Enantioselective degradation kinetics of metalaxyl in rabbits

Metalaxyl [methyl-N-(2′-methoxyacetyl)-N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-d,l- alaninate] is a potent phenylamide fungicide. The (−)-(R)-isomer accounts for most of the fungicidal activity. A possible stereo and/or enantioselective kinetics of metalaxyl in rabbits was investigated by intravenous injection. The concentrations of (−)-(R)- and (+)-(S)-metalaxyl in plasma, liver, and kidney tissue were determined by HPLC with a cellulose-Tris-(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate)-based chiral stationary phase and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. After intravenous administration of racemic metalaxyl (40 mg/kg), the (+)-(S)-enantiomer levels in plasma, liver, and kidney decreased more rapidly than the (−)-(R)-isomer. The area ratio of the (−)-(R)-/(+)-(S)-enantiomer under the concentration-time curve (AUC_0 → ∞) in plasma after drug application was 1.62. The total plasma clearance value of the (+)-(S)-enantiomer was 1.53 and higher than that of the (−)-(R)-enantiomer. The [R]/[S] ratio in plasma was >1 for standard rac-metalaxyl at each time point. The other pharmacokinetic parameters of the enantiomers were also different. The results indicate substantial stereoselectivity in the degradation of metalaxyl enantiomers in rabbits.     

反刍动物过瘤胃淀粉研究进展

过瘤胃淀粉是高产反刍动物葡萄糖的重要来源之一。本文阐述了过瘤胃淀粉在反刍动物营养中的作用,以及提高饲料过瘤胃淀粉比例的处理方法,并根据近年来的应用研究状况,提出了过瘤胃淀粉在应用中存在的问题及今后的研究方向。     

Some determinants of the spatio-temporal fire cycle in a mediterranean landscape (Corsica,France)

Based on recent needs to accurately understand fire regimes and post-fire vegetation resilience at a supra-level for carbon cycle studies, this article focusses on the coupled history of fire and vegetation pattern for 40 years on a fire-prone area in central Corsica (France). This area has been submitted since the beginning of the 20^th century to land abandonment and the remaining land management has been largely controlled by frequent fires. Our objectives were to rebuild vegetation and fire maps in order to determine the factors which have driven the spatial and temporal distribution of fires on the area, what were the feed backs on the vegetation dynamics, and the long-term consequences of this inter-relationship. The results show a stable but high frequency of small fires, coupled with forest expansion over the study period. The results particularly illustrate the spatial distribution of fires according to topography and vegetation, leading to a strong contrast between areas never burnt and areas which have been burnt up to 7 times. Fires, when occuring, affect on average 9 to 12% of the S, SE and SW facing slopes (compared to only 2 to 5% for the N facing slopes), spread recurrently over ridge tops, affect all the vegetation types but reburn preferentially shrublands and grasslands. As these fire-proning parameters have also been shown to decrease the regeneration capacity of forests, this study highlights the needs in spatial studies (both in terms of fire spread and vegetation dynamic) to accurately apprehend vegetation dynamic and functionning in fire-prone areas.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of land ownership and landscape-level factors on rare-species richness in natural areas of southern Ontario,Canada

Surprisingly few studies have considered the extent to which the nature of the ownership of land is associated with differences in biodiversity. We analysed ownership and other landscape-level effects on rare-species richness for both globally- and regionally-rare biota (including birds, herpetofauna, butterflies, mammals, and plants) in 289 designated natural areas (NAs) in southern Ontario, Canada. Information about each NA −including area, number of plant communities, ownership status and details of species diversity were collected from published sources. Length of perimeter of NA, relative isolation, and an estimate of fragmentation were measured using image analysis and GIS techniques. NAs were in general relatively small, with mean area of 158 ha (median 85 ha, range from 0.9 to 1278 ha) for private NAs; public NAs had mean area of 132 ha (median 16 ha, range from 0.1 to 1481 ha). Mean number of plant communities was 4.6 (median 4, range 1- 13) at private NAs and 3.8 (median 3, range 1-16) at public NAs. Our results show that, of several landscape-level factors, area had the greatest effects on rare-species richness and other biotic indices. Effects of area were followed by effects of plant community diversity, however this was itself significantly affected by area and the extent of perimeter of the NA. Both these factors were followed by effects of ownership of the NA and by effects of isolation of the NA (represented by minimum distance to nearest NA and by number of NAs in 10 km radius). Other landscape- level factors did not appear to have overall significant effects. Variation in area accounted for 0.1% to 29% of variation in number of rare species, with lower values for globally-rare, than for regionally-rare taxa. For all biotic groups, public ownership of NAs was associated with significantly greater rare-species richness compared to private ownership, even after other factors such as area were controlled. For all globally-rare biota except butterflies, area of NA had greater effects on rare-species richness than did ownership. Richness of regionally- rare birds was more affected by plant community diversity than by area of NA. Number of recorded plant communities accounted from 2.1% of variation in number of globally-rare plant species to as high as 31% of variation in regionally-rare butterflies. The diversity of plant communities was itself influenced by total site area (accounting for 45% of variation), extent of elongation of the NA, and both external- and interior- edge perimeters. Public NAs had greatest numbers of rare biota and so should be a significant focus for conservation programs. Smaller, privately-owned patches of natural area dominate (by number and area) in this densely populated region and their significance should not be overlooked. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Influence of the physical and chemical properties of soil on the retention process of isoxaflutole and its two main derivatives

Isoxaflutole is a new pre‐emergence herbicide for use in maize and sugarcane. Its two main derivatives are a diketonitrile derivative, the 2‐cyano‐3‐cyclopropyl‐1‐(2‐methanesulfonyl‐4‐trifluoromethylphenyl)propan‐1,3‐dione, named DKN, and a benzoic acid derivative, the 2‐methanesulfonyl‐4‐trifluoromethylbenzoic acid, named BA. The adsorption/desorption processes have never been studied for isoxaflutole (IFT) at high concentrations nor for BA, and the present work aimed at completing the knowledge of the behaviour of these three molecules in conditions close to those encountered in the context of agricultural use. The adsorption/desorption study was conducted on seven soils of different physical and chemical properties, using the batch equilibrium technique. During the experiments, IFT was chemically converted into DKN in a continuous manner. This reaction appeared to be dependent on the pH of the soil and was taken into account in the calculations of the adsorbed and desorbed amounts. The adsorption isotherms obtained were predominantly C‐shaped for IFT and DKN and S‐shaped for BA, but some differences appeared on a few soils. They fitted well the Freundlich equation, and the values of the Freundlich coefficient K_fa showed that, whatever the soil, IFT was more adsorbed than its two derivatives. The main parameter influencing the adsorption of IFT appeared to be the organic matter content, whereas this effect was not evident for DKN and BA. No correlation was found between the extent of adsorption and either clay content or pH of the soil, for the three molecules.     

Effect of recent cropping history and herbicide use on the degradation rates of isoproturon in soils

Five soil samples were taken from each of five fields with different crop management histories. Three of the fields were in an arable rotation, the fourth field was temporary grassland, and the final field was under permanent grass. Of the three arable fields, two had been cropped with winter wheat in three of the preceding 6 years, and the third had last been cropped with winter wheat once only, 6 years previously. With one exception, the winter wheat had been sprayed with the herbicide isoproturon. The rate of isoproturon degradation in laboratory incubations was strongly related to the previous management practices. In the five soils from the field that had been treated most regularly with isoproturon in recent years, <2.5% of the initial dose remained after 14 days, indicating considerable enhancement of degradation. In the soils from the field with two applications of the herbicide in the past 6 years, residues after 27 days varied from 5% to 37% of the amount applied. In soils from the other three sites, residue levels were less variable, and were inversely related to microbial biomass. In studies with selected soils from the field that had received three applications of isoproturon in the previous 6 years, kinetics of degradation were not first‐order but were indicative of microbial adaptation, and the average time to 50% loss of the herbicide (DT₅₀) was 7.5 days. In selected soils from the field that had received just one application of isoproturon, degradation followed first‐order kinetics, indicative of cometabolism. Pre‐incubation of isoproturon in soil from the five fields led to significant enhancement of degradation only in the samples from the two fields that had a recent history of isoproturon application.     

Effects of concentrate‐to‐forage ratios and 2‐methylbutyrate supplementation on ruminal fermentation,bacteria abundance and urinary excretion of purine derivatives in Chinese Simmental steers

This study evaluated the effects of dietary concentrate levels and 2‐methylbutyrate (2MB ) supplementation on performance, ruminal fermentation, bacteria abundance, microbial enzyme activity and urinary excretion of purine derivatives (PD ) in steers. Eight ruminally cannulated Simmental steers (12 months of age; 389 ± 3.7 kg of body weight) were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Moderate‐concentrate (400 g/kg diet [MC ]) or high‐concentrate (600 g/kg diet [HC ]) diets were fed with or without 2MB (0 g/day [2MB ?] or 15.0 g/day [2MB +]). Dry matter intake and average daily gain increased, but feed conversion ratio decreased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Ruminal pH decreased, but total volatile fatty acid increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Molar proportion of acetate and acetate‐to‐propionate ratio decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. Propionate molar proportion and ruminal NH ₃‐N content increased with the HC diet, but decreased with 2MB supplementation. Neutral detergent fibre degradability decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. Crude protein degradability increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Abundance of Ruminococcus albus , Ruminococcus flavefaciens , Fibrobacter succinogenes and Bufyrivibrio fibrisolvens as well as activities of carboxymethyl cellulase, cellobiase, xylanase and pectinase decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. However, abundance of Prevotella ruminicola and Ruminobacter amylophilus as well as activities of α‐amylase and protease increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Total PD excretion also increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. The results suggested that growth performance, ruminal fermentation, CP degradability and total PD excretion increased with increasing dietary concentrate level from 40% to 60% or 2MB supplementation. The observed diet × 2MB interaction indicated that supplementation of 2MB was more efficacious for improving growth performance, ruminal fermentation and total PD excretion with promoted ruminal bacteria abundance and enzyme activity in the MC diet than in the HC diet.     

近15年新疆伊犁河谷草地退化时空变化特征

以伊犁河谷为研究区,利用MODIS NDVI数据及像元二分模型,反演草地植被覆盖度,以草地植被覆盖度为评价标准,结合数字高程模型(digital elevation model,DEM)数据及Getis-Ord Gi*冷/热点分析方法,对伊犁河谷2001-2015年草地退化的时空特征进行了分析。结果表明,1)受持续过度放牧及气候条件影响,2001-2015年伊犁河谷草地整体持续退化,15年内退化草地比例达46.18%,但退化以轻度为主;2)空间上退化草地的分布范围逐步向高海拔区域扩展,海拔1 500-3 000 m的中山和中高山区退化草地扩张最明显;3)草地生态保护政策的实施减缓了草地退化速度,草地退化与改善的空间差异逐渐明显,以退化为主的单一变化趋势有所改变;4)利用NDVI反演植被覆盖度对草地退化进行评价的方法存在对高植被覆盖区域草地退化敏感性相对较弱的缺陷。     

The value of vegetation cover for ecosystem services in the suburban context

Latin-American cities can be characterized by dynamic processes of urbanization that encroach upon the natural and semi-natural surrounding landscapes. Our study presents the effects of landscape development, transformed from semi-natural conditions into a mostly disperse suburban settlement. We explore the impact that this transformation has had on this context by three ecosystem services that regulate rainwater runoff, enhance microclimate conditions and help to improve air quality by monitoring vegetation cover. We have designed a spatio-temporal hierarchical analysis which employs remote sensing techniques to capture the structural changes of this landscape over long, medium and short term scales on two spatial levels. This methodological approach was tested in the Metropolitan Area of Santiago (MAS) as case study area. Despite of the increase in impervious surfaces due to urban processes, there has also been an increase in vegetation cover, which has led to an improvement in the provision of the above-mentioned ecosystem services. Hence, if diverse urbanization processes continue and they are coupled with an increase in vegetation cover, the provision of ecosystem services could also expand. This phenomenon can be observed in some areas, where public and private green spaces are created and maintained. Our data analyses give evidence that certain types of suburban areas which increase the share of vegetation cover can provide daily ecological benefits for urban neighborhoods, and beyond, for adjacent areas. Moreover, suburban development can successfully provide ecological benefits to citizens. Such processes can only be ecologically sustainable if the composition of vegetation is well-adapted to the regional climatic conditions.     

土地开发整理前期地形图测绘调研分析

通过对重庆市彭水县高谷镇共和村土地开发整理测绘项目的实地调研分析,对该项目进行了归纳总结,介绍项目的测绘技术和流程,旨在为今后推进农村土地开发整理测绘提供实践依据。