Dynamics of growth and seed production in the Siberian stone pine: The level and pattern of variation in characters

A statistical analysis of interannual variation in a set of vegetative and generative characters over 13 years has been performed to characterize the growth and seed production dynamics of the Siberian stone pine (Pinus sibirica Du Tour) in the southeast of the forest zone in western Siberia. The results have shown that the range of fluctuations in most of vegetative characters is ordinary and their distribution is close to normal. The range of fluctuations in many generative characters is enormous (from 0 to +∞), and the distribution of their values is usually skewed, with low values being recorded several times more frequently than high values. Most variable are the proportion of abortive cones and other characters that are determined mainly in the spring of the pollination year. These characters account for a very high level of variation in the total seed production.     

Hunting Increases Dispersal Limitation in the Tree Carapa procera, a Nontimber Forest Product

Abstract:  The sustainability of seed extraction from natural populations has been questioned recently. Increased recruitment failure under intense seed harvesting suggests that seed extraction intensifies source limitation. Nevertheless, areas where more seeds are collected tend to also have more intense hunting of seed-dispersing animals. We studied whether such hunting, by limiting disperser activity, could cause quantitative dispersal limitation, especially for large crops and for crops in years of high seed abundance. In each of four Carapa procera (Meliaceae) populations in French Guiana and Surinam, two with hunting and two without, we compared seed fate for individual trees varying in crop size in years of high and low population-level seed abundance. Carapa seeds are a nontimber forest product and depend on dispersal by scatter-hoarding rodents for survival and seedling establishment. Hunting negatively affected the proportion of seeds dispersed and caused greater numbers of seeds to germinate or be infested by moths below parent trees, where they would likely die. Hunting of seed-dispersing animals disproportionally affected large seed crops, but we found no additional effect of population-level seed abundance on dispersal rates. Consistently lower rates of seed dispersal, especially for large seed crops, may translate to lower levels of seedling recruitment under hunting. Our results therefore suggest that the subsistence hunting that usually accompanies seed collection is at the cost of seed dispersal and may contribute to recruitment failure of these nontimber forest products. Seed extraction from natural populations may affect seedling recruitment less if accompanied by measures adequately incorporating and protecting seed dispersers.     

河岸过滤中氨氮的削减及其浓度对细菌与氨氧化微生物的影响

通过小试滤柱模拟河岸过滤,结合荧光定量PCR和高通量测序等手段研究了河岸过滤对氨氮的削减效能和进水氨氮浓度对细菌与氨氧化微生物的影响.结果表明,低浓度（0.2 mg·L^-1）氨氮未被削减,较高浓度（1.0 mg·L^-1和2.0 mg·L^-1）氨氮的削减率可达70%.进水处细菌丰度随氨氮浓度升高而增加,细菌群落组成随氨氮浓度升高发生规律性变化.出水处氨氧化古菌（Ammonia oxidizing archaea,AOA）丰度与氨氮浓度呈负相关,氨氧化细菌（Ammonia oxidizing bacteria,AOB）丰度与氨氮浓度无显著相关关系;进水处AOA-α多样性与氨氮浓度呈正相关,但AOB-α多样性与氨氮浓度呈负相关;进水处AOA群落组成受氨氮浓度影响,而进、出水处AOB群落组成均受氨氮浓度影响.可见,进水氨氮浓度会影响河岸过滤对氨氮的削减效能,还会影响细菌、氨氧化微生物的丰度及群落结构,AOB对氨氮浓度的变化比AOA更敏感.     

Microbiological characteristics in a zero-valent iron reactive barrier

Zero-valent iron (Fe⁰)-based permeable reactive barriertreatment has been generating great interest for passivegroundwater remediation, yet few studies have paid particularattention to the microbial activity and characteristics withinand in the vicinity of the Fe⁰-barrier matrix. The presentstudy was undertaken to evaluate the microbial population andcommunity composition in the reducing zone of influence byFe⁰ corrosion in the barrier at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plantsite. Both phospholipid fatty acids and DNA analyses were usedto determine the total microbial population and microbialfunctional groups, including sulfate-reducing bacteria,denitrifying bacteria, and methanogens, in groundwater andsoil/iron core samples. A diverse microbial community wasidentified in the strongly reducing Fe⁰ environment despitea relatively high pH condition within the Fe⁰ barrier (up topH 10). In comparison with those found in the backgroundsoil/groundwater samples, the enhanced microbial populationranged from 1 to 3 orders of magnitude and appeared to increase from upgradient of the barrier to downgradient soil. Inaddition, microbial community composition appeared to change overtime, and the bacterial types of microorganismsincreased consistently as the barrier aged. DNA analysisindicated the presence of sulfate-reducing and denitrifyingbacteria in the barrier and its surrounding soil. However, theactivity of methanogens was found to be relatively low,presumably as a result of the competition by sulfate/metal-reducing bacteria and denitrifying bacteria because of the unlimited availability of sulfate and nitrate in the site groundwater. Results of this study provide evidenceof a diverse microbial population within and in the vicinity ofthe iron barrier, although the important roles of microbial activity, either beneficially or detrimentally, on the longevityand enduring efficiency of the Fe⁰ barriers are yet to be evaluated.     

Seed yeast cultivation for salad oil manufacturing wastewater treatment

The mixture of five yeast strains obtained from soil could remove about 85% TOC of oil-rich wastewater in batch test.While the highest MLSS was obtained at an N:C of 1:5,the oil removal decreased with the increase of N:C during yeast sludge cultivation.Ammonium chloride was the best nitrogen source for yeast cultivation from the viewpoint of yeast growth and oil utilizxation.An ammonia concentration of over 1300 mg/L led to mass death of yeast at a pH of 5.The ammonia concentration should be controlled at a level of 1000 mg/L or lower.     

木质素降解酶及其调控机理研究的进展

近年来有关木质素降解微生物和木质素降解酶的产与调控机理的研究表明，腐霉和细菌在木质自然降解中起着重要作用，腐霉的降解作用发生在次级代谢阶段，而细菌发生在初级代谢阶段，影响木质素降解酶的产生酶活力高低的因素有碳氮的选择与限制；诱导物的添加；表面活性剂的使用；某些金属离子浓度水平的改变；菌丝的固定化，温度和摇床转速的变换等。     

影响微生物絮凝剂产生的因素研究

本文通过改变培养基的种类、培养基的碳源、氮源、无机盐离子来选择絮凝剂产生菌“Dfjm-1”高效低廉的培养基 ;通过改变培养基初始 p H值、培养温度、培养过程中的通气量等因素 ,得出“Dfjm-1”菌株产生絮凝剂的最佳条件。Dfjm-1产生絮凝剂的最佳因素为 :培养基初始 p H值为 6.5～ 7.0 ,培养温度为 3 0℃ ,培养时间为 60小时左右 ,通气量为 :早期 :2 50 r/ min;中期 1 50 r/ min;后期 1 0 0～ 1 50 r/ min     

Study on nitrile-degrading microorganisms

Two strains of bacteria were isolated from nitrile polluted soils, and identified as Corynebacterium boffmanii and Arthrobacter flavescens. Acetonitrile, propionitrile, butyronitrile and acrylonitrile were degraded by these bacteria to yield corresponding amides, carboxylic acids and ammonia. The nitrile-degrading abilities of these strains were investigated. The removal rates for the nitrile were nearly 100%, after these bacteria were grown in medium containing 10000 ppm of aceto-, propio-, or butyronitrile at 28 ℃ for 24h. When the reaction mkture consisting of 5000 ppm of above mentioned nitriles or acrylonitrile and 20g (dry cell) /L resting cells of the two strains in 0.06mol/L phosphate buffer (pH7.5) was incubated separately at 25 ℃ with moderate shaking for 15 or 45 min, the nitrile could be degraded completely. The optimum growth conditions for C.hoffmanii and A.flavescens were studied as well.     

Intra-specific variations of two Leymus chinensis divergence populations in Songnen Plain, northeast China

Population demography, seed production, biomassallocation, net photosynthesis and transpiration of two Leymus chinensis divergence populations and between two years in Songnenplain, northeast China were compared. Strong differences betweenthe dry 1997 and moist 1998 occurred in vegetative shoot and sexualshoot densities, sexual differentiation and tiller densities, aswell as in the lengths of inflorescence, seed numbers perinflorescence, seed weights and biomass allocation in eachpopulation respectively (P<0.01). While strong differences betweenthe two populations occurred in vegetative shoot densities, sexualshoot densities, sexual differentiation and seed weights in eachyear (P<0.01). The differences between the two populations intiller densities and in biomass allocation to sexual shoots were significant (P<0.05). But there were no significant differences between the two populations in the lengths of inflorescence, seed numbers per inflorescence and biomass allocation to rhizomes and vegetative shoots (P>0.05). Excepting the transpiration rate in the early June, the differences between the two populations in net photosynthesis and transpiration rate of vegetative shoots and sexual shoots were strongly significant in the early June and July respectively (P<0.01). Relative stable variations in population demography and physiological traits between the two populations indicated that they are divergently in the Songnen Plain.