Two manipulative experiments tested hypotheses pertaining to the correlative control exerted by nodal roots on branch development of the distal non-rooted portion of Trifolium repens growing clonally under near-optimal conditions. The two experiments, differing in their pattern of excision to manipulate the number of branches formed at the first 9-10 phytomers distal to the youngest nodal root, each found that after 20 phytomers of growth the total number of lateral branches formed on the primary stolon remained between five and seven regardless of where the branches formed along the stolon. Additional treatments established that nodal roots influenced branch development via relationships among shoot sinks for the root-supplied resources rather than through variation in the supply of such resources induced by fluctuations in photosynthate supply to roots from branches. Regression analysis of data pooled from treatments of both experiments confirmed that shoot-sink relationships for root- supplied resources controlled the branching processes on the non-rooted portion of plants. A disbudding treatment, which removed all the apical and axillary buds present on basal branches, but left other branch tissues intact, increased branch development of the apical region in the same way as did complete excision of the basal lateral branches. The apical buds and the elongation processes occurring immediately proximal to the buds were thus identified as strong sinks for the root-supplied resources. Such results suggest that branch development on the non-rooted shoot portion distal to the youngest nodal root is regulated by competition among sinks for root-derived resources, of limited availability, necessary for the processes of elongation of axillary buds and the primary stolon apical bud.
Soils are major carbon reservoirs whose dynamics are regulated by the interaction of abiotic factors, soil properties, vegetation, and herbivores that control input and losses of soil organic matter (SOM), jointly determining if they act as carbon reservoirs (sinks) or carbon sources. Invasive species can disrupt that balance, potentially changing the system from sink to source. Within this framework, wild boars (Sus scrofa) act as ecosystem engineers that modify vegetation and soil properties through their rooting activity. Yet, their effects on carbon dynamics show contrasting patterns across ecosystems and remain unexplored in the coastal herbaceous systems of Argentina. Here, we evaluated the relationship between wild boar rooting and multiple ecosystem functions associated with carbon dynamics at three different herbaceous systems (a salt marsh, a grassland, and a coastal dune grassland). Using field surveys (comparing rooted and non-rooted areas) and experiments (with exclosures and control plots), we assessed the relationship between wild boar rooting and SOM. We also examined the association between wild boar activity and: (a) bare ground cover, (b) soil respiration, and (c) detritus decomposition rates across the three coastal herbaceous systems. Our results show that wild boar rooting consistently increased bare ground while reducing SOM content and soil respiration, but had no detectable effect on detritus decomposition. These consistent responses across ecosystems indicate an overall negative effect of rooting, suggesting that wild boars may reduce the capacity of coastal herbaceous systems to store soil carbon, with potential long-term consequences for carbon balance and ecosystem resilience.
Rooted Soil Shear Apparatus (RSSA) is an open-source laboratory apparatus designed to quantify the effect of plant roots on soil shear strength. Traditional methods used to assess the effect of vegetation on soil strength often rely on expensive proprietary systems and can involve sample disturbance, which may alter the root-soil interactions. This novel apparatus offers both an Arduino-based and a Raspberry Pi solution for data acquisition and control. The device enables laboratory shear testing directly in the same polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pots where the plants grow, eliminating the need to disturb the root-soil structure. Validation experiments demonstrate its effectiveness in capturing shear strength variations in rooted and non-rooted soil samples. By providing an affordable and customizable alternative to conventional shear testing equipment, the RSSA device advances research in geotechnical engineering and soil stabilization.
This work demonstrates the presence of hyoscyamine and scopolamine at different stages of shoot regeneration from non-organogenic and organogenic calli. The 11-week-old non-organogenic calli contained 0.41+/-0.03 and 0.23+/-0.02 microg g(-1) dry wt hyoscyamine and scopolamine respectively. However, no root meristem was found in the calli. The alkaloids were absent in 2-week-old organogenic calli. The shoot-buds induced on the non-organogenic and organogenic calli did not contain these alkaloids. Hyoscyamine and scopolamine contents of the 6-week-old non-rooted shoots regenerated from non-organogenic calli were 7.8+/-0.1 and 6.5+/-0.4 microg g(-1) dry wt respectively and those in the 9-week-old non-rooted shoot regenerated from organogenic calli were 38.5+/-0.4 and 3.6+/-0.1 microg g(-1) dry wt respectively. Hyoscyamine and scopolamine contents of the 4-week-old roots regenerated from non-organogenic and organogenic calli were higher than those in the non-rooted shoots. Since the presence of hyoscyamine and scopolamine in the non-rooted shoot depends on the stage of differentiation, manipulation of culture environment may improve hyoscyamine and scopolamine contents of the non-rooted shoots.
Nutrient pollution is facilitating the encroachment of invasive aquatic plants in various water bodies globally. This study investigated seasonal aquatic macrophyte responses in two temporarily closed estuaries with different nutrient inputs. Consistent effluent discharge from the upstream wastewater treatment works (WWTW) facilitated the establishment of numerous freshwater invasive alien aquatic plants (IAAPs) in the uThongathi Estuary. IAAPs (Myriophyllum aquaticum, Pistia stratiotes and Pontederia crassipes) were only displaced from the estuary after high flow events (>5 m3 s-1). In the less polluted uMdlotane Estuary nutrient pulses (>1 mg/L DIN) associated with high rainfall changed the aquatic macrophyte composition. The nutrient tolerant non-rooted Ceratophyllum demersum outcompeted the rooted submerged macrophyte Stuckenia pectinata. Species composition changed in response to flow and nutrient inputs, with the exception of emergent macrophytes, such as the grass Echinochloa pyramidalis, that remained consistent in cover and distribution in the uMdlotane Estuary. This study demonstrated that aquatic macrophytes are more responsive to nutrient inputs in unimpacted estuaries compared to consistently nutrient-rich systems where flow is an important driver of IAAPs community dynamics. Many temporarily closed estuaries are subjected to nutrient pollution from WWTWs and restoration efforts such as diversion of discharges to constructed wetlands needs urgent implementation.
Roots are essential drivers of soil structure and pore formation. This study aimed at quantifying root induced changes of the pore size distribution (PSD). The focus was on the extent of clogging vs. formation of pores during active root growth. Parameters of Kosugi's lognormal PSD model were determined by inverse estimation in a column experiment with two cover crops (mustard, rye) and an unplanted control. Pore dynamics were described using a convection-dispersion like pore evolution model. Rooted treatments showed a wider range of pore radii with increasing volumes of large macropores >500 μm and micropores <2.5 μm, while fine macropores, mesopores and larger micropores decreased. The non-rooted control showed narrowing of the PSD and reduced porosity over all radius classes. The pore evolution model accurately described root induced changes, while structure degradation in the non-rooted control was not captured properly. Our study demonstrated significant short term root effects with heterogenization of the pore system as dominant process of root induced structure formation. Pore clogging is suggested as a partial cause for reduced pore volume. The important change in micro- and large macropores however indicates that multiple mechanic and biochemical processes are involved in root-pore interactions.
A pilot-scale, engineered poplar tree vadose zone system was utilized to determine effluent nitrate (NO3(-)) and ammonium concentrations resulting from intermittent dosing of a synthetic wastewater onto sandy soils at 4.5°C. The synthetic wastewater replicated that of an industrial food processor that irrigates onto sandy soils even during dormancy which can leave groundwater vulnerable to NO3(-) contamination. Data from a 21-day experiment was used to assess various Hydrus model parameterizations that simulated the impact of dormant roots. Bromide tracer data indicated that roots impacted the hydraulic properties of the packed sand by increasing effective dispersion, water content and residence time. The simulated effluent NO3(-) concentration on day 21 was 1.2 mg-N L(-1) in the rooted treatments compared to a measured value of 1.0 ± 0.72 mg-N L(-1). For the non-rooted treatment, the simulated NO3(-) concentration was 4.7 mg-N L(-1) compared to 5.1 ± 3.5 mg-N L(-1) measured on day 21. The model predicted a substantial "root benefit" toward protecting groundwater through increased denitrification in rooted treatments during a 21-day simulation with 8% of dosed nitrogen converted to N2 compared to 3.3% converted in the non-rooted test cells. Simulations at the 90-day timescale provided similar results, indicating increased denitrification in rooted treatments.
The natural attenuation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the vadose zone of a naturally revegetated former industrial sludge basin (0.45 ha) was examined. This was accomplished by comparing the concentration of 16 PAH contaminants present in sludge collected below the root zone of plants with contaminants present at 3 shallower depths within the root zone. Chemical analysis of 240 samples from 60 cores showed the average concentration of total and individual PAHs in the 0-30 cm, 30-60 cm, and bottom of the root zone strata were approximately 10, 20, and 50%, respectively, of the 16, 800 ppm average total PAH concentration in deep non-rooted sludge. Statistically significant differences in average PAH concentrations were observed between each strata studied and the non-rooted sludge except for the concentrations of acenaphthene and chrysene present at the bottom of the root zone in comparison to sludge values. The rooting depth of the vegetation growing in the basin was dependent on both vegetation type and plant age. Average rooting depths for trees, forbs (herbaceous non-grasses), and grasses were 90, 60, and 50 cm, respectively. The deepest root systems observed (100-120 cm) were associated with the oldest (12-14 year-old) mulberry trees. Examination of root systems and PAH concentrations at numerous locations and depths within the basin indicated that plant roots and their microbially active rhizospheres fostered PAH disappearance; including water insoluble, low volatility compounds, i.e. benzo(a)pyrene and benzo(ghi)perylene. The reduced concentration of PAHs in the upper strata of this revegetated former sludge basin indicated that natural attenuation had occurred. This observation supports the concept that through appropriate planting and management practices (phytoremediation) it will be possible to accelerate, maximize, and sustain natural processes, whereby even the most recalcitrant PAH contaminants (i.e. benzo(a)pyrene) can be remediated over time.
From February to March 2009, six strains of H7N6 subtype avian influenza virus were isolated from quails in three farms in Aichi prefecture in Japan. The isolates were shown to be low pathogenic for chicken by the examination performed using the "Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines" by World organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The deduced amino acid sequence at the cleavage site was PE (I/Q/L) PKRR (nucleotide sequences were cct gaa (a/c) (t/a) a cc (a/g) aaa aga aga), suggesting persistence in domestic poultry for some time. The direct putative ancestor strain could not be elucidated by phylogenetic analysis of all genome segments of the quail isolates. Diverged date from a putative common ancestor in a non-rooted phylogenetic tree among quail viruses was estimated between March 2002 and July 2004. Three putative N-linked glycosylation sites resided in the vicinity of the receptor binding pocket of HA1 region. They are considered to decrease the reactivity of neutralizing antibody against the virus. Experiments for the infectivity and pathogenicity of a quail strain to poultry indicated that the quail isolate had higher infectivity to quails than chickens and ducks. Direct and dust-borne and/or droplet-borne transmissions among quail were proven in quails with and without direct contact with experimentally infected quails. The virus is seldom transmitted among chickens either directly or indirectly, and indirect transmission from infected quails to chickens was not observed. The pathogenicity of the quail strain for mammalian, pig and mouse was low, although it could replicate in those animals.
Invasive plant species are among the major threats to freshwater biodiversity. Few experimental studies have investigated whether native plant diversity can provide biotic resistance to invaders in freshwater ecosystems. At small spatial scales, invasion resistance may increase with plant species richness due to a better use of available resources, leaving less available for a potential invader (Complementarity effect) and/or the greater probability to have a highly competitive (or productive) native species in the community (Selection effect). In submerged aquatic plant communities, we tested the following hypotheses: (1) invader establishment success is greatest in the absence of a native plant community; (2) lower in plant communities with greater native species richness, due to complementary and/or selection effects; and (3) invader establishment success would be lowest in rooted plant communities, based on the limiting similarity theory as the invader is a rooted submerged species. In a greenhouse experiment, we established mesocosms planted with 0 (bare sediment), 1, 2, and 4 submerged plant species native to NW Europe and subjected these to the South African invader Lagarosiphon major (Ridl.) Moss. We used two rooted (Myriophyllum spicatum L., Potamogeton perfoliatus L.) and two non-rooted native species (Ceratophyllum demersum L., Utricularia vulgaris L.) representing two distinct functional groups considering their nutrient acquisition strategy which follows from their growth form, with, respectively, the sediment and water column as their main nutrient source. We found that the presence of native vegetation overall decreased the establishment success of an alien aquatic plant species. The strength of this observed biotic resistance increased with increasing species richness of the native community. Mainly due to a selection effect, the native biomass of mixed communities overyielded, and this further lowered the establishment success of the invader in our experiment. The strongest biotic resistance was caused by the two native plant species that were of the same functional group, i.e., functionally most similar to the invader. These results support the prediction of Elton's biotic resistance hypothesis in aquatic ecosystems and indicate that both species richness and functional group identity can play an important role in decreasing establishment success of alien plant species.
Pesticides pose a serious risk for aquatic macrophytes in the environment. They are also detrimental to the rooted macrophytes used in bioassays for assessment. Currently, no data is available for impact of pesticides toward parrotfeather when present at the predicted environmental concentration. The calculated expected environmental concentration was applied to the plants and the effect was compared. Eight of the 18 pesticides showed significantly different impact. All of the other tested pesticides induced a significant change in pigment content of parrotfeather. The RQ values for risk quotient had a value higher than 0.5, so need regulatory action for environment. This study may be the first to evaluate the predicted environmental concentrations reported by pesticide registration in Europe. Additional studies are required to test all pesticides within one group since the compounds tested may depict a wide toxicity level. Furthermore, the tests should include more than one macrophyte, e.g. one rooted and one non-rooted species, in order to provide a better understanding on pesticide toxicity.
Phytoplankton and allochthonous matter are important sources of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) for planktonic bacteria in aquatic ecosystems. But in small temperate lakes, aquatic macrophytes may also be an important source of DOC, as well as a source or sink for inorganic nutrients. We conducted micro- and mesocosm studies to investigate the possible effects of an actively growing macrophyte, Vallisneria americana, on bacterial growth and water chemistry in mesotrophic Calder Lake. A first microcosm (1 L) study conducted under high ambient NH4+ levels (NH4+ > or = 10 microM) demonstrated that macrophytes had a positive effect on bacterial densities through release of DOC and P. A second microcosm experiment, conducted under NH4+-depleted conditions (NH4+ < 10 microM), examined inter- active effects of macrophytes and their sediments on bacterial growth and water chemistry. Non-rooted macrophytes had negative effects on bacterial numbers, while rooted macrophytes had no significant effects, despite significant increases in DOC and P. A 70-L mesocosm experiment manipulated macrophytes, as well as N and P supply under surplus NH4-+conditions (NH4+ > or = 10 gmicro), and measured effects on bacterial growth, Chl a concentrations, and water chemistry. Bacterial growth and Chl a concentrations declined with macrophyte additions, while bacterial densities increased with P addition (with or without N). Results suggest that the submersed macrophyte Vallisneria exerts a strong but indirect effect on bacteria by modifying nutrient conditions and/or suppressing phytoplankton. Effects of living macrophytes differed with ambient nutrient conditions: under NH4+-surplus conditions, submersed macrophytes stimulated bacterioplankton through release of DOC or P, but in NH4-+depleted conditions, the influence of Vallisneria was negative or neutral. Effects of living macrophytes on planktonic bacteria were apparently mediated by the macrophytes use and/or release of nutrients, as well as through possible effects on phytoplankton production.
During July 1988 rooted and non-rooted experimental chambers were established in a Norway spruce (Picea abies. Karst) stand in south Devon U.K. Replicates were supplemented with ammonium and nitrate. The leachates were analysed to monitor the release of mineral-N species and cations over the 17-week experimental period. Ammonium treatments leached 300% more calcium and magnesium than controls. The onset of nitrification resulted in a decrease in sodium losses from ammonium treatments reflecting a decrease in the exchanging capacity of the soil solution. These results are discussed in relation to mineral ion leaching in soils subjected to increesed N-loading, and the ability of soils to buffer these perturbations.
Two experiments were used to test the hypothesis that regulation of axillary bud outgrowth in nutrient-limited Trifolium repens L. (white clover) is primarily via variation in the net supply of root-derived promoter signal rather than via direct nutrient effects or inhibitory influences from apical or basal tissues. In the first experiment, foliar nutrient applications to a non-rooted portion of a nutrient-limited stem increased nutrient content, size of organs and rate of growth in the treated region but branch development remained suppressed, indicating that nutrient supply does not directly regulate branching. The second experiment, using decapitation and basal branch excision treatments, showed that excision of basal branches had a major stimulatory effect on bud outgrowth whereas decapitation of the primary stem had only a minor effect. This indicates dominant and minor roles in branching regulation for, respectively, root-derived promoter signal(s) and inhibitory apical influences (apical dominance), and that any possible influence of the inhibitory strigolactone pathway on bud outgrowth is captured within the net root-derived promoter influence. Thus, the proposed hypothesis was supported by our results. These findings may be relevant for all species within the group of prostrate nodally-rooting clonal herbs.
Second-generation sequencing technologies are fueling a vast increase in the number and scope of metagenome projects. There is a great need for the development of new methods for visualizing the relationships between multiple metagenomic data sets. To address this, a novel approach is presented that combines the use of taxonomic analysis, ecological indices and non-hierarchical clustering to provide a network representation of the relationships between different metagenome data sets. The approach is illustrated using several published data sets of different types, including metagenomes, metatranscriptomes and 16S ribosomal profiles. Application of the approach to the same data summarized at different taxonomical levels gives rise to remarkably similar networks, indicating that the analysis is very robust. Importantly, the networks provide the both visual definition and metric quantification for the non-rooted relationship between samples, combining the desirable characteristics of other tools into one.
Parkia pendula (Willd.) Walp. (Fabaceae) is a neotropical species of the genus Parkia more abundantly distributed in Central to South America. From the seeds of P. pendula a glucose/mannose specific lectin (PpeL) was isolated that has been characterised and used as a biotechnological tool but until now this is the first manuscript to analyse P. pendula mRNA expression in seedlings. For this porpoise a Differential display reverse transcription polimerase chain reaction (DDRT-PCR) was used to evaluate the expression of P. pendula lectin mRNAs in non-rooted seedlings. No bands were observed in the agarose gel, indicating the absence of mRNA of PpeL seedlings. our findings confirm that lectins mRNAs are differently regulated among species even if they are grouped in the same class.
Macrophytes play an important role in aquatic ecosystems, and thus are often used in ecological risk assessments of potentially deleterious anthropogenic substances. Risk assessments for macrophyte populations or communities are commonly based on inferences drawn from standardized toxicity tests conducted on floating non-rooted Lemna species, or submerged-rooted Myriophyllum species. These tests follow strict guidelines to produce reliable and robust results with legal credibility for environmental regulations. However, results and inferences from these tests may not be transferrable to emergent macrophytes due to their different morphology and physiology. Emergent macrophytes of the genus Typha L. are increasingly used for assessing phytotoxic effects of environmental stressors, although standardized testing protocols have not yet been developed for this genus. In this review we present a synthesis of previous toxicity studies with Typha, based on which we evaluate the potential to develop standard toxicity tests for Typha spp. with seven selection criteria: ecological relevance to the ecosystem; suitability for different exposure pathways; availability of plant material; ease of cultivation; uniform growth; appropriate and easily measurable toxicity endpoints; and sensitivity toward contaminants. Typha meets criteria 1-3 fully, criteria 4 and 5 partly based on current limited data, and we identify knowledge gaps that limit evaluation of the remaining two criteria. We provide suggestions for addressing these gaps, and we summarize the experimental design of ecotoxicology studies that have used Typha. We conclude that Typha spp. can serve as future standard test species for ecological risk assessments of contaminants to emergent macrophytes.
An observation of J-P. Serre implies that the generic monic cubic polynomial, unique among generic monic polynomials of degree at least two, has a root that is a power series in the discriminant; Serre asked for a formula. We give one that works over any field with an absolute value and in every characteristic. Over a complete non-archimedean field of residue characteristic different from 3 we identify the root intrinsically: it is the isolated root, the one farthest from the others. We also answer the next case of Serre's question, computing explicitly the distinguished ramified quadratic factor of the generic monic quartic. The methods combine Hensel's lemma, Lagrange inversion, and elementary non-archimedean analysis.
Non-linear dRGT massive and bimetric gravities are complicated theories constructed in terms of square roots of matrices. Apart from the technical issues of successfully working with such square roots, there is also a problem of their non-uniqueness. There are claims in the literature that one should better use the principal root. This is a very reasonable conclusion. However, the motivation they give for it is that otherwise there would be non-primary square roots violating the general covariance. In this paper, I would like to show that, if properly understood, the non-primary square roots are also perfectly covariant. At the same time, I recall the relatively old observation that the real problem with such square roots lies in perturbation theory around them. In terms of matrices, it simply does not exist. In terms of the elementary symmetric polynomials used in the Lagrangian density, it is not analytic. Moreover, the non-principal square roots are more prone to getting into the complex domain.
We study the fluctuations of the number of real roots of random polynomials with independent, nonzero-mean coefficients. Such non-centered ensembles arise naturally in signal-plus-noise models and in random perturbations of deterministic polynomials. While Ibragimov and Maslova (1971) established the leading asymptotics of the expected number of real roots for non-centered polynomials with i.i.d. coefficients, the corresponding variance asymptotics and central limit theorem have remained open for more than fifty years. This stands in sharp contrast to the centered case, where the fluctuation theory is now well understood across a wide range of ensembles. We resolve this gap by developing novel comparison principles that reduce the fluctuation theory of a non-centered ensemble to that of its centered counterpart. These principles yield sharp variance asymptotics and central limit theorems for broad classes of ensembles, including Kac and hyperbolic polynomials, their derivatives, and related extensions. In particular, for both Kac and hyperbolic polynomials, the leading variance constant equals exactly one-half of that in the centered case, reflecting asymmetric suppression of fluct