Impact of precipitation dynamics on net ecosystem productivity

Net ecosystem productivity (NEP) was measured on shortgrass steppe (SGS) vegetation at the USDA Central Plains Experimental Range in northeastern Colorado from 2001 to 2003. Large year‐to‐year differences were observed in annual NEP, with >95% of the net carbon uptake occurring during May and June. Low precipitation during the 2002 April to June time period greatly reduced annual net carbon uptake. Large precipitation events (>10 mm day^?1) promoted carbon uptake, while small precipitation events (<10 mm day^?1) enhanced heterotrophic respiration and resulted in a net loss of carbon from the system. Large precipitation event enhanced carbon uptake was attributed to increased soil water content (SWC), which promotes plant photosynthesis. The large precipitation events which occurred from July to October have lower increases in daytime net CO₂ uptake (NEP_d) due to the presence of low live plant biomass compared to earlier in the growing season. Live aboveground plant biomass (AGB), solar radiation, and SWC were the major variables that controlled NEP_d, while AGB, SWC, and relative humidity control nighttime respiration losses (NEP_n). Aboveground plant biomass is the most important variable for controlling both NEP_d and NEP_n dynamics. These results suggest that the major factor controlling growing season NEP_n is the amount of carbon fixed via photosynthesis during the day. Heterotrophic soil respiration is greatly enhanced for one to 2 days following rainfall events with daily rainfall events >5 mm having a similar increase in respiration (>3.00 g m Cm^?2 day^?1). In addition, the size of the heterotrophic respiration pulse is independent of both the amount of time since the last rainfall event and the time of occurrence during the growing season.     

暖温带麻栎林凋落物调节土壤碳排放通量对降雨脉冲的响应

凋落物既是森林生态系统养分循环的重要构件,又是森林土壤环境和功能的关键调节因子。降雨脉冲导致的土壤碳排放变异是陆地生态系统碳汇能力评价的不确定性来源之一。凋落物在调节土壤碳排放对降雨脉冲的响应中的作用仍缺乏科学的评价。通过在暖温带栎类落叶阔叶林中设置不同凋落物处理(对照、去除凋落物和加倍凋落物)和降雨模拟实验以阐明凋落物数量变化对土壤呼吸脉冲的影响。结果表明：模拟降雨脉冲之前,不同凋落物处理下的土壤呼吸存在显著差异;与对照相比,加倍凋落物导致土壤呼吸速率显著增加57.6%,然而,去除凋落物则对土壤呼吸无显著影响。模拟降雨后52小时内,对照、去除凋落物和加倍凋落物样方的土壤累积碳排放量分别为251.69 gC/m~2,250.93 gC/m~2和409.01 gC/m~2,加倍凋落物处理下的土壤碳排放量显著高于对照和去除凋落物处理;然而,去除凋落物与对照之间无显著差异。此外,不同凋落物处理下土壤呼吸的脉冲持续时间存在显著差异;加倍凋落物显著提高降雨后土壤呼吸脉冲的持续时间,分别比对照和去除凋落物高出262%和158%。多元逐步回归分析表明,土壤总碳排放通量和土壤呼吸的脉冲持续时间与土壤理...     

极端干旱区增雨加速泡泡刺群落土壤碳排放

以极端干旱区(敦煌)泡泡刺群落为研究对象,采用动态气室法(Li-8100,USA)于2010年5月至9月测定分析了生长季内增雨对泡泡刺群落土壤碳排放量的影响。结果表明:裸地和灌丛在09:00—11:00的碳排放量与全天碳排放量具有线性正相关关系(裸地R2=0.31—0.76,P<0.001;灌丛R2=0.85—0.96,P<0.001)。增雨50%(4 mm)—300%(24 mm)能够加速裸地和灌丛土壤的碳排放,每增雨1 mm,裸地和灌丛土壤的碳排放分别增加0.27和1.12 g/m2。当泡泡刺群落盖度一定时,与对照相比,每增加1 mm降雨,泡泡刺群落土壤碳排放量增加0.69 g/m2。在未来中国西北干旱地区降雨增加背景下,这一研究数据将为进一步估算该区域群落或生态系统碳收支提供可靠的参考数据。     

Early Hemoperfusion May Improve Survival of Severely Paraquat-Poisoned Patients

Background

Thousands of paraquat (PQ)-poisoned patients continue to die, particularly in developing countries. Although animal studies indicate that hemoperfusion (HP) within 2−4 h after intoxication effectively reduces mortality, the effect of early HP in humans remains unknown.

Methods

We analyzed the records of all PQ-poisoned patients admitted to 2 hospitals between 2000 and 2009. Patients were grouped according to early or late HP and high-dose (oral cyclophosphamide [CP] and intravenous dexamethasone [DX]) or repeated pulse (intravenous methylprednisolone [MP] and CP, followed by DX and repeated MP and/or CP) PQ therapy. Early HP was defined as HP <4 h, and late HP, as HP ≥4 h after PQ ingestion. We evaluated the associations between HP <4 h, <5 h, <6 h, and <7 h after PQ ingestion and the outcomes. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and mortality data were analyzed.

Results

The study included 207 severely PQ-poisoned patients. Forward stepwise multivariate Cox hazard regression analysis showed that early HP <4 h (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.38, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.16–0.86; P = 0.020) or HP <5 h (HR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.39–0.92; P = 0.019) significantly decreased the mortality risk. Further analysis showed that early HP reduced the mortality risk only in patients treated with repeated pulse therapy (n = 136), but not high-dose therapy (n = 71). Forward stepwise multivariate Cox hazard regression analysis showed that HP <4.0 h (HR = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.05–0.79; P = 0.022) or <5.0 h (HR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.24–0.98; P = 0.043) after PQ ingestion significantly decreased the mortality risk in repeated pulse therapy patients, after adjustment for relevant variables.

Conclusion

The results showed that early HP after PQ exposure might be effective in reducing mortality in severely poisoned patients, particularly in those treated with repeated pulse therapy.     

Effects of Standard Humic Materials on Relative Bioavailability of NDL-PCBs in Juvenile Swine

Young children with their hand-to-mouth activity may be exposed to contaminated soils. However few studies assessing exposure of organic compounds sequestrated in soil were realized. The present study explores the impact of different organic matters on retention of NDL-PCBs during digestive processes using commercial humic substances in a close digestive model of children: the piglet. Six artificial soils were used. One standard soil, devoid of organic matter, and five amended versions of this standard soil with either fulvic acid, humic acid, Sphagnum peat, activated carbon or a mix of Sphagnum peat and activated carbon (95∶5) (SPAC) were prepared. In order to compare the different treatments, we use spiked oil and negative control animals. Forty male piglets were randomly distributed in 7 contaminated and one control groups (n  = 5 for each group). During 10 days, the piglets were fed artificial soil or a corn oil spiked with 19 200 ng of Aroclor 1254 per g of dry matter (6 000 ng.g⁻¹ of NDL-PCBs) to achieve an exposure dose of 1 200 ng NDL-PCBs.Kg⁻¹ of body weight per day. NDL-PCBs in adipose tissue were analyzed by GC-MS. Fulvic acid reduced slightly the bioavailability of NDL-PCBs compared to oil. Humic acid and Sphagnum peat reduced it significantly higher whereas activated carbon reduced the most. Piglets exposed to soil containing both activated carbon and Shagnum peat exhibited a lower reduction than soil with only activated carbon. Therefore, treatment groups are ordered by decreasing value of relative bioavailability as following: oil ≥ fulvic acid>Sphagnum peat ≥ Sphagnum peat and activated carbon ≥ Humic acid>>activated carbon. This suggests competition between Sphagnum peat and activated carbon. The present study highlights that quality of organic matter does have a significant effect on bioavailability of sequestrated organic compounds.     

Effect of precipitation variability on net primary production and soil respiration in a Chihuahuan Desert grassland

Precipitation regimes are predicted to become more variable with more extreme rainfall events punctuated by longer intervening dry periods. Water‐limited ecosystems are likely to be highly responsive to altered precipitation regimes. The bucket model predicts that increased precipitation variability will reduce soil moisture stress and increase primary productivity and soil respiration in aridland ecosystems. To test this hypothesis, we experimentally altered the size and frequency of precipitation events during the summer monsoon (July through September) in 2007 and 2008 in a northern Chihuahuan Desert grassland in central New Mexico, USA. Treatments included (1) ambient rain, (2) ambient rain plus one 20 mm rain event each month, and (3) ambient rain plus four 5 mm rain events each month. Throughout two monsoon seasons, we measured soil temperature, soil moisture content (θ), soil respiration (R_s), along with leaf‐level photosynthesis (A_net), predawn leaf water potential (Ψ_pd), and seasonal aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) of the dominant C₄ grass, Bouteloua eriopoda. Treatment plots receiving a single large rainfall event each month maintained significantly higher seasonal soil θ which corresponded with a significant increase in R_s and ANPP of B. eriopoda when compared with plots receiving multiple small events. Because the strength of these patterns differed between years, we propose a modification of the bucket model in which both the mean and variance of soil water change as a consequence of interannual variability from 1 year to the next. Our results demonstrate that aridland ecosystems are highly sensitive to increased precipitation variability, and that more extreme precipitation events will likely have a positive impact on some aridland ecosystem processes important for the carbon cycle.     

Dispersion and Transport of Cryptosporidium Oocysts from Fecal Pats under Simulated Rainfall Events

The dispersion and initial transport of Cryptosporidium oocysts from fecal pats were investigated during artificial rainfall events on intact soil blocks (1,500 by 900 by 300 mm). Rainfall events of 55 mm h⁻¹ for 30 min and 25 mm h⁻¹ for 180 min were applied to soil plots with artificial fecal pats seeded with approximately 10⁷ oocysts. The soil plots were divided in two, with one side devoid of vegetation and the other left with natural vegetation cover. Each combination of event intensity and duration, vegetation status, and degree of slope (5° and 10°) was evaluated twice. Generally, a fivefold increase (P < 0.05) in runoff volume was generated on bare soil compared to vegetated soil, and significantly more infiltration, although highly variable, occurred through the vegetated soil blocks (P < 0.05). Runoff volume, event conditions (intensity and duration), vegetation status, degree of slope, and their interactions significantly affected the load of oocysts in the runoff. Surface runoff transported from 10^0.2 oocysts from vegetated loam soil (25-mm h⁻¹, 180-min event on 10° slope) to up to 10^4.5 oocysts from unvegetated soil (55-mm h⁻¹, 30-min event on 10° slope) over a 1-m distance. Surface soil samples downhill of the fecal pat contained significantly higher concentrations of oocysts on devegetated blocks than on vegetated blocks. Based on these results, there is a need to account for surface soil vegetation coverage as well as slope and rainfall runoff in future assessments of Cryptosporidium transport and when managing pathogen loads from stock grazing near streams within drinking water watersheds.     

Summer rain pulses may stimulate a CO2 release rather than absorption in desert halophyte communities

Background and aims

The response of plants and soil to rain pulses determines seasonal variations in the exchange of materials and energy at the ecosystem scale in arid and semi-arid regions. We assessed how the ecosystem carbon exchange (NEE) of desert halophyte communities of different plant functional-types responds to summer precipitation pulses in Tamarix and Haloxylon communities.

Methods

Plant water status, photosynthetic gas exchange, soil respiration and net ecosystem carbon exchange were measured to test the hypothesis that high physiological sensitivity may induce a greater changes in NEE resulting from the summer precipitation pulses in Haloxylon community.

Results

Plant water status and photosynthetic assimilation did not differ before and after summer precipitation pulses in either community. In contrast, soil respiration and NEE responded strongly to summer precipitation events in both communities. At the ecosystem level, precipitation pulses induced a pulse of CO₂ release, rather than absorption. The NEE response to summer precipitation was less in the deep-rooted Tamarix community, compared to the shallow-rooted Haloxylon community, which was even converted into a carbon source after summer precipitation inputs. As a result, the effect of summer precipitation inputs on soil respiration was more important than the plant (carbon assimilation) response in determining the ecosystem response to episodic precipitation pulses.     

Climate Change Increases Reproductive Failure in Magellanic Penguins

Climate change is causing more frequent and intense storms, and climate models predict this trend will continue, potentially affecting wildlife populations. Since 1960 the number of days with >20 mm of rain increased near Punta Tombo, Argentina. Between 1983 and 2010 we followed 3496 known-age Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) chicks at Punta Tombo to determine how weather impacted their survival. In two years, rain was the most common cause of death killing 50% and 43% of chicks. In 26 years starvation killed the most chicks. Starvation and predation were present in all years. Chicks died in storms in 13 of 28 years and in 16 of 233 storms. Storm mortality was additive; there was no relationship between the number of chicks killed in storms and the numbers that starved (P = 0.75) or that were eaten (P = 0.39). However, when more chicks died in storms, fewer chicks fledged (P = 0.05, R ² = 0.14). More chicks died when rainfall was higher and air temperature lower. Most chicks died from storms when they were 9–23 days old; the oldest chick killed in a storm was 41 days old. Storms with heavier rainfall killed older chicks as well as more chicks. Chicks up to 70 days old were killed by heat. Burrow nests mitigated storm mortality (N = 1063). The age span of chicks in the colony at any given time increased because the synchrony of egg laying decreased since 1983, lengthening the time when chicks are vulnerable to storms. Climate change that increases the frequency and intensity of storms results in more reproductive failure of Magellanic penguins, a pattern likely to apply to many species breeding in the region. Climate variability has already lowered reproductive success of Magellanic penguins and is likely undermining the resilience of many other species.     

Effects of environmental factors upon variation in soil respiration of a Zoysia japonica grassland, central Japan

The effects of environmental factors on seasonal and annual variations in soil respiration were examined in the cool temperate Zoysia japonica grassland of Japan. Field measurements of soil respiration were conducted using a closed chamber method with an infrared gas analyzer at monthly intervals in the snow-free seasons from May 2007 to December 2009. There was an exponential relationship between soil respiration and soil temperature, and the soil temperature accounted for 85–86% of seasonal soil respiration variability. Moreover, a positive linear relationship between soil respiration and soil water content was detected in summer (R ² = 0.55, p < 0.001), but not in spring or autumn. Annual soil respiration was estimated at 755, 719, and 1,037 g C m⁻² year⁻¹ in 2007, 2008, and 2009, respectively. These interannual variations in soil respiration might be influenced by the strength of precipitation during rainy seasons and the timing of each snow-melt. Our results suggest that the effects of rainfall and snow-melt events on soil respiration might be important factors to understand carbon dynamics in grassland ecosystem in Japan.     

Responses of soil respiration to simulated precipitation pulses in semiarid steppe under different grazing regimes

Aims Precipitation pulses and different land use practices (such as grazing) play important roles in regulating soil respiration and carbon balance of semiarid steppe ecosystems in Inner Mongolia. However, the interactive effects of grazing and rain event magnitude on soil respiration of steppe ecosystems are still unknown. We conducted a manipulative experiment with simulated precipitation pulses in Inner Mongolia steppe to study the possible responses of soil respiration to different precipitation pulse sizes and to examine how grazing may affect the responses of soil respiration to precipitation pulses.Methods Six water treatments with different precipitation pulse sizes (0, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 mm) were conducted in the ungrazed and grazed sites, respectively. Variation patterns of soil respiration of each treatment were determined continuously after the water addition treatments.Important findings Rapid and substantial increases in soil respiration occurred 1 day after the water treatments in both sites, and the magnitude and duration of the increase in soil respiration depended on pulse size. Significantly positive relationships between the soil respiration and soil moisture in both sites suggested that soil moisture was the most important factor responsible for soil respiration rate during rain pulse events. The ungrazed site maintained significantly higher soil moisture for a longer time, which was the reason that the soil respiration in the ungrazed site was maintained relatively higher rate and longer period than that in the grazed site after a rain event. The significant exponential relationship between soil temperature and soil respiration was found only in the plots with the high water addition treatments (50 and 100 mm). Lower capacity of soil water holding and lower temperature sensitivity of soil respiration in the grazed site indicated that degraded steppe due to grazing might release less CO₂ to the atmosphere through soil respiration under future precipitation and temperature scenarios.     

The Effect of Leaf Litter Cover on Surface Runoff and Soil Erosion in Northern China

The role of leaf litter in hydrological processes and soil erosion of forest ecosystems is poorly understood. A field experiment was conducted under simulated rainfall in runoff plots with a slope of 10%. Two common types of litter in North China (from Quercus variabilis, representing broadleaf litter, and Pinus tabulaeformis, representing needle leaf litter), four amounts of litter, and five rainfall intensities were tested. Results revealed that the litter reduced runoff and delayed the beginning of runoff, but significantly reduced soil loss (p<0.05). Average runoff yield was 29.5% and 31.3% less than bare-soil plot, and for Q. variabilis and P. tabulaeformis, respectively, and average sediment yield was 85.1% and 79.9% lower. Rainfall intensity significantly affected runoff (R = 0.99, p<0.05), and the efficiency in runoff reduction by litter decreased considerably. Runoff yield and the runoff coefficient increased dramatically by 72.9 and 5.4 times, respectively. The period of time before runoff appeared decreased approximately 96.7% when rainfall intensity increased from 5.7 to 75.6 mm h⁻¹. Broadleaf and needle leaf litter showed similarly relevant effects on runoff and soil erosion control, since no significant differences (p≤0.05) were observed in runoff and sediment variables between two litter-covered plots. In contrast, litter mass was probably not a main factor in determining runoff and sediment because a significant correlation was found only with sediment in Q. variabilis litter plot. Finally, runoff yield was significantly correlated (p<0.05) with sediment yield. These results suggest that the protective role of leaf litter in runoff and erosion processes was crucial, and both rainfall intensity and litter characteristics had an impact on these processes.     

Heat Stress Reduces Intestinal Barrier Integrity and Favors Intestinal Glucose Transport in Growing Pigs

Excessive heat exposure reduces intestinal integrity and post-absorptive energetics that can inhibit wellbeing and be fatal. Therefore, our objectives were to examine how acute heat stress (HS) alters intestinal integrity and metabolism in growing pigs. Animals were exposed to either thermal neutral (TN, 21°C; 35–50% humidity; n = 8) or HS conditions (35°C; 24–43% humidity; n = 8) for 24 h. Compared to TN, rectal temperatures in HS pigs increased by 1.6°C and respiration rates by 2-fold (P<0.05). As expected, HS decreased feed intake by 53% (P<0.05) and body weight (P<0.05) compared to TN pigs. Ileum heat shock protein 70 expression increased (P<0.05), while intestinal integrity was compromised in the HS pigs (ileum and colon TER decreased; P<0.05). Furthermore, HS increased serum endotoxin concentrations (P = 0.05). Intestinal permeability was accompanied by an increase in protein expression of myosin light chain kinase (P<0.05) and casein kinase II-α (P = 0.06). Protein expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins in the ileum revealed claudin 3 and occludin expression to be increased overall due to HS (P<0.05), while there were no differences in claudin 1 expression. Intestinal glucose transport and blood glucose were elevated due to HS (P<0.05). This was supported by increased ileum Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase activity in HS pigs. SGLT-1 protein expression was unaltered; however, HS increased ileal GLUT-2 protein expression (P = 0.06). Altogether, these data indicate that HS reduce intestinal integrity and increase intestinal stress and glucose transport.     

增加降水对干旱河谷区云南松人工林土壤呼吸的影响

2013年5月至2014年6月,对干旱河谷区云南松(Pinus yunnanensis)人工林进行增加降水试验,试验设置对照(CK,0 mm m~(-2)a~(-1))、增水10%(A1,80 mm m~(-2)a~(-1))、增水20%(A2,160 mm m~(-2)a~(-1))和增水30%(A3,240 mm m~(-2)a~(-1))4个处理水平。采用LI-8100开路式土壤碳通量测量系统测定每月土壤呼吸速率。结果表明,4个处理云南松人工林土壤呼吸速率均呈明显的季节变化,7月最高,2月最低。与CK相比,A1年均土壤呼吸速率无显著性差异(P0.05),A2显著增加了12.88%(P0.05),而A3明显减少了17.71%(P0.05)。3个增水处理均提高了土壤呼吸的温度敏感性,减弱了土壤呼吸与土壤湿度的关系。与土壤温度相比,土壤湿度对土壤呼吸的影响相对较小。增水增加了湿季土壤微生物碳、氮含量,干季对微生物碳含量无影响,但明显降低了微生物氮含量。这说明,降水增加对干旱河谷区云南松人工林土壤呼吸的影响是不尽相同的,适当的增水会促进土壤呼吸,而过量的增水会抑制土壤呼吸。     

Verification of a threshold concept of ecologically effective precipitation pulse: From plant individuals to ecosystem

In water-limited ecosystems, an ecologically significant rainfall pulse was defined as a rainfall event that altered both soil water status and plant physiological activity. We developed a new threshold concept of an ecologically effective precipitation pulse (EEPP) applicable to both plant individual and ecosystem scales. The concept was tested in a typical steppe on Inner Mongolia plateau. Two EEPPs, single 3-mm rainfall and 5-mm rainfall, were applied to investigate their effects on soil and plant water status, CO₂ assimilation of five species (four C₃ plants and one C₄ plant), whole-plot soil respiration (R_s), and net ecosystem CO₂ exchange (NEE) on 1 June and 28 July 2009, respectively. Both EEPPs increased leaf water potential (Ψ_l) of all the species, which peaked 1–3 days after rainfall pulses. Soil water content (SWC) in two depths (5 cm and 20 cm) significantly increased after the two EEPPs for 1–3 days. Soil water potential (Ψ_s) within 20‐cm soil layer in EEPP treatments significantly differed (p < 0.05) from control. Net assimilation rates (A_net) of all C₃ plants had a slight increase at the next day after two EEPPs, in contrast to the C₄ species. R_s elevated and peaked 1–3 days later after water supply. Ecosystem net CO₂ absorption rate rose to maximum value 3 days after the 5-mm pulse on 28 July, higher than the response to 3-mm pulse on June 1. The grassland turned to net emission of CO₂ after 3-mm pulse on 28 July. The results supported that there was an ecosystem level threshold for EEPP, and the threshold was temporally variable. It also highlighted the necessity of considering the response threshold of EEPP in rainfall manipulative experiment. In addition, effective rainfall amount was more approriate than total rainfall amount in modeling ecosystem carbon balance.     

降雨对草地土壤呼吸季节变异性的影响

利用土壤碳通量自动观测系统(LI-8150)对呼伦贝尔草原在自然降雨条件下的土壤呼吸作用进行了野外定位连续观测,研究结果表明:降雨对土壤呼吸作用存在激发效应和抑制效应,降雨发生后1-2 h内土壤呼吸速率可增加约1倍,当单次或者连续降雨累积量大于7-8 mm,或土壤含水量大于29%-30%时,降雨对土壤呼吸会产生明显的抑制作用。土壤呼吸的激发效应往往体现在次日,表现为次日平均土壤呼吸速率的显著升高;而抑制效应则在当日即可体现出来,表现为观测当日平均土壤呼吸速率的明显下降。土壤呼吸季节变异性与降雨频率和降雨强度密切相关,在降雨量一定的情况下,较低的降雨频率和较高的降雨强度会增加土壤呼吸的变异性。呼伦贝尔草甸草原而言,在生长季土壤平均含水量为16.5%时,土壤呼吸的温度敏感性值(Q₁₀)为2.12;而平均土壤含水量为26%时,Q₁₀值为2.82,明显高于前者,土壤含水量与Q₁₀之间存在正相关关系。降雨导致土壤呼吸的激发效应和抑制效应交替发生,使草地土壤呼吸的季节变异性增加,降雨格局变化必然会对草地碳循环和碳通量特征产生深刻影响。     

Quantitative Assessment of the Association between rs2046210 at 6q25.1 and Breast Cancer Risk

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified several genetic susceptibility loci for breast cancer (BC). One of them, conducted among Chinese women, found an association of rs2046210 at 6q25.1 with the risk of BC recently. Since then, numerous association studies have been carried out to investigate the relationship between this polymorphism and BC risk in various populations. However, these have yielded contradictory results. We therefore performed a meta-analysis to clarify this inconsistency. Overall, a total of 235003 subjects based on 13 studies were included in our study. Significantly increased BC risk was detected in the pooled analysis [allele contrast: OR = 1.13, 95%CI = 1.10–1.17, P(Z) <10⁻⁵, P(Q) <10⁻⁴; dominant model: OR = 1.21, 95%CI = 1.14–1.27, P(Z) <10⁻⁵, P(Q) <10⁻⁴; recessive model: OR = 1.18, 95%CI = 1.12–1.24, P(Z) <10⁻⁵, P(Q) = 0.04]. In addition, our data revealed that rs2046210 conferred greater risk in estrogen receptor (ER)-negative tumors [OR = 1.27, 95%CI = 1.15–1.40, P(Z) <10⁻⁵, P(Q) <10⁻⁴] than in ER-positive ones [OR = 1.18, 95%CI = 1.09–1.28, P(Z) <10⁻⁴, P(Q) = 0.0003]. When stratified by ethnicity, significant associations were found in Caucasian and Asian populations, but not detected among Africans. There was evidence of heterogeneity (P<0.05), however, the heterogeneity largely disappeared after stratification by ethnicity. The present meta-analysis demonstrated that the rs2046210 polymorphism may be associated with increased BC susceptibility, but this association varies in different ethnicities.     

降雨对旱作春玉米农田土壤呼吸动态的影响

土壤呼吸是调控全球碳平衡和气候变化的关键过程之一,降雨作为重要的扰动因子,在不同区域和不同环境条件下,对土壤呼吸具有复杂的影响.研究降雨对农田土壤呼吸及其分量的影响,对准确预测未来气候变化下陆地生态系统碳平衡具有重要意义.对黄土高原东部典型春玉米农田生态系统生长季内3次降雨前后土壤呼吸及其分量进行了原位连续观测,结果表明:在土壤湿润的条件下,降雨对春玉米农田土壤呼吸及其分量具有明显的抑制作用,在土壤湿度大于27％后土壤呼吸及其分量随土壤湿度上升呈明显下降,且对温度的敏感性降低.土壤呼吸及其分量在降雨前后的变化受土壤温度和土壤湿度的共同影响.降雨量、降雨历时和雨前土壤含水量决定了土壤呼吸及其分量对降雨响应的程度和时长.土壤呼吸及其分量对土壤温度的敏感性各不相同,微生物呼吸对温度的敏感性最高,Q10为5.14;其次是土壤呼吸,Q10为3.86;根呼吸的温度敏感性相对最低,Q10为3.24.由于土壤呼吸分量对温度和湿度的敏感性不同,降雨后根呼吸的比例有所升高.     

Quantification of Soil-to-Plant Transport of Recombinant Nucleopolyhedrovirus: Effects of Soil Type and Moisture, Air Currents, and Precipitation

Significantly more occlusion bodies (OB) of DuPont viral construct HzSNPV-LqhIT2, expressing a scorpion toxin, were transported by artificial rainfall to cotton plants from sandy soil (70:15:15 sand-silt-clay) than from silt (15:70:15) and significantly more from silt than from clay (15:15:70). The amounts transported by 5 versus 50 mm of precipitation were the same, and transport was zero when there was no precipitation. In treatments that included precipitation, the mean number of viable OB transported to entire, 25- to 35-cm-tall cotton plants ranged from 56 (clay soil, 5 mm of rain) to 226 (sandy soil, 50 mm of rain) OB/plant. In a second experiment, viral transport increased with increasing wind velocity (0, 16, and 31 km/h) and was greater in dry (−1.0 bar of matric potential) than in moist (−0.5 bar) soil. Wind transport was greater for virus in a clay soil than in silt or sand. Only 3.3 × 10⁻⁷ (clay soil, 5 mm rain) to 1.3 × 10⁻⁶ (sandy soil, 50 mm rain) of the OB in surrounding soil in experiment 1 or 1.1 × 10⁻⁷ (−0.5 bar sandy soil, 16-km/h wind) to 1.3 × 10⁻⁶ (−1.0 bar clay soil, 31-km/h wind) in experiment 2 were transported by rainfall or wind to cotton plants. This reduces the risk of environmental release of a recombinant nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV), because only a very small proportion of recombinant virus in the soil reservoir is transported to vegetation, where it can be ingested by and replicate in new host insects.     

Ecosystem respiration responses to experimental manipulations of winter and summer precipitation in a Mixedgrass Prairie,WY, USA

Changes in timing or amount of precipitation may be of great consequence for carbon cycling in the Mixedgrass Prairie of N. America, because CO₂ fixation and efflux are tightly coupled to soil water properties. The objective of our project was to quantify how ecosystem respiration (R_e) responds to experimental changes in winter and summer precipitation in a Mixedgrass Prairie using in situ field manipulations of snow depth and summer rain. Our study was conducted at the USDA-ARS High Plains Grasslands Research Station, west of Cheyenne, Wyoming. We installed three replicated 50 m snow fences to increase winter snow on the leeward side of the snow fence and experimentally manipulated summer precipitation by either increasing (+50%) or decreasing (−50%) precipitation amounts. We also measured ambient conditions. R_e rates in May were around 2 g C m⁻² d⁻¹ for all treatments and increased to their greatest values in June, up to 10 g C m⁻² d⁻¹, with the ambient treatment having the largest flux rates. There were no treatment effects during the early summer, but by midsummer, R_e rates were least in the reduced rainfall plots and greatest in the snow plots. Soil moisture and gross photosynthesis had strong influence on the daily R_e rates, but soil temperature had little correlation with daily R_e rates. In summary, the R_e rates in this Mixedgrass Prairie are strongly influenced by changes in precipitation, especially winter snow accumulation. Thus, carbon cycle estimates under future climate change scenarios need to include not only the affects of changes in summer rain, but also, the consequences of deep snow in winter and itsȁ9 affect on carbon cycling processes in winter and subsequent summers.