Search results for "Season"
showing 10 items of 1002 documents
Using moss and lichens in biomonitoring of heavy-metal contamination of forest areas in southern and north-eastern Poland.
2017
Abstract In the years 2014–2016 biomonitoring studies were conducted in the forest areas of south and north-eastern Poland: the Karkonosze Mountains, the Beskidy Mountains, the Borecka Forest, the Knyszynska Forest and the Bialowieska Forest. This study used epigeic moss Pleurozium schreberi and epiphytic lichens Hypogymnia physodes. Samples were collected in spring, summer and autumn. Approximately 500 samples of moss and lichens were collected for the study. In the samples, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg and Pb concentrations were determined. Based on the obtained results, the studied areas were ranked by extent of heavy-metal deposition: Beskidy > Karkonosze Mountains > forests of north-eastern …
Methane oxidation in a boreal climate in an experimental landfill cover composed from mechanically–biologically treated waste
2007
The present study evaluated microbial methane (CH4) oxidation in a boreally located outdoor landfill lysimeter (volume 112 m3, height 3.9 m) filled with mechanically-biologically treated waste (MBT residual) and containing a cover layer made from the same MBT residual. The calculations based on gas emission and pore gas measurements showed that, between April and October 2005, a significant proportion (96%) of the methane produced (23 l CH4 m(-2) d(-1)) in the lysimeter was oxidized. Methane was oxidized mainly at the depths of 35-75 cm, as indicated by the upward decrease both in the methane concentration and in the methane-to-carbon dioxide ratio in the pore gas. Lower methane oxidation (…
Proximate and Sensory Evaluation of Fermented Seasonings from Soybean and Fluted Pumpkin Seeds
2020
Specialty condiment (ogiri) was produced from seeds of soybean (Glycine max) and fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) by spontaneous moist solid substrate fermentation of their pre-processed mash. The two samples coded FSBM and FFPM respectively were evaluated for nutritional quality. Effects of fermentation on proximate values of the seeds were also analyzed. The two samples were further subjected to sensory analysis using commercial brand made from castor bean (Ricinus communis) seeds coded FCBM as a control. Results show that FFPM was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in ash, crude fiber and protein, but significantly lower in moisture and fat than the FSBM. There was no significant…
Seasonal response of vegetation on pollutants removal in constructed wetland system treating dairy wastewater
2022
Constructed wetland systems provide the ideal solution for small and medium dairy farms as they can be built close to the farm and are easy to manage and use. However, their perfomance is significantly affected by vegetation activity during the year. The aims of the present study were to assess the treatment of dairy wastewater (DWW) by a horizontal subsurface flow system (HSSFs) and the effect of plants in the removal efficiency (RE) of BOD5, COD, total N (TN) and total P (TP), in Sicily (Italy). The HSSFs treated 6/7 m3 per day of wastewater produced by a small dairy farm subsequent to biological treatment. The system included two units which were separately planted with Arundo donax L. a…
Equity Issues in the Spanish Stock Market: Windows of Opportunity, Earnings Management or Market Timing?
2005
We investigate whether the market sentiment and/or the specific operating performance of firms that conducted an equity issue on the Spanish stock market during the period 1993-2000 are related to the long-run stock-return underperformance in the year following the issue of small and medium firms. Our results reveal that equity issues were conducted by large firms just when the market showed optimistic expectations towards large firms in general. This overoptimism towards large issue firms was related to the 1990s technology boom in the case of initial public offerings (IPO), but we detect earnings management by large firms that conducted a seasoned equity offering (SEO). In this context, s…
Exponential smoothing with covariates applied to electricity demand forecast
2013
Exponential smoothing methods are widely used as forecasting techniques in industry and business. Their usual formulation, however, does not allow covariates to be used for introducing extra information into the forecasting process. In this paper, we analyse an extension of the exponential smoothing formulation that allows the use of covariates and the joint estimation of all the unknowns in the model, which improves the forecasting results. The whole procedure is detailed with a real example on forecasting the daily demand for electricity in Spain. The time series of daily electricity demand contains two seasonal patterns: here the within-week seasonal cycle is modelled as usual in exponen…
Synchronization protocols in Spanish Merino sheep Reduction in time to estrus by the addition of eCG to a progesterone-based estrus synchronization p…
2015
Abstract An appropriate management of reproduction allows ewes to breed at a more intensive rhythm, more compatible with economic efficiency of farms. Hence, the objectives of the present work were to evaluate a traditional estrus synchronization protocol (based on medroxyprogesterone acetate-impregnated intravaginal sponges combined or not with equine chorionic gonadotropin) on a Merino sheep herd during the breeding season, in order to determine the best working protocol for this breed. A total of 277 sheep, blocked by age (200 ewes and 77 ewe lambs) were randomly allocated to four groups, two of ewes (E and Ee) and two of ewe lambs (L and Le). All females received 60 mg MAP (medroxyproge…
The predatory role of white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus) in seasonal declines of subtidal macrobenthos
2009
The overall purpose of this study was to develop a quantitative model to assess the influence of L. setiferus predation on subtidal macrobenthic abundance cycles in an estuarine creek system. Subtidal macrobenthic populations in temperate marine soft-bottom environments are known to undergo seasonal abundance cycles. Although the factors responsible for driving these seasonal shifts in abundance are difficult to identify, both environmental and biological factors have received credit. Juvenile white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus) are seasonally abundant epibenthic predators in the North Inlet estuary that have significant influence upon estuarine macrobenthic densities. Data generated from …
Eupelmus spermophilus Silvestri (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea), an Indigenous Olive Seed Wasp Potentially Harmful to Olive Growing in the Western Cape, …
2021
The objectives of this study were the specific taxonomic confirmation of the main olive seed wasp (OSW) attacking commercial olives in the Western Cape, to investigate monitoring methods and seasonal occurrence of OSW, to determine the potential economic damage of infestations, and to ascertain the geographic distribution of OSW in the regions where olives are cultivated in the Western Cape. Morphological and molecular methods were used to identify all the species obtained from cultivated olives at two trial sites near Stellenbosch and Agter-Paarl. Eupelmus spermophilus Silvestri (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) was by far the most frequent and widespread olive seed wasp. Monitoring with yellow …
Erratum: Temporal dynamics of Puumala hantavirus infection in cyclic populations of bank voles.
2016
Understanding the dynamics of zoonotic pathogens in their reservoir host populations is a prerequisite for predicting and preventing human disease epidemics. The human infection risk of Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) is highest in northern Europe, where populations of the rodent host (bank vole, Myodes glareolus) undergo cyclic fluctuations. We conducted a 7-year capture-mark-recapture study to monitor seasonal and multiannual patterns of the PUUV infection rate in bank vole populations exhibiting a 3-year density cycle. Infected bank voles were most abundant in mid-winter months during years of increasing or peak host density. Prevalence of PUUV infection in bank voles exhibited a regular, seas…