Impact of atmospheric CO2 and plant life forms on soil microbial activities

From the global change perspective, increase of atmospheric CO₂ and land cover transformation are among the major impacts caused by human activities. In this study, we are addressing the combined issues of the effect of CO₂ concentration increase and plant type on soil microbial activities by asking how annual and perennial plant groups affect soil microbial processes under elevated CO₂. The experimental design used a mix of species of different growth forms for both annuals and perennials. Our objective was: (1) to determine how two years of annual or perennial plant cover and CO₂ enrichment could affect Mediterranean soil microbial processes; (2) to test the resistance and the resilience of these soil functional processes after a natural perturbation. We determined the effects of 2 years atmospheric CO₂ enrichment on soil potential respiration (SIR), denitrification (DEA) and nitrification (NEA) activities. We could not find any significant effect of CO₂ increase on SIR, DEA and NEA. However, we found a strong effect of the plant cover type, i.e. annuals versus perennials, on the potential microbial activity related to N cycling. DEA and NEA were significantly higher in soil under annual plants while SIR was not significantly different. To determine whether these changes would survive a natural perturbation, we carried out a rain event experiment once the experimental treatments (i.e. different plant cover and atmospheric CO₂ concentration) were stopped. The soil potential respiration, as expressed by the SIR, was not affected and remained stable. DEA rates converged rapidly under annuals and perennials after the rain event. Under both annuals and perennials NEA increased significantly after the rain event but remained significantly higher in the soil with annual plants. The relative change of the soil microbial processes induced by annual and perennial plants was inversely related to the density and the diversity of the corresponding microbial functional groups.     

Impact of city historical management on soil organic carbon stocks in Paris (France)

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Assessments of urban soil organic carbon stock (SOCS) are scant because citywide data are scarce. Moreover, we do not know which factors mostly explain SOCS spatial...     

The Blonde d’Aquitaine T3811>G3811 mutation in the myostatin gene: association with growth,carcass, and muscle phenotypes in veal calves

The mutation T3811 → G3811 (TG3811) discovered in the myostatin gene of the Blonde d’Aquitaine breed is suspected of contributing to the outstanding muscularity of this breed. An experiment was designed to estimate the effect of this mutation in an F2 and back-cross Blonde d’Aquitaine × Holstein population. By genotyping all known mutations in the myostatin gene, it was ensured that the TG3811 mutation was indeed the only known mutation segregating in this population. Fifty-six calves (43 F2, 13 back-cross) were intensively fattened and slaughtered at 24.0 ± 1.4 wk of age. The effects of the mutation were estimated by comparing the calves with the [T/T] (n = 18), [T/G] (n = 30), and [G/G] (n = 8) genotypes. Highly significant substitution effects (P < 0.001), above + 1.2 phenotypic SD, were shown on carcass yield and muscularity scores. Birth weight (P < 0.001) was positively affected by the mutation (+0.8 SD) but not growth rate (P = 0.97), while carcass length (P = 0.03), and fatness (P ≤ 0.03) were negatively affected (–0.5 to –0.7 SD). The characteristics of the Triceps brachii muscle were affected by the mutation (P < 0.001), with lower ICDH activity (oxidative) and a higher proportion of myosin type 2X muscle fibers (fast twitch). The effects of the TG3811 mutation were similar to those of other known myostatin mutations, although the Blonde d’Aquitaine animals, which are predominantly [G/G] homozygous, do not exhibit extreme double muscling.     

Changes in fatty acid and sterol composition during oogenesis in the pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera

The fatty acid and sterol composition of the oyster Pinctada margaritifera during oogenesis and in eggs was analysed. No major differences were observed during oogenesis, but the egg composition was significantly different from that of gonads. The amount of saturated fatty acids was the highest in eggs and the C16:0 predominant (P<5%); by contrast, the amount of 22:6(n‐3) was significantly lower (P<5%) than in gonads. No major differences were observed for the polar lipid (PL) composition during oogenesis. The main free sterols in gonads and eggs were cholesterol and brassicasterol. Among free sterols, the proportion of cholesterol diminished continuously from the beginning to the end of gonad maturation, and this decrease persisted in eggs after spawning. Cholesterol represented 40% to 55% of the sterol ester encountered in gonad and eggs. This study allowed us to investigate the fatty acid and sterol composition during oogenesis of the pearl oyster P. margaritifera, leading to a clearer understanding of the nutritional requirements of pearl oyster during the reproduction process.     

Acrylamide formation from asparagine under low moisture Maillard reaction conditions. 2. Crystalline vs amorphous model systems

The formation of acrylamide was investigated in model systems based on asparagine and glucose under low moisture Maillard reaction conditions as a function of reaction temperature, time, physical state, water activity, and glass transition temperature. Equimolar amorphous glucose/asparagine systems with different water activities were prepared by freeze drying and were shown to quickly move to the rubbery state already at room temperature and a water activity of above 0.15. The acrylamide amounts were correlated with physical changes occurring during the reaction. Pyrolysis and kinetics of acrylamide release in amorphous and crystalline glucose/asparagine models indicated the importance of the physical state in acrylamide formation. In amorphous systems, acrylamide was generated in higher concentrations and at lower temperatures as compared to the crystalline samples. Time and temperature are covariant parameters in both systems affecting the acrylamide formation by thermal processes. On the other side, the water activity and glass transition temperature do not seem to be critical parameters for acrylamide formation in the systems studied.     

长期施磷黑土中磷的吸附–解吸特征及其影响因素

  【目的】  比较长期不施磷与施磷黑土对外源磷的吸附–解吸特征,为黑土区磷素管理提供理论基础。  【方法】  供试黑土长期定位试验位于吉林省公主岭市,始于1990年。2018年选择其中不施肥(CK),施氮钾肥(NK),施氮磷钾肥(NPK)和氮磷钾+有机肥(NPK+M) 4个处理小区,采集0—20、20—40和40—60 cm土层的土壤样品,分析了土壤理化性质,采用恒温平衡法测定了土壤磷的吸附–解吸特征,并由此计算得到磷最大吸附量(Q_m)、吸附亲和力常数(K_Q)、最大缓冲容量(MBC)、磷吸附饱和度(DPS)、最大解吸量(D_m)和解吸率(D_r)。  【结果】  随着平衡溶液中磷浓度的增加,磷的吸附量与解吸量均呈先快速增加后逐渐趋于平衡的过程。与不施磷处理(CK和NK)土壤相比,施磷处理(NPK、NPK+M)减少了磷的吸附量,增加了磷的解吸量。与不施磷处理相比,施磷处理在0—60 cm剖面上的Q_m和MBC值分别降低了4.94%～63.46%和15.90%～75.18%,D_r值增加了8.52%～474.0%,以NPK+M处理变化量最大。施磷处理比不施磷处理在0—60 cm土壤剖面上全磷和有机质含量分别增加了34.40%～145.5%和12.77%～50.07%,游离态铁铝氧化物(Fe_d+Al_d)含量降低了5.14%～11.35%。冗余分析表明,不施磷处理土壤的有机质、Fe_d+Al_d和全磷,以及施磷处理中的Fe_d+Al_d、络合态铁铝氧化物(Fe_p+Al_p)、pH和有机质是影响磷吸附解吸特征参数的主要土壤因子,分别解释了不施磷和施磷处理全部变异的77.59%和90.62%。土壤有效磷(Olsen-P)与磷吸附饱和度(DPS)相关关系表明,所研究的黑土DPS环境界限值为8%左右,NPK+M处理中3个土层的DPS_M-P值(由Mehlich-3 浸提的磷、铁和铝计算)为7.77%～25.96%,DPS_O-P值(由Olsen-P和Q_m计算)为17.24%～24.75%,均高于此环境界限值,具有磷素流失的风险。  【结论】  长期施磷降低了黑土对外源磷的吸附量,增加了磷解吸量。长期不施磷肥,土壤对磷的吸附和解吸主要受有机质、游离态铁铝氧化物的影响。而长期施肥,特别是有机肥与化肥配合处理,土壤中游离态和络合态铁铝氧化物、有机质及pH是影响磷吸附解吸特征的主要因素。     

Gynogen Production in Hybrid Striped Bass

Abstract.— Meiotic gynogens were produced using hybrid striped bass (♀ white bass, Morone chrysops , ×♂ striped bass, M. saxatilis ) eggs and white perch M. americana UV-irradiated sperm. Diploidy of the fertilized eggs was restored by application of hydrostatic pressure, which induced retention of the second polar body. Use of white perch sperm provided an unmistakable marker for detection of a paternal genetic contribution. Two assays were developed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify specific regions of the Morone genome . Primers for gene amplification were developed based on the DNA sequence of the striped bass growth hormone gene (SB-GH) or an anonymous striped bass locus (SBI-10). Control experiments using DNA from the three Morone species demonstrated that gene amplification yielded species-specific patterns of DNA fragments for both of these loci. Therefore, any progeny with a paternal contribution of a set of white perch chromosomes could be identified. Using these assays, we demonstrated that greater than 75% of the progeny obtained from successful experiments were true gynogens. These striped bass hybrid gynogens will provide the basis for future efforts to calculate gene-centromere distances and to identify markers linked to specific traits of interest to aquaculture.     

Settlement behavior of American lobster (Homarus americanus): effect of female origin and developmental temperature

The benthic settlement success of American lobster (Homarus americanus) postlarvae is a key factor in population dynamics, with the temperature being a key factor. Given the spatial distribution of the species, its pelagic larvae probably encounter various thermal zones during development. Little information is available on the ability of lobster larvae to acclimate to temperature or if this ability varies among geographic areas. The main objectives of this study were to characterize (i) the settlement behavior of the postlarvae in relation to (a) temperature during larval development and (b) the geographic origin of the maternal parent and (ii) the behavioral response of postlarvae with different thermal histories in the presence/absence of a thermocline. Results did not support the hypothesis of thermal adaptation among local populations, as settlement behavior of postlarvae did not differ among females from different geographic regions. In contrast, larval survival and settlement behavior and postlarval energetic conditions varied with development temperature. Behavioral plasticity in the benthic settlement was observed in relation to temperature structure of the experimental water column. This study suggests that there may be links between development temperature and the natural variability in survival and settlement of American lobsters. Findings emphasize the need for an integrated approach in lobster recruitment studies with the inclusion of behavior in dispersion models.