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Authenticity markers of cultivated blueberries (Vaccinium sp.) and European wild blueberry (V. myrtillus) assessed by hyperspectral imaging and machine learning algorithms
Get PDFThe present study was undertaken to tackle food fraud in the food chain by developing a novel panel of analytical fingerprints to distinguish the fruit of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), a wild European blueberry grown in Finland, from their commercial cultivated counterparts based on V. corymbosum or other originally American Vaccinium species. The analytical fingerprints were derived using hyperspectral imaging (HSI). The cultivated domestic blueberry samples from Finland (N = 188), those imported (N = 338), and domestic Finnish wild bilberry fruit (N = 247) were imaged using Specim IQ and FX17 HSI cameras. The fruit HSI data were then classified using seven machine learning model types. The supervised evolutionary feature selection algorithm was used to recognize the most separating subset of wavelengths (nm predictors, colors) between the fruit class labels, which were 1) wild bilberry fruit vs. cultivated blueberry fruit and 2) domestic cultivated blueberry fruit vs. imported cultivated blueberry fruit. Moreover, we ran 190,822 individual models and 54,137 predictor combinations to determine whether subsets or all wavelengths better distinguished fruit class labels. Overall, the best model type, the rbf kernel support vector machine (rbf-SVM), showed excellent prediction performance when classifying wild bilberries vs. cultivated blueberries with HSI data obtained using both camera types (4.1% and 3.2% holdout set errors). Also the rbf-SVM performed well when classifying domestic cultivated blueberries vs. those imported with HSI data obtained using an IQ camera (2.3% holdout set error). Our results showed that hyperspectral imaging could predict food fraud attempts concerning the Vaccinium fruit of different origin and species.202
Subtle changes in topsoil microbial communities of drained forested peatlands after prolonged drought
Get PDFA major consequence of anthropogenic climate change is the intensification and extension of drought periods. Prolonged drought can alter conditions in drained peatlands and cause disturbances in microbial communities in the topsoil layer of the peat. Varying environmental conditions throughout the growing season, such as the availability of organic matter and nutrients, temperature and water table, further impact these communities and consequently affect carbon and nutrient cycles. The impact of drought and new forestry practices is largely unknown in drained peatland forests. We examined how microbial communities change over a growing season in different harvesting intensities (continuous cover forestry, clear-cut and uncut) in a drained peatland site using bacterial 16S and fungal ITS2 rRNA analysis. We found seasonal differences in bacterial and fungal diversity and species richness, and subtle changes in microbial communities at the phylum and genus levels when comparing various environmental factors. Diversity, species richness and relative abundance differed in spring compared to summer and autumn. However, significant differences in the microbial community structure were not detected. Understanding the responses of microbial communities to disturbances like drought and other environmental factors provides new insights into the consequences of climate change on drained forested peatlands.202
Snowpack, surface energy balance, and soil hydrology in cold regions : integration of process-based modelling and multi-source data
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What is the impact of neutral detergent fibre digestibility on productive performance of beef cattle fed tropical forages?
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Phylogenetic analysis and morphological characteristics of laccate Ganoderma specimens in Finland
Get PDFThe Ganoderma lucidum complex includes fungi with similar morphologies but which are thought to represent different species. The lack of available type material and associated absence of multiple locus sequence data has complicated identification of these fungi. The aim of this study was to clarify the identity of the laccate Ganoderma species occurring in Finland by inferring a phylogeny using DNA sequences from available boreal-temperate material. DNA from Finnish isolates together with an older G. lucidum isolate originating from the United Kingdom was sequenced, and the morphological features of the Finnish specimens were examined. The phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), the elongation factor 1-α (tef1), RNA polymerase II subunit (rpb2), and partial β-tubulin (β-tub) genes revealed that the G. lucidum isolate from the United Kingdom did not fall within a well-supported clade with other G. lucidum sequences or related species. The Finnish isolates were closely related to the G. tsugae lineage in tef1, rpb2, and β-tub phylogenies. However, G. tsugae appears morphologically distinct from the Finnish material. The results suggest that G. tsugae, or a species phylogenetically closely related to it, may occur in Finland. But further investigation into the relationship between G. tsugae and G. lucidum from Europe will be needed to clarify the identity of the laccate Ganoderma species in Finland.202
Review of the Seasonal Wastewater Challenges in Baltic Coastal Tourist Areas: Insights from the NURSECOAST-II Project
Get PDFThe NURSECOAST-II project addresses the challenge of managing wastewater in near-coastal tourist destinations around the Baltic Sea, particularly from small treatment plants (<2000 PE) that experience fluctuating flows due to seasonal tourism. These fluctuations make it difficult to meet environmental standards, potentially harming both the environment and tourism. The project has created a GIS-based inventory of small wastewater treatment plants within 100 km of the coast. This inventory includes crucial operational data like flow rates, pollutant levels, and treatment technologies. Initial findings reveal significant discrepancies in data management, regulations, and treatment standards across the Baltic Sea region countries, as EU legislation does not uniformly cover plants under 2000 PE. Key findings highlight that small treatment plants are often undocumented, their environmental impact underestimated, and regulations vary widely. Small plants can significantly contribute to nutrient pollution, affecting the Baltic Sea, particularly in local areas. The data gathered will support local authorities in identifying gaps and improving management strategies. This study stresses the need for harmonized data collection and reporting methods across countries and suggests establishing a unified database accessible to both specialists and the public. The status of the collected data depending on the type of data and country was as follows: 38.11% from Denmark, 46.14% from Estonia, 26.36% from Finland, 15.56% from Germany, 23.47% from Latvia, 34.77% from Lithuania, 14.51% from Poland, and 45.40% from Sweden. Ultimately, this project aims to enhance wastewater management, protect the environment, and improve tourist satisfaction in coastal regions.202
