scholarly journals A Holistic Approach for Enhancing the Efficacy of Soil Microbial Inoculants in Agriculture:

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 176-190
Author(s):  
Eligio Malusà ◽  
Gabriele Berg ◽  
Arjen Biere ◽  
Anne Bohr ◽  
Loredana Canfora ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Field Application ◽  
Microbial Inoculants ◽  
Plant Host ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Native Soil ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
The Impact

Microbial inoculants can be an efficient tool to manage the soil and plant microbiomes providing direct beneficial effects, and for modulating native soil and plant-associated microbiota. However, the application of soil microbial inoculants as biofertilizers and biopesticides in agriculture is still limited by factors related to their formulation, application method, and the knowledge about the impact and interactions between microbial inoculants and native soil and plant host microbiomes. The review is thus describing and discussing three major aspects related to microbial-based product exploitation, namely: i) the discovery and screening of beneficial microbial strains; ii) the opportunities and challenges associated with strain multifunctional features; iii) the fermentation and formulation strategies also based on the use of wastes as growth substrates and the technical and regulatory challenges faced in their path to field application. All these issues are addressed in activities performed by the EXCALIBUR project (www.excaliburproject.eu), which aims to expand the current concept about microbiomes interactions, acknowledging their interactive network that can impact agricultural practices as well as on all living organisms within an ecosystem.

scholarly journals Current Methods, Common Practices, and Perspectives in Tracking and Monitoring Bioinoculants in Soil

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Manfredini ◽  
Eligio Malusà ◽  
Corrado Costa ◽  
Federico Pallottino ◽  
Stefano Mocali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Microorganisms ◽  
Soil Microbial Communities ◽  
Critical Assessment ◽  
Soil Monitoring ◽  
Microbial Inoculants ◽  
Chemical Fertilizers ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Native Soil ◽  
Common Practices ◽  
The Impact

Microorganisms promised to lead the bio-based revolution for a more sustainable agriculture. Beneficial microorganisms could be a valid alternative to the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. However, the increasing use of microbial inoculants is also raising several questions about their efficacy and their effects on the autochthonous soil microorganisms. There are two major issues on the application of bioinoculants to soil: (i) their detection in soil, and the analysis of their persistence and fate; (ii) the monitoring of the impact of the introduced bioinoculant on native soil microbial communities. This review explores the strategies and methods that can be applied to the detection of microbial inoculants and to soil monitoring. The discussion includes a comprehensive critical assessment of the available tools, based on morpho-phenological, molecular, and microscopic analyses. The prospects for future development of protocols for regulatory or commercial purposes are also discussed, underlining the need for a multi-method (polyphasic) approach to ensure the necessary level of discrimination required to track and monitor bioinoculants in soil.

scholarly journals Documenting the Welfare and Role of Working Equids in Rural Communities of Portugal and Spain

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 790 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Haddy ◽  
Joao B. Rodrigues ◽  
Zoe Raw ◽  
Faith Burden ◽  
Leanne Proops
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Traditional Use ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Transfer Of Information ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Working Equids

Recently, the need for a more holistic approach to welfare assessment has been highlighted. This is particularly pertinent in the case of working equids who provide vital support for human livelihoods, often in low- to middle-income countries, yet suffer from globally low standards of welfare. This study aimed to provide insight into the welfare status and traditional use of working equids in rural Western European communities using the new EARS welfare tool, designed to provide a broad view of the welfare of working equids and the context in which they are found. Other questions on the topics of equid management practices, social transmission of expertise, environmental stressors, and traditions, alongside physical and behavioural welfare assessments were also included to explore the impact of these wide-ranging factors on an understudied population of working equids. The protocol was trialled on 60 working equid owners from communities in Portugal and Spain where, despite the decline in traditional agricultural practices and livestock keeping, donkeys and mules remain working animals. Many owners stated that the help donkeys provided was invaluable, and donkeys were considered to be important for both farming and daily life. However, participants also recognised that the traditional agricultural way of life was dying out, providing insights into the traditional practices, community structure, and beliefs of equid owners. Questions investigating the social networks and social transfer of information within the villages were effective in finding local sources of equid knowledge. Overall, welfare was deemed fair, and the protocol enabled the identification of the most prevalent welfare problems within the communities studied, in this case obesity and the use of harmful practices. The findings suggest that the new protocol was feasible and detail how contextual factors may influence equid welfare. Increasing understanding of the cultural context, social structure, and attitudes within a community, alongside more traditional investigations of working practices and animal management, may, in the future, help to make equid welfare initiatives more effective.

scholarly journals Microbial Inoculants and Their Impact on Soil Microbial Communities: A Review

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darine Trabelsi ◽  
Ridha Mhamdi
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Soil Microbial Communities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Bacterial Strains ◽  
Microbial Inoculants ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Functional Capabilities ◽  
Plant Soil ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
The Impact

The knowledge of the survival of inoculated fungal and bacterial strains in field and the effects of their release on the indigenous microbial communities has been of great interest since the practical use of selected natural or genetically modified microorganisms has been developed. Soil inoculation or seed bacterization may lead to changes in the structure of the indigenous microbial communities, which is important with regard to the safety of introduction of microbes into the environment. Many reports indicate that application of microbial inoculants can influence, at least temporarily, the resident microbial communities. However, the major concern remains regarding how the impact on taxonomic groups can be related to effects on functional capabilities of the soil microbial communities. These changes could be the result of direct effects resulting from trophic competitions and antagonistic/synergic interactions with the resident microbial populations, or indirect effects mediated by enhanced root growth and exudation. Combination of inoculants will not necessarily produce an additive or synergic effect, but rather a competitive process. The extent of the inoculation impact on the subsequent crops in relation to the buffering capacity of the plant-soil-biota is still not well documented and should be the focus of future research.

HBOT Application at Cases of Gingival Inflammation

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilma Robo
Keyword(s):  
Root Resorption ◽  
Periodontal Diseases ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Clinical Effects ◽  
Gingival Inflammation ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
New Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Mechanical Therapy ◽  
The Impact

The treatment of periodontal diseases, mainly of their origin, with the most common clinical manifestation in form of gingival inflammation, is manifold and powerful, including: mechanical therapy, antibiotic, antiseptic and various approaches to treatment, which are recommended to be used within a short period of time. New therapeutic approaches have been proven as alternative treatment to conventional therapy, or in combination with conventional therapies, to reduce the number of periodontopathic pathogens in gingival sulcus. HBOT has a detrimental effect on periodontal microorganisms, as well as beneficial effects on the healing of periodontal tissue, increasing oxygen pressure in gingival pockets. Our study is aimed at reviewing the current published literature on hyperbaric oxygen therapy and focuses on role of HBOT as a therapeutic measure for the individual with periodontal disease in general and for the impact on the recovery of gingival inflammation. HBOT and periodontal treatment together, reduce up to 99% of the gram-negative anaerobic load of subgingival flora. HBOT, significantly reduces subgingival anaerobic flora. Clinical effects in 2-year follow-up of treated patients are sensitive. Reduction of gingival hemorrhage indexes, depth of peritoneum, plaque index, occurs in cases of combination of HBOT and detraction. Reduced load persists up to 2 months after therapy. The significant increase in connective tissue removal starts at the end of 2nd week, to achieve the maximum in week 3-6 of application. HBOT used for re-implantation, stimulates the healing of periodontal membrane, pulp, prevents root resorption, healing of periodontal lining tissues. HBOT, significantly reduces the hemorrhage index with 1.2 value difference, 0.7mm probe depth, reduces gingival fluid by 2. HGH exposure is increased by gingival blood flow, with a difference of 2 in measured value. The therapeutic effects of HBOT in the value of the evaluation index can be saved up to 1-year post treatment.

scholarly journals From the Ground Up: Prairies on Reclaimed Mine Land—Impacts on Soil and Vegetation

Land ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 455
Author(s):  
Rebecca M. Swab ◽  
Nicola Lorenz ◽  
Nathan R. Lee ◽  
Steven W. Culman ◽  
Richard P. Dick
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Plant Community ◽  
Prairie Restoration ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Prairie Restorations ◽  
Mine Lands ◽  
The Impact

After strip mining, soils typically suffer from compaction, low nutrient availability, loss of soil organic carbon, and a compromised soil microbial community. Prairie restorations can improve ecosystem services on former agricultural lands, but prairie restorations on mine lands are relatively under-studied. This study investigated the impact of prairie restoration on mine lands, focusing on the plant community and soil properties. In southeast Ohio, 305 ha within a ~2000 ha area of former mine land was converted to native prairie through herbicide and planting between 1999–2016. Soil and vegetation sampling occurred from 2016–2018. Plant community composition shifted with prairie age, with highest native cover in the oldest prairie areas. Prairie plants were more abundant in older prairies. The oldest prairies had significantly more soil fungal biomass and higher soil microbial biomass. However, many soil properties (e.g., soil nutrients, β-glucosoidase activity, and soil organic carbon), as well as plant species diversity and richness trended higher in prairies, but were not significantly different from baseline cool-season grasslands. Overall, restoration with prairie plant communities slowly shifted soil properties, but mining disturbance was still the most significant driver in controlling soil properties. Prairie restoration on reclaimed mine land was effective in establishing a native plant community, with the associated ecosystem benefits.

scholarly journals Impacts of COVID-19 on Animals in Zoos: A Longitudinal Multi-Species Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-145
Author(s):  
Ellen Williams ◽  
Anne Carter ◽  
Jessica Rendle ◽  
Samantha J. Ward
Keyword(s):  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Physiological Measures ◽  
Environmental Interactions ◽  
Species Analysis ◽  
Zoo Animals ◽  
Animal Interaction ◽  
Chinese Goral ◽  
Grevy’S Zebra ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Swamp Wallaby

Prolonged and repetitive COVID-19 facility closures have led to an abrupt cessation of visitors within UK and Irish zoos for variable periods since March 2020. This study sought to increase understanding of the impact of closures and reopenings on animal behaviour, thereby broadening understanding of whether zoo animals habituate to visitors. Data were collected from June to August 2020 at two UK facilities on eight species (n = 1 Chinese goral, n = 2 Grevy’s zebra, n = 11 swamp wallaby, n = 2 Rothschild’s giraffe, n = 2 nyala, n = 4 Chapman’s zebra, n = 2 snow leopard and n = 3 Amur leopard). Behaviour change and enclosure use was variable across species but most changes were non-significant. Grevy’s zebra engaged in more comfort behaviour during closure periods than post-closure (p < 0.05). Chinese goral engaged in more environmental interactions during closure periods (p < 0.05). Grevy’s zebra spent longer than would be expected by chance closest to public viewing areas during closure periods (p < 0.008). These results suggest variable impacts of covid-19 closures and reopenings, mirroring human-animal interaction literature. We highlight the potential for some species to take longer to re-habituate to the presence of zoo visitors. As facility closures/reopenings are ongoing, we advocate a longitudinal monitoring approach. Furthermore, we recommend incorporation of physical and physiological measures of welfare where possible, alongside behavioural responses, to enable a holistic approach to answering fundamental questions on whether zoo animals habituate to visitors.

Relation between cognitive disorders and type of physical activity: Results of the FréLE cohort

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
C Dupré ◽  
N Barth ◽  
A El Moutawakkil ◽  
F Béland ◽  
F Roche ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Proportional Hazards ◽  
Cognitive Disorders ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
Global Test ◽  
Professional Activities ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Few previous cohorts have studied the different type of physical activities and the degree of cognitive decline. The objective of this work was to analyze the leisure, domestic and professional activities with mild and moderate cognitive disorders in older people living in community. Methods The study used data from the longitudinal and observational study, FrèLE (FRagility: Longitudinal Study of Expressions). The collected data included: socio-demographic variables, lifestyle, and health status (frailty, comorbidities, cognitive status, depression). Cognitive decline was assessed by using: MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) and MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment). MoCA was used with two cut-offs (26 and 17) so as to define mild and moderate cognitive disorders Physical activity was assessed by the PASE (Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly), structured in three sections: leisure, domestic and professional activities. Spline and proportional hazards regression models (Cox) were used to estimate the risk of cognitive disorders. Results At baseline, 1623 participants were included and the prevalence of cognitive disorders was 6.9% (MMSE) and 7.2% (MoCA), mild cognitive disorders was 71.3%. The mean age was 77 years, and 52% of the participants were women. After a 2 years long follow-up, we found 6.9% (MMSE) and 6% (MoCA) cognitive disorders on participants. Analyses showed that domestic activities were associated to cognitive decline (HR = 0.52 [0.28-0.94] for MMSE and HR = 0.48 [0.28-0.80] for MoCA). No association were found with leisure and professional activities, and no spline were significant with mild cognitive disorders. Conclusions Analysis showed a relationship between cognitive disorders and type of physical activity, thanks to the use of specific questionnaire of elderly and two global test of cognition. These findings will contribute to the debate on the beneficial effects of physical activity on cognition. Key messages This work allowed to compare two test of cognition and their link with physical activity. It contributes to the debate on the beneficial effects of physical activity on cognition. The work allowed us to see the effect of the different types of physical activity and the impact of the statistical method on the results.

scholarly journals Microstructure and Durability Performance of Mortars with Volcanic Powder from Calbuco Volcano (Chile) after 4 Hardening Years

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 1751
Author(s):  
Rosa María Tremiño ◽  
Teresa Real-Herraiz ◽  
Viviana Letelier ◽  
José Marcos Ortega
Keyword(s):  
Water Absorption ◽  
Thermal Analyses ◽  
Length Change ◽  
Cement Industry ◽  
Chloride Diffusion ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
State Diffusion ◽  
Calbuco Volcano ◽  
Reference Specimens ◽  
The Impact

One of the most popular ways to lessen the impact of the cement industry on the environment consists of substituting clinker by additions. The service life required for real construction elements is generally long, so it would be interesting to obtain information about the effects of new additions after a hardening period of several years. Analyzed here are the effects of the incorporation of volcanic ashes, coming from Calbuco volcano’s last eruption (Chile), as clinker replacement, in the durability and pore structure of mortars, after approximately 4 hardening years (1500 days), in comparison with reference specimens without additions. The substitution percentages of clinker by volcanic powder studied were 10% and 20%. The microstructure was characterized with mercury intrusion porosimetry and impedance spectroscopy. In order to evaluate the pozzolanic activity of the volcanic powder after 1500 days, differential thermal analyses were performed. Water absorption after immersion, steady-state diffusion coefficient and length change were also studied. In accordance with the results obtained, the 10% and 20% substitution of clinker by volcanic powder from the Calbuco volcano showed beneficial effects in the mortars after 4 years, especially regarding the microstructure and chloride diffusion, without noticeable influence in their water absorption.

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