Growth of pikeperch in relation to lake characteristics: total phosphorus, water colour, lake area and depth

The growth of pikeperch Sander lucioperca was studied in 41 lakes in central Finland. The backcalculated average total length of 3 year‐old pikeperch was used as an indicator of growth. The growth correlated positively with total phosphorus and water colour and negatively with lake area and depth. The reason for differences in growth may be differences in the amount of suitable food, foraging success or temperature dynamics in different lakes.     

Comparative ecophysiology ofLarix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carr. andAbies veitchii Lindl. II. Mechanisms of higher drought resistance of seedlings ofL. kaempferi as compared withA. veitchii

The underlying mechanisms of drought resistance in seedlings ofLarix kaempferi as compared with those inAbies veitchii were investigated. First, seedlings of the two species were desiccated in air of differing water potential, and their survival rates were compared to detect any difference in desiccation tolerance between them. Contrary to differences in their drought resistance,A. veitchii showed higher survival. Next, the shoot heights and root depths of the two species were compared to detect any difference in desiccation avoidance. Although the shoot height differed little between the two species, the roots ofL. kaempferi seedlings were much deeper than those ofA. veitchii seedlings, and the death rate under progressing drought was well correlated with the root extensibility of each species. It was thus concluded thatL. kaempferi seedlings are able to avoid desiccation by extending their roots in deep soil faster thanA. veitchii seedlings, thereby resisting to drought. This paper is dedicated to Prof. Toshiro Saeki to mark his fruitful career in plant ecology.     

Penetration into membrane of amino‐terminal region of SecA when associated with SecYEG in active complexes

The general secretory (Sec) system of Escherichia coli translocates both periplasmic and outer membrane proteins through the cytoplasmic membrane. The pathway through the membrane is provided by a highly conserved translocon, which in E. coli comprises two heterotrimeric integral membrane complexes, SecY, SecE, and SecG (SecYEG), and SecD, SecF, and YajC (SecDF/YajC). SecA is an associated ATPase that is essential to the function of the Sec system. SecA plays two roles, it targets precursors to the translocon with the help of SecB and it provides energy via hydrolysis of ATP. SecA exists both free in the cytoplasm and integrally membrane associated. Here we describe details of association of the amino‐terminal region of SecA with membrane. We use site‐directed spin labelling and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy to show that when SecA is co‐assembled into lipids with SecYEG to yield highly active translocons, the N‐terminal region of SecA penetrates the membrane and lies at the interface between the polar and the hydrophobic regions, parallel to the plane of the membrane at a depth of approximately 5 Å. When SecA is bound to SecYEG, preassembled into proteoliposomes, or nonspecifically bound to lipids in the absence of SecYEG, the N‐terminal region penetrates more deeply (8 Å). Implications of partitioning of the SecA N‐terminal region into lipids on the complex between SecB carrying a precursor and SecA are discussed.     

Tree mycorrhizal type predicts within‐site variability in the storage and distribution of soil organic matter

Forest soils store large amounts of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), yet how predicted shifts in forest composition will impact long‐term C and N persistence remains poorly understood. A recent hypothesis predicts that soils under trees associated with arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) store less C than soils dominated by trees associated with ectomycorrhizas (ECM), due to slower decomposition in ECM‐dominated forests. However, an incipient hypothesis predicts that systems with rapid decomposition—e.g. most AM‐dominated forests—enhance soil organic matter (SOM) stabilization by accelerating the production of microbial residues. To address these contrasting predictions, we quantified soil C and N to 1 m depth across gradients of ECM‐dominance in three temperate forests. By focusing on sites where AM‐ and ECM‐plants co‐occur, our analysis controls for climatic factors that covary with mycorrhizal dominance across broad scales. We found that while ECM stands contain more SOM in topsoil, AM stands contain more SOM when subsoil to 1 m depth is included. Biomarkers and soil fractionations reveal that these patterns are driven by an accumulation of microbial residues in AM‐dominated soils. Collectively, our results support emerging theory on SOM formation, demonstrate the importance of subsurface soils in mediating plant effects on soil C and N, and indicate that shifts in the mycorrhizal composition of temperate forests may alter the stabilization of SOM.     

寄畅园的造园环境与借景探原

以寄畅园的借景为研究对象,在分析寄畅园外部山林地造园环境的基础上,剖析寄畅园借景的景观与空间特征,以及这一借景景观与地形环境的关联性,揭示水系山势纵横之间的正面全景与侧面景深的组合关系,并在对拙政园、赖久寺庭园等中日园林布局的例证分析中,展现所隐含的山水因借的布局模式。同时梳理历史文献中关于寄畅园借景的变迁过程,指明园林布局对借景变迁的影响。     

Levels of formaldehyde and TVOCs and influential factors of 100 underground station environments from 2013 to 2015

In this study, the environmental factors that affect airborne formaldehyde and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) were evaluated and the monthly variations in formaldehyde and TVOC levels in underground platforms of subway stations were compared. Formaldehyde level was determined from May 2013 to September 2015 for lines 1 to 4 of Seoul Metro. Samples for formaldehyde and TVOCs were collected at intervals of 30 min during a 60 min period, and then analyzed via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for formaldehyde and gas chromatography for TVOCs. Formaldehyde levels were correlated with depth of platform, whereas TVOC levels were negatively correlated with depth of platform. There were significant differences in levels of formaldehyde and TVOCs in 2013 and 2015 in the underground platforms. The highest levels of formaldehyde and TVOCs were in July from May to September, respectively (p < 0.05). Formaldehyde and TVOC levels varied greatly, depending on monthly variation and correlated with depth of platform. Therefore, Seoul Metro might need to manage the underground platforms at depth more carefully and further study the reasons behind the relatively high levels of formaldehyde and TVOC ranging from 12 to 22 m.     

松嫩平原苏打盐渍土区不同潜水埋深下羊草的光合特征

通过人工控制地下水位模拟试验,研究了不同潜水埋深下羊草净光合速率和蒸腾速率。结果表明地下潜水埋深直接影响羊草的正常生理活动。潜水埋深在1.0—2.5m之间,潜水埋深越浅,羊草表现为净光合速率和蒸腾速率越高;随着潜水埋深的增加,羊草净光合速率和蒸腾速率减小,生理活动下降。不同月份羊草净光合速率和蒸腾速率与潜水埋深呈幂函数关系,不同时间羊草净光合速率和蒸腾速率与潜水埋深呈幂函数、指数函数和对数函数关系,相关系数均在0.90以上,因此可以用函数方程来估算不同潜水埋深下的羊草净光合速率和蒸腾速率。结果为松嫩平原苏打盐渍土区植被恢复与环境保护提供科学依据。     

半干旱区膜上覆土穴播对春小麦旗叶光合作用和水分利用的影响

在甘肃定西大田定位试验的基础上,2012—2013年连续2年比较了全膜覆土穴播(PMS)、覆膜穴播(PM)和露地穴播(CK)春小麦旗叶的SPAD值、叶绿素荧光参数、光合气体交换参数以及叶面积指数(LAI)、产量、耗水量和水分利用效率.结果表明: PMS提高了小麦旗叶SPAD值,扬花后显著高于PM,增加了10.0%～21.5%,较CK增加了3.2%～21.6%.PMS的旗叶最大光化学效率(F_v/F_m)、PSⅡ实际光化学效率(Φ_PSⅡ)和光化学猝灭系数高于PM和CK,较PM最高分别提高了6.1%、9.6%和30.9%,并在灌浆期达到显著差异;而PMS的非光化学猝灭系数(q_N)值最低,并在抽穗期与PM达显著差异水平,2012和2013年分别降低了23.8%和15.4%.PMS的气孔导度(g_s)较PM和CK高,在灌浆期与PM达到显著差异,2012和2013年分别提高了17.1%和21.1%;PMS的蒸腾速率(T_r)较PM提高了5.4%～16.7%,光合速率(P_n)增加了11.2%～23.7%,旗叶瞬时水分利用效率(WUE_i)提高了5.6%～7.2%(除2013年抽穗期外),并在2012年扬花期达到显著差异.PMS的LAI高于PM和CK,尤其在季节性干旱的2013年达到显著差异.因此,PMS提高了叶片SPAD值,增强了旗叶对光合能量的同化能力和气体交换强度,使更多的光合能量进入光化学同化方向,降低了热耗散,使P_n增加,提高了旗叶WUE_i,基于较高的光合速率和群体LAI,最终提高小麦产量和水分利用效率.     

A scale‐down mimic for mapping the process performance of centrifugation,depth and sterile filtration

In the production of biopharmaceuticals disk‐stack centrifugation is widely used as a harvest step for the removal of cells and cellular debris. Depth filters followed by sterile filters are often then employed to remove residual solids remaining in the centrate. Process development of centrifugation is usually conducted at pilot‐scale so as to mimic the commercial scale equipment but this method requires large quantities of cell culture and significant levels of effort for successful characterization. A scale‐down approach based upon the use of a shear device and a bench‐top centrifuge has been extended in this work towards a preparative methodology that successfully predicts the performance of the continuous centrifuge and polishing filters. The use of this methodology allows the effects of cell culture conditions and large‐scale centrifugal process parameters on subsequent filtration performance to be assessed at an early stage of process development where material availability is limited. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2016;113: 1934–1941. © 2016 The Authors. Biotechnology and Bioengineering Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.