Elevated atmospheric CO2 and drought effects on leaf gas exchange properties of barley

Atmospheric CO₂ concentration (C_a) is rising, predicted to cause global warming, and alter precipitation patterns. During 1994, spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Alexis) was grown in a strip-split-plot experimental design to determine the effects that the main plot C_a treatments [A: Ambient at 370 μmol (CO₂) mol⁻¹; E: Enriched with free-air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) at ∼550 μmol (CO₂) mol⁻¹] had on several gas exchange properties of fully expanded sunlit primary leaves. The interacting strip-split-plot irrigation treatments were Dry or Wet [50% (D) or 100% (W) replacement of potential evapotranspiration] at ample nitrogen (261 kg N ha⁻¹) and phosphorous (29 kg P ha⁻¹) fertility. Elevated C_a facilitated drought avoidance by reducing stomatal conductance (g_s) by 34% that conserved water and enabled stomata to remain open for a longer period into a drought. This resulted in a 28% reduction in drought-induced midafternoon depression in net assimilation rate (A). Elevated C_a increased A by 37% under Dry and 23% under Wet. Any reduction in A under Wet conditions occurred because of nonstomatal limitations, whereas under Dry it occurred because of stomatal limitations. Elevated C_a increased the diurnal integral of A (A′) that resulted in an increase in the seasonal-long integral of A′ (A″) for barley leaves by 12% (P = 0.14) under both Dry and Wet - 650, 730, 905 and 1020 ± 65 g (C) m⁻² y⁻¹ for AD, ED, AW and EW treatments, respectively. Elevated C_a increased season-long average dry weight (DW_S; crown, shoots) by 14% (P = 0.02), whereas deficit irrigation reduced DW_S by 7% (P = 0.06), although these values may have been affected by a short but severe pea aphid [Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris)] infestation. Hence, an elevated-C_a-based improvement in gas exchange properties enhanced growth of a barley crop.     

7种金属离子对中国林蛙和中华大蟾蜍蝌蚪的急性毒性比较研究

为评估Cu2+,Hg2+,Cr6+,Cd2+,Li+,Al3+和Co2+7种金属离子对中国林蛙(Rana Chensinensis)和中华大蟾蜍(Bufo gargarizans)蝌蚪的急性毒性效应,采用生物毒性试验方法对中国林蛙和中华大蟾蜍36期蝌蚪,进行上述7种金属离子的急性毒性试验,分别测定了这7种金属离子对中国林蛙蝌蚪和中华大蟾蜍蝌蚪的半数致死浓度(LC50)。此外,分析了中国林蛙和中华大蟾蜍36期蝌蚪的肥满度、肝指数等形态指标。结果显示,Cu2+、Hg2+、Cr6+、Cd2+、Li1+、Al3+、Co2+对中国林蛙蝌蚪的96h-LC50分别为0.270 mg·L-1、0.803 mg·L-1、2.375 mg·L-1、7.351 mg·L-1、11.273 mg·L-1、17.265 mg·L-1和20.973 mg·L-1。对中华大蟾蜍蝌蚪的96 h-LC50分别0.593 mg·L-1、0.593 mg·L-1、2.827 mg·L-1、2.592 mg·L-1、12.656 mg·L-1、14.020 mg·L-1和57.435 mg·L-1。中国林蛙蝌蚪对Cu2+、Cr6+、Li+、Co6+4种金属离子的敏感性相对较高,而中华大蟾蜍蝌蚪对Hg2+、Cd2+、Al3+3种金属离子的敏感性相对较高。形态指标的差异是中国林蛙与中华大蟾蜍蝌蚪对同一金属离子敏感性差异的原因之一。     

Acute toxic effects of phenanthrene on Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis北大核心CSCD

Phenanthrene is a persistent organic pollutant frequently found in aquatic environments. This paper aimed to assess the acute effects (96 h) of phenanthrene on Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis), a key economic aquatic animal in China. An acute semi-static toxic test was carried out to expose E. sinensis to water-borne phenanthrene with different concentrations (1.00, 1.63, 2.65, 4.31 and 7.00 mg L-1) for 96 hours. Mortality and toxic reactions were used as effect criteria. Furthermore, the oxidative stress relative biomarkers (activities of CAT, SOD, GST and content of MDA in hepatopancreas and gills) were measured for E. sinensis exposed to four lower concentrations of phenanthrene (1.00, 1.63, 2.65 and 4.31 mg L-1). The median lethal concentration (LC50) for 24,48 and 96 hour phenanthrene exposure was 16.7, 2.96 and 2.14 mg L-1, respectively; and the safe concentration (SC) of phenanthrene on E. sinensis was 0.214 mg L-1. Phenanthrene significantly increased the activity of CAT in hepatopancreas and gills, and showed a significant dose-effect relationship in hepatopancreas. Bell-shape response patterns were found in the activities of GST and SOD in the hepatopancreas and gills, with significant increases of hepatopancreas GST at 1.00 and 1.63 mg L-1 (P < 0.05), and a significant decrease at 4.31mg L-1 (P < 0.05). Phenanthrene significantly increased the contents of gills MDA at 2.65mg L-1 and hepatopancreas MDA at all four concentrations of phenanthrene. Phenanthrene, especially of high concentration, is highly toxic on E. sinensis, causing lipid peroxidative damage and even acute mortality. Meanwhile, E. sinensis can adapt to lower concentrations of phenanthrene by increasing the activities of SOD, CAT and GST. Because the CAT and GST activities of the gill and hepatopancreas are very sensitive to the presence of high-concentration phenanthrene, they can be used as highly sensitive biomarkers for phenanthrene polluted water.