The contribution of nitrogen by promiscuous soybeans to maize based cropping the moist savanna of Nigeria

Agronomic results indicate that maize grain yields generally are higher when the crop is planted following soybean than in continuous maize cultivation in the moist savanna agroecological zones of West Africa. Many factors have been hypothesized to explain this phenomenon, including enhanced N availability and the so-called `rotational effect'. There is, however, hardly any quantitative information on the residual N benefits of promiscuous soybeans to subsequent cereal crops grown in rotation with soybean. Three IITA promiscuous soybean breeding lines and two Brazilian soybean lines were grown in 1994 and 1995 at Mokwa in the southern Guinea savanna, Nigeria, to quantify the nitrogen contribution by soybeans to a succeeding crop of maize grown in rotation with soybean for two consecutive years, 1996 and 1997 using two methods of introducing ¹⁵N into soil (fresh ¹⁵N labelling and its residual ¹⁵N) and three maize cultivars (including one cultivar with high N use efficiency) used as reference plants. The nodulating soybeans fixed between 44 and 103 kg N ha^–1 of their total N and had an estimated net N balance input from fixation following grain harvest ranging from –8 to 43 kg N ha^–1. Results in 1996 and in 1997 showed that maize growing after soybean had significantly higher grain yield (1.2 – 2.3-fold increase compared to maize control) except for maize cultivar Oba super 2 (8644-27) (a N-efficient hybrid). The ¹⁵N isotope dilution method was able to estimate N contribution by promiscuous soybeans to maize only in the first succeeding maize crop grown in 1996 but not in the second maize crop in 1997. The first crop of maize grown after soybean accumulated an average between 10 and 22 kg N ha^–1 from soybean residue, representing 17–33% of the soybean total N ha^–1. The percentage ¹⁵N derived from residue recovery in maize grown after maize was influenced by the maize cultivars. Maize crop grown after the N-efficient hybrid cultivar Oba Super 2 (844-27) had similar ¹⁵N values similar to maize grown after soybeans, confirming the ability of this cultivar to use N efficiently in low N soil due to an efficient N translocation ability. The maize crop in 1997 grown after maize had lower ¹⁵N enrichment than that grown in soybean plots, suggesting that soybean residues contributed a little to soil available N and to crop N uptake by the second maize crop. The differential mineralization and immobilization turnover of maize and soybean residues in these soils may be important and N contribution estimates in longer term rotation involving legumes and cereals may be difficult to quantify using the ¹⁵N labelling approaches. Therefore alternative methods are required to measure N release from organic residues in these cropping systems.     

纵纹腹小鸮DNA指纹谱探针的筛选和初步应用

以人工合成的微卫星序列 (GTG) 5,(GT) 8,(CAC) 5和人源小卫星 33 1 5作引物 ,扩增纵纹腹小的基因组DNA ,产生多态性DNA片段 ,回收了 8个表现个体特异性的片段。当用小的基因组总DNA探针与它们杂交时 ,其中 2个表现阳性 ,说明PCR方法扩增出的高变异产物含有重复序列。用含重复序列的个体特异性PCR产物作探针 ,与无关个体小基因组DNA的HaeⅢ酶切产物进行DNA印迹 ,获得了变异性较高的DNA指纹图谱。且通过对京白鸡家系分析表明 ,用小基因组DNA的PCR产物分离制备的探针所获得的DNA指纹图带能够稳定的遗传。因此 ,高变异的PCR产物可以有效地用作DNA指纹探针。     

Pleistocene calcareous nannofossil stratigraphy for ODP Leg 177 (Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean)

Seven Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) sites recovered during ODP Leg 177 in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean were analyzed to study the Pleistocene calcareous nannofossil record. Calcareous nannofossil events previously described from intermediate and low latitudes were identified and calibrated with available geomagnetic and stable isotope stratigraphic data. In general, Pleistocene southern high latitude calcareous nannofossil events show synchronicity with those observed from warm and temperate latitudes. The first occurrence (FO) of Emiliania huxleyi and the last occurrence (LO) of Pseudoemiliania lacunosa are observed in marine isotope stages (MIS) 8 and 12, respectively. A reversal in abundance between Gephyrocapsa muellerae and E. huxleyi is observed at MIS 5. MIS 6 is characterized by an increase in G. muellerae and MIS 7 features a dramatic decrease in the proportion of Gephyrocapsa caribbeanica. This latter species began to increase its proportions from MIS 14 to 13. The LO of Reticulofenestra asanoi is observed within subchron C1r.1r and the FO of R. asanoi occurs at the top of C1r.2r. A re-entry of medium-sized Gephyrocapsa can be identified in some cores during subchron C1r.1n. The LO of large morphotypes of Gephyrocapsa is well correlated through the studied area, and occurs during the middle-low part of subchron C1r.2r, synchronous with other oceanic regions. The FO of Calcidiscus macintyrei and FO of medium-sized Gephyrocapsa occur in the studied area close to 1.6 Ma.     

Plant communities of a Central Namib inselberg landscape

Abstract. Three granite inselbergs and six dolerite dykes and their surroundings were investigated in the Central Namib, at the interface between the Namib Desert and Nama Karoo biomes. The main objectives of this study included a phytoso‐ciological interpretation of the described plant communities, explanation of the correlation of the communities with environmental variables and quantification of the relative contribution of different types of variables to structuring plant communities. Nine grassland and shrubland plant communities were recognized, largely organized according to general habitat, elevation, size of inselberg and geology. Soil properties, often thought to play an important role in arid environments, showed no clear patterns in the level of analyses used in this study. Other environmental parameters of importance in arid mountain habitats, such as slope aspect and angle, also played a minor role. The main implications of the study are: 1. Central Namib inselbergs, particularly granite domes, harbour diverse plant communities, often with species from neighbouring higher rainfall areas, and are thus of high conservation value. 2. The poor contribution of environmental variables in this study, which are conventionally used in field studies of plant community – environment relationships, may demand a critical review of additional parameters to be included when analysing plant community – environment relations in arid environments. In particular between‐season variation, phytogeographic aspects and the heterogeneity of microhabitats, often contained within a plant community, need to be taken into account.     

Solar UV-B radiation affects below-ground parameters in a fen ecosystem in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina: implications of stratospheric ozone depletion

Stratospheric ozone depletion caused by the release of chlorofluorocarbons is most pronounced at high latitudes, especially in the Southern Hemisphere (including the so‐called ‘ozone hole’). The consequent increase in solar ultraviolet‐B radiation (UV‐B, 280–315 nm) reaching the earth's surface may cause a variety of alterations in terrestrial ecosystems. Most effects might be expected to occur above‐ground since sunlight does not penetrate effectively below‐ground. Here, we demonstrate that solar UV‐B radiation in a fen in Tierra del Fuego (Argentina), where the ozone hole passes overhead several times during the Austral spring, is causing large changes of below‐ground processes of this ecosystem. During the third and fourth year of a manipulative field experiment, we investigated root systems in these plots and found that when the ambient solar UV‐B radiation was substantially reduced, there was a 30% increase in summer root length production and as much as a threefold decrease in already low symbiotic mycorrhizal colonization frequency of the roots compared with plots receiving near‐ambient solar UV‐B. There was also an apparent shift toward older age classes of roots under reduced solar UV‐B. Such large changes in root system behaviour may have decided effects on competition and other ecological interactions in this ecosystem.     

Classification and ordination of plant communities of the Naukluft Mountains,Namibia

Abstract. To determine the relationship between vegetation and environmental parameters in a desert‐savanna ecotone, vegetation in the Naukluft Mountains of Namibia (southern Africa) was described and analysed in terms of environmental parameters determining the observed patterns. 12 plant communities, largely characterized by low shrubs, were described on the basis of a classification. Through ordination altitude, clay, potassium content of the substrate and, to a lesser extent, habitats were identified as underlying environmental factors determining the composition of these plant communities. The edaphic parameters showed some correlation with subsurface geology, but microclimatic conditions, water availability and level of disturbance appeared to override the effect of nutrient composition provided by different substrate. Communities of conservation importance, such as plant communities composed of Karoo shrubs, are prevalent on the mountain plateau, presenting an isolated outpost of Nama Karoo vegetation. The transitional status between desert and savanna, remnant patches of Nama Karoo and the high habitat diversity mark the importance of this high altitude area for biodiversity conservation.     

Mx—cre转基因小鼠品系的建立及其培育

将携带MX启动子调控的Cre基因真核表达载体pMx-cre线性化后,通过受卵显微注射途径制备转基因小鼠,共注射99个卵,产佴0只,利用PCR对小鼠进行筛选,以基因组Southern blot确证,最后得到一个阳性的小鼠品系,进而将其保护和扩大繁殖。     

Genetic variation of Sherardia arvensis L. – How land use and fragmentation affect an arable weed

The distribution of arable weeds extends over regions, where the species occur naturally in different kinds of habitats and regions, where they are mainly limited to arable fields.Here, we present a comparative study on the genetic structure of the arable weed Sherardia arvensis L. comprising populations from Mediterranean grasslands in Southern France and populations from arable fields in Germany. Enhanced by intensified land use since the 1960th, overall population density in Germany is very low compared to the density of populations in Southern France. We tested whether genetic variation within and among populations differ between France and Germany due to different patterns of distribution and land use. Therefore, we analysed 231 individuals of S. arvensis from 24 populations using AFLPs. Based on fragment analysis data we compared spatial genetic structure and genetic variation of populations from the two regions.Genetic variation within populations from the two regions (Shannon Index = 0.13 for both) and genetic variation among populations (26.8% and 30.0% in an analysis of molecular variance) were comparable. In both regions a drift-migration model supported the assumption of gene flow between populations. However, a clear correlation of geographical and genetic distances could only be reported for the indigenous populations from France (r = 0.46; P = 0.02), whereas in Germany a spatial genetic relationship between populations was missing (r = 0.16; P = 0.21).Our study revealed that neither French nor German populations are genetically impoverished. For French populations further the spatial genetic structure suggests that there is current gene flow between populations through pollinators and seed dispersal by cattle. For German populations comparable levels of genetic diversity and gene flow were detected, but gene flow was random. This can be traced back in all likelihood to diffuse dispersal by agriculture and the mechanical reshuffling of the individuals from the soil seed bank.     

Description of Careproctus guillemi n. sp. (Pisces: Scorpaeniformes) from Weddell Sea

Careproctus guillemi differs from the other Careproctus species in the following combination of characters: pectoral fin rays 22 (11 + 4+7); pectoral girdle with three round radials (1 + 0+ 1 + 1); mouth oblique and maxillary extending beyond posterior edge of eye. Relationships between C. guillemi and C. longipectoralis are provided. The endochondral pectoral girdle of C. longipectoralis is described for the first time.