Room temperature efficient actively Q-switched Ho:YAP laser

We report on efficient actively Q-switched Ho: YAP laser double-pass pumped by a 1.91-mu m laser. At room temperature, when the incident pump power was 20.9 W, a maximum average output power of 10.9W at 2118 nm was obtained at the repetition rate of 10 kHz, and this corresponds to a conversion efficiency of 52.2% and a slope efficiency of 63.5%. Moreover, a maximum pulse energy of similar to 1.1 mJ and a minimum pulse width of 31 ns were achieved, with the peak power of 35.5 kW. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America

Judd-Oflet analysis of spectrum and laser performance of Ho:YAP crystal end-pumped by 1.91-mu m Tm:YLF laser

The Ho:YAP crystal is grown by the Czochralski technique. The room-temperature polarized absorption spectra of Ho:YAP crystal was measured on a c-cut sample with 1 at% holmium. According to the obtained Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters Omega(2) = 1.42 x 10(-20) cm(2), Omega(4) = 2.92 x 10(-20) cm(2), and Omega(6) = 1.71 x 10(-20) cm(2), this paper calculated the fluorescence lifetime to be 6 ms for I-5(7) -> I-5(8) transition, and the integrated emission cross section to be 2.24 x 10(-18) cm(2). It investigates the room-temperature Ho:YAP laser end-pumped by a 1.91-mu m Tm:YLF laser. The maximum output power was 4.1 W when the incident 1.91-mu m pump power was 14.4W. The slope efficiency is 40.8%, corresponding to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 28.4%. The Ho:YAP output wavelength was centred at 2118 nm with full width at half maximum of about 0.8 nm.

新疆天山中段北坡地区现代孢粉学研究

新疆中部地区位于西北内陆干旱一半干旱区，是欧亚大陆的地理中心，是中纬度内陆干旱区代表性区域，也是全球变化敏感区域之一，基本特点是气候干旱、水资源匮乏、植被稀少、荒漠广布，生态系统脆弱。在研究区域内，天山山脉海拔高度差异5 000 m左右，随海拔梯度下降依次出现高山冰雪带、高山亚高山草甸带、森林带、草原带、荒漠带、沙漠带等明显完整的植被垂直带，是开展现代孢粉学和植被变化研究的理想地点。本报告在立足于该区前人工作的基础上，从表土花粉、空气花粉和现代植被之间的关系入手开展现代孢粉学研究，探讨了花粉与植被的关系。 在研究区内，选择新疆阜康市和吉木萨尔县为研究地点，设计了一条从天山博格达峰附近雪线开始直至古尔班通古特沙漠长约100 km、宽约20 km的样带。沿样带，从高山座垫植被和草甸带开始，经过中海拔地带的云杉林，置到低海拔的荒漠，在山地海拔每下降20～100 m采集一个表土花粉样品，平原每间隔10～20 km采集一个表土花粉样品，同时做现代植被调查，共采集80个表土花粉样品和调查了86个现代植被样方;在天山乌鲁木齐河河源区的大西沟，从一号冰川前缘开始，沿山谷向下直到谷口，按海拔100 m间隔采集了14个表土样品，对表土花粉与植被之间的关系进行了探讨。为了弄清空气花粉传播、散布与气象因子和植被的关系，沿样带从高山到沙漠分别在天池气象站、中国科学院阜康荒漠生态系统定位研究站和北沙窝草炭试验地设置了三个风标式空气花粉收集器，从2001年7月至2002年7月连续收集空气花粉雨，收集了跨2个年度1周年的1 14个空气花粉样品，依据分析结果研究了空气花粉的传播和散布规律以及与表土花粉和植被之间的关系，这在新疆地区乃至全国尚属首次。 根据表土花粉分析结果和现代植被样方资料的分析以及天山中段主要植物种类沿海拔高度的分布特征，天山中段北坡垂直植被带谱为：高山座垫植被(>3 400 m)、高山亚高山草甸(3 400-2 700 m)、山地云杉林(2 700-1 720 m)、森林草原过渡带(1 720-1 300 m)、蒿类荒漠(1 300-700 m)和典型荒漠(<700 m)。表土花粉谱基本上反映了相同海拔高度的现代植被带，特别是在云杉林带，表土中雪岭云杉(Picea schrenkiana)花粉占优势;在蒿类荒漠植被带表土中蒿属（Artemisia）植物花粉非常丰富;在典型荒漠植被带的表土中藜科(Chenopodiaceae)植物花粉占绝对优势，因此可依据这些建群种植物花粉含量峰值的位置划分植物群落。 空气花粉样品分析结果表明：空气中花粉主要是现生植物当年生长产出的花粉，盛花期的花粉数量能较好地反映当地的植被状况。空气中的乔木植物花粉主要有云杉(Picea)，其次是柳属（Salix）;灌木草本植物花粉主要是藜科和蒿属，其次是菊科(Compositae)、禾本科(Gramineae)、柽柳科(Tamaricaceae)和麻黄属(Ephedra);空气中的花粉数量与植物的花期相对应，云杉等乔木植物盛花期在夏季5月末至7月初，灌木草本植物盛花期在夏秋季节。气温、降水、风速和风向等气象条件对空气中花粉数量有很大影响，其中风速和风向影响最大。从空气花粉和表土花粉的分析结果与现生植被对比，新疆中部地区的山谷上升气流是导致花粉“爬坡”现象的主要动力，在一定条件下，上升气流搬运花粉的数量和能力是十分可观的。 空气中的花粉是现生植物当年生长产出的花粉，表土中的花粉是多年花粉落地沉积的积累，植物盖度大，该植物的花粉在空气中和表土中数量相对就大。在新疆中部地区，空气花粉能反映当地和附近周边方圆约50 km的植被状况，其花粉组合特征与表土花粉和当地现生植被分布的对比研究，可以较好地寻找花粉与植被的关系。本研究报告的研究成果不仅为新疆地区的孢粉学研究增添新的内容，而且将有助于合理解释新疆地层中、尤其是第四纪以来的地层孢粉，较客观地恢复过去的植被景观，同时可为本地区的大气环境检测提供有重要价值的参考资料。

长白山自然保护区北坡森林结构、植物多样性与碳储量40余年的变化

长白山自然保护区始建于1960年，位于北坡的红松针阔叶混交林森林生态系统是我国东北地区典型温带地带性森林植被之一，面临着全球气候变化和人类干扰的双重影响。 本研究以间隔43年的野外调查数据为基础，对1963年和2006年的长白山自然保护区北坡海拔800~1700m的森林植物群落进行对比分析，得到该区域的森林结构、植物多样性与碳储量的变化特点，讨论森林动态变化与人类活动、气候变化的关系，评价长白山自然保护区的保护效果： 对长白山北坡森林沿海拔梯度的森林结构和植物多样性的分析表明：群落的整体空间格局保存完好，植物种类变化不大，乔木层的建群种的种类基本不变，植物多样性与海拔高度呈负相关关系;林下层植物多样性受小环境影响，与海拔高度无明显相关。 以红松（Pinus koraiensis）针阔混交林、红松针叶混交林和云冷杉暗针叶林三种类型为单元分别研究各森林类型的多样性变化：α多样测度选择物种丰富度、Shannon-Wiener和Pielou均匀度指数，较好体现了样地内发生的多样性变化，灌木层和草本层多样性明显下降，一些稀有种和药用物种消失，红松等原优势物种有衰退趋势，阔叶树比例增大;β多样性测度选取Cody指数，体现出海拔梯度上的植被空间格局细节变化，演替层特别是阔叶树的物种更替变化有向高海拔移动的趋势。 对森林生态系统各层次碳储量进行估算：乔木层和灌木层采用维量法，对灌木层自建生长回归方程;草本层、枯枝落叶层采取收获法;植物细根采取根钻法;土壤采取土壤深度加权法。碳密度估算结果都与前人研究结果相似。各类型植被碳库总碳密度都达到170 t/hm2，远远高于国内平均森林植被碳库密度值44.9 t/hm2。 乔木层43年来的碳储量变化都无显著性差异，但仍表现出：阔叶树种碳储量上升，特别在高海拔类型这种变化更加明显;针叶树种碳储量在暗针叶林内大幅下降;树干的碳库分配比例都有所减少，表明植被碳库正存在向不稳定性方向发展的趋势。针阔混交林和暗针叶林的土壤碳储量，与植被碳库出现相反的变化趋势，整体碳库保持在一个相对平衡的状态。 推测造成这种变化的原因是：禁止砍伐等保护措施的实施，基本保存了乔木层垂直分布格局，而气候变暖使阔叶树种比例大幅增加，采集松籽等人类生产及旅游活动对林下层植被影响破坏较大。提议加强保护区内管理力度和规划，以减缓长白山北坡森林群落的不稳定变化趋势。

Molecular and morphological analysis of endangered species Gymnodiptychus integrigymnatus (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

Gymnodiptychus integrigymnatus is a critically endangered species endemic to the Gaoligongshan Mountains. It was thought to be only distributed in several headwater-streams of the Longchuanjiang River (west slope of the Gaoligongshan Mountains, belonging to the Irrawaddy River drainage). In recent years, dozens of G. integrigymnatus specimens have been collected in some streams on the east slope of the Gaoligongshan Mountains (the Salween drainage). We performed a morphological and genetic analyses (based on cytochrome b and D-loop) of the newly discovered populations of G. integrigymnatus to determine whether the degree of separation of these populations warrants species status. Our analysis from the cytochrome b gene revealed that nine individuals from the Irrawaddy drainage area and seven individuals from the Salween drainage area each have only one unique haplotype. The genetic distance between the two haplotypes is 1.97%. Our phylogenetic analysis revealed that G. integrigymnatus is closely related to highly specialized schizothoracine fishes. Analysis from the mitochondrial control region revealed that G. integrigymnatus has relatively high genetic diversity (pi was 0.00891 and h was 0.8714), and individuals from different river drainages do not share the same haplotypes. The AMOVA results indicated 87.27% genetic variability between the Salween and Irrawaddy populations. Phylogenetic trees show two major geographic groups corresponding to the river systems. We recommend that G. integrigymnatus should be considered as a high priority for protected species status in the Gaoligongshan Mountains National Nature Reserve, and that the area of the Gaoligongshan Mountains National Nature Reserve should be expanded to cover the entire distribution of G. integrigymnatus. Populations of G. integrigymnatus from different river systems should be treated as evolutionarily significant units.

SEXUAL-BEHAVIOR OF TIBETAN MACAQUES AT MT EMEI, CHINA

Data on sexual behavior were collected in six groups of semi-commensal Macaca thibetana along the trail on the slope habitat between 1987 and 1989. Ignoring the common items such as mounting, presenting etc., 20 categories of sexual behavior were described. Most of the descriptions were likely to have enlarged the behavior repertoire reported in macaques, showing a great complexity of sociosexual interactions under the principally natural condition. A great diversity of grouping appeared in the mating season. The copulatory pattern was found to be the serial type contrary to previous speculation, and the mount-to-ejaculation ratio was higher in the central subgroup, as compared with the far-peripheral adult subgroup (FAS) with less male and female rivals. An age-class subdivision of sexually active males made it possible to show that the young adult male immigrants were the most active class in sexual activity. Subgrouping form FAS was a ''space-segregation'' tactic of mating for the losers of both sexes in the competition. Some parameters of copulation were also documented.

Sleeping sites of Rhinopithecus bieti at Mt. Fuhe, Yunnan

Data on sleeping site selection were collected for a group of black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti; around 80) at Mt. Fuhe, Yunnan, China (99degrees20'E, 26degrees25'N, about 3,000 m asl) from November 2000 to January 2002. At the site mainly three vegetation types were present in an elevation-ascending order: deciduous broad leaf forest, mixed coniferous and broad leaf forest, and dark coniferous forest. In addition, bamboo forest presented in areas burned in 1958. Sleeping sites (n = 10) were located in the coniferous forest, where trees were the tallest, bottommost branches were the highest, the diameter of crowns was the second largest, and the gradient of the ground was the steepest. Monkeys usually kept quiet during entering and staying at a sleeping site. The site choice and the quietness may be tactics to avoid potential predators. In the coniferous forest, however, monkeys did not sleep in the valley bottom where trees were the largest, but frequently slept in the middle of the slope towards the east/southeast, in the shadow of ridges in three other directions, to avoid strong wind and to access sunshine; in winter-spring, they ranged in a more southern and lower area than in summer-autumn. These may be behavioral strategies to minimize energy stress in the cold habitat. Monkeys often slept in the same sleeping site on consecutive nights, which reflected a reduced pressure of predation probably due to either the effectiveness of anti-predation through sleeping site selection, or the population decline of predators with increasing human activities in the habitat. The group's behavioral responses to interactive and sometimes conflicting traits of the habitat are site-specific and conform to expectations for a temperate zone primate.

FACTORS INFLUENCING CHLOROPHYLL A CONCENTRATION IN THE YANGTZE-CONNECTED LAKES

To determine the environmental factors influencing C, phytoplankton chlorophyll a (Ch1 a), field investigations 4 were conducted in three river-connected lakes (Dongting Lake, Poyang Lake and Shijiu Lake) of the Yangtze floodplain in 2004. Results showed that the average Chi a concentration in these lakes ranged from 2.98 to 3.65 mg m(-3). The major factors influencing Chl a in lentic and lotic regions were total phosphorus (TP) and water velocity (U), respectively. Multiple relationships including total nitrogen (log(10)TN) and water depth (log(10)Z) were established. Further analyses found that the absolute Chi a and slope of log(10)Chl a=f (log(10)TP) in the river-connected lakes were obviously lower than those in the river-isolated lakes. This suggests the river-lake connectivity can significantly modify relationship between TP and chlorophyll a concentration.

Sorption, degradation and mobility of microcystins in Chinese agriculture soils: Risk assessment for groundwater protection

In the present paper, sorption, persistence, and leaching behavior of three microcystin variants in Chinese agriculture soils were examined. Based on this study, the values of capacity factor and slope for three MCs variants in three soils ranged from 0.69 to 6.00, and 1.01 to 1.54, respectively. The adsorption of MCs in the soils decreased in the following order: RR > Dha(7) LR > LR. Furthermore, for each MC variant in the three soils, the adsorption rate in the soils decreased in the following order: soil A > soil C > soil B. The calculated half-time ranged between 7.9 and 17.8 days for MC-RR, 6.0-17.1 days for MC-LR, and 7.1-10.2 days for MC-Dha(7) LR. Results from leaching experiments demonstrated that recoveries of toxins in leachates ranged from 0-16.7% for RR, 73.2-88.9% for LR, and 8.9-73.1% for Dha 7 LR. The GUS value ranged from 1.48 to 2.06 for RR, 1.82-2.88 for LR, and 1.76-2.09 for Dha(7) LR. Results demonstrated the use of cyanobacterial collections as plant fertilizer is likely to be unsafe in soils. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.