The effect of temperature on energy distribution during the last-larval stadium of the female house cricket, Acheta domesticus

The distribution of energy during the last stadium of the house cricket at two temperatures was the main theme of this study. Food consumption, growth, and oxygen consumption were greater in the first half of the stadium at both 25 and 35°C. An RQ > 1 indicated the conversion of carbohydrates to lipids during the first half of the instar at both temperatures. The duration of the stadium increased from 6 days at 35°C to 14 days at 25°C. The same maximal weight, protein content and lipid content were attained at both 25 and 35°C. A weight loss (mostly in stored lipids) after the midstadium peak weight was greater at the lower temperature. The absorption efficiency and the production of metabolic wastes were not affected by temperature, but the metabolic efficiency was much higher at 35 than at 25°C during the first half as well as the latter half of the stadium. Although during the first half of the stadium more energy was ingested, absorbed, and made available for growth at 25 than at 35°C, only slightly more growth occurred at 25°C. During the last half of the stadium less energy was ingested at 25 than at 35°C, and much more growth occurred at 35°C because of the even greater heat loss at 25 than at 35°C. Therefore at a lower temperature cricket larvae eat slightly more and reach the same maximal weight as at a higher temperature, but they end up smaller because they waste more energy during the extended duration of the stadium at the lower temperature.     

Effects of fertigation scheme on N uptake and N use efficiency in cotton

While fertigation can increase fertilizer use efficiency, there is an uncertainly as to whether the fertilizer should be introduced at the beginning of the irrigation or at the end, or introduced during irrigation. Our objective was to determine the effect of different fertigation schemes on nitrogen (N) uptake and N use efficiency (NUE) in cotton plants. A pot experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions in year 2004 and 2005. According to the application timing of nitrogen (N) fertilizer solution and water (W) involved in an irrigation cycle, four nitrogen fertigation schemes [nitrogen applied at the beginning of the irrigation cycle (N–W), nitrogen applied at the end of the irrigation cycle (W–N), nitrogen applied in the middle of the irrigation cycle (W–N–W) and nitrogen applied throughout the irrigation cycle (N&W)] were employed in a completely randomized design with four replications. Cotton was grown in plastic containers with a volume of 84 l, which were filled with a clay loam soil and fertilized with 6.4 g of N per pot as unlabeled and ¹⁵N-labeled urea for 2004 and 2005, respectively. Plant total dry matter (DM) and N content in N–W was significantly higher than in N&W in both seasons, but these were not consistent for W–N and W–N–W treatments. In year 2005, a significantly higher nitrogen derived from fertilizer (NDFF) for the whole plant was found in W–N and N–W than that in W–N–W and N&W. Fertigation scheme had a consistent effect on total NUE: N–W had the highest NUE for the whole plant, but this was not significantly different from W–N. Treatments W–N and W–N–W had similar total NUE, and N&W had the lowest total NUE. After harvesting, the total residual fertilizer N in the soil was highest in W–N, lowest in N–W, but this was not significantly different from N&W and W–N–W treatments. Total residual NO₃–N in the soil in N&W and W–N treatments was 20.7 and 21.2% higher than that in N–W, respectively. The total ¹⁵N recovery was not statistically significant between the four fertigation schemes. In this study, the fertigation scheme N–W (nitrogen applied at the beginning of an irrigation cycle) increased DM accumulation, N uptake and NUE of cotton. This study indicates that Nitrogen application at the beginning of an irrigation cycle has an advantage on N uptake and NUE of cotton. Therefore, NUE could be enhanced by optimizing fertilization schemes with drip irrigation.     

Difference in the predation impact enhanced by morphological divergence between introduced fish populations

The strength of predation impact on recipient environments may vary among introduced populations due to their local adaptations to different prey. We examined whether functional diversification associated with morphological differences may be observed among the introduced populations of invasive bluegill sunfish Lepomis macrochirus (Perciformes, Centrarchidae) in Japan. The two examined populations are morphologically different, although they were recently derived from a common American source and colonized in different lakes. We performed a laboratory experiment wherein these populations were fed the benthic (chironomid larva) and the pelagic prey (daphnid zooplankton). The results revealed that a population colonizing in a shallower lake and foraging on benthic invertebrates in the wild had a greater impact on the benthic prey, whereas the other population colonizing in a deeper lake and foraging on crustacean zooplankton have consumed the pelagic prey more efficiently. A series of regression analyses showed that morphological differences among individuals were responsible for these population differences. The evidence obtained suggests that morphological adaptations by introduced bluegill populations enhance the strength of predation impact on a prey resource consumed in a relevant environment, but reduce the impact on the other prey. Thus, although the introduced Japanese populations were recently derived from a common ancestor, the predation impacts on the native prey community vary due to morphological adaptations to different prey.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 91 , 601–610.     

二倍体、四倍体和六倍体小麦产量及水分利用效率

试验选用了6个不同染色体倍性的小麦进化材料（3个二倍体、2个四倍体和1个六倍体）,分别在不同水肥条件下研究其根系、地上生物量、产量、蒸腾耗水量和水分利用效率等指标,旨在阐明小麦进化材料产量及水分利用效率的差异及水肥条件对这些特性的影响。试验表明：不同倍性小麦进化材料的生物量、产量和水分利用存在显著的差异,而且水肥条件对其有显著影响。在染色体倍性由2n→4n→6n的进化过程中,小麦根系及地上生物量均先增加后降低,而产量却显著增加,这与收获指数的增加有关。小麦产量的大小顺序为：T.aestivum〉T.dicoccum〉T.dicoccoides〉Ae.squarrosa〉Ae.speltoides〉T.boeoticum。水分亏缺显著降低小麦的生物量、产量和收获指数;在不同水分条件下,增加施肥量有利于这些指标的增加。但是水分亏缺下,增加施肥却降低各小麦材料的根系生物量。随小麦的进化,蒸腾耗水量显著降低,这与其生育期缩短有关;而生物量水分利用效率和产量水分利用效率却显著升高,且后者的差异要大于前者。各小麦产量水分利用效率的大小排序与产量的完全一致。水分亏缺处理显著减少各小麦进化材料的蒸腾耗水量47％～52％，而显著增加生物量水分利用效率3％～40％；但水分亏缺对产量水分利用效率的促进作用却随染色体倍性的增加而降低，甚至降低六倍体小麦T.aestivum的产量水分利用效率19％。不同水分条件下，高肥处理均有利于蒸腾耗水量、生物量水分利用效率和产量水分利用效率的增加。     

荣成天鹅湖湿地越冬大天鹅食性分析

2005年12月～2006年3月以大天鹅(Cygnus cygnus)为对象,研究其越冬期间的食性,利用粪便显微组织分析法定量调查其食物组成。结果表明,大天鹅的越冬食物主要为小麦(Triticum aestivum)、海带(Laminaria japonica)和大叶藻(Zostera marina),其中,小麦的比例最大,分别占冬季食物组成的99.67%和早春的90.17%。对冬季与早春的食物组成的差异进行分析,发现大天鹅在天鹅湖保护区发生了食物替代现象。结合以往资料,认为生态污染和湿地结构性破坏导致大天鹅传统食物减少,致使食物替代现象的发生。     

Effects of straw mulching on soil temperature, evaporation and yield of winter wheat: field experiments on the North China Plain

Straw mulching is an effective measure to conserve soil moisture. However, the existence of straw on the soil surface also affects soil temperature, which in turn influences crop growth, especially of winter crops. Five‐year field experiments (2000–2005) investigated the effects of straw mulching and straw mass on soil temperature, soil evaporation, crop growth and development, yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) at Luancheng Station on the North China Plain. Soil is a moderately well‐drained loamy soil with a deep profile at the station. Two quantities of mulch were used: 3000 kg ha^?1 [less mulching (LM)] and 6000 kg ha^?1 [more mulching (MM)], representing half and all of the straw from the previous crop (maize). In the control (CK), the full quantity of mulch was ploughed into the top 20 cm of soil. The results showed that the existence of straw on the soil surface reduced the maximum, but increased the minimum diurnal soil temperature. When soil temperature was decreasing (from November to early February the next year), soil temperature (0–10 cm) under straw mulching was on average 0.3°C higher for LM and 0.58°C higher for MM than that without mulching (CK). During the period when soil temperature increased (from February to early April, the recovery and jointing stages of winter wheat), average daily soil temperature of 0–10 cm was 0.42°C lower for LM and 0.65°C lower for MM than that of CK. With the increase in leaf area index, the effect of mulching on soil temperature gradually disappeared. The lower soil temperature under mulch in spring delayed the development of winter wheat up to 7 days, which on average reduced the final grain yield by 5% for LM and 7% for MM compared with CK over the five seasons. Mulch reduced soil evaporation by 21% under LM and 40% under MM compared with CK, based on daily measuring of microlysimeters. However, because yield was reduced, the overall WUE was not improved by mulch.     

Capitalizing on multi-element interactions through balanced nutrition - A pathway to improve nitrogen use efficiency in China, India and North America

A viable option for increasing nitrogen (N) use efficiency and mitigation of negative impacts of N on the environment is to capitalize on multi-element interactions through implementation of nutrient management programs that provide balanced nutrition. Numerous studies have demonstrated the immediate efficacy of this approach in the developing regions like China and India as well as developed countries in North America. Based on 241 site-years of experiments in these countries, the first-year N recovery efficiency (RE) for the conventional or check treatments averaged 21% while the balanced treatments averaged 54% RE, for an average increase of 33% in RE due to balanced nutrition. Effective policies to promote adoption are most likely those that enable site-specific approaches to nutrient management decisions rather than sweeping, nation-wide incentives supporting one nutrient over another. Local farmers, advisers and officials need to be empowered with tools and information to help them define necessary changes in practices to create more balanced nutrient management.     

Iron-chlorophyllin-mediated conversion of 3-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2(NHOH)) into its nitroso derivative

Early work from our laboratory has shown that the mutagenicity of heterocyclic amines in Salmonella can be inhibited by hemin and chlorophyllins. We have speculated that the inhibition is a result of complex formation between heterocyclic amines and the pigments, and the speculation has been given a line of experimental evidence. We have now found that ferric-chlorophyllin (Fe-chlorophyllin) can modify the mutagenicity of 3-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2(NHOH)), a metabolically activated form of 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2). The mutagenicity of Trp-P-2(NHOH)) in Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 (without S9) was strongly inhibited by an addition of an equimolar Fe-chlorophyllin in the pre-incubation mixture. Fe-chlorophyllin also inhibited the mutagenicity of 2-hydroxyamino-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3′,2′-d] imidazole (Glu-P-1(NHOH)). A rapid change in the UV spectrum of a mixture of Trp-P-2(NHOH) and Fe-chlorophyllin was observed. Analysis by high performance liquid chromatography showed that Trp-P-2(NHOH) was converted into 3-nitroso-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2(NO)), the mutagenic potency of which is a quarter of that of Trp-P-2(NHOH). Furthermore, the mutagenicity of Trp-P-2(NO), in turn, was inhibited by Fe-chlorophyllin. We conclude that the suppression of the mutagenicity of Trp-P-2(NHOH) is ascribable to the oxidative function of Fe-chlorophyllin, coupled with its ability to form complex formation with the planar surface of the heterocyclic amine molecules.     

Heterospecific attraction and food resources in migrants' breeding patch selection in northern boreal forest

We studied experimentally how heterospecific attraction may affect habitat selection of migrant passerine birds in Finnish Lapland. We manipulated the densities of resident tit species (Parus spp.). In four study plots residents were removed before the arrival of the migrants in the first study year, and in four other plots their densities were increased by releasing caught individuals. In the second year the treatments of the areas were reversed, allowing paired comparisons within each plot. We also investigated the relative abundance of arthropods in the study plots by the sweep-net method. This allowed us to estimate the effect of food resources on the abundance of birds. The heterospecific attraction hypothesis predicts that densities of migrant species (especially habitat generalists) would be higher during increased resident density. Results supported this prediction. Densities and number of the most abundant migrant species were significantly higher when resident density was increased than when they were removed. On the species level the redwing (Turdus iliacus) showed the strongest positive response to the increased abundance of tits. Migrant bird abundances seemed not to vary in parallel with relative arthropod abundance, with the exception of the pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) which showed a strongly positive correlation with many arthropod groups. The results of the experiment indicate that migrants can use resident tit species as a cue to a profitable breeding patch. The relationship between the abundance of the birds and arthropods suggests that annual changes in food resources during the breeding season probably do not have a very important effect on bird populations in these areas. The results stress the importance of positive interspecific interactions in structuring northern breeding bird communities. Received: 1 September 1997 / Accepted: 22 January 1998