渤海三湾表层水域细菌群落结构多样性及其环境因子分析

【背景】近海生态系统的可持续发展是目前人们关注的重大问题之一,河口输出以及人类活动干扰对渤海近岸环境有着重要的影响。【目的】选取2015年夏季渤海湾、辽东湾、莱州湾3个断面12个站位表层水样品,探究渤海三湾细菌群落结构多样性。【方法】提取3个断面水环境样品DNA,利用Illumina Hi Seq高通量测序技术对样品进行测序分析,比较3个断面的细菌群落结构多样性差异。【结果】根据多样性指数和稀释曲线结果发现,3个断面的微生物多样性有着明显的差别,多样性依次为莱州湾渤海湾辽东湾。分析3个断面中占优势地位的主要类群,渤海湾断面中变形杆菌门(Proteobacteria)所占比例为39.8%,拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)占25.7%,蓝细菌门(Cyanobacteria)占22.4%,放线菌门(Actinobacteria)占5.85%,浮霉菌门(Planctomycetes)占4.38%;辽东湾断面各类群所占比例依次为变形杆菌门(Proteobacteria)37.8%,拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes) 25.7%,蓝细菌门(Cyanobacteria) 17.8%,放线菌门(Actinobacteria) 10.4%,浮霉菌门(Planctomycetes)5.64%;莱州湾断面主要类群所占比例为(Proteobacteria)59.0%,拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)17.5%,蓝细菌门(Cyanobacteria)8.2%,放线菌门(Actinobacteria)7.88%。通过主成分分析和热图相关性分析发现环境因子对微生物群落组成和多样性分布有显著的影响,通过Manteltest统计分析,其中硝酸盐的作用尤为显著。【结论】渤海三湾微生物多样性非常丰富且存在较大的差异,莱州湾种群结构最复杂且物种最丰富,渤海湾和辽东湾次之,多样性分布与环境因子和空间分布有一定的相关性,该研究将为进一步保护海洋微生物多样性和生态开发提供一定的理论基础。     

健康与感染青枯病烟株根际土壤与茎秆细菌群落结构与多样性

【目的】了解健康烟株与感染青枯病烟株在根际土壤、茎杆发病部位、茎杆病健交界部位以及未发病茎杆的细菌群落结构与多样性。【方法】分别对土壤与茎杆样品中细菌的16S rRNA基因V3-V4区进行扩增,采用Illumina MiSeq测序技术对扩增片段进行高通量测序,然后对健康烟株与感染青枯病烟株不同部位细菌群落结构与多样性进行分析。【结果】感染青枯病烟株发病茎杆及根际土壤的细菌群落多样性高于健康烟株茎杆及其根际土壤样品,病健交界茎杆样品细菌群落多样性低于健康烟株。变形菌门(Proteobacteria)在所有样品中均为优势菌门;所有烟株根际土壤的优势菌门为拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)和绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi);健康烟株茎杆部位的优势菌门为蓝细菌门(Cyanobacteria);感染青枯病烟株发病茎杆和病健交界茎杆部位的优势菌门为蓝细菌门(Cyanobacteria)和厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)。所有根际土壤样品的优势菌属为劳尔氏菌属(Ralstonia)、假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas)、鞘脂单胞菌属(Sphingomonas)、黄杆菌属(Flavobacterium)和代尔夫特菌属(Delftia),而感染青枯病烟株根际土壤的劳尔氏菌属(Ralstonia)和假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas)相对丰度显著高于健康烟株根际土壤,鞘脂单胞菌属相对丰度显著低于健康烟株根际土壤。烟株茎杆的优势菌属为劳尔氏菌属和假单胞菌属等。感染青枯病烟株病健交界茎杆中劳尔氏菌属、肠杆菌属(Enterobacter)和泛菌属(Pantoea)相对丰度显著低于健康烟株样品。【结论】健康与感染青枯病烟株茎杆样品细菌群落的丰富度和多样性明显低于相应的根际土壤样品。较健康烟株而言,感染青枯病烟株根际土壤和茎杆样品细菌群落丰富度和多样性均表现出不同程度地增加,且根际土壤细菌群落结构变化较茎杆样品明显,而病健交界茎杆样品细菌群落丰富度和多样性降低。烟草青枯病为典型土传病害,其病原茄科劳尔氏菌尽管能在烟株维管束中蔓延扩增,但主要还是分布于土壤中;它的存在似乎对土壤细菌群落的影响大于茎杆样品的。该研究结果提示对于青枯病的防治不能局限于烟株本身,田间土壤也应加大防治力度。     

黄海海域海洋沉积物细菌多样性分析

【背景】海洋独特的环境造就了海洋生物的多样性,海洋沉积物中细菌对海洋环境具有至关重要的作用。【目的】研究陆地土壤和海洋沉积物间细菌群落相似性和差异性,以便更好地认识海洋细菌多样性,深入了解沉积物细菌在海洋环境中的潜在作用。【方法】从中国黄海海域及大连市大黑山脚下分别采集样品,以陆地土壤为对照,采用16SrRNA基因高通量测序技术分析海洋沉积物的细菌群落结构。【结果】海洋沉积物样品中芽孢杆菌纲(Bacilli)、鞘氨醇单胞菌属(Sphingomonas)和芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)丰度高于陆地土壤样品;海洋沉积物中亚硝化单胞菌(unculturedbacterium f. Nitrosomonadaceae)和厌氧绳菌(uncultured bacterium f. Anaerolineaceae)丰度虽低于陆地土壤,但丰度值也均高于1%;样品分类学统计显示酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)在海洋沉积物和陆地土壤样品中的序列丰度比例都较大,鞘氨醇单胞菌属(Sphingomonas)在海洋沉积物样品中的序列丰度大于陆地土壤样品。【结论】海洋沉积物细菌多样性可作为海洋环境恢复情况的重要指标,研究为合理开发和利用海洋资源提供理论依据。     

乌梁素海富营养化湖泊湖滨湿地过渡带细菌群落结构的高通量分析

摘要:【目的】揭示乌梁素海富营养化湖泊湖滨湿地沉积物与土壤过渡带细菌群落的组成、丰度以及多样性变化,结合土壤理化因子探讨其对细菌群落结构的影响。【方法】采用湿地土壤总DNA提取方法提取沉积物和土壤总DNA,对细菌群落的16S rRNA 基因的V1-V3区进行高通量测序,分析各样品中细菌群落结构的组成、丰度以及多样性指标;土壤理化性质采用标准方法测定,分析其对细菌群落结构的驱动作用。【结果】富营养化湖泊湖滨湿地水陆过渡带的芦苇沼泽沉积物、碱蓬群落盐碱化土壤和白刺群落荒漠化土壤中,细菌群落组成和各类群细菌的相对丰度差异较大,门水平上的细菌类群主要有Proteobacteria、Bacteroidetes、Chloroflexi、Actinobacteria、Planctomycetes和Gemmatimonadetes,细菌群落多样性指数随陆向分布依次在增高,门水平上Proteobacteria和属水平上Sulfurimonas对湖泊退化演化敏感;环境因子最佳子集为总磷、水溶盐总量和铵态氮的组合对整个细菌群落结构的影响最为明显,相关系数最高(R=0.8857),Mantel检验结果表明这种相关关系为显著相关(P=0.037)。【结论】乌梁素海富营养化湖泊湖滨湿地过渡带细菌群落结构差异较大,Sulfurimonas属在乌梁素海富营养化湖泊沉积物的生物地球化学循环中扮演着重要的角色,应在以后的研究中得到更多的关注。     

艾比湖湿地盐节木土壤固氮微生物群落结构和丰度的环境异质性特点

【背景】新疆艾比湖湿地国家自然保护区作为国内最典型的温带干旱区湿地荒漠生态系统,对于富集生物多样性、平衡生态环境等方面存在着非凡的意义。目前关于艾比湖湿地根际与非根际土壤固氮微生物群落结构和丰度的相关研究还未见报道。【目的】通过分析新疆艾比湖湿地盐节木根际和非根际土壤固氮菌nifH基因的群落结构和丰度的环境异质性特点,及探讨微生物群落对国内极端干旱区脆弱敏感的艾比湖湿地生态系统循环过程中的作用,为改善荒漠化的艾比湖湿地环境提供理论依据。【方法】采用构建克隆文库和q-PCR的方法,并利用冗余分析法(Redundant analysis,RDA)探究土壤理化性质与固氮微生物群落结构及丰度的相关性。【结果】艾比湖湿地盐节木非根际土壤中nifH的多样性高于根际土壤,盐节木根际土壤的nifH序列优势种属主要为固氮根瘤菌属(Azorhizobium)和脱硫弧菌属(Desulfovibrio);非根际土壤的nifH序列优势种属主要是固氮弧菌属(Azoarcus)、太阳杆菌属(Heliobacteriummodesticaldum)和脱硫弧菌属(Desulfovibrio)。盐节木根际土壤nifH数量为4.08×104copies/g,盐节木非根际土壤中nifH的数量为5.52×103copies/g,根际土壤nifH的丰度高于非根际土壤。相关性分析显示,根际土壤的优势类群和丰度与硝态氮(NO3--N)、速效氮、总钾、含水量等因子显著相关,非根际土壤的优势类群和丰度与硝态氮(NO3--N)、速效氮、总磷、总钾、总氮呈显著相关。【结论】在盐节木根际土壤中nifH的丰度高于非根际土壤,而多样性则低于非根际土壤,而且硝态氮(NO3--N)、速效氮、总磷可能会影响固氮微生物的群落结构和丰度,这些特点为湖泊湿地的退化恢复提供理论和数据基础。     

模拟增温对青海湖鸟岛土壤微生物的影响

【背景】土壤微生物对其生存的微环境变化极为敏感,鸟岛作为湖滨湿地,对气候变化具有敏感性,但目前关于青海湖鸟岛的土壤微生物鲜有研究。【目的】探究气候变暖后青海湖鸟岛土壤微生物群落特征的变化。【方法】利用开顶箱模拟增温,通过高通量测序方法了解温度升高后土壤细菌及真菌的群落结构以及多样性的变化情况。【结果】温度的升高并未改变青海湖鸟岛土壤微生物的优势菌群,细菌优势菌群为变形菌门和酸杆菌门;真菌优势菌门为子囊菌门,优势菌纲为座囊菌纲。但增温改变了土壤微生物的群落结构,显著升高了拟杆菌门、蓝细菌门、Patescibacteria及球囊菌纲的相对丰度,显著降低了锤舌菌纲的相对丰度。土壤微生物群落的多样性指数也发生了变化,温度上升后微生物的ACE指数及Chao1指数均降低,细菌的Simpson指数及真菌的Shannon指数降低。【结论】青海湖鸟岛土壤微生物对温度升高的响应明显,增温改变了土壤细菌拟杆菌门、蓝细菌门、Patescibacteria的相对丰度及真菌的球囊菌纲、锤舌菌纲的相对丰度,降低了土壤微生物的多样性。     

羊肚菌白霉病发生对土壤真菌群落结构的影响

【目的】了解羊肚菌白霉病发生对土壤真菌群落结构的影响。【方法】采用Illumina Mi Seq高通量测序技术,对未栽培羊肚菌土壤、正常生长羊肚菌和染白霉病羊肚菌根际土真菌群落结构进行研究。【结果】9个样品共得到393 347条有效序列。未栽培羊肚菌土壤真菌多样性指数和丰度显著大于羊肚菌根际土,染病羊肚菌根际真菌丰度和多样性大于正常生长的羊肚菌,各样品的群落组成和优势类群有较大差异。【结论】羊肚菌栽培后真菌多样性降低,白霉病发生后根际真菌种类增多,土壤真菌群落结构发生变化,优势真菌类群也产生了较大变化。     

滴灌对苜蓿根际土壤细菌多样性和群落结构的影响

【背景】细菌作为土壤微生物中的重要类群,能够有效促进土壤物质循环和能量流动,细菌多样性以及群落结构能够反映土壤的质量状况。【目的】了解滴灌条件下苜蓿根际土壤细菌群落结构及多样性变化,探讨土壤环境因子对细菌群落结构的影响。【方法】基于细菌16Sr RNAV3-V4区高通量测序技术,分析比较滴灌与自然降雨两种模式下生长的苜蓿根际与非根际土壤中细菌多样性和群落分布规律,然后采用冗余分析(Redundancy analysis,RDA)探讨土壤环境因子与细菌多样性的关系。【结果】苜蓿根际土壤中细菌多样性丰富,滴灌根际土壤中细菌多样性显著高于自然降雨根际土壤;土壤样品中共检测到细菌46门53纲116目220科469属,主要的优势菌门为变形菌门(Proteobacteria,25.27%-34.42%),其中α-变形菌纲(Alphaproteobacteria,11.41%-18.97%)为优势亚群,鞘氨醇单胞菌属(Sphingomonas,1.00%-4.54%)为优势属。相较于自然降雨,滴灌条件下苜蓿根际土壤细菌的6个门和16个属的群落结构发生显著变化;此外,RDA分析表明,不同环境因子对微生物群落的影响不同,滴灌根际土壤中9个细菌属的丰度与全磷、全钾、有效磷、碱解氮、有机质、土壤中性磷酸酶以及土壤脲酶的含量显著正相关。【结论】滴灌作为新型节水技术,在促进植物生长、提高产量、节约成本的基础上增加了植物根际土壤中细菌多样性和丰度,该结果为新型灌溉体制的改革以及土壤微生物资源的开发利用提供科学数据。     

浑善达克沙地生物土壤结皮及其下层土壤中好氧不产氧光营养细菌群落结构及多样性

【目的】揭示浑善达克沙地不同类型生物土壤结皮(Biological soil crusts,BSCs)及其下层土壤好氧不产氧光营养细菌(Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria,AAPB)群落结构及多样性。【方法】利用Illumina Mi Seq二代高通量测序平台对puf M基因进行测序,使用生物信息学分析方法对序列进行比对分析AAPB的群落结构和多样性。【结果】生物土壤结皮及其下层土壤中,Proteobacteria和Alpha-Proteobacteria是优势门和纲,主要有6个属Bradyrhizobium(9.69%–90.02%)、Brevundimonas(0.83%–16.04%)、Methylobacterium(1.74%–12.56%)、Rhodospirillum(0.91%–32.87%)、Roseiflexus(0.02%–1.79%)和Sphingomonas(0.13%–11.23%);结皮层样品间及下层土壤样品间AAPB种类相似,但丰度有差异;随结皮的发育,结皮层及其下层土壤中AAPB群落多样性升高。【结论】浑善达克沙地BSCs中AAPB群落结构相对复杂,与水体和一般土壤环境中的组成区别明显;AAPB多样性高,且多样性随发育阶段升高而升高,预示着AAPB在荒漠生态系统稳定中有重要的作用。     

大兴安岭典型永久冻土土壤细菌群落组成和多样性

【背景】土壤微生物是土壤生物中的重要成分,参与了土壤生态系统中关键的生物化学循环过程。但是关于寒温带多年冻土土壤微生物的研究还比较薄弱。【目的】探究大兴安岭多年冻土土壤中微生物的多样性和种群结构。【方法】利用MiSeq高通量测序技术对黑龙江大兴安岭地区呼中保护区落叶松冻土和樟子松林冻土土壤样品进行测序。【结果】在落叶松冻土和樟子松林冻土土壤中,相对丰度最高的优势菌群的组成基本一致,在门水平有疣微菌门(Verrucomicrobia)、变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)、浮霉菌门(Planctomycetes)、绿菌门(Chlorobi)、Parcubacteria、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、芽单胞菌门(Gemmatimonadetes)10个细菌门类,其中,疣微菌门(Verrucomicrobia)在樟子松林土壤中的相对丰度较多,变形菌门(Proteobacteria)在落叶松林土壤中的相对丰度较多。通过α多样性分析可知,落叶松冻土土壤微生物的群落多样性高于樟子松林冻土,而且两者的细菌群落组成与结构差异性较大。【结论】为深入认识大兴安岭多年冻土区的土壤微生物群落结构组成以及影响因素提供数据支撑。     

盐度对滨海土壤细菌多样性和群落构建过程的影响

滨海盐土是重要的农业土地后备资源。微生物是土壤中物质循环的关键动力,然而盐度对土壤微生物群落特征影响的研究还很缺乏。本研究采集滨海地区的土壤样品,研究非盐、轻盐和高盐3组不同盐度对土壤细菌数量、多样性和群落构建的影响。结果表明: 与非盐和轻盐土壤相比,高盐土壤的脱氢酶活性和细菌数量显著降低,而细菌α多样性没有变化,细菌群落结构发生分异。利用零模型反演群落构建过程,发现盐度是细菌群落构建过程的主控因子,盐度主导的高确定性过程控制了滨海盐土细菌的群落结构。说明在现有的盐度范围内,高盐土壤中同样含有丰富的微生物种质资源,具有盐土改良的生物学基础,然而由于高确定性的群落构建机制,外源物种很难定殖于滨海盐土。因此,在利用微生物技术改良滨海盐土时,应尽可能筛选耐盐的土著菌种,提高定殖效率。     

Molecular characterization and the effect of salinity on cyanobacterial diversity in the rice fields of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India

Background

Salinity is known to affect almost half of the world's irrigated lands, especially rice fields. Furthermore, cyanobacteria, one of the critical inhabitants of rice fields have been characterized at molecular level from many different geographical locations. This study, for the first time, has examined the molecular diversity of cyanobacteria inhabiting Indian rice fields which experience various levels of salinity.

Results

Ten physicochemical parameters were analyzed for samples collected from twenty experimental sites. Electrical conductivity data were used to classify the soils and to investigate relationship between soil salinity and cyanobacterial diversity. The cyanobacterial communities were analyzed using semi-nested 16S rRNA gene PCR and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Out of 51 DGGE bands selected for sequencing only 31 which showed difference in sequences were subjected to further analysis. BLAST analysis revealed highest similarity for twenty nine of the sequences with cyanobacteria, and the other two to plant plastids. Clusters obtained based on morphological and molecular attributes of cyanobacteria were correlated to soil salinity. Among six different clades, clades 1, 2, 4 and 6 contained cyanobacteria inhabiting normal or low saline (having EC < 4.0 ds m^-1) to (high) saline soils (having EC > 4.0 ds m^-1), however, clade 5 represented the cyanobacteria inhabiting only saline soils. Whilst, clade 3 contained cyanobacteria from normal soils. The presence of DGGE band corresponding to Aulosira strains were present in large number of soil indicating its wide distribution over a range of salinities, as were Nostoc, Anabaena, and Hapalosiphon although to a lesser extent in the sites studied.

Conclusion

Low salinity favored the presence of heterocystous cyanobacteria, while very high salinity mainly supported the growth of non-heterocystous genera. High nitrogen content in the low salt soils is proposed to be a result of reduced ammonia volatilization compared to the high salt soils. Although many environmental factors could potentially determine the microbial community present in these multidimensional ecosystems, changes in the diversity of cyanobacteria in rice fields was correlated to salinity.     

Differential effects of abiotic factors and host plant traits on diversity and community composition of root-colonizing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in a salt-stressed ecosystem

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) were investigated in roots of 18 host plant species in a salinized south coastal plain of Laizhou Bay, China. From 18 clone libraries of 18S rRNA genes, all of the 22 AMF phylotypes were identified into Glomus, of which 18 and 4 were classified in group A and B in the phylogenetic tree, respectively. The phylotypes related to morphologically defined Glomus species occurred generally in soil with higher salinity. AMF phylotype richness, Shannon index, and evenness were not significantly different between root samples from halophytes vs. non-halophytes, invades vs. natives, or annuals vs. perennials. However, AMF diversity estimates frequently differed along the saline gradient or among locations, but not among pH gradients. Moreover, UniFrac tests showed that both plant traits (salt tolerance, life style or origin) and abiotic factors (salinity, pH, or location) significantly affected the community composition of AMF colonizers. Redundancy and variation partitioning analyses revealed that soil salinity and pH, which respectively explained 6.9 and 4.2 % of the variation, were the most influential abiotic variables in shaping the AMF community structure. The presented data indicate that salt tolerance, life style, and origin traits of host species may not significantly affect the AMF diversity in roots, but do influence the community composition in this salinized ecosystem. The findings also highlight the importance of soil salinity and pH in driving the distribution of AMF in plant and soil systems.     

Spatial variability of soil salinity in Bohai Sea coastal wetlands,China: Partition into four management zones

Soil salinization constitutes an environmental hazard worldwide. The Bohai Sea coastal wetland area is experiencing dramatic soil salinization, which is affecting its economic development. This study focused on the spatial variation and distribution characteristics of soil salinity in this area using geostatistical analysis combined with the kriging interpolation method, based on a large-scale field investigation and layered soil sampling (0–30, 30–60 and 60–100 cm). The results revealed that soil salinity in these layers demonstrated strong variability, obvious spatial structure characteristics and strong spatial autocorrelation. Soil salinity displayed a significant zonal distribution, gradually decreasing with increasing distance from the coastline. Apart from the northern part of the study area, which appeared to be not affected by soil salinization, there were varying degrees of soil salinization in nearly 70% of the total area. With increasing soil depth, the areas of non-salinized and mild salinized soil gradually decreased, while those of moderate salinized and strong salinized soils increased. The area of saline soil first decreased and then increased. The study area could be divided into four management zones according to soil salinities in the top 1-m soil body, and utilization measures, adapted to local conditions, were proposed for each zone. The results of our study present an important theoretical basis for the improvement of saline soils, for wetland re-vegetation and for the sustainable utilization of soil resources in the Bohai Sea coastal wetland.     

Comparison of Two Fingerprinting Techniques, Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism and Automated Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis, for Determination of Bacterial Diversity in Aquatic Environments

We investigated bacterial diversity in different aquatic environments (including marine and lagoon sediments, coastal seawater, and groundwater), and we compared two fingerprinting techniques (terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism [T-RFLP] and automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis [ARISA]) which are currently utilized for estimating richness and community composition. Bacterial diversity ranged from 27 to 99 phylotypes (on average, 56) using the T-RFLP approach and from 62 to 101 genotypes (on average, 81) when the same samples were analyzed using ARISA. The total diversity encountered in all matrices analyzed was 144 phylotypes for T-RFLP and 200 genotypes for ARISA. Although the two techniques provided similar results in the analysis of community structure, bacterial richness and diversity estimates were significantly higher using ARISA. These findings suggest that ARISA is more effective than T-RFLP in detecting the presence of bacterial taxa accounting for <5% of total amplified product. ARISA enabled also distinction among aquatic bacterial isolates of Pseudomonas spp. which were indistinguishable using T-RFLP analysis. Overall, the results of this study show that ARISA is more accurate than T-RFLP analysis on the 16S rRNA gene for estimating the biodiversity of aquatic bacterial assemblages.     

Comparison of two fingerprinting techniques, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis, for determination of bacterial diversity in aquatic environments

We investigated bacterial diversity in different aquatic environments (including marine and lagoon sediments, coastal seawater, and groundwater), and we compared two fingerprinting techniques (terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism [T-RFLP] and automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis [ARISA]) which are currently utilized for estimating richness and community composition. Bacterial diversity ranged from 27 to 99 phylotypes (on average, 56) using the T-RFLP approach and from 62 to 101 genotypes (on average, 81) when the same samples were analyzed using ARISA. The total diversity encountered in all matrices analyzed was 144 phylotypes for T-RFLP and 200 genotypes for ARISA. Although the two techniques provided similar results in the analysis of community structure, bacterial richness and diversity estimates were significantly higher using ARISA. These findings suggest that ARISA is more effective than T-RFLP in detecting the presence of bacterial taxa accounting for <5% of total amplified product. ARISA enabled also distinction among aquatic bacterial isolates of Pseudomonas spp. which were indistinguishable using T-RFLP analysis. Overall, the results of this study show that ARISA is more accurate than T-RFLP analysis on the 16S rRNA gene for estimating the biodiversity of aquatic bacterial assemblages.     

Possible amelioration of coastal soil salinity using halotolerant nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria

A brackish-water, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium, Anabaena torulosa, could successfully grow and fix nitrogen on moderately saline Kharland soils (soil conductivity 5 to 8.50 dS m-1), typical of Indian coastline. During five weeks of growth under laboratory as well as field conditions, the cyanobacterium exhibited high rates of nitrogen fixation and substantially enriched the nitrogen status of saline soils (43-76%), although the fixed nitrogen remained confined to the cyanobacterial biomass. Most (>90%) of the cell-bound Na+ remained extracellularly trapped in the mucopolysaccharide sheath of A. torulosa; traces of the cation that permeated cyanobacterial cells were found to exist in an osmotically active, free state. No evidence was found for the incorporation of Na+ into any biomolecule, especialty proteins or carbohydrates. Therefore, permanent removal of Na+ from saline soils using cyanobacteria may not be possible, since Na+ is released back into the soil subsequent to the death and decay of cyanobacteria. Removal of top soil containing cyanobacterial mats significantly decreased the soil salinity (between 26-38%). But such a practice removes all the fixed nitrogen and carbon and also does not seem feasible on a large scale. Amelioration of soil salinity by simultaneous application of A. torulosa during crop growth seems to be an attractive possibility, especially since it can also supplement the nitrogen requirement of the crop.     

Species composition and cyanotoxin production in periphyton mats from three lakes of varying trophic status

In lakes, benthic micro-algae and cyanobacteria (periphyton) can contribute significantly to total primary productivity and provide important food sources for benthic invertebrates. Despite recognition of their importance, few studies have explored the diversity of the algal and cyanobacterial composition of periphyton mats in temperate lakes. In this study, we sampled periphyton from three New Zealand lakes: Tikitapu (oligotrophic), ōkāreka (mesotrophic) and Rotoiti (eutrophic). Statistical analysis of morphological data showed a clear delineation in community structure among lakes and highlighted the importance of cyanobacteria. Automated rRNA intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) and 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were used to investigate cyanobacterial diversity. Despite the close geographic proximity of the lakes, cyanobacterial species differed markedly. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis identified eight cyanobacterial OTUs. A comparison with other known cyanobacterial sequences in GenBank showed relatively low similarities (91-97%). Cyanotoxin analysis identified nodularin in all mats from Lake Tikitapu. ndaF gene sequences from these samples had very low (≤ 89%) homology to sequences in other known nodularin producers. To our knowledge, this is the first detection of nodularin in a freshwater environment in the absence of Nodularia. Six cyanobacteria species were isolated from Lake Tikitapu mats. None were found to produce nodularin. Five of the species shared low (< 97%) 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with other cultured cyanobacteria.     

Characterization of Thrombolitic Bioherm Cyanobacterial Assemblages in a Meromictic Marl Lake (Fayetteville Green Lake,New York)

The Fayetteville Green Lake is a small (0.258 km²) meromictic marl lake that is host to a thrombolitic bioherm inhabited by coccoid and filamentous cyanobacteria. To date there has been only limited study of bioherm cyanobacterial community ecology, and none focusing on their molecular diversity. Samples of the bioherm were collected along vertical and spatial transects on a portion of the thrombolite in early fall 2010. Cyanobacterial assemblage spatial variability and operational taxonomic unit composition was analyzed by automated rRNA intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA). A total of 123 cyanobacterial ARISA operational taxonomic units were observed across all fingerprints. Cyanobacterial assemblages were variable across depth and spatial gradients, and may be structured by gradients in light availability and habitat stability. Cyanobacterial community fingerprints were more taxonomic unit rich, diverse, and had greater fingerprint similarity in deeper samples than those at the surface. Several operational taxonomic units were common to all samples taken, while the majority of assemblage components were heterogeneous between transects and depths. Hence, our results suggest that cyanobacterial communities on the thrombolite in Green Lake represent a mixture of taxa that are selected for by prevailing physicochemical conditions, while other taxa are selected for on spatial scales of meters and may represent more specialized cyanobacteria on the thrombolite. Moreover, our data suggest that the depth-dependent structure of bioherm cyanobacterial assemblages may be a consequence of habitat conditions, which may include light intensity and quality, temperature variation and habitat stability.     

盐碱旱地转基因抗虫棉田昆虫群落多样性

棉花是耐干旱和耐盐碱的经济作物。随着土壤的盐碱化和干旱化, 在人口数量和植棉成本剧增的背景下, 我国黄河流域和长江流域棉花种植面积锐减, 棉花种植被迫向滨海盐碱地和内陆及西北干旱地区转移。本文于2013年和2014年在山东东营滨海盐碱地和河北枣强半干旱轻度盐碱地以非转基因棉(‘中棉所49’)为对照, 以转Bt基因棉(‘中棉所79’)为试验材料, 分别作施农药和不施农药处理, 于每年5月初到9月中旬, 调查取样点棉株及地面上害虫及其天敌的种类和数量, 并分析不同施药处理下转基因和非转基因棉田昆虫群落的生物多样性参数差异。结果表明, 施药和不施药转Bt基因棉田昆虫群落和害虫亚群落昆虫的个体总数均低于非转基因棉田, 其中昆虫群落和害虫亚群落个体数在二者之间差异显著; 转Bt基因棉田昆虫群落和害虫亚群落昆虫的多样性指数和均匀度指数均高于非转基因棉田, 而优势集中性指数均低于非转基因棉田, 但差异均不显著。施药条件下两种棉田的昆虫群落和害虫亚群落昆虫个体总数、多样性指数和均匀度指数均低于不施药棉田, 优势集中性指数均高于不施药棉田, 但转基因棉田和非转基因棉田之间无显著差异。表明转基因抗虫棉在盐碱旱地对棉田靶标害虫具有较好的控制作用, 棉田昆虫群落稳定性较高, 昆虫群落对外界的入侵和干扰缓冲能力强, 而化学农药的使用对昆虫群落杀伤力较大, 容易导致某种昆虫的抗性产生和昆虫群落的不稳定, 但比非盐碱旱地棉田昆虫群落生物多样性低, 棉田生态系统更简单。