Biological control of the exotic invasive snail Pomacea canaliculata with the indigenous medicinal leech Whitmania pigra

The apple snail Pomacea canaliculata has been an invasive species in China for decades and causes enormous losses to agriculture. The predation capability of the leech Whitmania pigra on P. canaliculata was studied for its economic benefit and potential application. In the present study, the leech W. pigra exhibited a strong predatory capacity in controlling P. canaliculata under both laboratory and field conditions, and it showed no bias towards consuming smaller snails during the experiments. More than 80% of the 80 snails (of which half had reached maturity) were preyed upon by 20 developing leeches (2–7?g) in miniature rice fields over a 15-day period, and the number of rice seedlings damaged by P. canaliculata was decreased in the presence of W. pigra. In a separate experiment, 15 developing snails were exposed to caged leeches and conspecific snails for four weeks. The food intake and growth of P. canaliculata were inhibited under the predation risk imposed by W. pigra, but the feeding rate, food conversion efficiency and survival of P. canaliculata were not conspicuously influenced.     

Assessment of Phytotoxicity of Chromium in Flooded Soils using Embedded Selective Ion Exchange Resin Method

Chromium present in the forms of Cr(VI) or Cr(III) in soils. Since the toxicity and mobility of Cr(VI) are higher than those of Cr(III), it would be important to estimate soil Cr(VI) accurately in order to assess the phytotoxicity of Cr. Soil redox potential can influence the distribution of Cr between Cr(VI) and Cr(III) forms, and thus an in situ method which is not affected by the soil redox condition is needed for determining Cr(VI) availability in paddy fields. In this study, the Cu-saturated selective ion exchange resin (DOWEX M4159), serving as an infinite sink, was embedded in soils to extract available Cr(VI) from three representative saturated soils with different amounts of Cr(VI). The results suggested that Cr(VI) reduction occurred in the flooded soils, and the acid environment favored the adsorption and reduction of Cr(VI). There was a significant dose-response relationship between the soil resin-extractable Cr(VI) and the plant height of rice seedlings for test soils. The experimental results suggested that the embedded selective ion exchange resin method could be a suitable in situ method for assessing the phytotoxicity of Cr in flooded soils.     

Changes in biochemical constituents of paddy straw during degradation by white rot fungi and its impact on in vitro digestibility

Aims: To improve the digestibility of paddy straw to be used as animal feed by means of selective delignification using white rot fungi. Methods and Results: Solid state fermentation of paddy straw was carried out with some white rot fungi for 60 days. Different biochemical analyses, e.g. total organic matter (TOM) loss, hemicellulose loss, cellulose loss, lignin loss and in vitro digestibility, were carried out along with laccase, xylanase and carboxymethyl cellulase activity. The results were compared with that of a widely studied fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium, which degraded 464 g kg^?1 TOM and enhanced the in vitro digestibility from 185 to 254 g kg^?1 after 60 days of incubation. Straw inoculated with Phlebia brevispora possessed maximum crude protein. Conclusions: All the tested white rot fungi efficiently degraded the lignin and enhanced the in vitro digestibility of paddy straw. Phlebia brevispora, Phlebia radiata and P. chrysosporium enhanced the in vitro digestibility almost to similar levels, while the loss in TOM was much lesser in P. brevispora and P. radiata when compared to P. chrysosporium. Significance and Impact of the Study: The study reflects the potential of P. brevispora and P. radiata as suitable choices for practical use in terms of availability of organic matter with higher protein value, selective ligninolysis and better digestibility.     

Efficacy of New Inexpensive Cyanobacterial Biofertilizer Including its Shelf-life

Summary Four cyanobacterial inoculants all significantly increased grain and straw yield of rice either alone or in combination with chemical fertilizer. A saving of 25 kg N ha⁻¹ can be attained through cyanobacterial fertilization. Tobacco waste-based cyanobacterial biofertilizer was best in performance. Cyanobacterial acetylene reducing activity in vivo varied from 144 to 255 μmol C₂H₄ m⁻² h⁻¹ in different treatments, being highest for tobacco-based cyanobacterial biofertilizer integrated with 50% chemical N. The nutrient balance for total N, available N, total P and available P was found positive in biofertilizer- and chemical fertilizer-treated plots. The total and available K showed negative balance in all the treatments. The shelf-life of cyanobacterial biofertilizer can be augmented by selecting translucent packing material, dry mixing and paddy straw as a carrier. Dry mixing and a mixing ratio of 50:50 (carrier:cyanobacteria) gave better inoculum loading and shelf-life. Decrease in cyanobacterial population was least in dried cyanobacterial flacks, indicating a possibility of developing cyanobacterial biofertilizer without carrier mixing at the time of production.     

镉对小鼠精母细胞凋亡及附睾内精子质量的影响

采用人工水质染毒的方法,利用透射电镜技术及流式细胞术（FCM）,探讨重金属镉对小鼠精巢内生殖细胞凋亡及附睾内成熟精子质量的影响.结果表明：各试验组小鼠生殖细胞处于凋亡时期的数量显著高于对照组,凋亡时期的生殖细胞超微结构呈现出线粒体空泡、核膜内陷、染色质周缘化及核固缩等形态特征,表明镉容易引起小鼠生殖细胞凋亡;各试验组精子早期凋亡的比例显著高于对照组,而活性精子的比例显著低于对照组（P<0.05）,其中高剂量组（0.10 mmol·L^-1）精子成活率（75.1%）显著低于对照组和其他试验组,而早期凋亡率（22.6%）则显著高于对照组;高剂量组睾丸生殖细胞DNA断裂率（18.2%）及附睾精子断裂率（26.5%）均显著高于对照组（3.3%、5.6 %）（P<0.05）.各试验组小鼠睾丸内DNA断裂的生殖细胞数量低于附睾内DNA断裂的精子数量.随着添加剂量的增加,小鼠睾丸内生殖细胞及附睾内精子凋亡率逐渐升高.表明小鼠生殖细胞凋亡及DNA损伤数量与镉剂量具有一定相关性.     

Diversity and Abundance of Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea and Bacteria in Diverse Chinese Paddy Soils

Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) in three types of paddy soils of China before and after rice plantation were investigated by using an integrated approach including geochemistry, 454 pyrosequencing, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The abundances of AOA amoA gene were 1～2 orders of magnitude higher than AOB amoA gene. The types of paddy soils had important impacts on the diversities of both AOA and AOB via clay mineralogy (smectite or illite-rich) and bioavailability of ammonium. The Nitrososphaera subcluster 5 and Nitrosopumilis cluster of AOA, and Nitrosomonas subcluster 5 and Nitrosospira subcluster 3 of AOB were well adapted to soils with high ammonium concentrations. AOA and AOB community structures were different before and after rice plantation, likely due to changes of pH and ammonium fertilization. The Nitrosospira subclusters 2 and 9 were well adapted to acidic paddy soils. However, the sensitivity of AOA and AOB community structures to these factors may be complicated by other geochemical conditions. The results of this study collectively demonstrated that multiple environmental factors, such as clay mineralogy, ammonium content and total organic carbon as well as soil pH, shaped AOA and AOB community structure and abundance.     

养殖污水直灌对稻田土壤氮、磷积累与垂直迁移的影响

尽管国内外对养殖污水处理已提出了一系列的工艺技术,但因经济原因养殖污水直接灌溉农田在我国农村地区仍较为常见.为了解长期畜禽养殖污水直灌对稻田土壤质量的影响,在浙江省绍兴市柯桥区选择了养殖污水直灌不同年限(0、4、7、13年)的稻田,比较研究了养殖污水直接灌溉对稻田土壤不同深度土层中各形态氮和磷含量的影响,探讨了长期养殖污水灌溉对氮、磷在土壤剖面中垂直迁移的影响.结果表明: 长期养殖污水直接灌溉可显著提高稻田土壤中氮和磷的积累,积累量随灌溉年限的增长而增加,其中磷素的增幅高于氮素.养殖污水灌溉4、7和13年后,土壤表层中全P和全N分别比对照增加了43.6%、95.2%、1484%和7.7%、17.0%、28.4%.土壤氮素的变化为NH₄⁺-N、NO₃^--N>酸解有机氮>非酸解有机氮;土壤有效磷的变化明显大于全磷.长期养殖污水灌溉可促进氮、磷在土壤剖面中的垂直迁移,增加对地下水的污染风险.
     

重金属污染可能改变稻田土壤团聚体组成及其重金属分配

采集了太湖地区污染与非污染稻田表土,采用原状土低能量分离-分散技术提取土壤团聚体粒组,分析土壤中不同粒径团聚体颗粒组质量组成和Pb、Cd、Hg、As等重金属元素的含量, 讨论重金属污染下土壤团聚体组成和重金属团聚体分配的变化.结果表明：在重金属污染下,供试水稻土砂粒级团聚体减少,而较细粒径团聚体相对增多;4种重金属元素在不同粒径团聚体颗粒组中的含量存在差异,但随粒径的变化趋势基本一致,即在<0.002 mm粒径的颗粒组中最高, 其次是0.2～2 mm粒径的颗粒组,而在0.02～0.2 mm和0.002～0.02 mm粒径的团聚体中呈现亏缺现象（富集系数为0.56～0.96）.表明重金属污染可能减弱了较大土壤团聚体的形成,导致细粒径团聚体相对增多,从而明显提高了重金属元素在粉砂和粘粒组团聚体中的分配,这可能进一步提高了污染农田重金属的水迁移和大气颗粒物迁移的风险.对于重金属污染对稻田土壤生物物理和生物化学过程的影响及其机制还需要进一步研究.     

不同施肥模式下稻田土壤微生物生物量磷对土壤有机碳和磷素变化的响应

通过15年的红壤稻田长期定位试验,研究了不同施肥模式下土壤微生物生物量磷(MB-P)对土壤有机碳和磷素变化的响应.结果表明红壤稻田有机碳源的长期投入和土壤有机碳的逐年升高使土壤微生物生物量碳(MB-C)维持在较高水平(＞800 mg·kg-1),是稻田土壤MB-P(＞16.0 mg·kg-1)提高的主要原因.长期不施磷肥条件下,土壤全磷含量与试验前相比显著降低(P＜0.05),而土壤有机磷含量平均提高了29.3%;土壤亏损的磷形态主要是无机磷(Al-P、Fe-P、Ca-P和O-P),其中Al-P含量处于最低水平(平均0.5 mg·kg-1).另外,长期不施磷肥土壤的MB-P远高于Olsen法提取态磷(Olsen-P)(＜7.0 mg·kg-1),而稻田土壤MB-P与Al-P呈显著相关(P＜0.05),表明土壤微生物对稻田土壤Al-P、Fe-P、Ca-P和O-P的利用是促进其向有效磷方向转化的关键途径.磷肥配合有机养分循环利用不仅提高了土壤磷库的积累,而且通过土壤微生物的活化有效地提高了土壤磷的有效性.     

杭嘉湖地区淹水稻田氮素径流流失负荷估算

通过大田试验、定点观测等方法对现有的关于长江三角洲平原地区水田降雨径流产生模型进行验证,发现该模型在考虑排水堰的影响之后,基本能够模拟杭嘉湖平原水网区水田降雨径流产生过程,误差在-19.9%～+18.0%之间,同时提出了淹水稻田降雨径流氮素浓度模型（R=0.948）,从而得到了该地区淹水稻田氮素径流流失负荷模型.在此基础上,搜集了该地区水稻田氮肥施用情况、30年逐日降雨量、1∶250000地形图、土地利用现状图和水系图等资,利用GIS技术对该地区淹水稻田氮素的径流流失负荷以及空间分布进行了估算和分析.结果表明,该地区淹水稻田氮素径流流失负荷平均高达35.26 kg N·hm^-2,约占当季水稻氮素施用量的12.69%,而且在空间上存在着明显的差异,安吉、余杭等地区氮素流失负荷和流失率明显高于其它地区,海宁地区的流失情况也较为严重.