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Introduction. As a step in the process of Cola anomala domestication, investigations were undertaken on germination requirements and desiccation tolerance of its seeds. Materials and methods. Three seed provenances (Bamenda, Bayangam and Dschang), three substrates (forest top soil, river sand and a mixture of forest top soil and river sand) and two photoperiods (12 h day-1 and continuous darkness) were investigated for their effects on seed germination. To evaluate their desiccation tolerance, fresh seeds were dried at room temperature (24 ± 1 °C) for 16 days during which seed moisture content, seed germination percentage and electrical conductivity of seed leachate were monitored at two-day intervals. Results and discussion. Germination rates were significantly (P There is a significant variation in germination responses between C. anomala seed batches The best substrate for germination is forest top soil supplemented or not with river sand in a 1/1 (v/v) ratio. The seeds of C. anomala are particularly desiccation-sensitive which is a significant constraint for conservation storage.

The study focuses on the Holocene appearance, chronology and drivers of beach sand deposition and inland aeolian sand transport around the Roman–Byzantine ruins of Caesarea, Israel. Beach sand, sand sheets, nebkha, linear and transverse dunes as well as parabolic and transverse interdunes along two transects were sampled in the current study down to their substrate. Sixteen new optically stimulated luminescence ages cluster at ∼5.9–3.3 ka, ∼1.2–1.1 ka (800–900 AD) and ∼190–120 years ago (1825–1895 AD) indicating times of middle and late Holocene sand sheet depositions and historical dune stabilization. The first age cluster indicates that beach sand accumulated when rates of global sea level rise declined around 6–5 ka. Until ∼4 ka sand sheets encroached up to 2.5 km inland. Historical and archaeological evidence points to sand mobilization since the first century AD. Sand sheets dating to 1.2–1.1 ka, coevally found throughout the dunefield represent sand stabilization due to vegetation reestablishment attributed to gradual and fluctuating decline in human activity from the middle Early Islamic period until the 10th century. Historical and chronological evidence of the existence of transverse and coppice dunes from the 19th century suggest that dunes only formed in the last few centuries. The study illustrates the initial role of natural processes, in this case decline in global sea level rise and the primary and later role of fluctuating human activity upon coastal sand mobility. The study distinguishes between sand sheets and dunes and portrays them as sensors of environmental changes.

Peat moss is the main component used in soilless greenhouse substrates and is thus in high demand commercially. Due to both perceived environmental and economic concerns associated with peat harvest and production, an increased search for alternative substrates has occurred. A majority of the viable alternatives available to growers are wood-based substrates. These substrates are readily available and could be considered more sustainable, depending on geographic location, than peat moss. One example of these wood-based substrates is eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana L.). The objectives of these experiments were to evaluate post-distilled, milled eastern redcedar shavings, in varying volumetric concentrations, as a substrate component, and to compare its effectiveness to a grower's standard peat-lite mix. Petunia ×hybrida Vilm. ‘Celebrity Blue’ and Impatiens walleriana Hook.f. ‘Extreme Violet’ grown in substrates containing up to 40% eastern redcedar product had equal or greater growth index than in the standard peat-lite mix, although bloom count was reduced in one experiment. Therefore, growers could amend their substrates with up to 40% eastern redcedar shavings and see little to no change in marketable plant growth for these two annual species.

The purpose of this paper is an investigation of the possible role of zeolite and powdered Bayburt stones on the fresh and hardened properties of hydrated lime (CL90) mortars. Parameters studied in this paper form the main barriers to the use of hydrated lime in construction practice. Enhancement of these parameters is vital for mortar/substrate optimisation in masonry construction. The major concern of this paper therefore is the combination of wet mortar and brick substrate and most significantly the interaction between them at fresh and hardened states. The results show that transfer sorptivity and time to dewater hydrated lime mortars can be manipulated when zeolite and powdered Bayburt stones are used as replacement materials to the binder. Long setting time of CL90 mortars is decreased with the increasing replacement levels of both zeolite and powdered Bayburt stones. Experimental results also showed that the increasing replacement levels of zeolite and powdered Bayburt stones resulted in a dramatic increase in compressive strength and these results are also supported with the microstructural images. The ability to enhance water transport kinetics and mechanical properties of hydrated lime mortars with zeolite and powdered Bayburt stones should not be underestimated as this enables such materials to be used in construction practice more competently. These results have important practical consequences, not only in the initial adhesion of the mortar to the substrate but also in the strength of the set material and therefore the use of hydrated lime mortars may be encouraged if zeolite and Bayburt stones can improve the fresh and hardened state properties of these mortars.

Knowledge of how effectively microbes are transported through porous media is useful for water resource/wastewater management. Despite much research having been done to characterize microbial contaminant transport through various sedimentary materials, very little study has been made on coral sand, such as constitutes the primary substrate of many Pacific atolls. We conducted a set of laboratory column experiments as a preliminary examination of how effective coral sand is at attenuating model pathogens J6-2 and MS2 bacteriophage (phage) under saturated flow conditions mildly representative of field conditions at the Bonriki freshwater lens, South Tarawa, Kiribati. The very poorly sorted gravelly sand coral substrate tested proved very effective at attenuating the bacterial tracer, and spatial removal rates of between 0.02 and 0.07 log cm were determined for J6-2. The ability to determine precise removal rates for MS2 phage was compromised by the use of a plastic apparatus, although the evidence weights toward coral sand being less effective at attenuating MS2 phage than it is . Further research is required to fully assess the ability of coral sand to remove pathogens and to explore how this medium could be engineered into cost-effective water/wastewater treatment solutions on Pacific atolls. The phage data from this work highlight the limitations of using plastic apparatus in experiments targeted at characterizing the fate and transport of viruses.

The growing period of the deep-rooted, winter-deciduous Capparis spinosa (caper) coincides with the dry season, in the Mediterranean Basin. Roots of wild shrubs of C. spinosa penetrated cracks of a pumice substrate and lengthened in the subterranean environment of the ancient catacombs of Milos Island (Greece); therein, they reached depths of up to 20 m and exploited water present in deep soil layers. Elevated water potential (Ψ) was measured in root segments (Ψr = −0.35 ± 0.06 MPa), a few centimetres from the root apices of C. spinosa found in the catacombs during the dry season. Also, estimates of foliar predawn water potential and gas exchange components, as well as of nocturnal floral water potential of C. spinosa grown on slopes above the subterranean monument were high and reflected the efficiency of roots in retaining acquisition of water from deep soil layers, during the dry season.

We evaluated mixed materials made from dephosphorization slag, a byproduct of the steelmaking process, as a basal material and dredged material (DM) as a silt-clay source in constructing beds to grow eelgrass (Zostera marina L.). Silica sand was used as a reference basal material. The slag increased in pH to about 9.0 in interstitial water, but adding DM to slag mitigated the increase. The addition of DM to slag and sand enhanced the growth of eelgrass, primarily because of the increased NH4-N and PO4-P supply. No difference was found in growth between slag- and sand-based sediments having the same proportion of DM even though slag-based sediments exhibited substantially higher pH and lower PO4-P concentrations than sand-based sediments. No significant differences were found between the macrobenthic community structures in the two sediment types. Dephosphorization slag mixed with DM was considered useful as a construction material for eelgrass beds.

Steel slag (SS) is a fertilizer amendment with a high concentration of calcium oxide, and thus capable of raising substrate pH similar to dolomitic lime (DL). Steel slag, however, contains higher concentrations of some nutrients, such as iron, manganese, and silicon, compared to DL. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of SS rate on pH in a substrate composed of 80 pine bark:20 sphagnum peatmoss (v:v), as well as growth and nutrient concentration of butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii ‘Pink Delight’ Franch.). The base substrate was amended with either DL or SS at rates of 0, 0.6, 2.4, 4.8, 9.5, or 14.3 kg·m−3. Substrates were placed into 12-L nursery containers and potted with a single butterfly bush per container. Dolomitic lime amendment resulted in higher substrate pH at rates from 0.6 to 4.8 kg·m−3 while the SS amendment caused a greater increase in pH at rates higher than 4.8 kg·m−3. Butterfly bush responded well to all but the highest SS rate applied. As the rate of SS increased to 14.3 kg·m−3, decreased Mg availability may have reduced shoot growth. Based on the results of this experiment, SS could be used as an alternative to DL. However, incorporation rates would need to be adjusted slightly higher for SS compared to DL to achieve a desired pH in the range of 6 to 6.5.

Fully gravid mud crabs, Scylla serrata (230 to 360 g body weight; 7.5 to 10.25 cm carapace length) were bought from tidal floodplain of Mosehkhali, Cox’s Bazar and transported to the Niribili Hatchery, Krjukhal, Ukhia, Cox’s Bazar. Prior to stocking in the hatchery, the crabs were bathed in a 100 µl/l formalin solution for an hour. The crabs were housed in cemented cistern, equipped with treated sea water supply. They were held in 10 tonnes cemented tanks provided with sand as substrate and PVC pipe for shelter. Rearing water was supplied from nearby sea water canal with tidal flow and pass through a complete water filtration system (sea water> siltation tank> quartz filter> sand filter> mollusk shell filter> treatment tank> curtis filter> UV filter> storage tank etc.) with central aeration system. The water tanks were chlorinated before use. Water temperature in the rearing tank was between 28.5o-30 0 C, salinity between 28-30 ppt, pH 7.8-8.1 and alkalinity was 153 mg/L. Stocked crabs were fed fresh marine squid or flat fish alternately twice daily at 3% body weight. Excess feeds were siphoned out prior to feeding. After 10-15 days of acclimation, unilateral eyestalk ablation of berried crab was applied to induce spawning. After eyestalk ablation, ablated crabs were again bathed in a 100 µl/l formalin solution for one hour and transferred to 300-L fibre glass tank for individual crab with aeration. Daily management consisted of siphoning out waste material from the tank bottom and controlling of temperature (30°C), salinity (30 ppt) and ammonia and nitrite levels. One to two days prior to hatching, the gravid mud crabs were moved to the laboratory of Marine Fisheries & Technology Station, Cox’s Bazar and kept in 300-L fibre glass tanks with central aeration system. The laboratory was maintained proper bio-security with aeration system, enough lightening and pretreated sea water

New thoracican cirripede material from the Kimmeridge Clay (Upper Jurassic, Tithonian) is described. This includes a log, encrusted on the lower surface with hundreds of perfectly preserved, articulated specimens of Etcheslepas durotrigensis Gale, 2014, and fewer specimens of Concinnalepas costata (Withers, 1928). Some individuals are preserved in life position, hanging from the underside of the wood, and the material provides new morphological information on both species. It appears that Martillepas ovalis (Withers, 1928), which occurs at the same level (Freshwater Steps Stone Band, pectinatus Zone) attached preferentially to ammonites, whereas E. durotrigensis and C. costata used wood as a substrate for their epiplanktonic lifestyle. Two regurgitates containing abundant barnacle valves, mostly broken, and some bivalve fragments, have been found in the Kimmeridge Clay. These were produced by a fish grazing on epiplanktonic species, and are only the second example of regurgitates containing barnacle valves known from the fossil record. The evolution of modern barnacle groups is discussed in the light of the new Jurassic material as well as recently published molecular phylogenies. New clades defined herein are called the Phosphatothoracica, the Calamida and the Unilatera.

In the past decades, desert rose has become a very popular ornamental plant, especially among collectors, due to its exotic and sculptural forms. However, it has been grown on a commercial scale only recently, and little is known about how to best manage it as a container-grown plant, or even which potting medium (substrate) to recommend. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the interactions between potting media and irrigation levels for growing desert rose as a potted ornamental plant. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse using a 6 x 2 factorial arrangement with six replications, six potting media and two irrigation levels. The mixes were characterized by measuring their physical properties, specifically the density and water retention capacity (WRC), as well as chemical properties, such as the pH and electrical conductivity (EC). After 210 days, plant growth and plant water consumption were evaluated and measured. A lower dry density for the vermiculite mixes was observed in comparison to that for the sand mixes. However, WRC ranged from 428 to 528 mL L-1 among the mixes, values considered close to ideal. In general, plant growth exhibited higher increases in mixes consisting of coconut fiber + sand or vermiculite, regardless of the irrigation level. Mixes of vermiculite + coconut fiber and sand + coconut fiber can be used to grow desert rose in pots, as long as irrigation is used to maintain the moisture content of the potting medium (mix) between 60-70% and 80-90% of the WRC. RESUMO Na última década a rosa do deserto ganhou destaque no mercado de flores, principalmente entre colecionadores, devido às suas formas exóticas e esculturais; porém, o cultivo da espécie em escala comercial é bastante recente e pouco se sabe acerca do manejo da cultura, inclusive no que diz respeito à recomendação de substratos. Assim, objetiva-se nesse trabalho estudar a interação entre substratos e níveis de irrigação no desenvolvimento de rosa do deserto em vaso. Conduziu-se o experimento em casa de vegetação em esquema fatorial 6 x 2, com seis repetições, adotando-se seis substratos e dois níveis de irrigação. As misturas foram caracterizadas mensurando-se suas propriedades físicas (densidade e capacidade de retenção de água - CRA) e químicas (pH e condutividade elétrica - CE). Aos 210 dias de cultivo avaliou-se o crescimento das plantas; além do consumo de água pela cultura. Para as misturas compostas por vermiculita verificou-se menor densidade seca em relação às compostas por areia; no entanto, a CRA variou de 428 a 528 mL L-1 entre as misturas, valores próximos aos considerados ideais. De modo geral, o crescimento das plantas teve maiores incrementos nas misturas compostas por fibra de coco mais areia ou vermiculita, independente do nível de irrigação. As misturas vermiculita + fibra de coco e areia + fibra de coco podem ser empregadas para o cultivo em vaso de rosa do deserto, quando se mantiver os níveis de irrigação entre 60-70% e 80-90% da CRA das misturas.

This chapter discusses one possible operational mode for the holding system design. The description of the bench scale automated system includes designs for the holding system and algae chemostat, the overall system operation, and the computer control/monitoring. The clam tank and trays were designed in accordance with the federal shellfish depuration guidelines. Proper water quality maintenance was accomplished using a pressurized upflow sand filter to entrap suspended solids and provide high nitrification capabilities at low substrate levels Design criteria for the filter followed those established for soft crawfish recirculating systems. The sump provides water quality buffering capacity, collects the water draining from the holding tank, receives the excess overflow from algae input, and provides a water source for the main system pump. The algae chemostat to support feeding in the Rangia clam recirculating holding system was sized based on algae growth kinetics and Rangia clam consumption studies.

Green roofs provide important ecosystem services in urban areas. In Mediterranean and other semi-arid climate regions, most perennial plants on green roofs need to be irrigated during the dry season. However, the use of freshwater in such regions is scarce. Therefore, the possibility of using grey water should be examined. Coal ash, produced primarily from the burning of coal in power plants, constitutes an environmental contaminant that should be disposed. One option is to use ash as a growing substrate for plants. Here, we compare the effects of irrigating with grey- versus tap-water and using ash versus perlite as growing substrates in green roofs. The study was conducted in northern Israel in a Mediterranean climate. The design was full factorial with three factors: water-type (grey or tap-water)×substrate-type (coal ash vs perlite)×plant species (Phyla nodiflora, Convolvulus mauritanicus or no-plant). The development of plants and the quality of drainage water along the season, as well as quality of the used substrates were monitored. Both plant species developed well under all the experimental conditions with no effect of water type or substrate type. Under all treatments, both plant species enhanced electrical conductivity (EC) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the drainage water. In the summer, EC and COD reached levels that are unacceptable in water and are intended to be reused for irrigation. We conclude that irrigating with grey water and using coal ash as a growth substrate can both be implemented in green roofs. The drainage from tap water as well as from grey water can be further used for irrigating the roof, but for that, COD and EC levels must be lowered by adding a sufficient amount of tap water before reusing.

International audience; In situ effects of ocean acidification on carbonate dissolution by microboring flora, also called biogenic dissolution, have only been studied once in tropical environments. Naturally acidified seawaters due to CO2 vents offer a perfect setting to study these effects in temperate systems. Three sites were selected at Ischia (Italy, Mediterranean Sea) with one experiencing ambient pH and the two others a mean pHT of 7.2 and 7.5. At Faial (Azores, NE Atlantic), one site with ambient pH and one acidified site with a mean pHT of 7.4 were selected. Experiments were carried out during 1.5 months and 6 months in Azores and Ischia, respectively, to determine the effects of OA on microboring communities in various carbonate substrates. Low pH influenced negatively boring microflora development by limiting their depth of penetration and abundance in substrates. Biogenic dissolution was thus reduced by a factor 3 to 7 depending on sites and substrate types. At sites with ambient pH in Faial, biogenic dissolution contributed up to 23% to the total weight loss, while it contributed less than 1% to the total weight loss of substrates at the acidified sites. Most of the dissolution at these sites was due to chemical dissolution (often Ω ≤ 1). Such conditions maintained microboring communities at a pioneer stage with a limited depth of penetration in substrates. Our results, together with previous findings which showed an increase of biogenic dissolution at pH >7.7, suggest that there is a pH tipping point below which microborer development and thus, carbonate biogenic dissolution, is strongly limited.

Molluscs (oysters and gastropods) of the Late Paleocene Chehel-Kaman Formation, Kopet-Dagh Basin, NE Iran were significantly colonized by sclerobionts. The largest area of the shells studied is covered by various borings. The diversity of macro-bioeroding ichnotaxa is rather high, including Gastrochaenolites Leymerie, 1842; Maeandropolydora Voigt, 1965; Trypanites Magdefrau, 1932; Talpina von Hagenow, 1840, and possibly Entobia Bronn, 1837. Some slightly conical borings penetrating the shells could belong to predatory tracemakers of Oichnus Bromley, 1981. Encrusters include calcareous polychaetes, cyclostome and cheilostome bryozoans, foraminifera and oysters. Calcareous sabellids [i.e. Glomerula serpentina (Goldfuss, 1831)] and serpulids are equally common sclerobionts in the association. Bryozoans cover a slightly larger area of the substrate than the calcareous polychaetes, while encrusting oysters are subordinate. The majority of fossils in the hard-substrate community studied belong to suspension feeders. Sclerobionts are typical of the shallow-marine environment, commonly in warm water. The present study is the first attempt to record the occurrence and diversity of epi- and endobionts in the organic substrates, present in the topmost part of the Late Paleocene Chehel-Kaman Formation, Kopet-Dagh Basin, NE Iran.

We examined the influence of sand burial of 0.5-mm and 10-mm depths on micro-fungal communities inhabiting moss-dominated and mixed biocrusts in the vicinity of the Shapotou Research Station in the Tengger Desert, China. The buried communities were compared with those in unburied crusts, as well as with the sandy below-crust and topsoil communities. We isolated 65 fungal species belonging to 43 genera using the soil dilution plate method. Compared to the unburied communities, the buried crust communities were characterized by lower abundance of melanin containing species, especially those with large many-celled conidia, but higher abundance of species producing small light-colored and one-celled conidia, mainly mesophilic Penicillium spp. Sand deposition also caused reduction of isolate density that was more pronounced in the mixed crusts. Diversity characteristics of micro-fungal communities and isolate densities varied in the two crust types in response to the same level of sand burial. This difference between the mixed and moss-dominated crusts was less expressed when the communities had been subjected to the deep sand burial. Below-crust sandy communities showed a more significant decrease both in isolate density and species richness compared to buried crust communities, which was accompanied by the substitution of dominant species – the thermotolerant Aspergillus fumigatus in the subcrust sandy layers instead of melanized species with large multicellular conidia in the crusts. On the whole, the influence of sand burial on crust micro-fungal communities was likely associated with the shielding effect of sand layer which might protect the crust layer from evaporation and UV-radiation. Whereas sand deposition in the crusts partly changed the substrate quality and microclimatic conditions for soil micro-fungi, transition from the crust to the below-crust sandy layer much more substantially altered the environmental situation (mainly in nutrient status, from the comparatively rich organic crust layer to the poor mineral sandy layer) thus leading to the more significant changes in the micro-fungal communities.

This study was conducted to investigate the feasibility of using litter compost from a pig-on-litter system in the nursery and growth of vegetables to replace part of peat in substrates containing peat, vermiculite and perlite. The main physical and chemical characteristics of substrates with different proportions of spent pig litter compost (SPLC), peat, vermiculite and perlite were analysed, and the performance of plants grown in these substrates were recorded. A commercially available peat product referred as Peat was used as the control. The total porosity and air porosity of the studied substrates tended to decrease with increasing SPLC proportions. The pH (6.99–7.63) and EC values (3.80–5.75) increased with SPLC addition and were above the range for ideal substrates. The plant height, stem diameter and weight of the tomato seedlings were the highest in substrates containing 30% and 40% SPLC, which were similar to those in Peat and were significantly higher than in substrates containing 50% and 60% S...

This study is focused on the depositional model and paleoenvironmental distribution patterns of orbitolinids-rich microfacies in an Upper Cretaceous carbonate succession in the Kuh-e Mazar anticline in Kerman Province, Central Iran. Twelve microfacies indicating a tidal flat (including intertidal and supratidal) and an inner ramp (consisting of subtidal lagoon and orbitolinid–rudist barrier shoal) belonging to a shallow-water ramp-type carbonate platform were recognised. Generally, the orbitolinid associations in the carbonate ramp are indicative of shallow warm waters with normal salinity. The occurrence and abundance of thick or conical orbitolinids in both shoal and lagoon show that such associations were well adapted to different environmental conditions including different depth, substrate stability and water energy. The slightly discoidal, almost discoidal and discoidal forms were only present in the deeper depths of the environment including the lagoon with muddy and more stable substrates and lowe...

Coastal waters of Tanjung Sira has calcareousalgae of the genus Halimeda limestone, Padina, Amphiroa, Galaxaura, Corallina, Hydrolithon, Mesophyllum, Peysonallia, Porolithon and Sporolithon. The substrate that used as habitat are sand, coarse sand, rocks and dead coral rubble. Calcium carbonate contained on calcareous algae fungsioning as adhesive and encrusting dead coral, shells of mollusks that have decayed and massive objects in the waters of the sea. The research aims was to determine the growth characteristics of calcareousalgae in the reef flats, local distribution, calcium carbonate contain and its contribution as a frame work coastal reef waters. The research method using transect (Buckland et al., 1993). Identification of the type of aragonite and calcite according to Cordero (1977). Analysis of calcium carbonate according to Hillis (1980). The results showed that the green and brown calcareousalgae found in the reef flats, has thallus and tubers. Red calcareousalgae grew as encrusting on dead reefs and massif substrate. There are 16 species of calcareous algae that found in reseach area, 10 species containing aragonite mineral and 6 species containing calcite mineral. The content of calcium carbonate on each species obtained 100-450 g/m² consists of aragonite and calcite minerals. Calcareousalgae contribute in the new formation of coral reef ecosystems. The other benefit of calcareaousalgae in the coastal waters is an additional food for herbivorous fish. The content of calcium carbonate on calcareousalgae species is used in pharmaceutical field as drug ingredients and supplements for humans.

usc Refereed/Peer-reviewed Formation water samples collected from five South Sumatra Basin (SSB) coal bed methane (CBM) wells were investigated for the presence of active microbial communities capable of converting coal to methane using culture enrichment studies and molecular phylogenetics techniques. All water samples contained communities capable of methanogenesis using both acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic pathways. In addition, viable coals to methane communities were detected in four of the water samples. Molecular analysis further confirmed the presence of active microbial methanogen consortia in the tested water samples. Taken together these results highlight the potential of SSB coals to be developed as real time methane bioreactors that may contribute to Indonesia's future energy supply.

Fabrication of superhydrophobic and oleophilic materials has attracted environment scientists due their application in oil spill clean-up. Herein, we report the preparation of superhydrophobic and oleophilic precipitated calcium carbonate sorbent via a simple and economical one-step synthetic approach using precipitated calcium carbonate as the substrate and palmitic acid as the surface modifying agent. The material is tested for its selectivity and effectiveness in the removal of spilled oil from both water and land surfaces. Test confirms the superhydrophobic character of the material with a static water contact angle of 166 ± 1°, whereas the oleophilic nature was validated from various oil uptake studies. In addition to being superhydrophobic and oleophilic, the sorbent material was found to be reusable for more than five times. Interestingly, the sorbent has high oil sorption selectivity, suitable buoyancy to float on water and possesses high oil sorption efficiencies (>99%).

Effect of artificial substrates on growth and survival of giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man, 1879)in the nursery and grow-out rearing was evaluated. Nursery rearing was conducted for a period of 35 days in nine 1 m3cement tubs with 15 cm soil base. Three tubs without substrates served as control (C) while three tubs each with 200 g ofsugarcane bagasse (SB) or 200 g of paddy straw (PS) formed the treatments. Each tub was stocked with 15 post-larvae(mean weight, 0.01 g). Grow-out rearing was conducted for 90 days in six 25 m2 cement cisterns, of which three cisternswithout substrate served as control (C) and three with 5 kg sugarcane bagasse (SB) served as treatment. Each cistern wasstocked with 25 juveniles (mean weight, 0.55 g). The average phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance in water as wellas algae and food organisms attached on the substrate in the nursery phase was greater in bagasse than in paddy strawtreatments. Addition of substrate resulted in higher growth and survival both in nursery and grow-out phase. Prawns grownin cisterns provided with substrates were of more uniform size than those in control cisterns. The study recommends the useof substrate based aquaculture for nursery and grow-out rearing of M. rosenbergii.

Malacostracans are among one of the most species-rich classes in nature. The crustaceans in this class differ widely in size—from a few millimetres to almost one metre in length. Because of their complex morphological and anatomical structure, they are often referred to as higher crustaceans. The crustacean body is segmented and covered with an exoskeleton that often takes the form of a calcified chitin carapace. Many species are beautifully and brightly coloured, the colours and patterns depending on the substrate against which the animal is seen. They can be found in all types of water bodies, both marine and fresh water. They inhabit both open ocean and sea waters, but also the coastal zone. Many lead a pelagic life in the water column, thus constituting one of the major components of marine zooplankton. They also occur on the muddy and sandy bottoms of water bodies. Some species pairs have symbiotic relationships, while others are commensals, that is, they rely on food supplied by another species (Fig. 8.1).

Captive-rearing observations are valuable for revealing aspects of fish behavior and ecology when continuous field investigations are impossible. Here, a series of basic techniques are described to enable observations of the reproductive behavior of a wild-caught gobiid fish, as a model, kept in an aquarium. The method focuses on three steps: collection, transport, and observations of reproductive ecology of a substrate spawner. Essential aspects of live fish collection and transport are (1) preventing injury to the fish, and (2) careful acclimation to the aquarium. Preventing harm through injuries such as scratches or a sudden change of water pressure is imperative when collecting live fish, as any physical damage is likely to negatively affect the survival and later behavior of the fish. Careful acclimation to aquaria decreases the incidence death and mitigates the shock of transport. Observations during captive rearing include (1) the identification of individual fish and (2) monitoring spawned eggs without negative effects to the fish or eggs, thereby enabling detailed investigation of the study species' reproductive ecology. The subcutaneous injection of a visible implant elastomer (VIE) tag is a precise method for the subsequent identification of individual fish, and it can be used with a wide size range of fish, with minimal influence on their survival and behavior. If the study species is a substrate spawner that deposits adhesive eggs, an artificial nest site constructed from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe with the addition of a removable waterproof sheet will facilitate counting and monitoring the eggs, lessening the investigator's influence on the nest-holding and egg-guarding behavior of the fish. Although this basic method entails techniques that are seldom mentioned in detail in research articles, they are fundamental for undertaking experiments that require the captive rearing of a wild fish.

Pif80 is a key protein for the formation and organization of mineral precursor in pearl oyster nacre biomineralization., Molluscan nacre is a fascinating biomineral consisting of a highly organized calcium carbonate composite that provides unique fracture toughness and an iridescent color. Organisms elaborately control biomineralization using organic macromolecules. We propose the involvement of the matrix protein Pif80 from the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata in the development of the inorganic phase during nacre biomineralization, based on experiments using the recombinant form of Pif80. Through interactions with calcium ions, Pif80 participates in the formation of polymer-induced liquid precursor–like amorphous calcium carbonate granules and stabilizes these granules by forming calcium ion–induced coacervates. At the calcification site, the disruption of Pif80 coacervates destabilizes the amorphous mineral precursors, resulting in the growth of a crystalline structure. The redissolved Pif80 controls the growth of aragonite on the polysaccharide substrate, which contributes to the formation of polygonal tablet structure of nacre. Our findings provide insight into the use of organic macromolecules by living organisms in biomineralization.

The present study aimed to evaluate the initial growth of Passiflora edulis plants under water deficit and inundation. The work was carried out in a greenhouse covered with transparent plastic in pots with a capacity of five liters and filled with 5 kg of substrate composed of oxisol, sand and cattle manure in the proportion of 3:1:1, respectively. The experimental design used was completely randomized, with seven treatments and five repetitions; 30 days after emergence, the plants were irrigated with water equivalent to 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%, 125%, 150% and 175% of the pot capacity and the analyzes were performed on the 52nd day. The P. edulis plants under limitation and excess water showed high stomatal sensitivity to reduce the water. In addition, under water deficit, the plants showed bigger root growth to maximize water absorption from the soil, but in both stresses the plants demonstrated reduced vegetative growth, that implies retarded establishment, thus, demonstrating an average susceptibility to water deficit and inundation.

A new species of Paypayrola from a white sand savanna in the San Miguel river basin, a tributary of the lower Guainia river in Amazonas State, Venezuela, is described, illustrated, and its relationships with putatively allied species are discussed. This new species differs from all others in the genus in its small habit and aggregate life-form. The flowers are similar to those of P. confertiflora and P. blanchetiana but are intermediate in size and the petals are pink- or red-tinged. The phytogeography of white sand savannas is briefly discussed and a key and a synopsis of the known species of Paypayrola are presented in two appendices. Leaf structure and histology were studied using both light and scanning electron microscopy and a chemical test showed a positive reaction to aluminum accumulation in leaf tissues. However, it was not possible to ascertain if levels of aluminum accumulation exceeded what was present in the substrate.

Mud shrimps (formerly Thalassinidea) are common burrow dwelling decapod crustaceans in the littoral zone of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Their burrow morphology was investigated using foam casting methods. The present study shows that the burrow morphology in Upogebia carinicauda is not consistent and the recorded variations are based on habitat type and some physical characteristics of sediments. Adult burrow morphology in sandy-muddy substrate with shells, and boulder field habitats were Y-shaped and complex burrows of horizontal channels with turning chambers and vertical connections to internal passages or crevices of boulders, respectively. In burrows of U. carinicauda, some narrow passages, connected to the upper part of adult burrows in sandy-muddy habitats, belong to juveniles. Another species, Neocallichirus jousseaumei was found under boulders in sandy-muddy habitats of the Gulf of Oman and Qeshm Island, Persian Gulf. Since this type of habitat is special in some features, no conspicuous ex-current openings (usually obvious as conical mounds of extruded sediment) have been observed on the sediment surface; as these were hidden among the boulders surrounded by mixed sand and shells. The only method for observing this type of burrow was to remove the boulders by hand or lever.

New Zealand mud snails Potamopyrgus antipodarum (NZMS) are an invasive species and keeping NZMS out of hatcheries is important because the snail can be spread through the stocking of fish. We conducted a series of experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of using hydrogen peroxide to kill NZMS and sodium chloride to force NZMS to withdraw into their shells. The lowest concentrations of hydrogen peroxide that produced 100% mortality of NZMS were 750 mg/L for a 24-h exposure and and 75 mg/L for a 96-h exposure. We found that NZMS treated with sodium chloride withdrew into their shell and released from the substrate. Treatments with sodium chloride (717 mg/L) caused 70% of NZMS to withdraw into their shells and release from the substrate within the first minute of exposure, which could be beneficial in flushing them from a hatchery system provided there is sufficient discharge.Received October 15, 2013; accepted July 6, 2014

Calcium oxalate patinas have been sampled on architectural elements of two ancient churches located on Torcello Island (Venetian Lagoon) and subsequently analyzed. The site had been selected presenting patinas of exceptional amount and thickness, elsewhere generally found as thin alteration layers covering stone surfaces or within black crusts on monuments in urban environments. Optical and mineralogical analyses suggest that these patinas are not the result of a simple deposition process, but originate as surface “transformations” of the substrate, and are mainly composed of dihydrate calcium oxalate (weddellite) and gypsum. Among the experimental techniques, isotope analyses (C and S) have been specifically carried out aiming at achieving a better understanding of their origin and possible causes of formation. The observed carbon isotopic fingerprint reveals in fact a strong biological fractionation recorded in the oxalate patina (δ13C ranging from −22.3‰ to −28.0‰), almost exclusively attributable to C...

Cooling water system plays a vital role in thermal power plants. Cooling water system removes the heat via evaporative coolers. Its primary aim is to remove the heat absorbed in the circulating water system. Water is pumped from the tower base into cooling water routed through the process cooler and condenser. The cool water absorbs the heat from hot process system. The absorbed heat warms the circulating water, which returns to the top of cooling tower and tickles downward towards the materials inside the tower. The evaporated water leaves the dissolved salts in the water which has not been evaporated thus salt concentration is increased in water. The concentration of dissolved salts in the cooling water exceeds their solubility limits and precipitates on the water surface and forms the scale. The most common scale formers, calcium salts cause scale formation in the most sensitive areas of heat transfer. In extreme cases, enough material precipitates physically blocked the cooling water passages, resulting in the affected equipment being removed from the operation for either chemical or mechanical cleaning.. The microbes, which are ubiquitous in nature, particularly the bacteria utilises some of the substrates as sole source for their multiplication; sometime it may utilize a special component and can degrade the other substances.. Thus the production of enzyme urease by some bacteria plays a vital role in reducing calcium by utilizing the anural substrate urea. The primary role of bacteria in the precipitation process has been ascribed to their ability to create an alkaline environment through various physiological activities. Immobilization of the microbes (biocatalysts) in specific matrices will further improve the efficiency of the process.

A study was carried out on 20 water bodies of the same origin in southern Poland. The study objectives included the assessment of toxic metal contamination in the bottom sediments of the water bodies in comparison with the geochemical background and sediments found in the substrate (i.e., vicinity) of the water bodies (i.e., the formations present in the surroundings of the water body itself), thus demonstrating the scale of anthropogenic enrichment of bottom sediments with toxic metals and assessing the cumulative impact on water bodies. The following amounts of toxic metals were found in the bottom sediments of the water bodies examined: 181.7–35200.0 ppm for zinc, 33.3–1648.8 ppm for lead, 1.8–359 ppm for cadmium, 14.0–271.5 ppm for copper, 45.3–167.5 ppm for chromium, and 12–128.5 ppm for nickel. Ratios of the values measured to the geochemical background were as follows: 0.7–135.9 (Zn), 0.6–53.0 (Pb), 0.7–143.6 (Cd), 0.9–18.1 (Cu), 5.0–18.6 (Cr), 1.1–11.7 (Ni).

The geochemical study of 5 sediment cores obtained from different shallow hydrothermal fields along the volcanic arc (Methana, Milos, Kos and Yali), revealed that the degree of rock hydrothermal alteration from one area to another is different and is influenced by the physical and geochemical properties of the hydrothermal venting fluids and the type of the rocks in the substrate. The submarine hydrothermal fields in the central Aegean Sea are linked with the Hellenic Volcanic Arc and imprint their hydrothermal influence on the local marine sediments. Hydrothermal venting fluids differ in pH, temperature, gas and metallic element content, intensity of gas and water flux, while rock substrate is variable in terms of thickness and chemistry of the marine sediments and the mineral deposits. The analytical results showed that the lowest values of Fe are observed in Palaeochori Bay (0.72%) and the highest values are found in Bros Thermi (2.72%). The highest Mn concentrations are found in Bros Thermi (407 ppm) and the lowest are found in Yali (29 ppm). Cu and Pb highest concentrations are found in Bros Thermi (21 ppm) and Thiafi Bay (16 ppm), and the lowest in Yali (1 ppm). Zn highest values are found in Bros Thermi (56 ppm) and the lowest values in Kephalos Bay (10 ppm). Finally, the Ca and Mg-richest layers are observed in Kephalos 7.5 and 0.98% respectively and the lowest are observed in Milos (0.01% for Ca) and Yali (0.12% for Mg). The hydrothermal activity presented variations with geological time and hydrothermal suspended particulate matter coming out from the vent outlets also influence the sediment geochemistry. As an example in Methana, high concentrations of Cu and Zn in SPM result in high levels of Cu and Zn in the sediments.

Winery effluent is characterized by the presence of high concentrations of organic molecules. Biological sand filters are ideal systems for the bioremediation of this waste at small wineries. In this study, synthetic winery wastewater, consisting of phenolics and high concentrations of ethanol and acetate was treated in experimental biological sand filters operated in batch mode. The organic substrates and metabolites in effluent and pore water samples, taken from four niches (superficial and deep; inlet and outlet), were identified and quantified. The highest COD concentrations were measured at the deep inlet and the lowest at the deep outlet, reflecting the establishment of degradation gradients from inlet to outlet due to plug flow. Ethanol was the preferred substrate in all niches but contrary to expectations, the biodegradation of ethanol and phenolics took place preferentially under lower redox conditions, in the deep niches. There was an accumulation of acetate and propionate, with propionate being found in notably higher ratios in the deep niches. The acidic influent (pH 3.5) was neutralized.

Considering suitability of climatic conditions and economic aspects in Konkan region of Maharashtra, cultivation of Calocybe indica was undertaken with locally available substrates viz. paddy straw, horse gram waste, wild grass (Themeda quadrivolvis), bamboo leaves and different casing materials such as vermicompost, sand + soil (1:1 v/v), dried biogas spent slurry and combination of sand +soil +dried biogas spent slurry (1:1:1 v/v). Among the four substrates evaluated for cultivation of milky mushroom, paddy straw was the best with 81.05 per cent biological efficiency followed by horse gram waste (BE 50 %) and bamboo leaves (BE 40.62 %), but wild grass (Themeda quadrivolvis) was the poorest substrate. The biological efficiency of Calocybe indica was doubled by using a combination of sand +soil +dried biogas spent slurry (BE 180.32%) or vermicompost (BE 176.28 %) as casing material. Use of dried biogas spent slurry alone also recorded 130 per cent biological efficiency but combination of sand + soil (BE 79.94 %) was inferior. From the present study it was concluded that the maximum biological efficiency of Calocybe indica (P & C) in Konkan conditions can be obtained by using paddy straw as a substrate encased with sand +soil +dried biogas spent slurry (1:1:1 v/v) or Vermicompost during summer season.

Inorganic substrates are used as the primary component in green roof growing media because they can provide the desired physical properties and are thought to be physically, chemically and structurally stable over time. Inorganic substrates can be amended with organic matter to help establish vegetation on green roofs but there is little information on how this affects the physical properties; dry bulk density, water holding capacity and air filled porosity; of the resulting growing medium or whether the effects are the same for all inorganic substrates. Nine crushed brick and three crushed tile substrates obtained from five UK suppliers of aggregates were amended with 30% v/v composted green waste. The physical properties of the substrates and growing media mixes were determined using the gravitational drainage technique. Amending the inorganic substrates with composted green waste significantly improved the physical properties by reducing the dry bulk density and increasing the water holding capacity. Air filled porosity of inorganic substrates decreased with addition of fine composted green waste but aeration was always adequate for plant growth and survival. This provides evidence of the beneficial effects of inclusion of composted green waste on the physical properties of inorganic substrates for green roof growing media but highlights the fact that the responses to inclusion of composted green waste may be different for different inorganic substrates or grades of substrate.

Samples of the unionid bivalve Elliptio complanata were collected from the channel of the freshwater Saint John River, from Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. Scanning electron microscopy imaging of prepared shell samples revealed an assemblage of microborings. No borings are noted on the periostracum or prismatic shell layers. Boring structures are instead confined to the underlying nacreous aragonitic shell material, together with its associated organic conchiolin layers. Three main styles of boring are encountered, encompassing both predominantly surficial structures and penetrative tubular borings. Surficial structures are represented by a polygonal network on an exposed conchiolin shell layer. The penetrative borings take two forms, one being simple unbranched tubes, steeply aligned (perpendicular to the shell surface) and traversing the full thickness of the nacreous shell layer. The other penetrative boring style, again occurring within the nacreous layer, comprises a complex irregular network of ...

An innovative ecological floating bed was designed and used for intensive aquaculture pond to improve water quality, which integrated porous ceramsite, soil substrate and plants. Put the floating bed into intensive aquaculture ponds, and investigate the nutrients and phytoplankton community structure in the ponds for a whole culture cycle. The results showed that TP and CODMn were significantly lowered in those ponds with innovative ecological floating bed, and their reduction rate is separately 39.52% and 22.86%; Cyanophyta and Microcystis densities were significantly reduced by 39.52% and 22.86% in July. The study also indicated that the innovative ecological floating bed is high efficiency for intensive aquaculture pond in control of the nutrient and cyanobacteria bloom.

Planulae of Aurelia aurita were exposed to 11 types of rocks (basalt, gabbro, granite, rhyolite, sandstone, limestone, conglomerate, gneiss, quartzite, marble and schist) to examine their attachment preference among rock material and position. Numbers of attached polyps was the highest on marble and the least on limestone. Their preference with regard to settling position was the same among the rocks, showing the highest density of polyps on the underside (88.5%) compared to upper (23.6%) and perpendicular sides (10.3%) of rock. The results showed that while position preference is more important than rock property, higher numbers of polyps were observed in rocks with a medium surface hardness.

Due to economic impacts, there is considerable interest in determining effective methods for limiting the attachment of marine invertebrates to submerged materials. We tested the effectiveness of traditional and non-traditional coatings on materials used for boat construction to limit the settlement of barnacles and macroalgae. Substrates included fibreglass, fibreglass coated with wax, aluminium, aluminium coated with antifouling paint, aluminium coated with Vaseline®, and aluminium coated with Vaseline® mixed with cayenne pepper. Tiles of each substrate were attached to frames, placed at two sites in the Intracoastal Waterway near Jacksonville, Florida, and collected after one or two successive months in the field. Barnacles as well as macroalgae showed significantly greater settlement on fibreglass than aluminium. Each type of coating tested reduced settlement relative to controls, with the lowest overall settlement of barnacles being observed on aluminium coated with Vaseline®, both with and w...

Summary The recent phase-out of herbicide use on public pavements in Flanders has triggered the development of alternative strategies for weed prevention and control. In this study, growth chamber experiments investigated the ability of various water permeable joint filling materials for pavements to prevent weed growth. Joint fillers included in the tests comprised five innovative (iron slag sand, polymeric bound sand and three sodium silicate enriched fillers) and eight standard joint fillers (four fine materials, for example, sea sand, white sand, sandstone and fine limestone, and four coarse materials based on porphyry and limestone). Their ability to suppress weeds was investigated by examining seedling emergence and biomass production of seven test species in pure or organically polluted (5%, 10%, 20%, 40% and 80% compost by volume) filler substrate. Selected test species were dominant, hard-to-control weeds found on pavements. Seedling emergence and weed biomass were lowest in iron slag sand, polymeric bound sand and most sodium silicate enriched fillers, irrespective of pollution level or test species. Within standard joint fillers, pure white sand, sandstone and the coarse materials also reduced biomass, but their inhibitory effect dropped quickly once organically polluted, in contrast to fine limestone and sea sand for which weed suppression lasted longer (up to 40% compost by volume). Weed suppression of joint fillers was species specific. Our results show that there is potential for preventing weed growth using fillers that prevent the growth of a wide spectrum of plant species over a long period.

Peat is a non-renewable resource and its extraction contributes to the degradation of wetland ecosystems. In order to reduce the peat use in nursery, two composts prepared from yard wastes were evaluated as a substrate component for producing vegetable seedlings for transplantation. Two experiments with tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivars ‘Naxos’ and ‘TCP 9147’ and pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivars ‘Solero’ and ‘Logos’ were set up in a greenhouse. In each experiment two composts were tested: “Cp”, obtained from yard wastes + beached residues of marine plant posidonia [Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile – 20% of total fresh weight], and “C”, obtained only from yard wastes. Each compost was mixed with commercial peat in the amount of 0 (control), 25, 50, 75 and 100% (v/v). Results from the study suggest that, for both species, the best yield was obtained with the substrate prepared by mixing the peat with 25% of Cp.

Chinese Acad Sci, Qingdao Inst Bioenergy & Bioproc Technol, Key Lab Biofuels, Qingdao 266101, Shandong, Peoples R China

Zikhali, V., Tirok, K., Stretch, D., 2014. Wind-driven waves in a shallow estuarine lake with muddy substrates: St Lucia, South Africa. In: Green, A.N. and Cooper, J.A.G. (eds.), Proceedings 13th International Coastal Symposium (Durban, South Africa), Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 70, pp. 729-735, ISSN 0749-0208. Wind-waves in shallow lakes or estuaries with muddy substrates can drive sediment re-suspension and cause high turbidity levels that can negatively impact the productivity of photosynthetic organisms. This investigation evaluates the efficacy of a simple semi-empirical model (Young and Verhagen, 1996 : Coastal Engineering, 29, 47–78) for predicting the wave characteristics in these systems in order to include their effects in ecosystem models. The southern basin of the St Lucia estuarine lake in South Africa was used for a case study. Average depths are about 1 m with fetches up to approximately 10 km. Substrate materials vary from sandy to muddy with deeper locations pr...

International audience; This paper presents the study of the metals removal mechanisms in microcosm upflow constructed wetlands used for polishing of synthetic electroplating wastewater. Four types of columns were used: with and without plants and with different bed media (peat or gravel). The main design goal of the columns with peat was to promote precipitation of metals with biogenic sulfides produced by sulfate-reducing bacteria. The feed of the system contained mainly Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, sulfates and cyanides. The substrate from the microcosm was sampled after cessation of the experiment (53 weeks) from the bottom and top layers of selected columns and was analyzed using sequential extraction procedure and scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy method. Additionally, solids retained on filter surface after filtering water samples withdrawn from the water layer covering the bed media in selected columns were analyzed by the latter method. The obtained results showed that the intended process for metals removal, which was precipitation of metal sulfides, was responsible for binding only a minor fraction of metals. The major portion of metals was present as exchangeable and reducible fraction. The presented study suggests that the onset of the conditions favorable for precipitation of sulfides may not occur during short-term experiment. It may stem from the specific characteristics of the experiment. It is suggested that short-term studies should not be extrapolated to predict long-term behavior of the system.

Shellfish, called as kerang in Indonesia, contains animal protein that’s popular, making it as and important fisheries and marine commodity. Supported by the good taste and high nutrient content in it. Paphia undulata or Kerang Batik, Peryglipta reticulata or Kerang Kemiri, Meretrix meretrix or Kerang Tahu, and Codakia tigerina or Kerang Madu, are consumption shells from northern coast of Java. To improve the quality of shellfish, Chlorella added as shellfish food preferences. It supported by the high nutrient content in Chlorella sp. Shellfish kept for 15 days in a basket with a sand substrate and drainage from sea. Therefore, the water quality had been controlled for the changed of salinity and water temperature. Parameters used to see the improvement shellfish quality is the color changes on visceral mass and the changes of proximate content (moisture, protein, fat, carbohydrate and ash). This study proves the color changes on visceral mass and proximate content. The color change occurs on the visceral mass and the gills. The changes of viscerall mass occurs on kerang batik from white greyish to yellow while the more clearly gills occurs on kerang madu and kemiri. Meanwhile, the change of proximate shown by the increasing of protein and moisture on all the spesies while on the otherside the decreasing of carbohydrate and ash, but the increasing of fat only occurs on kerang batik and kerang madu. The higher proximate changes occur on kerang madu, where the ammount of moisture at 71,43 ± 0,03 %, the protein at 16,55 ± 0,02 %, the fat at 1,35 ± 0,04 %, the carbohydrate at 2,9 ± 0,03 %, and the ash at 8,09 ± 0,04 %. The conclusion of this research are kerang madu has the higher positive influences by addition of Chlorella , shown by the increasing of proximate contents and the clearly of gills. Keywords : addision of Chlorella sp., changes of visceral mass, proximate, shellfish

Artificial soils based on sand and clay contain multiple byproducts such as defecation precipitate and byproduct of wet magnetic separation (WMS). The organic portion is the sediment from the sludge lagoons of the pig farm. We have studied the moisture retention capacity of artificial soils. The moisture capacity is mainly contributed to by clay (28 mg/g), defecation precipitate (20 mg/g), and the sludge-lagoon sediments (30 mg/g). Specific surface area of artificial soils lies within a range of 50 to m2/g, which is close to ordinary chernozem soils. The obtained artificial-soil compositions can be used for land reclamation as an alternative substrate of natural soil.

As a result of the degradation of coral reefs around the world and given that conservation efforts alone are not enough, artificial reefs have been proposed as a tool for the conservation of these ecosystems and recovery. As part of an initiative to develop modules forming artificial reefs made of concrete to promote the ecological conservation of the biodiversity of the Colombian Caribbean, this work constitutes a starting point. During eight months two trapezoidal plates were submerged in the waters surrounding the Bajo Grande (Isla Palma) archipelago de San Bernardo in the Colombian Caribbean; the plates were fabricated in concrete with Portland cement and waste ceramic. Seeking a more ecological product, aggregates were replaced entirely by ceramic waste. After making biological and physicochemical evaluations of the material exposed to the marine environment it was concluded that this is a favorable substrate for the development of coral reefs; and the plates were colonized on more than 30% of its surface by marine organisms, their structure was found internally stable and there were no adverse effects on marine biota near the test site.

The formation of environmentally toxic acidic waste from mining activities is a world-wide problem. Neutralization of this waste can be accomplished by physicochemical and/or biological means. In this short-term study, synthetic acid mine drainage was added to sand-filled mesocosms containing silica-dominated (quartz) sand. Glucose was added as a carbon source for microbial iron and/or sulphate reduction. Replicates contained two separate batches of sand obtained from the same quarry site. The investigations used to assess and compare the chemical and biological functioning of the replicates included system hydraulic conductivity measurements, sand chemistry, effluent chemistry and bacterial community fingerprinting. Minor differences in composition of the sand, including the levels of available nutrients and micronutrients, resulted in major differences in measured parameters. Significant differences in effluent chemistry were found in systems containing different batches of sand. It was demonstrated that the characteristics of the sand and the presence of acid mine drainage (AMD) impacted the bacterial community structure and function. The importance of the physical substrate on the selection of functional microbial communities in systems remediating AMD should not be under-estimated. The physical substrate should be carefully selected and it may be prudent to include small-scale comparative studies in each particular setting prior to full-scale implementation.

Blocks of limestone and sandstone used in walls of the Manasija Monastery complex showed damage caused by the efflorescence and subflorescence of different salts in a low-pollution rural environment. In addition to common salts such as thenardite, thermonatrite, trona and gypsum, a small amount of eugsterite and darapskite was also present. Although these sodium and sodium–calcium salts formed where cement mortar was used for repairs, the lithological type and chemical composition of the substrate also had an influence on the development of distinct salts. The interaction between limestone and sandstone (substrates) and a solution rich in sodium (without calcium) was successfully simulated in the laboratory. The presence of gypsum and sodium–calcium sulphate, as experimental products, solely on the limestones indicated that, in addition to the cement-mortar solution, part of the calcium required for the formation of calcium and double sodium–calcium salts could occur from this substrate.