Assessing soil erosion rates on manually-tilled hillslopes in the Sichuan Hilly Basin using Cs-137 and Pb-210(ex) measurements

IEECAS SKLLQG

Surface erosion of GaN bombarded by highly charged Pb-208(q+)-Ions

Surface change of gallium nitride specimens after bombardment by highly charged Pbq+-ions (q = 25, 35) at room temperature is studied by means of atomic force microscopy. The experimental results reveal that the surface of GaN specimens is significantly etched and erased. An unambiguous step-up is observed. The erosion depth not only strongly depends on the charge state of ions, but also is related to the incident angle of Pbq+-ions and the ion dose. The erosion depth of the specimens in 60 incidence (tilted incidence) is significantly deeper than that of the normal incidence. The erosion behaviour of specimens has little dependence on the kinetic energy of ion (E-k = 360, 700 keV). On the other hand, surface roughness of the irradiated area is obviously decreased due to erosion compared with the un-irradiated area. A fiat terrace is formed.

Modeling of Hillslope Runoff and Soil Erosion at Rainfall Events Using Cellular Automata Approach

National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of China [40225004]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [40471048]

Estimation of wind erosion rates by using Cs-137 tracing technique: A case study in Tariat-Xilin Gol transect, Mongolian Plateau

Wind erosion is one of the major environmental problems in semi-arid and arid regions. Here we established the Tariat-Xilin Gol transect from northwest to southeast across the Mongolian Plateau, and selected seven sampling sites along the transect. We then estimated the soil wind erosion rates by using the Cs-137 tracing technique and examined their spatial dynamics. Our results showed that the Cs-137 inventories of sampling sites ranged from 265.63 +/- 44.91 to 1279.54 +/- 166.53 Bq.m(-2), and the wind erosion rates varied from 64.58 to 419.63 t.km(-2).a(-1) accordingly. In the Mongolia section of the transect (from Tariat to Sainshand), the wind erosion rate increased gradually with vegetation type and climatic regimes; the wind erosion process was controlled by physical factors such as annual precipitation and vegetation coverage, etc., and the impact of human activities was negligible. While in the China section of the transect (Inner Mongolia), the wind erosion rates of Xilin Hot and Zhengxiangbai Banner were thrice as much as those of Bayannur of Mongolia, although these three sites were all dominated by typical steppe. Besides the physical factors, higher population density and livestock carrying level should be responsible for the higher wind erosion rates in these two regions of Inner Mongolia.

Using the RBFN model and GIS technique to assess wind erosion hazard of inner Mongolia, China

Soil wind erosion is the primary process and the main driving force for land desertification and sand-dust storms in and and semi-arid areas of Northern China. While many researchers have studied this issue, this study quantified the various indicators of soil wind erosion, using the GIS technology to extract the spatial data and to construct a RBFN (Radial Basis Function Network) model for Inner Mongolia. By calibrating sample data of the different levels of wind erosion hazard, the model parameters were established, and then the assessment of wind erosion hazard. Results show that in the southern parts of Inner Mongolia wind erosion hazards are very severe, counties in the middle regions of Inner Mongolia vary from moderate to severe, and in eastern are slight. Comparison of the results with other research shows conformity with actual conditions, proving the reasonability and applicability of the RBFN model. Copyright (C) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Distribution characteristics of (CS)-C-137 in wind-eroded soil profile and its use in estimating wind erosion modulus

Due to its inert reaction in soil system and distinctive vertical distribution in soil profile, caesium-137 (Cs-137) has been used as a tracer to assess wind erosion. In this study, 62 soil samples were collected from 4 sampling sites in Taipusi County, Inner Mongolia; Caesium-137 activities for those soil samples were measured using a gamma-ray spectrometry in Sichuan University, Chengdu. Distribution pattern of Cs-137 in vertical soil profile was different for different land use and land cover types. Caesium-137 was distributed homogeneously in plow layer of cropland, and negatively exponential in low to medium cover grassland. Distribution pattern in high covered grassland was represented by a peak at 2-4 cm soil depth followed by a negative exponential curve. Based on those findings, simplified mass balance model was chosen to estimate the rate of wind erosion for cropland, while profile distribution model was used for grassland. Estimated wind erosion rates were 7990, 4270 and 1808 Mg(.)km(-2.)a(-1) for cropland, low cover grassland and medium cover grassland, respectively. Wind erosion intensity correlated negatively with plant cover.

Modelling raindrop impact and splash erosion processes within a spatial cell: a stochastic approach

A new approach is proposed to simulate splash erosion on local soil surfaces. Without the effect of wind and other raindrops, the impact of free-falling raindrops was considered as an independent event from the stochastic viewpoint. The erosivity of a single raindrop depending on its kinetic energy was computed by an empirical relationship in which the kinetic energy was expressed as a power function of the equivalent diameter of the raindrop. An empirical linear function combining the kinetic energy and soil shear strength was used to estimate the impacted amount of soil particles by a single raindrop. Considering an ideal local soil surface with size of I m x I m, the expected number of received free-failing raindrops with different diameters per unit time was described by the combination of the raindrop size distribution function and the terminal velocity of raindrops. The total splash amount was seen as the sum of the impact amount by all raindrops in the rainfall event. The total splash amount per unit time was subdivided into three different components, including net splash amount, single impact amount and re-detachment amount. The re-detachment amount was obtained by a spatial geometric probability derived using the Poisson function in which overlapped impacted areas were considered. The net splash amount was defined as the mass of soil particles collected outside the splash dish. It was estimated by another spatial geometric probability in which the average splashed distance related to the median grain size of soil and effects of other impacted soil particles and other free-falling raindrops were considered. Splash experiments in artificial rainfall were carried out to validate the availability and accuracy of the model. Our simulated results suggested that the net splash amount and re-detachment amount were small parts of the total splash amount. Their proportions were 0.15% and 2.6%, respectively. The comparison of simulated data with measured data showed that this model could be applied to simulate the soil-splash process successfully and needed information of the rainfall intensity and original soil properties including initial bulk intensity, water content, median grain size and some empirical constants related to the soil surface shear strength, the raindrop size distribution function and the average splashed distance. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

QTL Mapping for Frond Length and Width in Laminaria japonica Aresch (Laminarales, Phaeophyta) Using AFLP and SSR Markers

In Laminaria japonica Aresch breeding practice, two quantitative traits, frond length (FL) and frond width (FW), are the most important phenotypic selection index. In order to increase the breeding efficiency by integrating phenotypic selection and marker-assisted selection, the first set of QTL controlling the two traits were determined in F-2 family using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Two prominent L. japonicas inbred lines, one with "broad and thin blade" characteristics and another with "long and narrow blade" characteristics, were applied in the hybridization to yield the F-2 mapping population with 92 individuals. A total of 287 AFLP markers and 11 SSR markers were used to construct a L. japonica genetic map. The yielded map was consisted of 28 linkage groups (LG) named LG1 to LG28, spanning 1,811.1 cM with an average interval of 6.7 cM and covering the 82.8% of the estimated genome 2,186.7 cM. While three genome-wide significant QTL were detected on LG1 (two QTL) and LG4 for "FL," explaining in total 42.36% of the phenotypic variance, two QTL were identified on LG3 and LG5 for the trait "FW," accounting for the total of 36.39% of the phenotypic variance. The gene action of these QTL was additive and partially dominant. The yielded linkage map and the detected QTL can provide a tool for further genetic analysis of two traits and be potential for maker-assisted selection in L. japonica breeding.

Extreme weathering/erosion during the Miocene Climatic Optimum: Evidence from sediment record in the South China Sea

Investigating the interplay between continental weathering and erosion, climate, and atmospheric CO2 concentrations is significant in understanding the mechanisms that force the Cenozoic global cooling and predicting the future climatic and environmental response to increasing temperature and CO2 levels. The Miocene represents an ideal test case as it encompasses two distinct extreme climate periods, the Miocene Climatic Optimum (MCO) with the warmest time since 35 Ma in Earth's history and the transition to the Late Cenozoic icehouse mode with the establishment of the east Antarctic ice sheet. However the precise role of continental weathering during this period of major climate change is poorly understood. Here we show changes in the rates of Miocene continental chemical weathering and physical erosion, which we tracked using the chemical index of alteration ( CIA) and mass accumulation rate ( MAR) respectively from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1146 and 1148 in the South China Sea. We found significantly increased CIA values and terrigenous MARs during the MCO (ca. 17-15 Ma) compared to earlier and later periods suggests extreme continental weathering and erosion at that time. Similar high rates were revealed in the early-middle Miocene of Asia, the European Alps, and offshore Angola. This suggests that rapid sedimentation during the MCO was a global erosion event triggered by climate rather than regional tectonic activity. The close coherence of our records with high temperature, strong precipitation, increased burial of organic carbon and elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration during the MCO argues for long-term, close coupling between continental silicate weathering, erosion, climate and atmospheric CO2 during the Miocene. Citation: Wan, S., W. M. Kurschner, P. D. Clift, A. Li, and T. Li (2009), Extreme weathering/ erosion during the Miocene Climatic Optimum: Evidence from sediment record in the South China Sea, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L19706, doi: 10.1029/2009GL040279.

海湾扇贝遗传图谱构建及壳色基因、生长相关QTL的定位研究

本研究利用AFLP和微卫星标记，以海湾扇贝杂交F1为作图群体，构建了海湾扇贝的遗传连锁图谱，并对壳色决定基因和与生长性状相关的QTL进行了定位。 共用55对AFLP引物组合对亲本和88个子代个体进行扩增，共得到了2424个位点，多态性位点为392个，占所有标记的16.17％。其中，母本标记121个，父本标记196个，共有标记75个。经卡方检验，共有331个标记（84.4%）符合孟德尔分离比，61个标记（15.6％）出现偏分离现象。偏分离标记中，36个（59％）为纯合子缺失。从35对微卫星引物中筛选出了10对多态性引物，得到了5个母本标记和6个父本标记。另外，将表现为质量性状的壳色标记作为形态标记一同进行连锁图谱构建。 分别利用母本和父本标记构建了海湾扇贝雌性和雄性连锁图谱。其中，共有包括109个AFLP标记、5个微卫星标记和1个壳色标记组成了雌性图谱的框架图，分布于16个连锁群。图谱总长度为338.8cM，平均间隔为5.29cM，图谱覆盖率为65.82％。雄性连锁图谱框架图共定位了186个标记，包括181个AFLP标记、5个微卫星标记，壳色标记未实现定位。图谱包括17个连锁群，总长度为780.3cM，平均间隔为6.56cM，图谱覆盖率为78.11％。通过SSR12位点的定位结果，可以将雌性图谱第7连锁群与雄性图谱17连锁群对应起来。 壳色标记定位在了雌性图谱第九连锁群上，说明橙色基因位点为杂合。我们将壳色基因命名为Orange1，两个标记——F1f335和D8f420与这一基因之间图距为0。在家系和群体中初步验证，这两个标记与壳色基因紧密或完全连锁。 共定位了16个与生长相关的QTL，它们分布于雌性图谱的2、3、5连锁群和雄性图谱的4、5、6、7、8连锁群上。每个QTL均发现了与其图距非常接近的分子标记（0.01-2.51％）。其中壳长、壳高、壳宽三个长度指标QTL成簇分布或部分重叠，可一同作为选择性指标，壳重和全湿重QTL位点也比较相近。只有软体部重位点单独分布，可能具有相对独立的遗传基础。

凡纳滨对虾分子标记筛选、连锁图谱构建和QTL定位

利用AFLP和微卫星标记，以凡纳滨对虾F1全同胞家系为作图群体，构建了凡纳滨对虾的雌性和雄性遗传连锁图谱并对生长相关性状体长和体重进行了QTL分析。利用经过筛选的108对AFLP引物组合，对亲本和94个子代个体进行了分离分析。共得到2041个多态AFLP标记（1:1分离）。平均每个引物组合产生20个多态片段。有826个AFLP标记偏离孟德尔遗传（40.5%, P<0.05）。所筛选的100个微卫星标记中有30个在家系中有作图信息，分别有24个和20个位点可以用于母本和父本的作图。对父母本β-1，3-葡聚糖结合蛋白(BGBP)，脂多糖和葡聚糖结合蛋白(LGBP)和蜕皮抑制激素（MIH）等基因片段进行序列分析得到一些可用于构建连锁图谱的SNP标记。 对所有的分离标记进行了连锁分析，分别绘制了凡纳滨对虾的雌性和雄性连锁图谱。雌性连锁图谱的框架图有319个遗传标记组成，分布于45个连锁群，其中AFLP标记300个，微卫星位点18个，性别标记一个，连锁群长度从29.5cM到260.0cM, 每个连锁群含4－16个标记。图谱长度为4134.4 cM, 各连锁群平均图距在7.6到25.9 cM之间，总平均图距为15.1 cM。有267个标记（含14个微卫星）整合到雄性框架图上。 雄性框架图也含45个连锁群，长度从14.2cM到161.1cM, 图谱长度为3220.9 cM, 各连锁群平均图距在4.1到25.5 cM之间，总平均图距为14.5 cM。 作图群体所有个体的性别均作为标记整合到雌雄分离信息中，在94个F1个体中，54个为雌虾，40个是雄虾。在雌性图谱第29连连锁群上，性别与三个微卫星标记紧密连锁（v1f148, v145f120, v95f166）, 图距分别为6.6, 8.6 和8.6cM, 相应LOD值分别为17.8 14.3 和 16.4。 与雌性图相对应的是，雄性图谱未发现任何与性别连锁的标记。推测凡纳滨对虾的性别决定机制可能是ZW型，其中雌性为异配性别。 体长和体重均显示出连续变异的特点，显示这些与生长相关的性状都是典型的数量性状或多基因遗传。体重和体长符合正态分布且两性状之间存在着显著的相关性（P<0.001），Pearson 相关系数为0.95。在凡纳滨对虾雌性图谱和雄性图谱上，共定位了6个与体长和体重等生长性状相关的QTL，可解释的表型变异从15.1％到21.3％。共检测到3个与体长相关的QTL，包括两个正向效应的QTL和一个负向的QTL，分别定位到雌性的第6连锁群和雄性的第4和11 连锁群上。体重也检测到3个QTL，其中一个QTL加性效应是正向的，分别位于雌性的第6和7连锁群及雄性的第11连锁群上。QTL主要集中在雌性图谱的Fc6和Fc7及雄性图的Mc4和Mc11上。体长和体重的QTL定位结果中各有两个是十分相似的，其相邻的标记位点完全一样，只是相应的LOD值略有差异，还各存在两性状特异的一个QTL。大多QTL与相邻标记之间的距离只有0.1cM(仅Wfc7的距离较大)，为进一步的精细定位奠定了基础。 分子标记筛选、遗传图谱的构建及生长相关性状的QTL定位为我们下一步从事分子标记辅助选择育种,QTL精细定位和比较基因作图打下基础，并最终推动凡纳滨对虾的遗传改良。

Genetic mapping of size-related quantitative trait loci (QTL) in the bay scallop (Argopecten irradians) using AFLP and microsatellite markers

We constructed genetic linkage maps for the bay scallop Argopecten irradians using AFLP and microsatellite markers and conducted composite interval mapping (CIM) of body-size-related traits. Three hundred seventeen AFLP and 10 microsatellite markers were used for map construction. The female parent map contained 120 markers in 15 linkage groups, spanning 479.6 cM with an average interval of 7.0 cM. The male parent map had 190 markers in 17 linkage groups, covering 883.8 cM at 7.2 cM per marker. The observed coverage was 70.4% for the female and 81.1% for the male map. Markers that were distorted toward the same direction were closely linked to each other on the genetic maps, suggesting the presence of genes important for survival. Six size-related traits, shell length, shell height, shell width, total weight, soft tissue weight, and shell weight, were measured for QTL mapping. The size data were significantly correlated with each other. We subjected the data, log transformed firstly, to a principle component analysis and use the first principle component for QTL mapping. CIM analysis revealed one significant QTL (LOD=2.69, 1000 permutation, P<0.05) in linkage group 3 on the female parent map. The mapping of size-related QTL in this study raises the possibility of improving the growth of bay scallops through marker-assisted selection. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.