Simulating effects of climate change under direct and diapause development in a butterfly

Temperature is one of the most important ecological factors affecting species survival and distributions. Therefore, global climate change, involving increases in mean surface temperature and the occurrence of extreme weather events, may pose a substantial challenge to biodiversity. Whereas tropical ectotherms are believed to be very sensitive to climate change, temperate‐zone species may actually benefit from higher temperatures. However, as in temperate zones large parts of the year are unsuitable for growth and reproduction, seasonal time constraints may complicate matters. Against this background we here investigate the impact of simulated climate change, involving increased mean temperatures and heat waves, across developmental pathways of the butterfly Lycaena tityrus (Poda) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). Increased temperatures speeded up development but decreased pupal mass as expected. However, we found no evidence for detrimental effects of increased temperatures or even simulated heat waves. Furthermore, patterns did not differ between indirectly and directly developing individuals, which are assumed to be more time constrained. Our findings support the notion that not all species will be detrimentally affected by climate change, and suggest that species attributes may be more important than potential time constraints imposed by different developmental pathways.     

Inter-regional linkage analysis of industrial CO2 emissions in China: An application of a hypothetical extraction method

As the largest CO₂ emitter in the world, China has faced great pressure to mitigate its CO₂ emissions. Thus, issues related to CO₂ emissions in China have been widely studied. However, the industrial linkages of CO₂ emissions at the regional level have been less concerned. This study integrates hypothetical extraction method with the multi-regional input–output model, and investigates industrial CO₂ emission linkages of China at the regional level. Based on the data of China in 2007, which decomposes China into eight regions, this study first analyzes the production-based emission (PBE) and consumption-based emission (CBE) of each region. The PBE and CBE of 10 branches are then analyzed and decomposed into three parts. Finally, this study decomposes the externally produced embodied emission (EPEE) and internally produced embodied emission (IPEE) of Petrochemicals and Minerals in the East Coast, to illustrate how these two indicators of a branch affect other branches in the economy. Results show that regions with large PBE, such as coastal regions and Central, usually have large CBE, whereas Jing-jin has the smallest PBE and CBE. Branches such as Mining and Petrochemicals and Minerals, have large PBE and are net CO₂ emission exporters; while Construction and Other Services are net importers. According to the decomposition results of PBE and CBE, branches can be classified into four groups. The decomposed IPEE and EPEE of Petrochemicals and Minerals in the East Coast show that from the perspective of regions, CO₂ emissions this branch exports to and imports from East Coast are most. From the perspective of branches, decomposition of IPEE shows that Petrochemicals and Minerals in the East Coast exports a large amount of CO₂ emissions to Construction, while the decomposition results of EPEE show that the studied branch imports least CO₂ emissions from Construction. Policy implications deduced from this study are discussed.     

Spatial and temporal relation rule acquisition of eutrophication in Da’ning River based on rough set theory

Since the mechanisms of eutrophication are complicated and many other factors affect these mechanisms, methods such as quantitative statistics and numerical simulation, have their limitations in analyzing the spatiotemporal relations of eutrophication. The rough set theory (RST) was used to describe the spatiotemporal relations of eutrophication in Da’ning River without any of other prior knowledge. Rules of relations in time and space affecting eutrophication in the Da’ning River backwater area were extracted by taking representation of relations in time and space among eutrophication at a long river section of Da’ning River backwater area, by taking nine sets of encrypted monitoring data in 2003 as example, and by making season, area and eutrophication level as the decision attributes, respectively, to represent specific features of the eutrophication phenomenon in the Da’ning River backwater area from the points of view of time, space, and level by analysis of spatiotemporal relationship rules. This study result shows that the temporal and spatial differences between eutrophication phenomena in the long river section of the Da’ning River backwater area are significant. Eutrophication for each section is less serious in autumn, more in spring and most in summer. Eutrophication degree gradually decreases from estuary to upstream, which is in conformity with reality. The RST of eutrophication in Da’ning River may inform environmental decision-makers and assist them in making more cost-effective decisions.     

Distribution,Speciation and Bioaccumulation of Hg and As in Mariculture Sediments from Dongshan Bay,China

Hg and As are the major hazardous pollutants in marine sediments due to their high toxicity to benthonic organisms. Understanding the spatial distribution, speciation and bioaccumulation of these toxic elements in sediments is therefore of high environmental importance for identifying their potential risks. Sediments and bivalves Paphia undulata were collected from the mariculture area of Dongshan Bay, China, for characterizing geochemistry (by using the European Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction procedure) and bioaccumulation of Hg and As [by calculating the biota sediment accumulation factor (BSAF)]. Both elements in sediments were mostly associated with the residual fraction (69.52–95.06% and 88.22–91.12% of the total concentration, respectively), followed by the oxidizable (bound to sulfides and organic matter) fraction (1.25–25.32% and 3.62–6.00%, respectively). However, Hg presented a higher bioaccumulation than As. Correlation analysis indicated that As in residual fraction and Hg in oxidizable fraction exert positive contributions (R = 0.927, P < 0.01 and R = 0.869, P < 0.05, respectively) on their own bioaccumulation factor. This indicated that P. undulata could adsorb both Hg in organic fraction and As in residual fraction from the sediments. Therefore, we should pay more attention to the potential dissolution and release of metals bound to sediments in the digestive tracts of marine organisms.     

Availability and toxicity of cadmium to forage grasses grown in contaminated soil

It is important to know the mechanisms for forage development, especially those related to the tolerance of potentially toxic elements, when considering their use in phytoremediation in heavy metal contaminated areas. In this study, we evaluated plant growth, concentration, and the availability of cadmium (Cd) for forage grasses (Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Aruana and cv. Tanzânia; Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk; Brachiaria brizantha cv. Xaraés and cv. Marandu) cultivated in Cd contaminated soils. The experiments were performed under greenhouse conditions over a 90-day evaluation period, and the Cd rates were 2, 4, and 12 mg/kg of soil. The relative growth rate of the forage grasses decreased as Cd rates increased, and the following descending order of susceptibility was observed: Marandu > Xaraés > Aruana > Tanzânia > Basilisk, with regard to phytotoxicity in these plants. The forage Cd concentration increased in line with increases in the Cd rates. Cd contents extracted by Mehlich-1 and by diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid presented high positive correlation with forage relative growth. The forage plants did not block Cd entry into the food chain because they were not capable of limiting Cd absorption.     

经腹、经阴道与经会阴三种超声途径测量宫颈长度对早产的预测价值

目的:比较经腹、经阴道与经会阴三种超声途径测量宫颈长度对早产的预测价值。方法:选取我院就诊的孕妇780例,根据测量途径不同分为三组,每组260例,分别采用经腹、经阴道与经会阴方法测量宫颈长度。观察并比较三组患者的妊娠结局,以及三种测量方法的敏感度及特异性。结果:三组患者接受率相比,经腹组、经会阴组患者接受率明显高于经阴道组(P0.05);三组患者宫颈显示率相比,经会阴组、经阴道组宫颈显示率显著高于经腹组(P0.05)。经腹组中,宫颈长度2.5 cm的患者早产率为48.46%,明显高于宫颈长度≥2.5 cm的患者早产率17.69%(P0.05);经会阴组中,宫颈长度2.5 cm的患者早产率为37.69%,明显高于宫颈长度≥2.5 cm的患者早产率13.08%(P0.05);经阴道组中,宫颈长度2.5 cm的患者早产率为36.92%,明显高于宫颈长度≥2.5 cm的患者早产率13.46%(P0.05)。结论:三种超声途径测量宫颈长度对预测早产均有很大的临床价值,其中经会阴途径优势更大,值得进一步推广临床使用。     

Molecular dynamics simulation studies of mechanical properties of different carbon nanotube systems

Various mechanical properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNT) are evaluated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. A tensioning process was first performed on a SWCNT whose interaction is based on the Brenner’s ‘second generation’ potential under varying length–diameter ratios and strain rates, in order to understand the SWCNT’s behaviour under axial tension. The results showed an increase in the SWCNT’s ultimate tensile strength and a decrease in critical strain given the conditions of increasing strain rate and a decreasing length–diameter ratio. Comparison was done with previous studies on axial tensioning of SWCNT to validate the results obtained from the set-up, based on the general stress–strain relationship and key mechanical properties such as the strain at failure and the Young’s modulus. A DWCNT was then constructed, and Lennard-Jones ‘12-6’ potential was used to describe the energy present between the nanotube layers. Extraction of the inner tube in a DWCNT was performed using two inner wall tubings of different diameters to draw comparison to the energies needed to separate fully the outer and inner tubing. Finally, a bending test was performed on two DWCNTs with different intertube separations. Insights into the entire bending process were obtained through analyses of the variations in the strain energy characteristic of the surface atoms near the bending site, as the DWCNT is gradually bent until failure.     

胡椒木叶片精油成分分析及其抗氧化、驱虫、抗菌活性

为解决在城市绿化中滥用化学农药引起的生态问题,研究了胡椒木(Zanthoxylum piperitum)叶片的精油成分及其驱虫、杀虫、杀菌活性。结果表明,采用石油醚萃取胡椒木叶片精油的最佳工艺条件为提取时间4 h、温度50℃、料液比1:5,得率最高为0.5123%。从胡椒木叶片精油中共鉴定出25个化学成分,主要为酯类、烃类和醇类,占总峰面积的99.96%,而具有驱虫、杀虫和抗菌活性的成分占88.50%,包括肉桂酸甲酯(87.83%)、柠檬烯(0.18%)、薄荷醇(0.11%)、香茅醛(0.10%)、α-蒎烯(0.08%)、α-石竹烯(0.08%)、松油醇(0.04%)、石竹烯(0.03%)、羟基大牻牛儿-1(10),5-二烯(0.03%)和β-水芹烯(0.02%)等。20 mg m L~(–1)的精油对DPPH·自由基的清除率达85.38%,接近BHT阳性对照;但还原性低于Vc,表现出较弱活性,这可能与提取工艺有关。因此,胡椒木叶精油含有多种驱虫、杀虫、抗菌等生物活性成分,具有开发为天然植物农药的潜力。