Bacteria and antibiotic resistance detection in fractures of wild birds from wildlife rehabilitation centres in Spain

Anatomic adaptations make birds more prone to open fractures with exposed bone parts losing vascularization. As a result of this exposure, fractures are colonized by different microorganisms, including different types of bacteria, both aerobic and anaerobic, causing osteomyelitis in many cases. For this reason, antibiotic treatment is common. However, carrying out antibiotic treatment without carrying out a previous antibiogram may contribute to increased resistance against antibiotics, especially in migratory wild birds. In this paper, bacterial counts regarding fracture type, bacterial identification and antibiotic resistance have been analysed in wild birds from wildlife rehabilitation centres in Spain. The results obtained showed that open fractures had higher bacterial counts (CFU/mL) than closed ones. Bacteria in family Enterobacteriaceae, identified were Escherichia spp., Enterobacter spp., Shigella spp., Hafnia alvei, Proteus mirabilis, Leclercia adecarboxylata and Pantoea agglomerans. Other bacteria present in wild birds’ fractures were Aeromonas spp., Enterococcus spp. Bacillus wiedmannii and Staphylococcus sciuri. All species found presented resistance to at least one of the antibiotics used. Wild birds can be implicated in the introduction, maintenance and global spreading of antibiotic resistant bacteria and represent an emerging public health concern. Results obtained in this paper support the idea that it is necessary to take this fact into account before antibiotic administration to wild animals, since it could increase the number of bacteria resistant to antibiotics.     

不同混施钝化剂对水稻吸收累积Cd的影响

将石灰、赤泥和高岭土按不同比例混合(施用总量为4500kg hm-2)施加于Cd污染稻田土壤,根据混合比例不同设置CK(常规种植)、T1(1∶7∶4)、T2(3∶5∶4)、T3(4∶4∶4)和T4(6∶2∶4)共5个处理,探究不同混施钝化剂对水稻吸收累积Cd的影响。结果表明:4种混施处理能够显著降低土壤有效态Cd含量,较CK相比依次降低了28.0%、40.9%、43.4%和57.4%。4种混施处理能够不同程度地降低水稻各部位对Cd的吸收累积,籽粒的Cd含量依次降低47.1%、49.2%、55.5%和81.6%,T2、T3和T4处理水稻籽粒中Cd含量达到了食品安全国家标准(G B27622017,Cd≤0.2mg kg-1)。土壤有效态Cd含量与水稻根、茎、叶和籽粒中Cd含量的Pearson相关系数分别为0.826、0.709、0.778和0.532,均达到显著相关。不同处理根系富集系数依次为5.03、1.83、2.22、1.32和0.90,钝化处理显著降低了水稻根系对Cd的富集能力。各处理水稻产量以及籽粒K、Mg元素含量没有显著差异,T1到T4处理Ca元素含量依次增加。综合分析,T4处理对于降低土壤中有效态Cd含量以及水稻籽粒中Cd含量效果最佳,且没有降低水稻产量和与稻米品质密切相关的K、Mg和Ca元素含量。     

南水北调中线工程水质监测站点布设研究

科学合理布设水质监测站点是加强南水北调中线工程对突发水污染事件监控,保障水质安全的重要手段。制定水质监测站点的布设方案受到监测效率与布设成本的约束,同时,监测仪器精度、污染物衰减特性的不确定性等问题也对布设方案产生影响。以中线工程京石段为研究对象,基于一维水质模型,以突发水污染事件漏报率最低、发现时间最短以及监测站点布设成本最小为目标函数,构建水质监测站点布设多目标优化模型对布设方案进行优化,同时结合监测仪器精度对目标函数的影响确定了最优布设方案,在此基础上,分析了污染物衰减特性对最优布设方案的影响。研究结果可为中线工程合理布设水质监测站点提供建议。     

不同消毒剂对甘肃红豆草种子消毒效果及萌发的影响

利用正交设计试验研究了3个不同种子预浸泡时间(6,12和24h),3种消毒剂(10%H2O2,30%NaClO和0.1%HgCl2)和3个不同消毒时间(10,20和30min)对甘肃红豆草种子萌发率、污染率及发芽指数的影响,以获取甘肃红豆草无菌苗时种子的最佳消毒方法。结果表明,3个因素对发芽率影响差异显著;预浸泡时间对发芽指数影响差异极显著,而对污染率影响差异不显著;消毒剂种类及消毒时间对污染率和发芽指数影响差异显著。综合各项因素,室温条件下无菌水预浸泡24h、0.1%HgCl2消毒20min种子发芽率较高,污染率较低,发芽较快且出苗整齐,是获取甘肃红豆草无菌苗种子的最佳消毒方式。     

Distribution and genetic diversity among Aspergillus flavus isolates across three agro-ecologies essential for maize cultivation in Ghana

Fungal mycotoxins are important contaminants of agricultural commodities that pose serious concerns to producers, consumers and exporters. Aflatoxin is a carcinogenic metabolite produced by the fungi Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. These fungi and other mould species living in the soil contaminate several crops including maize. This study was undertaken with the following objectives: (i) to assess the presence of A. flavus and other moulds in Ghanaian soil; (ii) to determine the distribution and density of A. flavus under three agro-ecologies noted for major maize production; and (iii) to assess the effect of percentage of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) and soil pH on A. flavus population densities and diversity in the isolates found across the agro-ecologies. The data showed seven moulds that were common across the agro-ecologies. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed in the A. flavus density and distribution within and across these agro-ecologies. Fumesua soils recorded the highest levels of A. flavus (1.185 × 10³ cfu g⁻¹) while Akomadan recorded the least (9.76 × 10² cfu g⁻¹). Percentage available C, N and soil pH did not significantly influence A. flavus density. The A. flavus isolates identified in this study varied in genetic sequence within the aflatoxin gene cluster, but these differences were not distinguishable by origin.     

Interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and fungivorous nematodes on the growth and arsenic uptake of tobacco in arsenic-contaminated soils

The effects of inoculation with two AM fungi (M1, Glomus caledonium; M2, Glomus spp. and Acaulospora spp.) and a fungivorous nematode Aphelenchoides sp. on growth and arsenic (As) uptake of Nicotiana tabacum L. were investigated in soils contaminated with a range of As. The reproduction of Aphelenchoides sp. was triggered by the co-inoculation of AM fungi regardless of AM fungal isolates and As levels. Stimulative effects of Aphelenchoides sp. on the development of mycorrhiza, slightly different between two AM fungi, were found particularly at the lowest As level. Irrespective of mycorrhizal inoculi, increasing soil As level decreased plant growth, but increased plant As uptake. Co-inoculation of AM fungi and Aphelenchoides sp. led plants to achieving further growth and greater As accumulation at the lowest As level. Results showed that the interactions between AM fungi and fungivorous nematodes were important in plant As tolerance and phytoextraction at low level As-polluted soil.     

Response of ammonia oxidizing microbes to the stresses of arsenic and copper in two acidic alfisols

Soil pollution by elevated heavy metals exhibits adverse effects on soil microorganisms. Ammonia oxidizing bacteria and ammonia oxidizing archaea perform ammonia oxidative processes in acidic soils. However, influence of heavy metal stress on soil ammonia oxidizers distribution and diversity is inadequately addressed. This study investigated the responses of ammonia oxidizing bacteria and archaea to heavy metals, Cu and As during short-term laboratory experiment. Two different acidic alfisols named as Rayka and Hangzhou spiked with different concentrations of As, Cu and As + Cu were incubated for 10 weeks. Significant reduction in copy numbers of archaeal-16S rRNA, bacterial-16S rRNA and functional amoA genes was observed along elevated heavy metal concentrations. Ammonia oxidizing archaea was found to be more abundant than ammonia oxidizing bacteria in all the heavy metal treatments. The potential nitrification rate significantly decreased with increasing As and Cu concentrations in the two soils examined. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis revealed no apparent community shift for ammonia oxidizing archaea even at higher concentrations of As and Cu. Phylogenetic analysis of archaeal amoA gene from 4 clone libraries indicated that all the archaeal amoA sequences were placed within 3 distinct clusters from soil and sediment group 1.1b of Thaumarchaeota. Our results could be useful for the better understanding of the ecological effects of heavy metals on the abundance and diversity of soil ammonia oxidizers.