Optimized hydrothermal carbonization of chicken manure and anaerobic digestion of its process water for better energy management.

Modern poultry production is faced with the challenge of properly managing its associated wastes, in particular chicken manure (CM). There is a need to improve the management of CM through conversion processes that allow the production of value-added products, particularly for energy purposes, such as hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and anaerobic digestion (AD). The objectives of this study were: i) to optimize the CM-HTC, using response surface methodology with simultaneous optimization of mass yield and higher heating value (HHV), and ii) to evaluate the biomethane potential of the process water generated from hydrochar production under the optimized condition.

From human to superhuman: the impact of the microbiome on physiology.

The complex microbial community residing in the human gut has long been understood to regulate gastrointestinal physiology and to participate in digestive diseases, but its extraintestinal actions and influences are increasingly recognized. This article discusses bidirectional interactions between the gut microbiome and athletic performance, metabolism, longevity and the ability of the gut-brain axis to influence cognitive function and mental health.

Low functional change despite high taxonomic turnover characterizes the microbiome across a 2000-km salinity gradient.

The green seaweed relies on associated bacteria for morphogenesis and is an important model to study algal-bacterial interactions. -associated bacteria exhibit high turnover across environmental gradients, leading to the hypothesis that bacteria contribute to the acclimation potential of the host. However, the functional variation of these bacteria in relation to environmental changes remains unclear.

Methane emissions from the Nord Stream subsea pipeline leaks.

The amount of methane released to the atmosphere from the Nord Stream subsea pipeline leaks remains uncertain, as reflected in a wide range of estimates. A lack of information regarding the temporal variation in atmospheric emissions has made it challenging to reconcile pipeline volumetric (bottom-up) estimates with measurement-based (top-down) estimates. Here we simulate pipeline rupture emission rates and integrate these with methane dissolution and sea-surface outgassing estimates to model the evolution of atmospheric emissions from the leaks.

Airborne observations reveal the fate of the methane from the Nord Stream pipelines.

The Nord Stream pipeline leaks on 26 September 2022 released 465 ± 20 kt of methane into the atmosphere, which is the largest recorded transient anthropogenic methane emission event. While most of the gas escaped directly to the atmosphere, a fraction dissolved in the water. So far, studies on the fate of this dissolved methane rely on pipeline volumetric estimates or spatially sparse concentration measurements and ocean models.

Short INDELs and SNPs as markers of evolutionary processes in hybrid zones.

Polymorphic short insertions and deletions (INDELs ≤ 50 bp) are abundant, although less common than single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Evidence from model organisms shows INDELs to be more strongly influenced by purifying selection than SNPs. Partly for this reason, INDELs are rarely used as markers for demographic processes or to detect divergent selection.

Empowering Regional Conservation: Genetic Diversity Assessments as a Tool for Eelgrass Management.

To halt the loss of biodiversity, collaboration among scientists, managers and decision-makers is vital. Although biodiversity loss is a global problem, management actions influencing diversity are often on a local to regional scale. Our study is an example of a regional conservation genomic assessment developed in collaboration between scientists and managers.

Groundwater releases CO to diverse global coastal ecosystems.

Coastal ecosystems play a major role in marine carbon budgets, but substantial uncertainties remain in the sources and fluxes of coastal carbon dioxide (CO). Here, we assess when, where, and how submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) releases CO to shallow coastal ecosystems. Time-series observations of dissolved CO and radon (Rn, a natural groundwater tracer) across 40 coastal systems from 14 countries revealed large SGD-derived CO fluxes.

The impact of air pollution control measures and the COVID-19 pandemic on photosynthesis in urban trees.

Phytotoxic air pollutants such as atmospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO) are among the major stresses affecting tree photosynthesis in urban areas. We clarified the relationship between NO concentrations and photosynthetic function for three major urban trees, Prunus × yedoensis, Rhododendron pulchrum, and Ginkgo biloba, planted in Kyoto and surrounding cities, combining our published data and new data collected from 2020 to 2023. High NO increased long-term water use efficiency for all species.

Evaluating seagrass lipid biomarkers as indicator for organic carbon provenance and storage capacity in Zostera marina (L.) sediments.

Seagrass meadows are vital blue carbon habitats, with sedimentary organic carbon (OC) originating from both the seagrass itself and external sources. In this study, lipid biomarkers (n-alkanes), a well-known proxy for tracing OC sources, were used to indicate seagrass presence in sediment records and to correlate with sedimentary OC in cold-temperate seagrass (Zostera marina) sediments. We calculated a Zostera-ratio (seagrass/algae and terrestrial plants-ratio) using identified seagrass biomass n-alkanes (C, C, C, C, C) as a fingerprint for seagrass-derived OC.

Two types of heavy precipitation in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau.

The southeastern Tibetan Plateau (SETP) is the preeminent summer heavy precipitation region within the Tibetan Plateau (TP). However, the large-scale circulation types and dynamics driving summer heavy precipitation in the SETP remain inadequately elucidated. Using the hierarchical clustering method, two distinctive atmospheric circulation patterns associated with heavy precipitation were identified: the Tibetan Plateau vortex type (TPVT, constituting 56.

Intensification of future subsurface marine heatwaves in an eddy-resolving model.

A shift in depth range enables marine organisms to adapt to marine heatwaves (MHWs). Subsurface MHWs could limit this pathway, yet their response to climate warming remains unclear. Here, using an eddy-resolving Earth system model forced under a high emission scenario, we project a robust global increase in subsurface MHWs driven by rising subsurface mean temperatures and enhanced temperature variability.

Environmental Conditions Modulate Warming Effects on Plant Litter Decomposition Globally.

Empirical studies worldwide show that warming has variable effects on plant litter decomposition, leaving the overall impact of climate change on decomposition uncertain. We conducted a meta-analysis of 109 experimental warming studies across seven continents, using natural and standardised plant material, to assess the overarching effect of warming on litter decomposition and identify potential moderating factors. We determined that at least 5.

Identification of novel FosX family determinants from diverse environmental samples.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify novel fosfomycin resistance genes across diverse environmental samples, ranging in levels of anthropogenic pollution. We focused on fosfomycin resistance, and given its increasing clinical importance, explored the prevalence of these genes within different environmental contexts.

Methods: Metagenomic DNA was extracted from wastewater and sediment samples collected from sites in India, Sweden, and Antarctica.

Low pH Means More Female Offspring: A Multigenerational Plasticity in the Sex Ratio of Marine Bivalves.

Global changes can profoundly affect the sex determination and reproductive output of marine organisms, disrupting the population structure and ecosystems. High COdriven low pH in the context of ocean acidification (OA) has been shown to severely affect various calcifiers, but less is known about the extent to which low pH influences sex determination and reproduction of marine organisms, particularly mollusks. This study is the first to report a biased sex ratio over multiple generations toward females, driven by exposure to high CO-induced low pH environments, using the ecologically and economically important Portuguese oyster () as a model.

Effects of a laminarin-rich algal extract on caecal microbiota composition, leukocyte counts, parasite specific immune responses and growth rate during Eimeria tenella infection of broiler chickens.

Coccidiosis, infection with protozoan parasites of genus Eimeria, is a major problem in poultry husbandry world-wide. The disease is currently managed by coccidiostats and live vaccines, but these approaches are not sustainable. Hence, it is important to identify new means to control the infection and/or ameliorate its detrimental effects on gut health.

Sustainable Hull maintenance strategies in Baltic Sea region through case studies of RoPax vessels.

Determining optimal maintenance strategies in unique maritime environments like the Baltic Sea is challenging, as it should consider various aspects, including ship characteristics and environmental conditions. This study employs the decision support tool HullMASTER (Hull MAintenance STrategies for Emission Reduction) to assess the life cycle costs of different hull maintenance scenarios for RoPax vessels in the Baltic Sea. Findings indicate that optimal hull management can save operators up to €9.

A position and wave spectra dataset of Marginal Ice Zone dynamics collected around Svalbard in 2022 and 2023.

Sea ice is a key element of the global Earth system, with a major impact on global climate and regional weather. Unfortunately, accurate sea ice modeling is challenging due to the diversity and complexity of underlying physics happening there, and a relative lack of ground truth observations. This is especially true for the Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ), which is the area where sea ice is affected by incoming ocean waves.

Projected changes of the emission and transport of organic pollutants and metals from shipping in European seas 2018-2050.

The ChemicalDrift model is applied to predict concentrations of metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons emitted from shipping in European seas in 2050, compared to 2018. Sources include antifouling paints (AFPs), discharge water from scrubbers and atmospheric deposition. The fate of pollutants in the marine environment is presented, highlighting the effect of degradation and volatilization, with seasonal and regional differences.

Organoclay flocculation as a pathway to export carbon from the sea surface.

Marine microorganisms play a critical role in regulating atmospheric CO concentration via the biological carbon pump. Deposition of continental mineral dust on the sea surface increases carbon sequestration but the interaction between minerals and marine microorganisms is not well understood. We discovered that the interaction of clay minerals with dissolved organic matter and a γ-proteobacterium in seawater increases Transparent Exopolymer Particle (TEP) concentration, leading to organoclay floc formation.

Tracing PAH emissions from leisure boats in a low tidal coastal area, including comparison with Environmental Quality Standards (EQS).

The approximately 850,000 recreational boats in Sweden, has shown to have a significant impact on the marine environment of the Swedish west coast. The extensive weather-protected archipelagos and fjords with minor tidal activity, offers excellent conditions to uncover traces of leisure boats exhaust from the background. In this study we focus on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from boat exhausts in surface sediments and water (using SPMD) in a busy harbour and a pristine fjord.

Enhancing farmed fish welfare: Evaluating the effectiveness of plant-based stress mitigating agents as sedatives in sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) following intraperitoneal vaccination.

The effectiveness of vaccines may be compromised by the stress response induced by intraperitoneal/intramuscular (IP/IM) vaccination due to an intimate interaction between the neuroendocrine and immune systems. Essential oils (EOs), known for their antibacterial, antioxidant, and sedative properties, are potential candidates to mitigate this stress response. This study investigates the short-term sedative effect of two essential oil-based products, FishEase-C (FEC) and FishEase-L (FEL) in sea bass prior to intraperitoneal vaccination (IP).

Putative Nociceptive Responses in a Decapod Crustacean: The Shore Crab ().

Nociceptors are receptors that detect injurious stimuli and are necessary to convey such information from the periphery to the central nervous system. While nociception has been extensively studied in various taxa, there is relatively little electrophysiological evidence for the existence of nociceptors in decapod crustaceans. This study investigated putative nociceptive responses in the shore crabs, specifically their response to mechanical and noxious chemical stimuli.

Seaweed Fly Larvae Cultivated on Macroalgae Side Streams: A Novel Marine Protein and Omega-3 Source for Rainbow Trout.

A nutritional bottleneck in salmonid aquaculture is the procurement of marine-derived compounds, such as essential amino and fatty acids, including omega-3 fatty acids, lysine, and methionine. Therefore, insects containing these compounds are highly promising as feed ingredients. The present study evaluates larvae of a "marine" insect (, the bristly-legged seaweed fly larvae, SWFL) reared on brown algae side streams as a feed ingredient for rainbow trout ().