Search results for "TIL"
showing 10 items of 12281 documents
Vermicompost from municipal sewage sludge affects growth and mineral nutrition of winter rye (Secale cereale) plants
2015
ABSTRACTThe aim of the study was to investigate sewage sludge vermicompost application effects on growth and mineral nutrition of winter rye (Secale cereale L.) plants as compared to two initial levels of mineral nutrient availability, pure sand and sand enriched with inorganic nutrients at the optimal level. Addition of sewage sludge vermicompost significantly inhibited rye seed germination at 20 to 50% sand substitution independently on mineral nutrient supplement. Growth inhibition was evident at early stages of plant development. However, at the later stages, sewage sludge vermicompost acted both as mineral fertilizer and plant growth-promoting agent. Significant stimulation of mineral …
Reuse of urban-treated wastewater from a pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow system in Sicily (Italy) for irrigation of Bermudagrass (Cynodon dact…
2016
Constructed wetlands (CW) are one of the most important biological technology for the treatment and reuse of wastewaters. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reuse of treated wastewater (TWW) from CW for irrigation of Bermudagrass turf (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) and assess the effects of TWW on the biometric and qualitative parameters of the turfgrass and on chemical–physical soil properties. The research was carried out in Sicily (Italy) in a pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow system which was fed with urban TWW following secondary treatment from an activate sludge wastewater treatment plant. The pilot-system included three separate parallel units. The outflow TWW flowed downh…
Sexually extravagant males age more rapidly
2011
Evolutionary theories of ageing posit that increased reproductive investment occurs at the expense of physiological declines in later life. Males typically invest heavily in costly sexual ornaments and behaviour, but evidence that the expression of these traits can cause senescence is lacking. Long-lived houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata) engage in extravagant sexual displays to attract mates and here we show that males investing most in these displays experience a rapid senescent deterioration of spermatogenic function at a younger age. This effect is sufficiently large that the expected links between male showiness and fertility reverse in later life, despite showy males continuing t…
Effect on the Antioxidant, Lipoperoxyl Radical Scavenger Capacity, Nutritional, Sensory and Microbiological Traits of an Ovine Stretched Cheese Produ…
2021
An innovative ovine cheese enriched with red grape pomace powder (GPP) was produced to improve the functional properties of Vastedda cheese typology. Vastedda cheese making was performed adding GPP and four selected Lactococcus lactis strains (Mise36, Mise94, Mise169 and Mise190). For each strain, 40 L of pasteurized ewe’s milk was divided into two aliquots representing control and experimental trials. Control cheese (CC) production did not contain GPP, while the experimental cheese (EC) production was enriched with 1% (w/w) GPP. GPP did not slow down starter development and acid generation. Plate counts and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR analysis confirmed the dominance of t…
The Use of Winery by-Products to Enhance the Functional Aspects of the Fresh Ovine “Primosale” Cheese
2021
Fresh ovine “primosale” cheese was processed with the addition of grape pomace powder (GPP). Cheese making was performed using pasteurized ewes’ milk and four selected Lactococcus lactis strains (Mise36, Mise94, Mise169 and Mise190) inoculated individually. For each strain the control cheese (CCP) was not added with GPP, while the experimental cheese (ECP) was enriched with 1% (w/w) GPP. GPP did not influence the starter development that reached levels of 109 CFU/g in all final cheeses. The comparison of the bacterial isolates by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR showed the dominance of the added strains over indigenous milk bacteria resistant to pasteurization. GPP addition red…
Predicting the effectiveness of oil recovery strategies in the marine polluted environment
2018
Abstract Many recent studies have focused their attention on the physiological stress experienced by marine organisms in measuring ecotoxicological responses. Here we suggest a new approach for investigating the effects of an anthropogenic pollutant on Life-History (LH) traits of marine organisms, to provide stakeholders and policy makers an effective tool to evaluate the best environmental recovery strategies and plans. A Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB), coupled with a biophysical model was used to predict the effects of a six-month oil spill on Mytilus galloprovincialis' LH traits and to test two potential recovery strategies in the central Mediterranean Sea. Oxygen consumption rates were use…
Seasonal variability of diet and trophic level of the gelatinous predator Pelagia noctiluca (Scyphozoa)
2018
13 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables, supplementary information https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-30474-x
Silver Nanoparticles Affect Functional Bioenergetic Traits in the Invasive Red Sea Mussel Brachidontes pharaonis
2016
We investigated the functional trait responses to 5 nm metallic silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) exposure in the Lessepsian-entry bivalveB. pharaonis. Respiration rate (oxygen consumption), heartbeat rate, and absorption efficiency were evaluated across an 8-day exposure period in mesocosmal conditions. Basal reference values from not-exposed specimens were statistically compared with those obtained from animals treated with three sublethal nanoparticle concentrations (2 μg L−1, 20 μg L−1, and 40 μg L−1). Our data showed statistically significant effects on the average respiration rate ofB. pharaonis. Moreover, complex nonlinear dynamics were observed as a function of the concentration level and…
Local consumers are the first line to control biological invasions: a case of study with the whelk Stramonita haemastoma (Gastropoda: Muricidae)
2016
The increasing spread of invasive species in the Mediterranean Sea determines several alterations in local food webs, changing the feeding habits of native organisms. The whelk Stramonita haemastoma is a widespread Mediterranean gastropod that consumes bivalves, barnacles and limpets. Previous studies showed a shift in its diet from the bivalve Mytilaster minimus to the invasive mussel Brachidontes pharaonis, presumably due to a higher energy gain. Here we tested whelks’ preference among natives and a novel prey, calculating the profitability ratio, and integrating those results with biochemical analysis on prey tissues and the routine metabolism of the whelks. Further, we used the scaled f…
Low contribution of Caribbean-based researchers to academic publications on biodiversity conservation in the insular Caribbean.
2021
11 pages; International audience; The insular Caribbean is among the most threatened global biodiversity hotspots, warranting urgent and effective action in conservation. However, the capacity of Caribbean-based researchers to address challenges in biodiversity conservation appears limited. To assess the latter, we used the contribution of Caribbean-based authors to the production of peer-reviewed journal papers on biodiversity conservation in the insular Caribbean as a proxy for research capacity. Moreover, because the insular Caribbean is a complex geopolitical system including sovereign states and overseas territories, we examined the contributions of these two groups to the number of pa…