Effect of desert plant ecophysiological adaptation on soil nematode communities

Nutrient source limitation in desert ecosystems enhances competition among plant communities, leading to creation of microhabitats beneath the shrubs that can determine composition and abundance of soil organisms. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of plant ecophysiological adaptation on soil nematode communities in the rhizosphere of tightly interweaving shrubby communities. Soil samples were collected monthly under the canopies of three perennial desert shrubs: Artemesia herba-alba, possessing the allelopathic ability to dominate in relationships with other plants; Reaumuria negevensis, a salt-resistant plant; and Noea mucronata, a typical dry desert shrub. An inter-plant area was used as a control. The results demonstrated that soil water content (SWC) and total organic carbon (C_org) were significantly different under different plants and inter-plant areas, with the highest values found under R. negevensis (SWC) and N. mucronata and R. negevensis (C_org). Plant parasite and omnivore-predator nematodes were more sensitive to the ecophysiological individual features of observed plants versus the total number of nematodes and bacteria- and fungi-feeding nematodes. Generally accepted ecological indices such as Wasilewska (WI), trophic diversity (T), maturity (MI, MMI), basal (BI), enrichment (EI), structure (SI), and channel (CI), pointed to specific ecological conditions under canopies of the observed plants.     

Artificial neural network modeling of microbial community structures in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil

Microbial communities vary across the landscape in forest soils, but prediction of their biomass and composition is a difficult challenge due to the large numbers of variables that influence their community structures. Here we examine the use of artificial neural network (ANN) models for extraction of patterns among soil chemical variables and microbial community structures in forest soils from three regions of the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. At each location, variations in soil chemical properties and FAME profiles of microbial community structures were mapped at 20 × 20 m intervals within 10 ha parcels. Geostatistical analyses showed that spatial variability in soil physical and chemical variables could be mapped at scale distances of 20 m, but that FAME profiles representing the microbial communities were highly variable and had no spatial dependence at the same scale in most cases. RDA analysis showed that FAME signatures representing different microbial groups were positively associated with soil pH, OM, P and base cations concentrations, whereas microbial biomass was negatively associated with the same environmental factors. In contrast, ANN models revealed clear relationships between microbial community structures at each parcel location, and generated verifiable predictions of variations in FAME profiles in relation to soil pH, texture, and the relative abundances of base cations. The results suggest that ANN modeling provides a useful approach for describing the relationships between microbial community structures and soil properties in tropical forest soils that were not able to be captured using geostatistical and RDA analyses.     

Management and restoration of fish communities in Lake Taihu, China

The economic development of the cities around Lake Taihu, China, has caused both environmental changes and ecological succession. The biodiversity of Lake Taihu has declined since 1970. Migratory fish, including anadromous, catadromous and semi-migratory fish, are either extinct or on the verge of extinction in Lake Taihu. Only lake dwellers persist. Several measures have been taken, such as restocking, closed seasons, sanctuaries for enhancement and even introductions to restore some original fish communities. Although these measures have achieved a certain degree of success, increased fishing activities or over-fishing have offset the benefits obtained. Moreover, cultural eutrophication of the lake and the pollution of the waterways connected with the lake are getting worse. This jeopardizes the remaining economically valuable species in the lake. Measures are required not only to control eutrophication and pollution, and to reduce the intensity of fishing, but also to address the wider biodiversity issues.     

Preliminary assessment of shallow water fish in three small intermittently open estuaries in southeastern Australia

Abstract Small and juvenile fish from three intermittently open estuaries in south-eastern Australia were sampled with a seine net to investigate species richness and the effect of estuary openings on assemblages. A total of 7285 fish were captured, representing 29 species. The most numerous fish were hardyhead, Atherinosoma microstoma Günther, flathead gudgeon, Philypnodon grandiceps Krefft, and non-native mosquito fish, Gambusia holbrooki Girard. Economic species included sand whiting, Sillago ciliata Cuvier, and sand mullet, Myxus elongatus Günther. Significant differences in the numbers of species and the numbers of individuals were found between estuaries, but were not observed for individual estuaries before and after opening. However, fish assemblages changed after opening, with several species recruiting from the ocean. Small, intermittently open estuaries present a complex management problem. These waterbodies are easily degraded in terms of water quality and sedimentation, and are often opened mechanically as a result of flooding or health concerns. The importance of these areas as fish habitats and the recorded changes in fish assemblages after opening suggest that careful management is required, including improved assessment of the impact of entrance manipulation.     

分水江水库鱼类群落结构多样性研究

2008年11月至2009年10月对分水江水库鱼类资源进行了调查,共调查8船次,统计渔获物142.48kg,测量鱼类标本1304尾,经鉴定共发现鱼类36种,隶属5目、8科、31属;其中,鲤形目26种,占总数的72.2%;鲈形目和鲶形目各4种,分别占总数的11.1%;鳗鲡目和合鳃目各1种,分别占总数的2.8%。群落优势度分析发现,优势种有5种,优势度变化范围0.38～0.61。多样性指数分析表明,鱼类种群丰富度指数(D)值为1.14～5.42,Shannon-Wiener多样度指数(H’)为0.69～2.60,种类均匀度指数(J’)为0.31～1.21。鱼类群落的季节差异性较高,种类变化波动以夏季最大。     

循环水养殖系统生物滤池细菌群落的PCR-DGGE分析

通过模拟实验对循环水养殖系统中不同初始NH ₄N浓度的生物滤池中生物膜上和水中的细菌数量及群落种类组成进行了研究。对成熟生物膜及水体样品中的异养菌、氨氧化菌、亚硝酸盐氧化菌的培养计数结果表明,随着生物滤池初始氨氮浓度增大,除异养细菌数量逐渐下降外,生物膜上的氨氧化菌和亚硝酸盐氧化菌数量呈逐渐增加趋势,且均高出水样3~4个数量级;同时对上述样品的16S rRNA基因片段的PCR扩增产物进行变性梯度凝胶电泳(DGGE)分析及其序列同源性分析的结果表明,生物膜和水中都有较高的细菌多样性,同一初始氨氮浓度的滤池中生物膜上的细菌多样性高于水中的。生物滤池中的细菌主要由拟杆菌门的黄杆菌纲和变形菌门的α-、β-、γ-变形菌纲的15种细菌组成。生物膜上的优势菌包括奥雷氏菌属、湖饲养者菌属、泥滩杆菌属、沉积杆菌属、雷辛格氏菌属、冷蛇形菌属和亚硝化单胞菌属等;水体中的优势菌则有明显差异,主要有蛋黄色杆菌属、Nautella,玫瑰杆菌属和一种硫氧化菌等。初始氨氮越高的滤池中,亚硝化单胞菌属的细菌在生物膜上所占比例越高,逐渐成为优势菌之一。实验证实,挂膜初期,提高水体中初始氨氮浓度,有利于硝化细菌的富集和固着,提高生物滤池的除氮效率。     

药山自然保护区与周边社区和谐发展研究

于1984年批准建立的省级药山自然保护区总面积20225hm^2,属森林生态类型的自然保护区。为探索保护区与周边社区和谐发展的模式,从2003年8月～2004年10月进行了各种调查。介绍了自然保护区建立以来取得的主要成绩、存在的问题,提出了对策建议。     

Environmental impact of razor clam harvesting using salt in Ria Formosa lagoon (Southern Portugal) and subsequent recovery of associated benthic communities

• 1. Razor clams are found in different habitats ranging from sheltered systems (e.g. lagoons and estuaries) to open coasts. They are distributed worldwide and comprise a small number of species of high economic value. Depending on the specific habitat and species exploited, different mechanical and hand‐harvesting techniques are employed. While the environmental effects resulting from mechanized methods have been described by several authors, the impacts caused by traditional hand‐harvesting methods remain unknown. Therefore, a study was undertaken in Ria Formosa lagoon (South of Portugal) addressing the environmental effects resulting from harvesting Solen marginatus with salt.
• 2. No significant impact on the sediment was found; the main effect was an increase in salinity after covering the area with salt, which decreased rapidly with the flood tide and after a few hours had returned to pre‐harvesting levels.
• 3. No effects on benthic communities were observed, with similar fluctuation patterns recorded in control and experimental areas, the observed differences being attributed to the natural variability of benthic populations.
• 4. Based on the results obtained in the present study, a razor clam fishery using salt in intertidal areas can be considered environmentally ‘friendly’.

Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

复合木霉制剂防治黄连根腐病及其机理研究

为评价复合木霉制剂对黄连根腐病的防治效果, 并揭示其防病机理, 为黄连根腐病专用微生物农药的研发奠定基础, 本试验将深绿木霉Trichoderma atroviride、长枝木霉T. longibrachiatum、钩状木霉T. hamatum、拟康宁木霉T. koningiopsis等4种木霉配制的复合制剂和尖镰孢Fusarium oxysporum以不同的方式分别施用于黄连, 统计根腐病发生情况, 检测黄连根部防御酶活性, 用高通量测序分析根际土壤真菌群落结构。结果表明, 复合木霉制剂对尖镰孢导致的根腐病具有明显预防效果;复合木霉制剂和尖镰孢分别接种黄连可提高SOD、POD、CAT、PAL、PPO等防御性酶活性, 产生诱导抗性;而它们先后接种黄连可产生强化效应, 从另一个途径提高植株抗病性。复合木霉制剂和尖镰孢都会降低真菌的数量、多样性, 和某些真菌的相对丰度, 而复合木霉制剂的抑菌作用更强烈, 尤其能明显抑制尖镰孢、Ilyonectria sp.等病原真菌的生长, 且能改善土壤真菌群落结构。木霉和尖镰孢都能在土壤中较长期定殖。可见, 复合木霉制剂可以预防尖镰孢导致的黄连根腐病, 防病机理包括诱导黄连植株产生抗性, 接种后再遭受病原菌侵染产生的强化效应, 优化土壤真菌群落结构, 抑制土壤中病原菌等, 且有效期较长。因此复合木霉制剂具有开发为微生物农药防治黄连根腐病的潜力。