Elevational diversity gradients of Tibetan loaches: The relative roles of ecological and evolutionary processes

It is widely believed that species richness patterns (SRPs) are shaped by both ecological and evolutionary processes. However, the relative roles of these processes remain unclear, especially for aquatic organisms. In this study, we integrated ecological and evolutionary measures to tease apart the relative influences of these factors on the SRP of Tibetan loaches along an extensive elevational gradient. We found that the Tibetan loaches displayed a richness pattern that peaked at midelevations. The mean annual temperature (MAT), mid‐domain effect (MDE), and summed age of colonization (SAC, complex of colonization age and colonization frequency) were the main drivers, accounting for 85%, 51%, and 88% of the variations in the SRP, respectively. The three predictors had very high combined effects (MAT‐MDE‐SAC, MAT‐SAC, and MDE‐SAC were 44%, 38%, and 6%, respectively). Our analyses suggested that energy input, time‐for‐speciation, and species dispersal may directly guide the SRP or mediate it by geometric constraints. Conclusively, the SRP of the Tibetan loaches with elevation is the outcome of interactions between biogeographical processes and regional ecological conditions.     

Pattern and control of biomass allocation across global forest ecosystems

The underground part of a tree is an important carbon sink in forest ecosystems. Understanding biomass allocation between the below‐ and aboveground parts (root:shoot ratios) is necessary for estimation of the underground biomass and carbon pool. Nevertheless, large‐scale biomass allocation patterns and their control mechanisms are not well identified. In this study, a large database of global forests at the community level was compiled to investigate the root:shoot ratios and their responses to environmental factors. The results indicated that both the aboveground biomass (AGB) and belowground biomass (BGB) of the forests in China (medians 73.0 Mg/ha and 17.0 Mg/ha, respectively) were lower than those worldwide (medians 120.3 Mg/ha and 27.7 Mg/ha, respectively). The root:shoot ratios of the forests in China (median = 0.23), however, were not significantly different from other forests worldwide (median = 0.24). In general, the allocation of biomass between the belowground and aboveground parts was determined mainly by the inherent allometry of the plant but also by environmental factors. In this study, most correlations between root:shoot ratios and environmental factors (development parameter, climate, altitude, and soil) were weak but significant (p < .01). The allometric model agreed with the trends observed in this study and effectively estimated BGB based on AGB across the entire database.     

物种多度和径级尺度对于评价群落系统发育结构的影响: 以尖峰岭热带山地雨林为例

研究不同径级尺度群落系统发育多样性有助于了解不同年龄模式下物种的亲缘关系及其群落系统发育结构; 但是关于物种多度对群落系统发育结构影响的研究较少。以海南尖峰岭热带山地雨林群落为例, 首先在不同径级尺度比较物种多度加权与否分别对4个广泛采用的系统发育指数的影响, 继而利用其中2个经过标准化处理的系统发育多样性指数: 净种间亲缘关系指数(net relatedness index, NRI)和净最近种间亲缘关系指数(nearest taxon index, NTI), 结合群落的生境类型来量度不同局域生境条件下不同径级尺度木本植物系统发育关系。结果发现: (1)未考虑物种多度加权的系统发育平均成对距离(mean pairwise distance, MPD)指数比考虑物种多度加权的MPD指数显著地高估了群落整体系统发育多样性, 且这种现象在小径级尺度(1 cm≤DBH<5 cm)最为明显。因此, 在森林监测样地中对于中、小径级群落系统发育结构研究中建议考虑物种多度信息。(2) 从群落组成整体系统发育结构来看, 尖峰岭热带山地雨林在几乎所有径级尺度和生境下均倾向于系统发育发散, 且随着径级的递增发散程度趋于明显(NRI<0)。(3)从群落组成局部系统发育结构来看, 尖峰岭热带山地雨林在中、小径级倾向于系统发育聚集(NTI>0), 而在大径级(DBH≥15 cm)则倾向于系统发育发散(NTI<0)。总之, 研究群落系统发育结构时应考虑物种多度的影响以及径级尺度效应。     

Thiol/acrylate-modified PEO-PPO-PEO triblocks used as reactive and thermosensitive copolymers

The reactive thermal-sensitive hydrogels, which combined the reversible thermosensitive and mild reactive property, were designed based on thiol-ene reaction in physiological conditions between thiol and acrylate capped thermosensitive Poloxamer 188. The modified P188A, P188SH, and their reactivity were characterized by (1)H NMR, FT-IR, GPC, DSC, Ellman method, and Rheometer. It was found that the thiol-ene reaction was pH and thermal-sensitive. There was 77.7% SH involved into the reaction at 37.0 degrees C and pH 7.4 within the first 30 min. The most of molecules reacted as CC/SH mol ratio was 1.5. The exothermic thiol-ene reaction was mild, with about DeltaH = -91.18 J/g changes. The multiblocks or network structure limited the dissolution of hydrogel, correspondingly the gel's duration and the release time of methylene blue were prolonged to 124 h. The experimental results indicated the reactive thermal-sensitive hydrogel's potential applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and cell encapsulation.     

地衣芽胞杆菌培养条件的研究

应用单因素和正交试验设计试验法对地衣芽胞杆菌在摇瓶水平上进行了培养基配方和培养条件的研究。结果表明：最适培养基配方为山芋淀粉1．0％,豆粕0．6％,玉米芯粉0．8％,K2HPO4 0．1％,MgSO40．1％。最适培养条件为37℃,摇床转速150r／min,250mL三角瓶装液50mL,接种量5．0％,振荡培养48h,pH7．0。在20L自动发酵罐中进行了扩大培养试验,考察溶氧对菌体生长的影响,并根据试验结果进一步扩大至1m^3发酵罐,通过控制搅拌速度和通气量,1m^3发酵罐中地衣芽胞杆菌培养液菌浓为7．2&#215;10^9efu／mL,芽胞率达到90％。     

氮磷钾肥对地道药材建泽泻生长与品质的影响

通过田间正交试验并结合室内HPLC分析,研究了氮、磷和钾素营养对建泽泻〔Alisma orientale(Sam.)Juzepcz.〕生长和品质的影响。结果表明,施用基肥对建泽泻生长前期的叶片数、株高、叶宽和叶长等农艺性状的影响均大于不施基肥处理;氮、磷和钾施用量对建泽泻产量均无显著影响,当施肥量为纯N 225.0 kg.hm-2、P2O5187.5 kg.hm-2和K2O 225.0 kg.hm-2,总施肥量为637.5 kg.hm-2时,产量最高;氮、磷和钾施用量对建泽泻块茎的粒重均无显著影响;磷的施用量对建泽泻指标性成分23-乙酰泽泻醇B含量有显著影响,而氮和钾均没有显著影响,且影响作用从高至低次序依次为P2O5、N、K2O。     

匙叶八角中一个新的倍半木脂素

从匙叶八角(Illicium spathulatum)果实中分离得到一个新的倍半新木脂素,通过现代波谱技术确定其结构为7′, 8′-反式-7″, 8″ 顺式-5, 3′,3″-三甲氧基倍半新木脂素。     

The maize d2003, a novel allele of VP8, is required for maize internode elongation

The d2003 is a natural dwarf mutant from maize inbred line K36 and has less than one-third of K36 plant height with severely shortened internodes. In this study, we reported the cloning of d2003 gene using positional cloning. The results showed that there was a single-base insertion in the coding region of Viviparous8 (VP8) in d2003 mutant, which resulted in a premature stop codon. Further genetic allelism tests confirmed that d2003 mutation is a novel allele of VP8. VP8 is mainly expressed in the stem apex, young leaves, and developing vascular tissues, and its expression levels in nodes are significantly higher than that in internodes at 12-leaf stage. Subcellular localization demonstrated that the VP8 protein is localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and the N-terminal 26 amino acids (aa) of VP8 protein are essential to its localization in ER. Further transgenic experiments showed that lack of the 26 aa leads to loss of VP8 function in Arabidopsis amp1 phenotype rescue. These results strongly suggested that the N-terminal 26 aa is critical for VP8 protein localization, and the correct protein localization of VP8 in ER is necessary for its function.