光照与阴影对无人机热红外遥感监测土壤含水率的影响

为探究作物冠层受阳光直射或阴影遮挡对无人机热红外遥感诊断作物水分胁迫、监测土壤含水率的影响，该研究以不同灌溉处理的夏玉米为研究对象，将热红外图像划分为光照冠层、阴影冠层、光照土壤、阴影土壤4个部分，分别提取光照温度与阴影温度后计算了11:00、13:00、15:00的冠气温差（冠层温度与大气温度之差，ΔT）、作物水分胁迫指数（crop water stress index，CWSI）、蒸发比（潜热通量与有效能量的比值，evaporative fraction，EF），并对比了3种指数在不同时刻使用光照温度（ΔT_L、CWSI_L、EF_L）与阴影温度（ΔT_S、CWSI_S、EF_S）后对土壤含水率的监测效果变化情况。结果表明：1）3种指数的监测效果会随时间发生变化，11:00与15:00时EF监测效果较好，13:00时CWSI监测效果较好，ΔT的监测效果较差但随时间波动最小；2）拔节期在区分光照温度与阴影温度后监测效果在11:00时提升幅度最大，EF、EF_S、EF_L的R²分别为0.54、0.65、0.78，CWSI、CWSI_S、CWSI_L的R²分别为0.47、0.64、0.70，抽雄期与灌浆期使用光照温度对监测效果提升不大，但使用阴影温度的指数监测效果有明显降低，在13:00时CWSI_S较CWSI有最大降幅，R²降幅分别为0.11、0.06；3）在拔节期与抽雄期使用11:00的EF_L，在灌浆期使用13:00的CWSI能取得最好的土壤含水率监测效果，预测土壤含水率的R²分别为0.75、0.75、0.89。该研究可以为无人机热红外监测土壤含水率提供参考。     

半干旱黄土地区幼龄侧柏叶蒸腾的数学模型

 通过人工控制水分,形成单株幼龄侧柏的不同土壤水分梯度环境。在自然环境下对侧柏叶片定时、定位进行蒸腾速率及林冠层的光照、空气温度、空气湿度、叶水势和土壤水分等因子的同步观测。蒸腾速率与各个因子的相关分析表明:黄土半干旱地区侧柏蒸腾速率η_t/(μg·cm^-2·s^-1)与光照强度E/(μmol·m^-2·s^-1)、空气饱和差p_v/kPa、叶水势Ψ/kPa、气温t/℃的关系可以分别表示为:η_t=>αE_b,η_t=αp_vb,η_t=αψ^b,η_t=αt²+bt+c;侧柏的蒸腾速率η_t与气孔阻力R_s/(s·cm^-1)和土壤含水量W/％有密切关系,可以分别表示为:η_t=α+bW+cW₂+dW₃,R_s=α+bW+cW₂+dW₃。用气温、空气饱和差、叶水势3个因素建立了半干旱黄土地区幼龄单株侧柏蒸腾速率的非线性指数预测模型:η_t=0.6950_exp（0.03158t-14.2492/p_v+0.7606/Ψ）,经检验获得了满意的数值模拟结果。     

蒸渗仪测定滴灌枣树不同时间尺度下腾发强度特征

为精确测定、准确模拟阿克苏地区滴灌枣树腾发过程,基于大型称重式蒸渗仪测定枣树全生育期逐时及逐日腾发强度（ET）,利用水量平衡方程、PM公式及经典统计原理,分析不同时间尺度下叶面积指数（LAI）、气象因素[温度（I）、风速（V）、净辐射（R_n）]、表层土壤含水率（W）与枣树腾发强度的相关关系并建立预测模型。结果表明：枣树日内腾发强度呈单峰型变化趋势,夜间变化幅度较小且腾发贡献率低。枣树全生育期逐日腾发强度变化呈先增大后减小的趋势,花期的腾发强度最大,为4.42 mm·d^-1;全生育期腾发总量为640.83 mm,其中花期和果实生长发育期耗水量占比较大,分别为38.61%和32.72%。在小时和日时间尺度上,影响腾发强度的主要因素不完全相同,且影响程度有所差异。综合考虑各影响因素,以萌芽期、花期、果实发育期为基础,分别建立以小时、日尺度下估算腾发强度的经验模型ET₁（h）=0.153+0.004T+0.012V+0.176R_n+0.002W+0.067LAI、ET₂（d）=-3.325+0.081T+0.163R_n+0.069W+2.089LAI,拟合度R²均在0.7以上,以果实发育期与成熟期数据对模型进行检验,纳什效率系数分别达0.63、0.80。经偏相关检验,冠层净辐射（R_n）对两种尺度的腾发强度均影响最显著,因此以枣树全生育期数据量为基础,仅建立冠层净辐射（R_n）与腾发强度的回归模型ET₁（h）=-0.063 3R_n²+0.361 2R_n—0.003 7、ET₂（d）=-0.018 3R_n²+0.684 7R_n–1.642 1,R²分别为0.704 7与0.743 6,可满足缺少数据支撑情况下的腾发过程估算。这些模型明确了阿克苏地区滴灌枣树腾发机制及影响程度,可为水分管理精准化提供计算基础。     

Relationship between granitic soil particle-size distribution and shrinkage properties based on multifractal method

The mechanical properties of granitic residual soils vary with depth due to changes in soil type and heterogeneity caused by weathering. The purpose of this study was to relate the spatial variation of particle-size distribution (PSD) of granitic soils with soil shrinkage parameters using multifractal theory. The heterogeneity of PSD and pedogenic processes were depicted in detail by multifractal dimensions. The PSD generally increased with the increase of profile depth in accordance with the variation of single fractal dimension (D) ranging from 2.45 to 2.65. The shrinkage limit was greatly influenced by the multifractal dimension parameters, including information dimension (D₁) and capacity dimension (D₀) (Adjusted R²=0.998, P < 0.01), and the maximum linear extensibility (κ_v) was determined by spectral width (△α) and bulk density, with the latter explaining 89% of the total variance of κ_v (P < 0.01). Soil shrinkage characteristic curve was fitted by the modified logistic model (R² > 0.97, root sum of squares < 0.1), and the water variation corresponding to the maximum change rate of linear extensibility was determined by the silt content (R²=0.81, P < 0.01). Overall, the shrinkage of granitic soils was primarily influenced by PSD and soil compactness.     

Net ecosystem carbon exchange for Bermuda grass growing in mesocosms as affected by irrigation frequency

Intensification of grazed grasslands following conversion from dryland to irrigated farming has the potential to alter ecosystem carbon (C) cycling and affect components of carbon dioxide (CO₂) exchange that could lead to either net accumulation or loss of soil C. While there are many studies on the effect of water availability on biomass production and soil C stocks, much less is known about the effect of the frequency of water inputs on the components of CO₂ exchange. We grew Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon L.) in mesocosms under irrigation frequencies of every day (I₁ treatment, 30 d), every two days (I₂ treatment, 12 d), every three days (I₃ treatment, 30 d), and every six days (I₆ treatment, 18 d, after I₂ treatment). Rates of CO₂ exchange for estimating net ecosystem CO₂ exchange (F_N), ecosystem respiration (R_E), and soil respiration (R_S) were measured, and gross C uptake by plants (F_G) and respiration from leaves (R_L) were calculated during two periods, 1–12 and 13–30 d, of the 30-d experiment. During the first 12 d, there were no significant differences in cumulative F_N (mean ±standard deviation, 61 ±30 g C m^-2, n = 4). During the subsequent 18 d, cumulative F_N decreased with decreasing irrigation frequency and increasing cumulative soil water deficit (W), with values of 70 ±22, 60 ±16, and 18 ±12 g C m^-2 for the I₁, I₃, and I₆ treatments, respectively. There were similar decreases in F_G, R_E, and R_L with increasing W, but differences in R_S were not significant. Use of the C₄ grass growing in a C₃-derived soil enabled partitioning of R_S into its autotrophic (R_A) and heterotrophic (R_H) components using a ¹³C natural abundance isotopic technique at the end of the experiment when differences in cumulative W between the treatments were the greatest. The values of R_H and its percentage contributions to R_S (43% ±8%, 42% ±8%, and 8% ±5% for the I₁, I₃, and I₆ treatments, respectively) suggested that R_H remained unaffected across a wide range of W and then decreased under extreme W. There were no significant differences in aboveground biomass between the treatments. Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission was measured to determine if there was a trade-off effect between irrigation frequency and increasing W on net greenhouse gas emission, but no significant differences were found between the treatments. These findings suggest that over short periods in well-drained soil, irrigation frequency could be managed to manipulate soil water deficit in order to reduce net belowground respiratory C losses, particularly those from the microbial decomposition of soil organic matter, with no significant effect on biomass production and N₂O emission.     

HDXRF法农田土壤镉测定结果准确度评价与精准校正模型构建

以甘肃白银某污灌区重金属污染农田土壤为研究对象，对影响高精度便携式X荧光光谱（HDXRF）法总镉（Cd_T）测定精度的主要因素进行了筛选，分别研究了土壤水分、有机质类型与含量、土壤类型对HDXRF法Cd_T测定的影响，并采用相对误差（RE）、相对标准偏差（RSD）和决定系数（R²）对测定结果的准确度和精密度进行了评价。结果表明：HDXRF法Cd_T测定的RE≤10%、RSD≤10%、R²>0.99，符合农田土壤环境质量监测技术规范和美国环境保护署标准的准确度和精密度规定。HDXRF法Cd_T测定结果随着土壤水分含量的增加呈指数衰减趋势，衰减方程为y=0.803e^–1.3284x，衰减系数（μ_ω）为–1.328 4，R²为0.984 5。HDXRF法Cd_T测定结果与有机质含量呈显著的负相关关系（r=–0.955），且腐殖酸（HA）比泥炭（Peat）对测定结果的影响更大，HA与测定结果的校正方程为y=–1.555x +0.780，R²为0.934 4。土壤类型对HDXRF法Cd_T测定结果存在一定的影响，相对于红壤和水稻土，灰钙土的测定结果与传统实验室分析方法测定结果更接近。总之，虽然HDXRF法Cd_T测定结果受多种因素影响，但通过校正模型校正，其校正结果的可靠性能够满足Cd污染农田土壤精准调查需求。     

磁化水处理对镉胁迫下欧美杨幼苗光合及生长特性的影响

为探讨磁化水灌溉处理在促进植物生长、提高植株重金属耐受性方面的作用机制,本研究采用随机区组试验设计,研究了镉胁迫（0 μmol·L^-1、50 μmol·L^-1、100 μmol·L^-1）下磁化水灌溉处理对1 a生欧美杨''I-107''光合特性、叶绿素荧光动力学参数及生长特性的影响。结果表明：1）镉胁迫会显著降低植株高生长和根茎叶干物质量;低浓度（50 μmol·L^-1）镉处理促进根系直径及体积增大（P<0.05）,高浓度（100 μmol·L^-1）则会抑制根系各形态参数;镉胁迫下欧美杨叶绿素b和类胡萝卜素含量分别降低12.50%、43.24%和19.27%、46.37%（P<0.05）,净光合速率（P_n）、蒸腾速率（T_r）、胞间二氧化碳（C_i）分别降低13.68%和33.68%、8.07%和27.81%、5.00%和14.99%（P<0.05）,同时,PSⅡ潜在活性（F_v/F_m）、最大光化学速率（F_v/F_o）、光合性能指数（PIabs）和量子产额（φ_Eo）均有不同程度降低。2）磁化水灌溉提高镉胁迫植株高生长及根茎叶干物质量,增加植株根系长度及表面积;同时,叶绿素a、叶绿素b和类胡萝卜素含量在0 μmol·L^-1和100 μmol·L^-1镉胁迫下分别提高16.99%、40.20%,8.67%、39.10%和17.32%、50.52%（P<0.05）;G_s、C_i及WUE显著升高,T_r则降低24.20%、23.33%、12.06%（P<0.05）;另外,F_v/F_m、F_v/F_o、PIabs显著升高（P<0.05）。综上所述,磁化水灌溉处理有助于提高镉胁迫下欧美杨幼苗光合色素含量,维持光合机构功能,增强光合碳同化速率,减轻镉胁迫对植株生长发育的抑制。     

区域性土壤流失预测方程的初步研究

应用我国南方花岗岩侵蚀红壤区的径流小区观测资料,采用数值分析方法推导出适合花岗岩侵蚀红壤区,计算各次降雨吋土壤流失量和年土壤流失量方程:A₁=4·y_s·K·LS;并利用野外调查量测资料,推导出适合长江三峡低中山区的土壤流失方程:A₂=(152.5D-1016)·R·LS·C^-2.3利用上述方程可以预测特定区域的土壤流失量。     

生物质炭对土壤N2O消耗的影响及其微生物影响机理

生物质炭在温室气体减排方面具有很大的发展前景,它不仅能实现固碳,对于在大气中停留时间长且增温潜势大的N₂O也能发挥积极作用。本研究采用室内厌氧培养试验,按照生物质炭与土壤质量比（0、1%和5%）加入一定量生物质炭,土壤重量含水率控制在20%。利用Robotized Incubation平台实时检测N₂O和N₂浓度变化,通过测定土壤中反硝化功能基因丰度（nirK、nirS、nosZ）分析生物质炭对N₂O消耗的影响及其微生物方面的影响机理。结果表明：经过20 h厌氧培养后,0生物质炭处理的反硝化功能基因丰度（基因拷贝数·g^-1）分别为6.80×10⁷（nirK）、5.59×10⁸（nirS）和1.22×10⁸（nosZ）。与0生物质炭处理相比,1%生物质炭处理的nirS基因丰度由最初的2.65×10⁸基因拷贝数·g^-1升至7.43×10⁸基因拷贝数·g^-1,nosZ基因丰度则提高了一个数量级,由4.82×10⁷基因拷贝数·g^-1升至1.50×10⁸基因拷贝数·g^-1,然而nirK基因丰度并无明显变化;5%生物质炭处理的反硝化功能基因丰度并未发生显著变化。试验结束时,添加生物质炭处理的N₂/（N₂O+N₂）比值也明显高于0生物质炭处理。相关性分析结果表明,nirS基因丰度和nosZ基因丰度均与N₂O浓度在0.01水平上显著相关。试验末期nirS基因丰度和nosZ基因丰度均随着N₂O浓度的降低而升高。因此在本试验中,添加1%生物质炭可显著提高nirS和nosZ基因型反硝化细菌的丰度,增大N₂/（N₂O+N₂）比值,促进N₂O彻底还原成N₂。生物质炭对于N₂O主要影响机理是增大了可以还原氧化亚氮的细菌活性,促进完全反硝化。     

粗颗粒土壤坡面侵蚀泥沙颗粒特征

为揭示粗颗粒土壤坡面侵蚀机理,采用湖北通城县、江西赣县、福建长汀县、广东五华县4个样地的4种粗颗粒土壤（分别定义为TCA、GXA、CTA、WHA）进行室内模拟降雨试验,研究粗颗粒土壤坡面侵蚀过程及侵蚀泥沙颗粒组成的变化规律。结果表明：（1）4种土壤的地表径流随着降雨时间的增长呈现出先增加后递减并趋于稳定的规律;（2）4种土壤的侵蚀特征存在差异,土壤侵蚀速率表现为WHA>TCA>GXA>CTA;（3）4种土壤的侵蚀泥沙中颗粒分布百分比大小均为砂粒>黏粒>粉粒>砾石。不同土壤侵蚀泥沙富集率表现出明显差异;（4）水流功率与土壤侵蚀速率的相关性显著,用幂函数可以准确描述其关系。在表达式中引入土壤黏粒含量、砾石含量后模型更加可靠（D_r=0.001ω^1.163C_l^-4.069,R²=0.82;D_r=0.003ω^1.149G_r^-1.934,R²=0.84）,提高了模型预测土壤侵蚀速率的精度,在实际应用中具有更广的适应范围与现实价值。     

低氮和干旱胁迫对富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的影响

【目的】以富士（Fuji）、 秦冠（Qinguan）嫁接在平邑甜茶（Malus hupehensis Rehd.）上的当年生盆栽苗为试验材料,采用砂培方法,研究了缺氮胁迫和干旱对富士和秦冠生长情况、 光合参数、 植株各部位氮磷钾含量及氮素利用效率的影响,分析比较了低氮干旱条件下富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的差异,以期为果树生产高效肥水利用提供理论指导。【方法】试验共设四个处理: 正常氮正常水（ZZ）、 低氮正常水（DZ）、 正常氮干旱（ZG）、 低氮干旱（DG）。氮素和水分均设置两个水平,分别为正常氮（6 mmol/L NO-3-N）、 低氮（0.3 mmol/LNO-3-N）、 正常供水（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的80%~85%）、 干旱处理（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的60%~65%）。【结果】富士和秦冠的生物量（茎和叶）、 株高茎粗等生长指标以及光合速率、 气孔导度、 蒸腾速率均为正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）,并且相对应处理下秦冠的以上指标均高于富士;正常供水下,缺氮处理使富士、 秦冠的根冠比比正常氮处理均有所增加,富士提高了2.05%,秦冠提高了22.40%。富士和秦冠的氮、 磷、 钾含量均表现出正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）; 氮、 钾元素含量在植株各部位的分布顺序依次是叶＞根＞茎,磷元素则是根＞叶＞茎;光合氮素利用效率（PNUE）和氮素利用效率表现为秦冠处理之间差异极显著,富士处理之间差异不显著;秦冠的PNUE和NUE明显高于富士,在低氮正常水（DZ）处理下,秦冠氮肥利用率比富士高42.07%,在低氮干旱（DG）处理下高64.14%;低氮胁迫下富士和秦冠的NUE显著提高,并且秦冠提高的幅度高于富士。【结论】施用氮肥能够显著提高富士与秦冠的干物质量,同等水肥条件下,秦冠生长优于富士;水分亏缺会减少叶片对氮的吸收,干旱条件下适度增施氮肥,可提高果树的抗旱能力;低氮干旱胁迫下秦冠的生长指标、 光合指标及氮素利用效率指标均优于富士,表现出较强的抗低氮干旱胁迫的能力。     

Pasture Vegetation Elemental Analysis by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a new technique for the analysis of plant material. This study investigates the application of LIBS to pasture-based plant samples. The LIBS measurements were obtained from pelletized pasture samples (100 samples) that had been also analyzed by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) following microwave digestion for calibration and comparison purposes. Comparisons for elements sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), boron (B), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S) showed that LIBS could be used for almost all the standard profile total elements with concentrations down to low mg/kg levels (observed error of Na: 0.024 percent, K: 0.18 percent, Mg: 0.016 percent, Ca: 0.073 percent, P: 0.017 percent, Mn: 31 mg/kg, Fe: 150 mg/kg, Zn: 6.6 mg/kg, and B: 1.1 mg/kg). Elemental analysis at less than mg/kg levels was not possible using LIBS. The elements S and Cu were particularly difficult to analyze with reliability using LIBS at the concentration levels found in the plant samples. Replacing microwave digestion and subsequent ICP analysis with a direct analysis of dried plant samples using LIBS has the potential to improve the productivity and reduce the cost of testing.     

Faculty positions:Center for Agricultural Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences

正The Center for Agricultural Resources Research(CARR),the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology(IGDB),Chinese Academy of Sciences,invites applicants for several research group leader positions.CARR is one of the research organizations in Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS).We seek nominations and applications from individuals who have expertise and a record of accomplishment in research areas related to ecology,agro-hydrology,     

Macroinvertebrates in North American tallgrass prairie soils: effects of fire, mowing, and fertilization on density and biomass

The responses of tallgrass prairie plant communities and ecosystem processes to fire and grazing are well characterized. However, responses of invertebrate consumer groups, and particularly soil-dwelling organisms, to these disturbances are not well known. At Konza Prairie Biological Station, we sampled soil macroinvertebrates in 1994 and 1999 as part of a long-term experiment designed to examine the effects and interactions of annual fire, mowing, and fertilization (N and P) on prairie soil communities and processes. For nearly all taxa, in both years, responses were characterized by significant treatment interactions, but some general patterns were evident. Introduced European earthworms (Aporrectodea spp. and Octolasion spp.) were most abundant in plots where fire was excluded, and the proportion of the total earthworm community consisting of introduced earthworms was greater in unburned, unmowed, and fertilized plots. Nymphs of two Cicada genera were collected (Cicadetta spp. and Tibicen spp.). Cicadetta nymphs were more abundant in burned plots, but mowing reduced their abundance. Tibicen nymphs were collected almost exclusively from unburned plots. Treatment effects on herbivorous beetle larvae (Scarabaeidae, Elateridae, and Curculionidae) were variable, but nutrient additions (N or P) usually resulted in greater densities, whereas mowing usually resulted in lower densities. Our results suggest that departures from historical disturbance regimes (i.e. frequent fire and grazing) may render soils more susceptible to increased numbers of European earthworms, and that interactions between fire, aboveground biomass removal, and vegetation responses affect the structure and composition of invertebrate communities in tallgrass prairie soils.     

Variation in quality parameters between and within 14 Nordic tree fruit and berry species

Abstract

A 3-year study was carried out to investigate quality parameters in 14 tree fruit and berry species grown in southern Norway. The species were blueberry, apple, aronia, sour cherry, sweet cherry, red raspberry, strawberry, blackcurrant, gooseberry, red currant and elderberry, harvested along with wild bilberry, cloudberry and lingonberry. Significant differences between species were identified for all quality parameters. The coefficient of variation between species was lowest for pH (12.5%), dry matter (18.9%) and soluble solids (25.3%), followed by titratable acids (59.3%), total phenolics (83.8%), antioxidant capacity FRAP (85.7%) and antiradical power by the DPPH-assay (97.8%), total monomeric anthocyanins (132%) and ascorbic acid (137%). Average coefficient of variation within species were lower and ranged from 4 (pH) to 62% (ascorbic acid). Only the FRAP values were significantly affected by harvesting year with lower levels in 2004 than in 2005 and 2006. There were significant interactions between species and harvesting year for dry matter, soluble solids, pH, ascorbic acid and FRAP. The results indicate generic ranges in composition within species independent upon growing location and climate, and the composition of the tree fruits and berries is not likely to deviate from these ranges. It is concluded that desirable composition of tree fruits and berries and their products should primarily be achieved by selection among species rather than searching fors broadened variation within individual species.     

Potassium Fixation and Release Characteristics in Rhizosphere and Nonrhizosphere Soils for a Rapeseed–Rice Cropping Sequence

Potassium (K) fixation and release in soil are important factors in the long-term sustainability of a cropping system. Changes in K concentration and characteristics of K fixation and release in rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils in the rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)–rice (Oryza sativa L.) rotation were investigated using a rhizobox system. The concentrations of different forms of K in both rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils decreased with plants compared to without plants, regardless of K fertilizer application. Potassium uptake by crops mainly came from the rhizosphere soil. In the treatment without K fertilizer (–K), the main form of K supplied by the soil to the crops was 1.0 mol L^?1 nitric acid (HNO₃) nonextractable K, followed by nonexchangeable K, and then exchangeable K. In the treatment with K fertilizer (+K), the main K forms supplied by the soil to the crops were exchangeable K and nonexchangeable K. The amount and rate of K fixation after one cycle of the rapeseed–rice rotation was greater in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The amount and rate of K fixation of soil in the +K treatment were significantly less than in the –K treatment. The cumulative amounts of K released with 1.0 mol L^?1 ammonium acetate (NH₄OAc) and 1.0 mol L^?1 HNO₃ extraction increased with the increasing numbers of extractions, but the K-releasing power of soil by successive extraction decreased gradually and finally became almost constant. The release of K was less in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The release of K in the +K treatment was similar to that in the –K treatment in rhizosphere soil, but the K release in nonrhizosphere soil was greater with the +K than the –K treatment. Overall, the information obtained in this study will be helpful in formulating more precise K fertilizer recommendations for certain soils.     

Electron donor and pH relationships for biologically enhanced dissolution of chlorinated solvent DNAPL in groundwater

Biologically enhanced dissolution offers a method to speed removal of chlorinated solvent dense non-aqueous-phase liquid (DNAPL) sources such as tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichoroethene (TCE) from aquifers. Bioremediation is accomplished by adding an electron donor to the source zone where fermentation to intermediates leading to acetic acid and hydrogen results. The hydrogen and possibly acetic acid are used by dehalogenating bacteria to convert PCE and TCE to ethene and hydrochloric acid. Reductive dehalogenation is thus an acid forming process, and sufficient alkalinity must be present to maintain a near neutral pH. The bicarbonate alkalinity required to maintain pH above 6.5 is a function of the electron donor: 800 mg/L of bicarbonate alkalinity is sufficient to achieve about 1.2 mM TCE dechlorination with glucose, 1.7 mM with lactate, and a much higher 3.3 mM with formate. Laboratory studies indicate that in mixed culture, formate can be used as an electron donor for complete conversion to ethene, contrary to pure cultures studies indicating it cannot. Various strategies can be used to add electron donor to an aquifer for DNAPL dehalogenation while minimizing pH problems and excessive electron donor usage, including use of injection-extraction wells, dual recirculation wells, and nested injection-extraction wells.     

Biodiversity and ecogeography of wild Lactuca spp. in some European countries

Staff members of the Department of Botany of Palacký University in Olomouc and Gene Bank Department – Workplace Olomouc, Research Institute of Crop Production in Prague, Czech Republic, conducted an expedition in seven European countries (Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland) in August/September 1999 to collect wild Lactuca spp. germplasm and study its geographic distribution, ecology and biodiversity. During the mission, more than 600 locations were visited resulting in the collection of 602 seed samples (accessions) of wild Lactuca species and 13 seed samples of related genera (Chondrilla and Mycelis). Lactuca serriola f. serriola, L. serriola f. integrifolia, L. saligna and L. viminea subsp. chondrilliflora were prevalent in southern Europe (Italy, France), however, only L. serriola was common in central and western Europe (Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland). The greatest diversity of Lactuca species was found in France, where also the most seed samples (165) were collected. The most characteristic habitats with a high density of Lactuca spp. populations were observed along roads and highways, grassy ditches, ruderal communities, and dust-heaps. Natural infections by powdery mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum) and downy mildew (Bremia lactucae) on some wild Lactuca spp. were observed. Recent observations concerning the geographic distribution, population structure, habitats, and natural occurrence of diseases of Lactuca spp. are discussed. This assemblage of genetic resources of Lactuca spp. can serve as the basis of future studies of species diversification, spatial population structure, plant microevolution, domestication processes, and genetic variability of host-parasite interactions.     

Increase in auxiliary photoprotective photosynthetic pigments in wheat seedlings induced by Azospirillum brasilense

Inoculation of wheat seedlings with the plant growth-promoting bacterium Azospirillum brasilense Cd was immobilized in alginate microbeads and, without applying any stress, significantly increased the quantity of several photosynthetic pigments, such as chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and the auxiliary photoprotective pigments violaxanthin, zeaxanthin, antheroxanthin, lutein, neoxanthin, and β-carotene. This resulted in greener plants with no apparent visible stress. After monitoring the quantity of photosynthetic pigments for 4 weeks, we observed that inoculated plants had higher quantities of pigments in shoot and stem. The greatest difference in the quantity of all pigments between inoculated and noninoculated plants occurred in the first week of growth. Regardless of treatment, the quantity of pigments in stems was three to four times less than the quantity of these pigments in shoots. Application of Azospirillum, either as liquid inoculant or as alginate microbeads, did not alter the positive effect of the bacteria on pigment production or the positive response of the plants towards A. brasilense Cd inoculation.     

In-situ enrichment and analysis of atrazine-degrading microbial communities using atrazine-containing porous beads

We examined the community composition of microbes that colonized atrazine-containing beads buried in agricultural soils that differed in atrazine treatment history. Bacterial abundance was 5-40-fold greater in atrazine-fortified beads. In beads containing 20 mg atrazine kg⁻¹ buried in soil with a history of atrazine application (conditioned soil), the abundance of Actinobacteria increased approximately 80-fold whereas in control soil, Actinobacteria were enriched only 10-fold and the gamma-Proteobacteria and Planctomycetes increased by 60- and 25-fold, respectively. The gamma-Proteobacteria were enriched by 120- and 230-fold in beads containing 200 mg atrazine kg⁻¹ in conditioned and control soil, respectively. The results demonstrate that BioSep^® beads are a suitable matrix for recruiting a diverse subset of the bacterial community involved in atrazine degradation.