Allelopathic Effects of Tree Species on Some Soil Microbial Populations and Herbaceous Plants

The allelopathic potential of four tree species on soil microbial populations and some herbaceous plants (two understory species and one general biotest species) was investigated. Effects of three nonindigenous tree species, Eucalyptus globulus Labill, Pinus radiata D.Don and Acacia melanoxylon R.Br., on microorganisms participating in the cycle of nitrogen were evaluated, comparing them with those produced by the autochthonous Quercus robur L. Influence of the trees on Lactuca sativa L., Dactylis glomerata L. and Trifolium repens L. was also checked in bioassays. Cell numbers of Nitrosomonas sp. were negatively affected by Acacia and Eucalyptus stands, mainly during spring, when flowers are especially abundant on the ground. Proteolytic microorganisms were also negatively affected by Eucalyptus and Pinus stands, whilst Quercus stand did not show any toxicity. Soil bioassays showed clear inhibitory effects on germination and growth of understory plants, particularly soils from Eucalyptus and Acacia stands. The greatest effects had the soil from Acacia stand, which was phytotoxic during the whole period of germination and growth of understory plants. Allelopathic phenomena could be, at least partially, responsible of the low species diversity in the understory of the nonindigenous tree stands.     

番茄根际微生物种群动态变化及多样性

采用盆栽试验的方法对番茄根际主要微生物种群在不同生育期的动态变化进行了跟踪研究.结果表明,在番茄整个生育期内,可培养细菌数量在初花期和初果期时最多;放线菌数量从苗期到末期逐渐减少;真菌数量逐渐增多.番茄对细菌根际效应明显.DGGE图谱显示不同生育期番茄根际均具有较高的细菌多样性.根际细菌种类和数量在初花期发生较为显著的变化,初果期根际群落多样性指数(H)和物种丰度(S)值都达到最高,微生物最丰富,是筛选拮抗菌的较好时期.     

Comparative Investigation of the Composition and Structure of Microbial Biofilms Retrieved at Meat-Processing Plants Using Different Raw Materials

Microbiology - Localization and structural organization of microbial biofilms developing in anthropogenic ecological niches of meat-processing plants using different raw materials (poultry, pork,...     

Effect of Hypothermia on the Composition of Phenolics in Buckwheat Plants with Different Ploidy

Russian Journal of Plant Physiology - Effect of hypothermia (5°С; 1 and 7 days) on growth processes and accumulation of phenolic compounds in above-ground organs was investigated in...     

Chemical and Microbial Composition of Sediments in Reservoirs with Different Trophic State

For the assessment of the metabolic potential of a sediment, the upper 5 cm layer should preferentially be regarded, since this is the horizon with the highest biochemical activity in the entire reservoir. Sediment cores from four different reservoirs were examined. These represent a broad range of trophic conditions (Neunzehnhain – oligotrophic; Muldenberg – oligotrophic, acidic, dystrophic; Saidenbach – mesotrophic; Quitzdorf – highly eutrophic). The vertical concentration gradients in the interstitial water of the examined sediments showed the tendencies characteristic of the trophic state of the reservoirs. The gradients increased with the trophic state, which affected the release of dissolved substances. The internal P load was substantial in all cases, in Quitzdorf it even exceeded the external P load. The total cell numbers of the bacteria in the sediment were only slightly influenced by the trophic state, all being in the same order of magnitude. The reservoir Quitzdorf displayed very high P release rates from the sediment and mass growths of Microcystis with a high content of intracellular polyphosphate granules in the summer months.     

Mapping the Centimeter-Scale Spatial Variability of PAHs and Microbial Populations in the Rhizosphere of Two Plants

Rhizoremediation uses root development and exudation to favor microbial activity. Thus it can enhance polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) biodegradation in contaminated soils. Spatial heterogeneity of rhizosphere processes, mainly linked to the root development stage and to the plant species, could explain the contrasted rhizoremediation efficiency levels reported in the literature. Aim of the present study was to test if spatial variability in the whole plant rhizosphere, explored at the centimetre-scale, would influence the abundance of microorganisms (bacteria and fungi), and the abundance and activity of PAH-degrading bacteria, leading to spatial variability in PAH concentrations. Two contrasted rhizospheres were compared after 37 days of alfalfa or ryegrass growth in independent rhizotron devices. Almost all spiked PAHs were degraded, and the density of the PAH-degrading bacterial populations increased in both rhizospheres during the incubation period. Mapping of multiparametric data through geostatistical estimation (kriging) revealed that although root biomass was spatially structured, PAH distribution was not. However a greater variability of the PAH content was observed in the rhizosphere of alfalfa. Yet, in the ryegrass-planted rhizotron, the Gram-positive PAH-degraders followed a reverse depth gradient to root biomass, but were positively correlated to the soil pH and carbohydrate concentrations. The two rhizospheres structured the microbial community differently: a fungus-to-bacterium depth gradient similar to the root biomass gradient only formed in the alfalfa rhizotron.     

Composition and Oil-Water Interfacial Tension Studies in Different Vegetable Oils

The interfacial tension is one of the most important fundamental properties and presents crucial impacts throughout vegetable oil production, application and digestion. In this study, composition of vegetable oil including tocopherols, phytosterols, phenolic compounds, phospholipids, fatty acid composition and other constituents were determined. Furthermore, interfacial tension and its relationship with vegetable oil compositions were analyzed. Distribution and profile of composition of vegetable oil were remarkably different. The interfacial tension results showed physical refined vegetable oil exhibited an obviously lower interfacial tension than chemical refined oil attributed to abundant minor compositions. Moreover, the correlation analysis results indicated that phenolic compounds demonstrated the greatest influence on interfacial tension of vegetable oil against water with r = − 0.671, p = 0.009, followed by free fatty acid value, linoleic acid of triglyceride and phospholipids with r = − 0.639, 0.626, − 0.576 and p = 0.014, 0.017 and 0.031, respectively. No significant correlation was found between interfacial tension and other minor compositions. These results contribute to regulating lipid metabolism and evaluating oil quality more scientifically.

     

Effects of Different Ambient Temperatures on Caecal Microbial Composition in Broilers

Short-term or acute temperature stress affect the immune responses and alters the gut microbiota of broilers, but the influences of long-term temperature stress on stress biomarkers and the intestinal microbiota remains largely unknown. Therefore, we examined the effect of three long-term ambient temperatures (high (HC), medium (MC), and low (LC) temperature groups) on the gene expression of broilers’ heat shock proteins (Hsps) and inflammation – related genes, as well as the caecal microbial composition. The results revealed that Hsp70 and Hsp90 levels in HC group significantly increased, and levels of Hsp70, Hsp90, IL-6, TNF-α, and NFKB1 in LC group were significantly higher than in MC group (p < 0.05). In comparison with the MC group, the proportion of Firmicutes increased in HC and LC groups, while that of Bacteroidetes decreased in LC group at phylum level (p < 0.05). At genus level, the proportion of Escherichia/Shigella, Phascolarctobacterium, Parabacteroides,and Enterococcus increased in HC group; the fraction of Faecalibacterium was higher in LC group; and the percentage of Barnesiella and Alistipes decreased in both HC and LC groups (p < 0.05). Functional analysis based on communities’ phylogenetic investigation revealed that the pathways involved in environmental information processing and metabolism were enriched in the HC group. Those involved in cellular processes and signaling, metabolism, and gene regulation were enriched in LC group. Hence, we conclude that the long-term temperature stress can greatly alter the intestinal microbial communities in broilers and may further affect the host’s immunity and health.     

Changes in Carotenoid Composition of Certain Roses with Age

The carotenoid composition of the anthers and styles and thefruits of four roses of different ages have been investigated.ß-carotene and its epoxides were present at all stagesstudied, as were the ß-carotene derived xanthophyllauroxanthin and the -carotene derived flavoxanthin and chrysanthemaxanthin.As the various parts aged, the control of carotenoid synthesiswas removed, oxidative processes took place with the resultthat very few members of the -carotene series were found, andepoxy-carotenoids and their derivatives were the main carotenoidspresent. Rubixanthin, 3-hydroxy--carotene characteristic ofrose hips was found in fairly large amounts in anthers and stylesand -carotene was probably the precursor of this pigment. Rosehips were also investigated for their vitamin-A contents whichwere not as high as those of All Gold flowers.     

自交作物群体的遗传组成分析

用数学方法推导出了自交作物群体遗传组成的分析公式。根据所推出的公式,可以计算出任何自交世代群体的基因型频率和同一表现型中各基因型的频率。对自交群体遗传组成的分析可用于质量性状的选择,确定选择时需要的有效群体大小和选出有效群体的大小,亦有助于确定选择的最佳世代。     

Determination of Microbial Populations with Piezoelectric Membranes

The ultrasonic determination of microbial population was carried out by using a new apparatus composed of two piezoelectric membranes. When the apparatus was immersed in a medium containing cells and an arbitrary voltage was charged on a piezoelectric membrane, an output voltage was obtained from the other membrane. The output voltage increased with increasing cell numbers. The linear relationships between the output voltage and microbial populations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Bacillus subtilis, and Klebsiella sp. were observed, and the output voltage was reproducible with a relative error of 6%. Furthermore, the cell population of S. cerevisiae in a fermentor could be continuously determined with this apparatus.     

Pyrene and Phenanthrene Influence on Soil Microbial Populations

Two studies were conducted to evaluate microbial populations in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-contaminated soil. Captina silt loam was freshly exposed to (1) 0 or 2000?mg pyrene/kg and sampled after 10- and 61-wk incubation and (2) 0 or 505?mg pyrene + 445?mg phenanthrene/kg and sampled after a 21-wk incubation. Microbial numbers were determined by plate-count techniques. Isolated bacteria, selected degraders, and wholesoil extracts were analyzed by fatty acid methyl ester analysis (FAME). In the pyrene experiment, pyrene did not affect total bacterial or fungal numbers, but pyrene degraders increased from undetectable levels to 7.09 log₁₀ degraders/g in the contaminated soil. The FAME analysis of bacterial isolates detected no pyrene effect, but wholesoil FAME indicated an increase in the contaminated soil of a fatty acid characteristic of protozoa and a major fatty acid detected in isolated degraders. In the pyrene + phenanthrene experiment, the contaminants had no impact on bacterial, fungal, or actinomycete numbers but increased degrader numbers. No effect of pyrene + phenanthrene was detected by isolate FAME, but whole-soil FAME indicated an effect similar to that in the pyrene experiment. The results indicate that pyrene, although not impacting microbial numbers, may have altered the soil microbial composition and that Captina silt loam can develop an effective degrader population under tested conditions.     

Pyrene and Phenanthrene Influence on Soil Microbial Populations

Two studies were conducted to evaluate microbial populations in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-contaminated soil. Captina silt loam was freshly exposed to (1) 0 or 2000 mg pyrene/kg and sampled after 10- and 61-wk incubation and (2) 0 or 505 mg pyrene + 445 mg phenanthrene/kg and sampled after a 21-wk incubation. Microbial numbers were determined by plate-count techniques. Isolated bacteria, selected degraders, and wholesoil extracts were analyzed by fatty acid methyl ester analysis (FAME). In the pyrene experiment, pyrene did not affect total bacterial or fungal numbers, but pyrene degraders increased from undetectable levels to 7.09 log₁₀ degraders/g in the contaminated soil. The FAME analysis of bacterial isolates detected no pyrene effect, but wholesoil FAME indicated an increase in the contaminated soil of a fatty acid characteristic of protozoa and a major fatty acid detected in isolated degraders. In the pyrene + phenanthrene experiment, the contaminants had no impact on bacterial, fungal, or actinomycete numbers but increased degrader numbers. No effect of pyrene + phenanthrene was detected by isolate FAME, but whole-soil FAME indicated an effect similar to that in the pyrene experiment. The results indicate that pyrene, although not impacting microbial numbers, may have altered the soil microbial composition and that Captina silt loam can develop an effective degrader population under tested conditions.     

不同天然居群小蓬竹的遗传多样性

从分子水平探讨不同居群小蓬竹的遗传多样性以及与环境因子的相关性,揭示其濒危原因,为小蓬竹的保护和后续开发利用提供理论支撑,助力实施极危物种最佳保护策略。运用RAPD标记技术和POPGENE32对16个小蓬竹天然居群进行遗传多样性研究和遗传变异分析。结果表明,8个RAPD随机引物共扩增出105条清晰、重复性高的条带,其中多态性条带有98条,分子量300~2000bp;物种水平多态性位点百分率PPL=93.33%,有效等位基因数Ne=1.4942,Nei’s基因多样性H=0.3005,Shannon多样性指数I=0.4586;落湾(ZY1)居群的遗传多样性水平最高(PPL=60.95%,H=0.2329,I=0.3451),[JP3]桃坡(PT1)居群的最低(PPL=44.76%,H=0.1700,[JP]I=0.2523);16个天然居群的遗传分化系数Gst=0.3231,基因流Nm=1.0478,基于Shannon’s多样性指数的分化系数[(HSP-HPOP)/HSP]为0.3429。小蓬竹居群内存在丰富的遗传多样性,各个天然居群间具有一定的遗传分化但分化水平并不高,主要的遗传变异存在于居群内部。     

Microbial Populations of the River-Recharged Fredericton Aquifer

The City of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada obtains its water from the Saint John River-recharged Fredericton aquifer. Water quality improves as it flows from the river into the aquifer in a process called bank filtration. Microorganisms contribute to water quality improvements during bank filtration by removing organic carbon. In the Fredericton aquifer, microbially catalyzed reductive dissolution of manganese oxide minerals negatively affects water quality. Aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms were cultured from Fredericton aquifer production well water, from associated bedrock groundwater, and from Saint John River sediment core and sediment groundwater samples. Aerobes were the largest culturable groups in all samples. The ratio of aerobes to other microbial groups, i.e., those reducing nitrate, Mn^{4 +}, Fe^{3 +}, or sulfate, did not vary significantly along the water flow path from the river to the aquifer. Analysis of microbial community composition along the flow path indicated an essentially identical community except in the immediate vicinity of the aquifer. This is in agreement with the absence of macroscale redox zones in the sediment below the Saint John River as determined by groundwater geochemical data. Bacteria isolated from groundwater samples, identified by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing, were α -, β -, γ -, and δ -Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes. In contrast to groundwater samples, the majority of bacteria isolated from sediments were γ -Proteobacteria. Numbers of manganese-reducing bacteria, including Aeromonas spp., were small, however Mn^{4 +} reduction ability was widespread in bacteria enriched and isolated with other electron acceptors. The diverse Fredericton aquifer microbial community likely uses manganese oxide minerals as a sink for electrons derived from organic carbon oxidation.     

Distribution and Composition of Microbial Populations in a Landfill Leachate Contaminated Aquifer (Grindsted, Denmark)

Abstract To investigate whether landfill leachates affected the microbial biomass and/or community composition of the extant microbiota, 37 samples were collected along a 305-m transect of a shallow landfill-leachate polluted aquifer. The samples were analyzed for total numbers of bacteria by use of the acridine orange direct count method (AODC). Numbers of dominant, specific groups of bacteria and total numbers of protozoa were measured by use of the most probable number method (MPN). Viable biomass estimates were obtained from measures of ATP and ester-linked phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) concentrations. The estimated numbers of total bacteria by direct counts were relatively constant throughout the aquifer, ranging from a low of 4.8 × 10⁶ cells/g dry weight (dw) to a high of 5.3 × 10⁷ cells/g dw. Viable biomass estimates based on PLFA concentrations were one to three orders of magnitude lower with the greatest concentrations (up to 4 × 10⁵ cells/g dw) occurring at the border of the landfill and in samples collected from thin lenses of clay and silt with sand streaks. Cell number estimates based on ATP concentrations were also found to be lower than the direct count measurements (<2.2 × 10⁶ cells/g dw), and with the greatest concentrations close to the landfill. Methanogens (Archaea) and reducers of sulfate, iron, manganese, and nitrate were all observed in the aquifer. Methanogens were found to be restricted to the most polluted and reduced part of the aquifer at a maximum cell number of 5.4 × 10⁴ cells/g dw. Populations of sulfate reducers decreased with an increase in horizontal distance from the landfill ranging from a high of 9.0 × 10³ cells/g dw to a low of 6 cells/g dw. Iron, manganese, and nitrate reducers were detected throughout the leachate plume all at maximum cell numbers of 10⁶ cells/g dw. Changes in PLFA profiles indicated that a shift in microbial community composition occurred with increasing horizontal distance from the landfill. The types and patterns of lipid biomarkers suggested that increased proportions of sulfate- and iron-reducing bacteria as well as certain microeukaryotes existed at the border of the landfill. The presence of these lipid biomarkers correlated with the MPN results. There was, however, no significant correlation between the abundances of the specific PLFA biomarkers and quantitative measurements of redox processes. The application of AODC, MPN, PLFA, and ATP analyses in the characterization of the extant microbiota within the Grindsted aquifer revealed that as distance increased from the leachate source, viable biomass decreased and community composition shifted. These results led to the conclusion that the landfill leachate induced an increase in microbial cell numbers by altering the subsurface aquifer so that it was conducive to the growth of methanogens and of iron-and sulfate-reducing bacteria and fungi. Received: 11 June 1998; Accepted: 10 December 1998     

Chemical Composition of Essential Oils and Aromatic Waters from Different Italian Anthemis maritima Populations

The chemical composition of the essential oils and aromatic waters isolated from six Italian Anthemis maritima populations was determined by GC‐FID and GC/MS analyses. In total, 122 and 100 chemical compounds were identified in the essential oils and the aromatic waters, respectively. The main compound classes represented in the oils were monoterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated monoterpenes, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated sesquiterpenes, and terpene esters. Multivariate chemometric techniques such as cluster analysis (CA) and principal coordinate analysis (PCO) were used to classify the samples according to the geographical origin. Statistical analysis allowed the attribution of the analyzed populations to different chemotype groups.     

Composition of Toluene-Degrading Microbial Communities from Soil at Different Concentrations of Toluene

Toluene-degrading bacteria were isolated from hydrocarbon-contaminated soil by incubating liquid enrichment cultures and agar plate cultures in desiccators in which the vapor pressure of toluene was controlled by dilution with vacuum pump oil. Incubation in desiccators equilibrated with either 100, 10, or 1% (wt/wt) toluene in vacuum pump oil and testing for genomic cross-hybridization resulted in four genomically distinct strains (standards) capable of growth on toluene (strains Cstd1, Cstd2, Cstd5, and Cstd7). The optimal toluene concentrations for growth of these standards on plating media differed considerably. Cstd1 grew best in an atmosphere equilibrated with 0.1% (wt/wt) toluene, but Cstd5 failed to grow in this atmosphere. Conversely, Cstd5 grew well in the presence of 10% (wt/wt) toluene, which inhibited growth of Cstd1. 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing and cross-hybridization analysis indicated that both Cstd1 and Cstd5 are members of the genus Pseudomonas. An analysis of the microbial communities in soil samples that were incubated with 10% (wt/wt) toluene with reverse sample genome probing indicated that Pseudomonas strain Cstd5 was the dominant community member. However, incubation of soil samples with 0.1% (wt/wt) toluene resulted in a community that was dominated by Pseudomonas strain Q7, a toluene degrader that has been described previously (Y. Shen, L. G. Stehmeier, and G. Voordouw, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64:637–645, 1998). Q7 was not able to grow by itself in an atmosphere equilibrated with 0.1% (wt/wt) toluene but grew efficiently in coculture with Cstd1, suggesting that toluene or metabolic derivatives of toluene were transferred from Cstd1 to Q7.     

Electrode System for the Determination of Microbial Populations

Determinations of microbial populations were carried out by using a new electrode system composed of two electrodes. Each electrode was constructed from a platinum anode and a silver peroxide cathode. The anode of the reference electrode was covered with cellulose dialysis membrane. The response time of the electrode system was 15 min in culture broth, and current differences between the two electrodes were proportional to populations of microbial cells in cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus fermentum. Current differences were reproducible; the average relative error was 5%. Furthermore, cell populations of S. cerevisiae in a fermentor could be continuously estimated by using this electrochemical method.     

黄土高原纸坊沟流域不同植物对土壤微生物生物量和土壤酶活性的影响

为了解不同植被类型对土壤微生物生物量和土壤酶活性的影响,以黄土高原纸坊沟流域的9种植物为研究对象,选取撂荒地为参照,分析了各类植被植物根际土土壤微生物生物量、土壤酶活性及其与土壤理化因子的相关性.结果显示:(1)与撂荒地相比,经过植被恢复后,乔木和灌木植被下土壤肥力、微生物生物量和土壤酶活性均有所提高,而草本植被下土壤的碱解氮含量、微生物生物量磷、脲酶活性和过氧化氢酶活性却有所降低.(2)不同植被类型土壤微生物生物量碳和氮、蔗糖酶和碱性磷酸酶活性符合灌木＞乔木＞草本的规律;土壤微生物生物量磷、脲酶和过氧化氢酶活性符合乔木＞灌木＞草本的规律.(3)土壤微生物生物量碳、氮、磷与土壤有机质、全氮及全磷含量呈极显著正相关;4种土壤酶活性与土壤有机质、全氮及碱解氮含量呈极显著正相关.研究表明,黄土高原纸坊沟流域土壤微生物生物量和土壤酶活性受植被类型及土壤养分等因素的共同影响,且人工灌木植被对土壤的恢复作用高于乔木和草本植被.