Integrating remote sensing and local ecological knowledge to monitor rangeland dynamics

Rangelands are among the most extensive anthropogenic landscapes on earth, supporting nearly 500 million people. Disagreements over the extent and severity of rangeland degradation affect pastoralist livelihoods, especially when impacts of drought and over-grazing are confounded. While vegetation indices (such as NDVI, or Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) derived from remotely sensed imagery are often used to monitor rangelands, their strategic integration with local ecological knowledge (LEK) is under-appreciated. Here, we explore these complementary approaches in Kyrgyzstan’s pasture-rich province of Naryn, where disagreements regarding pasture degradation could greatly benefit from additional information. We examine a time series of MODIS satellite imagery (2000–2015) to characterize browning trends in vegetation as well as to distinguish between climate- and grazing-induced trends. We also compare and contrast measured trends with LEK perceptions of pasture degradation. To do so, we first examine statistical trends in NDVI as well as in NDVI residuals after de-trending with meteorological data. Second, we use participatory mapping to identify areas local pasture managers believe are overgrazed, a particularly useful approach in lieu of reliable historical stocking rates for livestock in this region. Lastly, we compare the strengths and weaknesses of LEK and remote sensing for landscape monitoring.Browning trends were widespread as declining trends in NDVI (and NDVI residuals) covered 24% (and 9%) of the landscape, respectively. Local managers’ perceptions of pasture degradation better reflected trends seen in NDVI than in climate-controlled NDVI residuals, suggesting patterns in the latter are less apparent to managers. Our approach demonstrated great potential for the integration of two inexpensive and effective methods of rangeland monitoring well-suited to the country’s needs. Despite limitations due to terrain, our approach was most successful within the semi-arid steppe where pasture degradation is believed to be most severe. In many parts of the world, sources of long-term spatially extensive data are rare or even non-existent. Thus, paired LEK and remote sensing can contribute to comprehensive and informative assessments of land degradation, especially where contentious management issues intersect with sparse data availability. LEK is a valuable source of complementary information to remote sensing and should be integrated more routinely and formally into landscape monitoring. To aid this endeavor, we synthesize advice for linking LEK and remote sensing across diverse landscape situations.     

Environmental Kuznets curve estimation for NO2 emission: A case of Indian cities

Interaction between environmental degradation and economic growth is a growing matter of interest among policymakers. Here we have estimated environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) for 139 Indian cities considering NO₂ emissions. Study has been done for 2001–2013, and the data have been segregated by residential and industrial areas, and as well as low, medium, and high income areas. By virtue of different forms of EKC being found, policy level decisions have been designed. Moreover, non-rejection of EKC hypothesis reemphasized the impact of growth catalyzing economic policy decisions on environment.     

Anaerobic degradation of halogenated benzoic acids coupled to denitrification observed in a variety of sediment and soil samples

Abstract Denitrifying enrichment cultures utilizing monochlorinated benzoic acids as a carbon source were established using sediments and soils from a variety of sources as inocula. Enrichment cultures from most of the sites readily degraded 3- and 4chlorobenzoate within 2–4 weeks. Upon refeeding, 3- and 4-chlorobenzoate were rapidly depleted, and stable denitrifying cultures were obtained by repeated dilution and refeeding of the substrates. 2-Chlorobenzoate, however, was only slowly metabolized and this activity was only observed in a few sites. Denitrifying consortia were maintained on either 3- or 4chlorobenzoate as the sole source of carbon and energy and chlorobenzoate utilization was dependent on denitrification. These cultures were also capable of utilizing the corresponding brominated and iodinated benzoic acids, but the activity was specific to the position of the halogen substituent. Removal of halogen was stoichiometric, indicating that dehalogenation occurred at some step in metabolism.     

Hybridization properties and nuclease resistance of oligo(2′-O-tetrahydropyranylribonucleotides)

Oligo(2′-O-tetrahydropyranylribonucleotides) and their analogues containing a 3′-3′-internucleotide bond at the 3′-terminus are nuclease-resistant and possess rather high affinity toward RNA, the main target in the antisense approach.     

Microbial characterization and quantification of an anaerobic sludge degrading dimethyl phthalate

Aims:  Characterization and quantification of microbial community in dimethyl phthalate (DMP)-degrading anaerobic sludge using molecular techniques.
Methods and Results:  An enriched anaerobic sludge effectively degrading over 99% of dimethyl phthalate in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor for 530 days was characterized and quantified by 16S rRNA-based molecular methods. A total of 78 Bacteria clones were classified into 22 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in nine divisions, including Firmicutes , Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Thermotogae , Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi , Spirochaetes , Acidobacteria and two candidate divisions. The two most abundant OTUs were likely responsible, respectively, for the de-esterification of DMP and the subsequent phthalate degradation. The outer layer of the granule was dominated by Bacteria; whereas the interior was by Archaea , of which 89 ± 5% were acetoclastic Methanosaetaceae and 11 ± 5% hydrogenotrophic Methanomicrobiales .
Conclusions:  Twenty-two Bacteria OTUs in DMP-degrading anaerobic sludge distributed in nine divisions. The two most abundant OTUs were likely responsible respectively for the de-esterification of DMP and the subsequent phthalate degradation. Layered granular microstructure of DMP-degrading anaerobic sludge suggested that the rate of DMP de-esterification is faster than its inward diffusion rate.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  This work is the first study to characterize and quantify the microbial community in the anaerobic phthalic ester degrading sludge from the anaerobic reactor.     

Inhibition of the Iron-Catalysed Formation of Hydroxyl Radicals by Nitrosouracil Derivatives: Protection of Mitochondrial Membranes Against Lipid Peroxidation

A new series of metal ligands containing the 1,3-dimethyl-6-amino-5-nitrosouracil moiety has been synthesized and they have been studied as potential inhibitors of iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. For this purpose, these new derivatives have been tested in the Fenton induced deoxyribose degradation assay, which allows a quantitative measurement of their inhibitory effect towards hydroxyl radical generation. When iron(II) is complexed by these ligands, a strong inhibition of deoxyribose degradation is observed, especially in the case of tris-[2-(1,3-dimethyl-5-nitrosouracil-6-yl)aminoethyl] amine (5). This inhibitory effect is clearly related to a specific complexation of iron(II) and is not due to the direct scavenging of hydroxyl radical by the ligand. Inhibition of the iron mediated Fenton reaction presumably results from inactivation of the reactivity of the metal center towards hydrogen peroxide. These derivatives, as well as long alkyl chain substituted nitrosouracils were evaluated in the protection of biological membranes against lipid peroxidation (induced by iron(II)/ dihydroxyfumaric acid and determined with the 2-thiobarbituric acid test). Ligand 5 inhibited lipid peroxidation at a rate similar to Desferal (desferrioxamine B) and slightly higher than bathophenanthroline sulphonate (BPS), which are respectively good iron(III) and iron(II) chelators. When covalently bound with a long alkyl chain, the increase of lipophilic character of the ligand allows its location near the mitochondrial membrane, where lipid peroxidation occurs. Lower concentrations (IC₅₀ = 4 μM) are then necessary to inhibit lipid peroxidation. This IC₅₀ concentration should be compared to those obtained for Trolox (IC₅₀ = 3 μM) or the 21-aminosteroid U74500A (IC₅₀ = 1 μM) described previously.     

Physicochemical characteristics of microbial content in a modified anaerobic inclining-baffled reactor (MAI-BR) treating recycled paper mill effluent (RPME)

Abstract

Microbial content formed in bioreactors plays a significant role in the anaerobic process. Therefore, the physicochemical characteristics of microbial content in a modified anaerobic inclining-baffled reactor (MAI-BR) treating recycled paper mill effluent (RPME) were investigated using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric (TG), and derivative thermogravimetric (DTG) analyses, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and surface area analyzer. FTIR spectra revealed that the microbial content had stronger characteristic peaks corresponding to alcohols, water, lipids carbohydrates, proteins, and mineral compounds. Calcite, muscovite, and lepidolite were the prevalent mineral phases found by XRD analysis. The elemental of these minerals like C, Ca, N, O, and Si was confirmed by XPS results. The microbial content samples from each compartment showed similar thermal behavior. SEM images showed that straight rod-shaped and Methanosaeta-like microorganisms were predominant, whereas C, O, and Ca were noticed by EDS on the surface of granules. The BET surface areas and pores of granules are found to decline throughout the reactor’s compartment, where Compartment 1 had the largest values. Thus, the findings of this study establish further understanding of the physicochemical properties of microbial content formed in MAI-BR during the RPME treatment.     

Morpho-functional alterations in lymphocytes and erythrocytes of Japanese quail due to prolonged in vivo exposure to heavy metal complexes

BackgroundLead and cadmium are significant environmental pollutants that cause pathophysiological responses in many organs. Heavy metal absorption into many tissues is very fast due to a pronounced affinity for metallothioneins.MethodJapanese quail were exposed to different concentrations of metals (cadmium 0.20 mg/L and lead 0.25 and 0.50 mg/L) for 20 days. Erythrocytes (normal and hemolyzed) and lymphocytes (normal and altered) were monitored in this study. The analysis observed the percentage of normal and altered cells, as well as erythrocyte surface area. Cell counts were analyzed using light microscopy, while surface area and cytological changes in cells and nuclei were analyzed using licensed software.ResultsDifferent concentrations of metals have caused erythrocyte hemolysis as well as structural and morphological alterations in lymphocytes. Destruction of cell and nucleus membrane, changes in cell size, erythrocyte denucleation and reduced erythrocyte surface area were observed. Cadmium has caused erythrocyte hemolysis (29.30 %) and lymphocyte damage (92.10 %). Higher doses of lead resulted in greater damage to lymphocytes (63 %). Also, treatment with higher dose of lead produced a higher percentage of hemolyzed erythrocytes (19.20 %) in comparison to lower dose (9.90 %).ConclusionThe toxicity of heavy metals leads to reduced maturation of the blast, which causes the appearance of immature cells in peripheral circulation and severe destruction of blood cell membranes. Erythrocyte hemolysis can lead to anemia, while lymphocyte damage can lead to lymphocytopenia.