Divergence thresholds and divergent biodiversity estimates: can metabarcoding reliably describe zooplankton communities?

DNA metabarcoding is a promising method for describing communities and estimating biodiversity. This approach uses high‐throughput sequencing of targeted markers to identify species in a complex sample. By convention, sequences are clustered at a predefined sequence divergence threshold (often 3%) into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that serve as a proxy for species. However, variable levels of interspecific marker variation across taxonomic groups make clustering sequences from a phylogenetically diverse dataset into OTUs at a uniform threshold problematic. In this study, we use mock zooplankton communities to evaluate the accuracy of species richness estimates when following conventional protocols to cluster hypervariable sequences of the V4 region of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (18S) into OTUs. By including individually tagged single specimens and “populations” of various species in our communities, we examine the impact of intra‐ and interspecific diversity on OTU clustering. Communities consisting of single individuals per species generated a correspondence of 59–84% between OTU number and species richness at a 3% divergence threshold. However, when multiple individuals per species were included, the correspondence between OTU number and species richness dropped to 31–63%. Our results suggest that intraspecific variation in this marker can often exceed 3%, such that a single species does not always correspond to one OTU. We advocate the need to apply group‐specific divergence thresholds when analyzing complex and taxonomically diverse communities, but also encourage the development of additional filtering steps that allow identification of artifactual rRNA gene sequences or pseudogenes that may generate spurious OTUs.     

施用有机肥对高砷红壤中小白菜砷吸收的影响

通过盆栽试验,研究了施用猪粪和鸡粪条件下红壤中的砷对小白菜生长和吸收的影响及土壤有效态砷含量的变化.结果表明：向高砷红壤中施用猪粪和鸡粪两种有机肥均使小白菜的生物量有不同程度的增加,其中,施用猪粪处理的小白菜生物量显著高于对照处理(P<0.05);猪粪和鸡粪两种有机肥的施用可导致土壤有效砷含量明显提高,施用猪粪后土壤有效砷含量增幅达394.9%～1033.6%,而施用鸡粪的土壤有效砷含量增幅为30.4%～94.1%; 施用有机肥明显促进了小白菜对砷的吸收,其中猪粪处理下小白菜的砷吸收量比对照增加20.7%～53.9%. 根据本研究结果,对砷含量较高的高风险农田,施用猪粪、鸡粪等有机肥可能会在一定程度上提高土壤有效砷含量和作物对砷的吸收量,使农产品质量和环境风险增加.     

稻鸭共育对稻田水体藻类群落的影响

稻鸭共育技术是我国传统稻田养鸭技术的继承和发展,鸭子全程露宿放养赋予稻田养鸭新的稻鸭共育机制,形成了以稻田为基础、种稻为中心、家鸭野养为特点的自然生态和人为干预相结合的复合生态系统。这种养殖方法,利用雏鸭旺盛的杂食性,吃掉稻田里的杂草和害虫,利用鸭子不间断的活动产生中耕浑水效果,刺激水稻生长,同时鸭的粪便可作为肥料[1],稻鸭共育技术具有控虫防病、除草松土、培肥土壤、 改善水稻群体结构、甲烷减排等方面的作用[1,2]。     

土壤呼吸的影响因素及全球尺度下温度的影响

土壤呼吸是指土壤释放ＣＯ２的过程,主要由土壤微生物和根系产生。作为一个复杂的生态学过程,土壤呼吸在受到植被,微生物等生物因素影响的同时,也受到了温度,湿度、ｐＨ值等环境因素的作用,并且随着人类影响的增强,人为因素的作用也越来越大。根据已有工作,讨论了影响土壤呼吸的主要影响因素及其相互关系,分析了全球范围内湿润地区森林植被的土壤呼吸与纬度的关系以及土壤呼吸与年均温的关系,得出了全球范围的Ｑ１０值为１     

Soil types with different texture affects development of Rhizoctonia root rot of wheat seedlings

The effect of different soil textures, sandy (97.5% sand, 1.6% silt, 0.9% clay), loamy sand (77% sand, 11% silt, 12% clay) and a sandy clay loam (69% sand, 7% silt, 24% clay), on root rot of wheat caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kühn Anastomosis Group (AG) 8 was studied under glasshouse conditions. The reduction in root and shoot biomass following inoculation with AG-8 was greater in sand than in loamy sand or sandy clay loam. Dry root weight of wheat in the sand, loamy sand and sandy clay loam soils infested with AG-8 was 91%, 55% and 28% less than in control uninfested soils. There was greater moisture retention in the loamy sand and sandy clay loam soils as compared to the sand in the upper 10–20 cm. Root penetration resistance was greater in loamy sand and sandy clay loam than in sand. Root growth in the uninfested soil column was faster in the sand than in the loamy sand and sandy clay loam soils, the roots in the sandy soil being thinner than in the other two soils. Radial spread of the pathogen in these soils in seedling trays was twice as fast in the sand in comparison to the loamy sand which in turn was more than twice that in the sandy clay loam soil. There was no evidence that differences among soils in pathogenicity or soil spread of the pathogen was related to their nutrient status. This behaviour may be related to the severity of the disease in fields with sandy soils as compared to those with loam or clay soils. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Using education as a public relations tool for biotechnology

The advances in the biotechnology industry, and in biosciences research are impressive by any measure, but it is not sufficient just to continue to make spectacular scientific breakthroughs. It is important that the general public is assisted to keep up with the pace of technological change. Some efforts have been made, but they have not been enough. A public relations strategy is required. The biotechnology industry needs to influence public opinion as well as lead discovery. The aims of a public relations campaign should not be just to inform and convince legislators and regulators, but should target the average consumer of the 21st century. There are two areas where the science community must direct its attention if the international public is to be brought along on this biotechnological odyssey: the compulsory school sector – including teachers, students and policy makers; and key sector groups that can be specifically targeted such as farmers, indigenous peoples, horticulturists, food sector people, health professionals, and in particular, the recently retired. If the potential of biotechnological advances is to be realised, scientists must be proactive in educating the general public. This will also involve educating the educators. No amount of public education will completely remove the opposition to genetic engineering, but with an educated public there is an increased opportunity for a fair debate and scare tactics, half-truths and innuendo will gain less traction.     

西双版纳热带季节雨林植物种类多样性的一种研究方法

一、方法1.样地的选择样地分别选取热带干性季节雨林的典型代表——以箭毒木(Antiaris toxicaria)、龙果(Pouteria grandifolia)为标志的群落,以千果榄仁(Terminalia myriocarpa)、番龙眼     

思茅松林下重楼和白及田节肢动物群落组成结构及多样性研究

明确思茅松Pinus kesiya var. langbianensis林下重楼Paridis rhizoma和白及Bletilla striata田节肢动物群落组成结构及多样性。2022年1月-2022年12月,以云南省普洱市澜沧县思茅松林下重楼、白及种植基地为调查点,采用目测法、陷阱法、黄蓝板诱捕法、马氏网诱捕及夜晚踏查相结合的方法对思茅松林下重楼、白及田节肢动物群落组成结构进行调查。结果表明：思茅松林下重楼田节肢动物有6纲21目92科141属172种4 153头,个体数量上优势类群为双翅目昆虫;林下白及田节肢动物有6纲21目97科152属186种5 538头,个体数量上优势类群为双翅目和半翅目昆虫。林下重楼的节肢动物群落多样性指数、优势集中指数、均匀度指数和丰富度指数分别为4.070、0.036、0.791和20.657;林下白及的节肢动物群落多样性指数、优势集中指数、均匀度指数和丰富度指数分别为4.111、0.032、0.787和21.347。此外,林下重楼田主要害虫为螽斯类和叶蝉类,螽斯类6月为暴发期;叶蝉类8月为暴发期;主要天敌为横纹齿猛蚁Odontoponera transversa、斧啮和丽长足虻。林下白及田主要害虫为黄脸油葫芦Teleogryllus emma和叶蝉类,黄脸油葫芦7月种群数量最高;叶蝉类8月为暴发期;主要天敌为狼蛛Lycosa、褐条斑跳蛛Plexippus paykulli、茧蜂和姬蜂。综上,云南省普洱市澜沧县思茅松林下重楼、白及田节肢动物群落多样性丰富,应加强对螽斯、叶蝉和黄脸油葫芦等优势害虫的防控,同时注意对寄生蜂和蜘蛛天敌的保护和利用。研究可为思茅松林下重楼、白及害虫的综合治理和天敌资源的保护利用提供参考。     

Occurrence of Tuber melanosporum in relation to soil surface layer properties and soil differentiation

An intensive survey was carried out on a 12-year-old experimental truffle bed of Tuber melanosporum Vitt. located in the central Apennines. The aim of the investigation was to relate the presence and carpophore production of T. melanosporum to changes in soil structure, aeration and fertility — expressed in terms of 0.25–2.00 mm aggregate fraction, total organic carbon, DTPA-extractable Mn and host plant height — and to determine if these modifications, whenever present, could be ascribed to soil differentiation within the truffle bed. The occurrence of pianelli — i.e. areas with little herbaceous ground cover created by T. melanosporum — showed a close relationship with host plant height and aeration of soil surface layers. Where pianelli occurred, the height of symbiont trees increased and the content of reduced Mn, indicating the presence of a well-aerated soil environment, decreased. The variation of host plant height was attributable not only to the increased absorption of nutrients related to the ectomycorrhizal partnership, but also to soil differentiation. The soils of the investigated area were characterized by a relatively low slope gradient, a rigid framework of gravel and a homogeneous physico-chemical behaviour, due to the predominance of Ca among exchangeable bases. In these environmental conditions, T. melanosporum was present in the rather thick soil belonging to Typic Rendolls, whereas it was absent in the area characterized by thin Lithic Rendolls. In the latter case, the plant cover was probably too scarce to protect T. melanosporum from summer dryness, and consequently the more resistant T. aestivum species prevailed. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

东北黑土有机磷的矿化过程研究

用室内恒温控湿培养法和埋袋法研究了不同时间序列下黑土有机磷的矿化过程.结果表明,无论是实验室培养法还是埋袋法,有机磷含量和矿化速率都逐渐下降,累积矿化率逐渐上升.培养法中,两个处理的矿化速率均在1个月时最大,分别为31.67和38.75 mg·kg^-1·month^-1,6个月时累积矿化率和矿化速率分别为7.9%,13.26 mg·kg^-1·month^-1;9.24%,17.99 mg·kg^-1·month^-1.埋袋法中,5个有机物料处理的矿化速率均在1年时最大,分别为55.67、55.65、49.60、19.71和22.52 mg·kg^-1·month^-1,3年时玉米根和小麦根处理的累积矿化率和矿化速率较高(二者3年的累积矿化率约50%,矿化速率约35 mg·kg^-1·month^-1),而大豆根和草根的处理则较低.同时,两种研究方法均表明,有机磷初始含量影响其矿化率和矿化速率,有机磷初始含量愈高,其矿化率和矿化速率就愈高.