Rhizosphere pH along different root zones of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), as affected by source of nitrogen

Douglas-fir, grown on strongly acid soil (pH-H₂O 3.87), was fertilized with ammonium, nitrate or ammonium nitrate as N-source. Rhizosphere pH along the root axis was measured with microelectrodes. Pure ammonium supply resulted in acidification of the rhizosphere, almost along the entire root axis; only the extreme root tip was slightly alkaline compared with the bulk soil. With nitrate supply, the alkalization of the rhizosphere at the root tip was considerably stronger than with ammonium supply and the length of the alkalization zone greater, extending over the entire growth zone of the root. Acidification of the rhizosphere along the older parts of the root was less pronounced in the case of nitrate. It is concluded that nitrate nutrition enables the plant to protect its most essential root zone from the adverse effects of strong acidity by locally raising the rhizosphere pH.     

Effect of harvest intensity and ground flora establishment on inorganic-N leaching from a Sitka spruce plantation in north Wales,UK

Inorganic-N concentrations in soil solution of whole tree harvest (WTH) and conventional fell (CF) plots were monitored for two years before felling and four years after felling. Concentrations in the mineral soil after felling were higher than in standing forest for up to 14 months in both felling treatments. In the WTH plots inorganic-N concentrations then dropped steadily until four years after felling they approached zero. In contrast, inorganic-N concentrations of the CF plots remained comparatively large. Inorganic-N was dominated by nitrate throughout the period of the study, and especially in the mineral horizons.Felling debris was not a source of inorganic-N, unless indirectly through release and mineralisation of soluble organic-N. Vegetation cover, biomass and N content were substantially greater in the WTH plots two to three years after felling, compared with the CF. Vegetation cover and brash cover (slash cover in N. America) were negatively correlated. There was also a negative correlation between inorganic-N concentration in soil water samplers and the vegetation cover within the collection area of, or a 1 m square surrounding, these samplers.Two factors are probably responsible for the reduction in inorganic-N concentrations after felling in the WTH — the rapid re-establishment of vegetation and the lack of a N source in felling debris. In the CF plots, brash prevents re-establishment of vegetation over wide areas for at least four years. However, brash is not directly a source of inorganic-N at this stage.     

Atmospheric input of inorganic nitrogen to the Western Mediterranean

Bulk inorganic nitrogen deposition was monitored over a period of 3 years at the Bavella Pass (Corsica, France). Annual fluxes range between 126 and 150mol.m^–2.d-^–1, increasing slightly with annual rainfall. Natural background average concentrations of rain water and associated fluxes were estimated from a classification of rain events into natural (Oceanic and Saharan), polluted and composite. Long range transport of incoming polluted air masses increases the atmospheric wet nitrogen input by at least a factor of 1.6 in this Mediterranean area. Extrapolation of atmospheric dissolved inorganic nitrogen input to the Western Mediterranean leads to fluxes of 80 to l00mol.m^–2.d-^–1. This atmospheric input is in the same order of magnitude as the inorganic nitrogen riverine input. As a consequence, the nitrogen budget for the Mediterranean has had to be reassessed. Atmospheric wet inorganic nitrogen input is of noticeable importance to marine Mediterranean ecosystems, representing on average 10 to 25% of new production in the Western Basin, with values of up to 60% in oligotrophic zones.     

Recent developments in in vivo neutron activation analysis facilities

Two new facilities for in vivo activation analysis of patients have been designed, developed, and constructed at Toronto General Hospital. One of these is for the determination of body calcium for the diagnosis of osteoporosis and other diseases associated with bone loss. The other is for the measurement of total body nitrogen for the determination of protein status. These facilities replace old university facilities and take into account the comfort and management of patients. In addition, in the case of the calcium facility, the precision of the measurements has been improved because of larger detector volume and increased neutron source strength. Both the facilities are now in routine hospital clinical use.     

The effect of emersion and handling on the nitrogen excretion rates of Clarias gariepinus

African catfish Clarias gariepinus (=119.9&30.6 g) were exposed to periods of emersion (5, 30, 60, 90 and 180 min) and the ammonia and nitrogen excretion rates measured following re-immersion. Immediately following re-immersion (0–30 min), the ammonia excretion and relative ammonia excretion was greatest for the 5-min emersion gro up. Exposure to extended periods of emersion resulted in a decrease in total nitrogen excretion, notably ammonia excretion, although no significant changes were observed in the non-ammonia component of C. gariepinus .     

CORRELATED BIOCHEMICAL AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL CHANGES IN NITROGEN-STARVED EUGLENA GRACILIS1

Growth of Euglena gracilis Z Pringsheim under photoheterotrophic conditions in a nitrogen-deprived medium resulted in progressive loss of chloroplastic material until total bleaching of the cells occurred. Biochemical analysis and ultrastructural observation of the first stages of the starvation process demonstrated an early lag phase (from 0 to 9 h) in which cells increased in size, followed by a period of cell division, apparently supported by the mobilization of some chloroplastic proteins such as the photosynthetic CO₂-fixing enzyme ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase. The degradation of the enzyme started after 9 h of starvation and was preceded by a transient concentration of this protein in pyrenoidal structures. Protein nitrogen and photosynthetic pigments as well as number of chloroplasts per cell decreased during proliferation through mere distribution among daughter cells. However, after 24 h, when cell division had almost ceased, there was a slow but steady decline of photosynthetic pigments. This was paralleled by observable ultrastructural changes including progressive loss of chloroplast structure and accumulation of paramylon granules and lipid globules in the cytoplasm. These findings reinforce the role of chloroplastic materials as a nitrogen source during starvation of E. gracilis in a carbon-rich medium. The excess of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase acts as a first reservoir that, once exhausted, is superseded by the generalized disassembly of the photosynthetic structures, if the adverse environment persists more than 24 h.     

CHANGES IN CELL COMPOSITION AND LIPID METABOLISM MEDIATED BY SODIUM AND NITROGEN AVAILABILITY IN THE MARINE DIATOM PHAEODACTYLUM TRICORNUTUM (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE)1

The effects of nitrogen starvation in the presence or absence of sodium in the culture medium were monitored in batch cultures of the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum Bohlin. During nitrogen starvation in the presence of sodium, cell nitrogen and chlorophyll a decreased, mainly as a consequence of continued cell division. These decreases were accompanied by decreases in the rates of photosynthesis and respiration. There was no change in either cell volume or carbohydrate, but both carbon and lipid increased. During nitrogen starvation in the absence of sodium, cell division ceased. Cell nitrogen and chlorophyll a remained constant, and respiration did not decrease, but the changes in the photosynthetic rate and the lipid content per cell were similar to cultures that were nitrogen-starved in the presence of sodium. The carbon-to-nitrogen ratio increased in both cultures. Nitrogen, in the form of nitrate, and sodium were resupplied to cultures that had been preconditioned in nitrogen- and sodium-deficient medium for 5 d. Control cultures to which neither nitrate or sodium were added remained in a static state with respect to cell number, volume, and carbohydrate but showed slight increases in lipid. Cells in cultures to which 10 mM nitrate alone was added showed a similar response to cultures where no additions were made. Cells in cultures to which 50 mM sodium alone was added divided for 2 d, with concomitant small decreases in all measured constituents. Cell division resumed in cultures to which both sodium and nitrate were added. The lipid content fell dramatically in these cells and was correlated to metabolic oxidation via measured increases in the activity of the glyoxylate cycle enzyme, isocitrate lyase. We conclude that lipids are stored as a function of decreased growth rate and are metabolized to a small extent when cell division resumes. However, much higher rates of metabolism occur if cell division resumes in the presence of a nitrogen source.     

Use of an alternative method for monitoring total nitrogen concentrations in Florida lakes

We studied a recently described method for the determination of total nitrogen in natural waters involving sample oxidation with persulfate and subsequent determination of nitrate-nitrogen with second derivative spectroscopy and compared it to the USEPA approved method involving the sum of nitrate-nitrogen and Kjeldahl-nitrogen as measured with an automated analyzer. The overall objective was to determine if the two methods gave the same estimates of total nitrogen and if the detection limits, precision and accuracy of the new method were as good as those of the USEPA method. The new method was used to make measurements on replicated blanks, standards and lake water samples covering a range of concentrations. We also collaborated with certified laboratories to make comparative measurements on 5 standards and 21 lake water samples that were run by us with the new method and by them with the USEPA method. The new method had an instrument detection limit of 0.07 mg 1^–1, and the standard deviation of 20 sets of lake water samples averaged 0.03 mg 1^–1. The new method gave concentrations equivalent to those found with the USEPA method, was more sensitive, and had a higher degree of precision. We concluded that the new method is suitable as a substitute for the USEPA method. We also found that the addition of acid to lake water samples stored under refrigeration was not necessary to preserve them for later determinations of nitrate-nitrogen and total nitrogen and that freezing was an effective means of sample preservation for 90 days.     

Oligochaetes and eutrophication; an experiment over four years in outdoor mesocosms

Eight experimental ditch mesocosms were used to study the effect of eutrophication over four years. The experimental ditches had a sand or clay bottom. The ditches were treated with additions of phosphorus, phosphorus and nitrogen, or without additions (controls). Oligochaetes were sampled by deploying trays with substratum for colonization over twenty weeks. Both the important variables phosphorus, nitrogen and oxygen as well as the oligochaete species and numbers are presented. The effects of nutrient additions on phosphorus, nitrogen and oxygen concentrations were described together with changes in oligochaete species composition and numbers. The results were further analyzed by redundancy analysis (RDA). In the clay-lined ditches nutrient addition coincided with fluctuation in oxygen concentration. The higher the nutrient addition levels the longer the period of oxygen depletion became. During oxygen depletion the number of oligochaetes was strongly reduced or even became zero. The low nutrient status of the sandy bed in the sand-lined ditches slowed down the rate of colonization. Only a few tubificids were collected. Eutrophication effects were only observed at the highest nutrient addition level. Considerable variation is attributed to stochastic factors in the sand-lined ditches. Whether oligochaete species were present was related to the length of the colonization period. The substratum composition and food together with oxygen regime decided whether they become more or less abundant in ditches. Large-scale mesocosm experiments require time to develop. Only after the first colonization period variables of species presences and abundances can be employed to detect changes associated with eutrophication. Oligochaetes can be used to measure colonization as well as eutrophication processes.