Grasshopper egg mortality mediated by oviposition tactics and fire intensity

Abstract.  1. It is commonly assumed that arthropod species living or hibernating in the soil would not be affected by grassland fires, even though burning results in elevated surface and below-ground soil temperatures. The importance of elevated below-ground soil temperatures during fires on the survival of grasshopper eggs had not been examined.
2. The effects of simulated autumn grassland fires of varying intensities on below-ground egg mortality were examined with grasshopper species laying shallow egg pods ( Ageneotettix deorum ) and deeper egg pods ( Melanoplus sanguinipes ) to test the hypothesis that exposure to heat during fires was the mechanism responsible for population reductions in A. deorum following fire.
3. Species-specific oviposition characteristics mediated the effects of fire intensity on below-ground egg mortality. The results indicate that fires occurring in areas with at least 3100 kg ha⁻¹ standing crop biomass would be expected to significantly reduce populations of A. deorum , but not M. sanguinipes . No A. deorum eggs hatched in 12 of the 14 oviposition containers subjected to simulated fires approximating a standing crop biomass of 4500 kg ha⁻¹. This is the first study to link field observations of rangeland insect populations following fire to mechanisms related to below-ground egg mortality.     

西双版纳次生林火烧前后土壤养分变化的研究

研究了火烧对西双版纳热带次生林下土壤养分的影响。火烧后０～１０ｃｍ土层的ｐＨ、有机质、全Ｎ、Ｐ、Ｋ和有效Ｎ、Ｐ、Ｋ都显著提高,ｐＨ、有机质、全Ｎ、Ｋ和有效Ｎ、Ｋ达０．１％显著水平,有效Ｐ达１％水平,全Ｐ达５％水平。但１０～３０ｃｍ土层的上述各指标均无显著变化。火烧前后各土层的Ｃ／Ｎ比率变化均不显著。     

Helicobacter pylori associated with glossitis and halitosis

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori is a curved microaerophilic Gram-negative bacterium considered as a risk factor for gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to find an association between burning sensations, acid taste, halitosis, and lingual hyperplasia with the effect of H. pylori on the mouth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 124 subjects with different gastric diseases were studied: 46 patients with burning, halitosis and lingual dorsum hyperplasia and 78 patients with other diseases. RESULTS: The detection of H. pylori in the oral cavity by histopathologic diagnosis and molecular biology was confirmed in 40/46 (87%) patients with burning, halitosis, and lingual hyperplasia, and in 2/78 (2.6%) subjects with other diseases. Chi2: 91.26 (p < .001) Mantel-Haenszel. CONCLUSION: This trial showed an association between H. pylori and burning, halitosis, and lingual hyperplasia, and further considered this bacterium a risk factor for gastric infection.     

The effects of gap size and disturbance type on invasion of wet pine savanna by cogongrass, Imperata cylindrica (Poaceae)

Cogongrass is a nonindigenous species perceived to threaten native communities of the southeastern United States through modification of species composition and alteration of community processes. To examine how gap size and disturbance type influence the invasion of wet pine savannas by cogongrass, we performed three field experiments to evaluate the response of cogongrass seeds and transplanted seedlings to four different gap sizes, four types of site disturbance, and recent burning of savanna vegetation. Cogongrass germinated, survived, and grew in all gap sizes, from 0 to 100 cm in diameter. Similarly, disturbance type had no effect on germination or seedling and transplant survival. Tilling, however, significantly enhanced transplanted seedling growth, resulting in a tenfold increase in biomass over the other disturbance types. Seedling survival to 1 and 2 mo was greater in burned savanna than unburned savanna, although transplant survival and growth were not affected by burning. Results of this study suggest that cogongrass can germinate, survive, and grow in wet pine savanna communities regardless of gap size or type of disturbance, including burning. Burning of savanna vegetation may enhance establishment by improving early seedling survival, and soil disturbance can facilitate invasion of cogongrass by enhancing plant growth.     

Fire and seedling population dynamics in western Oregon prairies

Abstract. Through an experiment in three prairie vegetation types in western Oregon, USA the effect of prescribed fire on the timing and rates of seedling emergence and mortality was examined. Seeds of common exotic and native prairie species were sown into burned and unburned plots in late September, 1995. Emerged seedlings were censussed the following winter, early spring and late spring. Results indicated that spring population levels could not be forecast by fall seedling flushes, as winter survival was important in seedling establishment. The bulk of emergence for all grass and annual forb species occurred in the fall, followed by low to severe winter mortality. Perennial forbs were more variable in emergence times but, once emerged, perennial forb seedlings were likely to become established. Burning caused a statistically significant increase in seedling accumulation through emergence and survival in 11 of 23 cases. Burning improved seedling winter survival for most grass and short‐lived forb species and increased emergence of perennial forb species. These patterns were most conspicuous on the two sites dominated by exotic species, where burning significantly improved the accumulation of seedlings from most native species tested. Thus, prescribed burning might be a useful restoration tool in these communities. In contrast, two of the three species increased by burning in the native bunchgrass site were exotic pest plants, suggesting that fire should be prescribed with caution.     

Characterization and modeling of atmospheric particles from sugarcane burning in Morelos,Mexico

Sugarcane processing emits atmospheric pollutants due to sugar mill operation as well as customary fields burning, intended to ease post harvesting land preparation and to minimize inherent wastes. Three atmospheric monitoring campaigns were conducted in the municipality of Zacatepec, Mexico. The data obtained were used to calibrate a Gaussian model built into a Geographic Information System, aimed at modeling a large number of plots from the burn database of the Zone of Zacatepec. During the sugarcane harvesting time and sugar mill operation, particulate matter (PM) concentrations went up to five- and threefold greater for PM₁₀ and PM_2.5, respectively, than during the period without the agro-industrial process. The PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations decreased between 39 and 43% when biomass burning activities stopped. In addition, measurements of 17 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons showed also the highest concentrations during the burning and sugar mill operating periods, where the most abundant of these compounds corresponded to those with the highest molecular weight displaying carcinogenic properties. Maps obtained of particles and benzo[a]pyrene equivalent concentrations allowed determining the populations mostly exposed, which are useful for the design of policies related to adequate conditions for agriculture burning, including the suitability of continuing with such practice.     

基于Landsat 8影像的不同燃烧指数在农田秸秆焚烧区域识别中的应用

农田秸秆焚烧造成秸秆资源的巨大浪费和大气环境的污染,利用热红外波段识别火点的方法可以实时、快速地获取焚烧情况,但是不能提供秸秆焚烧的面积、范围等详细的空间分布情况,也不能确定焚烧的严重程度.利用已燃烧与未燃烧区域的光谱差异选择某些波段构建燃烧指数的方法在森林火灾研究中得到了广泛应用,但是这些指数在农田秸秆焚烧中的潜在应用没有被研究.本文基于松嫩平原地区的两景Landsat 8卫星影像,采用归一化燃烧率（NBR）、引入热红外波段的归一化燃烧率（NBRT）、燃烧面积指数（BAI）3种燃烧指数对农田秸秆焚烧和未焚烧区域进行提取,并与秸秆覆盖度进行相关分析.结果表明：NBR、NBRT和BAI指数对焚烧和未焚烧区域的分类精度分别为91.9%、92.3%、87.8%,NBR、NBRT与覆盖度呈线性相关,R²分别为0.73、0.64,BAI与覆盖度呈幂指数相关关系,R²为0.68.燃烧指数方法可以在农田秸秆焚烧中得到很好的应用,可定量评估秸秆燃烧程度,为大气环境评价提供技术与数据支持.     

Fire‐related cues and germination from the soil seed bank of senescent remnants of mallee vegetation on Eastern Kangaroo Island

Plant communities dominated by narrow‐leaved mallee (Eucalyptus cneorifolia) are almost entirely confined to north‐eastern Kangaroo Island, South Australia, an area which has been extensively cleared for agriculture. Consequently, surviving examples consist mostly of small remnants which are thought to be senescent due to the exclusion of fire. This senescence is associated with the loss of many native understory species. Prescribed burns have been suggested as a management tool to stimulate the restoration of native plants from the soil seed bank; however, no seed bank studies have previously been conducted on Kangaroo Island and the seed bank literature usually focuses on particular species rather than on plant communities. We conducted an experiment to investigate the effects of the fire‐related cues heat and smoke on the germination of plants from the seed bank in soil sampled from 10 long‐ungrazed narrow‐leaved mallee sites on Kangaroo Island. Eighty trays of soil were monitored in a controlled glasshouse for five months after being subjected to heat and/or smoke treatments. The overall number of native, but not exotic, plant species germinating from the soil seed bank was significantly increased by all three fire‐related treatments (heat, smoke and heat plus smoke) compared with the control (no fire‐related treatment). Different plant life forms exhibited varying responses to heat and smoke treatments. The results of this study illustrate that the application of fire‐related treatments to soil seed banks in controlled glasshouse conditions can stimulate the recruitment of native species, including several species of conservation concern. These findings also indicate the potential of using these treatments for the ex situ germination of fire dependent species for revegetation purposes and indicate aspects of prescribed burns that may be important for restoring different components of native vegetation.