Does sand content in spawning substrate result in early larval emergence? Evidence from a lithophilic cyprinid fish

The spawning success of lithophilic salmonids is strongly influenced by the fine sediment content (“fines”) of spawning substrates, yet knowledge on the impacts of fines on the spawning of non‐salmonid lithophiles remains limited, despite their ecological and socio‐economic importance in European rivers. Consequently, the aim here was to use an ex‐situ experiment to investigate the impact of sand content on egg survival and timing of larval emergence of the surface‐spawning cyprinid European barbel Barbus barbus. Thirty incubator boxes within a recirculating system were filled with one of five experimental sediment mixtures (0%–40% sand by mass) that each contained 300 fertilised eggs at a depth of 50 mm. Emerged, free‐swimming larvae were captured and counted daily to assess grain‐size effects on larval survival and emergence. Specifically, total proportion of emerged larvae, cumulative daily proportion of emerged larvae and time required to reach 50% emergence were measured during the study. Whilst the proportion of sand in the sediments did not have a significant impact on egg‐to‐emergence survival (mean survival per treatment 75%–79%), it significantly affected the timing of larval emergence to the water column; early emergence was detected in treatments with elevated sand content (on average, 50% emergence after 12–13 days versus 19 days in the control). Similar to findings from salmonid studies, these results suggest high sand content in spawning gravels can influence timing of larval emergence and potentially cyprinid lithophilic fish survival.     

Reduction in cadmium accumulation in japonica rice grains by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing of OsNRAMP5

Cadmium (Cd) intake is harmful to human health and Cd contamination in rice grains represents a severe threat to those consuming rice as a staple food. Knockout of Cd transporters is a promising strategy to reduce Cd accumulation in rice grains. OsNRAMP5 is the major transporter for Cd and manganese (Mn) uptake in rice. Nevertheless, it is uncertain whether knockout of OsNRAMP5 is applicable to produce low Cd rice without affecting plant growth and grain yield. In this study, we adopted CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing technology to knock out OsNRAMP5 in two japonica varieties. We generated three independent transgene-free osnramp5 mutants and investigated the effect of osnramp5 mutations on Cd accumulation and plant growth. Hydroponic experiments showed that plant growth and chlorophyll content were significantly reduced in osnramp5 mutants at low Mn conditions, and this defective growth in the mutants could be fully rescued by supply of high levels of Mn. Cd and Mn accumulation in both roots and shoots was markedly reduced in the mutants compared to that in wild-type plants. In paddy field experiments, although Cd in flag leaves and grains was greatly reduced in osnramp5 mutants, some agronomic traits including plant height, seed setting rate, and grain number per panicle were affected in the mutants, which ultimately caused a mild reduction in grain yield. The reduced plant growth in the mutants can be attributed to a marked decrease in Mn accumulation. Our results reveal that the manipulation of OsNRAMP5 should be treated with caution: When assessing the applicability of osnramp5 mutants, soil pH and soil water content in paddy fields need to be taken into consideration, since they might affect the levels of available Mn in the soil and consequently determine the effect of the mutation on grain yield.     

Indicators and trade-offs of ecosystem services in agricultural soils along a landscape heterogeneity gradient

Soil functions can be classified as supporting (nutrient cycling) and provisioning (crop production) ecosystem services (ES). These services consist of multiple and dynamic functions and are typically assessed using indicators, e.g. microbial biomass as an indicator of supporting services. Agricultural intensification negatively affects indicators of soil functions and is therefore considered to deplete soil ES. It has been suggested that incorporating leys into crop rotations can enhance soil ES. We examined this by comparing indicators of supporting soil services – organic carbon, nitrogen, water holding capacity and available phosphorous (carbon storage and nutrient retention); net nitrogen mineralisation rate and microbial biomass (nutrient cycling and retention) – in barley fields, leys and permanent pastures along a landscape heterogeneity gradient (100, 500 and 1000 m radii). In addition, barley yields (provisioning service) were analysed against these indicators to identify trade-offs among soil services. Levels of most indicators did not differ between barley and ley fields and were consistently lower than in permanent pastures. Leys supported greater microbial biomass than barley fields. Landscape heterogeneity had no effect on the indicators or microbial community composition. However, landscape heterogeneity correlated negatively with yield and soil pH, suggesting that soils in heterogeneous landscapes are less fertile and therefore have lower yields. No trade-offs were found between increasing barley yield and the soil indicators. The results suggest that soil ES are determined at the field level, with little influence from the surrounding landscape, and that greater crop yields do not necessarily come at the expense of supporting soil services.     

微波辐射法竹浆纤维素的中性TEMPO氧化及表征

采用微波辐射法和中性2,2,6,6-四甲基哌啶-1-氧化物(TEMPO)自由基氧化工艺来预处理竹浆纤维素,之后用超声波机械处理制备微纤化纤维素。实验结果表明,在60℃下,TEMPO用量为0.15 mmol/g(以绝干浆计,下同),Na Cl O2用量为10 mmol/g,Na Cl O用量为1 mmol/g,微波氧化2 h,其羧基含量最高到达0.729 mmol/g,氧化效果最佳,超声波处理后微纤化纤维素得率高达85.7%。FT-IR分析表明纤维素氧化后引入羧基官能团;XRD结果揭示纤维素氧化反应只发生在纤维素的无定型区或结晶区表面;纤维素氧化前后的聚合度(Dp)结果表明相对于碱性氧化,微波辐射和中性TEMPO氧化对纤维的降解程度低,从而有效地保持了纤维素原本的长度。     

Can differences in 15N natural abundance be used to quantify the transfer of nitrogen from legumes to neighbouring non-legume plant species?

Natural variations in the stable isotope ¹⁵N are often exploited in studies of N cycling in ecosystems. Lower ¹⁵N natural abundance in non-legume plants growing in association with legumes, compared with the non-legume grown alone in pure stands have been observed in cropping, forage, and agroforestry systems. Such observations have frequently been attributed to the transfer of biologically-fixed nitrogen (N) from the legume to the companion non-legume, and various methodologies have been employed to calculate the extent of the N transfer. While some of these ¹⁵N natural abundance-based estimates of N transfer were within the range previously reported using equivalent ¹⁵N-enriched techniques (<20% of non-legume plant N and <10 kg N ha⁻¹ derived from fixed N contributed by neighbouring legumes), many of the values obtained using natural abundance were much higher (30%–83% of the non-legume N derived from fixed N representing up to 30–40 kg N ha⁻¹) than generally measured by ¹⁵N-enriched methods; with even greater estimates being determined where data were available to allow N transfer to be re-calculated on the basis of total legume N rather than fixed N (42% to >100%, and up to 110 kg N ha⁻¹ per year). This review raises concerns about the assumptions behind the natural abundance approach, and provides some alternative interpretations for the observed differences in natural ¹⁵N abundance between plants grown in the presence and absence of legumes. It was concluded that simple comparative measures of non-legume δ¹⁵N alone cannot provide a quantitative estimate of N transfer between plant species if the dominant source and the isotopic identity of the transferred N cannot be validated, and if the extent of any isotopic fractionation associated with relevant N transformations occurring during transfer cannot be defined. To date this information is not forthcoming. There is a need to greatly improve our understanding of the transfer processes before the real value of the δ¹⁵N technology can be realized. In the first instance this will primarily be achieved by carefully executed experiments under controlled conditions, and in the field, employing both ¹⁵N natural abundance and enrichment approaches so estimates of transfer can be compared, and the data interrogated using modelling approaches to explore isotopic fractionation.     

Cross‐linked polyacrylates in post‐mining substrates: persistence and effects on plant growth

Application of hydrophilic polymers composed of cross‐linked polyacrylate can improve soil water‐holding capacity and accelerate the restoration of post‐mining substrates. In this work, we studied the persistence of a polyacrylate polymer incorporated into a soil and its impact on plant nutrients at a reclamation site of former lignite mining in Lusatia (Germany). In contrast to autumn application, the incorporation of the polymer enhanced the sequestration of plant‐derived carbon in the soil, which was reflected by a significant increase in the concentration of a lignin marker. Attenuated total reflexion–Fourier transform infrared spectra (ATR‐FTIR) and total elemental contents in the applied polymer suggested an intensive cation exchange between the polymer framework and the soil‐forming substrate. In addition, there was an enrichment of carbonaceous material, which seems to reduce the swelling and thus the water‐holding capacity of the cross‐linked polyacrylate. Conversely, this process protected the polymer structure from rapid decomposition.     

云南传统水稻品种W axy基因多样性形成和维持机制初探

本研究针对W axy基因第四外显子和第五外显子的3个功能位点开发了新的AS-PCR标记，完善了W axy基因的分子标记体系，为更精确的鉴定和筛选目标W axy等位基因提供了工具。直链淀粉含量测定和AS-PCR分析结果显示，云南传统水稻品种具有极为丰富的W axy基因多样性和直链淀粉含量变异，308个传统品种中共检测到65种不同的W axy单倍型，直链淀粉含量变幅为0~48%。In1、E6、E10和E4op/hp这4个位点的碱基频率在四大稻区间存在显著差异，E2位点和In1位点的碱基频率在不同民族间存在显著差异，表明不同稻作区、不同民族对水稻直链淀粉含量和W axy基因有着多样化的选择。同时民族混居地区E2和In1位点的碱基频率不同于其相应的民族独居地区，说明不同民族混居也会产生对W axy基因不同的选择并增加W axy基因的多样性。多样化的选择和民族混居是云南传统水稻品种W axy基因多样性形成和维持的重要机制。在云南四大稻作区中，南部边缘水陆稻区的W axy单倍型最为丰富，共检测到50种单倍型，占总数的77%，这一区域应被设为云南传统稻种资源的保护优先区和核心区。     

局地尺度高寒草原土壤真菌多样性对地上植物多样性与生产力关系的调控作用

为研究局地尺度高寒草原土壤真菌多样性对地上植物多样性与生产力关系的调控作用，本研究以青海省湟源县局地尺度高寒草原为研究对象，对不同植物多样性梯度的地上生产力、土壤理化性状和土壤真菌多样性等指标进行调查、采样和分析。通过偏回归分析（partial least squares regression，PLSR）、方差分解分析（variance partitioning analysis，VPA）、构建结构方程模型（structural equation model，SEM）等分析手段，分析了土壤真菌多样性对地上植物多样性与生产力关系的调控作用。结果表明，高寒草原植物多样性与地上生产力存在显著线性正相关关系；土壤真菌多样性分别与植物多样性和地上生产力呈显著正相关关系；通过PLSR，VPA，SEM等方法控制土壤非生物因子效应后，真菌多样性与二者的显著正相关关系仍存在。综上所述，局地尺度下青海省湟源县高寒草原土壤真菌多样性是调控地上植物多样性与生产力正向关系的关键生物因子。     

Physicochemical characterization and in-vitro digestibility of extruded rice noodles with different amylose contents based on rheological approaches

The physicochemical properties and in-vitro digestibility of extruded rice noodles with different amylose contents were characterized from a rheological point of view. Thermo-mechanical measurements showed that the rice flour with higher amylose contents exhibited greater stability to dual-mixing and higher degrees of starch gelatinization and retrogradation. In addition, greater elastic properties were clearly observed in the high amylose rice samples. The use of high amylose rice flour produced noodles with a harder texture, consequently contributing to reduced cooking loss. Furthermore, the rheological changes of extruded rice noodles were monitored in real time during the in-vitro starch digestion. The rice noodle digesta with higher amylose contents exhibited greater viscosities throughout the simulated oral-gastric-intestinal digestion steps. The flow behaviors of the rice noodle digesta consisted of the Power-law region and infinite shear plateau that were satisfactorily characterized by the Sisko model (R² > 0.99).     

密集烤房不同循环风机烘烤烟叶的色素降解及感官质量

采用三速和单速循环风机,研究密集烤房不同循环风机对烤烟色素及感官质量的影响.结果表明:采用三速循环风机烤后烟叶的叶绿素a、叶绿素b含量分别为5.10、167.74 μg/g,分别为单速循环风机的72.11％和93.30％;叶黄素、β-胡萝卜素、类胡萝卜素含量分别为0.84、155.56、156.40 μg/g,分别为单...