Evaluation of geogenic cadmium bioavailability in soil-rice system with high geochemical background caused by black shales

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Recently, the cadmium (Cd) accumulation in the black shale area has attracted increasing attentions, due to its extensive distribution and extremely high background...     

Available soil nutrients and water content affect leaf nutrient concentrations and stoichiometry at different ages of Leucaena leucocephala forests in dry-hot valley

Purpose

The carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) concentrations of leaves can reflect soil nutrient supply conditions and changes in soil. An understanding of species adaptability and nutrient use efficiency in extreme ecosystems can help land managers choose effective methods to improve management and community structure of introduced plants which may induce biological invasion and limit the regeneration of native species.

Materials and methods

We selected the Leucaena leucocephala forests in three ages (9, 15, and 26 years old) in the Jiangjiagou Gully to study the relationships between (i) soil factors and forest age and (ii) leaf nutrient concentrations. Soil factors and leaf nutrients were measured in nine sampling quadrats of 10?×?10 m of each plot. We used ANOVA to examine differences in leaf variables and soil factors at different ages of L. leucocephala forest. Pearson’s correlation analysis and linear regression analysis were conducted to identify the relationships between soil factors and leaf variables. Then, we used analysis of covariance to examine combined effects of forest ages and soil factors on leaf variables.

Results and discussion

Leaf N was significantly correlated with available P, while leaf P was significantly correlated with both available P and available N. Leaf N and P had no significant relationship with soil total N and P. Leaf C:N:P stoichiometries had a higher significant correlation with total N, available N, and soil water content.

Conclusions

Our findings illustrate that available N and available P are the main limitations for L. leucocephala, though available P imposed a stronger limitation than available N. Moreover, soil water content played an indispensable role on nutrient accumulation and the soil ecological environment. Our results provide useful information to improve L. leucocephala community structure and reduce soil degradation in a dry-hot valley.

     

土壤水分胁迫对小麦养分分配及产量的影响

在温室盆栽条件下研究了土壤水分胁迫对小麦养分分配及产量的影响。结果表明,随土壤水分胁迫加重,植株将吸收的氮、磷营养较多地分配于根中,在地上部中的比率少,最终分配至穗部的比率降低,磷素分配至根系高峰出现提早;水分胁迫越重,成熟期钾素分配至根系的比例越高,而最终分配至穗部的越低,从而导致氮、磷、钾肥利用效率和产量降低。由于轻度水分胁迫与对照在氮、磷、钾最终分配至穗部比率及产量上无显著差异,因而可以认为相对含水量60％为养分正常分配及获得高产的下限指标,可作为制定节水栽培措施的参考。     

砂页岩山地土壤侵蚀性降雨因子的研究

本文通过对试验小区观测值的分析和研究,认为砂页岩山地土壤侵蚀性降雨因子,主要为降雨量的大小和10min时的瞬时降雨强度。随着降雨量和10min时的瞬时雨强的增大,土壤侵蚀量增加。试验结果表明:砂页岩山地土壤侵蚀的强弱,取决于10min时的瞬时雨强的大小。     

湖南省土壤侵蚀图通过专家鉴定

本文从宏观决策出发,提出发展“两环”、整治“两区”,作为黄土高原地区农业建设与综合治理开发的总体构思。“两环”分布在本地区四周平原、盆地及其毗邻的山体,内环为以商品粮生产为主的金色环带,外环为以防护林建设为主的绿色环带;“两区”在本地区中心的丘陵、沙区,东南是以治理水土流失为重点的农牧区,西北是以治理风沙危害为重点的牧业区。“两环”和“两区”的构思,将有助于国家治理开发黄土高原地区制订方针政策,进行建设投资。     

施氮和灌溉管理下作物产量和土壤生化性质

氮和水对作物生长非常重要,研究施氮和灌溉管理下作物产量、土壤性质以及它们的关系对我国农业科学有重要意义。本文以中国科学院封丘农业生态试验站为平台,研究了施氮(每季施氮150 kg·hm?2、190 kg·hm?2、230 kg·hm?2、270 kg·hm?2,以不施氮为对照)和灌溉(灌溉量达到0~20 cm、0~40 cm、0~60 cm土壤的田间持水量,以雨养为对照)管理下小麦-玉米轮作系统作物产量和土壤生化性质,以及它们之间的关系。研究结果表明,150~270 kg·hm?2施氮量对2008年、2009年玉米产量和2009年、2010年小麦产量无显著影响;灌溉对2010年玉米产量无显著影响,而2008年、2009年玉米产量随灌溉量增大而增加。尽管2008—2011年小麦产量随灌溉量变化趋势不一致,但与雨养相比灌溉提升了小麦产量。施氮在不同程度上提升了土壤全氮和速效氮含量、脱氢酶和脲酶活性、微生物生物量碳、基本呼吸和硝化势,稍微降低了土壤pH并大幅降低了速效磷含量(降幅48.7%~51.6%);灌溉提升了土壤全氮含量和脱氢酶活性,降低了全钾含量、脲酶活性、基本呼吸、硝化势。多元回归分析显示,某些土壤生化性质(全氮、溶解性有机碳、速效磷含量及微生物生物量碳氮、呼吸熵、硝化势)与2009年、2010年玉米产量很好地线性拟合。综上,土壤生化性质因施氮和灌溉发生不同程度的分异,因施氮和灌溉而分异的土壤生化性质能部分地鉴定作物产量。本研究方法可为产量主导因子的筛选及产量估算模型的建立提供一定参考依据。     

Microbiological analysis of cadmium-contaminated sediments during biostabilization with indigenous sulfate-reducing bacteria

Purpose

Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) have received particular attention in the bioremediation of sediments contaminated with heavy metals. In this study, indigenous SRB were used to stabilize Cd in sediments spiked with different Cd concentrations (≤ 600 mg kg^?1).

Materials and methods

The study investigated the Cd leaching efficiency from sediments after 166 days (d) of biotreatment and assessed the bacterial community and bacteria relationship in sediments during SRB biostabilization.

Results and discussion

The study found that the Cd leaching efficiency of sediments was reduced by 18.1–40.3% (29.4 ± 8.7%) after 166 days of biotreatment. During the biostabilization, the bacterial community in sediments significantly changed, particularly after 61 days of biotreatment. At the family level, the identified dominant bacteria (mean abundance > 3%) included Bacillaceae, norank Nitrospira, Anaerolineaceae, Nitrospinaceae, Streptococcaceae, and Hydrogenophilaceae. The study also speculated the complex relationships between these bacteria. The relative abundance of Desulfobacteraceae and Desulfobulbaceae in sediments was enhanced after biotreatment. Bacillaceae and Streptococcaceae may play a negative role in Cd biostabilization and inhibited SRB biological activity. However, Anaerolineaceae and Hydrogenophilaceae may have commensalism and mutualism relationships, respectively, with typical SRB. The presence of Nitrospinacea and norank Nitrospira may reduce the inhibitive effect of denitrifying bacteria on SRB, thereby exhibiting a positive effect on biologic sulfate reduction and Cd biostabilization.

Conclusions

Indigenous SRB treatment increased Cd stability in sediments and changed bacterial community. During SRB biostabilization, complex relationships between bacteria in sediments were speculated, including competition, syntrophism, and antagonism. These results provide insights for better regulating and controlling SRB biostabilization.

     

孪井灌区包气带水分运移的数值模拟

为防止盆地低洼处出现盐渍化、节约水资源,用数值模拟和田间中子仪试验相结合的方法,研究了内蒙古孪井灌区包气带的水分运移规律.数学模拟结果与田间实测土壤含水率吻合良好.在此基础上模拟计算出漫灌与喷灌条件下不同灌溉量和不同蒸发量对水分运移的影响以及水分随时间在深度上的分布情况,结果表明1200m/hm2喷灌定额下得农田水分无效消耗最小,从而得出节水高产的喷灌灌溉模式.     

Expression,Purification, and Functional Analysis of Three Low‐Molecular‐Weight Glutenin Subunits from Wheat Cultivar Cheyenne

Glutenins, which form the network of gluten protein, are of great importance for the quality of flour products. Glutenins can be divided into HMW and LMW subunits according to molecular weight. Three genes for LMW glutenin subunits (LMW‐GS), named lmw‐cnd1, lmw‐cnd2, and lmw‐cnd3 with open reading frames of 1,053, 903, and 969 bp, respectively, were cloned from wheat cultivar Cheyenne. Heterologous expression vectors of the three LMW‐GS were constructed, and the recombinant proteins LMW‐CND1, LMW‐CND2, and LMW‐CND3 were overexpressed in Escherichia coli. After cell disruption with ultrasound, target proteins of high purity were obtained by using Ni²⁺ affinity chromatography. Farinograph and TAPlus measurements were used to investigate the effects of the three LMW‐GS on the characteristics of flour and dough. The results showed that the addition of each LMW‐GS can lead to an increase in the elasticity of the dough. Moreover, LMW‐CND2 and LMW‐CND3 promoted the strength of the dough. All three LMW‐GS caused a decrease of hardness and increase of springiness and cohesiveness of dough according to texture profiling results. Consequently, all three LMW‐GS have positive effects on the processing characteristics of dough and can improve bread quality to different extents.     

Antioxidant activities of dioscorin, the storage protein of yam (Dioscorea batatas Decne) tuber

Dioscorin, the storage protein of yam (Dioscorea batatas Decne) tuber (which is different from dioscorine found in tubers of Dioscorea hirsuta), was purified to homogeneity after DE-52 ion exchange column according to the methods of Hou et al. (J. Agric. Food Chem. 1999, 47, 2168-2172). A single band of 32 kDa dioscorin was obtained on a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gel with 2-mercaptoethanol treatment. This purified dioscorin was shown by spectrophotometric method to have scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical in a pH-dependent manner. There is a positive correlation between scavenging effects against DPPH (8-46%) and amounts of 32 kDa dioscorin (5.97-47.80 nmol) added in Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.9), which are comparable to those of glutathione at the same concentrations. Using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometry for DPPH radical detection, it was found that the intensities of the EPR signal were decreased by 28.6 and 57 nmol of 32 kDa dioscorin in Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.9) more than in distilled water compared to controls. EPR spectrometry was also used for hydroxyl radical detection. It was found that 32 kDa dioscorin could capture hydroxyl radical, and the intensities of the EPR signal were significantly decreased dose-dependently by 1.79-14.32 nmol of 32 kDa dioscorin (r = 0.975) compared to the control. It is suggested that 32 kDa dioscorin, the storage protein of yam tuber, may play a role as antioxidant in tubers and may be beneficial for health when people take it as a food additive or consume yam tubers.