scholarly journals Tree Canopies Influence Ground Level Atmospheric Electrical and Biogeochemical Variability

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellard R. Hunting ◽  
Sam J. England ◽  
Daniel Robert
Keyword(s):  
Electrochemical Properties ◽  
Electric Fields ◽  
Temporal Variability ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Atmospheric Electricity ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Biological Organization ◽  
Soil Redox Potential ◽  
Positive Ion

Static electric fields in the atmosphere are increasingly recognized as interacting with various organisms over several levels of biological organization. Recently, a link between atmospheric electrical variations and biogeochemical processes has been established in the context of open fields, yet biological structures like trees produce substantial alterations in atmospheric electric properties. Here, we assess whether these structural changes affect the dynamics of the electrical landscape and its relation to geochemical processes. To this end, we theoretically assess how trees alter their surrounding electric fields and empirically compare the temporal dynamics of atmospheric potential gradients, positive ions in the near-ground level atmosphere and soil electrochemical properties in an open field and under a tree. The developed model of electric fields around trees provides insight into the extent to which trees shield the underlying electric landscape, revealing that a substantial increase in atmospheric potential gradient only marginally affects the electric field under the canopy. We further show that soil electrochemical properties are tied to the temporal dynamics of positive ion in the near-ground level atmosphere, and that the presence of a tree reduces the temporal variability in both ground level positive ion concentrations and soil redox potential. This suggests that a tree can alter the temporal variability in atmospheric electricity and soil electro-chemistry, thereby likely indirectly influencing soil microorganisms and processes as well as electro-sensitive organisms that perceive and utilize atmospheric electric fields.

scholarly journals Tree canopy influences ground level atmospheric electrical and biogeochemical variability

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellard R. Hunting ◽  
Sam J. England ◽  
Daniel Robert
Keyword(s):  
Electrochemical Properties ◽  
Electric Fields ◽  
Temporal Variability ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Atmospheric Electricity ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Tree Canopy ◽  
Biological Organization ◽  
Soil Redox Potential ◽  
Positive Ions

ABSTRACTStatic electric fields in the atmosphere are increasingly recognized to interact with various organisms over several levels of biological organization. Recently, a link between atmospheric electrical variations and biogeochemical processes has been established in the context of open fields, yet biological structures like trees produce substantial alterations in atmospheric electric properties. Here, we assess whether these structural changes affect the dynamics of both biogenic and abiotic electrical landscapes and their relation to geochemical processes. To this end, we theoretically assess how trees alter their surrounding electric fields and empirically compare the temporal dynamics of atmospheric potential gradients, positive ions in the near-ground level atmosphere and soil electrochemical properties in an open field and under a tree. The developed model of electric fields around trees provides insight into the extent to which trees shield underlying electric landscape, revealing that a substantial increase in atmospheric potential gradient only marginally affects the electric field under the canopy. We further show that soil electrochemical properties are tied to temporal dynamics of positive ions in the near-ground level atmosphere, and that the presence of a tree reduces the temporal variability in both ground level positive ions concentrations and soil redox potential. This suggests that a tree can have a stabilizing effect on drivers of temporal variability in atmospheric electricity and soil electro-chemistry, thereby likely indirectly influencing soil microorganisms and processes as well as electro-sensitive organisms that perceive and utilize atmospheric electric fields.

scholarly journals Challenges in coupling atmospheric electricity with biological systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellard R. Hunting ◽  
James Matthews ◽  
Pablo Fernández de Arróyabe Hernáez ◽  
Sam J. England ◽  
Konstantinos Kourtidis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electric Fields ◽  
Biological Systems ◽  
Atmospheric Electricity ◽  
Electric Circuit ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Biological Organization ◽  
Lightning Strikes ◽  
Terrestrial Environments ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractThe atmosphere is host to a complex electric environment, ranging from a global electric circuit generating fluctuating atmospheric electric fields to local lightning strikes and ions. While research on interactions of organisms with their electrical environment is deeply rooted in the aquatic environment, it has hitherto been confined to interactions with local electrical phenomena and organismal perception of electric fields. However, there is emerging evidence of coupling between large- and small-scale atmospheric electrical phenomena and various biological processes in terrestrial environments that even appear to be tied to continental waters. Here, we synthesize our current understanding of this connectivity, discussing how atmospheric electricity can affect various levels of biological organization across multiple ecosystems. We identify opportunities for research, highlighting its complexity and interdisciplinary nature and draw attention to both conceptual and technical challenges lying ahead of our future understanding of the relationship between atmospheric electricity and the organization and functioning of biological systems.

Tuning the Electric Field Response of MOFs by Rotatable Dipolar Linkers

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes P. Dürholt ◽  
Babak Farhadi Jahromi ◽  
Rochus Schmid
Keyword(s):  
Electric Field ◽  
Electric Fields ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Dielectric Behavior ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Dielectric Constants ◽  
Electric Response ◽  
Dipole Strength ◽  
Metal Organic ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

Recently the possibility of using electric fields as a further stimulus to trigger structural changes in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has been investigated. In general, rotatable groups or other types of mechanical motion can be driven by electric fields. In this study we demonstrate how the electric response of MOFs can be tuned by adding rotatable dipolar linkers, generating a material that exhibits paralectric behavior in two dimensions and dielectric behavior in one dimension. The suitability of four different methods to compute the relative permittivity κ by means of molecular dynamics simulations was validated. The dependency of the permittivity on temperature T and dipole strength μ was determined. It was found that the herein investigated systems exhibit a high degree of tunability and substantially larger dielectric constants as expected for MOFs in general. The temperature dependency of κ obeys the Curie-Weiss law. In addition, the influence of dipolar linkers on the electric field induced breathing behavior was investigated. With increasing dipole moment, lower field strength are required to trigger the contraction. These investigations set the stage for an application of such systems as dielectric sensors, order-disorder ferroelectrics or any scenario where movable dipolar fragments respond to external electric fields.

Structural changes and electrochemical properties of Li2Cu1−M O2 for lithium secondary batteries

2014 ◽  
Vol 262 ◽  
pp. 115-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elly Setiawati ◽  
Masahiko Hayashi ◽  
Masayuki Tsuda ◽  
Katsuya Hayashi ◽  
Ryuichi Kobayashi
Keyword(s):  
Electrochemical Properties ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Lithium Secondary Batteries

scholarly journals Dinâmica Espaço-Temporal da Paisagem Semiárida no Município de Apodi/RN e seus Condicionantes Socioeconômicos e Ambientais

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 2446-2464
Author(s):  
Murianny Katamara Silva de Oliveira ◽  
Eveline Almeida Ferreira ◽  
Nadjacleia Vilar Almeida ◽  
Eulene Francisco da Silva ◽  
Aline Almeida Vasconcelos
Keyword(s):  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Agrarian Reform ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Standardized Precipitation Index ◽  
Environmental Drivers ◽  
Precipitation Data ◽  
Dense Vegetation ◽  
Spatio Temporal

Apodi, like many municipalities in the Northeast, underwent structural changes conducted by two main drivers: alternation of socioeconomic models and seasonal and prolonged periods of drought. Among the socioeconomic models, Apodi passed by large landowners, agrarian reform, expropriation of land for irrigated perimeters and installation of agribusiness companies. These conditions negatively impacted the vegetation cover, degrading the landscape and threatening the Lajedo de Soledade Archaeological Site (SALS) located in the middle of this landscape, an important cultural and environmental patrimony. In this context, the objective of this study was to analyze the spatio-temporal changes in the landscape around SALS and to infer about the influence of socioeconomic and environmental drivers. For this, a survey of the region's history, precipitation data, agricultural production of the main crops, and eight images captured by the TM and OLI sensors of the LANDSAT 5 and 8 satellites, between 1984 and 2018, were used. Precipitation data was modeled using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI). The images were classified using the SCP plugin (QGIS) and the quality was assessed using the Kappa Index. It was observed that there were three prolonged and extreme droughts events in the region: late 1980s and 1990s and between 2013 and 2017. The classification of the images indicated periods of dense vegetation reductions and exposed soil expansions, in the period of decay of cotton culture, and the reversal of these patterns after agrarian reform, with the establishment of family farming on an agroecological basis. This pattern was again reversed, with the lowest proportion of dense vegetation observed (5%) and and higher proportion of exposed soil (45%) observed in this landscape, during the period of installation of the irrigated perimeter for agribusiness. Thus, it was possible to infer that the alternation of socioeconomic models conditioned the spatio-temporal dynamics of the vegetation cover and was responsible for the environmental degradation conditions surrounding the SALS, these patterns being aggravated by the recurrence of periods of extreme and prolonged drought. During these periods, SALS was probably more vulnerable to the direct and indirect effects of anthropogenic activities common in this landscape.

scholarly journals Origin of the enhanced structural and reorientational relaxation rates in the presence of relatively weak dc electric fields

2004 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 215-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Vegiri
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Electric Field ◽  
Electric Fields ◽  
Structural Relaxation ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Common Mechanism ◽  
Weak Electric Field ◽  
Water Molecules ◽  
Relaxation Rates ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

The origin of the dramatic increase of the reorientational and structural relaxation rates of single water molecules in clusters of size N = 16, 32, and 64 at T = 200 K, under the influence of an external, relatively weak electric field (~0.5 107 V/cm) is examined through molecular dynamics simulations. The observed effect is attributed not to any profound structural changes, but to the increase of the size of the molecular cage. The response of water to an electric field in this range shows many similarities with the dynamics of water under low pressure. By referring to simulations and experiments from the literature, we show that in both cases the observed effects are dictated by a common mechanism.

scholarly journals Understanding the impact of moderate-intensity pulsed electric fields (MIPEF) on structural and functional characteristics of pea, rice and gluten concentrates

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 2145-2155
Author(s):  
Sofia Melchior ◽  
Sonia Calligaris ◽  
Giulia Bisson ◽  
Lara Manzocco
Keyword(s):  
Electric Fields ◽  
Functional Properties ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Pulsed Electric Fields ◽  
Moderate Intensity ◽  
Intramolecular Rearrangement ◽  
Structural Modifications ◽  
Protein Concentrates ◽  
Protein Nature ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Aim The effect of moderate-intensity pulsed electric fields (MIPEF) was evaluated on vegetable protein concentrates from pea, rice, and gluten. Methods Five percent (w/w) suspensions of protein concentrates (pH 5 and 6) were exposed to up to 60,000 MIPEF pulses at 1.65 kV/cm. Both structural modifications (absorbance at 280 nm, free sulfhydryl groups, FT-IR-spectra) and functional properties (solubility, water and oil holding capacity, foamability) were analyzed. Results MIPEF was able to modify protein structure by inducing unfolding, intramolecular rearrangement, and formation of aggregates. However, these effects were strongly dependent on protein nature and pH. In the case of rice and pea samples, structural changes were associated with negligible modifications in functional properties. By contrast, noticeable changes in these properties were observed for gluten samples, especially after exposure to 20,000 pulses. In particular, at pH 6, an increase in water and oil holding capacity of gluten was detected, while at pH 5, its solubility almost doubled. Conclusion These results suggest the potential of MIPEF to steer structure of proteins and enhance their technological functionality.

scholarly journals The spatial and temporal dynamics of global meat trade networks

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Gon Chung ◽  
Kelly Kapsar ◽  
Kenneth A. Frank ◽  
Jianguo Liu
Keyword(s):  
Structural Changes ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Meat Products ◽  
Network Approach ◽  
Integrated Network ◽  
Global Networks ◽  
Trade Networks ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Dynamics ◽  
And Cluster Analysis

Abstract Rapid increases in meat trade generate complex global networks across countries. However, there has been little research quantifying the dynamics of meat trade networks and the underlying forces that structure them. Using longitudinal network data for 134 countries from 1995 to 2015, we combined network modeling and cluster analysis to simultaneously identify the structural changes in meat trade networks and the factors that influence the networks themselves. The integrated network approach uncovers a general consolidation of global meat trade networks over time, although some global events may have weakened this consolidation both regionally and globally. In consolidated networks, the presence of trade agreements and short geographic distances between pairs of countries are associated with increases in meat trade. Countries with rapid population and income growth greatly depend on meat imports. Furthermore, countries with high food availability import large quantities of meat products to satisfy their various meat preferences. The findings from this network approach provide key insights that can be used to better understand the social and environmental consequences of increasing global meat trade.

scholarly journals Zebrafish structural development in Mueller-matrix scanning microscopy

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aymeric Le Gratiet ◽  
Marta d’Amora ◽  
Marti Duocastella ◽  
Riccardo Marongiu ◽  
Artemi Bendandi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structural Changes ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Mueller Matrix ◽  
Fluorescence Probes ◽  
Imaging Method ◽  
Structural Development ◽  
Matrix Formalism ◽  
Label Free ◽  
Biological Organization

AbstractZebrafish are powerful animal models for understanding biological processes and the molecular mechanisms involved in different human diseases. Advanced optical techniques based on fluorescence microscopy have become the main imaging method to characterize the development of these organisms at the microscopic level. However, the need for fluorescence probes and the consequent high light doses required to excite fluorophores can affect the biological process under observation including modification of metabolic function or phototoxicity. Here, without using any labels, we propose an implementation of a Mueller-matrix polarimeter into a commercial optical scanning microscope to characterize the polarimetric transformation of zebrafish preserved at different embryonic developmental stages. By combining the full polarimetric measurements with statistical analysis of the Lu and Chipman mathematical decomposition, we demonstrate that it is possible to quantify the structural changes of the biological organization of fixed zebrafish embryos and larvae at the cellular scale. This convenient implementation, with low light intensity requirement and cheap price, coupled with the quantitative nature of Mueller-matrix formalism, can pave the way for a better understanding of developmental biology, in which label-free techniques become a standard tool to study organisms.

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