Seed dispersal in a patchy environment with global age dependence

A model of seed population dynamics proposed by S. A. Levin, A. Hastings, and D. Cohen is presented and analyzed. With the environment considered as a mosaic of patches, patch age is used along with time as an independent variable. Local dynamics depend not only on the local state, but also on the global environment via dispersal modelled by an integral over all patch ages. Basic technical properties of the time varying solutions are examined; necessary and sufficient conditions for nontrivial steady states are given; and general sufficient conditions for global asymptotic stability of these steady states are established. Primary tools of analysis include a hybrid Picard iteration, fixed point methods, monotonicity of solution structure, and upper and lower solutions for differential equations.This work was supported in part by National Science Foundation Grants MCS-7903497 and MCS-790349701     

Global stability of stationary solutions to a nonlinear diffusion equation in phytoplankton dynamics

We consider a nonlinear diffusion equation proposed by Shigesada and Okubo which describes phytoplankton growth dynamics with a selfs-hading effect.We show that the following alternative holds: Either (i) the trivial stationary solution which vanishes everywhere is a unique stationary solution and is globally stable, or (ii) the trivial solution is unstable and there exists a unique positive stationary solution which is globally stable. A criterion for the existence of positive stationary solutions is stated in terms of three parameters included in the equation.     

Global asymptotic stability for a vector disease model with spatial spread

Summary We analyze the global behaviour of a vector disease model which involves spatial spread and hereditary effects. This model can be applied to investigate growth and spread of malaria. No immunization is considered. We prove that, if the recovery rate is less than or equal to a threshold value, the disease dies out, otherwise the infectious people density tends to a homogeneous distribution. Our results follow using contracting convexes techniques and agree with the results given by K. L. Cooke for the model without diffusion.Work supported by C.N.R., Grant No. 79.00696.01.     

Existence and stability of periodic travelling wave solutions to Nagumo's nerve equation

Summary Nagumo's nerve conduction equation has a one-parameter family of spatially periodic travelling wave solutions. First, we prove the existence of these solutions by using a topological method. (There are some exceptional cases in which this method cannot be applied in showing the existence.) A periodic travelling wave solution corresponds to a closed orbit of a third-order dynamical system. The Poincaré index of the closed orbit is determined as a direct consequence of the proof of the existence. Second, we prove that the periodic travelling wave solution is unstable if the Poincaré index of the corresponding closed orbit is + 1. By using this result, together with the result of the author's previous paper, it is concluded that the slow periodic travelling wave solutions are always unstable. Third, we consider the stability of the fast periodic travelling wave solutions. We denote by L(c) the spatial period of the travelling wave solution with the propagation speed c. It is shown that the fast solution is unstable if its period is close to L_min, the minimum of L(c).     

Mutually synchronized relaxation oscillators as prototypes of oscillating systems in biology

Summary This paper discusses the analogy between phenomena in populations of coupled biological oscillators and the behaviour of systems of synchronized mathematical oscillators. Frequency entrainment in a set of coupled relaxation oscillators is investigated with perturbation methods. This analysis leads to quantitative results for entrainment and explains phenomena such as travelling waves in systems of spatially distributed oscillators.     

基于结构方程模型的森林生态系统空气负离子影响机制分析

空气负离子(Negative air ion, NAI)是衡量空气质量的重要指标之一,受到植被和环境的共同影响。然而,森林生态系统作为NAI产生的重要来源,森林中的植被和环境之间的相互作用以及对NAI的影响机制和贡献潜力仍难以捉摸。以暖温带森林生态系统中广泛分布的栓皮栎(Quercus variabilis BI.)为对象,基于自动观测设备长期定位观测获取了气象、土壤性质、空气洁净度以及植被光合等数据,利用皮尔逊相关系数分析和偏最小二乘结构方程模型分析了森林植被和环境要素对NAI的影响机制和贡献潜力。结果表明,环境要素和植被光合对NAI的贡献差异显著,植被光合对NAI的贡献潜力为62.65%,环境要素对NAI的贡献率为37.35%。环境要素中太阳辐射和饱和水汽压差的影响程度最大,分别为68.94%和16.55%。植被光合和PM_2.5主要通过直接效应影响NAI,而光合有效辐射、紫外辐射、土壤温湿度和饱和水汽压差主要通过间接效应影响NAI。因此,利用结构方程模型可以阐明植被光合与环境要素的变化对NAI的影响趋势,从而全面揭示了森林生态系统中植被产生NAI的作用机制以及...     

牧户的草原生态补偿政策满意度与支持度——基于CSI框架和SEM的检验

从生计和生态双重维度探究牧户的草原生态补偿政策满意度与支持度,对于深化草原生态补偿制度改革,促进草原生态文明建设和牧区绿色发展,具有重要的理论与现实意义。基于马克思“生态经济人”预设的微观视角,以费耐尔满意度逻辑模型(CSI)为理论框架,使用2020年若尔盖草原574个牧户调研数据,通过反映性指标的结构方程模型(SEM),对牧户草原生态补偿政策满意度和支持度的因果机制进行了多变量、多路径的验证性分析。结果表明：(1)牧户对生计收入和生态质量越重视、“生态经济人”理性越高,其政策满意度就越高,生态保护的心理主动性也越大,相对效应大小=0.271。(2)牧户对政策实施结果的质量评价,是牧户政策满意度和支持度的主要影响因素,相对效应大小=0.518。(3)牧户对政策实施效果的价值感知,将会直接提升其政策满意度,并进一步促进其生态保护理性,相对效应大小=0.312。因此,提高牧户对草原生态补偿政策的满意度与支持度,应重点从三个维度综合施策：首先,应重视发展草原生态文化,培育牧户生态经济理性。其次,要稳步提升生态补偿标准,加强草原保护的工作力量,提升政策实施结果的质量。最后,草原生态补偿要重点加...     

基于中国生态系统研究网络的典型森林生态系统土壤保持功能分析

森林生态系统土壤保持功能在控制土壤侵蚀以及维持生态安全方面具有不可替代的作用。根据不同气候带降雨特征进行降雨侵蚀力参数校正,基于中国生态系统研究网络(CERN)的森林生态系统长期定位观测样地2005—2015年监测数据利用修正的通用土壤流失方程(RUSLE)定量分析了典型森林生态系统土壤保持功能的时空变化特征,并探讨了土壤保持功能的影响因素。研究结果表明:①日雨量侵蚀力模型在降雨丰富的热带模拟效果优于降雨相对较少的亚热带和温带,参数校正后模拟效果明显提升;②研究期内10个典型森林生态系统土壤保持量变化范围为4.44—891.67 t hm^-2 a^-1,呈现北低南高的空间格局(R²=0.65^***);土壤保持率均达到97%以上;③降雨、归一化植被指数、土壤质地和植被林龄是影响森林生态系统土壤保持功能的主要影响因素;降雨量与土壤保持量显著相关(R²=0.52^*),NDVI和土壤质地与实际土壤侵蚀量显著相关(R²=0.64^**     

应用结构方程模型解析影响黄连木果实产量 和种子命运的因素

果实(种子)产量和质量是影响植物种群更新的重要因素。为了探明影响黄连木果实产量和种子命运的因素以及这些影响因素之间的相互作用, 作者于2009年对河南省济源市45株黄连木(Pistacia chinensis)结果样树的植株特征、果实特征、果实产量和种子命运等进行了测定, 并用结构方程模型进行综合分析。结果表明: (1)黄连木果实产量与树高、树冠面积和果序大小等特征成正相关, 但与胸径、果实大小相关性不显著; (2)与捕食者饱和假说的预测不一致, 单株果实产量对黄连木广肩小蜂(Eurytoma plotnikovi)的种子捕食率(即虫蛀率)无显著直接负向效应; (3)树高和果实大小对虫蛀率为显著直接正向效应, 胸径对虫蛀率为显著直接负向效应, 显示黄连木广肩小蜂对植株特征和果实特征有一定的选择能力; (4)空壳率与虫蛀率成显著负相关, 空壳果实越多, 越易逃避黄连木广肩小蜂的寄生, 空壳果实的存在对完好种子起到了一定保护作用, 可能是黄连木防御昆虫寄生的重要机制; (5)空壳率和虫蛀率对种子完好率有显著直接负向效应, 而胸径、果序大小和果实产量对完好率为间接正向效应, 树高和果实大小为间接负向效应。可见, 黄连木植株特征和果实特征均不同程度地影响其果实产量和昆虫寄生, 从而影响黄连木的种子质量和种群更新。     

Fluorescence polarization assay and inhibitor design for MDM2/p53 interaction

MDM2 is an important negative regulator of the tumor suppressor protein p53 which regulates the expression of many genes including MDM2. The delicate balance of this autoregulatory loop is crucial for the maintenance of the genome and control of the cell cycle and apoptosis. MDM2 hyperactivity, due to amplification/overexpression or mutational inactivation of the ARF locus, inhibits the function of wild-type p53 and can lead to the development of a wide variety of cancers. Thus, the development of anti-MDM2 therapies may restore normal p53 function in tumor cells and induce growth suppression and apoptosis. We report here a novel high-throughput fluorescence polarization binding assay and its application in rank ordering small-molecule inhibitors that block the binding of MDM2 to a p53-derived fluorescent peptide.