Mineral nutrition and growth of tropical maize as affected by soil acidity

Soil constraints linked to low pH reduce grain yield in about 10% of the maize growing area in tropical developing countries. The aim of this research was to elucidate the reasons for this maize yield reduction on an oxisol of Guadeloupe. The field experiment had two treatments: the native non-limed soil (NLI, pH 4.5, 2.1 cmol Al kg^–1, corresponding to 20% Al saturation), and the same soil limed 6 years prior to the experiment (LI, pH 5.3, 0 cmol Al kg^–1). The soils were fertilized with P and N. The above-ground biomass, root biomass at flowering, grain yield and yield components, leaf area index (LAI), light interception, radiation-use-efficiency (RUE), P and N uptake, soil water storage, and soil mineral N were measured during the maize cycle. The allometric relationships between shoot N concentration, LAI and above-ground biomass in LI were similar to those reported for maize cropped in temperate regions, indicating that these relationships are also useful to describe maize growth on tropical soils without Al toxicity. In NLI, soil acidity severely affected leaf appearance, leaf size and consequently the LAI, which was reduced by 60% at flowering, although the RUE was not affected. Therefore, the reduction in the above-ground biomass (30% at flowering) and grain yield (47%) were due to the lower LAI and light interception. At flowering, the root/shoot ratio was 0.25 in NLI and 0.17 in LI, and the root biomass in NLI was reduced by 64% compared to LI. Nitrogen uptake was also reduced in NLI in spite of high soil N availability. Nevertheless, shoot N concentration vs aboveground biomass showed a typical decline in both treatments. In NLI, the shoot P concentration vs above-ground biomass relationship showed an increase in the early stages, indicating that P uptake and root-shoot competition for the absorbed P in the early plant stages controlled the establishment and the development of the leaf area.     

Seasonal patterns in water use and leaf turnover of different plant functional types in a species-rich woodland,south-western Australia

Woodlands in south-western Australia are evergreen and transpire throughout the year despite the long, hot and dry summers of the Mediterranean climate. Results from a case study in a species-rich Banksia woodland are used to discuss the ecological and physiological properties that appear to be essential features of this and similar communities. Tree, shrub and perennial herbaceous species with long-lived leaves dominate the community, whereas winter-green herbaceous species with short-lived leaves constitute a minor group. The total leaf area index is therefore reasonably constant in all seasons. Leaf area index is low and canopies are open, causing good coupling between the vegetation and the atmosphere, and making stomatal control an effective regulator of transpiration. Mean maximum (winter) stomatal conductances were high at approximately 300 mmol m^–2 s^–1. Deep-rootedness allows the dominant species to access soil moisture throughout the unsaturated zone, and down to the capillary fringe of the saturated zone. Shrubs and herbs with shallow roots experience greater drought stress during summer. Rates of community evapotranspiration are limited by leaf area index in the wet season, and further reduced by stomatal closure in the dry season. Deep-rooted plants appear to decrease their stomatal conductance before the development of severe drought stress. Such conservative behaviour, possibly related to plant hydraulic constraints, is a contributing factor to the limited seasonality in community water use.     

Catalogue of Human Tissue Optical Properties at Terahertz Frequencies

Recently published studies suggest thatterahertz pulsed imaging will have applications inmedicine and biology, but there iscurrently very little information about the opticalproperties of human tissue at terahertzfrequencies. Such information would be useful forpredicting the feasibility of proposedapplications, optimising acquisition protocols,providing information about variability ofhealthy tissue and supplying data for studies of theinteraction mechanisms. Research ethicscommittee approval was obtained, andmeasurements made from samples of freshlyexcised human tissue, using a broadbandterahertz pulsed imaging system comprisingfrequencies approximately 0.5 to 2.5 THz.Refractive index and linear absorptioncoefficient were found. Reproducibility wasdetermined using blood from one volunteer,which was drawn and measured on consecutivedays. Skin, adipose tissue, striatedmuscle, vein and nerve were measured (to date, from oneindividual). Water had a higher refractiveindex (2.04 ± 0.07) than any tissue.The linear absorption coefficient was higher formuscle than adipose tissue, as expectedfrom the higher hydration of muscle. As these samples camefrom a single subject, there is currentlyinsufficient statistical power to draw firmconclusions, but results suggest that in vivo clinical imaging will be feasible in certainapplications.     

湖北四湖泊营养类型与轮虫群落的关系

对湖北梁子湖水系不同营养类型(中营养型、富营养型)4个湖泊中轮虫的群落结构和物种多样性进行了周年研究,分析比较了不同营养类型湖泊的轮虫种类组成、分布、优势种组成、密度、生物量和多样性指数。结果表明：轮虫的种类数、物种多样性与营养水平呈负相关关系,轮虫密度大体上随营养水平提高而增大,富营养化引起轮虫空间异质性降低,受污染湖泊与非污染湖泊轮虫种类数、寡污性种类数及分布差异尤为明显。用多样性指数评价湖泊营养状态与TLIc方法一致。     

西伯利亚西部侏罗纪植物微体化石的热变质作用

研究了西伯利亚西部几个地点钻孔侏罗纪岩芯样中的植物微体化石。在有关组合中,Lycopodium sp., Coniopteris spp.和Gleicheniidites sp.的孢子少,Klukiasporites sp.极少;代表性花为有Pinus exilioides,P.disulgaus,sciadopites sp.和Classopollis;微体浮游植物占优势,例如Crassisphaera sp.,Tasmanites sp.,Pterospermopsis eurypteris. P.harti和Cymatiosphaera sp.颇丰富,有时出现Pareodinia sp.和Trichodinium sp.。虽然各个组合中孢子、花粉、微体浮游植物在含量上有变化,但总的组成在西伯利亚西部不同地区尚稳定,此等微化石的颜色或有变化,它们（特别是微体浮游植物）可用来检测沉积有机质受热变质的成熟度级别。     

Appendix to Paper by Wall and Herbeck

A method is described for determining the number of preferred codons in taxa in which G+C levels differ. If the hypothesis of random codon usage is not rejected, there are no preferred codons. If that hypothesis is rejected, then a model with one or two preferred codons is fitted to the data and a likelihood ratio test is used to determine whether there are one or two preferred codons. A C++ program is freely available to perform the calculations.     

1-甲基环丙烯(1-MCP)对青州蜜桃冷藏期间某些生理指标的影响

1 甲基环丙烯 (1 MCP ,0 .5 g·m-3 )明显延迟青州蜜桃冷藏期间 (0± 0 .5 )℃ 2次呼吸高峰 ,抑制多酚氧化酶 (PPO)活性 ,较好地维持超氧化物歧化酶 (SOD)活性 ,防止可滴定酸含量的下降 ,延缓果实硬度下降     

我国不同季节陆地植被NPP对气候变化的响应

阐明不同季节陆地植被净第一性生产力（NPP）对全球变化的响应将有助于理解陆地生态系统和气候系统之间的相互作用以及NPP变化机制。本文使用1982－1999年间的AVHRR／NDVI、气温、降水以及太阳辐射等资料,结合植被分布图和土壤质地图,利用生态过程模型,研究不同季节我国陆地植被NPP的年际变化及其地理分异。结果表明,在1982－1999年的18年间,4个季节的NPP都呈显著增加趋势。其中,春季是NPP增加速率最快的季节,夏季是NPP增加量最大的季节,不同植被类型对全球变化的响应有很大差异。常绿阔叶林,常绿针叶林和落叶针叶林NPP的增加主要由生长季节的提前所致。而落叶阔叶林、针阔混交林、矮林灌丛,温带草原及草甸,稀树草原、高寒植被,荒漠以及人工植被NPP的增加主要来自生长季生长加速的贡献。从区域分布看,在四季中春季NPP增加量最大的地区主要集中在东部季风区域;夏季NPP增量最大的地区包括西北干旱区域和青藏高原的大部分地区,小兴安岭－长白山区,三江平原,松辽平原,四川盆地,雷州半岛,长江中下游部分地区以及江南山地东部;而秋季植被NPP增加量最大的地区主要有云南高原－西藏东部和呼伦湖的周围等地区。不同植被和地理区域NPP的这些响应方式与区域气候特征及其变化趋势有关。