Substrate composition determines emergence success and development of European nase larvae (Chondrostoma nasus L.)

European nase (Chondrostoma nasus) is a specialist riverine fish, characterised by a complex life cycle making it vulnerable to habitat degradation. Recent findings indicate that, analogously to salmonids, the interstitial zone quality may pose a serious bottleneck for successful recruitment of this species. In this study, nase eggs were exposed to different substrate qualities. First, standardised substrate mixtures with differing fine sediment additions were used. Second, we tested different homogenous gravel fractions for their influence on egg development and emergence success. In both setups, substrate composition significantly affected emergence success, timing of emergence and larvae size at emergence. In the substrate mixtures, emergence was most successful in substratum with no fine sediment addition (98%) and decreased to 55% in substratum with 20% fine sediment addition. Emergence was most successful in the coarsest fraction (93%) and decreased to 47% in the finest fraction. Over all treatments, the time between hatching and emergence from substrate differed by up to 156 degree days, thereby indicating that free embryos of nase use the shelter of the interstitial zone for early ontogeny. These results suggest that a loose and porous stream bed can positively contribute to the development success of eggs and larvae and thereby potentially improve the recruitment of nase populations. It is thus important to consider the substrate and interstitial conditions in the conservation and restoration management of this rheophilic cyprinid.     

Responses of carbon metabolism and antioxidant system of summer maize to waterlogging at different stages

A field experiment was performed to explore responses of carbon metabolism, antioxidant system and endogenous hormone content of summer maize hybrids DengHai605 (DH605) and ZhengDan958 (ZD958) to waterlogging at the third leaf stage (V3), the sixth leaf stage (V6) and the 10th day after the tasselling stage (10VT). Results showed that waterlogging significantly decreased the contents of zeatin riboside (ZR), indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA), compared to those of CK. However, leaf abscisic acid (ABA) content was significantly increased by waterlogging at different stages, with the most significant increase was found in the treatment of waterlogging at V3 (V3‐W), with an increase of 30% and 29% for DH605 and ZD958, respectively. Waterlogging significantly decreased antioxidative enzyme activities, accelerating leaf senescence, resulted in the disorder of leaf gas exchange parameters and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. In addition, waterlogging decreased key enzyme activities of carbon metabolism (ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase), with the most significant reduction in V3‐W, with a decrease of 46% and 49% for DH605, and 53% and 55% for ZD958, respectively. Visibly, waterlogging disturbed carbon metabolism, affected plant endogenous hormone content, accelerated leaf senescence and eventually resulted in a significant reduction in photosynthetic characteristic and grain yield. V3 was most susceptible to waterlogging, followed by V6 and 10VT.     

Grain yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under long‐term heat stress is sink‐limited with stronger inhibition of kernel setting than grain filling

The aim of the study was to investigate source‐sink relations of wheat under continuous heat stress and to identify bottle necks of yield formation. A pot experiment was conducted in two climatic chambers exposing wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Thasos) either to day/night temperatures of 20/20°C (control conditions) or of 30/25°C (heat stress) during the whole vegetation period in the absence of plant water deficit. Plants were harvested at four phenological stages: three‐node stage (DC 33), start of flowering (DC 61), grain filling (DC 75) and maturity (DC 94). Heat stress shortened the development phases of the plants and caused a significant decrease in total above‐ground biomass between 19% and 41%. At grain filling and at maturity, the reductions in total shoot biomass mainly resulted from grain yield depressions by 77% and 58%, respectively. The ear number per plant was significantly higher under heat stress in comparison with the control, at maturity it was more than doubled. On the contrary, under heat stress, the kernel number per ear was strongly decreased by 83% and 75% during grain filling and at maturity, respectively. The decrease in individual kernel weight was 23% at maturity. Thus, the heat‐stressed plants were able to strongly increase the number of ear‐bearing tillers which were able to set only a small number of kernels, yet these kernels showed good grain filling. The harvest index (HI) of heat‐stressed plants was significantly reduced by 36% (control: HI = 50.1% ± 0.4, heat: HI = 32.2% ± 0.9***). The plants in the stress treatment adapted to the adverse conditions by less biomass production which presumably allowed a higher transpiration without an increase in total water consumption. Nevertheless, under heat stress, the water use efficiency (WUE_grain) was strongly decreased by 62% as a result of a small grain yield. In ears and grains, the sucrose, glucose and fructose concentrations were not significantly different between control and heat stress at start of flowering and during grain filling. Thus, the supply of assimilates was not restricted (no source limitation). Sink capacity was reduced by heat stress, as lesser and smaller kernels were produced than in the control. Concerning sink activity, the sink‐limiting step during kernel set is probably the active transport of hexoses across the plasma membrane into the developing kernels, which could also affect grain filling. This needs to be investigated in more detail in further studies.     

不同发育阶段马尾松人工林经营效果动态分析

为揭示不同发育阶段马尾松人工林经营效果的动态变化特征规律,对青羊湖林场不同发育阶段的马尾松人工林(幼龄林、中龄林、近熟林)林分空间结构、物种多样性、土壤肥力、林木生长等指标进行动态分析,运用主成分分析法,对不同发育阶段的各经营样地的经营效果进行综合评价。结果表明:不同发育阶段的马尾松林在经营改造后,空间结构明显改善,物种多样性指数均明显提高,土壤肥力也有所改善;幼龄林、中龄林和近熟林9块样地抚育间伐补植改造效果综合评价得分依次为0.079,-0.021,-0.241,0.528,0.438,1.028,-0.145,-0.780,-0.886,得分越高说明改造经营效果越好。经营促进了不同发育阶段马尾松人工林林分空间结构的优化、树种多样性的提高、土壤肥力的改善和林木蓄积生长的提高,林分向异龄复层混交林方向发展,为马尾松人工林经营提供理论依据。     

果蝇毛锤角细蜂对黑腹果蝇蛹不同龄期的选择性

黑腹果蝇Drosophila melanogaster Meigen是浆果类水果的果实害虫之一，对葡萄果实为害严重。毛锤角细蜂Trichopria drosophilae是黑腹果蝇的蛹寄生蜂之一。本文在温度26℃、相对湿度50%、光周期14L：10D的室内条件下，研究了毛锤角细蜂对不同日龄黑腹果蝇蛹的选择性。结果表明：毛锤角细蜂可寄生黑腹果蝇各日龄的蛹，但偏爱寄生预蛹。在寄主预蛹时，毛锤角细蜂的出蜂量、寄生率和选择系数分别为14.00头、35%和0.13，均显著高于1～3日龄蛹；不同日龄的黑腹果蝇蛹对毛锤角细蜂后代发育历期和雌蜂比没有显著影响。综上所述，黑腹果蝇的预蛹是毛锤角细蜂寄生的最佳时期。以黑腹果蝇为寄主时，研究毛锤角细蜂的寄生规律对于黑腹果蝇及其他果蝇的生物防治具有重要的指导意义。     

Response of grain-filling rate and grain quality of mid-season indica rice to nitrogen application

Nitrogen is one of the important factors for high yield of rice. Apart from high yield, high quality has become the current urgent demand for rice production. Grain-filling stage is crucial for rice yield and quality formation. However, the effect of nitrogen on grain-filling characteristics and the relationship of grain-filling characteristics and rice quality of mid-season indica rice were still unclear. A field experiment was carried out to ascertain the critical grain-filling characteristics that contribute to rice milling quality, appearance quality and cooking and eating quality under nitrogen applications. The results showed that nitrogen applications prolonged the duration of superior and inferior grain filling. The mean grainfilling rate(G_(mean)) and the maximum grain-filling rate(G_(max)) of the inferior grains were positively correlated with chalky kernel rate, chalkiness, and amylose content. The time reaching the maximum grain-filling rate(T_(max) G) of the inferior grains was positively correlated with brown rice rate, milled rice rate, and head milled rice rate. Chalky kernel rate and chalkiness were negatively correlated with peak paste viscosity and breakdown viscosity. Less amylose content and more crude protein content were detected in nitrogen application of Liangyoupei 9 and Y Liangyou 2 both in 2016 and 2017. According to the correlation analysis, better cooking and eating quality of Y Liangyou 2 which had less amylose content might result from its higher G_(max) and G_(mean) of inferior grain than that of Liangyoupei 9 in the treatments of nitrogen application. These results indicated that the prolonging grain-filling duration and increasing grain weight at the maximum grain-filling rate of inferior grains contributed to the improvement of milling quality, appearance quality, and cooking and eating quality of mid-season indica rice under appropriate nitrogen applications.     

不同季节高寒草甸牧草瘤胃发酵特性和体外消化率分析

本文旨在探讨不同生育时期高寒草甸牧草的牦牛瘤胃体外发酵参数及CH₄产量。通过测定返青期、青草期和枯草期3个生育时期牧草的营养品质、瘤胃发酵参数和CH₄产量。结果表明：青草期牧草总能（Gross energy，GE）、粗蛋白（Crude protein，CP）和粗脂肪（Ether extract，EE）等均显著高于返青期和枯草期（P<0.05）；青草期牧草在各发酵时间点的体外干物质消化率（Dry matter digestibility，DMD）、粗蛋白消化率（Crude protein digestibility，CPD）和有机物质消化率（Organic matter digestibility，OMD）均显著高于返青期和枯草期（P<0.05）；青草期牧草12，24和48 h瘤胃NH₃-N、乙酸、丙酸、异丁酸、丁酸和异戊酸含量显著高于返青期和枯黄期（P<0.05）；不同发酵时间牧草总产气量和CH₄产量变化规律为：返青期>青草期>枯草期。综上所述，青草期草地生物量最高，牧草营养品质和体外消化率最高，CH₄排放最低，瘤胃发酵模式最优。建议选择青草期牧草放牧。     

四川桤木人工林不同年龄段生物量的研究

对湖南湘西北地区3个立地条件相近的5年生、8年生和14年生四川桤木人工林的生物量进行了研究.结果表明:3个年龄段桤木林分的生产力分别为14.40、13.30、16.67 t·hm-2,均表现出较大的生产力.     

Post‐hatching development of the ornamental ‘Red Cherry Shrimp’ Neocaridina davidi (Bouvier, 1904) (Crustacea,Caridea, Atyidae) under laboratorial conditions

The ‘Red Cherry shrimp’, Neocaridina davidi is a small freshwater caridean shrimp living, originally, in various kinds of inland water bodies around Asian countries. This shrimp has reached several countries for ornamental use; however, basic information on the biology of the species is still scarce in the literature. Its early post embryonic development morphology has not yet been described. This paper focused on the production and the development of early post‐hatching stages of N. davidi, its male secondary sexual features, observation of the gonads and the presence of females with embryos. The larval development of N. davidi was almost suppressed as noted by the presence of relatively large‐sized eggs, first stage hatching as a decapodid; and the tail fans were present only from the 2nd post‐hatching stage. A biological important consequence of the presence of this Red Cherry shrimp species in the Neotropics is its potential release into nature, which could cause its rapid dispersion affecting populations of other indigenous caridean freshwater shrimps.