Sulphur stable isotopes can distinguish trophic dependence on sediments and plankton in boreal lakes

1. Stable isotopes of carbon are useful for differentiating between freshwater food chains based on planktonic algae or benthic algae, but are reported to be of limited use for identifying food chains based on sedimentary detritus. Because data from marine systems suggest that stable isotopes of sulphur (δ³⁴S values) have potential in this regard, we tested their utility in freshwater lakes.
2. We found that sulphate in the water column of four boreal lakes was enriched in ³⁴S compared to the sulphur in bulk sediments from these lakes. Furthermore, within a given lake, insects known to feed on sediment (directly or via predation) had δ³⁴S values similar to those of sediment, whereas planktonic and benthic invertebrates known to feed on suspended particles had δ³⁴S values similar to those of sulphate in the water column.
3. Using the stable S isotope values of invertebrates that obtain their S from either the sediment or the water column as end members in a two-source mixing model, we show that two fish species obtain their food from both planktonic and sedimentary sources. Furthermore, model results suggest that, as expected, the more benthic-feeding fish species obtains more of its S from the sediment compartment than does the species that feeds in the water-column.
4. Our results suggest that measurements of stable sulphur isotopes provide a means of distinguishing between members of food chains that are based in the water column from those based on sedimentary detritus. As such, they would be a useful complement to stable C isotopes that are used to distinguish between food chains based on planktonic or benthic algae.     

Inhibition of sulphur redistribution into new leaves of vegetative soybean by excision of the maturing leaf

When soybean plants are pulsed with [³⁵S]sulphate, label is subsequently redistributed from the roots to the leaves. This confounds studies to measure the redistribution of label from leaves. Accordingly, soybean plants ( Glycine max [L.] Merr. cv. Stephens) were grown in 20 μ M sulphate and a small portion of the root system (donor root) was pulsed with [³⁵S]sulphate for 24 h. After removing the donor root, the plants were transferred into unlabelled solution, either without sulphate (S20→SO) or with 20 μ M sulphate (S20→20) (intact plants). Also at this time, the expanding leaf (L3) was excised from half of the plants in each treatment (excised plants). Immediately after the pulse, only ca 15% of the label occurred in the roots and ca 40% in the expanding leaf, L3, mostly in the soluble fraction. In intact S20→20 plants, ³⁵S-label was exported from the soluble fraction of L3, mostly as sulphate, whilst L4 and L5 imported label. Similar responses occurred in S20→SO plants except that export of label from L3 was more rapid. Excision of L3 from S20→S20 plants inhibited labelling of leaves L4-L6 but not total sulphur, whereas in S20→SO plants, excision of L3 inhibited the import of both total sulphur and ³⁵S-label in leaves L4, L5 and L6. The data suggest that the soluble fraction of almost fully expanded leaves is an important reserve of sulphur for redistribution to growing leaves. The ³⁵S-label in the root system exhibited fluctuations consistent with its proposed role in the recycling of soluble sulphur from the leaves.     

The use of natural bacterial populations for the treatment of sulphur-containing wastewater

Pollution by inorganic and organic sulphur compounds is increasing and, because of the many environmental hazards associated with these compounds (e.g. toxicity, acidification of rain and freshwater, increase of COD, the greenhouse effect), must be taken seriously. There is a wide variety of sulphur oxidizing bacteria available in nature, and these can be used for the effective control of such pollution. The best way to break the sulphur cycle is to stop it at sulphur which, being insoluble, can be easily recovered (e.g.SO₄ ^2- S^2- S⁰). (Eco)physiological knowledge about the sulphur oxidizing bacteria has proved very useful in the prediction of the performance of sulphur oxidizing communities in actual wastewater treatment systems. Appropriate reactor design, based on this type of study, is essential if such bacterial communities are to function efficiently, especially when toxic sulphides must be treated. This paper reviews the natural and anthropogenic sources of sulphur pollution, its consequences and possible solutions.     

二氧化硫污染对植物体酶活性的影响

通过用６种浓度的ＳＯ２气体对６种植物进行熏气处理,然后测定植物叶片内的过氧化物酶,抗坏血酸氧化酶及多酚氧化酶的活性,为环境监测提供理论依据。通过试验,发现ＳＯ２气体对植物叶内不同酶的活性的影响有别。６种植物受不同浓度的ＳＯ２污染,叶内的过氧化物酶活性随ＳＯ２浓度增加而增加,促进叶片的衰老;而对其他的２种酶,则６种植物表现不同     

Mobilization of sulphur in soybean cotyledons during germination

Soybean seeds ( Glycine max L. cv , Stephens) contain a large amount of sulphur (ca 40 μ mol seed⁻¹), mostly in the insoluble fraction in the cotyledons. During germination in nutrient solution lacking sulphur the amount of insoluble sulphur decreases to very low levels. This is accompanied by a transitory increase in the pool of soluble sulphur which then declines. All of the sulphur lost from the cotyledons is quantitatively recovered in the seedling. In the short term, the root and the stem are the most important sinks for sulphur from the cotyledons but as growth proceeds the shoot becomes the dominant sink for remobilized sulphur. Within the shoot most of the sulphur is recovered in leaves L1 and L2. The growth of L3 and, to a lesser extent, L2, was retarded due to sulphur insufficiency. The cotyledons of plants treated with 20 μ M sulphate also exhibited mobilization of sulphur from the insoluble fraction except that the maximum rate of loss of sulphur occurred somewhat later. Plants grown with sulphate exhibited a net gain of sulphur and did not exhibit sulphur insufficiency. In these plants, endogenous sulphur from the cotyledons was directed into L1–L3 and this sulphur remained within these leaves for the duration of the experiment. The delivery of exogenous sulphur (supplied as [³⁵S]sulphate via the roots) to the leaves increased with leaf number. In leaves L1–L3, the level of exogenous sulphur in any one leaf declined with time, indicating that this sulphur was remobilized and did not mix with the sulphur derived from the cotyledons. It was concluded that the cotyledons are an important source of sulphur to support early plant growth and development of soybean.     

Understanding the pollution sensitivity of lichens

RICHARDSON, D. H. S. 1988. Understanding the pollution sensitivity of lichens. Lichens have been widely used to monitor air quality in urban and industrial situations. This review summarizes the effects of the various components of air pollution including metals, sulphur dioxide and acid rain. The mechanisms leading to the accumulation of elements by lichens or induction of damage by air pollutants are discussed.     

Influence of sulphur plant nutrition on oviposition and larval performance of the cabbage root fly

1 Oilseed rape plants (Brassica napus) (L.) (Brassicaceae) were grown under different levels of sulphur supply and tested for the oviposition preference and larval performance of cabbage root flies Delia radicum (L.) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae). 2 Adult females laid more than three‐fold as many eggs on control S_n (normal field concentration) than on sulphur‐free S₀ plants. By contrast, no significant difference was observed between control and double normal concentration (S₊) plants. 3 The larval performance was evaluated using three additional, intermediate sulphur levels between S₀ and S_n, and the plants were infected with equal numbers of eggs. The percentage pupation at the end of larval feeding ranged from 6% (S₀) to 32% (S_n or S₊) and the average number of pupae, or of emerging flies, was significantly correlated with sulphur application. 4 The weight of emerging males and females was correlated with plant sulphur supply. 5 The duration of development from eggs to adult emergence was approximately 2 days longer in females than in males. Females originating from plants with a normal or higher sulphur supply tended to emerge 1–2 days earlier.     

Bird species richness and densities in relation to sulphur dioxide gradients and environmental variables

The expansion of coal-fired power stations in South Africa has resulted in growing environmental concerns as they are the largest emitters of sulphur dioxide (SO₂). Sulphur dioxide emissions from power plants pose a potential threat to avian populations. However, the effect of SO₂ pollution on bird communities is poorly understood. Using point counts we investigated the relationships of bird species richness and species-specific density with SO₂ concentrations around Matimba power station. Environmental parameters were derived from remotely sensed data and data reduction was performed using principal component analysis. Generalised linear mixed models were then used to infer the relationships of bird species richness and species-specific densities with SO₂ concentrations and the environmental variables. Our results revealed that SO₂-polluted air had no influence on bird species richness and densities in our study sites, but SO₂ levels were below annual national ambient air quality standards. Vegetation productivity was found to have a greater influence on species densities than SO₂ pollution. Monitoring of bird population changes around Matimba power station once neighbouring Medupi power station is fully operational is recommended, as SO₂ content of the air will increase significantly, and species may be sensitive to this increase in SO₂ levels.     

The oxygen isotopic signature of soil‐ and plant‐derived sulphate is controlled by fertilizer type and water source

The oxygen isotope signature of sulphate (δ¹⁸O_sulphate) is increasingly used to study nutritional fluxes and sulphur transformation processes in a variety of natural environments. However, mechanisms controlling the δ¹⁸O_sulphate signature in soil–plant systems are largely unknown. The objective of this study was to determine key factors, which affect δ¹⁸O_sulphate values in soil and plants. The impact of an ¹⁸O‐water isotopic gradient and different types of fertilizers was investigated in a soil incubation study and a radish (Raphanus sativus L.) greenhouse growth experiment. Water provided 31–64% of oxygen atoms in soil sulphate formed via mineralization of organic residues (green and chicken manures) while 49% of oxygen atoms were derived from water during oxidation of elemental sulphur. In contrast, δ¹⁸O_sulphate values of synthetic fertilizer were not affected by soil water. Correlations between soil and plant δ¹⁸O_sulphate values were controlled by water δ¹⁸O values and fertilizer treatments. Additionally, plant δ³⁴S data showed that the sulphate isotopic composition of plants is a function of S assimilation. This study documents the potential of using compound‐specific isotope ratio analysis for investigating and tracing fertilization strategies in agricultural and environmental studies.     

Effect of nitrogen nutrition on the export of sulphur from leaves in soybean

Soybean plants were grown in complete solution for 33 days and then transferred to medium containing inadequate sulphur (5 t M) and nitrogen at 15, 7.5, 2 or 0.25 mt M. In mature leaves (L1 and L2), and leaves that were 70% expanded at day 33 (L3), the net loss of sulphur over the ensuing 25 days was inversely related to the level of nitrogen nutrition. Leaf 5, which formed during the study period, exhibited complementary characteristics; the increase in the sulphur content was inversely related to the level of nitrogen nutrition even though low nitrogen nutrition supported less growth. L4, which was 31% expanded at day 33, exhibited intermediate characteristics. 35S-Labelled sulphate was supplied to all of the plants for 48 h at day 31 and was distributed principally to L3 at day 33. During early development, L5 became heavily labelled but, at low nitrogen nutrition, the massive import of total sulphur into L5 during the late stages of development was not accompanied by a commensurate increase in 35S-label, indicating that redistribution of soluble sulphur from mature leaves was not involved. The loss of sulphur from mature leaves was parallelled by similar changes in nitrogen at all levels of nitrogen nutrition. Collectively, the data suggest that a common mechanism, presumably proteolysis, is involved in the export of sulphur and nitrogen from mature leaves and that this process is inhibited at high levels of nitrogen nutrition, even under conditions of sulphur deficiency.     

Air pollution by SO2 amplifies the effects of water stress on enzymes and total soluble proteins of spruce needles

Measurements of soluble protein levels and catalytic capacity (maximum extractable activity) of isocitrate, glucose-6-phosphate and glutamate dehydrogenases were performed in needles of Picea abies L. Karst. under phytotron-controlled conditions in filtered or SO₂ polluted (0.08 ppm, 3.1 μmol m⁻³) air. In watered plants, pollution had no significant effects, although sulphur accumulated in the needles. Water deprivation (1 or 2 weeks depending on the experiments) of non-polluted plants decreased protein concentration and modified enzyme capacity, particularly for isocitrate and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases. These effects were amplified in the polluted plants. Visible damage occurred only in plants subjected to both pollution and water stress. The results indicate that in spruce needles vulnerability of cell metabolism to the effects of a drought period is increased when water deprivation occurs under SO₂ pollution.     

Evaluation of sulphur cycling in managed forest stands by means of stable S-isotope analysis

Sulphur cycling was evaluated in a 20 to 60 year old Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst) ecosystem in the Black Forest near Schluchsee, SW Germany, by means of stable sulphur isotope analysis.Soil and plant material were analysed for S-content and S-isotopic composition to gather information on the S-distribution in the ecosystem. Two out of three adjacent watershed areas, highly comparable to each other were fertilized with MgSO₄ and (NH₄)₂SO₄ respectively, where sulphate was enriched in the ³⁴S-isotope compared to the sulphur present in the ecosystem. As the fertilizer S served as a tracer, comparison of the S-isotopic composition of total and inorganic S in the soil and S in spruce needles from both the treated and the control sites led to new information of S-turnover processes.The S-isotopic composition of spruce needles changed markedly after the fertilizer application. Within half a year a shift towards the S-isotopic composition of the fertilizers sulphate indicated uptake of the sulphate by the trees, although this uptake did not become visible with the S content of the needles.Regarding the soil, a shift in the S-isotopic composition of the total sulphur was not that striking as with the needles, although the phosphate extractable sulphate showed a clear shift towards the S-isotopic composition of the fertilizer sulphate.     

海河流域植物硫素含量特征的研究

本文研究了海流域各类植物硫元素含量特征及与土壤硫素的关系,结果表明：海河流域植物全硫量平均值为０．２３２％,为正常含量的下限值,与我国南,北方一些地区比较属中等水平,其中栽培植物略高于野生植物,植物硫含量范围差别悬殊,最大值可为最小值的２６倍,以沿大城市的水系和地区的植物含硫量高,海流域的土壤全硫含量平均值为０．０４３％（指耕地和天然植被的土壤）,为正常土壤含量的中上水平,植物硫元素含量与土壤硫含     

Isotopic Fractionation of Hydrogen in Plants

The naturally-occurring stable isotopes deuterium and hydrogen are fractionated by a number of physical and biological processes. Deuterium has a tendency to precipitate out first from a moist air mass. Thus ground water will become isotopically lighter with an increase in latitude, altitude, or distance inland. Water taken up by the plant from the soil undergoes little change until evapotranspiration results in leaf water becoming isotopically heavier. Thus hydrogen isotopes in plants can reveal something of geography (groundwater) and climate. Hydrogen isotopes undergo little fractionation by passage through the food chain, although plant parasites tend to be enriched in D as compared to their hosts, possibly due to higher rates of transpiration in the parasitic plants. The splitting of water in photosynthesis results in the lighter isotope being incorporated into organic matter. An even larger isotopic fractionation results during lipid synthesis and other processes involving the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. Differences in metabolic pathway between species can be detected by D/H ratios. Hydrogen isotopic differences can be detected between CAM, C₄, and C₃ species. Within C₄ plants, the NADP-ME plants are isotopically distinguishable from NAD-ME and PEP-CK plants.     

Photosynthesis and metabolism interact during acclimation of Arabidopsis thaliana to high irradiance and sulphur depletion

Arabidopsis plants were exposed to high light or sulphur depletion alone or in combination for 6 d, and changes of photosynthetic parameters and metabolite abundances were quantified. Photosynthetic electron transport rates (ETRs) of plants exposed to sulphur depletion and high light decreased strongly at day 2 of the acclimation period. After 3 d of treatment, the photosynthetic capacity recovered in plants exposed to the combined stresses, indicating a short recovery time for re‐adjustment of photosynthesis. However, at metabolic level, the stress combination had a profound effect on central metabolic pathways such as the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, glycolysis, pentose phosphate cycle and large parts of amino acid metabolism. Under these conditions, central metabolites, such as sugars and their phosphates, increased, while sulphur‐containing compounds were decreased. Further differential responses were found for the stress indicator proline accumulating already at day 1 of the high‐light regime, but in combination with sulphur depletion first declined and after a recovery phase reached a delayed elevated level. Other metabolites such as raffinose and putrescine seem to replace proline during the early combinatorial stress response and may act as alternative protectants. Our findings support the notion that plants integrate the selectively sensed stress factors in central metabolism.     

The content of total sulphur and sulphur forms in birch (Betula pendula Roth) leaves in the air-polluted Krusne hory mountains

In leaves of birch (Betula pendula Roth), changes in the content of total sulphur and its inorganic and organic forms were determined in relation to the decreasing air-pollution load (SO₂) in the air-polluted Krusne hory mountains and the Decin sandstone highlands in 1995, 1998, 2001 and 2004. Results have shown that birch is able to use considerable amounts of sulphur taken through leaves from air-pollution load. Birch responds fast to changes in air-pollution load by fall in the content of total and inorganic forms of sulphur in leaves.     

陶瓷工业污染区41种植物的硫含量特征

为提高酸污染地区植物净化吸收大气S污染物的能力,研究了广东西樵山41种主要植物的S含量特征.结果表明:(1)41种植物的叶片或地上部分S含量介于1.81～16.47mg·g^-1平均值为4.00mg·g^-1,高于我国其他地区植物S含量的平均水平.马尾松(Pinus massoniana)和荷木(Schima superba)的叶片S含量是大气相对清洁区鼎湖山的2～3倍.(2)华山矾(Symplocos chinensis)、银柴(Aporosa dioica)和光叶山矾(Symplocos lancifolia)和山胡椒(Lindera glauca)的叶片S含量最高,分别为16.47、12.42、11.31和6.68mg·g^-1,是优良的S污染净化植物.(3)同科植物具有相近的S富集能力,目前常用作绿化植物的3种山矾科植物均有较强的大气污染抗性和高S含量特征,预示着山矾科可能存在其他一些优良的S污染净化种类,有待进一步的研究发掘.     

Aphid response to elevated ozone and CO2

Numerous reports indicate that pollution stress caused by sulphur dioxide (SO₂), oxies of nitrogen or fluorides promote aphid growth on herbaceous and woody plants. At SO₂ exposures, the response curve of aphids is bell-shaped having the peak at 100 ppb. This curvilinear response is related to physiological stress responses of host plants exposed to pollutants. On the other hand, observations of aphid performance on ozone-exposed (O₃) or elevated carbon dioxide-exposed (CO₂) plants have given very variable results. Depending on the duration and concentration of O₃ or elevated CO₂ exposure or the age of the exposed plants, aphid growth on the same plants either decreased or increased in comparison to growth on control plants grown in filtered air. The results of these studies suggest that there is no general air pollution-induced plant stress that triggers aphid outbreaks on plants. Plants grown in elevated CO₂ usually have higher C/N ratios than plants grown in current ambient CO₂ atmosphere. A reduced proportion of nitrogen in the plant foliage decreases growth of chewing herbivorous insects, but the few studies of elevated CO₂ effects on sucking insects such as aphids have not yielded similar consistent effects. The present paper reviews recent studies of elevated CO₂ effects on aphids and discusses the effects of combined elevated O₃ and CO₂ exposures on aphid performance on woody plants using pine and birch aphids as examples.     

Effect of high rates of sulphur on the CaCO3 and CaSO4 content of calcareous soils

Samples of two calcareous soils from central Iraq were amended with 2, 6 and 10 mg g⁻¹ soil of agriculturegrade sulphur and incubated for 4, 8 and 12 weeks at 30°C and 70% water-holding capacity. At the end of each incubation period, soils were analyzed for sulphate, CaCO₃ and CaSO₄. The sulphate content of the soils increased, whereas the CaCO₃ content decreased, with increasing S levels and incubation time. The gypsum formed was in proportion to the sulphur oxidised and the calcium released from CaCO₃.