Climate change will affect the ability of forest management to reduce gaps between current and presettlement forest composition in southeastern Canada

Landscape Ecology - Forest landscapes at the boreal–temperate ecotone have been extensively altered. Reducing the gap between current and presettlement forest conditions through...     

Fractional extraction of compounds from grape seeds by supercritical fluid extraction and analysis for antimicrobial and agrochemical activities

White grape seeds were subjected to sequential supercritical fluid extraction. By increasing the polarity of the supercritical fluid using methanol as a modifier of CO(2), it was possible to fractionate the extracted compounds. Two fractions were obtained; the first, which was obtained with pure CO(2), contained mainly fatty acids, aliphatic aldehydes, and sterols. The second fraction, obtained with methanol-modified CO(2), had phenolic compounds, mainly catechin, epicatechin, and gallic acid. The fractions were bioassayed. Antimicrobial activities were checked on human pathogens, and a high degree of activity was obtained with the lipophilic fraction. Agrochemical activities on phytopathogenic fungi and activities on the etiolated wheat coleoptile bioassay were also checked. The more polar fraction was active in the latter bioassay.     

An assessment of the core-break method for estimating rooting density of different crops in the field

Most of the methods available for plant rooting studies in field soil are very tedious and time-consuming. Several investigations have shown that the core-break technique, in which roots are counted that appear at the faces of a broken core of soil, provides acceptable estimates of root length density in some situations. We investigated the usefulness of the core-break technique for evaluating rooting density of four plant species in two soil types. We encountered several problems, but recommend the core-break method to researchers who wish to quantify root development rapidly under various soil tillage practices.     

Dynamic headspace analysis of the release of volatile organic compounds from ethanolic systems by direct APCI-MS

Static equilibrium headspace was diluted with a stream of nitrogen to study the stability of the volatile headspace concentration. The headspace dilution profile of 18 volatile compounds above aqueous and ethanolic solutions was measured in real time using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry. Under dynamic conditions the volatiles headspace concentration above water solutions decreased readily upon dilution. The presence of ethanol helped to maintain the volatile headspace concentration when the ethanol solution concentration was above 50 mL/L. This effect was such that under dynamic conditions the absolute volatile concentration above an ethanolic solution was higher than that above an aqueous solution, contrary to results observed in equilibrium studies. The ratio of the headspace concentration of volatiles above ethanolic 120 mL/L and water solutions was correlated to their air/water partition coefficient.     

日光温室内反光膜补光的实践与理论探析

试验结果表明 ,温室后墙悬挂反光膜进行补光后 ,对温室内测定点处最大光照度值无影响 ,但平均提高测定点处水平光照度值 15 4 8% ;温室内凌晨时气温、地温、墙温和被反光膜遮掩处墙温分别比对照温室低 1 1℃、1 5℃、0 9℃和 1 8℃ ,但正午时分别比对照温室高 1 6℃、1 4℃、0 3℃和低 11 4℃。温室经济产量增加 7 4 % ,当期经济效益增加 2 1元 /m2 。     

Understanding the Enemy: A Review of the Genetics,Behavior and Chemical Ecology of Varroa destructor,the Parasitic Mite of Apis mellifera

Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) is arguably the most damaging parasitic mite that attacks honey bees worldwide. Since its initial host switch from the Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) to the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Varroa has become a widely successful invasive species, attacking honey bees on almost every continent where apiculture is practiced. Two haplotypes of V. destructor (Japanese and Korean) parasitize A. mellifera, both of which vector various honey bee-associated viruses. As the population of Varroa grows within a colony in the spring and summer, so do the levels of viral infections. Not surprisingly, high Varroa parasitization impacts bees at the individual level, causing bees to exhibit lower weight, decreased learning capacity, and shorter lifespan. High levels of Varroa infestation can lead to colony-wide varroosis and eventually colony death, especially when no control measures are taken against the mites. Varroa has become a successful parasite of A. mellifera because of its ability to reproduce within both drone cells and worker cells, which allows populations to expand rapidly. Varroa uses several chemical cues to complete its life cycle, many of which remain understudied and should be further explored. Given the growing reports of pesticide resistance by Varroa in several countries, a better understanding of the mite’s basic biology is needed to find alternative pest management strategies. This review focuses on the genetics, behavior, and chemical ecology of V. destructor within A. mellifera colonies, and points to areas of research that should be exploited to better control this pervasive honey bee enemy.     

Field scale row unit vibration affecting planting quality

Precision Agriculture - With recent developments allowing increased planter speeds, improving spatial uniformity of crop emergence will continue to be an important focus of research. Vertical...     

不同栽培模式及施氮量对半旱地冬小麦氮素累积及分配的影响

【目的】研究不同栽培模式和施氮量对半旱地栽培条件下冬小麦-夏玉米轮作体系中冬小麦地上部氮素累积、分配及利用效率的影响。【方法】在陕西关中地区进行了田间试验,以常规栽培为对照,比较了补灌、覆草和垄沟等栽培模式及0,120,240 kg/hm2施氮水平,对冬小麦连续2年(2004和2005年)不同生长期各部位氮素累积量的影响。【结果】在补灌模式下,2004和2005年成熟期冬小麦叶片和茎秆的氮素累积量较其他模式低,氮素分配率也较低,而籽粒的氮素分配率较高;施用氮肥显著增加了各生长时期冬小麦叶片、茎秆、颖壳和穗轴以及籽粒的氮素累积量,当氮肥施用量由120增加到240 kg/hm2时,除籽粒外,成熟期冬小麦叶片、茎秆、颖壳和穗轴的氮素残留量均随之明显增加。与不同栽培模式相比,施用氮肥对冬小麦不同器官中氮素分配的影响较小。随着氮肥施用量的增加,氮肥利用效率、氮肥农学效率和氮肥生理效率均呈降低趋势。在不同栽培模式中,连续2年补灌栽培模式下冬小麦的氮肥利用效率、氮肥农学效率以及氮肥生理效率均较高,而其他栽培模式下这3个指标年际间的变化较大。【结论】施用氮肥可显著增加冬小麦各生长时期不同器官的氮素累积量,但对氮素在不同器官中分配比例的影响较小;与施用氮肥相比,不同栽培模式对冬小麦氮素的累积、分布无明显影响;冬季补灌有利于提高冬小麦的氮素效率。