[Objective] The paper aimed to evaluate the plain forestry' service function in Northwest China.[Method] Based on general and representative investigations with county used as the minimum unit,evaluation on service f...[Objective] The paper aimed to evaluate the plain forestry' service function in Northwest China.[Method] Based on general and representative investigations with county used as the minimum unit,evaluation on service function of plain forestry ecosystem in Northwest China was carried out by measuring the quality and quantity.[Result] In 2005,the plain forestry in Northwest China plays a profound role in water and soil conversation,carbon sequestration by vegetation and soil,oxygen release by plants,sulfur dioxide absorption and and so on.[Conclusion] This paper laid foundation for research on service function of plain forest ecosystem in Northwest China.展开更多
The effects of ammonium on the population growth of the marine ciliate, Euplotes vannus, were examined using ecotoxicological method, h is showed that ammonium exerts inhibitory effects on the growth of the ciliate po...The effects of ammonium on the population growth of the marine ciliate, Euplotes vannus, were examined using ecotoxicological method, h is showed that ammonium exerts inhibitory effects on the growth of the ciliate populations in a concentration-dependent way. Statistical analvsis reveals that the population growth dynamics exposed to ammoniunt-N concentration over 100mg/L are significantly different from that in the control at P 〈 0.05 level. Linear regression determined that the 24h, 36h, 48h, 60h, 72h and 84h IC50 values of ammonium-N are 19.68, 201.51, 167.49, 47.86, 50.43 and 43.11 concentration over 100mg/L, respectively ( P 〈 0.05; pH 8.2; salinity 28 ppt; temperature, 25℃ ). The results indicate that the tolerance to ammonium in E. vannus is considerably higher than that of the larvae or juveniles of some metozoa, such as cuhured prawns and oysters. Therefore, it is believed that the high tolerance to ammonium is necessary for eiliated protozoa to play positive roles in maintaining and improving water quality in marine ecosystems, especially in the intensive aquacuhure waters with high-level ammonium. In addition, the correlation between /C50 values and exposure time was discussed.展开更多
Alkalinity is one of the most important parameters that influence microbial metabolism and activity during sulfate-laden wastewater biological treatment. To comprehensively understand the structure and dynamics of fun...Alkalinity is one of the most important parameters that influence microbial metabolism and activity during sulfate-laden wastewater biological treatment. To comprehensively understand the structure and dynamics of functional microbial community under alkalinity changes in sulfate-reducing continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR), fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) technique was selected for qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of functional microbial compositions in activated sludge. During 93d of bioreactor operation, the influent alkalinity was adjusted by adding sodium bicarbonate from 4000mg·L^-1 down to 3000mg·L^-1, then to 1500mg·L^-1, whereas other parameters, such as the loading rates of chenucal oxygen demand (COD) and sulfate (SO4^2-), hydraulic retention time (HRT), and pH value, were continuously maintained at 24g·L^-1·d^-1 and 4.8g·L^-1·d^-1, 10h,and about 6.7, respectively. Sludge samples were collected during diflerent alkalinity levels, and total Bacteria, tlae sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), and four SRB genera were demonstrated with 16S ribosomal .RNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes. The results indicated that bioreactor started-up successfully in 30d. The two instances ot drop in alkalinity resulted in the fluctuation of sulfate removal rate. The diversity of SRB community showed significant shift, and the alteration of microbial community directly resulted in the corresponding statuses of bioreactor. The dominant genera during the bioreactor start-up and alkalinity drops were Desulfovibrio, Desulfobacter, Desulfovibrio, Desulfobacter, and Desulfovibrio, respectively. In addition, the acetotrophic SRB sutterecl more trom me reduction of alkalinity than the non-acetotrophic SRB. This strategy can present the functional microbial community structure during start-up and alkalinity drop stages, and provides a powerful theoretical guideline for optimization and adjustment of bioreactor, as well.展开更多
Variations in the fractions of biomass allocated to functional components are widely considered as plant responses to resource availability for grassland plants. Observations indicated shoots isometrically relates to ...Variations in the fractions of biomass allocated to functional components are widely considered as plant responses to resource availability for grassland plants. Observations indicated shoots isometrically relates to roots at the community level but allometrically at the species level in Tibetan alpine grasslands. These differences may result from the specific complementarity of functional groups between functional components, such as leaf, root, stem and reproductive organ. To test the component complementary responses to regional moisture variation, we conducted a multi-site transect survey to measure plant individual size and component biomass fractions of common species belonging to the functional groups: forbs, grasses, legumes and sedges on the Northern Tibetan Plateau in peak growing season in 2010. Along the mean annual precipitation (MAP) gradient, we sampled 7o species, in which 2o are in alpine meadows, 20 in alpine steppes, 15 in alpine desert-steppes and 15 in alpine deserts, respectively. Our results showed that the size of alpine plants is small with individual biomass mostly lower than 1.0 g. Plants keep relative conservative component individual responses moisture functional fractions across alpine grasslands at the level. However, the complementary between functional components to variations specifically differ among groups. These results indicate that functional group diversity may be an effective tool for scaling biomass allocation patterns from individual up to community level. Therefore, it is necessary andvaluable to perform intensive and systematic studies on identification and differentiation the influences of compositional changes in functional groups on ecosystem primary services and processes.展开更多
Precipitation is the major driver of ecosystem functions and processes in semiarid and arid regions. In such waterlimited ecosystems, pulsed water inputs directly control the belowground processes through a series of ...Precipitation is the major driver of ecosystem functions and processes in semiarid and arid regions. In such waterlimited ecosystems, pulsed water inputs directly control the belowground processes through a series of soil drying and rewetting cycles. To investigate the effects of sporadic addition of water on soil CO2 effux, an artificial precipitation event (3 mm) was applied to a desert shrub ecosystem in the Mu Us Sand Land of the Ordos Plateau in China. Soil respiration rate increased 2.8 4.1 times immediately after adding water in the field, and then it returned to background level within 48 h. During the experiment, soil CO2 production was between 2 047.0 and 7 383.0 mg m^-2. In the shrubland, soil respiration responses showed spatial variations, having stronger pulse effects beneath the shrubs than in the interplant spaces. The spatial variation of the soil respiration responses was closely related with the heterogeneity of soil substrate availability. Apart from precipitation, soil organic carbon and total nitrogen pool were also identified as determinants of soil CO2 loss in desert ecosystems.展开更多
A strong focus of ecological research for several decades has been to understand the factors underlying the variation in animal life-histories. In recent times, ecological studies have begun to show that oxidative str...A strong focus of ecological research for several decades has been to understand the factors underlying the variation in animal life-histories. In recent times, ecological studies have begun to show that oxidative stress may represent another important modulator of competitive trade-offs among fitness traits or of positively integrated patterns of traits. Therefore, incorporating mechanisms underlying oxidative physiology into evolutionary ecology has the potential to help understand variation in life-history strategies. In this review, I provide a general overview of oxidative stress physiology, and subsequently focus on topics that have been neglected in previous ecological reviews on oxidative stress. Specifically, I introduce and discuss the adaptations that animals have evolved to cope with oxidative stress; the environmental stressors that can generate changes in oxidative balance; the role of reactive species in transduction of environmental stimuli and cell signaling; and the range of hormetic responses to oxidative stress [Current Zoology 56 (6): 687-702, 2010].展开更多
Object: To investigate the relationship between chlamydiatrachomatis (CT) and urogenital infection. Method Positive rate of CT in patients with inflammationof urogenital tract was significantly higher than those witho...Object: To investigate the relationship between chlamydiatrachomatis (CT) and urogenital infection. Method Positive rate of CT in patients with inflammationof urogenital tract was significantly higher than those withoutinflammation(P<0.05). Result: There was statistical difference in the males nomatter they were patients with inflammation of urogenitaltract or not (P>H0.05), while there was no statistical differencein females (P>0.05). The incidence of the infection was highamong those aging from 21-50 years old. Conclusion: The clinical manifestations of CT infectionwere obscure, so we should examine CT in patients who haveno symptoms, especially in females and those of high-riskpopulation.展开更多
The species-area relationship (SAR) is one of the most fundamental concepts in community ecology and is helpful for biodiversity conservation. However, few studies have systematically addressed this topic for differ...The species-area relationship (SAR) is one of the most fundamental concepts in community ecology and is helpful for biodiversity conservation. However, few studies have systematically addressed this topic for different alpine grassland types on the Tibetan Plateau, China. We explored whether the plant composition of different functional groups affects the manner in which species richness inereases with increasing area at scales ≤ 1.0 m^2. We also compared species richness (S) within and across forbs, legumes, sedges and grasses, with sampling subplot area (A) increasing from 0.0625 m^2 to 1.0 m^2 between alpine meadow and steppe communities. We applied a logarithmic function (S = b0 + b1 ln A) to determine the slope and intercept of SAR curves within and across functional groups. The results showed that the logarithmic relationship holds true between species richness and sampling area at these small scales. Both the intercept and slope of the logarithmic forbs-area curves are significantly higher than those for the three other functional groups (P 〈 0.05). Forb accounts for about 91.9 % of the variation in the intercept and 75.0% of the variation in the slope of the SAR curve when all functional groups' data were pooled together. Our results indicated that the different SAR patterns should be linked with species dispersal capabilities, environmental filtering, and life form composition within alpine grassland communities. Further studies on the relationship between species diversity and ecosystem functions should specify the differential responses of different functional groups to variations in climate and anthropogenic disturbances.展开更多
Virgin forests are unique ecosystems, which can be used as etalon for basic biocoenotic investigation. Soil microorganisms are very sensitive reagents on influence of biotical factors, and at the same time are the act...Virgin forests are unique ecosystems, which can be used as etalon for basic biocoenotic investigation. Soil microorganisms are very sensitive reagents on influence of biotical factors, and at the same time are the active producers of phytotoxic and phytostimulating exometabolites. Studies of soil microbiota were conducted in virgin beech forests of Shyrokoluzhansky massif of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve. It was found the ratio and the number of different ecological-trophic groups of soil microorganisms changes with altitude. So the number of ammonificators with increasing of altitude above sea level was reduced. The soil at altitude of 1,100 meters above sea level was characterized by minimum content of organotrophes -1.22 × 10^6 (CFU-colony forming units/lg.a.d.s.). At the altitude of 500 meters content of ammonificators increased at six times and was 7.07 ×10^6 CFU/lg.a.d.s., which indicates to accumulation of the soil organic matter. Similar changes occurred with the number of bacteria which are using mineral forms of nitrogen for their nutrition. Their maximum quantity (4.32 × 10^6 CFU/lg.a.d.s.) was in the soil of biotope disposed at altitude of 500 meters above sea level. Fluctuations in the number of soil micromycetes of virgin forest ecosystems have not been as significant as the bacterial microbiota (within 17 ×10^3-28 × 10^3 CFU/lg.a.d.s.). Among a wide spectrum of bacterial microbiota were isolated strains with high phytostimulating action.展开更多
Adsorption of plasma proteins to nanomaterial surfaces has a great influence on their bio-functionality. However, there is limited understanding of the relationship between the functional proteins in the protein coron...Adsorption of plasma proteins to nanomaterial surfaces has a great influence on their bio-functionality. However, there is limited understanding of the relationship between the functional proteins in the protein corona and the biological identity of the materials. Here we show that the in situ generated thrombin in the protein corona of a Ca-zeolite surface displays a calcium-dependent, unusually high (-3,000 NIH U/mg) procoagulant activity, which is even stable against antithrombin deactivation. Removing the encapsulated Ca^2+ in the zeolites leads to deactivation by antithrombin. Our observations suggest that the thrombin activity can be regulated by the inorganic surface and cations. Most importantly, our discovery indicates the link between the biomolecules in the protein corona and the procoagulant activity of the materials, providing a new molecular basis for the procoagulant mechanism for zeolite hemostatics.展开更多
Direct observation is arguably the preferred way to investigate the interactions between two molecular complexes. With the development of high speed atomic force microscopy (AFM), it is becoming possible to observe ...Direct observation is arguably the preferred way to investigate the interactions between two molecular complexes. With the development of high speed atomic force microscopy (AFM), it is becoming possible to observe directly DNA-protein interactions with relevant spatial and temporal resolutions. These interactions are of central importance to biology, bionanotechnology, and functional biologically inspired materials. As in all microscopy studies, sample preparation plays a central role in AFM observation and minimal perturbation of the sample is desired. Here, we demonstrate the ability to tune the interactions between DNA molecules and the surface to create an association strong enough to enable high-resolution AFM imaging while also providing sufficient translational freedom to allow the relevant protein-DNA interactions to take place. Furthermore, we describe a quantitative method for measuring DNA mobility, while also determining the individual forces contributing to DNA movement. We found that for a weak surface association, a significant contribution to the movement arises from the interaction of the AFM tip with the DNA. In combination, these methods enable the tuning of the surface translational freedom of DNA molecules to allow the direct study of a wide range of nucleo-protein interactions by high speed atomic force microscopy.展开更多
文摘[Objective] The paper aimed to evaluate the plain forestry' service function in Northwest China.[Method] Based on general and representative investigations with county used as the minimum unit,evaluation on service function of plain forestry ecosystem in Northwest China was carried out by measuring the quality and quantity.[Result] In 2005,the plain forestry in Northwest China plays a profound role in water and soil conversation,carbon sequestration by vegetation and soil,oxygen release by plants,sulfur dioxide absorption and and so on.[Conclusion] This paper laid foundation for research on service function of plain forest ecosystem in Northwest China.
基金国家高技术研究发展计划(863计划),the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘The effects of ammonium on the population growth of the marine ciliate, Euplotes vannus, were examined using ecotoxicological method, h is showed that ammonium exerts inhibitory effects on the growth of the ciliate populations in a concentration-dependent way. Statistical analvsis reveals that the population growth dynamics exposed to ammoniunt-N concentration over 100mg/L are significantly different from that in the control at P 〈 0.05 level. Linear regression determined that the 24h, 36h, 48h, 60h, 72h and 84h IC50 values of ammonium-N are 19.68, 201.51, 167.49, 47.86, 50.43 and 43.11 concentration over 100mg/L, respectively ( P 〈 0.05; pH 8.2; salinity 28 ppt; temperature, 25℃ ). The results indicate that the tolerance to ammonium in E. vannus is considerably higher than that of the larvae or juveniles of some metozoa, such as cuhured prawns and oysters. Therefore, it is believed that the high tolerance to ammonium is necessary for eiliated protozoa to play positive roles in maintaining and improving water quality in marine ecosystems, especially in the intensive aquacuhure waters with high-level ammonium. In addition, the correlation between /C50 values and exposure time was discussed.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.50208006).
文摘Alkalinity is one of the most important parameters that influence microbial metabolism and activity during sulfate-laden wastewater biological treatment. To comprehensively understand the structure and dynamics of functional microbial community under alkalinity changes in sulfate-reducing continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR), fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) technique was selected for qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of functional microbial compositions in activated sludge. During 93d of bioreactor operation, the influent alkalinity was adjusted by adding sodium bicarbonate from 4000mg·L^-1 down to 3000mg·L^-1, then to 1500mg·L^-1, whereas other parameters, such as the loading rates of chenucal oxygen demand (COD) and sulfate (SO4^2-), hydraulic retention time (HRT), and pH value, were continuously maintained at 24g·L^-1·d^-1 and 4.8g·L^-1·d^-1, 10h,and about 6.7, respectively. Sludge samples were collected during diflerent alkalinity levels, and total Bacteria, tlae sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), and four SRB genera were demonstrated with 16S ribosomal .RNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes. The results indicated that bioreactor started-up successfully in 30d. The two instances ot drop in alkalinity resulted in the fluctuation of sulfate removal rate. The diversity of SRB community showed significant shift, and the alteration of microbial community directly resulted in the corresponding statuses of bioreactor. The dominant genera during the bioreactor start-up and alkalinity drops were Desulfovibrio, Desulfobacter, Desulfovibrio, Desulfobacter, and Desulfovibrio, respectively. In addition, the acetotrophic SRB sutterecl more trom me reduction of alkalinity than the non-acetotrophic SRB. This strategy can present the functional microbial community structure during start-up and alkalinity drop stages, and provides a powerful theoretical guideline for optimization and adjustment of bioreactor, as well.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDB03030401 & XDA05060700)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41171044, 31070391, 41271067)the General Financial Grant from the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2013M530716)
文摘Variations in the fractions of biomass allocated to functional components are widely considered as plant responses to resource availability for grassland plants. Observations indicated shoots isometrically relates to roots at the community level but allometrically at the species level in Tibetan alpine grasslands. These differences may result from the specific complementarity of functional groups between functional components, such as leaf, root, stem and reproductive organ. To test the component complementary responses to regional moisture variation, we conducted a multi-site transect survey to measure plant individual size and component biomass fractions of common species belonging to the functional groups: forbs, grasses, legumes and sedges on the Northern Tibetan Plateau in peak growing season in 2010. Along the mean annual precipitation (MAP) gradient, we sampled 7o species, in which 2o are in alpine meadows, 20 in alpine steppes, 15 in alpine desert-steppes and 15 in alpine deserts, respectively. Our results showed that the size of alpine plants is small with individual biomass mostly lower than 1.0 g. Plants keep relative conservative component individual responses moisture functional fractions across alpine grasslands at the level. However, the complementary between functional components to variations specifically differ among groups. These results indicate that functional group diversity may be an effective tool for scaling biomass allocation patterns from individual up to community level. Therefore, it is necessary andvaluable to perform intensive and systematic studies on identification and differentiation the influences of compositional changes in functional groups on ecosystem primary services and processes.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 40730105, 40501072 and 40673067)the National Key Basic Research Program (973 Program) of China (No. 2002CB412503)the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. KZCX2-YW-149)
文摘Precipitation is the major driver of ecosystem functions and processes in semiarid and arid regions. In such waterlimited ecosystems, pulsed water inputs directly control the belowground processes through a series of soil drying and rewetting cycles. To investigate the effects of sporadic addition of water on soil CO2 effux, an artificial precipitation event (3 mm) was applied to a desert shrub ecosystem in the Mu Us Sand Land of the Ordos Plateau in China. Soil respiration rate increased 2.8 4.1 times immediately after adding water in the field, and then it returned to background level within 48 h. During the experiment, soil CO2 production was between 2 047.0 and 7 383.0 mg m^-2. In the shrubland, soil respiration responses showed spatial variations, having stronger pulse effects beneath the shrubs than in the interplant spaces. The spatial variation of the soil respiration responses was closely related with the heterogeneity of soil substrate availability. Apart from precipitation, soil organic carbon and total nitrogen pool were also identified as determinants of soil CO2 loss in desert ecosystems.
基金supported by a postdoctoral NERC research fellowship (NE/G013888/1)
文摘A strong focus of ecological research for several decades has been to understand the factors underlying the variation in animal life-histories. In recent times, ecological studies have begun to show that oxidative stress may represent another important modulator of competitive trade-offs among fitness traits or of positively integrated patterns of traits. Therefore, incorporating mechanisms underlying oxidative physiology into evolutionary ecology has the potential to help understand variation in life-history strategies. In this review, I provide a general overview of oxidative stress physiology, and subsequently focus on topics that have been neglected in previous ecological reviews on oxidative stress. Specifically, I introduce and discuss the adaptations that animals have evolved to cope with oxidative stress; the environmental stressors that can generate changes in oxidative balance; the role of reactive species in transduction of environmental stimuli and cell signaling; and the range of hormetic responses to oxidative stress [Current Zoology 56 (6): 687-702, 2010].
文摘Object: To investigate the relationship between chlamydiatrachomatis (CT) and urogenital infection. Method Positive rate of CT in patients with inflammationof urogenital tract was significantly higher than those withoutinflammation(P<0.05). Result: There was statistical difference in the males nomatter they were patients with inflammation of urogenitaltract or not (P>H0.05), while there was no statistical differencein females (P>0.05). The incidence of the infection was highamong those aging from 21-50 years old. Conclusion: The clinical manifestations of CT infectionwere obscure, so we should examine CT in patients who haveno symptoms, especially in females and those of high-riskpopulation.
基金supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant Nos.XDB03030401,KZCXZ-XB3-08)the State Scholarship Fund of the China Scholarship Council (Grant No.201400260118)the International Postdoctoral Exchange Fellowship Program 2014 by the Office of China Postdoctoral Council (Grant No.20140041)
文摘The species-area relationship (SAR) is one of the most fundamental concepts in community ecology and is helpful for biodiversity conservation. However, few studies have systematically addressed this topic for different alpine grassland types on the Tibetan Plateau, China. We explored whether the plant composition of different functional groups affects the manner in which species richness inereases with increasing area at scales ≤ 1.0 m^2. We also compared species richness (S) within and across forbs, legumes, sedges and grasses, with sampling subplot area (A) increasing from 0.0625 m^2 to 1.0 m^2 between alpine meadow and steppe communities. We applied a logarithmic function (S = b0 + b1 ln A) to determine the slope and intercept of SAR curves within and across functional groups. The results showed that the logarithmic relationship holds true between species richness and sampling area at these small scales. Both the intercept and slope of the logarithmic forbs-area curves are significantly higher than those for the three other functional groups (P 〈 0.05). Forb accounts for about 91.9 % of the variation in the intercept and 75.0% of the variation in the slope of the SAR curve when all functional groups' data were pooled together. Our results indicated that the different SAR patterns should be linked with species dispersal capabilities, environmental filtering, and life form composition within alpine grassland communities. Further studies on the relationship between species diversity and ecosystem functions should specify the differential responses of different functional groups to variations in climate and anthropogenic disturbances.
文摘Virgin forests are unique ecosystems, which can be used as etalon for basic biocoenotic investigation. Soil microorganisms are very sensitive reagents on influence of biotical factors, and at the same time are the active producers of phytotoxic and phytostimulating exometabolites. Studies of soil microbiota were conducted in virgin beech forests of Shyrokoluzhansky massif of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve. It was found the ratio and the number of different ecological-trophic groups of soil microorganisms changes with altitude. So the number of ammonificators with increasing of altitude above sea level was reduced. The soil at altitude of 1,100 meters above sea level was characterized by minimum content of organotrophes -1.22 × 10^6 (CFU-colony forming units/lg.a.d.s.). At the altitude of 500 meters content of ammonificators increased at six times and was 7.07 ×10^6 CFU/lg.a.d.s., which indicates to accumulation of the soil organic matter. Similar changes occurred with the number of bacteria which are using mineral forms of nitrogen for their nutrition. Their maximum quantity (4.32 × 10^6 CFU/lg.a.d.s.) was in the soil of biotope disposed at altitude of 500 meters above sea level. Fluctuations in the number of soil micromycetes of virgin forest ecosystems have not been as significant as the bacterial microbiota (within 17 ×10^3-28 × 10^3 CFU/lg.a.d.s.). Among a wide spectrum of bacterial microbiota were isolated strains with high phytostimulating action.
基金We are grateful to X. D. Xi, T. Wu, H. Hu, and Z. Z. Kang for helpful discussions, and P. Liu for technical help with western blot analysis. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 20873122, 21222307, and 21003106), Fok Ying Tung Education Foundation (No. 131015), the Science & Technology Department of Zhejiang Province (Nos. 2008C11125 and R12B030002), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2014XZZX003-02).
文摘Adsorption of plasma proteins to nanomaterial surfaces has a great influence on their bio-functionality. However, there is limited understanding of the relationship between the functional proteins in the protein corona and the biological identity of the materials. Here we show that the in situ generated thrombin in the protein corona of a Ca-zeolite surface displays a calcium-dependent, unusually high (-3,000 NIH U/mg) procoagulant activity, which is even stable against antithrombin deactivation. Removing the encapsulated Ca^2+ in the zeolites leads to deactivation by antithrombin. Our observations suggest that the thrombin activity can be regulated by the inorganic surface and cations. Most importantly, our discovery indicates the link between the biomolecules in the protein corona and the procoagulant activity of the materials, providing a new molecular basis for the procoagulant mechanism for zeolite hemostatics.
文摘Direct observation is arguably the preferred way to investigate the interactions between two molecular complexes. With the development of high speed atomic force microscopy (AFM), it is becoming possible to observe directly DNA-protein interactions with relevant spatial and temporal resolutions. These interactions are of central importance to biology, bionanotechnology, and functional biologically inspired materials. As in all microscopy studies, sample preparation plays a central role in AFM observation and minimal perturbation of the sample is desired. Here, we demonstrate the ability to tune the interactions between DNA molecules and the surface to create an association strong enough to enable high-resolution AFM imaging while also providing sufficient translational freedom to allow the relevant protein-DNA interactions to take place. Furthermore, we describe a quantitative method for measuring DNA mobility, while also determining the individual forces contributing to DNA movement. We found that for a weak surface association, a significant contribution to the movement arises from the interaction of the AFM tip with the DNA. In combination, these methods enable the tuning of the surface translational freedom of DNA molecules to allow the direct study of a wide range of nucleo-protein interactions by high speed atomic force microscopy.