资源异质性环境中植物克隆生长的描述与模拟

植物克隆生长型主要由遗传结构决定，不同的克隆植物具有不同的克隆生长型，同时植物的克隆生长型又依具体生境和个体发育阶段不同而变化。Harper认为植物构件的结构由分枝角度、节间长度和芽的成活率决定。大量的研究表明克隆植物生长型主要由3个形态参数决定：节间长度、分枝角度和分枝强度。 植物的生境条件无论在时间还是空间上都是异质性的，即使在很小的尺度上这种异质性也是存在的。在这种具有异质性的生境条件下几乎所有植物都有表型可塑性。植物的表型可塑性是指植物在不同的环境因子条件下，在形态、生物量、生理等方面产生的一系列不同。表现型可塑性是植物种群克服环境异质性的重要途径，也是克隆植物实现觅养行为的途径。克隆植物的觅养行为是通过根茎或匍匐茎的长度和分枝强度的变化以及生物量的分配来实现其迁移和对生境的选择，从而将分株安置在各种微环境中。 克隆植物构型的可塑性可使它在土壤水分斑块性分布的环境中通过克隆生长，调整对不同斑块的土壤水分获取对策。在一田间实验中，匍匐茎草本蛇莓（Duchesnea indica Focke）经历了不同土壤水分水平（土壤最大含水量的40%、60%、80%、100%等）处理，以研究土壤水分对蛇莓克隆构型的影响。结果表明：间隔子长度、分株密度、分枝角度和分枝强度呈二次曲线变化，土壤含水为最大含水量的80%为最适生境。 克隆植物构型的可塑性可使它在养分斑块性分布的环境中通过克隆生长调整相应于对不同斑块的养分获取对策。在一田间实验中，蛇莓经历了不同土壤养分水平（高、中、低和对照）处理，以研究土壤养分对蛇莓克隆构型的影响。结果表明：随着土壤养分水平的增加，间隔子的长度、分枝角度均逐渐降低，分枝强度和分株密度增加。 克隆植物构型的可塑性可使它在不同光强的环境中通过克隆生长，调整其对不同光强的资源获取对策。在控制性光资源异质性生境（模拟浓密林荫、稀疏林荫、农田间套作、裸地等）下，研究和模拟了光资源的时空异质性和蛇莓的克隆可塑性变化。结果表明：随着光照强度的增加，间隔子长度的长度逐渐降低，分枝角度、分株强度呈二次曲线变化。 克隆植物构型的可塑性可使它在不同海拔的环境中通过克隆生长，调整其对不同海拔的资源获取对策。在一海拔高度实验中，匍匐茎草本蛇莓经历了不同海拔(400 m、800 m、1200 m和1600 m)处理，以研究不同海拔对蛇莓克隆构型的影响。结果表明：随着海拔的增加，间隔子长度、分株密度、分枝角度和分枝强度呈二次曲线变化。 从克隆植物生长环境（小气候）定量分析了克隆植物生长必需资源如水分、养分、光强、海拔等的变化特性。具体描述和分析了异质环境尺度的大小和等级数。在前人研究成果的基础上，验证了克隆植物生长必需资源分布异质性的数学模型并建立相应的运算模块。在不同水分、养分、光强和海拔等异质性生境中，蛇莓克隆构型相关特征的可塑性变化可用动态Logistic模型进行模拟和预测，拟合效果较好。结合植物对环境异质性的利用对策，对所揭示的蛇莓克隆构型可塑性进行了讨论。 用分形技术描述了蛇莓在资源斑块性分布的生境中，通过克隆生长调整相应于对不同斑块的资源获取对策。植物克隆构型的形态特征在一定尺度范围内具有自相似特征。蛇莓克隆构型的分形维数直接反映了在异质性生境中蛇莓克隆生长的差异。蛇莓克隆生长越发达分形维数越高。相对小的分形维数，反映出蛇莓克隆生长相对较弱。基于计算机图像技术和分形理论，建立了植物克隆生长分形度量的计算机模型，实现了对植物克隆生长过程的计算机模拟。模拟的蛇莓克隆生长形态与实际生长不仅具有相近的分形维数，而且形态也非常相似。利用克隆生长模型的预测能力克服实验生态学难以逾越的某些研究盲点，其研究成果将对克隆植物利用资源异质性的生态对策研究具有重要的指导意义。

Variation in Reproductive Traits between Populations of Neosalanx taihuensis above and below the Three-Gorges Dam

Reproductive characteristics of the spring spawning stock of Neosalanx taihuensis varied significantly between the populations in the Three-Gorges Reservoir (TGR) and in the Tian-e-zhou Oxbow (TEO, below the dam). Larger body size, higher condition, higher fecundity, and larger oocyte diameter of the spawning stock in the TGR indicated faster individual growth and higher reproductive investment of the TGR population than the TEO population. With higher population abundance associated with higher reproductive investment of N. taihuensis in the TGR than in the TEO population, we suggest that reproductive investment is an important factor regulating resource fluctuation of N. taihuensis populations.

Two spawning stocks of icefish Neosalanx taihuensis revealed from annual reproductive cycle analyses

Neosalanx taihuensis were sampled from the Tian-e-zhou Oxbow from March 2006 through November 2007. Two separate spawning seasons were identified based on the annual reproductive cycles of the females, designated as the autumn-spawning season and the spring-spawning season. Lifespan of the offspring of the spring-spawning fish was 1 year, with them dying after the subsequent spring spawning. Autumn-spawned females seem to be the offspring of the spring-spawning fish, based on monthly changes in the length-frequency distributions. Spring-mature females had higher absolute fecundity, gonadosomatic index, and relative condition factor in 2007 than in 2006. Relative condition factor of the immature female offspring of spring-spawning fish was higher in 2007 than in 2006, portending a further increase in reproductive investment during the spring spawning of 2008. The increasing reproductive investment suggests that the population of N. taihuensis in the Tian-e-zhou Oxbow may be recovering from its recent decline.

Validation of a method of estimating age, modelling growth, and describing the age composition of Coilia mystus from the Yangtze Estuary, China

A collection of 577 Coilia mystus was made during April 2006 and 2007 from China's Yangtze Estuary to estimate the age structure and growth patterns of the population. Examination of sectioned sagittal otoliths revealed a periodic straight/curved growth pattern. The straight zone was from April to November, and the curved zone from October to May, indicating annual periodicity. Annual periodicity was also verified by margin zone analysis. The shift from a curved-zone to the next straight-zone stanza was defined as an annulus. The fish from which the otoliths were taken were 0-5 years old. The von Bertalanffy growth function was fitted to standard length (LS)-at-age data as L-S = 215.16 (1 - e(-0.53(t+0.30))) (n = 577, r(2) = 0.81, p < 0.05). The mature females included five age classes, ages 1 and 2 accounting for 74.3% of the population. The mature males included fish aged 1 and 2, those at age 1 accounting for 86.4% of the population. Mean length was smaller, and annual growth less, for mature males than for females of comparable age. The study demonstrated that the Yangtze population of C. mystus consists of more age classes than previously thought and that the age structure of the population needs to be considered in management decisions.

Density Gradient Ultracentrifugation of Nanotubes: Interplay of Bundling and Surfactants Encapsulation

Density gradient ultracentrifugation (DGU) has emerged as a promising tool to prepare chirality enriched nanotube samples. Here, we assess the performance of different surfactants for DGU. Bile salts (e.g., sodium cholate (SC), sodium deoxycholate (SDC), and sodium taurodeoxycholate (TDC)) are more effective in individualizing Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes (SWNTs) compared to linear chain surfactants (e.g., sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) and sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS)) and better suited for DGU. Using SC, a narrower diameter distribution (0.69-0.81 nm) is achieved through a single DGU step on CoMoCAT tubes, when compared to SDC and TDC (0.69-0.89 nm). No selectivity is obtained using SDBS. due to its ineffectiveness in debundling. We assign the reduce selectivity of dihydroxy bile salts (S DC and TDC) in comparison with trihydroxy SC to the formation of secondary micelles. This is determined by the number and position of hydroxyl ( OH) groups on the a-side of the steroid backbone. We also enrich CoMoCAT SWNT in the 0.84-0.92 nm range using the Pluronic F98 triblock copolymer. Mixtures of bile salts (SC) and linear chain surfactants (SOS) are used to enrich metallic and semiconducting laser-ablation grown SWNTs. We demonstrate enrichment of a single chirality, (6,5), combining diameter and metallic versus semiconductillg separation on CoMoCAT samples.

Building capacity for integrated coastal management in developing countries

The need for building human and institutional capacity has been identified in Agenda 21 of the UNCED conference as well as by a number of international environmental institutions as essential for integrated coastal management (ICM) and sustainable development in developing coastal states. There is a growing need for coastal management practitioners and organizations with expertise in planning and implementation for ICM. The application of strategies for institutional development and building human capacity in coastal management and other fields shows that short-term intensive training efforts and long-term institutional strengthening programs are appropriate to address the issues and needs of ICM. An overview of the experience of the URI/USAID International Coastal Resources Management Program in Sri Lanka, Thailand and Ecuador presents lessons learned for strengthening ICM efforts in developing countries.

Sensitisation identification of stainless steel to intergranular stress corrosion cracking by atomic force microscopy

A new technique was developed for characterisation of stainless steel to intergramilar stress corrosion cracking by atomic force microscopy. The technique proved to be effective in sensitisation identification of AISI 304 stainless steel and might be promising in sensitisation identification of other stainless steels. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.