Influence of pretreatment and desiccation on the germination of Laurus nobilis L. seeds

The effects of moist stratification, gibberellic acid (GA3) in combination with cold-moist stratification and desiccation on the germination of bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) seeds were studied. It was found that the external fleshy pericarp caused dormancy. There was also embryo dormancy and it was broken in seeds lacking pericarp either warm-moist stratification (20 degrees C day/4 degrees C night) or cold-moist stratification (4 degrees C) for 8 and 10 weeks, respectively. Gibberellic acid had little effect on germination percent and germination value of seeds without pericarp when used alone but significantly increased overall germination performance when used with cold-moist stratification. The viability of seeds dropped when the moisture content of the seeds was reduced by desiccation, and the time required to reach the critical moisture levels in the seeds differed in the different desiccation temperatures. The critical minimum seed moisture content for bay laurel was around 15% and the seeds showed the typical behavior of recalcitrant seeds.     

Trace element biomonitoring by leaves of Populus nigra L. from Western Anatolia, Turkey

The West Anatolian Region is one of the most important areas for industrialization, population density and traffic in Turkey. Therefore, the leaves of Populus nigra L. (Salicaceae), which are used as biomonitor to investigate the levels of the trace elements Cd, Pb, Fe, Zn and Cu, were sampled at 30 locations having different pollution levels in the region. The concentrations of elements were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The samples were collected at both reference and contaminated locations where iron was found as the priority element. The strong association between a gradient of contamination and concentration in all samples tested indicates that they are reflecting well the environmental changes, and that they appear as appropriate biological indicators of heavy metal contamination.     

四川土荆芥精油对植物病原真菌的抗菌活性

以植物病原真菌玉米纹枯病菌Rhizoctonia solani Kuha、玉米弯胞病菌Curvularia lunata（walk）Boed、水稻稻瘟病菌Pyricularia oryzae Cav.、小麦赤霉病菌Gibberellezeae（Schw.）Petch和松赤枯病菌Pestalotia funerea为实验菌,检测了四川土荆芥Chenopodium ambrosioidesL.精油的抑菌活性和抑菌机理。结果表明：培养基给药时,土荆芥精油对5种植物病原真菌均具有抑制作用,IC50分别为：0.734μL·mL-1,0.342μL·mL-1,0.435μL·mL-1,0.370μL·mL-1和0.332μL·mL-1;熏蒸给药时,精油剂量为1μL,土荆芥精油对松赤枯病菌、水稻稻瘟病菌、玉米纹枯病菌和玉米弯胞病菌具有促进作用,高剂量给药对菌丝生长具有抑制作用。半抑制体积分数的土荆芥精油作用于植物病原真菌,菌丝DNA不发生改变,菌丝体结构被破坏,原生质体聚集,蛋白质缺失或增加。     

镉污染对水稻不同生育期抗氧化系统的影响

采用土培的方法,研究了不同Cd添加水平（0、5、10、20、30、60 mg.kg-1,以CK,T1,T2,T3,T4,T5表示）对水稻分蘖期、孕穗期和抽穗期叶绿素、可溶性蛋白质、丙二醛（MDA）、总巯基（-SH）、谷胱甘肽（GSH）、植物络合素（PCs）含量以及水稻叶片中超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化物酶（POD）、过氧化氢酶（CAT）活性的影响。结果表明,叶片中Cd的含量随生长时期的延长而增加;T1处理时,水稻3个时期中叶绿素a、叶绿素b、叶绿素a＋b含量最高,表明低质量分数Cd有利于水稻的生长;而T4和T5处理显著降低了叶绿素含量（P〈0.05）。Cd对不同生育时期抗氧化酶的影响不一,对分蘖期SOD、POD、CAT活性影响较明显,而对孕穗期和抽穗期SOD、POD、CAT活性以及可溶性蛋白质含量影响不显著（P〉0.05）。高质量分数Cd提高了叶片中MDA含量,在T5处理时,MDA含量在分蘖期、孕穗期和抽穗期分别为对照的1.9倍、4.5倍和4.6倍。水稻不同生育时期总-SH、GSH、PCs含量随着Cd处理质量分数的增加而增加,表明Cd处理诱导了水稻PCs的解毒机制。     

Biochemical composition and energy reserves in the larvae and adults of the four british periwinkles Littorina littorea,L. littoralis,L. saxatilis and L. neritoides

The biochemical composition of the adult body tissue is similar in Littorina littorea, L. littoralis, L. saxatilis and L. neritoides. In the newly crawling metamorphosed young of L. littoralis and L. saxatilis, the biochemical composition is similar to that of the mature adults. The newly released planktonic veliger larvae of L. littorea and L. neritoides, which represent and earlier stage of development than the newly crawling young, have a neutral lipid level (mean, 16.5% of ash-free dry flesh weight) approximately three times the level (5.4%) in the newly crawling young of L. littoralis and L. saxatilis. Otherwise the biochemical composition of free-swimming larvae is similar to that of newly crawling young and adults. Neutral lipid is apparently utilised by L. littoralis and L. saxatilis larvae during larval development and metamorphosis. It is suggested that neutral lipid is the major energy reserve of Littorina veliger larvae whereas in the adults, as exemplified by L. littorea, both lipid and carbohydrate are important as energy reserves.     

Comparison of growth performance of Lolium perenne L., Dactylis glomerata L. and Agropyron elongatum (Host.) P. Beauv. for erosion control in Turkey

This study was carried out in plastic containers to compare growth performances of perennial ryegrass, orchardgrass and tall wheatgrass to be given priority in revegetation studies in Turkey. Three pre-germinated seeds of each grass species were planted separately into the soil in the black plastic containers. Seedlings were harvested 2, 4 and 6 months after planting pre-germinated seeds and measured for percentage of seedling emergence, rooting depth, height growth, leaf and tiller development and shoot and root weights. Germination percentage was 97.8% for perennial ryegrass, 64.1% for orchardgrass and 11.6% for tall wheatgrass and perennial ryegrass had the greatest whereas tall wheatgrass had the lowest seedling emergence. Two months old rooting depth was 25.66 cm for perennial ryegrass, 20.56 cm for orchardgrass and 30.10 cm for tall wheatgrass. At the end of the study, perennial ryegrass developed about 104 tillers per plant while they were 21.4 and 36.6 tillers per plant for orchardgrass and tall wheatgrass, respectively. Orchardgrass produced greater shoot and root biomasses than tall wheatgrass and similar to perennial ryegrass. All these meant that perennial ryegrass had a better growth performance than orchardgrass and tall wheatgrass to be used for erosion control.     

加拿大蓬挥发油经不同载体对蚕豆根尖的细胞毒性

采用悬空气法和土培法,研究了加拿大蓬（Erigeron canadensis L.）挥发油对蚕豆（Vacia faba L.）根尖细胞经不同载体的细胞毒性。结果表明：加拿大蓬挥发油对蚕豆根尖细胞的有丝分裂没有显著的影响,但显著抑制了幼根的生长,使根尖细胞产生了多种类型的染色体畸变,导致微核率升高。综合分析表明,加拿大蓬挥发油经土壤载体的化感作用大于经空气载体的化感作用,推测可能是土壤对挥发油的滞留作用增大了化感效应。     

Comparison of the chemical composition of particulate material and copepod faecal pellets at stations off the coast of Labrador and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence

Faecal pellets were collected in 1988 from copepods which had fed in situ or in laboratory experiments, using screened natural seawater as food, at two stations off the coast of Labrador and one in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The chemical composition of the pellets and of particulate material in profiles and in laboratory food were measured in terms of particulate carbon, carbohydrate (soluble and insoluble), protein and lipid. Faecal pellet composition was somewhat similar in all experiments at the first two stations, where the compositions of particulate material in situ and copepod species assemblages were also similar. At the third station the compositions of faecal pellets and particulate material were slightly different from those at the other stations and the copepod species composition varied between sampling times. Faecal pellets at the first two stations had very low levels of soluble carbohydrate, while concentrations in the food were generally high, suggesting that it was efficiently metabolized by copepods, although it might have been absent because of sloppy feeding or release, after passage through the gut, in soluble form or from faecal pellets. Comparisons of POC: biogenic silica ratios in food and faecal pellets, calculated using data presented elsewhere (Head 1992; Mar. Biol. 112: 583–592), suggested that at these stations, where food concentrations were high (chlorophyll concentrations>8 gl^-1), copepods may have been assimilating carbon rather inefficiently.     

Cell density, chemical composition and toxicity of Chrysochromulina polylepis (Haptophyta) in relation to different N:P supply ratios

The influence of different N:P supply ratios on cell accumulation, chemical composition and toxicity of the marine haptophyte Chrysochromulina polylepis was examined in semi-continuous cultures. A non-axenic strain of C. polylepis was exposed to five different N:P supply ratios (N:P = 1:1, 4:1, 16:1, 80:1 and 160:1, by atoms), in order to create a range of N- and P-limited conditions. The toxicity per cell in C. polylepis was determined on four occasions at steady state cell density using the haemolytic activity of the cells expressed as saponin nanoequivalents. Haemolytic activity was demonstrated in all treatments, and increased in the algae when cell growth was nutrient limited (N:P = 1:1, 4:1, 80:1 and 160:1), compared to cells grown under non-limiting conditions (N:P = 16:1). This occurred regardless of the growth-limiting nutrient (N or P) and became more pronounced as nutrient limitation increased. In P-limited cultures the haemolytic activity per cell increased linearly with the cellular N:P ratio, whereas the N-limited cultures showed an opposite trend. The haemolytic activity per cell showed an inverse relationship with both cellular N and cellular P content. Cells limited by P showed a higher haemolytic activity than cells limited by N. The results suggest that toxicity in C. polylepis is strongly influenced by the physiological state of the algae. This may partially explain the large variability previously observed in the toxicity of C. polylepis blooms. The potential ecological significance of our findings is also discussed. Received: 18 November 1998 / Accepted: 5 July 1999     

土荆芥挥发油对豌豆根边缘细胞的诱导和胁迫作用

为探讨化感胁迫对根边缘细胞的诱导效应,实验采用悬空气培养法培养豌豆(Pisum sativum L.)露白种子,在保留根边缘细胞和去除根边缘细胞状态下,选取相对根长、根边缘细胞数量及死亡率、果胶甲基酯酶（PME）等指标研究了豌豆根边缘细胞对不同剂量土荆芥挥发油化感作用的响应。结果表明：1）与对照相比,随着挥发油处理剂量增加,根的伸长被显著抑制（P<0.05）。2）每个处理时间内,随着土荆芥挥发油剂量增加,根边缘细胞数量整体表现出先增加后减少的趋势,在低剂量2μL处理中达极大值。3）土荆芥挥发油诱导豌豆根边缘细胞死亡,随着处理时间的延长和处理剂量的增加,这种毒害效应程度加剧,除去边缘细胞实验组中10μL挥发油处理24 h时,根边缘细胞死亡率达到100%。在较低剂量挥发油作用下,保留根边缘细胞组的根边缘细胞死亡率高于去除根边缘细胞组,而在高剂量挥发油处理情况则相反。4）在同一处理时间,随挥发油剂量增加,各处理组PME活性持续升高,去处边缘细胞组处理24 h后不同剂量处理皆显著高于对照,而根边缘细胞数量总体表现先增加后减少。综合以上结果,保留根边缘细胞的根尖根边缘细胞的数量减少量较少,说明根边缘细胞能缓解土荆芥挥发油的化感胁迫;去除根边缘细胞组的PME活性升高较多,表明土荆芥化感胁迫诱导了根边缘细胞的产生。     

Relationships between dissolved free amino acids,chemical composition and growth of the marine diatom Chaetoceros debile

The release of dissolved free amino acids in axenic batch cultures of the diatom Chaetoceros debile during different growth phases was studied during the late summer of 1982. Variations due to ASP, HIS, ALA, SER, THR, PHE+NH⁴, LEU and ORN were observed. The proportions of each amino acid differed according to growth phase. Maximum release and accumulation in the medium, corresponding to a rise ranging from 10^-8 to 10^-6 M, occurred at the transition between the exponential and stationary phases, and coincided with a shift in the intracellular protein and carbohydrate concentrations, and in the chlorophyll: phaeophytin ratio. It is suggested that zooplankton grazers can benefit from the accumulation of phytoplankton standing stock and nutritious compounds at times when the concentration of extracellular amino acids is high enough to trigger chemosensory detection of algal food; i.e., at the end of the exponential growth phase.     

高温胁迫对爪哇稻剑叶光合特性和渗透调节物质的影响

以耐热能力不同的两个爪哇稻Oryza stavia L. ssp.javanica品种IRAT109(耐热)和19 D(热敏感)为试验材料,对两种水稻在人工气候室进行日平均气温为33.5℃的高温处理,研究了高温胁迫对耐热能力不同的两个爪哇稻光合特性和渗透调节物质的影响,旨在揭示全球气候变暖的大背景下,耐热能力不同的爪哇稻品种对高温热害的生理代谢变化规律及响应机制。试验结果显示,高温胁迫引起爪哇稻气孔导度下降,胞间CO2浓度升高,叶绿素含量降低,最终导致净光合速率下降,并随着胁迫时间延长而呈现逐渐下降的趋势,但耐热品种IRAT109与热敏感品种19 D相比仍能维持较高的光合作用。两种水稻中气孔导度,胞间CO2浓度,叶绿素含量,净光合速率在高温胁迫12 d后与自然温度下的植株相比差异显著。同时,高温胁迫造成两爪哇稻中可溶性糖、可溶性蛋白含量降低,且随着高温胁迫时间的延长而逐渐降低,热稳定蛋白随高温胁迫时间的延长而逐渐升高,脯氨酸含量随高温胁迫时间延长呈现先升高后降低的变化趋势。耐热品种IRAT09在高温胁迫过程中可溶性糖和可溶性蛋白的下降幅度小于热敏感品种19 D,热稳定蛋白和脯氨酸含量的上升水平高于热敏感品种19 D。高温胁迫6 d后两爪哇稻中的可溶性糖,可溶性蛋白和热稳定蛋白含量与自然温度下植株相比差异显著,在高温胁迫第3、6和9天两爪哇稻中脯氨酸含量与自然温度下的植株相比差异显著。研究结果表明,耐热爪哇稻品种在高温胁迫下维持较高的光合特性和较高的渗透调节物质含量是其耐热的生理基础。     

Marine diatoms grown in chemostats under silicate or ammonium limitation. III. Cellular chemical composition and morphology of Chaetoceros debilis,Skeletonema costatum,and Thalassiosira gravida

Three marine diatoms, Skeletonema costatum, Chaetoceros debilis, and Thalassiosira gravida were grown under no limitation and ammonium or silicate limitation or starvation. Changes in cell morphology were documented with photomicrographs of ammonium and silicate-limited and non-limited cells, and correlated with observed changes in chemical composition. Cultures grown under silicate starvation or limitation showed an increase in particulate carbon, nitrogen and phosporus and chlorophyll a per unit cell volume compared to non-limited cells; particulate silica per cell volume decreased. Si-starved cells were different from Si-limited cells in that the former contained more particulate carbon and silica per cell volume. The most sensitive indicator of silicate limitation or starvation was the ratio C:Si, being 3 to 5 times higher than the values for non-limited cells. The ratios Si:chlorophyll a and S:P were lower and N:Si was higher than non-limited cells by a factor of 2 to 3. The other ratios, C:N, C:P, C:chlorophyll a, N:chlorophyll a, P:chlorophyll a and N:P were considered not to be sensitive indicators of silicate limitation or starvation. Chlorophyll a, and particulate nitrogen per unit cell volume decreased under ammonium limitation and starvation. NH₄-starved cells contained more chlorophyll a, carbon, nitrogen, silica, and phosphorus per cell volume than NH₄-limited cells. N:Si was the most sensitive ratio to ammonium limitation or starvation, being 2 to 3 times lower than non-limited cells. Si:chlorophyll a, P:chlorophyll a and N:P were less sensitive, while the ratios C:N, C:chlorophyll a, N:chlorophyll a, C:Si, C:P and Si:P were the least sensitive. Limited cells had less of the limiting nutrient per unit cell volume than starved cells and more of the non-limiting nutrients (i.e., silica and phosphorus for NH₄-limited cells). This suggests that nutrient-limited cells rather than nutrient-starved cells should be used along with non-limited cells to measure the full range of potential change in cellular chemical composition for one species under nutrient limitation.Contribution No. 943 from the Department of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.     

Effect of the chemical composition of organic extracts from environmental and industrial atmospheric samples on the genotoxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons mixtures

Particulate organic matter (PM) present in the atmosphere is a complex mixture of chemicals like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) that may exert adverse health effects including respiratory and cardiovascular disturbances and cancer. In this study, airborne samples from environmental or industrial areas exhibiting different physicochemical composition were compared for their capacities to induce DNA damage in human hepatocytes HepG2. DNA strand breaks and DNA adducts formed by benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE), the most reactive metabolite of the carcinogenic benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), were measured with the comet assay and by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/mass spectrometry, respectively. Cells were exposed to organic matter extracted from PM. Experiments were performed either at a constant concentration of B[a]P or at concentrations corresponding to fixed air volumes. Results show that industrial extracts tend to produce more benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide-N ²-2′-deoxyguanosine (BPDE-N ²-dGuo) DNA adducts than strand breaks, whereas the opposite was observed with environmental extracts. The chemical composition of the extracts significantly impacts the nature and levels of DNA damage. The amount of B[a]P and interaction with other contaminants in the extracts need to be considered to explain the formation of DNA damage. These results emphasize the use of in vitro tests as promising and complementary tools to widely used toxic equivalent factor (TEF) approach in order to assess health hazards related to chemical exposure of the general population.     

Two new UV-absorbing mycosporine-like amino acids from the sea anemoneAnthopleura elegantissima and the effects of zooxanthellae and spectral irradiance on chemical composition and content

Many tropical cnidarians living in shallow water contain a class of ultraviolet-A (UV-A, 320 to 400 nm) and ultraviolet-B (UV-B, 280 to 320 nm) absorbing compounds known as mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs). These compounds may provide protection from the deleterious effects of solar UV radiation. Using a novel application of reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography, we find that the temperate sea anemoneAnthopleura elegantissima (collected in 1988 from Bodega Bay, California, and in 1991 from Santa Barbara, California) contains four major MAAs: shinorine, porphyra-334, and two new compounds, mycosporine-taurine and mycosporine-2 glycine. Analysis of zooxanthellate (containing zooxanthellae) and naturally apozooxanthellate (lacking zooxanthellae) specimens acclimated in the presence and absence of UV for 28 d in the spring of 1988 suggests that this anemone, unlike some other anthozoans, does not regulate the concentration of its MAAs in response to UV radiation. The presence of similar concentration of MAAs in apozooxanthellate and zooxanthellate specimens indicates that symbiosis with algae is not required for these compounds to be present in the anemone. The total concentration of MAAs in the zooxanthellae is only about 12% of that in their host's tissues.     

Metabolic properties of Northern krill, Meganyctiphanes norvegica, from different climatic zones. I. Respiration and excretion

Adaptive processes linked to overall metabolism were studied in terms of oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion in each of three self-contained krill populations along a climatic gradient. In the Danish Kattegat, krill were exposed to temperatures which ranged from 4°C to 16°C between seasons and a vertical temperature gradient of up to 10°C during summer. In the Scottish Clyde Sea, water temperatures varied less between seasons and the vertical temperature gradient in summer was only 3°C. Temperatures in the Ligurian Sea, off Nice, were relatively constant around 12-13°C throughout the year, with a thin surface layer (20-30 m) of warm water developing during summer. The trophic conditions were rich in the Kattegat and, particularly, in the Clyde, but comparatively poor in the Ligurian Sea. Oxygen consumption increased exponentially with increasing experimental temperature, which ranged from 4°C to 16°C. Overall respiration rates were between 19.9 and 89.9 µmol O₂ g^-1 dry wt h^-1. Krill from the Kattegat, the Clyde Sea, and the Ligurian Sea all exhibited approximately the same level of oxygen consumption (30-35 µmol O₂ g^-1 dry wt h^-1) when incubated at the ambient temperatures found in their respective environments (9°C, 5°C, and 12°C). This indicates that krill adjust their overall metabolic rates to the prevailing thermal conditions. The exception to this were the respiration rates of Ligurian krill from winter/spring, which were about twice as high as the rates from summer krill despite the fact that the thermal conditions were the same. This effect appears to result from enhanced somatic activity during a short period of increased food availability and reproduction. Accordingly, krill appears to be capable of adapting to both changing thermal and trophic conditions, especially when nutrition is a limiting factor in physiological processes.     

Effects of prolonged starvation on O2 consumption,NH 4 + excretion,and chemical composition of the bathypelagic mysid Gnathophausia ingens

The large bathypelagic mysid Gnathophausia ingens was collected in January 1980 at 400 to 700 m depth from the San Clemente Basin off southern California. Instars 7-8 and Instars 10-12 were starved in the laboratory for up to 19 wk. Oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion rates, and water, protein, lipid, and ash contents were determined periodically during starvation. Protein and lipid were metabolized in approximately equal amounts by starved individuals after the initial weeks of food deprivation. Unidentified components (probably non-protein nitrogenous compounds) apparently were oxidized within the first 7 wk of starvation. Oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion by Instars 7-8 decreased steadily during 19 wk of starvation. In contrast, stable or increasing respiration and excretion rates were observed for fed mysids. The mean respiration rate of Instars 10-12 did not change significantly during 13 wk of starvation, although ammonia excretion rates decreased. Low metabolic rates and large lipid reserves probably help G. ingens to withstand long periods of starvation in the mesopelagic environment. Calculations based on the laboratory data demonstrate that small, infrequent meals could account for the rates of metabolism and growth observed for G. ingens in the field.     

Variation in the genetic composition of coral (Pocillopora damicornis and Acropora palifera) populations from different reef habitats

The genetic structure of populations of the corals Pocillopora damicornis and Acropora palifera was examined in three habitats at One Tree Island during March and April 1993, using electrophoretically detectable variation at six allozyme loci. There were significant genetic differences among populations of P. damicornis within each of the reef crest, lagoon and microatoll habitats. The level of differentiation among populations was similar in each of the habitats. Differences between populations of P. damicornis from lagoon and microatolls were no greater than that within habitats, but genetic differentiation of these from crest populations was much higher. There was no difference in the genetic composition of A. palifera populations within or between the lagoon and microatolls, the only habitats where this species was found. Both coral species had observed:expected (G _O:G_E) genotypic diversity rations >0.80, indicating predominantly sexual reproduction. These data, the high genotype diversity and general conformance of genotype frequencies to those expected under conditions of Hardy-Weinberg, suggested panmixis at each site. The high degree of sexual reproduction in the P. damicornis populations is unusual for a species where asexual reproduction has been the dominant mode of reproduction reported to date. Gene flow in both species was considerable between the lagoon and the closed microatolls. The genetic differences between populations of P. damicornis in these habitats and the reef crest may reflect the relative isolation of all populations within the closed One Tree Lagoon from those outside. However, local currents appear to offer effective means of dispersal between the habitats, suggesting that the genetic differences result from natural selection in the different environments within One Tree Lagoon and the reef crest.