• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1721-1725
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro effects of coconut materials on ruminal methanogenesis and fermentation characteristics, in particular their effectiveness for mitigating ruminal methanogenesis. Fistulated Holstein cows were used as the donor of rumen fluid. Coconut materials were added to an in vitro fermentation incubated with rumen fluid-buffer mixture and timothy substrate for 24 h incubation. Total gas production, gas profiles, total volatile fatty acids (tVFAs) and the ruminal methanogens diversity were measured. Although gas profiles in added coconut oil and coconut powder were not significantly different, in vitro ruminal methane production was decreased with the level of reduction between 15% and 19% as compared to control, respectively. Coconut oil and coconut powder also inhibited gas production. The tVFAs concentration was increased by coconut materials, but was not affected significantly as compared to control. Acetate concentration was significantly lower (p<0.05), while propionate was significantly higher (p<0.05) by addition of the coconut materials than that of the control. The acetate:propionate ratio was significantly lowered with addition of coconut oil and coconut powder (p<0.05). The methanogens and ciliate-associated methanogens in all added coconut materials were shown to decrease as compared with control. This study showed that ciliate-associated methanogens diversity was reduced by more than 50% in both coconut oil and coconut powder treatments. In conclusion, these results indicate that coconut powder is a potential agent for decreasing in vitro ruminal methane production and as effective as coconut oil.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1289-1294
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• 2013

This study evaluated the in vitro effect of medicinal plant extracts on ruminal methanogenesis, four different groups of methanogens and ruminal fermentation characteristics. A fistulated Holstein cow was used as a donor of rumen fluid. Licorice and mugwort extracts (Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Artemisia capillaris, 0.5% and 1% of total substrate DM, respectively), previously used as folk remedies, were added to an in vitro fermentation incubated with buffered-rumen fluid. Total gas production in Glycyrrhiza uralensis extract treatment was not significantly different between treatments (p<0.05) while total gas production in the Artemisia capillaris extract treatment was lower than that of the control. Artemisia capillaris extract and Glycyrrhiza uralensis extract reduced $CH_4$ emission by 14% (p<0.05) and 8% (p<0.05), respectively. Ciliate-associated methanogens population decreased by 18% in the medicinal plant extracts treatments. Medicinal plant extracts also affected the order Methanobacteriales community. Methanobacteriales diversity decreased by 35% in the Glycyrrhiza uralensis extract treatment and 30% in the Artemisia capillaris extract treatment. The order Methanomicrobiales population decreased by 50% in the 0.5% of Glycyrrhiza uralensis extract treatment. These findings demonstrate that medicinal plant extracts have the potential to inhibit in vitro ruminal methanogenesis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1464-1472
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• 2014

The microbial community structures of two continuous stirred tank reactors digesting turkey manure with pine wood shavings as well as chicken and swine manure were investigated. The reactor fed with chicken/swine wastes displayed the highest organic acids concentration (up to 15.2 g/l) and ammonia concentration (up to 3.7 g/l ammonium nitrogen) and generated a higher biogas yield (up to $366ml/g_{VS}$) compared with the reactor supplied with turkey wastes (1.5-1.8 g/l of organic acids and 1.6-1.7 g/l of ammonium levels; biogas yield was up to $195ml/g_{VS}$). The microbial community diversity was assessed using both sequencing and profiling terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms of 16S rRNA genes. Additionally, methanogens were analyzed using methyl coenzyme M reductase alpha subunit (mcrA) genes. The bacterial community was dominated by members of unclassified Clostridiales with the prevalence of specific clostridial phylotypes in each reactor, indicating the effect of the substrate type on the community structure. Of the methanogenic archaea, methanogens of the genus Methanosarcina were found in high proportions in both reactors with specific methanosarcinas in each reactor, whereas the strict hydrogenotrophic methanogens of Methanoculleus sp. were found at significant levels only in the reactor fed with chicken/swine manure (based on the analyses of 16S rRNA gene). This suggests that among methanogenic archaea, Methanosarcina species which have different metabolic capabilities, including aceticlastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis, were mainly involved in anaerobic digestion of turkey wastes.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.36-47
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• 2020

Three large scale weirs were constructed 2010 - 2011 in the Namhan river, Korea. The purpose of this study was to investigate the spatial distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates and the influence of environmental factors at the weirs 2014 - 2015. The number of species was higher in the riparian zone than in the transition or the limnetic zone. This seems to be because of the diversification of microhabitats and food sources according to the development of littoral zones. From the riparian zone to the limnetic zone, the individual abundance proportion of gathering collectors among functional feeding groups decreased, and that of filtering collectors increased. In the limnetic zone, sprawlers and climbers among habitat orientation groups decreased, and burrowers increased. This means that coarse particulate organic matter originated from land or riparian zone was transformed to fine particulate organic matter in the limnetic zone. Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) and chironomids were dominant species based on individual abundance. Asian clam, a major taxon considering biomass, was abundant toward the limnetic zone. This is becasue of the shallow depth, suitable water current, slightly coarse substrate, and good water quality. There was no significant relationship between the water quality and the characteristics of the benthic macroinvertebrate community because the water quality was spatially not heterogenous. The more influential factors for benthic community were physical factors, especially water depth. Water depth showed a markedly significant correlation with Shannon-Weaver's species diversity (r=-0.90), Margalef's species richness (r=-0.82), and McNaughton's dominance (r=0.86). Water depth showed a positive correlation (r=0.68) with the Kong and Kim BMSI (Bentic Macroinverebrates Streambed Index), and this may be related to the coarse substrate of the limnetic zone.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.19-31
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• 2019

To study the cleaning effects and post-treatment stability assessment of various methods of cleaning textiles with metal thread, six naturally-soiled historical textiles with metal thread were investigated at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Prior to the cleaning of fabricated gold, silver, and copper thread that had been glued onto a paper substrate, the artificial deterioration was carried out in a controlled environment with light(UV and daylight), and temperature and humidity factors which would weaken and damage the samples. A synthetic soil mixture was applied to the samples to imitate soil found on the historic and archaeological textiles with metal thread; the cleaning effect and post-treatment assessment were investigated by use of three textile cleaning methods: mechanical cleaning, wet cleaning, and solvent cleaning. While investigating the naturally-soiled textiles with metal thread, it was determined that the soil colors and sizes of contaminating particles of each textile were different due to the diversity of original environmental factors and conditions. After cleaning with kneaded rubber, Stoddard solvent, n-decane or n-hexane, a bright, clean effect was apparent. Kneaded rubber was successful in picking up both large and small particles, but its stickiness caused some of the metal leaf to peel off. Stoddard solvent produced a good cleaning effect, but after use of n-hexane and n-decane in the cleaning process, a white layer of residue remained on the textile's surface. Wet cleaning was not effective and the rapid humidity changes between wet and dry conditions caused the edges of the paper substrate to lose their original shape.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1562-1570
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• 2014

The effects of Lactobacillus mucosae (L. mucosae), a potential direct fed microbial previously isolated from the rumen of Korean native goat, on the rumen fermentation profile of brewers grain were evaluated. Fermentation was conducted in serum bottles each containing 1% dry matter (DM) of the test substrate and either no L. mucosae (control), 1% 24 h broth culture of L. mucosae (T1), or 1% inoculation with the cell-free culture supernatant (T2). Each serum bottle was filled anaerobically with 100 mL of buffered rumen fluid and sealed prior to incubation for 0, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h from which fermentation parameters were monitored and the microbial diversity was evaluated. The results revealed that T1 had higher total gas production (65.00 mL) than the control (61.33 mL) and T2 (62.00 mL) (p<0.05) at 48 h. Consequently, T1 had significantly lower pH values (p<0.05) than the other groups at 48 h. Ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3$-N), individual and total volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration and acetate:propionate ratio were higher in T1 and T2 than the control, but T1 and T2 were comparable for these parameters. Total methane ($CH_4$) production and carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) were highest in T1. The percent DM and organic matter digestibilities were comparable between all groups at all times of incubation. The total bacterial population was significantly higher in T1 (p<0.05) at 24 h, but then decreased to levels comparable to the control and T2 at 48 h. The denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profile of the total bacterial 16s rRNA showed higher similarity between T1 and T2 at 24 h and between the control and T1 at 48 h. Overall, these results suggest that addition of L. mucosae and cell-free supernatant during the in vitro fermentation of dried brewers grain increases the VFA production, but has no effect on digestibility. The addition of L. mucosae can also increase the total bacterial population, but has no significant effect on the total microbial diversity. However, inoculation of the bacterium may increase $CH_4$ and $CO_2$ in vitro.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.515-521
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• 2004

Anaerobic digestion has many advantages over the more conventional aerobic treatment processes such as low levels of excess sludge production, low space (area) requirements, and the production of valuable biogas. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of organic loading rate of anaerobic digestion on thermophilic($55^{\circ}C$) and mesophilic($35^{\circ}C$) conditions. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) method was also used to study the microbial community in the reactors. The stabilizing time in mesophilic anaerobic reactors was shorter as approximately 20 days than 40 days in the thermophilic anaerobic reactors. The amount of methane production rate in anaerobic reactors was independent of the concentrations of supplied substrates and the amount of methanogens. When the microbial diversity in the mesophilic and thermophilic reactors, which had been treated with acetate-based artificial wastewater, were compared, it was found that methanogenesis was carried out by microbial consortia consisting of bacteria and archaea such as methanogens. To investigate the activity of bacterial and archaeal populations in all anaerobic reactors, the amount of acetate was measured. Archaea were predominant in all reactors. Interestingly, Methanothrix-like methanogens appeared in mesophilic anaerobic reactors with high feed substrate concentrations, whereas it was not observed in thermophilic anaerobic reactors.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.120-130
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• 1994

Stages of vegetation development on talus area were studied to examine temporal changes in species composition and vegetation structure, and to elucidate the mechanism of early patch formation. While ground coverage of lichens, which may form substrate for moss colonization and mitigate the heat-stress on rocks, decreased gradully, coverage of mosses increased slightly during primary succession. Ecological role of mossess related with water retention in community may be very important not only at pioneer stage but also at later stages because of little soil development on this talus area. Species diversity and species richness increased during the early stages of succession. Parthenocis년 tricuspidata and Sorbaria sorbifolia var. stellipa dominated in liana stage, Ulmus davidiana for. suberosa and Lindera obtusiloba in shrub stage, and Fraxinus rhynchophylla and Actinidia arguta in subtree stage, however, was composed of mixed forest of several tree species. U. davidiana for. suberosa, L. obtusiloba, Securinega suffruticosa and Rhus chinensis were relatively important woody species in early patch forming process. The results, however, suggested that early establishment on talus area might be strongly associated with chance for safe-site because both pioneer species and later species could take part in early patch forming process.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.183-190
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• 2019

Background: In the Philippines, the practice of planting mangroves over seagrass has been a practice done to promote coastline protection from damages done by storms. Despite the added protection to the coastline, the addition of an artificial ecosystem gradually inflicts damage to the ecosystem already established. In this study, seagrass communities that had no history of mangrove planting were compared with those that had mangrove planting. The percent substrate cover of seagrass in the sampling areas was determined, and the macroinvertebrates present in the sampling areas were also observed. The study was conducted based on reports of mangrove planting activity that disrupted seagrass functions on Santa Fe, Bantayan Island, Cebu. Transect-quadrat method sampling was done to assess the chosen sites. Results: Six species of seagrass was found on the site without mangrove planting which was barangay Ocoy (Cymodocea sp., Thalassia sp., Halodule sp., Enhalus sp., Halophila sp., and Syringodium sp.) and had a higher percent cover, while only four were found on the site with mangrove planting (barangay Marikaban). It was also found that barangay Marikaban had a lesser Shannon-Wiener and Simpson's index compared to barangay Ocoy. Jaccard's index of similarity between the two sites was low. Conclusion: With the results of the assessment, we recommend proper monitoring of future mangrove planting activities and that these activities should not disrupt another ecosystem as all ecosystems are important.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1993-2005
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• 2019

Thermophilic anaerobic digestion (TAD) is characterized by higher biogas production rates as a result of assumedly faster microbial metabolic conversion rates compared to mesophilic AD. It was hypothesized that the thermophilic microbiome with its lower diversity than the mesophilic one is more susceptible to disturbances introduced by alterations in the operating factors, as an example, the supply of nitrogen-rich feedstock such as poultry manure (PM). Laboratory scaled TAD experiments using cattle slurry and increasing amounts of PM were carried out to investigate the (in-) stability of the process performance caused by the accumulation of ammonium and ammonia with special emphasis on the microbial community structure and its dynamic variation. The results revealed that the moderate PM addition, i.e., 25% (vol/vol based on volatile substances) PM, resulted in a reorganization of the microbial community structure which was still working sufficiently. With 50% PM application, the microbial community was further stepwise re-organized and was able to compensate for the high cytotoxic ammonia contents only for a short time resulting in consequent process disturbance and final process failure. This study demonstrated the ability of the acclimated thermophilic microbial community to tolerate a certain amount of nitrogen-rich substrate.