Phytoplankton strategies and time scales in a eutrophic reservoir

Phytoplankton species groups were studied in a eutrophic reservoir at different time scales (daily, weekly, monthly and yearly). Four strategic groups along the r-K continuum were defined and their seasonal time courses were followed. Their temporal distribution of relative biomass reflected resource partitioning because each strategic group dominated the phytoplankton community at different times in the year. However, the relationships between strategic groups changed with the time scale involved. At the daily scale an inverse relationship between r- and K-groups occurred whereas at supradaily scales such relationships did not hold. Species groups reflected strategic groups. No relationship between population growth and losses was found, suggesting that both were not counterbalanced. In the long term (supraannual) the phytoplankton community changed very much in this reservoir, its ecological memory being small as compared with that of lakes.     

ACCLIMATION OF NITRATE UPTAKE BY PHYTOPLANKTON TO HIGH SUBSTRATE LEVELS1

A literature review of data on nitrate uptake by phytoplankton suggests that nitrate levels above 20 μmol N·L^?1 generally stimulated uptake rates in cultured unicellular algae and natural phytoplankton communities. This phenomenon indicates that phytoplankton cells acclimate to elevated nitrate levels by increasing their uptake capacity in a range of concentrations previously considered to be saturating. Cyanobacteria and flagellates were found to present a considerable capacity for acclimation, with low (0.1–2 μmol N·L^?1) half‐saturation values (K_s) at low (5–20 μmol N·L^?1) substrate levels and high (1–80 μmol N·L^?1) K_s values at high (30–100 μmol N·L^?1) substrate levels. However, some diatom genera (Rhizosolenia, Skeletonema, Thalassiosira) also appeared to possess a low affinity nitrate uptake system (K_s between 18 and 120 μmol N·L^?1), which can help resolve the paradox of their presence in enriched seas. It follows that present models of nitrate uptake can severely underestimate the effects of high nitrate concentrations on phytoplankton dynamics and development. A more adequate approach would be to consider the possibility of multiphasic uptake involving several phase transitions as nitrate concentrations increased. Because it is a nonlinear phenomenon featuring strong thresholds, this effect appears to override that of other variables, such as irradiance, temperature, and cell size. Within the present context of eutrophication and for a range of concentrations that is becoming more and more ecologically relevant, equations are tentatively presented as a first approach to estimate K_s from ambient nitrate concentrations.     

The effects of vertical mixing on a phytoplankton community: a modelling approach to the intermediate disturbance hypothesis

1.  Connell's (1978) intermediate disturbance hypothesis (IDH) has been proposed as one explanation of why diversity is often highest at intermediate levels of disturbance. We used a model phytoplankton responses to environmental change (PROTECH) to investigate the validity of this hypothesis.
2. In a simulated phytoplankton assemblage of eight species, we found that the relationship between the increased intensity of a single forcing event and diversity was described by a positively skewed curve.
3. A progressive increase in forcing frequency introduced a sharp decrease in diversity at a threshold frequency. However, the highest diversity values were found at an intermediate frequency of disturbance.
4. We described the shape of this breakpoint response as like a 'cliff' and reconcile it with multiple stable-point theory. It is argued that the IDH should possibly be represented by this 'cliff' relationship, which may be applied to (or encourage the re-examination of) many previous studies.     

SELECTIVE RECOVERY OF MICROALGAE FROM DIVERSE HABITATS USING “PHYTO‐SPECIFIC” 16S rDNA PRIMERS1

Environmental PCR is a common tool for surveying aquatic microalgae; however, universal primers generally employed are not specific to phytoplankton and typically recover nonphotosynthetic bacteria at high frequencies. Using a 16S rDNA “phyto‐specific” primer, we were able to selectively amplify sequences of photosynthetic species from several mixed aquatic samples, even when large numbers of nonphotosynthetic microorganisms were present. We identified 21 microalgal sequences from three different habitats: salt marshes in Virginia, river basins in North Carolina, and sea ice in Alaska. In contrast, universal 16S primers recovered a majority of nonphotosynthetic organisms from some of the same samples. Our results indicate that phytoplankton‐specific primers are efficient in selectively amplifying a broad diversity of microalgae in mixed environmental samples and, therefore, can reduce the noise from extraneous species that often dominates molecular surveys of aquatic samples.     

Observations on the relation between phytoplankton diversity and environmental factors in the Vaal River at Balkfontein,South Africa

The relationship between specific environmental factors as independent variables and temporal changes in phytoplankton community structure in the Vaal River (a turbid system) during 1984 was investigated by employing different diversity indices. Temporal changes in community structure reflected temporal changes in certain environmental factors. Phytoplankton diversity, measured with Shannon-Wie H' and Hurlbert PIE indices, was related firstly to discharge and discharge derived variables (such as SO₄, Si, N and P loading) and secondly to turbidity derived variables (such as euphotic zone depth). Discharge appears to be of prime importance in affecting diversity. Observations were made that shed new light on conditions contributing to the development of an August peak (dominated by Stephanodiscus hantzschii fo. tenuis and Micractinium pusillum) in phytoplankton concentration. Increased environmental stress may reduce the number of sensitive species, thus reducing interspecific competition between tolerant species which could then exploit the — for them — more favourable conditions resulting in an increase in their numbers to peak concentrations.     

高浓度CO2对红松(Pinus koraiensis)针叶光合生理参数的影响

以开顶箱内经过6个生长季高浓度CO2处理的原位土壤种植的红松幼树为实验对象,研究了500umolmol-1CO2对针叶光合作用及相应光合参数的影响.实地条件下测定了净光合速率(PN)对光合有效辐射(PAR)及胞间CO2浓度(Ci)的响应曲线,根据光合作用的生化模型,推算出了Rubisco活性或数量限制的最大羧化速率(VCmax)和光饱和条件下由RuBP再生能力限制的最大电子传递速率(Jmzx),以及表观量子产量(AQY)和最大净光合速率(Pmzx)等.5001umolmol-1 CO2使红松针叶的VCmzx降低了4%,Jmzx和Jmzx/VCmzx比分别增加了27%和18%,均与对照差异不显著,所以红松针叶经过6个生长季高浓度C02处理仍未发生光合驯化.在各自生长条件下测定的PN-PAR响应曲线表明,500pumolmol-1CO2使Pmzx增加了94%,AQY增加了21%,Pmzx增长高于AQY和Jmzx的增加比例,说明500umolmol-1CO2使红松针叶对光的利用效率增强.500umolmol-1CO2下的最大气孔导度(gcmzx)和最大蒸腾速率(Emzx)与对照比增加了一倍,与Pmzx增加的幅度接近.500ummol mol-1 CO2下和对照条件下的Ci/C2比均随环境CO2浓度(C2)增加呈非线性下降趋势,在较低Ca处(Ca≤200umol mol-1),500umol mol-1CO2使Ci/Ca比下降了l%-7%,较高Ca处(Ca≥300umol mol-1),500umol mol-1CO2使Ci/Ca比增加了5%-20%.CO2浓度变化会改变Ci/Ca比,由于气孔的调节作用,Ci/Ca比最终还是要维持在一恒定范围,且气孔对较低的CO2浓度更敏感.     

长期不同施肥方式对稻油轮作制水稻田杂草群落的影响

为揭示长期不同施肥方式下农田生态系统中杂草群落的变化规律,于2006年10月在太湖地区一个长期肥料试验定位监测田,运用群落生态学方法研究了7种长期不同施肥处理持续20a后对水稻-油菜轮作制水稻田杂草群落的影响.试验区共记录到杂草11种,隶属于6个科.其中,节节菜(Rotala indica)、陌上菜(Lindernia procumbens)、鸭舌草(Monochoria vaginalis)、异型莎草(Cyperus difformis)等4种杂草在所有施肥处理区发生密度较大.莎草科杂草牛毛毡(Eleocharis yokoscensis)只在不施肥区和纯氮肥区出现,而球穗扁莎(Pycreus globosus)和萤蔺(Scirpus juncoides)仅在不施肥区出现.长期不同施肥措施下,田间杂草群落的物种多样性有明显差异:全年秸秆区的物种丰富度(7.3种)最小,不施肥区(10.7种)最大;不施肥区、常规区、秋季秸秆区Shannon-Wiener指数显著大于其他处理区;不施肥区和常规区Simpson指数显著小于其他处理区;不施肥区和纯氮肥区Pielou均匀度指数显著小于其他处理区.田间杂草群落的优势种组成也发生了一定变化, Whittaker指数表明,与不施肥处理相比,单施化肥、化肥配施猪粪对杂草群落结构及物种组成的影响最显著,化肥配施油菜秸秆和化肥配施油菜水稻秸秆次之,而纯施氮肥和化肥配施水稻秸秆的影响较小.Srensen群落相似性指数及聚类分析结果也得到相似的结论.结果表明,单施化肥(平衡施用N、P、K肥)、化肥配施猪粪、化肥配施夏季、秋季和全年秸秆处理均能显著改变田间杂草群落的组成,改变某些杂草在群落中的优势地位,从而抑制其发生危害程度.     

Release of arachidonic acid by NMDA-receptor activation in the rat hippocampus

In hippocampal slices arachidonic acid released after NMDA post-synaptic receptor activation is thought to act as a retrograde trans-synaptic messenger which facilitates the pre-synaptic release of L-glutamate to be involved in the expression of long-term synaptic potentiation (LTP). We measured the mass amount of arachidonic acid released from hippocampal slices incubated under conditions which maintain the electrophysiological responsiveness of the slice. Melittin released arachidonic, oleic and docosahexaenoic acids by phospholipase A₂ activation but not palmitic or stearic acids. Of greater interestl-glutamate, N-methyl-d-aspartate and incubation conditions known to induce LTP selectively and rapidly increased the release of archidonic acid in amounts over basal levels of 200–300 ng/mg protein. This is the first direct determination of the mass amount of arachidonic acid released following NMDA receptor activation in the hippocampus.Special issue dedicated to Dr. Louis Sokoloff.     

一些海洋浮游植物量子产值的研究

现场实验以及用硅藻、金藻和绿藻所做的实验表明,在光饱和深度以下,随着深度的增加,浮游植物的量子产懂具有不变、增加和下降3种垂直变化趋势。偏离理论模式的后两种结果可能是由浮游植物的光强适应(Light-shade adaptation)等原因引起。还探讨了量子产值作为初级生产力模型和光利用效率模型中的参数的问题。     

Combination of inflammation-related cytokines promotes long-term muscle stem cell expansion

Muscle stem cells (MuSCs, satellite cells) are the major contributor to muscle regeneration. Like most adult stem cells, long-term expansion of MuSCs in vitro is difficult. The in vivo muscle regeneration abilities of MuSCs are quickly lost after culturing in vitro, which prevents the potential applications of MuSCs in cell-based therapies. Here, we establish a system to serially expand MuSCs in vitro for over 20 passages by mimicking the endogenous microenvironment. We identified that the combination of four pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-1α, IL-13, TNF-α, and IFN-γ, secreted by T cells was able to stimulate MuSC proliferation in vivo upon injury and promote serial expansion of MuSCs in vitro. The expanded MuSCs can replenish the endogenous stem cell pool and are capable of repairing multiple rounds of muscle injuries in vivo after a single transplantation. The establishment of the in vitro system provides us a powerful method to expand functional MuSCs to repair muscle injuries.