Stimulation of hybrid poplar growth in petroleum-contaminated soils through oxygen addition and soil nutrient amendments

Hybrid poplar trees (Populus deltoides x nigra DN34) were grown in a green-house using hydrocarbon-contaminated soil from a phytoremediation demonstration site in Health, Ohio. Two independent experiments investigated the effect of nutrient addition on poplar growth and the importance of oxygen addition to root development and plant growth. Biomass measurements, poplar height, and leaf color were used as indicators of plant health in the selection of a 10/5/5 NPK fertilizer applied at 1121 kg/ha (112 kg-N, 24.4 kg-P, 46.5 kg-K per ha) to enhance hybrid poplar growth at the Health site. Five passive methods of oxygen delivery were examined, including aeration tubes, gravel addition, and an Oxygen Release Compound (ORC). When ORC was placed in coffee filters above hydrocarbon-contaminated soil, a statistically significant increase of 145% was observed in poplar biomass growth, relative to unamended controls. The ORC in filters also stimulated significant increases in root density. A 15.2-cm interval of soil directly below ORC addition exhibited an increase from 2.6 +/- 1.0 mg/cm3 to 4.8 +/- 1.0 mg/cm3, showing stimulation of root growth in hydrocarbon-stained soil. The positive response of hybrid poplars to oxygen amendments suggests that overcoming oxygen limitation to plants should be considered in phytoremediation projects when soil contamination exerts a high biochemical oxygen demand, such as in former refinery sites.     

干热河谷土壤酶活性对碳氮添加的响应

碳氮是生态系统物质循环中的关键元素,然而碳氮对土壤生态系统功能是否具有交互作用还缺乏深入研究。通过干热河谷土壤的葡萄糖和硝酸铵的交互添加实验,研究了氮、碳添加及其交互作用对干热河谷土壤酶活性及其化学计量学特征的影响。结果表明:碳氮交互作用显著影响了葡萄糖苷酶、酸性磷酸酶和亮氨酸胺肽酶活性。在对照样方的土壤中,碳添加使葡萄糖苷酶活性降低了31.4%;在施氮样方的土壤中,碳添加使葡萄糖苷酶活性增加了54.4%。对照样方中的土壤中,碳添加对酸性磷酸酶和亮氨酸胺肽酶活性促进作用较小(分别增加了102.4%和28.8%);相比之下,在施氮样方的土壤中,碳添加使酸性磷酸酶和亮氨酸胺肽酶活性分别增加了302.2%和68.8%。碳添加对葡萄糖苷酶和酸性磷酸酶活性的促进作用与土壤初始有效氮含量显著正相关。几丁质酶活性在碳添加下增加了53.7%,对氮添加没有响应。碳氮交互作用也显著影响了C∶N和C∶P的水解酶化学计量关系。在对照样方中碳添加使C∶N水解酶化学计量比降低了16.9%,C∶P水解酶化学计量比降低了19.9%;而在施氮样方土壤中,碳添加的影响较小C∶N和C∶P水解酶化学计量比分别降低了1.9%和5.8%。碳氮交互作用对干热河谷土壤酶活性的影响表明碳氮在土壤生态系统功能具有重要作用。     

Technical note: fate and transport of jet fuel (JP-8) in soils with selected plants

Remediation of soil and groundwater contaminated by leaking fuel storage tanks may be assisted by plants, although plant effects on abiotic and biotic removal processes remain unclear. The objectives of this study were to investigate abiotic and biotic removal of JP-8, a kerosene-based jet fuel, in soils with plants, and to determine the effects of plant-induced water movement. Loss of JP-8 in a dry-soil, control column was 25% after 5 months, primarily due to volatilization and gas-phase diffusion. By comparison, managed treatments with simulated surface spills averaged 86% mass reduction at 5 months, indicating an important contribution of biodegradation. Overall JP-8 mass reduction was similar in surface and subsurface-irrigated systems, indicating water content, not mode of water application, influences bioremediation in near-surface systems. The JP-8 concentration reductions in soil columns contaminated above a simulated watertable were 36% after 3 months and 50% after 12 months for vegetated columns compared to 26% and 34% in unplanted columns. Downward movement of JP-8 in unplanted columns was double that in planted columns. Near the groundwater table, JP-8 persists longer than near the soil surface. Plants promote upward movement of water and help draw spilled JP-8 to aerobic near-surface soil.     

罗浮栲林土壤微生物碳利用效率对短期氮添加的响应

作为调节土壤碳矿化过程的重要参数,微生物碳利用效率(CUE)对理解陆地生态系统中的碳循环至关重要。本研究在戴云山罗浮栲林设置对照(0 kg N·hm^-2·a^-1)、低氮(40 kg N·hm^-2·a^-1)和高氮(80 kg N·hm^-2·a^-1) 3个氮添加水平以模拟氮沉降,测定了表层(0～10 cm)土壤基本理化性质、有机碳组分、微生物生物量和酶活性;并利用¹⁸O标记水方法测定土壤微生物CUE,以更好地理解氮沉降加剧对微生物CUE的影响及其影响因素。结果表明: 短期氮添加显著降低了土壤微生物的呼吸速率、碳和氮获取酶活性,但显著增加了土壤微生物CUE。β-N-乙酰氨基酸葡糖苷酶(NAG)/微生物生物量碳(MBC)、微生物呼吸速率、β-葡萄糖苷酶(BG)/MBC、纤维素水解酶(CBH)/MBC和土壤有机碳含量是影响CUE的主要因素,且CUE与NAG/MBC、微生物呼吸速率、BG/MBC和CBH/MBC呈显著负相关,与土壤有机碳呈显著正相关。综上,短期氮添加导致土壤微生物获取碳和氮的成本降低,减少微生物呼吸,从而提高了土壤微生物CUE,这将有助于提高罗浮栲林土壤碳固存潜力。     

The effects of carbon sources and micronutrients in fermented whey on the biodegradation of n-hexadecane in diesel fuel contaminated soil

Fermented whey has previously been shown to stimulate biodegradation of n-hexadecane in diesel contaminated soils. The proposed explanation for the stimulatory effect is that fermented whey provides easily accessible carbon and micronutrients, which give rise to an increased degrading biomass.The objective of this work has been to investigate the role of the different carbon sources and vitamins in fermented whey on the microbial degradation of n-hexadecane in soil.The effects of lactose, lactate, vitamins and free amino acids were tested in combinations according to a full factorial design experiment, at concentrations corresponding to those present in fermented whey. The target substance was ¹⁴C-labeled n-hexadecane in nutrient amended soil microcosms contaminated with 5000 mg diesel fuel kg⁻¹ dw. Biodegradation was monitored by determination of evolved ¹⁴CO₂.Significant effects on the biodegradation of n-hexadecane were observed for lactate and amino acids additions in a sandy soil. Lactate showed both an inhibitory effect in the early phase of the experiment and a stimulatory effect in the later phase. The effect of amino acids was slightly stimulatory, mainly evident as a shortening of the lag time.The degree of n-hexadecane degradation at the end of the experiment was correlated with the total concentration of organic compounds added to the soil.

Scientific relevance

There are a handful papers describing the potential of using organic amendments (often industrial by-products) with a content of both easily accessible carbon and micronutrients, to enhance the bioremediation of polluted soils. Enhanced biodegradation is often reported and the proposed explanations are that the combination of easily accessible carbon and micronutrients increases the degrading biomass.In this paper, we examine the effect of fermented whey on the degradation of n-hexadecane and correlate the observed effects on the biodegradation with the main components lactate, amino acids, lactose and B-vitamins. This has to our knowledge never been done before.     

Current Carbon Balance of the Forested Area in Sweden and its Sensitivity to Global Change as Simulated by Biome-BGC

Detailed information from the Swedish National Forest Inventory was used to simulate the carbon balance for Sweden by the process-based model Biome-BGC. A few shortcomings of the model were identified and solutions to those are proposed and also used in the simulations. The model was calibrated against CO₂ flux data from 3 forests in central Sweden and then applied to the whole country divided into 30 districts and 4 age classes. Gross primary production (GPP) ranged over districts and age classes from 0.20 to 1.71 kg C m⁻² y⁻¹ and net ecosystem production (NEP) ranged from −0.01 to 0.44. The 10- to 30-year age class was the strongest carbon sink because of its relatively low respiration rates. When the simulation results were scaled up to the whole country, GPP and NEP were 175 and 29 Mton C y⁻¹, respectively, for the 22.7 Mha of forests in Sweden. A climate change scenario was simulated by assuming a 4°C increase in temperature and a doubling of the CO₂ concentration; GPP and NEP then increased to 253 and 48 Mton C y⁻¹, respectively. A sensitivity analysis showed that at present CO₂ concentrations NEP would peak at an increase of 5°C for the mean annual temperature. At higher CO₂ levels NEP showed a logarithmic increase.     

Effect of aluminium toxicity on growth responses and antioxidant activities in Gmelina arborea Roxb. inoculated with AM fungi

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi alleviating the adverse Aluminium effects on growth and antioxidant activity was tested in Gmelina plants. Under greenhouse and aluminium stress condition, the mycorrhizal Gmelina plants showed good growth as compared to non mycorrhizal Gmelina plants. Mycorrhizal colonization in Gmelina was found not to be significantly influenced by aluminium concentrations. Results also indicate that symbiotic association was successfully established between Glomus intraradices and Gmelina plants and mycorrhizal colonization consequently increased the biomass of Gmelina. The root proline accumulation was found to increase in mycorrhizal Gmelina plants for osmotic adjustment of stress tissues under first and second level of Aluminium stress. It was observed that Mycorrhizal colonization increased the shoot root Peroxidase and Superoxide dismutase activities in mycorrhizal Gmelina under second level of Aluminium stress. Mycorrhizal fungi play a major role in phytostabilization by secreting one of the glycoprotein, i.e., Glomalin, which stabilizes the Aluminium in soil as well as in the roots of Gmelina plants.     

Contrasting soil fungal community responses to experimental nitrogen addition using the large subunit rRNA taxonomic marker and cellobiohydrolase I functional marker

Human activities have resulted in increased nitrogen inputs into terrestrial ecosystems, but the impact of nitrogen on ecosystem function, such as nutrient cycling, will depend at least in part on the response of soil fungal communities. We examined the response of soil fungi to experimental nitrogen addition in a loblolly pine forest (North Carolina, USA) using a taxonomic marker (large subunit rDNA, LSU) and a functional marker involved in a critical step of cellulose degradation (cellobiohydrolase, cbhI) at five time points that spanned fourteen months. Sampling date had no impact on fungal community richness or composition for either gene. Based on the LSU, nitrogen addition led to increased fungal community richness, reduced relative abundance of fungi in the phylum Basidiomycota and altered community composition; however, similar shifts were not observed with cbhI. Fungal community dissimilarity of the LSU and cbhI genes was significantly correlated in the ambient plots, but not in nitrogen‐amended plots, suggesting either functional redundancy of fungi with the cbhI gene or shifts in other functional groups in response to nitrogen addition. To determine whether sequence similarity of cbhI could be predicted based on taxonomic relatedness of fungi, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis of publically available cbhI sequences from known isolates and found that for a subset of isolates, similar cbhI genes were found within distantly related fungal taxa. Together, these findings suggest that taxonomic shifts in the total fungal community do not necessarily result in changes in the functional diversity of fungi.     

沿阶草(Ophiopogon japanicus)对土壤中菲芘的修复作用

采用盆栽试验法,研究沿阶草对土壤中芘、菲的去除效果与修复机制.结果显示:在试验浓度范围(0～322mg · kg-1)内,植物-微生物系统对芘、菲的去除效果明显.种植沿阶草60d后,菲、芘去除率分别为77.58%～96.3%、65.25%～83.25%;平均去除率分别比对照1(加0.1%NaN3)高82.27%、72.73%,比对照2(无NaN3)高43.26%、46.27%.沿阶草能吸收积累土壤中的菲和芘,根部和茎叶部菲、芘含量随土壤中菲、芘浓度的提高而增大;生物浓缩系数随土壤中菲、芘含量的增加而减小,且根部大于茎叶部、芘大于菲.修复过程中,非生物因子、植物积累、植物代谢对菲、芘的去除率分别为6.61%、0.157%、6.54%和3.18%、1.21%、5.72%;微生物降解、植物-微生物间的交互作用对菲、芘的去除率分别为39.01%、26.47%和36.57%、39.34%.说明植物-微生物交互作用、微生物降解作用是土壤中菲、芘去除的主要原因.     

Enhanced biodegradation of diesel fuel through the addition of particulate organic carbon and inorganic nutrients in coastal marine waters

Diesel fuel pollution in coastal waters, resulting from recreational boating and commercial shipping operations, is common and can adversely affect marine biota. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of additions of particulate organic carbon (POC) in the form of naturally-occurring marsh grass (Spartina alterniflora), inorganic nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), inert particles, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on diesel fuel biodegradation and to attempt to formulate an effective bioremedial treatment for small diesel fuel spills in marine waters. Various combinations of treatments were added to water samples from a coastal marina to stimulate diesel fuel biodegradation. Diesel fuel was added in concentrations approximating those found in a spill and biodegradation of straight chain aliphatic constituents was estimated by measuring mineralization of ¹⁴C hexadecane added to diesel fuel. All treatments that included POC showed stimulation of biodegradation. However, the addition of inert particles (glass fiber filters and nylon screening) caused no stimulation of biodegradation. The addition of nitrogen and phosphorus alone did not result in stimulation of biodegradation, but nitrogen and Spartina (although not phosphorus and Spartina) did result in stimulation above that of Spartina alone. Maximum biodegradation rates were obtained by the addition of the Spartina POC, ammonium, and phosphate. The addition of mannitol, a labile DOC source with POC and phosphate resulted in a decrease in diesel fuel biodegradation as compared to POC and phosphate alone. The seasonal pattern of diesel fuel biodegradation showed a maximum in the summer and a minimum in the winter. Therefore, of the treatments tested, the most effective for bioremediation of diesel fuel in marine waters is the addition of POC, nitrogen, and phosphorus.     

施氮和降水格局改变对土壤CH4和CO2通量的影响

氮沉降增加和降水格局改变是全球变化的两项重要内容,但是同时考虑上述两因素对温室气体CH4和CO2通量影响的原位双因子模拟研究还相当有限.本研究以长白山温带阔叶红松林土壤为研究对象,采用静态箱法研究了外施氮源(50 kg N·hm-2·a-1)和增减30％降水对土壤CH4和CO2通量的影响.结果表明:施氮能抑制土壤CH4吸收,有时甚至能将土壤对CH4的吸收转为释放,但这种抑制效应只能维持5d左右,且能在一定程度上改变CH4通量和环境因子(温度、土壤pH、粘粒含量)的相关关系.降水改变未能显著影响土壤CH4通量.对CO2通量而言,施氮能降低土壤CO2排放,长白山阔叶红松林连续施氮第4年的平均抑制效应为27.4％.长期连续施氮的平均抑制效应随施氮时间延长而逐渐增大,一定年限后达到最大值.单次施氮的抑制效应随时间延长逐渐减弱,并在1个月的施氮周期末期基本消失.施氮的抑制效应和土壤充水孔隙度(WFPS)呈显著负相关关系,且升温能增强施氮对CO2释放的抑制效应并延长抑制时间.施氮、降水有可能改变土壤呼吸的温度敏感性.本研究表明,长白山森林土壤氮素尚未达到一定阈值,未来氮沉降增加将抑制CO2的释放和CH4的吸收,因此总体来看施氮抑制土壤碳排放.     

Microbial responses to nitrogen addition in three contrasting grassland ecosystems

The effects of global N enrichment on soil processes in grassland ecosystems have received relatively little study. We assessed microbial community response to experimental increases in N availability by measuring extracellular enzyme activity (EEA) in soils from three grasslands with contrasting edaphic and climatic characteristics: a semiarid grassland at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico, USA (SEV), and mesic grasslands at Konza Prairie, Kansas, USA (KNZ) and Ukulinga Research Farm, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (SAF). We hypothesized that, with N enrichment, soil microbial communities would increase C and P acquisition activity, decrease N acquisition activity, and reduce oxidative enzyme production (leading to recalcitrant soil organic matter [SOM] accumulation), and that the magnitude of response would decrease with soil age (due to higher stabilization of enzyme pools and P limitation of response). Cellulolytic activities followed the pattern predicted, increasing 35–52% in the youngest soil (SEV), 10–14% in the intermediate soil (KNZ) and remaining constant in the oldest soil (SAF). The magnitude of phosphatase response did not vary among sites. N acquisition activity response was driven by the enzyme closest to its pH optimum in each soil: i.e., leucine aminopeptidase in alkaline soil, β-N-acetylglucosaminidase in acidic soil. Oxidative enzyme activity varied widely across ecosystems, but did not decrease with N amendment at any site. Likewise, SOM and %C pools did not respond to N enrichment. Between-site variation in both soil properties and EEA exceeded any treatment response, and a large portion of EEA variability (leucine aminopeptidase and oxidative enzymes), 68% as shown by principal components analysis, was strongly related to soil pH (r = 0.91, P < 0.001). In these grassland ecosystems, soil microbial responses appear constrained by a molecular-scale (pH) edaphic factor, making potential breakdown rates of SOM resistant to N enrichment.     

Oxidative stress response induced in an atrazine phytoremediating plant: Physiological responses of Pennisetum glaucum to high atrazine concentrations

This research presented here, for the first time, elucidates the responses of several antioxidants in Pennisetum leaves exposed to varying concentrations of atrazine (0–200 mgkg^?1). Pennisetum has been reported to be resistant to atrazine; however, its physiological response to high concentrations (≥50 mgkg^?1) of atrazine is not well documented. The contents of reduced (AsA) and oxidized (DHA) ascorbate increased significantly with increase in atrazine concentration and exposure time; but the increase was more evident under higher (50 and 100 mgkg^?1) atrazine concentrations. Increase in atrazine concentration to 200 mgkg^?1 significantly decreased AsA, but increased DHA content, throughout the experiment. Seedlings treated with 200 mgkg^?1 atrazine showed significantly lowest reduced glutathione (GSH) content, while oxidized glutathione (GSSG) was not significantly affected, after 68 d. Seedlings treated with 100 mgkg^?1 atrazine showed increased glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity after 48 d and 68 d, while treatment with 200 mgkg^?1 atrazine significantly increased glutathione reductase (GR) after 58 d. This result suggests that Pennisetum may tolerate lower atrazine concentrations. However, higher concentrations (≥50 mg kg^?1), which could have longer residency period in the soil, could induce more physiological damage to the plant.     

秦岭太白山不同植被带土壤团聚体碳库变化及温度敏感性

森林土壤碳库对全球变暖的响应是气候变暖下预测CO₂不确定性的潜在主要来源。然而,不同植被带上各粒径团聚体的SOC矿化的温度敏感性(Q10)及机理尚不明确。收集了中国太白山4个不同海拔的植被带的土壤,将土壤按粒径大小筛分为大、中、小3类团聚体,并进行了100天的土壤培养实验,以监测在3个恒定温度(5℃、15℃和25℃)下土壤呼吸速率、微生物量碳和胞外酶活性等指标。研究表明(1)团聚体占全土比例随粒径增大而增大,而有机碳含量随粒径的增大而减小。(2)随着海拔的升高,大团聚体、中团聚体、小团聚体的惰性碳库比例分别从45.11%、36.37%、64.72%升高到45.71%、38.11%、67.12%,缓效碳库比例分别从28.81%、37.20%、14.54%下降到28.41%、36.16%、13.78%,活性碳库比例从26.06%、26.42%、20.73%下降到25.35%、25.72%、19.09%。(3)各团聚体温度敏感性(Q10)表现出随海拔升高而增加,随温度升高而降低(T1Q10>T2Q10),并且具有惰性碳库Q10>缓效碳库Q10>活性碳库...     

The effects of a 9-year nitrogen and water addition on soil aggregate phosphorus and sulfur availability in a semi-arid grassland

Previous studies have demonstrated that higher nitrogen (N) and water availability affect both above- and below-ground communities, soil carbon and N pools, and microbial activity in semi-arid grasslands of Inner Mongolia. However, how soil phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S) pools, and related soil enzyme activities (as indicators of P and S cycles) respond to long-term N and water addition has still remained unclear. Since 2005, a field experiment with urea and water amendments has been conducted to examine their effects on total and available P and S concentrations and alkaline phosphomonoesterase (PME) and aryl-sulfatase (ArS) activities in three soil aggregate fractions: large macroaggregates (>2 mm), small macroaggregates (0.25–2 mm), and microaggregates (<0.25 mm) in an Inner Mongolia semi-arid grassland. Normalized to aggregate mass, microaggregates retained the highest total P and S concentrations. Both N and water additions increased the available P (by up to 84.5%) and the available S (by up to 150%) in the soil aggregate fractions. Soil acidification, as a result of the N addition, decreased both alkaline PME and ArS activities by up to 62.9% and 39.6%, respectively, while the water addition increased their activities. Our observations revealed that soil acidification (under the N addition) and elevated enzyme activity (under the water addition) played important roles in the levels of soil available P and S. The depression of P- and S-acquiring enzymes with soil acidification may decrease P and S availability, potentially impacting ecosystem processes and limiting the restoration of these grassland systems. The water addition was shown to be a more effective practice than the urea amendment for improving soil structure, supplying available P and S, and maintaining the sustainability of this semi-arid grassland.     

Degradation of diesel oil in soil using a food waste composting process

We investigated the simultaneous degradation of diesel oil in soil and the organic matter in food waste by composting in 8 l reactors. Using a 0.5 l/min air flow rate, and 0.5-1% diesel oil concentrations together with 20% food waste, high composting temperatures (above 60°C) were attained due to the efficient degradation of the food waste. Petroleum hydrocarbons were degraded by 80% after only 15 days composting in the presence of food waste. In a 28 l reactor scale-up experiment using 1% oil, 20% food waste and 79% soil, removal efficiencies of petroleum hydrocarbons and food waste after 15 days were 79% and 77%, respectively.     

Antioxidant responses of microalgal species to pyrene

The antioxidant response of four freshwater microalgal species, Chlorella vulgaris Beij., Scenedesmus platydiscus (G. M. Smith) Chod., Scenedesmus quadricauda(Turp.) Bréb., and Selenastrum capricornutum Printz without pyrene addition (control) and at two pyrene concentrations (0.1 and 1.0 mgL⁻¹) were investigated. Under the control condition, the values of the antioxidant parameters differed significantly among species and the difference was seemed not to be related to their susceptibility to pyrene. The antioxidant response to pyrene treatments also varied from species to species. Pyrene led to a significant increase in total glutathione (GSH) content in all species except C. vulgaris, a species did not exhibit any ability to metabolize pyrene. The glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities also remained unchanged in pyrene treated C. vulgaris, increased greatly in S. platydiscus and Se. capricornutum (the two species with higher pyrene metabolism ability), but inhibited remarkably in S. quadricauda (the only species sensitive to pyrene toxicity). On the other hand, the glutathione reductase (GR) activities increased in C. vulgaris but remained at a similar level as the control in the other three species. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content, an indicator of lipid peroxidation, declined in S. quadricauda but showed no significant change in the other three species. The activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in pyrene treated cells remained almost the same as the controls for all microalgal species. Results suggested that the alterations of antioxidant systems in microalgae might not be useful indicators of pyrene exposure but pyrene-enhanced GSH metabolism might be important in pyrene biotransformation.     

凋落物和增温联合作用对峨眉冷杉幼苗抗氧化特征的影响

峨眉冷杉林是青藏高原东缘亚高山暗针叶林的重要组成部分,其自然更新对全球变化非常敏感,是研究气候变化对陆地生态系统影响的代表性森林类型.以峨眉冷杉幼苗为研究对象,以开顶式增温小室(Open top chambers,OTCs)和电热棒联合的方式增加环境温度,人为添加不同类型凋落物(A,75％峨眉冷杉针叶+25％杜鹃荚蒾灌木叶凋落物;B,55％峨眉冷杉针叶+45％杜鹃荚蒾灌木叶凋落物),共设置4个处理:(1)凋落物A+增温T(A-T);(2)凋落物B+增温T(B-T);(3)凋落物A+环境温度TO(A-T0);(4)凋落物B+环境温度TO(B-TO).研究增温和两种类型凋落物联合作用下峨眉冷杉幼苗的生理生态响应特征.得到以下结果:(1)在环境温度下,A型凋落物情景下的冷杉幼苗的电导率、丙二醛和脯氨酸含量、超氧阴离子自由基产生率比B型情景下高;而可溶性糖和淀粉含量、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、抗坏血酸过氧化物氢酶(APX)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性比B型凋落物情景下低.说明在当前环境温度下,B型凋落物比A型凋落物更加适合冷杉幼苗的生长.(2)在A型凋落物情景下,增温处理显著增加了冷杉幼苗叶片的自由脯氨酸含量和过氧化氢浓度;在B型凋落物情景下,增温处理显著降低了冷杉幼苗丙二醛、自由脯氨酸含量、可溶性糖和淀粉含量,增加了超氧阴离子自由基产生速率.可见,与A型凋落物相比,增温使得B型凋落物情景下的冷杉幼苗膜伤害程度减小.(3)不同类型凋落物与增温的联合作用均降低了冷杉幼苗的可溶性糖和淀粉含量.与A-T处理相比,B-T处理下冷杉幼苗叶片的电导率、丙二醛和脯氨酸含量更低,而POD、APX、GR、CAT抗氧化酶活性却更高.研究结果表明,针叶成分相对较少的B型凋落物更有利于峨眉冷杉幼苗适应未来气候变暖情景.     

Short-term impact of dry olive mill residue addition to soil on the resident microbiota

The short-term response of the resident soil bacterial and fungal communities to the addition of 5% (w/w) of either dry olive mill residue (DOR), DOR treated with Phlebia sp. (PTDOR) or DOR previously extracted with water (WEDOR) was investigated. As opposed to bacteria, the diversity of fungi increased upon the amendments as assessed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of 18S rDNA. Over the first 30 days, phospholipid fatty acids analyses indicated a gradual decrease in the relative abundances of Gram⁺ bacteria (from 44.8% to 37.9%) and a concomitant increase of Gram⁻ bacteria (from 37.3% to 51.2%) in DOR-amended soil. A considerable increase in the fungal/bacterial ratio was observed after 7 days in DOR, WEDOR and PTDOR-amended soils with respect to the control (0.316, 0.165 and 0.265, respectively, vs. 0.011). The overall microbial activity was stimulated by the amendments as indicated by the higher activity levels of both dehydrogenase and fluorescein diacetate hydrolase. These results indicate that DOR at the application level examined is not toxic on soil microorganisms.     

Metabolic and ultrastructural responses of lupine embryo axes to sugar starvation

Embryo axes isolated from germinating lupine seeds were cultivated in vitro for 24-96 h over media containing either 60 mmol/L sucrose or no sucrose. Ultrastructural studies showed that large vacuoles were accumulating in a central region of primary parenchyma cells in sucrose starved lupine embryo axes, whereas cytoplasm along with organelles were forced to a periphery of the cells. We suggest that the autolysis of cytoplasmic proteins contributes to the accumulation of the vacuoles and this suggestion is consistent with the results of the characterisation of protein content. The level of cytosolic proteins was reduced by 50% and the activity of cytosolic marker enzyme, PEP carboxylase, was reduced by 46% in starved embryos as compared to control. The mitochondria from starved tissues were not degraded. The level of mitochondrial proteins was reduced by only 10% and the activity of mitochondrial NAD-isocitrate dehydrogenase decreased by 8% as a result of starvation. As demonstrated by the results of Percoll density gradient centrifugation, sucrose starvation caused an increase of 49% in many of the higher density mitochondria fractions, whereas many of the lower density mitochondria fractions were decreased by 33%. The samples of mitochondria from starved embryo axes were determined to have higher respiration activity in the presence of glutamate and malate as compared to control samples. EPR-based analyses of free radicals showed the presence of free radicals with a signal at g = 2.0060 in embryo axes. The level of the radical was two times higher in sucrose-starved embryo axes than in control (the level of this radical increased in senescing plant tissues as well). The results of EPR-based quantitation of Mn2+ ions revealed that the level was a few times higher in starved material than in control. Starved embryo axes, however, do possess a number of adaptive mechanisms protecting them from oxidative damage. Densitometric analyses of gels revealed an increase in the activity of SOD in sugar-starved embryos, whereas CAT and POX activities were lower in axes grown without sucrose as compared to control. Superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase zymogram analyses showed that synthesis of new isoforms was not induced by sugar starvation. An accumulation of phytoferritin was found in plastids of sucrose starved embryos. These results are discussed in relation to the metabolic changes observed in senescing plant tissues.