Cover crops do not increase soil organic carbon stocks as much as has been claimed: What is the way forward?

When compared to virgin land (forest and grassland), croplands store significantly lower amounts of organic carbon (OC), mainly as a result of soil tillage, and decreased plant inputs to the soil over the whole year. Doubts have been expressed over how much reduced and zero tillage agriculture can increase OC in soils when the whole soil profile is considered. Consequently, cover-crops that are grown in-between crops instead of leaving soils bare appear as the “last man standing” in our quest to enhance cropland OC stocks. Despite the claim by numerous meta-analyses of a mean carbon sequestration rate by cover crops to be as high as 0.32 ± 0.08 ton C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, the present analysis showed that all of the 37 existing field studies worldwide only sampled to a depth of 30 cm or less and did not compare treatments on the basis of equivalent soil mass. Thirteen studies presented information on OC content only and not on OC stocks, had inappropriate controls (n = 14), had durations of 3 years or lower (n = 5), considered only one to two data points per treatment (n = 4), or used cover crops as cash crops (i.e., grown longer that in-between two crops) instead of catch crops (n = 2), which in all cases constitutes shortcomings. Of the remaining six trials, four showed non-significant trends, one study displayed a negative impact of cover crops, and one study displayed a positive impact, resulting in a mean OC storage of 0.03 ton ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Models and policies should urgently adapt to such new figure. Finally, more is to be done not only to improve the design of cover-crop studies for reaching sound conclusions but also to understand the underlying reasons of the low efficiency of cover crops for improved carbon sequestration into soils, with possible strategies being suggested.     

Reactions Catalyzed by Peg-Modified α-Chymotrypsin in Organic Solvents. Influence of Water Content and Degree of Modification

-Chymotrypsin was modified with cyanuric chloride activated monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (MPEG) with molecular weights 1900 and 5000. Using the higher molecular weight MPEG a product that was soluble in benzene at moderate levels of modification was obtained, whereas with MPEG 1900 almost all the enzyme's amino groups had to be modified for dissolving the conjugate. The catalytic activity decreased with increasing degree of substitution. Apparent V_max was considerably higher for the less modified enzyme preparation than for the more modified one, while K_m,app stayed almost constant. The modified enzyme was used for peptide synthesis. The reaction was dependent on the content of dissolved water. Both V_max,app and K_m,app increased with increasing water content. It was possible to achieve a process with complete conversion of substrate to dipeptide.     

Effect of Organic Acids on Reactions Catalyzed by Manganese Peroxidase from Phanerochaete chrysosporium

The effect of several organic acids on the oxidation of Mn(II) catalyzed by manganese peroxidase was studied. Reactivities of manganese peroxidase and chemically prepared Mn(III) organic acid complexes towards phenolic compounds were compared. If lactate appears to be the best complexant for manganese peroxidase activity, chemically prepared Mn(III)—lactate complex is a less effective oxidant towards phenolic compounds than other Mn(III)—complexes. Our results agree with the hypothesis that certain organic acids are involved in the catalytic cycle of manganese peroxidase. Malonate and lactate seem to be the most attractive complexants for practical applications of manganese peroxidase and were used in enzymatic treatment of hardwood kraft pulp. Bleaching of kraft pulp was studied and after alkaline extraction, a significant decrease of kappa number was measured. The bleaching was enhanced in lactate buffer.     

Accelerated organic matter decomposition in thermokarst lakes upon carbon and phosphorus inputs

Mineralization of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in thermokarst lakes plays a non-negligible role in the permafrost carbon (C) cycle, but remains poorly understood due to its complex interactions with external C and nutrient inputs (i.e., aquatic priming and nutrient effects). Based on large-scale lake sampling and laboratory incubations, in combination with ¹³C-stable-isotope labeling, optical spectroscopy, and high-throughput sequencing, we examined large-scale patterns and dominant drivers of priming and nutrient effects of DOM biodegradation across 30 thermokarst lakes along a 1100-km transect on the Tibetan Plateau. We observed that labile C and phosphorus (P) rather than nitrogen (N) inputs stimulated DOM biodegradation, with the priming and P effects being 172% and 451% over unamended control, respectively. We also detected significant interactive effects of labile C and nutrient supply on DOM biodegradation, with the combined labile C and nutrient additions inducing stronger microbial mineralization than C or nutrient treatment alone, illustrating that microbial activity in alpine thermokarst lakes is co-limited by both C and nutrients. We further found that the aquatic priming was mainly driven by DOM quality, with the priming intensity increasing with DOM recalcitrance, reflecting the limitation of external C as energy sources for microbial activity. Greater priming intensity was also associated with higher community-level ribosomal RNA gene operon (rrn) copy number and bacterial diversity as well as increased background soluble reactive P concentration. In contrast, the P effect decreased with DOM recalcitrance as well as with background soluble reactive P and ammonium concentrations, revealing the declining importance of P availability in mediating DOM biodegradation with enhanced C limitation but reduced nutrient limitation. Overall, the stimulation of external C and P inputs on DOM biodegradation in thermokarst lakes would amplify C-climate feedback in this alpine permafrost region.     

岭南垛基果林湿地土壤碳组分特征

岭南垛基果林湿地是珠三角地区典型的湿地类型之一,其对土壤碳汇的贡献值得关注。为探讨果林种植类型对土壤有机碳的影响,对广州垛基果林湿地内种植黄皮(Clausenalansium)(HP),龙眼(Dimocarpuslongan)(LY)、杨桃(Averrhoa carambola)(YT),龙眼和黄皮间种(LH),杨桃、龙眼和黄皮间种(YLH)共5种种植类型下的表层(0～20 cm)土壤碳组分进行研究。结果表明,不同的植被类型对土壤的总有机碳(SOC)、可溶性有机碳(DOC)、微生物生物量碳(MBC)、易氧化有机碳(ROC)、惰性碳(NLC)含量都有影响,LY的SOC含量最高(22.6 g/kg),显著高于YLH (P<0.05),且NLC含量显著高于LH和YLH (P<0.05)。NLC含量与土壤养分呈正相关,与土壤容重呈负相关。YT的MBC含量显著高于LY、HP、LH (P<0.05),且MBC/SOC显著高于HP、LY(P<0.05)。YLH模式下,土壤DOC含量和DOC/SOC显著高于其他植被类型(P<0.05)。LH的ROC/SOC显著高于HP和L...     

稻螟赤眼蜂田间自然繁殖利用研究

多年调查表明,稻螟赤眼蜂是我省多择性卵寄生天敌的优势种．同时发现．稻螟蛉卵可认为是水稻上几种主要害虫天敌的天然优良寄主．由于它的被寄生率高．天敌繁殖量大．控制后继害虫的功效显,所以在水稻生产上稻螟蛉实是益大于害的．在早稻害虫防治实践中．应该减少农药使用,或避开天敌活动期和早稻前期用药．以使世代短的天敌,在近期内迅速形成庞大的种群数量。控制相继发生的二化螟、稻纵卷叶螟和稻苞虫的为害．可减少早稻用药1-2次．上述方案．无须人工生产天敌,即以田间自然繁殖保护天敌的新技术,所能达到稻田以虫治虫的功效．不亚于以往工业生产天敌的举措．实具有经济、生态和社会三方面的效益．     

鼎湖山自然林豆科固氮植物资源的调查研究

本文在调查鼎湖山自然林木本豆科植物结瘤固氮的基础上,参阅了国内外有关豆科植物结瘤固氮的主要文献,研究了鼎湖山自然林木本豆科植物的固氮资源。结果得出鼎湖山自然林中常见的木本豆科植物共有41种,其中乔木15种,灌木6种,木质藤本20种;有结瘤固氮特性的26种,其中乔木11种,灌木5种,木质藤本10种;经初步调查未见根瘤的6种,其中乔木2种,灌木1种,木质藤本3种;未调查的9种,其中乔木2种,木质藤本7种。本研究结果为鼎湖山木本豆科固氮植物资源的保护、管理和开发利用提供了科学论据,在理论和应用方面均有重要意义。     

厌氧氨氧化菌驱动脱氮途径的研究进展

厌氧氨氧化菌(anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, AnAOB)的代谢多样性,使得该菌群能够在海洋、湿地和陆地等不同的自然生态系统中广泛分布,甚至在一些极热和极寒环境中也检测到了该菌群的存在。本文回顾并总结了厌氧氨氧化菌在不同生态系统中的发现、分布及脱氮贡献等方面的研究,分析了厌氧氨氧化菌分布的主要环境影响因素。该综述将帮助我们更好地理解全球氮循环中厌氧氨氧化菌的实际角色和功能,并基于厌氧氨氧化(anaerobicammoniaoxidation,anammox)过程,探究能与其进行协作的新型生物脱氮工艺,以期为这些工艺的研发和推广提供生态学基础和新的思考,从而实现脱氮工艺的技术变革。     

高砷含水层参与腐殖酸-铁矿物转化的关键微生物群落及其对砷迁移转化的影响

【目的】探究不同腐殖酸浓度下参与含砷水铁矿转化的微生物类群组成和丰度变化及对砷释放的影响,预测原位高砷含水层中功能微生物群参与有机质—含砷铁矿物转化过程对砷转化释放的作用。【方法】对河套平原高砷地下水和同深度高砷沉积物中的铁还原功能群落进行富集培养,构建室内厌氧微宇宙体系,将富集菌群分别加入到实验室条件下合成的不同浓度腐殖酸(0、1.5、7、14 mg C/L)-含砷水铁矿体系中,通过体系中砷、铁形态及浓度的变化分析,结合高通量测序技术、X-射线衍射(X-ray diffractometer, XRD),探究不同条件下砷的释放固定和群落的演替。【结果】高砷地下水组(G组)和沉积物组(S组)富集得到的铁还原功能群落具有明显差异,G组中以Aeromonadaceae为特殊优势菌群,而S组中以Shewanellaceae为特殊优势菌群。微宇宙实验结果显示,S组的铁还原量相对较高且速率较快;G组与S组中液相砷形态存在明显差异,整个培养期内G组均以As(Ⅴ)为主,而S组中前期以As(Ⅴ)为主,当反应到达20 d时液相As(Ⅲ)高达3.4μmol/L,推测此时具有砷还原功能的群落占优势地位。当反应...     

微生物有机酸转运蛋白的研究进展

转运蛋白是一类膜蛋白,可介导生物膜内外化学物质的跨膜转运及信号交换。有机酸转运蛋白在微生物有机酸代谢的跨膜转运过程中发挥重要作用,根据转运蛋白有机酸转运的方向不同可以分为摄取转运蛋白和外排转运蛋白。在微生物代谢中,有些有机酸可以作为能源直接参与体内代谢,有些是能量转换过程中的重要中间产物;摄取转运蛋白的过表达,可以促进微生物细胞获取能源物质,高效的生产目标产物;有机酸摄取转运蛋白敲除或外排转运蛋白表达,有利于底盘细胞外排更多目标产物,进而促进有机酸的生物合成。研究有机酸转运蛋白的结构和功能,有助于解析微生物细胞有机酸生物合成及利用的机制,对于提高工业微生物对有机酸的利用及生物合成具有重要作用。本文综述了微生物有机酸转运蛋白分类和结构、转运方式和转运功能等方面,重点综述了转运蛋白在有机酸生产中的应用,为工业微生物有机酸的高效生物合成及未来发展提供参考。