Effect of potassium and phosphorus on the transport of radiocesium by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Potassium, a chemical analogue of cesium, and phosphorus, an essential macronutrient transported by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), have been suggested to influence the transport of radiocesium by AMF. However, no study investigated the effects of increasing concentrations of both elements on the importance of this transport. Here, the arbuscular mycorrhizal-plant (AM-P) in vitro culture system associating Medicago truncatula plantlets with Glomus intraradices was used to evaluate this effect.Using three concentrations of K (0, 1, 10 mM) and two concentrations of P (30 and 3000 μM) added to a compartment only accessible to the AMF, we demonstrated that K and P individually and in combination significantly influenced radiocesium transport by AMF. Whilst increased concentration of K decreased the amount of radiocesium transported, the opposite was observed for P. Although the exact mechanisms involved need to be assessed, both elements were identified as important factors influencing the transport of radiocesium by AMF.     

Process Based Modelling of Phosphorus Losses from Arable Land

Improved understanding of temporal and spatial Phosphorus (P) discharge variations is needed for improved modelling and prioritisation of abatement strategies that take into account local conditions . This study is aimed at developing modelling of agricultural Phosphorus losses with improved spatial and temporal resolution, and to compare the accuracy of a detailed process-based model with a rainfall-runoff coefficient-based model. The process-based SWAT model (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) was implemented for five river basins in central Sweden, and results compared with the rainfall-runoff coefficient-based model WATSHMAN (Watershed Management System) for one of these river basins. Parameter settings and attribute values were adapted to Scandinavian soil conditions, crops and management practices. Model performance regarding flow dynamics was overall satisfactory. Comparable results were achieved at several scales. The modelled P load was of high accuracy for the days when monitoring data were available for validation, generally once a month. Modelled monthly P load did not fit as well with averaged monthly monitoring load values, mainly since monthly monitoring often partly or entirely misses the peak flows. The comparison of SWAT and WATSHMAN gave slightly better results for the process-based model (SWAT). Better spatial resolution for input data such as Soil-P content and agricultural management practices will be required to reach modelling results that enable identification of measures adapted to local conditions.     

Nutrient mitigation capacity in Mississippi Delta, USA drainage ditches

Eutrophication and hypoxia within aquatic systems are a serious international concern. Various management practices have been proposed to help alleviate nutrient loads transported to the Gulf of Mexico and other high-profile aquatic systems. The current study examined the nutrient mitigation capacity of a vegetated (V) and non-vegetated (NV) agricultural drainage ditch of similar size and landform in the Mississippi Delta. While no statistically significant differences in ammonium, nitrate, or dissolved inorganic phosphorus mitigation between the two ditches existed, there were significant differences in total inorganic phosphorus percent load reductions (V: 36% ± 4; NV: 71% ± 4). However, both agricultural drainage ditches were able to mitigate nutrients, thus reducing the load reaching downstream aquatic receiving systems. Further studies examining ecosystem dynamics within drainage ditches such as sediment and plant nutrient partitioning, as well as microbial processes involved, are needed to provide a better understanding of natural nutrient variability, seasonality and flux.     

Arsenic accumulation and phosphorus status in two rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars surveyed from fields in South China

The consumption of paddy rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a major inorganic arsenic exposure pathway in S.E. Asia. A multi-location survey was undertaken in Guangdong Province, South China to assess arsenic accumulation and speciation in 2 rice cultivars, one an Indica and the other a hybrid Indica. The results showed that arsenic concentrations in rice tissue increased in the order grain < husk < straw < root. Rice grain arsenic content of 2 rice cultivars was significant different and correlated with phosphorus concentration and molar ratio of P/As in shoot, being higher for the Indica cultivar than for the hybrid Indica, which suggests altering shoot phosphorus status as a promising route for breeding rice cultivars with reduced grain arsenic. Speciation of grain arsenic, performed using HPLC-ICP-MS, identified inorganic arsenic as the dominant arsenic species present in the rice grain.     

Mobility of Different Phosphorus Pools in the Sediment of Lake Dianchi during Cyanobacterial Blooms

By the method of P fractionation, we examined sedimentary P fractions in Lake Dianchi before and during cyanobacterial blooms, namely in April 2004 and August 2004, respectively. In this study, the whole lake is divided into four areas to discuss P fractions in sediment and the relationship between them and water quality or the nutrient status. The results show that where the water body was much more eutrophic (higher levels of total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll and trophic status index) in Lake Dianchi, there can be more potentially available phosphorus (BD–P and NaOH–P) and less no available phosphorus (HCl–P and residual P) in the corresponding sediments. Statistical analysis and statistical plots are used to compare the distribution of every P fraction during cyanobacterial blooms with that before cyanobacterial blooms, and the results indicate that the different P fractions had the different mobility. HCl–P and residual P were relatively stable, while NaOH–P, BD–P and NH4Cl–P were more mobile. BD–P can intensively be released from sediment to water and consequently promote cyanobacterial blooms, and at the same time the NaOH–P concentration increased in sediment, which can result from that BD–P released can be partly immobilized to NaOH–P. During cyanobacterial blooms BD–P can be as a source, but NaOH–P as a sink. Besides, total phosphorus in sediment had no significant differences between two samplings.     

高产水稻田氮磷排放监测及特征分析

通过设立田间定位监测点,对高产水稻田的水及氮、磷的输入和排出进行了3年的定点监测,根据监测结果分析了稻田的氮、磷迁移特征和规律。结果表明,每667m^2稻田氮排出量约3000g,磷排出量约82g;随降雨及灌溉水带人的氮约1600g,磷约59g;两者相抵,表观净排出氮约为1400g,磷约23g。稻田氮、磷排出与稻田排水量及基面肥施用量有关。改进稻田氮肥施用时间和施用方法,合理管理稻田水量,减少排水,是减少高产水稻田氮、磷排放的关键技术措施。     

五里湖—梅梁湖磷污染调查

通过对五里湖-梅梁湖洗涤剂“禁（限）磷”前后水体磷含量变化的调查,表明,禁止使用含磷洗衣粉两年后,五里湖水体中总磷含量降低20%,梅梁湖总磷含量也有下降趋势,但是五里湖近5年的总磷监测结果均超过《地表水环境质量标准》（GHZB1-1999）中Ⅴ类标准。指出,洗衣粉中所含的磷是湖区磷污染的重要来源,而水体磷负荷的大量来源是人体排泄、农业面源（含畜禽、水产养殖）和工业点源。提出,“治前”（禁磷）是前提,“治后”（除磷）是手段,根本的一条是控制入湖的总磷量,维持湖体生态平衡。     

升钟湖水体叶绿素a动态特征及其影响因子分析

2011—2015年每月监测升钟湖湖区的4个代表性断面的水质指标,分析水体中叶绿素a时空分布特征、变化规律及影响水体水质状况的其他要素。结果表明:升钟湖的叶绿素a具有显著性的年际差异,表现为夏季高、冬季低且呈现逐年下降的变化趋势,总磷、总氮、氨氮、溶解氧、透明度监测指标同样表现为夏季高、冬季低的变化趋势,除溶解氧和透明度的监测指标逐年上升外,其他监测指标均逐年下降。构建了叶绿素a与总氮、总磷的多元回归方程模型,该模型可根据水体营养盐状态准确预测升钟湖叶绿素a的变化趋势。     

Atmospheric Nutrient Input to the Baltic Sea from 1850 to 2006: A Reconstruction from Modeling Results and Historical Data

In this study, a consistent basin-wise monthly time series of the atmospheric nutrient load to the Baltic Sea during 1850-2006 was compiled. Due to the lack of a long time series (1850-1960) of nutrient deposition to the Baltic Sea, the data set was compiled by combining a time series of deposition data at the Baltic Nest Institute from 1970 to 2006, published historical monitoring data and deposition estimates, as well as recent modeled Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) emission estimates. The procedure for nitrogen compounds included estimation of the deposition in a few intermediate reference years, linear interpolation between them, and the decomposition of annual deposition into a seasonal deposition pattern. As no reliable monitoring results were found for the atmospheric deposition of phosphorus during the early period of our study, we used published estimates for the temporal and spatial pattern of the phosphorus load.     

The Impact of First-Generation Biofuels on the Depletion of the Global Phosphorus Reserve

The large majority of biofuels to date is "first-generation" biofuel made from agricultural commodities. All first-generation biofuel production systems require phosphorus (P) fertilization. P is an essential plant nutrient, yet global reserves are finite. We argue that committing scarce P to biofuel production involves a trade-off between climate change mitigation and future food production. We examine biofuel production from seven types of feedstock, and find that biofuels at present consume around 2% of the global inorganic P fertilizer production. For all examined biofuels, with the possible exception of sugarcane, the contribution to P depletion exceeds the contribution to mitigating climate change. The relative benefits of biofuels can be increased through enhanced recycling of P, but high increases in P efficiency are required to balance climate change mitigation and P depletion impacts. We conclude that, with the current production systems, the production of first-generation biofuels compromises food production in the future.