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Amouzgar L, Ghorbani J, Shokri M, Marrs RH, Alday JG. A regional assessment of the Pteridium aquilinum growth and phenology: a case study in Southwestern Asia. LANDSCAPE AND ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11355-022-00528-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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García-Jorgensen DB, Hansen HCB, Abrahamsen P, Diamantopoulos E. A novel model concept for modelling the leaching of natural toxins: results for the case of ptaquiloside. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2020; 22:1768-1779. [PMID: 32716437 DOI: 10.1039/d0em00182a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Phytotoxins are a large class of highly diverse emerging environmental contaminants that have been detected at high concentrations in plants, water and soils. This study presents a novel modelling approach for assessing the fate of plant toxins in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, developed for the specific case of ptaquiloside (PTA), a carcinogenic phytotoxin produced by Pteridium aquilinum. The mechanistic model DAISY has been adapted for reproducing phytotoxin dynamics in plants, covering processes such as toxin generation in the canopy, wash off by precipitation and toxin recovery in the canopy after depletion events. Transport of the toxin in the soil was simulated by the advection-dispersion equation assuming weak sorption and degradation for two Danish soils. The model simulates realistic toxin contents in the plant during the growing season, where the actual PTA content is dynamic and a function of the biomass. An average of 48% of the PTA produced in the canopy is washed off by precipitation, with loads in the soil often in the order of mg m-2 and up to a maximum of 13 mg m-2 in a single rain event. Degradation in the soil removes 99.9% of the total PTA input to the soil, while only 0.1% leaches into the soil. The median annual flux-averaged predicted environmental concentrations during single events are often in the order of μg L-1, reaching up to 60 μg L-1 for the worst-case scenario. The simulated results for both degradation and wash off are of the same order of magnitude as the published data. Based on the results, we conclude that DAISY, with the newly implemented processes, is a useful tool for understanding, describing and predicting the fate of PTA in the soil. Further work comparing the model results with real data is needed for the calibration and validation of the model.
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Affiliation(s)
- D B García-Jorgensen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark.
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Rowe EC, Toberman H, Adams JL, Lawlor AJ, Thacker SA, Patel M, Tipping E. Productivity in a dominant herbaceous species is largely unrelated to soil macronutrient stocks. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 572:1636-1644. [PMID: 26996523 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.03.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Revised: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/10/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
To predict ecosystem responses to anthropogenic change it is important to understand how and where plant productivity is limited by macronutrient availability. Nitrogen (N) is required in large quantities for plant growth, and is readily lost through leaching or gas fluxes, but reactive nitrogen can be obtained through dinitrogen fixation, and phosphorus (P) is often considered a more fundamental long-term constraint to growth and carbon sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems. Phosphorus limitation may be becoming more prevalent due to widespread pollution by atmospheric N. Assessments of the effects of macronutrient availability on productivity in natural ecosystems are however scarce. We measured standing biomass of bracken Pteridium aquilinum as a proxy for productivity across sites with similar climate but varied geology. Total above-ground biomass varied from 404 to 1947gm-2, yet despite 12-fold to 281-fold variation in soil macronutrient stocks these were remarkably poor at explaining variation in productivity. Soil total nitrogen, organic phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and zinc had no relationship with productivity, whether expressed as concentrations, stocks or element/C ratios, and nor did foliar N/P. Soil potassium (K) and molybdenum stocks both showed weak relationships with productivity. The stock of K in bracken biomass was considerably greater as a proportion of soil stock than for other nutrient elements, suggesting that this nutrient element can be important in determining productivity. Moisture availability, as indicated by environmental trait scores for plant species present, explained considerably more of the variation in productivity than did K stock, with less production in wetter sites. Soil N/C ratio and organic P stock were relatively unimportant in determining productivity across these bracken sites. It is possible that more-direct measures of N and P availability would explain variation in productivity, but the study shows the importance of considering other essential elements and other environmental factors when predicting productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- E C Rowe
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Environment Centre Wales, Deiniol Road, Bangor LL57 2UW, UK.
| | - H Toberman
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK; School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GP, UK
| | - J L Adams
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK
| | - A J Lawlor
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK
| | - S A Thacker
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK
| | - M Patel
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK
| | - E Tipping
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK
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O'Driscoll C, Ramwell C, Harhen B, Morrison L, Clauson-Kaas F, Hansen HCB, Campbell G, Sheahan J, Misstear B, Xiao L. Ptaquiloside in Irish Bracken Ferns and Receiving Waters, with Implications for Land Managers. Molecules 2016; 21:E543. [PMID: 27128893 PMCID: PMC6273727 DOI: 10.3390/molecules21050543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Revised: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 04/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ptaquiloside, along with other natural phytotoxins, is receiving increased attention from scientists and land use managers. There is an urgent need to increase empirical evidence to understand the scale of phytotoxin mobilisation and potential to enter into the environment. In this study the risk of ptaquiloside to drinking water was assessed by quantifying ptaquiloside in the receiving waters at three drinking water abstraction sites across Ireland and in bracken fronds surrounding the abstraction sites. We also investigated the impact of different management regimes (spraying, cutting and rolling) on ptaquiloside concentrations at plot-scale in six locations in Northern Ireland, UK. Ptaquiloside concentrations were determined using recent advances in the use of LC-MS for the detection and quantification of ptaquiloside. The results indicate that ptaquiloside is present in bracken stands surrounding drinking water abstractions in Ireland, and ptaquiloside concentrations were also observed in the receiving waters. Furthermore, spraying was found to be the most effective bracken management regime observed in terms of reducing ptaquiloside load. Increased awareness is vital on the implications of managing land with extensive bracken stands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connie O'Driscoll
- Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
- Department of Civil Engineering, National University of Ireland, Galway H91 HX31, Ireland.
| | - Carmel Ramwell
- Centre for Chemical Safety and Stewardship, Fera Science Ltd., Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK.
| | - Brendan Harhen
- National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science, National University of Ireland, Galway H91 HX31, Ireland.
| | - Liam Morrison
- Earth and Ocean Sciences, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway H91 HX31, Ireland.
| | - Frederik Clauson-Kaas
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg DK-1871, Denmark.
| | - Hans Christian B Hansen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg DK-1871, Denmark.
| | - Graeme Campbell
- College of Agriculture Food and Rural Enterprise Greenmount Campus, 45 Tirgracy Road, Muckamore, Antrim BT41 4PS, UK.
| | - Jerome Sheahan
- School of Mathematics, Statistics and Applied Mathematics, National University of Ireland, Galway H91 HX31, Ireland.
| | - Bruce Misstear
- Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
| | - Liwen Xiao
- Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
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Rasmussen LH, Donnelly E, Strobel BW, Holm PE, Hansen HCB. Land management of bracken needs to account for bracken carcinogens--a case study from Britain. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2015; 151:258-266. [PMID: 25577704 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2014.12.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Revised: 12/10/2014] [Accepted: 12/31/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Bracken ferns are some of the most widespread ferns in the World causing immense problems for land managers, foresters and rangers. Bracken is suspected of causing cancer in Humans due to its content of the carcinogen ptaquiloside. Ingestion of bracken, or food and drinking water contaminated with ptaquiloside may be the cause. The aim of this study was to monitor the content of ptaquiloside in 20 bracken stands from Britain to obtain a better understanding of the ptaquiloside dynamics and to evaluate the environmental implications of using different cutting regimes in bracken management. The ptaquiloside content in fronds ranged between 50 and 5790 μg/g corresponding to a ptaquiloside load in the standing biomass of up to 590 mg/m(2) in mature fronds. Ptaquiloside was also found in the underground rhizome system (11-657 μg/g) and in decaying litter (0.1-5.8 μg/g). The amount of ptaquiloside present in bracken stands at any given time is difficult to predict and did not show any correlations with edaphic growth factors. The content of ptaquiloside turned out to be higher in fronds emerging after cutting compared to uncut fronds. Environmental risk assessment and bracken management must therefore be based on actual and site specific determinations of the ptaquiloside content. Care must be taken to avoid leaching from cut ferns to aquifers and other recipients and appropriate precautionary measures must be taken to protect staff from exposure to bracken dust.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric Donnelly
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Bjarne W Strobel
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peter E Holm
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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