Location and agricultural practices influence spring use of harvested cornfields by cranes and geese in Nebraska

Millions of ducks, geese, and sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis; hereafter cranes) stop in the Central Platte River Valley (CPRV) of Nebraska to store nutrients for migration and reproduction by consuming corn remaining in fields after harvest. We examined factors that influence use of cornfields by cranes and geese (all mid-continent species combined; e.g., Anser, Chen, and Branta spp.) because it is a key step to efficient conservation planning aimed at ensuring that adequate food resources are available to migratory birds stopping in the CPRV. Distance to night-time roost site, segment of the CPRV (west to east), and agricultural practices (post-harvest treatment of cornfields: idle, grazed, mulched, mulched and grazed, and tilled) were the most important and influential variables in our models for geese and cranes. Probability of cornfield use by geese and cranes decreased with increasing distance from the closest potential roosting site. The use of cornfields by geese increased with the density of corn present there during the early migration period, but field use by cranes appeared not to be influenced by early migration corn density. However, probability of cornfield use by cranes did increase with the amount of wet grassland habitat within 4.8 km of the field. Geese were most likely to use fields that were tilled and least likely to use fields that were mulched and grazed. Cranes were most likely to use fields that were mulched and least likely to use fields that were tilled, but grazing appeared not to influence the likelihood of field use by cranes. Geese were more likely to use cornfields in western segments of the CPRV, but cranes were more likely to use cornfields in eastern segments. Our data suggest that managers could favor crane use of fields and reduce direct competition with geese by reducing fall and spring tilling and increasing mulching. Moreover, crane conservation efforts would be most beneficial if they were focused in the eastern portions of the CPRV and in fields as close as possible to both known roosting and large amounts of wet grassland habitats. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.     

气候变化背景下中国农业气候资源变化Ⅵ. 黑龙江省三江平原地区降水资源变化特征及其对春玉米生产的可能影响

利用黑龙江省三江平原地区1959—2007年降水资料和1983—2007年春玉米生育期资料,采用百分位法确定了各站点的极端降水阈值,结合极端降水频次、强度、最长连续（无）降水日数、极端降水贡献率等指标,分析了三江平原地区极端降水的年际间变化特征、不同等级的降水量变化以及春玉米各生育阶段极端降水的分配特征.结果表明：1959—2007年间,研究区域年降水量呈略微减少趋势,且年降水日数的减幅远大于降水量,年内降水量分布更趋于集中;极端降水频次和强度均呈减少趋势,极端降水频次的年际间波动大于极端降水强度;年极端降水量占全年降水量的比例略有减少,减少趋势不显著;年小雨日数极显著减少,而年中雨日数和年内大到暴雨日数的减少趋势不显著.三江平原地区春玉米各生育阶段的极端降水分配比例由高到低依次为生殖生长阶段、营养生长与生殖生长并存阶段、营养生长阶段和出苗前;春玉米生长季内降水量占年降水量的比例显著减少,导致春玉米生长季缺水的风险加大;春玉米生长季内最长连续无降水日数呈极显著增加趋势,增幅达1.1 d·(10 a) ^-1,而最长连续降水日数却呈极显著下降趋势,减幅为0.5 d·(10 a)^-1,说明研究区自然降水条件下春玉米生长季干旱风险有所加大.     

Aluminum Exclusion Mechanism in Root Tips of Maize (Zea mays L.): Lysigeny of Aluminum Hyperaccumulator Cells

Abstract: Ultrastructural studies, together with X-ray microanalytical, immunocytochemical and cytochemical analysis performed in root tips of Al-resistant (C-525 M) and Al-sensitive (Adour 250, HS 7777 and BR 201 F) maize plants ( Zea mays L.), after 96 h exposure to 20 μM Al, showed qualitatively similar results in the four cultivars.
Al was identified in electron-opaque precipitates, which were insoluble even in EDTA chelate. They also contained an elevated proportion of P and also of K and Ca, some traces of Mn, Fe and Zn and sometimes of Mg. This elemental composition is similar to that described for phytin (Al-phytin), and the precipitates were localized in the two principal extraplasmatic compartments: cell walls and vacuoles. Al-phytin was detected in swollen areas of cell walls in membraneous concentric configurations, resembling myelin figures, probably rich in phosphatidyl inositol, which also intervene in the vacuolar internalization of Al-phytin and are similar to a peculiar form of endocytosis (not previously described). Abnormal apoplastic protuberances containing abundant electron-opaque Al-phytin deposits, agglutinated by callose (immunocytochemically identified), were shown in cortex cells with high mitotic activity (around 1 - 1.5 mm from cap root). Al-hyperaccumulator cells parallel to the root axis were correlated with longitudinal lysigenous intercellular spaces after cell death and dissolution (lysigeny). Indicators of activated lysigeny, as low levels of Al and callose (in agreement with other authors) and high levels of phosphoinositides, can mark Al-resistant genotypes, contrary to Al-sensitive genotypes, probably derived from a partially activated or even inactivated lysigeny.
The lysigeny of Al hyperaccumulator cells constitutes new ultrastructural evidence of an Al exclusion mechanism, supporting biochemical results reported by other investigators.     

A study of crop-to-crop gene flow using farm scale sites of fodder maize (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Zea mays</Emphasis> L.) in the UK

From 2000 to 2003 a range of Farm Scale Evaluation (FSE) trials were established in the UK to assess the effect of the release and management of herbicide tolerant (HT) crops on arable weeds and invertebrates. The FSE trials for maize were also used to investigate crop-to-crop gene flow and to develop a statistical model for the prediction of gene flow frequency that can be used to evaluate current separation distance guidelines for GM crops. Seed samples were collected from the non-GM half of 55 trial sites and 1,055 were tested for evidence of gene flow from the GM HT halves using a quantitative PCR assay specific to the HT (pat) gene. Rates of gene flow were found to decrease rapidly with increasing distance from the GM source. Gene flow was detected in 30% of the samples (40 out of 135) at 150 m from the GM source and events of GM to non-GM gene flow were detected at distances up to and including 200 m from the GM source. The quantitative data were subjected to statistical analysis and a two-step model was found to provide the best fit for the data. A dynamic whole field model predicted that a square field (150 m x 150 m in size) of grain maize would require a separation distance of 3 m for the adjacent crop to be below a 0.9% threshold (with <2% probability of exceeding the threshold). The data and models presented here are discussed in the context of necessary separation distances to achieve various possible thresholds for adventitious presence of GM in maize.     

中国春ph2b突变体×华山新麦草F1自交和回交一代细胞遗传学研究

用中国春ph2b突变体（Triticum aestivum L.cv.Chinese Spring）与华山新麦草（Psathyrostachys huashanica Keng）杂种F1的部分进行自交,而另一部分与3个不同的普通小麦品种以及中国春ph2b突变体进行回交,并对自交和回交一代的形态学和细胞学进行研究.结果表明：（1）含有AABBDDNs的自交F2的花粉母细胞减数分裂中期Ⅰ平均单价体数都在7以上,说明来自华山新麦草的Ns基因组可引起普通小麦ABD基因组中某一个（几个）同源组发生不联会或联会消失;（2）在回交一代（F1×CS、F1×CSph2b）中,平均单价体数都在7以下,说明其中的ph2b基因起到了促进染色体配对的作用;而在回交一代（F1×J-11、F1×郑麦-9023）中,则表现正常,与理论一致;（3）在所有自交和回交一代中,减数分裂期间均出现染色体桥、落后染色体、三分孢子体、多分孢子体以及微核等各种染色体异常行为,说明Ns基因组引起了所得材料细胞学上的不稳定性.从总体上讲,回交比自交能更快地恢复ph2b基因促进部分同源染色体配对的作用,为染色体重组提供更多的机会,期望在后代中获得新种质.     

冠菌素对玉米幼苗耐干旱胁迫的诱导效应

以玉米幼苗为材料,在20%PEG模拟干旱条件下,研究了植物生长物质冠菌素0.001~1.0μmol?L-1处理时叶片水分状况及其脯氨酸、可溶性糖、MDA含量及抗氧化酶活性.实验表明,在干旱胁迫条件下,低浓度(0.01μmol?L-1)的冠菌素处理能显著降低干旱胁迫下叶片水势,并显著提高玉米幼苗叶片相对含水量、可溶性糖和游离脯氨酸的含量;同时能显著提高玉米叶片中POD、CAT和APX的活性(分别比对照高32.1%、13.8%和29.5%),而对SOD和GR的活性无显著影响;此时叶片中MDA的含量显著比对照降低11.6%,能够在一定程度上维持细胞膜的完整性.高浓度冠菌素处理(1.0μmol?L-1)下各指标的变化趋势则相反.结果证明,低浓度冠菌素(0.01μmol?L-1)能增强玉米幼苗耐干旱胁迫的能力.     

不同秸秆还田量和氮肥配施对玉米田土壤CO2排放的影响

探讨不同秸秆还田量和氮肥量配施对辽西北半干旱区玉米田土壤CO₂排放的影响,可为固碳减排和黑土地保护计划的实施提供理论支撑。本试验主区设置3个秸秆还田水平,分别为3000(S₁)、6000(S₂)和9000 kg·hm^-2(S₃,秸秆全量还田);副区设置3个氮肥施用水平,分别为105(N₁)、210(N₂,常规施氮量)和420 kg N·hm^-2(N₃),另设置不施氮肥不添加秸秆的对照处理(CK),共10个处理。采集定位试验4年后玉米田间土壤,通过培养试验,探究不同处理对玉米田土壤CO₂排放的影响及CO₂排放与土壤溶解性有机碳(DOC)和微生物生物量碳(MBC)的关系。结果表明: 秸秆还田和氮肥施用均会促进玉米田土壤CO₂排放,并随秸秆还田量和施氮量的增加而显著增加,其中氮肥施用是促进玉米田土壤CO₂排放的最主要因素;秸秆还田与氮肥配施通过促进微生物生物量增加并加剧DOC消耗来促进玉米田土壤CO₂排放;MBC和DOC含量显著刺激玉米田土壤CO₂排放,且主要受两者培养前期含量的影响。从保障秸秆还田培肥地力同时减少CO₂排放的角度考虑,210 kg N·hm^-2常规施氮量与6000 kg·hm^-2秸秆还田配合施用(N₂S₂)是本试验条件下辽西北半干旱区最有潜力的田间施肥模式。