Brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus) density distribution in the Northern Gulf of Mexico: an approach using boosted regression trees

The estuarine‐dependent brown shrimp, Farfantepenaeus aztecus, is a significant commercial fishery and important species in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) ecosystem as well as being a key component in energy transfer between benthic and pelagic food web systems. Because of the economical and ecological importance of brown shrimp, we developed a spatial population model to identify places of high shrimp density under a set of spatial, environmental and temporal variables in the Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM). We used fisheries‐independent data collected by the Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) from 1992 to 2007 (summer and fall seasons). The relationship between the predictor variables and shrimp density was modeled using Boosted Regression Trees (BRT). Within the environmental variables included in the model, bottom type and depth of the water column were the most important predictors of shrimp density in the NGOM. Spatial predictions performed using the trained BRT model for summer and fall seasons showed a spatial segregation of shrimp density. During the summer, higher densities were predicted near the Texas and Louisiana coast and during the fall, higher densities were predicted further offshore. The model performed well and allowed successful prediction of brown shrimp hot spots in the NGOM. Model results allow fisheries managers to evaluate the potential impact from fisheries on the resource and to develop future fisheries management strategies, understand the biology of brown shrimp as well as assess the potential impacts of oil spills or climate change.     

Drying half of the root-zone from mid fruit growth to maturity in ‘Hass’ avocado (Persea americana Mill.) trees for one season reduced fruit production in two years

We tested the effect of extended drying of half the root system on fruit yield and fruit Ca concentration, an indirect measure of fruit quality, in avocado (Persea americana Mill. cv Hass). In a field experiment on a sandy soil, withholding irrigation and plastic sheeting was used to dry the root-zone beneath the whole canopy (DD) or half the canopy (WD), compared with well-watered trees (WW). The irrigation water contained added nutrients and was slightly saline. Yield, shoot growth, leaf conductance, leaf and fruit water status and mineral concentrations of leaves and fruit were studied. The responses of treated trees were assessed in the following season during which normal irrigation practices were restored. With respect to yield, the WD treatment behaved the same as the DD treatment. It reduced yield by more than half and proportionately more than the reduction in water supply thus reducing irrigation efficiency. Re-watering did not restore yield of WD or DD-trees in the next season. The WD and DD treatments had no effect on the concentration of Ca in the fruit mesocarp and so are unlikely to affect fruit quality. The main impact of reduced water supply on the trees was fruit abscission and this was linked to dry soil around the roots rather than the water status of the leaves or fruits. We conclude that extended drying of half of the root-zone in one season reduced irrigation efficiency for two seasons by promoting the abscission of developing fruit to the same extent as occurred when the whole root system was exposed to extended drying.     

落叶果树冬季管理技术要点

落叶果树冬季进入休眠期,果农田间管理时间长,农事操作方便,而在生产中,不少果农忽视了冬季这个果园管理的关键时期,造成树势衰弱、树形杂乱、病虫害严重。做好落叶果树冬季管理技术措施,对于增强树势,提高翌年果树产量、品质和效益起到关键性的作用。     

两种林木总DNA提取效果的比较

试验以刺槐（Ｒｏｂｉｎｉａｐｓｅｕｄｏａｃａｃｉａ）和华北落叶松（Ｌａｒｉｘｐｒｉｎｃｉｐｉｓ－ｒｕｐｐｒｅｃｈｔｉ）为ＤＮＡ提取材料,采用２种提取ＤＮＡ方法,紫外光检测林木ＤＮＡ提取纯度,并计算ＤＮＡ收率。实验结果表明,不同林木总ＤＮＡ提取的效果存在一定差异,从刺槐和落叶松两树种的生理特性和生长特点等方面对试验结果作了比较和分析。     

不同林龄杉木林下套种阔叶树对土壤磷组分的影响

套种是杉木人工林经营的重要措施,磷是南方森林生态系统中主要限制性养分元素之一,但套种模式对土壤磷素的影响尚不明确。以亚热带杉木人工林表层(0-10 cm)土壤为对象,研究套种林(杉阔套种幼林、杉阔套种成熟林)和杉木幼林土壤理化性质和土壤各形态磷含量差异,分析套种对杉木人工林土壤磷含量的影响。结果表明:(1)不同套种林显著改变土壤总磷、土壤总无机磷、土壤总有机磷、土壤微生物生物量磷(MBP)和土壤酸性磷酸酶活性(APA),大小顺序均为杉阔套种成熟林>杉阔套种幼林>杉木幼林。(2)土壤各磷组分中活性磷含量较低,其中NaHCO3-Po在活性组分中占主导;土壤NaOH-Po是中等活性磷的主要组分,杉阔套种成熟林尤为显著;闭蓄态磷(Residual-P)在总磷含量中最高。(3)与杉木幼林相比,杉阔套种成熟林显著增加了树脂提取态磷(Resin-Pi)、碳酸氢钠提取态有机和无机磷(NaHCO3-Pi、NaHCO3-Po)、氢氧化钠提取态有机和无机磷(NaOH-Pi、NaOH-Po)、氢氧化钠残留提取态有机磷(NaOHu.s-Po)、盐酸提取态磷(HCl-Pi)和闭蓄态磷(Residual-P)含量;土壤总无机磷、NaHCO3-Po、HCl-Pi、NaHCO3-Pi、NaOHu.s-Pi和Residual-P对杉阔套种幼林的响应不敏感。(4)除含水率外不同林龄下杉阔套种林土壤磷形态与土壤理化性质(土壤总碳氮、土壤可溶性有机氮、土壤微生物生物量磷、酸性磷酸酶)呈正相关性(P<0.05)。冗余分析表明,土壤磷组分的变化主要受MBP调控,且MBP与有机磷组分(NaOHu.s-Po、NaOH-Po)和HCI-Pi呈显著正相关。总之,套种林的土壤磷素有效性高于杉木幼林,土壤养分状况更佳。     

不同剂量VB6、COB对苹果幼树生物学性状和理化性质的影响

以富士/平邑甜茶(M.hupehensis)二年生幼树为试材,研究盆栽条件下土壤中施加不同剂量的维生素B_6(VB_6)和复合维生素B(C_OB)对苹果幼树生物学性状和理化性质的影响。于2016年在山东农业大学园艺科学与工程学院果树根系实验室进行富士苹果盆栽试验。5月26对富士苹果土施VB_6、C_OB,剂量分别为0,0.02,0.03,0.04g/株。6—10月测定外源维生素条件下苹果幼树株高、茎粗,叶面积,叶片抗氧化酶活性,叶绿素相对含量,光合荧光参数以及根系的生长分布状况。研究表明,不同剂量VB_6和C_OB对苹果幼树株高、茎粗,植株生物量,叶面积,叶片抗氧化酶活性,光合荧光参数和根系分布情况有不同程度的影响。盆施不同剂量VB_6、C_OB显著改善了植株生长势,叶面积以VB_6 0.03g增加最显著为22%,植株地上部分以C_OB 0.04g处理对植株株高、茎粗和新梢长度增加最显著,株高、茎粗和新梢长度在10月相比对照分别增加了24%,34%和45%,VB_6 0.03g与C_OB 0.04g两处理间无显著性差异;地下部分,VB_6 0.03g与C_O B 0.04g两处理对根系干鲜重、总长度、总体积和总表面积增加尤为显著,根尖数和根系分叉数也显著增加。VB_6 0.02g和C_OB 0.02g剂量下苹果幼树叶片抗氧化酶活性相比对照无显著性差异,VB_6 0.03g与C_OB 0.04g植株抗性得到显著性增强,抗氧化酶活性显著提高。此外,苹果幼树叶片叶绿素相对含量显著提高、光合荧光特性也得到显著性改善,且VB_6 0.03g与C_OB 0.04g两处理间无显著性差异。综合研究结果,VB_60.03g/株和C_OB 0.04g/株对苹果幼树的生物学性状和理化性质影响最显著,鉴于C_OB的有效施用剂量和市场价格均高于VB_6,推荐施用VB_6来改善土壤营养条件。     

基于HJ时间序列数据的农作物种植面积估算

通过对长时间序列遥感影像的波谱变化特征分析,可以有效地进行农作物种类识别与信息提取,提高农作物种植面积的遥感监测精度。中空间分辨率多光谱遥感影像适合于中国大范围大宗农作物面积监测,也是能够提供稳定时间序列遥感数据源之一。该研究以河北省衡水市为研究区域,采用2011年10月3日-2012年10月24日期间,16景30 m空间分辨率的HJ-1A/B卫星CCD(电荷耦合元件,charge-coupled device)影像月度NDVI(归一化植被指数,normalized difference vegetation index)时间序列数据,针对冬小麦、夏玉米、春玉米、棉花、花生和大豆等主要作物类型,在全生育期波谱特征曲线分析基础上,提取主要作物类型的曲线特征,采用基于NDVI阈值的决策分类技术,进行了农作物种植面积遥感识别,以15个规则的2 km×2 km的地面实测GPS(全球定位系统,global positioning system)样方进行了精度验证。考虑到大豆和花生2种作物的NDVI时间序列特征相似性较高,将这2种作物合并为一类进行分类,并命名为小宗作物。结果表明,冬小麦、夏玉米、春玉米、棉花和小宗作物等5类目标可以有效识别,分类总体精度达到90.9%,制图精度分别为94.7%、94.7%、82.4%、86.9%和81.2%,其他未分类类别精度为85.9%。利用中高分辨率遥感时间序列卫星影像,在大宗农作物时间序列的变化规律分析基础上,可以准确地提取大宗农作物种植面积,在农作物面积资源调查中具有较大的应用潜力。     

南亚热带主要果树冻(寒)害低温指标的确定

根据历史气候和冻(寒)害灾情资料、2007/2008、2008/2009年冬季盆栽移放试验和典型年考察资料,以及冻(寒)害形态学标准,采用数理统计和对比印证方法,对南亚热带主要果树冻(寒)害低温指标进行研究。确定了几种主要南亚热带果树的轻、中、重、严重冻(寒)害低温指标,结果分别为龙眼:-1.5～0℃、-2.5～-1.5℃、-3.5～-2.5℃、<-3.5℃;荔枝:-2.0～0℃、-3.0～-2.0℃、-4.0～-3.0℃、<-4.0℃;香蕉:3.0～5.0℃、1.0～3.0℃、-1.0～1.0℃、<-1.0℃。结果可为果树冻害监测预警及避冻区划提供参考。     

青海蔷薇科野生果树种质资源的研究

通过调查并结合有关文献和植物标本研究表明,青海省蔷薇科野生果树有60种（含2个变种、1个变型）,隶属于10属,占全省野生果树总数的53.6%。其中以蔷薇属（Rosa）和栒子属（Cotoneaster）最为丰富,分别有13种、12种,其次悬钩子属（Rubus）和李属（Prunus）分别有9种、8种,这4个属的种类占青海蔷薇科野生果树的70%;果实类型有梨果、聚合果、核果3种类型,其中梨果类、聚合果类占有较大比例,分别占总种数的45%和40%。青海省蔷薇科野生果树不少种类具有抗寒耐旱等特性,可作为砧木或抗性育种材料,一些种类果实营养较为丰富。青海蔷薇科野生果树主要分布于东部的黄河、湟水河及大通河流域,并划分为西倾山区、祁连山区和青南高原区3个分布区域,分析了各区的种类和分布情况;垂直分布在海拔1800~4000 m之间。另外,对几种重要野生果树资源进行了评价,并提出了开发利用的建议。     

Recent advances in molecular genetics of forest trees

The use of molecular markers has greatly enhanced our understanding of the genome structure of forest trees. Conifers, in particular, have a relatively large genome, containing a very high proportion of repeated DNA, consisting of tandemly repetitive and dispersed repetitive DNA sequences. The nature of highly conserved tandemly repetitive rRNA genes has been investigated in a number of tree species, and their sites mapped on specific chromosomes by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Different families of retrotransposons (IFG, and TPE1) have been isolated and characterized from the dispersed repetitive DNA of pines. Genome maps have been constructed in a number of forest tree genera: Pinus, Picea, Pseudotsuga, Cryptomeria, Taxus, Populus, and Eucalyptus. EST databases have been established from cDNA clones of pines and poplars. The structure and maternal or paternal modes of inheritance of organelle genomes have been investigated in forest trees. Comparative mapping in conifers has shown that gene families are conserved across genera. Due to lack of polyploidy in conifers, the evolution of this group of trees may have occurred primarily by duplication and dispersal of genes, probably by retrotranspositions, to form complex gene families. The evolution of angiosperm tree species has presumably involved both gene duplication as well as genome duplication (polyploidy). Application of genetic engineering has shown that genes from phylogenetically unrelated organisms can be introduced and expressed in trees, thus offering prospects of genetic improvement of forest trees. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.