银杏类植物的叶表皮特征及其气孔频度对大气CO2浓度的指示

本文以跨越漫长地质历史时期的银杏类植物为研究对象，首次尝试在大的时间尺度上利用单一植物类群的气孔频度估测古大气CO2浓度的变化趋势。 一、借助多种研究手段对现代银杏（Ginkgo biloba）和9种化石银杏的叶表皮特征进行调查，并对现代银杏叶片蜡质晶体的形态结构和气孔发育过程进行了研究。应用荧光显微镜观察晚三叠世一种拜拉植物的角质层特征，根据其气孔下生型和平直的表皮细胞垂周壁等特点建 立新种—宁蒗拜拉（Baiera ninglangensis sp. nov.）。 二、在大气CO2浓度相对稳定的条件下，对不同条件下（不同季节，长短枝间，不同冠层间，不同叶片面积，雌雄树间）银杏叶片气孔密度和气孔指数的调查结果表明，其它环境因子对银杏气孔频度的影响很有限，而且通过一定的采样、测量和分析策略，可以排除其他环境和生物因子对气孔特征的影响。 三、74年间，大气CO2浓度上升55μmol•mol-1的同时，银杏的气孔密度降低了27%。而3属8种中生代和新生代银杏类植物在9个时间点的气孔密度和气孔指数都低于现存最近对应种的值，意味着当时的大气CO2浓度都高于目前的水平。根据最新评估标准，以气孔比率定量估算各个地质时代的大气CO2浓度，与前人的工作以及通过地球物理化学方法获得的显生宙大气CO2浓度进行比较。

川西亚高山人工针叶林下11种植物对两种光生境的适应性研究

青藏高原东缘的亚高山针叶林是长江上游重要的生态屏障，经过近六十年的采伐后，取而代之的是大量人工种植的云杉纯林。目前，这些人工林已经表现出树种单一，结构层次简单等生态问题，其物种多样性及生态效益与同地带天然林相比差距较明显。如何丰富该地区物种多样性，完善人工林生态系统的生态功能是一个十分重要的课题。林下植物是人工林群落的重要组成部分，对维持群落的生物多样性及完善生态系统功能具有明显的作用。因此，研究该地区人工针叶林的林下植被对不同生境的适应性对于理解人工林生态系统物种多样性的形成和维持机制都具有重要的意义。 本文以青藏高原东部亚高山针叶林的主要森林类型----云杉人工林为研究对象，选择林下11种具有不同喜光特性的常见植物，分别设置人工林林冠下及成熟林窗为研究样地，通过对各种植物叶片形态与物质分配特征、叶片解剖学特征、叶片光合生理特性、植物自然分布特征等方面的比较分析，研究林下植物对不同光生境的适应策略及其适应能力，揭示不同物种对人工林生境的适应共性，为西南亚高山地区植被恢复及人工林的经营管理提供科学依据。具体研究结果如下： 在叶片形态和物质分配特征方面：在林窗光生境中，11种林下植物叶片比叶重(LMA)显著高于林下光生境的同种植物。同时，林窗下生长的植物叶片叶片厚度及栅栏细胞长度显著增加，这是影响叶片比叶重变化的直接原因。而多数植物叶重比在两种生境中无明显变化。说明在长期适应自然生境之后，植物可能更多地采取调节叶片组织细胞水平（即叶片功能细胞形态）及叶片器官水平（即单个叶片形态）特征的策略来适应各类生境，而非整株水平上的叶片总比重的增减。 在叶片解剖结构特征方面：多数阔叶物种栅栏组织厚度(PT)、栅栏组织厚度/海绵组织厚度(PT/ST)、栅栏细胞层数及近半数种的气孔密度(SD)在林窗生境中更大或更多，而叶片表皮细胞厚度(UET、LET)气孔长径(SL)及海绵组织厚度(ST)受两种生境影响不大。喜光特性相似的物种在生境适应策略上具有一定的趋同性。 在光合生理特征方面：在林窗生境中多数种植物的最大光合速率(Amax)、暗呼吸速率(Rd)及喜光植物光补偿点(LCP)显著或极显著高于林内生境同种植物。且在同一生境条件下，多数深度耐荫植物比喜光及轻度喜光植物有稍低的Rd和LCP。各植物在林内低光生境中具有更大的内禀光能转化效率，并在中午12:00～14:00之间光强最大的时刻发生了的最深程度的光抑制。多数种能通过调节自身某种光合素含量或色素之间的比例来适应不同的光生境，即通过增加叶绿素含量或降低Chla/b值来适应林内弱光生境，通过提高类胡萝卜素含量或单位叶绿素的类胡萝卜素含量降低强光带来的伤害。绝大多数物种并不采取调节叶片C、N含量的策略来适应不同的光生境。总之，植物部分光合参数(Amax、Rd、LCP)受生境的影响与其自身喜光特性有关，但另一些参数（Fv/Fm日变化、色素含量及比例、叶氮相对含量）受生境影响与其自身喜光特性无明显关联。 在表型可塑性方面：在叶片各表型参数中，器官水平及细胞水平的形态特征参数平均可塑性大于整株水平形态和物质分配特征参数可塑性；叶片光合组织的可塑性大于非光合组织可塑性；反映植物光合能力的参数可塑性大于叶片色素含量参数可塑性。植物叶片形态和物质分配、解剖学特征参数平均可塑性大小与其自身喜光特性基本吻合，即喜光种及轻度耐荫种各参数可塑性最高，深度耐荫种可塑性最小，而这种规律并未在光合生理参数的可塑性大小上体现出来。但是叶片形态和物质分配参数、光合生理参数的平均可塑性水平却大于叶片解剖学参数。 在植物自然分布特征方面：喜光物种云杉幼苗及歪头菜在林内生境中分布密度明显降低，深度耐荫种疏花槭却恰恰相反，更多数物种（7种植物）在两种生境中密度变化趋势不明显。从分布格局来看，7种植物在两种生境中均为聚集分布，但聚集强度为林窗>林内；少数物种桦叶荚迷、直穗小檗、冰川茶藨、黄背勾儿茶在林窗中为聚集型，在林内生境中的分布型发生改变而成为随机型，说明光生境的差异能影响到植物种群的分布特征。但这种影响程度与植物自身的喜光特性无关，同时与各物种叶片表型平均可塑性的大小也无明显关联。 The subalpine coniferous forest area in eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is important ecology-barrier of upriver Yangtze. In past sixty years, those forests had been cut down and replaced with a lot of spruce plantations. At now, there are many ecology problems presenting to us such as singleness species, simple configuration, lower species diversity and ecological benefit than natural forests at the same belt. How to restore the species diversity and enhance the eco-function of the plantations is a very important issue. The understory plants are important part of plantation community, which improved the bio-diversity and eco-function distinctly of forests. So, it is very significance to study the adaptation of understory plants to different environment in plantation, and this study would helping us to understand how plantations to develop and remain their biodiversity. This study was conducted in a 60a spruce plantation in Miyaluo located in western Sichuan, China, and spruce plantation is major types of subalpine coniferous forest in eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. In this paper, the leaf morphological and biomass-distributed characteristics, the anatomical characteristics, the photosynthetic characteristics and the distribution patterns characteristics of eleven different light-requirement understory species grown in two different environments (forest gaps and underneath close canopy) were studied and compared. The purpose of this study was to analyze the adaptation of this forest understory plants, to show up the commonness of these different light-requirement understory species in light acclimation, and to provide some scientific reference to manage and restore the vegetation of subalpine plantation of southwest China. The results were as follows: The leaf morphological and biomass-distributed characteristics: These eleven species in forest gaps had significantly higher dry weight per leaf area (LMA) than those under close canopy. The palisade parenchyma cells of the broad-leaved species in gaps were significantly longer than those grown under the canopy, which been a directed factor for the change of leaf mass per unit area (LMA) in different environment. But the leaf weight ratio (LWR) of most plants species were not evidently changed by the contrasted environments in our study. It was shown the morphological characteristics changing been adopted as a strategy of light acclimation for plants wasn’t on whole plant level (leaf weight ratio) but cellular level (the function cells morphological characteristics) and organic level (the leaf morphological and biomass-distributed characteristics) mostly. The leaf anatomical characteristics: Most broad-leaved plants in gaps increased palisade parenchyma thickness (PT), the palisade parenchyma cell layers and the ratio of palisade to spongy parenchyma (PT/ST). So did as almost about half species in this study in stomatal density (SD). No significant differences in thickness of leaf epidermal cells (UET, LET), stomatal length (SL) and spongy parenchyma (ST) between two environments of most species were observed. The results suggested that species with light-requirement approximately had convergent evolution on adaptation to light condition. The leaf photosynthetic characteristics: The dark respiration rate (Rd) of most plants species, the light compensation point (LCP) of light-demanding plants species in gaps were significantly increased than under close canopy in this study. In a same habitat, most deep-shade-tolerant plants had lower Rd and LCP than those light-demanding plants and slight-shade-tolerant plants. Each species has bigger inherent electron transport rate under close canopy than in gaps, and the greatest photoinhibition happened during 12 to 14 in the daytime. Most species could adapt different light environment by the way of changing their photosynthetic pigments content or the ratio of pigments content. For example, some plants under close canopy increased chlorophyll (Chl) or reduced the values of the ratio Chla/b to adapted the low light condition, some plants in gaps increased carotenoid (Car) or reduced the weight ratio CarChl to avoid been hurt in high light. For most plants, changing the content of C and N in leaf wasn’t a strategy of light acclimation. In conclusion, the variation of some leaf photosynthetic parameters in different light environment such as Fv/Fm, pigments, C and N in leaf related with the light-requirmnet of species, but the others such as Amax, Rd, LCP did not. The leaf plasticity indexes: Among those leaf plasticity indexes, the leaf morphological and biomass-distributed parameters on cellular and organic level were greater than on whole plant level for same species, and the photosynthetic parenchyma parameters were greater than non-photosynthetic parenchyma parameters in same leaf, and photosynthetic capability parameters were greater than photosynthetic pigments content parameters for same species. The average plasticity indexes of leaf morphological and biomass-distributed and anatomical parameters were accordant with plants’ light-requirement approximately: those light-demanding plants and slight-shade-tolerant plants had bigger plasticity indexes than deep-shade-tolerant plants. But this regular wasn’t observed in physiological plasticity indexes for most plants, though the average leaf plasticity indexes of leaf morphological and biomass-distributed, photosynthetic characteristics parameters was greater than the anatomical characteristics parameters. The distribution patterns characteristics: Oppositely to the deep-shade-tolerant specie Acer laxiflorum Pax., the density of light-demanding species Picea asperata Mast. and Vicia unijuga A. Br. in gaps was bigger than under close canopy. Each of the other species has the approximately density in two different environment. The spatial patterns of seven species were aggregated distribution in two environments, but the trend of aggregation of population under close canopy was decrease from in gaps. A few species such as Viburnum betulifoium Batal., Berberis dasystachya Maxim., Ribes glaciale Wall. and Berchemia flavescens Brongn. were aggregated distribution in gaps while random distribution under close canopy. It was shown that the difference between two light environments could affect the distribution pattern of plant population, and the effect didn’t relate with the light-requirement or plasticity indexes of species.

Altitudinal differences in the leaf fitness of juvenile and mature alpine spruce trees (Picea crassifolia)

In many plant species, leaf morphology varies with altitude, an effect that has been attributed to temperature. It remains uncertain whether such a trend applies equally to juvenile and mature trees across altitudinal gradients in semi-arid mountain regions. We examined altitude-related differences in a variety of needle characteristics of juvenile (2-m tall) and mature (5-m tall) alpine spruce (Picea crassifolia Kom.) trees growing at altitudes between 2501 and 3450 m in the Qilian Mountains of northwest China. We found that stable carbon isotope composition (delta C-13), area- and mass-based leaf nitrogen concentration (N-a, N-m), number of stomata per gram of nitrogen (St/N), number of stomata per unit leaf mass (St/LM), projected leaf area per 100 needles (LA) and leaf mass per unit area (LMA) varied nonlinearly with altitude for both juvenile and mature trees, with a relationship reversal point at about 3 100 m. Stomatal density (SD) of juvenile trees remained unchanged with altitude, whereas SD and stomatal number per unit length (SNL) of mature spruce initially increased with altitude, but subsequently decreased. Although several measured indices were generally found to be higher in mature trees than in juvenile trees, N-m, leaf carbon concentration (C.), leaf water concentration. (LWC), St/N, LA and St/LM showed inconsistent differences between trees of different ages along the altitudinal gradient. In both juvenile and mature trees, VC correlated significantly with LMA, N-m, N-a, SNL, St/LM and St/N. Stomatal density, LWC and LA were only significantly correlated with delta C-13 in mature trees. These findings suggest that there are distinct ecophysiological differences between the needles of juvenile and mature trees that determine their response to changes in altitude in semi-arid mountainous regions. Variations in the fitness of forests of different ages may have important implications for modeling forest responses to changes in environmental conditions, such as predicted future temperature increases in high attitude areas associated with climate change.

Non-Gravitational Effects with Density-Matching in Evaluating the Influence of Sedimentation on Colloidal Coagulation

The method of density matching between the solid and liquid phases is often adopted to effectively eliminate the effect of sedimentation of suspensions in studies on dynamic behaviour of a colloidal system. However, the associated changes in the solvent composition may bring side effects to the properties investigated and therefore might lead to a faulty conclusion if the relevant correction is not made. To illustrate the importance of this side effect, we present an example of the sedimentation influence on the coagulation rate of suspensions of 2 μm (diameter) polystyrene. The liquid mixtures, in the proper proportions of water (H2O), deuterium oxide (D2O) and methanol (MeOH) as the liquid phase, density-matched and unmatched experiments are performed. Besides the influence of viscosity, the presence of methanol in solvent media, used to enhance the sedimentation effect, causes significant changes (reduction) in rapid coagulation rates compared to that in pure water. Without the relevant corrections for those non-gravitational factors it seems that gravitational sedimentation would retard the coagulation. The magnitude of the contribution from the non-gravitational factor is quantitatively determined, making the relevant correction possible. After necessary corrections for all factors, our experiments show that the influence of the sedimentation on coagulation rates at the initial stage of the coagulation is not observable.

Interferometric Measurement of Density in Nonstationary Shock Wave Reflection Flow and Comparison with CFD

We present density measurements from the application of interferometry and Fourier transform fringe analysis to the problem of nonstationary shock wave reflection over a semicircular cylinder and compare our experimental measurements to theoretical results from a CFD simulation of the same problem. The experimental results demonstrate our ability to resolve detailed structure in this complex shock wave reflection problem, allowing visualization of multiple shocks in the vicinity of the triple point, plus visualization of the shear layer and an associated vortical structure. Comparison between CFD and experiment show significant discrepancies with experiment producing a double Mach Reflection when CFD predicts a transitional Mach reflection.

An analysis on overall crack-number-density of short-fatigue-cracks

The evolution of dispersed short-fatigue-cracks is analysed based on the equilibrium of crack-number-density (CND). By separating the mean value and the stochastic fluctuation of local CND, the equilibrium equation of overall CND is derived. Comparing with the mean-field equilibrium equation, the equilibrium equation of overall CND has different forms in the expression of crack-nucleation-rate or crack-growth-rate. The simulation results are compared with experimental measurements showing the stochastic analyses provide consistent tendency with experiments. The discrepancy in simulation results between overall CND and mean-field CND is discussed.

An analysis of collective damage for short fatigue cracks based on equilibrium of crack numerical density

Collective damage of short fatigue cracks was analyzed in the light of equilibrium of crack numerical density. With the estimation of crack growth rate and crack nucleation rate, the solution of the equilibrium equation was studied to reveal the distinct feature of saturation distribution for crack numerical density. The critical time that characterized the transition of short and long-crack regimes was estimated, in which the influences of grain size and grain-boundary obstacle effect were investigated. Furthermore, the total number of cracks and the first order of damage moment were discussed.

A New Ignition Criterion Based Upon a Critical Thermal Energy Density

It has long been known that various ignition criteria of energetic materials have been limited in applicability to small regions. In order to explore the physical nature of ignition, we calculated how much thermal energy per unit mass of energetic materials was absorbed under different external stimuli. Hence, data of several typical sensitivity tests were analyzed by order of magnitude estimation. Then a new concept on critical thermal energy density was formulated. Meanwhile, the chemical nature of ignition was probed into by chemical kinetics.

Probe for Measurements of Density/Conductivity in Flows of Conducting Fluids

A probe utilizing the bipolar pulse method to measure the density of a conducting fluid has been developed. The probe is specially designed such that the concentration of a stream tube can be sampled continuously. The density was determined indirectly from the measurement of solution conductivity. The probe was calibrated using standard NaCl solutions of varying molarity and was able to rapidly determine the density of a fluid with continuously varying conductance. Measurements of the conductivity profiles, corresponding density profiles, and their fluctuation levels are demonstrated in a channel flow with an electrolyte injected from a slot in one wall.

(Ti,Al)N Film On Normalized T8 Carbon Tool Steel Prepared By Pulsed High Energy Density Plasma Technique

Under optimized operating parameters, a hard and wear resistant ( Ti,Al)N film is prepared on a normalized T8 carbon tool steel substrate by using pulsed high energy density plasma technique. Microstructure and composition of the film are analysed by x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Hardness profile and tribological properties of the film are tested with nano-indenter and ring-on-ring wear tester, respectively. The tested results show that the microstructure of the film is dense and uniform and is mainly composed of ( Ti,Al)N and AlN hard phases. A wide transition interface exists between the film and the normalized T8 carbon tool steel substrate. Thickness of the film is about 1000 nm and mean hardness value of the film is about 26GPa. Under dry sliding wear test conditions, relative wear resistance of the ( Ti,Al)N film is approximately 9 times higher than that of the hardened T8 carbon tool steel reference sample. Meanwhile, the ( Ti,Al)N film has low and stable friction coefficient compared with the hardened T8 carbon tool steel reference sample.

Molecular Dynamics And Density Functional Studies Of A Body-Centered-Tetragonal Polymorph Of Zno

We report a previously unknown body-centered-tetragonal structure for ZnO. This structure results from a phase transformation from wurtzite in [0001]-oriented nanorods during uniaxial tensile loading and is the most stable phase for ZnO when stress is above 7 GPa. The stress-induced phase transformation has important implications for the electronic, piezoelectric, mechanical, and thermal responses of ZnO. The discovery of this polymorph brings about a more complete understanding of the extent and nature of polymorphism in ZnO. A crystalline structure-load triaxiality map is developed to summarize the relationship between structure and loading.

Enhanced cycling performance and high energy density of LiFePO4 based lithium ion batteries

LiFePO4 attracts a lot of attention as cathode materials for the next generation of lithium ion batteries. However, LiFePO4 has a poor rate capability attributed to low electronic conductivity and low density. There is seldom data reported on lithium ion batteries with LiFePO4 as cathode and graphite as anode. According to our experimental results, the capacity fading on cycling is surprisingly negligible at 1664 cycles for the cell type 042040. It delivers a capacity of 1170 mAh for 18650 cell type at 4.5C discharge rate. It is confirmed that lithium ion batteries with LiFePO4 as cathode are suitable for electric vehicle application. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experimental and theoretical study on numerical density evolution of short fatigue cracks

Fatigue testing was performed using a kind of triangular shaped specimen to obtain the characteristics of numerical density evolution for short cracks at the primary stage of fatigue damage. The material concerned is a structural alloy steel. The experimental results show that the numerical density of short cracks reaches the maximum value when crack length is slightly less than the average grain diameter, indicating grain boundary is the main barrier for short crack extension. Based on the experimental observations and related theory, the expressions for growth velocity and nucleation rate of short cracks have been proposed. With the solution to phase space conservation equation, the theoretical results of numerical density evolution for short cracks were obtained, which were in agreement with our experimental measurements.