土壤有机物添加对温带半干旱草地地下生物过程的影响

大气CO2 浓度和降水量增加有可能大幅提高中国北方部分草地生态系统净初级生产力，进而导致向土壤中输送的有机物相应增加。本研究以位于内蒙古自治区东乌珠穆沁旗内的半干旱草地生态系统为研究对象，通过向10−20 cm 土层添加不同质量和数量的植物凋枯物碎屑模拟有机物输入增加和喷灌模拟降水量提升，同时测定土壤微生物群落动态和植物生长指标，探讨在增加有机物输入和土壤水分的情况下土壤生物过程的变化及其对土壤碳排放和贮存的反馈作用。 研究结果表明，有机物添加可促进植物地上部分及根系的生长，并显著提高土壤中可溶性有机碳（能量）和氮（养分）的含量。土壤能量和养分水平的提高促进了土壤微生物的生长：在底物可利用性水平较高时，r−对策微生物（指具有生长迅速、C/N 值较低的微生物群组）在群落中占优势地位；随着底物水平的降低，土壤中K-对策微生物（指具有生长缓慢、C/N 值较高的微生物群组）在群落中逐渐占据优势地位。土壤微生物群落组成的改变进一步导致了微生物功能群代谢活性和特征的变化，具体表现为提高了有机物添加处理中土壤细菌群落的代谢潜能，并使细菌在群落水平上的生理剖面特征明显区别于未添加有机物的处理。 研究样地内土壤微生物主要受到底物中的能量（碳）限制，土壤活性有机质库作为可利用性较高的能量和养分的重要来源，对土壤微生物活性和土壤碳周转起着比水分因子更加重要的作用。土壤水分主要影响植物生长和根系活性，并增加了土壤微生物对底物响应的复杂性，但它对地下生物过程的作用程度以底物中能量和养分水平为前提。 利用稳定性13C 同位素示踪技术测量后发现，添加C4-植物凋枯物会加速C3 底物中碳的分解速度。结合有机物添加后土壤有机质库的变化，可以推测植物凋枯物（即能量物质）输入增加会导致土壤原生有机碳的正向激发效应。在此过程中，土壤微生物群落组成及功能群代谢活性的变化起着至关重要的作用。 不同光合途径（C3 和C4）的植物和同一植物不同器官组织（地上部分和根系）的凋枯物添加对地下生物过程，特别是土壤微生物群落代谢功能的影响是不同的。在添加C3-草本凋枯物的处理中，土壤细菌群落主要利用的碳源为氨基酸类化合物；而在添加C4-植物凋枯物的处理中，土壤细菌群落主要利用的碳源为羧酸类化合物。 本研究在野外自然条件下证明了在能量缺乏的中国北方草地生态系统中，土壤有机物输入增加不但不会提高土壤有机碳库的大小，而且可能导致土壤原生有机碳的激发效应。在利用土壤呼吸与环境因子（如温度）的关系进行模拟预测土壤碳排放时，需要考虑不同生态系统底物中的能量和养分水平，以及土壤微生物和植物根系等地下生物过程对底物水平的适应性。

内蒙古温带草原群落结构和生态系统功能对火烧、氮素添加和地形的响应

我国北方温带草原是欧亚大陆草原生物群区的重要组成部分，对于区域和全球的碳循环和平衡起着重要的作用。频繁的自然或人为干扰能够改变草原生态系统的群落结构和生态系统功能，从而影响生态系统为人类提供的产品和服务。本研究选取位于内蒙古多伦县的半干旱温带草原，研究火烧、氮素添加和地形以及它们的综合作用对该地区植物生产力、植物多样性、盖度和土壤呼吸的影响；另外，我们比较研究了由于地形因素而存在于草原地区的林地群落与其邻近草地的碳氮库和循环；旨在探讨我国北方温带草原地区人为干扰对草原生态系统结构与功能的影响以及该地区林地和草地碳氮库和循环的差异机理，以期为模型模拟本地区的生态系统碳循环提供理论依据和数据支持，具体研究结果如下： 1. 2006–2008 年，通过研究植物多样性和盖度对地形、火烧和氮素添加及其交互作用的响应，结果表明：半干旱草原植物物种数、香农威纳指数、均一性指数和盖度均表现出显著的年际变化。坡下的物种数、香农威纳指数和均一性指数均低于坡上。坡下较高的羊草(Leymus chinensis)、冰草(Artemisia frigida)、唐松草(Thalictrum petaloideum)和冷蒿(Agropyron cristatum)的盖度导致坡下的群落总盖度、禾本科草和非禾本科草盖度分别比坡上高22.5%、9.6%和13.2%。春季火烧提高了物种数、香农威纳指数和均一性指数。火烧对群落总盖度影响较小是由于火烧后非禾本科草冷蒿盖度的降低抵消了禾本科草羊草、冰草和针茅(Stipa kryroii)盖度的增加。施氮肥后物种数、香农威纳指数和均一性指数均降低。禾本科草羊草、冰草和针茅以及非禾本科草唐松草盖度的增加导致施肥后群落总盖度、禾本科草和非禾本科草的盖度分别增加了23.6%、35.1%和21.2%。火烧对禾本科草和非禾本科草盖度的作用受地形和氮素添加的影响。地形、火烧和氮素添加对植物盖度的影响主要受土壤水分调控。 2. 2005–2008 年，通过研究净初级生产力(NPP)对火烧、氮素添加和地形及其交互作用的响应，结果表明：半干旱草原的NPP 具有显著的年际变化。火烧后地上净初级生产力(ANPP)、地下净初级生产力(BNPP)和BNPP/ANPP 分别增加了12.8%、22.2%和14.9%。ANPP 的提高是由于火烧后禾本科植物(主要是羊草、冰草和针茅)生物量的增加。与之相反，火烧降低了非禾本科草，特别是冷蒿的生物量。氮素添加提高了ANPP (54.8%) ，对BNPP 没有影响，导致施氮肥后BNPP/ANPP 显著降低(33.4%)。禾本科草羊草、冰草和针茅以及非禾本科草唐松草生物量的增加，是氮素添加提高ANPP 的主要原因。坡下的ANPP 和BNPP 分别比坡上高14.1%和8.2%，但地形对BNPP/ANPP 没有影响。坡下ANPP 的提高主要是由于坡下禾本科草羊草、冰草以及非禾本科草唐松草、冷蒿的生物量高于坡上。氮素添加和地形影响ANPP 和BNPP/ANPP 对火烧的响应。火烧、氮素添加和地形对NPP 和植物碳分配39%–75%的综合效应可由这三个因素的简单加和效应来解释。 3. 通过研究2005 和2006 年生长季内土壤呼吸对地形、火烧和氮素添加的响应，结果表明：坡下的季节平均土壤呼吸比坡上高6.0%。春季火烧在整个生长季内促进土壤呼吸，平均增幅达23.8%。另外，火烧对土壤呼吸的效应受到季节和地形的影响。施用氮肥增加了11.4% 的土壤呼吸。火烧和地形对土壤呼吸的影响主要受土壤水分和植物生长的调控；而施氮肥后土壤呼吸的增加，主要是由于氮素添加促进植物生长后根系活性和呼吸的提高。 4. 2006–2007 年，通过对林地群落及其邻近草原生态系统土壤温度、土壤水分、土壤机械组成、地上和地下生物量、凋落物现存量、土壤碳氮储量、土壤呼吸、氮矿化和土壤微生物生物量的比较研究，结果表明：林地的土壤温度比草地低5°C，而其土壤水分却比草地高3.1%(绝对差异)。尽管林地(11,928.1 g m–2)和草地(11,362.2 g m–2)的土壤碳储量差异不显著，由于林地较高的植物生产力导致其碳储量高于草地。与草地相比，林地具有较高的凋落物现存量及碳氮含量、土壤无机氮含量、矿化氮的累积量、微生物生物量碳、微生物生物量氮、土壤呼吸和微生物呼吸。草地和林地的氮矿化速率没有显著差异。由地形因素引起的水分差异对于调控林地和草地生态系统碳氮库和循环(土壤碳氮储量、BNPP、矿化氮的累积量)具有重要作用。林地与草地生态系统碳储量的差异影响了我国北方草原地区碳的评估。

玉米种子脱水耐性与其线粒体完整性及抗氧化系统的关系

本文以正常性玉米种子‘农大108’(Zea Mays L. ‘Nongda 108’) 种胚为实验材料，研究了玉米种子发育过程中脱水耐性的变化规律，细胞匀浆以及线粒体水平上活性氧清除酶活性与种子脱水耐性/敏感性的关系，以及线粒体结构和功能完整性在发育过程中不同阶段对脱水的应答，以期在亚细胞分区水平上，针对活性氧产生的源头位点 (线粒体) 探明种子细胞脱水耐性/敏感性与抗氧化系统运转的关系。结果表明： 玉米种子在发育过程中先获得萌发能力后获得脱水耐性，并且脱水耐性的获得是一个渐进的过程。人工授粉后26天 (Days after pollination, DAP) 之前的种胚不具有脱水耐性，26 DAP时开始获得脱水耐性，到34 DAP后种胚完全获得脱水耐性。 在发育过程中，种胚线粒体的呼吸速率逐渐降低，并且对脱水的敏感性也逐渐下降。脱水会降低脱水敏感性种胚线粒体的结构完整性；脱水同时会降低线粒体功能的完整性，包括线粒体能量产生的速率和效率，以及三羧酸循环关键酶的活性。但当种胚获得脱水耐性后，脱水将不再影响种胚线粒体结构和功能的完整性。 玉米种胚发育过程中脱水耐性的变化与细胞中的抗氧化系统有关。在细胞匀浆水平上，脱水过程中脂质过氧化产物的积累与细胞脱水耐性的关系不明显；但是在线粒体水平上脱水会明显导致脱水敏感性种胚线粒体膜质过氧化程度的升高。脱水导致脱水敏感种胚细胞中几个重要的抗氧化酶活性的下降，但是与细胞匀浆水平相比，在线粒体水平上抗氧化酶系统对脱水更加敏感。 总之，发育早期玉米胚对脱水之所以敏感有两方面的原因，一方面是发育早期线粒体具有较高的代谢速率因而产生过多的活性氧，另一方面是由于脱水导致各抗氧化酶活性的显著降低，失去了抗氧化保护功能。而在发育晚期，早期本来很活跃的许多代谢随之关闭，呼吸速率降到很低，因而产生的活性氧减少，同时由于抗氧化系统对脱水的耐受性，所以脱水不会对线粒体的结构和功能造成伤害。与细胞匀浆水平相比，线粒体水平上抗氧化系统的运转与种胚在发育过程中脱水耐性的获得的关系更加密切。

低温吸胀对大豆种子呼吸代谢影响的研究

大豆是重要的油料和蛋白植物。在生产实践中，在播种后达到早苗和齐苗是大豆丰收的前提。种子的吸胀冷害是农业生产的严重问题。吸胀冷害发生在种子开始吸水萌动的萌发初始阶段。吸胀冷害不仅发生在高寒地带和低温冷湿地区，尤其在我国东北地区，造成我国乃至全球大豆不同程度的减产。吸胀冷害的原初作用位点在生物膜上，本实验从呼吸代谢的角度研究吸胀冷害对种子活力的影响，探讨吸胀冷害的机制。 本实验选用由黑龙江省黑河农业科学院提供的对低温中度敏感的黑河13 号大豆种子为材料，分别经22°C、10°C 和4°C 恒温培养箱24 h 后，测定其生理指标，通过透射电镜观察细胞超微结构，利用蛋白质组技术研究低温吸胀与种子呼吸代谢的关系，得到的结果如下： 低温吸胀阻碍胚轴膜系统的修复。通过电解质渗漏率测定发现，4°C 到22°C 温度范围内，提高吸胀温度有助于保持细胞膜的完整性，显著降低吸胀后胚轴电解质渗漏。在低温下吸胀，胚轴活性氧清除酶的活性受到抑制，活性氧含量增加，增强了膜脂过氧化作用，进而导致种子活力下降。 通过透射电子显微镜观察，大豆种子在22°C 吸胀24 h 后，胚轴细胞液泡明显变大，在细胞中所占比例很高，并且细胞内膜系统比较发达，能清晰观察到细胞核，线粒体，质膜，内质网整齐有序的形状。胚轴的细胞含有其它结构正常的细胞器，包括细胞壁，胞间连丝，淀粉粒和油体等。线粒体的外膜、内膜、嵴发育较完善。10°C 和4°C 的吸胀严重损伤了胚轴中细胞器的修复，细胞膜不规则，没有发现内质网和胞间连丝，线粒体的体积较小以及膜系统不发达，尤其是4°C 吸胀的胚轴中细胞器的损伤更加严重，细胞膜系统紊乱。 低温吸胀抑制了线粒体从轻线粒体向重线粒体的修复，以及线粒体的耗氧能力。22°C 吸胀的线粒体的总体耗氧能力较高，电子传递主要是利用复合体I 的电子传递途径。10°C 吸胀的线粒体总体耗氧呼吸较低，且其线粒体的电子传递主要以复合体II 的途径。4°C 吸胀的线粒体的耗氧能力则更低。 将分离得到的线粒体进行的蛋白质组分析，共分离400 多个蛋白点，其中有20 个点有表达差异。经ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS 鉴定，六个下调的蛋白质分别为ATP 合成酶的亚基 (线粒体的氧化磷酸化)，线粒体延长因子Tu（线粒体基因组转录）， 苹果酸脱氢酶（三羧酸循环），精氨酸酶（尿素循环）和2 个线粒体chaperonin-60 （热稳定蛋白）。这些蛋白在低温吸胀时下调表达，影响了线粒体的正常生理代谢，说明它们在维持线粒体正常代谢中起到了重要的作用。 综上所述，低温吸胀影响了线粒体的结构和生理功能的修复，减少了能量和中间物质供应给种子萌发，造成了种子活力的下降。

Cloning, expression and subcellular distribution of a Rana grylio virus late gene encoding ERV1 homologue

An essential for respiration and viability (ERV1) homologue, 88R, was cloned and characterized from Rana grylio virus (RGV). Database searches found its homologues in all sequenced iridoviruses, and sequence alignment revealed a highly conserved motif shared by all ERV1 family proteins: Cys-X-X-Cys. RT-PCR and western blot analysis revealed that 88R begins to transcribe and translate at 6 h postinfection (p.i.) and remains detectable at 48 h p.i. during RGV infection course. Furthermore, using drug inhibition analysis by a de novo protein synthesis inhibitor and a viral DNA replication inhibitor, RGV 88R was classified as a late (L) viral gene during the in vitro infection. 88R-EGFP fusion protein was observed in both the cytoplasm and nucleus of pEGFP-N3-88R transfected EPC cells. Although result of immunofluorescence is similar, 88R protein was not detected in viromatrix. Moreover, function of RGV 88R on virus replication were evaluated by RNAi assay. Nevertheless, effect of knockdown of RGV 88R expression on virus replication was not detected in cultured fish cell lines. Collectively, current data indicate that RGV 88R was a late gene of iridovirus encoding protein that distributed both the cytoplasm and nucleus.

Allelopathic interactions between the Potamogeton spp and toxic cyanobacteria (Microcystis aeruginosa)

This study aimed to investigate the allelopathic activities between 3 Potamogeton spp. (Potamogeton maackianus, Potamogeton malaianus and Potamogeton pectinatus) and the toxic cyanobacteria (Microcystis aeruginosa). All Potamogeton spp inhibited the growth of M. aeruginosa in both coexistence and exudates experiments. Inhibition of M. aeruginosa growth by plant exudates depended strongly on the biomass of P malaianus. Initial pH (6.5-9.8) did not influence the inhibitory effects of P. malaianus exudates. However, the M. aeruginosa inhibited the net photosynthesis and respiration of all three pondweed test spp.. The decreases in photosynthesis and respiration were probably caused by the toxic compounds released by M. aeruginosa, rather than its shading effects. The M. aeruginosa also decreased the nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) uptake rates of macrophytes. The absorption rates of phosphorus and nitrogen and net photosynthesis were decreased sharply. These results will help to restore submerged plants in eutrophic waters.

Impacts of CO2 enrichment on growth and photosynthesis in freshwater and marine diatoms

The physiological responses of Nitzschia palea Kutzing, a freshwater diatom, to elevated CO2 were investigated and compared with those of a marine diatom, Chaetoceros muelleri Lemmermann previously reported. Elevated CO2 concentration to 700 mu l/L increased the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and lowered the pH in the cultures of N. palea, thus enhancing the growth by 4%-20% during the whole growth period. High CO2-grown N. palea cells showed lower levels of dark respiration rates and higher I (k) values. Light-saturated photosynthetic rates and photosynthetic efficiencies decreased in N. palea with the doubling CO2 concentration in airflow to the bottom of cultures, although the doubling CO2 concentration in airflow to the surface cultures had few effects on these two photosynthetic parameters. N. palea cells were found to be capable of using HCO3 (-) in addition to gaseous CO2, and the CO2 enrichment decreased their affinity for HCO3 (-) and CO2. Although doubled CO2 level would enhance the biomass of N. palea and C. muelleri to different extents, compared with the marine diatom, it had a significant effect on the specific growth rates of N. palea. In addition, the responses of photosynthetic parameters of N. palea to doubled CO2 concentration were almost opposite to those of C. muelleri.

Diel isotopic fluctuation in surface seston and its physiological and ecological implications

We reported diet fluctuation in isotopic composition of surface seston from two connected lakes in China, oligotrophic Lake Fuxian and eutrophic Lake Xingyun. The decrease in nighttime and the increase in daytime of isotope signatures of seston might be attributed to the light-dependent balance between the photosynthesis and the respiration of phytoplankton and to the changes in the species composition and the relative abundance of phytoplankton functional groups at the water's surface in diel growth. The relatively high isotopic signatures and the large-extent diel fluctuation of phytoplankton in the eutrophic lake could be due to utilization of heavy-isotope-enriched inorganic sources and the high primary productivity. Extent of diel fluctuation in delta C-13 and delta N-15 of phytoplankton were relatively small compared with the isotopic enrichment per trophic transfer and thus might have negligible effect on the source identification and the trophic evaluation of consumers.

The co-evolutionary relationship between bitterling fishes and freshwater mussels: insights from interspecific comparisons

Hypothesis: In parasites that use hosts for offspring development, adults may base oviposition decisions on a range of host traits related either to host quality or the co-evolutionary relationship between parasite and host. We examined whether host quality or co-evolutionary dynamics drive the use of hosts in the bitterling-mussel relationship. Organisms: Six species of bitterling fish (Acheilognathinae) and eight species of freshwater mussels (Unionidae, Corbiculidae) that are used by bitterling for oviposition. Site of experiments: Experimental tanks in Wuhan, China, at the site of the natural distribution of the studied species. Methods: Three experiments that controlled for host accessibility and interspecific interactions were conducted to identify host preferences among bitterling fishes and their mussel hosts. We started with a broad interspecific comparison. We then tested bitterling behavioural choices, their temporal stability, and mussel host ejection behaviour of the eggs of generalist and specialist bitterling species. Finally, we measured host mussel quality based on respiration rate and used published studies on mussel gill structure to infer mussel suitability as hosts for bitterling eggs. Results: We found significant interspecific differences among bitterling species in their use of mussel hosts. Bitterling species varied in their level of host specificity and identity of preferred hosts. Host preferences were flexible even among apparently specialized species and fishes switched their preferences adaptively when the quality of individuals of preferred host species declined. Mussels varied considerably in their response to oviposition through egg ejections. Host preference by a generalist bitterling species correlated positively with host quality measured as the efficiency of the mussel gills to extract oxygen from inhaled water. Host ability to eject bitterling eggs correlated positively with their relative respiration rate, probably due to a higher velocity of water circulating in the mussel gill chamber.

Respiratory pattern of captive Yangtze finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides asiaeorientalis)

Cetacean respiration usually happen in bouts. The most widely applied quantitative method used to analyze the structure of these bouts is the log(e)-survivorship analysis, based on the assumption that the respiratory intervals are distributed as negative exponentials. However, for the data collected from three captive Yangtze finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides asiaeorientalis), we failed to obtain a convergent result with the application of log,survivorship analysis. However, the two-Gaussian model, which was recently proposed to analyze the feeding behavior of cows, was successfully fitted to the data. According to the fitting results, the overall respiratory pattern of the captive Yangtze finless porpoises can be described as a dive with a mean duration of around 30-40 s, followed by two or three ventilations with a mean interval of approximately 9 s. The average intra-bout intervals during both active and inactive periods are constant at 7.7-9.9 s for all individuals. However, when shifting from active to inactive states, the adult male and female decrease their mean numbers of respirations per bout and average length of inter-bout respiratory intervals, while the estimates of both parameters increase for the juvenile female. It was pointed out that the two-Gaussian model might be more adequate for cetacean respiratory-bout structure analyses than the log(e)-survivorship technique.

Contributions of phosphatase and microbial activity to internal phosphorus loading and their relation to lake eutrophication

Phosphatase may accelerate the process of lake eutrophication through improving phosphorus bioavailability. This mechanism was studied in three Chinese eutrophic shallow lakes (Lake Taihu, Lake Longyang,and Lake Lianhua). Phosphatase activity was related to the concentration of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and chlorophyll a. Stability of dissolved phosphatase in reverse micelles may be attributed to molecular size, conformation and active residues of the enzyme. At the site with Microcystis bloomed in Lake Taihu, dissolved phosphatase activity was higher and more stable in micelles, SRP concentrations were lower in interstitial water, the contents of different forms of phosphorus and the amounts of aerobic bacteria were lower while respiration efficiency was higher in sediments. Phosphobacteria, both inorganic and organic and other microorganisms were abundant in surface water but rare in sediments. Therefore, internal phosphorus may substantially flux into water column by enzymatic hydrolysis and anaerobic release, together with mobility of bacteria, thereby initiating the bloom. In short, biological mechanism may act in concert with physical and chemical factors to drive the internal phosphorus release and accelerate lake eutrophication.

Photosynthetic recovery of desiccated intertidal seaweeds after rehydration

Intertidal seaweeds experience periodical desiccation and rehydration to different extents due to the tidal cycles and their vertical distributions. Their photosynthetic recovery process during the rehydration may show different patterns among the seaweeds from different zonations or depths at intertidal zone. In this study 12 species of seaweeds collected from the upper, middle, lower and sublittoral zones were examined. The relationship of the photosynthetic recovery to vertical distribution was assessed by comparing their patterns of photosynthetic and respiratory performances after rehydration following desiccation. Both the photosynthesis and dark respiration declined during emersion, showing certain degrees of recovery after re-immersion into seawater for most species, but the extents were markedly different from one species to the other. The species from upper intertidal zone after being rehydrated for 1 hour, following 2 hours of desiccation, achieved 100 % recovery of their initial physiological activity, while most of the lower or sublittoral species did not achieve full recovery. It is the ability to withstand desiccation stress (fast recovery during rehydration), but not that to avoid desiccation (water retaining ability) that determines the distribution of intertidal seaweeds. Such physiological behavior during rehydration after desiccation reflects the adaptive strategy of intertidal seaweeds against desiccation and their capability of primary production in the process of rehydration.

Ecophysiological characteristics of four intertidal marine macroalgae during emersion along Shantou coast of China, with a special reference to the relationship of photosynthesis and CO2

Intertidal marine macroalgae experience periodical exposures during low tide due to their zonational distribution. The duration of such emersion leads to different exposures of the plants to light and aerial CO2, which then affect the physiology of them to different extents. The ecophysiological responses to light and CO2 were investigated during emersion in two red algae Gloiopeltis furcata and Gigartina intermedia, and two brown algae Petalonia fascia and Sargassum hemiphyllum, growing along the Shantou coast of China. The light-saturated net photosynthesis in G. furcata and P. fascia showed an increase followed by slightly desiccation, whereas that in G. intermedia and S. hemiphyllum exhibited a continuous decrease with water loss. In addition, the upper-zonated G. furcata and P. fascia, exhibited higher photosynthetic tolerance to desiccation and required higher light level to saturate their photosynthesis than the lower-zonated G. intemedia and S. hemiphyllum. Desiccation had less effect on dark respiration in these four algae compared with photosynthesis. The light-saturated net photosynthesis increased with increased CO2 concentrations, being saturated at CO2 concentrations higher than the present atmospheric level in G. furcata, G. intermedia and S. hemiphyllum during emersion. It was evident that the relative enhancement of photosynthesis by elevated CO, in those three algae increased, though the absolute values of photosynthetic enhancement owing to CO2 increase were reduced when the desiccation statuses became more severe. However, in the case of desiccated P. fascia (water loss being greater than 20 %), light saturated net photosynthesis was saturated with current ambient atmospheric CO2 level. It is proposed that increasing atmospheric CO2 will enhance the daily photosynthetic production in intertidal macroalgae by varied extents that were related to the species and zonation.

Photoregulated or energy dependent process of hormogonia differentiation in Nostoc sphaeroides Kutzing (Cyanobacterium)

Hormogonium, which was thought to play an important role in the dispersal and survival of these microorganisms in their natural habitats, is a distinguishable developmental stage of heterocystous cyanobacteria. The present study examined the effects of different light conditions and sugars on the differentiation of Nostoc sphaeroides Kutzing to the hormogonia stage. Results showed that differentiation of hormogonia was light dependent in the absence of sugar, but that close to 100% of cyanobacteria differentiated to hormogonia in the presence of glucose or sucrose, irrespective of the light conditions. This differentiation was inhibited, even in the presence of sugars, upon application of an inhibitor of respiration. Following the testing of different sugars, the effects of different lights were examined. It was found that 5 10 μ mol.m(-2)• s(-1) photon flux density was optimal for hormogonia differentiation. One hundred percent differentiation was obtained with white light irradiation, in contrast with irradiation with green light (80% differentiation) and red light (0-10% differentiation). Although they showed different efficiencies in inducing hormogonia differentiation in N. sphaeroides, the green and red radiation did not display antagonistic effects. When the additional aspect of time dependence was investigated through the application of different light radiations and an inhibitor of protein synthesis, it was found that the initial 6 h of the differentiation process was crucial for hormogonia differentiation. Taken together, these results show that hormogonia differentiation in N. sphaeroides is either a photoregulated or an energy dependent process.

Positive effects of continuous low nitrate levels on growth and photosynthesis of Alexandrium tamarense (Gonyaulacales, Dinophyceae)

The growth and photosynthesis of Alexandrium tamarense (Lebour) Balech in different nutrient conditions were investigated. Low nitrate level (0.0882 mmol/L) resulted in the highest average growth rate from day 0 to day 10 (4.58 x 10(2) cells mL(-1) d(-1)), but the lowest cell yield (5420 cells mL(-1)) in three nitrate level cultures. High nitrate-grown cells showed lower levels of chlorophyll a-specific and cell-specific light-saturated photosynthetic rate (P-m(chl a) and P-m(cell)), dark respiration rate (R-d(chl a) and R-d(cell)) and chlorophyll a-specific apparent photosynthetic efficiency (alpha(chl a)) than was seen for low nitrate-grown cells; whereas the cells became light saturated at higher irradiance at low nitrate condition. When cultures at low nitrate were supplemented with nitrate at 0.7938 mmol/L in late exponential growth phase, or with nitrate at 0.7938 mmol/L and phosphate at 0.072 mmol/L in stationary growth phase, the cell yield was drastically enhanced, a 7-9 times increase compared with non-supplemented control culture, achieving 43 540 cells mL(-1) and 52 300 cells mL(-1), respectively; however, supplementation with nitrate in the stationary growth phase or with nitrate and phosphate in the late exponential growth phase increased the cell yield by no more than 2 times. The results suggested that continuous low level of nitrate with sufficient supply of phosphate may facilitate the growth of A. tamarense.