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Background: Japanese knotweed (R. japonica var japonica) is one of the world's 100 worst invasive species, causing crop losses, damage to infrastructure, and erosion of ecosystem services. In the UK, this species is an all-female clone, which spreads by vegetative reproduction. Despite this genetic continuity, Japanese knotweed can colonise a wide variety of environmental habitats. However, little is known about the phenotypic plasticity responsible for the ability of Japanese knotweed to invade and thrive in such diverse habitats. We have used attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, in which the spectral fingerprint generated allows subtle differences in composition to be clearly visualized, to examine regional differences in clonal Japanese knotweed. Results: We have shown distinct differences in the spectral fingerprint region (1800–900 cm− 1) of Japanese knotweed from three different regions in the UK that were sufficient to successfully identify plants from different geographical regions with high accuracy using support vector machine (SVM) chemometrics. Conclusions: These differences were not correlated with environmental variations between regions, raising the possibility that epigenetic modifications may contribute to the phenotypic plasticity responsible for the ability of R. japonica to invade and thrive in such diverse habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is devoted to understand the difference between gamma ray effects and neutron influence on organic materials in order to interpret the change occurred in organic matter that coexists with nuclear tests in deep marine environment. A combination of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and a simple statistical analysis was applied as a tool for the quantitative determination of changes in chemical properties due to radiation effects. The primary goal of this work was to statistically deduce, from correlations obtained between different band intensities, more information on the changes occurred. It did not aim only to investigate in detail the PolyAllyl Diglycol Carbonate (PADC) structure due to gamma and neutron irradiation impacts. The PADC samples obtained from Track Analysis System Ltd., UK of TASTRAK type were irradiated with gamma-ray dose in the range from (5±1)×10³ Gy to (3.0±0.6)×106 Gy using 60Co standard gamma cell of calibrated dose rate. While a high neutron fluence from ETRR-2 research reactor was applied for neutron irradiation process. The results showed a shift in absorption intensities for various bands due to either gamma or neutron irradiation. Such bands are the C=O, C=C and C-O-C. Moreover, formation of -OH radical was observed which indicating water content in the studied samples after irradiation. Such induced alterations were due to bond breakage of weak bonds such as, C-H, C-O, and C-C with different possibilities for gamma irradiation effects. While for neutron irradiation, atomic displacement in the material was the main reason for such changes. Furthermore, by applying a simple statistical analysis test, major infrared bands were integrated in order to make sense of, and draw correlations between each other to get more accurate and comparable results. The obtained results showed a good correlation between some bands, while the other didn't. Also, the applied correlations simplified the comparison between gamma ray and neutron induced effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared plastic ingestion between pelagic and benthic fish populations from two UK watersheds: the Thames Estuary and the Firth of Clyde. The alimentary canals of 876 individuals were examined. Of twenty-one estuarine species investigated, fourteen ingested plastics, including predator (fish) and prey (shrimp) species. Overall, 32% of organisms ingested plastic, mostly fibres (88% of total plastics). More flatfish (38%) ingested plastics than other benthic species (17%). In the Thames, more plastic was ingested by pelagic species (average number of plastic pieces ingested: 3.2) and flatfish (average number of plastic pieces ingested: 2.9) than by shrimp (average number of plastic pieces ingested: 1). More fish from the Clyde ingested plastic than similar Thames species (39% compared to 28% respectively); however, the average amount of plastic ingested did not differ between the sites., (Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)