宝天曼自然保护区栓皮栎林人工恢复与天然恢复效果比较

为比较宝天曼自然保护区内栓皮栎林人工恢复天然恢复的差异,采用样地调查法对相同恢复年限的栓皮栎人工林与天然次生林的物种组成、重要值、多样性指数和土壤性质等群落特征指标进行了比较研究。结果表明:(1)栓皮栎人工林群落具有维管束植物12科18属24种,次生林群落具有维管束植物27科40属48种,两个群落相似性较低(0.36);(2)栓皮栎次生林乔木层和灌木层物种的重要值比人工林低,乔木层和灌木层的物种数较人工林多;(3)栓皮栎人工林与次生林群落的乔木层、灌木层和草本层的Maglef指数、Shannon-Wiener指数、Simpson和Pielou均匀度指数相比均较低,人工林的4个多样性指数大小依次为灌木层、草本层、乔木层,天然次生林指数大小表现依次为灌木层、乔木层、草本层;(4)栓皮栎次生林的土壤全氮、全磷、有机质含量比人工林均较高。研究表明在宝天曼自然保护区内,相同恢复的年限,栓皮栎天然次生林无论物种组成、多样性指数、群落结构和土壤理化性质均优于栓皮栎人工林,天然恢复比人工造林恢复效果好。     

城郊4种人工林林下植被物种多样性、生物量与土壤养分相关性

采用样方调查及取样分析方法,研究了长沙市城郊4种人工林林下植被物种多样性、生物量及其土壤理化性质,并探讨了它们之间的相关性。结果表明:4种人工林灌木层植物丰富度、多样性指数均高于草本层,但均匀度指数却低于草本层;林下植被生物量总体表现为针叶林高于阔叶林;土壤养分含量垂直分布表现为随土壤深度增加而下降规律明显;土壤全N、全K、速效K含量与林下植物物种多样性指标呈显著相关性(p0.05),林地土壤含水率、速效P、速效K含量对各项多样性指标影响较为明显;灌木层生物量与pH值、枯落物生物量与全N的相关性较大,草本层生物量与有机质呈显著的负相关(p0.05),总生物量与全N相关性显著(p0.05)。     

不同密度大叶相思人工林林下植物和土壤特性

对3种密度大叶相思人工林的林下植物和土壤特性进行了研究.结果表明,大叶相思人工林林下植物的总覆盖度为:低密度林分(1 667株/hm2)＞中密度林分(4 444株/hm2)＞高密度林分(10 000株/hm2).林下植物总生物量呈现:低密度林分＞中密度林分＞高密度林分,低密度林分的灌木生物量最高,中密度林分的草本生物量最高.低、中、高密度林分的林下灌木层的Simpson多样性指数分别为0.679,0.935和0.708,草本层分别为0.837,0.678和0.789;灌木层的Shannon-Wiener多样性指数分别为1.657,0.535和1.171,草本层分别为0.904,1.228和1.064;灌木层的Pielou均匀度指数分别为0.691,0.333和0.654,草本层的分别为0.504,0.886和0.594.除有效P外,低密度和中密度林分的土壤特性优于高密度林分.     

民勤地区梭梭人工林密度与林下植物多样性的关系

[目的]开展梭梭人工林不同密度对林下植物多样性的影响研究,为合理经营梭梭人工林,充分发挥其生态功能提供技术支持。[方法]以甘肃省民勤县5种不同密度(1 250,1 111,1 000,1 333,1 667株/hm2)10~15年生梭梭人工林林下植物的重要值、丰富度指数、多样性指数、均匀度指数为指标,对林下植物多样性随林分密度的变化规律进行分析。[结果](1)梭梭人工林林下共有植物16种,隶属于9科15属,其中灌木层6科6属6种,草本层4科7属10种。(2)灌木层优势种随着密度变化明显,草本层优势物种受密度影响较小。(3)林下植被多样性对密度响应具有非同步性。随着密度的增加,呈现先增大后减少的变化规律。(4)综合评分表明,民勤县梭梭人工林密度为1 250株/hm2时林下植被多样性水平较好,比较适合林下植被生长。[结论]林下植被多样性指数对密度响应具有非同步性,比较适合林下植被生长的密度为1 250株/hm2。     

金尾矿废弃地不同植被恢复阶段物种多样性与土壤特性的演变

为探寻矿山废弃地植被恢复过程中植被和土壤的演替规律及物种多样性与土壤因子间的关系,以福建紫金山金尾矿废弃地为研究对象,采用空间代替时间序列的方法,对不同植被恢复阶段植物群落的物种多样性和土壤理化性质进行调查研究,并与未被破坏的自然植物群落和植被恢复前的裸尾矿进行比较分析。结果表明:(1)植被恢复能有效提高群落物种多样性,且随群落演替的进行呈上升趋势,不同植被恢复阶段的群落乔木层物种多样性明显低于灌木层和草本层,物种α多样性指数呈现相似的变化趋势;(2)植被恢复能有效改善土壤理化性质,不同植被恢复阶段的土壤容重和pH值随着恢复年限的增加而降低,土壤持水量和孔隙度逐渐提升,最大持水量和总孔隙度在恢复到11a时达到最大,相对于裸尾矿分别提高了112.91%和95.31%,有机质含量显著提高,是裸尾矿的1.99~23.30倍,养分含量逐渐增大,其中全磷和速效磷含量呈现先增加后降低的变化趋势;(3)相关性分析结果表明:植被恢复过程中物种多样性与土壤理化因子间具有明显的相关性,物种多样性与土壤养分含量呈现相似的变化趋势,植被的恢复不断改善着土壤理化性质,土壤肥力不断提高,而土壤理化性质的改善又促进了植物群落的发育和恢复发展。     

河西走廊民勤人工梭梭林群落的物种多样性研究

采用野外样方调查法,对民勤5个区域的人工梭梭林群落从物种重要值、多样性及土壤水分含量和物种多样性相关关系等方面进行了分析,结果表明:(1)民勤生态环境脆弱,人工梭梭林群落物种组成简单,共有植物16种,分属8科14属,以梭梭、骆驼刺、雾冰藜、沙蓬、刺沙蓬为优势种,反映了沙漠植被的特征;(2)民勤人工梭梭林群落物种多样性水平较低,其群落层次结构可分为灌木层和草本层,草本层的物种丰富度、多度比灌木层高,灌木层的Shannon-wiener指数、Pielou均匀度指数均比草本层的大,Simpson指数比草本层的小,反映出灌木层物种集中程度偏低、草本层物种均匀度偏低的规律;(3)草本植物对0～60 cm土层含水量有较高的依赖,草本层多度与0～60 cm土层含水量呈显著的正相关关系,但种的丰富度与0～60 cm土层含水量无显著的相关关系,而灌木层种的丰富度、多度与0～60 cm土层土壤含水量均无显著的相关关系,即土壤水分的变化对植物种的丰富度没有显著的影响。     

武夷山风景名胜区不同森林景观物种多样性特征研究

以武夷山风景名胜区植物群落调查样地资料为基础,运用物种丰富度、多样性指数及均匀度指数对构成该区森林景观的6类森林类型(马尾松林、杉木林、经济林、竹林、阔叶林和茶园)的物种多样性进行测定与分析。结果表明:6类森林景观不同生长型的物种丰富度存在差异,表现为灌木层物种丰富度较高,而乔木层与草本层物种丰富度较低,除个别森林类型外,各森林类型物种丰富度的垂直结构为灌木层>乔木层>草木层;不同森林景观类型的物种多样性亦存在较大差异,总体趋势为阔叶林>马尾松林>杉木林>竹林>茶园>经济林,符合物种多样性的一般性规律,即天然林景观>半人工林景观>人工林景观;基质景观天然马尾松林不同演替阶段的物种多样性随演替进展而逐渐增加。不同研究区物种多样性比较结果表明,武夷山风景名胜区具有较高的物种多样性。     

塔里木河中游荒漠河岸林土壤理化性质分布特征与植被关系

为揭示土壤理化性质的空间变异特征及其与植物数量特征、物种多样性的关系,运用相关性分析和回归分析等方法对塔里木河中游荒漠河岸林不同生境土壤理化性质的空间变异规律及其与植物数量特征和物种多样性进行了分析。结果表明:(1)不同生境土壤理化性质有明显的差异,表现为:土壤含水量、容重在河岸地带大于过渡地带和荒漠地带,持水量、孔隙度、全盐、pH值则随着垂直于河岸距离的增加而增加,有机质、全磷、全钾的最大值则出现在水热资源组合较好的过渡地带,生境内部不同土层理化因子变化呈现不同的规律;(2)随着距离河岸增加,乔木、灌木、草本的频度、盖度、密度存在不同程度退化,物种多样性指数也明显降低;(3)植物数量特征、物种多样性指数与土壤理化因子存在一定的相关性,全盐量、容重、土壤含水量、pH、全氮、全磷与植物的数量特征指标和物种多样性指数的关系最为密切;(4)经回归分析,表明土壤含水量是影响干旱地区植物生长的首要因子,而土壤养分也是影响植物生长的主要因素,且有机质、全磷、全钾与植物生长状况呈负相关。土壤理化性质的空间变异不仅促使区域植物数量特征发生明显变化,而且也影响群落的演替,同时,植物的空间分布特征对土壤理化性质有明显改良作用,通过二者关系的研究为塔里木河中游荒漠河岸林的恢复和土地沙化的治理提供理论支撑。     

有机肥施用对农田中小型土壤动物群落的影响

2016年玉米生长季6～9月,以农田土壤为研究对象,设置了有机肥4个不同施用量处理,即0 kg·hm~(-2)(CK)、15 000 kg·hm~(-2)(OF1)、30 000 kg·hm~(-2)(OF2)、45 000 kg·hm~(-2)(OF3),并对其中小型土壤动物群落及其多样性的变化进行调查研究。研究结果表明,1)从试验样地共捕获中小型土壤动物2 821只,其中:OF处理显著提高了中小型土壤动物个体密度(P0.05),OF1、OF2和OF3处理分别较CK提高2.28%、31.93%和60.70%;有机肥施用有降低类群数的趋势,但无显著差异(P0.05);2)各处理对中小型土壤动物多样性指数无显著影响(P0.05);3)农田中小型土壤动物具有明显表聚性,各处理0～10 cm土层的个体密度和类群数显著高于10～20和20～30 cm土层的个体密度(P0.05)。有机肥施用对农田中小型土壤动物具有一定的影响,有机肥对土壤的影响是深远的,目前的结果着重表现在对个体密度的影响较大,对多样性的变化,需要长期观测。     

桂西北光皮桦人工林水源涵养功能

为了研究广西西北部不同林龄光皮桦人工林的水源涵养功能,选择具有代表性的11,16年生光皮桦人工林、16年生杉木林,从林冠层、枯枝落叶层和土壤层3个层次及综合性的水源涵养能力进行了定量分析。结果表明:(1)11,16年生光皮桦人工林林冠层、灌木层、草本层持水量范围分别为12.54～21.06,2.15～3.05,1.27～1.52 t/hm~2,凋落物总储量为4.54～7.42 t/hm~2,最大持水量为12.55～16.00 t/hm~2,16年生均显著大于11年生(P0.05),凋落物吸水速率与浸水时间存在良好的线性关系(R~20.86,P0.05)。(2)土壤的孔隙状况表现为16年生光皮桦林11年生光皮桦林,均大于对照的16年生杉木林,0—20 cm显著大于20—40,40—80 cm土层。(3)11年生光皮桦土壤最大持水量、毛管持水量、非毛管持水量的变化范围分别为28.97%～60.55%,25.35%～47.21%,3.71%～13.34%,16年生的为29.06%～63.45%,25.63%～48.70%,3.34%～14.75%,均随着土层的加深而减少;11,16年生光皮桦林0—80 cm土壤层自然含水量范围分别为27.46～30.16,28.12～30.22 g/cm~3;总蓄水量分别为3 813.4,3 732.2 t/hm~2,均大于16年生杉木林(3 659.2 t/hm~2)。总体上,林龄较大的光皮桦人工林表现出较强的水源涵养功能,且优于同林龄的杉木人工林。研究结果可为该地区光皮桦人工林的经营管理提供科学依据。     

低氮和干旱胁迫对富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的影响

【目的】以富士（Fuji）、 秦冠（Qinguan）嫁接在平邑甜茶（Malus hupehensis Rehd.）上的当年生盆栽苗为试验材料,采用砂培方法,研究了缺氮胁迫和干旱对富士和秦冠生长情况、 光合参数、 植株各部位氮磷钾含量及氮素利用效率的影响,分析比较了低氮干旱条件下富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的差异,以期为果树生产高效肥水利用提供理论指导。【方法】试验共设四个处理: 正常氮正常水（ZZ）、 低氮正常水（DZ）、 正常氮干旱（ZG）、 低氮干旱（DG）。氮素和水分均设置两个水平,分别为正常氮（6 mmol/L NO-3-N）、 低氮（0.3 mmol/LNO-3-N）、 正常供水（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的80%~85%）、 干旱处理（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的60%~65%）。【结果】富士和秦冠的生物量（茎和叶）、 株高茎粗等生长指标以及光合速率、 气孔导度、 蒸腾速率均为正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）,并且相对应处理下秦冠的以上指标均高于富士;正常供水下,缺氮处理使富士、 秦冠的根冠比比正常氮处理均有所增加,富士提高了2.05%,秦冠提高了22.40%。富士和秦冠的氮、 磷、 钾含量均表现出正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）; 氮、 钾元素含量在植株各部位的分布顺序依次是叶＞根＞茎,磷元素则是根＞叶＞茎;光合氮素利用效率（PNUE）和氮素利用效率表现为秦冠处理之间差异极显著,富士处理之间差异不显著;秦冠的PNUE和NUE明显高于富士,在低氮正常水（DZ）处理下,秦冠氮肥利用率比富士高42.07%,在低氮干旱（DG）处理下高64.14%;低氮胁迫下富士和秦冠的NUE显著提高,并且秦冠提高的幅度高于富士。【结论】施用氮肥能够显著提高富士与秦冠的干物质量,同等水肥条件下,秦冠生长优于富士;水分亏缺会减少叶片对氮的吸收,干旱条件下适度增施氮肥,可提高果树的抗旱能力;低氮干旱胁迫下秦冠的生长指标、 光合指标及氮素利用效率指标均优于富士,表现出较强的抗低氮干旱胁迫的能力。     

Pasture Vegetation Elemental Analysis by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a new technique for the analysis of plant material. This study investigates the application of LIBS to pasture-based plant samples. The LIBS measurements were obtained from pelletized pasture samples (100 samples) that had been also analyzed by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) following microwave digestion for calibration and comparison purposes. Comparisons for elements sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), boron (B), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S) showed that LIBS could be used for almost all the standard profile total elements with concentrations down to low mg/kg levels (observed error of Na: 0.024 percent, K: 0.18 percent, Mg: 0.016 percent, Ca: 0.073 percent, P: 0.017 percent, Mn: 31 mg/kg, Fe: 150 mg/kg, Zn: 6.6 mg/kg, and B: 1.1 mg/kg). Elemental analysis at less than mg/kg levels was not possible using LIBS. The elements S and Cu were particularly difficult to analyze with reliability using LIBS at the concentration levels found in the plant samples. Replacing microwave digestion and subsequent ICP analysis with a direct analysis of dried plant samples using LIBS has the potential to improve the productivity and reduce the cost of testing.     

Faculty positions:Center for Agricultural Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences

正The Center for Agricultural Resources Research(CARR),the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology(IGDB),Chinese Academy of Sciences,invites applicants for several research group leader positions.CARR is one of the research organizations in Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS).We seek nominations and applications from individuals who have expertise and a record of accomplishment in research areas related to ecology,agro-hydrology,     

Assessing the effectiveness of conservation measures: Resolving the “wicked” problem of the Steller sea lion

“Wicked” problems are those that are complex and that change when solutions are applied. Many conflicts in conservation fall into this category. The study approached the problem of how to constrain the apparent wickedness of a problem in the conservation management of a species by using simple empirical indicators to carry out iterative assessment of the risk to a population and to document how this risk evolves in relation to the addition of new data and the implementation of management actions. Effects of high levels of uncertainty within data and also concerning population structure were examined through stochastic simulation and by exploration of scenarios. Historical trends in the example used, the Steller sea lion, showed rapid declines in abundance in some regions during the 1980s. The current total population is 130,000-150,000 Steller sea lions through Alaska and British Columbia and this number has been stable since about 1990 in spite of regional differences in population dynamics. Regional differences in the sequence of changes in the number of pups and non-pups, suggested that an internal re-distribution of juveniles could have happened between 1980 and 1990. Current productivity also appears close to the long-term mean. Stochastic population projection using various scenarios showed that, based upon this history, the risk of extinction for the population has declined and is below reasonable thresholds for considering the population to be endangered. The trends in risk suggest that management actions taken since 1990 have probably been effective. Consequently, the conservation management objectives for the Steller sea lion are probably being met. The approach provides a mechanism, based upon experience and scenario analysis, for exploring future policy options and may help to constrain the debate amongst stakeholders about the cost-benefit trade-offs associated with different options.     

Soil-profile distribution of primary and secondary plant-available nutrients under conventional and no tillage

Nutrient distributions under no tillage (NT) compared with conventional disk-and-bed tillage (CT) management in the warm, humid region of the southeastern USA need to be assessed so that future placement, quantity, and type of fertilizers can be altered, if necessary, to efficiently match crop demands. We determined soil-profile distributions of pH, N, P, S, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu to a depth of 0.9 m at the end of 8.5 years of continuous CT and NT management on a Weswood silty clay loam (fine, mixed, thermic Fluventic Ustochrept) in southcentral Texas. Most dramatic changes occurred within the 0–0.05 m depth, where soil under NT had lower pH, Fe, and Cu than under CT, but greater P, K, Zn, and Mn. Greater P and K under NT than under CT also occurred below the till-zone (0.15–0.3 m). At a depth of 0–0.3 m, soil under NT contained greater amounts of extractable P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu than under CT. Nitrogen fertilization had little effect on nutrient distributions, except resulting in greater extractable K at 0–0.05 m and greater nitrate at 0–0.15 m. Few changes in soil-profile distributions were observed for extractable S, Ca, Mg, and Na. Long-term continuous use of NT on this fine-textured, high-fertility (except for N) soil had no apparent adverse effects on nutrient distributions relative to CT, but enhanced conservation and availability of P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu near the soil surface where crop roots proliferate.     

Macroinvertebrates in North American tallgrass prairie soils: effects of fire, mowing, and fertilization on density and biomass

The responses of tallgrass prairie plant communities and ecosystem processes to fire and grazing are well characterized. However, responses of invertebrate consumer groups, and particularly soil-dwelling organisms, to these disturbances are not well known. At Konza Prairie Biological Station, we sampled soil macroinvertebrates in 1994 and 1999 as part of a long-term experiment designed to examine the effects and interactions of annual fire, mowing, and fertilization (N and P) on prairie soil communities and processes. For nearly all taxa, in both years, responses were characterized by significant treatment interactions, but some general patterns were evident. Introduced European earthworms (Aporrectodea spp. and Octolasion spp.) were most abundant in plots where fire was excluded, and the proportion of the total earthworm community consisting of introduced earthworms was greater in unburned, unmowed, and fertilized plots. Nymphs of two Cicada genera were collected (Cicadetta spp. and Tibicen spp.). Cicadetta nymphs were more abundant in burned plots, but mowing reduced their abundance. Tibicen nymphs were collected almost exclusively from unburned plots. Treatment effects on herbivorous beetle larvae (Scarabaeidae, Elateridae, and Curculionidae) were variable, but nutrient additions (N or P) usually resulted in greater densities, whereas mowing usually resulted in lower densities. Our results suggest that departures from historical disturbance regimes (i.e. frequent fire and grazing) may render soils more susceptible to increased numbers of European earthworms, and that interactions between fire, aboveground biomass removal, and vegetation responses affect the structure and composition of invertebrate communities in tallgrass prairie soils.     

Variation in quality parameters between and within 14 Nordic tree fruit and berry species

Abstract

A 3-year study was carried out to investigate quality parameters in 14 tree fruit and berry species grown in southern Norway. The species were blueberry, apple, aronia, sour cherry, sweet cherry, red raspberry, strawberry, blackcurrant, gooseberry, red currant and elderberry, harvested along with wild bilberry, cloudberry and lingonberry. Significant differences between species were identified for all quality parameters. The coefficient of variation between species was lowest for pH (12.5%), dry matter (18.9%) and soluble solids (25.3%), followed by titratable acids (59.3%), total phenolics (83.8%), antioxidant capacity FRAP (85.7%) and antiradical power by the DPPH-assay (97.8%), total monomeric anthocyanins (132%) and ascorbic acid (137%). Average coefficient of variation within species were lower and ranged from 4 (pH) to 62% (ascorbic acid). Only the FRAP values were significantly affected by harvesting year with lower levels in 2004 than in 2005 and 2006. There were significant interactions between species and harvesting year for dry matter, soluble solids, pH, ascorbic acid and FRAP. The results indicate generic ranges in composition within species independent upon growing location and climate, and the composition of the tree fruits and berries is not likely to deviate from these ranges. It is concluded that desirable composition of tree fruits and berries and their products should primarily be achieved by selection among species rather than searching fors broadened variation within individual species.     

Enhanced establishment and growth of giant cardon cactus in an eroded field in the Sonoran Desert using native legume trees as nurse plants aided by plant growth-promoting microorganisms and compost

To evaluate the feasibility of long-term desert reforestation technology of mixed vegetation, cardon cactus (Pachycereus pringlei) seedlings from indoor and outdoor nurseries were planted in the field adjacent to one seedling of potential legume nurse trees: mesquite amargo (Prosopis articulata), yellow palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla), and blue palo verde (Parkinsonia florida). Some of the planting holes were also supplemented with common dairy compost. Additionally, the combinations of legume tree–cactus were inoculated with either a consortium of desert arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB; the diazotroph Azospirillum brasilense Cd, and the phosphate solubilizer Paenibacillus sp.), or a mixture of all. The field experiments were evaluated periodically during 30 months for survival and growth. Cardons reared in an outdoor screen house survived better in the field than those reared in a controlled growth chamber and hardened later outdoors. Association with any legume nurse tree increased survival and enhanced growth of untreated cardons. For cardons growing alone, application of either compost, AM fungi, and all the treatments combined increased survival. For these plants, no treatment affected plant growth during the first 3 months after transplanting. Later, all treatments, except for AM fungi, enhanced plant growth. However, only 2 years after transplanting the enhanced growth effect of AM fungi was also significant. In the presence of the legume nurse trees, transient positive effects on cardon growth were recorded. General evaluation after 30 months of cultivation showed that the treatments positively affected cardon growth when growing alone or in combination only with mesquite amargo but not with the other two legume trees. This study proposes that young legume trees have the capacity to enhance survival and growth of cardon cactus, depending on the legume cactus combination. Additional treatments such as compost or PGPB can either amplify the effect or else attenuate it.     

Karyotypic and genome size variation in Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (pigeonpea) and some wild relatives

Detailed karyotypes and 4C DNA amounts have been studied in five cultivars of Cajanus cajan and 20 species belonging to Cajanus, Rhynchosia, Dunbaria, Flemingia and Paracalyx. C. cajan shows intraspecific variability and its karyotype is most similar to that of C. cajanifolius (sect. Cajanus) in the morphology and number of satellite chromosomes and the lack of any correlation between chromosome size within the complement and asymmetry. Karyotypes of C. lineatus and C. sericeus belonging to sect. Atylia are similar with respect to maximum r-index and the ratio of longest and shortest chromosomes in their respective complements. C. acutifolius (sect. Frutocosa) is distinct in having a very low ratio (1.44) between the longest and the shortest chromosomes, while in C. albicans, C. goensis, C. scarabaeoides (sect. Cantharospermum) there is no chromosome pair with r-index >2.0. C. mollis and C. volubilis (sect. Volubilis) show similarity with regard to ratio between the longest and the shortest chromosomes and a distinct chromosome pair with an arm ratio of 2.7 and C. platycarpus is distinct (sect. Rhynchosoides) in having the smallest ratio (1.36) between the longest and the shortest chromosomes. 4C DNA amounts in Cajanus and Rhynchosia vary between 3.28 pg to 11.69 pg and 4.92 pg to 11.13 pg respectively, while in Dunbaria, Flemingia and Paracalyx these vary between 4.70 and 7:06 pg. In the genus Cajanus karyotypic features and 4C DNA amounts agree with the sectional classification and bring out a close relationship between C. cajan and C. cajanifolius. This is supported by studies based on seed protein patterns, isozyme analysis, trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor patterns, RFLP and RAPD data and crossability relationships. A clear relation between DNA amount and abnormalities effecting the extent of pairing and recombination in interspecific hybrids shows the importance of this study in developing future breeding programme involving C. cajan and its wild relatives that are of potential value.     

Potassium Fixation and Release Characteristics in Rhizosphere and Nonrhizosphere Soils for a Rapeseed–Rice Cropping Sequence

Potassium (K) fixation and release in soil are important factors in the long-term sustainability of a cropping system. Changes in K concentration and characteristics of K fixation and release in rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils in the rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)–rice (Oryza sativa L.) rotation were investigated using a rhizobox system. The concentrations of different forms of K in both rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils decreased with plants compared to without plants, regardless of K fertilizer application. Potassium uptake by crops mainly came from the rhizosphere soil. In the treatment without K fertilizer (–K), the main form of K supplied by the soil to the crops was 1.0 mol L^?1 nitric acid (HNO₃) nonextractable K, followed by nonexchangeable K, and then exchangeable K. In the treatment with K fertilizer (+K), the main K forms supplied by the soil to the crops were exchangeable K and nonexchangeable K. The amount and rate of K fixation after one cycle of the rapeseed–rice rotation was greater in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The amount and rate of K fixation of soil in the +K treatment were significantly less than in the –K treatment. The cumulative amounts of K released with 1.0 mol L^?1 ammonium acetate (NH₄OAc) and 1.0 mol L^?1 HNO₃ extraction increased with the increasing numbers of extractions, but the K-releasing power of soil by successive extraction decreased gradually and finally became almost constant. The release of K was less in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The release of K in the +K treatment was similar to that in the –K treatment in rhizosphere soil, but the K release in nonrhizosphere soil was greater with the +K than the –K treatment. Overall, the information obtained in this study will be helpful in formulating more precise K fertilizer recommendations for certain soils.