Effect of stand age on greenhouse gas fluxes from a Sitka spruce [Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.] chronosequence on a peaty gley soil

The influence of forest stand age in a Picea sitchensis plantation on (1) soil fluxes of three greenhouse gases (GHGs – CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O) and (2) overall net ecosystem global warming potential (GWP), was investigated in a 2‐year study. The objective was to isolate the effect of forest stand age on soil edaphic characteristics (temperature, water table and volumetric moisture) and the consequent influence of these characteristics on the GHG fluxes. Fluxes were measured in a chronosequence in Harwood, England, with sites comprising 30‐ and 20‐year‐old second rotation forest and a site clearfelled (CF) some 18 months before measurement. Adjoining unforested grassland (UN) acted as a control. Comparisons were made between flux data, soil temperature and moisture data and, at the 30‐year‐old and CF sites, eddy covariance data for net ecosystem carbon (C) exchange (NEE). The main findings were: firstly, integrated CO₂ efflux was the dominant influence on the GHG budget, contributing 93–94% of the total GHG flux across the chronosequence compared with 6–7% from CH₄ and N₂O combined. Secondly, there were clear links between the trends in edaphic factors as the forest matured, or after clearfelling, and the emission of GHGs. In the chronosequence sites, annual fluxes of CO₂ were lower at the 20‐year‐old (20y) site than at the 30‐year‐old (30y) and CF sites, with soil temperature the dominant control. CH₄ efflux was highest at the CF site, with peak flux 491±54.5 μg m⁻² h⁻¹ and maximum annual flux 18.0±1.1 kg CH₄ ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. No consistent uptake of CH₄ was noted at any site. A linear relationship was found between log CH₄ flux and the closeness of the water table to the soil surface across all sites. N₂O efflux was highest in the 30y site, reaching 108±38.3 μg N₂O‐N m⁻² h⁻¹ (171 μg N₂O m⁻² h⁻¹) in midsummer and a maximum annual flux of 4.7±1.2 kg N₂O ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in 2001. Automatic chamber data showed a positive exponential relationship between N₂O flux and soil temperature at this site. The relationship between N₂O emission and soil volumetric moisture indicated an optimum moisture content for N₂O flux of 40–50% by volume. The relationship between C : N ratio data and integrated N₂O flux was consistent with a pattern previously noted across temperate and boreal forest soils.     

Temperature tolerances in the Namib Desert dune ant, Camponotus detritus

The mean preferred temperature of workers and brood of Camponotus detritus was 35°C at 100% r.h. and 31–33°C at 30% r.h. The critical maximal temperature of workers was 53°C at both 100% r.h. and 30% r.h. while the critical minimal temperature was 4.57°C at 100% r.h. Workers tolerated ?1°C and 95% r.h.; 45°C and 95% r.h. and 45°C and 45% r.h. for 24 h.     

Calling behaviour of the potato aphid Macrosiphum euphorbiae oviparae under laboratory and field conditions

Abstract.  1. The calling behaviour of virgin oviparae of the potato aphid Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas) (Homoptera: Aphididae) was studied at three different constant temperatures under laboratory conditions. The mean age of calling for the first time decreased with a decrease in temperature from 2.9 days at 20 °C to 2.1 days at 10 °C. At all temperature regimes, the mean onset time of calling advanced from about 5 to 3 h after the onset of the photophase, and the mean time spent calling increased by > 4 h over the 8 days.
2. Cohorts of oviparae were also observed at two different periods in late summer–early autumn in the field, to examine the effects of fluctuating abiotic conditions (temperatures, wind velocity, rain) and age on calling behaviour. As under constant laboratory conditions, the mean age of calling for the first time declined with declining temperature, from 3.7 days in early September to 1.6 days at the end of September. Age-related changes in the mean onset time of calling and the mean time spent calling were much less evident under field conditions, due to the inhibitory effects of low temperatures, high winds, and rain on female calling activity.
3. The results are discussed within the context of reproductive success and address a previously proposed hypothesis suggesting that species-specific calling windows may serve as a reproductive isolating mechanism for sympatric aphid species.     

Stomatal response to humidity in a sugarcane field: simultaneous porometric and micrometeorological measurements*

Abstract. Gas exchange data obtained with wellventilated leaf cuvettes provide clear evidence of a stomatal response to leaf-air vapour pressure difference (V). In contrast, remotely sensed leaf temperatures with specific assumptions regarding canopy boundary layer characteristics, have been interpreted to mean that stomata do not respond to V. We address this apparent discrepancy in a sugarcane field by simultaneous application of a single-leaf, porometric technique and a whole-canopy, Bowen ratioenergy balance technique. These methods indicated significant stomatal response to V in well-irrigated sugarcane. Stomatal responses to V in the field were obscured by strong covariance of major environmental parameters so that opening responses to light and closing responses to V tended to offset each other. Low boundary layer conductance significantly uncoupled V at the leaf surface (V_s) from V determined in the bulk atmosphere (V_a). This reduced the range of the stimulus, V_s, thereby reducing the range of the stomatal response, without indicating low stomatal sensitivity to V. Stomatal responses to V_a may be smaller than expected from V response curves in cuvettes, since V_s rather than the conventionally measured V_a is analogous to V in a well-stirred cuvette. Recently published conclusions that remotely sensed canopy temperatures are inconsistent with stomatal response to V may be based on erroneous estimates of canopy boundary layer conductance and thus of V_s, use of air saturation deficit rather than V to express evaporative demand, and investigation at higher levels of evaporative demand than those eliciting maximal stomatal response.     

嗜热毛壳菌热稳定脂肪酶基因(Im)的克隆及其在毕赤酵母中的表达

研究从嗜热毛壳菌Chaetomium thermophilum中克隆了一个新的脂肪酶基因(lm).其中DNA序列包含一个由870个碱基构成的开放阅读框,编码289个氨基酸,含有4个内含子,没有信号肽序列.序列提交GenBank,登录号为GU338248.将该基因在毕赤酵母中表达.在甲醇的诱导下,重组蛋白得到了高效表达,第6天的表达量最高,蛋白达到0.428mg/mL,酶活力为19.77U/mg.SDS-PAGE检测该蛋白的分子量为35kDa.该脂肪酶的最适反应温度为60℃,具有热稳定性,在40-80℃热稳定,80℃处理60min仍有65％的相对酶活.该酶最适反应pH值为10.0,在pH 9.0--12.0酶活相对稳定.该酶具有较好的热稳定性和耐碱性,具有良好的工业应用价值.     

温度对马铃薯棉蚜生长发育及种群增长的影响

采用新叶圆片法,研究了不同恒温(10℃、15℃、20℃、25℃和30℃)条件下马铃薯棉蚜的发育历期、存活率、生殖力及种群生命表参数。结果表明:棉蚜在马铃薯上的各龄历期和成蚜寿命及产仔期随温度的升高而缩短,世代历期、成蚜寿命和产仔期分别从10℃的17.72 d、53.03 d和26.18 d下降到30℃的4.77 d、14.60 d和6.84 d。完成1代需要的有效积温为110.84日度,发育起点温度为4.56℃。总产仔量在15℃-25℃范围内最高(63.29-69.36头),其次为10℃(40.00头);日均产仔量在25℃时最高(5.61头/日),其次为20℃(3.47头/日)和30℃(3.35头/日)。除在10℃时为Deevey-II型存活曲线外,在其它温度下均为Deevey-I型存活曲线。根据内禀增长率大小排序,25℃是马铃薯棉蚜生长发育、存活、繁殖及种群增长的最适温度,其后依次为30℃、20℃、15℃和10℃。     

高温对莲草直胸跳甲两个地理种群体重和体型的影响

体型大小与昆虫在温度胁迫下的适应性有关。本文旨在研究入侵杂草空心莲子草Alternanthera philoxeroides生防天敌莲草直胸跳甲Agasicles hygrophila SelmanVogt不同地理种群对高温的形态响应机制。以恒温25℃作为对照,分别测定莲草直胸跳甲长沙种群和海南种群在模拟夏季特定12∶00-16∶00时段30℃、33℃、36℃高温条件下的幼虫体重、初羽化成虫体重、后足胫节长、鞘翅长、前胸背板宽等指标。结果表明,莲草直胸跳甲两地理种群幼虫体重均随温度升高而增加。两种群雌虫及长沙种群雄虫的体重、后足胫节长、鞘翅长、前胸背板宽度随温度上升显著下降;海南种群雄虫的后足胫节长、鞘翅长、前胸背板宽在各温度处理间无显著差异。在33℃、36℃高温条件下,长沙种群的幼虫体重、雌虫体重及雌虫的后足胫节长、鞘翅长、前胸背板宽显著高于海南种群,而长沙种群雄虫的后足胫节长、鞘翅长、前胸背板宽显著低于海南种群。试验表明,不同地理种群的莲草直胸跳甲形态大小对高温的响应存在差异。本研究结果为探究莲草直胸跳甲种间进化以及人工培育耐热种群的实践提供了一定的参考依据。     

低温对副珠蜡蚧阔柄跳小蜂发育及繁殖的影响

副珠蜡蚧阔柄跳小蜂是橡副珠蜡蚧的重要寄生蜂。为了探明副珠蜡蚧阔柄跳小蜂对低温的适应性,本文在15℃-24℃范围内对该蜂的产卵、发育、出蜂量及性比进行观察。结果表明:副珠蜡蚧阔本跳小蜂在15℃-24℃范围内,随温度的升高,产卵量逐渐增加;该蜂在21℃、24℃时蜂能完成世代发育,在15℃、18℃时少量跳小蜂能发育到蛹,但均不能羽化为成蜂;温度对性比的影响明显,24℃的雌性比例高于21℃。综上所述,副珠蜡蚧阔柄跳小蜂对18℃以下的低温适应性较差,室内繁殖或野外放蜂时注意选择较高的温度条件。     

Oxygen supply limits the heat tolerance of lizard embryos

The mechanisms that set the thermal limits to life remain uncertain. Classically, researchers thought that heating kills by disrupting the structures of proteins or membranes, but an alternative hypothesis focuses on the demand for oxygen relative to its supply. We evaluated this alternative hypothesis by comparing the lethal temperature for lizard embryos developing at oxygen concentrations of 10–30%. Embryos exposed to normoxia and hyperoxia survived to higher temperatures than those exposed to hypoxia, suggesting that oxygen limitation sets the thermal maximum. As all animals pass through an embryonic stage where respiratory and cardiovascular systems must develop, oxygen limitation may limit the thermal niches of terrestrial animals as well as aquatic ones.