Macroalgal growth in nutrient-enriched estuaries: A biogeochemical and evolutionary perspective

Increased nutrient loading of a body of water leads to an increase in macroalgal growth. It is generally observed, however, that certain species thrive more than others, capitalising on the increased nutrient availability. These are usually small, fast-growing, ephemeral algae that often appear as nuisance blooms. This article discusses the correlation between nutrient increase and macroalgal bloom formation. From a historical perspective, the evolutionary history of nuisance macroalgae, and the habits available to them prior to anthropogenic influences on estuarine geochemistry are considered. The occurrence of macroalgal genera whose distribution is commonly related to estuaries with high nutrient loading is discussed, along with evidence suggesting that the ecophysiological traits of r-selected, ephemeral algae largely contribute to their ecological success and bloom-formation at nutrient-enriched sites.     

Deer predation on leaf miners via leaf abscission

The evergreen oak Quercus gilva Blume sheds leaves containing mines of the leaf miner Stigmella sp. (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae) earlier than leaves with no mines in early spring in Nara, central Japan. The eclosion rates of the leaf miner in abscised and retained leaves were compared in the laboratory to clarify the effects of leaf abscission on leaf miner survival in the absence of deer. The leaf miner eclosed successfully from both fallen leaves and leaves retained on trees. However, sika deer (Cervus nippon centralis Kishida) feed on the fallen mined leaves. Field observations showed that deer consume many fallen leaves under Q. gilva trees, suggesting considerable mortality of leaf miners due to deer predation via leaf abscission. This is a previously unreported relationship between a leaf miner and a mammalian herbivore via leaf abscission.     

The role of plant leaf attributes in linking land use to ecosystem function in temperate grassy vegetation

We tested predictions of the relative changes in plant leaf traits in response to land uses in Australian eucalypt grassy ecosystems. Predictions were determined from responses observed in European landscapes in relation to disturbances associated with agricultural land uses. We measured specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC) across five land uses: reference sites (closest to pre-European state), native pastures (unfertilized), fertilized pastures, sown pastures (cultivated and fertilized) and enriched grassland (previously fertilized, no longer grazed). Leaves were expected to have higher SLA and lower LMDC at sites with increasing fertility and/or disturbance.The predictions were confirmed, with SLA increasing progressively in land uses associated with (1) grazing; (2) grazing and fertilization; (3) grazing, fertilization and cultivation. Values for LDMC were closely (but inversely) correlated with those of SLA. For both traits, there were relationships with available soil phosphorus but not with soil total nitrogen. The positive correlation of SLA with phosphorus was not evident above 30 mg kg⁻¹, the recommended level of phosphorus for improved pastures.Results confirm patterns of leaf-trait response to disturbance that reflect fundamental constraints to plant survival in habitats with different levels of resources and disturbances. A conservative strategy for low productivity undisturbed habitats is associated with low SLA and high dry matter content in contrast to fertile disturbed habitats which select for high SLA and low dry matter content. The changes in leaf traits across land uses resulted from species substitution rather than variation within species across sites, and most notably the replacement of native by annual exotic species as land use intensifies.Recommended fertilization rates for pasture production convert the ground layer to plants with soft, digestible leaves, that are responsive to fertilizer and desirable for livestock production. However, fertilization also drastically reduces the diversity of native plants and annual plants tend to dominate. The trade-off associated with high production includes increased vulnerability to soil erosion, due to reduced plant cover and low persistence of cover. If alternative ecosystem values such as erosion control, water quality, salinity control and biodiversity persistence are required, incentives may be needed to offset the loss of production that can be gained from fertilizer application.     

NiO纳米颗粒对小球藻(Chlorella sp.)细胞胁迫性的研究

从小球藻生长及细胞微观结构方面对比研究了纳米NiO与Ni2+对小球藻(Chlorella sp.)的胁迫性.结果表明概率单位法计算得纳米NiO对小球藻96 h EC50为31.4 mg/L,而Ni2+对小球藻96h EC50为1.73 mg/L,利用扫描电子显微镜、透射电子显微镜研究了受纳米NiO和Ni2+胁迫前后小球藻细胞微观结构变化,结果表明,受Ni2+胁迫的小球藻多数出现细胞缩小、变形、细胞器损坏、空泡等细胞凋亡现象,而受纳米NiO胁迫的细胞则部分表现细胞凋亡现象,表明Ni2+对小球藻的毒性远大于纳米NiO.     

Rheum palaestinum (desert rhubarb), a self-irrigating desert plant

The rare plant Rheum palaestinum (Polygonaceae) is a perennial hemicryptophyte that grows during the rainy winter in desert mountainous areas in Israel and Jordan that receive an average annual rainfall of ca. 75 mm. It produces between one and four large round leaves that are tightly attached to the ground and form large rosettes of up to 1 m². These leaves differ markedly from the typical small leaves of most desert plants. Moreover, they have a unique 3D morphology resembling a scaled-down mountainous area with well-developed steep drainage systems, raising the question which selective agents were involved in their evolution. We propose that the large leaves collect rainwater that then infiltrates the soil surrounding the root. We measured the seasonal course of leaf growth, examined the area of wet soil surrounding the root after actual and simulated rain, and modeled the water harvesting capacity using the plant leaf area and the weekly precipitation. We show that even in the slightest rains, water flows above the veins to the leaf’s base where it irrigates the vertical root. A typical plant harvests more than 4,100 cm³ of water per year, and enjoys a water regime of about 427 mm/year, equivalent to the water supply in a Mediterranean climate. This is the first example of self-irrigation by large leaves in a desert plant, creating a leaf-made mini oasis. All authors contributed equally to this paper.     

Effect of lead on survival, locomotion and sperm morphology of Asian earthworm, Pheretima guillelmi

To provide basic toxicity data for formulating risk characterization benchmarks, the effects of lead on survival, locomotion, and sperm morphology were investigated in the Asian earthworm Pheretima guillelmi. The LC50 of P. guillelmi for 7 and 14 d were 4285±339 mg/kg and 3207±248 mg/kg, which shows P. guillelmi can tolerate a higher concentration of lead nitrate. The average weight of the surviving earthworms decreased at concentration of 2800 mg Pb/kg soil, and the locomotor ability of earthworms exposed ...     

湿喷混凝土支护强度影响规律探究及改进*

为探究普朗铜矿湿喷混凝土技术应用中出现的喷层强度低、易开裂等问题原因,针对水灰比、养护温度2个因素对湿喷混凝土强度发展规律展开研究,采用扫描电子显微镜（SEM）观察湿喷混凝土的微观形貌、EDS和XRD进行物相分析。结果表明:温度是影响湿喷混凝土强度增长关键因素;水灰比越大,硬化水泥石浆体内孔隙越多,混凝土强度越低;温度和水灰比通过影响水化反应造成界面过渡区不同程度微缺陷,是影响混凝土强度根本原因。通过提高养护温度、优化配比及改进施工工艺,改进后喷层28 d强度提高约30%,生产效率提高约8%。     

Queue up, please! Spermathecal filling in the rove beetle Drusilla canaliculata (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae)

Most studies on insect sperm motility have been conducted in vitro using artificial environments outside the animal’s body. Only little is known about the function of motile insect sperm at different sites within the male or female genital tracts. We dissected genital tracts of female rove beetles (Drusilla canaliculata) to show that spermatozoa use their own motility to migrate from the spermatophore into the spermatheca. Our dissection method allowed direct observation and filming of the spermathecal filling process inside the female’s genital tract. Spermatozoa were found to enter the spermatheca individually, sometimes in groups of two or three. Although exhibiting only weak motility and no progressive motion in buffer solution, the spermatozoa inside the female show vigorous lashing and reach an average velocity of 47.5 μm s⁻¹. To gain mobility and speed, the spermatozoa likely utilize the relatively small diameter of the spermathecal duct to push themselves off the duct walls, rather than swimming freely in seminal fluid. The spermatozoa (approximately 1,250 μm) are considerably longer than the distance they have to travel along the spermathecal duct (approximately 800 μm). Our study provides the first direct observation of active sperm migration within the female of an insect stressing the importance of the genital tract as a prerequisite for functional sperm motility.     

土壤容重改变对锌/镉超累积植物遏兰菜根系特征及吸镉的影响

为了探讨土壤容重的变化对锌/镉超累积植物遏兰菜(Thlaspi caerulescens)根系形态特征及吸收土壤中镉、锌的影响,采用土壤盆栽方法,研究了土壤结构改良剂(EB.a)对镉污染土壤(2.12 mg.kg-1)的容重和遏兰菜提取镉/锌效率的影响.EB.a用量分别为0、0.1%和2%,植物种植100 d后收获.结果表明,EB.a可有效地降低土壤容重,2%EB.a处理土壤容重从1.27g.cm-3降至1.09 g.cm-3;土壤容重的降低,促进了遏兰菜根系和地上部的生长;植物的总根长、根毛长、根冠比均显著提高(p0.05).随着植物根长的增加,遏兰菜地上部提取镉/锌总量均显著提高(p0.05).与对照相比,2%EB.a处理致使遏兰菜总根长增加了2.6倍,植物地上部镉浓度和提取总量分别提高了20%和30%,镉提取效率由15%提高至19%;但遏兰菜的地上部锌浓度和提取总量并没有显著变化.研究结果证实了改善土壤结构可以促进遏兰菜根系的生长从而提高植物对镉的提取效率.     

九龙江口湿地表层沉积物微观形貌特征与成因分析

基于沉积物N2吸附脱附曲线,通过不同植被沉积物采样、扰动模拟和化学清洗实验,分析河口滨海湿地表层沉积物的微观形貌特征与形成原因.研究表明,光滩(A)的沉积物比表面积最低(17.07m2/g),表面分形维数也是最低(2.5177);互花米草(E)沉积物的比表面积和表面分形维数次之,分别为20.82m2/g、2.5354;而湿地中间的红树(D)、互花米草(B)及其二者混交(C)的3种沉积物的比表面积和表面分形维数较高.其原因可能是光滩(A)和互花米草(E)由于靠近河边,受到河流与潮水影响较大,较其他长有植被且离河流较远的沉积物,更易受到扰动与污染,空间填充能力弱化所致.相关关系分析表明,沉积物比表面积与表面分形分数同沉积物无机氮磷形态显著正相关,这表明沉积物比表面积和表面分形维数较低的沉积物,其表面吸附能力和空间填充能力较弱,而使得吸附的无机氮磷形态污染物减少.另外,受扰动的沉积物具有较低的比表面积和表面分形维数,污染程度较轻的沉积物具有较高的比表面积和表面分形维数.可见,受潮汐、河流扰动和污染程度的不同是九龙江口湿地表层沉积物微观形貌差异形成的主要原因.