Applying systematic conservation planning to constitute a protection strategy for broad-leaved Korean pine forests in Changbai Mountains, China

The broad-leaved Korean pine(Pinus koraiensis) forest is one of the most biodiverse zonal communities in the North Temperate Zone and an important habitat for many endangered species.Broad-leaved Korean pine forests(BKPFs) are shrinking quickly due to deforestation and rapid urbanization. Thus, scientific protection strategies are urgently needed to change this status. Changbai Mountains contains one of the largest BKPFs and is considered a priority biodiversity conservation area in China. Guided by systematic conservation planning(SCP) methods and procedures, we chose representative species and communities in BKPFs ecosystem as priority conservation objects, and set quantitative conservation target, which is in the light of the biodiversity characteristic of BKPFs. The watershed area is used as planning unit. We used CPlan software to calculate the irreplaceability(Ir)value of each planning unit and the contribution value(Ti) of each conservation object to(1) assess the conservation efficiency;(2) identify the conservation gap of the existing conservation network. Then wecalculated a human disturbance index(HDI) for planning units in the conservation gaps and combine this with the Ir value to design three conservation scenarios to optimize the conservation network.Results show that planning units with high conservation value 14.16% of the total area, with3084.36 km2 were covered by the existing conservation network. 79.28% of planning units with high conservation value have not been protected which were concentrated mainly in the eight gap areas.Only 25.3% of protection objects achieved their conservation target with the existing conservation network. Conservation efficiency is low. Three conservation scenarios are constituted, each prioritizing a different aim:(1) ecological value;(2)species rescue; and(3) economical avoidance. The three conservation schemes potentially enable 93%,88% and 51% of conservation objects, respectively, to achieve identified conservation targets, thereby improving conservation efficiency significantly.

Toll-like Receptor Polymorphisms and Tuberculosis Susceptibility:A Comprehensive Meta-analysis

The polymorphisms of toll-like receptor（TLR） have been hypothesized to affect the tuberculosis susceptibility. However, the direct evidence remains controversial. Here we performed a comprehensive meta-analysis to summarize the associations between TLR polymorphisms and tuberculosis susceptibility. We systematically searched the Pub Med, Embase, Cochrane library, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure up to April 25, 2014. Case-control studies investigating TLR polymorphisms and tuberculosis susceptibility were included in the meta-analysis. Pooled odds ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals were calculated for cases and controls. Stata 11.0 and Review Manager 5.1 were adopted to conduct statistical analysis. We included 29 studies, involving 17 804 individuals. The results revealed an obvious increase of tuberculosis risk in TLR2 2258 AA, and decreased risk in TLR6 745 TT and TLR8 rs3761624 GA genotypes. Meanwhile, different genetic models were performed. TLR8 rs3764879 C, TLR8 rs3761624 A and TLR8 rs3764880 A alleles were associated with high susceptibility, while TLR6 745 T and TLR8 rs3788935 C alleles were protective. Other polymorphisms, including TLR9 1486C/T, did not show significant associations with tuberculosis infection. Finally, subgroup analysis in TLR8 rs3764880 according to gender found a slight elevated effect of A allele in males. The meta-analysis suggests significant associations between several TLR polymorphisms and tuberculosis, including TLR2 2258G/A, TLR6 745C/T, TLR8 rs3761624, TLR8 rs3764879, TLR8 rs3761624 and TLR8 rs3764880. This study serves as the framework for additional studies to determine further the role of TLRs in tuberculosis infection.

可持续食物供给导向的城市边缘区农林用地规划与空间管控研究

Commercial agricultural production, which has altered the global distribution of farmland, garden plot, and woodland, cuts links between cities and their neighboring production land, as well as links between production land and the environment, affecting the quality of food supply and inducing ecological crisis. Closely related to urban-rural public welfare and regional ecological security, sustainable food supply, which is featured by various types, local production, and short-chain transportation, is an effective way to address the negative impact of commercial agriculture. This paper clarifies the important role of agricultural and forest land in urban fringe areas through analyzing the functional connotation and spatial bases of sustainable food supply, and proposes a planning strategy for systematic land protection and efficient spatial management in accordance with the current situation of food supply and compound demands in urban areas. Specifically, it consists of: identifying the land and the support space with potential for diversified food production;establishing an agriculture and forestry support network system and integrating it into regional landscape ecological network;guiding the low impact utilization of production units by following the natural process and resource characteristics;enhancing land protection efficiency based on supporting links.