Heavy metal availability and impact on activity of soil microorganisms along a Cu/Zn contamination gradient

All the regulations that define a maximum concentration of metals in the receiving soil are based on total soil metal concentration. However, the potential toxicity of a heavy metal in the soil depends on its speciation and availability. We studied the effects of heavy metal speciation and availability on soil microorganism activities along a Cu/Zn contamination gradient. Microbial biomass and enzyme activity of soil contaminated with both Cu and Zn were investigated. The results showed that microbial biomass was negatively affected by the elevated metal levels. The microbial biomass-C （Cmic）/organic C （Corg） ratio was closely correlated to heavy metal stress. There were negative correlations between soil microbial biomass, phosphatase activity and NH4NO3 extractable heavy metals. The soil microorganism activity could be predicted using empirical models with the availability of Cu and Zn. We observed that 72% of the variation in phosphatase activity could be explained by the NH4NO3-extractable and total heavy metal concentration. By considering different monitoring approaches and different viewpoints, this set of methods applied in this study seemed sensitive to site differences and contributed to a better understanding of the effects of heavy metals on the size and activity of microorganisms in soils. The data presented demonstrate the relationship between heavy metals availability and heavy metal toxicity to soil microorganism along a contamination gradient.     

不同钝化材料对红壤中铜有效性的影响及机理

选取3种钝化材料（赤泥、硼泥、钙镁磷肥）,通过盆栽试验,观测了在不同铜污染水平红壤上,3种钝化材料对小油菜（Brassica campestris,L var Conmunis）吸收铜的影响。结果表明：在铜污染红壤上,3种钝化材料降低土壤EDTA提取态铜含量的效果显著。其中,在高铜污染水平红壤上,施用高量赤泥、硼泥处理降低效果最为明显,较污染对照降低了41.48%、44.44%。在低铜污染水平红壤上,施用高量赤泥处理降低效果最为明显,较对照处理降低了35.83%。施用3种钝化材料均能促进小油菜生长,增加小油菜的生物量,降低小油菜对铜的吸收量。其中,低铜污染水平红壤上,施用高量赤泥、高量硼泥与硼泥-赤泥联合施用处理降低铜含量的效果最为明显,与污染对照相比,小油菜铜含量分别降低82.64%,72.71%,85.14%;在高铜污染水平红壤上,施用高量赤泥与硼泥、赤泥联合施用处理降低小油菜铜含量的效果最为明显,小油菜铜含量分别为36.37,36.32 mg.kg^-1。结果表明,用量为45 000 kg.hm^-2的赤泥是最佳的功能钝化材料。     

淹水对酸性红壤磷吸附解吸特性的影响——以江西省旱地红壤和水稻土为例

采用室内培养法研究了淹水对2种酸性红壤（旱地红壤、水稻土）磷吸附解吸特性及草酸可提取态P的影响。淹水培养实验中,2种土壤分别淹水0（对照）,1、2、3、4、8周,淹水培养结束后进行P吸附解吸实验,解吸实验结束后测定土样中草酸可提取态P。结果表明：与氧化状态相比,淹水后旱地红壤P吸附量减少,水稻土淹水1、2、3周P吸附量高于氧化状态,继续淹水4和8周后P吸附量减少。淹水前后旱地红壤P吸附量均大于水稻土。用简单Langmuir方程拟合P等温吸附曲线,除淹水4周外,P最大缓冲容量（MBC）随淹水时间延长而降低。结合能常数（K）淹水前后的变化规律性差。2种土壤P解吸量随加入P量增加而增加。氧化、还原状态下,2种土壤酸性草酸铵可提取P均远远大于CaCl2解吸P,虽然水稻土吸附P量低于旱地红壤,但P解吸量无论是CaCl2解吸P还是酸性草酸铵可提取P均大于旱地红壤,主要原因在于水稻土全P及速效P含量大于旱地红壤。淹水后草酸可提取态P增加,吸附P的释放和被新近形成的铁氧化物再吸附是淹水后草酸可提取态P增加的主要原因。     

外源Cd在不同类型土壤中的稳定化特征

为明晰镉(Cd)在不同类型土壤中的稳定化特征和有效性差异,以四川省6种主要的农耕土壤酸性紫色土、中性紫色土、石灰性紫色土、灰潮土、典型黄壤和漂洗黄壤为研究对象,通过土壤培养试验,对外源Cd进入土壤后的稳定化时间、化学形态和有效Cd含量进行了对比分析,进一步结合盆栽试验下各土壤中小白菜生物量和Cd含量,探讨了外源Cd在6种土壤中的化学行为和污染效应.结果表明：(1)6种土壤的有效Cd含量在外源Cd添加后的15 d内迅速降低,后趋于平稳.稳定后,漂洗黄壤和酸性紫色土的有效Cd含量显著高于其他4种土壤,石灰性紫色土最低(1.01 mg·kg^-1);(2)6种土壤中的Cd均以可交换态的占比最高(42.51%～56.07%),其次,漂洗黄壤和典型黄壤中的铁锰氧化物结合态Cd,石灰性紫色土中的碳酸盐结合态和灰潮土中的有机络合态Cd的占比相对较高;(3)低含量Cd处理下(0.5 mg·kg^-1),6种土壤中小白菜的生长均无明显抑制,生物量与对照无显著差异,但可食部位Cd含量却有不同程度地富集,表现为典型黄壤和漂洗黄壤显著高于其他4种土壤;高含量Cd处理下(...     

铅锌冶炼废水处理后沉渣重金属元素特征与环境活性研究

通过扫描电子显微镜与X射线衍射仪分析、BCR法三步连续提取及元素化学分析,对铅锌冶炼废水处理后沉渣中重金属的赋存状态、环境活性进行研究。结果表明,沉渣中主要毒害元素为Zn、Pb、Mn、Cd和Cu,且以非晶态存在,其含量分别为62350、29530、7650、4530和830 mg/kg。渣中Zn和Cd酸可提取态所占比例较大,分别为37.72%和34.44%; Mn的可还原态相对含量很高,达到49.67%;Zn和Pb的可氧化态含量较高,分别占全量的34.16%、34.68%;Pb和Cu的残渣态含量较高,分别占全量的39.72%和61.69%。     

底泥厌氧环境和光照对菹草萌发和幼苗生理的影响

通过向底泥中投加不同量的蔗糖使其发生厌氧反应以模拟不同程度的底泥厌氧环境，研究这种环境和光照强度对菹草石芽萌发和幼苗生理作用的影响。实验结果表明，底泥厌氧环境能显著降低菹草石芽的最终萌发率，且低光照会加剧这种趋势；尽管低光照不一定会提高最终的萌发率，但对提早石芽的萌发是有利的。在01%蔗糖投加处理中，幼苗的叶绿素和可溶性蛋白含量最高(平均为250和1928 mg/g FW)，其后随投加量的升高而降低，而游离氨基酸的含量却一直呈上升趋势，最高时达到024 mg/g FW ，但低光照却使它下降；可溶性糖含量基本不受底泥厌氧水平的影响，但随着光照减少而降低。随着厌氧水平的增加（从对照到05%蔗糖投加量），菹草的超氧物歧化酶(SOD)活性呈现上升趋势，但在10%蔗糖投加处理中活性降至最低；而过氧化物酶(POD)活性一直处于下降趋势。研究结论是：底泥厌氧对菹草石芽萌发影响显著，这种影响可能比低光照的限制作用还要重要。轻度的厌氧环境反而能促进菹草幼苗的生理代谢，但随厌氧水平的升高对碳氮平衡和其它生理活动产生不利影响。此外，底泥厌氧环境对菹草幼苗的抗氧化系统也有明显刺激作用。     

MACROPHYTE STANDING CROP AND PRIMARY PRODUCTWITY IN SOME FLORIDA SPRING-RUNS1

ABSTRACT: A survey of 31 Florida spring-runs was conducted to estimate their submerged macrophyte standing crop and primary productivity. The standing crops of submerged vegetation were not significantly (p > 0.05) correlated to either total nitrogen (r = 0) or total phosphorus (r =?0.20) concentrations, but standing crops were significantly (p < 0.01) correlated to the percentage of the spring-run's water surface shaded by marginal vegetation (r =?0.76). Maximum daily rates of primary productivity were positively correlated with average submerged macrophyte standing crops (r = 0.81; p < 0.001) and inversely correlated with the degree of shading by marginal vegetation (r =? 0.43; p < 0.05).     

Female mate choice in the zebra finch — the effect of male beak colour and male song

Studies of female mate preference in zebra finches (Taenopygia guttata) have shown that male beak colour and song rate are important. However, the two characters are correlated. Here the effect of beak colour and song rate on female choice are examined independently. In mate choice tests involving two males, beak colour was manipulated artificially using nail varnish. The results showed that females showed a significant preference for males with a high song rate, but not with a red beak. Females did not prefer males with a red beak if song rate was low and females preferred males with orange beaks who expressed a high song rate. Female preference for males with red beaks was not found when beak and song characters were no longer correlated.     

Time constraints and multiple choice criteria in the sampling behaviour and mate choice of the fiddler crab,Uca annulipes

Active female sampling occurs in the fiddler crab Uca annulipes. Females sample the burrows of several males before remaining to mate in the burrow of the chosen partner. Females time larval release to coincide with the following nocturnal spring tide and must therefore leave sufficient time for embryonic development after mating. Here we show how this temporal constraint on search time affects female choosiness. We found that, at the start of the sampling period (when time constraints are minimal), females selectively sample the larger males in the population. Towards the end of the sampling period (when the temporal constraints increase the costs of sampling), females are less selective. Furthermore, we suggest that the number of males sampled (and other indices of ‘‘sampling effort’’) may not be reliable indicators of female choosiness and may not reflect the strength of female mating preferences under certain conditions. Burrow quality also emerged as an important criterion in final mate choice. Burrow structure potentially influences reproductive success, and mate acceptance based on burrow structure appears to involve a relatively invariant threshold criterion. Since there is no relationship between male size and burrow quality, females are using at least two independent criteria when choosing potential mates. We envisage mate choice as a two-stage process. First, females select which males to sample based on male size. They then decide whether or not to mate with a male based on burrow features. This sampling process explains how two unrelated variables can both predict male mating success. Received: 23 March 1995/Accepted after revision: 14 January 1996     

Relationship between filtration activity and food availability in the Mediterranean mussel <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mytilus galloprovincialis</Emphasis>

The filtration activity of the Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, was assessed under different concentrations and compositions of seston by using a new automated image acquisition and analysis system. This approach allowed for frequent and simultaneous measurements of valve gape and exhalant siphon area. Filtration rates were measured through clearance measurements whereas pumping rates were measured using hot-film probes. The average filtration rate (17.5 l g h⁻¹ DW⁻¹ for a 0.36 g DW mussel) recorded during the present study was higher than those available for Mytilus edulis when standardized to flesh dry weight but almost equivalent (17.5 l h⁻¹ g DW⁻¹ for a 53 mm shell length mussel) to those rates when standardized to shell length. Immediately after the addition of algal cells (Isochrysis galbana; 4.5 μm in size), valve gape, exhalant siphon area and filtration rate increased quickly as mussels reached their maximum filtration activity. These three parameters then gradually decreased until complete closure of the shell. The algal cell concentration inducing this transition was close to 800 cells ml⁻¹ and 0.5 μg Chl a l⁻¹. When algal concentration was maintained above this threshold by successive algal additions, both valve gape and exhalant siphon area remained maximal. Temporal changes in the exhalant siphon area were continuous as opposed to those of valve gape. Therefore, despite the significant correlation between these two parameters, valves and siphon were sometimes dissociated due to a reduction of the area or even a closure of the exhalant siphon while the valves remained open. The velocity of exhaled water tended to be constant irrespective of exhalant siphon area and thus pumping rates were a linear function of exhalant siphon area. Consequently, reductions in exhalant siphon area and pumping rate were almost similar in M. galloprovincialis. Our results thus clearly support the hypothesis that exhalant siphon area constitutes a better proxy of pumping rate than valve gape as already suggested for Mytilus edulis. Finally, the high filtration rates measured during the present study together with the high concentrations of inorganic matter (> 40 mg DW l⁻¹) requested to alter those rates suggest that the studied mussels were well adapted to oligotrophic waters featuring strong hydrodynamism and frequent sediment resuspension events.