Contamination of highly weathered urban soils in Uberlândia,Brazil

We determined heavy metal, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations in 18 topsoils of Uberlândia (420,000 inhabitants, Brazil) and in 3 rural topsoils. Concentrations of Al (11—124 g kg^—1) and Fe (13—109 g kg^—1) are large because of desilification. Concentrations of Cd (0.1—0.5 mg kg^—1), Cr (13—72), Cu (6—154), Mn (28—974), Ni (4—29), Pb (3—26), Zn (4—107), the sum of 20 PAHs (=Σ20PAHs:7—390 μg kg^—1), and the sum of 14 PCBs (=Σ14PCBs:0.05—1.25) are comparable to or below background concentrations in temperate soils except for Cu at two sites. More than 67% of the metals are strongly bound in Fe oxides and silicates; metals are more bioavailable in the urban than in the rural soils. The most abundant PAHs in the urban soils, on average, are naphthalene (19.0 ± 13.4% of Σ20PAHs) and the benzo(b+j+k)fluoranthenes (11.4 ± 6.7%); the most abundant PCBs are nos. 138 (23.3 ± 11.0% of Σ14PCBs) and 153 (14.3 ± 6.4%). The rural soils contain larger percentages of low molecular PAHs and up to tetra‒chlorinated PCBs than the urban soils. The different pollutant concentrations and patterns in the studied tropical compared with many temperate soils indicate different sources and fate.     

基于德劳内三角化和二分查找法的土地自动分配方法

为解决预分方案制定效率低的问题,该文提出一种基于德劳内三角化和二分查找法的地块分配算法。首先生成待分配地块的最小边界几何(minimum bounding geometry,MBG),对MBG进行三角剖分;其次在地块内通过累加三角形的面积执行查找,接近合同面积时采用二分查找法进行微调;最后遍历项目区内所有地块直至生成土地预分配方案。通过对算法进行编程实现,以试验区的土地整治项目为例对算法的可行性进行验证,并从分配效率、精度和形状指数3个方面对结果进行评价。结果表明:项目区内的地块划分仅需231 s,与仅用二分查找法相比,采用该文方法分割效率提高29.3%,精度提高28.2%,形状规则度提高18.2%;在减少农用道路占地面积的同时,分割后的地块具有良好的通达性。该方法可满足自动创建和动态调整土地分配方案的需求,为在一定约束条件下制定最优土地分配方案提供了技术支撑。     

干旱胁迫和施肥对巨能草生物量及 C、N、P积累与分配的影响

【目的】研究干旱胁迫和施肥对巨能草生物量及C、N、P积累与分配的影响,为巨能草栽培中的水肥管理提供理论依据。【方法】以巨能草为研究对象,采用盆栽试验,利用控水、控肥的试验方法,设计干旱(田间持水量的25%)和正常水分(田间持水量的75%)2个水分梯度以及低肥(复合肥施肥量为2g/盆)、中肥(复合肥施肥量为4g/盆)、高肥(复合肥施肥量为8g/盆)3个养分水平,进行完全随机组合试验,共计6个处理,研究不同处理下巨能草生物量及其分配比例,C、N、P积累与分配特征,N、P吸收和利用效率,以及C∶N、C∶P、N∶P的变化。【结果】在正常水分条件下,随着施肥量的增加,巨能草的地上、地下生物量和总生物量都显著增加;干旱胁迫后,巨能草地上和地下生物量的积累显著降低,施肥对巨能草的地上、地下生物量和总生物量也有显著影响。在正常水分条件下,施肥对巨能草地上和地下生物量的分配比例没有显著影响;在干旱条件下,除低肥处理外,中施肥量和高施肥量均能显著提高巨能草地下生物量的分配比例。施肥和干旱胁迫处理对C、N、P积累量及分配比例也有一定的影响,与正常水分条件相比,干旱胁迫后巨能草的C、N、P积累总量均降低。在正常水分条件下,尽管低肥处理的N、P吸收效率显著低于中、高肥处理,但其N、P利用效率却显著高于中、高肥处理;干旱条件下,不同施肥处理的N、P吸收效率和P利用效率并无显著差异,但N的利用效率随着施肥量的增加而降低。正常水分条件下,施肥处理对地上部分的C∶P、N∶P无显著影响,但高肥处理显著降低了地下部分的N∶P,中、高肥处理显著降低了地上部分的C∶N和地下部分的C∶P;干旱条件下,施肥处理对地上和地下部分的C∶P及N∶P的影响都不显著,但高肥处理显著降低了地上和地下部分的C∶N。【结论】干旱胁迫处理减少了巨能草的生物量及其对C、N、P的积累,影响了C、N、P的分配,施肥在一定程度上降低了干旱胁迫对植物生长的影响,在巨能草的施肥管理中,应更多地注重对N素的管理。     

The Distribution of Dragonfly Larvae in a South Carolina Stream: Relationships With Sediment Type,Body Size,and the Presence of Other Larvae

Dragonfly larvae were sampled in Little Creek, Greenville, SC. The distributions of five common species were described relative to sediment type, body size, and the presence of other larvae. In total, 337 quadrats (1 m by 0.5 m) were sampled by kick seine. For each quadrat, the substrate was classified as sand, sand-cobble mix, cobble, coarse, or rock, and water depth and distance from bank were measured. Larvae were identified to species, and the lengths of the body, head, and metafemur were measured. Species were distributed differently across sediment types: sanddragons, Progomphus obscurus (Rambur) (Odonata: Gomphidae), were common in sand; twin-spotted spiketails, Cordulegaster maculata Selys (Odonata: Cordulegastridae), preferred a sand-cobble mix; Maine snaketails, Ophiogomphus mainensis Packard (Odonata: Gomphidae), preferred cobble and coarse sediments; fawn darners, Boyeria vinosa (Say) (Odonata: Aeshnidae), preferred coarse sediments; and Eastern least clubtails, Stylogomphus albistylus (Hagen) (Odonata: Gomphidae), preferred coarse and rock sediments. P. obscurus and C. maculata co-occurred more frequently than expected by chance, as did O. mainensis, B. vinosa, and S. albistylus. Mean size varied among species, and species preferences contributed to differences in mean size across sediment types. There were significant negative associations among larval size classes: small larvae (<12 mm) occurred less frequently with large larvae (>15 mm) than expected by chance, and large larvae were alone in quadrats more frequently than other size classes. Species may select habitats at a large scale based on sediment type and their functional morphology, but small scale distributions are consistent with competitive displacement or intraguild predation.     

土壤含水量对刺槐光合能力和碳水化合物分配的影响

通过对盆栽的1年生刺槐（Robinia pseudoacacia）幼苗进行为期8周的适宜水分、中度和重度干旱3个土壤水分梯度(分别为田间持水量的(70±5)%、(50±5)%和(35±5)%)处理,研究不同土壤含水量对刺槐叶片光合能力及碳水化合物在不同器官中分配的影响。结果表明:1）随着土壤含水量减少,刺槐叶片的净光合速率及光合能力逐渐降低;2）叶、茎干和细根的生物量显著减少,粗根的生物量也表现出降低的趋势,但根苗比增大;3）叶片中可溶性糖含量保持不变,但淀粉含量显著减少,同时,茎干、粗根和细根中可溶性糖和淀粉含量均升高;4）可溶性糖和淀粉的总量在叶片和茎干中显著减少,在粗根和细根中也表现出下降的趋势。说明在干旱条件下,刺槐光合能力降低,有限的碳水化合物优先分配给非光合器官,特别是根系,引起根苗比的增大。     

The influence of water stress on biomass and N accumulation, N partitioning between above and below ground parts and on N rhizodeposition during reproductive growth of pea (Pisum sativum L.)

In the next few years, grain legumes should be used as a mean of N acquisition in cropping systems due to the depletion of non-renewable sources of energy. However, this requires improvements in the accuracy with which biological N₂ fixation, N balances and the N benefit for following crops are estimated. Moreover, grain legume crops are largely influenced by water stress while the world area exposed to drought periods may increase in the coming years due to global warming. This work aims to quantify biomass and N accumulation, N partitioning between above and below ground parts and N rhizodeposition by a pea (Pisum sativum L.) when influenced by water stress. In a controlled environment, pea plants were exposed to a severe drought or not stressed, either at flowering or during pod filling. N rhizodeposition was measured using the split root method and plants were harvested at the end of flowering (59 days after sowing, DAS 59), at the end of the drought period applied during pod filling (DAS 74) and at maturity (DAS 101). Water stress strongly affected pea dry weight and N accumulation. In both stressed treatments, nodule biomass and N content were reduced by about 65% in the absence of stress. Regardless of the treatment, total below ground plant N (root N + N rhizodeposition; BGN) and N rhizodeposition were correlated with total plant N content and the proportion of BGN to total plant N was similar among treatments at each sampling date. At DAS 59 and 74, the N contained in rhizodeposits represented around 30% of the total BGN and increased to around 60% at maturity though BGN decreased from around 20 to 13% of the total plant N between DAS 74 and maturity. The results suggest that water stress has no specific effect on N partitioning between above and below ground parts.     

Lichen diversity in temperate montane forests is influenced by forest structure more than climate

Although the effect of forest management on lichens in temperate forests has been widely examined, little is known about the influence of management-related factors on their biodiversity relative to factors that cannot be altered by management. Here we determined whether forest structure or climate determines lichen diversity in the Bavarian Forest National Park in southeastern Germany, taking spatial variables into account. We investigated 517 single tree stems along 4 transects in 113 pre-stratified plots (8 m in diameter) in this montane forest. We grouped environmental variables into three sets: climate (macroclimate, non-manageable), forest structure (manageable), and space. The explanatory powers of these sets of variables for lichen diversity were compared using variance partitioning for the lichen community, species density, and threatened species density. The relationships of single characteristics of forest structure with lichen species diversity were analyzed using generalized linear models (GLM). Lichen diversity was better explained by stand structures than by climate. Spatial effects influenced the number of species per plot. Among the structural features, the availability of dead wood and sycamore maple as well as forest continuity were most important for the enhancement of lichen diversity. Open canopy structures affected the total diversity positively. Although the availability of large trees was not an influential factor in the GLM at the plot level, high diversity levels were generally associated with large stem diameters at the level of single stems. We provide recommendations for sustainable forest-management practices that aim at specifically enhancing lichen diversity in temperate areas experiencing low levels of air pollution.     

Habitat differentiation between sei (Balaenoptera borealis) and Bryde's whales (B. brydei) in the western North Pacific

Two closely related baleen whale species, sei and Bryde's whales, in the western North Pacific were studied to identify differences in habitat use. Data were obtained from May to August 2004 and 2005. This study examined the relationship between oceanographic features derived from satellite data and the distribution of sei and Bryde's whales using basic statistics. We investigated oceanographic features including sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface chlorophyll a (Chl‐a), sea surface height anomalies (SSHAs), and depth of the habitat. These two whale species used habitats with different SST, Chl‐a, and SSHA ranges. The 0.25 mg m^?3 Chl‐a contour (similar to the definition of the Transition Zone Chlorophyll Front) was a good indicator that separated the habitats of sei and Bryde's whales. Then generalized linear models were used to model the probabilities that the whale species would be present in a habitat and to estimate their habitat distribution throughout the study area as a function of environmental variables. The potential habitats of the two species were clearly divided, and the boundary moved north with seasonal progression. The habitat partitioning results indicated that SST contributed to the patterns of habitat‐use and might reflect differences in prey species between the two whales. This study showed that the habitats of the sei and Bryde's whales were clearly divided and their potential habitat‐use changed seasonally.     

Influence of staggered sown Spring sunflower (Helianthus Annuus L.) at varying intra–row spacing and applied–N on pre– and post–anthesis N dynamics and dry matter partitioning in Indo–Gangetic Plains Region

In current study, dry–matter accumulation (DMA), pre– and post–anthesis nitrogen (N) accumulation, N translocation (NT) and dry–matter partitioning by sunflower seeds was investigated under three sowing dates (January 20, February 10 & March 2), two intra–row spacings (30 & 24 cm) and four nitrogen doses (0, 45, 60 & 75 kg ha^–1) in two alluvial soils. Early sowing resulted in higher DMA and NT; leading to higher nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) that could be associated with higher pre–anthesis N accumulation. The closer intra–row spacing resulted in higher DMA by all plant parts except seed. Each graded N dose improved DMA, but improvement in dry–matter partitioning to seed was significant up to 60 and 75 kg N ha^–1 during 2014 and 2015, respectively owing to higher NT under respective treatments. NUE was highest at 60 kg N ha^–1 during both years.     

Organ-specific allocation pattern of acquired phosphorus and dry matter in two rice genotypes with contrasting tolerance to phosphorus deficiency

ABSTRACT

Our earlier study demonstrated that the landrace of Japonica rice, Akamai exhibits low-P (phosphorous) tolerance mechanisms compared to the conventional type cultivar, Koshihikari. The present study examined the genotypic difference of yield, plasticity of root growth, and internal utilization of acquired P (allocation pattern of biomass and P among different vegetative and reproductive organs) of two contrasting cultivars in response to P-deficiency. Each cultivar was grown until maturity with (+P) and without (–P) P supply in pots (two plants per pot) filled with 15 kg of Regosol soil. Grain yield and yield components were determined along with biomass and P accumulation in different vegetative and reproductive organs. To assess the plasticity of root growth, the soil column in the pot was divided into two equal portions (upper and lower soil layers) in which the root dry weight and length were measured separately. Among the investigated yield components, the number of filled grains per panicle was the key parameter determining genotypic differences of grain yield of two cultivars. P-deficiency had a marked influence on grain filling of Koshihikari where the filled grain percentage under –P condition was reduced by 29% compared to that under +P condition. However, the respective reduction for Akamai was only 11%. Low-P tolerance ability of Akamai imparts a yield advantage over Koshihikari under P-deficient conditions because of the production of the higher number of filled grains per panicle. Akamai explored both upper and lower soil layers of the pot more efficiently in search of P through greater root biomass and length. Akamai grown under P-deficient conditions had remarkably lower P concentrations in less active vegetative tissues (partly and fully senesced leaves) than those of Koshihikari; whereas, more active organs (green leaves and panicles) contained a greater amount of P. Akamai’s higher plasticity to external P availability can be a genetic resource for developing low-P tolerant, high-yielding rice genotypes suitable for predicted future P-limited environments.