Light regulation of nitrate reductase in Ulya fenestrata (Chlorophyceae)

Observations were made on the behavior of nitrate reductase activity in the green alga Ulva fenestrata under controlled light:dark regimes. The activity of nitrate reductase (NR) was examined in response to normal seasonal photoperiods as well as in response to shortened or extended periods of darkness. NR activity exhibits a light-dependent diurnal rhythm under both normal summer and winter photoperiods, with a maximum in the early morning (2 to 2.5 h after the start of illumination). This peak of activity is followed by a lower steady-state level of activity which is sustained throughout the light period. There is a sustained minimal level of activity in darkness. The morning peak in activity is always observed as long as tissue is illuminated, irrespective of the previous light or dark treatments. As such, it appears that nitrate reductase activity in U. fenestrata is under circadian control. There is no major difference in the NR activity pattern between summer and winter plants, except that the peak activity values in winter plants are consistently much higher (5 times) than in summer plants. The study also suggests that illumination prior to the normal start of photoperiod triggers a different set of regulatory mechanisms, indicating that the physiological state of plants is important in dictating the NR activity response to illumination.Please address all correpondence and requests for reprints to G. J. Smith at his present address (Hopkins Marine Station)     

Response of Savanna Fire Regimes to Changing Fire-Management Policies in a Large African National Park

Abstract:  Approaches to fire management in the savanna ecosystems of the 2-million ha Kruger National Park, South Africa, have changed several times over the past six decades. These approaches have included regular and flexible prescribed burning on fixed areas and a policy that sought to establish a lightning-dominated fire regime. We sought to establish whether changes in management induced the desired variability in fire regimes over a large area. We used a spatial database of information on all fires in the park between 1957 and 2002 to determine elements of the fire regime associated with each management policy. The area that burned in any given year was independent of the management approach and was strongly related to rainfall (and therefore grass fuels) in the preceding 2 years. On the other hand, management did affect the spatial heterogeneity of fires and their seasonal distribution. Heterogeneity was higher at all scales during the era of prescribed burning, compared with the lightning-fire interval. The lightning-fire interval also resulted in a greater proportion (72% vs. 38%) of the area burning in the dry season. Mean fire-return intervals varied between 5.6 and 7.3 years, and variability in fire-return intervals was strongly influenced by the sequencing of annual rainfall rather than by management. The attempt at creating a lightning-dominated fire regime failed because most fires were ignited by humans, and the policy has been replaced by a more pragmatic approach that combines flexible prescribed burning with lightning-ignited fires.     

Fractionation of heavy metals in surface sediments of Taihu Lake, East China

The BCR (European Communities Bureau of Reference) three-step sequential extraction procedure was applied to fractionate heavy metals in the sediment of Taihu Lake. For the determination of total metal concentration of the sediments, sample digestion was achieved by using HF/H2O2/HNO3 (2/1/1) acid mixture in a microwave-irradiated closed vessel system. The concentrations of Cd, Ni, Cr, Zn, Cu and Pb in various extracts solutions were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES). The results obtained from the BCR three-step sequential extraction indicated relatively high mobility of Zn, Cu, Pb and Ni in the sediments while Cd and Cr were poorly mobile. Enrichment of heavy metals was found in the sediments collected in the northern parts of Taihu Lake. In the sediments collected in the southern and western sides of the Lake, heavy metal concentrations were relatively low. The relationship between total organic carbon (TOC) and heavy metals concentrations in the sediments is discussed.     

Residues of Organochlorinated Pesticides in Eggs of Water Birds from Tai Lake in China

The levels of organochlorine compounds in eggs of water birds from the colony on Tai Lake in China were studied. The eggs were collected in 2000 and belonged to the following species: 65 samples of black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), 36 samples of little egret (Egretta garzetta), 26 samples of cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) from 13 clutches and 43 samples of Chinese pond heron (Ardeola bacchus) from 17 clutches. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its derivates (DDE and DDD), hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and its isomers (-HCH, -HCH, -HCH, -HCH), heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, endrin aldehyde, -endosulfan, -endosulfan, and endosulfan sulfate were determined in the laboratory by gas chromatography. The data showed that DDE had the highest levels in all the samples, followed by -HCH. The mean levels of DDE among the water bird species were in the order as follows: black-crowned night heron (5464.26ng/g, dry weight) > Chinese pond heron (2791.12ng/g, dry weight) > little egret (1979.97ng/g, dry weight) > cattle egret (660.11ng/g, dry weight). DDT and its metabolites accounted for 90% of the total organochlorines, except that it was only 73% for cattle egret. The differences of the residue among the bird species were statistically significant and could be attributed to their variations in prey and habitat. Although the DDE burdens in Tai Lake were much lower than 8 g/g (wet weight) which are thought to have significant adverse effects on black-crowned night herons, they would be expected to increase the risk of adverse effects on survival of chicks of herons and egrets, particularly black-crowned night heron, based on the critical value of 1 g/g (wet weight) DDE. The burdens of HCHs in this study were higher and the cyclodienes were lower than those found elsewhere.     

Fitness consequences of body-size-dependent host species selection in a generalist ectoparasitoid

In insect parasitoids, offspring fitness is strongly influenced by the adult females choice of host, particularly in ectoparasitoids that attack non-growing host stages. We quantified the fitness consequences of size-dependent host species selection in Dirhinus giffardii, a solitary ectoparasitoid of tephritid fruit fly pupae. We first showed a positive correlation between the size of emerged D. giffardii wasps and the size of their host fruit fly species (in order of decreasing size): Bactrocera latifrons, B. cucurbitae, B. dorsalis or Ceratitis capitata. We then manipulated individual wasps to show that the parasitoid preferred to attack the largest (B. latifrons) to the smallest (C. capitata) host species when provided with a choice, and laid a greater proportion of female eggs in B. latifrons than in C. capitata. There were no differences in developmental time or offspring survival between individuals reared from these two host species. Finally, we compared the foraging efficiency of large versus small wasps (reared from B. latifrons vs C. capitata) under two different laboratory conditions: high versus low host habitat quality, given that realized fecundity in parasitoids may be influenced by either egg-limited or time-limited factors. Under both conditions, large wasps parasitized more hosts than did small ones as a consequence of high searching efficiency in the host-poor habitat, and high capacity for adjusting egg maturation in response to host availability in the host-rich habitat. Considering the flexibility of body growth, the apparent lack of cost of achieving large body size in either development or survival, and the strong dependence of realized reproductive success on a females size, we argue that body size may be a key to understanding evolution of host species selection in ectoparasitoids. We also discuss constraints upon the evolution of size-dependent host species selection in parasitoids.Communicated by D. Gwynne     

辽宁东部山区几种主要森林植被类型土壤渗透性能研究

沿辽河水系设置临时标准地 ,对辽宁东部山区具有代表性的油松林、落叶松林、红松林、柞木林、杂木林及灌丛 6种植被类型的土壤水分的入渗性能进行了研究。结果表明 ,辽东山区 6种植被类型下土壤都表现出较强的渗透性能。A层的初始入渗率 (f0 /mm·min- 1) 1 2 .8～ 6 1 .1 ,平均值为 38.7,B层 1 6 .8～4 1 .7,平均值为 2 7.0 ,C层 2 9.2～ 38.2 ,平均值为 2 4 .4 ;A层的稳定入渗率 (fc/mm·min- 1) 2 .6～ 4 .2 ,平均值为 3.5 ,B层 2 .2～ 4 .1 ,平均值为 2 .9,C层 1 .1～ 3.3,平均值为 2 .2 ;A层的饱和导水率 (k10 /mm·min- 1)1 .5 3～ 2 .2 3,平均值为 1 .86 ,B层 0 .77～ 2 .0 5 ,平均值为 1 .2 7,C层 0 .5 0～ 1 .2 8,平均值为 0 .79。不同植被类型下不同土壤发生层次的入渗能力差异显著 :一般地 ,阔叶林下土壤的入渗性能明显好于针叶林 ,榛丛下土壤也表现出很好的渗透性能 ;不同土层入渗性能大小为A层 >B层 >C层。林龄差异在 2个龄级以上时 ,林龄越大 ,土壤初渗性能越好。用Horton方程拟合土壤饱和渗透过程 ,模拟结果与实测结果相近。     

Degradation of 4-aminophenol by hydrogen peroxide oxidation using enzyme from Serratia marcescens as catalyst

This paper reports on the degradation of 4-aminophenol using hydrogen peroxide as oxidizer and the enzyme from Serratia marcescens AB 90027 as catalyst. The effecting factors during degradation and the degrading mechanism were studied. Also, the location of the enzyme in the cell, which could catalyze the degradation of 4-aminophenol, was analyzed. The results showed that to degrade 50 mL of 4-aminophenol whose concentration was 500 mg/L, the optimal conditions were: volume of H₂O₂ = 3 mL, temperature = 40–60°C and pH = 9–10. In the degradation process, 4-aminophenol was first converted to benzoquinone and NH₃, then organic acids including maleic acid, fumaleic acid, and oxalic acid were formed, and then finally CO₂ and H₂O were generated as final products. The enzyme that could catalyze the degradation of 4-aminophenol was mainly extracellular enzyme.     

南开菊酯微生物降解的研究

南开菊酯(高效反体氯氰菊酯),是一种新型广谱杀虫剂,经研究可被微生物降解。其溶液中细菌总数的消长,与其降解速率呈正相关关系,说明南开菊酯可被微生物分解利用,在研究土壤混合菌对其降解作用的同时,发现筛选出优势菌株(NK102)。     

河西走廊水资源供需平衡及其对农业发展的承载潜力

河西走廊是甘肃省主要经济地区之一,河西走廊未来的经济发展规模在很大程度上取决于本地区水资源的承载能力。本文在水量平衡原理的基础上,对河西走廊水资源的供需平衡和水土资源平衡状况以及水资源对农业发展的承载潜力进行了分析计算,并建立了相应的数学模型,指出了河西走廊水资源的潜力巨大,只有在发展节水型农业和水资源合理、高效利用的条件下才能提高农业用水的承载潜力。     

个旧锡矿成矿热液活动的微量元素地球化学指示

通过对不同地质体中微量元素含量对比及因子分析 ,明确成矿热液活动元素 ,区分不同地球化学类型的元素集群。研究表明 ,成矿热液活动源于花岗岩岩浆侵位 ,花岗岩浆期后热液及地下水在岩体热力驱动下构成了一个系统的矿化热液活动体系 ,对区内地层产生广泛的蚀变影响 ,形成矿体、热液活动脉体及矿化热液活动元素对围岩地层的改造。成矿热液活动体系为开放系统 ,运动方式以构造断裂导流为主 ,孔隙渗透为次。