Economic values and dominant providers of key ecosystem services of wetlands in Beijing,China

This study estimates the economic values of and the dominant contributors to five key ecosystem services of wetlands in Beijing, by using the wetland inventory data in 2014 and economic valuation methods. Results indicate that the 51,434 ha of wetlands in Beijing annually provide 2.07 billion m³ of flood regulation, 944.01 million m³ of water provision, 42,154 tons of chemical oxygen demand (COD) purification, 3.03 PJ of heat absorption, and 9587 ha of habitat. Their economic values are estimated to be 15.89 billion RMB, 1.19 billion RMB, 169 million RMB, 421 million RMB, and 1.08 billion RMB in 2014 (RMB: Chinese currency, US$1 = RMB 6.14), respectively. The total values of five key wetland ecosystem services reach 18.76 billion RMB. In addition, the reservoir and river wetlands in Miyun, Yanqing, Fangshan, Huairou, and Mentougou Districts contribute 78% of key ecosystem services, whereas the urban wetlands in Xicheng, Dongcheng, Haidian, Chaoyang, and Tongzhou Districts more conveniently serve densely local people, hence they should be given particular attentions. In this paper, we develop the valuation methods of wetland ecosystem services, and recommend diversified strategies, regulations, and programs to protect the remaining wetlands in Beijing. This work can also provide a reference for the valuating of wetland ecosystem services for other urban-rural areas.     

The use of ecological integrity indicators within the natural capital index framework: The ecological and economic value of the remnant natural capital of México

In this paper, the ecological integrity hierarchy framework (EIHF) and the natural capital index framework (NCI) are integrated as decision-making tools for evaluating the natural capital of Mexico. Two hierarchy-levels of ecological integrity indicators are used to estimate the quality and quantity of the natural capital, the amount of ecological degradation and ecological sustainability. After human transformation, the extent still considered as “natural” in the country is ∼67%; while the amount of human transformed areas is ∼33%, which gives a total estimate of NCI = 0.334; i.e., only ∼33.4% of the national capital remains available, while ∼33% is ecologically degraded. Furthermore, the critical natural capital; i.e., the legacy for future generations that remains in the country is only ∼12%. The total estimated value of the current natural capital in Mexico is ∼$457.1 billion/yr, which is ∼435 times greater than the national GDP ($1.051 billion in 2010). The cost of maintaining the degradation of the natural capital is ∼$144.6 billion/yr (∼138 times greater than national GDP in 2010). The potential value of the natural capital after restoration would be ∼$602 billion/yr. Valuing the natural capital can be helpful for strategic environmental evaluations and useful for spatial decision support systems that evaluate natural capital as a decision-making tool.     

Reprogramming of Stem Cell Activity to Convert Thorns into Branches

1. Download : Download high-res image (115KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

     

Wetland drying indirectly influences plant community and seed bank diversity through soil pH

High altitude wetlands on the Tibetan Plateau have been shrinking due to anthropogenic disturbances and global climate change. However, the few studies that have been conducted on wetlands are inconclusive about the effect of soil moisture on seed banks and potential of seed banks in wetlands with different levels of soil moisture for regeneration of dried wetlands. We investigated seed banks and plant communities along a soil moisture gradient. A structural equation model was used to analyze the direct and indirect effects of soil moisture on seed banks, as well as the relationship between plant communities and seed banks. Although soil moisture had no direct effects on seed bank richness and density and indirect effects on seed banks through plant community, it had indirect effects on the seed bank through soil pH. Soil moisture also did not have direct effects on plant community richness, but it had indirect effects through soil pH. Plant community composition changed with soil moisture, but aboveground plant abundance and seed banks composition did not change. Low similarity exists between plant community and seed banks for all wetlands, and similarity decreased along the moisture gradient. The key factor determining plant community diversity was soil pH, while seed bank diversity was mainly affected by soil pH and plant community diversity with wetland drying. Although potential for regenerating the plant community from the seed bank decreased with an increase in soil moisture, drained wetlands still have enough residual seeds for successful restoration of species-rich alpine meadows.     

Single‐molecule force spectroscopy applied to heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia

Heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), occurring up to approximately 1% to 5% of patients receiving the antithrombotic drug heparins, has a complex pathogenesis involving multiple partners ranging from small molecules to cells/platelets. Recently, insights into the mechanism of HIT have been achieved by using single‐molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS), a methodology that allows direct measurements of interactions among HIT partners. Here, the potential of SMFS in unraveling the mechanism of the initial steps in the pathogenesis of HIT at single‐molecule resolution is highlighted. The new findings ranging from the molecular binding strengths and kinetics to the determination of the boundary between risk and non‐risk heparin drugs or platelet‐surface and platelet‐platelet interactions will be reviewed. These novel results together have contributed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying HIT and demonstrate how SMFS can be applied to develop safer drugs with a reduced risk profile.     

人睫状神经营养因子的原核表达,纯化及其生物效应

人睫状神经营养因子（ｈＣＮＴＦ）克隆入ｐＢＶ２２０中，在ＤＨ５α菌株中表达，重组蛋白以包含体的形式存在，表达量为菌体总蛋白的５０％左右。经比较发现用２ｍｏｌ／Ｌ脲洗涤包含体可溶解大量可溶性细菌蛋白，且包含体损失较小。在高浓度变性剂条件下进行ｓｅｐｈａｒｃｙｌＳ－２００凝胶过滤，解决了纯化中ｈＣＮＴＦ易聚合的问题，在低浓度变性剂条件下进行ＤＥＡＥ离子交换，有利于蛋白活性的保持。经两步纯化后得到均一性ｈＣＮＴＦ，纯度达９５％以上。在自然状态下使ｈＣＮＴＦ复性。纯化复性后的ｈＣＮＴＦ对无血清培养的鸡胚背根节神经元和脊髓腹角运动神经元有明显的维持存活和促进生长发育的生物效应。     

Ecological and environmental effects of land use change in rapid urbanization: The case of hangzhou,China

Land use changes sharply under rapid urbanization, yet its ecological and environmental effects are often neglected in land use decisions. Using the case of Hangzhou, China, we analyze the ecological and environmental effects of land use changes, including ecosystem services value (ESV) and carbon emissions, based on Landsat TM images from 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2014. We found significant ecological and environmental effects of land use changes under rapid urbanization. The value of ecosystem services in Hangzhou decreased from 546.7 million USD in 1995 to 448.97 million USD in 2014, and the ratio of ESV to GDP decreased from 5.8% to 0.6%. The net carbon emissions associated with land use changes increased from 4.26 million tons in 1995 to 15.10 million tons in 2014, mainly due to the increase of built-up land carbon emissions and the decrease of forest land carbon sink. The ESV is unevenly distributed spatially and low ESV spread from the central to the peripheral area. We use scenario analysis to illustrate that economic growth and environmental protection could be coordinated by bringing ecological and environmental effects into land use decisions.