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DATABASE FOR EXPERTS IN BOTANY
DATABASE FOR EXPERTS IN BOTANY
Anne J{k{l{niemi
University of Oulu
Department of Botany
Linnanmaa
SF-90570 OULU
FAX: +358 81 553 1500
E-MAIL: kasv-aj@finou.oulu.fi
Dear Colleague,
The doctoral (postgraduate) education is being developed and
organized in several fields of science at the Universities of
Finland. In botany, the programme for doctoral education is
coordinated by the Department of Botany at the University of Oulu
and the project is financed by the Ministry of Education. Since the
importance of the international cooperation between Universities
and Research Institutes at the postgraduate level is well
emphasized we are creating an international database for experts in
BOTANY, where experts/research institutes/university
departments can easily be reached on the basis of the key words for
example. For that purpose, could You please distribute these
database forms to the experts in botany at Your
University/Institute. Forms can be send back to: Anne J{k{l{niemi,
Department of Botany, University of Oulu, SF-90570 OULU, FINLAND,
or faxed: + 358 81 553 1500.
With best wishes,
Anne J{k{l{niemi
Coordinator of the Postgraduate
Program
in Botany
We will inform You as soon as the database is ready for use.
DATABASE FOR EXPERTS IN BOTANY
NAME:____________________________________________________________
PRESENT
POSITION:________________________________________________________
INSTITUTE:_______________________________________________________
ADDRESS:_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
TEL:_____________________________________________________________
FAX:_____________________________________________________________
E-MAIL
ADDRESS:_________________________________________________________
EDUCATION:_______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
PROFESSIONAL
EXPERIENCE:______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
FIELD(S) OF RESEARCH: Plant Systematics __, Geobotany __, Plant
Ecology __, Ecophysiology __, Plant Physiology __, Plant Anatomy __,
Plant Molecular Biology __, Mycology __
RESEARCH AND EXPERTISE
(KEYWORDS):______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
RESEARCH AND EXPERTISE (FREE
FORM):___________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
LINGUISTIC ABILITY (NATIVE AND
OTHERS):_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
REMARKS:_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Send form to: Anne J{k{l{niemi, University of Oulu, Department of
Botany, Linnanmaa, SF-90570 OULU, FAX: +358 81 553 1500
Article 529 of bionet.plants:
Path: samba!concert!uvaarpa!darwin.sura.net!haven.umd.edu!umd5!williams.smcm.edu!bwilliam
From: bwilliam@oyster.smcm.edu (Bill Williams)
Newsgroups: bionet.plants
Subject: Re: Molecular distillation [was: Re: HELP: humongous leaves!]
Message-ID: <16519@umd5.umd.edu>
Date: 30 Oct 92 19:01:20 GMT
References: <1992Oct29.233303.4935@gserv1.dl.ac.uk>
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X-XXDate: Fri, 30 Oct 92 20:04:41 GMT
In article <1992Oct29.233303.4935@gserv1.dl.ac.uk> Tony Travis,
ajt@rri.sari.ac.uk writes:
>There is little point in optimising water use efficiency in leaves
that
>are not photosynthetically active and I guess that 'shade' leaves are
>contributing little (or are actually sinks) in which case it would be
a
>selective advantage to have fewer stomata on them.
I've certainly never run across a shade leaf with a negative 24-hour
net photosynthetic rate, and I would imagine that such a leaf would be
quickly shed. My own experience, and the literature that I'm familiar
with, suggests that the typical shade adaptations -- lower
concentrations of Rubisco, larger photosynthetic units (i.e., more
antenna per reaction center), and consequent general thinness and lack
of stomata (since conductance is generally correlated with
photosynthetic rate) -- are to allow positive net photosynthesis
in more-or-less constant low-light conditions. Indeed, these
adaptations are generally incompatible with good performance in high
light (e.g., sun flecks), and most shade leafs develop significant
photoinhibition even at quite moderate light levels. That this may be
a problem without an obvious physiological solution is illustrated by
Oxalis oreganum, which has very low-light adapted leaves but manages to
survive intense sunflecks by folding its leafs so that they're parallel
with the rays in the fleck, thus greatly reducing absorbed intensity.
___________________________________
William E. Williams, bwilliam@oyster.smcm.edu
Divison of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
St. Mary's College of Maryland
St. Mary's City, MD 20686
Article 539 of bionet.plants:
Newsgroups: bionet.plants
Path: samba!concert!uvaarpa!caen!uunet!newsstand.cit.cornell.edu!news
From: Thomas Bjorkman <Thomas_Bjorkman@cornell.edu>
Subject: Re: Methanol and improved yields
Message-ID: <1992Nov2.162126.19851@mail.cornell.edu>
X-Xxdate: Mon, 2 Nov 92 11: 25:26 GMT
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References: <1992Oct31.225947.1631@gserv1.dl.ac.uk>
Date: Mon, 2 Nov 1992 16:21:26 GMT
Lines: 32
In article <1992Oct31.225947.1631@gserv1.dl.ac.uk> Tony Travis,
ajt@rri.sari.ac.uk writes:
>Anyone who works in a lab and is aware of the toxic effects of methanol
>would find it difficult to believe that you are recommending spraying
>it on a crop intended for direct human consumption. Let alone the
>health of people breathing the methanol spray.
I am the source of at least part of this posting, so I would respond to
your concerns by saying that the recommendations are from Nonpomura and
Benson, not me. I would make absolutely no recommendation regarding
whether this is appropriate for any particular individual. There was a
discussion about it on alt.coevolution, but none of the discussants had
read the article. I gave an opinionated translation of the original work
so that people had an opportunity to discuss that which was actually in
the article rather than what they imagined miight be in it.
I should add that I AM a lab rat, and that in my short carreer as a
horticultusrist, I have not yet gotten into spraying. However, I have
learned some interesting things about sprays. One is that the carriers
in most of the formulations sprayed directly on leaves make 10% methanol
look positively benign. (These are the inert ingredients.) As it
happens, Nomura and Benson spend much of their paper figuring out what
the toxic concentration of methanol is for a wide variety of plants.
They then did trials with lower concentrations.
This paper has gotten a considerable amount of press, and with the 40%
yield increases they describe, I am sure that it will stay in the news
for a while. My opinion is that they describe some provocative results
with speculation on a mechanism. Has Andy Benson started selling snake
oil? I surely do not know, but this is a long way from being
incorporated into common agricultural practice. While the plant
physiology is provocative, the practical agriculture is pedestrian.
Article 575 of bionet.plants:
Newsgroups: bionet.plants
Path: samba!concert!rock!stanford.edu!ames!saimiri.primate.wisc.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!cis.ohio-state.edu!news.sei.cmu.edu!fs7.ece.cmu.edu!pellns.alleg.edu!news
From: guptaa2@pell1l3.alleg.edu (Ajay Gupta)
Subject: INFO NEEDED-DDT UPTAKE AND METABOLISM IN PLANTS
Message-ID: <1992Nov11.032524.3967@pellns.alleg.edu>
Sender: news@pellns.alleg.edu
Organization: Allegheny College
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 03:25:24 GMT
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I am doing my senior thesis on DDT uptake and metabolism in plants and
using plants to reclaim contaminated areas. I need information on what
kinds of plants are able to absorb DDT efficiently. Place of uptake, if it
is metabolized, storage, etc, etc etc. I am interested in any information
you might have on the subject. I will be grateful for any help I can get.
Reply to,
guptaa2@alleg.edu
Article 576 of bionet.plants:
Newsgroups: bionet.plants
Path: samba!concert!gatech!destroyer!uunet!newsstand.cit.cornell.edu!news
From: Thomas Bjorkman <Thomas_Bjorkman@cornell.edu>
Subject: Deforestation and AIDS
Message-ID: <1992Nov11.132150.9180@mail.cornell.edu>
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The following information is from a UPI article dated 9 Nov, 1992:
Plant explorer D.D. Soejarto the Field Museum of Natural History at the
University of Chicago has been collecting plant materials from the
Malaysian rainforest and examining them for medicinal properties.
The good news: a natural substance, calanolide, in the tree Calophyllum
langerum blocks the effect of AZT-resistant HIV-1 without great toxicity
to the human cell.
The bad news: When Soejarto returned to the collecting site, the tree was
gone.
----------------
When you have trouble replicating your next great discovery, think of Dr.
Soejarto!
Article 579 of bionet.plants:
Newsgroups: bionet.plants
Path: samba!concert!gatech!darwin.sura.net!spool.mu.edu!uunet!newsstand.cit.cornell.edu!news
From: Kathie Hodge <kh11@cornell.edu>
Subject: Re: Aspergillus niger question
Message-ID: <1992Nov11.172607.11998@mail.cornell.edu>
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References: <1992Nov6.145423.1835@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu>
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 17:26:07 GMT
Lines: 39
In article <1992Nov7.013418.8080@samba.oit.unc.edu> Larry London,
london@calypso.uucp writes:
>In article <1992Nov6.145423.1835@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu> wcf@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu
writes:
>>We are looking for information concerning the spraying of a product
>>used as biological pest control which may be contaminated with
>>Aspergillus niger. What are the possible hazards associated with
>>this organism related to plants or animals.
>
>Isn't this the active ingredient in BEANO which is added to cooked beans
>as a digestive aid? It would also be excellent on compost piles to help
>convert raw biomass to humus. I think it breaks down cellulose & maybe
lignin.
Aspergillus niger is one of the most abundant of fungal saprobes. There
is a whole group of species in Aspergillus (group Niger) that produce
black spores, and the taxonomy of these is difficult, so if you're
looking for further info on your contaminant, you should be sure you've
really got A. niger, and not just something in the Niger group (see
Raper & Fennel, 1965. _The Genus Aspergillus_ for a good, if old,
overview).
Various species have been used in industry to produce many different
compounds, including, I suspect, the active enzyme(s) in BEANO. I don't
think the fungus itself is in there.
Although species in the Niger group grow normally as saprobes (mainly in
my frig, it seems!) they've also been reported to cause plant diseases
including peanut crown rot, cotton boll rot, onion black mold, etc. The
spores of many species of Aspergillus are powerful allergens. They
haven't been known as significant agents of human disease, but they are
certainly facultative pathogens, A. niger can cause a nasty infection of
the outer ear.
Hope this helps.
Kathie Hodge
kh11@cornell.edu
Article 605 of bionet.plants:
Xref: samba bionet.biology.tropical:113 bionet.plants:605
Path: samba!concert!rutgers!jvnc.net!yale.edu!news.yale.edu!venus.ycc.yale.edu!weed
From: weed@venus.ycc.yale.edu
Newsgroups: bionet.biology.tropical,bionet.plants
Subject: information on conservation-oriented politics please
Message-ID: <1992Nov15.111859.1@venus.ycc.yale.edu>
Date: 15 Nov 92 15:18:59 GMT
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I am a senior undergraduate, working on my senior essay in the Department of
Political Science, here at Yale. The essay is focused on conservation of
biological diversity, and more specifically, on diversity conservation in the
rain forests of South and Central America. I have a good deal of information
on the biological, economic, and international political issues surrounding the
diversity conservation problem. How r, I have seen very little in the
literature on national, regional, or community-level organizations concerned
with either the pro-consumption, or pro-protection sides of the issue. I am
told that very little is available in English on the subject, and am, therfore,
wondering if any researchers with recent experience in South or Central America
would be willing to detail their experiences in working with whatever
organizations may be extent in the region. I have focused the essay toward the
international choices available t groups interested in conservation of
biodiversity, but have *no* information (which I can cite), to support the
supposition that interest groups on the national, regional, or local levels
exist in these countries. Any first-hand anecdotal evidence would probably
be sufficient to support the point that non-external forces are working to
conserve/destroy local rainforest diversity.
Thanks, in advance, for any assistance that can be provided on this matter.
Matthew Weed
Yale/Silliman 93.
Article 700 of bionet.plants:
Path: samba!concert!rock!stanford.edu!agate!biosci!daresbury!daresbury!news
From: ajt@rri.sari.ac.uk (Tony Travis)
Newsgroups: bionet.plants
Subject: Re: A big hello
Message-ID: <1992Dec10.153700.17634@gserv1.dl.ac.uk>
Date: 10 Dec 92 15:31:10 GMT
Sender: list-admin@daresbury.ac.uk
Reply-To: ajt@rri.sari.ac.uk
Distribution: bionet
Organization: Rowett Research Institute
Lines: 32
Original-To: plantbio@uk.ac.daresbury
In article <92129225625.MIN-LVLBa00330.bionet-news@uk.ac.daresbury> you wrote:
: I am a "virgin" bionet user, this is my first message.
Hello, David + welcome to bionet.plants!
: Is there anybody out there who is interested in how plants deal with
: heavy metals (ie Cd, Cu, Zn etc....yes O.K you know what a heavy metal
: is). Perhaps were could have a meaningful dialogue?
I worked for a while at Plymouth Polytechnic (UK) during the early 80's
when Lane and Martin were working on uptake of heavy metals by potatos
and strawberries, but I'm not sure what they published.
There are two quite different issues, I think:
One is uptake of heavy metals (ie. accumulation) and the health risks
for people eating crop plants that are grown on contaminated soil.
The other is exclusion of heavy metals by plants which are able to
survive in, and colonise polluted environments.
: Please reply on my Email address (botsalt@vm.uoguelph.ca) or to everybody
: if you think they would be interested.
Ok, everybody - are you interested in discussing heavy metals??
Tony.
--
Dr. A.J.Travis, | Tony Travis
Rowett Research Institute, | JANET: <ajt@uk.ac.sari.rri>
Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, | other: <ajt@rri.sari.ac.uk>
Aberdeen, AB2 9SB. UK. | phone: 0224-712751
Article 723 of bionet.plants:
Path: samba!concert!rock!stanford.edu!agate!ames!haven.umd.edu!uunet!biosci!esvax.dnet.dupont.com!cunninsd
From: cunninsd@esvax.dnet.dupont.com
Newsgroups: bionet.plants
Subject: plants, metals and contaminated sites
Message-ID: <9212151555.AA07029@esds01.es.dupont.com>
Date: 15 Dec 92 15:55:43 GMT
Sender: daemon@net.bio.net
Distribution: bionet
Lines: 98
This is my first time on this network, but I heard a
discussion of heavy metals in plants was underway, so I
thought I'd join in. Here at DuPont we have an active
research program in using plants toremediate contaminated
soils. For this effort we have borrowed a term I first heard
used by Ilya Raskin at Rutgers' and called it
"Phytoremediation".
We define phytoremediation as the use of green plants to
remove, contain, or render harmless an environmental
contaminant. This definition applies to all plant-influenced
biological, chemical, and physical processes that aid in site
remediation. Although our particular current research
emphasis is the remediation of lead-contaminated soils, we
are interested in most other metals and organics as well.
Simply described, we propose to farm hazardous waste sites,
biomine the metal contaminants, and reclaim the metals
through postharvest processing of the biomass. We consider
the entire process to have multiple, but interdependent
components. For the technology to be useful each component
must be sound technically and economically, and must be
acceptable from a regulatory perspective. Our efforts in
phytoremediation of lead-contaminated soils address all of
these areas. I thought I would venture some general comments
on the area and see what reaction they brought.
Although metal tolerant plants are relatively common,
most do not accumulate significant quantities of metal in the
above ground biomass. Our metal-removal goals are ambitious,
paralleling removal rates of plant nutrients such as
nitrogen, potassium, and calcium. For plant-based
decontamination to be sucessful, we must find, breed or
engineer plants that absorb, translocate and tolerate these
metals. These three processes are separate, distinct and, in
some plants, mutually exclusive.(ie tolerance can be obtained
by lack of translocation etc.) We have found that
combinations of any two processes in one plant are relatively
easy to find. All three processes, working efficiently in a
single plant with sufficient biomass to acheive the necessary
metal-removal rates, will be more difficult to achieve.
The discovery or development of such plants might be
assumed to be infeasible if it were not for the existence of
the hyperaccumulators that have been mentioned on this
network. These naturally-occurring plants can be found
growing on ore outcroppings and have spectacular metal-uptake
capacities. The sap of one tree has been mentioned previously
to have concentrations of Ni in excess of 25% dry weight.
Alan Baker (Sheffield) lists plants with concentrations in
excess of 1% Cu and Co and 3% Zn, Ni, and Mn on a dry weight
basis. Lead levels, although lower, have been reported as
high as 8,200 ppm in these plants. We are looking at these
hyperaccumulators for potential remediation uses, however,
due to their low growth habits and small biomass, they would
seem to be agronomically and climatically unsuited for
phytoremediation of most sites. A breeding program to
increase biomass and metals content is a long-term, crop-
development strategy that could be undertaken. Molecular
biology, however, may offer valuable shortcuts !!! - (Check
with your patent attorney, before you release it as this
plant can have real and significant value)
Parallel to our efforts with hyperaccumulators, we have
been exploring lead-contaminated sites for plants that
accumulate lead. Our goal is to find, manipulate, and extend
the lead-uptake limits of these plants. We have collected and
analyzed many plants from Superfund, mining, and other
industrial sites in search of appropriate germplasm. Of the
plants we have analyzed to date, two plants have shown
significant abilities to accumulate lead. These are hemp
dogbane (Apocynum sp.) and common ragweed (Ambrosia sp.).
Their lead accumulation abilities are considerable, but not
consistent, however, across soils. Most metals, and lead in
particular, have numerous forms in the soil, not all of which
are equally available for plant uptake.
Manipulating the chemistry of the soil to maximize lead
removal requires balancing plant-nutritional requirements for
biomass production with the availiability of lead for uptake
by plants. We have found these to be often competing
processes. Maximizing lead availability requires a lower pH
and low solution levels of phosphate and sulfate, which
directly impacts total plant biomass produced. The plant-
nutritional status of the soil must be continuously balanced
against the lead-availability status to maximize total lead
removal.
Pb occurs in all of the physicochemical forms measured
in a sequential extraction of contaminated soils, including
water-soluble, exchangeable, specifically adsorbed,
carbonate, oxyhydroxide, organic, and other forms.
Experiments have confirmed, however, that there are wide
differences between soils in these Pb forms and in the
ability of plants to pick up the metal in question.
I would be interested in general comments on the
approach, names of others working in the area, etc. etc..
Article 721 of bionet.plants:
Path: samba!concert!rock!stanford.edu!agate!ames!haven.umd.edu!uunet!pipex!warwick!uknet!comlab.ox.ac.uk!oxuniv!donachie
From: donachie@vax.oxford.ac.uk
Newsgroups: bionet.plants
Subject: Heavy metals
Message-ID: <1992Dec14.131324.10744@vax.oxford.ac.uk>
Date: 14 Dec 92 13:13:24 GMT
Organization: Oxford University VAX 6620
Lines: 20
On the subject of hyperaccumulators, work in this lab is investigating the
nature of the complexes formed in these plants with organic acids, in order to
determine whether these provide a possible mechanism of tolerance for the
plant.
The levels of metal which these plants accumulate can be huge, Sebertia
accuminata, a tree from New Caledonia, has a latex which conatins, on a dry
weight basis, 26 % nickel. This is the highest recorded concentration in any
living ( :-) ) organism.
I think that the act of hyperaccumulation is related to the site at which the
plant can be found. We are working on Alyssum spp here, and these can be, and
are regularly grown in gardens in Europe. We have plants which are known to be
hyperaccumulators, and as control plants we are using garden seeds bought from
a commercial supplier. We think that they won't hyperaccumulate, if they do
then....
Just some interesting info to pass on over the dinner table ( :-) )
Article 723 of bionet.plants:
Path: samba!concert!rock!stanford.edu!agate!ames!haven.umd.edu!uunet!biosci!esvax.dnet.dupont.com!cunninsd
From: cunninsd@esvax.dnet.dupont.com
Newsgroups: bionet.plants
Subject: plants, metals and contaminated sites
Message-ID: <9212151555.AA07029@esds01.es.dupont.com>
Date: 15 Dec 92 15:55:43 GMT
Sender: daemon@net.bio.net
Distribution: bionet
Lines: 98
This is my first time on this network, but I heard a
discussion of heavy metals in plants was underway, so I
thought I'd join in. Here at DuPont we have an active
research program in using plants toremediate contaminated
soils. For this effort we have borrowed a term I first heard
used by Ilya Raskin at Rutgers' and called it
"Phytoremediation".
We define phytoremediation as the use of green plants to
remove, contain, or render harmless an environmental
contaminant. This definition applies to all plant-influenced
biological, chemical, and physical processes that aid in site
remediation. Although our particular current research
emphasis is the remediation of lead-contaminated soils, we
are interested in most other metals and organics as well.
Simply described, we propose to farm hazardous waste sites,
biomine the metal contaminants, and reclaim the metals
through postharvest processing of the biomass. We consider
the entire process to have multiple, but interdependent
components. For the technology to be useful each component
must be sound technically and economically, and must be
acceptable from a regulatory perspective. Our efforts in
phytoremediation of lead-contaminated soils address all of
these areas. I thought I would venture some general comments
on the area and see what reaction they brought.
Although metal tolerant plants are relatively common,
most do not accumulate significant quantities of metal in the
above ground biomass. Our metal-removal goals are ambitious,
paralleling removal rates of plant nutrients such as
nitrogen, potassium, and calcium. For plant-based
decontamination to be sucessful, we must find, breed or
engineer plants that absorb, translocate and tolerate these
metals. These three processes are separate, distinct and, in
some plants, mutually exclusive.(ie tolerance can be obtained
by lack of translocation etc.) We have found that
combinations of any two processes in one plant are relatively
easy to find. All three processes, working efficiently in a
single plant with sufficient biomass to acheive the necessary
metal-removal rates, will be more difficult to achieve.
The discovery or development of such plants might be
assumed to be infeasible if it were not for the existence of
the hyperaccumulators that have been mentioned on this
network. These naturally-occurring plants can be found
growing on ore outcroppings and have spectacular metal-uptake
capacities. The sap of one tree has been mentioned previously
to have concentrations of Ni in excess of 25% dry weight.
Alan Baker (Sheffield) lists plants with concentrations in
excess of 1% Cu and Co and 3% Zn, Ni, and Mn on a dry weight
basis. Lead levels, although lower, have been reported as
high as 8,200 ppm in these plants. We are looking at these
hyperaccumulators for potential remediation uses, however,
due to their low growth habits and small biomass, they would
seem to be agronomically and climatically unsuited for
phytoremediation of most sites. A breeding program to
increase biomass and metals content is a long-term, crop-
development strategy that could be undertaken. Molecular
biology, however, may offer valuable shortcuts !!! - (Check
with your patent attorney, before you release it as this
plant can have real and significant value)
Parallel to our efforts with hyperaccumulators, we have
been exploring lead-contaminated sites for plants that
accumulate lead. Our goal is to find, manipulate, and extend
the lead-uptake limits of these plants. We have collected and
analyzed many plants from Superfund, mining, and other
industrial sites in search of appropriate germplasm. Of the
plants we have analyzed to date, two plants have shown
significant abilities to accumulate lead. These are hemp
dogbane (Apocynum sp.) and common ragweed (Ambrosia sp.).
Their lead accumulation abilities are considerable, but not
consistent, however, across soils. Most metals, and lead in
particular, have numerous forms in the soil, not all of which
are equally available for plant uptake.
Manipulating the chemistry of the soil to maximize lead
removal requires balancing plant-nutritional requirements for
biomass production with the availiability of lead for uptake
by plants. We have found these to be often competing
processes. Maximizing lead availability requires a lower pH
and low solution levels of phosphate and sulfate, which
directly impacts total plant biomass produced. The plant-
nutritional status of the soil must be continuously balanced
against the lead-availability status to maximize total lead
removal.
Pb occurs in all of the physicochemical forms measured
in a sequential extraction of contaminated soils, including
water-soluble, exchangeable, specifically adsorbed,
carbonate, oxyhydroxide, organic, and other forms.
Experiments have confirmed, however, that there are wide
differences between soils in these Pb forms and in the
ability of plants to pick up the metal in question.
I would be interested in general comments on the
approach, names of others working in the area, etc. etc..
Article 727 of bionet.plants:
Newsgroups: bionet.plants
Path: samba!concert!rock!stanford.edu!ames!haven.umd.edu!uunet!europa.asd.contel.com!darwin.sura.net!news.duc.auburn.edu!ducvax.auburn.edu!dr
From: dr@ducvax.auburn.edu
Subject: Re: A big hello
Message-ID: <1992Dec16.013256.1@ducvax.auburn.edu>
Lines: 28
Sender: usenet@news.duc.auburn.edu (News Account)
Nntp-Posting-Host: ducvax
Organization: Auburn University, AL
References: <1992Dec10.153700.17634@gserv1.dl.ac.uk>
Distribution: bionet
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 06:32:56 GMT
Lines: 28
In article <1992Dec10.153700.17634@gserv1.dl.ac.uk>, ajt@rri.sari.ac.uk (Tony Travis) writes:
> In article <92129225625.MIN-LVLBa00330.bionet-news@uk.ac.daresbury> you wrote:
> : I am a "virgin" bionet user, this is my first message.
>
> Hello, David + welcome to bionet.plants!
>
> : Is there anybody out there who is interested in how plants deal with
> : heavy metals (ie Cd, Cu, Zn etc....yes O.K you know what a heavy metal
> : is). Perhaps were could have a meaningful dialogue?
>
> <some deletions...>
>
> Ok, everybody - are you interested in discussing heavy metals??
>
I'd be interested in such a discussion; my current interest would be
taxonomic in nature. 'Fraid I can't make any contribution to such a
discussion at this time, for convoluted reasons, best alluded to by my
post, "Request: Recruiting/Luring Biologists to the Nets", in sci.bio
and bionet.general. That same post would also serve as a belated way
to introduce myself (I did not do so at the inception of this group,
for reasons I will style as virginal shyness).
D.R.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Roller | Bitnet = dr@auducvax | "Because we're all
Auburn Univ. | Internet = dr@ducvax.auburn.edu | in this together."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article 731 of bionet.plants:
Path: samba!concert!rock!stanford.edu!bcm!biosci!daresbury!daresbury!news
From: ajt@rri.sari.ac.uk (Tony Travis)
Newsgroups: bionet.plants
Subject: Re: A big hello
Message-ID: <1992Dec16.232652.12115@gserv1.dl.ac.uk>
Date: 16 Dec 92 23:25:37 GMT
Sender: list-admin@daresbury.ac.uk
Reply-To: ajt@rri.sari.ac.uk
Distribution: bionet
Organization: Rowett Research Institute
Lines: 30
Original-To: plantbio@uk.ac.daresbury
In article <921216125757.MIN-LNDAa16551.bionet-news@uk.ac.daresbury> you wrote:
: [...]
: I'd be interested in such a discussion; my current interest would be
: taxonomic in nature. 'Fraid I can't make any contribution to such a
: discussion at this time, for convoluted reasons, best alluded to by my
: post, "Request: Recruiting/Luring Biologists to the Nets", in sci.bio
: and bionet.general. That same post would also serve as a belated way
: to introduce myself (I did not do so at the inception of this group,
: for reasons I will style as virginal shyness).
Welcome to the group, David.
I'm glad that people are beginning to participate actively on the
bionet.plants group. As plant biologists we have a lot to learn from
the molecular biologists experience of using the network, but we are
getting there gradually.
The essence of Usenet, for me, is the informal contact we make with
each other by posting to a group such as this. I began the discussions
on bionet.plants by asking people to introduce themselves and describe
their area of interest.
So, tell us something about your interest in heavy metals and taxonomy?
Tony.
--
Dr. A.J.Travis, | Tony Travis
Rowett Research Institute, | JANET: <ajt@uk.ac.sari.rri>
Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, | other: <ajt@rri.sari.ac.uk>
Aberdeen, AB2 9SB. UK. | phone: 0224-712751
Article 730 of bionet.plants:
Xref: samba alt.sustainable.agriculture:448 bionet.plants:730 rec.gardens:12520 misc.rural:4309
Newsgroups: alt.sustainable.agriculture,bionet.plants,rec.gardens,misc.rural
Path: samba!sunSITE!london
From: london@sunSITE.unc.edu (Larry London)
Subject: Re: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FOR SPECIFIC SITUATION
Message-ID: <1992Dec16.182829.29366@samba.oit.unc.edu>
Followup-To: bionet.agroforestry
Sender: usenet@samba.oit.unc.edu
Nntp-Posting-Host: sunsite.unc.edu
Organization: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
References: <01GSDRL3058W8Y5L0E@clust1.clemson.edu>
Distribution: bionet
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 18:28:29 GMT
In article <01GSDRL3058W8Y5L0E@clust1.clemson.edu> WMILLER@PRISM.CLEMSON.EDU
writes:
>I am a blueberry grower located in Pickens County South Carolina
>(western corner). I am interested in switching to to
>agroforestry system for reduction in frost risk along with
>several other reasons. The current system is grassed middles on
>a highly erodible site. It is in it's 10 leaf.
>
>There is 5 acres of blueberries, we are adding 1.5 acres of
>blackberries over the next 2 years. Will also add raspberries in
>the future. We are a pick-your-own with limited chain stores
>sales for a secondary market. We are a small family business.
>We are "sundowners". The soils have a residual pH of about 5.2
>unlimed; range from poor to excessive internal drainage within a
>30 meters; have good surface drainage. PHYTOPHTHORA CINNAMONI is
>present. Rainfall about 1100 mm a year. Low temp. about 5-10 f
>about once or twice a year. Additioal information available on
>request.
>
>The gist of our thinking so far is frost is a significant risk
>factor. Bushes protected form the north sky by trees
>consistently produce provided they have at 60% sunlight and root
>competition is not a factor. Thoughts - consultation with local
>ag meteorologist suggests east west rows at about 100 to 120 ft
>intervals. Some Soil Conservation Service information suggest
>50% porosity to wind and similar spacing and direction. Clemson
>University Extension forestry suggest loblolly pine. It is
>tolerant of pore drainage and and does not form epicormic shoots,
>therefore would limbing up to maintain air drainage under canopy
>and side limbing to keep it narrow. Needles could be thrown to
>row middles as mulch.
>
>To be profitable, because of competition losses, there needs to
>be interim product(s) as well as terminal product and cyclic
>procedure. How about naval stores ie loblollyxlongleaf hybrids?
>How about nut pines (Korean?)? Should they be grafted? Whitepine
>rootstock? What about nursery sources of the above. How about
>the blackberry psyllid. Pines seems to make sense as they have a
>canopy during critical spring frosts but we have noted that
>hardwoods are effective also. Have thought about chestnuts but
>wonder if they have the right tree shape(?) would not be to
>competitive in terms of root system(?) and also have problems
>with epicormic shoots. How about compatibility(ie alleopathy)?
>Loblolly is reported associate okay/well with ericaceous plants.
>
>I/we would love to here ideas and observations with supporting
>literature and references that will bear up under scientific
>scrutiny. We are trying to make our production system
>sustainable economically, environmentally and socially. We do
>use plant pharmaceuticals and are very conscious of their
>characteristics with regards to environment and safety to all.
>
>This maybe outside the intent of this reflector. If so just give
>it the old DEL.
>Many thanks for your input.
>Walker Miller, Wmiller@Clust1.clemson.edu
Article 721 of bionet.plants:
Path: samba!concert!rock!stanford.edu!agate!ames!haven.umd.edu!uunet!pipex!warwick!uknet!comlab.ox.ac.uk!oxuniv!donachie
From: donachie@vax.oxford.ac.uk
Newsgroups: bionet.plants
Subject: Heavy metals
Message-ID: <1992Dec14.131324.10744@vax.oxford.ac.uk>
Date: 14 Dec 92 13:13:24 GMT
Organization: Oxford University VAX 6620
Lines: 20
On the subject of hyperaccumulators, work in this lab is investigating the
nature of the complexes formed in these plants with organic acids, in order to
determine whether these provide a possible mechanism of tolerance for the
plant.
The levels of metal which these plants accumulate can be huge, Sebertia
accuminata, a tree from New Caledonia, has a latex which conatins, on a dry
weight basis, 26 % nickel. This is the highest recorded concentration in any
living ( :-) ) organism.
I think that the act of hyperaccumulation is related to the site at which the
plant can be found. We are working on Alyssum spp here, and these can be, and
are regularly grown in gardens in Europe. We have plants which are known to be
hyperaccumulators, and as control plants we are using garden seeds bought from
a commercial supplier. We think that they won't hyperaccumulate, if they do
then....
Just some interesting info to pass on over the dinner table ( :-) )
Article 730 of bionet.plants:
Xref: samba alt.sustainable.agriculture:448 bionet.plants:730 rec.gardens:12520 misc.rural:4309
Newsgroups: alt.sustainable.agriculture,bionet.plants,rec.gardens,misc.rural
Path: samba!sunSITE!london
From: london@sunSITE.unc.edu (Larry London)
Subject: Re: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FOR SPECIFIC SITUATION
Message-ID: <1992Dec16.182829.29366@samba.oit.unc.edu>
Followup-To: bionet.agroforestry
Sender: usenet@samba.oit.unc.edu
Nntp-Posting-Host: sunsite.unc.edu
Organization: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
References: <01GSDRL3058W8Y5L0E@clust1.clemson.edu>
Distribution: bionet
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 18:28:29 GMT
In article <01GSDRL3058W8Y5L0E@clust1.clemson.edu> WMILLER@PRISM.CLEMSON.EDU
writes:
>I am a blueberry grower located in Pickens County South Carolina
>(western corner). I am interested in switching to to
>agroforestry system for reduction in frost risk along with
>several other reasons. The current system is grassed middles on
>a highly erodible site. It is in it's 10 leaf.
>
>There is 5 acres of blueberries, we are adding 1.5 acres of
>blackberries over the next 2 years. Will also add raspberries in
>the future. We are a pick-your-own with limited chain stores
>sales for a secondary market. We are a small family business.
>We are "sundowners". The soils have a residual pH of about 5.2
>unlimed; range from poor to excessive internal drainage within a
>30 meters; have good surface drainage. PHYTOPHTHORA CINNAMONI is
>present. Rainfall about 1100 mm a year. Low temp. about 5-10 f
>about once or twice a year. Additioal information available on
>request.
>
>The gist of our thinking so far is frost is a significant risk
>factor. Bushes protected form the north sky by trees
>consistently produce provided they have at 60% sunlight and root
>competition is not a factor. Thoughts - consultation with local
>ag meteorologist suggests east west rows at about 100 to 120 ft
>intervals. Some Soil Conservation Service information suggest
>50% porosity to wind and similar spacing and direction. Clemson
>University Extension forestry suggest loblolly pine. It is
>tolerant of pore drainage and and does not form epicormic shoots,
>therefore would limbing up to maintain air drainage under canopy
>and side limbing to keep it narrow. Needles could be thrown to
>row middles as mulch.
>
>To be profitable, because of competition losses, there needs to
>be interim product(s) as well as terminal product and cyclic
>procedure. How about naval stores ie loblollyxlongleaf hybrids?
>How about nut pines (Korean?)? Should they be grafted? Whitepine
>rootstock? What about nursery sources of the above. How about
>the blackberry psyllid. Pines seems to make sense as they have a
>canopy during critical spring frosts but we have noted that
>hardwoods are effective also. Have thought about chestnuts but
>wonder if they have the right tree shape(?) would not be to
>competitive in terms of root system(?) and also have problems
>with epicormic shoots. How about compatibility(ie alleopathy)?
>Loblolly is reported associate okay/well with ericaceous plants.
>
>I/we would love to here ideas and observations with supporting
>literature and references that will bear up under scientific
>scrutiny. We are trying to make our production system
>sustainable economically, environmentally and socially. We do
>use plant pharmaceuticals and are very conscious of their
>characteristics with regards to environment and safety to all.
>
>This maybe outside the intent of this reflector. If so just give
>it the old DEL.
>Many thanks for your input.
>Walker Miller, Wmiller@Clust1.clemson.edu
Article 732 of bionet.plants:
Xref: samba sci.archaeology:3409 sci.anthropology:1569 bionet.plants:732
Newsgroups: sci.archaeology,sci.anthropology,bionet.plants
Path: samba!concert!rock!stanford.edu!ames!haven.umd.edu!uunet!psinntp!sugar!claird
From: claird@NeoSoft.com (Cameron Laird)
Subject: [ARCH] Re: Which Came First, Agriculture or Pastorialism? [LONG]
Organization: NeoSoft Communications Services -- (713) 684-5900
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 18:37:40 GMT
Message-ID: <BzD7qt.4u@NeoSoft.com>
References: <BzACz4.7IF@well.sf.ca.us>
Lines: 182
In article <BzACz4.7IF@well.sf.ca.us> dchapman@well.sf.ca.us (Dave Chapman) writes:
>Can anyone out there tell me what the best current dates are
>for the beginning of agriculture, and for the beginning of
>herding? I have the impression that domestication of sheep
>occurred later than the domestication of grains, but would
>like to see actual references.
>
>Also, information on the approximate order in which the various
>food animals and food crops were domesticated would be
>appreciated. Thanks.
.
.
Domestication is a marvelous subject. That is,
it endlessly fascinates me.
This comes up often enough, by the way, that it
deserves to be in an FAQ.
The cheap answer is to instruct you to look in
recent Scientific Americans; there was, for ex-
ample, a review this fall of the archaeology of
some of the early Eurasian horse pastoralists.
There is much, much more to it than this, though.
Humans have practiced domestication all around the
globe, and throughout the last ten thousand years
or so. Well-attested dog remains have been found
dating back around 10,000 years in Idaho, Britain,
Turkey, ... (what's the archaeology of dingos? Is
there genetic evidence that humans and dogs settled
the New World together 12000 BP?) Plenty of people
believe that hominids and canids go back a lot
farther than that. Cattle are descended from at
least two wild species; this process seems to have
been well underway by 9000 BP. Sheep go back at least
7000 BP. Swine have also been domesticated more than
once during the last 5000 years, probably first in
China. Horses likely entered human society just a bit
later, and almost certainly in Central Asia, although
the date on this one seems to be subject to revision
backwards. My position: these numbers will continue
to be shuffled for some time into the future.
The first hard evidence for plant domestication
also dates from around 9000 BP. Barley, sorghum,
sweet potato (!), rice, common beans, flax, egg-
plant, and maybe maize and avocados (!) have been
well dated before 7000 BP.
A different way to interpret your question: does
a particular people domesticate plants or animals
first? There's a lot of ideology tied up in an-
wering this question; it's probably best for you
to read some of the standard literature. Don't
lose sight of these keys:
1. domestication has happened at many times and
places, and by many people. It continues to
the present (fox; kiwi fruit; cashews; high-
bush blueberry; jojoba; various pines; red
deer; ...);
2. it's a rare society which is "isolated".
Most peoples have been connected to a greater
or lesser extent to the world economy, at
least for the last 6000 years;
3. domestication isn't irreversible. Elk
("moose" to North Americans) and stinging
nettles once were kept by some northern
Europeans, and a number of ungulates by
southwestern Asians; no more.
I like thinking about some of the marginal cases:
mesoamerican turkeys, New World rodents and camelids,
and the cervidae. For a well-contextualized discussion
of a hunter-herder transition, look at
Ingold, Tim
1980 Hunters, pastoralists, and ranchers:
reindeer economies and their transform-
ations. Cambridge University Press,
New York
Most of the controversy in this field has to do with
the "scientific materialism" of archaeology; antagonists
become quite heated over such questions as whether it is
"winners" or "losers" that have innovated in agricultural
technique, and whether horticultural surplus antedates
political hierarchy, and whether social infrastructure
requires, or is required by, agriculture. You can start
on some of these questions yourself in
Reed, Charles A., editor
1977 Origins of agriculture. Mouton,
The Hague
The classic that everyone criticizes is
Boserup, Ester
1965 The conditions of agricultural growth:
the economics of agrarian change under
population pressure. Aldine Publishing
Company, New York
For other views, try
Ammerman, Albert J., and L. L. Cavalli-Sforza
1984 The neolithic transition and the genetics
of populations in Europe.
Clark, J. Desmond, and Steven A. Brandt
1984 From hunters to farmers: the causes and
consequences of food production in Africa.
University of California Press, Berkeley
Cohen, Mark Nathan, and George J. Armelagos
1984 Paleopathology at the origins of agriculture.
Proceedings of the 1982 Conference on Paleopath-
ology and Socioeconomic Change at the Origins
of Agriculture. Academic Press, New York
Cowan, C. Wesley, and Patty Jo Watson, with the
assistance of Nancy L. Benco
1992 The Origins of agriculture: an international
perspective. Smithsonian Institution Press,
Washington
Centro linceo interdisciplinare di scienze mate-
matiche e loro applicazioni
1986 The Origin and domestication of cultivated
plants: symposium. Elsevier, New York
Dolukhanov, Pavel Markovich.
1979 Ecology and economy in neolithic Eastern
Europe. Duckworth, London
Flannery, Kent V.
1986 Guila Naquitz: archaic foraging and early
agriculture in Oaxaca, Mexico. Academic
Press, Orlando
Harlan, Jack R., Jan M. J. de Wet, and Ann B. L. Stemler
1976 Origins of African plant domestication. Mouton,
the Hague
Higgs, Eric, editor
1976 Origine de l'elevage et de la domestication.
Centre national de la recherche scientifique,
Paris
MacNeish, Richard S.
1992 The origins of agriculture and settled life.
University of Oklahoma Press, Norman
Rindos, David
1984 The origins of agriculture: an evolutionary
perspective. Academic Press, Orlando
Sauer, Carl Ortwin
1969 Agricultural origins and dispersals; the
domestication of animals and foodstuffs.
M.I.T. Press, Cambridge
Smith, Philip Edward Lake.
1976 Food production and its consequences.
Cummings Publishing Company, Menlo Park
Zeven, A. C., and P. M. Zhukovsky
1975 Dictionary of cultivated plants and their
centres of diversity excluding ornamentals,
forest trees, and lower plants. Centre for
Agricultural Publishing and Documentation,
Wageningen
Zvelebil, Marek, editor
1986 Hunters in transition: Mesolithic societies
of temperate Eurasia and their transition to
farming. Cambridge University Press, Cam-
bridgeshire
--
Cameron Laird
claird@Neosoft.com (claird%Neosoft.com@uunet.uu.net) +1 713 267 7966
claird@litwin.com (claird%litwin.com@uunet.uu.net) +1 713 996 8546
Article 740 of bionet.plants:
Xref: samba alt.sustainable.agriculture:453 bionet.plants:740
Newsgroups: alt.sustainable.agriculture,bionet.plants
Path: samba!sunSITE!london
From: london@sunSITE.unc.edu (Larry London)
Subject: Re: More on Use of CCA-Treated Wood in Gardens
Message-ID: <1992Dec18.053251.24465@samba.oit.unc.edu>
Sender: usenet@samba.oit.unc.edu
Nntp-Posting-Host: sunsite.unc.edu
Organization: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.
References: <99.2b305654@ivgate>
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 05:32:51 GMT
In article <99.2b305654@ivgate> bob.batson@mtask.omahug.org writes:
> More on Use of CCA-Treated Wood in Gardens
>
> On page 91 of the August 1992 _HortIdeas_, we reported that researchers
>in New Zealand have suggested that sawdust from preservative-treated wood
>(CCA: copper/chromium/arsenic) might be suitable for use as an amendment
>for garden soils, despite evidence the roots of some plants growing in
>contact with such sawdust can concentrate copper, chromium, and arsenic
>"to high levels." But what about the safety of placing CCA-treated
>"landscape timbers" in close proximity to food plants? Master Gardeners in
>Bexar County, Texas, took soil samples six inches deep and one inch
>laterally from CCA-treated timbers in several gardens, old and new; they
>compared arsenic levels in those samples to levels in samples taken 12
>inches laterally from the timbers. The results: between 1.1 and 1.4 parts
>per million of arsenic, regardless of whether the samples were taken near
>treated timbers or not. Arsenic often occurs naturally in soils at levels
>up to 20 parts per million; experts consider dangerous levels to be in
>the 200-300 parts per million range. The Master Gardeners concluded (in
>agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) that CCA-treated
>timbers are acceptable for use in vegetable gardens.
> The Master Gardeners also tested for creosote in garden soil near used
>railroad ties; none was detected down to the limits of the testing
>apparatus (660 parts per billion).
> Reference: Calvin Finch, "Can I Use That Wood? Railroad Ties and
>Landscape Timbers Are Safe," THE GARDEN GATE, October 1992, 5. (Lane
>County Extension Service, 950 W. 13th Ave., Eugene, OR 97402.)
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Reprinted with permission from the November 1992 _HortIdeas_. Copyright
>1992 by Greg and Pat Williams. HortIdeas is $15 (2nd class mail within the
>USA) for one year (12 issues). For more information or a subscription,
>write: HortIdeas, 460 Black Lick Road, Gravel Switch, KY 40328, USA.
>*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
>Bob Batson
>bob.batson@mtask.omahug.org
Article 742 of bionet.plants:
Xref: samba bionet.plants:742 alt.sustainable.agriculture:454
Newsgroups: bionet.plants,alt.sustainable.agriculture
Path: samba!sunSITE!london
From: london@sunSITE.unc.edu (Larry London)
Subject: Re: plants, metals and contaminated sites
Message-ID: <1992Dec18.073006.28643@samba.oit.unc.edu>
Summary: 260 plants tested for purifiying ability
Keywords: Kathe Seidel of Max Planck Institute
Sender: usenet@samba.oit.unc.edu
Nntp-Posting-Host: sunsite.unc.edu
Organization: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
References: <9212151555.AA07029@esds01.es.dupont.com>
Distribution: bionet
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 07:30:06 GMT
Regarding hyperaccumulators, bioremediation, etc.:
See this article:
HARROWSMITH, The Magazine of Country Life
December, 1988
Number 18
Pages 38-47
"The New Alchemist" John Todd: Transforming Waste With a Rare Mettle
By Donella Meadows
-------------------------