Fine Root Dynamics in Thinned and Limed Pitch Pine and Japanese Larch Plantations

ABSTRACT

To investigate fine root dynamics after thinning (50% of standing tree) and liming calcium magnesium carbonate[CaMg(CO₃)₂] 2 Mg ha^{? 1}, a 2-year study was performed in 40-year-old pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill.) and 44-year-old Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis Gord.) plantations in central Korea. Mean total fine root mass (kg ha^{? 1}± SE) in the control, thinned, and limed plots were 1234 ± 32, 1346 ± 67, and 1134 ± 40 for the pitch pine plantation and 1655 ± 48, 1953 ± 58, and 1868 ± 70 for the Japanese larch plantation, respectively. Live fine root mass of pitch pine at 0-10 cm soil depth decreased after thinning and liming. In addition, liming significantly increased dead fine root mass of Japanese larch. Fine root production (kg ha^{? 1} yr^{? 1}± SE) in the control, thinned and limed plots was 1108 ± 148, 2077 ± 262, and 1686 ± 103 for the pitch pine plantation and 1762 ± 103, 1886 ± 277, and 2176 ± 271 for the Japanese larch plantation, respectively. Fine root turnover rates increased after liming for both plantations. Fine root nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations of Japanese larch (1.012% of N and 0.073% of P) were higher than those of pitch pine (0.809% of N and 0.046% of P) in the control. Also N and P inputs into soil through fine root turnover increased after treatments. Results indicated that comparing fine root dynamics among forest types and after forest management practices might influence differences in soil fertility and underground nutrient cycling.     

Weed flora of water rice in the Red River Delta,Vietnam

The occurrence of weeds in water rice was surveyed in the Red River Delta, Vietnam during spring and summer rice-growing seasons in 1995 and 1996. Sixty different weeds from 19 plant families were recorded. The most important plant families as weeds of rice were Poaceae and Cyperaceae. The most important weed however was Rotala indica (Willd.) Koehne (Lythraceae) followed by Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. and Cyperus difformis L. A brief comparison of this rice weed flora and those of Australia and California was made.     

Attenuating Effects of Dieckol on High-Fat Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Decreasing the NLRP3 Inflammasome and Pyroptosis

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which promotes serious health problems, is related to the increase in the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and pyroptosis by a high-fat diet (HFD). Whether dieckol (DK), a component of Ecklonia cava extracts (ECE), attenuated NAFLD in an HFD-induced NAFLD animal model was evaluated. The expression of high mobility group box 1/Toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-κB, which initiated the NLRP3 inflammasome, was increased in the liver of HFD-fed animals and significantly decreased with ECE or DK administration. The expression of NLRP3/ASC/caspase-1, which are components of the NLRP3 inflammasome, and the number of pyroptotic cells were increased by HFD and decreased with ECE or DK administration. The accumulation of triglycerides and free fatty acids in the liver was increased by HFD and decreased with ECE or DK administration. The histological NAFLD score was increased by HFD and decreased with ECE or DK administration. The expression of lipogenic genes (FASN, SREBP-2, PPARγ, and FABP4) increased and that of lipolytic genes (PPARα, CPT1A, ATGL, and HSL) was decreased by HFD and attenuated with ECE or DK administration. In conclusion, ECE or DK attenuated NAFLD by decreasing the NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis.     

Optimum feeding rates in juvenile olive flounder,Paralichthys olivaceus,at the optimum rearing temperature

Two feeding trials were carried out to determine the optimum feeding rates in juvenile olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus, at the optimum rearing temperature. Fish averaging 5.0 ± 0.11 g (mean ± SD) in experiment 1 and 20.2 ± 0.54 g (mean ± SD) in experiment 2 were fed a commercial diet at the feeding rates of 0%, 3.0%, 4.0%, 4.25%, 4.5% and 4.75% body weight (BW) day^?1 and satiation (5.52% BW day^?1) in experiment 1 and 0%, 1.0%, 2.0%, 3.0% and 3.5% BW day^?1 and satiation (4.12% BW day^?1) in experiment 2 at 20 ± 1 °C. Both feeding trials lasted for 2 weeks. Results from experiment 1 indicated that weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) of fish fed to satiation were significantly higher than those of fish fed at other feeding rates while feed efficiency (FE) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) of fish fed at 4.25% BW day^?1 were significantly higher than those of fish fed to satiation and fish fed at 3.0% BW day^?1 (P < 0.05). In experiment 2 WG, SGR and PER leveled out after the feeding rate of 3.5% BW day^?1 whereas FE reached a plateau at 3.0% BW day^?1. anova of FE indicated that the optimum feeding rates in 5.0 and 20 g juvenile olive flounder could be 4.25% and 3.0% BW day^?1, respectively. Broken line analysis of WG suggested the optimum feeding rates of 5.17% and 3.47% BW day^?1 in 5.0 and 20 g fish, respectively. Therefore, these results indicated that the optimum feeding rates could be >4.25 but <5.17% BW day^?1 for 5.0 g, and it could be >3.0 but <3.47% BW day^?1 for 20 g size of juvenile olive flounder at the optimum rearing temperature.     

Benzothiazole and indole based dye sensor: Optical switching functions with pH stimuli

A new designed dye sensor based on indole as a donor unit and benzothiazole as an acceptor unit have provided very clear optical switching functions when monitored with a pH triggered molecular chemosensor effects in the presence of alkali/acid addition. The prepared dye sensor shows cleared fluorescence quenching effect with alkali addition. The level of energy potential and the electron distribution of this compound were calculated by computational simulation approaches.     

pH triggered switching dye sensor based on furan and pyrone units

pH triggered dye sensor based on pyrone unit as a donor group and furan unit as an acceptor grouphave resulted in very promising optical switches, when dye was applied by alkali-induced nucleophilic additionreaction. The dye displayedclear UV-Visible absorption changes and new fluorescence emission behaviors, which are based on intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) system of the dye molecular structure. The levels of energy potential and the electron density distributions of this dye chemosensor were also simulated and discussed using computational modelcalculation.     

Evaluation of waterlogging tolerance with the degree of foliar senescence at early vegetative stage of maize (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Zea mays</Emphasis> L.)

Maize is highly susceptible to waterlogging, which is becoming one of worldwide abiotic threats in many agricultural areas. This study was evaluated to establish the screening method and to find tolerant maize genotypes. Six Korean maize inbred lines were subjected to waterlogging at V3 for 15 days using a big size pot with single maize plant (big pot method) and a box containing 31 maize plants at a time (box method). The degree of foliar senescence and the number of senescent leaves were better indicators for selecting waterlogging tolerant maize genotypes than SPAD value and plant height. The degree of foliar senescence revealed that KS124, KS140, and KS141 are tolerant, and KS85 is susceptible to waterlogging at the early growth stage. These responses of foliar senescence were in clear accordance with those of plant grain yield, which was supported by stress tolerance index for grain yield. The box method also showed the similar response of foliar senescence to the big pot method. Therefore, this box method based on foliar senescence may be simple and efficient for large-scale screening of maize germplasm against waterlogging stress. It was concluded that foliar senescence can be a good indicator for selecting tolerant maize genotypes against waterlogging at the early growth stage.     

Functional rice cultivars goami and nokwon may lower body weight and improve lipid metabolism in high fat-fed mice cultivars

The demand for functional foods is rapidly increasing due to the rising prevalence of metabolic diseases, particularly obesity and hyperlipidemia. In the few past years, various rice cultivars with enhanced functional quality and health-promoting properties have been produced. Functional rice Goami (high-amylose rice) and Nokwon (green-kerneled rice) have recently been developed, but little is known about their physiological activity. Hence, this study was conducted to determine the effect of functional rice on the body weight and lipid metabolism in mice under high-fat diet conditions. Forty male C57BL/6N mice were randomly divided and fed with experimental diets for 8 weeks: normal control (NC), high fat (HF), and high fat supplemented with white rice (HF-WR), Goami rice (HF-GR), and Nokwon rice (HF-NR). At the end of the experimental period, a marked increase in the body weight, plasma triglyceride level, and total cholesterol concentrations were found in the HF mice relative to the NC group. However, diet supplementation of Goami and Nokwon improved the lipid profile in mice through regulation of lipogenesis and adipokine production. These findings illustrate that the new functional rice cultivars Goami and Nokwon may be useful as biomaterials in the development of functional food for the prevention and treatment of high-fat, diet-induced hyperlipidemia and obesity.     

Natal dispersal of hazel grouse Bonasa bonasia in relation to habitat in a temperate forest of South Korea

Natal dispersal and habitat selection of hazel grouse Bonasa bonasia juveniles were assessed by radio tracking in a temperate forest of South Korea during June 2003–November 2006. The birds used in the dispersal analysis (n = 43), 88% of birds dispersed. The average dispersal of hazel grouse from the natal area was 2231 ± 494 m (mean ± SD); range 134–6267 m. There were no significant differences in dispersal rate and distance between sexes. Hazel grouse’ habitat use differed from random use of available natal dispersals. In this natal dispersal scale of habitat selection, natural deciduous forest ranked highest, followed by mixed forest, coniferous plantation, deciduous plantation and others (rock and bare lands). We found that in general, the hazel grouse is an active disperser. Knowledge of aspects of habitat use that are relevant to dispersal may provide a better assessment of the fitness effects of dispersal in proximate and ultimate terms.     

Laboratory and Field Assessment of the Decagon 5TE and GS3 Sensors for Estimating Soil Water Content in Saline-Alkali Reclaimed Soils

The objective of this study was to assess, under laboratory and field conditions, the performance of the Decagon 5TE and GS3 soil water sensors in estimating the soil water content of saline-alkali reclaimed land in South Korea. The error due to increased bulk soil EC was greater for the 5TE sensor than for the GS3 sensor and was greater in soil with higher bulk soil EC. Therefore, it is recommended that the soil electrical conductivity be considered in the calibration process for the 5TE. The calibration equations developed for the 5TE and GS3 sensors during laboratory experiments were highly accurate. Testing of the 5TE and GS3 sensors showed very good agreement between actual VWC and VWC calculations resulting from the field-derived calibration. These results suggest that either sensor can be used to acquire accurate soil water content data in the field.