Methane emission by termites and oxidation by soils, across a forest disturbance gradient in the Mbalmayo Forest Reserve, Cameroon

Methane fluxes were measured, using static chambers, across a disturbance gradient in a West African semi-deciduous humid forest. Soil-feeding termite biomass was simultaneously determined, in an attempt to examine its influence on the net soil-atmosphere exchange of CH₄. CH₄ emission rates from individual termite species were determined under laboratory conditions, permitting the gross production of CH₄ to be compared with net fluxes to the atmosphere. Both net CH₄ oxidation(-) and emission were observed, and CH₄ fluxes ranged from – 24.6 to 40.7 ng m^–2 s^–1. A statistically significant relationship between termite biomass and CH₄ flux was observed across the forested sites such that: CH₄ flux (ng m^–2 s^–1) = 4.95 × termite biomass (gm^–2)–10.9 (P < 0.001). Rates of CH₄ oxidation were on average 60% smaller at the clearfelled and Terminalia plantation sites than at the near-primary forest site. Two of the disturbed sites were net CH₄ sources during one of the sampling periods. Disturbance of tropical forests, resulting in a decrease in the CH₄ sink capacity of the soil, may therefore increase the contribution of termite-derived CH₄ to the atmosphere. Measurements from the mounds of the soil-feeding termites Thoracotermes macrothorax and Cubitermes fungifaber from the old plantation site gave a CH₄ emission of 636 and 53.4 ng s^–1 mound^–1, respectively. The forest floor surrounding the mounds was sampled in three concentric bands. Around the mound of T. macrothorax the soil was a net source of CH₄ estimated to contribute a further 148 ng s^–1. Soil surrounding the mound of C. fungifaber was mostly a net sink. The mounds of soil-feeding termites are point sources of CH₄, which at the landscape scale may exceed the general sink capacity of the soil, to an extent dependent on seasonal variations in soil moisture and level of disturbance.     

Impact of gas transport through rice cultivars on methane emission from rice paddy fields

Two Italian rice (Oryza sativa var. japonica) cultivars, Lido and Roma, were tested in the field for methane production, oxidation and emission. In two consecutive years, fields planted with the rice cultivar Lido showed methane emissions 24–31% lower than fields planted with the cultivar Roma. This difference was observed irrespective of fertilizer treatment. In contrast to methane emissions, differences in methane production or oxidation were not observed between fields planted with the two cultivars. Plant-mediated transport of methane from the sediment to the atmosphere was the dominating pathway of methane emission. During the entire vegetation period, the contribution of this pathway to total methane emission amounted to c. 90%, whereas the contribution of gas bubble release and of diffusion through the water column to total methane emission was of minor significance. Results obtained from transport studies of tracer gas through the aerenchyma system of rice plants demonstrated that the root–shoot transition zone is the main site of resistance to plant-mediated gas exchange between the soil and the atmosphere. The cultivar Lido, showing relatively low methane emissions in the field, had a significantly lower gas transport capacity through the aerenchyma system than the cultivar Roma. Thus, the observed differences in methane emissions in the field between the cultivars Lido and Roma can be explained by different gas transport capacities. Apparently, these differences in gas transport capacities are a consequence of differences in morphology of the aerenchyma systems, especially in the root–shoot transition zone. It is, therefore, concluded that identification and use of high-yielding rice cultivars which have a low gas transport capacity represent an economically feasible, environmentally sound and promising approach to mitigating methane emissons from rice paddy fields.     

Influence of atmospheric CO2 enrichment on methane consumption in a temperate forest soil

Rates of atmospheric CH₄ consumption of soils in temperate forest were compared in plots continuously enriched with CO₂ at 200 µL L^?1 above ambient and in control plots exposed to the ambient atmosphere of 360 µL CO₂ L^?1. The purpose was to determine if ecosystem atmospheric CO₂ enrichment would alter soil microbial CH₄ consumption at the forest floor and if the effect of CO₂ would change with time or with environmental conditions. Reduced CH₄ consumption was observed in CO₂‐enriched plots relative to control plots on 46 out of 48 sampling dates, such that CO₂‐enriched plots showed annual reductions in CH₄ consumption of 16% in 1998 and 30% in 1999. No significant differences were observed in soil moisture, temperature, pH, inorganic‐N or rates of N‐mineralization between CO₂‐enriched and control plots, indicating that differences in CH₄ consumption between treatments were likely the result of changes in the composition or size of the CH₄‐oxidizing microbial community. A repeated measures analysis of variance that included soil moisture, soil temperature (from 0 to 30 cm), and time as covariates indicated that the reduction of CH₄ consumption under elevated CO₂ was enhanced at higher soil temperatures. Additionally, the effect of elevated CO₂ on CH₄ consumption increased with time during the two‐year study. Overall, these data suggest that rising atmospheric CO₂ will reduce atmospheric CH₄ consumption in temperate forests and that the effect will be greater in warmer climates. A 30% reduction in atmospheric CH₄ consumption by temperate forest soils in response to rising atmospheric CO₂ will result in a 10% reduction in the sink strength of temperate forest soils in the atmospheric CH₄ budget and a positive feedback to the greenhouse effect.     

开放式空气CO2增高对稻田CH4和N2O排放的影响

在FACE(free aircarbondioxideenrichment)平台上 ,采用静态暗箱 气相色谱法观测研究了大气CO2 浓度增加对稻田CH4和N2 O排放的影响 .结果表明 ,在 15 0和 2 5 0kgN·hm-2 两种氮肥水平下大气CO2 浓度增加 2 0 0 μmol·mol-1均明显促进水稻生长 ,水稻生物量积累 .大气CO2 浓度增加对 15 0和 2 5 0kgN·hm-2 两种氮肥水平下稻田CH4排放均无显著影响 ,并简要分析了与现有文献报道结果不一致的原因 .大气CO2 浓度增加也未导致 15 0和 2 5 0kgN·hm-2 两种氮肥水平下稻田N2 O排放的明显变化 ,与大多数研究结果一致 .     

Energetics and foraging behaviour of the European seed harvesting ant Messor capitatus: I. Respiratory metabolism and energy consumption of unloaded and loaded workers during locomotion

Abstract The respiratory metabolism of workers of Messor capitatus (Latreille) was measured using standard micro-Warburg techniques on single individuals. The experiments were carried out at 10, 20, 25, 30 and 40^oC, and the respiratory quotient (RQ), measured for the same individuals at 30^oC, was found to be 0.77. The specific respiratory rate (y , in μl O₂/mg dry weight/h) could be described by the following equation: Iny = -2.24 + 0.098r -0.258 In W; where T is temperature and W is the dry weight in mg. The Q₁₀ for M. capitatus in the temperature interval 20–30^oC was 3.4, a higher value than for other ants.
The energy costs of movement and carrying were determined by using the RQ to convert the continuous measurement of CO₂ produced at 30^oC by Enfiuran anaesthetized workers ('resting metabolism'), by running workers and by workers loaded with a 20 mg weight to units of energy. The resting metabolism was 10.0±1.0 mJ/mg fresh weight/h. The cost of running ( Y in joule per km) could be described by: Y = 3.865 + 0.363 Wf , where Wf is fresh weight in mg. The cost of transport for all experiments could be expressed as 0.64 × the cost of running.     

Nutrition of the Tamandua: I. Nutrient composition of termites (Nasutitermes spp.) and stomach contents from wild tamanduas (Tamandua tetradactyla)

Arboreal termites (Nasutitermes spp.) and stomach contents from tamanduas (Tamandua tetradactyla) were collected in central Venezuela during the mid part of the dry season (March) of 1993 and 1994. Nutritional analyses were performed on each caste (workers n = 3), soldiers (n = 5), and alates [n = (1]), on mixed caste samples (n = 1), and on stomach contents from live (n = 5) and roadkill (n = 5) tamanduas. The chemical analysis, expressed on a dry matter (DM) basis, of termite workers, which constituted the majority of the nest populations, showed the highest crude protein (CP) (67%) and the lowest DM (25%) and fat (2%) values. Ash content varied from a low of 4% in alates to a high of 7% in soldiers. The alates contained substantially higher DM (41%) and fat (40%), which was reflected in a higher caloric value (6.88 kcal/g) (gross energy) [GE], and relatively less CP (49%). Among the macrominerals, potassium (K) was consistently the highest, with an overall mean value of 0.54%, while the calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) levels showed overall means of 0.26% and 0.67%, respectively. Iron (Fe) was the highest among the trace minerals but highly variable (soldiers, 1,000 ppm; alates, 246 ppm; workers, 394 ppm). Differences in the concentrations of vitamin A and E were found among termites castes, with soldiers showing the highest values (20 and 85 μg/g for retinol and α-tocopherol, respectively). Acid detergent fiber (ADF) was lower in the alates (13%) and workers (27%) compared to the soldiers (35%). Alates' fat was more saturated (39%), while soldiers and workers had a much higher polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentration. In general, similar nutrient profiles were found between the tamandua stomach contents and the overall mean composition of Nasutitermes spp. However, stomach contents had much higher ADF, ash, and Fe concentrations (31%, 14%, and 2,748 ppm) than termites (25%, 5%, and 652 ppm) but lower CP, fat, GE, and Ca values (51%, 11%, 4.58 kcal/g, and 0.11% vs. 58%, 15%, 6.01 kcal/g, and 0.26% in termites). The relatively low concentrations of Ca in both stomach contents and termites may be indicative of a low requirement in Myrmecophaga compared to other mammalian species. Diets consumed by free-ranging tamanduas contained on a DM basis 51% CP, 11% fat, 14% ash, 31% ADF, 4.58 kcal/g GE, 0.11% Ca, 0.41% P, 2.52 μg/g retinol, and 44.3 μg/g α-tocopherol. Duplication of these nutrient profiles might greatly benefit captive health and reproduction of this species. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

植物排放N2O和CH4的研究

N2O和CH4是2种重要的温室气体,但其排放源尚未得到充分鉴别.1990年和2006年先后报道植物能排放N2O和CH4,并日益受到广泛的关注.然而,迄今为止对植物排放这2种气体的研究均是分开单独进行的.该文以8种陆生草本植物为研究对象,首次同步考察了新鲜离体植物地上部排放N2O和CH4的通量.研究结果表明:8种植物均能排放这2种气体.其中,黑麦草(Lolium perenne)、抱茎苦荬菜(Ixendium sonchifolium)和菠菜(Spinacia oleracea)的CH4通量较高,分别为165.38、52.28和21.64 ngCH4.g-1dw·h-1;抱茎苦荬菜、蒙古蒿(Artemisia mongolica)、大豆(Glycine max)和菠菜的N2O通量较高,分别为7.19、6.92、5.44和4.05 ngN2O·g-1dw.h-1.研究结果不仅为植物本身既能排放N2O又能排放CH4在植物中可能具有普遍性提供了进一步的实验依据,而且为深入研究其机理找到了几种适宜的植物种(如抱茎苦荬菜、菠菜).     

Effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 on soil microbiota in calcareous grassland

Microbial responses to three years of CO₂ enrichment (600 μL L^–1) in the field were investigated in calcareous grassland. Microbial biomass carbon (C) and soil organic C and nitrogen (N) were not significantly influenced by elevated CO₂. Microbial C:N ratios significantly decreased under elevated CO₂ (– 15%, P = 0.01) and microbial N increased by + 18% (P = 0.04). Soil basal respiration was significantly increased on one out of 7 sampling dates (+ 14%, P = 0.03; December of the third year of treatment), whereas the metabolic quotient for CO₂ (qCO₂ = basal respiration/microbial C) did not exhibit any significant differences between CO₂ treatments. Also no responses of microbial activity and biomass were found in a complementary greenhouse study where intact grassland turfs taken from the field site were factorially treated with elevated CO₂ and phosphorus (P) fertilizer (1 g P m^–2 y^–1). Previously reported C balance calculations showed that in the ecosystem investigated growing season soil C inputs were strongly enhanced under elevated CO₂. It is hypothesized that the absence of microbial responses to these enhanced soil C fluxes originated from mineral nutrient limitations of microbial processes. Laboratory incubations showed that short-term microbial growth (one week) was strongly limited by N availability, whereas P was not limiting in this soil. The absence of large effects of elevated CO₂ on microbial activity or biomass in such nutrient-poor natural ecosystems is in marked contrast to previously published large and short-term microbial responses to CO₂ enrichment which were found in fertilized or disturbed systems. It is speculated that the absence of such responses in undisturbed natural ecosystems in which mineral nutrient cycles have equilibrated over longer periods of time is caused by mineral nutrient limitations which are ineffective in disturbed or fertilized systems and that therefore microbial responses to elevated CO₂ must be studied in natural, undisturbed systems.     

The termites of Early Eocene Cambay amber, with the earliest record of the Termitidae (Isoptera)

The fauna of termites (Isoptera) preserved in Early Eocene amber from the Cambay Basin (Gujarat, India) are described and figured. Three new genera and four new species are recognized, all of them Neoisoptera – Parastylotermes krishnai Engel & Grimaldi, sp. n. (Stylotermitidae); Prostylotermes kamboja Engel & Grimaldi, gen. et sp. n. (Stylotermitidae?); Zophotermes Engel, gen. n., with Zophotermes ashoki Engel & Singh, sp. n. (Rhinotermitidae: Prorhinotermitinae); and Nanotermes isaacae Engel & Grimaldi, gen. et sp. n. (Termitidae: Termitinae?). Together these species represent the earliest Tertiary records of the Neoisoptera and the oldest definitive record of Termitidae, a family that comprises >75% of the living species of Isoptera. Interestingly, the affinities of the Cambay amber termites are with largely Laurasian lineages, in this regard paralleling relationships seen between the fauna of bees and some flies. Diversity of Neoisoptera in Indian amber may reflect origin of the amber deposit in Dipterocarpaceae forests formed at or near the paleoequator.     

Antitermitic effect of the Lantana camara plant on subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Abstract The insecticidal effects of Lantana camara L. (flowers, leaves, stems and roots) and the soil where lantana had been growing, on foraging activity and survival of the subterranean termites Coptotermes formosanus and Reticulitermes flavipes were examined in a 3-week experiment. The soil in which lantana had been growing had no effect on termite tunneling and survival. Incorporation of chipped fresh lantana leaves and stems into soil had no effect on mortality but caused significant reduction in tunneling. The 5-cm wide barrier of soil with lantana tissue incorporated effectively repelled groups of both species from penetrating the barrier and thus prevented infestation of a piece of wood on the other side of the barrier. C. formosanus was more sensitive in avoiding the barrier than R. flavipes. Leaves, stems and flowers were more repellent than roots. These results provide preliminary evidence that fresh-cut lantana leaves, stems and flowers may have use as additives to garden mulches against termites.     

Carbon balance of a European mountain bog at contrasting stages of regeneration

Carbon dioxide and methane (CH4) fluxes were measured in a cutover bog of the Jura Mountains (France) together with biotic and abiotic variables for two entire vegetation periods in order to compare the carbon balance of the bog at three stages of regeneration. Among all factors, air temperature and vegetation index (including leaf area of vascular plants, bryophyte density and bryophyte desiccation) were the two main determinants of ecosystem respiration and gross photosynthesis at light saturation. During 2004 and 2005, the vegetated plots acted as carbon sinks. Net carbon exchange ranged between 67 and 166 g C m(-2) yr(-1) for the Eriophorum-dominated plots and between 93 and 183 g C m(-2) yr(-1) for the Sphagnum-dominated plots. The bare peat plots represented a net carbon source (between -19 and -32 g C m(-2) yr(-1)). Methane fluxes accounted for a very small part of the total carbon efflux (< 2%). The recovery of vegetation in our naturally regenerating bog was beneficial for the carbon sequestration after the relatively short period of 20 yr.     

Greenhouse gas fluxes from tropical peatlands in south‐east Asia

The lowland peatlands of south‐east Asia represent an immense reservoir of fossil carbon and are reportedly responsible for 30% of the global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry. This paper provides a review and meta‐analysis of available literature on greenhouse gas fluxes from tropical peat soils in south‐east Asia. As in other parts of the world, water level is the main control on greenhouse gas fluxes from south‐east Asian peat soils. Based on subsidence data we calculate emissions of at least 900 g CO₂ m^?2 a^?1 (～250 g C m^?2 a^?1) for each 10 cm of additional drainage depth. This is a conservative estimate as the role of oxidation in subsidence and the increased bulk density of the uppermost drained peat layers are yet insufficiently quantified. The majority of published CO₂ flux measurements from south‐east Asian peat soils concerns undifferentiated respiration at floor level, providing inadequate insight on the peat carbon balance. In contrast to previous assumptions, regular peat oxidation after drainage might contribute more to the regional long‐term annual CO₂ emissions than peat fires. Methane fluxes are negligible at low water levels and amount to up to 3 mg CH₄ m^?2 h^?1 at high water levels, which is low compared with emissions from boreal and temperate peatlands. The latter emissions may be exceeded by fluxes from rice paddies on tropical peat soil, however. N₂O fluxes are erratic with extremely high values upon application of fertilizer to wet peat soils. Current data on CO₂ and CH₄ fluxes indicate that peatland rewetting in south‐east Asia will lead to substantial reductions of net greenhouse gas emissions. There is, however, an urgent need for further quantitative research on carbon exchange to support the development of consistent policies for climate change mitigation.     

Carbon fluxes from a tropical peat swamp forest floor

A tropical ombrotrophic peatland ecosystem is one of the largest terrestrial carbon stores. Flux rates of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) were studied at various peat water table depths in a mixed‐type peat swamp forest floor in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Temporary gas fluxes on microtopographically differing hummock and hollow peat surfaces were combined with peat water table data to produce annual cumulative flux estimates. Hummocks formed mainly from living and dead tree roots and decaying debris maintained a relatively steady CO₂ emission rate regardless of the water table position in peat. In nearly vegetation‐free hollows, CO₂ emission rates were progressively smaller as the water table rose towards the peat surface. Methane emissions from the peat surface remained small and were detected only in water‐saturated peat. By applying long‐term peat water table data, annual gas emissions from the peat swamp forest floor were estimated to be 3493±316 g CO₂ m^?2 and less than 1.36±0.57 g CH₄ m^?2. On the basis of the carbon emitted, CO₂ is clearly a more important greenhouse gas than CH₄. CO₂ emissions from peat are the highest during the dry season, when the oxic peat layer is at its thickest because of water table lowering.     

Empruthotrema stenophallus n. sp. (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) from the nasal tissue of Dasyatis kuhlii (Dasyatidae) from Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia

Empruthotrema stenophallus n. sp. (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) is described from specimens from the nasal tissue of the blue-spotted maskray Dasyatis kuhlii (Muller and Henle, 1841) collected in shallow waters off Pulau Banggi and Pulau Mabul, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia. This is the first monogenean species to be described from an elasmobranch collected from Sabah. E. stenophallus can be distinguished from the other 6 members of the genus by the morphology of the sclerotized male copulatory organ, which is narrow, short, and distally tapered. E. dasyatidis Whittington and Kearn, 1992, previously documented from the nasal tissue of several of elasmobranch species from Australia, is recorded from 8 host species distributed around Malaysian Borneo. These represent new host and locality records for this monocotylid. The difficulties in identifying species of Empruthotrema and the apparent lack of host specificity by some members of the genus are discussed.     

Differences between the flag leaf and the ear of a spring wheat cultivar (Triticum aestivum cv. Arkas) with respect to the CO2 response of assimilation, respiration and stomatal conductance

The CO₂- and H₂O-exchanges in the flag leaf and the ear of a spring wheat cultivar (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Arkas) were measured at CO₂ partial pressures, p_i(CO₂), between 8 and 400 Pa under high photosynthetic photon flux densities (2000 μmol m^?2 s^?1). The experiments were carried out on each organ separately while attached to the intact plant, from the time of ear emergence through senescence. To study the contribution of the kernels to the gas exchange of ears, experiments were also carried out on sterilized ears (treatment A), and on ears from which the kernels were removed (treatment B). Flag leaves and ears differed considerably with regard to CO₂-dependence of assimilation, response of stomata to varying p_a(CO₂), CO₂ compensation point (and its temperature dependence), dark respiration, and dissimilation in the light (i.e. CO₂ production which is not due to oxygenation of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate). The higher dark respiration of the ear originated mainly from the kernels and continued to some extent in the light. Thus, the CO₂ compensation point was attained at higher CO₂ partial pressures for the ear than for the flag leaf. The CO₂ uptake of the ear was not saturated at intercellular CO₂ partial pressures below 180 Pa CO₂, while that of the flag leaf reached saturation at about 80 Pa CO₂. CO₂-saturated rates of CO₂ uptake were 2.5 and 1.5 times the rates at natural CO₂ partial pressure for ear and flag leaf, respectively. The stomatal conductance decreased with rising CO₂ partial pressure above 35 Pa, in a more pronounced manner for the flag leaf than for the ear.     

Effects of increased CO2 and N on CH4 efflux from a boreal mire: a growth chamber experiment

Increases in the supply of atmospheric CO₂ and N are expected to alter the carbon cycle, including CH₄ emissions, in boreal peatlands. These effects were studied in a glasshouse experiment with peat monoliths cored from an oligotrophic pine fen. The cores with living plants were kept in 720 ppm_v and 360 ppm_v CO₂ atmospheres for about 6 months under imitated natural temperature cycle. Fertilisation with NH₄NO₃ (3 g m⁻² for 25 weeks) was applied to 18 of the 36 monoliths. The rate of CH₄ flux was non-linearly dependent on the number of Eriophorum vaginatum shoots growing in the monoliths, probably due to the gas transport properties of the aerenchyma. The average CH₄ efflux rate, standardised by the number of shoots, was increased by a maximum of 10–20% in response to the raised CO₂ level. In the raised-NH₄NO₃ treatment, the increase in CH₄ release was lower. The effect of combined CO₂+NH₄NO₃ on CH₄ release was negligible and even lower than in the single treatments. Both potential CH₄ production and oxidation rates at 5, 15 and 25°C were higher near the surface than at the bottom of the core. As expected, the rates clearly depended on the incubation temperature, but the different treatments did not cause any consistent differences in either CH₄ production or oxidation. The determination of potential CH₄ production and oxidation in the laboratory is evidently too crude a method of differentiating substrate-induced differences in CH₄ production and oxidation in vivo. These results indicate that an increase in atmospheric CO₂ or N supply alone, at least in the short term, slightly enhances CH₄ effluxes from boreal peatlands; but together their effect may even be restrictive. Received: 18 June 1998 / Accepted: 25 January 1999     

Three new species of the genus Medwayella Traub, 1972 (Insecta: Siphonaptera: Pygiopsyllidae) from Sabah (eastern Malaysia, Borneo)

Medwayella traubiana n. sp., M. pfeifferi n. sp. and M. sabahae n. sp. (Pygiopsyllidae) are described from Sabah (north of Borneo island), the first two on Tupaia tana (Scandentia), the last on Sundasciurus lowii (Rodentia). Sex male is only identified, because these fleas have been collected in sympatry, or even in syntopy. Their determination is based on segment IX and aedeagus. If M. traubiana and M. pfeifferi are related to some known species, M. sabahae is clearly distinct from other Medwayella.