黄河三角洲盐生植被演替与土壤细菌群落结构的关系

研究黄河三角洲光板地和4种盐生植被(翅碱蓬、獐茅、白茅和罗布麻)下土壤细菌群落组成,揭示其与盐生植被演替的关系。利用细菌16S r DNA基因文库方法,构建系统发育树,在5个文库中各挑选180个阳性克隆子进行序列测定,并对数据进行统计分析。从光板地、翅碱蓬、獐茅、白茅和罗布麻5个文库中分别得到121、132、150、159、155条有效序列。重盐土壤(翅碱蓬土壤、獐茅土壤)细菌有着最高的Shannon指数和最低的Simpson优势度指数。土壤中检测到变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)等,共8门。其中变形菌门在5种土样中相对丰度为21.06%,拟杆菌门为11.16%,其他细菌相对丰度皆未超过10%。5种覆被类型下土壤细菌在种群组成上差异明显,但均匀度与丰富度差异较小,变形菌为所研究5种土壤中的优势菌群。当盐生植被处于相同演替阶段时,土壤细菌群落结构具有更大相似性;在不同演替阶段时,土壤细菌群落结构差别较大。     

饲喂纳豆枯草芽胞杆菌对荷斯坦犊牛瘤胃细菌区系的影响

本研究选取8头(60日龄)犊牛随机分为对照组和处理组,对照组犊牛饲喂开食料,处理组在开食料中添加纳豆枯草芽胞杆菌(Bacillus subtilis)(1×10~6 CFU/g日粮)菌液,于断奶后2个月进行屠宰,采集瘤胃食糜构建16S rDNA克隆文库,随机挑取克隆进行测序,对照组16S rDNA克隆文库共有111个克隆,可分为88个操作分类单元;处理组16S rDNA克隆文库中有142个克隆,可分为131个操作分类单元.序列分析和多样性指数分析表明,两组犊牛瘤胃细菌区系多样性存在显著差异.拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)和壁厚菌门(Firmicutes)是两克隆文库中主要的代表菌群.对照组和处理组中的拟杆菌门分别占文库中总克隆数的38%和25%,而壁厚菌门分别占47%和57%.与瘤胃球菌相关的克隆在对照组克隆文库中分别占5%,而在处理组文库中分别占10%.RT-PCR结果显示,处理组中白色瘤胃球菌(R.albus)(log_(10)7.7/mL)和黄色瘤胃球菌(R.flavefaciens)(log_(10)8.1/mL)的数量比对照组(分别为log_(10)7.2/mL和log_(10)7.7/mL)分别增加了3倍和2.4倍.研究结果提示,饲喂纳豆枯草芽胞杆菌有助于促进断奶后犊牛瘤胃中细菌区系的建立,促进纤维分解菌群的定植和生长.     

五氯酚厌氧生物降解体系中细菌的多样性分析

为了解五氯酚(PCP)降解过程中参与PCP降解的微生物多样性,本文应用16SrRNA基因克隆文库方法对PCP厌氧生物降解体系中细菌群落的组成和相对丰度进行了研究。结果表明,TM7类群的微生物在整个细菌群落中占有最大丰度(48.6%),检测到的序列与在三氯乙烯污染的地下水中检测的克隆子有一定的序列相似性(93.6%)。丰度位居第二的微生物类群为β-变形菌纲(Betaproteobacteria)细菌,其中的一些克隆子(10.8%)与脱氯微生物Dechlorosoma suillum具有极高的序列同缘性(99.7%)。此外,也检测到少数Clostridium属[厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)类群]的微生物。克隆文库中发现许多序列(占整个克隆文库的51.3%)与Gen Bank中已报道的序列具有较远的同源性(小于93.4%),它们可能代表新的微生物。本研究进一步拓宽了对PCP降解微生物多样性的认识。     

油井采出液中微生物群落结构的T-RFLP分析

应用末端标记限制性片段长度多态性(Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism,T-RFLP)和克隆文库分析,以微生物群落16SrRNA基因(16S rDNA)为目标,对大庆油田过渡带油井采出液(于2005年7月和10月取样)中的微生物群落结构进行了解析和比较。T-RFLP分析表明,2005年7月和10月油井采出液中古菌群落结构较为单一,随时间变化不大;而细菌群落结构较为复杂,不同时间群落中的优势菌有明显的差别。古菌和细菌16S rDNA片段测序和系统发育分析表明,大庆油田过渡带油井采出液古菌群落中的优势菌均为产甲烷菌;细菌群落中的优势菌则与β、γ、δ、ε变形杆菌(Proteobacteria)、拟杆菌(Bacte-roidetes)和脱铁杆菌(Deferribacteres)有较高的相似性,细菌群落中检出了大量的未培养微生物(Deep-branching lineages)。     

不同类型水稻土微生物群落结构特征及其影响因素

选取基于我国土壤地理发生分类的不同类型土壤发育的四种水稻土,利用15N2气体示踪法测定生物固氮速率,采用实时荧光定量PCR(Real-time PCR)技术测定细菌丰度,通过16S rRNA基因高通量测序分析微生物群落组成和多样性.结果表明:变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria...     

一个红壤剖面微生物群落的焦磷酸测序法研究

利用定量PCR和454焦磷酸测序法,研究了湖南湘阴县一典型红壤剖面微生物相关基因的多度及微生物(古菌、细菌、真菌)群落结构.结果显示,随剖面深度增加,土壤黏粒含量增多,有机质和全氮含量、碳氮比则下降.每克干土微生物基因拷贝数也趋于下降,其值为:10 7.09～ 109.30(古菌16S rDNA),108.10～109.70(细菌16S rDNA),106.54～107.95(真菌18S rDNA),10 7.24～108.61(古菌amoA基因),104.76～106.25(细菌amoA基因),105.94～ 107.88(nirK基因),106.81～109.21(nirS基因),107.03～ 109.46(nosZ基因).焦磷酸测序得到了6 459条古菌16S rRNA基因序列,平均长度为496 bp;28 626条细菌16S rRNA基因序列,平均长度为448 bp;4 683条真菌18S rRNA基因序列,平均长度为534 bp.OTU(97％相似度)分析表明,微生物群落d-多样性与所测土壤理化性质均无显著相关.Jaccard差异度分析表明同一剖面各土壤层次间微生物群落结构更为相似,而不同位点的三个表层土之间的差异较大;Mantel检验发现,与微生物群落变化相关的主要土壤因子是黏粒含量.在所有土样中,古菌以泉古菌门中的热变形菌纲(89％)为主,其分布与土壤黏粒含量相关.细菌的主要类群为酸杆菌门(33％)、变形菌门(17％)、绿弯菌门(12％)、厚壁菌门(10％)和放线菌门(7％),分类地位不明确的细菌约占11％.其中,酸杆菌门和变形菌门的相对多度在表层土中高于非表层土;而绿弯菌门和厚壁菌门的相对多度则在非表层土中更高,与土壤深度呈显著正相关.所有真菌序列分属于三个门,即子囊菌门(87％)、担子菌门(9％)和球囊菌门(4％),在纲一级的分类水平上,各样品间群落结构无明显差异.     

红壤荒草地氨氧化细菌富集液16SrDNA文库的RFLP分析

分析红壤荒草地富集液中氨氧化细菌的种群组成,选取氨氧化细菌16S rDNA特异性引物序列,利用PCR技术对从富集液中抽提的细菌总DNA进行扩增,并建立了氨氧化细菌特异性的16S rDNA文库。用酶HhaⅠ和RsaⅠ对该文库特异性片段进行了限制性酶切片断长度多态性分析(Restriction fragment lengthpolymorphism,RFLP),随机挑选的35个特异性克隆片段被分成3个不同的RFLP类型,其中优势型占了所有分析克隆子的94%,另两个型各占3%。从每个RFLP类型中挑取一定的转化子进行测序,测序结果经GenBank检索,发现在该富集液体系文库中存在大量亚硝化单胞菌属(Nitrosomonas)细菌序列,由此推测红壤荒草地中存在氨氧化细菌,Nitrosomonas属细菌能在富集条件下成为优势菌。     

不同干扰方式对喀斯特生态系统土壤细菌优势类群—变形菌群落的影响

以喀斯特原生林为对照,运用16S rRNA基因的PCR-RFLP和测序技术对该区不同人为干扰方式下土壤细菌的群落结构进行了分析。结果显示,4个样地中变形菌占总克隆子数的41.3%,是研究区土壤中的优势细菌类群。与原生林地相比较,受人为干扰的生态系统土壤中变形菌明显减少,自然恢复地、农耕地和放牧+冬季火烧草地减少了30.2%～47.4%。自然恢复地、放牧+冬季火烧草地与原生林地土壤中变形菌的4个亚群丰度分布关系一致,均为α->δ->β->γ-变形菌,而农耕地则为δ->α->β->γ-变形菌,说明自然恢复和放牧+冬季火烧草地对喀斯特土壤变形菌的恢复作用有限,而对变形菌4个亚群之间的分布关系有明显的正效应,尤其是自然恢复地中α-变形菌得到了很好的恢复,较农耕地增加了130%。四个样地中,占总克隆子数16.5%的克隆子被归类为根瘤菌目,且以原生林地最多,是3个干扰样地的1.6～3.7倍。基于以上研究结果,未来可考虑种植本土固氮植物结合接种相应的固氮微生物作为恢复喀斯特退化生态系统的措施之一。     

高产水稻土细菌多样性的培养法与非培养法比较研究

利用细菌的通用引物扩增江西余江县高产水稻土红壤细菌总DNA和平板培养细菌混合总DNA的16S rDNA基因片段,在此基础上分别建立两种16S rDNA文库(文库a和文库b)。从两个文库中各随机挑选100个克隆,扩增出阳性克隆中的插入片段后选用HhaⅠ和RsaⅠ两种四碱基酶进行ARDRA(amplified rDNA restriction analysis)分析。统计比较分析发现,文库a的Shannon-Wienner指数、Simpson指数、丰富度、均一度分别为4.432、0.987、18.885和0.973,均高于文库b中相应的多样性参数(分别为2.271、0.758、5.736和0.501),即平板培养方法所展现的细菌群落结构多样性低于土壤中原始的多样性。结果表明,传统培养方法存在着很大的局限性,必须结合新的分子生物学技术手段才能更全面完善地认识土壤微生物群落结构多样性,以期充分利用其中丰富的微生物资源。     

PCR-RFLP技术分析沼气池厌氧活性污泥细菌的多样性

应用PCR-RFLP和rRNA分析法研究了户用沼气池厌氧活性污泥细菌的多样性。采用直接提取法提取了户用沼气池微生物宏基因组DNA,构建了细菌的16S rDNA克隆文库。随机挑取了144个准确含有16S rDNA的阳性克隆进行PCR-RFLP分析,聚类得到46个OTUs（operational taxonomic units）,其中3个OTUs是优势类群,分别占14％,10％和9％,21个OTUs只含有单个克隆。随机挑取了26个克隆进行测序,并构建了系统发育进化树。结果表明：农村户用沼气池中细菌种类较为丰富,占优势的类群分别为Firmicutes（28％）、Delta-proteobacteria（18％）和Bacteroidetes（17％）,大多数16S rDNA序列与GenBank数据库中未培养细菌相似性最高（91％～99％）,为进一步研究、利用沼气池能源提供了基础资料。     

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.     

Responses of native legume desert trees used for reforestation in the Sonoran Desert to plant growth-promoting microorganisms in screen house

Three slow-growing legume trees used for desert reforestation and urban gardening in the Sonoran Desert of Northwestern Mexico and the Southwestern USA were evaluated whether their growth can be promoted by inoculation with plant growth-promoting bacteria (Azospirillum brasilense and Bacillus pumilus), unidentified arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi (mainly Glomus sp.), and supplementation with common compost under regular screenhouse cultivation common to these trees in nurseries. Mesquite amargo (Prosopis articulata) and yellow palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla) had different positive responses to several of the parameters tested while blue palo verde (Parkinsonia florida) did not respond. Survival of all tree species was over 80% and survival of mesquite was almost 100% after 10 months of cultivation. Inoculation with growth-promoting microorganisms induced significant effects on the leaf gas exchange of these trees, measured as transpiration and diffusive resistance, when these trees were cultivated without water restrictions.