Contributions of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria to nitrification in Oregon forest soils

Ammonia oxidation, the first step of nitrification, is mediated by both ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB); however, the relative contributions of AOA and AOB to soil nitrification are not well understood. In this study we used 1-octyne to discriminate between AOA- and AOB-supported nitrification determined both in soil-water slurries and in unsaturated whole soil at field moisture. Soils were collected from stands of red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii Mirb. Franco) at three sites (Cascade Head, the H.J. Andrews, and McDonald Forest) on acidic soils (pH 3.9–5.7) in Oregon, USA. The abundances of AOA and AOB were measured using quantitative PCR by targeting the amoA gene, which encodes subunit A of ammonia monooxygenase. Total and AOA-specific (octyne-resistant) nitrification activities in soil slurries were significantly higher at Cascade Head (the most acidic soils, pH < 5) than at either the H.J. Andrews or McDonald Forest, and greater in red alder compared with Douglas-fir soils. The fraction of octyne-resistant nitrification varied among sites (21–74%) and was highest at Cascade Head than at the other two locations. Net nitrification rates of whole soil without NH₄⁺ amendment ranged from 0.4 to 3.3 mg N kg⁻¹ soil d⁻¹. Overall, net nitrification rates of whole soil were stimulated 2- to 8-fold by addition of 140 mg NH₄⁺-N kg⁻¹ soil; this was significant for red alder at Cascade Head and the H.J. Andrews. Red alder at Cascade Head was unique in that the majority of NH₄⁺-stimulated nitrifying activity was octyne-resistant (73%). At all other sites, NH₄⁺-stimulated nitrification was octyne-sensitive (68–90%). The octyne-sensitive activity—presumably AOB—was affected more by soil pH whereas the octyne-resistant (AOA) activity was more strongly related to N availability.     

Aggregate-related changes in network patterns of nematodes and ammonia oxidizers in an acidic soil

Nitrification plays a central role in global nitrogen cycle, which is affected by biological interaction between soil microfauna and microorganisms. However, the complexity of soil biotic communities made it difficult to reveal organizational principles of the community and the interactions among species. Here, we used the network analysis to decipher the interactions between nematodes and ammonia oxidizers within aggregate fractions under 10-year manure application, and examine their associations with soil variables and potential nitrification activity (PNA). Three aggregate fractions included large macroaggregates (>2000 μm, LA), small macroaggregates (250–2000 μm, SA), and inter-aggregate soil and space (<250 μm, IA). Aggregate factions showed a remarkable effect on association networks of nematodes and ammonia oxidizers. The average connectivity (avgK) and the number of edges in overall networks increased with increasing aggregate sizes, while the average geodesic distance (GD) followed the opposite trend. The LA network could be viewed as a better organized or a better operational soil food web with more functional interrelated members than the SA and IA networks. The modules related to PNA were significantly correlated and clustered together as meta-modules in networks of aggregate fractions. The role-shifts prevailed among the network members such as significant module memberships (MMs) and generalist/specialist operational taxonomic units (OTUs). A half of shared nodes were further identified as shared MMs, dominated by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) especially for Nitrosospira cluster 3a and 10. Soil pH could explain partly the shift of module hubs in different networks, while grazing by bacterivores might account for three exclusively connecters related to Nitrososphaera clusters 1.1. The strongly coupled modules correlated positively to pH and total carbon (TC), regardless of aggregate fractions. The network analysis approach provided new insights into potential importance of network interactions between nematodes and ammonia oxidizers in soil nitrogen cycling.     

Mechanisation of organic fertiliser spreading,choice of fertiliser and crop residue management as solutions for maize environmental impact mitigation

The environmental impact of crop production is mainly related to fossil fuels consumption and to fertilisers application. Emissions arising from the spreading of organic and mineral fertilisers are important contributors for impact categories such as eutrophication and acidification. The choice of the fertilisers and of the spreading techniques as well as the crop residues management can deeply affect the environmental impact related to crop cultivation.In this study, seven scenarios describing fertilising schemes characterised by different organic and mineral fertilisers and by different mechanisation were compared. The aim is to evaluate, using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method, how the environmental performances of grain maize production were affected by these different fertilisers schemes. The study was carried out considering a cradle to farm gate perspective and 1 t grain maize was selected as functional unit. Inventory data were collected on a farm located in Po Valley (Northern Italy) during year 2013 and were processed using the composite method recommended by the International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD). The compared scenarios involved organic and mineral fertiliser distribution and were: pig slurry incorporation after >3 days after spreading (BS), fast pig slurry incorporation within 2 h from spreading (AS1), direct soil injection of pig slurry (AS2), pig slurry incorporation (after >3 days) with straw collection (AS3), digestate spreading instead of pig slurry (after >3 days) (AS4), only mineral fertilisers (i.e. urea and superphosphate) distribution (AS5) and only mineral fertilisers (i.e. calcium ammonium nitrate and superphosphate) distribution (AS6).The results were not univocal, since climate and soil conditions as well as physical and chemical fertiliser characteristics differently affected the environmental load, especially for particulate matter formation, terrestrial acidification and terrestrial eutrophication impact categories. AS1 and AS2 showed the most beneficial results for these impact categories (between ↙67% and ↙73% respect to worst scenario). AS6, on the opposite, showed the highest environmental impact for those impact categories mainly affected by energy and fossil fuel consumption (climate change, ozone depletion, human toxicity with carcinogenic effect, particulate matter, freshwater eutrophication, freshwater ecotoxicity and mineral, fossil and renewable resources depletion), categories on which AS3 and AS4 were the best solutions. AS3 was the most impacting for terrestrial acidification and eutrophicationA sensitivity analysis was carried out varying grain maize yield (mostly affected: marine eutrophication) and ammonia volatilisation losses due to organic fertilisers (mainly affected: terrestrial acidification and eutrophication).The achieved results can be useful for the development of ⬓spreading rules⬽ that drive the application of organic fertilisers in agricultural areas where there is an intense livestock activity.     

烟草氨基酸代谢及其调控机制

综述了植物氨同化以及烟草中苯丙氨酸代谢、脯氨酸代谢、美拉德反应及其与烟叶风味和品质关系的研究进展,并分析了环境因素对烟草氨基酸代谢的影响,为深入研究氨基酸对烟叶品质和风味影响的机制奠定了基础。     

典型旱作农田土壤氧化亚氮排放的氨氧化微生物相对贡献

氨氧化过程对氧化亚氮（N2O）排放具有重要贡献。在不同土壤类型和农田管理下,氨氧化微生物类群对N2O排放的相对贡献组成规律还缺乏系统的研究。本研究选取典型农田耕层土壤（潮土、黑土、砖红壤）,以及有机肥改良的砖红壤剖面土壤,采用选择性抑制法（乙炔和辛炔）研究氨氧化细菌（AOB）、氨氧化古菌和全程硝化菌（AOA+comammox）以及异养硝化菌对土壤硝化潜势、净硝化速率及N2O排放的相对贡献。结果表明,在耕层土壤中,潮土、黑土和砖红壤的pH分别是8.0、6.7和5.7,硝化潜势分别是N 32.5、6.6和4.8 mg?kg-1?d-1,净硝化速率分别是N 7.1、3.0和0.5 mg?kg-1?d-1,7天N2O累积排放量分别是N 38.0、35.4和8.7 μg?kg-1。AOB主导耕层土壤的硝化潜势,对硝化潜势的贡献分别是82%、58%和100%。对于净硝化速率,在潮土和砖红壤中,AOB和AOA+comammox贡献相当（均在30%~40%）,而黑土中由AOB主导（72%）。AOB主导耕层土壤的N2O排放,对N2O排放的贡献分别是72%、92%和58%。在改良的砖红壤剖面土壤中,在0~20 cm、20~40 cm和40~60 cm,pH分别是7.0、5.5和4.9,硝化潜势分别是N 6.6、2.0和1.1 mg?kg-1?d-1,净硝化速率分别是N 4.1、0.9和0.2 mg?kg-1?d-1,N2O排放分别是N 16.3、6.5和2.8 mg?kg-1?d-1。随土壤由深层至表层,硝化潜势、净硝化速率及N2O排放显著提高。AOA+comammox主导表层硝化潜势及净硝化速率的提高（分别贡献63%和54%）,AOB主导N2O排放的增加（贡献54%）。本研究为制定与土壤氨氧化特性及土壤性质相匹配的N2O减排措施提供了新的科学依据。     

Use of treated mine water for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) culture: a production scale assessment

In previous proof-of-concept work, it was shown that the use of treated coal mine water for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) culture in a cage was technically feasible, though only a 50-fish bioassay was grown and no work on production-related issues was conducted. To further advance the use of treated mine water, an under-utilized water resource throughout Mid Appalachia, work was conducted to assess the effects of using treated coal mine water for the intensive production of rainbow trout in a flow-through system. During this study, comprehensive water quality data were collected to supplement fish weight and length data taken during routine monthly sampling events. The 8000 fish grew well in the raceway system over the 9 months of production, where a feed conversion ratio of 1.4 and a condition factor of 5.1 × 10⁻⁴ were measured with stocking and harvest densities of 26.4 and 50.2 kg/m³, respectively. Further, total net production was 3275 kg (7220 lb) with 98.6% survival. Throughout the study, dissolved ion concentrations (Fe, Al, Mg, Ca, and SO₄) often exceeded recommended tolerance limits. Further, elevated ammonia nitrogen concentrations generated from a component of the mine water-treatment process were identified as a potential limiting factor for aquaculture development. However, when the non-ideal effects of high ionic strength and the speciation of dissolved metal–ligand complexes were taken into account, the concentrations of free metal ions were within recommended tolerance limits.     

An experimental study on nitrification biofilm performances using a series reactor system

Total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) concentration is often a key limiting water quality parameter in intensive aquaculture systems. Removing ammonia through biological filtration is thus the first objective in recirculating aquaculture system design. In this study, the performance characteristics of a steady-state nitrification biofilm were explored using a series of reactors. Four nitrification kinetics parameters were estimated using the data collected from the experimental system, including minimum TAN concentration, half saturation constant, maximum TAN removal rate and maximum specific bacterial growth rate. Experimental data showed that a minimum TAN concentration was needed to support a steady-state nitrification biofilm. For the temperature of 27.2°C, the mean minimum TAN concentration was 0.07 mg/l. For a single substrate-limiting factor, the relationship between TAN removal rate (R) and TAN concentration (S) was represented by an empirical equation [R=1859(S−0.07)/(S+1.93)]. The characteristics of nitrite oxidation were also demonstrated by the experiment system. The results of this study will help to better understand the characteristics of nitrification biofilters applied in recirculating aquaculture systems.     

氨氮和亚硝酸氮对南美白对虾的毒性研究

用通常的生物毒性试验方法进行了氨氮和亚硝氨氮对体长5cm南美白对虾的急性毒性试验。在海水pH8.15、水温T＝27℃、盐度S＝20．0‰条件下，求得了两种物质对南美白对虾24h、48h、72h、96h的半死浓度，提出总氨氮和非离子氨氮对南美白对虾的安全浓度分别为2．667mg/L和0．201mg/L，亚硝酸氮的安全浓度为5．551mg/L。氨氮对南美白对虾的毒性强于亚硝酸氮，并提出降低氨氮和亚硝酸氮含量的措施。     

中国对虾(Fenneropenaeus chinensis)“黄海3号”新品种的培育

2006年收集中国对虾“黄海1号”保种群以及海州湾、莱州湾2个野生群体为基础群体构建核心育种群,采用群体选育技术以仔虾Ⅰ期耐氨氮胁迫成活率和收获时对虾体重为选育指标,经过连续5代选育,培育出中国对虾“黄海3号”新品种。新品种耐氨氮胁迫能力强,仔虾Ⅰ期成活率较商品苗种提高21.2%,养殖成活率提高15.2%;生长速度快,收获对虾平均体重较商品苗种提高11.8%。AFLP 技术分析获得5代选育群体的平均多态位点比例分别为42.28%、40.64%、40.32%、39.95%和38.05%。研究结果显示,随着选育世代的增加,选育群体的遗传多样性呈现下降趋势,但随着选育时间的延长,世代之间的分化逐渐降低,群体的遗传结构开始趋于稳定。     

Effect of ammonia on the growth rate and oxygen consumption of juvenile greenlip abalone, Haliotis laevigata Donovan

Juvenile greenlip abalone, Haliotis laevigata, (mean whole weight 4.48±1.9 g, mean±s.d., n=953) were highly sensitive to ammonia as indicated by depressed growth rate and food consumption measured over 2–3 months in bioassay tanks. For growth rate expressed on a whole weight basis, the EC₅ and EC₅₀ values (5 and 50% growth reductions) were 0.041 mg FAN l⁻¹ (Free Ammonia–Nitrogen) and 0.158 mg FAN l⁻¹, respectively. Shell growth rates declined over the entire experimental range (0.006–0.188 mg FAN l⁻¹). At the end of the bioassay, groups of abalone were transferred to respiratory chambers. Oxygen consumption rate increased to a maximum of 188% of control values at 0.235 mg FAN l⁻¹ and decreased slightly at the highest concentration of 0.418 mg FAN l⁻¹.