氮稳定同位素技术在陆地生态系统氮循环研究中的应用

在过去几十年中, 氮(N)稳定同位素技术的发展提高了人们对于陆地生态系统氮循环的认识。该文回顾了氮稳定同位素技术在研究生态系统氮循环中的历史, 综述了最近十多年来氮稳定同位素技术在陆地生态系统氮循环研究中的典型案例, 包括利用氮同位素自然丰度鉴定植物氮来源、指示生态系统氮状态和量化过程速率, 利用¹⁵N标记技术示踪氮的去向和再分布等。该文同时指出这些应用中存在的问题, 以及在陆地生态系统上氮稳定同位素技术今后研究的重点发展方向。     

The influence of temperature, photoperiod and plant type on the predation rate of Macrolophus pygmaeus on Myzus persicae

The effect of temperature and photoperiod on the rate of predation of nymphs and adults of the predator Macrolophus pygmaeus was studied using Myzus persicae prey feeding on egg-plant and pepper plants. The experiments were conducted at three photoperiods (16L:8D, 12L:12D and 8L:16D), three temperatures (20, 25 and 30 °C), and at 65% r.h. The rate of predation increased with temperature. Predation rate was affected by photoperiod on pepper but not on egg-plant. Females and fifth instar nymphs were the most voracious stages followed by third and fourth instar nymphs and males. First and second instar nymphs consumed far fewer aphids. Predation rate was higher on leaves of pepper than egg-plant, especially at 30 °C. Variation in the efficacy of this predator is discussed.     

利用15N示踪技术研究木荷与马尾松幼苗叶片对NO2的吸收与分配

大气氮氧化物(NO_x=NO+NO₂)随着干沉降进入森林生态系统时,会首先接触森林冠层。森林乔木能通过叶片吸收多少NO₂以及对吸收的NO₂是如何分配的,目前尚不清楚。该研究利用¹⁵N稳定同位素示踪技术,对中国南方常见乔木树种木荷(Schima superba)和马尾松(Pinus massoniana)幼苗在黑暗和光照两种条件下进行了¹⁵NO₂静态箱熏蒸实验,检测并分析了两种植物的¹⁵N回收率以及吸收的NO₂在植物各组织中的分配结果。结果显示:植物主要通过气孔吸收NO₂,木荷和马尾松在黑暗条件下整体分别能回收10.3%±5.9%和20.4%±7.0%¹⁵NO₂,在光照条件下整体分别能回收35.9%±5.4%和68.2%±7.6%¹⁵NO₂。两种植物各组织中的平均干质量¹⁵     

东北森林两种典型阔叶树种子和幼苗对15N同位素的富集响应

以东北森林两种典型的阔叶树种风力传播种子——花曲柳和色木槭种子为研究对象,通过室内¹⁵N尿素浸泡试验和温室盆栽试验,设置4个浓度(0、0.05、0.1和0.2 g·L^-1)、3个浸泡时间(4、8和12 d)与4个叶期(2、4、6和8叶)处理,研究种子浸泡浓度、浸泡时间和幼苗叶期对种子和幼苗¹⁵N富集的影响.结果表明: 浸泡浓度和浸泡时间对两树种种子δ¹⁵N值均有显著的正反馈作用,高浓度和长时间(0.2 g·L^-1+12 d)更有利于种子¹⁵N总量的富集,花曲柳和色木槭种子¹⁵N同位素最大富集倍数的浸泡浓度和浸泡时间组合分别为0.1 g·L^-1+(4、8 d)和0.05 g·L^-1+(4、8 d);δ¹⁵N值稀释率随幼苗株高的增加先急剧减少(2~6叶)后趋于稳定,幼苗从8叶开始叶片¹⁵N总量降低,表明6叶幼苗更适合追踪幼苗的来源;幼苗叶片δ¹⁵N值与种子浸泡浓度、浸泡时间和种子的δ¹⁵N值呈显著正相关.花曲柳和色木槭种子及幼苗均能成功富集到¹⁵N信号,采用0.1 g·L^-1+8 d+6叶组合最适合追踪花曲柳和色木槭种子和幼苗.     

15N自然丰度法在生态系统氮素循环研究中的应用

稳定性同位素技术是现代生态学研究中的一门新兴技术,在生态学研究的诸多领域都展示了广阔的应用前景,其中,稳定性同位素＾１５Ｎ自然丰度法近年来在生态系统氮素循环研究中发挥了正在发挥着极为重要的作用,首先简述了自然生态系统氮素循环诸过程中的＾１５Ｎ同位素分馏机制,然后,在此基础上,综述了＾１５Ｎ自然丰度法的基本原理与方法,列举了近年 来此法在生物固氮及氮素转化过程研究中的一些应用实例,并预测了该方法在国     

Traffic exposure increases natural 15N and heavy metal concentrations in mosses

Mosses have been used as biomonitors of atmospheric pollution for some years, but few studies have been carried out on the effect of NO_x emissions from traffic on moss tissue N. Eight species of moss (102 samples) growing on walls or roofs next to roads exposed to different traffic densities were collected from urban and rural sites in the UK. The shoots were sampled for total N, their stable isotope ¹⁵N/¹⁴N content (δ¹⁵N) and heavy metal content (Pb, Zn). There was a lack of correlation between tissue total N and traffic exposure, but a very good correlation between traffic exposure and tissue δ¹⁵N. Plants collected near motorways or busy urban roads had δ¹⁵N values ranging between +6 and −1‰, while in rural areas with hardly any traffic these ranged from −2 to −12‰. In a separate survey of mosses, the average δ¹⁵N of shoots from busy roadsides in London was +3.66‰, whereas from samples collected from farm buildings near poultry or cattle pens it was −7.8‰. This indicates that the two main atmospheric N sources, NO_x and NH_x, have different δ¹⁵N signatures, the former tending to be positive and the latter negative. Tissue concentrations of both Pb and Zn show a strong positive correlation with traffic exposure, with Zn in particular being greater than Pb. The results are discussed with regard to the use of moss tissue Zn as a means for monitoring or mapping pollution from vehicles, and of δ¹⁵N as an aid to distinguish between urban (NO_x) and rural (NH_x) forms of N pollution.     

Sharing a predator: can an invasive alien pest affect the predation on a local pest?

Invasive species can strongly affect biotic interactions in ecosystems, interacting both directly and indirectly with local species. In European tomato greenhouses, the invasive alien pest Tuta absoluta may impact the population dynamics of other pests like whiteflies. Besides inducing damages to the host plant and competing for resources with local pests, this alien species may exert a predator-mediated interaction on local pests sharing common natural enemies. Biocontrol agents usually used against whiteflies may also prey upon T. absoluta and this could alter the dynamics of local pest populations. We evaluated possible resource competition and predator-mediated interactions in a system involving one mirid predator Macrolophus pygmaeus and two pests, T. absoluta and a local whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, on greenhouse tomatoes. Results showed that both resource competition and predator-mediated interactions occurred simultaneously. In the presence of the shared predator, there was a short-term positive effect of T. absoluta on B. tabaci [up to 5.9-fold increase of B. tabaci juveniles (egg + larvae) after four weeks]. However, in the long-term there was a negative predator-mediated interaction of T. absoluta on B. tabaci, i.e., after ten weeks the density of B. tabaci was 7.3-fold lower in the presence of the invasive pest. We emphasize the critical role of generalist predators in managing both local and invasive alien pest populations and that the strength and direction of predator-mediated indirect interactions can depend on the time scale considered.