THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN RETRACTED Exergy as an ecological application used in the recovery process of benthic communities

Exergy, the thermodynamic function that represents the distance of an open system from equilibrium, is proposed as an ecological indicator for summarizing the complex dynamics occurring in a disturbed community during its recovery processes. These complex dynamics can be difficult to capture by using classical indices. In this study, we sampled macrobenthos using the BACI scheme (before versus after; control versus impact) in tidal wetlands of west Chongming Island, China, an area that has been disturbed by ecological engineering measures. Exergy storage is estimated for benthic communities. The control area is proposed as dynamic reference for estimating local exergy storage of the benthic community. Three different methods were used for estimating exergy on the basis of coefficients: (a) taken for taxa groups; (b) estimated from coding genes given for broad taxonomic groups; and (c) estimated from genome size taken as close as possible to the taxonomic level of the species, providing a basis for inferring similarities. We found a decrease of local exergy content in the disturbed area 9 days after the disturbance. Subsequently, the reference exergy of the benthic community increased (i.e. in the surrounding control area) in accordance with the proposed hypothesis regarding the dynamics of exergy storage during a system's development. Estimates of local exergy arrived at using the three methods provided comparable results. Based on this, we then discuss the feasibility of using the more readily available genome size data for estimating exergy. This result may have important implications for broader application of this indicator to biological systems. Moreover, the adjacent control samples seem to represent an appropriate dynamic reference for estimating the local exergy of disturbed communities. We found that exergy was a useful indicator that integrates the processes underlying the recovery of the benthic community after disturbance.     

Exogenous eFSH, follicle coasting, and hCG as a novel superovulation regimen in mares

The objective of this study was to evaluate various equine follicle-stimulating hormone (eFSH) treatment protocols and the effect of “follicle coasting” on ovulation and embryo recovery rates in mares. Cycling mares (n = 40) were randomly assigned to one of four groups 7 days after ovulation: (1) 12.5 mg eFSH twice daily until follicles were 35 mm or larger; (2) 12.5 mg eFSH twice daily until follicles were 32 mm or larger; (3) 12.5 mg eFSH twice daily for 3.5 days followed by 12.5 mg eFSH enriched with luteinizing hormone (LH) twice daily until follicles were 35 mm or larger; and (4) 25 mg eFSH once daily until follicles were 32 mm or larger. Mares in groups 1 and 3 were injected with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (2500 IU intravenously) at the end of eFSH treatment, whereas mares in groups 2 and 4 were given hCG approximately 42 and 54 hours, respectively, after the last eFSH treatment (“follicle coasting”). Nonsurgical embryo collection was performed 6.5 to 7.5 days after ovulation. Each mare experienced a nontreated estrous cycle before being reassigned to a second treatment. Ovulation rates for mares in treatment groups 1 to 4 were 3.3 ± 0.4, 4.1 ± 0.4, 3.5 ± 0.4, and 2.8 ± 0.4 (mean ± SEM; P < .05), respectively. One or more embryos were recovered from more than 80% of mares in each treatment group, and embryo recovery rate per flush was similar among treatment groups (1.9 ± 0.3, 2.6 ± 0.3, 1.9 ± 0.3 and 1.9 ± 0.3, respectively; P > .05). The overall embryo recovery rate was 2.1 ± 1.5 embryos per flush. In summary, ovulation rate was higher for mares treated with eFSH (3.4 ± 0.4) compared with non-treated controls (1.1 ± 0.2). Ovulation rate in mares in which hCG was delayed (follicle coasting) was higher (P < .05) when treatments were given twice per day versus once per day. Administration of equine luteinizing hormone (eLH) in conjunction with eFSH did not have an advantage over mares treated only with eFSH.     

水杨酸与蔬菜作物抗性关系的研究进展

水杨酸在植物的抗病性方面发挥着重要的作用,近年来的研究表明,水杨酸在植物抗冷、热、盐、干旱、臭氧、重金属等环境胁迫方面有明显的作用。对近年来有关水杨酸在蔬菜抗逆境胁迫方面的研究进展进行综述,并提出一些研究思路。     

Pollen grains of heat tolerant tomato cultivars retain higher carbohydrate concentration under heat stress conditions

Exposure to high temperatures (heat stress) causes reduced yield in tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum), mainly by affecting male gametophyte development. Two experiments were conducted where several tomato cultivars were grown under heat stress, in growth chambers (day/night temperatures of 31/25 °C) or in greenhouses (day/night temperatures of 32/26 °C), or under control (day/night temperatures of 28/22 °C) conditions. In heat-sensitive cultivars, heat stress caused a reduction in the number of pollen grains, impaired their viability and germinability, caused reduced fruit set and markedly reduced the numbers of seeds per fruit. In the heat-tolerant cultivars, however, the number and quality of pollen grains, the number of fruits and the number of seeds per fruit were less affected by high temperatures. In all the heat-sensitive cultivars, the heat-stress conditions caused a marked reduction in starch concentration in the developing pollen grains at 3 days before anthesis, and a parallel decrease in the total soluble sugar concentration in the mature pollen, whereas in the four heat-tolerant cultivars tested, starch accumulation at 3 days before anthesis and soluble sugar concentration at anthesis were not affected by heat stress. These results indicate that the carbohydrate content of developing and mature tomato pollen grains may be an important factor in determining pollen quality, and suggest that heat-tolerant cultivars have a mechanism for maintaining the appropriate carbohydrate content under heat stress.     

黄瓜苗期热害症状及其发生发展规律研究

为了确定黄瓜苗期热害程度,以耐热品种Poinsett97和热敏品种BoothbylsBlonde为试验材料,采用42℃高温处理黄瓜幼苗24h,观察子叶、幼叶、心叶、下胚轴及整株幼苗的热害症状,并记载热处理后不同时间热害症状的变化。提出了明确的黄瓜幼苗热害症状的分级标准,对于田间热害的诊断及黄瓜耐热性的鉴定与评价具有良好的实用价值。     

饲料中苏丹红染料的测定

建立用Agilent1100高效液相色谱法(HPLC)检测饲料样品中苏丹红含量的方法。采用C18柱(250mm×4.6mmi.d.,5μm),以乙腈和水的混合溶液为流动相,对比采用不同处理方法后,苏丹红Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ相应的平均回收率。结果表明,在0.1、0.2、0.5、1.0、2.0mg/kg5种添加浓度下,苏丹红Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ相应的回收率均高于90%。说明该方法具有较好的准确性。     

Effects of plastic mulches on root zone temperature and on the manifestation of tomato spotted wilt symptoms and yield of tomato

Tomato spotted wilt (TSW) disease is a serious constraint to tomato production in various regions of the world. The effect of TSW on tomato yield is largely influenced by time of infection. Early infection usually results in severe stunting of the seedling and even death of the plant. Plastic film mulches affect both the incidence of TSW, and plant growth and yield of tomato. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of root zone temperature (RZT) as affected by plastic film mulch on the manifestation of symptoms of TSW, and growth and yield of tomato plants either artificially inoculated with tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) or under natural TSW infection. In artificially inoculated plants as well as in plants under natural TSW infection, vegetative top fresh weight (FW) and fruit FW both increased with the length of time after transplanting that the plants remained free from TSW symptoms. The root zone temperature was highest under black mulch (seasonal mean = 27.5 °C), followed by gray (27.0 °C), silver (25.8 °C), and white (24.8 °C) mulches. The plants grown on black mulch showed the earliest appearance of TSW symptoms, and had significantly reduced vegetative growth and fruit yields compared to plants on the other mulches. In conclusion, utilization of plastic mulches that created conditions of high RZT stress resulted in reduced plant growth and yield and predisposed the plants to earlier expression of TSW symptoms compared to plants grown at RZTs more favorable to tomato plant growth (optimal RZT = 26.1 °C [Díaz-Pérez, J.C., Batal, K.D., Granberry, D., Bertrand, D., Giddings, D., Pappu, H., 2003. Vegetative top growth and yield of tomato grown on plastic film mulches as affected by the appearance of symptoms of Tomato spotted wilt virus. HortScience 38, 395–399]). Since these plant responses to TSW under heat stress occurred in artificially inoculated plants as well as in plants under natural TSW infection, high RZTs probably affected the plants directly, independently of any possible effects on the thrips vectors.     

退化人工草地更新效果观测

利用草地建植方法,对１７５．７ｈｍ＾２退化人工草地进行了更新改良,结果,当年平均干草产量达３５７０ｋｇ／ｈｍ＾２比未更新地带提高２０５８ｋｇ／ｈｍ＾２;播种牧草相对重量６５．９％,未更新地带１５．１％,优势度由重建前的２７．０％上升至６１．８％,恶性杂草竞争力下降,基本形成白叶＋黑麦草＋鸭茅＋画眉草＋红三叶＋狗尾草＋白茅＋蒿类的格局。     

热激处理对桃,李离体花枝2n花粉产生的影响

对桃和李通过休眠的花枝在２０℃条件下进行水培,减数分裂前期Ⅰ进行３２℃、１２ｈ热激处理,小孢子母细胞减数分裂四分体时期二分体发生频率为５．８２％～１６．０６％,２ｎ花粉比例为１３．３３％～２０．３７％,处理后花粉离体萌发率较低;３０℃恒温培养导致花蕾败育。二分体频率重复间、花朵间和品种间差异显著。     

Spatial and temporal variability of air temperature across urban neighborhoods with varying amounts of tree canopy

Recent studies have emphasized the presence of microclimates in urban settings, but most do not have the high resolution observations necessary to understand the interactions taking place at a neighborhood scale. This study used a network of 10 identical weather stations and high resolution land cover data in Knoxville, Tennessee, to analyze the microclimates of a medium-sized city with a temperate climate. Two stations were installed in each of four urban neighborhoods in locations with varying localized tree cover, and two additional stations were installed in the center of downtown and in a nearby urban nature center. The intra-neighborhood results suggested that there is significant temperature variability within a single neighborhood based on the tree canopy density immediately surrounding a given weather station. However, the inter-neighborhood variability (differences between neighborhoods) was similar in magnitude, which suggests that the overall differences in neighborhood characteristics also have an effect on climate. Land cover at the neighborhood scale (in particular tree canopy percentages at the 500-m radii) had the highest correlation with the minimum daily temperature (Tmin) during the summer season. Maximum daily temperature (Tmax) relied most on the distance of each station from Downtown and the amount of impervious area in the 50 m surrounding each station. Tmax was also most influenced by surrounding land cover during dry conditions (a Dry Moderate air mass). Overall, highly localized impervious land cover percentages and larger-scale forested canopy were important in explaining temperature fluctuation, pointing to the importance of scale in microclimate assessments. Dry air masses enhanced the relationship between land cover and temperature during the day, while moist air masses did the same overnight. These data can be used to better inform planning strategies to build resiliency to extreme heat into urban environments by considering the influence of tree canopy.