黄土丘陵区典型植被类型草本层生态学特性与环境解释

在野外调查的基础上研究黄土丘陵区4种典型植被类型（达乌里胡枝子群落、白羊草群落、人工刺槐林、人工柠条林）草本层生态学特性,通过室内土壤养分和水分含量测定分析群落间环境因子的差异,并对群生态学指标和环境因子进行相关分析。研究结果表明:（1）豆科、禾本科、菊科植物重要值在4种群落中均很高,群落间各科物种重要值差异显著。（2）群落物种多样性表现为:人工刺槐林 > 人工柠条林 > 达乌里胡枝子群落 > 白羊草群落;群落盖度表现为人工刺槐林 > 白羊草群落 > 达乌里胡枝子群落 > 人工柠条林;草本群落地上生物量表现为:白羊草群落 > 人工刺槐林 > 达乌里胡枝子群落 > 人工柠条林。（3）土壤有机质、全氮、速效氮和速效钾含量表现为:工刺槐林 > 白羊草群落 > 达乌里胡枝子群落 > 人工刺槐林,达乌里胡枝子群落和白羊草群落土壤全磷、速效磷含量较高。（4）土壤水分含量表现为:白羊草群落（8.43%） > 达乌里胡枝子群落（7.60%） > 人工柠条林（6.43%） > 人工刺槐林（5.85%）。（5）群落盖度、草本群落地上生物量与土壤养分指标正相关,物种多样性与土壤养分的关系相对复杂;群落盖度及物种多样性均与土壤水分含量负相关,草本群落地上生物量与土壤水分含量相关性不显著。     

黄土丘陵沟壑区退耕地人工柠条林土壤养分特征及其空间变异

应用时空互代方法,以柠条林为例,对黄土丘陵沟壑区不同利用年限人工林土壤养分特征、空间变异及其演变进行了系统的研究。结果表明,该区人工林土壤肥力处于较低水平;人工林表层土壤养分中速效磷和速效钾的空间变异性较大;各环境因子对土壤养分有一定的影响,海拔、坡度和坡向等环境因子与人工林地土壤养分间呈负相关关系,坡位和地形与人工林地土壤养分间呈正相关关系。随着利用年限的增加,人工林土壤养分各指标含量均增加,与利用年限有显著的相关性。有机质、全氮、有效氮和速效磷的增加量不明显,全磷含量保持相对稳定的水平,速效钾经过多年积累有明显的增加。从土壤养分指数模型可以算出该区的人工林土壤有机质、全氮、有效氮约需35a能达到中上等养分水平,速效钾则约需27a才能达到中上等养分水平。     

黄土高原不同植被群落多样性与土壤有机碳密度关系研究

为了探明黄土高原不同植被群落多样性与土壤有机碳密度关系,在黄土高原纸坊沟小流域选取几种典型的植被群落(刺槐Robinia pseudoacacia、铁杆蒿Artemisia gmelinii、长芒草Stipa bungeana、狼牙刺Sophora davidii和柠条Caragana korshinskii),野外调查了植被多样性,同时室内测定0—100 cm土壤有机碳含量、密度以及相关土壤环境因子。结果显示:(1)不同植被群落多样性指数(Margalef丰富度、Mclntosh均匀度和Shannon-Wiener多样性)表现出相同的变化特征。柠条和刺槐群落差异不显著(p>0.05),二者显著低于其他植物群落(p<0.05),长芒草和狼牙刺群落最高,二者之间差异不显著(p>0.05),显著高于其他植物群落(p<0.05); 不同植物群落Simpson优势度指数呈现出相反的变化趋势,刺槐>柠条>铁杆蒿>狼牙刺>长芒草。(2)不同植物群落土壤全氮含量、微生物量碳、微生物量氮、速效养分(硝态氮、铵态氮、速效磷)大致表现为相同的变化特征,均表现为长芒草和狼牙刺群落高于其他群落,而柠条和刺槐群落土壤养分含量低于其他植物群落,不同植物群落土壤pH值表现出相反的变化特征。(3)在垂直方向,土壤有机碳密度随土层深度的增加而逐渐减小,80—100 cm土层土壤有机碳密度最低(p<0.05),0—20 cm土层土壤有机碳密度最高,表现出明显的“表聚性”,相同土层土壤有机碳密度大致表现为长芒草和狼牙刺群落高于其他植物群落。(4)相关性分析显示,不同植物群落多样性指数与有机碳和有机碳密度呈显著或极显著的正相关。冗余分析显示,土壤pH值和微生物量碳含量是主导植被多样性和土壤有机碳密度重要驱动因子; 双因素分析表明植被类型和土层深度对土壤有机碳含量和密度具有显著的影响(p<0.05)。     

黄土丘陵沟壑区退耕地植物群落与土壤环境因子的对应分析

根据在黄土高原丘陵沟壑区安塞33个退耕地自然恢复植被样方的调查数据,采用对应分析(Correspondence Analysis)和典范对应分析(Canonical Correspondence Analysis)进行了植物群落排序和植物群落与土壤环境因子的对应分析。结果表明:在40 a的演替过程中,退耕地植被大体上依次经历了猪毛蒿(Artemisia scoparia)为优势种的群落、达乌里胡枝子(Lespedeza davurica)和长芒草(Stipa bungeana)为优势种的群落、铁杆蒿(Artemisia gmelinii)为优势种的群落和白羊草(Bothriochloa ischaemun)为优势种的群落,4个群落的物种组成表现出较强的延续性和递进性。4个植物群落的土壤特性有明显的差异,对于0-60 cm土层的土壤养分和0- 500 cm土层的土壤水分,群落1的土壤水分和速效磷含量较高;群落2的全氮、速效氮含量较高;群落3的全磷和200-500 cm土层的水分含量较高;群落4的速效钾、土壤有机质含量较高。全磷、速效磷、土壤有机质和0-200 cm土层的土壤水分含量是显著影响黄土丘陵沟壑区退耕地植物群落变化的主要因子。要加速退耕地植被恢复和有效防止土壤流失,人工引种补播适宜物种和施肥值得重视。     

宁夏黄土丘陵区植被恢复对土壤养分和微生物生物量的影响

本研究以宁夏固原天然草地、农地、撂荒地和不同年限的柠条林地为研究对象,分析了不同植被类型下土壤养分和土壤微生物生物量碳、氮、磷的变化。研究结果表明:土壤养分除速效磷和全氮外,其他指标均为农地最低,撂荒地次之,并且随植被恢复年限的增加而增加;不同植被类型条件下,土壤微生物生物量有显著差异,微生物量碳含量表现为撂荒地农地天然草地3年柠条林地13年柠条林地23年柠条林地,微生物量氮以天然草地最低,农地、撂荒地和不同年限柠条林地较大,不同植被类型土壤微生物量磷差异显著,在5~20cm土层和20~40cm土壤中表现尤为突出。土壤微生物量碳、氮、磷与植被类型和植被恢复年限关系密切。柠条林对土壤微生物生物量有明显促进作用,并且随着植被恢复年限的增加改良效果越显著。     

荒漠草原人工柠条林对土壤物理稳定性的影响

采用时空互代方法,通过测定荒漠草原植被恢复过程中不同林龄人工柠条林(9a,17a,27a)0-40cm土层土壤颗粒组成、土壤有机碳(SOC)含量,研究人工柠条对土壤物理稳定性的影响。结果表明,人工柠条林建植过程中,各林龄土壤的颗粒组成均以细沙粒(0.05~0.25mm)为主,其在柠条灌丛不同部位所占百分比为内部大于外部,不同种植年限柠条土壤粘粉粒百分比均随土层深度增加而逐渐降低,粘粉粒(0.05mm)含量的增加和中粗沙(0.25mm)含量的减少,共同导致柠条林下土壤质地细粒化;不同林龄柠条灌丛各部位SOC含量在垂直剖面上随着深度的增加逐渐降低,且呈现显著差异(P0.01);不同林龄柠条灌丛不同部位SOC含量为灌丛内部大于外部;各林龄柠条灌丛土壤物理稳定性在各年限的内外部整体上呈现极显著性差异(P0.01),各年限内、外部随土壤深度的增加土壤的物理稳定性表现为先增大后减小的趋势,在0-5cm和20-40cm土层,各年限的土壤物理稳定性整体上是内部大于外部;在5-20cm土层,各年限土壤物理稳定性整体上是外部大于内部,局部有波动。     

半干旱区高速公路边坡不同年代人工植被群落特征及其土壤特性研究

试验研究了呼集高速公路边坡建造人工植被后,在不同时间序列上土壤理化性状和植物群落特征及其恢复动态,结果表明:土壤肥力随人工植被建立时间的延长而逐渐恢复,表现为土壤黏粉粒、土壤有机质和全N含量的增加,以及土壤pH的下降,0~10cm表层土壤的恢复显著高于10~20cm土壤;随土壤环境条件的改善,侵入的草本植物数量、植被盖度增加,由简单的人工植被向复杂的灌草群落演替。但从群落物种组成看,公路边坡生态系统尚处于不稳定阶段。     

黄土丘陵沟壑区不同恢复方式下植物群落的土壤水分和养分特征

现存不同植物群落的土壤水分和养分特征对有效干预和调控植被恢复有着非常重要的参考价值。在黄土高原丘陵沟壑区的吴旗,对不同恢复方式(封禁下的自然恢复、无管理下的自然恢复、人工造林、人工种草)下的植被样方进行调查与采样,采用典范变量分析,研究了不同植物群落的土壤水分和养分变化特征。结果表明,封禁自然恢复植物群落的土壤水分、有机质、全氮、有效氮、全磷和速效钾含量相对较高;近20年龄及以上的人工林地群落与人工草地群落下的土壤水分和速效磷含量很低;无管理下的自然恢复植物群落、4年龄的沙棘林地群落和农田的土壤水分含量和速效磷含量较高,而土壤有机质、全氮、有效氮、全磷和速效钾含量较低。这些植被群落下的土壤水分含量变化在凋萎湿度和50%田间持水量之间,均处于严重亏缺状态,土壤养分也处于较低的水平。相比之下,人工植被消耗大量的深层土壤水分,特别是20年龄以上的人工林地及人工草地,其200～500cm土层的土壤含水量几乎接近凋萎湿度。综合分析表明,封禁自然恢复是黄土高原丘陵沟壑区植被恢复的有效措施。     

黄土丘陵沟壑区柠条人工林地土壤养分特征研究

为了促进黄土丘陵沟壑区人工柠条群落的更新,以定西市巉口镇龙滩流域的人工柠条群落为研究对象,对其5种平茬处理方式(全部平茬、隔株平茬、隔行平茬、隔株隔行平茬、未平茬)下3个土层深度(0～20、20～40、40～60 cm)的8个土壤养分指标(pH值、有机质含量、全氮含量、全磷含量、全钾含量、碱解氮含量、有效磷含量、速效钾含量)进行了测定和分析研究。结果表明:平茬方式对土壤养分的影响不明显,不同平茬方式间土壤养分含量差异不显著;土层深度对土壤养分的影响很明显,不同土层间土壤养分含量差异显著,尤其是有机质、全氮和碱解氮含量,而且土壤养分含量总体上呈现出随着土层深度的增加而下降的趋势,养分呈一定的表聚效应。     

不同连作年限黄壤烟田土壤细菌群落的差异

  【目的】  良好的土壤微生态环境有利于烟田土壤养分的生物转化和烤烟优良品质的形成。本研究利用高通量测序技术,分析了重庆不同种植年限黄壤烟田的土壤细菌群落多样性和结构组成与连作年限的关系。  【方法】  在重庆市选取未种植烤烟 (CK) 和连续种植烤烟1年、3年、5年、8年、10年和12年的地块 (土壤类型为黄壤),取0—20 cm耕层土样,分析其土壤理化性状。对高通量测序所得的细菌原始数据质控、优化等预处理后进行OTU分析,按照97%的相似性阀值将序列划分为不同的OTU,用于分析细菌群落的组成 (关键物种差异比较柱状图),进而进行样本比较分析 (beta多样性分析)、关联与模型预测分析 (相关性heatmap图) 等统计和可视化分析。  【结果】  1) 土壤pH随连作年限的增加呈下降趋势,种植8～12年的土壤pH、有机质和微生物量碳均显著低于1～5年的,种植12年的又显著低于种植8～10年的;土壤碱解氮和速效钾随着连作年限的增加则显著增加,碱解氮含量表现为:种植1年 < 3～5年 < 8年 < 10～12年 (P < 0.05),速效钾含量则表现为,种植1～5年显著低于8年,8年的又显著低于10～12年 (P < 0.05);有效磷含量随着连作年限的增加显著降低,特别是种植12年的,除连作8年的土壤外均显著降低。2) 土壤细菌群落和组成随种植年限的延长而变化,种植5年的烟田细菌的多样性和丰富度最高,多样性Shannon指数和丰富度Chao 1指数分别达到6.23和1686,连作5年后,细菌的多样性和丰富度开始下降,并在连作12年时最低。当连作年限达到12年时,酸杆菌门的含量锐减到13.9%,主要菌属之一的嗜酸杆菌属基本消失,厌氧菌属的含量显著升高到2.42%。在13个主要的土壤细菌门类中 (相对丰度 > 1%),拟杆菌门 (P < 0.01)、浮霉菌门 (P < 0.01)、装甲菌门 (P < 0.01) 和蓝藻菌门 (P < 0.01) 在不同种植年限烟田土壤间差异显著;3) 长期连作对黄壤烟田细菌群落组成具有显著影响,土壤细菌多样性和组成与土壤pH、土壤养分等密切相关,土壤pH与放线菌门、变形菌门、绿弯菌门和酸杆菌门呈显著正相关关系。绿弯菌门与土壤pH、有机质、总碳、碱解氮均呈显著正相关关系,说明pH和土壤速效养分是影响土壤细菌组成的关键因子。  【结论】  长期连作严重影响了土壤理化性状,特别是连作5年以上的地块,土壤pH、有机质、活性有机碳和有效磷含量均显著降低,进而显著降低了土壤细菌群落和组成多样性。因此,强烈建议连作5年以上的烟田要进行轮作,以改善土壤微生态环境及促进烟田健康可持续利用。     

On the Taxonomy of the Members of ‘Saccharum Complex’

The difficulty and problems encountered in the study of cultivated plants, in general and sugarcane, in particular has been indicated. In order to understand these problems, a brief review on the taxonomy of Saccharum and closely related taxa, namely, Erianthus, Sclerostachya, Narenga and Miscanthus (generally known as ‘Saccharum complex’) has been given. A short account on the important morphological features that are specific to sugarcane has also been stated as classification is commonly based on such morphological characters. A note has been added on the chromosome number, origin, and distribution of the species of ‘Saccharum complex’ members. Taxonomic keys have been devised for identification of the genera of Saccharinae and for the species of Saccharum and Erianthus occurring in India. A new combination, Sclerostachya fallax (Balansa) Amalraj et Balasundaram, has also been proposed.     

Agricultural potential of Mediterranean grain and forage legumes: Key differences between and within Vicia species in terms of phenology, yield, and agronomy give insight into plant adaptation to semi-arid environments

In order to identify key adaptive traits which affect productivity in Mediterranean grain and forage legumes and simultaneously determine the agricultural potential of a wide range of Vicia species, germplasm collected from the wild throughout the eastern Mediterranean was grown under semi-arid conditions in Tel Hadya, Syria (313 mm growing season rainfall). These included species currently in use in Mediterranean agriculture, such as V. sativa L., as well as those more widely used in the past-such as V. ervilia L., but also a broad selection from Section Narbonensis (B. Fedtsch. ex Radzhi) Maxted, including V. narbonensis L, V. johannis Tamamsch., V. hyaeniscyamus Mout., V. serratifolia Jacq., and V. kalakhensis Khattab et al. V. faba, a near relative of the taxa in Section Narbonensis, was included as a domesticated control. Where applicable, a representative range of subspecies was used. Accessions were chosen from a wide range of habitats in terms of latitude (31.02–40.72 decimal^o), longitude (27.1–43.17 decimal^o), altitude (20–1510 m), rainfall (180–1700 mm/yr) and soil depth (5–50 cm) in order to maximise diversity within species. Agricultural potential was determined by measuring seed, hay and biological yield, as well as agronomic traits such as harvest index, standing crop height, and seed size. The comparative influence of phenology and key agronomic traits such as plant habit and seed size on productivity varied tremendously between species, depending on their reproductive strategies. In V. sativa and V. ervilia, the smaller seed species which rely on long vegetative phases and growing seasons to accumulate sufficient biomass to set seed, and in which there was comparatively little agronomic variation, phenology had a large impact on yield. In early emerging taxa such as V. ervilia and V. s. subsp. sativa, with built-in long vegetative phases and growing seasons, seed yield was negatively correlated with flower ing (r = –0.86 to –0.88), whereas the opposite was the case for later emerging taxa such as V. s. subsp. nigra (L.) Ehrh. (r = 0.95). Within V. narbonensis and relatives, the larger seeded Vicia species which rely on more conservative reproductive strategies where high seedling vigour associated with large seeds enables the species to enter reproductive phases relatively early, phenology had a much smaller impact on yield than did variation of key traits such as seed weight, plant habit and pod shattering. Among the undomesticated germplasm harvest indices ranged from 0.09–0.31, hay yields from 0.1–3.4 t/ha, seed yield from 0–2.0 t/ha, and dry matter at maturity from 1.6–6.5 t/ha. Sub-specific taxonomy was crucial in determining agronomic potential. V. narbonensis var. aegyptiaca Kornhuber ex Asch. et Schweinf. showed the most potential, combining an upright habit, large seeds (212 mg) and tendency to retain intact pods after maturity, with the highest yield, harvest index and crop height of all the wild Vicia species. V. sativa subsp. sativa, V. ervilia and V. narbonensis var. narbonensis were less productive, but still showed agricultural potential. The smaller seeded V. narbonensis, var. affinis, var. jordanica H. Schäf. and var. salmonea (Mout.) H. Schäf., and their close relatives V. johannis, V. hyaeniscyamus, V. serratifolia and V. kalakhensis have little to offer Mediterranean agriculture on the basis of poor agronomy.     

Polymorphism of high molecular weight glutenin subunits in three species of Aegilops

A collection of 136 accessions of Aegilops umbellulata (39), Ae. comosa (75) and Ae. markgrafii (22) was analysed for high-molecular-weight (HMW) glutenin subunits composition. The homogeneity of the accessions was studied and 55.1% of the collection was homogeneous for HMW glutenin subunits (29 Ae. umbellulata, 33 Ae. comosa and 14 Ae. markgrafii). The HMW glutenin subunits of Ae. umbellulata are encoded by the Glu-U1 locus; in Ae. comosa results showed that this proteins are encoded at the 1M chromosome, and the locus was named Glu-M1. In Ae. markgrafii it was assumed that HMW glutenin subunits were encoded by an homoeologous locus and it was named Glu-C1. All the accessions of Ae. umbellulata and Ae. markgrafii expressed both, x-type and y-type subunits. Among the Ae. comosa accessions, only one expressed an x-type subunit alone. All the accessions of Ae. umbellulata and some of Ae. comosa had x-type glutenins of higher molecular weights than those commonly present in bread wheat. A total of 8 alleles were detected at the Glu-U1 locus, 11 at the Glu-M1 and 4 at the Glu-C1. The new HMW glutenin variation found in this work suggests their possible utilisation in breeding for wheat quality.     

Effect of agroforestry woody species on earthworm activity and physicochemical properties of worm casts

The effects of five agroforestry woody species (Dactyladenia barteri, Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala, Senna siamea andTreculia africana) on the surface aasting activity ofHyperiodrilus africanus were studied in an Alfisol (Oxic Paleustalf) in southwestern Nigeria. Casting activity under the woody species decreased in the following order:Dactyladenia sp. (26.4 Mg ha^-1 year^-1)>Gliricidia sp. (24.4 Mg ha^-1 year^-1)>Treculia sp. (22.9 Mg ha^-1 year^-1)>Leucaena sp. (18.6 Mg ha^-1 year^-1)>Senna sp. (18.3 Mg ha^-1 year^-1). These differences in casting activity were partly explained by microclimatic effects. Irrespective of the woody species, the worm casts were higher in clay and silt contents, bulk density, water-stable aggregates, pH, organic C, exchangeable cations, effective cation exchange capacity, and extractable P levels than the corresponding surface soils. The woody species did affect the physicochemical properties and P sorption of the worm casts. The content of water-stable aggregates of worm casts decreased in the following order:Dactyladenia sp.>Treculia sp.>Senna sp.>Leucaena sp.>Gliricidia sp. Large differences in extractable P levels were observed.Senna sp. was associated with the highest extractable P level (11.5 mg kg^-1) andTreculia sp. the lowest (4.9 mg kg^-1). P sorption was highest on worm casts underDactyladenia sp. and lowest on those underTreculia sp. Without fertilizer application, there were no significant differences in the dry weight of maize grown in the different worm casts. With NPK applications, the dry weight of maize grown in worm casts associated withTreculia sp. was significantly lower than that of maize grown in the other worm casts, mainly due to the low extractable P level. Despite a high organic C and exchangeable K status, maize grown in the worm casts still responded significantly to N and K applications. The N uptake by maize grown in worm casts associated withTreculia sp. was lower than that in the other treatments.     

Phylogenetic relationships of Actinidia and related genera based on micromorphological characters of foliar trichomes

The phylogenetic relationships within the genus Actinidia and among 3 allied genera Clematoclethra, Saurauia, and Sladenia have been very controversial. In order to understand the systematic implication of foliar trichomes in those genera, the micromorphological characteristics of foliar trichomes from 34 taxa were examined by means of light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The observed micromorphological characteristics were classified into eight main types. A phylogenetic analysis of Actinidia and related genera based on 15 micromorphological characters of foliar trichomes was conducted using Wagner parsimony method and Sladenia celastrifolia, Rhododendron hybridum and R. simsii as a complex outgroup. In the resulting phylogenetic tree, Actinidia is shown to be a monophyletic group, and Clematoclethra and Saurauia form another monophyletic group. This study also presents the phylogenetic relationships among 4 sections within the genus Actinidia: the monophyly of sect. Leiocarpae and of sect. Strigosae, and polyphyly of sect. Maculatae and of sect. Stellatae.     

Diversity of native rice (Oryza Poaceae:) species of Costa Rica

We found several populations of wild Oryza species in the lowlands of Costa Rica. The plants showed extensive morphological variation, suggesting the presence of several species. In the morphologic study, 33 traits were scored for plants of all the species. A principal component analysis revealed the significant morphological separation of the different species. The analyses indicated that there are three species, O. grandi­glumis, O. latifolia and O. glumaepatula. Two putative hybrid types were found, both significantly differing in their morphology from the known species and intermediate at several traits. O. grandi­glumis is a new record for Costa Rican flora. Its main population is located in Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge, Los Chiles, Alajuela. O. latifolia is distributed throughout the lowlands of the country and the plants of the Atlantic slope are significantly bigger in general habit than those of the Guanacaste area. During this study a population of O. glumaepatula of hundreds of thousands of plants was discovered in the Medio Queso River wetland, Los Chiles, Alajuela. This population is the most important source of genes for cultivar's improvement from the primary gene pool of rice in Costa Rica. The small ligule and the wide flag leaf characteristic of the two CCDD species separated them from the AA diploid O. glumaepatula. Seed size, ligule size, number of branches in the panicle, plant height and sterile lemma length are all bigger in O. grandi­glumis, and influenced the second factor that separated the CCDD species in two discrete clusters. The species found offer great possibilities for the improvement of rice cultivars and they should be thoroughly studied and appropriately protected.     

Genetic diversity of rhizobia associated with indigenous legumes in different regions of Flanders (Belgium)

We investigated the diversity of rhizobia isolated from different indigenous legumes in Flanders (Belgium). A total of 3810 bacterial strains were analysed originating from 43 plant species. Based on rep-PCR clustering, 16S rRNA gene and recA gene sequence analysis, these isolates belonged to Bradyrhizobium, Ensifer (Sinorhizobium), Mesorhizobium and Rhizobium. Of the genera encountered, Rhizobium was the most abundant (62%) and especially the species Rhizobiumleguminosarum, followed by Ensifer (19%), Bradyrhizobium (14%) and finally Mesorhizobium (5%). For two rep-clusters only low similarity values with other genera were found for both the 16S rRNA and recA genes, suggesting that these may represent a new genus with close relationship to Rhodopseudomonas and Bradyrhizobium. Primers for the symbiotic genes nodC and nifH were optimized and a phylogenetic sequence analysis revealed the presence of different symbiovars including genistearum, glycinearum, loti, meliloti, officinalis, trifolii and viciae. Moreover, three new nodC types were assigned to strains originating from Ononis, Robinia and Wisteria, respectively. Discriminant and MANOVA analysis confirmed the correlation of symbiosis genes with certain bacterial genera and less with the host plant. Multiple symbiovars can be present within the same host plant, suggesting the promiscuity of these plants. Moreover, the ecoregion did not contribute to the separation of the bacterial endosymbionts. Our results reveal a large diversity of rhizobia associated with indigenous legumes in Flanders. Most of the legumes harboured more than one rhizobial endosymbiont in their root nodules indicating the importance of including sufficient isolates per plant in diversity studies.     

Effect of passage through the intestinal tract of detritivore earthworms (Lumbricus spp.) on the number of selected Gram-negative and total bacteria

Laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate the fate of bacteria during and after passage through the intestinal tract of detritivore earthworms. Earthworms (Lumbricus spp.) were fed with cattle dung inoculated 7 days previously with one of five different Gram-negative bacteria. Bacterial concentrations were determined 2 days later in dung and soil, and in gut material from different parts of the earthworm intestinal tract. A high percentage (28–82%) of the total bacteria (epifluorescence direct counts) in the earthworm gut content was culturable. The concentration of total heterotrophic aerobic bacteria did not vary significantly among the five different bacterial additions and the non-inoculated control. In earthworm casts the number of total heterotrophs per gram dry matter (2.1×10⁹) was higher than in soil (1.7×10⁸), but lower than in the dung (1.5×10¹⁰). The test-bacteria, however, showed different survival patterns along the earthworm intestinal tract. The concentrations of Escherichia coli BJ 18 and Pseudomonas putida MM 1 and MM 11 in earthworm casts were lower than in the ingested dung, while concentrations of Enterobacter cloacae A 107 and Aeromonas hydrophila DMU 115 in dung and casts were similar. Ent. cloacae, and to aminor extent E. coli, were reduced in numbers by several orders of magnitude in the pharynx and/or crop. In the hind gut, however, the concentration of Ent. cloacae had increased to the same level as in the ingested dung, while the concentration of E. coli remained low. Our observations indicate that the bacterial flora of ingested food materials changes qualitatively and quantitatively during gut transit.