科尔沁沙地樟子松人工林土壤呼吸对水分变化的响应

土壤是陆地生态系统最大的碳库，其碳储量是大气碳储量的两倍。土壤呼吸是土壤碳库的最大输出途径。在干旱半干旱区降雨格局以及土壤水分条件的变化对土壤呼吸的影响具有重要意义。本研究以半干旱区科尔沁沙地东部樟子松人工林为研究对象，通过室内培养模拟研究、野外降雨量控制研究和降雨频率模拟及干湿交替模拟试验，研究了科尔沁沙地半干旱人工林生态系统土壤呼吸对水分变化的响应趋势，探讨了降雨格局变化对土壤呼吸的影响，结果表明： （1）土壤呼吸速率随温度和土壤含水量的升高分别呈指数和线性增长；温度和土壤含水量分别影响着土壤呼吸对土壤水分和温度的敏感性； （2）降雨量变化影响土壤呼吸日动态变化，降水量增加30%，土壤24h释放CO2量升高了35.9%，当降水量减少30%时，土壤24h释放的CO2量降低了59.6%，而且干旱降低了土壤呼吸日动态变化的幅度； （3）降雨量变化对土壤呼吸月季动态具有一定影响。降雨量增加30%，8~10月土壤总呼吸CO2释放速率升高40.7%~166.4%，土壤异养呼吸CO2释放速率升高40.5%~194.3%；降雨量降低30%使降雨较频繁的8月份土壤总呼吸CO2释放速率降低34.0%~70.0%，土壤异养呼吸CO2释放速率下降20.9%~ 64.0%，而在降雨较少的9~10月份降雨量的减少对土壤呼吸则没有显著影响； （4）降雨量的变化对土壤总呼吸和异养呼吸温度敏感性有一定影响。当降雨量减少30%时，土壤总呼吸的Q10值由5.4下降到2.22，土壤异养呼吸的Q10值由4.84下降到1.81； （5）用温湿度耦合作用经验模型Rt = 0.307e0.0064（W·T）来描述三个降雨处理样地土壤呼吸速率与土壤温度及土壤含水量的关系，可以解释土壤呼吸速率变异的80.2%； （6）在较高的温度条件下，降雨频率增加一倍时，土壤呼吸速率将升高约24%；当温度较低时，降雨频率对土壤呼吸速率的影响不显著； （7）土壤呼吸随着干旱程度的增加而逐渐下降，但当进行降水模拟后，土壤呼吸值迅速升高，可升高降水前的41.0% ~ 128%，而后又迅速下降，呈现明显的脉动（pulse）效应。

川西亚高山云杉人工林天然更新与生境异质性研究

川西亚高山针叶林是四川森林的主体，是长江上游重要的生态屏障。云杉作为亚高山针叶林人工更新的主要树种，已经在该地区形成了大面积的人工纯林。目前，许多云杉人工林分已经进入更新成熟龄，而这些人工林的持续更新却成为日益凸现的问题。探讨这些云杉人工林的自我更新潜力及云杉种子种群更新特点，可为培育后续森林资源提供科学依据。 本文以川西米亚罗亚高山60a云杉人工林为研究对象，并以该区域内相对稳定的植被群落——天然林为对照，采用种子收集器、土壤种子库筛选、室内外种子萌发实验及野外幼苗调查等方法，从异质性微生境的角度研究了种子雨下落之后，不同微生境对种子库、种子萌发、幼苗建立及分布这一前期更新过程的影响，得出如下结果： 1、通过对川西亚高山60a云杉人工林和天然林6年内种子雨雨量、形态特征、散步动态等的持续观测和综合比较可以发现，云杉林结实特点由于林木自身的特征存在着巨大的变动，2002年和2006年两个种子结实大年内，60a人工林种子雨强度分别达到1088.2 ± 52.3粒/m2和704.3 ± 48.9粒/m2，远大于天然林579.9 ± 28.9粒/m2 和507.5± 30.7粒/m2；且云杉林结实质量优于天然林。60a人工林结实量大，种子质量也最好，相对天然林来说对种群的天然更新以及群落的演替都有最大的贡献潜力。应该说，在川西亚高山云杉人工林的天然更新过程中，种源不是影响天然更新的因素。在种子结实大年里，达到更新成熟的云杉人工林有着优于该地区相对稳定植被群落——天然林的种源优势。至少在种子结实大年，种子供应不是该区域人工林天然更新的限制因子。 2、相对于天然林种子库，人工林种子库在种子萌发前能够有较多的有活力种子。虽然这其中有种子雨输入量有差别的因素存在，但两种林分种子库对种子的保存率的不同才是造成这种差异的主要因素。在人工林中，不同地被类型形成的微生境显著地影响了种子库中种子的密度、垂直分布。有地被物存在的微生境能够将种子雨的大部分截留在地被层中，成为幼苗出现的主要场所；同时不同的地被物对种子的保存情况存在显著的差异，苔藓和凋落物层能都较好地保持其中的种子，到种子萌发前，这两种种子库类型能分别为天然更新提供366.1粒/m2和302粒/m2的有效种子。从这点来看，林下地被物上的种子库能够为天然更新萌发阶段提供数量可观的物质基础。 3、种子的萌发和幼苗的定居是天然更新过程中种子库向幼苗库转化的关键环节。总的说来，米亚罗人工林区60a云杉人工林种子向幼苗的转化率十分低下，凋落物、苔藓、草本、裸地四种主要地被物以及天然林内种子/幼苗的转化率分别仅为2.22%、2.14%、0.57%、0.67%、1.05%。这种低的转化率成为云杉林天然更新的限制性因子。但在现有更新条件下，微生境对这一环节仍然显示出十分显著的影响，表现为凋落物和苔藓对现有更新的新幼苗的保存率高于其它类型及天然林。苔藓和凋落物在种子萌发，幼苗保存，以及幼苗分布上都要优于其它地被物类型；另外，微地形对天然更新过程的影响也很显著，凹立地上更适宜于种子的汇集、萌发和定居。 Subalpine coniferous forests dominate most parts of the forested areas in western Sichuan, and they are important ecological barriers in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. Picea asperata is one of the keystone spruce species for re-afforestation after felling of the natural forests and there have been a total of ca. 13 000 ha of plantations dominate by this species established. Nowadays, many P. asperata plantations have reached reproductive maturity. However, continued regeneration becomes to an important problem in these plantations. Understanding their self-regeneration potential and the regeneration characteristics of seed populations in spruce plantations of these plantations can have some insights on the management of these plantations and the establishment of following forest resources. A subalpine 60a P. asperata plantation distributed in Miyaluo artificial forest area was studied in this paper, at the same time. Synchronously, a 150a natural spruce forest was studied as comparison. Using seed collecting traps, sieving method for soil seed bank, seed germination experiments and seedling investigations in the field, the effects of heterogeneous microsites on early natural regeneration processes after seed rain were studied, which included seed banks, seed germination, seedling establishment and distribution. The main results are as follows. 1. Through a 6-year long term investigation of seed rain intensities, characteristic, dispersal dynamics of 60a P. asperata plantation, we could concluded that the seed setting properties of 60a P. asperata plantation have a great variation for the characteristics trees. In the mast seed year of 2002 and 2006, the seed rain intensities of plantation was 1088.2 ± 52.3 seeds/m2 and 704.3 ± 48.9 seeds/m2 respectively, which were much greater than that of natural spruce forest (579.9 ± 28.9 seeds/m2 in 2002, and 507.5± 30.7 seeds/m2 in 2006). Furthermore, the quality of seed rain in P. asperata plantation was better than that of natural spruce forest. Contrasting with natural spruce forest, 60a P. asperata plantation has a greater potential on natural regeneration of P. asperata population and succession of community for the reason of greater seed rain intensities and better seed quality. We can confirm that seed source was not a limiting factor which influences the natural regeneration progress of P. asperata population distributed in subalpine mountain zone, at least in the mast seed year. 2. Contrasting with natural spruce forest, P. asperata population had more viable seeds in seed bank before the germination. Although the difference of seed rain intensities of two forests has effect on this phenomenon, the difference of seed conservation ability in two forests was the main factor. In the P. asperata plantation, the seed densities and seed vertical distribution pattern were significant effected by the microsites, which posed by different ground cover types. In other word, Microsite with ground covers can obstruct most seeds and keep them in ground cover layer from seed rain, and these ground covers would be the main site for seed occurrence. There was a significant difference about seeds conservation ability among these ground covers. Litter and moss could better conserve P. asperata seeds which distributed in this two covers. Seed banks exist in litter and moss ground cover types could respectively provide 302seed/m2 and 366.1seed/m2 for natural regeneration before the seed germination. From this point of view, we could conclude that ground covers can ensure considerable numbers of seeds for the germination process. 3. Seed germination and seed establishment are key steps that the seeds invert to seedlings in natural generation process. In sum, the seed/seeding transform rate in 60a P. asperata plantation distributed in Miyaluo artificial forest area is very low. the seed/seeding transform rates in litter, moss, herb, soil surface and natural spruce forest were 2.22%、2.14%、0.57%、0.67%、1.05%, respectively. The low transform rate become to a limiting factor of P. asperata natural regeneration process. However, under the existing conditions of natural regeneration, microsit still had significant effect on this transform. The states of Seed germination, new seedling conservation, and older seedling distribution in litter and moss were better than in any other ground cover type or natural spruce forest. In addition, the micro-relief has significant effect on natural regeneration process. Concave site was more suitable for seed collection, seed germination and seedling distribution.

小麦—偏凸山羊草6Mv/6B代换系的研究

小麦条锈病（Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici）是世界性小麦病害，可导致受害小麦减产30%以上，甚至绝收。小麦条锈病在我国西南、华北麦区危害严重，四川麦区是小麦条锈病发病最重的地区之一，每年因条锈病流行造成小麦产量损失巨大。利用抗条锈病品种是控制该病害最安全、经济的有效途径，因此挖掘利用抗病新基因，开展抗病遗传基础研究是当前育种工作中面临的重要任务。 偏凸山羊草（Aegilops ventricosa，DDMvMv，2n=28）是一年生草本植物，起源于地中海西部沿岸地区，具有对小麦白粉病、锈病等高抗或免疫、耐盐、抗寒、蛋白质含量高等优良性状，是小麦遗传育种很好的种质资源。本研究以高抗条锈病的小麦—偏凸山羊草6Mv/6B代换系（Moisson 6Mv/6B）为材料，对其含有的带条锈病抗性基因的偏凸山羊草6Mv染色体在四川小麦背景中的传递情况、与小麦—簇毛麦双端体附加系所具有的白粉病抗性的聚合以及对Moisson 6Mv/6B进行电离辐射诱变筛选抗条锈病的小麦—偏凸山羊草易位系三个方面进行了研究。取得的主要研究结果如下： 1. Moisson 6Mv/6B与高感条锈病的四川地区普通小麦品种绵阳26、绵阳93-124和SW3243的杂种F1与其普通小麦亲本分别作为父、母本回交，通过对其BC1和F2的结实率、根尖细胞有丝分裂中期染色体的观察以及对条锈病抗性的鉴定，发现含6Mv染色体的F1植株作母本时的回交结实率（83.10%）普遍高于含6Mv染色体的F1植株作父本（48.61%），结实率与普通小麦基因型密切相关（χ2=34.15>>χ20.05=5.99（df=2））；6Mv染色体在三种四川小麦中通过雌、雄配子传递的传递方式与其传递率间没有显著相关性，其传递率与普通小麦基因型呈显著相关性（χ2=6.42>χ20.05=5.99（df=2））。 2. Moisson 6Mv/6B与高抗白粉病的小麦—簇毛麦双端体附加系Pana（2n=42+2t）正反杂交，希望在聚合两者抗性的同时观察不同受体背景下的抗性反应。对Moisson 6Mv/6B和Pana正反杂交的结实率、杂交后代的农艺性状进行观察，并对杂交后代进行基因组荧光原位杂交（GISH）分析及条锈病和白粉病的抗性鉴定。结果表明Moisson 6Mv/6B作母本时杂交结实率（80.56%）高于Pana作母本时（58.33%），结实率与杂交方式间紧密相关（χ2=4.96>χ20.05=3.84（df=1））；Moisson 6Mv/6B和Pana杂交后代株高比最高亲本高约10cm，成熟期也较两亲本提前两个星期左右；正反杂交后代中具有偏凸山羊草6Mv染色体的植株具有条锈病抗性，具有簇毛麦端体的植株具有白粉病抗性，同时筛选到4株含有偏凸山羊草和簇毛麦遗传物质并对条锈病和白粉病兼抗的材料，证明来自偏凸山羊草6Mv染色体的条锈病抗性与来自簇毛麦端体的白粉病抗性已经聚合在一起，且没有产生相互抑制的作用，暗示通过这两个抗性基因的聚合是完全能获得兼抗条锈病和白粉病的小麦新种质。 3. 对Moisson 6Mv/6B在减数分裂时期的成株进行总剂量为6Gy、辐射频率为120rad/min的60Co-γ射线辐射，对辐射植株自交后代进行农艺性状及根尖细胞有丝分裂中期染色体形态观察和条锈病抗性鉴定。结果为辐射植株自交结实率为2.22%，根尖细胞有丝分裂中期的染色体存在明显碎片，辐射自交后代植株对条锈病具有成株期抗性。 小麦—偏凸山羊草6Mv/6B代换系对条锈病抗性稳定，是培育条锈病抗性品种的良好供体。本研究证明在四川小麦背景中要利用该品种抗性，在结实数满足需要时，可将其作父本，亦可作母本，但关键是要选择好一个优良的受体基因型；同时其条锈病抗性与来自簇毛麦的白粉病抗性没有相互抑制作用，可将两者抗性有效聚合用于小麦育种中。 Wheat stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. Tritici) is a worldwide disease of wheat, and could lead to victims of 30 percent or even total destruction of wheat production. Wheat stripe rust harms badly in China's southwest and North China. Sichuan province is one of the regions damaged by wheat stripe rust heavily. The use of resistant varieties is the most secure and economical way to control the wheat stripe rust. Therefore, it is essential to identify new disease-resistant genes and genetically research of disease resistance. Aegilops ventricosa (DDMvMv, 2n = 28) is an annual herbaceous plant, originating in the coastal areas of the western Mediterranean, with good characters such as resistance of wheat powdery, rust, salt, cold and high protein content. It is a good germplasm resource. In this study, the wheat- Aegilops ventricosa 6Mv/6B substitution line Moisson 6Mv/6B (highly resistant to the wheat stripe rust) was used to study on the transmission of chromosome 6Mv of Aegilops ventricosa in different genetic background of Sichuan wheat varieties, hybridization with wheat- Haynaldia villosa ditelosomic addition line Pana (highly resistant to the powdery mildew) and screening of wheat- Aegilops ventricosa translocation line by exposuring Moisson 6Mv/6B under ionizing radiation. The main results are as following: 1. Moisson 6Mv/6B was crossed with Sichuan wheat varieties mianyang26, mianyang93-124 and SW3243 (highly susceptible to stripe rust), respectively. Their F1 hybrids were further backcrossed as male and female to corresponding wheat varieties. The seed-setting rate, chromosomes confirmation in the mitotic metaphase of root tip cells, and resistance to stripe rust of the subsequent BC1 and F2 plants were investigated. The average seed-setting rate of backcross via 6Mv as female donor (83.10%) was higher than that of backcross via 6Mv as male donor (48.61%), suggesting that the seed-setting rate was associated with the wheat genotypes（χ2=34.15>>χ20.05=5.99（df=2））. In all analyzed populations, transmission frequencies of chromosome 6Mv were not correlated with the ways of 6Mv through male or through female. However, transmission frequencies of chromosome 6Mv were significantly correlated with Sichuan wheat genotypes（χ2=6.42>χ20.05=5.99（df=2））. 2. To aggregating the resistances to stripe rust and powdery mildew, as well as research on the resistance reactions in different genetic background, Moisson 6Mv/6B was reciprocally hybrided with the wheat- Haynaldia villosa ditelosomic addition line Pana (highly resistant to the powdery mildew). The seed-setting rate, agronomic characters, genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) of hybrid progenies，and resistances to stripe rust and powdery mildew were investigated. The results showed that the seed-setting rate of hybridization via Moisson 6Mv/6B as female donor (80.56%) was significant higher than that via Pana as female donor (58.33%). The seed-setting rate was associated with the hybrid methods (χ2 = 4.96> χ20.05 = 3.84 (df = 1)). The plant height of hybrid progenies was about 10 cm higher than Pana, the parent with maximum height. And the maturity of hybrid progenies was about two weeks earlier than that of the parents. In the hybrid progenies, the plants with the 6Mv chromosome have the resistance to stripe rust and the plants with the telosome from Haynaldia villosa have the resistance to powdery mildew. It was found that four plants with both the 6Mv chromosome and the telosome from Haynaldia villosa were resistant to stripe rust and powdery mildew. It indicated that the resistance to stripe rust and powdery mildew aggregated, and no mutual inhibition was found. It implied that the aggregation of the two resistance genes was able to provide the new wheat germplasm with the resistances to stripe rust and powdery mildew. 3. Moisson 6Mv/6B was irradiated with 60Co-γ rays of 6Gy (120rad/min) during meiosis. The agronomic characters and chromosomes confirmation in the mitotic metaphase of root tip cells，as well as resistance to stripe rust were investigated. The seed-setting rate of irradiated plants was only 2.22%. The chromosomes in mitotic metaphase had clear fragments. The resistance to stripe rust of progeny of irradiated plants was the adult-plant resistance. The wheat- Aegilops ventricosa 6Mv/6B substitution line is a good stripe rust resistance donor for its stabile resistance. Our study demonstrated that the key for use the resistance is to choose a good receptor. There is no difference between Moisson 6Mv/6B be the female and be the male if the seed number meets the requirement. At the same time, the stripe rust resistance of Moisson 6Mv/6B did not have the mutual inhibition with the powdery mildew resistance from Haynaldia villosa. It is able to aggregate the two resistances for wheat breeding.

~(12)C~(6+)离子辐射对细胞存活增殖及模拟失重和辐射对家蚕卵发育的影响

目的:观察重离子辐射后人骨肉瘤细胞MG-63、人胚胎皮肤成纤维细胞ESF-1和人胚胎肝正常细胞HEL-1的生存和增殖情况,及重离子辐射和模拟失重环境处理后家蚕卵的孵化和发育情况,初步探讨重离子辐射对细胞及复合环境对家蚕卵的一些生物学效应.方法:利用超导磁体模拟失重环境,利用重离子加速器产生12C6+离子,用不同剂量辐射细胞和家蚕卵,检测在重离子辐射后细胞的存活和克隆形成能力及复合条件下家蚕卵的发育情况.结果:HEL-1细胞在0.1Gy时存活率已经开始降低,且随辐射剂量的增大这种影响也增加,到1.5Gy时存活率降低50%.ESF-1细胞在1.5Gy时存活率下降约20%,但辐射对骨肉瘤MG-63细胞的存活率影响不大.HEL-1和ESF-1细胞受到0.1Gy的辐射后克隆形成能力就明显降低90.2%和79.1%,而MG-63细胞一直保持较高的克隆形成率,直到1.5Gy时迅速降低75%.家蚕的出蚁率随辐射剂量的增大而降低,到30Gy时出蚁率降到2.22%.当辐射剂量为0～10Gy时,家蚕卵在两种不同重力条件下的孵化率没有明显差异.但当辐射剂量增加到15,20和30Gy时,失重环境明显促进了家蚕卵的孵化.另外,失重环境下家蚕卵的孵化时间比正常条件下缩短约3d左右.同时,高剂量的辐射处理会延迟家蚕幼虫的生长.结论:重离子辐射降低了细胞的存活和增殖能力,同时影响了家蚕从受精卵到幼虫的发育,降低了出蚁率.失重环境可以缩短家蚕卵的孵化时间.

腹腔温热灌洗联合术后静脉微泵及置泵区域性动脉灌注化疗综合治疗胃肠道恶性肿瘤

目的:探讨胃肠道癌术后预防腹腔转移及肝转移的有效方法。方法:对157例胃肠道癌切除术后病人,随机分成术中腹腔温热灌洗及术后静脉微泵和置泵持续动脉灌注化疗组72例(简称治疗组),单纯静脉化疗组85例(简称对照组),并对其腹腔转移率、肝转移率及3年生存率进行对照研究。结果:治疗组腹腔转移率21.5%、肝脏转移率13.4%、3年生存率71.6%,对照组腹腔转移率41.2%、肝脏转移率22.6%、3年生存率47.5%。两组之间比较有显著性差异(P<0.05)。结论:术中腹腔温热灌洗及术后静脉微泵和置泵持续动脉灌注化疗,对胃肠道癌病人术后腹腔转移及肝转移有良好的防治作用。

Kinetic modeling of growth and biodegradation of phenol and m-cresol using Alcaligenes faecalis

A phenol-degrading. microorganism, Alcaligenes faecalis, was used to study the substrate interactions during cell growth on phenol and m-cresol dual substrates. Both phenol and m-cresol could be utilized by the bacteria as,the sole carbon and energy sources. When cells grew on the mixture of phenol and m-cresol, strong substrate interactions were observed. m-Cresol inhibited the degradation of phenol, on the other hand, phenol also inhibited the utilization of m-cresol, the overall cell growth rate was the co-action of phenol and m-cresol. In addition, the cell growth and substrate degradation kinetics of phenol, m-cresol as single and mixed substrates for A. faecalis in batch cultures were also investigated over a wide range of initial phenol concentrations (10-1400 mg L-1) and initial m-cresol concentrations (5-200 mg L-1). The single-substrate kinetics was described well using the Haldane-type kinetic models, with model constants of it mu(m1) = 0.15 h(-1), K-S1 = 2.22 mg L-1 and K-i1 = 245.37 mg L-1 for cell growth on phenol and mu(m2) = 0.0782 h(-1), K-S2 = 1.30 mg L-1 and K-i2 = 71.77 mgL(-1), K-i2' = 5480 (mg L-1)(2) for cell growth on m-cresol. Proposed cell growth kinetic model was used to characterize the substrates interactions in the dual substrates system, the obtained parameters representing interactions between phenol and m-cresol were, K = 1.8 x 10(-6), M = 5.5 x 10(-5), Q = 6.7 x 10(-4). The results received in the experiments demonstrated that these models adequately described the dynamic behaviors of phenol and m-cresol as single and mixed substrates by the strain of A. faecalis.

陕北丘陵区农村经济发展战略研究

按照新的生态和经济建设思路 ,必须研究与之相适应的农村经济发展战略。笔者在学习江总书记和朱总理重要指示的基础上 ,通过对陕北农村抽样调查及其现状特征的分析 ,研究了陕北丘陵区农村经济发展的战略思路、布局和措施

南方丘陵人工林林下植物种间关系分析

在2×2联列表的基础上,应用χ2检验和联结系数,检测南方丘陵人工林林下植物种间关系,以期分析南方丘陵人工林植被恢复程度及其稳定性.结果表明,灌草两层联结程度达到显著的种对很少;灌木层极显著的有12种对,显著的有19种对,其余200种对联结程度不显著;草本层极显著和显著各有11种对,其余83种对联结程度不显著.按组间联系及种间的正负关联性,灌木层植物可分为2个种组:Ⅰ.四川红淡比、三叶赤楠、乌饭树、满树星、长托菝葜、格药柃;Ⅱ.大叶胡枝子、白马骨、牡荆.种组Ⅰ与种组Ⅱ之间许多种群间存在显著负关联.优势种往往在种间关系中起着关键作用.草本层优势种狗脊蕨、暗鳞鳞毛蕨、扇叶铁线蕨之间存在极显著正关联,且与多种群存在极显著或显著正关联;灌木层中2个种组均以优势种为联结核心.灌草层中正负关联的比例反映了灌木层和草本层物种处在动态变化中.灌木层正负关联比例为125/106,草本层42/63.最后分析了种间联结方法的几个缺陷,并对该方法的使用提出建议.

中国西南干旱河谷区植物多样性边界影响域的两种判定方法(英文)

研究了中国西南岷江上游干旱河谷区不同类型景观边界的影响域。共选取三种类型的边界。以植物多样性为基础,分别采用主成分分析法和移动窗口法对边界的影响域进行分析。结果表明,5条样带中,主成分分析法可以判定3条样带的影响域,而移动窗口法可以判定4条。两种方法均可判定边界的影响域,并且影响域均在距边界50m内。在林地样带两种方法可以得出相似的结论,但在花椒地样带中所得结论不一致。两种方法比较,移动窗口法更成功些。虽然两种方法各有利弊,但它们都是刻画边界动态的有力工具。图8表2参22.

Determination of Nb and Ta in Nb/Ta minerals by inductively coupled plasmas optical emission spectrometry using slurry sample introduction

The determination of Nb and Ta in Nb-Ta minerals was accomplished by slurry nebulization inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), using a clog-free V-groove ceramic nebulizer. Samples were first wet-ground to appropriate particle sizes with narrow size distribution and 90% of the particles in the slurry were smaller than 2.32 mu m in diameter. Subsamples were then dispersed in pH 9 aqueous solutions, and agitated in an ultrasonic bath for 15 min prior to analysis. Due to the lack of slurry standards matching well with the samples, calibration was simply carried out using aqueous solution standards. Results were compared with those obtained from a conventional fusion decomposition procedure and acid digestion procedures and a good agreement between the measured and referred values was obtained. The technique provided a good alternative for the rapid determination of Nb and/or Ta in their corresponding minerals.