The characteristics of land cover and macroscopical ecology changes in the source region of three rivers in Qinghai-Tibet plateau during last 30 years

We obtained four phases of land cover spatial data sets by interpreting MSS images of middle and late 1970s and three phases of TM images of late 1980s, 2004 and 2008 based on field investigation in Three Rivers' Source Region. We analyzed the temporal and spatial characteristics of land cover and macro ecological changes in Three Rivers' Source Region in Qinghai-Tibet plateau since middle and late 1970s. Indicated by land cover condition index change rate and land cover change index, land cover and macroscopical ecological condition degenerated (7090 period Zc -0.63, LCCI -0.58)-obviously degenerated (9004 period, Zc -0.94, LCCI -1.76)-slightly meliorated (0408 period, Zc 0.06, LCCI 0.33). This course was jointly driven by climate change, grassland stocking pressure and implement of ecological construction project.

Particle-attached and free-living bacterial communities in a contrasting marine environment: Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong

Diversity of particle-attached and free-living marine bacteria in Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong, and its adjacent coastal and estuarial environments was investigated using DNA fingerprinting and clone library analysis. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of 16S rRNA genes showed that bacterial communities in three stations of Victoria Harbor were similar, but differed from those in adjacent coastal and estuarine stations. Particle-attached and free-living bacterial community composition differed in the Victoria Harbor area. DNA sequencing of 28 bands from DGGE gel showed Alphaproteobacteria was the most abundant group, followed by the Bacteroidetes, and other Proteobacteria. Bacterial species richness (number of DGGE bands) differed among stations and populations (particle-attached and free-living; bottom and surface). BIOENV analysis indicated that the concentrations of suspended solids were the major contributing parameter for the spatial variation of total bacterial community structure. Samples from representative stations were selected for clone library (548 clones) construction and their phylogenetic distributions were similar to those of sequences from DGGE. Approximately 80% of clones were affiliated to Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Cyanobacteria. The possible influences of dynamic pollution and hydrological conditions in the Victoria Harbor area on the particle-attached and free-living bacterial community structures were discussed.

Particle-attached and free-living bacterial communities in a contrasting marine environment: Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong

Diversity of particle-attached and free-living marine bacteria in Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong, and its adjacent coastal and estuarial environments was investigated using DNA fingerprinting and clone library analysis. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of 16S rRNA genes showed that bacterial communities in three stations of Victoria Harbor were similar, but differed from those in adjacent coastal and estuarine stations. Particle-attached and free-living bacterial community composition differed in the Victoria Harbor area. DNA sequencing of 28 bands from DGGE gel showed Alphaproteobacteria was the most abundant group, followed by the Bacteroidetes, and other Proteobacteria. Bacterial species richness (number of DGGE bands) differed among stations and populations (particle-attached and free-living; bottom and surface). BIOENV analysis indicated that the concentrations of suspended solids were the major contributing parameter for the spatial variation of total bacterial community structure. Samples from representative stations were selected for clone library (548 clones) construction and their phylogenetic distributions were similar to those of sequences from DGGE. Approximately 80% of clones were affiliated to Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Cyanobacteria. The possible influences of dynamic pollution and hydrological conditions in the Victoria Harbor area on the particle-attached and free-living bacterial community structures were discussed.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the Asian paddle crab Charybdis japonica (Crustacea: Decapoda: Portunidae): gene rearrangement of the marine brachyurans and phylogenetic considerations of the decapods

Given the commercial and ecological importance of the Asian paddle crab, Charybdis japonica, there is a clearly need for genetic and molecular research on this species. Here, we present the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of C. japonica, determined by the long-polymerase chain reaction and primer walking sequencing method. The entire genome is 15,738 bp in length, encoding a standard set of 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes, plus the putative control region, which is typical for metazoans. The total A+T content of the genome is 69.2%, lower than the other brachyuran crabs except for Callinectes sapidus. The gene order is identical to the published marine brachyurans and differs from the ancestral pancrustacean order by only the position of the tRNA (His) gene. Phylogenetic analyses using the concatenated nucleotide and amino acid sequences of 13 protein-coding genes strongly support the monophyly of Dendrobranchiata and Pleocyemata, which is consistent with the previous taxonomic classification. However, the systematic status of Charybdis within subfamily Thalamitinae of family Portunidae is not supported. C. japonica, as the first species of Charybdis with complete mitochondrial genome available, will provide important information on both genomics and molecular ecology of the group.

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.

Diet and feeding behavior of Rhinopithecus bieti at Xiaochangdu, Tibet: Adaptations to a marginal environment

The diet and feeding ecology of a wild subpopulation of black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) were studied at Xiaochangdu in Honglaxueshan Nature Reserve, Tibet. This region is climatologically harsher than any other inhabited by non-human primates. Black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys fed on 48 parts of 25 plant species, at least three species of lichens and seven species of invertebrates. The number of food items exploited varied markedly among seasons, with dietary diversity being greatest in spring and summer. In winter, black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys had to subsist on fallback foods such as dried grass and bark. Ubiquitous lichens formed a major dietary constituent throughout the year, contributing about 75% of feeding records. Even though lichens act as a staple, our findings signify that the monkeys at Xiaochangdu prefer feeding on foliage, which is higher in protein content than the former. We provide evidence that black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys are able to cope with an array of food items other than lichens and hence can be regarded as feeding generalists. We discuss the results with reference to previous studies on other subpopulations living in habitats that are floristically more diverse and offer more plant food items than the marginal habitat at Xiaochangdu.

Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellites in a sex-reversal fish, rice field eel (Monopterus albus)

The rice field eel (Monopterus albus) is a fish of economic importance in China and some Asian countries. From a (GT)(n)-enriched genomic library, 30 microsatellites were developed by employing the fast isolation by AFLP of sequences containing repeats (FIASCO) protocol. Thirteen loci exhibited polymorphism with two to 13 alleles (mean 7.9 alleles/locus) in a test population and observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.3125 to 0.9688 (mean 0.7140). These loci should provide sufficient level of genetic variation to study the fine-scale population structure and reproductive ecology of the species.

Genetic fingerprinting of plankton community provides new insights into aquatic ecology

Over the past two decades, molecular techniques have been widely used in ecological study and molecular ecology has been one of the most important branches of ecology. Meanwhile, genetic fingerprinting analyses have significantly enhanced our knowledge of the diversity and evolutionary relations of the planktonic organisms. Compared with conventional approaches in ecological study (e. g. morphological classification), genetic fingerprinting techniques are simpler and much more effective. This review provides an overview of the principles, advantages and limitations of the commonly used DNA fingerprinting techniques in plankton research. The aim of this overview is to assess where we have been, where we are now and what the future holds for solving aquatic ecological problems with molecular-level information.

Identification, cloning, and characterization of microsatellite DNA in Euglena gracilis

Microsatellite DNA has been developed into one of the most popular genetic markers. We have identified and cloned microsatellite loci in the genome of a free-living protozoan Euglena gracilis FACHB-848, using the random amplified microsatellites method (RAMS). The digoxigenin-labelled oligonucleotides(CT)(10) and (GT)(10) served as probes to detect complementary sequences in the randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprints produced by means of Southern blotting. Subsequently, positive RAPD fragments were cloned. From a total of 31 RAPD primer profiles, eight microsatellite loci of E. gracilis were detected and characterized. Further, six sites (i.e. EGMS1, EGMS3, EGMS4, EGMS5, EGMS6, and EGMS7) showed polymorphisms. We found a GT or CT microsatellite every 10.5 kb in the genome of E. gracilis, and similar to animal genomes, the (GT)(n) motif was much more abundant than the (CT)(n) motif. These polymorphic microsatellite DNA will serve as advantageous molecular markers for studying the genetic diversity and molecular ecology of Euglena.

Mixing process in estuaries

A theoretical expression for vertical profile-of horizontal velocity in terms of its depth-average is derived based on oscillatory boundary layer theory and estuarine flow characteristics. The derived theoretical profile is then incorporated into a vertical quasi-two-dimensional model, which is proved advantageous in more physical implications and less CPU time demand. To validate the proposed model, the calculated results are compared to the field data in the Yangtze River Estuary, exhibiting good agreement with observations. The proposed quasi-two-dimensional vertical model is used to study mixing process, especially dependence of salinity distribution and salt front strength on runoff and tides in estuaries.

Species richness in a riparian plant community along the banks of the Xiangxi River, the Three Gorges region

The distribution of vascular plant species richness along an altitudinal gradient and their relationships with environmental variables, including slope, aspect, bank (flooding) height, and river width of the Xiangxi River, Hubei Province, were examined. Total vascular plant species richness changed with elevation: it increased at lower elevations, reached a maximum in the midreaches and decreased thereafter. In particular, tree and herbaceous species richness were related to altitude. Correlation analysis (Kendall's tau) between species richness and environmental variables indicated that the change in species richness in the riparian zone was determined by riparian environmental factors and characteristics of regional vegetation distribution along the altitudinal gradient. The low species richness at lower elevations resulted from seasonal flooding and human activities - agriculture and fuel collection - and the higher. Species richness ill (he midreaches reflected transitional zones ill natural vegetation types that had had little disturbance. These results oil species distribution in the riparian community could he utilized as a reference for restoration efforts to improve water quality of the emerging reservoir resulting from the Three Gorges Hydroelectric Dam project.

复合农药胁迫下黑土土壤微生物生态过程及分子生态学研究

利用传统及分子微生物生态学研究方法，研究了在乙草胺、甲胺磷、铜离子及二元组合胁迫下，黑土中六种类群微生物数量，细菌种群多样性，微生物碳源代谢（BloLoGGN）功能多样性及特征、土壤脱氢酶活性（DHA）、底物诱导呼吸强度（SIR）等土壤微生物特性的生态过程及变化规律。结果表明：所有农药处理，均对细菌、放线菌及磷细菌产生明显急性毒性效应；对土壤自生固氮菌及硅酸盐细菌生长产生长期的慢性毒性效应；对土壤真菌产生强烈的刺激效应，使土壤真菌数量显著升高。由165 ONA-PCR-DGGE方法对土壤细菌研究结果显示，所有农药胁迫均使土壤细菌多样度降低、细菌种群结构受到严重影响；土壤微生物群落代谢功能多样性及指纹特征因农药种类，浓度及组合不同，受到不同程度影响，功能多样性降低，代谢指纹特征被改变：所有农药组合处理均使土壤DHA受到长期抑制，对土壤底物诱导呼吸强度无显著影响，但改变了土壤DHA和S工R的动态变化规律。野外农药长期作用使土壤SIR与对照无显著差异，土壤DHA明显降低，土壤细菌、磷细菌、固氮菌及硅酸盐细菌数量明显减少，土壤真菌数量显著升高。由农药及其组合处理与土壤微生物群落生长剂量一效应关系，证明：三种农药对土壤微生物群落生长随投加农药种类、浓度和组合不同起促进或抑制双重作用；组合使相应单因子农药毒性增强，表现出协同或加和毒性效应；从清洁土壤中筛选出一株乙草胺耐受菌产酸克雷伯氏菌（Klebbsirlla oxytoca），在固体平板培养基上能耐受300omg·L-1乙草胺。

Numerical investigation of particle velocity distributions in aeolian sand transport

Particle velocity distribution in a blowing sand cloud is a reflection of saltation movement of many particles. Numerical analysis is performed for particle velocity distribution with a discrete particle model. The probability distributions of resultant particle velocity in the impact-entrainment process, particle horizontal and vertical velocities at different heights and the vertical velocity of ascending particles are analyzed. The probability distributions of resultant impact and lift-off velocities of saltating particles can be expressed by a log-normal function, and that of impact angle comply with an exponential function. The probability distribution of particle horizontal and vertical velocities at different heights shows a typical single-peak pattern. In the lower part of saltation layer, the particle horizontal velocity distribution is positively skewed. Further analysis shows that the probability density function of the vertical velocity of ascending particles is similar to the right-hand part of a normal distribution function, and a general equation is acquired for the probability density function of non-dimensional vertical velocity of ascending particles which is independent of diameter of saltating particles, wind strength and height. These distributions in the present numerical analysis are consistent with reported experimental results. The present investigation is important for understanding the saltation state in wind-blown sand movement. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

不同小麦品质类型与生态环境关系的研究

小麦（Triticum aestivum L.）是世界上种植面积最大，总产量最高，食物加工种类最丰富的粮食作物，占世界人口35 ％－40 ％的人们以此为主要食物。因此小麦产量的高低和品质的优劣直接影响人们对食物需求的安全和满意程度，也影响着人类的营养平衡以及面粉和食品加工业的发展。随着生活水平的提高，人们对于小麦的品质越来越重视。培育优质专用小麦新品种，制定优质专用小麦品种品质生态区划，从而在不同程度上实现小麦的区域化种植和产业化经营具有重要的意义。 影响小麦品质的因素主要是遗传因素和环境因素，其中环境因素又包括各种自然生态因素和人为因素。研究表明，小麦品质的环境间的差异大于品种间的差异，气候条件是影响小麦品质的最重要的因子，小麦品质的地域间的差异反映出了小麦的品质区域分布规律。为了满足市场对不同品质小麦的需求，对小麦进行区域化研究具有重要的理论和现实意义。本研究结合四川的地理、气候特点，研究不同品质类型与生态环境的关系，为在复杂的生态环境内进行品质区划提供依据。 本研究首先根据四川省小麦种植区域的生态特点，在四川省多个典型生态区：川南丘陵的荣县、川西南高原的西昌、川西平原的双流布点种植，采用的小麦试验材料为不同品质类型：中筋小麦川育12、川育14、川育16由本所提供；弱筋小麦川麦32和强筋小麦川麦36由四川省农科院作物所提供。通过研究品质性状与品种及各个生态因子包括地点、土壤土质差异等的关系，明确不同生态环境中适宜种植的小麦品种类型，强筋小麦、中筋小麦更适合于在荣县、双流地区种植，弱筋小麦更适合于在西昌地区种植，为品种品质区划奠定基础。 其次，选择了本课题组育成的稳定中间品系，对其品质性状SDS沉降值进行了多年测定。分析了品质性状SDS沉降值与多种气候因子的相关性，结果表明SDS沉降值与日均温、日照时数成正相关，与降水量成负相关，为品质育种提供了理论依据。 此外，以中筋小麦新品种小麦川育14为材料，应用三元二次正交旋转回归模型设计试验，研究主要栽培因子播期、密度和施肥量对产量的影响，并建立函数模型。经计算机模拟寻优，筛选出了高产高效栽培组合措施，并确定了置信域。结合四川省不同的地理情况，在平原和丘陵地区分别进行实验，并各自建立了高产高效栽培组合措施，为川育14品种的推广提供了理论指导。 Wheat is one of the most important crops in the world. About 35%-40% people all over the world, take the wheat as their most important food. So the quality, as well as the quantity of the wheat makes a direct effect on people’s demands of food and their satisfaction. It also effects on human’s healthy, and the development of the Food processing industry. With the development of the living standard, people pay more attention to the quality of wheat. So, we set a special ecology zoning for wheat. It is significant to carry out planting the wheat in special zoning in varying degrees. The main factors affecting wheat quality are heredity and environment including many ecological factors and the factors in cultivation. As to the quality，the difference between ecology and cultivation is more important than the difference between special wheat. In so many factors, climate is the most important one. From the difference in quality between different zones，we can conclude the rule of distribution abort quality of wheat. Finding out the intersection of numerous wheat not only can meet the demand of food production，but also has important signification in theory and realism。In our research, according to the complex geography in Sichuan province, we study the relationship between numerous kinds of quality characters in wheat and the ecology. So, we can set a foundation for more research. In this research, firstly, we plant wheat in some typical ecological regions of SICHUAN province: RONGXIAN（south of SC）、XICHANG（south of SC）, SHUANGLIU(west of SC). The materials of the experiments: ChuanYu12, ChuanYu14, ChuanYu16(from our institute), Chuanmai32, Chuanmai36 (from the Chinese academy of agriculture sciences of Sichuan. Through the research on the relationship between the quality of wheat and those ecology factors, we can make a definition that which area is perfect matched with which kind of wheat. And it can satisfy the demand of people. Secondly, select many sorts of wheat from our research group. All of them are selected and bred more than 3 years(2003-2005). And we make every-year determination as well. We’ve gotten SDS value from those 9, and various data on factors of climate. We also got to know the relation ship between those numbers. Thirdly, use Chuanyu14 as material, the mathematical model of the relation between the production of wheat and main agricultural measures such as date, density and fertilizer. The model was established by association of three elements two return, rotate and regression. We set a suitable model and get a suitable method which can make high harvest. Based on various kinds of geographical regions in Sichuan province, we set different models which can be used in plain and hill. So, we can plant Chuan Yu 14 in Sichuan province under the result in research.