ALBERT

Notes: Accumulation of nutrients in the sediment under a tilapia cage farm (2.8–4.4% C, 0.26–0.49% N and 0.04–0.26% P) seemed to follow a seasonal pattern, with highest concentrations prior to winter water turnover. However, in April 1994 (and for P also in April 1992) the surface sediment contained significantly higher nutrient concentrations compared to controls. Generally, significantly higher pore water concentrations were found under the cages compared to controls. However, only in April 1992 were these concentrations of the same magnitude as those found in temperate studies. The average flux of particulate material under the cages, 20–49 g m−2 per day, was up to 22 times greater compared to controls. Carbon accumulated only in April 1994, implying rapid decomposition. This was supported by a 4–25-fold higher outward flux of ammonium and phosphate from the farm sediment but sediment O2 consumption was only 29–40% higher compared to control sites. It was concluded that intensive fish farming in the tropics can generate similar eutrophication effects that are observed in temperate regions. However, the results also indicated that a tropical lake system may be able to process local deposition of organic wastes better than a temperate one, suggesting that microbial decomposition may be a rapid and prominent process.

Notes: We review estimates of the spatial ecosystem support required to run a typical semi-intensive shrimp farm in a coastal mangrove area in Carribean Colombia, and to produce food inputs and process wastes for large-scale industrially managed tilapia cage culture and small-scale, semi-intensive tilapia pond farming in Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. The tilapia farming is discussed in relation to the pelagic kapenta, Limnothrissa miodon (Boulenger), fishery and to inshore fisheries in the Lake.The results show that a semi-intensive shrimp farm needs a spatial ecosystem support—the ecological footprint—35 to 190 times the surface area of the pond, mainly mangrove area. Based on the analysis, we conclude that shrimp farming in Colombia is already utilizing close to the full support capacity of its coastal environment. In intensive tilapia cage farming, the ecological footprint for feed production is 10 000 times larger than the area of the cages. In contrast, a tilapia pond farm maintained on offals from fisheries, agriculture and households depends very little on external ecosystem areas. As long as there is a direct market for human consumption of all kapenta caught in the Lake, fish cage farming based on fish meal from kapenta would be doubtful from ethical, ecological as well as resource management points of view, even if it was economically feasible.

Notes: A method of prediction of perceptibility of luminous-transmittance and dominant wave-length differences by spectrophotometric measurements is given for a small area of the color continuum with a specific product. Graphs are presented from which the dominant wave-length or luminous-transmittance differences necessary for discrimination are read directly, at various probability levels of success, for any dominant wave length or transmittance over the range of red wines.

Notes: The electrochemical possibilities for investigation of nucleic acids with high molecular weight are restricted to the determination of the adsorption behavior. According to our experience the alternating current polarography (Breyer-polarography) is mainly appropriate for the characterization of changes in the secondary structure of DNA. The Breyer-polarogram shows the alternating current of the dropping electrode in dependence on their potential which varied from 0-2 v. negative against the normal calomel electrode (NCE). By addition of native DNA to the supporting electrolyte (buffer solution) the current drops down in the range of adsorption between 0 and 1 v. At 1.16 v. against NCE the desorption takes place together with the formation of a rounded desorption peak. The investigation was carried out in phosphate buffer solution 0.1m with 0.075m NaCl or in a phosphate buffer 0.18m with 0.03m NaCl. In the pH range above pH 8 NaOH was added to realize the higher pH values. A calf thymus DNA sample having a mean molecular weight of about 18 million was used. The concentration of DNA was 5 × 10-3-1 × 10-1 wt.-%. The polarographic measurements were performed with an a.c./d.c.-polarograph “GWP 564” from Akademiewerkstätten für Forschungsbedarf der Deutschen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin (DAW). The denaturation of the double helix causes a sharp desorption peak at negative potentials of the alternating current polarogram. This new criterion for the helix-coil transition is due to formation of unpaired bases. These nearly free bases undergo a specific adsorption and the desorption takes place within a narrow potential range. Nevertheless, at present time an electron transfer to particular bases cannot be excluded at special conditions. The increase of the sharp peak permits to estimate: (a) the melting curve of the double helix in agreement with spectroscopic measurements; (b) the photolysis of the double helix; (c) the strand separation in acid and alkaline solution. In the alkaline range the sharp peak increases and reaches its maximum at pH 〉 12. In the acid range, however, no sharp peak is observed and the rounded desorption peak decreases. Therefore, the best way of following the conformation changes is to measure the current difference between the curves of the solutions with and without DNA at electrocapillary-zero-potential. On the classical d.c.-polarogram one can measure small current steps only, which may be caused mainly by capacity changes. Moreover, the scission of the molecule by ultrasonic action can be followed. In this case the rounded peak of DNA increases but the sharp peak does not appear. Similar alternating current polarograms are obtained with poly-A in the native state, because helical and unordered regions coexist in the same molecule. The very rapid indication of these structure changes allows one to carry out kinetic measurements at a fixed potential with this method.