Effect of sulfide to nitrate ratios on the simultaneous anaerobic sulfide and nitrate removal

Present investigation deals with the effect of sulfide to nitrate (S/N) molar ratio on the simultaneous anaerobic sulfide and nitrate removal on capacity, stability and selectivity of the process. The volumetric sulfide-sulfur and nitrate-nitrogen removal rates at molar S/N ratio of 5:2 were 4.86 kg (m³ d)⁻¹ and 0.99 kg (m³ d)⁻¹, respectively, which were higher than those at S/N molar ratios of 5:5 and 5:8. Moreover, the fluctuations in the effluent at S/N ratio of 5:2 were less than those at the other two tested ratios. During the operation, the ratio of converted sulfide to converted nitrate tended to approach 5:2. The selectivity for elemental sulfur and dinitrogen was improved when the S/N molar ratio was set at 5:2 rather than 5:5 or 5:8. The process became unstable if the influent sulfide surpassed its critical concentration. The electron balance between reactants was also analyzed for different S/N molar ratios.     

Nitrate regulation of nitrate uptake and nitrate reductase expression in barley grown at different nitrate:ammonium ratios at constant relative nitrogen addition rate

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Golf) was cultured using the relative addition rate technique, where nitrogen is added in a fixed relation to the nitrogen already bound in biomass. The relative rate of total nitrogen addition was 0.09 day^?1 (growth limiting by 35%), while the nitrate addition was varied by means of different nitrate: ammonium ratios. In 3- to 4-week-old plants, these ratios of nitrate to ammonium supported nitrate fluxes ranging from 0 to 22 μmol g^?1 root dry weight h^?1, whereas the total N flux was 21.8 ± 0.25 μmol g^?1 root dry weight h^?1 for all treatments. The external nitrate concentrations varied between 0.18 and 1.5 μM. The relative growth rate, root to total biomass dry weight ratios, as well as Kjeldahl nitrogen in roots and shoots were unaffected by the nitrate:ammonium ratio. Tissue nitrate concentration in roots were comparable in all treatments. Shoot nitrate concentration increased with increasing nitrate supply, indicating increased translocation of nitrate to the shoot. The apparent V_max for net nitrate uptake increased with increased nitrate fluxes. Uptake activity was recorded also after growth at zero nitrate addition. This activity may have been induced by the small, but detectable, nitrate concentration in the medium under these conditions. In contrast, nitrate reductase (NR) activity in roots was unaffected by different nitrate fluxes, whereas NR activity in the shoot increased with increased nitrate supply. NR-mRNA was detected in roots from all cultures and showed no significant response to the nitrate flux, corroborating the data for NR activity. The data show that an extremely low amount of nitrate is required to elicit expression of NR and uptake activity. However, the uptake system and root NR respond differentially to increased nitrate flux at constant total N nutrition. It appears that root NR expression under these conditions is additionally controlled by factors related to the total N flux or the internal N status of the root and/or plant. The method used in this study may facilitate separation of nitrate-specific responses from the nutritional effect of nitrate.     

Evaluation of the electrical capacitance in biological membranes at different phospholipid to protein ratios

Photosynthetic chromatophores of Rhodobacter capsulatus were differently enriched in phospholipid content by freezing, thawing and sonicating in the presence of phospholipid vesicles. Closed vesicles, characterized by different phospholipid to protein molar ratios and increasing average radius at increasing phospholipid enrichment, were collected after sucrose density gradient sedimentation. The electrical capacitance of these systems was evaluated from the ratio of reaction center content, photooxidized by single turnover flash in the presence of antimycin, to the corresponding membrane potential difference, measured from the electrochromic red shift of the endogenous carotenoid band. The values obtained, normalized per protein content, increased at increasing phospholipid enrichment, and correlated linearly with the increasing phospholipid to protein molar ratios. The charging capacitance of chromatophores was evaluated to be 3–6×10^-17 F and was found to increase at increasing average radius of the phospholipid enriched vesicles, as predicted by the equation of the spherical shell dielectric. The carotenoid signal, elicited in the dark by imposing diffusion potentials of known extent with K⁺-valinomycin pulses, significantly decreased at high phospholipid enrichment, indicating that in the presence of large phospholipid excess, a partial displacement of the carotenoid molecules sensing the induced electric field is produced. Concomitantly, the energy transfer efficiency from carotenoids to core light harvesting complexes (B-875) was also partially affected, particularly at high phospholipid to protein molar ratio. All together, these results suggest that the reaction center complexes are dispersed within the lipid bilayer upon fusion and that carotenoids sense a delocalized light-induced transmembrane field.Abbreviations BChl bacteriochlorophyll - [BChl]₂ reaction center - PL phospholipid - cyt cytochrome - transmembrane electrical potential difference - TES 2-2-Hydroxy-1,1-bis-(hydroxymethyl)ethyl-amino-ethanosulfonic acid - mg_p mg protein     

Responses to fish predation and nutrients by plankton at different levels of taxonomic resolution

1. To improve mechanistic understanding of plankton responses to eutrophication, a mesocosm experiment was performed in the shallow littoral zone of a south Swedish lake, in which nutrient and fish gradients were crossed in a fully factorial design. 2. Food chain theory accurately predicted total biomass development of both phyto‐ and zooplankton. However, separating zooplankton and algae into finer taxonomic groups revealed a variety of responses to both nutrient and fish gradients. 3. That both nutrients and fish are important for phytoplankton dynamics was seen more clearly when viewing each algal group separately, than drawing conclusions only from broad system variables such as chlorophyll a concentration or total phytoplankton biovolume. 4. In some taxa, physiological constraints (e.g. sensitivity to high pH and low concentrations of free CO₂) and differences in competitive ability may be more important for the biomass development than fish predation, grazing by herbivorous zooplankton, and nutrient availability. 5. We conclude that food chain theory accurately predicted responses in system variables, such as total zooplankton or algal biomass, which are shaped by the dynamics of certain strong interactors (‘keystone species’), such as large cladocerans, cyanobacteria and edible algae (<50 μm), whereas responses at finer taxonomic levels cannot be predicted from current theory.     

Influences of different nitrate to ammonium ratios on chlorosis,cation concentrations and the binding forms of Mg and Ca in needles of Mg-deficient Norway spruce

Effects of Mg deficiency and variations of the NO₃ ^-/NH₄ ⁺-ratio on chlorophyll, mineral nutrient concentrations and the binding forms of Mg and Ca were investigated in current-year, one- and two-year-old needles of clonal Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.). Six-year-old spruce plants were grown for one year in sand culture with circulating nutrient solutions containing sufficient (0.2 mt M) or limiting (0.04 mt M) concentrations of Mg. The NO₃ ^-/NH₄ ⁺-ratio in the nutrient solutions administered to the experimental trees was adjusted to 0.76 in the Mg-sufficient treatment and to 1.86, 0.76 and 0.035 in Mg-limited treatments. Mg and chlorophyll concentrations, were strongly influenced by the applied nitrogen source in current-year needles and - to a less extent - also in one-year-old needles. NH₄ ⁺-dominated nutrition resulted in decreased height growth and significantly lower Mg and chloropyhll concentrations in current-year and one-year-old needles compared to NO₃ ^--dominated nutrition. Decreases in total Mg were linearly correlated to reductions of water-soluble Mg and water-unsoluble Mg not bound to chlorophyll. Mg bound to chlorophyll, however, was only reduced, when total Mg decreased below a physiological threshold value of 2% of the total nitrogen concentration in the respective needles. Total Ca concentrations in the needles, which were reduced by Mg deficiency especially when nutrition was NH₄ ⁺-dominated, were strongly correlated to the portion of Ca bound to oxalate. The amount of water-soluble Ca and pectate-bound Ca remained nearly constant, independent from changes of total Ca concentrations. Negative effects of increasing NH₄ ⁺ supply on concentrations of Mg and other cations in the needles can be attributed to an inhibition of cation uptake induced by ion antagonism and/or reduced root growth.     

Growth and water-use efficiency of 10 Triticum aestivum cultivars at different water availability in relation to allocation of biomass

In environments where the amount of water is limiting growth, water-use efficiency (biomass production per unit water use) is an important trait. We studied the relationships of plant growth and water use efficiency with the pattern of biomass allocation, using 10 wheat cultivars, grown at two soil moisture levels in a growth chamber. Allocation pattern and relative growth rate were not correlated, whereas allocation pattern and water use efficiency were. Variation in transpiration per plant resulted from variation in the rate of transpiration per unit leaf area or root weight, rather than from differences in leaf area or root weight per plant. Transpiration per unit leaf area or root weight was lower when the leaf area or root weight per unit plant weight was larger. Also, the efficiency of water use at the plant and leaf levels was higher for plants with a higher leaf area per unit plant weight, and it was not correlated with the plant's growth rate. Differences in water-use efficiency at the leaf level were related to variation in stomatal conductance, rather than in the rate of photosynthesis. A high photosynthetic water-use efficiency was associated with a low efficiency of nitrogen use for photosynthesis.     

川西高山森林不同时期土壤转化酶和脲酶活性对模拟气候变暖的响应

为了解气候变化对不同时期川西高山森林土壤生态过程的影响,于2010年5月—2011年4月期间,通过原状土柱移位实验,模拟理论增温1.78℃和3.52℃对岷江冷杉原始林(3582 m)土壤转化酶和脲酶活性的影响。结果表明,海拔下降284 m和559 m分别使全年平均气温实际增高1.39℃和2.64℃,但由于季节性雪被的影响,海拔降低559 m后土柱的土壤有机层和矿质土壤层的全年平均温度分别增加了0.84℃和0.82℃,而海拔降低284 m后土柱的土壤有机层和矿质土壤层的全年平均温度分别降低了0.55℃和0.56℃。随着海拔降低,土壤有机层和矿质土壤层的转化酶和脲酶活性均表现出明显的变化,且土壤有机层的变化幅度大于矿质土壤层。海拔降低284 m显著提高了两个土层生长季初期和冻结阶段(冻结初期和深冻期)的转化酶活性,而海拔降低559 m则显著提高了两个土层冻结阶段的脲酶活性。采样时期均温也在一定程度上影响了土壤转化酶和脲酶的活性,土壤有机层和矿质土壤层转化酶活性表现为从生长季初期到生长季末期显著下降,随后在冻结阶段和融化期显著升高并分别在深冻期和融化期达到全年最高;土壤脲酶活性表现为从生长季初期到深冻期显著增加,随后在融化期显著下降的过程。可见,受季节性雪被影响,不同关键时期的高山森林土壤转化酶和脲酶活性对模拟增温的响应不同。     

Developmental change in RNA: DNA ratios of fed and starved laboratory-reared Japanese flounder larvae and juveniles, and its application to assessment of nutritional condition for wild fish

Starved Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus larvae were characterized by relatively lower levels of RNA content throughout their early life stages. Significant differences in the RNA: DNA ratios were found between fed and starved fish, and appeared to increase as starvation proceeded. Ontogenetic changes in RNA: DNA ratios were clearly observed during metamorphosis, especially decreasing during the period from the late-metamorphic to postmetamorphic stages. The criteria established from these laboratory experiments, were applied to the nutritional condition of wild larvae and juveniles collected in Wakasa Bay, Sea of Japan in 1994 and 1995 by measuring RNA and DNA content. Starved fish were mainly found in stage I (settling stage) fish during the late season of settlement in 1995. This suggests that starvation could be associated with settlement in Japanese flounder.     

The response of Vallisneria spinulosa (Hydrocharitaceae) to different loadings of ammonia and nitrate at moderate phosphorus concentration: a mesocosm approach

1. While phosphorus (P) is often considered the most important growth limiting factor for plants in lakes, recent studies of shallow lakes indicate that nitrogen (N) may be of greater importance than realized hitherto and that submerged macrophytes may be lost when the N concentration exceeds a certain threshold, as long as the concentration of P is sufficiently high. 2. We studied the effects of different loadings of NH₄‐N and NO₃‐N on chlorophyll a and on a macrophyte tolerant of eutrophication, Vallisneria spinulosa (Hydrocharitaceae). In outdoor mesocosms we used water from a pond as control and created four levels of NH₄‐N and NO₃‐N (approximately 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 mg L⁻¹) by dosing with NH₄Cl and NaNO₃, respectively. After the experiment, the plants were transferred back to a holding pond to study their recovery. In contrast to previous research, we used a low background concentration of phosphorus (TP 0.024 ± 0.003 mg L⁻¹) so we could judge whether any effects of N were apparent when P is in short supply. 3. Chlorophyll a increased significantly with N dosing for both forms of N, but the increase was highest in the NH₄‐N dosed mesocosms (maximum 58 μg L⁻¹ versus 42 μg L⁻¹ in the NO₃‐N mesocosms), probably due to a higher total inorganic N concentration (part of the added ammonia was converted to nitrate during the experiment). 4. Although the number of ramets of V. spinulosa was not affected by the N treatment, the biomass increased up to concentrations of 7.5 mg L⁻¹, while biomass at 10 mg L⁻¹ remained at the control level for both N ions treatments. A similar pattern was apparent for the content of N and soluble sugar of the plant, while there were no differences in the plant P content among treatments. Five months after transplantation back to the pond no difference was found in the number of ramets or in biomass, except that the biomass of plants grown at 10 mg N L⁻¹ during the experiment was greater than that in the control, while the N and P contents of plants were similar to those of the controls. 5. Nitrogen concentration had little influence on the growth of the eutrophication tolerant submerged macrophyte at moderately low concentrations of phosphorus. Moreover, the two N ions showed no toxic effects, suggesting that loss of macrophytes observed in other studies, run at higher phosphorus concentrations, was probably related to enhanced shading by periphyton and/or phytoplankton rather than to any toxic effects of N.     

Fatty acids and global metabolites profiling of Dunaliella tertiolecta by shifting culture conditions to nitrate deficiency and high light at different growth phases

In this study, Dunaliella tertiolecta cells were shifted to nitrate-deficient (ND) and/or high light (HL) conditions at different growth phases. Profiling of global metabolites and fatty acids of D. tertiolecta cells were performed by shifting cultivation condition at exponential (EX) and stationary (ST) phases. ND and/or HL induced saturation of fatty acids by increasing saturated fatty acid and monounsaturated fatty acid and decreasing polyunsaturated fatty acid in D. tertiolecta cultures. The relative levels of metabolites like proline, valine, isoleucine, and myoinositol, which act as osmolytes, and ergosterol and glycerol, which are related to the osmoregulatory mechanism, decreased to a greater extent by ND than HL shifts. In addition, the effects of these shifts at the EX phase were observed to be more significant in most of the fatty acids. The results of this research might be applicable to the interpretation of metabolic synthesis and fatty acid production, and to the optimization of cultivation conditions for the use of D. tertiolecta and other microalgae as biofuels or nutraceutical sources.     

榆木蠹蛾雄蛾对性信息素不同组分及其不同比例和剂量混合物的风洞行为反应

【目的】本研究旨在深入了解榆木蠹蛾Holcocerus vicarius(Walker)信息素通讯系统。【方法】在风洞中观察了榆木蠹蛾雄蛾对合成性信息素不同组分及其不同比例及剂量混合物的行为反应。【结果】单组分试验结果表明,仅有Z7-14:Ac能够引起少量雄蛾完成从兴奋到接触诱芯并出现预交尾的全部行为反应,其余4个单组分(E3-14:Ac,Z3E5-14:Ac,E3-14:OH和Z3-14:OH)只能引起雄蛾兴奋,均不能引起雄蛾向性信息素源定向飞行。二元混合物(Z7-14:Ac+E3-14:Ac)明显增加雄蛾完整的性行为反应比例,三元混合物(Z7-14:Ac+E3-14:Ac+Z3E5-14:Ac)比例为10∶4∶4,剂量为1 300μg时有71.7%雄蛾发生预交尾,剂量为1 000μg时有70.3%雄蛾发生预交尾,两者差异不显著(P0.05)。【结论】榆木蠹蛾风洞行为实验为进一步研究其性信息素相关生物学特性及应用性信息素对榆木蠹蛾进行综合防治奠定了基础。     

Growth and nitrate uptake properties of plants grown at different relative rates of nitrogen supply. I. Growth of Pisum and Lemna in relation to nitrogen

Abstract The relations between growth and internal nitrogen concentrations were investigated in nonnodulated Pisum sativum L. cv. Marma and Lemna gibba L. grown at relative rates of nitrate-N additions (R_A) varying from 0.03 to 0.27 d ¹(Pisum) and 0.05 to 0.40 d ¹ (Lemna). At R_A≤0.21 d ¹(Pisum) and ≤0.30 d ¹ (Lemna), the relative growth rate (RGR) correlated well with R_A whereas higher R_A was not met by any further increawse in growth rate. The tissue nitrogen concentrations at growth-limiting R_A increased linearly with RGR. The slope of these lines indicate a maximum nitrogen productivity (amount of biomass formed per unit nitrogen and time) of 14.4 g DW g ¹ Nd ¹ for Pisum and 15.9 g DW g ¹ N d ¹ for Lemna. Extrapolation of the plots to RGR=0 yielded intercepts of 10–15 mg N g^?1 DW for Pisum tissue, whereas for Lemna the intercepts were closer to the origin than for Pisum. These intercepts formally define a fraction of the total plant nitrogen that appears not to be active in production of new biomass, her termed ‘non-growth nitrogen’. The partitioning of nitrogen as well as biomass to the roots increased at low R_A, and is discussed in relation to activity of shoots and roots, respectively.     

Growth and nitrate uptake properties of plants grown at different relative rates of nitrogen supply. II. Activity and affinity of the nitrate uptake system in Pisum and Lemna in relation to nitrogen availability and nitrogen demand

Abstract Net nitrate uptake rates were measured and the kinetics calculated in non-nodulated Pisum sativum L. cv. Marma and Lemna gibba L. adapted to constant relative rates of nitrate-N additions (R_A), ranging from 0.03 to 0.27 d^?1 for Pisum and from 0.05 to 0.40 d^?1 for Lemna, V_max of net nitrate uptake (measured in the range 10 to 100 mmol m^?3 nitrate, i.e. ‘system I’) increased with R_A in the growth limiting range but decreased when R_A exceeded the relative growth rate (RGR), K_m was not significantly related to changes in R_A. On the basis of previous ¹³N-flux experiments, it is concluded that the differences in V_max at growth limiting R_A are attributable to differences in influx rates. Linear relationships between V_max and tissue nitrogen concentrations were obtained in the growth limiting range for both species, and extrapolated intercepts relate well with the previously defined minimal nitrogen concentrations for plant growth (Oscarson, Ingemarsson & Larsson, 1989). Analysis of V_max for net nitrate uptake on intact plant basis in relation to nitrogen demand during stable, nitrogen limited, growth shows an increased overcapacity at lower R_A values in both species, which is largely explained by the increased relative root size at low R_A. A balancing nitrate concentration, defined as the steady state concentration needed to sustain the relative rate of increase in plant nitrogen (R_N), predicted by R_A, was calculated for both species. In the growth limiting range, this value ranges from 3.5 mmol m^?3 (R_A 0.03 d^?1) to 44 mmol m^?3 (R_A 0.21 d^?1) for Pisum and from 0.2 mmol m^?3 (R_A 0.05 d^?1) to 5.4 mmol m^?3 (R_A 0.03 d^?1) for Lemna. It is suggested that this value can be used as a unifying measure of the affinity for nitrate, integrating the performance of the nitrate uptake system with nitrate flux and long term growth and demand for nitrogen.     

三峡库区马尾松人工林土壤酶活性和微生物生物量对氮添加的季节性响应

以三峡库区马尾松人工林为对象,分析土壤微生物生物量、酶活性和养分含量对氮添加的初期响应规律,为预测该地区在大气氮沉降持续增加的背景下森林土壤的季节动态提供参考。结果表明：氮添加初期,中氮水平（60 kg hm^-2 a^-1）的氮添加处理使得各季节土壤β-1-4葡萄糖苷酶、N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶、酸性磷酸酶、多酚氧化酶、过氧化物酶活性均增加,高氮（90 kg hm^-2 a^-1）水平的添加处理增加了土壤有机碳、全氮和微生物生物量碳、氮、磷的含量和酸性磷酸酶及多酚氧化酶活性,降低了土壤pH值、全磷含量和β-1-4葡萄糖苷酶及N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶活性。土壤酶活性和微生物生物量存在明显的季节变化,秋季水解酶活性和微生物生物量碳、磷含量显著高于春夏两季,而氧化酶活性和微生物生物量氮含量则是春夏季较高。土壤酶活性与季节、土壤含水量、养分含量及微生物生物量碳氮磷含量存在显著的相关性,酶活性变化是多因子综合作用的结果,冗余分析表明土壤含水量、微生物生物量碳、氮、磷和全氮是驱动土壤酶活性的主要环境因子。氮沉降的持续增加会加速当地马尾松人工林土壤腐殖质的形成,增加有机碳的积累,导致土壤酸化,并产生磷限制。     

Knocking out of tailoring genes eryK and eryG in an industrial erythromycin-producing strain of Saccharopolyspora erythraea leading to overproduction of erythromycin B, C and D at different conversion ratios

Aims: To overproduce erythromycin C, B or D and evaluate the effect of disruption of tailoring genes eryK and eryG in an industrial erythromycin producer. Methods and Results: The tailoring genes eryG and eryK were inactivated individually or simultaneously by targeted gene disruption in an industrial strain Saccharopolyspora erythraea HL3168 E3, resulting in the overproduction of erythromycin C (2·48 g l^?1), B (1·70 g l^?1) or D (2·15 g l^?1) in the mutant strain QL‐G, QL‐K or QL‐KG, respectively. Analysis of the erythromycin congeners throughout the fermentation indicated that, at the end of fermentation, comparatively large amount of erythromycin D (0·67 g l^?1) was accumulated in QL‐G, whereas only small amount of erythromycin D (0·10 g l^?1) was produced in QL‐K. Conclusions: Inactivation of tailoring genes eryG and eryK in the high producer did not affect the biosynthesis of erythromycin. However, erythromycin D could be more efficiently methylated by EryG than be hydroxylated by EryK. Significance and Impact of the Study: Development of the mutant strains provides a method for the economical large‐scale production of potent lead compounds. The information about the accumulation and conversion of erythromycins in the industrial strains may contribute to further improving erythromycin production.     

Scaling sun and shade photosynthetic acclimation of Alocasia macrorrhiza to whole-plant performance – II. Simulation of carbon balance and growth at different photon flux densities

A whole-plant carbon balance model incorporating a light acclimation response was developed for Alocasia macrorrhiza based on empirical data and the current understanding of light acclimation in this species. The model was used to predict the relative growth rate (RGR) for plants that acclimated to photon flux density (PFD) by changing their leaf type, and for plants that produced only sun or shade leaves regardless of PFD. The predicted RGR was substantially higher for plants with shade leaves than for those with sun leaves at low PFD. However, the predicted RGR was not higher, and in fact was slightly lower, for plants with sun leaves than for those with shade leaves at high PFD. The decreased leaf area ratios (LARs) of the plants with sun leaves counteracted their higher photosynthetic capacities per unit leaf area (A_max). The model was manipulated by changing parameters to examine the sensitivity of RGR to variation in single factors. Overall, RGR was most sensitive to LAR and showed relatively little sensitivity to variation in A_max or maintenance respiration. Similarly, RGR was relatively insensitive to increases in leaf life-span beyond those observed. Respiration affected RGR only at low PFD, whereas A_max was moderately important only at high PFD.