Changes in tree ring width and density ofPinus thunbergii growing in the vicinity of industrial complex in Korea

There has been a decline in tree growth since the operation of factories atPinus thunbergii forests around a petrochemical industrial complex in Korea. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of air pollution on tree ring width and ring density ofPinus thunbergii. Soft X-ray densitometrical method was used. Decline of ring width was the highest during 3 years immediately after the operation of factories. The percentage of decrease was almost bigger immediately after operation as compared with before. Maximum density (MAXD), and the difference (DD) between maximum density and minimum density (MIND) generally decreased since operation of factories, while minimum density increased in the beginning of operation of factories. There was a significant correlation between ring width and high temperature, and precipitation in the beginning of growing season, respectively. There was also a negative correlation between annual mean concentration of SO₂ and ring width at 5% level (r=−0.627^*). It is suggested that the decline of ring width after operation of factories was due to compound factors of air pollution and climate. The effect of other factors should be still more studied. A part of this paper was presented at the International Workshop on Asian and Pacific Dendrochronology on March 4–9, 1995 in Tsukuba (Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute), Japan.     

Effects of vegetation history on distribution of Al in surface soils of suburban forests in Aichi Prefecture, Japan

This study examined the distribution of water-extractable Al in soils from forest sites near Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture. The mean concentrations of water-extractable Al in surface soils varied markedly among sites, with the values at site FGB (126 mg/kg) higher than those at sites FG (11.8 mg/kg) and FCB (33.8 mg/kg). Comparisons of the acid buffer capacity of vegetation at the sites revealed that forest cover has a higher capacity for neutralization than the denuded state. We found that the effects of acidic accumulation in the surface soils of suburban forests might depend on vegetation history, and that forest soils that once had no vegetation cover accumulated labile Al due to acidification. The phenomenon was particularly distinct on granite bedrock.     

Energy investment in leaves of red maple and co-occurring oaks within a forested watershed

Despite its recent expansion in eastern US forests, red maple (Acer rubrum L.) generally exhibits a low leaf photosynthetic rate, leaf mass per unit area (LMA) and leaf nitrogen concentration ([N]) relative to co-occurring oaks (Quercus spp.). To evaluate these differences from the perspective of leaf energy investment, we compared leaf construction cost (CC) and leaf maintenance cost (MC) with leaf photosynthetic rate at saturating photon flux density and ambient CO2 partial pressure (Amax) in red maple and co-occurring red oak (Quercus rubra L.) and chestnut oak (Quercus prinus L.). We also examined relationships among leaf physiological, biochemical and structural characteristics of upper-canopy leaves of these three species at lower (wetter) and upper (drier) elevation sites of a watershed in the Black Rock Forest, Cornwall, NY, USA. Although A(max), leaf [N], leaf carbon concentration ([C]) and LMA were significantly less in red maple than in either oak species at both sites, CC per unit leaf area of red maple was 28.2 and 35.4% less than that of red oak at the lower and upper site, respectively, and 38.8 and 32% less than that of chestnut oak at the lower and upper site, respectively. Leaf MC per unit leaf area, which was positively associated with leaf CC (r2 = 0.95), was also significantly lower in red maple than in either oak species at both sites. When expressed per unit leaf area, A(max) was positively correlated with both CC (r2 = 0.65) and MC (r2 = 0.59). The cost/benefit ratio of CC/Amax of red maple was significantly less than that of chestnut oak at the lower site, however, CC/A(max) did not exhibit any significant interspecific differences at the upper site. Expressed per unit leaf area, CC was correlated positively with LMA (r2 = 0.90), leaf [N] (r2 = 0.97), and leaf [C] (r2 = 0.89), and negatively correlated with leaf molar carbon to nitrogen ratio (r2 = 0.92). Combined with red maple's general success in many oak-dominated forests, our findings suggest that reduced leaf-level photosynthetic capacity and related leaf characteristics in red maple are partially balanced by lower energy and resource requirements for leaf biomass construction and maintenance, which could enhance the competitive success of this species.     

Chemical and structural characteristics of conifer needles exposed to ambient air pollution

Conifer needles exposed to ambient air pollutants were observed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Predominant changes on needles were the breakdown and the aggregation of wax structures on stomatal chambers. However, the mode of destruction in stomatal wax structures was dependent on the pollutants. Ginkgo biloba seemed to be resistant to air pollutants despite higher amounts of sulfur in the foliage.     

Muscle Protein Hydrolysates and Amino Acid Composition in Fish

Fish muscle, which accounts for 15%–25% of the total protein in fish, is a desirable protein source. Their hydrolysate is in high demand nutritionally as a functional food and thus has high potential added value. The hydrolysate contains physiologically active amino acids and various essential nutrients, the contents of which depend on the source of protein, protease, hydrolysis method, hydrolysis conditions, and degree of hydrolysis. Therefore, it can be utilized for various industrial applications including use in nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals to help improve the health of humans. This review discusses muscle protein hydrolysates generated from the muscles of various fish species, as well as their amino acid composition, and highlights their functional properties and bioactivity. In addition, the role of the amino acid profile in regulating the biological and physiological activities, nutrition, and bitter taste of hydrolysates is discussed.     

Nondestructive determination of oil content and fatty acid composition in perilla seeds by near-infrared spectroscopy

Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) was used as a rapid and nondestructive method to determine the oil content and fatty acid composition in intact seeds of perilla [Perilla frutescens var. japonica (Hassk.) Hara] germplasms in Korea. A total of 397 samples (about 2 g of intact seeds) were scanned in the reflectance mode of a scanning monochromator, and the reference values for the oil content and fatty acid composition were measured by gravimetric method and gas-liquid chromatography, respectively. Calibration equations for oil and individual fatty acids were developed using modified partial least-squares regression with internal cross validation (n = 297). The equations for oil and oleic and linolenic acid had lower standard errors of cross-validation (SECV), higher R2 (coefficient of determination in calibration), and higher ratio of unexplained variance divided by variance (1-VR) values than those for palmitic, stearic, and linoleic acid. Prediction of an external validation set (n = 100) showed significant correlation between reference values and NIRS estimated values based on the standard error of prediction (SEP), r2 (coefficient of determination in prediction), and the ratio of standard deviation (SD) of reference data to SEP. The models for oil content and major fatty acids, oleic and linolenic acid, had relatively higher values of SD/SEP(C) and r2 (more than 3.0 and 0.9, respectively), thereby characterizing those equations as having good quantitative information, whereas those of palmitic, stearic, and linoleic acid had lower values (below 2.0 and 0.7, respectively), unsuitable for screening purposes. The results indicated that NIRS could be used to rapidly determine oil content and fatty acid composition (oleic and linolenic acid) in perilla seeds in the breeding programs for development of high-quality perilla oil.     

Detection methods for biotech cotton MON 15985 and MON 88913 by PCR

Plants derived through agricultural biotechnology, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs), may affect human health and ecological environment. A living GMO is also called a living modified organism (LMO). Biotech cotton is a GMO in food or feed and also an LMO in the environment. Recently, two varieties of biotech cotton, MON 15985 and MON 88913, were developed by Monsanto Co. The detection method is an essential element for the GMO labeling system or LMO management of biotech plants. In this paper, two primer pairs and probes were designed for specific amplification of 116 and 120 bp PCR products from MON 15985 and MON 88913, respectively, with no amplification from any other biotech cotton. Limits of detection of the qualitative method were all 0.05% for MON 15985 and MON 88913. The quantitative method was developed using a TaqMan real-time PCR. A synthetic plasmid, as a reference molecule, was constructed from a taxon-specific DNA sequence of cotton and two construct-specific DNA sequences of MON 15985 and MON 88913. The quantitative method was validated using six samples that contained levels of biotech cotton mixed with conventional cotton ranging from 0.1 to 10.0%. As a result, the biases from the true value and the relative deviations were all within the range of +/-20%. Limits of quantitation of the quantitative method were all 0.1%. Consequently, it is reported that the proposed detection methods were applicable for qualitative and quantitative analyses for biotech cotton MON 15985 and MON 88913.