Relationships between body size and secondary sexual characters,and sperm characters in male Dolly Varden char (Salvelinus malma)

In Salmonidae, subordinate males are exposed to higher risks of sperm competition than dominant males and thus are expected to improve the sperm characteristics (sperm concentrations, sperm velocity and sperm longevity). In this study, we investigated the relationships between body size and secondary sexual characters (breeding colour, hump height and snout length), and sperm characteristics of one‐year‐old (newly matured) Dolly Varden char. Small males displayed higher sperm concentrations than large males. Moreover, males with dull breeding colours, but not with lesser snout length and hump height, displayed an increased sperm velocity compared to males with bright colours, suggesting a trade‐off between sperm quantity and the investment in breeding colour. In addition, sperm longevity decreased as sperm swimming velocity increased. These findings indicate that small males with dull breeding colours improve the quantity and quality of their sperm to a great extent to enhance their chances of reproductive success.     

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.     

Carrying capacity for finfish aquaculture. Part I—Near-field semi-analytic solutions

The ecosystem carrying capacity for aquaculture cage farming in South Australia is based on guidelines that the maximum feed rates (and farmed fish biomass) be determined such that the concentration c of a given dissolved nutrient does not exceed a prescribed value (say c_P). The problem then is one of relating the nutrient flux F, due to feeding, to the tracer concentration c. To this end the evolution of concentration is modelled using the depth-averaged advection–diffusion equation for a constant source flux F over a finite area cage (or lease) and for both constant and time dependent (tidal) velocities. The divergence theorem is applied to this equation to obtain a new scale estimate of the relation between the flux F and the maximum concentration c_max of a nutrient in the cage region: c_max ≈ F·T*, where T* is a time scale of cage “flushing” that involves both advection and diffusion. The maximum allowed nutrient flux F (and carrying capacity of fish biomass) can then be simply estimated from: F ≈ c_P/T*. New semi-analytic solutions of the advection–diffusion equation for a finite (cage) source are then derived to explore the physics of concentration evolution for constant and tidally varying currents, and to show that the estimate c_max ≈ F·T* is surprisingly robust and generally within 40% of the exact values for a wide set of advective/diffusive parameters. The results generally should find application in other finite source flux problems in the coastal oceans including desalination plants and waste water outfalls.     

Comparison of leaf and pod disease reactions of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) inoculated by different methods with strains of Xanthomonas campestris pv. Phaseoli (Smith) dye

Summary Common blight disease in beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli, reduces crop yield and seed quality. Information is needed on the variation of leaves and pods disease reaction to strains of the bacterium after different inoculation methods. Phaseolus vulgaris cultivars Red Kidney Charlevoix, GN Harris, GN 1140, and GN Emerson were inoculated with three different strains of Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli at two inoculum concentrations (10⁸ and 10⁶ bacterial cells/ml) using water soaking, multiple needle, and razor blade inoculation on leaves, and razor blade scratch, dissecting needle, and razor blade cut inoculation on pods. Differential cultivar disease reactions of leaves, pods, or both to the bacterial strains were observed in some cases. Significant interactions among cultivars, inoculation methods, strains, and inoculum concentrations (leaves) were found. A rapid leaf chlorosis developed 6 to 7 days after inoculation. Strains of bacteria did not show specificity in inducing this reaction, but rapid leaf chlorosis was associated with high inoculum concentration and with the water soaking and multiple needle methods. Another experiment was conducted to count the number of living bacterial cells deposited in the leaf tissue after inoculation by different methods. The number of bacteria deposited by water soaking or multiple needle was higher than that deposited by razor blade.Published as Paper No. 8584, Journal Series, Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station. Research was conducted under Project No. 20–36.     

Influence of compost and lime on population structure and element concentrations of forest soil invertebrates

Summary We tested the effects of two organic fertilizers (composts) and lime on the soil fauna of a spruce stand. One compost was obtained from chopped wood and the other from household garbage. At the time of distribution the pH of the control plots averaged 3.2, the garbage compost had a pH of 7.5, and the wood compost of 6.2. During the experimental period the pH of the compost layers decreased. The pH of the former litter layer beneath the composts showed a steep increase after 5 months, but beneath the treatment with wood compost this effect did no persist. Liming increased the pH only slightly in the litter layer. The two types of compost, the litter layer, and lumbricids (Lumbricus rubellus) were analyzed for concentrations of essential and potentially toxic elements. The element burden was highest in the garbage compost with 7- to 11-fold concentrations of Zn, Cd, Pb, Mg, and Cu compared to the needle litter. K, Ba, and Ca were 4 times more concentrated. L. rubellus showed an increased Cu concentration after extraction from the highly contaminated sites of garbage compost. Despite the differences in Pb contamination in the needle litter and in the two compost types, all investigated individuals of L. rubellus contained similar concentrations of Pb. In contrast to Pb, Cd accumulated in this lumbricid. Seasonal fluctuations of microarthropods, their total abundance, and differences in the colonization of the compost layers were observed. Collembola abundance was significantly increased in the garbage compost plots in July 91. There were generally more Prostigmata in the control and limed plots than in the compost plots. Oribatid numbers fell under all treatments compared to the controls. Mesostigmata were identified to species level and 33 species were found in the experimental areas. Certain species, such as Arctoseius cetratus and Uropoda minima, were only found in the treated sites.     

CO2浓度与氮磷供应水平对黄瓜根系生长及各组织矿质养分含量的影响

在开顶式生长箱内，以黄瓜为试验材料，采用营养液培养方法，研究了不同氮水平、磷水平条件下大气CO2浓度对黄瓜植株内矿质养分含量以及根系形态的影响。结果表明：黄瓜植株各部位氮素含量随供氮水平提高而增加，磷水平提高，也能促进各部位氮含量的提高。植株各部位磷含量随供磷水平的提高而升高，在相同磷水平下，缺氮会使各部位磷含量升高。大气CO2浓度升高会使黄瓜植株各部位氮及特定部位的磷含量降低。黄瓜根部的Ca含量随CO2浓度的升高而显著降低，氮和磷水平的升高极显著地增加了其含量，且CO2浓度与供磷水平、供氮与供磷水平以及这三者之间存在明显的交互作用。供氮、供磷水平的升高极显著的提高了黄瓜叶片Ca的含量以及茎部Mg的含量，且两者存在明显的交互作用。黄瓜总根长和总根表面积随CO2浓度的增加有增大的趋势；在缺磷条件下，总根长和总根表面积随氮水平的提高而增大；而同一氮水平和CO2浓度下，磷水平的降低会增加总根长和总根表面积。总体看来，大气CO2浓度的升高能促进黄瓜根系的生长，但会使得黄瓜植株某些部位氮、磷、钙、镁等矿质元素含量降低，而供氮、供磷水平的提高可以通过增强黄瓜的生长与活力促进黄瓜根系对矿质养分的吸收，从而缓解由于CO2浓度升高带来的矿质元素含量降低的风险。这启示我们在对设施蔬菜CO2施肥的同时，也要注重适量提高合理配比下矿质元素的供应。     

Use of the BCR three-step sequential extraction procedure for the study of the partitioning of Cd, Pb and Zn in various soil samples

A slightly modified three-step sequential extraction procedure proposed by the Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) for analysis of sediments was successfully applied to soil samples. Contaminated soil samples from the lead and zinc mining area in the Mezica valley (Slovenia) and natural soils from a non-industrial area were analysed. The total concentrations of Cd, Pb and Zn and their concentrations in fractions after extraction were determined by flame or electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS, ETAAS). Total metal concentrations in natural soils ranged from 0.3 to 2.6 mg kg^-1 for Cd, from 20 to 45 mg kg^-1 for Pb and from 70 to 140 mg kg^-1 for Zn, while these concentrations ranged from 0.5 to 35 mg kg^-1 for Cd, from 200 to 10000 mg kg^-1 for Pb and from 140 to 1500 mg kg^-1 for Zn in soils from contaminated areas. The results of the partitioning study applying the slightly modified BCR three-step extraction procedure indicate that Cd, Pb and Zn in natural soils prevails mostly in sparingly soluble fractions. Cd in natural soils is bound mainly to Fe and Mn oxides and hydroxides, Pb to organic matter, sulphides and silicates, while Zn is predominantly bound to silicates. In contaminated soils, Cd, Pb and Zn are distributed between the easily and sparingly soluble fractions. Due to the high total Cd, Pb and Zn concentrations in contaminated soil close to the smelter, ! and their high proportions in the easily soluble fraction (80% of Cd, 50% of Pb and 70% of Zn), the soil around smelters represents an environmental hazard.     

1980 tephra from Mount St. Helens: Spatial and temporal variation beneath forest canopies

Summary Tephra and underlying litter and soil were sampled in 1980, 1982, and 1987 beneath subalpine forests where 4.5 and 15 cm of tephra fell during the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, Washington State, USA. Coarse pumice had a higher initial pH and less total N, less exchangeable K, Ca, and Mg, and less extractable B and S than finer textured layers. Tephra pH and concentrations of cations and S decreased rapidly with time, especially during the first 2 years in the finer layers. Total N, Bray-Kurtz P, and organic C concentrations in the tephra increased with time. Changes within a site in total N, pH, organic C, P, Ca, Mg, and S from 1980 to 1987 exceeded the differences among sites at any one time. By 1987 a forest floor covered much of the tephra surface, and differences in Ca associated with site vegetation and seepage had developed in tephra layers of a similar depth. In 15 cm deep tephra at one site in 1987, the tephra crust beneath the forest canopy was thicker and had higher concentrations of coarse particles, organic C, total N, and cations than beneath forest openings. In concave microsites the crust was thicker, with higher pH, organic C, and total N but lower S than in adjacent convex microsites. Spatial and temporal chemical differences are sufficient to affect patterns of vegetation recovery.     

Direct contribution by soil arthropods to nutrient availability through body and faecal nutrient content

Summary The direct contribution made by soil arthropods to nutrient dynamics was investigated in pine forests that differed in soil nutrient status. Nutrient concentrations (K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, PO ₄ ^3– , N, C) in the most abundant species and groups of arthropods in two Pinus nigra forests were compared, and distinct differences were found among taxonomic groups. In the rank order: collembolans, oribatides, isopods, diplopods, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ concentrations increased, while N and C concentrations decreased. The nutrient concentrations in individuals of the same species but originating from the different forests were similar, except for the isopod Philoscia muscorum. The total and available nutrient concentrations in food and faeces of the collembolan Tomocerus minor and the isopod Philoscia muscorum were compared. The isopod faeces contained relatively less K⁺ and Mg²⁺, and more Ca²⁺, PO ₄ ^3– , and greater N availability, compared with the food material. The collembolan faeces showed a higher availability of all nutrients measured. The N species appeared to be changed by collembolans; their faeces contained high NO ₃ ^– concentrations, while their food contained relatively high concentrations of NH ₄ ⁺ . These findings were examined in relation to their significance for ecosystem functioning. It was concluded that about 12% of the total K⁺, PO ₄ ^3– , N and 2% of the Ca²⁺ in the organic layer was found in the mesofauna. It was calculated that faeces production by the collembolans resulted in a 2.4 times higher NO ₃ ^– availability in the forest floor.