†Background Plants require at least 14 mineral elements for their nutrition. These include the macronutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and sulphur (S) and the micronutrients chlorine (Cl), boron (B), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni) and molybdenum (Mo). These are generally obtained from the soil. Crop production is o...

Bisphosphonates are currently the most important class of antiresorptive agents used in the treatment of metabolic bone diseases, including tumor-associated osteolysis and hypercalcemia. These compounds have high affinity for calcium ions and therefore target bone mineral, where they are internalized by bone-resorbing osteoclasts and inhibit osteoclast function. Nitrogen-containing bisphosphona...

This study examines stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen in bone collagen and the elemental concentrations of strontium in the bone mineral of terrestrial vertebrates fi'om a variety of ecosystems. Documentation of the separation oftrophic levels by these indices is essential for the assessment of the trophic position of prehistoric humans. Particular emphasis is given to carnivores in ...

Hypolithic microbial communities (i.e. cryptic microbial assemblages found on the undersides of translucent rocks) are major contributors of carbon input into the oligotrophic hyper-arid desert mineral soils of the Eastern Antarctic Dry Valleys. Here we demonstrate, for the first time, that hypolithic microbial communities possess both the genetic capacity for nitrogen fixation (i.e. the presen...

Rhizobial inoculation has been widely used in controlled conditions as a substitute for chemical fertilizers to increase plants growth and productivity. However, very little is known about such effects on mature trees in natural habitats. In this study, we investigated the effect of rhizobial inoculation on soil total microbial biomass, mineral nitrogen content, potential CO2 respiration, fluor...

Nitrogen and mineral (Fe, Mg, Na, K, and Ca) compositions of foodstuffs consumed by and dung produced by male, pregnant and lactating female adult Icelandic reindeer and calves were determined during May of 1992. Iron levels in foodstuffs are consistently above the reported toxicity level for similar-sized sheep (0.5 ppt) and may lead to iron toxicity when consumed by reindeer during periods of...