A method for the analysis of the δ18O of inorganic phosphate extracted from soils with HCl

The oxygen isotope composition of phosphate (δ¹⁸O‐PO₄) has successfully been used to study the biological cycling of phosphorus (P) in seawater and marine sediments. However, only a few studies have used this approach in soils. In order to analyse δ¹⁸O‐PO₄, phosphate must be extracted from the soil, purified and converted to silver phosphate (Ag₃PO₄). The published extraction methods, successfully applied to marine waters and sediments, lead to the precipitation of impure Ag₃PO₄when used with soils or organic‐rich samples. Here we present an improved purification protocol, designed for soils and other organic‐rich samples. After extraction with HCl, phosphate is purified with multiple mineral precipitations that do not require extreme pH adjustments of the solutions. We show that contaminant‐free Ag₃PO₄ can be produced from fertilizers and various soils with different chemical and physical characteristics. Our first isotopic results confirm that differences in P status and availability in soils are expressed in the δ¹⁸O‐PO₄ signal, indicating the potential of this isotopic tracer to understand P dynamics in soil systems.     

Fish population and behavior revealed by instantaneous continental shelf-scale imaging

Until now, continental shelf environments have been monitored with highly localized line-transect methods from slow-moving research vessels. These methods significantly undersample fish populations in time and space, leaving an incomplete and ambiguous record of abundance and behavior. We show that fish populations in continental shelf environments can be instantaneously imaged over thousands of square kilometers and continuously monitored by a remote sensing technique in which the ocean acts as an acoustic waveguide. The technique has revealed the instantaneous horizontal structural characteristics and volatile short-term behavior of very large fish shoals, containing tens of millions of fish and stretching for many kilometers.     

Transformation of the nitrogen cycle: recent trends, questions, and potential solutions

Humans continue to transform the global nitrogen cycle at a record pace, reflecting an increased combustion of fossil fuels, growing demand for nitrogen in agriculture and industry, and pervasive inefficiencies in its use. Much anthropogenic nitrogen is lost to air, water, and land to cause a cascade of environmental and human health problems. Simultaneously, food production in some parts of the world is nitrogen-deficient, highlighting inequities in the distribution of nitrogen-containing fertilizers. Optimizing the need for a key human resource while minimizing its negative consequences requires an integrated interdisciplinary approach and the development of strategies to decrease nitrogen-containing waste.     

Effects of Farm Yard Manure and Lime on Cadmium Uptake by Rice Grown in Two Contaminated Soils of Chittagong

A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of farm yard manure （FYM） and lime （calcium carbonate） on reducing the uptake of Cd by rice in two Cd contaminated soils of Chittagong. The effects of farm yard manure, lime and farm yard manure mixed with lime （FYM ＋ Lime） on rice （Oryza sativa L.） growth, Cd uptake by rice and 0.1 N HC1 extractable Cd in soil were investigated. Results showed that addition of lime and farm yard manure mixed with lime significantly decreased 0.1 N HCl extractable Cd in the city sewage soil. Application of farm yard manure significantly decreased Cd concentration in rice in the city sewage soil. Lime and farm yard manure mixed with lime significantly reduced Cd concentration in rice m both the contaminated soils. Lime was more efficient than farm yard manure in reducing the uptake of Cd by rice.     

赖氨酸发酵蛋白粉的营养价值评定及其在生长肥育猪上的应用效果研究

本研究分为2个试验,试验I评定赖氨酸发酵蛋白粉在生长猪上的营养价值;试验2研究赖氨酸发酵蛋白粉等蛋白质替代豆粕对生长肥育猪生长、胴体性状和肉品质的影响。试验1：选用（25.0±1.1）妇杜×长×大三元杂交猪12头进行消化代谢试验,随机分为2组,每组6个重复,每个重复1头猪,分别饲喂无氮日粮和以赖氨酸发酵蛋白粉作为唯一蛋白质源的试验日粮,预试期4d,正试期4d。试验2：选用（41.7±3.9）kg杜×长×大三元杂交猪100头进行饲养试验,随机分为4组,每组5个重复,每个重复5头猪。I组为对照组,饲喂基础日粮;Ⅱ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ组分别为饲喂赖氨酸发酵蛋白粉等蛋白质替代10％、25％、50％豆粕的试验日粮,体重达100kg左右结束。消化代谢试验结果表明：赖氨酸发酵蛋白粉消化能为12.85MJ·kg^-1,代谢能为11.80MJ·kg^-1。总氨基酸含量为47.38％,总氨基酸的回肠表观消化率、真消化率分别为66.95％和70.52％,赖氨酸和蛋氨酸的回肠表现消化率、真消化率分别为72.00％、75.14％和59.37％、64.52％。试验结果表明：与对照组相比,在生长期和全期,Ⅳ组平均日增重显著降低（P〈0.05）,料重比显著升高（P〈0.05）;在肥育期,Ⅳ组平均日采食量显著增加（P〈0.05）,料重比显著升高（P〈0.05）,生长期和肥育期,Ⅳ组氮消化率、氮生物学效价显著降低（P〈0.05）。Ⅳ组背膘厚显著增加（P〈0.05）,眼肌面积和肌肉保水能力显著降低（P〈0.05）。由此得出,与豆粕相比,赖氨酸发酵蛋白粉的粗蛋白质和脂肪含量较高,非蛋白氮比例大,氨基酸消化率低。蛋白质替代10％和25％豆粕对40-100kg的生长肥育猪生产性能、胴体性状和肉品质均无影响,可作为饲粮中的新型蛋白质原料。     

塔吉克斯坦苦盏市周边地区夏季鸟类群落多样性

2012-2013年6月至？月份在塔吉克斯坦北部苦盏市周边地区采用点计数法对包括森林草原、荒漠草原、戈壁荒漠、果园、农田等5类有代表性的生境开展鸟类群落多样性调查;同时将涉及的鸟类按食性和捕食区域划分捕食集团研究了不同群落捕食集团的组成特点,结果表明不同生境的鸟类可划分为5类群落,其中农田鸟类种类较丰富香农威纳指数和均匀性指数在5种生境中均最高;森林草原中鸟类种类最少香农威纳指数和均匀度也最低;各种生境条件下群落中杂食性鸟种数比例均为最高,调查结果表明塔吉克斯坦传统的种植制度有利于维持农业生态系统鸟类物种多样性此外捕食集团在温带干旱区也有成为生态环境指标的潜力。     

Comparative Genomics for Gene Isolation in Legumes

The similarity in gene order between closely related taxa suggests that genomic information from model systems should facilitate gene isolation and characterization in target crops. If this is the case, a great deal of effort and investment can be saved by focusing attention on a few model systems that have appropriate applicability. Pea （Pisura sativum） provides a good test case： its genome is large and the insertion sites for repetitive elements, which comprise the bulk of its genome, are highly polymorphic （Jing et al., 2005; Vershinin et al., 2003）, so we expect a great deal of structural polymorphism between the genomes of Pisum lines. Yet the genetic map of Pisum is essentially coUinear with Medicago （Choi et al., 2004; Kalo et al., 2004）.     

Improving Drought Tolerance of Rice by Designed QTL Pyramiding

Drought is the most important factor limiting rice yields in the rainfed areas of Asia. To overcome the problem, we developed a new strategy ＇designed QTL pyramiding＇ to more efficiently develop drought tolerant （DT） rice cultivars. In the first phase of this strategy, we developed large numbers of introgression lines （ILs） in elite backgrounds using backcross （BC） breeding, each of which carries multiple genomic segments for improved DT from a known donor. Then, we genotyped all ILs with SSR markers to track the genomewide pattern of introgression in the DT ILs of 16 BC populations derived from crosses between 2 recipients （IR64 and Teqing） and four different donors. X^2 tests and linkage disequilibrium analyses of introgression in the DT ILs revealed significant frequency shifts at many loci across the genome and non-random associations at the multilocus level as a result of selection for DT in the ILs, which led us to the discovery of putative genetic networks underlying DT in the ILs. The networks each containing all DT loci detected in ILs from a BC population showed some interesting features.