The role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in micronutrient homeostasis and cadmium uptake and transfer in rice under different flooding intensities.

Flooding intensity significantly alters the availability of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and cadmium (Cd) in paddy soil. However, the influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the uptake and transfer of Cd and micronutrients (Fe and Zn) under Cd stress in varying flooding conditions is not well understood. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the micronutrient homeostasis and Cd uptake and transfer in rice cultivated in Cd-contaminated soil with AMF inoculation under continuous and intermittent flooding conditions.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Mediate the Acclimation of Rice to Submergence.

Flooding is a critical factor that limits the establishment of a symbiosis between rice and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in wetland ecosystems. The distribution of carbon resources in roots and the acclimation strategies of rice to flooding stress in the presence of AMF are poorly understood. We conducted a root box experiment, employing nylon sheets or nylon meshes to create separate fungal chambers that either prevented or allowed the roots and any molecules to pass through.

Biochar-Dual Oxidant Composite Particles Alleviate the Oxidative Stress of Phenolic Acid on Tomato Seed Germination.

Phenolic acid is a well-known allelochemical, but also a pollutant in soil and water impeding crop production. Biochar is a multifunctional material widely used to mitigate the phenolic acids allelopathic effect. However, phenolic acid absorbed by biochar can still be released.

How intercropping and mixed systems reduce cadmium concentration in rice grains and improve grain yields.

Ecological theories can be applied to improve agricultural sustainability. In our study, a core hypothesis behind this claim is that "selfish behaviour" of rice cultivars results in "aversion" to a toxic substance in a multi-cropping system. We studied Changliangyou 772, a low-cadmium rice cultivar, cultivated with 11 different rice cultivars in intercropping and mixed systems.

Water management increased rhizosphere redox potential and decreased Cd uptake in a low-Cd rice cultivar but decreased redox potential and increased Cd uptake in a high-Cd rice cultivar under intercropping.

Excessive Cd in crop grains is toxic to humans. We conducted a field experiment to investigate the effects of intercropping on rice yield and grain Cd content as well as a pot experiment to compare the rhizosphere redox potentials of low-Cd 'Zhuliangyou 189' and the neighboring high-Cd 'Changxianggu' that mediated Cd uptake in a flooded or a ridge-furrow system. In the field experiment, Cd removal from contaminated soil in intercropping was 1.

Effects of glyphosate-based herbicides on survival, development and growth of invasive snail (Pomacea canaliculata).

This study tests the hypotheses that whether environmental relevance of glyphosate would help control spread of the invasive snail Pomacea canaliculata, or benefit its population growth worldwide. Our results showed that glyphosate induced acute toxicity to the snail only at high concentrations (96h LC50 at 175mg/L) unlikely to occur in the environment. Long-term exposures to glyphosate at sublethal levels (20 and 120mg/L) caused inhibition of food intake, limitation of growth performance and alterations in metabolic profiles of the snail.

Seasonal patterns of water quality and phytoplankton dynamics in surface waters in Guangzhou and Foshan, China.

During 2015, we studied the temporal patterns of nutrient concentrations and turbidity in water bodies with different degrees of agricultural and urban pressures across Guangzhou and Foshan (China). Data and observations were made by trained citizen scientists and professional researchers. Our study shows that all monitored water bodies, with the exception of Qiandeng Lake and Fengjiang River, had elevated NO-N concentrations, which ranged from 0.