Growth response of two grasses and a legume on coal fly ash amended strip mine spoils

The use of fly ash as an amendment for strip mine soils was studied under field conditions. Three plant species—Agrostis tenuis var. Highlander,Festuca arundinacea, andLespedeza cuneata—were grown in strip mine plots. Half of the plots were treated with an equivalent of 70 metric tons per hectare of coal fly ash and half were untreated. Biomass production ranged from 5 to 30 times higher in fly ash treated plots compared to untreated plots. No toxic effects to the plants were observed.     

Suitability of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri L.) cultivation on fly ash-amended soil for better growth and oil content

Abstract

Sustainable application of fly ash and its management in agriculture is a major challenge nowadays. A pot culture experiment was conducted to find out the most suitable level of fly ash application for soil amendments that can improve the plant growth and productivity of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri L.). After growing seedlings of B. monnieri under different levels of fly ash for 90?days, a significant increase in plant biomass, essential oil content and tolerance index (more than 100%) was observed under 25% of fly ash amended soil in comparison to garden soil and higher fly ash treatments. Leaf chlorophyll content and photosynthetic parameters were remained unchanged under 25% of fly ash as compared to seedlings grown on garden soil. However, these parameters were significantly declined under higher concentrations of fly ash treatments. Higher levels of fly ash caused oxidative damage and the induction of some antioxidative enzymes activities in B. monnieri indicates its capability to endure oxidative stress tolerance. Overall, our study showed that 25% of fly ash can be used as soil amendment for cultivation of B. monnieri L. leading to enhance plant biomass and essential oil production.     

Immunofluorescent localization of a substance immunologically related to insulin in the protocerebral neurosecretory cells of the European corn borer

Summary A substance immunologically related to mammalian insulin was demonstrated by immunofluorescence in one of five types of neurosecretory cells in the protocerebrum of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis. This A₂ cell type contains a secretory material stainable with paraldehyde fuchsin.E.R.A. CNRS n° 850     

Significance of inhibition of seed germination under the leaf canopy in ash coppice

Abstract. The effect on seed germination of the red/far-red ratio of light (ζ) as modified by a leaf canopy was studied. The artificial light sources used and daylight filtered through leaves appeared to have identical effects in tests with lettuce seed.
The sensitivity of the seeds to ζ varied with the environmental conditions during pretreatment and during the actual germination test. Freshly harvested and dry-stored seeds of Cirsium palustre were strongly inhibited at low ζ; after stratification, the inhibition was much less. The fact that C. palustre emerges mainly after the coppice is felled could not be explained from these results combined with field data on ζ and the response of germination to temperature.
The ecological significance of inhibition at low ζ is to be found directly after dispersal. Seed germination will then be delayed until the following spring or later.
Geum urbanum showed primary dormancy, which was released by a stratification treatment. No inhibition of germination at low ζ was found in the spring and seeds germinated in light and darkness at low temperatures. These results explain why the species emerges early in spring regardless of the presence of the ash canopy.     

Use of Bivalve Metrics to Quantify Influences of Coal-related Activities in the Clinch River Watershed, Virginia

Previously, we reported that survivorship and growth of field-caged Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea [Müller]) were significantly reduced downstream of the wastewater effluent discharge of the Clinch River Plant (CRP), a coal-fired electric power-generating facility in Russell County, VA (USA). These findings warranted the present study, which investigated whether reduced survivorship and growth of transplanted C. fluminea were predictive of adverse effects on resident bivalves – most notably the Clinch River’s (CR’s) federally protected freshwater mussel fauna (Unionoidea). Thus, surveys of unionoid assemblages and C. fluminea population densities and age distributions were conducted to assess ecotoxicological effects on bivalve assemblages naturally occurring in the CR. Results of these surveys suggested that field bioassays with transplanted C. fluminea were predictive of in-stream C. fluminea densities and the presence/absence of indigenous unionoid assemblages. Relative to C. fluminea, additional field bioassays with a juvenile unionoid species (Villosa iris) native to the CR were less predictive of adverse effects on resident bivalves. Concurrence of transplant studies and in-stream surveys was evident at most study sites, particularly within 0.6 km downstream of the CRP effluent where resident bivalves were virtually non-existent relative to other stream sites having similar habitat conditions. Our findings indicate that in situ field bioassays with transplanted C. fluminea are valuable tools for predicting in stream occurrence and distribution of resident freshwater bivalves, and that field studies integrating multiple bivalve metrics may be useful for prioritizing source-reduction efforts in similar watersheds. Discrepancies observed for transplanted C. fluminea and V. iris have important implications to selection of bivalve species used in field bioassays and warrant further study.     

Infestation of the non‐photosynthetic plant Mitrastemon yamamotoi (Ericales: Mitrastemonaceae) by Assara balanophorae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Although the majority of Assara (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae feed on pinaceous cones, Assara balanophorae Sasaki & Tanaka is known to infest the infructescence of the holoparasitic plant Balanophora tobiracola Makino (Santalales: Balanophoraceae). Here, we report additional feeding ecology of A. balanophorae. We found that A. balanophorae larvae bored into the infructescence of the holoparasitic plant Mitrastemon yamamotoi Makino (Ericales: Mitrastemonaceae), pushing frass to the outside from small holes, and occasionally exited from the holes and consumed the scale leaves. Although Mitrastemon is distantly related to Balanophora at the order level, both plants could present a similar resource for A. balanophorae, due to their convergent holoparasitic characteristics. Given that A. balanophorae is considered as the brood‐site pollinator of Balanophora, rather than only parasitizing it, the morphological and ecological similarities between M. yamamotoi and Balanophora might suggest that the relationship between M. yamamotoi and A. balanophorae is also brood‐site pollination mutualism.     

The formicid ant,Plagiolepis sp., as a predator of the coffee twig borer,Xylosandrus compactus

The coffee twig borer (Xylosandrus compactus Eichhoff) is an economically important pest of Robusta coffee in Uganda. In this study, a formicid ant, Plagiolepis sp., found in X. compactus galleries at the National Coffee Research Institute in 2014, was evaluated for potential to provide biological control of the twig borer. In a Petri dish feeding bioassay, Plagiolepis sp. preyed on all stages of X. compactus except adults within 24 h. In field bioassays where Plagiolepis sp. was caged over X. compactus-infested twigs for one month in muslin sleeves, the predator colonized pest galleries and eliminated all life stages of X. compactus as opposed to the untreated control. In a survey of Plagiolepis sp. in 11 districts of eastern, central and western Uganda, the ant was present in nine of the districts with highest levels of colonization (over 18%) of X. compactus galleries in Luwero district in the central Lake Victoria crescent agroecological zone. These results appear to confirm that Plagiolepis sp. is an indigenous predator of X. compactus which invades pest galleries and feeds on the pest in the field. For prospective utilization of Plagiolepis sp. as a biological control agent of X. compactus, studies on the biology of Plagiolepis sp., its mass rearing protocols and factors favoring its proliferation in the field are highly recommended.     

Free flight capacity determination in a sustained flight tunnel: effects of age and sexual state on the flight duration of Prostephanus truncatus

Abstract. . Adult Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) steering anemotactically upwind to a pheromone source in a wind tunnel, respond normally to, and alter their ground speed according to the direction and speed of, the movement of ground patterns beneath them. By manipulating this optomotor reaction component of their behaviour, studies were conducted on their flight duration. The results show a great deal of individual variation in flight duration, and the general data on single flights were skewed towards short flights. Pre-reproductive and inter-reproductive male and female beetles flew significantly longer than older beetles that had passed their peak of reproduction. There was no significant difference in the flight duration of male and female beetles at any age. The overall results suggest mat younger P. truncatus are capable of long-distance flights, and support the proposition that flight could be important in the spread of the beetle.     

Acid‐insoluble ash as a measure of dry matter digestibility in captive African elephants (Loxodonta africana)

There are limited data on the diet dry matter digestibility (DMD) of captive African elephants. Although the total fecal collection method is the standard for determining DMD, it is labor‐intensive, time‐consuming, and expensive. The acid‐insoluble ash (AIA) marker technique has been used successfully to determine DMD in ruminants and monogastrics. The objective of this study was to assess how accurately the AIA marker technique could estimate the DMD of captive African elephants (Loxodonta africana). Three mature male African elephants at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Florida were used in this study. The animals were offered a Bermuda grass hay‐based ration, and the total dry matter intake (DMI) and total fecal output were measured daily over a 7‐day period to determine the total collection DMD. The feed ingredients and fecal samples were also analyzed for AIA. Although there were differences (P<0.05) in total DMI and total fecal outputs, the DMD values did not (P>0.05) differ (35.1±0.72 vs. 37.1±0.72 for total collection and AIA, respectively). There was a linear (y=0.9461x; R²=0.74) relationship between the total collection and AIA marker technique DMD values. These results suggest that AIA can be used to accurately estimate the DMD of captive African elephants. Zoo Biol 0:1–5, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.