Plant response to the combination of two or more abiotic stresses is different than its response to the same stresses singly. The response of maize (Zea mays L.) photosynthesis, growth, and development processes were examined under sunlit plant growth chambers at three levels of each day/night temperatures (24/16°C, 30/22°C, and 36/28°C) and UV-B radiation levels (0, 5, and 10 kJ m-2 d-1) and their interaction from 4 d after emergence to 43 d. An increase in plant height, leaf area, node number, and dry mass was observed as temperature increased. However, UV-B radiation negatively affected these processes by reducing the rates of stem elongation, leaf area expansion, and biomass accumulation. UV-B radiation affected leaf photosynthesis mostly at early stage of growth and tended to be temperature-dependent. For instance, UV-B radiation caused 3-15% decrease of photosynthetic rate (PN) on the uppermost, fully expanded leaves at 24/16°C and 36/28°C, but stimulated P N about 5-18% at 30/22°C temperature. Moreover, the observed UV-B protection mechanisms, such as accumulation of phenolics and waxes, exhibited a significant interaction among the treatments where these compounds were relatively less responsive (phenolics) or more responsive (waxes) to UV-B radiation at higher temperature treatments or vice versa. Plants exposed to UV-B radiation produced more leaf waxes except at 24/16°C treatment. The detrimental effect of UV-B radiation was greater on plant growth compared to the photosynthetic processes. Results suggest that maize growth and development, especially stem elongation, is highly sensitive to current and projected UV-B radiation levels, and temperature plays an important role in the magnitude and direction of the UV-B mediated responses., S. K. Singh, K. R. Reddy, V. R. Reddy, W. Gao., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Mean annual first arrival dates (FAD) of 45 migratory bird species recorded in Moravia (Czech Republic, c. 49º N) in 109 spring seasons between 1881 and 2007 were correlated with the preceding winter (December to March) North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index. The arrival of birds occurred significantly earlier following high NAO winter index values (those result in spring warmer than normal in central Europe) in all short-distance migratory species with a European or North African winter range, whereas the arrival timing did not correlate significantly with the seasonal NAO index in long-distance migrants having sub-Saharan winter range. When the values of Pearson coefficient between NAO and FAD were correlated with the migration distance of all 45 bird species, the correlation was remarkable and significant (p<0.001): r = 0.848 for the distance to central locations of winter range, and r = 0.822 for the northern limits of the wintering area. The migration distance was thus responsible for 68–72 % of variation in the regression of birds’ arrival on NAO winter index in central Europe. The data are robust (this is the longest avian phenological record analyzed for correlation with NAO in Europe), and indicate different mechanisms that govern timing between short-distance and long-distance migrants in their departure from wintering areas.
A mathematical model for photoinhibition of leaf photosynthesis was developed by formalising the assumptions that (1) the rate of photoinhibition is proportional to irradiance; and (2) the rate of recovery, derived from the formulae for a pseudo first-order process, is proportional to the extent of inhibition. The photoinhibition model to calculate initial photo yield is integrated into a photosynthesis-stomatal conductance (gs) model that combines net photosynthetic rate (PN), transpiration rate (E), and gs, and also the leaf energy balance. The model was run to simulate the diurnal courses of PN, E, gs, photochemical efficiency, i.e., ratio of intercellular CO2 concentration and CO2 concentration over leaf surface (Ci/Cs), and leaf temperature (T1) under different irradiances, air temperature, and humidity separately with fixed time courses of others. When midday depression occurred under high temperature, gs decreased the most and E the least. The duration of midday depression of gs was the longest and that in E the shortest. E increased with increasing vapour pressure deficit (VPD) initially, but when VPD exceeded a certain value, it decreased with increasing VPD; this was caused by a rapid decrease in gs. When air temperature exceeded a certain value, an increase in solar irradiance raised T1 and the degree of midday depression. High solar radiation caused large decrease in initial photon efficiency (α). PN, E, and gs showed reasonable decreases under conditions causing photoinhibition compared with non-photoinhibition condition under high irradiance. The T1 under photoinhibition was higher than that under non-photoinhibition conditions, which was evident under high solar irradiance around noon. The decrease in Ci/Cs at midday implies that stomatal closure is a factor causing midday depression of photosynthesis. and Qiang Yu, J. Goudriaan, Tian-Duo Wang.
Winter wheat plants were grown in open top chambers either at 365 µmol mol-1 (AC) or at 700 µmol mol-1 (EC) air CO2 concentrations. The photosynthetic response of flag leaves at the beginning of flowering and on four vertical leaf levels at the beginning of grain filling were measured. Net photosynthetic rates (PN) were higher at both developmental phases in plants grown at EC coupled with larger leaf area and photosynthetic pigment contents. The widely accepted Farquhar net photosynthesis model was parameterised and tested using several observed data. After parameterisation the test results corresponded satisfactorily with observed values under several environmental conditions. and N. Harnos, Z. Tuba, K. Szente.
Designed experiment of temperature measuring of freezing perishable food process is solved in this article. To provide safe food to consumer is very difficult. The producers in food industry must keep legal requirements in term of processing, packaging, refrigeration, freezing, storage and others. It is necessary to monitor constantly the temperature of food as well as space of cooling, freezing, storage and transport to ensure the quality of food. Measuring devices for monitoring of temperature must keep the metrological requirements in such conditions. The experiment was designed in accordance with all requirements imposed on these foods. The possibilities of using of contact and contactless temperature measurement methods were considered. Based on the analysis and the possibility to realize the experiment, only contact method of temperature measuring was acceded. Achieved results of experiment mention to need for respecting the properties of using measuring instruments, devices for freezing with regard to properties of regulation process as well as intrinsic properties of selected type of freezing food. and Včlánku je riešený navrhnutý experiment merania teploty procesu zmrazovania potravín podliehajúcich skaze. Poskytnúť zdravotne nezávadné potraviny spotrebiteľovi je veľmi náročné. Producenti v potravinárskom priemysle musia dodržiavať legislatívne požiadavky z hľadiska spracovania, balenia, chladenia, mrazenia, uskladnenia a iné. Pre zabezpečenie kvality potravín je nevyhnutné neustále monitorovať teplotu samotných potravín ako i priestor chladenia, mrazenia, uskladnenia a prepravy. Meracie zariadenia na monitorovanie teploty v takýchto podmienkach musia spĺňať metrologické požiadavky. Daný experiment bol navrhnutý s dodržaním všetkých požiadaviek kladených na tieto potraviny. Zvažovali sa možnosti využitia kontaktných ako aj bezkontaktných metód merania teploty. Na základe analýzy a možnosti uskutočnenia experimentu sa pristúpilo len ku kontaktnej metóde merania teploty. Dosiahnuté výsledky experimentu poukazujú na potrebu rešpektovania vlastností použitých meradiel, zariadenia na zmrazovanie s ohľadom na vlastnosti regulácie procesu ako aj na samotné vlastnosti vybraného druhu zmrazovanej potraviny.
Method of groundwater flow velocity determination in sand and gravel aquifer of Danube river is described in the paper. The solution in which seasonal changes of ground and river water temperatures are used is original. It gives good opportunity for solution of different hydrogeological and water management problems. The method application is demonstrated on the example of Sihoť well field in Bratislava Karlova Ves. Results were used in design ground water zones protection. and V príspevku je opísaná metóda určovania rýchlosti prúdenia podzemnej vody v náplavoch rieky Dunaj. Metodický postup, pri ktorom sú využité sezónne zmeny teploty podzemnej a povrchovej vody, je pôvodný a dáva pomerne veľké možnosti uplatnenia v hydrogeológii a vo vodárenstve. V príspevku je opísané využitie metódy v konkrétnych prírodnych podmienkach zdroja pitnej vody na ostrove Sihoť v Bratislave-Karlovej Vsi. Takto zídkané výsledky boli použité pri navrhovaní pásiem hygienickej ochrany zdroja.
Net photosynthetic rate (PN) was studied in field-grown peanut cv. GG 2 in relation to leaf position, time of day, reproductive-sink, and phenophase. In general, PN remained higher in the upper leaves (first from top to the fourth) than in the lower leaves (fifth to eighth). The mean PN of the leaves situated upper and the leaves lower in the canopy increased from the morning, reached a maximum during noon hours, and decreased thereafter. Between 09:00 to 10:00 h, PN, stomatal conductance (gs), and transpiration rate (E) in the upper leaves were higher than in the lower leaves, but between 12:00 and 13:00 h, these activities increased significantly in the lower leaves. Highest PN was found during pod-development phase. Removal of flowers, and hence of active reproductive-sink, decreased plant height and number of leaves, and initiated accumulation of photosynthates in the leaves. The PN per unit leaf area in plants with reproductive-sink (WRS) was similar to those without reproductive-sink (WORS). However, leaf area of WORS plants decreased significantly, mainly due to the reduction in number of leaves. No feed-back inhibition of PN (per unit leaf area) was found despite accumulation of photosynthates in the leaves as a result of removal of the active reproductive-sink. and P. C. Nautiyal, V. Ravindra, Y. C. Joshi.
The effects of temperatures of 15, 20, 25 and 30°C on the duration of premating and preoviposition periods of Harmonia axyridis reared on the aphid Aphis fabae, were compared in the laboratory. The course of oviposition was monitored at 25°C in females reared on Aphis fabae and the peak of egg laying was recorded at the age of 15 to 45 days. The size of egg groups (batch size), as well as daily and total fecundity was recorded. Half of the total number of eggs was laid in batches of 10-30 eggs. The mean daily and total fecundity reached a maximum of 42 and 1,641.6 eggs, respectively. Adult females oviposited for almost their entire life.
1_Urbanisation is an important cause of species extinctions. Although urban water systems are also highly modified, studies on aquatic or semi-aquatic organisms are rare. The aim of this study is to identify the factors that determine species richness of Odonata in 22 Central European cities and along an urban-rural gradient within six of them. With 64 indigenous species in total and an average of 33 species per city, the species richness of Odonata in Central European cities is comparatively high. A generalised linear model indicates that species richness is positively related to city area. Additional predictors are climatic variables (temperature amplitude, sunshine duration and July temperature) and the year last studied. Since most cities are usually located in areas with naturally high habitat heterogeneity, we assume that cities should be naturally rich in dragonflies. The role of city area as a surrogate for habitat and structural richness most likely explains why it is strongly associated with Odonata species richness. The relationship between species richness and the climatic variables probably reflects that Odonata species richness in Central Europe is limited by warm and sunny conditions more than by availability of water. The temporal effect (the year last studied) on species richness is likely to be a consequence of the recent increase in Mediterranean species associated with global warming. Urbanisation clearly has an adverse effect on the species diversity of Odonata. Species richness increases along a gradient from the centre of a city to the rural area and is significantly highest in rural areas. This pattern probably reflects a gradient of increasing habitat quality from the centre of cities to rural areas. Moreover, the number of water bodies is generally very low in the city centres., 2_Based on our results, we make recommendations for increasing the abundance and number of species of dragonflies in cities., Christoph Willigalla, Thomas Farmann., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The cerambycid borers Callidiellum rufipenne (Motschulsky) and Semanotus bifasciatus (Motschulsky) infest coniferous logs in Japan, with the latter distributed in the north and at high altitudes, where both species occur sympatrically. Semanotus bifasciatus adults were active at low temperatures and very active after sunset, and less active but never inactive in the daytime, whereas C. rufipenne adults were usually active at high temperatures and almost only in the daytime. At an almost constant temperature, C. rufipenne adults were almost inactive at night, whereas S. bifasciatus adults showed only an obscure decline in activity in the morning. Of a horizontal log, the upper surface tended to be drier and lower surface wetter, and C. rufipenne larvae grew large if they were in the upper part of a log, whereas S. bifasciatus larvae grew large if in the lower part. Thus, the coexistence of these two species can be ascribed to two major segregation factors: adult segregation based on temperature and sunshine, and larval segregation associated with the moisture content of the wood.