Soil organic carbon density and influencing factors in tropical virgin forests of Hainan Island,China

Aims
Estimating soil organic carbon (SOC) density and influence factors of tropical virgin forests in Hainan Island provide new insight in basic data for SOC pool estimation and its dynamics study.
Methods
The main distribution areas of tropical virgin forests in Jianfengling (JFL), Bawangling (BWL), Wu- zhishan (WZS), Diaoluoshan (DLS), Yinggeling (YGL) of Hainan Island were selected, and soil samples (0-100 cm) were sampled and analyzed. SOC density was estimated by soil vertical fitting method and soil stratification method to discover the distribution characteristics of soil organic carbon in tropical virgin forests of Hainan Island.
Important findings
Results showed that: (1) The average SOC density using soil vertical fitting method in JFL, BWL, WZS, DLS and YGL was 14.98, 18.46, 16.48, 18.81, 16.66 kg·m^-2, respectively, which was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the estimated average SOC density using soil stratification method in these areas (14.73, 16.24, 15.50, 16.91, 15.03 kg·m^-2, respectively). It is better to use soil vertical fitting method for SOC density estimation when the soil was natural without disturbance. (2) The proportion of SOC content in the first 0-30 cm depth interval out of SOC in the whole 0-100 cm soil profiles in JFL, BWL, WZS, DLS and YGL was 50.50%, 48.56%, 43.49%, 47.37%, 42.88%, respectively. (3) SOC density was significantly negative correlated with Shannon-Wiener index, Simpson index, species richness, and soil bulk density; and was significantly positive correlated with altitude, soil porosity, and soil nitrogen. However, SOC density was not significantly correlated to slope, biomass, average diameter at breast height, or average height. (4) Our study area Hainan was located in low latitude area with high rainfall and high temperature, which accelerated the decomposition of organic matter and nutrient recycling, resulting in significantly lower SOC densities in this tropical virgin forests of Hainan Island than the average value in China.     

On the stability and biological behavior of cyclometallated Pt(IV) complexes with halido and aryl ligands in the axial positions

A series of cyclometallated platinum(IV) compounds (3a, 3a′ and 3b′) with a meridional [C,N,N′] terdentate ligand, featuring an halido and an aryl group in the axial positions has been evaluated for electrochemical reduction and preliminary biological behavior against a panel of human adenocarcinoma (A-549 lung, HCT-116 colon, and MCF-7 breast) cell lines and the normal bronquial epithelial BEAS-2B cells. Cathodic reduction potentials (shifting from −1.463 to −1.570 V) reveal that the platinum(IV) compounds under study would be highly reluctant to be reduced in a biological environment. Actually ascorbic acid was not able to reduce complex 3a′, the most prone to be reduced according its reduction potential, over a period of one week. These results suggest an intrinsic activity for the investigated platinum(IV) complexes (3a, 3a′ and 3b′), which exhibit a remarkable cytotoxicity effectiveness (with IC₅₀ values in the low micromolar range), even greater than that of cisplatin. The IC₅₀ for A-549 lung cells and clog P values were found to follow the same trend: 3b′ > 3a′ > 3a. However, no correlation was observed between reduction potential and in vitro activity. As a representative example, cyclometallated platinum(IV) compound 3a′, exercise its antiproliferative activity directly over non-microcytic A-549 lung cancer cells through a mixture of cell cycle arrest (13% arrest at G1 phase and 46% arrest at G2 phase) and apoptosis induction (increase of early apoptosis by 30 times with regard to control). To gain further insights into the mode of action of the investigated platinum(IV) complexes, drug uptake, cathepsin B inhibition and ROS generation were also evaluated. Interestingly an increased ROS generation could be related with the antiproliferative activity of the cyclometallated platinum(IV) series under study in the cisplatin-resistant A-549 lung and HCT-116 cancer cell lines.     

Synthesis,anticancer activity,and SAR analyses of compounds containing the 5:7-fused 4,6,8-triaminoimidazo[4,5-e][1,3]diazepine ring system

Described herein are our limited structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies on a 5:7-fused heterocycle (1), containing the 4,6,8-triaminoimidazo[4,5-e][1,3]diazepine ring system, whose synthesis and potent broad-spectrum anticancer activity we reported a few years ago. Our SAR efforts in this study are mainly focused on judicial attachment of substituents at N-1 and N⁶-positions of the heterocyclic ring. Our results suggest that there is some subtle correlation between the substituents attached at the N-1 position and those attached at the N⁶-position of the heterocycle. It is likely that there is a common hydrophobic binding pocket on the target protein that is occupied by the substituents attached at the N-1 and N⁶-positions of the heterocyclic ligand. This pocket appears to be large enough to hold either a C-18 alkyl chain of N⁶ and no attachment at N-1, or a combined C-10 at N⁶ and a CH₂Ph at N-1. Any alkyl chain shorter or longer than C-10 at N⁶ with a CH₂Ph attached at N-1, would result in decrease of biological activity.     

兴安落叶松叶碳利用效率对环境变化的适应

兴安落叶松(Larix gmelinii)作为北方森林的主要组成树种,具有广阔的分布范围和多样的生长环境,是研究树木对环境变化响应的理想树种。叶碳利用效率(CUE_L)不仅与树木的碳代谢及生长发育密切相关,而且能反映树木对环境变化的响应与适应。将来自不同地区(即环境条件)的6个兴安落叶松种源的种子播种培育在帽儿山森林生态系统研究站内,在其生长30a后采用研究站和种子来源地间干燥度(AI)的差值(ΔAI)来代表环境变化梯度,研究环境变化对CUE_L的影响。结果表明:CUE_L在不同环境变化梯度间存在显著差异(P0.05),且呈现随ΔAI的增大而减小的趋势。CUE_L与叶片氮含量、叶片磷含量、比叶重及叶绿素含量等均呈线性正相关关系,但较大ΔAI梯度下的CUE_L敏感性更高。CUE_L与种子来源地平均年降水量呈显著线性正相关关系(P=0.05),而与种子来源地AI则呈显著线性负相关关系(P0.01);随种子来源地年平均气温、平均年蒸发量的增加而下降,但其相关性不显著。以上结果表明,环境变化使兴安落叶松CUE_L产生了适应性变异,表现出树木对原生长环境的生态适应。     

晋西北不同年限小叶锦鸡儿灌丛土壤氮矿化和硝化作用

利用PVC管顶盖埋管法研究了晋西北黄土高原区小叶锦鸡儿人工灌丛不同定植年限(5,10,20,30,40a)土壤氮矿化与硝化速率的动态和净矿化与硝化总量。结果表明,⑴小叶锦鸡儿灌丛土壤无机氮主要以NO_-~3-N形式存在,不同生长年限相同月份的土壤硝态氮(NO-3-N)含量分别是铵态氮(NH+4-N)含量的1.5—15.4倍;⑵土壤氮素硝化速率和矿化速率随生长年限延长而加快,30年生时达到高峰,数值达40.2,44.1 mg m~(-2)d~(-1)。从季节性变化看,7—8月份是硝化速率和矿化速率快速增长期,30年生小叶锦鸡儿灌丛土壤硝化速率和矿化速率分别达到86.9,93.1 mg m~(-2)d~(-1),显著高于其它生长年限(P0.05);(3)土壤氮素硝化与矿化总量同样随小叶锦鸡儿生长年限延长而增加,30年生时达到最高,与5年生相比,分别增加了3.7和3.1倍。(4)5—10月份小叶锦鸡儿生长期内,各年限土壤全氮量的2.3%被矿化成无机氮,其中87%最终被转化成NO-3-N形式存在于土体中。     

基于IBIS模型的1960-2006年中国陆地生态系统碳收支格局研究

定量评估区域陆地生态系统碳收支是生态系统与全球变化科学研究的重要科学问题之一。利用集成生物圈模型（IBIS）对中国陆地生态系统历史时期（1960-2006年）气候及CO₂浓度变化条件下碳收支时空变异特征和发展趋势进行了模拟分析。结果表明,1960-2006年间,中国陆地生态系统净初级生产力（NPP）总量水平约为2.46 GtC/a,总体呈上升趋势,在东南及西南地区最高,其次是长白山及大小兴安岭地区,西北内陆地区的净初级生产力水平最低;1960-2006年间,中国陆地生态系统净生态系统生产力（NEP）总量水平约为0.11 GtC/a,总体呈上升趋势,绝大部分区域表现为碳汇效应,大兴安岭、小兴安岭、长白山、东南地区及西南部分地区碳汇效应较强,西北内陆区表现出弱碳源效应,温带湿润区、高原温带区和高原寒带区碳汇效应呈显著上升趋势;中国11个气候区,NPP与降水均为正相关,除了中温带湿润区、寒温带湿润区、高原温带和高原寒带外,降水是限制植被生长的主要因子。除了高原寒带外,NEP同样表现出与降水的更强相关性,与气温的相关性较弱。经验证,IBIS模型对于中国陆地生态系统碳收支的模拟结果合理,可以为科学预测生态系统的固碳潜力和制定区域碳管理政策提供科学依据。     

CO2浓度变化对拟柱胞藻生长与光合作用的影响

为了探讨大气CO₂浓度升高对水华藻类的影响,利用水华蓝藻-拟柱胞藻作为实验材料,研究了CO₂浓度升高对其生长生理和光合作用的影响,结果表明CO₂浓度升高,导致拟柱胞藻的生物量、最大光合放氧速率、光合效率显著增加。当CO₂浓度为700 mg/L以下,暗呼吸速率和光饱和点无明显影响,而CO₂浓度为1000 mg/L时,暗呼吸速率和光饱和点显著提高。随着CO₂浓度增加,藻细胞光合作用对无机碳的亲和力降低,同时胞外碳酸酐酶活性显著下降。这表明大气CO₂浓度的增加,有利于拟柱胞藻的生长和光合,进而增加了水华发生的风险。     

Negative regulation of the hepatic fibrogenic response by suppressor of cytokine signaling 1

Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) is an indispensable regulator of IFNγ signaling and has been implicated in the regulation of liver fibrosis. However, it is not known whether SOCS1 mediates its anti-fibrotic functions in the liver directly, or via modulating IFNγ, which has been implicated in attenuating hepatic fibrosis. Additionally, it is possible that SOCS1 controls liver fibrosis by regulating hepatic stellate cells (HSC), a key player in fibrogenic response. While the activation pathways of HSCs have been well characterized, the regulatory mechanisms are not yet clear. The goals of this study were to dissociate IFNγ-dependent and SOCS1-mediated regulation of hepatic fibrogenic response, and to elucidate the regulatory functions of SOCS1 in HSC activation. Liver fibrosis was induced in Socs1^−/−Ifng^−/− mice with dimethylnitrosamine or carbon tetrachloride. Ifng^−/− and C57BL/6 mice served as controls. Following fibrogenic treatments, Socs1^−/−Ifng^−/− mice showed elevated serum ALT levels and increased liver fibrosis compared to Ifng^−/− mice. The latter group showed higher ALT levels and fibrosis than C57BL/6 controls. The livers of SOCS1-deficient mice showed bridging fibrosis, which was associated with increased accumulation of myofibroblasts and abundant collagen deposition. SOCS1-deficient livers showed increased expression of genes coding for smooth muscle actin, collagen, and enzymes involved in remodeling the extracellular matrix, namely matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases. Primary HSCs from SOCS1-deficient mice showed increased proliferation in response to growth factors such as HGF, EGF and PDGF, and the fibrotic livers of SOCS1-deficient mice showed increased expression of the Pdgfb gene. Taken together, these data indicate that SOCS1 controls liver fibrosis independently of IFNγ and that part of this regulation may occur via regulating HSC proliferation and limiting growth factor availability.     

Removal of invasive shrubs alters light but not leaf litter inputs in a deciduous forest understory

The establishment and spread of non‐native, invasive shrubs in forests poses an important obstacle to natural resource conservation and management. This study assesses the impacts of the physical removal of a complex of woody invasive shrub species on deciduous forest understory resources. We compared leaf litter quantity and quality and understory light transmittance in five pairs of invaded and removal plots in an oak‐dominated suburban mature forest. Removal plots were cleared of all non‐native invasive shrubs. The invasive shrubs were abundant (143,456 stems/ha) and diverse, dominated by species in the genera Ligustrum, Viburnum, Lonicera, and Euonymus. Annual leaf litter biomass and carbon inputs of invaded plots were not different from removal plots due to low leaf litter biomass of invasive shrubs. Invasive shrub litter had higher nitrogen (N) concentrations than native species; however, low biomass of invasive litter led to low N inputs by litter of invasive species compared to native. Light transmittance at the forest floor and at 2 m was lower in invaded plots than in removal plots. We conclude that the removal of the abundant invasive shrubs from a native deciduous forest understory did not alter litter quantity or N inputs, one measure of litter quality, and increased forest understory light availability. More light in the forest understory could facilitate the restoration of forest understory dynamics.     

Silencing of carbonic anhydrase I enhances the malignant potential of exosomes secreted by prostatic tumour cells

We report results showing that the silencing of carbonic anhydrase I (siCA1) in prostatic (PC3) tumour cells has a significant impact on exosome formation. An increased diameter, concentration and diversity of the produced exosomes were noticed as a consequence of this knock‐down. The protein composition of the exosomes' cargo was also altered. Liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry analyses identified 42 proteins significantly altered in PC3 siCA1 exosomes compared with controls. The affected proteins are mainly involved in metabolic processes, biogenesis, cell component organization and defense/immunity. Interestingly, almost all of them have been described as ‘enhancers' of tumour development through the promotion of cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Thus, our results indicate that the reduced expression of the CA1 protein enhances the malignant potential of PC3 cells.