Ontogeny of Daucus carota Infected with Meloidogyne hapla

The ontogeny of carrots (Daucus carota cv. ''Spartan Premium'') grown under greenhouse conditions in pots of organic soil infected with Meloidogyne hapla was influenced detrimentally as early as 4 days after seeding, as determined through analysis of plant surface area, dry weight, fresh weight, net assimilation rate, relative growth rate, and leaf-area ratio. Only 58% of the diseased carrots were suitable for fresh market, compared with 97% of those grown in nematode-free soil. Growth and development of the shoot system (height, surface area, dry weight, and fresh weight) were retarded by M. hapla as early as 12 days after seeding. During the first 12 days after seeding, root dry weight was greater for diseased plants than for controls. Root growth and development (surface area, dry weight, and fresh weight) associated with this nematode, however, were retarded as early as 16 days after seeding. M. hapla caused a delay in the occurrence of 2nd-, 4th-, and 5th-order roots, and an increase in the occurrence of 6th-order roots in infected plants. Parasitized plants had 44% fewer roots (primary through 6th-order) and 50% less total root length.     

Fine root growth phenology,production, and turnover in a northern hardwood forest ecosystem

A large part of the nutrient flux in deciduous forests is through fine root turnover, yet this process is seldom measured. As part of a nutrient cycling study, fine root dynamics were studied for two years at Huntington Forest in the Adirondack Mountain region of New York, USA. Root growth phenology was characterized using field rhizotrons, three methods were used to estimate fine root production, two methods were used to estimate fine root mortality, and decomposition was estimated using the buried bag technique. During both 1986 and 1987, fine root elongation began in early April, peaked during July and August, and nearly ceased by mid-October. Mean fine root ( 3 mm diameter) biomass in the surface 28-cm was 2.5 t ha^–1 and necromass was 2.9 t ha^–1. Annual decomposition rates ranged from 17 to 30% beneath the litter and 27 to 52% at a depth of 10 cm. Depending on the method used for estimation, fine root production ranged from 2.0 to 2.9 t ha^–1, mortality ranged from 1.8 to 3.7 t ha^–1 yr^–1, and decomposition was 0.9 t ha^–1 yr^–1. Thus, turnover ranged from 0.8 to 1.2 yr^–1. The nutrients that cycled through fine roots annually were 4.5–6.1 kg Ca, 1.1–1.4 kg Mg, 0.3–0.4 kg K, 1.2–1.7 kg P, 20.3–27.3 kg N, and 1.8–2.4 kg S ha^–1. Fine root turnover was less important than leaf litterfall in the cycling of Ca and Mg and was similar to leaf litterfall in the amount of N, P, K and S cycled.     

Isolated in an ocean of grass: low levels of gene flow between termite subpopulations

Habitat fragmentation is one of the most important causes of biodiversity loss, but many species are distributed in naturally patchy habitats. Such species are often organized in highly dynamic metapopulations or in patchy populations with high gene flow between subpopulations. Yet, there are also species that exist in stable patchy habitats with small subpopulations and presumably low dispersal rates. Here, we present population genetic data for the ‘magnetic’ termite Amitermes meridionalis, which show that short distances between subpopulations do not hinder exceptionally strong genetic differentiation (F_ST: 0.339; R_ST: 0.636). Despite the strong genetic differentiation between subpopulations, we did not find evidence for genetic impoverishment. We propose that loss of genetic diversity might be counteracted by a long colony life with low colony turnover. Indeed, we found evidence for the inheritance of colonies by so‐called ‘replacement reproductives’. Inhabiting a mound for several generations might result in loss of gene diversity within a colony but maintenance of gene diversity at the subpopulation level.     

Insight on Propolis from Mediterranean Countries: Chemical Composition,Biological Activities and Application Fields

This review updates the information upon the chemical composition of propolis from all Mediterranean countries as well as their biological properties and applications. The non‐volatile fraction of propolis was characterized by the presence of phenolic acids and their esters and flavonoids. Nevertheless, in some countries, diterpenes were also present: Sicily (Italy), Croatia, Malta, Creta (Greece), Turkey, Cyprus, Egypt, Libya, Algeria and Morocco. The volatile fraction of propolis was characterized by the presence of benzoic acid and its esters, mono‐ and sesquiterpenes, being the oxygenated sesquiterpene β‐eudesmol characteristic of poplar propolis, whereas the hydrocarbon monoterpene α‐pinene has been related with the presence of conifers. Regardless the chemical composition, there are common biological properties attributed to propolis. Owing to these attributes, propolis has been target of study for applications in diverse areas, such as food, medicine and livestock.     

菲律宾海北部底质沉积中的深海介形类

对琉球群岛东侧的菲律宾海北部海区(27.0°-30.0°N,129.5°-135.5°E)水深1 666 m至6 616 m的123个表层沉积物样品进行了定量微体古生物学研究.仅在38个样品中发现介形类,主要分布在4 000 m以浅水深区.初步鉴定有21属35种,其中Krithe在样品中的出现率和丰度最高,其次常见的还...     

金门岛北部海域浮游植物的季节变动及与环境的关联

采用2013—2014年四季度月在金门岛北部海域获取的浮游植物及环境因子监测数据, 分析该区浮游植物的群落结构和季节变化及其与温度、盐度、悬浮物、营养盐、叶绿素等的关系, 初步探讨涉海工程建设对浮游植物群落的潜在影响。结果显示, 鉴定出的浮游植物隶属3门43属82种(不含未定种), 群落构成以硅藻为主, 其次是甲藻, 蓝藻仅1种。物种组成的季节差异较大, 3月物种贫乏, 1月次之, 7月和11月最丰富。四季丰度平均为47.09×103 cells/L, 1月丰度最高, 7月次之, 11月最低, 3月高于11月少许。四季优势种均为硅藻, 13个优势种分别为柔弱几内亚藻(Guinardia delicatula)、短角弯角藻(Ecampia zoodicaus)、骨条藻(Skeletonema spp.)、具槽帕拉藻(Paralia sulcata)、微小海链藻(Thalassiosira exigua)、标志星杆藻(Asterionella notula)、旋链角毛藻(Chaetoceros curvisetus)、新月菱形藻(Nitzchia closterium)、派格棍形藻(Bacillaria paxillifera)、异常角毛藻(Chaetoceros abmormis)、小细柱藻(Leptocylindrus minutum)、宽角曲舟藻(Pleurosigma angulatum)和美丽曲舟藻(Pleurosigma formosum)。不同季节优势种有一定程度交错, 仅在单季占优的有6种, 有2/3在3个以上季节出现, 具槽帕拉藻、骨条藻为四季优势种。浮游植物物种多样性和均匀度总体较好, 群落结构稳定。与毗邻海区相比, 本区物种丰富度偏低, 丰度高于毗邻海区, 种类组成相似, 优势种却有较大差别。Pearson相关分析表明, 溶解无机氮及活性磷酸盐仅在1月与丰度存在极显著的正相关, 是促使丰度为四季最高的原因。涉海工程施工产生的悬浮物和冲击波是影响浮游植物群落的主要因素, 大量海洋工程建设案例表明, 施工期造成的浮游植物丰度下降趋势和优势种更替混乱在工程结束后能得以恢复。     

苏北沿海滩涂养殖湿地磷化氢的释放及其影响因素

利用静态暗箱采样方法和气相色谱-氮磷检测器(GC-NPD)分析技术测定了苏北沿海滩涂养殖湿地区域磷化氢的释放通量,研究了其季节和空间变化特征,并探讨了其潜在的影响因素。结果表明,各季节磷化氢释放通量的高低排序为:8月份5月份11月份2月份,其变化范围分别为16.5—168.9、8.3—105.9、8.2—64.5和-19.5—49.6 ng m-2h-1,平均值分别为65.0、36.5、25.9和16.4 ng m-2h-1;空间变化明显,各季节的平均值,b10站位最高,b3次之,b5和b8站位相对较低。磷化氢释放通量与沉积环境因子的相关性分析显示,释放通量与TP、IP、OP、OC、TN、SC和T有较好的线性正相关关系(相关系数R分别为0.807、0.579、0.828、0.825、0.467、0.605和0.551,P值0.01),与Eh有较好的线性负相关关系(R为-0.774,P值0.01),表明在研究调查区域,较高的磷、碳、氮、硫组分含量,较高的温度和较低的氧化还原电位更有利于磷化氢的释放过程。     

Redrawing the map: mtDNA provides new insight into the distribution and diversity of short‐finned pilot whales in the Pacific Ocean

Correlations between morphological and genetic data provide evidence to delineate species or evolutionarily significant units, which then become the units to conserve in management plans. Here, we examine the distribution and genetic differentiation of two morphotypes of short‐finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) in the Pacific Ocean. Mitochondrial control region sequences from 333 samples were combined with 152 previously published sequences to describe genetic variability globally and population structure in the Pacific. Although genetic variability is low, we found strong differentiation at both broad and local levels across the Pacific. Based on genetics, two types are distributed throughout the Pacific, one predominantly in the eastern Pacific and the other in the western and central Pacific. In the eastern Pacific Ocean, no correlation was found between distribution and sea surface temperature. The two types have broad latitudinal ranges, suggesting their distributions are likely driven by more complex factors, such as prey distribution, rather than sea surface temperature.