Can Plants Grow on Mars and the Moon: A Growth Experiment on Mars and Moon Soil Simulants

When humans will settle on the moon or Mars they will have to eat there. Food may be flown in. An alternative could be to cultivate plants at the site itself, preferably in native soils. We report on the first large-scale controlled experiment to investigate the possibility of growing plants in Mars and moon soil simulants. The results show that plants are able to germinate and grow on both Martian and moon soil simulant for a period of 50 days without any addition of nutrients. Growth and flowering on Mars regolith simulant was much better than on moon regolith simulant and even slightly better than on our control nutrient poor river soil. Reflexed stonecrop (a wild plant); the crops tomato, wheat, and cress; and the green manure species field mustard performed particularly well. The latter three flowered, and cress and field mustard also produced seeds. Our results show that in principle it is possible to grow crops and other plant species in Martian and Lunar soil simulants. However, many questions remain about the simulants'' water carrying capacity and other physical characteristics and also whether the simulants are representative of the real soils.     

Mixing characteristics of sludge simulant in a model anaerobic digester

This study aims to investigate the mixing characteristics of a transparent sludge simulant in a mechanically agitated model digester using flow visualisation technique. Video images of the flow patterns were obtained by recording the progress of an acid–base reaction and analysed to determine the active and inactive volumes as a function of time. The doughnut-shaped inactive region formed above and below the impeller in low concentration simulant decreases in size with time and disappears finally. The ‘cavern’ shaped active mixing region formed around the impeller in simulant solutions with higher concentrations increases with increasing agitation time and reaches a steady state equilibrium size, which is a function of specific power input. These results indicate that the active volume is jointly determined by simulant rheology and specific power input. A mathematical correlation is proposed to estimate the active volume as a function of simulant concentration in terms of yield Reynolds number.     

长期施肥对砂壤质石灰性潮土土壤酸碱缓冲体系的影响

通过长期施肥定位试验,分析了石灰性潮土连续30年施肥处理下土壤pH、碳酸钙和活性碳酸钙含量以及土壤酸碱缓冲容量的变化.结果表明:连续30年施肥处理导致石灰性潮土0 ～20 cm耕层土壤酸化加速,各施肥处理的耕层土壤pH降低0.41 ～0.70;各施肥处理的耕层土壤酸碱缓冲容量为15.82 ～ 21.96 cmol·kg-1,单施氮肥明显降低了土壤酸碱缓冲容量,而增施有机肥可显著提高土壤酸碱缓冲容量.土壤酸碱缓冲容量与土壤碳酸钙和活性碳酸钙含量呈显著正相关,与土壤有机质含量和阳离子交换量的相关性不显著,长期不同施肥处理下石灰性潮土仍处于碳酸钙初级缓冲体系,盐基离子和有机质对土壤酸碱缓冲体系的影响较小.0 ～40 cm土层的土壤碳酸钙和活性碳酸钙含量均高于40 ～ 80 cm土层.与土壤碳酸钙相比,土壤活性碳酸钙更能敏感反映土壤基本理化性状的变化,碳酸钙缓冲体系还可以进一步细分为土壤活性碳酸钙缓冲体系.     

旅游活动对张家界国家森林公园土壤酶活性与微生物分布的影响

以张家界国家森林公园为例,分别设背景、缓冲和活动3个试验区,探讨了旅游活动对土壤理化性质、土壤酶活性和土壤微生物分布的影响.结果表明:土壤酶和土壤微生物的分布特征呈现背景区最高,活动区最低,缓冲区居中的变化规律;对土壤酶活性的影响在0～5 cm土层最为显著,其中纤维素酶活性在活动区分别比缓冲区和背景区降低了92.8%和80.0%;其次,旅游活动显著影响了0～5 cm土壤土层中的细菌、放线菌、真菌及总微生物数量,其中背景区明显高于缓冲区和活动区,缓冲区又明显高于活动区.旅游活动已对张家界国家森林公园土壤生态系统产生了较大影响.     

Responses of forest snail assemblages to soil acidity buffer system and liming

Physiological constraints from harsh environmental conditions, such as from calcium limitation on acidic soils, is expected not only to affect species richness, but also species abundance distributions. Also, the effects of amendments by calcium addition (soil liming) on these assemblage characteristics are poorly understood. Because of their sensitivity towards calcium availability, we use snails as model organisms and integrate field surveys and literature data. Temperate forest snail data supported a rule-of-thumb calibration with pH measurements in water being one unit higher than in KCl buffer. The resulting large data set suggests stepwise changes in snail richness that occur at transitions in soil buffer systems, especially at pH 3.2. Species abundance distributions follow the logseries model in most soil buffer systems, except for the iron buffer range (pH ≤3.2) where they swap to the geometric model. Our findings thus suggest several smaller soil pH thresholds for snail assemblages associated with shifts between soil buffer systems, and a tipping point at the threshold to pH ≤3.2. Liming with ground carbonate rocks is a technique to temporarily increase soil pH and calcium availability in forest soils, but its effects on snail assemblages produced inconsistent results that did not meet expectations from the ameliorated soil pH and might warrant a re-evaluation of liming applications.     

Phosphate adsorption and availability plant of phosphate

Summary The effects of phosphate buffer capacity on the plant-availability of labile soil phosphate, when measured as intensity (I) or quantity (Q), are described and tested using results from a greenhouse experiment on 24 Sherborne soils. In multiple regression studies, phosphate buffer capacity with I or Q measurements as independent variables accounted for up to 94% of the variance in P uptake by ryegrass, the maximum buffer capacity being generally more useful than the equilibrium buffer capacity.When the quantity of soil P is measured (Q), its availability (i.e. ease of desorption) to plant roots is inversely related to the Langmuir bonding energy parameter and the buffer capacity. When the intensity of soil P is measured (I), its availability (i.e. resistance to change) is directly related to the adsorption and buffer capacities. The levels of Q or I, therefore, which are optimal for plant uptake vary with the buffer capacity of the soil. There is little or no correlation between the adsorption capacity and the bonding energy in many soils and consequently phosphate buffer capacity is only poorly correlated with the total adsorption capacity.     

Sensitive quantitative detection of Ralstonia solanacearum in soil by the most probable number-polymerase chain reaction (MPN-PCR) method

We developed a sensitive quantitative assay for detecting Ralstonia solanacearum in soil by most probable number (MPN) analysis based on bio-PCR results. For development of the detection method, we optimized an elution buffer containing 5 g/L skim milk for extracting bacteria from soil and reducing contamination of polymerase inhibitors in soil extracts. Because R. solanacearum can grow in water without any added nutrients, we used a cultivation buffer in the culture step of the bio-PCR that contained only the buffer and antibiotics to suppress the growth of other soil microorganisms. To quantify the bacterial population in soil, the elution buffer was added to 10 g soil on a dry weight basis so that the combined weight of buffer, soil, and soil-water was 50 g; 5 mL of soil extract was assumed to originate from 1 g of soil. The soil extract was divided into triplicate aliquots each of 5 mL and 500, 50, and 5 μL. Each aliquot was diluted with the cultivation buffer and incubated at 35 °C for about 24 h. After incubation, 5 μL of culture was directly used for nested PCR. The number of aliquots showing positive results was collectively checked against the MPN table. The method could quantify bacterial populations in soil down to 3 cfu/10 g dried soil and was successfully applied to several types of soil. We applied the method for the quantitative detection of R. solanacearum in horticultural soils, which could quantitatively detect small populations (9.3 cfu/g), but the semiselective media were not able to detect the bacteria.     

The role of mucus sol phase in clearance by simulated cough

Using a simulated cough machine, we analyzed the effect of adding tensio-active liquids as sol phase simulant on the clearance of gel mucus simulant by cough. Polysaccharides crosslinked with sodium tetraborate were used at different concentration as gel mucus simulant. A drop of gel mucus simulant was deposited either directly on the model trachea or on a sol phase layer simulant (2% sodium dodecyl sulfate in water). The clearance of the mucus simulants was quantified by observing the movement of marker particles in the gel layer. The viscoelastic properties of gel mucus simulants were determined by using a viscoelastometer (SEFAM). The adhesive properties were analyzed by means of the platinum ring technique. The wettability of the mucus simulants was quantified by the automatic measurement of the contact angle of the drop of gel on the model trachea. We found that the addition of a sol phase significantly decreased by about 50% the adhesivity and wettability of the gel mucus simulants. This decrease was associated with a marked enhancement of cough clearance, whatever the viscoelastic properties of the gel mucus simulants. These results suggest that the sol phase is essential in bronchial respiratory mucus clearance by the cough mechanism.     

河岸带对陆地水体氮素输入的截流转化作用

氮素是陆地水体的重要污染物之一,相邻高地土壤中的氮素经非点源途径通过河岸带进入水体.河岸带是高地和水体之间的过渡带,健康的河岸带系统能够通过物理的、生物的和生物化学的过程,实现对氮素的截留转化.本文系统地介绍了氮素进入陆地水体的主要途径和河岸带对陆地水体氮素污染物截留转化的机制,并从河岸带水文过程、土壤特征、植被状况、人为活动等方面,论述了影响河岸带氮素截留转化作用的因素;在此基础上,对目前河岸带研究中存在的问题进行了讨论,并对我国开展河岸带的研究提出了建议.     

Effects of phosphate buffer capacity of soil on the phosphate requirements of plants

Summary Plant-uptake and yield data for ryegrass in a greenhouse experiment are used to estimate the theoretical fertilizer phosphate requirement (Pf) of 24 Sherborne soils. Pf is shown to be a function of three parameters: (i) quantity of P required by the plant (Pr) for optimum yield; (ii) quantity of soil P (Qr) required to maintain a non-limiting soil solution concentration (Ir); (iii) quantity of labile soil P (Q). Because of its large effect on Qr and Ir, the phosphate buffer capacity has an important effect on Pf. However Pf cannot be directly related to phosphate buffer capacity if Q is ignored. On soils of similar Q, increasing buffer capacity will always have a positive effect on Pf, but on soils of the same I, it may have a positive or negative effect on Pf. Consequently, Pf can only be simply, but inversely, related to Q or I on a group of soils of similar phosphate buffer capacity. re]19750513     

Assays of invertase activity in acidic soils: Influence of buffers

Summary The influence of buffered and unbuffered systems for assays of invertase activity in a range of acidic soils (pH4.9–6.8), and a neutral soil (pH 7.1), from under pasture was determined. The buffers were those recently recommended in other studies,viz. a modified universal buffer (MUB) and a potassium phosphate buffer. The optimum pH for the invertase activity of a moderately acid soil (pH 5.5) wasc 4.0 and for the neutral soil was 5.0 With the acidic soils, invertase activity was lower in the assay system with MUB (initial pH 5.0) than in the unbuffered system, and decreased with increasing MUB molarity. The phosphate buffer was more satisfactory, even though the pH (5.0) was below its most effective range. Generally, either phosphate buffer or unbuffered systems appear suitable for measuring invertase activity in these acidic soils.     

Use of a layered double hydroxide (LDH) to buffer nitrate in soil: long-term nitrate exchange properties under cropping and fallow conditions

The potential use of a layered double hydroxide (LDH) to act as a nitrate buffer system in soil in order to reduce the movement of nitrate was investigated. Long-term plant and soil experiments were carried out under greenhouse conditions with the following objectives: (i) evaluate the nitrate adsorption capacity of the LDH during crop growth, and its influence on N uptake, (ii) study the ability of the LDH to adsorb nitrate mineralized during fallow periods, and its influence on nitrate leaching, (iii) evaluate the reversibility for nitrate exchange of the LDH under cultivation conditions, and (iv) determine the nitrate buffer capacity of the soil after LDH application. The LDH adsorbed nitrate from the soil solution during the growth period without affecting plant N uptake. As a result of the adsorption of nitrate on the LDH, the nitrate-N concentration in the soil solution at harvest was reduced by a factor of ten compared to a soil without LDH. The LDH efficiently adsorbed nitrate that was mineralized in the soil during periods without cultivation, reduced nitrate-N leaching losses by about 80%, and kept this nitrate available for a following crop. The nitrate buffer capacity of the soil after 15months increased from 0.3 (without LDH) to 2.7 with the application of 10g LDH kg^?1 soil. It is concluded that the LDH has a potential to be used as a long-term nitrate exchanger to control the movement of nitrate in soil, and thereby reduce risks of nitrate leaching in crop production in sensible areas.     

Relationships between soil potassium supply characteristics based on soil solution concentration and buffer power and field responses of winter wheat and maize

The relationship between soil K supply, characterised by the soil solution K concentration and the soil K buffer power, and plant K status was investigated for field grown crops. The study was carried out in 15 K fertilisation trials with maize and wheat covering a wide range of agricultural soils and K level. Soil K buffer power was obtained through sorption–desorption curves. For each trial the critical K concentration in the soil solution was deduced from the relationship between the K concentration in the soil solution and the K concentration in shoot tissue water, which was considered as a relevant indicator of the plant K status. At sufficient K levels, the maximal K concentration in the shoot tissue water of maize (145 mM) was lower than that of wheat (175 mM) but the percentages of the critical K concentration in plant tissue water to this maximal K concentration were similar for the two plant species with an average of 75%. The critical K concentration in the soil solution varied between soils. However, a close correlation was found between the critical K concentration in soil solution and the inverse of the soil buffer power at this concentration (r ²=0.981) or the inverse of the square of buffer power (r ²=0.989). On a wide range of soils and field conditions, these two indicators were more able to account for K availability and plant response than exchangeable K content or K saturation ratio of the CEC.     

Development and characterization of simulant pancreatic islets

Insulin is stored in pancreatic islets as a zinc-insulin complex, and stimulating the islets results in the release of insulin and zinc. Simulant pancreatic islet beads have been developed using agarose beads (50-250 micro m diameter) derivatized with iminodiacetic acid that have been loaded with zinc. A qualitative comparison of the simulant beads with pancreatic islets has been made by staining with dithizone and a zinc-binding fluorescent dye, TSQ. The binding capacity of simulant beads was determined to be 34 micro mol Zn(2+)/g of dried beads using anodic stripping voltammetry. Hydrochloric acid was used to release zinc from beads to mimic the secretion of insulin from pancreatic islets and a release profile was established. The simulant beads can be used to optimize the islet isolation process and reduce the use of real islets in method development.     

红松洼自然保护区草甸群落结构与多样性对管理模式的响应

管理模式对草甸植物群落结构和多样性有重要影响。以红松洼国家级自然保护区为研究地点,对比研究了实验区、缓冲区和核心区草甸植物群落结构和多样性对不同管理模式的响应。结果表明:实验区群落盖度显著高于核心区和缓冲区(P<0.05),三个区群落高度差异不显著(P>0.05),核心区群落密度明显高于实验区和缓冲区(P<0.05),三个区枯死物现存量差异显著(P<0.05);实验区地上生物量显著低于缓冲区和核心区(P<0.05),核心区地下生物量明显高于缓冲区和实验区(P<0.05);三个区的地下生物量都主要分布在0～10cm土层,向下逐层降低,其中核心区和实验区绝大部分根系主要分布在土壤表层,但相对深度不同;实验区与缓冲区植物群落优势物种较多,多个物种共同占有优势,而核心区的优势种少,优势物种集中;Shannon指数大小依次为缓冲区>实验区>核心区,Margalef指数为缓冲区>核心区>实验区。     

基于GIS和RUSLE模型道路对土壤侵蚀格局的影响研究——以浙江省杭金衢高速诸暨段为例

以浙江省诸暨市为研究区域,以杭金衢高速公路诸暨段为研究对象,以研究区的DEM、降雨、土壤类型、遥感图、道路图等数据为基础,运用GIS和RUSLE模型分析了该公路建设前后诸暨市的土壤侵蚀风险分布格局。此外,采用缓冲区分析的方法,对比高速公路周围的土壤侵蚀风险等级的变化情况,以此分析在高速公路影响域内土壤侵蚀等级分布规律,并进一步探求高速公路对土壤侵蚀的影响范围,在此基础上提出具有针对性的土壤侵蚀防治措施。其主要结果如下:(1)根据RUSLE模型计算获得诸暨市土壤侵蚀模数A的取值,1999年诸暨市的土壤侵蚀量模数在0—380.02 t hm-2a-1之间;2003年诸暨市的土壤侵蚀量模数在0—572.94 t hm-2a-1之间,2003年诸暨市的土壤侵蚀量以及土壤侵蚀风险等级均高于1999年。(2)通过缓冲区分析,年际间变化表明高速公路建设增加了土壤侵蚀量,加剧了高速公路附近的土壤侵蚀风险,极强度侵蚀和剧烈侵蚀等级的响应最强烈,而高速公路单侧660m的范围则是剧烈侵蚀的影响范围,以此视为防治重点区域。(3)通过成因分析可知,由公路建设导致的景观破碎化加剧和建设用地比例增加是引起剧烈侵蚀增加的重要原因,因此高速公路的水土保持需要重点从这两方面入手,采取相应措施。     

苏州河东风港河岸缓冲带中草地生态功能研究

构建河岸缓冲带对改善河流水质及其生态功能有重要作用。草地是河岸缓冲带的重要组成部分。选取高羊茅、白花三叶草和百慕达三种常见草种为研究对象,采用样地试验、指标测定的方法,重点测定试验样地的土壤理化指标、植株根系指标和土壤动物指标,分析不同草地对河岸缓冲带的保水固土及生物多样性维持等生态功能的影响。研究表明,三类草地对土壤理化条件改善及生物多样性维持均具有较好的促进作用。其中高羊茅固土能力突出,白花三叶草在土壤动物多样性维持上具有优势,而百慕达在土壤理化性质调节方面具有显著作用。三类草地缓冲带与周边菜地或荒地对照样带相比具有明显优势。     

Procedures to enhance heat resistance of Rhizobium

Means were sought to enhance the heat resistance of a strain of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar phaseoli that died rapidly in soil at 43°C. Bacteria were more resistant to high temperatures in soil than broth or phosphate buffer. Starving the cells in phosphate buffer enhanced their heat resistance. Heat-resistant variants were obtained that grew at 45°C. Resistance of the parent culture to inactivation at 43°C was enhanced by immobilizing the cells in Ca alginate, amending the soil with clay or immobilization of the cells in clays. The bacteria survived better at 40°C in soil receiving montmorillonite-immobilized cells than in montmorillonite-amended soil. These results suggest that the tolerance of rhizobia to high temperatures in soils may be enhanced.     

Artificial plasmid engineered to simulate multiple biological threat agents

The objective of this study was to develop a non-virulent simulant to replace several virulent organisms during the development of detection and identification methods for biological threat agents. We identified and selected specific genes to detect Yersinia pestis, Francisella tularensis, Burkholderia mallei, Burkholderia pseudomallei, Rickettsia sp., Coxiella burnetii, Brucella sp., enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7, Bacillus anthracis, and variola (smallpox) virus. We then designed and engineered a non-infectious simulant that included the nucleic-acid signature of each microorganism in a single chimerical molecule. Here, we reported an approach that by direct (de novo) chemical synthesis permitted the production of a single chimerical construct 2,040bp long that included the nucleic-acid signature of the bacterial and viral biological threat agents listed above without requiring access to these agents. Sequences corresponding to each one of the biological agents in the synthetic simulant were amplified by PCR, resulting in amplicons of the expected length, of similar intensity, and without any detectable unspecific products. The novel simulant described here could reduce the need for infectious agents in the development of detection and diagnostic methods and should also be useful as a non-virulent positive control in nucleic-acid-based tests against biological threat agents.     

Weed control and persistence of two oxyfluorfen formulations in olive groves under non tillage conditions

To obtain profitable yields in olive groves, residual preemergence herbicides are applied in October or November before the winter rains, and before the winter annual weeds germinate. Simazine, one of the herbicides most used for weed control in olive groves, has recently been banned. Oxyfluorfen is presented as a good alternative to simazine in olive fields. Experiments were carried out in 2002 and 2003 to evaluate the behaviour of two oxyfluorfen formulations, 2XL and G4F, at 480 g a.i. ha(-1) for three different soil management systems with three replications (1. bare soil; 2. bare soil and grassed buffer strips, chemically controlled and 3. bare soil and grassed buffer strips with controlled mowing; under non tillage conditions in all three cases). The most important species that survived 2XL and G4F treatments was Sagina apetala ARD. Oxyfluorfen residues were evaluated throughout 158 days after the applications. Three soil samples from each plot were collected, mixed and air dried. The herbicide extractions were made with methanol and the residues were analyzed by HPLC. We found no differences between the two formulations, but results showed that recoveries of oxyfluorfen were higher in plots with chemically controlled buffer grassed strips than in the other soil management types.