Organic Chemical Characterization of Decomposing Plant Litter: A Comparison of Methods

There are two common methods to characterize organic chemical composition of decomposing plant litter, a forest products method and a forage fiber method. These methods divide litter into a few fractions based on extractions using different solvents. In this study, equivalencies were established between the fractions of the methods. Some of the equivalencies were based on similarities in the fractionation methods, whereas some were estimated empirically. The equivalencies gave similar chemical composition for different litter types as measurements. The results were also comparable to, or for certain fractions even better than, those obtained using earlier conversion equations. The equivalencies established are suitable for converting the forage fiber fractions to the forest products fractions in litter decomposition studies. Thus, they increase possibilities to exchange data on litter chemical characteristics across the methods in decomposition studies.     

Dynamics of extracellular DNA decomposition and bacterial community composition in soil

Microbial necromass is an important source of stabilized organic matter in soil, yet the decomposition dynamics of necromass constituents have not been adequately characterized. This includes DNA, a nutrient-rich molecule that when released into the environment as extracellular DNA (eDNA) can be readily used by soil microorganisms. However, the ecological relevance of eDNA as a nutrient source for soil microorganisms is relatively unknown. To address these deficits, we performed a laboratory experiment wherein soils were amended with ¹³C-labeled eDNA and clay minerals known to interact with DNA (kaolinite and montmorillonite). The amount of eDNA-carbon remaining in the soil declined exponentially over time. Kaolinite amendment decreased eDNA decomposition rates and, after 30 days, retained a higher fraction of eDNA-carbon (∼70% remaining) than control or montmorillonite soils (∼40% remaining), indicating that clay mineral sorption can stabilize eDNA-derived carbon in soil. Sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes showed that during the incubation the relative abundance of the added eDNA's sequence decreased by 98%, 92% and 99% in the control, montmorillonite, and kaolinite amended soils respectively. These results suggest that the fraction of eDNA-carbon that remained in the soil was incorporated into microbial biomass, firmly bound to soil constituents, or fragmented and no longer amenable to sequencing. In addition, the eDNA amendment affected the composition of the bacterial community. Specifically, the relative abundance of select phyla (Planctomycetes and TM7) and genera (e.g., Arthrobacter and Nocardioides) were elevated in soils that received eDNA, suggesting these groups may be particularly effective at degrading eDNA and using it for growth. Taken together, these results indicate that while eDNA is consumed by bacteria in soil, a fraction of eDNA material is resistant to decomposition, particularly when stabilized by soil minerals, suggesting a substantial amount of recalcitrant eDNA could accumulate over time.     

Soil microarthropods are only weakly impacted after 13 years of repeated drought treatment in wet and dry heathland soils

Studies of biological responses in the terrestrial environment to rapid changes in climate have mostly been concerned with aboveground biota, whereas less is known of belowground organisms. The present study focuses on mites and springtails of heathland ecosystems and how the microarthropod community has responded to simulated climate change in a long-term field experiment. Increased temperature and repeated drought was applied for 13 years to field plots located in Wales, The Netherlands and Denmark representing sites of contrasting climatic conditions with respect to precipitation and temperature. This approach provided an opportunity to study biological responses on a local (within sites) and regional scale. Warming treatments increasing night time temperature (0.3–1 °C higher than ambient at 5 cm soil depth) had no detectable effects on the microarthropod communities. Increased intensity and frequency of drought had only weak persistent effects on springtail species composition, but practically no effect on major mite groups (Oribatida, Prostigmata or Mesostigmata) suggesting that ecosystem functions of microarthropods may only be transiently impacted by repeated spring or summer drought.     

Mineral Composition and Soil-Plant Relationships for Common Guava (Psidium guajava L.) and Yellow Strawberry Guava (Psidium cattleianum var. lucidum) Tree Parts and Fruits

The mineral compositions of the fruit and tree parts of common guava, Psidium guajava L., and strawberry guava, Psidium cattleianum var. lucidum, were determined. The study occurred during three seasons at six locations in Hawaii to assess guava as feed for livestock. Guava bark contained the greatest concentrations of calcium (Ca) and ash; leaves the greatest concentrations of magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), sodium (Na), boron (B), and manganese (Mn); and the shoots had the greatest concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). The leaves and the shoots had the greatest concentrations of copper (Cu) and iron (Fe). Between guava and waiwi, guava had greater concentrations of most minerals except for Na in all plant parts, and Mg and ash in the leaves. Guava leaves and shoots meet the macromineral requirements for various phases of sheep, goat, and beef cattle life cycles with the exception of P and Na. Guava shoots do not meet Mn requirements for lactating cows.     

Effects of salinity on the growth and proximate composition of selected tropical marine periphytic diatoms and cyanobacteria

Marine periphytic cyanobacteria and diatoms have been examined as a potential source of feed supplement for rearing aquatic larvae in the aquaculture industry. Culture of the periphytic diatom Amphora sp., Navicula sp., Cymbella sp. and the cyanobacteria Oscillatoria sp. at different salinities showed significant changes in biomass and specific growth rates. Diatoms growth was significantly higher at 35 g L⁻¹, while for cyanobacteria growth was better at 25 g L⁻¹. Significantly higher levels of protein and lipid were found in diatoms at low salinities (15–25 g L⁻¹) and an increase in carbohydrate at high salinities (30–35 g L⁻¹). Conversely, cyanobacteria showed a significantly higher lipid content at 30–35 g L⁻¹ compared with other salinity levels but no significant changes were observed in the protein and carbohydrate contents at different salinity levels. The present findings can be taken into consideration when culturing marine periphytic Amphora sp., Navicula sp., Cymbella sp. and Oscillatoria sp. to provide appropriate levels of protein, lipid and carbohydrate as feed supplement as well as for bioremediation in aquaculture.     

基于角点检测的叶缘锯齿快速识别

叶缘锯齿特征是植物识别的重要特征。本文提出了一种运用图像角点检测技术对叶缘锯齿进行识别和定位的方法。该方法首先利用基于Harris算子的方法进行角点检测,然后通过人工调整阈值提高检测精度。研究结果表明,该方法便捷、高效,在叶缘的锯齿检测中取得了较好的效果。     

Changes of Intramuscular Fat Composition,Lipid Oxidation and Lipase Activity in Biceps femoris and Semimembranosus of Xuanwei Ham During Controlled Salting Stages

Fatty acid composition of neutral lipids （NLs）, phospholipids （PLs） and free fatty acids （FFAs） from intramuscular fat （IMF）, lipid oxidation and lipase activity in muscle Semimembranosus （SM） and msucle Biceps femoris （BF） of dry-cured Xuanwei ham during the 90-d salting stages were analysed. The salt content increased from 0.34 to 3.52%in BF and from 0.10 to 5.42%in SM during the 90 d salting stage, respectively. PLs of IMF in both BF and SM decreased 54.70%（P〈0.001） and 34.64%（P〈0.05）, furthermore, the saturated fatty acids （SFA）, monounsaturated fatty acids （MUFA） and polyunsaturated fatty acids （PUFA） of PLs in both muscles were hydrolysed almost isochronously. FFAs were increased from 0.46 g 100 g-1 lipids to 2.92 g 100 g-1 lipids in BF at the end of salting, which was lower than SM （from 1.29 g 100 g-1 lipids to 9.70 g 100 g-1 lipids）. The activities of acid lipase, neutral lipase and acid phospholipase all remained active in the 90 d. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances （TBARS） was slowly increased to 1.34 mg kg-1 muscle in BF and to 2.44 mg kg-1 muscle in SM during the salting stage. In conclusion, the controlled salting process prompted the hydrolysis of PLs of IMF notably and increased the lipid oxidation of muscles within some limits.     

泗阳县玉米测土配方施肥试验

为明确测土配方技术在泗阳地区玉米生产过程中的实际效果，通过田间试验对玉米生育期、产量构成和效益等进行了对比分析。试验结果显示：采用14.8-9-8的肥料配比能显著提升玉米肥料利用率，提高产量和收益。相较常规施肥，测土配方施肥对玉米生育期影响较小，但玉米穗粒数和千粒重提升效果显著，分别提升了1.88%和3.89%；测土配方施肥的氮、磷、钾肥利用率和养分平均利用率分别为40.77%、28.02%、51.18%，相较常规施肥分别提升了11.55%、4.07%、21.46%，养分平均利用率提升了12.36%；测土配方施肥籽粒产量为9535.04kg/ha，相较常规施肥增产429.99kg，增产率为4.72%，纯收益每公顷提升1269.60元。