Ericaceous species reduce methane emissions in sheep and red deer: Respiration chamber measurements and predictions at the scale of European heathlands.

Despite the importance of atmospheric methane as a potent greenhouse gas and the significant contribution from ruminant enteric fermentation on methane emissions at a global scale, little effort has been made to consider the influence that different plant-based natural diets have on methane emissions in grazing systems. Heathland is an ericaceous dwarf-shrub-dominated habitat widespread across the northern hemisphere, in Europe, provides valuable ecosystem services in areas with poor soils, such as water flow regulation, land-based carbon skin, energy reservoir and habitat of key game species. We (i) measured methane emissions from red deer (Cervus elaphus) and sheep (Ovis aries) fed mixed diets of natural grass plus ericaceous species (either Calluna vulgaris or Vaccinium myrtillus) using open-circuit respiration chambers; and (ii) modelled the results to estimate methane emissions from red deer and sheep populations inhabiting heathland habitats across Europe under different scenarios of grass-based mixed diets with varying proportions of ericaceous species.

First evidence of terrestrial ambrein formation in human adipocere.

To date, the only known occurrence of ambrein, an important perfumery organic molecule, is in coproliths found in about one in a hundred sperm whales. Jetsam ambergris coproliths from the whale are also found occasionally on beaches worldwide. Here we report on the surprising occurrence of ambrein in human adipocere.

Investigation of sterols as potential biomarkers for the detection of pig (S. s. domesticus) decomposition fluid in soils.

This study was carried out to evaluate the potential of using cholesterol and coprostanol, as indicators for the detection of decomposition fluid of buried pigs (S. s. domesticus) in soils.

Can gas chromatography combustion isotope ratio mass spectrometry be used to quantify organic compound abundance?

Quantifying the concentrations of organics such as phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and n-alkanes and measuring their corresponding (13)C/(12)C isotope ratios often involves two separate analyses; (1) quantification by gas chromatography flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) or gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), and (2) (13) C-isotope abundance analysis by gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS). This requirement for two separate analyses has obvious disadvantages in terms of cost and time. However, there is a history of using the data output of isotope ratio mass spectrometers to quantify various components; including the N and C concentrations of solid materials and CO(2) concentrations in gaseous samples.

Protocol for the analysis of n-alkanes and other plant-wax compounds and for their use as markers for quantifying the nutrient supply of large mammalian herbivores.

Plant-wax markers can be used for estimating forage intake, diet composition and supplement intake in grazing livestock, wild ruminants and other mammals. We describe protocols for using the saturated hydrocarbons (alkanes) of plant wax as markers for estimating fecal output, intake and digestibility. Procedures for investigating digestion kinetics are also discussed.

Phthalate and alkyl phenol concentrations in soil following applications of inorganic fertiliser or sewage sludge to pasture and potential rates of ingestion by grazing ruminants.

Soil concentrations of dioctyl phthalate (DOP) and the alkyl phenols, octyl phenol (OP) and nonyl phenol (NP), after repeated surface applications of sewage sludge to pastures, were investigated. Liquid sludge was applied at a rate of 2.25 tonnes dry matter (DM) per hectare to each of three treated (T) plots on three occasions during the summer and two occasions in the early spring over a period of 2.

The flexibility of an intermediate feeder: dietary selection by mountain hares measured using faecal n-alkanes.

Herbivores with an intermediate feeding strategy either vary their diet between a grazing (bulk roughage feeders) or browsing (concentrate selectors) strategy on a seasonal basis or select a mixed diet at any one time. The underlying ecological causes of the seasonal dietary shift in a small non-ruminant intermediate feeder - the mountain or arctic hare (Lepus timidus L.) were determined.