...Toxic Algae in Lake Erie – There Appears to be More Questions Than Answers A Review of “Huge toxic algae bloom expected for Lake Erie: Blue-green algae feeding off phosphorus from farm fertilizer that runs into lake” INTRODUCTION Blue-green algae blooms continue to be a problem for the ecosystem of Lake Erie and Raj Bejankiwar, a scientist with the International Joint Commission, estimates that there is a 99% chance that algae will once again be an issue this summer. Blue-green algae remove the oxygen from the lake, which contributes to the deaths of other plant and animal life in the lake. Blue-green algae require phosphorus to survive and thrive, and phosphorus has become increasingly available due to the use of large amounts of fertilizer on farms and the subsequent run-off that enters Lake Erie. It is important for farmers to use soil tests and do as much as possible to retain the phosphorus in their soil with minimal leakage. However without laws in place, it is up to individual farmers to decide how they will contribute to decreasing the phosphorus waste. The article’s objective is to provide information on the cause of the blue-green algae boom and indicate certain ways to reduce the excess phosphorus that contributes to the large amount of algae in Lake Erie. REVIEW The article, targeted at a general audience, provided the basic information on the issue of blue-green algae and their necessary food source of phosphorus, focusing on fertilizer as the primary...
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...Negative impacts of Dinoflagellate algae: economic, ecologic, and human health hazards ABSTRACT Increasing pollution both atmospheric and oceanic are encouraging algal growth and increasing the frequency and geographic range of high density dinoflagellate blooms. Public health and economic impacts, as well as negative ecological effects of the aquatic environment are increasing the scientific research done on toxic dinoflagellate species. Contaminated bivalves are causing paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and diarrhetic shellfish poisoning in humans (DSP); with the number of cases increasing steadily in the last 40 years. Toxins released by certain species of the phylum dinoflagellate are the cause of this spreading contamination. Algal bloom locations are dictated by water currents and synaptic weather patterns, and their movement makes it difficult to pinpoint the origin of these blooms. Measuring the level of toxins in shellfish is currently the best way to chart the growing density of these blooms, and to prove the masses of algae are of growing concern. In this review the negative impact dinoflagellate algal blooms are having on aquaculture, human health hazards, and reasons for the increasing frequencies/densities of blooms will be covered; additional information on the shortcomings of incomplete scientific data complied on algal blooms and why scientific research is now being sought after will be reviewed. BACKGROUND Few species of phytoplankton produce...
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...Isolation and Purification of Lyngbya majuscula on Nutrient-enriched Agar Plates A Special Problem ABSTRACT Lyngbya majuscula samples were obtained from the Phycology Laboratory stock culture of the UPV Institute of Aquaculture. Five (5) mm fragments of these were inoculated into agar plates that used 1% agar concentration enriched with varying concentrations (1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0%) of Hughes, et. al. (1958) Mineral Medium No. II. After ten (10) days of culture, the Trichome Length (TL), Trichome Width (TW), Sheath Width (SW) and Total Length of the Lyngbya filaments were measured from photomicrographs of the samples using Image Tool (Version 3.00) developed by the University of Texas Health Science in San Antonio (UTHSCSA). Lyngbya filaments in all cultures enriched with the Hughes medium obtained significantly higher TL and TW over those of the control treatment. But enrichment of the agar medium did not result in an increase of sheath widths. Filaments cultured in 1.5% and 2% enriched agar showed contamination. Those in 1% nutrient concentration had comparable growth, but no contamination. Furthermore, Lyngbya cultured in enriched agar did not grow beyond the area of inoculation. Isolation was also more difficult in agar than in the liquid control medium. INTRODUCTION As early as the 1900s, Lyngbya sp. blooms were documented in the areas of Eastern Moreton Bay and Bribie Island in Australia (Abal & Lawn, 2004). Lyngbya is a genus which is...
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...------------------------------------------------- Aquatic microbiology & sewage treatment Aquatic Microbiology refers to the study of microorganisms and their activities in natural waters, like lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, estuaries(brackish water), and oceans. Domestic and industrial wastewater enters lakes and streams and its effects on microbial life are important factors in aquatic microbiology. Also, how methods of treating wastewater mimics a natural filtering process. ------------------------------------------------- Aquatic microbiology & sewage treatment Aquatic Microbiology refers to the study of microorganisms and their activities in natural waters, like lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, estuaries(brackish water), and oceans. Domestic and industrial wastewater enters lakes and streams and its effects on microbial life are important factors in aquatic microbiology. Also, how methods of treating wastewater mimics a natural filtering process. BIO: 212 M7A3 Project 2 Dr. Ilse Silva-Krott BIO: 212 M7A3 Project 2 Dr. Ilse Silva-Krott OUTLINE: Aquatic Microbiology and Sewage Treatment I. Freshwater and Seawater habitats of microorganisms II. How wastewater pollution is a public health and ecological problem III. Causes and Effect of Eutrophication IV. How water is tested for bacteriological purity V. How pathogens are removed from drinking water VI. Compare primary, secondary, tertiary...
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...Feeding ecology of Hypostomus punctatus Valenciennes, 1840 (Osteichthyes, Loricariidae) in a costal stream from Southeast Brazil Mazzoni, R.*, Rezende, CF. and Manna, LR. Laboratório de Ecologia de Peixes , Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro – IBRAG, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, CEP 20550-013, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil *e-mail mazzoni@uerj.br Received June 25, 2009 – Accepted September 18, 2009 – Distributed August 31, 2010 (With 3 figures) Abstract In the present study we aimed to compare the feeding ecology of Hypostomus punctatus from a coastal stream from Southeast Brazil with data previously published for the same study site before environmental changes. Feeding preferences were assessed through a sample of 138 specimens (67 from the dry and 71 from the rainy season) using the Index of Alimentary Importance (IAi). We registered five different food items (detritus, plant fragments, Diatoms, Chloroficeae and Cianobacteries) composing the species diet. Detritus was the most abundant one both during the rainy and dry seasons (IAirainny = 90.34 and IAidry = 96.30). No significant differences were registered for the volume of food items consumed during the rainy and dry seasons. The Frequency of Occurrence analysis showed that four (detritus, plant fragments, Diatoms and Chloroficeae) among the five all other consumed ones, were always frequent. Comparing our own results with those available for the study site, we suggest that the feeding...
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...Isolation and characterization of bacterial endophytes from indigenous tree legumes (Colophospermum mopane) and screening for their potential to produce plant growth hormones. HIT 400 Project Proposal submitted in partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Technology (Hons) Degree in Biotechnology To Biotechnology Department School of Industrial Sciences and Technology Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) By Edinah Tembo` H1210549T Under the supervision of Mrs P.D Chiunzi 1.0 Introduction The status quo of Zimbabwe’s agriculture seeks to increase productivity along with a long term maintenance of a sustained yield. This aim however, can only be successfully achieved if there is a sufficient supply of plant growth hormones to the plants. Due to the market globalization, the exporting of the agricultural products is rapidly rising hence a need to meet the export demand. Zimbabwe has an abundant variety of indigenous tree legumes, unfortunately scientific taxonomic knowledge of the inhabiting endophytic species is limited and more has to be done to catch up with the rest of the world . The performance of the Zimbabwean economy has always been historically dependent and anchored on the production of the primary sector that is mining and agriculture. Although unpredictable rains continue to adversely affect the sector, the 2000 land reform programme made significant strides in employment creation and improving the livelihoods of the generality...
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...students; and advanced requirements, which would be more appropriate for accounting seniors, as well as M.B.A. and fifth-year accounting students. Keywords: accounting for long-lived assets; depreciation; impairment. INTRODUCTION ristin Murphy recently joined the audit team of one of the more interesting clients in her accounting firm’s practice. An important issue has arisen for this client on a topic that she has not encountered in her four years with the firm. Following is some background on the client and the accounting issue under consideration. K BIOSCIENCE COMPANY Bioscience Company, founded in 1985, began when a defense and aerospace contractor assigned a few scientists to study the use of algae in long-term space flight. These scientists came to believe that algae represented a virtually untapped resource that could be used in a variety of applications to greatly benefit human health. These scientists spun off from the predecessor company to form...
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...Data Mining with R: learning by case studies Luis Torgo LIACC-FEP, University of Porto R. Campo Alegre, 823 - 4150 Porto, Portugal email: ltorgo@liacc.up.pt http://www.liacc.up.pt/∼ltorgo May 22, 2003 Preface The main goal of this book is to introduce the reader to the use of R as a tool for performing data mining. R is a freely downloadable1 language and environment for statistical computing and graphics. Its capabilities and the large set of available packages make this tool an excellent alternative to the existing (and expensive!) data mining tools. One of the key issues in data mining is size. A typical data mining problem involves a large database from where one seeks to extract useful knowledge. In this book we will use MySQL as the core database management system. MySQL is also freely available2 for several computer platforms. This means that you will be able to perform “serious” data mining without having to pay any money at all. Moreover, we hope to show you that this comes with no compromise in the quality of the obtained solutions. Expensive tools do not necessarily mean better tools! R together with MySQL form a pair very hard to beat as long as you are willing to spend some time learning how to use them. We think that it is worthwhile, and we hope that you are convinced as well at the end of reading this book. The goal of this book is not to describe all facets of data mining processes. Many books exist that cover this area. Instead we propose to introduce...
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...Ebola Virus (EBOV) Alaina White Microbiology 11/04/2014 EBOLA VIRUS (EBOV)2 Ebola Virus (EBOV) The Ebola virus causes a serious illness, that causes haemorrhagic fever in humans and animals which, if it is not treated in time is often fatal. Diseases that are fatal like Ebola, affect the body's vascular system, which makes it hard for the blood to circulte through the body. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the first notification of the ebola virus was mentioned in the Ebola River valley in Zaire for the time of an outburst in 1976 (Olival et al., 2013). Researchers claim that the virus is zoonotic (animal-borne), with 4 out of 5 subtypes that happen in animal hosts close to Africa (MacNeil et al., 2010). Literature Review It has been proven by scientists that the Ebola virus can be transferred from one human beng to another by means of bodily contact. The common geographic territory that ia mostly influenced by divergent subtypes of the Ebola virus is Central Africa, especially the cities of Zaire, Sudan, and Gabon (Chepurnov, Bakulina, Dadaeva, Ustinova, & Chepurnova, 2009). Ebola virus infection runs its course from 14 to 21 days. Firstly, the infection can be identified with symptoms that are uncommon for the flu, including malaise, fever, and muscles pain. With the progress of infection, patients experience acute bleeding and coagulation abnormalities such as a rash, gastrointestinal bleeding (Chepurnov, Bakulina, Dadaeva, Ustinova, & Chepurnova...
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...A RENEWABLE ENERGY WORLD - FUELING THE FUTURE WITH BIOMASS Malathi.N I year MBA, School of Management Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore. ABSTRACT Concerns about the availability and long-term supply of petroleum-derived fuels have caused the search for alternative sources of energy. After a century of unprecedented growth in science, technology, and the economy, we now face tremendous challenges to our ability to fuel the future: a fluctuating oil price, a changing climate, and continued dependence on unreliable energy sources. These problems are increasingly personal, and the demand for solutions becomes increasingly urgent. The ultimate solutions will only come from fundamental innovations in science and technology. Liquid fuels will for some applications be necessary for an indefinite period of time. Therefore, defining relevant feedstocks, producing fuels from these feedstocks and the properties of these fuels are critical issues. The utilization of biomass resources assumes importance due to the soaring crude price and depleting reserves of fossil fuels coupled with the rising environmental concern. Ethanol derived from renewable ligno-cellulosic biomass of non-edible variety has been identified globally as the future solution for meeting the energy demand. Apart from fuel and energy, biomass can also be the source of large number of derivatives. Biomass can be used for fuels, power production, and products that would otherwise be made...
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...3-12 Reading Strategies 3-12 Reading Strategies __________________________________________________________________________________ VIRGINIA P. ROJAS Language Education Consultant (732) 940-1860 VPRojas@aol.com 3-12 Reading Strategies Anticipation Guides (Barton & Heidema, 2000) - Anticipation guides have two columns labeled ‘me’ and ‘text.’ Before reading the text, students place a check next to any statement with which they agree. After reading the text, students compare their opinions with information contained in the text. Examples: An example for a math anticipation guide on statistics might look like the following: Me ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Text ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 1. There are several kinds of averages for a set of data. 2. The mode is the middle number in a set of data. 3. Range tells how far apart numbers in a data set can be. 4. Outliers are always ignored. 5. Averages are always given as percentages. An example for a science anticipation guide on matter might look like the following: Me ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Text ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Matter is made up of elements. An element is made up of many different atoms. An element is the same thing as a compound. Most compounds are made up of molecules. Elements are represented by chemical symbols. Check Those Facts! (Stephens & Brown, 2005) - This strategy serves a dual purpose: to help students become better judges of internet information and to allow students to explore an area of interest related to...
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...Question 1 Names of aquatic plant | Parts and its fuction | Water hyacinth (Eichhornia Crassipes) | The stems and leaves contain airfilled tissue which give the plant its considerablebuoyancy. | Duckweed (Lemnaceae) | Entire lower surface of fronds can absorb nutrients from the medium, and the plants can grow well under conditions which entirely prevent root elongation. | Water Primrose (Ludwigia) | The creeping and floating stems allow it to find open water and sunlight through the larger emergent plants. | Water fern (Azolla filiculoides) | The sporophytes consist of two lobed leaves and rhizomes.The lower lobes of the leaves are usually larger than the upper and so adapted for floating the plant. (Hussner, 2010). | Knotweed (Polygonum spp.) | Vigorous rhizomes helps to regenerate when buried up to depths of three feet (0.9 m). (Parkinson and Mangold, 2010) | Question 2 The Pond Skater (Gerris lacustris) is an insect that is especially well suited to life in Wetlands. They have specialized, paddle like legs that enable the insect to "skate" over the surface of the water, riding on the surface tension that lies between the water and the air. Migratory Fish Migratory species such as Salmon, Trout and Eel can survive all levels of salinity in their migration through River, Estuarine and Coastal Wetlands. Fish such as these that are able to adapt to varying levels of salinity are described as eurythaline. Gator Holes Alligators in Southern Florida Wetlands...
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...Interpreting & Documenting Research & Findings Published by the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Strathclyde W.L. Wilson Acknowledgements The material from this booklet has been developed from discussion groups and interviews with the research staff of Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities The advice and contributions of Dr Avril Davidson, Mr Keri Davies, Prof George Gordon, Mrs Janice Reid, Dr Alan Taylor and Mrs Sheila Thompson are acknowledged. The advice of the project Steering Group: Prof Michael Anderson, University of Edinburgh; Dr Nuala Booth, University of Aberdeen; Dr Ian Carter, University of Glasgow; Ms Jean Chandler, University of Glasgow; Dr Avril Davidson, University of Glasgow; Prof George Gordon, University of Strathclyde; Prof Caroline MacDonald, University of Paisley; Prof James McGoldrick, University of Dundee; Dr Alan Runcie, University of Strathclyde; Prof Susan Shaw, University of Strathclyde; Dr Alan Taylor, University of Edinburgh; Prof Rick Trainor, University of Glasgow is also acknowledged. The project was funded by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council. Other titles in Series Gaining Funding for Research Gathering and Evaluating Information from Secondary Sources Preparing the Research Brief © Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Strathclyde 1999 Cartoons D. Brown & W. L. Wilson ISBN 0 85261 688 0 Printed by Universities Design and Print Introduction This booklet is one of a series of four aimed at researchers...
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...Introduction The Murray Darling Basin is the large catchment which covers 14% of Australia – Over one million square kilometres. It is located across four states – Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. The area consists of the catchment for the Murray and Darling rivers and many tributaries with many high-value natural resources. The extensiveness of the wetlands support and maintain the health of the river system, which made the Murray Darling Basin the Australia’s most important agricultural area for both crop and livestock. As a result, the basin produces over one-third of Australia’s food supply. From above sentence, it seems that the area is enriched with healthy natural resources and ecosystem. However, during 2001 to 2009, the irrigation in this area has increased by a large number causing the low inflows in river systems. The low inflows including the climate change has resulted in the drought across the basin, followed by other environmental problems such as a degradation of biodiversity or an increase in salinity level of land and water, etc. Not only the environmental is destroyed but also the economic in the area which then causing the social impact. To resolve this issue, the government has established the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) in 2007 to address this problem and given a task to develop and implement a “Basin Plan”. However, for the current status, “The Proposed Basin Plan” has created the raging debate among the concerned...
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...Converting biomass into ethanol through fermentation by Leng Hong, Grazy (0630400033) A Final Year Project Thesis (ENV4071; 3 Credits) submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Environmental Science at BNU-HKBU UNITED INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE Novembers , 2009 DECLARATION I hereby declare that all the work done in this Project is of my independent effort. I also certify that I have never submitted the idea and product of this Project for academic or employment credits. ___________________ Leng hong, Grazy (0630400033) Date: ___________________ Acknowledgements I am grateful to my project supervisor, Dr. C. F. Yu, Assistant Professor of the Environmental Science Program at UIC. He gave me guidance throughout the whole project. Also, I deeply appreciate Prof. Daniel Ruan, the head of the Department of Environmental Science in UIC, for his expert advice, instruction, and technical supports for the whole year. Thanks are also attributed to Car Wu, Sunshine Chen ,the Laboratory Technician at UIC, who provided useful directions and helpful comments during the project. Finally, I would like to give credits to all other laboratory technicians, for their valuable advice. And to all my classmates, who provided me with encouragement throughout the whole project. ...
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