A Profound Role for the Expansion of Trypsin-Like Serine Protease Family in the Evolution of Hematophagy in Mosquito

The trypsin-like serine protease (Tryp_SPc) family is ubiquitous in animals and plays diverse roles, especially in the digestive system, in different phyla. In the mosquito, some Tryp_SPc proteases make important contributions to the digestion of the bloo

The profound effects of microcystin on cardiac antioxidant enzymes, mitochondrial function and cardiac toxicity in rat

Deaths from microcystin toxication have widely been attributed to hypovolemic shock due to hepatic interstitial hemorrhage, while some recent studies suggest that cardiogenic complication is also involved. So far, information on cardiotoxic effects of MC has been rare and the underlying mechanism is still puzzling. The present study examined toxic effects of microcystins on heart muscle of rats intravenously injected with extracted MC at two doses, 0.16LD(50) (14 mu g MC-LReq kg(-1) body weight) and 1LD(50) (87 mu g MC-LReq kg(-1) body weight). In the dead rats, both TTC staining and maximum elevations of troponin I levels confirmed myocardial infarction after MC exposure, besides a serious interstitial hemorrhage in liver. In the 1LD(50) dose group, the coincident falls in heart rate and blood pressure were related to mitochondria dysfunction in heart, while increases in creatine kinase and troponin I levels indicated cardiac cell injury. The corresponding pathological alterations were mainly characterized as loss of adherence between cardiac myocytes and swollen or ruptured mitochondria at the ultrastructural level. MC administration at a dose of 1LD(50) not only enhanced activities and up-regulated mRNA transcription levels of antioxidant enzymes, but also increased GSH content. At both doses, level of lipid peroxides increased obviously, suggesting serious oxidative stress in mitochondria. Simultaneously. complex I and III were significantly inhibited, indicating blocks in electron flow along the mitochondrial respiratory chain in heart. In conclusion, the findings of this study implicate a role for MC-induced cardiotoxicity as a potential factor that should be considered when evaluating the mechanisms of death associated with microcystin intoxication in Brazil. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Observation and modeling for terrestrial processes in alpine meadow

The water-heat transfer process between land and atmosphere in Haibei alpine meadow area has been systematically observed. A multi-layer coupling model for land-atmosphere interaction was presented with special attention paid to the moisture transfer in leaf stomata under unsaturated condition. A profound investigation on the physical process of turbulent transfer inside the vegetation has been performed with a revised formula of water absorption for root system. The present model facilitates the study of vertically distributed physical variables in detail. Numerical simulation was conducted according to the transfer process of Kinesia humility meadow in the area of Haibei Alpine Meadow Ecosystem Station, CAS. The calculated results agree well with observation.

Game Vertebrate Densities in Hunted and Nonhunted Forest Sites in Manu National Park, Peru

Manu National Park of southern Peru is one of the most renowned protected areas in the world, yet large-bodied vertebrate surveys conducted to date have been restricted to Cocha Cashu Biological Station, a research station covering <0.06 percent of the 1.7Mha park. Manu Park is occupied by >460 settled Matsigenka Amerindians, 300-400 isolated Matsigenka, and several, little-known groups of isolated hunter-gatherers, yet the impact of these native Amazonians on game vertebrate populations within the park remains poorly understood. On the basis of 1495 km of standardized line-transect censuses, we present density and biomass estimates for 23 mammal, bird, and reptile species for seven lowland and upland forest sites in Manu Park, including Cocha Cashu. We compare these estimates between hunted and nonhunted sites within Manu Park, and with other Neotropical forest sites. Manu Park safeguards some of the most species-rich and highest biomass assemblages of arboreal and terrestrial mammals ever recorded in Neotropical forests, most likely because of its direct Andean influence and high levels of soil fertility. Relative to Barro Colorado Island, seed predators and arboreal folivores in Manu are rare, and generalist frugivores specializing on mature fruit pulp are abundant. The impact of such a qualitative shift in the vertebrate community on the dynamics of plant regeneration, and therefore, on our understanding of tropical plant ecology, must be profound. Despite a number of external threats, Manu Park continues to serve as a baseline against which other Neotropical forests can be gauged.

Effects of unconditioned and conditioned aversive stimuli in an intense fear conditioning paradigm on synaptic plasticity in the hippocampal CA1 area in vivo

Repeated vivid recalls or flashbacks of traumatic memories and memory deficits are the cardinal features of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The underlying mechanisms are not fully understood yet. Here, we examined the effects of very strong fear conditioning (20 pairings of a light with a 1.5-mA, 0.5-s foot shock) and subsequent reexposure to the conditioning context (chamber A), a similar context (chamber B), and/or to the fear conditioned stimulus (CS) (a light) on synaptic plasticity in the hippocampal CA1 area in anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats. The conditioning procedure resulted in very strong conditioned fear, as reflected by high levels of persistent freezing, to both the contexts and to the CS, 24 h after fear conditioning. The induction of long-term potentiation ON was blocked immediately after fear conditioning. It was still markedly impaired 24 h after fear conditioning; reexposure to the conditioning chamber A (CA) or to a similar chamber 13 (CB) did not affect the impairment. However, presentation of the CS in the CA exacerbated the impairment of LTP, whereas the CS presentation in a CB ameliorated the impairment so that LTP induction did not differ from that of control groups. The induction of long-term depression (LTD) was facilitated immediately, but not 24 h, after fear conditioning. Only reexposure to the CS in the CA, but not reexposure to either chamber A or B alone, or the CS in chamber B, 24 h after conditioning, reinstated the facilitation of LTD induction. These data demonstrate that unconditioned and conditioned aversive stimuli in an intense fear conditioning paradigm can have profound effects on hippocampal synaptic plasticity, which may aid to understand the mechanisms underlying impairments of hippocampus-dependent memory by stress or in PTSD. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Deletion of yeast CWP genes enhances cell permeability to genotoxic agents

We have previously reported the development of a novel genotoxic testing system based on the transcriptional response of the yeast RNR3-lacZ reporter gene to DNA damage. This system appears to be more sensitive than other similar tests in microorganisms, and is comparable with the Ames test. In an effort to further enhance detection sensitivity, we examined the effects of altering major cell wall components on cell permeability and subsequent RNR3-lacZ sensitivity to genotoxic agents. Although inactivation of single CWP genes encoding cell wall mannoproteins had little effect, the simultaneous inactivation of both CWP1 and CWP2 had profound effects on the cell wall structure and permeability. Consequently, the RNR3-lacZ detection sensitivity is markedly enhanced, especially to high molecular weight compounds such as 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide (> sevenfold) and phleomycin (> 13-fold). In contrast, deletion of genes encoding representative membrane components or membrane transporters had minor effects on cell permeability. We conclude that the yeast cell wall mannoproteins constitute the major barrier to environmental genotoxic agents and that their removal will significantly enhance the sensitivity of RNR-lacZ as well as other yeast-based genotoxic tests.

Land-cover changes in an urban lake watershed in a mega-city, Central China

Urbanization can exert a profound influence on land covers and landscape characteristics. In this study, we characterize the impact of urbanization on land cover and lacustrine landscape and their consequences in a large urban lake watershed, Donghu Lake watershed (the largest urban lake in China), Central China, by using Landsat TM satellite images of three periods of 1987, 1993 and 1999 and ground-based information. We grouped the land covers into six categories: water body, vegetable land, forested land, shrub-grass land, open area and urban land, and calculated patch-related landscape indices to analyze the effects of urbanization on landscape features. We overlaid the land cover maps of the three periods to track the land cover change processes. The results indicated that urban land continuously expanded from 9.1% of the total watershed area in 1987, to 19.4% in 1993, and to 29.6% in 1999. The vegetable land increased from 7.0% in 1987, 11.9% in 1993, to 13.9% in 1999 to sustain the demands of vegetable for increased urban population. Concurrently, continuous reduction of other land cover types occurred between 1987 and 1999: water body decreased from 30.4% to 23.8%, and forested land from 33.6% to 24.3%. We found that the expansion of urban land has at least in part caused a decrease in relatively wild habitats, such as urban forest and lake water area. These alterations had resulted in significant negative environmental consequences, including decline of lakes, deterioration of water and air quality, and loss of biodiversity.

Effects of CO2 concentrations on the freshwater microalgae, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Scenedesmus obliquus (Chlorophyta)

In order to investigate the possible impacts of increased atmospheric CO2 levels on algal growth and photosynthesis, the influence of CO2 concentration was tested on three planktonic algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Chlorella pyrenoidosa, and Scenedesmus obliquus). Increased CO2 concentration enhanced significantly the growth rate of all three species. Specific growth rates reached maximal values at 30, 100, and 60 muM CO2 in C. reinhardtii, C pyrenoidosa, and S. obliquus, respectively. Such significant enhancement of growth rate with enriched CO2 was also confirmed at different levels of inorganic N and P, being more profound at limiting levels of N in C pyrenoidosa and P in S. obliquus. The maximal rates of net photosynthesis, photosynthetic efficiency and light-saturating point increased significantly (p<0.05) in high-CO2-grown cells. Elevation of the CO2 levels in cultures enhanced the photoinhibition of C. reinhardtii, but reduced that of C pyrenoidosa and S. obliquus when exposed to high photon flux density. The photo-inhibited cells recovered to some extent (from 71% to 99%) when placed under dim light or in darkness, with better recovery in high-CO2-grown C. pyrenoidosa and S. obliquus. Although pH and pCO(2) effects cannot be distinguished from this study, it can be concluded that increased CO2 concentrations with decreased pH could affect the growth rate and photosynthetic physiology of C. reinhardtii, C. pyrenoidosa, and S. obliquus.

The next-generation sequencing technology: A technology review and future perspective

As one of the most powerful tools in biomedical research, DNA sequencing not only has been improving its productivity in an exponential growth rate but also been evolving into a new layout of technological territories toward engineering and physical disciplines over the past three decades. In this technical review, we look into technical characteristics of the next-gen sequencers and provide prospective insights into their future development and applications. We envisage that some of the emerging platforms are capable of supporting the $1000 genome and $100 genome goals if given a few years for technical maturation. We also suggest that scientists from China should play an active role in this campaign that will have profound impact on both scientific research and societal healthcare systems.

Magnetic quantum oscillations for the surface states of topological insulator Bi2Se3

We study quantum oscillations of the magnetization in Bi2Se3 (111) surface system in the presence of a perpendicular magnetic field. The combined spin-chiral Dirac cone and Landau quantization produce profound effects on the magnetization properties that are fundamentally different from those in the conventional semiconductor two-dimensional electron gas. In particular, we show that the oscillating center in the magnetization chooses to pick up positive or negative values depending on whether the zero-mode Landau level is occupied or empty. An intuitive analysis of these features is given and the subsequent effects on the magnetic susceptibility and Hall conductance are also discussed.

Energy Levels of Hydrogenic Impurities in InAs Quantum Ring

The distribution of energy levels of the ground state and the low-lying excited states of hydrogenic impurities in InAs quantum ring was investigated by applying the effective mass approximation and the perturbation method. In 2D polar coordinates, the exact solution to the Schrodinger equation was used to calculate the perturbation integral in a parabolic confinement potential. The numerical results show that the energy levels of electron are sensitively dependent on the radius of the quantum ring and a minimum exists on account of the parabolic confinement potential. With decreasing the radius, the energy spacing between energy levels increases. The degenerate energy levels of the first excited state for hydrogenic impurities are not relieved, and when the degenerate energy levels are split and the energy spacing will increase with the increase in the radius. The energy spacing between energy levels of electron is also sensitively dependent on the angular frequency and will increase with the increases in it. The degenerate energy levels of the first excited state are not relieved. The degenerate energy levels of the second excited state are relieved partially. The change in angular frequency will have a profound effect upon the calculation of the energy levels of the ground state and the low-lying excited states of hydrogenic impurities in InAs quantum ring. The conclusions of this paper will provide important guidance to investigating the optical transitions and spectral structures in quantum ring.

黄河中游地区年径流对土地利用变化时空响应分析

以黄河中游河龙区间为研究区,以水土流失综合治理及生态环境建设导致的土地利用/覆被变化为背景,采用非参数统计法,基于区内38个水文站20世纪50年代至2000年水文数据,分析流域年径流对土地利用/覆被变化响应的时空变异特征,估算影响因素贡献率。结果表明:其中29条流域年径流量呈显著减少趋势,变率为0.17~2.61 mm/a;28条流域年径流量具有显著跃变时间,无定河流域各水文站跃变时间多在1970—1973年间,其余则多为1978—1985年,最晚为1994年;在5%、50%和95%的发生频率上,跃变前后时段年径流量减少幅度以30%~60%普遍,最大分别为73.2%、63.5%和69.7%;河龙区间整体呈显著减少趋势,变率为0.79 mm/a,跃变时间发生在1979年,3个频率上的减少幅度分别为46.5%、42.4%和24.1%。估算的11条流域中有9条土地利用/覆被变化等人类活动对流域径流减少影响程度超过50%。水土保持措施面积的增加,尤其淤地坝等水利水保工程措施的持续修建,对区域地表径流变化具有明显影响。

花椒主效化感物质分离鉴定及化感作用研究

近年来，随着对作物重茬障碍原因的深入研究，植物的化感作用越来越受到国内外众多学者的重视。花椒（Zanthoxy piperitum.）为芸香科植物，是一种收益早、用途广、价值高的经济树种，是川西干旱河谷地区的重要经济作物，其连作障碍也倍受关注，系统研究花椒化感作用将有助于理解和最终解决花椒连作障碍问题。本文首先通过萃取、层析等方法分离花椒主效化感成分；通过外加不同浓度的花椒叶水浸液研究了对土壤氮素养分循环的影响；研究了花椒叶水浸液对苜蓿生理生化、光合作用、氮素养分吸收的影响，并对外施氮肥对这种化感影响的缓解作用做了研究；研究了花椒化感潜力对全球变化——UV-B增强辐射的响应。主要研究结果如下： 1．用不同极性的有机溶剂对花椒叶水浸液浓缩浸膏萃取、柱层析，结合生物活性检测，分离得到主效化感作用组分的一种化感物质——对甲氧基苯酚。采用该物质纯品进行生物活性检测，证明其具有化感作用。 2．花椒叶水浸液处理土壤30天后，土壤硝态氮、铵态氮、无机氮（硝态氮＋铵态氮）与对照相比，随着花椒叶水浸液浓度的增加呈现降低的趋势，其中土壤铵态氮含量显著降低，而硝态氮含量的变化则不显著，无机氮含量也显著降低。土壤脲酶和蛋白酶的活性与无机氮含量的变化趋势相同。随着花椒叶水浸液浓度的增加，氨化细菌数量显著降低，固氮菌的数量变化不显著，硝化细菌和反硝化细菌数量有减少的趋势。60天后，硝态氮含量、铵态氮含量、无机氮随水浸液浓度增加的变化趋势与30天时相似；随着花椒叶水浸液浓度的增加，氨化细菌、固氮菌的数量显著减少，硝化细菌数量、反硝化细菌数量仍呈减少趋势；土壤脲酶、蛋白酶活性与第30天的变化趋势相同。第60天与第30天的结果相比，相同水浸液浓度处理的硝态氮、铵态氮、无机氮均有下降的趋势，但除了25g.L－1水浸液处理的外，其它相同浓度的处理间差异均不显著；除了12.5 g.L的处理外土壤脲酶活性均呈增强的趋势；蛋白酶活性都有不同程度的增加；花椒叶水浸液处理的土壤硝化细菌和反硝化细菌数量呈增加趋势。 3．随着花椒叶水浸液浓度的增加，显著抑制了苜蓿根长、地上地下生物量、叶绿素含量、叶片中可溶性蛋白的含量，净光合速率。苜蓿体内四种抗氧化酶（POD、SOD、CAT、APX） 活性随着水浸液浓度的增加而降低，而丙二醛含量则增加。苜蓿氮初级同化相关酶硝酸还原酶（NR）、谷氨酰合成酶(GS)、谷氨酸脱氢酶（GDH）的活性随着水浸液浓度的增加受到不同程度的影响。总的来说，苜蓿硝酸还原酶、谷氨酰合成酶的活性受到抑制，而谷氨酸脱氢酶活性的变化则比较复杂，根呈先降低后增加的趋势，叶片则无显著变化。外施两种不同浓度的硝酸铵氮肥后，对12.5、25 g.L－1花椒叶水浸液处理的苜蓿化感作用有显著的缓解作用，表现在株高、生物量、光合作用等方面，大多达到与对照（0 g.L－1）未施氮肥无显著差异的水平，而对50 g.L－1水浸液处理的苜蓿幼苗，虽有一定的缓解作用，但这种作用均未达到与对照（0 g.L－1）未施氮肥时无显著差异的水平。 4． UV-B增强辐射处理花椒后，花椒的化感潜力显著增强。花椒叶片内UV-B吸收物质的含量和总酚含量均显著增加。 In recent years, with profound research on the reasons of continuous cropping obstacles, allelopathy received increasing attention to many scholars at home and abroad. Zanthoxy bungeanum as a Rutaceae plant is a high economic value species which gains early and uses widely. Zanthoxylum is an important economic crop in the arid valley of western Sichuan region, and its not even has received much concern for the continuous cropping obstacles. The systematic study of allelopathy of Zanthoxylum will contribute to the understanding and final settlement of this issue. The major allelopathic composition was separated through the extraction, chromatography combined with other methods. The impact on soil nutrient cycling was also studied through the addition of different concentrations of water extracts of Zanthoxylum. Furthermore, the effects of water extracts of Zanthoxylum leaves on alfalfa leaf physiological and biochemical indexes, photosynthesis, soil enzymes and nutrient uptake of nitrogen and the mitigation of allelopathy through using external fertilizer were studied to put forward scientific resolvent for Zanthoxylum continuous cropping obstacles .The response of allelopathic potential of Zanthoxylum to global change - UV-B enhanced radiation was studied . The main findings are as follows: 1. Through extraction with different polar organic solvents on concentrated water extract of Zanthoxylum leaf and then using column chromatography combined with detection of biological activity, one of the main allelopathic components- methoxy-phenol was isolated. The biological activity testing of the pure material of methoxy-phenol proved that it does have allelopathic potential. 2. Thirty days after treating soil with water extract of Zanthoxylum leaf, as compared with the control, the contents of soil nitrate, ammonium, nitrate plus ammonium nitrogen showed a trend of decrease with the increase of the concentration of water extract whereas the content of ammonium nitrogen showed a significant reduction, and the content of nitrate did not change significantly, the content of nitrate plus ammonium nitrogen also showed a significant (P <0.05) redction. The activity of soil urease and protease showed the same trend as the content of nitrate nitrogen plus ammonium nitrogen. With the increase in the concentration of water extract, the number of ammonification bacteria significantly reduced but nitrogen-fixing bacteria did not change significantly and there was a decreasing trend in the number of nitrifying bacteria and denitrifying bacteria. Sixty days after the treatment, with the increase in solution concentration of water extract of Zanthoxylum leaf, the content of nitrate、 ammonium nitrogen, nitrate plus ammonium nitrogen showed a similar change trend to 30 days’; the number of ammonification bacteria, nitrogen-fixing bacteria significantly reduced ; the number of nitrifying bacteria, denitrifying bacteria was still an downward trend; the activity of soil urease and protease showed the same trend as the 30th days’. Compared to the results of the 30th days’, the content of nitrate, ammonium, nitrate plus ammonium nitrogen showed a decrease trend between the treatment of same concentration, but there was no significant difference except the treatment of 25g.L-1 between the same concentration; the activity of soil urease showed enhanced trend except the treatment of 12.5 g.L-1; the activity of protease increased to varying degrees; the number of ammonification bacteria、 nitrifying bacteria and denitrifying bacteria were growing while nitrogen-fixing bacteria reduced.. 3. With the increase of the concentration of water extract of Zanthoxylum leaf, the water extract significantly inhibited the root length, aboveground biomass, content of chlorophyll and soluble protein in leaf and net photosynthetic rate. The activity of four antioxidant enzymes (POD, SOD, CAT, APX) reduced with the increase in concentration of the water extract but the content of MDA increased. The activity of enzymes related to primary nitrogen assimilation such nitrate reductase (NR), glutamyl synthetase (GS), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) were subject to different degrees with an increase in the concentration of water extracts. In general, the activity of nitrate reductase, glutamyl synthetase were inhibited, while change in the activity of glutamate dehydrogenase was more complex. The activity of glutamate dehydrogenase in leaf was first reduced and then increase,but did not change significantly in root. After using two external different concentrations of nitrogen fertilizer, there was a significant mitigation in inhibiton in plant height, biomass, photosynthesis, etc. in the treatment of 12.5,25 gL-1 of water extract of Zanthoxylum leaf, and most of these indexes showed no significant difference with the control (0 g.L-1, no external fertilizer was added) .Although there showed a certain degree of ease in the treatment of 50 g.L-1 , there was still a significant difference compared with the control (0 gL-1) in which no external fertilizer was used. 4.The allelopathic potential of Zanthoxylum positively responded to enhanced UV-B significantly. The content of UV-B absorbing compounds and the total phenol also significant increased.

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.

增温对川西北高寒草甸植物群落结构及几种主要植物生长和生理的影响

由于人类活动所引起的地球大气层中温室气体的富集已导致全球地表平均温度在20世纪升高了0.6 ℃，并预测在本世纪将上升1.4-5.8 ℃。气候变暖对陆地植物和生态系统影响深远，并已成为全球变化研究的重要议题。高海拔、高纬度地带的生态系统对气候变化最敏感。而在高原和高山极端环境影响下所形成的高寒草甸生态系统极其脆弱，对由于温室效应引起的全球气候变化极其敏感，对这些变化的响应更具有超前性。 本研究以川西北高寒草甸植物群落及几种主要物种为研究对象，采用国际山地综合研究中心（ITEX）普遍所采用的增温方法-----开顶式生长室（OTC）模拟气候变暖来研究增温对高寒草甸植物群落结构、物质分配及其主要物种生长和生理的影响，以探讨高寒草甸植物响应与适应气候变暖的生物学和生态学机制。主要研究结论如下： 1、OTC的增温效果 由于地温、地表温度和气温的平均值在OTC内分别高出对照样地0.28℃、0.46℃和1.4℃，这说明本研究所采用的开顶式生长室（OTC）起到了增温的作用；同时，由于温室内与温室外接受的降水量相同，温室内由于热量条件的改善，土壤蒸发和植被的蒸腾作用增强，直接导致了OTC内土壤表层相对湿度的减少。 2、群落结构对增温的响应 由于增温时间较短，增温内外样地的物种组成并未发生改变；但增温后一定程度上改变了植物群落的小气候环境，从而导致物种间的竞争关系被破坏，种间竞争关系的破坏引起群落优势种组成发生相应的改变，在对照样地，鹅绒委陵菜、甘青老鹳草、遏蓝菜和蚤缀是占绝对优势的物种，而在OTC内，小米草、尼泊尔酸模、垂穗披碱草、发草和羊茅的重要性显著增加。 禾草和杂草由于对增温的生物学特性及其资源利用响应的不同，加之增温造成土壤含水量下降等环境因子的改变。与对照样地相比较，OTC内禾草的盖度及生物量都显著增加，而杂草的盖度和生物量则显著下降。 3、植物生长期对增温的响应 OTC内立枯和调落物的生物量在生长季末（10月份）都要小于对照样地的立枯和调落物生物量，而OTC内的地上鲜体生物量在10月份却略高于对照样地。这说明OTC内植物的衰老或死亡得以延缓，而植物的生长期得以延长。 4、群落生物量及分配对增温的响应 OTC内的地上鲜体生物量(10月份除外)和地下0-30cm的根系生物量与对照样地相比较，都出现了不同程度的减少；土壤根系的分配格局也发生了明显的改变，其中，OTC内0-10cm土层的生物量分配比例增加，而20-30cm土层生物量分配比例的减少。 5、群落碳、氮对增温的响应 增温后，OTC内植物群落地上活体和地下活根的碳浓度不同程度的高于对照样地，植物群落的碳库在OTC内也略高于对照样地；而OTC内植物群落地上活体和地下活根的氮浓度不同程度的低于对照样地，其植物群落的氮库与对照样地相比也略有下降。 6、几种主要植物的生长及物质分配对增温的响应 垂穗披碱草在增温后株高、比叶面积和地上生物量均显著地增加；尼泊尔酸模在增温后比叶面积和单株平均生物量积累显著地增加，而各组分中，增温处理使叶的生物量显著增加，而根的生物量却显著下降；鹅绒委陵菜在增温后株高、比叶面积和单株平均生物量积累显著地减少，而各组分中，增温处理使叶和茎的生物量显著减少，根的生物量却显著地增加。 尼泊尔酸模的LMR、RMR、R/S、根部碳含量、碳和氮在叶片与根部的分配比例在增温后显著地增加，而SMR、根部氮含量、碳和氮在茎部的分配比例在增温后却显著地降低；鹅绒委陵菜的RMR、R/S、碳和氮在根部的分配比例在增温后显著地增加，而SMR、LMR、碳在叶片的分配比例在增温后却显著地降低 7、几种主要植物的光合生理过程对增温的响应 增温使垂穗披碱草和尼泊尔酸模叶片中的叶绿素a、叶绿素b、总叶绿素含量显著增加；而鹅绒委陵菜叶片的叶绿素a、叶绿素b、总叶绿素含量在增温后显著减少，类胡萝卜素含量在增温后却显著增加。 增温对3种植物的气体交换产生了显著影响。其中，垂穗披碱草和尼泊尔酸模叶片的光响应曲线在增温后明显高于对照处理，A、E、gs、Pmax、、Rday、AQY和LSP显著增加，而LCP则显著降低；鹅绒委陵菜的光响应曲线在增温后则明显的低于对照处理，A、E、gs、Pmax、、Rday、AQY和LSP显著减少，而LCP则显著增加。 增温后垂穗披碱草和尼泊尔酸模叶片的Fv/Fm、Yield和qP显著增加；而鹅绒委陵菜叶片的Fv/Fm、Yield和qP则显著减少，qN却显著地增加。 8、几种主要植物的抗氧化酶系统对增温的响应 增温使垂穗披碱草和尼泊尔酸模体内抗氧化酶活性和非酶促作用有所提高，植物膜脂过氧化作用降低；鹅绒委陵菜叶片中酶促反应和非酶促反应在增温后也显著提高，但可能由于增温后的土壤干旱超过了鹅绒委陵菜叶的抗氧化保护能力，抗氧化酶活性及非酶促反应（脯氨酸、类胡萝卜素）的提高不足以完全清除干旱诱导形成的过量活性氧，因此叶片的膜脂过氧化程度仍然显著提高。 Enrichment of atmospheric greenhouse gases resulted from human activities such as fossil fuel burning and deforestation has increased global mean temperature by 0.6 ℃ in the 20th century and is predicted to increase in this century by 1.4-5.8 ℃. The global warming will have profound, long-term impacts on terrestrial plants and ecosystems. The ecoologcial consequences arising from global warming have also become the very important issuses of global change research. The terrestrial habitats of high-elevation and high-latitude ecosystems are regarded as the most sensitive to changing climate. The alpine meadow ecosystme, which resulted from the composite effects of mountain extreme climatic factors in Tibetan Plateau, is thus thought to be especially vulnerable and sensitive to global warming. In this paper, the response of plant community and several main species in the alpine meadow of Northewst Sichuan to experimemtal warming was studied by using open-top chambers (OTC). The aim of the this study was to research the warming effects on plant community structure, substance allocation, growth and physiological processes of several mian species, and to explore the biological and ecological mechanism of how the alpine meadow plants acclimate and adapt to future global warming. The results were as follows: 1. Warming effects of OTC The mean soil temperature, soil surface temperature and air temperature in OTC manipulation increased by 0.28℃、0.46℃ and 1.4℃ compared to the control during the growing season. This suggested that the OTC used in our study had increased temperature there. Meanwhile, the OTC manipulation slightly altered thermal conditions, but the same amount of precipitation was supplied to both the OTC manipulation and the control, so higher soil evaporation and plant transpiration in OTC manipulation directly lead to the decrease of soil surface water content. 2. The reponse of community structure to experimental warming The species richness was not changed by the short-term effect of OTC manipulation. However, experimental warming changed the microenvironment of plant community, therefore competitive balances among species were shift, leading to changes in species dominance. In the present study, the dominant plant species in the control plots were some forbs including Potentilla anserine, Geranium pylzowianum, Thlaspi arvense and Arenaria serpyllifolia, however, the importance value of some gramineous grasses including Elymus nutans, Deschampsia caespitosa, Festuca ovina, and some forbs including Euphrasia tatarica and Rumex acetosa significantly increased in OTC. The different biology characteristics and resource utilizations between gramineous grasses and forbs, and enhanced temperature caused change in some environment factors such as soil water content. As a result, the coverage and biomass of gramineous grasses significantly increased in OTC compared to the control, however, the coverage and biomass of forbs singnifciantly decreased in OTC compared to the control. 3. The reponse of plant growing season to experimental warming Both the standing dead and fallen litter biomass in OTC were lower than those in the control in October, and the biomass of aboveground live-vegetation in OTC was higher than that of the control. The results indicated that the senescence of plants was postponed, and the growing season was prolonged in our research. 4. The reponse of community biomass accumulation and its allocation to experimental warming Experimental warming caused the decrease of aboveground live biomass and belowground root biomass except for the aboveground live biomass in October. Experimental warming also had pronounced effects on the pattern of root biomass allocation. In the present study, the root biomass in 0-10cm soil layer increased in OTC manipulation compared to the control, however, the root biomass in the 20-30cm soil layer decreased in OTC manipulation compared to the control. 5. The reponse of community C and N content to experimental warming The C concentration and stock in aboveground live and belowground root both increased in OTC manipulation compared to the control. However, the N concentration and stock in aboveground live and belowground root both decreased in OTC manipulation compared to the control. 6. The reponse of gowth and biomass, C and N alloction of several species to experimental warming Experimental warming significantly increased the height, SLA (specific leaf area) and aboveground biomass of Elymus nutans in OTC manipulation compared to the control. The SLA and total biomass of Rumex acetosa also significantly increased in OTC manipulation compared to control, among the different components of Rumex acetosa, leaf biomass significantly increased, but root biomass significantly decreased in OTC manipulation compared to the control. However, the height, SLA and total biomass of Potentilla anserina significantly decreased in OTC manipulation compared to the control, among the different component of Potentilla anserina, leaf and stem biomass significantly decreased, but root biomass significantly increased in OTC manipulation compared to the control. The LMR (leaf mass ratio), RMR (root mass ratio), R/S (shoot/root biomass ration) and root C concentration of Rumex acetosa significantly increased in OTC manipulation compared to outside control, also, Rumex acetosa allocated relatively more C and N content to leaf and root in response to experimental warming, however, the SMR (stem mass ration) and root N concentration of Rumex acetosa significantly decreased in OTC manipulation compared to outside control, also, Rumex acetosa allocated relatively less C and N content to stem in response to experimental warming. The RMR and R/S of Potentilla anserina significantly increased in OTC manipulation compared to outside control, also, Potentilla anserina allocated relatively more C and N content to root in response to experimental warming, however, the SMR and LMR of Potentilla anserina significantly decreased in OTC manipulation compared to outside control, also, Potentilla anserina allocated relatively less C and N content to leaf in response to experimental warming. 7. The reponse of physiological processes of several species to experimental warming Experimental warming significantly increased chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll of Elymus nutans and Rumex acetosa in OTC manipulation compared to outside control. However, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll and carotenoid of Potentilla anserina in OTC manipulation significantly decreased compared to outside control. Experimental warming had pronounced effects on gas exchange of Elymus nutans, Rumex acetosa and Potentilla anserine. In the present study, warming markedly increased the light response curves of Elymus nutans and Rumex acetosa in OTC manipulation compared to outside control, and also singnificantly increased A (net photosynthesis rate), E (transpiration rate), gs (stomatal conductance), Pmax (maximum net photosynthetic rate), Rday (dark respiration rate), AQY (apparent quantum yield) and LSP (light saturation point), but LCP (photosynthetic light compensation) of Elymus nutans and Rumex acetosa in OTC manipulation singnificantly decreased compared to outside control. However, warming markedly decreased the light response curves of Potentilla anserina in OTC manipulation compared to outside control, and also singnificantly decreased A, E, gs, Pmax, Rday, AQY and LSP, but LCP of Potentilla anserina in OTC manipulation singnificantly increased compared to outside control. Experimental warming singnificantly increased the chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics parameters such as Fv/Fm, Yield and qP of Elymus nutans and Rumex acetosa and qN of Potentilla anserina in OTC manipulation, but Fv/Fm, Yield and qP of Potentilla anserina in OTC manipulation singnificantly decreased. 8. The reponse of antioxidative systems of several species to experimental warming Experimental warming tended to increase the activities of antioxidative enzymes and stimulate the role of non-enzymes of Elymus nutans and Rumex acetosa. As a result, MDA content of Elymus nutans and Rumex acetosa decreased. The activities of antioxidative enzymes and non-enzymes of Potentilla anserina also significantly increased in OTC manipulation, but more O2- was produced because of lower soil water content, and the O2- accumulation exceeded the defense ability of antioxidative systems and non-enzymes fuctions. As a result, MDA content of Potentilla anserine still increased in OTC manipulation compared to outside control.