Reciprocal transfer effects on denitrifying community composition and activity at forest and meadow sites in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon

In order to examine the effects of disturbance, vegetation type, and microclimate on denitrification and denitrifier community composition, experimental plots were established at the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon. Soil cores were reciprocally transplanted between meadow and forest and samples were collected after 1 and 2 years. Denitrifying enzyme activity (DEA) was measured using the acetylene block assay and terminal restriction length polymorphism profiles were generated with nosZ primers that target the gene coding for nitrous oxide reductase. Nitrate concentrations, C mineralization, and water content were measured to gain additional insights into soil properties controlling DEA. Meadow soils were significantly higher in DEA than forest soils, and the highest DEA levels were observed in cores transferred from the meadow into the forest. Nitrate concentrations were also different between forest and meadow soils, but did not correlate to DEA. DEA was higher in open versus closed cores, suggesting an association between denitrification and the rhizosphere. Denitrifier communities of undisturbed forest and meadow soils shifted through a 4-year period but remained distinct from each other. Similarly, denitrifier communities clustered by vegetation type of origin regardless of manipulation, suggesting that the overall denitrifier communities are well buffered against environmental changes.     

Calcium oxalate accumulation and soil weathering in mats of the hypogeous fungus Hysterangium crassum

Fungal mats of Hysterangium crassum (Tul. and Tul.) Fischer occupied a mean of 9.6% of the upper 10 cm of soil developed under a 40–65 yr old stand of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) in Oregon. This hypogeous basidiomycete exudes large amounts of oxalic acid, some of which precipitates with Ca in microscopic crystals of calcium oxalate, resulting in a mean CaC₂O₄ content of 82g m^?2 for the entire soil. Soil oxalate concentration was significantly greater within fungal mats (P < 0.01) and soil pH was significantly lower (P < 0.01) than in soil adjacent to mats. The quantity of Ca present as CaC₂O₄ is 0.5 the amount of exchangeable Ca in the soil and exceeds the mass of Ca lost annually in runoff. Scanning electron micrographs show intense chemical weathering, attributable to oxalate attack, in the immediate vicinity of hyphae. X-ray diffraction patterns of clay indicate bulk weathering is more intense within the fungal mats than in adjacent uncolonized soil.     

The influence of carbon nutrition on Armillaria ostoyae growth and phenolic degradation

Concentrations of 1, 5 and 25 g C L^?1 as glucose, fructose and sucrose were added to basal media containing 0 or 1.0 mM catechol orwa-hydroxybenzoic acid. Media were poured in petri dishes and inoculated with one of three isolates of Armillaria ostoyae(Romagn.) Herink. Armillaria ostoyae isolates usually had greater colony size and biomass yield when glucose was the carbon source as compared to fructose or sucrose. When compared to A. ostoyae growth on basal media alone, 1.0 mM catechol and /wvi-hydroxybenzoic acia added to basal media inhibited A. ostoyae growth. In a second experiment, catechol andpara-hydroxybenzoic acid degradation by three A. ostoyae isolates growing on 1, 5 and 25 g C L^?1 glucose, fructose or sucrose were measured radiometrically. Carbon source and concentration had no effect on the degradation of pzra-hydroxybenzoic acid or catechol by Armillaria ostoyae. Results of these experiments suggests that A. ostoyae can grow faster when at high carbon concentration but cannot more effectively degrade catechol or para-hydroxybenzoic acid.     

Properties of protein powders from arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias) and herring (Clupea harengus) byproducts

Functional, nutritional, and thermal properties of freeze-dried protein powders (FPP) from whole herring (WHP), herring body (HBP), herring head (HHP), herring gonad (HGP), and arrowtooth flounder fillets (AFP) were evaluated. The FPP samples have desirable nutritional and functional properties and contained 63-81.4% protein. All FPP samples had desirable essential amino acid profiles and mineral contents. The emulsifying and fat adsorption capacities of all FPP samples were higher than those of soy protein concentrate. The emulsifying stability of WHP was lower than that of egg albumin but greater than that of soy protein concentrate. Thermal stability of the FPP samples is in the following order: HGP > HBP > WHP > HHP > AFP.     

Enzymatic Digestion of Eye and Brain Tissues of Sockeye and Coho Salmon and Dusky Rockfish Commercially Harvested in Alaska

Potential feed ingredients with high lipid content were made by enzymatic digestion followed by centrifugation of eye tissue from dusky rockfish (Sebastes ciliatus), coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), and sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), and brain tissue from sockeye salmon. Supernatant fractions contained significant levels of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid and were essentially pure triacyglycerides. For the digest of sockeye salmon brain tissue, the lipids were mainly composed of phospholipids (74%) and sterols (22%). Assays for amino acid profiles and mineral content of the precipitant layers were also performed.