This experiment tested the impact of grass species and fungal endophyte status and strain on soil nitrification. Three C3 grassÁendophyte combinations were tested: Festuca arundinaceaÁ Neotyphodium coenophialum; F. pratensisÁN. uncinatum; Lolium perenneÁN. lolii, and included different strains of endophyte and endophyte-free grasses. Three C4 species* Brachiaria decumbens, Paspalum dilatatum and Pennisetum clandestinum*of unknown Acremonium endophyte status, were also tested. Plants were grown for 6 weeks without fertiliser in pots in a field soil (Mollic Psammaquent), then rhizosphere soil was sampled and incubated at 27 8C with and without (NH 4) 2 SO 4. The NO À 3 ÁN production was measured weekly. The presence of plants significantly increased the nitrification rate compared with bare soil. There were significant differences (P 00.02) among plant species. In all cases, endophyte presence increased nitrification in soil samples (PB0.001) relative to endophyte-free within a species.

The homeless have been identified as a group at risk of significant anxiety and depression and screening is therefore highly desirable to identify those needing psychological and psychiatric support. However, the psychometric properties of routine screening instruments have yet to be established in this group. This study sought to determine the psychometric properties of the widely used Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in this group. Using a cross-sectional design, 314 clients presenting at homelessness units (shelters) supported by The Salvation Army were administered the HADS. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed three-factor models offered the best fit to the data (best-fit model CFI = .98, RMSEA = .06, WRMR = .87). This investigation confirms contemporary research findings that the HADS comprises an underlying tri-dimensional factor structure. However, the internal consistency of the HADS anxiety (alpha = .81) and depression (alpha = .90) sub-scales was excellent. The findings of the current study suggest that the HADS is a suitable screening tool in this group.

Suicide behaviour rates vary significantly between countries due to a range of cultural, behavioural and health‐related factors. Gender and age‐related factors also appear to be impor tant key determinants of vulnerability to suicide ideation and suicide completion. The homeless population is par ticularly at risk, due to multiple complex issues that relate to social exclusion, alcohol, drug, mental health and nutritional issues. Studying homeless people is problematic due to access, the transitory nature of their contact with statutary services, problems of self‐repor t and recall in people ‐ some of whom have mental health and cognitive issues. There is an increasing interest from practitioners and academic researchers in spiritual factors that appear to modulate the responses of an individual to the internal and external threats that underlie the motivation to end his or her life. Effective approaches to suicide prevention and crisis management require a good understanding of the interplay between this complex set of biological, psychological and social domains. These will be explored in the final section of this review. This paper, therefore, aims to provide a non‐systematic review of the existing literature published in academic journals and relvant ‘grey literature’ and focuses on themes in the literature that will hopefully inform both policy and practice.

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