Small-scale plant mobility in a species-rich grassland

Abstract. Plant mobility was studied in a species-rich grassland in S. Moravia (Czech Republic) at scales from 0.0025 to 2.25 m². Cumulative species numbers, cumulative species frequencies and the distribution of distances between sites of occurrence in particular years were established using data collected from 1991 to 1997. The observed values were compared with null models of completely random and restricted random movement of the plants. Most plants persisted at a spot more frequently than expected from the completely random model and with a few exceptions they also spread to neighbouring subplots more often than expected. Cumulative species numbers were between the ranges predicted by the two random models and increased linearly during the 7-yr period at all scales, indicating a large species pool. The role of clonal spreading and of generative reproduction depended on the growth form of the species. I conclude that a high species richness is not necessarily linked with a high plant mobility, even if coexistence of plant species may be promoted by plant mobility.     

Mining pattern of the honeysuckle leaf-minerPhytomyza lonicerae

The mining pattern of the honeysuckle leaf-miner Phytomyza lonicerae which feeds on Lonicera gracilipes was analyzed with special reference to the avoidance of parasitoids' attacks. The leaf-miner makes the linear mine with branches and crosses by turning and branching, off the backtracking mine. Both average numbers of turnings and branchings were about 4. The speed of mining was 1.5 times faster in backtracking than in advancing. The mine width increased as the mining larva grew and total volume of consumed plant tissue was nearly constant independent of variability of the number of turnings and other characteristics of the mine. The majority of larval mortality were due to attacks by parasitoid wasps (Chrysochairs pentheus and Diglyphus minoeus), which locate the present position of leaf-miners, by tracing mine tracks, and wasps attack leaf-miners at a higher rate in backtracking than in advancing. The adaptive significance of branching and crossing by leaf-miners was discussed in terms of the reduction of parasitoids' attacks.     

Liposomes as an ocular delivery system for acetazolamide: In vitro and in vivo studies

The purpose of this study was to formulate topically effective controlled release ophthalmic acetazolamide liposomal formulations. Reverse-phase evaporation and lipid film hydration methods were used for the preparation of reversephase evaporation (REVs) and multilamellar (MLVs) acetazolamide liposomes consisting of egg phosphatidylcholine (PC) and cholesterol (CH) in the molar ratios of (7∶2), (7∶4), (7∶6), and (7∶7) with or without stearylamine (SA) or dicetyl phosphate (DP) as positive and negative charge inducers, respectively. The prepared liposomes were evaluated for their entrapment efficiency and in vitro release. Multilamellar liposomes entrapped greater amounts of drug than REVs liposomes. Drug loading was increased by increasing CH content as well as by inclusion of SA. Drug release rate showed an order of negatively charged > neutral > positively charged liposomes, which is the reverse of the data of drug loading efficiency. Physical stability study indicated that approximately 89%, 77%, and 69% of acetazolamide was retained in positive, negative, and neutral MLVs liposomal formulations up to a period of 3 months at 4°C. The intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering activity of selected acetazolamide liposomal formulations was determined and compared with that of plain liposomes and acetazolamide solution. Multilamellar acetazolamide liposomes revealed more prolonged effect than REVs liposomes. The positively charged and neutral liposomes exhibited greater lowering in IOP and a more prolonged effect than the negatively charged ones. The positive multilamellar liposomes composed of PC:CH:SA (7:4:1) molar ratio showed the maximal response, which reached a value of −7.8±1.04 mmHg after 3 hours of topical administration. Published: January 5, 2007     

叶片毛尖对齿肋赤藓结皮凝结水形成及蒸发的影响

凝结水(隐匿降水)和降水是荒漠地区两种不同形式的水分来源,对荒漠生态系统极为重要。叶片毛尖(leaf hair points, LHPs)是很多荒漠藓类的重要外部形态结构特征,但它在藓类植物利用凝结水和降水中的作用尚不清楚。齿肋赤藓(Syntrichia caninervis)是古尔班通古特沙漠藓类结皮的优势种,其叶片顶端具有较长的白色毛尖。本文采用自制微渗计(h=3.5 cm, d=5.7 cm)研究了正常有毛尖和人工去除毛尖的齿肋赤藓结皮的凝结水特征及其在3种模拟降水梯度(1 mm, 3 mm, 6 mm)下的短期蒸发特征,结果表明：(1) 在凝结阶段,有毛尖结皮每时段的凝结水量均大于无毛尖结皮,但日出后有毛尖结皮凝结水下降速度稍快;有毛尖结皮的日凝结水量均大于无毛尖结皮,且前者的总凝结水量比后者多10.26%,即毛尖能增加10.26%的凝结水量。(2) 3种模拟降水梯度下,有毛尖结皮在各时段的累积蒸发率始终小于无毛尖结皮,以蒸发前期阶段最为明显,表明毛尖能显著减少和延缓结皮内的水分蒸发、延长植株水合时间,而且降水量越大减缓效果越明显。毛尖对这2种不同形式水分利用的差异是因为利用方式不同：对凝结水的利用主要归因于毛尖增大了结皮表面粗糙度,而减少对降水的蒸发主要是毛尖能反射阳光、形成内部毛细管及减小植株间隙的缘故。因此,毛尖的存在有利于齿肋赤藓结皮对凝结水和降水的利用,增强了藓类结皮对干旱环境的适应能力。     

三温模型——基于表面温度测算蒸散和评价环境质量的方法Ⅰ．土壤蒸发

 三温模型是近年提出的测算蒸散量和评价环境质量的一种方法,因为该模型的核心是表面温度、参考表面温度、气温,所以被称为“三温模型”。该文通过理论分析结合实验的方法, 讨论了用三温模型测算土壤蒸发量的方法及其验证。通过引入没有蒸发的参考土壤的概念, 三温模型中用下式计算土壤蒸发量：LE=Rn-G-(Rnd-Gd)(Ts-Ta)/Tsd-Ta 式中,E为土壤蒸发量,L为水汽的汽化潜热,Rn和Rnd为蒸发土壤面和参考土壤面的净辐射, G和Gd为蒸发土壤和参考土壤热通量,Ts、Tsd、Ta分别为蒸发土壤的表面温度、参考土壤表面温度、气温。试验结果表明,在参考土壤和蒸发土壤中,能量通量存在明显差异,参考土壤中的土壤热通量和净辐射通量均小于蒸发土壤,而显热通量则大于蒸发土壤;在一般情况下,参考土壤的表面温度最高,蒸发土壤表面温度次之,大气温度最低,在土壤湿润时,这些差异更为显著。 经过与大型称重式蒸渗仪的实测值比较,三温模型能较好地计算土壤蒸发量,在22 d的实验期间内,绝对平均误差仅为0.17 mm•d^-1,相关系数达r²=0.88。与热电偶测温结果相比较 ,采用红外温度计测温的结果更为精确,和实测值的绝对平均误差仅为每天0.15 mm•d ^-1,相关系数达r²=0.94,表明三温模型有较好的精度。另外,三温模型在计算土壤蒸发量时, 所需要的参数种类少（净辐射、土壤热通量、温度）,不含经验系数,不需要空气动力学阻抗和表面阻抗等参数,因此简便实用,具有较好的应用前景。     

洋葱伯克霍尔德菌对哌拉西林/他唑巴坦MIC值变迁的4年监测

目的了解浙江地区4年分离的洋葱伯克霍尔德菌对哌拉西林-他唑巴坦的MIC值变迁,以利于临床对该抗生素在抗感染中更合理的应用。方法先用VITEK-32型配套的药敏检测卡GNS-120检测2000～2003年临床分离的洋葱伯克霍尔德菌对哌拉西林-他唑巴坦的敏感性。对不耐药的菌株进一步用哌拉西林-他唑巴坦E-试条进行MIC检测,并统计其累积的MIC值变化情况。结果2000—2003年,洋葱伯克霍尔德菌对哌拉西林．他唑巴坦的耐药率分别为：40．5％,42．9％,40．6％,41．2％。对分离到不耐哌拉西林．他唑巴坦的100株菌（2000～2003年分别为21株、21株、22株、36株）进行MIC值检测,其累积的MIC百分率,M1C值≤4分别为：47．6％,42．9％,45．5％,36．I％;MIC值≤8分别为：66．7％,52．4％,54．5％,47,2％;MIC值≤16分别为：76．2％,66．7％,63．6％,52．8％。结论4年中临床分离的洋葱伯克霍尔德菌对哌拉西林-他唑巴坦的耐药率虽然变化不大,但其不耐药菌株对哌拉西林-他唑巴坦的累积MIC百分率降低较为明显,表明洋葱伯克霍尔德菌对哌拉西林-他唑巴坦的耐药性存在有增加的趋势,应引起临床的重视。     

Sustainability of culture-driven population dynamics

We consider models of the interactions between human population dynamics and cultural evolution, asking whether they predict sustainable or unsustainable patterns of growth. Phenomenological models predict either unsustainable population growth or stabilization in the near future. The latter prediction, however, is based on extrapolation of current demographic trends and does not take into account causal processes of demographic and cultural dynamics. Most existing causal models assume (or derive from simplified models of the economy) a positive feedback between cultural evolution and demographic growth, and predict unlimited growth in both culture and population. We augment these models taking into account that: (1) cultural transmission is not perfect, i.e., culture can be lost; (2) culture does not always promote population growth. We show that taking these factors into account can cause radically different model behavior, such as population extinction rather than stability, and extinction rather than growth. We conclude that all models agree that a population capable of maintaining a large amount of culture, including a powerful technology, runs a high risk of being unsustainable. We suggest that future work must address more explicitly both the dynamics of resource consumption and the cultural evolution of beliefs implicated in reproductive behavior (e.g., ideas about the preferred family size) and in resource use (e.g., environmentalist stances).     

商丘市浅层地下水位下降对区域气候的影响

地下水包括浅层地下水和深层地下水,是陆地水循环的重要组成部分,其中浅层地下水受气候条件和植被地形及人类活动的影响大。浅层地下水埋深对气候变化的响应研究是气候变化影响研究的前沿和热点之一,对于水资源管理及其相关研究与应用具有重要意义。商丘市所在的黄淮平原是我国第一大地下水富集区,由于气候变化和人类活动的影响,地下水资源量与1984年相比下降了20%以上。地下水作为黄淮平原重要的水资源,研究气候变化和人类活动的影响与地下水的相应关系有着重要的现实意义。以几个典型城市的气温与地下水位的变化情况为基础,全面分析讨论了商丘市浅层地下水对水温、蒸发量和气温的影响关系,为商丘市以及黄淮平原地下水资源变化提供科学的依据。     

极干旱区深埋潜水蒸发量的测定

在远离降雨的典型极干旱气候条件下,在敦煌莫高窟窟顶戈壁搭建封闭塑料拱棚,在棚内放置空调抑制“拱棚效应”。通过空调的制冷抑制拱棚的增温效应,通过空调的冷凝降低棚内的湿度,使棚内的温湿度与外界靠近,并通过空调冷凝排水量评估潜水蒸发强度。45d的监测表明：在潜水埋深超过200m的敦煌极干旱地区存在不少于0.0219mm/d的潜水蒸发。太阳辐射强度、温度、湿度对潜水蒸发有重要影响。潜水蒸发量的测定为利用潜水进行荒漠化的生态重建提供了基本的评估依据,对揭示极干旱区埋深较深的GSPAC水文循环和潜水开发有重要意义,对莫高窟的文物保护也非常关键。     

Decadal change in wetland–woodland boundaries during the late 20th century reflects climatic trends

Wetlands are important and restricted habitats for dependent biota and play vital roles in landscape function, hydrology and carbon sequestration. They are also likely to be one of the most sensitive components of the terrestrial biosphere to global climate change. An understanding of relationships between wetland persistence and climate is imperative for predicting, mitigating and adapting to the impacts of future climate change on wetland extent and function. We investigated whether mire wetlands had contracted, expanded or remained stable during 1960–2000. We chose a study area encompassing a regional climatic gradient in southeastern Australia, specifically to avoid confounding effects of water extraction on wetland hydrology and extent. We first characterized trends in climate by examining data from local weather stations, which showed a slight increase in precipitation and marked decline in pan evaporation over the relevant period. Remote sensing of vegetation boundaries showed a marked lateral expansion of mires during 1961–1998, and a corresponding contraction of woodland. The spatial patterns in vegetation change were consistent with the regional climatic gradient and showed a weaker co‐relationship to fire history. Resource exploitation, wildland fires and autogenic mire development failed to explain the observed expansion of mire vegetation in the absence of climate change. We therefore conclude that the extent of mire wetlands is likely to be sensitive to variation in climatic moisture over decadal time scales. Late 20th‐century trends in climatic moisture may be related primarily to reduced irradiance and/or reduced wind speeds. In the 21st century, however, net climatic moisture in this region is projected to decline. As mires are apparently sensitive to hydrological change, we anticipate lateral contraction of mire boundaries in coming decades as projected climatic drying eventuates. This raises concerns about the future hydrological functions, carbon storage capacity and unique biodiversity of these important ecosystems.