Stopover habitats of spring migrating surf scoters in southeast Alaska

Habitat conditions and nutrient reserve levels during spring migration have been suggested as important factors affecting population declines in waterfowl, emphasizing the need to identify key sites used during spring and understand habitat features and resource availability at stopover sites. We used satellite telemetry to identify stopover sites used by surf scoters migrating through southeast Alaska during spring. We then contrasted habitat features of these sites to those of random sites to determine habitat attributes corresponding to use by migrating scoters. We identified 14 stopover sites based on use by satellite tagged surf scoters from several wintering sites. We identified Lynn Canal as a particularly important stopover site for surf scoters originating throughout the Pacific winter range; approximately half of tagged coastally migrating surf scoters used this site, many for extended periods. Stopover sites were farther from the mainland coast and closer to herring spawn sites than random sites, whereas physical shoreline habitat attributes were generally poor predictors of site use. The geography and resource availability within southeast Alaska provides unique and potentially critical stopover habitat for spring migrating surf scoters. Our work identifies specific sites and habitat resources that deserve conservation and management consideration. Aggregations of birds are vulnerable to human activity impacts such as contaminant spills and resource management decisions. This information is of value to agencies and organizations responsible for emergency response planning, herring fisheries management, and bird and ecosystem conservation. © 2010 The Wildlife Society     

Sulfur-metabolizing bacterial populations in microbial mats of the Nakabusa hot spring, Japan

At the Nakabusa hot spring, Japan, dense olive-green microbial mats develop in regions where the slightly alkaline, sulfidic effluent has cooled to 65 °C. The microbial community of such mats was analyzed by focusing on the diversity, as well as the in situ distribution and function of bacteria involved in sulfur cycling. Analyses of 16S rRNA and functional genes (aprA, pufM) suggested the importance of three thermophilic bacterial groups: aerobic chemolithotrophic sulfide-oxidizing species of the genus Sulfurihydrogenibium (Aquificae), anaerobic sulfate-reducing species of the genera Thermodesulfobacterium/Thermodesulfatator, and filamentous anoxygenic photosynthetic species of the genus Chloroflexus. A new oligonucleotide probe specific for Sulfurihydrogenibium was designed and optimized for catalyzed reporter deposition fluorescence in situ hybridization (CARD-FISH). In situ hybridizations of thin mat sections showed a heterogeneous vertical distribution of Sulfurihydrogenibium and Chloroflexus. Sulfurihydrogenibium dominated near the mat surface (50% of the total mat biovolume), while Chloroflexus dominated in deeper layers (up to 64% of the total mat biovolume). Physiological experiments monitoring in vitro changes of sulfide concentration indicated slight sulfide production by sulfate-reducing bacteria under anoxic-dark conditions, sulfide consumption by photosynthetic bacteria under anoxic-light conditions and strong sulfide oxidation by chemolithotrophic members of Aquificae under oxic-dark condition. We therefore propose that Sulfurihydrogenibium spp. act as highly efficient scavengers of oxygen from the spring water, thus creating a favorable, anoxic environment for Chloroflexus and Thermodesulfobacterium/Thermodesulfatator in deeper layers.     

Genetic Diversity among Thermophilic Bacteria Isolated from Geothermal Sites by Using Two PCR Typing Methods

Microbial communities thriving at two hot springs, Hammam Pharaon (Pharaoh's Bath) and Oyoun Mossa (Moses springs), in Egypt was studied by cultural and molecular methods. Thirteen morphologically distinct strains of facultative anaerobic thermophilic bacterial isolates have been characterized and identified using phenotypic and genotypic characters including RAPD-PCR, ERIC-PCR typing, plasmid analysis and 16S rRNA sequencing. All isolates produced plasmid DNA with various sizes ranging from 0.7 kb to a larger plasmid 7.2 kb. The bacterial strains could tolerate a temperature range between 45 to 85°C and a pH between 4–11. Also, sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in the thermal springs were investigated with combined biochemical and molecular approaches. A sulphate-reducing bacteria medium containing lactate was used for enrichment and isolation, which yielded Gram negative, rod shaped, anaerobic, non-spore-forming and motile bacteria capable of reducing sulphate to sulphide. These grew at temperatures ranging from 30 to 50°C and could use pyruvate, lactate and ethanol as electron donors. The dissimilatory sulphite reductase (DSR) gene sequences of eleven representative isolates revealed that the strains belonged to the sulphur reducing bacterial species Desulfovibrio vulgaris. 16S rRNA gene partial sequence results indicated the presence of novel or existing species of Bacillus (one species), Anoxybacillus (four species) and Geobacillus (eight species). In this study phenotypic and genotypic diversity were applied for the first time to differentiate thermophilic bacteria of such geothermal sites in Sinai, Egypt.     

温泉微生物多样性与酶类分析

温泉微生物多样性包括物种多样性、遗传多样性、生理多样性和生态多样性。温泉微生物多样性受地理位置、温度和酸碱度、水化学成分(硫、硼、铁、砷等离子和化合物)及氧气和光照等生态因子的影响。目前已经从温泉微生物中筛选出了许多具有热稳定性的酶。本文分析了温泉微生物多样性及其影响因素,并讨论了具有广泛应用价值的温泉微生物酶,为拓展我国温泉微生物多样性研究、深入认识和开发温泉微生物资源提供基础。     

人类活动与气候变化对洪湖春旱的影响

近年来洪湖地区干旱事件频繁发生,对该地区农业生产与生态环境造成了极大影响。利用1960—2011年气候资料、近30年洪湖水文、土地利用资料,采用湖泊水量平衡方法、统计学等方法,研究分析了人类活动和气候变化对洪湖春季干旱的影响。结果表明:伴随全球气候变化该地区年降水和夏季降水呈增加趋势,而春季降水尤其是春季少雨年的降水量减少趋势明显,其减少速率为12.57 mn/10a,达到了α=0.1显著水平;洪湖5月水位高度依赖春季降水,降水对它贡献率为0.36 m/100mm。近20年来,洪湖周边两县市水产养殖面积增加了7倍,在降水偏少时,农业灌溉需水量20a增加了4.14×10~8m~3以上;水产养殖消耗大量春季水资源,对洪湖5月水位的影响率为-0.158 m/10~4hm~2,达到了0.1的显著性水平。人类活动与气候变化是洪湖春旱增多加重两个重要原因,比较它们的变化量与影响率,人类活动对洪湖春旱的影响更大。为维护洪湖生态功能,减轻干旱影响,必须调整农业结构。     

西北黄土高原半干旱区全膜覆土穴播对土壤水热环境和小麦产量的影响

全膜覆土穴播是西北黄土高原旱作区大面积应用于密植作物栽培的关键增产技术,可显著提高降水利用率和作物生产力,但目前对其增产机制和环境效应缺乏系统研究分析。在2011—2013年以春小麦陇春27号为试验材料,设全膜覆土穴播(FMS)、地膜覆盖穴播(FM)和露地穴播(CK)3个处理,研究半干旱旱作区全膜覆土穴播的土壤水热效应及其对小麦产量的影响。结果表明,小麦苗期FMS在0—25 cm土层的平均地温比CK提高1.4—3.5℃,但孕穗到灌浆期正午地表地温比FM和CK分别降低5.3—6.4℃和3.1—4.3℃。FMS和FM使小麦拔节前0—200 cm土层土壤贮水量分别增加33.1和29.3 mm,且可促进小麦对深层水分(100—200 cm)的利用,FMS成熟期100—200 cm土层土壤贮水量比播前下降44.4—69.6 mm,较CK高8.4—145.5%,但FMS在休闲期补充土壤水分77—127 mm,分别较FM和CK增加4.5%—40.9%和12.8%—109.5%;FMS的休闲效率为30.5%—52.6%,比CK高12.8%—109.5%,比FM高4.5%—40.9%。基于对土壤水热环境和作物耗水的影响,FMS的产量达1750—3180 kg/hm2,水分利用效率为5.5—11.5 kg hm-2mm-1,分别比CK增加40%—220%和27%—239%,而且干旱年份的增加幅度更高。因此,FMS改善了小麦生长前期的土壤水热条件,调节作物不同生育期的耗水强度,显著提高作物水分利用效率和产量,并提高降水休闲效率,使小麦生育期耗散的土壤水分在休闲期得到有效补充。     

华北旱地覆膜春玉米田水温效应及增产限制因子

为探求覆膜栽培春玉米旱作田土壤水温变化特征及其对玉米产量和水分利用效率(WUE)的影响,设计垄作覆膜、垄作裸地、平作覆膜、平作裸地(对照)4个处理的田间试验,对春玉米田各生育时段的土壤温度、土层水分、耗水结构及玉米产量进行了监测.结果表明：自播种到抽雄的生育前期春玉米田覆膜较裸地增温1～3 ℃,土壤积温增加155.2～280.9 ℃;延长生育期约5.9～10.7 d.自播种到成苗期覆膜保水效应显著,WUE较裸地提高81.6%～136.4%.春玉米成苗到拔节期正值该区域稳定干旱期,覆膜处理土壤供水层深达80～100 cm,干旱胁迫使WUE较对照降低17.0%～21.6%,产生奢侈耗水.春玉米小喇叭口期后进入雨季,各处理土体复水,并产生过饱渗漏,最终使收获期土体水分与播期持平,贮水丰富.垄作覆膜较裸地增产9.5%;平作覆膜不利于降水入渗而导致渍水,减产5.0%;垄作裸地与平作裸地差异不显著.以雨季前气象干旱期的土壤枯水与雨季后的土壤库水为特征的春玉米田水分供求时序失衡,限制了春玉米的高产.     

一小型温泉中降解淀粉细菌的筛选、鉴定与淀粉酶性质初步分析

为筛选耐热淀粉酶产生菌并揭示其在温泉中的分布情况,从腾冲县腊幸村一小型热泉不同部位采集样品进行微生物分离及鉴定。样品在65℃培养,挑选形态有差异的菌落点种淀粉-台盼蓝平板,共获得34株具有淀粉降解能力的细菌。分子鉴定结果显示,从温泉底部沙土中筛选得到细菌具有较高的生物多样性,9株具有淀粉降解能力的细菌分别属于土芽胞杆菌(Geobacillus)、厌氧芽胞杆菌(Anoxybacillus)和芽胞杆菌(Bacillus)3个属、7个种,菌株间16S rDNA序列均有一定的差异。对编号为201(Geobacillus thermoglucosidasius)和208(Anoxybacillus flavithermus)的菌株胞外淀粉酶进行初步分析,其胞外淀粉酶最适温度分别为60和70℃,均高于淀粉糊化温度,具有一定的应用潜力。     

间作模式下冬小麦与春玉米根系的时空分布规律

采用大口径土钻对间作种植模式下冬小麦与春玉米根系进行取样,分析了两种作物根系的空间分布及动态变化规律．结果表明：间作冬小麦根系在空间上呈幂函数递减规律,间作春玉米根系呈指数递减规律．采用多元线性回归建立间作冬小麦和春玉米根系质量密度（R）的二维空间分布函数,经验证,两种作物根系质量密度的二维分布函数均可反映作物根系的实际生长状况．