基于城市微气候模拟软件的城市道路绿化带对PM2.5消减作用的研究

随着经济的快速发展及机动车保有量的持续增长，车辆造成的道路污染问题日益严重。广州作为中国重要的经济发展城市，交通源排放问题高度集中，机动车排放是城市PM2.5的主要来源之一，开展减缓城市道路污染危害的研究具有重要意义。本研究为调查绿化带对广州城市道路PM2.5的影响，运用实测与城市微气候模拟软件（ENVI-met）模拟结合的研究方法，实测并分析城市道路空间PM2.5的浓度分布及其影响因素，使用实测数据对模拟软件进行验证分析，模拟研究理想道路模型下不同高宽比、风向等因素及绿化带植配类型对PM2.5的消减作用。研究表明：（1）城市道路空间PM2.5浓度分布受污染源、街道高宽比、风速风向、绿化带等综合影响，自然消减情况下，其主要受风速风向和高宽比双因素影响；（2）通常街道高宽比越大，越有利于道路空间PM2.5的扩散；（3）城市道路空间PM2.5自然沉降最小距离为12 m，0-12 m范围内应保持无障碍物的开敞环境，PM2.5消减的关键范围是12-24 m，此范围内可以利用生态手段沉降颗粒物；（4） PM2.5消减率受绿化带和风向的双控制，应根据主导风向选择绿化带植配方式。在主导风平行面和垂直迎风面绿化带对PM2.5有正消减效应，建议植配类型为"乔-乔+灌+草"；在主导风垂直背风面绿化带对PM2.5呈负消减效应，植配类型为"乔-灌"绿化带消减率接近于自然消减率，而植配类型为"乔-灌+草"和"乔-乔+灌+草"的绿化带加重了颗粒物在该区域的积聚。     

Epigenetic metaphors: an interdisciplinary translation of encoding and decoding

Looking at the new and often disputed science of epigenetics, we examined the challenges faced by scientists when they communicate scientific research to the public. We focused on the use of metaphors to illustrate notions of epigenetics and genetics. We studied the “encoding” by epigeneticists and “decoding” in focus groups with diverse backgrounds. We observed considerable overlap in the dominant metaphors favored by both researchers and the lay public. However, the groups differed markedly in their interpretations of which metaphors aided understanding or not. We conclude by discussing the role of metaphors and their interpretations in the context of a shift from pre-deterministic genomic metaphors to more active, dynamic and nuanced epigenetic metaphors. These reflections on the choice of metaphors and differences in encoding/decoding are important for science communication and scientific boundary-maintenance.     

Adverse wind conditions during northward Sahara crossings increase the in‐flight mortality of Black‐tailed Godwits

Long‐distance migratory flights are predicted to be associated with higher mortality rates when individuals encounter adverse weather conditions. However, directly connecting environmental conditions experienced in‐flight with the survival of migrants has proven difficult. We studied how the in‐flight mortality of 53 satellite‐tagged Black‐tailed Godwits (Limosa limosa limosa) during 132 crossings of the Sahara Desert, a major geographical barrier along their migration route between The Netherlands and sub‐Saharan Africa, is correlated with the experienced wind conditions and departure date during both southward and northward migration. We show that godwits experienced higher wind assistance during southward crossings, which seems to reflect local prevailing trade winds. Critically, we found that fatal northward crossings (15 deaths during 61 crossings) were associated with adverse wind conditions. Wind conditions during migration can thus directly influence vital rates. Changing wind conditions associated with global change may thus profoundly influence the costs of long‐distance migration in the future.     

Transgenerational effects benefit offspring across diverse environments: a meta‐analysis in plants and animals

The adaptive value of transgenerational effects (the ancestor environmental effects on offspring) in changing environments has received much attention in recent years, but the related empirical evidence remains equivocal. Here, we conducted a meta‐analysis summarising 139 experimental studies in plants and animals with 1170 effect sizes to investigate the generality of transgenerational effects across taxa, traits, and environmental contexts. It was found that transgenerational effects generally enhanced offspring performance in response to both stressful and benign conditions. The strongest effects are in annual plants and invertebrates, whereas vertebrates appear to benefit mostly under benign conditions, and perennial plants show hardly any transgenerational responses at all. These differences among taxonomic/life‐history groups possibly reflect that vertebrates can avoid stressful conditions through their mobility, and longer‐lived plants have alternative strategies. In addition to environmental contexts and taxonomic/life‐history groups, transgenerational effects also varied among traits and developmental stages of ancestors and offspring, but the effects were similarly strong across three generations of offspring. By way of a more comprehensive data set and a different effect size, our results differ from those of a recent meta‐analysis, suggesting that transgenerational effects are widespread, strong and persistent and can substantially impact the responses of plants and animals to changing environments.     

Rapid identification and interpretation of gene–environment associations using the new R.SamBada landscape genomics pipeline

sam βada is a genome–environment association software, designed to search for signatures of local adaptation. However, pre‐ and postprocessing of data can be labour‐intensive, preventing wider uptake of the method. We have now developed R.SamBada, an r ‐package providing a pipeline for landscape genomic analysis based on sam βada , spanning from the retrieval of environmental conditions at sampling locations to gene annotation using the Ensembl genome browser. As a result, R.SamBada standardizes the landscape genomics pipeline and eases the search for candidate genes of local adaptation, enhancing reproducibility of landscape genomic studies. The efficiency and power of the pipeline is illustrated using two examples: sheep populations from Morocco with no evident population structure and Lidia cattle from Spain displaying population substructuring. In both cases, R.SamBada enabled rapid identification and interpretation of candidate genes, which are further discussed in the light of local adaptation. The package is available in the r CRAN package repository and on GitHub (github.com/SolangeD/R.SamBada).     

Exome sequences and multi‐environment field trials elucidate the genetic basis of adaptation in barley

Broadening the genetic base of crops is crucial for developing varieties to respond to global agricultural challenges such as climate change. Here, we analysed a diverse panel of 371 domesticated lines of the model crop barley to explore the genetics of crop adaptation. We first collected exome sequence data and phenotypes of key life history traits from contrasting multi‐environment common garden trials. Then we applied refined statistical methods, including some based on exomic haplotype states, for genotype‐by‐environment (G×E) modelling. Sub‐populations defined from exomic profiles were coincident with barley's biology, geography and history, and explained a high proportion of trial phenotypic variance. Clear G×E interactions indicated adaptation profiles that varied for landraces and cultivars. Exploration of circadian clock‐related genes, associated with the environmentally adaptive days to heading trait (crucial for the crop's spread from the Fertile Crescent), illustrated complexities in G×E effect directions, and the importance of latitudinally based genic context in the expression of large‐effect alleles. Our analysis supports a gene‐level scientific understanding of crop adaption and leads to practical opportunities for crop improvement, allowing the prioritisation of genomic regions and particular sets of lines for breeding efforts seeking to cope with climate change and other stresses.     

Cross-correlation analysis of invasive mango mealybug and its associated natural enemies in relation to meteorological factors: implications for biological control

Damage caused by invasive downey snow line mealybug, Rastrococcus iceryoides Green (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) has been reported to vary between 30% to complete crop loss where no control measure is applied. The current studies seek to determine factors influencing R. iceryoides population outbreaks, parasitoid – host and predator–prey relationships as well as predict optimal management strategies through weather modelling over a period of 28 months from 2008 to 2010 in Tanzania. The highest incidence of R. iceryoides was recorded during the dry season coinciding with the major mango fruiting season. The relationship between R. iceryoides and the parasitoid was positive but not significant, which implies the influence on outbreaks was negligible probably due to low percent parasitism (<12%). However, the predator abundance was directly and significantly related to that of R. iceryoides. Average temperature, average relative humidity, rainfall, and R. iceryoides abundance were autocorrelated to each other. Cross-correlation coef?cients vary significantly from ?0.286 to 0.589 for the pair-variable between R. iceryoides, temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, parasitism and predators. Our findings showed that temperature was the key climatic variable that significantly influenced R. iceryoides outbreaks while rainfall was significantly negatively associated with the pest. Time series analyses show R. iceryoides population increased 4 months after an increase in average temperature in all the sites, 11 months after rainfall and 11 months after relative humidity in Kibaha and Dar es Salaam, respectively. Our findings revealed that R. iceryoides is an excellent target for classical biological control. Thus, the importation of promising co-evolved parasitoid specific to R. iceryoides from the aboriginal home is crucial in formulating an efficient and sustainable management approaches against the invasive mealybug pest in mango agro-ecosystems.     

近二十年来罗布泊地区生态环境研究综述

随着近期我国"一带一路"生态文明建设以及生态文明建设的提出与实施,生态类型丰富但自然环境脆弱的西北地区再度引发学界关注。历史上罗布泊地区作为陆上丝绸之路交通重要节点,在中外文明交往与民族融合进程中发挥着重大作用,但如今罗布泊干涸以及罗布泊地区生态环境恶化的现实促使学界对该区域的生态环境演变历史进行反思。为进一步了解当前罗布泊地区生态环境研究的整体概况、热点议题及学术前沿趋势,从自然环境与人文环境两大方面对近二十年来罗布泊地区生态环境研究做出阶段性总结,以期为后续深入探讨区域生态环境变化与社会文明演进互动提供参考。