Relationships between soil and vegetation characteristics of tundra ecosystems and their use to assess soil resilience, degradation, and rehabilitation potentials

Definitions of the notions of soil resilience and degradation of the soil-vegetation cover are suggested. These problems are considered with respect to vulnerable tundra ecosystems. The analysis of available experimental data made it possible to obtain empirical equations characterizing the relationships between the plant productivity and the soil properties. These equations can be used to predict the degree of soil degradation under particular types of technogenic loads and the soil and vegetation potential for the natural restoration or artificial rehabilitation of the soil-vegetation cover in tundra ecosystems. The results obtained can be applied for the development of optimal nature management strategies in the areas of oil and gas fields in the north.     

Diurnal and seasonal occurrence,feeding habits and mating behavior ofMaladera matrida adults in Israel

Adult populations ofMaladera matrida Argaman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), a beetle highly injurious to agricultural crops, were studied in the coastal plain of Israel from 1985 to 1988. There were two generations annually. Adults emerged in March, April or May and disappeared in October or November. The beetles are on the wing, mate, and feed at twilight and in the dark. Feeding and mating behavior, sex ratio, and preferred food plants were studied.     

Monellia costalis (Fitch), a new host forZoophthora radicans (Brefeld) Batko andEntomophthora Planchoniana Cornu (Zygomycetes: Entomophthoraceae) in Israel

Two entomophthoraceous species,Zoophthora radicans andEntomophthora planchoniana, were found on the yellow pecan aphid,Monellia costalis, shortly after it was introduced into Israel. This aphid is a new host forZ. radicans anywhere. The fungus was isolated in pure culture and artificially inoculated on three Dipteran species:Musca domestica, Drosophila melanogaster andCeratitis capitata, as well as on the HemipteranEmpoasca sp. from pecan. The identity ofZ. radicans and some new characters,e.g. the production of two kinds of rhizoids, are discussed. The possibility of usingM. domestica as a vector for artificial spread of the fungus, as a means of biological control of various insect pests, is advocated.     

甘肃东方蜜蜂的形态特征研究

通过测定甘肃2个不同样点的4群东方蜜蜂发现,甘肃蜜蜂种群内遗传变异丰富,种群中许多形态性状特征表现出较明显的地理变异性;蜜蜂个体增大、体色变深,具体是:前翅长、前翅宽、背板3,4宽;后腿长、蜡镜长、蜡镜宽、蜡镜间距、腹片3,6的长和宽逐渐增加;背板3,4、小盾片的色素度逐渐加深。这些均具有生态适应意义。     

Effects of Addition of Three Types of Biochar on the Soil Nitrogen Balance and Cotton Yield

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of biochar addition on the soil N balance and cotton yield in a drip-irrigated cotton field. The experiment included four soil amendments: control, cotton straw biochar, corn cob biochar, and poultry manure biochar. The biochar was applied at a rate of 4.5 t·hm^－2 except control. The results showed that all three types of biochar significantly reduced both the apparent soil N loss and the N surplus. The effect of cotton straw biochar treatment was most significant, relative to the control. Plant nitrogen uptake differed significantly between the different treatments, decreasing in the order cotton straw biochar > poultry manure biochar > corn cob biochar. Cotton yield also differed significantly between the different treatments, decreasing in the order poultry manure biochar > corn cob biochar, and cotton straw biochar.     

棉花SSR-PCR过程中聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳操作常见问题的解决与优化

在大批量聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳过程中,难免会出现条带空白、弯曲或者拖尾等各种异常现象。本文以棉花DNA为例,综述了多年实验操作中遇到的突发情况及解决方法,为广大科研工作者提供参考。