Genome-wide association study of periweaning failure-to-thrive syndrome (PFTS) in swine suggests genes involved with depression.

2016

中国东北温带样带区域和景观尺度生态模型的研究

样带是沿全球变化某一驱动因素的主要梯度而设置的由一系列研究站点构成的区域，被认为是研究全球变化与陆地生态系统关系的最有效的途径。而模型研究是全球变化研究中不可或缺的手段。本文即采用模型研究方法研究中国东北温带样带(NECT)区域，试图揭示温带生态系统对于全球变化（尤其是降水）的反应机制。 中国东北温带样带（NECT)位于42°N - 46°N，108°E - 132°E，长约二千多公里，是最早被列入GCTE的四条样带之一，从东到西有明显的湿度梯度，被认为是温带区域研究水分梯度的代表性样带。本文研究主要集中在： 1．NECT中环境数据库的建立,本文采用EIS作为数据管理系统。由于EIS管理空间数据的特点是根据确定的地理坐标来提供空间定位，因而每一环境因子的属性值分布都有确定的地理坐标与其对应，特别适合于样带这种研究区域较大，同时又要求有精确空间定位的区域。NECT环境数据库包括地形、气候、植被、土壤、土地利用、水文、孢粉数据及社会经济等分库、本数据库力图提供各环境因子的各种属性值而代替仅仅提供类型值。 2．NECT中PFTs的划分PFTs的划分被认为是建立DGVM的前提。本文认为PFTs的划分是模型研究中一个尺度上升过程的结果，不同的尺度，不同的研究目标导致不同的PFTs的划分。在NECT区域中，考虑植被对全球变化中降水因子的不同反映机制，采用生活型、高度、耐旱特性、叶子大小、叶子季相、主根深度和木质化程度等指标根据- TWINSPAN和FCLUS进行划分，得到以下9种NECT区域中植被功能类型：常绿针叶树种、落叶针叶树种、落叶阔叶树种、落叶小叶灌木、落叶小叶半灌木、落叶强旱生半灌木、多年生中旱生草本、适应旱生环境的多年生草本和多年生强旱生草本。对NECT区域中PFTs的DCA分析表明降水是控制PFTs在NECT区域中分布的主要环境因子。在代表景观层次的长白山PFTs的划分中，则采用树种有记载的最大寿命、最大胸径、最大树高、各树种生长参数、树种自然分布区内>5℃的有效积温的最小值和最大值、耐阴、耐旱、喜肥特性、树种的扩散更新，就地下种更新和萌条更新能力参数及叶子大小和类型等指标采用上述软件得到的以下PFTs:即不耐荫阔叶树种、耐荫阔叶树种、耐荫针叶树种和不耐荫的阳生针叶树种。 3.NECT中BCM模型的建立和预测 本文认为土壤水是决定SPC系统水分状况的直接指标。而均衡土壤水分剖面代表了土壤水的多年平均状态，因而本文以Watershed模型为基础，模拟NECT区域中任意一点的均衡土壤水分剖面（精度为每经纬网格32×48个点）;然后根据这个均衡水分剖面用计算LAI子模型确定该水分剖面所能支持的LAI;进而根据这个LAI由Biome等模型划分出Biome在NECT中的分布。全球变化的结果将改变区域中任意一点的土壤水分状况，从而影响植被的LAI，进而导致Biome的改变。本模型成功的模拟了LAI和Biome在NECT区域中的分布，利用85-90生长季每月平均的NDVI作相关检验表明除5月份以外，相关系数都>0.7，而5月份也达到0,6457，都达到了极显著的程度。尤为重要的是，模型对于不同植被类型的NDVI与LAI的对应关系有良好的模拟，如针叶林的LAI在相同的NDVI值下明显比阔叶林小，因而模型模拟的LAI在NECT东部针叶林分布区LAI值比针阔混交林明显偏小，而与Spanmen等(1990)所提出的针叶林叶面积指数与NDVI关系非常一致。模型的预测显示：(1) T+20C (PET+15%)，Precipitation+20%，LAI总体上变化不大，且空间变化呈现复杂性，总体上表现出草原植被LAI减少，而森林的LAI增加;Biome层次表现出针阔混交林和矮草原面积扩大，针叶林和森林草原面积减少，其中对于该情形下变化最为明显的是针叶林和森林草原。NECT东部区域发育在沙性土上的植被的LAI明显增加，而科尔沁沙地植被的LAI则维持不变。(2)T+40C (PET+30%)，Precipitation+20%，LAI总体上将减小0.14，但空间分布不均。东部森林区域LA1将维持不变或增加（主要为针叶林），草原植被LAI仍表现出减少趋势;在Biome层次上则表现出草原面积的扩大。对于第一种情形下LAI有增有减的森林革原地区则表现出减小的一致性，总体来说，第二种情形比第一种情形表现出相当的干旱性。从对两种全球变化情形的反应来看，针叶林和森林草原是NECT中对全球变化驱动因子温度和降水的敏感植被类型;丽科尔沁沙地植被表现出相当的稳定性，表明该沙地的敏感性主要是由于人类活动这个因子造成的。 4.NECT中景观层次NPP模型的建立和预测 景观层次之所以成为模型研究中一个独特的层次，是由于地形效应的存在。地形效应对于水、热。营养物质的进行重新分配，从而进一步控制了生态系统的分布。本文选择NECT区域中森林生态系统的代表性分布小流域一二道白河小流域为研究区域。首先，应用Sunlight模型来模拟小流域任意一点所截取的能用于光合作用的太阳辐射能。Sunlight模型充分考虑了由于栅格的坡度、坡向和遮蔽度对可照时间和太阳直射辐射的影响以及坡度和可祝度对太阳散射辐射的影响，并提供了消除大气状况从站点观察数据推测的方法，即太阳直射辐射转换系数Rb和太阳散射辐射转换系数R，结合植被的分布特性，得到IPR在小流域中的分布。结果表明，IPR在小流域中相差不大，与高程呈正相关。进而利用温度修正模型得到温度修正系数，平均为0.446，表明温度对NPP的限制效应比较大;而水分修正系数则通过Topmodel模拟每一栅格的地下水位，由这个地下水位通过前述Waterbalance模型模拟均衡土壤水分剖面，进而求出水分修正系数，平均为0.86，表明该流域水分状况良好，水分状况对NPP的限制性不强。模拟结果显示：海拔1700m的岳桦林平均NPP为7.31t.ha-l年“两实测的NPP值分别为20.19 t.ha-l年 13.45 t.ha-l年‘1和5.15 t.ha-1年”。可见模型模拟的整个NPP的分布趋势与现实NPP分布一致。模型的预测表明：(1)．T+2℃( PET+15%)，P+20%时整个小流域的平均NPP将从14.60 t.ha-1年-1增加到16.65 t.ha_l年，且不同生态系统的增加幅度大致类似。以岳桦林生态系统稍高，增加幅度为15.3%，引起该小流域NPP增加的主要原因是温度状况的改善，而水分状况与变化前一致。(2)T+4℃( PET+30%)，P+20%的变化前景下NPP的增加幅度更大，整个小流域的平均NPP将达到18.63 t.ha-1年，且不同生态系统变化幅度不同．阔叶红松林、暗针叶林和岳桦林生态系统NPP增加幅度将分别达到25.8%，28.3%和32.8%.引起整个小流域NPP增加的主要原因仍旧是温度状况的大幅度提高，平均从变化前的0.477提高到0.610，而水分状况则仍保持相当的稳定性。

中国东北样带孢粉-植被的定量关系及古生物群区的反演

基于中国东北样带（NECT）30个植被样方调查和表土孢粉资料，从个体、群落水平研究了孢粉－植被关系，结果表明，孢粉类型与植被关系密切，在 ＝ 0．05的显著性水平上，相关系数大于0．5;表土孢粉组合与植物群落间有较大的相似性，相似系数大于50％。采用定量描述花粉与植物关系的参数：联合指数（association）A、超代表性指数（over-representation）O、低代表性指数（under-representation）U、相关系数（correlation coefficient）C和代表性系数（representation coefficient）R等值，应用TWINSPAN分类、PCA排序和回归分析，把表土花粉类型划分为4类：具代表性类群组Group1，它们能正确反映植被;超代表性类群组Group2，它们常具有高花粉值与植被不成比例;低代表性类群组Group3，它们的花粉很难分离提取;以及低代表性类群的Group4，其花粉在土壤地层中较常见;指出一些常见花粉类型：松（Pinus）、桦（Betula）、栎（Quercus）、椴（Tilia）、槭（Acer）、榆（Ulmus）、蒿（Artemisia）、藜（Chenopodiaceae）、禾本科（Gramineae）和莎草科（Cyperaceae）的回归参数在东部森林区和西部草原区是有变化的，因此回归参数在应用于古植被恢复中要注意适用范围。 以Biomization模型为基础，根据植物的生理生态特性，定义了NECT孢粉类型的植物功能型（PETs）各种生物群区（Biome）的PFTs组合，构建了经表土孢粉检验的适用于NECT的以孢粉数据为驱动的模型框架，该模型模拟的生物群区与其化指标（气候、植物生理、土壤等）模拟划分的BIOME（Holdrige, BIOME3）是可比的，与植被类型有较好的对应性。 根据29剖面（986个样品）的孢粉数据，重建了NECT 6 kaB.P以来的生物群区。从时空二方面阐述了NECT6kaB.P以来生物群区的分布特点： （1）6ka B. P是一暖湿期，气温比现在高1～4℃，降水比现在多50％。落叶阔叶林分最广，面积最大。森林草原、落叶阔叶林、针阔混交林向西延伸最远。 （2）5ka B. P 是一降温期，气温比现在低2℃，降水多30％。有苔原、寒温带针叶林分布。 （3）4ka B. P是一暖湿期，气温比现在高1～2℃，降水比现在多50％。针阔光林和森林草原有最大分布面积。 （4）3Ka－2kaBP的气温与现代相似，降水比现在多20％左右。与4Ka B. P相比，森林和森林草原过渡带都向东移动。 （5）1Ka B. P的气温与现代相似，降水比现在多10％左右。草原向东大幅度扩张，森林分布面积减小。 （6）东部森林，中部森林草原，西部草原的分布格局的3Ka B. P基本确定，此后随着气候的不断变干冷，草原向东扩张。 （7）森林向扩张最大距离的时期发生在6Ka B. P，此时也是森林草原向西扩张最远时期。落叶阔叶林、针阔混交林、森林草原向西移动最大距离的时间是6Ka B. P，草原向西移动最远距离的时期发生在3Ka B. P。

中国植物功能型-生物群区的划分

气候在大尺度上决定着植被的分布、结构和组成，植被结构和生理状态的改变可以通过改变植被的反射率、粗糙度以及水分通量进而影响气候，这样形成了气候一植被的相互作用。在植被一气候相互作用的研究中，植物功能型是重要的概念和方法，它可以在详尽描述植被生物物理和生理特征的同时，有效削减植被的复杂性。植物功能型的概念和方法已经在植物群落、生态系统的复杂性和功能、古植被和古气候研究，以及陆面过程模型和动态全球植被模型中得到了广泛的应用。但是针对我国植被-气候的相互作用和区域尺度的全球变化研究，还需要一套特定的植物功能型．生物群区体系。 　　本论文根据我国植被生态学和植被分类的研究背景，结合植被．气候相互作用和区域全球变化研究的需要，提出了一套适宜于中国的植物功能型．生物群区划分方案。首先，根据中国植被和气候特征，筛选并确定了影响植被生物物理和生理属性以及植被分布的6个关键的植物功能特征：然后，根据这6个特征，对植物进行功能型划分，得到了29类植物功能型：再根据我国植被的实际情况和研究需要，选定了其中的18类作为我国的植物功能型。这套功能型包括了7类‘树’功能型，6类‘灌木’功能型和5类‘草’功能型，其中含有4类高寒植物功能型，专门用于描述青藏高原的植被分布，并根据需要设置了2类‘裸地，功能型。 　　根据我国气候一植被分布定量关系的相关研究以及BIOME1和Box体系的研究结果，选定7个环境变量作为限制我国植物功能型分布的关键气候因子：最冷月平均气温、最暖月平均气温、大于50C的有效生长积温、大于OºC的有效生长积温、Priestley-Taylor系数（实际蒸散与潜在蒸散的比值）、降水量、最暖月和最冷月平均气温之差。采用半峰宽法初步确定每个植物功能型的环境限定因子取值范围。并根据这套植物功能型及其环境参数建立了适宜于我国的生物群区体系，从而得到了我国的植物功能型-生物群区体系(the Chinese Plant functional Types and Biomes，CNPB)。 为了验证这套植物功能型-生物群区体系，将BIOME1和中国的植物功能型生物群区体系(CNPB)对中国植被在当前气候条件和未来气候情景下分布的模拟结果进行了比较。结果表明，这套体系可以更有效地模拟中国植被在当前和未来气候条件下的分布，特别是对青藏高原植被描述的详细程度有实质性的提高。

京北农牧交错区植物功能型研究

植物功能型的研究是全球变化研究当中最重要的创新之一，作为新的研究手段，已经被广泛用来研究全球变化的影响。而关于不同植物功能型对全球变化的生理生态反应、植物功能型对全球变化的适应机制及植物功能型演变在全球变化中的作用等方面的研究报道却很少，相关方面的研究尚处于起步阶段，而这些恰恰是植物功能型研究的基本点和最终目的，尤其对于全球变化预测模型的研究具有深远的意义。因此深入开展区域环境或全球变化下植物功能型的变化和适应机制研究能为最大程度地获得全球变化对未来影响提供重要信息。 　　本研究中我们对京北农牧交错区的植物功能型（光合功能型和形态功能型）进行了研究。利用稳定性同位素判定法对锡林郭勒草原四种不同草地类型植物功能型进行了分析研究，在调查的125种维管植物中有4种C4植物，其中禾本科和藜科各有2种，C4植物约占该地区调查植物总数的3%，C3 植物为94%、CAM植物为3%。研究中发现利用稳定性同位素技术判定CAM类型存在一定的局限性，需要采用辅助实验进行补充。研究结果还表明自东向西，在草甸草原－典型草原－荒漠草原这一系列草原类型中随着降雨量的逐渐降低，植物种类组成逐渐降低，但C4/C3的比例却有升高的趋势，说明植物光合类型的组成与水分梯度相关。在相同的环境梯度下，多年生高禾草和多年生杂类草呈现显著减少的趋势;而一年生杂类草，多年生矮禾草、灌木和鳞茎类植物呈现显著增加的趋势。这些结果为我们预测该地区植物功能型对全球变化影响的响应提供了依据。 　　在北京北部农牧交错区对不同生境类型的植物功能型进行了研究，该区域有C4植物68种。具有C4 植物的科相对集中，主要分布在禾本科（29属43种）、莎草科（4属16种）和藜科（3属5种）。菊科、豆科和蔷薇科这3大科中没有发现C4 植物。C4植物约占该地区调查植物总数的9%，C3 植物为89%、CAM植物为2%。多年生高禾草和多年生杂类草的比例无论从生长条件良好的草地到沙地，还是从草地到弃耕干扰地都呈现显著下降的趋势，而一年生杂类草和一年生禾草的变化却呈相反的变化趋势。C4植物中一年生植物占的比例最大，而且各个生境中C4植物在一年生植物的比例均超过30%，这说明该地区各个生境植被都已有相当程度的退化。上述结果证明植物功能型能在不同生境尺度上反映土地利用的变化。 　　对典型农牧交错区（多伦县）植物功能型研究表明，在该地区调查的11个群落中有4种C4植物（2科3属），其中禾本科3种、藜科1种。 C4 植物约占该地区调查植物总数的4.5%，C3 植物为95%，CAM植物为0.5%。研究结果表明随着土壤水分含量的降低，C4 功能型以及一年生杂草、一年生禾草、多年生矮禾草对群落水分利用的贡献呈现出显著增加的趋势，而多年生杂类草和多年生高禾草则呈现相反的变化趋势。不同植物功能型的水分利用效率是一个相对稳定的指标，可能成为我们进行更大尺度水分变化分析的有力工具。多年生杂类草和多年生高禾草对维持该地区生态系统生产力以及稳定性具有至关重要的作用，随土壤水分的下降，二者的地位和作用均呈现下降趋势，因此可能导致该地区草地生态系统生产力和稳定性的持续下降。在植物功能型鉴定的基础上，分析了多样性与土壤水分和生产力关系，研究发现植物功能型多样性与土壤水分和生产力相关性更为显著。 　　对3个研究地点植物功能型的比较研究发现，就植物光合功能型而言，随降水量减少和温度降低，单子叶C4光合功能型比例呈现显著下降趋势，而双子叶C4光合功能型却呈现显著增加的趋势;植物形态功能型在区域尺度上没有而呈现出明显的变化趋势。研究表明植物光合功能型对于大尺度下环境因子的变化具有敏感的响应，而植物形态功能型可能更适合在中小尺度下研究环境的异质性以及土地利用方式的变化。 　　

An intercomparison of bio-optical techniques for detecting dominant phytoplankton size class from satellite remote sensing

Satellite remote sensing of ocean colour is the only method currently available for synoptically measuring wide-area properties of ocean ecosystems, such as phytoplankton chlorophyll biomass. Recently, a variety of bio-optical and ecological methods have been established that use satellite data to identify and differentiate between either phytoplankton functional types (PFTs) or phytoplankton size classes (PSCs). In this study, several of these techniques were evaluated against in situ observations to determine their ability to detect dominant phytoplankton size classes (micro-, nano- and picoplankton). The techniques are applied to a 10-year ocean-colour data series from the SeaWiFS satellite sensor and compared with in situ data (6504 samples) from a variety of locations in the global ocean. Results show that spectral-response, ecological and abundance-based approaches can all perform with similar accuracy. Detection of microplankton and picoplankton were generally better than detection of nanoplankton. Abundance-based approaches were shown to provide better spatial retrieval of PSCs. Individual model performance varied according to PSC, input satellite data sources and in situ validation data types. Uncertainty in the comparison procedure and data sources was considered. Improved availability of in situ observations would aid ongoing research in this field.

iMarNet: an ocean biogeochemistry model intercomparison project within a common physical ocean modelling framework

Ocean biogeochemistry (OBGC) models span a wide variety of complexities, including highly simplified nutrient-restoring schemes, nutrient–phytoplankton–zooplankton–detritus (NPZD) models that crudely represent the marine biota, models that represent a broader trophic structure by grouping organisms as plankton functional types (PFTs) based on their biogeochemical role (dynamic green ocean models) and ecosystem models that group organisms by ecological function and trait. OBGC models are now integral components of Earth system models (ESMs), but they compete for computing resources with higher resolution dynamical setups and with other components such as atmospheric chemistry and terrestrial vegetation schemes. As such, the choice of OBGC in ESMs needs to balance model complexity and realism alongside relative computing cost. Here we present an intercomparison of six OBGC models that were candidates for implementation within the next UK Earth system model (UKESM1). The models cover a large range of biological complexity (from 7 to 57 tracers) but all include representations of at least the nitrogen, carbon, alkalinity and oxygen cycles. Each OBGC model was coupled to the ocean general circulation model Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO) and results from physically identical hindcast simulations were compared. Model skill was evaluated for biogeochemical metrics of global-scale bulk properties using conventional statistical techniques. The computing cost of each model was also measured in standardised tests run at two resource levels. No model is shown to consistently outperform all other models across all metrics. Nonetheless, the simpler models are broadly closer to observations across a number of fields and thus offer a high-efficiency option for ESMs that prioritise high-resolution climate dynamics. However, simpler models provide limited insight into more complex marine biogeochemical processes and ecosystem pathways, and a parallel approach of low-resolution climate dynamics and high-complexity biogeochemistry is desirable in order to provide additional insights into biogeochemistry–climate interactions.

Role of zooplankton dynamics for Southern Ocean phytoplankton biomass and global biogeochemical cycles

Global ocean biogeochemistry models currently employed in climate change projections use highly simplified representations of pelagic food webs. These food webs do not necessarily include critical pathways by which ecosystems interact with ocean biogeochemistry and climate. Here we present a global biogeochemical model which incorporates ecosystem dynamics based on the representation of ten plankton functional types (PFTs); six types of phytoplankton, three types of zooplankton, and heterotrophic bacteria. We improved the representation of zooplankton dynamics in our model through (a) the explicit inclusion of large, slow-growing zooplankton, and (b) the introduction of trophic cascades among the three zooplankton types. We use the model to quantitatively assess the relative roles of iron vs. grazing in determining phytoplankton biomass in the Southern Ocean High Nutrient Low Chlorophyll (HNLC) region during summer. When model simulations do not represent crustacean macrozooplankton grazing, they systematically overestimate Southern Ocean chlorophyll biomass during the summer, even when there was no iron deposition from dust. When model simulations included the developments of the zooplankton component, the simulation of phytoplankton biomass improved and the high chlorophyll summer bias in the Southern Ocean HNLC region largely disappeared. Our model results suggest that the observed low phytoplankton biomass in the Southern Ocean during summer is primarily explained by the dynamics of the Southern Ocean zooplankton community rather than iron limitation. This result has implications for the representation of global biogeochemical cycles in models as zooplankton faecal pellets sink rapidly and partly control the carbon export to the intermediate and deep ocean.

Étude des mécanismes moléculaires de formation des pores des toxines formeuses de pores par la spectroscopie de fluorescence

Les toxines formeuses de pore (PFTs) sont des protéines exogènes responsables d’un grand nombre de maladies infectieuses qui perméabilisent les membranes cellulaires de leur hôte. La formation des pores ou l’introduction d’une enzyme dans le cytoplasme peut entrainer l’apparition de symptômes de maladies connues (l’anthrax, le botulisme) et, dans le pire des cas, la mort. Les mécanismes d’infection et de destruction des cellules infectées sont bien caractérisés. Toutefois, l’aspect dynamique des changements de conformation durant le processus de perméabilisation reste à découvrir pour la majorité des toxines formeuses de pore. Le but de cette thèse est d’étudier les mécanismes d’oligomérisation des PFTs, ainsi que la formation des pores à la membrane lipidique grâce à la spectroscopie de fluorescence. Nous avons choisi la toxine Cry1Aa, un bio pesticide produit par le bacille de Thuringe et qui a été rigoureusement caractérisé, en tant que modèle d’étude. La topologie de la Cry1Aa à l’état actif et inactif a pu être résolue grâce à l’utilisation d’une technique de spectroscopie de fluorescence, le FRET ou transfert d’énergie par résonance entre un fluorophore greffé au domaine formeur de pore (D1) et un accepteur non fluorescent (le DPA ou dipicrylamine) localisé dans la membrane et qui bouge selon le potentiel membranaire. Le courant électrique, ainsi que la fluorescence provenant de la bicouche lipidique membranaire horizontale ont été enregistrés simultanément. De cette manière, nous avons pu localiser toutes les boucles reliant les hélices de D1 avant et après la formation des pores. Dans la forme inactive de la toxine, toutes ces boucles se trouvent du côté interne de la bicouche lipidique, mais dans sa forme active l’épingle α3-α4 traverse du côté externe, alors que toutes les autres hélices demeurent du côté interne. Ces résultats suggèrent que α3-α4 forment le pore. Nous avons découvert que la toxine change significativement de conformation une fois qu’elle se trouve dans la bicouche lipidique, et que la Cry1Aa attaque la membrane lipidique de l’extérieur, mais en formant le pore de l’intérieur. Dans le but de caractériser la distribution de toxines à chaque extrémité de la bicouche, nous avons utilisé une technique de double FRET avec deux accepteurs ayant des vitesses de translocation différentes (le DPA et l’oxonol) dans la membrane lipidique. De cette manière, nous avons déterminé que la toxine était présente des deux côtés de la bicouche lipidique durant le processus de perméabilisation. La dynamique d’oligomérisation de la toxine dans une bicouche lipidique sans récepteurs a été étudiée avec une technique permettant le compte des sauts de fluorescence après le photoblanchiment des fluorophore liés aux sous unités composant un oligomère présent dans la bicouche lipidique supportée. Nous avons confirmé de cette manière que la protéine formait ultimement des tétramères, et que cet état résultait de la diffusion des monomères de toxine dans la bicouche et de leur assemblage subséquent. Enfin nous avons voulu étudier le « gating » de la colicine Ia, provenant de la bactérie E.Coli, dans le but d’observer les mouvements que font deux positions supposées traverser la bicouche lipidique selon le voltage imposé aux bornes de la bicouche. Nos résultats préliminaires nous permettent d’observer un mouvement partiel (et non total) de ces positions, tel que le suggèrent les études de conductances du canal.

Impact of land cover uncertainties on estimates of biospheric carbon fluxes

Large-scale bottom-up estimates of terrestrial carbon fluxes, whether based on models or inventory, are highly dependent on the assumed land cover. Most current land cover and land cover change maps are based on satellite data and are likely to be so for the foreseeable future. However, these maps show large differences, both at the class level and when transformed into Plant Functional Types (PFTs), and these can lead to large differences in terrestrial CO2 fluxes estimated by Dynamic Vegetation Models. In this study the Sheffield Dynamic Global Vegetation Model is used. We compare PFT maps and the resulting fluxes arising from the use of widely available moderate (1 km) resolution satellite-derived land cover maps (the Global Land Cover 2000 and several MODIS classification schemes), with fluxes calculated using a reference high (25 m) resolution land cover map specific to Great Britain (the Land Cover Map 2000). We demonstrate that uncertainty is introduced into carbon flux calculations by (1) incorrect or uncertain assignment of land cover classes to PFTs; (2) information loss at coarser resolutions; (3) difficulty in discriminating some vegetation types from satellite data. When averaged over Great Britain, modeled CO2 fluxes derived using the different 1 km resolution maps differ from estimates made using the reference map. The ranges of these differences are 254 gC m−2 a−1 in Gross Primary Production (GPP); 133 gC m−2 a−1 in Net Primary Production (NPP); and 43 gC m−2 a−1 in Net Ecosystem Production (NEP). In GPP this accounts for differences of −15.8% to 8.8%. Results for living biomass exhibit a range of 1109 gC m−2. The types of uncertainties due to land cover confusion are likely to be representative of many parts of the world, especially heterogeneous landscapes such as those found in western Europe.

TRY: a global database of plant traits

Plant traits – the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants and their organs – determine how primary producers respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, influence ecosystem processes and services and provide a link from species richness to ecosystem functional diversity. Trait data thus represent the raw material for a wide range of research from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology to biogeography. Here we present the global database initiative named TRY, which has united a wide range of the plant trait research community worldwide and gained an unprecedented buy-in of trait data: so far 93 trait databases have been contributed. The data repository currently contains almost three million trait entries for 69 000 out of the world's 300 000 plant species, with a focus on 52 groups of traits characterizing the vegetative and regeneration stages of the plant life cycle, including growth, dispersal, establishment and persistence. A first data analysis shows that most plant traits are approximately log-normally distributed, with widely differing ranges of variation across traits. Most trait variation is between species (interspecific), but significant intraspecific variation is also documented, up to 40% of the overall variation. Plant functional types (PFTs), as commonly used in vegetation models, capture a substantial fraction of the observed variation – but for several traits most variation occurs within PFTs, up to 75% of the overall variation. In the context of vegetation models these traits would better be represented by state variables rather than fixed parameter values. The improved availability of plant trait data in the unified global database is expected to support a paradigm shift from species to trait-based ecology, offer new opportunities for synthetic plant trait research and enable a more realistic and empirically grounded representation of terrestrial vegetation in Earth system models.

Last glacial vegetation of northern Eurasia

In order to investigate the potential role of vegetation changes in megafaunal extinctions during the later part of the last glacial stage and early Holocene (42–10 ka BP), the palaeovegetation of northern Eurasia and Alaska was simulated using the LPJ-GUESS dynamic vegetation model. Palaeoclimatic driving data were derived from simulations made for 22 time slices using the Hadley Centre Unified Model. Modelled annual net primary productivity (aNPP) of a series of plant functional types (PFTs) is mapped for selected time slices and summarised for major geographical regions for all time slices. Strong canonical correlations are demonstrated between model outputs and pollen data compiled for the same period and region. Simulated aNPP values, especially for tree PFTs and for a mesophilous herb PFT, provide evidence of the structure and productivity of last glacial vegetation. The mesophilous herb PFT aNPP is higher in many areas during the glacial than at present or during the early Holocene. Glacial stage vegetation, whilst open and largely treeless in much of Europe, thus had a higher capacity to support large vertebrate herbivore populations than did early Holocene vegetation. A marked and rapid decrease in aNPP of mesophilous herbs began shortly after the Last Glacial Maximum, especially in western Eurasia. This is likely implicated in extinction of several large herbivorous mammals during the latter part of the glacial stage and the transition to the Holocene.

Palaeovegetation in China during the late Quaternary: Biome reconstructions based on a global scheme of plant functional types

Two previous reconstructions of palaeovegetation across the whole of China were performed using a simple classification of plant functional types (PFTs). Now a more explicit, global PFT classification scheme has been developed, and a substantial number of additional pollen records have become available. Here we apply the global scheme of PFTs to a comprehensive set of pollen records available from China to test the applicability of the global scheme of PFTs in China, and to obtain a well-founded reconstruction of changing palaeovegetation patterns. A total of 806 pollen surface samples, 188 mid-Holocene (MH, 6000 14C yr BP) and 50 last glacial maximum (LGM, 18,000 14C yr BP) pollen records were used to reconstruct vegetation patterns in China, based on a new global classification system of PFTs and a standard numerical technique for biome assignment (biomization). The biome reconstruction based on pollen surface samples showed convincing agreement with present potential natural vegetation. Coherent patterns of change in biome distribution between MH, LGM and present are observed. In the MH, cold and cool-temperate evergreen needleleaf forests and mixed forests, temperate deciduous broadleaf forest, and warm-temperate evergreen broadleaf and mixed forest in eastern China were shifted northward by 200–500 km. Cold-deciduous forest in northeastern China was replaced by cold evergreen needleleaf forest while in central northern China, cold-deciduous forest was present at some sites now occupied by temperate grassland and desert. The forest–grassland boundary was 200–300 km west of its present position. Temperate xerophytic shrubland, temperate grassland and desert covered a large area on the Tibetan Plateau, but the area of tundra was reduced. Treeline was 300–500 m higher than present in Tibet. These changes imply generally warmer winters, longer growing seasons and more precipitation during the MH. Westward shifts of the forest–shrubland–grassland and grassland–desert boundaries imply greater moisture availability in the MH, consistent with a stronger summer monsoon. During the LGM, in contrast, cold-deciduous forest, cool-temperate evergreen needleleaf forest, cool mixed forests, warm-temperate evergreen broadleaf and mixed forest in eastern China were displaced to the south by 300–1000 km, while temperate deciduous broadleaf forest, pure warm-temperate evergreen forest, tropical semi-evergreen and evergreen broadleaf forests were restricted or absent from the mainland of southern China, implying colder winters than present. Strong shifts of temperate xerophytic shrubland, temperate grassland and desert to the south and east in northern and western China and on the Tibetan Plateau imply drier conditions than present.

Ecophysiological and bioclimatic foundations for a global plant functional classification

Question: What plant properties might define plant functional types (PFTs) for the analysis of global vegetation responses to climate change, and what aspects of the physical environment might be expected to predict the distributions of PFTs? Methods: We review principles to explain the distribution of key plant traits as a function of bioclimatic variables. We focus on those whole-plant and leaf traits that are commonly used to define biomes and PFTs in global maps and models. Results: Raunkiær's plant life forms (underlying most later classifications) describe different adaptive strategies for surviving low temperature or drought, while satisfying requirements for reproduction and growth. Simple conceptual models and published observations are used to quantify the adaptive significance of leaf size for temperature regulation, leaf consistency for maintaining transpiration under drought, and phenology for the optimization of annual carbon balance. A new compilation of experimental data supports the functional definition of tropical, warm-temperate, temperate and boreal phanerophytes based on mechanisms for withstanding low temperature extremes. Chilling requirements are less well quantified, but are a necessary adjunct to cold tolerance. Functional traits generally confer both advantages and restrictions; the existence of trade-offs contributes to the diversity of plants along bioclimatic gradients. Conclusions: Quantitative analysis of plant trait distributions against bioclimatic variables is becoming possible; this opens up new opportunities for PFT classification. A PFT classification based on bioclimatic responses will need to be enhanced by information on traits related to competition, successional dynamics and disturbance.

Pollen-based reconstructions of Japanese biomes at 0, 6000 and 18,000 14C yr bp

A biomization method, which objectively assigns individual pollen assemblages to biomes ( Prentice et al., 1996 ), was tested using modern pollen data from Japan and applied to fossil pollen data to reconstruct palaeovegetation patterns 6000 and 18,000 14C yr bp Biomization started with the assignment of 135 pollen taxa to plant functional types (PFTs), and nine possible biomes were defined by specific combinations of PFTs. Biomes were correctly assigned to 54% of the 94 modern sites. Incorrect assignments occur near the altitudinal limits of individual biomes, where pollen transport from lower altitudes blurs the local pollen signals or continuous changes in species composition characterizes the range limits of biomes. As a result, the reconstructed changes in the altitudinal limits of biomes at 6000 and 18,000 14C yr bp are likely to be conservative estimates of the actual changes. The biome distribution at 6000 14C yr bp was rather similar to today, suggesting that changes in the bioclimate of Japan have been small since the mid-Holocene. At 18,000 14C yr bp the Japanese lowlands were covered by taiga and cool mixed forests. The southward expansion of these forests and the absence of broadleaved evergreen/warm mixed forests reflect a pronounced year-round cooling.