The effects of human disturbance on a stingless bee community in a tropical rainforest

Human disturbance of tropical rainforests may change pollinator communities indirectly as a result of changes in resource availability. We studied the mechanisms by which human disturbance affects a community of major pollinators, stingless bees, in Sarawak, Malaysia. We surveyed forest structure and flowering activity, and conducted a nest census and a bait-trap survey of stingless bees, both in primary forests and in forests disturbed by logging and shifting cultivation. The densities of late successional trees and large trees (diameter at breast height >50 cm) were higher in the primary forests than in the disturbed forests. The density of flowering trees was lower one year after logging, but recovered in old disturbed forests because of the active flowering of pioneer trees that became established after the disturbance. Stingless bees nest only in large trees, and nest density was positively correlated with the density of large trees. However, we found no relationship between the numbers of foragers and floristic parameters. Some species preferred nesting in dipterocarps, while others preferred dead trees. The results of the bait-trap survey also indicated that some species were abundant in the primary forests, whereas other species were abundant in the disturbed forests. These results suggest that human disturbance alters the species composition of the stingless bee community. Such changes in the bee community may affect the reproductive success of plants, and ultimately forest composition.     

Susceptibility and effectiveness of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae in wheat cultivars under different growing conditions

Summary Wheat cultivars assumed to be non-susceptible to vesicular-arbuscular (VA) mycorrhizae became colonized, and this effect persisted under different growth conditions. Colonization of all cultivars was similar regardless of the amount of inoculum and the time interval of inoculation. Different plant growth temperatures and the support given by the culture media, inoculation with different endophytes, and inoculation with sterilized and unsterilized spores affected VA colonization levels, although the level of colonization reached in cv. Champlein was similar to that reached in cv. 7-Cerros under each condition. VA mycorrhizal colonization was also affected by different plant growth conditions. After VA reinoculation, the plant dry weight of Castan and 7-Cerros increased, but not Negrillo and Champlein cultivars. VA mycorrhizae increased the shoot dry weight of 7-Cerros only, but not of Champlein, when grown at 35/24°C, and had no effect on the dry weight of either cultivar grown at 18/12°C and 42/24°C. Inoculation with Glomus mosseae increased the dry weight of the cultivars more than inoculation with G. fasciculatum or G. agregatum. The effect on the plant dry weight was greater in plants grown in soil than in sand/vermiculite pots. Inoculation with sterilized and unsterilized spores of G. mosseae, either in soil pots or in sand/vermiculite tubes, did not increase the plant dry weight. Our results indicate that there was no close relationship between the level of root colonization and the effect on plant growth. The effects of accompanying microorganisms in the VA inoculum on VA mycorrhizal symbiosis are discussed.     

The effect of aqueous extract of gross and commercial yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) on intra-abdominal and epididymal fat and glucose levels in male Wistar rats

This study analyzed the plasma lipid profile, glucose levels and fat deposits in male rats treated with aqueous extract of gross yerba mate, commercial yerba mate or water. Yerba mate treatment did not change body weight gain and lipid profile. The consumption of gross yerba mate significantly increased blood glucose (6.6 mmol/L) as compared to the water (4.8 mmol/L) and commercial group (5.2 mmol/L) and decreased epididymal and intra-abdominal deposits (10.1 mg/g and 23.7 mg/g of weight) as compared to the water (15.4 mg/g and 36.9 mg/g of weight) and commercial group (12.5 mg/g and 28 mg/g of weight). The results suggest that gross yerba mate reduces fat more efficiently but produces a greater increase in blood glucose when compared to commercial yerba mate and water groups.     

Impact of crop production system on the content of macronutrients in potato tubers

ABSTRACT

The content of macronutrients in potato tubers arouses interest because of their substantial consumption in the world and significant role in elements' budget in human diet. The research objective has been to evaluate the content of macronutrients in tubers of potatoes grown in different systems of crop production in Poland. In 2012–2014, an experiment was conducted to test potato cultivation in three-crop production systems: conventional, integrated and organic. In each of the six-field crop rotation systems, there were five potato cultivars classified into different earliness groups. The following macronutrients in dry mass of potato tubers were determined: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, S and Cl, and the various ratios between them were calculated. The research carried out proved that potatoes production systems affect the chemical composition of tubers, which is additionally modified by whether condition and genetic features of cultivars. Potato tubers from organic farming contained by about 20% less N than tubers from conventional or integrated systems. Potato tubers from organic production system displayed lower content of Ca and Na in comparison with the conventional and integrated systems. The least of P and S were detected in tubers of the potatoes grown conventionally.     

Effects of different levels of soil salinity on yield attributes,accumulation of nitrogen,and micronutrients in Brassica spp.

The present study was conducted to assess the effect of soil salinity on yield attributes as well as nutrient accumulation in different plant parts of seven Brassica cultivars from two different species raised in pot culture experiment with two levels of salinity treatments along with control corresponding to soil electrical conductivity (EC) values of 1.65 (S₀), 4.50 (S₁) and 6.76 (S₂) dS m^?1. The experiment was consisted of twelve replications in a completely randomized design. Imposition of salinity stress affected various yield attributing characters including plant height, which ultimately led to severe yield reduction. However, tolerant cultivars, CS 52 and CS 54 performed better under salt treatment showing lesser yield loss. Salinity stress reduced the nitrogen (N) content in leaves of the Brassica plants, which reflected in decreased seed protein content. Reduced accumulation of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) was observed in leaf, stem and root at flowering and post-flowering stages, while CS 52 and CS 54 showed less reduction than susceptible cultivars under salinity stress.     

对黑龙江省绥棱林业局森林资源现状的分析

通过对绥棱林业局森林资源数据的分析,提出培育森林资源和加强生态建设的措施和建议。     

硼对2个棉花品种花器官不同部位矿质营养的影响Ⅱ.对N、P、K、Ca和Mg的影响

土培条件下研究硼对2个硼效率不同的棉花品种花器官各部位氯、磷、钾、钙和镁含量及累积量的影响。结果表明，无论缺硼与否，2个棉花品种花器官中雄蕊、雌蕊的氯、磷、钾含量较高，苞叶和花萼中钙、镁含量较高；氯、磷、钾和镁累积量以花冠最高，花萼最低，而钙累积量则以苞叶明显较高。缺硼对不同棉花品种花器官各部位5种养分含量影响的差异不明显，但养分累积量变化却不同，缺硼胁迫下，高效品种雄蕊、雌蕊中养分累积量相对较多，苞叶相对较少，低效品种则相反，花冠和花萼中养分累积量变化的品种间差异相对较小。     

余甘子(Phyllanthus emblica L.)Vc含量分析

采用2,6-二氯酚靛酚滴定法分析比较了余甘子各器官之间、同品种不同植株之间、不同余甘子品种之间以及与野生资源之间的Vc含量以及不同预处理方法对Vc测定的影响。结果表明．Vc在余甘子各器官中均有分布．以果实与初生幼叶中居多,茎、根中含量较低;皇帝甘与粉甘含量较多,但与其它品种的差异不大;5个野生资源单株Vc含量差异极显著。其中有3个野生单株的果肉Vc含量高于主栽品种粉甘。     

蛋氨基酸锰对蛋鸡生产性能的影响

[目的]探究蛋氨基酸锰对蛋鸡生产性能的影响。[方法]将25周龄的商品蛋鸡400只随机分成5组,待分组产蛋稳定后,在饲料中分别添加0、20、40、60、80 mg/kg蛋氨基酸锰进行饲喂试验。[结果]结果表明,添加了蛋氨基酸锰的4个试验组饲料转化率和产蛋率均高于对照组,当添加量为60 mg/kg时,饲料转化率和经济效益最佳。[结论]用蛋氨基酸锰作商品蛋鸡的饲料添加剂是可行的,具有较高的开发利用价值。