不同降水条件下生物结皮覆盖对沙地土壤有机碳的影响

生物结皮是干旱半干旱地区重要的地表活体覆盖物,其通过光合固碳影响土壤有机碳、活性碳组分的含量及其稳定性。目前有关生物结皮中有机碳变化特征的研究非常有限。本研究在毛乌素沙地沿降水梯度从西北向东南选择了两类典型的生物结皮(苔藓结皮、藻结皮),直线跨度188 km,通过测定土壤有机碳(SOC)、微生物生物量碳(MBC)、可溶性有机碳(DOC)、颗粒态有机碳(POC)和易氧化有机碳(ROC),探讨生物结皮对土壤有机碳稳定性的作用及其对降水梯度的响应,并基于藓类植物凋落物分解试验解析降水变化对其碳分解过程的影响。结果表明: 1)两类生物结皮覆盖均显著提高了SOC和MBC、DOC、POC、ROC等活性碳组分含量及SOC稳定性,其中,藓结皮对SOC的提升作用为藻结皮的1.6～2.6倍。2)两类生物结皮SOC含量最低点均出现在西北样地(分别为6.43、14.50 g·kg^-1),随降水升高,SOC总体上呈现递增的趋势。3)随降水的升高,藓类凋落物所需的分解时间逐渐减少,研究期内(7月至次年2月)的分解系数在0.010～0.014,显著低于维管植物,自西北向东南3个样地藓类凋落物的碳释放量分别为8.09、10.89、12.88 g·kg^-1。4)典范对应分析显示,水蒸气分压力、实际蒸散量、年均温、地表向下短波辐射、潜在蒸散量、饱和水汽压差等是影响SOC及其活性碳组分含量的关键气候因子,粉粒含量是影响其含量的主要土壤因子。     

浑善达克沙地无芒雀麦（Bromus inermis）空间分布格局

通过西北-东南和东北-西南方向两条宽5m×长3 km的样带和一块4m×4m的样方调查,研究了浑善达克沙地无芒雀麦、植被、土壤水分及土壤盐分的空间变异特点及其相互关系。结果表明,样带内植被盖度、无芒雀麦盖度、土壤水分和土壤盐分的空间变化格局相似,然而,在不同的空间方向上,它们具有不同的空间变化;样方内无芒雀麦地上部生物量、分株数和土壤盐分具有相似的空间变化格局,但却不同于植被地上部总生物量和土壤水分的空间变化格局。相关分析表明,样带内植被盖度、无芒雀麦盖度与土壤水分和土壤盐分之间均具有显著的正相关关系。土壤水分和土壤盐分也具有显著的正相关。样方内无芒雀麦地上部生物量、分株数及植被地上部总生物量与土壤水分均具有显著的正相关关系,但与土壤盐分没有显著的相关关系。无芒雀麦地上部生物量、分株数和植被地上部总生物量三者之间,以及土壤水分和土壤盐分之间也均具有显著的正相关关系。研究结果表明了植被与土壤之间的相互关系依赖于空间尺度。     

典型毛乌素沙漠-黄土高原过渡带土壤盐渍化空间异质性及其影响因素

毛乌素沙漠-黄土高原过渡带土壤盐渍化的空间异质性和生态学过程,对沙荒地整治的机理研究具有重要的意义.以毛乌素沙漠-黄土过渡带为研究区,结合布点取样和室内分析,运用经典统计学和地统计学方法对其pH、电导率、全盐含量的空间异质性进行分析.结果表明: 1)土壤pH、电导率、全盐含量的平均含量分别为8.44、5.13 mS·cm^-1和21.66 g·kg^-1,变异系数范围为6.9%～73.3%,pH属于弱变异,电导率和全盐含量属于中等程度变异.2)半方差分析结果显示,3个指标的空间变异性的最佳拟合模型均为球形模型,块金值/基台值比值范围为8.6%～14.3%,均具有强烈的空间自相关性,结构性因素对变异起主导作用;变程由小到大表现为pH＜全盐<电导率.克里金插值图显示,pH、电导率、全盐含量整体呈条带状分布,连续性较好.pH值表现出随着地势的升高而升高的特点,而电导率和全盐含量则表现出随着地势的升高而降低的特点.3)在垂直分布上,重度盐渍化区域的盐分有表聚现象,轻度盐渍化区域盐分垂直分布为先减少后增大.毛乌素沙漠-黄土过渡带土壤盐渍化的空间变异性与气候、地质条件、地形地貌、水文地质条件、植被分布等有关,以地形因素和水文地质条件的影响为主.     

Ser422 phosphorylation blocks human Tau cleavage by caspase-3: Biochemical implications to Alzheimer’s Disease

Proteolytic truncation of microtubule associated human (h) Tau protein by caspase-3 at the carboxy (C) terminus has been linked to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). This cleavage likely occurs between Asp⁴²¹↓Ser⁴²² leading to the formation of 421-mer truncated Tau protein which has been found to be present as aggregate in high level after phosphorylation in mortal AD brain tissue compared to normal. At least 50 phosphorylation sites involving Ser, Thr and Tyr residues have been identified or proposed in hTau and a selected number of them have been implicated in hTau aggregation following latter’s proteolytic truncation. Interestingly, it is further noted that Ser⁴²² residue present in the P1′ position of hTau caspase-3 cleavage region is a potential phosphorylation site. So we became interested to examine in vitro the effect of phospho-Ser⁴²² residue on hTau cleavage by caspase-3 which is a crucial upstream event associated with hTau self-assembly leading to AD pathogenesis. The goal of this project is to study in vitro the caspase-3 cleavage site of hTau protein and to examine the kinetics of this cleavage following Ser⁴²² phosphorylation and treatment with caspase-3 inhibitors. This is achieved by designing peptides from the sequence of hTau protein containing the proposed caspase-3 cleavage region. Peptides were designed from 441-mer major human Tau protein sequence that encompasses the proposed caspase-3 cleavage site [Asp⁴²¹↓Ser⁴²²]. Corresponding phospho-, dextro-Ser⁴²² and dextro-Asp⁴²¹ analogs were also designed. Peptides were synthesized by solid phase chemistry, purified and fully characterized by mass spectrometry. These were then incubated with recombinant caspase-3 enzyme under identical condition for digestion and analyzed for cleavage by mass spectrometry and RP-HPLC chromatograms. Our results indicated that while the control peptide is efficiently cleaved by caspase-3 at Asp⁴²¹↓Ser⁴²² site producing the expected N- and C-terminal fragment peptides, the corresponding phospho-Ser⁴²² peptide remained completely resistant to the cleavage. Substitution of Asp⁴²¹ by its dextro isoform also blocks peptide cleavage by caspase-3. However substitution of Ser⁴²² by its dextro isoform in the peptide did not affect the cleavage significantly. The above results were further confirmed by caspase-3 digestion experiment in the presence of varying amounts of caspase-3 inhibitor (Ac-DQVD-aldehyde) which was found to block this cleavage in a highly effective manner. Our results highlighted the crucial significance of Ser⁴²² phosphorylation and suggest that the kinase associated with this Ser-phosphorylation may protect Tau from aggregation. Thus specific promoters/activators of this kinase may find useful therapeutic benefits in arresting Tau truncation by caspase-3 and the progression of AD. In addition our data demonstrated that Tau-peptides where Ser⁴²² or Asp⁴²¹ are substituted by their respective dextro isomers, exhibit different cleavage kinetics by caspase-3 and this may have important implications in therapeutic intervention of Tau aggregation and associated AD.     

毛乌素沙化景观内斑块间的多种边界

1　引　　言时空异质性是自然系统的普遍特征 ,陆地景观镶嵌体由许多不同的具有内部相对同质性的斑块组成 .因此 ,当考虑整个景观时 ,相邻斑块之间的边界就成为一个不容忽视的景观组分[13 ] .长期以来 ,与边界有关的生态学问题在基础和应用生态学研究的不同领域中备受关注[5,9,10 ,15] .Ｗｉｅｎｓ等[16]提出一个研究景观生态系统空间斑块性的概念框架———边界动态 ,通过对景观镶嵌体中相邻斑块间的边界的研究 ,来揭示生态系统功能的空间结构 .为了增强对形成和维持生态学边界的各种过程的理解 ,首先应确定边界的空间位置[6] .因此许多确…     

毛乌素沙地沙生半灌木群落的空间异质性

在使用 5m× 50 0 0 m样带进行调查获得的植被盖度数据的基础上 ,通过半方差分析和分形分析揭示了毛乌素沙化草地沙生半灌木群落植被盖度的空间变异特点。半方差分析揭示出植被盖度的多尺度变异和等级斑块结构 ,在取样范围内至少存在着 3个等级。分形分析得出毛乌素沙地沙生半木群落植被盖度的分维 D=1 .90 ,接近于 2 ,指示着大部分空间变异发生在较小的尺度上 ;分段分形分析得出不同尺度范围内的分维 ,反映了空间异质性的多尺度变异性。这一结果揭示了荒漠化过程引起的生境破碎化     

Mapping of binding sites for Mu repressor and ner product within the left-end EcoRI. C fragment of the Mu genome

Bacterial cells containing the ner gene of phage Mu inserted into pBR322 express a binding activity with specificity for the left-end EcoRI.C fragment of Mu DNA. Crude extracts containing either Mu repressor or ner protein have been used to localize binding sites on TaqI subfragments of the EcoRI.C fragment. There are at least 3 distinct binding sites for the Mu repressor and 1 binding site for the ner protein on the EcoRI. C fragment. The possible biological function of these binding sites is discussed.     

Responses of Caryopsis Germination, Seedling Emergence, and Development to Sand Water Content of Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn. and Bromus inermis Leyss.

Responses of caryopsis germination, seedling emergence, and development of Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn. (Gramineae) and Bromus inermis Leyss. (Gramineae), two dominant perennial grasses in the Otindag Sandland of China, to different sand water content (SWC; 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 12%,16%, and 20%) were studied comparatively. The results showed that the germination responses of the two grasses to SWC were similar (i.e. caryopses could not germinate when the SWC was below 3%; at SWC ranging from 3% to 12%, the higher the SWC, the higher the germination percentage; and at a SWC of 12 %, germination reached similarly high percentages). At a sand burial depth of 0.5 cm, the threshold of SWC for seedling emergence was 6% forA. cristatum and 8% forB. inermis; at 12%-20% SWC, the seedling emergence of both species reached similarly high percentages. The seedling growth responses of these two species to SWC gradients were different. For A. cristatum, the biomass of seedlings increased with SWC from 6% to 12%, and decreased with SWC from 12% to 20%. For B. inermis, the biomass of seedlings always increased with SWC from 8% to 20%. The results also showed that the seedlings of both species allocated more biomass to the roots with decreases in SWC. The SWC changes from April to October in natural microhabitats of both species suggested that the SWC may play an important role in caryopsis germination,seedling emergence, and the growth characteristics of the two grasses. The responses of caryopsis germination, seedling emergence, and the growth characteristics of these two species to SWC may determine their distribution patterns in the Otindag Sandland.     

Responses of Caryopsis Germination, Seedling Emergence, and Development to Sand Water Content of Agropyron cristatum （L.） Gaertn. and Bromus inermis Leyss.

Responses of caryopsis germination, seedling emergence, and development of Agropyron cristatum （L.） Gaertn. （Gramineae） and Bromus inermis Leyss. （Gramineae）, two dominant perennial grasses in the Otindag Sandland of China, to different sand water content （SWC; 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 12%, 16%, and 20%） were studied comparatively. The results showed that the germination responses of the two grasses to SWC were similar （i.e. caryopses could not germinate when the SWC was below 3%; at SWC ranging from 3% to 12%, the higher the SWC, the higher the germination percentage; and at a SWC of 12%-20%, germination reached similarly high percentages）. At a sand burial depth of 0.5 cm, the threshold of SWC for seedling emergence was 6% forA. cristatum and 8% forB. inermis; at 12%-20% SWC, the seedling emergence of both species reached similarly high percentages. The seedling growth responses of these two species to SWC gradients were different. For A. cristatum, the biomass of seedlings increased with SWC from 6% to 12%, and decreased with SWC from 12% to 20%. For B. inermis, the biomass of seedlings always increased with SWC from 8% to 20%. The results also showed that the seedlings of both species allocated more biomass to the roots with decreases in SWC. The SWC changes from April to October in natural microhabitats of both species suggested that the SWC may play an important role in caryopsis germination, seedling emergence, and the growth characteristics of the two grasses. The responses of caryopsis germination, seedling emergence, and the growth characteristics of these two species to SWC may determine their distribution pattems in the Otindag Sandland.