Progress in mapping agronomic genes in apple (The European Apple Genome Mapping Project)

Summary The progress of the European Apple Genome Mapping Project is described. Populations segregating for a range of agronomic genes have been established in six European countries. The need for robust methods of analysis has been identified, especially with regard to the development of molecular markers. Isozyme systems, RAPDs, RFLPs and amplified genes are being used to construct a reference genetic linkage map. Standardisation and precise definition of both genotypic and phenotypic measurements has been recognised as being essential for future exploitation of genetic markers in apple breeding. Phenotypic measurements are being replicated in different geographical locations over several years. Statistical and genetic analyses are aimed at defining components of genetic variation which account for ‘genes’, as defined by apple breeders. A relational database is being constructed which will combine disparate sources of data relating to the genetics of apple. Comparative mapping has been identified as an efficient means of expanding genetic knowledge within and between Rosaceae genomes.     

An Expert System for the Diagnose of peripheral Nerovus Conduction

To promote automation of diagnoses for the pherpheral nervous conduction,byartificial in telligence technique,an expert system of diagnose is formed. This expert system is madefrom the experiences of the soecialists in the field,which constitute the rcasoning rules and k nowl-edge-based of the system,and the database managemnt system.The tests show that the efficiencyand correctness are obviously improved.     

陕西省延川县孙家塬经济林土壤水分和水分平衡

对陕西省延川县孙家塬枣树林和苹果林4m深度土层水分的变化进行了研究,并对土壤水分有效性、土壤干层及其水循环等方面进行了分析。结果表明,枣树林地含水量平均为10.6%,还有4.5%的土壤水资源可以利用。苹果林地4m深度范围内平均含水量为7.4%,2.0—4.0m深度范围内土壤水资源基本耗尽。苹果林地土壤含水量自上向下呈现高—低—高分层变化特点,枣树林地土壤水分剖面垂向分层不明显。枣树林地和苹果林地土壤水分基本都呈难效水状态,但枣树林土壤水分接近中效水,土壤水分对苹果林生长具有严重的抑制作用,对枣树林的生长基本没有抑制作用。枣树林地2.0—4.0m深度范围仅有轻度干层发育,苹果林地土层2.0—4.0m深度范围有轻度干层、中度干层和重度干层发育。苹果林地和枣树林地土壤干层切断了深层水分与上层的联系。水循环主要表现为地表水循环,基本不存在地下水循环,形成了土壤—植物—大气的水分循环模式,属于异常水分循环类型。干层长期发展会导致该区地下水位的持续下降和地下水资源减少。该区土壤水分条件更适于发展枣树经济林。     

青海大通退耕还林工程区的林木耗水特性

 为了给退耕还林工程建设的树种选择提供依据,2002—2003年,通过实地观测并应用PenmanMonteith方程和定位通量法,对青海大通黄土高寒区自20世纪80年代陆续退耕还林后营造的青海云杉、紫果云杉、华北落叶松、白桦、青杨和沙棘进行了林木耗水特性研究。结果表明:2种方法测算林地蒸散的月平均相对误差是57%。中龄林的青杨沙棘混交林、白桦纯林、青杨灌木混交林和白桦青海云杉沙棘混交林的生长季蒸散总量为488～538mm,其中蒸腾量占蒸散总量的74%～79%,林地土面蒸发总量占蒸散总量的10%～12%,林地无地表径流产生;处于幼龄生长阶段的紫果云杉、青杨、华北落叶松、青海云杉混交林生长季蒸散总量为450～510mm,其中蒸腾总量占蒸散总量的45%～69%,林地土面蒸发总量占蒸散总量的16%～44%,地表径流量占林地降水量的1%～6%。大部分林分6—8月的蒸腾耗水量占全年的80%。     

不同样本尺度和分区方案的粮食产量空间化及误差修正

粮食产量数据空间化有助于粮食产量数据与其他自然、人文数据进行综合分析,但空间化过程中必然会产生误差。该文按照3种分区方案(全国不分区、全国分为7个区以及按省分区),选择3种尺度上(县级、地市级和公里网格)的总产及平均产量数据(即4种样本:县级粮食总产、县级平均粮食产量、地市级粮食总产、地市级平均粮食产量)分别为因变量,以对应的3种农田类型(水田、水浇地、旱地)面积数据为自变量,利用多元线性回归分析方法,得到15种空间化模型。采用两阶段误差分析方法,选取2个模型误差评价因子和5个空间化结果误差评价因子,对模型和空间化结果进行误差分析。结果表明:1)空间化过程中,模型精度与空间化结果的精度存在不一致性;2)对于采用同一样本的模型(常数项为0)而言,空间化结果精度随着分区方案的细化先提高再降低,而对于采用同一样本的模型(常数项非0)而言,空间化结果精度随着分区方案的细化而降低;3)在全国不分区和分为7个区2种情况下,空间化结果精度随着分析样本尺度的细化(从地市级到县级再到公里网格)先提高后降低。根据上述分析结果,最终以县级粮食总产为样本、常数项为0、全国分7个区建模的方案实现全国粮食产量数据空间化,并通过修正,得到2005年中国粮食产量公里网格分布图。该研究弥补了粮食产量空间化误差分析的不足,探寻了不同样本尺度和分区方案与空间化误差的关系,提高了空间化精度,同时对其他类型的社会经济统计数据空间化研究具有一定的参考价值。     

Phosphorus Fertility Assessment of Intensively Farmed Areas of Catchments Draining to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area; 1: Soil Phosphorus Status

Abstract

Australia's reef water quality protection plan has a key objective: “reduce the load of pollutants from diffuse sources in the water entering the Reef.” This article reports on a survey to assess the contemporary phosphorus (P) status of fertilized cropping soils across 21 catchments in coastal Queensland, Australia. The survey focused on surface soils from cane farms, vegetable and subtropical/tropical fruit tree sites. There were sampling depth effects on P levels in sugar and fruit tree sites (lower with depth). Importantly, 84% of 105 sugarcane sites were excessively fertile and only 3% rated low (P deficient). Some 75% of 16 vegetable sites and 38% of 8 fruit tree sites had excess ratings for extractable soil P fertility. Highest total P levels (0–10 cm) occurred in fruit tree sites, followed by vegetable and sugarcane soils. There are regional differences in P soil fertility, and the recycling of mill by‐products needs attention. Part 2 (Bloesch and Rayment 2006 Bloesch, P. M. and Rayment, G. E. 2006. “Phosphorus fertility assessment of intensively farmed areas of catchments draining to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, 2: Potential of soils to release soluble phosphorus”. In Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 37 [Google Scholar]) examines the potential of these soils to release soluble P in a nutrient‐sensitive area.     

Multi-scale factors affecting bird use of isolated remnant oak trees in agro-ecosystems

With recent emphasis on sustainable agriculture, conservation of native biota within agricultural systems has become a priority. Remnant trees have been hypothesized to increase biological diversity in agro-ecosystems. We investigated how remnant Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) trees contribute to conserving bird diversity in the agro-ecosystem of the Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA. We compared bird use of isolated oak trees in three landscape contexts - croplands, pastures, and oak savanna reserves - and ranked the relative importance of four factors thought to influence bird use of individual trees: (i) tree architecture; (ii) tree isolation; (iii) tree cover in the surrounding landscape; and (iv) landscape context, defined as the surrounding land use. We evaluated species-specific responses and four community-level responses: (i) total species richness; (ii) richness of oak savanna-associates; (iii) tree forager richness; and (iv) aerial and ground forager richness. We documented 47 species using remnant oaks, including 16 species typically occurring in oak savanna. Surprisingly, landscape context was unimportant in predicting frequency of use of individual trees. Tree architecture, in particular tree size, and tree cover in the surrounding landscape were the best predictors of bird use of remnant trees. Our findings demonstrate that individual remnant trees contribute to landscape-level conservation of bird diversity, acting as keystone habitat structures by providing critical resources for species that could not persist in otherwise treeless agricultural fields. Because remnant trees are rarely retained in contemporary agricultural landscapes in the United States, retention of existing trees and recruitment of replacement trees will contribute to regional conservation goals.     

Soil bacterial community responses to cadmium and lead stabilization during ecological restoration of an abandoned mine

Ecological restoration refers to the gradual recovery of damaged ecosystems by utilizing their self-recovery capacity and artificial measures. It is considered as an effective technique to alleviate heavy metal pollution in open-pit mining soils. However, little is known about the stability of heavy metals and soil bacterial responses in artificially restored soil-plant systems. In this study, different vegetation restoration strategies were established in the Dabaoshan mining area, China, and the accumulation and transfer of Cd/Pb in the soil-plant system and the responses of the soil bacterial community were investigated. Results showed that ecological restoration with a combination of trees, shrubs and grasses/herbs could increase soil cation-exchange capacity and organic matter content, but not soil pH. The mixture of trees, shrubs and grasses/herbs was most effective for reducing the available Pb content to 33.7% of the content in the control, and the mixture of trees and grasses/herbs was beneficial in reducing Cd to 60.4% of the content in the control. Data showed that ecological restoration could change the quantity, composition and community structure of soil microorganisms. The soils in which a mixture of trees, shrubs and grasses/herbs were grown had the greatest abundance and diversity of bacteria; the abundances of Proteobacteria increased by 12% and Actinobacteria by 5% from those of the control. Plant coverage, soil available Cd content, and organic matter emerged as major determinants of bacterial community composition. This study demonstrates a promising remediation strategy for limiting Cd/Pb mobility in mining areas.