A functional assessment of the response of grassland vegetation to reduced grazing and abandonment

Question: Predicting the impact of land‐use change on vegetation is vital to understanding how biodiversity and ecosystem function may respond. Is it correct to assume that abandonment is an extreme form of grazing reduction? Location: Borders and central Scotland. Methods: The analysis used data sets from two identical experiments where the impacts of two unfertilized, extensively grazed treatments and one unfertilized abandoned treatment were compared against the species dynamics of a pasture subject to normal, productive grazing management over a 16‐year period. Initial multivariate analysis using Principal Response Curves was used to assess if particular traits were associated with either extensive or abandoned treatments, and was checked using univariate tests of individual traits. RLQ analysis followed by clustering into response groups was used to assess if species behaved in a similar manner between sites. Results: For many traits/attributes the shift in value or proportion was approximately linear across the extensification treatments as grazing was removed. However, certain traits showed step changes and quadratic responses. Leaf dry matter content, an important effect trait, was in the latter group. Most traits/attributes and species behaved similarly at the two sites. However, traits such as regenerative strategy, seed length, longevity and mass and seed bank type behaved differently, indicating that they are not predictable response traits. Conclusion: The results indicate that responses to grazing removal during extensification are largely straightforward and largely independent of species pool. However, there are discrepancies that suggest that simple analyses of the impacts of land‐use changes such as grazing reduction may hide more complex responses.     

不同年限免耕秸秆覆盖对土壤活性有机碳和碳库管理指数的影响

为探明渭北旱塬免耕秸秆覆盖对春玉米田土壤活性有机碳(LOC)、碳库管理指数(CMI)和作物产量的影响,进而明确该区免耕覆盖的适宜年限,于2001-2010年在陕西合阳县旱农试验站,设置了不同年限处理:1年(S1)、3年(S3)、5年(S5)、8年(S8)和10年(S10)的免耕秸秆覆盖定位试验,以常规耕作(CK)和10年免耕不覆盖(CK)为对照.结果表明:与CK相比,S1、S3、S5、S8和S10处理0～10 cm土层土壤有机碳(TOC)质量分数分别提高7.6％、13.5％、25.4％、48.6％和79.0％:LOC分别提高40.1％、51.5％、102.4％、78.4％和75.3％;CMI分别提高49.4％、61.2％、126.8％、85.4％和75.3％.春玉米产量、全氮、全磷和有效磷分别与LOC和CMI呈极显著相关(P＜0.01),而与TOC无显著相关性.本研究表明,LOC和CMI较TOC更能快速准确地反映不同年限免耕覆盖对土壤碳库和玉米产量的影响,可以作为渭北旱塬免耕秸秆覆盖生态效应的评价指标,且该区覆盖年限以5～8年为宜.     

The sensitivity of catecholamine release to botulinum toxin C1 and E suggests selective targeting of vesicles set into the readily releasable pool

The impact of syntaxin and SNAP-25 cleavage on [3H]noradrenaline ([3H]NA) and [3H]dopamine ([3H]DA) exocytotic release evoked by different stimuli was studied in superfused rat synaptosomes. The external Ca2+-dependent K+-induced [3H]catecholamine overflows were almost totally abolished by botulinum toxin C1 (BoNT/C1), which hydrolyses syntaxin and SNAP-25, or by botulinum toxin E (BoNT/E), selective for SNAP-25. BoNT/C1 cleaved 25% of total syntaxin and 40% of SNAP-25; BoNT/E cleaved 40% of SNAP-25 but left syntaxin intact. The GABA uptake-induced releases of [3H]NA and [3H]DA were differentially affected: both toxins blocked the former, dependent on external Ca2+, but not the latter, internal Ca2+-dependent. BoNT/C1 or BoNT/E only slightly reduced the ionomycin-evoked [3H]catecholamine release. More precisely, [3H]NA exocytosis induced by ionomycin was sensitive to toxins in the early phase of release but not later. The Ca2+-independent [3H]NA exocytosis evoked by hypertonic sucrose, thought to release from the readily releasable pool (RRP) of vesicles, was significantly reduced by BoNT/C1. Pre-treating synaptosomes with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, to increase the RRP, enhanced the sensitivity to BoNT/C1 of [3H]NA release elicited by sucrose or ionomycin. Accordingly, cleavage of syntaxin was augmented by the phorbol-ester. To conclude, our results suggest that clostridial toxins selectively target exocytosis involving vesicles set into the RRP.     

分子标记在作物育种中的应用

近20年来发展了多种分子标记,使作物育种学家有可能直接根据基因型而不只是表现型进行选择,在作物育种的各个方面具有重要的利用价值。本文简要综述了分子标记在作物育种方面的有关应用。主要内容有：（1）分子图谱构建与基因定位;（2）DNA指纹库的建立;（3）标记辅助选择;（4）F1杂种优势分析;（5）基于图谱克隆基因。     

衡阳紫色土丘陵坡地植被恢复对土壤活性有机碳库的影响

为了解植被恢复对土壤活性有机碳库的影响,采用空间代替时间序列方法,对衡阳紫色土丘陵坡地植被恢复对土壤活性有机碳含量和分布进行研究。结果表明,土壤有机碳(SOC)、微生物量碳(MBC)、水溶性有机碳(DOC)、轻组有机碳(LFOC)和易氧化碳(ROC)含量均以乔灌阶段最高(P0.05),随土层加深显著减小(P0.05)。随恢复进程,MBC/SOC、DOC/SOC和ROC/SOC显著增加(P0.05);0~20 cm土层,LFOC/SOC随恢复显著增加(P0.05),而20~40 cm土层,LFOC/SOC的差异不明显(P0.05)。随土层加深,LFOC/SOC显著减小(P0.05),DOC/SOC、MBC/SOC和ROC/SOC逐渐增加(P0.05)。SOC、MBC、DOC、LFOC和ROC间存在极显著正相关关系(P0.01)。各类活性有机碳库与土壤含水量(SWC)、全氮(TN)、碱解氮(AN)和速效磷(AP)呈显著或极显著正相关关系(P0.05或P0.01),与土壤容重(BD)呈极显著负相关关系。因此,植被恢复在一定程度上可提高衡阳紫色土丘陵坡地土壤活性有机碳的形成和积累,增加土壤碳储量。     

四川省森林植被碳储量的空间分异特征

森林植被碳储量的空间分异特征研究可为以减排增汇为目标的森林生态系统碳库管理提供重要的基础数据.根据实测的林分含碳量和区域生物量-蓄积量回归模型计算了四川省森林植被碳储量,使用ArcGIS软件绘制和分析了四川森林植被碳储量的空间分异特征.结果表明,四川省森林植被的平均碳密度为38.04 MgC·hm-2(12.15～59.51 MgC·hm-2).受青藏高原隆升和人类活动干扰及其叠加效应的影响,四川森林植被碳密度空间分异明显,总体上表现出随纬度、海拔高度和坡度的增加而增加,随经度的增加而减小,高海拔地区和陡坡地带具有较高的碳密度.减少人类活动对森林的破坏及采取森林分区经营管理是稳定和增强四川森林碳汇功能的有效途径.     

Effects of decreased atmospheric deposition on the sulfur budgets of two Dutch moorland pools

The chemical composition of surface waters of two Dutch moorland pools and of incident precipitation, was monitored from 1982 to 1990. For this period, sulfur and water budgets were calculated using a hydrochemical model developed for well-mixed non-stratifying lakes. Total atmospheric deposition of S decreased significantly after 1986 at both locations. A model describing the sulfur budget in terms of input, output and reduction/oxidation processes predicted a fast decrease of pool water SO₄ ²⁻ concentrations after a decrease of atmospheric input. However, SO₄ ²⁻ concentrations in the surface water was lowered only slightly or remained constant. Apparently a source within the lake caused the unexpectedly high SO₄ ²⁻ concentrations. The possible supply of SO₄ ²⁻ from the sediment through regulation by (K-)Al-SO₄ containing minerals or desorption of SO₄ ²⁻ from positively charged surfaces in the sediment was evaluated. Solubility calculations of pore water with respect to alunite, basaluminite and jurbanite indicated that SO₄ ²⁻ concentration was not regulated by these minerals. It is suggested here (1) that desorption of SO₄ ²⁻ from peaty sediments may account for the estimated SO₄ ²⁻ supply provided that the adsorption complex is periodically recharged by partial oxidation of the upper bottom sediments and (2) that because of exposure of a part of the pool bottom to the atmosphere during dry summers and subsequent oxidation of reduced S, the amount of SO₄ ²⁻ may be provided which complements the decreasing depositional SO₄ ²⁻ input. In future research these two mechanisms need to be investigated.     

我国北方3种典型土壤-作物体系中微生物量磷库特征

土壤微生物量磷(Microbial Biomass Phosphorus, MBP)是土壤磷组分中最为活跃的形态,在土壤磷素的形态转化与生物地球化学循环过程中起着关键作用,是植物可利用磷的重要来源。研究土壤MBP库容的大小对于充分认识微生物的固磷潜力和掌握土壤磷素循环与转化能力意义重大。以我国北方农田3种典型的土壤-作物体系为研究对象,基于定点采样,通过分析测定采集的362个表层(0—30 cm)土壤样品来量化不同土壤-作物体系MBP库容的大小。结果表明：黑土-春玉米、潮土-冬小麦/夏玉米、灰漠土-棉花体系表层土壤MBP平均含量分别为17.36、14.45、8.75 mg/kg,且不同土壤-作物体系间MBP含量存在显著差异;3种土壤-作物体系表层土壤(0—30 cm)MBP库容的大小分别为83.60、54.26、39.80 kg P/hm~2,其储存的磷在数量上相当于当季作物需磷量的1.10—2.73倍,表明土壤MBP库是农田生态系统中一个不容忽视的巨大有效养分磷储库。其库容的大小受土壤性质和气候因素的共同影响,土壤pH、有机碳、年均气温和年均降雨量是我国北方农田土壤MBP库容大小的主...     

Isothermal amplification detection of nucleic acids by a double-nicked beacon

Isothermal and rapid amplification detection of nucleic acids is an important technology in environmental monitoring, foodborne pathogen detection, and point-of-care clinical diagnostics. Here we have developed a novel method of isothermal signal amplification for single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) detection. The ssDNA target could be used as an initiator, coupled with a double-nicked molecular beacon, to originate amplification cycles, achieving cascade signal amplification. In addition, the method showed good specificity and strong anti-jamming capability. Overall, it is a one-pot and isothermal strand displacement amplification method without the requirement of a stepwise procedure, which greatly simplifies the experimental procedure and decreases the probability of contamination of samples. With its advantages, the method would be very useful to detect nucleic acids in point-of-care or field use.     

Conformation of ring single-stranded DNA measured by DNA origami structures

Measuring the mechanical properties of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) is a complex challenge that has been addressed lately by different methods. We measured the persistence length of ring ssDNA using a combination of a special DNA origami structure, a self-avoiding ring polymer simulation model, and nonparametric estimation statistics. The method overcomes the complexities set forth by previously used methods. We designed the DNA origami nano structures and measured the ring ssDNA polymer conformations using atomic force microscopy. We then calculated their radius of gyration, which was used as a fitting parameter for finding the persistence length. As there is no simple formulation for the radius of gyration distribution, we developed a simulation program consisting of a self-avoiding ring polymer to fit the persistence length to the experimental data. ssDNA naturally forms stem-loops, which should be taken into account in fitting a model to the experimental measurement. To overcome that hurdle, we found the possible loops using minimal energy considerations and used them in our fitting procedure of the persistence length. Due to the statistical nature of the loops formation, we calculated the persistence length for different percentages of loops that are formed. In the range of 25–75% loop formation, we found the persistence length to be 1.9–4.4 nm, and for 50% loop formation we get a persistence length of 2.83 ± 0.63 nm. This estimation narrows the previously known persistence length and provides tools for finding the conformations of ssDNA.