Relationship between light and heavy fractions of organic matter for several agricultural soils in China

Although numerous studies about the nature and turnover of soil organic matter（SOM） in light and heavy fractions（ LFOM and HFQM, respectively） have been made, little information is available in relation to the relationship between LFQM and HFOM, and no attempts have been made to quantify a general relationship between LFQM and HFQM for agricultural soils under field condition. Qur hypothesis is there may be an inherent relationship between LFQM and HFQM for agricultural soils under certain unaltered management practices for a long period, to this end, we therefore studied typically soils taken from different parts in China by using a simple density fractionation procedure. The results indicated that LFQM was positively correlated with LFOM/HFOM ratio for three typical soils. This information will be of particular use not only in deepening our understanding of the dynamics of SQM fractions but also in evaluating the potential of agricultural soils to sequestrate C under different management practices in a long term.

Crop Yield and Soil Responses to Long-Term Fertilization on a Red Soil in Southern China

A 15-year fertilization experiment with different applications of inorganic N,P and K fertilizers and farmyard manure (M)was conducted to study the yield and soil responses to long-term fertilization at Qiyang,Hunan Province,China. Average grain yields of wheat and corn(1 672 and 5 111 kg ha-1,respectively)for the treatment NPKM were significantly higher than those(405 and 310 kg ha-1)of the unfertilized control and single inorganic fertilizer treatments.Compared with the corresponding initial values of the experiment,all treatments showed a yield decline of 9 to 111 kg ha-1 year-1 in wheat and 35 to 260 kg ha-1 year-1 in corn,respectively,and a significant pH decline of 0.07 to 0.12 pH year?1,except for the treatments PK and NPKM.After long-term fertilization,the soil organic C,soil available P,exchangeable Ca2+ and Mg2+and available Cu2+and Zn2+contents were higher in the treatment NPKM than in the treatments applied with inorganic fertilizer only.Compared to the treatment NPK,the treatment NPKM,where manure partially replaced inorganic N,had a positive impact on arresting the decline of soil pH.This improved grain yields of wheat and corn, suggesting that application of NPK fertilizer in combination with farmyard manure is important to maintain soil fertility and buffering capacity in red soil.

Sorption of Heavy Metal and Organic Pollutants on Modified Soils

Sorption characteristics of both an organic pollutant (phenol) and a heavy metal (cadmium ion) on the clay layer of a Lou soil (Eum-orthic Anthrosol in Chinese Soil Taxonomy) along with the sorption mechanism were investigated using three soil treatments: modification with a cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide added at an amount equivalent to 50% and 100% of the soil CEC (50%CB and 100%CB), modification with an amphoteric surface-modifying agent dodecyldimethylbetaine (commercially known as BS-12) added at an amount equivalent to 50% and 100% of the soil CEC (50% BS and 100%BS), and an unmodified control (CK). Results showed that the BS soil treatments increased sorption of both the heavy metal Cd2+ and the organic pollutant phenol. The equilibrium sorption amount of Cd2+ decreased in the order: 50%BS > 100%BS > CK > 50%CB > 100%CB, with the BS soil treatments being about 1.3 to 1.8 times higher and the CB soil treatments about 23% to 41% lower than CK. Both the single-site and two-site Langmuir models could be applied to describe the sorption of Cd2+ in each soil treatment. The equilibrium sorption amount of phenol on the soil samples decreased in the order: 100%CB > 50%CB > 100%BS > 50%BS > CK, with the CB soil treatments being 41.0 to 79.6 times higher and the BS soil treatments 4.0 to 8.3 times higher than CK. The Freundlich equation could also be used to describe the sorption characteristics of phenol. In the BS soil treatments, both an organophobic long carbon chain and hydrophilic charged groups resulted in a relatively strong sorption ability for both heavy metals and organic pollutants. In addition, the sorption ratio K, the ratio of phenol sorption amount of the modified soil to that of CK, increased initially and decreased later with the amount of phenol added, and the critical sorption ratio KC, the peak value of the sorption ratio curve plotted against the added phenol concentration, was a good index for evaluating the sorption ability of phenol in the soil.

Spatial-Temporal Pattern and Driving Forces of Land Use Changes in Xiamen

Using Landsat TM data of 1988, 1998 and 2001, the dynamic process of the spatial-temporal characteristics of land use changes during 13 years from 1988 to 2001 in the special economic zone of Xiamen, China was analyzed to improve understanding and to find the driving forces of land use change so that sustainable land utilization could be practiced. During the 13 years cropland decreased remarkably by nearly 11304.95 ha. The areas of rural-urban construction and water body increased by 10 152.24 ha and 848.94 ha, respectively. From 1988 to 2001, 52.5% of the lost cropland was converted into rural-urban industrial land. Rapid urbanization contributed to a great change in the rate of cropland land use during these years. Land-reclamation also contributed to a decrease in water body area as well as marine ecological and environmental destruction. In the study area 1) urbanization and industrialization, 2) infrastructure and agricultural intensification, 3) increased affluence of the farming community, and 4) policy factors have driven the land use changes. Possible sustainable land use measures included construction of a land management system, land planning, development of potential land resources, new technology applications, and marine ecological and environmental protection.

Contribution of Atmospheric Nitrogen Compounds to N Deposition in a Broadleaf Forest of Southern China

A one-year study in a typical red soil region of southern China was conducted to determine atmospheric nitrogen (N) fluxes of typical N compounds (NH3, NH4-N, NO3-N, and NO2) and contribution of three sources (gas, rainwater, and particles) to N deposition. From July 2003 to June 2004, the total atmospheric N deposition was 70.7 kg N ha-1, with dry deposition accounting for 75% of the total deposition. Dry NH3 deposition accounted for 73% of the dry deposition and 55% of the total deposition. Moreover, NO2 contributed 11% of the dry deposition and 8% of the total deposition. Reduced N compounds (NH4+ and NH3) were the predominate contributors, accounting for 66% of the total deposition. Therefore, atmospheric N deposition should be considered when soil acidification and critical loads of atmospheric deposition on soils are estimated.

Land Suitability Assessment and Land Use Change in Fujian Province,China

To present the current status of land quality and distribution and the trends in land use change, the physical suitability of cropland and forestland and the associated changes in Fujian Province were evaluated and analyzed using data obtained from geographical information systems (GIS) and remote sensing (RS).Of the total land area of Fujian Province,first class suitable cropland accounted for only 4.21%, whereas unsuitable cropland accounted for 84.78%. The percentage of first class suitable cropland in the southeastern region (5.32%) was much higher than that in the northwestern area (2.91%).Only 13.63% of the existing cropland area consisted of first class cropland and 70.08% was classified as unsuitable for cultivation.Of the total land area of Fujian Province,the first class forestland comprised 55.25% and the unsuitable forestland (including third class) comprised 21.2%.The percentage of unsuitable forest area in the existing forestland was only 5.5%.From 1996 to 2001, cropland and unused land decreased significantly, whereas forestland and land used for urban and transport increased rapidly.Therefore,the major tasks ahead will be the land development for full grain production potential,the better coordination of allocating land to different uses, and the regulation inappropriate activities that damage agricultural ecosystems.

Spatial-temporal Pattern and Population Driving Force of Land Use Change in Liupan Mountains Region, Southern Ningxia, China

The Liupan Mountains is located in the southern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China, which forms an important dividing line between landforms and bio-geographic regions. The populated part of the Liupan Mountains region has suffered tremendous ecological damages over time due to population pressure, excessive demand and inappropriate use of agricultural land resources. In this paper, datasets of land use between 1990 and 2000 were obtained from Landsat TM imagery, and then spatial models were used to characterize landscape conditions. Also, the relationship between the population density and land use/cover change (LUCC) was analyzed. Results indicate that cropland, forestland, and urban areas have increased by 44,186ha, 9001ha and 1550ha, respectively while the grassland area has appreciably decreased by 54,025ha in the study period. The decrease in grassland was most notable. Of the grassland lost, 49.4% was converted into cropland. The largest annual land conversion rate in the study area was less than 2%. These changes are attributed to industrial and agricultural development and population growth. To improve the eco-economic conditions in the study region, population control, urbanization and development of an ecological friendly agriculture were suggested.

Multiple Time Scale Analysis of River Runoff Using Wavelet Transform for Dagujia River Basin, Yantai, China

Based on monthly river runoff and meteorological data, a method of Morlet wavelet transform was used to analyze the multiple time scale characteristics of river runoff in the Dagujia River Basin, Yantai City, Shandong Province. The results showed that the total annual river runoffin the Dagujia River Basin decreased significantly from 1966 to 2004, and the rate of decrease was 48× 10^6ma/10yr, which was higher than the mean value of most rivers in China. Multiple time scale characteristics existed, which accounted for different aspects of the changes in annual river runoff, and the major periods of the runofftime series were identified as about 28 years, 14 years and 4 years with decreasing levels of fluctuation. The river runoff evolution process was controlled by changes in precipitation to a certain extent, but it was also greatly influenced by human activities. Also, for different time periods and scales, the impacts of climate changes and human activities on annual river runoff evolution occurred at the same time. Changes in the annual river runoffwere mainly associated with climate change before the 1980s and with human activities after 1981.

Effects of Age on Quality of Beef from Qinchuan Cattle Carcass

Qinchuan cattle are one of the top breeds in China. In the current study, cattle of different ages were used to investigate the effect of age on beef quality. With increasing age, shear force, protein content, hydroxyproline （Hyp） content, redness （a＊）, and muscle fiber diameter and density significantly increased （P〈0.05）. On the other hand, cooking loss, water content, lightness （L＊）, and muscle fiber gap markedly decreased （P〈0.05）. No significant differences were found in the contents of intramuscular fat, ash, amino acids （AA）, mineral elements, and expression level of leptin and FAS （P〉0.05）. The C16：0 and C18：0 content increased significantly （P〈0.05）, in contrast to that of C18：1 and C18：2 （P〈0.05）. COLA1 mRNA was expressed at low levels at mon 3 and 9 but markedly increased at mon 12 and 15 （P〈0.05）. Taken together, these observations demonstrate excellent nutritional values of beef from cattle of different ages concordant with their chemical properties; on the other hand, their commercial value correlates more closely with their physical and sensory characteristics.

Lipid Peroxidation and Ultrastructural Modifications in Brain after Perinatal Exposure to Lead and/or Cadmium in Rat Pups

Objective To assess lipid peroxidation and ultrastructural modifications in rat brains following perinatal exposure to lead （Pb） and/or cadmium （Cd）. Methods Female rats were divided into four groups： control group, Pb （300 mg/L） group, Cd group （10 mg/L） and Pb＋Cd （300 mg/L, 10 mg/L） group. The compounds were delivered in the drinking water throughout pregnancy and lactation. Results The levels of compounds in blood and brain of the Pb＋Cd group were similar to those of other groups, but the effects of Pb＋Cd on pups＇ body and brain weights were higher than on other compounds. Electron microscopy revealed that Pb and Cd had effects on mitochondrial swelling, disruption and cristae loss, Nissl body dissolution, degenerated organelles and vacuoles, cytomembrane disappearance, and nuclear chromoplasm concentration. The activity of glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px）, superoxide dismutase （SOD）, catalase （CAT）, acetylcholinesterase （ACHE） was decreased, whereas the activity of maleic dialdehyde （MDA） was increased. Conclusion Perinatal exposure to low doses of Pb and Cd can produce alterations in lipid peroxidation and ultrastructural modifications in rat brains, and exposure to both metals can result in greater damages.

Disulfide-stabilized single-chain antibody-targeted superantigen: Construction of a prokaryotic expression system and its functional analysis

AIM: To construct the expression vector of B3 (scdsFv)-SEA (D227A) and to identify its binding and cytotoxic ability to B3 antigen positive carcinoma cell lines.METHODS: This fusion protein was produced by a bacterial expression system in this study. It was expressed mainly in the inclusion body. The gene product was solubilized by guanidine hydrochloride, refolded by conventional dilution method, and purified using SP-sepharose cation chromatography.RESULTS: The expression vector B3 (scdsFv)-SEA-PETwas constructed, the expression product existed mainly in the inclusion body, the refolding product retained the binding ability of the single-chain antibody and had cytotoxic effect on HT-29 colon carcinoma cells. The stability assay showed that the resulting protein was stable at 37 ℃.CONCLUSION: This genetically engineered B3 (scdsFv)-SEA fusion protein has bifunction of tumor targeting and tumor cell killing and shows its promises as an effective reagent for tumor-targeted immunotherapy.

Simulation of groundwater table dynamics based on Feflow in the Minqin Basin,China

As groundwater table declination is an important factor resulting in degradation of eco-environment in the Minqin Basin, China, it is significant to investigate and understand the groundwater table dynamics in this area. According to the physical and geographical conditions of the Minqin Basin, a hydrogeological conceptual model and a mathematical model were established, and the mathematical model was figured out by using Finite Element subsurface Flow system （Feflow）. Accurate hydrogeological parameters were acquired, and the spatio-temporal distribution dynamics of groundwater table for 1983-2001 were also simulated. The model performed well with a correlation coefficient of 0.977 and a mean error of 0.9768 m. The inflow and outflow of the groundwater system were predicted by time series analysis, and the groundwater table dynamics for 2011 were further acquired. Gen- erally the groundwater table in the Minqin Basin would continue to decline. The groundwater table would decline during spring and summer irrigation, while it would rise during autumn-winter irrigation. The groundwater depression cones would expand with the increase of center depths. Therefore, regulatory measures should be taken to prevent the declination of groundwater table and improve the eco-environment of this area.

Influence of phosphorus on Microcystis growth and the changes of other environmental factors

The growth processes of Microcystis aeruginosa （FACHB-41） in simulated Taihu Lake water with different phosphorus concentrations were investigated using laboratory microcosms. The algal biomass increased with the increase of phosphorus concentration when it was lower than 0.445 mg/L, while the dissolved oxygen （DO） and pH increased, dissolved inorganic nitrogen （DIN） and light intensity underwater（I） decreased. Responding to the changes of the “environmental factors”, the cellular carbohydrate and its ratio to cellular protein decreased generally as phosphorus increased. However, when phosphorus concentration was higher than l. 645 mg/L, the biomass, the “environmental factors”, the cellular carbohydrate and its ratio to cellular protein did not change likewise. Since the environmental factors and the physiological and biochemical responses are important factors, the change of environmental factors and cell physiology and biochemistry induced by phosphorus may become the key factors that steer the growth and dominance of Microcystis under certain conditions. To sum up, phosphorus not only stimulate the growth of Microcystis directly by supplying nutrient element, but also has complex interactions with other “environmental factors” and play important roles in the growth processes of Microcystis .

Roles of ABA Signal Transduction during Higher Plant Seed Development and Germination

ABA is one of the 5 phytohormones in higher plants, which is also the most important hormone that regulates higher plants in response to environmental stress, by ABA signal transduction. Understanding ABA signal transduction at the molecular level is crucial to biology and ecology, and rational breeding complied with corresponding eco-environmental changes. Great advancements have taken place over the past 10 years by application of the Arabidopsis experimental system. Many components involved in ABA signal transduction have been isolated and identified and a clear overall picture of gene expression and control for this transduction has become an accepted fact. On the basis of the work in our laboratory, in conjunction with the data available at the moment, the authors have attempted to integrate ABA signal transduction pathways into a common one and give some insights into the relationship between ABA signal transduction and other hormone signal transduction pathways, with an emphasis upon the ABA signal transduction during higher plant seed development. A future challenge in this field is that different experimental systems are applied and various receptors and genes need to be characterized through the utilization of microarray chips.

DARBOUX TRANSFORMATION OF A NONLINEAR EVOLUTION EQUATION AND ITS EXPLICIT SOLUTIONS

In this paper, we study a differential-difference equation associated with discrete 3 × 3 matrix spectral problem. Based on gauge transformation of the spectral problm, Darboux transformation of the differential-difference equation is given. In order to solve the differential-difference equation, a systematic algebraic algorithm is given. As an application, explicit soliton solutions of the differential-difference equation are given.

Effects of nitrogen content on growth and hydraulic characteristics of peach(Prunus persica L.) seedlings under different soil moisture conditions

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of nitrogen content [Nl （no fertilizer）, N2 （0.15 g.kg-l）, and N3 （0.3 g.kg 1）] on the growth and the hydraulic characteristics of peach seedlings under different soil moisture conditions （Wl, W2 and W3, in which the soil water content was 45% to 55%, 60% to 70%, and 75% to 80% of the field water capacity, respectively） by using a specialized high pressure flow meter with a root chamber and a coupling, which was connected to plant organs. Leaf area and leaf hydraulic conductivity （KL） increased significantly in the seedlings because of increased soil moisture and N content. KL increased with leaf area. A linear correlation was documented between KL and leaf area. KL was higher in the morning and began to decline sharply after 16：00, at which KL declined after an initial increase. Soil moisture and N content enhanced shoot （Ks） and root （Kr） hydraulic conductivities, thereby improving the low soil moisture condition to a large extent. Ks and Kr of the seedlings were reduced by 32% and 27% respectively in N~, and by 14.7% and 9.4%, respectively in N2, and both in Wb compared with the control treatment. N3 had no significant effect on Ks and Kr under similar conditions. Linear negative correlations were observed between Kr and the excised root diameter as well as between Ks and the shoot stem diameter. The shoot-to-root ratio increased with in- crease in N content. The shoot-to-root ratio in N3 was increased by 14.37%, compared with N1 in W1 as well as by 12% and 4.39% in Wz and W3, respectively. Knowledge of the effects of soil moisture and N fertilizer on hydraulic characteristics and growth is important. Our results provide basic guidelines for the implementation of water-saving irrigation and fertilization management of nursery stock.

A review of soil and water conservation in China

The preservation and sustainable development of soil and water resources isone of the basic principles for the development of China. Throughout the course of history, all thesocial improvement and economic development are deeply concerned with soil loss and ecologicalenvironmental protection. It is now a common sense that soil and water conservation is the safetyinsurance for national ecology and its development. For the past long period of time, soil and waterloss has been recognized as 'the No.1 killer' to the ecological environment. The nation is on thestags of the critical conditions for its development. China has massive mountain and upland areawith complicated geological conditions and accelerated human destruction and serious soil and waterloss. Based on rich historical documents, renovating experience and detailed analysis of the datacollected in field experiments and field surveys for soil and water conservation, this paper aims toreview the general characteristics of soil and water loss, to explore the relationship between soiland water conservation and sustainable economic development, and to provide relevant strategies forsoil and water conservation in China.

Effect of Natural Brassinolide on Germination of Ailanthus altissima Seeds

The germination capacity of Ailanthus altissima seeds improved after the seeds were soaked with different concentrations of natural brassinolide （NBR）. The germination rate and germination energy of the seeds increased by 17.6% and 18.8%, and the mean germination speed （i.e., germination time） of the seeds was shortened by 1.4 d under the optimal concentration （0.4 mg·L^-1） treatment, compared with the control. After hypocotyls of A.altissima were treated with NBR, the elongation of the hypocotyls increased. Among different concentrations of the NBR, 0.4 mg·L^-1 NBR appeared to be the optimal concentration for the elongation of A.altissima hypocotyls.

An Experimental Investigation on Rheological Properties of Aqueous Xanthan Gum as a Blood Analog Fluid

Developing a shear thinning non-Newtonian fluid to substitute blood is desirable in studies of biomedicine engineering since blood is a shear thinning nonNewtonian fluid that exhibits both viscous and elastic properties, and generally not available in large volume. The rheological properties of aqueous Xanthan gum with different concentrations and temperatures were studied in present paper. The resuits show that aqueous Xanthan gum is a non-Newtonian fluid which displays remarkable shear thinning behaviour and is a suitable blood analog fluid. There is a power law distribution relationship between shear stress and shear rate, and the higher the solution concentration is, the more strongly it displays shear thinning behaviours. Viscosity values of aqueous Xanthan gum increase with the solution temperature decrease or with the solution concentration increase in linearity. Moreover at the temperature of 37℃, aqueous Xanthan gum with concentration of 0.4%e and 0.6%0 matches human blood best in rheological properties. According to the resuits, the viscosity expression varied with temperature and concentrition is obtained, and the stability of Xanthan gum solution is discussed.

Effects of elevated pO_3 on carbon cycle between above andbelowground organs of trees

Translocation of carbohydrate from leaves to roots via phloem and reallocation from roots to leaves via xylem regulate the allocation of carbon （C） between above and belowground organs of trees. To quantitatively analyze effects of elevated ozone concentrations pO3 on the internal cycle of C, juvenile beech and spruce were grown in phytotrons and exposed to ambient and elevated pO3 （i.e. twice-ambient O3 levels, restricted to 〈 150 ppb） for two growing seasons. The translocation of C in the phloem and xylem was quantitatively studied by investigating the phloem/xylem-loading of sugars, the differentiation of stem conductive tissue and the hourly water flow through the stem. Results in the present study shown, elevated pO3 significantly decreased C translocation from shoot to roots in beech by reducing both sugar concentration in the phloem and conductive phloem area. Elevated pO3 also significantly decreased C reallocation from the roots to the shoot in beech by reducing both of sugar concentration in the xylem and transpiration rate. The adverse effects of elevated pO3 on C translocation in the phloem and xylem, however, were small in spruce. Contrasting to beech, spruce is less sensitive to elevated pO3, regarding to phloem differentiation and sugar concentrations in the phloem and xylem.