外源凹凸棒土添加对半干旱矿区复垦土壤水分涵养功能的影响

大规模的采矿作业已对我国半干旱区植被生态造成很大破坏,矿区植被亟待恢复,以解决半干旱矿区日益恶化的生态环境问题。如何改良土壤、有效储存和利用降水是半干旱矿区复垦土地植被恢复的首要问题。本研究针对半干旱矿区复垦土地水分涵养功能不足的问题,提出利用凹凸棒土和当地砂土组配作为新覆土材料,并研究了外源凹凸棒土添加对神木矿区复垦土壤入渗、排水和储水能力的影响。结果表明: 随着凹凸棒土含量的增加,土壤的累积入渗量减少4.8%～37.4%,入渗率减少6.4%～46.3%,湿润锋推进速度减小9.8%～116.9%,饱和导水率减小14.3%～59.5%,24 h和72 h排水量分别减少0.3%～4.3%和0.3%～2.5%,土壤最大储水量增加1.6%～22.4%。外源凹凸棒土的作用效果在添加量为150 t·hm^-2时基本已达到最大,结合经济成本的最佳用量在30～150 t·hm^-2。本研究结果系统揭示了凹凸棒土对半干旱矿区土壤减渗保水的作用机理,证明其可以作为半干旱矿区复垦土壤改良的有效材料,为半干旱矿区土地复垦和植被恢复提供参考。     

The relationship between wound-induced proteinase inhibitors and hydraulic signals in tomato seedlings

Localized wounding is known to induce systemic proteinase inhibitors (PI) in seedlings of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.). Inhibitors of elastase (EC 3.4.21.36) were shown here to be among those systemically induced by wounding, and a simple rapid assay for PI based on elastase was developed. Using this assay, the nature of the systemic signalling system (‘PIIF’) was investigated. Hydraulic signals were shown to be induced in tomato by localized wounds. These signals travelled throughout the plant well within the lag time before appearance of systemic wound-induced PI. A number of correlations were drawn between the occurrence of the hydraulic signals and induction of systemic PI, suggesting that hydraulic signals might be the PIIF, or a component of it. It was shown that systemic hydraulic signals could be triggered, without significant wounding, by excision of a single leaflet through the submerged petiole. These hydraulic signals were similar in both kinetics and magnitude to those induced by localized wounding. However, they did not induce systemic PI. In addition, it was shown that systemic events almost as rapid as wound-induced hydraulic signals could be induced without wounding, under certain environmental conditions. This indicates that rapid hydraulic signals do not provide a specific signal of wounding. These findings demonstrate that hydraulic signals per se are not the PIIF.     

Global patterns of nonanalogous climates in the past and future derived from thermal and hydraulic factors

Nonanalogous climates (NACs), climates without modern analogs on Earth, challenge our understanding of eco‐evolutionary processes that shape global biodiversity, particularly because of their propensity to promote novel ecosystems. However, NAC studies are generally inadequate and partial. Specifically, systematic comparisons between the future and the past are generally lacking, and hydraulic NACs tend to be underemphasized. In the present study, by adopting a frequency distribution‐based method that facilitates the procedures of contributions parsing and conducting multiple comparisons, we provide a global overview of multidimensional NACs for both the past and the future within a unified framework. We show that NACs are globally prevalent, covering roughly half of the land area across the time‐periods under investigation, and have a high degree of spatial structure. Patterns of NACs differ dramatically between the past and the future. Hydraulic NACs are more complex both in spatial patterns and in major contributions of variables than are thermal NACs. However, hydraulic NACs are more predictable than originally thought. Generally, hydraulic NACs in the future (2100 AD) exhibit comparable predictability to thermal NACs in the last glacial maximum (LGM) (21k BP). Identifying these NAC patterns has potential implications on climate‐adaptive managements and preparing in advance to possibly frequent novel ecosystems. However, a learning‐from‐the‐past strategy might be of limited utility for management under present circumstances.     

EVOLUTIONARY GAMES IN WRIGHT'S ISLAND MODEL: KIN SELECTION MEETS EVOLUTIONARY GAME THEORY

This article studies evolutionary game dynamics in Wright's infinite island model. I study a general n×n matrix game and derive a basic equation that describes the change in frequency of strategies. A close observation of this equation reveals that three distinct effects are at work: direct benefit to a focal individual, kin‐selected indirect benefit to the focal individual via its relatives, and the cost caused by increased kin competition in the focal individual's natal deme. Crucial parameters are the coefficient of relatedness between two individuals and its analogue for three individuals. I provide a number of examples and show when the traditional inclusive fitness measure is recovered and when not. Results demonstrate how evolutionary game theory fits into the framework of kin selection.     

The effect of agitation system, temperature of the spray liquid, nematode concentration, and air injection on the viability of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are a group of potentially effective bio-insecticides to which Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, an active ingredient of several commercialised products, belongs. The application of the spray liquid with a motorised hydraulic sprayer introduces several stress factors to EPNs that may reduce their viability. Therefore, the effects of the agitation system, initial temperature of the spray liquid, EPN concentration, and additional air injection on the viability of EPNs were studied. The results clearly illustrate that the hydraulic agitation caused significantly more reduction in viability than the mechanical agitation. A lower temperature of the initial spray liquid, however, yielded a significantly higher EPN viability compared to a higher temperature after hydraulic mixing and so did air injection while EPN concentration did not significantly influence viability. Thus, the results clearly suggest that, with hydraulic agitation, both the re-circulation stress and the temperature increase significantly decreased the EPN viability, while air injection significantly improved it. Therefore, specific application conditions of living organisms in sprayer design and during application should be considered. Furthermore, spray water of less than 20°C should be used to keep temperature under control.     

Mesophyll conductance and its limiting factors in plant leaves

Mesophyll conductance (g_m) represents the CO₂ diffusion facility from sub-stomatal internal cavities to carboxylation sites in chloroplasts, and the variation of g_m across genotypes as well as environmental conditions is expected to be related to the anatomical structures and biochemical properties of leaves. In recent years, the variation of g_m has attracted wide attention. The limiting factors in photosynthetic rate are no longer divided simply into stomatal limitation and non-stomatal limitation, but splitted in stomatal limitation, mesophyll limitation and carboxylation limitation. In this review, we summarize the potential influences of cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm, chloroplast envelope and stroma on g_m, and indicate that cell wall thickness and the surface area of chloroplast exposed to intercellular air space (S_c) are the most important factors influencing the g_m. We also analyze the probable effects of biochemical process related with aquaporins and carbonic anhydrase on g_m. Meanwhile, the regulation mechanisms of long- and short-term environment changes (including temperature, light intensity, drought, and nutrients) on g_m are also summarized. The relationship between g_m and hydraulic conductance (K_leaf) is debated. Finally, we discuss the scientific problems related with g_m.     

Different root low temperature response of two maize genotypes differing in chilling sensitivity

Here we report on the root hydraulic properties of intact and excised root systems of two maize genotypes differing in chilling sensitivity (Z7, tolerant and Penjalinan, sensitive) subjected for 3 d to 5 °C. When root hydraulic conductance (L) was measured under a hydrostatic force using an excised root system in a pressure chamber, an initial decrease of L was observed in both genotypes. However, the value of L increased in the chilling tolerant genotype after 30 h at 5 °C; in the chilling sensitive Penjalinan genotype there was no such increase. Osmotic root hydraulic conductance was measured in excised root systems exuding under atmospheric pressure. We observed a progressive decline during the chilling treatment of the osmotic root hydraulic conductance in the chilling sensitive Penjalinan plants; however, after 54 h at 5 °C, the chilling tolerant Z7 plants had a significantly higher osmotic hydraulic conductance. Moreover, in the chilling tolerant plants we found an increase in the inhibition caused by HgCl₂ of the osmotic hydraulic conductance during the chilling treatment, indicating a possible increase in the contribution of aquaporins to root hydraulic conductance in the chilling tolerant Z7 plants during chilling treatment.     

Algae Permeability to Me2SO from −3 to 23°C

Biphasic transport of water and dimethyl sulfoxide (Me₂SO), a common cryoprotective agent (CPA), in algal cells was induced and measured on a cryoperfusion stage. A two-step experimental protocol provided data for the volumetric response of Chlorococcum (C.) texanum to impermeable and permeable solutes. First, the cells were exposed to a 500-mOsm sucrose solution, causing immediate shrinkage of the cell to a minimum equilibrium volume. Then an isoosmotic 200-mOsm/300-mOsm CPA/sucrose solution was introduced to the cells, resulting in increased cell volume to a new equilibrium state. Experiments were conducted at temperatures between −3 and 23°C. Cell volumes were measured off-line by computer analysis of video images. A network thermodynamic model was fit to the transient volume data to determine permeabilities of C. texanum to water and Me₂SO over the full temperature range, and results were calculated with two numeric methods. Biphasic transport was found to be slower at colder temperatures, with water entering the cell faster than Me₂SO. Experimental results were also compared with data from similar experiments using methanol (MeOH) as the CPA. MeOH influx was calculated to be a magnitude larger than that of water. Additionally, MeOH permeability was at least three orders of magnitude greater than Me₂SO permeability, and the difference in these solute permeabilities increased as temperature decreased.