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- Fowler, D., et al.
(author)
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Atmospheric composition change : Ecosystems-Atmosphere interactions
- 2009
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In: Atmospheric Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 1352-2310 .- 1873-2844. ; 43:33, s. 5193-5267
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ecosystems and the atmosphere: This review describes the state of understanding the processes involved in the exchange of trace gases and aerosols between the earth's surface and the atmosphere. The gases covered include NO, NO2, HONO, HNO3, NH3, SO2, DMS, Biogenic VOC, O-3, CH4, N2O and particles in the size range 1 nm-10 mu m including organic and inorganic chemical species. The main focus of the review is on the exchange between terrestrial ecosystems, both managed and natural and the atmosphere, although some new developments in ocean-atmosphere exchange are included. The material presented is biased towards the last decade, but includes earlier work, where more recent developments are limited or absent. New methodologies and instrumentation have enabled, if not driven technical advances in measurement. These developments have advanced the process understanding and upscaling of fluxes, especially for particles, VOC and NH3. Examples of these applications include mass spectrometric methods, such as Aerosol Mass Spectrometry (AMS) adapted for field measurement of atmosphere-surface fluxes using micrometeorological methods for chemically resolved aerosols. Also briefly described are some advances in theory and techniques in micrometeorology. For some of the compounds there have been paradigm shifts in approach and application of both techniques and assessment. These include flux measurements over marine surfaces and urban areas using micrometeorological methods and the up-scaling of flux measurements using aircraft and satellite remote sensing. The application of a flux-based approach in assessment of O-3 effects on vegetation at regional scales is an important policy linked development secured through improved quantification of fluxes. The coupling of monitoring, modelling and intensive flux measurement at a continental scale within the NitroEurope network represents a quantum development in the application of research teams to address the underpinning science of reactive nitrogen in the cycling between ecosystems and the atmosphere in Europe. Some important developments of the science have been applied to assist in addressing policy questions, which have been the main driver of the research agenda, while other developments in understanding have not been applied to their wider field especially in chemistry-transport models through deficiencies in obtaining appropriate data to enable application or inertia within the modelling community. The paper identifies applications, gaps and research questions that have remained intractable at least since 2000 within the specialized sections of the paper, and where possible these have been focussed on research questions for the coming decade.
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2. |
- Clark, Andrew G., et al.
(author)
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Evolution of genes and genomes on the Drosophila phylogeny
- 2007
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 450:7167, s. 203-218
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Comparative analysis of multiple genomes in a phylogenetic framework dramatically improves the precision and sensitivity of evolutionary inference, producing more robust results than single-genome analyses can provide. The genomes of 12 Drosophila species, ten of which are presented here for the first time (sechellia, simulans, yakuba, erecta, ananassae, persimilis, willistoni, mojavensis, virilis and grimshawi), illustrate how rates and patterns of sequence divergence across taxa can illuminate evolutionary processes on a genomic scale. These genome sequences augment the formidable genetic tools that have made Drosophila melanogaster a pre-eminent model for animal genetics, and will further catalyse fundamental research on mechanisms of development, cell biology, genetics, disease, neurobiology, behaviour, physiology and evolution. Despite remarkable similarities among these Drosophila species, we identified many putatively non-neutral changes in protein-coding genes, non-coding RNA genes, and cis-regulatory regions. These may prove to underlie differences in the ecology and behaviour of these diverse species.
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4. |
- Brignole, M., et al.
(author)
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Comparative assessment of right, left, and biventricular pacing in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation
- 2005
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In: Eur Heart J. - 0195-668X. ; 26:7, s. 712-22
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIMS: Left ventricular (LV) and biventricular (BiV) pacing are potentially superior to right ventricular (RV) apical pacing in patients undergoing atrioventricular (AV) junction ablation and pacing for permanent atrial fibrillation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Prospective randomized, single-blind, 3-month crossover comparison between RV and LV pacing (phase 1) and between RV and BiV pacing (phase 2) performed in 56 patients (70+/-8 years, 34 males) affected by severely symptomatic permanent atrial fibrillation, uncontrolled ventricular rate, or heart failure. Primary endpoints were quality of life and exercise capacity. Compared with RV pacing, the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (LHFQ) score improved by 2 and 10% with LV and BiV pacing, respectively, the effort dyspnoea item of the Specific Symptom Scale (SSS) changed by 0 and 2%, the Karolinska score by 6 and 14% (P<0.05 for BiV), the New York Heart Association (NYHA) class by 5 and 11% (P<0.05 for BiV), the 6-min walked distance by 12 (+4%) and 4 m (+1%), and the ejection fraction by 5 and 5% (P<0.05 for both). BiV pacing but not LV pacing was slightly better than RV pacing in the subgroup of patients with preserved systolic function and absence of native left bundle branch block. Compared with pre-ablation measures, the Minnesota LHFQ score improved by 37, 39, and 49% during RV, LV, and BiV pacing, respectively, the effort dyspnoea item of the SSS by 25, 25, and 39%, the Karolinska score by 39, 42, and 54%, the NYHA class by 21, 25, and 30%, the 6-min walking distance by 35 (12%), 47 (16%), and 51 m (19%) and the ejection fraction by 5, 10, and 10% (all differences P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Rhythm regularization achieved with AV-junction ablation improved quality of life and exercise capacity with all modes of pacing. LV and BiV pacing provided modest or no additional favourable effect compared with RV pacing.
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5. |
- Sutton, M. A., et al.
(author)
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Dynamics of ammonia exchange with cut grassland : Strategy and implementation of the GRAMINAE Integrated Experiment
- 2009
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In: Biogeosciences. - : Copernicus Publications (on behalf of the European Geosciences Union). - 1726-4170 .- 1726-4189. ; 6:3, s. 309-331
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A major international experiment on ammonia (NH3) biosphere-atmosphere exchange was conducted over intensively managed grassland at Braunschweig, Germany. The experimental strategy was developed to allow an integrated analysis of different features of NH3 exchange including: a) quantification of nearby emissions and advection effects, b) estimation of net NH3 fluxes with the canopy by a range of micrometeorological measurements, c) analysis of the sources and sinks of NH3 within the plant canopy, including soils and bioassay measurements, d) comparison of the effects of grassland management options on NH3 fluxes and e) assessment of the interactions of NH3 fluxes with aerosol exchange processes. Additional technical objectives included the inter-comparison of different estimates of sensible and latent heat fluxes, as well as continuous-gradient and Relaxed Eddy Accumulation (REA) systems for NH3 fluxes. The prior analysis established the spatial and temporal design of the experiment, allowing significant synergy between these objectives. The measurements were made at 7 measurement locations, thereby quantifying horizontal and vertical profiles, and covered three phases: a) tall grass canopy prior to cutting (7 days), b) short grass after cutting (7 days) and c) re-growing sward following fertilization with ammonium nitrate (10 days). The sequential management treatments allowed comparison of sources-sinks, advection and aerosol interactions under a wide range of NH3 fluxes. This paper describes the experimental strategy and reports the grassland management history, soils, environmental conditions and air chemistry during the experiment, finally summarizing how the results are coordinated in the accompanying series of papers.
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6. |
- Burkhardt, J., et al.
(author)
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Modelling the dynamic chemical interactions of atmospheric ammonia with leaf surface wetness in a managed grassland canopy
- 2009
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In: Biogeosciences. - Göttingen : Copernicus Publications. - 1726-4170 .- 1726-4189. ; 6:1, s. 67-84
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ammonia exchange fluxes between grassland and the atmosphere were modelled on the basis of stomatal compensation points and leaf surface chemistry, and compared with measured fluxes during the GRAMINAE intensive measurement campaign in spring 2000 near Braunschweig, Germany. Leaf wetness and dew chemistry in grassland were measured together with ammonia fluxes and apoplastic NH4+ and H+ concentration, and the data were used to apply, validate and further develop an existing model of leaf surface chemistry and ammonia exchange. Foliar leaf wetness which is known to affect ammonia fluxes may be persistent after the end of rainfall, or sustained by recondensation of water vapour originating from the ground or leaf transpiration, so measured leaf wetness values were included in the model. pH and ammonium concentrations of dew samples collected from grass were compared to modelled values.The measurement period was divided into three phases: a relatively wet phase followed by a dry phase in the first week before the grass was cut, and a second drier week after the cut. While the first two phases were mainly characterised by ammonia deposition and occasional short emission events, regular events of strong ammonia emissions were observed during the post-cut period. A single-layer resistance model including dynamic cuticular and stomatal exchange could describe the fluxes well before the cut, but after the cut the stomatal compensation points needed to numerically match measured fluxes were much higher than the ones measured by bioassays, suggesting another source of ammonia fluxes. Considerably better agreement both in the direction and the size range of fluxes were obtained when a second layer was introduced into the model, to account for the large additional ammonia source inherent in the leaf litter at the bottom of the grass canopy. Therefore, this was found to be a useful extension of the mechanistic dynamic chemistry model by keeping the advantage of requiring relatively little site-specific information.
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8. |
- David, M., et al.
(author)
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Ammonia sources and sinks in an intensively managed grassland canopy
- 2009
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In: Biogeosciences. - Goettingen, Germany : Copernicus GmbH. - 1726-4170 .- 1726-4189. ; 6:9, s. 1903-1915
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Grasslands represent canopies with a complex structure where sources and sinks of ammonia (NH3) may coexist at the plant level. Moreover, management practices such as mowing, hay production and grazing may change the composition of the sward and hence the source-sink relationship at the canopy level as well as the interaction with the atmosphere. There is therefore a need to understand the exchange of ammonia between grasslands and the atmosphere better, especially regarding the location and magnitude of sources and sinks. Fluxes of atmospheric NH3 within a grassland canopy were assessed in the field and under controlled conditions using a dynamic chamber technique (cuvette). These cuvette measurements were combined with extraction techniques to estimate the ammonium (NH+4 ) concentration and the pH of a given part of the plant or soil, leading to an estimated ammo- nia compensation point (Cp ). The combination of the cuvette and the extraction techniques was used to identify the poten- tial sources and sinks of NH3 within the different compart- ments of the grassland: the soil, the litter or senescent “litter leaves”, and the functioning “green leaves”. A set of six field experiments and six laboratory experiments were performed in which the different compartments were either added or removed from the cuvettes.The results show that the cuvette measurements agree with the extraction technique in ranking the strength of compartment sources. It suggests that in the studied grassland the green leaves were mostly a sink for NH3 with a compensation point around 0.1–0.4 μg m−3 and an NH3 flux of 6 to 7 ng m−2 s−1. Cutting of the grass did not increase the NH3 fluxes of the green leaves. The litter was found to be the largest source of NH3 in the canopy, with a Cp of up to 1000μgm−3 NH3 andanNH3 fluxupto90ngm−2 s−1. The litter was found to be a much smaller NH3 source when dried (Cp =160 μg m−3 and FNH3 =35 ng m−2 s−1 NH3 ). Moreover emissions from the litter were found to vary with the relative humidity of the air. The soil was a strong source of NH3 in the period immediately after cutting (Cp =320 μg m−3 and FNH3 =60 ng m−2 s−1 ), which was nevertheless always smaller than the litter source. The soil NH3 emissions lasted, however, for less than one day, and were not observed with sieved soil. They could not be solely explained by xylem sap flow extruding NH+4 . These results indicate that future research on grassland-ammonia relationships should focus on the post-mowing period and the role of litter in interaction with meteorological conditions.
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9. |
- Herrmann, B., et al.
(author)
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Vertical structure and diurnal variability of ammonia exchange potential within an intensively managed grass canopy
- 2009
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In: Biogeosciences. - Kaltenburg-Lindau : Copernicus on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. - 1726-4170 .- 1726-4189. ; 6:1, s. 15-23
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Stomatal ammonia compensation points (χs) of grass species on a mixed fertilized grassland were determined by measurements of apoplastic [NH4+] and [H>+] in the field. Calculated χs values were compared with in-canopy atmospheric NH3 concentration (χa) measurements.Leaf apoplastic [NH4+] increased by a factor of two from the lowest level in the canopy to the top level. Bulk leaf [NH4+] and especially [NO3−] slightly increased at the bottom of the canopy and these concentrations were very high in senescent plant litter. Calculated χs values were below atmospheric χs at all canopy levels measured, indicating that the grassland was characterized by NH3 deposition before cutting. This was confirmed by the χa profile, showing the lowest χa close to the ground (15 cm above soil surface) and an increase in χa with canopy height. Neither χs nor χa could be measured close to the soil surface, however, the [NH4+] in the litter material indicated a high potential for NH3 emission.A diurnal course in apoplastic [NH4+] was seen in the regrowing grass growing after cutting, with highest concentration around noon. Both apoplastic and tissue [NH4+] increased in young grass compared to tall grass. Following cutting, in-canopy gradients of atmospheric χa showed NH3 emission but since calculated χs values of the cut grass were still lower than atmospheric NH3 concentrations, the emissions could not entirely be explained by stomatal NH3 loss. High tissue [NH4+] in the senescent plant material indicated that this fraction constituted an NH3 source. After fertilization, [NH4+] increased both in apoplast and leaf tissue with the most pronounced increase in the former compared to the latter. The diurnal pattern in apoplastic [NH4+] was even more pronounced after fertilization and calculated χs values were generally higher, but remained below atmospheric [NH3].
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