Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder children with a 7-repeat allele of the dopamine receptor D4 gene have extreme behavior but normal performance on critical neuropsychological tests of attention

An association of the dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) gene located on chromosome 11p15.5 and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been demonstrated and replicated by multiple investigators. A specific allele [the 7-repeat of a 48-bp variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) in exon 3] has been proposed as an etiological factor in attentional deficits manifested in some children diagnosed with this disorder. In the current study, we evaluated ADHD subgroups defined by the presence or absence of the 7-repeat allele of the DRD4 gene, using neuropsychological tests with reaction time measures designed to probe attentional networks with neuroanatomical foci in D4-rich brain regions. Despite the same severity of symptoms on parent and teacher ratings for the ADHD subgroups, the average reaction times of the 7-present subgroup showed normal speed and variability of response whereas the average reaction times of the 7-absent subgroup showed the expected abnormalities (slow and variable responses). This was opposite the primary prediction of the study. The 7-present subgroup seemed to be free of some of the neuropsychological abnormalities thought to characterize ADHD.

Extract of Ginkgo biloba leaves reverses yohimbine-induced spatial working memory deficit in rats

Extract of Ginkgo biloba is used to alleviate age-related decline in cognitive function, which may be associated with the loss of catecholamines in the prefrontal cortex. The purpose of this study was to verify whether alpha-2 adrenergic activity is involved in the facilitative effects of extract of Ginkgo biloba on prefrontal cognitive function. Male Wistar rats were trained to reach criterion in the delayed alternation task (0, 25, and 50-s delay intervals). A pilot study found that 3 or 4 mg/kg of yohimbine (intraperitoneal) reduced the choice accuracy of the delayed alternation task in a dose and delay-dependent manner, without influencing motor ability or perseverative behaviour. Acute oral pre-treatment with doses of 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg (but not 25 mg/kg) of extract of Ginkgo biloba prevented the reduction in choice accuracy induced by 4 mg/kg yohimbine. These data suggest that the prefrontal cognition-enhancing effects of extract of Ginkgo biloba are related to its actions on alpha-2-adrenoceptors.

Reliable Validation Based on Optical Flow Visualization for CFD Simulations

A reliable validation based on the optical flow visualization for numerical simulations of complex flowfields is addressed in this paper. Several test cases, including two-dimensional, axisymmetric and three-dimensional flowfields, were presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the validation and gain credibility of numerical solutions of complex flowfields. In the validation, images of these flowfields were constructed from numerical results based on the principle of the optical flow visualization, and compared directly with experimental interferograms. Because both experimental and numerical results are of identical physical representation, the agreement between them can be evaluated effectively by examining flow structures as well as checking discrepancies in density. The study shows that the reliable validation can be achieved by using the direct comparison between numerical and experiment results without any loss of accuracy in either of them.

Evidence of positive selection acting at the human dopamine receptor D4 gene locus

Associations have been reported of the seven-repeat (7R) allele of the human dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) gene with both attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and the personality trait of novelty seeking. This polymorphism occurs in a 48-bp tandem repea

Can the occurrence of rare insertion/deletion polymorphisms in human mtDNA be verified from phylogeny?

Due to its specific characteristics, such as maternal inheritance and absence of recombination, each mtDNA belongs to certain monophyletic clade in the rooted mtDNA tree (haplogroup) according to the mutations it harbors. Rare mutation (excluding parallel mutation) occurring at multiple times in different haplogroups could thus be a potential reading error according to the mtDNA phylogeny. This experience has been widely used in double-checking the credibility of the rare mutations in human mtDNA sequences. However, no test has been performed so far for the feasibility of applying this strategy to the rare insertion/deletion (indel) events in mtDNA sequences. In this study, we attempted to relate the rare indels in mtDNAs to their haplogroup status in a total of 2352 individuals from 50 populations in China. Our results show that the insertion of A at position 16259 is restricted to a subclade of haplogroup C and can be verified. The other indel polymorphisms, which occur in the repeat of the deleted or inserted nucleotide(s), may not be distinguished from phantom mutations from a phylogenetic point of view. Independently and multiply sequencing the fragment with the indel is the best and the most reliable way for confirmation.

黄土高原半干旱区侧柏(Platycladus orientalis)树干液流动态

应用热扩散式树干茎流计(TDP)于2008年4～10月对黄土高原安塞县侧柏人工林树干液流速率进行了连续测定,并对周围气象、土壤水分等多个环境因子进行了同步测定。结果表明:侧柏在不同月份晴天树干液流速率变化具有明显的昼夜节律性,呈单峰曲线;且各月液流速率日均值受土壤供水水平限制总体上呈下降趋势,即4月份最大,为0.00135cm.s-1;10月份最小为0.00011cm.s-1;树干液流速率与光合有效辐射、大气温度、水汽压差呈极显著正相关,与相对湿度呈负相关,其相关程度:光合有效辐射>水汽压差>大气温度>相对湿度,并可用线性表达式来估算;侧柏边材面积和地径呈幂指数关系,并以此结合密度估算出样地侧柏人工林的边材面积为4.65m2,最终估算出侧柏人工林生长季总耗水量为1159.6t.hm-2。

灌浆期干旱对不同倍性小麦光合和产量的影响

为揭示灌浆期水分亏缺对不同倍性小麦光合特性和产量的影响,选用二倍体野生一粒、栽培一粒小麦,四倍体野生二粒、栽培二粒小麦,六倍体小麦"长武134"和"陕253"等6个小麦品种作为供试材料,通过盆栽控水方式,对不同倍性小麦旗叶净光合速率、瞬时水分利用效率和产量进行了研究。结果表明,在正常供水、轻度干旱和严重干旱3种水分处理下,不同倍性小麦旗叶净光合速率、水分利用效率和产量差异极显著。在灌浆过程中,水分亏缺对不同倍性小麦净光合速率变化趋势的影响不明显。而最大净光合速率和水分利用效率随水分胁迫的加重而减小。六倍体小麦平均最大净光合速率为22.03μmol CO2.m-2.s-1),高于二倍体和四倍体小麦。六倍体小麦平均最大水分利用效率约为7.12μmol CO2/mmol H2O,分别是四倍体和二倍体的1.63倍和2.05倍,并且在灌浆开始时就达到最大。因此,小麦长期进化过程中,六倍体小麦花后较强的光合能力和较高的水分利用效率是提高小麦产量的重要生理基础。

黄土高原半干旱区人工林刺槐展叶期树干液流动态分析

应用热扩散式树干茎流计(TDP)于2008年4月26日至5月31日,在黄土高原半干旱区安塞县对人工林刺槐展叶期树干液流及其气象、土壤水分等6个指标进行连续测定。结果表明:刺槐展叶期可分为芽期、展叶初期、中期和全叶期。在芽期,刺槐树干液流速率日变化无明显昼夜波动;在展叶初期至全叶期日变化呈现出从微弱波动逐渐增大到趋于平稳的剧烈波动;在展叶中期以后液流速率表现为上升快、下降缓慢的单峰曲线;在全叶期平均峰值约为0.0027cm.s-1;树干液流速率与光合有效辐射强度、大气温度、水蒸气压亏缺和风速呈极显著正相关,与相对湿度呈负相关,其相关程度依次为光合有效辐射强度>大气温度>水蒸气压亏缺>相对湿度>风速,且可用光合有效辐射强度和大气温度线性表达式来估测;土壤水分在展叶期呈逐渐减少趋势,但对树干液流的胁迫不显著;在展叶期刺槐单株日蒸腾耗水量随直径的增大而增大并与胸径呈良好的线性关系,可用来估算展叶期刺槐人工林蒸腾耗水量。

黄土丘陵区纸坊沟流域“退耕还林”工程实施后生态足迹变化分析

以黄土丘陵区纸坊沟流域所辖3个自然村农户的调查资料为依据,利用生态足迹理论及模型对该流域生态足迹与生态承载力进行了测算。结果表明,纸坊沟流域退耕还林工程实施前(1999年)生态足迹0.9910 hm2/cap,生态承载力0.8926 hm2/cap,生态赤字0.0984 hm2/cap;退耕还林工程一期结束后(2007年)生态足迹1.0188 hm2/cap,生态承载力1.2703 hm2/cap,生态盈余0.2515 hm2/cap,说明退耕还林工程的实施已见成效;同时退耕还林一期工程实施前后3个自然村生态足迹顺序并未发生变化,这与其区位特征一致。根据该流域及其3个自然村的发展特点,为实现其可持续发展,应发展商品型生态农业,强化产业与资源的耦合。

黄土高原植被演替不同阶段植物系数的变化与适应性评价

用4年长期定位试验资料,利用植物系数、蒸散量、土壤含水量和土壤水分对植物的有效性等指标,研究了黄土高原植被群落不同演替阶段(草本群落→灌木群落→早期森林群落→顶级群落)的耗水特性与生态适应性。结果表明:不同演替阶段,群落实际蒸散量主要受降水控制,群落间差异不显著(P>0.05);土壤含水量是早期森林群落明显高于其它群落,草本群落明显高于灌木群落(P<0.05);植物系数是灌木群落>草本群落>乔木群落,而顶级群落大于早期森林群落;土壤水分对植物的有效性是早期森林和顶级群落明显高于草本和灌木群落(P<0.05)。因此,进行植被建设不但要考虑植物系数还要考虑土壤水分对不同植物的有效性。

次生植被土壤碳、氮养分季节动态及凋落物输入与温度的影响

土壤微生物量、可溶性有机碳与氮虽然只占土壤有机碳、氮总量的较小部分，但可以在土壤全碳、氮变化之前反映土壤微小的变化，又直接参与土壤生物化学转化过程，因而在植被恢复过程中，较其它土壤理化性质等能够更好地指示土壤恢复情况。在青藏高原东缘存在大面积的次生人工林替代灌丛或采伐迹地，而关于这些人工林替代后的生态效果和生态过程的评估却十分缺乏，本研究通过评估岷江上游植被恢复重建过程中典型人工替代次生植被凋落物层与土壤碳、氮等养分大小，动态监测土壤微生物生物量、水溶性碳、氮等指标，结合温度与凋落物输入等影响土壤活性有机碳、氮因子的控制试验，系统分析不同人工替代次生植被土壤碳、氮等养分的差异原因，试图寻找低效人工林优化调控与持续管理技术，为区域生态公益林持续管理提供理论和技术依据。主要结论如下： 1. 通过对不同人工替代次生植被凋落物层和土壤碳、氮分析发现，油松和华山松人工林替代次生灌丛后土壤碳、氮含量较灌丛和阔叶人工林低，主要原因可能为凋落物质量(C/N)较差，而引起碳、氮等元素难以归还土壤。进而通过对不同人工替代次生植被凋落物层和土壤微生物生物量、水溶性有机碳、氮等指标的季节性动态模式的分析，发现各次生植被土壤微生物生物量C、N，P以及土壤水溶性碳、氮含量均呈明显季节性动态，呈现秋季明显大于其它季节，冬季最低，在表层土壤最为明显。 2. 油松、华山松人工林凋落物层和土壤水溶性有机碳(WDOC)、土壤水溶性有机氮(WDON)明显低于灌丛和连香树，土壤微生物生物量C、N也以油松和华山松人工林最低，而落叶类植被，如灌丛、连香树和落叶松之间没有明显差异，说明可利用底物的数量和质量差异是影响各次生植被凋落物分解和土壤微生物活性的主要原因。MBC/OC和MBN/ON能较好地指示土壤微生物活性的变化，MBC/OC凋落层总体以灌丛和连香树人工林最高，油松和华山松人工林最低；而土壤中MBC/OC连香树人工最高，华山松人工林最低。说明以油松和华山松为主的人工造林替代乡土阔叶灌丛造成土壤C、N等养分严重匮乏，微生物活性低下是影响其养分周转的主要原因。 3. 从各次生植被凋落物产生看，凋落物年归还量最大的为华山松人工林(5.1×103 kg ha-1)，其次为落叶松人工林(4.8×103 kg ha-1)，阔叶灌丛林地凋落物产生总量(4.4×103 kg ha-1)略大于油松人工林(4.2×103 kg ha-1)，最小的为连香树人工林(3.6×103 kg ha-1)；叶是凋落物的主体，落叶类树种月动态表现为单峰型，高峰主要在10-11月，如落叶松、连香树和灌丛林；常绿的松类月动态不明显，各月基本相同，最为明显地为油松林，华山松人工林略有二个小峰，分别出现在11月和5月。落叶阔叶灌丛的凋落物分解速率大于常绿针叶林，如油松和华山松。结合凋落物的产生量和分解速率，不同树种人工林替代次生阔叶灌丛后，人工油松和华山松林枯落物总贮量和厚度明显大于落叶松人工林、灌丛林和连香树人工林，说明以油松和华山松为主的人工造林替代乡土阔叶灌丛延缓了有机物向土壤的顺利归还，不利于土壤C、N等养分循环。 4. 通过控制地面凋落物和地下根系输入有机物对土壤碳、氮的影响研究发现，(1) 单独去除根系以及根系与地面凋落物同时去除处理1年后对表层(0-10cm)土壤WDOC均没有显著影响，而土壤WDON显著增加，油松人工林土壤微生物生物量C、N显著降低，人工落叶松林没有显著差异，说明油松人工林土壤微生物活性对地下碳输入的依赖大于其它次生植被，而落叶松土壤微生物活性对地下碳输入依赖性较小；去除地面凋落物，明显降低了落叶松人工林土壤WDOC，华山松和连香树土壤WDON均较对照显著减少，油松人工林土壤微生物量C较对照显著减少；双倍增加地面凋落物处理对土壤微生物生物量、WDOC和WDON没有明显地增加，相反，连香树、华山松和油松人工林土壤WDON较对照减少。说明油松人工林微生物活性不仅依赖于地下碳输入，而且对地上有机物输入的依赖性也较大；连香树、落叶松和华山松人工林土壤微生物生物量并没有因地面凋落物的去除减少可能与土壤总有机碳含量及活性均较高有关，而双倍增加地面凋落物反而降低了土壤微生物生物量，说明凋落物覆盖后改变了土壤微气候。 5. 碳矿化累积量与有机碳含量和活性有机碳含量之间存在显著地正相关关系。凋落物碳累积矿化量、矿化速率以连香树最高，油松和华山松人工林次之，落叶阔叶灌丛低于常绿针叶纯林，导致其差异的主要原因可能为凋落物产生的时间动态模式不一样，致使凋落物起始分解时间不一致。而土壤层有机碳矿化速率和矿化量以阔叶落叶灌丛和连香树最高，油松和华山松人工土壤最低，再次证实利用针叶纯林恢复植被阻碍了有机质周转与循环。 6. 凋落物累积矿化量与C/N值呈显著地相关关系，并随着温度的升高而明显增加，而土壤累积矿化量与C/N值没有显著相关关系，说明土壤有机碳质量(C/N)对温度的响应不十分明显。通过双指数模型对不同温度下碳矿化过程进行模拟和计算出活性有机碳与惰性有机碳比例，发现温度升高促进了惰性有机碳向活性有机碳的转化，增加了活性有机碳含量，说明温度升高可促进次生植被凋落物与土壤有机质的分解，进而可影响到林地碳源/汇关系的变化。 综上，通过对不同人工替代次生植被凋落物与土壤C、N大小、以及土壤微生物生物量、水溶性C、N等指标动态变化模式研究，结合温度与凋落物数量输入等影响土壤活性C、N因子的综合分析，以油松和华山松人工纯林对山地植被恢复，延缓或阻碍了有机质周转与循环，造成了土壤肥力退化。对现有低效人工纯林改造，应为地面大量有机物分解创造条件。 Although soil microbial biomass, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) are a small part of total soil organic carbon and nitrogen, they can directly participate in the process of soil biochemical translation and indicate the fine changes before changes of soil total organic carbon and nitrogen occur. So, they are good indexes to indicate soil restoration condition during the process of vegetation rehabilitation. There are large areas of secondary vegetations which substitute for indigenous shrubs in the eastern fringe of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. However, it is not well known that the ecological effect and process after substitution by different secondary plantations. Based on comparison of soil organic and nitrogen contents in litter layer and soil under different secondary vegetations in upper reaches of Minjiang River, soil microbial biomass, DOC and DON in litter layer and soil were investigated in order to analyze the seasonal dynamic. Combining the effects of temperature, litter input and root exclusion on soil microbial biomass, DOC and DON, we also aim to understand the reason and mechanism of difference in soil carbon and nitrogen contents among different secondary vegetations. The study would contribute to comprehensively understanding C and N cycling processes and provide optimal control and sustainable technology of low-effect plantations in these regions. The results are as follows: (1) Organic carbon and nitrogen in litter layers and soil under different substitution plantations were investigated. The results showed that contents of soil organic carbon and nitrogen were lower in P. tabulaeformis (PT) and P. armandi Franch(PA) than those in native broad-leaf shrub and broad-leaf plantation. The low quality (C/N) of litter in PT and PA plantations caused carbon and nitrogen returning to soil difficultly. Seasonal dynamic of soil microbial carbon (MBC),-nitrogen (MBN),-phosphor (MBP), and WDOC and WDON showed similar pattern, which had the highest values in autumn and the lowest values in winter. (2) WDOC and WDON in litter layers and soil under PT and PA plantations were significantly lower than those in native broad-leaf shrub and Cercidiphyllum japonicum Sieb. et Zucc.(CJ). Soil MBC and MBN were also the lowest, while there were no significant differences among deciduous vegetations, i.e. native broad-leaf shrub, CJ and Larix kaempferi Lamb.(LK) plantation. The results suggested that difference in quantity and quality of available substance was main reason that affected the activity of microbe in soil and litter layer. MBC/OC and MBN/ON were good indexes to indicate the change of soil microbial activity. MBC/OC of litter had the highest value under native broad-leaf shrub and CJ plantation, and had the lowest value in PT and PA plantations, while MBC/OC of soil was the highest under CJ plantation, and was the lowest in PT and PA plantations. These results indicated that PT and PA plantations substituting for native broad-leaf shrub caused deficit of carbon and nitrogen in soil, low microbial activity was a main reason influencing the cycling and turnover of carbon and nitrogen in soil. (3) The annual litter fall production, composition, seasonal dynamic and decomposition of five typical secondary stands in upper reaches of Minjiang River were studied in this paper. The annual litter productions were: PA (5.1×103 kg ha-1), LK(4.8×103 kg ha-1), native broad-leaf shrub (4.4×103 kg ha-1), PT(4.2×103 kg ha-1)，CJ(3.6×103 kg ha-1). The litter production of leaves in five secondary vegetations occupied a higher percentage in the annual total litter production than those of other components. The litterfall was mostly producted in the cool and dry period (October-November) for deciduous vegetations and relatively equably producted in every season for evergreen coniferous vegetations. The decomposition rate of leaf litter in the broad-leaf stand was higher than those in evergreen coniferous stand. Combined with annual litter fall production and decomposition rate of leaf litter, we found that stock and depth of litter layer were significantly larger in PT and PA plantations than those in native broad-leaf shrub, LK and CJ plantations. The results confirmed that PT and PA plantations substituting for native broad-leaf shrub delayed organic matter returning to soil and hindered cycling of carbon and nitrogen again. (4) We explored plant litter removal, double litter addition, root trenching, and combining root trenching and litter removal treatments to examine the effects of above- and belowground carbon inputs on soil microbial biomass, WDOC and WDON in four secondary plantations. During the experimental period from June 2007 to July 2008, 1 year after initiation of the treatments, WDOC in soil did not vary in root trenching, and combining root trenching and litter removal treatments, while WDON in soil significantly increased compared with CK treatment. Root trenching reduced soil MBC and MBN in PT plantation, while MBC and MBN in soil did not vary in LK plantation. The rasults implied that soil microbial activity was more dependent on belowground carbon input in PT plantation than those in other secondary plantations, on the contrary, soil microbial activity in LK plantation was not dependent on belowground carbon input. Plant litter removal significantly decreased soil WDOC in LK plantation, decreased WDON in PA and CJ plantations, and also significantly reduced soil MBC in PT plantation. However, double litter addition did not increase soil microbial biomass, WDOC and WDON, on the contrary, soil WDON in CJ, PA and PT plantations were decreased. These suggested that soil microbial activity was not only dependent on belowground carbon input, but also on aboveground organic material input. Double litter addition could change the microclimate and result in the decrease of soil microbial activity in CJ, PA and PT plantations. (5) We measured carbon mineralization in a 107 days incubation experiment in 5℃,15℃ and 25℃. Carbon cumulative mineralization was positively correlated with organic matter and labile organic carbon in litter layer and soil. Cumulative carbon mineralization and mineralization rate of litter layers in PT and PA plantations were higher than that in native broad-leaf shrub. This difference between native broad-leaf shrub and coniferous plantations in cumulative carbon mineralization and mineralization rate of litter layers could be attributed to the initiating time of decomposition due to the difference in seasonal dynamic of litter fall production between two types of secondary plantations. However, cumulative carbon mineralization and mineralization rate in soil were the highest in native broad-leaf shrub and CJ plantation, and were the lowest in PT and PA plantations. This also confirmed that PT and PA plantations substituting for native broad-leaf shrub hindered the cycling and turnover of organic matter again. (6) Carbon cumulative mineralization was positively correlated with C/N in litter layer and increased with temperature increasing, while carbon cumulative mineralization was not correlated with C/N in soil. This indicated that soil organic matter quality (C/N) was insensitive to temperature. Applying bi-exponential model, we computed the percent of labile and stable carbon in different temperature incubation and found that temperature increasing would accelerate the transform from stable carbon to labile carbon and increase the percentage of labile organic carbon. This illuminated that temperature incraesing could facilitate the decomposition of litter and soil organic matter in secondary vegetations and hence affect the relationship between carbon source and sink.

水分亏缺和凋落物水浸液对云杉幼苗生长和种子萌发的影响

在人类活动导致全球变暖的前提下，由于全球气温的升高，地表水分加速向空中蒸发。从20世纪70年代至今，地球上严重干旱地区的面积几乎扩大了一倍。这一增长的一半可归因于气温升高而不是降雨量下降，因为实际上同期全球平均降水量还略有增长。干旱对陆地植物和农林生态系统产生深远影响，并已成为全球变化研究的一个重要方面。位于青藏高原东部的川西亚高山针叶林是研究气候变暖对陆地生态系统影响的重要森林类型。森林采伐迹地、人工林下和林窗环境作为目前该区人工造林和森林更新的重要生境，其截然不同的光环境对亚高山针叶林更新和森林动态有非常重要的影响。凋落物产生的化感物质可通过影响种子萌发和早期幼苗的定居而影响种群的建立和更新，而人工林和自然林物种以及更新速度的差异性也都受凋落物的影响。 云杉是川西亚高山针叶林群落的重要树种之一,在维持亚高山森林的景观格局和区域生态安全方面具有十分重要的作用，其自然更新能力及其影响机制一直是研究的热点问题。本试验以云杉种子和2年生幼苗为研究对象，从萌发、根尖形态、幼苗生长、光合作用、渗透调节和抗氧化能力等方面研究了不同光环境下水分亏缺和凋落物水浸液对云杉种子和幼苗生长的影响。旨在从更新的角度探讨亚高山针叶林自然更新的过程，其研究成果可在一定程度上为川西亚高山针叶林更新提供科学依据，同时也可为林业生产管理提供科学指导。主要研究结论如下： 水分亏缺在生长形态、光合作用、抗氧化能力、活性氧化对云杉幼苗都有显著影响。总体表现为，水分亏缺导致了云杉幼苗的高度、地径、单株总生物量降低，增加了地下部分的生长；水分亏缺显著降低了云杉叶片中相对含水量、光合色素、叶氮含量，净光合速率和最大量子产量(Fv/Fm)，提高了幼苗叶片中膜脂过氧化产物（MDA）的含量；水分亏缺提高了幼苗叶片中过氧化氢(H2O2)含量，超氧荫离子（O2-）生成速率以及脯氨酸和抗氧化系统的活性（ASA, SOD, CAT, POD, APX和GR）。从这些结果可知，植物在遭受水分亏缺导致的伤害时，其自身会形成防御策略，并通过改变形态和生理方面的特性以减轻害。但是，这种自我保护机制依然不能抵抗严重水分亏缺对植物的伤害。 模拟林下低光照条件显著增加单株植物的地上部分生长，尤其是其叶片的比叶面积（叶面积/叶干重），同时其光合色素含量和叶片相对含水量也显著增加，这些改变直接导致植株光合速率和生物量的增加。同时，与高光照水平相比，低光照幼苗的膜脂过氧化产物（MDA）和活性氧物质均较低，显示出低光照比高光照水平对植物的更低的氧化伤害。尽管低光照也导致大部分抗氧化酶活性降低，但这正显示出植物遭受低的氧化伤害，更印证了前面的结论。 凋落物水浸液影响了云杉种子的萌发和根系的生长，更在形态、光合作用、抗氧化能力、活性氧物质以及叶氮水平上显著影响了云杉幼苗，其中，以人工纯林凋落物的影响更有强烈。具体表现在，种子萌发速率和萌发种子幼根的长度表现为对照>自然林处理>人工纯林；凋落物水浸液抑制种子分生区和伸长区的生长，人工林处理更降低了根毛区的生长，使根吸水分和养分困难。对2年生幼苗的影响主要表现在叶绿素含量、光合速率以及叶氮含量的降低；膜脂过氧化产物、活性氧物质和抗氧化酶系统的显著增加。同样的，人工纯林处理对云杉幼苗的影响显著于自然林处理。 在自然生态系统中，由于全球变暖气温升高导致的水分亏缺和森林凋落物都存在森林的砍伐迹地，林窗和林下环境中。我们的研究表明，与迹地或林窗强光照比较，林下的低光照环境由于为植物的生长营造了较为湿润的微环境，因此水分亏缺在林下对云杉幼苗造成的影响微弱。这可以从植物的形态、光合速率以及生物量积累，过氧化伤害和抗氧化酶系统表现出来。另一方面，凋落物水浸液在模拟林下低光照环境对植物的伤害也微弱于强光照环境，这与强光照环境高的水分散失导致环境水分亏缺有关；而人工纯林处理对云杉幼苗的伤害比对照和自然林处理显示出强烈的抑制作用。 Under the pre-condition of global warming resulted from intensive human activities, water in the earth’s surface rapidly evaporates due to the increase of global air temperature. From 1970s up to now, the area of serious drought in the world is almost twice as ever. This increase might be due to the increasing air temperature and not decreasing rainfall because global average rainfall in the corresponding period slightly is incremental. Drought will have profound impacts on terrestrial and agriculture-forest system and has also become the important issue of global change research. The subalpine coniferous forests in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau provide a natural laboratory for the studying the effects of global warming on terrestrial ecosystems. The light environment significantly differs among cutting blanks, forest gap and understory, which is particularly important for plant regeneration and forest dynamics in the subalpine coniferous forests. Picea asperata is one of the keystone species of subalpine coniferouis forests in western China, and it is very important in preserving landscape structure and regional ecological security of subalpine forests. The natural regeneration capacities and influence mechanism of Picea asperata are always the hot topics. In the present study, the short-term effects of two light levels (100% of full sunlight and 15% of full sunlight), two watering regimes (100% of field capacity and 30% of field capacity), two litter aqueous extracts (primitive forest and plantation aqueous extracts) on the seed germination, early growth and physiological traits of Picea asperata were determined in the laboratory and natural greenhouse. The present study was undertaken so as to give a better understanding of the regeneration progress affected by water deficit, low light and litter aqueous extracts. Our results could provide insights into the effects of climate warming on community composition and regeneration behavior for the subalpine coniferous forest ecosystem processes, and provide scientific direction for the forest production and management. Water deficit had significant effects on growth, morphological, physiological and biochemical traits of Picea asperata seedlings. Water deficit resulted in the decrease in height, basal diameter, total biomass and increase in under-ground development; water deficit significantly reduced the needle relative water content, photosynthetic pigments, needle nitrogen concentration, net photosynthetic rate and the maximum potential quantum yield of photosynthesis (Fv/Fm), and increased the degree of lipid peroxidation (MDA) in Picea asperata seedlings; water deficit also increased the rate of superoxide radical (O2-) production, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, free proline content and the activities of antioxidant systems (ASA, SOD, POD, CAT, APX and GR) in Picea asperata seedlings. These results indicated that some protective mechanism was formed when plants suffered from drought stress, but the protection could not counteract the harm resulting from the serious drought stress on them. Low light in the understory significantly increased seedling above-ground development, especially the species leaf area (SLA), and photosynthetic pigments and relative needle content. These changes resulted in the increase in net photosynthetic rate and total biomass. Moreover, the lower MDA content and active oxygen species (AOS) (H2O2 and O2-) in low light seedlings suggested that low light had weaker oxidative damage as compared to high light. Lower antioxidant enzymes activities in low light seedlings indicated the weaker oxidative damage on Picea asperata seedlings than high light seedlings, which was correlative with the changes in MDA and AOS. Litter aqueous extracts affected seed germination and root system of Picea asperata seedlings. Significant changes in growth, photosynthesis, antioxidant activities, active oxygen species and leaf nitrogen concentration were also found in Picea asperata seedlings, and plantation treatment showed the stronger effects on these traits than those in control and primitive forest treatment. The present results indicated that seed germination and radicle length parameters in control were superior to those in primitive forest treatment, and those of primitive forest treatment were superior to plantation treatment; litter aqueous extracts inhibited the meristematic and elongation zone, and plantation treatment caused a decrease in root hairs so as to be difficult in absorbing water and nutrient in root system. On the other hand, litter aqueous extracts significantly decreased chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate and leaf nitrogen concentration of Picea asperata seedlings; MDA, AOS and antioxidant system activities were significantly increased in Picea asperata seedlings. Similarly, plantation treatment had more significant effect on Picea asperata seedlings as compared to primitive forest treatment. In the nature ecosystem, water deficit resulted from elevating air temperature and litter aqueous extract may probably coexist in the cutting blank, forest gap and understory. Our present study showed that water deficit had weaker effects on low light seedlings in the understory as compared to high light seedlings in the cutting blank and forest gap. The fact was confirmed from seedlings growth, gas exchange and biomass accumulation, peroxidation and antioxidant systems. This might be due to that low light-reduced leaf and air temperatures, vapour-pressure deficit, and the oxidative stresses can aggravate the impact of drought under higher light. On the other hand, litter aqueous extracts in the low light had weaker effects on the Picea asperata seedlings than those at high light level, which might be correlative to the water evapotranspiration under high light. Moreover, plantation litter aqueous extracts showed stronger inhibition for seed germination and seedling growth than control and primitive forest treatments.