Effects of light and microcrustacean prey on growth and investment in carnivory in Utricularia vulgaris

SUMMARY 1. In a 5-week enclosure experiment, we studied the effects of light (ambient light, low light) and prey availability (no prey, prey added) on growth and investment in carnivory in Utricularia vulgaris .
2. Investment in carnivory, measured as the proportion of biomass allocated to bladders, was strongly affected by our manipulations of light intensity and prey density. In the treatment with high prey density the light reduction decreased the investment in bladders from 25% to zero. The effect of prey density on investment in bladders was negative. Because prey addition increased the concentration of nutrients, especially phosphorus, we propose that the effect of the prey treatment on investment reflected altered nutrient concentrations.
3. Availability of prey increased growth and apical biomass of Utricularia . As Utricularia had very few bladders in some treatments we suggest that the effect was due to a combination of live prey trapped and increased nutrient availability from dead prey.
4. Abundance of periphyton on Utricularia and on the enclosure walls was highest in the treatments with high prey density where nutrient concentrations were highest. Thus we interpret the response of periphyton as primarily reflecting nutrient availability.     

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN NITRATE REDUCTASE ACTIVITY AND RATES OF GROWTH AND NITRATE INCORPORATION UNDER STEADY-STATE LIGHT OR NITRATE LIMITATION IN THE MARINE DIATOM THALASSIOSIRA PSEUDONANA (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE)1

Although activity of the enzyme nitrate reductase (NR) can potentially be used to predict the rate of nitrate incorporation in field assemblages of marine phytoplankton, application of this index has met with little success because the relationship between the two rates is not well established under steady-state conditions. To provide a basis for using NR activity measurements, the relationships among NR activity, growth rate, cell composition, and nitrate incorporation rate were examined in cultures of Thalassiosira pseudonana (Hustedt)Hasle and Heimdal, growing a) under steady-state light limitation, b) during transitions between low and high irradiance (15 or 90 μmol quanta.m^?2.s^?1), and c) under steady-state nitrate limitation. Using a modified assay for NR involving additions of bovine serum albumin to stabilize enzyme activity, NR activity in light-limited cultures was positively and quantitatively related to calculated rates of nitrate incorporation, even in cultures that were apparently starved of selenium. During transitions in irradiance, growth rates acclimated to new conditions within 1 day; through the transition, the relationship between NR activity and nitrate incorporation rate remained quantitative. In nitrate-limited chemostat cultures, NR activity was positively correlated with growth rate and with nitrate incorporation rates, but the relationship was not quantitative. NR activity exceeded nitrate incorporation rates at lower growth rates (<25% of nutrient-replete growth rates), but chemostats operating at such low dilution rates may not represent ecologically relevant conditions for marine diatoms. The strong relationship between NR activity and nitrate incorporation provides support for the idea that NR is rate-limiting for nitrate incorporation or is closely coupled to the rate-limiting step. In an effort to determine a suitable variable for scaling NR activity, relationships between different cell components and growth rate were examined. These relationships differed depending on the limiting factor. For example, under light limitation, cell volume and cell carbon content increased significantly with increased growth rate, while under nitrate limitation cell volume and carbon content decreased as growth rates increased. Despite the differences found between cell composition and growth rate under light and nitrate limitation, the relationships between NR activity scaled to different compositional variables and growth rate did not differ between the limitations. In field situations where cell numbers are not easily determined, scaling NR activity to particulate nitrogen content may be the best alternative. These results establish a strong basis for pursuing NR activity measurements as indices of nitrate incorporation in the field.     

Eutrophication and macroalgal blooms in temperate and tropical coastal waters: nutrient enrichment experiments with Ulva spp.

Receiving coastal waters and estuaries are among the most nutrient‐enriched environments on earth, and one of the symptoms of the resulting eutrophication is the proliferation of opportunistic, fast‐growing marine seaweeds. Here, we used a widespread macroalga often involved in blooms, Ulva spp., to investigate how supply of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), the two main potential growth‐limiting nutrients, influence macroalgal growth in temperate and tropical coastal waters ranging from low‐ to high‐nutrient supplies. We carried out N and P enrichment field experiments on Ulva spp. in seven coastal systems, with one of these systems represented by three different subestuaries, for a total of nine sites. We showed that rate of growth of Ulva spp. was directly correlated to annual dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations, where growth increased with increasing DIN concentration. Internal N pools of macroalgal fronds were also linked to increased DIN supply, and algal growth rates were tightly coupled to these internal N pools. The increases in DIN appeared to be related to greater inputs of wastewater to these coastal waters as indicated by high δ¹⁵N signatures of the algae as DIN increased. N and P enrichment experiments showed that rate of macroalgal growth was controlled by supply of DIN where ambient DIN concentrations were low, and by P where DIN concentrations were higher, regardless of latitude or geographic setting. These results suggest that understanding the basis for macroalgal blooms, and management of these harmful phenomena, will require information as to nutrient sources, and actions to reduce supply of N and P in coastal waters concerned.     

亚热带丛枝菌根与外生菌根森林对土壤氮循环的影响

菌根真菌能促进植物获取氮素从而调节土壤氮循环过程,但不同类型菌根影响土壤氮循环的特征尚待更多研究.本试验选择中国亚热带典型次生林植被,设置丛枝菌根(AM)和外生菌根(ECM)树种优势样地,对比分析两种菌根类型森林土壤氮状态的差异,以探究菌根类型影响土壤氮循环的可能作用机制.结果 表明,AM与ECM森林的土壤总氮和铵态氮...     

Relationships between macroalgal biomass and microbiological quality of water in a phytotreatment pond

The microbiological quality of wastewater in phytotreatment ponds with foliose macroalgae can be influenced by biofilm formation on thallus surface. This hypothesis was tested with an in situ experiment which was carried out in a pond with Ulva spp. receiving wastewater from a land based fish farm at Piombino (Italy). The total bacterial load (TBL) was determined in the inflowing and outflowing waters and a multifactorial design was employed to investigate the effect of different macroalgal biomass. Microbiological analysis revealed a high TBL in the water column (18.4 ± 7.4 × 10⁸ cells ml⁻¹). TBL of inlet water was significantly correlated with quantity and quality of particulate organic matter (POM) of inflowing water, whereas no correlation was found between TBL and POM in the outlet water. A significant decrease in the POM concentration was detected within macroalgal ponds, due to the mechanical action of thalli which favoured POM sedimentation. Nevertheless, great TBLs were found in the outlet water. These findings suggest that TBL probably depended upon macroalgae. Indeed high bacterial density was found on macroalgal thallus surface (~10⁸ cells cm²). Furthermore, high plate counts of faecal bacteria (faecal enterococci) were determined on thallus surface (~ 40 CFU cm²) and outlet water (11 886 ± 3984 CFU 100 ml⁻¹) supporting the evidence that macroalgae negatively affect the microbiological quality of treated water. Bacterial activities in terms of exoenzymatic rates and secondary production were two folds higher in the water within macroalgal beds, than in the open water. These preliminary results suggest that high macroalgal biomass represents a ‚hot spot’ of bacterial density and activity that may affect microbiological quality of the treated water. Bacterial control of inlet water and management of macroalgal biomass through periodic removal are essential for a more efficient treatment of wastewater in phytotreatment ponds.     

亚热带苔藓结皮对土壤-微生物-胞外酶化学计量特征的影响

生物结皮的形成和发育显著影响土壤碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)循环及其化学计量特征,土壤微生物如何适应环境资源的化学计量变化仍不明确。本研究以三峡库区苔藓结皮为对象,分析结皮盖度(0、1%～20%、20%～40%、40%～60%、60%～80%和80%～100%)对土壤理化性质(0～5和5～10 cm土层)、微生物生物量和胞外酶活性[(β-1,4-葡萄糖苷酶(BG)、β-1,4-N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAG)、酸性磷酸酶(AP)]的影响,探索土壤-微生物-胞外酶C∶N∶P化学计量特征间的协变性。结果表明: 生物结皮发育显著提高了土壤黏粒、水稳性团聚体和土壤C、N、P含量,显著降低了土壤容重和砂粒含量;微生物生物量C、N、P和胞外酶活性均随结皮盖度的增大而显著增加;土层深度对土壤理化性质及C∶N∶P均无显著影响,但显著影响微生物生物量、胞外酶活性及BG∶AP和NAG∶AP。相关分析显示,土壤C、N、P含量与微生物生物量和胞外酶活性呈显著正相关,与BG∶NAG呈显著负相关,与NAG∶AP呈显著正相关,但与微生物生物量C∶N∶P无显著相关性;土壤-微生物、微生物-胞外酶C∶N∶P相关性均不显著,BG∶NAG∶AP随着微生物与土壤间C∶N∶P化学计量不平衡性的增加而逐渐降低。表明微生物养分代谢同时受N和P的限制,且P的限制较强烈,微生物可以通过调整自身生物量以及胞外酶C∶N∶P适应生物结皮发育驱动的土壤化学计量变化,从而维持内稳态。     

亚热带典型树种根毛特征及其与共生真菌的关系

根毛和共生真菌增加了吸收面积,提高了植物获取磷等土壤资源的能力。由于野外原位观测根表微观结构较为困难,吸收细根、根毛、共生真菌如何相互作用并适应土壤资源供应,缺乏相应的数据和理论。该研究以受磷限制的亚热带森林为对象,选取了21种典型树种,定量了根毛存在情况、属性变异,分析了根毛形态特征与共生真菌侵染率、吸收细根功能属性之间的关系,探讨了根表结构对低磷土壤的响应和适应格局。结果表明:1)在亚热带森林根毛不是普遍存在的, 21个树种中仅发现7个树种存有根毛, 4个为丛枝菌根(AM)树种, 3个为外生菌根(ECM)树种。其中,马尾松(Pinus massoniana)根毛出现率最高,为86%;2)菌根类型是理解根-根毛-共生真菌关系的关键,AM树种根毛密度与共生真菌侵染率正相关,但ECM树种根毛直径与共生真菌侵染率负相关; 3) AM树种根毛长度和根毛直径、ECM树种根毛出现率与土壤有效磷含量呈负相关关系。该研究揭示了不同菌根类型树种根毛-共生真菌-根属性的格局及相互作用,为精细理解养分获取策略奠定了基础。     

Towards an integration of ecological stoichiometry and the metabolic theory of ecology to better understand nutrient cycling

Ecologists have long recognized that species are sustained by the flux, storage and turnover of two biological currencies: energy, which fuels biological metabolism and materials (i.e. chemical elements), which are used to construct biomass. Ecological theories often describe the dynamics of populations, communities and ecosystems in terms of either energy (e.g. population-dynamics theory) or materials (e.g. resource-competition theory). These two classes of theory have been formulated using different assumptions, and yield distinct, but often complementary predictions for the same or similar phenomena. For example, the energy-based equation of von Bertalanffy and the nutrient-based equation of Droop both describe growth. Yet, there is relatively little theoretical understanding of how these two distinct classes of theory, and the currencies they use, are interrelated. Here, we begin to address this issue by integrating models and concepts from two rapidly developing theories, the metabolic theory of ecology and ecological stoichiometry theory. We show how combining these theories, using recently published theory and data along with new theoretical formulations, leads to novel predictions on the flux, storage and turnover of energy and materials that apply to animals, plants and unicells. The theory and results presented here highlight the potential for developing a more general ecological theory that explicitly relates the energetics and stoichiometry of individuals, communities and ecosystems to subcellular structures and processes. We conclude by discussing the basic and applied implications of such a theory, and the prospects and challenges for further development.     

Limnological reconnaissance of waterbodies in central and southern Nepal

Ionic composition of waterbodies in central and southern Nepal sampled in spring 1985 differed from that normally found in freshwater. Distinguishing characteristics were: 1) predominance of bicarbonate among the anions — accounting for > 90% of the negative equivalents in two-thirds of the waterbodies, 2) the near absence of sulfates — accounting for < 1 % of the anions in half the samples so that chloride exceeded sulfate (as meq/L) in three-fourths of the waters tested and 3) calcium was the dominant cation, although in certain waters the relative proportion of either magnesium or the monovalent cations was much higher than the world average. Regional patterns in water chemistry were apparent and are largely explained by differences in local geology, inputs from artesian wells or extensive use by humans. Most ionic salinity values were <400 mg/L. Using conventional criteria to assess trophic state, most water-bodies were eutrophic or hypereutrophic when judged by total phosphorus and chlorophyll content but as a whole the lakes sampled were low in nitrogen. Nitrogen: phosphorus ratios (generally < 10) and a significant empirical relation for chlorophyll-nitrogen provide evidence that nitrogen limited algal biomass. Secchi transparency values indicate light regimes were affected by nonalgal materials. Contribution of the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. 10503. Contribution of the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. 10503.     

Influence of nutrient availability on phytoplankton growth and community structure in the Port Adelaide River,Australia: [2pt] bioassay assessment of potential nutrient limitation

We investigated the influence of nutrient availability, specifically nitrogen, phosphorus and silicon on growth and community structure of phytoplankton from the Port Adelaide River estuary, South Australia. Two bioassay experiments were conducted. The first, Nutrich1, involved addition of nutrients in vitro to samples of the natural phytoplankton community from a single location in the upper estuary. The second, Nutrich2, involved nutrient addition and incubation of water from five locations in the estuary following inoculation with a `standardised' phytoplankton assemblage derived from laboratory cultures. In Nutrich1, enrichment with silicon led to greatly enhanced phytoplankton biomass due to increased growth of diatoms. Addition of nitrogen or phosphorus had little effect on phytoplankton growth. In Nutrich2, addition of nitrogen resulted in enhanced growth of phytoplankton in water collected from near the mouth the estuary, but there were no differences in growth among nutrient treatments for the remaining locations. Comparison of phytoplankton growth rate among locations revealed a trend of decreasing growth in moving towards the mouth of the estuary. This trend was unaffected by enrichment with nitrate, phosphate or silicate. We suggest that spatial variation in growth potential within the Port Adelaide River estuary may relate to variation in the concentration of nitrogen as ammonium.     

Relationships between photosynthesis, nitrogen and leaf structure in 14 grass species and their dependence on the basis of expression

The relationships between leaf structure, nitrogen concentration and CO₂ assimilation rate ( A ) were studied for 14 grass species grown in the laboratory under non-limiting nutrient conditions. Structural features included leaf thickness and density, and the proportion of leaf volume occupied by different types of tissue (mesophyll, epidermis, vessels and sclerenchyma). Relationships were assessed for data expressed per unit leaf area and fresh mass. The latter was found to be closely related to leaf volume, which allowed us to use A per unit leaf fresh mass ( A _fm) as a surrogate of A per unit leaf volume. Assimilation rate per unit leaf area ( A _a) was positively correlated with leaf thickness and with the amount of mesophyll per unit leaf area; the relationship with leaf nitrogen content per unit area was only marginally significant. A _fm was negatively correlated with leaf thickness and positively with fresh mass-based leaf organic nitrogen concentration. A multiple regression involving these two variables explained 81% of the variance in A _fm. The value of A _fm was also significantly related to the proportion of mesophyll in the leaf volume, but surprisingly the correlation was negative. This was because thin leaves with high A _fm and nitrogen concentration had proportionally more mechanically supportive tissues than thick ones; as a consequence, they also had a lower proportion of mesophyll. These data suggest that, in addition to leaf nitrogen, leaf thickness has a strong impact on CO₂ assimilation rate for the grass species studied.     

Nutrient limitation of phytoplankton growth in Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts, USA: a nutrient enrichment study

We conducted nutrient enrichment experiments and field sampling to address three questions: (1) is there nutrient limitation of phytoplankton accumulation within an estuary whose waters are exposed to relatively high nitrogen loading rates, (2) where in the salinity gradient from fresh to seawater (0 to 32‰) is there a shift from phosphorus to nitrogen limitation of phytoplankton accumulation, and (3) is there a seasonal shift in limiting function of phosphorus and nitrogen anywhere in the estuarine gradient. Nitrogen and phosphorus enrichment experiments in the Childs River, an estuary of Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts, USA, showed that the accumulation of phytoplankton biomass in brackish and saline water was limited by supply of nitrate during warm months. The effects of enrichment were less evident in fresh water, with short-lived responses to phosphate enrichment. There was no specific point along the salinity gradient where there was a shift from phosphorus- to nitrogen-limited phytoplankton accumulation; rather, the relative importance of nitrogen and phosphorus changed along the salinity gradient in the estuary and with season of the year. There was no response to nutrient additions during the colder months, suggesting that some seasonally-varying factor, such as light, temperature or a physiological mechanism, restricted phytoplankton accumulation during months other than May-Aug. There was only slight evidence of a seasonal shift between nitrogen- and phosphorus-limitation of chlorophyll accumulation. Phytoplankton populations in nutrient-rich estuaries with short flushing times grow fast, but at the same time the cells may be advected out of the estuaries while still rapidly dividing, thereby providing an important subsidy to production in nearby deeper waters. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

亚热带幼林树木功能性状与叶片氮磷重吸收率的关系

本研究以亚热带29种3年生人工纯林为对象,研究了29个树种功能性状与氮磷重吸收效率的关系。结果表明: 29种幼林平均氮、磷重吸收效率分别为50.5%和57.3%。22种丛枝菌根树种的氮重吸收效率平均为52.7%,显著高于7种外生菌根树种(45.1%)。29个树种的细根组织密度与氮重吸收效率呈显著正相关,7种外生菌根树种细根直径与磷重吸收效率呈显著正相关,22种丛枝菌根树种的功能性状对氮重吸收效率和磷重吸收效率无显著影响。在29个树种中,菌根类型、比叶面积、细根组织密度、叶厚度及叶厚度与菌根类型的相互作用共同解释氮重吸收效率变异的27%,比根长、细根碳含量、细根碳氮比、菌根类型、叶片碳含量及叶片碳含量与菌根类型的相互作用共同解释磷重吸收效率变异的35%。因此,亚热带树种根系功能性状能较好地预测了氮、磷养分重吸收效率,综合多个功能性状可以更好地揭示不同生物因子对养分重吸收的相对重要性。     

Field evidence for stoichiometric relationships between zooplankton and N and P availability in a shallow calcareous lake

1. According to stoichiometric theory, zooplankters have a species‐specific elemental composition. Daphniids have a relatively high phosphorus concentration in their tissues and copepods high nitrogen. Daphniids should, therefore, be more sensitive to phosphorus limitation and copepods more sensitive to nitrogen. A 2‐year study of a shallow marl lake in the west of Ireland investigated whether population fluctuations of the two dominant taxa, Daphnia spp. and the calanoid Eudiaptomus gracilis, were associated with the availability of phosphorus and nitrogen. 2. In accordance with stoichiometric predictions, Daphnia and Eudiaptomus reproduction had contrasting relationships with dietary phosphorus and nitrogen availability. Egg production by Daphnia was negatively associated with the ratio of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) : total phosphorus (TP) and the ratio of light to TP which was used as an indirect index for seston carbon (C) : phosphorus (P). Conversely calanoid egg production had a positive relationship with the DIN : TP ratio and was unrelated to the estimated C : P (light : TP) ratio. 3. Daphnia biomass was not, however, correlated with phosphorus availability, and neither was calanoid biomass correlated with nitrogen. The high ratio of DIN : TP when Daphnia dominated the zooplankton biomass and the low ratio when calanoids dominated, is consistent with Daphnia acting as a sink for phosphorus and calanoids as a sink for nitrogen and suggests consumer‐driven nutrient recycling.     

Factors influencing periphyton growth in agricultural streams of central Illinois

Factors limiting periphyton accrual in east-central Illinois agricultural streams were investigated. Nutrient-diffusing substrata were used to examine periphyton macronutrient limitation in streams in two agricultural watersheds. Substrata consisted of sand-agar mixtures with one of six experimental treatments. Macronutrients included carbon, nitrate, phosphate and combinations of the three. Substrata were collected after a 5 and 9 day period and analyzed for chlorophyll a. None of the treatments were significantly greater than the controls at any of the seven stations, thus we conclude that periphyton in these streams was not nutrient limited. Highest periphyton colonization/growth rates were associated with the smaller upstream reaches, while lower rates occurred in the larger downstream reaches. Multiple regression showed that most of the variance in the rate of chlorophyll a accrual after five days was explained through water temperature and turbidity (r² = 0.91); whereas, stream nitrate and phosphate concentrations accounted for no significant portion of the variance. We conclude that instream primary production in agricultural streams of central Illinois is limited by temperature and light.     

Mismatch between dietary requirements for lipid by a predator and availability of lipid in prey

Growth is an important factor in predicting an organism's overall success as an adult. Understanding how abiotic and biotic factors influence body size is key to predicting how environmental changes will impact organisms and predicting optimal behaviors under varying conditions. Food items can vary widely in nutrient content and this variation can affect growth. We tested how the quantity and macronutrient content of live prey affected the growth of juvenile jumping spiders, Phiddipus audax, using 420 spiderlings raised on one of 21 diets. In addition, we measured the nutrient content of prey from the field and compared average prey nutrient content with the diet at which spiders maximized growth. Our results show that the quantity and nutrient content of prey have significant and interacting effects on the growth of an actively hunting predator. In particular, spiders grew larger in body size (tibia/patella length and posterior lateral eye width) and were heavier on diets with higher lipid content. Yet, data on the nutrient content of prey from the field shows that most potential prey have high protein and low lipid content in their bodies. This apparent mismatch between spider nutritional requirements and prey nutrient availability likely presents a challenge to spiders seeking to maximize growth in the field. Several hypotheses for how these predators overcome this challenge to reach the large body sizes observed in the field are discussed.     

温度与盐度对刺松藻生长和营养盐吸收的影响

随着养殖业迅猛发展,海洋富营养化问题日益加剧。利用大型海藻所具有的超吸收氮磷营养盐的能力,可有效治理和修复富营养化海域。从福建省连江县罗源湾海域养殖筏架采取经济价值较高的刺松藻,为分析其在海水养殖区的生长条件,在实验室条件下,研究温度（18、25、32 ℃）和盐度（10、20、30）对刺松藻生长和营养盐吸收的影响。研究结果表明,刺松藻生长受温度影响极显著(P<0.01),受盐度及二者相互作用影响显著(P<0.05);在25 ℃和盐度20的条件下,刺松藻特定生长率（specific growth rate,SGR）最高,达89.45%;在32 ℃和盐度30的条件下,刺松藻对营养盐的吸收效果最好,其中对NH+4-N的吸收效果最佳。研究结果为生物修复种群的选择和刺松藻的人工养殖提供了一定的参考。     

Growth, photosynthesis, respiration, and intracellular free amino acid profiles in the unicellular alga Cyanidium caldarium. Effect of nutrient limitation and resupply

Growth, intrácellular free amino acid pools and photosynthetic and respiratory activities in nutrient sufficient cells and in N- K- and P-limited cells of Cyanidium caldarium (Tilden) Geitler, and responses to nutrient resupply were investigated. Addition of ammonium to N-limited cells and of phosphate to P-limited cells resulted in a stimulation of dark respiration and in a decrease in photosynthetic oxygen evolution. Addition of K to K-limited cells had no effect on rates of photosynthesis and respiration. Nutrient limited cells and sufficient cells exhibited different free amino acid profiles. Upon resupply of ammonium to N-limited cells levels of glutamine, citrulline, arginine, alanine, and serine increased. Also the levels of δ-aminolevulinic acid (δ-ALA) and putrescine increased notably. On adding phosphate to P-limited cells the level of glutamate decreased significantly whereas the level of alanine increased and the concentrations of other amino acids remained unaffected. On adding potassium to K-limited cells there was an increase in glutamate and citrulline concentrations, and a decrease in putrescine concentration, whereas concentrations of arginine and alanine remained at the very high levels observed already before addition. Resuspension of N- and K-limited cells in a complete growth only after 25-30h. In P-limited cells resumption of growth in complete medium occurred progressively and reached the maximum rate 30h later. P-, K- and N- limited cells resuspended into sufficient media showed different rates of ammonium and phosphate assimilation. The pattern of recovery from nutrient limitation is discussed according to the cellular role fulfilled by the nutrient which was growth rate-limiting.