Invasibility of plant communities

Oikos Vol.115: pp.549-558 (2006)
Sarah M. Emery & Katherine L. Gross
"Dominant species identity regulates invasibility of old-field plant communities"

I looked up invasible in the Oxford Dictionary. I suppose invasibility is a measure of susceptibility to invasion?

Salmon farming above corraline gravels

Waste organic matter from fish farm cages reduces live maerl cover on the seabed. Maerl beds are the red algal corraline gravels. A study by Jason Hall-Spencer et al [mailto:jhall-spencer@plymouth.ac.uk] suggests relocation of fish farms to areas with stronger currents, or a fallowing rotation, will not protect this slow-growing habitat.

Source: Marine Ecology Progress Series Vol.326 (17th November): pages 1-9.
"Impact of fish farms on maerl beds in strongly tidal areas"
(c) Inter-Research 2006
http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v326/p1-9/
http://www.int-res.com/articles/feature/m326p001.pdf

www.int-res.com Open Access Feature Article

Bacteria transform TNT

"Manufacture of nitroorganic explosives generates toxic wastes, leading to contamination of soils and waters, especially groundwater. For that reason bacteria living in environments highly contaminated with 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and other nitroorganic compounds were investigated for their capacity for TNT degradation. One isolate, Raoultella terrigena strain HB, removed TNT ...

"HPLC analysis identified aminodinitrotoluenes (2-ADNT, 4-ADNT) and diaminonitrotoluenes (2,4-DANT) as the metabolites which remained soluble in the culture medium and azoxy-dimers as the main products in the cell extracts. Hence, the new isolate could be useful for the removal of TNT from contaminated waters."

http://www.springerlink.com/content/a40820qr43505221/

Transformation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) by Raoultella terrigena - H. Claus et al
Institute of Microbiology and Wine Research, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, J. J. Becherweg 15, D-55099, Mainz
mailto:hclaus@uni-mainz.de

Biodegradation
Springer Netherlands
ISSN
0923-9820 (Print) 1572-9729 (Online)
Volume 18, Number 1 / February, 2007
DOI
10.1007/s10532-005-9033-7
Pages
27-35
SpringerLink Date
Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Lamlash Bay, Arran

http://environment.guardian.co.uk/conservation/story/0,,1981617,00.html

Scottish experiment may help turn the tide for Britain's dwindling fish stocks

Islanders' revolutionary conservation idea gathers support

Severin Carrell, Scotland correspondent
Wednesday January 3, 2007
The Guardian (c)

"Don Macneish remembers when the seas around Arran on the Firth of Clyde teemed with life. When he was a boy, cod, ling and plaice jostled with haddock and turbot, while crab, lobster and prawns crowded the seabed .... [Etc].

"...the waters of Lamlash Bay on the east coast of Arran, are now almost barren. But Lamlash bay is about to become the focus of a groundbreaking experiment in marine conservation with repercussions throughout the British Isles. Ministers in the Scottish executive have just agreed to support proposals for a unique, legally enforced fisheries protection zone off Arran.

"The proposals, which will be released this month by Scottish Natural Heritage*, the executive's conservation agency, will create a three-tiered set of controls around Lamlash Bay - a "no take zone" where all fishing will be banned; a wider "marine protected area" with strict restrictions on fishing, and an even larger "nursery" zone to rebuild scallop stocks.

*http://www.snh.org.uk/press/default.asp

-----------

COAST: Community of Arran Seabed Trust
http://www.arrancoast.co.uk/news/pubpet.htm

Clyde Fishermen's Association
http://www.sff.co.uk/clyde.php

Brief History:
"The original records of the Association have gone amissing but folk memory suggests that it was founded in 1934 under the Chairmanship of Archibald D Macnair, JP, Provost of Campbeltown ..."

BBC in Borneo

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/features/125travel.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/features/61now.shtml

BBC tv BBC 1 New Year's Day began showing Borneo Expedition at 17:50 but for the rest of the week showtime is 19:00

<http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/12_december/07/bbcone_factual.shtml>

KG writes: "Expedition Borneo takes a trip into the unknown as a team of six intrepid explorers are dropped into one of the most remote places on earth to study and help protect its fragile eco-system.

"Borneo has been described as the "lungs of the planet" and is one of the last island wildernesses in the world.

"During their journey through this extraordinary landscape, the team members scale mountains, map rivers and abseil into caves the size of football stadia, as they meet the animals unique to this habitat, including gibbons, orang-utans, forest elephants, monitor lizards, hornbills and numerous snakes.

"The six presenters are:

Gordon Buchanan – an experienced BBC Natural History Unit cameraman;

Justine Evans – camerawoman and tree climber;

Steve Backshall – climber and biologist;

Tara Shine – an environmental and development consultant;

Dr George McGavin – Curator of Entomology at the University Museum in Oxford;

Professor Tyrone Hayes – a frog expert from the University of Berkeley, California.