Cultivar-dependent rhizobacteria community and cadmium accumulation in rice: Effects on cadmium availability in soils and iron-plaque formation

The association between the rhizospheric microbial community and Cd accumulation in rice is poorly understood. A field trial was conducted to investigate the different rhizobacterial communities of two rice cultivars with high Cd accumulation (HA) and low Cd accumulation (LA) at four growth stages. Results showed that the Cd content in the roots of the HA cultivar was 1.23 - 27.53 higher than that of the LA cultivar (0.08 - 10.5 µg/plant) at four stages. The LA cultivar had a significantly lower Cd availability in rhizosphere and a higher quantity of iron plaque (IP) on the root surface than the HA cultivar at four stages. This resulted in the reduction of Cd concentration in IPs and Cd translocation from IP-to-root. Microbial analysis indicated that the LA cultivar formed a distinct rhizobacterial community from the HA cultivar and had less α-diversity. The rhizosphere of the LA cultivar was enriched in specific bacterial taxa (e.g., Massilia and Bacillus) involved in Cd immobilization by phosphate precipitation and IP formation by iron oxidization. However, the rhizosphere in the HA cultivar assembled abundant sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (e.g., Sulfuricurvum) and iron reduction bacteria (Geobacter). They promoted Cd mobilization and reduced IP formation via the metal redox process. This study reveals a potential approach in which specific rhizobacteria decrease or increase Cd accumulation in rice on contaminated soil and provides a new perspective for secure rice production.     

地质高背景区富Se耕地可利用性研究及区划建议

为了促进土地质量地球化学调查成果服务于特色土地资源开发,实现地质高背景区富Se资源的安全利用,以重庆市黔江区五里镇为研究对象,通过评价土壤-农作物的富Se水平及重金属含量,开展地质高背景区富Se耕地区划及可利用性方法研究,以期提高富Se资源利用效率,为地质高背景区富Se资源的安全利用提供思路.结果表明,研究区土壤及农作物中Se含量丰富,具备开发富Se资源的潜力,但部分样品存在Cd超标的问题.土壤pH是影响农作物Se和Cd含量的关键因素,碱性条件下有利于富Se资源安全利用.A～E(A表示可利用富硒耕地,B表示农作物不富硒但农作物安全,C表示农作物富硒但农作物不安全,D表示农作物不富硒且农作物不安全,E表示土壤硒含量小于富硒阈值且土壤重金属不超标)类耕地面积分别为0.72、0.75、0.28、0.13和0.56 km²,建议在A类耕地分布区开展安全富Se资源开发,在C和D类耕地分布区开展土壤酸化调理及作物低累积品种等农艺措施,降低农作物重金属超标风险,并加强全区耕地保护力度,防止新增污染物输入.     

牡蛎壳粉和石灰改良酸性水稻土对磷有效性、形态和酶活性的影响

我国南方粮食主产区土壤酸化治理是提升耕地地力促进粮食增产的重要内容,目的是探究酸化土壤改良剂牡蛎壳粉和石灰对水稻土酸度、磷有效性和形态以及酶活性和相关功能基因的影响.盆栽试验设计2种改良剂的3个施用量（0.05%、0.10%和0.15%）,以水稻为试验作物.结果表明：①牡蛎壳粉和石灰均显著提高土壤pH,降低土壤交换性酸,且改良效果随着改良剂用量增加而提高,相同用量下石灰对土壤酸性的改良效果高于牡蛎壳粉;② 4种有效磷提取剂提取的土壤有效磷测定结果表明,牡蛎壳粉和石灰显著提高H₂SO₄-P、Bray-1 P和Olsen-P含量,其中Olsen-P含量随改良剂用量的增加而提高.③土壤中不同形态无机磷含量表现为：Fe-P>Al-P>Ca-P,石灰和牡蛎壳粉显著提高Al-P和Fe-P含量,分别提高26.3%~37.4%和7.9%~23.7%;0.15%改良剂显著增加Ca-P含量;④石灰和牡蛎壳粉对土壤DHA、ALP、IPP活性和phoD基因拷贝数具有提高作用,而对土壤ACP活性、phoC和pqqC拷贝数表现为降低;⑤改良剂（0.10%和0.15%）显著提高水稻产量,0.15%用量的石灰和牡蛎壳粉分别提高水稻产量34.2%和46.8%,但对秸秆生物量无显著影响.相关分析表明,土壤无机磷和有效磷含量与pH和ALP活性呈显著正相关,改良剂通过消除土壤酸化和提高土壤磷酸酶活性来改善土壤磷营养状况,这对促进作物产量具有积极作用.     

巢湖沉积物有效磷的原位高分辨分析研究

将两种原位被动采样技术——高分辨平衡式间隙水(HR-Peeper)与氧化锆薄膜梯度扩散技术(Zr-oxide DGT)相结合,分别对巢湖西半湖7个点位溶解态反应性磷(cPW)和有效磷(cDGT)进行原位测定分析,cPW和cDGT在大部分沉积物剖面的分布相似或局部相似,说明不同深度沉积物固相有效磷组分对间隙水SRP的缓冲能力较接近.利用界面扩散通量和cDGT/cPW比值(R)表征沉积物磷的活性,从巢湖湖心向南淝河入湖口方向,界面以下6 mm的cPW、cDGT和扩散通量的变化基本一致,均呈递增趋势,表明沉积物磷的污染水平在增加;R值变化较小,说明沉积物界面处的缓冲能力差异不明显.     

Multiple mate choice criteria and the importance of age for male mating success in the microhylid frog, Cophixalus ornatus

We examined multiple mate choice criteria in Cophixalus ornatus, a terrestrial breeding, microhylid frog. Mate choice consisted of three stages: mate attraction (male calling), courtship (male behavior between the call site and the nest), and nest site selection by the female. For male C. ornatus, the possession of a call with low dominant frequency relative to calling neighbors increased the probability that they would attract females. Dominant frequency was negatively correlated with age independent of male mass and snout vent length. When escorting the female from the call site to their nest, males traveled along more convoluted paths than when returning to the nest alone. The convolution of the path was, therefore, considered an aspect of courtship. Females released eggs into nests with structural characteristics typical of nests constructed by older males. Thus, females increased their chances of locating an acceptable nest by preferentially approaching males with lower dominant frequencies. This study is the first to demonstrate that age, independent of mass or snout-vent length, can influence call characteristics in anurans, and it is also the first to demonstrate the importance of male age to female mate choice in an amphibian.     

Female sex pheromone in immature insect males—a case of pre-emergence chemical mimicry?

Sexual selection by competition for mates is a formidable force that has led to extraordinary adaptations in males. Here we present results suggesting a novel case of pheromone mimicry in males of Lariophagus distinguendus, a parasitic wasp of beetle larvae that develop in stored grain. Females of L. distinguendus produce a pheromone even before they emerge from a grain. Males are attracted to the parasitised grain and wait for females to emerge. Males emerging later than others are under enormous selection pressure since females mate only once. We show evidence that developing males fool their earlier emerging competitors by mimicking the female pheromone. Males exposed to pupae of either sex exhibit typical courtship behaviour. Searching males are not only arrested by grains containing developing females but spend as much time on grains containing developing males. Hence, by distracting their competitors away from receptive females late males may increase their own chance to mate with these females. After emergence, males decompose the active compounds within 32 h probably to decrease molestation during their own search for mates. Chemical analyses of active pheromone extracts and bioassays using fractions demonstrate that the active compounds are among the cuticular hydrocarbons.     

长三角和珠三角土壤中汞的化学形态、转化和吸附特性

为了解长江三角洲和珠江三角洲农业土壤中汞的积累可能产生的环境影响,选择10个代表性农业土壤样品,研究了土壤中汞的化学形态、积累过程中形态的转化及吸附-解吸行为.研究表明,当无外源汞加入时,长江三角洲和珠江三角洲农业土壤中,汞主要以稳定的残余态形式存在.但随着汞加入量的增加,土壤中可交换态汞显著增加,增加程度与土壤性质有关.土壤pH是影响土壤汞有效性最重要的因素,其对土壤汞的吸附、解吸、形态转化和存在形态均有很大影响.土壤酸化可促进土壤汞的释放,加剧对环境的危害,防治土壤酸化也可有效降低土壤中汞对环境的危害.     

有机物料与~(32)P标记过磷酸钙混合施用对磷有效性的影响

本试验利用~(32)P示踪法研究赤红壤上两种有机物料与过磷酸钙混合施用对磷有效性的影响。盆栽试验表明,纸厂废料蔗渣或猪粪与磷肥混合施用比磷肥单独施用更有利于提高格拉姆柱花草的含磷量和总吸磷量。单位施磷量引起的土壤有效磷和植株吸磷量的增加量也是有机物料单施或与磷肥混施高于磷肥单施。在前39d,~(32)P标记过磷酸钙的利用率在单独施用时为2.14％,比混合施用高一倍左右;在80d时,混合施用的磷利用率较快提高,蔗渣与磷肥混施处理超过单独施用,达22.88％。     

Asexuals looking for sex: conflict between species and mate-quality recognition in sailfin mollies (Poecilia latipinna)

When two closely related species are sympatric the process of species recognition (identifying conspecifics) and mate-quality recognition (increased fitness benefits) can yield a conflict when heterospecifics resemble high-quality conspecifics. Conflict in species versus mate-quality recognition may serve as a possible mechanism for the persistence of unisexual, gynogenetic Amazon mollies (Poecilia formosa). Amazon mollies require sperm from closely related species (e.g., sailfin mollies, P. latipinna) to start embryogenesis but inheritance is strictly maternal. When choosing mates, male sailfin mollies from populations sympatric with Amazon mollies may rely on traits indicating species identity rather than those indicating mate quality. Conversely, males from allopatric populations may rely more on traits indicating mate quality. Previous work has found that male sailfin mollies in sympatry exhibit a significantly greater mating preference for female sailfin mollies over Amazon mollies compared to males in allopatry. In addition, male sailfin mollies prefer to associate with and produce more sperm in the presence of larger conspecific females, which are more fecund. We hypothesized that male sailfin mollies experience a conflict in species recognition and mate-quality recognition in the presence of Amazon mollies that are relatively larger than female sailfin mollies. To test this hypothesis, we paired males from sympatric and allopatric populations with a larger Amazon molly and a smaller female sailfin molly. We scored the number of mating attempts that males directed to conspecific and heterospecific females. Males in most sympatric and allopatric populations demonstrate no clear preference for conspecifics. In addition, we found some evidence for a difference in mating preference between allopatric and sympatric populations with males from allopatry showing a greater heterospecific mate preference. These results indicate a conflict between species and mate-quality recognition. In sympatry this conflict may contribute to the persistence of gynogenetic Amazon mollies.     

Social and ecological factors affecting paternity allocation in American robins with overlapping broods

Factors that affect extra-pair mating in birds are likely to vary across the breeding season. Changing densities of active nests may alter the opportunities for extra-pair mating, and parental duties may alter a male’s opportunity to guard his mate from extra-pair mating. The latter affects species with multiple broods, where males care for fledglings from first nests while females initiate second nests. We studied a population of multi-brooded American robins (Turdus migratorius) to assess how seasonal changes in nesting density and changes in mate-guarding opportunity influenced paternity patterns over successive breeding attempts. Extra-pair paternity (EPP) occurred in 71.9% of broods and accounted for 48.1% of young. High nesting densities in the study population may explain the high overall rate of EPP, but seasonal variation in breeding density did not explain patterns of EPP among nests. Contrary to the predictions of the mate-guarding hypothesis, EPP did not increase in the second nests that followed successful first nests, and the percentage of extra-pair young in second nests did not decline as the overlap between successive nests increased. The fact that EPP was actually lower when the interval between clutches was shorter suggests that the sooner the males can assume sole care of first broods and allow their mates to renest (indicative of superior paternal quality), the more paternity they realize in the next nest. These results suggest that mate-guarding opportunity does not influence paternity in this population of American robins and that female robins may allocate paternity based on their assessment of male parental performance at first nests.