Variation of enzyme activities, CO2 evolution and redox potential in an Eutric Histosol irrigated with wastewater and tap water

An Eutric Histosol soil was irrigated for 4 years with municipal wastewater to compare its characteristics with a soil under natural rainfall that had never received wastewater and a soil that was irrigated with normal tap water. Four years irrigation of the soil with wastewater caused significant (P<0.001) increase in dehydrogenase, urease, acid and alkaline phosphate activities and CO₂ evolution, and reduced the redox potential (P<0.05). The influence of treatments and plant cover on soil properties were significant (P<0.05) under both salix and grasses, except for few properties (redox potential and urease and alkaline phosphatase activities). It is suggested that, although different toxicants, e.g. heavy metals, may accumulate in wastewater-treated soils, enrichment of soil with organic substances and nutrients stimulated CO₂ evolution and enzyme activities in the irrigated soil.     

The effect of moisture on nitrous oxide emissions from soil and the N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O/(N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O+N<Subscript>2</Subscript>) ratio under laboratory conditions

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) contributes to greenhouse effect; however, little information on the consequences of different moisture levels on N₂O/(N₂O+N₂) ratio is available. The aim of this work was to analyze the influence of different soil moisture values and thus of redox conditions on absolute and relative emissions of N₂O and N₂ at intact soil cores from a Vertic Argiudoll. For this reason, the effect of water-filled porosity space (WFPS) values of soil cores of 40, 80,100, and 120% (the last one with a 2-cm surface water layer) was investigated. The greatest N₂O emission occurred at 80% WFPS treatment where conditions were not reductive enough to allow the complete reduction to N₂. The N₂O/(N₂O+N₂) ratio was lowest (0–0.051) under 120% WFPS and increased with decreasing soil moisture content. N₂O/(N₂O+N₂) ratio values significantly correlated with soil Eh; redox conditions seemed to control the proportion of N gases emitted as N₂O. N₂O emissions did not correlate satisfactorily with N₂O/(N₂O+N₂) ratio values, whereas they were significantly explained by the amount of total N₂O+N₂ emissions.     

Effect of fertilizer application on methane emission/production in the paddy soils of Taiwan

Methane production in three types of rice paddy soil was investigated under greenhouse conditions. The amount of methane produced during the first crop season (March to July) was 2–6 times higher than that in the second crop season (August to December). Application of organic fertilizer hastened the drop in redox potential and increased methane production and emission. Methane production also increased with the depth of soil with high values in soil samples from 18 to 30cm depth. Methane production in the first crop season was 18.0, 54.3 and 49.4mgcm^–3 for 6tha^–1 straw application for Linkou, Tzawchyau and Jiaushi soils, respectively. The value was 33.4mgcm^–3 for the second crop season in Jiaushi soil. Methane emission was high during the flowering and maturity stages in the first crop season and the values were high during the tillering and flowering stages in the second crop season. Methane emission was high in Tzawchyau and Jiaushi soils in the first crop season. Methane emission rate reached a maximum from 12 noon to 3p.m. due to high temperature and a minimum at 3 to 6a.m. in both planted and unplanted soils. Received: 17 September 1996     

Bisphenol A disrupts granulosa cell function

Because of its widespread use and potential adverse biological effects, bisphenol A (BPA) represents one of the most studied endocrine-disrupting compounds. Within the reproductive system, ovarian granulosa cells have been documented as a target of BPA action, but no consensus has been reached about functional modifications induced by BPA. On these bases, we studied the potential disrupting effects of BPA on the main granulosa cell functional activities, also taking into account a potential interference with the ovarian angiogenic process. Ovarian granulosa cells were isolated from porcine follicles and cultured in the presence or absence of BPA at different concentrations for 48 h. Cell proliferation was studied by measuring adenosine triphosphate content. Progesterone (P4) and estradiol 17β (E2) production was determined by radioimmunoassay. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) output was quantified by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Redox status was monitored by measuring superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide, and by determining the activities of the scavenging enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase by colorimetric methods. Granulosa cell proliferation as well as redox status resulted unaffected by BPA. Concentrations of E2 were stimulated by the lower BPA concentration, whereas they were inhibited by the larger doses tested. P4 output was decreased by all BPA concentrations. To the contrary, VEGF production was stimulated. Data indicate that BPA can interfere with reproductive activity by affecting granulosa cell steroidogenesis in vitro; furthermore, BPA can exert a promoting effect on the ovarian angiogenic process by increasing VEGF output in pigs. A disruption of this finely tuned process seems particularly relevant because of the risk of uncontrolled neovascularization.     

Reponses of mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota) trees to continuous and cyclical flooding in calcareous soil

Physiological and growth responses of ‘Pantin’ and ‘Magana’ mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota) trees to continuous and cyclical flooding were studied in a series of experiments. Trees were grown in containers in a very gravelly loam soil and were subjected to continuous flooding of the root zone for 30–66 days (Experiments 1 and 2) or alternating flooding–unflooding cycles for 50 days (Experiments 3–5). For all experiments, the control treatment consisted of nonflooded trees. Net CO₂ assimilation (A) and stomatal conductance (g_s) decreased within 3 days of continuous flooding and internal CO₂ concentration was significantly higher in leaves of flooded than nonflooded plants. In the cyclic flooding experiments, trees were flooded in 3- to 6-day cycles and then unflooded for the same time periods. Stomatal conductance and A decreased within 3 days of flooding, leaf epinasty occurred between days 5 and 10, leaf senescence and abscission occurred between days 15 and 30, and branch dieback and tree death occurred between days 30 and 60. Three cycles of 3-day flooding and 3-day recovery of trees had little effect on leaf gas exchange of ‘Magaña’ trees. Similarly, ‘Pantin’ trees survived 3 cycles of 6 days of flooding interspersed with 3–6 days of recovery despite consistent decreases in g_s and A during flooding. Stomatal conductance and A of both mamey sapote cultivars decreased within a few days of flooding and this species appears to have intermediate flooding tolerance compared with other tropical fruit crops based on tree survival.     

模拟条件下土壤硝化作用及硝化微生物对不同水分梯度的响应

以江苏滨海县一植稻土壤为研究对象,在微宇宙培养条件下设置了不同水分处理(最大持水量的30%、60%、90%和淹水2 cm深),研究了硝化作用及硝化微生物对水分变化的响应特征。结果表明:淹水处理显著降低了土壤的氧化还原电位(Eh),但所有处理土壤Eh变化范围为330~500 m V,土壤整体处于氧化态。在每7天向土壤加入10 mg kg-1NH+4-N的连续培养过程中,各个水分处理均观察到明显的NH+4-N降低和NO-3-N累积的现象,60%WHC处理下土壤硝态氮累积最显著和迅速,90%WHC处理次之,随培养时间延长,30%WHC和淹水处理也观察到明显的硝化作用。淹水处理中氨氧化细菌(Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria,AOB)的数量显著高于非淹水处理,且淹水处理中AOB在DGGE图谱上的条带更加清晰明亮,而氨氧化古菌(Ammonia-oxidizing archaea,AOA)的群落组成和数量在不同水分处理间无明显变化。表明该土壤中AOB对水分条件变化响应灵敏,是该土壤的硝化作用、尤其是淹水条件下硝化作用发生的主要原因。     

Methane emission and entrapment in flooded rice soils as affected by soil properties

Laboratory incubation experiments were conducted to study the effects of soil chemical and physical properties on CH₄ emission and entrapment in 16 selected soils with a pH range of 4.7–8.1, organic matter content of 0.72–2.38%, and soil texture from silt to clay. There was no significant correlation with CH₄ emission for most of the important soil properties, including soil aerobic pH (measured before anaerobic incubation), total Kjeldahl N, cation exchange capacity, especially soil organic matter, and soil water-soluble C, which were considered to be critical controlling factors of CH₄ emission. A lower CH₄ emission was observed in some soils with a higher organic matter content. Differences in soil Fe and Mn contents and their chemical forms contributed to the this observation. A significant correlation between the CH₄ emission and the soil organic C content was observed only after stratifying soils into subgroups according to the level of CH₄ emission in soils not amended with organic matter. The results also showed that the soil redox potential (Eh), anaerobic pH, anerobic pH, and biologically reducible Fe and Mn affected CH₄ emission significantly. Urea fertilization promoted CH₄ emission in some soils and inhibited it in others. This result appeared to be related to the original soil pH. CH₄ entrapment was positively correlated with soil clay content, indicating the importance of soil physical characteristics in reducing CH₄ emissions to the atmosphere.