A study of low-energy ion induced radiolysis of thiol-containing amino acid cysteine in the solid and aqueous solution states

The radiolysis of cysteine under plasma discharge and irradiation of low-energy Ion beam was investigated. The damage of cysteine in aqueous solution under discharge was assessed via the acid ninhydrin reagent and the yield of cystine produced from the reaction was analyzed by FTIR In addition, the generation of hydrogen sulfide was also identified The destruction of solid cysteine under low-energy ion beam irradiation was estimated via monitoring IR bands of different functional groups (-SH, -NH3, -COO-) of cysteine. and the production of cystine from ion-irradiated solid cysteine after dissolution in water was also verified These results may help us to understand the inactivation of sulphydryl enzymes under direct and indirect interaction with the low-energy ion irradiation (C) 2010 Elsevier B V All rights reserved.

Immune condition of Chlamys farreri in response to acute temperature challenge

The effects of acute temperature challenge on some immune parameters of haemocyte in Zhikong scallop, Chlamys farreri, recognised as a temperature sensitive bivalve species, were evaluated over a short period of time. Scallops were suddenly transferred from 17 degrees C to 11 degrees C, 23 degrees C and 28 degrees C for a period of 72 h. Total haemocyte count (THC), percentage of phagocytic haemocytes, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, acid phosphatase (ACP) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities (in both haemocyte lysate and cell-free haemolymph) were chosen as biomarkers of temperature stress. Results demonstrated that the percentage of phagocytic haemocytes and ACP activity in cell-free haemolymph of scallops challenged at 28 degrees C for 72 h significantly decreased. By contrast, reactive oxygen species production by haemocytes increased when compared to the initial values. It is concluded that haemocyte activities of C. farreri appear to be compromised when scallops were transferred from 17 degrees C to 28 degrees C. Meanwhile, no obvious negative effect of acute temperature stress was detected on haemocyte activities of C. farreri challenged at 11 degrees C, which highlighted the high tolerance of scallops to acute decrease of seawater temperatures. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Production of active oxygen species from Taxus cuspidata induced by far-UV radiation

In order to understand the role of active oxygen species in mediating plant injuries induced by far-UV radiation, seedlings of Taxus cuspidata Sieb. et Zucc. were irradiated by far-UV rays in laboratory for 4 weeks. The production of organic free-radicals in detached needles, and the production of O-2(radical anion) and O-1(2) in isolated chloroplasts were detected weekly by electron spin resonance (ESR) to evaluate their relative importance. The results show that the cumulative effect of far-UV irradiation, is best indicated by the production of organic free radicals in the needles, O-2(radical anion) production in chloroplasts is the next. The enhancement of O-1(2) production in chloroplasts by the cumulative far-UV irradiation seems to be not so important as O-2(radical anion) in mediating injuries induced by, far-UV radiation because of its high background value.

Hydrogen-rich gas production from biomass air and oxygen/steam gasification in a downdraft gasifier

Biomass gasification is an important method to obtain renewable hydrogen, However, this technology still stagnates in a laboratory scale because of its high-energy consumption. In order to get maximum hydrogen yield and decrease energy consumption, this study applies a self-heated downdraft gasifier as the reactor and uses char as the catalyst to study the characteristics of hydrogen production from biomass gasification. Air and oxygen/steam are utilized as the gasifying agents. The experimental results indicate that compared to biomass air gasification, biomass oxygen/steam gasification improves hydrogen yield depending on the volume of downdraft gasifier, and also nearly doubles the heating value of fuel gas. The maximum lower heating value of fuel gas reaches 11.11 MJ/ N m(3) for biomass oxygen/steam gasification. Over the ranges of operating conditions examined, the maximum hydrogen yield reaches 45.16 g H-2/kg biomass. For biomass oxygen/steam gasification, the content of H-2 and CO reaches 63.27-72.56%, while the content Of H2 and CO gets to 52.19-63.31% for biomass air gasification. The ratio of H-2/CO for biomass oxygen/steam gasification reaches 0.70-0.90, which is lower than that of biomass air gasification, 1.06-1.27. The experimental and comparison results prove that biomass oxygen/steam gasification in a downdraft gasifier is an effective, relatively low energy consumption technology for hydrogen-rich gas production.

Y-Ba-Cu-O mixed oxides for production of diphenols in liquid-solid phase

Superconductor mixed oxides were often used as catalysts at higher temperature in gas phase oxidations, and considered not suitable for lower temperature reactions in the liquid-solid phase; here the catalysis of YBa2Cu3O7+/-x and Y2BaCuO5+/-x in the phenol hydroxylation at lower temperature with H2O2 as oxygen donor was studied, and found that the superconductor YBa2Cu3O7+/-x, has no catalytic activity for phenol hydroxylation, but Y2BaCuO5+/-x does, even has better catalytic activity and stability than most previously reported ones. With the studies of catalysis of other simple metal oxides and perovskite-like mixed oxides, a radical substitution mechanism is proposed and the experimental facts are explained clearly, and draw a conclusion that the perovskite-like mixed oxides with (AO)(ABO(3)) and (AO)2(ABO(3)) structure have better catalytic activity than the simple perovskite oxides with (ABO(3))(3) structure alone, and (AO) structure unit is the key for the mixed oxides to have the phenol hydroxylation activity. No pollution of this process is very important for its further industrial application.

Syngas production using an oxygen-permeating membrane reactor with cofeed of methane and carbon dioxide

CH4-CO2-O-2 reforming to syngas in a never Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3.delta oxygen-permeable membrane reactor using LiLaNiO/gamma-Al2O3 as catalyst was successfully reported. Excellent reaction performance was achieved with around 92% methane conversion efficiency, 95% CO2 conversion rate, and nearly 8.5mL/min.cm(2) oxygen permeation flux. In contrast to the oxygen permeation model with the presence of large concentration of CO2 (under such condition the oxygen permeation flux deteriorates with time), the oxygen permeation flux is really stable under the CH4CO2-O-2 reforming condition.

Frog skins keep redox homeostasis by antioxidant peptides with rapid radical scavenging ability

The question of how amphibians can protect themselves from reactive oxygen species when exposed to the sun in an oxygen-rich atmosphere is important and interesting, not only from an evolutionary viewpoint, but also as a primer for researchers interested in mammalian skin biology, in which such peptide systems for antioxidant defense are not well studied. The identification of an antioxidant peptide named antioxidin-RL from frog (Odorrana livida) skin in this report supports the idea that a peptide antioxidant system may be a widespread antioxidant strategy among amphibian skins. Its ability to eliminate most of the 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical tested within 2 s, which is much faster than the commercial antioxidant factor butylated hydroxytoluene, suggests that it has a potentially large impact on redox homeostasis in amphibian skins. Cys10 is proven to be responsible for its rapid radical scavenging function and tyrosines take part in the binding of antioxidin-RL to radicals according to our nuclear magnetic resonance assay. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A study on the economic efficiency of hydrogen production from biomass residues in China

As part of Pilot Project of KIP of CAS, a feasibility study of hydrogen production system using biomass residues is conducted. This study is based on a process of oxygen-rich air gasification of biomass in a downdraft gasifier plus CO-shift. The capacity of this system is 6.4 t biomass/d. Applying this system, it is expected that an annual production of 480 billion N m(3) H-2 will be generated for domestic supply in China. The capital cost of the plant used in this study is 1328$/(N m(3)/h) H-2 out, and product supply cost is 0.15$/N m(3) H-2. The cost sensitivity analysis on this system tells that electricity and catalyst cost are the two most important factors to influence hydrogen production cost.

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.

青藏高原东缘几种树苗对增强紫外线-B和氮供应的响应

大气臭氧的损耗导致了地球表面具有生物学效应的紫外线-B(UV-B)辐射增强。同时，大气成分变化中除了UV-B辐射增强外，氮沉降是一个新近出现而又令人担忧的环境问题，其来源和分布正在迅速扩展到全球范围，并不断向陆地和水生生态系统沉降。本试验在四川省境内的中国科学院茂县生态站内进行，以云山、冷杉、色木槭和红椋子幼苗为模式植物，从生长形态、光合作用、抗氧化能力和矿质营养等方面研究了青藏高原东缘4种树苗对全球变化－增强UV-B辐射和氮供应(氮沉降)的响应。该试验为室外盆栽试验，包括四个处理：(1)大气UV-B辐射+无额外的氮供应(C)；(2)大气UV-B辐射+额外的氮供应(N)；(3)增强UV-B辐射+无额外的氮供应(UV-B)；(4)增强UV-B辐射+额外的氮供应(UV-B+N)。其目的：一方面有助于丰富我国对全球变化及区域响应研究的全面认识，进一步完善在全球气候变化条件下臭氧层削减和氮沉降对陆地生态系统影响的内容；另一方面，在一定程度上有助于我们更好的理解在全球变化下森林更新的早期过程。具体结果如下： 增强的UV-B辐射在生长形态、光合、抗氧化能力、活性氧和矿质营养方面对4种幼苗都有显著的影响。UV-B辐射增强对幼苗的影响不仅与物种有关，而且，还与氮营养水平相关。总体表现为，高的UV-B辐射导致了色木槭和红椋子幼苗叶片的皱缩和卷曲，并降低了色木槭幼苗的叶片数和叶重，在额外的氮供应下，云杉、冷杉和红椋子的叶重也显著地降低了；色木槭和红椋子幼苗叶片的解剖结构受到了增强的UV-B辐射的影响，增强的UV-B辐射显著地降低了色木槭叶片的栅栏组织厚度，提高了红椋子叶片的厚度；增强的UV-B辐射显著地降低了4种幼苗的单株总生物量、植物地下部分的生长、总叶绿素含量 [Chl (a + b)]、净光合速率和最大量子产量(Fv/Fm)，提高了4种幼苗叶片的膜脂过氧化(MDA含量)，改变了植物体不同器官中的矿质元素含量；增强的UV-B辐射提高了冷杉、色木槭和红椋子叶片中的过氧化氢含量(H2O2)、超氧负离子(O2-)生成速率，在额外的氮供应下，云杉叶片中的活性氧含量也显著地提高了；在无额外的氮供应条件下，增强的UV-B辐射显著地提高了4种幼苗叶片中的UV-B吸收物质、脯氨酸含量和抗氧化酶的活性(SOD、POD、CAT、GR和APX)。在额外的氮供应条件下，UV-B辐射的增强却显著地降低了冷杉叶片中脯氨酸含量和红椋子叶片中UV-B吸收物质含量，但是，在4种幼苗叶片中，5种抗氧化酶的活性对UV-B辐射的增强没有明显的规律性，增强的UV-B辐射显著地提高了云杉叶片中的POD、SOD和GR的活性，提高了冷杉叶片中的POD和GR活性，提高了色木槭叶片中的POD、SOD和CAT活性和红椋子幼苗叶片中的POD和SOD活性。从这些结果可知，植物在遭受高的UV-B辐射导致的过氧化胁迫时，植物体内形成了一定的保护机制，但是，这种保护不能抵抗高的UV-B辐射对植物的伤害。 额外的氮供应在生长形态、光合、抗氧化能力、活性氧和矿质营养方面对4种幼苗都有一定的影响，不同幼苗对额外的氮供应响应不同，并且受到UV-B辐射水平的影响。在当地现有的UV-B辐射水平下，额外的氮供应显著地提高了幼苗的单株总生物量、植物地下部分的生长、Chl (a + b)、净光合速率(红椋子除外)、UV-B吸收物质(冷杉除外)、脯氨酸含量(红椋子除外)和部分抗氧化酶的活性，降低了H2O2的含量、O2-的生成速率和MDA含量(红椋子除外)，改变了植物体内部分矿质元素含量，显著地提高了云杉和冷杉叶片中的Fv/Fm。这些指标总体表明，在当地现有大气UV-B辐射水平下，额外的氮供应对植物的生长和发育是有利的。在增强的UV-B辐射水平下，4种幼苗的生长形态和光合大部分指标都没有受到额外氮供应的影响，额外的氮供应提高了红椋子幼苗的单株总生物量和Chl (a + b)含量，提高了冷杉和色木槭叶片中的活性氧含量和MDA含量，却降低了红椋子叶片中的活性氧含量；额外的氮供应也提高了云杉、色木槭和红椋子叶片中UV-B吸收物质和脯氨酸含量，降低了冷杉叶片中UV-B吸收物质和脯氨酸含量；在抗氧化酶活性方面，额外的氮供应降低了云杉、冷杉叶片中5种抗氧化酶的活性和红椋子叶片中POD和GR的活性，提高了色木槭叶片中的POD和SOD的活性；4种幼苗植物体内的矿质元素含量对额外的氮供应没有显著的规律性。从这些结果可知，在高的UV-B辐射下，额外的氮供应提高了云杉、冷杉和色木槭幼苗对高的UV-B辐射的敏感性，然而，额外的氮供应却促进了红椋子幼苗的生长，原因可能是，在高的UV-B辐射下，额外的氮供应增加了红椋子叶片的厚度、叶重和叶片数，降低了叶片中活性氧含量的结果。表明在高的UV-B辐射水平下，额外的氮供应降低了红椋子幼苗对高的UV-B辐射的敏感性。 在全球变化的趋势下，UV-B辐射增强和氮沉降可能同时存在，我们的研究表明，与大气UV-B辐射+无额外的氮供应处理相比，增强UV-B辐射+额外的氮供应处理显著地降低了幼苗的单株总生物量(红椋子除外)、Chl (a + b)、净光合速率、Fv/Fm(冷杉除外)和MDA含量(红椋子除外)，提高了活性氧含量 (云杉除外)、UV-B紫外吸收物质含量(冷杉除外)、脯氨酸含量和部分抗氧化酶的活性，改变了植物体不同器官中的矿质元素含量。结果表明，在当地现有条件下，全球变化(UV-B辐射增强和氮沉降)对云杉、冷杉和色木槭幼苗的生长是不利，尽管植物体内一些抗氧化性指标提高了，然而，却对红椋子幼苗的单株总生物量的累积没有显著的影响。 The depletion of the ozone led to the increase of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) with biological effects in the earth’s surface. At the same time, except for enhanced UV-B radiation, nitrogen deposition was an anxious environmental problem at present, rapidly expanding to the global scope and continuously depositing to land and aquatic ecosystem. The experiment was conducted in Maoxian Ecological Station of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sichuan province, China. Picea asperata, Abies faxoniana, Acer mono Maxim and Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings were selected as model plants to assess the effects of enhanced UV-B radiation and supplemental nitrogen supply on growth, morphological, photosynthesis, antioxidant and mineral nutrient traits of 4 species seedlings in east Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The experiment was potted outdoor, including 4 treatments: (1) ambient UV-B without supplemental nitrogen (control, C); (2) ambient UV-B with supplemental nitrogen (N); (3) enhanced UV-B without supplemental nitrogen (UV-B); (4) enhanced UV-B with supplemental nitrogen (UV-B+N). One hand, it was helpful for enriching our country to comprehensive understanding of the researches in the global change and the region response, further perfecting the effects of the depleted ozone layer and nitrogen deposition on land ecosystem under the global change; the other hand, it was favorable for us to better understanding of the early process of forest renews under the global change. The results were as follows: Enhanced UV-B radiation had significant effects on 4 species seedlings in growth, morphological, photosynthesis, antioxidant and mineral nutrient traits of 4 species seedlings. The effects of enhanced UV-B on plants were not only related with species, but also related with nitrogen nutrient level. Generally, the increase of UV-B radiation led to the shrinkage and curl of leaves in Acer mono Maxim and Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings, and reduced the number of leaf and leaf weight of Acer mono Maxim seedlings, under supplemental nitrogen supply, leaf weight of Picea asperata, Abies faxoniana and Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings significantly also reduced; the anatomical features of leaf in Acer mono Maxim and Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings affected by enhanced UV-B radiation, the increase of UV-B radiation markedly reduced the palisade tissue thickness of Acer mono Maxim leaf and enhanced the leaf thickness of Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings; the enhanced UV-B radiation significantly reduced total biomass per plant of 4 species seedlings, the growth of the underground parts, Chl (a + b), net photosynthetic rate and maximum potential quantum yield of photosynthesis (Fv/Fm), and increased the degree of lipid peroxidation (MDA content) and changed the content of mineral elements in different parts of plants; the enhanced UV-B radiation also increased the rate of superoxide radical (O2-) production and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content in leaves of Abies faxoniana, Acer mono Maxim, Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings, under supplemental nitrogen supply, the reactive oxygen species in leaves of Picea asperata seedlings also significantly increased by enhanced UV-B radiation; under without supplemental nitrogen supply, enhanced UV-B radiation evidently induced an increase in UV-B absorbing compounds, proline content and the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT, GR and APX) of leaves in 4 species seedlings. Under supplemental nitrogen supply, enhanced UV-B radiation induced a decrease in proline content of leaves in Abies faxoniana seedlings and UV-B absorbing compounds of leaves in Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings, but, there were no obvious rules in the activities of five antioxidant enzymes of 4 species seedling leaves to enhanced UV-B radiation, enhanced UV-B radiation significantly increased the activities of POD, SOD and GR in Picea asperata leaves, the activities of POD and GR in Abies faxoniana leaves and the activities of POD, SOD and CAT in Acer mono Maxim leaves. The results indicated that some protective mechanism was formed when plants were exposed to enhanced UV-B radiation, but the protection could not counteract the harm of high UV-B radiation on plants. Supplemental nitrogen supply had some effects on 4 species seedlings in growth, morphological, photosynthesis, antioxidant and mineral nutrient traits. The response of 4 species seedlings was different to supplemental nitrogen supply, and was affected by UV-B levels. Under local ambient UV-B radiation, supplemental nitrogen supply significantly increased the total biomass per plant, the growth of underground parts, Chl (a + b), net photosynthetic rate (except for Acer mono Maxim seedlings), UV-B absorbing compounds (except for Abies faxoniana seedlings), proline content (except for Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings) and the activities of some antioxidant enzymes, and reduced H2O2 content, the rate of O2- production and MDA content (except for Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings) and changed the content of mineral elemental in different parts; supplemental nitrogen supply also evidently increased Fv/Fm in Picea asperata and Abies faxoniana seedlings. These results indicated that supplemental nitrogen supply was favorable for the growth of plants under local ambient UV-B radiation. Under enhanced UV-B radiation, mostly parameters in growth and morphology of 4 species seedlings were not affected by supplemental nitrogen supply. Supplemental nitrogen supply increased the total biomass per plant and Chl (a + b) of Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedling, increased the reactive oxygen species and MDA content in Abies faxoniana and Acer mono Maxim leaves, and reduced the reactive oxygen species in Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak leaves; supplemental nitrogen supply also increased UV-B absorbing compounds and proline content in Picea asperata, Acer mono Maxim and Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak leaves, decreased UV-B absorbing compounds and proline content in Abies faxoniana leaves; in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, supplemental nitrogen supply significantly reduced the activities of antioxidant enzymes in Picea asperata and Abies faxoniana leaves and the activities of POD and GR in Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak leaves, and increased the activities of POD and SOD in Acer mono Maxim leaves; the content of mineral elements in 4 species seedlings was no significantly rule to supplemental nitrogen supply. We knew from the results, under enhanced UV-B radiation, supplemental nitrogen supply made Picea asperata, Acer faxoniana and Acer mono Maxim seedlings more sensitivity to enhanced UV-B radiation, however, accelerated the growth of Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings. The reason was probably that supplemental nitrogen supply increased the leaf thickness, leaf weight and leaf number, reduced the reactive oxygen content of leaf in Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings grown under high UV-B radiation. This showed that supplemental nitrogen supply reduced the sensitivity of Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings to high UV-B radiation. Under the tendency of the global change, enhanced UV-B radiation and nitrogen deposition may probably coexist. The results showed, compared with the treatment of ambient UV-B radiation without supplemental nitrogen supply, the treatment of enhanced UV-B radiation with supplemental nitrogen supply significantly reduced the total biomass per plants (except for Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings), Chl (a + b), net photosynthetic rate, Fv/Fm and MDA content (except for Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings), and increased reactive oxygen content (except for Picea asperata seedlings), UV-B absorbing compounds (except for Abies faxoniana seedlings), proline content and part antioxidant enzymes, and changed the content of mineral elements of different parts. The results indicated that the global change (enhanced UV-B and nitrogen deposition) were not favorable for the growth of plants under local ambient UV-B radiation and nitrogen nutrient level,, though increased some antioxidant indexes, however, the treatment of enhanced UV-B with supplement nitrogen supply did not significantly affect on the biomass accumulation of Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings.

The comparative estimation of phytoplanktonic, microphytobenthic and macrophytobenthic primary production in the oceans

The contributions of the planktonic unicellular algae [phytoplankton), the benthic unicellular algae [microphytobenthos) and the benthic multicellular algae (macrophytobenthos) to the primary production of the world ocean are evaluated, together with the respective limitations regarding data, concepts and methods. The use of “free-water” methods (e.g. in situ oxygen or CO2 budgets) is recommended in complement to the more specific measurements on enclosed organisms. For phytoplankton, a previous estimate of 30 . lo9 t C y-’ is retained as a minimal estimate. Earlier estimates of the world benthic production have been based on indirect calculations; revised estimates are suggested here which still lack precision but rely on the actual measurements available at present. Primary production of the micro- and macrobenthic algae amount to 50 and 375 g C m-? y-’ respectively as averages for the whole photic layer they can colonize, and total 2.9 . 10‘ t C y-’ for the world ocean. Thus, benthic algae contribute some 10% of the total marine primary production. On the continental shelf alone, the contributions of benthic and planktonib algae are commensurate and nearly equivalent.

Stress Resistance and Disease Resistance in Seaweeds:The Role of Reactive Oxygen Metabolism

It has become clear that the last 15-20 years that the immediate effect of a wide range of environmental stresses,and of infection,on vascular plants is to increase the information of reactive oxygen species(ROS) and to impose oxidative stress on the cells.Since 1994,sufficient examples similar responses in a broad range of marine macroalgae have been decribed to show that reactive oxygen metabolism also underlies the mechanisms by which seaweeds respond(and become resistant) to stress and infection.Desiccation,freezing,low temperatures,high light,ultraviolet radiation,and heavy metals all tend to result in a gradual and continued buildup of ROS because photosynthesis is inhibited and excess energy results in the formation of singlet oxygen.The response to other stresses (infection or oligosaccharides which signal that infection is occurring,mechanical stress,hyperosmotic shock) is quite different-a more rapid and intence,but short-lived production of ROS ,discribed as an "oxidative burst"-which is attributed to activation of NADPHoxidases in the plasma membrane.Seaweed species that are able to survive such stresses or resist infection have the capacity to remove the ROS through a high cellular content of antioxidant compounds,or a high activity of antioxidant enzymes.