A Tensile Strength of Bermuda Grass and Vetiver Grass in Terms of Root Reinforcement Ability Toward Soil Slope Stabilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noorasyikin, M. N.; Zainab, M.

2016-07-01

An examination on root characteristics and root properties has been implemented in this study. Two types of bioengineering were chose which are Vetiver grass and Bermuda grass as these grasses were widely applied for slope stabilization. The root samples were taken to the laboratory to investigate its classification, characteristics and strength. The root of both grasses was found grow with fibrous root matrix system. In terms of root anchorage, the root matrix system of Vetiver grass was exhibits more strengthen than the Bermuda grass. However, observation on root image from Scanning Electron Microscope test reveals that the root of Vetiver grass becomes non-porous as the moisture content reduced. Meanwhile, the root tensile strength of Bermuda grass was obtained acquired low value with higher percentage of moisture content, root morphology and bonding strength. The results indicated that the root tensile strength is mainly influence by percentage of moisture content and root morphology.

Headwater fish population responses to planting grass filter strips adjacent to channelized agricultural headwater streams

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Grass filter strips are a widely used conservation practice in the Midwestern United States for reducing nutrient, pesticide, and sediment inputs into agricultural streams. Only a limited amount of information is available on the ecological effects of planting grass filter strips adjacent to channe...

The NASA Technical Report Server

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, M. L.; Gottlich, G. L.; Bianco, D. J.; Paulson, S. S.; Binkley, R. L.; Kellogg, Y. D.; Beaumont, C. J.; Schmunk, R. B.; Kurtz, M. J.; Accomazzi, A.; Syed, O.

The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and charged it to "provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information concerning...its activities and the results thereof". The search for innovative methods to distribute NASA's information led a grass-roots team to create the NASA Technical Report Server (NTRS), which uses the World Wide Web and other popular Internet-based information systems .

Satellite Phenology Observations Inform Peak Season of Allergenic Grass Pollen Aerobiology across Two Continents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huete, A. R.; Devadas, R.; Davies, J.

2015-12-01

Pollen exposure and prevalence of allergenic diseases have increased in many parts of the world during the last 30 years, with exposure to aeroallergen grass pollen expected to intensify with climate change, raising increased concerns for allergic diseases. The primary contributing factors to higher allergenic plant species presence are thought to be climate change, land conversion, and biotic mixing of species. Conventional methods for monitoring airborne pollen are hampered by a lack of sampling sites and heavily rely on meteorology with less attention to land cover updates and monitoring of key allergenic species phenology stages. Satellite remote sensing offers an alternative method to overcome the restrictive coverage afforded by in situ pollen networks by virtue of its synoptic coverage and repeatability of measurements that enable timely updates of land cover and land use information and monitoring landscape dynamics and interactions with human activity and climate. In this study, we assessed the potential of satellite observations of urban/peri-urban environments to directly inform landscape conditions conducive to pollen emissions. We found satellite measurements of grass cover phenological evolution to be highly correlated with in situ aerobiological grass pollen concentrations in five urban centres located across two hemispheres (Australia and France). Satellite greenness data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) were found to be strongly synchronous with grass pollen aerobiology in both temperate grass dominated sites (France and Melbourne), as well as in Sydney, where multiple pollen peaks coincided with the presence of subtropical grasses. Employing general additive models (GAM), the satellite phenology data provided strong predictive capabilities to inform airborne pollen levels and forecast periods of grass pollen emissions at all five sites. Satellite phenology offer promising opportunities of improving public health risk management through dissemination of timely data for use in public health action and alerts and to minimise the impact of these common chronic conditions.

Belowground impacts of perennial grass cultivation for sustainable biofuel feedstock production in the tropics

DOE PAGES

Sumiyoshi, Yudai; Crow, Susan E.; Litton, Creighton M.; ...

2016-07-08

Perennial grasses can sequester soil organic carbon (SOC) in sustainably managed biofuel systems, directly mitigating atmospheric CO 2 concentrations while simultaneously generating biomass for renewable energy. Our objective was to quantify SOC accumulation and identify the primary drivers of belowground C dynamics in a zero-tillage production system of tropical perennial C4 grasses grown for biofuel feedstock in Hawaii. Specifically, the quantity, quality, and fate of soil C inputs were determined for eight grass accessions – four varieties each of napier grass and guinea grass. Carbon fluxes (soil CO 2 efflux, aboveground net primary productivity, litterfall, total belowground carbon flux, rootmore » decay constant), C pools (SOC pool and root biomass), and C quality (root chemistry, C and nitrogen concentrations, and ratios) were measured through three harvest cycles following conversion of a fallow field to cultivated perennial grasses. A wide range of SOC accumulation occurred, with both significant species and accession effects. Aboveground biomass yield was greater, and root lignin concentration was lower for napier grass than guinea grass. Structural equation modeling revealed that root lignin concentration was the most important driver of SOC pool: varieties with low root lignin concentration, which was significantly related to rapid root decomposition, accumulated the greatest amount of SOC. Roots with low lignin concentration decomposed rapidly, but the residue and associated microbial biomass/by-products accumulated as SOC. In general, napier grass was better suited for promoting soil C sequestration in this system. Further, high-yielding varieties with low root lignin concentration provided the greatest climate change mitigation potential in a ratoon system. By understanding the factors affecting SOC accumulation and the net greenhouse gas trade-offs within a biofuel production system will aid in crop selection to meet multiple goals toward environmental and economic sustainability.« less

EBIPM | Finding the Tools to Manage Invasive Annual Grasses

Science.gov Websites

Grass Management How much could prevention save you? Guidelines to Implement EBIPM Weed Prevention Areas Grass Facts/ID The EBIPM Model Crooked River Weed Management Area Guide Tools for Educators EBIPM High Agricultural Research Center for more information on invasive plant research. Eastern Oregon Agricultural

The Genetics of Biofuel Traits in Panicum Grasses: Developing a Model System with Diploid Panicum Hallii

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Juenger, Thomas; Wolfrum, Ed

Our DOE funded project focused on characterizing natural variation in C4 perennial grasses including switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and Hall’s panicgrass (Panicum hallii). The main theme of our project was to better understand traits linked with plant performance and that impact the utility of plant biomass as a biofuel feedstock. In addition, our project developed tools and resources for studying genetic variation in Panicum hallii. Our project successfully screened both Panicum virgatum and Panicum hallii diverse natural collections for a host of phenotypes, developed genetic mapping populations for both species, completed genetic mapping for biofuel related traits, and helped in themore » development of genomic resources of Panicum hallii. Together, these studies have improved our understanding of the role of genetic and environmental factors in impacting plant performance. This information, along with new tools, will help foster the improvement of perennial grasses for feedstock applications.« less

A Web-based Visualization System for Three Dimensional Geological Model using Open GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nemoto, T.; Masumoto, S.; Nonogaki, S.

2017-12-01

A three dimensional geological model is an important information in various fields such as environmental assessment, urban planning, resource development, waste management and disaster mitigation. In this study, we have developed a web-based visualization system for 3D geological model using free and open source software. The system has been successfully implemented by integrating web mapping engine MapServer and geographic information system GRASS. MapServer plays a role of mapping horizontal cross sections of 3D geological model and a topographic map. GRASS provides the core components for management, analysis and image processing of the geological model. Online access to GRASS functions has been enabled using PyWPS that is an implementation of WPS (Web Processing Service) Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standard. The system has two main functions. Two dimensional visualization function allows users to generate horizontal and vertical cross sections of 3D geological model. These images are delivered via WMS (Web Map Service) and WPS OGC standards. Horizontal cross sections are overlaid on the topographic map. A vertical cross section is generated by clicking a start point and an end point on the map. Three dimensional visualization function allows users to visualize geological boundary surfaces and a panel diagram. The user can visualize them from various angles by mouse operation. WebGL is utilized for 3D visualization. WebGL is a web technology that brings hardware-accelerated 3D graphics to the browser without installing additional software. The geological boundary surfaces can be downloaded to incorporate the geologic structure in a design on CAD and model for various simulations. This study was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP16K00158.

Impacts of native grasses and cheatgrass on Great Basin forb development

Treesearch

Hillary Ann Parkinson

2008-01-01

Land managers need more information on native forb growth and interactions between forbs and grasses to improve degraded sagebrush steppe habitats in the Great Basin, and to increase the diversity of revegetation seed mixes. This is especially important in areas infested with Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass), an annual grass present in more than 100...

Root biomass, root/shoot ratio, and soil water content under perennial grasses with different nitrogen rates

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Roots help in soil water and nutrient uptake and provide C input for soil C sequestration, but information on root biomass of bioenergy perennial grasses is lacking. Root/shoot ratios are used to estimate crop root biomass and C inputs, but the values for perennial grasses are also scanty. We examin...

Root and soil total carbon and nitrogen under bioenergy perennial grasses with various nitrogen rates

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Information is scanty about root and soil C and N under bioenergy perennial grasses with various N fertilization rates in semiarid regions. We evaluated the effect of perennial grasses and N rates on root biomass C and N and soil total C (STC) and total N (STN) stocks at the 0-120 cm depth from 2011...

76 FR 5392 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request, OMB No. 1660-0057...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-31

... Survey; FEMA Form 008-0-6, Umatilla EPZ Residential Survey; FEMA Form 008-0-7, Blue Grass EPZ Residential... Grass EPZ Residential Survey; FEMA Form 008-0-8, Deseret EPZ Residential Survey. Abstract: To support... households Blue Grass EPZ 822 1 822 0.25 (15 205.5 Residential Survey/FEMA minutes) Form 008-0-7. Individuals...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Scott, G.; Daugomah, J.; Devane, J.

Urbanization of coastal regions has resulted in the increased discharge of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons trace metals and habitat changes/modifications in adjacent upland areas which may affect grass shrimp populations. A study was conducted comparing larval abundance and adult grass shrimp biomass, abundance, size structure and sex ratios in an urbanized estuary, Murrells Inlet with pristine North Inlet, a NOAA national estuarine research reserve and sanctuary site. A total of 60 sites were sampled during the peak of grass shrimp abundance and compared in terms of spatial distributions and other relevant ancillary information. Factors such as sediment contaminant levels, physico-chemical parametersmore » and land-use habitat modification were statistically compared using a Geographical Information Processing (GIP) techniques and appropriate spatial statistical methods. GIP results indicated similar levels of larval abundance in both estuaries and identified specific nursery ground regions in both estuaries. Adult grass shrimp abundances were greatly reduced in urban areas and grass shrimp desert regions were identified. These areas were correlated with regions having high levels of chemical contaminants and greatest physical disturbances. The mortality rate between larval and adult stages was much higher in urban areas suggesting that urbanization had a profound impact on grass shrimp.« less

The study of size and stability of n-butylcyanoacrylate nanocapsule suspensions encapsulating green grass fragrance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, G. Y.; Lin, C. T.; Chen, J. M.; Lei, D. M.; Zhu, G. X.

2018-01-01

Green grass fragrance has been widely used in many fields. However, fragrances are volatile compounds that do not last long. In order to prolong its odor, nanocapsules encapsulated green grass fragrance were prepared. The paper deals with the preparation of green grass fragrance nanocapsules by emulsion polymerization. N-butylcyanoacrylate (BCA) with excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability was used as encapsulant. The nanocapsule suspension systems were characterized and its stability was investigated. The physicochemical properties of polymeric nanocapsules (average diameter and polydispersity) were evaluated as a function of time to assess the system stability. The result showed that the system (containing 0.8% of green grass fragrance, with a polydispersity index (PDI) near 0.1 and an average diameter in the range of 20-30 nm) was an ideal state and relatively stable. Besides, the distinction of stability of three nanocapsule suspensions with different green grass fragrance content was also obvious from scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Fusarium graminearum: pathogen or endophyte of North American grasses?

PubMed

Lofgren, Lotus A; LeBlanc, Nicholas R; Certano, Amanda K; Nachtigall, Jonny; LaBine, Kathryn M; Riddle, Jakob; Broz, Karen; Dong, Yanhong; Bethan, Bianca; Kafer, Christopher W; Kistler, H Corby

2018-02-01

Mycotoxin-producing Fusarium graminearum and related species cause Fusarium head blight on cultivated grasses, such as wheat and barley. However, these Fusarium species may have had a longer evolutionary history with North American grasses than with cultivated crops and may interact with the ancestral hosts in ways which are biochemically distinct. We assayed 25 species of asymptomatic native grasses for the presence of Fusarium species and confirmed infected grasses as hosts using re-inoculation tests. We examined seed from native grasses for the presence of mycotoxin-producing Fusarium species and evaluated the ability of these fungi to produce mycotoxins in both native grass and wheat hosts using biochemical analysis. Mycotoxin-producing Fusarium species were shown to be prevalent in phylogenetically diverse native grasses, colonizing multiple tissue types, including seeds, leaves and inflorescence structures. Artificially inoculated grasses accumulated trichothecenes to a much lesser extent than wheat, and naturally infected grasses showed little to no accumulation. Native North American grasses are commonly inhabited by Fusarium species, but appear to accommodate these toxigenic fungi differently from cultivated crops. This finding highlights how host identity and evolutionary history may influence the outcome of plant-fungal interactions and may inform future efforts in crop improvement. No claim to original US Government works. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

Application of ARC/INFO to regional scale hydrogeologic modeling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wurstner, S.K.; McWethy, G.; Devary, J.L.

1993-05-01

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can be a useful tool in data preparation for groundwater flow modeling, especially when studying large regional systems. ARC/INFO is being used in conjunction with GRASS to support data preparation for input to the CFEST (Coupled Fluid, Energy, and Solute Transport) groundwater modeling code. Simulations will be performed with CFEST to model three-dimensional, regional, groundwater flow in the West Siberian Basin.

Effects of extreme drought on specific leaf area of grassland species: A meta-analysis of experimental studies in temperate and sub-Mediterranean systems.

PubMed

Wellstein, Camilla; Poschlod, Peter; Gohlke, Andreas; Chelli, Stefano; Campetella, Giandiego; Rosbakh, Sergey; Canullo, Roberto; Kreyling, Jürgen; Jentsch, Anke; Beierkuhnlein, Carl

2017-06-01

Here, we conducted a meta-analysis of experimental drought manipulation studies using rainout shelters in five sites of natural grassland ecosystems of Europe. The single studies assess the effects of extreme drought on the intraspecific variation of the specific leaf area (SLA), a proxy of plant growth. We evaluate and compare the effect size of the SLA response for the functional groups of forbs and grasses in temperate and sub-Mediterranean systems. We hypothesized that the functional groups of grasses and forbs from temperate grassland systems have different strategies in short-term drought response, measured as adjustment of SLA, with SLA-reduction in grasses and SLA-maintenance in forbs. Second, we hypothesized that grasses and forbs from sub-Mediterranean systems do not differ in their drought response as both groups maintain their SLA. We found a significant decrease of SLA in grasses of the temperate systems in response to drought while SLA of forbs showed no significant response. Lower SLA is associated with enhanced water-use efficiency under water stress and thus can be seen as a strategy of phenotypic adjustment. By contrast, in the sub-Mediterranean systems, grasses significantly increased their SLA in the drought treatment. This result points towards a better growth performance of these grasses, which is most likely related to their strategy to allocate resources to belowground parts. The observed SLA reduction of forbs is most likely a direct drought response given that competitive effect of grasses is unlikely due to the scanty vegetation cover. We point out that phenotypic adjustment is an important driver of short-term functional plant response to climatic extremes such as drought. Differential reactions of functional groups have to be interpreted against the background of the group's evolutionary configuration that can differ between climatic zones. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Comparative and Evolutionary Analysis of Grass Pollen Allergens Using Brachypodium distachyon as a Model System.

PubMed

Sharma, Akanksha; Sharma, Niharika; Bhalla, Prem; Singh, Mohan

2017-01-01

Comparative genomics have facilitated the mining of biological information from a genome sequence, through the detection of similarities and differences with genomes of closely or more distantly related species. By using such comparative approaches, knowledge can be transferred from the model to non-model organisms and insights can be gained in the structural and evolutionary patterns of specific genes. In the absence of sequenced genomes for allergenic grasses, this study was aimed at understanding the structure, organisation and expression profiles of grass pollen allergens using the genomic data from Brachypodium distachyon as it is phylogenetically related to the allergenic grasses. Combining genomic data with the anther RNA-Seq dataset revealed 24 pollen allergen genes belonging to eight allergen groups mapping on the five chromosomes in B. distachyon. High levels of anther-specific expression profiles were observed for the 24 identified putative allergen-encoding genes in Brachypodium. The genomic evidence suggests that gene encoding the group 5 allergen, the most potent trigger of hay fever and allergic asthma originated as a pollen specific orphan gene in a common grass ancestor of Brachypodium and Triticiae clades. Gene structure analysis showed that the putative allergen-encoding genes in Brachypodium either lack or contain reduced number of introns. Promoter analysis of the identified Brachypodium genes revealed the presence of specific cis-regulatory sequences likely responsible for high anther/pollen-specific expression. With the identification of putative allergen-encoding genes in Brachypodium, this study has also described some important plant gene families (e.g. expansin superfamily, EF-Hand family, profilins etc) for the first time in the model plant Brachypodium. Altogether, the present study provides new insights into structural characterization and evolution of pollen allergens and will further serve as a base for their functional characterization in related grass species.

Using resistance and resilience concepts to reduce impacts of invasive annual grasses and altered fire regimes on the sagebrush ecosystem and greater sage-grouse: A strategic multi-scale approach

Treesearch

Jeanne C. Chambers; David A. Pyke; Jeremy D. Maestas; Mike Pellant; Chad S. Boyd; Steven B. Campbell; Shawn Espinosa; Douglas W. Havlina; Kenneth E. Mayer; Amarina Wuenschel

2014-01-01

This Report provides a strategic approach for conservation of sagebrush ecosystems and Greater Sage- Grouse (sage-grouse) that focuses specifically on habitat threats caused by invasive annual grasses and altered fire regimes. It uses information on factors that influence (1) sagebrush ecosystem resilience to disturbance and resistance to invasive annual grasses and (2...

76 FR 22116 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, OMB No...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-20

...-7, Blue Grass EPZ Residential Survey; FEMA Form 008-0-8, Deseret EPZ Residential Survey. SUMMARY... Form 008-0-7, Blue Grass EPZ Residential Survey; FEMA Form 008-0-8, Deseret EPZ Residential Survey...

Small mammal use of native warm-season and non-native cool-season grass forage fields

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ryan L Klimstra,; Christopher E Moorman,; Converse, Sarah J.; Royle, J. Andrew; Craig A Harper,

2015-01-01

Recent emphasis has been put on establishing native warm-season grasses for forage production because it is thought native warm-season grasses provide higher quality wildlife habitat than do non-native cool-season grasses. However, it is not clear whether native warm-season grass fields provide better resources for small mammals than currently are available in non-native cool-season grass forage production fields. We developed a hierarchical spatially explicit capture-recapture model to compare abundance of hispid cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus), white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus), and house mice (Mus musculus) among 4 hayed non-native cool-season grass fields, 4 hayed native warm-season grass fields, and 4 native warm-season grass-forb ("wildlife") fields managed for wildlife during 2 summer trapping periods in 2009 and 2010 of the western piedmont of North Carolina, USA. Cotton rat abundance estimates were greater in wildlife fields than in native warm-season grass and non-native cool-season grass fields and greater in native warm-season grass fields than in non-native cool-season grass fields. Abundances of white-footed mouse and house mouse populations were lower in wildlife fields than in native warm-season grass and non-native cool-season grass fields, but the abundances were not different between the native warm-season grass and non-native cool-season grass fields. Lack of cover following haying in non-native cool-season grass and native warm-season grass fields likely was the key factor limiting small mammal abundance, especially cotton rats, in forage fields. Retention of vegetation structure in managed forage production systems, either by alternately resting cool-season and warm-season grass forage fields or by leaving unharvested field borders, should provide refugia for small mammals during haying events.

Economic and environmental performance of traditional and grass-fed organic dairies using the Integrated Farm System Model

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Organic milk production is one of the fastest growing segments of US agriculture. There is an increasing number of US organic farmers who are transitioning to no grain supplementation due to additional premiums paid by some milk processors. However, there is limited information about the economic an...

The FOSS GIS Workbench on the GFZ Load Sharing Facility compute cluster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Löwe, P.; Klump, J.; Thaler, J.

2012-04-01

Compute clusters can be used as GIS workbenches, their wealth of resources allow us to take on geocomputation tasks which exceed the limitations of smaller systems. To harness these capabilities requires a Geographic Information System (GIS), able to utilize the available cluster configuration/architecture and a sufficient degree of user friendliness to allow for wide application. In this paper we report on the first successful porting of GRASS GIS, the oldest and largest Free Open Source (FOSS) GIS project, onto a compute cluster using Platform Computing's Load Sharing Facility (LSF). In 2008, GRASS6.3 was installed on the GFZ compute cluster, which at that time comprised 32 nodes. The interaction with the GIS was limited to the command line interface, which required further development to encapsulate the GRASS GIS business layer to facilitate its use by users not familiar with GRASS GIS. During the summer of 2011, multiple versions of GRASS GIS (v 6.4, 6.5 and 7.0) were installed on the upgraded GFZ compute cluster, now consisting of 234 nodes with 480 CPUs providing 3084 cores. The GFZ compute cluster currently offers 19 different processing queues with varying hardware capabilities and priorities, allowing for fine-grained scheduling and load balancing. After successful testing of core GIS functionalities, including the graphical user interface, mechanisms were developed to deploy scripted geocomputation tasks onto dedicated processing queues. The mechanisms are based on earlier work by NETELER et al. (2008). A first application of the new GIS functionality was the generation of maps of simulated tsunamis in the Mediterranean Sea for the Tsunami Atlas of the FP-7 TRIDEC Project (www.tridec-online.eu). For this, up to 500 processing nodes were used in parallel. Further trials included the processing of geometrically complex problems, requiring significant amounts of processing time. The GIS cluster successfully completed all these tasks, with processing times lasting up to full 20 CPU days. The deployment of GRASS GIS on a compute cluster allows our users to tackle GIS tasks previously out of reach of single workstations. In addition, this GRASS GIS cluster implementation will be made available to other users at GFZ in the course of 2012. It will thus become a research utility in the sense of "Software as a Service" (SaaS) and can be seen as our first step towards building a GFZ corporate cloud service.

The Study and Implementation of Text-to-Speech System for Agricultural Information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Huoguo; Hu, Haiyan; Liu, Shihong; Meng, Hong

The Broadcast and Television coverage has increased to more than 98% in china. Information services by radio have wide coverage, low cost, easy-to-grass-roots farmers to accept etc. characteristics. In order to play the better role of broadcast information service, as well as aim at the problem of lack of information resource in rural, we R & D the text-to-speech system. The system includes two parts, software and hardware device, both of them can translate text into audio file. The software subsystem was implemented basic on third-part middleware, and the hardware subsystem was realized with microelectronics technology. Results indicate that the hardware is better than software. The system has been applied in huailai city hebei province, which has conversed more than 8000 audio files as programming materials for the local radio station.

Managing Intermountain rangelands - sagebrush-grass ranges

Treesearch

James P. Blaisdell; Robert B Murray; E. Durant McArthur

1982-01-01

This paper is a distillation of some of the most important information resulting from a half-century of research on sagebrush-grass rangelands. It has been prepared as a reference for managers and users of rangelands and as a help for planning and decisionmaking.

Lignin and etherified ferulates impact digestibility and structural composition of three temperate perennial grasses

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Breeding grasses for increased digestibility increases their value and profitability in ruminant livestock production systems. Digestibility can be improved in grasses by either increasing the concentration of soluble and readily fermentable carbohydrates or by altering the plant cell wall to create...

Lignocellulosic crop supply chains (eg, Miscanthus, switchgrass, reed canary grass, rye, giant reed, etc.) Chapter 12 of "Biomass Supply Chains for Bioenergy and Biorefining"

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roni, Mohammad S.; Cafferty, Kara G.; Hess, J. Richard

This chapter provides an overview of lignocellulosic crop supply chains such as Miscanthus, switch grass, reed canary grass, rye, and giant reed by outlining typical logistic operations in support of a liquid biofuel market. We present two strategies for managing feedstocks within the biomass supply system: (1) the conventional bale feedstock supply system and (2) the advanced supply system concept. Finally, we discuss feedstock blending and integrated landscape management as innovative improvements to the lignocellulosic crop supply chain.

Integrated production of warm season grasses and agroforestry for biomass production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Samson, R.; Omielan, J.; Girouard, P.

1993-12-31

Increased research on C{sub 3} and C{sub 4} perennial biomass crops is generating a significant amount of information on the potential of these crops to produce large quantities of low cost biomass. In many parts of North America it appears that both C{sub 3} and C{sub 4} species are limited by water availability particularly on marginal soils. In much of North America, rainfall is exceeded by evaporation. High transpiration rates by fast growing trees and rainfall interception by the canopy appear to indicate that this can further exacerbate the problem of water availability. C{sub 4} perennial grasses appear to havemore » distinct advantages over C{sub 3} species planted in monoculture systems particularly on marginal soils. C{sub 4} grasses historically predominated over much of the land that is now available for biomass production because of their adaptation to low humidity environments and periods of low soil moisture. The planting of short rotation forestry (SRF) species in an energy agroforestry system is proposed as an alternative production strategy which could potentially alleviate many of the problems associated with SRF monocultures. Energy agroforestry would be complementary to both production of conventional farm crops and C{sub 4} perennial biomass crops because of beneficial microclimatic effects.« less

Environmental Assessment for Irrigation System for the Golf Course

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

woodland species oak, maple, willow, bald cypress, sweet gum and loblolly pine. Vegetation located in the project area is Bermuda grass. 3.2.6...in an area of improved grounds. A sod cutter would be used to remove existing Bermuda grass on the course for placement of pipes and sprinklers...The same Bermuda grass would be replaced over the pipes when installation is complete. The grass would then be watered during the hottest summer

Influence of livestock grazing on C sequestration in semi-arid mixed-grass and short-grass rangelands

Treesearch

J.D. Reeder; G.E. Schuman

2001-01-01

We evaluated the effects of livestock grazing on C content of the plant-soil system (to 60 cm) of two semi-arid grasslands: a mixed-grass prairie (grazed 12 years), and a short-grass steppe (grazed 56 years). Grazing treatments included season-long grazing at heavy and light stocking rates, and non-grazed exclosures. Significantly higher soil C (0-30cm) was measured in...

Why is the lawn buzzing?

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Abstract Graminoids, including grasses, are frequently described in the botanical literature as being wind-pollinated. This paper offers visual evidence for insect pollination of a grass. Three of the bees involved were found to have 100% grass pollen in their pollen sacs. In reviewing the literature for this paper, it was evident that those working with bees are well aware that these insects often pollinate graminoids. It is not clear why this information has not been incorporated into the botanical literature. PMID:24891835

Brachypodium as a model for the grasses: today and the future

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Over the past several years, Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium) has emerged as a tractable model system to study biological questions relevant to the grasses. To place its relevance in the larger context of plant biology, we outline here the expanding adoption of Brachypodium as a model grass an...

Does fire maintain symbiotic, fungal endophyte infections in native grasses?

Treesearch

S. H. Faeth; S. M.  Haase; S. S. Sackett; T. J. Sullivan; R. H.  Remington; C. E.  Hamilton

2002-01-01

Systemic endophytic fungi in agronomic and turf grasses are well known for conferring increased resistance to herbivores and to abiotic stresses, such as drought, and increasing competitive abilities. Many native grasses also harbor high frequencies of the asexual and vertically-transmitted endophyte, Neotyphodium. In Festuca arizonica...

Phenology of perennial native grass below-ground axillary buds in the northern mixed-grass prairie

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Vegetative reproduction from belowground bud banks is the primary driver of grassland systems. Despite the importance of vegetative reproduction, the timing of belowground bud recruitment is unknown for most dominant, perennial native grasses as is the relationship between bud development and envir...

Mapping the birch and grass pollen seasons in the UK using satellite sensor time-series.

PubMed

Khwarahm, Nabaz R; Dash, Jadunandan; Skjøth, C A; Newnham, R M; Adams-Groom, B; Head, K; Caulton, Eric; Atkinson, Peter M

2017-02-01

Grass and birch pollen are two major causes of seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever) in the UK and parts of Europe affecting around 15-20% of the population. Current prediction of these allergens in the UK is based on (i) measurements of pollen concentrations at a limited number of monitoring stations across the country and (ii) general information about the phenological status of the vegetation. Thus, the current prediction methodology provides information at a coarse spatial resolution only. Most station-based approaches take into account only local observations of flowering, while only a small number of approaches take into account remote observations of land surface phenology. The systematic gathering of detailed information about vegetation status nationwide would therefore be of great potential utility. In particular, there exists an opportunity to use remote sensing to estimate phenological variables that are related to the flowering phenophase and, thus, pollen release. In turn, these estimates can be used to predict pollen release at a fine spatial resolution. In this study, time-series of MERIS Terrestrial Chlorophyll Index (MTCI) data were used to predict two key phenological variables: the start of season and peak of season. A technique was then developed to estimate the flowering phenophase of birch and grass from the MTCI time-series. For birch, the timing of flowering was defined as the time after the start of the growing season when the MTCI value reached 25% of the maximum. Similarly, for grass this was defined as the time when the MTCI value reached 75% of the maximum. The predicted pollen release dates were validated with data from nine pollen monitoring stations in the UK. For both birch and grass, we obtained large positive correlations between the MTCI-derived start of pollen season and the start of the pollen season defined using station data, with a slightly larger correlation observed for birch than for grass. The technique was applied to produce detailed maps for the flowering of birch and grass across the UK for each of the years from 2003 to 2010. The results demonstrate that the remote sensing-based maps of onset flowering of birch and grass for the UK together with the pollen forecast from the Meteorology Office and National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit (NPARU) can potentially provide more accurate information to pollen allergy sufferers in the UK. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relationships between in situ protein degradability and grass developmental morphology.

PubMed

Mitchell, R B; Redfearn, D D; Moser, L E; Grant, R J; Moore, K J; Kirch, B H

1997-06-01

The objective of this research was to determine the relationships between the morphological development and in situ ruminally degradable protein (RDP), ruminally undegradable protein (RUP), and microbial protein of two cool season grasses (intermediate wheatgrass and smooth bromegrass) and two warm season grasses (switchgrass and big bluestem). The initial growth of grass tillers grown near Mead, Nebraska was clipped at ground level six times during the 1992 growing season and morphologically classified. Mean stage was calculated. Forage was ground to pass a 2-mm screen and was incubated in ruminally fistulated steers for 16 h. The RUP was adjusted for microbial protein and acid detergent insoluble N. The mean stage of cool season grasses was higher than that of warm season grasses throughout the growing season. The RDP decreased as plant maturity increased for all species. The RUP expressed as a percentage of crude protein for the cool season grasses was lower than that for warm season grasses. The RUP for intermediate wheatgrass, smooth bromegrass, and switchgrass remained constant across maturities, but RUP for big bluestem decreased as maturity increased. Microbial augmentation of RUP decreased as crude protein decreased in all species. The RUP corrected for acid detergent insoluble N and microbial protein was relatively constant across plant maturities. The quantification of RUP across a range of plant maturities provided information for incorporating RUP content of forage grasses into the diets of animals.

Advances in Setaria genomics for genetic improvement of cereals and bioenergy grasses.

PubMed

Muthamilarasan, Mehanathan; Prasad, Manoj

2015-01-01

Recent advances in Setaria genomics appear promising for genetic improvement of cereals and biofuel crops towards providing multiple securities to the steadily increasing global population. The prominent attributes of foxtail millet (Setaria italica, cultivated) and green foxtail (S. viridis, wild) including small genome size, short life-cycle, in-breeding nature, genetic close-relatedness to several cereals, millets and bioenergy grasses, and potential abiotic stress tolerance have accentuated these two Setaria species as novel model system for studying C4 photosynthesis, stress biology and biofuel traits. Considering this, studies have been performed on structural and functional genomics of these plants to develop genetic and genomic resources, and to delineate the physiology and molecular biology of stress tolerance, for the improvement of millets, cereals and bioenergy grasses. The release of foxtail millet genome sequence has provided a new dimension to Setaria genomics, resulting in large-scale development of genetic and genomic tools, construction of informative databases, and genome-wide association and functional genomic studies. In this context, this review discusses the advancements made in Setaria genomics, which have generated a considerable knowledge that could be used for the improvement of millets, cereals and biofuel crops. Further, this review also shows the nutritional potential of foxtail millet in providing health benefits to global population and provides a preliminary information on introgressing the nutritional properties in graminaceous species through molecular breeding and transgene-based approaches.

Divergent utilization patterns of grass fructan, inulin, and other nonfiber carbohydrates by ruminal microbes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fructans are an important nonfiber carbohydrate in cool-season grasses. Their fermentation by ruminal microbes is not well described, though such information is needed to understand their nutritional value to ruminants. Our objective was to compare kinetics and product formation of orchardgrass fruc...

Design storm prediction and hydrologic modeling using a web-GIS approach on a free-software platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castrogiovanni, E. M.; La Loggia, G.; Noto, L. V.

2005-09-01

The aim of this work has been to implement a set of procedures useful to automatise the evaluation, the design storm prediction and the flood discharge associated with a selected risk level. For this purpose a Geographic Information System has been implemented using Grass 5.0. One of the main topics of such a system is a georeferenced database of the highest intensity rainfalls and their assigned duration recorded in Sicily. This database contains the main characteristics for more than 250 raingauges, as well as the values of intense rainfall events recorded by these raingauges. These data are managed through the combined use of the PostgreSQL and GRASS-GIS 5.0 databases. Some of the best-known probability distributions have been implemented within the Geographical Information System in order to determine the point and/or areal rain values once duration and return period have been defined. The system also includes a hydrological module necessary to compute the probable flow, for a selected risk level, at points chosen by the user. A peculiarity of the system is the possibility to querying the model using a web-interface. The assumption is that the rising needs of geographic information, and dealing with the rising importance of peoples participation in the decision process, requires new forms for the diffusion of territorial data. Furthermore, technicians as well as public administrators needs to get customized and specialist data to support planning, particularly in emergencies. In this perspective a Web-interface has been developed for the hydrologic system. The aim is to allow remote users to access a centralized database and processing-power to serve the needs of knowledge without complex hardware/software infrastructures.

QTLs for resistance to the false brome rust Puccinia brachypodii in the model grass Brachypodium distachyon L.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The wild grass Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium) is a new model system for temperate cereals, but its potential for studying interactions between grasses and their pathogens remains underexploited. Leaf rust caused by members of the fungal genus Puccinia is a major disease affecting temperate c...

Genome sequence analysis of the model grass Brachypodium distachyon: insights into grass genome evolution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schulman, Al

2009-08-09

Three subfamilies of grasses, the Erhardtoideae (rice), the Panicoideae (maize, sorghum, sugar cane and millet), and the Pooideae (wheat, barley and cool season forage grasses) provide the basis of human nutrition and are poised to become major sources of renewable energy. Here we describe the complete genome sequence of the wild grass Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium), the first member of the Pooideae subfamily to be completely sequenced. Comparison of the Brachypodium, rice and sorghum genomes reveals a precise sequence- based history of genome evolution across a broad diversity of the grass family and identifies nested insertions of whole chromosomes into centromericmore » regions as a predominant mechanism driving chromosome evolution in the grasses. The relatively compact genome of Brachypodium is maintained by a balance of retroelement replication and loss. The complete genome sequence of Brachypodium, coupled to its exceptional promise as a model system for grass research, will support the development of new energy and food crops« less

Excreting and non-excreting grasses exhibit different salt resistance strategies

PubMed Central

Moinuddin, Muhammad; Gulzar, Salman; Ahmed, Muhammad Zaheer; Gul, Bilquees; Koyro, Hans-Werner; Khan, Muhammad Ajmal

2014-01-01

The combination of traits that makes a plant successful under saline conditions varies with the type of plant and its interaction with the environmental conditions. Knowledge about the contribution of these traits towards salt resistance in grasses has great potential for improving the salt resistance of conventional crops. We attempted to identify differential adaptive response patterns of salt-excreting versus non-excreting grasses. More specifically, we studied the growth, osmotic, ionic and nutrient (carbon/nitrogen) relations of two salt-excreting (Aeluropus lagopoides and Sporobolus tremulus) and two non-excreting (Paspalum paspalodes and Paspalidium geminatum) perennial C4 grasses under non-saline and saline (0, 200 and 400 mM NaCl) conditions. Growth and relative growth rate decreased under saline conditions in the order P. geminatum > S. tremulus = A. lagopoides > P. paspalodes. The root-to-shoot biomass allocation was unaffected in salt-excreting grasses, increased in P. paspalodes but decreased in P. geminatum. Salt-excreting grasses had a higher shoot/root Na+ ratio than non-excreting grasses. K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ homoeostasis remained undisturbed among test grasses possibly through improved ion selectivity with rising substrate salinity. Salt-excreting grasses increased leaf succulence, decreased ψs and xylem pressure potential, and accumulated proline and glycinebetaine with increasing salinity. Higher salt resistance of P. paspalodes could be attributed to lower Na+ uptake, higher nitrogen-use efficiency and higher water-use efficiency among the test species. However, P. geminatum was unable to cope with salt-induced physiological drought. More information is required to adequately document the differential strategies of salt resistance in salt-excreting and non-excreting grasses. PMID:24996428

An Open-Source Approach for Catchment's Physiographic Characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Leo, M.; Di Stefano, M.

2013-12-01

A water catchment's hydrologic response is intimately linked to its morphological shape, which is a signature on the landscape of the particular climate conditions that generated the hydrographic basin over time. Furthermore, geomorphologic structures influence hydrologic regimes and land cover (vegetation). For these reasons, a basin's characterization is a fundamental element in hydrological studies. Physiographic descriptors have been extracted manually for long time, but currently Geographic Information System (GIS) tools ease such task by offering a powerful instrument for hydrologists to save time and improve accuracy of result. Here we present a program combining the flexibility of the Python programming language with the reliability of GRASS GIS, which automatically performing the catchment's physiographic characterization. GRASS (Geographic Resource Analysis Support System) is a Free and Open Source GIS, that today can look back on 30 years of successful development in geospatial data management and analysis, image processing, graphics and maps production, spatial modeling and visualization. The recent development of new hydrologic tools, coupled with the tremendous boost in the existing flow routing algorithms, reduced the computational time and made GRASS a complete toolset for hydrological analysis even for large datasets. The tool presented here is a module called r.basin, based on GRASS' traditional nomenclature, where the "r" stands for "raster", and it is available for GRASS version 6.x and more recently for GRASS 7. As input it uses a Digital Elevation Model and the coordinates of the outlet, and, powered by the recently developed r.stream.* hydrological tools, it performs the flow calculation, delimits the basin's boundaries and extracts the drainage network, returning the flow direction and accumulation, the distance to outlet and the hill slopes length maps. Based on those maps, it calculates hydrologically meaningful shape factors and morphological parameters such as topological diameter, drainage density, Horton's ratios, concentration time, and many more, beside producing statistics on main channel and elevation and geometric features such as centroid's coordinates, rectangle containing the basin, etc. Exploiting Python libraries, such as Numpy and Matplotlib, it produces graphics like the hypsographic and hypsometric curve and the Width Function. The results are exported as a spreadsheet in CSV format and graphics as pngs. The advantages offered by the implementation in Python and GRASS are manifold. Python is a powerful scripting language with huge potential for researchers due to its relative simplicity, high flexibility and thanks to a broad availability of scientific libraries. GRASS, and as a consequence, r.basin, is platform independent, so that it is available for GNU/Linux, MS Windows, Mac, etc. Furthermore, the module is constantly maintained and improved according to users' feedback with the precious help of expert developers. The code is available for review under the official GRASS add-ons repository, allowing hydrologists and researchers to knowingly use, inspect, modify, reuse, and even incorporate it in other projects, such as web services.

Positive and negative effects of grass, cattle, and wild herbivores on Acacia saplings in an East African savanna.

PubMed

Riginos, Corinna; Young, Truman P

2007-10-01

Plant-plant interactions can be a complex mixture of positive and negative interactions, with the net outcome depending on abiotic and community contexts. In savanna systems, the effects of large herbivores on tree-grass interactions have rarely been studied experimentally, though these herbivores are major players in these systems. In African savannas, trees often become more abundant under heavy cattle grazing but less abundant in wildlife preserves. Woody encroachment where cattle have replaced wild herbivores may be caused by a shift in the competitive balance between trees and grasses. Here we report the results of an experiment designed to quantify the positive, negative, and net effects of grasses, wild herbivores, and cattle on Acacia saplings in a Kenyan savanna. Acacia drepanolobium saplings under four long-term herbivore regimes (wild herbivores, cattle, cattle + wild herbivores, and no large herbivores) were cleared of surrounding grass or left with the surrounding grass intact. After two years, grass-removal saplings exhibited 86% more browse damage than control saplings, suggesting that grass benefited saplings by protecting them from herbivory. However, the negative effect of grass on saplings was far greater; grass-removal trees accrued more than twice the total stem length of control trees. Where wild herbivores were present, saplings were browsed more and produced more new stem growth. Thus, the net effect of wild herbivores was positive, possibly due to the indirect effects of lower competitor tree density in areas accessible to elephants. Additionally, colonization of saplings by symbiotic ants tracked growth patterns, and colonized saplings experienced lower rates of browse damage. These results suggest that savanna tree growth and woody encroachment cannot be predicted by grass cover or herbivore type alone. Rather, tree growth appears to depend on a variety of factors that may be acting together or antagonistically at different stages of the tree's life cycle.

Molecular Evolution of Grass Stomata.

PubMed

Chen, Zhong-Hua; Chen, Guang; Dai, Fei; Wang, Yizhou; Hills, Adrian; Ruan, Yong-Ling; Zhang, Guoping; Franks, Peter J; Nevo, Eviatar; Blatt, Michael R

2017-02-01

Grasses began to diversify in the late Cretaceous Period and now dominate more than one third of global land area, including three-quarters of agricultural land. We hypothesize that their success is likely attributed to the evolution of highly responsive stomata capable of maximizing productivity in rapidly changing environments. Grass stomata harness the active turgor control mechanisms present in stomata of more ancient plant lineages, maximizing several morphological and developmental features to ensure rapid responses to environmental inputs. The evolutionary development of grass stomata appears to have been a gradual progression. Therefore, understanding the complex structures, developmental events, regulatory networks, and combinations of ion transporters necessary to drive rapid stomatal movement may inform future efforts towards breeding new crop varieties. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gene expression in grass ovaries infected with seed born fungal endophyte Neotyphodium occultans analyzed by a next-generation sequencing system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fungal endophytes of the genus Neotyphodium form symbiotic associations with many grass species of the subfamily Pooideae, including some important forage and turf species such as Lolium grasses. The endophytes are maintained in host plant communities by seed transmission from maternal plants to off...

7 CFR 407.9 - Group risk plan common policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... before May 22, 2008, and on which the plant cover is composed principally of native grasses, grass-like... the information; or (4) As expressly permitted by the policy. (h) If we discover you have incorrectly... recognized for the county; (h) A written agreement will be denied unless FCIC approves the written agreement...

Comparative and Evolutionary Analysis of Grass Pollen Allergens Using Brachypodium distachyon as a Model System

PubMed Central

Sharma, Akanksha; Sharma, Niharika; Bhalla, Prem; Singh, Mohan

2017-01-01

Comparative genomics have facilitated the mining of biological information from a genome sequence, through the detection of similarities and differences with genomes of closely or more distantly related species. By using such comparative approaches, knowledge can be transferred from the model to non-model organisms and insights can be gained in the structural and evolutionary patterns of specific genes. In the absence of sequenced genomes for allergenic grasses, this study was aimed at understanding the structure, organisation and expression profiles of grass pollen allergens using the genomic data from Brachypodium distachyon as it is phylogenetically related to the allergenic grasses. Combining genomic data with the anther RNA-Seq dataset revealed 24 pollen allergen genes belonging to eight allergen groups mapping on the five chromosomes in B. distachyon. High levels of anther-specific expression profiles were observed for the 24 identified putative allergen-encoding genes in Brachypodium. The genomic evidence suggests that gene encoding the group 5 allergen, the most potent trigger of hay fever and allergic asthma originated as a pollen specific orphan gene in a common grass ancestor of Brachypodium and Triticiae clades. Gene structure analysis showed that the putative allergen-encoding genes in Brachypodium either lack or contain reduced number of introns. Promoter analysis of the identified Brachypodium genes revealed the presence of specific cis-regulatory sequences likely responsible for high anther/pollen-specific expression. With the identification of putative allergen-encoding genes in Brachypodium, this study has also described some important plant gene families (e.g. expansin superfamily, EF-Hand family, profilins etc) for the first time in the model plant Brachypodium. Altogether, the present study provides new insights into structural characterization and evolution of pollen allergens and will further serve as a base for their functional characterization in related grass species. PMID:28103252

Costing the satellite power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hazelrigg, G. A., Jr.

1978-01-01

The paper presents a methodology for satellite power system costing, places approximate limits on the accuracy possible in cost estimates made at this time, and outlines the use of probabilistic cost information in support of the decision-making process. Reasons for using probabilistic costing or risk analysis procedures instead of standard deterministic costing procedures are considered. Components of cost, costing estimating relationships, grass roots costing, and risk analysis are discussed. Risk analysis using a Monte Carlo simulation model is used to estimate future costs.

Rooting depth varies differentially in trees and grasses as a function of mean annual rainfall in an African savanna.

PubMed

Holdo, Ricardo M; Nippert, Jesse B; Mack, Michelle C

2018-01-01

A significant fraction of the terrestrial biosphere comprises biomes containing tree-grass mixtures. Forecasting vegetation dynamics in these environments requires a thorough understanding of how trees and grasses use and compete for key belowground resources. There is disagreement about the extent to which tree-grass vertical root separation occurs in these ecosystems, how this overlap varies across large-scale environmental gradients, and what these rooting differences imply for water resource availability and tree-grass competition and coexistence. To assess the extent of tree-grass rooting overlap and how tree and grass rooting patterns vary across resource gradients, we examined landscape-level patterns of tree and grass functional rooting depth along a mean annual precipitation (MAP) gradient extending from ~ 450 to ~ 750 mm year -1 in Kruger National Park, South Africa. We used stable isotopes from soil and stem water to make inferences about relative differences in rooting depth between these two functional groups. We found clear differences in rooting depth between grasses and trees across the MAP gradient, with grasses generally exhibiting shallower rooting profiles than trees. We also found that trees tended to become more shallow-rooted as a function of MAP, to the point that trees and grasses largely overlapped in terms of rooting depth at the wettest sites. Our results reconcile previously conflicting evidence for rooting overlap in this system, and have important implications for understanding tree-grass dynamics under altered precipitation scenarios.

Effects of forage types on digestibility, methane emissions, and nitrogen utilization efficiency in two genotypes of hill ewes.

PubMed

Zhao, Y G; Annett, R; Yan, T

2017-08-01

Thirty-six nonpregnant hill ewes (18 pure Scottish Blackface and 18 Swaledale × Scottish Blackface) aged 18 mo and weighing 48 ± 4.8 kg were allocated to 3 forage treatments balanced for genotype and BW. Each genotype was offered 3 forages (pelleted ryegrass, fresh lowland grass, and fresh hill grass) ad libitum with 6 ewes for each of the 6 genotype × diet combination treatments. Pelleted ryegrass was sourced from a commercial supplier (Drygrass South Western Ltd, Burrington, UK). Fresh lowland grass was harvested daily in the morning from a third regrowth perennial ryegrass () sward. Fresh hill grass was harvested from a seminatural hill grassland every 2 d and stored in plastic bags at 4 to 5°C until offered. The animals were individually housed in pens and offered experimental diets for 14 d before being transferred to 6 individual respiration chambers for a further 4 d, during which feed intake, fecal and urine outputs, and CH emissions were measured. There was no interaction between genotype and forage types on any variable measured. In a comparison of effects of the 3 forages, pelleted ryegrass had the greatest ( < 0.001) values in DMI, GE intake, CH emissions, N intake (NI), and fecal N (FN), urine N (UN), and manure N (MN) outputs, whereas hill grass had the lowest ( < 0.001) values in DMI, energy (GE, DE, and ME) intake, CH emissions, NI, UN, and MN. However, pelleted ryegrass had the lowest ratio in CH emissions per unit DMI ( = 0.022) or GE intake ( = 0.026) or UN excretion as a proportion of NI or MN ( < 0.001). Lowland grass had a greater ( < 0.001) digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF, ADF, and GE and a greater ( < 0.001) ME:GE ratio or retained N:NI ratio than pelleted ryegrass and hill grass. Genotypes of sheep had no effect on any variable in feed intake, digestibility, CH emissions, or N utilization. The CH conversion factors (CH energy/GE) for pelleted ryegrass, lowland grass, and hill grass were 4.4, 5.7, and 5.6%, respectively. All data were then pooled to develop regression equations between CH and DMI or between N excretions (FN, UN, and MN) and NI. Methane emissions and N excretions were positively related to DMI and NI ( < 0.001), respectively. However, increasing DMI could reduce CH emissions per kilogram DMI. These equations add new information in predicting enteric CH emissions and N utilization efficiency and can be used to quantify the environmental footprint of hill sheep production systems.

Mower/Litter Removal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

The Burg Corporation needed to get more power out of the suction system in their Vac 'N Bag grass mower/litter remover. The president submitted a problem statement to the Marshall Space Flight Center Technology Transfer Office, which devised a way to guide heavier items of trash to a point where suction was greatest, and made changes to the impeller and the exhaust port, based on rocket propulsion technology. The improved system is used by highway departments, city governments and park authorities, reducing work time by combining the tasks of grass cutting and vacuuming trash and grass clippings.

Brachypodium as an experimental system for the study of stem parenchyma biology in grasses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jensen, Jacob Kruger; Wilkerson, Curtis Gene; Ma, Wujun

Stem parenchyma is a major cell type that serves key metabolic functions for the plant especially in large grasses, such as sugarcane and sweet sorghum, where it serves to store sucrose or other products of photosynthesis. It is therefore desirable to understand the metabolism of this cell type as well as the mechanisms by which it provides its function for the rest of the plant. Ultimately, this information can be used to selectively manipulate this cell type in a controlled manner to achieve crop improvement. In this study, we show that Brachypodium distachyon is a useful model system for stemmore » pith parenchyma biology. Brachypodium can be grown under condition where it resembles the growth patterns of important crops in that it produces large amounts of stem material with the lower leaves senescing and with significant stores of photosynthate located in the stem parenchyma cell types. We further characterize stem plastid morphology as a function of tissue types, as this organelle is central for a number of metabolic pathways, and quantify gene expression for the four main classes of starch biosynthetic genes. Notably, we find several of these genes differentially regulated between stem and leaf. Furthermore, these studies show, consistent with other grasses, that the stem functions as a specialized storage compartment in Brachypodium.« less

Brachypodium as an experimental system for the study of stem parenchyma biology in grasses

DOE PAGES

Jensen, Jacob Kruger; Wilkerson, Curtis Gene; Ma, Wujun

2017-03-01

Stem parenchyma is a major cell type that serves key metabolic functions for the plant especially in large grasses, such as sugarcane and sweet sorghum, where it serves to store sucrose or other products of photosynthesis. It is therefore desirable to understand the metabolism of this cell type as well as the mechanisms by which it provides its function for the rest of the plant. Ultimately, this information can be used to selectively manipulate this cell type in a controlled manner to achieve crop improvement. In this study, we show that Brachypodium distachyon is a useful model system for stemmore » pith parenchyma biology. Brachypodium can be grown under condition where it resembles the growth patterns of important crops in that it produces large amounts of stem material with the lower leaves senescing and with significant stores of photosynthate located in the stem parenchyma cell types. We further characterize stem plastid morphology as a function of tissue types, as this organelle is central for a number of metabolic pathways, and quantify gene expression for the four main classes of starch biosynthetic genes. Notably, we find several of these genes differentially regulated between stem and leaf. Furthermore, these studies show, consistent with other grasses, that the stem functions as a specialized storage compartment in Brachypodium.« less

Global Grazing Systems: Their Continuing Importance in Meeting Global Demand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, K. F.; D'Odorico, P.

2014-12-01

Animal production exerts significant demand on land, water and food resources and is an extensive means by which humans modify natural systems. Demand for animal source foods has more than tripled over the past 50 years due to population growth and dietary change. To meet this demand, livestock intensification (e.g. concentrated animal feeding operations) has increased and with it the water, nitrogen and carbon footprints of animal production. However, grass-fed systems continue to contribute significantly to overall animal production. To date, little is known about the contributions of grass- and grain-fed systems to animal calorie production, how this has changed through time and to what extent these two systems are sensitive to climate. Using a calorie-based approach we hypothesize that grain-fed systems are increasing in importance (with serious implications for water and nutrient demand) and that rangeland productivity is correlated with rainfall. Our findings show that grass-fed systems made up the majority of animal calorie production since 1960 years but that the relative contribution of grain-fed system has increased (from 27% to 49%). This rapid transition towards grain-fed animal production is largely a result of changing diets demand, as we found the growth of grass-fed production only kept pace with population growth. On a regional scale, we find that Asia has been the major contributor to the increase in grass-fed animal calorie production and that Africa has undergone the most drastic transition from grass-fed to grain-fed dependence. Finally, as expected we see a positive relationship between rangeland productivity and precipitation and a shift from dairy- to meat-dominated production going from drier to wetter climates. This study represents a new means of analyzing the food security of animal products and an important step in understanding the historic trends of animal production, their relation to climate, their prospects for the future and their implications for freshwater resources and nutrient cycling.

Grass Rooting the System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perlman, Janice E.

1976-01-01

Suggests a taxonomy of the grass roots movement and gives a general descriptive over view of the 60 groups studied with respect to origin, constituency, size, funding, issues, and ideology. (Author/AM)

Technology resource document for the assembled chemical weapons assessment environmental impact statement. Vol. 5 : assembled systems for weapons destruction at Blue Grass Army Depot.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kimmell, T.; Folga, S., Frey, G.; Molberg, J.

2001-05-02

This volume of the Technical Resource Document (TRD) for the ''Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Design, Construction and Operation of One or More Pilot Test Facilities for Assembled Chemical Weapons Destruction Technologies at One or More Sites'' (PMACWA 2001g) pertains to the destruction of assembled chemical weapons (ACW) stored in the U.S. Army's unitary chemical stockpile at Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD), located outside Richmond, Kentucky. This volume presents technical and process information on each of the destruction technologies applicable to treatment of the specific ACW stored at BGAD. The destruction technologies described are those that have been demonstratedmore » as part of the Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment (ACWA) selection process (see Volume 1).« less

Surface-attached and suspended bacterial community structure as affected by C/N ratios: relationship between bacteria and fish production.

PubMed

Yu, Ermeng; Xie, Jun; Wang, Jinlin; Ako, Harry; Wang, Guangjun; Chen, Zhanghe; Liu, Yongfeng

2016-07-01

Bacteria play crucial roles in the combined system of substrate addition and C/N control, which has been demonstrated to improve aquaculture production. However, the complexity of surface-attached bacteria on substrates and suspended bacteria in the water column hamper further application of this system. This study firstly applied this combined system into the culture of grass carp, and then explored the relationship between microbial complexes from surface-attached and suspended bacteria in this system and the production of grass carp. In addition, this study investigated bacterial community structures as affected by four C/N ratios using Illumina sequencing technology. The results demonstrated that the weight gain rate and specific growth rate of grass carp in the CN20 group (C/N ratio 20:1) were the highest (P < 0.05), and dietary supplementation of the microbial complex had positive effects on the growth of grass carp (P < 0.05). Sequencing data revealed that, (1) the proportions of Verrucomicrobiae and Rhodobacter (surface-attached), sediminibacterium (suspended), and emticicia (surface-attached and suspended) were much higher in the CN20 group compared with those in the other groups (P < 0.05); (2) Rhodobacter, Flavobacterium, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Planctomyces, and Cloacibacterium might be important for the microbial colonization on substrates; (3) as the C/N ratio increased, proportions of Hydrogenophaga (surface-attached and suspended), Zoogloea, and Flectobacillus (suspended) increased, but proportions of Bacillus, Clavibacter, and Cellvibro (surface-attached and suspended) decreased. In summary, a combined system of substrate addition and C/N control increased the production of grass carp, and Verrucomicrobiae and Rhodobacter in the surface-attached bacterial community were potential probiotic bacteria that contributed to the enhanced growth of grass carp.

Bermuda grass as feedstock for biofuel production: a review.

PubMed

Xu, Jiele; Wang, Ziyu; Cheng, Jay J

2011-09-01

Bermuda grass is a promising feedstock for the production of fuel ethanol in the Southern United States. This paper presents a review of the significant amount of research on the conversion of Bermuda grass to ethanol and a brief discussion on the factors affecting the biomass production in the field. The biggest challenge of biomass conversion comes from the recalcitrance of lignocellulose. A variety of chemical, physico-chemical, and biological pretreatment methods have been investigated to improve the digestibility of Bermuda grass with encouraging results reported. The subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation steps have also been extensively studied and effectively optimized. It is expected that the development of genetic engineering technologies for the grass and fermenting organisms has the potential to greatly improve the economic viability of Bermuda grass-based fuel ethanol production systems. Other energy applications of Bermuda grass include anaerobic digestion for biogas generation and pyrolysis for syngas production. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polycross populations of the native grass Festuca roemeri as pre-varietal germplasm: their derivation, release, increase, and use

Treesearch

Dale C. Darris; Barbara L. Wilson; Rob Fiegener; Matthew E. Horning

2008-01-01

Results of a recent common-garden study provide evidence needed to delineate appropriate seed transfer zones for the native grass Festuca roemeri (Pavlick) E. B. Alexeev (Poaceae). That information has been used to develop pre-variety germplasm releases to provide ecologically and genetically appropriate seeds for habitat restoration, erosion...

78 FR 64327 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Bi-State...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-28

... 2001 (Pub. L. 106-554; H.R. 5658)), and our associated Information Quality Guidelines, provide criteria..., agricultural lands, and steppe dominated by native grasses and forbs. However, the Bi-State DPS of greater sage... sagebrush vegetation as well as a vegetative understory composed of native grasses and forbs are essential...

78 FR 46862 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Ivesia webberi

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-02

... 2001 (Pub. L. 106-554; H.R. 5658)), and our associated Information Quality Guidelines, provide criteria... of A. arbuscula and other perennial grass and forb rock garden species to be a physical or biological... as pollinators of I. webberi (BLM 2012b, pp. 5-6, 19). Because annual, nonnative, invasive grasses...

Estimated historical distribution of grassland communities of the Southern Great Plains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reese, Gordon C.; Manier, Daniel J.; Carr, Natasha B.; Callan, Ramana; Leinwand, Ian I.F.; Assal, Timothy J.; Burris, Lucy; Ignizio, Drew A.

2016-12-07

The purpose of this project was to map the estimated distribution of grassland communities of the Southern Great Plains prior to Euro-American settlement. The Southern Great Plains Rapid Ecoregional Assessment (REA), under the direction of the Bureau of Land Management and the Great Plains Landscape Conservation Cooperative, includes four ecoregions: the High Plains, Central Great Plains, Southwestern Tablelands, and the Nebraska Sand Hills. The REA advisors and stakeholders determined that the mapping accuracy of available national land-cover maps was insufficient in many areas to adequately address management questions for the REA. Based on the recommendation of the REA stakeholders, we estimated the potential historical distribution of 10 grassland communities within the Southern Great Plains project area using data on soils, climate, and vegetation from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) including the Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO) and Ecological Site Information System (ESIS). The dominant grassland communities of the Southern Great Plains addressed as conservation elements for the REA area are shortgrass, mixed-grass, and sand prairies. We also mapped tall-grass, mid-grass, northwest mixed-grass, and cool season bunchgrass prairies, saline and foothill grasslands, and semi-desert grassland and steppe. Grassland communities were primarily defined using the annual productivity of dominant species in the ESIS data. The historical grassland community classification was linked to the SSURGO data using vegetation types associated with the predominant component of mapped soil units as defined in the ESIS data. We augmented NRCS data with Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools (LANDFIRE) Biophysical Settings classifications 1) where NRCS data were unavailable and 2) where fifth-level watersheds intersected the boundary of the High Plains ecoregion in Wyoming. Spatial data representing the estimated historical distribution of grassland communities of the Southern Great Plains are provided as a 30 x 30-meter gridded surface (raster dataset). This information will help to address the priority management questions for grassland communities for the Southern Great Plains REA and can be used to inform other regional-level land management decisions.

Phytostabilisation potential of lemon grass (Cymbopogon flexuosus (Nees ex Stend) Wats) on iron ore tailings.

PubMed

Mohanty, M; Dhal, N K; Patra, P; Das, B; Reddy, P S R

2012-01-01

The present pot culture study was carried out for the potential phytostabilisation of iron ore tailings using lemon grass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) a drought tolerant, perennial, aromatic grass. Experiments have been conducted by varying the composition of garden soil (control) with iron ore tailings. The various parameters, viz. growth of plants, number of tillers, biomass and oil content of lemon grass are evaluated. The studies have indicated that growth parameters of lemon grass in 1:1 composition of garden soil and iron ore tailings are significantly more (-5% increase) compared to plants grown in control soil. However, the oil content of lemon grass in both the cases more or less remained same. The results also infer that at higher proportion of tailings the yield of biomass decreases. The studies indicate that lemongrass with its fibrous root system is proved to be an efficient soil binder by preventing soil erosion.

Dynamic ecological observations from satellites inform aerobiology of allergenic grass pollen.

PubMed

Devadas, Rakhesh; Huete, Alfredo R; Vicendese, Don; Erbas, Bircan; Beggs, Paul J; Medek, Danielle; Haberle, Simon G; Newnham, Rewi M; Johnston, Fay H; Jaggard, Alison K; Campbell, Bradley; Burton, Pamela K; Katelaris, Constance H; Newbigin, Ed; Thibaudon, Michel; Davies, Janet M

2018-08-15

Allergic diseases, including respiratory conditions of allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and asthma, affect up to 500 million people worldwide. Grass pollen are one major source of aeroallergens globally. Pollen forecast methods are generally site-based and rely on empirical meteorological relationships and/or the use of labour-intensive pollen collection traps that are restricted to sparse sampling locations. The spatial and temporal dynamics of the grass pollen sources themselves, however, have received less attention. Here we utilised a consistent set of MODIS satellite measures of grass cover and seasonal greenness (EVI) over five contrasting urban environments, located in Northern (France) and Southern Hemispheres (Australia), to evaluate their utility for predicting airborne grass pollen concentrations. Strongly seasonal and pronounced pollinating periods, synchronous with satellite measures of grass cover greenness, were found at the higher latitude temperate sites in France (46-50° N. Lat.), with peak pollen activity lagging peak greenness, on average by 2-3weeks. In contrast, the Australian sites (34-38° S. Lat.) displayed pollinating periods that were less synchronous with satellite greenness measures as peak pollen concentrations lagged peak greenness by as much as 4 to 7weeks. The Australian sites exhibited much higher spatial and inter-annual variations compared to the French sites and at the Sydney site, broader and multiple peaks in both pollen concentrations and greenness data coincided with flowering of more diverse grasses including subtropical species. Utilising generalised additive models (GAMs) we found the satellite greenness data of grass cover areas explained 80-90% of airborne grass pollen concentrations across the three French sites (p<0.001) and accounted for 34 to 76% of grass pollen variations over the two sites in Australia (p<0.05). Our results demonstrate the potential of satellite sensing to augment forecast models of grass pollen aerobiology as a tool to reduce the health and socioeconomic burden of pollen-sensitive allergic diseases. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the causes of variability in amounts of airborne grass pollen in Melbourne, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Morton, Julian; Bye, John; Pezza, Alexandre; Newbigin, Edward

2011-07-01

In Melbourne, Australia, airborne grass pollen is the predominant cause of hay fever (seasonal rhinitis) during late spring and early summer, with levels of airborne grass pollen also influencing hospital admissions for asthma. In order to improve predictions of conditions that are potentially hazardous to susceptible individuals, we have sought to better understand the causes of diurnal, intra-seasonal and inter-seasonal variability of atmospheric grass pollen concentrations (APC) by analysing grass pollen count data for Melbourne for 16 grass pollen seasons from 1991 to 2008 (except 1994 and 1995). Some of notable features identified in this analysis were that on days when either extreme (>100 pollen grains m-3) or high (50-100 pollen grains m-3) levels of grass pollen were recorded the winds were of continental origin. In contrast, on days with a low (<20 pollen grains m-3) concentration of grass pollen, winds were of maritime origin. On extreme and high grass pollen days, a peak in APC occurred on average around 1730 hours, probably due to a reduction in surface boundary layer turbulence. The sum of daily APC for each grass pollen season was highly correlated ( r = 0.79) with spring rainfall in Melbourne for that year, with about 60% of a declining linear trend across the study period being attributable to a reduction of meat cattle and sheep (and hence grazing land) in rural areas around Melbourne. Finally, all of the ten extreme pollen events (3 days or more with APC > 100 pollen grains m-3) during the study period were characterised by an average downward vertical wind anomaly in the surface boundary layer over Melbourne. Together these findings form a basis for a fine resolution atmospheric general circulation model for grass pollen in Melbourne's air that can be used to predict daily (and hourly) APC. This information will be useful to those sectors of Melbourne's population that suffer from allergic problems.

On the causes of variability in amounts of airborne grass pollen in Melbourne, Australia.

PubMed

de Morton, Julian; Bye, John; Pezza, Alexandre; Newbigin, Edward

2011-07-01

In Melbourne, Australia, airborne grass pollen is the predominant cause of hay fever (seasonal rhinitis) during late spring and early summer, with levels of airborne grass pollen also influencing hospital admissions for asthma. In order to improve predictions of conditions that are potentially hazardous to susceptible individuals, we have sought to better understand the causes of diurnal, intra-seasonal and inter-seasonal variability of atmospheric grass pollen concentrations (APC) by analysing grass pollen count data for Melbourne for 16 grass pollen seasons from 1991 to 2008 (except 1994 and 1995). Some of notable features identified in this analysis were that on days when either extreme (>100 pollen grains m(-3)) or high (50-100 pollen grains m(-3)) levels of grass pollen were recorded the winds were of continental origin. In contrast, on days with a low (<20 pollen grains m(-3)) concentration of grass pollen, winds were of maritime origin. On extreme and high grass pollen days, a peak in APC occurred on average around 1730 hours, probably due to a reduction in surface boundary layer turbulence. The sum of daily APC for each grass pollen season was highly correlated (r = 0.79) with spring rainfall in Melbourne for that year, with about 60% of a declining linear trend across the study period being attributable to a reduction of meat cattle and sheep (and hence grazing land) in rural areas around Melbourne. Finally, all of the ten extreme pollen events (3 days or more with APC > 100 pollen grains m(-3)) during the study period were characterised by an average downward vertical wind anomaly in the surface boundary layer over Melbourne. Together these findings form a basis for a fine resolution atmospheric general circulation model for grass pollen in Melbourne's air that can be used to predict daily (and hourly) APC. This information will be useful to those sectors of Melbourne's population that suffer from allergic problems.

A maize map standard with sequenced core markers, grass genome reference points and 932 expressed sequence tagged sites (ESTs) in a 1736-locus map.

PubMed Central

Davis, G L; McMullen, M D; Baysdorfer, C; Musket, T; Grant, D; Staebell, M; Xu, G; Polacco, M; Koster, L; Melia-Hancock, S; Houchins, K; Chao, S; Coe, E H

1999-01-01

We have constructed a 1736-locus maize genome map containing1156 loci probed by cDNAs, 545 probed by random genomic clones, 16 by simple sequence repeats (SSRs), 14 by isozymes, and 5 by anonymous clones. Sequence information is available for 56% of the loci with 66% of the sequenced loci assigned functions. A total of 596 new ESTs were mapped from a B73 library of 5-wk-old shoots. The map contains 237 loci probed by barley, oat, wheat, rice, or tripsacum clones, which serve as grass genome reference points in comparisons between maize and other grass maps. Ninety core markers selected for low copy number, high polymorphism, and even spacing along the chromosome delineate the 100 bins on the map. The average bin size is 17 cM. Use of bin assignments enables comparison among different maize mapping populations and experiments including those involving cytogenetic stocks, mutants, or quantitative trait loci. Integration of nonmaize markers in the map extends the resources available for gene discovery beyond the boundaries of maize mapping information into the expanse of map, sequence, and phenotype information from other grass species. This map provides a foundation for numerous basic and applied investigations including studies of gene organization, gene and genome evolution, targeted cloning, and dissection of complex traits. PMID:10388831

Biomass production of herbaceous energy crops in the United States: Field trial results and yield potential maps from the multiyear regional feedstock partnership

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Current knowledge of yield potential and best agronomic management practices for perennial bioenergy grasses is primarily derived from small-scale and short-term studies, yet these studies inform policy at the national scale. In an effort to learn more about how bioenergy grasses perform at the farm...

One carp, two carp: are there more carp in the Wailoa River?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mundy, Bruce C; Nico, Leo; Tagawa, Annette

2015-01-01

The February, 2015 issue of Hawaii Fishing News included the annual list of Hawai`i records for the largest fish of various species caught in the state. Among the new records was one for a 15-pound grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) caught by Avery Berido in the Wailoa River at Hilo on September 13, 2013. A photograph taken by Mr. Berido of the record grass carp garnered our attention because pictured fish looked quite similar to another Asian carp species, the black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus). Mr. Berido informed us that he also captured a 10-pound grass carp from the same river in June, 2013. After close examination of all of the photographs provided by Mr. Berido, we concluded that both fish from the Wailoa River were unusually dark grass carp, not black carp.

Plant litter effects on soil nutrient availability and vegetation dynamics: changes that occur when annual grasses invade shrub-steppe communities

Treesearch

Sheel Bansal; Roger L. Sheley; Bob Blank; Edward A. Vasquez

2014-01-01

Changes in the quantity and quality of plant litter occur in many ecosystems as they are invaded by exotic species, which impact soil nutrient cycling and plant community composition. Such changes in sagebrush-steppe communities are occurring with invasion of annual grasses (AG) into a perennial grass (PG) dominated system. We conducted a 5-year litter manipulation...

A grass-fire cycle eliminates an obligate-seeding tree in a tropical savanna.

PubMed

Bowman, David M J S; MacDermott, Harry J; Nichols, Scott C; Murphy, Brett P

2014-11-01

A grass-fire cycle in Australian tropical savannas has been postulated as driving the regional decline of the obligate-seeding conifer Callitris intratropica and other fire-sensitive components of the regional flora and fauna, due to proliferation of flammable native grasses. We tested the hypothesis that a high-biomass invasive savanna grass drives a positive feedback process where intense fires destroy fire-sensitive trees, and the reduction in canopy cover facilitates further invasion by grass. We undertook an observational and experimental study using, as a model system, a plantation of C. intratropica that has been invaded by an African grass, gamba (Andropogon gayanus) in the Northern Territory, Australia. We found that high grass biomass was associated with reduced canopy cover and restriction of foliage to the upper canopy of surviving stems, and mortality of adult trees was very high (>50%) even in areas with low fuel loads (1 t·ha(-1)). Experimental fires, with fuel loads >10 t·ha(-1), typical of the grass-invasion front, caused significant mortality due to complete crown scorch. Lower fuel loads cause reduced canopy cover through defoliation of the lower canopy. These results help explain how increases in grass biomass are coupled with the decline of C. intratropica throughout northern Australia by causing a switch from litter and sparse perennial grass fuels, and hence low-intensity surface fires, to heavy annual grass fuel loads that sustain fires that burn into the midstorey. This study demonstrates that changes in fuel type can alter fire regimes with substantial knock-on effects on the biota.

Brachypodium distachyon genomics for sustainable food and fuel production.

PubMed

Bevan, Michael W; Garvin, David F; Vogel, John P

2010-04-01

Grass crops are the most important sources of human nutrition, and their improvement is centrally important for meeting the challenges of sustainable agriculture, for feeding the world's population and for developing renewable supplies of fuel and industrial products. We describe the complete sequence of the compact genome of Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium) the first pooid grass to be sequenced. We demonstrate the many favorable characteristics of Brachypodium as an experimental system and show how it can be used to navigate the large and complex genomes of closely related grasses. The functional genomics and other experimental resources that are being developed will provide a key resource for improving food and forage crops, in particular wheat, barley and forage grasses, and for establishing new grass crops for sustainable energy production. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of a mixed sericea lespedeza and grass pasture system for control of gastrointestinal nematodes in lambs and kids

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Because of a high prevalence of anthelmintic resistance and consumer demand for chemical free meat products, management tools to minimize the need for deworming are needed. The objective was to examine the effectiveness of grazing sericea lespedeza (SL) in a mixed grass or a pure forage system for ...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vogel, John P.

The goal of this project was to apply high-throughput, non-destructive phenotyping (phenomics) to collections of natural variants and induced mutants of the model grass Brachypodium distachyon and characterize a small subset of that material in detail. B. distachyon is well suited to this phenomic approach because its small size and rapid generation time allow researchers to grow many plants under carefully controlled conditions. In addition, the simple diploid genetics, high quality genome sequence and existence of numerous experimental tools available for B. distachyon allow us to rapidly identify genes affecting specific phenotypes. Our phenomic analysis revealed great diversity in biofuel-relevantmore » traits like growth rate, biomass and photosynthetic rate. This clearly demonstrated the feasibility of applying a phenomic approach to the model grass B. distachyon. We also demonstrated the utility of B. distachyon for studying mature root system, something that is virtually impossible to do with biomass crops. We showed tremendous natural variation in root architecture that can potentially be used to design crops with superior nutrient and water harvesting capability. Finally, we demonstrated the speed with which we can link specific genes to specific phenotypes by studying two mutants in detail. Importantly, in both cases, the specific biological lessons learned were grass-specific and could not have been learned from a dicot model system. Furthermore, one of the genes affects cell wall integrity and thus may be a useful target in the context of biomass crop improvement. Ultimately, all this information can be used to accelerate the creation of improved biomass crops.« less

Stereo photo series for quantifying natural fuels Volume X: sagebrush with grass and ponderosa pine-juniper types in central Montana.

Treesearch

Roger D. Ottmar; Robert E. Vihnanek; Clinton S. Wright

2007-01-01

Two series of single and stereo photographs display a range of natural conditions and fuel loadings in sagebrush with grass and ponderosa pinejuniper types in central Montana. Each group of photos includes inventory information summarizing vegetation composition, structure, and loading; woody material loading and density by size class; forest floor depth and loading;...

Uses of thaxtomin and thaxtomin compositions as herbicides

DOEpatents

Koivunen, Marja; Marrone, Pamela

2016-12-27

There is a need for a selective, low-risk herbicide that can be used to control weeds in cereal cultures and turf. The present invention discloses that a bacterial secondary metabolite, thaxtomin and optionally another herbicide is an effective herbicide on broadleaved, sedge and grass weeds. Thaxtomin A and structurally similar compounds can be used as natural herbicides to control the germination and growth of weeds in cereal, turf grass, Timothy grass and pasture grass cultures with no phytotoxicity to these crops. As a natural, non-toxic compound, thaxtomin can be used as a safe alternative for weed control in both conventional and organic farming and gardening systems.

Estimating the extent of impervious surfaces and turf grass across large regions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Claggett, Peter; Irani, Frederick M.; Thompson, Renee L.

2013-01-01

The ability of researchers to accurately assess the extent of impervious and pervious developed surfaces, e.g., turf grass, using land-cover data derived from Landsat satellite imagery in the Chesapeake Bay watershed is limited due to the resolution of the data and systematic discrepancies between developed land-cover classes, surface mines, forests, and farmlands. Estimates of impervious surface and turf grass area in the Mid-Atlantic, United States that were based on 2006 Landsat-derived land-cover data were substantially lower than estimates based on more authoritative and independent sources. New estimates of impervious surfaces and turf grass area derived using land-cover data combined with ancillary information on roads, housing units, surface mines, and sampled estimates of road width and residential impervious area were up to 57 and 45% higher than estimates based strictly on land-cover data. These new estimates closely approximate estimates derived from authoritative and independent sources in developed counties.

Hand-arm vibration disorder among grass-cutter workers in Malaysia.

PubMed

Azmir, Nor Azali; Ghazali, Mohd Imran; Yahya, Musli Nizam; Ali, Mohamad Hanafi

2016-09-01

Prolonged exposure to hand-transmitted vibration from grass-cutting machines has been associated with increasing occurrences of symptoms and signs of occupational diseases related to hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). A cross-sectional study was carried out using an adopted HAVS questionnaire on hand-arm vibration exposure and symptoms distributed to 168 male workers from the grass and turf maintenance industry who use hand-held grass-cutting machines as part of their work. The prevalence ratio and symptom correlation to HAVS between high and low-moderate exposure risk groups were evaluated. There were positive HAVS symptoms relationships between the low-moderate exposure group and the high exposure group among hand-held grass-cutting workers. The prevalence ratio was considered high because there were indicators that fingers turned white and felt numb, 3.63, 95% CI [1.41, 9.39] and 4.24, 95% CI [2.18, 8.27], respectively. Less than 14.3% of workers stated that they were aware of the occupational hand-arm vibration, and it seemed to be related to the finger blanching and numbness. The results suggest that HAVS is under-diagnosed in Malaysia, especially in the agricultural sectors. More information related to safety and health awareness programmes for HAVS exposure is required among hand-held grass-cutting workers.

Embryonic and larval development and early behavior in grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella: implications for recruitment in rivers

USGS Publications Warehouse

George, Amy E.; Chapman, Duane C.

2015-01-01

With recent findings of grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella in tributaries of the Great Lakes, information on developmental rate and larval behavior is critical to efforts to assess the potential for establishment within the tributaries of that region. In laboratory experiments, grass carp were spawned and eggs and larvae reared at two temperature treatments, one "cold" and one "warm", and tracked for developmental rate, egg size, and behavior. Developmental rate was quantified using Yi's (1988) developmental stages and the cumulative thermal units method. Grass carp had a thermal minimum of 13.5°C for embryonic stages and 13.3°C for larval stages. Egg size was related to temperature and maternal size, with the largest eggs coming from the largest females, and eggs were generally larger in warmer treatments. Young grass carp larvae exhibited upward and downward swimming interspersed with long periods of lying on the bottom. Swimming capacity increased with ontogeny, and larvae were capable of horizontal swimming and position holding with gas bladder emergence. Developmental rates, behavior, and egg attributes can be used in combination with physical parameters of a river to assess the risk that grass carp are capable of reproduction and recruitment in rivers.

Differences in breeding bird assemblages related to reed canary grass cover cover and forest structure on the Upper Mississippi River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirsch, Eileen M.; Gray, Brian R.

2017-01-01

Floodplain forest of the Upper Mississippi River provides habitat for an abundant and diverse breeding bird community. However, reed canary grass Phalaris arundinacea invasion is a serious threat to the future condition of this forest. Reed canary grass is a well-known aggressive invader of wetland systems in the northern tier states of the conterminous United States. Aided by altered flow regimes and nutrient inputs from agriculture, reed canary grass has formed dense stands in canopy gaps and forest edges, retarding tree regeneration. We sampled vegetation and breeding birds in Upper Mississippi River floodplain forest edge and interior areas to 1) measure reed canary grass cover and 2) evaluate whether the breeding bird assemblage responded to differences in reed canary grass cover. Reed canary grass was found far into forest interiors, and its cover was similar between interior and edge sites. Bird assemblages differed between areas with more or less reed canary grass cover (.53% cover breakpoint). Common yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas, black-capped chickadee Parus atricapillus, and rose-breasted grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus were more common and American redstart Setophaga ruticilla, great crested flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus, and Baltimore oriole Icterus galbula were less common in sites with more reed canary grass cover. Bird diversity and abundance were similar between sites with different reed canary grass cover. A stronger divergence in bird assemblages was associated with ground cover ,15%, resulting from prolonged spring flooding. These sites hosted more prothonotary warbler Protonotaria citrea, but they had reduced bird abundance and diversity compared to other sites. Our results indicate that frequently flooded sites may be important for prothonotary warblers and that bird assemblages shift in response to reed canary grass invasion.

Genome sequencing and analysis of the model grass Brachypodium distachyon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Xiaohan; Kalluri, Udaya C; Tuskan, Gerald A

Three subfamilies of grasses, the Ehrhartoideae, Panicoideae and Pooideae, provide the bulk of human nutrition and are poised to become major sources of renewable energy. Here we describe the genome sequence of the wild grass Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium), which is, to our knowledge, the first member of the Pooideae subfamily to be sequenced. Comparison of the Brachypodium, rice and sorghum genomes shows a precise history of genome evolution across a broad diversity of the grasses, and establishes a template for analysis of the large genomes of economically important pooid grasses such as wheat. The high-quality genome sequence, coupled with easemore » of cultivation and transformation, small size and rapid life cycle, will help Brachypodium reach its potential as an important model system for developing new energy and food crops.« less

Cell wall composition throughout development for the model grass Brachypodium distachyon

PubMed Central

Rancour, David M.; Marita, Jane M.; Hatfield, Ronald D.

2012-01-01

Temperate perennial grasses are important worldwide as a livestock nutritive energy source and a potential feedstock for lignocellulosic biofuel production. The annual temperate grass Brachypodium distachyon has been championed as a useful model system to facilitate biological research in agriculturally important temperate forage grasses based on phylogenetic relationships. To physically corroborate genetic predictions, we determined the chemical composition profiles of organ-specific cell walls throughout the development of two common diploid accessions of Brachypodium distachyon, Bd21-3 and Bd21. Chemical analysis was performed on cell walls isolated from distinct organs (i.e., leaves, sheaths, stems, and roots) at three developmental stages of (1) 12-day seedling, (2) vegetative-to-reproductive transition, and (3) mature seed fill. In addition, we have included cell wall analysis of embryonic callus used for genetic transformations. Composition of cell walls based on components lignin, hydroxycinnamates, uronosyls, neutral sugars, and protein suggests that Brachypodium distachyon is similar chemically to agriculturally important forage grasses. There were modest compositional differences in hydroxycinnamate profiles between accessions Bd21-3 and Bd21. In addition, when compared to agronomical important C3 grasses, more mature Brachypodium stem cell walls have a relative increase in glucose of 48% and a decrease in lignin of 36%. Though differences exist between Brachypodium and agronomical important C3 grasses, Brachypodium distachyon should be still a useful model system for genetic manipulation of cell wall composition to determine the impact upon functional characteristics such as rumen digestibility or energy conversion efficiency for bioenergy production. PMID:23227028

Brachypodium distachyon as a new model system for understanding iron homeostasis in grasses: phylogenetic and expression analysis of Yellow Stripe-Like (YSL) transporters

PubMed Central

Yordem, Burcu K.; Conte, Sarah S.; Ma, Jian Feng; Yokosho, Kengo; Vasques, Kenneth A.; Gopalsamy, Srinivasa N.; Walker, Elsbeth L.

2011-01-01

Background and Aims Brachypodium distachyon is a temperate grass with a small stature, rapid life cycle and completely sequenced genome that has great promise as a model system to study grass-specific traits for crop improvement. Under iron (Fe)-deficient conditions, grasses synthesize and secrete Fe(III)-chelating agents called phytosiderophores (PS). In Zea mays, Yellow Stripe1 (ZmYS1) is the transporter responsible for the uptake of Fe(III)–PS complexes from the soil. Some members of the family of related proteins called Yellow Stripe-Like (YSL) have roles in internal Fe translocation of plants, while the function of other members remains uninvestigated. The aim of this study is to establish brachypodium as a model system to study Fe homeostasis in grasses, identify YSL proteins in brachypodium and maize, and analyse their expression profiles in brachypodium in response to Fe deficiency. Methods The YSL family of proteins in brachypodium and maize were identified based on sequence similarity to ZmYS1. Expression patterns of the brachypodium YSL genes (BdYSL genes) were determined by quantitative RT–PCR under Fe-deficient and Fe-sufficient conditions. The types of PS secreted, and secretion pattern of PS in brachypodium were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Key Results Eighteen YSL family members in maize and 19 members in brachypodium were identified. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that some YSLs group into a grass-specific clade. The Fe status of the plant can regulate expression of brachypodium YSL genes in both shoots and roots. 3-Hydroxy-2′-deoxymugineic acid (HDMA) is the dominant type of PS secreted by brachypodium, and its secretion is diurnally regulated. Conclusions PS secretion by brachypodium parallels that of related crop species such as barley and wheat. A single grass species-specific YSL clade is present, and expression of the BdYSL members of this clade could not be detected in shoots or roots, suggesting grass-specific functions in reproductive tissues. Finally, the Fe-responsive expression profiles of several YSLs suggest roles in Fe homeostasis. PMID:21831857

Comparison of the driving forces of spring phenology among savanna landscapes by including combined spatial and temporal heterogeneity.

PubMed

Zhu, Likai; Southworth, Jane; Meng, Jijun

2015-10-01

Understanding spatial and temporal dynamics of land surface phenology (LSP) and its driving forces are critical for providing information relevant to short- and long-term decision making, particularly as it relates to climate response planning. With the third generation Global Inventory Monitoring and Modeling System (GIMMS3g) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data and environmental data from multiple sources, we investigated the spatio-temporal changes in the start of the growing season (SOS) in southern African savannas from 1982 through 2010 and determined its linkage to environmental factors using spatial panel data models. Overall, the SOS occurs earlier in the north compared to the south. This relates in part to the differences in ecosystems, with northern areas representing high rainfall and dense tree cover (mainly tree savannas), whereas the south has lower rainfall and sparse tree cover (mainly bush and grass savannas). From 1982 to 2010, an advanced trend was observed predominantly in the tree savanna areas of the north, whereas a delayed trend was chiefly found in the floodplain of the north and bush/grass savannas of the south. Different environmental drivers were detected within tree- and grass-dominated savannas, with a critical division being represented by the 800 mm isohyet. Our results supported the importance of water as a driver in this water-limited system, specifically preseason soil moisture, in determining the SOS in these water-limited, grass-dominated savannas. In addition, the research pointed to other, often overlooked, effects of preseason maximum and minimum temperatures on the SOS across the entire region. Higher preseason maximum temperatures led to an advance of the SOS, whereas the opposite effects of preseason minimum temperature were observed. With the rapid increase in global change research, this work will prove helpful for managing savanna landscapes and key to predicting how projected climate changes will affect regional vegetation phenology and productivity.

Land use changes and its driving forces in hilly ecological restoration area based on gis and rs of northern china

PubMed Central

Gao, Peng; Niu, Xiang; Wang, Bing; Zheng, Yunlong

2015-01-01

Land use change is one of the important aspects of the regional ecological restoration research. With remote sensing (RS) image in 2003, 2007 and 2012, using geographic information system (GIS) technologies, the land use pattern changes in Yimeng Mountain ecological restoration area in China and its driving force factors were studied. Results showed that: (1) Cultivated land constituted the largest area during 10 years, and followed by forest land and grass land; cultivated land and unused land were reduced by 28.43% and 44.32%, whereas forest land, water area and land for water facilities and others were increased. (2) During 2003–2007, forest land change showed the largest, followed by unused land and grass land; however, during 2008–2012, water area and land for water facilities change showed the largest, followed by grass land and unused land. (3) Land use degree was above the average level, it was in the developing period during 2003–2007 and in the degenerating period during 2008–2012. (4) Ecological Restoration Projects can greatly change the micro topography, increase vegetation coverage, and then induce significant changes in the land use distribution, which were the main driving force factors of the land use pattern change in the ecological restoration area. PMID:26047160

The perennial ryegrass GenomeZipper: targeted use of genome resources for comparative grass genomics.

PubMed

Pfeifer, Matthias; Martis, Mihaela; Asp, Torben; Mayer, Klaus F X; Lübberstedt, Thomas; Byrne, Stephen; Frei, Ursula; Studer, Bruno

2013-02-01

Whole-genome sequences established for model and major crop species constitute a key resource for advanced genomic research. For outbreeding forage and turf grass species like ryegrasses (Lolium spp.), such resources have yet to be developed. Here, we present a model of the perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) genome on the basis of conserved synteny to barley (Hordeum vulgare) and the model grass genome Brachypodium (Brachypodium distachyon) as well as rice (Oryza sativa) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). A transcriptome-based genetic linkage map of perennial ryegrass served as a scaffold to establish the chromosomal arrangement of syntenic genes from model grass species. This scaffold revealed a high degree of synteny and macrocollinearity and was then utilized to anchor a collection of perennial ryegrass genes in silico to their predicted genome positions. This resulted in the unambiguous assignment of 3,315 out of 8,876 previously unmapped genes to the respective chromosomes. In total, the GenomeZipper incorporates 4,035 conserved grass gene loci, which were used for the first genome-wide sequence divergence analysis between perennial ryegrass, barley, Brachypodium, rice, and sorghum. The perennial ryegrass GenomeZipper is an ordered, information-rich genome scaffold, facilitating map-based cloning and genome assembly in perennial ryegrass and closely related Poaceae species. It also represents a milestone in describing synteny between perennial ryegrass and fully sequenced model grass genomes, thereby increasing our understanding of genome organization and evolution in the most important temperate forage and turf grass species.

The Perennial Ryegrass GenomeZipper: Targeted Use of Genome Resources for Comparative Grass Genomics1[C][W

PubMed Central

Pfeifer, Matthias; Martis, Mihaela; Asp, Torben; Mayer, Klaus F.X.; Lübberstedt, Thomas; Byrne, Stephen; Frei, Ursula; Studer, Bruno

2013-01-01

Whole-genome sequences established for model and major crop species constitute a key resource for advanced genomic research. For outbreeding forage and turf grass species like ryegrasses (Lolium spp.), such resources have yet to be developed. Here, we present a model of the perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) genome on the basis of conserved synteny to barley (Hordeum vulgare) and the model grass genome Brachypodium (Brachypodium distachyon) as well as rice (Oryza sativa) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). A transcriptome-based genetic linkage map of perennial ryegrass served as a scaffold to establish the chromosomal arrangement of syntenic genes from model grass species. This scaffold revealed a high degree of synteny and macrocollinearity and was then utilized to anchor a collection of perennial ryegrass genes in silico to their predicted genome positions. This resulted in the unambiguous assignment of 3,315 out of 8,876 previously unmapped genes to the respective chromosomes. In total, the GenomeZipper incorporates 4,035 conserved grass gene loci, which were used for the first genome-wide sequence divergence analysis between perennial ryegrass, barley, Brachypodium, rice, and sorghum. The perennial ryegrass GenomeZipper is an ordered, information-rich genome scaffold, facilitating map-based cloning and genome assembly in perennial ryegrass and closely related Poaceae species. It also represents a milestone in describing synteny between perennial ryegrass and fully sequenced model grass genomes, thereby increasing our understanding of genome organization and evolution in the most important temperate forage and turf grass species. PMID:23184232

Missile Defense Agency Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS): Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. Volume 2. Appendices A - J

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

buffalo grass (Buchloe dactuloides), peppergrass (Lepidium lasiocarpum), and Bermuda grass ( Cynodon dactylon). Some examples of indigenous... aethiopicus ), zebra (Equus burchelli), rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis [black], Ceratotherium simum [white]), giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), gazelle

Effects of the heterogeneous landscape on a predator-prey system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Sang-Hee

2010-01-01

In order to understand how a heterogeneous landscape affects a predator-prey system, a spatially explicit lattice model consisting of predators, prey, grass, and landscape was constructed. The predators and preys randomly move on the lattice space and the grass grows in its neighboring site according to its growth probability. When predators and preys meet at the same site at the same time, a number of prey, equal to the number of predators are eaten. This rule was also applied to the relationship between the prey and grass. The predator (prey) could give birth to an offspring when it ate prey (grass), with a birth probability. When a predator or prey animal was initially introduced, or newly born, its health state was set at a given high value. This health state decreased by one with every time step. When the state of an animal decreased to less than zero, the animal died and was removed from the system. The heterogeneous landscape was characterized by parameter H, which controlled the heterogeneity according to the neutral model. The simulation results showed that H positively or negatively affected a predator’s survival, while its effect on prey and grass was less pronounced. The results can be understood by the disturbance of the balance between the prey and predator densities in the areas where the animals aggregated.

Carbon-isotopic analysis of individual pollen grains from C 3 and C 4 grasses using a spooling-wire microcombustion interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, David M.; Hu, Feng Sheng; Mikucki, Jill A.; Tian, Jian; Pearson, Ann

2007-08-01

Pollen grains from grasses using the C 3 and C 4 photosynthetic pathways have distinct ranges of δ 13C values that may be used to estimate their relative abundance in paleorecords. We evaluated a spooling-wire microcombustion device interfaced with an isotope-ratio mass spectrometer (SWiM-IRMS) for δ 13C analysis of individual grass-pollen grains. Pollen from four C 3 and four C 4 grass species was isolated through micromanipulation and analyzed as single grains suspended in water. A carbon yield greater than the 2 σ range of the carbon content of blanks containing only water was used to distinguish samples containing pollen ("pollen present") from those not containing pollen. This criterion resulted in the exclusion of ˜45% of the 946 samples applied to the wire. The average δ 13C values (±1 σ) of the remaining samples were -26.9‰ (±6.3‰) and -11.5‰ (±9.6‰) for C 3 grasses and C 4 grasses, respectively, after blank-correcting the δ 13C data. These results suggest that the SWiM-IRMS system can be used to distinguish C 3 from C 4 grass pollen. The high variability in measured δ 13C values is likely caused by a combination of factors. These include natural isotopic variability among individual pollen grains; the relatively poor precision that can be obtained when determining δ 13C values of such small samples; and the uncertainty in the magnitude, isotopic composition, and stability of the analytical blank. Nonetheless, high percentages of individual pollen grains were correctly classified as being of either C 3 or C 4 origin. On average, 90% (range = 78-100%) of pollen grains from C 3 grasses had δ 13C values more negative than the cutoff threshold of -19.2‰; while 84% (range = 77-90%) of pollen grains from C 4 grasses had δ 13C values more positive than -19.2‰. Compared with analysis using an elemental analyzer interfaced with an IRMS (EA-IRMS), the number of pollen grains required for δ 13C-based evaluation of C 3/C 4 grass composition is many times lower with the SWiM-IRMS. Additionally, δ 13C data from the SWiM-IRMS does not need to be incorporated into a mixing model to derive estimates of the abundance of C 3 and C 4 grass pollen. Carbon-isotopic analysis of individual grass-pollen grains using the SWiM-IRMS system may help improve our understanding of the evolutionary and ecological significance of grass taxa in the paleorecord.

NPDES Permit for Town of Lodge Grass Wastewater Treatment Facility in Montana

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Under National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit number MT0021890, the Town of Lodge Grass is authorized to discharge from from its wastewater treatment facility in Big Horn County to an unnamed slough to the Little Bighorn River.

[Innovative ET cover system and its hydrologic evaluation].

PubMed

Liu, Chuan-shun; Cai, Jun-xiong; Wang, Jing-zhai; Rong, Yu

2010-07-01

The evapotranspiration (ET) cover system,as an alternative cover system of landfill, has been used in many remediation projects since 2003. It is an inexpensive, practical,and easily maintained biological system, but is mainly favorable in arid and semiarid sites due to limited water-holding capacity of the single loam layer and limited transpiration of grass. To improve the effectiveness of percolation control, an innovative scheme of ET was suggested in this paper: (1) a clay liner was added under the single loam layer to increase the water-holding capacity; (2) combined vegetation consisting of shrub and grass was used to replace the grass cover. Hydrologic evaluation of conventional cover,ET cover and the innovative ET cover under the same condition was performed using the computer program HELP, which showed the performance of the innovative ET cover is obviously superior to that of ET cover and conventional cover.

Bioenergy grass feedstock: current options and prospects for trait improvement using emerging genetic, genomic, and systems biology toolkits

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

For lignocellulosic bioenergy to become a viable alternative to traditional energy production methods, rapid increases in conversion efficiency and biomass yield must be achieved. Increased productivity in bioenergy production can be achieved through concomitant gains in processing efficiency as well as genetic improvement of feedstock that have the potential for bioenergy production at an industrial scale. The purpose of this review is to explore the genetic and genomic resource landscape for the improvement of a specific bioenergy feedstock group, the C4 bioenergy grasses. First, bioenergy grass feedstock traits relevant to biochemical conversion are examined. Then we outline genetic resources available bioenergy grasses for mapping bioenergy traits to DNA markers and genes. This is followed by a discussion of genomic tools and how they can be applied to understanding bioenergy grass feedstock trait genetic mechanisms leading to further improvement opportunities. PMID:23122416

Bioenergy grass feedstock: current options and prospects for trait improvement using emerging genetic, genomic, and systems biology toolkits.

PubMed

Feltus, Frank Alex; Vandenbrink, Joshua P

2012-11-02

For lignocellulosic bioenergy to become a viable alternative to traditional energy production methods, rapid increases in conversion efficiency and biomass yield must be achieved. Increased productivity in bioenergy production can be achieved through concomitant gains in processing efficiency as well as genetic improvement of feedstock that have the potential for bioenergy production at an industrial scale. The purpose of this review is to explore the genetic and genomic resource landscape for the improvement of a specific bioenergy feedstock group, the C4 bioenergy grasses. First, bioenergy grass feedstock traits relevant to biochemical conversion are examined. Then we outline genetic resources available bioenergy grasses for mapping bioenergy traits to DNA markers and genes. This is followed by a discussion of genomic tools and how they can be applied to understanding bioenergy grass feedstock trait genetic mechanisms leading to further improvement opportunities.

Tele-periodontics - Oral health care at a grass root level.

PubMed

Avula, Haritha

2015-01-01

A new concept of tele-periodontics, which merges the innovative technology of telecommunications and the field of periodontics, is proposed. This new field of tele-periodontics will have an infinite potential where access to a specialist will be provided at a grass root level, enhancing effective delivery of therapy and information to the rural and under privileged areas. It would allow the specialist and the patient to interact either by video conferencing (real time) or through supportive information (store and forward) over geographic distances. Different probabilities of tele-periodontics such as tele consultation, tele training, tele education and tele support are also discussed in this paper.

Tele-periodontics - Oral health care at a grass root level

PubMed Central

Avula, Haritha

2015-01-01

A new concept of tele-periodontics, which merges the innovative technology of telecommunications and the field of periodontics, is proposed. This new field of tele-periodontics will have an infinite potential where access to a specialist will be provided at a grass root level, enhancing effective delivery of therapy and information to the rural and under privileged areas. It would allow the specialist and the patient to interact either by video conferencing (real time) or through supportive information (store and forward) over geographic distances. Different probabilities of tele-periodontics such as tele consultation, tele training, tele education and tele support are also discussed in this paper. PMID:26644730

Grass-specific CD4(+) T-cells exhibit varying degrees of cross-reactivity, implications for allergen-specific immunotherapy.

PubMed

Archila, L D; DeLong, J H; Wambre, E; James, E A; Robinson, D M; Kwok, W W

2014-07-01

Conceptually, allergic responses may involve cross-reactivity by antibodies or T-cells. While IgE cross-reactivity among grass-pollen allergens has been observed, cross-reactivity at the allergen-specific T-cell level has been less documented. Identification of the patterns of cross-reactivity may improve our understanding, allowing optimization of better immunotherapy strategies. We use Phleum pratense as model for the studying of cross-reactivity at the allergen-specific CD4(+) T cell level among DR04:01 restricted Pooideae grass-pollen T-cell epitopes. After in vitro culture of blood mono-nucleated cells from grass-pollen-allergic subjects with specific Pooideae antigenic epitopes, dual tetramer staining with APC-labelled DR04:01/Phleum pratense tetramers and PE-labelled DR04:01/Pooideae grass homolog tetramers was assessed to identify cross-reactivity among allergen-specific DR04:01-restricted T-cells in six subjects. Direct ex vivo staining enabled the comparison of frequency and phenotype of different Pooideae grass-pollen reactive T-cells. Intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) assays were also used to examine phenotypes of these T-cells. T-cells with various degrees of cross-reactive profiles could be detected. Poa p 1 97-116 , Lol p 1 221-240 , Lol p 5a 199-218 , and Poa p 5a 199-218 were identified as minimally cross-reactive T-cell epitopes that do not show cross-reactivity to Phl p 1 and Phl p 5a epitopes. Ex vivo tetramer staining assays demonstrated T-cells that recognized these minimally cross-reactive T-cell epitopes are present in Grass-pollen-allergic subjects. Our results suggest that not all Pooideae grass epitopes with sequence homology are cross-reactive. Non-cross-reactive T-cells with comparable frequency, phenotype and functionality to Phl p-specific T-cells suggest that a multiple allergen system should be considered for immunotherapy instead of a mono-allergen system. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Quantitative trait loci associated with drought tolerance in brachypodium distachyon

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The temperate wild grass Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium) serves as model system for studying turf and forage grasses. Brachypodium collections show diverse responses to drought stress, but little is known about the genetic mechanisms of drought tolerance of this species. The objective of this...

FOSS GIS on the GFZ HPC cluster: Towards a service-oriented Scientific Geocomputation Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loewe, P.; Klump, J.; Thaler, J.

2012-12-01

High performance compute clusters can be used as geocomputation workbenches. Their wealth of resources enables us to take on geocomputation tasks which exceed the limitations of smaller systems. These general capabilities can be harnessed via tools such as Geographic Information System (GIS), provided they are able to utilize the available cluster configuration/architecture and provide a sufficient degree of user friendliness to allow for wide application. While server-level computing is clearly not sufficient for the growing numbers of data- or computation-intense tasks undertaken, these tasks do not get even close to the requirements needed for access to "top shelf" national cluster facilities. So until recently such kind of geocomputation research was effectively barred due to lack access to of adequate resources. In this paper we report on the experiences gained by providing GRASS GIS as a software service on a HPC compute cluster at the German Research Centre for Geosciences using Platform Computing's Load Sharing Facility (LSF). GRASS GIS is the oldest and largest Free Open Source (FOSS) GIS project. During ramp up in 2011, multiple versions of GRASS GIS (v 6.4.2, 6.5 and 7.0) were installed on the HPC compute cluster, which currently consists of 234 nodes with 480 CPUs providing 3084 cores. Nineteen different processing queues with varying hardware capabilities and priorities are provided, allowing for fine-grained scheduling and load balancing. After successful initial testing, mechanisms were developed to deploy scripted geocomputation tasks onto dedicated processing queues. The mechanisms are based on earlier work by NETELER et al. (2008) and allow to use all 3084 cores for GRASS based geocomputation work. However, in practice applications are limited to fewer resources as assigned to their respective queue. Applications of the new GIS functionality comprise so far of hydrological analysis, remote sensing and the generation of maps of simulated tsunamis in the Mediterranean Sea for the Tsunami Atlas of the FP-7 TRIDEC Project (www.tridec-online.eu). This included the processing of complex problems, requiring significant amounts of processing time up to full 20 CPU days. This GRASS GIS-based service is provided as a research utility in the sense of "Software as a Service" (SaaS) and is a first step towards a GFZ corporate cloud service.

Mapping grass communities based on multi-temporal Landsat TM imagery and environmental variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Yuandi; Liu, Yanfang; Liu, Yaolin; de Leeuw, Jan

2007-06-01

Information on the spatial distribution of grass communities in wetland is increasingly recognized as important for effective wetland management and biological conservation. Remote sensing techniques has been proved to be an effective alternative to intensive and costly ground surveys for mapping grass community. However, the mapping accuracy of grass communities in wetland is still not preferable. The aim of this paper is to develop an effective method to map grass communities in Poyang Lake Natural Reserve. Through statistic analysis, elevation is selected as an environmental variable for its high relationship with the distribution of grass communities; NDVI stacked from images of different months was used to generate Carex community map; the image in October was used to discriminate Miscanthus and Cynodon communities. Classifications were firstly performed with maximum likelihood classifier using single date satellite image with and without elevation; then layered classifications were performed using multi-temporal satellite imagery and elevation with maximum likelihood classifier, decision tree and artificial neural network separately. The results show that environmental variables can improve the mapping accuracy; and the classification with multitemporal imagery and elevation is significantly better than that with single date image and elevation (p=0.001). Besides, maximum likelihood (a=92.71%, k=0.90) and artificial neural network (a=94.79%, k=0.93) perform significantly better than decision tree (a=86.46%, k=0.83).

E-learning for grass-roots emergency public health personnel: Preliminary lessons from a national program in China.

PubMed

Xu, Wangquan; Jiang, Qicheng; Qin, Xia; Fang, Guixia; Hu, Zhi

2016-07-19

In China, grass-roots emergency public health personnel have relatively limited emergency response capabilities and they are constantly required to update their professional knowledge and skills due to recurring and new public health emergencies. However, professional training, a principal solution to this problem, is inadequate because of limitations in manpower and financial resources at grass-roots public health agencies. In order to provide a cost-effective and easily expandable way for grass-roots personnel to acquire knowledge and skills, the National Health Planning Commission of China developed an emergency response information platform and provided trial access to this platform in Anhui and Heilongjiang provinces in China. E-learning was one of the modules of the platform and this paper has focused on an e-learning pilot program. Results indicated that e-learning had satisfactorily improved the knowledge and ability of grass-roots emergency public health personnel, and the program provided an opportunity to gain experience in e-course design and implementing e-learning. Issues such as the lack of personalized e-courses and the difficulty of evaluating the effectiveness of e-learning are topics for further study.

Effects of an invasive grass on the demography of the Caribbean cactus Harrisia portoricensis: Implications for cacti conservation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rojas-Sandoval, Julissa; Meléndez-Ackerman, Elvia

2012-05-01

The impact of exotic species around the world is among the primary threats to the conservation and management of rare and endangered species. In this work we asked whether or not the presence of the African grass Megathyrsus maximus on Mona Island was associated with negative impacts on the demography of the endangered Caribbean cactus Harrisia portoricensis. To address this question we performed field observations where we compared demographic data collected at un-manipulated areas invaded by Megathyrsus with un-manipulated areas non-invaded by this exotic grass. Additionally, demographic data were also collected in areas in which we removed the exotic grass biomass using two alternative treatments: complete and partial grass removal. Results demonstrated that the presence of Megathyrsus has negative effects on demographic parameters of Harrisia at various stages throughout its life cycle. In general, the survival, growth, and reproduction of Harrisia plants were depressed under the presence of Megathyrsus. Growth and survival of seedlings and juveniles of Harrisia were more impacted by the presence of Megathyrsus than adult performance and seedling recruitment only occurred in areas with grass absence. Our combined results suggest that modifications of the micro-environment by the presence of Megathyrsus may add an additional level of vulnerability to the persistence of Harrisia, and as such this factor must be considered when designing conservation strategies for this endangered species. This study highlights the need for a greater emphasis on understanding the interactions between invasive grass species and native cacti, and the importance of such information in designing conservation strategies for cacti species elsewhere.

Feasibility of Developing a Surrogate Missile System for the Purpose of Combat Systems Testing, Evaluation, and Watchstander Proficiency

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

Certification The USS Comte De Grasse, DDG 125, is weeks away from commissioning. As a new Baseline Flight III DDG, her AEGIS Weapon system has...The part is replaced, and the next STM firing is a complete success. Comte De Grasse is cleared to conduct follow-on SM firings. a. Scenario...17 “Solid Rocket Boosters,” NASA, last modified August 31, 2000, http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/srb.html 53 Another

A grass–fire cycle eliminates an obligate-seeding tree in a tropical savanna

PubMed Central

Bowman, David M J S; MacDermott, Harry J; Nichols, Scott C; Murphy, Brett P

2014-01-01

A grass–fire cycle in Australian tropical savannas has been postulated as driving the regional decline of the obligate-seeding conifer Callitris intratropica and other fire-sensitive components of the regional flora and fauna, due to proliferation of flammable native grasses. We tested the hypothesis that a high-biomass invasive savanna grass drives a positive feedback process where intense fires destroy fire-sensitive trees, and the reduction in canopy cover facilitates further invasion by grass. We undertook an observational and experimental study using, as a model system, a plantation of C. intratropica that has been invaded by an African grass, gamba (Andropogon gayanus) in the Northern Territory, Australia. We found that high grass biomass was associated with reduced canopy cover and restriction of foliage to the upper canopy of surviving stems, and mortality of adult trees was very high (>50%) even in areas with low fuel loads (1 t·ha−1). Experimental fires, with fuel loads >10 t·ha−1, typical of the grass-invasion front, caused significant mortality due to complete crown scorch. Lower fuel loads cause reduced canopy cover through defoliation of the lower canopy. These results help explain how increases in grass biomass are coupled with the decline of C. intratropica throughout northern Australia by causing a switch from litter and sparse perennial grass fuels, and hence low-intensity surface fires, to heavy annual grass fuel loads that sustain fires that burn into the midstorey. This study demonstrates that changes in fuel type can alter fire regimes with substantial knock-on effects on the biota. PMID:25505543

Semi Automated Ferrous Material Scouring System (SAFMSS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-14

represent real world conditions with various shrubs or grasses entangled with the debris preventing easy removal. Our second tests were performed at...would expect on a range. Soil types, compaction, shrubs , grasses and roots as well as ferrous content vs item weight all have an effect on actual

Obstacles to organic and grass fed small ruminant production in the U.S

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Certified organic livestock must align to standards set forth by the National Organic Standards. Grass fed ruminant production follows a voluntary standard, both programs implemented by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. There is very little research being conducted on organic livestock system...

75 FR 25832 - Commodity Credit Corporation Information Collection; Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-10

... produced for food or fiber. Additionally, NAP provides assistance for losses of floriculture, ornamental... oats and sea grass, and industrial crops. The information collected is necessary to determine whether a...

Detection, mapping and estimation of rate of spread of grass fires from southern African ERTS-1 imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wightman, J. M.

1973-01-01

Sequential band-6 imagery of the Zambesi Basin of southern Africa recorded substantial changes in burn patterns resulting from late dry season grass fires. One example from northern Botswana, indicates that a fire consumed approximately 70 square miles of grassland over a 24-hour period. Another example from western Zambia indicates increased fire activity over a 19-day period. Other examples clearly define the area of widespread grass fires in Angola, Botswana, Rhodesia and Zambia. From the fire patterns visible on the sequential portions of the imagery, and the time intervals involved, the rates of spread of the fires are estimated and compared with estimates derived from experimental burning plots in Zambia and Canada. It is concluded that sequential ERTS-1 imagery, of the quality studied, clearly provides the information needed to detect and map grass fires and to monitor their rates of spread in this region during the late dry season.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zieman, J.C.; Zieman, R.T.

This report summarizes information on the ecology of seagrass meadows on the west coast of Florida, from south of Tampa Bay to Pensacola. This area contains more than 3500 ha of seagrass beds, dominated by three species, Thalasia testudinum (turtle grass), Syringodium filiforme (manatee grass), and Halodule wrightii (shoal grass). Beds occur both on the shallow, zero-energy Continental Shelf and in inshore bays and estuaries. Species ecology, distribution, biomass, and productivity of these dominant seagrass species are discussed. Seagrass beds support a very diverse and abundant algal flora and fauna, and these organisms, and seagrass detritus form the base ofmore » a productive food chain. Seagrass beds are important nursery areas providing both cover and food, for a number of commercial and sports fishery species. Along the west Florida coast, estuarine grass beds are noticeably more stressed and impacted by human activities than the more pristine nearshore beds. Urban development and dredging and filling are the major threates to seagrass beds in this region. 500 refs., 28 figs., 14 tabs.« less

Eco-hydrologic Modeling of Rangelands: Evaluating a New Carbon Allocation Approach and Simulating Ecosystem Response to Changing Climate and Management Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reyes, J. J.; Tague, C.; Choate, J. S.; Adam, J. C.

2014-12-01

More than one-third of the United States' land cover is comprised of rangelands, which support both forage production and livestock grazing. For grasses in both semi-arid and humid environments, small changes in precipitation and temperature, as well as grazing, can have disproportionately larger impacts on ecosystem processes. For example, these areas may experience large response pulses under highly variable precipitation and other potential future changes. The ultimate goal of this study is to provide information on the interactions between management activities, climate and ecosystem processes to inform sustainable rangeland management. The specific objectives of this paper are to (1) evaluate a new carbon allocation strategy for grasses and (2) test the sensitivity of this improved strategy to changes in climate and grazing strategies. The Regional Hydro-ecologic Simulation System (RHESSys) is a process-based, watershed-scale model that simulates hydrology and biogeochemical cycling with dynamic soil and vegetation modules. We developed a new carbon allocation algorithm for partitioning net primary productivity (NPP) between roots and leaves for grasses. The 'hybrid' approach represents a balance between preferential partitioning due to environmental conditions and age-related growth. We evaluated this new allocation scheme at the point-scale at a variety of rangeland sites in the U.S. using observed biomass measurements and against existing allocation schemes used in RHESSys. Additionally, changes in the magnitude, frequency, and intensity of precipitation and temperature were used to assess ecosystem responses using our new allocation scheme. We found that changes in biomass and NPP were generally more sensitive to changes in precipitation than changes in temperature. At more arid sites, larger percent reductions in historic baseline precipitation affected biomass and NPP more negatively. We incorporated grazing impacts through biomass removal. We found that the recovery of grasses to defoliation was governed primarily through the following parameters: (1) the daily to annual allocation of NPP and (2) the fractional storage of carbohydrates. The latter was more appropriate in balancing seasonal patterns of grazing with enough emergency storage of carbon for regrowth.

Fuel model selection for BEHAVE in midwestern oak savannas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grabner, K.W.; Dwyer, J.P.; Cutter, B.E.

2001-01-01

BEHAVE, a fire behavior prediction system, can be a useful tool for managing areas with prescribed fire. However, the proper choice of fuel models can be critical in developing management scenarios. BEHAVE predictions were evaluated using four standardized fuel models that partially described oak savanna fuel conditions: Fuel Model 1 (Short Grass), 2 (Timber and Grass), 3 (Tall Grass), and 9 (Hardwood Litter). Although all four models yielded regressions with R2 in excess of 0.8, Fuel Model 2 produced the most reliable fire behavior predictions.

Environmental assessment of a representative grass-finishing beef operation in southern Pennsylvania

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to quantify environmental impacts of a representative grass-finished beef operation in southeastern Pennsylvania. A farm-gate life cycle assessment was conducted using the Integrated Farm System Model to estimate greenhouse gas emissions, reactive nitrogen loss, and w...

Water use efficiency by switchgrass compared to a native grass or a native grass alfalfa mixture

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Development of sustainable cellulosic biofuel systems requires knowing the water use efficiency (WUE) of potential bioenergy crops. Impact of early and late season droughts on WUE and soil water deficits were evaluated in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii (Ry...

Redesigning alfalfa for use in mixtures with forage grasses

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A lush field consisting of a mixture of grass and legumes is the goal of many producers. Such a production system has many benefits. The most important in times of high fertilizer prices is the reduced need for nitrogen (N) because of the legume's capacity for biological nitrogen fixation. However, ...

Feature discrimination/identification based upon SAR return variations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rasco, W. A., Sr.; Pietsch, R.

1978-01-01

A study of the statistics of The look-to-look variation statistics in the returns recorded in-flight by a digital, realtime SAR system are analyzed. The determination that the variations in the look-to-look returns from different classes do carry information content unique to the classes was illustrated by a model based on four variants derived from four look in-flight SAR data under study. The model was limited to four classes of returns: mowed grass on a athletic field, rough unmowed grass and weeds on a large vacant field, young fruit trees in a large orchard, and metal mobile homes and storage buildings in a large mobile home park. The data population in excess of 1000 returns represented over 250 individual pixels from the four classes. The multivariant discriminant model operated on the set of returns for each pixel and assigned that pixel to one of the four classes, based on the target variants and the probability distribution function of the four variants for each class.

A Hypothesis: Could Portable Natural Grass be a Risk Factor for Knee Injuries?

PubMed Central

Orchard, John; Rodas, Gil; Til, Lluis; ArdevÒl, Jordi; Chivers, Ian

2008-01-01

Previous study has shown a likely link between increased shoe- surface traction and risk of knee Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury. Portable natural grass systems are being used more often in sport, but no study to date has investigated their relative safety. By their nature, they must have high resistance to falling apart and therefore newly laid systems may be at risk of creating excessive shoe-surface traction. This study describes two clusters of knee injuries (particularly non-contact ACL injuries), each occurring to players of one professional football team at single venue, using portable grass, in a short space of time. The first series included two ACL injuries, one posterolateral complex disruption and one lateral ligament tear occurring in two rugby league games on a portable bermudagrass surface in Brisbane, Australia. The second series included four non-contact ACL injuries over a period of ten weeks in professional soccer games on a portable Kentucky bluegrass/perennial ryegrass surface in Barcelona, Spain. Possible intrinsic risk factors are discussed but there was no common risk shared by the players. Although no measures of traction were made at the Brisbane venue, average rotational traction was measured towards the end of the injury cluster at Camp Nou, Barcelona, to be 48 Nm. Chance undoubtedly had a part to play in these clusters, but the only obvious common risk factor was play on a portable natural grass surface soon after it was laid. Further study is required to determine whether portable natural grass systems may exhibit high shoe-surface traction soon after being laid and whether this could be a risk factor for knee injury. Key pointsExcessive shoe-surface traction is a hypothesised risk factor for knee ligament injuries, including anterior cruciate ligament injuries.Portable natural grass systems (by their nature in order to prevent grass rolls or squares from falling apart) will tend to exhibit high resistance to tearing when first laid. This may lead to excessive shoe-surface traction.This dual case series describes two clusters of non-contact knee ligament injuries which occurred in circumstances of newly laid portable turf.Further research is warranted to undercover any link between non-contact knee ligament injuries and ground surfaces conditions. PMID:24150152

Study of variability in antioxidant composition and fatty acids profile of Longissimus dorsi and Serratus ventralis muscles from Iberian pigs reared in two different Montanera seasons.

PubMed

Tejerina, D; García-Torres, S; de Vaca, M Cabeza; Vázquez, F M; Cava, R

2012-02-01

This investigation was designed to evaluate the effects of variations in antioxidant and fatty acids composition of acorns and grass from two Montanera (free-range system and feeding based on acorns and grass) seasons (2006/07 and 2007/08) on the antioxidant composition and fatty acids profile of m. Longissimus dorsi (LD) and m. Serratus ventralis (SV) from Iberian pigs reared under these Montanera seasons. Acorn and grass composition was affected by Montanera season and consequently, LD and SV muscles showed different contents of α-tocopherol, total phenols, hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant activity and fatty acid profile, according with the composition of acorns and grass ingested. Results suggest a lack of uniformity in meat quality between different seasons. This could be due to the variable nature of extensive pig production as reflected in the variability in the composition of the diet (acorns and grass). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A case study of the carbon footprint of milk from high-performing confinement and grass-based dairy farms.

PubMed

O'Brien, D; Capper, J L; Garnsworthy, P C; Grainger, C; Shalloo, L

2014-03-01

Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is the preferred methodology to assess carbon footprint per unit of milk. The objective of this case study was to apply an LCA method to compare carbon footprints of high-performance confinement and grass-based dairy farms. Physical performance data from research herds were used to quantify carbon footprints of a high-performance Irish grass-based dairy system and a top-performing United Kingdom (UK) confinement dairy system. For the US confinement dairy system, data from the top 5% of herds of a national database were used. Life-cycle assessment was applied using the same dairy farm greenhouse gas (GHG) model for all dairy systems. The model estimated all on- and off-farm GHG sources associated with dairy production until milk is sold from the farm in kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-eq) and allocated emissions between milk and meat. The carbon footprint of milk was calculated by expressing GHG emissions attributed to milk per tonne of energy-corrected milk (ECM). The comparison showed that when GHG emissions were only attributed to milk, the carbon footprint of milk from the Irish grass-based system (837 kg of CO2-eq/t of ECM) was 5% lower than the UK confinement system (884 kg of CO2-eq/t of ECM) and 7% lower than the US confinement system (898 kg of CO2-eq/t of ECM). However, without grassland carbon sequestration, the grass-based and confinement dairy systems had similar carbon footprints per tonne of ECM. Emission algorithms and allocation of GHG emissions between milk and meat also affected the relative difference and order of dairy system carbon footprints. For instance, depending on the method chosen to allocate emissions between milk and meat, the relative difference between the carbon footprints of grass-based and confinement dairy systems varied by 3 to 22%. This indicates that further harmonization of several aspects of the LCA methodology is required to compare carbon footprints of contrasting dairy systems. In comparison to recent reports that assess the carbon footprint of milk from average Irish, UK, and US dairy systems, this case study indicates that top-performing herds of the respective nations have carbon footprints 27 to 32% lower than average dairy systems. Although differences between studies are partly explained by methodological inconsistency, the comparison suggests that potential exists to reduce the carbon footprint of milk in each of the nations by implementing practices that improve productivity. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of nitrogen fertilisation rate and maturity of grass silage on methane emission by lactating dairy cows.

PubMed

Warner, D; Hatew, B; Podesta, S C; Klop, G; van Gastelen, S; van Laar, H; Dijkstra, J; Bannink, A

2016-01-01

Grass silage is typically fed to dairy cows in temperate regions. However, in vivo information on methane (CH(4)) emission from grass silage of varying quality is limited. We evaluated the effect of two rates of nitrogen (N) fertilisation of grassland (low fertilisation (LF), 65 kg of N/ha; and high fertilisation (HF), 150 kg of N/ha) and of three stages of maturity of grass at cutting: early maturity (EM; 28 days of regrowth), mid maturity (MM; 41 days of regrowth) and late maturity (LM; 62 days of regrowth) on CH(4) production by lactating dairy cows. In a randomised block design, 54 lactating Holstein-Friesian dairy cows (168±11 days in milk; mean±standard error of mean) received grass silage (mainly ryegrass) and compound feed at 80 : 20 on dry matter basis. Cows were adapted to the diet for 12 days and CH(4) production was measured in climate respiration chambers for 5 days. Dry matter intake (DMI; 14.9±0.56 kg/day) decreased with increasing N fertilisation and grass maturity. Production of fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM; 24.0±1.57 kg/day) decreased with advancing grass maturity but was not affected by N fertilisation. Apparent total-tract feed digestibility decreased with advancing grass maturity but was unaffected by N fertilisation except for an increase and decrease in N and fat digestibility with increasing N fertilisation, respectively. Total CH(4) production per cow (347±13.6 g/day) decreased with increasing N fertilisation by 4% and grass maturity by 6%. The smaller CH(4) production with advancing grass maturity was offset by a smaller FPCM and lower feed digestibility. As a result, with advancing grass maturity CH(4) emission intensity increased per units of FPCM (15.0±1.00 g CH(4)/kg) by 31% and digestible organic matter intake (33.1±0.78 g CH(4)/kg) by 15%. In addition, emission intensity increased per units of DMI (23.5±0.43 g CH(4)/kg) by 7% and gross energy intake (7.0±0.14% CH(4)) by 9%, implying an increased loss of dietary energy with advancing grass maturity. Rate of N fertilisation had no effect on CH(4) emissions per units of FPCM, DMI and gross energy intake. These results suggest that despite a lower absolute daily CH(4) production with a higher N fertilisation rate, CH(4) emission intensity remains unchanged. A significant reduction of CH(4) emission intensity can be achieved by feeding dairy cows silage of grass harvested at an earlier stage of maturity.

An evaluation of the use of individual grass species in retaining polluted soil and dust particulates in vegetated sustainable drainage devices.

PubMed

Charlesworth, S M; Bennett, J; Waite, A

2016-08-01

A sustainable means of preventing polluted particulates carried in urban storm water entering rivers, groundwater and lakes is by employing vegetated sustainable drainage system (SUDS) devices, or best management practices to trap or biodegrade them. In the UK, a mixture of grass species is recommended for use in devices such as swales or filter strips. However, there is little evidence in support of the efficiency of the individual grasses or mixtures to deal with such contaminated material. A pot-based pollutant retention study was conducted using processed street dust from central Coventry, UK, as a simulated pollutant to be applied in different quantities to a variety of recommended grasses for vegetated SUDS devices. Analysis was conducted on compost cores, roots and shoots for heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn). Street dust mainly concentrated in the top compost layer for all grasses with only the finer material migrating down the profile. Analysis of roots indicated little accumulation, with ANOVA statistical tests indicating significant differences in heavy metal concentrations, with less in the compost and more in the shoots. Development of root systems on or near the surface possibly explains increased uptake of heavy metals by some species. Overall Agrostis canina and Poa pratensis showed the greatest accumulations compared to their controls although Agrostis capillaris syn.tenuis and Agrostis stolonifera also demonstrated accumulation potential. On ranking, Agrostis canina and Poa pratensis were highest overall. These rankings will assist in selecting the best grasses to address pollution of the urban environment by contaminated particulates.

Systems Level Engineering of Plant Cell Wall Biosynthesis to Improve Biofuel Feedstock Quality

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hazen, Samuel

2013-09-27

Our new regulatory model of cell wall biosynthesis proposes original network architecture with several newly incorporated components. The mapped set of protein-DNA interactions will serve as a foundation for 1) understanding the regulation of a complex and integral plant component and 2) the manipulation of crop species for biofuel and biotechnology purposes. This study revealed interesting and novel aspects of grass growth and development and further enforce the importance of a grass model system. By functionally characterizing a suite of genes, we have begun to improve the sparse model for transcription regulation of biomass accumulation in grasses. In the process,more » we have advanced methodology and brachy molecular genetic tools that will serve as valuable community resource.« less

Annual warm-season grasses vary for forage yield, quality, and competitiveness with weeds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Warm-season annual grasses may be suitable as herbicide-free forage crops. A two-year field study was conducted to determine whether tillage system and nitrogen (N) fertilizer application method influenced crop and weed biomass, water use, water use efficiency (WUE), and forage quality of three war...

Generation and characterization of the Western Regional Research Center brachypodium T-DNA insertional mutant collection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The model grass Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium) is an excellent system for studying the basic biology underlying traits relevant to the use of grasses as food, forage and energy crops. To add to the growing collection of Brachypodium resources available to plant scientists, we further optim...

Economic competiveness of napier grass in irrigated and non-irrigated Georgia Coastal Plain cropping systems.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Energy Independence Security Act (EISA) of 2007 mandated an increase in the use of advance biofuels to 21 billion gallons by 2022. As a result, numerous perennial warm-season grasses have been introduced and management practices evaluated to determine their suitability as biofuel feedstocks. Whi...

Deeper than rhizomes, becoming decalcomaniacal: a reflexive response to Murakami and Siegel's "Becoming Bermuda grass"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, Debra Bailey

2017-09-01

In responding to Murakami and Siegel's "Becoming Bermuda grass," one is led to reflect on one's own practice in what becomes an example of reflexivity. Following the authors' lead of incorporating Deleuze and Guattari's rhizomatic theory and the art form of decalcomania to reflect on practice, discoveries are made regarding the practice of a middle school science teacher. These reflective discoveries can be used to inform teaching practice in a manner that supports the development of identities of participation.

Herbage intake, methane emissions and animal performance of steers grazing dwarf elephant grass v. dwarf elephant grass and peanut pastures.

PubMed

Andrade, E A; Almeida, E X; Raupp, G T; Miguel, M F; de Liz, D M; Carvalho, P C F; Bayer, C; Ribeiro-Filho, H M N

2016-10-01

Management strategies for increasing ruminant legume consumption and mitigating methane emissions from tropical livestock production systems require further study. The aim of this work was to evaluate the herbage intake, animal performance and enteric methane emissions of cattle grazing dwarf elephant grass (DEG) (Pennisetum purpureum cv. BRS Kurumi) alone or DEG with peanut (Arachis pintoi cv. Amarillo). The experimental treatments were the following: DEG pastures receiving nitrogen fertilization (150 kg N/ha as ammonium nitrate) and DEG intercropped with peanut plus an adjacent area of peanut that was accessible to grazing animals for 5 h/day (from 0700 to 1200 h). The animals grazing legume pastures showed greater average daily gain and herbage intake, and shorter morning and total grazing times. Daily methane emissions were greater from the animals grazing legume pastures, whereas methane emissions per unit of herbage intake did not differ between treatments. Allowing animals access to an exclusive area of legumes in a tropical grass-pasture-based system can improve animal performance without increasing methane production per kg of dry matter intake.

The genome of the endophytic bacterium H. frisingense GSF30(T) identifies diverse strategies in the Herbaspirillum genus to interact with plants.

PubMed

Straub, Daniel; Rothballer, Michael; Hartmann, Anton; Ludewig, Uwe

2013-01-01

The diazotrophic, bacterial endophyte Herbaspirillum frisingense GSF30(T) has been identified in biomass grasses grown in temperate climate, including the highly nitrogen-efficient grass Miscanthus. Its genome was annotated and compared with related Herbaspirillum species from diverse habitats, including H. seropedicae, and further well-characterized endophytes. The analysis revealed that Herbaspirillum frisingense lacks a type III secretion system that is present in some related Herbaspirillum grass endophytes. Together with the lack of components of the type II secretion system, the genomic inventory indicates distinct interaction scenarios of endophytic Herbaspirillum strains with plants. Differences in respiration, carbon, nitrogen and cell wall metabolism among Herbaspirillum isolates partially correlate with their different habitats. Herbaspirillum frisingense is closely related to strains isolated from the rhizosphere of phragmites and from well water, but these lack nitrogen fixation and metabolism genes. Within grass endophytes, the high diversity in their genomic inventory suggests that even individual plant species provide distinct, highly diverse metabolic niches for successful endophyte-plant associations.

The genome of the endophytic bacterium H. frisingense GSF30T identifies diverse strategies in the Herbaspirillum genus to interact with plants

PubMed Central

Straub, Daniel; Rothballer, Michael; Hartmann, Anton; Ludewig, Uwe

2013-01-01

The diazotrophic, bacterial endophyte Herbaspirillum frisingense GSF30T has been identified in biomass grasses grown in temperate climate, including the highly nitrogen-efficient grass Miscanthus. Its genome was annotated and compared with related Herbaspirillum species from diverse habitats, including H. seropedicae, and further well-characterized endophytes. The analysis revealed that Herbaspirillum frisingense lacks a type III secretion system that is present in some related Herbaspirillum grass endophytes. Together with the lack of components of the type II secretion system, the genomic inventory indicates distinct interaction scenarios of endophytic Herbaspirillum strains with plants. Differences in respiration, carbon, nitrogen and cell wall metabolism among Herbaspirillum isolates partially correlate with their different habitats. Herbaspirillum frisingense is closely related to strains isolated from the rhizosphere of phragmites and from well water, but these lack nitrogen fixation and metabolism genes. Within grass endophytes, the high diversity in their genomic inventory suggests that even individual plant species provide distinct, highly diverse metabolic niches for successful endophyte-plant associations. PMID:23825472

Brown Rot-Type Fungal Decomposition of Sorghum Bagasse: Variable Success and Mechanistic Implications

DOE PAGES

Presley, Gerald N.; Ndimba, Bongani K.; Schilling, Jonathan S.

2018-01-01

Sweet sorghum is a promising crop for a warming, drying African climate, and basic information is lacking on conversion pathways for its lignocellulosic residues (bagasse). Brown rot wood-decomposer fungi use carbohydrate-selective pathways that, when assessed on sorghum, a grass substrate, can yield information relevant to both plant biomass conversion and fungal biology. In testing sorghum decomposition by brown rot fungi ( Gloeophyllum trabeum , Serpula lacrymans ), we found that G. trabeum readily degraded sorghum, removing xylan prior to removing glucan. Serpula lacrymans , conversely, caused little decomposition. Ergosterol (fungal biomarker) and protein levels were similar for both fungi, butmore » S. lacrymans produced nearly 4x lower polysaccharide-degrading enzyme specific activity on sorghum than G. trabeum , perhaps a symptom of starvation. Linking this information to genome comparisons including other brown rot fungi known to have a similar issue regarding decomposing grasses (Postia placenta, Fomitopsis pinicola) suggested that a lack of CE 1 feruloyl esterases as well as low xylanase activity in S. lacrymans (3x lower than in G. trabeum ) may hinder S. lacrymans , P. placenta, and F. pinicola when degrading grass substrates. These results indicate variability in brown rot mechanisms, which may stem from a differing ability to degrade certain lignin-carbohydrate complexes.« less

Brown Rot-Type Fungal Decomposition of Sorghum Bagasse: Variable Success and Mechanistic Implications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Presley, Gerald N.; Ndimba, Bongani K.; Schilling, Jonathan S.

Sweet sorghum is a promising crop for a warming, drying African climate, and basic information is lacking on conversion pathways for its lignocellulosic residues (bagasse). Brown rot wood-decomposer fungi use carbohydrate-selective pathways that, when assessed on sorghum, a grass substrate, can yield information relevant to both plant biomass conversion and fungal biology. In testing sorghum decomposition by brown rot fungi ( Gloeophyllum trabeum , Serpula lacrymans ), we found that G. trabeum readily degraded sorghum, removing xylan prior to removing glucan. Serpula lacrymans , conversely, caused little decomposition. Ergosterol (fungal biomarker) and protein levels were similar for both fungi, butmore » S. lacrymans produced nearly 4x lower polysaccharide-degrading enzyme specific activity on sorghum than G. trabeum , perhaps a symptom of starvation. Linking this information to genome comparisons including other brown rot fungi known to have a similar issue regarding decomposing grasses (Postia placenta, Fomitopsis pinicola) suggested that a lack of CE 1 feruloyl esterases as well as low xylanase activity in S. lacrymans (3x lower than in G. trabeum ) may hinder S. lacrymans , P. placenta, and F. pinicola when degrading grass substrates. These results indicate variability in brown rot mechanisms, which may stem from a differing ability to degrade certain lignin-carbohydrate complexes.« less

Temporal variability in the life history and reproductive biology of female dugongs in Torres Strait: The likely role of sea grass dieback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marsh, Helene; Kwan, Donna

2008-09-01

The extensive sea grass meadows in Torres Strait enable it to be a globally important habitat for the dugong, Dugong dugon, a marine mammal of cultural and dietary significance to Torres Strait Islanders and the basis for the substantial island-based fishery in the Torres Strait Protected Zone. Torres Strait sea grass communities are subjected to episodic diebacks which are now believed to be largely natural events. Information on dugong life history was obtained from specimens obtained from female dugongs as they were butchered for food by Indigenous hunters at two major dugong hunting communities in Torres Strait: Daru (9.04°S, 143.21°E) in 1978-1982 (a time of sea grass dieback and recovery) and Mabuiag Island (9.95°S, 142.15°E) in 1997-1999 (when sea grasses were abundant). Dugongs sampled in 1997-1999 had their first calf at younger ages (minimum of 6 cf. 10 years), and more frequently (interbirth interval based on all possible pregnancies 2.6±0.4 (S.E.) yr cf. 5.8±1.0 yr) than the dugongs sampled in 1978-1982. Pregnancy rates increased monotonically during 1978-1982, coincident with sea grass recovery. The age distribution of the female dugongs collected in 1997-1999 also suggested a low birth rate between 1973 and 1983 and/or or a high level of mortality for animals born during this period. These results add to the evidence from other regions that the life history and reproductive rate of female dugongs are adversely affected by sea grass loss, the effect of which cannot be separated from a possible density-dependent response to changes in dugong population size. Many green turtles in Torres Strait were also in poor body condition coincident with the 1970s sea grass dieback. The impacts of future sea grass diebacks need to be anticipated when management options for the traditional Torres Strait fisheries for dugongs and green turtles are evaluated.

Invasion of a semi-arid shrubland by annual grasses increases autotrophic and heterotrophic soil respiration rates due to altered soil moisture and temperature patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mauritz, M.; Hale, I.; Lipson, D.

2010-12-01

Shrub <-> grassland conversions are a globally occurring phenomenon altering habitat structure, quality and nutrient cycling. Grasses and shrubs differ in their above and belowground biomass allocation, root architecture, phenology, litter quality and quantity. Conversion affects soil microbial communities, soil moisture and temperature and carbon (C) allocation patterns. However, the effect of conversion on C storage is regionally variable and there is no consistent direction of change. In Southern California invasion by annual grasses is a major threat to native shrub communities and it has been proposed that grass invasion increases NPP and ecosystem C storage (Wolkovich et al, 2009). In order to better understand how this shrub <-> grassland conversion changes ecosystem C storage it is important to understand the partitioning of soil respiration into autotrophic and heterotrophic components. Respiration was measured in plots under shrubs and grasses from February when it was cold and wet to July when it was hot and dry, capturing seasonal transitions in temperature and water availability. Roots were excluded under shrubs and grasses with root exclusion cores to quantify heterotrophic respiration. Using total soil respiration (Rt) = autotrophic respiration (root) (Ra)+ heterotrophic respiration (microbial) (Rh) the components contributing to total soil respiration can be evaluated. Respiration, soil moisture and temperature were measured daily at four hour intervals using Licor 8100 automated chamber measurements. Throughout the measurement period, Rt under grasses exceeded Rt under shrubs. Higher Rt levels under grasses were mainly due to higher Ra in grasses rather than changes in Rh. On average grass Ra was almost double shrub Ra. Higher grass respiration levels are partially explained by differences in soil moisture and temperature between shrubs and grasses. Respiration rates responded similarly to seasonal transitions regardless of treatment although Ra had a much stronger seasonal response. Across all months changes in respiration rates are explained by changes in soil moisture. However, within wet periods respiration rates increase with temperature. From February to April the soil was wet and respiration levels gradually increased as day time soil temperatures increased. From April onwards absence of precipitation events and rising soil temperatures caused the soils to rapidly dry out. As a result Rt rates declined and gradually converged with Rh levels. As soils dried, grass Ra declined more gradually than shrub Ra. This was contrary to our expectation that shrub roots would respire longer into the dry season because they have deeper roots and can access water. The high late-season levels of respiration observed in the grass community are possibly due to the presence of invasive forbs which have deep tap roots and continue to grow after the grasses have senesced. Conversion from native shrubs to annual invasive grasses increased both Rt and Rh which indicates changes in plant C allocation and decomposition rates of soil C. The continued encroachment of grasses on shrubland has important implications for the future of C storage in this system.

Grassland Degradation Alters Soil Carbon Turnover through Depth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Creamer, C.; Prober, S. M.; Chappell, A.; Farrell, M.; Baldock, J.

2015-12-01

Ecosystem degradation is widespread and changes in aboveground plant communities alter belowground soil processes. In Australia, grassy eucalyptus woodlands dominated by kangaroo grasses (Themeda trianda) were widely cleared during European settlement for agriculture, with only fragments remaining of this now threatened ecosystem. As remnant grassland fragments are used for livestock grazing, Themeda transitions through states of degradation, starting with red grasses (Bothriochloa spp) and then proceeding to less productive, increasingly degraded states dominated by either annual exotic weeds or native wallaby grasses (Rytidosperma spp) and spear grasses (Austrastipa spp). The aim of our experiment was to determine how soil organic matter dynamics (including erosion, root biomass, C storage and turnover) have been altered by the transition from deeply-rooted Themeda grass systems to more shallowly-rooted annual exotic weeds and wallaby/spear grass states. We sampled soils in five depth-based increments (0-5, 5-15, 15-30, 30-60, 60-100 cm) across this ecosystem transition at five sites across New South Wales, Australia. Caseium-137 analysis indicated erosion rates were similar among all ecosystems and were consistent with levels for grasslands in the region. Compared to the remnant Themeda grass systems, the degraded states had lower root biomass, lower carbon stocks and C:N ratios in the coarse fraction (> 50 μm), lower fungal : bacterial ratios, higher available phosphate, higher alkyl : O-alkyl C ratios, and faster mineralization of synthetic root-exudate carbon. All these metrics indicate the surprising finding of more microbially processed OM and faster turnover of newly added C in the degraded sites. Compared to one another, the two degraded sites differed in both C and N turnover, with the exotic weeds having higher dissolved organic N, inorganic N, and coarse fraction N, higher fine fraction C stocks, and greater microbial biomass. These differences likely arise from the greater aboveground productivity of exotic weeds relative to the wallaby and spear grasses. Although microbial C turnover through depth is altered with grassland degradation in both states, the trajectory of the soil organic matter dynamics with degradation is also impacted by plant community dynamics.

Research on wastewater reuse planning in Beijing central region.

PubMed

Jia, H; Guo, R; Xin, K; Wang, J

2005-01-01

The need to implement wastewater reuse in Beijing is discussed. Based on the investigation of the built wastewater reuse projects in Beijing, the differences between small wastewater reuse system and large systems were analyzed according to the technical, economical and social issues. The advantages and disadvantages of the small system and the large system were then given. In wastewater reuse planning in Beijing urban region, the large system was adopted. The rations of reclaimed water for difference land use type, including industrial reuse, municipal reuse, grass irrigation, and scenes water reuse were determined. Then according to the land use information in every block in central Beijing, using GIS techniques, the amounts of the reclaimed water needed in every block were calculated, and the main pipe system of reclaimed water was planned.

Grass-legume mixtures sustain strong yield advantage over monocultures under cool maritime growing conditions over a period of 5 years.

PubMed

Helgadóttir, Áslaug; Suter, Matthias; Gylfadóttir, Thórey Ó; Kristjánsdóttir, Thórdís A; Lüscher, Andreas

2018-05-22

Grassland-based livestock systems in cool maritime regions are commonly dominated by grass monocultures receiving relatively high levels of fertilizer. The current study investigated whether grass-legume mixtures can improve the productivity, resource efficiency and robustness of yield persistence of cultivated grassland under extreme growing conditions over a period of 5 years. Monocultures and mixtures of two grasses (Phleum pratense and Festuca pratensis) and two legumes (Trifolium pratense and Trifolium repens), one of which was fast establishing and the other temporally persistent, were sown in a field trial. Relative abundance of the four species in the mixtures was systematically varied at sowing. The plots were maintained under three N levels (20, 70 and 220 kg N ha-1 year-1) and harvested twice a year for five consecutive years. Yields of individual species and interactions between all species present were modelled to estimate the species diversity effects. Significant positive diversity effects in all individual years and averaged across the 5 years were observed. Across years, the four-species equi-proportional mixture was 71 % (N20: 20 kg N ha-1 year-1) and 51 % (N70: 70 kg N ha-1 year-1) more productive than the average of monocultures, and the highest yielding mixture was 36 % (N20) and 39 % (N70) more productive than the highest yielding monoculture. Importantly, diversity effects were also evident at low relative abundances of either species group, grasses or legumes in the mixture. Mixtures suppressed weeds significantly better than monocultures consistently during the course of the experiment at all N levels. The results show that even in the less productive agricultural systems in the cool maritime regions grass-legume mixtures can contribute substantially and persistently to a more sustainable agriculture. Positive grass-legume interactions suggest that symbiotic N2 fixation is maintained even under these marginal conditions, provided that adapted species and cultivars are used.

Negative impacts of invasive plants on conservation of sensitive desert wildlife

USGS Publications Warehouse

Drake, K. Kristina; Bowen, Lizabeth; Nussear, Kenneth E.; Esque, Todd C.; Berger, Andrew J.; Custer, Nathan; Waters, Shannon C.; Johnson, Jay D.; Miles, A. Keith; Lewison, Rebecca L.

2016-01-01

Habitat disturbance from development, resource extraction, off-road vehicle use, and energy development ranks highly among threats to desert systems worldwide. In the Mojave Desert, United States, these disturbances have promoted the establishment of nonnative plants, so that native grasses and forbs are now intermixed with, or have been replaced by invasive, nonnative Mediterranean grasses. This shift in plant composition has altered food availability for Mojave Desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii), a federally listed species. We hypothesized that this change in forage would negatively influence the physiological ecology, immune competence, and health of neonatal and yearling tortoises. To test this, we monitored the effects of diet on growth, body condition, immunological responses (measured by gene transcription), and survival for 100 captive Mojave tortoises. Tortoises were assigned to one of five diets: native forbs, native grass, invasive grass, and native forbs combined with either the native or invasive grass. Tortoises eating native forbs had better body condition and immune functions, grew more, and had higher survival rates (>95%) than tortoises consuming any other diet. At the end of the experiment, 32% of individuals fed only native grass and 37% fed only invasive grass were found dead or removed from the experiment due to poor body conditions. In contrast, all tortoises fed either the native forb or combined native forb and native grass diets survived and were in good condition. Health and body condition quickly declined for tortoises fed only the native grass (Festuca octoflora) or invasive grass (Bromus rubens) with notable loss of fat and muscle mass and increased muscular atrophy. Bromus rubens seeds were found embedded in the oral mucosa and tongue in most individuals eating that diet, which led to mucosal inflammation. Genes indicative of physiological, immune, and metabolic functions were transcribed at lower levels for individuals fed B. rubens, indicating potential greater susceptibility to disease or other health-related problems. This study highlights the negative indirect effects of invasive grasses, such as red brome, in desert ecosystems, and provides definitive evidence of a larger negative consequence to health, survival, and ultimately population recruitment for Mojave Desert tortoises than previously understood.

Diurnal and circadian oscillations in expression of kisspeptin, kisspeptin receptor and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone 2 genes in the grass puffer, a semilunar-synchronised spawner.

PubMed

Ando, H; Ogawa, S; Shahjahan, Md; Ikegami, T; Doi, H; Hattori, A; Parhar, I

2014-07-01

In seasonally breeding animals, the circadian and photoperiodic regulation of neuroendocrine system is important for precisely-timed reproduction. Kisspeptin, encoded by the Kiss1 gene, acts as a principal positive regulator of the reproductive axis by stimulating gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurone activity in vertebrates. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the cyclic regulation of the kisspeptin neuroendocrine system remain largely unknown. The grass puffer, Takifugu niphobles, exhibits a unique spawning rhythm: spawning occurs 1.5-2 h before high tide on the day of spring tide every 2 weeks, and the spawning rhythm is connected to circadian and lunar-/tide-related clock mechanisms. The grass puffer has only one kisspeptin gene (kiss2), which is expressed in a single neural population in the preoptic area (POA), and has one kisspeptin receptor gene (kiss2r), which is expressed in the POA and the nucleus dorsomedialis thalami. Both kiss2 and kiss2r show diurnal variations in expression levels, with a peak at Zeitgeber time (ZT) 6 (middle of day time) under the light/dark conditions. They also show circadian expression with a peak at circadian time 15 (beginning of subjective night-time) under constant darkness. The synchronous and diurnal oscillations of kiss2 and kiss2r expression suggest that the action of Kiss2 in the diencephalon is highly dependent on time. Moreover, midbrain GnRH2 gene (gnrh2) but not GnRH1 or GnRH3 genes show a unique semidiurnal oscillation with two peaks at ZT6 and ZT18 within a day. The cyclic expression of kiss2, kiss2r and gnrh2 may be important in the control of the precisely-timed diurnal and semilunar spawning rhythm of the grass puffer, possibly through the circadian clock and melatonin, which may transmit the photoperiodic information of daylight and moonlight to the reproductive neuroendocrine centre in the hypothalamus. © 2014 British Society for Neuroendocrinology.

Establishment of warm-season native grasses and forbs on drastically disturbed lands

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, S.

Establishment of warm-season native grasses and forbs (WSNGs) has been viewed by landowners, agronomists, natural resource managers and reclamation specialists as being too expensive and difficult, especially for reclamation, which requires early stand closure and erosion control. Natural resource managers have learned a great deal about establishing WSNGs since the implementation of the 1985 Farm Bill`s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Reclamation specialists must begin to use this information to improve reclamation success. Quality control of seed equipment and planting methods has been proven to be the crucial first step in successful establishment. Seedling germination, growth and development of WSNGs aremore » different from that of introduced cool-season grasses and legumes. Specialized seed drills and spring planting periods are essential. Because shoot growth lags far behind root growth the first two seasons, WSNGs often are rejected for reclamation use. Usually, the rejection is based on preconceived notions that bare ground will erode and on reclamation specialists` desire for a closed, uniform, grassy lawn. WSNG`s extensive root systems inhibit rill and gully erosion by the fall of the first season. Planting a weakly competitive, short-lived nurse crop such as perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) at low rates with the WSNG mixture can reduce first-season sheet and rill erosion problems and give an appearance of a closed stand. Benefits of WSNGs in soil building and their acid-tolerance make them ideal species for reclamation of drastically disturbed lands. WSNGs and forbs enhance wildlife habitat and promote natural succession and the invasion of the reclamation site by other native species, particularly hardwood trees, increasing diversity and integrating the site into the local ecosystem. This is perhaps their most important attribute. Most alien grasses and legumes inhibit natural succession, slowing the development of a stable mine soil ecosystem. This paper outlines one successful methodology to establish warm-season grasses and forbs on abandoned mine lands in Missouri. The methodology can be successfully adapted for reclamation of all drastically disturbed lands including Title V lands under the Surface Mining Control Reclamation Act of 1977 (PL95-87) to promote ecosystem diversity and stability.« less

The large-scale investigation of gene expression in Leymus chinensis stigmas provides a valuable resource for understanding the mechanisms of poaceae self-incompatibility.

PubMed

Zhou, Qingyuan; Jia, Junting; Huang, Xing; Yan, Xueqing; Cheng, Liqin; Chen, Shuangyan; Li, Xiaoxia; Peng, Xianjun; Liu, Gongshe

2014-05-26

Many Poaceae species show a gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI) system, which is controlled by at least two independent and multiallelic loci, S and Z. Until currently, the gene products for S and Z were unknown. Grass SI plant stigmas discriminate between pollen grains that land on its surface and support compatible pollen tube growth and penetration into the stigma, whereas recognizing incompatible pollen and thus inhibiting pollination behaviors. Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel. (sheepgrass) is a Poaceae SI species. A comprehensive analysis of sheepgrass stigma transcriptome may provide valuable information for understanding the mechanism of pollen-stigma interactions and grass SI. The transcript abundance profiles of mature stigmas, mature ovaries and leaves were examined using high-throughput next generation sequencing technology. A comparative transcriptomic analysis of these tissues identified 1,025 specifically or preferentially expressed genes in sheepgrass stigmas. These genes contained a significant proportion of genes predicted to function in cell-cell communication and signal transduction. We identified 111 putative transcription factors (TFs) genes and the most abundant groups were MYB, C2H2, C3H, FAR1, MADS. Comparative analysis of the sheepgrass, rice and Arabidopsis stigma-specific or preferential datasets showed broad similarities and some differences in the proportion of genes in the Gene Ontology (GO) functional categories. Potential SI candidate genes identified in other grasses were also detected in the sheepgrass stigma-specific or preferential dataset. Quantitative real-time PCR experiments validated the expression pattern of stigma preferential genes including homologous grass SI candidate genes. This study represents the first large-scale investigation of gene expression in the stigmas of an SI grass species. We uncovered many notable genes that are potentially involved in pollen-stigma interactions and SI mechanisms, including genes encoding receptor-like protein kinases (RLK), CBL (calcineurin B-like proteins) interacting protein kinases, calcium-dependent protein kinase, expansins, pectinesterase, peroxidases and various transcription factors. The availability of a pool of stigma-specific or preferential genes for L. chinensis offers an opportunity to elucidate the mechanisms of SI in Poaceae.

Ploidy determination of buffel grass accessions in the USDA National Plant Germplasm System collection by flow cytometry

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Buffelgrass [Pennisetum ciliare (L.) Link syn. Cenchrus ciliaris L.] is an important forage and range grass in many of the semi-arid tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The species reproduces primarily by apomixis but it is highly diverse because a wide array of different apomictic ecoty...

Food Reserves In Mountain Longleaf Pine Roots During Shoot Elongation

Treesearch

Charles H. Walkinshaw; William J. Otrosina

2002-01-01

Abstract - Survival and growth of longleaf pine seedlings depends upon a well-developed root system. Soil moisture is also critical for the seedling to emerge from the grass-stage. When longleaf pine seedlings emerge from the grass stage, they grow rapidly in height and diameter. Branches are often few in number and, if present, may have low...

Impact of native grasses and cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) on Great Basin forb seedling growth

Treesearch

Hilary Parkinson; Cathy Zabinski; Nancy Shaw

2013-01-01

Re-establishing native communities that resist exotic weed invasion and provide diverse habitat for wildlife are high priorities for restoration in sagebrush ecosystems. Native forbs are an important component of healthy rangelands in this system, but they are rarely included in seedings. Understanding competitive interactions between forb and grass seedlings is...

Grass seedling demography and sagebrush steppe restoration

Treesearch

J. J. James; M. J. Rinella; T. Svejcar

2012-01-01

Seeding is a key management tool for arid rangeland. In these systems, however, seeded species often fail to establish. A recent study inWyoming big sagebrush steppe suggested that over 90% of seeded native grass individuals die before seedlings emerged. This current study examines the timing and rate of seed germination, seedling emergence, and seedling death related...

Suspended-sediment budget, flow distribution, and lake circulation for the Fox Chain of Lakes in Lake and McHenry Counties, Illinois, 1997-99

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schrader, David L.; Holmes, Robert R.

2000-01-01

The Fox Chain of Lakes is a glacial lake system in McHenry and Lake Counties in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Sedimentation and nutrient overloading have occurred in the lake system since the first dam was built (1907) in McHenry to raise water levels in the lake system. Using data collected from December 1, 1997, to June 1, 1999, suspended-sediment budgets were constructed for the most upstream lake in the system, Grass Lake, and for the lakes downstream from Grass Lake. A total of 64,900 tons of suspended sediment entered Grass Lake during the study, whereas a total of 70,600 tons of suspended sediment exited the lake, indicating a net scour of 5,700 tons of sediment. A total of 44,100 tons of suspended sediment was measured exiting the Fox Chain of Lakes at Johnsburg, whereas 85,600 tons entered the system downstream from Grass Lake. These suspended-sediment loads indicate a net deposition of 41,500 tons downstream from Grass Lake, which represents a trapping efficiency of 48.5 percent. A large amount of recreational boating takes place on the Fox Chain of Lakes during summer months, and suspended-sediment load was observed to rise from 110 tons per day to 339 tons per day during the 1999 Memorial Day weekend (May 26 ?31, 1999). Presumably, this rise was the result of the boating traffic because no other hydrologic event is known to have occurred that might have caused the rise. This study covers a relatively short period and may not represent the long-term processes of the Fox Chain of Lakes system, although the sediment transport was probably higher than an average year. The bed sediments found on the bottom of the lakes are composed of mainly fine particles in the silt-clay range. The Grass Lake sediments were characterized as black peat with an organic content of between 9 and 18 percent, and the median particle size ranged from 0.000811 to 0.0013976 inches. Other bed material samples were collected at streamflow-gaging stations on the tributaries to the Fox Chain of Lakes. With the exception of Grass Lake Outlet at Lotus Woods, most of the bed sediments are sand size or larger. The bed material at the streamflow-gaging station at Grass Lake Outlet at Lotus Woods contains 31.5 percent silt- and clay-sized particles. The bed material at Nippersink Creek near Spring Grove also has higher silt content (10.7 percent) than the bed material found in the Fox River at Wilmot (2.1 percent) and Johnsburg (1.3 percent). Additionally, water velocities at 80 cross sections in the Fox Chain of Lakes were collected to provide sample circulation patterns during two separate 1-week periods, and discharge was measured at 18 locations in the lakes. These data were collected to be available for use in hydrodynamic models.

Natural lactic acid bacteria population of tropical grasses and their fermentation factor analysis of silage prepared with cellulase and inoculant.

PubMed

Khota, Waroon; Pholsen, Suradej; Higgs, David; Cai, Yimin

2016-12-01

Natural lactic acid bacteria (LAB) populations in tropical grasses and their fermentation characteristics on silage prepared with cellulase enzyme and LAB inoculants were studied. A commercial inoculant Lactobacillus plantarum Chikuso 1 (CH), a local selected strain Lactobacillus casei TH14 (TH14), and 2 cellulases, Acremonium cellulase (AC) and Maicelase (MC; Meiji Seika Pharma Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan), were used as additives to silage preparation with fresh and wilted (6 h) Guinea grass and Napier grass. Silage was prepared using a laboratory-scale fermentation system. Treatments were CH, TH14, AC at 0.01% fresh matter, AC 0.1%, MC 0.01%, MC 0.1%, CH+AC 0.01%, CH+AC 0.1%, CH+MC 0.01%, CH+MC 0.1%, TH14+AC 0.1%, TH14+AC 0.01%, TH14+MC 0.1%, and TH14+MC 0.01%. Microorganism counts of Guinea grass and Napier grass before ensiling were 10 2 LAB and 10 6 aerobic bacteria; these increased during wilting. Based on morphological and biochemical characteristics, and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, natural strains from both grasses were identified as L. plantarum, L. casei, Lactobacillus acidipiscis, Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides, Leuconostoc garlicum, Weissella confusa, and Lactococcus lactis. Lactobacillus plantarum and L. casei are the dominant species and could grow at lower pH and produce more lactic acid than the other isolates. Crude protein and neutral detergent fiber were 5.8 and 83.7% of dry matter (DM) for Guinea grass, and 7.5 and 77.1% of DM for Napier grass. Guinea grass had a low level of water-soluble carbohydrates (0.39% of DM). Guinea grass silage treated with cellulase had a lower pH and higher lactic acid content than control and LAB treatments. The 0.1% AC and MC treatments had the best result for fermentation quality. All high water-soluble carbohydrate (2.38% DM) Napier grass silages showed good fermentation quality. Compared with control and LAB-inoculated silage, the cellulase-treated silages had significantly higher crude protein content and lower neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber contents. The results confirmed that cellulase could improve tropical silage quality, inhibiting protein degradation and promoting fiber degradation. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled immunotherapy with mixed grass-pollen allergoids. I. Rush immunotherapy with allergoids and standardized orchard grass-pollen extract.

PubMed

Bousquet, J; Hejjaoui, A; Skassa-Brociek, W; Guérin, B; Maasch, H J; Dhivert, H; Michel, F B

1987-10-01

Forty-five grass pollen-allergic patients were randomly assigned to three groups according to their skin test and RAST sensitivities and the severity of seasonal rhinitis. Eleven patients were treated with placebo (group 1), 19 patients (group 2) were treated with a six-mixed grass-pollen allergoid prepared by mild formalinization with a two-step procedure, and 15 other patients were treated with a standardized orchard grass-pollen extract (group 3). Because of a different immunotherapy schedule, only patients placed in groups 1 and 2 received the extracts in a double-blind fashion. Rush immunotherapy was performed in 3 to 6 days, and the maintenance dose was subsequently administered weekly for 4 weeks and every 2 weeks until the end of the grass-pollen season. During the season, a coseasonal treatment was administered. Systemic reactions occurred during the rush protocol in 36.8% of patients treated with allergoid and 20% of patients who received the standardized extract. Only patients treated with allergoid had systemic reactions during maintenance dose. The reactions observed with the standardized extract were more severe. Total doses of allergoid ranged from 2350 to 13,500 protein nitrogen units. Symptoms and medication scores during the peak of the season were analyzed. Patients treated with the standardized allergen had a significant reduction of the number of days of symptoms during the month of June (9.5 +/- 6.7 days; p less than 0.005) and of medication scores (1.3 +/- 1.4; p less than 0.01) compared to patients receiving placebo (19.4 +/- 8.1 days; medication score, 2.8 +/- 2.1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Woody-grass ratios in a grassy arid system are limited by multi-causal interactions of abiotic constraint, competition and fire.

PubMed

Nano, Catherine E M; Clarke, Peter J

2010-03-01

Predicting changes in vegetation structure in fire-prone arid/semi-arid systems is fraught with uncertainty because the limiting factors to coexistence between grasses and woody plants are unknown. We investigated abiotic and biotic factors influencing boundaries and habitat membership in grassland (Triodia or 'spinifex' grassland)-shrubland (Acacia aneura or 'mulga' shrubland) mosaics in semi-arid central Australia. We used a field experiment to test for the effects of: (1) topographic relief (dune/swale habitat), (2) adult neighbour removal, and (3) soil type (sand/clay) on seedling survival in three shrub and two grass species in reciprocal field plantings. Our results showed that invasion of the shrubland (swale) by neighbouring grassland species is negated by abiotic limitations but competition limits shrubland invasion of the grassland (dune). All species from both habitats had significantly reduced survival in the grassland (dune) in the presence of the dominant grass (Triodia) regardless of soil type or shade. Further, the removal of the dominant grass allowed the shrubland dominant (A. aneura) to establish outside its usual range. Seedling growth and sexual maturation of the shrubland dominant (A. aneura) was slow, implying that repeated fire creates an immaturity risk for this non-sprouter in flammable grassland. By contrast, rapid growth and seed set in the grassland shrubs (facultative sprouters) provides a solution to fire exposure prior to reproductive onset. In terms of landscape dynamics, we argue that grass competition and fire effects are important constraints on shrubland patch expansion, but that their relative importance will vary spatially throughout the landscape because of spatial and temporal rainfall variability.

Gastroenteritis: A Grass Root Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dure-Samin, Akram; Mubina, Agboatwalla

1992-01-01

In Karachi, Pakistan, 4 resource personnel disseminated information about sanitation and breastfeeding in the prevention of gastroenteritis to 100 households. Compared to 100 that did not receive health information, the intervention group had less incidence of diarrhea and better use of oral rehydration salt. (SK)

Nutritional composition and in vitro digestibility of grass and legume winter (cover) crops.

PubMed

Brown, A N; Ferreira, G; Teets, C L; Thomason, W E; Teutsch, C D

2018-03-01

In dairy farming systems, growing winter crops for forage is frequently limited to annual grasses grown in monoculture. The objectives of this study were to determine how cropping grasses alone or in mixtures with legumes affects the yield, nutritional composition, and in vitro digestibility of fresh and ensiled winter crops and the yield, nutritional composition, and in vitro digestibility of the subsequent summer crops. Experimental plots were planted with 15 different winter crops at 3 locations in Virginia. At each site, 4 plots of each treatment were planted in a randomized complete block design. The 15 treatments included 5 winter annual grasses [barley (BA), ryegrass (RG), rye (RY), triticale (TR), and wheat (WT)] in monoculture [i.e., no legumes (NO)] or with 1 of 2 winter annual legumes [crimson clover (CC) and hairy vetch (HV)]. After harvesting the winter crops, corn and forage sorghum were planted within the same plots perpendicular to the winter crop plantings. The nutritional composition and the in vitro digestibility of winter and summer crops were determined for fresh and ensiled samples. Growing grasses in mixtures with CC increased forage dry matter (DM) yield (2.84 Mg/ha), but the yield of mixtures with HV (2.47 Mg/ha) was similar to that of grasses grown in monoculture (2.40 Mg/ha). Growing grasses in mixtures with legumes increased the crude protein concentration of the fresh forage from 13.0% to 15.5% for CC and to 17.3% for HV. For neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentrations, the interaction between grasses and legumes was significant for both fresh and ensiled forages. Growing BA, RY, and TR in mixtures with legumes decreased NDF concentrations, whereas growing RG and WT with legumes did not affect the NDF concentrations of either the fresh or the ensiled forages. Growing grasses in mixtures with legumes decreased the concentration of sugars of fresh forages relative to grasses grown in monoculture. Primarily, this decrease can be attributed to low concentrations of sugars of mixtures with HV (10.5%). Growing grasses in mixtures with legumes reduced the fiber digestibility of both winter crops (75.7% to 72.8% NDF). Growing grasses in mixtures with legumes did not affect estimated DM yield, nutritional composition, or digestibility of the succeeding summer crops. In conclusion, growing grasses in mixtures with legumes as winter forage crops can increase forage estimated DM yields and its nutritional quality in dairy farming sytems. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interspecific Sex in Grass Smuts and the Genetic Diversity of Their Pheromone-Receptor System

PubMed Central

Kellner, Ronny; Vollmeister, Evelyn; Feldbrügge, Michael; Begerow, Dominik

2011-01-01

The grass smuts comprise a speciose group of biotrophic plant parasites, so-called Ustilaginaceae, which are specifically adapted to hosts of sweet grasses, the Poaceae family. Mating takes a central role in their life cycle, as it initiates parasitism by a morphological and physiological transition from saprobic yeast cells to pathogenic filaments. As in other fungi, sexual identity is determined by specific genomic regions encoding allelic variants of a pheromone-receptor (PR) system and heterodimerising transcription factors. Both operate in a biphasic mating process that starts with PR–triggered recognition, directed growth of conjugation hyphae, and plasmogamy of compatible mating partners. So far, studies on the PR system of grass smuts revealed diverse interspecific compatibility and mating type determination. However, many questions concerning the specificity and evolutionary origin of the PR system remain unanswered. Combining comparative genetics and biological approaches, we report on the specificity of the PR system and its genetic diversity in 10 species spanning about 100 million years of mating type evolution. We show that three highly syntenic PR alleles are prevalent among members of the Ustilaginaceae, favouring a triallelic determination as the plesiomorphic characteristic of this group. Furthermore, the analysis of PR loci revealed increased genetic diversity of single PR locus genes compared to genes of flanking regions. Performing interspecies sex tests, we detected a high potential for hybridisation that is directly linked to pheromone signalling as known from intraspecies sex. Although the PR system seems to be optimised for intraspecific compatibility, the observed functional plasticity of the PR system increases the potential for interspecific sex, which might allow the hybrid-based genesis of newly combined host specificities. PMID:22242007

Genotypic and phenotypic evaluation of off-type grasses in hybrid Bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. x C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy] putting greens using genotyping-by-sequencing and morphological characterization.

PubMed

Reasor, Eric H; Brosnan, James T; Staton, Margaret E; Lane, Thomas; Trigiano, Robert N; Wadl, Phillip A; Conner, Joann A; Schwartz, Brian M

2018-01-01

Interspecific hybrid bermudagrass [ Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. x C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy] is one of the most widely used grasses on golf courses, with cultivars derived from 'Tifgreen' or 'Tifdwarf' particularly used for putting greens. Many bermudagrass cultivars established for putting greens can be genetically unstable and lead to the occurrence of undesirable off-type grasses that vary in phenotype. The objective of this research was to genetically and phenotypically differentiate off-type grasses and hybrid cultivars. Beginning in 2013, off-type and desirable hybrid bermudagrass samples were collected from golf course putting greens in the southeastern United States and genetically and phenotypically characterized using genotyping-by-sequencing and morphology. Genotyping-by-sequencing determined that 11% (5) of off-type and desirable samples from putting greens were genetically divergent from standard cultivars such as Champion, MiniVerde, Tifdwarf, TifEagle, and Tifgreen. In addition, genotyping-by-sequencing was unable to genetically distinguish all standard cultivars from one another due to their similar origin and clonal propagation; however, over 90,000 potentially informative nucleotide variants were identified among the triploid hybrid cultivars. Although few genetic differences were found in this research, samples harvested from golf course putting greens had variable morphology and were clustered into three distinct phenotypic groups. The majority of off-type grasses in hybrid bermudagrass putting greens were genetically similar with variable morphological traits. Off-type grasses within golf course putting greens have the potential to compromise putting surface functionality and aesthetics.

The distribution of grasslands, savannas and forests in Africa: a new look at the relationships between vegetation, fire and climate at continental scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Onofrio, Donatella; von Hardenberg, Jost; Baudena, Mara

2017-04-01

Savannas occupy about a fifth of the global land surface and store approximately 15% of the terrestrial carbon. They also encompass about 85% of the global land area burnt annually. Along an increasing rainfall gradient, they are the intermediate biome between grassland and forest. Undergoing and predicted increasing temperature and CO2 concentration, modified precipitation regimes, as well as increasing land-use intensity, are expected to induce important shifts in savanna structure and in the distribution of grasslands, savannas and forests. Owing to the large extent and productivity of savanna biomes, these changes could have larger impacts on the global biogeochemical cycle and precipitation than for any other biome, thus influencing the vegetation-climate system. The dynamics of these biomes has been long studied, and the current theory postulates that while arid savannas are observed because of tree-water limitation, and competition with grasses, in mesic conditions savannas persist because a grass-fire feedback exists, which can maintain them as an alternatively stable state to closed forests. This feedback is reinforced by the different responses of savanna and forest tree type. In this context, despite their relevance, grasses and tree types have been studied mostly in small scale ecological studies, while continental analyses focused on total tree cover only. Here we analyze a recent MODIS product including explicitly the non-tree vegetation cover, allowing us to illustrate for the first time at continental scale the importance of grass cover and of tree-fire responses in determining the emergence of the different biomes. We analyze the relationships of woody and herbaceous cover with fire return time (all from MODIS satellite observations), rainfall annual average and seasonality (from TRMM satellite measurements), and we include tree phenology information, based on the ESA Global Land Cover map, also used to exclude areas with large anthropogenic land use. From this analysis we distinctively observe that tropical vegetation dynamics changes along a rainfall gradient more markedly than previously observed, in particular identifying three zones: (i) a dry region, where grasses are dominant and water-limited, and fires are rare; (ii) an intermediate rainfall range, where savanna with grass dominance is the predominant biome, maintained by frequent fires and rainfall seasonality; and (iii) a more humid area, where both savannas and forests can occur, as determined by the grass-fire feedback and the occurrence of different types of trees. The analysis of these important ecological processes can also be applied to the evaluation of Dynamic Global Vegetation Models, that currently have particular difficulties in simulating tropical vegetation.

Isozyme, ISSR and RAPD profiling of genotypes in marvel grass (Dichanthium annulatum).

PubMed

Saxena, Raghvendra; Chandra, Amaresh

2010-11-01

Genetic analysis of 30 accessions of marvel grass (Dichanthium annulatum Forsk.), a tropical range grass collected from grasslands and open fields of drier regions, was carried out with the objectives of identifying unique materials that could be used in developing the core germplasm for such regions as well as to explore gene (s) for drought tolerance. Five inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) primers [(CA)4, (AGAC), (GACA) 4; 27 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and four enzyme systems were employed in the present study. In total, ISSR yielded 61 (52 polymorphic), RAPD 269 (253 polymorphic) and enzyme 55 isozymes (44 polymorphic) bands. The average polymorphic information content (PIC) and marker index (MI) across all polymorphic bands of 3 markers systems ranged from 0.419 to 0.480 and 4.34 to 5.25 respectively Dendrogram analysis revealed three main clusters with all three markers. Four enzymes namely esterase (EST), polyphenoloxidase (PPO), peroxidase (PRX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) revealed 55 alleles from a total of 16 enzyme-coding loci. Of these, 14 loci and 44 alleles were polymorphic. The mean number of alleles per locus was 3.43. Mean heterozygosity observed among the polymorphic loci ranged from 0.406 (SOD) to 0.836 (EST) and accession wise from 0.679 (1G3108) to 0.743 (IGKMD-10). Though there was intermixing of few accessions of one agro-climatic region to another largely groupings of accessions were with their regions of collections. Bootstrap analysis at 1000 iterations also showed large numbers of nodes (11 to 17) having strong clustering (> 50 bootstrap values) in all three marker systems. The accessions of the arid and drier regions forming one cluster are assigned as distinct core collection of Dichanthium and can be targeted for isolation of gene (s) for drought tolerance. Variations in isozyme allele numbers and high PIC (0.48) and MI (4.98) as observed with ISSR markers indicated their usefulness for germplasm characterization.

Comparison of planted soil infiltration systems for treatment of log yard runoff.

PubMed

Hedmark, Asa; Scholz, Miklas; Aronsson, Par; Elowson, Torbjorn

2010-07-01

Treatment of log yard runoff is required to avoid contamination of receiving watercourses. The research aim was to assess if infiltration of log yard runoff through planted soil systems is successful and if different plant species affect the treatment performance at a field-scale experimental site in Sweden (2005 to 2007). Contaminated runoff from the log yard of a sawmill was infiltrated through soil planted with Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gärtner (common alder), Salix schwerinii X viminalis (willow variety "Gudrun"), Lolium perenne (L.) (rye grass), and Phalaris arundinacea (L.) (reed canary grass). The study concluded that there were no treatment differences when comparing the four different plants with each other, and there also were no differences between the tree and the grass species. Furthermore, the infiltration treatment was effective in reducing total organic carbon (55%) and total phosphorus (45%) concentrations in the runoff, even when the loads on the infiltration system increased from year to year.

Subtropical grass pollen allergens are important for allergic respiratory diseases in subtropical regions

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Grass pollen allergens are a major cause of allergic respiratory disease but traditionally prescribing practice for grass pollen allergen-specific immunotherapy has favoured pollen extracts of temperate grasses. Here we aim to compare allergy to subtropical and temperate grass pollens in patients with allergic rhinitis from a subtropical region of Australia. Methods Sensitization to pollen extracts of the subtropical Bahia grass (Paspalum notatum), Johnson grass (Sorghum halepense) and Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) as well as the temperate Ryegrass (Lolium perenne) were measured by skin prick in 233 subjects from Brisbane. Grass pollen-specific IgE reactivity was tested by ELISA and cross-inhibition ELISA. Results Patients with grass pollen allergy from a subtropical region showed higher skin prick diameters with subtropical Bahia grass and Bermuda grass pollens than with Johnson grass and Ryegrass pollens. IgE reactivity was higher with pollen of Bahia grass than Bermuda grass, Johnson grass and Ryegrass. Patients showed asymmetric cross-inhibition of IgE reactivity with subtropical grass pollens that was not blocked by temperate grass pollen allergens indicating the presence of species-specific IgE binding sites of subtropical grass pollen allergens that are not represented in temperate grass pollens. Conclusions Subtropical grass pollens are more important allergen sources than temperate grass pollens for patients from a subtropical region. Targeting allergen-specific immunotherapy to subtropical grass pollen allergens in patients with allergic rhinitis in subtropical regions could improve treatment efficacy thereby reducing the burden of allergic rhinitis and asthma. PMID:22409901

Use of black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) to substitute soybean meal in ruminant diet: An in vitro rumen fermentation study

PubMed Central

Jayanegara, Anuraga; Novandri, Briliannanda; Yantina, Nover; Ridla, Muhammad

2017-01-01

Aim: This experiment aimed to evaluate substitution of soybean meal (SBM) by black soldier fly (BSF) larvae meal in a napier grass diet as performed by an in vitro rumen fermentation system. Materials and Methods: Samples of napier grass, SBM, and BSF larvae age 1 week (BSF1) and 2 weeks (BSF2) were arranged according to the following dietary treatments (dry matter [DM] basis): T1, 100% napier grass; T2, 60% napier grass + 40% SBM; T3, 60% napier grass + 40% BSF1; T4, 60% napier grass + 40% BSF2; T5, 60% napier grass + 20% SBM + 20% BSF1; and T6, 60% napier grass + 20% SBM + 20% BSF2. The samples were determined for their chemical composition and were incubated in vitro using buffered rumen fluid for 48 h at 39°C. In vitro incubation was carried out in three runs and represented by two incubation bottles per run. Results: Supplementation of BSF, both BSF1 and BSF2, increased ether extract, neutral- and acid-detergent insoluble crude protein contents of T3-T6 diets. The T3 or T4 diet resulted in lower ruminal ammonia concentration, in vitro DM digestibility, and in vitro organic matter (OM) digestibility as compared to those in T2 (p<0.05). Diet supplemented with BSF produced lower methane emission in comparison to that of supplemented with SBM (p<0.05). Diet containing BSF2 produced lower methane and methane per digestible OM than that containing BSF1 (p<0.05). Conclusion: Substitution of SBM by BSF in ruminant diet results in a lower nutritional value in vitro but with an advantage of lowering ruminal methane emission. PMID:29391684

Ultra-short-course booster is effective in recurrent grass pollen-induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.

PubMed

Pfaar, O; Lang, S; Pieper-Fürst, U; Astvatsatourov, A; Gerich, F; Klimek, L; Kramer, M F; Reydelet, Y; Shah-Hosseini, K; Mösges, R

2018-01-01

A relevant proportion of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC) patients experience recurrent symptoms after successfully completing allergen immunotherapy (AIT). This prospective, controlled, noninterventional study used internationally standardized instruments to determine the clinical effects of a preseasonal, ultra-short-course booster AIT on clinical outcome parameters. This two-arm study included patients aged ≥12 years with recurrent grass pollen-induced seasonal AR who had completed a successful course of any grass pollen AIT at least 5 years before enrolment. Overall, 56 patients received one preseasonal short-course booster AIT using tyrosine-absorbed grass pollen allergoids containing the adjuvant monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL ® ); 51 control patients received symptomatic medication. The combined symptom and medication score (CSMS) was recorded in the (peak) grass pollen season. Furthermore, concomitant (antiallergic) medication use, the patients' state of health, Mini Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (MiniRQLQ) results and safety/tolerability of the treatment were assessed. The CSMS in the peak grass pollen season was significantly lower in the booster AIT group (Δ=38.4%, P<.01). Moreover, significantly more patients in this group used no concomitant antiallergic medication throughout the peak grass pollen season. Twice as many patients in the booster AIT group as in the control group reported having a better state of health than in the preceding season. MiniRQLQ results showed significant differences favouring the booster AIT. The booster AIT was generally well tolerated, with only two patients reporting mild, grade 1 systemic adverse events. Booster AIT using tyrosine-absorbed allergoids containing the adjuvant MPL ® effectively prevents re-occurrence of symptoms in patients with grass pollen-induced ARC. © 2017 The Authors. Allergy Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

77 FR 14347 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; NOAA Restoration Center Performance Progress...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-09

... Collection; Comment Request; NOAA Restoration Center Performance Progress Report AGENCY: National Oceanic and... is for an extension of a currently approved information collection. NOAA funds habitat restoration projects including grass-roots, community-based habitat restoration; debris prevention and removal; removal...

Great River Environmental Action Team (GREAT II) Upper Mississippi River (Guttenberg, Iowa to Saverton, Missouri). Appendix. Fish and Wildlife Management Work Group.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

evaluate silt tolerance and growing success of tree, shrub , vine , grass, and shrub species that are beneficial to wildlife. Additional information will...including plowed fields 4. Levee - levees and areas adjacent to levees usually consisting of grasses, forbs, vines , shrubs , and a few trees 5. Old field...of the river- can b~e measured by the many uses man dcniiads of its waters, its hoeins and its rloxlplain. Population ex- pansion in the Upper Midwest

MicroRNA signature in response to nutrient restriction and re-feeding in fast skeletal muscle of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella).

PubMed

Zhu, Xin; Chu, Wu-Ying; Wu, Ping; Yi, Tan; Chen, Tao; Zhang, Jian-She

2014-09-01

The grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) is one of the most important cultivated fish species in China. Mounting evidences suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) may be key regulators of skeletal muscle among the grass carp, but the knowledge of the identity of myogenic miRNAs and role of miRNAs during skeletal muscle anabolic state remains limited. In the present study, we choose 8 miRNAs previously reported to act as muscle growth-related miRNAs for fasting-refeeding research. We investigated postprandial changes in the expression of 8 miRNAs following a single satiating meal in grass carp juveniles who had been fasting for one week and found that 7 miRNAs were sharply up-regulated within 1 or 3 h after refeeding, suggesting that they may be promising candidate miRNAs involved in a fast-response signaling system that regulates fish skeletal muscle growth.

Sequence Grazing of Perennial and Annual Cool-Season Grasses to Extend the Grazing Season for Stocker Calves

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Grazing of cool-season grasses by beef calves before entry into the feedlot for finishing is an important component of the US beef production system. The length of time in the feedlot and the quantity of feed grain required to reach market BW would be reduced if more BW was gained during the grazing...

Can native annual forbs reduce Bromus tectorum biomass and indirectly facilitate establishment of a native perennial grass?

Treesearch

Elizabeth A. Leger; Erin M. Goergen; Tara Forbis de Queiroz

2014-01-01

Restoration is challenging in systems invaded by competitive, disturbance oriented plants, but greater success may be achieved by mimicking natural successional processes and including disturbanceoriented natives in a seed mix. We asked whether seven native annual forbs from the Great Basin Desert, USA, were capable of reducing biomass of the invasive annual grass...

Overview of the 2013 FireFlux II grass fire field experiment

Treesearch

C.B. Clements; B. Davis; D. Seto; J. Contezac; A. Kochanski; J.-B. Fillipi; N. Lareau; B. Barboni; B. Butler; S. Krueger; R. Ottmar; R. Vihnanek; W.E. Heilman; J. Flynn; M.A. Jenkins; J. Mandel; C. Teske; D. Jimenez; J. O' Brien; B. Lefer

2014-01-01

In order to better understand the dynamics of fire-atmosphere interactions and the role of micrometeorology on fire behaviour the FireFlux campaign was conducted in 2006 on a coastal tall-grass prairie in southeast Texas, USA. The FireFlux campaign dataset has become the international standard for evaluating coupled fire-atmosphere model systems. While FireFlux is one...

Greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration by agroforestry systems in southeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Torres, Carlos Moreira Miquelino Eleto; Jacovine, Laércio Antônio Gonçalves; Nolasco de Olivera Neto, Sílvio; Fraisse, Clyde William; Soares, Carlos Pedro Boechat; de Castro Neto, Fernando; Ferreira, Lino Roberto; Zanuncio, José Cola; Lemes, Pedro Guilherme

2017-12-01

Agrosilvopastoral and silvopastoral systems can increase carbon sequestration, offset greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reduce the carbon footprint generated by animal production. The objective of this study was to estimate GHG emissions, the tree and grass aboveground biomass production and carbon storage in different agrosilvopastoral and silvopastoral systems in southeastern Brazil. The number of trees required to offset these emissions were also estimated. The GHG emissions were calculated based on pre-farm (e.g. agrochemical production, storage, and transportation), and on-farm activities (e.g. fertilization and machinery operation). Aboveground tree grass biomass and carbon storage in all systems was estimated with allometric equations. GHG emissions from the agroforestry systems ranged from 2.81 to 7.98 t CO 2 e ha -1 . Carbon storage in the aboveground trees and grass biomass were 54.6, 11.4, 25.7 and 5.9 t C ha -1 , and 3.3, 3.6, 3.8 and 3.3 t C ha -1 for systems 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The number of trees necessary to offset the emissions ranged from 17 to 44 trees ha -1 , which was lower than the total planted in the systems. Agroforestry systems sequester CO 2 from the atmosphere and can help the GHG emission-reduction policy of the Brazilian government.

Host Status of Five Weed Species and Their Effects on Pratylenchus zeae Infestation of Maize.

PubMed

Jordaan, E M; De Waele, D

1988-10-01

The host suitability of five of the most common weed species occurring in maize (Zea mays L.) fields in South Africa to Pratylenchus zeae was tested. Based on the number of nematodes per root unit, mealie crotalaria (Crotalaria sphaerocarpa) was a good host; goose grass (Eleusine indica), common pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus), and thorn apple (Datura stramonium) were moderate hosts; and khaki weed (Tagetes minuta) was a poor host. Only the root residues of khaki weed suppressed the P. zeae infestation of subsequently grown maize. When goose grass, khaki weed, and mealie crotalaria were grown in association with maize in soil infested with P. zeae, goose grass and khaki weed severely suppressed maize root development; this resulted in a low number of nematodes per maize root system and a high number of nematodes per maize root unit. Mealie crotalaria did not restrict maize root growth and did not affect nematode densities per maize root system or maize root unit. Special attention should be given to the control of mealie crotalaria, which is a good host for P. zeae, and goose grass, which, in addition to its ability to compete with maize, is also a suitable host for P. zeae.

Host Status of Five Weed Species and Their Effects on Pratylenchus zeae Infestation of Maize

PubMed Central

Jordaan, Elizabeth M.; De Waele, D.

1988-01-01

The host suitability of five of the most common weed species occurring in maize (Zea mays L.) fields in South Africa to Pratylenchus zeae was tested. Based on the number of nematodes per root unit, mealie crotalaria (Crotalaria sphaerocarpa) was a good host; goose grass (Eleusine indica), common pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus), and thorn apple (Datura stramonium) were moderate hosts; and khaki weed (Tagetes minuta) was a poor host. Only the root residues of khaki weed suppressed the P. zeae infestation of subsequently grown maize. When goose grass, khaki weed, and mealie crotalaria were grown in association with maize in soil infested with P. zeae, goose grass and khaki weed severely suppressed maize root development; this resulted in a low number of nematodes per maize root system and a high number of nematodes per maize root unit. Mealie crotalaria did not restrict maize root growth and did not affect nematode densities per maize root system or maize root unit. Special attention should be given to the control of mealie crotalaria, which is a good host for P. zeae, and goose grass, which, in addition to its ability to compete with maize, is also a suitable host for P. zeae. PMID:19290263

Setaria viridis and Setaria italica, model genetic systems for the Panicoid grasses.

PubMed

Li, Pinghua; Brutnell, Thomas P

2011-05-01

Setaria italica and its wild ancestor Setaria viridis are diploid C(4) grasses with small genomes of ∼515 Mb. Both species have attributes that make them attractive as model systems. Setaria italica is a grain crop widely grown in Northern China and India that is closely related to the major food and feed crops maize and sorghum. A large collection of S. italica accessions are available and thus opportunities exist for association mapping and allele mining for novel variants that will have direct application in agriculture. Setaria viridis is the weedy relative of S. italica with many attributes suitable for genetic analyses including a small stature, rapid life cycle, and prolific seed production. Setaria sp. are morphologically similar to most of the Panicoideae grasses, including major biofuel feedstocks, switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and Miscanthus (Miscanthus giganteus). They are broadly distributed geographically and occupy diverse ecological niches. The cross-compatibility of S. italica and S. viridis also suggests that gene flow is likely between wild and domesticated accessions. In addition to serving as excellent models for C(4) photosynthesis, these grasses provide novel opportunities to study abiotic stress tolerance and as models for bioenergy feedstocks.

Volatile organic compound emissions from elephant grass and bamboo cultivars used as potential bioethanol crop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crespo, E.; Graus, M.; Gilman, J. B.; Lerner, B. M.; Fall, R.; Harren, F. J. M.; Warneke, C.

2013-02-01

Volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from elephant grass (Miscanthus gigantus) and black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) were measured online in semi-field chamber and plant enclosure experiments during growth and harvest using proton-transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS), proton-transfer reaction ion-trap mass spectrometry (PIT-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Both cultivars are being considered for second-generation biofuel production. Before this study, no information was available on their yearly VOC emissions. This exploratory investigation shows that black bamboo is a strong isoprene emitter (daytime 28,516 ng gdwt-1 h-1) and has larger VOC emissions, especially for wound compounds from the hexanal and hexenal families, than elephant grass. Daytime emissions of methanol, acetaldehyde, acetone + propanal and acetic acid of black bamboo were 618, 249, 351, and 1034 ng gdwt-1 h-1, respectively. In addition, it is observed that elephant grass VOC emissions after harvesting strongly depend on the seasonal stage. Not taking VOC emission variations throughout the season for annual and perennial species into account, may lead to an overestimation of the impact on local air quality in dry periods. In addition, our data suggest that the use of perennial grasses for extensive growing for biofuel production have lower emissions than woody species, which might be important for regional atmospheric chemistry.

Altered gut microbiota associated with intestinal disease in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus).

PubMed

Tran, Ngoc Tuan; Zhang, Jing; Xiong, Fan; Wang, Gui-Tang; Li, Wen-Xiang; Wu, Shan-Gong

2018-05-18

Gut microbiota plays a crucial importance in their host. Disturbance of the microbial structure and function is known to be associated with inflammatory intestinal disorders. Enteritis is a significant cause of high mortality in fish species, including grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus). Study regarding the association between microbial alternations and enteritis in grass carp is still absent. In this study, changes in the gut microbiota of grass carp suffering from enteritis were investigated using NGS-based 16S rRNA sequencing. Six healthy and ten abnormal fish (showing reddening anus, red odiferous fluid accumulating in the abdominal capacity, and flatulence and haemorrhage in the intestine) were collected from a fish farm in Huanggang Fisheries Institute (Hubei, China). Our results revealed that the diversity, structure, and function of gut microbiota were significantly different between diseased and healthy fish (P < 0.05). Particularly, members of the genera Dechloromonas, Methylocaldum, Planctomyces, Rhodobacter, Caulobacter, Flavobacterium, and Pseudomonas were significantly increased in diseased fish compared with that in healthy fish (P < 0.05). Predicted function indicated that microbiota significantly changed the specific metabolic pathways (related to amino acid metabolism, xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism, and carbohydrate metabolism) in diseased fish (P < 0.05). Taken together, our findings point out the association between changes of the gut microbiota and enteritis in grass carp, which provide basic information useful for diagnoses, prevention, and treatment of intestinal diseases occurring in cultured fish.

A GRASS GIS module to obtain an estimation of glacier behavior under climate change: A pilot study on Italian glacier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strigaro, Daniele; Moretti, Massimiliano; Mattavelli, Matteo; Frigerio, Ivan; Amicis, Mattia De; Maggi, Valter

2016-09-01

The aim of this work is to integrate the Minimal Glacier Model in a Geographic Information System Python module in order to obtain spatial simulations of glacier retreat and to assess the future scenarios with a spatial representation. The Minimal Glacier Models are a simple yet effective way of estimating glacier response to climate fluctuations. This module can be useful for the scientific and glaciological community in order to evaluate glacier behavior, driven by climate forcing. The module, called r.glacio.model, is developed in a GRASS GIS (GRASS Development Team, 2016) environment using Python programming language combined with different libraries as GDAL, OGR, CSV, math, etc. The module is applied and validated on the Rutor glacier, a glacier in the south-western region of the Italian Alps. This glacier is very large in size and features rather regular and lively dynamics. The simulation is calibrated by reconstructing the 3-dimensional dynamics flow line and analyzing the difference between the simulated flow line length variations and the observed glacier fronts coming from ortophotos and DEMs. These simulations are driven by the past mass balance record. Afterwards, the future assessment is estimated by using climatic drivers provided by a set of General Circulation Models participating in the Climate Model Inter-comparison Project 5 effort. The approach devised in r.glacio.model can be applied to most alpine glaciers to obtain a first-order spatial representation of glacier behavior under climate change.

Combining Livestock Production Information in a Process-Based Vegetation Model to Reconstruct the History of Grassland Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, Jinfeng; Ciais, Philippe; Herrero, Mario; Havlik, Petr; Campioli, Matteo; Zhang, Xianzhou; Bai, Yongfei; Viovy, Nicolas; Joiner, Joanna; Wang, Xuhui;

Double-blind, placebo-controlled immunotherapy with mixed grass-pollen allergoids. III. Efficacy and safety of unfractionated and high-molecular-weight preparations in rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma.

PubMed

Bousquet, J; Maasch, H J; Hejjaoui, A; Skassa-Brociek, W; Wahl, R; Dhivert, H; Michel, F B

1989-10-01

Specific immunotherapy with unmodified formalinized allergoids is effective in grass-pollen allergy, but systemic reactions have been observed. A high-molecular-weight formalinized allergoid (HMW-GOID) was fractionated by gel filtration, retaining molecules of greater than 85,000 daltons in the expectation of improving safety without sacrificing efficacy. HMW-GOID and unfractionated allergoid (GOID) had a similar allergenic activity assessed by RAST inhibition, but the HMW-GOID preparation was 65 times less reactive when it was tested by skin prick test than the GOID preparation. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was carried out in grass pollen-allergic patients with placebo (14 patients), GOID (15 patients), and HMW-GOID (13 patients). An additional group of 18 patients was treated by a rush schedule with a standardized orchard grass-pollen extract. A similar mean cumulative dose was administered with both allergoids. The fractionated allergoid only elicited minor systemic reactions similar to reactions elicited by placebo, whereas 20% of patients treated by GOID and 5.5% of patients receiving the standardized extract had a severe systemic reaction. For rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and asthma, the HMW-GOID and the standardized extract had a similar efficacy, significantly greater than placebo. GOID was less effective than the other two active treatments but was significantly more effective than placebo treatment for asthma and conjunctivitis.

Basalt Weathering, Nutrient Uptake, And Carbon Release By An Exotic And A Native Arizona Grass Species Under Different Temperature Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallas, G.; Dontsova, K.; Chorover, J.; Hunt, E.; Ravi, S.

2010-12-01

During this past summer, the National Science Foundation funded a 10-week Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program “Environmental and Earth Systems Research at Biosphere 2”. This program provides undergraduates with an opportunity to conduct guided research in environmental and Earth systems science and has resulted in this work. Biosphere 2 allows for the exploration of complex questions in Earth sciences because of its large scale and the precise control allowed over many experimental elements. The goal of this study was to observe plant-mediated weathering of granular basalt under two temperature conditions. Two grass species were studied, one native to Arizona: Tanglehead, Heteropogan contortus, and one exotic to Arizona: Buffelgrass, Pennisetum ciliar. The grasses were grown in pots located in the Desert and the Savannah Biomes in the Biosphere 2 to take advantage of a 4° C temperature difference. Understanding differences in how native and invasive grasses weather soil and take up nutrients may explain the mechanism behind current invasion of Sonoran Desert by exotic species and help predict response of native and invasive vegetation to expected increase in temperatures. Each biome also contained three replicate “control” pots without vegetation, and mixtures of the two grass species to observe possible competition between the species. Three factors were compared in this study: 1. Temperature: the same species of grass under two different temperature conditions 2. Species: Native Arizonan species vs. a species exotic to Arizona 3. Temporal: How the grasses use resources differently as they grow Leachate samples were collected and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, inorganic carbon by high temperature combustion coupled with infrared gas analysis; F-, Cl-, Br-, NO3-, NO2-, SO42-, and PO43- by ion chromatography; and cations and metals by ICP-MS. The data trends indicate that plants enhanced basalt weathering. All of the leachate samples showed higher pH than the input water, and the pH was elevated in treatments that contained grass. This indicated that in the presence of vegetation there was more proton absorption. The trends in total nitrogen concentrations indicate a dependence on temperature; the same can be said of anion concentrations. Anion leaching is lower at higher temperatures possibly due to greater plant uptake. Both organic and inorganic carbon concentrations were found to be higher in grass treatments than in control treatments. Because both dissolved CO2 and soluble organic exudates encourage mineral dissolution, this could be causative of the weathering enhancements observed. Denudation of nutrient elements differed between plant species and between temperatures, possibly relating to plant uptake and secondary mineral formation. This study gives unique insight into plant-mineral interactions as a function of plant species and temperature that is essential for understanding Earth systems under changing climate.

Effects of nutrient patches and root systems on the clonal plasticity of a rhizomatous grass

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huber-Sannwald, Elisabeth; Pyke, David A.; Caldwell, M.M.; Durham, S.

1998-01-01

Clonal plant foraging has been examined primarily on individual clones exposed to resource-poor and resource-rich environments. We designed an experiment to examine the clonal foraging behavior of the rhizomatous grass Elymus lanceolatus ssp. lanceolatus under the influence of neighboring plant root systems in a heterogeneous nutrient environment. Individual Elymus clones were planted in large bins together with one of three neighboring grass species, Agropyron desertorum, Pseudoroegneria spicata, or Bromus tectorum, which differ in rooting density and growth activity. The position of Elymus clones was manipulated so rhizomes encountered a short-duration nutrient patch and subsequently root systems of the neighboring plants. Unexpectedly, the morphological plasticity of the perennial grass Elymus lanceolatus ssp. lanceolatus was influenced by the presence of the neighboring species much more than by the local nutrient enrichments, although nutrient patches did amplify some of the foraging responses. Elymus rhizomes branched readily and initiated large daughter plants as they encountered the low-density root systems of Pseudoroegneria. When Elymus encountered the fine, dense root systems of the annual Bromus, clonal expansion was initially reduced. Yet, after the short growing season of Bromus, Elymus resumed clonal expansion and produced several daughter plants. Elymus clones were most constrained by the fine, dense root systems of Agropyron desertorum. In this case, a few, long rhizomes avoided the densely rooted soil environment by growing aboveground as stolons crossing over the Agropyron tussocks. Elymus clonal biomass was largest in neighborhoods of Pseudoroegneria, intermediate in neighborhoods with Bromus, and smallest in neighborhoods with Agropyron. The latter were approximately half the size of those in the Pseudoroegneria environments. Elymus growth could not be explained by simple resource competition alone; other mechanisms must have been involved in the apparent differences in interference patterns of neighboring plants with Elymus.

Long-term effects of seeding after wildfire on vegetation in Great Basin shrubland ecosystems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knutson, Kevin C.; Pyke, David A.; Wirth, Troy A.; Arkle, Robert S.; Pilliod, David S.; Brooks, Matthew L.; Chambers, Jeanne C.; Grace, James B.

2014-01-01

1. Invasive annual grasses alter fire regimes in shrubland ecosystems of the western USA, threatening ecosystem function and fragmenting habitats necessary for shrub-obligate species such as greater sage-grouse. Post-fire stabilization and rehabilitation treatments have been administered to stabilize soils, reduce invasive species spread and restore or establish sustainable ecosystems in which native species are well represented. Long-term effectiveness of these treatments has rarely been evaluated. 2. We studied vegetation at 88 sites where aerial or drill seeding was implemented following fires between 1990 and 2003 in Great Basin (USA) shrublands. We examined sites on loamy soils that burned only once since 1970 to eliminate confounding effects of recurrent fire and to assess soils most conducive to establishment of seeded species. We evaluated whether seeding provided greater cover of perennial seeded species than burned–unseeded and unburned–unseeded sites, while also accounting for environmental variation. 3. Post-fire seeding of native perennial grasses generally did not increase cover relative to burned–unseeded areas. Native perennial grass cover did, however, increase after drill seeding when competitive non-natives were not included in mixes. Seeding non-native perennial grasses and the shrub Bassia prostrata resulted in more vegetative cover in aerial and drill seeding, with non-native perennial grass cover increasing with annual precipitation. Seeding native shrubs, particularly Artemisia tridentata, did not increase shrub cover or density in burned areas. Cover of undesirable, non-native annual grasses was lower in drill seeded relative to unseeded areas, but only at higher elevations. 4. Synthesis and applications. Management objectives are more likely to be met in high-elevation or precipitation locations where establishment of perennial grasses occurred. On lower and drier sites, management objectives are unlikely to be met with seeding alone. Intensive restoration methods such as invasive plant control and/or repeated sowings after establishment failures due to weather may be required in subsequent years. Managers might consider using native-only seed mixtures when establishment of native perennial grasses is the goal. Post-fire rehabilitation provides a land treatment example where long-term monitoring can inform adaptive management decisions to meet future objectives, particularly in arid landscapes where recovery is slow.

Tree-grass phenology information improves light use efficiency modelling of gross primary productivity for an Australian tropical savanna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Caitlin E.; Beringer, Jason; Evans, Bradley; Hutley, Lindsay B.; Tapper, Nigel J.

2017-01-01

The coexistence of trees and grasses in savanna ecosystems results in marked phenological dynamics that vary spatially and temporally with climate. Australian savannas comprise a complex variety of life forms and phenologies, from evergreen trees to annual/perennial grasses, producing a boom-bust seasonal pattern of productivity that follows the wet-dry seasonal rainfall cycle. As the climate changes into the 21st century, modification to rainfall and temperature regimes in savannas is highly likely. There is a need to link phenology cycles of different species with productivity to understand how the tree-grass relationship may shift in response to climate change. This study investigated the relationship between productivity and phenology for trees and grasses in an Australian tropical savanna. Productivity, estimated from overstory (tree) and understory (grass) eddy covariance flux tower estimates of gross primary productivity (GPP), was compared against 2 years of repeat time-lapse digital photography (phenocams). We explored the phenology-productivity relationship at the ecosystem scale using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) vegetation indices and flux tower GPP. These data were obtained from the Howard Springs OzFlux/Fluxnet site (AU-How) in northern Australia. Two greenness indices were calculated from the phenocam images: the green chromatic coordinate (GCC) and excess green index (ExG). These indices captured the temporal dynamics of the understory (grass) and overstory (trees) phenology and were correlated well with tower GPP for understory (r2 = 0.65 to 0.72) but less so for the overstory (r2 = 0.14 to 0.23). The MODIS enhanced vegetation index (EVI) correlated well with GPP at the ecosystem scale (r2 = 0.70). Lastly, we used GCC and EVI to parameterise a light use efficiency (LUE) model and found it to improve the estimates of GPP for the overstory, understory and ecosystem. We conclude that phenology is an important parameter to consider in estimating GPP from LUE models in savannas and that phenocams can provide important insights into the phenological variability of trees and grasses.

Lawn Weed Control with Herbicides. Home and Garden Bulletin No. 123.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agricultural Research Service (USDA), Washington, DC.

Information and diagrams are given for identification and treatment of weed grasses and broadleaf weeds. Herbicides are suggested for use against each weed and instructions are given for proper application. Information is given for buying herbicides, and applying sprays and cleaning sprayers. (BB)

A greenhouse study on arsenic remediation potential of Vetiver grass (Vetiveria Zizanioides) as a function of soil physico-chemical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quispe, M. A.; Datta, R.; Sarkar, D.; Sharma, S.

2006-05-01

Arsenic is one of the most harmful and toxic metals, being a Group A human carcinogen. Mining activities as well as the use of arsenic-containing pesticides have resulted in the contamination of a wide variety of sites including mine tailings, cattle dip sites, wood treatment sites, pesticide treatment areas, golf courses, etc. Phytoremediation has emerged as a novel and promising technology, which uses plants to clean up contaminated soil and water taking advantage of plant's natural abilities to extract and accumulate various contaminants. This method has distinct advantages, since it maintains the biological properties and physical structure of the soil, is environment friendly, and above all, inexpensive. However, effective remediation of contaminated residential soils using a specific plant species is an immensely complex task whose success depends on a multitude of factors including the ability of the target plant to uptake, translocate, detoxify, and accumulate arsenic in its system. One of the major challenges in phytoremediation lies in identifying a fast- growing, high biomass plant that can accumulate the contaminant in its harvestable parts. vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides) is a fast-growing perennial grass with strong ecological adaptability and large biomass. While this plant is not a hyperaccumulator of arsenic, it has been reported to be able to tolerate and accumulate considerable amounts of arsenic. Being a high biomass, fast-growing plant, vetiver has the potential to be used for arsenic remediation. The present study investigates the potential of vetiver grass to tolerate and accumulate arsenic in soils with varying physico-chemical properties. A greenhouse study is in progress to study the uptake, tolerance and stress response of vetiver grass to inorganic arsenical pesticide. A column study was set up using 5 soils (Eufaula, Millhopper, Orelia, Orla, and Pahokee Muck) contaminated with sodium arsenite at 4 different concentrations of arsenic (0, 45, 225 and 450 mgAs/kg soil). Vetiver plants were grown for a period of 4 months, harvested at two time periods (2 months and 4 months). Plant biomass, shoot and root lengths, arsenic accumulation in roots and shoots were measured. Total and exchangeable arsenic was correlated with phyto-extracted arsenic. In addition, 3 important antioxidant enzyme activities were measured in root and shoot tissues, viz., Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidases (GPx) to evaluate the effect of arsenic stress on vetiver plants. This study will provide information on the capability of vetiver grass to remediate sites contaminated with arsenic as a function of soil physico- chemical properties.

Transportation librarian's toolkit

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-12-01

The Transportation Librarians Toolkit is a product of the Transportation Library Connectivity pooled fund study, TPF- 5(105), a collaborative, grass-roots effort by transportation libraries to enhance information accessibility and professional expert...

Evaluation of Fifteen Cultivars of Cool-Season Perennial Grasses as Biofuel Feedstocks Using Near-Infrared

DOE PAGES

Payne, Courtney E.; Wolfrum, Edward J.; Nagle, Nicholas J.; ...

2017-06-22

Cool-season (C3) perennial grasses have a long history of cultivation and use as animal forage. This study evaluated 15 cultivars of C3 grasses, when harvested in late June for increased biomass yield, as biofuel feedstocks using near- infrared spectroscopy (NIR) based partial least square (PLS) analysis. These grasses were grown near Iliff, CO, for three growing seasons (2009-2011). The carbohydrate composition and released carbohydrates (total glucose and xylose released from dilute acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis [EH]) were predicted for samples from the study using NIR/PLS. The results were analyzed from a biofuels perspective, where composition combined with harvest yieldmore » provided information on the carbohydrate yield available for biomass conversion processes, and released carbohydrate yield provided information on the accessibility of those carbohydrates to conversion methods. The range in harvest yields varied more among cultivars (2900 kg ha-1) than did the range in carbohydrate composition (56.0 g kg-1) or released carbohydrates (60.0 g kg-1). When comparing carbohydrate yield to released carbohydrate yield between cultivars, an efficiency as high as 87% release of available carbohydrates was obtained for pubescent wheatgrass [ Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey 'Mansaka'], with a low of 71% for hybrid wheatgrass [Elytrigia repens (L.) nevski pseudoroegneria spicata (PURSH) A. Love 'Newhy']. Though hybrid wheatgrass had the lowest release efficiency, its high harvest yield resulted in release of more total carbohydrates than half the other cultivars analyzed. Furthermore, this suggested that harvest yield, carbohydrate release, and carbohydrate composition, together play significant roles in biofuel feedstock evaluation.« less

Evaluation of Fifteen Cultivars of Cool-Season Perennial Grasses as Biofuel Feedstocks Using Near-Infrared

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Payne, Courtney E.; Wolfrum, Edward J.; Nagle, Nicholas J.

Cool-season (C3) perennial grasses have a long history of cultivation and use as animal forage. This study evaluated 15 cultivars of C3 grasses, when harvested in late June for increased biomass yield, as biofuel feedstocks using near- infrared spectroscopy (NIR) based partial least square (PLS) analysis. These grasses were grown near Iliff, CO, for three growing seasons (2009-2011). The carbohydrate composition and released carbohydrates (total glucose and xylose released from dilute acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis [EH]) were predicted for samples from the study using NIR/PLS. The results were analyzed from a biofuels perspective, where composition combined with harvest yieldmore » provided information on the carbohydrate yield available for biomass conversion processes, and released carbohydrate yield provided information on the accessibility of those carbohydrates to conversion methods. The range in harvest yields varied more among cultivars (2900 kg ha-1) than did the range in carbohydrate composition (56.0 g kg-1) or released carbohydrates (60.0 g kg-1). When comparing carbohydrate yield to released carbohydrate yield between cultivars, an efficiency as high as 87% release of available carbohydrates was obtained for pubescent wheatgrass [ Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey 'Mansaka'], with a low of 71% for hybrid wheatgrass [Elytrigia repens (L.) nevski pseudoroegneria spicata (PURSH) A. Love 'Newhy']. Though hybrid wheatgrass had the lowest release efficiency, its high harvest yield resulted in release of more total carbohydrates than half the other cultivars analyzed. Furthermore, this suggested that harvest yield, carbohydrate release, and carbohydrate composition, together play significant roles in biofuel feedstock evaluation.« less

Systems study of fuels from grains and grasses. Quarterly progress report, July--October 1976

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Benson, W.; Allen, A.; Athey, R.

1976-11-15

The specific objectives of the project are to determine on a geographic basis the current and potential USA production capability for grain and grass crops, to perform a preliminary screening of conversion processes, and to perform preliminary technical and economic feasibility analyses. The results obtained to date on biomass production, conversion processes, and data management are reported. (JSR)

Microsatellite genetic diversity and differentiation of native and introduced grass carp populations in three continents

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chapman, Duane C.; Chen, Qin; Wang, Chenghui; Zhao, Jinlian; Lu, Guoqing; Zsigmond, Jeney; Li, Si-Fa

2012-01-01

Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), a freshwater species native to China, has been introduced to about 100 countries/regions and poses both biological and environmental challenges to the receiving ecosystems. In this study, we analyzed genetic variation in grass carp from three introduced river systems (Mississippi River Basin in US, Danube River in Hungary, and Tone River in Japan) as well as its native ranges (Yangtze, Pearl, and Amur Rivers) in China using 21 novel microsatellite loci. The allelic richness, observed heterozygosity, and within-population gene diversity were found to be lower in the introduced populations than in the native populations, presumably due to the small founder population size of the former. Significant genetic differentiation was found between all pairwise populations from different rivers. Both principal component analysis and Bayesian clustering analysis revealed obvious genetic distinction between the native and introduced populations. Interestingly, genetic bottlenecks were detected in the Hungarian and Japanese grass carp populations, but not in the North American population, suggesting that the Mississippi River Basin grass carp has experienced rapid population expansion with potential genetic diversification during the half-century since its introduction. Consequently, the combined forces of the founder effect, introduction history, and rapid population expansion help explaining the observed patterns of genetic diversity within and among both native and introduced populations of the grass carp.

Native Prairie Adaptive Management: a multi region adaptive approach to invasive plant management on Fish and Wildlife Service owned native prairies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gannon, Jill J.; Shaffer, Terry L.; Moore, Clinton T.

2013-01-01

Much of the native prairie managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of the northern Great Plains is extensively invaded by the introduced cool-season grasses, smooth brome (Bromus inermis) and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis). Management to suppress these invasive plants has had poor to inconsistent success. The central challenge to managers is selecting appropriate management actions in the face of biological and environmental uncertainties. In partnership with the FWS, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed an adaptive decision support framework to assist managers in selecting management actions under uncertainty and maximizing learning from management outcomes. This joint partnership is known as the Native Prairie Adaptive Management (NPAM) initiative. The NPAM decision framework is built around practical constraints faced by FWS refuge managers and includes identification of the management objective and strategies, analysis of uncertainty and construction of competing decision models, monitoring, and mechanisms for model feedback and decision selection. Nineteen FWS field stations, spanning four states of the PPR, have participated in the initiative. These FWS cooperators share a common management objective, available management strategies, and biological uncertainties. Though the scope is broad, the initiative interfaces with individual land managers who provide site-specific information and receive updated decision guidance that incorporates understanding gained from the collective experience of all cooperators. We describe the technical components of this approach, how the components integrate and inform each other, how data feedback from individual cooperators serves to reduce uncertainty across the whole region, and how a successful adaptive management project is coordinated and maintained on a large scale. During an initial scoping workshop, FWS cooperators developed a consensus management objective: increase the composition of native grasses and forbs on native sod while minimizing cost. Cooperators agreed that decision guidance should be provided annually and should account for local, real-time vegetation conditions observed on the ground. Over the course of development, two prototypes of the decision framework were considered. The final framework recognized four alternative actions that managers could take in any given year: (1) Graze—targeted use of grazing ungulates to achieve defoliation, (2) Burn—application of prescribed fire as the single form of defoliation, (3) Burn/Graze—a combination treatment, and (4) Rest—no action. The study area included northern mixed-grass and tallgrass prairie. Native vegetation in mixed–grass prairie has a strong cool-season component and thus the dominant native species have a phenology similar to that of smooth brome and Kentucky bluegrass, making management of those species challenging. In contrast, tallgrass prairie has a strong warm-season native component, leading to an existence of cool-season windows, periods of time in the fall and spring when cool‐season invasive grass species are actively growing and vulnerable to damage via select management actions, but warm‐season grass species are not active and are thus less susceptible to damage via the same actions. This dichotomy between prairie types necessitated the development of separate but parallel decision support systems for mixed-grass and tallgrass biomes. Management units are parcels of native prairie that receive a single management treatment at any one time over their entire extent. At any particular time, the vegetation state of each management unit is characterized by the amount of cover of native grasses and forbs and the type of invasive grass that is dominant. In addition, each unit has a defoliation state which reflects the number of years since the last defoliation event and an index to how intensively the unit was managed during the previous 7 years. State-transition models are used to predict the state of a management unit in year t+1 from its state in year t and a prescribed management action that was applied between the two monitoring events. Alternative models are built around key uncertainties that make choice of a management action difficult. Three uncertainties revolve around whether the effect of management actions depends on (1) type of dominant invader, (2) past defoliation history, and (3) level of invasion. Two additional uncertainties are considered when choosing a management action for tallgrass units: (4) the effectiveness of grazing within the cool-season window as a surrogate for burning when smooth brome is the dominant invader, and (5) the differential effect of active management outside the window as compared to rest. Because data on the probability of transitioning from one state to another under the various models were lacking, expert opinion and elicitation were used to parameterize the models. In addition, cooperators participated in elicitation exercises to extract their beliefs regarding the value of having native prairie compared to the cost of achieving it. Quantifying the subjective expression of utility in this way allowed for mathematical representation of the management objective into an objective function. By maximizing the objective function, cumulative utility is maximized, leading to the identification of a sequence of decisions that will achieve the management objective. The NPAM system adopted a vegetation monitoring protocol that was rapid, inexpensive, and familiar to many of the cooperators. The monitoring protocol served three purposes: (1) determining current vegetation and defoliation states of each unit, (2) evaluating progress toward the management objective, and (3) assessing predictive performance of the alternative models. The management year runs from September 1 to August 31. Management can be applied anytime during that period and monitoring takes places from late June to mid-August. Cooperators enter vegetation data and management information into a centralized database by August 25 of each year. Given the current state of the system (vegetation and defoliation states) and the current understanding of the system (or the belief state), identifying the current best management decision is a matter of looking up the combination (that is, system state and belief state) in the appropriate (mixed-grass or tallgrass) optimal decision table. Given complete uncertainty at the outset of decision-making, initial assignment of equal belief weights to each model was believed reasonable. The decisions in the optimal decision table that correspond to the current belief state constitute the current optimal decision policy. By August 31 of each year, individual cooperators are provided with a recommended management action for each of their management units for the upcoming management year. Upon receiving the management recommendations for their units, managers consider the recommendation, along with other relevant information, and at some point during the year one of the management alternatives is carried out. This iterative cycle of making and implementing a management decision, predicting the response, monitoring the outcome, comparing predicted and observed outcomes, updating model weights, and recommending a management action for the next cycle is expected to result in an accumulation of weight on a representative model of system dynamics, thereby increasing understanding needed to effectively manage native prairies. The NPAM system is now entering its second full year of complete operation, and represents one of only a few fully implemented applications of adaptive management within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. NPAM is truly unique in that it originated from the ground up as a result of the leadership and steadfastness of several refuge biologists and managers confronted with a common problem. These biologists recognized that working together across a large landscape presented perhaps the best opportunity for halting and reversing the invasion of native grasslands by non-native cool-season grasses. Importantly, the NPAM system encapsulates the collective thinking and experience of tens if not hundreds of individuals who have battled this vexing problem for much of their careers. The NPAM initiative is rooted in principles of adaptive management, thereby affording the opportunity for grassland managers to pursue management objectives while acquiring information to reduce uncertainty and improve future management. The project introduced a number of technical innovations that will serve as templates for conservation efforts throughout and beyond the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. First, NPAM is an on-the-ground implementation of active adaptive management—possibly the first of its kind in conservation management—in which recommended management actions result from a prospective analysis of future learning (Williams, 1996). Second, by the use of dynamic optimization, NPAM demonstrates how decisions can be made that take into account possible future transitions of the system. Third, NPAM demonstrates how models of partial controllability are an effective means of accommodating unpredictable circumstances that cause a manager to follow a different course than was intended. Finally, the database developed for NPAM is an unparalleled system that enables the rapid integration of data from the field for the generation of ‘just-in-time’ management recommendations. In all, NPAM provides an example of how a science-management partnership can be forged to achieve large-scale conservation objectives.

Mapping allergenic pollen vegetation in UK to study environmental exposure and human health.

PubMed

McInnes, Rachel N; Hemming, Deborah; Burgess, Peter; Lyndsay, Donna; Osborne, Nicholas J; Skjøth, Carsten Ambelas; Thomas, Sam; Vardoulakis, Sotiris

2017-12-01

Allergenic pollen is produced by the flowers of a number of trees, grasses and weeds found throughout the UK. Exposure to such pollen grains can exacerbate pollen-related asthma and allergenic conditions such as allergic rhinitis (hay fever). Maps showing the location of these allergenic taxa have many applications: they can be used to provide advice on risk assessments; combined with health data to inform research on health impacts such as respiratory hospital admissions; combined with weather data to improve pollen forecasting systems; or as inputs to pollen emission models. In this study we present 1km resolution maps of 12 taxa of trees, grass and weeds found in the UK. We have selected the main species recorded by the UK pollen network. The taxa mapped in this study were: Alnus (alder), Fraxinus (ash), Betula (birch), Corylus (hazel), Quercus (oak), Pinus (pine) and Salix (willow), Poaceae (grass), Artemisia (mugwort), Plantago (plantain), Rumex (dock, sorrels) and Urtica (nettle). We also focus on one high population centre and present maps showing local level detail around the city of London. Our results show the different geographical distributions of the 12 taxa of trees, weeds and grass, which can be used to study plants in the UK associated with allergy and allergic asthma. These maps have been produced in order to study environmental exposure and human health, although there are many possible applications. This novel method not only provides maps of many different plant types, but also at high resolution across regions of the UK, and we uniquely present 12 key plant taxa using a consistent methodology. To consider the impact on human health due to exposure of the pollen grains, it is important to consider the timing of pollen release, and its dispersal, as well as the effect on air quality, which is also discussed here. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Differentiation of plant age in grasses using remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knox, Nichola M.; Skidmore, Andrew K.; van der Werff, Harald M. A.; Groen, Thomas A.; de Boer, Willem F.; Prins, Herbert H. T.; Kohi, Edward; Peel, Mike

2013-10-01

Phenological or plant age classification across a landscape allows for examination of micro-topographical effects on plant growth, improvement in the accuracy of species discrimination, and will improve our understanding of the spatial variation in plant growth. In this paper six vegetation indices used in phenological studies (including the newly proposed PhIX index) were analysed for their ability to statistically differentiate grasses of different ages in the sequence of their development. Spectra of grasses of different ages were collected from a greenhouse study. These were used to determine if NDVI, NDWI, CAI, EVI, EVI2 and the newly proposed PhIX index could sequentially discriminate grasses of different ages, and subsequently classify grasses into their respective age category. The PhIX index was defined as: (AVNIRn+log(ASWIR2n))/(AVNIRn-log(ASWIR2n)), where AVNIRn and ASWIR2n are the respective normalised areas under the continuum removed reflectance curve within the VNIR (500-800 nm) and SWIR2 (2000-2210 nm) regions. The PhIX index was found to produce the highest phenological classification accuracy (Overall Accuracy: 79%, and Kappa Accuracy: 75%) and similar to the NDVI, EVI and EVI2 indices it statistically sequentially separates out the developmental age classes. Discrimination between seedling and dormant age classes and the adult and flowering classes was problematic for most of the tested indices. Combining information from the visible near infrared (VNIR) and shortwave infrared region (SWIR) region into a single phenological index captures the phenological changes associated with plant pigments and the ligno-cellulose absorption feature, providing a robust method to discriminate the age classes of grasses. This work provides a valuable contribution into mapping spatial variation and monitoring plant growth across savanna and grassland ecosystems.

AxIOM: Amphipod crustaceans from insular Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows

PubMed Central

Heughebaert, André; Lepoint, Gilles

2016-01-01

Abstract Background The Neptune grass, Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile, 1813, is the most widespread seagrass of the Mediterranean Sea. This foundation species forms large meadows that, through habitat and trophic services, act as biodiversity hotspots. In Neptune grass meadows, amphipod crustaceans are one of the dominant groups of vagile invertebrates, forming an abundant and diverse taxocenosis. They are key ecological components of the complex, pivotal, yet critically endangered Neptune grass ecosystems. Nevertheless, comprehensive qualitative and quantitative data about amphipod fauna found in Mediterranean Neptune grass meadows remain scarce, especially in insular locations. New information Here, we provide in-depth metadata about AxIOM, a sample-based dataset published on the GBIF portal. AxIOM is based on an extensive and spatially hierarchized sampling design with multiple years, seasons, day periods, and methods. Samples were taken along the coasts of Calvi Bay (Corsica, France) and of the Tavolara-Punta Coda Cavallo Marine Protected Area (Sardinia, Italy). In total, AxIOM contains 187 samples documenting occurrence (1775 records) and abundance (10720 specimens) of amphipod crustaceans belonging to 72 species spanning 29 families. The dataset is available at http://ipt.biodiversity.be/resource?r=axiom. PMID:27660521

Evaluation of Pollen Apps Forecasts: The Need for Quality Control in an eHealth Service.

PubMed

Bastl, Katharina; Berger, Uwe; Kmenta, Maximilian

2017-05-08

Pollen forecasts are highly valuable for allergen avoidance and thus raising the quality of life of persons concerned by pollen allergies. They are considered as valuable free services for the public. Careful scientific evaluation of pollen forecasts in terms of accurateness and reliability has not been available till date. The aim of this study was to analyze 9 mobile apps, which deliver pollen information and pollen forecasts, with a focus on their accurateness regarding the prediction of the pollen load in the grass pollen season 2016 to assess their usefulness for pollen allergy sufferers. The following number of apps was evaluated for each location: 3 apps for Vienna (Austria), 4 apps for Berlin (Germany), and 1 app each for Basel (Switzerland) and London (United Kingdom). All mobile apps were freely available. Today's grass pollen forecast was compared throughout the defined grass pollen season at each respective location with measured grass pollen concentrations. Hit rates were calculated for the exact performance and for a tolerance in a range of ±2 and ±4 pollen per cubic meter. In general, for most apps, hit rates score around 50% (6 apps). It was found that 1 app showed better results, whereas 3 apps performed less well. Hit rates increased when calculated with tolerances for most apps. In contrast, the forecast for the "readiness to flower" for grasses was performed at a sufficiently accurate level, although only two apps provided such a forecast. The last of those forecasts coincided with the first moderate grass pollen load on the predicted day or 3 days after and performed even from about a month before well within the range of 3 days. Advertisement was present in 3 of the 9 analyzed apps, whereas an imprint mentioning institutions with experience in pollen forecasting was present in only three other apps. The quality of pollen forecasts is in need of improvement, and quality control for pollen forecasts is recommended to avoid potential harm to pollen allergy sufferers due to inadequate forecasts. The inclusion of information on reliability of provided forecasts and a similar handling regarding probabilistic weather forecasts should be considered. ©Katharina Bastl, Uwe Berger, Maximilian Kmenta. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 08.05.2017.

Evaluation of Pollen Apps Forecasts: The Need for Quality Control in an eHealth Service

PubMed Central

Berger, Uwe; Kmenta, Maximilian

2017-01-01

Background Pollen forecasts are highly valuable for allergen avoidance and thus raising the quality of life of persons concerned by pollen allergies. They are considered as valuable free services for the public. Careful scientific evaluation of pollen forecasts in terms of accurateness and reliability has not been available till date. Objective The aim of this study was to analyze 9 mobile apps, which deliver pollen information and pollen forecasts, with a focus on their accurateness regarding the prediction of the pollen load in the grass pollen season 2016 to assess their usefulness for pollen allergy sufferers. Methods The following number of apps was evaluated for each location: 3 apps for Vienna (Austria), 4 apps for Berlin (Germany), and 1 app each for Basel (Switzerland) and London (United Kingdom). All mobile apps were freely available. Today’s grass pollen forecast was compared throughout the defined grass pollen season at each respective location with measured grass pollen concentrations. Hit rates were calculated for the exact performance and for a tolerance in a range of ±2 and ±4 pollen per cubic meter. Results In general, for most apps, hit rates score around 50% (6 apps). It was found that 1 app showed better results, whereas 3 apps performed less well. Hit rates increased when calculated with tolerances for most apps. In contrast, the forecast for the “readiness to flower” for grasses was performed at a sufficiently accurate level, although only two apps provided such a forecast. The last of those forecasts coincided with the first moderate grass pollen load on the predicted day or 3 days after and performed even from about a month before well within the range of 3 days. Advertisement was present in 3 of the 9 analyzed apps, whereas an imprint mentioning institutions with experience in pollen forecasting was present in only three other apps. Conclusions The quality of pollen forecasts is in need of improvement, and quality control for pollen forecasts is recommended to avoid potential harm to pollen allergy sufferers due to inadequate forecasts. The inclusion of information on reliability of provided forecasts and a similar handling regarding probabilistic weather forecasts should be considered. PMID:28483740

Potential of Electric Power Production from Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) in Evapotranspiration Reactor for Leachate Treatment Using Alocasia macrorrhiza Plant and Eleusine indica Grass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaman, Badrus; Wardhana, Irawan Wisnu

2018-02-01

Microbial fuel cell is one of attractive electric power generator from nature bacterial activity. While, Evapotranspiration is one of the waste water treatment system which developed to eliminate biological weakness that utilize the natural evaporation process and bacterial activity on plant roots and plant media. This study aims to determine the potential of electrical energy from leachate treatment using evapotranspiration reactor. The study was conducted using local plant, namely Alocasia macrorrhiza and local grass, namely Eleusine Indica. The system was using horizontal MFC by placing the cathodes and anodes at different chamber (i.e. in the leachate reactor and reactor with plant media). Carbon plates was used for chatode-anodes material with size of 40 cm x 10 cm x1 cm. Electrical power production was measure by a digital multimeter for 30 days reactor operation. The result shows electric power production was fluctuated during reactor operation from all reactors. The electric power generated from each reactor was fluctuated, but from the reactor using Alocasia macrorrhiza plant reach to 70 μwatt average. From the reactor using Eleusine Indica grass was reached 60 μwatt average. Electric power production fluctuation is related to the bacterial growth pattern in the soil media and on the plant roots which undergo the adaptation process until the middle of the operational period and then in stable growth condition until the end of the reactor operation. The results indicate that the evapotranspiration reactor using Alocasia macrorrhiza plant was 60-95% higher electric power potential than using Eleusine Indica grass in short-term (30-day) operation. Although, MFC system in evapotranspiration reactor system was one of potential system for renewable electric power generation.

Grass pollen allergens globally: the contribution of subtropical grasses to burden of allergic respiratory diseases.

PubMed

Davies, J M

2014-06-01

Grass pollens of the temperate (Pooideae) subfamily and subtropical subfamilies of grasses are major aeroallergen sources worldwide. The subtropical Chloridoideae (e.g. Cynodon dactylon; Bermuda grass) and Panicoideae (e.g. Paspalum notatum; Bahia grass) species are abundant in parts of Africa, India, Asia, Australia and the Americas, where a large and increasing proportion of the world's population abide. These grasses are phylogenetically and ecologically distinct from temperate grasses. With the advent of global warming, it is conceivable that the geographic distribution of subtropical grasses and the contribution of their pollen to the burden of allergic rhinitis and asthma will increase. This review aims to provide a comprehensive synthesis of the current global knowledge of (i) regional variation in allergic sensitivity to subtropical grass pollens, (ii) molecular allergenic components of subtropical grass pollens and (iii) allergic responses to subtropical grass pollen allergens in relevant populations. Patients from subtropical regions of the world show higher allergic sensitivity to grass pollens of Chloridoideae and Panicoideae grasses, than to temperate grass pollens. The group 1 allergens are amongst the allergen components of subtropical grass pollens, but the group 5 allergens, by which temperate grass pollen extracts are standardized for allergen content, appear to be absent from both subfamilies of subtropical grasses. Whilst there are shared allergenic components and antigenic determinants, there are additional clinically relevant subfamily-specific differences, at T- and B-cell levels, between pollen allergens of subtropical and temperate grasses. Differential immune recognition of subtropical grass pollens is likely to impact upon the efficacy of allergen immunotherapy of patients who are primarily sensitized to subtropical grass pollens. The literature reviewed herein highlights the clinical need to standardize allergen preparations for both types of subtropical grass pollens to achieve optimal diagnosis and treatment of patients with allergic respiratory disease in subtropical regions of the world. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

50 CFR 21.49 - Control order for resident Canada geese at airports and military airfields.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., (F) Registered animal drugs, pesticides, and repellants, (G) Cervical dislocation, and (H) CO2..., fleshy owl's clover, Colusa grass, hairy Orcutt grass, Solano grass, Greene's tuctoria, Sacramento Valley Orcutt grass, San Joaquin Valley Orcutt grass, slender Orcutt grass, California Orcutt grass, spreading...

50 CFR 21.49 - Control order for resident Canada geese at airports and military airfields.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., (F) Registered animal drugs, pesticides, and repellants, (G) Cervical dislocation, and (H) CO2..., fleshy owl's clover, Colusa grass, hairy Orcutt grass, Solano grass, Greene's tuctoria, Sacramento Valley Orcutt grass, San Joaquin Valley Orcutt grass, slender Orcutt grass, California Orcutt grass, spreading...

50 CFR 21.50 - Depredation order for resident Canada geese nests and eggs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... goldfields, Hoover's spurge, fleshy owl's clover, Colusa grass, hairy Orcutt grass, Solano grass, Greene's tuctoria, Sacramento Valley Orcutt grass, San Joaquin Valley Orcutt grass, slender Orcutt grass, California Orcutt grass, spreading navarretia, and San Jacinto Valley crownscale. (e) Can the depredation order be...

50 CFR 21.50 - Depredation order for resident Canada geese nests and eggs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... goldfields, Hoover's spurge, fleshy owl's clover, Colusa grass, hairy Orcutt grass, Solano grass, Greene's tuctoria, Sacramento Valley Orcutt grass, San Joaquin Valley Orcutt grass, slender Orcutt grass, California Orcutt grass, spreading navarretia, and San Jacinto Valley crownscale. (e) Can the depredation order be...

How does altered precipitation and annual grass invasion affect plant N uptake in a native semi-arid shrub community?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mauritz, M.; Lipson, D.; Cleland, E. E.

2012-12-01

Climate change is expected to alter precipitation patterns, which will change the timing and amount of plant resources. Precipitation patterns determine water and nitrogen (N) availability, because water stimulates microbial N turnover and N transport. In order for plants to utilize water and N, they must coincide with the phenology and meet physiological requirements of the plant. As resource supply shifts, differences in species' ability to acquire resources will affect plant community composition. Semiarid ecosystems, such as shrublands in Southern California, are particularly sensitive to shifts in precipitation because they are severely water limited. This study takes advantage of the altered phenology and resource demands presented by invasive annual grasses in a native semiarid shrubland. The goal is to understand how altered precipitation patterns affect plant N uptake. Rainfall levels were manipulated to 50% and 150% of ambient levels. It is expected that higher rainfall levels promote annual grass invasion because grasses have higher water and N requirements and begin to grow earlier in the season than shrubs. A 15N tracer was added with the first rain event and plant samples were collected regularly to track the movement of N into the plants. Net soil N accumulation was determined using resin bags. Invasive grasses altered the timing and amount of N uptake but amount of rainfall had less effect on N distribution. 15N was detected sooner and at higher level in grasses than shrubs. 24hours after the first rain event 15N was detectable in grasses, 15N accumulated rapidly and peaked 2 months earlier than shrubs. Shrub 15N levels remained at pre-rain event levels for the first 2 months and began to increase at the beginning of spring, peak mid-spring and decline as the shrubs entered summer dormancy. One year later 15N levels in annual grass litter remained high, while 15N levels in shrubs returned to initial background levels as a result of resorption. 15N concentrations are more variable in grasses which could indicate higher plasticity in grass N uptake compared to shrubs. Resin N supports the 15N patterns. Resin N declined more rapidly under grasses and was lower than under shrubs, presumably due to high grass N uptake. Resin N was particularly high under shrubs in wetter conditions indicating that shrubs could not take advantage of high N supply. Together the 15N and resin N patterns indicate that grasses accumulate more N and begin N uptake earlier in the season than shrubs. Although 15N did not differ in response to rainfall, invasion alters the distribution of N in the system. Rain was only manipulated for one growing season; multiple years of altered precipitation may yield significant differences. Early season N uptake by grasses, the low variability in shrub 15N and low shrub 15N in wetter conditions, despite high resin N, indicates that N competition between invasive grasses and native shrubs is weak. If N supply is sufficient for shrub demands, invasive grasses and shrubs could coexist. This study contributes to a broader understanding of how changes in resource supply, plant phenology and functional type interact and respond to climate change.

The effect of stocking rate on soil solution nitrate concentrations beneath a free-draining dairy production system in Ireland.

PubMed

McCarthy, J; Delaby, L; Hennessy, D; McCarthy, B; Ryan, W; Pierce, K M; Brennan, A; Horan, B

2015-06-01

Economically viable and productive farming systems are required to meet the growing worldwide need for agricultural produce while at the same time reducing environmental impact. Within grazing systems of animal production, increasing concern exists as to the effect of intensive farming on potential N losses to ground and surface waters, which demands an appraisal of N flows within complete grass-based dairy farming systems. A 3-yr (2011 to 2013) whole-farm system study was conducted on a free-draining soil type that is highly susceptible to N loss under temperate maritime conditions. Soil solution concentrations of N from 3 spring-calving, grass-based systems designed to represent 3 alternative whole-farm stocking rate (SR) treatments in a post-milk quota situation in the European Union were compared: low (2.51 cows/ha), medium (2.92 cows/ha), and high SR (3.28 cows/ha). Each SR had its own farmlet containing 18 paddocks and 23 cows. Nitrogen loss from each treatment was measured using ceramic cups installed to a depth of 1m to sample the soil water. The annual and monthly average nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and total N concentrations in soil solution collected were analyzed for each year using a repeated measures analysis. Subsequently, and based on the biological data collated from each farm system treatment within each year, the efficiency of N use was evaluated using an N balance model. Based on similar N inputs, increasing SR resulted in increased grazing efficiency and milk production per hectare. Stocking rate had no significant effect on soil solution concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, or total N (26.0, 0.2, 2.4, and 32.3 mg/L, respectively). An N balance model evaluation of each treatment incorporating input and output data indicated that the increased grass utilization and milk production per hectare at higher SR resulted in a reduction in N surplus and increased N use efficiency. The results highlight the possibility for the sustainable intensification of grass-based dairy systems and suggest that, at the same level of N inputs, increasing SR has little effect on N loss in pastoral systems with limited imported feed. These results suggest that greater emphasis should be attributed to increased grass production and utilization under grazing to further improve the environmental impact of grazing systems. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Application of automated multispectral analysis to Delaware's coastal vegetation mapping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klemas, V. (Principal Investigator); Daiber, D.; Bartlett, D. S.; Crichton, O. W.; Fornes, A. O.

1973-01-01

There are no author-identified significant results in this report. Overlay maps of Delaware's wetlands have been prepared, showing the dominant species or group of species of vegetation present. Five such categories of vegetation were used indicating marshes dominated by: (1) salt marsh cord grass; (2) salt marsh hay and spike grass; (3) reed grass; (4) high tide bush and sea myrtle; and (5) a group of fresh water species found in impounded areas built to attract water fowl. Fifteen such maps cover Delaware's wetlands from the Pennsylvania to the Maryland borders. The mapping technique employed utilizes the General Electric multispectral data processing system. This system is a hybrid analog-digital system designed as an analysis tool to be used by an operator whose own judgment and knowledge of ground truth can be incorporated at any time into the analyzing process. The result is a high speed, cost effective method for producing enhanced photomaps showing a number of spectral classes, each enhanced spectral class being representative of a vegetative species or group of species.

Long-term persistence of seeded grass species: an unwanted side effect of ecological restoration.

PubMed

Rydgren, Knut; Auestad, Inger; Hamre, Liv Norunn; Hagen, Dagmar; Rosef, Line; Skjerdal, Gudrun

2016-07-01

Spoil heaps are the visible footprint of hydropower production, particularly in vulnerable alpine environments. Speeding up vegetation development by seeding commercial grass species has been a common restoration practice for the last 50 years, but we lack information on whether seeded species decline and allow native plant cover to develop. We visually estimated cover of native vascular plants and five seeded grass species (Agrostis capillaris, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Schedonorus pratensis and Phleum pratense) on eight spoil heaps at different elevations (boreal-alpine zone) in western Norway. Spoil heap vegetation was censused twice (9-20 and 24-36 years after spoil heap construction); the undisturbed surrounding vegetation was also censused on the second occasion. Total cover on the spoil heaps showed some increase, but remained far below that in surrounding areas. Cover of seeded grass species in the surroundings was low (but not negligible), indicating suboptimal establishment ability. Seeded species usually covered less than 20 % of the spoil heaps, and only F. rubra, F. ovina and A. capillaris contributed substantially. Proportional cover indicated better initial establishment by seeded species, but their cover decreased between the censuses on all but the highest located spoil heap. The persistence of seeded grass species is problematic, and despite the decrease in proportional cover, they are likely to persist for decades on spoil heaps, posing a risk of invasion of surrounding areas. We therefore recommend replacing the practice of seeding with more appropriate restoration measures.

Distribution modelling of pre-Columbian California grasslands with soil phytoliths: New insights for prehistoric grassland ecology and restoration

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Historical reconstructions of plant community distributions are useful for biogeographic studies and restoration planning, but the quality of insights gained depends on the depth and reliability of historical information available. For the Central Valley of California, one of the most altered terrestrial ecosystems on the planet, this task is particularly difficult given poor historical documentation and sparse relict assemblages of pre-invasion plant species. Coastal and interior prairies were long assumed to have been dominated by perennial bunchgrasses, but this hypothesis has recently been challenged. We evaluated this hypothesis by creating species distribution models (SDMs) using a novel approach based on the abundance of soil phytoliths (microscopic particles of biogenic silica used as a proxy for long-term grass presence) extracted from soil samples at locations statewide. Modeled historical grass abundance was consistently high along the coast and to a lesser extent in higher elevation foothills surrounding the Central Valley. SDMs found strong associations with mean temperature, temperature variability, and precipitation variability, with higher predicted abundance in regions with cooler, equable temperatures and moderated rainfall, mirroring the pattern for modern perennial grass distribution across the state. The results of this study strongly suggest that the pre-Columbian Central Valley of California was not dominated by grasses. Using soil phytolith data as input for SDMs is a promising new method for predicting the extent of prehistoric grass distributions where alternative historical datasets are lacking. PMID:29617400

DNA metabarcoding illuminates dietary niche partitioning by African large herbivores.

PubMed

Kartzinel, Tyler R; Chen, Patricia A; Coverdale, Tyler C; Erickson, David L; Kress, W John; Kuzmina, Maria L; Rubenstein, Daniel I; Wang, Wei; Pringle, Robert M

2015-06-30

Niche partitioning facilitates species coexistence in a world of limited resources, thereby enriching biodiversity. For decades, biologists have sought to understand how diverse assemblages of large mammalian herbivores (LMH) partition food resources. Several complementary mechanisms have been identified, including differential consumption of grasses versus nongrasses and spatiotemporal stratification in use of different parts of the same plant. However, the extent to which LMH partition food-plant species is largely unknown because comprehensive species-level identification is prohibitively difficult with traditional methods. We used DNA metabarcoding to quantify diet breadth, composition, and overlap for seven abundant LMH species (six wild, one domestic) in semiarid African savanna. These species ranged from almost-exclusive grazers to almost-exclusive browsers: Grass consumption inferred from mean sequence relative read abundance (RRA) ranged from >99% (plains zebra) to <1% (dik-dik). Grass RRA was highly correlated with isotopic estimates of % grass consumption, indicating that RRA conveys reliable quantitative information about consumption. Dietary overlap was greatest between species that were similar in body size and proportional grass consumption. Nonetheless, diet composition differed between all species-even pairs of grazers matched in size, digestive physiology, and location-and dietary similarity was sometimes greater across grazing and browsing guilds than within them. Such taxonomically fine-grained diet partitioning suggests that coarse trophic categorizations may generate misleading conclusions about competition and coexistence in LMH assemblages, and that LMH diversity may be more tightly linked to plant diversity than is currently recognized.

DNA metabarcoding illuminates dietary niche partitioning by African large herbivores

PubMed Central

Kartzinel, Tyler R.; Chen, Patricia A.; Coverdale, Tyler C.; Erickson, David L.; Kress, W. John; Kuzmina, Maria L.; Rubenstein, Daniel I.; Wang, Wei; Pringle, Robert M.

2015-01-01

Niche partitioning facilitates species coexistence in a world of limited resources, thereby enriching biodiversity. For decades, biologists have sought to understand how diverse assemblages of large mammalian herbivores (LMH) partition food resources. Several complementary mechanisms have been identified, including differential consumption of grasses versus nongrasses and spatiotemporal stratification in use of different parts of the same plant. However, the extent to which LMH partition food-plant species is largely unknown because comprehensive species-level identification is prohibitively difficult with traditional methods. We used DNA metabarcoding to quantify diet breadth, composition, and overlap for seven abundant LMH species (six wild, one domestic) in semiarid African savanna. These species ranged from almost-exclusive grazers to almost-exclusive browsers: Grass consumption inferred from mean sequence relative read abundance (RRA) ranged from >99% (plains zebra) to <1% (dik-dik). Grass RRA was highly correlated with isotopic estimates of % grass consumption, indicating that RRA conveys reliable quantitative information about consumption. Dietary overlap was greatest between species that were similar in body size and proportional grass consumption. Nonetheless, diet composition differed between all species—even pairs of grazers matched in size, digestive physiology, and location—and dietary similarity was sometimes greater across grazing and browsing guilds than within them. Such taxonomically fine-grained diet partitioning suggests that coarse trophic categorizations may generate misleading conclusions about competition and coexistence in LMH assemblages, and that LMH diversity may be more tightly linked to plant diversity than is currently recognized. PMID:26034267

Distribution modelling of pre-Columbian California grasslands with soil phytoliths: New insights for prehistoric grassland ecology and restoration.

PubMed

Fick, Stephen E; Evett, Rand R

2018-01-01

Historical reconstructions of plant community distributions are useful for biogeographic studies and restoration planning, but the quality of insights gained depends on the depth and reliability of historical information available. For the Central Valley of California, one of the most altered terrestrial ecosystems on the planet, this task is particularly difficult given poor historical documentation and sparse relict assemblages of pre-invasion plant species. Coastal and interior prairies were long assumed to have been dominated by perennial bunchgrasses, but this hypothesis has recently been challenged. We evaluated this hypothesis by creating species distribution models (SDMs) using a novel approach based on the abundance of soil phytoliths (microscopic particles of biogenic silica used as a proxy for long-term grass presence) extracted from soil samples at locations statewide. Modeled historical grass abundance was consistently high along the coast and to a lesser extent in higher elevation foothills surrounding the Central Valley. SDMs found strong associations with mean temperature, temperature variability, and precipitation variability, with higher predicted abundance in regions with cooler, equable temperatures and moderated rainfall, mirroring the pattern for modern perennial grass distribution across the state. The results of this study strongly suggest that the pre-Columbian Central Valley of California was not dominated by grasses. Using soil phytolith data as input for SDMs is a promising new method for predicting the extent of prehistoric grass distributions where alternative historical datasets are lacking.

Lead phytoremediation potential of Vetiver grass: a hydroponic study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pachanoor, D. S.; Andra, S. P.; Datta, R.; Sarkar, D.

2006-05-01

Lead (Pb) is a toxic heavy metal that is released into the environment from a variety of sources. Sources of Pb contamination in soils can be divided into three broad categories: industrial activities, such as mining and smelting processes, agricultural activities, such as application of insecticide and municipal sewage sludge, and urban activities, such as use of Pb in gasoline, paints, and other materials. Severe Pb contamination of soils may cause a variety of environmental problems, including loss of vegetation, groundwater contamination and Pb toxicity in plants, animals and humans. The use of plants to remove toxic metals from soils (phytoremediation) is fast emerging as an acceptable strategy for cost-effective and environmentally sound remediation of contaminated soils. The objective of this study was to gain insight into the lead uptake potential and biochemical stress response mechanism in vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides L.) upon exposure to Pb in contaminated soils. We investigated the effect of increasing concentrations of Pb on vetiver grass grown in a hydroponic system. Plant response to the addition of phosphate in the presence of Pb was also studied. Biochemical stress response was studied by monitoring the activities of Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzymes. The results indicated that exposure to Pb in the range of 0 ppm -1200 ppm had no significant negative effects on the growth of vetiver grass. There was no considerable decrease in vetiver biomass, implying the potential of this grass for Pb phytoremediation. The translocation of Pb from the root to the shoot was up to 20%. The SOD activity was in positive correlation with Pb concentrations in the solution, but no such trend was observed with GPx. In systems containing phosphate fertilizer, lead precipitated out immediately, thereby decreasing the soluble concentration of lead, resulting in less availability of Pb to the grass.

Effects of Introduced Grasses, Grazing and Fire on Regional Biogeochemistry in Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elmore, A. J.; Asner, G. P.

2003-12-01

African grasses introduced for grazing have expanded in geographic extent in mesic tropical systems of Hawaii and other regions of the world. Grassland expansion leads to increases in fire frequency, speeding woodland and forest destruction at greater geographic scales than occurs with grazing alone. At Pu'uwa'awa'a Ranch, Hawaii, restoration of the native woodland habitat has become a critical objective following the introduction and dominance of the African grass species Pennisetum clandestinum and P. setaceum. Grazing and grass-fueled fires have destroyed over 60% of the original forest. To stabilize these communities, managers must balance the combined effects of grazing and fire. Grazing reduces the recruitment success of native tropical trees, but grazing also reduces fire risk by moderating grass fuel conditions and restricting the extent and density of the most flammable grass species. Our study focuses on two questions: (1) What grazing intensity is necessary to change the fire conditions of a region given in situ soil and precipitation conditions? (2) Have long-term grazing conditions altered soil carbon and nitrogen stocks? We used high resolution imaging spectrometer data to measure photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic vegetation cover, analysis of soil carbon and nitrogen stocks, and measurements of plant community composition along gradients in grazing intensity. P. setaceum, the more flammable alien grass, was dominant where grazing intensity was low and at lower elevations where precipitation is low. The less flammable grass, P. clandestinum, occurred in regions of high grazing intensity and higher precipitation. Grazing influenced the dominance of P. setaceum and P. clandestinum only where precipitation and soil characteristics were suitable for both grasses to occur. At suitable sites, grazing reduced fire conditions through a species sift towards P. clandestinum. Soil carbon and nitrogen stocks decreased with grazing intensity, which was correlated with the fractional cover of P. setaceum. Soil carbon also increased with precipitation. These results show how grazing impacts fire conditions and soil chemistry through changes in species composition, and not through removal of carbon inputs (direct removal of biomass).

Exserohilum rostratum: characterization of a cross-kingdom pathogen of plants and humans.

PubMed

Sharma, Kalpana; Goss, Erica M; Dickstein, Ellen R; Smith, Matthew E; Johnson, Judith A; Southwick, Frederick S; van Bruggen, Ariena H C

2014-01-01

Pathogen host shifts represent a major source of new infectious diseases. There are several examples of cross-genus host jumps that have caused catastrophic epidemics in animal and plant species worldwide. Cross-kingdom jumps are rare, and are often associated with nosocomial infections. Here we provide an example of human-mediated cross-kingdom jumping of Exserohilum rostratum isolated from a patient who had received a corticosteroid injection and died of fungal meningitis in a Florida hospital in 2012. The clinical isolate of E. rostratum was compared with two plant pathogenic isolates of E. rostratum and an isolate of the closely related genus Bipolaris in terms of morphology, phylogeny, and pathogenicity on one C3 grass, Gulf annual rye grass (Lolium multiflorum), and two C4 grasses, Japanese stilt grass (Microstegium vimineum) and bahia grass (Paspalum notatum). Colony growth and color, as well as conidia shape and size were the same for the clinical and plant isolates of E. rostratum, while these characteristics differed slightly for the Bipolaris sp. isolate. The plant pathogenic and clinical isolates of E. rostratum were indistinguishable based on morphology and ITS and 28S rDNA sequence analysis. The clinical isolate was as pathogenic to all grass species tested as the plant pathogenic strains that were originally isolated from plant hosts. The clinical isolate induced more severe symptoms on stilt grass than on rye grass, while this was the reverse for the plant isolates of E. rostratum. The phylogenetic similarity between the clinical and plant-associated E. rostratum isolates and the ability of the clinical isolate to infect plants suggests that a plant pathogenic strain of E. rostratum contaminated the corticosteroid injection fluid and was able to cause systemic disease in the affected patient. This is the first proof that a clinical isolate of E. rostratum is also an effective plant pathogen.

Exserohilum rostratum: Characterization of a Cross-Kingdom Pathogen of Plants and Humans

PubMed Central

Sharma, Kalpana; Goss, Erica M.; Dickstein, Ellen R.; Smith, Matthew E.; Johnson, Judith A.; Southwick, Frederick S.; van Bruggen, Ariena H. C.

2014-01-01

Pathogen host shifts represent a major source of new infectious diseases. There are several examples of cross-genus host jumps that have caused catastrophic epidemics in animal and plant species worldwide. Cross-kingdom jumps are rare, and are often associated with nosocomial infections. Here we provide an example of human-mediated cross-kingdom jumping of Exserohilum rostratum isolated from a patient who had received a corticosteroid injection and died of fungal meningitis in a Florida hospital in 2012. The clinical isolate of E. rostratum was compared with two plant pathogenic isolates of E. rostratum and an isolate of the closely related genus Bipolaris in terms of morphology, phylogeny, and pathogenicity on one C3 grass, Gulf annual rye grass (Lolium multiflorum), and two C4 grasses, Japanese stilt grass (Microstegium vimineum) and bahia grass (Paspalum notatum). Colony growth and color, as well as conidia shape and size were the same for the clinical and plant isolates of E. rostratum, while these characteristics differed slightly for the Bipolaris sp. isolate. The plant pathogenic and clinical isolates of E. rostratum were indistinguishable based on morphology and ITS and 28S rDNA sequence analysis. The clinical isolate was as pathogenic to all grass species tested as the plant pathogenic strains that were originally isolated from plant hosts. The clinical isolate induced more severe symptoms on stilt grass than on rye grass, while this was the reverse for the plant isolates of E. rostratum. The phylogenetic similarity between the clinical and plant-associated E. rostratum isolates and the ability of the clinical isolate to infect plants suggests that a plant pathogenic strain of E. rostratum contaminated the corticosteroid injection fluid and was able to cause systemic disease in the affected patient. This is the first proof that a clinical isolate of E. rostratum is also an effective plant pathogen. PMID:25285444

Sequential Treatment Initiation with Timothy Grass and Ragweed Sublingual Immunotherapy Tablets Followed by Simultaneous Treatment Is Well Tolerated.

PubMed

Maloney, Jennifer; Berman, Gary; Gagnon, Remi; Bernstein, David I; Nelson, Harold S; Kleine-Tebbe, Jörg; Kaur, Amarjot; Li, Qing; Nolte, Hendrik

2016-01-01

Dual treatment with grass and ragweed sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) tablets has not been studied. To characterize the safety and tolerability of dual grass and ragweed SLIT-tablet administration. This open-label, multicenter trial (NCT02256553) enrolled North American adults (N = 102) allergic to grass and ragweed. The trial had 3 periods, each of 2 weeks duration. In period 1, subjects received once-daily timothy grass SLIT tablet (2800 bioequivalent allergen unit; Merck, Inc, Kenilworth, NJ/ALK, Hørsholm, Denmark). In period 2, subjects received a short ragweed SLIT tablet (12 Ambrosia artemisiifolia 1-U; Merck/ALK) every morning and a grass SLIT tablet every evening. In period 3, subjects received once-daily grass and ragweed SLIT tablets within 5 minutes (simultaneous intake). The primary end point was the proportion of subjects with 1 or more local swelling events in each period. Secondary end points were the proportion of subjects with 1 or more local adverse events (AEs), that discontinued the treatment because of AEs, and subjects with 1 or more local AEs requiring treatment. No severe swellings, systemic allergic reactions, asthma attacks, or reactions requiring epinephrine were reported. Most (99%) AEs were graded mild to moderate. The proportions of subjects with 1 or more local swelling events were 14%, 22%, and 15% for periods 1, 2, and 3, respectively. For periods 1, 2, and 3, the proportions of subjects with 1 or more local AEs were 71%, 69%, and 56%, respectively; the proportions discontinuing the treatment because of treatment-related AEs were 5%, 1%, and 2%, and the proportions with 1 or more local AEs requiring treatment were 4%, 4%, and 1%. In this trial, a 4-week sequential SLIT-tablet dosing schedule followed by simultaneous intake of timothy grass and ragweed tablets was well tolerated. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of a sublingual allergy vaccine for grass pollinosis

PubMed Central

Frati, Franco; Scurati, Silvia; Puccinelli, Paola; David, Marie; Hilaire, Cecile; Capecce, Maurizio; Marcucci, Francesco; Incorvaia, Cristoforo

2010-01-01

Grass pollen is a very common cause of allergic rhinitis and asthma. The only treatment targeting the underlying causes of allergy is immunotherapy (IT). Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has been introduced to solve the problem of systemic reactions to subcutaneous IT (SCIT). This article evaluates the characteristics of the allergen extract, Staloral, in terms of practical administration, effectiveness, safety, and mechanism of action. Efficacy data were obtained from double-blind, placebo-controlled studies using Staloral in patients sensitized to grass pollen, while practical administration, cost-effectiveness, and mechanism of action data were provided by well designed studies. The efficacy and safety of Staloral, as demonstrated by review of published studies which used doses up to 1125 times those administered with SCIT, shows that this allergen extract has optimal characteristics for treating patients with seasonal allergies due to grass pollens. The main mechanism of action is the interaction between dendritic cells of the oral mucosa and the subsequent tolerance induced in T-cells. PMID:20689696

Role of carbohydrate metabolism in grass tetany

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, J.K.; Madsen, F.C.; Lentz, D.E.

1977-01-01

Clinical hypomagnesemia is confined primarily to beef cattle in the United States but also occurs in dairy cattle in other countries, probably due to different management practices. During periods when grass tetany is likely, early vegetative temperate zone grasses are usually low in total readily available carbohydrates and magnesium but high in potassium and nitrogen. The tetany syndrome may include hypoglycemia and ketosis, suggesting an imbalance in intermediary energy metabolism. Many enzyme systems critical to cellular metabolism, including those which hydrolyze and transfer phosphate groups, are activated by Mg. Thus, by inference, Mg is required for normal glucose utilization, fat,more » protein, nucleic acid and coenzyme synthesis, muscle contraction, methyl group transfer, and sulfate, acetate, and formate activation. Numerous clinical and experimental studies suggest an intimate relationship between metabolism of Mg and that of carbohydrate, glucagon, and insulin. The objective is to review this literature and suggest ways in which these relationships might contribute to a chain of events leading to grass tetany.« less

Plant-beneficial elements status assessment in soil-plant system in the vicinity of a chemical industry complex: shedding light on forage grass safety issues.

PubMed

Anjum, Naser A; Duarte, Armando C; Pereira, Eduarda; Ahmad, Iqbal

2015-02-01

Human health is closely linked with soils via plants, grazers, or plant-based products. This study estimated plant-beneficial elements (macronutrients: K, P; secondary macronutrients: Ca, Mg; micronutrients: Mo, Mn, Na, Ni, Se) in both soils and shoots of two forage grass species (Eriophorum angustifolium and Lolium perenne) prevalent in the vicinity of a chemical industry complex (Estarreja, Portugal). Both soils and plants from the chemical industrial areas exhibited differential concentrations of the studied elements. In soils, the role of contamination was evidenced as insignificant in context of its impact on all the tested macro and secondary macronutrients except P, and micronutrients such as Mo and Ni. In forage grass plant shoots, the role of contamination was evidenced as insignificant in relation to its impact on all the tested macro and secondary macronutrients except K. Between the two forage grass plants, high Se-harboring L. perenne cannot be recommended for its use as animal feed.

Setaria viridis: A Model for C4 Photosynthesis[C][W

PubMed Central

Brutnell, Thomas P.; Wang, Lin; Swartwood, Kerry; Goldschmidt, Alexander; Jackson, David; Zhu, Xin-Guang; Kellogg, Elizabeth; Van Eck, Joyce

2010-01-01

C4 photosynthesis drives productivity in several major food crops and bioenergy grasses, including maize (Zea mays), sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), Miscanthus x giganteus, and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). Gains in productivity associated with C4 photosynthesis include improved water and nitrogen use efficiencies. Thus, engineering C4 traits into C3 crops is an attractive target for crop improvement. However, the lack of a small, rapid cycling genetic model system to study C4 photosynthesis has limited progress in dissecting the regulatory networks underlying the C4 syndrome. Setaria viridis is a member of the Panicoideae clade and is a close relative of several major feed, fuel, and bioenergy grasses. It is a true diploid with a relatively small genome of ~510 Mb. Its short stature, simple growth requirements, and rapid life cycle will greatly facilitate genetic studies of the C4 grasses. Importantly, S. viridis uses an NADP-malic enzyme subtype C4 photosynthetic system to fix carbon and therefore is a potentially powerful model system for dissecting C4 photosynthesis. Here, we summarize some of the recent advances that promise greatly to accelerate the use of S. viridis as a genetic system. These include our recent successful efforts at regenerating plants from seed callus, establishing a transient transformation system, and developing stable transformation. PMID:20693355

Connecting the Information Superhighway to the Grass Roots: Some Perspectives on Community-Based Communication Centers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colle, Royal D.

This paper considers the importance of information and communication in rural development programs, especially their centrality to building the knowledge, motivation, and skills that lead to behavioral change in health, nutrition, family planning, economic enterprises, and agricultural development. The countries of Thailand and Indonesia, for…

Characterization of Residential Scale Biofuel Boilers and Fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandrasekaran, Sriraam R.

The objectives of this study were to: 1) characterize commercially available wood pellets and wood chips for basic properties such as calorific, ash, moisture contents; 2) analyze elements and ions and other possible contamination during the pellet manufacturing processes; 3) characterize the chemical and thermo-chemical property of grass pellets for their combustion potential; 4) characterize the emissions from 6 different residential scale boiler/furnace appliances burning grass and wood pellets; 5) characterize the emitted particulate matter for toxic and marker species with respect to combustion appliance and combustion conditions; and 6) determine the effects of the biomass fuel properties of 5 different grass pellets on particulate and gaseous emissions from a single type of boiler. The results from characterization of wood pellets and chips indicated that the wood pellet samples generally meet the quality standards. However, there are some samples that would fail the ash content requirements. Only the German standards have extensive trace element limits. Most of the samples would meet these standards, but some samples failed to meet these standards based on their lead, arsenic, cadmium, and copper concentrations. It is likely that inclusion of extraneous materials such as painted or pressure treated lumber led to the observed high concentrations. Given increasing use of pellets and chips as a renewable fuel, standards for the elemental composition of commercial wood pellets and chips are needed in United States to avoid the inclusion of extraneous materials. Such standards would reduce the environmental impact of toxic species that would be released when the wood is burned. Grass pellets were characterized for chemical and thermochemical properties. Switch grass pellets were studied for it thermal degradation process under inert and oxidizing atmosphere using TGA. The thermal degradation of grass pellet measured the activation energy and pre-exponential factors for switch grass decomposition. Two major losses occurred due to volatilization of cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin and burning or slow oxidation of residual char. The parameters were high for oxidative environment indicating high temperature sensitivity of the charcoal formation reaction. There was a substantial effect of heating rate on the mass loss and mass loss rate. The TG curve shifted to higher temperature ranges on increasing the heating rate. In both pyrolyzing and oxidizing conditions, average combustion and devolatlization rates increased. Emissions measurements and efficiency estimation were conducted on six commercially available residential scale appliances that utilize different technologies including direct combustion, gasification, lambda control, or fixed air flow rates that were designed to burn low ash wood (less than 1%). The grass has high ash and chlorine content producing more PM and chlorinated hydrocarbons including dioxins and furans. The results also indicated that the air supply and geometry of the furnace, and the type of furnace are also major influencing factors that affect the pollutant formation. To determine the effect of fuel properties on emissions formation, gaseous and particulate characterization was conducted of six fuels that include five different grass pellets types with ash content ranging from 3% to 13% and a premium wood pellet with ash content 0.6% on a boiler. Emissions from grass pellets were found to be higher than wood pellets and the PM; SO2 and NOx emissions were strongly related to the fuel properties such as ash content, sulfur and nitrogen content, respectively. CO emissions that indicate the completeness of reactions were higher for grass pellets and were strongly correlated to PAHs emissions. The PCDD/F emission was clearly a function of chlorine content of the fuel. A strong correlation existed between levoglucosan and PM2.5 concentrations indicated that levoglucosan is also a molecular marker for grass pellet combustion. All of the emissions were found to be higher for grass pellets when compared to the wood pellets and are higher at high loads than at low loads. These results show that the grass pellets cannot be used as a fuel in current generation wood pellet systems. It will be necessary to design systems that effectively deal with the higher ash and chlorine content if grass pellets are to be a significant fuel for home heating. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Designing hybrid grass genomes to control runoff generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacLeod, C.; Binley, A.; Humphreys, M.; King, I. P.; O'Donovan, S.; Papadopoulos, A.; Turner, L. B.; Watts, C.; Whalley, W. R.; Haygarth, P.

2010-12-01

Sustainable management of water in landscapes requires balancing demands of agricultural production whilst moderating downstream effects like flooding. Pasture comprises 69% of global agricultural areas and is essential for producing food and fibre alongside environmental goods and services. Thus there is a need to breed forage grasses that deliver multiple benefits through increased levels of productivity whilst moderating fluxes of water. Here we show that a novel grass hybrid that combines the entire genomes of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne - the grass of choice for Europe’s forage agriculture) and meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis) has a significant role in flood prevention. Field plot experiments established differences in runoff generation with the hybrid cultivar reducing runoff by 50% compared to perennial ryegrass cultivar, and by 35% compared to a meadow fescue cultivar (34 events over two years, replicated randomized-block design, statistically significant differences). This important research outcome was the result of a project that combined plant genetics, soil physics and plot scale hydrology to identify novel grass genotypes that can reduce runoff from grassland systems. Through a coordinated series of experiments examining effects from the gene to plot scale, we have identified that the rapid growth and then turnover of roots in the L. perenne x F. pratensis hybrid is likely to be a key mechanism in reducing runoff generation. More broadly this is an exciting first step to realizing the potential to design grass genomes to achieve both food production, and to deliver flood control, a key ecosystem service.

An evaluation of contaminated estuarine sites using sediment quality guidelines and ecological assessment methodologies.

PubMed

Fulton, M; Key, P; Wirth, E; Leight, A K; Daugomah, J; Bearden, D; Sivertsen, S; Scott, G

2006-10-01

Toxic contaminants may enter estuarine ecosystems through a variety of pathways. When sediment contaminant levels become sufficiently high, they may impact resident biota. One approach to predict sediment-associated toxicity in estuarine ecosystems involves the use of sediment quality guidelines (ERMs, ERLs) and site-specific contaminant chemistry while a second approach utilizes site-specific ecological sampling to assess impacts at the population or community level. The goal of this study was to utilize an integrated approach including chemical contaminant analysis, sediment quality guidelines and grass shrimp population monitoring to evaluate the impact of contaminants from industrial sources. Three impacted sites and one reference site were selected for study. Grass shrimp populations were sampled using a push-netting approach. Sediment samples were collected at each site and analyzed for metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pesticides. Contaminant levels were then compared to sediment quality guidelines. In general, grass shrimp population densities at the sites decreased as the ERM quotients increased. Grass shrimp densities were significantly reduced at the impacted site that had an ERM exceedance for chromium and the highest Mean ERM quotient. Regression analysis indicated that sediment chromium concentrations were negatively correlated with grass shrimp density. Grass shrimp size was reduced at two sites with intermediate levels of contamination. These findings support the use of both sediment quality guidelines and site-specific population monitoring to evaluate the impacts of sediment-associated contaminants in estuarine systems.

Prevalence of coliforms, Salmonella, Listeria, and Campylobacter associated with eggs and the environment of conventional cage and free-range egg production.

PubMed

Jones, D R; Anderson, K E; Guard, J Y

2012-05-01

There is a desire by US consumers for eggs produced by hens in alternative production systems. As the retail shell-egg market offers these products to accommodate consumer demands, additional information is needed to ensure processing methodologies result in safe eggs from all egg sources. A study was conducted to determine if there were differences in the prevalence of coliforms, Salmonella, Listeria, and Campylobacter on and within eggs and in the environment of a sister flock of conventional cage and free-range laying hens. Microbial sampling occurred approximately every 6 wk between 20 and 79 wk of age. A random sampling of typical coliform colonies produced 371 viable isolates for biochemical identification. Twenty-nine genera or species of bacteria were identified. There was a significantly greater (P < 0.0001) prevalence of Campylobacter in the free-range nest box swabs compared with that in the free-range grass and conventional cage swab samples (number of positives: 8 nest box, 1 grass, 0 cage). Seven isolates of Listeria innocua were detected with no significant difference in prevalence between the treatments. Isolates were associated with eggshells (2 free-range floor, 1 cage) and the free-range environment (2 nest box, 2 grass). There were 21 Salmonella isolates detected between all sample locations, with no significant difference in the prevalence of Salmonella detection between the treatments. Additional studies are needed to fully understand the effect of alternative production methods on the prevalence of pathogens and coliforms associated with nest-run eggs and the production environment.

An analysis of specific lower extremity injury rates on grass and FieldTurf playing surfaces in National Football League Games: 2000-2009 seasons.

PubMed

Hershman, Elliott B; Anderson, Robert; Bergfeld, John A; Bradley, James P; Coughlin, Michael J; Johnson, Robert J; Spindler, Kurt P; Wojtys, Edward; Powell, John W

2012-10-01

Players in the National Football League (NFL) sustain injuries every season as the result of their participation. One factor associated with the rate of injury is the type of playing surface on which the players participate. There is no difference in the rate of knee sprains and ankle sprains during NFL games when comparing rates of those injuries during games played on natural grass surfaces with rates of those injuries during games played on the artificial surface FieldTurf. Descriptive epidemiology study. The NFL records injury and exposure (ie, game) data as part of its injury surveillance system. During the 2000-2009 NFL seasons, there were 2680 games (5360 team games) played on grass or artificial surfaces. Specifically, 1356 team games were played on FieldTurf and 4004 team games were played on grass. We examined the 2000-2009 game-related injury data from those games as recorded by the injury surveillance system. The data included the injury diagnosis, the date of injury, and the surface at the time of injury. The injury data showed that 1528 knee sprains and 1503 ankle sprains occurred during those games. We calculated injury rates for knee sprains and ankle sprains-specifically, medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprains, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprains, eversion ankle sprains, and inversion ankle sprains-using incidence density ratios (IDRs). We used a Poisson model and logistic regression odds ratios to validate the IDR analysis. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to adjust the odds ratio for weather conditions. The observed injury rate of knee sprains on FieldTurf was 22% (IDR = 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-1.36) higher than on grass, and the injury rate of ankle sprains on FieldTurf was 22% (IDR = 1.22, 95% CI, 1.09-1.36) higher than on grass. These differences are statistically significant. Specifically, the observed injury rates of ACL sprains and eversion ankle sprains on FieldTurf surfaces were 67% (P < .001) and 31% (P < .001) higher than on grass surfaces and were statistically significant. The observed injury rates of MCL sprains and inversion ankle sprains were also not significantly higher on FieldTurf surfaces (P = .689 and .390, respectively). Injury rates for ACL sprains and eversion ankle sprains for NFL games played on FieldTurf were higher than rates for those injuries in games played on grass, and the differences were statistically significant.

Flea and Small Mammal Species Composition in Mixed-Grass Prairies: Implications for the Maintenance of Yersinia pestis.

PubMed

Maestas, Lauren P; Britten, Hugh B

2017-07-01

Maintenance of sylvatic plague in prairie dogs (Cynomis spp.) was once thought unlikely due to high mortality rates; yet more recent findings indicate that low-level enzootic plague may be maintained in susceptible prairie dog populations. Another hypothesis for the maintenance of sylvatic plague involves small mammals, other than prairie dogs, as an alternative reservoir in the sylvatic plague system. These hypotheses, however, are not mutually exclusive, as both prairie dogs and small mammals could together be driving sylvatic cycles of plague. The concept of a bridging vector has been used to explain the transmission of pathogens from one host species to another. In the case of sylvatic plague, this would require overlap in fleas between small mammals and prairie dogs, and potentially other species such as carnivores. Our goal was to evaluate the level of flea sharing between black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomis ludovicianus) and other small mammals in a mixed-grass prairie in South Dakota. We investigated the species richness of small mammals and small-mammal fleas in a mixed-grass prairie system and compared findings with previous studies from a short-grass ecosystem in Colorado. Over the summer field seasons 2014-2016 we live-trapped small mammals, collected fleas, and showed differences between both the flea and small mammal composition of the two systems. We also recorded higher densities of deer mice and lower densities of northern grasshopper mice in mixed versus shortgrass prairies. We confirmed, as is the case in shortgrass prairies, a lack of substantial flea species overlap on small mammal hosts and fleas from prairie dogs and their burrows. Moreover this study demonstrates that although small mammals may not play a large part in interepizootic plague cycling in shortgrass prairie ecosystems, their role in mixed-grass prairies requires further evaluation.

Physiochemical Characterization of Briquettes Made from Different Feedstocks

PubMed Central

Karunanithy, C.; Wang, Y.; Muthukumarappan, K.; Pugalendhi, S.

2012-01-01

Densification of biomass can address handling, transportation, and storage problems and also lend itself to an automated loading and unloading of transport vehicles and storage systems. The purpose of this study is to compare the physicochemical properties of briquettes made from different feedstocks. Feedstocks such as corn stover, switchgrass, prairie cord grass, sawdust, pigeon pea grass, and cotton stalk were densified using a briquetting system. Physical characterization includes particle size distribution, geometrical mean diameter (GMD), densities (bulk and true), porosity, and glass transition temperature. The compositional analysis of control and briquettes was also performed. Statistical analyses confirmed the existence of significant differences in these physical properties and chemical composition of control and briquettes. Correlation analysis confirms the contribution of lignin to bulk density and durability. Among the feedstocks tested, cotton stalk had the highest bulk density of 964 kg/m3 which is an elevenfold increase compared to control cotton stalk. Corn stover and pigeon pea grass had the highest (96.6%) and lowest (61%) durability. PMID:22792471

Preferential production and transport of grass-derived pyrogenic carbon in NE-Australian savanna ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saiz, Gustavo; Goodrick, Iain; Wurster, Christopher; Nelson, Paul N.; Wynn, Jonathan; Bird, Michael

2017-12-01

Understanding the main factors driving fire regimes in grasslands and savannas is critical to better manage their biodiversity and functions. Moreover, improving our knowledge on pyrogenic carbon (PyC) dynamics, including formation, transport and deposition, is fundamental to better understand a significant slow-cycling component of the global carbon cycle, particularly as these ecosystems account for a substantial proportion of the area globally burnt. However, a thorough assessment of past fire regimes in grass-dominated ecosystems is problematic due to challenges in interpreting the charcoal record of sediments. It is therefore critical to adopt appropriate sampling and analytical methods to allow the acquisition of reliable data and information on savanna fire dynamics. This study uses hydrogen pyrolysis (HyPy) to quantify PyC abundance and stable isotope composition (δ13C) in recent sediments across 38 micro-catchments covering a wide range of mixed C3/C4 vegetation in north Queensland, Australia. We exploited the contrasting δ13C values of grasses (i.e. C4; δ13C >-15‰) and woody vegetation (i.e. C3; δ13C <-24‰) to assess the preferential production and transport of grass-derived PyC in savanna ecosystems. Analyses were conducted on bulk and size-fractionated samples to determine the fractions into which PyC preferentially accumulates. Our data show that the δ13C value of PyC in the sediments is decoupled from the δ13C value of total organic carbon, which suggests that a significant component of PyC may be derived from incomplete grass combustion, even when the proportion of C4 grass biomass in the catchment was relatively small. Furthermore, we conducted 16 experimental burns that indicate that there is a comminution of PyC produced in-situ to smaller particles, which facilitates the transport of this material, potentially affecting its preservation potential. Savanna fires preferentially burn the grass understory rather than large trees, leading to a bias toward the finer C4–derived PyC in the sedimentary record. This in turn, provides further evidence for the preferential production and transport of C4-derived PyC in mixed ecosystems where grass and woody vegetation coexist. Moreover, our isotopic approach provides independent validation of findings derived from conventional charcoal counting techniques concerning the appropriateness of adopting a relatively small particle size threshold.

Building a functional, integrated GIS/remote sensing resource analysis and planning system. [Utah

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ridd, M. K.; Wheeler, D. J.

1985-01-01

To be an effective tool for resource analysis and planning, a geographic information system (GIS) needs to be integrated with a digital remote sensing capability. To be truly functional, the paired system must be driven by grass roots local needs. A case study couched in a Soil Conservation District in northern Utah is presented. Agency representatives determined that the most fundamental data sets to be entered into the GIS system analysis system in the first round were: land use/land cover; geomorphic/soil unit data; hydrologic unit data; and digital terrain. The least expensive and best ways to obtain these data were determined. Data were acquired and formatted to enter the state's PRIME/ARC-INFO GIS, and are being interrogated for resource management decisions related to such issues as agricultural preservation, urban expansion, soil erosion control, and dam siting.

25 CFR 309.12 - What are examples of basketry that are Indian products?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

..., spruce root, rye grass, sweet grass, yucca, bear grass, beach grass, rabbit brush, fiber, maidenhair fern..., pine needle/raffia effigy baskets, oak splint and braided sweet grass fancy baskets, birchbark containers, baleen baskets, rye grass dance fans, brown ash strawberry baskets, sumac wedding baskets, cedar...

25 CFR 309.12 - What are examples of basketry that are Indian products?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

..., spruce root, rye grass, sweet grass, yucca, bear grass, beach grass, rabbit brush, fiber, maidenhair fern..., pine needle/raffia effigy baskets, oak splint and braided sweet grass fancy baskets, birchbark containers, baleen baskets, rye grass dance fans, brown ash strawberry baskets, sumac wedding baskets, cedar...

Molecular Physiology of Root System Architecture in Model Grasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hixson, K.; Ahkami, A. H.; Anderton, C.; Veličković, D.; Myers, G. L.; Chrisler, W.; Lindenmaier, R.; Fang, Y.; Yabusaki, S.; Rosnow, J. J.; Farris, Y.; Khan, N. E.; Bernstein, H. C.; Jansson, C.

2017-12-01

Unraveling the molecular and physiological mechanisms involved in responses of Root System Architecture (RSA) to abiotic stresses and shifts in microbiome structure is critical to understand and engineer plant-microbe-soil interactions in the rhizosphere. In this study, accessions of Brachypodium distachyon Bd21 (C3 model grass) and Setaria viridis A10.1 (C4 model grass) were grown in phytotron chambers under current and elevated CO2 levels. Detailed growth stage-based phenotypic analysis revealed different above- and below-ground morphological and physiological responses in C3 and C4 grasses to enhanced CO2 levels. Based on our preliminary results and by screening values of total biomass, water use efficiency, root to shoot ratio, RSA parameters and net assimilation rates, we postulated a three-phase physiological mechanism, i.e. RootPlus, BiomassPlus and YieldPlus phases, for grass growth under elevated CO2 conditions. Moreover, this comprehensive set of morphological and process-based observations are currently in use to develop, test, and calibrate biophysical whole-plant models and in particular to simulate leaf-level photosynthesis at various developmental stages of C3 and C4 using the model BioCro. To further link the observed phenotypic traits at the organismal level to tissue and molecular levels, and to spatially resolve the origin and fate of key metabolites involved in primary carbohydrate metabolism in different root sections, we complement root phenotypic observations with spatial metabolomics data using mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) methods. Focusing on plant-microbe interactions in the rhizosphere, six bacterial strains with plant growth promoting features are currently in use in both gel-based and soil systems to screen root growth and development in Brachypodium. Using confocal microscopy, GFP-tagged bacterial systems are utilized to study the initiation of different root types of RSA, including primary root (PR), coleoptile node axile root (CNR) and leaf node axile root (LNR) during developmental stages of root formation. The root exudates also will be quantified and preliminary data will be used to engineer our microbial consortium to improve plant growth.

The roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in phytoremediation and tree-herb interactions in Pb contaminated soil

DOE PAGES

Yang, Yurong; Liang, Yan; Han, Xiaozhen; ...

2016-02-04

Understanding the roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in plant interaction is essential for optimizing plant distribution to restore degraded ecosystems. Here, our study investigated the effects of AMF and the presence of legume or grass herbs on phytoremediation with a legume tree, Robinia pseudoacacia, in Pb polluted soil. In monoculture, mycorrhizal dependency of legumes was higher than that of grass, and AMF benefited the plant biomass of legumes but had no effect on grass. Mycorrhizal colonization of plant was enhanced by legume neighbors but inhibited by grass neighbor in co-culture system. N, P, S and Mg concentrations of mycorrhizalmore » legumes were larger than these of non-mycorrhizal legumes. Legume herbs decreased soil pH and thereby increased the Pb concentrations of plants. The neighbor effects of legumes shifted from negative to positive with increasing Pb stress levels, whereas grass provided a negative effect on the growth of legume tree. AMF enhanced the competition but equalized growth of legume-legume under unpolluted and Pb stress conditions, respectively. In conclusion, (1) AMF mediate plant interaction through directly influencing plant biomass, and/or indirectly influencing plant photosynthesis, macronutrient acquisition, (2) legume tree inoculated with AMF and co-planted with legume herbs provides an effective way for Pb phytoremediation.« less

The roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in phytoremediation and tree-herb interactions in Pb contaminated soil

PubMed Central

Yang, Yurong; Liang, Yan; Han, Xiaozhen; Chiu, Tsan-Yu; Ghosh, Amit; Chen, Hui; Tang, Ming

2016-01-01

Understanding the roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in plant interaction is essential for optimizing plant distribution to restore degraded ecosystems. This study investigated the effects of AMF and the presence of legume or grass herbs on phytoremediation with a legume tree, Robinia pseudoacacia, in Pb polluted soil. In monoculture, mycorrhizal dependency of legumes was higher than that of grass, and AMF benefited the plant biomass of legumes but had no effect on grass. Mycorrhizal colonization of plant was enhanced by legume neighbors but inhibited by grass neighbor in co-culture system. N, P, S and Mg concentrations of mycorrhizal legumes were larger than these of non-mycorrhizal legumes. Legume herbs decreased soil pH and thereby increased the Pb concentrations of plants. The neighbor effects of legumes shifted from negative to positive with increasing Pb stress levels, whereas grass provided a negative effect on the growth of legume tree. AMF enhanced the competition but equalized growth of legume-legume under unpolluted and Pb stress conditions, respectively. In conclusion, (1) AMF mediate plant interaction through directly influencing plant biomass, and/or indirectly influencing plant photosynthesis, macronutrient acquisition, (2) legume tree inoculated with AMF and co-planted with legume herbs provides an effective way for Pb phytoremediation. PMID:26842958

The roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in phytoremediation and tree-herb interactions in Pb contaminated soil

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Yurong; Liang, Yan; Han, Xiaozhen

Understanding the roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in plant interaction is essential for optimizing plant distribution to restore degraded ecosystems. Here, our study investigated the effects of AMF and the presence of legume or grass herbs on phytoremediation with a legume tree, Robinia pseudoacacia, in Pb polluted soil. In monoculture, mycorrhizal dependency of legumes was higher than that of grass, and AMF benefited the plant biomass of legumes but had no effect on grass. Mycorrhizal colonization of plant was enhanced by legume neighbors but inhibited by grass neighbor in co-culture system. N, P, S and Mg concentrations of mycorrhizalmore » legumes were larger than these of non-mycorrhizal legumes. Legume herbs decreased soil pH and thereby increased the Pb concentrations of plants. The neighbor effects of legumes shifted from negative to positive with increasing Pb stress levels, whereas grass provided a negative effect on the growth of legume tree. AMF enhanced the competition but equalized growth of legume-legume under unpolluted and Pb stress conditions, respectively. In conclusion, (1) AMF mediate plant interaction through directly influencing plant biomass, and/or indirectly influencing plant photosynthesis, macronutrient acquisition, (2) legume tree inoculated with AMF and co-planted with legume herbs provides an effective way for Pb phytoremediation.« less

Use of a mixed sericea lespedeza and grass pasture system for control of gastrointestinal nematodes in lambs and kids.

PubMed

Burke, J M; Miller, J E; Mosjidis, J A; Terrill, T H

2012-05-25

Because of a high prevalence of anthelmintic resistance and consumer demand for chemical free meat products, management tools to minimize the need for deworming are needed. The objective was to examine the effectiveness of grazing sericea lespedeza (SL) in a mixed grass or a pure forage system for control of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN); in other words pasture systems included grass, grass plus SL, or SL alone (Experiments 2 and 3). Selective use of copper oxide wire particles (COWP) based on the FAMACHA(©) system was used to aid in GIN control. In Experiment 1, lambs co-grazed bermudagrass (BG; n=21) or SL in a mixed grass pasture (SLM; n=22) with dams for 14 days. In Experiment 2, lambs grazed BG (n=14), SLM (n=13), or pure SL (SLP; n=13) pastures for 56 days. In Experiment 3, doe kids grazed BG (n=12), SLM (n=13), or SLP (n=13) for 84 days. Animals were fed a 16% crude protein supplement based on NRC requirements and estimated forage quality of pastures, so that 454, 389, and 200 g/lamb (Experiment 2), or 454, 300, and 150 g of supplement/goat (Experiment 3) was fed to BG, SLM, and SLP, respectively. Animals were dewormed with COWP if FAMACHA(©) was >3. Coprocultures were conducted to identify GIN genus. In Experiment 1, FEC were reduced in lambs grazing SLM compared with BG pastures. In Experiment 2, FEC were reduced in SLP compared with BG lambs on all days, and reduced in SLM compared with BG lambs on day 56. Initially, Haemonchus contortus was the predominant nematode, but the population shifted to other species in the SL groups by the end of the study. The mean number of dewormings/lamb was 0.71, 0.20, and 0.21±0.13 for BG, SLM, and SLP groups, respectively. In goats in Experiment 3, Trichostrongylus spp. was the predominant nematode in May and June and H. contortus in July. There was little meaningful effect of forage treatments on GIN infection in kids. Because H. contortus was not the predominant nematode in kids, the integrated approaches used may not have been effective in controlling GIN. Grazing SL was effective for GIN control in lambs in early summer, but the effect was delayed in lambs grazing a mixed SL/grass pasture unless lambs initially grazed with dams. An integrated approach used that included SL grazing and COWP for deworming was effective in lambs. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Exotic Grass Yields Under Southern Pines

Treesearch

H.A. Pearson

1975-01-01

Kentucky 31 and Kenwell tall fescue, Pensacola bahia, and Brunswick grasses yielded nea,rly three times more forage under an established pine stand than native grasses 7 years after seeding. Introducing exotic grasses did not significantly increase total grass production but did enhance range quality since the cool-season grasses are green during winter and are higher...

2D PWV monitoring of a wide and orographically complex area with a low dense GNSS network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrando, Ilaria; Federici, Bianca; Sguerso, Domenico

2018-04-01

This study presents an innovative procedure to monitor the precipitable water vapor (PWV) content of a wide and orographically complex area with low-density networks. The procedure, termed G4M (global navigation satellite system, GNSS, for Meteorology), has been developed in a geographic information system (GIS) environment using the free and open source GRASS GIS software (https://grass.osgeo.org). The G4M input data are zenith total delay estimates obtained from GNSS permanent stations network adjustment and pressure ( P) and temperature ( T) observations using existing infrastructure networks with different geographic distributions in the study area. In spite of the wide sensor distribution, the procedure produces 2D maps with high spatiotemporal resolution (up to 250 m and 6 min) based on a simplified mathematical model including data interpolation, which was conceived by the authors to describe the atmosphere's physics. In addition to PWV maps, the procedure provides ΔPWV and heterogeneity index maps: the former represents PWV variations with respect to a "calm" moment, which are useful for monitoring the PWV evolution; and the latter are promising indicators to localize severe meteorological events in time and space. This innovative procedure is compared with meteorological simulations in this paper; in addition, an application to a severe event that occurred in Genoa (Italy) is presented.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

VAM populations in relation to grass invasion associated with forest decline.

PubMed

Vosatka, M; Cudlin, P; Mejstrik, V

1991-01-01

Spruce stands in Northern Bohemia forests, damaged to various degrees by industrial pollution, have shown establishment of grass cover following tree defoliation. Populations of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi were studied under this grass cover in four permanent plots with spruce under different levels of pollution stress. Soil and root samples were collected in April and June within each plot as follows: (1) sites without grass, (2) sites with initial stages of grass invasion, and (3) sites with fully developed grass cover. In all plots, the highest number of propagules were recovered from samples taken from sites having full grass cover. Mycorrhizal infection of grass was highest in the plot with the severest pollution damage and lowest in the least damaged plot. The development of grass cover and VAM infection of grass increased with tree defoliation caused by air pollution.

The Sorghum bicolor genome and the diversification of grasses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paterson, Andrew H.; Bowers, John E.; Bruggmann, Remy

2008-08-20

Sorghum, an African grass related to sugar cane and maize, is grown for food, feed, fibre and fuel. We present an initial analysis of the approx730-megabase Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench genome, placing approx98percent of genes in their chromosomal context using whole-genome shotgun sequence validated by genetic, physical and syntenic information. Genetic recombination is largely confined to about one-third of the sorghum genome with gene order and density similar to those of rice. Retrotransposon accumulation in recombinationally recalcitrant heterochromatin explains the approx75percent larger genome size of sorghum compared with rice. Although gene and repetitive DNA distributions have been preserved since palaeopolyploidizationmore » approx70 million years ago, most duplicated gene sets lost one member before the sorghum rice divergence. Concerted evolution makes one duplicated chromosomal segment appear to be only a few million years old. About 24percent of genes are grass-specific and 7percent are sorghum-specific. Recent gene and microRNA duplications may contribute to sorghum's drought tolerance.« less

The Sorghum bicolor genome and the diversification of grasses.

PubMed

Paterson, Andrew H; Bowers, John E; Bruggmann, Rémy; Dubchak, Inna; Grimwood, Jane; Gundlach, Heidrun; Haberer, Georg; Hellsten, Uffe; Mitros, Therese; Poliakov, Alexander; Schmutz, Jeremy; Spannagl, Manuel; Tang, Haibao; Wang, Xiyin; Wicker, Thomas; Bharti, Arvind K; Chapman, Jarrod; Feltus, F Alex; Gowik, Udo; Grigoriev, Igor V; Lyons, Eric; Maher, Christopher A; Martis, Mihaela; Narechania, Apurva; Otillar, Robert P; Penning, Bryan W; Salamov, Asaf A; Wang, Yu; Zhang, Lifang; Carpita, Nicholas C; Freeling, Michael; Gingle, Alan R; Hash, C Thomas; Keller, Beat; Klein, Patricia; Kresovich, Stephen; McCann, Maureen C; Ming, Ray; Peterson, Daniel G; Mehboob-ur-Rahman; Ware, Doreen; Westhoff, Peter; Mayer, Klaus F X; Messing, Joachim; Rokhsar, Daniel S

2009-01-29

Sorghum, an African grass related to sugar cane and maize, is grown for food, feed, fibre and fuel. We present an initial analysis of the approximately 730-megabase Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench genome, placing approximately 98% of genes in their chromosomal context using whole-genome shotgun sequence validated by genetic, physical and syntenic information. Genetic recombination is largely confined to about one-third of the sorghum genome with gene order and density similar to those of rice. Retrotransposon accumulation in recombinationally recalcitrant heterochromatin explains the approximately 75% larger genome size of sorghum compared with rice. Although gene and repetitive DNA distributions have been preserved since palaeopolyploidization approximately 70 million years ago, most duplicated gene sets lost one member before the sorghum-rice divergence. Concerted evolution makes one duplicated chromosomal segment appear to be only a few million years old. About 24% of genes are grass-specific and 7% are sorghum-specific. Recent gene and microRNA duplications may contribute to sorghum's drought tolerance.

Using resistance and resilience concepts to reduce impacts of annual grasses and altered fire regimes on the sagebrush ecosystem and sage-grouse- A strategic multi-scale approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chambers, Jeanne C.; Pyke, David A.; Maestas, Jeremy D.; Boyd, Chad S.; Campbell, Steve; Espinosa, Shawn; Havlina, Doug; Mayer, Kenneth F.; Wuenschel, Amarina

2014-01-01

This Report provides a strategic approach for conservation of sagebrush ecosystems and Greater Sage- Grouse (sage-grouse) that focuses specifically on habitat threats caused by invasive annual grasses and altered fire regimes. It uses information on factors that influence (1) sagebrush ecosystem resilience to disturbance and resistance to invasive annual grasses and (2) distribution, relative abundance, and persistence of sage-grouse populations to develop management strategies at both landscape and site scales. A sage-grouse habitat matrix links relative resilience and resistance of sagebrush ecosystems with sage-grouse habitat requirements for landscape cover of sagebrush to help decision makers assess risks and determine appropriate management strategies at landscape scales. Focal areas for management are assessed by overlaying matrix components with sage-grouse Priority Areas for Conservation (PACs), breeding bird densities, and specific habitat threats. Decision tools are discussed for determining the suitability of focal areas for treatment and the most appropriate management treatments.

Greenhouse studies on the phyto-extraction capacity of Cynodon nlemfuensis for lead and cadmium under irrigation with treated wastewater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madyiwa, S.; Chimbari, M. J.; Schutte, C. F.; Nyamangara, J.

For over 30 years, discharge of sewage effluent and sludge on pasturelands has been used in Zimbabwe as a cheap method for secondary treatment of wastewater without any monitoring of accumulation of heavy metals in soils and grasses, let alone in animals grazing on the pastures. Cynodon nlemfuensis (star grass) has been the main grass planted on the wastewater irrigated pasturelands. This study was conducted to assess the capacity of star grass to accumulate lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) and develop models incorporating grass yield, metal uptake and soil bio-available (EDTA extractable) metal content, that could be used to determine critical grass and soil concentrations at which grass productivity declines. Star grass was planted in 30 fertilized pots containing sandy soil within a greenhouse. The pots consisted of nine treatments of varying levels of added inorganic Pb and Cd subjected to treated wastewater application and one control that had no added metals and received water application only. The elements were applied to the soils once just after planting the grass. Chemical analyses showed that star grass had a relatively high phyto-extraction capacity of Pb and Cd, comparable to that of hyper-accumulating grasses such as Lolium perenne (rye grass). It accumulated Pb and Cd to levels far beyond the recommended maximum limits for pasture grass. Analysis of variance on log-normal transformed data showed that bio-available soil metal concentrations correlated strongly with grass metal content and grass metal content correlated strongly with the yield. There was however a weak correlation between the yield and bio-available soil levels. The yield versus grass metal content models that were developed for the first crop and re-growth predicted similar critical metal concentrations and yields. Using the critical grass metal concentrations in the soil bio-available metal concentration versus grass metal concentration models allowed for the prediction of the corresponding critical soil concentrations.

Confronting species distribution model predictions with species functional traits.

PubMed

Wittmann, Marion E; Barnes, Matthew A; Jerde, Christopher L; Jones, Lisa A; Lodge, David M

2016-02-01

Species distribution models are valuable tools in studies of biogeography, ecology, and climate change and have been used to inform conservation and ecosystem management. However, species distribution models typically incorporate only climatic variables and species presence data. Model development or validation rarely considers functional components of species traits or other types of biological data. We implemented a species distribution model (Maxent) to predict global climate habitat suitability for Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). We then tested the relationship between the degree of climate habitat suitability predicted by Maxent and the individual growth rates of both wild (N = 17) and stocked (N = 51) Grass Carp populations using correlation analysis. The Grass Carp Maxent model accurately reflected the global occurrence data (AUC = 0.904). Observations of Grass Carp growth rate covered six continents and ranged from 0.19 to 20.1 g day(-1). Species distribution model predictions were correlated (r = 0.5, 95% CI (0.03, 0.79)) with observed growth rates for wild Grass Carp populations but were not correlated (r = -0.26, 95% CI (-0.5, 0.012)) with stocked populations. Further, a review of the literature indicates that the few studies for other species that have previously assessed the relationship between the degree of predicted climate habitat suitability and species functional traits have also discovered significant relationships. Thus, species distribution models may provide inferences beyond just where a species may occur, providing a useful tool to understand the linkage between species distributions and underlying biological mechanisms.

Determination of ranges for reporting pollen aeroallergen levels in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area.

PubMed

Kosisky, Susan E; Marks, Mariko S; Yacovone, Margaret A; Nelson, Michael R

2011-09-01

Local aeroallergen monitoring provides useful information for the atopic patient and medical community. Currently, National Allergy Bureau (NAB) ranges are used for reporting pollen count levels in the Washington, DC, area. To determine standard range criteria (low, moderate, high, and very high) for the reporting of specific tree, grass, and weed aeroallergens representative of the Washington, DC, metropolitan region. Atmospheric sampling for pollen aeroallergens was performed using a volumetric rotating-arm impaction sampler (model 40 Rotorod, SDI Company, Plymouth Meeting, PA). The cumulative pollen count, over a 12-year period (1998-2009), was determined for specific pollen aeroallergens. Local ranges were developed using methodology previously employed to determine NAB ranges. A comparison was made between NAB and Washington, DC, area ranges. The local median count, and low and moderate range criteria, are markedly lower than NAB range counts for tree, grass, and weed pollen. The NAB 99th percentile (high) count is significantly higher for grass and weed pollen but lower for tree pollen. Using new local range criteria, an increase was seen in the number of high days recorded for weed pollen (1,300%), grass pollen (258.6%), and tree pollen (11.8%). Previously, using NAB range criteria, no very high days were reported for grass and weed pollen over the 12-year period. Washington, DC, ranges establish more relevant reporting standards for our local patient population and will allow for comparison with reporting levels developed for sampling locations nationwide as well as with other regional sites. Copyright © 2011 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of an in vitro system to simulate equine foregut digestion and the influence of acidity on protein and fructan degradation in the horse's stomach.

PubMed

Strauch, S; Wichert, B; Greef, J M; Hillegeist, D; Zeyner, A; Liesegang, A

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to improve an in vitro system in order to gather optimized information on the digestion of different forages in the horse's upper gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, foregut digestion of several forages was simulated in vitro (Part 1). The effect of different pH values on in vitro fructan degradation of two selected grasses (Part 2) was tested subsequently. Part 1: We hypothesized that our system produces representative results simulating digestive processes in the upper alimentary tract, but neglects microbial fermentation. In vitro digestion of six forages (grass mixture for horses, grass mixture for cows (GMC), tall fescue, English perennial ryegrass (ER), white clover, lucerne) was performed in two phases with pepsin and pancreatin. The results are consistent with current data from in vivo studies, including a degradation of crude protein and monosaccharides as well as a relative increase in fibres. Interestingly, a loss of fructan was measured in two feedstuffs (ER/GMC: 4.1/4.4% DM fructan before and 0.59/0.00% DM after simulated foregut digestion). Part 2: As fructans are thought not to be fragmented by digestive enzymes, another hypothesis was developed: acidic hydrolysis leads to a degradation of fructans. To evaluate the influence of gastric pH on the digestion of fructan and protein, different pH values (2, 3 and 4) were adjusted in a second series of in vitro foregut digestion trials with ER and GMC. As expected, the highest degradation of protein was seen at the lowest pH (protein in ER/GMC at pH 2: 6.11/8.28% DM and at pH 4: 7.73/10.64% DM), whereas fructan degradation was highest at pH 4 (fructan in ER/GMC at pH 2: 1.63/1.95% DM and at pH 4: 1.31/0.91% DM). We presume that not only acidic hydrolysis but also plant enzymes cause the loss of fructans in an acidic environment. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Optical Trapping-Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy System for Single Aerosol Particle Measurements

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-17

ADDRESS (ES) U.S. Army Research Office P.O. Box 12211 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2211 Final Report REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 11. SPONSOR...focused 532 nm laser ( Bermuda grass smut spores, horizontal illumination at power of 4.5 mW, focus length = 10 mm, UV quartz cuvette is from Starna...Cells, Inc.) (b) Single bioaerosol particles trapped using a focused 405 nm laser ( Bermuda grass smut spores, upward illumination at power of 2.0

Dominant integration locus drives continuous diversification of plant immune receptors with exogenous domain fusions.

PubMed

Bailey, Paul C; Schudoma, Christian; Jackson, William; Baggs, Erin; Dagdas, Gulay; Haerty, Wilfried; Moscou, Matthew; Krasileva, Ksenia V

2018-02-19

The plant immune system is innate and encoded in the germline. Using it efficiently, plants are capable of recognizing a diverse range of rapidly evolving pathogens. A recently described phenomenon shows that plant immune receptors are able to recognize pathogen effectors through the acquisition of exogenous protein domains from other plant genes. We show that plant immune receptors with integrated domains are distributed unevenly across their phylogeny in grasses. Using phylogenetic analysis, we uncover a major integration clade, whose members underwent repeated independent integration events producing diverse fusions. This clade is ancestral in grasses with members often found on syntenic chromosomes. Analyses of these fusion events reveals that homologous receptors can be fused to diverse domains. Furthermore, we discover a 43 amino acid long motif associated with this dominant integration clade which is located immediately upstream of the fusion site. Sequence analysis reveals that DNA transposition and/or ectopic recombination are the most likely mechanisms of formation for nucleotide binding leucine rich repeat proteins with integrated domains. The identification of this subclass of plant immune receptors that is naturally adapted to new domain integration will inform biotechnological approaches for generating synthetic receptors with novel pathogen "baits."

Grasses suppress shoot-borne roots to conserve water during drought

PubMed Central

Sebastian, Jose; Yee, Muh-Ching; Goudinho Viana, Willian; Rellán-Álvarez, Rubén; Feldman, Max; Priest, Henry D.; Trontin, Charlotte; Lee, Tak; Jiang, Hui; Mockler, Todd C.

2016-01-01

Many important crops are members of the Poaceae family, which develop root systems characterized by a high degree of root initiation from the belowground basal nodes of the shoot, termed the crown. Although this postembryonic shoot-borne root system represents the major conduit for water uptake, little is known about the effect of water availability on its development. Here we demonstrate that in the model C4 grass Setaria viridis, the crown locally senses water availability and suppresses postemergence crown root growth under a water deficit. This response was observed in field and growth room environments and in all grass species tested. Luminescence-based imaging of root systems grown in soil-like media revealed a shift in root growth from crown-derived to primary root-derived branches, suggesting that primary root-dominated architecture can be induced in S. viridis under certain stress conditions. Crown roots of Zea mays and Setaria italica, domesticated relatives of teosinte and S. viridis, respectively, show reduced sensitivity to water deficit, suggesting that this response might have been influenced by human selection. Enhanced water status of maize mutants lacking crown roots suggests that under a water deficit, stronger suppression of crown roots actually may benefit crop productivity. PMID:27422554

Complexity in African savannas: Direct, indirect, and cascading effects of animal densities, rainfall and vegetation availability

PubMed Central

Leeuwis, Tim; Peel, Mike

2018-01-01

Savanna ecosystems are popular subjects for interaction studies. Multiple studies have been done on the impact of elephants on vegetation, the impact of grass and browse availability on animal densities or on competition between herbivore species. Previous studies showed that elephant densities are frequently negatively correlated with densities of tall trees, and that browse and grass availability are correlated with browser and grazer density respectively. Additionally, a competition effect between browse and grass availability has been reported. These relationships are usually analysed by testing direct relationships between e.g., herbivore densities and food availability, without addressing competition effects or other indirect effects. In this study, multiple interactions in a savanna system have been analysed simultaneously using Partial Least Square-Path Modelling (PLS-PM) using mammal and vegetation data from three different wildlife reserves in southern KwaZulu-Natal. The results showed that the processes that three separate models for the three areas provided the best understanding of the importance of the different interactions. These models suggest that elephants had a negative impact on trees, but also on grass availability. The impact is stronger when elephants are not able to migrate during the dry season. Browsers and grazers were correlated with browse and grass availability, but competition between browse and grass was not detected. This study shows that due to the complexity of the interactions in an ecosystem and differences in environmental factors, these interactions are best studied per area. PLS-PM can be a useful tool for estimating direct, indirect, and cascading effects of changing animal densities in conservation areas. PMID:29768481

Leaf transcriptome of two highly divergent genotypes of Urochloa humidicola (Poaceae), a tropical polyploid forage grass adapted to acidic soils and temporary flooding areas.

PubMed

Vigna, Bianca Baccili Zanotto; de Oliveira, Fernanda Ancelmo; de Toledo-Silva, Guilherme; da Silva, Carla Cristina; do Valle, Cacilda Borges; de Souza, Anete Pereira

2016-11-11

Urochloa humidicola (Koronivia grass) is a polyploid (6x to 9x) species that is used as forage in the tropics. Facultative apospory apomixis is present in most of the genotypes of this species, although one individual has been described as sexual. Molecular studies have been restricted to molecular marker approaches for genetic diversity estimations and linkage map construction. The objectives of the present study were to describe and compare the leaf transcriptome of two important genotypes that are highly divergent in terms of their phenotypes and reproduction modes: the sexual BH031 and the aposporous apomictic cultivar BRS Tupi. We sequenced the leaf transcriptome of Koronivia grass using an Illumina GAIIx system, which produced 13.09 Gb of data that consisted of 163,575,526 paired-end reads between the two libraries. We de novo-assembled 76,196 transcripts with an average length of 1,152 bp and filtered 35,093 non-redundant unigenes. A similarity search against the non-redundant National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) protein database returned 65 % hits. We annotated 24,133 unigenes in the Phytozome database and 14,082 unigenes in the UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot database, assigned 108,334 gene ontology terms to 17,255 unigenes and identified 5,324 unigenes in 327 known metabolic pathways. Comparisons with other grasses via a reciprocal BLAST search revealed a larger number of orthologous genes for the Panicum species. The unigenes were involved in C4 photosynthesis, lignocellulose biosynthesis and flooding stress responses. A search for functional molecular markers revealed 4,489 microsatellites and 560,298 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). A quantitative real-time PCR analysis validated the RNA-seq expression analysis and allowed for the identification of transcriptomic differences between the two evaluated genotypes. Moreover, 192 unannotated sequences were classified as containing complete open reading frames, suggesting that the new, potentially exclusive genes should be further investigated. The present study represents the first whole-transcriptome sequencing of U. humidicola leaves, providing an important public information source of transcripts and functional molecular markers. The qPCR analysis indicated that the expression of certain transcripts confirmed the differential expression observed in silico, which demonstrated that RNA-seq is useful for identifying differentially expressed and unique genes. These results corroborate the findings from previous studies and suggest a hybrid origin for BH031.

Grass fungal endophytes and uses thereof

DOEpatents

Craven, Kelly

2015-03-10

The invention provides isolated fungal endophytes and synthetic combinations thereof with host grass plants. Methods for inoculating grass plant with the endophytes, for propagating the grass-endophyte combinations, and for producing feeds and biofuels from grass-endophyte combinations are also provided.

Changes in Trace Gas Nitrogen Emissions as a Response to Ecosystem Type Conversion in a Semi-Arid Climate.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrews, H.; Eberwein, J. R.; Jenerette, D.

2016-12-01

As humans continue to introduce exotic plants and to alter climate and fire regimes in semi-arid ecosystems, many plant communities have begun to shift from perennial forbs and shrubs to annual grasses with different functional traits. Shifts in plant types are also associated with shifts in microclimate, microbial activity, and litter inputs, all of which contribute to the efficiency of nitrogen processing and the magnitude of trace gas emissions (NOx and N2O), which are increasingly important fluxes in water-limited systems. Here, we explored how changes in plant litter impact trace gas emissions, asking the question: How does conversion from a native shrubland to exotic grassland ecosystem alter NOx and N2O fluxes in a semi-arid climate? We posed two hypotheses to explain the impacts of different types of litter on soils disturbed by exotic grasses and those that were still considered shrublands: 1.) Soils that have undergone conversion by exotic grasses release higher amounts of NOx and N2O than do those of unconverted shrublands, due to disruptions of native plant and soil processes by exotic grasses, and 2.) Because litter of exotic grasses has lower C:N than that of shrubs, litter inputs from exotic grasses will increase NOx and N2O emissions from soils more than will litter inputs from shrubs. As a preliminary study, we experimentally wetted mesocosms in a laboratory incubation containing converted and unconverted soils that had been mixed with no litter or either exotic grass or coastal sage scrub (CSS) litter. We measured N2O fluxes from mesocosms over a 48-hour period. 24 hours after wetting, samples with grass litter produced higher amounts of N2O than those with CSS litter; similarly, converted soils produced higher amounts of N2O than unconverted soils. These two effects combined resulted in exotic grassland conditions (converted soils with exotic grass litter) producing 10 times the amount of N2O as those containing native shrubland conditions (unconverted soils with CSS litter). Additionally, soils with no litter peaked in N2O emissions earlier than those with litter (12 hours after wetting compared to 24 hours after wetting). Following preliminary results, we suggest that differences in plant traits, such as litter, play a significant role in the magnitude and timing of trace gas nitrogen emissions.

An Integrated Physical, Genetic and Cytogenetic Map of Brachypodium distachyon, a Model System for Grass Research

PubMed Central

Febrer, Melanie; Goicoechea, Jose Luis; Wright, Jonathan; McKenzie, Neil; Song, Xiang; Lin, Jinke; Collura, Kristi; Wissotski, Marina; Yu, Yeisoo; Ammiraju, Jetty S. S.; Wolny, Elzbieta; Idziak, Dominika; Betekhtin, Alexander; Kudrna, Dave; Hasterok, Robert; Wing, Rod A.; Bevan, Michael W.

2010-01-01

The pooid subfamily of grasses includes some of the most important crop, forage and turf species, such as wheat, barley and Lolium. Developing genomic resources, such as whole-genome physical maps, for analysing the large and complex genomes of these crops and for facilitating biological research in grasses is an important goal in plant biology. We describe a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-based physical map of the wild pooid grass Brachypodium distachyon and integrate this with whole genome shotgun sequence (WGS) assemblies using BAC end sequences (BES). The resulting physical map contains 26 contigs spanning the 272 Mb genome. BES from the physical map were also used to integrate a genetic map. This provides an independent vaildation and confirmation of the published WGS assembly. Mapped BACs were used in Fluorescence In Situ Hybridisation (FISH) experiments to align the integrated physical map and sequence assemblies to chromosomes with high resolution. The physical, genetic and cytogenetic maps, integrated with whole genome shotgun sequence assemblies, enhance the accuracy and durability of this important genome sequence and will directly facilitate gene isolation. PMID:20976139

Spanish, French and British consumers' acceptability of Uruguayan beef, and consumers' beef choice associated with country of origin, finishing diet and meat price.

PubMed

Realini, C E; Font i Furnols, M; Sañudo, C; Montossi, F; Oliver, M A; Guerrero, L

2013-09-01

The effect of country of origin (local, Switzerland, Argentina, Uruguay), finishing diet (grass, grass plus concentrate, concentrate), and price (low, medium, high) on consumer's beef choice and segmentation was evaluated in Spain, France and United Kingdom. Sensory acceptability of Uruguayan beef from different production systems was also evaluated and contrasted with consumers' beef choices. Origin was the most important characteristic for the choice of beef with preference for meat produced locally. The second most important factor was animal feed followed by price with preference for beef from grass-fed animals and lowest price. The least preferred product was beef from Uruguay, concentrate-fed animals and highest price. Sensory data showed higher acceptability scores for Uruguayan beef from grass-fed animals with or without concentrate supplementation than animals fed concentrate only. Consumer segments with distinct preferences were identified. Foreign country promotion seems to be fundamental for marketing beef in Europe, as well as the development of different marketing strategies to satisfy each consumer segment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 33337 - Endangered Species Recovery Permit Applications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-08

... No. TE-036090 Applicant: Virginia S. Moran, Grass Valley, California. The applicant requests a permit... sunburst), Orcutttia pilosa (hairy Orcutt grass), Orcuttia viscida (Sacramento Orcutt grass), Tuctoria greenei (Green's awnless Orcutt grass), Tuctoria mucronata (Mucronata Orcutt grass), and Sidalcea keckii...

40 CFR 180.547 - Prohexadione calcium; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... byproducts, except kidney 0.05 Grass, forage 1 0.10 Grass, hay 1 0.10 Grass, seed screenings 1 3.5 Grass... kidney 0.05 1Registration is limited to grass grown for seed. (b) Section 18 emergency exemptions...

40 CFR 180.547 - Prohexadione calcium; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... byproducts, except kidney 0.05 Grass, forage 1 0.10 Grass, hay 1 0.10 Grass, seed screenings 1 3.5 Grass... kidney 0.05 1Registration is limited to grass grown for seed. (b) Section 18 emergency exemptions...

Vegetation changes over 12 years in ungrazed and grazed Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands in the central and southern plains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cade, Brian S.; Vandever, Mark W.; Allen, Arthur W.; Terrell, James W.

2005-01-01

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) established under the 1985 Food Security Act has the fundamental objectives of jointly providing economic support to segments of the agricultural community and conservation of natural resources (Osborn, 1997; Heard and others, 2000). Although soil loss on highly erodable lands was the principal natural resource conservation issue addressed in the 1985 CRP, improving water quality and wildlife habitat both became important considerations as the program evolved (Farmer and others, 1988). For example, Best and others (1997) found that production of young birds on CRP fields in the Midwest was ≥15 times the production on row-crop fields because of improved habitat. The increasing importance of wildlife habitat is reflected in continuing refinement of the Environmental Benefits Index (EBI) used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to quantify the potential benefits of enrolling lands in CRP (Osborn, 1997; Ribaudo and others, 2001). The refinements reflect input furnished by federal, state, and non-government organizations seeking greater wildlife habitat quality on CRP lands (Roseberry and David, 1994; Hughes and others, 1995; Millenbah and others, 1996; Patterson and Best, 1996; Rodgers, 1999; Allen and others, 2001).Refinement in the EBI has changed the types of grasses planted on newly enrolled land. In early CRP signups (1 through 11), 71% of new grassland acres were planted to introduced grasses and legumes [Conservation Practice (CP) 1] while 29% of the acres were planted to native grasses (CP2) (Osborn and others, 1992). By the 27th signup in July 2004, over 34.8 million acres (14 million ha) were enrolled in the CRP. More than 73% of these lands were planted to various mixtures of introduced (CP1) or native (CP2) grasses for a minimal contract period of 10 years (USDA, 2004). Continuation of grass plantings under the 2002 Farm Bill may result in CRP lands furnishing grass dominated cover for 20 or more consecutive years. The species of grass established in seeded grasslands can have a major influence on the potential quality of wildlife habitat where vegetation is maintained over a multi-year period. Different species of grass may have comparable abilities to alleviate soil erosion but furnish dissimilar qualities of wildlife habitat (fig. 1). For example, smooth brome, an introduced cool-season grass (grass species and scientific names are presented in table 1), is highly valued for its erosion control and forage attributes (Casler and Carlson, 1995). Switchgrass, a native warm-season grass, also is valued for its soil and water conservation qualities (Moser and Vogel, 1995) but provides greater benefits for some species of wildlife (Clubine, 1995). The quality of nesting and winter cover for ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) furnished by smooth brome on northeastern Colorado CRP lands is inferior to that provided by the taller, more robust switchgrass (Allen, 1994). Characteristics of the agricultural landscape surrounding individual CRP fields also play a role in the wildlife habitat potential of CRP plantings (Weber and others, 2002; Nusser and others, 2004). of native and seeded grasslands change in response to the presence (and absence) of physical disturbances such as fire, grazing, tillage, and haying (Hobbs and Huenneke, 1992; Millenbah and others, 1996; Allen and others, 2001; Renfrew and Ribic, 2001; Swengel and Swengel, 2001). The perpetuation of diversity in species composition and vegetation structure following disturbance sustains desirable habitat for a variety of grassland-dependent wildlife (Hall and Willig, 1994; Barnes and others, 1995; King and Savidge, 1995; Granfors and others, 1996; Herkert and others, 1996; Kurzejeski, 1996; Patterson and Best, 1996; Klute and others, 1997). Undisturbed grasslands have lower grass and forb species diversity, greater amounts of dead plant material, decreased as well as seasonally delayed productivity, and diminished structural diversity of vegetation (Peet and others, 1975; Rice and Parenti, 1978; Butler and Briske, 1988; Campa and Winterstein, 1992). Recommendations for the timing of disturbance to increase grass and forb species diversity range from 3 to 8 years following establishment of seeded grasslands in the northern Great Plains and Midwest (Duebbert and others, 1981; Higgens, 1987; Millenbah and others, 1996). The management interval, however, is affected by climatic conditions, soils, grass species, and management history of the individual stand. We quantified changes in vegetation structure and species composition across the typical 10-year contract period in undisturbed southern and central Great Plains CRP fields (fig. 2) planted to introduced and native grasses. In addition, we compared changes in vegetation in fields grazed during the emergency release of 1996 by comparing conditions prior to grazing and two and four years post grazing relative to changes in similar fields that were not grazed. Documentation of long-term changes in vegetation structure and composition for fields planted to common grass seed mixtures across a wide range of environmental conditions provides information to improve long-term wildlife habitat potential, guide program administration, and define management practices that yield economic benefits to operators while still meeting wildlife and conservation objectives. Emergency grazing provisions of the CRP are controversial. Although grazing can alter vegetative characteristics and reduce habitat quality in the short-term (Temple and others, 1999), periodic disturbance may be necessary to maintain habitat quality, and more information is needed assessing long-term effects of emergency grazing on vegetative structure and species composition. 

75 FR 69666 - Granting of Request for Early Termination of the Waiting Period Under the Premerger Notification...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-15

....P. G Technicolor S.A. G Thomson 000. G Grass Valley Spain SA. G Brazil GV Newco. G Thomson Licensing SAS. G Grass Valley Germany GmbH. G Grass Valley Australia PTY Limited. G Grass Valley Singapore PTE Ltd. G Canopus Asia Co. Limited. G Grass Valley Canada, Inc. G US GV Newco (to be formed). G Grass...

Uptake of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) by Vetiver grass (Vetiviera ziznoides L.) -- Preliminary results from a hydroponic study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shakya, K. M.; Sarkar, D.; Datta, R.; Makris, K.; Pachanoor, D.

2006-05-01

2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene(TNT) is a potent mutagen and a Group C human carcinogen that has been widely used to produce munitions and explosives. As a result, vast areas that have been previously used as military ranges, munition burning and open detonation sites have been heavily contaminated with TNT. Conventional remedial activities in such contaminated sites commonly rely on methods such as incineration, land filling and soil composting. Phytoremediation offers a cost-effective solution, utilizing plants to phytoextract TNT from the contaminated soil. We propose the use of vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanoides) to remove TNT from such contaminated soils. Vetiver is a fast-growing and adaptive grass, enabling its use in TNT-contaminated sites in a wide variety of soil types and climate. We also hypothesized that TNT removal by vetiver grass will be enhanced by utilizing a chaotropic agent (urea) to alter rhizosphere/root hair chemical environment. The objectives of this preliminary hydroponic study were: i) to investigate the effectiveness of vetiver grass in removing TNT from solution, and ii) to evaluate the use of a common agrochemical (urea) in enhancing TNT removal by vetiver grass. Vetiver plants were grown in a hydroponic system with five different TNT concentrations (0, 5, 10, 25, and 50 mg TNT L-1) and three urea concentrations (0, 0.01 and 0.1%). A plant density of 10 g L-1 and three replicate vessels per treatment were used. Aliquots were collected at several time intervals up to 192 hour, and were analyzed for TNT with HPLC. Results showed that vetiver was able to remove TNT from hydroponic solutions. The overall magnitude and kinetics of TNT removal by vetiver grass was enhanced in the presence of urea. TNT removal kinetics depended on TNT and urea initial concentrations, suggestive of second-order kinetic reactions. Preliminary results are encouraging, but in need for verification using more detailed studies involving TNT-contaminated soils. Ongoing research in our lab attempts to elucidate TNT fate and stability upon uptake by vetiver grass using plant extraction methods and enzyme activity assays.

Exploring the linkage between spontaneous grass cover biodiversity and soil degradation in two olive orchard microcatchments with contrasting environmental and management conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taguas, E. V.; Arroyo, C.; Lora, A.; Guzmán, G.; Vanderlinden, K.; Gómez, J. A.

2015-11-01

Spontaneous grass covers are an inexpensive soil erosion control measure in olive orchards. Olive farmers allow grass to grow on sloping terrain to comply with the basic environmental standards derived from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP, European Commission). However, to date there are few studies assessing the environmental quality considering such covers. In this study, we measured biodiversity indices for spontaneous grass cover in two olive orchards with contrasting site conditions and management regimes in order to evaluate the potential for biodiversity metrics to serve as an indicator of soil degradation. In addition, the differences and temporal variability of biodiversity indicators and their relationships with environmental factors such as soil type and properties, precipitation, topography and soil management were analysed. Different grass cover biodiversity indices were evaluated in two olive orchard catchments under conventional tillage and no tillage with grass cover, during 3 hydrological years (2011-2013). Seasonal samples of vegetal material and photographs in a permanent grid (4 samples ha-1) were taken to characterize the temporal variations of the number of species, frequency of life forms, diversity and modified Shannon and Pielou indices. Sorensen's index showed strong differences in species composition for the grass covers in the two olive orchard catchments, which are probably linked to the different site conditions. The catchment (CN) with the best site conditions (deeper soil and higher precipitation) and most intense management presented the highest biodiversity indices as well as the highest soil losses (over 10 t ha-1). In absolute terms, the diversity indices of vegetation were reasonably high for agricultural systems in both catchments, despite the fact that management activities usually severely limit the landscape and the variety of species. Finally, a significantly higher content of organic matter in the first 10 cm of soil was found in the catchment with worse site conditions in terms of water deficit, average annual soil losses of 2 t ha-1 and the least intense management. Therefore, the biodiversity indices considered in this study to evaluate spontaneous grass cover were not found to be suitable for describing the soil degradation in the study catchments.

Student Residence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Education and Science, London (England).

Principal facility requirements and costs of residential accommodations for students are discussed. After specifying the various space and facility requirements and providing cost information for the various classes of facilities, the report details requirements pertaining to external works (road access; car parking; grassing, planting, and…

Environmental Assessment for Military Family Housing Privatization Initiative

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

grass Bouteloua radicosa Grama grass Bouteloua parryi Grama grass Bouteloua barbata Grama grass Cathestecum erectum False grama grass Aristida...Leptonycteris curasoae yerbabuenae Lesser long- nosed bat LE WSC Desert scrub habitat with agave and columnar cacti present as food plants. May Occur

AmeriFlux CA-Let Alberta - Mixed Grass Prairie

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Flanagan, Lawrence B.

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site CA-Let Alberta - Mixed Grass Prairie. Site Description - Latitude 49.43° N; Longitude 112.56° W, altitude 951 meters,Mixed Grass Prairie that includes the following major species: Agropyron spp. (Wheat Grasses), Tragopogon dubius (Goat’s Beard), Vicia americana (Wild Vetch), Koleria cristata (June Grass), Eurotia lanata (Winter Fat), Stipa comata (Spear Grass), Achillea millefolium (Yarrow); Artemisia frigida (Pasture Sage); Carex spp. (Sedges), Bouteloua gracilis (Blue Grama Grass). Maximum canopy height varies from year to year

Responses of tropical native and invader C4 grasses to water stress, clipping and increased atmospheric CO2 concentration.

PubMed

Baruch, Zdravko; Jackson, Robert B

2005-10-01

The invasion of African grasses into Neotropical savannas has altered savanna composition, structure and function. The projected increase in atmospheric CO(2) concentration has the potential to further alter the competitive relationship between native and invader grasses. The objective of this study was to quantify the responses of two populations of a widespread native C(4) grass (Trachypogon plumosus) and two African C(4) grass invaders (Hyparrhenia rufa and Melinis minutiflora) to high CO(2) concentration interacting with two primary savanna stressors: drought and herbivory. Elevated CO(2) increased the competitive potential of invader grasses in several ways. Germination and seedling size was promoted in introduced grasses. Under high CO(2), the relative growth rate of young introduced grasses was twice that of native grass (0.58 g g(-1) week(-1) vs 0.25 g g(-1) week(-1)). This initial growth advantage was maintained throughout the course of the study. Well-watered and unstressed African grasses also responded more to high CO(2) than did the native grass (biomass increases of 21-47% compared with decreases of 13-51%). Observed higher water and nitrogen use efficiency of invader grasses may aid their establishment and competitive strength in unfertile sites, specially if the climate becomes drier. In addition, high CO(2) promoted lower leaf N content more in the invader grasses. The more intensive land use, predicted to occur in this region, may interact with high CO(2) to favor the African grasses, as they generally recovered faster after simulated herbivory. The superiority of invader grasses under high CO(2) suggests further increases in their competitive strength and a potential increased rate of displacement of the native savannas in the future by grasslands dominated by introduced African species.

Integrated GRASS GIS based techniques to identify thermal anomalies on water surface. Taranto case study.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massarelli, Carmine; Matarrese, Raffaella; Felice Uricchio, Vito

2014-05-01

In the last years, thermal images collected by airborne systems have made the detection of thermal anomalies possible. These images are an important tool to monitor natural inflows and legal or illegal dumping in coastal waters. By the way, the potential of these kinds of data is not well exploited by the Authorities who supervises the territory. The main reason is the processing of remote sensing data that requires very specialized operators and softwares which are usually expensive and complex. In this study, we adopt a simple methodology that uses GRASS, a free open-source GIS software, which has allowed us to map surface water thermal anomalies and, consequently, to identify and locate coastal inflows, as well as manmade or natural watershed drains or submarine springs (in italian citri) in the Taranto Sea (South of Italy). Taranto sea represents a coastal marine ecosystem that has been gradually modified by mankind. One of its inlet, the Mar Piccolo, is a part of the National Priority List site identified by the National Program of Environmental Remediation and Restoration because of the size and high presence of industrial activities, past and present, that have had and continue to seriously compromise the health status of the population and the environment. In order to detect thermal anomalies, two flights have been performed respectively on March 3rd and on April 7th, 2013. A total of 13 TABI images have been acquired to map the whole Mar Piccolo with 1m of spatial resolution. TABI-320 is an airborne thermal camera by ITRES, with a continuous spectral range between 8 and 12 microns. On July 15th, 2013, an in-situ survey was carried out along the banks to retrieve clear visible points of natural or artificial inflows, detecting up to 72 of discharges. GRASS GIS (Geographic Resources Analysis Support System), is a free and open source Geographic Information System (GIS) software suite used for geospatial data management and analysis, image processing, graphics and maps production, spatial modeling, and visualization. In this study, we used three GRASS modules: r.clump, r.contour and v.generalize. The first module recategorizes data by grouping cells in discrete areas into a unique category preserving category distinctions in the input raster map layer. R.contour transforms an input surface raster data into an isolines vector data. The third module simplifies and smoothes the lines, reducing the complexity of vector features. As result, we produced a map of thermal anomalies around the coast surprisingly coincident with the inflows detected during the survey. Furthermore, the use of airborne images allowed us to identify other discharges in areas impossible to reach with the boat, due to the presence of algae, mussel-culture or forbidden military zones. With this study we demonstrated how it is possible to use GRASS GIS modules in a new combination in order to process remote sensed data achieving the same results of the expensive and complex specialized softwares. This work was funded by Regional Agency for Environmental Protection and Prevention in the Puglia region (ARPA Puglia).

Visible, Very Near IR and Short Wave IR Hyperspectral Drone Imaging System for Agriculture and Natural Water Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saari, H.; Akujärvi, A.; Holmlund, C.; Ojanen, H.; Kaivosoja, J.; Nissinen, A.; Niemeläinen, O.

2017-10-01

The accurate determination of the quality parameters of crops requires a spectral range from 400 nm to 2500 nm (Kawamura et al., 2010, Thenkabail et al., 2002). Presently the hyperspectral imaging systems that cover this wavelength range consist of several separate hyperspectral imagers and the system weight is from 5 to 15 kg. In addition the cost of the Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) cameras is high (  50 k€). VTT has previously developed compact hyperspectral imagers for drones and Cubesats for Visible and Very near Infrared (VNIR) spectral ranges (Saari et al., 2013, Mannila et al., 2013, Näsilä et al., 2016). Recently VTT has started to develop a hyperspectral imaging system that will enable imaging simultaneously in the Visible, VNIR, and SWIR spectral bands. The system can be operated from a drone, on a camera stand, or attached to a tractor. The targeted main applications of the DroneKnowledge hyperspectral system are grass, peas, and cereals. In this paper the characteristics of the built system are shortly described. The system was used for spectral measurements of wheat, several grass species and pea plants fixed to the camera mount in the test fields in Southern Finland and in the green house. The wheat, grass and pea field measurements were also carried out using the system mounted on the tractor. The work is part of the Finnish nationally funded DroneKnowledge - Towards knowledge based export of small UAS remote sensing technology project.

Coastal Prairie Restoration Information System: Version 1 (Louisiana)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Allain, Larry

2007-01-01

The Coastal Prairie Restoration Information System (CPR) is a Microsoft Access database that allows users to query and view data about Louisiana coastal prairie species. Less than 0.1% of Louisiana's coastal prairie vegetation remains in a relatively undisturbed condition. Encompassing as much as 1 million hectares of land, coastal prairie is a hybrid of coastal wetlands and tall grass prairie. Over 550 plant species have been identified in Louisiana's coastal prairies to date. Efforts to conserve and restore this endangered ecosystem are limited by the ability of workers to identify and access knowledge about this diverse group of plants. In this database, a variety of data are provided for each of 650 coastal prairie species in Louisiana. The database was developed at the U.S. Geological Survey National Wetlands Research Center by Larry Allain, with software development by Myra Silva. Additional funding was provided by the biology department of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL), the ULL Center for Environmental and Ecological Technology, and the National Science Foundation.

Bioinformatics analysis of organizational and expressional characterizations of the IFNs, IRFs and CRFBs in grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella.

PubMed

Liao, Zhiwei; Wan, Quanyuan; Su, Jianguo

2016-08-01

Interferons (IFNs) play crucial roles in the immune response of defense against viral infection and bacteria invasion. In the present study, we systematically identified and characterized the IFNs, their regulatory factors (Interferon Regulatory Factors, IRFs) and receptors (Cytokine Receptor Family B, CRFBs) in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Grass carp IFNs can be classified into type I IFN (IFN-I) and type II IFN (IFN-II) like other teleosts. IFN-I consist of two groups with two (group I) or four (group II) cysteines in the mature peptide and can be further divided into three subgroups (IFN-a, -c and -d), containing four members: IFN1, IFN2, IFN3, IFN4 in grass carp. IFN-II contain two members, IFNγ2 with the similarity to mammalian IFNγ and a cyprinid specific IFNγ1 (IFNγ-rel) molecule. mRNA expression analyses of IFNs discovered that IFN1 and IFN-II were sustainably expressed in many tissues, while other IFN members were transiently expressed in specific tissues and time points. In the immune response, IFN transcriptions are primarily regulated through multiple IRFs after grass carp reovirus (GCRV) challenge. IRF family possess thirteen members in grass carp, which can be further divided into four subfamilies (IRF-1, -3, -4 and -5 subfamily), each of them plays different roles in the innate and adaptive immunity via various signaling pathways to interact with IFNs (mainly IFN-I). IFNs have to bind receptors (CRFBs) to perform their functions. CRFBs as IFN receptors contain six members in grass carp. The structure and expression characterizations of IFNs, IRFs and CRFBs were analyzed using bioinformatics tools. These results might provide basic data for the further functional research of IFN system, and deeply understand fish immune mechanisms against virus infection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 180.34 - Tests on the amount of residue remaining.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., barley, oats, rice, rye (each in grain form). (25) Alfalfa, Bermuda grass, bluegrass, brome grass, clovers, cowpea hay, fescue, lespedeza, lupines, orchard grass, peanut hay, peavine hay, rye grass, soybean hay, sudan grass, timothy, and vetch. (26) Corn forage, sorghum forage. (27) Sugarcane, cane...

40 CFR 180.34 - Tests on the amount of residue remaining.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., barley, oats, rice, rye (each in grain form). (25) Alfalfa, Bermuda grass, bluegrass, brome grass, clovers, cowpea hay, fescue, lespedeza, lupines, orchard grass, peanut hay, peavine hay, rye grass, soybean hay, sudan grass, timothy, and vetch. (26) Corn forage, sorghum forage. (27) Sugarcane, cane...

Final Environmental Assessment For Wing Infrastructure Development Outlook (WINDO) Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson, Arizona

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-06-01

rothrockii Grama grass Bouteloua californica Grama grass Bouteloua radicosa Grama grass Bouteloua parryi Grama grass Bouteloua barbata Grama grass...with agave and columnar cacti present as food plants. May Occur Mammal Myotis velifer Cave myotis SC Desertscrub of creosote, brittlebush

50 CFR 21.52 - Public health control order for resident Canada geese.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... repellants, (G) Cervical dislocation, and (H) CO2 asphyxiation. (ii) Birds caught live may be euthanized or... lomatium, Contra Costa goldfields, Hoover's spurge, fleshy owl's clover, Colusa grass, hairy Orcutt grass, Solano grass, Greene's tuctoria, Sacramento Valley Orcutt grass, San Joaquin Valley Orcutt grass, slender...

75 FR 35801 - Notice of Receipt of Several Pesticide Petitions Filed for Residues of Pesticide Chemicals in or...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-23

....05 ppm; grass, hay at 0.05 ppm; and grass, forage at 1.5 ppm. An enforcement method for plants has...; sorghum, stover at 0.35 ppm; grass, hay at 2.5 ppm; and grass, forage at 10 ppm. The analytical method is... on sorghum, grain at 0.2 ppm; grass, hay at 5.0 ppm; and grass, forage at 18 ppm. Since bromoxynil...

Native Grasses as a Management Alternative on Vegetated Closure Caps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwit, Charles; Collins, Beverly

2008-06-01

Capped waste sites often are vegetated with commercial turf grasses to increase evapotranspiration and prevent erosion and possible exposure of the barrier. Fertilizer, frequent watering, and mowing may be required to establish the turf grass and prevent invasion by trees and shrubs. Oldfield vegetation of grasses and forbs is a possible sustainable alternative to turf grass communities. To determine if oldfield vegetation can establish on caps, we (1) compared establishment of a dominant oldfield grass and a commercial turf grass under different combinations of new closure cap management: spring or summer planting and presence or absence of amendments to alleviate drought (watering, mulch) or increase soil fertility (fertilizer, lime, a nitrogen-fixing legume); (2) surveyed existing caps to determine if oldfield species establish naturally; and (3) performed a greenhouse experiment to compare growth of two native grasses under low and amended (added water, soil nutrients) conditions. Both the commercial grass and oldfield species established under new cap conditions; fertilizer, water, and mulch improved vegetation establishment in spring or summer, but legumes decreased grass cover. In the greenhouse, both native grasses grew best with amendments; however, substantial stem and root length were obtained with no fertilizer and only once-weekly watering. Existing vegetated caps supported planted grasses and naturally established oldfield species. Overall, the results indicate native grasses can establish on new caps and oldfields can serve as a management model; further work is needed to determine the management strategy to maintain herbaceous vegetation and slow woody species invasion.

Treatment with grass allergen peptides improves symptoms of grass pollen-induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.

PubMed

Ellis, Anne K; Frankish, Charles W; O'Hehir, Robyn E; Armstrong, Kristen; Steacy, Lisa; Larché, Mark; Hafner, Roderick P

2017-08-01

Synthetic peptide immunoregulatory epitopes are a new class of immunotherapy to treat allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC). Grass allergen peptides, comprising 7 synthetic T-cell epitopes derived from Cyn d 1, Lol p 5, Dac g 5, Hol l 5, and Phl p 5, is investigated for treatment of grass pollen-induced ARC. We sought to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of intradermally administered grass allergen peptides. A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated 3 regimens of grass allergen peptides versus placebo in patients with grass pollen-induced allergy (18-65 years). After a 4-day baseline challenge to rye grass in the environmental exposure unit (EEU), subjects were randomized to receive grass allergen peptides at 6 nmol at 2-week intervals for a total of 8 doses (8x6Q2W), grass allergen peptides at 12 nmol at 4-week intervals for a total of 4 doses (4x12Q4W), or grass allergen peptides at 12 nmol at 2-week intervals for a total of 8 doses (8x12Q2W) or placebo and treated before the grass pollen season. The primary efficacy end point was change from baseline in total rhinoconjunctivitis symptom score across days 2 to 4 of a 4-day posttreatment challenge (PTC) in the EEU after the grass pollen season. Secondary efficacy end points and safety were also assessed. Two hundred eighty-two subjects were randomized. Significantly greater improvement (reduction of total rhinoconjunctivitis symptom score from baseline to PTC) occurred across days 2 to 4 with grass allergen peptide 8x6Q2W versus placebo (-5.4 vs -3.8, respectively; P = .0346). Greater improvement at PTC also occurred for grass allergen peptide 8x6Q2W versus placebo (P = .0403) in patients with more symptomatic ARC. No safety signals were detected. Grass allergen peptide 8x6Q2W significantly improved ARC symptoms after rye grass allergen challenge in an EEU with an acceptable safety profile. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring the Application of Volunteered Geographic Information to Catchment Management: a Survey Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paudyal, D. R.; McDougall, K.; Apan, A.

2012-07-01

The participation and engagement of grass-root level community groups and citizens for natural resource management has a long history. With recent developments in ICT tools and spatial technology, these groups are seeking a new opportunity to manage natural resource data. There are lot of spatial information collected/generated by landcare groups, land holders and other community groups at the grass-root level through their volunteer initiatives. State government organisations are also interested in gaining access to this spatial data/information and engaging these groups to collect spatial information under their mapping programs. The aim of this paper is to explore the possible utilisation of volunteered geographic information (VGI) for catchment management activities. This research paper discusses the importance of spatial information and spatial data infrastructure (SDI) for catchment management and the emergence of VGI. A conceptual framework has been developed to illustrate how these emerging spatial information applications and various community volunteer activities can contribute to a more inclusive spatial data infrastructure (SDI) development at local level. A survey of 56 regional NRM bodies in Australia was utilised to explore the current community-driven volunteer initiatives for NRM activities and the potential of utilisation of VGI initiatives for NRM decision making process. This research paper concludes that VGI activities have great potential to contribute to SDI development at the community level to achieve better natural resource management (NRM) outcomes.

210 Study on the Sensitization Rates to Airbone Pollen and Mold in Children

PubMed Central

Park, So Hyun; Lim, Dae Hyun; Son, Byong Kwan; Kim, Jeong Hee; Oh, In Bo; Kim, Yang Ho; Lee, Keun Hwa; Kim, Su Young; Hong, Sung Chul

2012-01-01

Background Aeroallergens are important causative factors for allergies such as allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis and asthma. Previous studies for the sensitization rate to aeroallergen were based on those patient groups who had visited the pediatric allergy clinic. Compared to that, we inquired into the sensitization rates based on general school aged student population group in the city of Incheon, Jeju and Ulsan. Methods With informed consent, skin prick tests were performed on 5,094 students between April and June, 2010. Common 21 aeroallergens were used on elementary school student while middle and high school students were tested upon 28 allergens. 28 allergen list as positive control (1%Histamine), negative control (Normal saline), D.pteronyssinus, D.farinae, Citrus red mite, pollen (Birch, Alder, Oak, Japanese cedar, Pine, Willow, Elm, Maple, Bermuda grass, Timothy grass, Rye grass, Orchard, Meadow grass, Vernal grass, Mugwort, Japanese hop, Fat hen, Ragweed, Plantain), mold (Penicillatum, Asperugillus, Cladosporium, Alternaria) and 21 kinds of allergens that were used on elementary school students count as same as above except Elm, Rye grass, Orchard, Meadow grass, Vernal grass, Fat hen, Plantain. Results If arranged in rates of higher sensitization were D. pteronyssinus (25.79%), D. farinae (18.66%), Mugwort (6.20%), Willow (4.07%) in Incheon, D. pteronyssinus (33.35%), D. farinae (24.78%), Japanese cedar (15.36%), Alternaria (7.33%) in Jeju, D. pteronyssinus (32.79%), D. farinae (30.27%), Alder (10.13%), Birch (8.68%) in Ulsan respectively. The sensitization rate of Japanese cedar was statistically significantly higher in Jeju. The sensitization rate of Birch, Alder, Oak was higher in Ulsan. The sensitization rate of Ragweed was 0.99% in Incheon, 1.07% in Jeju, 0.81% in Ulsan. The sensitization rate of Mugwort in Incheon was 6.20% which was meaningfully higher in comparison to 2.32% of Jeju and 2.73% of Ulsan. The sensitization rate of Alternaria was 2.98% in Incheon, 7.33% in Jeju, 2.39% in Ulsan and as we can see it was higher in Jeju. The sensitization rate of Dermatophagoides had an increasing tendency with increasing age. Conclusions Changes in exposure rate to allergens with increasing ages brings changes in sensitization rates. And because there are changes in sensitization rates due to different regional living environmental status and discrepancies of surrounding biologic species, this would leave us there lies needs for subsequent studies and nationwide researches.

Computers for Political Change: PeaceNet and Public Data Access.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downing, John D. H.

1989-01-01

Describes two computer communication projects: PeaceNet, devoted to peace issues; and Public Data Access, devoted to making U.S. government information more broadly available. Discusses the potential of new technology (computer communication) for grass-roots political movements. (SR)

Convergence of macroscopic tongue anatomy in ruminants and scaling relationships with body mass or tongue length.

PubMed

Meier, Andrea R; Schmuck, Ute; Meloro, Carlo; Clauss, Marcus; Hofmann, Reinhold R

2016-03-01

Various morphological measures demonstrate convergent evolution in ruminants with their natural diet, in particular with respect to the browser/grazer dichotomy. Here, we report quantitative macroanatomical measures of the tongue (length and width of specific parts) of 65 ruminant species and relate them to either body mass (BM) or total tongue length, and to the percentage of grass in the natural diet (%grass). Models without and with accounting for the phylogenetic structures of the dataset were used, and models were ranked using Akaike's Information Criterion. Scaling relationships followed geometric principles, that is, length measures scaled with BM to the power of 0.33. Models that used tongue length rather than BM as a body size proxy were consistently ranked better, indicating that using size proxies that are less susceptible to a wider variety of factors (such as BM that fluctuates with body condition) should be attempted whenever possible. The proportion of the freely mobile tongue tip of the total tongue (and hence also the corpus length) was negatively correlated to %grass, in accordance with concepts that the feeding mechanism of browsers requires more mobile tongues. It should be noted that some nonbrowsers, such as cattle, use a peculiar mechanism for grazing that also requires long, mobile tongues, but they appear to be exceptions. A larger corpus width with increasing %grass corresponds to differences in snout shape with broader snouts in grazers. The Torus linguae is longer with increasing %grass, a finding that still warrants functional interpretation. This study shows that tongue measures covary with diet in ruminants. In contrast, the shape of the tongue (straight or "hourglass-shaped" as measured by the ratio of the widest and smallest corpus width) is unrelated to diet and is influenced strongly by phylogeny. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comprehensive analysis of transcriptome response to salinity stress in the halophytic turf grass Sporobolus virginicus

PubMed Central

Yamamoto, Naoki; Takano, Tomoyuki; Tanaka, Keisuke; Ishige, Taichiro; Terashima, Shin; Endo, Chisato; Kurusu, Takamitsu; Yajima, Shunsuke; Yano, Kentaro; Tada, Yuichi

2015-01-01

The turf grass Sporobolus virginicus is halophyte and has high salinity tolerance. To investigate the molecular basis of its remarkable tolerance, we performed Illumina high-throughput RNA sequencing on roots and shoots of a S. virginicus genotype under normal and saline conditions. The 130 million short reads were assembled into 444,242 unigenes. A comparative analysis of the transcriptome with rice and Arabidopsis transcriptome revealed six turf grass-specific unigenes encoding transcription factors. Interestingly, all of them showed root specific expression and five of them encode bZIP type transcription factors. Another remarkable transcriptional feature of S. virginicus was activation of specific pathways under salinity stress. Pathway enrichment analysis suggested transcriptional activation of amino acid, pyruvate, and phospholipid metabolism. Up-regulation of several unigenes, previously shown to respond to salt stress in other halophytes was also observed. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis revealed that unigenes assigned as proteins in response to water stress, such as dehydrin and aquaporin, and transporters such as cation, amino acid, and citrate transporters, and H+-ATPase, were up-regulated in both shoots and roots under salinity. A correspondence analysis of the enriched pathways in turf grass cells, but not in rice cells, revealed two groups of unigenes similarly up-regulated in the turf grass in response to salt stress; one of the groups, showing excessive up-regulation under salinity, included unigenes homologos to salinity responsive genes in other halophytes. Thus, the present study identified candidate genes involved in salt tolerance of S. virginicus. This genetic resource should be valuable for understanding the mechanisms underlying high salt tolerance in S. virginicus. This information can also provide insight into salt tolerance in other halophytes. PMID:25954282

Nuclear DNA Variation, Chromosome Numbers and Polyploidy in the Endemic and Indigenous Grass Flora of New Zealand

PubMed Central

MURRAY, B. G.; DE LANGE, P. J.; FERGUSON, A. R.

2005-01-01

• Background and Aims Little information is available on DNA C-values for the New Zealand flora. Nearly 85 % of the named species of the native vascular flora are endemic, including 157 species of Poaceae, the second most species-rich plant family in New Zealand. Few C-values have been published for New Zealand native grasses, and chromosome numbers have previously been reported for fewer than half of the species. The aim of this research was to determine C-values and chromosome numbers for most of the endemic and indigenous Poaceae from New Zealand. • Scope To analyse DNA C-values from 155 species and chromosome numbers from 55 species of the endemic and indigenous grass flora of New Zealand. • Key Results The new C-values increase significantly the number of such measurements for Poaceae worldwide. New chromosome numbers were determined from 55 species. Variation in C-value and percentage polyploidy were analysed in relation to plant distribution. No clear relationship could be demonstrated between these variables. • Conclusions A wide range of C-values was found in the New Zealand endemic and indigenous grasses. This variation can be related to the phylogenetic position of the genera, plants in the BOP (Bambusoideae, Oryzoideae, Pooideae) clade in general having higher C-values than those in the PACC (Panicoideae, Arundinoideae, Chloridoideae + Centothecoideae) clade. Within genera, polyploids typically have smaller genome sizes (C-value divided by ploidy level) than diploids and there is commonly a progressive decrease with increasing ploidy level. The high frequency of polyploidy in the New Zealand grasses was confirmed by our additional counts, with only approximately 10 % being diploid. No clear relationship between C-value, polyploidy and rarity was evident. PMID:16243852

Impact of Urbanisation on Soil Organic Matter Content in chernozems in Vojvodina region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samardžić, Miljan; Vasin, Jovica; Jajić, Igor; Vasenev, Ivan

2017-04-01

Vojvodina is the northern province of Serbia and the chief agricultural centre of the country. The main soil type in Vojvodina is chernozem (60% of total area), and it is under heavy anthropogenic pressure. Changes in soil organic matter amount resulting from switching from natural to urban ecosystems on Vojvodina's chernozem were not thoroughly researched in the past, which gave us unique insight in soil organic matter losses under human activity, namely urbanisation. The research has been carried out during July 2016 at Nature reserve Čarnok (as a control) and urban settlements Zmajevo, Vrbas and Kula, which are located 12 km from each other and Čarnok. Urban locations were lawns, chosen according to information from the owners (no known ploughing, no addition of sandy or clay material during last 70 years, no grass sowing and only direct human activity is trimming of grass). The results showed significant reduction of humus content in urban ecosystems: Čarnok (control, natural reserve) humus 5,33%, organic C 3,488%; Zmajevo humus 2,51%, organic C 1,963%; Vrbas humus 3,81%, organic C 4,216%; Kula humus 1,95%, organic C 1,517%. The differences in organic carbon also showed basically the same trend with notable exception of Vrbas. These differences in soil organic matter content is generally based on grass trimming practices. In Zmajevo, grass was trimmed monthly, with removal of biomass from the lawn, in Kula grass was trimmed twice per month with removal of biomass and in Vrbas trimming was performed once per week, with shredding of biomass and leaving it on the lawn. The conclusion was that land use change has advert impact on soil organic matter content in urban ecosystems, and that within it human practices such as trimming have significant impact on it.

Exploiting EST databases for the development and characterisation of 3425 gene-tagged CISP markers in biofuel crop sugarcane and their transferability in cereals and orphan tropical grasses.

PubMed

Chandra, Amaresh; Jain, Radha; Solomon, Sushil; Shrivastava, Shiksha; Roy, Ajoy K

2013-02-04

Sugarcane is an important cash crop, providing 70% of the global raw sugar as well as raw material for biofuel production. Genetic analysis is hindered in sugarcane because of its large and complex polyploid genome and lack of sufficiently informative gene-tagged markers. Modern genomics has produced large amount of ESTs, which can be exploited to develop molecular markers based on comparative analysis with EST datasets of related crops and whole rice genome sequence, and accentuate their cross-technical functionality in orphan crops like tropical grasses. Utilising 246,180 Saccharum officinarum EST sequences vis-à-vis its comparative analysis with ESTs of sorghum and barley and the whole rice genome sequence, we have developed 3425 novel gene-tagged markers - namely, conserved-intron scanning primers (CISP) - using the web program GeMprospector. Rice orthologue annotation results indicated homology of 1096 sequences with expressed proteins, 491 with hypothetical proteins. The remaining 1838 were miscellaneous in nature. A total of 367 primer-pairs were tested in diverse panel of samples. The data indicate amplification of 41% polymorphic bands leading to 0.52 PIC and 3.50 MI with a set of sugarcane varieties and Saccharum species. In addition, a moderate technical functionality of a set of such markers with orphan tropical grasses (22%) and fodder cum cereal oat (33%) is observed. Developed gene-tagged CISP markers exhibited considerable technical functionality with varieties of sugarcane and unexplored species of tropical grasses. These markers would thus be particularly useful in identifying the economical traits in sugarcane and developing conservation strategies for orphan tropical grasses.

Quantification of atopy and the probability of rhinitis in preschool children: a population-based birth cohort study.

PubMed

Marinho, S; Simpson, A; Söderström, L; Woodcock, A; Ahlstedt, S; Custovic, A

2007-12-01

Atopy quantification using IgE levels/skin test diameter (SPT-MWD) may better predict the expression of rhinitis than using atopy as a dichotomous variable. To investigate the association between the presence, temporal pattern and severity of rhinitis in preschool children and specific IgE levels/SPT-MWDs. Children were followed prospectively to age 5 years in a whole-population birth cohort study. We administered questionnaires (n = 815), skin prick tested children (n = 717) and measured specific serum IgE (n = 478) to inhalant and food allergens. Main outcomes were current rhinitis (CR) and current rhinoconjunctivitis (CRC). The prevalence of CR and CRC was 26.1% and 12.1%, respectively. The risk of CR and CRC increased significantly with increasing IgE to grass, mite and cat; CRC was also associated with increasing IgE to dog and peanut. Similarly, increasing SPT-MWDs to inhalant allergens were significantly associated with CR and CRC. This association was also shown for grass within the group of atopic children. Perennial and seasonal rhinitis were associated with increasing IgE/SPT-MWD to mite and grass, respectively. Moderate/severe rhinitis was associated with increasing IgE/SPT-MWD to grass. In a multivariate analysis, increasing levels of IgE/SPT-MWD to grass were the strongest independent predictors of both CR (for IgE: OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.23-1.64, P < 0.001) and CRC (for IgE: 1.51, 1.30-1.76, P < 0.001). The probability of CR/CRC increases with increasing specific IgE levels or SPT-MWD. With respect to allergic rhinitis, the absolute levels of specific IgE antibody or the size of SPT wheal offer more information than just the presence/absence of sensitization.

Environmental and economic comparisons of manure application methods in farming systems.

PubMed

Rotz, C A; Kleinman, P J A; Dell, C J; Veith, T L; Beegle, D B

2011-01-01

Alternative methods for applying livestock manure to no-till soils involve environmental and economic trade-offs. A process-level farm simulation model (Integrated Farm System Model) was used to evaluate methods for applying liquid dairy (Bos taurus L.) and swine (Sus scrofa L.) manure, including no application, broadcast spreading with and without incorporation by tillage, band application with soil aeration, and shallow disk injection. The model predicted ammonia emissions, nitrate leaching, and phosphorus (P) runoff losses similar to those measured over 4 yr of field trials. Each application method was simulated over 25 yr of weather on three Pennsylvania farms. On a swine and cow-calf beef operation under grass production, shallow disk injection increased profit by $340 yr(-1) while reducing ammonia nitrogen and soluble P losses by 48 and 70%, respectively. On a corn (Zea mays L.)-and-grass-based grazing dairy farm, shallow disk injection reduced ammonia loss by 21% and soluble P loss by 76% with little impact on farm profit. Incorporation by tillage and band application with aeration provided less environmental benefit with a net decrease in farm profit. On a large corn-and-alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)-based dairy farm where manure nutrients were available in excess of crop needs, incorporation methods were not economically beneficial, but they provided environmental benefits with relatively low annual net costs ($13 to $18 cow). In all farming systems, shallow disk injection provided the greatest environmental benefit at the least cost or greatest profit for the producer. With these results, producers are better informed when selecting manure application equipment.

Leaf Area Index Drives Soil Water Availability and Extreme Drought-Related Mortality under Elevated CO2 in a Temperate Grassland Model System

PubMed Central

Manea, Anthony; Leishman, Michelle R.

2014-01-01

The magnitude and frequency of climatic extremes, such as drought, are predicted to increase under future climate change conditions. However, little is known about how other factors such as CO2 concentration will modify plant community responses to these extreme climatic events, even though such modifications are highly likely. We asked whether the response of grasslands to repeat extreme drought events is modified by elevated CO2, and if so, what are the underlying mechanisms? We grew grassland mesocosms consisting of 10 co-occurring grass species common to the Cumberland Plain Woodland of western Sydney under ambient and elevated CO2 and subjected them to repeated extreme drought treatments. The 10 species included a mix of C3, C4, native and exotic species. We hypothesized that a reduction in the stomatal conductance of the grasses under elevated CO2 would be offset by increases in the leaf area index thus the retention of soil water and the consequent vulnerability of the grasses to extreme drought would not differ between the CO2 treatments. Our results did not support this hypothesis: soil water content was significantly lower in the mesocosms grown under elevated CO2 and extreme drought-related mortality of the grasses was greater. The C4 and native grasses had significantly higher leaf area index under elevated CO2 levels. This offset the reduction in the stomatal conductance of the exotic grasses as well as increased rainfall interception, resulting in reduced soil water content in the elevated CO2 mesocosms. Our results suggest that projected increases in net primary productivity globally of grasslands in a high CO2 world may be limited by reduced soil water availability in the future. PMID:24632832

Leaf area index drives soil water availability and extreme drought-related mortality under elevated CO2 in a temperate grassland model system.

PubMed

Manea, Anthony; Leishman, Michelle R

2014-01-01

The magnitude and frequency of climatic extremes, such as drought, are predicted to increase under future climate change conditions. However, little is known about how other factors such as CO2 concentration will modify plant community responses to these extreme climatic events, even though such modifications are highly likely. We asked whether the response of grasslands to repeat extreme drought events is modified by elevated CO2, and if so, what are the underlying mechanisms? We grew grassland mesocosms consisting of 10 co-occurring grass species common to the Cumberland Plain Woodland of western Sydney under ambient and elevated CO2 and subjected them to repeated extreme drought treatments. The 10 species included a mix of C3, C4, native and exotic species. We hypothesized that a reduction in the stomatal conductance of the grasses under elevated CO2 would be offset by increases in the leaf area index thus the retention of soil water and the consequent vulnerability of the grasses to extreme drought would not differ between the CO2 treatments. Our results did not support this hypothesis: soil water content was significantly lower in the mesocosms grown under elevated CO2 and extreme drought-related mortality of the grasses was greater. The C4 and native grasses had significantly higher leaf area index under elevated CO2 levels. This offset the reduction in the stomatal conductance of the exotic grasses as well as increased rainfall interception, resulting in reduced soil water content in the elevated CO2 mesocosms. Our results suggest that projected increases in net primary productivity globally of grasslands in a high CO2 world may be limited by reduced soil water availability in the future.

Grass competition suppresses savanna tree growth across multiple demographic stages.

PubMed

Riginos, Corinna

2009-02-01

Savanna ecosystems, defined by the codominance of trees and grasses, cover one-fifth of the world's land surface and are of great socioeconomic and biological importance. Yet, the fundamental question of how trees and grasses coexist to maintain the savanna state remains poorly understood. Many models have been put forward to explain tree-grass coexistence, but nearly all have assumed that grasses do not limit tree growth and demography beyond the sapling stage. This assumption, however, has rarely been tested. Here I show that grass can strongly suppress the growth of trees. I removed grass around trees of three size classes in an Acacia drepanolobium savanna in Laikipia, Kenya. For even the largest trees, grass removal led to a doubling in growth and a doubling in the probability of transitioning to the next size class over two years. These results suggest that grass competition in productive (nutrient-rich) savannas may limit tree growth as much as herbivory and fire (the main factors thought to determine tree demography within a rainfall region) and should be incorporated into savanna models if tree-grass coexistence and savanna dynamics are to be understood.

Breeding bird territory placement in riparian wet meadows in relation to invasive reed canary grass, Phalaris arundinacea

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirsch, E.M.; Gray, B.R.; Fox, T.J.; Thogmartin, W.E.

2007-01-01

Invasive plants are a growing concern worldwide for conservation of native habitats. In endangered wet meadow habitat in the Upper Midwestern United States, reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) is a recognized problem and its prevalence is more widespread than the better-known invasive wetland plant purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria). Although resource managers are concerned about the effect of reed canary grass on birds, this is the first study to report how common wet meadow birds use habitat in relation to reed canary grass cover and dominance. We examined three response variables: territory placement, size of territories, and numbers of territories per plot in relation to cover of reed canary grass. Territory locations for Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis) and Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) were positively associated with reed canary grass cover, while those for Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) were not. Only Swamp Sparrow (M. georgiana) territory locations were negatively associated with reed canary grass cover and dominance (which indicated a tendency to place territories where there was no reed canary grass or where many plant species occurred with reed canary grass). Swamp Sparrow territories were positively associated with vegetation height density and litter depth. Common Yellowthroat territories were positively associated with vegetation height density and shrub cover. Song Sparrow territories were negatively associated with litter depth. Reed canary grass cover within territories was not associated with territory size for any of these four bird species. Territory density per plot was not associated with average reed canary grass cover of plots for all four species. Sedge Wrens and Song Sparrows may not respond negatively to reed canary grass because this grass is native to wet meadows of North America, and in the study area it merely replaces other tall lush plants. Avoidance of reed canary grass by Swamp Sparrows may be mediated through their preference for wet areas where reed canary grass typically does not dominate. ?? 2007, The Society of Wetland Scientists.

Remote sensing of St. Augustine Decline (SAD) disease. [spectral reflectance of healthy and diseased grass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Odle, W. C.

1976-01-01

Laboratory and field spectral reflectance measurements of healthy and infected St. Augustine grass were made using several different instruments. Spectral differences between healthy and infected grass occured in the visible and near infrared regions. Multiband and color infrared photographs were taken of healthy and diseased turf from ground-based platforms and low altitude aircraft. Qualitative (density slicing) and quantitative (transmission densitometry) analyses revealed distinct tonal differences between healthy and St. Augustine disease (SAD) infected grass. Similar experiments are described for determining if healthy and diseased grass can be distinguished from waterstressed grass and grass deficient in either nitrogen or iron.

Preference for C4 shade grasses increases hatchling performance in the butterfly, Bicyclus safitza.

PubMed

Nokelainen, Ossi; Ripley, Brad S; van Bergen, Erik; Osborne, Colin P; Brakefield, Paul M

2016-08-01

The Miocene radiation of C4 grasses under high-temperature and low ambient CO 2 levels occurred alongside the transformation of a largely forested landscape into savanna. This inevitably changed the host plant regime of herbivores, and the simultaneous diversification of many consumer lineages, including Bicyclus butterflies in Africa, suggests that the radiations of grasses and grazers may be evolutionary linked. We examined mechanisms for this plant-herbivore interaction with the grass-feeding Bicyclus safitza in South Africa. In a controlled environment, we tested oviposition preference and hatchling performance on local grasses with C3 or C4 photosynthetic pathways that grow either in open or shaded habitats. We predicted preference for C3 plants due to a hypothesized lower processing cost and higher palatability to herbivores. In contrast, we found that females preferred C4 shade grasses rather than either C4 grasses from open habitats or C3 grasses. The oviposition preference broadly followed hatchling performance, although hatchling survival was equally good on C4 or C3 shade grasses. This finding was explained by leaf toughness; shade grasses were softer than grasses from open habitats. Field monitoring revealed a preference of adults for shaded habitats, and stable isotope analysis of field-sampled individuals confirmed their preference for C4 grasses as host plants. Our findings suggest that plant-herbivore interactions can influence the direction of selection in a grass-feeding butterfly. Based on this work, we postulate future research to test whether these interactions more generally contribute to radiations in herbivorous insects via expansions into new, unexploited ecological niches.

Facilitation or Competition? Tree Effects on Grass Biomass across a Precipitation Gradient

PubMed Central

Moustakas, Aristides; Kunin, William E.; Cameron, Tom C.; Sankaran, Mahesh

2013-01-01

Savanna ecosystems are dominated by two distinct plant life forms, grasses and trees, but the interactions between them are poorly understood. Here, we quantified the effects of isolated savanna trees on grass biomass as a function of distance from the base of the tree and tree height, across a precipitation gradient in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. Our results suggest that mean annual precipitation (MAP) mediates the nature of tree-grass interactions in these ecosystems, with the impact of trees on grass biomass shifting qualitatively between 550 and 737 mm MAP. Tree effects on grass biomass were facilitative in drier sites (MAP≤550 mm), with higher grass biomass observed beneath tree canopies than outside. In contrast, at the wettest site (MAP = 737 mm), grass biomass did not differ significantly beneath and outside tree canopies. Within this overall precipitation-driven pattern, tree height had positive effect on sub-canopy grass biomass at some sites, but these effects were weak and not consistent across the rainfall gradient. For a more synthetic understanding of tree-grass interactions in savannas, future studies should focus on isolating the different mechanisms by which trees influence grass biomass, both positively and negatively, and elucidate how their relative strengths change over broad environmental gradients. PMID:23451137

Ecophysiological responses of native and invasive grasses to simulated warming and drought

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravi, S.; Law, D. J.; Wiede, A.; Barron-Gafford, G. A.; Breshears, D. D.; Dontsova, K.; Huxman, T. E.

2011-12-01

Climate models predict that many arid regions around the world - including the North American deserts - may become affected more frequently by recurrent droughts. At the same time, these regions are experiencing rapid vegetation transformations such as invasion by exotic grasses. Thus, understanding the ecophysiological processes accompanying exotic grass invasion in the context of rising temperatures and recurrent droughts is fundamental to global change research. Under ambient and warmer (+ 4° C) conditions inside the Biosphere 2 facility, we compared the ecophysiological responses (e.g. photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, pre-dawn leaf water potential, light & CO2 response functions, biomass) of a native grass - Heteropogan contortus (Tangle head) and an invasive grass - Pennisetum ciliare (Buffel grass) growing in single and mixed communities. Further, we monitored the physiological responses and mortality of these plant communities under moisture stress conditions, simulating a global change-type-drought. The results indicate that the predicted warming scenarios may enhance the invasibility of desert landscapes by exotic grasses. In this study, buffel grass assimilated more CO2 per unit leaf area and out-competed native grasses more efficiently in a warmer environment. However, scenarios involving a combination of drought and warming proved disastrous to both the native and invasive grasses, with drought-induced grass mortality occurring at much shorter time scales under warmer conditions.

Evaluation of the effect of accounting method, IPCC v. LCA, on grass-based and confinement dairy systems' greenhouse gas emissions.

PubMed

O'Brien, D; Shalloo, L; Patton, J; Buckley, F; Grainger, C; Wallace, M

2012-09-01

Life cycle assessment (LCA) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guideline methodology, which are the principal greenhouse gas (GHG) quantification methods, were evaluated in this study using a dairy farm GHG model. The model was applied to estimate GHG emissions from two contrasting dairy systems: a seasonal calving pasture-based dairy farm and a total confinement dairy system. Data used to quantify emissions from these systems originated from a research study carried out over a 1-year period in Ireland. The genetic merit of cows modelled was similar for both systems. Total mixed ration was fed in the Confinement system, whereas grazed grass was mainly fed in the grass-based system. GHG emissions from these systems were quantified per unit of product and area. The results of both methods showed that the dairy system that emitted the lowest GHG emissions per unit area did not necessarily emit the lowest GHG emissions possible for a given level of product. Consequently, a recommendation from this study is that GHG emissions be evaluated per unit of product given the growing affluent human population and increasing demand for dairy products. The IPCC and LCA methods ranked dairy systems' GHG emissions differently. For instance, the IPCC method quantified that the Confinement system reduced GHG emissions per unit of product by 8% compared with the grass-based system, but the LCA approach calculated that the Confinement system increased emissions by 16% when off-farm emissions associated with primary dairy production were included. Thus, GHG emissions should be quantified using approaches that quantify the total GHG emissions associated with the production system, so as to determine whether the dairy system was causing emissions displacement. The IPCC and LCA methods were also used in this study to simulate, through a dairy farm GHG model, what effect management changes within both production systems have on GHG emissions. The findings suggest that single changes have a small mitigating effect on GHG emissions (<5%), except for strategies used to control emissions from manure storage in the Confinement system (14% to 24%). However, when several management strategies were combined, GHG emissions per unit of product could be reduced significantly (15% to 30%). The LCA method was identified as the preferred approach to assess the effect of management changes on GHG emissions, but the analysis indicated that further standardisation of the approach is needed given the sensitivity of the approach to allocation decisions regarding milk and meat.

78 FR 54658 - Allergenic Products Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-05

... Vernal Grass, Perennial Ryegrass, Timothy Grass, Orchard Grass, and Kentucky Bluegrass Mixed Pollens... Grastek, a Timothy Grass Pollen Allergen Extract tablet for sublingual use, manufactured by Merck. FDA...

Spatiotemporal Variation in the Environmental Controls of C4-Grass Origin and Ecology: Insights from Grass-Pollen δ13C Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, D. M.; Urban, M.; Hu, F.

2014-12-01

Understanding the environmental factors controlling the origin and shifting abundance of C4 grasses in Earth's history is useful for projecting the response of C4-grass dominated grasslands to future environmental change. Unfortunately, grass pollen is typically morphologically indistinct, making palynological analysis a blunt tool for studying C4-grasses in the paleorecord. δ13C of individual grass-pollen grains using a spooling wire microcombustion device interfaced with an isotope ratio mass spectrometer (Single Pollen Isotope Ratio AnaLysis, SPIRAL) overcomes this challenge and the potential biases of δ13C data from other substrates (e.g. leaf waxes). To assess the presence and relative abundance of C3- and C4-grass pollen in samples of unknown composition, we developed a hierarchical Bayesian model, trained with ~1,900 δ13C values from pollen grains of 31 grass species. Surface-sediment data from Africa, Australia, and North America demonstrate the reliability of this technique for quantifying C4-grass abundance on the landscape. To investigate the timing and control of the origin of C4-grasses we analyzed samples from the Oligocene-Miocene from Europe and from the Eocene from North America. Results indicate that C4 grasses appeared on the landscape of southwest Europe no later than the early Oligocene, implying that low atmospheric pCO2 may not have been the main driver and/or precondition for the development of C4 photosynthesis in the grass family. In contrast, we found no evidence for C4 grasses in the southeast United States before pCO2 fell. In application of SPIRAL to the late Quaternary, we found that shifts in pCO2 and moisture balance exerted key controls on the relative abundance of C3 and C4 grasses in Africa and Australia. Overall, our results imply that as in the past, future changes in the C3/C4 composition of grass-dominated ecosystems will likely exhibit striking spatiotemporal variability as a result of differing combinations of environmental controls.

First report of crown rust (Puccinia coronata var. gibberosa) on blue oat grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens) in the United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ornamental grasses are popular decorative plants, with sales valued at $124 million in the U. S. in 2009. One common ornamental grass is blue oat grass, Helictotrichon sempervirens (Vill.) Pilg., a large blue-green grass native to Europe. In 2011, H. sempervirens plants in a commercial nursery in ...

75 FR 80343 - Extension of Tolerances for Emergency Exemptions (Multiple Chemicals)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-22

... Timothy grass for control of Banks grass mite in Nevada. This regulation extends time-limited tolerances... fenoxaprop-ethyl in or on grass grown for seed for control of noxious weed species in Oregon. This regulation... on grass forage and grass hay at 0.05 ppm for an additional 3-year period. These tolerances will...

Shade Tolerance of Festuca paradoxa Desv., a Cool-Season Grass Native to North America

Treesearch

Nadia Navarrete-Tindall; Larry Mechlin; J. W. Van Sambeek

2003-01-01

Paradox grass (Festuca paradoxa Desv.) is a native cool-season grass found in prairies and forest openings. Paradox grass has not been included in tree plantings. To determine paradox grass adaptation to shaded environmmts, we established a pot experiment in the shade laboratory at the University of Missouri Horticulture and Agroforestry Research...

75 FR 17573 - Nicosulfuron; Pesticide Tolerances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-07

..., meat byproducts; goat, fat; goat, meat; goat, meat byproducts; grass, forage; grass, hay; horse, fat... grass, forage at 9.0 parts per million (ppm); grass, hay at 25.0 ppm; fat (of cattle, goat, hog, horse... at 0.05 ppm; goat, fat at 0.01 ppm; goat, meat at 0.01 ppm; goat, meat byproducts at 0.05 ppm; grass...

77 FR 12740 - Trinexapac-ethyl; Pesticide Tolerances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-02

... CGA-179500, in or on grass, forage, grown for seed at 1.60 parts per million (ppm); grass, hay, grown for seed at 3.5 ppm; grass, seed screenings, grown for seed at 45.0 ppm; grass, straw, grown for seed..., Sugarcane, and Grasses Grown for Seed'' p. 48 in docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-2010-0524. B. Toxicological...

Rainfall interception by annual grass and chaparral . . . losses compared

Treesearch

Edward S. Corbett; Robert P. Crouse

1968-01-01

Loss of precipitation due to interception by annual grass and grass litter was measured during three rainy seasons on the San Dimas Experimental Forest, in southern California. Interception loss from annual grass averaged 7.9 percent; that from mature chaparral cover, 12.8 percent. If chaparral stands were converted to grass, an estimated 1.3 inches of gross...

An environmental assessment of grass-finishing beef operations in Pennsylvania

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Concern for the environmental sustainability of traditional beef production has increased consumer interest in alternatively produced beef products perceived to be more environmentally friendly. This includes those marketed under “grassfed beef” labels. However, little information exists on the env...

PHYTOREMEDIATION OF PESTICIDE MIXTURES WITH NATIVE PRAIRIE GRASSES. (R825549C045)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

Climate, phylogeny and the ecological distribution of C4 grasses.

PubMed

Edwards, Erika J; Still, Christopher J

2008-03-01

'C4 photosynthesis' refers to a suite of traits that increase photosynthesis in high light and high temperature environments. Most C4 plants are grasses, which dominate tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas but are conspicuously absent from cold growing season climates. Physiological attributes of C4 photosynthesis have been invoked to explain C4 grass biogeography; however, the pathway evolved exclusively in grass lineages of tropical origin, suggesting that the prevalence of C4 grasses in warm climates could be due to other traits inherited from their non-C4 ancestors. Here we investigate the relative influences of phylogeny and photosynthetic pathway in determining the ecological distributions of C4 grasses in Hawaii. We find that the restriction of C4 grasses to warmer areas is due largely to their evolutionary history as members of a warm-climate grass clade, but that the pathway does appear to confer a competitive advantage to grasses in more arid environments.

The use of food waste-based diets and Napier grass to culture grass carp: growth performance and contaminants contained in cultured fish.

PubMed

Cheng, Zhang; Mo, Wing-Yin; Nie, Xiang-Ping; Li, Kai-Bing; Choi, Wai-Ming; Man, Yu-Bon; Wong, Ming-Hung

2016-04-01

The present study used commercial feeds, food waste feeds, Napier grass, and mixed feeds (food waste feed to Napier grass ratio, 1:10) to feed grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus). The results indicated that grass carp fed with food waste feeds and mix feeds achieved growth performance (based on specific growth rate and feed conversion ratio) that was similar to commercial feeds (p > 0.05). Concentrations of metalloid/metals in food waste feeds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Napier grass were relatively higher than other types of fish feeds (p < 0.05). However, most of the metalloid/metals and PAH levels in fish fed with four types of fish feeds were not significantly different (p > 0.05). These findings show that food waste feeds are suitable for using in the production of fish feed and Napier grass can be served as supplemental feeds for grass carp, and hence reducing the production cost.

Stable Carbon Isotope Ratios of Individual Pollen Grains as a Proxy for C3- Versus C4-Grass Abundance in Paleorecords: A Validation Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, D. M.; Hu, F.; Pearson, A.

2007-12-01

C3 and C4 grasses have distinct influences on major biogeochemical processes and unique responses to important environmental controls. Difficulties in distinguishing between these two functional groups of grasses have hindered paleoecological studies of grass-dominated ecosystems. We recently developed a technique to analyze the stable carbon isotope composition of individual grass-pollen grains using a spooling- wire microcombustion device interfaced with an isotope-ratio mass spectrometer (Nelson et al. 2007). This technique holds promise for improving C3 and C4 grass reconstructions. It requires ~90% fewer grains than typical methods and avoids assumptions associated with mixing models. However, our previous work was based on known C3 and C4 grasses from herbarium specimens and field collections and the technique had not been test using geological samples. To test the ability of this technique to reproduce the abundance of C3 and C4 grasses on the landscape, we measured δ13C values of >1500 individual grains of grass pollen isolated from the surface sediments of 10 North American lakes that span a large gradient of C3 and C4 grass abundance. Results indicate a strong positive correlation (r=0.94) between % C4-grass pollen (derived from classifying δ13C values from single grains as C3 and C4) and the literature-reported abundance of C4 grasses on the landscape. However, the measured % C4-grass pollen shows some deviation from the actual abundance at sites with high proportions of C4 grasses. This is likely caused by uncertainty in the magnitude, composition, and variability of the analytical blank associated with these measurements. Correcting for this deviation using regression analysis improves the estimation of the abundance of C4 grasses on the landscape. Comparison of the % C4-grass pollen with C/N and δ13C measurements of total organic matter in the same lake-sediment samples illustrates the distinct advantage of grass-pollen δ13C as a proxy for distinguishing C3 and C4 shifts. At 9 of the 10 sites C/N values indicate that surface-sediment organic matter was derived primarily from aquatic production. At the one site where organic matter was produced primarily by vascular plants the δ13C value (-29.3°) suggests organic matter derived exclusively from C3 plants. However, ~80% of the grasses on the landscape at this site are C4 grasses. The C3- like bulk-sediment δ13C value likely represents woody species, which comprise >90% of the pollen spectra. Thus δ13C analysis of single grains of grass pollen offers a new tool to classify grass pollen into two major functional groups and promises to advance our understanding of grassland ecology and evolution. Reference Nelson, D.M., Hu, F.S., Mikucki, J., Tian, J., and Pearson, A., 2007, Carbon isotopic analysis of individual pollen grains from C3 and C4 grasses using a spooling wire microcombustion interface: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 71, p. 4005-4014.

Integrating TITAN2D Geophysical Mass Flow Model with GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namikawa, L. M.; Renschler, C.

2005-12-01

TITAN2D simulates geophysical mass flows over natural terrain using depth-averaged granular flow models and requires spatially distributed parameter values to solve differential equations. Since a Geographical Information System (GIS) main task is integration and manipulation of data covering a geographic region, the use of a GIS for implementation of simulation of complex, physically-based models such as TITAN2D seems a natural choice. However, simulation of geophysical flows requires computationally intensive operations that need unique optimizations, such as adaptative grids and parallel processing. Thus GIS developed for general use cannot provide an effective environment for complex simulations and the solution is to develop a linkage between GIS and simulation model. The present work presents the solution used for TITAN2D where data structure of a GIS is accessed by simulation code through an Application Program Interface (API). GRASS is an open source GIS with published data formats thus GRASS data structure was selected. TITAN2D requires elevation, slope, curvature, and base material information at every cell to be computed. Results from simulation are visualized by a system developed to handle the large amount of output data and to support a realistic dynamic 3-D display of flow dynamics, which requires elevation and texture, usually from a remote sensor image. Data required by simulation is in raster format, using regular rectangular grids. GRASS format for regular grids is based on data file (binary file storing data either uncompressed or compressed by grid row), header file (text file, with information about georeferencing, data extents, and grid cell resolution), and support files (text files, with information about color table and categories names). The implemented API provides access to original data (elevation, base material, and texture from imagery) and slope and curvature derived from elevation data. From several existing methods to estimate slope and curvature from elevation, the selected one is based on estimation by a third-order finite difference method, which has shown to perform better or with minimal difference when compared to more computationally expensive methods. Derivatives are estimated using weighted sum of 8 grid neighbor values. The method was implemented and simulation results compared to derivatives estimated by a simplified version of the method (uses only 4 neighbor cells) and proven to perform better. TITAN2D uses an adaptative mesh grid, where resolution (grid cell size) is not constant, and visualization tools also uses texture with varying resolutions for efficient display. The API supports different resolutions applying bilinear interpolation when elevation, slope and curvature are required at a resolution higher (smaller cell size) than the original and using a nearest cell approach for elevations with lower resolution (larger) than the original. For material information nearest neighbor method is used since interpolation on categorical data has no meaning. Low fidelity characteristic of visualization allows use of nearest neighbor method for texture. Bilinear interpolation estimates the value at a point as the distance-weighted average of values at the closest four cell centers, and interpolation performance is just slightly inferior compared to more computationally expensive methods such as bicubic interpolation and kriging.

Productivity and nutrient cycling in bioenergy cropping systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heggenstaller, Andrew Howard

One of the greatest obstacles confronting large-scale biomass production for energy applications is the development of cropping systems that balance the need for increased productive capacity with the maintenance of other critical ecosystem functions including nutrient cycling and retention. To address questions of productivity and nutrient dynamics in bioenergy cropping systems, we conducted two sets of field experiments during 2005-2007, investigating annual and perennial cropping systems designed to generate biomass energy feedstocks. In the first experiment we evaluated productivity and crop and soil nutrient dynamics in three prototypical bioenergy double-crop systems, and in a conventionally managed sole-crop corn system. Double-cropping systems included fall-seeded forage triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack), succeeded by one of three summer-adapted crops: corn (Zea mays L.), sorghum-sudangrass [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], or sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.). Total dry matter production was greater for triticale/corn and triticale/sorghum-sudangrass compared to sole-crop corn. Functional growth analysis revealed that photosynthetic duration was more important than photosynthetic efficiency in determining biomass productivity of sole-crop corn and double-crop triticale/corn, and that greater yield in the tiritcale/corn system was the outcome of photosynthesis occurring over an extended duration. Increased growth duration in double-crop systems was also associated with reductions in potentially leachable soil nitrogen relative to sole-crop corn. However, nutrient removal in harvested biomass was also greater in the double-crop systems, indicating that over the long-term, double-cropping would mandate increased fertilizer inputs. In a second experiment we assessed the effects of N fertilization on biomass and nutrient partitioning between aboveground and belowground crop components, and on carbon storage by four perennial, warm-season grasses: big bluestem (Andropogon geradii Vitman), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), indiangrass [ Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash], and eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides L.). Generally, the optimum rate of fertilization for biomass yield by the grasses was 140 kg N ha-1. Nitrogen inputs also had pronounced but grass-specific effects on biomass and nutrient partitioning, and on carbon storage. For big bluestem and switchgrass, 140 kg N ha -1. maximized root biomass, favored allocation of nutrients to roots over shoots, and led to net increases in carbon storage over the study duration. In contrast, for indiangrass and eastern gamagrass, root biomass and root nutrient allocation were generally adversely affected by N fertilization and carbon storage increased only with 0 or 65 kg N ha-1. For all grasses, 220 kg N ha -1 tended to shift allocation of nutrients to shoots over roots and resulted in no net increase in carbon storage. Optimal nitrogen management strategies for perennial, warm-season grass energy crops should take into consideration the effects of N on biomass yield as well as factors such as nutrient and carbon balance that will also impact economic feasibility and environmental sustainability.

78 FR 70864 - Metaldehyde; Pesticide Tolerances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-27

... plus cob with husks removed at 0.05 ppm; grass, forage at 1.5 ppm; grass, hay at 1.8 ppm; leaf petioles...: ``Metaldehyde; Human Health Risk Assessment for Proposed Uses on Grass Grown for Seed, Leaf Petioles [Crop....10 ppm; grass, forage from 1.5 ppm to 2.0 ppm; grass, hay from 1.8 ppm to 2.0 ppm; leaf petioles...

Uptake of C14-atrazine by prairie grasses in a phytoremediation setting.

PubMed

Khrunyk, Yuliya; Schiewer, Silke; Carstens, Keri L; Hu, Dingfei; Coats, Joel R

2017-02-01

Agrochemicals significantly contribute to environmental pollution. In the USA, atrazine is a widely used pesticide and commonly found in rivers, water systems, and rural wells. Phytoremediation can be a cost-effective means of removing pesticides from soil. The objective of this project was to investigate the ability of prairie grasses to remove atrazine. 14 C-labeled atrazine was added to sterilized sand and water/nutrient cultures, and the analysis was performed after 21 days. Switchgrass and big bluestem were promising species for phytoremediation, taking up about 40% of the applied [ 14 C] in liquid hydroponic cultures, and between 20% and 33% in sand cultures. Yellow Indiangrass showed low resistance to atrazine toxicity and low uptake of [ 14 C] atrazine in liquid hydroponic cultures. Atrazine degradation increased progressively from sand to roots and leaves. Most atrazine taken up by prairie grasses from sand culture was degraded to metabolites, which accounted for 60-80% of [ 14 C] detected in leaves. Deisopropylatrazine (DIA) was the main metabolite detected in sand and roots, whereas in leaves further metabolism took place, forming increased amounts of didealkylatrazine (DDA) and an unidentified metabolite. In conclusion, prairie grasses achieved high atrazine removal and degradation, showing a high potential for phytoremediation.

Evaluation of molecular basis of cross reactivity between rye and Bermuda grass pollen allergens.

PubMed

Tiwari, Ruby; Bhalla, Prem L; Singh, Mohan B

2009-12-01

Allergenic cross reactivity between the members of the Pooids (Lolium perenne, Phleum pratense, and Poa pratensis) and Chloridoids (Cynodon dactylon and Paspalum notatum) is well established. Studies using crude extracts in the past have demonstrated limited cross reactivity between the Pooids and the Chloridoids suggesting separate diagnosis and therapy. However, little is known regarding the molecular basis for the limited cross reactivity observed between the 2 groups of grasses. The present study was undertaken to gain insights into the molecular basis of cross allergenicity between the major allergens from rye and Bermuda grass pollens. Immunoblot inhibition tests were carried out to determine the specificity of the proteins involved in cross reactivity. Crude pollen extract and bacterially expressed and purified recombinant Lol p 1and Lol p 5 from rye grass were subjected to cross inhibition experiments with crude and purified recombinant Cyn d 1 from Bermuda grass using sera from patients allergic to rye grass pollen. The immunoblot inhibition studies revealed a high degree of cross inhibition between the group 1 allergens. In contrast, a complete lack of inhibition was observed between Bermuda grass group 1 allergen rCyn d 1, and rye grass group 5 allergen rLol p 5. Crude rye grass extract strongly inhibited IgE reactivity to Bermuda grass, whereas crude Bermuda grass pollen extract showed a weaker inhibition. Our data suggests that a possible explanation for the limited cross reactivity between the Pooids and Chloridoids may, in part, be due to the absence of group 5 allergen from Chloridoid grasses. This approach of using purified proteins may be applied to better characterize the cross allergenicity patterns between different grass pollen allergens.

A high polymerized grass pollen extract is efficacious and safe in a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study using a novel up-dosing cluster-protocol

PubMed Central

Klimek, L; Uhlig, J; Mösges, R; Rettig, K; Pfaar, O

2014-01-01

Background Cluster immunotherapy represents an interesting alternative to conventional up-dosing schedules because it allows achieving the maintenance dose within a shorter time interval. In this study, the efficacy and safety of cluster immunotherapy with a high polymerized allergen extract of a grass/rye pollen mixture have been evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study. Methods In total, 121 patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis due to grass pollen were randomized 1 : 1 to verum or placebo group. A short cluster up-dosing schedule of only 1 week was applied to achieve the maintenance dose which was administered monthly during the study period of 1 year. Total combined symptom and medication score (TCS) was defined as primary outcome parameter. Secondary outcome parameters were individual symptom and medication scores, ‘well days,’ global improvement as well as immunological effects and nasal allergen challenge. The safety profile was evaluated based on the European academy of allergy and clinical immunology grading system. Results Significant reduction in the verum compared to the placebo group (intention-to-treat, population, verum: n = 55; placebo: n = 47) was found regarding TCS (P = 0.005), rhinoconjunctivitis total symptom score (RTSS, P = 0.006), and total rescue medication score (TRMS, P = 0.002). Additionally, secondary outcomes such as ‘well days,’ nasal challenge results, and increase of specific IgG4 were in favor of the active treatment. All systemic adverse reactions (0.8% of all injections in the verum group) were of mild intensity. No severe reactions related to the study medication were observed. Conclusion Cluster immunotherapy with high polymerized grass pollen extracts resulted in significant clinical efficacy and has been shown to be a safe treatment for grass pollen-allergic patients. PMID:25130503

Geographic Resources Analysis Support System (GRASS) Version 4.0 User’s Reference Manual

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-06-01

inpur-image need not be square; before processing, the X and Y dimensions of the input-image are padded with zeroes to the next highest power of two in...structures an input kowledge /control script with an appropriate combination of map layer category values (GRASS raster map layers that contain data on...F cos(x) cosine of x (x is in degrees) F exp(x) exponential function of x F exp(x,y) x to the power y F float(x) convert x to floating point F if

Effects of climate and water balance across grasslands of varying C3 and C4 grass cover

USGS Publications Warehouse

Witwicki, Dana L.; Munson, Seth M.; Thoma, David P.

2016-01-01

Climate change in grassland ecosystems may lead to divergent shifts in the abundance and distribution of C3 and C4 grasses. Many studies relate mean climate conditions over relatively long time periods to plant cover, but there is still much uncertainty about how the balance of C3and C4 species will be affected by climate at a finer temporal scale than season (individual events to months). We monitored cover at five grassland sites with co-dominant C3 and C4 grass species or only dominant C3 grass species for 6 yr in national parks across the Colorado Plateau region to assess the influence of specific months of climate and water balance on changes in grass cover. C4 grass cover increased and decreased to a larger degree than C3 grass cover with extremely dry and wet consecutive years, but this response varied by ecological site. Climate and water balance explained 10–49% of the inter-annual variability of cover of C3 and C4 grasses at all sites. High precipitation in the spring and in previous year monsoon storms influenced changes in cover of C4 grasses, with measures of water balance in the same months explaining additional variability. C3 grasses in grasslands where they were dominant were influenced primarily by longer periods of climate, while C3 grasses in grasslands where they were co-dominant with C4 grasses were influenced little by climate anomalies at either short or long periods of time. Our results suggest that future changes in spring and summer climate and water balance are likely to affect cover of both C3 and C4 grasses, but cover of C4 grasses may be affected more strongly, and the degree of change will depend on soils and topography where they are growing and the timing of the growing season.

Interplanting Annual Ryegrass, Wheat, Oat, and Corn to Mitigate Iron Deficiency in Dry Beans

PubMed Central

Omondi, Emmanuel Chiwo; Kniss, Andrew R.

2014-01-01

This study evaluated whether grass intercropping can be used to alleviate Fe deficiency chlorosis in dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown in high pH, calcareous soils with low organic matter. Field studies were conducted at the University of Wyoming Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center in 2009 and 2010. Black- and navy beans were grown alone or intercropped with annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), oat (Avena sativa L.), corn (Zea mays L.), or spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in a two-factor factorial strip-plot randomized complete block design. All four grass species increased chlorophyll intensity in dry beans. However, grass species did not increase iron (Fe) concentration in dry bean tissues suggesting inefficient utilization of Fe present in the dry bean tissues. In 2009, nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) and manganese (Mn) concentration in bean tissue were greater in bean monoculture than in grass intercropped beans. Bean monoculture also had greater soil NO3-N concentrations than grass intercropped treatments. In 2009, grass intercrops reduced dry bean yield >25% compared to bean monoculture. Annual ryegrass was the least competitive of the four annual grass species. This suggests that competition from grasses for nutrients, water, or light may have outweighed benefits accruing from grass intercropping. Additional studies are required to determine the appropriate grass and dry bean densities, as well as the optimum time of grass removal. PMID:25536084

Coherent Microwave Scattering Model of Marsh Grass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Xueyang; Jones, Cathleen E.

2017-12-01

In this work, we developed an electromagnetic scattering model to analyze radar scattering from tall-grass-covered lands such as wetlands and marshes. The model adopts the generalized iterative extended boundary condition method (GIEBCM) algorithm, previously developed for buried cylindrical media such as vegetation roots, to simulate the scattering from the grass layer. The major challenge of applying GIEBCM to tall grass is the extremely time-consuming iteration among the large number of short subcylinders building up the grass. To overcome this issue, we extended the GIEBCM to multilevel GIEBCM, or M-GIEBCM, in which we first use GIEBCM to calculate a T matrix (transition matrix) database of "straws" with various lengths, thicknesses, orientations, curvatures, and dielectric properties; we then construct the grass with a group of straws from the database and apply GIEBCM again to calculate the T matrix of the overall grass scene. The grass T matrix is transferred to S matrix (scattering matrix) and combined with the ground S matrix, which is computed using the stabilized extended boundary condition method, to obtain the total scattering. In this article, we will demonstrate the capability of the model by simulating scattering from scenes with different grass densities, different grass structures, different grass water contents, and different ground moisture contents. This model will help with radar experiment design and image interpretation for marshland and wetland observations.

Interplanting annual ryegrass, wheat, oat, and corn to mitigate iron deficiency in dry beans.

PubMed

Omondi, Emmanuel Chiwo; Kniss, Andrew R

2014-01-01

This study evaluated whether grass intercropping can be used to alleviate Fe deficiency chlorosis in dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown in high pH, calcareous soils with low organic matter. Field studies were conducted at the University of Wyoming Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center in 2009 and 2010. Black- and navy beans were grown alone or intercropped with annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), oat (Avena sativa L.), corn (Zea mays L.), or spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in a two-factor factorial strip-plot randomized complete block design. All four grass species increased chlorophyll intensity in dry beans. However, grass species did not increase iron (Fe) concentration in dry bean tissues suggesting inefficient utilization of Fe present in the dry bean tissues. In 2009, nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) and manganese (Mn) concentration in bean tissue were greater in bean monoculture than in grass intercropped beans. Bean monoculture also had greater soil NO3-N concentrations than grass intercropped treatments. In 2009, grass intercrops reduced dry bean yield >25% compared to bean monoculture. Annual ryegrass was the least competitive of the four annual grass species. This suggests that competition from grasses for nutrients, water, or light may have outweighed benefits accruing from grass intercropping. Additional studies are required to determine the appropriate grass and dry bean densities, as well as the optimum time of grass removal.

7 CFR 201.51a - Special procedures for purity analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Percent of single units of each kind Chewings fescue Red fescue Orchard-grass Crested wheat-grassb Pubes-cent wheat-grass Intermediate wheat-grass Tall wheat-grass c Western wheat-grassc Smooth brome 50 or...

7 CFR 201.51a - Special procedures for purity analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Percent of single units of each kind Chewings fescue Red fescue Orchard-grass Crested wheat-grassb Pubes-cent wheat-grass Intermediate wheat-grass Tall wheat-grass c Western wheat-grassc Smooth brome 50 or...

Genome sequence of foxtail millet (Setaria italica) provides insights into grass evolution and biofuel potential.

PubMed

Zhang, Gengyun; Liu, Xin; Quan, Zhiwu; Cheng, Shifeng; Xu, Xun; Pan, Shengkai; Xie, Min; Zeng, Peng; Yue, Zhen; Wang, Wenliang; Tao, Ye; Bian, Chao; Han, Changlei; Xia, Qiuju; Peng, Xiaohua; Cao, Rui; Yang, Xinhua; Zhan, Dongliang; Hu, Jingchu; Zhang, Yinxin; Li, Henan; Li, Hua; Li, Ning; Wang, Junyi; Wang, Chanchan; Wang, Renyi; Guo, Tao; Cai, Yanjie; Liu, Chengzhang; Xiang, Haitao; Shi, Qiuxiang; Huang, Ping; Chen, Qingchun; Li, Yingrui; Wang, Jun; Zhao, Zhihai; Wang, Jian

2012-05-13

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica), a member of the Poaceae grass family, is an important food and fodder crop in arid regions and has potential for use as a C(4) biofuel. It is a model system for other biofuel grasses, including switchgrass and pearl millet. We produced a draft genome (∼423 Mb) anchored onto nine chromosomes and annotated 38,801 genes. Key chromosome reshuffling events were detected through collinearity identification between foxtail millet, rice and sorghum including two reshuffling events fusing rice chromosomes 7 and 9, 3 and 10 to foxtail millet chromosomes 2 and 9, respectively, that occurred after the divergence of foxtail millet and rice, and a single reshuffling event fusing rice chromosome 5 and 12 to foxtail millet chromosome 3 that occurred after the divergence of millet and sorghum. Rearrangements in the C(4) photosynthesis pathway were also identified.

UV induced visual cues in grasses

PubMed Central

Baby, Sabulal; Johnson, Anil John; Govindan, Balaji; Lukose, Sujith; Gopakumar, Bhaskaran; Koshy, Konnath Chacko

2013-01-01

Grasses are traditionally considered as wind pollinated, however, field observations confirmed frequent insect visits to grass flowers, suggesting insect pollination. Fruit and seed predators inflict heavy losses to cereals and millets during their growth, maturation and storage. The actual factors guiding insects and predators to grass flowers, fruits and seeds are not clear. Here, we report attractive blue fluorescence emissions on grass floral parts such as glumes, lemma, palea, lodicules, staminal filaments, pollens and fruits in ultraviolet (UV) 366 nm, whereas the stigmatic portions were not blue, but red fluorescent. We characterized the blue fluorescent constituent in grass reproductive structures as ferulic acid (FA). Fluorescence spectra of blue-emitting grass floral, seed extracts and isolated FA on excitation at 366 nm showed their emissions at 420–460 nm. We propose these FA-based blue fluorescence emissions in grass reproductive structures as visual cues that attract pollinators, predators and even pests towards them. PMID:24061408

Research on screening of suitable forage grasses in coastal saline - alkaline soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yue, Xiaoyu; Han, Xin; Song, Qianhong; Yang, Xu; Zhou, Qingyun

2017-11-01

The screening of salt-tolerant plants can provide suitable tree species for the afforestation of coastal salinity and maintain biodiversity and ecological stability. The research was based on the study of seven grasses, such as high fescue, the bermuda grass, the thyme, the rye grass, the precocious grass, the third leaf, and the red three leaves. Each pasture was planted in three different kinds of soil, such as salt alkali soil, salt alkali soil + ecological bag and non-saline alkali soil. The effect of salt alkali soil on germinating time, germination rate and grass growth was analyzed. The effects of ecological bag on soil salt and the growth and germination of grass was also analyzed in order to provide the reference basis for the widespread and systematic selection of salt-tolerant plants, with the grass being selected for the suitable ecological bag.

Goethe Gossips with Grass: Using Computer Chatting Software in an Introductory Literature Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser, Catherine C.

1999-01-01

Students in a third-year introduction to German literature course chatted over networked computers, using "FirstClass" software. A brief description of the course design is provided with detailed information on how the three chat sessions were organized. (Author/VWL)

[Mechanisms of grass in slope erosion control in Loess sandy soil region of Northwest China].

PubMed

Zhao, Chun-Hong; Gao, Jian-En; Xu, Zhen

2013-01-01

By adopting the method of simulated precipitation and from the viewpoint of slope hydrodynamics, in combining with the analysis of soil resistance to erosion, a quantitative study was made on the mechanisms of grass in controlling the slope erosion in the cross area of wind-water erosion in Loess Plateau of Northwest China under different combinations of rainfall intensity and slope gradient, aimed to provide basis to reveal the mechanisms of vegetation in controlling soil erosion and to select appropriate vegetation for the soil and water conservation in Loess Plateau. The grass Astragalus adsurgens with the coverage about 40% could effectively control the slope erosion. This grass had an efficiency of more than 70% in reducing sediment, and the grass root had a greater effect than grass canopy. On bare slope and on the slopes with the grass plant or only the grass root playing effect, there existed a functional relation between the flow velocity on the slopes and the rainfall intensity and slope gradient (V = DJ(0.33 i 0.5), where V is flow velocity, D is the comprehensive coefficient which varies with different underlying surfaces, i is rainfall intensity, and J is slope gradient). Both the grass root and the grass canopy could markedly decrease the flow velocity on the slopes, and increase the slope resistance, but the effect of grass root in decreasing flow velocity was greater while the effect in increasing resistance was smaller than that of grass canopy. The effect of grass root in increasing slope resistance was mainly achieved by increasing the sediment grain resistance, while the effect of canopy was mainly achieved by increasing the slope form resistance and wave resistance. The evaluation of the soil resistance to erosion by using a conceptual model of sediment generation by overland flow indicated that the critical shear stress value of bare slope and of the slopes with the grass plant or only the grass root playing effect was 0.533, 1.672 and 0.925 Pa, respectively.

Evaluation of six candidate DNA barcode loci for identification of five important invasive grasses in eastern Australia

PubMed Central

Wang, Aisuo; Gopurenko, David; Wu, Hanwen; Lepschi, Brendan

2017-01-01

Invasive grass weeds reduce farm productivity, threaten biodiversity, and increase weed control costs. Identification of invasive grasses from native grasses has generally relied on the morphological examination of grass floral material. DNA barcoding may provide an alternative means to identify co-occurring native and invasive grasses, particularly during early growth stages when floral characters are unavailable for analysis. However, there are no universal loci available for grass barcoding. We herein evaluated the utility of six candidate loci (atpF intron, matK, ndhK-ndhC, psbE—petL, ETS and ITS) for barcode identification of several economically important invasive grass species frequently found among native grasses in eastern Australia. We evaluated these loci in 66 specimens representing five invasive grass species (Chloris gayana, Eragrostis curvula, Hyparrhenia hirta, Nassella neesiana, Nassella trichotoma) and seven native grass species. Our results indicated that, while no single locus can be universally used as a DNA barcode for distinguishing the grass species examined in this study, two plastid loci (atpF and matK) showed good distinguishing power to separate most of the taxa examined, and could be used as a dual locus to distinguish several of the invasive from the native species. Low PCR success rates were evidenced among two nuclear loci (ETS and ITS), and few species were amplified at these loci, however ETS was able to genetically distinguish the two important invasive Nassella species. Multiple loci analyses also suggested that ETS played a crucial role in allowing identification of the two Nassella species in the multiple loci combinations. PMID:28399170

Spectral and spatial variability of undisturbed and disturbed grass under different view and illumination directions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borel-Donohue, Christoph C.; Shivers, Sarah Wells; Conover, Damon

2017-05-01

It is well known that disturbed grass covered surfaces show variability with view and illumination conditions. A good example is a grass field in a soccer stadium that shows stripes indicating in which direction the grass was mowed. These spatial variations are due to a complex interplay of spectral characteristics of grass blades, density, their length and orientations. Viewing a grass surface from nadir or near horizontal directions results in observing different components. Views from a vertical direction show more variations due to reflections from the randomly oriented grass blades and their shadows. Views from near horizontal show a mixture of reflected and transmitted light from grass blades. An experiment was performed on a mowed grass surface which had paths of simulated heavy foot traffic laid down in different directions. High spatial resolution hyperspectral data cubes were taken by an imaging spectrometer covering the visible through near infrared over a period of time covering several hours. Ground truth grass reflectance spectra with a hand held spectrometer were obtained of undisturbed and disturbed areas. Close range images were taken of selected areas with a hand held camera which were then used to reconstruct the 3D geometry of the grass using structure-from-motion algorithms. Computer graphics rendering using raytracing of reconstructed and procedurally created grass surfaces were used to compute BRDF models. In this paper, we discuss differences between observed and simulated spectral and spatial variability. Based on the measurements and/or simulations, we derive simple spectral index methods to detect spatial disturbances and apply scattering models.

Evaluation of six candidate DNA barcode loci for identification of five important invasive grasses in eastern Australia.

PubMed

Wang, Aisuo; Gopurenko, David; Wu, Hanwen; Lepschi, Brendan

2017-01-01

Invasive grass weeds reduce farm productivity, threaten biodiversity, and increase weed control costs. Identification of invasive grasses from native grasses has generally relied on the morphological examination of grass floral material. DNA barcoding may provide an alternative means to identify co-occurring native and invasive grasses, particularly during early growth stages when floral characters are unavailable for analysis. However, there are no universal loci available for grass barcoding. We herein evaluated the utility of six candidate loci (atpF intron, matK, ndhK-ndhC, psbE-petL, ETS and ITS) for barcode identification of several economically important invasive grass species frequently found among native grasses in eastern Australia. We evaluated these loci in 66 specimens representing five invasive grass species (Chloris gayana, Eragrostis curvula, Hyparrhenia hirta, Nassella neesiana, Nassella trichotoma) and seven native grass species. Our results indicated that, while no single locus can be universally used as a DNA barcode for distinguishing the grass species examined in this study, two plastid loci (atpF and matK) showed good distinguishing power to separate most of the taxa examined, and could be used as a dual locus to distinguish several of the invasive from the native species. Low PCR success rates were evidenced among two nuclear loci (ETS and ITS), and few species were amplified at these loci, however ETS was able to genetically distinguish the two important invasive Nassella species. Multiple loci analyses also suggested that ETS played a crucial role in allowing identification of the two Nassella species in the multiple loci combinations.

Gene Coexpression Network Alignment and Conservation of Gene Modules between Two Grass Species: Maize and Rice[C][W][OA

PubMed Central

Ficklin, Stephen P.; Feltus, F. Alex

2011-01-01

One major objective for plant biology is the discovery of molecular subsystems underlying complex traits. The use of genetic and genomic resources combined in a systems genetics approach offers a means for approaching this goal. This study describes a maize (Zea mays) gene coexpression network built from publicly available expression arrays. The maize network consisted of 2,071 loci that were divided into 34 distinct modules that contained 1,928 enriched functional annotation terms and 35 cofunctional gene clusters. Of note, 391 maize genes of unknown function were found to be coexpressed within modules along with genes of known function. A global network alignment was made between this maize network and a previously described rice (Oryza sativa) coexpression network. The IsoRankN tool was used, which incorporates both gene homology and network topology for the alignment. A total of 1,173 aligned loci were detected between the two grass networks, which condensed into 154 conserved subgraphs that preserved 4,758 coexpression edges in rice and 6,105 coexpression edges in maize. This study provides an early view into maize coexpression space and provides an initial network-based framework for the translation of functional genomic and genetic information between these two vital agricultural species. PMID:21606319

Gene coexpression network alignment and conservation of gene modules between two grass species: maize and rice.

PubMed

Ficklin, Stephen P; Feltus, F Alex

2011-07-01

One major objective for plant biology is the discovery of molecular subsystems underlying complex traits. The use of genetic and genomic resources combined in a systems genetics approach offers a means for approaching this goal. This study describes a maize (Zea mays) gene coexpression network built from publicly available expression arrays. The maize network consisted of 2,071 loci that were divided into 34 distinct modules that contained 1,928 enriched functional annotation terms and 35 cofunctional gene clusters. Of note, 391 maize genes of unknown function were found to be coexpressed within modules along with genes of known function. A global network alignment was made between this maize network and a previously described rice (Oryza sativa) coexpression network. The IsoRankN tool was used, which incorporates both gene homology and network topology for the alignment. A total of 1,173 aligned loci were detected between the two grass networks, which condensed into 154 conserved subgraphs that preserved 4,758 coexpression edges in rice and 6,105 coexpression edges in maize. This study provides an early view into maize coexpression space and provides an initial network-based framework for the translation of functional genomic and genetic information between these two vital agricultural species.

The Then and Now of Reference Conditions in Streams of the Central Plains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huggins, D.; Angelo, R.; Baker, D. S.; Welker, G.

2005-05-01

Models of contemporary and pre-settlement reference conditions were constructed for streams that once drained the tallgrass prairies of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri (e.g. Western Corn Belt Plains ecoregion), and for streams within the heart of the mixed grass prairie (e.g. Southwestern Tablelands ecoregion). Data on watershed, habitat, chemistry and biology compiled for existing reference streams (least or minimally impacted systems) were used to characterize contemporary reference conditions. Contemporary reference conditions within these two prairie regions are contrasted against hypothetical pre-settlement conditions using information from the best streams (upper 25%) of the current reference population, historical accounts, museum records, natural heritage programs, Public Land Survey and current remote sensing data. Similar comparisons were made between historical and current reference conditions for the Southwestern Tablelands located in central Kansas and Oklahoma. Much of this region remains in mixed grass prairie; has limited hydrological alterations (e.g. impoundments, dewatering) and low human and livestock densities. Within the tablelands these factors have preserved reference conditions that resemble historic conditions. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons indicate that many regions within the Central Plains require caution when using "least disturbed" reference streams and conditions to identify regional biological integrity goals relative to the Clean Water Act.

Routing of Fatty Acids from Fresh Grass to Milk Restricts the Validation of Feeding Information Obtained by Measuring (13)C in Milk.

PubMed

Auerswald, Karl; Schäufele, Rudi; Bellof, Gerhard

2015-12-09

Dairy production systems vary widely in their feeding and livestock-keeping regimens. Both are well-known to affect milk quality and consumer perceptions. Stable isotope analysis has been suggested as an easy-to-apply tool to validate a claimed feeding regimen. Although it is unambiguous that feeding influences the carbon isotope composition (δ(13)C) in milk, it is not clear whether a reported feeding regimen can be verified by measuring δ(13)C in milk without sampling and analyzing the feed. We obtained 671 milk samples from 40 farms distributed over Central Europe to measure δ(13)C and fatty acid composition. Feeding protocols by the farmers in combination with a model based on δ(13)C feed values from the literature were used to predict δ(13)C in feed and subsequently in milk. The model considered dietary contributions of C3 and C4 plants, contribution of concentrates, altitude, seasonal variation in (12/13)CO2, Suess's effect, and diet-milk discrimination. Predicted and measured δ(13)C in milk correlated closely (r(2) = 0.93). Analyzing milk for δ(13)C allowed validation of a reported C4 component with an error of <8% in 95% of all cases. This included the error of the method (measurement and prediction) and the error of the feeding information. However, the error was not random but varied seasonally and correlated with the seasonal variation in long-chain fatty acids. This indicated a bypass of long-chain fatty acids from fresh grass to milk.

Testing the apparent resistance of three dominant plants to chronic drought on the Colorado Plateau

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoover, David L.; Duniway, Michael C.; Belnap, Jayne

2016-01-01

Many drylands, including the south-western United States, are projected to become more water-limited as these regions become warmer and drier with climate change. Such chronic drought may push individual species or plant functional types beyond key thresholds leading to reduced growth or even mortality. Indeed, recent observational and experimental evidence from the Colorado Plateau suggests that C3 grasses are the most vulnerable to chronic drought, while C4 grasses and C3 shrubs appear to have greater resistance.The effects of chronic, or press-drought are predicted to begin at the physiological level and translate up to higher hierarchical levels. To date, the drought resistance of C4grasses and C3 shrubs in this region has been only evaluated at the community level and thus we lack information on whether there are sensitivities to drought at lower hierarchical levels. In this study, we tested the apparent drought resistance of three dominant species (Pleuraphis jamesii, a C4 rhizomatous grass; Coleogyne ramosissima, a C3 drought-deciduous shrub; and Ephedra viridis, a C3 evergreen shrub) to an ongoing experimental press-drought (-35% precipitation) by comparing individual-level responses (ecophysiology and growth dynamics) to community-level responses (plant cover).For all three species, we observed consistent responses across all hierarchical levels:P. jamesii was sensitive to drought across all measured variables, while the shrubsC. ramosissima and E. viridis had little to no responses to the experimental press-drought at any given level.Synthesis. Our findings suggest that the apparent drought resistance at higher hierarchical levels, such as cover, may serve as good proxies for lower-level responses. Furthermore, it appears the shrubs are avoiding drought, possibly by utilizing moisture at deeper soil layers, while the grasses are limited to shallower layers and must endure the drought conditions. Give this differential sensitivity to drought, a future with less precipitation and higher temperatures may increase the dominance of shrubs on the Colorado Plateau, as grasses succumb to chronic water stress.

Prevalence of Hand-transmitted Vibration Exposure among Grass-cutting Workers using Objective and Subjective Measures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azmir, N. A.; Yahya, M. N.

2017-01-01

Extended exposure to hand-transmitted vibration from vibrating machine is associated with an increased occurrence of symptoms of occupational disease related to hand disorder. The present case study is to determine the prevalence and correlation of significant subjective as well as objective variables that induce to hand arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) among hand-held grass-cutting workers in Malaysia. Thus, recommendations are made for grass-cutting workers and grass maintenance service management based on findings. A cross sectional study using adopted subjective Hand Arm Vibration Exposure Risk Assessment (HAVERA) questionnaire from Vibration Injury Network on hand disorder signs and symptoms was distributed to a sample of one hundred and sixty eight male workers from grass and turf maintenance industry that use vibrating machine as part of their work. For objective measure, hand-transmitted vibration measurement was collected on site during operation by the following ISO 5349-1, 2001. Two groups were identified in this research comprising of high exposure group and low-moderate exposure group. Workers also gave information about their personal identification, social history, workers’ health, occupational history and machine safety inspection. There was positive HAVS symptoms relationship between the low-moderate exposure group and high exposure group among hand-held grass-cutting workers. The prevalence ratio (PR) was considered high for experiencing white colour change at fingers and fingers go numb which are 3.63 (1.41 to 9.39) and 4.24 (2.18 to 8.27), respectively. The estimated daily vibration exposure, A(8) differs between 2.1 to 20.7 ms-2 for right hand while 2.7 to 29.1 ms-2 for left hand. The subjects claimed that the feel of numbness at left hand is much stronger compared to right hand. The results suggest that HAVS is diagnosed in Malaysia especially in agriculture sector. The A(8) indicates that the exposure value is more than exposure limit value which is 5 ms-2. Thus, control measure such as engineering and administrative control should be implemented to reduce the severity of hand-transmitted vibration hazard.

Poaceae, Secale spp. and Artemisia spp. pollen in the air at two sites of different degrees of urbanisation.

PubMed

Kruczek, Aleksandra; Puc, Małgorzata; Wolski, Tomasz

2017-03-21

Among herbal plants, most cases of allergic reactions, like seasonal inflammation of nasal mucosa, conjunctivitis and pollen asthma, are related to the allergens from grass pollen. As the blossoming and pollination of rye is known to start the pollen season of grasses, information about the airborne rye pollen count permits alerting the people allergic to certain allergens contained in rye pollen. An important cause of allergy is also the pollen from wormwood, blossoming in late summer, as its two main allergens produce cross-reactions with many other plant allergens. The aim of the study was to evaluate the risk of allergic reactions in persons with pollinosis on the basis of the pollen calendar, analysis of concentrations of pollen grains of grass and rye, and comparison of diurnal pattern of airborne pollen grain concentrations at two sites with different degrees of urbanisation (Gudowo in the country and the city of Szczecin) in 2012-2014. The concentration of pollen was measured by the volume method. Length of the pollination season was determined by the method of 98%, assuming that the beginning and the end of the pollen season are the days on which 1% and 99% of the annual sum of pollen appeared. The first pollen grains to appear in the air are those produced by rye, followed by those produced by grass and wormwood. The pollen seasons of grasses and wormwood started about one week earlier in Gudowo than in Szczecin, while the pollen season of rye started at almost the same time in the country and in the city. Airborne pollen counts of grasses, rye and wormwood were much higher in the country than in the city. The differences most probably result from the different floristic composition at these two sites and reflect the local contribution of the taxa studied in the country. The risk of allergy caused by the pollen of the taxa analysed was much higher in Gudowo (in the country), than in Szczecin city.

Estimating watershed level nonagricultural pesticide use from golf courses using geospatial methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fox, G.A.; Thelin, G.P.; Sabbagh, G.J.; Fuchs, J.W.; Kelly, I.D.

2008-01-01

Limited information exists on pesticide use for nonagricultural purposes, making it difficult to estimate pesticide loadings from nonagricultural sources to surface water and to conduct environmental risk assessments. A method was developed to estimate the amount of pesticide use on recreational turf grasses, specifically golf course turf grasses, for watersheds located throughout the conterminous United States (U.S.). The approach estimates pesticide use: (1) based on the area of recreational turf grasses (used as a surrogate for turf associated with golf courses) within the watershed, which was derived from maps of land cover, and (2) from data on the location and average treatable area of golf courses. The area of golf course turf grasses determined from these two methods was used to calculate the percentage of each watershed planted in golf course turf grass (percent crop area, or PCA). Turf-grass PCAs derived from the two methods were used with recommended application rates provided on pesticide labels to estimate total pesticide use on recreational turf within 1,606 watersheds associated with surface-water sources of drinking water. These pesticide use estimates made from label rates and PCAs were compared to use estimates from industry sales data on the amount of each pesticide sold for use within the watershed. The PCAs derived from the land-cover data had an average value of 0.4% of a watershed with minimum of 0.01% and a maximum of 9.8%, whereas the PCA values that are based on the number of golf courses in a watershed had an average of 0.3% of a watershed with a minimum of <0.01% and a maximum of 14.2%. Both the land-cover method and the number of golf courses method produced similar PCA distributions, suggesting that either technique may be used to provide a PCA estimate for recreational turf. The average and maximum PCAs generally correlated to watershed size, with the highest PCAs estimated for small watersheds. Using watershed specific PCAs, combined with label rates, resulted in greater than two orders of magnitude over-estimation of the pesticide use compared to estimates from sales data. ?? 2008 American Water Resources Association.

40 CFR 180.582 - Pyraclostrobin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 2.5 Gold of pleasure, seed 0.45 Grain, aspirated fractions 2.5 Grape 2.0 Grape, raisin 7.0 Grass, forage 10 Grass, hay 4.5 Grass, seed screenings 27 Grass, straw grown for seed 14 Hare's ear mustard...

40 CFR 180.454 - Nicosulfuron; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... byproducts 0.05 Grass, forage 9.0 Grass, hay 25.0 Horse, fat 0.01 Horse, meat 0.01 Horse, meat byproducts 0... grass, forage 10 12/31/11 Bermuda grass, hay 25 12/31/11 (c) Tolerances with regional registrations...

40 CFR 180.454 - Nicosulfuron; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... byproducts 0.05 Grass, forage 9.0 Grass, hay 25.0 Horse, fat 0.01 Horse, meat 0.01 Horse, meat byproducts 0... grass, forage 10 12/31/11 Bermuda grass, hay 25 12/31/11 (c) Tolerances with regional registrations...

Overlap in nitrogen sources and redistribution of nitrogen between trees and grasses in a semi-arid savanna.

PubMed

Priyadarshini, K V R; Prins, Herbert H T; de Bie, Steven; Heitkönig, Ignas M A; Woodborne, Stephan; Gort, Gerrit; Kirkman, Kevin; Fry, Brian; de Kroon, Hans

2014-04-01

A key question in savanna ecology is how trees and grasses coexist under N limitation. We used N stable isotopes and N content to study N source partitioning across seasons from trees and associated grasses in a semi-arid savanna. We also used (15)N tracer additions to investigate possible redistribution of N by trees to grasses. Foliar stable N isotope ratio (δ(15)N) values were consistent with trees and grasses using mycorrhiza-supplied N in all seasons except in the wet season when they switched to microbially fixed N. The dependence of trees and grasses on mineralized soil N seemed highly unlikely based on seasonal variation in mineralization rates in the Kruger Park region. Remarkably, foliar δ(15)N values were similar for all three tree species differing in the potential for N fixation through nodulation. The tracer experiment showed that N was redistributed by trees to understory grasses in all seasons. Our results suggest that the redistribution of N from trees to grasses and uptake of N was independent of water redistribution. Although there is overlap of N sources between trees and grasses, dependence on biological sources of N coupled with redistribution of subsoil N by trees may contribute to the coexistence of trees and grasses in semi-arid savannas.

Integrating NASA's Land Analysis System (LAS) image processing software with an appropriate Geographic Information System (GIS): A review of candidates in the public domain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rochon, Gilbert L.

1989-01-01

A user requirements analysis (URA) was undertaken to determine and appropriate public domain Geographic Information System (GIS) software package for potential integration with NASA's LAS (Land Analysis System) 5.0 image processing system. The necessity for a public domain system was underscored due to the perceived need for source code access and flexibility in tailoring the GIS system to the needs of a heterogenous group of end-users, and to specific constraints imposed by LAS and its user interface, Transportable Applications Executive (TAE). Subsequently, a review was conducted of a variety of public domain GIS candidates, including GRASS 3.0, MOSS, IEMIS, and two university-based packages, IDRISI and KBGIS. The review method was a modified version of the GIS evaluation process, development by the Federal Interagency Coordinating Committee on Digital Cartography. One IEMIS-derivative product, the ALBE (AirLand Battlefield Environment) GIS, emerged as the most promising candidate for integration with LAS. IEMIS (Integrated Emergency Management Information System) was developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). ALBE GIS is currently under development at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory under contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Engineering Topographic Laboratory (ETL). Accordingly, recommendations are offered with respect to a potential LAS/ALBE GIS linkage and with respect to further system enhancements, including coordination with the development of the Spatial Analysis and Modeling System (SAMS) GIS in Goddard's IDM (Intelligent Data Management) developments in Goddard's National Space Science Data Center.

Variation in Soil Microbial Community Structure Associated with Different Legume Species Is Greater than that Associated with Different Grass Species

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yang; Zhu, Honghui; Fu, Shenglei; Yao, Qing

2017-01-01

Plants are the essential factors shaping soil microbial community (SMC) structure. When most studies focus on the difference in the SMC structure associated different plant species, the variation in the SMC structure associated with phylogenetically close species is less investigated. Legume (Fabaceae) and grass (Poaceae) are functionally important plant groups; however, their influences on the SMC structure are seldom compared, and the variation in the SMC structure among legume or grass species is largely unknown. In this study, we grew three legume species vs. three grass species in mesocosms, and monitored the soil chemical property, quantified the abundance of bacteria and fungi. The SMC structure was also characterized using PCR-DGGE and Miseq sequencing. Results showed that legume and grass differentially affected soil pH, dissolved organic C, total N content, and available P content, and that legume enriched fungi more greatly than grass. Both DGGE profiling and Miseq-sequencing indicated that the bacterial diversity associated with legume was higher than that associated with grass. When legume increased the abundance of Verrucomicrobia, grass decreased it, and furthermore, linear discriminant analysis identified some group-specific microbial taxa as potential biomarkers of legume or grass. These data suggest that legume and grass differentially select for the SMC. More importantly, clustering analysis based on both DGGE profiling and Miseq-sequencing demonstrated that the variation in the SMC structure associated with three legume species was greater than that associated with three grass species. PMID:28620371

Linking dominant Hawaiian tree species to understory development in recovering pastures via impacts on soils and litter

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yelenik, Stephanie G.

2017-01-01

Large areas of tropical forest have been cleared and planted with exotic grass species for use as cattle pasture. These often remain persistent grasslands after grazer removal, which is problematic for restoring native forest communities. It is often hoped that remnant and/or planted trees can jump-start forest succession; however, there is little mechanistic information on how different canopy species affect community trajectories. To investigate this, I surveyed understory communities, exotic grass biomass, standing litter pools, and soil properties under two dominant canopy trees—Metrosideros polymorpha (‘ōhi‘a) and Acacia koa (koa)—in recovering Hawaiian forests. I then used structural equation models (SEMs) to elucidate direct and indirect effects of trees on native understory. Native understory communities developed under ‘ōhi‘a, which had larger standing litter pools, lower soil nitrogen, and lower exotic grass biomass than koa. This pattern was variable, potentially due to historical site differences and/or distance to intact forest. Koa, in contrast, showed little understory development. Instead, data suggest that increased soil nitrogen under koa leads to high grass biomass that stalls native recruitment. SEMs suggested that indirect effects of trees via litter and soils were as or more important than direct effects for determining native cover. It is suggested that diverse plantings which incorporate species that have high carbon to nitrogen ratios may help ameliorate the negative indirect effects of koa on natural understory regeneration.

Seasonal movement and mesohabitat usage of adult and juvenile lake sturgeon in the Grasse River, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Trested, D.G.; Chan, Matthew D.; Bridges, W.C.; Isely, J.J.

2011-01-01

Long-term restoration efforts for lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens populations will benefit from better understanding of this species' movements and habitat use in riverine systems. Radio transmitters were implanted in both juvenile and adult lake sturgeon in the Grasse River, New York, and individuals were relocated over a 2-year period. Adult lake sturgeon demonstrated greater minimum daily distance moved, absolute distance moved, and mean home range size than juvenile lake sturgeon during the spring. During the course of the study, both adult and juvenile lake sturgeon exhibited movements upstream and downstream through a breached low-head weir, and individuals did not necessarily remain resident on an annual basis in the Grasse River. Mesohabitat and substrate use patterns were determined based on comparisons of frequency distributions for relocated lake sturgeon and quantified mesohabitat and substrate over a 15-km river reach. Lake sturgeon used pool mesohabitat and limited their use of run mesohabitat under both low- and mid-flow conditions. During most of the year, adult and juvenile lake sturgeon were detected over silt substrate. This study illustrates behavioral differences and similarities between the movements and habitat use of adult and juvenile lake sturgeon in a riverine system.

Exchange of organic solvents between the atmosphere and grass--the use of open top chambers.

PubMed

Binnie, J; Cape, J N; Mackie, N; Leith, I D

2002-02-21

Volatile organic compounds (VOC) are of increasing environmental significance as a result of continually increasing volumes of traffic on European roads. An open-top chamber fumigation system has been devised to investigate how these contaminants transfer between the atmosphere and the ground, and how they partition between and within air-plant-soil systems. Variation in chamber temperature, solar radiation in the chamber and chamber flow rate were identified as factors that affected final air concentrations. These were assessed and quantified for all individual chambers used--effectively characterising each chamber. The real-life VOC concentrations generated were stable and readily reproducible. Grass exposed to benzene, toluene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane and tetrachloroethene, respectively, equilibrated in response to a change in air concentration within hours. The rate of equilibration in exposed grass in all cases was independent of air temperature. 1,1,1-Trichloroethane and tetrachloroethene appear to be biologically inert demonstrating a simple physico-chemical approach to equilibrium, however, benzene and toluene do not appear independent of plant metabolic activity. Aqueous solubility can account for all of the toluene and benzene in the fumigated plant material.

CANOPY ARCHITECTURE, LIGHT EXTINCTION AND SELF-SHADING OF A PRAIRIE GRASS, ANDROPOGON GERARDII. (R825796)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

CANOPY ARCHITECTURE, LIGHT EXTINCTION, AND SELF-SHADING OF A PRAIRIE GRASS, ANDROPOGON GERARDII. (R825796)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

ANIMATION RURALE: Education for Rural Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moulton, Jeanne Marie

Information gathered via literature review, interview, and personal observation was used to examine the effectiveness of animation rurale programs in Senegal and Niger, French West Africa. Identifiable animation rurale assumptions tested as applicable to Senegal and Niger were: nationwide development programs at the grass roots level can be…

Conversion of native terrestrial ecosystems in Hawai‘i to novel grazing systems: a review

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leopold, Christina R.; Hess, Steven C.

2017-01-01

The remote oceanic islands of Hawai‘i exemplify the transformative effects that non-native herbivorous mammals can bring to isolated terrestrial ecosystems. We reviewed published literature containing systematically collected, analyzed, and peer-reviewed original data specifically addressing direct effects of non-native hoofed mammals (ungulates) on terrestrial ecosystems, and indirect effects and interactions on ecosystem processes in Hawai‘i. The effects of ungulates on native vegetation and ecosystems were addressed in 58 original studies and mostly showed strong short-term regeneration of dominant native trees and understory ferns after ungulate removal, but unassisted recovery was dependent on the extent of previous degradation. Ungulates were associated with herbivory, bark-stripping, disturbance by hoof action, soil erosion, enhanced nutrient cycling from the interaction of herbivory and grasses, and increased pyrogenicity and competition between native plants and pasture grasses. No studies demonstrated that ungulates benefitted native ecosystems except in short-term fire-risk reduction. However, non-native plants became problematic and continued to proliferate after release from herbivory, including at least 11 species of non-native pasture grasses that had become established prior to ungulate removal. Competition from non-native grasses inhibited native species regeneration where degradation was extensive. These processes have created novel grazing systems which, in some cases, have irreversibly altered Hawaii’s terrestrial ecology. Non-native plant control and outplanting of rarer native species will be necessary for recovery where degradation has been extensive. Lack of unassisted recovery in some locations should not be construed as a reason to not attempt restoration of other ecosystems.

Brachypodium distachyon. A New Model System for Functional Genomics in Grasses1

PubMed Central

Draper, John; Mur, Luis A.J.; Jenkins, Glyn; Ghosh-Biswas, Gadab C.; Bablak, Pauline; Hasterok, Robert; Routledge, Andrew P.M.

2001-01-01

A new model for grass functional genomics is described based on Brachypodium distachyon, which in the evolution of the Pooideae diverged just prior to the clade of “core pooid” genera that contain the majority of important temperate cereals and forage grasses. Diploid ecotypes of B. distachyon (2n = 10) have five easily distinguishable chromosomes that display high levels of chiasma formation at meiosis. The B. distachyon nuclear genome was indistinguishable in size from that of Arabidopsis, making it the simplest genome described in grasses to date. B. distachyon is a self-fertile, inbreeding annual with a life cycle of less than 4 months. These features, coupled with its small size (approximately 20 cm at maturity), lack of seed-head shatter, and undemanding growth requirements should make it amenable to high-throughput genetics and mutant screens. Immature embryos exhibited a high capacity for plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis. Regenerated plants display very low levels of albinism and have normal fertility. A simple transformation system has been developed based on microprojectile bombardment of embryogenic callus and hygromycin selection. Selected B. distachyon ecotypes were resistant to all tested cereal-adapted Blumeria graminis species and cereal brown rusts (Puccinia reconditia). In contrast, different ecotypes displayed resistance or disease symptoms following challenge with the rice blast pathogen (Magnaporthe grisea) and wheat/barley yellow stripe rusts (Puccinia striformis). Despite its small stature, B. distachyon has large seeds that should prove useful for studies on grain filling. Such biological characteristics represent important traits for study in temperate cereals. PMID:11743099

Blue wild-rye grass competition increases the effect of ozone on ponderosa pine seedlings.

PubMed

Andersen, C P; Hogsett, W E; Plocher, M; Rodecap, K; Lee, E H

2001-03-01

Individual ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) seedlings were grown in mesocosms with three densities of blue wild-rye grass (Elymus glaucus Buckl.) (equivalent to 0, 32 or 88 plants m-2) to determine if the presence of a natural competitor alters the response of ponderosa pine seedlings to ozone. After 3 years of ozone exposure, grass presence reduced total ponderosa pine dry mass by nearly 50%, whereas ozone alone had no significant effect on ponderosa pine growth. The combination of ozone and grass further reduced needle, stem and branch dry mass significantly below that induced by grass competition alone. Root:shoot ratios increased in response to the combined grass and ozone treatments. Grass competition significantly reduced soluble sugar concentrations in all ponderosa pine tissue components examined. Starch concentrations were highly variable but did not differ significantly between treatments. Ozone significantly reduced soluble sugar concentrations in fine roots and stems. In the absence of grass, ozone-treated seedlings tended to have higher tissue N concentrations than controls. In the presence of grass, ozone-treated seedlings had lower N concentrations than controls, resulting in a significant interaction between these two stresses in 1- and 2-year-old needles. Needle C:N ratios decreased in response to grass competition, as a result of increased N concentration and no change in C concentration. The opposite response was observed in ozone-treated seedlings as a result of decreased N concentrations, indicating that ozone-treated seedlings were unable to take up or retain as much nitrogen when grown in the presence of grass. We conclude that ponderosa pine seedlings are more susceptible to ozone when grown in competition with blue wild-rye grass.

Final Technical Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sara Bergan, Executive Director; Brendan Jordan, Program Manager; Subcontractors as listed on the report.

2007-06-06

The following report contributes to our knowledge of how to economically produce wildlife-friendly grass mixtures for future fuel feedstocks in the northern plains. It investigates northern-adapted cultivars; management and harvest regimes that are good for yields, soils and wildlife; comparative analysis of monocultures and simple mixtures of native grasses; economic implications of growing grasses for fuel feedstocks in specific locations in the northern plains; and conversion options for turning the grasses into useful chemicals and fuels. The core results of this study suggest the following; Native grasses, even simple grass mixtures, can be produced profitably in the northern plains asmore » far west as the 100th meridian with yields ranging from 2 to 6 tons per acre; Northern adapted cultivars may yield less in good years, but have much greater long-term sustainable yield potential than higher-yielding southern varieties; Grasses require very little inputs and stop economically responding to N applications above 56kg/hectare; Harvesting after a killing frost may reduce the yield available in that given year but will increase overall yields averaged throughout multiple years; Harvesting after a killing frost or even in early spring reduces the level of ash and undesirable molecules like K which cause adverse reactions in pyrolysis processing. Grasses can be managed for biomass harvest and maintain or improve overall soil-health and carbon sequestration benefits of idled grassland; The carbon sequestration activity of the grasses seems to follow the above ground health of the biomass. In other words plots where the above ground biomass is regularly removed can continue to sequester carbon at the rate of 2 tons/acre/year if the stand health is strong and yielding significant amounts of biomass; Managing grasses for feedstock quality in a biomass system requires some of the same management strategies as managing for wildlife benefit. We believe that biomass development can be done in such a way that also maximizes or improves upon conservation and other environmental goals (in some cases even when compared to idled land); Switchgrass and big bluestem work well together in simple mixture plots where big bluestem fills in around the switchgrass which alone grows in bunches and leaves patches of bare soil open and susceptible to erosion; Longer-term studies in the northern plains may also find that every other year harvest schemes produce as much biomass averaged over the years as annual harvests; Grasses can be grown for between $23 and $54/ton in the northern plains at production rates between 3 and 5 tons/acre; Land costs, yields, and harvest frequency are the largest determining factors in the farm scale economics. Without any land rent offset or incentive for production, and with annual harvesting, grass production is likely to be around $35/ton in the northern plains (farm gate); Average transportation costs range from $3 to $10/ton delivered to the plant gate. Average distance from the plant is the biggest factor - $3/ton at 10 miles, $10/ton at 50 miles; There is a substantial penalty paid on a per unit of energy produced basis when one converts grasses to bio-oil, but the bio-oil can then compete in higher priced fuel markets whereas grasses alone compete directly with relatively cheap coal; Bio oil or modified bio-oil (without the HA or other chemical fraction) is a suitable fuel for boiler and combustion turbines that would otherwise use residual fuel oil or number 2 diesel; Ensyn has already commercialized the use of HA in smokey flavorants for the food industry but that market is rather small. HA, however, is also found to be a suitable replacement for the much larger US market for ethanolamines and ethalyne oxides that are used as dispersants; Unless crude oil prices rise, the highest and best use of grass based bio-oil is primarily as a direct fuel. As prices rise, HA, phenol and other chemical fractions may become more attractive; Although we were able to create available glucose from the AHG fraction in the bio-oil it proved recalcitrant to fermentation by yeast. Although fermentation results were much more positive with wood based bio-oil sugars, ethanol does not appear to be a likely product from grass based bio-oil; and A package of policy recommendations has been developed with roughly 75 key stakeholders from throughout the region that would support the transition to greater development of advanced biofuels and products in the region, as well as a strong role for native grass agriculture to support those industries.« less

Construction of high quality Gateway™ entry libraries and their application to yeast two-hybrid for the monocot model plant Brachypodium distachyon.

PubMed

Cao, Shuanghe; Siriwardana, Chamindika L; Kumimoto, Roderick W; Holt, Ben F

2011-05-19

Monocots, especially the temperate grasses, represent some of the most agriculturally important crops for both current food needs and future biofuel development. Because most of the agriculturally important grass species are difficult to study (e.g., they often have large, repetitive genomes and can be difficult to grow in laboratory settings), developing genetically tractable model systems is essential. Brachypodium distachyon (hereafter Brachypodium) is an emerging model system for the temperate grasses. To fully realize the potential of this model system, publicly accessible discovery tools are essential. High quality cDNA libraries that can be readily adapted for multiple downstream purposes are a needed resource. Additionally, yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) libraries are an important discovery tool for protein-protein interactions and are not currently available for Brachypodium. We describe the creation of two high quality, publicly available Gateway™ cDNA entry libraries and their derived Y2H libraries for Brachypodium. The first entry library represents cloned cDNA populations from both short day (SD, 8/16-h light/dark) and long day (LD, 20/4-h light/dark) grown plants, while the second library was generated from hormone treated tissues. Both libraries have extensive genome coverage (~5 × 107 primary clones each) and average clone lengths of ~1.5 Kb. These entry libraries were then used to create two recombination-derived Y2H libraries. Initial proof-of-concept screens demonstrated that a protein with known interaction partners could readily re-isolate those partners, as well as novel interactors. Accessible community resources are a hallmark of successful biological model systems. Brachypodium has the potential to be a broadly useful model system for the grasses, but still requires many of these resources. The Gateway™ compatible entry libraries created here will facilitate studies for multiple user-defined purposes and the derived Y2H libraries can be immediately applied to large scale screening and discovery of novel protein-protein interactions. All libraries are freely available for distribution to the research community.

40 CFR 60.3078 - What definitions must I know?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... shavings. Wood waste does not include: (1) Grass, grass clippings, bushes, shrubs, and clippings from bushes and shrubs from residential, commercial/retail, institutional, or industrial sources as part of..., flake board, and oriented strand board). Yard waste means grass, grass clippings, bushes, shrubs, and...

40 CFR 60.2977 - What definitions must I know?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... shavings. Wood waste does not include: (1) Grass, grass clippings, bushes, shrubs, and clippings from bushes and shrubs from residential, commercial/retail, institutional, or industrial sources as part of..., flake board, and oriented strand board). Yard waste means grass, grass clippings, bushes, shrubs, and...

40 CFR 180.464 - Dimethenamid; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... removed 0.01 Corn, sweet, stover 0.01 Garlic 0.01 Grass, forage 0.15 Grass, hay 2.5 Grass, seed screenings 0.01 Grass, straw 0.01 Hop, dried cones 0.05 Horseradish 0.01 Leek 0.01 Onion, bulb 0.01 Onion...

7 CFR 1436.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... security interest in personal property when properly filed or recorded. Hay means a grass or legume that has been cut and stored. Commonly used grass mixtures include rye grass, timothy, brome, fescue, coastal Bermuda, orchard grass, and other native species, depending on the region. Forage legumes include...

7 CFR 1436.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... security interest in personal property when properly filed or recorded. Hay means a grass or legume that has been cut and stored. Commonly used grass mixtures include rye grass, timothy, brome, fescue, coastal Bermuda, orchard grass, and other native species, depending on the region. Forage legumes include...

40 CFR 180.464 - Dimethenamid; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... removed 0.01 Corn, sweet, stover 0.01 Garlic 0.01 Grass, forage 0.15 Grass, hay 2.5 Grass, seed screenings 0.01 Grass, straw 0.01 Hop, dried cones 0.05 Horseradish 0.01 Leek 0.01 Onion, bulb 0.01 Onion...

Best management practices for establishment of salt-tolerant grasses on roadsides : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-07-01

Roadsides are a unique growing environment for turf grasses and can be a challenge to establish and maintain. The University of Minnesota turf grass research program has been investigating low-input turf grasses that are better adapted for roadsides ...

Microbiological Quality of Panicum maximum Grass Silage with Addition of Lactobacillus sp. as Starter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sumarsih, S.; Sulistiyanto, B.; Utama, C. S.

2018-02-01

The aim of the research was to evaluate microbiological quality of Panicum maximum grass silage with addition Lactobacillus sp as starter. The completely randomized design was been used on this research with 4 treaments and 3 replications. The treatments were P0 ( Panicum maximum grass silage without addition Lactobacillus sp ), P1 ( Panicum maximum grass silage with 2% addition Lactobacillus sp), P2 (Panicum maximum grass silage with 4% addition Lactobacillus sp) and P3 (Panicum maximum grass silage with 6% addition Lactobacillus sp).The parameters were microbial populations of Panicum maximum grass silage (total lactic acid bacteria, total bacteria, total fungi, and Coliform bacteria. The data obtained were analyzed variance (ANOVA) and further tests performed Duncan’s Multiple Areas. The population of lactic acid bacteria was higher (P<0.05) and the total bacteria, fungi and Coliform were lower (P<0.05) with addition Lactobacillus sp. Microbiological quality of Panicum maximum grass silage with addition Lactobacillus sp was better than no addition Lactobacillus sp.

A generic model for estimating biomass accumulation and greenhouse gas emissions from perennial crops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ledo, Alicia; Heathcote, Richard; Hastings, Astley; Smith, Pete; Hillier, Jonathan

2017-04-01

Agriculture is essential to maintain humankind but is, at the same time, a substantial emitter of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. With a rising global population, the need for agriculture to provide secure food and energy supply is one of the main human challenges. At the same time, it is the only sector which has significant potential for negative emissions through the sequestration of carbon and offsetting via supply of feedstock for energy production. Perennial crops accumulate carbon during their lifetime and enhance organic soil carbon increase via root senescence and decomposition. However, inconsistency in accounting for this stored biomass undermines efforts to assess the benefits of such cropping systems when applied at scale. A consequence of this exclusion is that efforts to manage this important carbon stock are neglected. Detailed information on carbon balance is crucial to identify the main processes responsible for greenhouse gas emissions in order to develop strategic mitigation programs. Perennial crops systems represent 30% in area of total global crop systems, a considerable amount to be ignored. Furthermore, they have a major standing both in the bioenergy and global food industries. In this study, we first present a generic model to calculate the carbon balance and GHGs emissions from perennial crops, covering both food and bioenergy crops. The model is composed of two simple process-based sub-models, to cover perennial grasses and other perennial woody plants. The first is a generic individual based sub-model (IBM) covering crops in which the yield is the fruit and the plant biomass is an unharvested residue. Trees, shrubs and climbers fall into this category. The second model is a generic area based sub-model (ABM) covering perennial grasses, in which the harvested part includes some of the plant parts in which the carbon storage is accounted. Most second generation perennial bioenergy crops fall into this category. Both generic sub-models presented in this paper can be parametrized for different crops. Quantifying CO2 capture by plants and biomass accumulation and changes in soil carbon, are key in evaluating the impacts of perennial crops in life cycle analysis. We then use this model to illustrate the importance of biomass in the overall GHG estimation from four important perennial crops - sugarcane, Miscanthus, coffee, and apples - which were chosen to cover tropical and temperate regions, trees and grasses, and energy and food supply.

Categorization of extraneous matter in cotton using machine vision systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Cotton Trash Identification System (CTIS) developed at the Southwestern Cotton Ginning Research Laboratory was evaluated for identification and categorization of extraneous matter in cotton. The CTIS bark/grass categorization was evaluated with USDA-Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) extraneou...

Heat Shock Proteins in Association with Heat Tolerance in Grasses

PubMed Central

Xu, Yan; Zhan, Chenyang; Huang, Bingru

2011-01-01

The grass family Poaceae includes annual species cultivated as major grain crops and perennial species cultivated as forage or turf grasses. Heat stress is a primary factor limiting growth and productivity of cool-season grass species and is becoming a more significant problem in the context of global warming. Plants have developed various mechanisms in heat-stress adaptation, including changes in protein metabolism such as the induction of heat shock proteins (HSPs). This paper summarizes the structure and function of major HSPs, recent research progress on the association of HSPs with grass tolerance to heat stress, and incorporation of HSPs in heat-tolerant grass breeding. PMID:22084689

Estimation of the Botanical Composition of Clover-Grass Leys from RGB Images Using Data Simulation and Fully Convolutional Neural Networks

PubMed Central

Steen, Kim Arild; Green, Ole; Karstoft, Henrik

2017-01-01

Optimal fertilization of clover-grass fields relies on knowledge of the clover and grass fractions. This study shows how knowledge can be obtained by analyzing images collected in fields automatically. A fully convolutional neural network was trained to create a pixel-wise classification of clover, grass, and weeds in red, green, and blue (RGB) images of clover-grass mixtures. The estimated clover fractions of the dry matter from the images were found to be highly correlated with the real clover fractions of the dry matter, making this a cheap and non-destructive way of monitoring clover-grass fields. The network was trained solely on simulated top-down images of clover-grass fields. This enables the network to distinguish clover, grass, and weed pixels in real images. The use of simulated images for training reduces the manual labor to a few hours, as compared to more than 3000 h when all the real images are annotated for training. The network was tested on images with varied clover/grass ratios and achieved an overall pixel classification accuracy of 83.4%, while estimating the dry matter clover fraction with a standard deviation of 7.8%. PMID:29258215

Isotopic signatures of vegetation change on northern mixed grass prairie

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

National analyses have shown invasion of northern mixed-grass prairie by nonnative grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.). Invasion of native prairie by nonnative grasses may compromise ecosystem function and limit potential ecosystem services. Recent data from a long-term (100 year) ...

75 FR 66781 - Habitat Conservation Plan for Pacific Gas & Electric Company's Operation, Maintenance, and Minor...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-29

... Dunes evening-primrose E Oenotherawolfii Wolf's evening-primrose -- Orcuttiapilosa Hairy orcutt grass E Orcuttiatenuis Slender orcutt grass T Orcuttiaviscida Sacramento orcutt grass E Packeralayneae Layne's ragwort T... Monterey pine -- Piperiayadonii Yadon's rein orchid E Pleuropogonhooverianus North Coast semaphore grass...

Evaluating the Capability of Grass Swale for the Rainfall Runoff Reduction from an Urban Parking Lot, Seoul, Korea

PubMed Central

Shafique, Muhammad; Kim, Reeho; Kyung-Ho, Kwon

2018-01-01

This field study elaborates the role of grass swale in the management of stormwater in an urban parking lot. Grass swale was constructed by using different vegetations and local soil media in the parking lot of Mapu-gu Seoul, Korea. In this study, rainfall runoff was first retained in soil and the vegetation layers of the grass swale, and then infiltrated rainwater was collected with the help of underground perforated pipe, and passed to an underground storage trench. In this way, grass swale detained a large amount of rainwater for a longer period of time and delayed peak discharge. In this field study, various real storm events were monitored and the research results were analyzed to evaluate the performance of grass swale for managing rainfall runoff in an urban area. From the analysis of field experiments, grass swale showed the significant rainfall runoff retention in different rain events. Grass swale markedly reduced total rainfall runoff volume and peak flow during the small storm events of intensity about 30 mm/h. From the analysis, on average rainfall runoff retention from the grass swale was found around 40 to 75% during the various small rain events. From the results, we can say that grass swale is a stormwater mitigation practice which can help avoid flash flooding problems in urban areas. PMID:29547567

Evaluating the Capability of Grass Swale for the Rainfall Runoff Reduction from an Urban Parking Lot, Seoul, Korea.

PubMed

Shafique, Muhammad; Kim, Reeho; Kyung-Ho, Kwon

2018-03-16

This field study elaborates the role of grass swale in the management of stormwater in an urban parking lot. Grass swale was constructed by using different vegetations and local soil media in the parking lot of Mapu-gu Seoul, Korea. In this study, rainfall runoff was first retained in soil and the vegetation layers of the grass swale, and then infiltrated rainwater was collected with the help of underground perforated pipe, and passed to an underground storage trench. In this way, grass swale detained a large amount of rainwater for a longer period of time and delayed peak discharge. In this field study, various real storm events were monitored and the research results were analyzed to evaluate the performance of grass swale for managing rainfall runoff in an urban area. From the analysis of field experiments, grass swale showed the significant rainfall runoff retention in different rain events. Grass swale markedly reduced total rainfall runoff volume and peak flow during the small storm events of intensity about 30 mm/h. From the analysis, on average rainfall runoff retention from the grass swale was found around 40 to 75% during the various small rain events. From the results, we can say that grass swale is a stormwater mitigation practice which can help avoid flash flooding problems in urban areas.

Nitrogen dynamics in corn and switchgrass production influenced by soils of varying depths in central Missouri

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sustainable biomass feedstock production systems involve biomass generation from non-agricultural or marginal lands with minimal external inputs. Switch grass based alley cropping systems have been proposed as biomass feedstock crop systems in marginal lands. In many areas in the Midwest United Stat...

Abundance and fate of antibiotics and hormones in a vegetative treatment system receiving cattle feedlot runoff

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Vegetative treatment systems (VTS) have been developed and built as an alternative to conventional holding pond systems for managing run-off from animal feeding operations. Initially developed to manage runoff nutrients via uptake by grasses, their effectiveness at removing other runoff contaminant...

When did C4 Photosynthesis originate: New evidence from δ13C analysis of single grass-pollen grains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urban, M. A.; Nelson, D. M.; Pearson, A.; Hu, F.

2009-12-01

C4 grasses account for >20% of global primary productivity and dominate tropical, subtropical, and warm-temperate grassland ecosystems. Thus it is vital to understand when and why C4 photosynthesis first evolved in the grass family (Poaceae). However, because of limitations of most proxies, the origin of C4 grasses remains ambiguous. Grass pollen is morphologically indistinct below the family level, making pollen analysis a crude instrument for studying C4-grass evolution. Previous studies have investigated the timing of C4 evolution using molecular tools and δ13C records from n-alkanes, ungulate teeth, and paleosols, but they yield disparate results. Molecular clocks suggest that C4 grasses first evolved between 27 and 36 Ma (million years before present), coincident with the Oligocene decline in pCO2 from >1000 to <500 ppm. In contrast, δ13C-based approaches do not detect the presence of C4 grasses until the middle Miocene, indicating that they were previously uncommon or absent on the landscape. To investigate when C4 photosynthesis first appeared in the grass family, we utilized Single Pollen Isotope Ratio AnaLysis (SPIRAL), a technique that reliably distinguishes C4 from C3 grass pollen via δ13C. We analyzed 837 single grains of grass pollen from eight lacustrine geological samples (~100 grains/sample) from France and Spain spanning the earliest Oligocene to middle Miocene. To distinguish C3/C4 ratios, we used an optimal threshold value of -19.2‰ adjusted for small (~1‰) temporal variations in atmospheric δ13C. Initial results provide unequivocal evidence of C4 grass pollen in all samples (24-57% C4 grass pollen ±9.2% on average) lending further credence to the molecular data, which posits that C4 grasses appeared as early as the Late Eocene, which is a plausible outcome when considering alternate schemes of dating phylogenetic trees. A C4 origin prior to pCO2 reaching its lowest levels of the Cenozoic at the Oligocene/Miocene boundary indicates that ecological or climatic factors played a pivotal role in the evolution of C4 grasses. However, our estimates for the timing of C4 evolution remain imprecise. We do not have SPIRAL data from samples older than ~34 Ma. Future analyzes will include well-dated samples from additional sites as old as the the late Paleocene, when grass pollen first appeared in the fossil record. In addition, we are refining the C3/C4 threshold value using grass pollen from herbarium specimens. New results should help pinpoint the timing of C4 evolution. Comparison of the timing of C4 evolution with independent pCO2, paleoclimate and paleoecological records will be used to assess the factor(s) that drove the evolution and eventual dominance of C4 grasses.

Development and validation of a 5-day-ahead hay fever forecast for patients with grass-pollen-induced allergic rhinitis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Weger, Letty A.; Beerthuizen, Thijs; Hiemstra, Pieter S.; Sont, Jacob K.

2014-08-01

One-third of the Dutch population suffers from allergic rhinitis, including hay fever. In this study, a 5-day-ahead hay fever forecast was developed and validated for grass pollen allergic patients in the Netherlands. Using multiple regression analysis, a two-step pollen and hay fever symptom prediction model was developed using actual and forecasted weather parameters, grass pollen data and patient symptom diaries. Therefore, 80 patients with a grass pollen allergy rated the severity of their hay fever symptoms during the grass pollen season in 2007 and 2008. First, a grass pollen forecast model was developed using the following predictors: (1) daily means of grass pollen counts of the previous 10 years; (2) grass pollen counts of the previous 2-week period of the current year; and (3) maximum, minimum and mean temperature ( R 2 = 0.76). The second modeling step concerned the forecasting of hay fever symptom severity and included the following predictors: (1) forecasted grass pollen counts; (2) day number of the year; (3) moving average of the grass pollen counts of the previous 2 week-periods; and (4) maximum and mean temperatures ( R 2 = 0.81). Since the daily hay fever forecast is reported in three categories (low-, medium- and high symptom risk), we assessed the agreement between the observed and the 1- to 5-day-ahead predicted risk categories by kappa, which ranged from 65 % to 77 %. These results indicate that a model based on forecasted temperature and grass pollen counts performs well in predicting symptoms of hay fever up to 5 days ahead.

Development and validation of a 5-day-ahead hay fever forecast for patients with grass-pollen-induced allergic rhinitis.

PubMed

de Weger, Letty A; Beerthuizen, Thijs; Hiemstra, Pieter S; Sont, Jacob K

2014-08-01

One-third of the Dutch population suffers from allergic rhinitis, including hay fever. In this study, a 5-day-ahead hay fever forecast was developed and validated for grass pollen allergic patients in the Netherlands. Using multiple regression analysis, a two-step pollen and hay fever symptom prediction model was developed using actual and forecasted weather parameters, grass pollen data and patient symptom diaries. Therefore, 80 patients with a grass pollen allergy rated the severity of their hay fever symptoms during the grass pollen season in 2007 and 2008. First, a grass pollen forecast model was developed using the following predictors: (1) daily means of grass pollen counts of the previous 10 years; (2) grass pollen counts of the previous 2-week period of the current year; and (3) maximum, minimum and mean temperature (R (2)=0.76). The second modeling step concerned the forecasting of hay fever symptom severity and included the following predictors: (1) forecasted grass pollen counts; (2) day number of the year; (3) moving average of the grass pollen counts of the previous 2 week-periods; and (4) maximum and mean temperatures (R (2)=0.81). Since the daily hay fever forecast is reported in three categories (low-, medium- and high symptom risk), we assessed the agreement between the observed and the 1- to 5-day-ahead predicted risk categories by kappa, which ranged from 65 % to 77 %. These results indicate that a model based on forecasted temperature and grass pollen counts performs well in predicting symptoms of hay fever up to 5 days ahead.

Modeled hydraulic redistribution in tree-grass, CAM-grass, and tree-CAM associations: the implications of crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM).

PubMed

Yu, Kailiang; Foster, Adrianna

2016-04-01

Past studies have largely focused on hydraulic redistribution (HR) in trees, shrubs, and grasses, and recognized its role in interspecies interactions. HR in plants that conduct crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), however, remains poorly investigated, as does the effect of HR on transpiration in different vegetation associations (i.e., tree-grass, CAM-grass, and tree-CAM associations). We have developed a mechanistic model to investigate the net direction and magnitude of HR at the patch scale for tree-grass, CAM-grass, and tree-CAM associations at the growing season to yearly timescale. The modeling results show that deep-rooted CAM plants in CAM-grass associations could perform hydraulic lift at a higher rate than trees in tree-grass associations in a relatively wet environment, as explained by a significant increase in grass transpiration rate in the shallow soil layer, balancing a lower transpiration rate by CAM plants. By comparison, trees in tree-CAM associations may perform hydraulic descent at a higher rate than those in tree-grass associations in a dry environment. Model simulations also show that hydraulic lift increases the transpiration of shallow-rooted plants, while hydraulic descent increases that of deep-rooted plants. CAM plants transpire during the night and thus perform HR during the day. Based on these model simulations, we suggest that the ability of CAM plants to perform HR at a higher rate may have different effects on the surrounding plant community than those of plants with C3 or C4 photosynthetic pathways (i.e., diurnal transpiration).

Association Mapping of Cell Wall Synthesis Regulatory Genes and Cell Wall Quality in Switchgrass

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bartley, Laura; Wu, Y.; Zhu, L.

Inefficient conversion of biomass to biofuels is one of the main barriers for biofuel production from such materials. Approximately half of polysaccharides in biomass remain unused by typical biochemical conversion methods. Conversion efficiency is influenced by the composition and structure of cell walls of biomass. Grasses such as wheat, maize, and rice, as well as dedicated perennial bioenergy crops, like switchgrass, make up ~55% of biomass that can be produced in the United States. Grass cell walls have a different composition and patterning compared with dicotyledonous plants, including the well-studied model plant, Arabidopsis. This project identified genetic determinants of cellmore » wall composition in grasses using both naturally occurring genetic variation of switchgrass and gene network reconstruction and functional assays in rice. In addition, the project linked functional data in rice and other species to switchgrass improvement efforts through curation of the most abundant class of regulators in the switchgrass genome. Characterizing natural diversity of switchgrass for variation in cell wall composition and properties, also known as quality, provides an unbiased avenue for identifying biologically viable diversity in switchgrass cell walls. To characterizing natural diversity, this project generated cell wall composition and enzymatic deconstruction data for ~450 genotypes of the Switchgrass Southern Association Collection (SSAC), a diverse collection composed of 36 switchgrass accessions from the southern U.S. distribution of switchgrass. Comparing these data with other measures of cell wall quality for the same samples demonstrated the complementary nature of the diverse characterization platforms now being used for biomass characterization. Association of the composition data with ~3.2K single nucleotide variant markers identified six significant single nucleotide variant markers co-associated with digestibility and another compositional trait. These markers might be used to select switchgrass genotypes with improved composition in breeding programs for biofuel and forage production. Because the SSAC continues to be characterized by collaborators in the bioenergy community, the data generated will be used to identify additional markers in higher resolution genotyping data to approach identifying the genes and alleles that cause natural variation in switchgrass cell wall quality. For example, these markers can be surveyed in the 2100-member Oklahoma Southern and Northern Lowland switchgrass collections that this project also characterized. An orthogonal approach to biodiversity studies, using comparative functional genomics permits systematic querying of how much regulatory information is likely to be transferable from dicots to grasses and use of accumulated functional genomics resources for better-characterized grass species, such as rice, itself a biomass source in global agriculture and in certain regions. The project generated and tested a number of specific hypotheses regarding cell wall transcription factors and enzymes of grasses. To aid identification of cell wall regulators, the project assembled a novel, highdepth and -quality gene association network using a general linearized model scoring system to combine rice gene network data. Using known or putative orthologs of Arabidopsis cell wall biosynthesis genes and regulators, the project pulled from this network a cell wall sub-network that includes 96 transcription factors. Reverse genetics of a co-ortholog of the Arabidopsis MYB61 transcription factor in rice revealed that this regulatory node has evolved the ability to regulate grass-specific cell wall synthesis enzymes. A transcription factor with such activity has not been previously characterized to our knowledge, representing a major conclusion of this work. Changes in gene expression in a protoplast-based assay demonstrated positive or negative roles in cell wall regulation for eleven other transcription factors from the rice gene network. Eight of fifteen (53%) of these have not previously been examined for this function. Some of these may represent novel grass-diverged cell wall regulators, while others are likely to have this function across angiosperms. A parallel effort of this project to expand knowledge of enzymes that have evolved to function in grass cell wall synthesis, revealed that a grass-diverged enzyme in rice, OsAT 5, ferulates monolignols that are naturally incorporated into grass cell walls. This finding opens potential natural selection avenues for improving biomass composition for downstream processing by weak base pretreatment. Thus, this project has significantly expanded knowledge of cell wall synthesis and regulation in rice, information that can be used in reverse genetics and synthetic biology approaches to re-engineer cell walls for improved production of biofuel and high-value products. To lay the foundation for translating these results directly for switchgrass improvement, the project employed a comparative phylogenetic analysis of the major group of cell wall transcription factors that have been found to function in cell wall regulation, the R 2R 3 MYBs. This analysis concluded that known cell wall regulators are largely conserved across switchgrass, rice, maize, poplar, and Arabidopsis. This interpretation is also largely consistent with the gene network analysis described above, though both approaches provide evidence that some co-orthologs of Arabidopsis regulators have diminished or increased in importance based on gene expression patterns. Also, several clades containing dicot cell wall regulators have expanded, consistent with the evolution of new cell wall regulators. This latter result is supported by functional analysis of the R 2R 3 MYB protein SWAM 1 in a collaboration between this project and the DOE-funded group of Dr. S. Hazen at the University of Massachusettes. The curation of the switchgrass genome through this project provides specific targets for future engineering of switchgrass cell wall regulation and may also facilitate identification of regulators that underlie the molecular markers that are genetically linked to differences in cell wall quality. With the goal of spurring further research and technological developments in lignocellulosic biofuel production, this work has been communicated to the bioenergy and cell wall communities though various presentations and publications. To date, three manuscripts have been published, two others are near to publication, three others are in an advanced state, and two to four more are likely to be written based on analyses still in progress. In addition, project participants have presented thirteen posters and talks at regional, national, and international meetings about aspects of this project. In sum, the work supported by this funding has made and communicated significant progress in identifying the genes that grasses use for cell wall synthesis and regulation, information that will be used by project participants and others to improve the efficiency of conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to biofuels.« less

78 FR 49149 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Determination of Endangered Status for Sphaeralcea...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-13

... to further declines through stochastic wildfire events, spread of the nonnative grasses, and climate... descriptions predict the annual production (pounds per acre) of plant groups (grass/grass-like, forbs, shrub... than fewer numbers of shrubs and perennial grasses. Therefore, although an ecological site description...

26 CFR 56.4911-6 - Records of lobbying and grass roots expenditures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 17 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Records of lobbying and grass roots... lobbying and grass roots expenditures. (a) Records of lobbying expenditures. An electing public charity... organization must keep a record include the following: (1) Expenditures for grass roots lobbying, as described...

26 CFR 56.4911-6 - Records of lobbying and grass roots expenditures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 17 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Records of lobbying and grass roots... lobbying and grass roots expenditures. (a) Records of lobbying expenditures. An electing public charity... organization must keep a record include the following: (1) Expenditures for grass roots lobbying, as described...

75 FR 4279 - Pendimethalin; Pesticide Tolerances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-27

...-dimethyl-2,6- dinitrobenzenamine, in or on grass forage, fodder, and hay crop group 17, forage; grass forage, fodder, and hay crop group 17, hay; and grass forage, fodder, and hay crop group 17, straw. BASF...-dinitrobenzyl alcohol, expressed as the stoichiometric equivalent of pendimethalin, in or on grass forage...

Where the Grass Grows Again: Knowledge Exchange in the Sustainable Agriculture Movement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassanein, Neva; Kloppenburg, Jack R., Jr.

1995-01-01

Intensive rotational grazing by Wisconsin dairy farmers represents a local expression of the sustainable agriculture movement. Contrary to interpretations that view local knowledge in agriculture as idiosyncratic, these graziers use horizontal forms of organizing and information exchange to overcome the limits of personal experience and share…

Productivity, botanical composition, and nutritive value of commercial pasture mixtures

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pastures in the northeastern USA often are planted to mixtures of grasses and legumes. There is limited public sector information on the performance of commercial forage mixtures. We evaluated a range of commercial pasture mixtures to determine if the number of species in a mixture affected yield an...

Gene flow between divergent cereal - and grass-specific lineages of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Delineating species and epidemic lineages in fungal plant pathogens is critical to our understanding of disease emergence and the structure of fungal biodiversity, and also informs international regulatory decisions. Pyricularia oryzae (syn. Magnaporthe oryzae) is a multi-host pathogen that infects ...

An Action-Research Project: Community Lead Poisoning Prevention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajaram, Shireen S.

2007-01-01

This action-research project focused on gathering data on awareness of lead poisoning, as well as disseminating information on lead poisoning prevention in a metropolitan midwestern city. This project reflects an action-research approach to service learning and was in collaboration with a grass-roots organization. This paper outlines the daunting…

Health information for the grass roots.

PubMed

M'Jamtu-Sie, N

1996-01-01

In its endeavours to achieve the health-for-all goals, Sierra Leone confronts many formidable obstacles, among the greatest of which are illiteracy and poverty. Nevertheless, determined efforts are being made to disseminate health messages, including advice on self-help in the prevention of diseases and accidents and in tackling illness and disability.

Implications of the plastid genome sequence of typha (typhaceae, poales) for understanding genome evolution in poaceae.

PubMed

Guisinger, Mary M; Chumley, Timothy W; Kuehl, Jennifer V; Boore, Jeffrey L; Jansen, Robert K

2010-02-01

Plastid genomes of the grasses (Poaceae) are unusual in their organization and rates of sequence evolution. There has been a recent surge in the availability of grass plastid genome sequences, but a comprehensive comparative analysis of genome evolution has not been performed that includes any related families in the Poales. We report on the plastid genome of Typha latifolia, the first non-grass Poales sequenced to date, and we present comparisons of genome organization and sequence evolution within Poales. Our results confirm that grass plastid genomes exhibit acceleration in both genomic rearrangements and nucleotide substitutions. Poaceae have multiple structural rearrangements, including three inversions, three genes losses (accD, ycf1, ycf2), intron losses in two genes (clpP, rpoC1), and expansion of the inverted repeat (IR) into both large and small single-copy regions. These rearrangements are restricted to the Poaceae, and IR expansion into the small single-copy region correlates with the phylogeny of the family. Comparisons of 73 protein-coding genes for 47 angiosperms including nine Poaceae genera confirm that the branch leading to Poaceae has significantly accelerated rates of change relative to other monocots and angiosperms. Furthermore, rates of sequence evolution within grasses are lower, indicating a deceleration during diversification of the family. Overall there is a strong correlation between accelerated rates of genomic rearrangements and nucleotide substitutions in Poaceae, a phenomenon that has been noted recently throughout angiosperms. The cause of the correlation is unknown, but faulty DNA repair has been suggested in other systems including bacterial and animal mitochondrial genomes.

Characterization of cellulolytic microbial consortium enriched on Napier grass using metagenomic approaches.

PubMed

Kanokratana, Pattanop; Wongwilaiwalin, Sarunyou; Mhuantong, Wuttichai; Tangphatsornruang, Sithichoke; Eurwilaichitr, Lily; Champreda, Verawat

2018-04-01

Energy grass is a promising substrate for production of biogas by anaerobic digestion. However, the conversion efficiency is limited by the enzymatically recalcitrant nature of cellulosic wastes. In this study, an active, structurally stable mesophilic lignocellulolytic degrading microbial consortium (Np-LMC) was constructed from forest compost soil microbiota by successive subcultivation on Napier grass under facultative anoxic conditions. According to tagged 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, increasing abundance of facultative Proteobacteria was found in the middle of batch cycle which was then subsequently replaced by the cellulose degraders Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes along with decreasing CMCase, xylanase, and β-glucanase activity profiles in the supernatant after 5 days of incubation. Anaerobic/facultative bacteria Dysgonomonas and Sedimentibacter and aerobic bacteria Comamonas were the major genera found in Np-LMC. The consortium was active on degradation of the native and delignified grass. Direct shotgun sequencing of the consortium metagenome revealed relatively high abundance of genes encoding for various lignocellulose degrading enzymes in 23 glycosyl hydrolase (GH) families compared to previously reported cellulolytic microbial communities in mammalian digestive tracts. Enzymes attacking cellulose and hemicellulose were dominated by GH2, 3, 5, 9, 10, 26, 28 and 43 in addition to a variety of carbohydrate esterases (CE) and auxiliary activities (AA), reflecting adaptation of the enzyme systems to the native herbaceous substrate. The consortium identified here represents the microcosm specifically bred on energy grass, with potential for enhancing degradation of fibrous substrates in bioenergy industry. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Barrier island community change: What controls it?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dows, B.; Young, D.; Zinnert, J.

2014-12-01

Conversion from grassland to woody dominated communities has been observed globally. In recent decades, this pattern has been observed in coastal communities along the mid-Atlantic U.S. In coastal environments, a suite of biotic and abiotic factors interact as filters to determine plant community structure and distribution. Microclimatic conditions: soil and air temperature, soil moisture and salinity, and light attenuation under grass cover were measured across a grassland-woody encroachment gradient on a Virginia barrier island; to identify the primary factors that mediate this change. Woody establishment was associated with moderately dense (2200 shoots/m2) grass cover, but reduced at high (> 6200 shoots/ m2) and low (< 1250 shoots/ m2) densities. Moderately dense grass cover reduced light attenuation (82.50 % reduction) to sufficiently reduce soil temperature thereby limiting soil moisture evaporation. However, high grass density reduced light attenuation (98.7 % reduction) enough to inhibit establishment of woody species; whereas low grass density attenuated much less light (48.7 % reduction) which allowed for greater soil moisture evaporation. Soil salinity was dynamic as rainfall, tidal inundation, and sea spray produce spatiotemporal variation throughout the barrier island landscape. The importance of light and temperature were compounded as they also indirectly affect soil salinity via their affects on soil moisture. Determining how these biotic and abiotic factors relate to sea level rise and climate change will improve understanding coastal community response as global changes proceed. Understanding how community shifts affect ecosystem function and their potential to affect adjacent systems will also improve predictive ability of coastal ecosystem responses.

Peripheral erythrocytes decrease upon specific respiratory challenge with grass pollen allergen in sensitized mice and in human subjects.

PubMed

Jordakieva, Galateja; Wallmann, Julia; Schmutz, René; Lemell, Patrick; Wegmann, Michael; Nittke, Thomas; Mittlböck, Martina; Fehrenbach, Heinz; Godnic-Cvar, Jasminka; Zieglmayer, René; Jensen-Jarolim, Erika

2014-01-01

Specific hyper-responsiveness towards an allergen and non-specific airway hyperreactivity both impair quality of life in patients with respiratory allergic diseases. We aimed to investigate cellular responses following specific and non-specific airway challenges locally and systemically in i) sensitized BALB/c mice challenged with grass pollen allergen Phl p 5, and in ii) grass pollen sensitized allergic rhinitis subjects undergoing specific airway challenge in the Vienna Challenge Chamber (VCC). BALB/c mice (n = 20) were intraperitoneally immunized with grass pollen allergen Phl p 5 and afterwards aerosol challenged with either the specific allergen Phl p 5 (n = 10) or the non-specific antigen ovalbumin (OVA) (n = 10). A protocol for inducing allergic asthma as well as allergic rhinitis, according to the united airway concept, was used. Both groups of exposed mice showed significantly reduced physical activity after airway challenge. Specific airway challenge further resulted in goblet cell hyperplasia, enhanced mucous secretion, intrapulmonary leukocyte infiltration and lymphoid follicle formation, associated with significant expression of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 in splenocytes and also partially in lung tissue. Concerning circulating blood cell dynamics, we observed a significant drop of erythrocyte counts, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels in both mouse groups, challenged with allergen or OVA. A significant decrease in circulating erythrocytes and hematocrit levels after airway challenges with grass pollen allergen was also found in grass pollen sensitized human rhinitis subjects (n = 42) at the VCC. The effects on peripheral leukocyte counts in mice and humans however were opposed, possibly due to the different primary inflammation sites. Our data revealed that, besides significant leukocyte dynamics, particularly erythrocytes are involved in acute hypersensitivity reactions to respiratory allergens. A rapid recruitment of erythrocytes to the lungs to compensate for hypoxia is a possible explanation for these findings.

Perchlorate in Turfgrass Systems, Suffolk County, Long Island, NY

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munster, J. E.; Hanson, G. N.; Jackson, W. A.

2007-12-01

Perchlorate concentrations in precipitation, grass clippings, and soil water were analyzed at nine turfgrass sites in Suffolk County, NY. The samples were collected monthly between June, 2006 and January, 2007. The soil water was collected from suction lysimeters at 100 cm depth. Four of these sites were treated with chemical fertilizer, three with organic fertilizer and two were not fertilized. Concentrations of ClO4 in grass clippings and soil water, at the sites treated with chemical fertilizer or not treated with fertilizer, are found to increase when spikes of ClO4 concentrations in precipitation are observed. We believe that the spikes in perchlorate in precipitation collected shortly after the Fourth of July are due to firework displays. The concentration of ClO4 in soil water are 1 to 3 times higher than the maximum perchlorate concentrations in precipitation, with maximum soil water concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 3.0 ppb. At the sites treated with organic fertilizer, grass clippings and soil water ClO4 concentrations increase after the fertilizer application in May. The organic fertilizer that was applied has nine mg ClO4 per kg (9,000 ppb). Soil water concentrations at the sites treated with organic fertilizer increase 100 to 300 times the maximum ClO4 concentration observed in precipitation, with maximum soil water concentrations ranging from 120 to 625 ppb. The increase in ClO4 concentrations in the soil water cannot be explained by evaporation alone since the Cl to ClO4 ratios decrease in the soil water relative to precipitation. This decrease in the Cl to ClO4 ratio suggests another source of perchlorate besides precipitation. We postulate that this additional source is associated with the decomposition of mulched grass left after mowing. Grass takes only a few weeks to decompose after mulching, thus providing a continuous source of perchlorate throughout the mowing season. The Cl to ClO4 ratio of the grass is unknown.

[Allelopathic effects of extracts from tuberous roots of Aconitum carmichaeli on three pasture grasses].

PubMed

Jiao, Yu-jie; Wang, Ya-qi; Yuan, Ling

2015-11-01

The tuberous roots of Aconitum carmichaeli are largely used in traditional Chinese medicine and widely grown in Jiangyou, Sichuan, China. During the growth process, this medicinal plant releases a large amount of allelochemicals into soil, which retard the growth and development of near and late crops. Therefore, a pure culture experiment was thus carried out by seed soaking to study the allelopathic effects of extracts from tuberous roots of A. carmichaeli (ETR) on the seed germination and young seedling growth of Lolium perenne, Trifolium repens, and Medicago sativa, the late pasture grasses after cultivation of A. carmichaeli. The results showed that three pasture grasses varied significantly in seed germination and young seedling growth in response to ETR concentrations. Seed germination of M. sativa was stimulated by low ERT concentration (0.01 x g(-1)), while all of pasture grass seeds germinated poorly in solution with 1.00 g x L(-1). Seed soaking with 1.00 g x L(-1) also inhibited significantly the growth of pasture young seedlings, with M. sativa showing the highest seedling height reduction of 42.05% in seeding height, followed by T. repens (40.21%) and L. perenne with about 11%. Cultivation of L. perenne could thus be beneficial to increase whole land productivity in A. carmichaeli-pasture grass cropping systems. In addition, hydrolysis of protein, starch, and inositol phosphates was blocked and free amino acids, soluble sugars and phosphorus were decreased in seeds by seed soaking with ETR, which could be one of the reason for the inhibition of seed germination. There was a significant reduction in root vigor, nitrate reductase, and chlorophyll after the seed treatment with ETR, indicating the suppression of nutrient uptake, nitrate assimilation, and photosynthesis by allelopathic chemicals in ETR, which could lead to the slow growth rate of pasture grass seedlings.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled immunotherapy with mixed grass-pollen allergoids. IV. Comparison of the safety and efficacy of two dosages of a high-molecular-weight allergoid.

PubMed

Bousquet, J; Hejjaoui, A; Soussana, M; Michel, F B

1990-02-01

Specific immunotherapy is still widely used in grass-pollen allergy, but its side effects may limit its use. We tested the safety and efficacy of a formalinized high-molecular-weight allergoid prepared from a mixed grass-pollen extract with two injection schedules in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Eighteen patients received placebo, 19 received the low-dose schedule (maximal dose: 2000 PNU) and 20 received the high-dose schedule (maximal dose: 10,000 PNU). Only one patient presented a systemic reaction of moderate severity for a dose of 1200 PNU. Before the onset of the pollen season, patients had a nasal challenge with orchard grass-pollen grains, a skin test titration, and the titration of serum-specific IgG. Both groups of patients presented a significant reduction in nasal and skin sensitivities and a significant increase in IgG compared to placebo. Symptoms and medications for rhinitis and asthma were studied during the season, and both groups receiving allergoids had a significant reduction of symptom-medication scores for nasal and bronchial symptoms. There was a highly significant correlation between nasal symptom-medication scores during the season and the results of nasal challenges. High-molecular-weight allergoids are safe and effective.

CATEGORIZATION OF EXTRANEOUS MATTER IN COTTON USING MACHINE VISION SYSTEMS

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Cotton Trash Identification System (CTIS) was developed at the Southwestern Cotton Ginning Research Laboratory to identify and categorize extraneous matter in cotton. The CTIS bark/grass categorization was evaluated with USDA-Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) extraneous matter calls assigned ...

Clavicipitaceous anamorphic endophytes in Hordeum germplasm

Treesearch

A. Dan Wilson

2007-01-01

The incidence of clavicipitaceous anamorphic endophytes, non-choke inducing endosymbiotic fungi of the genus Neotyphodium that systemically infect grasses, in eighteen Hordeum species from the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System was examined using light and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Seventeen plant inventory accessions...

[Association of phytoplasma with Bermuda grass white-leaf disease].

PubMed

Tan, Weijun; Chen, Yong; Zhang, Wu; Han, Chengchou; Tan, Zhiyuan; Zhang, Juming

2008-10-01

Bermuda grass white leaf is an important disease on Bermuda grass all over the world. The aim of this research is to identify the pathogen which leads to Bermuda grass white leaf occurring on the Chinese mainland. PCR amplification technique, sequence analysis and Southern hybridization were used. A 1.3 kb fragment was amplified by PCR phytoplasma universal primers and total DNA sample extracted from ill Bermuda grass as the amplified template. Sequence analysis of the amplified fragment indicated it clustered into Candidatus Phytoplasm Cynodontis. Southern hybridization analysis showed differential cingulums. The pathogen of Bermuda grass white leaf on the Chinese mainland contains phytoplasma, which provides a scientific basis for further identification, prevention and control of the disease.

Does plant diversity affect the water balance of established grassland systems?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leimer, Sophia; Bischoff, Sebastian; Blaser, Stefan; Boch, Steffen; Busch, Verena; Escher, Peter; Fischer, Markus; Kaupenjohann, Martin; Kerber, Katja; Klaus, Valentin; Michalzik, Beate; Prati, Daniel; Schäfer, Deborah; Schmitt, Barbara; Schöning, Ingo; Schwarz, Martin T.; Siemens, Jan; Thieme, Lisa; Wilcke, Wolfgang

2017-04-01

The water cycle drives nutrient cycles and plant productivity. The impact of land use on the water cycle has been extensively studied and there is experimental evidence that biodiversity modifies the water cycle in grasslands. However, the combined influences of land-use and associated biodiversity on the water cycle in established land-use systems are unclear. Therefore, we investigated how evapotranspiration (ETa), downward water flux (DF), and capillary rise (CR) in topsoil and subsoil are related to land-use and plant diversity in established, commercially managed grassland and compared these results to findings from experiments where plant diversity was manipulated. In three Central European regions ("Biodiversity Exploratories"), we studied 29 grassland plots (50 m x 50 m; 9-11 plots per region) from 2010 to 2015. The land-use types cover pasture, mown pasture, and meadow in at least triplicate per region. On each plot, we measured soil water contents, meteorological data (hourly resolution), cumulative precipitation (biweekly), plant species richness, the number of plants in the functional groups of grasses, herbs, and legumes (annually), and root biomass (once). Potential evapotranspiration (ETp) was calculated from meteorological data per plot. Missing data points of ETp and soil water contents were estimated with Bayesian hierarchical models. ETa, DF, and CR were calculated for two soil layers with a soil water balance model. The model is based on changes in soil water storage between subsequent observation dates and ETp, which was partitioned between soil layers according to root distribution. Water fluxes in annual resolution were statistically analyzed for land-use and biodiversity effects using repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Land-use type did not affect water fluxes. Species richness did not influence DF and CR. DF from topsoil was higher on plots with more grass species, which is opposite to the results from a manipulative biodiversity experiment. The number of grasses and herbs influenced CR into topsoil. ETa from topsoil decreased with increasing species richness while ETa from subsoil increased. Opposing effects on ETa in the two soil layers were also observed for the numbers of herb and legume species. In manipulative biodiversity experiments, opposing effects on ETa from different soil layers are explained by higher plant cover and biomass in species-rich mixtures, reducing evaporation by shading of the topsoil, and deeper roots in species-rich mixtures, facilitating water use and increasing transpiration from subsoil. In our study, biomass decreased with increasing species richness because fertilizer application increased biomass production and decreased species richness. Plots with more grasses showed lower ETa from topsoil than plots with less grasses. However, the within-subject effects indicated higher ETa from topsoil in years with more grasses on individual plots than in years with less grasses. The latter finding complies with the results from a manipulative biodiversity experiment, which has homogeneous soil properties and management. The opposite between-subject effect is probably caused by variations in environmental conditions between plots. This indicates that processes controlling the biodiversity-water cycle relationship vary in real-world systems with environmental conditions, which are largely controlled for in manipulative biodiversity experiments.

Biotechnological application of sustainable biogas production through dry anaerobic digestion of Napier grass.

PubMed

Dussadee, Natthawud; Ramaraj, Rameshprabu; Cheunbarn, Tapana

2017-05-01

Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum), represents an interesting substrate for biogas production. The research project evaluated biogas potential production from dry anaerobic digestion of Napier grass using batch experiment. To enhance the biogas production from ensiled Napier grass, thermal and alkaline pre-treatments were performed in batch mode. Alkali hydrolysis of Napier grass was performed prior to batch dry anaerobic digestion at three different mild concentrations of sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The study results confirmed that NaOH pretreated sample produced high yield of biogas than untreated (raw) and hot water pretreated samples. Napier grass was used as the mono-substrate. The biogas composition of carbon dioxide (30.10%), methane (63.50%) and 5 ppm of H 2 S was estimated from the biogas. Therefore, fast-growing, high-yielding and organic matter-enriched of Napier grass was promising energy crop for biogas production.

7 CFR 1437.310 - Sea grass and sea oats.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Sea grass and sea oats. 1437.310 Section 1437.310 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT... Determining Coverage Using Value § 1437.310 Sea grass and sea oats. (a) Sea grass and sea oats are value loss...

7 CFR 1437.310 - Sea grass and sea oats.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Sea grass and sea oats. 1437.310 Section 1437.310 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT... Determining Coverage Using Value § 1437.310 Sea grass and sea oats. (a) Sea grass and sea oats are value loss...

7 CFR 1437.310 - Sea grass and sea oats.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Sea grass and sea oats. 1437.310 Section 1437.310 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT... Determining Coverage Using Value § 1437.310 Sea grass and sea oats. (a) Sea grass and sea oats are value loss...

Chemicals Reduce Need To Mow Grass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Humphrys, Brooks; Farley, Max; Gast, Larry J.

1993-01-01

Brief report discusses use of herbicides Roundup(R), Campaign(R), and Oust(R) to retard growth of Argentine bahia grass. Herbicide applied by use of spraying apparatus pulled by tractor. "Chemical mowing" keeps grass at "freshly mowed" height with less mechanical mowing. Applied to grass on shoulders of roads, reducing time spent on mowing.

78 FR 12703 - Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Amendment to the Corals and Reef...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-25

.... The Coral FMP currently includes four individual species of seagrasses: turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum), manatee grass (Syringodium filiforme), shoal grass (Halodule wrightii), widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima), and one group of species, the sea vines (Halophila spp., including H. decipiens, H. baillonis, H...

7 CFR 201.56-5 - Grass family, Poaceae (Gramineae).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... grasses listed in § 201.2(h). (a) Cereals: Agrotricum, barley, oat, rye, mountain rye, wheat, wheat... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Grass family, Poaceae (Gramineae). 201.56-5 Section... ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Germination Tests in the Administration of the Act § 201.56-5 Grass...

26 CFR 56.4911-3 - Expenditures for direct and/or grass roots lobbying communications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 17 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Expenditures for direct and/or grass roots....4911-3 Expenditures for direct and/or grass roots lobbying communications. (a) Definition of term... lobbying communication's costs is a direct lobbying expenditure, what portion is a grass roots expenditure...

7 CFR 201.56-5 - Grass family, Poaceae (Gramineae).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... grasses listed in § 201.2(h). (a) Cereals: Agrotricum, barley, oat, rye, mountain rye, wheat, wheat... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Grass family, Poaceae (Gramineae). 201.56-5 Section... ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Germination Tests in the Administration of the Act § 201.56-5 Grass...

26 CFR 56.4911-3 - Expenditures for direct and/or grass roots lobbying communications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 17 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Expenditures for direct and/or grass roots....4911-3 Expenditures for direct and/or grass roots lobbying communications. (a) Definition of term... lobbying communication's costs is a direct lobbying expenditure, what portion is a grass roots expenditure...

76 FR 23891 - Pyrasulfotole; Pesticide Tolerances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-29

... regulation establishes or revises tolerances for residues of pyrasulfotole in or on grain sorghum, grass, and...); sorghum, forage at 1.2 ppm; sorghum, stover at 0.35 ppm; grass, hay at 2.5 ppm; and grass, forage at 10... levels for sorghum, grass; and livestock commodities. The reasons for these changes are explained in Unit...

Invasion of the exotic grasses: Mapping their progression via satellite

Treesearch

Eric B. Peterson

2008-01-01

Several exotic annual grass species are invading the Intermountain West. After disturbances including wildfire, these grasses can form dense stands with fine fuels that then shorten fire intervals. Thus invasive annual grasses and wildfire form a positive feedback mechanism that threatens native ecosystems. Chief among these within Nevada are Bromus tectorum...

9 CFR 72.19 - Interstate shipments and use of pine straw, grass, litter from quarantined area; prohibited until...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... straw, grass, litter from quarantined area; prohibited until disinfected. 72.19 Section 72.19 Animals... Interstate shipments and use of pine straw, grass, litter from quarantined area; prohibited until disinfected. Pine straw, grass, or similar litter collected from tick-infested pastures, ranges, or premises may...

9 CFR 72.19 - Interstate shipments and use of pine straw, grass, litter from quarantined area; prohibited until...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... straw, grass, litter from quarantined area; prohibited until disinfected. 72.19 Section 72.19 Animals... Interstate shipments and use of pine straw, grass, litter from quarantined area; prohibited until disinfected. Pine straw, grass, or similar litter collected from tick-infested pastures, ranges, or premises may...

Aggressiveness of loose kernel smut isolate from Johnson grass on sorghum line BTx643

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An isolate of loose kernel smut obtained from Johnson grass was inoculated unto six BTx643 sorghum plants in the greenhouse to determine its aggressiveness. All the BTx643 sorghum plants inoculated with the Johnson grass isolate were infected. Mean size of the teliospores from the Johnson grass, i...

From the Lab Bench: Differences in annual and perennial grasses in meeting cattle production goals

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A column was written that provided the advantages and disadvantages of annual warm- and cool-season grasses. Warm-season annual grasses can increase the supply of forage during the summer slump in cool-season perennial grass growth. Utilization of toxic endophyte-infected tall fescue pastures can ...

Genome-Wide Analysis of Syntenic Gene Deletion in the Grasses

PubMed Central

Schnable, James C.; Freeling, Michael; Lyons, Eric

2012-01-01

The grasses, Poaceae, are one of the largest and most successful angiosperm families. Like many radiations of flowering plants, the divergence of the major grass lineages was preceded by a whole-genome duplication (WGD), although these events are not rare for flowering plants. By combining identification of syntenic gene blocks with measures of gene pair divergence and different frequencies of ancient gene loss, we have separated the two subgenomes present in modern grasses. Reciprocal loss of duplicated genes or genomic regions has been hypothesized to reproductively isolate populations and, thus, speciation. However, in contrast to previous studies in yeast and teleost fishes, we found very little evidence of reciprocal loss of homeologous genes between the grasses, suggesting that post-WGD gene loss may not be the cause of the grass radiation. The sets of homeologous and orthologous genes and predicted locations of deleted genes identified in this study, as well as links to the CoGe comparative genomics web platform for analyzing pan-grass syntenic regions, are provided along with this paper as a resource for the grass genetics community. PMID:22275519

Exploiting differential vegetation phenology for satellite-based mapping of semiarid grass vegetation in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dye, Dennis G.; Middleton, Barry R.; Vogel, John M.; Wu, Zhuoting; Velasco, Miguel G.

2016-01-01

We developed and evaluated a methodology for subpixel discrimination and large-area mapping of the perennial warm-season (C4) grass component of vegetation cover in mixed-composition landscapes of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. We describe the methodology within a general, conceptual framework that we identify as the differential vegetation phenology (DVP) paradigm. We introduce a DVP index, the Normalized Difference Phenometric Index (NDPI) that provides vegetation type-specific information at the subpixel scale by exploiting differential patterns of vegetation phenology detectable in time-series spectral vegetation index (VI) data from multispectral land imagers. We used modified soil-adjusted vegetation index (MSAVI2) data from Landsat to develop the NDPI, and MSAVI2 data from MODIS to compare its performance relative to one alternate DVP metric (difference of spring average MSAVI2 and summer maximum MSAVI2), and two simple, conventional VI metrics (summer average MSAVI2, summer maximum MSAVI2). The NDPI in a scaled form (NDPIs) performed best in predicting variation in perennial C4 grass cover as estimated from landscape photographs at 92 sites (R2 = 0.76, p < 0.001), indicating improvement over the alternate DVP metric (R2 = 0.73, p < 0.001) and substantial improvement over the two conventional VI metrics (R2 = 0.62 and 0.56, p < 0.001). The results suggest DVP-based methods, and the NDPI in particular, can be effective for subpixel discrimination and mapping of exposed perennial C4 grass cover within mixed-composition landscapes of the Southwest, and potentially for monitoring of its response to drought, climate change, grazing and other factors, including land management. With appropriate adjustments, the method could potentially be used for subpixel discrimination and mapping of grass or other vegetation types in other regions where the vegetation components of the landscape exhibit contrasting seasonal patterns of phenology.

Using Remote Sensing to Determine Timing of High Altitude Grass Hay Growth Stages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mefford, B.

2015-12-01

Remote sensing has become the standard for collecting data to determine potential irrigation consumptive use in Wyoming for the Green River Basin. The Green River Basin within Wyoming is around 10.8 million acres, located in south western Wyoming and is a sub-basin of the Colorado River Basin. Grass hay is the main crop grown in the basin. The majority of the hay is grown at elevations 7,000 feet above mean sea level. Daily potential irrigation consumptive use is calculated for the basin during the growing season (May 1st to September 30th). To determine potential irrigation consumptive use crop coefficients, reference evapotranspiration (ET) and effective precipitation are required. Currently crop coefficients are the hardest to determine as most research on crop coefficients are based at lower elevations. Values for crop coefficients for grass hay still apply to high altitude grass hay, but the hay grows at a much slower rate than low elevation grass hay. To be able to more accurately determine the timing of the growth stages of hay in this basin, time-lapse cameras were installed at two different irrigated hay fields in the basin for the 2015 growing season and took pictures automatically once a day at 1 P.M.. Both of the fields also contained a permanent research grade weather station. Imagery obtained from these cameras was used as indicators of timing of the major growth stages of the hay and the length of days between the stages. A crop coefficient value was applied every day in the growing season based on the results from the imagery. Daily potential ET was calculated using the crop coefficients and the data from the on-site weather stations. The final result was potential irrigation induced crop consumptive use for each site. Using remote sensing provided necessary information that normally would be applied arbitrarily in determining irrigation induced consumptive use in the Green River Basin.

Sod-seeding to modify coastal bermuda grass on reclaimed lignite overburden in Texas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Skousen, J.G.

1986-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate the ability of nine low-maintenance species to establish and persist with Coastal bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) established on reclaimed lignite overburden; to evaluate the establishment and persistence of seventeen low-maintenance species seeded in overburden with no vegetation cover; and to examine seeding mixtures and rates for establishing low-maintenance species into three cover types (bermuda grass, oats, (Avena fatua L.) and no cover). Seventeen low-maintenance species established and persisted in overburden without fertilization during years of low precipitation. Several seeded grasses showed sufficient stand development in monoculture for erosion control. Most of themore » other seeded species were slower in establishment, yet persisted on the site and promoted multiple use of the reclaimed area. Recommended seeding rates were generally adequate for seedling establishment in oat, bermuda grass, and no vegetation cover types. Sod-seeding into bermuda grass resulted in higher seedling densities than those in oats and no cover because of stored moisture beneath the sod during bermuda grass dormancy. Using /sup 15/N-labelled fertilizer, Coastal bermuda grass demonstrated the ability to rapidly recovery applied N. Maximilian sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani Schrad.) was suppressed by Coastal bermuda grass in mixture at all fertilizer N rates.« less

Acute toxic effects of endosulfan sulfate on three life stages of grass shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio.

PubMed

Key, Peter B; Chung, Katy W; Venturella, John J; Shaddrick, Brian; Fulton, Michael H

2010-01-01

In this study, the toxicity of endosulfan sulfate, the primary degradation product of the insecticide endosulfan, was determined in three life stages of the grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio). After 96 h exposure to endosulfan sulfate, the grass shrimp adult LC50 was 0.86 microg/L (95% CI 0.56-1.31), the grass shrimp larvae LC50 was 1.64 microg/L (95% CI 1.09-2.47) and the grass shrimp embryo LC50 was 45.85 microg/L (95% CI 23.72-88.61 microg/L). This was compared to the previously published grass shrimp 96-h LC50s for endosulfan. The toxicity of the two compounds was similar for the grass shrimp life stages with adults more sensitive than larvae and embryos. The presence of sediment in 24h endosulfan sulfate-exposures raised LC50s for both adult and larval grass shrimp but not significantly. The USEPA expected environmental concentrations (EEC) for total endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate and the calculations of risk quotients (RQ) based on the more sensitive adult grass shrimp 96-h LC50 clearly show that environmental concentrations equal to acute EECs would prove detrimental to grass shrimp or other similarly sensitive aquatic organisms. These results indicate that given the persistence and toxicity of endosulfan sulfate, future risk assessments should consider the toxicity potential of the parent compound as well as this degradation product.

Magnitude of efficacy measurements in grass allergy immunotherapy trials is highly dependent on pollen exposure.

PubMed

Durham, S R; Nelson, H S; Nolte, H; Bernstein, D I; Creticos, P S; Li, Z; Andersen, J S

2014-05-01

The objective was to evaluate the association between grass pollen exposure, allergy symptoms and impact on measured treatment effect after grass sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT)-tablet treatment. The association between grass pollen counts and total combined rhinoconjunctivitis symptom and medication score (TCS) was based on a post hoc analysis of data collected over six trials and seven grass pollen seasons across North America and Europe, including 2363 subjects treated with grass SLIT-tablet or placebo. Daily pollen counts were obtained from centralized pollen databases. The effect of treatment on the relationship between the TCS and pollen counts was investigated, and the relative difference between grass SLIT-tablet and placebo as a function of average grass pollen counts was modelled by linear regression. The magnitude of treatment effect based on TCS was greater with higher pollen exposure (P < 0.001). The relative treatment effect in terms of TCS for each trial was correlated with the average grass pollen exposure during the first period of the season, with predicted reduction in TCS = 12% + 0.35% × pollen count (slope significantly different from 0, P = 0.003; R(2)  = 0.66). Corresponding correlations to the entire grass pollen season and to the peak season were equally good, whereas there was a poor correlation between difference in measured efficacy and pollen exposure during the last part of the season. In seasonal allergy trials with grass SLIT-tablet, the observed treatment effect is highly dependent on pollen exposure with the magnitude being greater with higher pollen exposure. This is an important relationship to consider when interpreting individual clinical trial results. © 2014 The Authors. Allergy Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Magnitude of efficacy measurements in grass allergy immunotherapy trials is highly dependent on pollen exposure

PubMed Central

Durham, S R; Nelson, H S; Nolte, H; Bernstein, D I; Creticos, P S; Li, Z; Andersen, J S

2014-01-01

Background The objective was to evaluate the association between grass pollen exposure, allergy symptoms and impact on measured treatment effect after grass sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT)-tablet treatment. Methods The association between grass pollen counts and total combined rhinoconjunctivitis symptom and medication score (TCS) was based on a post hoc analysis of data collected over six trials and seven grass pollen seasons across North America and Europe, including 2363 subjects treated with grass SLIT-tablet or placebo. Daily pollen counts were obtained from centralized pollen databases. The effect of treatment on the relationship between the TCS and pollen counts was investigated, and the relative difference between grass SLIT-tablet and placebo as a function of average grass pollen counts was modelled by linear regression. Results The magnitude of treatment effect based on TCS was greater with higher pollen exposure (P < 0.001). The relative treatment effect in terms of TCS for each trial was correlated with the average grass pollen exposure during the first period of the season, with predicted reduction in TCS = 12% + 0.35% × pollen count (slope significantly different from 0, P = 0.003; R2 = 0.66). Corresponding correlations to the entire grass pollen season and to the peak season were equally good, whereas there was a poor correlation between difference in measured efficacy and pollen exposure during the last part of the season. Conclusions In seasonal allergy trials with grass SLIT-tablet, the observed treatment effect is highly dependent on pollen exposure with the magnitude being greater with higher pollen exposure. This is an important relationship to consider when interpreting individual clinical trial results. PMID:24605984

Establishing native warm season grasses on Eastern Kentucky strip mines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barnes, T.G.; Larkin, J.L.; Arnett, M.B.

1998-12-31

The authors evaluated various methods of establishing native warm season grasses on two reclaimed Eastern Kentucky mines from 1994--1997. Most current reclamation practices incorporate the use of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and other cool-season grasses/legumes that provide little wildlife habitats. The use of native warm season grasses will likely improve wildlife habitat on reclaimed strip mines. Objectives of this study were to compare the feasibility of establishing these grasses during fall, winter, or spring using a native rangeland seeder or hydroseeding; a fertilizer application at planting; or cold-moist stratification prior to hydroseeding. Vegetative cover, bare ground, species richness, and biomassmore » samples were collected at the end of each growing season. Native warm season grass plantings had higher plant species richness compared to cool-season reclamation mixtures. There was no difference in establishment of native warm season grasses as a result of fertilization or seeding technique. Winter native warm season grass plantings were failures and cold-moist stratification did not increase plant establishment during any season. As a result of a drought during 1997, both cool-season and warm season plantings were failures. Cool-season reclamation mixtures had significantly more vegetative cover and biomass compared to native warm season grass mixtures and the native warm season grass plantings did not meet vegetative cover requirements for bond release. Forbs and legumes that established well included pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida), lance-leaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata), round-headed lespedeza (Lespedeza capitata), partridge pea (Cassia fasiculata), black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta), butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), and bergamot (Monarda fistulosa). Results from two demonstration plots next to research plots indicate it is possible to establish native warm season grasses on Eastern Kentucky strip mines for wildlife habitat.« less

The role of seasonal grass pollen on childhood asthma emergency department presentations.

PubMed

Erbas, B; Akram, M; Dharmage, S C; Tham, R; Dennekamp, M; Newbigin, E; Taylor, P; Tang, M L K; Abramson, M J

2012-05-01

Few studies have focused on the role of grass pollen on asthma emergency department (ED) presentations among children. None have examined whether a dose-response effect exists between grass pollen levels and these asthma exacerbations. To examine the association between increasing ambient levels of grass pollen and asthma ED presentations in children. To determine whether these associations are seen only after a thunderstorm, or whether grass pollen levels have a consistent influence on childhood asthma ED visits during the season. A short time series ecological study was conducted for asthma presentations to ED among children in Melbourne, Victoria, and grass pollen, meteorological and air quality measurements recorded during the selected 2003 period. A semi-parametric Poisson regression model was used to examine dose-response associations between daily grass pollen levels and mean daily ED attendance for asthma. A smoothed plot suggested a dose-response association. As ambient grass pollen increased to about 19 grains/m(3) , the same day risk of childhood ED presentations also increased linearly (P < 0.001). Grass pollen levels were also associated with an increased risk in asthma ED presentations on the following day (lag 1, P < 0.001). This is the first study to establish a clear relationship between increased risk of childhood asthma ED attendance and levels of ambient grass pollen below 20 grains/m(3) , independent of any impact of thunderstorm-associated asthma. These findings have important implications for patient care, such as asthma management programs that notify the general public regarding periods of high grass pollen exposure, as well as defining the timing of initiation of pollen immunotherapy. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Detrimental and neutral effects of a wild grass-fungal endophyte symbiotum on insect preference and performance.

PubMed

Clement, Stephen L; Hu, Jinguo; Stewart, Alan V; Wang, Bingrui; Elberson, Leslie R

2011-01-01

Seed-borne Epichloë/Neotyphodium Glenn, Bacon, Hanlin (Ascomycota: Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) fungal endophytes in temperate grasses can provide protection against insect attack with the degree of host resistance related to the grass-endophyte symbiotum and the insect species involved in an interaction. Few experimental studies with wild grass-endophyte symbiota, compared to endophyte-infected agricultural grasses, have tested for anti-insect benefits, let alone for resistance against more than one insect species. This study quantified the preference and performance of the bird cherry oat-aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and the cereal leaf beetle, Oulema melanopus (L.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), two important pests of forage and cereal grasses, on Neotyphodium-infected (E+) and uninfected (E-) plants of the wild grass Alpine timothy, Phleum alpinum L. (Poales: Poaceae). The experiments tested for both constitutive and wound-induced resistance in E+ plants to characterize possible plasticity of defense responses by a wild E+ grass. The aphid, R. padi preferred E- over E+ test plants in choice experiments and E+ undamaged test plants constitutively expressed antibiosis resistance to this aphid by suppressing population growth. Prior damage of E+ test plants did not induce higher levels of resistance to R. padi. By contrast, the beetle, O. melanopus showed no preference for E+ or E- test plants and endophyte infection did not adversely affect the survival and development of larvae. These results extend the phenomenon of variable effects of E+ wild grasses on the preference and performance of phytophagous insects. The wild grass- Neotyphodium symbiotum in this study broadens the number of wild E+ grasses available for expanded explorations into the effects of endophyte metabolites on insect herbivory.

7 CFR 319.41 - Notice of quarantine.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...), grain sorghums (Andropogon sorghum), Sudan grass (Andropogon sorghum sudanensis), Johnson grass... (Pennisetum glaucum), napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum), teosinte (Euchlaena luxurians), and jobs-tears...

7 CFR 319.41 - Notice of quarantine.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...), grain sorghums (Andropogon sorghum), Sudan grass (Andropogon sorghum sudanensis), Johnson grass... (Pennisetum glaucum), napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum), teosinte (Euchlaena luxurians), and jobs-tears...

Impact of grass cover on the magnetic susceptibility measurements for assessing metal contamination in urban topsoil.

PubMed

Golden, Nessa; Zhang, Chaosheng; Potito, Aaron P; Gibson, Paul J; Bargary, Norma; Morrison, Liam

2017-05-01

In recent decades, magnetic susceptibility monitoring has developed as a useful technique in environmental pollution studies, particularly metal contamination of soil. This study provides the first ever examination of the effects of grass cover on magnetic susceptibility (MS) measurements of underlying urban soils. Magnetic measurements were taken in situ to determine the effects on κ (volume magnetic susceptibility) when the grass layer was present (κ grass ) and after the grass layer was trimmed down to the root (κ no grass ). Height of grass was recorded in situ at each grid point. Soil samples (n=185) were collected and measurements of mass specific magnetic susceptibility (χ) were performed in the laboratory and frequency dependence (χ fd %) calculated. Metal concentrations (Pb, Cu, Zn and Fe) in the soil samples were determined and a gradiometry survey carried out in situ on a section of the study area. Significant correlations were found between each of the MS measurements and the metal content of the soil at the p<0.01 level. Spatial distribution maps were created using Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) and Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) to identify common patterns. κ grass (ranged from 1.67 to 301.00×10 -5 SI) and κ no grass (ranged from 2.08 to 530.67×10 -5 SI) measured in situ are highly correlated [r=0.966, n=194, p<0.01]. The volume susceptibility datasets in the presence and absence of grass coverage share a similar spatial distribution pattern. This study re-evaluates in situ κ monitoring techniques and the results suggest that the removal of grass coverage prior to obtaining in situ κ measurements of urban soil is unnecessary. This layer does not impede the MS sensor from accurately measuring elevated κ in soils, and therefore κ measurements recorded with grass coverage present can be reliably used to identify areas of urban soil metal contamination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Local versus landscape-scale effects of savanna trees on grasses

USGS Publications Warehouse

Riginos, C.; Grace, J.B.; Augustine, D.J.; Young, T.P.

2009-01-01

1. Savanna ecosystems - defined by the coexistence of trees and grasses - cover more than one-fifth the world's land surface and harbour most of the world's rangelands, livestock and large mammal diversity. Savanna trees can have a variety of effects on grasses, with consequences for the wild and domestic herbivores that depend on them. 2.Studies of these effects have focused on two different spatial scales. At the scale of individual trees, many studies have shown net positive effects of trees on sub-canopy grass nutrient concentrations and biomass. At the landscape scale, other studies have shown negative effects of high tree densities on grass productivity. These disparate results have led to different conclusions about the effects of trees on forage quality and ungulate nutrition in savannas. 3.We integrate these approaches by examining the effects of trees on grasses at both spatial scales and across a range of landscape-scale tree densities. 4.We quantified grass biomass, species composition and nutrient concentrations in these different contexts in an Acacia drepanolobium savanna in Laikipia, Kenya. Individual trees had positive effects on grass biomass, most likely because trees enrich soil nitrogen. Grass leaf phosphorus in sub-canopy areas, however, was depressed. The effects of individual trees could explain the effects of increasing landscape-scale tree cover for the biomass of only two of the four dominant grass species. 5.The negative effects of trees on grass and soil phosphorus, combined with depressed grass productivity in areas of high tree cover, suggest that ungulate nutrition may be compromised in areas with many trees. 6.Synthesis. We conclude that few, isolated trees may have positive local effects on savanna grasses and forage, but in areas of high tree density the negative landscape-scale effects of trees are likely to outweigh these positive effects. In savannas and other patchy landscapes, attempts to predict the consequences of changes in patch abundances for ecosystem services (e.g. rangeland productivity and carbon sequestration) will depend on our understanding of the extent to which local, patch-scale dynamics do or do not predict landscape-scale dynamics. ?? 2009 British Ecological Society.

Ensiling and hydrothermal pretreatment of grass: consequences for enzymatic biomass conversion and total monosaccharide yields

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Ensiling may act as a pretreatment of fresh grass biomass and increase the enzymatic conversion of structural carbohydrates to fermentable sugars. However, ensiling does not provide sufficient severity to be a standalone pretreatment method. Here, ensiling of grass is combined with hydrothermal treatment (HTT) with the aim of improving the enzymatic biomass convertibility and decrease the required temperature of the HTT. Results Grass silage (Festulolium Hykor) was hydrothermally treated at temperatures of 170, 180, and 190°C for 10 minutes. Relative to HTT treated dry grass, ensiling increased the solubilization of dry matter (DM) during HTT and gave increased glucan content, but lower lignin in the insoluble fiber fraction. Ensiling improved glucose yields in the enzymatic hydrolysis of the washed solid fiber fraction at the lower HTT temperatures. At 170°C glucose yield improved from 17 to 24 (w/w)% (45 to 57% cellulose convertibility), and at 180°C glucose yield improved from 22 to 29 (w/w)% (54 to 69% cellulose convertibility). Direct HTT of grass at 190°C gave the same high glucose yield as for grass silage (35 (w/w)% (77% cellulose convertibility)) and improved xylan yields (27% xylan convertibility). The effect of ensiling of grass prior to HTT improved the enzymatic conversion of cellulose for HTT at 170 and 180°C, but the increased glucose release did not make up for the loss of water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) during ensiling. Overall, sugar yields (C6 + C5) were similar for HTT of grass and grass silage at both 170 and 180°C, but at 190°C the overall sugar yield was better for HTT of dry grass. Conclusions This study unequivocally establishes that ensiling of grass as a biomass pretreatment method comes with a loss of WSC. The loss of WSC by ensiling is not necessarily compensated for by providing a lower temperature requirement for HTT for high enzymatic monosaccharide release. However, ensiling can be an advantageous storage method prior to grass processing. PMID:25024743

Productivity and carbon footprint of perennial grass-forage legume intercropping strategies with high or low nitrogen fertilizer input.

PubMed

Hauggaard-Nielsen, Henrik; Lachouani, Petra; Knudsen, Marie Trydeman; Ambus, Per; Boelt, Birte; Gislum, René

2016-01-15

A three-season field experiment was established and repeated twice with spring barley used as cover crop for different perennial grass-legume intercrops followed by a full year pasture cropping and winter wheat after sward incorporation. Two fertilization regimes were applied with plots fertilized with either a high or a low rate of mineral nitrogen (N) fertilizer. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to evaluate the carbon footprint (global warming potential) of the grassland management including measured nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions after sward incorporation. Without applying any mineral N fertilizer, the forage legume pure stand, especially red clover, was able to produce about 15 t above ground dry matter ha(-1) year(-1) saving around 325 kg mineral Nfertilizer ha(-1) compared to the cocksfoot and tall fescue grass treatments. The pure stand ryegrass yielded around 3t DM more than red clover in the high fertilizer treatment. Nitrous oxide emissions were highest in the treatments containing legumes. The LCA showed that the low input N systems had markedly lower carbon footprint values than crops from the high N input system with the pure stand legumes without N fertilization having the lowest carbon footprint. Thus, a reduction in N fertilizer application rates in the low input systems offsets increased N2O emissions after forage legume treatments compared to grass plots due to the N fertilizer production-related emissions. When including the subsequent wheat yield in the total aboveground production across the three-season rotation, the pure stand red clover without N application and pure stand ryegrass treatments with the highest N input equalled. The present study illustrate how leguminous biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) represents an important low impact renewable N source without reducing crop yields and thereby farmers earnings. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Growth, biomass production and photosynthesis of Cenchrus ciliaris L. under Acacia tortilis (Forssk.) Hayne based silvopastoral systems in semi arid tropics.

PubMed

Mishra, A K; Tiwari, H S; Bhatt, R K

2010-11-01

The growth, biomass production and photosynthesis of Cenchrus ciliaris was studied under the canopies of 17 yr old Acacia tortilis trees in semi arid tropical environment. On an average the full grown canopy of A. tortilis at the spacing of 4 x 4 m allowed 55% of total Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) which in turn increased Relative Humidity (RH) and reduced under canopy temperature to -1.75 degrees C over the open air temperature. C. ciliaris attained higher height under the shade of A. tortilis. The tiller production and leaf area index decreased marginally under the shade of tree canopies as compared to the open grown grasses. C. ciliaris accumulated higher chlorophyll a and b under the shade of tree canopies indicating its shade adaptation potential. The assimilatory functions such as rate of photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance, photosynthetic water use efficiency (PN/TR) and carboxylation efficiency (PN/CINT) decreased under the tree canopies due to low availability of PAR. The total biomass production in term of fresh and dry weight decreased under the tree canopies. On average of 2 yr C. ciliaris had produced 12.78 t ha(-1) green and 3.72 -t ha(-1) dry biomass under the tree canopies of A. tortilis. The dry matter yield reduced to 38% under the tree canopies over the open grown grasses. The A. tortilis + C. ciliaris maintained higher soil moisture, organic carbon content and available N P K for sustainable biomass production for the longer period. The higher accumulation of crude protein, starch, sugar and nitrogen in leaves and stem of C. ciliaris indicates that this grass species also maintained its quality under A. tortilis based silvopastoral system. The photosynthesis and dry matter accumulation are closely associated with available PAR indicating that for sustainable production of this grass species in the silvopasture systems for longer period about 55% or more PAR is required.

7 CFR 1437.310 - Sea grass and sea oats.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Sea grass and sea oats. 1437.310 Section 1437.310... Determining Coverage Using Value § 1437.310 Sea grass and sea oats. (a) Sea grass and sea oats are value loss... paragraphs (c) through (h) of this section, except to the extent that similar provisions apply to claims...

7 CFR 1437.310 - Sea grass and sea oats.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Sea grass and sea oats. 1437.310 Section 1437.310... Determining Coverage Using Value § 1437.310 Sea grass and sea oats. (a) Sea grass and sea oats are value loss... paragraphs (c) through (h) of this section, except to the extent that similar provisions apply to claims...

26 CFR 56.4911-2 - Lobbying expenditures, direct lobbying communications, and grass roots lobbying communications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... direct and grass roots lobbying. The expenditure test election under section 501(h) is assumed to be in... communications, and grass roots lobbying communications. 56.4911-2 Section 56.4911-2 Internal Revenue INTERNAL... CHARITY EXCISE TAXES § 56.4911-2 Lobbying expenditures, direct lobbying communications, and grass roots...

26 CFR 56.4911-2 - Lobbying expenditures, direct lobbying communications, and grass roots lobbying communications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... direct and grass roots lobbying. The expenditure test election under section 501(h) is assumed to be in... communications, and grass roots lobbying communications. 56.4911-2 Section 56.4911-2 Internal Revenue INTERNAL... CHARITY EXCISE TAXES § 56.4911-2 Lobbying expenditures, direct lobbying communications, and grass roots...

40 CFR 180.361 - Pendimethalin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., pome, group 11 0.10 Fruit, stone, group 12 0.10 Garlic 0.1 Grape 0.1 Grass forage, fodder, and hay crop group 17, forage 20 Grass forage, fodder, and hay crop group 17, hay 13 Grass forage, fodder, and hay... specified in the table. Commodity Parts per million Expiration/revocation date Bermuda grass, forage 25 12...

76 FR 31485 - Bromoxynil; Pesticide Tolerances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-01

... million (ppm) to 0.2 ppm; grass, hay from 3.0 ppm to 5.0 ppm; and grass, forage from 3.0 ppm to 18 ppm... increased as a result of the proposed changes to the use patterns for sorghum and grasses. The reasons for... Assessment for Amended Uses on Grass Grown for Seed, Conservation Reserve Program Areas, and Grain Sorghum...

76 FR 61307 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 12-Month Finding on a Petition To List Calopogon...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-04

... 12-month finding on a petition to list Calopogon oklahomensis (Oklahoma grass pink orchid) under the... the Oklahoma grass pink or prairie grass pink, is a terrestrial species of orchid (family Orchidaceae... the genus Calopogon, a group of terrestrial orchids known as grass pinks. The number of species...

40 CFR 180.361 - Pendimethalin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., pome, group 11 0.10 Fruit, stone, group 12 0.10 Garlic 0.1 Grape 0.1 Grass forage, fodder, and hay crop group 17, forage 20 Grass forage, fodder, and hay crop group 17, hay 13 Grass forage, fodder, and hay... specified in the table. Commodity Parts per million Expiration/revocation date Bermuda grass, forage 25 12...

75 FR 51204 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 12-Month Finding on a Petition To Remove the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-19

... grasses than for a vegetation community dominated by grasses (O'Farrell and Clark 1987, p. 10; O'Farrell... than by annual grasses, as annual forbs provide critical greens in the spring, furnish temporary cover... are capable of supporting annual grasses mixed with forbs and shrub species. Genetics Genetic...

78 FR 78746 - Extension of Tolerances for Emergency Exemptions (Multiple Chemicals)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-27

... FIFRA section 18 the use of fenoxaprop-ethyl on grasses grown for seed for control of grassy weeds in... the stoichiometric equivalent of fenoxaprop-ethyl, in or on grass forage and grass hay at 0.05 ppm for... has authorized under FIFRA section 18 the use of bifenazate on timothy grass for control of spider...

355, 532, and 1064 nm picosecond laser interaction with grass tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jaehun; Ki, Hyungson

2012-12-01

In this article, we investigate how 355, 532, and 1064 nm picosecond lasers interact with grass tissues. We have identified five interaction regimes, and based on this classification, interaction maps have been constructed from a systematic experiment. The optical properties of light absorbing grass constituents are studied theoretically in order to understand how and how much light is absorbed by grass tissues. Scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy are employed for observing morphological and structural changes of grass tissues. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first investigation into laser interaction with plant leaves and reveals some fundamental findings regarding how a laser interacts with grass tissues and how plant leaves can be processed using lasers.

System-dependent regulations of colour-pattern development: a mutagenesis study of the pale grass blue butterfly

PubMed Central

Iwata, Masaki; Hiyama, Atsuki; Otaki, Joji M.

2013-01-01

Developmental studies on wing colour patterns have been performed in nymphalid butterflies, but efficient genetic manipulations, including mutagenesis, have not been well established. Here, we have performed mutagenesis experiments in a lycaenid butterfly, the pale grass blue Zizeeria maha, to produce colour-pattern mutants. We fed the P-generation larvae an artificial diet containing the mutagen ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS), and the F1- and F2-generation adults showed various aberrant colour patterns: dorsoventral transformation, anterioposterior background colouration gap, weak contrast, disarrangement of spots, reduction of the size of spots, loss of spots, fusion of spots, and ectopic spots. Among them, the disarrangement, reduction, and loss of spots were likely produced by the coordinated changes of many spots of a single wing around the discal spot in a system-dependent manner, demonstrating the existence of the central symmetry system. The present study revealed multiple genetic regulations for system-dependent and wing-wide colour-pattern determination in lycaenid butterflies. PMID:23917124

Investigation of effect of particle size and rumen fluid addition on specific methane yields of high lignocellulose grass silage.

PubMed

Wall, D M; Straccialini, B; Allen, E; Nolan, P; Herrmann, C; O'Kiely, P; Murphy, J D

2015-09-01

This work examines the digestion of advanced growth stage grass silage. Two variables were investigated: particle size (greater than 3 cm and less than 1cm) and rumen fluid addition. Batch studies indicated particle size and rumen fluid addition had little effect on specific methane yields (SMYs). In continuous digestion of 3 cm silage the SMY was 342 and 343 L CH4 kg(-1)VS, respectively, with and without rumen fluid addition. However, digester operation was significantly affected through silage floating on the liquor surface and its entanglement in the mixing system. Digestion of 1cm silage with no rumen fluid addition struggled; volatile fatty acid concentrations rose and SMYs dropped. The best case was 1cm silage with rumen fluid addition, offering higher SMYs of 371 L CH4 kg(-1)VS and stable operation throughout. Thus, physical and biological treatments benefited continuous digestion of high fibre grass silage. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toxicity of three pesticides individually and in mixture to larval grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio).

PubMed

Key, Peter; Chung, Katy; Siewicki, Tom; Fulton, Mike

2007-10-01

This study examined the toxicity of three pesticides, singly and in mixture, to grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio) larvae. The pesticides included atrazine, an herbicide used on turf grass and field crops; fipronil, a persistent insecticide used against termites and fire ants; and imidacloprid, a systemic insecticide used in agricultural and home products. Fipronil was the most toxic to shrimp larvae with a 96-h LC50 of 0.68microg/L (95% CI 0.57-0.79microg/L). Shrimp larvae were less sensitive to imidacloprid with a 96-h LC50 of 308.8microg/L (95% CI 273.6-348.6microg/L). Atrazine was non-toxic to shrimp larvae at concentrations up to 10,000microg/L. In mixtures, fipronil plus atrazine and imidacloprid plus atrazine had no change in toxicity compared to fipronil and imidacloprid tested singly. Similarly, a fipronil/imidacloprid mixture did not show greater than additive toxicity. However, when atrazine was added to the fipronil/imidacloprid mix, greater than additive toxicity occurred.

Validation of behave fire behavior predictions in oak savannas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grabner, Keith W.; Dwyer, John; Cutter, Bruce E.

1997-01-01

Prescribed fire is a valuable tool in the restoration and management of oak savannas. BEHAVE, a fire behavior prediction system developed by the United States Forest Service, can be a useful tool when managing oak savannas with prescribed fire. BEHAVE predictions of fire rate-of-spread and flame length were validated using four standardized fuel models: Fuel Model 1 (short grass), Fuel Model 2 (timber and grass), Fuel Model 3 (tall grass), and Fuel Model 9 (hardwood litter). Also, a customized oak savanna fuel model (COSFM) was created and validated. Results indicate that standardized fuel model 2 and the COSFM reliably estimate mean rate-of-spread (MROS). The COSFM did not appreciably reduce MROS variation when compared to fuel model 2. Fuel models 1, 3, and 9 did not reliably predict MROS. Neither the standardized fuel models nor the COSFM adequately predicted flame lengths. We concluded that standardized fuel model 2 should be used with BEHAVE when predicting fire rates-of-spread in established oak savannas.

Methanogenic community shifts during the transition from sewage mono-digestion to co-digestion of grass biomass.

PubMed

Hardegen, Justus; Latorre-Pérez, Adriel; Vilanova, Cristina; Günther, Thomas; Porcar, Manuel; Luschnig, Olaf; Simeonov, Claudia; Abendroth, Christian

2018-06-06

In this work, liquid and solid fractions of grass biomass were used as co-substrates for anaerobic co-digestion of sewage sludge. The input of grass biomass was increased gradually, and the underlying methanogenic microbiome was assessed by means of microscopy-based cell counting and full-length 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing, proving for the first time the suitability of nanopore-based portable sequencers as a monitoring tool for anaerobic digestion systems. In both cases co-fermentation resulted in an increased number of bacteria and methanogenic archaea. Interestingly, the microbial communities were highly different between solid and liquid-fed batches. Liquid-fed batches developed a more stable microbiome, enriched in Methanosarcina spp., and resulted in higher methanogenic yield. In contrast, solid-fed batches were highly unstable at higher substrate concentrations, and kept Methanosaeta spp. - typically associated to sewage sludge - as the majoritary methanogenic archaea. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimizing the thermophilic hydrolysis of grass silage in a two-phase anaerobic digestion system.

PubMed

Orozco, A M; Nizami, A S; Murphy, J D; Groom, E

2013-09-01

Thermophilic hydrolysis of grass silage (GS) at 55 °C with organic loading rates (OLRs) of 6.5, 5, 2.5 and 1.0 kg VS m(-3) days(-1) and hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 10, 6, 4 and 2 days were evaluated in 12 glass bioreactors side by side. The hydrolytic process was measured by variation in pH, volatile solids (VS), VS destruction, soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD), hydrolysis and acidification yields. Biological methane potential (BMP) assays were carried out to measure the upper limit for methane production of grass silage with different hydrolytic pretreatments at mesophilic temperature (37 °C). The optimum methane yield of 368 LN CH4 kg(-1) VS was obtained at an OLR of 1 kg VS m(-3)days(-1) and a HRT of 4 days, showing an increase of 30% in the methane potential in comparison to non-hydrolysed GS. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An accelerated dose escalation with a grass pollen allergoid is safe and well-tolerated: a randomized open label phase II trial.

PubMed

Chaker, A M; Al-Kadah, B; Luther, U; Neumann, U; Wagenmann, M

2015-01-01

The number of injections in the dose escalation of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is small for some currently used hypoallergenic allergoids, but can still be inconvenient to patients and can impair compliance. The aim of this trial was to compare safety and tolerability of an accelerated to the conventional dose escalation scheme of a grass pollen allergoid. In an open label phase II trial, 122 patients were 1:1 randomized for SCIT using a grass pollen allergoid with an accelerated dose escalation comprising only 4 weekly injections (Group I) or a conventional dose escalation including 7 weekly injections (Group II). Safety determination included the occurrence of local and systemic adverse events. Tolerability was assessed by patients and physicians. Treatment-related adverse events were observed in 22 (36.1 %) patients in Group I and 15 (24.6 %) in Group II. Local reactions were reported by 18 patients in Group I and 11 in Group II. Five Grade 1 systemic reactions (WAO classification) were observed in Group I and 2 in Group II. Grade 2 reactions occurred 3 times in Group I and 2 times in Group II. Tolerability was rated as "good" or "very good" by 53 (86.9 %) patients in Group I and 59 (100 %) in Group II by investigators. Forty-eight patients in Group I (80.0 %) and 54 in Group II (91.5 %) rated tolerability as "good" or "very good". The dose escalation of a grass pollen allergoid can be accelerated with safety and tolerability profiles comparable to the conventional dose escalation.

Pushing the boundaries of resistance: insights from Brachypodium-rust interactions

PubMed Central

Figueroa, Melania; Castell-Miller, Claudia V.; Li, Feng; Hulbert, Scot H.; Bradeen, James M.

2015-01-01

The implications of global population growth urge transformation of current food and bioenergy production systems to sustainability. Members of the family Poaceae are of particular importance both in food security and for their applications as biofuel substrates. For centuries, rust fungi have threatened the production of valuable crops such as wheat, barley, oat, and other small grains; similarly, biofuel crops can also be susceptible to these pathogens. Emerging rust pathogenic races with increased virulence and recurrent rust epidemics around the world point out the vulnerability of monocultures. Basic research in plant immunity, especially in model plants, can make contributions to understanding plant resistance mechanisms and improve disease management strategies. The development of the grass Brachypodium distachyon as a genetically tractable model for monocots, especially temperate cereals and grasses, offers the possibility to overcome the experimental challenges presented by the genetic and genomic complexities of economically valuable crop plants. The numerous resources and tools available in Brachypodium have opened new doors to investigate the underlying molecular and genetic bases of plant–microbe interactions in grasses and evidence demonstrating the applicability and advantages of working with B. distachyon is increasing. Importantly, several interactions between B. distachyon and devastating plant pathogens, such rust fungi, have been examined in the context of non-host resistance. Here, we discuss the use of B. distachyon in these various pathosystems. Exploiting B. distachyon to understand the mechanisms underpinning disease resistance to non-adapted rust fungi may provide effective and durable approaches to fend off these pathogens. The close phylogenetic relationship among Brachypodium spp. and grasses with industrial and agronomic value support harnessing this model plant to improve cropping systems and encourage its use in translational research. PMID:26284085

Effect of vegetated filter strips on transport and deposition rates of Escherichia coli in overland flow in the eastern escarpments of the Mau Forest, Njoro River Watershed, Kenya

PubMed Central

Onyando, J. O.; Moturi, W. N.; Muia, A. W.; Ombui, P.; Shivoga, W. A.; Roegner, A. F.

2016-01-01

The fate and transport of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in lotic waters through vegetated filter strips (VFSs) was evaluated in a field model pasture, utilizing VFSMOD Windows along with direct pathogen testing. This study assessed effects of VFS on transport and deposition rates of E. coli in lotic overland flow waters. The VFS measured 44 m long by 40 m wide, covering an area of 1584 m2 and land slope of 15 %. Cowpat was applied onto the model pasture and washed by overland flow into the VFS. The 4-methylumbelliferyl β-D-glucuronide substrate confirmed the identity of E. coli prior to cowpat application and after isolating them from soil using centrifugation and membrane filtration techniques. Napier grass root system recorded the highest recovery rates of E. coli at 99.9 % along the length of VFS III. This efficiency reduced significantly (p < 0.05; df = 29) to 95 % in Kikuyu grass and 75 % in Couch grass–Buffer grass. The data demonstrated similarity in transport of manure-borne E. coli and organic carbon (OC) through all the simulated VFS. These results indicated that OC could be used as a true natural tracer of manure-borne E. coli, a pollution indicator organism of lentic and lotic surface waters provided the OC release kinetics from cowpat were similar to that of E. coli kinetics. Thus, efficient filtering to reduce E. coli concentrations and load in overland flows requires managing combined grass species, agro-pastoral systems models and dispersed or preferential flows to enhance surface water quality standards. PMID:28393102

Modelling a demand driven biogas system for production of electricity at peak demand and for production of biomethane at other times.

PubMed

O'Shea, R; Wall, D; Murphy, J D

2016-09-01

Four feedstocks were assessed for use in a demand driven biogas system. Biomethane potential (BMP) assays were conducted for grass silage, food waste, Laminaria digitata and dairy cow slurry. Semi-continuous trials were undertaken for all feedstocks, assessing biogas and biomethane production. Three kinetic models of the semi-continuous trials were compared. A first order model most accurately correlated with gas production in the pulse fed semi-continuous system. This model was developed for production of electricity on demand, and biomethane upgrading. The model examined a theoretical grass silage digester that would produce 435kWe in a continuous fed system. Adaptation to demand driven biogas required 187min to produce sufficient methane to run a 2MWe combined heat and power (CHP) unit for 60min. The upgrading system was dispatched 71min following CHP shutdown. Of the biogas produced 21% was used in the CHP and 79% was used in the upgrading system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lathyrus sativus transcriptome resistance response to Ascochyta lathyri investigated by deepSuperSAGE analysis

PubMed Central

Almeida, Nuno F.; Krezdorn, Nicolas; Rotter, Björn; Winter, Peter; Rubiales, Diego; Vaz Patto, Maria C.

2015-01-01

Lathyrus sativus (grass pea) is a temperate grain legume crop with a great potential for expansion in dry areas or zones that are becoming more drought-prone. It is also recognized as a potential source of resistance to several important diseases in legumes, such as ascochyta blight. Nevertheless, the lack of detailed genomic and/or transcriptomic information hampers further exploitation of grass pea resistance-related genes in precision breeding. To elucidate the pathways differentially regulated during ascochyta-grass pea interaction and to identify resistance candidate genes, we compared the early response of the leaf gene expression profile of a resistant L. sativus genotype to Ascochyta lathyri infection with a non-inoculated control sample from the same genotype employing deepSuperSAGE. This analysis generated 14.387 UniTags of which 95.7% mapped to a reference grass pea/rust interaction transcriptome. From the total mapped UniTags, 738 were significantly differentially expressed between control and inoculated leaves. The results indicate that several gene classes acting in different phases of the plant/pathogen interaction are involved in the L. sativus response to A. lathyri infection. Most notably a clear up-regulation of defense-related genes involved in and/or regulated by the ethylene pathway was observed. There was also evidence of alterations in cell wall metabolism indicated by overexpression of cellulose synthase and lignin biosynthesis genes. This first genome-wide overview of the gene expression profile of the L. sativus response to ascochyta infection delivered a valuable set of candidate resistance genes for future use in precision breeding. PMID:25852725

Establishment of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and other microorganisms on a beach replenishment site in Florida.

PubMed

Sylvia, D M; Will, M E

1988-02-01

Beach replenishment is a widely used method of controlling coastal erosion. To reduce erosional losses from wind, beach grasses are often planted on the replenishment sands. However, there is little information on the microbial populations in this material that may affect plant establishment and growth. The objectives of this research were to document changes in the populations of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi and other soil microorganisms in replenishment materials and to determine whether roots of transplanted beach grasses become colonized by beneficial microbes. The study was conducted over a 2-year period on a replenishment project in northeastern Florida. Three sampling locations were established at 1-km intervals along the beach. Each location consisted of three plots: an established dune, replenishment sand planted with Uniola paniculata and Panicum sp., and replenishment sand left unplanted. Fungal and bacterial populations increased rapidly in the rhizosphere of beach grasses in the planted plots. However, no bacteria were recovered that could fix significant amounts of N(2). The VAM fungi established slowly on the transplanted grasses. Even after two growing seasons, levels of root colonization and sporulation were significantly below those found in the established dune. There was a shift in the dominant VAM fungi found in the planted zone with respect to those in the established dunes. The most abundant species recovered from the established dunes were Glomus deserticola, followed by Acaulospora scrobiculata and Scutellospora weresubiae. The VAM fungi that colonized the planted zone most rapidly were Glomus globiferum, followed by G. deserticola and Glomus aggregatum.

Effects of Environmental Enrichment on the Fertility and Fecundity of Zebrafish (Danio rerio).

PubMed

Wafer, Lemnique N; Jensen, V Behrana; Whitney, Jesse C; Gomez, Thomas H; Flores, Rene; Goodwin, Bradford S

2016-01-01

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are a popular vertebrate model in biomedical research, but information describing the effects of environmental enrichment on fertility and fecundity of zebrafish is sparse. In the current study, 18 breeding pairs were placed in divided 1.5-L breeding tanks containing 1 of 3 enrichment conditions: plastic grass (n = 6), plastic leaves (n = 6), or no enrichment (n = 6, control). The pairs were allowed to spawn for 3 h the next day, after which eggs were counted and breeding pairs were returned to holding tanks for use in subsequent sessions. Spawning sessions were repeated at 7-d intervals until the completion of 9 trials, with pairs rotating to a different condition at each interval. Total egg count (mean ± SEM) after 3 h was greater for zebrafish spawning in the grass environment (48.0 ± 7.7 eggs) than in the leaf or control environments (29.4 ± 5.3 and 20.4 ± 3.7 eggs, respectively). An interaction emerged between enrichment type and the age of the spawning pair on the number of fry at 6 d postfertilization (dpf). Initially, more fry were obtained from 110- and 160-dpf pairs with the grass enrichment, but from 173- and 180-dpf pairs there were more obtained with leaf enrichment than grass. A separate experiment showed that enrichment type did not have an effect on fry survivability. Overall, our data indicates that, under certain conditions, zebrafish fertility and fecundity are greater in a breeding tank containing environmental enrichment than in a bare tank.

Comparative Morphological Analysis of the Immature Stages of the Grass Blue Butterflies Zizeeria and Zizina (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae).

PubMed

Gurung, Raj D; Iwata, Masaki; Hiyama, Atsuki; Taira, Wataru; Degnan, Bernard; Degnan, Sandie; Otaki, Joji M

2016-08-01

The pale grass blue butterfly has been used to assess the biological effects of the Fukushima nuclear accident. Zizeeria and Zizina are two closely related genera of grass blue butterflies that are widely distributed in tropical to temperate Asia, Australia, and Africa, making them suitable environmental indicators for these areas. However, the morphological features of the immature stages have been examined only in fragmentary fashion. Here, we reared Zizeeria maha argia, Zizeeria maha okinawana, Zizeeria karsandra karsandra, Zizina emelina emelina, Zizina otis labradus, and Zizina otis riukuensis using a standard rearing method that was developed for Zizeeria maha, and comparatively identified morphological traits to effectively classify the immature stages of species or subspecies. Morphological information on these and other subspecies including Zizeeria knysna knysna and Zizina otis antanossa from Africa was also collected from literature. The subspecies were all reared successfully. The subspecies all had dorsal nectary and tentacle organs with similar morphology. For the subspecies of Zizeeria maha, only minor morphological differences were noted. Similarly, the subspecies of Zizina otis shared many traits. Most importantly, Zizeeria and Zizina differed in the shape of the sensory hairs that accompany the dorsal nectary organ; Zizeeriahad pointed hairs, and Zizina had blunt or rounded hairs. However, Zizina emelina exhibited several intermediate features between these two genera. Overall, the morphological traits did not completely reflect the conventional systematic relationships. This comparative study describes the efficient rearing of the grass blue butterflies and provides a morphological basis for the use of these species as environmental indicators.

Changing patterns of daily rhythmicity across reproductive states in diurnal female Nile grass rats (Arvicanthis niloticus)

PubMed Central

Schradera, Jessica A.; Walaszczykb, Erin J.; Smalea, Laura

2009-01-01

SCHRADER, J.A., E. J. WALASZCZYK, AND L. SMALE. Changing patterns of daily rhythmicity across reproductive states in diurnal female Nile grass rats (Arvicanthis niloticus). PHYSIOL BEHAV XX(X) XXX-XXX, XXXX. -- A suite of changes in circadian rhythms have been described in nocturnal rodents as females go through pregnancy and lactation, but there is no information on such patterns in diurnal species. As the challenges faced by these two groups of animals are somewhat different, we characterized changes in activity and core body temperature (Tb) in female diurnal Nile grass rats (Arvicanthis niloticus) as they went through a series of reproductive states: virgin, pregnant, pregnant and lactating, lactating only, and post-weaning. The phase of neither rhythm varied, but the amplitude did. Females increased their overall levels of daily activity from early to late pregnancy, regardless of whether they were also lactating. The pattern of activity was less rhythmic during early than mid-lactation, in both non-pregnant and pregnant females, as a consequence of a decrease in daytime relative to nighttime activity. The Tb rhythm amplitude dropped from mid-pregnancy through mid-lactation, and there were rises in Tb troughs during the mid-light and mid-dark phases of the day, though pregnancy and lactation affected Tb at these times in somewhat different ways. This study demonstrates that rhythms in diurnal grass rats change during pregnancy and lactation in different ways than those of nocturnal species that have been studied to date and that the effects of pregnancy and lactation are not additive in any simple way. PMID:19744504

Calculation of coal resources using ARC/INFO and Earth Vision; methodology for the National Coal Resource Assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roberts, L.N.; Biewick, L.R.

1999-01-01

This report documents a comparison of two methods of resource calculation that are being used in the National Coal Resource Assessment project of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Tewalt (1998) discusses the history of using computer software packages such as GARNET (Graphic Analysis of Resources using Numerical Evaluation Techniques), GRASS (Geographic Resource Analysis Support System), and the vector-based geographic information system (GIS) ARC/INFO (ESRI, 1998) to calculate coal resources within the USGS. The study discussed here, compares resource calculations using ARC/INFO* (ESRI, 1998) and EarthVision (EV)* (Dynamic Graphics, Inc. 1997) for the coal-bearing John Henry Member of the Straight Cliffs Formation of Late Cretaceous age in the Kaiparowits Plateau of southern Utah. Coal resource estimates in the Kaiparowits Plateau using ARC/INFO are reported in Hettinger, and others, 1996.

76 FR 39888 - Endangered Species Recovery Permit Applications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-07

... (Bakersfield cactus); Orcuttia pilosa (hairy orcutt grass); Orcuttia viscida (Sacramento orcutt grass...); Tuctoria mucronata (Solano grass). Permit No. TE-45778A Applicant: Ellis Ecological Services Incorporated...

Epinephrine Use in Clinical Trials of Sublingual Immunotherapy Tablets.

PubMed

Nolte, Hendrik; Casale, Thomas B; Lockey, Richard F; Fogh, Bodil Svanholm; Kaur, Amarjot; Lu, Susan; Nelson, Harold S

Allergy immunotherapy can result in systemic allergic reactions and even life-threatening anaphylaxis requiring epinephrine administration. The objective of this study was to describe epinephrine use in the clinical trial development programs of 3 rapidly dissolving sublingual immunotherapy tablets (SLIT-tablets; Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ/ALK, Hørsholm, Denmark/Torii Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan). Data on epinephrine use were collected from 13 timothy grass SLIT-tablet trials (MK-7243; ≤2800 bioequivalent allergen units/75,000 SQ-T dose, n = 2497; placebo, n = 2139), 5 short ragweed SLIT-tablet trials (MK-3641; ≤12 Amb a 1-U, n = 1725; placebo, n = 770), and 11 house dust mite (HDM) SLIT-tablet trials (MK-8237; ≤12 SQ-HDM; n = 3930; placebo, n = 2246). In grass SLIT-tablet trials, epinephrine was used 13 times (grass SLIT-tablet, n = 10; placebo, n = 3). Eight administrations were for grass SLIT-tablet-related adverse events (AEs): 4 for systemic allergic reactions and 4 for local mouth and/or throat swelling. In ragweed SLIT-tablet trials, epinephrine was used 9 times in 8 subjects (ragweed SLIT-tablet, n = 7; placebo, n = 1 [2 administrations for protracted anaphylaxis]). Four administrations were for ragweed SLIT-tablet-related AEs: 1 for systemic allergic reaction and 3 for local mouth and/or pharynx/throat swelling. In HDM SLIT-tablet trials, epinephrine was administered 13 times (HDM SLIT-tablet, n = 8; placebo, n = 5). Four administrations were for HDM SLIT-tablet-related AEs: 1 for systemic allergic reaction and 3 for local events. Of the 16 epinephrine administrations for events related to SLIT-tablet treatment, 11 occurred within the first week of treatment (7 administrations on day 1) and 5 were subject self-administered. Epinephrine administrations in response to SLIT-tablet-related reactions in clinical trials are uncommon, typically occur within the first week of treatment, and are rarely self-administered. All SLIT-tablet-related events treated with epinephrine were nonserious. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relevance of Allergenic Sensitization to Cynodon dactylon and Phragmites communis: Cross-reactivity With Pooideae Grasses.

PubMed

López-Matas, M A; Moya, R; Cardona, V; Valero, A; Gaig, P; Malet, A; Viñas, M; García-Moral, A; Labrador, M; Alcoceba, E; Ibero, M; Carnés, J

The homologous group of sweet grasses belongs to the Pooideae subfamily, but grass pollen species from other subfamilies can also cause allergy, such as Cynodon dactylon (Chloridoideae) and Phragmites communis (Arundinoideae). C dactylon and P communis have not been included in the sweet grasses homologous group because of their low cross-reactivity with other grasses. The aims of this study were to investigate the profile of sensitization to C dactylon and P communis in patients sensitized to grasses and to analyze cross-reactivity between these 2 species and temperate grasses. Patients were skin prick tested with a grass mixture (GM). Specific IgE to GM, C dactylon, P communis, Cyn d 1, and Phl p 1 was measured by ImmunoCAP. A pool of sera was used for the immunoblot assays. Cross-reactivity was studied by ELISA and immunoblot inhibition. Thirty patients had sIgE to GM. Twenty-four (80%) had positive results for C dactylon, 27 (90%) for P communis, 22 (73.3%) for nCyn d 1, and 92.9% for rPhl p 1. Bands were detected in the 3 extracts by immunoblot. Inhibition of GM was not observed with C dactylon or P communis by immunoblot or ELISA inhibition. When C dactylon or P communis were used in the solid phase, GM produced almost complete inhibition. Eighty percent of patients sensitized to grasses were also sensitized to C dactylon and 90% were sensitized to P communis. Sensitization to these species seems to be induced by allergens different to those in sweet grasses.

Coexistence of Trees and Grass: Importance of climate and fire within the tropics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shuman, J. K.; Fisher, R.; Koven, C.; Knox, R. G.; Andre, B.; Kluzek, E. B.

2017-12-01

Tropical forests are characterized by transition zones where dominance shifts between trees and grasses with some areas exhibiting bistability of the two. The cause of this transition and bistability has been linked to the interacting effects of climate, vegetation structure and fire behavior. Utilizing the Functionally Assembled Terrestrial Ecosystem Simulator (FATES), a demographic vegetation model, and the CESM ESM, we explore the coexistence of trees and grass across the tropics with an active fire regime. FATES has been updated to use a fire module based on Spitfire. FATES-Spitfire tracks fire ignition, spread and impact based on fuel state and combustion. Fire occurs within the model with variable intensity that kills trees according to the combined effects of cambial damage and crown scorch due to flame height and fire intensity. As a size-structured model, FATES allows for variable mortality based on the size of tree cohorts, where larger trees experience lower morality compared to small trees. Results for simulation scenarios where vegetation is represented by all trees, all grass, or a combination of competing trees and grass are compared to assess changes in biomass, fire regime and tree-grass coexistence. Within the forest-grass transition area there is a critical time during which grass fuels fire spread and prevents the establishment of trees. If trees are able to escape mortality a tree-grass bistable area is successful. The ability to simulate the bistability and transition of trees and grass throughout the tropics is critical to representing vegetation dynamics in response to changing climate and CO2.

First direct confirmation of grass carp spawning in a Great Lakes tributary

USGS Publications Warehouse

Embke, Holly S.; Kocovsky, Patrick M.; Richter, Catherine A.; Pritt, Jeremy J.; Christine M. Mayer,; Qian, Song

2016-01-01

Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), an invasive species of Asian carp, has been stocked for many decades in the United States for vegetation control. Adult individuals have been found in all of the Great Lakes except Lake Superior, but no self-sustaining populations have yet been identified in Great Lakes tributaries. In 2012, a commercial fisherman caught four juvenile diploid grass carp in the Sandusky River, a major tributary to Lake Erie. Otolith microchemistry and the capture location of these fish permitted the conclusion that they were most likely produced in the Sandusky River. Due to this finding, we sampled ichthyoplankton using paired bongo net tows and larval light traps during June–August of 2014 and 2015 to determine if grass carp are spawning in the Sandusky River. From the samples collected in 2015, we identified and staged eight eggs that were morphologically consistent with grass carp. Five eggs were confirmed as grass carp using quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction for a grass carp-specific marker, while the remaining three were retained for future analysis. Our finding confirms that grass carp are naturally spawning in this Great Lakes tributary. All eggs were collected during high-flow events, either on the day of peak flow or 1–2 days following peak flow, supporting an earlier suggestion that high flow conditions favor grass carp spawning. The next principal goal is to identify the spawning and hatch location(s) for the Sandusky River. Predicting locations and conditions where grass carp spawning is most probable may aid targeted management efforts.

A proteomic style approach to characterize a grass mix product reveals potential immunotherapeutic benefit.

PubMed

Bullimore, Alan; Swan, Nicola; Alawode, Wemimo; Skinner, Murray

2011-09-01

Grass allergy immunotherapies often consist of a mix of different grass extracts, each containing several proteins of different physiochemical properties; however, the subtle contributions of each protein are difficult to elucidate. This study aimed to identify and characterize the group 1 and 5 allergens in a 13 grass extract and to standardize the extraction method. The grass pollens were extracted in isolation and pooled and also in combination and analyzed using a variety of techniques including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, liquid chromatog-raphy-mass spectrometry, and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylam-ide gel electrophoresis. Gold-staining and IgE immunoblotting revealed a high degree of homology of protein bands between the 13 species and the presence of a densely stained doublet at 25-35 kD along with protein bands at approximately 12.5, 17, and 50 kD. The doublet from each grass species demonstrated a high level of group 1 and 5 interspecies homology. However, there were a number of bands unique to specific grasses consistent with evolutionary change and indicative that a grass mix immunotherapeutic could be considered broad spectrum. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electro-phoresis and IgE immunoblotting showed all 13 grasses share a high degree of homology, particularly in terms of group 1 and 5 allergens. IgE and IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay potencies were shown to be independent of extraction method.

On the coupled use of eddy covariance, sap flow sensors and remote sensing information for Evapotranspiration estimates in a typical heterogeneous Mediterranean ecosystem.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corona, R.; Montaldo, N.

2017-12-01

Mediterranean ecosystems are typically heterogeneous, with contrasting plant functional types (PFT, woody vegetation and grass) that compete for water use. Due to the complexity of these ecosystems there is still uncertainty on the estimate of the evapotranspiration (ET). Micrometerological measurements (e.g. eddy covariance method based, EC ) are widely used for ET estimate, but in heterogeneous systems one of the main assumption (surface homogeneity) is not preserved and the method may become less robust. In this sense, the coupled use of sap flow sensors for tree transpiration estimate, surface temperature sensors, remote sensing information for land surface characterization allow to estimate the ET components and the energy balances of the three main land surface components (woody vegetation, grass and bare soil), overtaking the EC method uncertainties. The experimental site of Orroli, in Sardinia (Italy), is a typical Mediterranean heterogeneous ecosystem, monitored from the University of Cagliari since 2003. With the intent to perform an intensive field campaign for the ET estimation, we verified the potentiality of coupling eddy covariance (EC) method, infrared sensors and thermal dissipation methods (i.e. sap flow technique) for tree transpiration estimate. As a first step 3 commercial sap flux sensors were installed in a wild olive clump where the skin temperature of one tree in the clump was monitored with an infrared transducer. Then, other 54 handmade sensors were installed in 14 clumps in the EC footprint. Measurements of diameter were recorded in all the clumps and the sapwood depth was derived from measurements in several trees. The field ET estimation from the 4 commercial sensors was obtained assuming 4 different relationship between the monitored sap flux and the diameter of the species in the footprint. Instead for the 54 handmade sensors a scaling procedure was applied based on the allometric relationships between sapwood area, diameter and canopy cover area within the EC footprint. Furthermore, the hydrologic relationships between soil moisture content and ET of woody vegetation has been computed from sap flux measurements. The ET components are well estimated, highlighting the strong water resistance of wild olive, which survive in drastic dry conditions, in contrast with grass species.

Real Time Integration of Field Data Into a GIS Platform for the Management of Hydrological Emergencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangiameli, M.; Mussumeci, G.

2013-01-01

A wide series of events requires immediate availability of information and field data to be provided to decision-makers. An example is the necessity of quickly transferring the information acquired from monitoring and alerting sensors or the data of the reconnaissance of damage after a disastrous event to an Emergency Operations Center. To this purpose, we developed an integrated GIS and WebGIS system to dynamically create and populate via Web a database with spatial features. In particular, this work concerns the gathering and transmission of spatial data and related information to the desktop GIS so that they can be displayed and analyzed in real time to characterize the operational scenario and to decide the rescue interventions. As basic software, we used only free and open source: QuantumGIS and Grass as Desktop GIS, Map Server with PMapper application for the Web-Gis functionality and PostGreSQL/PostGIS as Data Base Management System (DBMS). The approach has been designed, developed and successfully tested in the management of GIS-based navigation of an autonomous robot, both to map its trajectories and to assign optimal paths. This paper presents the application of our system to a simulated hydrological event that could interest the province of Catania, in Sicily. In particular, assuming that more teams draw up an inventory of the damage, we highlight the benefits of real-time transmission of the information collected from the field to headquarters.

Iowa Commercial Pesticide Applicator Manual, Category 1A: Agricultural Weed Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jennings, Vivan M.; Ryan, Stephen O.

This manual provides information needed to meet the standards for pesticide applicator certification. Weeds, their effects, and control in relation to crop production are presented. Pre- and post-emergence treatments are discussed for row crops such as corn and soybeans. Problems with herbicide application to grass pastures, small grains, and…

30 CFR 585.611 - What information and certifications must I submit with my SAP to assist BOEM in complying with...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE RENEWABLE ENERGY... total suspended solids from construction. (3) Biological resources Benthic communities, marine mammals, sea turtles, coastal and marine birds, fish and shellfish, plankton, sea grasses, and other plant life...

Global Survey of Anthropogenic Neighborhood Threats to Conservation of Grass-Shrub and Forest Vegetation

EPA Science Inventory

We report a survey of land cover patterns focusing on forest, grassland, and shrubland for the United States. To provide information for a national resource assessment, an integrated survey of patterns was conducted using a circa 2001 land cover map. The survey was designed to ac...

TRACE METAL UPTAKE BY PICHIA SPARTINAE, AN ENDOSYMBIOTIC YEAST IN THE SALT MARSH CORD GRASS, SPARTINA ALTERNIFLORA. (R825513C004)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

Grassland bird densities in seral stages of mixed-grass prairie

Treesearch

Shawn C. Fritcher; Mark A. Rumble; Lester D. Flake

2004-01-01

Birds associated with prairie ecosystems are declining and the ecological condition (seral stage) of remaining grassland communities may be a factor. Livestock grazing intensity influences the seral stage of grassland communities and resource managers lack information to assess how grassland birds are affected by these changes. We estimated bird density, species...

Fire growth maps for the 1988 Greater Yellowstone Area Fires

Treesearch

Richard C. Rothermel; Roberta A Hartford; Carolyn H. Chase

1994-01-01

Daily fire growth maps display the growth of the 1988 fires in the Greater Yellowstone Area. Information and data sources included daily infrared photography flights, satellite imagery, ground and aerial reconnaissance, command center intelligence, and the personal recollections of fire behavior observers. Fire position was digitized from topographic maps using GRASS...

Apply Pesticides Correctly, A Guide for Commercial Applicators: Seed Treatment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wamsley, Mary Ann, Ed.; Vermeire, Donna M., Ed.

This guide contains basic information to meet specific standards for pesticide applicators. The text is concerned with the types of seeds that require chemical protection against pests. Methods of treatment and labeling requirements for such seeds as rye, wheat, soybeans, peas, and grass hybrids are discussed. Safety and environmental precautions…

Environmental Pollution: Is There Enough Public Concern to Lead to Action?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharma, Navin C.; And Others

1975-01-01

Research indicates that the impetus to solve pollution problems may have to come from processes outside the realm of ordinary problem solving institutions. Mass media exposure and involvement in the political process are ineffective in generating antipollution sentiment. "Grass roots" movements based on informal communication may emerge to combat…

Vigor and persistence of birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) populations selected with or without an orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) companion evaluated in grass sod

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Forage legumes are often grown in mixtures with grass for grazing or harvested for hay or silage. Forage legume breeders often debate the necessity of incorporating grass competition into the breeding process, particularly when bred varieties will be utilized in mixture with grass. To address the va...

Archeological Test Excavations at Eight Sites in the Lake Sharpe Project Area of Hughes, Lyman, and Stanley Counties, South Dakota 1987. Appendixes A-O

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-04-01

24 Sedgeor Grass Fam ily (Cyperaceae or Poaceae ) ............................................................. 26 Beeweed (Cleome...28 Grass Fam ily ( Poaceae ...Beeweed seed I Cyperaceae or Poaceae Sedge or Grass Family stem i 315 Cyperaceae or Poaceae Sedge or Grass Family stem 1 Z_ _ mays Corn cob 3 316

Environmental Assessment to Construct a FAMCAMP, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-05

Bennuda (Cynodon dactylon), buffalo grass (Buchloe dactyloides), Texas wintergrass (Stipa leucotricha), Johnson grass (Sorghum halepense), and...previously disturbed areas within the developed area of the base. The proposed project area is composed of grasses that are periodically mowed including...consist of approved mixtures of grass species. Periodically, herbicide would be applied as necessary to control undesirable plant species. Therefore

Pascagoula Harbor, Mississippi, Feasibility Report on Improvement of the Federal Deep-Draft Navigation Channel. Volume 1. Main Report and Environmental Impact Statement.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-03-01

cerifera) and stands of Cogongrass, locally known as ’Jap Grass’ ( Imperata cylindrica ) and torpedo grass (Panicum repens). The lower southeastern-most...dominated by wax myrtle and sea myrtle with stands of Cogongrass, locally known as ’Jap Grass’ ( Imperata cylindrica ) and torpedo grass (Panicum repens

Established native perennial grasses out-compete an invasive annual grass regardless of soil water and nutrient availability

Treesearch

Christopher M. McGlone; Carolyn Hull Sieg; Thomas E. Kolb; Ty Nietupsky

2012-01-01

Competition and resource availability influence invasions into native perennial grasslands by nonnative annual grasses such as Bromus tectorum. In two greenhouse experiments we examined the influence of competition, water availability, and elevated nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability on growth and reproduction of the invasive annual grass B. tectorum and two...

Spectral resampling based on user-defined inter-band correlation filter: C3 and C4 grass species classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adjorlolo, Clement; Mutanga, Onisimo; Cho, Moses A.; Ismail, Riyad

2013-04-01

In this paper, a user-defined inter-band correlation filter function was used to resample hyperspectral data and thereby mitigate the problem of multicollinearity in classification analysis. The proposed resampling technique convolves the spectral dependence information between a chosen band-centre and its shorter and longer wavelength neighbours. Weighting threshold of inter-band correlation (WTC, Pearson's r) was calculated, whereby r = 1 at the band-centre. Various WTC (r = 0.99, r = 0.95 and r = 0.90) were assessed, and bands with coefficients beyond a chosen threshold were assigned r = 0. The resultant data were used in the random forest analysis to classify in situ C3 and C4 grass canopy reflectance. The respective WTC datasets yielded improved classification accuracies (kappa = 0.82, 0.79 and 0.76) with less correlated wavebands when compared to resampled Hyperion bands (kappa = 0.76). Overall, the results obtained from this study suggested that resampling of hyperspectral data should account for the spectral dependence information to improve overall classification accuracy as well as reducing the problem of multicollinearity.

Herbaceous Forage and Selection Patterns by Ungulates across Varying Herbivore Assemblages in a South African Savanna

PubMed Central

Treydte, Anna Christina; Baumgartner, Sabine; Heitkönig, Ignas M. A.; Grant, Catharina C.; Getz, Wayne M.

2013-01-01

Herbivores generally have strong structural and compositional effects on vegetation, which in turn determines the plant forage species available. We investigated how selected large mammalian herbivore assemblages use and alter herbaceous vegetation structure and composition in a southern African savanna in and adjacent to the Kruger National Park, South Africa. We compared mixed and mono-specific herbivore assemblages of varying density and investigated similarities in vegetation patterns under wildlife and livestock herbivory. Grass species composition differed significantly, standing biomass and grass height were almost twice as high at sites of low density compared to high density mixed wildlife species. Selection of various grass species by herbivores was positively correlated with greenness, nutrient content and palatability. Nutrient-rich Urochloa mosambicensis Hack. and Panicum maximum Jacq. grasses were preferred forage species, which significantly differed in abundance across sites of varying grazing pressure. Green grasses growing beneath trees were grazed more frequently than dry grasses growing in the open. Our results indicate that grazing herbivores appear to base their grass species preferences on nutrient content cues and that a characteristic grass species abundance and herb layer structure can be matched with mammalian herbivory types. PMID:24358228

Climate drives shifts in grass reproductive phenology across the western USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Munson, Seth M.; Long, A. Lexine

2016-01-01

The capacity of grass species to alter their reproductive timing across space and through time can indicate their ability to cope with environmental variability and help predict their future performance under climate change.We determined the long-term (1895–2013) relationship between flowering times of grass species and climate in space and time using herbarium records across ecoregions of the western USA.There was widespread concordance of C3 grasses accelerating flowering time and general delays for C4 grasses with increasing mean annual temperature, with the largest changes for annuals and individuals occurring in more northerly, wetter ecoregions. Flowering time was delayed for most grass species with increasing mean annual precipitation across space, while phenology–precipitation relationships through time were more mixed.Our results suggest that the phenology of most grass species has the capacity to respond to increases in temperature and altered precipitation expected with climate change, but weak relationships for some species in time suggest that climate tracking via migration or adaptation may be required. Divergence in phenological responses among grass functional types, species, and ecoregions suggests that climate change will have unequal effects across the western USA.

Changes in soil carbon eight years after the death of mesquite, Prosopis velutina, in an arid environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeMarco, J.; Filley, T. R.; Throop, H. L.

2012-12-01

Encroachment of woody plants into grasslands is one of the major global land cover changes of the past century. Woody encroachment in semi-arid and arid ecosystems ("drylands") is of particular concern because these systems cover almost half of the global land surface and account for 30-35% of terrestrial net primary production. Understanding how C cycling is altered with shrub encroachment in drylands is therefore essential for understanding whether these systems will be a source or sink to regional or global C cycling. Little is known about how shrub encroachment influences the input source and stability of C in the soil. Shrub encroachment could lead to a shift in the source of aboveground litter and/or belowground inputs that can vary in their chemistry. These changes in inputs may influence the stability of soil C in the system. We used a chronosequence of shrub removal treatments and compared them to live shrubs and grass plots to assess changes in soil C sources and stability with time since shrub death. Our objectives were to 1) quantify whether soil C concentrations change with shrub encroachment, 2) quantify how woody encroachment alters the source and stability of soil C, and 3) to investigate how the source and stability of soil C changes with shrub death. We assessed changes in soil C following shrub encroachment and death in the Sonoran Desert by comparing soil from grassy areas, under live velvet mesquite (Prosopis velutina) canopies, and under mesquite skeletons that died 8 years prior to the study. Soils were collected at two depths (0-5 cm and 5-20 cm) and were measured for total organic C and total N. The lignin and cutin composition of the soils and the dominant plants in this system were also analyzed to assess the relative source and stability of C in these soils. The composition of lignin and cutin in plants are characteristic of major plant groups (grasses versus woody plants) and are preserved in the soil allowing assessment of the relative source contribution to soil C. Lignin is composed of the derivatives of three basic structural classes: vanillyls, syringyls, and cinnamyls. By analyzing the ratios of cinnamyls to vanillyls (C/V) and syringyls to vanillyls (S/V) the relative contribution of grasses versus shrub inputs present in soil can be determined. We found that C and N concentrations for shallow soils under live and dead shrubs were at least twice as high compared to grass plots (Treatment-%N: F3, 20 = 12.8, p < 0.0001; %C: F3,20= 1.2, p < 0.0001) and deeper soils across all treatments (Depth-%N: F1, 20 = 74.9, p < 0.0001; %C: F1, 20 = 2.2, p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in C and N concentrations among vegetation types for the deeper depth. Shallow soil ratios of C/V were higher in grass soils compared to live shrub soils (F3,12 = 3.5, p = 0.05) while ratios of S/V were greater in shrub soils compared to grass soils (F3,12 = 24.7, p < 0.0001). Neither C/V nor S/V ratios differed between live and dead shrubs. In contrast, cutin yields (mg 100 mg-1 C) were significantly lower under dead shrubs and in grass plots than under live shrubs (F3,12 = 7.0, p < 0.001). Our preliminary data suggest that shrub encroachment in this system enhances soil C storage and may have long-term effects on soil C for at least 8 years after shrub mortality.

Determinants of woody cover in African savannas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sankaran, M.; Hanan, N.P.; Scholes, Robert J.; Ratnam, J.; Augustine, D.J.; Cade, B.S.; Gignoux, J.; Higgins, S.I.; Le, Roux X.; Ludwig, F.; Ardo, J.; Banyikwa, F.; Bronn, A.; Bucini, G.; Caylor, K.K.; Coughenour, M.B.; Diouf, A.; Ekaya, W.; Feral, C.J.; February, E.C.; Frost, P.G.H.; Hiernaux, P.; Hrabar, H.; Metzger, K.L.; Prins, H.H.T.; Ringrose, S.; Sea, W.; Tews, J.; Worden, J.; Zambatis, N.

2005-01-01

Savannas are globally important ecosystems of great significance to human economies. In these biomes, which are characterized by the co-dominance of trees and grasses, woody cover is a chief determinant of ecosystem properties 1-3. The availability of resources (water, nutrients) and disturbance regimes (fire, herbivory) are thought to be important in regulating woody cover1,2,4,5, but perceptions differ on which of these are the primary drivers of savanna structure. Here we show, using data from 854 sites across Africa, that maximum woody cover in savannas receiving a mean annual precipitation (MAP) of less than ???650 mm is constrained by, and increases linearly with, MAP. These arid and semi-arid savannas may be considered 'stable' systems in which water constrains woody cover and permits grasses to coexist, while fire, herbivory and soil properties interact to reduce woody cover below the MAP-controlled upper bound. Above a MAP of ???650 mm, savannas are 'unstable' systems in which MAP is sufficient for woody canopy closure, and disturbances (fire, herbivory) are required for the coexistence of trees and grass. These results provide insights into the nature of African savannas and suggest that future changes in precipitation 6 may considerably affect their distribution and dynamics. ?? 2005 Nature Publishing Group.

Bioenergy cropping systems that incorporate native grasses stimulate growth of plant-associated soil microbes in the absence of nitrogen fertilization

DOE PAGES

Oates, Lawrence G.; Duncan, David S.; Sanford, Gregg R.; ...

2016-10-03

The choice of crops and their management can strongly influence soil microbial communities and their processes. Here, we used lipid biomarker profiling to characterize how soil microbial composition of five potential bioenergy cropping systems diverged from a common baseline five years after they were established. The cropping systems we studied included an annual system (continuous no-till corn) and four perennial crops (switchgrass, miscanthus, hybrid poplar, and restored prairie). Partial- and no-stover removal were compared for the corn system, while N-additions were compared to unfertilized plots for the perennial cropping systems. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and Gram-negative biomass was higher inmore » unfertilized perennial grass systems, especially in switchgrass and prairie. Gram-positive bacterial biomass decreased in all systems relative to baseline values in surface soils (0–10 cm), but not subsurface soils (10–25 cm). Overall microbial composition was similar between the two soil depths. Our findings demonstrate the capacity of unfertilized perennial cropping systems to recreate microbial composition found in undisturbed soil environments and indicate how strongly agroecosystem management decisions such as N addition and plant community composition can influence soil microbial assemblages.« less

Bioenergy cropping systems that incorporate native grasses stimulate growth of plant-associated soil microbes in the absence of nitrogen fertilization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oates, Lawrence G.; Duncan, David S.; Sanford, Gregg R.

The choice of crops and their management can strongly influence soil microbial communities and their processes. Here, we used lipid biomarker profiling to characterize how soil microbial composition of five potential bioenergy cropping systems diverged from a common baseline five years after they were established. The cropping systems we studied included an annual system (continuous no-till corn) and four perennial crops (switchgrass, miscanthus, hybrid poplar, and restored prairie). Partial- and no-stover removal were compared for the corn system, while N-additions were compared to unfertilized plots for the perennial cropping systems. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and Gram-negative biomass was higher inmore » unfertilized perennial grass systems, especially in switchgrass and prairie. Gram-positive bacterial biomass decreased in all systems relative to baseline values in surface soils (0–10 cm), but not subsurface soils (10–25 cm). Overall microbial composition was similar between the two soil depths. Our findings demonstrate the capacity of unfertilized perennial cropping systems to recreate microbial composition found in undisturbed soil environments and indicate how strongly agroecosystem management decisions such as N addition and plant community composition can influence soil microbial assemblages.« less