Silicon budget of eutrophic Lake Kasumigaura, Japan

Purpose

Determining the dynamics of silicon in lakes, one of the essential nutrients for diatoms, is valuable for understanding aquatic environmental problems. The dissolved silicon (DSi) and biogenic silicon (BSi) budgets in Lake Kasumigaura, a shallow eutrophic lake in Japan, during the last three decades were assessed based on the analysis of dated sediment cores and a water quality database.

Materials and methods

Sediment cores (100?cm long) were taken at the center of Lake Kasumigaura in 2005, 2007, and 2009 and at two other sites in 2007. BSi contents of the dated sediments were determined by wet alkaline digestion. The net sedimentation rates of BSi were defined as the difference between the DSi load from inflowing rivers and the DSi and BSi loads from the outflow of the lake, calculated using DSi concentrations and diatom abundances in the lake from 1980 to 2007 and DSi concentrations of the inflowing rivers during 1994, 2007, and 2009. The gross sedimentation rates of BSi were estimated by multiplying BSi concentrations in lake water by the diatom sinking rate reported by previous studies.

Results and discussion

Budgetary calculations based on the database showed that 60?C70?% of DSi inputs from the inflowing rivers during the 27?years could ultimately be accumulated as diatom frustules in bottom sediments in the lake. The sediment analysis revealed that the amount of BSi accumulated in the lake from 1980 to 2007 was 2.0?C2.6?×?10¹¹?g, similar to the amount based on the database of 1.3?C2.4?×?10¹¹?g. Although the gross sedimentation rates of BSi likely increased, the net sedimentation rates of BSi decreased significantly from 6?C10?×?10⁹?g?year^?1 in the 1980s to 2?C6?×?10⁹?g?year^?1 in the 2000s, suggesting a fast recycling of BSi in recent years caused by an increase in sediment resuspension and regeneration.

Conclusions

The sediment core information and the water quality database can be used for calculating the long-term silicon budgets in Lake Kasumigaura. An increase in the DSi release rates was identified, which is consistent with recent sediment resuspension. Comparing the sediment core information with the database suggests the long-term dissolution of sediment BSi; however, analysis of the BSi content in sediment cores representing a much longer time period is needed to confirm this.     

Sr Isotopic Signature in Plant-Derived Ca in Rain

The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios in rain at three sites in Japan were about 0.706 to 0.712, whereas those at one site in central Korea were higher (0.711 to 0.716), reflecting the difference in geology between the two countries. Because the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of exchangeable sites in soil minerals are indistinguishable from those of associated plants, aerosol Sr originating from both can be grouped together as plant-derived Sr. Spatial and temporal variations in ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and Sr/Ca ratios in the rain suggest the presence of plant-derived Sr and Ca in addition to Sr and Ca derived from sea-salt, acid-soluble aeolian carbonate from China, and cement-derived carbonate. However, systematic data on the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios and elemental concentrations of soils, plants, fly-ash, and road dust are required to put reliable constraints on the provenance of atmospheric Ca.     

Screening of cultivated and wild adzuki bean for resistance to race 3 of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cadophora gregata</Emphasis> f. sp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">adzukicola</Emphasis>, cause of brown stem rot

Two diseases of adzuki bean, brown stem rot (BSR, caused by Cadophora gregata f. sp. adzukicola) and adzuki bean Fusarium wilt (AFW, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. adzukicola), are serious problems in Hokkaido and have been controlled using cultivars with multiple resistance. However, because a new race of BSR, designated race 3, was identified, sources of parental adzuki bean for resistance to race 3 were needed. Therefore, we examined 67 cultivars and lines of cultivated and wild adzuki bean maintained at the Tokachi Agricultural Experiment Station using a root-dip inoculation method. Consequently, nine adzuki bean cultivars, one wild adzuki bean accession and 30 lines (including two lines resistant to all the three races of BSR and AFW) were confirmed to be resistant or tolerant to race 3 of BSR, and we found a cultivar Akamame as well as a wild adzuki bean Acc2515 to be a new source for a resistance gene to the race 3. This cultivar also holds promise as a source of resistance against other races of BSR and AFW.     

DNA sequence analysis of ribosomal ITS region 1 of Phytophthora vignae f. sp. adzukicola, the pathogen that causes stem rot of adzuki bean

Sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region 1 were used to examine the phylogenetic relationships among races of 19 isolates of Phytophthora vignae f. sp. adzukicola and between this forma specialis and three isolates of the closely related P. vignae f. sp. vignae. The ITS 1 sequences were highly conserved (> 98.7% similarity) among representatives of both formae speciales groups. The results of this study indicate that P. vignae is a monophyletic group. The nucleotide sequence data reported are available in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases under the accession nos. AB120062–AB120080 and AB120122     

Temporal and topographic profiles of tissue hypoxia following transient focal cerebral ischemia in rats

Intravascular accumulation of blood cells after brain ischemia-reperfusion can cause obstruction of cerebral blood flow and tissue hypoxia/ischemia as a consequence. In the present study, we examined temporal and topographic changes of tissue hypoxia/ischemia after occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) for 60 min in rats with immunohistochemical staining for hypoxia (2-nitroimidazole hypoxia marker: hypoxyprobe-1 adducts). Our results showed that tissue hypoxia expressed as positive staining for hypoxyprobe-1 adducts preceded neuronal degeneration. Platelets and granulocytes were detected close to the hypoxyprobe-1 adducts positive area. These results suggested that the hypoxic environment could persist even after reperfusion of MCA, because of vascular obstruction with accumulation of platelets and granulocytes.     

Amyloid-producing odontogenic tumor in a Shih-Tzu dog

A 9-month-old male Shih-Tzu dog had a right mandibular tumor composed of strands, or nest-like proliferation of epithelial cells with abundant fibrous stroma characterized by spheroid to large nodular deposition of amyloid with Congo-red stain. Globule calcification was also seen throughout the tumor tissue and the spheroid depositions often had a concentrically laminated structure (Liesegang rings). The case was diagnosed as amyloid-producing odontogenic tumor in a dog.     

Detection of DNA of 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum' and Spiroplasma sp. in unfed ticks collected from vegetation in Japan

DNA fragments of 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum', a feline heamobartonella pathogen, were detected from unfed Ixodes ovatus collected from vegetation in Hokkaido, Fukushima and Yamaguchi Prefectures, and unfed Haemaphysalis flava in Yamaguchi Prefecture. This finding suggests that ixodid tick is a possible vector of 'C. Mycoplasma haemominutum'. Spiroplasma DNA was also detected from unfed I. ovatus in Hokkaido, Fukushima and Yamaguchi Prefectures. The analysis of nucleotides sequence suggested that this Spiroplasma was distinct from registered species.