In vitro propagation of several Betula species representing various ploidy levels

International audienc

To separate or not? A comparison of wastewater management systems for the new city district of Hiedanranta, Finland

In this study, life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) methods were applied for the new city district of Hiedanranta, where source-separating sanitation systems are being considered. Two source-separating systems were compared to the conventional sanitation system with a centralized wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). With a separating system, three to 10 times more nitrogen could be recovered compared to the conventional system. If the nutrient potential of the reject water of the sludge digestion were to be utilized, the recovery rate would be even higher. For phosphorus, the recovered amount would be at the same level for all the alternatives. However, the plant availability of phosphorus is higher in separating systems. Based on the environmental impacts of separating systems with improved nutrient recovery, the climate and eutrophication impacts could be reduced, but the acidification impact may be higher. However, the actual climate benefits depend on how the avoided emissions will be realized, which is highly dependent on the policy and decision-making processes in the society. The life cycle costs of the alternative source-separating systems are higher at current prices. Source-separating sanitation produces new recycled nutrient products of human origin that contain fewer contaminants and could therefore be more easily accepted for end use when certain boundary conditions are met

Effective Recovery of Bacterial DNA and Percent-Guanine-Plus-Cytosine-Based Analysis of Community Structure in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Broiler Chickens

A DNA-based, direct method for initial characterization of the total bacterial community in ileum and cecum of the chicken gastrointestinal (GI) tract was developed. The efficiencies of bacterial extraction and lysis were >95 and >99%, respectively, and therefore the DNA recovered should accurately reflect the bacterial communities of the ileal and cecal digesta. Total bacterial DNA samples were fractionated according to their percent G+C content. The profiles reflecting the composition of the bacterial community were reproducible within each compartment, but different between the compartments of the GI tract. This approach is independent of the culturability of the bacteria in the consortium and can be used to improve our understanding of how diet and other variables modulate the microbial communities of the GI tracts of animals

Application of the NBS impact evaluation framework: NBS performance and impact evaluation case studies

Selecting appropriate indicators of NBS performance and impact can bechallenging, and is context-dependent. In this chapter, we present case studiesfrom a variety of NBS demonstrations across Europe and Asia that illustrate theapplication of the NBS indicators and methods presented in Chapter 4 andthoroughly described in Evaluating the Impact of Nature-Based Solutions:Appendix of Methods. Each case study presents a brief NBS description, reasonsfor the selection of specific indicators for that particular NBS and a brief overviewof the ways the indicators are applied and/or monitored. The case studiesdescribe the stakeholders involved in co-design and co-monitoring of NBS anddiscuss the barriers and lessons learned during or after the process. Each casestudy provides key references for further reading.The case studies in this chapter focus on the selection of recommended indicatorsfor NBS performance and impact, which are generally of primary importancewhen creating NBS monitoring and evaluation plans. The case studies furtherdemonstrate how and why additional indicators can be selected to reflectparticular objectives of projects and local challenges