Akhirin regulates the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells/progenitor cells at neurogenic niches in mouse brain

Specialized microenvironment, or neurogenic niche, in embryonic and postnatal mouse brain plays critical roles during neurogenesis throughout adulthood. The subventricular zone (SVZ) and the dentate gyrus (DG) of hippocampus in the mouse brain are two major neurogenic niches where neurogenesis is directed by numerous regulatory factors. Now, we report Akhirin (AKH), a stem cell maintenance factor in mouse spinal cord, plays a pivotal regulatory role in the SVZ and in the DG. AKH showed specific distribution during development in embryonic and postnatal neurogenic niches. Loss of AKH led to abnormal development of the ventricular zone and the DG along with reduction of cellular proliferation in both regions. In AKH knockout mice (AKH^−/−), quiescent neural stem cells (NSCs) increased, while proliferative NSCs or neural progenitor cells decreased at both neurogenic niches. In vitro NSC culture assay showed increased number of neurospheres and reduced neurogenesis in AKH^−/−. These results indicate that AKH, at the neurogenic niche, exerts dynamic regulatory role on NSC self-renewal, proliferation and differentiation during SVZ and hippocampal neurogenesis.     

亲土苔蛾成虫复眼超微结构

【目的】重叠型眼在昆虫复眼演化中起着重要作用。本研究旨在阐明夜出型亲土苔蛾Manulea affineola复眼类型及结构特征,以期填补灯蛾亚科昆虫复眼研究的空白,扩充夜出型昆虫复眼的特征数据,为探讨重叠型眼的变异趋势及复眼演化提供依据。【方法】运用光学和透射电子显微技术观察亲土苔蛾成虫复眼的超微结构。【结果】亲土苔蛾成虫复眼具有一个透明区,由6个次级色素细胞的透明胞质构成。小眼具8个视网膜细胞,其中1个视网膜细胞较短,仅位于小眼基部。在透明区内,7个视网膜细胞聚集成一束,其远端与晶体束末端相接,但并不形成视杆。在透明区下方,这7个视网膜细胞形成一个中心融合的视杆。在复眼背缘区的小眼的视杆具有近似矩形的横截面,而其余小眼的视杆具多分支状截面。【结论】亲土苔蛾成虫复眼属于重叠型眼;复眼背缘区的矩形视杆很可能与昆虫的偏振敏感性有关。     

Effects of tree characteristics and substrate condition on critical breaking moment of trees due to heavy flooding

To elucidate tree breakage conditions with different breaking mechanisms, i.e., moment by drag force, local scour, and degradation of the substrate around trees, field surveys were conducted after a flood event (September 2007 flood due to Typhoon 9) in the Tamagawa River, Japan. Trees in a river have two main breaking mechanisms during a flood event, moment by fluid force and erosion of the substrate. Moment by fluid force causes two breaking phenomena, trunk damage (bending, breakage) and overturning. Trunk bending or breakage can be expressed as a function of d ^c , where d is the trunk diameter at breast height and the power c equals 3 for trunk bending or breakage, and approximately 2 for overturning. Smaller diameter trees experienced trunk breakage, but larger trees were overturned. The range for these two breaking patterns changes with the substrate condition. If severe scouring has occurred, the threshold for overturning moment can be quite small. Tree overturning occurred mostly on the bank side of the gravel bar; however, some trees, especially Robinia pseudo acacia and Morus bombycis, were overturned if the substrate was a thin deposited soil or silt layer on gravel. The roots were anchored in the small-particle deposited layer in that case. As for the erosion of the substrate, the tree-breaking patterns can be classified into three types depending on the relationship between the nondimensionalized bed shear stress of d ₅₀ and d ₈₄, the representative grain diameters at which 50 and 84% of the volume of the material, respectively, is finer. The nondimensionalized shear stress of d ₈₄ is an important parameter for discussing the rehabilitation of the gravel bed bar. The boundary region for tree overturning can be changed by the effects of plant cover and debris attachment.     

森林生态系统的水源涵养功能及其计量方法

为全面认识与正确评价森林生态系统的水源涵养功能,本文探讨了其概念、表现形式及其计量方法,认为：1）森林的水源涵养功能是一个动态、综合的概念,随着人们对森林水文作用认识的不断深入,其内涵不断丰富扩大,因此森林的水源涵养功能概念存在狭义和广义之分;2）森林的水源涵养功能（广义）有多种表现形式,包括拦蓄降水、调节径流、影响降雨和净化水质等,不过其具体表现形式与研究对象、研究目的以及研究尺度有关;3）目前森林拦蓄降水功能的计量方法主要有土壤蓄水能力法、水量平衡法、年径流量法和多因子回归法等8种,不过这些方法都存在一定的局限性,实际应用中需要综合考虑。     

Linking Physiology To Ecological Function: Environmental Conditions Affect Performance And Size Of The Intertidal Kelp Hedophyllum Sessile (Laminariales,Phaeophyceae)

For autogenic ecosystem engineers, body size is an aspect of individual performance that has direct connections to community structure; yet the complex morphology of these species can make it difficult to draw clear connections between the environment and performance. We combined laboratory experiments and field surveys to test the hypothesis that individual body size was determined by disparate localized physiological responses to environmental conditions across the complex thallus of the intertidal kelp Hedophyllum sessile, a canopy‐forming physical ecosystem engineer. We documented substantial (> 40%) declines in whole‐thallus photosynthetic potential (as Maximum Quantum Yield, MQY) as a consequence of emersion, which were related to greater than 10‐fold increases in intra‐thallus MQY variability (as Coefficient of Variation). In laboratory experiments, desiccation and high light levels during emersion led to lasting impairment of photosynthetic potential and an immediate > 25% reduction in area due to tissue contraction, which was followed by complete loss of structural integrity after three days of submersion. Tissue exposed to desiccation and high light during emersion had higher nitrogen concentrations and lower phlorotannin concentrations than tissue in control treatments (on average 1.36 and 0.1x controls, respectively), suggesting that conditions during emersion have the potential to affect food quality for consumers. Our data indicate that the complex thallus morphology of H. sessile may be critical to this kelp’s ability to persist in the intertidal zone despite the physiological challenges of emersion and encourage a more nuanced view of the concept of “sub‐lethal stress” on the scale of the whole individual.     

长江口外低氧区及其邻近海域表层沉积物反硝化微生物多样性和分布特征

【目的】微生物参与的反硝化是河口区氮损失的主要途径。【方法】本研究采用Illumina MiSeq测序方法,研究了长江口外低氧区及其邻近海域表层沉积物中nirS型和nirK型反硝化微生物群落的多样性和分布特征。【结果】样品共检测到346个nirS Operational Taxonomic Units和267个nirK Operational TaxonomicUnits,根据采样地的环境特征及nirS型和nirK型反硝化微生物群落聚类分析结果将所有OperationalTaxonomicUnits划分为低氧区、南部区域及外部深水区,其中外部深水区的样品nirS功能基因的多样性最高。各实验样地优势Operational Taxonomic Units在系统进化关系上可分为多个不同的簇。此次发现的所有优势OperationalTaxonomicUnits均属于未被培养的菌群,其中部分Operational Taxonomic Units还是首次被发现。此外还发现nirS功能基因对低氧区的环境适应性更好。【结论】我们的研究结果表明广泛存在的反硝化微生物在河口沉积物的氮循环中发挥重要作用。     

Distribution of Sprattus sprattus phalericus (Risso, 1827) and zooplankton near the Black Sea redoxcline

Understanding what environmental drivers influence marine predator–prey relationships can be key to managing and protecting ecosystems, especially in the face of future climate change risks. This is especially important in environments such as the Black Sea, where strong biogeochemical gradients can drive marine habitat partitioning and ecological interactions. We used underwater video recordings in the north-eastern Black Sea in November 2013 to observe the distribution and behaviour of the Black Sea sprat (Sprattus sprattus phalericus, Risso 1827) and its zooplankton prey. Video recordings have shown that the Black Sea sprat S. sprattus phalericus tolerates severely hypoxic waters near the redoxcline. The school was distributed in the 33–96 m layer [oxygen concentration (O₂) 277–84 μmol L⁻¹]. Some individuals were observed to leave the school and descended 20 m deeper for foraging on copepods in the 119–123 m layer (O₂ 12–10 μmol L⁻¹). Zooplankton appeared concentrated on the upper boundary of the suboxic zone (O₂ < 10 μmol L⁻¹). No zooplankton were observed below O₂ 6–7 μmol L⁻¹ (128 m). Understanding the ability of this species to tolerate low oxygen waters is crucial to predicting future responses to natural and anthropogenic changes in hypoxia.     

Physiological dormancy in seeds of tropical montane woody species in Hawai`i

Worldwide, there is relatively little information on seed dormancy and germination of tropical montane species. Our aim was to help fill this knowledge gap by conducting seed dormancy/germination studies on woody species from this vegetation zone in Hawai`i. All species had water-permeable seeds with a fully developed embryo. Seeds of 29 species (23 genera) were incubated in light/dark at 15/6, 20/10 and 25/15°C and germination monitored at 2-week intervals for 16–128 weeks. Seeds of Chenopodium oahuense, Dubautia menziesii and Silene lanceolata were non-dormant (ND) and those of 26 other species had physiological dormancy (PD); 10 of the 26 species had conditional PD. The optimum germination temperature regime(s) was (were) 25/15°C, 17 species; 25/10 and 20/10°C, 2; 20/10°C, 6; 20/10 and 15/6°C, 2; and 15/6°C, 2. Worldwide, PD in the woody genera included in our study is more common than ND. In addition to its contribution to the world biogeography of seed dormancy/germination, this study will be useful to conservation biologists who need to germinate seeds of tropical montane species.     

区域气候背景对城市热岛效应的影响规律

城市热岛效应受到区域气候背景的影响而具有显著的时空差异性,尚缺少大尺度对比研究。利用1991-2019年的月均气象数据,量化了我国69个典型城市的大气城市热岛效应强度,从热带、干带、暖温带、冷温带和极地带五个气候带,分析城市热岛效应的时空特征规律。结果表明：（1）区域差异：干带热岛效应明显高于其他气候带,极地带最弱,且表现为较强的冷岛效应,热带、暖温带、冷温带热岛效应较弱,而冷温带的京津冀地区由于城市化程度较高,表现出较强的热岛效应,温暖带中西南地区较为明显;（2）季节性差异：不同季节城市热岛效应的强弱关系在不同气候带有所不同,秋季热岛效应较为稳定,热岛和冷岛效应均主要处于弱强度范围,春、冬热岛效应较为波动,易出现强热岛、强冷岛效应的极端现象,夏季热岛效应发生率最高;（3）时间演变规律：城市热岛效应的多年演变规律在相同气候带较为一致,2010年前后是各气候带各季节城市热岛效应的变化拐点,2010年后,干带、冷温带、暖温带热岛效应均有所下降,热带、极地带有所上升。     

林下植被和凋落物对寒温带森林生长季土壤CH4通量的影响

为进一步探究林下植被和凋落物管理对我国寒温带森林生长季土壤CH₄通量的影响,采用静态箱-气相色谱法对大兴安岭北部4种林型（白桦林、山杨林、樟子松林和兴安落叶松林）4种处理（自然状态、去除凋落物、去除林下植被以及去除林下植被和凋落物）的土壤CH₄通量排放特征进行观测研究。结果表明：该地区森林生长季土壤均表现为CH₄的汇,4种林型不同处理后土壤CH₄通量表现为单峰变化趋势,吸收峰值出现在7月或8月。自然状态4种林型土壤CH₄平均吸收通量表现为白桦林（-79.23±14.92）μg m^-2 h^-1>山杨林（-64.27±9.60）μg m^-2 h^-1>樟子松林（-62.54±15.48）μg m^-2 h^-1>兴安落叶松林（-48.73±12.26）μg m^-2 h^-1,兴安落叶松土壤CH₄平均吸收通量显著小于其他三种林型（P<0.05）。相比于自然状态,4种林型在去除凋落物后土壤CH₄吸收通量提高了2.12%-12.15%,但变化幅度均没有达到显著水平（P>0.05）。去除林下植被后4种林型CH₄吸收通量提高了0.84%-20.55%,且只有山杨林吸收增加达到显著水平（P<0.05）。同时去除林下植被和凋落物后,对白桦林和樟子松土壤CH₄通量影响不显著（P>0.05）,但对山杨林和兴安落叶松林影响显著（P<0.05）。总之,去除凋落物或林下植被均会提高土壤对CH₄吸收,去除林下植被对土壤CH₄通量的影响要大于去除凋落物的影响,但不同林型不同处理之间还存在差异。