Charged Particle Dynamics in the Field of a Slowly Rotating Compact Star

We study the dynamics of a charged particle in the field of a slowly rotating compact star in the gravitoelectromagnetic approximation to the geodesic equation . The star is assumed to be surrounded by an ideal, highly conducting plasma (taken as a magnetohydrodynamic fluid) with a stationary, axially symmetric electromagnetic field. The general relativistic Maxwell equations are solved to obtain the effects of the background spacetime on the electromagnetic field in the linearized Kerr spacetime. The equations of motion are then set up and solved numerically to incorporate the gravitational as well as the electromagnetic effects. The analysis shows that in the slow rotation approximation the frame dragging effects on the electromagnetic field are absent. However the particle is directly effected by the rotating gravitational source such that close to the star the gravitational and electromagnetic field produce contrary effects on the particle's trajectory.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures in B & W PostScript Forma

Diazotrophs Show Signs of Restoration in Amazon Rain Forest Soils with Ecosystem Rehabilitation.

Biological nitrogen fixation can be an important source of nitrogen in tropical forests that serve as a major CO2 sink. Extensive deforestation of the Amazon is known to influence microbial communities and the biogeochemical cycles they mediate. However, it is unknown how diazotrophs (nitrogen-fixing microorganisms) respond to deforestation and subsequent ecosystem conversion to agriculture, as well as whether they can recover in secondary forests that are established after agriculture is abandoned. To address these knowledge gaps, we combined a spatially explicit sampling approach with high-throughput sequencing of nifH genes. The main objectives were to assess the functional distance decay relationship of the diazotrophic bacterial community in a tropical forest ecosystem and to quantify the roles of various factors that drive the observed changes in the diazotrophic community structure. We observed an increase in local diazotrophic diversity (α-diversity) with a decrease in community turnover (β-diversity), associated with a shift in diazotrophic community structure as a result of the forest-to-pasture conversion. Both diazotrophic community turnover and structure showed signs of recovery in secondary forests. Changes in the diazotrophic community were primarily driven by the change in land use rather than differences in geochemical characteristics or geographic distances. The diazotroph communities in secondary forests resembled those in primary forests, suggesting that at least partial recovery of diazotrophs is possible following agricultural abandonment.IMPORTANCE The Amazon region is a major tropical forest region that is being deforested at an alarming rate to create space for cattle ranching and agriculture. Diazotrophs (nitrogen-fixing microorganisms) play an important role in supplying soil N for plant growth in tropical forests. It is unknown how diazotrophs respond to deforestation and whether they can recover in secondary forests that establish after agriculture is abandoned. Using high-throughput sequencing of nifH genes, we characterized the response of diazotrophs' β-diversity and identified major drivers of changes in diazotrophs from forest-to-pasture and pasture-to-secondary-forest conversions. Studying the impact of land use change on diazotrophs is important for a better understanding of the impact of deforestation on tropical forest ecosystem functioning, and our results on the potential recovery of diazotrophs in secondary forests imply the possible restoration of ecosystem functions in secondary forests

Bacteria Source Tracking to Support Watershed Planning, Little Sac River, Southwest Missouri

The Little Sac Watershed in Greene and Polk Counties of southwest Missouri was placed on the 303d list for bacteria impairment in 1998 (WCO 2016). In 2006, a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) was developed for the watershed to address bacteria impairments within the Little Sac River and an initial watershed management plan was finalized in 2010 (Baffaut 2006, WCO 2009). The Watershed Committee of the Ozarks (WCO) is presently updating that plan with the most recent information on bacteria within the watershed. As part of that process, the WCO has contracted the Ozarks Environmental and Water Resources Institute (OEWRI) at Missouri State University (MSU) to complete a bacteria source tracking study within the watershed to identify potential bacteria pollution sources. The purpose of this study is to collect water samples throughout the watershed and evaluate bacteria DNA using real-time PCR for specific marker genes that can help identify specific bacteria sources from different locations in the Little Sac River watershed

Does Charge Contribute to the Frame Dragging of Spacetime?

Electrically charged systems bound by a strong gravitational force can sustain a huge amount of electric charge (up to 10^20C) against Coulomb repulsion. General relativistically such systems form a stable hydrostatic configuration both in the non-rotating and rotating cases. Here we study the effects of electric charge (electric energy density) on the spacetime outside a rotating electrically charged system bound by a strong gravitational force. In particular we investigate the effect of charge density on frame-dragging of spacetime in the exterior region. Using the coupled Einstein-Maxwell equations it is found that in the slow rotation approximation charge accumulations not only acts like an additional mass, thus modifying the spherically symmetric part of the spacetime, the electric charge also contributes directly to the dragging of spacetime. A modified Lense-Thirring formula for the spacetime frame dragging frequency is obtained.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Links between plant and fungal communities across a deforestation chronosequence in the Amazon rainforest

Understanding the interactions among microbial communities, plant communities and soil properties following deforestation could provide insights into the long-term effects of land-use change on ecosystem functions, and may help identify approaches that promote the recovery of degraded sites. We combined high-throughput sequencing of fungal rDNA and molecular barcoding of plant roots to estimate fungal and plant community composition in soil sampled across a chronosequence of deforestation. We found significant effects of land-use change on fungal community composition, which was more closely correlated to plant community composition than to changes in soil properties or geographic distance, providing evidence for strong links between above- and below-ground communities in tropical forests. © 2014 International Society for Microbial Ecology All rights reserved

The Effects of Phyllosphere Bacteria on Plant Physiology and Growth of Soybean Infected with Pseudomonas syringae

Phyllosphere bacteria are an important determinant of plant growth and resistance to pathogens. However, the efficacy of phyllosphere bacteria in regulating infection of Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycinea (Psg) and its influence on soybean growth and physiology is unknown. In a greenhouse study, we assessed the influence of a phyllosphere bacterial consortium (BC) of 13 species isolated from field-grown soybean leaves on uninfected and deliberately Psg infected soybean plants. We measured Psg density on infected leaves with and without the application of the BC. The BC application resulted in a significant reduction in Psg cells. We also measured plant biomass, nodule mass and number, gas exchange, and leaf chlorophyll and nitrogen in four treatment groups: control plants, plants with a BC and no infection (BC), plants with BC and infected with Psg (BC + Psg), and plants infected with Psg alone. For all variables, plants infected with Psg alone showed significant reduction in measured variables compared to both BC treatments. Therefore, the bacterial consortium was effective in controlling the negative effects of Psg on growth and physiology. The BC treatment sometimes resulted in increases in measured variables such as plant biomass, nodule numbers, and leaf chlorophyll as compared to control and BC + Psg treatments. Overall, the positive influence of BC treatment on plant growth and physiology highlights its potential applications to increase crop yield and control bacterial pathogens

ZnO nanoparticles and root colonization by a beneficial pseudomonad influences essential metal responses in bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Nanoparticles (NPs) incorporated into commercial products are reactive on plants. Here, the influence of a root-associated bacterium, Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6 (PcO6) on the responses of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) to commercial ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) was examined. ZnO NPs (250-1000mg Zn/kg) significantly (p=0.05) impacted root elongation after 7 days; only at 1000mg/kg was shoot growth significantly inhibited. Zn solubilized from ZnO NPs correlated with root growth inhibition (r2=0.8709); solubility of Fe (r2=0.916) and Mn (r2=0.997), and shoot accumulation of Zn (r2=0.9095), Fe (r2=0.9422) and Mn (r2=0.789). Root ferric reductase activity diminished 31% in NP-exposed plants. Amendments with Zn ions at 6mg/kg, corresponding to Zn solubilized from the NPs, did not replicate the responses, suggesting a nano-specific contribution of the ZnO. Neither NPs (500mg Zn/kg) nor Zn ions affected root colonization by PcO6. Siderophore production by PcO6 increased 17% by exposure to NPs and 11% with Zn ions (18mg/kg). PcO6 restored plant ferric reduction under NP exposure, but decreased uptake of Zn and Fe, 58 and 18%, respectively, suggesting soil bacteria could reduce plant accumulation of metals under toxic exposure levels, while negatively affecting uptake of essential elements. Collectively, these findings demonstrated that growth and balance of essential metals in bean exposed to ZnO NPs were influenced by the NPs and bacterial colonization of NP-exposed roots, indicating subtle effects of NPs in plant nutrition. © 2014 Informa UK Ltd. All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted

Dehalococcoides abundance and alternate electron acceptor effects on large, flow-through trichloroethene dechlorinating columns

Trichloroethene (TCE) in groundwater is a major health concern and biostimulation/bioaugmentation-based strategies have been evaluated to achieve complete reductive dechlorination with varying success. Different carbon sources were hypothesized to stimulate different extents of TCE reductive dechlorination. Ecological conditions that developed different dechlorination stages were investigated by quantitating Dehalococcoides 16S rRNA (Dhc) and reductive dehalogenase gene abundance, and by describing biogeochemical properties of laboratory columns in response to this biostimulation. Eight large columns (183 cm × 15.2 cm), packed with aquifer material from Hill AFB, Utah, that were continuously fed TCE for 7.5 years. Duplicate columns were biostimulated with whey or one of two different Newman Zone® emulsified oil formulations containing either nonionic surfactant (EOLN) or standard surfactant (EOL). Two columns were non-stimulated controls. Complete (whey amended), partial (EOLN amended), limited (EOL), and non-TCE dehalogenating systems (controls) developed over the course of the study. Bioaugmentation of half of the columns with Bachman Road culture 3 years prior to dismantling did not influence the extent of TCE dehalogenation. Multivariate analysis clustered samples by biostimulation treatments and extent of TCE dehalogenation. Dhc, tceA, and bvcA gene concentrations did not show a consistent relationship with TCE dehalogenation but the vcrA gene was more abundant in completely dehalogenating, whey-treated columns. The whey columns developed strongly reducing conditions producing FeII, sulfide, and methane. Biostimulation with different carbon and energy sources can support high concentrations of diverse Dhc, but carbon addition has a major influence on biogeochemical processes effecting the extent of TCE dehalogenation