红壤酶活性与肥力的关系

对供试红壤的基本化学性质、微生物量以及酶活性进行分析.结果表明,红壤脲酶、蔗糖酶、磷酸酶及过氧化氢酶与土壤有机碳、全氮及全磷显著相关或极显著相关,这些酶活性反映了红壤肥力水平的差异.土壤酶活性聚类分析结果与根据土壤化学、生物学性质所得结果基本相似.酶活性可用于评价红壤肥力质量.新鲜土样的酶活性不仅高于风干土样,且与土壤肥力质量联系更为密切.     

Forest soil fertility: the base of relationships between soil and vegetation

To understand the relationships between soils and vegetation in forest ecosystems, it is necessary to establish the spatial levels where they are implemented and to determine parameters characterizing the relationships. The key step in the development of the hierarchy of the spatial levels is the establishment of the elementary unit of the soil-vegetation cover. Such a unit, called tessera, is substantiated. Studies conducted in boreal forests have demonstrated a close association between the vegetation and soil components of tesserae. It can be quantitatively described in terms of informative fertility parameters: pH; C: N ratio; contents of nutrients, such as Ca and Mn; etc. Thus, data on the relationships between soil and vegetation determined in tesserae can be summarized at higher spatial levels of the forest cover: parcel, biotope, etc.     

Functional overlap and regulatory links shape genetic interactions between signaling pathways

To understand relationships between phosphorylation-based signaling pathways, we analyzed 150 deletion mutants of protein kinases and phosphatases in S. cerevisiae using DNA microarrays. Downstream changes in gene expression were treated as a phenotypic readout. Double mutants with synthetic genetic interactions were included to investigate genetic buffering relationships such as redundancy. Three types of genetic buffering relationships are identified: mixed epistasis, complete redundancy, and quantitative redundancy. In mixed epistasis, the most common buffering relationship, different gene sets respond in different epistatic ways. Mixed epistasis arises from pairs of regulators that have only partial overlap in function and that are coupled by additional regulatory links such as repression of one by the other. Such regulatory modules confer the ability to control different combinations of processes depending on condition or context. These properties likely contribute to the evolutionary maintenance of paralogs and indicate a way in which signaling pathways connect for multiprocess control.     

Earthworms and soil fertility

Summary Earthworms redistribute organic materials within the soil, increase soil penetrability and, und certain conditions, influence ion transport in soils. Root distribution may be modified and microbial activity increased by their burrowing and feeding activities. Earthworms influence the supply of nutrients in several ways. Not only is earthworm tissue and cast material enriched in certain nutrients, relative to the soil matrix, but ingestion of organic material increases the rate of cycling. Certain farm-management practices, such as cultuvation and the use of acidic fertilizers, reduce the ability of earthworm to improve plant growth. Where other inorganic fertilizers increase the growth of plants, an increase in earthworm numbers can be expected because of the increased food supply. Lime, in particular, and possibly drainage also increase earthworm activity. Further research is required on the physical and biological effects of earthworms on nutrient supply, so that suitable management practices can be developed to optimise the beneficial effects of earthworms on soil fertility.Introductory lecture     

Relationships between soil seed bank,vegetation and soil fertility along an urbanisation gradient

Questions: How does urbanisation influence soil mineral nitrogen stocks (nitrate and ammonium stocks) and what are the consequences of these modifications on the functional diversity of the herbaceous vegetation (vascular plants) and the seed bank? Location: Nine study sites were located on an urbanisation gradient in the city of Rennes, France. Methods: Three urbanisation levels were defined: urban areas (high grey/green ratio), suburban (medium grey/green ratio) and periurban (low grey/green ratio). For each urbanisation level, nitrates and ammonium stocks were quantified; the herbaceous vegetation was surveyed as well as the soil seed bank (using the seedling emergence method). Results: Nitrate concentration increased with urbanisation (the nitrate level in urban plots was twice the concentration in periurban ones) whereas the ammonium level was higher in periurban areas than in urban areas. In urban plots, the vegetation and the seed bank were more nitrophilous, whereas the nitrogen requirement was lower for periurban species. The relationship between the seed bank and the above‐ground vegetation was not significant. Conclusions: The higher nitrate concentration in the urban area appeared to be related to higher concentrations of atmospheric pollutants found in this area and lower ammonium levels may be related to the higher temperature in urban areas (leading to higher nitrification rates). The shift in the composition of the seed bank and vegetation appeared to be a consequence of higher nitrate stocks. The dissimilarity between the seed bank and vegetation may be caused by enhanced emergence of nitrophilous species in urban areas.     

Trophic links between fermenters and methanogens in a moderately acidic fen soil

Trophic links between fermentation and methanogenesis of soil derived from a methane‐emitting, moderately acidic temperate fen (pH 4.5) were investigated. Initial CO₂:CH₄ production ratios in anoxic microcosms indicated that methanogenesis was concomitant to other terminal anaerobic processes. Methane production in anoxic microcosms at in situ pH was stimulated by supplemental H₂–CO₂, formate or methanol; supplemental acetate did not stimulate methanogenesis. Supplemental H₂–CO₂, formate or methanol also stimulated the formation of acetate, indicating that the fen harbours moderately acid‐tolerant acetogens. Supplemental monosaccharides (glucose, N‐acetylglucosamine and xylose) stimulated the production of CO₂, H₂, acetate and other fermentation products when methanogenesis was inhibited with 2‐bromoethane sulfonate 20 mM. Glucose stimulated methanogenesis in the absence of BES. Upper soil depths yielded higher anaerobic activities and also higher numbers of cells. Detected archaeal 16S rRNA genes were indicative of H₂–CO₂‐ and formate‐consuming methanogens (Methanomicrobiaceae), obligate acetoclastic methanogens (Methanosaetaceae) and crenarchaeotes (groups I.1a, I.1c and I.3). Molecular analyses of partial sequences of 16S rRNA genes revealed the presence of Acidobacteria, Nitrospirales, Clamydiales, Clostridiales, Alpha‐, Gamma‐, Deltaproteobacteria and Cyanobacteria. These collective results suggest that this moderately acidic fen harbours phylogenetically diverse, moderately acid tolerant fermenters (both facultative aerobes and obligate anaerobes) that are trophically linked to methanogenesis.     

Positive feedbacks between decomposition and soil nitrogen availability along fertility gradients

Background and aims

We determined the relationship between site N supply and decomposition rates with respect to controls exerted by environment, litter chemistry, and fungal colonization.

Methods

Two reciprocal transplant decomposition experiments were established, one in each of two long-term experiments in oak woodlands in Minnesota, USA: a fire frequency/vegetation gradient, along which soil N availability varies markedly, and a long-term N fertilization experiment. Both experiments used native Quercus ellipsoidalis E.J. Hill and Andropogon gerardii Vitman leaf litter and either root litter or wooden dowels.

Results

Leaf litter decay rates generally increased with soil N availability in both experiments while belowground litter decayed more slowly with increasing soil N. Litter chemistry differed among litter types, and these differences had significant effects on belowground (but not aboveground) decay rates and on aboveground litter N dynamics during decomposition. Fungal colonization of detritus was positively correlated with soil fertility and decay rates.

Conclusions

Higher soil fertility associated with low fire frequency was associated with greater leaf litter production, higher rates of fungal colonization of detritus, more rapid leaf litter decomposition rates, and greater N release in the root litter, all of which likely enhance soil fertility. During decomposition, both greater mass loss and litter N release provide mechanisms through which the plant and decomposer communities provide positive feedbacks to soil fertility as ultimately driven by decreasing fire frequency in N-limited soils and vice versa.     

紫椴根际土壤肥力与外生菌根侵染关系

调查帽儿山老山生态站紫椴(Tilia amurensis Rupr.)外生菌根的侵染情况与根际土壤肥力指标,结合Pearson相关性分析与逐步回归分析的统计方法,分析紫椴外生菌根侵染率与根际土壤肥力指标的相关性。结果表明:紫椴外生菌根侵染率与碱性磷酸酶、碱解氮、有效磷、土壤水分含量呈极显著负相关,与脲酶呈极显著正相关,与速效钾呈显著正相关。逐步回归分析发现,影响紫椴外生菌根侵染率的主要土壤肥力因子是碱性磷酸酶和土壤水分含量。     

Socioeconomic interactions with physique and fertility

The reproductive histories of 4829 white women who participated in the Ten State Nutrition Survey of 1968-1970 were analyzed in the attempt to study socioeconomic interactions with physique and fertility. Socioeconomic data included per-capita income. The range of per capita incomes in the sample was from $12 per capita for those on public assistance to $30,000 per capita, and distinctly skewed to the lower incomes. Most incomes were clustered between $500 and $5000. Associations between 5 measures of physique and fertility were explained by socioeconomic influences -- the per capita income. The exact relation between social variables and physique, as part of this triangle, did not yield gracefully to delineation. The rich were systematically leanest and for females, at least decreasing socioeconomic status appeared to be associated with increasing fatness. Stature was less predictable, appearing to ascend with social class or income. There was a systematic decrease in number of liveborn children, for mothers of completed reproduction, with increasing income. The lowest 3 income levels were each significantly different from each other and contrasted with all other levels. This socially-determined differential fertility of physique categories appeared to be linear rather than modal in character; income and fertility interacted in a curvilinear manner. The data also suggest the existence of a secular trend for certain physical characteristics, particularly fatness, which are subject to social transmission between generations.     

Relationships between soil bulk electrical conductivity and the principal component analysis of topography and soil fertility values

Measures of soil electrical conductivity (EC) and elevation are relatively inexpensive to collect and result in dense data sets which allow for mapping with limited interpolation. Conversely, soil fertility information is expensive to collect so that relatively few samples are taken and mapping requires extensive interpolation with large estimation errors, resulting in limited usefulness for site-specific applications in precision agriculture. Principal component (PC) analysis and cokriging can be applied to create meaningful field scale summaries of groups of attributes and to decrease the estimation error of maps of the summarized attributes. Deep (0–90 cm) and shallow (0–30 cm) EC, elevation, and soil fertility attributes were measured in fields under corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) rotations, at two sites in Illinois (IL) and two sites in Missouri (MO). Soil fertility and topography attributes were summarized by PC analysis. The first topography PC (TopoPC1) contrasted flow accumulation against elevation and curvature, to describe the main topographic pattern of the fields. The first soil fertility PC (SoilPC1) consistently grouped together cation exchange capacity (CEC), Ca, Mg, and organic matter (OM). SoilPC1 was well correlated to soil EC for all sites and cokriging with EC had higher r ² in the crossvariogram models compared to ordinary kriging. The second and third soil fertility PCs (SoilPC2 and SoilPC3) were concerned with soil pH and P, and reflected historic land use patterns. Maps of SoilPC2 and SoilPC3 had little relationship to soil EC or topography and so could not be improved by cokriging.     

根分泌物与土壤肥力

植物生长在土壤中 ,既要从土壤中摄取营养 ,又要对土壤产生一定的响应。植物根系的生理特性和根 -土界面的营养环境是影响土壤养分有效性和植物生长的主要因素之一。根分泌物就是植物根对土壤肥力的一种响应。它是根对土壤因素的生化适应的产物。1　根分泌物的种类根分泌物是植物根系释放到周围环境中的各种物质 ,它是生物间相生相克关系不可缺少的成分。根分泌物的产生是通过代谢途径和非代谢途径。代谢途径包括初生代谢和次生代谢。根分泌物的种类繁多 ,数量各异 ,不仅有糖、有机酸和氨基酸等初生代谢物 ,还有酚类等次生代谢物 ,更有一些…     

Belowground volatiles facilitate interactions between plant roots and soil organisms

Many interactions between organisms are based on the emission and perception of volatiles. The principle of using volatile metabolites as communication signals for chemo-attractant or repellent for species-specific interactions or mediators for cell-to-cell recognition does not stop at an apparently unsuitable or inappropriate environment. These infochemicals do not only diffuse through the atmosphere to process their actions aboveground, but belowground volatile interactions are similarly complex. This review summarizes various eucaryotes (e.g., plant (roots), invertebrates, fungi) and procaryotes (e.g., rhizobacteria) which are involved in these volatile-mediated interactions. The soil volatiles cannot be neglected anymore, but have to be considered in the future as valuable infochemicals to understand the entire integrity of the ecosystems.     

Reciprocal interactions between plants and soil in an upland grassland

Through the production of litter, plants with different life history strategies are predicted to both affect and be affected by the properties of soil. Competitive species are expected to increase the fertility of, and have a positive growth feedback with, soil, whereas stress-tolerant species should decrease fertility but show no growth feedback. We maintained monocultures of competitive (Lolium perenne and Agrostis capillaris) and stress-tolerant (Festuca ovina and Nardus stricta) grasses on an unproductive grassland for six years. The Nardus soil developed significantly greater inorganic nitrogen than the Agrostis and Festuca soil, and significantly greater soil moisture content than the Festuca soil. However, there were no differences in organic matter content, phosphate or bulk density between the soil types. In a greenhouse assay, each species was grown in soil cores from the different monocultures as well as natural turf. There were significant differences in growth between plant species and soil types. As expected, L. perenne produced the greatest amount of biomass. However, plants grown on Nardus soil were twice as large and had a 21% lower root allocation than plants grown on any of the other soil types. Lolium perenne, A. capillaris and F. ovina had significant negative growth feedbacks with their own soil (−0.460, −0.821 and −0.792, respectively) and N. stricta had a significant positive feedback (0.560). This study highlights the difficulties of predicting how plant traits will affect soil properties.     

Studies on the relationships between earthworms and soil fertility; some effects of earthworms on soil structure

The weight of wormcasts thrown on to the surface of eight fields of differing agricultural history depends on the numbers of Allolobophora longa Ude and A. nocturna Evans present and also on the mean size of the individuals of these two species. The weight of wormcasts produced per acre per annum on the different fields varied from 1 to 25 tons and it is calculated that from 4 to 36 tons of soil per acre per annum pass through the alimentary tracts of the total population of earthworms present. The percentage pore space of a soil containing a high population of wormcasting species is much greater than that of a field with a high population of worms which do not produce wormcasts. In two old pastures, the amount of coarse sand relative to silt and clay was found to increase appreciably with depth: this distribution is probably a result of the long-continued activity of earthworms.     

落叶松人工林凋落物与土壤肥力变化的研究

以东北东部山区帽儿山实验林场落叶松人工林作为研究对象,从林地凋落量、林地凋落物归还量、凋落物层现存量以及土壤理化性质的变化等方面,研究了经抚育间伐后不同年龄阶段同一落叶松林分土壤肥力的变化以及间伐与未间伐林分土壤理化性质的差异．结果表明,落叶松人工林凋落量和以凋落物形式归还于林地的营养元素呈现出随年龄增加而增长的总趋势．经抚育间伐后,由于阔叶树种的引入使凋落物的组成结构发生变化,凋落物层的分解率逐步提高,加速了凋落物中营养物质的释放和归还,减缓了凋落物积累与分解的矛盾,提高了落叶松人工林的土壤肥力．１５年间土壤有机质、全Ｎ和全Ｐ２Ｏ５平均值分别增长了３５２．００％、２２５．５３％和３４．９６％．间伐后的落叶松人工林土壤的理化性质得到不同程度的改善．     

山地土壤肥力与植物群落次生演替关系研究

从土壤物理、化学和生物性质出发,通过土壤肥力综合指标体系,利用多元统计方法,对重庆缙云山亚热带常绿阔叶林不同演替阶段山地土壤肥力的变化特征进行综合评价。并分析了缙云山亚热带常绿阔叶林群落演替与山地土壤肥力变化的关系。     

Biochemistry of disease and pest resistance in cotton

The major antibiotic metabolites in cotton are condensed proanthocyanidins formed from (+)-catechin and (+)-gallocatechin, and terpenoid aldehydes formed from desoxyhemigossypol. These metabolites occur in specific cells or tissues of healthy plants, and the terpenoids are formed in different cells from the proanthocyanidins. Concentrations of the metabolites increase under the stress of disease or pest invasion. The structure, quantity, and localization of constitutive and infection-induced host metabolites, and the speed of their induced biosynthesis, are discussed in relation to the resistance of tissues and varieties to diseases and pests. Finally, the genetic control of secondary metabolites in cotton is reviewed and discussed in relation to breeding for disease and pest control.