去除和添加凋落物对枫香（Liquidambar formosana）和樟树（Cinnamomum camphora）林土壤呼吸的影响

2007年1月至12月,在长沙天际岭国家森林公园,使用LI-COR-6400-09连接到LI-6400便携式CO2/H2O分析系统,测定亚热带枫香(Liquidambar formosana)和樟树(Cinnamomum camphora)林去除和添加凋落物(931.5 g · m-2a-1和1003.4 g · m-2a-1)的土壤呼吸速率以及5 cm土壤温、湿度,研究凋落物对2种森林生态系统中土壤呼吸速率的影响.结果表明:枫香和樟树林去除和添加凋落物的土壤呼吸速率季节变化显著,在季节动态上的趋势与5 cm土壤温度相似,均呈单峰曲线格局,全年去除凋落物土壤呼吸速率平均值分别为1.132 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1和1.933 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1,分别比对照处理1.397 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1和2.581 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1低18.62%和26.49%;添加凋落物土壤呼吸速率平均值分别为2.363 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1和3.267 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1,分别比对照处理高71.31%和39.18%.两种群落去除和添加凋落物土壤呼吸的季节变化均与5 cm土壤温度呈显著指数相关(P﹤0.001),与5 cm土壤湿度相关性不显著(P>0.05);土壤温度和湿度可以共同解释去除和添加凋落物后土壤呼吸变化的95.2%、93.7%和90.0%、92.8%.枫香和樟树群落去除和添加凋落物土壤呼吸温度敏感性Q10值分别为3.01、3.29和3.02、4.37,均比对照处理Q10值2.98和2.94高.这证明凋落物是影响森林CO2通量的一个重要因子.     

去除和添加凋落物对木荷林土壤呼吸的短期影响

凋落物作为土壤呼吸的重要碳源,其输入的数量和质量将对土壤呼吸产生重要影响。自2011年2月—2012年5月,在浙江天童森林生态系统设置对照、去除和加倍凋落物处理,研究不同凋落物处理对木荷(Schima superba)林土壤呼吸速率、土壤温度和土壤含水量的影响。结果表明:去除和加倍凋落物对土壤温度的影响不显著,对土壤含水量的影响显著,相比对照的土壤呼吸速率2.52±0.29μmol·m-2·s-1,去除凋落物使土壤呼吸速率显著降低了25.32%;而加倍凋落物处理与对照之间的土壤呼吸速率无显著差异。不同凋落物处理下土壤呼吸均表现出明显的季节变化,凋落物处理在湿季对土壤呼吸速率的影响接近显著(P=0.065),在干季不显著,并且湿季的土壤呼吸速率显著高于干季。不同凋落物处理的土壤呼吸速率与土壤温度均呈显著相关,土壤温度解释了土壤呼吸速率变异程度的80.1%~90.3%,Q10值分别为2.42、2.48和2.24;而土壤呼吸速率与土壤含水量之间的相关性不显著。研究结果表明,短期凋落物处理对土壤呼吸产生了影响,并且这种影响因季节差异而不同,证明了凋落物对于改变森林生态系统土壤呼吸和碳循环具有重要作用。     

杉木人工林去除根系土壤呼吸的季节变化及影响因子

2007年1月至2008年12月,在长沙天际岭国家森林公园内,采用挖壕法研究杉木人工林去除根系后土壤呼吸速率季节动态及其与5 cm土壤温、湿度的相关关系。结果表明:去除根系与对照5 cm土壤温度的差异性不显著(P=0.987),5 cm土壤湿度差异显著(P=0.035)。杉木林去除根系处理后土壤呼吸速率明显降低,2007至2008两年实验期间去除根系与对照处理变化范围分别为0.19-2.01μmol.m-2s-1和0.26-2.61μmo.lm-2s-1,年均土壤呼吸速率分别为0.90μmo.lm-2s-1和1.30μmol.m-2s-1。去除根系土壤呼吸速率降低幅度为9.4%-59.7%,平均降低了30.4%。去除根系和对照的土壤呼吸速率与5 cm土壤温度之间均呈显著指数相关,模拟方程分别为:y=0.120e0.094t(R2=0.882,P=0.000),y=0.291e0.069t(R2=0.858,P=0.000)。Q10值分别为2.56和2.01。     

改变C源输入对油松人工林土壤呼吸的影响

2010年生长季,采用不同处理（去凋切根、去除凋落物、对照、切除根系、加倍凋落物）研究土壤C源输入方式对油松人工林土壤呼吸速率及5 cm土壤温湿度的影响。结果表明：改变C源输入对土壤温度产生的差异不显著（P>0.05）,而对土壤湿度和土壤呼吸速率产生的差异显著（P<0.05）。整个观测期去凋切根、去凋、对照、切根及加倍凋落物处理的土壤呼吸速率平均值分别为1.54,1.71,2.71,2.47和3.39 ?mol m-2 s-1。相比对照样方土壤呼吸,去凋切根处理使油松人工林整个观测期土壤呼吸速率平均降低（44.27 2.31）%;去除凋落物使土壤呼吸速率平均降低（36.03 2.64）%;切除根系使土壤呼吸速率平均降低（10.76 3.26）%,但试验初期切除根系表现为增加土壤呼吸,6月下旬和7月中旬分别使土壤呼吸增加25.91%和0.29%,此后,切除根系使土壤呼吸速率显著降低。如果排除6月和7月的数据,则切除根系使土壤呼吸速率平均降低21.90%;加倍凋落物使土壤呼吸速率平均增加（21.01 3.21）%。去凋切根、去凋、切根和加倍凋落物处理土壤呼吸的温度敏感系数Q10值分别为1.75,1.65,2.32和3.10,四者之间差异均显著（P<0.05）,对照样方土壤呼吸的Q10值为2.23。不同处理土壤呼吸速率与土壤温度均呈显著指数相关（P<0.001）,而与土壤湿度的相关性并不显著（P>0.05）。土壤温度和水分的双变量模型均可以很好地解释土壤呼吸的季节变化,拟合方程的R2值范围为0.49—0.83。     

寒温带兴安落叶松林凋落物层对土壤呼吸的影响

为了进一步探讨土壤凋落物层对土壤呼吸的影响,用Li-6400对大兴安岭北部3种林型(白桦-落叶松林、樟子松-落叶松林和落叶松纯林)自然状态的土壤呼吸(R_S)、去凋落物后的土壤呼吸(R_D)以及凋落物呼吸(R_L)进行测定,结果表明:凋落物层的去除会使土壤呼吸速率降低,3种林型观测期内平均R_S分别为7.32μmol m~(-2) s~(-1)、8.55μmol m~(-2) s~(-1)和6.66μmol m~(-2) s~(-1),平均R_D分别为6.46μmol m~(-2) s~(-1)、7.98μmol m~(-2) s~(-1)和5.74μmol m~(-2) s~(-1)。但去除凋落物后的土壤总呼吸速率较自然状态下分别升高了13.85%、16.21%和13.73%;凋落物的去除并不影响土壤呼吸的季节动态规律,3种林型的R_S和R_D均呈明显的单峰曲线变化规律,峰值均出现在8月,而R_L的季节变化不明显。凋落物的去除对土壤温度和湿度的影响不显著(P0.05),整个观测期3种林型内凋落物去除后平均土壤温度升高了0.11—0.16℃,平均含水量白桦-落叶松林和落叶松林增幅为2.92%和3.10%,而樟子松-落叶松林则下降了16.39%;R_S和R_D均与土壤10 cm温度(T_(10))呈显著正相关,凋落物层的去除使温度对呼吸的影响变大,T_(10)可以解释3种林型R_S和R_D季节变化的49.7%—57.0%和56.7%—61.3%,而土壤10 cm湿度(W_(10))对土壤呼吸的影响均较小,且存在林型间的差异。可见,地表凋落物层是森林土壤呼吸的重要部分,凋落物层的有无对土壤呼吸和土壤温湿度都会产生较大影响,研究凋落物呼吸对于土壤呼吸具有重要意义。     

万木林保护区毛竹林土壤呼吸特征及影响因素

2009年1-12月,利用Li-Cor 8100开路式土壤碳通量系统测定福建省万木林自然保护区毛竹林土壤呼吸速率,分析毛竹林土壤呼吸动态变化及其与凋落物量的关系.结果表明:毛竹林土壤呼吸月变化呈明显的双峰型曲线,峰值分别出现在6月(6.83 μmol·m-2·s-1)和9月(5.59μmol·m-2·s-1).土壤呼吸速率的季节变化较明显,最大值出现在夏季,最小值出现在冬季;土壤呼吸速率与土壤5 cm温度呈显著正相关关系(P＜0.05),与土壤含水量无显著相关性(P＞0.05);毛竹林凋落物量月变化呈单峰型曲线.毛竹林土壤呼吸速率与当月凋落物归还量呈显著正相关(P＜0.05).土壤温度和凋落物量的双因素模型可以解释土壤呼吸速率变化的93.2%.     

模拟氮沉降下去除凋落物对太岳山油松林土壤呼吸的影响

凋落物是土壤呼吸的重要碳源,氮沉降将改变其输入数量和质量,进而影响土壤呼吸。为揭示氮沉降和去除凋落物对土壤呼吸的影响,以太岳山油松林为研究对象,对林地分别作2种凋落物处理:去除凋落物(LR)、对照(CK1),设计4个施氮水平:不施氮(CK2,0 kg N·hm-2·a-1),低氮(LN,50 kg N·hm-2·a-1),中氮(MN,100 kg N·hm-2·a-1)和高氮(HN,150 kg N·hm-2·a-1),于2010—2012年生长季测定土壤呼吸速率的动态变化,并分析土壤呼吸速率与土壤温度、土壤湿度、土壤微生物生物量C、N的关系。结果表明:随着观测年限的推移,模拟氮沉降对对照处理的土壤呼吸速率、去凋处理的土壤呼吸速率、凋落物层呼吸速率的促进作用逐渐减弱。去除凋落物使土壤呼吸速率降低了29.0%,施氮减小了去除凋落物后土壤呼吸速率的变化幅度。土壤呼吸速率与土壤温度均呈显著指数相关(P0.05),土壤温度解释了土壤呼吸速率变异的37.3%~62.2%,去除凋落物降低了模型决定系数R2;以土壤温度和土壤水分构建的复合关系方程拟合效果均好于单因子模型,土壤温度和水分共同解释了土壤呼吸季节变化的67.6%~85.6%,并且施氮降低了去凋处理的复合模型决定系数R2,而对对照处理没有显著影响。施氮提高了土壤微生物生物量C、N,并且土壤微生物生物量C、N与土壤呼吸速率呈显著正相关(P0.05)。说明氮沉降、凋落物是影响油松林土壤CO2通量的两个重要因子。     

苔藓和凋落物对祁连山青海云杉林土壤呼吸的影响

于2012—2014年生长季在青海云杉林下开展了地表覆盖物(苔藓和凋落物)对林下土壤呼吸速率影响的研究。采用LI8100土壤碳通量自动测量系统对苔藓覆盖、凋落物覆盖和裸土(去除地表覆盖物)的土壤呼吸进行观测,对比分析林下3种覆盖处理下的土壤呼吸差异。结果表明:苔藓覆盖土壤、凋落物覆盖土壤和裸土土壤的呼吸速率年均值分别为(3.88±0.26)μmol m~(-2)s~(-1),(3.31±0.19)μmol m~(-2)s~(-1),(2.28±0.31)μmol m~(-2)s~(-1),三者之间具有极显著差异,3组处理的地表相对湿度、土壤含水量、土壤温度和地表温度间均没有显著差异,但苔藓组和凋落物组的土壤温度分别比裸土组高8.13%和10.24%;3组处理的土壤呼吸速率均与温度呈显著指数相关性(0.53≤R~2≤0.91),且与土壤温度的相关性更高;苔藓覆盖、凋落物覆盖土壤呼吸的温度敏感性(Q_(10))分别为5.47,3.67,均高于裸土土壤呼吸的Q_(10)(2.23);裸土土壤呼吸与土壤含水量(VWC)呈高斯函数关系,VWC=34%是临界值,苔藓覆盖、凋落物覆盖土壤的呼吸速率与土壤含水量均呈线性负相关关系;苔藓和凋落物对裸土土壤呼吸的月均贡献率分别为29.33%和24.06%,可见,苔藓和凋落物在青海云杉林生态系统呼吸中起重要作用。     

降雨量改变对常绿阔叶林干旱和湿润季节土壤呼吸的影响

通过野外原位试验,研究降雨量改变对华西雨屏区常绿阔叶林干旱和湿润季节土壤呼吸速率的影响。采用LI-8100土壤碳通量分析系统(LI-COR Inc.,USA)测定干旱和湿润季节对照(CK)、增雨10%(LA)、增雨5%(TA)、减雨10%(LR)、减雨20%(MR)、减雨50%(HR)6个处理水平的土壤呼吸速率,并通过回归方程分析温度和湿度与土壤呼吸速率间的关系。结果表明:湿润季节土壤呼吸速率高于干旱季节,HR处理对干旱季节土壤呼吸速率影响较大,而LA处理对湿润季节土壤呼吸速率的影响较大。TA和LR处理使土壤呼吸的温度敏感性增加,而HR、LA和MR处理使土壤呼吸的温度敏感性降低,干旱季节Q10值高于湿润季节。各处理湿润季节土壤微生物量碳氮含量显著高于干旱季节,HR、MR和LA处理减少土壤微生物生物量碳、氮的含量,而TA和LR处理增加土壤微生物生物量碳、氮的含量。与湿润季节相比,干旱季节土壤水分对土壤呼吸速率的影响较大;而与土壤温度相比,土壤水分对土壤呼吸速率的影响较小。在降雨量改变的背景下,华西雨屏区常绿阔叶林无论是干旱还是湿润季节,适当增雨和减雨都会促进土壤呼吸速率,而较高量的增雨和减雨会抑制土壤呼吸速率。     

模拟酸雨胁迫对马尾松和杉木幼苗土壤呼吸的影响

利用LI-8100测定模拟酸雨不同处理下(pH2.5、4.0和5.6)盆栽马尾松(Pinus Massoniana)和杉木幼苗(Cunninghamia lanceolata)的土壤呼吸速率及土壤温度、含水量,研究酸雨对其土壤呼吸的影响.结果表明:模拟酸雨喷淋下马尾松和杉木土壤pH值呈现下降的趋势且下降幅度同酸雨酸度呈现正相关性;马尾松和杉木各个处理下土壤呼吸速率季节变化显著,且同地下10cm土壤温度季节变化趋势一致,pH2.5处理下的土壤呼吸速率平均值分别为1.79μmol · m-2 · s-1和1.12μmol · m-2 · s-1,比对照组(pH5.6)土壤呼吸速率平均值1.57μmol · m-2 · s-1和1.54μmol · m-2 · s-1分别高14%和低39%;马尾松和杉木各个处理下土壤呼吸速率同10cm土壤温度之间均呈现显著的指数关系(P<0.001),与5cm土壤含水量之间相关性不明确;在P=0.05水平上进行多元回归分析,可以得到土壤呼吸速率同土壤温度和含水量的综合拟合方程,和单因素(温度、含水量)拟合相比能够更好地解释土壤呼吸的变化情况;马尾松和杉木在pH2.5和4.0处理下的土壤呼吸温度系数Q10值分别为1.36、2.01和1.51、2 25,同对照组1.14和1.58相比,均有明显差异,且两者Q10值的变化呈先增大后减小的趋势.这证明酸雨是影响马尾松和杉木土壤CO2通量的一个重要因素.     

腾格里沙漠东南缘不同类型生物土壤结皮对土壤有机碳矿化的影响

生物土壤结皮(BSCs)是荒漠生态系统的重要组成部分,是该区土壤碳循环及碳平衡的关键影响因素。研究了腾格里沙漠东南缘不同类型生物土壤结皮覆盖下土壤碳矿化过程及其对温度(10℃、25℃和35℃)和水分(土壤含水量10%和25%)变化响应特征,分析了土壤碳矿化过程与土壤理化性质的关系。结果表明:(1)结皮的形成和发育显著影响土壤有机碳矿化过程,藻类、地衣和藓类结皮覆盖的土壤碳矿化速率和CO_2-C累积释放量均显著高于去除结皮的土壤,不同类型BSCs覆盖土壤和去除结皮土壤之间均表现为藓类结皮土壤地衣结皮土壤藻类结皮。(2)含结皮层土壤的平均和最大矿化速率均随温度升高和水分增加而逐渐增大,有结皮覆盖的土壤和去除结皮的土壤对温度和水分变化的响应规律相同。(3)有结皮土壤和去除结皮土壤碳矿化速率的温度敏感性(Q_(10))与结皮类型密切相关,均表现为藓类结皮地衣结皮藻类结皮。结果表明生物土壤结皮由以藻类为主向以藓类为主的演变进一步促进了土壤碳矿化过程,结皮对土壤碳循环的调控作用受水热等环境因子的共同影响。     

On the assessment of root and soil respiration for soils of different textures: interactions with soil moisture contents and soil CO2 concentrations

Estimates of root and soil respiration are becoming increasingly important in agricultural and ecological research, but there is little understanding how soil texture and water content may affect these estimates. We examined the effects of soil texture on (i) estimated rates of root and soil respiration and (ii) soil CO₂ concentrations, during cycles of soil wetting and drying in the citrus rootstock, Volkamer lemon (Citrus volkameriana Tan. and Pasq.). Plants were grown in soil columns filled with three different soil mixtures varying in their sand, silt and clay content. Root and soil respiration rates, soil water content, plant water uptake and soil CO₂ concentrations were measured and dynamic relationships among these variables were developed for each soil texture treatment. We found that although the different soil textures differed in their plant-soil water relations characteristics, plant growth was only slightly affected. Root and soil respiration rates were similar under most soil moisture conditions for soils varying widely in percentages of sand, silt and clay. Only following irrigation did CO₂ efflux from the soil surface vary among soils. That is, efflux of CO₂ from the soil surface was much more restricted after watering (therefore rendering any respiration measurements inaccurate) in finer textured soils than in sandy soils because of reduced porosity in the finer textured soils. Accordingly, CO₂ reached and maintained the highest concentrations in finer textured soils (> 40 mmol CO₂ mol⁻¹). This study revealed that changes in soil moisture can affect interpretations of root and soil measurements based on CO₂ efflux, particularly in fine textured soils. The implications of the present findings for field soil CO₂ flux measurements are discussed. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

模拟氮沉降对石栎和苦槠幼苗土壤呼吸的影响

用LI-8100开路式土壤碳通量测量系统测定模拟氮沉降4种不同处理水平(0、60、120\,240 kg · hm^-2 · a^-1)下石栎(Lithocarpus glabra)和苦槠(Castanopsis sclerophylla)幼苗的土壤呼吸速率及土壤温度、含水量对其土壤呼吸的影响。结果表明,氮沉降对土壤呼吸的影响根据施氮水平和幼苗的种类不同而异。低氮(60 kg · hm^-2 · a^-1)处理下石栎和苦槠的土壤呼吸速率平均值分别为(4.014±0.812)μmol · m^-2 · s^-1和(5.170±0.689)μmol · m^-2 · s^-1,比对照组(0 kg · hm^-2 · a^-1)土壤呼吸速率平均值(3.802±0.948)μmol · m^-2 · s^-1和(3.557±0.906)μmol · m^-2 · s^-1分别高5%和45%;两树种在中、高氮处理下均出现对土壤呼吸明显的抑制。其中石栎中、高氮实验组的土壤呼吸速率分别为(2.653±0.681)μmol · m^-2 · s^-1、(2.592±0.736)μmol · m^-2 · s^-1, 比对照组低27%和29%。苦槠中、高氮实验组的土壤呼吸速率为(3.563±0.402)μmol · m^-2 · s^-1、(3.466±0.994)μmol · m^-2 · s^-1, 比对照组低7%和8%;石栎在高氮(240 kg · hm^-2 · a^-1)处理水平下,其土壤呼吸速率同10cm土壤温度之间呈现显著的指数关系(R²=0.811,P=0.001),而在低、中氮实验均未发现有明显指数关系。苦槠各处理水平下其土壤呼吸与土壤温度之间均未发现有明显的指数关系;在土壤呼吸与5cm土壤含水量的相关性方面,仅有苦槠高氮实验组表现出明显的二次方程关系(R²=0.722),而其低、中氮实验组及石栎各实验组均未有明显的相关性;与单因素(温度、含水量)拟合它们与土壤呼吸速率的方程相比,多元回归分析得到的土壤呼吸速率同土壤温度和含水量之间的拟合方程在P=0.05水平上能更好地解释土壤呼吸的变化情况。石栎和苦槠在氮沉降处理下的土壤呼吸温度系数Q₁₀值分别为2.29、1.95、1.59和1.46、1.41、1.76,同对照组2.64和1.78相比,均有明显降低,且两者Q₁₀值的变化分别呈递减和先减小后增大的趋势,表明氮沉降是影响石栎和苦槠土壤CO₂通量的一个重要因素。     

Assessing Methods for Developing Phosphorus Desorption Isotherms from Soils using Anion Exchange Membranes

Developing desorption isotherms for inorganic phosphorus (P) is a time-consuming and non-standardized procedure. Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) have been successfully used in studies of P desorption kinetics and total membrane-desorbable P, but rarely have they been used for developing P desorption isotherms. Our study had two objectives: (1) to evaluate the suitability of using multiple strips of AEMs (termed the Multiple AEM Method) to develop P desorption isotherms; and (2) to compare the Multiple AEM Method with a sequential-extraction approach using AEMs (termed the Sequential AEM Method) to determine if the manner in which AEMs were used would influence the slope of the desorption isotherm, i.e. the partition coefficient. Both methods yielded well-defined, but numerically different desorption isotherms for all levels of sorbed P. However, estimated K _d values among methods were equivalent in the low and medium levels of P sorbed. The Multiple AEM method was quicker than the Sequential AEM method, but both gave similar K _d values in an agriculturally significant range of soil solution concentrations. These methods should be tested on a range of soil type to determine their suitability in developing P desorption isotherms and to move toward method standardization for desorption isotherms.     

On the integration of subthreshold inputs from Perforant Path and Schaffer Collaterals in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons

Using a realistic model of a CA1 hippocampal pyramidal neuron, we make experimentally testable predictions on the roles of the non-specific cation current, I _h , and the A-type Potassium current, I _A , in modulating the temporal window for the integration of the two main excitatory afferent pathways of a CA1 neuron, the Schaffer Collaterals and the Perforant Path. The model shows that the experimentally observed increase in the dendritic density of I _h and I _A could have a major role in constraining the temporal integration window for these inputs, in such a way that a somatic action potential (AP) is elicited only when they are activated with a relative latency consistent with the anatomical arrangement of the hippocampal circuitry.     

Characterization of imipenem-resistant Serratia marcescens producing IMP-type and TEM-type beta-lactamases encoded on a single plasmid

To evaluate the roles of blaIMP and blaTEM genes in the resistance of Serratia marcescens against beta-lactams and to find the spreading ways of these genes, 19 clinical isolates of imipenem-resistant Serratia marcescens were analyzed. Six strains bore blaIMP and blaTEM genes on a single plasmid, as confirmed by transferring resistance determinants via conjugation and transformation, and by detecting bla genes with PCR analysis. The six strains showed two different genomic patterns on pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. All the transconjugants and transformants gained high-level resistance to ampicillin, cephalexin, cefoxitin and cefotaxime, and showed a reduced susceptibility to imipenem, but maintained full susceptibility to aztreonam. In addition, the expressions of blaIMP and blaTEM genes were constitutive, either in Serratia marcescens clinical isolates or in their transconjugants and transformants. These findings may explain the rapid spread of the above resistance determinants among Enterobacteriaceae via transmissible plasmids in the clinical setting.     

Low levels of quantitative and molecular genetic differentiation among natural populations of Medicago ciliaris Kroch. (Fabaceae) of different Tunisian eco-geographical origin

In this paper, we analyze the genetic variability in four Tunisian natural populations of Medicago ciliaris using 19 quantitative traits and six polymorphic microsatellite loci. We investigated the amplification transferability of 30 microsatellites developed in the model legume M. truncatula to M. ciliaris. Results revealed that about 56.66% of analyzed markers are valuable genetic markers for M. ciliaris. The most genetic diversity at quantitative traits and microsatellite loci was found to occur within populations (>80%). Low differentiations among populations at quantitative traits Q _ST  = 0.146 and molecular markers F _ST  = 0.18 were found. The majority of measured traits exhibited no significant difference in the level of Q _ST and F _ST . Furthermore, significant correlations established between these traits and eco-geographical factors suggested that natural selection should be invoked to explain the level of phenotypic divergence among populations rather than drift. There was no significant correlation between population differentiation at quantitative traits and molecular markers. Significant spatial genetic structure consistent with models of isolation by distance was detected within all studied populations. The site-of-origin environmental factors explain about 9.07% of total phenotypic genetic variation among populations. The eco-geographical factors that influence more the variation of measured traits among populations are the soil texture and altitude. Nevertheless, there were no consistent pattern of associations between gene diversity (He) and environmental factors.     

The use of carbon isotope ratios to evaluate legume contribution to soil enhancement in tropical pastures

Soil carbon distribution with depth, stable carbon isotope ratios in soil organic matter and their changes as a consequence of the presence of legume were studied in three 12-year-old tropical pastures (grass alone —Brachiaria decumbens (C₄), legume alone —Pueraria phaseoloides (C₃) and grass + legume) on an Oxisol in Colombia. The objective of this study was to determine the changes that occurred in the¹³C isotope composition of soil from a grass + legume pasture that was established by cultivation of a native savanna dominated by C₄ vegetation. The¹³C natural abundance technique was used to estimate the amount of soil organic carbon originating from the legume. Up to 29% of the organic carbon in soil of the grass + legume pasture was estimated to be derived from legume residues in the top 0–2-cm soil depth, which decreased to 7% at 8–10 cm depth. Improvements in soil fertility resulting from the soil organic carbon originated from legume residues were measured as increased potential rates of nitrogen mineralization and increased yields of rice in a subsequent crop after the grass + legume pasture compared with the grass-only pasture. We conclude that the¹³C natural abundance technique may help to predict the improvements in soil quality in terms of fertility resulting from the presence of a forage legume (C₃) in a predominantly C₄ grass pasture.