Effect of temperature on nitrite excretion by three marine diatoms during nitrate uptake

Nitrite excretion during nitrate uptake by three nitrate-limited diatoms was measured at different temperatures. Phaeodactylum tricornutum Bohlin and Chaetoceros affinis Lauder Hustedt excreted nitrite over the whole range of physiological temperatures, whereas Thalassiosira pseudonana Hasle and Heimdal (Clone 13-1) excreted nitrite only at 25°C. Parallel to growth and nitrate-uptake rates, excretion rates increased exponentially with temperature, attaining a maximum between 20° and 25°C (optimum temperature range). At the end of nitrate uptake, when the nitrate concentration in the culture medium had decreased below 1 M, nitrite was reabsorbed at all temperatures, except when cells were in the dark or at very low light intensity. Nitrite uptake was also inhibited by the presence of nitrate in the medium. These results are discussed in relation to the formation and position of the maximum layer of primary nitrite in the thermocline, below the maximum layer of chlorophyll in stratified oceanic areas.     

草甘膦对旋链角毛藻和盐生杜氏藻的毒性兴奋效应(Stimulation Effect of Glyphosate on Chaetoceros curvisetus and Dunallelia salina)

为研究农药对海洋微藻的毒性兴奋效应(低剂量刺激生长效应),实验测定了不同时间点、不同剂量草甘膦(Glyphosate)对旋链角毛藻(Chaetoceros curvisetus)和盐生杜氏藻(Dunallelia salina)生长的影响,并使用Log-Logistic修正模型和三维模型对实验结果进行拟合.结果表明,草甘膦对两种海洋微藻均存在不同程度的刺激生长效应,修正的Log-Logistic生长模型和三维模型拟合结果不存在显著性差异,但由于不需编程且能得到更多参数,因此使用Log-Logistic修正模型能够更好地描述草甘膦对藻类的剂量-反应结果.     

Effects of nitrite on phosphate uptake in anaerobic-oxic process

An anaerobic-oxic (A/O) biological phosphorus removal reactor was operated to study the effect of nitrite on phosphate uptake. The phosphorus uptake profile was determined under different operating conditions. The results indicated that in addition to oxygen and nitrate (DPB_Na, nitrate denitrifying phosphorus removal), to some extent, nitrite could also serve as an electron acceptor to achieve nitrite denitrifying phosphorus removal (DPB_Ni). The quantity and rate of phosphorus uptake of DPB_Ni, however, were evidently lower than that of DPB_Na. The experiment results revealed that nitrite would bring toxic action to phosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) when NO₂ ^?-N ? 93.7 mg/L. The nitrite existing in the anoxic reactor made no difference to the quantity and rate of denitrifying phosphorus removal, but it could reduce the consumption of nitrate. Moreover, the data showed that the aerobic phosphate uptake of DPB_Ni was lower than that of anaerobic phosphorus-released sludge in a traditional A/O process. However, there was not much difference between these two kinds of sludge in terms of the total phosphorus uptake quantity and the effluent quality.     

Effects of light intensity on aging of the dinoflagellate Gonyaulax polyedra

Gonyaulax polyedra Stein grown in increasingly nutrientlimited batch culture undergoes the following changes (collectively termed aging): there is a decline in the intracellular concentrations of carbon, nitrogen and photosynthetic pigments; nitrate reductase activity decreases; rates of respiration and photosynthesis fall; and cell division virtually ceases (accompanied in bright light by a decrease in the volume of individual cells). The effect of light intensity on these aging events was tested by growing cells in either bright or dim light. The bright light (330 E m^-2 s^-1) was enough to saturate photosynthesis and the dim light (80 E m^-2 s^-1) was low enough to induce significant shade adaptation of photosynthesis without lowering growth rate. At both light intensities, a decline in carbon and nitrogen content preceded or accompanied all other monitored changes, and the sequence of aging events was similar. However the onset of the decline in intracellular nutrients and photosynthetic rate in low-light cells was delayed by a least one cell division time (i.e., to twice the cell density) in comparison to cells under bright light. At both light levels, pigment-protein complexes of the photosynthetic apparatus began to break down after intracellular carbon and nitrogen had been depleted to a critically low level. The beginning of the drop in pigmentation signalled the end of log-phase growth. It is suggested that the greater pigmentation of low-light cells may represent a larger nutrient supply than found in bright-light cells and could increase the survival time of nutrient-stressed populations.     

Dark CO2 uptake by the diatom Chaetoceros simplex in response to nitrogen pulsing

In a continuing investigation of dark CO₂ uptake by nitrogen-limited cultures of the marine diatom Chaetoceros simplex (Bbsm), we expanded on several of our earlier conclusions regarding the potential application of this physiological response for measuring the degree and type of nitrogen limitation in phytoplankton populations. First, the duration over which the maximal enhancement of dark ¹⁴CO₂ uptake was sustained after NH ₄ ⁺ enrichment was a function both of the concentration of added NH ₄ ⁺ and the standing crop of phytoplankton nitrogen — in effect, the total N demand. Second, pulsing with NH ₄ ⁺ for a given degree of N-limitation always produced the same level of enhanced dark CO₂ uptake regardless of whether the cultures were preconditioned with oxidized or reduced nitrogen. In contrast, urea pulsing led to reduced dark CO₂ uptake, but the effect was most pronounced in cells grown on NO ₃ ^– . And third, the assay could be used to distinguish readily between no, moderate, and severe N limitation. The degree of severe N limitation was quantitatively correlated with the degree of enhanced dark CO₂ uptake, but this relationship was not so clear in the region of moderate N limitation. The main advantage of the assay is that it is a relatively simple and effective alternative to more complicated techniques for gauging the degree and form of N limitation in phytoplankton. Further evaluation will be required, both in the laboratory and field, before the assay can be calibrated for quantitative use.Contribution No. 5982 from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution     

栽培水分对采摘后油菜硝酸盐与亚硝酸盐含量的影响

采用盆栽方法栽培油菜(Brassicaca mpestrisL.),研究了灌水水平对采摘后油菜植株体硝酸盐与亚硝酸盐含量随时间变化的影响。共设高(灌水控制上限为田间持水量)、中(灌水控制上限为田间持水量的75%)和低(灌水控制上限为田间持水量的50%)3个灌水水平。油菜采摘后恒温贮存,定期测定油菜植株体内硝酸盐、亚硝酸盐含量。研究结果表明:不同灌水水平和贮存时间以及两者的交互作用都能显著地影响油菜植株体硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐含量;在采摘后的8d时间里,低灌水水平处理(0.50θf处理)的油菜植株体硝酸盐含量一直高于其它两处理;采摘后当天测定高灌水水平处理(1.00θf处理)的油菜植株体硝酸盐含量最低,以后则以中等灌水水平处理(0.75θf处理)的油菜植株体硝酸盐含量为最低。采摘后当天测定油菜植株体亚硝酸盐含量,亦以高灌水水平处理(1.00θf处理)为最低。采摘后油菜植株体硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐含量都经历一个先降低、后升高、再降低的变化过程。因此,从对人体健康及卫生的角度出发,以较高灌水水平栽培油菜,采摘后在一两天内食用,有利于将其硝酸盐和亚硝酸含量控制在较低水平。     

Effects of light intensity on photosynthesis and dark respiration in six species of marine phytoplankton

Using an oxygen polarographic electrode, the shapes of photosynthetic curves and the effects of light on dark respiration in 6 species of marine phytoplankton wer examined. The species used were Skeletonema costatum, Ditylum brightwellii, Cyclotella nana (Thalassiosira pseudonana) (all Bacillariophyceae), Dunaliella tertiolecta (Chlorophyceae), Isochrysis galbana (Haptophyceae), and Gonyaulax tamarensis (Dinophyceae). A hysteresis was observed in all species examined with respect to increasing and decreasing light. Compensation light intensities varied by over 4 orders of magnitude, suggesting that the 1% light depth is an ambiguous measure of the euphotic zone. The data suggest that dark respiration accounts for ca. 25% of gross photosynthesis, but is species-dependent. In addition, respiration versus cell size does not describe an inverse exponential function over the size scales examined.This research was performed under the auspices of the United States Energy Research and Development Administration under Contract No. EY-76-C-02-0016.     

The kinetics and possible significance of nitrate uptake by several algal-invertebrate symbioses

Nitrification in the coral reef community at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, elevated the nitrate concentration to above that of the nearby open ocean water. Reef corals and a zooxanthellae-bearing foraminiferan were shown to take up nitrate from nitrate-enriched seawater; a lag period was absent, indicating that the responsible enzymes did not require induction. The relationship of nitrate uptake to seawater nitrate concentration could be described by a hyperbola with a non-zero intercept on the abscissa. Corals are opportunistic in acquiring nitrogen; in addition to gaining particulate nitrogen from ingested food, they acquire dissolved nitrogen in the form of nitrate, ammonia and urea.     

Denitrification and phosphorus uptake by DPAOs using nitrite as an electron acceptor by step-feed strategies

Denitrifying phosphorus accumulating organisms (DPAOs) using nitrite as an electron acceptor can reduce more energy. However, nitrite has been reported to have an inhibition on denitrifying phosphorus removal. In this study, the step-feed strategy was proposed to achieve low nitrite concentration, which can avoid or relieve nitrite inhibition. The results showed that denitrification rate, phosphorus uptake rate and the ratio of the phosphorus uptaken to nitrite denitrified (anoxic P/N ratio) increased when the nitrite concentration was 15 mg·L^-1 after step-feeding nitrite. The maximum denitrification rate and phosphorus uptake rate was 12.73 mg NO2-–N·g MLSS-1?h-1 and 18.75 mg PO43-–P·g MLSS-1?h-1, respectively. These rates were higher than that using nitrate (15 mg·L^-1) as an electron acceptor. The maximum anoxic P/N ratio was 1.55 mg PO43--P?mg NO2--N-1. When the nitrite concentration increased from 15 to 20 mg NO2--N?L-1 after addition of nitrite, the anoxic phosphorus uptake was inhibited by 64.85%, and the denitrification by DPAOs was inhibited by 61.25%. Denitrification rate by DPAOs decreased gradually when nitrite (about 20 mg·L^-1) was added in the step-feed SBR. These results indicated that the step-feed strategy can be used to achieve denitrifying phosphorus removal using nitrite as an electron acceptor, and nitrite concentration should be maintained at low level (<15 mg·L^-1 in this study).     

Effects of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate on hemoglobin content and oxygen consumption of freshwater fish, Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus)

Lethal effects of nitrogenous compounds ammonia, nitrite and nitrate on freshwater fish Cyprinus carpio were studied and the static LC50 values obtained for these 3 toxicants for 24 hr were 0.80 ppb, 171.36 ppm; 1075.10 ppm and continuous flowthrough LC50 values for 24 hr were 0.72 ppb, 154.31 ppm; 967.63 ppm respectively. The fish were exposed to lethal concentrations to study the changes in hematological parameters and the rate of oxygen consumption. During the period of exposure general decline in the content of hemoglobin was observed. Methemoglobin content increased in case of nitrite exposure consequently the hemoglobin levels decreased drastically. It is also observed that rate of oxygen consumption decreased progressively with the increase of toxicant concentration and duration of the exposure.     

畜禽养殖排放的雌激素对周边水体环境的影响

环境雌激素是一大类化学物质,它们能够干扰生物体内激素的合成、分泌、转运、活性等,或与生物体内激素结构相似而发挥激素作用,对生物体的生长、繁殖及行为产生不利影响。环境雌激素包括天然雌激素及人工合成类雌激素。随着国内畜禽养殖的规模与数量的不断扩大,养殖场成为了一个很大的环境雌激素的产生源,其环境风险应得到相应的重视。目前对畜禽养殖过程中环境雌激素的产生量以及雌激素进入环境后的迁移转化行为已有很多的研究,包括野外的调查与实验室内机理研究。畜禽养殖过程产生的大量雌激素进入环境后能够被土壤吸附及微生物降解。室内的静态平衡吸附实验、土柱迁移试验及降解研究均表明雌激素进入环境后绝大部分迅速被吸附到土壤颗粒或悬浮胶体、沉积物颗粒上,同时发生转化与生物降解,由此推断其对周边环境中的雌激素贡献很小。然而,野外调查结果却表明实际情况下雌激素的迁移性高于理论期望值。因此,畜禽养殖对周边环境中雌激素的贡献量的大小尚未明确。本论文综述了畜禽养殖过程中环境雌激素的排放情况,结合国内外的调查研究,阐述了畜禽养殖产生的环境雌激素在土壤及水体中的迁移与降解行为,探讨了影响准确评估畜禽养殖排泄物对周边水体中雌激素贡献大小的因子,并提出了今后应开展原位吸附与迁移的实验,重点考虑天然有机质及抗生素等共存物质对雌激素环境行为的影响,建立综合模型来估算不同时期养殖场对周围水环境雌激素的贡献量的建议。     

Effects of fertiliser and intercropping on cadmium uptake by maize

This study investigated the effect of fertilisation and intercropping on the uptake of cadmium (Cd) by maize plants (Zea mays L. var. Guangtian-2). Maize was intercropped with soybean, peanut, chickpea, alfalfa, adzuki bean, garden pea, amaranth, Chinese mustard, and flowering Chinese cabbage. The results showed that most legumes substantially enhanced Cd uptake by maize under different fertiliser treatments. Cd accumulation in the leaf tissues of maize was increased by garden pea to 1.5 times the amount in the control (maize alone) with PK fertiliser. Maize intercropped with garden pea absorbed 1225 μg plant^?1 Cd and transferred 925.9 μg plant^?1 Cd to above ground tissues. Adzuki bean proved as the most valuable intercrop for enhancing Cd extraction from soil by maize owing to its relatively large maize bioconcentration factor of 5.9 and large transfer factor of 0.47 in the no fertiliser treatment. The results suggest that legumes caused a greater effect than non-legumes on Cd concentration in maize under different fertilisers; application of NPK fertiliser had positive effects on Cd level in intercropped maize.     

Effects of feeding and light intensity on the response of the coral Porites rus to ocean acidification

Recently, it has been suggested that there are conditions under which some coral species appear to be resistant to the effects of ocean acidification. To test if such resistance can be explained by environmental factors such as light and food availability, the present study investigated the effect of 3 feeding regimes crossed with 2 light levels on the response of the coral Porites rus to 2 levels of pCO₂ at 28 °C. After 1, 2, and 3 weeks of incubation under experimental conditions, none of the factors—including pCO₂—significantly affected area-normalized calcification and biomass-normalized calcification. Biomass also was unaffected during the first 2 weeks, but after 3 weeks, corals that were fed had more biomass per unit area than starved corals. These results suggest that P. rus is resistant to short-term exposure to high pCO₂, regardless of food availability and light intensity. P. rus might therefore represent a model system for exploring the genetic basis of tolerance to OA.     

珠江三角洲典型地区蔬菜硝酸盐与亚硝酸盐污染评价

研究了珠江三角洲典型地区中山市大型蔬菜生产基地中9种蔬菜30个样品中硝酸盐与亚硝酸盐的污染现状,初步摸清了蔬菜中硝酸盐及亚硝酸盐的污染状况。并以WHO/FAO规定的日允许摄入量换算得到的标准评价了其主要蔬菜品种的硝酸盐污染状况。结果表明:在被调查的蔬菜中,硝酸盐含量由高到低依次为菜心→白菜>芥菜→空心菜→生菜→瓜果类,菜心、芥菜和白菜为严重污染,生菜与空心菜为重污染,瓜果类蔬菜为轻污染;亚硝酸盐含量普遍较低,均未超标。因而有必要采取有效的污染防治措施控制该地区蔬菜中的硝酸盐污染状况。     

Survival and recovery of resting spores and resting cells of the marine planktonic diatom Chaetoceros pseudocurvisetus under fluctuating nitrate conditions

Of the two resting life-forms of the planktonic diatom Chaetoceros pseudocurvisetus Mangin formed during periods of nitrate depletion, resting spores survived at least 1 month after spore formation at 24 °C, while resting cells survived only for about 10 d at the same temperature. Under nitrogen limitation, resting cells exhibited higher specific death rates than resting spores at temperatures ranging from 5 to 30 °C. After nitrogen replenishment, resting spores required a certain lag period of about 1 d to initiate vegetative growth at levels of nitrate supply from 0.5 to 20 M, while resting cells initiated vegetative growth almost immediately. Resting spores exhibited an intracellular accumulation of the supplied nitrate during germination and initial vegetative growth. The resting cells, however, exhibited more active vegetative growth, closely coupled with the uptake of the supplied nitrate. The resting spores and resting cells appear to play different roles in the maintenance of populations under nutrient fluctuations depending on the interval length between nutrient fluxes in natural waters. Received: 27 April 1998 / Accepted: 1 March 1999     

Regulation of nitrate and ammonium uptake in the Greenland Sea

The uptake of nitrate and ammonium was investigated experimentally during early spring 1989 in the Greenland Sea, with particular attention placed on the roles of irradiance, nitrogen concentrations and nitrateammonium interactions. The phytoplankton assemblage was dominated by the colonial prymnesiophyte Phaeocystis pouchetii. Nitrate concentrations ranged from undetectable at the end of the cruise to greater than 10 M, and ammonium levels ranged from less than 0.1 to 1.9M. The uptake of both nitrate and ammonium as a function of irradiance was found to be a saturation response. Photoinhibition occurred and was found to be greater for ammonium uptake. Ammonium uptake also saturated at irradiance levels five times lower than those needed to saturate nitrate uptake. Nitrate and ammonium uptake as a function of nitrogen concentration also was characterized by a saturation response, with the estimated half-saturation constant (K _s) value for nitrate uptake being 0.29 M. Elevated ammonium concentrations inhibited nitrate uptake, and the response appeared to be one of exponential decrease with increasing concentrations of ammonium. The most important factor in the Greenland Sea influencing ammonium uptake during the spring was irradiace, while both irradiance and ammonium concentrations played major roles in regulating nitrate uptake and new production.     

Effects of nitrate concentration on biological hydrogen production by mixed cultures

The effects of nitrate on fermentative hydrogen production and soluble metabolites from mixed cultures were investigated by varying nitrate concentrations from 0 to 10 g N/L at 35°C with an initial pH of 7.0. The results showed that the substrate degradation rate, hydrogen production potential, hydrogen yield, and average hydrogen production rate initially increased with increasing nitrate concentrations from 0 to 0.1 g N/L, while they decreased with increasing nitrate concentrations from 0.1 to 10 g N/L. The maximum hydrogen production potential of 305.0 mL, maximum hydrogen yield of 313.1 mL/g glucose, and maximum average hydrogen production rate of 13.3 mL/h were obtained at a nitrate concentration of 0.1 g N/L. The soluble metabolites produced by the mixed cultures contained only ethanol and acetic acid (HAc) without propionic acid (HPr) and butyric acid (HBu). This study used the Modified Logistic model to describe the progress of cumulative hydrogen production in batch tests. A concise model was proposed to describe the effects of nitrate concentration on average hydrogen production rate.     

Effects of cadmium on nutrient uptake and translocation by Indian Mustard

Plants that hyperaccumulate metals are ideal subjects for studying the mechanisms of metal and mineral nutrient uptake in the plant kingdom. Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea) has been shown to accumulate moderate levels of Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, Zn, and Cu. In this experiment, 10 levels of Cd concentration treatments were imposed by adding 10-190 mg Cd kg(-1) to the soils as cadmium nitrate [Cd(NO3)2]. The effect of Cd on phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and the micronutrients iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in B. juncea was studied. Plant growth was affected negatively by Cd, root biomass decreased significantly at 170 mg Cd kg(-1) dry weight soils treatment. Cadmium accumulation both in shoots and roots increased with increasing soil Cd treatments. The highest concentration of Cd was up to 300 mg kg(-1) d.w. in the roots and 160 mg kg(-1) d.w. in the shoots. The nutrients mainly affected by Cd were P, K, Ca, Fe, and Zn in the roots, and P, K, Ca, and Cu in the shoots. K and P concentrations in roots increased significantly when Cd was added at 170 mg kg(-1), and this was almost the same level at which root growth was inhibited. Zn concentrations in roots decreased significantly when added Cd concentration was increased from 50 to 110 mg kg(-1), then remained constant with Cd treatments from 110 to 190 mg kg(-1). However, Zn concentrations in the shoots seemed less affected by Cd. It is possible that Zn uptake was affected by the Cd but not the translocation of Zn within the plant. Ca and Mg accumulation in roots and shoots showed similar trends. This result indicates that Ca and Mg uptake is a non-specific process.     

Pb超富集植物对营养元素N、P、K的响应

利用富集重金属或对重金属具有耐性的植物修复重金属污染土壤，是治理土壤重金属污染的新途径。本研究通过温室土培方法，研究了营养元素N、P、K对3种Pb超富集植物绿叶苋菜、紫穗槐和羽叶鬼针草生长发育及Pb吸收的影响。结果表明，少量的N和K会促进富集植物叶片叶绿素值和干质量的增加，促进植物对Pb的吸收；随着N和K水平的增加，虽然叶绿素值和干质量一直在增加，但植物对Pb的吸收能力降低；K对植株Pb的吸收能力的抑制作用不如N显著。土壤供P会降低植物对Pb的吸收，且下降极显著。少量的N、P、K均使富集植物中的Pb迁移总量增加，高质量分数时则抑制。但K的抑制作用不如N及P的显著。     

Herbivores, tidal elevation, and species richness simultaneously mediate nitrate uptake by seaweed assemblages

In order for research into the consequences of biodiversity changes to be more applicable to real-world ecosystems, experiments must be conducted in the field, where a variety of factors other than diversity can affect the rates of key biogeochemical and physiological processes. Here, we experimentally evaluate the effects of two factors known to affect the diversity and composition of intertidal seaweed assemblages--tidal elevation and herbivory--on nitrate uptake by those assemblages. Based on surveys of community composition at the end of a 1.5-year press experiment, we found that both tide height and herbivores affected seaweed community structure. Not surprisingly, seaweed species richness was greater at lower tidal elevations. Herbivores did not affect richness, but they altered the types of species that were present; seaweed species characterized by higher rates of nitrate uptake were more abundant in herbivore-removal plots. Both tide height and herbivores affected nitrate uptake by seaweed assemblages. Individual seaweed species, as well as entire seaweed assemblages, living higher on the shore had greater rates of biomass-specific nitrate uptake, particularly at high ambient nitrate concentrations. Grazed seaweed assemblages exhibited reduced nitrate uptake, but only at low nitrate concentrations. We evaluated the effect of seaweed richness on nitrate uptake, both alone and after accounting for effects of tidal elevation and herbivores. When only richness was considered, we found no effect on uptake. However, when simultaneous effects of richness, tide height, and herbivores on uptake were evaluated, we found that all three had relatively large and comparable effects on nitrate uptake coefficients and that there was a negative relationship between seaweed richness and nitrate uptake. Particularly because effects of richness on uptake were not apparent unless the effects of tide height and herbivory were also considered, these results highlight the importance of considering the effects of environmental context when evaluating the consequences of biodiversity change in more realistic systems.