HISTORICALLY, the China-Africa relationship is a longstanding one, going back to many centuries. However, there were several centuries of China＇s disengagement from the world, including Africa. Only with the establis...HISTORICALLY, the China-Africa relationship is a longstanding one, going back to many centuries. However, there were several centuries of China＇s disengagement from the world, including Africa. Only with the establishment of the People＇s Republic of China in 1949 did China take renewed interest in other developing countries, including the African continent.展开更多
Tree allometry plays a crucial role in tree survival,stability,and timber quantity and quality of mixed-species plantations.However,the responses of tree allometry to resource utilisation within the framework of inter...Tree allometry plays a crucial role in tree survival,stability,and timber quantity and quality of mixed-species plantations.However,the responses of tree allometry to resource utilisation within the framework of interspecific competition and complementarity remain poorly understood.Taking into consideration strong-and weakspace competition(SC and WC),as well as N_(2)-fixing and non-N_(2)-fixing tree species(FN and nFN),a mixedspecies planting trial was conducted for Betula alnoides,a pioneer tree species,which was separately mixed with Acacia melanoxylon(SC+FN),Erythrophleum fordii(WC+FN),Eucalyptus cloeziana(SC+nFN)and Pinus kesiya var.langbianensis(WC+nFN)in southern China.Six years after planting,tree growth,total nitrogen(N)and carbon(C)contents,and the natural abundances of^(15)N and^(13)C in the leaves were measured for each species,and the mycorrhizal colonisation rates of B.alnoides were investigated under each treatment.Allometric variations and their relationships with space competition and nutrient-related factors were analyzed.The results showed a consistent effect of space competition on the height-diameter relationship of B.alnoides in mixtures with FN or nFN.The tree height growth of B.alnoides was significantly promoted under high space competition,and growth in diameter at breast height(DBH),tree height and crown size were all expedited in mixtures with FN.The symbiotic relationship between ectomycorrhizal fungi and B.alnoides was significantly influenced by both space competition and N_(2) fixation by the accompanying tree species,whereas such significant effects were absent for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.Furthermore,high space competition significantly decreased the water use efficiency(WUE)of B.alnoides,and its N use efficiency(NUE)was much lower in the FN mixtures.Structural equation modeling further demonstrated that the stem allometry of B.alnoides was affected by its NUE and WUE via changes in its height growth,and crown allometry was influenced by the mycorrhizal symbiotic relationship.Our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms driving tree allometric responses to above-and belowground resource competition and complementarity in mixed-species plantations,which are instructive for the establishment of mixed-species plantations.展开更多
Although all the symptoms of lack-of-sustainability are physical, the cause is a mindset that needs to be changed. The mindset includes an addictive lock on wanting materialistic solutions to all problems, most of whi...Although all the symptoms of lack-of-sustainability are physical, the cause is a mindset that needs to be changed. The mindset includes an addictive lock on wanting materialistic solutions to all problems, most of which are not materialistic, but are existential problems about meaningfulness in life. Meaningfulness is an inner understanding about life that is only achieved by insightful reflective thought. This kind of growth is enabled by the right kind of caring leadership that enables people to realise and properly establish their existential relationship with Nature.展开更多
文摘HISTORICALLY, the China-Africa relationship is a longstanding one, going back to many centuries. However, there were several centuries of China＇s disengagement from the world, including Africa. Only with the establishment of the People＇s Republic of China in 1949 did China take renewed interest in other developing countries, including the African continent.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (31972949)National Nonprofit Institute Research Grant of Chinese Academy of Forestry,China (CAFYBB2023MB006)。
文摘Tree allometry plays a crucial role in tree survival,stability,and timber quantity and quality of mixed-species plantations.However,the responses of tree allometry to resource utilisation within the framework of interspecific competition and complementarity remain poorly understood.Taking into consideration strong-and weakspace competition(SC and WC),as well as N_(2)-fixing and non-N_(2)-fixing tree species(FN and nFN),a mixedspecies planting trial was conducted for Betula alnoides,a pioneer tree species,which was separately mixed with Acacia melanoxylon(SC+FN),Erythrophleum fordii(WC+FN),Eucalyptus cloeziana(SC+nFN)and Pinus kesiya var.langbianensis(WC+nFN)in southern China.Six years after planting,tree growth,total nitrogen(N)and carbon(C)contents,and the natural abundances of^(15)N and^(13)C in the leaves were measured for each species,and the mycorrhizal colonisation rates of B.alnoides were investigated under each treatment.Allometric variations and their relationships with space competition and nutrient-related factors were analyzed.The results showed a consistent effect of space competition on the height-diameter relationship of B.alnoides in mixtures with FN or nFN.The tree height growth of B.alnoides was significantly promoted under high space competition,and growth in diameter at breast height(DBH),tree height and crown size were all expedited in mixtures with FN.The symbiotic relationship between ectomycorrhizal fungi and B.alnoides was significantly influenced by both space competition and N_(2) fixation by the accompanying tree species,whereas such significant effects were absent for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.Furthermore,high space competition significantly decreased the water use efficiency(WUE)of B.alnoides,and its N use efficiency(NUE)was much lower in the FN mixtures.Structural equation modeling further demonstrated that the stem allometry of B.alnoides was affected by its NUE and WUE via changes in its height growth,and crown allometry was influenced by the mycorrhizal symbiotic relationship.Our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms driving tree allometric responses to above-and belowground resource competition and complementarity in mixed-species plantations,which are instructive for the establishment of mixed-species plantations.
文摘Although all the symptoms of lack-of-sustainability are physical, the cause is a mindset that needs to be changed. The mindset includes an addictive lock on wanting materialistic solutions to all problems, most of which are not materialistic, but are existential problems about meaningfulness in life. Meaningfulness is an inner understanding about life that is only achieved by insightful reflective thought. This kind of growth is enabled by the right kind of caring leadership that enables people to realise and properly establish their existential relationship with Nature.
