Spatial and temporal temperature variations in Xinjiang,China during 1961-2008

This study examines spatial and temporal changes in 16 extreme temperature indices at 37 weather stations in Xinjiang and their associations with changes in climate means during 1961-2008. Linear regression analyses reveal that significant increas- ing trends in temperature were observed over Xinjiang, with the rate of 0.13 ~C/decade, 0.24 ~C/decade, and 0.52 ~C/decade for annual mean temperature, annual maximum, and minimum temperature, respectively. Annual fi＇equency of cool nights （days） has decreased by -2.45 days/decade （-0.86 days/decade）, whereas the frequency of warm nights （days） has increased by 4.85 days/decade （1.62 days/decade）. Seasonally, the frequencies of summer warm nights and days are changing more rap- idly than the corresponding frequencies for cool nights and days. However, normalization of the extreme and mean series shows that the rate of changes in extreme temperature events are generally less than those of mean temperatures, except for winter cold nights which are changing as rapidly as the winter mean minimum temperatures. These results indicate that there have been seasonally and diurnally asymmetric changes in extreme temperature events relative to recent increases in tempera- ture means in Xinjiang.

Association of growth rate with hormone levels and myogenic gene expression profile in broilers

Background： The growth rate often varies among individual broilers of the same breed under a common management condition. To investigate whether a variation in the growth rate is associated with a difference in hormone levels and myogenic gene expression profile in broilers, a feeding trial was conducted with 10,000 newly hatched Ross 308 chicks in a commercial production facility under standard management. At 38 d of age,30 fast-, 30 medium-, and 30 slow-growing broilers were selected among 600 healthy male individuals. The levels of insulin-like growth factor-1（IGF-1）, triiodothyronine（T3）, thyroxine（T4）, and growth hormone in the serum or breast muscle were assayed by ELISA or RIA kits, and the expression levels of several representative pro-and anti-myogenic genes in the breast muscle were also measured by real-time PCR.Results： Results showed that both absolute and relative weights of the breast muscle were in linear positive correlations with the body weight of broilers（P 〈 0.001）. Fast-growing broilers had higher concentrations of IGF-1 than slow-growing broilers（P 〈 0.05） in both the serum and breast muscle. The serum concentration of T3 was significantly higher in fast-growing birds than in slow-growing birds（P 〈 0.05）. However, no difference was observed in growth hormone or T4 concentration among three groups of birds. Additionally, a decreased expression of an anti-myogenic gene（myostatin） and increased expressions of pro-myogenic genes such as myogenic differentiation factor 1, myogenin, muscle regulatory factor 4, myogenic factor 5, IGF-1, and myocyte enhancer factor 2B, C, and D were observed in fast-growing broilers（P 〈 0.05）, relative to slow-growing broilers.Conclusions： Collectively, these findings suggested that the growth rate is linked to the hormone and myogenic gene expression levels in broiler chickens. Some of these parameters such as serum concentrations of IGF-1 and T3 could be employed to breed for enhanced growth.

洛阳盆地的4.2 ka BP气候事件和人类活动

在4.2 ka BP气候突变事件的影响下,世界主要文明和中国境内大部分新石器时代文化出现断层或崩溃,但中国中原地区的洛阳盆地却支持了河南龙山文化向二里头文化的传承和成功转型,使中国文明得以一脉相承.为探究洛阳盆地这一时期的环境状况和人类活动,在AMS^(14)C年代的支持下,基于HZ-1湿地剖面孢粉分析及磁化率和粒度等指标的分析,本文重建了洛阳盆地4990~3890 cal a BP期间自然环境(植被/水文)和人类活动强度的变化历史.自然环境重建结果显示,4990~4330 cal a BP期间气候较干,灰嘴湿地水较浅;4330~4155 cal a BP期间气候湿润,是灰嘴湿地存在的最盛阶段;4155~3995 cal a BP期间气候变干,灰嘴湿地快速萎缩;3995~3890 cal a BP期间气候短暂变湿后再次转干,发育了一层较薄的强风化层后被黄土覆盖.人类活动强度重建结果表明,4990~4330 cal a BP期间人类活动强度较弱;4330~4155 cal a BP期间人类活动强度有所增加;4155~3995 cal a BP期间人类活动强度明显增强;3995~3890 cal a BP期间人类活动强度再次减弱.用大尺度的视角审视灰嘴记录后,我们发现,在4400~3950 cal a BP时段的亚洲季风减弱期内,长江中下游地区与洛阳盆地所在的黄土高原南缘地区确实捕捉到4.2 ka BP气候突变的信号,但二者的干湿状况却出现了明显的差异,即长江中下游地区的弱东亚季风事件较早出现(4400~4100 cal a BP),而黄土高原南缘地区(包括洛阳盆地)的弱东亚季风事件较晚出现(4200~3950 cal a BP).导致这种差异的主要原因可能是,与ENSO由La Ni?a阶段转向El Ni?o阶段有关的赤道太平洋东西方向的热力梯度和西太平洋副热带高压耦合关系的变化.

中原地区渑池盆地末次冰消期以来的气候与环境变化

为进一步理解和探究末次冰消期以来东亚季风变化的时空特征,特别是全新世东亚季风的进退模式,在AMS14C年代的支持下,基于渑池湖相-湿地剖面的孢粉和沉积学指标(粒度、碳酸钙和总有机碳)的分析资料,重建了渑池盆地18.7 cal ka BP(ka BP表示距今千年)以来的气候与环境变化历史.重建结果表明:18.7~14.8 cal ka BP是草原环境下的黄土堆积时段.14.8~6.7 cal ka BP为湖泊存在时段,此时段是一个森林扩展和支持水域及湿地也扩展的时期.6.7~1.2 cal ka BP为湿地时段.此阶段的孢粉经历了3个亚阶段的变化,第一亚阶段(6.7~5.0 cal ka BP):草本花粉显著增加;第二亚阶段(5.0~2.8 cal ka BP):木本花粉显著增加;第三亚阶段(2.8~1.2 cal ka BP):草本花粉显著增加.基于木本花粉百分比和禾本科/(蒿属+藜科)比值重建的湿度序列显示,渑池盆地早全新世较为湿润(10~8 cal ka BP),中全新世前半段(8~5 cal ka BP)最为干旱,中全新世后半段(5~2.8 cal ka BP)最为湿润,晚全新世(2.8~1.2 cal ka BP)较为干旱.本文将中原地区的全新世湿度序列(即MC-1)与以北(中国北方)和以南(长江中下游地区)的全新世湿度序列进行了比较.比较结果显示:中原地区全新世最干旱时段发生在8.0~5.0 cal ka BP,中国北方全新世最湿润期的时段发生在7.8~5.0 cal ka BP.二者均很好地对应于厄尔尼诺-南方涛动(El Ni?o-southern oscillation,ENSO)强度的低值阶段(8.0~5.0 cal ka BP).长江中下游地区全新世干旱期时段(7.0~3.0 cal ka BP)与ENSO强度的低值阶段也大致相对应.控制东亚季风影响下的中国东部全新世湿度空间格局的主要机制是ENSO状态以及由ENSO调控的西太平洋副热带高压(West Pacific subtropical high,WPSH)的南北向移动.介于长江中下游地区和中国北方之间的中原地区的全新世湿度状况似乎在二者之间摆动:有时候中原地区与长江中下游地区一起变化(如7.0~3.0 cal ka BP时段),有时候又与中国北方一起变化(如5.0~2.8 cal ka BP时段).