No abstract is provided for this article.
The recent detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in feces has led to speculation that it can be transmitted via the fecal-oral/ocular route. This review aims to critically evaluate the incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, the quantity and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in feces and urine, and whether these pose an infection risk in sanitary settings, sewage networks, wastewater treatment plants, and the wider environment (e.g. rivers, lakes and marine waters). A review of 48 independent studies revealed that severe GI dysfunction is only evident in a small number of COVID-19 cases, with 11 ± 2% exhibiting diarrhea and 12 ± 3% exhibiting vomiting and nausea. In addition to these cases, SARS-CoV-2 RNA can be detected in feces from some asymptomatic, mildly- and pre-symptomatic individuals. Fecal shedding of the virus peaks in the symptomatic period and can persist for several weeks, but with declining abundances in the post-symptomatic phase. SARS-CoV-2 RNA is occasionally detected in urine, but reports in fecal samples are more frequent. The abundance of the virus genetic material in both urine (ca. 102–105 gc/ml) and feces (ca. 102–107 gc/ml) is much lower than in nasopharyngeal fluids (ca. 105–1011 gc/ml). There is strong evidence of multiplication of SARS-CoV-2 in the gut and infectious virus has occasionally been recovered from both urine and stool samples. The level and infectious capability of SARS-CoV-2 in vomit remain unknown. In comparison to enteric viruses transmitted via the fecal-oral route (e.g. norovirus, adenovirus), the likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 being transmitted via feces or urine appears much lower due to the lower relative amounts of virus present in feces/urine. The biggest risk of transmission will occur in clinical and care home settings where secondary handling of people and urine/fecal matter occurs. In addition, while SARS-CoV-2 RNA genetic material can be detected by in wastewater, this signal is greatly reduced by conventional treatment. Our analysis also suggests the likelihood of infection due to contact with sewage-contaminated water (e.g. swimming, surfing, angling) or food (e.g. salads, shellfish) is extremely low or negligible based on very low predicted abundances and limited environmental survival of SARS-CoV-2. These conclusions are corroborated by the fact that tens of million cases of COVID-19 have occurred globally, but exposure to feces or wastewater has never been implicated as a transmission vector.
No abstract is provided for this article.
Organic nitrogen (N) is the most important N component of soil organic matter. However, knowledge on how tree species with different successional stages affect organic N transformations in soils remains limited. To address this issue, we sampled mineral soils (0–10 cm) under monocultures composed of tree species from different successional stages, including early (black alder and silver birch), early to mid (sycamore and European ash), and late (sweet chestnut, pedunculate oak and European beech), and measured the potential protease activity, the microbial uptake and respiration of 14C-labeled organic N (l-alanine and l-trialanine), and the mineralization of l-alanine N. The activities of alanine aminopeptidase and leucine aminopeptidase (153.8–341.9 and 91.6–147.9 nmol/g/h, respectively), the half-life of the uptake of alanine and trialanine (26.7–39.6 and 60.8–78.6 min, respectively), the half-life of the mineralization of alanine and trialanine (1.98–2.45 and 2.98–4.13 h, respectively) by soil microbes were altered by tree species from different successional stages, systematically changing the transformation chain of soil organic N. The turnover rates of soil organic N under trees of early to late successional stage appeared to decrease and the half-life appeared to increase significantly. The C:N ratio of soil microbial biomass was positively related to the half-life of 14C-labeled alanine and trialanine mineralization, and was negatively related to the carbon (C) use efficiency of alanine, suggesting that microbial demand for C could partially drive the assimilation of soil organic N. These results suggest that the successional stage of tree species play an important role in regulating the turnover rates of soil organic N. An improved understanding of how tree species from different successional stages influence microbial function and soil organic N cycling is beneficial to future afforestation and forest management, alleviating the impacts of global change on the ecosystem.
No abstract is provided for this article.
No abstract is provided for this article.
Most studies on plant nutrition tend to focus on the topsoil (plough layer) and frequently neglect subsoil processes. However, cereal roots can potentially acquire nutrients including organic and inorganic nitrogen (N) from deep in the soil profile. Greater knowledge on the interaction of plants and microbes in subsoil environments is required to evaluate whether deep rooting traits in cereals will achieve greater nutrient use efficiency and greater soil carbon (C) storage in cropping systems. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between root distribution, organic and inorganic N availability and potential N supply at the critical growth period during the wheat cropping cycle in a sand textured Eutric Cambisol. Our results provide evidence of significant microbial capacity in the subsoil. The rate of plant residue turnover and the mineralization of organic C and N substrates (glucose, amino acids, peptides, protein) declined slightly with increasing soil depth; however, these rates were not correlated with basal soil respiration, microbial biomass or community structure. This suggests that the microbial population in subsoil is more C limited but that its activity can be readily stimulated upon C substrate addition. A significant potential for organic and inorganic N turnover was also demonstrated at depth with a similar abundance of ammonifiers and ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) throughout the soil profile. Again, N mineralization in subsoils appears to be substrate limited. Root density declined rapidly down the soil profile with few roots present past 50 cm; suggesting that this is the major factor limiting C recharge of soil organic matter and microbial activity in subsoils. Greater root proliferation at depth could allow greater capture of water and the recapture of N lost by leaching; however, our results suggest that plant-microbial competition for C and N is as intense in the subsoil as in the topsoil. We conclude that while deeper rooting may improve nutrient and water use efficiency it may not lead to much greater C sequestration in subsoils, at least in the short term.
The impacts of neonicotinoids have generally focussed on the responses of the pure active ingredient. Using a selection of two commercial formulations and the active ingredient, we ran three laboratory studies using 14C-labelled acetamiprid to study the leaching, sorption and mineralisation behaviours of the commercially available neonicotinoid formulations compared to the pure active ingredient. We added 14C-spiked acetamiprid to a sandy loam soil that had received long-term additions of farmyard manure at two rates (10 t/ha/yr and 25 t/ha/yr) and mineral fertilisers, as a control. We found significant differences in acetamiprid mineralisation across both the SOM and chemical treatments. Sorption was primarily impacted by changes in SOM and any differences in leachate recovery were much less significant across both treatment types. The mineralisation of all pesticide formulations was comparatively slow, with <23 % of any given chemical/soil organic matter combination being mineralised over the experimental period. The highest mineralisation rates occurred in samples with the highest soil organic matter levels. The results also showed that 82.9 % ± 1.6 % of the acetamiprid applied was leached from the soil during repeated simulated rainfall events. This combined with the low sorption values, and the low rates of mineralisation, implies that acetamiprid is highly persistent and mobile within sandy soils. As a highly persistent neurotoxin with high invertebrate selectivity, the presence of neonicotinoids in soil presents a high toxicology risk to various beneficial soil organisms, including earthworms, as well as being at high risk of transfer to surrounding watercourses.
To reveal the feedbacks and regulating mechanisms of microplastic types and doses on microbial community, a microcosm experiment was carried out with two non-degradable microplastics [polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)] and four biodegradable microplastics [poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), poly(butyleneadipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), and polypropylene carbonate (PPC)] at different levels (1 %, 7 %, and 28 %). As a result, the content of total carbon (TC), soil organic carbon (SOC), and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) (expect MBC in PBS soil) increased with increasing doses of microplastics, and increased at the lowest PE dose rate. Biodegradable microplastics created a more active ecological niche while enriching more pathogens than non-degradable microplastics. Structural equation modeling indicated that microbial diversities were in a type-dependent assembly, whereas microbial compositions were more profoundly affected by the microplastic doses, ultimately. The standardized total effect coefficient of microplastic types on bacterial and fungal diversities was − 0.429 and − 0.282, and that of doses on bacterial and fungal compositions was 0.487 and 0.336, respectively. Both microplastic types and doses significantly impacted pH, electrical conductivity, total nitrogen, TC, SOC, and MBC, subsequently inhibiting microbial diversities and stimulating microbial compositions with particular pathways. The results provide a comprehensive understanding for evaluating the potential risk of microplastics.
No abstract is provided for this article.
