VARIABILITY OF SOIL CHEMICAL PROPERTIES IN TWO UNCULTIVATED BROWN EARTHS

The variability in pH, loss-on-ignition, exchangeable cations, extractable phosphate, and soil moisture, has been studied for the 0.15 cm horizon of uncultivated, unfertilized Brown Earths at two upland grassland sites in North Wales. The results show that there is a high degree of variability in samples taken at the same time on circles of 1 m radius at all sampling locations. For example, coefficients of variation for exchangeable cations (except sodium) average 33 per cent for twenty-two samples taken on the same occasion at three locations. This spatial variability prevented detection of any additional seasonal trends during a 22-week summer sampling period. It is essential to consider the importance of spatial variability in any pedological or ecological study.     

THE INFLUENCE OF TEXTURE ON THE MOISTURE CHARACTERISTICS OF SOILS

The available-water capacity (AWC) of soil profiles in the field may be estimated by (a) measuring the thickness of each soil horizon; (b) assessing its texture; and (c) summing the products of the thickness of each horizon and the mean values of AWC for the relevant textural classes. (This mean value of AWC was calculated from the average particle-size composition and from a relationship between particle size composition and AWC.) Estimates of AWC using this method were compared with measured values for each of 39 soils. When a 21 textural-class system was used to describe the soils, the mean error (the error of the estimated AWC value relative to the measured value) was ±10 per cent and with a 12 class system the mean error was ±17 per cent.     

ROTHAMSTED STUDIES OF SOIL STRUCTURE V.

Three pairs of soils were chosen, each with one difficult and one easily manageable soil with similar texture. Mechanical composition and organic matter content greatly affected the measured physical properties some of which related to the field behaviour of each pair. Soils from all horizons were stable to water slaking except some subsoils on the Ragdale, Hanslope, Salop, and Flint series. Dry and total mechanical slaking were less and breaking strengths more for the Denchworth, Evesham, Ragdale and Hanslope series than for the Salop and Flint soils. Water-holding capacity was largest for the Denchworth and Evesham soils, but slow penetration of water into their dense clods could influence regeneration of tilth.     

Distribution of 14C between particle size fractions and carbohydrates separated from a peat incubated with 14C-glycine

Samples of fresh Sphagnum peat from a raised bog were amended with ¹⁴C-labelled glycine. The distribution of ¹⁴C between particle size fractions obtained by wet sieving (sieve sizes 1, 0.5, 0.25, 0.15 and 0.05mm) was determined immediately on control (unincubated) samples and after 1, 6 and 12 months incubation at 10°C. The recovery of glycine in solution was almost 100%. During the incubation with ¹⁴C-glycine, ¹⁴CO₂ was released within the first 20 weeks, equivalent to 51.5% of the added ¹⁴C, but thereafter very little ¹⁴CO₂ was evolved. After 26 weeks a substantial amount of ¹⁴C was distributed amongst all the fractions, but the greatest incorporation (4.47%) occurred in the finest fraction (0.005–0.05 mm). Labelling of the other particle size fractions was <2.3% of added ¹⁴C. Carbohydrate accounted for 23% of ¹⁴C in the finest fraction and the sugars, rhamnose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, galactose and glucose all became labelled. Rhamnose showed the greatest, and arabinose, galactose and xylose the least, increase in specific activity; glucose and mannose had intermediate values. It was concluded that the finest fraction in peat contains a significant proportion of the microbially-synthesized material.     

FURTHER STUDIES ON VARIABILITY OF SOIL CHEMICAL PROPERTIES: EFFICIENCY OF SAMPLING PROGRAMMES ON AN UNCULTIVATED BROWN EARTH

Assessments of mean and range of variation for pH, loss on ignition, total nitrogen, and exchangeable K, Na, Ca, Mg, and Mn in the surface horizon of a uniform uncultivated soil have been made by nine sampling programmes. The selected soil was known to have spatial chemical variability of magnitudes widely found in other soils and situations. The effort involved in these programmes was, for sampling and analysis time, from 1.2 to 66 man-days. The most complete sampling programme (275 samples each a composite of 10 cores), was used as a standard against which to compare the efficiency of the other programmes. Mean values for chemical quantities other than loss on ignition differed statistically significantly between programmes but there was no consistent trend with any particular programme. Knowledge of the range of variation is believed to be very important in interpretation of analyses and it is found that a programme using only 6 composite samples measures > 50 per cent of the range for most quantities and that a programme using about 25 composite samples measures at least two-thirds to three-quarters of the total range.     

低温在诱导油桃芽解除休眠过程中对代谢的影响

果树温室栽培时常出现萌芽率低，萌芽开花延迟，花器官发育差，座果率低等问题。调查了分批移入人工气候室的“NJ72”油桃萌芽率，以确定其休眠解除时间，试验结果表明“NJ72”油桃于1月中旬结束休眠，不同温度处理对“NJ72”油桃休眠期代谢的影响不同，低温促进花芽内H2O2的积累，同时促进过氧化氢酶（CAT）、超氧物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化物酶（POD）活性的提高，低温处理使花芽呼吸速率增加，其中磷酸戊糖途径（PPP）代谢增加，糖酵解（EMP）降低，而三羧酸循环（TCA）代谢波动较小，葡萄糖－6－磷酸（G－6－PDH）脱氢酶活性也有所增加。     

茵山莲水提物对四氯化碳诱导小鼠急性肝损伤的保护作用

为探讨茵山莲水提物对四氯化碳(CCl₄)诱导的小鼠急性肝损伤的保护作用及可能机制,以对后续茵山莲的深入研究及临床转化提供理论指导。将60只ICR小鼠随机分为6组,每组10只,分别为空白对照组、模型对照组、联苯双酯对照组、茵山莲低(1.17 mg·g^-1)、中(2.34 mg·g^-1)、高(4.68 mg·g^-1)剂量组,按不同剂量药物每天灌胃1次,给药7 d。在末次给药1 h后,除空白对照组以外,其余各组小鼠腹腔注射0.2%四氯化碳构建急性肝损伤模型。12 h后小鼠眼球采血并分离血清,收集肝组织。采用生化分析检测血清总蛋白(TP)和谷胱甘肽S转移酶(GST)活性,肝组织中GST、琥珀酸脱氢酶(SDH)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)和总超氧化物歧化酶(T-SOD)活性,利用HE染色和Masson染色观察肝组织病理及肝纤维化情况,采用蛋白免疫印迹法和免疫组织化学法检测肝组织白介素1beta (IL-1β)、肿瘤坏死因子alpha (TNF-α)、血管生成因子A (VEGFA),金属基质蛋白酶9(MMP9)及转录因子NF-κBp65、蛋白激酶IKK、p38MAPK等蛋白表达及定位情况。结果表明,与模型对照组相比,2.34 mg·g^-1茵山莲水提物能显著降低小鼠血清GST水平,显著升高肝内CAT水平,各组间T-SOD无显著差异,但2.34 mg·g^-1茵山莲水提物组小鼠与空白对照组、模型对照组在肝GST、SDH和血清TP水平上无显著差异。2.34 mg·g^-1茵山莲水提物能缓解CCl₄诱导的小鼠肝病理损伤和纤维化病变,抑制肝IL-1β、TNF-α、VEGFA、NF-κBp65和IKK的表达。提示茵山莲水提物可能通过NF-κB和p38MAPK通路抑制肝氧化应激和炎症水平,从而缓解小鼠急性肝损伤。     

Nitrogen Transformations and Decomposition in Litter and Humus from beneath Closed-Canopy Sitka Spruce

Samples of litter and humus from beneath 10 m tall, closed-canopySitka spruce planted on a brown forest soil were incubated underboth field and laboratory conditions to measure mineral nitrogenproduction and carbon dioxide evolution. Mineral nitrogen productionin enclosed samples over 12 months was equivalent to 50 and17 kg N ha^–1 in litter and humus, respectively. Applicationsof fertilizer NPK (200 kg N ha^–1 as ammonium nitrate,100 kg P ha^–1 as unground rock phosphate and 150 kg Kha^–1 as potassium chloride), 18 months previously, decreasedthese values slightly, but stimulated the production of nitratein both litter and humus. Compared with samples kept under laboratoryconditions at 10°C, those incubated in the field at a similarmean temperature released less carbon dioxide and, in the caseof fertilized humus produced smaller amounts of mineral nitrogen.     

Rotation and Magnetism of Earth's Inner Core

Three-dimensional numerical simulations of the geodynamo suggest that a super- rotation of Earth's solid inner core relative to the mantle is maintained by magnetic coupling between the inner core and an eastward thermal wind in the fluid outer core. This mechanism, which is analogous to a synchronous motor, also plays a fundamental role in the generation of Earth's magnetic field.