Research Progress on Karst Tiankeng Ecosystems

The geomorphologic features called tiankengs were first discovered and named at the end of the twentieth century in karst areas of China. They have enjoyed increasing attention owing to their unusual geologic processes and unique ecological communities. However, the understanding of classification, geomorphic evolution, developmental conditions, geological dating and ecological environments of tiankengs are still extensively disputed by geomorphologists and geologists. This article focuses on combining all main areas of recent research activities from three aspects: development, evolution and transformation of karst tiankengs; biodiversity of karst tiankeng forests; and the impact of human activities on karst tiankeng ecosystems. Finally, we suggest future direction for research on karst tiankeng ecosystems: (1) multidisciplinary systematic study; (2) processes of ecological change and environmental effects under the influence of both natural and human impacts; (3) research on their protection, rational utilization, and sustainable management.     

Enhanced production of camptothecin and biological preparation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis><Superscript>1</Superscript>-acetylkynuramine in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Camptotheca acuminata</Emphasis> cell suspension cultures

The Camptotheca acuminata cell suspension cultures were established to produce the well-known antitumor monoterpene indole alkaloid camptothecin (CAM). Most CAM was present in the broth of the C. acuminata cell suspension cultures. The CAM production was evidenced to be attenuated when the C. acuminata cell suspension cultures were continuously subcultured and grown under identical axenic conditions. A practical cryopreservation and recovery procedure was established to maintain the C. acuminata cell suspension cultures. Biotic and abiotic elicitors were administrated to the C. acuminata cell suspension cultures to restore and enhance CAM production. Of them, sorbitol, a well-known hyperosmotic stressor, was proven to be the most effective elicitor that stimulates a ～500-fold increase of CAM production. The committed biosynthetic precursors of CAM, tryptamine and secologanin, were feed to the C. acuminata cell suspension cultures and the CAM production is not remarkably increased. However, N ¹-acetylkynuramine (NAK), an important metabolite of kynuramine pathway, was isolated and identified from the cell suspension cultures feeding with tryptamine. The present work provides an efficient method to produce CAM and NAK using the C. acuminata cell suspension cultures. The biotransformation of tryptamine to NAK sheds lights on the biosynthetic formation of the pyrroloquinoline moiety of CAM.     

High‐Performance Aqueous Rechargeable Li‐Ni Battery Based on Ni(OH)2/NiOOH Redox Couple with High Voltage

New energy storage and conversion systems require large‐scale, cost‐effective, good safety, high reliability, and high energy density. This study demonstrates a low‐cost and safe aqueous rechargeable lithium‐nickel (Li‐Ni) battery with solid state Ni(OH)₂/NiOOH redox couple as cathode and hybrid electrolytes separated by a Li‐ion‐conductive solid electrolyte layer. The proposed aqueous rechargeable Li‐Ni battery exhibits an approximately open‐circuit potential of 3.5 V, outperforming the theoretic stable window of water 1.23 V, and its energy density can be 912.6 W h kg^‐1, which is much higher than that of state‐of‐the‐art lithium ion batteries. The use of a solid‐state redox couple as cathode with a metallic lithium anode provides another postlithium chemistry for practical energy storage and conversion.     

Soil carbon dynamics in a Pinus massoniana plantation following clear-cutting and slash removal

Aims Slash removal is a common practice to prepare recently harvested sites for replanting. However, little is known about its impact on soil carbon (C) dynamics in subtropical plantations. This study evaluates the effects of burning versus manual slash removal site preparation treatments on soil organic carbon (SOC), soil respiration and soil microbial community structure in a Pinus massoniana plantation in southern China.Methods Three areas within a mature P. massoniana plantation were clearcut. Two months following harvesting, slash on one-half of each area was burned (BURN), whereas slash was manually removed (MANR) on the other portion. Slash removal treatments were also compared with adjacent uncut plantation areas (UNCUT). Soil samples, and soil respiration measurements were used to characterize soil properties and microbial communities following slash removal treatments. Important findings Mean soil respiration rates from the MANR and BURN treatments were 26% and 17% lower, respectively, than the UNCUT treatment over 1 year. The MANR and BURN treatment resulted in soils with 27% and 9% reduction in total phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and 18% and 10% reduction in bacterial PLFAs, respectively, compared with the UNCUT treatment. However, no significant differences existed between slash removal treatments with respect to soil chemical properties, SOC chemical compositions, soil respiration and microbial communities; although PLFA patterns were notably different for the burned plots. Most factors affecting C dynamics and microbial communities were not sensitive to the differences imparted to the ecosystem due to manual slash removal or burning. Our results suggested that low-intensity burning after clear-cutting might have no significant effect on soil C pool and its dynamics compared with manual slash removal in subtropical plantations.     

长萼兰花蕉(Orchidantha chinensis var.longisepala)的繁育系统研究

通过野外观察并采用杂交指数（OCI）测定、花粉/胚珠比（P/O）检测、人工控制授粉等方法,对长萼兰花蕉（Orchidantha chinensis var.longisepala（D.Fang） T.L.Wu）种群的繁育系统进行了研究,采用常规石蜡切片与扫描电子显微镜（SEM）观察了柱头与"V"形黏盘的结构与形态。结果表明,长萼兰花蕉单花花期一般为18 d,依其花部形态的变化可分为蕾期、花萼未反转期、花萼反转期、唇瓣枯萎期、花萼枯萎期5个时期;根据杂交指数值为4、P/O值为253.89 ±21.09、人工异花授粉结实率分别为45%（2014年）和75%（2015年）,显示出长萼兰花蕉的繁育系统属于异交,且需要传粉者。石蜡切片观察到长萼兰花蕉黏盘区与柱头可授区之间是光滑的表皮细胞,结合人工授粉实验与分泌物含糖量测定结果表明,长萼兰花蕉的"V"形黏盘不具有可授性,其作用可能是分泌黏液附着在传粉者背部使其便于携带花粉。长萼兰花蕉整个花期环境湿冷、多雨且开花同步性较低,这些因素很可能造成其有效传粉媒介缺乏,影响了传粉成功;另一方面,长萼兰花蕉有性繁殖受到限制,其主要通过根状茎进行无性繁殖后代,所以分布范围比较狭窄。     

猕猴桃观花品种‘江山娇’与中华猕猴桃回交后代的性别分离与开花性状变异

以猕猴桃种间杂种品种‘江山娇’（Actinidia chinensis Planch×A.eriantha Benth）与中华猕猴桃（A.chinensis Planch）雄株杂交得到的杂交后代群体为实验材料,于2012、2013和2016年分别对该群体的雌雄性别比及其开花性状进行了调查。结果表明,杂交群体的雌雄性别比例小于1：1,即雄株偏多。杂交后代的花瓣颜色以红色为基础,但红色的分布区域、深浅及类型出现明显分离。聚类分析显示,这些杂交后代可通过花瓣CMYK色卡取值分为4个类群,其中猩红色与紫罗兰红色2个变异类型与观察表型完全一致。杂交后代群体的始花期、开花天数、花朵大小、开花量及单花花瓣数等性状均出现广泛分离,且因不同年份而出现变化。群体中杂交个体进入始花期的平均时间跨度为14 d,群体的始花期进入高峰时个体平均比例仅占群体的25.5%。2016年群体开花时间最长,最多有47.4%的个体开放10~13 d;2013年杂交群体的开放时间最短,有55.2%的后代开花3~5 d。本研究筛选出一批花瓣数多、花朵较大或单花序花朵较多的优良单株,并在后代群体中共发现21个含不同花数的花序组合类型。     

北京地区黄檗分布与环境因子的关系

黄檗（Phellodendron amurense Rupr.）为我国二级重点保护野生植物,在北京地区黄檗多散生于阔叶林中,数量稀少。为了解北京地区黄檗分布与环境因子的关系,促进种群扩繁,在北京百花山、松山和雾灵山自然保护区共设置了12个20 m×20 m的样地,利用CCA分析方法对不同地点黄檗的生长分布状况与海拔、坡度、坡向、郁闭度、土壤pH值、碱解氮和土壤有机质等11个环境因子的关系进行了分析。结果显示,CCA排序第一轴主要反映了海拔、郁闭度和坡度的变化,第二轴主要反映了有机质含量、碱解氮含量、pH值和坡向的变化,其中海拔、碱解氮和土壤有机质是影响黄檗生长分布的重要环境因子,低海拔、低碱解氮含量以及土壤有机质高的地段适宜黄檗分布。对影响黄檗分布的环境因子进行定量分离,结果发现环境因子对黄檗样地物种分布的解释能力为84.5%,显示出较好的排序效果,黄檗分布点受人为干扰较少,其所在植物群落与环境保持了良好的对应关系;环境因子与物种分布呈显著相关（P=0.03）,表明CCA排序结果可以解释环境因子对物种分布的影响程度。     

Erratum to: Development of SCAR markers for rapid and specific detection of Pseudomonas syringae pv. morsprunorum races 1 and 2, using conventional and real-time PCR

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology -     

Histone acetylation and reactive oxygen species are involved in the preprophase arrest induced by sodium butyrate in maize roots

Histone acetylation plays a critical role in controlling chromatin structure, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in cell cycle progression. To study the relationship between histone acetylation and cell cycle progression in plants, sodium butyrate (NaB), a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor that can cause a significant increase in histone acetylation in both mammal and plant genomes, was applied to treat maize seedlings. The results showed that NaB had significant inhibition effects on different root zones at the tissue level and caused cell cycle arrest at preprophase in the root meristem zones. This effect was accompanied by a dramatic increase in the total level of acetylated lysine 9 on histone H3 (H3K9ac) and acetylated lysine 5 on histone H4 (H4K5ac). The exposure of maize roots in NaB led to a continuous rise of intracellular ROS concentration, accompanied by a higher electrolyte leakage ratio and malondialdehyde (MDA) relative value. The NaB-treated group displayed negative results in both TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) and γ-H2AX immunostaining assays. The expression of topoisomerase genes was reduced after treatment with NaB. These results suggested that NaB increased the levels of H3K9ac and H4K5ac and could cause preprophase arrest accompanied with ROS formation leading to the inhibition of DNA topoisomerase.