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The most common macrofossils in the highly diverse flora from Laguna del Hunco (early Eocene of Chubut, Argentina) are "Celtis" ameghinoi leaves, whose true affinities have remained enigmatic for a century. The species accounts for 14% of all plant fossils in unbiased field counts and bears diverse insect-feeding damage, suggesting high biomass and paleoecological importance. The leaves have well-preserved architecture but lack cuticles or reproductive attachments. We find that the fossils only superficially resemble Celtis and comparable taxa in Cannabaceae, Ulmaceae, Rhamnaceae, Malvaceae, and many other families. However, the distinctive foliar morphology conforms in detail to Dobinea (Anacardiaceae), a genus with two species of shrubs and large herbs ranging from India's Far East and Tibet to Myanmar and central China, and we propose Dobineaites ameghinoi (E.W. Berry) gen. et comb. nov. for the fossils. This discovery strengthens the extensive biogeographic links between Eocene Patagonia and mainland Asia, provides the first fossil record related to Dobinea, and represents a rare Gondwanan macrofossil occurrence of Anacardiaceae, which was widespread and diversified in the Northern Hemisphere at the time. The diverse leaf architecture of Anacardiaceae includes several patterns usually associated with other taxa, and many other leaf fossils in this family may remain misidentified. Los macrofósiles más comunes en la flora altamente diversa de la Laguna del Hunco (Eoceno temprano de Chubut, Argentina) son hojas de "Celtis" ameghinoi, conocidas desde hace un siglo y cuyas afinidades han sido enigmáticas. La especie representa el 14% del total de las hojas fósiles en censos imparciales de campo, y los ejemplares exhiben diversos daños producidos por alimentación de insectos, lo que sugiere que habrían tenido elevada biomasa e importancia ecológica. Las hojas presentan la arquitectura bien conservada, pero carecen de cutículas o conexiones con estructuras reproductivas. Encontramos que los fósiles sólo se parecen superficialmente a Celtis y a taxones comparables de Cannabaceae, Ulmaceae, Rhamnaceae, Malvaceae, y muchas otras familias. Sin embargo, la morfología foliar distintiva se ajusta en detalle a Dobinea (Anacardiaceae), un género con dos especies de arbustos y grandes hierbas que se distribuye desde el Oriente de la India y el Tíbet hasta Myanmar y China central. Proponemos Dobineaites ameghinoi (E.W. Berry) gen. et comb. nov. para las hojas fósiles. Este hallazgo refuerza los ya extensos vínculos biogeográficos entre el Eoceno de Patagonia y Asia continental, proporciona el primer registro fósil relacionado con Dobinea y representa una rara presencia macrofósil gondwánica de Anacardiaceae, una familia que estaba muy extendida y diversificada en el hemisferio norte en ese momento. La diversa arquitectura foliar de las Anacardiaceae incluye varios patrones comúnmente asociados con otros grupos de plantas por lo que muchos fósiles de hojas de esta familia pueden permanecer aun mal identificados. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of food insecurity in the central region of Cuba is addressed, in a context characterized by the depletion of conventional energy sources and the negative effects of climate change. The area is located in the Los Milian farm in the Ciego de Ávila province, the application of a closed cycle production process is foreseen for the production of food with the rational use of water and energy. The use of the surpluses of the production process to produce biogas is conceived, and the use of dry matter as biofertilizer. A treatment system is proposed to reduce the pollutant load of the effluents, a domestic supply system coupled to a photovoltaic solar pump and an irrigation system compatible with the hours of least electricity consumption. The results entail a positive social and environmental impact for the Ciego de Ávila province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the assessment of natural resources, such as forests or grasslands, it is common to apply a two-stage cluster sampling design, the application of which in the field determines the following situations: (a) difficulty in locating secondary sampling units (SSUs) precisely as planned, so that a random pattern of SSUs can be identified; and (b) the possibility that some primary sampling units (PSUs) have fewer SSUs than planned, leading to PSUs of different sizes. In addition, when considering the estimated variance of the various potential estimators for two-stage cluster sampling, the part corresponding to the variation between SSUs tends to be small for large populations, so the estimator's variance may depend only on the divergence between PSUs. Research on these aspects is incipient in grassland assessment, so this study generated an artificial population of 759 PSUs and examined the effect of six estimation methods, using 15 PSU sample sizes, on unbiased and relative sampling errors when estimating aboveground, belowground, and total biomass of halophytic grassland. The results indicated that methods 1, 2, 4, and 5 achieved unbiased biomass estimates regardless of sample size, while methods 3 and 6 led to slightly biased estimates. Methods 4 and 5 had relative sampling errors of less than 5% with a sample size of 140 when estimating total biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermochemical processes, which include pyrolysis, torrefaction, gasification, combustion, and hydrothermal conversions, are perceived to be more efficient in converting waste biomass to energy and value-added products than biochemical processes. From the chemical point of view, thermochemical processes are highly complex and sensitive to numerous physicochemical properties, thus making reactor and process modeling more challenging. Nevertheless, the successful commercialization of these processes is contingent upon optimized reactor and process designs, which can be effectively achieved via modeling and simulation. Models of various scales with numerous simplifying assumptions have been developed for specific applications of thermochemical conversion of waste biomass. However, there is a research gap that needs to be explored to elaborate the scale of applicability, limitations, accuracy, validity, and special features of each model. This review study investigates all above mentioned important aspects and features of the existing models for all established industrial thermochemical conversion processes with emphasis on waste biomass, thus addressing the research gap mentioned above and presenting commercial-scale applicability in terms of reactor designing, process control and optimization, and potential ways to upgrade existing models for higher accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use/land cover (LULC) changes may alter the risk of landslide occurrence. While LULC has often been considered as a static factor representing present-day LULC, historical LULC dynamics have recently begun to attract more attention. The study objective was to assess the effect of LULC legacies of nearly 200 years on landslide susceptibility models in two Austrian municipalities (Waidhofen an der Ybbs and Paldau). We mapped three cuts of LULC patterns from historical cartographic documents in addition to remote-sensing products. Agricultural archival sources were explored to provide also a predictor on cumulative biomass extraction as an indicator of historical land use intensity. We use historical landslide inventories derived from high-resolution digital terrain models (HRDTM) generated using airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR), which are reported to have a biased landslide distribution on present-day forested areas and agricultural land. We asked (i) if long-term LULC legacies are important and reliable predictors and (ii) if possible inventory biases may be mitigated by LULC legacies. For the assessment of the LULC legacy effect on landslide occurrences, we used generalized additive models (GAM) within a suitable modeling framework considering various settings of LULC as predictor, and evaluated the effect with well-established diagnostic tools. For both municipalities, we identified a high density of landslides on present-day forested areas, confirming the reported drawbacks. With the use of LULC legacy as an additional predictor, it was not only possible to account for this bias, but also to improve model performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to environmental issues, many methods of exploiting renewable natural resources are alternatives to reduce the dependence on non‐renewable agricultural inputs. Phosphate fertilization on weathered tropical soil and waste reuse, for example, requires better management strategies. Thus, biochar from organic residues can be a strategy to reduce pressure on natural resources, in addition to having the potential to mitigate climate change. This study aimed to evaluate the availability of P in tropical soils from the interaction of biochar and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the aboveground and root systems of the plant and its impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The results indicated that the addition of biochar was an alternative for C sequestration and GHG mitigation, causing no damage to the plant. The applied biochar amount had, for the most part, emission equal to or less than the control treatment (soil only). The sugarcane straw biochar (BCS) showed higher emissions, mainly in the presence of P and AMF. Biologically speaking, there was no significant effect in the presence of mycorrhizae. However, with regard to plant production, treatments where mycorrhizae were inoculated, longer and wider leaves were found. In the production of maize (Zea mays L.) plant material (aboveground and root), the upper and lower values were related to the poultry manure biochar (BPM) , and the presence of P, the values were lower, indicating that, for the good development of the plant, only the presence of the biochar is sufficient, without requiring the addition of phosphate fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water resources are affected by climate variations, in particular by the magnitude and distribution of precipitation, increased temperature and likelihood of occurrence to extreme events. The water footprint is an indicator that expresses direct and indirect water use. In addition cropWAT 8.0 software and CLIMWAT 2.0 database were used for its calculation. The total water footprint of crops studied in m³.ton-1 of the product generated was estimated to be 156, 1 124 and 891 for sugarcane, rice and maize respectively; with a green footprint contribution of 1.6%, 0.7% and 3.4%. The largest crop is rice and sugar cane has the lowest water footprint, explained by high biomass yields. Based on the amount of water required per cultivated area, sugar cane is found to be the most consumed crop, requiring 16,000 m³.ha-1, rice and maize require only 9,000 and 6,000 m³.ha-1 of water respectively. Rice efficiency was determined to be 3.24 m3.ton-1 of water per volume produced. Morrope's commission has a better ratio of production volume to water volume, with ratios of 2.57 to 2.52 compared to the rest, which have values of 1.25 and 1.21 for rice and maize, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harsh environmental conditions limit how species use the landscape, strongly influencing the way assemblages are distributed. In the wake of repeated coral bleaching mortalities in Lakshadweep, we examined how wave exposure influences herbivory in exposed and sheltered reefs. We used a combination of i. field observations of fish herbivore composition, abundance and activity across 6 exposed and 6 sheltered reefs; ii. experimental manipulations in a subset of these reefs (herbivore exclosures); and iii. opportunistic observations of fish recruitment, to determine how exposure influences herbivore biomass and herbivory. Species richness, biomass, abundance, total bite rates and species-specific per capita bite rates were lower in exposed compared to sheltered reefs, linked to strong environmental filtering of species composition, abundance and behaviour. For some critical species, this environmental filtering begins with differential recruitment and post-recruitment processes between exposures. Bite rates at sheltered sites were dominated by just a few species, most being laterally compressed surgeonfish that may find it difficult accessing or surviving in wave-battered shallow reefs. Exclosure experiments confirmed that exposed reefs were less controlled by herbivores than sheltered reefs. In post-disturbed reefs like Lakshadweep, environmental gradients appear to be key mediators of critical functions like herbivory by determining species composition, abundance and behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of new alternative routes for production of second generation ethanol from sugarcane biomass poses a challenge to the scientific community. Current research in this field addresses the use of a plasma-based pretreatment of the lignocellulosic raw material. With the aim to provide a theoretical background for this experimental technique we investigate the role of low-energy electrons from the plasma in the rupture of the matrix of cellulosic chains. In this paper, we report calculated cross sections for elastic scattering of low-energy electrons by the α- and β-D-glucose monomers. The calculations employed the Schwinger multichannel method with pseudopotentials and were carried out at the static-exchange and static-exchange plus polarization levels of approximation. Through the comparison of the results obtained with inclusion of polarization effects we discuss the influence of the different conformations of the hydroxyl group linked to the anomeric carbon on the resonance spectra of these molecules. Resonant structures appearing at different energies for α- and β-glucose at the low-energy regime of impact energies can be understood as a fingerprint of an “isomeric effect” and suggest that distinct fragmentation mechanisms proceeding via σ* shape resonances may become operative depending on the glucose anomer under consideration. For energies above 15 eV the integral elastic cross sections are very similar for both monomers. Differential cross sections for the glucopyranose anomers considered in this work are typically dominated by a strong forward scattering due to the molecules’ large electric dipole moments and, for energies close to the resonances’ positions, they display particular features at the intermediate angular region, notably a pronounced f-wave scattering pattern, that are probably associated with the presence of those structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species extinctions have defined the global biodiversity crisis, but extinction begins with loss in abundance of individuals that can result in compositional and functional changes of ecosystems. Using multiple and independent monitoring networks, we report population losses across much of the North American avifauna over 48 years, including once-common species and from most biomes. Integration of range-wide population trajectories and size estimates indicates a net loss approaching 3 billion birds, or 29% of 1970 abundance. A continent-wide weather radar network also reveals a similarly steep decline in biomass passage of migrating birds over a recent 10-year period. This loss of bird abundance signals an urgent need to address threats to avert future avifaunal collapse and associated loss of ecosystem integrity, function, and services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing and GIS approach combined with field data was adopted for estimation of above ground biomass (AGB) and carbon (C) pool of a forest areas of Kodagu district in central Western Ghats of Karnataka. In the present study, tree biomass was estimated by non-destructive methods, by laying 120 quadrats across the three forest types of Kodagu. Biomass was estimated by using species specific volume equations and specific gravity. Carbon stock was estimated as per IPCC guidelines. Based on field measured biomass and carbon, geo-spatial modelling was done by using NDVI values of high resolution SENTINEL 2 satellite image and best fit regression equation was used to develop biomass and carbon distribution map of entire forest area of the district. AGB ranged from 175.14 Mg ha-1 to 233.40 Mg ha-1 among the different forest types while the carbon stock ranged from 82.32 Mg ha-1 to 109.70 Mg ha-1. The geospatial model estimated the average total above ground biomass of 212.49 Mg ha-1 with an average carbon density of 99.86 Mg ha-1 among the different forest types of Kodagu. The present study revealed that RS and GIS technique can be used conveniently for quick and reliable estimates of above ground carbon stocks of natural forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Little is known whether wood production is limited by growth rate. • Xylem production under drought environments is mainly explained by growth rate. • Under drier conditions, a longer growing season will not benefit xylem formation. • Warming-induced drought may limit carbon sequestration by reducing growth rate. • Do not extrapolate results of this study to drought-prone deciduous tree species. A number of studies have suggested that growing season length determines carbon sequestration of forest ecosystems. Given the possibility that drought-induced growth decline will be caused by a prolonged growing season under a warming climate, we investigated the effect of growth rate and duration of xylem production on annual wood biomass in drought-prone environments. We analyzed the intra-annual dynamics of wood formation in Qilian junipers (Juniperus przewalskii) from the semi-arid north-eastern Tibetan Plateau, China (2009–2014) and in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) from the hyperarid Mojave Desert in Nevada, USA (2015–2016). Most variability in the number of xylem cells (N cell) was related to growth rate (r m) rather than duration of cell production (D cell). At the Tibetan sites, 69.9% and 54.7% of variability in N cell was attributable to r m for the lower and upper treeline, respectively. Within the Mojave Desert site, 53.9% of the variability in N cell was related to r m. The growth rate in the Tibetan Plateau forest is affected by minimum temperature and precipitation. Thus, r m is a primary control on wood biomass in conifer species of semi-arid forests. Under warmer and drier conditions, a longer growing season will not benefit xylem formation of conifers, and in turn warming-induced drought could limit carbon sequestration by reducing the rate of cell production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Straw burning has become a hot topic in recent years as it poses a great risk not only to the lung health of residents in exposed areas but also to large-scale haze events. In order to have a more comprehensive understanding of straw burning research, based on the bibliometric analysis of Science Citation Index Expanded from Web of Science, the research progress of straw burning pollution from 1972 to 2016 and the future research trends were carried out in this paper. The research focuses on the document type, language, publication year, times cited and its output characteristics, subject category, journal, national and institutional distribution, author, etc. The results show that the study of straw burning pollution has shown a significant increase over the past 45 years. A total of 813 publications were found, and English was the most commonly used language. Articles were the most frequently appeared document types, and the researches were strongly embracing with the top 3 popular subject categories of "environmental sciences and ecology," "agriculture," and "meteorology and atmospheric sciences." We identified that the major journals publishing straw burning pollution research were Atmospheric Environment, followed by Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. China as a leader in paper quantity played an important role in the research field of straw burning pollution, while the USA and India were located in the second and third positions. The most productive institution was Chinese Academy of Sciences, followed by Peking University and University Arkansas. Based on our analysis and the consideration of current environmental problems, more studies should focus on the following three aspects in the future: driving mechanism of emission characteristics, construction of high-resolution emission inventories, and the influencing mechanism of straw burning pollutants on climate change and human health. Our analysis and prospects can be served as a useful reference for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viruses are the most abundant biological entities on Earth and perform essential ecological functions in aquatic environments by mediating biogeochemical cycling and lateral gene transfer. Cellular life as well as viruses have been found in deep subseafloor sediment. However, the study of deep sediment viruses has been hampered by the complexities involved in efficiently extracting viruses from a sediment matrix. Here, we developed a new method for the extraction of viruses from sediment based on density separation using a Nycodenz density step gradient. The density separation method resulted in up to 2 orders of magnitude greater recovery of viruses from diverse subseafloor sediments compared to conventional methods. The density separation method also showed more consistent performance between samples of different sediment lithology, whereas conventional virus extraction methods were highly inconsistent. Using this new method, we show that previously published virus counts have underestimated viral abundances by up to 2 orders of magnitude. These improvements suggest that the carbon contained within viral biomass in the subseafloor environment may potentially be revised upward to 0.8–3.7 Gt from current estimates of 0.2 Gt. The vastly improved recovery of viruses indicate that viruses represent a far larger pool of organic carbon in subseafloor environments than previously estimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Grazing has important influences on the structures and functions of grassland ecosystems, but the effects of grazing patterns on grassland biomass and soil environments in China remain unclear. Objective: We employed a meta-analysis to identify the response of biomass and soil environments to different grazing patterns in China. Methods: Peer-reviewed journal articles were searched using the Web of Science and China National Knowledge to compile a database. A total of 1011 sets of sample observations satisfied the sampling standards; these were derived from 140 study sites and were obtained from 86 published articles. We conducted random effects meta-analyses and calculated correlation coefficients with corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Results: Grazing significantly decreased the total biomass, aboveground biomass (AGB), belowground biomass (BGB), soil organic matter, soil total nitrogen, soil total phosphorus and soil water content but increased the root-to-shoot ratio, soil available nitrogen, soil pH and bulk density. Generally, increasing grazing intensity and duration significantly increased the effects of grazing on the biomass and soil environment. Additionally, the smallest effects of grazing on the biomass and soil environments were observed under light grazing and cattle grazing alone. Moreover, non-growing season grazing significantly increased AGB, while annual grazing and growing-season grazing significantly reduced AGB. Furthermore, AGB was positively correlated with soil organic matter, soil available phosphorus and bulk density, while BGB was negatively correlated with pH. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of grazing patterns in the biomass and soil environment response to grazing and suggest that cattle grazing alone and grazing during the non-growing season are beneficial for improving the quality of grassland in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earth is experiencing a substantial loss of biodiversity at the global scale, while both species gains and losses are occurring at local and regional scales. The influence of these nonrandom changes in species distributions could profoundly affect the functioning of ecosystems and the essential services that they provide. However, few experimental tests have been conducted examining the influence of species invasions on ecosystem functioning. Even fewer have been conducted using invasive ecosystem engineers, which can have disproportionately strong influence on native ecosystems relative to their own biomass. The invasion of exotic earthworms is a prime example of an ecosystem engineer that is influencing many ecosystems around the world. In particular, European earthworm invasions of northern North American forests cause simultaneous species gains and losses with significant consequences for essential ecosystem processes like nutrient cycling and crucial services to humanity like soil erosion control and carbon sequestration. Exotic earthworms are expected to select for specific traits in communities of soil microorganisms (fast-growing bacteria species), soil fauna (promoting the bacterial energy channel), and plants (graminoids) through direct and indirect effects. This will accelerate some ecosystem processes and decelerate others, fundamentally altering how invaded forests function. This project aims to investigate ecosystem responses of northern North American forests to earthworm invasion. Using a novel, synthetic combination of field observations, field experiments, lab experiments, and meta-analyses, the proposed work will be the first systematic examination of earthworm effects on (1) plant communities and (2) soil food webs and processes. Further, (3) effects of a changing climate (warming and reduced summer precipitation) on earthworm performance will be investigated in a unique field experiment designed to predict the future spread and consequences of earthworm invasion in North America. By assessing the soil chemical and physical properties as well as the taxonomic (e.g., by the latest next-generation sequencing techniques) and functional composition of plant, soil microbial and animal communities and the processes they drive in four forests, work packages I-III take complementary approaches to derive a comprehensive and generalizable picture of how ecosystems change in response to earthworm invasion. Finally, in work package IV, meta-analyses will be used to integrate the information from work packages I-III and existing literature to investigate if earthworms cause invasion waves, invasion meltdowns, habitat homogenization, and ecosystem state shifts. Global data will be synthesized to test if the relative magnitude of effects differs from place to place depending on the functional dissimilarity between native soil fauna and exotic earthworms. Moving from local to global scale, the present proposal examines the influence of earthworm invasions on biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships from an aboveground-belowground perspective in natural settings. This approach is highly innovative as it utilizes the invasion by exotic earthworms as an exciting model system that links invasion biology with trait-based community ecology, global change research, and ecosystem ecology, pioneering a new generation of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Biomass waste, including fruit and vegetable residues, poses a serious challenge to the environment. This demands novel approaches for handling and disposing of it in a safe manner. However, such waste is extremely rich in bioactive components, which are considered to have a beneficial impact on health. This has led to the recovery of high‐value compounds from biomass waste before finally disposing of it. The present investigation reveals the use of green solvents such as eutectic mixtures composed of choline chloride with three different hydrogen bond donors like sucrose (4:1), urea (1:2), and sorbitol (3:1) as extractants for recovering valuable phenolic antioxidants from onion peel. RESULTS: A deep eutectic solvent system consisting of choline chloride:urea (ChCl:urea) showed the best result for total phenolic content from onion peel while the other two eutectic mixtures showed relatively lower extraction efficiency. Experiments were performed with different molar ratios of ChCl:U (1:1–1:3) and liquid–solid ratios (10:1–60:1) under a temperature range (50–90 °C) and a time range (60–150 min). Taguchi's method was employed to maximize the extraction of polyphenolic antioxidants from onion peel, resulting in optimal conditions: extraction temperature 60 °C, time 120 min, liquid to solid ratio 50:1 and molar ratio of ChCl:U as 1:2. Under optimum conditions, the corresponding TPC value of the extract was found to be highest at 222.97 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE) g−1 dw. CONCLUSION: Major flavonoids – quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin – were identified and quantified in the extracts. Moreover, high reducing power (PR) value was reported in the case of ChCl:U extract, and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity was found to be higher in ChCl:So extract. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The combination of biological growth and particle loading can adversely affect hydraulic performance in drinking water biofilters. In this study, upstream oxidant addition was used to distribute biologically-derived filter clogging in granular activated carbon (GAC) biofilters. Oxidant penetration was assessed during pilot-scale operation and backwashing of dual media (GAC/sand) and multimedia (GAC/anthracite/sand) biofilters. Influent chlorine (HOCl), monochloramine (NH 2 Cl), and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) residuals were optimized to react with the GAC surface in the upper portion of the filter media bed (depth < 0.5 m) to attenuate biomass development. As the oxidant residual was quenched by surface-mediated reaction with the filter media, biomass growth was promoted deeper in the filter bed (depth > 0.5 m). The oxidant-induced effects on biomass and hydraulic performance were monitored through measurements of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and head loss accumulation at different media depths. Addition of oxidants (e.g., 0.6 mg Cl 2 /L HOCl) could decrease terminal head loss by 20% in dual media filters and 40% in multimedia filters. These hydraulic benefits were achieved without significantly affecting removal of assimilable organic carbon (AOC), total organic carbon (TOC), turbidity, and particle counts. Oxidant type, residual concentration, media type, media age, and media depth influenced the passage of oxidant residuals and distribution of filter biomass. When oxidants were added during backwashing, oxidant residual was quenched through the bed depth from a combination of reactions with GAC media and biofilm degradation. This attenuation of residual oxidant may prevent the oxidant residual from penetrating the entire bed depth, potentially compromising backwashing objectives. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Select upstream oxidants may limit biomass concentrations at the filter surface. • Oxidants may induce better distribution of biologically-derived fouling mechanisms. • More distributed fouling of the biofilter improves hydraulic performance. • Oxidant concentration, type, and media bed characteristics affect oxidant penetration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Drought is a predominant environmental stress factor, which affect the physiological responses of terrestrial plants. • Drought causes reduction physiological parameters by inhibiting carbon assimilation which in turn affects the plant growth and yield. • A new approach of hydraulic dynamic based screening has been applied for rapid selection of efficient genotypes with in species. • Plant water transport efficiency plays a major role in regulating photosynthetic performance. • Transport efficiency which in turn determines the biomass yields under drought as well as recovery. Abstract Impact of drought stress on terrestrial plants is predicted to increase in future due to rapid increase in air temperature and changes in precipitation patterns. Mulberry (Morus spp.) is an economically important perennial crop in sericulture industry. The present study was aimed at using hydraulic dynamics and photosynthetic performance for screening drought tolerance among mulberry genotypes by using non-invasive, rapid and efficient methods. Plant hydraulic variables were measured with commercially available sap flow meter, stem and leaf psychrometers in one year old mulberry genotypes. Plant leaf gas exchange parameters and chlorophyll a fluorescence were measured in control and stressed plants to assess their efficiency. Based on hydraulics and photosynthetic parameters, mulberry genotypes were characterized into 3 functional groups including high, average and poor performing groups (HPG, APG and LPG respectively). HPG genotypes maintained significantly better leaf water status (ψ md), stem hydraulic conductance (K s) and sap flow rate (F) which resulted in enhanced photosynthetic efficiency compared to APG, LPG under prolonged drought regimes as well as after recovery. Hydraulic parameters were positively correlated with photosynthetic performance of each group under drought. Our data suggest that plant water transport efficiency plays a major role in regulating photosynthetic performance which in turn determines the biomass yields under drought. Hydraulic dynamics based screening will be highly useful for rapid selection of efficient mulberry genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Cold stress had more negative effect on wheat biomass accumulation at booting. • Improving mean leaf area index can enhance biomass under cold stress at jointing. • Improving mean net assimilation rate can enhance biomass under cold stress at booting. • The contribution of biomass to yield was greater than harvest index under cold stress. • Accumulated cold degree days can quantify cold stress effect on biomass production. Abstract Climate change has resulted in a continuous increase in the frequency, intensity, and duration of extreme low-temperature events and poses a serious threat to wheat production in China. To better understand the effects of low temperature on wheat photosynthetic production and yield formation, two-year temperature controlled experiments in phytotrons were performed with two different cold-sensitive winter wheat cultivars at five daily maximum/minimum temperature levels and three temperature durations—2, 4 and 6 days—at both jointing and booting stages. Except for its effect on mean net assimilation rate (MNAR) at jointing, low temperature level had significant negative effects on mean leaf area index (MLAI), mean net assimilation rate (MNAR), harvest index (HI), biomass per plant (BPP M) and grain yield per plant (GYPP), while photosynthetic duration (D) (except for Yangmai16 at jointing) was significantly positively affected. Moreover, low temperature duration and its interaction with low temperature level had negative effects on MLAI, MNAR, HI, BPP M and GYPP , but only the effects of low temperature duration on HI, BPP M and GYPP and the interaction effect on BPP M and GYPP reached a significant level. In addition, BPP M and GYPP were more sensitive to low temperature at booting than at jointing stage. Furthermore, significant negative linear relationships were observed between the accumulated cold degree days (ACDD) and MLAI , MNAR , HI , BPP M and GYPP , while a significant positive linear relationship was observed between ACDD and D in both cultivars. The contribution of BPP M to the variation of GYPP was greater than that of HI in both cultivars. However, for biomass, from the first day of low-temperature treatment to maturity (BPP T-M), the major variation was caused by MLAI when low temperature occurred at jointing and by MNAR when low temperature occurred at booting. These results could support the improvement of crop model algorithms under cold stress and assist in the wheat breeding with higher cold tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The increasing challenge in waste disposal and high dependency on imported fossil fuel has compelled Singapore to make continuous efforts in advancing waste to energy (WTE) technology, which could ensure sustainable development on one hand and energy resilience on the other hand. This paper summarizes the current WTE practices and research trends in Singapore, covering anaerobic digestion (AD), gasification, combustion-based biomass combined heat and power (CHP) production, and incineration, with the aim to define future perspectives of Singapore WTE application. Among the different aspects assessed, source-separated food waste (FW) and brown water present the biggest energy potential if AD is adopted instead of incineration. Given that the purity of source separated waste determines the extent of recovered energy, suggestions are made to increase the participating rate in source separation among Singapore residents, such as environmental education through social media and phone apps and proper facilities installation at household and community. Moreover, additional benefits can be credited to WTE system if the waste to material practice is also conducted on top of energy production. Highlights • A comprehensive review on Singapore Waste-to-Energy technologies. • AD, biomass CHP, gasification and incineration are included. • Current status, future trend and development obstacles are discussed. • Possible improvement solutions are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The focus of this study is to evaluate the impact of biomass burning (BB) from South Asia and Southeast Asia on the glaciers over the Tibetan Plateau. The seasonality and long-term trend of biomass fires measured by Terra and Aqua satellite data from 2010 to 2016 are used in this study. The analysis shows that the biomass burnings were widely dispersed in the continental of Indian and Southeast Asia and existed a strong seasonal variation. The biomass burnings in winter (January) were relatively weak and scattered and were significantly enhanced in spring (April). The highest biomass burnings located in two regions. One was along the foothill of Himalayas, where is a dense population area, and the second located in Southeast Asia. Because these two high biomass burning regions are close to the Tibetan Plateau, they could have important effects on the BC deposition over the glaciers of the Tibetan Plateau. In order to study the effect of BB emissions on the deposition over the glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau, a regional chemical model (WRF-Chem; Weather Research and Forecasting Chemical model) was applied to simulate the BC distributions and the transport from BB emission regions to the glaciers in Tibetan Plateau. The result shows that in winter (January), due to the relatively weak BB emissions, the effect of BB emissions on BC concentrations was not significant. The BC concentrations resulted from BB emissions ranged from 0.1 to 2.0 μg/m3, with high concentrations distributed along the foothill of Himalayas and the southeastern Asia region. Due to the relative low BC concentrations, there was insignificant effect of BB emissions on the deposition over the glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau in winter. However, the BB emissions were highest in spring (April), producing high BC concentrations. For example, along the Himalayas Mountain and in the southeastern Asia region, The BC concentrations ranged from 2.0 to 6.0 μg/m3. In addition to the high BC concentrations, there were also west and south prevailing winds in these regions. As a result, the BC particles were transported to the glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau, causing significant deposition of BC particles on the snow surface of the glaciers. This study suggests that the biomass burning emissions have important effects on the BC deposition over the glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau, and the contaminations of glaciers could have significant impact on the melting of snow in the Tibetan Plateau, causing some severe environmental problems, such as the water resources. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Biomass fires in South Asia measured by Terra and Aqua satellite data from 2010 to 2016 are analyzed. • The highest biomass burnings located in two regions (along the foothill of Himalayas and Southeastern Asia) • Biomass burning emissions were highest in spring, producing high BC concentrations (2.0 to 6.0 μg/m3) • BC particles were transported to the glaciers in TP, causing significant deposition on the snow surface of the glaciers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an exploratory study examining the use of airborne remote-sensing observations to detect ecological responses to elevated CO2 emissions from active volcanic systems. To evaluate these ecosystem responses, existing spectroscopic, thermal, and lidar data acquired over forest ecosystems on Mammoth Mountain volcano, California, were exploited, along with in situ measurements of persistent volcanic soil CO2 fluxes. The elevated CO2 response was used to statistically model ecosystem structure, composition, and function, evaluated via data products including biomass, plant foliar traits and vegetation indices, and evapotranspiration (ET). Using regression ensemble models, we found that soil CO2 flux was a significant predictor for ecological variables, including canopy greenness (normalized vegetation difference index, NDVI), canopy nitrogen, ET, and biomass. With increasing CO2 , we found a decrease in ET and an increase in canopy nitrogen, both consistent with theory, suggesting more water- and nutrient-use-efficient canopies. However, we also observed a decrease in NDVI with increasing CO2 (a mean NDVI of 0.27 at 200 g m -2 d -1 CO2 reduced to a mean NDVI of 0.10 at 800 g m -2 d -1 CO2). This is inconsistent with theory though consistent with increased efficiency of fewer leaves. We found a decrease in above-ground biomass with increasing CO2 , also inconsistent with theory, but we did also find a decrease in biomass variance, pointing to a long-term homogenization of structure with elevated CO2. Additionally, the relationships between ecological variables changed with elevated CO2 , suggesting a shift in coupling/decoupling among ecosystem structure, composition, and function synergies. For example, ET and biomass were significantly correlated for areas without elevated CO2 flux but decoupled with elevated CO2 flux. This study demonstrates that (a) volcanic systems show great potential as a means to study the properties of ecosystems and their responses to elevated CO2 emissions and (b) these ecosystem responses are measurable using a suite of airborne remotely sensed data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The objective of this work is to compare the kinetic behavior of a large set of European biomasses during torrefaction, both in terms of solid transformed and volatile species released, and to determine whether biomass behaviors can be classified according to main biomass families, namely deciduous wood, coniferous wood, agricultural coproducts and herbaceous crops. 14 biomasses representative of European diversity were torrefied in chemical regime following a non-isothermal procedure (200 to 300 °C, 3 °C min-1) in a thermogravimetric analyzer coupled with a gas-chromatograph mass spectrometer through a system of heated storage loops (TGA-GC/MS). Coniferous and deciduous wood were found to have similar behaviors in terms of solid evolution profile and species produced, while being different in terms of kinetics. On the contrary, agricultural biomass appeared to be a highly heterogeneous group where different biomass subtypes should be selected in order to represent the diversity of behaviors during torrefaction. Biomass macromolecular composition, together with the biological origin and the structural matrix of biomass, were shown to be determining factors of biomass behavior in torrefaction. Highlights • 14 biomasses torrefied in a TGA coupled to a GC/MS by a heated storage loop system. • Similar behavior of coniferous and deciduous wood with different kinetics. • Heterogeneity in the behavior of agricultural biomass in torrefaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in agricultural soils play an important role in aspects of environment safety and human health. Sixteen US-EPA priority PAHs in 78 surface agricultural soils from Nanping and Sanming, Northwest Fujian were detected to elucidate their contamination levels, spatial distribution, sources, and toxicities. The total concentrations of PAHs were 12.90–2271.03 ng/g, with an average of 223.85 ± 324.33 ng/g. North and Central Nanping and Central Sanming were found to be most contaminated regions in Northwest Fujian. The spatial distribution of PAHs positively correlated with the population density in the study area. Three- and four-ring PAHs were dominant components, accounting for 45% and 34% of the total PAHs, respectively. Four sources were identified by the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model. Their contributions to the total PAHs burden were 50%, 31%, 16%, and 3% for biomass combustion, coal burning, vehicle emission, and coking, respectively. Spatial distribution of sources indicated that higher amounts of biomass-originated PAHs mainly occurred in Sanming, while higher contributions of PAHs originated from coal burning and vehicular emission were mostly found in Nanping. The mean benzo(a)pyrene equivalent (BaP eq) values were 14.95 ng/g for seven carcinogenic PAHs (Σ 7 cPAH), and 15.20 ng/g for 16 PAHs, respectively, suggesting that Σ 7 cPAH were the major toxic contributors to the total PAHs. Source apportionment of PAH toxicities based on PMF-BaP eq method showed that biomass, coal burning, vehicle emission, and coking source contributed 3%, 41%, 55%, and 1% to Σ 16 BaP eq values, respectively. Traffic source, associated with higher carcinogenic PAHs burden, posed the highest toxicity among all sources despite its low proportion of the total PAHs. Highlights • We collected soil samples at 78 sites in farmlands from Northwest Fujian, Southeast China. • The levels, compositions, and spatial distribution of PAHs were investigated. • Four emission sources were identified by PMF model and spatial distribution of their contributions were analyzed. • Source apportionment of PAH toxicities were conducted successfully using a PMF-BaP eq method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This is a first review paper that delineates fundamental disinfection mechanism undergoes during the simple electrochemical coagulation (EC) process. The elucidation of detailed mechanistic phenomenon of EC process involved would help to enhance the disinfection efficiency. In this context, the biomass (bacteria, virus and algae) abatement mechanism by EC is critically reviewed and rationalized based on the experimental demonstration performed from the recent decade. Whereas, the effect of most significant abiotic operating parameters, dissolved contents and bacteria cell wall composition on biomass reduction are explored in detail. From these analyses, physical removal and chemical inactivation routes are identified for bacteria abatement mechanism during the EC process using sacrificial electrodes. Which includes (i) enmeshment of microbial contaminants by EC flocs, (ii) sweeping flocculation is preferentially for destabilization of negatively charged biomass, and (iii) inactivation/attenuation of micro-organism cell walls by electrochemically induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) or direct interaction of electric field. Perhaps, the overall abatement mechanism attributes due to the aforementioned phenomenon endures independently and/or synergistically during the EC process. Nonetheless, to obtain better understanding of virus and algae abatement mechanism, we require more experimental investigation on algae and virus removal. Eventually, more intensive research efforts on biomass attenuation by EC are most important to reinforce this claim. Graphical abstract Possible mechanisms are driven for biomass disinfection during electrocoagulation process. Image 1 Highlights • Possible mechanism driven for biomass removal during EC is rationalized. • Physical removal through charge neutralization between electrocoagulants and biomass. • Chemical inactivation by ROS & germicidal agents are key oxidants for inactivation. • Exposure of electric current on biomass also enable inactivation process. • Al anode favours for physical removal and Fe anode also facilitates inactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The impact of torrefaction on the NO and SO 2 emissions from combustion of biomass was investigated. Combustion experiments were carried out with two torrefied biomass fuels, i.e., poultry litter and olive tree pruning and their blends with lignite using a bench scale single particle reactor. For comparison, NO and SO 2 emissions from tests with untorrefied biomasses and their blends with lignite were also investigated. The total release of SO 2 and NO for each fuel was determined at three different temperatures: 900, 1000, and 1100 °C. The NO release from the untorrefied biomasses was found to be lower than those from torrefied biomasses, despite their higher fuel- N content. In case of co-combustion of both raw and torrefied biomass with lignite, the NO release was lower than the anticipated one. On the other hand, in the co-combustion experiments, blends with torrefied biomass showed a larger reduction in SO 2 release than the blends with raw biomass. The study revealed that the SO 2 emissions from blends are not proportional to the mixing ratio of the fuels and to the emissions properties of the respective fuels. No clear correlation was detected between the NO x emissions and fuel-N content. In addition to the NO and SO 2 emissions, the sintering propensity of the ash residue were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Highlights • Torrefaction led to considerable decrease in nitrogen of poultry litter. • NO emission from torrefied biomass was higher than that from raw biomass. • NO emissions from blends were lower than the anticipated ones. • SO 2 emissions depend on basic mineral content rather than sulfur content in fuel. • Addition of torrefied biomass to lignite considerable decreased SO 2 emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breeding for water stress tolerance is very difficult as the stress conditions created in experimental set up and actual field conditions, invariably, have poor correspondence. Direct selection for yield under stress holds promise but is slow on account of complexity of yield. Screening based on yield suffers from low heritability. Yield has been the primary breeding objective in production breeding and has been improved by targeting yield per se as well as yield components based on correlated response. Drought stress indices are quantitative measures that characterize water stress response by yield data from one or several environments based on timing, duration and intensity of stress. Such an index is more readily useable than raw yield data. Since drought resistance is a yield based trait, selection could vary depending on which index is chosen by the breeder. A major drawback of using these indices has been lack of correspondence in rankings across indices and their failure to discriminate overlapping responses in terms of yield under stress. There has been substantial effort on part of scientists to develop and validate different indices based on yield per se, index scores, regression analysis as well as various model based approaches. The major focus has been on identifying variables such as phenology, physiological traits, biomass partitioning or other parameters that influence crop performance under stress. The paper appraises the approaches from yield based indices to regression based as well as crop model based approaches that have been used to understand crop response to water stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Pinus pinea is economically important in the Mediterranean basin. • Above and belowground biomass equations were developed with 283 harvested trees. • Accuracy of biomass estimates improved for root and high dimension trees. • Biased estimates were observed when using equations outside the geographical range. • Best biomass equations for regional and national biomass inventories. Abstract Accurate estimates of tree biomass are strongly required for forest carbon budget estimates and to understand ecosystem dynamics for a sustainable management. Existing biomass equations for Mediterranean species are scarce, stand- and site-specific and therefore are not suitable for large scale application. In this study, biomass allometric equations were developed for stone pine (Pinus pinea L.), a Mediterranean tree species with relevant ecologic and economic interest. A dataset of 283 harvested trees was compiled with above- and belowground biomass from 16 sites in three countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal) representative of the species’ geographical Mediterranean distribution. A preliminary approach comparing the ordinary least squares method and the mixed model approach was performed in order to evaluate the most appropriate method for nested data in the absence of calibration data. To quantify the sources of error associated with applying biomass equations beyond the geographical range of the data used to develop them, a residual analysis was conducted. The allometric analysis showed low intra-specific variability in aboveground biomass relationships, which was relatively insensitive to the stand and site conditions. Significant differences were found for the crown components (needles and branches), which may be attributed to local geographical adaptation, site conditions and stand management. The root biomass was highly correlated with diameter at breast height irrespective of the geographical origin. Biased estimates were found when using site-specific equations outside the geographical range from where they were developed. The new biomass equations improved the accuracy of biomass estimates, particularly for the aboveground components of higher dimension trees and for the root component, being highly suitable for use in regional and national biomass forest calculations. It is, up to the present, the most complete database of harvested stone pine trees worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulphuric soil material of acid sulfate soils is mainly managed by the addition of mineral lime but lime availability is limited to a few regions and pure mineral lime is expensive. This study assessed the stability of sulphuric soil material neutralised by the addition of alkaline sandy loam, with organic matter amendment or establishment of plants. Incorporation of organic matter stabilised the pH but did not prevent oxidation under aerobic conditions. Under flooded conditions, the pH was more stable and increased when organic matter was incorporated. Application of organic matter to the surface was only effective under flooded conditions. In contrast to the effects of plants on sulphidic soil material and sulphuric soil material where the tendency was to increase growth of plants on neutralised sulphuric soil material had little influence on pH. In addition, the changes induced by smaller plants were comparatively lower, and dependent on the organic matter turnover from above and below ground biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the influence of yeast biomass and mannoproteins in the biodegradation and retention of biodiesel in soil. After 60 days of experiments, the biomass reached a biodegradation of 81%, a considerably higher value than reached through natural attenuation (3.6%). The adsorption of contaminants was 20%, indicating interactions between soil and biostimulants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Biomass combustion technology is widely considered as an attractive option to remove carbon dioxide emissions and thus could become a viable option for next generation co-combustion power plants with coal. Among biomasses, the faster growing herbaceous biomass (Miscanthus) is relatively inexpensive as a solid fuel but has higher mineral contents (especially high levels of alkali metals) than that of a lignocellulosic biomass (Pitch pine) which leads to ultrafine particle emissions during combustion. This study proposes a dual stage treatment method to extract the inherent minerals in a herbaceous biomass prior to the combustion test. The method consists of an initial treatment with a basic (NaOH) solution and a sequential treatment with an acidic (CH 3 COOH) solution. To verify the proposed method, we investigated the variations in both the mineral contents and the PM, NOx and SO 2 emissions between raw- and treated samples. The experimental results show that sodium, potassium and chloride in the treated herbaceous sample, which are the major minerals that generate ultrafine particles, were removed up to 96.3, 99.4 and 98.3%, respectively. The proposed method is more effective for herbaceous biomasses due to its higher Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) value. Furthermore, the treated herbaceous biomass is even environmentally superior to raw lignocellulosic biomasses currently used in co-combustion power plants with coal in terms of the PM2.5, NOx and SO 2 emissions, for which their rejection was measured as 60, 25 and 46%, respectively. These results will help to reduce the energy and costs for De-NOx (selective catalytic reduction, SCR system) and De-SO 2 (scrubber) units. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • The proposed dual-stage treatment to remove the minerals is more effective for herbaceous biomass. • Rejection ratios of Na, K and Cl in Miscanthus are measured by 96.3, 99.4 and 98.3%, respectively. • The other emission such as PM2.5, NOx and SO 2 are reduced by 60, 25 and 46%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Submarine canyons host abundant and diverse fungal communities. • Fungal abundance, biomass and diversity are driven by carbohydrate concentrations. • Deep-sea sediments can harbour a high number of novel fungal taxa. • Thermohaline and trophic conditions may promote a high turnover diversity of fungi. Abstract Fungi are ubiquitous components of microbial assemblages in aquatic ecosystems, but their quantitative relevance, ecological role and diversity in benthic deep-sea ecosystems are still largely unknown. Here, we investigated patterns and drivers of benthic fungal abundance, biomass and diversity from 200 to 1000 m depth in three submarine canyons of the Mediterranean Sea (Tricase, Crotone and Squillace canyons). The Crotone and Squillace canyons, which are close to the coast and influenced by river inputs, showed significantly higher fungal abundance, biomass and diversity (as operational taxonomic units, OTUs) compared with the Tricase canyon that was far from the coast and without nearby estuaries. Fungal biomass, abundance and diversity increased with increasing concentrations of carbohydrates, which in deep-sea sediments include highly refractory organic compounds. Overall, a total of 1742 fungal OTUs, belonging to all fungal phyla known to date, were found and Ascomycota represented the dominant phylum. However, only 36% of the reads belonged to known genera. In particular, Tricase and Crotone canyons hosted the highest proportion of unknown fungal taxa, suggesting that deep-sea sediments can harbour a high number of novel fungal lineages. Our findings also reveal that fungal assemblage composition in the investigated canyons was influenced by trophic and thermohaline conditions, which may promote a high turnover diversity of benthic deep-sea fungal assemblages. Overall results reported here indicate that the submarine canyons of the Mediterranean Sea can represent hot-spots of abundant and highly diversified fungal assemblages and pave the way for a better understanding of the ecological role of fungi in the largest ecosystem on Earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing early-season cold tolerance of maize (Zea mays L.) has the potential to lengthen its growing season, reduce its environmental impact, and enhance its yields. Cold- and warmgrown plants differ for biomass accumulation and spectral reflectance, the latter caused by differences in leaf chlorophyll content, carotenoid content, or other chemical and morphological attributes. Here, we evaluate genetic leaf spectral reflectance diversity across 38 inbred and 14 hybrid maize genotypes grown in cold and control temperatures. Genotypes varied for spectral reflectance indices correlated with chlorophyll content and for an index correlated with the ratio of leaf carotenoids to chlorophylls. Genotypic differences greatly contributed to spectral reflectance variation across all visible wavelengths, with the greatest genetic variation between 500 and 600 nm and around 700 nm. Cold treatment effects were most significant across the same wavelengths. Spectral indices indicated lower chlorophyll and a higher carotenoid/ chlorophyll level in cold-exposed plants relative to control plants. Genotype x temperature interactions were small relative to genotype effects. Cold tolerance, measured as the ratio of dry matter accumulation in cold-treated plants relative to control plants, varied among hybrids and inbreds. Correlations of cold tolerance with known spectral reflectance indices, reflectance first derivatives, and novel, normalized spectral indices were mostly low and occurred only in certain germplasm. One reflectance parameter, the reflectance curve slope at 828 nm, was consistently related to genotypic cold tolerance, even when measured on plants that had not been exposed to cold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The possibilities of energetic use of willow biomass form constructed wetland system (CWS) were investigated. • The annual yield of willow biomass was averagely 1.01 kg d·m· m−2. • High and low heating value were typical for wood biomass and it was respectively 18.13 and 17.38 MJ·kg−1. • Young parts of the shoots contained more ash and elements than the old ones, and had lower energy parameters. • The rational way to use biomass from CWS is to use it for energy purposes. Abstract The paper presents the results of a study of selected parameters of common osier (Salix viminalis) biomass sampled annually, over a 12-year period, from a constructed wetland wastewater treatment plant. The focus of the study was on parameters that were relevant to biomass energy management. The study was conducted in a constructed wetland wastewater treatment plant consisting of one horizontal flow bed with a total area of 186 m2, planted with osier willows. The following biomass parameters were analysed: biomass yield, volume, humidity, ash content, higher and lower heating values, and contents of N, P, K in different parts of plant stems. The study showed that osier biomass harvested from the investigated constructed wetland system could be used as an energy source in thermochemical processes. The higher and lower heating values were similar to those obtained by other authors (18.13 and 17.38 MJ·kg−1, respectively). The energy yield (17.49 MJ·m−2) and energy density (3486–5411 MJ·m−3) were also calculated. Young shoot parts had higher ash and micronutrient contents and lower energy parameters than old parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study were to assess and validate previously published prediction models with an independent dataset and to expose the power and limitations of linear regression models for predicting biomethane potential. Two datasets were used for the validation, one with all individual samples and one with the average values of each cultivar. The results revealed similar performances of all four models for the individual samples. The methane yields of the cultivars were predicted more accurately than the methane yields of the individual samples. The grassland specific model predicted the variation in the dataset with an R 2 of 0.84 and the slope of the regression line was equal to 1.0. Linear regression models are suitable to depict the variation in methane yield and for substrate ranking. However, the prediction error of the absolute values may be high since systematic external effects cannot be determined by a regression model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Foraminiferal samples for stable isotope analysis are frequently preserved after field collection or during cruises despite the lack of knowledge if and how preservation changes the elemental and stable isotope composition of the protists. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of preservation on natural and stable isotope-enriched foraminifera. We tested the following preservation methods on specimens of the benthic foraminifer Ammonia sp. (without surrounding sediment): drying at room temperature, freezing (−25 °C in seawater), ethanol with and without Rose Bengal (RB), and formalin with and without RB. Natural specimens were preserved for 14, 90, and 240 days, while stable isotope-enriched specimens were preserved for 30 days following a pulse-chase feeding experiment. Regardless of type and length, preservation caused a significant loss of carbon (biomass) of up to 42% and lower nitrogen contents in most treatments. Already preservation for 14 days significantly affected δ13C and δ15N signatures, with the strongest shifts caused by freezing at −25 °C in seawater and formalin fixation (with RB). With longer preservation time, the gap between foraminiferal δ13C signatures and the control signal increased for all preservation methods except for 96% ethanol. The observed shifts in the δ13C signatures in the differently preserved foraminifera are in a range of shifts that are found in the signatures of natural foraminifera and are caused by the uptake of various food sources. Applying different preservation methods therefore can bias trophic interpretations based on natural isotope abundances. Preservation of stable isotope-enriched foraminifera in ethanol (with and without RB) resulted in significantly lower carbon uptake estimates, while freezing caused significantly lower nitrogen uptake estimates. Our findings suggest that, if possible, any storage or preservation should be avoided, especially in formalin or at −25 °C with seawater; otherwise storage should be kept as short as possible. Of all tested methods, drying foraminifera at room temperature was the least affecting method with comparatively low variation among replicates. Comparison of biomass, isotope signatures and uptake estimates obtained from differently preserved specimens should be considered carefully, as differences might not be caused naturally, but by alterations of the cytoplasm during preservation. Highlights • Preservation causes loss of biomass; greatest loss occurs within two weeks • Preservation affects δ13C and δ15N signatures as well as food uptake estimation • Different preservation methods can bias trophic interpretations • We recommend to avoid preservation or to keep it as short as possible • Drying foraminifera (without sediment) at room temperature showed least effects [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantitative relationship between carbon sequestration potential and stand ages of Pine (Pinus roxburghii) forest is not documented in Pakistan. Using field inventory data, this study underlines the patterns of biomass and carbon allocation across a chronosequence of Chir Pine forest. Based on the uniform shelterwood silvicultural management system, the forest was classified into three stand age classes representing the young stand (<50 years), mature stand (50–75 years), and overmature stand (> 75 years). The results showed an increasing trend in living tree biomass carbon with stand age. However, soil carbon showed gradually decreasing trend from young to overmature stand. Similarly, deadwood, litter, and understory biomass carbon showed an increase pattern of changes. Altogether, the results highlighted that the mean carbon values of all components varied between 90.3 t·C·ha−1 in the young stand and 309.5 t·C·ha−1 in the overmature stand. Furthermore, our results confirm that the current management operations affect the forest floor and soil carbon. Therefore, we suggest that different protection measures should be considered during management operations to enhance soil and forest floor carbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systematically quantifying the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of biomass power generation is a prerequisite for robust decision-makings associated with the technology's scale deployment. This study compared the planting-to-wire GHG emissions of a typical corn-stover-based power generation system in China, estimated using one process-based and two hybrid life-cycle assessment (LCA) models. Results showed that emissions calculated by process-based LCA were 11% lower than that of hybrid models because of the truncations on services and accessory equipment. The two tiered hybrid approaches yielded total-supply-chain GHG footprints of material and equipment with a negligible difference (0.7%). The parameter settings varied by time and regions/countries resulted in temporal and spatial uncertainties of process-based LCA at 4%–10% and 0.1%–16% respectively. We proposed adopting hybrid LCA models for footprint calculation because of their strength in comprehensive accounting coverage, less dependence on data acquisition, and reduced temporal and spatial uncertainties. As the GHG footprint of biomass energy utilization is region-specific and determined by multiple factors, such as supply-chain configurations and landscape of power generation technology, results of this study help to understand the uncertainties and trade-offs associated with different LCA model deployments in China, and thus, contribute to advancing the country's biomass power sector moving forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed at performing PM 10 source apportionment, using positive matrix factorization (PMF), based on filter samples collected every 4 h at a sub-urban station in the Paris region (France) during a PM pollution event in March 2015 (PM 10 > 50 μg m −3 for several consecutive days). The PMF model allowed to deconvolve 11 source factors. The use of specific primary and secondary organic molecular markers favoured the determination of common sources such as biomass burning and primary traffic emissions, as well as 2 specific biogenic SOA (marine + isoprene) and 3 anthropogenic SOA (nitro-PAHs + oxy-PAHs + phenolic compounds oxidation) factors. This study is probably the first one to report the use of methylnitrocatechol isomers as well as 1-nitropyrene to apportion secondary OA linked to biomass burning emissions and primary traffic emissions, respectively. Secondary organic carbon (SOC) fractions were found to account for 47% of the total OC. The use of organic molecular markers allowed the identification of 41% of the total SOC composed of anthropogenic SOA (namely, oxy-PAHs, nitro-PAHs and phenolic compounds oxidation, representing 15%, 9%, 11% of the total OC, respectively) and biogenic SOA (marine + isoprene) (6% in total). Results obtained also showed that 35% of the total SOC originated from anthropogenic sources and especially PAH SOA (oxy-PAHs + nitro-PAHs), accounting for 24% of the total SOC, highlighting its significant contribution in urban influenced environments. Anthropogenic SOA related to nitro-PAHs and phenolic compounds exhibited a clear diurnal pattern with high concentrations during the night indicating the prominent role of night-time chemistry but with different chemical processes involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The appearance of Daphnia (Ctenodaphnia) magna Straus, 1820 in the pelagial of Sevan Lake caused significant changes in the communities of planktonic algae, bacteria, and heterotrophic nanoflagellates. Phytoplankton and nanoflagellates were the most affected by the direct impact of D. magna, and the number and biomass of bacteria increased due to the reduction in the trophic pressure of the protists. It was also facilitated by the increased supply of phosphorus as a result of the activity of the cladocerans, as well as the decrease in the number and biomass of phytoplankton, which competes with heterotrophic bacteria for the nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is becoming more common globally and has the potential to alter patterns of soil carbon (C) storage in terrestrial ecosystems. After an extended dry period, a pulse of soil CO 2 release is commonly observed upon rewetting (the so-called ‘Birch effect’), the magnitude of which depends on soil rewetting frequency. But the source and implications of this CO 2 efflux are unclear. We used a mesocosm field experiment to subject agricultural topsoil to two distinct drying and rewetting frequencies, measuring Birch effects (as 3-day cumulative CO 2 efflux upon rewetting) and the overall CO 2 efflux over the entire drying-rewetting cycle. We used 14 C-labelled wheat straw to determine the contribution of fresh (recently incorporated) plant litter or extant soil organic matter (SOM) to these fluxes, and assessed the extent to which the amount of soil microbial biomass + K 2 SO 4 -extractable organic C (fumigated-extracted C, FEC) before rewetting determined the magnitude of Birch effect CO 2 pulses. Our results showed a gradual increase in SOM-derived organic solutes within the FEC fraction, and a decrease in soil microbial biomass, under more extreme drying and rewetting conditions. But, contrary to our hypothesis, pre-wetting levels of FEC were not related to the magnitude of the Birch effects. In the longer term, rewetting frequency and temperature influenced the overall (31-day cumulative) amount of CO 2 –C released from SOM upon rewetting, but the overall 14 CO 2 –C respired from fresh straw was only influenced by the rewetting frequency, with no effect of seasonal temperature differences of ∼15 °C. We conclude that the mineralization of fresh plant litter in soils is more sensitive to water limitations than extant SOM in soils under drying-rewetting conditions. Moreover, we found little evidence to support the hypothesis that the availability of microbial and soluble organic C before rewetting determined the magnitude of the Birch effects, and suggest that future work should investigate whether these short-term CO 2 pulses are predominantly derived from substrate-supply mechanisms resulting from the disruption of the soil organo-mineral matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the effects of sewchar and mineral fertilizer on plant responses in beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris , var. “Jalo precoce”) and soil properties in a pot experiment in a completely randomized design with two harvests. The initial treatments consisted of a control, sewchar doses of 4, 8, 16 and 32 Mg ha −1 and mineral fertilizer (30 mg N, 90 mg P 2 O 5 and 60 mg K 2 O kg −1 ). The treatments (4 replications each) were fertilized with 135 mg P 2 O 5  kg −1 at the second harvest. The sewchar application rates correlated positively with the CEC, the water holding capacity, the availability of Zn, Ca, Fe, Cu, and P, and the concentrations of nitrate, ammonium, total N, total organic carbon and hot water extractable carbon. They correlated negatively with the Mg availability and the soil C: N ratio. Additionally, they correlated positively with the P, Zn and Ca uptake from the soil. For both harvests, the 16 Mg ha −1 sewchar treatment had a total dry matter equivalent to that of the mineral fertilizer. After the second harvest, the 16 Mg ha −1 sewchar treatment revealed 96% higher plant biomass than the control and 79% higher biomass than it did during the first period. The positive effect of sewchar in addition to phosphorous on the plant response and soil properties suggests that the residual effect of sewchar could be a promising alternative as a soil amendment for partly replacing mineral fertilizers. In future, further studies are necessary to evaluate long-term residual effects of sewchar in soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding patterns of aboveground carbon storage across forest types is increasingly important as managers adapt to threats of global change. We combined field measures of aboveground biomass with lidar to model fine-scale biomass in deciduous forests located in two watersheds; one watershed was underlain by sandstone and the other by shale. We measured tree and shrub biomass across three topographic positions for both watersheds and analyzed biomass using mixed models. The watershed underlain by shale had 60% more aboveground biomass than the sandstone watershed. Although spatial patterns of biomass were different across watersheds, both had higher (between about 40% and 55%) biomass values at the toe-slope position than at the ridge-top position. To model fine-scale spatial patterns of biomass, we tested the effectiveness of leaf-on and leaf-off lidar combined with topographic metrics to develop a spatially explicit random forest model of tree and shrub biomass across both watersheds. Leaf-on variables were more important for modeling shrub biomass, while leaf-off variables were more effective at modeling tree biomass. Our model of tree and shrub biomass reflects the distribution of biomass across both watersheds at a fine scale and highlights the potential of abiotic factors such as topography and bedrock to affect carbon storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Household air pollution from biomass cookstoves is estimated to be responsible for more than two and a half million premature deaths annually, primarily in low and middle‐income countries where cardiometabolic disorders, such as Type II Diabetes, are increasing. Growing evidence supports a link between ambient air pollution and diabetes, but evidence for household air pollution is limited. This cross‐sectional study of 142 women (72 with traditional stoves and 70 with cleaner‐burning Justa stoves) in rural Honduras evaluated the association of exposure to household air pollution (stove type, 24‐hour average kitchen and personal fine particulate matter [PM2.5] mass and black carbon) with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and diabetic status based on HbA1c levels. The prevalence ratio (PR) per interquartile range increase in pollution concentration indicated higher prevalence of prediabetes/diabetes (vs normal HbA1c) for all pollutant measures (eg, PR per 84 μg/m3 increase in personal PM2.5, 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11‐2.01). Results for HbA1c as a continuous variable were generally in the hypothesized direction. These results provide some evidence linking household air pollution with the prevalence of prediabetes/diabetes, and, if confirmed, suggest that the global public health impact of household air pollution may be broader than currently estimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Agave bagasse (AB) is the main solid waste generated by the tequila industry in Mexico, which is an environmental concern due to its considerable volume of production (377,000 Ton in 2016). AB is a lignocellulosic biomass that has been considered as a potential feedstock for different industrial uses in the framework of lignocellulosic biorefinery concept. The lignocellulosic biomass is a complex structure constituted by cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Therefore, for a complete waste revalorization, different processing steps would be required. In this work, the scientific advances toward the AB biorefinery composed by three sequential stages: pretreatment, treatment and biofuels production were reviewed. Moreover, the by-products of the process could also be recovered and used for the synthesis of value-added products. This integrative approach of AB in the conceptualized biorefinery generates positive impacts on environment as well as on local and regional economies.Graphical Abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban air pollution generated from straw open burning after the harvest seasons in China has been one of the significant problems interfering with the city's proper functioning. This paper applied contingent valuation in a face to face survey to assess the individual willingness of urban residents in Henan, China to pay for corn straw burning ban to policy makers. Such assessments are important for policy makers to determine the investment and policy instruments for regulating environmental impacts of straw open burning. To investigate the determinants of the stated willingness to pay (WtP) a sample of 1890 urban residents in Henan, China was selected. The study used Tobit model. About 62% of respondents stated that they were willing to pay. The expected WtP was about 76.72 Chinese Yuan (RMB) per person per year for the total respondents and 142.70 RMB per person per year for observations with positive WtP bids. Aggregate value was between 3.41 and 3.90 billion RMB indicating that corn straw burning ban is of considerable economic value to Henan. Results from the study show that the experience of environmental protection, expenditure on protecting health from air pollution, influence of straw burning on respondent's health, life, work, household income, education, job place, and family size were significant variables explaining WtP. The results of the study will be useful for policy makers when making up their mind how much funds should be invested and what kinds of policy instruments could be suitable for banning straw burning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]