土壤环境中多环芳烃研究的回顾与展望——基于Web of Science大数据的文献计量分析

为深入了解土壤环境中多环芳烃研究的全球状况和前沿动态,客观反映相关国家、机构和个人在该领域的科学能力和影响,采用ISI Web of Knowledge的Web of Science引文数据库,对1900―2014年间该库收录的土壤环境中多环芳烃研究领域的相关文献进行了计量分析。结果表明,该领域全球发文量总体呈持续快速上升趋势,美国的发文量、总被引频次和H指数均居榜首,中国的发文量和总被引频次居次席,但篇均被引频次明显偏低;中国科学院和英国兰卡斯特大学的发文量和H指数居研究机构的前两位,篇均被引频次排名最高的研究机构是美国马萨诸塞大学;英国兰卡斯特大学的Jones K C等两位学者发文量和H指数最高,北达克科特大学Hawthorne S B的篇均被引频次最高,国内学者中北京大学的陶澍和浙江大学的朱利中最有影响力;该领域的主要期刊有Environmental Science & Technology、Chemosphere和Environmental Pollution等;该领域的研究热点多集中于土壤环境中多环芳烃的降解及生物修复、多环芳烃在各介质中的溶解与吸附、以及多环芳烃的源解析等方向,“中国”相关研究在近5年中占重要地位。     

国际土壤有机质研究概况和趋势——基于文献计量学分析

土壤有机质对土壤生态系统的健康发展有至关重要的作用。为厘清全球土壤有机质研究的脉络,作者利用WOS数据库结合Citespace软件分析了国际土壤有机质研究的相关概况,并对未来土壤有机质可能的研究方向提供参考意见。结果显示:全球土壤有机质研究正处在快速发展阶段,发文量最多、H指数最高和篇均被引最多的国家均是美国;发文量最多的研究机构是中国科学院,总被引频次最多的机构是美国农业部,H指数最高的是美国加州大学;发文量最多、总被均被引频次和H指数最高的科研学者均是Lal,篇均被引最高的学者是Six;从发文量和总被引频次以及H指数来看,《Soil Biology and Biochemistry》是最权威的期刊;全球土壤有机质研究的最新热点集中在土地利用方式、生物多样性、农业土壤、土壤污染和土壤呼吸作用等方向。未来全球土壤有机质研究可能会集中在土壤有机质对农业生态系统的影响、土壤有机质对环境污染的影响和土壤有机质结构及性质的分析三个方向。     

基于CNKI的我国生物炭研究趋势文献计量学分析

为客观全面地分析我国生物炭领域的发展脉络及研究动态,利用CNKI中国期刊全文数据库的出版年份、论文数量、研究机构、资助资金等指标,结合Citespace关键词可视化分析方法,系统阐述我国生物炭研究领域的概况,综合分析我国生物炭研究的主要热点及趋势。结果表明:我国生物炭领域的研究处在快速发展阶段,总发文量呈指数增长;发文量最多的研究机构是南京农业大学,被引频次最多的是西北农林科技大学;我国生物炭领域的研究主要受国家层面的基金引导;南京农业大学的潘根兴发表生物炭文章最多,被引频次最多的作者是西北农林科技大学的耿增超;发文量和总被引频次最多的期刊均是《农业环境科学学报》,篇均被引用次数最多的期刊是《应用生态学报》;我国生物炭研究的热点主要集中在肥料、土壤有机碳、土壤养分、吸附、解吸、改良剂等方向。总体而言,我国生物炭研究热点从农业领域向环境领域转变,土壤环境污染修复、土壤质量改善和土壤可持续发展、碳库储量提升是我国未来生物炭研究的主要趋势。     

土壤环境中多环芳烃研究的回顾与展望——基于WebofScience大数据的文献计量分析

为深入了解土壤环境中多环芳烃研究的全球状况和前沿动态,客观反映相关国家、机构和个人在该领域的科学能力和影响,采用ISI Web of Knowledge的Web of Science引文数据库,对1900—2014年间该库收录的土壤环境中多环芳烃研究领域的相关文献进行了计量分析。结果表明,该领域全球发文量总体呈持续快速上升趋势,美国的发文量、总被引频次和H指数均居榜首,中国的发文量和总被引频次居次席,但篇均被引频次明显偏低;中国科学院和英国兰卡斯特大学的发文量和H指数居研究机构的前两位,篇均被引频次排名最高的研究机构是美国马萨诸塞大学;英国兰卡斯特大学的Jones K C等两位学者发文量和H指数最高,北达克科特大学Hawthorne S B的篇均被引频次最高,国内学者中北京大学的陶澍和浙江大学的朱利中最有影响力;该领域的主要期刊有Environmental ScienceTechnology、Chemosphere和Environmental Pollution等;该领域的研究热点多集中于土壤环境中多环芳烃的降解及生物修复、多环芳烃在各介质中的溶解与吸附、以及多环芳烃的源解析等方向,“中国”相关研究在近5年中占重要地位。     

污染农田土壤的重金属钝化技术研究——基于Web of Science数据库的计量分析

为全面直观了解全球农田土壤重金属污染钝化修复研究进展和发展趋势,本文基于Web of Science(简称WoS)核心合集数据库利用WoS数据库自带分析工具、HistCite引文图谱分析软件和VOSviewer可视化分析软件,从发文量或被引频次TOP10的国家、研究机构、作者、期刊、研究热点等方面对1990―2019年发表的农田土壤重金属污染钝化修复文献进行计量分析。结果表明,世界范围内农田土壤重金属钝化修复领域年度发文量呈逐渐增长的趋势,发文量前三的国家是中国、美国和西班牙,中国的发文量远超其他国家,占比28.79%;发文机构主要是中国科学院、西班牙高等科学研究委员会、中国科学院大学、佛罗里达大学和浙江大学等,其中中国科学院发文量和被引频次均为最高,在该领域具有显著的科研水平和影响力;主要期刊有Environmental Science and Pollution Research、Chemosphere、Science of the Total Environment和Journal of Hazardous Materials等;目前应用较多的钝化剂主要是污泥、生物质炭、赤泥、堆肥、磷酸盐、石灰、废弃物等,关注的重金属主要是镉、铅、铜、锌、砷等,主要侧重于重金属的生物有效性。     

基于文献计量学分析的全球生物质炭研究进展

为了深入了解国内外生物质炭的研究现状与研究热点，为相关研究领域的科研工作者与决策者提供参考，该文以Web of Science 核心数据库为数据源，采用文献计量学方法对2003-2020年间全球发表的生物质炭研究文献进行分析。全球生物质炭研究的发文量呈快速增长趋势，其中中国总发文量和总被引频次均位居世界首位。中国-美国是生物质炭研究最大的合作关系体。发文量最多的机构是中国科学院。中国有8名学者发文量进入世界前20名，上海交通大学曹心德的总发文量和总被引频次位列大陆学者榜首。发文量最大的学科方向是环境科学。中国在生物质炭研究方面发展快、成果产出多，但缺乏有国际影响力的核心成果，在研究创新性和发文质量上还有待提升。关键词分析表明，生物质炭在土壤改良和农业生产中的应用、利用生物质炭处理废水及修复污染土壤，以及生物质炭制备方法和工艺的创新是生物质炭的主要研究热点。而生物质炭制备材料与工艺的创新、各类功能型生物质炭纳米复合材料的开发，以及继续拓宽生物质炭在不同领域的高效利用可能成为今后的研究热点。     

基于Web of Science对土壤重金属污染修复研究的计量分析

为了解国内外土壤重金属污染修复技术的最新研究进展、研究热点及发展趋势,通过Web of Science~(TM)核心合集数据库,利用Web of Science(简称WOS)数据库自带的分析工具、Hist Cite引文图谱分析软件、VOSviewer可视化分析软件和Origin 9.1作图软件,从发文量TOP10的国家(地区)、高产作者、来源期刊、重要研究机构、研究方向热点等方面对21世纪以来(2000—2016年间)发表的有关土壤重金属污染修复研究文献进行计量分析。结果表明:该领域研究中国发文量第一,但均篇被引次数较低;高产作者主要来自美国和中国,前三名分别为美国作者Ma L Q、比利时作者Vangronsveld J和中国作者Zhou Q X(周启星);重要研究机构前三名为中国科学院、浙江大学和美国佛罗里达大学;主要期刊有Environmental ScienceTechnology、Journal of Hazardous Materials、Chemosphere和Environmental Pollution等;主要研究热点是植物修复技术以及生物修复、固化/稳定化修复技术;主要研究的土壤重金属对象是镉(Cd)、铅(Pb)、铜(Cu)、锌(Zn)、类重金属砷(As)等;研究主要涉及的学科是环境科学、生态学、工程学、农学和水资源学等。本文对该领域初学者了解该领域研究方向、发展趋势和研究热点具有指导意义。     

基于知识图谱分析的污染场地研究现状与发展趋势

为了解国内外污染场地相关研究状况,利用知识图谱工具VOSviewer、CiteSpace与HistCite对Web of Science核心合集数据库中发文的主要国家（地区）与机构、主要发文期刊、主要研究学者、重要文献和研究热点及其变化趋势等进行了计量分析。结果表明：（1）污染场地的研究涉及多个国家之间相互合作,发文机构中中国科学院、橡树岭国家实验室、滑铁卢大学、中国科学院大学与亥姆霍兹环境研究中心在该研究领域合作广泛。中国于近五年发文量超过美国,成为该领域发文最多的国家。（2）污染场地研究的主要发文期刊有Science of the Total Environment、Chemosphere、Environmental Science & Technology、Environmental Science and Pollution Research等,Naidu Ravi、Huang Guohe、Megharaj Mallavarapu等是该领域发文较多的研究学者。污染场地前十（TOP 10）的重要文献中,生物修复相关内容中占据了较高比例。（3）关键词聚类网络主要可分为污染场地生物毒理研究、土壤重金属及修复技术、污染物环境行为及水体修复、有机污染物生物修复等4类。（4）文献计量的结果分析表明土壤与地下水均为污染场地有害物质重要承载体,污染场地中土壤和地下水具有一体性,如果忽视了对地下水中污染的修复,则可能会导致场地的二次污染。重金属与多环芳烃是污染场地重点关注的污染物,我国目前重金属污染防治工作依然不容乐观,需要进一步加强和落实相应工作。寻求高效绿色的修复技术仍是解决污染场地问题的一个重点,提升微生物修复技术在有机污染场地修复中的应用价值,具有重要意义。     

国际土壤酸化研究知识图谱分析

  目的  全面直观了解近年来全球土壤酸化研究趋势与前沿热点。  方法  以Web of Science数据库为基础,借助VOSviewer和CiteSpace等可视化分析软件,对1991 ~ 2020年发表的土壤酸化文献共7049篇,从发文量、国家、研究机构、作者、高被引论文、期刊和关键词等多个角度进行可视化计量分析。  结果  近30年来国际土壤酸化领域年度发文量呈逐渐上升趋势;中国和美国的发文量远超其他国家,但中国中心性较低;中国科学院发文量和中心度最高,中国科学院大学、瑞典农业大学和中国农业大学等机构也具有较强的科研水平和国际影响力;研究人员独立性较强,核心研究群体之间合作较少;共被引期刊主要有WATER AIR SOIL POLL、PLANT SOIL、SOIL SCI SOC AM J、NATURE和SCIENCE等;热点研究包括氮、铝、沉降、施肥、重金属、森林土壤、气候变化、有机质、植物生长、酸化影响和治理等方面,并呈阶段特征。  结论  研究有利于全面了解近年来国际土壤酸化研究发展历程,为国内酸化研究及应用提供参考。     

基于WoS引文数据库对2008—2021年土壤团聚体研究文献的计量分析

[目的]为深入了解国内外土壤团聚体研究进展和未来发展趋势,明确当前的热点问题,为土壤团聚体领域的科研工作者与决策者提供参考。[方法]基于Web of Science引文数据库,借助VOSviewer, CiteSpace科学图谱绘制软件和R语言的BiblioShiny程序分析工具,对土壤团聚体研究的发文量、期刊、国家(地区)、机构、关键词和主题演变进行计量分析。[结果]土壤团聚体领域发文量总体呈现上升的趋势;从国家研究实力上来看排在前三位的有中国、美国和德国,其中中国的发文量远超其他国家,比例为25.4%;研究机构中有中国科学院、中国科学院大学、西北农林科技大学占据主要地位;主要发文期刊有Geoderma,Soil&Tillage Research,Catena和Science of the Total Environment等;从战略坐标图和关键词分析可知土壤有机质(碳)为该领域研究的核心主题,“黄土高原”“保护性农业”“生态系统服务”“土壤健康”“微生物群落”等主题词是该领域近5 a来研究的热点内容。[结论]在气候变化背景下,土壤团聚体与有机质、微生物量研究是当前土壤团聚体...     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Effect of some fungicide seed treatments on the survival of Bradyrhizobium japonicum and on the nodulation and yield of soybean [Glycine max. (L) Merr.]

Several commercial fungicide seed treatments were evaluated for their possible effect on the survival of Bradyrhizobium japonicum on seeds and on the nodulation and yield of soybeans in a greenhouse and a field experiment. quinolate Pro (carbendazim and oxine copper), Vitavax 200FF (carboxin and thiram), and Monceren (pencycuron) had a small effect or no effect on the survival of B. japonicum and on the nodulation and yield of soybeans. They can thus be considered compatible with soybean seed inoculation. Germipro UFB (carbendazim and iprodione), Apron 35J (metalaxyl), and Tachigaren (hymexazol) decreased B. japonicum survival and the nodulation and yield of soybeans and thus cannot be considered compatible with soybean seed inoculation.     

Einfluss der düngungsmethoden auf die entwicklung von zuckerrübenkrankheiten

Während neunjähriger (1994-2002) Untersuchungen in der Versuchsanstalt Ba?cyny (Fahlerde, Fall-Gleyboden, ausgebildet aus leichtem Lehmboden) wurde der Befall mit Krankheiten an der Zuckerrübe in Abhängigkeit von der Düngungsmethode bewertet. Folgende Methoden wurden angewendet: A - Mineraldünger, B - Stalldung und Mineraldünger, C - Stroh-, Gründung und Mineraldünger, D - Kompostdünger und Biopräparate (ökologische Düngung). Auf den Objekten A, B, C wurden bei konstanter Phosphor-Kalium-Düngung die Stickstoffgaben von 0 bis 180 kg.ha^?1 differenziert. Auf dem ökologischen Objekt D ohne Mineraldünger wurden statt Stickstoff die Biopräparate P₅₀₀ und P₅₀₁ verabreicht. Der geringste Befall von Krankheiten wurde an der Zuckerrübe auf jenem Objekt festgestellt, das mit Kompost und den Biopräparaten gedüngt worden war. Im Rahmen der konventionellen Düngungsmethoden wurde allgemein die höchste Intensität der Krankheiten an der mit Stroh, Gründung und Mineraldünger gedüngten Zuckerrübe beobachtet. Ausnahmen von dieser Regel bildete das Vorkommen von echtem Mehltau und Keimlingsfäule. Auf den Objekten A, B, C nahm die Intensität der Krankheiten mit der Steigerung der Stickstoffgabe zu. Auch die auf Objekt D verabreichten Biopräparate stimulierten die Entwicklung der Krankheiten. The effect of various fertilization methods on the diseases of sugar beet was estimated on the basis of nine-year studies (1994-2002) conducted in the Experimental Production Farm in Ba?cyny on loess-based, sedimentary-gley, light-clay soil. The following fertilization methods were applied: A - mineral fertilization, B - mineral and manure fertilization, C - straw, green manure and mineral fertilization, D - ecological compost and biodynamic preparations fertilization. In the objects A, B and C fertilized with phosphorus and potassium, various doses of nitrogen ranging from 0 to 180 kg/ha^?1 were used. In the ecological object D, where mineral fertilization was not used, biodynamic preparations P₅₀₀ and P₅₀₁ were applied instead of nitrogen. The lowest ratio of the diseases of sugar beet was observed in the object fertilized with the compost and biodynamic preparations. In view of the conventional fertilization methods, generally the highest incidence of diseases was noted in the sugar beet fertilized with straw, green manure and mineral fertilizers. The exception was the occurrence of powdery mildew and the black leg. In objects A, B and C the incidence of the diseases increased with the increase in nitrogen doses. The applied biodynamical preparations in the object D stimulated the development of diseases too.     

Prospects for control of Pythium damping-off of lettuce with Trichoderma,Gliocladium and Enterobacter spp.

Summary Damping-off of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) caused by Pythium ultimum was studied in pots containing a non-sterile potting mix in the glasshouse. Fifty P. ultimum sporangia g^-1 compost reduced the plant stand to 15% and shoot dry weight to 18%, but this reduction was totally prevented by applying Trichoderma harzianum at 2×10⁵ viable propagules g^-1 potting mix. Gliocladium virens and Enterobacter cloacae also alleviated the damping-off. E. cloacae did not adversely affect the action of the fungal antagonists. The co-existence of the bacterial and fungal antagonists was revealed on the root surface and inner surface of the testa by scanning electron microscopy, indicating the compatibility of the biocontrol agents.     

细菌、真菌及植物氮营养信号研究进展

氮素吸收代谢是所有生物生命活动的核心部分,因此,各种生物对氮的吸收与同化过程都有精细的调节。这种调节依赖于生物对体内氮素状况信号及体外（生长介质中）氮素信号的感受。过去几十年中,在细菌、真菌中已经对氮素营养信号有了较好的研究,而植物中则相对缓慢,但也有了一定的认识。本文重点比较细菌、真菌及植物中氮信号系统的组成,以期为进一步认识植物中的氮信号接受与转导系统提供启示。     

Aircraft operations near concentrations of birds in Antarctica: The development of practical guidelines

Aircraft operations have the potential to disturb and to impact negatively on bird life. A gradient of increasing behavioural response is evident in birds when exposed to increasing aircraft stimulus. The most major disturbance is likely to lead to impacts on the health, breeding performance and survival of individual birds, and perhaps bird colonies. A process of revision to policies on aircraft operations contained in management plans for a number of specially protected areas in Antarctica by the United Kingdom, accompanied by consultations made within the scientific community through the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and with operational interests through the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes (COMNAP) resulted in new guidelines being adopted by the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties in June 2004. The principal recommendations of the guidelines are that bird colonies should not be overflown below 2000 ft (∼610 m) above ground level and landings within 1/2 nautical mile (∼930 m) of bird colonies should be avoided wherever possible. These guidelines are less stringent and less specific than those that were recommended by the SCAR specialist group on birds, and represent a compromise to accommodate operational needs. While the adoption of clear and consistent guidelines for the operation of aircraft in Antarctica is welcome in that this provides practical advice that is likely to reduce incidences of close aircraft/bird encounters, there remains insufficient knowledge of the interactions between aircraft and birds in Antarctica, and the consequent impacts on individual birds and on bird populations. It is important, therefore, that the guidelines adopted are considered interim, and should be kept under scrutiny with revisions made as new and improved research results appear.     

The abundance of heterocystous blue-green algae in rice soils and inocula used for application in rice fields

Summary Algal populations were quantified (as colony-forming units [CFU] per square centimetre) in 102 samples of rice soils from the Philippines, India, Malaysia and Portugal, and in 22 samples of soil-based inocula from four countries. Heterocystous blue-green algae (BGA) were present in all samples. Nostoc was the dominant genus in most samples, followed by Anabaena and Calothrix. In soils, heterocystous BGA occurred at densities ranging from 1.0 × 10² to 8.0 × 10⁶ CFU/cm² (median 6.4 × 10⁴) and comprised, on average, 9% of the total CFU of algae. Their abundance was positively correlated with the pH and the available P content of the soils. In soil-based inocula, heterocystous BGA occurred at densities ranging from 4.6 × 10⁴ to 2.8 × 10⁷ CFU/g dw (dry weight), comprising only a moderate fraction (average 13%) of the total algae. In most soils, the density of indigenous N₂-fixing BGA was usually higher than that attained by applying recommended rates of soil-based inoculum. Whereas research on the practical utilization of BGA has been mostly directed towards inoculation with foreign strains, our results suggest that attention should also be given to agricultural practices that enhance the growth of indigenous strains already adapted to local environmental conditions.Maître de Recherches ORSTOM (France), Visiting Scientist at IRRI