奥林匹克圣火与人类用火的起源

第29届夏季奥林匹克运动会即将于今年8月在北京举行。奥运会起源于希腊的奥林匹亚,即奥林匹斯山一带的地区。希腊的奥林匹斯山曾诞生过很多动人的神话传说。其中最令人感动的是关于普罗米修斯把火种带到人间的故事。     

关于北京猿人用火的证据:研究历史、争议与新进展

周口店第1地点古人类用火证据是该遗址一系列重大科学发现中的一项重要内容,在很长时期内,作为同类遗存中最早的记录及其分析论证结果被国际学术界广泛接受。但随着少数西方学者的质疑和挑战,从上世纪八十年代中期开始在这一问题上出现争议,其后开展的埋藏学和地球化学分析又得出进一步否定的结论。但周口店遗址的洞穴地层十分复杂,目前残存的堆积与古人类生存时期的状态有重大差别,与当初大规模发掘时见证的遗物遗迹的分布与埋藏状况也有很大不同,在剖面表层做局部有限的采样分析并不足以推翻以前的系统性研究结论,何况很多否定性的意见源自学术理论思潮的转变和缺乏具体分析的常规性推理。从以前的发掘记录和各种分析结果看,周口店遗址埋藏着丰富的古人类用火证据,这些证据不是孤立的,是可以相互验证和支持的。2009年以来在遗址开展的新的发掘与研究获得重要进展,揭示出具有结构的火塘、烧骨、石灰化的灰岩块等原地用火产生的遗物与遗迹,对相关材料的现代科技分析进一步确定这些遗存的人类用火性质。这样,遗址上文化层的用火证据变得明确无误,相关争议终可尘埃落定。对于下部地层中的用火证据,尚需做同样的发掘、分析和研究工作。     

基于树轮火疤塔河蒙克山樟子松林火灾的频度分析

大兴安岭地区是我国重要林区,又是林火的多发区,林火是森林生态系统中的重要干扰因子,对整个森林生态系统结构、功能和动态都有重要影响。樟子松为欧洲赤松的一个变种,在我国主要分布于大兴安岭地区。近年来,频繁的森林火灾造成樟子松林大面积减少。因此,重建大兴安岭樟子松林火历史,掌握樟子松林火灾规律已显得十分迫切。在大兴安岭北部塔河县蒙克山林场采集了11棵樟子松火疤圆盘,利用树木年轮年代学方法重建了大兴安岭北部塔河县蒙克山樟子松林的火灾历史,获得1个以树轮年代学为基础的樟子松火疤年表。利用火历史分析软件得到蒙克山樟子松林火灾间隔期和轮回期分别为24.8a和33a。由火疤年表得到的蒙克山樟子松林火灾历史大致可分为3个历史时期:满清中期(1723-1859年)、清末民国时期(1860-1949年)和建国后(1950年至今)。41个火疤记录中早早材火(E)所占比例最大,占全部火疤数目的61%,晚材火(A)、未确定火(U)和休眠季节火(D)则相对较少。大区域性火灾事件平均间隔期为32.5a,最大火灾间隔期为61a。本研究为进一步探究大兴安岭地区寒温带针叶林火灾历史的时间和空间格局及其之间的联系提供了基础数据。     

扩展火用方法在区域生态经济驱动机制及效率研究中的应用

为分析区域生态退化的经济社会原因,针对以往扩展火用分析(EEA)应用以国家尺度为主,存在流通网络庞杂、规律辨识困难等问题,缩小空间尺度至县域,以宁夏彭阳为例,将生态经济系统划分为7个相互联系的部门,分别计算流通的物质、劳动力、资本的火用值,以分析驱动部门、要素和路径的扩展火用流特征并评价生态效率.结果表明: 彭阳县生态经济系统主要由农业和居民部门驱动,部门间31条流通路径平均扩展火用流值为0.80 PJ,高于该值的仅有8条流通路径,主要通过“居民部门劳动力输出和其他部门支持居民部门需求”两条连续路径驱动发展.矿产资源开采规模大,但直接输出区域外,无法从内部推动县域发展,反而由于资源开采加重了生态环境压力.县域2014年生态效率为68.1%,相当于10年前国内外国家尺度的中间水平,主要由服务和居民部门效率低造成.扩展火用分析有网络化、结构化的优势,可明确部门、要素和路径,突破驱动机制研究的“瓶颈”,对探究区域生态经济系统运行原理和选择优化模式具有一定适应性.区域尺度较国家大空间尺度分析更易识别生态经济系统驱动机制,能够明确指导区域管理部门改善生态环境压力.     

火与外来植物相互关系的研究进展

入侵种对本地的生态系统和生物多样性均有不良的影响,严重的会造成物种的灭绝和生态系统的崩溃,这已在全球范围引起广泛关注.在植物外来种与火生态因子的作用研究中发现,火与外来种的关系随物种生物学特性、火作用的时间、频度、强度不同而不同,火有时会有效地抑制外来种的生长和入侵,有时会促进一些外来种的生长和入侵.反之,一些外来种会对火的产生起到积极的作用,一些外来种又会抑制火的发生.火作为控制入侵种的一种方法,经科学地运用,可对某些入侵种起到有效的控制作用.     

我国北方针叶林人为火发生的预测模型

我国北方针叶林带是重要的森林资源储藏地,也是林火发生的重灾区,其自然火和人为火所占比例相当. 气象因子、地形特征、植被条件、人为基础设施等因素对人为火发生具有显著影响,国内目前应用空间分析技术对北方针叶林带人为火影响因子的研究还存在一定不确定性. 本文基于1974—2009年间人为火的空间地理坐标,结合研究地的气象因子、基础地理信息及矢量化林相图,应用ArcGIS 10.0中的空间分析工具和SPSS 19.0的逻辑斯蒂回归模型对影响人为火发生的主要驱动因子进行分析,并建立人为火发生的概率模型. 利用HADCM2模式下研究区域未来气象数据对塔河地区2015年人为火发生情况进行计算.结果表明： 距离铁路距离（x₁）和平均相对湿度（x₂）对研究区域人为火发生具有显著影响,并得到火险概率模型P=1/［1+e^{-(3.026-0.00011x1-0.047x₂)}］. 模型校验结果显示,模型的准确度可达到80%.林火发生预测结果表明,塔河地区2015年 4—6月、8月为人为火高发期,其中,4—5月的林火发生概率最高.从火险空间分布来看,高火险主要集中在塔河西部和西南部,铁路线路主要包含在此区域.     

火菇素的溶液二级结构与变性动力学

为了弄清抗肿瘤活性物质火菇素蛋白的二级结构及其活性在保存时自然衰减的规律 ,为临床应用提供依据 ,测定了火菇素的圆二色性并用蛋白质二级结构解析程序分析了火菇素的溶液二级结构 ,研究了火菇素的变性动力学 .火菇素的远紫外圆二色性的研究表明 ,其水溶液在 2 0 8nm处表现为大负峰 ,最大平均残基摩尔椭圆度 [θ]2 0 8=- 6574deg·cm2·dmol-1,在 2 2 3nm处为肩 .经二级结构解析程序计算分析 ,火菇素的二级结构组成为 :α螺旋 1 5.2 % ,平行 β折叠片和 β转角6.1 % ,反平行 β折叠片 32 .7% ,无规卷曲和 γ转角 2 3.4% ,其中二硫键和芳香氨基酸对火菇素圆二色性的贡献占 2 2 .6% .热变性几乎使所有的二级结构都遭到破坏 ,转化为无规卷曲 .利用已建立的火菇素免疫单向琼脂扩散定量检测技术 ,对在 4℃下保存的火菇素进行了长期跟踪检测 ,结果表明 ,在保存过程中火菇素的活性逐步降低 ,同时其二级结构也被破坏 .根据实验结果 ,建立了火菇素变性的一级动力学方程模型 :ct=coe-t/τ,该模型方程能很好地拟合实验结果 .根据模型方程计算的火菇素的寿命为 370 d,半衰期为 2 56d.说明火菇素这种很有应用前景的抗肿瘤药物比较容易长期保存 .     

五种火棘属植物的叶面积回归分析

以采集于贵州、云南、广西、湖南等地的火棘、密花火棘、全缘火棘、细圆齿火棘和窄叶火棘共5种火棘属植物26 401个成熟叶样为材料,利用WinFOLIA软件测量叶的多项形态指标并与叶面积进行11种模拟方程回归分析。结果表明:五种火棘属植物的叶面积(LA)与叶长×叶宽(LW)相关性最高,幂函数方程、三次方程、二次方程和线性方程能较好拟合其关系,且均以幂函数方程的解释程度最高(R²均大于0.970),5个物种的幂函数方程分别为LA=0.743(LW)0.936、LA=0.748(LW)0.936、LA=0.742(LW)0.955、LA=0.732(LW)0.952、LA=0.766(LW)0.954。这说明基于叶长×叶宽的叶面积幂函数方程能很好地来模拟五种火棘属植物的叶面积。     

生态流的构成和分析方法研究综述

人类活动带来的生态环境和土地利用变化是全球变化研究的重点内容之一。在复杂的自然生态系统中,各组分之间的物质循环、能量流动和信息传递通常以流态形式来表达,其路径、方向、强度、速率等对生态系统产生重要影响。系统分析了生态流的起源与发展,从能流、物质流和信息流三方面对生态流进行了解构,并对相关原理和分析方法进行了总结和述评。在现有研究基础上,以典型半人工半自然的农田生态系统为例,通过生态网络连接度等指标与纯自然生态系统对比分析生态流的流向、路径和强度等,人类活动增强了生态系统的灵活度,但扰乱了原有的稳定性。生态学家一直专注于研究适用于统一计算生态流的方法,其量化已具有一定的研究基础,但仍存在许多问题,在以后的研究中仍需系统地深入探索。     

火之记——人类对燃烧认识的简要历程

第29届奥运会落下帷幕已经近两年,回忆那些令人振奋的日日夜夜,至今仍心潮澎湃。熊熊燃烧了16天的奥运主火炬熄灭了,但奥运圣火点燃的中国人民的热情却将永远燃烧下去。沉浸在奥运盛会喜悦中的人们也许还清晰记得8月8日,体操王子李宁以“空中飞人”的方式点燃北京2008年奥运会主火炬时的情景：奥运圣火霎那间熊熊燃起,映红了整个国家体育场“鸟巢”的上空,     

Aboriginal fire regimes in Queensland, Australia: analysis of the explorers' record

ABSTRACT. The record of eighteenth and nineteenth century explorers' references to Aboriginal fire in Queensland was stratified according to fourteen vegetation typcs and season of fire. It was demonstrated that references to 'current' fire (i.e. flames or smoke) may not represent traditional Aboriginal activity and that many fires were lit to frighten or harm, to protect themselves from, or to signal to kinfolk the presence of the European intruders. Because of this interpretational difficulty the records to 'current' fire were treated separately from 'past' fire (i.e. burnt ground). The data were analysed as the number of observations per 100 km spent in each vegetation type for any one season to compensate for bias created by differing amounts of travel. The record suggests highest frequency of burning in grassland around the Gulf of Carpentaria, relatively high fire frequency of most coastal and subcoastal vegetation types and relatively infrequent burning of inland Queensland. The analysis indicates a propensity for winter and autumn fue relative to spring and summer fire in all vegetation types combined and in most individual vegetation types.     

Responses to Fire in Selected Tropical Dry Forest Trees1

Fire is a frequent disturbance in the tropical dry forests of Central America, yet very little is known about how native species respond to such events. We conducted an experimental burn in a tropical dry forest of western Nicaragua to evaluate plant responses to fire with respect to survivorship and recruitment. Measurements of woody vegetation of all size classes were carried out prior to the prescribed burn and three successive years post fire. We selected the 15 most abundant species <10 cm DBH to assess percent survivorship and sprouting responses post fire. Changes in seedling densities for these 15 most abundant species and the 15 least abundant species were analyzed using a repeated measure ANOVA. We also assessed changes in seedling densities for three species of international conservation concern. We found three major fire‐coping strategies among common dry forests plants: resisters (low fire‐induced mortality), resprouters (vigorous sprouting), and recruiters (increased seeding post‐fire). While survivorship was generally high relative to tropical moist forest species, those species with lower survivorship used either seeding or sprouting as an alternative strategy for persisting in the forest community. Seed dispersal mechanisms, particularly wind dispersal, appear to be an important factor in recruitment success post‐fire. Burn treatment led to a significant increase in the density of seedlings for two species of conservation concern: Guaiacum sanctum and Swietenia humilis. Results of this study suggest that common dry forest species in western Nicaragua are fire tolerant. Further study of individual species and their fire responses is merited.     

Interactions Among Wildland Fires in a Long-Established Sierra Nevada Natural Fire Area

We investigate interactions between successive naturally occurring fires, and assess to what extent the environments in which fires burn influence these interactions. Using mapped fire perimeters and satellite-based estimates of post-fire effects (referred to hereafter as fire severity) for 19 fires burning relatively freely over a 31-year period, we demonstrate that fire as a landscape process can exhibit self-limiting characteristics in an upper elevation Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forest. We use the term ‘self-limiting’ to refer to recurring fire as a process over time (that is, fire regime) consuming fuel and ultimately constraining the spatial extent and lessening fire-induced effects of subsequent fires. When the amount of time between successive adjacent fires is under 9 years, and when fire weather is not extreme (burning index <34.9), the probability of the latter fire burning into the previous fire area is extremely low. Analysis of fire severity data by 10-year periods revealed a fair degree of stability in the proportion of area burned among fire severity classes (unchanged, low, moderate, high). This is in contrast to a recent study demonstrating increasing high-severity burning throughout the Sierra Nevada from 1984 to 2006, which suggests freely burning fires over time in upper elevation Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forests can regulate fire-induced effects across the landscape. This information can help managers better anticipate short- and long-term effects of allowing naturally ignited fires to burn, and ultimately, improve their ability to implement Wildland Fire Use programs in similar forest types. BC wrote paper, performed analysis; JM gathered/processed data, performed analysis, contributed to writing; AT gathered/processed data, conducted field research; MK contributed new methods for analysis; JvW performed analysis, conceived the study; SS designed study, contributed to writing.     

Anomalies in grasstree fire history reconstructions for south‐western Australian vegetation

Abstract A new fire history for south‐western Australian sclerophyll forests was proposed recently based on grasstree (Xanthorrhoea preissii ) records that were interpreted to show a high frequency (3–5 years) ‘pre‐European burning regime’. Such a fire regime appears incompatible with the long‐term survival of many fire‐killed woody taxa. We investigated the local fire history in a small area of the northern sand‐plain shrub‐lands of south‐western Australia using 15 grasstrees, examining individual grasstree records in detail and comparing this with the decadal or averaged approach used in the original research, and with fire histories reconstructed from satellite images for the period since 1975. Results lead us to question the utility of the proposed grasstree fire history record as a tool for understanding past fire regimes for two reasons: First, inconsistencies in fire histories among individual grasstrees were considerable – some individuals were not burnt by known fires, while some apparently were burned many times during periods when others were not burned at all. Second, the grasstree record indicates a possible increase in patchiness of fires since 1930, while contemporary evidence and interpretations of the nature of Aboriginal (pre‐European) fire regimes would suggest the opposite. We believe that further research is needed to identify to what extent the grasstree method for reconstruction of fire histories can be used to re‐interpret how fire operated in many highly diverse ecosystems prior to European settlement of Australia.     

“2020年后全球生物多样性框架”的谈判进展以及对我国的建议

“2020年后全球生物多样性框架”是当前《生物多样性公约》谈判的焦点议题, 了解该议题的谈判进展将对我国顺利举办第15次缔约方大会(COP15)产生积极的作用。本文在梳理相关谈判进程的基础上, 分析了各方主要观点, 并就我国应对国际谈判并以东道国身份推进该框架的制定进程提出了建议。各方对制定框架的时间表、程序和一般性原则形成了较为一致的共识, 认为应尽快确定“2020年后全球生物多样性框架”的程序及时间表, 基于“爱知生物多样性目标”的执行经验、科学结论和和广泛的信息来源, 与“可持续发展目标”及其他国际进程衔接, 重视利用情景和模型, 并支持更多利益相关方参与制定过程。同时, 各方认为框架应主要包括土地利用、保护和恢复生物多样性的措施、解决生物多样性丧失的根本原因、主流化、能力建设、资源调动、国家承诺等要素。为应对国际谈判, 建议我国在《公约》谈判会议中适时提出以下观点: 重视实现可持续利用相关的目标; 提升评估指标体系的合理性; 科学制定措施。此外, 建议我国采取以下措施积极推进框架制定进程: 充分利用国际高级别会议, 提升政治重视程度; 积极与主要国际进程协作, 推进该框架深入讨论; 重视调动利益相关方积极性。     

Fire research for conservation management in tropical savannas: Introducing the Kapalga fire experiment

Abstract Fire is a dominant feature of tropical savannas throughout the world, and provides a unique opportunity for habitat management at the landscape scale. We provide the background and methodology for a landscape-scale savanna fire experiment at Kapalga, located in Kakadu National Park in the seasonal tropics of northern Australia. The experiment addresses the limitations of previous savanna fire experiments, including inappropriately small sizes of experimental units, lack of replication, consideration of a narrow range of ecological responses and an absence of detailed measurement of fire behaviour. In contrast to those elsewhere in the world, Australia's savannas are sparsely populated and largely uncleared, with fires lit primarily in a conservation, rather than pastoral, context. Fire management has played an integral role in the traditional lifestyles of Aboriginal people, who have occupied the land for perhaps 50 000 years or more. Currently the dominant fire management paradigm is one of extensive prescribed burning early in the dry season (May-June), in order to limit the extent and severity of fires occurring later in the year. The ecological effects of different fire regimes are hotly debated, but we identify geo-chemical cycling, tree demography, faunal diversity and composition, phenology, and the relative importance of fire intensity, timing and frequency, as critical issues. Experimental units (‘compartments’) at Kapalga are 15–20km² catchments, centred on seasonal creeks that drain into major rivers. Each compartment has been burnt according to one of four treatments, each replicated at least three times: ‘Early’- fires lit early in the dry season, which is the predominant management regime in the region; ‘Late’- fires lit late in the dry season, as occurs extensively in the region as unmanaged ‘wildfires’; ‘Progressive’- fires lit progressively throughout the dry season, such that different parts of the landscape are burnt as they progressively dry out (believed to approximate traditional Aboriginal burning practices); and ‘Unburnt’- no fires lit, and wildfires excluded. All burning treatments have been applied annually for 5 years, from 1990 to 1994. Six core projects have been conducted within the experimental framework, focusing on nutrients and atmospheric chemistry, temporary streams, vegetation, insects, small mammals, and vertebrate predators. Detailed measurements of fire intensity have been taken to help interpret ecological responses. The Kapalga fire experiment is multidisciplinary, treatments have been applied at a landscape scale with replication, and ecological responses can be related directly to measurements of fire intensity. We are confident that this experiment will yield important insights into the fire ecology of tropical savannas, and will make a valuable contribution to their conservation management.     

中国微生物学会微生物资源专业委员会发展历程北大核心

中国微生物学会微生物资源专业委员会成立于2009年,致力于推动微生物资源科研工作的开展,为微生物资源的保护与可持续利用提供技术支撑和战略指导。积极开展各种形式的学术交流、人才培养和国际合作,促进微生物资源领域的创新与发展,推动我国微生物学科的不断进步。随着科技的不断进步和经济的快速发展,微生物资源的研究和利用已成为国际科技领域的重要热点之一。因此,微生物资源专业委员会的建设与发展具有重要意义,将进一步推动我国微生物学科的发展,提高我国在该领域的学术地位和国际竞争力。     

Elucidating how the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) diffused spatiotemporally among different landscapes in north Taiwan, 2008–2015

Solenopsis invicta Buren, also known as the red imported fire ant (RIFA), has had a large negative impact on human and livestock health. However, few studies have further investigated the influence of human land use, which is an important factor affecting the habitats of insects, on the expansion of RIFAs. In addition, there is a lack of knowledge of the empirical associations between RIFA diffusion and land use within countries. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to provide an approach to delineate the areas of RIFA infestations and explore how land use influences the spatiotemporal diffusion of S. invicta. We used RIFA data from 2008 to 2015 from the RIFA surveillance system, which was conducted by the National RIFA Control Center in Taiwan. Two regions in Taiwan with different RIFA infestation levels were investigated. The ordinary kriging method was applied to show the spatial intensity of RIFAs, and the extreme distance estimator method was applied to determine the critical dispersal distances, which showed the distance of the highest probability of RIFAs in two consecutive years. In addition, network analyses were used to identify RIFA invasion routes between land‐use types. Finally, bivariate local indicators of spatial association were used to capture the invasion process in time and space. The results showed, paddy fields, main roads, and warehouses were identified as the top three land‐use types of diffusion sources. On average, the critical RIFA dispersal distances were 600 and 650 m in two consecutive years in high‐ and low‐infestation regions, respectively. Finally, RIFAs were likely to diffuse between main roads and warehouses in the low‐infestation region. Therefore, it is suggested that RIFA control activities be implemented at least 600 m from the observed spot. Additionally, control activities should be conducted on the identified three land‐use types of diffusion sources in the high‐infestation region, and the roadsides between main roads and warehouses in the low‐infestation region to prevent the accidental spread of RIFAs.