Mineral nutrition of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.)

Summary Two experiments on cacao seedlings grown in sand culture are described, the first of which was concerned with variations in the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulfur (the macronutrient experiment) and the second dealing with variations in the levels of iron, copper, zinc, boron, manganese, and molybdenum (the micronutrient experiment).Many of the deficiency symptoms obtained were similar to those reported in the literature and they have not been described again. However, additional information is provided for symptoms of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron, manganese, copper, boron, and molybdenum deficiencies.The effects of all treatments on the dry weights of leaves, stems, and roots are presented. The effects of the macronutrient treatments on the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium in the leaves of eight month old plants and the effects of micronutrient treatments on the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum, sodium, and aluminium in the leaves of eleven-month-old plants are presented and discussed.     

Assessment of plant-available phosphorus in a fine textured sodic substrate

The objective of this study was to determine how common soil P extractants compared when assessed on revegetated bauxite residue. Samples from contrasting residue preparation, amended with gypsum and/or organic matter, were analyzed for phosphorus using CaCl₂, Morgans, Olsen and Colwell extractants. Herbage samples were also taken from the residue and phosphorus content and biomass determined. Phosphorus adsorption in the different treatments was also assessed.Amounts determined by CaCl₂ were below limits of detection and Morgans extractant overestimated amounts of plant available P. P levels determined by Olsen extractant were within the deficiency range. Colwell P, although overestimated plant available P, did correlate with vegetation performance (biomass production) and amount of P added to the substrate. Plant indices (P-content and biomass) were correlated with organic and Ca content of the substrate.Fine particle size of the substrate resulted in increased rate of P adsorption and Ca-content further increased the rate. However, overall Ca content of the residue improved P-uptake and nutrition.     

Revegetation of harvested peat surfaces in relation to substrate quality

Abstract. The relationship between substrate quality and pattern of revegetation of harvested peat surfaces was studied by means of a survey and a field experiment examining influences of modest NPK-fertilization on plant colonization of an initially bare peat surface. The harvested peat surfaces varied a great deal in their chemical and physical characteristics and the sites differed in revegetation pattern. Early successional vegetation was dominated by perennial species native to nutrient-poor habitats on all sites. Soluble phosphorus and ash content, mean particle size of surface peat, and thickness of peat layer had the strongest influence in a CCA-ordination of species. The species composition depended on the amount and form of soluble nitrogen in the surface peat. Sites with a high content of phosphorus and ammonium nitrogen, and with a thick peat layer were usually densely revegetated by Eriophorum vaginatum alone, while sites characterized by thin peat layers associated with a high ash content, large particle size and a high content of nitrate nitrogen were mainly dominated by different grass and weed species. Deschampsia cespitosa clearly favoured sites with a high potassium content and small particle sizes of the peat. The importance of nutrient availability for the rate and pattern of colonization was also demonstrated by the field experiment. Application of 20 g/m² of NPK-fertilizer resulted in a significant increase in the number of established plant individuals and marked differences in species composition compared to unfertilized plots.     

Linking ecological function to species composition in ecological restoration: Seed removal by ants in recreated woodland

Evaluations of ecological restoration typically focus on associating measures of structural properties of ecosystems (e.g. species diversity) with time since restoration efforts commenced. Such studies often conclude a failure to achieve restoration goals without examining functional performance of the organism assemblages in question. We compared diversity and composition of ant assemblages and the rates of seed removal by ants in pastures, 4‐ to 10‐year old revegetated areas and remnants of Cumberland Plain Woodland, and an endangered ecological community in Sydney, Australia. Ant assemblages of forest remnant sites had significantly higher species richness, significantly different species composition and a more complex functional group structure in comparison with ant assemblages of pasture and revegetated sites, which did not differ significantly. However, the rates of seed removal by ants in revegetated sites were similar to those in forest remnants, with the rates in pasture sites being significantly lower. Approximately, one‐third of all ant species were observed to remove seeds. Forest remnant sites had significantly different assemblages of seed removing ant species from those in pasture and revegetated sites. These results demonstrate that similar ant assemblages of unrestored and restored areas can function differently, depending on habitat context. Evaluation of restoration success by quantifying ecosystem structure and function offers more insights into ecosystem recovery than reliance on structural data alone.     

The Levels of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium in the Leaves of Cacao (Theobroma Cacao L.) as affected by Shade, Fertilizer, Irrigation, and Season

The results are given of chemical analyses of leaves collectedover a period of two years from cocoa trees in a field trialreceiving fertilizer, shade, and irrigation treatments. Thegreatest variation in concentration of nutrients in the leaveswas due to the time of year the leaves were collected. The lowestconcentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were foundin the leaves collected during the peak of the main season harvest.The highest levels of these elements were found in leaves collectednear the end or a few weeks after the end of the main harvest.The levels of calcium in the leaves were just opposite, withthe highest levels coinciding with harvest and the lowest levelsoccurring just after the harvest period. The levels of magnesiumshowed no marked variations between seasons. Shade increased the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium,and decreased the levels of calcium in the leaves. Fertilizerincreased the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium,and decreased the level of potassium in the leaves. The effectof irrigation was small, but it decreased the levels of nitrogen,potassium, calcium, and magnesium in the leaves. The levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the leavesover the 21 harvesting times were found to be positively correlatedwith each other, and all three were negatively correlated withthe levels of calcium in the leaves over the same period. Noneof the levels of these four elements was significantly correlatedwith the levels of magnesium in the leaves over the period.     

Revegetation and its Effect on the Ground-Dwelling Beetle Fauna of Matiu-Somes Island, New Zealand

A study of beetle (Coleoptera) communities was conducted in three revegetated sites of different ages (5, 17, and 100 years) and in a remnant coastal habitat dominated by Muehlenbeckia complexa (a liane) on Matiu‐Somes Island, Wellington Harbor, New Zealand. The 25‐ha island has had a 110‐year history as a pastoral agricultural quarantine station. Beetles were surveyed from May 1997 to April 1998 using pitfall traps. We collected a total of 3,430 adult beetles from 78 beetle species belonging to 22 families. Various environmental factors influencing the distribution of beetles in revegetated habitats were investigated. The most important factors were canopy height and canopy density (functions of vegetation age). Overall, results suggest that as habitat/vegetational heterogeneity increases at a site, beetle diversity and abundance also increase. Thus, older replanted sites contained a greater species richness and abundance of beetles than newly replanted sites. Revegetation is, thus, successfully facilitating the establishment and recolonization of the beetle fauna on Matiu‐Somes Island.     

Mineral and phytochemical influences on foliage selection by the proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus)

Primate diets may be influenced by the phytochemical composition of potential food resources. This study examined the protein, fiber, and mineral content of leaves from plant species used as food resources by the proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) in Tanjung Puting National Park, Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia. In addition, leaf samples were collected from nonfood resources based upon relative density in previously established vegetation plots. Higher concentrations of crude protein, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc were found in young leaves. Mature leaves had higher levels of magnesium, manganese and calcium compared to young leaves. Leaves from species used as food resources were significantly higher in protein (9.9% vs. 8.5%) and lower in fiber (30.5% vs. 40.0% acid detergent fiber) than the leaves from species not used as food sources. Food resources also contained higher concentrations of phosphorus and potassium; nonfood resources contained higher concentrations of calcium and manganese. Proboscis monkeys appear to follow the typical colobine trend: a diet relatively high in protein and low in digestion inhibitors (fiber). Little previous work has examined mineral content as a selection factor in primate food choices. Leaves from species used as food resources contained less calcium (0.35%), iron (34 mg/kg) and phosphorus (0.15%) than dietary standards established for captive nonhuman primates, but values were similar to those established for ruminant herbivores. Other mineral concentrations (potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, and zinc) met or exceeded recommended levels for both primates and ruminants. Comparison of diverse nutrients in native diets may provide insight into suitability of domestic animals models for providing adequate diets in captive feeding situations, as well as help define resource limitations in natural environments. Am. J. Primatol. 41:117–128, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

丛枝菌根真菌对枳根净离子流及锌污染下枳苗矿质营养的影响

盆栽实验研究了不同施Zn水平(0、300 mg/kg和600 mg/kg)下,接种丛枝菌根真菌Glomus intraradices对枳苗生长、Zn、Cu、P、K、Ca、Mg分布的影响,并采用非损伤微测技术测定分析了菌根化与非菌根化枳根净Ca²⁺、H⁺、NO₃^-离子流动态。结果表明:(1)在不同施Zn水平下,接种菌根真菌显著提高了枳苗地上部及根部鲜重;随着施Zn水平的提高,菌根侵染率呈降低趋势,枳苗地上部与根部Zn含量呈增加趋势,且接种株根部Zn含量显著高于未接种株。(2)接种株未施Zn处理的地上部Cu、P、K、Mg和根部Cu含量、施600 mg/kg Zn处理的根部Cu及施300 mg/kg Zn处理的根部P含量均显著高于对照,而菌根真菌侵染对枳苗Ca含量并无显著性影响。(3)接种株未施Zn处理的根部距根尖端0 μm和600 μm处净Ca²⁺流出速率、600 μm处净H⁺流入速率、2400 μm处净NO₃^-流入速率均显著高于未接种株。     

Species richness of indigenous beetles in restored plant communities on Matiu-Somes Island, Wellington Harbour, New Zealand

Previous studies have shown that indigenous beetle diversity reflects indigenous plant diversity in modified and remnant habitats. This study examines the indigenous: introduced relationship at a locality where degraded pasture has been progressively revegetated. Pitfall traps were used to collect beetles from three revegetated sites of different ages (5, 17 and 100 years) and in a coastal Muehlenbeckia habitat on Matiu- Somes Island (25 ha), Wellington Harbour, New Zealand. A total of 78 morphospecies were found over 12 months. The indigenous: introduced status of 74 species were determined; 67 were classified as 'indigenous', and 7 as 'introduced'. A positive trend was found between the proportion of ground-dwelling indigenous beetle species collected and the proportion of indigenous plant species present at a study site. As the revegetated site matured, the proportion of indigenous beetle species increased. We collected 20 (83%), 37 (88%) and 48 (92%) indigenous beetle species from the 5-year scrubland, 17-year shrubland and 100-year forest, respectively.     

Are butterflies and moths useful indicators for restoration monitoring? A pilot study in Sydney's Cumberland Plain Woodland

Summary   Moths and butterflies are strongly associated with vegetation structure and composition, which makes them a suitable indicator taxon for various ecological studies. Despite a good knowledge of many Australian lepidopteran taxa, they have rarely been used for restoration assessment. To explore the feasibility of using Lepidoptera as an indicator taxon for restoration monitoring in Australia, we used it to evaluate the success of a large-scale revegetation program in western Sydney. We compared moth and butterfly assemblages sampled with relatively low intensity in unrestored pastures, revegetated pastures and remnants of endangered Cumberland Plain Woodland (restoration aim). A light-trap survey of moth assemblages showed no significant differences in moth species richness and composition between any of the treatments with traps in revegetated areas producing most species rich samples. Butterfly surveys conducted over a 1-year period showed a considerable increase in butterfly species richness in revegetated areas compared to pastures, while forest remnants still had twice as many butterfly species compared to revegetated areas. Current revegetation practices employed to restore Cumberland Plain Woodland increased the diversity of lepidopteran assemblages, however, it is not clear whether they are on a trajectory towards the reference assemblages of forest remnants. Our study demonstrates that Lepidoptera, particularly butterflies, has a potential for broader application as an indicator group in restoration monitoring in Australia.     

Field nursery inoculation of Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg. seedling rootstock with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi

The growth response of Hevea brasiliensis to vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi inoculation was assessed in two field nursery sites containing indigenous mycorrhizal fungi (IMF). Seedling rootstocks were inoculated with mixed VAM-fungal species in a factorial combination with phosphorus (P) fertilizer application, and planted in randomised blocks on sandy (site 1) and clayey (site 2) soils. Plants were harvested after 26 weeks for measurements of shoot dry weight (DW), stem diameter, height, mycorrhizal root colonization and leaf nutrient contents. At site 1, VAM increased shoot DW, stem diameter and plant height only in treatments without P applied. Increases in shoot DW due to VAM were 70% greater than the uninoculated controls although this was reduced to 5% when P was applied. At site 2, VAM inoculation also increased shoot DW and stem diameter but the magnitude of the increases was smaller. Shoot DW response due to VAM was only 29%. At this second site, applying phosphate to uninoculated plants did not increase shoot yields further. Leaf concentrations of all nutrients were unaffected by VAM at both sites, except for copper (Cu) which was increased by VAM in treatments where P was not applied. However, leaf contents of P, potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and Cu were increased by VAM at site 1, and of leaf nitrogen (N) and K at site 2. These experiments demonstrate that VAM-fungi could be introduced into field nursery sites to improve growth and P uptake by H. brasiliensis. The relevance of VAM-fungi to H. brasiliensis seedling rootstock development and the influence of IMF in determining field responses is discussed.     

长期施肥和增水对半干旱草地土壤性质和植物性状的影响

本文对内蒙古多伦退化草地2005年建立的长期野外控制试验中施肥和增水对土壤性质和植物群落特征的影响进行了总结和综合评述.结果表明:加氮导致了表土酸化并降低酸缓冲容量,提高了表土中碳氮磷硫有效性及DTPA-浸提态铁锰铜含量,导致盐基离子钙镁钾钠总量的消耗,降低了土壤微生物群落多样性,促进了优势植物物种叶片对氮磷硫钾及锰铜锌的吸收,抑制植物叶片对铁的吸收,而对钙镁吸收无显著影响,增加了植物地上净初级生产力(ANPP),降低了植物物种多样性和群落稳定性.单独加磷增加了表土全磷和Olsen-P含量及真菌丰度,促进了植物叶片对氮、磷、硫的吸收,但对其他土壤基本化学性质及ANPP、物种多样性无显著影响.增水提高了植物群落对干旱的抵抗力,但对ANPP增长的贡献受到土壤氮有效性的限制.增水对于加氮导致的土壤酸化、植物和微生物多样性降低等具有一定的缓冲作用;加氮增水和加磷增水下,土壤微生物多样性及功能受地上植物群落结构及功能变化的影响.长期野外控制试验对于深入理解草地生态系统结构和功能对环境变化的响应具有重要意义,但单点的研究结果仍需与不同区域多点控制试验的联网研究相结合,深入开展地上与地下生态过程的关联研究,才能深入理解草地生态系统生态学的相关机制.     

Macro-arthropod succession in grassland growing on bauxite residue

Ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling are crucial components of revegetation programmes for bauxite residues and other tailings. Whilst vegetation establishment on bauxite residue is well studied, little is known about the development of the soil-biota. Macro-arthropod assemblages have been used to monitor and evaluate restoration success on a variety of mine spoils, but there is no information on its presence in bauxite residues.In order to understand the colonization and community development of macro-arthropods in revegetated residue, we compared species from two revegetated residues with an unamended site using pitfall and pan trap techniques. Whilst relatively few immobile species were present in the unamended site, high diversity was recorded for the revegetated sites. A number of species representative of predatory and carnivorous trophic structure were identified for the two vegetated sites. Additionally, many species identified are indicative of later stages of succession.These findings indicate that bauxite residues can be successfully restored to a functioning grassland type ecosystem. Monitoring of key arthropod species is recommended as part of the restoration evaluation process.     

Native and alien species diversity at the local and regional scales in a grazed California grassland

Serpentine meadows in Northern California supported higher species richness at the 1-m² scale than adjacent nonserpentine meadows, and had a considerably higher proportion of native species. Within each soil type, total species richness (natives plus aliens) was unrelated to biomass, cover, soil depth, or soil characteristics (N, P, Ca⁺⁺, Mg⁺⁺, water-holding capacity). However, the proportion of native species on serpentine was higher in meadows with lower levels of phosphorus and a lower calcium/magnesium ratio; the proportion of native species in nonserpentine meadows was higher on cool (north to northeast facing) slopes. At a regional scale, some of these effects were partly reversed; the rate at which new species accumulated with the addition of new sites, or beta diversity, was highest for native plant species in nonserpentine meadows. All of the above effects were independent of whether grazing by cattle was absent (removed 13 years ago) or present. The status of low-productivity serpentine soils as a refuge for native grassland species appears to be the result of their abiotic resistance to alien species, but not of a negative relationship between productivity and total species richness. Received: 10 April 1999 / Accepted: 4 June 1999     

磷素营养对降香黄檀幼苗生长及叶片养分状况的影响

设置0、15、30、60、100、150 mg P·株^-1等6个磷素处理开展降香黄檀幼苗盆栽试验,测定各处理幼苗的生长、生物量、叶片养分含量等指标,采用临界浓度法确定降香黄檀幼苗的适宜施磷量,从而探讨不同磷素水平对降香黄檀幼苗生长和叶片养分状况的影响,揭示其磷素需求规律以及适宜的磷供应范围。结果显示磷肥能促进幼苗生长和生物量的积累,而且随施磷量的增加,各指标呈现先升高后降低的趋势,最高值出现在60 mg P·株^-1处理,其苗高、地径、叶面积、生物量分别为对照的3.07、2.35、49.21和24.25倍。施磷显著降低幼苗叶片氮、钾含量,提高磷、镁含量,其中30、60、100 mg P·株^-13个处理间叶片磷含量差异不显著,约为对照的1.65倍。根据幼苗生物量与叶片磷含量、氮钾含量比、磷钾含量比的抛物线关系,确定叶片最适磷含量范围为1.35~2.32 g·kg^-1,由此推断降香黄檀幼苗最适宜的施磷量为60~100 mg P·株^-1。     

腾格里沙漠东南缘人工固沙植被演替地面节肢动物群落多样性分布特征

在腾格里沙漠东南缘选取2、5、8、34 a和57 a的不同年限人工固沙植被区为研究样地,以流动沙地为对照,利用陷阱诱捕法调查了不同样地地面节肢动物的群落组成及多样性特征,阐明了固沙植被区地面节肢动物多样性对植被演替的响应规律。结果表明：(1)此次调查共获得地面节肢动物15685头,隶属于15目40科44个类群。随固沙年限的增加,地面节肢动物优势类群数基本无变化,常见类群数和稀有类群数分别增加了0.5—2.5倍和0.25—2.75倍;捕食性、植食性和杂食性地面节肢动物类群数均呈上升趋势,分别增加了0.5—3倍、0.2—4.2倍和0.3—1.67倍。(2)地面节肢动物总个体数表现为8 a和57 a固沙植被区显著高于流动沙地(P<0.05),分别是流沙地的3.85倍和3.03倍;类群数和多样性指数均表现为57 a和34 a固沙植被区显著高于其他年限固沙植被区(P<0.05),且57 a固沙植被区地面节肢动物类群数显著高于34 a固沙植被区(P<0.05)。(3)草本植物密度、土壤有机碳和灌木高度是影响固沙植被区地面节肢动物群落组成及多样性分布的主要因子,解释率分别为48.1...     

Revegetation of urban green space rewilds soil microbiotas with implications for human health and urban design

Many noncommunicable diseases are linked to degraded diversity in the human and environmental microbiota and are rising globally in epidemic proportions in industrialized urban populations. Reducing this disease burden may be aided by the ecological restoration of microbiota and their habitat in urban green spaces—a process termed microbiome rewilding. Microbiome rewilding could serve as a mechanism to increase urban exposure to biodiversity; biodiversity could introduce microbiota species or functional diversity to improve immune training and regulation in urban populations. As a first step in examining this hypothesis, we explored the microbial diversity and composition of a variety of urban green space vegetation types relative to urban revegetated woodlands of varying levels of vegetation diversity, including lawns, vacant lots, parklands, and remnant woodlands. We generated amplicon sequence variant community profiles from bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA, fungal ITS1 region, and eukaryotic 18S rRNA marker genes. We also made trophic‐mode predictions of the fungal amplicon sequence variants. Across sites, soil microbiotas in revegetated urban green spaces were similar to remnant woodland microbiotas and differed greatly from lawns and vacant lots. There were several differentially abundant genera likely driving these differences that had strong correlations to plant species richness, soil pH, and conductivity. We provide the first evidence, as far as we know, that revegetation can improve urban soil microbiota diversity toward a more natural, biodiverse state by creating more wild habitat conditions. This evidence supports initiating further studies within the growing field of microbiome rewilding.     

Leaf carbon isotope and mineral composition in subtropical plants along an irradiance cline

Summary Leaf carbon isotope ratios and leaf mineral composition (Ca, K, Mg, Mn, N, and P) were measured on the dominant species along an irradiance cline in a subtropical monsoon forest of southern China. This irradiance cline resulted from disturbance caused by fuel-harvesting. Leaf carbon isotope ratios increased from undisturbed to disturbed sites for all species, indicating that leaf intercellular CO₂ concentrations decreased and leaf water use efficiencies increased along this cline. Nitrogen and magnesium levels were lower in leaves of species on the disturbed sites, but there were no clear patterns for calcium, potassium, phosphorus or manganese.C.I.W.D.P.B. Publication no 932     

Diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in restinga and dunes areas in Brazilian Northeast

Strong anthropogenic pressure, mainly mineral extraction, is one of the main factors leading to degradation of the Brazilian coastal environment. Strategies to recover these areas include replanting native plant species, and symbiotic fungi from the neighboring area might be important for the establishment of the new vegetation. Species richness, diversity and community composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) were investigated in NE Brazil in two natural areas, ‘restinga’ forest and seaside ‘restinga’, and in two areas of revegetated dunes after mining activity 20 and 8?years ago. Soil samples were collected during the dry (March) and wet (September) seasons of 2009 in Mataraca, Paraíba State, Brazil. Based on glomerospore morphology, 34 species of AMF were recorded, of which 29 were identified in field samples and five after trap culturing, with the greatest diversity and richness found in the dune revegetated 8?years ago. The sampling effort allowed an assessment of between 70 and 80?% of the species estimated for the areas by the first-order Jackknife index. Among the generalist species Gigaspora margarita was the only one found in all areas and during both collection periods. The similarity of AMF species between the revegetated areas and the seaside ‘restinga’ was >60?%, supporting the hypothesis that this area represents a source of propagules, but the substrate used for seedling production may also bring other species, enabling the recovery of the AMF community in the mined and revegetated dunes.     

Reproductive biology of two dominant prairie grasses (Andropogon gerardii and sorghastrum nutans,Poaceae): male-biased sex allocation in wind-pollinated plants?

It has been proposed that some wind-pollinated plants have the necessary conditions for an optimal sex allocation that is male biased, though there are few data that address this prediction. We determined that two prairie grass species (Andropogon gerardii and Sorghastrum nutans) had reproductive characteristics that theoretically would result in a male-biased allocation: both species were self-incompatible and neither species had increased seed set after supplemental hand pollination. The relative allocation to pollen and seed production was measured in terms of biomass, energy, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Sex allocation in A. gerardii was significantly male biased (from 60 to 89% male) when measured in currencies of biomass, energy, potassium, and calcium; there was no significant bias in the sex allocation (from 49 to 57% male) when measured in currencies of nitrogen, phosphorus, and magnesium. Sex allocation in S. nutans was significantly male biased (from 69 to 81% male) for all currencies except phosphorus (61% male). This is the first evidence for male-biased sex allocation in any plant or animal hermaphrodite. Though the necessary conditions may be uncommon, male-biased allocation may be found in other species with similar reproductive biology.