Land Application of Sewage Sludge: Physiological and Biochemical Response of the Rio Grande Tomato

Treated wastewater produces sewage sludge as a by-product that may have beneficial implications on agricultural practices. The effects of sludge amendments on growth, morphological and biochemical characteristics of the agro-industrial Tomato cultivar Rio Grande were observed. A pot culture experiment was carried out during 4 months (16 February 2019 to 18 June 2019), at an experimental green house in the locality of Salah Soufi, Guelma, north-eastern Algeria. There were significant differences between soil and sewage sludge samples. Total nitrogen (20.58 mg/kg) was more available in sewage sludge than in soil (N = 2.09 ± 0.3 mg/kg). In contrast, sludge contained less phosphorus and organic matter than soil. The observation of the morphological characteristics of the plants showed significant variations between the treatments. The germination rates for treated soils decreased significantly to reach 50%, compared to the control. Growth patterns (dry and fresh weight of leaves and roots) changed significantly (

Phenotypic Plasticity and Parental Effect on Rearing of Two Diverse Habitat Environment for Laboratory Reared Sympetrum Meridionale

Laboratory observations on rearing experiment of Odonata serve to answer many evolutionary and ecological questions. In order to evidences the role of species parental habitat provenience in the development behaviour of their offspring, we surveyed several life history traits of two rearing populations of Sympetrum meridionale (Anisoptera: Sympetrinae), coming from two different habitats across north-eastern Algeria. The first one is a RAMSAR wetland called ‘Mekhada’ (a perennial water body), and the second one is a temporary pond located at “Maouna” Mountain (1400 m altitude). Overall, the development patterns of the two populations of dragonflies vary with the type of habitat the parental generation of the species occupy (Factorial ANCOVA: all p \u3c 0.05). Firstly, egg mortality was very low in dragonfly population inhabiting the RAMSAR wetland compared of those belonging to Maouna Mountain. Secondly new-borne larvae stemming from females inhabiting the Mekhada wetland develop more slowly than did those coming from the “Maouna” Mountain pond. Finally, larvae of Sympetrum meridionale stemming from females inhabiting the temporary wetland were heavier than those inhabiting the perennial wetland. Such studies will ads considerably to our understanding of the mechanisms that are responsible for possible effects of environmental changes on life history traits of dragonflies across the southern part of their distribution range

Comparing habitat preferences of a set of waterbird species wintering in coastal wetlands of North Africa: implication for management

Every year, the Coastal wetlands of North Africa support an important wintering waterbird population of many Palearctic and sub-Saharan species of various contrasting habitat requirements. In this study, we describe the habitat use by24 water-obligate species wintering in a coastal wetland of the Northeastern Algeria (the wetland of Lake Tonga), highlighting thereby the ecological mechanisms that support their coexistence and their resources partitioning. The analysis of resource exploitation (Relative frequency, Feinsinger niche breadth, Pianka niche overlap and Ivlev’s electivity indexes) showed that waterbird species inhabiting the lake wetland have several similarities in using the different habitat categories, which lead us to cluster them into 5 guilds (G1: one rails, two grebes and eight ducks; G2: five wading species and one gull; G3: three herons; G4: cormorants, mallards, and on gull; finally, G5: only one species Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis).Almost all the species were specialists in resource utilization patterns (narrow niche breadths, both under 0.3) and therefore, vulnerable to fluctuations in resources, particularly the feeding habitats. Mean niche overlaps for all the pairs of species ranged from 0.05 to 0.68. The overall pattern in the community was higher niche overlaps between the species of a particular guild than those between other species. According to Ivlev’s electivity index, we found that only three microhabitats from seven were the most important for the discussed species, open water body was the most attractive, followed by meadows, muddy areas and floating- leafed vegetation. Similarities on habitat requirements derived from our region can provide important and optimal wetland management at multi-species assemblage level for this wetland and similar area around the African coast

Time budget patterns and complementary use of a Mediterranean wetland (Tonga, North-east Algeria) by migrant and resident waterbirds

We carried out a quantitative description of the use of a Mediterranean wetland (Tonga, North-east Algeria) by 22 waterbirds species (11 residents and 11 Palaearctic migrants) during late summer-wintering period, also analyzing their species-specific diurnal time budgets and the main related features of the landscape. The analyses of similarity in time budgets across birds (Hierarchal Cluster Analysis) showed four clusters of species associated with four major activities: day time mostly feeding (11 species), sleeping (6), swimming (3) and resting (2). Residents (Herons and Rails) showed a higher feeding time when compared to migrants (diving ducks, Gulls and Cormorants). From late summer to winter the time budget activity change in migrants; in contrast residents behave uniformly among daytime and at the course of the season. The use of this natural wetland in a complementary way by a high number of waterbirds (residents and migrants), is principally promoted by the existing of numerous habitat types. We found that 3 main ecological units, open water body, mudflats, and flooded meadows were the most utilized as foraging habitats among grebes, rails, ducks, gulls, and herons. In contrast, floating-leafed vegetation, and tall emergent vegetation were the commonest habitat categories used in resting activities especially by cormorants and herons. Data on behaviour requirements of these waterbirds can be used for conservation and correct management of this and other Mediterranean coastal wetlands

Lean 4.0 tools and technologies to improve companies’ maturity level: the COVID-19 context

The global pandemic triggered by the new COVID-19 led to severe limitations in daily life, both private and professional. Almost all companies have been affected in one way or another. The COVID-19 crisis imposed new challenges for enterprises. As a result, many companies have been forced to rethink how to align many of their processes and practices with the new COVID-19 context, and fulfill their mission while maintaining a safe and secure management business operating environment for both employees and customers. This paper aims to bring empirical evidence, through a questionnaire survey, of the positive influence of using Lean Management tools and Industry 4.0 technologies on five organizational dimensions (strategy, leadership, culture, operations and products, and technology). Data from 98 Algerian and French companies of different sizes and representing various activity sectors was collected. Respondents were asked to answer 5 organizational dimensions (strategy, leadership, culture, operations and products, and technology) in the context COVID-19 crisis. Statistical analysis was performed through path coefficient using a Smart PLS. The results show that Industry 4.0 technologies tend to be strongly associated with Lean management tools, and that understanding the relationship between Lean management tools and Industry 4.0 technologies can improve the organizational dimensions: leadership, strategy, operation, and production. This research provides managerial implications that can help managers to understand the synergies and benefits of integrating and implementing Lean 4.0 tools and technologies in organizations in both crises and regular contexts

Population Dynamics and Distribution Patterns of Diurnal Raptors in Northeastern Algeria: Seasonal Variation and Some Nesting Characteristics

Providing a live data monitoring of raptor abundances and spatial localization of their most important nesting areas is very helpful in building a strong future study and applying a sound strategy for effective safeguarding of these emblematic species. Using geographic information system (GIS) and global positioning system (GPS) techniques, we investigated spatial patterns of raptors distribution in the northeastern areas of Algeria during two consecutive breeding seasons (2014 and 2015). The total area sampled (31,000 km2) host diverse raptor species (14 species), among them, the threatened species Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus; 108 individuals and 19 active nests) and red-footed falcon (Falco vespertinus; 12individuals). The value of the region is attested by the presence of an abundant population of nesting black kite (Milvus migrans; 337 individuals). The large-scale spatial analyses of the studied region illustrate certain similarities in nesting habitat selection among raptors. Almost all species (90% of 209 nests detected) preferred to nest within multispecies assemblages (20 raptor assemblages found) and occupied altitudinal rocky cliffs across the inland region (semi-arid zones) rather than coastal region (sub-humid zones). Among all raptor species, exclusively, the common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is relatively synanthropic, because it was found to breed within cities (tolerate human activities). The raptor community in the coastal versus inland regions differed by 14%. The latter area seems to be more preferred in nest building, probably consequence of their semi-arid bioclimatic and landscapes characteristics, where high elevations and grasslands forming mosaics with Oak, Alpine, and Cedar forests are patchily distributed. The study is a first mapping database of important nesting sites dispatched across the northeastern areas of Algeria, and it can be effectively used in future complementary researches that aim to elucidate environmental factors that affect raptors life cycle