Production of PHB from Chicory Roots - Comparison of Three Cupriavidus necator Strains

Chicory roots from hydroponic salad cultivation are an abundant food residue in Navarra (Spain) that are underutilized to date. Aiming at a holistic utilization of resources, we report here the first process using chicory root hydrolysate for the production of poly([R]-3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB). The polymer can be used for packaging material made for the locally produced vegetables. In the first step, we developed a pre-treatment process to obtain a hydrolysate, which contained 34 g L-1 sugars and 0.7 g L-1 total Kjeldahl nitrogen. This hydrolysate was used as fermentation substrate for three PHB-producing strains. Cupriavidus necator DSM 428 reached a dry biomass concentration of 11.3 g L-1 with a PHB content of 66 % in dry mass within 5 days. C. necator DSM 531 yielded 3.5 g L-1 dry biomass containing 46 % PHB within the same period. C. necator DSM 545 was superior over the other two in that 14.0 g L-1 of biomass containing 78 % PHB after only 3 days were obtained. These results show that even within the same species, the productivities on natural substrates are very different. The produced polymers were extracted using chloroform, and several thermo-physical parameters are in good accordance with published data. Overall, our holistic approach and the encouraging results prove that chicory roots are a viable fermentation substrate for PHB-production.This work was conducted as a part of the LEAD-ERA Project CARBIO, which was financed by the Basque Goverment and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union

Modification and re-validation of the ethyl acetate-based multi-residue method for pesticides in produce

The ethyl acetate-based multi-residue method for determination of pesticide residues in produce has been modified for gas chromatographic (GC) analysis by implementation of dispersive solid-phase extraction (using primary–secondary amine and graphitized carbon black) and large-volume (20 μL) injection. The same extract, before clean-up and after a change of solvent, was also analyzed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS–MS). All aspects related to sample preparation were re-assessed with regard to ease and speed of the analysis. The principle of the extraction procedure (solvent, salt) was not changed, to avoid the possibility invalidating data acquired over past decades. The modifications were made with techniques currently commonly applied in routine laboratories, GC–MS and LC–MS–MS, in mind. The modified method enables processing (from homogenization until final extracts for both GC and LC) of 30 samples per eight hours per person. Limits of quantification (LOQs) of 0.01 mg kg−1 were achieved with both GC–MS (full-scan acquisition, 10 mg matrix equivalent injected) and LC–MS–MS (2 mg injected) for most of the pesticides. Validation data for 341 pesticides and degradation products are presented. A compilation of analytical quality-control data for pesticides routinely analyzed by GC–MS (135 compounds) and LC–MS–MS (136 compounds) in over 100 different matrices, obtained over a period of 15 months, are also presented and discussed. At the 0.05 mg kg−1 level acceptable recoveries were obtained for 93% (GC–MS) and 92% (LC–MS–MS) of pesticide–matrix combinations

Raspodjela lindana u vodi, sedimentu i ribama iz rijeke Warri (Delta Nigera, Nigerija)

This paper is the first attempt to quantify the levels and the distribution pattern of lindane in the surface water, sediment and fish (Chrysichthys furcatus and Tilapia zilli). The samples were collected from three stations (Ovwian, Ekakpamre, and Ovu) of the Warri River in the western Niger Delta of Nigeria in 2006: during the dry (January-April) and wet seasons (May-August). The analysis included a total of 96 samples made up of 24 samples each for water, sediment, and fish. The pesticide levels were analysed using high performance liquid chromatography to elucidate its distribution in various environmental compartments. Residue levels in the matrices ranged from below the detection limit (BDL) to 1.37µg L-1 in water, BDL to 12.66 µg g-1 dry weight (dw) in sediment, BDL to 16.67 µg g-1dw in Chrysichthys furcatus, and BDL to 0.15 µg g-1dw in Tilapia zilli .The observed values were above the ecological benchmarks (0.01 µg L-1) recommended by the Nigerian Environmental Protection Agency and European Union. They were also relatively higher than in previous studies on the Nigerian environment, which calls for regular monitoring of the Niger Delta water bodies.Istražene su pojava i raspodjela lindana u površinskoj vodi, sedimentu i dvije vrste riba Chrysichthys furcatus i Tilapia zilli iz rijeke Warri u zapadnom dijelu delte Nigera (Nigerija). Uzorci su skupljeni 2006. godine na tri postaje (Ovwian, Ekakpamre i Ovu) tijekom sušne (siječanj - travanj) i vlažne sezone (svibanj - kolovoz). Analizirano je ukupno 96 uzoraka: po 24 uzorka vode, sedimenta i riba. Razine pesticida odre|ene su primjenom tekućinske kromatografije visoke djelotvornosti (HPLC) te je utvr|ivana njihova raspodjela u različitim dijelovima okoliša. Koncentracije rezidua u uzorcima vode bile su u rasponu: ispod granice detekcije (BDL) do 1,37 µg L-1, u sedimentu: BDL do 12,66 µg g-1 suhe tvari, u ribama Chrysichthys furcatus: BDL do 16,67 µg g-1 suhe tvari te Tilapia zilli: BDL do 0,15 µg g-1 suhe tvari. Određene vrijednosti bile su ispod graničnih vrijednosti (0,01 µg L-1) propisanih od Nigerijske uprave za zaštitu okoliša i Europske unije. Kako su dobivene vrijednosti bile relativno više u odnosu na podatke iz ranijih istraživanja okoliša u Nigeriji, istaknuta je potreba trajnog monitoringa vodotoka u delti Nigera

Global data on earthworm abundance, biomass, diversity and corresponding environmental properties

14 p.Earthworms are an important soil taxon as ecosystem engineers, providing a variety of crucial ecosystem functions and services. Little is known about their diversity and distribution at large spatial scales, despite the availability of considerable amounts of local-scale data. Earthworm diversity data, obtained from the primary literature or provided directly by authors, were collated with information on site locations, including coordinates, habitat cover, and soil properties. Datasets were required, at a minimum, to include abundance or biomass of earthworms at a site. Where possible, site-level species lists were included, as well as the abundance and biomass of individual species and ecological groups. This global dataset contains 10,840 sites, with 184 species, from 60 countries and all continents except Antarctica. The data were obtained from 182 published articles, published between 1973 and 2017, and 17 unpublished datasets. Amalgamating data into a single global database will assist researchers in investigating and answering a wide variety of pressing questions, for example, jointly assessing aboveground and belowground biodiversity distributions and drivers of biodiversity change

Global maps of soil temperature

Research in global change ecology relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature in open areas at around 2 m above the ground. These climatic grids do not reflect conditions below vegetation canopies and near the ground surface, where critical ecosystem functions occur and most terrestrial species reside. Here, we provide global maps of soil temperature and bioclimatic variables at a 1-km2 resolution for 0\u20135 and 5\u201315 cm soil depth. These maps were created by calculating the difference (i.e. offset) between in situ soil temperature measurements, based on time series from over 1200 1-km2 pixels (summarized from 8519 unique temperature sensors) across all the world's major terrestrial biomes, and coarse-grained air temperature estimates from ERA5-Land (an atmospheric reanalysis by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). We show that mean annual soil temperature differs markedly from the corresponding gridded air temperature, by up to 10\ub0C (mean = 3.0 \ub1 2.1\ub0C), with substantial variation across biomes and seasons. Over the year, soils in cold and/or dry biomes are substantially warmer (+3.6 \ub1 2.3\ub0C) than gridded air temperature, whereas soils in warm and humid environments are on average slightly cooler ( 120.7 \ub1 2.3\ub0C). The observed substantial and biome-specific offsets emphasize that the projected impacts of climate and climate change on near-surface biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are inaccurately assessed when air rather than soil temperature is used, especially in cold environments. The global soil-related bioclimatic variables provided here are an important step forward for any application in ecology and related disciplines. Nevertheless, we highlight the need to fill remaining geographic gaps by collecting more in situ measurements of microclimate conditions to further enhance the spatiotemporal resolution of global soil temperature products for ecological applications

Global maps of soil temperature.

Research in global change ecology relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature in open areas at around 2 m above the ground. These climatic grids do not reflect conditions below vegetation canopies and near the ground surface, where critical ecosystem functions occur and most terrestrial species reside. Here, we provide global maps of soil temperature and bioclimatic variables at a 1-km <sup>2</sup> resolution for 0-5 and 5-15 cm soil depth. These maps were created by calculating the difference (i.e. offset) between in situ soil temperature measurements, based on time series from over 1200 1-km <sup>2</sup> pixels (summarized from 8519 unique temperature sensors) across all the world's major terrestrial biomes, and coarse-grained air temperature estimates from ERA5-Land (an atmospheric reanalysis by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). We show that mean annual soil temperature differs markedly from the corresponding gridded air temperature, by up to 10°C (mean = 3.0 ± 2.1°C), with substantial variation across biomes and seasons. Over the year, soils in cold and/or dry biomes are substantially warmer (+3.6 ± 2.3°C) than gridded air temperature, whereas soils in warm and humid environments are on average slightly cooler (-0.7 ± 2.3°C). The observed substantial and biome-specific offsets emphasize that the projected impacts of climate and climate change on near-surface biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are inaccurately assessed when air rather than soil temperature is used, especially in cold environments. The global soil-related bioclimatic variables provided here are an important step forward for any application in ecology and related disciplines. Nevertheless, we highlight the need to fill remaining geographic gaps by collecting more in situ measurements of microclimate conditions to further enhance the spatiotemporal resolution of global soil temperature products for ecological applications

Global data on earthworm abundance, biomass, diversity and corresponding environmental properties

Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s).Earthworms are an important soil taxon as ecosystem engineers, providing a variety of crucial ecosystem functions and services. Little is known about their diversity and distribution at large spatial scales, despite the availability of considerable amounts of local-scale data. Earthworm diversity data, obtained from the primary literature or provided directly by authors, were collated with information on site locations, including coordinates, habitat cover, and soil properties. Datasets were required, at a minimum, to include abundance or biomass of earthworms at a site. Where possible, site-level species lists were included, as well as the abundance and biomass of individual species and ecological groups. This global dataset contains 10,840 sites, with 184 species, from 60 countries and all continents except Antarctica. The data were obtained from 182 published articles, published between 1973 and 2017, and 17 unpublished datasets. Amalgamating data into a single global database will assist researchers in investigating and answering a wide variety of pressing questions, for example, jointly assessing aboveground and belowground biodiversity distributions and drivers of biodiversity change.Peer reviewe

Global data on earthworm abundance, biomass, diversity and corresponding environmental properties

Earthworms are an important soil taxon as ecosystem engineers, providing a variety of crucial ecosystem functions and services. Little is known about their diversity and distribution at large spatial scales, despite the availability of considerable amounts of local-scale data. Earthworm diversity data, obtained from the primary literature or provided directly by authors, were collated with information on site locations, including coordinates, habitat cover, and soil properties. Datasets were required, at a minimum, to include abundance or biomass of earthworms at a site. Where possible, site-level species lists were included, as well as the abundance and biomass of individual species and ecological groups. This global dataset contains 10,840 sites, with 184 species, from 60 countries and all continents except Antarctica. The data were obtained from 182 published articles, published between 1973 and 2017, and 17 unpublished datasets. Amalgamating data into a single global database will assist researchers in investigating and answering a wide variety of pressing questions, for example, jointly assessing aboveground and belowground biodiversity distributions and drivers of biodiversity change

Global maps of soil temperature

Research in global change ecology relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature in open areas at around 2 m above the ground. These climatic grids do not reflect conditions below vegetation canopies and near the ground surface, where critical ecosystem functions occur and most terrestrial species reside. Here, we provide global maps of soil temperature and bioclimatic variables at a 1-km2 resolution for 0–5 and 5–15 cm soil depth. These maps were created by calculating the difference (i.e. offset) between in situ soil temperature measurements, based on time series from over 1200 1-km2 pixels (summarized from 8519 unique temperature sensors) across all the world\u27s major terrestrial biomes, and coarse-grained air temperature estimates from ERA5-Land (an atmospheric reanalysis by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). We show that mean annual soil temperature differs markedly from the corresponding gridded air temperature, by up to 10°C (mean = 3.0 ± 2.1°C), with substantial variation across biomes and seasons. Over the year, soils in cold and/or dry biomes are substantially warmer (+3.6 ± 2.3°C) than gridded air temperature, whereas soils in warm and humid environments are on average slightly cooler (−0.7 ± 2.3°C). The observed substantial and biome-specific offsets emphasize that the projected impacts of climate and climate change on near-surface biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are inaccurately assessed when air rather than soil temperature is used, especially in cold environments. The global soil-related bioclimatic variables provided here are an important step forward for any application in ecology and related disciplines. Nevertheless, we highlight the need to fill remaining geographic gaps by collecting more in situ measurements of microclimate conditions to further enhance the spatiotemporal resolution of global soil temperature products for ecological applications