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Sattal Lake is one of the important lake of Nainital regions in Uttarakhand state. Physico-chemical characteristics study in the Sattal Lake has been studied. Chemical examination of the water samples collected from the sampling stations of Sattal lake were done for the tests like Total Solids (TS), pH of water, acidity of water, alkalinity of water, hardness of water, sulfate in water, Chlorides in water, Fluorides in water, Dissolved Oxygen in water, biochemical Oxygen Demand in water, chemical oxygen demand in water, total organic carbon / organic matter in water, nitrogen in water, nitrogen, ammonia, Nitrogen, nitrate, nitrogen, nitrite, nitrogen, organic and Metals in water. The study indicates that Sattal Lake is becoming a oligotrophic lake. The data have been reported in the study or present paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike conventional reservoirs, shale is particularly complex in its mineral composition. As typical components in shale reservoirs, clay and organic matter have different pore structures and strong interactions with fluids, resulting in complex fluid occurrence-states in shale. For example, there are both free water and adsorbed water in clay, and both free oil and ad/absorbed oil in organic matter. Key properties such as fluid content, organic/inorganic porosity, and permeability in clay-rich shale have been poorly characterized in previous studies. In this paper, we used a vacuum-imbibition experimental method combined with nuclear magnetic resonance technique and mathematical modeling to characterize the fluid content, organic/inorganic porosity, saturation, and permeability of clay-rich shale. We conducted vacuum-imbibition experiments on both shale samples and pure clay samples to distinguish the adsorbed oil and water in clay and organic matter. The effects of clay content and total organic matter content (TOC) on porosity and adsorbed-fluid content are then discussed. Our results show that, for the tested samples, organic porosity accounts for 26–76% of total porosity. The oil content in organic matter ranges from 29% to 69% of the total oil content, and 2% to 58% of the organic oil content is ad/absorbed in kerogen. The inorganic porosity has a weak positive correlation with clay content, and organic porosity increases with rising levels of organic matter content. The organic permeability is 1–3 orders of magnitude lower than the inorganic permeability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change will lead to prolonged droughts in various regions of the world, which may significantly affect agricultural production. This is particularly problematic for soils with low water retention capacity, which cannot store sufficient water for crops. In this paper, we investigate how a change in the water‐holding capacity of the soil material, as could be achieved by increasing the soil organic carbon (SOC) amount, affects the components of the soil water balance (evaporation, transpiration, and groundwater recharge). Specifically, we state the hypothesis that an increased water‐holding capacity in a shallow soil layer, as it is achieved through SOC enrichment at the soil surface, will result in more water being stored near the soil surface and lost to unproductive evaporation, thereby reducing the amount of water available to plants and groundwater recharge. The hypothesis was tested by numerical simulations, employing the Hydrus‐1D program package to model the water balance in a soil–plant–atmosphere system for an arable crop in hydrologically contrasting years. The study considered soils with varying textures and different depths of a soil layer with increased SOC content. The soil hydraulic properties (SHP) of the soil material, including the effect of SOC on the SHP, were determined using a recently developed pedotransfer model based on data from over 500 samples. We showed that both the improved water retention by SOC and its vertical distribution affect the soil water balance in a complex manner. In sandy soils, increasing the water‐holding capacity in shallow layers up to 0.1 m led to enhanced evaporation and thus a decrease in water availability for crops. However, deeper incorporated SOC could ameliorate these negative effects. Our findings suggest that not only the amount but also the vertical SOC distribution should be considered if enrichment of SOC shall be applied to mitigate the effect of droughts. Core Ideas: Addition of soil organic carbon (SOC) alters soil material's hydraulic properties.This, in turn, impacts the water balance of soils under agricultural use.The depth at which SOC is incorporated into soils plays a crucial role in the partitioning of evapotranspiration (ET) into evaporation (E) and transpiration (T).Deeper incorporation of SOC results in greater water availability for plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of soil is critical for the ecosystem services it provides since it regulates many key soil processes, including water, air and solute movement, root growth and the activity of soil biota. Soil structure is dynamic, driven by external factors such as land management and climate and mediated by a wide range of biological agents and physical processes operating at strongly contrasting time‐scales, from seconds (e.g., tillage) to many decades (e.g., faunal activity and soil aggregation). In this respect, positive feedbacks in the soil–plant system may lead in the longer term to soil physical degradation or to the recovery of structurally poor soils. As far as we are aware, no existing soil‐crop model can account for such processes. In this paper, we describe a new soil‐crop model (USSF, Uppsala model of Soil Structure and Function) that accounts for the effects of soil structure dynamics on water and organic matter cycling at the soil profile scale. Soil structure dynamics are expressed as time‐varying physical (bulk density, porosity) and hydraulic properties (water retention, hydraulic conductivity) responding to the activity of biological agents (i.e., earthworms, plant roots) and physical processes (i.e., tillage, soil swell‐shrink) at seasonal to decadal time‐scales. In this first application of the model, we present the results of 30‐year scenario simulations that illustrate the potential role and importance of soil structure dynamics for the soil water balance, carbon storage in soil, root growth, and winter wheat yields on two soils (loam and clay) in the climate of central Sweden. A sensitivity analysis was also performed for these two scenarios using the Morris method of elementary effects, which revealed that the most sensitive parameters controlling soil structure dynamics in the USSF model are those determining aggregation induced by organic matter turnover and swell/shrink. We suggest that the USSF model is a promising new tool to investigate a wide range of processes and phenomena triggered by land use and climate change. Results from this study show that feedback in the soil‐crop system mediated by the dynamics of soil physical and hydraulic properties are potentially of central importance for long‐term predictions of soil water balance, crop production, and carbon sequestration under global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of low-pressure nanofiltration (NF) was investigated for three different applications: water reuse from acid mine drainage (AMD), surface water containing natural organic matter (NOM) and agricultural reuse of microfiltered biologically treated sewage effluent (MF-BTSE). AMD contains many valuable rare earth elements (REEs) and copper (Cu) that can be recovered with fresh water. The NF90 membrane was investigated for recovery of fresh water from synthetic AMD. A steady permeate flux of 15.5 ± 0.2 L/m2h was achieved for pretreated AMD with over 98% solute rejection. NF90 achieved a high dissolved organic carbon (DOC) rejection of 95% from surface water containing NOM where 80% of the organic fraction was hydrophilic, mainly humics. The NF process maintained a high permeate flux of 52 LMH at 4 bars. The MF-BTSE was treated by NTR-729HF for agricultural reuse. NTR-729HF membranes were capable of rejecting DOC and inorganics such as sulfates and divalent ions (SO42−, Ca2+ and Mg2+) from MF-BTSE, with less than 20% rejection of monovalent (Na+ and Cl−) ions. The sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) was significantly reduced from 39 to 14 after treatment through NTR-729HF at 4 bar. The resulting water was found to be suitable to irrigate salt-sensitive crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the gradual depletion of conventional petroleum resources, oil shale, as an important unconventional oil and gas resource, is of great significance to alleviate the global energy crisis and optimize the energy structure. In this study, we comprehensively assessed the organic matter abundance, type, maturity, and trace element characteristics of oil shale by collecting and analyzing oil shale samples from the Lower Permian region in the western part of the southern margin of the Junggar Basin, and by applying pyrolysis analysis and rock pyrolysis analysis. The study showed that the average value of total organic carbon (TOC) of the oil shale in the study area was 10.26%, of which 41.67% was medium-grade oil shale and 58.33% was low-grade oil shale, reflecting the overall abundance of medium-low organic matter. The average value of hydrocarbon potential was 40.83 mg/g. The hydrogen index of the oil shale samples ranged from 77 to 861.06 mg/g, with an average value of 405.56 mg/g. The organic matter type was mainly of the II1 type (humic-sapropelic type), which accounted for 75% of the total, and the analysis of the highest pyrolysis peak temperature showed that 83.33% of the samples were in the low maturity-mature stage. Trace element analyses revealed that the oil shales in the study area were formed in a terrestrialweakly reduced depositional environment. Especially, the analysis of Sr/Ba, Th/U and B/Ga ratios indicated that the oil shale was mainly formed in freshwater-semi-saline environment. In addition, the analysis of V/(V+Ni) and U/Th ratios supports the reduced environment in which the oil shale was formed. The shale in the Dalongkou area has greater salinity values and higher organic matter productivity in the water body at the time of formation compared to the oil shale in the Cangfanggou area. The results of this study are important for understanding the geochemical properties and mineralization potential of the Lower Permian oil shales in the western part of the southern margin of the Junggar Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is about the diversity of diatoms in the benthos of the upper sublittoral near Kazantip Cape, located on the shore of the Sea of Azov in the northeastern part of Crimea. The study was conducted in 2022 and 2023 at a depth of 0.1 to 1 m at temperatures from 3.7 °C to 29 °C and salinity from 13.6 to 15.6 psu on the following 11 species of macroalgae: Phaeophyta of Ericaria crinita, Gongolaria barbata, and Cladosiphon mediterraneus; Chlorophyta—Bryopsis hypnoides, Cladophora liniformis, Ulva intestinalis, and Ulva linza; and Rhodophyta—Callithamnion corymbosum, Ceramium arborescens, Polysiphonia denudata, and Pyropia leucosticta. A total of 97 taxa of Bacillariophyta belonging to 3 classes, 21 orders, 30 families, and 45 genera were found. The highest number of diatom species was found on U. linza (61 species), P. denudata (45), E. crinita (40), the lowest number was recorded on thalli P. leucosticta (9). On macroalgae were found of 80% benthic diatoms, 50% marine species, 36% brackish-marine, 9% freshwater, 5% brackish, and 36% cosmopolites. The maximum abundance of the diatom community was 243.4 × 103 cells/cm2 (P. denudata in September at 23.9 °C and 15.0 psu) with dominance by the diatom of Licmophora abbreviata, and the minimum was 3.8 × 103 cells/cm2 (P. leucosticta in January at 3.7 °C and 15.0 psu). The presence in the epiphyton of diatoms—indicators of moderate organic water pollution (32 species), which developed in masse in late summer—indicate a constant inflow of organic matter into the coastal waters of the Kazantip Cape. The bioindicator and statistical studies indicate the effectiveness of the conservation regime, especially at stations within the IUCN reserve, despite relatively high saprobity rates at stations exposed to recreational pressure and poorly treated domestic wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the environmental impacts caused by the scaling up of the photocatalytic purification of drinking water using ultraviolet light-emitting diode technology. The life cycle assessment methodology was utilised to estimate the environmental impacts of two different reactor setups commonly used in lab-scale studies: an immobilised and a suspended TiO2 catalytic system. The functional unit adopted was the treatment of 1 L of water with an initial 7.8 mg/L concentration of natural organic matter, achieving a final 1 mg/L concentration. The use of a suspended photocatalyst was found to have an environmental footprint that was 87% lower than that of the immobilised one. From the sensitivity analysis, the environmental hotspots of the treatment process were the electricity usage and immobilised catalyst production. Therefore, alternative scenarios investigating the use of a renewable electricity mix and recyclable materials were explored to enhance the environmental performance of the photocatalytic treatment process. Using a renewable electricity mix, a decrease of 55% and 15% for the suspended and immobilised catalyst, respectively, was observed. Additionally, the process of recycling the glass used to support the immobilised catalyst achieved a maximum reduction of 22% in the environmental impact from the original scenario, with 100 glass reuses appearing to provide diminishing returns on the environmental impact savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Soils under anthropic uses showed more remarkable changes in soil properties with rainfall seasonality than soils under natural páramo. • Land-use change from natural vegetation to potato and onion crops followed by fallow reduces soil organic matter and water content and increases bulk density. • Land-use change could impair the ability of páramo catchments for streamflow buffering and this could increase surface runoff and reduce base flow. High-Andean páramos deliver essential ecosystem hydrological services from a combination of soil, vegetation, and climate characteristics, particularly in their natural state. However, agricultural activities considerably affect the páramo's ability to store, regulate, and supply water. Although there is information on the effect of potato crops (Solanum tuberosum) on páramo soils' properties, the effect of spring onion (Allium fistulosum) crops has been studied less. In addition, dry páramos are underrepresented in existent páramoś research. This study assessed the effect of rainfall seasonality (RS) and land-use change (transformation from páramo vegetation to crops) on soil hydrophysical properties associated with hydrological services (streamflow buffering) in a dry páramo in the Eastern range in Colombia. Six dominant land uses were studied: natural páramo vegetation (low slope, steep slope, and dense shrublands) and anthropic use (onion crops, potato crops, and fallow). An in-depth random stratified discrete design (0–5, 10–15, and 20–25 cm) was used to collect samples for analysis of soil organic matter (SOM), bulk density (BD), pH, and electrical conductivity (EC). Hydrophysical properties were measured at the soil surface: water retention capacity (WRC), structural stability (SS), and infiltration capacity (IC). Soils under anthropic uses showed more remarkable changes in soil properties with RS than soils under natural páramo. On the other hand, land-use change from natural vegetation to potato and onion crops followed by fallow leads to a reduction in SOM (9.8 %) and an increase in BD (0.19 gcm−3), especially at the surface level. In addition, this leads to a loss of WRC (20 % at field capacity), an increase in unstable aggregates (13 %), water erosion, and a loss of IC (44 mmh−1). This paper demonstrates the impact of land use on soil hydrophysical properties that compromise the maintenance of hydrological services and contributes to a better understanding of the complexity of Andean páramos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Size exclusion chromatography with total organic carbon detection (HPSEC-TOC) is a widely employed technique for characterizing aquatic natural organic matter (NOM) into high, medium, and low molecular weight fractions. This study validates the suitability of HPSEC-TOC for a simplified yet efficient routine analysis of freshwater and its application within drinking water treatment plants. The investigation highlights key procedural considerations for optimal results and shows the importance of sample preservation by refrigeration with a maximum storage duration of two weeks. Prior to analysis, the removal of inorganic carbon is essential, which is achieved without altering the NOM composition through sample acidification to pH 6 and subsequent N2-purging. The chromatographic separation employs a preparative TSK HW-50S column to achieve a limit of detection of 19.0 µgC dm−3 with an injection volume of 1350 mm−3. The method demonstrates linearity up to 10,000 µgC dm−3. Precision, trueness and recovery assessments are conducted using certified reference materials, model compounds, and real water samples. The relative measurement uncertainty in routine analysis ranges from 3.22% to 5.17%, while the measurement uncertainty on the bias is 8.73%. Overall, the HPSEC-TOC represents a reliable tool for NOM fractions analysis in both treated and untreated ground and surface water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition of dissolved organic matter of cloud water has been investigated through non-targeted high-resolution mass spectrometry on only a few samples that were mostly collected in the Northern Hemisphere in the USA, Europe and China. There remains, therefore, a lack of measurements for clouds located in the Southern Hemisphere, under tropical conditions and influenced by forest emissions. As a matter of fact, the comparison of the composition of clouds collected in different locations is challenging since the methodology for the analysis and data treatment is not standardized. In this work, the chemical composition of three samples collected at Réunion Island (REU) during the BIO-MAÏDO field campaign, in the Indian Ocean, with influences from marine, anthropogenic and biogenic (tropical) emissions, is investigated and compared to the chemical composition of samples collected at the Puy de Dôme (PUY) observatory in France. The same methodology of analysis and data treatment was employed, producing a unique dataset for the investigation of the molecular composition of organic matter in cloud water. Besides the analysis of elemental composition, we investigated the carbon oxidation state (OSC) of dissolved organic matter, finding that overall samples collected at PUY are more oxidized than those collected at REU. Molecular formulas were also classified based on stoichiometric elemental ratios, showing the high frequency and abundance of reduced organic compounds, classified as lipids (LipidC), in this matrix, which led to a search for terpene oxidation products in cloud water samples. To better discriminate between samples collected at PUY and REU, statistical analysis (principal component analysis and agglomerative hierarchical clustering) was performed on the ensemble of molecular formulas and their intensities. Samples collected at REU have a different composition from samples collected at PUY, which is mainly linked to different primary sources, the processing of organic matter in cloud water and the influence of different primary emissions at the two locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reuse water and reduce water pollution, such as chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), PO 4 , NTU, and NO 3 , advanced wastewater treatment technologies (a combination of coagulation (FeCl 3) and adsorption (Activated Carbon (AC))) are attractive. Considering that water reclamation can help provide an irrigation system for crops and domestic purified water, removing organic matter and nutrients prior to wastewater reuse is fundamental. In order to remove contaminants like organic matter and nutrients from wastewater, advanced wastewater treatment processes are recommended. The purpose of this paper is to investigate various doses of AC and FeCl 3 in wastewater treatment and study the optimum conditions for the removal of COD, TSS, PO 4 , NTU, and NO 3. Furthermore, the evaluated FeCl 3 '/AC's optimum functioning pH ranges from 6.5 to 8.0, and their optimum working times range from 2.5 to 5.5 h. The optimum concentrations of AC were 0.1–25 g/L and 0.1–5 g/L of FeCl3. The most significant COD elimination rate (98%), the highest TSS elimination efficiency (94%), NTU elimination performance (99%), PO4 elimination (99%), and NO3 elimination (67%), among the investigated FeCl 3 and AC. Secondly, the effects of operational variables such as AC, FeCl 3 , time, and solution pH were modeled, optimized, and evaluated using response surface techniques based on the D-Optimal design. Input from the response surface approach findings was used to develop an artificial neural network-based prediction model and Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II). [Display omitted] • COD, TSS, PO4, NTU, and NO3 were effective FeCl3 and PAC coagulants at optimal conditions. • Co-degradation outputs are compared to experimental results using ANNs and RSMs. • The RSM correlation coefficient was 0.973 and the ANN correlation coefficient was 0.997. • Activated carbon and FeCl3 are suitable technologies for the decline of organic matter in advanced water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the critical issue of water pollution caused by the presence of metal oxides, synthetic dyes, and dissolved organic matter, shedding light on their potential ramifications for both the environment and human health. Metal oxides, ubiquitous in industrial processes and consumer products, are known to leach into water bodies, posing a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems. Additionally, synthetic dyes, extensively used in various industries, can persist in water systems and exhibit complex chemical behavior. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the toxicity associated with metal oxides, synthetic dyes, and dissolved organic matter in water systems. We delve into the sources and environmental fate of these contaminants, highlighting their prevalence in natural water bodies and wastewater effluents. The study highlights the multifaceted impacts of them on human health and aquatic ecosystems, encompassing effects on microbial communities, aquatic flora and fauna, and the overall ecological balance. The novelty of this review lies in its unique presentation, focusing on the toxicity of metal oxides, dyes, and dissolved organic matter. This approach aims to facilitate the accessibility of results for readers, providing a streamlined and clear understanding of the reported findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excessive accumulation of foam in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) tanks can impede proper aeration, hindering the effective removal of organic matter from the water. This study proposes a novel technique to monitor in real time the presence of foams in WWTP tanks by using texture segmentation models trained with centralized and federated approaches. These models are designed to segment the foam and quantify the percentage of foam coverage across the entire tank surface. This data provides plant operators with crucial information for identifying the optimal time for foam removal. The proposed methodology is integrated into an image processing pipeline that involves acquiring images using a PTZ camera, ensuring the absence of anomalies in the captured images, and implementing a real-time communication method for event notifications to plant operators. The models exhibit noteworthy performance, achieving an 86% Dice score in foam segmentation, with comparable results obtained through both centralized and federated training. Implemented in a wastewater treatment plant, this integrated pipeline enhances operational efficiency while concurrently reducing costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shale oil, an important component of unconventional oil and gas resources, mainly exists in the storage spaces such as shale pores, microfractures, etc. Porosity is commonly used to quantitatively describe the storage space of shale oil and is a key parameter in reservoir evaluation. However, there are significant differences in the results by existing experimental methods for porosity measurement, and moreover, it is difficult to compare the porosity obtained by the experimental measurement method with the logging calculation method. It is urgent to explore reasons for the differences in porosity measurement between various porosity experiments and logging calculations of the shale oil reservoir, and propose an effective method for shale oil reservoir to characterize porosity. In this research, core samples of shale oil reservoirs from the Lianggaoshan Formation of the Sichuan Basin were selected to measure the porosity by means of experimental methods including helium gas charging, saturation liquid method, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), etc. Meanwhile, porosity was calculated using the combination method of lithology scanning (LS) logging and conventional logging as well as the NMR logging method. Subsequently, porosity experimental results and logging calculation results were compared to clarify the applicability of various porosity characterization methods. The research results indicate that: 1) The porosity measurement results by the saturation liquid method and the NMR experimental method are close, both greater than that using the helium gas charging method; 2) The hydrogen signal of the dry-state sample is significant in the NMR experiment, mainly originating from organic matter and clay minerals; 3) The NMR short relaxation component in the water-saturated state primarily reflects the signal of organic matter and clay mineral matrix, while the long relaxation component reflects the pore fluid component; 4) After deducting the NMR signal of the dry-state core, the core NMR porosity measurement results under the water-saturated state agree well with that using the saturation liquid method, which is an indicative of effective reservoir porosity; 5) The NMR logging is limited by its echo spacing and cannot reflect the signal from organic matter and the crystal water in clay minerals at T2 < 0.3 ms. Taken together, the porosity measurement method of subtracting the dry-state NMR signal from the water-saturated state NMR signal is considered effective and can be used to reflect the porosity of shale oil reservoirs in the Lianggaoshan Formation of the Sichuan Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alpine area has become a sensitive indicator and amplifier of global climate change and human activities because of its unique geographical and climatic conditions. Being an essential part of biochemical cycling, dissolved organic matter (DOM) could effectively help understand the process, structure, and function of alpine aquatic ecosystems. Due to the low content and sampling difficulties, the analysis of DOM in alpine water demands high sensitivity with low sample volume, which has not been comprehensively reviewed. This review summarizes the DOM sampling, pretreatment, and analysis methods involving the characterization of concentration, spectroscopy, and molecular structure. Overall, conventional parameters are the basis of advanced characterization methods. Spectroscopic tests can reveal the optical properties of DOM in response to lights from ultraviolet to infrared wavelengths, to distinguish the chemical composition. Molecular structure characterizations can provide microscopic information such as functional groups, element ratios, and molecular weights. The combination of multiple methods can depict DOM composition from multiple perspectives. In sum, optimized sampling and pretreatment, high-sensitivity molecular characterization, and method integration are crucial for effectively analyzing DOM components in alpine waters. These perspectives help to standardize the DOM characterization process and to understand the correlation between DOM composition and its properties, as well as the migration and transformation of DOM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbon (C) fixed by crops, which is exported with harvest and retained as postharvest residues in a field, is important for calculating the C balance. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of water availability on the C content in whole wheat plants. In a three-year field trial, the weights of grain, straw, chaff, stubble, and roots of two cultivars of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and one cultivar of einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum L.) and their carbon contents were determined in water stress, irrigation, and rain-fed control treatments. The water availability, year, and cultivar had a significant influence on the C content in aboveground plant parts, but the effect of water on grain C was weak. The C content decreased with irrigation and increased with drought, but the differences were small (at most, 3.39% in chaff). On average, the C contents of grain, straw, chaff, and roots reached 45.0, 45.7, 42.6, and 34.9%, respectively. The amount of C exported with grain and left on the field in the form of postharvest residues depended on the weight of the total biomass and the ratio of grain to straw and residue. Whole plant C yield reached 8.99, 7.46, and 9.65 t ha−1 in rain-fed control, stressed, and irrigated treatments, respectively, and 8.91, 9.45, and 7.47 t ha−1 in Artix, Butterfly, and Rumona, respectively. Irrigation significantly increased the C content in grain and straw (but not in chaff, stubble, and roots) in comparison with water shortage conditions. On average, a grain yield of 1 t ha−1 corresponded to an average export of 0.447–0.454 t C ha−1 in the grain of all cultivars and inputs of 0.721, 0.832, and 2.207 t C ha−1 of residue to the soil in the form of straw and postharvest residue in the two cultivars of common wheat and one of einkorn. The results of the study provided reliable data for the calculation of the C balance of wheat under conditions of different water availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Verticillium dahliae is a soilborne pathogen that causes significant losses in olive crops in northwestern Argentina. Biological control through antagonistic microorganisms such as Trichoderma has great potential in the management of Verticillium wilt of olive. This investigation aims to isolate, identify and characterize native Trichoderma strains for biocontrol of V. dahliae. Thirty-nine Trichoderma strains were isolated from soils of olive orchards and natural areas and they were morphologically and molecularly characterized. Desired attributes for plant growth and bioprotection, such as indole acetic acid (IAA) production, endophytism and antagonistic potential against the pathogen were evaluated. Thirteen Trichoderma species were identified, belonging to the Trichoderma, Longibrachiatum, Virens, and Harzianum clades. Physiological characterization revealed that fourteen strains produced IAA while ten showed endophytic capacity. The antagonistic parameters quantified were very variable: eight strains showed high growth inhibition values (PI > 65%), while six strains reached mycoparasitism (PM) values higher than 90% for both pathogens. Three endophytic strains exhibited IAA production and antagonistic activity against V. dahliae, becoming potential candidates for bioprotection of olive orchards. Olive cultivation in the arid regions of northwestern Argentina is subjected to strong stress conditions mainly due to the type of soils with low organic matter content and water retention. Thus, selected Trichoderma strains with more than one beneficial attribute are a fundamental tool for sustainable olive cultivation, not only as antagonists of emerging pathogens but also as mitigators of abiotic stress conditions that prevail in these environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improper disposal of vegetable waste can cause serious environmental pollution, but because they contain huge water content and organic matter, they are not suitable for disposal by methods such as incineration and landfill. However, vegetable waste contains a large amount of nutrients and have some complementary effects with rice straw in terms of physical structure, nutrients, and moisture. In this experiment, the plant feed (corn husk, peanut shells and sorghum shells) was used as the control group (CON group), and the mixed silage of Chinese cabbage waste and rice straw (mixed silage) was used as the experiment group (TRE group), and its safety performance was evaluated by testing its toxin content, pesticide residues, vitamin contents and feeding experiment of Hu sheep. In the animal experiment, 16 healthy Hu sheep (5.5 months, 39.11 ± 4.16 kg) were randomly divided into two groups of 8 each. The results of the safety performance evaluation showed that the content of mycotoxins, heavy metals, and nitrites as well as pesticide residues in the crude feeds of both groups were within the range of Chinese feed hygiene standards. In addition, the levels of deoxynivalenol (DON) and aflatoxin (AFT) in the CON group were lower, while the content of ochratoxin (OTA) and zearalenone were higher than those in the TRE group (p < 0.05). The levels of plumbum(Pb), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), and nitrite in the CON group were lower than the mixed silage, while the levels of As were higher than the mixed silage (p < 0.05). It is worth noticing that the content of vitamin B2 (VB2) and vitamin C (VC) in the TRE group was higher than the CON group (p < 0.05). The results of the feeding experiment showed that the mixed silage did not affect the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, organ index, and intestinal index of Hu sheep (p > 0.05). In addition, the mixed silage reduced the weight of omasum, the proportion of omasum to live weight before slaughter, the amount of compound stomach, and the proportion of compound stomach to live weight before slaughter, which were higher than those in the TRE group (p < 0.05). The thickness of the basal layer of the rumen abdominal sac, the red blood cell count, the content of IL-10, and TNF-α in the blood, and TNF-α content in the rumen of the Hu sheep in the TRE group were higher than the CON group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the feed safety index content of the mixed silage did not exceed the Chinese feed hygiene and safety standards and did not cause adverse effects on the growth performance of the Hu sheep, and it improved the immune performance of the body and digestive tract of the sheep to a certain extent and promoted the healthy development of the sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document discusses the importance of assessing and managing aquatic ecosystems to protect public health. The microbial community in these ecosystems, particularly heterotrophic bacteria, plays a crucial role in the biodegradation of organic matter and the purification of water bodies. Understanding the microbial communities in water can help identify pathogens and reduce the risk to human and animal health. Environmental changes and responses to climate change can promote the growth of opportunistic pathogens, making it necessary to study the composition and dynamics of microbial communities. The document highlights the need to combine traditional methods with novel tools to effectively manage water resources in a rapidly changing environment. [Extracted from the article]