Importance of the River Teviot to Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, rod catches in the River Tweed, Scotland

Abstract  The body mass distributions and variations in abundance of the spring and autumn catches of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., were compared between fisheries above and below the confluence of the rivers Tweed and Teviot, Scotland. Significant differences between the distributions were found over three periods, one in spring and two in autumn, when salmon catches were high. Correlations were found between abundance trends for periods when distributions were similar or dissimilar. Abundance of salmon returning to the River Teviot was proportional to the main river. However, its population structure differed when abundances were high, suggesting different survival strategies. It appears that changes in the numbers returning to the river were resultant of changes in the marine rather than freshwater environment.     

The influence of sampling scheme and interpolation method on the power to detect spatial effects of forest birds in Ontario (Canada)

Spatial ecology is becoming an increasingly important component of resource management, and the general monitoring of how human activities affect the distribution and abundance of wildlife. Yet most work on the reliability of sampling strategies is based on a non-spatial analysis of variance paradigm, and little work has been done assessing the power of alternative spatial methods for creating reliable maps of animal abundance. Such a map forms a critical response variable for multiple scale studies relating landscape structure to biotic function. The power to reconstruct patterns of distribution and abundance is influenced by sample placement strategy and density, the nature of spatial auto-correlation among points, and by the technique used to extrapolate points into an animal abundance map. Faced with uncertainty concerning the influence of these factors, we chose to first synthesize a model reference system of known properties and then evaluate the relative performance of alternative sampling and mapping procedures using it. We used published habitat associations of tree nesting boreal neo-tropical birds, a classified habitat map from the Manitou Lakes area of northwestern Ontario, and point count means and variances determined from field studies in boreal Canada to create 4 simulated models of avian abundance to function as reference maps. Four point sampling strategies were evaluated by 4 spatial mapping methods. We found mixed-cluster sampling to be an effective point sampling strategy, particularly when high habitat fragmentation was avoided by restricting samples to habitat patches >10 ha in size. We also found that of the 4 mapping methods, only stratified ordinary point kriging (OPK) was able to generate maps that reproduced an embedded landscape-scale spatial effect that reduced nesting bird abundance in areas of higher forest age-class fragmentation. Global OPK was effective only for detecting broader, regional-scale differences. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Leafhopper and planthopper vectors of rice viruses and their management in Nepal

Research on insect pests (including leafhoppers and planthoppers) in Nepal was initiated in 1956 by the Entomology Division and Plant Protection Units of the Department of Agriculture. More systematic work began after the establishment of a Rice Improvement Programme in 1972. Because of poor documentation and publication of research findings, it is difficult to assess the research efforts and achievements to date. The available research reports are mostly published in the proceedings of national seminars/workshops. They are used here to assess the current status of research on the occurrence and damage caused, distribution and composition, relative abundance, biology and management through chemicals. Much of past research has focused on insect surveys by light traps and sweep nets and the evaluation of insecticides and, since early 1990, some research on rice green leafhoppers (Nephotettix virescens and Nephotettix nigropictus) has begun to determine their relative abundance and population characteristics in relation to their potential as vectors of rice viruses. The challenges to pest management in general and some suggestions for future research needs are discussed, based on the present standing of agricultural research in the country     

Effects of concentrate‐to‐forage ratios and 2‐methylbutyrate supplementation on ruminal fermentation,bacteria abundance and urinary excretion of purine derivatives in Chinese Simmental steers

This study evaluated the effects of dietary concentrate levels and 2‐methylbutyrate (2MB ) supplementation on performance, ruminal fermentation, bacteria abundance, microbial enzyme activity and urinary excretion of purine derivatives (PD ) in steers. Eight ruminally cannulated Simmental steers (12 months of age; 389 ± 3.7 kg of body weight) were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Moderate‐concentrate (400 g/kg diet [MC ]) or high‐concentrate (600 g/kg diet [HC ]) diets were fed with or without 2MB (0 g/day [2MB ?] or 15.0 g/day [2MB +]). Dry matter intake and average daily gain increased, but feed conversion ratio decreased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Ruminal pH decreased, but total volatile fatty acid increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Molar proportion of acetate and acetate‐to‐propionate ratio decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. Propionate molar proportion and ruminal NH ₃‐N content increased with the HC diet, but decreased with 2MB supplementation. Neutral detergent fibre degradability decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. Crude protein degradability increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Abundance of Ruminococcus albus , Ruminococcus flavefaciens , Fibrobacter succinogenes and Bufyrivibrio fibrisolvens as well as activities of carboxymethyl cellulase, cellobiase, xylanase and pectinase decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. However, abundance of Prevotella ruminicola and Ruminobacter amylophilus as well as activities of α‐amylase and protease increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Total PD excretion also increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. The results suggested that growth performance, ruminal fermentation, CP degradability and total PD excretion increased with increasing dietary concentrate level from 40% to 60% or 2MB supplementation. The observed diet × 2MB interaction indicated that supplementation of 2MB was more efficacious for improving growth performance, ruminal fermentation and total PD excretion with promoted ruminal bacteria abundance and enzyme activity in the MC diet than in the HC diet.     

山东半岛与辽东半岛蚯蚓生物多样性研究

于2009年在我国的山东半岛和辽东半岛地区采用挖掘法对这些地区不同类型生境采集到的蚯蚓的生物多样性进行了系统调查。野外采集到的蚯蚓置于潮湿土壤带回驻地,在采集当日用70%酒精处死,保存于95%酒精以备研究。部分形态分类特征明显的蚯蚓个体作为模式标本保存于10%福尔马林溶液。本研究据此提供了该地区最新的蚯蚓资源名录。在山东半岛发现陆栖蚯蚓3科6属13种,以巨蚓科(占种类总数的39%)、正蚓科(占种类总数的39%)为主;在辽东半岛调查共发现3科7属16种,以正蚓科(占种类总数的44%)、巨蚓科(占种类总数的31%)为主。作为蠕虫养殖业中的赤子爱胜蚓,在野外环境中也有分布。     

ANALYSES FOR DEFECTS OF 18G_2ANb STEEL SPHERICAL TANKS OF NATURAL GAS

Calculations and analyses are made with the CVDA, IIW, JWES standards for the strength and welding defects of two spherical tanks of natural gas in CHONG QING. The results of the analyses indecate that though there are some problems with the welding quality in these tanks, they may still be used with the desingned presure. Now the formal working of these two spherical thanks has verified of the validity the calculations and analyses.     

DMPP mitigates N2O and NO productions by inhibiting ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in an intensified vegetable field under different temperature and moisture regimes

Vegetable soils with high nitrogen input are major sources of nitrous oxide (N₂O) and nitric oxide (NO), and incorporation of the nitrification inhibitor 3, 4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) into soils has been documented to effectively reduce emissions. However, the efficiency of DMPP in terms of soil N₂O and NO mitigations varies greatly depending on soil temperature and moisture levels. Thus, further evaluations of DMPP efficiency in diverse environments are required to encourage widespread application. A laboratory incubation study (28 d) was established to investigate the interactive effects of DMPP, temperature (15, 25, and 35 ℃), and soil moisture (55% and 80% of water-holding capacity (WHC)) on net nitrification rate, N₂O and NO productions, and gene abundances of nitrifiers and denitrifiers in an intensive vegetable soil. Results showed that incubating soil with 1% DMPP led to partial inhibition of the net nitrification rate and N₂O and NO productions, and the reduction percentage of N₂O production was higher than that of NO production (69.3% vs. 38.2%) regardless of temperature and soil moisture conditions. The increased temperatures promoted the net nitrification rate but decreased soil N₂O and NO productions. Soil moisture influenced NO production more than N₂O production, decreasing with the increased moisture level (80%). The inhibitory effect of DMPP on cumulative N₂O and NO productions decreased with increased temperatures at 55% WHC. Conversely, the inhibitory effect of DMPP on cumulative N₂O production increased with increased temperatures at 80% WHC. Based on the correlation analyses and automatic linear modeling, the mitigation of both N₂O and NO productions from the soil induced by DMPP was attributed to the decreases in ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) amoA gene abundance and NO^-₂-N concentration. Overall, our study indicated that DMPP reduced both N₂O and NO productions by regulating the associated AOB amoA gene abundance and NO^-₂-N concentration. These findings improve our insights regarding the implications of DMPP for N₂O and NO mitigations in vegetable soils under various climate scenarios.     

玉米秸秆分解过程中细菌群落组成演化特征

【目的】土壤中存在着大量的分解秸秆的微生物。研究秸秆分解过程中细菌群落组成的演化规律,对了解和调控农田微生物群体组成以促进秸秆分解具有重要意义。【方法】试验于2014年10月至2015年10月在河南省农业科学院原阳试验基地进行,将成熟期玉米秸秆(茎和叶)烘干,剪成长1~2 cm、宽0.3~1 cm的碎片,称12 g样品(相当于8 t/hm^2)装入15 cm×10 cm的尼龙网包(孔径0.04 mm)内,于10月5日冬小麦出苗后埋置在小麦垄间。分别于埋置后0、1、2、4、7、10和12个月收集秸秆包和土壤样品。测定秸秆样品干物质量和碳氮含量,选择埋置了0、2、4、7和12个月的秸秆及其土壤样品分析细菌丰度及群落组成。【结果】秸秆埋入土壤后的前2个月内分解最快,然后逐步减慢,在1、2、4、7、10和12个月后分别降解了总生物量的19.2%、32.9%、44.2%、52.2%、66.8%和73.8%。秸秆埋入土壤后,秸秆和土壤中细菌丰度均显著增加,分别于第4和7个月达到最高后开始下降。秸秆细菌的丰度指标OTUs、ACE、Chao1和多样性指标Shannon随试验时间的延长逐步增加,而Simpson指数随试验时间延长逐步降低,而土壤中这些指标在试验过程中没有显著变化。与刚埋置秸秆时相比,埋置2个月后的秸秆细菌Bacteroidetes门相对丰度明显增加,主导细菌群为Bacteroidetes和Proteobacteria门。Actinobacteria丰度在埋置2个月后明显降低,然后又随试验时间延长逐步增加。Planctomycetes、Saccharibacteria、Verrucomicrobia、Acidobacteria、Chloroflexi和Gemmatimonadetes丰度在原始秸秆中较低,埋入土壤后随试验时间延长逐步增加。Sphingobacteriia、Gammaproteobacteria、Alphaproteobacteria和Flavobacteriia主导前期细菌纲组成,而Actinobacteria、Anaerolineae和Bacilli纲丰度在后期逐步增加。秸秆分解速率主要受其碳含量影响,秸秆细菌群落组成前期与秸秆碳含量相关,后期与秸秆氮含量相关。随着试验的进展,秸秆细菌群落组成与土壤中的细菌群落组成趋同。【结论】秸秆埋入土壤后前2个月的分解速率最高,随后逐步降低。秸秆分解前期细菌群落由富营养型组分Bacteroidetes和Proteobacteria门和Sphingobacteriia、Gammaproteobacteria、Flavobacteriia和Alphaproteobacteria纲主导,随后被逐步增加的贫营养型组分Actinobacteria、Acidobacteria、Chloroflexi、Saccharibacteria门和Deltaproteobacteria、Actinobacteria纲等代替。秸秆碳氮含量变化是影响秸秆分解及其过程中细菌群落演化的主要原因。     

Impacts of wetting-drying cycles on short-term carbon and nitrogen dynamics in Amynthas earthworm casts

Effects of earthworm casts on soil nutrient dynamics and their responses to changing moisture availability in subtropical ecosystems remain poorly understood. This study aimed to examine short-term carbon(C) and nitrogen(N) dynamics and their interactions with wetting-drying cycles in three different structural forms(i.e., granular, globular, and heap-like) of Amynthas earthworm casts. The rates of C and N mineralization in the earthworm casts were examined under two different wetting-drying cycles(i.e., 2-d and 4-d wetting intervals) using a rainfall simulation experiment. After three simulated rainfall events, subsamples of the earthworm casts were further incubated for 4 d for the determination of CO_2 and N_2O fluxes. The results of this study indicated that the impacts of wetting-drying cycles on the short-term C and N dynamics were highly variable among the three cast forms, but wetting-drying cycles significantly reduced the cumulative CO_2 and N_2O fluxes by 62%–83% and 57%–85%, respectively, when compared to the control without being subjected to any rainfall events. The C mineralization rates in different cast forms were affected by the amount of organic substrates and N content in casts, which were associated with the food preference and selection of earthworms. Meanwhile, the cumulative N_2O fluxes did not differ among the three cast forms. Repeated wetting and drying of casts not only enhanced aggregate stability by promoting bonds between the cast particles, but also inhibited microbial survival and growth during the prolonged drying period, which together hindered decomposition and denitrification. Our findings demonstrated that the interactions between the structural forms, aggregate dynamics, and C and N cycling in the earthworm casts were highly complex.