Microbial dynamics in an anaerobic soil slurry amended with glucose, and their dependence on geochemical processes

Under anoxic conditions, microbial activities interact closely with geochemical reactions and consequently affect soils, underlying aquifers, and the atmosphere. Recent studies have noted the relationships between microbial biodiversity and environmental conditions, but the dynamics of numerous coexisting microbial groups in connection with soil biogeochemical processes has never been investigated. In this work, we investigated the dynamics of anaerobic microbial populations using a new method combining PCR-SSCP and epifluorescent direct counts, and analysed these results in the light of biogeochemical changes. Batch incubations were performed over an 8-day period on a calcic cambisol (WRB) incubated anaerobically, either without amendment (treatment C) or after adding glucose (treatment +G). In treatment +G, the predominant microbial processes included (i) NO₃⁻ and NO₂⁻ reduction during the first 12 and 24 h of incubation respectively, (ii) fermentations during the first 6 days with non-symbiotic N₂ fixation between days 1 and 6, enabling bacterial growth during this period, and probably (iii) reduction of FeIII by H₂ oxidation throughout the incubation period. In treatment C, microbiological and geochemical measurements revealed no prominent microbial activities, and the PCR-SSCP method led to complex bacterial density profiles without prominent peaks. In treatment +G, 78 microbial groups were distinguished; these were divided into seven sets (A to G) according to their dynamics. Bacteria belonging to sets A, E and F grew during the period of intense fermentation and were probably able to fix N₂, as is the case with Clostridium butyricum (set A). Bacteria belonging to sets B, D, and G were probably able to reduce FeIII to FeII with concomitant oxidation of H₂ into H₃O⁺, but unable to fix N₂. Two microbial groups in these sets were closely related to Clostridium favosporum (set B) and the genus Bacillus (set B). Bacteria belonging to class C were probably only able to reduce N oxide(s). Lastly, we obtained two similar estimates of the gross increase in microbial biomass by taking into account either (i) the sum of gross increases for the 78 microbial groups, or (ii) the energy yield of catabolic reactions minus the energy requirement for N₂ fixation.     

Soil microbial and nutrient dynamics in a wet Arctic sedge meadow in late winter and early spring

Microbial activity is known to continue during the winter months in cold alpine and Arctic soils often resulting in high microbial biomass. Complex soil nutrient dynamics characterize the transition when soil temperatures approach and exceed 0 °C in spring. At the time of this transition in alphine soils microbial biomass declines dramatically together with soil pools of available nutrients. This pattern of change characterizes alpine soils at the winter-spring transition but whether a similar pattern occurs in Arctic soils, which are colder, is unclear. In this study amounts of microbial biomass and the availability of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) for microbial and plant growth in wet peaty soils of an Arctic sedge meadow have been determined across the winter-spring boundary. The objective was to determine the likely causes of the decline in microbial biomass in relation to temperature change and nutrient availability. The pattern of soil temperature at depths of 5-15 cm can be divided into three phases: below −10 °C in late winter, from −7 to 0 °C for 7 weeks during a period of freeze-thaw cycles and above 0 °C in early spring. Peak microbial biomass and nutrient availability occurred early in the freeze-thaw phase. Subsequently, a steady decrease in inorganic N occurred, so that when soil temperatures rose above 0 °C, pools of inorganic nutrients in soils were very low. In contrast, amounts of microbial C and soluble organic C and N remained high until the end of the period of freeze-thaw cycles, when a sudden collapse occurred in soluble organic C and N and in phosphatase activity, followed by a crash in microbial biomass just prior to soil temperatures rising consistently above 0 °C. Following this, there was no large pulse of available nutrients, implying that competition for nutrients from roots results in the collapse of the microbial pool.     

Litter microarthropod responses to canopy herbivory,season and decomposition in litterbags in a regenerating conifer ecosystem in Western Oregon

Summary The microarthropod community response to season, change in foliage litter quality during decomposition, and manipulated canopy herbivory by insects was measured in litterbags under 10-year-old Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, in western Oregon. Collembola accounted for 35% of the total fauna, oribatid mites for 29%, and fungivorous actinedids for 22%.The community structure was affected by responses to canopy defoliation, season, and changes in litter quality. Of 33 taxa, three were significantly more abundant under trees subject to lepidopteran defoliation (20% foliage removal), compared to other treatments, indicating responses to defoliator-induced changes in litter environment. Most taxa (23) showed seasonal fluctuations in abundance related to the seasonal pattern of temperature and precipitation and to the pattern of N and Ca mobilization from litterbags. Five taxa showed significant longterm trends in abundance, indicating responses to changes in litter quality, perhaps a loss of P and K.These data indicate that microarthropod communities respond qualitatively to environmental changes, including canopy defoliation. The qualitative changes can affeet decomposition processes.     

黄土类土对无机外源砷的缓冲动力学研究

研究了黄土类土对不同浓度外源As的缓冲性及其随平衡时间、污染物浓度的动态变化规律;阐明了黄土类土对As的缓冲速率与平衡时间的关系;确定了黄土类土对As的缓冲动力学方程,为更准确的评价黄土类土对As的污染-净化能力提供依据。     

Megaparks for metapopulations: Addressing the causes of locally high elephant numbers in southern Africa

Conservation management options for southern African elephants range from local to regional scales. Here we review these options and argue in favour of actions that will deal with the causes rather than symptoms of elephant numbers that are locally high. Metapopulation theory ensures population persistence, while our approach extends this in order to stabilise elephant numbers regionally. By allowing for the development and maintenance of regional sinks, we may also limit numbers in sources. This application of the metapopulation metaphor is a powerful ecological platform from which to manage elephant numbers and impact through southern Africa. Our approach engages the causes of the apparently high abundance of elephants in parts of southern Africa. It moves away from the practice of dealing only with numbers (symptoms) when managing the impact of elephants on other species. While providing an ecological basis for the development of elephant management options, this needs to be melded with social, political and economic realities through southern Africa. In this regard we are encouraged by the ongoing development of several Transfrontier Conservation programmes and Peace Parks across the region.     

Are meadows with high ecological and patrimonial value endangered by heathland invasion in the French central Pyrenees?

Due to their high ecological and patrimonial value Festuca eskia and Nardus stricta meadows and Rhododendron ferrugineum heathlands need to be locally preserved in the Pyrenees. This could pose dilemmas to conservation managers if heathlands invade and replace the meadows. However, studies showing that the heathlands do actually invade meadows are lacking in the Pyrenees and the invasion hypothesis therefore remains to be proved. So, vegetation pattern changes in a particularly vulnerable site from the central Pyrenees was investigated by two means: (i) interpretation of stereo pairs of aerial photographs and (ii) analysis of the demography of Rhododendron populations in ten 150 m² experimental plots. The main results from photo interpretation indicated that, during the period between 1954 and 1995, 15% of a 17 ha meadow area shifted to heathland. This corresponded with a 592 m² year⁻¹ colonization rate and to an overall front progression of heathland over meadows of 3-60 m. Demographic data showed that meadow colonization by heathland passed through successive phases but appeared to be a rather slow process that can take as long as 120-320 years. During the process the cover rate over the 150 m² plots varied between 1 and 0.4 m² year⁻¹. Heathland extension does not seem to have been favored by the decrease in grazing pressure. Despite this, the progression of heathlands over meadows seems endangering the meadows. Finally we propose practices locally to limit the progression of Rhododendron.     

Rehabilitation of degraded dry heather [Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull] moorland by controlled sheep grazing

Many areas of heathland in Europe have seen a decline in the area and condition of Calluna vulgaris (heather)-dominated vegetation, with subsequent declines in the associated faunal interest. Grazing, alongside burning, is still the predominant means of managing heathland vegetation, and, therefore, it is by manipulating this management that cost-effective improvements in vegetation condition can be made. This paper investigates the suitability of different grazing treatments for rehabilitating degraded ‘dry heath’. Treatments varied in the intensity (0-1.9 sheep ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) and timing (summer vs. winter) of sheep grazing. These treatments were compared with the behaviour of vegetation outside the fenced area kept under the previous management (open access all year round). As rabbits were common on the site, fences were erected to prevent access to the sheep grazed plots. Vegetation composition remained stable outside the fenced area, whilst all the fenced treatments showed a decrease in heather utilisation and an increase in the relative frequency of heather over the 5 years of the experiment. The increase was in proportion to the reduction in stocking rate, with only slow increases in relative frequency observed in the high grazing treatments (winter and summer). Other species that benefited from reducing grazing included Empetrum nigrum and Vaccinium myrtillus, whilst declines were observed for Agrostis capillaris and total monocotyledonous species. Only small overall differences were observed between the winter low, summer low and no sheep grazing treatments. However, a difference in response was present between the sheep exclosures and the sheep+rabbit exclosures, indicating that rabbits were having a noticeable effect on heather recovery at this site. On this degraded ‘dry heath’ system, imposing a reduction in stocking density improved the condition of the dwarf shrubs present and reduced the grass component of the vegetation. There was little effect of the timing of grazing, such that a reduction in sheep numbers to 0.8/0.9 sheep ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, to give utilisation levels of below 20%, can achieve the desired result of improving vegetation condition whilst still achieving some economic return from grazing. However, the wide range of ‘sustainable’ stocking densities for different heathland systems highlights the need to base effective management on measured utilisation rather than on stock numbers.     

麋鹿常见普通病例诊断与治疗

[目的]为麋鹿小种群管理工作中糜鹿普通病的防控提供借鉴.[方法]以江苏大丰麋鹿种群为例,在麋鹿引种扩群、野生麋鹿种群恢复过程中长角血蜱寄生虫病、瘤胃膨胀、营养性衰竭症、食毛症、难产等常见普通病病例进行了总结.[结果]在麋鹿小种群饲养管理过程中加强前期防控,对有效降低和避免麋鹿普通病的发生尤为重要.[结论]该研究对动物园等麋鹿小种群管理起到借鉴作用,也为麋鹿的健康养殖和保护提供基础资料.     

转基因毛白杨根部土壤微生物数量的季节变化

为了对转基因植物的生态安全性研究提供依据,采用土壤梯度稀释法对转基因毛白杨和非转基因毛白杨根部微生物数量的季节变化趋势进行研究。结果表明：转基因毛白杨根际、根表和根皮3个层面的根部细菌数量变化均是春季较少,夏季有不同程度的增多,秋季减少,根内的细菌数量极少;非转基因毛白杨根际细菌数量的变化表现为春季较少,夏季增多,秋季减少;根表和根皮则表现为春季到秋季细菌数量呈下降趋势。转基因毛白杨根部真菌数量变化趋势均为春季较少,夏季有不同程度的增多,秋季减少;非转基因毛白杨根部真菌的数量为从春季到秋季呈逐渐减少的趋势。     

城市农业公园建设发展动力分析

为促进城市农业公园的建设发展提供参考,从休闲市场需求、城市生态调节、产业结构调整、城乡一体化发展等方面,归纳分析其发展的内生和外生动力因子。结论:居民休闲消费需求是其建设发展的拉动力,休闲特色是其建设发展的原动力,收益的高效性是其建设发展的驱动力。城市农业公园的建设发展能够显著发挥城市生态调节功能,并推进和实现农业与其他产业融合,与城乡一体化发展也能够相互促进。