Stimulation of ethylene production by a cell wall component from mature green tomato fruit

Pectic (carbonate-soluble, covalently-bound pectin, CBP) material stimulated increased ethylene production when vacuum-infiltrated into whole, mature green tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Rutgers) fruit. Activity was greatest if CBP was extracted from mature green tomatoes with jellied locules. CBP extracted from mature green tomatoes with immature seeds had no elicitor activity, while CBP from turning or red ripe tomatoes was only moderately active. Infiltration of CBP from normal mature green fruit into ripening inhibitor ( rin ) mutant tomato fruit stimulated ethylene production and attenuated red pigmentation in these fruits. Partial purification of the active material was accomplished using DEAE-Sephadex and BioGel P-100 chromatography. The most highly purified fraction is comprised of neutral carbohydrate (95%) with a relatively low content of amino acids (1%) and a uronic acid content of less than 5%. This material may be an endogenous trigger of ethylene production and ripening.     

Direct effects of varying doses of oestradiol on early embryonic development in in vitro culture of rat's two-cell embryos

Hyperstimulation in the rat using pregnant mares' serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) has been known to cause death in pre-implantation embryos, as well as enhancement of oestradiol production. This study examines the effect of oestradiol, in levels that are found in hyperstimulated pregnant rats, on pre-implantation embryonic development. Using a simplified in vitro system, 2-cell embryos retrieved from rats on the 2nd day of pregnancy were cultured in rat two-cell embryo culture medium (R2ECM) containing pharmacological doses of oestradiol for 96 h and scored daily in the morning. Three ngxmL(-1) oestradiol reduced the incidence of >8-cell embryos to morulae on the 5th day and blastocysts on the 6th day of development. Most embryos were retarded at the lower cell stages on the 5th day and degenerated by the 6th day. None of the blastocysts expanded on the last day of culture. Fifteen ngxmL(-1) oestradiol accelerated embryo development on the 3rd day but retarded development on the 4th day, and increased the incidence of degenerated embryos by the 5th and 6th day of development. These results suggest that the elevated oestradiol may constitute a mechanism by which PMSG induces death in pre-implantation rat embryos, possibly via a direct action on the embryos.     

The effects of acute creatine supplementation on multiple sprint cycling and running performance in rugby players

The benefits of creatine (CR) supplementation are well documented, particularly during repeated bouts of high-intensity muscular activity. Most published experiments use mass-supported (cycle ergometry) activities as a means of evaluating creatine's efficacy, therefore minimizing any possible adverse effects of increased body mass associated with CR supplementation. This study aims to use both mass-supported and mass-dependent activities to assess the effectiveness of acute CR supplementation on a group of highly trained rugby players. A randomized, double-blind, crossover research design was utilized, with subjects receiving 20 g.d(-1) x 5 d of both CR and a glucose placebo (PL). Subjects were assessed via 10 x 6-second Wingate test and a 10 x 40-m sprint test on separate days, presupplementation and postsupplementation. A 28-d washout period separated the two treatments. No significant treatment (p > 0.05) or treatment by test interaction effects (p > 0.05) were observed for peak or minimum power output (W), peak or minimum running velocity (m.s(-1)), or fatigue index (%). No significant differences (p > 0.05) were found postsupplementation for body mass and percentage body fat. Although statistical significance was not achieved for any of the measured parameters, there were small improvements in performance that may be of benefit to rugby players.     

新疆风力发电减碳效益全生命周期评估

风力发电减碳效益评估有助于从减碳角度更好制定能源发展相关政策。以风力资源总体丰富且亟需发展风力发电以实现能源系统脱碳的新疆为研究区,将生命周期方法与风力发电模型结合,在省、市级尺度分别评估了风力发电全生命周期的排放水平及发电效益,核算了风力发电相对于火力发电和光伏发电的减碳效益,有效弥补了传统生命周期评估中空间差异考虑不充分的问题。结果表明,风机全生命周期平均发电量为13.1×10～7 kWh,风力发电全生命周期共排放3944.24 tCO₂-eq,通过材料处置回收和循环再利用可减少1424.79 tCO₂-eq。新疆发展风力发电具有低排放强度和高减碳效益的特点,与火电相比可减少97.44%排放,减碳效益平均可达906.72 gCO₂-eq/kWh,并且应优先布局在哈密、巴音郭楞蒙古自治州和北屯市;与光伏相比,减碳效益可分别达到43.85 gCO₂-eq/kWh（衰减率DR=1%）和169.84 gCO₂-eq/kWh（DR=3%）,此情景下风电应主要部署在克孜勒苏柯尔克孜自治州、喀什和和田。在风电减碳效益较差地区如石河子市、铁门关市和双河市应考虑利用本地充足太阳能资源发展光伏发电。需注意风电的排放强度和减碳效益在局地小尺度评估中存在不确定性,获取更精细的结果仍需进一步评估。未来应大力发展新疆本地的风电产业,打造绿色供应链和加快发展处置回收技术以增加减碳效益。     

秦巴山区生态系统服务对植被覆盖变化的响应阈值

秦巴山区地处我国南北气候、生物区系的交汇地带,具有十分重要的地理与生态价值,蕴藏着巨大的发展潜力。确定生态系统服务对植被覆盖变化的响应阈值是实现秦巴山区环境资源有效配置、管理政策科学制定以及生态效益最大化的重要前提。在分析秦巴山区产水、固碳、土壤保持和生境质量4项生态系统服务时空特征的基础上,综合运用聚类分析、方差分析和弹性分析对比不同植被类型和地形梯度下生态系统服务的异同进而分区计算植被覆盖变化的影响阈值。结果表明:(1)2000-2020年,产水、固碳、土壤保持和生境质量服务整体提升且均表现为东南高西北低的空间分布。(2)不同类型植被下,生态系统服务整体供应能力从大到小依次为林地、草地和农田。不同地形变化下,除生境质量呈持续增长态势外,其他3项服务均出现了先提高后衰减的非线性趋势。(3)植被覆盖度对生态系统服务有促进作用,但超过一定阈值后这种作用会逐渐减弱。植被覆盖影响阈值在林地、草地和农田区分别为 0.85、0.80和0.78;且该阈值随地形因子增加先增大后减小。本研究结果可以转变秦巴山区单纯依靠扩大森林面积提升生态系统服务供给的简单化生态保护模式,为构建分区管理、全面系统和动态平衡的生态可持续发展体系提供依据。     

齿瓣石斛不同月龄幼苗根内共生真菌多样性动态变化分析

【背景】兰科植物整个生命周期都与真菌形成密切的共生关系,种子萌发、幼苗形成等关键发育阶段都需要共生真菌为其提供营养。【目的】探究齿瓣石斛(Dendrobium devonianum)不同月龄幼苗共生真菌多样性及其变化规律。【方法】基于种子-真菌野外直播技术获得齿瓣石斛不同月龄幼苗并采集根样品,采用扩增子测序技术研究共生真菌群落组成、相对丰度及多样性。【结果】齿瓣石斛2‒6月龄幼苗中共有944个扩增子序列变体(amplicon sequence variant, ASV),隶属5门24纲71目144科218属。2‒4月龄幼苗的优势真菌为无孢蜡壳属(Serendipita)、篮状菌属(Talaromyces)和弯孢属(Curvularia),6月龄幼苗的优势真菌为篮状菌属和蜡壳耳属(Sebacina)。优势共生真菌类群在幼苗期发生了2次转变,即2月龄前由胶膜菌属(Tulasnella)转变成无孢蜡壳属;6月龄期由无孢蜡壳属转变成蜡壳耳属。【结论】齿瓣石斛幼苗发育过程中对于共生真菌的选择是一个动态过程,可能是主动选择环境中的最适真菌,亦或是被动选择了环境中相对丰度较高的真菌。这一结果为了解齿瓣石斛不同发育阶段共生真菌群落的多样性和动态变化提供了新的证据,并为分离获得促进幼苗生长、提高幼苗成活率的关键真菌类群提供了科学依据。     

内蒙古自治区干旱脆弱性评价

干旱带来的环境影响及经济损失,阻碍了地区的可持续发展。开展干旱脆弱性评价是合理制定区域规划与管理措施的前提条件。然而,国内目前鲜有以省或自治区为研究区域,以市级行政区域为尺度的自然-社会-经济耦合的干旱脆弱性研究。根据IPCC提出的干旱脆弱性评价模型,选取19个指标,在3个维度上(暴露度、敏感度和适应能力)对内蒙古自治区的12个盟市开展了干旱脆弱性评价。采用熵值法确定各指标权重,并用综合指数法和系统分类法计算干旱脆弱性指数并进行分类。研究结果表明,内蒙古自治区的干旱脆弱性呈现由东向西递减的趋势,与干旱脆弱性相关性最强的三个指标分别是第一产业GDP比例、人均可支配收入和第一产业从业人员比例。导致盟市干旱脆弱性的主要贡献因素为人口与人力因素和生态与水资源因素。减缓内蒙古自治区干旱脆弱性可以从加强草原保护建设和管理,合理规划盟市建设,减少人口的集中分布,调整产业结构,提供更多的非农牧就业岗位,加强职业技能培训,完善金融服务和医疗服务等方面入手,从而促进干旱区自然生态和社会经济的可持续发展。     

城市扩张过程中建设用地景观格局演变特征及其驱动力

剖析城市扩张过程中建设用地景观格局演变特征及其驱动力,不仅有助于城市生态环境问题的解决,而且为城市用地结构优化、城市景观规划等工作提供科学依据。以快速城市化的中型城市—扬州市为例,利用多期(1995、2000、2005、2010年和2015年)Landsat卫星影像、乡镇水平的扬州统计年鉴等数据,运用景观格局分析、增强回归树(Boosted regression trees)等方法,研究建设用地的扩张模式、形态及景观格局,定量探究地理、社会和经济因子对景观格局的影响机制,从而明晰景观格局演变特征及其驱动力。结果表明,1995—2015年,建设用地面积持续增加,填充式(Infilling)、边缘式(Edge-expansion)和跳跃式(Leapfrog)3种扩张模式在各时段均有出现,但其优势度随着城市发展而改变。建设用地的形态在城市扩张的过程中经历着\"集聚\"和\"扩散\"的交替变化过程,景观格局则出现了同质化倾向,景观破碎化下降、聚合度增加。地理因子(海拔和到县市中心的距离)对景观格局的综合影响虽然高于社会经济,但它的影响力却随着城市发展呈现出下降趋势,社会经济的作用则逐渐增强。海拔和人口...