic and experimental restraints to the work which are associated with the use of a nuclear facility, however, the technique is versatile and has been applied to the study of moisture transfer in porous building materials and could be further developed into other research areas.

Forest Resource Islands in a Sub-tropical Marsh: Soil–Site Relationships in Everglades Hardwood Hammocks

Spatial heterogeneity in soils is often characterized by the presence of resource-enriched patches ranging in size from a single shrub to wooded thickets. If the patches persist long enough, the primary constraint on production may transition from one limiting environmental factor to another. Tree islands that are scattered throughout the Florida Everglades basin comprise nutrient-enriched patches, or resource islands, in P-limited oligotrophic marshes. We used principal component analysis and multiple regressions to characterize the belowground environment (soil, hydrology) of one type of tree island, hardwood hammocks, and examined its relationship with the three structural variables (basal area, biomass, and canopy height) indicative of site productivity. Hardwood hammocks in the southern Everglades grow on two distinct soil types. The first, consisting of shallow, organic, relatively low-P soils, is common in the seasonally flooded Marl Prairie landscape. In contrast, hammocks on islands embedded in long hydroperiod marsh have deeper, alkaline, mineral soils with extremely high P concentrations. However, this edaphic variation does not translate simply into differences in forest structure and production. Relative water depth was unrelated to all measures of forest structure and so was soil P, but the non-carbonate component of the mineral soil fraction exhibited a strong positive relationship with canopy height. The development of P-enriched forest resource islands in the Everglades marsh is accompanied by the buildup of a mineral soil; however, limitations on growth in mature islands appear to differ substantively from those that dominate incipient stages in the transformation from marsh to forest. Key words: resource island; tree

Monitoring of Tree Island Condition in the Southern Everglades: Annual Report 2011

Tree islands, a prominent feature in both the marl prairie and ridge and slough landscapes of the Everglades, are sensitive to large-scale restoration actions associated with the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) authorized by the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 2000 to restore the south Florida ecosystem. More specifically, changes in hydrologic regimes at both local and landscape scales are likely to affect the internal water economy of islands, which in turn will influence plant community structure and function. To strengthen our ability to assess the “performance” of tree island ecosystems and predict how these hydrologic alterations would translate into ecosystem response, an improved understating of reference conditions of vegetation structure and function, and their responses to major stressors is important. In this regard, a study of vegetation structure and composition in relation to associated physical and biological processes was initiated in 2005 with initial funding from Everglades National Park and South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). The study continued through 2011 with funding from US Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) (Cooperative Agreement # W912HZ-09-2-0019 Modification No.: P00001).

Revestimento decorativo monocamada pigmentado, com resíduo de vidro temperado, para aplicação em fachadas

Although efficient from a technical point of view, mortar layers that make up the traditional masonry coating (slurry mortar, plaster and plaster) have to be in contradiction with the new construction technologies and more efficient methods of consumption and work rationalization. From an environmental point of view, the recovery of waste into new composites for the building has been a growing strand of studies in the scientific community, may prove to be a cost-effective solution in some cases. Thus, this research proposes the development of a mortar Decorative Coating Monolayer (RDM), for use in facades, produced on site, incorporating tempered glass waste (RVT) in the cement matrix, as a partial substitute for aggregate. Therefore, we adopted the binder respect / aggregate of 1: 6 (by volume), consistency index 250mm ± 20, sand substitution levels of glass waste 20%, 50% and 80% and relative water / cement varied in many traits. Two additives were used, a polymer, styrene-butadiene-based, and other chemical, besides mineral and silica fume inorganic pigment in colors red, yellow and blue. Mechanical tests were carried out on fresh pasta and hardened, as well as for the applied coating on masonry, so as to demonstrate the feasibility of the material. In addition, it verified the adequacy of the RDM built environment by means of thermal tests. The results demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed RDM with significantly higher values when compared to norms, especially the dash-added replacement content of 20% and addition of pigment in red. Therefore, the study shows the scientific community as an incentive to the use of technological innovations in construction, increasing the range of alternatives available for housing production, with the proposition of a material that achieves the desired functionality and obtain environmental gain, and may be adopted on construction sites as an alternative industrialized mortars.

Superexpressão do gene dehidrina de Arachis duranensis em plantas transgênicas de Arabidopsis thaliana

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Departamento de Botânica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Botânica, 2016.

Alternate furrow irrigation of four fresh-market tomato cultivars under semi-arid condition of Ethiopia – Part II: Physiological response

Understanding the variation in physiological response to deficit irrigation together with better knowledge on physiological characteristics of different genotypes that contribute to drought adaptation mechanisms would be helpful in transferring different irrigation technologies to farmers. A field experiment was carried to investigate the physiological response of four tomato cultivars (Fetan, Chali, Cochoro and ARP Tomato d2) to moderate water deficit induced by alternate furrow irrigation (AFI) and deficit irrigation (DI) under semi-arid condition of Ethiopia during 2013 and 2014. The study also aimed at identifying physiological attributes to the fruit yield of tomato under different deficit irrigation techniques. A factorial combination of irrigation treatments and cultivar were arranged in a complete randomized design with three replicates. Results showed that stomatal conductance (g_s) was significantly reduced while photosynthetic performance measured as chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv’/Fm’), relative water content (RWC) and leaf ash content remained unaffected under deficit irrigations. Significant differences among cultivars were found for water use efficiency (WUE), g_s, chlorophyll content (Chl_SPAD), normal difference vegetation index (NDVI), leaf ash content and fruit growth rate. However, cultivar differences in WUE were more accounted for by the regulation of g_s, therefore, g_s could be useful for breeders for screening large numbers of genotypes with higher WUE under deficit irrigation condition. The study result also demonstrated that cultivar with traits that contribute to achieve higher yields under deficit irrigation strategies has the potential to increase WUE.

Adaptive strategies of two Portuguese grapevines varieties (Aragonês. syn. Tempranillo and Trincadeira) face drought: physiological and structural responses.

At Mediterranean regions and particularly in southern Portugal, it is imperative to identify grape varieties more adapted to warm and dry climates in order to overcome future climatic changes. Two Vitis vinifera genotypes, Aragonez (syn. Tempranillo) and Trincadeira, were selected to assess their physiological responses to soil water stress. Vines were subjected to four irrigation regimes: irrigated during all phenological cycle, non-irrigated during all phenological cycle, non irrigated until veraison, irrigated after veraison. Predawn leaf water potential was much higher in Trincadeira than Aragonez in non- irrigated plants. This result is in accordance with its higher stomatal control efficiency in this variety (Trincadeira). Photosynthetic capacity (Amax at saturating light intensity) decreased due to stomatal and biochemical limitations under water stress. However, recovery capacity of leaf water status after irrigation was faster in Trincadeira. Yield and yield x Brix increased when irrigation occurred after veraison, particularly in Trincadeira. These results show that Trincadeira presents a drought adaptation than Aragonez. Ratio of variable to maximum fluorescence Fv/Fm and total leaf chlorophyll related with leaf water potential for both species. Reflectance Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI705), Red Edge Inflexion Point Index and Photochemical Reflectance Index were related with irrigation treatment. Relative water content and specific leaf area were similar between varieties. In conclusion, we suggested that there is variation among the genotypes and the main physiological parameters for variety selection, for drought, were leaf water potential, stomatal conductance and reflectance indexes.

Thermo-solvatochromism in binary mixtures of water and ionic liquids: on the relative importance of solvophobic interactions

The thermo-solvatochromism of 2,6-dibromo-4-[(E)-2-(1-methylpyridinium-4-yl)ethenyl] phenolate, MePMBr(2), has been studied in mixtures of water, W, with ionic liquids, ILs, in the temperature range of 10 to 60 degrees C, where feasible. The objectives of the study were to test the applicability of a recently introduced solvation model, and to assess the relative importance of solute-solvent solvophobic interactions. The ILs were 1-allyl-3-alkylimidazolium chlorides, where the alkyl groups are methyl, 1-butyl, and 1-hexyl, respectively. The equilibrium constants for the interaction of W and the ILs were calculated from density data; they were found to be linearly dependent on N(C), the number of carbon atoms of the alkyl group; van't Hoff equation (log K versus 1/T) applied satisfactorily. Plots of the empirical solvent polarities, E(T) (MePMBr(2)) in kcal mol(-1), versus the mole fraction of water in the binary mixture, chi(w), showed non-linear, i.e., non-ideal behavior. The dependence of E(T) (MePMBr(2)) on chi(w), has been conveniently quantified in terms of solvation by W, IL, and the ""complex"" solvent IL-W. The non-ideal behavior is due to preferential solvation by the IL and, more efficiently, by IL-W. The deviation from linearity increases as a function of increasing N(C) of the IL, and is stronger than that observed for solvation of MePMBr(2) by aqueous 1-propanol, a solvent whose lipophilicity is 12.8 to 52.1 times larger than those of the ILs investigated. The dependence on N(C) is attributed to solute-solvent solvophobic interactions, whose relative contribution to solvation are presumably greater than that in mixtures of water and 1-propanol.

A hedging point strategy - balancing effluent quality, economy and robustness in the control of wastewater treatment plants

An operational space map is an efficient tool to compare a large number of operational strategies to find an optimal choice of setpoints based on a multicriterion. Typically, such a multicriterion includes a weighted sum of cost of operation and effluent quality. Due to the relative high cost of aeration such a definition of optimality result in a relatively high fraction of the effluent total nitrogen in the form of ammonium. Such a strategy may however introduce a risk into operation because a low degree of ammonium removal leads to a low amount of nitrifiers. This in turn leads to a reduced ability to reject event disturbances, such as large variations in the ammonium load, drop in temperature, the presence of toxic/inhibitory compounds in the influent etc. Hedging is a risk minimisation tool, with the aim to "reduce one's risk of loss on a bet or speculation by compensating transactions on the other side" (The Concise Oxford Dictionary (1995)). In wastewater treatment plant operation hedging can be applied by choosing a higher level of ammonium removal to increase the amount of nitrifiers. This is a sensible way to introduce disturbance rejection ability into the multi criterion. In practice, this is done by deciding upon an internal effluent ammonium criterion. In some countries such as Germany, a separate criterion already applies to the level of ammonium in the effluent. However, in most countries the effluent criterion applies to total nitrogen only. In these cases, an internal effluent ammonium criterion should be selected in order to secure proper disturbance rejection ability.

A computable general equilibrium analysis of the relative price sensitivity required to induce rebound effects in response to an improvement in energy efficiency in the UK economy

In recent years there has been extensive debate in the energy economics and policy literature on the likely impacts of improvements in energy efficiency. This debate has focussed on the notion of rebound effects. Rebound effects occur when improvements in energy efficiency actually stimulate the direct and indirect demand for energy in production and/or consumption. This phenomenon occurs through the impact of the increased efficiency on the effective, or implicit, price of energy. If demand is stimulated in this way, the anticipated reduction in energy use, and the consequent environmental benefits, will be partially or possibly even more than wholly (in the case of ‘backfire’ effects) offset. A recent report published by the UK House of Lords identifies rebound effects as a plausible explanation as to why recent improvements in energy efficiency in the UK have not translated to reductions in energy demand at the macroeconomic level, but calls for empirical investigation of the factors that govern the extent of such effects. Undoubtedly the single most important conclusion of recent analysis in the UK, led by the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) is that the extent of rebound and backfire effects is always and everywhere an empirical issue. It is simply not possible to determine the degree of rebound and backfire from theoretical considerations alone, notwithstanding the claims of some contributors to the debate. In particular, theoretical analysis cannot rule out backfire. Nor, strictly, can theoretical considerations alone rule out the other limiting case, of zero rebound, that a narrow engineering approach would imply. In this paper we use a computable general equilibrium (CGE) framework to investigate the conditions under which rebound effects may occur in the Scottish regional and UK national economies. Previous work has suggested that rebound effects will occur even where key elasticities of substitution in production are set close to zero. Here, we carry out a systematic sensitivity analysis, where we gradually introduce relative price sensitivity into the system, focusing in particular on elasticities of substitution in production and trade parameters, in order to determine conditions under which rebound effects become a likely outcome. We find that, while there is positive pressure for rebound effects even where (direct and indirect) demand for energy is very price inelastic, this may be partially or wholly offset by negative income and disinvestment effects, which also occur in response to falling energy prices.

Political economy of municipal water service privatization in Spain: a duration model analysis

This empirical work applies a duration model to the study of factors determining privatization of local water services. I assess how factors determining privatization decision evolve as time goes by. A sample of 133 Spanish municipalities during the six terms of office taken place during the 1980-2002 period is analyzed. A dynamic neighboring effect is hypothesized and successfully tested. In a first stage, private water supply firms may try to expand to regions where there is no service privatized, in order to spread over this region after having being installed thanks to its scale advantages. Other factors influencing privatization decision evolve during the two decades under study, from the priority to fix old infrastructures to the concern about service efficiency. Some complementary results regarding political and budgetary factors are also obtained

Disentangling water usage in the European Union: A decomposition analysis

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) defines common objectives for water resources throughout the European Union (EU). Given this general approach to water preservation and water policy, the objective of this paper is to analyse whether common patterns of water consumption exist within Europe. In particular, our study uses two methods to reveal the reasons behind sectoral water use in all EU countries. The first method is based on an accounting indicator that calculates the water intensity of an economy as the sum of sectoral water intensities. The second method is a subsystem input‐output model that divides total water use into different income channels within the production system. The application uses data for the years 2005 and 2009 on water consumption in the production system of the 27 countries of the EU. From our analysis it emerges that EU countries are characterized by very different patterns of water consumption. In particular water consumption by the agriculture sector is extremely high in Central/Eastern Europe, relative to the rest of Europe. In most countries, the water used by the fuel, power and water sector is consumed to satisfy domestic final demand. However, our analysis shows that for some countries exports from this sector are an important driver of water consumption. Focusing on the agricultural sector, the decomposition analysis suggests that water usage in Mediterranean countries is mainly driven by final demand for, and exports of, agricultural products. In Central/Eastern Europe domestic final demand is the main driver of water consumption, but in this region the proportion of water use driven by demand for exports is increasing over time. Given these heterogeneous water consumption patterns, our analysis suggests that Mediterranean and Central/Eastern European countries should adopt specific water policies in order to achieve efficient levels of water consumption in the European Union. JEL codes: N5; C67 Keywords: Water use, Subsystem input–output model; Water intensity, European Union.