化感植物根际生物学特性研究现状与展望

植物的根际是一个复杂的微生态系统,植物的根必须与入侵的邻近植物根及大量以有机物质为营养的细菌、真菌、土存害虫相互竞争空间、水分、矿质营养等。在土壤中,根与根际生物体的相互作用相当复杂且受到许多土壤因素的影响,地下根际生物体以根分泌物为媒介相互作用的机制比发生在地表的生物体的相互作用复杂的多。越来越多的试验表明,根分泌物在根与根、根与根际微生物间起着重要作用,并以其为媒介在植物与环境的相互作用中起着传递信息的作用。本文在简要综述前人研究的基础上,深入探讨了化感植物根际生物学问题及攻克途径,以期为深入研究植物化感作用提供依据。     

Cadmium Uptake by Winter Wheat Seedlings in Response to Interactions Between Phosphorus and Zinc Supply in Soils

ABSTRACT

Effects of application of zinc (Zn) (0, 1, 5, 10 mg kg^?1 soil) and phosphorus (P) (0, 10, 50, 100 mg kg^?1 soil) on growth and cadmium (Cd) accumulations in shoots and roots of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings were investigated in a pot experiment. All soils were supplied with a constant concentration of Cd (6 mg kg^?1 soil). Phosphorus application resulted in a pronounced increase in shoot and root biomass. Effects of Zn on plant growth were not as marked as those of P. High Zn (10 mg kg^?1) decreased the biomass of both shoots and roots; this result may be ascribed to Zn toxicity. Phosphorus and Zn showed complicated interactions in uptake by plants within the ranges of P and Zn levels used. Cadmium in shoots decreased significantly with increasing Zn (P < 0.001) except at P addition of 10 mg kg^?1. In contrast, root Cd concentrations increased significantly except at Zn addition of 5 mg kg^?1 (P < 0.001). These results indicated that Zn might inhibit Cd translocation from roots to shoots. Cadmium concentrations increased in shoots (P < 0.001) but decreased in roots (P < 0.001) with increasing P supply. The interactions between Zn and P had a significant effect on Cd accumulation in both shoots (p = 0.002) and roots (P < 0.001).     

Local variation in belowground multitrophic interactions

A growing number of studies point at the involvement of root herbivores in influencing plant performance, community composition and succession. However, little is known about the factors that control root herbivore abundance and the role of local variation in the effectiveness of these factors. Here, we performed a full factorial experiment with plants, root-feeding nematodes and rhizosphere microbial communities from two dune sites, to test the hypothesis that the outcome of belowground multitrophic interactions depends on local differences between the interacting organisms. The organisms included the marram grass Ammophila arenaria, the cyst nematode Heterodera arenaria, microbial plant pathogens and natural enemies of the nematodes from two coastal foredune systems, one in The Netherlands and one in Wales. The two plant populations differed at the molecular and phenotypic level, and the microbial communities from the two dune sites differed in the composition of the dominant soil fungi but not of the dominant bacteria. Plants were negatively affected by the rhizosphere microorganisms from one of the sites. Nevertheless, nematode performance was not affected by the origin of both the host plants and the microbial communities. The reproductive output of the cyst nematode depended on the presence of microorganisms, as well as on inter-population variability in the response of the nematode to these natural enemies. In the absence of microorganisms, the two nematode populations differed in the number and size of the produced cysts, although maternal effects cannot be excluded. Inter-population differences in the host plant were a secondary factor in the nematode-microorganisms interactions, and did not influence bottom-up control of the cyst nematodes. Our results did not reveal strong signals of coevolution in belowground multitrophic interactions of plants, cyst nematodes and soil microbial communities. We conclude that the interactions between the studied organisms do not necessarily depend on their local vs. non-local origin. Nevertheless, we were able to show that local variation in soil organism community composition can be an important factor in determining the outcome of interactions in belowground multitrophic systems.     

Microbial communities of a native perennial bunchgrass do not respond consistently across a gradient of land-use intensification

To test if native perennial bunchgrasses cultivate the same microbial community composition across a gradient in land-use intensification, soils were sampled in fall, winter and spring in areas under bunchgrasses (‘plant’) and in bare soils (‘removal’) in which plots were cleared of living plants adjacent to native perennial bunchgrasses (Nassella pulchra). The gradient in land-use intensification was represented by a relict perennial grassland, a restored perennial grassland, and a perennial grass agriculture site on the same soil type. An exotic annual grassland site was also included because perennial bunchgrasses often exist within a matrix of annual grasses in California. Differences in soil resource pools between ‘plant’ and ‘removal’ soils were observed mainly in the relict perennial grassland and perennial grass agriculture site. Seasonal responses occurred in all sites. Microbial biomass carbon (C) and dissolved organic C were greater under perennial bunchgrasses in the relict perennial grassland and perennial grass agriculture site when comparing treatment means of ‘plant’ vs. ‘removal’ soil. In general, soil moisture, microbial respiration, and nitrate decreased from fall to spring in ‘plant’ and ‘removal’ soils, while soil ammonium and net mineralizable nitrogen (N) increased only in ‘plant’ soils. A canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) of phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles from all sites showed that land-use history limits the similarity of microbial community composition as do soil C and N dynamics among sites. When PLFA profiles from individual sites were analyzed by CCA, different microbial PLFA markers were associated with N. pulchra in each site, indicating that the same plant species does not retain a unique microbial fingerprint across the gradient of land-use intensification.     

Chemical changes induced by methyl jasmonate in oilseed rape grown in the laboratory and in the field

The effect of methyl jasmonate (MJ) spraying on the chemistry of Brassica plants was investigated. Glucosinolates (GLS) in the leaves, stems, and roots of laboratory-grown oilseed rape (Brassica rapa subsp. oleifera cv. Tuli and Valo) 3 and 7 days after MJ treatment were analyzed. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from whole oilseed rape plants were collected 3 days after MJ treatment. GLS were also analyzed from field-grown oilseed rape (cv. Valo) treated with MJ. The production of indolyl GLS in laboratory-grown oilseed rape, especially the concentration of 4-hydroxy-3-indolylmethyl (4-OH-glucobrassicin) in leaves, stems, and roots, 3-indolylmethyl (glucobrassicin) in stems, and 4-methoxy-3-indolylmethyl (4-methoxyglucobrassicin) in roots, was induced after MJ treatment. The VOC emission profile changed after MJ treatment, and homoterpene (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene (DMNT) was detected only in MJ-treated plants. The GLS concentration in the field-grown plants was significantly higher in MJ-treated plants than in control plants. These results suggest that spraying with MJ induces the production of secondary compounds, that is, GLS and VOCs, in Brassica plants. The induction of VOC emissions in oilseed rape is comparable to that caused by insect feeding damage. Thus, MJ-treated crop plants may become less palatable to insect herbivores and more attractive to natural enemies of herbivores.     

Stable isotope labelling of earthworms can help deciphering belowground–aboveground interactions involving earthworms,mycorrhizal fungi,plants and aphids

Functional relationships between belowground detritivores and/or symbionts and aboveground primary producers and their herbivores are not well studied. In a factorial greenhouse experiment we studied interactions between earthworms (addition/no addition of Lumbricus terrestris; Clitellata: Lumbricidae) and arbuscular-mycorrhizal fungi (AMF; with/without inoculation of Glomus mosseae; Glomerales: Glomeraceae) on the leguminous herb Trifolium repens (Fabales: Fabaceae) and associated plant aphids (Aphis gossypii, A. craccivora; Hemiptera: Aphidoidea). In order to be able to trace organismic interactions, earthworms were dual-labelled with stable isotopes (¹⁵N-ammonium nitrate and ¹³C-glucose). We specifically wanted to investigate whether (i) isotopic signals can be traced from the labelled earthworms via surface castings, plant roots and leaves to plant aphids and (ii) these compartments differ in their incorporation of stable isotopes. Our results show that the tested organismic compartments differed significantly in their ¹⁵N isotope enrichments measured seven days after the introduction of earthworms. ¹⁵N isotope incorporation was highest in casts followed by earthworm tissue, roots and leaves, with lowest ¹⁵N signature in aphids. The ¹³C signal in roots, leaves and aphids was similar across all treatments and is for this reason not recommendable for tracing short-term interactions over multitrophic levels. AMF symbiosis affected stable isotope incorporation differently in different subsystems: the ¹⁵N isotope signature was higher below ground (in roots) but lower above ground (leaves and aphids) in AMF-inoculated mesocosms compared to AMF-free mesocosms (significant subsystem × AMF interaction). Aphid infestation was unaffected by AMF and/or earthworms. Generally, these results demonstrate that plants utilize nutrients excreted by earthworms and incorporate these nutrients into their roots, leaf tissue and phloem sap from where aphids suck. Hence, these results show that earthworms and plant aphids are functionally interlinked. Further, ¹⁵N-labelling earthworms may represent a promising tool to investigate nutrient uptake by plants and consequences for belowground-aboveground multitrophic interactions.     

Resource dynamics in an early-successional plant community are influenced by insect exclusion

The exclusion of insects from terrestrial ecosystems may change productivity, diversity and composition of plant communities and thereby nutrient dynamics. In an early-successional plant community we reduced densities of above- and below-ground insects in a factorial design using insecticides. Beside measuring vegetation dynamics we investigated the effects of insect exclusion on above- and below-ground plant biomass, below-ground C and N storage by plants, litter quality, decomposition rate, soil water content, soil C:N ratio, nutrient availability and soil microbial activity and biomass.The application of soil insecticide had only minor effects on above- and below-ground biomass of the plant community but increased carbon content in root biomass and total carbon and nitrogen storage in roots. In one of the three investigated plant species (Cirsium arvense), application of soil insecticide decreased nitrogen concentration of leaves (−12%). Since C. arvense responded positively to soil insecticide application, this effect may be due to drought stress caused by root herbivory. Decomposition rate was slightly increased by the application of above-ground insecticide, possibly due to an impact on epigeic predators. The application of soil insecticide caused a slightly increased availability of soil water and an increased availability of mineralised nitrogen (+30%) in the second season. We explain these effects by phenological differences between the plant communities, which developed on the experimental plots. Microbial biomass and activity were not influenced by insecticide application, but were correlated to above-ground plant biomass of the previous year. Overall, we conclude that the particular traits of the involved plant species, e.g. their phenology, are the key to understand the resource dynamics in the soil.     

Soil arthropods beneficially rather than detrimentally impact plant performance in experimental grassland systems of different diversity

Impacts of belowground insecticide application on plant performance and changes in plant community structure almost uniformly have been ascribed to reduced belowground herbivory, although recent studies reported distinct side effects on detritivore soil animals, particularly on Collembola. Consequently, it remains controversial if the resulting soil feedbacks on plants are due to alterations in arthropod herbivory or to changes in the activity of detritivores. We investigated the impacts of the application of a commonly used belowground insecticide (chlorpyrifos) on soil animals and soil feedbacks on model plant species representing two main plant functional groups of grassland communities, the grass Lolium perenne and the forb Centaurea jacea.Insecticide application decreased soil insect herbivore densities considerably. However, also Collembola densities and diversity decreased markedly due to insecticide application and this was most pronounced in Entomobryidae, Isotomidae, Hypogastruridae, and Sminthuridae. While densities of other detritivore taxa were not affected or even increased (Oribatida) in insecticide subplots, that of predators mostly decreased.Both model plant species built considerably more biomass in control subplots than in insecticide subplots irrespective of characteristics of the resident plant community. This suggests that soil feedbacks on plants were not due to belowground herbivory and highlights the significance of alternative mechanisms responsible for insecticide-mediated soil feedbacks on plants. The deterioration of model plant species’ performances in insecticide subplots most likely was due to decreased densities of Collembola resulting in the deceleration of nutrient cycling and plant nutrition. The results suggest that it is oversimplistic to only ascribe insecticide-mediated soil feedbacks on plants to belowground herbivores. The results further indicate that in the present study the impact of arthropod detritivores on plant productivity was more important than that of belowground herbivores. This emphasizes that plant-soil arthropod interactions in grassland might be based on both facilitative and antagonistic interrelationships.     

Root zone selenium reduces cadmium toxicity by modulating tissue-specific growth and metabolism in maize (Zea mays L.)

The effects of selenium (Se) cadmium (Cd) interactions on plant growth and metabolism are not fully clear. In the present study, we assessed whether Se could alleviate the toxic effects of Cd on growth and metabolism of maize. Seeds of maize variety FH-985 were sown in pots filled with sand treated with CdCl₂ (0, 50 and 100 µM) and Se (0, 2 and 4 mg L^?1) through Hoagland’s nutrient solution. Low Se (2 mg L^?1) increased germination percentage and rate, while high Se (4 mg L^?1) increased fresh and dry biomass under Cd stress. Interestingly, all Se concentrations were effective in alleviating the toxic effects of Cd on photosynthetic pigments, whereas higher Se mitigated the Cd-induced oxidative stress and increased flavonoids both in the shoots and roots while phenolics in the roots. The results demonstrated that root zone Se altered tissue-specific primary metabolism in maize. Furthermore, low Se mitigated the Cd-induced decrease in total proteins in the root. Overall, Se-mediated decrease in the oxidative stress in the shoots while increase of secondary metabolites in the roots helped the plants to grow faster at early growth stage and caused increase in the biomass under different Cd regimes.     

Linking above-ground and below-ground interactions: how plant responses to foliar herbivory influence soil organisms

Studies of the effects of above-ground herbivory on soil organisms and decomposer food webs, as well as the processes that they regulate, have largely concentrated on the effects of non-living inputs into the soil, such as dung, urine, body parts and litter. However, there is an increasing body of information which points to the importance of plant physiological responses to herbivory in regulating soil organisms and therefore, implicitly, key soil processes such as decomposition and nutrient mineralisation. In this review we identify the mechanisms by which foliar herbivory may indirectly affect the soil biota and associated below-ground processes through affecting plants, so as to better understand the nature of interactions which exist between above-ground and below-ground biota. We consider two broad pathways by which above-ground foliar herbivory may affect soil biotic communities. The first of these occurs through herbivore effects on patterns of root exudation and carbon allocation. These effects manifest themselves either as short-term changes in plant C allocation and root exudation or as long-term changes in root biomass and morphology. Evidence suggests that these mechanisms positively influence the size and activity of the soil biotic community and may alter the supply of nutrients in the rhizosphere for plant uptake and regrowth. The second of these involves herbivores influencing soil organisms through altering the quality of input of plant litter. Possible mechanisms by which this occurs are through herbivory enhancing nitrogen contents of root litter, through herbivory affecting production of secondary metabolites and concentrations of nutrients in foliage and thus in leaf litter and through selective foliar feeding causing shifts in plant community structure and thus the nature of litter input to the soil. While the effects of herbivory on soil organisms via plant responses may be extremely important, the directions of these effects are often unpredictable because several mechanisms are often involved and because of the inherently complex nature of soil food-web interactions; this creates obvious difficulties in developing general principles about how herbivory affects soil food-webs. Finally, it is apparent that very little is understood on how responses of soil organisms to herbivory affect those ecosystem-level processes regulated by the soil food-web (e.g. decomposition, nutrient mineralisation) and that such information is essential in developing a balanced understanding about how herbivory affects ecosystem function.     

Interactions Between Sulfur and Selenium Uptake by Corn in Solution Culture

Interactions between sulfur (S) and selenium (Se) uptake and accumulation in corn (Zea mays) plants were investigated in solution culture. Two concentrations (5 and 10 μ M) of Se (as selenate) and three concentrations of S (as sulfate) (0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 mM) were used. Results showed that shoot and root biomass were affected significantly by different S concentrations in solution, but not affected by Se application when S concentrations in solution were lower than 1.5 mM. Selenium concentrations as well as Se accumulation in shoots and roots on a dry weight basis increased dramatically with increasing Se concentrations in solution. At a constant Se level, increasing S in solution reduced Se concentrations. Selenium accumulation in plants was not affected by S application, except in nutrient solution with Se at a concentration of 10 μ M. Sulfur concentrations and S accumulation in shoots increased significantly with increasing Se concentrations in solution, while those in roots were unaffected by Se addition. Solution-to-shoot transfer factors and shoot-root distribution coefficients of Se and S were also discussed. These data suggest that it is necessary to manage carefully both S and Se levels in solution or in soils for supplementation of Se in plants. Results from this study indicate that human Se nutrition can be improved by supplementation of Se in crops.     

嫁接黄瓜果实表面蜡粉形成与砧木的相关性及其硅吸收分配特性

黄瓜果实表面蜡粉的多少影响其商品品质,蜡粉多少在一定条件下取决于植株对硅的吸收特性。本试验选择4个果实表面具蜡粉的南瓜自交系（Z1、 Z2、 Z3和Z4）和4个果实表面没有蜡粉的南瓜自交系（Z5、 Z6、 Z7 和Z8）为砧木,嫁接津优1号黄瓜,以自根黄瓜为对照,研究了嫁接和自根黄瓜果面蜡粉形成与硅吸收分配的关系。结果表明, 采用果面具蜡粉砧木Z1、 Z2嫁接的黄瓜果实表面鲜亮、 光滑,几乎无蜡粉;果面具蜡粉的砧木Z3、 Z4以及不具蜡粉的4个砧木嫁接的黄瓜果面蜡粉量多,色灰暗,与自根黄瓜之间差异显著或不显著。果面没有蜡粉的黄瓜植株各器官中硅含量显著低于果面有蜡粉的黄瓜;果实果皮中硅含量高于果肉。嫁接黄瓜果面是否具蜡粉与砧木果面有无蜡粉没有必然联系,采用去蜡粉砧木嫁接的黄瓜硅吸收量明显减少。     

Rapid uptake of N-ammonium and glycine-C, N by arbuscular and ericoid mycorrhizal plants native to a Northern California coastal pygmy forest

While it is well established that plants are able to acquire nitrogen in inorganic form, there is less information on their ability to ‘short circuit’ the N cycle, compete with microbes, and acquire nitrogen in organic form. Mycorrhizal fungi, known to enhance nutrient uptake by plants, may play a role in organic N uptake, particularly ericoid mycorrhizas. We asked the question—Can mycorrhizal fungi increase the ability of plants to take up organic N, compared to inorganic N? Here, we report on the abilities of three plant species, ericoid mycorrhizal Rhododendron macrophyllum and Vaccinium ovatum and arbuscular mycorrhizal Cupressus goveniana ssp. pigmaea, to acquire C and/or N from an organic and an inorganic N source. All three species are native to a California coastal pygmy forest growing in acidic, low-fertility, highly organic soils. In a pot study, glycine-α¹³C, ¹⁵N and ¹⁵N-ammonium were applied to pygmy forest soil for 17 or 44 h. Ericoid mycorrhizal species did not demonstrate a preference for either inorganic or organic sources of N while Cupressus acquired more NH₄-N than glycine-N. For all species, glycine-N uptake did not increase after 17 h suggesting glycine uptake and glycine immobilization occurred rapidly. Both glycine-N and glycine-C were recovered in shoots and in roots suggesting that all species acquired some N in organic form. Regression analyses of glycine-N and glycine-C recovery in root tissue indicate that much of the glycine was taken up intact and that the minimum proportion of glycine-N recovered in organic form was 85% (Cupressus) and 70% (Rhododendron). Regressions were non-significant for Vaccinium. For all species, glycine-N remained predominantly in roots while glycine-C was transferred to shoots. In contrast, NH₄-N remained in roots of ericoid plants but was transferred to shoots of arbuscular mycorrhizal Cupressus. Since net N mineralization rates in pygmy forest soils are low, our results suggest that organic N may be an important N source for plants in this temperate coniferous ecosystem regardless of mycorrhizal type. Acquisition of amino acid C by these species also may partially offset the carbon cost to plants of hosting mycorrhizal fungi.     

Carbon allocation in mycelia of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi during colonisation of plant seedlings

The direction of carbon (C) allocation in mycorrhizal mycelia is of fundamental importance to coexistence of individual plants. We therefore investigated the transfer of C from established plants to plant seedlings through fungal mycelia. C allocation by the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Glomus intraradices, from ‘donor’ plants to mycelia in soil and two different species of introduced ‘receiver’ seedlings, was investigated in a pot experiment using ¹³C labelling and fatty acid analysis. After ¹³CO₂ application to the shoots of Trifolium subterraneum or Plantago lanceolata, used as donor plants, T. subterraneum and P. lanceolata receiver seedlings were introduced. Samples were collected 4-20 days after ¹³CO₂ application and analysed regarding ¹³C and the fatty acid 16:1ω5, the signature of AM fungi. ¹³C transfer from T. subterraneum donor plants was demonstrated by ¹³C enrichment of the roots of the receiver seedlings, but not from the P. lanceolata donor plants. ¹³C allocation to the neutral lipid fatty acid 16:1ω5 was only 1 ng in each receiver seedling, but 2 μg of the fatty acid in whole soil. The results indicate that C allocation through mycelial networks is influenced by the donor plant species, but is not directed towards receiver seedlings to any higher degree than towards other directions. The importance of the extraradical AM fungal mycelium as a C sink was demonstrated.     

设施条件下青菜间作大豆或芋艿控制斜纹夜蛾效果及对捕食性天敌多样性的影响

为探讨设施菜田间作控制害虫斜纹夜蛾(Spodoptera litura)的效果及对捕食性天敌多样性的影响,以在上海市浦东新区设施菜田设置的青菜间作大豆或芋艿为处理,以非间作设施青菜田为对照,对间作作物大豆或芋艿植株上诱集到的斜纹夜蛾幼虫和卵块进行了调查,并对各处理区和对照区青菜田捕食性天敌群落结构特征进行系统调查和分析。结果表明,在调查期内(7~9月),每100株大豆和芋艿诱集斜纹夜蛾幼虫分别为1 098.84±107.50头和1 260.78±126.16头,诱集斜纹夜蛾卵块数分别为17.45±1.31个和20.76±1.81个;与非间作青菜田相比,青菜田间作大豆或芋艿后斜纹夜蛾种群数量分别减少37.83%或45.89%;间作大豆或芋艿青菜田捕食性天敌分别隶属5目21科31种和5目21科32种,而非间作青菜田隶属5目19科26种;非间作青菜田捕食性天敌的优势种为拟环纹狼蛛(Lycosa pseudoamulata)和草间小黑蛛(Erigonidium graminicolum),而间作大豆或芋艿后天敌优势种群均为拟水狼蛛(Pirata subpiraticus)、拟环纹狼蛛(Lycosa pseudoamulata)和草间小黑蛛(Erigonidium graminicolum);间作大豆青菜田捕食性天敌的个体数量、丰富度、多样性指数分别为91.22±4.91头.100株?1、29.74±0.30、4.53±0.03,较非间作青菜田分别增加58.70%、25.27%、10.60%;间作芋艿青菜田捕食性天敌的个体数量、丰富度、多样性指数分别为92.09±5.03头.100株?1、29.96±0.35、4.54±0.03,较非间作青菜田分别增加60.21%、26.19%、11.00%。本研究结论可为上海地区发展设施青菜田间作大豆或芋艿种植模式提供参考依据。     

Contribution of primary organic matter to the fatty acid pool in agricultural soils

Fatty acids as major compounds of soil lipids may affect many soil properties, but the input and turnover rates in soil are largely unknown. The objective of this study was to identify and quantify fatty acids in soils as a result of input from primary sources such as plant residues, farmyard manure and soil organisms, and to evaluate the corresponding turnover- and stabilization processes. The concentrations of n-C_10:0 to n-C_34:0 fatty acids were determined in the Ap horizon of a Phaeozem with long-term cropping of rye and maize and the treatments ‘Unfertilized’ (‘U’) and fertilized with ‘Farmyard manure’ (‘FYM’). The most important primary sources of fatty acids such as rye and maize stubble and roots, soil micro- and mesofauna, and the applied FYM were also investigated. The quantification of fatty acids by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) showed that long-term FYM application led to larger concentrations of n-alkyl fatty acids in the plots grown with rye (‘U’: 48.1 μg g⁻¹, ‘FYM’: 57.7 μg g⁻¹, **P≤0.01, n=3) and maize (‘U’: 17.0 μg g⁻¹, ‘FYM’: 23.4 μg g⁻¹, ***P≤0.001, n=3). The observed bimodal fatty acid distribution in soils from n-C_10:0 to n-C_21:0 and from n-C_21:0 to n-C_34:0 with a predominance at n-C_16:0 and at n-C_28:0 was apparently due to input from crop residues, soil organisms and FYM. The short-chain lengths may have originated from the investigated primary sources. The major contributors to the long-chain lengths, with a maximum at n-C_28:0, were rye stubble and FYM. A change in mono-culture from rye to maize, 38 years prior to sampling, led to a decrease in fatty acid concentrations by factors of about 2.8 (‘U’) and 2.5 (‘FYM’). Therefore, rye-derived fatty acids and soil tillage had a larger impact on fatty acid pools than the input of primary organic matter. The changes in fatty acid distributions and pools under the consideration of the quantified input of primary organic matter led to the conclusion that the short-chained fatty acids were more rapidly decomposed than the long-chains.     

Cadmium and zinc availability in soil irrigated with sludge containing a cationic conditioner

Tomato plants (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill, ‘Red Cherry Small’), grown in 15 cm diameter plastic pots with a standard greenhouse medium (1:1:1, by volume, soil:peat:sand) were irrigated for 15 weeks with liquid sewage sludge containing a liquid cationic conditioner (Petroset SB, Phillips Petroleum Company, Bartlesville, Oklahoma) to determine the effect of the conditioner on Cd and Zn availability. Half of the plants received 50 ml week^?1 liquid digested sludge with no conditioner and half of the plants received 50 ml week^?1 sludge containing 0.25 ml conditioner (200:1, by volume, sludge:conditioner). Plant height was measured weekly. Plants were harvested 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 weeks after sludge treatments began and separated into roots, shoots, and fruits for dry weight determination and Cd and Zn analyses. Soil and sludge crusts were sampled at the same times and analyzed for extractable concentrations of Cd and Zn. Dry weights of plants grown with conditioned sludge were similar to those grown with nonconditioned sludge. Plants with conditioner flowered and fruited one and two weeks earlier, respectively, than plants without conditioned. Six weeks after treatments began, when the plants had grown to their greatest height, Cd concentrations in sludge crusts, soil, and roots receiving conditioner were 2.0, 1.5, and 2.1 times greater, respectively, than crusts, soil and roots not receiving conditioner. After the six weeks sampling time, Cd concentrations in crusts, soil, and roots receiving conditioned sludge were similar to those in crusts, soil, and roots receiving nonconditioned sludge. At the third-week sampling time, shoots of plants grown with conditioner had 2.6 times more Cd than shoots of plants grown without conditioner. Cadmium concentrations in shoots from both treatments were similar at later sampling dates. Cadmium content of fruits was the same for both treatments all sampling times. Zinc content of roots, shoots, fruits soil, and sludge crusts was no affected by the conditioner. Results showed that a cationic conditioner, added to sludge, increased the availability of Cd, but not of zn, for tomato plants until maximum height was reached.     

Effects of transpiration rate on boron uptake by roots and translocation to shoots of table beets (Beta vulgaris L.) 1

The effects of transpiration rate on B uptake by roots and translocation to shoots of table beet (Beta vulgaris L. cv. Red Ace) plants were studied under conditions of environmental control. Plants grown under high or low relative humidities (RH) had low or high rates of transpiration, respectively. Dry weights and B contents of shoots and roots were higher among plants grown at 80% RH and B concentrations of roots were lower compared to plants grown at 30% RH. Shoot B concentrations were not affected by RH. Rates of growth and B accumulation in shoots were closely correlated for plants grown in 30% or 80% RH. These parameters were not closely correlated in roots.

The rate of B uptake per g root dry weight was greater in plants having higher transpiration rates; whereas the rate of B translocation to shoots per g dry weight was independent of transpiration rate. Thus we propose that B translocation to shoots is controlled mechanistically by rates of dry matter accumulation during stages of rapid growth, i.e. a sink effect.     

Invasion success of exotic plants in natural ecosystems: the role of disturbance, plant attributes and freedom from herbivores

Invasion of natural ecosystems by exotic species is a major threat to biodiversity globally. We assessed two alternative (but not exclusive) hypotheses to explain the success of exotic species in urban bushland on low fertility sandstone-derived soils in Sydney, Australia. These were that success of exotic species is promoted by: (1) plant attributes in particular disturbance types; and (2) freedom from herbivores. We tested these at sites subject to different types of disturbance: nutrient and water enrichment (below stormwater outlets), nutrient enrichment (riparian zones of creeks with an urban catchment) and physical disturbance (tracks), and control sites. At each site we estimated percentage cover of all species and surveyed leaves for damage by herbivores. Species were classified as native, non-invasive exotic or invasive exotic. We found that sites without any disturbance did not support exotic plants. Physically disturbed sites on low fertility soils supported only one exotic species, suggesting that nutrient enrichment is a critical prerequisite for exotic species invasion on low fertility soils. Exotic species cover was highest and native species richness most reduced in areas of highest nutrient enrichment. Both invasive exotic and non-invasive exotic species had significantly lower levels of leaf herbivory than native species, implying that release from pests alone cannot account for the success of invasive species. Specific leaf area of invasive exotic species was consistently higher than specific leaf area of non-invasive exotic and native species, regardless of disturbance type. In physically disturbed sites of higher soil fertility, exotic species were small herbs and grasses of long flowering duration and with small unassisted or wind-dispersed seeds. In sites subject to nutrient-enrichment, exotic species were more likely to be climbers, able to propagate vegetatively, and with seeds dispersed by vertebrates. Thus different plant attributes contribute to exotic species success under different disturbance types. The clearest consistent difference we found between invasive exotic and non-invasive exotic species was in specific leaf area, suggesting that large specific leaf area facilitates invasiveness.