Spatio-temporal modelling of broad scale heterogeneity in soil moisture content: a basis for an ecologically meaningful classification of soil landscapes

We describe the classification of landscapes characterised bymineral soil using a model that calculates soil moisture availability on amonthly basis. Scotland is used as a case study area. The model uses potentialsoil moisture deficit, estimated using broad scale (40 × 40 km)climate patterns, in conjunction with meteorological station measurements toobtain finer scale values of climatic soil moisture deficit. Point estimates ofsoil available water are obtained for soil characteristics using appropriatepedotransfer functions, and geostatistical techniques are used to upscale theresults and interpolate to a 1-km grid. Known heterogeneityin soil physical characteristics is used to provide local corrections to thepotential soil moisture deficit, estimated using the climatic variables above.Temporal profiles of monthly water content are modelled for each1-km location and classified into six classes usingunsupervised cluster analysis. The spatial distribution of these classesreflects regional variations in the availability of moisture and energy, onwhich finer-grained topographic patterns are superimposed. In the case study,the broad scale spatial heterogeneity of heathlands and grasslands on mineralsoils in Scotland is shown to be strongly related to the soil moistureclassification. The results can be used in studies investigating the patternsofdistribution of communities at the landscape and regional scale.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect of take-all root infections on nitrate uptake in winter wheat

The effect of take-all root lesions on nitrate uptake of wheat was investigated in two experiments under controlled conditions. Plants were supplied with a nutrient solution labelled with ¹⁵N during stem elongation and flowering to assess the distribution of the isotopic tracer in the different plant organs, and particularly in root segments located on both sides of take-all lesions. The ¹⁵N atom percentage excess measured in root segments located below lesions longer than 1 cm was reduced on average by half compared with that in healthy roots and root segments above lesions, reflecting a reduction in nitrogen uptake by these root segments. This reduction probably resulted from the invasion and breakdown of phloem vessels by the fungus hyphae, interrupting energy supply and thus the uptake process. Severely infected plants showed an increase in the uptake rate per unit of efficient root, which appeared to be a compensatory response to reduction of efficient root biomass in order to satisfy shoot nitrogen demand. However, this compensatory response was insufficient to ensure nitrogen accumulation equivalent to that of healthy plants, as reductions in nitrogen accumulated in roots and aerial parts at flowering were up to 56 and 49%, respectively, for plants with more than 50% of the root system below lesions longer than 1 cm.     

Inconspicuous restraint of rice seedling growth by root-infecting fungi in soil of a rice paddy field

 Rice seedling growth, estimated by plant height and root development and discoloration, was better in pasteurized soil than in unpasteurized soil obtained from a flooded rice field. Rice seedlings also grew better in sterilized soil modified by adding roots harvested from the pasteurized soil than in soil modified by adding roots harvested from the unpasteurized soil. The results demonstrate that seedling growth in the rice field soil was inhibited by soil microorganisms, even though no typical symptoms such as seedling blight or damping-off appeared. Pythium aristosporum is suggested to be involved in the inhibition. Thus, it appears that inconspicuous restraint of rice seedling growth could occur in soils of rice paddy fields. Received: May 20, 2002 / Accepted: October 16, 2002 Acknowledgments The authors thank Dr. T. Ichitani, former professor at Osaka Prefectural University, for providing an isolate of Pythium aristosporum for comparison, and Mr. Mitsuaki Sato of Akita Prefectural College of Agriculture for technical assistance.     

Weed:spring barley competition for applied nitrogen in pig slurry

Summary The experiments were carried out in the two spring barley fields of the organic six-course cattle:crop rotation at Foulumgaard, Denmark. The weed density was 300 and 1800 plants m⁻² respectively. Pig slurry was applied by hand in microplots by four methods: broadcasting followed by incorporation, or injected in bands to depths of 5, 10 or 15 cm. Spring barley and weeds were sampled separately six times during the tillering and elongation phase of the spring barley. The effect of application method on dry-matter (d.m.) production, nitrogen uptake and recovery of applied nitrogen in the spring barley and the weeds is reported. Slurry banding halved the weed d.m. and weed N uptake compared with broadcasting, irrespective of weed density. Weeds recovered up to 12% of the applied nitrogen, which made them a significant competitor when the slurry was broadcast and incorporated. Banding by direct injection reduced the slurry:soil contact and the weed:crop competition balance for applied nitrogen moved in favour of the crop. Thus, the crop recovery of applied nitrogen at the end of the sampling period was increased from approximately 45% for broadcast and incorporated to approximately 50% for injected slurry, and coincidental weed recovery was reduced to a maximum of 5%. As the nitrogen supply normally affects plant d.m. production, banding of slurry might well improve crop competitiveness and its tolerance to mechanical weed control.     

日光温室土壤盐分和养分的变化趋势

对种植 1～ 8a的日光温室土壤盐分和养分进行了调查研究 ,结果表明 ,随着日光温室种植年限的延长 ,土壤可溶性盐、电导率、养分含量呈增加趋势 ,酸碱度 (pH)呈降低趋势 ,有机质含量增幅不大 ;土壤速效养分中硝态氮含量过高 ,速效磷含量也很丰富。最后提出了温室土壤培肥和管理措施。     

不同覆土深度对鸡腿菇子实体产量的影响

本试验研究 11种覆土深度对鸡腿菇子实体产量影响。结果表明 ,不同覆土深度对子实体产量、有效子实体数和幼蕾数均存在显著的影响。覆土越厚 ,幼蕾数越少。当覆土深度在 0 5～ 3cm时 ,子实体产量和有效子实体数随着覆土层的加厚逐渐增加 ,在覆土深度为 3cm时达到最大值 ,覆土深度大于 3cm时 ,则随着覆土层的加厚而逐渐减少。从生产的角度看 ,覆土 3cm是比较适宜的覆土深度 ,此时的子实体产量最高。     

不同地域环境对枸杞蛋白质和药用氨基酸含量的影响

根据2000～2001年我国北方六省(区)多点枸杞采样资料和田间试验资料,利用K-均值聚类方法和非线性回归方法,对比分析了宁杞1号枸杞蛋白质和9种药用氨基酸含量的差异和特点,以及生态因子对它们的影响。分析结果表明,不同地域栽种的宁杞1号枸杞蛋白质和9种药用氨基酸含量的变异系数分别为16.58%和16.22%,除品种因子的决定作用以外,环境条件对枸杞蛋白质含量有一定作用,其中土壤水解氮含量对蛋白质和氨基酸合成有一定作用,二者呈对数关系。     

丝状霉形体丝状亚种SC型脂蛋白LppQ N末端基因克隆与序列分析

脂蛋白LPPQ是丝状霉形体丝状亚种SC型(MmmSC)非洲株、欧洲株和疫苗株所特有的。LPPQ N末端域具有良好的免疫原性，在牛体内可诱导产生强大、特异、早期、持续的免疫反应。本研究根据已发表的LPPQ基因序列设计引物，用Pyrobest^TM高保真DNA聚合酶从MmmSC HVRI X株中扩增出了LPPQ N末端基因序列，并进行了克隆与序列测定。核苷酸序列比较结果显示，HVRI X株的LPPQ N末端基因序列与国外发表的序列同源性为99．7％，由其推导的氨基酸序列同源性为99，1％，为脂蛋白LPPQ N末端基因体外表达奠定了基础。     

体外试验中不同粗精比对山羊瘤胃细菌氨态氮利用效率的影响

利用体外发酵法研究了4种粗精比(10∶0、8∶2、6∶4和4∶6)底物对山羊瘤胃细菌产量、15NH3-N利用效率的影响。结果表明:混合培养液的pH值与氨态氮浓度在8h内急剧下降,而后至24h呈缓慢下降;经24h培养的细菌产量在8∶2、6∶4和4∶6组中差异不显著(P>0.05),但都极显著地高于10∶0组(P<0.01);细菌体15N丰度以8∶2及4∶6组较高,显著高于10∶0和6∶4组(P<0.05);细菌体15N富集量以8∶2组最高,底物547.43μg15N中有120.44μg被细菌体富集,显著高于10∶0组(P<0.05),但6∶4、4∶6组与10∶0组间差异均不显著(P>0.05)。细菌赖氨酸的相对百分组成随精饲料比例的增加而显著增加,胱氨酸在粗饲料组(10∶0)显著高于其它组,但各精饲料添加组间差异不显著,组氨酸以8∶2组为最高,显著高于10∶0组,但与其它精饲料添加组间差异不显著(P>0.05)。     

Isolation of two strains of a new Tombusvirus (Havel river virus, HaRV) from surface waters in Germany

Two virus isolates from water samples — one from a small stream in South Western Germany and another one from the Havel river in North Eastern Germany c. 500 km away, proved to be strains, named S and H, respectively, of a new Tombusvirus for which the name Havel river virus (HaRV) had been suggested previously in a brief account. Immunoelectron microscopical decoration tests and sequence comparisons of the coat proteins indicated that the two HaRV strains are only distantly related to known Tombusviruses. The closest relationships were found to Cucumber necrosis virus. Nothing is known about their natural hosts. Because the S strain of HaRV was isolated in a woody area from a small stream close to its origin, they may be pathogens of trees or wild plants in such habitats.