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Purpose: This paper is aimed at the determination of digestate potential in a long-term carbon accumulation after its application as a biofertilizer. Method: Literature survey of > 1000 papers was conducted and resulted in a selection of 21 papers that involved data of soil C accumulation after digestate addition for at least a period of 12 months. Meta-analysis was used for data analysis and interpretation of a large database. The results of incorporation of total organic carbon in the soil after digestate biofertilization were measured by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: A comprehensive literature review showed trends for carbon increase in the soil for different experiment periods up to 84 months and initial content of carbon in the soil. It was demonstrated that application of digestate, a byproduct of anaerobic digestion, to agricultural soils resulted in an increase of soil carbon content for a period of up to 8 years. Specifically, digestate derived from cow and pig manure had the highest potential to enhance soil carbon accumulation compared to digestate from other organic residues including food waste and sewage sludge, highlighting the need for a proper choice of the waste substrate used in anaerobic digestion. Soil carbon accumulation is notably more pronounced when digestate is applied to soils with low organic matter content, particularly sandy and loam soils. Conclusion: While digestate application to soils is typically used to substitute mineral fertilizers, it also leads to an overall increase in soil carbon content. Research Highlights • Among different types of manure cow and pig manure showed the highest results in the terms of long term (> 12 months) carbon accumulation in the soil after biofertilization. • A general tendency of lower carbon increase in the soil for the period of 12 months and maximum increase at 36 months of experiment was found. • Digestate can be very successfully used to help reforestation efforts, as they usually have lower soil C content than natural areas. • Obtained results for the period of more than 12 months showed the highest soil carbon increase (more than 2% per month) for sandy soil. • Wheat and maize were found to be the best crops in terms of the potential for carbon accumulation in the soil after digestate biofertilization.

Abstract Proper pretreatment of organic residues prior to anaerobic digestion (AD) can maximize global biogas production from varying sources without increasing the amount of digestate, contributing to global decarbonization goals. However, the efficiency of pretreatments applied on varying organic streams is poorly assessed. Thus, we performed a meta-analysis on AD studies to evaluate the efficiencies of pretreatments with respect to biogas production measured as methane yield. Based on 1374 observations our analysis shows that pretreatment efficiency is dependent on substrate chemical dominance. Grouping substrates by chemical composition e.g., lignocellulosic-, protein- and lipid-rich dominance helps to highlight the appropriate choice of pretreatment that supports maximum substrate degradation and more efficient conversion to biogas. Methane yield can undergo an impactful increase compared to untreated controls if proper pretreatment of substrates of a given chemical dominance is applied. Non-significant or even adverse effects on AD are, however, observed when the substrate chemical dominance is disregarded.

Abstract Natural environments with frequent drainage experience drying and rewetting events that impose fluctuations in water availability and oxygen exposure. These relatively dramatic cycles profoundly impact microbial activity in the environment and subsequent emissions of methane and carbon dioxide. In this study, we mimicked drying and rewetting events by submitting methanogenic communities from strictly anaerobic environments (anaerobic digestors) with different phylogenetic structures to consecutive desiccation events under aerobic (air) and anaerobic (nitrogen) conditions followed by rewetting. We showed that methane production quickly recovered after each rewetting, and surprisingly, no significant difference was observed between the effects of the aerobic or anaerobic desiccation events. There was a slight change in the microbial community structure and a decrease in methane production rates after consecutive drying and rewetting, which can be attributed to a depletion of the pool of available organic matter or the inhibition of the methanogenic communities. These observations indicate that in comparison to the drying and rewetting events or oxygen exposure, the initial phylogenetic structure and the organic matter quantity and quality exhibited a stronger influence on the methanogenic communities and overall microbial community responses. These results change the current paradigm of the sensitivity of strict anaerobic microorganisms to oxygen exposure.

Abstract A significant proportion of carbon (C) captured by terrestrial primary production is buried in lacustrine ecosystems, which have been substantially affected by anthropogenic activities globally. However, there is a scarcity of sedimentary organic carbon (OC) accumulation information for lakes surrounded by highly productive rainforests at warm tropical latitudes, or in response to land cover and climate change. Here, we combine new data from intensive campaigns spanning 13 lakes across remote Amazonian regions with a broad literature compilation, to produce the first spatially-weighted global analysis of recent OC burial in lakes (over ~50-100-years) that integrates both biome type and forest cover. We find that humid tropical forest lake sediments are a disproportionately important global OC sink of 7.4 Tg C yr−1 with implications for climate change. Further, we demonstrate that temperature and forest conservation are key factors in maintaining massive organic carbon pools in tropical lacustrine sediments.

The purpose of the paper is to determine the environmentally safe and economically feasible technology of biofertilizer production from the digestate including dewatering process. Methodological basis is based on the systematic approach to the determination of factors effected on the distribution of nutrients and pollutants between liquid and solid fractions after digestate separation. The paper analyzes modern technologies aimed at dewatering the digestate and reduction of its volume, showed their effectiveness. These technologies allow expanding the opportunities for commercialization of the digestate, increasing the cost of its transportation and application to the soil instead of complex fertilizers, using some valuable products. The results of the study showed that the ecological quality of the digestate is the highest as well as co-digested thermally pre-treated feedstock is used for solid-liquid separation in centrifuge with polymer addition as post-treatment approach to the flocculation. In order to increase efficiency of biofertilizer application the technological scheme of production process of granular fertilizers from digestate was proposed. Special feature of this scheme is in the use of phosphogypsum binder for the production of organo-mineral fertilizer that contributes phosphogypsum recycling in the waste management system.

ABSTRACT Habitat fragmentation is one of the leading causes of edge genesis and its effects. Functional tree traits such as wood density, height, and diameter are essential variables from which it is possible to infer several ecological processes. This study assessed the variability of the functional traits of trees over two habitats (edge and interior) of a forest remnant. The hypothesis tested were i) the functional traits would have lower values at the edges than the interior, and ii) environmental variables would influence such differences. This study was carried out in the largest Atlantic Forest remnant within Serra da Tiririca State Park, Brazil, by establishing ten plots (50 × 20 m) among different habitats. Within each plot, wood samples were taken from all trees with a diameter of = 10 cm. It was recorded the altitude, distance from the plots to the edge, and fire records as possible explanatory variables (environmental variables). Wood density was obtained using the immersion method. To verify differences in functional traits by habitat, the Wilcoxon test was applied. Additionally, the influence of explanatory variables on functional traits through generalized linear models was evaluated. One hundred eighty-five trees were recorded at the edges and 218 trees at the interior of the remnant. Wood density and tree height were significantly lower in the edges than in the interior. Furthermore, the best models indicated significant relationships between wood density and habitats, as well as diameter and distance to the edge. This study was effective in raising suitable variables to predict edge effects.

The textile industry is one of the largest environmental polluters in the world. Although waste management via anaerobic digestion (AD) is a sustainable strategy to transform waste into clean energy and water recovery, the efficiency of the AD process is reduced by the presence of recalcitrant materials, chemicals, and toxic contents. This study aims to investigate the performance of several chemical, physical, and biological pretreatments applied to improve the biodegradability of textile waste. We performed a meta-analysis with 117 data extracted from 13 published articles that evaluated the efficiency of pretreatments applied to textile waste prior to AD to increase biogas production measured as methane (CH4) yield. Even though the majority of the studies have focused on the effect of chemical and physical pretreatments, our results showed that the application of biological pretreatments are more efficient and eco-friendlier. Biological pretreatments can increase CH4 yield by up to 360% with lower environmental risk and lower operating costs, while producing clean energy and a cleaner waste stream. Biological pretreatments also avoid the addition of chemicals and favor the reuse of textile wastewater, decreasing the current demand for clean water and increasing resource circularity in the textile industry.

The global development of hydropower dams has rapidly expanded over the last several decades and has spread to historically non-impounded systems such as the Amazon River’s main low land tributaries in Brazil. Despite the recognized significance of reservoirs to the global methane (CH4) emission, the processes controlling this emission remain poorly understood, especially in Tropical reservoirs. Here we evaluate CH4 dynamics in the main channel and downstream of the Santo Antônio hydroelectric reservoir, a large tropical run-of-the-river (ROR) reservoir in Amazonia. This study is intended to give a snapshot of the CH4 dynamics during the falling water season at the initial stage after the start of operations. Our results show substantial and higher CH4 production in reservoirs’ littoral sediment than in the naturally flooded areas downstream of the dam. Despite the large production in the reservoir or naturally flooded areas, high CH4 oxidation in the main channel keep the concentration and fluxes of CH4 in the main channel low. Similar CH4 concentrations in the reservoir and downstream close to the dam suggest negligible degassing at the dam, but stable isotopic evidence indicates the presence of a less oxidized pool of CH4 after the dam. ROR reservoirs are designed to disturb the natural river flow dynamics less than traditional reservoirs. If enough mixing and oxygenation remain throughout the reservoir’s water column, naturally high CH4 oxidation rates can also remain and limit the diffusive CH4 emissions from the main channel. Nevertheless, it is important to highlight that our results focused on emissions in the deep and oxygenated main channel. High emissions, mainly through ebullition, may occur in the vast and shallow areas represented by bays and tributaries. However, detailed assessments are still required to understand the impacts of this reservoir on the annual emissions of CH4.

Aedes aegypti is adapted to live in close association with human dwellings, where it lays eggs in several man-made container types with a broad range of size, shape, and material. Biotic and abiotic conditions of larval habitats determine the abundance and body size of emerging adult mosquitoes. Here, we estimated the predictive potential of physicochemical water variables for Culicidae immature abundance and Ae. aegypti adult body size in four neighborhoods with distinct urban landscapes in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Domestic water holding containers (N = 240) were inspected for the presence of Culicidae immatures and had several physiochemical parameters measured. Larvae and pupae were counted, and pupae were reared to the adult stage for taxonomic identification. Dry weight and wing size were measured for Ae. aegypti adult mosquitoes (N = 981). The association between larval habitat parameters with Culicidae abundance and Ae. aegypti body size data was estimated through linear mixed models and generalized linear mixed models, respectively, with the neighborhood as random effect. The abundance of immature Culicidae in larval habitats (from which >90% of adults emerging from field collected pupae were Ae. aegypti) was positively associated with container volume and the dissolved organic carbon concentration (DOC). Female average dry weight and male and female wing lengths were positively associated with larval habitat temperature whereas male average dry weight was positively related to water conductivity. Aedes aegypti originating from larval habitats with Ae. albopictus exhibited no differences in median wing length and dry body weight when compared with specimens collected in containers exclusively colonized by Ae. aegypti. These results demonstrate that container water volume (characteristic easily observed in the field) and DOC (often higher in unmanaged water holding recipients) is related to higher Ae. aegypti immature density. Estimating the effects of physicochemical water variables on immature abundance and adult body size can provide valuable information for predicting arbovirus transmission risk in endemic settings.

Reaching climate goals depends on appropriate and accurate methods to quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes and to verify that efforts to mitigate GHG emissions are effective. We here highlight critical advantages, limitations, and needs regarding GHG flux measurement methods, identified from an analysis of >13 500 scientific publications regarding three long-lived GHGs, carbon dioxide (CO _2 ), methane (CH _4 ), and nitrous oxide (N _2 O). While existing methods are well-suited for assessing atmospheric changes and local fluxes, they are expensive and have limited accessibility. Further, we are typically forced to choose between methods for very local GHG sources and sinks and their regulation (m ^2 -scaled measurements), or methods for aggregated net fluxes at >ha or km ^2 scales measurements. The results highlight the key need of accessible and affordable GHG flux measurement methods for the many flux types not quantifiable from fossil fuel use, to better verify inventories and mitigation efforts for transparency and accountability under the Paris agreement. The situation also calls for novel methods, capable of quantifying large scale GHG flux patterns while simultaneously distinguishing local source and sink dynamics and reveal flux regulation, representing key knowledge for quantitative GHG flux modeling. Possible strategies to address the identified GHG flux measurement method needs are discussed. The analysis also generated indications of how GHG flux measurements have been distributed geographically and across flux types, which are reported.

Abstract Groundwater is a primary source of dissolved CO2 and CH4 in Amazonian headwaters, yet in higher order rivers, a groundwater/pore‐water source is difficult to constrain due to the high spatial and temporal heterogeneity of pore‐water exchange. Here, we report coupled, high resolution measurements of pCO2, CH4, and 222Rn (a natural pore‐water and groundwater tracer) during receding waters in the three major water types of the Central Amazon Basin: black (Negro River); clear (Tapajós River); white (Madeira River). Considerable spatial heterogeneity was observed in pCO2, CH4, and 222Rn concentrations ranging from 460 μatm to 8030 μatm, 7 nM to 281 nM, and 713 dpm m−3 to 8516 dpm m−3, respectively. The significant correlations between pCO2 and CH4 to 222Rn in the black and clear waters suggests that pore‐water further enhanced CO2 supersaturation by 18–47% and is a driver of CH4 dynamics in these waters.

Abstract The Amazon floodplains cover approximately 10% of the Amazon Basin and are composed of predominantly anoxic sediments that may store large amounts of carbon. Our study combines 210Pb derived sedimentation rates from four recently analyzed sediment cores (n = 4) with previously published organic carbon (OC) burial estimates (n = 18) to provide a broad, first order estimate of carbon accumulation in Amazon floodplain lakes. The OC burial rates were 266 ± 57 g C m−2 yr−1. This rate is several folds greater than those reported for lakes in arctic, boreal, temperate, and tropical regions. The large amount and spatial variation of OC burial rates in these floodplain lakes highlights the need for increased sampling efforts to better measure these potentially important components of the Amazon Basin carbon budget.

Species of the genus Ulva are common in anthropogenically disturbed areas and have been reported as the cause of green tides in many areas of the world. In addition, they rank among the main marine groups used in a wide range of commercial applications. By displaying few distinctive morphological characters, some taxonomical identifications are difficult and the genus is under a conundrum. Our aims were to provide ecophysiological information about three Ulva species in response to abiotic factors and to evaluate the proposal of ecophysiological information and the chlorophyll-a fluorescence technique as auxiliary tool to resolve the long-standing taxonomic confusion. We hypothesize that three cooccurring specimens (U. fasciata Delile, U. lactuca Linnaeus, and U. rigida C. Agardh) have different ecophysiological responses (as measured by the effective quantum yield of photosystem II by pulse amplitude modulated fluorometers) under manipulated conditions of temperature and nutrient concentration. Ulva lactuca and U. rigida showed different photosynthetic efficiencies related to temperature, whereas no difference was recorded for U. fasciata individuals. These results provide a reasonable explanation for the variability in spatial and temporal abundance of these species of Ulva on rocky shores. We proposed the use of ecophysiological information by chlorophyll-a fluorescence as an auxiliary tool to corroborate the taxonomic distinction of Ulva species. We reinforce the statement of U. fasciata and U. lactuca as distinct valid species.

The polar regions have relatively low richness and diversity of plants and animals, and the basis of the entire ecological chain is supported by microbial diversity. In these regions, understanding the microbial response against environmental factors and anthropogenic disturbances is essential to understand patterns better, prevent isolated events, and apply biotechnology strategies. The Antarctic continent has been increasingly affected by anthropogenic contamination, and its constant temperature fluctuations limit the application of clean recovery strategies, such as bioremediation. We evaluated the bacterial response in oil-contaminated soil through a nutrient-amended microcosm experiment using two temperature regimes: (i) 4 °C and (ii) a freeze–thaw cycle (FTC) alternating between −20 and 4 °C. Bacterial taxa, such as Myxococcales, Chitinophagaceae, and Acidimicrobiales, were strongly related to the FTC. Rhodococcus was positively related to contaminated soils and further stimulated under FTC conditions. Additionally, the nutrient-amended treatment under the FTC regime enhanced bacterial groups with known biodegradation potential and was efficient in removing hydrocarbons of diesel oil. The experimental design, rates of bacterial succession, and level of hydrocarbon transformation can be considered as a baseline for further studies aimed at improving bioremediation strategies in environments affected by FTC regimes.

Sediment denitrification rates seem to be lower in tropical environments than in temperate environments. Using the isotope pairing technique, we measured actual denitrification rates in the sediment of tropical coastal lagoons. To explain the low denitrification rates observed at all study sites (

O processo de urbanização está diretamente relacionado ao de degradação da qualidade das águas naturais. Este artigo discute o papel do diagnóstico de qualidade de água advindo do monitoramento limnológico para subsidiar o planejamento e a gestão urbano-ambientais. Um modelo Pressão-Condição-Resposta foi utilizado para descrever a importância do monitoramento limnológico para a conservação dos recursos hídricos.Urbanization is often related to the degradation of water quality. The global freshwater shortage must be a central concern in our society. This article discusses the role of water quality evaluation from limnological assessment to subsidize environmental-urban planning and management. A Pressure-State-Response model was used to describe the importance of limnological assessment to water resource conservation.

Inland waters (lakes, rivers and reservoirs) are now understood to contribute large amounts of methane (CH4) to the atmosphere. However, fluxes are poorly constrained and there is a need for improved knowledge on spatiotemporal variability and on ways of optimizing sampling efforts to yield representative emission estimates for different types of aquatic ecosystems. Low-latitude floodplain lakes and wetlands are among the most high-emitting environments, and here we provide a detailed investigation of spatial and day-to-day variability in a shallow floodplain lake in the Pantanal in Brazil over a five-day period. CH4 flux was dominated by frequent and ubiquitous ebullition. A strong but predictable spatial variability (decreasing flux with increasing distance to the shore or to littoral vegetation) was found, and this pattern can be addressed by sampling along transects from the shore to the center. Although no distinct day-to-day variability were found, a significant increase in flux was identified from measurement day 1 to measurement day 5, which was likely attributable to a simultaneous increase in temperature. Our study demonstrates that representative emission assessments requires consideration of spatial variability, but also that spatial variability patterns are predictable for lakes of this type and may therefore be addressed through limited sampling efforts if designed properly (e.g., fewer chambers may be used if organized along transects). Such optimized assessments of spatial variability are beneficial by allowing more of the available sampling resources to focus on assessing temporal variability, thereby improving overall flux assessments.

Although magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are ubiquitous in aquatic habitats, they are still considered fastidious microorganisms with regard to growth and cultivation with only a relatively low number of axenic cultures available to date. Here, we report the first axenic culture of an MTB isolated in the Southern Hemisphere (Itaipu Lagoon in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). Cells of this new isolate are coccoid to ovoid in morphology and grow microaerophilically in semi-solid medium containing an oxygen concentration ([O2]) gradient either under chemoorganoheterotrophic or chemolithoautotrophic conditions. Each cell contains a single chain of approximately 10 elongated cuboctahedral magnetite (Fe3O4) magnetosomes. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence shows that the coccoid MTB isolated in this study represents a new genus in the Alphaproteobacteria; the name Magnetofaba australis strain IT-1 is proposed. Preliminary genomic data obtained by pyrosequencing shows that Mf. australis strain IT-1 contains a genomic region with genes involved in biomineralization similar to those found in the most closely related magnetotactic cocci Magnetococcus marinus strain MC-1. However, organization of the magnetosome genes differs from Mc. marinus.

The study of of the distribution of microorganisms through space (and time) allows evaluation of biogeographic patterns, like the species-area index (z). Due to their high dispersal ability, high reproduction rates and low rates of extinction microorganisms tend to be widely distributed, and they are thought to be virtually cosmopolitan and selected primarily by environmental factors. Recent studies have shown that, despite these characteristics, microorganisms may behave like larger organisms and exhibit geographical distribution. In this study, we searched patterns of spatial diversity distribution of bacteria and archaea in a contiguous environment. We collected 26 samples of a lake sediment, distributed in a nested grid, with distances between samples ranging from 0.01 m to 1000 m. The samples were analyzed using T-RFLP (Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism) targeting mcrA (coding for a subunit of methyl-coenzyme M reductase) and the genes of Archaeal and Bacterial 16S rRNA. From the qualitative and quantitative results (relative abundance of operational taxonomic units) we calculated the similarity index for each pair to evaluate the taxa-area and distance decay relationship slopes by linear regression. All results were significant, with mcrA genes showing the highest slope, followed by Archaeal and Bacterial 16S rRNA genes. We showed that the microorganisms of a methanogenic community, that is active in a contiguous environment, display spatial distribution and a taxa-area relationship.

The global metabolism and exchange of gases with the atmosphere were measured during a diel cycle in two tropical coastal lagoons, using the curves of carbon dioxide and dissolved oxygen. Heterotrophic metabolism (net CO2 production and net O2 consumption) was observed in a black water lagoon (Comprida), and autotrophic metabolism (net O2 production and net CO2 consumption) in a clear water lagoon (Imboassica). These differences were attributed to the limnological characteristics of both ecosystems, especially to dissolved organic carbon and the attenuation coefficient of light, which are much higher in the first environment. During the diel cycle analyzed there was a net release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in the first lagoon and a net uptake by the water in the second one. Thus, the importance of coastal lagoons for the global carbon budget deserves further study.O metabolismo global e as trocas gasosas com a atmosfera foram medidos durante um ciclo diurno em duas lagoas costeiras tropicais usando as curvas do dióxido de carbono e do oxigênio dissolvido. Metabolismo heterotrófico (produção líquida de CO2 e consumo líquido de O2) foi observado em uma lagoa de águas escuras (Comprida) e metabolismo autotrófico (produção líquida de O2 e consumo líquido de CO2) em uma lagoa de águas claras (Imboassica). Essas diferenças foram atribuídas às características limnológicas de ambos os ecossistemas, especialmente ao carbono orgânico dissolvido e coeficiente de atenuação luminosa, maiores na primeira lagoa. Durante o ciclo diurno analisado, houve liberação líquida de dióxido de carbono para a atmosfera na primeira lagoa e transferência da atmosfera para a água na segunda. Assim, a importância de lagoas costeiras para o balanço global de carbono merece ser investigado com atenção.

Close to redox boundaries, dark carbon fixation by chemoautotrophic bacteria may be a large contributor to overall carbon fixation. Still, little is known about the relative importance of this process in lake systems, in spite the potentially high chemoautotrophic potential of lake sediments. We compared rates of dark carbon fixation, bacterial production and oxygen consumption in sediments from four Swedish boreal and seven tropical Brazilian lakes. Rates were highly variable and dark carbon fixation amounted up to 80% of the total heterotrophic bacterial production. The results indicate that non-photosynthetic carbon fixation can represent a substantial contribution to bacterial biomass production, especially in sediments with low organic matter content.

Large amounts of the greenhouse gas methane (CH(4)) are produced by anaerobic mineralization of organic matter in lakes. In spite of extensive freshwater CH(4) emissions, most of the CH(4) is typically oxidized by methane oxidizing bacteria (MOB) before it can reach the lake surface and be emitted to the atmosphere. In turn, it has been shown that the CH(4)-derived biomass of MOB can provide the energy and carbon for zooplankton and macroinvertebrates. In this study, we demonstrate the presence of specific fatty acids synthesized by MOB in fish tissues having low carbon stable isotope ratios. Fish species, zooplankton, macroinvertebrates and the water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes were collected from a shallow lake in Brazil and analyzed for fatty acids (FA) and carbon stable isotope ratios (δ(13)C). The fatty acids 16:1ω8c, 16:1ω8t, 16:1ω6c, 16:1ω5t, 18:1ω8c and 18:1ω8t were used as signature for MOB. The δ(13)C ratios varied from -27.7‰ to -42.0‰ and the contribution of MOB FA ranged from 0.05% to 0.84% of total FA. Organisms with higher total content of MOB FAs presented lower δ(13)C values (i.e. they were more depleted in (13)C), while organisms with lower content of MOB signature FAs showed higher δ(13)C values. An UPGMA cluster analysis was carried out to distinguish grouping of organisms in relation to their MOB FA contents. This combination of stable isotope and fatty acid tracers provides new evidence that assimilation of methane-derived carbon can be an important carbon source for the whole aquatic food web, up to the fish level.