Trends of changes in the floristic composition of forest vegetation in the northern Baikal region upon climate warming

Parameters characterizing the activity of species in altitudinal zonal elements of the flora have been analyzed in the northern Baikal region. The results provide evidence for the weakening status of xerophilic species in the cenoflora of hemiboreal light coniferous forests of the class Rhytidio-Laricetea, which form the lower part of the forest belt bordering the steppe. This fact indicates that climate on the slopes of mountain ridges is becoming more humid. The increase in humidity may be explained by both progressing degradation of permafrost and increasing precipitation. On the other hand, no significant change has been observed in the cenoflora of mountain taiga forests of the class Vaccinio-Piceetea, which form the upper part of the forest belt.     

Predicting Future Threats to the Native Vegetation of Robinson Crusoe Island, Juan Fernandez Archipelago, Chile

Abstract:   The Juan Fernandez Archipelago, a Chilean national park and biosphere reserve, is 700 km west of continental Chile. Invasive plant species pose major threats to the native, highly endemic vegetation, especially on Robinson Crusoe Island (Mas a Tierra), where there is a permanent settlement. We used historical and recent vegetation map data as well as recent vegetational point data to reconstruct vegetational changes on the island since the early twentieth century. In addition, we used logistic regression models with environmental variables or their surrogates (elevation, solar radiation, topographic similarity index, slope position) to estimate the potential distributions of the worst invaders. Native vegetation has been affected most severely by Acaena argentea , Aristotelia chilensis , Rubus ulmifolius , and Ugni molinae , leading to a significant decrease of endemic plants in the montane forests and native shrublands. The native forest has decreased by approximately one-third. The area affected by Aristotelia chilensis increased from 6.5% to 14% of the total island area. Ugni molinae , once rare, is now abundant (4.6%), as is Acaena (11.9%). Rubus ulmifolius , not present 80 years ago, now covers about 7% of the island's surface. The distributions of all studied species except Rubus ulmifolius are significantly ( p < 0.05) controlled by the environmental factors we examined. Inferring from potential distributions of Aristotelia chilensis and Ugni molinae , 50% of the native montane forest could be invaded or replaced (with a probability of >60%) by these plants. Based on the invasion speed of the past 80 years, this would take another 80 years if conservation measures do not succeed.     

图书馆生物污染现状研究

在分析了图书馆生物污染原因的基础上,对部分馆舍的空气和纸质文献受生物污染状况进行了研究,结果表明:图书流通阅览室、期刊阅览室以及学生自习室的空气冬天比夏天细菌数量高,冬天全天平均细菌数量为8.9×104个/m3以上,而夏天则为6.0×104个/m3;典藏书库冬天全天平均细菌数量为5.2×104个/m3,夏天为6.3×104个/m3左右;纸质文献受微生物污染程度与借阅率基本上呈正比关系。     

Effcient degradation of lube oil by a mixed bacterial consortium

A laboratory study was performed to assess the biodegradation of lube oil in bio-reactor with 304# stainless steel as a biofilm carrier. Among 164 oil degrading bacterial cultures isolated from oil contaminated soil samples, Commaonas acidovorans Px1, Bacillus sp. Px2, Pseudomonas sp. Px3 were selected to prepare a mixed consortium for the study based on the e ciency of lube oil utilization. The percentage of oil degraded by the mixed bacterial consortium decreased slightly from 99% to 97.2% as the concentration of lube oil was increased from 2000 to 10,000 mg/L. The degradation of TDOC (total dissolved organic carbon) showed a similar tendency compared with lube oil removal, which indicated that the intermediates in degradation process hardly accumulated. Selected mixed bacterial consortium showed their edge compared to activated sludge. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) photos showed that biofilms on stainless steel were robust and with a dimensional framework constructed by EPS (extracellular polymeric substances), which could promote the biodegradation of hydrocarbons. The increase of biofilm followed first-order kinetics with rate of 0.216 g glucose/(cm2 day) in logarithm phase. With analysis of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combined with removal of lube oil and TDOC, mixed bacterial consortium could degrade benzene and its derivatives, aromatic ring organic matters with a percentage over 97%.     

Abundance and community of snow bacteria from three glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau

Bacterial abundance and diversity in snow of East Rongbuk,Laohugou and Hailuogou glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau were investigated through epifluorescence microscope and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis.Cell abundance ranged from 4.0 × 10 3 to 290.2 × 10 3 cells/mL.The phylogenetic trees placed the 16S rRNA sequences in four major groups:Proteobacteria,Firmicutes,Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes.Brevundimonas,Flavobacterium,Hymenobacter,Bacillus,Polaromonas,Rhodoferax and Streptomyces were widely distributed bacteria in glaciers from different cold regions.The remaining five genera of Hylemonella,Delftia,Zoogloea,Blastococcus and Rhodococcus were endemism,only recovered from our investigated glaciers.It is proposed that the three glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau provide a specific ecological niche for prolonging survival of diverse microbial lineages.     

Comprehensive characterization of indoor airborne bacterial profile

This is the first detailed characterization of the airborne bacterial profiles in indoor environments. Two restaurants were selected for this study. Fifteen genera of bacteria were isolated from each restaurant and identified by three different bacterial identification systems including MIDI, Biolog and Riboprinter®. The dominant bacteria of both restaurants were Gram-positive bacteria in which Micrococcus and Bacillus species were the most abundant. Most bacteria identified were representative species of skin and respiratory tract of human, and soil. Although the bacterial levels in these two restaurants were below the limit of the Hong Kong Indoor Air Quality Objective (HKIAQO) Level 1 standard (i.e., < 500 cfu/m³), the majority of these bacteria were opportunistic pathogens. These results suggested that the identity of airborne bacteria should also be included in the IAQ to ensure there is a safety guideline for the public.     

Simultaneous removal of hydrogen sulfide and toluene in a bioreactor: Performance and characteristics of microbial community

We investigated the correlation between performance and the bacteria community composition by H2S and toluene co-treatment. Operation of the bioreactor was divided into four stages, in which the inlet concentration of toluene and H2S were gradually increased. In Stage I, toluene was the sole target compound with an average removal e ciency of 86.49%. After adding H2S in Stage II, removal e ciency of toluene decreased immediately and recovered gradually to 85.96%. When the inlet concentration of toluene and H2S was increased in Stage III and Stage IV, respectively, the average removal e ciency for toluene increased continuously from 86.31% to 87.24%. The elimination capacities of toluene increased with increasing inlet loading rates of toluene and H2S. Results of the PCR-DGGE analysis showed a turnover growth and decline of the microbial populations in the bioreactor. In Stage I, the dominant toluene-degrading bacteria mainly contained Pseudomonas sp. strain PS+ and Hydrogenophaga sp. In Stage IV, however, the dominant toluene-degrading bacteria was aciduric bacteria (Clostridium populeti). The dominant microbial community in the bioreactor enhanced the elimination capacity of toluene, and adding H2S changed the environment of microbial growth, thus resulted in an evolution of dominant microorganisms. Analyses of microbial community and their activities provides valuable information to e ciently enhance simultaneous removal of toluene and H2S in the bioreactor.     

An E. coli SOS-EGFP biosensor for fast and sensitive detection of DNA damaging agents

An E. coli SOS-EGFP biosensor which expresses enhanced green fluorescent protein as a reporter protein under the control of recA gene promoter in SOS response was constructed for detection of DNA damage and evaluation of DNA damaging chemicals. The chemicals that may cause substantial DNA damage will trigger SOS response in the constructed bacterial biosensor, and then the reporter egfp gene under the control of recA promoter is stimulated to express as a fluorescent protein, allowing fast and sensitive fluorescence detection. Interestingly, this biosensor can be simultaneously applied for evaluation of genotoxicity and cytotoxicity. The SOS-EGFP bacterial biosensor provides a sensitive, specific and simple method for detecting known and potential DNA damaging chemicals.     

Bacterial diversity and distribution in the southeast edge of the Tengger Desert and their correlation with soil enzyme activities

The nature of microbial communities and their relation to enzyme activities in desert soils is a neglected area of investigation. To address this, the bacterial diversity and distribution and soil physico-chemical factors were investigated in the soil crust, the soil beneath the crust and rhizosphere soil at the southeast edge of the Tengger Desert, using the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of 16S rRNA genes amplified by the polymerase chain reaction. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequenced DGGE bands revealed a great diversity of bacteria. The Proteobacteria, consisting of the α, β, and γ subdivisions, were clearly the dominant group at all depths and in rhizosphere soil. Analysis of the enzyme activities indicated that the rhizosphere soil of Caragana korshinskii exhibited the highest protease and polyphenol oxidase activities, and in the soil crust there were increased activities of catalase, urease, dehydrogenase and sucrase. The bacterial community abundance closely correlated with soil enzyme activities in different soils. The presence of Cyanobacteria correlated with significant increases in protease, catalase and sucrase in the soil crust, and increased urease in the rhizosphere soil of Artemisia ordosica. The occurrence of Acidobacteria was associated with significant increases in urease, dehydrogenase, and sucrase in the rhizosphere soil of C. korshinski. The presence of γ-Proteobacteria correlated with a significant increase in polyphenol oxidase in the rhizosphere soil of A. ordosica. The study indicated a close relationship between the soil bacterial community and soil enzymes, suggesting the necessity of further investigations into bacterial function in this desert ecosystem.     

氮磷胁迫下藻-菌群落的变化研究

近年来,由于水体富营养化而导致的蓝藻水华在我国太湖与滇池等淡水湖泊频繁爆发,已成为严重的环境问题,而氮、磷则是引起水体富营养化的重要营养因子。文章通过藻细胞计数、细菌群落的DGGE监测,以及典型对应CCA分析,系统研究了不同的氮磷浓度、N/P比对藻-菌群落结构的影响及其相互关系。结果表明,氮磷浓度和N/P比均会影响藻类生长,其中,氮磷浓度较N/P比对藻类生物量的影响更大;N/P=12为藻类生长的最适条件,氮限制(N/P=3)和磷限制(N/P=48)均会抑制藻类生长;添加外源氮磷可促进细菌的生长,提高其多样性,但随着N/P比的提高,其种群多样性呈逐渐下降趋势;细菌群落主要由β-proteobacteria类细菌组成,其次是α-proteobacteria,然后是Bacteroidetes和γ-proteobacteria。与氮、磷营养盐相比,藻类群落对细菌群落的影响更大。