Nutrient concentration in shape Sphagna at increased N-deposition rates and raised atmospheric CO2 concentrations

Sphagnum fuscum, S. magellanicum, S. angustifolium and S. warnstorfii were treated with N deposition rates (0, 10, 30 and 100 kg ha^-1 a^-1) and with four atmospheric CO₂ concentrations (350, 700, 1000 and 2000 ppm) in greenhouse for 71–120 days. Thereafter, concentrations of total N, P, K, Ca and Mg in the capitulae of the Sphagna were determined. The response of each species to N deposition was related to ecological differences. With increasing N deposition treatments, moss N concentrations increased and higher N:P-ratios were found, the increase being especially clear at the highest N load. Sphagnum fuscum, which occupies ombrotrophic habitats, was the most affected by the increased nitrogen load and as a consequence the other elements were decreased. Oligotrophic S. magellanicum, wide nutrient status tolerant S. angustifolium and meso-eutrophic S. warnstorfii tolerated better increased N deposition, though there were increased concentrations of Ca and Mg in S. warnstorfii and Mg in S. magellanicum. Nitrogen and P concentrations decreased with raised CO₂ concentrations, except for S. magellanicum. This seems to be the first time this kind of response in nutrient concentrations to enhanced CO₂ concentration has been shown to exist in bryophytes. The concentration of K clearly decreased in S. fuscum as did the concentration of Mg in the other Sphagna with increasing CO₂. Sphagnum angustifolium and S. magellanicum, which are the less specialized species, were the least affected by the CO₂ treatments.     

Roles of autophagy in chloroplast recycling

Chloroplasts are the primary energy suppliers for plants, and much of the total leaf nitrogen is distributed to these organelles. During growth and reproduction, chloroplasts in turn represent a major source of nitrogen to be recovered from senescing leaves and used in newly-forming and storage organs. Chloroplast proteins also can be an alternative substrate for respiration under suboptimal conditions. Autophagy is a process of bulk degradation and nutrient sequestration that is conserved in all eukaryotes. Autophagy can selectively target chloroplasts as whole organelles and or as Rubisco-containing bodies that are enclosed by the envelope and specifically contain the stromal portion of the chloroplast. Although information is still limited, recent work indicates that chloroplast recycling via autophagy plays important roles not only in developmental processes but also in organelle quality control and adaptation to changing environments. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Dynamic and ultrastructure of bioenergetic membranes and their components.     

Eelgrass recovery after nutrient enrichment reversal

Mumford Cove, a 48 ha Connecticut embayment on Long Island Sound, has a history of excessive nutrient inputs and corresponding eutrophic conditions with concomitant eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) loss. From 1945 to 1987, a municipal wastewater treatment facility discharged into the cove. In 1987, when the wastewater outfall was diverted to another location, the cove supported a near monoculture of the green algae Ulva lactuca L., covering 74% of the bottom. By 1988, macroalgal areal cover in Mumford Cove had declined to 9%. When we first sampled the cove in 1992, Z. marina and Ruppia maritima L. were present. By 1999, areal distribution of Z. marina and R. maritima had expanded to cover a third of the bottom. Periodic summertime surveys from 2002 through 2004 indicated that Z. marina was present in approximately half of the cove; R. maritima was sparse. Fifteen years after termination of nutrient enrichment, this cove had recovered from 40 years of point source anthropogenic nutrient input, returning from an Ulva-dominated to a Zostera-dominated state.     

Clonal diversity and structure related to habitat of the marine angiosperm Thalassia testudinum along the Atlantic coast of Mexico

The clonal structure of the tropical seagrass Thalassia testudinum was studied at 16 sites along the Mexican Atlantic coast, situated in back-reef, shallow coastal and lagoon habitats. Thalassia testudinum was highly clonal, with an overall average clonal richness (R) of 0.55. The largest genet found in this study extended throughout the sampling area (∼230 m), with an estimated max age almost reaching 600 years. Lagoons with higher nutrient availability reflected by nutrient content of leaves (mean leaf C:N ratio 11.4) and lower hydrodynamic regimes reflected by the percentage of fine sediments (on average 23%), sustained larger genets of T. testudinum (mean of the largest genets over populations was 167.3 m) than the shallow coastal areas (C:N 12.3, 6.2% fine sediment, mean largest genet 10.3 m) and the more oligotrophic back-reefs (C:N 16.3, 2.7% fine sediment, mean largest genet 6.5 m). Population genetic analysis showed different levels of clonality, genotypic diversity and spatial genetic relatedness for this seagrass per habitat, with the lagoons presenting much lower levels of clonal diversity than the other two habitats.     

Comprehensive proteome profiling of the Fe(III)‐reducing myxobacterium Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans 2CP‐C during growth with fumarate and ferric citrate

Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans is a microaerophilic member of the delta‐proteobacteria which is able to utilize a wide range of electron acceptors, including halogenated phenols, U(VI), Fe(III), nitrate, nitrite, oxygen and fumarate. To date, the knowledge regarding general metabolic activities of this ecologically relevant bacterium is limited. Here, we present a first systematic 2‐D reference map of the soluble A. dehalogenans proteome in order to provide a sound basis for further proteomic studies as well as to gain first global insights into the metabolic activities of this bacterium. Using a combination of 2‐DE and MALDI‐TOF‐MS, a total of 720 proteins spots were identified, representing 559 unique protein species. Using the proteome data, altogether 50 metabolic pathways were found to be expressed during growth with fumarate as primary electron acceptor. An analysis of the pathways revealed an extensive display of enzymes involved in the catabolism and anabolism of a variety of amino acids, including the unexpected fermentation of lysine to butyrate. Moreover, using the reference gel as basis, a semi‐quantitative analysis of protein expression changes of A. dehalogenans during growth with ferric citrate as electron acceptor was conducted. The adaptation to Fe(III) reducing conditions involved the expression changes of a total of 239 proteins. The results suggest that the adaptation to Fe(III) reductive conditions involves an increase in metabolic flux through the tricarboxylic acid cycle, which is fueled by an increased catabolism of amino acids.     

特种稻不育系巨胚813A的选育与研究

用350 Gy剂量的Co60-γ射线照射水稻三系保持系813B种子,获得巨胚突变体,命名为巨胚813B（简称813geB）。用巨胚813B回交813A育成特种稻不育系-巨胚813A（简称813geA）。对巨胚813B及巨胚813A的生物学特性进行研究,结果表明：巨胚813A与813A的主要农艺性状、雄性不育性及产量构成因素均无明显差异。巨胚813B与813B具有相似的农艺性状,但绝对胚重由0.61mg提高到1.36mg,相对胚重由2.70%提高到6.96%。巨胚813B糙米的蛋白质、粗脂肪、粗纤维及必需氨基酸含量均比813B高。其中蛋白质含量9.77%,比813B提高了8.80%;粗脂肪含量5.28%,比813B提高了87.23%;8种必需氨基酸含量均有提高。利用巨胚恢复系与巨胚813A可组配成巨胚杂交稻。     

袋鼠花水培扦插技术研究

扦插是袋鼠花繁殖的主要方法。本实验采用不同剂量营养液与吲哚丁酸(IBA)不同浓度相结合的方法,以清水为对照,通过测定袋鼠花的生根情况,探讨袋鼠花水培扦插的适宜处理组合。结果表明:营养液方面,清水处理对根条数、根长、根鲜重和生根率的影响明显优于其它处理,有利于袋鼠花的水培生根;IBA浓度为20mg/L时的生根率明显优于其它处理和对照,而当其浓度为40mg/L时对于根条数、根长和根鲜重则明显优于对照和其它处理,最有利于袋鼠花的水培生根。实验结果说明较低浓度的营养液(如清水)与中等浓度(如40mg/L)的IBA激素最有利于袋鼠花的水培生根。因此,本研究为缩短水培袋鼠花的生产周期及突出其观根特色,提高其观赏价值和商品价值提供理论依据。     

植物化感抑藻的作用机理

对植物化感物质抑藻机理,即化感物质影响藻细胞的光合作用、破坏细胞膜、改变细胞酶活性、影响细胞超微结构及基因表达等几个方面进行了综合评述。研究表明,化感物质主要通过降低叶绿素a含量,破坏光合系统Ⅱ,使细胞膜结构裂解,酶活性改变,抗氧化系统破坏,细胞膜内超微结构受损,基因表达异常等几个方面来抑制藻细胞的分裂或直接杀死藻细胞,从而减少藻细胞数量,抑制藻类的生长。未来应该从更微观角度,即基因表达、分子和遗传机制等方面对化感抑藻机理进行深入研究,以期为开发安全、高效的抑藻化感物质提供理论基础。     

温度对党参害虫烟草甲实验种群生长发育的影响

以中药材党参(Codonopsis pilosula)为寄主食料,在人工气候箱内,研究了温度对烟草甲(Lasioderma serricorne)卵、幼虫和蛹的生长和发育的影响;计算了烟草甲各虫态的发育起点温度和有效积温;通过Logistic模型及"王-兰-丁"模型对温度与烟草甲各虫态之间的关系进行拟合,优化拟合温度与烟草卵和幼虫发育关系的Logistic方程6个,温度与烟草甲幼虫发育关系的"王-兰-丁"方程5个。结果表明,烟草甲卵、幼虫、蛹及卵-蛹期的发育起点温度分别为16.51℃、11.07℃、11.78℃和12.20℃,其卵、幼虫、蛹及卵-蛹期的发育有效积温分别为89.59、669.53、137.12和912.72日度;温度的升高有利于烟草甲的各虫态的生长和发育;"王-兰-丁"模型拟合对研究较宽温度幅度的昆虫发育与温度之间的关系拟合效果优于Logistic模型。本研究结果可为危害储藏期中药材的烟草甲种群数量控制技术提供技术支撑。