The efficiency of nitrogen in cattle manures when applied to a double‐annual forage cropping system

The use of cattle manure (CM) for fertilization presents challenges for optimizing nitrogen (N) use. Our work aimed to assess N efficiencies, in a 6‐year experiment with three biennial rotations of four crops: oat–sorghum (first year) and ryegrass–maize (second year) in a rainfed humid Mediterranean area of Spain. Fertilization treatments included the following: control (no N), 250 kg mineral N ha^?1 year^?1 (250MN), three CM rates (supplying 170, 250 and 500 kg N ha^?1 year^?1) and four treatments where the two lowest CM rates were complemented with either 80 or 160 kg mineral N ha^?1 year^?1. Treatments were distributed randomly in each of three blocks. Maximum dry‐matter yield (~44–49 t ha^?1 rotation^?1) was achieved in the third rotation, and only the control and the 170CM yielded significantly less. Within the limitations of the EU Nitrate Directive, the N steady state supply of 170CM always requires a complement of mineral N (80 kg N ha^?1) to maximize N agronomic efficiency. The maximum N‐fertilizer replacement value (250CM vs. 250MN) was 0·67, without significant differences between the two treatments in other N‐related efficiency indexes, which indicates that plants took advantage of residual‐N effects. Nitrogen losses by leaching in the 250CM treatment were around 5–7% of the N applied. This reinforces the sustainability of manure recycling in long cropping seasons.     

Impacts of diet on hindgut microbiota and short‐chain fatty acids in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus)

Diet is known to influence intestinal microbiota in fish, but the specifics of these impacts are still poorly understood. Different protein/fibre ratio diets may result in differing structures and activities of gut microbiota. We examined the hindgut microbiome of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) fed three different diets: fish meal (FM, high protein – low fibre), Sudan grass (SG, high fibre – low protein) and compound feed (CF, intermediate). Microbial profiles of fish fed on FM were significantly different from profiles of fish fed CF and SG (F = 18.85, p < .01). Cetobacterium, known to be positively associated with protein digestion, was the dominant microbial group in FM samples (approximately 75.7%), while Lachnospiraceae and Erysipelotrichaceae, thought to be involved in fermentation of plant polysaccharides, were dominant in CF and SG samples (46.8% and 42.9% respectively). Network analyses indicated that the abundance of Lachnospiraceae and Erysipelotrichaceae was in a significantly positive correlation (r = .895, p = .001). Short‐chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels may indicate that the digestibility of diet by microbiota in the grass carp gut decreased from FM to SG (FM>CF>SG). Overall low SCFA levels indicate that hindgut fermentation probably provides a low proportion of energy requirements in grass carp.     

用液相色谱串联质谱法测定渔业水样中6种农药的含量

本文建立了一种快速检测渔业水质样本中酰胺类除草剂乙草胺、丙草胺、丁草胺、三嗪类除草剂莠去津、烟碱类杀虫剂噻虫嗪、三唑类杀菌剂苯醚甲环唑6种农药含量的液相色谱串联质谱法。采用乙腈-水-甲酸梯度洗脱、电喷雾电离方式、多反应监测模式测定考察检出限、线性范围、日内精密度及日间精密度。在三种加标浓度下,该方法的回收率为78.2%~104.7%。用液相色谱-四级杆-飞行时间质谱对疑似目标物质进行定性,用精确质量数、同位素丰度比和二级碎片解析方式等解析定性结构。该方法能够满足检测这六种农药的要求,能准确定性,自建的谱库可为渔业污染事故鉴定和水产品质量安全风险评估做支撑。     

Impact of grassland contract policy on soil organic carbon losses from alpine grassland on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Carbon storage in the soils on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau plays a very important role in the global carbon budget. In the 1990s, a policy of contracting collective grasslands to smaller units was implemented, resulting in a change from the traditional collective grassland management to two new management patterns: a multi‐household management pattern (MMP: grassland shared by several households without enclosures) and a single‐household management pattern (SMP: grassland enclosed and used by only one household). In 2016, 50 MMP and 54 SMP winter pastures on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau were sampled to assess the differences in soil organic carbon (SOC) between the two management patterns. Results showed that average SOC was significantly greater under MMP than under SMP, with an estimated 0.41 Mg C/ha/yr lost due to SMP following the new grassland contract. Based on the government's grassland policy, four grassland utilization scenarios were developed for both summer and winter pastures. We found that if the grassland were managed under SMP, likely C losses ranged between 0.31 × 10⁷ and 6.15 × 10⁷ Mg C/yr across the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau relative to MMP, which more closely resembles pre‐1990s grassland management. Previous estimates of C losses have only considered land use change (with cover change) and ignored the impacts driven by land management pattern changes (without cover change). The new data suggest that C losses from the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau are greater than previously estimated, and therefore that the grassland contract policy should be reviewed and SMP households should be encouraged to reunite into the MMP. These findings have potential implications for land management strategies not only on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau but also other grazing regions globally where such practices may exist.     

基于YOLO v3与图结构模型的群养猪只头尾辨别方法

在利用视频监控技术对群养猪只进行自动行为监测时,对猪只准确定位并辨别其头尾位置对提高监测水平至关重要,基于此提出一种基于YOLO v3(You only look once v3)模型与图结构模型(Pictorial structure models)的猪只头尾辨别方法。首先,利用基于深度卷积神经网络的YOLO v3目标检测模型,训练猪只整体及其头部和尾部3类目标的检测器,从而在输入图像中获得猪只整体及头尾部所有的检测结果;然后,引入图结构模型,描述猪只的头尾结构特征,对每个猪只整体检测矩形框内的头尾部位组合计算匹配得分,选择最优的部位组合方式;对部分部位漏检的情况,采取阈值分割与前景椭圆拟合的方法,根据椭圆长轴推理出缺失部位。在实际猪场环境下,通过俯拍获得猪舍监控视频,建立了图像数据集,并进行了检测实验。实验结果表明,与直接利用YOLO v3模型相比,本文方法对头尾定位的精确率和召回率均有一定提高。本文方法对猪只头尾辨别精确率达到96.22%,与其他方法相比具有明显优势。     

Positionality and protocol in field research: Undertaking community‐based investigations in Samoa

This article considers the experiences of a Samoan female geographer undertaking community‐based field research in her home country, and identifies some lessons for researchers working in similar circumstances. The paper suggests that ethical behaviour in research is ‘place‐specific’, and there is therefore a need to employ culturally sensitive and ‘location‐specific’ methodologies when undertaking community‐based research fieldwork. For the lead researcher, growing up in Samoa played a significant role in gaining an understanding of a set of robust and effective procedures to evaluate citizens' resilience to climatic and other environmental challenges. Fluency in everyday and more formal local languages, and awareness of local differences, each with multi‐layered connections to local communities, understanding cultural nuances and practising respect for va tapuia [sacred space or relationships] protocols, together facilitated the process of knowledge acquisition and helped to confirm the validity of the conclusions derived from the study.     

马铃薯AP2/ERF转录因子的克隆及植物表达载体构建

AP2/ERF基因家族转录因子普遍存在于植物中,参与植物体内的各种生物学过程,包括植物的生长发育、生物和非生物胁迫响应等。前期转录组测序的结果发现马铃薯‘加湘1号’一个AP2/ERF家族基因(PGSC0003DMG400012154)在接种晚疫病菌(Phytophthora infestans)24 h后被显著激活。从接种P.infestans 24 h的‘加湘1号’的总RNA中通过RT-PCR获得了该基因CDS序列为885 bp,BLAST分析显示该基因编码一个295个氨基酸残基的蛋白,并且含有1个AP2/ERF结构域,是AP2/ERF转录因子家族中的ERF亚家族的一员。本研究将该基因与XcmⅠ酶切的表达载体pCXSN连接,转化大肠杆菌,通过测序挑选插入正确克隆酶切验证,并成功转化农杆菌。本研究结果为进一步研究该基因的功能提供了帮助。     

基于GIS与RS的北方防沙屏障带生态系统格局演变

研究北方防沙屏障带生态系统格局演变特征,对加强屏障带建设、改善生态环境具有重要意义。以北方防沙屏障带为研究区,根据2005、2010、2015年MODIS遥感影像,将北方防沙屏障带生态系统类型划分为森林、草地、湿地、农田、城镇、荒漠和裸地7类。采用空间统计、转移矩阵、景观指数分析法、PNTIL模型等方法,对北方防沙屏障带2005—2015年生态系统类型时空演变特征进行分析。结果表明,2005—2015年北方防沙屏障带生态系统整体呈稳定状态;从分屏障带看,内蒙古防沙屏障带荒漠面积明显减少,塔里木防沙屏障带森林面积迅速增加,而河西走廊防沙屏障带草地面积明显增加;从正/逆转换方向来看,屏障带内农田、城镇、荒漠及裸地生态系统正向转换率高于逆向转换率。10年间,在景观水平上,北方防沙屏障带斑块数量、斑块密度呈减少趋势;在类型水平上荒漠景观整体呈现破碎化萎缩的趋势特征,森林、草地向形状简单化的方向发展。研究表明,2005—2015年,北方防沙屏障带生态总体向好,治沙效果明显,但局部仍面临较大压力。     

亏缺灌溉对南疆棉花生长和水分利用的影响

针对南疆地区水资源短缺、作物水分利用效率低等问题,以棉花为试验材料进行田间小区试验,在棉花现蕾期、开花期以及结铃期分别设置3个亏缺灌溉水平(W₁:50%ET_c,W₂:65%ET_c,W₃:80%ET_c,ET_c为作物蒸发蒸腾量),以全生育期100%ET_c灌溉处理为对照(CK),研究膜下滴灌条件下,不同生育期亏缺灌溉对棉花生长、产量、氮素吸收和水分利用效率的影响.结果表明:现蕾期亏水对棉花株高、叶面积指数、地上干物质生长、氮素吸收和产量有不同程度的抑制效应,但复水后补偿效应显著,其中轻度亏水(W₃)在籽棉产量减少3.48%的条件下,WUE高达1.57 kg/m³,显著高于CK的1.48 kg/m³;开花期亏水,棉花的各项生长指标均有显著降低,复水后补偿效应不显著,不利于棉花生长发育;结铃期亏水对棉花地上干物质累积、氮素吸收和产量均有显著的抑制效应,但在W₂和W₃水平下,WUE均达1.51 kg/m³.综合考虑在保证棉花产量的同时达到节水增产的目的,可在棉花蕾期进行80%ET_c灌水,其他生育阶段实施充分灌溉,来控制营养生长,促进生殖生长,获得更高的水分利用效率.     

Notch1 promotes renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in renal tissues of diabetic mice by inhibiting autophagy through Akt/mTOR signaling pathway

AIM: To observe the changes of Notch1 expression and autophagy in the renal tissues of diabetic mice, and to explore the regulatory effect of Notch1 on tubulointerstitial fibrosis by inhibiting autophagy in diabetic nephro-pathy. METHODS: The mice were randomly divided into normal control group (db/m mice) and diabetes group (db/db mice), with 8 rats in each group. After 12 weeks of feeding, the mice were sacrificed and the corresponding biochemical indexes were measured. The protein expression of Notch1 in the renal tubular epithelial cells was observed by immunohistochemical staining. The protein levels of Notch1, PTEN, p-Akt (Thr308), Akt, p-mTOR (Ser2448), mTOR, LC3, P62, collagen type Ⅰ (Col-Ⅰ) and collagen type Ⅲ (Col-Ⅲ) were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the db/m mice, the blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, serum creatinine, triglyceride and total cholesterol were increased in the db/db mice (P<0.01). Renal tubular epithelial cell vacuolar degeneration, renal tubular expansion and interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration in db/db mouse renal tissues with HE staining were observed. The images of Masson staining showed collagenous fiber-like substance deposition in the glomerular capillaries and renal interstitium, and disarrangement of tubular structure in the renal tissues of db/db mice. The protein expression levels of PTEN and LC3-Ⅱ were decreased (P<0.01 or P<0.05), while the protein levels of Notch1, P62, p-mTOR (Ser2448), p-Akt (Thr308), Col-I and Col-III were increased in the db/db mice as compared with the db/m mice (P<0.01). However, no significant change of total mTOR and Akt proteins between the 2 groups was found. CONCLUSION: Notch1 protein expression was increased, PTEN expression was significantly reduced, Akt/mTOR pathway was activated, autophagy was inhibited, and fibrosis was aggravated in the renal tissues of the diabetic mice.