Genetic variation in a subterranean arthropod (Folsomia candida) as a method to identify low-permeability barriers in an aquifer

Folsomia candida (order Collembola), a common soil arthropod, has recently been described living in a shallow (2.5–5.7 m below surface), unconsolidated aquifer in southwestern Michigan. F. candida was haplotyped from 14 wells using inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSRs) markers, and genetic variation in F. candida was used as a bioindicator to identify pore scale to mesoscale migration barriers in the aquifer. With one exception, individual haplotypes were only found in single wells. A significant relationship was identified between interpopulation genetic differentiation and geographic distance, and F. candida exhibits genetic population structuring over a very fine geographic scale (0.65 km²). Monmonier's algorithm was used to identify two most likely subsurface barriers to migration. Hypothesized barriers divided the F. candida populations into three genetically distinct groups, with two groups separated by only 15 m. These groupings are not dependent on groundwater flow direction, and are supported by a minimum spanning network and AMOVA analysis. Because F. candida movement is limited by pore size, these barriers identify local areas of low permeability in the aquifer material. The study suggests that F. candida may serve an important role in identifying geological characteristics and patterns in aquifers that may be difficult to evaluate by other means.     

Can acidification associated with nitrification increase available soil phosphate or reduce the rate of phosphate fixation?

Summary Using microcosms containing decomposing Pinus nigra litter, the effects of introducing two species of soil arthropods, the fungivorous collembolan Tomocerus minor and the detritivorous isopod Philoscia muscorum, have been studied. The effects of these animals on microbial respiration, on dehydrogenase and cellulase activity, and on the concentration of exchangeable macronutrients (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, NO _inf3 ^sup- , NH _inf4 ^sup+ , PO _inf4 ^sup3- ) were measured. Both species enhanced microbial activity and the concentration of exchangeable nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate. Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ concentrations were lowered in the microcosms with animals. The differences between the two species were mainly quantitative, and it appears that the effect of isopods is direct, whereas the collembolans show direct and indirect effects. Positive effects of the presence of animals were found when microbial activities or concentrations of exchangeable nutrients in microcosms without animals were low; negative effects were found when they were relatively high. Thus, soil arthropods have a buffering role in soil processes. These results ae discussed against a background of a supposed succession of sugar fungi/bacteria to more slowly growing decomposing fungi.Dedicated to the late Prof. Dr. W. Kühnelt     

The effect of collembolan grazing on fungal activity in differently managed upland pastures: A microcosm study

Laboratory microcosms containing litter from three tussock grasslands were used to assess the impact of grazing by a collembolan, Onychiurus procampatus, on the abundance, nutrient release, and respiration of the saprotrophic fungus, Phoma exigua. The fungal biomass and respiration rate were significantly reduced only when Collembola were present in excess of mean field densities but perhaps more typical of spatial aggregations in the soil. A high efficiency of nutrient immobilization by P. exigua was demonstrated but nutrient release was not significantly affected by the fauna. Problems associated with the use of microcosms in the simulation of field conditions are discussed.     

Epigeic earthworms increase soil arthropod populations during first steps of decomposition of organic matter

Earthworms and soil arthropods are major groups involved in soil decomposition processes. Although the interaction between these organisms can influence decomposition rates, little is known about their population dynamics during the decomposition of organic matter. In this study, we used the pig manure decomposition process to evaluate the effects of the presence of the epigeic earthworm Eisenia fetida on seven groups of soil arthropods: springtails, astigmatid, prostigmatid, mesostigmatid and oribatid mites, psocids and spiders. We carried out an experiment in which low and high doses (1.5 and 3 kg, respectively) of pig manure were applied in consecutive layers to small-scale mesocosms with and without earthworms. The presence of E. fetida increased the overall number of soil arthropods regardless of the dose of manure applied. This result was mainly due to the presence of large populations of springtails and mesostigmatid mites. Springtails were more abundant in the new layers of the mesocosms, which indicated a preference for substrates with fresh organic matter and higher microbial biomass. The other arthropod groups were consistently favored by the presence of earthworms, but remained at low densities throughout the decomposition process. Only the psocids were negatively affected by the presence of E. fetida. These results suggest that the development of large populations of soil arthropods, mainly springtails, in the mesocosms with earthworms is a characteristic feature of the initial stages of the earthworm-driven decomposition process.     

Influence of agricultural practices on arthropod communities in a vertisol (Martinique)

The influence of human activities on soil arthropods of vertisols was assessed in several plots characterized by different land uses in the south-eastern part of Martinique (French West Indies). Abundance and diversity of soil invertebrate groups and collembolan species were measured in a 40-year-old secondary forest, a 15-year-old fallow, a 4-year-old fallow, a 4-year-old pasture, a 15-year-old pasture and a 20-year-old market-garden. Agricultural practices modified abundance and species distribution of soil arthropods, compared to forest. Arthropod richness (number of taxa present) decreased from forest to market-garden, according to a gradient of intensification of agricultural use (pesticides, tillage, weed control). In the old pasture, the arthropod diversity was lower in spite of a high carbon content. Species richness of Collembola decreased together with plant diversity and water availability.     

Five-year trends in soil arthropod densities in pine forests with various levels of vitality

Summary A comparative field study was conducted to study the correlation between forest vitality and the abundance of soil microarthropods. During 5 years the vitality of six pine forests within the Veluwe area, the Netherlands, was estimated by the number of needle year-classes, while soils were sampled and extracted for various soil microarthropod groups. Within sites the number of needle year-classes in the forest stands fluctuated over the 5 years, while the collembolan family Sminthuridae showed a trend towards a decreasing population density and the density of the cryptostigmatid mite Platynothrus peltifer Koch increased. Among sites there was a significant positive correlation between the number of needle year-classes and the relative abundance of P. peltifer. The results imply that soil microarthropods may indicate changes in physical and chemical factors in relation to soil fertility and vitality of the trees.     

Effects of Folsomia candida (Collembola) on the microbial biomass in a grassland soil

Summary The effects of the presence of Folsomia candida on substrate-induced respiration, CO₂-C evolution, bacterial count and NH ₄ ⁺ -N were investigated in a grassland soil. Differences in these parameters, with the exception of NH ₄ ⁺ , were correlated with the age of the collembolan Folsomia candida. In the presence of juvenile animals total CO₂-C evolution was enhanced, but substrate-induced respiration and the bacterial count were unchanged. In fumigated soil with imagos, substrate-induced respiration and the number of bacteria were increased, but total CO₂-C evolution was unaltered. Different food selection strategies between adults and juvenile animals may explain the results.     

Using the spermosphere model technique to describe the dominant nitrogen-fixing microflora associated with wetland rice in two Egyptian soils

Summary This study is an attempt to describe the dominant N₂-fixing microflora associated with the roots of wetland rice. Rice cultivar Giza 171 was grown in a phytotron on two alluvial Egyptian soils for 8 days, a stage when the nitrogenase activity of undisturbed plants reached a level of 245 × 10^–6 mol C₂H₄ h^–1 g^–1 dry weight of leaf. The roots and rhizosphere soils were then used for counting and isolating dominant diazotrophs. Counts and initial enrichment steps were carried out on a selective medium made of an axenic rice plantlet, the spermosphere model, incubated under 1 % acetylene. The counts were very high, exceeding 10⁸ bacteria g^–1 dry weight of rhizosphere soil. Enterobacteriaceae were dominant; most isolates were Enterobacter cloacae belonging to different biotypes in the two soils. Enterobacter agglomerans, Citrobacter freundii and Klebsiella planticola were also present as members of the dominant microflora. Azospirillum brasilense and Azospirillum lipoferum were present as well, but less abundant.     

Soil suppressiveness and functional diversity of the soil microflora in organic farming systems

Arable fields of 10 organic farms from different locations in The Netherlands were sampled in three subsequent years. The soil samples were analysed for disease suppressiveness against Rhizoctonia solani AG2.2IIIB in sugar beet, Streptomyces scabies in radish and Verticillium longisporum in oilseed rape. In addition, a variety of microbial, chemical and physical soil characteristics were assessed. All data were correlated by multiple regression and multivariate analyses with the objective to find correlations between soil suppressiveness and biotic or abiotic soil characteristics. Significant differences in soil suppressiveness were found between the fields for all three diseases. Multiple regression indicated a significant correlation between suppressiveness against Rhizoctonia and the number of antagonistic Lysobacter spp., as well as with % active fungi and bacterial diversity. Grass-clover stimulated Rhizoctonia suppression as well as the presence of antagonistic Lysobacter spp. (mainly L. antibioticus and L. gummosus) in clay soils. Streptomyces suppression correlated with the number of antagonistic Streptomyces spp., % of active fungi and bacterial population size. The presence of antagonistic Streptomyces spp. correlated with a high fungal/bacterial biomass ratio. Verticillium suppression was only measured in 2004 and 2005, due to the inconsistent suppressiveness along the years. Nevertheless, a significant correlation with pH, potential nitrogen mineralization and bacterial biomass was found. Bacterial and fungal PCR-denaturing gel electrophoresis fingerprinting of bacterial and fungal communities, in general, did not significantly correlate with disease suppression. Highly significant explanatory factors of the composition of the dominating bacterial and fungal populations were % lutum, pH, C/N quotient, biomass and growth rate of bacteria. Additionally, the % of organic matter and years of organic farming were explaining significantly the composition of the bacterial population.Thus, significant correlations between several soil characteristics and suppressiveness of different soil-borne pathogens were found. For two of the three pathogens, suppression correlated with biotic soil characteristics combined with the presence of specific bacterial antagonists. Probably the soil suppressiveness measured in the organic fields is a combined effect of general and specific disease suppression.     

Effects of altered precipitation and wolf spiders on the density and activity of forest-floor Collembola

A 2×2 factorial field experiment was conducted in a deciduous forest to determine how changes in moisture and numbers of a common wolf spider, Schizocosa, affect Collembola abundance and activity. Each of four 4-m² fenced, roofed plots was divided into eight 0.5-m² fenced subplots, and each subplot was assigned a rainfall treatment (drought or high-rainfall) and a Schizocosa treatment (Schizocosa-removal or Schizocosa-addition). Water was sprayed on the high-rainfall subplots weekly from 7 August to 1 October 2003 at a rate of roughly 2× the long-term mean, while the drought subplots received no water. In order to increase the probability of uncovering possible effects of Schizocosa, predatory arthropods (Schizocosa, other spiders, and centipedes) were first removed from all subplots; Schizocosa-addition subplots were then stocked with five juvenile Schizocosa on 19 August, with additional Schizocosa added throughout the experiment. An index of relative Collembola activity was calculated by comparing the number captured in pitfall traps (activity-density) with absolute density (no./m²) measured by extracting Collembola from litter samples. Decreased moisture reduced overall Collembola density, but led to increased Collembola activity. This response to rainfall was exhibited by the families Entomobryidae, Tomoceridae, and Hypogastruridae. The presence of Schizocosa had no impact on overall Collembola density, nor did spider presence affect Collembola activity, with the possible exception of the Hypogastruridae, for which there was an interaction between rainfall and Schizocosa presence. Hypogastrurid Collembola were more active in the drought subplots and exhibited the same level of activity in the presence or absence of Schizocosa under drought conditions. However, in the high-rainfall treatment, the presence of Schizocosa increased hypogastrurid activity.     

Genetic similarities among Spanisch populations of Agropyron, Elymus and Thinopyrum, using PCR-based markers

Arbitrary oligonucleotides were used as primers to amplifygenomic DNA of 48 wild Spanish populations of Agropyroncristatum, Elymus hispanicus,E. caninus,E. repens,Thinopyrum curvifolium, Th.junceum and Th.intermedium. Genetic diversity was analysedusing nineteen primers. The number of amplified products ranged from8 to 18 per primer and a total of 240 markers were scored. Differentlevels of intraspecific genetic diversity were found, the allogamousspecies E. repens andTh. intermedium being themost variable. Jaccard's similarity coefficients for internalmeasure within and between populations were used to produce a clusterdiagram. The results demonstrate differences in the degree ofsimilarity between taxonomic units. Interpopulational variability andinterspecific genomic relationships of these species arediscussed.     

转Bt基因棉秸秆还田利用对土壤肥力的影响

随着转基因的快速发展,大量转Bt棉秸秆的合理利用和处理是不可忽视的重要课题之一。为明确Bt棉秸秆还田利用的可行性和安全性,本研究以不同抗虫转Bt基因棉和常规棉花‘泗棉3号’为研究材料,在分别种植1、2年后将秸秆机械粉碎后原位还田,测试土壤中Bt蛋白残留量、土壤酶活性及养分含量的变化,分析Bt棉秸秆原位还田对土壤肥力特性的影响。研究结果表明,秸秆还田40 d后, Bt棉样地土壤中Bt残留蛋白检测值较低,均与非转基因棉样地无显著性差异。棉秸秆还田后,土壤脲酶、蔗糖酶、蛋白酶、多酚氧化酶、过氧化氢酶、碱性磷酸酶活性皆较秸秆还田前增加,但土壤纤维素酶活性较之前降低。棉秸秆还田使土壤中有机质、有效磷、碱解氮、速效钾和全氮等养分含量及pH明显增加,而Bt抗虫棉与常规棉秸秆还田后对土壤肥力的影响不存在显著差异。对土壤综合肥力指数评价结果表明,秸秆还田对土壤肥力提升与Bt棉抗虫水平无关,土壤肥力指数在两年间由Ⅲ级水平上升至Ⅱ级水平。综上, Bt棉花秸秆还田不会造成土壤综合肥力降低,相反能有效提升土壤肥力;同时还田利用措施可对转基因植株有效灭活,与转基因植物秸秆利用和无害化处理要求相契合。生产中用于Bt转基因棉花秸秆利用和处理在一定程度上是安全可行的。     

Palatability of microfungi to soil arthropods in relation to the functioning of arbuscular mycorrhizae

We investigated the feeding preferences of six species of mites and collembolans for three fungi commonly associated with roots of Acer saccharum (Glomus macrocarpum, Alternaria alternata and Trichoderma harzianum), from a maple-forest soil in southern Ontario, Canada. Experiments were also conducted in vitro to determine animal feeding responses to (1) increasing quantities of hyphal biomass, (2) the presence of root vs. litter fungal substrates, and (3) hyphae of different widths of Glomus macrocarpum. The results indicate that arthropods prefer to graze in the litter region rather than in the deeper soil layers. Under ideal moisture/temperature conditions, animals are forced to the lower regions by interspecific interactions. They prefer to graze on hyphae of conidial fungi rather than on those of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. When arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal hyphae are grazed, there is a clear preference for the narrower hyphae, which are those further away from the root. The thicker hyphal segments, commonly found connecting absorptive hyphal fans to roots, were less preferred. These data are not consistent with the hypothesis that microarthropods are detrimental to arbuscular mycorrhizal associations, and suggest that Glomalean fungi may have evolved mechanisms to deter grazing by microarthropods.     

Effects of nitrogen deposition on animal-mediated nitrogen mobilization in coniferous litter

Summary In microcosm studies the organic layers of coniferous forest soils show high nitrate and low ammonium mobilization, in accord with the presence of high numbers of autotrophic nitrifiers. The fungivorous collembolan Tomocerus minor (Lubbock) increases ammonium mobilization, probably through its excretion products, and has an indirect effect on nitrate mobilization. An input of N seems to have a negative effect on the number of nitrifiers and on nitrate mobilization; a decrease in N mobilization in the presence of T. minor is probably due to stimulation of microbial growth, which has an immobilizing effect.     

Selection at the Ms locus in open pollinated onion (Allium cepa L.) populations possessing S-cytoplasm or mixtures of N- and S-cytoplasms

The bulb onion (Allium cepa L.) was historically seed propagated by open pollination (OP). Cytoplasmic-genic male sterility (CMS) and protandry encourage outcrossing among individual onion plants. The most common source of CMS in onion is conditioned by the interaction of sterile (S) cytoplasm with a single nuclear male-fertility restoration (Ms) locus. We previously reported that the majority of OP onion populations possess normal (N) male-fertile cytoplasm and varying frequencies of the dominant Ms allele. It was unclear why N-cytoplasmic onion populations often possess relatively high frequencies of the Ms allele, which has no obvious function. We used computer simulations to estimate changes in allelic frequencies at Ms for onion populations possessing S-cytoplasm or a mixture of N- and S-cytoplasms, and to determine if frequencies of the Ms allele stay constant or change due to failure of male gamete production from male-sterile (S msms) plants. The models revealed selection against the recessive ms allele over generations in onion populations possessing S-cytoplasm and varying amounts of self pollination and inbreeding depression. These models were consistent with field and molecular analyses documenting that N-cytoplasm and the dominant Ms allele predominate in OP onion populations.     

Responses to light in a soil-dwelling springtail

It has been widely assumed that Collembola respond to light, but until now there has been very little experimental proof of this. Field observations allowed to distinguish soil-dwelling species that would escape from light from surface-dwelling species that would be attracted to light. However, the supposed effect of light could be due to other factors such as temperature or dryness. We demonstrated that individuals of the collembolan species Heteromurus nitidus (Entomobryidae), when placed in a light gradient (temperature and moisture being homogeneous), clustered in the darker area. This effect occurred rapidly and changes in the distribution of animals persisted after illumination ceased. This shows light to act as a strong repellent for this soil-dwelling collembolan species.     

Resistance to powdery mildew in populations of barley landraces from Morocco

Forty-eight populations of barley landraces collected from Morocco were screened for resistance to powdery mildew and a number of different resistance genes were detected. Landraces originated from the collection of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas – ICARDA, Aleppo, Syria. Twenty populations of tested landraces (about 42%) showed resistance reactions and 46 single plant lines were selected. Fourteen of these lines were tested in the seedling stage with 17 and another 32 lines with 23 differential isolates of powdery mildew, respectively. The isolates were chosen according to their virulence spectra observed on the Pallas isolines differential set. Five lines originating from five populations of landraces showed resistance to all prevalent in Europe powdery mildew virulence genes. Thirty-five lines (76%) showed resistance reaction type 2. The distribution of reaction type scores indicated that about 81% of all reaction types observed were classified as powdery mildew resistance (scores 0, 1 and 2). In forty-one lines (89%) the presence of unknown genes alone or in combination with a specific one was detected. Four different resistance alleles (Mlat, Mla6, Mla14 and Mla22) were postulated to be present in the tested lines alone or in combination. Among specific resistance alleles the most common was allele Mlat (resistance Atlas). This allele was postulated to be present in twenty-three (50%) tested lines. The use of new identified sources of resistance to powdery mildew in barley breeding is discussed.     

Ecology of soil microflora and mycorrhizal symbionts in degraded forests at two altitudes

Summary Microbial populations were estimated in four different forest stands at different regenerational stages, two each at higher and lower altitudes. The fungal and bacterial populations showed marked seasonal variations at both altitudes. Quantitatively, the bacterial population was higher than the fungal population. Although 25 fungal species were isolated at the lower altitude, only 15 were obtained at the higher altitude. Penicillium chrysogenum and Trichoderma viride were dominant at the lower and higher altitudes, respectively. In the more degraded forest stand at the lower altitude both the fungal and the bacterial population showed a significant positive correlation with organic C (r=0.658 and 0.735, respectively), whereas in the less degraded forest stand there was a significant correlation only between the fungal population and organic C (r=0.835). At the higher altitude, however, a highly significant correlation (P<0.05) was observed between the fungal population, soil moisture and organic C in both the forest stands. Disturbance to the soil and vegetation adversely affected the microbial population, and also affected endogonaceous spores. At the lower altitude, plants in the more degraded forest stand were more mycotrophic compared to those in the less degraded stand. The level of mycorrhizal infection showed a highly positive correlation with soil moisture, organic C, total N, and available P. The spore population, however, was correlated negatively with these parameters. Three different endogonaceous genera, Glomus, Gigaspora, and Acaulospora, were identified during the course of investigation. Glomus, however, was dominant.     

Effects of heavy metals on the litter consumption by the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus in field soils

Aim of this study was to determine effects of heavy metals on litter consumption by the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus in National Park the “Brabantsche Biesbosch”, the Netherlands. Adult L. rubellus were collected from 12 polluted and from one unpolluted field site. Earthworms collected at the unpolluted site were kept in their native soil and in soil from each of the 12 Biesbosch sites. Earthworms collected in the Biesbosch were kept in their native soils. Non-polluted poplar (Populus sp.) litter was offered as a food source and litter consumption and earthworm biomass were determined after 54 days. Cd, Cu and Zn concentrations were determined in soil, pore water and 0.01 M CaCl₂ extracts of the soil and in earthworms. In spite of low available metal concentrations in the polluted soils, Cd, Cu and Zn concentrations in L. rubellus were increased. The litter consumption rate per biomass was positively related to internal Cd and Zn concentrations of earthworms collected from the Biesbosch and kept in native soil. A possible explanation is an increased demand for energy, needed for the regulation and detoxification of heavy metals. Litter consumption per biomass of earthworms from the reference site and kept in the polluted Biesbosch soils, was not related to any of the determined soil characteristics and metal concentrations.