Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 2(LRP2)is required for lipid export in the midgut of the migratory locust,Locusta migratoria

Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 2(LRP2)is a multifunctional endocytic receptor expressed in epithelial cells.In mammals,it acts as an endocytic receptor that mediates the cellular uptake of cholesterol-containing apolipoproteins to maintain lipid homeostasis.However,little is known about the role of LRP2 in lipid homeostasis in insects.In the present study,we investigated the function of LRP2 in the migratory locust Locusta migratoria(LmLRP2).The mRNA of LmLRP2 is widely distributed in various tissues,including integument,wing pads,foregut,midgut,hindgut,Malpighian tubules and fat body,and the amounts of LmLRP2 transcripts decreased gradually in the early stages and then increased in the late stages before ecdysis during the nymphal developmental stage.Fluorescence immunohistochemistry revealed that the LmLRP2 protein is mainly located in cellular membranes of the midgut and hindgut.Using RNAi to silence LmLRP2 caused molting defects in nymphs(more than 60%),and the neutral lipid was found to accumulate in the midgut and surface of the integument,but not in the fat body,of dsLmLRP2-treated nymphs.The results of a lipidomics analysis showed that the main components of lipids(diglyceride and triglyceride)were significantly increased in the midgut,but decreased in the fat body and hemolymph.Furthermore,the content of total triglyceride was significantly increased in the midgut,but markedly decreased in the fat body and hemolymph in dsLmLRP2-injected nymphs.Our results indicate that LmLRP2 is located in the cellular membranes of midgut cells,and is required for lipid export from the midgut to the hemolymphand fat body in locusts.

Overexpression of low-density lipoprotein receptor prevents neurotoxic polarization of astrocytes via inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation in experimental ischemic stroke

Neurotoxic astrocytes are a promising therapeutic target for the attenuation of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.Low-density lipoprotein receptor,a classic cholesterol regulatory receptor,has been found to inhibit NLR family pyrin domain containing protein 3(NLRP3)inflammasome activation in neurons following ischemic stroke and to suppress the activation of microglia and astrocytes in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.However,little is known about the effects of low-density lipoprotein receptor on astrocytic activation in ischemic stroke.To address this issue in the present study,we examined the mechanisms by which low-density lipoprotein receptor regulates astrocytic polarization in ischemic stroke models.First,we examined low-density lipoprotein receptor expression in astrocytes via immunofluorescence staining and western blotting analysis.We observed significant downregulation of low-density lipoprotein receptor following middle cerebral artery occlusion reperfusion and oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation.Second,we induced the astrocyte-specific overexpression of low-density lipoprotein receptor using astrocyte-specific adeno-associated virus.Low-density lipoprotein receptor overexpression in astrocytes improved neurological outcomes in middle cerebral artery occlusion mice and reversed neurotoxic astrocytes to create a neuroprotective phenotype.Finally,we found that the overexpression of low-density lipoprotein receptor inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation in oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation injured astrocytes and that the addition of nigericin,an NLRP3 agonist,restored the neurotoxic astrocyte phenotype.These findings suggest that low-density lipoprotein receptor could inhibit the NLRP3-meidiated neurotoxic polarization of astrocytes and that increasing low-density lipoprotein receptor in astrocytes might represent a novel strategy for treating cerebral ischemic stroke.

Dry Breeding and Dry Planting Techniques for Indica Hybrid Rice in Karst Mountain Areas of Gejiu City

Based on the arable land situation in Gejiu City,upland dry planting of indica hybrid rice is being expanded in Karst mountain areas with a rainfall of over 1400 mm and an altitude of 1100-1600 m to develop grain production.This paper gives a specific description of hybrid rice upland dry seedling technology,upland transplanting technology,fertilization technology,field management,weed prevention and control technology,and disease and pest control.

Emerging low-density polyethylene/paraffin wax/aluminum composite as a form-stable phase change thermal interface material

Thermal interface materials(TIMs) play a vital role in the thermal management of electronic devices and can significantly reduce thermal contact resistance(TCR). The TCR between the solid–liquid contact surface is much smaller than that of the solid–solid contact surface, but conventional solid–liquid phase change materials are likely to cause serious leakage. Therefore, this work has prepared a new formstable phase change thermal interface material. Through the melt blending of paraffin wax(PW) and low-density polyethylene(LDPE), the stability is improved and it has an excellent coating effect on PW. The addition of aluminum(Al) powder improves the low thermal conductivity of PW/LDPE, and the addition of 15wt% Al powder improves the thermal conductivity of the internal structure of the matrix by 67%. In addition, the influence of the addition of Al powder on the internal structure, thermal properties, and phase change behavior of the PW/LDPE matrix was systematically studied. The results confirmed that the addition of Al powder improved the thermal conductivity of the material without a significant impact on other properties, and the thermal conductivity increased with the increase of Al addition. Therefore, morphologically stable PW/LDPE/Al is an important development direction for TIMs.

Changes in the root system of the herbaceous peony and soil properties under different years of continuous planting and replanting

The herbaceous peony(Paeonia lactiflora Pall.)has high ornamental value.Replanting problems occur when seedlings are replanted into previous holes.We studied the root system and soil environment of the'Dongjingnvlang'variety under a continuous planting regime of one,four,and seven years,and a replanting regime of one and four years.Under the condition of continuous planting,with the increase of number of years,pH,ammonium nitrogen,and nitrate nitrogen decreased in the rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils,whereas organic matter,available phosphorus and potassium,enzyme activities,and the number of bacteria,fungi,and actinomycetes increased.Under the condition of replanting,with the increase of number of years,fungi and actinomycetes in both soils increased,while pH,organic matter,nutrients,enzyme activities,and bacterial number decreased.pH,organic matter,nutrient content,enzyme activity and the number of bacterial were lower in soil replanted for four years,whereas the abundance of fungi and actinomycetes was higher,altering the soil from“bacterial high-fertility”to“fungal low-fertility”with increasing years of replanting.The activity of antioxidant enzymes and MDA content in roots of peony in replanting were higher than those in continuous planting,while the content of osmotic regulatory substances in replanting was lower than that in continuous planting.The results showed that there were no obvious adverse factors in soil during seven years of continuous planting,and herbaceous peony could maintain normal growth and development.However,soils after four years of replanting were not suitable for herbaceous peony growth.Benzoic acid increased with years of replanting,which potentially caused replanting problems.This study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the mechanism of replanting problems in the herbaceous peony.

基于Plant Simulation的化纤自动落丝系统仿真实验分析

基于Plant Simulation软件,构建一种化纤自动落丝系统的3D数字化模型,对系统效率关键输入因子进行参数化设置,将系统各工位三维数字模型导入软件中建立层次化运动机构图形结构,并运用Simltalk语言实现三维动作仿真,通过基础物理参数设置,保证了仿真数字化模型与现实系统更具一致性。通过多级实验设计分析了系统影响因子对于系统效率的影响特性曲线,并进一步通过动态参数化实验方法,计算出双输入因子对系统效能影响的敏感度。该实验结果可为化纤自动落丝系统的建设成本控制与可行性分析提供指导,具有较好的工程应用价值。

基于Plant Simulation的压气机叶片型线加工产线分析与优化

运用专业仿真软件Plant Simulation,根据压气机叶片型线机械加工工艺特点和物料运行流程建立生产线仿真模型,从产能、设备利用率及产线瓶颈等多方面进行仿真分析与优化。结果表明:Plant Simulation仿真平台的仿真可以找出规划设计方案中存在的问题并验证方案的合理性。该仿真结果为型线机械加工产线的优化设计提供了可靠依据,达到了节约投资成本和缩短设计周期的目的。

Effects of Variety and Planting Density on Mung Bean Eco-Physiology and Yield in the Southeastern US

Mung bean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek.) is a warm-season, C3 pulse crop of the legume family that has been widely cultivated in Asian countries. As the demand for mung bean continues to increase in the United States, the ecophysiology, growth, and yield of mung bean varieties in the southeastern US need to be assessed. A field experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Research and Education Center of Tennessee State University to investigate the effects of four varieties (OK2000, Berken, TSU-1, AAMU-1) and three planting densities (5, 10, and 15 cm spacing) on the ecophysiology and yield of mung bean. Results showed that the relative chlorophyll content, plant height, pod dry biomass, pod number, crop yield, and harvest index significantly varied among the varieties. Density only influenced transpiration, relative chlorophyll content, and plant dry biomass. OK2000 had 101.0% more pods per plant and a 42.4% higher harvest index and produced a 45.3% higher yield than other varieties, but no significant difference in yield was found among the other three varieties. This study demonstrated that the mung bean variety OK2000 with a high yield would be ideal for commercial production in the southeastern US.

Grain yield and N uptake of maize in response to increased plant density under reduced water and nitrogen supply conditions

The development of modern agriculture requires the reduction of water and chemical N fertilizer inputs.Increasing the planting density can maintain higher yields,but also consumes more of these restrictive resources.However,whether an increased maize density can compensate for the negative effects of reduced water and N supply on grain yield and N uptake in the arid irrigated areas remains unknown.This study is part of a long-term positioning trial that started in 2016.A split-split plot field experiment of maize was implemented in the arid irrigated area of northwestern China in 2020 to 2021.The treatments included two irrigation levels:local conventional irrigation reduced by 20%(W1,3,240 m^(3)ha^(-1))and local conventional irrigation(W2,4,050 m^(3)ha^(-1));two N application rates:local conventional N reduced by 25%(N1,270 kg ha^(-1))and local conventional N(360 kg ha^(-1));and three planting densities:local conventional density(D1,75,000 plants ha^(-1)),density increased by 30%(D2,97,500 plants ha-1),and density increased by 60%(D3,120,000 plants ha^(-1)).Our results showed that the grain yield and aboveground N accumulation of maize were lower under the reduced water and N inputs,but increasing the maize density by 30% can compensate for the reductions of grain yield and aboveground N accumulation caused by the reduced water and N supply.When water was reduced while the N application rate remained unchanged,increasing the planting density by 30% enhanced grain yield by 13.9% and aboveground N accumulation by 15.3%.Under reduced water and N inputs,increasing the maize density by 30% enhanced N uptake efficiency and N partial factor productivity,and it also compensated for the N harvest index and N metabolic related enzyme activities.Compared with W2N2D1,the N uptake efficiency and N partial factor productivity increased by 28.6 and 17.6%under W1N1D2.W1N2D2 had 8.4% higher N uptake efficiency and 13.9% higher N partial factor productivity than W2N2D1.W1N2D2 improved urease activity and nitrate reductase activity by 5.4% at the R2(blister)stage and 19.6% at the V6(6th leaf)stage,and increased net income and the benefit:cost ratio by 22.1 and 16.7%,respectively.W1N1D2 and W1N2D2 reduced the nitrate nitrogen and ammoniacal nitrogen contents at the R6 stage in the 40-100 cm soil layer,compared with W2N2D1.In summary,increasing the planting density by 30% can compensate for the loss of grain yield and aboveground N accumulation under reduced water and N inputs.Meanwhile,increasing the maize density by 30% improved grain yield and aboveground N accumulation when water was reduced by 20% while the N application rate remained constant in arid irrigation areas.

Influence of Planting Date on the Incidence and Severity of Leaf Spot Disease in Telfairia occidentalis Hook f.

Telfairia occidentalis Hook f. is attacked by a destructive fungal pathogen Epicoccum sorghinum which causes leaf spot disease in the field. In Came-roon, this critically important seed and leaf vegetable is predominantly culti-vated under natural environmental conditions. An experiment was conducted in 2019 and 2020 during the long and short rainy seasons in Santchou to de-termine the influence of planting dates between seasons on the incidence and severity of leaf spot disease. The design used was a 2 by 4 factorial random-ized complete block design with three replications and four sowing dates. Data for disease incidence and severity documented fortnightly, were submitted to analysis of variance using SPSS version 23, and the means were separated by Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT) at a 95% confidence interval. Statistical analysis revealed that the long rainy season registered a significantly (p p < 0.05) disease incidences and severities to other planting dates investi-gated. We established that the first three planting dates in the long rainy season could be a management practice to reduce disease prevalence.

Evaluation of Four Varieties of Sweetpotato (Ipomeoa Batatas (L.) Lam) under Different Sources of Planting Material for Field Performance and Viral Load

Sweetpotato is an important crop for food security in many developing countries which is cultivated using vine cuttings. Studies have revealed that there are at least fifteen well characterized viruses known to infect sweetpotato of which 10 are economically important that contribute to yield reduction. Planting materials use by farmers are often infected by one or more of these viruses. The aim of this study was to evaluate three different sources of planting materials of different health status for their field performance and virus presence. The sources of planting materials were in vitro generated platelets, symptomless Field materials and Farmer’s materials. Four sweetpotato varieties Apomuden, Bohye, Ligri and Dadanyuie were selected from each source of planting material. The trial was laid in a split plot design with the sources of planting material allocated to main plots and the varieties to sub-plots. The plantlets of the four varieties were planted at Botanga Irrigation Scheme in Northern region of Ghana. Viral symptom scores were taken twice, score 1 being the average from 4 - 7 weeks after planting (WAP) and score 2 being the average from 8 - 11 WAP. Nitrocellulose Membranes Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (NCM-ELISA) kits were employed for the detection of sweetpotato viruses on the field. The source of planting materials significantly influenced (P In vitro generated material showed the least symptoms of virus followed by Field materials. Apomuden and Bohye varieties recorded the highest virus score in the first and second virus symptom observational score respectively. NCM-ELISA revealed that the viruses SPFMV, SPMMV, SPMSV, SPCFV, SPCSV, and CMV were significantly present among the different sources of planting materials. In vitro, Field and Farmer materials recorded NCM-ELISA score of 0.225, 1.075 and 1.500 respectively. Apomuden variety recorded the highest virus score in the assay. Vine and root yield was higher among the in vitro generated material. Farmers should use laboratory cleaned material however, in the absence of such material they should select field material showing no symptom of virus.

Response of dryland crops to climate change and drought-resistant and water-suitable planting technology:A case of spring maize

Climate change has a significant impact on agriculture.However,the impact investigation is currently limited to the analysis of meteorological data,and there is a dearth of long-term monitoring of crop phenology and soil moisture associated with climate change.In this study,temperature and precipitation(1957-2020)were recorded,crop growth(1981-2019)data were collected,and field experiments were conducted at central and eastern Gansu and southern Ningxia,China.The mean temperature increased by 0.36°C,and precipitation decreased by 11.17 mm per decade.The average evapotranspiration(ET)of winter wheat in 39 years from 1981 to 2019 was 362.1 mm,demonstrating a 22.1-mm decrease every 10 years.However,the ET of spring maize was 405.5 mm over 35 years(1985-2019),which did not show a downward trend.Every 10 years,growth periods were shortened by 5.19 and 6.47 d,sowing dates were delayed by 3.56 and 1.68 d,and maturity dates advanced by 1.76 and 5.51 d,respectively,for wheat and maize.A film fully-mulched ridge-furrow(FMRF)system with a rain-harvesting efficiency of 65.7‒92.7%promotes deep rainwater infiltration into the soil.This leads to double the soil moisture in-furrow,increasing the water satisfaction rate by 110‒160%.A 15-year grain yield of maize increased by 19.87%with the FMRF compared with that of half-mulched flat planting.Grain yield and water use efficiency of maize increased by 20.6 and 17.4%when the density grew from 4.5×10^(4)to 6.75×10^(4)plants ha-1 and improved by 12.0 and 12.7%when the density increased from 6.75×10^(4)to 9.0×10^(4)plants ha-1,respectively.Moreover,responses of maize yield to density and the corresponding density of the maximum yield varied highly in different rainfall areas.The density parameter suitable for water planting was 174 maize plants ha-1 with 10 mm rainfall.Therefore,management strategies should focus on adjusting crop planting structure,FMRF water harvesting system,and water-suitable planting to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change and enhance sustainable production of maize in the drylands.

The Inter-Annual Variability of Rainfall Onset and Its Implication on Crop Planting in Selected East Africa Countries

The inter-annual variability of rainfall onset and crop replanting in East Africa (EA) was assessed using daily estimated rainfall data from climate hazard group infrared precipitation (CHIRPS Ver2.0) and monthly Sea Surface Temperature (SST) indices [Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and El-Ni?o Southern Oscillation (ENSO) at NINO3.4 region] from the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). The data covered a period of 40 years from1981 to 2020. The methods of cumulative of daily mean rainfall, percentage of onset date departure (PODD), Mann-Kendall (MK) trend test, student t-test, and correlation were applied in the analysis. The results showed that early onset with dry spell (WDS) consideration frequently occurs in Uganda between the first and second dekads of September, while late rainfall onset WDS occurs in the first and second dekads of December over central and Northern Kenya as well as in the Northeastern highlands, parts of the northern coast and unimodal regions in Tanzania. Rainfall onset with no dry spell (WnDS) portrayed an average of 10 days before the occurrence of true onset WDS, with maximum onset departure days (ODD) above 30 days across the Rift Valley area in Kenya and the Northeastern highlands in Tanzania. The high chance of minimum ODD is seen over entire Uganda and the area around Lake Victoria. However, few regions, such as Nakuru (Kenya) Gulu and Kibale (Uganda), and Gitega (Burundi), revealed a slight positive linear trend while others showed negative trend. Significant positive patterns for correlation between onset WDS and SST indices (IOD and NINO 3.4) were discovered in Northern and Northeastern Kenya, as well as areas along the Indian Ocean (over Tanzania’s Northern Coast). Inter-annual relationship between onset dates WDS and IOD (NINO3.4) indices exhibits a high correlation coefficient r = 0.23 (r = 0.48) in Uganda and r = 0.44 (r = 0.36) in Kenya. On the other hand, a negative correlation was revealed over Burundi and Tanzania (over a unimodal region). A high percentage of PODD was observed, ranging from 40% to 70% over the Rift Valley in Kenya and at the Northeastern highlands in Tanzania. However, a strong PODD above 70% was observed over Tanga and the Northern Pwani Region in Tanzania. These findings will help farmers to understand the appropriate time for crop planting, as well as help other socio-economic activities that strongly depend on rainfall.

Effects of Different Planting Years on Physicochemical Properties and Enzyme Activities in Soil of Rice-Cherry Tomato Rotation

Crop rotation periodicity has always been one of the research focuses currently. In this study, the physicochemical properties, nutrient contents and enzyme activities were investigated in soils from rice-cherry tomato rotation for one year (1a), three years (3a), five years (5a), seven years (7a) and ten years (10a), respectively. The major objective was to analyze the optimal rotation years of rice-cherry tomato from soil perspective, so as to provide theoretical basis for effectively avoiding continuous cropping obstacles of cherry tomato via studying the response characteristics of soil physicochemical properties, nutrient contents and enzyme activities to planting years of rice-cherry tomato rotation system. The results were as follows: 1) Soil pH value was increased year by year during 1a to 5a, reached the highest value 5.32 at 5a. However, soil acidity was sharply enhanced during 7a to 10a (P P •kg-1 at 5a. 3) The content of soil available phosphorus was increased year by year with increasing of crop rotation years, and increased by 110% to 173% during 3a to 10a (P P P < 0.05). In conclusion, long-term single rotation pattern of rice-cherry tomato would aggravate soil acidification, prompt soil nutrient imbalance and reduce soil enzyme activity. 5a to 7a would be the appropriate rotation period for rice-cherry tomato, or else it would reduce soil quality, resulting in a new continuous cropping obstacle of cherry tomato.

A Full-Scale Optimization of a Crop Spatial Planting Structure and its Associated Effects

Driven by the concept of agricultural sustainable development,crop planting structure optimization(CPSO)has become an effective measure to reduce regional crop water demand,ensure food security,and protect the environment.However,traditional optimization of crop planting structures often ignores the impact on regional food supply–demand relations and interprovincial food trading.Therefore,using a system analysis concept and taking virtual water output as the connecting point,this study proposes a theoretical CPSO framework based on a multi-aspect and full-scale evaluation index system.To this end,a water footprint(WF)simulation module denoted as soil and water assessment tool–water footprint(SWAT-WF)is constructed to simulate the amount and components of regional crop WFs.A multi-objective spatial CPSO model with the objectives of maximizing the regional economic water productivity(EWP),minimizing the blue water dependency(BWFrate),and minimizing the grey water footprint(GWFgrey)is established to achieve an optimal planting layout.Considering various benefits,a fullscale evaluation index system based on region,province,and country scales is constructed.Through an entropy weight technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution(TOPSIS)comprehensive evaluation model,the optimal plan is selected from a variety of CPSO plans.The proposed framework is then verified through a case study of the upper–middle reaches of the Heihe River Basin in Gansu province,China.By combining the theory of virtual water trading with system analysis,the optimal planting structure is found.While sacrificing reasonable regional economic benefits,the optimization of the planting structure significantly improves the regional water resource benefits and ecological benefits at different scales.

Study on a Bowl-based Mechanism for Transplanting Potted Strawberry Seedlings

To improve the efficiency of fetching and transplanting seedlings for the mechanization of strawberry planting,an integrated transplanting mechanism was designed with protruding,fetching and planting performance to achieve rapid fetching and pushing bowl movements.According to the working principle of the slewing mechanism,a kinematics model and the optimization goal were established,respectively.Based on visual auxiliary analysis software,optimal parameters were obtained.A three-dimensional model was established to obtain a simulation trajectory by means of a virtual simulation design analysis.Three-dimensional printing technology was used to manufacture the test prototype,and the actual working trajectories of the test prototype were extracted using high-speed photography technology,which verified the consistency of the actual trajectory with the theoretical and simulated trajectories.A prototype transplanting experiment was performed with the success rate of seedling extraction of 91.2%and excellent planting rate of 82.8%,which met the requirements for integrated strawberry harvesting,planting and transplanting.The experimental results verified the correctness and feasibility of the design of integrated transplanting mechanism.

Influence of Topography on the Distribution and Structure of Woody Plants in the Senegalese Sahel (Sandy Ferlo)

This study describes the floristic composition and structure of a woody stand in the Senegalese Sahel, paying particular attention to the edaphic factors of its floristic composition. A stratified inventory considering the different relief units was adopted. Woody vegetation was surveyed using a dendrometric approach. The results obtained show that the flora is dominated by a few species adapted to drought, such as Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del., Calotropis procera Ait. and Boscia senegalensis (Pers.). The distribution of this flora and the structure of the ligneous plants are linked to the topography. In the lowlands, the flora is more diversified and the ligneous plants reach their optimum level of development compared with the higher relief areas. In the lowlands, there are a few woody species which, in the past, were indicative of better climatic conditions. These are Anogeissus leiocarpus (DC.), Commiphora africana (A. Rich.), Feretia apodanthera Del., Loeseneriella africana (A. Smith), Mitragyna inermis (Willd.) and Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich). It is important that their reintroduction into reforestation projects takes account of their edaphic preference.

SPATULA as a Versatile Tool in Plant:The Progress and Perspectives of SPATULA(SPT)Transcriptional Factor

With the rapid development of modern molecular biology and bioinformatics,many studies have proved that transcription factors play an important role in regulating the growth and development of plants.SPATULA(SPT)belongs to the bHLH transcription family and participates in many processes of regulating plant growth and development.This review systemically summarizes the multiple roles of SPT in plant growth,development,and stress response,including seed germination,flowering,leaf size,carpel development,and root elongation,which is helpful for us to better understand the functions of SPT.

Unveiling the adaptation strategies of woody plants in remnant forest patches to spatiotemporal urban expansion through leaf trait networks

Background:With the expansion of urban areas,the remnants of forested areas play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity in urban environments.This study aimed to explore the impact of spatiotemporal urban expansion on the networks of leaf traits in woody plants within remnant forest patches,thereby enhancing our understanding of plant adaptive strategies and contributing to the conservation of urban biodiversity.Methods:Our study examined woody plants within 120 sample plots across 15 remnant forest patches in Guiyang,China.We constructed leaf trait networks (LTNs) based on 26 anatomical,structural,and compositional leaf traits and assessed the effects of the spatiotemporal dynamics of urban expansion on these LTNs.Results and conclusions:Our results indicate that shrubs within these patches have greater average path lengths and diameters than trees.With increasing urban expansion intensity,we observed a rise in the edge density of the LTN-shrubs.Additionally,modularity within the networks of shrubs decreased as road density and urban expansion intensity increased,and increases in the average path length and average clustering coefficient for shrubs were observed with a rise in the composite terrain complexity index.Notably,patches subjected to‘leapfrog’expansion exhibited greater average patch length and diameter than those experiencing edge growth.Stomatal traits were found to have high degree centrality within these networks,signifying their substantial contribution to multiple functions.In urban remnant forests,shrubs bolster their resilience to variable environmental pressures by augmenting the complexity of their leaf trait networks.

A Special Issue:“Key Technologies of Virtual Power Plant and Distributed Energy Resources”for Global Energy Interconnection

The increasing penetration of renewable and distributed energy resources(DERs)is transforming the power grid into a new type of clean and low-carbon power system.However,the uncertainty and volatility of DERs have also brought severe challenges to the secure and reliable operation of the power systems.In order to successfully integrate renewable DERs,virtual power plant(VPP)has emerged as a new technique for coordinating demand-side DERs,which has drawn significant attention from industry and academia.