To cope with the global climate crisis and assist in achieving the carbon neutrality, the use of biomass materials to fully or partially replace petroleum-based products and unrenewable resources is expected to become a widespread solution. Based on the analysis of the existing literature, this paper firstly classified biomass materials with potential application prospects in pavement engineering according to their application and summarized their respective preparation methods and characteristics. The pavement performance of asphalt mixtures with biomass materials was analyzed and summarized, and the economic and environmental benefits of bio-asphalt binder were evaluated. The analysis shows that pavement biomass materials with potential for practical application can be divided into three categories: bio-oil, bio-fiber, and bio-filler. Adding bio-oil to modify or extend the virgin asphalt binder can mostly improve the low temperature performance of asphalt binder. Adding styrene-butadienestyrene (SBS) or other preferable bio-components for composite modification will have a further improved effect. Most of the asphalt mixtures prepared by using bio-oil modified asphalt binders have improved the low temperature crack resistance and fatigue resistance of asphalt mixtures, but the high temperature stability and moisture resistance may decrease. As a rejuvenator, most bio-oils can restore the high and low temperature performance of aged asphalt and recycled asphalt mixture, and improve fatigue resistance. Adding bio-fiber could significantly improve the high temperature stability, low temperature crack resistance and moisture resistance of asphalt mixtures. Biochar as a bio-filler can slow down the asphalt aging process and some other bio-fillers can improve the high temperature stability and fatigue resistance of asphalt binders. Through calculation, it is found that the cost performance of bio-asphalt has the ability to surpass conventional asphalt and has economic benefits. The use of biomass materials for pavements not only reduces pollutants, but also reduces the dependence on petroleum-based products. It has significant environmental benefits and development potential.

• Klíčová slova
• Asphalt pavement, Bio-fiber, Bio-filler, Bio-oil, Biomass material,
• MeSH
• biomasa MeSH
• ropa * MeSH
• uhlovodíky * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• asphalt MeSH Prohlížeč
• Bio-Oil MeSH Prohlížeč
• ropa * MeSH
• uhlovodíky * MeSH

Production of carotenoids with red yeasts is a promising area of industrial biotechnology. All spectrophotometrical ("classic") analyses of carotenoids are based on preliminary extraction of the water-insoluble carotenoids; thus, these analyses are precise but complicated and time consuming. This paper presents a simple method to evaluate the red-colored carotenoids in yeast biomass by its color, without extraction. The method is based on digital characteristics of the biomass whole coloring, and it has already been successfully applied in other areas of biology: to compare plant and animal objects. In contrast to spectrophotometry measuring the amount of light that can pass through a solution, the biomass photo is a reflected color of the insoluble compounds. Application of this method to microorganisms permitted to compare the yeast strains and the effects of substrates or culturing regimes for any change in the red-colored pigments. The proposed rapid method was compared with the classic analyses of the carotenoids and showed that evaluation of red-colored carotenoids by the whole coloring of biomass can be used to discover changes in the yeast carotenoid production. In whole, the paper contributes method which is new for pigmented microorganisms and has a potential application in biotechnology.

• Klíčová slova
• Carotenoids, Torularhodin, Yeasts, biomass color,
• MeSH
• biomasa * MeSH
• biotechnologie trendy   MeSH
• fotografování MeSH
• karotenoidy * analýza   chemie   MeSH
• kvasinky * chemie   MeSH
• spektrofotometrie MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• karotenoidy * MeSH

The relationship between competition and productivity in plant communities is unclear, and this is likely to be due to (1) a confusion in the literature between productivity and biomass, (2) the lack of studies assessing variation in competition in all combinations of biomass and productivity. We assessed the outcome of plant-plant interactions by removing the neighbors around five focal species in 14 herbaceous communities with contrasting biomasses and productivities: meadows with high biomass and productivity, heathlands with high biomass and low productivity, understory communities of deciduous forests with low biomass and high productivity and calcareous grasslands with low biomass and low productivity. Competition intensity was quantified with the relative interaction index (RII) calculated for both survival and growth of the transplanted targets assessed with the increase in leaf number. To examine which traits better explain variation in competition and what drives variation in diversity, we also quantified litter decomposition rate, species composition and diversity and six morphological traits related to plant size and growth rate for eight dominant species of each community. Our main questions were: (1) Is competition mostly related to biomass or productivity? (2) Which traits of the community dominants better explain variation in competition? (3) Is variation in competition and related traits correlated with variation in diversity? Competition for survival significantly increased with increasing community biomass (but not productivity). In addition, competition for survival increased with the size traits and competitive effects of the dominant species of the communities, whereas diversity decreased. Competition for growth also increased with increasing productivity, but only for high-biomass communities. Additionally, the increase in competition for growth with increasing soil fertility, as measured with litter decomposition rate, was only due to an increase in target growth in plots without neighbors and was unrelated to community competitive effects and species diversity. The results of our study illustrate how the confusion between productivity and biomass could have contributed to the long-standing debate on variation in competition along productivity gradients and its consequence for diversity.

• Klíčová slova
• biomass, competition, diversity, grasslands, growth traits, heathlands, production, productivity, size traits, understory communities,
• MeSH
• biodiverzita MeSH
• biomasa MeSH
• fertilita MeSH
• lesy * MeSH
• půda MeSH
• rostliny * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• půda MeSH

Grassland ecosystems account for approximately 40% of terrestrial biomes globally. These communities are characterized by a large allocation to belowground biomass, often exceeding its aboveground counterpart. However, this biomass investment cannot be entirely attributed to the acquisitive function of roots. Grassland plants also allocate to non-acquisitive, stem-derived, belowground organs, such as rhizomes. These organs are responsible for the key plant functions of space occupancy, resprouting after damage, and seasonal rest. However, biomass investment to rhizomes has rarely been studied. Here we gathered community-level aboveground and rhizome biomass data for 52 temperate grasslands in Czech Republic (Central Europe), differing in management intensity. We found that rhizome biomass scaled linearly with aboveground biomass, and more intensive management disproportionally (negatively) affected rhizome biomass. This finding may have important implications for the persistence of temperate grassland plants and their provision of ecosystem services (e.g., soil carbon sequestration, soil stabilization) in relation to changing environments.

• Klíčová slova
• aboveground-rhizome biomass scaling, biomass allocation strategies, disturbance, mowing frequency, open ecosystems,
• MeSH
• biomasa MeSH
• ekosystém * MeSH
• oddenek MeSH
• pastviny * MeSH
• půda MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH
• Názvy látek
• půda MeSH

Sampling of microbial biomass is crucial for understanding and controlling remediation processes ongoing at contaminated sites in general, particularly when molecular genetic analyses are employed. In this study, fiber-based carriers with a nanofiber layer were developed and tested as a method to sample microbial biomass in groundwater for molecular genetic analysis. Nanofiber carriers, varying in the shape and the linear density of nanofibers, were examined throughout a 27-month monitoring period in groundwater contaminated with benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene isomers (BTEX), and chlorinated ethenes. The effect of carrier shape and nanofiber layer density on the microbial surface colonization and composition of the microbial biofilm was determined using real-time PCR and next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis. Differences in microbial community composition between nanofiber carriers, groundwater, and soil samples were also analyzed to assess the applicability of carriers for biomass sampling at contaminated sites. The nanofiber carriers showed their applicability as a sampling tool, particularly because of their easy manipulation that facilitates DNA isolation. The majority of taxa (Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes) present on the carrier surfaces were also detected in the groundwater. Moreover, the microbial community on all nanofiber carriers reflected the changes in the chemical composition of groundwater. Although the carrier characteristics (shape, nanofiber layer) did not substantially influence the microbial community on the carrier surface, the circular and planar carriers with a nanofiber layer displayed faster microbial surface colonization. However, the circular carrier was the most suitable for biomass sampling in groundwater because of its high contact area and because it does not require pre-treatment prior to DNA extraction.

• Klíčová slova
• Biomass carrier, Biomass sampling, Groundwater, Nanofibers, Next-generation sequencing, Real-time PCR,
• MeSH
• biodegradace MeSH
• biomasa MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu * analýza   MeSH
• nanovlákna * MeSH
• podzemní voda * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu * MeSH

Tree size shapes forest carbon dynamics and determines how trees interact with their environment, including a changing climate. Here, we conduct the first global analysis of among-site differences in how aboveground biomass stocks and fluxes are distributed with tree size. We analyzed repeat tree censuses from 25 large-scale (4-52 ha) forest plots spanning a broad climatic range over five continents to characterize how aboveground biomass, woody productivity, and woody mortality vary with tree diameter. We examined how the median, dispersion, and skewness of these size-related distributions vary with mean annual temperature and precipitation. In warmer forests, aboveground biomass, woody productivity, and woody mortality were more broadly distributed with respect to tree size. In warmer and wetter forests, aboveground biomass and woody productivity were more right skewed, with a long tail towards large trees. Small trees (1-10 cm diameter) contributed more to productivity and mortality than to biomass, highlighting the importance of including these trees in analyses of forest dynamics. Our findings provide an improved characterization of climate-driven forest differences in the size structure of aboveground biomass and dynamics of that biomass, as well as refined benchmarks for capturing climate influences in vegetation demographic models.

• Klíčová slova
• biomass, climate gradients, forests, tree size distribution, woody mortality, woody productivity,
• MeSH
• biomasa MeSH
• dřevo MeSH
• teplota MeSH
• tropické klima * MeSH
• uhlík * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• uhlík * MeSH

Lignocellulosic biomass is available in abundance as a renewable resource, but the major portion of it is often discarded as waste without utilizing its immense potential as an alternative renewable energy resource. To overcome recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass, various pretreatment methods are applied to it, so that the complex and rigid polymeric structure can be broken down into fractions susceptible for enzymatic hydrolysis. Effective and efficient biomass processing is the goal of pretreatment methods, but none of the explored pretreatment methods are versatile enough to fulfil the requirement of biomass processing with greater flexibility in terms of operational cost and desired output efficiency. Deployment of green solvents such as ionic liquids for the pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass has been a topic of discussion amongst the scientific community in recent times. The presented work provides a detailed overview on the deployment of ionic liquid for the pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass coupled with a brief discussion on other pretreatments methods. The recyclability and reusability along with other unique properties makes an ionic liquid pretreatment different from the other traditional pretreatment methods. Also, this study explores diverse critical parameters that governs the dissolution process of biomass. Hazardous properties of ionic liquids have also been explored. Future perspective and recommendations have been given for an efficient, effective, and eco-friendly deployment of ionic liquid in biomass pretreatment process.

• Klíčová slova
• Dissolution, Enzymatic hydrolysis, Ionic liquid, Lignocellulose biomass, Pretreatment, Solubilization,
• MeSH
• biomasa MeSH
• hydrolýza MeSH
• iontové kapaliny * chemie   MeSH
• lignin chemie   MeSH
• obnovitelná energie MeSH
• rozpouštědla chemie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• iontové kapaliny * MeSH
• lignin MeSH
• rozpouštědla MeSH

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a widely used technology that allows for the reprocessing and reduction of waste biomass. A study was conducted to see if the AD technology might be used to process radioactively polluted agricultural biomass. For this purpose, laboratory tests were carried out with a 20-liter model biogas plant (BGP) with the radionuclide 134Cs and operational tests with the South Bohemian commercial biogas plant monitoring the radionuclide 137Cs. The activities of 134Cs in inputs, contaminated grass or maize silage and in emerging fractions were investigated in the model fermenter. The activity of 134Cs in the dry matter during the fermentation process increased by 46% on average, which corresponds to a reduction of dry matter by 43% due to the production of biogas. 137Cs activities were measured in commercial BGP maize, grass, and whole plant silage, wheat, digestate, biogas, and aerosol samples. The commercial BGP fermentation process was more efficient, with an 80% reduction in dry mass weight. Dry biomass (1.37 Bq/kg) had a 137Cs massic activity that was 4.4 times lower than the activity of dry digestate mass (6.01 Bq/kg). The activity of the 137Cs in biogas aerosol was 1.1 × 10-7 Bq/m3 or less, and the decontamination factor was 6.9 × 106 or greater. Most Cs remain in the digestate. No other ways of radioactivity leakage have been identified.

• Klíčová slova
• (137)Cs, Biogas technology, Biomass, Waste processing,
• MeSH
• anaerobióza MeSH
• biomasa MeSH
• biopaliva * MeSH
• bioreaktory MeSH
• kukuřice setá MeSH
• lipnicovité MeSH
• monitorování radiace * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biopaliva * MeSH
• Cesium-134 MeSH Prohlížeč
• Cesium-137 MeSH Prohlížeč

The measurement of fitness is critical to biological research. Although the determination of fitness for some organisms may be relatively straightforward under controlled conditions, it is often a difficult or nearly impossible task in nature. Plants are no exception. The potential for long-distance pollen dispersal, likelihood of multiple reproductive events per inflorescence, varying degrees of reproductive growth in perennials, and asexual reproduction all confound accurate fitness measurements. For these reasons, biomass is frequently used as a proxy for plant fitness. However, the suitability of indirect fitness measurements such as plant size is rarely evaluated. This review outlines the important associations between plant performance, fecundity, and fitness. We make a case for the reliability of biomass as an estimate of fitness when comparing conspecifics of the same age class. We reviewed 170 studies on plant fitness and discuss the metrics commonly employed for fitness estimations. We find that biomass or growth rate are frequently used and often positively associated with fecundity, which in turn suggests greater overall fitness. Our results support the utility of biomass as an appropriate surrogate for fitness under many circumstances, and suggest that additional fitness measures should be reported along with biomass or growth rate whenever possible.

• Klíčová slova
• biomass, fecundity, fitness, plant performance, selection,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Estimating algal biomass is a prerequisite for monitoring growth of microalgae. Especially for large-scale production sites, the measurements must be robust, reliable, fast and easy to obtain. We compare the relevant parameters, discuss potential hurdles and provide recommendations to tackle these issues. The focus is on optical density and in vivo autofluorescence of chlorophyll, which have proven to be ideal candidates for monitoring purposes. Beyond biomass, cell vitality is also crucial for maintaining cultures. While maximizing biomass yield is often the primary consideration, some applications require adverse growth conditions for the synthesis of high-quality compounds. The non-invasive technique of pulse-amplified modulated (PAM) fluorescence measurements provides an ideal tool and is increasingly being employed due to ever more affordable devices. We compared three devices and studied the robustness of the dark fluorescence yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) at various cell densities. Although the so-called inner filter effects influence the fluorescence signal, the resulting Fv/Fm remain stable and robust over a wide range of cell densities due to mutual effects.

• Klíčová slova
• algae, biomass, biotechnology, cultivation, fluorescence, growth,
• MeSH
• biomasa MeSH
• chlorofyl MeSH
• fluorescence MeSH
• fotosystém II (proteinový komplex) MeSH
• mikrořasy * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chlorofyl MeSH
• fotosystém II (proteinový komplex) MeSH