Screening and degradation characteristics of a tetracycline-degrading bacterial strain北大核心CSCD

Tetracycline is widely used in livestock and poultry breeding industry, which can cause serious problems to the environment. Antibiotic pollution has become an important environmental issue. This study aimed to isolate and identify a well-functioning tetracycline-degrading bacteria strain from activated sludge and to investigate its optimum degradation conditions. The strain was identified through morphological features, Gram staining, and the sequence analysis of 16S rRNA. Furthermore, the temperature, initial pH of the medium, inoculation amount, and type of metallic salt were analyzed to investigate the tetracycline degradation performance of the isolated strain. Based on the single factor test, the method of response surface analysis was adopted to optimize the degradation condition. The strain was named TTC-1 and identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae. The optimum condition for tetracycline degradation was determined as follows: temperature of 34.4 °C, pH of 7.22, and MnSO4 concentration of 0.32 g/L. Under this optimum condition, the predicted tetracycline degradation rate was 93.77%, whereas the observed value was 94.26%. The experimental results showed that the proposed model had high accuracy. TTC-1 showed a good performance in degrading tetracycline, which can provide reference for the bacteria during the biological treatment of tetracycline containing wastewater. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Isolation,identification, and the biodegradation characteristics of a benzoylurea insecticides-degrading strain北大核心CSCD

A chlorbenzuron, diflubenzuron, and hexaflumuron-degrading bacterium strain M6, was isolated from the activated sludge of an insecticide factory. The strain was identified as Achromobacter sp. according to an analysis on the 16S rRNA gene sequences, morphological, and physiological characteristics. Strain M6 could degrade more than 91% of 100 mg/L chlorbenzuron, diflubenzuron, and hexaflumuron within 48 hours, which could act as the sole carbon source. Strain M6 showed more chlorbenzuron degradation at a temperature range between 25 and 40 ℃ and a pH range between 6.0 and 8.0. The optimal temperature and the initial pH of medium for chlorbenzuron degradation by strain M6 were 30 ℃ and 7.0, respectively; the maximum chlorbenzuron tolerated concentration of strain M6 was as high as 400 mg/L. Strain M6 hydrolyzed 4-acetaminophenol into a purple-red product. Moreover, an approximately 1.4 kb DNA fragment, which could be expressed into an amidase to degrade amide pesticides, was amplified from the genomic DNA of strain M6. The results preliminarily proved that 3 benzoylurea insecticides could be degraded because of strain M6 hydrolyzing their amide bonds. This study obtained a highly efficient degrading strain and provided new resources and valuable information on benzoylurea insecticide degradation. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Effects of different concentrations of tetracycline and oxytetracycline on the growth and ecotoxicity in lettuce北大核心CSCD

四环素类抗生素(TCs)是目前我国应用广泛、用量最大的一类抗生素,畜禽粪便和土壤中存在TCs残留,影响蔬菜作物的生长发育. TCs因水溶性较高更容易被植物转运和积累,植物对TCs耐受性机理研究仍不足.为更全面探究土壤TCs对蔬菜的毒性作用,研究不同浓度四环素(TC)和土霉素(OTC)分别对生菜的抗生素残留、生长特征及抗氧化酶系统的影响.结果显示,在0(对照)、2、10、50、250 mg/kg 5个施用水平下,生菜叶片抗生素含量逐渐增加,且土霉素含量始终大于四环素含量.与对照相比,抗生素浓度在50 mg/kg以上时对生菜生长具有显著抑制作用,其中,株高、根长、地上部和地下部鲜重与叶片TC残留量具显著负相关.生菜叶片的脯氨酸含量随浓度增加呈先增加后降低的趋势,在10 mg/kg时达到最大.并且低浓度(2 mg/kg)促进抗氧化酶基因SOD、POD21和CAT的表达,高浓度抗生素(50、250 mg/kg)对其产生抑制作用,10 mg/kg的抗生素处理对SOD、POD21和CAT基因表达的影响在抗生素种类上存在差异.本研究表明抗生素浓度超过50 mg/kg对生菜生长产生抑制作用,脯氨酸和抗氧化酶SOD、POD、CAT的转录水平及其酶活性能快速响应抗生素胁迫,可作为生菜对抗生素抗性的辅助评价指标.(图8表3参19)     

Effects of precipitation and temperature on rain-use efficiency of China's forests北大核心CSCD

Water plays an important role in the growth of plants. It is important to investigate the responses of different ecosystems to precipitation patterns, especially in terms of global changes involving extreme precipitation or drought. However, little is known about the rain-use efficiency (RUE) in China's forests and the correlation of the RUE with the precipitation and other environmental factors. Furthermore, it is unclear whether differences in the forest types or functional groups result in divergent RUE patterns. To investigate the RUE in China's forests, we analyzed the data from 1 266 sampling plots from 17 forest types. The results indicated that: (1) the mean RUE of China's forests is 1.21 g m-2 mm-1. The RUE and precipitation are negatively correlated in all the 17 forest types; (2) the average RUE of broadleaved forests (mainly angiosperms) is higher than that of coniferous forests (mainly gymnosperms), and the angiosperms are more adaptable to changes in the precipitation than gymnosperms; (3) the average RUE of deciduous forests is higher than that of the evergreen forests. The RUE of deciduous forests declines with increasing precipitation to a threshold value. However, the RUE of evergreen forests are unaffected by changes in the precipitation; and (4) the latitude and mean annual temperature are the major factors constraining the RUE under comprehensive environmental factors. We conclude that the mean RUE declines with increasing precipitation to a threshold value, and that the temperature is a crucial factor for RUE. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Isolation,identification, and the degradation characteristics of a BDE-47 degrading strain北大核心CSCD

In an effort to remove BDE-47 residues from the environment, a bacterial strain that is capable of utilizing BDE-47 as the sole carbon source was isolated and screened from soil collected from an e-waste recycling area in Tianjin to analyze the degradation properties. The strain was preliminarily identified as Enterobacter sp. according to a 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis. The strain degraded 35.8% of 525 μg/L of BDE-47 in 35 d when the initial concentration of bacteria was 7.1 × 105 cells/ mL. The product of the biodegradation of BDE-47 was BDE-28. The biodegradation of BDE-47 fit well with first-order kinetics, and its degradation kinetics was ln Ct = - 0.104t + 6.22. With the addition of an electron acceptor, such as Fe3+, SO4 2- and NO3 -, the BDE-47 degradation rate was significantly increased to 49.8%, 59.1%, and 67.3%, respectively. The above results revealed that the strain could degrade BDE-47, which is of importance in the application of environmental bioremediation of BDE-47. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Influences of global environmental changes on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities: a review北大核心CSCD

丛枝菌根(arbuscular mycorrhizal, AM)真菌是生态系统地上地下部的重要连接体,对其群落结构特征的研究有助于菌种资源的发掘和生态系统的可持续发展.人类生产生活活动对全球环境带来了一系列的改变,如二氧化碳和臭氧浓度升高、氮沉降、增温及降水减少/增多等,全球环境变化对AM真菌群落结构的影响也引起了广泛关注.针对二氧化碳和臭氧浓度升高、增温、氮沉降和降水减少/增多等全球环境变化因子,总结其对AM真菌群落结构影响的国内外研究进展,探讨全球环境变化对AM真菌群落的可能作用途径.已有模拟全球环境变化实验研究主要集中于北半球的草原、农田和森林系统.大多研究发现二氧化碳和臭氧浓度升高未对AM真菌多样性产生不利影响,但使AM真菌群落结构显著分异.氮沉降和增温对AM真菌多样性的影响表现为降低、无显著影响和增加等多种情况,对AM真菌群落结构的影响也表现为未显著和显著分异,主要与模拟实验处理方式、增加幅度、土壤养分水平和生态系统类型等因素有关.降水减少未显著影响AM真菌群落结构和多样性,而降水增加使AM真菌群落结构发生显著分异.这些研究主要注重AM真菌群落结构和多样性如何改变等生态现象而潜在机理探索以及热带和南半球不同生态系统下的研究尚不足.另外,鉴于全球变化因子间的关联性,复合因子对AM真菌群落结构的影响值得重视.(图1表4参113)     

Effects of clonal integration on the growth and physiology of Phalaris arundinacea under simulated herbivory北大核心CSCD

In order to investigate the effects of clonal integration on the adaptation of clonal plants to the environmental stress of homogeneous herbivory, we conducted a greenhouse experiment to investigate the ecophysiological response characteristics of Phalaris arundinacea collected from the riparian zone of the Poyang Lake wetland and Le'an River in Jiangxi Province and the effect of clonal integration on this dominant plant under two-months of simulated cyclical homogenous herbivory. Simulated herbivory strength was set at four different levels: no leaf removal (control) and 25%, 50%, and 75% leaf removal. We implemented two methods of clonal integration including no integration, in which the rhizome connection was severed, and integration, in which the rhizome connection was intact. We found that simulated herbivory significantly decreased the number of leaves, total shoot length, number of ramets, and biomass of P. arundinacea (P < 5%), regardless of whether the rhizomes were intact or severed. Ramets with severed rhizome connections (RRC) generally had higher growth indices than those with intact rhizome connections (RIC). Severing rhizomes did not significantly affect the chlorophyll content of P. arundinacea, while RRC under simulated herbivory intensities of 25% and 50% leaf removal had higher chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), and total chlorophyll (Chlt) contents than RIC did, and simulated herbivory increased the chlorophyll contents of all ramets. RRC net photosynthesis rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), and transpiration rate (Tr) were all higher in RRC than they were in RIC under simulated herbivory intensities of 50% and 75% leaf removal; however, the opposite relationship was observed under a simulated herbivory intensity of 25% leaf removal. Further, simulated herbivory limited the photosynthetic index of P. arundinacea. These effects resulted in an inadequate accumulation of nutrients in the plant. Phalaris arundinacea can adapt to simulated herbivory treatments in terms of growth, but clonal integration cannot improve the growth of P. arundinacea under a homogeneous herbivory treatment. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Effects of two different intercropping systems on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal colonization and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) dissipation北大核心CSCD

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are typical organic contaminants in the environment. It is indicated that plants and soil microorganisms have a positive synergistic effect on the remediation of PCB-contaminated soil. To investigate the effect of intercropping on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal colonization and PCB remediation, a pot-cultivation experiment with two intercropping treatments, corn (Zea mays L.) / ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and corn/alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), and a corn monoculture was conducted in a greenhouse. All treatments were inoculated with Funneliformis mosseae M47V. Plant biomass, root mycorrhizal colonization rate, concentration of PCBs and their homologs in soil, 16S rDNA gene abundance, and community composition measured by Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP) were determined after harvesting the plants. Intercropping significantly increased the root mycorrhizal colonization rate and plant biomass of corn (P < 0.05), as well as the available N content of the soil. A significant difference of the bacterial community composition was found among different treatments (P < 0.05). Compared with corn monoculture, corn/alfalfa intercropping significantly increased soil bacteria abundance (P < 0.05). The dissipation rates of total PCBs, as well as that of penta-chloro biphenyls were significantly increased in the intercropping treatments, when compared to the corn monoculture treatment. Moreover, corn/ryegrass intercropping has a significantly positive effect on the dissipation of tri-chloro biphenyls. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis indicated that the PCBs homologues composition were significantly correlated with the relative abundance of 128 bp and 148 bp T-RFs. Corn intercropping with ryegrass or alfalfa has a positive effect on root mycorrhizal colonization rate and plant biomass of corn. Inoculation of AM fungi in intercropping treatments significantly improved the efficiency of PCB remediation by promoting bacterial abundance and shifting the bacterial community composition. In conclusion, intercropping combined with AM fungi have positive synergistic effects on the remediation of PCB-contaminated soils. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Effects of initial decomposing leaf litter of Cinnamomum camphora on the growth and physiology of Impatiens balsamina北大核心CSCD

A pot experiment was conducted to study the allelopathic effects of initial decomposing leaf litter of Cinnamomum camphora on growth and physiology of Impatiens balsamina. Three leaf litter treatments included 20, 40 and 80 g of C. camphora leaf litter mixed with 8 kg of soil, namely T1, T2, and T3, respectively. In order to test the effect of leaf litter addition on the permeability and ventilation of soil simultaneously, a parallel trial with steamed leaf litter was conducted with the three treatments of the leaf litter. The leaf litter was steamed for 2 d to remove the secondary metabolites as much as possible, dried, and then mixed with 8 kg of soil, namely Z1, Z2, and Z3, respectively. No leaf litter was added in control (CK). The growth parameters of I. balsamina were determined at the 20 d, 60 d, 100 d and 120 d after sowing and the main physiology indicators were determined at the 60 d. The results indicated that: (1) The ground surface diameter and height of I. balsamina were inhibited significantly at 60 d (P < 0.05). Photosynthetic pigments and gas exchange parameters of I. balsamina were inhibited significantly at 60 d, and the inhibition effect was stronger with increased amount of leaf litter addition. The chlorophyll content, Pn and Ls decreased significantly with increased amount of leaf litter (P < 0.05). The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) in leaves of I. balsamina decreased with the increase of leaf litter addition. The content of MDA in treatments T1, T2 and T3 were all higher than that in CK, which indicated that I. balsamina suffered oxidative damage in a certain degree. The content of free proline (Pro) and soluble sugar (SS) in leaves of I. balsamina decreased significantly with the increase of the leaf litter (P < 0.05), while the content of soluble protein (SP) increased. (2) In the parallel trial, 60 d after sowing, no obvious difference was observed between CK and any steamed leaf litter treatment in terms of the morphological and physiological features stated above (P > 0.05). It indicated that the soil physical properties were not greatly influenced by leaf litter addition in the dose interval designed, or that the release of secondary metabolites from decomposing leaf litter was probably a better reason to explain the inhibition of leaf litter treatment to I. balsamina growth. (3)The compound effect (CE) of leaf litter decomposition on I. balsamina was enhanced with increase of the leaf litter, to 0.169, 0.354, and 0.497, respectively, in treatments of T1, T2 and T3. The study indicated that initial decomposition of C. camphora leaf litter in soil reduces the content of photosynthetic pigments, inhibits photosynthetic capacity and resistance physiology of I. balsamina, weakens its adaptability to the environment, and restrains growth of the plant. © 2015, Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Effects of bio-organic fertilizers on pineapple heart rot and bacterial community structure北大核心CSCD

Heart rot is a common soil-borne disease in the pineapple industry, but the situation can be alleviated by the application of bio-fertilizers with beneficial microbiomes. Clarifying the controlling mechanism of bio-organic fertilizer on the high incidence of heart rot is critical in monocultural pineapple cropping patterns. In our study, the soil of continuous cropping pineapple orchards was collected. Three types of carriers (rapeseed cake, peat soil, and coconut bran), biocontrol strains (Bacillus subtilis HL2 and Streptomyces strain HL3), and organic fertilizer (YJ) were composted into different bio-fertilizers (KC, KN, KY, LC, LN, and LY), which were used in pot experiments. The controlling effect of the bio-fertilizer was determined based on the response of pineapple heart rot and bacterial communities to different fertilizing methods. Our results revealed that the incidence of heart rot in bio-fertilizer KC was the lowest, which decreased by 20% and 13.3%, respectively, compared to HF (chemical fertilizer, 16-16-16) and YJ (organic fertilizer). The richness and diversity of soil bacterial communities in all biofertilized treatments (KC, KN, KY, LC, LN, and LY) were significantly higher than those in HF. However, the α-diversity indices of the bio-fertilizers (KC, KN, and KY) were higher than those of LC, LN, and LY, and the bacterial community composition was significantly different. The bacteria GP4, GP6, Bacillus, and Azohydromonas were enriched in KC, KN, and KY, while the relative abundance of Streptomyces increased significantly in LC, LN, and LY. Furthermore, Spearman correlation analysis showed that the relative abundance of these bacterial groups was significantly negatively correlated with the incidence of pineapple heart rot. In summary, the application of bio-organic fertilizers can decrease the incidence of pineapple heart rot by altering the soil bacterial community structure and stimulating beneficial soil microorganisms, which is important for reconstructing the ecological balance in continuous pineapple orchards. © 2022 Authors. All rights reserved.     

Effects of planting density on the microclimate of rice population with different panicle-types and its yield components北大核心CSCD

Split-plot field experiments, with variety as the main plot, were designed to analyze the microclimate and character of R498 (curved panicle) and R499 (erect panicle) varieties of rice during the full heading day and on the 20th day after full heading. The planting densities assigned to the subplots were 0.23 m (line spacing) × 0.12 m (hole spacing), 0.27 m × 0.14 m, 0.33 m × 0.17 m, 0.38 m × 0.20 m, and 0.40 m × 0.21 m. The results showed that for all the planting densities, the maximum temperature of R499 increased by 1.52 ℃ on an average during the full heading stage, but decreased by 0.66 ℃ on the 20th day after full heading, in comparison to those of R498. The mean daily light intensities of R498 and R499 in sparse planting (0.38 m × 0.20 m, 0.40 m × 0.21 m) were higher than those of other planting density treatments during the full heading stage, being 43.56% and 16.22% higher, respectively, than that of the lowest daily light intensity. The daily light intensity of R498 was hindered by close planting (0.23 m × 0.12 m, 0.27 m × 0.14 m) while that of R499 was inhibited by sparse planting on the 20th day after the full heading stage. The rates of decrease of vertical light intensity of R498 and R499 in sparse planting were the highest among all the planting density treatments, their rates of decrease being 97.96% and 92.56%, respectively, during the full heading stage, and 94.81% and 91.10%, respectively, on the 20th day after the full heading stage. When the planting density was decreased, the variability of plant height, tiller number, and panicle curvature were greater for R499 than those of R498. The rates of incidence of sheath blight for R498 and R499 in the planting specification of 0.38 m × 0.20 m were 66.67% and 68.89%, respectively, which was the most serious among all the planting density treatments. On increasing the effective spike number and panicle weight, both R498 and R499 produced the highest yields with the planting specification of 0.27 m × 0.14 m, among all the planting density treatments. Even when the density was excessively reduced, the value of yield components did not increase any further. Thus, it is better to plant rice with curved panicles (R498) in a reasonable planting density (neither too close nor too sparse), and to plant rice with erect panicles in a reasonably close planting density. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Effects of different endogenous fungi on the mass loss and nutrient content of leaf litter of Cunninghamia lanceolata北大核心CSCD

To explore the role of endophytic fungi in the decomposition of litter, the endophytic fungi Penicillium sp. strain CG2 (A), Fusarium flavum strain AY13 (B), and Talaromyces strain AJ14 (C) of Cunninghamia lanceolata were added to experimental pots in different forms (mycelium, sterilized fermentation broth, single fungus, and mixed fungi), and a control treatment (CK) was set up (no fungi added). At 10, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days after litter decomposition, a study on the decomposition dynamics of C. lanceolata litter under different treatments was performed. The results showed that the rate of leaf mass loss was the highest in the sterilized fermentation broth treatment A after 120 days, and that there was a significant difference (P < 0.05) between the mycelium treatment AC and the control treatment after 60 days (23.97% higher than the control group). On day 60, the litter carbon content from the mycelium treatment A was significantly different from that of the control (P < 0.05), showing a 16.74% lower value, whereas the litter carbon content of the mycelium treatment B was 21.13% lower than that of the control after 90 days. The nitrogen content of the litters of most mycelium and sterilized fermentation broth treatments was increased compared to that of the control group; there was significant difference (P < 0.05) between the sterilized fermentation broth treatment A and the control (P < 0.05), with a 17.05% higher value than that of the control. Similar to nitrogen, the litter phosphorus content also increased; there was a statistically significant difference between the mycelium treatment A and the control group, with treatment A showing a 46.67% higher value than the control group. The potassium content was 28% lower than that of the control group under the sterilized fermentation broth treatment C, a result that was significantly different from that of the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment for 90 days, the ratio of carbon to nitrogen was the lowest under the treatments with the mycelium A and the mycelium B, with values 25.54% and 25.11% lower than that of the control group, respectively, and a statistically significant difference from that of the control group (P < 0.05). The ratio of carbon to phosphorus was the lowest under the treatment with mycelium A after 60 days, and the result was significantly different from that of the control (P < 0.05), with a 43.05% lower value than the control. Thus, the three endophytic fungi had different effects on the mass loss rate and nutrient content of the litter. The Penicillium sp. strain CG2 (A) had statistically significant effects on the mass loss and nutrient content of leaf litter, which was within the range of fungi fertilizer reference values for the breeding of C. lanceolata. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Effects of photoperiod on photosynthetic characteristics and quality of Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kuntze in a plant factory北大核心CSCD

为探究光周期对番杏[Tetragonia tetragonoides(Pall.)Kuntze]生长及品质的影响,利用植物工厂中光源高度可控的优势对番杏进行不同光照时间(8、10、12、14、16 h)处理,测定分析番杏的生长、光合特性及营养品质.结果表明:(1)番杏各农艺性状随光照时间延长而增长,在光照时间14 h与16 h处理之间未呈显著性差异(P<0.05);(2)适宜光周期有利于光合色素积累,在16 h处理下叶绿素a、总叶绿素和类胡萝卜素含量最大,叶绿素b含量则在14 h光照时最大;净光合速率(P_(n))、蒸腾速率(T_(r))和气孔导度(G_(s))随光照时间延长上升,其中净光合速率在14 h与16 h光照之间变化不显著,胞间CO_(2)(C_(i))则呈先降后升的趋势;光周期变化对最大光化学效率F_(v)/F_(m)与光化学淬灭系数q_(P)未造成显著影响,非光化学淬灭系数NPQ随光照时间延长呈先降后升的趋势,14-16 h光照处理之间变化不显著,电子传递效率ETR则随光周期延长而降低;(3)不同光周期对番杏各营养成分含量的影响有所差异,可溶性蛋白变化差异较小,硝酸盐随光照时间延长而降低,14 h光照下可溶性糖含量最大.本研究表明14-16 h光照处理有利于番杏生长和营养物质积累.(图5表2参37)     

Effects of soil warming and nitrogen deposition on leaf and soil stoichiometric characteristics of Cunninghamia lanceolata saplings北大核心CSCD

Warming and nitrogen deposition directly or indirectly affect the plant-soil element cycle under global change. To examine the effects of warming and nitrogen deposition on leaf and soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) contents, and their stoichiometric ratios in Cunninghamia lanceolata saplings, four types of treatments were assigned: control (CT), warming (W, + 4 ºC), nitrogen deposition (N, 40 kg ha-1 a-1), and warming + nitrogen deposition (WN) treatments. The results showed that: (1) compared with CT, W treatment significantly decreased leaf P content by 54.54% and increased leaf C/P and N/P by 85.26% and 83.39%, respectively; WN treatment significantly decreased leaf C content and P content by 1.99% and 51.03%, respectively, but increased the leaf C/P by 68.01% with no significant differences in leaf N content among treatments. The leaf N/P ratio of each treatment was less than 10, but that of the W and WN treatments were closer to 10 than that of the CT treatment. Meanwhile, W and WN treatments significantly increased tree height. (2) No significant differences were observed in soil total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) contents among treatments. Compared with CT, W treatment significantly decreased soil C/N by 4.09%, while neither W nor WN treatment affected soil C/P and N/P. W treatment increased the available soil content compared to CT treatment. (3) The correlation analysis showed that leaf N content was significantly negatively correlated with soil C/N in the CT treatment; in the W treatment leaf N content and N/P were significantly positively correlated with soil TN and TP content, respectively. Leaf N content was significantly negatively correlated with soil TC and TN in the N treatment, and leaf contents had no significant correlation with soil C, N, and P contents or their stoichiometric characteristics in the WN treatment. This study showed that N limitation still exists in C. lanceolata saplings. Warming and the interaction between warming and nitrogen deposition could alleviate N limitation and promote the growth of C. lanceolata. © 2022 Authors. All rights reserved.     

Effects of long-term nutrient addition on meso-micro soil arthropod communities in a Stipa baicalensis grassland北大核心CSCD

To analyze the effect of nutrient addition on small- and medium-sized soil arthropod communities in a Stipa Baikal meadow grassland, a nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) addition experiment was designed in the Stipa Baikal meadow grassland at Ewenki Banner, Hulunbeier City, Inner Mongolia, China in 2010. Changes in the structure and diversity of soil arthropod communities and their relationship with environmental factors were studied. Soil arthropod samples were collected during the forage greening (May), growth (August), and yellowing (end of September) periods in 2019. The results showed that: (1) compared to the control sample, N-added and NP-added samples had higher number of soil arthropods by 1.38 and 1.15 times, respectively, and an increase of 28.57% and 21.43% in the number of soil arthropod groups. The numbers of individual as well as groups of soil arthropods tended to increase with P addition; however, this response did not reach a significant level. (2) The water and heat conditions during the vegetation growth period in the test area were more suitable for the development of soil fauna communities. (3) The redundancy analysis (RDA) results further indicated that the community composition of soil fauna is mainly regulated by pH and plant evenness, and soil pH is particularly important in mediating changes in small- and medium-sized soil fauna communities. This study suggests that long-term nutrient addition has a positive impact on small- and medium-sized soil arthropod communities by changing plant evenness and soil pH, and the contribution of soil pH is greater than that of plant evenness. © 2022 Authors. All rights reserved.     

What are heavy metals? Long-standing controversy over the scientific use of the term ‘heavy metals’ – proposal of a comprehensive definition

The term ‘heavy metals’ is commonly used in the environmental literature to refer to metals and metalloids associated with environmental pollution, toxicity and adverse effects on biota. The term has been diversely defined, mostly in terms of density, relative atomic mass and atomic number. This diversity of definitions has raised questions about the nomenclature of these elements. The inclusion of the metalloid As and the nonmetal Se with heavy metals is also an important issue. Some people have called the term as meaningless, imprecise and poorly defined and have suggested abandoning the use of the term. The term itself may not be problematic but the careless and inconsistent use of terminology has led to a confusion about the meaning of the term. The use of the term may be continued but it should be defined in a more comprehensive and scientific way. Here, a more comprehensive definition of the term ‘heavy metals’ is suggested as ‘naturally occurring metals having atomic number (Z) greater than 20 and an elemental density greater than 5 g cm^?3.’ A screening of the Periodic Table according to this definition yields 51 elements to be called ‘heavy metals.’ As and Se are excluded from heavy metals.     

Effects of soil nematodes communities on litter decomposition in urban forest of Dalian北大核心CSCD

In order to further expound the effect of soil nematodes on litter decomposition in urban forest, this study investigated the responses of soil nematodes communities to litter decomposition by litterbags technology at different mesh sizes in Dalian National Forest Park. Soil nematodes community composition, decomposition rate of litter and nutrient release were also analyzed. It found a total of 4 418 nematodes from 39 genera. Higher relative density of soil nematodes was found in the bags with 0.1 mm mesh size (1.55 individuals and 7.34 orders per g of dry litter) compared to the bags with 0.02 mm mesh size (0.21 individuals and 0.49 orders per g of dry litter). There were very few soil nematodes in the 0.02 mm litter bags. Thus we regarded that soil nematodes only affected the 0.1 mm litter bags. The mass loss rates as well as C and P release rates was higher in litter bags with 0.1 mm mesh size than in those with 0.02 mm mesh size, indicating a significant influence of soil nematodes on mass loss and nutrient release. The contribution of soil nematodes to the litter mass loss was about 24%. The effect of soil nematodes on the nutrient release rates differed among elements. The soil nematodes had a bigger influence on the release rate of N than that of other elements, whereas the influence on K release rate was the lowest. The results showed that soil nematodes communities has a significant effect on the litter decomposition and nutrient release of the forest litter in Dalian city, especially promoting the mass loss rates and N release rates.     

Effects of exotic Spartina alterniflora on rhizosphere and endophytic bacterial community structures and diversity in roots of native mangroves北大核心CSCD

Root-associated microbial communities are very important for biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur in wetland ecosystems, and help to enhance the mechanisms of plant invasions. In the estuary of Jiulong River (China), Spartina alternifiora has widely invaded Kandelia obovata-dominated habitats, making it necessary to investigate the influence of rootassociated bacteria. The endophytic and rhizosphere bacterial community structures associated with selected plant species were investigated using the barcoded Illumina paired-end sequencing technique. The diversity indices of bacteria associated with the roots of S. alterniflora were higher than those of the transition stands and K. obovata monoculture. Using principal coordinate analysis with UniFrac metrics, the comparison of diversity showed that all samples could be significantly clustered into three major groups, according to the bacterial communities of origin. Four phyla, namely, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, and Firmicutes, were abundant in the rhizoplane of the two salt marsh plants, whereas Cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria were the more abundant endophytic bacteria. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, and Firmicutes in the rhizosphere bacteria of S. alterniflora accounted for 78.0%, 5.6%, 3.3%, and 1.6%, respectively. Members of the phyla Spirochaetes and Chloroflexi were found among the endophytic bacteria of S. alterniflora and K. obovata, respectively. Using linear discriminate analysis, we found some dominant rhizoplane and endophytic bacteria, including Pseudoalteromonadaceae, Vibrionaceae, Methylophilaceae, and Desulfovibrio, which could potentially affect the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles. Of interest was that endophytic bacteria were more sensitive to plant invasion than rhizosphere bacteria. Thus, the results provide evidence for the isolation of functional bacteria and the effects of root-associated microbial groups on S. alterniflora invasions. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Effects of early management of Pinus massoniana plantation target trees on soil physicochemical properties and plant diversity北大核心CSCD

In order to provide a theoretical reference for the early management of target trees in the low mountain region of eastern Sichuan, and a theoretical basis for the sustainable management of masson pine (Pinus massoniana) plantations, we chose three different kinds of densities (100 target trees per hectare, 150 target trees per hectare, and 200 target trees per hectare) in a 33-year-old masson pine plantation in the low mountain region of eastern Sichuan. We investigated the change patterns of soil physicochemical properties and plant diversity during the early stage of the management of the target trees. The results showed that compared to the control (CK), the early stage of management of P. massoniana plantation target trees dramatically improved the soil physical properties, the pH value, contents of organic matter, and total phosphorus (P < 0.05); however, the available phosphorus and the available nitrogen varied slightly (P > 0.05). Compared to the control (CK), significant (P < 0.05) differences in the richness index were observed between shrubs and herbs (P < 0.05), and in the shrub layer, the dominant position was replaced by others. Simpson, Shannon, and Pielou indexes of shrubs showed no significant difference in the study (P > 0.05). On the contrary, Simpson, Shannon, and Pielou i ndexes of herbs were significantly lower than those for CK (P < 0.05). There were significant correlations between plant species diversity and soil physicochemical properties such as soil pH, contents of total phosphorus, and the available nitrogen. The early stage of management of P. massoniana plantation target trees significantly improved the plant diversity and soil physicochemical properties. Among all the three different treatments, the density of 150 target trees per hectare had the best effect on the soil physicochemical properties and plant diversity. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Effects of warming on leaf non-structural carbohydrates and carbon and nitrogen isotopes of Cunninghamia lanceolata saplings during different seasons北大核心CSCD

To reveal the response of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) and carbon and nitrogen isotopes in plant leaves to global warming, we conducted soil warming experiments in the Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem and Global Change National Observation and Research Station of China. We designed two treatments: control (CT) and warming (W; cable heating, +4 ℃). Heating cables were installed 20 cm from each other at a depth of 10 cm and were heated in March 2016. In this study, Cunninghamia lanceolata saplings were used to analyze seasonal changes in leaf non-structural carbohydrates, and carbon and nitrogen isotopes. The results showed that (1) warming significantly reduced the soluble sugar, starch, and NSC content of leaves in spring but without any significant difference during other seasons. (2) Leaf δ13C increased significantly in spring and winter after warming, whereas leaf δ15N did not change significantly. (3) No significant correlation was observed between leaf δ13C, δ15N, or NSC content during the warming treatment, but a negative correlation was observed between leaf δ15N, δ13C, and sugar to starch ratio. A positive correlation between leaf δ15N and starch content was identified. In summary, when temperature increases, plants adjust the NSC content during different seasons for osmotic regulation, change the characteristics of the nutrient cycle, and alter the plant water and nutrient use strategies to maintain plant growth. In the future, we should further study the seasonal variation characteristics of NSC content and isotopes and the relationship between NSC content and the carbon and nitrogen cycles in plants under the context of long-term warming. © 2022 Science Press. All rights reserved.