Impact of soil engineering by two contrasting species of earthworms on their dispersal rates

By burrowing galleries and producing casts, earthworms are constantly changing the structure and properties of the soils in which they are living. These changes modify the costs and benefits for earthworms to stay in the environment they modify. In this paper, we measured experimentally how dispersal behaviour of endogeic and anecic earthworms responds to the cumulative changes they made in soil characteristics. The influence of earthworm activities on dispersal was studied in standardised mesocosms by comparing the influence of soils modified or not modified by earthworm activities on earthworm dispersal rates.The cumulative use of the soil by the earthworms strongly modified soil physical properties. The height of the soil decreased over time and the amount of aggregates smaller than 2 mm decreased in contrast to aggregates larger than 5 mm that increased. We found that: (i) earthworm activities significantly modified soil physical properties (such as bulk density, soil strength and soil aggregation) and decreased significantly the dispersal rates of the endogeic species, whatever the species that modified the soil; (ii) the decreasing in the dispersal proportion of the endogeic species suggests that the cost of engineering activities may be higher than the one of dispersal; (iii) the dispersal of the anecic species appeared to be not influenced by its own activities (intra-specific influences) or by the activities of the endogeic species (inter-specific influences). Overall these results suggest that the endogeic species is involved in a process of niche construction, which evolved jointly with its dispersal strategy.     

Glycine max and Glycine soja are capable of cold acclimation

Soybean has been considered a cold intolerant species; based largely upon seed germination and soil emergent evaluations. This study reports a distinct acquisition of cold tolerance, in seedlings, following short acclimation periods. Diversity in cold responses was assessed in eight cultivars of Glycine max and six accessions of G. soja. All varieties of soybean significantly increased in freezing tolerance following acclimation. This study indicates soybean seedlings are indeed capable of sensing cold and acquiring cold tolerance. Germination rates after cold imbibition were negatively correlated with maturity group, but positively correlated with cold acclimation potential in G. soja. Seed fatty acid composition was varied between the species, with Glycine soja accessions containing about 2‐times more linolenic acid (18:3) than G. max. Furthermore, high levels of linoleic acid (18:2) in seeds were positively correlated with germination rates following cold imbibition in G. soja only. We suggest that domestication has not impacted the overall ability of soybean to cold acclimate at the seedling stage and that there is little variation within the domesticated species for ability to cold acclimate. Thus, this brief comparative study reduces the enthusiasm for the “wild” species as an additional source of genetic diversity for cold tolerance.     

Genetic divergence in two tropical maize composites after four cycles of reciprocal recurrent selection

Two tropical maize composites were subjected to four cycles of reciprocal recurrent selection to develop divergent inbred lines with good combining ability. This study was conducted to examine the extent of genetic diversity, changes in allele composition and genetic structure, of 100 randomly selected S₁ lines each from the original (C₀) and advanced (C₄) selection cycles of TZL COMP3 and TZL COMP4, genotyped using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Results revealed that the proportion of alleles at both low and high frequencies decreased from C₀ to C₄, whereas those at intermediate frequencies increased at C₄ in the two composites. More unique and other alleles were lost at C₄ in TZL COMP3 relative to those in TZL COMP4. The changes in different measures of genetic diversity were either small or negligible with selection in the two composites. The proportion of markers departing from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) decreased with selection, whereas the total number of pairs of markers in linkage disequilibrium increased with selection in the two composites. Examination of changes in population structures using a model‐based approach as well as cluster and multivariate analyses found a high degree of concordance in stratifying the 400 S₁ lines into four non‐overlapping groups corresponding to the two selection cycles each within the reciprocal composites. The observed molecular‐based divergence between cycles within the same composite and the clear differentiation between the complementary composites highlight the importance of reciprocal recurrent selection for preserving genetic diversity for long‐term selection. This increases the potential of the advanced selection cycles to sustain genetic gain in productivity of hybrids adapted to the savannas in West and Central Africa.     

温室内赤苞花和黄虾花叶片解剖结构及光合特性研究

为研究温室内两种爵床科植物叶片解剖结构及光合特性,本试验选取青岛世界园艺博览会植物馆内的两种爵床科植物,赤苞花(Megaskepasma erythrochlamys Lindau)、黄虾花(Pachystachys lutea Nees)为研究对象,用石蜡包埋法对两种植物的叶片进行解剖分析,使用CIRAS-3便携式光合仪测定其光合特性。结果表明,爵床科的两种植物在相同的环境中,叶片的内部结构相似,上表皮均厚于下表皮,海绵组织均厚于栅栏组织。光合指标存在差异,赤苞花的蒸腾速率、气孔导度、细胞间CO₂浓度均大于黄虾花,但黄虾花的水分利用率、净光合速率大于赤苞花。     

湖北省宜都野生楠木资源调查

【目的】了解湖北省宜都市的野生楠木资源分布状况、种群结构及其群落特征。【方法】采用样方法分别在宜都市的王家畈镇、聂家河镇和潘家湾乡对楠木资源分布集中地段进行野外实地调查,并记录其生境条件和群落特征。【结果】调查区内发现野生楠木类植物计264株,楠属植物3种,分别为竹叶楠Phoebe faberi、桢楠P.zhennan、湘楠P.hunanensis;润楠属植物4种,分别为润楠Machilus pingii、宜昌润楠M.ichangensis、华润楠M.chinensis、刨花润楠M.pauhoi,其中华润楠、刨花润楠初步确定为宜都市新分布记录种。楠木较多分布在山地比较潮湿的阴坡,坡度为30°~40°,坡位为中坡位和下坡位,海拔在710 m左右,群落类型为常绿或落叶阔叶林的生境条件下,其楠木类植物群落的维管束植物共有71种,隶属41科60属,以樟科和蔷薇科植物比较多,被子植物中双子叶植物占有绝对的优势,高位芽植物在群落中的比重最大。【结论】该调查区内的润楠属植物种群年龄结构相比楠属更合理,大致呈稳定型,而楠属植物种群年龄结构大致呈衰退型。探讨了样地野生楠木数量及群落结构特征,为其天然林保护及种质资源保存提供理论依据,同时对城市景观树种的配置有着重要意义。     

川西林盘植物群落结构历史变化特征分析——以成都市郫都区为例

林盘是川西平原地区一种极具特色的传统农村聚落形态,具有突出的农业文化遗产价值。植被是构成林盘的核心要素,了解植物群落的历史变化过程可以为传统林盘的保护工作提供科学依据。本研究首先通过查阅历史资料掌握传统林盘植物群落的结构特征,然后选取成都市郫都区4个林盘样地和3个灌渠边林地进行植物群落调查,从而比较不同时期林盘植物群落结构。调查结果显示,目前林盘植物群落结构发生的主要变化包括乔木层中的传统优势种杉木、楠木及柏树被黑壳楠取代,林盘植被趋向单一化;竹类的物种丰富度下降明显,竹林退化严重;灌渠林地中桤木及柏树被枫杨和构树取代,竹类基本消失。川西平原地区社会和经济的变迁破坏了传统农业系统中人口、耕地和林盘之间的平衡,从而导致了林盘植被群落结构的改变。     

Effects of Different Substrate Composition on Growth of Gesneriaceae Plants

The cultivation experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of different proportions of peat soil, perlite, vermiculite and yellow mud on growth of Gesneriaceae species(Chirita gueilinensis, Sinningia speciosa, Lysionotus pauciflorus, Hemiboea henryi, Aeschynanthus acuminatus, Saintpaulia ionantha). The growth traits of each plant growing in 7 different matrix materials were investigated.The plant height, crown width and chlorophyll content of each plant were measured. The results showed that the best substrate ratio was peat soil∶vermiculite=2∶1for C. gueilinensis, L. pauciflorus and H. henryi; peat soil∶perlite∶vermiculite = 2∶1∶1for S. ionantha; peat soil∶vermiculite∶yellow mud=2∶1∶1 for S. speciosa; peat soil∶perlite∶vermiculite∶yellow mud=2∶1∶1∶1 for A. acuminatus.     

Evaluating biodegradability of soil organic matter by its thermal stability and chemical composition

The stability of soil organic matter (SOM) as it relates to resistance to microbial degradation has important implications for nutrient cycling, emission of greenhouse gases, and C sequestration. Hence, there is interest in developing new ways to quantify and characterise the labile and stable forms of SOM. Our objective in this study was to evaluate SOM under widely contrasting management regimes to determine whether the variation in chemical composition and resistance to pyrolysis observed for various constituent C fractions could be related to their resistance to decomposition. Samples from the same soil under permanent pasture, an arable cropping rotation, and chemical fallow were physically fractionated (sand: 2000-50 μm; silt: 50-5 μm, and clay: <5 μm). Biodegradability of the SOM in size fractions and whole soils was assessed in a laboratory mineralization study. Thermal stability was determined by analytical pyrolysis using a Rock-Eval pyrolyser, and chemical composition was characterized by X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy at the C and N K-edges. Relative to the pasture soil, SOM in the arable and fallow soils declined by 30% and 40%, respectively. The mineralization bioassay showed that SOM in whole soil and soil fractions under fallow was less susceptible to biodegradation than that in other management practices. The SOM in the sand fraction was significantly more biodegradable than that in the silt or clay fractions. Analysis by XANES showed a proportional increase in carboxylates and a reduction in amides (protein) and aromatics in the fallow whole soil compared to the pasture and arable soils. Moreover, protein depletion was greatest in the sand fraction of the fallow soil. Sand fractions in fallow and arable soils were, however, relatively enriched in plant-derived phenols, aromatics, and carboxylates compared to the sand fraction of pasture soils. Analytical pyrolysis showed distinct differences in the thermal stability of SOM among the whole soil and their size fractions; it also showed that the loss of SOM generally involved preferential degradation of H-rich compounds. The temperature at which half of the C was pyrolyzed was strongly correlated with mineralizable C, providing good evidence for a link between the biological and thermal stability of SOM.     

高压电场干燥和热风干燥对马铃薯蛋白质二级结构的影响

以自然风干为对照组,采用SDS-PAGE凝胶电泳和圆二色光谱法研究了高压电场干燥(HVEF)和热风干燥对马铃薯蛋白质分子量的影响以及两种干燥方法对马铃薯蛋白质二级结构的影响。SDS-PAGE凝胶电泳结果显示:两种干燥方法对马铃薯蛋白质分子量基本不产生影响。圆二色光谱检测结果表明:经高压电场干燥后,马铃薯蛋白质的α-螺旋所占比例下降1.30%,β-折叠所占比例上升1.60%,β-转角所占比例上升0.30%,无规卷曲所占比例上升1.20%;经热风干燥后,马铃薯蛋白质的α-螺旋所占比例上升了12.50%,β-折叠所占比例下降了10.70%,β-转角所占比例上升了4.30%,无规卷曲所占比例下降4.40%。通过比较:HVEF对马铃薯蛋白质二级结构中α-螺旋、β-折叠、无规卷曲的作用趋势与热风干燥正好相反;如,热风干燥使α-螺旋的比例显著上升,而HVEF则使α-螺旋的比例下降,并且HVEF对马铃薯蛋白质二级结构的影响比热风干燥对马铃薯蛋白质二级结构的影响较小。     

半干旱区农田杂草的生活史对策研究

2008-2009年通过利用当地常见的10种杂草种植于不同处理的农田,研究半干早区农田杂草群落结构以及10种杂草群落组分种对环境因子的响应,结果表明,1)同一物种在不同的气候环境下,可以表现出不同的生活史策略.蝇虫实、田旋花和金荞麦2008年生活史策略分别具有竟争型(C)对策属性、胁迫忍耐型(S)对策属性和中间型(C-...