Tree species-mediated spatial patchiness of the composition of microbial community and physicochemical properties in the topsoils of a tropical montane forest

To evaluate the importance of plant-soil feedbacks in forest ecosystems, it is fundamental to understand the spatial range within which plant species control soil physicochemical and microbial properties. We investigated the spatial pattern of soil properties associated with canopy trees in a tropical montane forest on Mt. Kianbalu, Borneo. We analyzed soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities (biomarker lipid abundance) as a function of soil depth and distance from the tree trunk of a conifer (Dacrydium gracilis) or a broadleaf tree (Lithocarpus clementianus). The concentration of condensed tannins and fungi-to-bacteria were higher beneath Dacrydium than beneath Lithocarpus. Furthermore, carbon-degrading enzyme activities were lower beneath Dacrydium. These effects of the tree species were more distinct on soil properties beneath the tree crown than on those outside the tree crown. These effects appeared to be largely due to differences in litter chemistry, and the distinct set of soil properties formed corresponding to the above canopy crown. In conclusion, the species-rich forest on the tropical mountain contains spatially distinct units of soil properties associated with canopy trees, and this spatial pattern can influence ecosystem dynamics in the forest through plant-soil feedback effects.     

新银合欢中单宁提取工艺优化研究

对新银合欢（Leucaena leucocephala）中单宁类物质的提取工艺进行优化研究,选择液料比、提取温度、提取时间、提取剂体积分数等因素分别进行单因素和正交试验。结果表明,在液料比40∶1、提取温度50 ℃、提取时间60 min、丙酮体积分数50%的条件下,单宁提取效果最佳,测得新银合欢单宁平均含量为2.54%。     

饲草中缩合单宁的研究进展

 饲料中高浓度的缩合单宁会降低动物对营养物质的消化利用率,影响自愿采食量,甚至损伤肠胃。适宜含量的缩合单宁,又能阻止臌胀病、肺水肿的发生,降低寄生虫病害的影响,改善肉质品味,提高动物的生产性能。论文概述了缩合单宁的营养作用、抗营养作用,影响饲草缩合单宁含量的因素,以及控制缩合单宁含量的方法,以便在实践中合理应用缩合单宁。     

Caution against Determining Tannins in Soil using the Protein Precipitable Phenolics Assay

The aim of this study was to assess the use of the protein precipitable phenolics assay as a method for estimating tannin in soil samples. This method is more selective than general methods such as Folin assays and is used to differentiate tannin from other phenolics in plant extracts. We evaluated the role of the protein as an agent that separated tannin from nontannin phenolics in soil by running the assay in the normal mode, with protein present, and in a modified format without the protein. We tested the method using native soils and soils amended with tannic acid. We found that this assay is not suitable for determining tannin in soil samples, because the protein precipitation step is incompatible with solid soil samples. We also assessed the background color of soil samples in the assay and established that background color is so high that reliable absorbance readings cannot be obtained.     

植物缩合单宁对草食动物的抗寄生虫性

植物缩合单宁广泛存在于众多植物种群,具有抵御动物摄食的化学防卫功能.近年来植物缩合单宁因其抗寄生虫性受到愈来愈多的关注,相关研究为动物肠胃道寄生虫防控提供了新的途径,它有望成为传统化学驱虫剂的替代物质.本文在总结了迄今研究成果的基础上,将植物缩合单宁的抗寄生虫机制归纳为营养免疫假说和代谢阻断假说,并详细阐述了影响植物缩合单宁抗寄生虫性的各种因素.     

单宁对反刍动物生产性能、瘤胃发酵及微生物区系影响的研究进展

单宁是一类广泛存在于植物中的多酚化合物,因其涩味降低反刍动物采食量,故通常被归类为饲料中的抗营养因子。近年来,研究发现单宁可与蛋白质结合,抑制蛋白质被瘤胃过度降解,增加了蛋白质在后肠道的消化吸收,提高了反刍动物对氮元素（N）的利用率。此外,研究表明单宁在调控瘤胃发酵和抑制甲烷排放方面表现出积极作用。本文主要综述了单宁对反刍动物生产性能、瘤胃发酵和微生物区系的影响,旨在为其应用于反刍动物健康养殖提供合理的理论参考依据。     

Effect of using Acacia mearnsii tannin extract as a feed additive on nutritional variables and productive performance in dairy cows grazing a temperate pasture

This study was carried out to evaluate the impact of including Acacia mearnsii tannin extract (TA) as a feed additive on nutrition and productive performance of dairy cows grazing a high‐quality temperate pasture and receiving supplementation with a concentrate feedstuff. Fourteen multiparous Holstein cows were assigned to either of the following treatments: concentrate without or with 20 g TA/kg dry matter (DM). Concentrate intake accounted for 32% of the total DM intake. Tannin addition increased the herbage DM intake by 22% (p < .05). There was no effect of TA inclusion on milk yield, milk composition, milk nitrogen (N) excretion, milk and plasma urea‐N concentration, urinary excretion of total N, urea‐N, and purine derivatives. However, TA inclusion increased the N intake and retention, total N excretion in manure, fecal N to urine N ratio, and decreased the dietary N efficiency for milk production and the percentage of ingested N excreted in urine (p < .05). In conclusion, supplementing dairy cows grazing a high‐quality temperate pasture with a concentrate containing 20 g TA/kg DM showed the potential of decreasing the proportion of ingested N excreted in urine without affecting the productive performance.     

Copper,iron, zinc and tannin concentrations throughout the digestive tract of tropical goats and sheep fed a high-fibre tannin-rich diet

The dry season in tropical regions urges livestock to feed on nutritionally very poor diets. It has not been explored how tropical sheep—assumed grazers—and tropical goats—intermediate browsers—cope with a high-fibre tannin-rich diet. This study was designed to determine the effects of a high-fibre and tannin-rich diet on the flow of important microminerals iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) throughout the digestive tract of tropical sheep and goats. The feeding trial was set up with twelve adult male animals, six sheep with mean body weight (BW) of 30.3 ± 1.6 kg and six goats with mean BW of 26.4 ± 2.2 kg. The feed consisted of 36% leaves of Millettia ferruginea, 61% hay and 3% concentrate and was offered at 3% of BW (all on dry matter (DM) basis). The total faecal collection was carried out for 7 consecutive days. At the end of the experimental period, the animals were slaughtered to collect liver and digesta samples from the gastrointestinal tract. Feed, digesta and faecal samples underwent analysis of Fe, Zn, and Cu and total tannins (TT). Goats had significantly higher reticulum Cu concentrations expressed on DM as compared to sheep. Faecal Cu concentrations were higher for goats compared to sheep. Reticulum and colon digesta Zn levels were higher in goats than sheep. Abomasum and colon Fe levels were higher in sheep than goats when expressed on DM. These results suggest differences in feed intake, micromineral absorption, secretion and excretion between sheep and goats, pointing to a divergent mineral metabolism as an adaptation to the challenge of a dry season diet having very low nutritive value.     

In vitro enzymatic hydrolysis of protein and protein pattern change of soya and faba beans during germination

In addition to technological processes like heat treatment, germination can be an alternative process for the improvement of protein quality of legumes. This was demonstrated by enzymatic protein hydrolysis of flour of germinated faba and soya beans, using a pepsinpancreatin enzyme system. SDS-PAGE was used to study the changes in protein pattern of these legumes during germination. In addition, the effect of germination on the content of condensed tannins in flour from germinated faba beans and trypsin inhibitors in flour from germinated soya beans were studied. Germination for five days resulted in a maximum increase in enzymatic protein hydrolysis by 21.3% in flour from faba beans and by 25.7% in flour from soya beans after 12 hours of germination. Protein patterns, obtained with SDS-PAGE demonstrated a considerable protein breakdown during germination between day 2 and 3 in faba beans and between day 1 and 2 in soya beans. The tannin content in flour from faba beans decreased by 29.7% after seven days of germination, but the tannin content of the hulls of the faba beans did not change during that period of germination. The trypsin inhibitors in flour from soya beans decreased by 25.5% after seven days of germination. We conclude that the increased enzymatic hydrolysis of protein in both legumes cannot be explained by a decrease of tannins or trypsin inhibitors. The possible explanation is that through degradation of proteins during germination of the legumes, the cleaved protein fragments are more susceptable for hydrolysis by pepsin-pancreatin.     

The presence and inactivation of trypsin inhibitors,tannins, lectins and amylase inhibitors in legume seeds during germination. A review

During the germination of legume seeds, enzymes become active in order to degrade starch, storage-protein and proteinaceous antinutritional factors. The degradation of storage-protein is necessary to make peptides and amino acids available in order to stimulate seed growth and early plant growth. Proteinaceous antinutritional factors such as amylase inhibitors, lectins and trypsin inhibitors are present in legume seeds and protect them against predators. However, during germination, they degrade to a lower level by the action of several enzymes. The effect of germination on the content and activity of amylase inhibitors, lectins, tannins and trypsin inhibitors is discussed.