植物竞争研究进展

竞争系指两个以上有机体或物种间阻碍或制约的相互关系。它是塑造植物形态、生活史的主要动力之一;并对植物群落的结构和动态具有深刻的影响。因其在生态学的中心地位,生态学家已从不同的侧面研究了这一复杂的生态学现象;生态学也因此而得到了发展。然而,人们对竞争的理解不尽一致,因而导致了概念上的混乱,平行研究相对缺乏、不同研究间的比较困难,从而阻碍了学科的发展。本文试就植物竞争的概念、竞争理论、竞争研究的实验方法、影响竞争能力的主要因素、种内和种间竞争对种群和群落的影响,如竞争与物种共存等进行综述;我们在总结研究成就的同时,亦指出了现有研究的局限性。     

植物竞争研究进展

竞争系指两个以上有机体或物种间阻碍或制约的相互关系。它是塑造植物形态、生活史的主要动力之一;并对植物群落的结构和动态具有深刻的影响。因其在生态学的中心地位,生态学家已从不同的侧面研究了这一复杂的生态学现象;生态学也因此而得到了发展。然而,人们对竞争的理解不尽一致,因而导致了概念上的混乱,平行研究相对缺乏、不同研究间的比较困难,从而阻碍了学科的发展。本文试就植物竞争的概念、竞争理论、竞争研究的实验方法、影响竞争能力的主要因素、种内和种间竞争对种群和群落的影响,如竞争与物种共存等进行综述;我们在总结研究成就的同时,亦指出了现有研究的局限性。     

北美车前和车前的生长特征与相对竞争能力

通过野外样方调查,比较了入侵种北美车前(Plantago virginica)和土著种车前(P.asiatica)的生长特征与种间相对竞争能力.结果表明:北美车前的有性繁殖效力显著高于车前,而营养生长效力显著低于车前;其果穗数和果穗长明显大于车前,而叶面积则明显小于车前,说明北美车前较多地投资于繁殖生长,而车前较多地投资于营养生长;种间竞争和种内竞争明显降低了2种植物的平均每株果穗数、果穗长、单株地上生物量和单株总生物量;车前的种间竞争能力(相对邻里效应指数)显著大于入侵种北美车前,表明入侵植物北美车前目前不能对广泛分布的车前发生竞争取代.     

湿地植物间竞争和促进互作的研究进展

湿地植物间关系主要包括竞争(负效应)和促进(正效应),是湿地生态研究的核心内容之一,对植物分布、群落和生态系统组成具有重要的调节作用。本文阐述了竞争理论及影响湿地植物竞争能力的主要因素,介绍了促进作用及其在湿地生态系统中的形成机理,详细综述了植物间关系转变的主要理论以及影响湿地植物间关系转变的主要环境因子(水位、温度、盐度、生物因子)。随着环境胁迫强度的增加,植物间关系一般会从竞争转变为促进作用,即优越条件下以竞争为主,胁迫条件下以促进作用为主。针对当前湿地植物间关系的研究多集中于滨海盐生湿地,类型较单一的情况,认为将来需加强对淡水湿地、河口湿地等各类系统的研究。同时,加强湿地植物间关系转变的生物学机制、时间效应,对新研究方法的探索等方面的研究也有助于进一步理解湿地植物间竞争和促进作用的发生及转变机理。     

开放式空气CO2浓度增高条件下C3作物(水稻)与C4杂草(稗草)的竞争关系

通过田间试验,研究了FACE(开放式空气CO₂浓度升高)条件下C₃作物水稻(Oryza sativa)和C₄杂草稗草(Echinochloa crusgalli)的生长和竞争关系.结果表明,FACE条件下C₃植物水稻生物量和产量增加,叶片数增加,分蘖数增加,叶面积系数(LAI)增大;而C₄植物稗草相反.FACE条件下水稻和稗草叶面积均减少,而净同化率(NAR)均增加.FACE条件下水稻稗草比例为1:1时,水稻与稗草的生物量比率、产量比率、LAI比率、茎蘖比率和NAR比率均增加,水稻稗草的竞争关系发生变化,水稻(C₃植物)竞争能力增加,稗草(C₄植物)竞争能力下降.     

入侵植物黄顶菊与本地植物的竞争

温室和田间试验条件下,对黄顶菊与4种本地植物(马唐、牛筋、反枝苋和苘麻)在3种混生比例下的竞争效应进行了研究.温室试验结果表明:黄顶菊与马唐或牛筋混生所占比例低时,其株高受到明显抑制,在混生比例相同或黄顶菊所占比例高时,其株高未受到抑制;与反枝苋或苘麻混生时,黄顶菊的株高受到明显抑制,而反枝苋和苘麻的株高未受到抑制;黄顶菊与这4种本地植物混生,相对产量总和接近1;与马唐混生时,黄顶菊在高比例下的相对产量与1接近,而在其他比例下的相对产量均<1;与牛筋、反枝苋和苘麻混生时,黄顶菊的相对产量均显著<1;与4种本地植物混生,黄顶菊的竞争攻击力系数均<0.田间试验和温室试验结果一致.研究表明,黄顶菊与马唐、牛筋、反枝苋和苘麻利用相同的营养资源,其竞争力比供试的本地植物弱.     

根系间的相互作用——竞争与互利

植物根系间的相互作用分为竞争和互利两种形式 ,它是决定植物群落动态变化和群落结构的重要因素。根系间的竞争包括植株个体自身根系的竞争以及个体与个体根系间 (同种或异种 )的竞争两方面 ,前者的发生在农林系统中是不可避免的并且很难调控 ,后者可以分为种间植物根系的竞争和种内植物根系的竞争。还阐述了根系的竞争能力和与其密切相关的根系生长率、根组织的新陈代谢、植物的生长形式和根系的空间结构等植物特性 ,同时介绍了根系对水和养分的竞争机理、形式、影响以及竞争强度计算方法。接着具体分析包括根系错位在内的各种根系互利现象和相关机理。影响根系间相互作用的限制性因子有土壤营养的异质性、大气 CO2 浓度、地下草食生物、根系生产力和生物量、根系结构、形态和生理调节、土壤养分的扩散性以及植物间距等。随着科技的进步和各门学科的发展 ,未来根系的研究方向主要体现在结合实践优化农林系统中不同物种间的作用关系、预测根系竞争在全球气候变化下的发展规律、更新实验研究方法及手段研究作用机理等 3个方面。     

黄土丘陵区不同立地条件下猪毛蒿种内、种间竞争

猪毛蒿(Artemisia scoparia)通常是黄土丘陵区撂荒演替前期群落优势种,在无人为干扰的情况下,猪毛蒿群落通常会向冰草(Agropyron cristatum)群落或阿尔泰狗娃花(Heteropappus altaicus)群落,或长芒草(Stipa bungeana)群落等演替。该文通过河阶地和梁峁阴坡中猪毛蒿生长特征的调查和种内、种间竞争田间试验,从植物竞争角度对猪毛蒿群落的演替机制给予了解释。结果表明:1)两类样地中猪毛蒿的生长都趋于小型化,有少数大个体和多数小个体,都存在异速生长现象,说明两类样地存在竞争,且对猪毛蒿的生长形态具有塑造作用; 2)由于单位地上生物量竞争效应排除了立地条件和个体大小的影响,因而比总竞争效应更能说明种对间的相对竞争能力。梁峁阴坡地和一、二级河阶地三种立地条件下,7种测试植物中对猪毛蒿的相对竞争能力以演替后期多年生植物较高,而演替前期一年生植物较低,说明演替后期种对前期种的竞争抑制是演替驱动力之一; 3)以各测试植物对猪毛蒿单位重量竞争抑制程度平均值来看,以梁峁阴坡地最大,二级河阶地次之,一级河阶地最小,说明立地条件越差,土壤资源可利用水平越低,竞争越激烈; 4)一级河阶地和梁峁阴坡地各测试植物对猪毛蒿的竞争等级发生了显著变化,说明环境条件差别较大时,植物的竞争等级会发生变化。     

养分对入侵植物大狼耙草和近缘本地植物狼耙草竞争的影响

为探讨大狼耙草的入侵特性,采用盆栽试验,研究了不同养分条件对入侵植物大狼耙草(Bidens frondosa L.)和近缘本地植物狼耙草(B.tripartita L.)竞争的影响。结果表明,大狼耙草的竞争响应随着养分的增加而降低,而本地种狼耙草的竞争响应随着养分的增加而升高,低养分下大狼耙草的竞争响应大于狼耙草的竞争响应,高养分下则相反。低养分下,竞争显著降低大狼耙草的生长,而高养分下,竞争显著降低本地植物狼耙草的生长,说明了养分的增加提高了入侵植物大狼耙草的竞争能力,同时降低了本地植物狼耙草的竞争能力。人类活动使生境中的养分增加,会提高大狼耙草对狼耙草的竞争能力,促进其入侵。     

不同水分条件下混种密度对芦苇和反枝苋种间竞争的影响

与本地植物的种间竞争是影响外来植物能否成功入侵的关键因素之一,该研究通过受控模拟试验研究了本地植物芦苇(Phragmites australis)和外来入侵植物反枝苋(Amaranthus retroflexus)在淹水和干旱两种水分条件下混种密度(6∶2、4∶4和2∶6)对其种间竞争的影响。结果表明:(1)芦苇和反枝苋的相对产量与相对产量总和均小于1,即两种植物存在种间竞争。(2)种间竞争使芦苇和反枝苋的生长均受到了不同程度的抑制,表现在两者的株高和生物量均随着竞争者密度的增加而降低。(3)植株地上部分和地下部分的氮浓度表现出与株高和生物量相同的趋势,且在不同水分条件下存在差异。(4)芦苇和反枝苋分别在淹水和干旱环境下具有较强竞争力,但在各自较高混种密度下亦具有较强竞争力。可见,芦苇和反枝苋的种间竞争受到了水分和混种密度的影响。因此,在有反枝苋分布的湿地中,植物生长初期可通过增加土壤水分和/或增加芦苇等本地植物的种群密度以降低反枝苋的种群密度来限制其竞争能力,防止反枝苋在湿地中生长建群和扩散入侵。     

Bioleaching of a Spanish uranium ore

Abstract: The bioleaching of a low-grade uranium ore in shaker and columns using natural, pure and mixed cultures has been studied. Initially, a chemical and microscopical characterization of the mineral was carried out. Orbital shaker experiments were performed to quickly obtain the best bacterial leaching conditions. Afterwards, small columns were used to determine other variables related to percolation leaching. Finally, an uranium ore from the F6 mine (Ciudad Rodrigo, Spain) was leached in the presence of bacteria using large columns (24 cm diameter and 275 cm height). The most important results were: (i) the ore contains sufficient pyrite in order for uranium bioleaching to take place under optimum conditions; (ii) shaker experiments showed that temperature, pH and type of inoculum are the most important variables in bioleaching; (iii) two different ores were attacked in the columns: altered and non-altered. In the first case, the extraction rate of uranium was higher. However, in both cases the final efficiency was very similar (95%).     

Counter-Current Metal Leaching and Precipitation for Soil Remediation

Chemical acid leaching is an effective technique for extracting toxic metals from the finest fractions of polluted soils. Nevertheless, the use of large quantities of reagents and process water results in prohibitive operating costs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the technical and economic advantages of recirculating water in a counter-current leaching process (CCLP). Five 1-h sulfuric acid extraction steps (at pH = 1.5) followed by three 5-min water-washing steps were applied to the fine particle fraction (<0.125 mm) of an industrial soil polluted by Cd (13.2 mg·kg^?1), Cu (3 100 mg·kg^?1), Mn (685 mg kg^?1), Pb (550 mg·kg^?1), and Zn (2 840 mg·kg^?1). The leaching experiments were carried out at ambient temperature using a 10% soil suspension and in 1-L working volume stirred tank reactors. This paper presents results of conventional and counter-current leaching process (CCLP) tests and shows that the CCLP yields removal results for Cu (85%), Zn (86%), Mn (75%), and Cd (90%) that are similar to those obtained using the conventional leaching process. Moreover, the CCLP uses half of the quantity of acid and one-eighth of the amount of water that the conventional process uses. Metal precipitation with NaOH and Ca(OH)₂ was applied to treat the acidic leachates, and good metal removal yields were achieved with both reagents. However, the large consumption of chemicals implies high operating costs. In addition, the precipitation causes considerable sludge production, particularly when using Ca(OH)₂. Overall, the CCLP coupled to metal precipitation using NaOH and water recycling appears to be the most attractive option for the removal of toxic metals from this industrial soil.     

酸雨对缙云山林地黄壤汞溶出的影响

Forest yellow soil and arable yellow soil in Jinyun Mountain were collected to study the effect of simulated acid rain(adjusted to pH 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0) on the Hg leaching from soils by the methods of static extraction and dynamic leaching. The results showed that in forest yellow soils, surface accumulation of Hg occurred, and the accumulated Hg was easier to be leached out than that in arable yellow soil by acid rain. The amount of leached Hg was the largest at pH 4.0. To abate the risk of Hg pollution in water bodies by the Hg leaching from this forest soil, the Mountain should be closed, and timber-felling should be forbidden.     

Measuring and modelling nitrogen leaching: parallel problems

In studies of nitrate leaching both experimenters and modellers experience problems arising from soil variability. Because of the small-scale heterogeneity that gives rise to mobile and immobile categories of water, both measurements and modelling are easiest in homogeneous sandy soils and most difficult in strongly structured clay soils. There are also parallels at plot and field scale in the problems caused to experimenters by log-normal distributions of nitrate concentrations and those caused to modellers by non-linearity in models. All researchers need to be aware that a reliable estimate of the mean from a set of measurements or a model may necessitate considerations of variances as well as means.     

Bacterial leaching of uranium ore from Figueira—PR, Brazil, at laboratory and pilot scale

Abstract: A bacterial leaching program was carried out in order to evaluate the potential of applying this process to leach uranium from the ore of Figueira-PR, Brazil. The experiments were carried out in shake flasks, column percolation (laboratory and scmipilot scale)and in heap leaching. In shake flasks and in column percolation experiments at laboratory scale, bacterial activity on Ihe ore was confirmed: approximately 60% of uranium was leached, against around 30% in sterilized controls. Colunm percolation experiments at semipilot scale and heap leaching (850 tons of ore) showed uranium extractions of approximately 50%. In both experiments, a complementary sulfuric acid attack, after the bacterial leaching phase, was neccssaw to reach this level of uranium extraction.     

Influence of coal source and treatment upon indigenous microbial communities

Summary The leaching of six Eastern coals was investigated using experimental coal columns subjected to simulated leaching events. Measurements of CO₂ assimilation and specific enrichment cultures indicated that the microbial communities of all leachates were dominated by iron- and sulfur-oxidizing chemoautotrophic bacteria. Comparison of CO₂ assimilation rates in leachates and core samples of leached coal indicated that most chemoautotrophs remained within coal columns during leaching. Mean numbers of chemoautotrophic bacteria in leachate samples were correlated with concentrations of dissolved iron and sulfate. Leachates from unwashed, run-of-mine coals contained more chemoautotrophs and more iron and sulfate than did leachates from washed, final product coals. After several leachings, the ratio of sulfur oxidizers to iron oxidizers tended to increase. These data suggest that the chemoautotrophic community of final product coals may be pyritelimited. Aerobic heterotrophs constituted a minor component of the microbial community in leachates from the six coals and their abundance and metabolic activity were apparently not influenced by the beneficiation history of the coal. Changes in rates of acetate metabolism may have been related to microbial succession within the heterotrophic community of coal columns. In all leachates, rates of tritiated methylthymidine assimilation were correlated with rates of acetate incorporation but not with CO₂ assimilation, even though autotrophs dominated the microflora. Thus, thymidine assimilation rates appear to reflect activities or growth of mainly heterotrophic microorganisms in leachate.     

Transient three-dimensional modeling of soil water and solute transport with simultaneous root growth,root water and nutrient uptake

A three-dimensional solute transport model was developed and linked to a three-dimensional transient model for soil water flow and root growth. The simulation domain is discretized into a grid of finite elements by which the soil physical properties are spatially distributed. Solute transport modeling includes passive and active nutrient uptake by roots as well as zero- and first-order source/sink terms. Root water uptake modeling accounts for matric and osmotic potential effects on water and passive nutrient uptake. Root age effects on root water and nutrient uptake activity have been included, as well as the influence of nutrient deficiency and ion toxicity on root growth. Examples illustrate simulations with different levels of model complexity, depending on the amount of information available to the user. At the simplest level, root growth is simulated as a function of mechanical soil strength only. Application of the intermediate level with root water and nutrient uptake simulates the influence of timing and amount of NO3 application on leaching. The most comprehensive level includes simulation of root and shoot growth as influenced by soil water and nutrient status, temperature, and dynamic allocation of assimilate to root and shoot.     

Mineral sulphide oxidation by enrichment cultures of novel thermoacidophilic bacteria

Abstract: Enrichment culture of hot spring water samples with pyrite as substrate has provided acidophiles with novel growth characteristics: with these bacteria, the range of conditions under which rapid microbial oxidation of mineral sulphides has been demonstrated has been extended. The upper temperature limit for bacterial mineral oxidation in reactors has been raised. The dissolution of pyrite occurred during growth of Sulfolobus -like thermophiles up to almost 90C. The most efficient extraction of copper from chalcopyrite occurred at 80–85C. With moderate thermophiles, rapid oxidation of minerals was obtained during autotrophic growth in the absence of supplemental CO₂: a mixed enrichment culture was active in pyrite dissolution at 45–50C in reactors gassed only with air which contrasted with poor growth by well-studied moderate thermophiles in the absence of enhanced CO₂ concentrations.     

Leaching of contaminated leaves following uptake and phytoremediation of RDX, HMX, and TNT by poplar

The uptake and fate of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) by hybrid poplars in hydroponic systems were compared and exposed leaves were leached with water to simulate potential exposure pathways from groundwater in the field. TNT was removed from solution more quickly than nitramine explosives. Most of radioactivity remained in root tissues for 14C-TNT, but in leaves for 14C-RDX and 14C-HMX. Radiolabel recovery for TNT and HMX was over 94%, but that of RDX decreased over time, suggesting a loss of volatile products. A considerable fraction (45.5%) of radioactivity taken up by whole plants exposed to 14C-HMX was released into deionized water, mostly as parent compound after 5 d of leaching. About a quarter (24.0%) and 1.2% were leached for RDX and TNT, respectively, mostly as transformed products. Leached radioactivity from roots was insignificant in all cases (< 2%). This is the first report in which small amounts of transformation products of RDX leach from dried leaves following uptake by poplars. Such behavior for HMX was reported earlier and is reconfirmed here. All three compounds differ substantially in their fate and transport during the leaching process.