<p>Although there are many examples of microbial biogeography, few microbes have been studied at high taxonomic resolution over large spatial scales. As a result, the environmental and ecological processes that drive niche partitioning, diversity, composition, and activity of microbial taxa are often poorly understood. To address this gap, I examine the most abundant phytoplankton in the global ocean, Prochlorococcus sp., a marine cyanobacterium. Using amplicon libraries of the Prochlorococcus internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and 23S rRNA gene as markers, I demonstrate several key differences between the two major high light (HL) clades of Prochlorococcus. First, by examining ITS amplicon libraries at high taxonomic resolution it is revealed that “sub-ecotype” clades have unique, cohesive responses to environmental variables and distinct biogeographies, suggesting that presently defined ecotypes can be further partitioned into ecologically meaningful units. Whereas unique combinations of environmental traits drive the distribution of the HL-I sub-ecotype clades, the HL-II sub-ecotype clades appear ecologically coherent. Second, using 23S rRNA and rDNA libraries I show that activity (rRNA) and abundance (rDNA) are highly correlated for Prochlorococcus across all sites and operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in the surface ocean, demonstrating a tight coupling between activity and abundance. Finally, I investigate the associations between Prochlorococcus and the rest of the microbial community in the North Pacific and find region-specific trends in both strength and sign. Associations with other microbes are strongest for HL-I in the temperate region and strongest for HL-II in the sub-tropical gyre. This dissertation clarifies the relative importance of the environment, geography, community, and taxonomy in terms of their role in creating complex assemblages of Prochlorococcus and helps improve our understanding of how marine microbial communities are assembled in situ.</p> / Dissertation

A mesofauna edáfica compreende pequenos invertebrados que vivem nos primeiros centímetros do solo e na serapilheira. Sabe-se que o plantio de leguminosas com espécies arbóreas não fixadoras de nitrogênio melhora a fertilidade do solo, porém não se conhece o efeito desses plantios nos invertebrados edáficos. Diante disso, objetivou-se, com este estudo, avaliar o efeito de plantios puros e mistos de Eucalyptus grandis e Acacia mangium na mesofauna edáfica e estabelecer relações da mesofauna com os atributos químicos do solo e da serapilheira e os microbiológicos do solo, a fim de se construir um novo indicador de qualidade do solo. Para tanto, em outubro de 2015 (estação seca) e março de 2016 (estação chuvosa) foram avaliados os atributos físico-químicos da serapilheira (Ca, Mg, N, P, C, C/N, C/P, Mn, Cu, Fe, Zn, umidade), microbiológicos do solo (C mic, respiração do solo e atividade da desidrogenase), a umidade do solo e a mesofauna do solo e da serapilheira (riqueza, densidade e diversidade de mesofauna). Já os atributos químicos do solo (pH, Ca, Mg, C, N, P, Al, H+Al, Na, K) foram avaliados apenas em outubro. A média dos atributos foi comparada pelo teste de Tukey a 5%, enquanto que correlações, regressões e análises multivariadas foram feitas para estabelecer relações entre a mesofauna e os atributos do solo e da serapilheira e, posteriormente, construir um indicador geral de qualidade do solo. A fauna que habita a serapilheira, os atributos microbiológicos do solo e o indicador geral de qualidade do solo apresentaram maiores valores na estação chuvosa. A umidade foi muito correlacionada com os atributos biológicos do solo e da serapilheira. Foram também constatadas diferenças entre tratamentos, sendo que na estação seca há preferência da mesofauna pelo hábitat solo, possivelmente com a prevalência de relações mutualísticas entre microrganismos e mesofauna, enquanto há uma expressiva preferência da mesofauna pela serapilheira durante a estação úmida. / Soil mesofauna comprises small invertebrates that live in the first centimeters of the soil and in the litter. The consortium between leguminous trees and non-nitrogen-fixing tree species improves soil fertility, but the effect of these plantations on edaphic invertebrates is not known yet. Thus, we aimed at evaluating the effect of pure and mixed plantation of Eucalyptus grandis and Acacia mangium on the invertebrates that inhabit the soil and litter. We looked for correlations between those plantations, soil and litter chemical attributes and soil microbiological attributes to create a general indicator of soil quality in Acacia mangium (AC), Eucalyptus grandis (EU) and mixed plantations of Acacia and Eucalyptus (M). The chemical litter attributes evaluated were Ca, Mg, N, P, C, C/N, C/P, Mn, Cu, Fe, Zn, besides soil and litter moisture, soil microbiology (microbial carbon, soil respiration and dehydrogenase activity) and soil and litter mesofauna (richness, density and diversity) in two seasons: October 2015 (dry season) and March 2016 (rainy season). Soil chemical analyses (pH, Ca, Mg, C, N, P, Al, H+Al, Na, and K) were from samples collected in October. We made comparisons of the means between forest systems, and established a general indicator of soil quality based on regressions and multivariate analyses, to identify correlations between mesofaunaand chemical and microbiological attributes. Litter mesofauna, microbial activity and the general indicator of soil quality presented much higher values in the rainy season than in the dry season. Moisture correlated positively with most of the soil and litter biological attributes. There were few differences between the forest systems; although we observed a clear mesofauna preference for soil as habitat in the dry season, possibly linked to the prevailance of mutualistic interactions between soil mesofauna and microorganisms, while the mesofauna showed great preference for the litter as habitat during the moist season.

A mesofauna edáfica compreende pequenos invertebrados que vivem nos primeiros centímetros do solo e na serapilheira. Sabe-se que o plantio de leguminosas com espécies arbóreas não fixadoras de nitrogênio melhora a fertilidade do solo, porém não se conhece o efeito desses plantios nos invertebrados edáficos. Diante disso, objetivou-se, com este estudo, avaliar o efeito de plantios puros e mistos de Eucalyptus grandis e Acacia mangium na mesofauna edáfica e estabelecer relações da mesofauna com os atributos químicos do solo e da serapilheira e os microbiológicos do solo, a fim de se construir um novo indicador de qualidade do solo. Para tanto, em outubro de 2015 (estação seca) e março de 2016 (estação chuvosa) foram avaliados os atributos físico-químicos da serapilheira (Ca, Mg, N, P, C, C/N, C/P, Mn, Cu, Fe, Zn, umidade), microbiológicos do solo (C mic, respiração do solo e atividade da desidrogenase), a umidade do solo e a mesofauna do solo e da serapilheira (riqueza, densidade e diversidade de mesofauna). Já os atributos químicos do solo (pH, Ca, Mg, C, N, P, Al, H+Al, Na, K) foram avaliados apenas em outubro. A média dos atributos foi comparada pelo teste de Tukey a 5%, enquanto que correlações, regressões e análises multivariadas foram feitas para estabelecer relações entre a mesofauna e os atributos do solo e da serapilheira e, posteriormente, construir um indicador geral de qualidade do solo. A fauna que habita a serapilheira, os atributos microbiológicos do solo e o indicador geral de qualidade do solo apresentaram maiores valores na estação chuvosa. A umidade foi muito correlacionada com os atributos biológicos do solo e da serapilheira. Foram também constatadas diferenças entre tratamentos, sendo que na estação seca há preferência da mesofauna pelo hábitat solo, possivelmente com a prevalência de relações mutualísticas entre microrganismos e mesofauna, enquanto há uma expressiva preferência da mesofauna pela serapilheira durante a estação úmida. / Soil mesofauna comprises small invertebrates that live in the first centimeters of the soil and in the litter. The consortium between leguminous trees and non-nitrogen-fixing tree species improves soil fertility, but the effect of these plantations on edaphic invertebrates is not known yet. Thus, we aimed at evaluating the effect of pure and mixed plantation of Eucalyptus grandis and Acacia mangium on the invertebrates that inhabit the soil and litter. We looked for correlations between those plantations, soil and litter chemical attributes and soil microbiological attributes to create a general indicator of soil quality in Acacia mangium (AC), Eucalyptus grandis (EU) and mixed plantations of Acacia and Eucalyptus (M). The chemical litter attributes evaluated were Ca, Mg, N, P, C, C/N, C/P, Mn, Cu, Fe, Zn, besides soil and litter moisture, soil microbiology (microbial carbon, soil respiration and dehydrogenase activity) and soil and litter mesofauna (richness, density and diversity) in two seasons: October 2015 (dry season) and March 2016 (rainy season). Soil chemical analyses (pH, Ca, Mg, C, N, P, Al, H+Al, Na, and K) were from samples collected in October. We made comparisons of the means between forest systems, and established a general indicator of soil quality based on regressions and multivariate analyses, to identify correlations between mesofaunaand chemical and microbiological attributes. Litter mesofauna, microbial activity and the general indicator of soil quality presented much higher values in the rainy season than in the dry season. Moisture correlated positively with most of the soil and litter biological attributes. There were few differences between the forest systems; although we observed a clear mesofauna preference for soil as habitat in the dry season, possibly linked to the prevailance of mutualistic interactions between soil mesofauna and microorganisms, while the mesofauna showed great preference for the litter as habitat during the moist season.

This Degree Project has been done at Växjö University, department of bioenergy technology and discusses the released thermal power in wood pellets. The purpose of the project is to investigate if two new types of wood biofuels (pellets) are more or less reactive than the pellets previously investigated at Växjö University. To measure the released thermal power, an isothermal calorimeter with eight channels has been used. To see how the microbial activity is influenced, the pellets have been stored under various conditions with focus on temperature and metal.

<p>This Degree Project has been done at Växjö University, department of bioenergy technology and discusses the released thermal power in wood pellets. The purpose of the project is to investigate if two new types of wood biofuels (pellets) are more or less reactive than the pellets previously investigated at Växjö University. To measure the released thermal power, an isothermal calorimeter with eight channels has been used. To see how the microbial activity is influenced, the pellets have been stored under various conditions with focus on temperature and metal.</p>

Mining activities cause severe disturbance to the soil environment in terms of soil quality and productivity and are of serious concern worldwide. Under South African legislation, developers are required to ecologically rehabilitate damaged environments. The application of agronomic approaches for the rehabilitation of coal discard sites has failed dismally in the arid areas of southern Africa. It is obvious that compliance with mitigation and rehabilitation requirements cannot be enforced without a thorough understanding of the ecological principles that ensure ecological stability and subsequent sustainability of soil ecosystems. Soil micro organisms are crucial role-players in the processes that make energy and nutrients available for recycling in the soil ecosystem. Poor management practices and other negative impacts on soil ecosystems affect both the physical and chemical properties of soil, as well as the functional and structural properties of soil microbial communities. Disturbances of soil ecosystems that impact on the normal functioning of microbial communities are potentially detrimental to soil formation, energy transfers, nutrient cycling, plant reestablishment and long-term stability. In this regard, an extensive overview of soil properties and processes indicated that the use of microbiological and biochemical soil properties, such as microbial biomass, enzymatic activity and the analysis of microbial community structure by the quantification of specific signature lipid biomarkers are useful as indicators of soil ecological stress or restoration properties because they are more responsive to small changes than physical and chemical characteristics. In this study, the relationship between the physical and chemical characteristics and different biological indicators of soil quality in the topsoil covers of seven coal discard sites under rehabilitation in South Africa, as well as three reference sites was investigated. Through the assimilation of basic quantitative data and the assessment of certain physical, chemical and biological properties of the topsoil covers obtained from the various coal discard sites as well as the reference sites, the relative success or progress of rehabilitation and the possible correlation between the biological indicators of soil quality and the establishment of self sustaining vegetation covers was determined. Results from soil physical and chemical analyses and percentage vegetation cover were correlated with the results obtained for the functional and structural diversity of microbial communities at the various sites. All results were investigated through statistical and multivariate analysis and the most prominent physical and chemical parameters that influence the biological and biochemical properties of the soil and possibly the establishment of self-sustainable vegetation cover on these mine-tailing sites were identified. Results obtained from this study indicated no significant difference (p>0.05) between the various discard sites based on conventional microbiological enumeration techniques. However, significant differences (p<0.05) could be observed between the three reference sites. All enzymatic activities assayed for the rehabilitation sites, with the exception of urease and alkaline phosphatase displayed a strong, positive association with the organic carbon content (%C). Ammonium concentration had a weak association with all the enzymes studied and pH only showed a negative association with acid phosphatase activity. A positive association was observed between the viable microbial biomass, vegetation cover and the organic carbon content, ammonium, nitrate and phosphorus concentrations of the soil. The various rehabilitation and reference sites could be differentiated based on the microbial community structure as determined by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis. It is hypothesised that the microbial community structure of the Hendrina site is not sustainable when classified along an r-K gradient and that the high percentage of vegetation cover and high levels of estimated viable microbial biomass are an artificial reflection of the current management practices being employed at this site. Results obtained during this study, suggest that an absence or low percentage of vegetation cover and associated lower organic matter content of the soil have a significant negative impact on soil biochemical properties (enzymatic activity) as well as microbial population size. Furthermore, prevailing environmental physico-chemical and management characteristics significantly influences the vegetation cover and subsequently the microbial community structure. The results indicate that the microbial ecosystems in the coal discard sites could become more stable and ecologically self-regulating, provided effective management to enhance the organic carbon content of the soil. This could enhance nutrient cycling, resulting in changes of soil structure and eventually an improved soil quality which could facilitate the establishment of self sustaining vegetation cover. Results obtained during this study suggest that a polyphasic assessment of physical and chemical properties; microbial activities by enzymatic analysis; the characterisation of microbial community structure by analysis of phospholipid fatty acids; and the multifactorial analysis of the data obtained can be used as complementary assessment criteria for the evaluation of the trend of rehabilitation of mine tailings and discard sites. Strategic management criteria are recommended based on the soil quality environmental sustainability indices to facilitate the establishment of self sustainable vegetation covers. The contribution of this research to soil ecology is significant with regards to the intensive investigation and explanation of characteristics and processes that drive ecological rehabilitation and determine the quality of the soil environment. The multidisciplinary approach that is proposed could, furthermore, assist in the successful rehabilitation and establishment of self-sustaining vegetation covers at industrially disturbed areas, as well as assist in improving degraded soil quality associated with both intensive and informal agriculture. Additionally, this approach could negate the negative social and environmental impacts frequently associated with these activities. / Thesis (M. Environmental Science)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Two laboratory incubation studies and a growth room bioassay of forage barley were conducted to investigate nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) mineralization, and nitrous oxide emission from two contrasting agricultural soils amended with anaerobically digested cattle manure (ADM). The ADM is a nutrient-rich co-product from manure-based biogas plants which is applied to cropland at rates used for raw manure since scientific information on nutrient release from ADM is lacking. Application of the separated solids fraction of ADM (SS) reduced nitrous oxide emission but resulted in lower N mineralization compared to raw manure in both soils. Raw manure- and SS- treatments had similar biomass yields and P supply capacities while the application of pelletized SS (PSS) caused net N immobilization, lower P release than manure and SS, and depressed barley yields relative to non-amended (control) soils.

Mining activities cause severe disturbance to the soil environment in terms of soil quality and productivity and are of serious concern worldwide. Under South African legislation, developers are required to ecologically rehabilitate damaged environments. The application of agronomic approaches for the rehabilitation of coal discard sites has failed dismally in the arid areas of southern Africa. It is obvious that compliance with mitigation and rehabilitation requirements cannot be enforced without a thorough understanding of the ecological principles that ensure ecological stability and subsequent sustainability of soil ecosystems. Soil micro organisms are crucial role-players in the processes that make energy and nutrients available for recycling in the soil ecosystem. Poor management practices and other negative impacts on soil ecosystems affect both the physical and chemical properties of soil, as well as the functional and structural properties of soil microbial communities. Disturbances of soil ecosystems that impact on the normal functioning of microbial communities are potentially detrimental to soil formation, energy transfers, nutrient cycling, plant reestablishment and long-term stability. In this regard, an extensive overview of soil properties and processes indicated that the use of microbiological and biochemical soil properties, such as microbial biomass, enzymatic activity and the analysis of microbial community structure by the quantification of specific signature lipid biomarkers are useful as indicators of soil ecological stress or restoration properties because they are more responsive to small changes than physical and chemical characteristics. In this study, the relationship between the physical and chemical characteristics and different biological indicators of soil quality in the topsoil covers of seven coal discard sites under rehabilitation in South Africa, as well as three reference sites was investigated. Through the assimilation of basic quantitative data and the assessment of certain physical, chemical and biological properties of the topsoil covers obtained from the various coal discard sites as well as the reference sites, the relative success or progress of rehabilitation and the possible correlation between the biological indicators of soil quality and the establishment of self sustaining vegetation covers was determined. Results from soil physical and chemical analyses and percentage vegetation cover were correlated with the results obtained for the functional and structural diversity of microbial communities at the various sites. All results were investigated through statistical and multivariate analysis and the most prominent physical and chemical parameters that influence the biological and biochemical properties of the soil and possibly the establishment of self-sustainable vegetation cover on these mine-tailing sites were identified. Results obtained from this study indicated no significant difference (p>0.05) between the various discard sites based on conventional microbiological enumeration techniques. However, significant differences (p<0.05) could be observed between the three reference sites. All enzymatic activities assayed for the rehabilitation sites, with the exception of urease and alkaline phosphatase displayed a strong, positive association with the organic carbon content (%C). Ammonium concentration had a weak association with all the enzymes studied and pH only showed a negative association with acid phosphatase activity. A positive association was observed between the viable microbial biomass, vegetation cover and the organic carbon content, ammonium, nitrate and phosphorus concentrations of the soil. The various rehabilitation and reference sites could be differentiated based on the microbial community structure as determined by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis. It is hypothesised that the microbial community structure of the Hendrina site is not sustainable when classified along an r-K gradient and that the high percentage of vegetation cover and high levels of estimated viable microbial biomass are an artificial reflection of the current management practices being employed at this site. Results obtained during this study, suggest that an absence or low percentage of vegetation cover and associated lower organic matter content of the soil have a significant negative impact on soil biochemical properties (enzymatic activity) as well as microbial population size. Furthermore, prevailing environmental physico-chemical and management characteristics significantly influences the vegetation cover and subsequently the microbial community structure. The results indicate that the microbial ecosystems in the coal discard sites could become more stable and ecologically self-regulating, provided effective management to enhance the organic carbon content of the soil. This could enhance nutrient cycling, resulting in changes of soil structure and eventually an improved soil quality which could facilitate the establishment of self sustaining vegetation cover. Results obtained during this study suggest that a polyphasic assessment of physical and chemical properties; microbial activities by enzymatic analysis; the characterisation of microbial community structure by analysis of phospholipid fatty acids; and the multifactorial analysis of the data obtained can be used as complementary assessment criteria for the evaluation of the trend of rehabilitation of mine tailings and discard sites. Strategic management criteria are recommended based on the soil quality environmental sustainability indices to facilitate the establishment of self sustainable vegetation covers. The contribution of this research to soil ecology is significant with regards to the intensive investigation and explanation of characteristics and processes that drive ecological rehabilitation and determine the quality of the soil environment. The multidisciplinary approach that is proposed could, furthermore, assist in the successful rehabilitation and establishment of self-sustaining vegetation covers at industrially disturbed areas, as well as assist in improving degraded soil quality associated with both intensive and informal agriculture. Additionally, this approach could negate the negative social and environmental impacts frequently associated with these activities. / Thesis (M. Environmental Science)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Two laboratory incubation studies and a growth room bioassay of forage barley were conducted to investigate nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) mineralization, and nitrous oxide emission from two contrasting agricultural soils amended with anaerobically digested cattle manure (ADM). The ADM is a nutrient-rich co-product from manure-based biogas plants which is applied to cropland at rates used for raw manure since scientific information on nutrient release from ADM is lacking. Application of the separated solids fraction of ADM (SS) reduced nitrous oxide emission but resulted in lower N mineralization compared to raw manure in both soils. Raw manure- and SS- treatments had similar biomass yields and P supply capacities while the application of pelletized SS (PSS) caused net N immobilization, lower P release than manure and SS, and depressed barley yields relative to non-amended (control) soils.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2005-08-18Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:16:40Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 morais_eb_me_rcla.pdf: 581837 bytes, checksum: 6b02ac6c5a3ca7b0528f8a1f3afc5d7e (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / O potencial de um sistema de biopilhas em degradar resíduos oleosos provenientes de refinaria de petróleo também chamado de borra de óleo foi estudado, assim como a possibilidade de otimizar o mesmo através da bioestimulação (adição de fertilizantes) e bioenriquecimento (adição de inóculo). Primeiramente, verificou-se a biodegradabilidade do resíduo através do método respirométrico de Bartha, quantificando o CO2 emitido, observando os efeitos do uso de inóculo e de fertilizantes neste processo. Os microrganismos utilizados na produção do inóculo, fungos e bactérias, foram isolados de landfarming da Refinaria de Paulínia, REPLAN, estado de São Paulo, por serem adaptados ao ambiente de estresse ocasionado pelo resíduo oleoso e por terem demonstrado capacidade em biodegradar hidrocarbonetos de petróleo, em ensaios prévios realizados em laboratório. Foram construídas cinco biopilhas contendo solo poluído pela borra de óleo, nas constituições: 1 controle do experimento; 2 adicionada com inóculo; 3 com inóculo e fertilizante para plantas; 4 com inóculo e palha de arroz; 5 com inóculo, fertilizante e palha de arroz. Os resultados após 350 dias demonstraram redução da quantidade de resíduo em todas as biopilhas: 67%, 70%, 75%, 82% e 79% nas biopilhas 1, 2, 3, 4 e 5 respectivamente. As biopilhas contendo palha de arroz demonstraram degradação mais rápida do resíduo, principalmente nos dois primeiros meses deste estudo, provavelmente devido ao maior número de microrganismos que foram observados nas mesmas decorrente da adição do inóculo ou estimulação da microbiota natural. Nas condições de estudo, o inóculo adicionado nas biopilhas 2 e 3 não sobreviveram ao novo ambiente não influenciando a degradação do resíduo assim como a...