Comparison of traditional and improved methods for estimating the stability of organic growing media

Organic growing media employed in hydroponic crops could change their characteristics due to organic matter degradation during culture growing season. Traditional methods for measuring the stability of growing media (Biochemical Stability Index, Lemaire) do not take into account the activity of crop roots, nutrients in the growing media or microorganism presence. Three experiments were performed to determine the stability of six organic substrates. Stability was measured as the percentage of organic matter remaining in substrates. In experiment one (short duration and small scale without plant) 500 ml samples were incubated for 180 days following original methodology proposed by Lemaire (L) and with three modifications: (1) Inoculation with compost (I), (2) watered with nutrient solution (NS), and (3) both combined (I + NS). In experiment two (Long duration, medium scale) 10 l samples were incubated with and without a lolium crop for 720 days in a greenhouse. In experiment 3 stability of each substrate was real measured in 20 l hydroponic bags after use in four cycles of tomato production in a commercial greenhouse (2 years). All incubations were triplicated. Physicochemical properties of substrates were measured. Correlations between stability estimated in experiment one and two and real determinations in experiment three were analyzed. Lemaire methodology modified by adding and inoculum an nutrients (I + NS) was the best method to estimate the stability of organic growing media measured in real conditions in experiment 3. This new method greatly improves the estimation performed with original Lemaire methodology. Long term incubations with lolium also reproduce well the real stability of growing media but this methodology is not feasible because it requires four times longer and the amount of substrate required is 20 times larger for each sample.     

Habitat and food choice of the critically endangered cao vit gibbon (Nomascus nasutus) in China: Implications for conservation

Knowledge of habitat and feeding ecology is essential for developing an effective conservation management plan for threatened primates. Despite having been rediscovered nearly a decade ago, very little is known of the critically endangered cao vit gibbon (Nomascus nasutus) or its habitat. We analysed forest cover, made direct observations and conducted interviews of local elders to better understand forest changes and to determine the forest characters and species important to the survival of the gibbon. Interviews indicated human-induced forest resource exploitation focused on species-specific and larger trees most easily accessed. Gibbon forest habitat comprised four primary forest types. The mean canopy height over the whole site was 10.52 m. Gibbons consumed 81, or nearly half of the tree and liana species recorded in the site; however, only 19 species provide 77.8% of the diet. Six of the 19 food species were logged for different reasons throughout the history of the site. We conclude that effective conservation management of primates with highly limited distributions, focused dietary needs, and in degraded ecosystems will require active forest restoration, such as planting important food species in degraded sites.     

Deg2蛋白酶在拟南芥光损伤D1降解及光保护中的作用

己有研究表明叶绿体内有200种蛋白酶,然而,多数蛋白酶的作用机制尚不清楚,尤其哪些蛋白酶参与了D1蛋白周转。其中Deg2蛋白酶体外实验证明,其参与了光损伤D1蛋白的的初步剪切。为了进一步研究Deg2蛋白酶在植物体内的作用机制,我们筛选了拟南芥De醇蛋白酶功能缺陷型突变体。在120μmol·m-2：·S^-1光照生长条件下,出萨突变体与野生型的生长曲线基本一致;在进一步的高光胁迫（1800μmol·m-2·S^-1）处理及相同的光胁迫处理条件下,无论林可霉素存在与否,突变体PSⅡ的最大光化学效率（Fv／Fm）都和野生型没有区别;利用蛋白免疫印迹实验同样证明了光损伤D1蛋白的降解速度在cfe霞突变体和野生型之间也没有明显区别。我们认为Deg2蛋白酶在光抑制情况下对于光损伤D1蛋白的降解以及PsⅡ的修复不是必需的。     

Effects of physicochemical interactions and microbial activity on the persistence of Cry1Aa Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) toxin in soil

Genetically modified crops, that produce Cry insecticidal crystal proteins (Cry) from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), release these toxins into soils through root exudates and upon decomposition of residues. The fate of these toxins in soil has not yet been clearly elucidated. Persistence can be influenced by biotic (degradation by microorganisms) and abiotic factors (physicochemical interactions with soil components, especially adsorption). The aim of this study was to follow the fate of Cry1Aa Bt toxin in contrasting soils subjected to different treatments to enhance or inhibit microbial activity, in order to establish the importance of biotic and abiotic processes for the fate of Bt toxin. The toxin was efficiently extracted from each soil using an alkaline buffer containing a protein, bovine serum albumin, and a nonionic surfactant, Tween 20. The marked decline of extractable toxin after incubation of weeks to months was soil-dependent. The decrease of extractable toxin with incubation time was not related to microbial degradation but mainly to physicochemical interactions with the surfaces that may decrease immunochemical detectability or enhance protein fixation. Hydrophobic interactions may play an important role in determining the interaction of the toxin with surfaces.     

3种抗生素对3种常见鱼类病原菌的抑菌活性研究

为研究盐酸恩诺沙星、乳酸恩诺沙星和乳酸诺氟沙星对嗜水气单胞菌(Aeromonas hydrophila)、鳗弧菌(Vibrio anguillarum)和哈维氏弧菌(Vibrioharveyi)的体外抑菌活性,本实验通过测定抑菌圈直径、最小抑菌浓度(MIC)、最小杀菌浓度(MBC)和杀菌曲线,研究3种常用喹诺酮类抗生素药物对3种水产病原菌的体外药效学特性.结果表明:乳酸诺氟沙星对嗜水气单胞菌和哈维氏弧菌抑菌效果最好,MIC分别为0.244μg/mL和1.954μg/mL:盐酸恩诺沙星对鳗弧菌抑菌效果最好,MIC为0.122μg/mL;8 MIC的乳酸诺氟沙星药液在12 h内完全杀灭嗜水气单胞菌,在24 h内也能全部杀灭哈维氏弧菌,8 MIC的盐酸恩诺沙星药液在24 h内全部杀灭鳗弧菌.本研究为3种抗生素在水产养殖中的应用提供实验依据.     

无机盐对乙酸底物甲烷发酵动力学的影响

厌氧发酵反应器中的甲烷化以乙酸降解途径为主。已知的数十属产甲烷菌中只有Methanothrix和Methanosarcina以乙酸为底物,其中Methanothrix常为消化器中的主力。该文以乙酸为碳源培养了Methanothrix优势菌液,分析了温度与无机盐对甲烷发酵的动力学影响。结果表明,通过调整无机盐浓度,可使常规浓度培养液的总反应速度常数提高8倍,对Methanothrix产甲烷有显著影响;以研究较为成熟的温度因素作参照,当温度与无机盐在工程范围变化时,引起的动力学常数的变化幅度分别为0．01～0．43和0．04～0．59,无机盐与温度具有相同数量级的影响力。此外,该文采用适于厌氧水解的动力学模型研究乙酸底物甲烷发酵过程,结果表明,其产甲烷进入对数期后与试验数据基本吻合。     

Cross-enhancement of accelerated biodegradation of organophosphorus compounds in soils: Dependence on structural similarity of compounds

Rates of degradation of seven organophosphate nematicides and insecticides were examined in two soils known to show accelerated biodegradation of fenamiphos and one soil known to show accelerated biodegradation of chlorpyrifos. The results indicated that several organophosphate insecticides and one nematicide were susceptible to cross-enhanced degradation in the soil showing accelerated biodegradation of chlorpyrifos. No cross-enhancement was observed in the two soils showing accelerated degradation of fenamiphos. Fumigation resulted in the complete inhibition of pesticide degradation in all soils. The data suggested that the cross-enhancement of selected pesticides in chlorpyrifos-degrading soil was dependent on the structural similarity of the compounds. Mechanisms of degradation of pesticide in soil support this hypothesis, where structurally similar compounds (diazinon, parathion, coumaphos and isazofos) were hydrolysed by microbial activity in chlorpyrifos-degrading soil but the degradation products were accumulated. Enhanced degradation of chlorpyrifos and fenamiphos was found to be stable in the laboratory condition for a period of one year.     

Influences of alpine ecosystem responses to climatic change on soil properties on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, China

Alpine ecosystems are quite sensitive to global climatic changes. Drawing from two sets of remote sensing data (1986 and 2000) and field investigations, the ecological index method was used to document ecosystem changes in the Yangtze and Yellow River source regions of central Qinghai–Tibet. Although crucial to understanding alpine ecosystem responses to global climatic changes, and in assessing the potential for their rehabilitation, the impact of such changes on alpine soil characteristics, including structure, composition, water retention, as well as chemical and nutrient contents, is poorly understood. Over a 15-year period (1986–2000), climatic changes led to considerable degradation of alpine meadows and steppes. In the meadows, the surface layers of the soil became coarser, bulk density, porosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity rose, while water-holding capacity decreased. In comparison, steppe soils showed little changes in soil physical properties. Degradation of alpine ecosystems led to large losses in soil available Fe, Mn and Zn. Important losses in soil organic matter (SOM) and total nitrogen (TN) occurred in badly degraded ecosystems. Climate warming in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, caused by the impact of greenhouse gas, has resulted in changes of cold alpine ecosystem such as the significant alteration of the soil C and N cycles.     

C and N turnover in structurally intact soils of different texture

The turnover of native and applied C and N in undisturbed soil samples of different texture but similar mineralogical composition, origin and cropping history was evaluated at −10 kPa water potential. Cores of structurally intact soil with 108, 224 and 337 g clay kg⁻¹ were horizontially sliced and ¹⁵N-labelled sheep faeces was placed between the two halves of the intact core. The cores together with unamended treatments were incubated in the dark at 20 °C and the evolution of CO₂-C determined continuously for 177 d. Inorganic and microbial biomass N and ¹⁵N were determined periodically. Net nitrification was less in soil amended with faeces compared with unamended soil. When adjusted for the NO₃-N present in soil before faeces was applied, net nitrification became negative indicating that NO₃-N had been immobilized or denitrified. The soil most rich in clay nitrified least N and ¹⁵N. The amounts of N retained in the microbial biomass in unamended soils increased with clay content. A maximum of 13% of the faeces ¹⁵N was recovered in the microbial biomass in the amended soils. CO₂-C evolution increased with clay content in amended and unamended soils. CO₂-C evolution from the most sandy soil was reduced due to a low content of potentially mineralizable native soil C whereas the rate constant of C mineralization rate peaked in this soil. When the pool of potentially mineralizable native soil C was assumed proportional to volumetric water content, the three soils contained similar proportions of potentially mineralizable native soil C but the rate constant of C mineralization remained highest in the soil with least clay. Thus although a similar availability of water in the three soils was ensured by their identical matric potential, the actual volume of water seemed to determine the proportion of total C that was potentially mineralizable. The proportion of mineralizable C in the faeces was similar in the three soils (70% of total C), again with a higher rate constant of C mineralization in the soil with least clay. It is hypothesized that the pool of potentially mineralizable C and C rate constants fluctuate with the soil water content.     

基于化学动力学的生物质颗粒燃烧排放NO特性模拟与验证

为研究生物质颗粒燃料燃烧NO排放规律及其生成机理,采用CFD和Chem Kin联合仿真,建立试验锅炉燃烧筒CFD网络模型,应用Chem Kin接口导入简化的17组分58基元反应机理,建立Chem Kin-PSR反应模拟网络,选用Reaction Design C2_NOx详细机理,对棉秆、玉米秸秆、木质3种生物质颗粒NO排放进行模拟。结果表明,NO生成量:棉秆玉米秸秆木质;NO排放量随过量空气系数的增加先增大后减小,在过量空气系数为1.7附近达到峰值。将模拟结果与试验结果进行比较,证明了模型和化学反应机理的正确性,为生物质燃料燃烧NO排放的预测与控制提供参考。