Search results for "Cyc"

Ecosystem carbon response of an Arctic peatland to simulated permafrost thaw

2019

Permafrost peatlands are biogeochemical hot spots in the Arctic as they store vast amounts of carbon. Permafrost thaw could release part of these long-term immobile carbon stocks as the greenhouse gases (GHGs) carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ) to the atmosphere, but how much, at which time-span and as which gaseous carbon species is still highly uncertain. Here we assess the effect of permafrost thaw on GHG dynamics under different moisture and vegetation scenarios in a permafrost peatland. A novel experimental approach using intact plant–soil systems (mesocosms) allowed us to simulate permafrost thaw under near-natural conditions. We monitored GHG flux dynamics via high-resolution…

Vegetation structure and greenness in Central Africa from Modis multi-temporal data.

2013

African forests within the Congo Basin are generally mapped at regional scale as broad-leaved evergreen forests, with a main distinction between terra-firme and swamp forests types. At the same time, commercial forest inventories, as well as national maps, have highlighted a strong spatial heterogeneity of forest types. A detailed vegetation map generated using consistent methods is needed to inform decision makers about spatial forest organisation and theirs relationships with environmental drivers in the context of global change. We propose a multi-temporal remotely sensed data approach to characterize vegetation types using vegetation index annual profiles. The classifications identified…

Analysis of Hemolymph Ecdysteroids in the Female Earwig: Labidura riparia

1991

International audience; The nature of hemolymph ecdysteroids was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography-radioimmunoassay, during the two main phases of the reproductive cycles of Labidura riparia. 20-hydroxyecdysone and ecdysone were present together with polar and apoiar products.Changes in the ecdysone/20-hydroxyecdysone ratio were evidenced according to the ovarian development. During natural (feeding and sexual phase of the cycle) or induced ovarian development, an increase of the ratio occurred whereas, during ovarian rest (fasting and/or parental phase), a significant decrease was observed.Up to 40 days after ovariectomy, immunoreactive compounds were observed in the hemol…

Sterol and ecdysteroids profiles of Serratula tinctoria (L.) : plant and cell cultures producing steroids

1993

Abstract Cell suspension cultures have been obtained from Serratula tinctoria, a plant producing ecdysteroids. Sterol profiles and ecdysteroid contents have been analysed and compared in plants and cell cultures. In particular, the composition of free and esterified sterols was investigated using appropriate analytical techniques. In plants, esterified sterols were more abundant (50–70% of the total sterol) than in cell cultures (13–36%). A selectivity for sterol esterification was noted: in plants, the triterpenes (as amyrins) were esterified, whereas it was the 4-desmethylsterols (sitosterol and cholesterol) in cell cultures. Ecdysteroids were present in higher quantities in plant (0.1–1.…

Population cycles and outbreaks of small rodents: ten essential questions we still need to solve

2021

AbstractMost small rodent populations in the world have fascinating population dynamics. In the northern hemisphere, voles and lemmings tend to show population cycles with regular fluctuations in numbers. In the southern hemisphere, small rodents tend to have large amplitude outbreaks with less regular intervals. In the light of vast research and debate over almost a century, we here discuss the driving forces of these different rodent population dynamics. We highlight ten questions directly related to the various characteristics of relevant populations and ecosystems that still need to be answered. This overview is not intended as a complete list of questions but rather focuses on the most…

Editorial: Changing Plankton Communities: Causes, Effects and Consequences

2019

Functionalized halloysite nanotubes: Efficient carrier systems for antifungine drugs

2018

Abstract Halloysite-cyclodextrin hybrid was employed as carrier for sustained release of clotrimazole for vaginal or buccal treatment of Candidiasis. The nanocarrier was obtained by functionalization of halloysite surface with cyclodextrin moieties by means of microwave irradiation, with the final goal to obtain a scaffold for the covalent linkage of cysteamine hydrochloride. The interaction between clotrimazole and the pristine components, namely cyclodextrin and halloysite, was thoroughly investigated by several techniques such as DSC, TGA, UV–vis spectroscopy and some adsorption studies were, also, carried out. The release of the antifungine molecule was finally investigated in a medium …

Long-term performance and life cycle assessment of energy piles in three different climatic conditions

2020

Abstract The main purpose behind the use of energy piles is to enable the exploitation of geothermal energy for meeting the heating/cooling demands of buildings in an efficient and environment-friendly manner. However, the long-term performance of energy piles in different climatic conditions, along with their actual environmental impacts, has not been fully assessed. In this paper, the results of a finite element model taking into consideration the heating and cooling demands of a reference building, and the intermittent operation of a ground source heat pump, are revealed to examine the long-term performance of energy piles. Furthermore, a life cycle assessment model is implemented to com…

Impact Analysis Using Life Cycle Assessment of Asphalt Production from Primary Data

2020

Road construction and maintenance have a great impact on the environment, owing to the huge volumes of resources involved. Consequently, current production procedures and technologies must be properly investigated, for identifying and quantifying the life cycle environmental impacts produced. In this paper, primary data, i.e., site-specific data directly collected or measured on a reference plant, are analyzed for calculating the impact of the production of a hot mix asphalt. The analysis is performed in a from &ldquo

Combined gasification-oxidation system for waste treatment with supercritical water: Lca and performance analysis

2020

In this study the environmental performance of a first-of-its-kind integrated process based on supercritical water gasification and oxidation (SCW-GcO), was evaluated using life cycle assessment (LCA). The process was applied to the treatment of carbon black and used oil as model wastes. Mass and energy balances were performed using Aspen Plus, and the environmental assessment was carried out through SimaPro. A “from cradle to grave” approach was chosen for the analysis, considering impact categories such as climate change, ozone depletion, human toxicity, particulate matter, land use, resource depletion, and other relevant indicators. The environmental profile of the SCW-GcO process was co…