Seed bank spatial structure in semi-arid environments: beyond the patch-bare area dichotomy

The prevalence of patchy structures in vegetation is a common feature in semi-arid ecosystems. Although the effect of patches on seed density is widely known, we still lack information on how patch features affect seed bank density and composition. Our aim was to answer two basic questions: (1) How do seed bank density and composition vary within and outside patch aboveground physical limits? and (2) Do patch characteristics affect soil seed bank density and composition? We sampled 50 shrub patches in a semi-arid gypsum system in Central Spain, measuring patch size, composition and structure, and seed bank at three locations per shrub (centre, edge and outside). We calculated the effect of interior patch location, patch composition and structure on seed density and composition. Patches acted both as seed sources, increasing seed density in neighbouring areas and as seed sinks by trapping seeds from bare areas. Patch structure (erect perennial cover) had the greatest effect on seed bank density, whereas patch size and microslope had the greatest influence on bare area density. Patch structure, composition and interior location explained the variation in seed bank composition. Patch effect extends to the surrounding bare matrix creating a seed bank gradient in density and composition. This effect is modulated by patch structure and composition and affects seed bank composition. Our results suggest that the spatial structure of gypsum community seed banks may act as a mechanism for a spatial storage effect contributing to the maintenance of high levels of diversity in semi-arid environments     

Synthesis, crystal structure, magnetic and redox properties of copper(II) complexes of N-alkyl(aryl) tBu-salicylaldimines

A series of novel copper(II) complexes, L₂Cu with newly synthesized 3,5--salicylaldimine (or 5--salicylaldimine) ligands derived from 2,4-di-tert-butyl phenol (or 4-tert-butyl phenol) and alkyl (aryl) amines have been prepared and their spectroscopic (IR, UV-Vis, ESI-MS), X-ray, magnetic and redox properties have been investigated. The X-ray crystallography analysis shows that all complexes are monomeric and their copper(II) centers are surrounded by phenolate oxygens and imine nitrogen atoms. Therefore, the coordination sphere around the copper atoms is N₂O₂ as seen in galactose oxidase active site. In addition, the geometric configurations of all complexes are square planar or slightly distorted square planar. The crystal system for all complexes is monoclinic, except for which is orthorhombic. The temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility of complexes confirms the mononuclear structure of complexes. Oxidation of the Cu(II) complexes yielded the corresponding Cu(II)-phenoxyl radical species during the cyclic voltammetry experiments.     

Caffeinated soft drinks reduce bacterial prevalence in voice prosthetic biofilms

Laryngectomized patients use indwelling silicone rubber voice prostheses, placed in a surgically created fistula in between the trachea and the esophagus, for voice and speech rehabilitation. At the esophageal side, these voice prostheses rapidly become colonized by a thick biofilm consisting of a variety of oral and skin bacteria and yeasts, and on average, after 3–4 months a prosthesis has to be replaced. In this study, the influence of caffeinated soft drinks on biofilm formation on silicone rubber voice prostheses has been investigated in a modified Robbins device. Robbins devices were first inoculated with the total cultivable microflora from an explanted voice prosthesis for 3 d, after which the devices were perfused three times daily over a 12 day period with 650 ml of either phosphate buffered saline or carbonated mineral water (controls), caffeinated soft drinks (two types), or a decaffeinated and a sugar‐free version of one of the caffeinated soft drinks. At the end of a day, during the experimental period, the devices were filled with growth medium for 30 min. Both caffeinated soft drinks reduced bacterial prevalence in the biofilms to 1–5% of the control, while yeasts thrived in voice prosthetic biofilms exposed to caffeinated soft drinks. Neither the controls, nor the decaffeinated soft drink, nor the sugar‐free version of this showed these effects on bacterial prevalence.     

Exaggerated root respiration accounts for growth retardation in a starchless mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana

The knock‐out mutation of plastidial phosphoglucomutase (pgm) causes a starchless phenotype in Arabidopsis thaliana, and results in a severe growth reduction of plants cultivated under diurnal conditions. It has been speculated that high soluble sugar levels accumulating during the light phase in leaf mesophyll might cause a reduction of photosynthetic activity or that shortage of reduced carbon during the night is the reason for the slow biomass gain of pgm. Separate simultaneous measurements of leaf net photosynthesis and root respiration demonstrate that photosynthetic activity per unit fresh weight is not reduced in pgm, whereas root respiration is strongly elevated. Comparison with a mutant defective in the dominating vacuolar invertase (AtβFruct4) revealed that high sucrose concentration in the cytosol, but not in the vacuole, of leaf cells is responsible for elevated assimilate transport to the root. Increased sugar supply to the root, as observed in pgm mutants, forces substantial respiratory losses. Because root respiration accounts for 80% of total plant respiration under long‐day conditions, this gives rise to retarded biomass formation. In contrast, reduced vacuolar invertase activity leads to reduced net photosynthesis in the shoot and lowered root respiration, and affords an increased root/shoot ratio. The results demonstrate that roots have very limited capacity for carbon storage but exert rigid control of supply for their maintenance metabolism.     

HisE11 and HisF8 Provide Bis-histidyl Heme Hexa-coordination in the Globin Domain of Geobacter sulfurreducens Globin-coupled Sensor

Among heme-based sensors, recent phylogenomic and sequence analyses have identified 34 globin coupled sensors (GCS), to which an aerotactic or gene-regulating function has been tentatively ascribed. Here, the structural and biochemical characterization of the globin domain of the GCS from Geobacter sulfurreducens (GsGCS¹⁶²) is reported. A combination of X-ray crystallography (crystal structure at 1.5 Å resolution), UV-vis and resonance Raman spectroscopy reveals the ferric GsGCS¹⁶² as an example of bis-histidyl hexa-coordinated GCS. In contrast to the known hexa-coordinated globins, the distal heme-coordination in ferric GsGCS¹⁶² is provided by a His residue unexpectedly located at the E11 topological site. Furthermore, UV-vis and resonance Raman spectroscopy indicated that ferrous deoxygenated GsGCS¹⁶² is a penta-/hexa-coordinated mixture, and the heme hexa-to-penta-coordination transition does not represent a rate-limiting step for carbonylation kinetics. Lastly, electron paramagnetic resonance indicates that ferrous nitrosylated GsGCS¹⁶² is a penta-coordinated species, where the proximal HisF8-Fe bond is severed.     

产油微藻的分离、筛选及自养培养氮源、碳源的优化

从云南滇池的水样中分离筛选得到一株自养产油小球藻(Chlorella vulgaris,C.vulgaris),其油脂产率可达28.6mg/(L·d),进一步考察了不同氮源、氮源浓度和添加无机碳源对其自养生长和油脂积累的影响。结果表明,硝酸钠为优化氮源,氮元素的优化浓度为123mg/L,油脂含量随氮元素浓度升高而降低;添加NaHCO3显著提高了C.vulgaris生物量产率和油脂产率,其优化浓度为800mg/L。在氮源和碳源的优化浓度下,C.vulgaris的最大生物量产率和油脂产率可达332.8mg/(L·d)和100.2mg/(L·d),分别是对照组的3.6和3.4倍。     

城乡景观中土壤生态系统微塑料的来源、迁移特征及其风险

土壤微塑料污染的持久性、复杂性及其对土壤生态系统的影响受到越来越广泛的关注,但对其来源、迁移过程等仍有许多问题尚未理清。从复合生态系统的角度,通过对城乡景观中土壤微塑料的来源、迁移过程及其风险等相关研究进展进行了系统梳理,分析了城乡不同景观中土壤微塑料的主要来源和特点,讨论了土壤微塑料在城乡景观中的迁移特征及其驱动力,探讨了土壤微塑料在城乡景观中的生态和健康风险。今后需进一步明确城乡景观中土壤微塑料污染的物质流过程与环境归趋特征,加强微塑料对土壤生态系统的作用过程及生态系统服务影响的研究,揭示土壤微塑料对人类健康的直接或间接影响,建立城乡复合生态系统土壤微塑料污染预测模型,以维护土壤生态安全与人居环境健康。     

Angiotensin II induces tyrosine nitration and activation of ERK1/2 in vascular smooth muscle cells

Angiotensin II (Ang II) induces a prominent and sustained nitration and activation of ERK1/2 in rat vascular smooth muscle cells, both mediated via AT1 receptor. Nitration and activation was also shown for recombinant non-activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and MEK. Nitration and phosphorylation of ERK1/2 by Ang II was significantly inhibited by NAD(P)H inhibitors and scavengers of oxygen and nitrogen reactive species and completely blocked by a selective inducible nitric-oxide synthase inhibitor. MEK inhibitor U0126 did not affect ERK nitration but completely blocked activation. These data indicate that Ang II nitrates and activates ERK1/2 via a reactive species-sensitive pathway.     

云纹石斑鱼幼鱼血清生化指标对低温胁迫的响应

设置9、13、17℃3个温度梯度(17℃对照组),对云纹石斑鱼(Epinephelus moara)幼鱼进行7 d的胁迫实验,检测了血清中生化指标和代谢酶活力。结果表明:血清总蛋白(TP)和葡萄糖(GLU)含量在温度骤降后虽有变化,但无显著性差异(P0.05);血清中甘油三酯(TG)和肌酐(CREA)含量在水温骤降至9℃和13℃,7 d后与胁迫前比较均差异显著(P0.05);代谢酶指标中碱性磷酸酶(AKP)、谷草转氨酶(GOT)、谷丙转氨酶(GPT)和乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)的活力,随低温胁迫的强度和胁迫时间的延长活力都呈上升趋势,且实验结束时均与胁迫前差异显著(P0.05);乳酸脱氢酶活力在实验结束时各低温胁迫实验组之间也有显著性差异(P0.05);研究认为,在耐受温度范围的下限云纹石斑鱼幼鱼遭受低温骤降胁迫时,短期内血清生化指标不发生显著变化;幼鱼通过血清代谢酶活力的升高来响应低温胁迫,以提高抗应激能力;但停食会导致免疫力和抗氧化能力下降,因此实际生产中仍应降低胁迫强度和缩短胁迫时间。     

GIS在生物质能源研究中的应用

生物质资源分布广阔而分散,且与环境、气候、土壤、土地利用等关系密切.地理信息系统(geographic information systems,GIS)具有空间数据分析功能以及易于与其他应用模型和算法相结合等特性,使其在生物质能源研究中具有优势.本文系统总结了国内外学者在生物质能源GIS应用方面的研究,着重讨论了GIS在生物质能开发可行性、生物质资源量及分布评估、生物质开发利用布局、生物质燃烧气体排放评估以及生物质能源信息系统等方面的应用,进而提出了GIS在生物质能源方面应用的3个趋势,即丰富数据源、提升数据处理和决策支持能力以及方案在线生成.