Advanced swine manure treatment and utilization in Brazil

Animal production has changed from subsistence to an industrial model, lowering production costs but giving rise to higher potential environmental impact. When the effluents are not correctly managed, serious pollution events can occur. In Brazil liquid manure is commonly stored in reception pits or covered lagoons (biodigestors), followed by land application as a biofertilizer. In some regions there is an excess of manure due to low soil support capacities, and in these cases new technologies have to be adopted to export or treat the excess effluent. Manure storage time in pits/covered lagoons and new polymers to separate the solid fraction have been studied in Brazil. Treatment technologies, like swine manure treatment systems (SMTS), have been developed from a technical and economical point of view to optimize the processes and give a technological alternative to pork producers increasing production while reducing environmental impact.     

Experiments testing the use of waste material in estuaries as habitat for subtidal organisms

In addition to producing extensive coastal infrastructure, urbanized estuaries are also often littered with large amounts of waste material. This can be used as habitat by fish and benthic plants and animals. Apart from studies of colonization of artificial reefs, which are usually deployed specifically to enhance populations of fish or to replace degraded habitat, there have been few studies that have specifically examined the use of waste material as habitat. Neither have previous studies compared different types of waste material that one characteristically finds in urbanized estuaries, nor the use of small patches of habitat typically created by waste. Spatial comparisons of species found on previously dumped artificial material may be confounded by the fact that different types of waste may be dumped in different places, or may be of different age. This study built small patch reefs of three different types of widespread waste material (tyres, wood or metal) and compared colonization of these over 19 months to colonization of patch reefs of similar age and size made from natural sandstone. Algal assemblages were similar among the different types of reefs, with all showing more cover and diversity on horizontal surfaces. Invertebrates similarly showed few differences among reefs, although there was greater diversity, primarily due to bryozoans, on the vertical surfaces of wooden reefs. Fish rapidly colonized and used all reefs, with cryptic species showing no differences among types of reefs. Schooling species were, however, more common on all of the waste reefs than on the natural sandstone reefs. Small patches of waste material dumped in estuaries can therefore provide useable habitat for a wide range of estuarine organisms and may form a valuable resource if natural habitats continue to be degraded or lost. Although we are not advocating that rubbish simply be discarded into estuaries with the excuse that it provides habitat, removal of existing rubbish should be considered in terms of multiple changes and disturbances to the environment.     

Photoperiod length and the estrus synchronization protocol used before AI affect the twin pregnancy rate in dairy cattle

This study addresses potential management risk factors affecting the incidence of twin pregnancies in high-producing dairy cows. Special attention was paid to the estrus synchronization protocol used before the AI resulting in pregnancy. Possible factors affecting the twin pregnancy rate were analyzed through binary logistic regression procedures on 2015 pregnant cows from July 2010 to July 2011. Twin pregnancy was recorded in 361 of the 2015 pregnancy diagnoses made (17.9%). Twin pregnancy rates differed among herds (P < 0.001) and ranged from 12.4% to 23.9%. Based on the odds ratios, the risk of twin pregnancy was reduced by factors of 0.65 or 0.71 when AI was performed during the warm season or an increasing photoperiod, respectively and increased by a factor of 1.11 for each unit increase in lactation number; by factors of 4.57 or 6.33 in cows that received a progesterone-releasing intravaginal device (PRID) plus 500 or 750 IU of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) 28 days before the pregnancy AI, respectively; by a factor of 2.39 in cows with an ovarian cyst diagnosed in the 14 days prior to AI and treated with prostaglandins (PG); by factors of 1.94 or 3.91 in cows that received two PG doses during the 14 days prior to AI or cows that following failed PRID treatment had received PG started over the 28 days prior to AI, respectively; and by a factor of 2.58 in cows that had previously delivered twins compared to cows delivering singletons. Our results indicate that cow factors, such as lactation number and previous twining, as well as environmental factors, such as photoperiod and season and management related to synchronization protocols affect significantly the incidence of twin pregnancies.     

Results from measurements of nitrogen and energy metabolism in adaptive different cattle

In experiments with Galloway (G), Highland (H) and Black‐White Dairy (B) cattle no significant differences between the breeds were measured in the energy and nutrient digestibility and energy metabolizability of rations with high variation in the nutrient composition. In H and B cattle no differences existed in digestibility in relation to the environmental temperature (30, 18 and 3 °C). Lowering the environmental temperature from 18 to 12 and 4–6 °C resulted in no changes of heat production in G and H but in B heat production increased about 6% and 20% respectively.     

广东南江工业园噪声对其环境的影响分析

南江工业园地处珠江支流北江江边,内设有电镀、五金加工企业,为查明工业园所在区域的环境状况,确定工业园噪声对周边环境产生的影响,对南江工业园的环境噪声进行了调查,结果表明:工业园噪声已对其周边环境造成一定的影响,施工期施工噪声均已超过标准值,已对附近自然村和学校产生较大的影响,而且尤以夜间的影响最大。运行期对3个敏感自然村,1所小学的环境噪声水平普遍升高,全天分别超过2类和1类标准,昼间超出标准值7.5%～17.2%,夜间超出标准值19.2%～33.3%。     

Sub-lethal effects of disturbance on a predatory net-spinning caddisfly

1. The sub-lethal effects of hydrologic disturbances on stream invertebrates are poorly understood, but integral to some models of how disturbances influence population and community dynamics. Carnivorous larvae of a net-spinning caddisfly, Plectrocnemia conspersa , have a strong predatory impact in some streams. Their silken nets, however, are vulnerable to high flow disturbance and the consequent destruction of nets could reduce predatory impacts and have life history consequences.
2. In a laboratory experiment, we manipulated the frequency of disturbances that destroyed the nets of P. conspersa , in the presence and absence of potential prey. Animals were housed individually and each trial lasted 8 days. We estimated net size, cumulative mass of silk produced, net allocation (net mass expressed as a proportion of body mass), per capita prey consumption and growth or mass loss of larvae.
3. In the absence of prey, increased disturbance frequency was accompanied by increased loss of body mass, a reduction of net size and an increase in the cumulative mass of silk produced. At the highest disturbance frequency, larvae eventually gave up producing nets. The ratio of net mass to body mass decreased with increasing disturbance, suggesting a trade-off in the allocation of resources, with a decreasing proportion of resources available for foraging. In the presence of prey, increased disturbance frequency was accompanied by a reduction in per capita prey consumption. Although foraging success offset the costs of silk production, growth rate decreased with increasing disturbance and could eventually lead to reduced body size and fecundity of adults.
4. These sub-lethal effects suggest that hydrologic disturbances could impose metabolic costs and reduce foraging efficiency of this predator. Thus, disturbances may reduce predator impact on prey populations and reduce predator population size without any direct mortality or loss of individuals.     

广东南江工业园对其生态环境的影响分析

南江工业园地处北江江边,内设有电镀、五金加工企业,为查明工业园所在区域的环境状况,确定本项目对周边生态环境的影响,对南江工业园的陆地生态环境和水生生态环境进行了调查,结果表明工业园对其陆地生态环境造成一定的影响,约333hm2土地受到占用及将受到破坏,其中挖方、填方造成的水土流失量分别为110t·km-2·a-1、225t·km-2·a-1,而采取水土保护措施后,挖方、填方造成的水土流失量分别为58t·km-2·a-1、45t·km-2·a-1。在水生态方面亦对水生生物造成了一定的直接影响。     

广东南江工业园经济区对周边水域的影响分析

南江工业园地处北江江边,内设有电镀、五金加工企业,为查明工业园所在区域的环境状况,确定本项目对周边水域的影响,调查了南江工业园的水质状况,用单因子评价法对其水质进行了评价。结果表明:工业园周边水域的水质未受到重金属的污染,水质状况良好,但却受到了有机物的污染。     

兽药的生态毒理及其对环境影响的研究进展

药物在环境中的转归和对生态环境的潜在影响已成为国际上研究的热点．兽药以原形或代谢产物形式经畜禽粪尿排出体外,沿不同的路径进入环境．在各种环境因素的作用下,通过不同的方式发生转归．环境中的兽药不仅可以影响不同的生物种群,而且通过不同生物间的关系,影响生态系统．就兽药在环境中的染毒线路、转归、兽药对环境生物(动物、植物、微生物)和土壤过程的影响等方面进行了论述,并简述了药物环境风险评估的重要性．     

景观水体疏浚底泥的农业利用研究

对运河 (杭州段 )疏浚底泥土地利用的可行性及其生态影响进行了研究 .实验室发芽率测定表明 ,土壤中大量掺入疏浚底泥对种子发芽率有一定的影响 ,但在盆栽中影响很小 .疏浚底泥田间投放量在 2 70t·hm-2 以下 ,对青菜的生长具有促进作用 ,超过 2 70t·hm-2 以上用量对青菜产量有一定影响 .与青菜相比 ,草坪草、园艺花卉对底泥投放量具有更大的耐性 ,表现出明显的促进生长现象 .底泥用量在 10 80t·hm-2 以下时青菜中Cu、Zn含量均未超过食品卫生标准 ,用量为 135 0t·hm-2 时则均超过了标准 .原状土柱淋洗实验发现底泥用量在 4 5 0t·hm-2 以下未造成地下水污染 ,表明运河底泥直接土地利用较一般污水污泥堆肥的危害更小 ,园林投放比农田投放具有更大的可行性 ,土地利用是一种经济可行的疏浚底泥处置方法     

Proliferation and Death in a Binary Environment: A Stochastic Model of Cellular Ecosystems

The activation, growth and death of animal cells are accompanied by changes in the chemical composition of the surrounding environment. Cells and their microscopic environment constitute therefore a cellular ecosystem whose time-evolution determines processes of interest for either biology (e.g. animal development) and medicine (e.g. tumor spreading, immune response). In this paper, we consider a general stochastic model of the interplay between cells and environmental cellular niches. Niches may be either favourable or unfavourable in sustaining cell activation, growth and death, the state of the niches depending on the state of the cells. Under the hypothesis of random coupling between the state of the environmental niche and the state of the cell, the rescaled model reduces to a set of four non-linear differential equations. The biological meaning of the model is studied and illustrated by fitting experimental data on the growth of multicellular tumor spheroids. A detailed analysis of the stochastic model, of its deterministic limit, and of normal fluctuations is provided.     

Temperature thresholds of opportunistic annelids used as benthic indicators of aquaculture impact in Newfoundland (Canada)

In Newfoundland, Canada, aquaculture sites set up over deep, hard bottom substrates dictate the use of visual indicators to monitor aquaculture footprints on the seafloor. Opportunistic annelids (referred to as opportunistic polychaete complexes, or OPC) are among these indicators. The effect of temperature on the distribution and survival of Ophryotrocha cyclops, the species constituting OPC in Newfoundland aquaculture sites is not known. To address this knowledge gap, this study assesses O. cyclops survival at different temperatures in the laboratory, and describes relationships between O. cyclops presence and seafloor temperatures measured in the field. Results show that worms died within two days at temperatures > 12 °C in the laboratory, and appear restricted to temperatures below 7.9 °C at aquaculture sites, tending to be more frequent at temperatures below 5 °C. We recommend that seafloor temperature be recorded and considered in the assessment of benthic aquaculture impact based on OPC presence.     

我国湖泊与海水鱼类养殖的环境效应和基于生态系统的渔业管理

在我国,鱼类养殖是一项重要的商业活动。鱼类养殖在过去几十年的快速发展过程中,对水环境产生了重要影响。研究表明:鱼类养殖对养殖区鱼、浮游生物、水生植物群落结构和水质变化有重要影响。现在,几乎所有的鱼类养殖系统都在一定程度上受到了损害。随着人们环境保护意识的增强,鱼类养殖的环境效应和渔业管理问题已引起了社会的广泛关注,渔业管理不再仅仅是通过开发资源以获取最高产量。面临挑战,人们应该采取切实可行的步骤,从传统的渔业管理转变到基于生态系统的渔业管理,将渔业纳入生态系统管理以保障养殖业的可持续发展。     

A brief history of aquatic resource use in medieval Europe

Humans have exploited European aquatic resources since at least the Palaeolithic, but during the Middle Ages rising human populations and demand initiated great changes in many fisheries. To help understand the past and present of the Wadden Sea, this paper sets the main developments of medieval fisheries in the context of changing larger European social and aquatic environments ca. 500–1500 A.D. Anthropogenic influences on fish populations and aquatic habitats interacted with natural environmental variations. Both nutritional and cultural needs shaped human consumption of aquatic organisms. Many fisheries met the demand for food by economic reorientation from subsistence to artisanal and then even fully commercial purposes. Exploitation slowly shifted from limited or deteriorating local inland and inshore fish populations to frontier, commonly marine, and increasingly pelagic resources. Some inland regions developed aquaculture to enhance local supplies of fresh fish. General processes are illustrated by case studies of selected indicator species from freshwater and marine habitats generally pertinent to the region surrounding the Wadden Sea. Anadromous salmon (Salmo salar) and sturgeon (Acipenser sturio) were negatively affected by overfishing and by unintentional human alteration of critical habitat. Habitat preferences of catadromous eel (Anguilla anguilla) and exotic carp (Cyprinus carpio) let these species gain from medieval human activities. In the case of herring (Clupea harengus), Europes largest early commercial marine fishery, technological innovations which raised production and consumption played off against long-term consequences of intensely exploiting sensitive natural systems.     

Trophically-based assessment of the impacts of deepwater sewage disposal on a demersal fish community

Synopsis The impacts of sewage disposal on the demersal fish community were identified after approximately 2 years of operation of a deepwater outfall off Sydney, NSW Australia. Gut-content analyses were used as a basis for identifying groups of fish with dietary similarities. Similar results from multivariate analyses (Bray-Curtis dissimilarity measure and MDS) identified 8 trophically-similar groups of fish. The majority of the fish comprising these groups consumed organisms in the soft-bottom community. Only 5 of the 8 trophic groups identified could be analysed in detail as individuals comprising the remaining groups were not caught in sufficient numbers near the outfall. Asymmetrical analyses of variance showed that the numbers of individuals and species in one particular trophic group increased significantly following the commissioning of the Bondi deepwater outfall. However, the proportional representation of individuals in the 5 trophic groups examined did not change. Five hypotheses are advanced to account for the observed impacts. Of these, hypotheses centred around increased habitat complexity and a numerical response to increases in prey abundance warrant further investigation. Directions of future research and the limitations of various designs to assess environmental impacts are discussed in light of these results.