华北平原玉米叶片光合及呼吸过程对实验增温的适应性

利用典型农田生态系统的原位实验增温平台,探讨我国华北平原重要农作物玉米叶片光合及呼吸过程对实验增温的适应性,并深入分析其产生适应性的原因和机理。研究结果显示,实验增温使玉米叶片净光合速率(A_n)显著升高(P0.001),同时增温也导致A_n的最适温度(T_(opt))升高1.56℃;相似地,实验增温也同样导致了光合作用过程中最大电子传递速率(J_(max))显著增加(P0.001),并且其最适温度(T_(opt))升高了1.45℃,但并没有对最大羧化反应速率(V_(cmax))及其温度敏感性(Q_(10))产生显著的影响(P0.05)。然而,实验增温却显著降低了玉米叶片的暗呼吸速率(R_d)及其Q_(10)值(P0.05)。另外,研究结果还显示实验增温没有对R_d/A_g和J_(max)/V_(cmax)产生显著的影响(P0.05)。此外,尽管实验增温显著提高了玉米叶片的蒸腾速率(T_r),但却并没有显著改变叶片的气孔导度(G_s)及水分利用效率(WUE)。研究结果表明,玉米可以通过调控叶片光合及呼吸等关键生理过程的最适温度对增温产生一定的适应性。然而,尽管玉米能够在叶片尺度上做出调整来适应增温环境,但这种适应能力却十分有限,以至于未来气候变暖仍可能会对华北平原玉米的生长发育过程和粮食产量造成一定的影响。     

川西林线交错带岷江冷杉幼苗异龄叶形态对长期模拟增温的响应

全球气候变暖对高纬度、高海拔地区的植物形态产生强烈影响。川西林线交错带是青藏高原东部高寒生态系统的重要组成部分,对全球变化极度敏感。以川西林线交错带岷江冷杉(Abies faxoniana)幼苗异龄叶为对象,采用原位开顶式生长室(Open-top chamber,OTCs)模拟增温,研究了长期模拟增温下岷江冷杉幼苗异龄叶片叶长、叶厚等叶形态的响应,采用表型可塑性指数和变异系数对叶形态的可塑性进行分析。结果表明:增温限制岷江冷杉幼苗叶片的增长、增宽和叶面积、体积的扩大,使叶长、叶宽、叶面积、叶体积分别较对照减小12.77%、11.86%、17.76%、11.49%;增温促进叶片厚度的增加,较对照增加7.27%;除叶长宽比外,增温对其余叶形态均产生显著影响(P0.05)。叶形态对模拟增温的响应具有显著的年龄差异(P0.05)。温度、叶龄的交互效应对叶长和叶面积影响显著(P0.05),对叶宽和叶厚影响不显著(P0.05)。两种表型可塑性分析结果表明,除1 a叶叶长外,增温不同程度增大各叶形态可塑性。长期增温使冷杉幼苗叶片有旱生倾向且形态值更发散。研究提供了岷江冷杉幼苗叶片对长期增温的差异性响应证据,为评估青藏高原东缘优势植物对响应气候变暖提供了基础数据和理论参考。     

陆地生态系统野外增温控制实验的技术与方法

由于人类活动导致的碳排放急剧增加, 工业革命以来全球地表温度显著增加约1 ℃, 未来全球气候还将持续变暖, 到21世纪末最高可升温4 ℃。这种前所未有的气候变化不仅影响陆地植被的适应策略, 也深刻影响生态系统的结构和功能。其中陆地生态系统碳收支对全球变暖的反馈, 是决定未来气候变化强度的关键因素, 因此全球已经开展了大量的生态系统尺度的野外增温控制实验, 研究生态系统碳收支对气温升高的响应, 从而提高地球系统模型的预测精度。然而由于增温技术和方法的不同, 不同研究的结果之间难以进行比较。该文系统总结了常见的野外增温技术和方法, 包括主动增温和被动增温, 阐述了其优缺点、适用对象以及相关研究成果。同时简要介绍了野外增温控制实验的前沿研究方向——新一代野外增温技术(包括全土壤剖面增温和全生态系统增温)和基于新一代增温技术开展的野外增温联网实验。     

陆地生态系统野外增温控制实验的技术与方法

由于人类活动导致的碳排放急剧增加,工业革命以来全球地表温度显著增加约1℃,未来全球气候还将持续变暖,到21世纪末最高可升温4℃。这种前所未有的气候变化不仅影响陆地植被的适应策略,也深刻影响生态系统的结构和功能。其中陆地生态系统碳收支对全球变暖的反馈,是决定未来气候变化强度的关键因素,因此全球已经开展了大量的生态系统尺度的野外增温控制实验,研究生态系统碳收支对气温升高的响应,从而提高地球系统模型的预测精度。然而由于增温技术和方法的不同,不同研究的结果之间难以进行比较。该文系统总结了常见的野外增温技术和方法,包括主动增温和被动增温,阐述了其优缺点、适用对象以及相关研究成果。同时简要介绍了野外增温控制实验的前沿研究方向——新一代野外增温技术(包括全土壤剖面增温和全生态系统增温)和基于新一代增温技术开展的野外增温联网实验。     

增温对青藏高原高寒草原生态系统碳交换的影响

碳交换是影响草地生态系统碳汇功能的关键过程,对气候变暖极为敏感。青藏高原分布着大面积的高寒草原,其碳汇功能对气候变暖的响应对区域碳循环过程具有重要的影响。为探究高寒草原生态系统碳交换过程对增温的响应,2012—2014年,在青藏高原班戈县进行了模拟增温对高寒草原生态系统碳交换过程影响的研究。结果表明,增温对高寒草原碳交换各组分的影响存在年际差异,但总体上对碳交换存在负面影响。3年平均结果显示,增温显著降低了高寒草原地上生物量、总生态系统生产力(GEP)、生态系统呼吸(ER)和净生态系统碳交换量(NEE)(P0.05),平均降幅分别为15.1%、36.8%、19.2%和51.5%。增温条件下3年平均土壤呼吸(SR)较对照无显著变化(P0.05),但2013年增温显著降低了SR(P0.05),降幅达18.1%。增温对SR与ER的比值具有一定的促进作用,最高增幅达到40.0%。GEP、ER、SR和NEE与土壤温度和土壤水分无显著相关(P0.05),而GEP、ER和NEE与空气温度呈显著的负相关关系(P0.05)。增温引起的干旱胁迫以及地上生物量降低是导致高寒草原NEE降低的主要原因。研究表明,全球变暖会一定程度降低青藏高原高寒草原的碳汇功能。     

模拟增温和氮素添加对荒漠草原生态系统碳交换的影响

气候变暖和大气氮沉降是全球变化的重要驱动因子。在草地生态系统中,气温升高和大气氮沉降都会改变草地固碳(C)状况,然而温度增加和大气氮沉降是如何影响生态系统碳交换目前还不明确。本研究旨在研究增温和氮素添加对荒漠草原碳交换的影响。在短花针茅荒漠草原上采用2×2因素完全随机区组的裂区设计,使用红外辐射器来模拟气候变暖并且使用添加氮肥的方法来模拟大气氮沉降,在不同处理条件下测定生态系统净碳交换(NEE)、生态系统呼吸(ER)和总生态系统生产力(GEP),分析了2013和2014年影响短花针茅荒漠草原生态系统C交换的因素,结果如下:(1)增温使土壤温度显著增加了0.70℃(P0.001),土壤湿度显著增加了7.58%(P0.001)。(2)增温、氮素添加及其交互作用显著增加了GEP和ER(P0.05),而对于NEE没有显著影响(P0.05)。(3)2013年GEP在8月初达到峰值,ER在8月末9月初达到峰值,NEE随着GEP和ER的变化而波动;2014年GEP、ER和NEE均在8月末9月初达到峰值。(4)ER和GEP随着大气温度升高和降水增加而增大,土壤温度和土壤湿度也是影响生态系统C交换的重要因素。     

大气和土壤增温对杉木幼苗叶片功能性状的影响

为了探讨杉木幼苗叶片功能性状对全球气候变暖的响应与适应机制,在福建三明森林生态系统与全球变化研究站陈大观测点,设置大气增温(开顶箱被动增温,不增温)×土壤增温(电缆增温4℃,不增温)双因子试验,对杉木幼苗叶片生理代谢、形态属性、化学计量学特征等功能性状进行为期1年的研究。结果表明,虽然土壤增温和大气增温对4月和7月的叶片净光合作用速率和水分利用效率没有显著影响,但土壤增温对11月的叶片净光合作用速率有显著促进作用,而大气增温和土壤增温对11月的水分利用效率有显著促进作用。大气增温显著增加比叶面积和叶含水率,并降低叶厚度;而土壤增温则对其均没有显著影响。土壤增温、大气增温均显著增加杉木叶氮浓度,但只有同时大气增温和土壤增温处理才显著提高叶磷浓度。研究结论表明,从叶功能性状角度看,同时大气增温和土壤增温可能更有利于促进杉木幼苗生长。     

短期增温对中亚热带杉木人工幼林土壤氮磷耦合作用的影响

全球变暖引起陆地生态系统和整个生物圈一系列生态问题,未来全球平均气温的持续增加将使这些问题进一步加剧。目前增温、氮沉降和森林更新方式对中亚热带土壤氮磷等养分的影响已有部分研究,但增温对亚热带森林的氮磷耦合作用的影响仍然未知。以中亚热带杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolate)幼苗为研究对象,设置埋设电缆以加热土壤增温实验(增温幅度(5±0.5)℃),研究短期增温对土壤含水量、微生物生物量氮(MBN)、微生物生物量磷(MBP)、土壤氮磷养分,以及氮(N)、磷(P)耦合作用的影响。结果表明:短期增温对全氮、全磷无显著影响;增温第1年显著提高了有效氮、铵态氮(NH_4~+)和有效磷的含量,显著降低了MBN含量。增温第2年,土壤中有效磷、NH_4~+和MBP含量显著下降;短期增温虽然对土壤全N/P,有效N/P的影响不显著,但是增温使铵态氮/硝态亚硝态氮(NH_4~+/(NO_3~-+NO_2~-))显著降低;此外,增温显著降低了MBN/MBP,缓解了微生物对磷的限制。相关性分析表明,耦合作用不仅受N和P之间相互作用的影响,也受土壤温度、水分含量等其他因素的影响。研究表明,短期增温并未对中亚热带杉木人工幼林土壤氮磷耦合作用产生显著影响,但增温后降低了有效氮、有效磷的含量。因此,在未来全球变暖背景下,研究结果为中亚热带森林生态系统的的健康发展和科学管理提供重要的理论依据。     

全球变暖与陆地生态系统研究中的野外增温装置

由于化石燃料燃烧和森林砍伐等人类活动引起的地球大气层中温室气体(主要是二氧化碳)的富集已导致全球平均温度在20世纪升高了0.6 ℃,并将在本世纪继续上升1.4~5.8 ℃。这种地质历史上前所未有的全球变暖将对陆地植物和生态系统产生深远影响,并通过全球碳循环的改变反馈于全球气候变化。作为全球变化生态学的主要研究方法之一,生态系统增温实验能够为生态模型提供参数估计和模型验证。然而由于在世界各地使用的增温装置不同,使得各个生态系统之间的结果比较和整合难以实施,增加了模型预测的不确定性。该文通过比较几种常见的野外增温装置在模拟全球变暖情形时的优缺点,指出利用不同增温装置进行全球变暖研究中应注意的一些问题;同时探讨了全球变暖控制实验研究中的一些关键性的科学问题。     

增温对若尔盖高寒草本沼泽木里薹草氮磷重吸收的影响

养分重吸收是植物重要的营养保存机制和养分循环的重要组成部分,温度变化会影响植物养分吸收。为了探讨若尔盖高原沼泽湿地植物木里薹(Carex muliensis)草养分重吸收特征对气候变暖的响应,本研究通过野外模拟增温实验,测定木里薹草成熟叶片和衰老叶片的氮(N)、磷(P)含量并分析其重吸收效率差异。结果表明：木里薹草叶片N、P含量均值分别为11.44和1.19 mg·g^-1,N重吸收效率(NRE)、P重吸收效率(PRE)均值分别为61.8%和69.0%,增温显著降低了成熟叶片氮含量,显著提高了衰老叶片磷含量(P<0.01),对成熟叶片磷含量和衰老叶片氮含量没有显著影响;增温显著降低了成熟叶片和衰老叶片N∶P(P<0.01)及NRE(P<0.05)和PRE(P<0.01);木里薹草叶片氮磷重吸收效率与成熟叶片氮磷含量呈显著正相关,与衰老叶片氮磷含量呈显著负相关;木里薹草生长受P限制,而增温可能导致限制情况发生变化,木里薹草叶片养分重吸收还可能受到化学计量调控。研究结果将有助于了解和预测若尔盖高原养分循环对未来气候变化的响应,并为气候变暖下高寒草...     

Causality, randomness, intelligibility, and the epistemology of the cell

Because the basic unit of biology is the cell, biological knowledge is rooted in the epistemology of the cell, and because life is the salient characteristic of the cell, its epistemology must be centered on its livingness, not its constituent components. The organization and regulation of these components in the pursuit of life constitute the fundamental nature of the cell. Thus, regulation sits at the heart of biological knowledge of the cell and the extraordinary complexity of this regulation conditions the kind of knowledge that can be obtained, in particular, the representation and intelligibility of that knowledge. This paper is essentially split into two parts. The first part discusses the inadequacy of everyday intelligibility and intuition in science and the consequent need for scientific theories to be expressed mathematically without appeal to commonsense categories of understanding, such as causality. Having set the backdrop, the second part addresses biological knowledge. It briefly reviews modern scientific epistemology from a general perspective and then turns to the epistemology of the cell. In analogy with a multi-faceted factory, the cell utilizes a highly parallel distributed control system to maintain its organization and regulate its dynamical operation in the face of both internal and external changes. Hence, scientific knowledge is constituted by the mathematics of stochastic dynamical systems, which model the overall relational structure of the cell and how these structures evolve over time, stochasticity being a consequence of the need to ignore a large number of factors while modeling relatively few in an extremely complex environment.     

The parasitic chytrid, Zygorhizidium, facilitates the growth of the cladoceran zooplankter, Daphnia, in cultures of the inedible alga, Asterionella

In food-web studies, parasites are often ignored owing to their insignificant biomass. We provide evidence that parasites may affect trophic transfer in aquatic food webs. Many phytoplankton species are susceptible to parasitic fungi (chytrids). Chytrid infections of diatoms in lakes may reach epidemic proportions during diatom spring blooms, so that numerous free-swimming fungal zoospores (2-3 microm in diameter) are produced. Analysis shows that these zoospores are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and sterols (particularly cholesterol), which indicates that they provide excellent food for zooplankters such as Daphnia. In life-table experiments using the large diatom Asterionella formosa as food, Daphnia growth increased significantly in treatments where a parasite was present. By grazing on the zoospores, Daphnia acquired important supplementary nutrients and were able to grow. When large inedible algae are infected by parasites, nutrients within the algal cells are consumed by these chytrids, some of which, in turn, are grazed by Daphnia. Thus, chytrids transfer energy and nutrients from their hosts to zooplankton. This study suggests that parasitic fungi alter trophic relationships in freshwater ecosystems and may be the important components in shaping the community and the food-web dynamics of lakes.     

Parallelism,parsimony, and the phytogeny of the lemuridae

In spite of the increasing popularity of cladistic methods in studies of primate systematics, few authors have investigated the effects of parallel evolution when such methods are applied to empirical data. To counter the effects of parallelism, cladistic techniques rely on the principle of evolutionary parsimony. When parsimony procedures are used to reconstruct the phylogeny of the Lemuridae, nine highly parsimonious phylogenies can be deduced. Further choice among these competing hypotheses of relationship is determined by the extent to which one embraces the parsimony principle. The phylogeny obtained by the most rigorous adherence to the parsimony principle is one which is wholly consistent with traditional evolutionary classifications of the Lemuridae. Moderate levels of parallelism can lead to the generation of several plausible, alternative phylogenetic hypotheses; less than 25% of the characters analyzed here need have evolved in parallel, yet they are largely responsible for the ambiguity of the nine different lemurid phylogenies. This suggests that phylogeny reconstructions based entirely on cladistic methods do not provide a suitable basis for the construction of classifications for groups such as the order Primates, where the degree of parallelism is likely to be quite high.     

Expression, localization, structural, and functional characterization of pFGE, the paralog of the Calpha-formylglycine-generating enzyme

pFGE is the paralog of the formylglycine-generating enzyme (FGE), which catalyzes the oxidation of a specific cysteine to Calpha-formylglycine, the catalytic residue in the active site of sulfatases. The enzymatic activity of sulfatases depends on this posttranslational modification, and the genetic defect of FGE causes multiple sulfatase deficiency. The structural and functional properties of pFGE were analyzed. The comparison with FGE demonstrates that both share a tissue-specific expression pattern and the localization in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. Both are retained in the endoplasmic reticulum by a saturable mechanism. Limited proteolytic cleavage at similar sites indicates that both also share a similar three-dimensional structure. pFGE, however, is lacking the formylglycine-generating activity of FGE. Although overexpression of FGE stimulates the generation of catalytically active sulfatases, overexpression of pFGE has an inhibitory effect. In vitro pFGE interacts with sulfatase-derived peptides but not with FGE. The inhibitory effect of pFGE on the generation of active sulfatases may therefore be caused by a competition of pFGE and FGE for newly synthesized sulfatase polypeptides.     

Distribution of the chalcone,isosalipurposide, in the onagraceae

Isosalipurposide was present in 13 species and absent from 27 other species of the Onagraceae.     

Ethology, Natural History, the Life Sciences, and the Problem of Place

Investigators of animal behavior since the eighteenth century have sought to make their work integral to the enterprises of natural history and/or the life sciences. In their efforts to do so, they have frequently based their claims of authority on the advantages offered by the special places where they have conducted their research. The zoo, the laboratory, and the field have been major settings for animal behavior studies. The issue of the relative advantages of these different sites has been a persistent one in the history of animal behavior studies up to and including the work of the ethologists of the twentieth century. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.