P and K additions enhance canopy N retention and accelerate the associated leaching

This study evaluated the interactive effects of combined phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) additions on canopy nitrogen (N) retention (CNR) and subsequent canopy leaching at a long-term N manipulation site on Whim bog in south Scotland. Ambient deposition is 8 kg N ha-1 year-1 and an additional 8, 24, and 56 kg N ha-1 year-1 of either ammonium (NH4+) or nitrate (NO3-) with or without P and K has been applied over 11 years. Throughfall N deposition below Calluna vulgaris and foliar N and P concentrations were assessed. Results showed that 60% for low dose and 53% for high dose of NO3- contrasting with 80% for low dose and 38% for high dose of NH4+ onto Calluna was retained by Calluna canopy. The CNR was enhanced by P and K addition in which 84% of NO3 - and 83% of NH4+ for high dose were retained. CNR for NO3- increased the canopy leaching of dissolved organic N (DON) and associated organic anions. NH4+ retention increased canopy leaching of magnesium and calcium through ion exchange. Even over 11-years N exposure without P and K, foliage 29 N:P ratio of Calluna did not increase, suggesting that N exposure did not lead to N saturation of Calluna at Whim bog. Our study concluded that increases in P and K availability enhance CNR of Calluna, but accelerate the associated canopy leaching of DON and base cations, depending on foliar N status

Heterogeneity of atmospheric ammonia at the landscape scale and consequences for environmental impact assessment

We examined the consequences of the spatial heterogeneity of atmospheric ammonia (NH3) by measuring and modelling NH3 concentrations and deposition at 25 m grid resolution for a rural landscape containing intensive poultry farming, agricultural grassland, woodland and moorland. The emission pattern gave rise to a high spatial variability of modelled mean annual NH3 concentrations and dry deposition. Largest impacts were predicted for woodland patches located within the agricultural area, while larger moorland areas were at low risk, due to atmospheric dispersion, prevailing wind direction and low NH3 background. These high resolution spatial details are lost in national scale estimates at 1 km resolution due to less detailed emission input maps. The results demonstrate how the spatial arrangement of sources and sinks is critical to defining the NH3 risk to semi-natural ecosystems. These spatial relationships provide the foundation for local spatial planning approaches to reduce environmental impacts of atmospheric NH3

Contracepção: Conhecimentos e atitudes em jovens universitários

O aumento da percentagem de gravidez na adolescência (Portugal regista 19/1000 na faixa etária dos 15 aos 19 anos), juntando-se a outros riscos ligados à actividade sexual, tornam os jovens um grupo vulnerável em termos de saúde sexual e reprodutiva. Esta investigação avaliou os conhecimentos e atitudes sobre os métodos contraceptivos em jovens estudantes universitários. Administraram-se 436 questioná - rios a 113 rapazes e 323 raparigas, entre os 18 e os 24 anos. Aplicaram-se medidas de conhecimento (CKI; Delcampo e Delcampo, 1976) e de atitudes (CAS; Kyes, 1987) acerca dos métodos contraceptivos. Os resultados obtidos demonstram que a maioria tem pouco conhecimento acerca dos métodos contraceptivos mas revelou uma forte atitude preventiva face a uma gravidez indesejada. Encontraram-se diferenças estatis - tica mente signficativas entre indivíduos de sexo diferentes: as raparigas apresent am mais conhecimentos e preocupação preventiva face à contracepção. ------ ABSTRACT ------The increase in unplanned pregnancies (the rate in Portugal is 19/1000 in 15-19 year-olds), is responsible for ranking young people as an important target group in terms of sexual health prevention. This study tested knowledge and attitude towards contraceptive methods in 18-24 year old college students. Structured selfreported questionnaires were responded by 436 participants (113 college men and 323 college women). Questionnaires assessed knowledge (CKI; Delcampo e Delcampo, 1976) and attitude (CAS; Kyes, 1987) towards contraceptive methods. The findings show the majority has insufficient contraceptive knowledge although they have a strong preventive attitude towards unwanted pregnancy. The results reveal significant variation in responses by gender: college women demonstra ted better knowledge and preventive attitude in relation to contraception

Long-term interactive effects of N addition with P and K availability on N status of Sphagnum

Little information exists concerning the long-term interactive effect of nitrogen (N) addition with phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) on Sphagnum N status. This study was conducted as part of a long-term N manipulation on Whim bog in south Scotland to evaluate the long-term alleviation effects of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) on N saturation of Sphagnum (S. capillifolium). On this ombrotrophic peatland, where ambient deposition was 8 kg N ha−1 yr−1, 56 kg N ha−1 yr−1 of either ammonium (NH4+, Nred) or nitrate (NO3−, Nox) with and without P and K, were added over 11 years. Nutrient concentrations of Sphagnum stem and capitulum, and pore water quality of the Sphagnum layer were assessed. The N-saturated Sphagnum caused by long-term (11 years) and high doses (56 kg N ha−1 yr−1) of reduced N was not completely ameliorated by P and K addition; N concentrations in Sphagnum capitula for Nred 56 PK were comparable with those for Nred 56, although N concentrations in Sphagnum stems for Nred 56 PK were lower than those for Nred 56. While dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations in pore water for Nred 56 PK were not different from Nred 56, they were lower for Nox 56 PK than for Nox 56 whose stage of N saturation had not advanced compared to Nred 56. These results indicate that increasing P and K availability has only a limited amelioration effect on the N assimilation of Sphagnum at an advanced stage of N saturation. This study concluded that over the long-term P and K additions will not offset the N saturation of Sphagnum

Sphagnum can ‘filter’ N deposition, but effects on the plant and pore water depend on the N form

The ability of Sphagnum moss to efficiently intercept atmospheric nitrogen (N) has been assumed to be vulnerable to increased N deposition. However, the proposed critical load (20 kg N ha− 1 yr− 1) to exceed the capacity of the Sphagnum N filter has not been confirmed. A long-term (11 years) and realistic N manipulation on Whim bog was used to study the N filter function of Sphagnum (Sphagnum capillifolium) in response to increased wet N deposition. On this ombrotrophic peatland where ambient deposition was 8 kg N ha− 1 yr− 1, an additional 8, 24, and 56 kg N ha− 1 yr− 1 of either ammonium (NH4+) or nitrate (NO3−) has been applied for 11 years. Nutrient status of Sphagnum and pore water quality from the Sphagnum layer were assessed. The N filter function of Sphagnum was still active up to 32 kg N ha− 1 yr− 1 even after 11 years. N saturation of Sphagnum and subsequent increases in dissolved inorganic N (DIN) concentration in pore water occurred only for 56 kg N ha− 1 yr− 1 of NH4+ addition. These results indicate that the Sphagnum N filter is more resilient to wet N deposition than previously inferred. However, functionality will be more compromised when NH4+ dominates wet deposition for high inputs (56 kg N ha− 1 yr− 1). The N filter function in response to NO3− uptake increased the concentration of dissolved organic N (DON) and associated organic anions in pore water. NH4+ uptake increased the concentration of base cations and hydrogen ions in pore water though ion exchange. The resilience of the Sphagnum N filter can explain the reported small magnitude of species change in the Whim bog ecosystem exposed to wet N deposition. However, changes in the leaching substances, arising from the assimilation of NO3− and NH4+, may lead to species change

The import and export of organic nitrogen species at a Scottish ombrotrophic peatland

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) contributes significantly to the overall nitrogen budget, but is not routinely measured in precipitation or stream water. In order to investigate the contribution of DON to the deposition and export of N, precipitation, stream and soil water samples were collected from an ombrotrophic peatland and analysed for DON over a 2-year period. In wet-only deposition DON contributed up to 10 % of the total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and was the most dominant fraction in soil water (99 %) and stream water (75 %). NH4 + was the most dominate form of N in precipitation, with NO3 - contributing the least to precipitation, soil water and stream water. Precipitation and stream DON were qualitatively analysed by a two-dimensional gas chromatograph coupled to a nitrogen chemiluminescence detector (GC × GC-NCD) after trapping onto C18 solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges. Ten unique compounds were detected and five identified as pyrrole, benzonitrile, dodecylamine, N-nitrosodipropylamine and decylamine. Five compounds were present in both precipitation and stream samples: pyrrole, benzonitrile and three unidentified compounds. The SPE-extraction efficiency for DON was very low (11 %), but with improvements DON speciation could become a valuable tool to provide information on its sources and pathways and inform chemical transport models

Simultaneous Activation of Complement and Coagulation by MBL-Associated Serine Protease 2

The complement system is an important immune mechanism mediating both recognition and elimination of foreign bodies. The lectin pathway is one pathway of three by which the complement system is activated. The characteristic protease of this pathway is Mannan-binding lectin (MBL)-associated serine protease 2 (MASP2), which cleaves complement proteins C2 and C4. We present a novel and alternative role of MASP2 in the innate immune system. We have shown that MASP2 is capable of promoting fibrinogen turnover by cleavage of prothrombin, generating thrombin. By using a truncated active form of MASP2 as well as full-length MASP2 in complex with MBL, we have shown that the thrombin generated is active and can cleave both factor XIII and fibrinogen, forming cross-linked fibrin. To explore the biological significance of these findings we showed that fibrin was covalently bound on a bacterial surface to which MBL/MASP2 complexes were bound. These findings suggest that, as has been proposed for invertebrates, limited clotting may contribute to the innate immune response

The nitrogen, carbon and greenhouse gas budget of a grazed, cut and fertilised temperate grassland

Intensively managed grazed grasslands in temperate climates are globally important environments for the exchange of the greenhouse gases (GHGs) carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4). We assessed the N and C budget of a mostly grazed and occasionally cut and fertilised grassland in SE Scotland by measuring or modelling all relevant imports and exports to the field as well as changes in soil C and N stocks over time. The N budget was dominated by import from inorganic and organic fertilisers (21.9 g N m−2 a−1) and losses from leaching (5.3 g N m−2 a−1), N2 emissions (2.9 g N m−2 a−1), and NOx and NH3 volatilisation (3.9 g N m−2 a−1), while N2O emission was only 0.6 g N m−2 a−1. The efficiency of N use by animal products (meat and wool) averaged 9.9 % of total N input over only-grazed years (2004–2010). On average over 9 years (2002–2010), the balance of N fluxes suggested that 6.0 ± 5.9 g N m−2 a−1 (mean ± confidence interval at p > 0.95) were stored in the soil. The largest component of the C budget was the net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NEE), at an average uptake rate of 218 ± 155 g C m−2 a−1 over the 9 years. This sink strength was offset by carbon export from the field mainly as grass offtake for silage (48.9 g C m−2 a−1) and leaching (16.4 g C m−2 a−1). The other export terms, CH4 emissions from the soil, manure applications and enteric fermentation, were negligible and only contributed to 0.02–4.2 % of the total C losses. Only a small fraction of C was incorporated into the body of the grazing animals. Inclusion of these C losses in the budget resulted in a C sink strength of 163 ± 140 g C m−2 a−1. By contrast, soil stock measurements taken in May 2004 and May 2011 indicated that the grassland sequestered N in the 0–60 cm soil layer at 4.51 ± 2.64 g N m−2 a−1 and lost C at a rate of 29.08 ± 38.19 g C m−2 a−1. Potential reasons for the discrepancy between these estimates are probably an underestimation of C losses, especially from leaching fluxes as well as from animal respiration. The average greenhouse gas (GHG) balance of the grassland was −366 ± 601 g CO2 eq. m−2 yr−1 and was strongly affected by CH4 and N2O emissions. The GHG sink strength of the NEE was reduced by 54 % by CH4 and N2O emissions. Estimated enteric fermentation from ruminating sheep proved to be an important CH4 source, exceeding the contribution of N2O to the GHG budget in some years

Review of methods for assessing deposition of reactive nitrogen pollutants across complex terrain with focus on the UK

This review is a summary of the most up-to-date knowledge regarding assessment of atmospheric deposition of reactive nitrogen (Nr) pollutants across complex terrain in the UK. Progress in the understanding of the mechanisms and quantification of Nr deposition in areas of complex topography is slow, as no concerted attempts to measure the components of Nr in complex terrain have been made in the last decade. This is likely due to the inherent complexity of the atmospheric processes and chemical interactions which contribute to deposition in these areas. More than 300 studies have been reviewed, and we have consulted with a panel of international experts which we assembled for that purpose. We report here on key findings and knowledge gaps identified regarding measurement and modelling techniques used to quantify deposition of Nr across complex terrain in the UK, which depending on definition, may represent up to 60% of land coverage across Great Britain. The large body of peer reviewed papers, reports and other items reviewed in this study has highlighted both the strengths and weaknesses in the tools available to scientists, regulators and policy makers. This review highlights that there is no coherent global research effort to constrain the uncertainties in Nr deposition over complex terrain, despite the clearly identified risk of N deposition to ecosystems and water quality. All evidence identified that enhanced Nr deposition across complex terrain occurs, and magnitude of the enhancement is not known; however, there are major uncertainties particularly in the differences between modelled and measured wet deposition in complex terrain and representing accurate surface interactions in models. Using simplified estimates for Nr deposition, based on current understanding of current measurement and model approaches, an enhancement across UK complex terrain in the range of a factor of 1.4–2.5 (i.e. 40–150% larger than current estimates) is likely over complex upland terrain. If at the upper limits of this, then significantly more ecosystems in the UK would be at a direct risk of degradation, and the potential for long-term non-remediable water quality issues increased