Responses of nitrogen and phosphorus resorption from leaves and branches to long-term nitrogen deposition in a Chinese fir plantation

为了解森林养分内循环对全球变化的响应, 基于长期模拟氮沉降试验, 研究了杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)人工林不同龄级(一年生、二年生和衰老)叶和枝的氮(N)、磷(P)养分分配及其再吸收特征, 并分析了不同模拟N沉降处理时间(7年和14年)杉木叶N、P养分再吸收差异。在12年生杉木中开展模拟N沉降试验, 以尿素(CO(NH₂)₂)为N源, 设N0、N1、N2和N3 4个处理水平, 施氮量分别为0、60、120和240 kg·hm ^-2·a ^-1, 每个处理重复3次。结果表明: (1)叶和枝在衰老过程中碳(C)、N和P含量逐渐降低, 且叶的C、N和P含量比枝高; N含量大小依次为一年生叶>二年生叶>衰老叶>一年生枝>二年生枝>衰老枝, 且N3 > N2 > N1 > N0, 而C:N则呈现相反的趋势; 衰老器官的C:N、C:P、N:P比新鲜器官高; N沉降增加了不同龄级叶和枝(除二年生叶外)的N、N:P和C:P, 但降低了P和C:N。(2)叶和枝的N、P养分再吸收率(RE_N、RE_P)随龄级的增加至衰老有规律地递减, 且RE_P > RE_N; 受长期N沉降的影响, RE_N叶(28.12%) <枝(30.00%), 而RE_P则为叶(45.82%) >枝(30.42%); 杉木叶和枝N:P与RE_N:RE_P之间存在极显著的线性相关关系。(3)随N沉降处理时间的增加, 叶RE_N呈降低态势, 各处理(N1、N2和N3)分别降低了9.85%、3.17%和11.71%; 而RE_P则明显上升, 分别增加了71.98%、42.25%和9.60%。研究结果表明: 不同器官、不同龄级的养分再吸收率随氮沉降处理的水平、处理时间而所有不同; RE_N:RE_P与N:P之间存在紧密关系。     

Widespread natural intraspecific variation in tissue stoichiometry of two freshwater molluscs: Effect of nutrient enrichment

A central premise of ecological stoichiometry is that consumers maintain relatively fixed elemental composition in their bodies, a process known as elemental homoeostasis. Although nutrient enrichment is a ubiquitous problem facing many freshwater lakes around the world, intraspecific variation in elemental composition of freshwater invertebrates and its relationship with nutrient loading have not been well addressed. Here, we examined carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus (C:N:P) stoichiometry of two widely distributed molluscs, Corbicula fluminea and Bellamya aeruginosa, from several subtropical shallow lakes across a nutrient gradient. Our results showed that these two species exhibited substantial natural intraspecific variation in tissue stoichiometry which can reach or even exceed the values among different freshwater taxa investigated before. Our results suggest that tissue P content presents the greatest variations, followed by N content, and lowest in C content. Tissue P content ranged about three-fold (0.56%–1.65%) and five-fold (0.41%–2.28%) for B. aeruginosa and C. fluminea, respectively. Correspondingly, N content ranged from 5.16% to 12.06% and from 6.47 to 11.36%, respectively. Tissue %P, C:P and N:P ratios were strongly correlated with PO₄³⁻-P and/or chlorophyll-a in the water column. Tissue N and P contents of B. aeruginosa and P content of C. fluminea increased with increasing lake trophic levels (mesotrophic to eutrophic to hypertrophic). These results suggest that the two molluscs can adjust their tissue stoichiometry in relation to nutrient enrichment. Relaxing the assumption of strict homeostasis may help them cope with potential stoichiometric constraints. The results provide additional clues to why these two species are successful invaders and widely distributed.     

Patterns and sources of variation in Daphnia phosphorus content in nature

It has recently been shown that Daphnia can vary in the phosphorus (P)-content of their body tissues, but the relative importance of genetic versus environmental causes for this variation is unexplored. We measured variation in P-content (as % body mass) of Daphnia from eight lakes and conducted experiments to contrast three sources of variation: interspecific variation, clonal variation and phenotypic plasticity. Daphnia P-content decreased with increasing seston C:P ratio across lakes. This relationship reflected both inter- and intraspecific variation. Daphnia parvula and D. dubia exhibited high P-content and were found in shallow lakes with low C:P seston, whereas D. pulicaria had low P-content and was found in deep, stratified lakes having high C:P seston. Populations of D. dentifera spanned this lake gradient and exhibited P-content that was negatively related to seston C:P. Evidence for phenotypic plasticity came from experiments with D. pulicaria and D. dentifera collected from a lake with P-deficient seston and fed a P-sufficient diet in the laboratory. In addition, populations of D. dentifera differed in P-content even after 7 d of feeding on P-sufficient resources, suggesting within-species clonal variation. However, mesocosm experiments revealed broad and surprisingly continuous variation in the P-content of individual clones of D. pulex (range 1.54–1.05%) and D. mendotae (1.51–1.07%) over a gradient in dietary C:P. The broad range in P-content exhibited by individual clones, acclimated for generations, suggests that variation in Daphnia P-content from laboratory experiments needs to be interpreted with caution. These results also show that phenotypic variation in response to environment can be a larger source of variation in P-content than genetic differences within or among species.     

Nitrogen and phosphorus content of some temperate and tropical freshwater fishes

The nitrogen and phosphorus content of two temperate fishes, Rutilus rutilus and Perca fluviatilis , and six tropical fishes, Oreochromis niloticus , Cichla monoculus , Serrassalmus rhombeus , Plagioscion squamosissimus , Prochilodus brevis and Hoplias malabaricus , were investigated to test the hypothesis that variation in body P content and N:P ratio is related to body size. Regressions of %P and N:P ratios against fish size (length and mass) confirmed the hypothesis for P. fluviatilis and P. squamosissimus , suggesting that body size is an important factor driving body P content and N:P ratios in some fishes. Moreover, significant increases in %N and N:P ratio with body size was found for H. malabaricus , a common piscivorous fish of the Neotropics. Interspecific variation in %P and N:P ranged two-fold and significant differences ( P < 0·05) were found among the tested species. The mean ± s . d . elemental content across all fishes ( n = 170) was 10·35 ± 1·29% for N and 3·05 ± 0·82% for P, while the N:P ratio was 8·00 ± 2·14. Data on fish body nutrient content and ratio will improve parameterization of bioenergetics and mass balance models and help clarify the role of fishes in nutrient cycles in both temperate and tropical freshwaters.     

Stoichiometric traits of stickleback: Effects of genetic background,rearing environment,and ontogeny

Phenotypes can both evolve in response to, and affect, ecosystem change, but few examples of diverging ecosystem‐effect traits have been investigated. Bony armor traits of fish are good candidates for this because they evolve rapidly in some freshwater fish populations, and bone is phosphorus rich and likely to affect nutrient recycling in aquatic ecosystems. Here, we explore how ontogeny, rearing environment, and bone allocation among body parts affect the stoichiometric phenotype (i.e., stoichiometric composition of bodies and excretion) of threespine stickleback. We use two populations from distinct freshwater lineages with contrasting lateral plating phenotypes (full vs. low plating) and their hybrids, which are mostly fully plated. We found that ontogeny, rearing environment, and body condition were the most important predictors of organismal stoichiometry. Although elemental composition was similar between both populations and their hybrids, we found significant divergence in phosphorus allocation among body parts and in phosphorus excretion rates. Overall, body armor differences did not explain variation in whole body phosphorus, phosphorus allocation, or phosphorus excretion. Evolutionary divergence between these lineages in both allocation and excretion is likely to have important direct consequences for ecosystems, but may be mediated by evolution of multiple morphological or physiological traits beyond plating phenotype.     

帽儿山地区不同土地利用方式下土壤-微生物-矿化碳氮化学计量特征

土地利用方式的变化导致土壤碳氮含量及其化学计量关系的变化,然而土壤微生物化学计量及其驱动的碳氮矿化过程如何响应这种变化仍不明确。以帽儿山地区天然落叶阔叶林、人工红松林、草地和农田4种不同土地利用类型为对象,测定其土壤有机碳(C_(soil))、全氮(N_(soil))、微生物生物量碳和氮(C_(mic)和N_(mic))、土壤碳和氮矿化速率(C_(min)和N_(min)),旨在比较不同土地利用方式对土壤、微生物碳氮化学计量特征及矿化速率的影响,探索土壤-微生物-矿化之间碳氮化学计量特征的相关性,揭示微生物对土壤碳氮化学计量变化的响应和调控机制。结果显示:C_(soil)、N_(soil)、C_(mic)、N_(mic)和C_(min)均呈现天然落叶阔叶林人工红松林草地农田,而天然落叶阔叶林和草地的N_(min)显著高于人工红松林和农田。土地利用方式显著影响土壤和微生物碳氮比(C∶N_(soil)和C∶N_(mic)),均呈现农田最高。不同土地利用方式的数据综合分析发现:碳氮矿化速率比与C∶N_(mic)呈负相关,而和微生物与土壤碳氮化学计量不平衡性(C∶N_(imb))显著正相关。单位微生物生物量的碳矿化速率(qCO_2)随着C∶N_(mic)的增加而降低,而单位微生物生物量的氮矿化速率(qAN)随着C∶N_(mic)的增加而增加。C∶N_(imb)与qCO_2正相关,与qAN负相关。以上结果表明,微生物会通过改变自身碳氮化学计量、调整碳氮之间相对矿化速率,以适应土地利用变化导致的土壤碳氮及其化学计量的变异性,以满足自身生长和代谢的碳氮需求平衡。     

Speciation,phase association and potential bioavailability of phosphorus on a Svalbard glacier

Glacier surfaces are known to harbour abundant and active microbial communities. Phosphorus has been shown to be deficient in glacial environments, and thus is one of the limits on microbial growth and activity. We quantified the phosphorus pool in cryoconite debris and the concentration of dissolved phosphorus in supraglacial water on Werenskioldbreen, a Svalbard glacier. The mean total P content of the cryoconite debris was ~2.2 mg g⁻¹, which is significantly more than would be expected in rock debris from local sources. 57% of this P was present in the fraction defined as organic P. It may account for the P in excess of the rock debris, and could be explained by allochthonous input of organic matter. The concentration of total dissolved P in supraglacial water was very low (5.2–8.5 μg l⁻¹), which was probably caused by efficient flushing and re-adsorption onto mineral surfaces. Dissolved organic P (DOP) was a very important component of the dissolved phosphorus pool on Werenskioldbreen, as concentrations of DOP typically exceeded those of dissolved inorganic P (or SRP) by more than four times in all the glacial water types. It is very difficult to assess whether P was limiting in this environment solely on the basis of the N:P ratios in the debris or biomass. There may be some degree of biological control over the C:N:P ratios in the debris, but the phosphorus cycling in the supraglacial environment on this glacier seems to be mainly controlled by physical and geochemical processes.     

Energy coupling sites in the electron transport chain of Zymomonas mobilis

Abstract Energy-coupling sites in the electron transport chain of the obligately fermentative aerotolerant bacterium Zymomonas mobilis were examined. The H⁺ /O stoichiometry of the electron transport chain in intact bacteria oxidizing ethanol was close to 3.3. Cytoplasmic membrane vesicles coupled NADH oxidation to ATP synthesis. With ascorbate/phenazine methosulfate they showed oxygen uptake which was sensitive to antimycin A, but no significant ATP synthesis could be detected. Cells with a defective coupling site I, prepared by cultivation on a sulfate-deficient medium, showed a decreased rotenone sensitivity of respiration, and they lacked almost all the respiration-driven proton translocation and ATP synthesis. We conclude that, despite the reported composition of the electron transport chain, only energy coupling site 1 was functional in Z. mobilis .     

Response of grazing snails to phosphorus enrichment of modern stromatolitic microbial communities

1. The effects of added phosphorus (P) on the growth, P and RNA : DNA contents, and survivorship of snails grazing on laminated microbial mats (living ‘stromatolites’) were examined in the Rio Mesquites at Cuatro Ciénegas, Mexico (total P, c. 0.60 μmol L^?1) to test the hypothesis that strong P‐limitation of microautotroph growth produces a stoichiometric constraint on herbivores because of mineral P‐limitation. 2. In a 3‐week experiment performed in summer 2001, addition of phosphorus (+15 μmol L^?1) resulted in a strong decline in stromatolite biomass C : P ratio from very high levels (c. 2300 : 1 by atoms) to moderate levels (c. 550 : 1). The endemic hydrobiid snail Mexithauma quadripaludium responded to P‐enrichment with elevated body P content and higher RNA : DNA ratios, especially for small animals likely to be actively growing. This positive response is consistent with the existence of a stoichiometric constraint on snail growth. 3. In a longer experiment (8 weeks) involving a more moderate P enrichment (+5 μmol L^?1) in summer 2002, P enrichment reduced stromatolite C : P ratio from moderate values in control treatments (c. 750) to very low values (<100 : 1). Snails responded to stromatolite P‐enrichment with increased body P content but, in contrast to the first experiment, with lower RNA : DNA ratio, lower growth rates, and higher mortality. 4. These contrasting results suggest that both very high and very low biomass C : P ratios in stromatolites are detrimental to M. quadripaludium performance, leading us to hypothesise that these herbivores live on a ‘stoichiometric knife edge’.