Photoperiod influences the growth, food intake, feed efficiency and digestibility of red sea bream (Pagrus major)

Two consecutive trials were conducted to investigate the effects of photoperiod manipulation on growth rate, food intake and feed conversion efficiency (Trial 1), and the digestibility of nutrients and energy (Trial 2) in red sea bream, Pagrus major (body weight 19–120 g). Fish were exposed to four photoperiods (6L:6D, 12L:12D, 16L:8D and 24L:0D) with light intensity 1500 lx on the water surface. The fish were fed with a commercial diet to apparent satiation. In Trial 2, 0.5% chromic oxide (Cr₂O₃) was used as an inert marker. Significantly higher weight gain and specific growth rates were observed in fish exposed to a 24L:0D photoperiod followed by 16L:8D, 6L:6D and 12L:12D photoperiods (P < 0.05). Food intake and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) were also significantly higher in fish exposed to 24L:0D followed by 16L:8D, 6L:6D and 12L:12D photoperiods (P < 0.05). Fish exposed to 24L:0D and 16L:8D photoperiods showed significantly higher lipid and energy digestibility than those exposed to a 12L:12D photoperiod (P < 0.05). The results demonstrated that the enhancement of growth performances under 16L:8D and 24L:0D photoperiods were attributed to improved appetite, greater food intake and higher feed conversion efficiency as well as higher digestibility.     

控水处理对胡杨、灰胡杨生长特性及水分利用效率的影响

为提高塔里木盆地农田防护林灌溉水的利用效率,选择适宜的防护林树种,以塔里木荒漠优势树种胡杨和灰胡杨为试验材料,利用盆栽方法研究不同控水处理对2树种的生长特性、光合参数、叶绿素荧光动力学参数、蒸腾耗水特性和水分利用效率的影响。结果表明,2树种光合参数、叶绿素荧光动力学参数（除非光化学猝灭系数qN）、耗水量、耗水强度、生物量和水分利用效率均随供水量的减少而下降,重度胁迫下明显降低。与适宜水分相比,不同水分胁迫处理下胡杨的光合参数、叶绿素荧光参数、耗水量与生物量下降幅度均小于灰胡杨,重度胁迫下明显高于灰胡杨。胡     

European Bison habitat in the Carpathian Mountains

European Bison (Bison bonasus) barely escaped extinction in the early 20th century and now only occur in small isolated herds scattered across Central and Eastern Europe. The species’ survival in the wild depends on identifying suitable habitat for establishing bison metapopulations via reintroductions of new herds. We assessed European Bison habitat across the Carpathian Mountains, a stronghold of European Bison and one of the only places where a viable bison metapopulation may be possible. We used maximum entropy models to analyze herd range maps and habitat use data from radio-collared bison to identify key habitat variables and map European Bison habitat across the entire Carpathian ecoregion (210,000 km²). Forest cover (primarily core and perforated forests) and variables linked to human disturbance best predict bison habitat suitability. Bison show no clear preference for particular forest types but prefer managed grasslands over fallow and abandoned fields. Several large, suitable, but currently unoccupied habitat patches exist, particularly in the eastern Carpathians. This available suitable habitat suggests that European Bison have an opportunity to establish a viable Carpathian metapopulation, especially if recent trends of declining human pressure and reforestation of abandoned farmland continue. Our results also confirm the suitability of a proposed Romanian reintroduction site. Establishing the first European Bison metapopulation would be a milestone in efforts to conserve this species in the wild and demonstrate a significant and hopeful step towards conserving large grazers and their ecological roles in human-dominated landscapes across the globe.     

Saiga antelope calving site selection is increasingly driven by human disturbance

Many terrestrial mammalian species aggregate to give birth. Such aggregations are likely to be a response to changing resource and water availability, for predator swamping and avoidance of disturbance. The critically endangered saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) is one such species. We analysed spatio-temporal locations of saiga calving aggregations in Kazakhstan over the last four decades obtained from aerial and ground surveys, to identify the factors determining the selection of calving sites within the species’ range as well as any changes in these locations over time. Generalized mixed models were employed in a use - availability framework to assess the factors distinguishing calving from random sites and predict suitable areas for calving. Saigas selected sites, with lower than average productivity and low year to year variability in productivity, at an intermediate distance from water sources, and away from human settlements. A significant change in calving locations was observed during the last decade, with calving areas occurring further north and further away from settlements than previously. The results demonstrate that the choice of calving areas is largely driven by environmental factors. However, disturbance also has a significant impact on calving site selection and in recent decades, its influence overrides that of environmental factors. This increase in the influence of disturbance coincides with a precipitous decline in saiga numbers due to poaching, as well as substantial reductions in the intensity of land use for livestock grazing following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Predictive models based on such studies can improve species conservation by guiding the stratification of sampling for effective monitoring and deployment of rangers to protect the females at this critical time.     

Impact of litter quality on mineralization processes in managed and abandoned pasture soils in Southern Ecuador

Tropical regions are currently undergoing remarkable rates of land use change accompanied by altered litter inputs to soil. In vast areas of Southern Ecuador forests are clear cut and converted for use as cattle pastures. Frequently these pasture sites are invaded by bracken fern, when bracken becomes dominant pasture productivity decreases and the sites are abandoned. In the present study implications of invasive bracken on soil biogeochemical properties were investigated. Soil samples (0-5 cm) were taken from an active pasture with Setaria sphacelata as predominant grass and from an abandoned pasture overgrown by bracken. Grass (C₄ plant) and bracken (C₃ plant) litter, differing in C:N ratio (33 and 77, respectively) and lignin content (Klason-lignin: 18% and 45%, respectively), were incubated in soils of their corresponding sites and vice versa for 28 days at 22 °C. Unamended microcosms containing only the respective soil or litter were taken as controls. During incubation the amount of CO₂ and its δ¹³C-signature were determined at different time intervals. Additionally, the soil microbial community structure (PLFA-analysis) as well as the concentrations of KCl-extractable C and N were monitored. The comparison between the control soils of active and abandoned pasture sites showed that the massive displacement of Setaria-grass by bracken after pasture abandonment was characterized by decreased pH values accompanied by decreased amounts of readily available organic carbon and nitrogen, a lower microbial biomass and decreased activity as well as a higher relative abundance of actinomycetes. The δ¹³C-signature of CO₂ indicated a preferential mineralization of grass-derived organic carbon in pasture control soils. In soils amended with grass litter the mineralization of soil organic matter was retarded (negative priming effect) and also a preferential utilization of easily available organic substances derived from the grass litter was evident. Compared to the other treatments, the pasture soil amended with grass litter showed an opposite shift in the microbial community structure towards a lower relative abundance of fungi. After addition of bracken litter to the abandoned pasture soil a positive priming effect seemed to be supported by an N limitation at the end of incubation. This was accompanied by an increase in the ratio of Gram-positive to Gram-negative bacterial PLFA marker. The differences in litter quality between grass and bracken are important triggers of changes in soil biogeochemical and soil microbial properties after land use conversion.     

Microbial respiration activities related to sequentially separated, particulate and water-soluble organic matter fractions from arable and forest topsoils

This study aimed to reveal differences in the relevance of particulate as well as water-soluble organic matter (OM) fractions from topsoils to the easily biodegradable soil organic matter (SOM). We selected eight paired sites with quite different soil types and soil properties. For each of these sites, we took samples from adjacent arable and forest topsoils. Physically uncomplexed, macro-, and micro-aggregate-occluded organic particle, as well as water-soluble OM fractions were sequentially separated by a combination of electrostatic attraction, ultrasonic treatment, density separation, sieving, and water extraction. The easily biodegradable SOM of the topsoil samples was determined by measuring microbial respiration during a short-term incubation experiment (OC_R). The organic carbon (OC) contents separated by i) the physically uncomplexed water-soluble OM, ii) the macro-, and iii) the micro-aggregate-occluded organic particle as well as water-soluble OM fractions were significantly correlated with OC_R. The correlation coefficients vary between 0.54 and 0.65 suggesting differences in the relevance of these OM fractions to the easily biodegradable SOM. The strongest correlation to OC_R was detected for the OC content separated by the physically uncomplexed water-soluble OM indicating the most distinct relation to the easily biodegradable SOM. This was found to be independent from land use or soil properties.     

Reestablishment of ecological functioning by mulching and termite invasion in a degraded soil in an Australian savanna

Soil degradation is a major source of ecological dysfunction in both natural and agricultural landscapes. Termites are key mediators of tropical soil structure and function, but there has been little experimental evaluation of their potential in soil rehabilitation. This study investigated if termite activity can be used as a tool to improve the properties and function of degraded soil in tropical Australia, through mulch addition. A 2 × 2 randomised block design was used, with mulch (bare [B] or mulched [M] plots) and termiticide (termite [T] or non-termite [NT] plots) as factors. Over 4.5 years I tested the hypothesis that the MT plots would show greatest increase in (i) soil macroporosity, (ii) total soil surface carbon and nitrogen, (iii) litter decomposition, (iv) soil water storage and (v) plant cover, and (vi) greatest reduction in soil strength. MT treatment plots showed a 46% and 45% increase in soil macroporosity and plant cover, respectively, and a 25% reduction in soil strength compared with MNT plots. Compared with B treatments (BT, BNT), macroporosity and plant cover were 98% and 60% higher, respectively and soil water storage increased by up to 15%. Termites contributed to 58% of litter loss in MT plots over the transitional/dry season period. Mulching doubled soil carbon and nitrogen levels. This research demonstrates termite-mediated processes can be initiated and maintained in degraded soil, thereby improving soil structure and key ecosystem functions. Termites may represent a valuable biological resource for promoting tropical soil restoration, through incorporating techniques that promote their activity into tropical soil rehabilitation management.     

苗期土壤水分亏缺后玉米光合生理的恢复

通过模拟土壤水分亏缺试验,研究了玉米在土壤水分亏缺后光合生理的恢复机制.结果表明:不同处理玉米光合生理在复水后30 d内均可以恢复正常生长.轻度亏缺处理玉米叶片气孔导度和蒸腾强度在复水后0～10 d可恢复正常,光合速率和胞间CO2浓度在复水后10～20 d恢复正常,但叶绿素荧光参数(Fv/Fm、Fv/Fo、qP、qN)和叶片光合色素含量的恢复相对较为缓慢.重度水分亏缺处理玉米光合生理指标恢复滞后于轻度亏缺处理.轻度亏缺处理复水后玉米净光合速率的恢复主要受气孔因素影响,重度水分亏缺处理玉米净光合速率的恢复在复水0～10 d主要受非气孔因素影响,复水10 d后主要受气孔因素影响.     

不同利用方式红壤磷素有效性的深度变化——以江西省余江县孙家小流域为例

在江西省鹰潭市余江县孙家红壤小流域的典型红壤区随机选取了具有代表性的林地(F)、花生旱地(PU)、新稻田(NP,<30 a)和老稻田(OP,> 200 a),在0~40 cm深度每隔5 cm采集分层土样,分析了土壤全磷(TP)、有效磷(Bray P)、磷素活化系数(PAC)及有机磷(Po)、无机磷(Pi)与各组分磷的深度变化,探讨了土壤pH与土壤有机质(SOM)对红壤磷素有效性的影响。研究结果表明:孙家小流域不同利用方式红壤TP含量大小依次为:老稻田>新稻田>林地>花生旱地;除林地外,花生旱地与稻田土壤TP、Bray P、Pi和Po含量随着土壤深度的增加呈显著降低趋势,且稻田土壤Po含量及其占全磷的比例显著高于林地和花生旱地。花生旱地与稻田0~20 cm土壤中极有效磷(EAP)、中等有效磷(MAP)及EAP、MAP中的无机磷与有机磷的比值均显著高于林地土壤。林地转为旱地和稻田,尤其是长期植稻可以促进土壤非有效磷(NAP)向利于作物吸收的EAP与MAP转化,因而提高土壤磷素有效性。相关分析表明,随着SOM累积量的增加,四种利用方式红壤中EAP、MAP含量均显著提高。     

基于数值模拟的多级双吸式离心泵性能预测

以北赵引黄工程谢村站用多级双吸式离心泵为研究对象,基于雷诺时均的N-S方程,采用SSTk-ε湍流模型,压力速度耦合使用SIMPLEC计算,对泵内部流动进行了三维定常全流场湍流数值模拟,得到不同工况下该泵内部流动的速度矢量图等流场信息,在对其内部流动规律进行了定性分析的基础上,预测了泵的性能,并与现场测试结果进行了对比分析。分析结果表明,首级叶轮首级压水室以及次级叶轮次级压水室内流动较均匀;由于过渡流道的结构特点以及流动惯性,流体在首级压水室进入过渡流道时,在流道突然扩大区域形成了旋涡,旋涡区域大小与流量有关;预测扬程值与现场测试扬程吻合较好,预测扬程最大误差为2.7%,而预测的流量-水力效率曲线与现场测试流量-机组效率曲线变化趋势一致;水泵内部流动的数值模拟可为工程中泵设计阶段的性能预测和结构优化提供依据。