中国东北样带（NECT）：十年集成与未来挑战

作为“国际地圈-生物圈计划(IGBP)”的15条陆地样带之一,中国东北样带(Northeast China Transect,NECT)在IGBP核心项目“全球变化与陆地生态系统(GCTE)”中已经建立10年之久。该样带位于中纬度温带半干旱地区,跨越北纬42~46,东经110~132,其主要全球变化驱动因素为降水,次要驱动因素为土地利用强度。在过去的10年里,中国东北样带的研究进展表现在以下几个方面:生态数据库发展、气候及其变异性、植物对环境的生态生理响应、植被和景观变化、生物多样性格局及其变化、植物功能型和植物性状及气候梯度分析、生产力和碳动态、花粉-植被相互关系、痕量气体放散、土地利用和土地覆盖变化以及生物地理和生物地球化学模拟。为达到更高水平的集成研究,中国东北样带今后需要:统一框架下的坚实的基础数据集、进一步的野外实验和观测、从斑块、景观到生物群区尺度的植被结构、过程和功能的集成模拟、样带内和与其他IGBP样带研究结果的相互比较、多学科交叉研究、国内和国际协作以及完整的科学计划和实施对策。     

中国东北样带的梯度分析及其预测

陆地样带研究已成为国际地圈-生物圈计划(IGBP)全球变化研究的重要手段与热点。中国东北样带(NECT)已被列为IGBP国际全球变化陆地样带之一。该样带在东经112°与130°30＇之间沿北纬43°30＇设置,长约1600km,是一条中纬度温带以降水为驱动因素的梯度,具有由温带针阔叶混交林向温带草原的3个亚地带——草甸草原、典型草原与荒漠草原过渡的空间系列。该样带上有4个生态实验站。在大量的固定样地、实验调查研究资料与数据的基础上给出了样带的初步梯度分析及在全球变化图景下的预测,包括其地理位置、设置意义、地形地貌、气候梯度、土壤类型、植被类型和土地利用格局,一个遥感数据驱动的模型和NPP模型在整个样带上运行过。今后NECT将在生物地球化学循环(水、C、N、P等与痕量气体CO_2、CH_4等)、生态系统结构、功能与动态、生物多样性、土地利用与土地覆盖、动态全球植被模型(DGVM)以及高分辨率遥感数据应用等方面得到加强,将成为我国全球变化与陆地生态系统(GCTE)与其它IGBP核心项目研究的前沿阵地。     

中国科学院植被数量生态学重点实验室

实验室概况 中国科学院植物研究所植被数量生态学重点实验室成立于1989年11月,实验室以野外台站,样带,样地等平台为基础,运用信息生态学的理论,方法和生态系统控制实验等手段,致力于全球变化生态学的综合性研究,重点开展植被系统对全球变化的响应与适应、生物多样性变化与保育以及生态系统管理等方面的研究工作,以揭示不同时空尺度生态系统格局与变化规律,为中国植被系统与环境的可持续管理提供理论依据。     

城乡样带景观梯度分析的幅度效应

基于梯度分析与景观格局定量分析相结合的方法,通过改变样带宽度与研究步长,对城乡样带景观梯度分析的幅度效应进行了研究.结果表明:城乡样带景观梯度分析具有尺度依赖性,样带宽度对分析结果的影响大于研究步长;研究步长主要影响各景观指数沿样带波动的剧烈程度,将样带等分为20个样方时的研究步长是分析该样带梯度规律的适宜尺度;样带宽度存在"临界阈"现象,当样带宽度越过临界值时,各景观指数沿样带的梯度规律均发生变化.此外,不同景观指数对城乡样带景观梯度规律的反映存在差异,各景观类型的面积比例、边缘密度和景观Shannon多样性指数沿样带的梯度变化规律明显,而斑块密度和平均斑块分形维数沿样带的梯度变化规律不明显.     

Small-scale switch in cover–perimeter relationships of patches indicates shift of dominant species during grassland degradation

草地生态系统普遍经受着全球气候变化和不可持续的土地利用方式的胁迫,这些环境胁迫往往引起草地生态系统状态在多稳态间 跃变,甚至诱发灾变性跃变,直至荒漠化的发生。研究表明,植被斑块的空间构型可以指示较大空间尺度的生态系统状态跃变。本文展示了小尺度 斑块构型如何指示草地生态系统的状态跃变。在高寒草甸生态系统选取7种草甸群落类型作为研究对象,这7种类型的草甸群落 具有高寒草甸退化过程不同阶段的典型群落特征。在每一种群落类型内,采用样带方法进行植被斑块调查,沿样带采用邻接格子样方法 记录样方内的斑块数量、斑块周长和斑块面积,并测定了每个斑块内的物种多度。研究结果表明,沿着草甸退化阶段七种 类型的草甸群落(即未退化的禾草-嵩草群落、轻度退化的高山嵩草-禾草群落、中度退化的高山嵩草群落、重度退化草皮开裂的高 山嵩草群落、侵蚀期的高山嵩草-杂草群落、严重侵蚀期的杂草-高山嵩草群落、零星杂草的黑土滩裸地),斑块数量和斑块周长随斑块面积的下降呈现先增加的变化趋势,而后,随斑块面积的急剧降低呈下降的趋势。斑块数量、周长与面积关系变化的拐点出现在植被总面积约占68%的状态处。在这一拐点附近,斑块上的植物组成呈现出高山嵩草或杂草占优势两种状态往复波动的不稳定状态,表明草地状态处于向荒漠化裸地跃变的边缘。本研究展示了如何基于小尺度植被斑块空间构型为草地退化、状态跃变提供数量化的早期预警信号,有望为嵩草草甸退化至黑土滩裸地的早期预警提供判定指标。     

基于移动窗口法的岷江干旱河谷景观格局梯度分析

以岷江干旱河谷为研究区,基于GIS技术和移动窗口法对其景观格局梯度变化进行分析,以期为区域的景观格局优化和管理提供支持。根据研究区的形状特征,分别沿干流和支流设置4条样带;选取景观水平下的景观指数,利用FRAGSTATS3.3软件分别采取标准法和移动窗口法获得不同尺度下的景观指数值;综合利用景观指数粒度效应分析、区域面积信息守恒评价方法和景观指数幅度效应评价曲线确定研究区景观格局梯度分析移动窗口尺寸,并计算了此窗口尺度下4条样带上的景观指数,得到沿样带方向的景观梯度格局。结果表明:岷江干旱河谷的景观基质是灌木林地,面积占73.82%。有林地和草地的景观异质性低,居民地和耕地斑块破碎化程度较大。确定了50m的栅格大小,250m的移动窗口尺寸为研究区景观格局梯度分析的窗口尺度;4条样带上各景观指数均随景观类型变化出现不同幅度的上下波动特征,梯度特征明显。处于景观类型过渡地带的区域,景观多样性和异质性增加,破碎化程度高;干旱河谷景观格局梯度变化主要受地形、水热因子,以及堤坝建设和土地开发利用影响。研究作为一种有益的尝试,更精细地分析了研究区的景观格局,能够为河谷地区景观格局量化分析提供参考,但也存在一定不足,需要在今后工作中继续深入研究。     

四川唐家河自然保护区西北至东南方向景观格局的梯度变化

通过设置西北至东南方向样带的方式,对唐家河自然保护区的遥感解译图像从景观和类型两种水平上分析了该区植被景观格局的梯度变化.结果表明:1)该区域内森林植被状况良好,林地分布面积达到91.65%.其中,常绿落叶阔叶混交林的面积最大,是区域的景观基质,而亚高山灌丛草甸以及农耕地等在整个区域内分布面积较小,边界较简单,景观地位弱.2)沿样带方向,景观水平上的指数具有上升型、下降型和无明显趋势3种变化,表现为边界密度、邻近度、形状指数、斑块分形指数的递增,平均斑块面积和最近距离的递减,以及香农多样性和均匀性、最大斑块面积和散布与并列指数的稳定波动.3)该区景观类型以次生落叶阔叶林、常绿落叶阔叶混交林、针阔叶混交林和针叶林为主,其景观指数波动变化显著、具明显的峰值.     

陆地生态系统碳密度格局研究概述

 准确了解陆地生态系统中碳密度的时空格局及其影响因子和作用机制,对于估算和预测不同类型生态系统中的植被和土壤的碳存储能力、判定碳汇、制定缓解全球变化的合理政策措施,具有重要意义。该文综述了现有研究中发现的世界陆地生态系统碳密度空间分布的地带性规律及中国陆地生态系统碳密度格局的独特特点。在全球尺度上,植被碳密度分布与植物生物量格局基本一致,除北方森林外其余大部分随纬度升高而减小;土壤碳密度则随纬度升高而增大。陆地生态系统中北方森林和热带森林的总体碳密度最高,不同的是,前者的碳主要集中在土壤中,而后者则集中在植被中。但在区域尺度上,由于气候、地形及人类活动影响,这种规律性可能会发生变化甚至不起作用。水热条件、土壤养分、生物多样性、气候和大气CO2浓度的变化以及土地利用与覆盖变化等是碳密度空间格局形成和发生变化的驱动因子。在某一特定区域,它们通过直接或间接提高植被净初级生产力,抑制呼吸和分解作用来增加陆地生态系统碳密度。综合分析特定时空条件下各因子对碳存储量的影响是解释碳密度分布现状,预测碳密度格局变化的关键,但目前的研究对各项驱动因子的作用机制、影响强度及多个因子间的相互作用仍不是很清楚,需要加强该方面的研究力度。碳密度研究中的数据获取、机理分析和过程模拟等方面仍存在很大的不确定性,因此有必要建立规范统一的碳密度测量估算系统和更为精准有效的估算模型,进行多尺度、多精度水平的综合研究。     

全球变化的中国气候-植被分类研究

区域潜在蒸散具有作为植被－气候相关分析与分类的综合气候指标的功能。根据区域潜在蒸散对气候－植被分类的热量与水分指标进行了初步探讨,并对中国气候－植被分类进行了初步的定量研究。根据该模式对中国陆地生态系统对全球变化的反应进行了探讨,结果表明我国自然植被在气温增加２℃或４ ℃、降水增加２０％ 时, 森林和草原的面积都有所减少,且随着温度的升高而减少,沙漠化趋势增强。特别是青藏高原地区对全球气候变化非常敏感,因而可以作为全球变化的先兆区或预警区,具有重要的监测和研究意义     

云南西部地区地带性植物群落物种多样性的地理分布格局

利用样方数据和文献资料,探讨了云南西部地区地带性植物群落的物种多样性。结果表明：在纬度梯度上,从南到北,物种密度呈递减趋势;在海拔梯度上,从高海拔到低海拔,物种密度呈递增趋势;在经度梯度上,从东到西,物种密度呈递减格局。总体上,在群落尺度上,南部地区物种密度较高;北部地区,即滇西北地区物种密度相对较低,这可能与研究区域内热量和水分条件的空间分异有关,但热量因子可能扮演着更为重要的角色。海拔梯度上的物种变化速率远高于经度梯度和纬度梯度,这可能与海拔梯度上热量条件的变化速率远高于其他地理梯度有关。区域尺度上单位面积物种多样性的分布格局与群落尺度明显不同,这可能源于群落尺度上单位面积的物种多样性主要受制于能量水平;但在区域尺度上,单位面积的物种多样性可能与区域内的生境异质性有关。表明“尺度效应”在塑造物种多样性地理分布格局中的重要作用。     

Ectogenesis and the case against the right to the death of the foetus

Ectogenesis, or the use of an artificial womb to allow a foetus to develop, will likely become a reality within a few decades, and could significantly affect the abortion debate. We first examine the implications for Judith Jarvis Thomson’s violinist analogy, which argues for a woman’s right to withdraw life support from the foetus and so terminate her pregnancy, even if the foetus is granted full moral status. We show that on Thomson’s reasoning, there is no right to the death of the foetus, and abortion is not permissible if ectogenesis is available, provided it is safe and inexpensive. This raises the question of whether there are persuasive reasons for the right to the death of the foetus that could be exercised in the context of ectogenesis. Eric Mathison and Jeremy Davis have examined several arguments for this right, doubting that it exists, while Joona Räsänen has recently criticized their reasoning. We respond to Räsänen’s analysis, concluding that his arguments are unsuccessful, and that there is no right to the death of the foetus in these circumstances.     

On the diversity of the Cladocera in the tropics

The mythical concept of an impoverished tropical cladoceran fauna is refuted. On a planetary scale, around half of the cladoceran species presently known occur exclusively in the tropics-subtropics, often with considerable restriction to particular geographical subzones. On a regional (political) scale, the situation is often unclear because of the continued fragmentary nature of studies, and because political units are not a good basis for biogeographical comparisons. At the finest level of resolution (lake-perlake comparisons), there appears to be an upper limit of c. 50 cladoceran species per individual lake. No significant difference between lakes in the temperate zone and in the tropics could be established here. Daphnia is largely absent from the tropics, but is replaced by more Sidids, Moinids, and Bosminids, such that the average cladoceran community in the limnetic zone of a tropical lake is not characterized by less species but rather by lower population densities. This, in turn, is considered a consequence of higher prevalent predation levels in the tropics.     

Tubular networks in the terminal endings of the visual receptor cells in the human,the monkey,the cat and the dog

Summary A tubular network was found in the terminal endings of the visual receptor cells in the human, the monkey (Macaca mulatta), the cat and the dog. These tubules are arranged in close groups in the vicinity of the synaptic lamellae and the invaginated dendrites. According to the form, diameter, density of the tubules and to the consistence of the network formed by them one can distinguish at these places an initial type (type I), a transitory (type II) and a vesicular one (type III). In the the type III branching, bizarre forms are frequent. The diameter of all the tubules reaches 500–600 Å, their density and walls being the same as in the synaptic vesicles.Similar networks also occur in the axons of the visual receptor cells of the monkey.

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Zusammenfassung In den Endigungen der Photorezeptorzellen von Mensch, Affe (Macaca mulatta), Katze und Hund kommen aus Tubuli bestehende Komplexe vor. Organellenartig in geschlossenen Gruppen angeordnet, liegen sie in Nähe der synaptischen Lamellen und der invaginierten Dendriten. An diesen Stellen kann man nach Form, Durchmesser, Dichte und Konsistenz der von den Tubuli gebildeten Komplexe drei Typen unterscheiden: 1. einen initialen (Typus I), 2. einen Übergangstypus (Typus II) und 3. einen vesiculären Typus (Typus III). In letzterem kommen häufig verzweigte, bizarre Formen vor. Der Durchmesser sämtlicher Tubuli erreicht 500–600 Å. Ihre Dichte und ihre Wand gleicht denen der synaptischen Vesikel.Ähnliche Komplexe fanden wir auch in den Axonen der Photorezeptorzellen vom Affen.

     

Assessing the Physiological State of the Fucoids from the Barents Sea Littoral by the End of the Polar Night

Methods of amperometry and potentiometric titration were used to follow dark respiration (DR) and apparent photosynthesis (AP) in the fucoids Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jol, Fucus vesiculosus L., and F. serratus L. from the Barents Sea littoral by the end of the 40-day-long polar night. The macroalgae were shown to manifest species-specific low rates of photosynthesis and respiration. However, in spite of their low photosynthetic status due to the effects of subzero temperature and prolonged low or zero illumination, the macroalgae have been able to restore DR and AP to the initial level already by the day 9; the ability to restore AP depended on the level of illumination. The study of the changes in the carbonate–bicarbonate system in the light and darkness demonstrated that the macroalgae grown in darkness, in contrast to those grown in twilight, could absorb bicarbonate in darkness; however, they lost this capacity after two-day-long illumination at an irradiance of 7 mol/(m² s). Bicarbonate uptake in darkness and the capacity to restore the systems of photosynthesis and respiration in fucoid cells are discussed in the context of algal energy metabolism under the polar night conditions.     

Arranging the elements of the potassium channel: the T1 domain occludes the cytoplasmic face of the channel

The voltage-gated potassium channel is currently one of the few membrane proteins where functional roles have been mapped onto specific segments of sequence. Although high-resolution structures of the transmembrane portions of three bacterial potassium channels, the tetramerization domain and the cytoplasmic ball are available, their relative spatial arrangement in mammalian channels remains a matter of ongoing debate. Cryo-electron microscopic images of the six transmembrane voltage-gated Kv channel have been reconstructed at up to 18 Å resolution, revealing that the T1 domain tetramerizes and is suspended below the transmembrane segments. However, the resolution of these images is insufficient to reveal the location of the third piece of the puzzle, the inactivating ball domain. We have used the aberrant interactions observed in a series of chimæric channels to establish that an assembled T1 domain restricts access to the cytoplasmic face of the channel, suggesting that the N-terminal ball and chain may be confined in the space between the T1 domain and the transmembrane portion of the channel.     

Feeding the vertebrate retina from the Cambrian to the Tertiary

The retina of the vertebrate eye is metabolically active and requires nutritive support. During the last 540 million years it has evolved into forms as complicated and nutritionally demanding as those found in avian or primate eyes. Diffusion from the choroid is generally able to supply the metabolic needs of thin retinae. However, when the thickness exceeds the limits of diffusion, structures are needed to supplement the vascular supply from the choroid. These supplemental nutritive devices include the choroidal gland, the falciform process and preretinal vascular plexus of fish, the conus papillaris of lizards, the pecten oculi of birds, the intraretinal vessels of mammals and a few novel systems that remain difficult to classify. These vascular systems are among the most variable features of the vertebrate eye. Here, we review classical and recent findings regarding such retinal nutrition systems, propose a three category classification for them based on histologic origins and speculate on the evolutionary forces which drove their development.     

Observations on the permeability of the choriocapillaris of the eye

Summary The choriocapillaris is a fenestrated capillary bed located posterior to the retinal pigment epithelium. It serves as the main source of supply to the photoreceptors, retinal pigment epithelium, and other cells of the outer retina. The permeability of these capillaries to intravenously injected ferritin (MW — approx. 480,000; mol. diam. 11 nm) was examined in the mouse, rabbit, and guinea pig, each of which is characterized by a different type of retinal vascularization. In all three species, the bulk of the ferritin remained in the capillary lumina, where it appeared to be blocked at the level of the diaphragmed fenestrae. Some ferritin was present in endothelial cell vacuoles. The results confirm previous work on the rat choriocapillaris and indicate that the barrier function of the choriocapillary endothelium is present even among species in which the retinal circulation differs significantly.Supported by NIH grant EY03418