Regeneration status of tree species along elevation gradient in temperate hill forest was not understood greatly.Present research examined the tree diversity and its regeneration patterns along an elevation gradient i...Regeneration status of tree species along elevation gradient in temperate hill forest was not understood greatly.Present research examined the tree diversity and its regeneration patterns along an elevation gradient in temperate hill forest,central Nepal.Data were collected from 300 sample plots within vertical elevation bands of 10,ranging from 1365 to 2450 m asl.A random sampling method was used for data collection in three seasons,winter,pre-monsoon and post monsoon seasons.Diameter at breast height(DBH)was used to broadly categorize the plant individual into trees,saplings and seedlings.The tree species richness ranged from 12 to 25 with density of 350 to 1200 individuals per hectare.Species richness of tree and sapling showed statistically significant unimodal pattern,which peaked at mid-elevation.Elevation showed a strong and positive linear correlation with the seedling density(Deviance=0.99,p<0.001)and a significant hump-shaped relationship with sapling density(Deviance=0.95,p<0.001).Similarly,elevations showed a statistically significant negative hump-shaped relationship with all trees,saplings and seedling stages(Deviances=0.89,0.87 and 0.57).The highest values of the Shannon-Wiener index and the lowest value of the Simpson index were found at mid-elevation for all growth forms.Nearly 92%of tree species were found at regenerating stage;49%in a good renewal regeneration status,32%in fair renewal regeneration,and 11%at a poor regenerating condition.Nevertheless,4%of tree species were reported as non-regenerating stages and 4%were newly introduced species.Hence,the regeneration status of the study area was considered fairly well since sapling(78.5%)>seedling(10.6%)≤mature(10.9%).Among tested environmental variables,elevation and annual mean rainfall were the most influential factors in the regeneration of tree species.展开更多
Quercus arkansana(Arkansas oak)is at risk of becoming endangered,as the total known population size is represented by a few isolated populations.The potential impact of climate change on this species in the near futur...Quercus arkansana(Arkansas oak)is at risk of becoming endangered,as the total known population size is represented by a few isolated populations.The potential impact of climate change on this species in the near future is high,yet knowledge of its predicted effects is limited.Our study utilized the biomod2 R package to develop habi-tat suitability ensemble models based on bioclimatic and topographic environmental variables and the known loca-tions of current distribution of Q.arkansana.We predicted suitable habitats across three climate change scenarios(SSP1-2.6,SSP2-4.5,and SSP5-8.5)for 2050,2070,and 2090.Our findings reveal that the current suitable habitat for Q.arkansana is approximately 127,881 km^(2) across seven states(Texas,Arkansas,Alabama,Louisiana,Mississippi,Georgia,and Florida);approximately 9.5%is encompassed within state and federally managed protected areas.Our models predict that all current suitable habitats will disap-pear by 2050 due to climate change,resulting in a northward shift into new regions such as Tennessee and Kentucky.The large extent of suitable habitat outside protected areas sug-gests that a species-specific action plan incorporating pro-tected areas and other areas may be crucial for its conserva-tion.Moreover,protection of Q.arkansana habitat against climate change may require locally and regionally focused conservation policies,adaptive management strategies,and educational outreach among local people.展开更多
Many different factors,such as species traits,socio-economic factors,geographical and environmental factors,can lead to specimen collection preference.This study aims to determine whether grassland specimen collection...Many different factors,such as species traits,socio-economic factors,geographical and environmental factors,can lead to specimen collection preference.This study aims to determine whether grassland specimen collection in China is preferred by species traits(i.e.,plant height,flowering and fruiting period),environmental range(i.e.,the temperature and precipitation range)and geographical range(i.e.,distribution range and altitudinal range).Ordinary least squares models and phylogenetic generalized linear mixed models were used to analyze the relationships between specimen number and the explanatory variables.Random Forest models were then used to find the most parsimonious multivariate model.The results showed that interannual variation in specimen number between 1900 and 2020 was considerable.Specimen number of these species in southeast China was notably lower than that in northwest China.Environmental range and geographical range of species had significant positive correlations with specimen number.In addition,there were relatively weak but significant associations between specimen number and species trait(i.e.,plant height and flowering and fruiting period).Random Forest models indicated that distribution range was the most important variable,followed by flowering and fruiting period,and altitudinal range.These findings suggest that future floristic surveys should pay more attention to species with small geographical range,narrow environmental range,short plant height,and short flowering and fruiting period.The correction of specimen collection preference will also make the results of species distribution model,species evolution and other works based on specimen data more accurate.展开更多
The article presents the biology of flowering and the daily dynamics of flowering of two species from the Lamiaceae family: ph. anisochila va ph. sogdiana of the distribution out in the Nuratau Mountains range.
Four species new to science were identified in the Tellinidae museum collections in the Marine Biological Museum of Chinese Academy of Sciences.Pinguitellina triquetra sp.nov.,collected in 1981,has not previously been...Four species new to science were identified in the Tellinidae museum collections in the Marine Biological Museum of Chinese Academy of Sciences.Pinguitellina triquetra sp.nov.,collected in 1981,has not previously been described or reported.It differs from other Pinguitellina species by its trigonal shape,rose-colored valve interior,and deep and wide pallial sinus,which is confluent with the pallial line.Pinguitellina protuberangla sp.nov.has a broad and deep dorsal corner,short and straight posterodorsal margin,comparatively large adductor scars,depressed and fragile shells,and deep socket at the anterior edge of the right valve.Pinguitellina minuta sp.nov.was previously misidentified as Arcopella casta in China.It is a new species based on its unique characteristics,which include small,fragile,inflated,translucent,and triangularly ovate-shaped shells with acuminated and convex umboes.As the first species described in China within the genus Abranda Iredale,1924,Abranda xui sp.nov.has internal ligaments and thin,fragile,and translucent elliptical shells with fine radials on the surface.In this study,we reorganized the species currently contained in the two genera Pinguitellina and Abranda and created keys to the known species.We believe that numerous collected bivalve specimens have been overlooked in the South China Sea,and to date,mollusk has not been adequately sampled.Thus,further exploration and analysis are required to understand species diversity in this area.展开更多
A new species of the genus Brachytarsophrys,named Brachytarsophrys wenshanensis sp.nov.,has been identified in southeastern Yunnan,China.This new species can be readily distinguished from other known congeners by both...A new species of the genus Brachytarsophrys,named Brachytarsophrys wenshanensis sp.nov.,has been identified in southeastern Yunnan,China.This new species can be readily distinguished from other known congeners by both morphological criterion and molecular analysis of three mitochondrial gene segments:16S,COI,and Cytb.This classification is based on the following morphological characters:(1)medium body size(SVL 83.8–85.1 mm in two adult males);(2)enormous head,with head width nearly 1.2 times the length;(3)tongue pyriform,feebly notched;(4)non-meeting heels;(5)male lacking nuptial pad;(6)tibiotarsal articulation reaching angle of mouth when hindlimbs are extended forward alongside the body;(7)absence of outer metatarsal tubercle,inner metatarsal tubercle elliptic and approximately equal to first toe;(8)rudimentary toe webbing,webbing formula:Ⅰ(2–)–(2^(++))Ⅱ(2^(–))–(3^(++))Ⅲ(2^(½))–(4)Ⅳ(4^(+))–(2^(⅔))V;(9)lateral fringes narrow;(10)dermal ridge or glandular fold on dorsum absent;(11)pectoral glands distinct and irregular,femoral gland small.Our work increases the number of species within the genus Brachytarsophrys to 9.展开更多
Human disturbances are considered to break reproduction barriers among species.Significant increases in hybridization events have been reported among a large number of taxonomic groups in anthropogenic environments,pr...Human disturbances are considered to break reproduction barriers among species.Significant increases in hybridization events have been reported among a large number of taxonomic groups in anthropogenic environments,providing novel insights into species evolution mechanisms and conservation management in the Anthropocene.The Eastern Golden Frog(Pelophylax plancyi)and BlackSpotted Frog(P.nigromaculatus)are two sympatric anuran species with a long history of mitochondrial genome introgression in highly urbanized continental East Asia.However,there is only limited understanding of the pattern of their contemporary hybridization and factors influencing their interspecific relationship under anthropogenic disturbances.Here,interspecific hybridization between P.plancyi and P.nigromaculatus at the population level was investigated in Shanghai.All except two haplotypes obtained from both species in Shanghai were mixed together,and located in the introgression clade,implying multiple ancient mitochondrial introgression events occurred in the populations of our study area.Asymmetric genetic introgression was detected by microsatellite markers,with 0.7%of P.plancyi and 14.6%of P.nigromaculatus identified as contemporary admixed individuals.Consistent with the trend of population density,higher genetic diversity of neutral microsatellite loci was found in the more abundant P.plancyi;however,variation in mitochondrial(Cyt-b)and nuclear(POMC)genes was higher in relatively rare P.nigromaculatus.The population density of P.plancyi and number of water patches within local habitats were significantly positively correlated with both occurrences and proportions of admixed individuals in the populations of P.plancyi and P.nigromaculatus.Considering the prevalent transformation of habitats in urbanized areas,these results imply that a high population density in isolated artificially altered habitats is likely to increase interspecific hybridization.Thus,population monitoring and improvement of landscape connectivity between habitats would be needed to control the intensity of interspecific hybridization between P.plancyi and P.nigromaculatus in anthropogenic-disturbed environments.展开更多
Maintaining natural habitats is crucial for the preservation of insects and other species that indicate environmental changes. However, the Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve and its surrounding farmlands are facing distur...Maintaining natural habitats is crucial for the preservation of insects and other species that indicate environmental changes. However, the Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve and its surrounding farmlands are facing disturbance due to human activities, which is putting many wildlife species, particularly larger mammals, at risk. To determine the impact of human activities on butterfly species diversity and abundance in the reserve and its surrounding areas, we conducted a study from November 2021 to October 2023. We collected butterfly data using transect walks and baited traps in two habitat types. Our study yielded 2799 butterfly Individuals ranging in 124 species divided into five families habitat, season, and anthropogenic factors are significant environmental variables influencing species diversity and abundance of butterflies. Therefore, it’s important to protect habitat and dry-season water for the conservation of invertebrates such as butterflies. Our study findings provide essential information for ecological monitoring and future assessment of the Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve ecosystem health.展开更多
Aggregation of species with similar ecological properties is one of the effective methods to simplify food web researches.However,species aggregation will affect not only the complexity of modeling process but also th...Aggregation of species with similar ecological properties is one of the effective methods to simplify food web researches.However,species aggregation will affect not only the complexity of modeling process but also the accuracy of models’outputs.Selection of aggregation methods and the number of trophospecies are the keys to study the simplification of food web.In this study,three aggregation methods,including taxonomic aggregation(TA),structural equivalence aggregation(SEA),and self-organizing maps(SOM),were analyzed and compared with the linear inverse model–Markov Chain Monte Carlo(LIM-MCMC)model.Impacts of aggregation methods and trophospecies number on food webs were evaluated based on the robustness and unitless of ecological net-work indices.Results showed that aggregation method of SEA performed better than the other two methods in estimating food web structure and function indices.The effects of aggregation methods were driven by the differences in species aggregation principles,which will alter food web structure and function through the redistribution of energy flow.According to the results of mean absolute percentage error(MAPE)which can be applied to evaluate the accuracy of the model,we found that MAPE in food web indices will increase with the reducing trophospecies number,and MAPE in food web function indices were smaller and more stable than those in food web structure indices.Therefore,trade-off between simplifying food webs and reflecting the status of ecosystem should be con-sidered in food web studies.These findings highlight the importance of aggregation methods and trophospecies number in the analy-sis of food web simplification.This study provided a framework to explore the extent to which food web models are affected by dif-ferent species aggregation,and will provide scientific basis for the construction of food webs.展开更多
Plasma-activated water(PAW),as an extended form of cold atmospheric-pressure plasma,greatly expands the application of plasma-based technology.The biological effects of PAW are closely related to the aqueous reactive ...Plasma-activated water(PAW),as an extended form of cold atmospheric-pressure plasma,greatly expands the application of plasma-based technology.The biological effects of PAW are closely related to the aqueous reactive species,which can be regulated by the activation process.In this study,surface plasma-activated air(SAA)and a He+O_(2)plasma jet(Jet)were parallelly combined(the SAA+Jet combination)or sequentially combined(the SAA→Jet combination and the Jet→SAA combination)to prepare plasma-activated saline(PAS).The PAS activated by the combinations exhibited stronger bactericidal effects than that activated by the SAA or the Jet alone.The concentrations of H_(2)O_(2)and NO_(2)^(-)were higher in the PAS activated by the Jet→SAA combination,while ONOO^(-)concentrations were close in the three kinds of PAS and^(1)O_(2)concentrations were higher in the PAS activated by the SAA+Jet combination.The analysis of scavengers also demonstrated that H_(2)O_(2),^(1)O_(2),and ONOO^(-)in the PAS activated by the SAA+Jet combination,and^(1)O_(2)in the PAS activated by the Jet→SAA combination played critical roles in bactericidal effects.Further,the effective placement time of the three PAS varied,and the PAS activated by the Jet→SAA combination could also inactivate 2.6-log_(10)of MRSA cells after placement for more than 60 min.The regulation of reactive species in plasma-activated water via different combinations of plasma devices could improve the directional application of plasma-activated water in the biomedical field.展开更多
Mediated by pollenflow,natural hybridization is deemed a crucial factor that propels speciation infloral plants.Despite the fact that the diversity of Epimedium species is concentrated mainly in Southwestern China,the p...Mediated by pollenflow,natural hybridization is deemed a crucial factor that propels speciation infloral plants.Despite the fact that the diversity of Epimedium species is concentrated mainly in Southwestern China,the poten-tial impact of interspecific pollination on natural hybridization has yet to be empirically scrutinized.To explore this,we studied theflowering period and the visitors offlowers in three frequently overlapping Epimedium species at Jinchengshan National Forest Park,located in Nanchong,Sichuan Province.Additionally,we performed a ser-ies of pollination experiments to examine breeding systems and hybrid compatibility.Morphologically,Epime-dium pubescens and Epimedium wushanense are clearly distinct and easily recognizable byflower morphology,while the putative hybrid is morphologically intermediate between them.Our observation revealed that E.pub-escens and E.wushanense had 15 days of overlapping anthesis.Both species are self-incompatible and require pol-linator services for successful reproduction.Although their pollinators differ in quantity and species,Lasioglossum sp.(Hymenoptera:Halictidae)visited all three species.Artificial pollination revealed no breeding barriers among the three species,and the resulting hybrid seeds exhibited fertility.The overlapping time offlowering,commonfloral visitors,and compatibility of hybrids may be important factors contributing to successful interspecific pol-lination and speciation for natural hybrid species of E.pubescens and E.wushanense.Consequently,the role of potential interspecific pollination is crucial for hybrid speciation and the evolutionary dynamics of Epimedium species.展开更多
Differences in forest attributes and carbon sequestration of each organ and layer between broadleaved and conifer forests of central and outer urban areas are not well-defined,hindering the precise management of urban...Differences in forest attributes and carbon sequestration of each organ and layer between broadleaved and conifer forests of central and outer urban areas are not well-defined,hindering the precise management of urban forests and improvement of function.To clarify the effect of two forest types with different urbanization intensities,we determined differences in vegetation composition and diversity,structural traits,and carbon stocks of 152 plots(20 m×20 m)in urban park forests in Changchun,which had the largest green quantity and carbon density effectiveness.We found that 1.1-fold thicker and healthier trees,and 1.6-to 2.0-fold higher,healthier,denser,and more various shrubs but with sparser trees and herbs occurred in the central urban forests(p<0.05)than in the outer forests.The conifer forests exhibited 30–70%obviously higher tree aboveground carbon sequestration(including stem and leaf)and 20%bigger trees,especially in the outer forests(p<0.05).In contrast,1.1-to 1.5-fold higher branch stocks,healthier and more diverse trees were found in broadleaved forests of both the inner and outer forests(p<0.05).Plant size and dominant species had similarly important roles in carbon stock improvement,especially big-sized woody plants and Pinus tabuliformis.In addition,a higher number of deciduous or needle species positively affected the broadleaved forest of the central urban area and conifer forest of the outer urban area,respectively.These findings can be used to guide precise management and accelerate the improvement of urban carbon function in Northeast China in the future.展开更多
Despite all efforts,long-term changes in the adult sex ratios of breeding duck populations are still unclear;this uncertainty is especially true for male-bias populations,which are often under the scrutiny of research...Despite all efforts,long-term changes in the adult sex ratios of breeding duck populations are still unclear;this uncertainty is especially true for male-bias populations,which are often under the scrutiny of researchers lacking convenient results for the active protection of endangered species.Species with male-bias populations are usually strongly affected by a decline in population size that leads to a higher extinction risk.In this study,we examined our long-term data of the abundance of breeding populations in six duck species(Mallard Anas platyrhynchos,Gadwall Mareca strepera,Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina,Common Pochard Aythya ferina,Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula,and Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula)from fishponds in South Bohemia,Czechia,between 2004 and 2022.This evidence was used to assess long-term changes in the adult sex ratio in these breeding populations and investigate the possible effects of the NAO index(North Atlantic Oscillation index)on them,indicating climate conditions in winter.We determined a long-term decrease of the proportion of females in the breeding season in two of the six examined species:Common Pochard and Red-crested Pochard,which is driven by the long-term increase in the number of males in contrast to the decreasing or stable number of females likely caused by different migration behaviours between females and males.In the case of Common Pochard,in breeding populations,we estimated 60-65%of males in the early 2000s rising to 75-80%in the early 2020s.However,we establish no significant effects linked to climate conditions of the previous winter in these species as a crucial cause of the changes of the proportion of females in the breeding population.展开更多
Conventional blood sampling for glucose detection is prone to cause pain and fails to continuously record glucose fluctuations in vivo.Continuous glucose monitoring based on implantable electrodes could induce pain an...Conventional blood sampling for glucose detection is prone to cause pain and fails to continuously record glucose fluctuations in vivo.Continuous glucose monitoring based on implantable electrodes could induce pain and potential tissue inflammation,and the presence of reactive oxygen species(ROS)due to inflammationmay affect glucose detection.Microneedle technology is less invasive,yet microneedle adhesion with skin tissue is limited.In this work,we developed a microarrow sensor array(MASA),which provided enhanced skin surface adhesion and enabled simultaneous detection of glucose and H_(2)O_(2)(representative of ROS)in interstitial fluid in vivo.The microarrows fabricated via laser micromachining were modified with functional coating and integrated into a patch of a three-dimensional(3D)microneedle array.Due to the arrow tip mechanically interlocking with the tissue,the microarrow array could better adhere to the skin surface after penetration into skin.The MASA was demonstrated to provide continuous in vivo monitoring of glucose and H_(2)O_(2) concentrations,with the detection of H_(2)O_(2) providing a valuable reference for assessing the inflammation state.Finally,the MASA was integrated into a monitoring system using custom circuitry.This work provides a promising tool for the stable and reliable monitoring of blood glucose in diabetic patients.展开更多
Here,we characterize the temporal and spatial dynamics of forest community structure and species diversity in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in China.We found that community structure in this forest chang...Here,we characterize the temporal and spatial dynamics of forest community structure and species diversity in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in China.We found that community structure in this forest changed over a 15-year period.Specifically,renewal and death of common species was large,with the renewal of individuals mainly concentrated within a few populations,especially those of Aidia canthioides and Cryptocarya concinna.The numbers of individual deaths for common species were concentrated in the small and mid-diameter level.The spatial distribution of community species diversity fluctuated in each monitoring period,showing a more dispersed diversity after the 15-year study period,and the coefficient of variation on quadrats increased.In 2010,the death and renewal of the community and the spatial variation of species diversity were different compared to other survey years.Extreme weather may have affected species regeneration and community stability in our subtropical monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forests.Our findings suggest that strengthening the monitoring and management of the forest community will help better understand the long-and short-term causes of dynamic fluctuations of community structure and species diversity,and reveal the factors that drive changes in community structure.展开更多
The basic region/leucine zipper(bZIP)transcription factors play important roles in plant development and responses to abiotic and biotic stresses.OsbZIP53 regulates resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae in rice by analyzin...The basic region/leucine zipper(bZIP)transcription factors play important roles in plant development and responses to abiotic and biotic stresses.OsbZIP53 regulates resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae in rice by analyzing APIP5-RNAi transgenic plants.To further investigate the biological functions of OsbZIP53,we generated osbzip53 mutants using CRISPR/Cas9 editing and also constructed OsbZIP53 over-expression transgenic plants.Comprehensive analysis of phenotypical,physiological,and transcriptional data showed that knocking-out OsbZIP53 not only improved disease resistance by inducing a hypersensitivity response in plants,but also regulated the immune response through the salicylic acid pathway.Specifically,disrupting OsbZIP53 increased H2O2 accumulation by promoting reactive oxygen species generation through up-regulation of several respiratory burst oxidase homologs(Osrboh genes)and weakened H2O2 degradation by directly targeting OsMYBS1.In addition,the growth of osbzip53 mutants was seriously impaired,while OsbZIP53 over-expression lines displayed a similar phenotype to the wild type,suggesting that OsbZIP53 has a balancing effect on rice immune response and growth.展开更多
Forests,the largest terrestrial carbon sinks,play an important role in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation.Although forest attributes and environmental factors have been shown to impact aboveground biom...Forests,the largest terrestrial carbon sinks,play an important role in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation.Although forest attributes and environmental factors have been shown to impact aboveground biomass,their influence on biomass stocks in species-rich forests in southern China,a biodiversity hotspot,has rarely been investigated.In this study,we characterized the effects of environmental factors,forest structure,and species diversity on aboveground biomass stocks of 30 plots(1 ha each) in natural forests located within seven nature reserves distributed across subtropical and marginal tropical zones in Guangxi,China.Our results indicate that forest aboveground biomass stocks in this region are lower than those in mature tropical and subtropical forests in other regions.Furthermore,we found that aboveground biomass was positively correlated with stand age,mean annual precipitation,elevation,structural attributes and species richness,although not with species evenness.When we compared stands with the same basal area,we found that aboveground biomass stock was higher in communities with a higher coefficient of variation of diameter at breast height.These findings highlight the importance of maintaining forest structural diversity and species richness to promote aboveground biomass accumulation and reveal the potential impacts of precipitation changes resulting from climate warming on the ecosystem services of subtropical and northern tropical forests in China.Notably,many natural forests in southern China are not fully stocked.Therefore,their continued growth will increase their carbon storage over time.展开更多
Since the launch of the Google Earth Engine(GEE)cloud platform in 2010,it has been widely used,leading to a wealth of valuable information.However,the potential of GEE for forest resource management has not been fully...Since the launch of the Google Earth Engine(GEE)cloud platform in 2010,it has been widely used,leading to a wealth of valuable information.However,the potential of GEE for forest resource management has not been fully exploited.To extract dominant woody plant species,GEE combined Sen-tinel-1(S1)and Sentinel-2(S2)data with the addition of the National Forest Resources Inventory(NFRI)and topographic data,resulting in a 10 m resolution multimodal geospatial dataset for subtropical forests in southeast China.Spectral and texture features,red-edge bands,and vegetation indices of S1 and S2 data were computed.A hierarchical model obtained information on forest distribution and area and the dominant woody plant species.The results suggest that combining data sources from the S1 winter and S2 yearly ranges enhances accuracy in forest distribution and area extraction compared to using either data source independently.Similarly,for dominant woody species recognition,using S1 winter and S2 data across all four seasons was accurate.Including terrain factors and removing spatial correlation from NFRI sample points further improved the recognition accuracy.The optimal forest extraction achieved an overall accuracy(OA)of 97.4%and a maplevel image classification efficacy(MICE)of 96.7%.OA and MICE were 83.6%and 80.7%for dominant species extraction,respectively.The high accuracy and efficacy values indicate that the hierarchical recognition model based on multimodal remote sensing data performed extremely well for extracting information about dominant woody plant species.Visualizing the results using the GEE application allows for an intuitive display of forest and species distribution,offering significant convenience for forest resource monitoring.展开更多
Savanna,semi-deserts,and hot deserts characterize the Saharo-Arabian region,which includes Morocco,Mauretania,Algeria,Tunisia,Libya,Egypt,Palestine,Kuwait,Saudi Arabia,Qatar,Bahrain,the United Arab Emirates,Oman,Yemen...Savanna,semi-deserts,and hot deserts characterize the Saharo-Arabian region,which includes Morocco,Mauretania,Algeria,Tunisia,Libya,Egypt,Palestine,Kuwait,Saudi Arabia,Qatar,Bahrain,the United Arab Emirates,Oman,Yemen,southern Jordan,Syria,Iraq,Iran,Afghanistan,Pakistan,and northern India.Its neighboring regions,the Sudano-Zambezian region belonging to the Paleotropical Kingdom and the Mediterranean and Irano-Turanian regions included in the Holarctic Kingdom,share a large portion of their flora with the Saharo-Arabian region.Despite the widespread acknowledgment of the region's global importance for plant diversity,an up to date list of the Saharo-Arabian endemics is still unavailable.The available data are frequently insufficient or out of date at both the whole global and the national scales.Therefore,the present study aims at screening and verifying the Saharo-Arabian endemic plants and determining the phytogeographical distribution of these taxa in the Egyptian flora.Hence,a preliminary list of 429 Saharo-Arabian endemic plants in Egypt was compiled from the available literature.Indeed,by excluding the species that were recorded in any countries or regions outside the Saharo-Arabian region based on different literature,database reviews,and websites,the present study has reduced this number to 126 taxa belonging to 87 genera and 37 families.Regarding the national geographic distribution,South Sinai is the richest region with 83 endemic species compared with other eight phytogeographic regions in Egypt,followed by the Isthmic Desert(the middle of Sinai Peninsula,53 taxa).Sahara regional subzone(SS1)distributes all the 126 endemic species,Arabian regional subzone(SS2)owns 79 taxa,and Nubo-Sindian subzone(SS3)distributes only 14 endemics.Seven groups were recognized at the fourth level of classification as a result of the application of the two-way indicator species analysis(TWINSPAN)to the Saharo-Arabian endemic species in Egypt,i.e.,I Asphodelus refractus group,II Agathophora alopecuroides var.papillosa group,III Anvillea garcinii group,IV Reseda muricata group,V Agathophora alopecuroides var.alopecuroides group,VI Scrophularia deserti group,and VII Astragalus schimperi group.It's crucial to clearly define the Saharo-Arabian endemics and illustrate an updated verified database of these taxa for a given territory for providing future management plans that support the conservation and sustainable use of these valuable species under current thought-provoking devastating impacts of rapid anthropogenic and climate change in this region.展开更多
Background: Understanding the role of species identity in interactions among individuals is crucial for assessing the productivity and stability of mixed forests over time. However, there is limited knowledge concerni...Background: Understanding the role of species identity in interactions among individuals is crucial for assessing the productivity and stability of mixed forests over time. However, there is limited knowledge concerning the variation in competitive effect and response of different species along climatic gradients. In this study, we investigated the importance of climate, tree size, and competition on the growth of three tree species: spruce(Picea abies), fir(Abies alba), and beech(Fagus sylvatica), and examined their competitive response and effect along a climatic gradient.Methods: We selected 39 plots distributed across the European mountains with records of the position and growth of 5,759 individuals. For each target species, models relating tree growth to tree size, climate and competition were proposed. Competition was modelled using a neighbourhood competition index that considered the effects of inter-and intraspecific competition on target trees. Competitive responses and effects were related to climate.Likelihood methods and information theory were used to select the best model.Results: Our findings revealed that competition had a greater impact on target species growth than tree size or climate. Climate did influence the competitive effects of neighbouring species, but it did not affect the target species? response to competition. The strength of competitive effects varied along the gradient, contingent on the identity of the interacting species. When the target species exhibited an intermediate competitive effect relative to neighbouring species, both higher inter-than intraspecific competitive effects and competition reduction occurred along the gradient. Notably, species competitive effects were most pronounced when the target species' growth was at its peak and weakest when growing conditions were far from their maximum.Conclusions: Climate modulates the effects of competition from neighbouring trees on the target tree and not the susceptibility of the target tree to competition. The modelling approach should be useful in future research to expand our knowledge of how competition modulates forest communities across environmental gradients.展开更多
基金the University grant Commission, Kathmandu Nepal for partial financial assistance (Sand T 23-2076/77)
文摘Regeneration status of tree species along elevation gradient in temperate hill forest was not understood greatly.Present research examined the tree diversity and its regeneration patterns along an elevation gradient in temperate hill forest,central Nepal.Data were collected from 300 sample plots within vertical elevation bands of 10,ranging from 1365 to 2450 m asl.A random sampling method was used for data collection in three seasons,winter,pre-monsoon and post monsoon seasons.Diameter at breast height(DBH)was used to broadly categorize the plant individual into trees,saplings and seedlings.The tree species richness ranged from 12 to 25 with density of 350 to 1200 individuals per hectare.Species richness of tree and sapling showed statistically significant unimodal pattern,which peaked at mid-elevation.Elevation showed a strong and positive linear correlation with the seedling density(Deviance=0.99,p<0.001)and a significant hump-shaped relationship with sapling density(Deviance=0.95,p<0.001).Similarly,elevations showed a statistically significant negative hump-shaped relationship with all trees,saplings and seedling stages(Deviances=0.89,0.87 and 0.57).The highest values of the Shannon-Wiener index and the lowest value of the Simpson index were found at mid-elevation for all growth forms.Nearly 92%of tree species were found at regenerating stage;49%in a good renewal regeneration status,32%in fair renewal regeneration,and 11%at a poor regenerating condition.Nevertheless,4%of tree species were reported as non-regenerating stages and 4%were newly introduced species.Hence,the regeneration status of the study area was considered fairly well since sapling(78.5%)>seedling(10.6%)≤mature(10.9%).Among tested environmental variables,elevation and annual mean rainfall were the most influential factors in the regeneration of tree species.
基金The work was partially supported by research project funding from the Undergraduate Research Grant,Arkansas Tech University.
文摘Quercus arkansana(Arkansas oak)is at risk of becoming endangered,as the total known population size is represented by a few isolated populations.The potential impact of climate change on this species in the near future is high,yet knowledge of its predicted effects is limited.Our study utilized the biomod2 R package to develop habi-tat suitability ensemble models based on bioclimatic and topographic environmental variables and the known loca-tions of current distribution of Q.arkansana.We predicted suitable habitats across three climate change scenarios(SSP1-2.6,SSP2-4.5,and SSP5-8.5)for 2050,2070,and 2090.Our findings reveal that the current suitable habitat for Q.arkansana is approximately 127,881 km^(2) across seven states(Texas,Arkansas,Alabama,Louisiana,Mississippi,Georgia,and Florida);approximately 9.5%is encompassed within state and federally managed protected areas.Our models predict that all current suitable habitats will disap-pear by 2050 due to climate change,resulting in a northward shift into new regions such as Tennessee and Kentucky.The large extent of suitable habitat outside protected areas sug-gests that a species-specific action plan incorporating pro-tected areas and other areas may be crucial for its conserva-tion.Moreover,protection of Q.arkansana habitat against climate change may require locally and regionally focused conservation policies,adaptive management strategies,and educational outreach among local people.
基金the Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia,China(2023JQ01)the National Key R&D Program of China(2019YFA0607103)+2 种基金the Central Government Guides Local Science and Technology Development Fund Projects(2022ZY0224)the Open Project Program of Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resources Use of the Mongolian Plateau,Hohhot,Inner Mongolia,China(KF2023003)Major Science and Technology Project of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region:Monitoring,Assessment and Early Warning Technology Research of Biodiversity in Inner Mongolia(2021ZD0011)for financial support.
文摘Many different factors,such as species traits,socio-economic factors,geographical and environmental factors,can lead to specimen collection preference.This study aims to determine whether grassland specimen collection in China is preferred by species traits(i.e.,plant height,flowering and fruiting period),environmental range(i.e.,the temperature and precipitation range)and geographical range(i.e.,distribution range and altitudinal range).Ordinary least squares models and phylogenetic generalized linear mixed models were used to analyze the relationships between specimen number and the explanatory variables.Random Forest models were then used to find the most parsimonious multivariate model.The results showed that interannual variation in specimen number between 1900 and 2020 was considerable.Specimen number of these species in southeast China was notably lower than that in northwest China.Environmental range and geographical range of species had significant positive correlations with specimen number.In addition,there were relatively weak but significant associations between specimen number and species trait(i.e.,plant height and flowering and fruiting period).Random Forest models indicated that distribution range was the most important variable,followed by flowering and fruiting period,and altitudinal range.These findings suggest that future floristic surveys should pay more attention to species with small geographical range,narrow environmental range,short plant height,and short flowering and fruiting period.The correction of specimen collection preference will also make the results of species distribution model,species evolution and other works based on specimen data more accurate.
文摘The article presents the biology of flowering and the daily dynamics of flowering of two species from the Lamiaceae family: ph. anisochila va ph. sogdiana of the distribution out in the Nuratau Mountains range.
基金Supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Nos.2021YFF0502801,2021YFE0193700)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Nos.XDB42000000,XDA22050203)the Taishan Scholars Program(No.tsqn202306280)。
文摘Four species new to science were identified in the Tellinidae museum collections in the Marine Biological Museum of Chinese Academy of Sciences.Pinguitellina triquetra sp.nov.,collected in 1981,has not previously been described or reported.It differs from other Pinguitellina species by its trigonal shape,rose-colored valve interior,and deep and wide pallial sinus,which is confluent with the pallial line.Pinguitellina protuberangla sp.nov.has a broad and deep dorsal corner,short and straight posterodorsal margin,comparatively large adductor scars,depressed and fragile shells,and deep socket at the anterior edge of the right valve.Pinguitellina minuta sp.nov.was previously misidentified as Arcopella casta in China.It is a new species based on its unique characteristics,which include small,fragile,inflated,translucent,and triangularly ovate-shaped shells with acuminated and convex umboes.As the first species described in China within the genus Abranda Iredale,1924,Abranda xui sp.nov.has internal ligaments and thin,fragile,and translucent elliptical shells with fine radials on the surface.In this study,we reorganized the species currently contained in the two genera Pinguitellina and Abranda and created keys to the known species.We believe that numerous collected bivalve specimens have been overlooked in the South China Sea,and to date,mollusk has not been adequately sampled.Thus,further exploration and analysis are required to understand species diversity in this area.
基金supported by Fundamental Research Fund for Central Universities (SWUKR22014)National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC 32170478, 32370478)+2 种基金“Special Fund for Youth Team of Southwest University” (SWU-XJPY202302)Youth Top Talent Program of Chongqing (CQYC 20220510893) to Zhiyong YUANNational Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC 31900323) to Jinmin CHEN。
文摘A new species of the genus Brachytarsophrys,named Brachytarsophrys wenshanensis sp.nov.,has been identified in southeastern Yunnan,China.This new species can be readily distinguished from other known congeners by both morphological criterion and molecular analysis of three mitochondrial gene segments:16S,COI,and Cytb.This classification is based on the following morphological characters:(1)medium body size(SVL 83.8–85.1 mm in two adult males);(2)enormous head,with head width nearly 1.2 times the length;(3)tongue pyriform,feebly notched;(4)non-meeting heels;(5)male lacking nuptial pad;(6)tibiotarsal articulation reaching angle of mouth when hindlimbs are extended forward alongside the body;(7)absence of outer metatarsal tubercle,inner metatarsal tubercle elliptic and approximately equal to first toe;(8)rudimentary toe webbing,webbing formula:Ⅰ(2–)–(2^(++))Ⅱ(2^(–))–(3^(++))Ⅲ(2^(½))–(4)Ⅳ(4^(+))–(2^(⅔))V;(9)lateral fringes narrow;(10)dermal ridge or glandular fold on dorsum absent;(11)pectoral glands distinct and irregular,femoral gland small.Our work increases the number of species within the genus Brachytarsophrys to 9.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32071529)the Yangtze Delta Estuarine Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station(Z202204)+1 种基金Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and EcoRestoration(SHUES2020B06,SHUES2021C04)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.
文摘Human disturbances are considered to break reproduction barriers among species.Significant increases in hybridization events have been reported among a large number of taxonomic groups in anthropogenic environments,providing novel insights into species evolution mechanisms and conservation management in the Anthropocene.The Eastern Golden Frog(Pelophylax plancyi)and BlackSpotted Frog(P.nigromaculatus)are two sympatric anuran species with a long history of mitochondrial genome introgression in highly urbanized continental East Asia.However,there is only limited understanding of the pattern of their contemporary hybridization and factors influencing their interspecific relationship under anthropogenic disturbances.Here,interspecific hybridization between P.plancyi and P.nigromaculatus at the population level was investigated in Shanghai.All except two haplotypes obtained from both species in Shanghai were mixed together,and located in the introgression clade,implying multiple ancient mitochondrial introgression events occurred in the populations of our study area.Asymmetric genetic introgression was detected by microsatellite markers,with 0.7%of P.plancyi and 14.6%of P.nigromaculatus identified as contemporary admixed individuals.Consistent with the trend of population density,higher genetic diversity of neutral microsatellite loci was found in the more abundant P.plancyi;however,variation in mitochondrial(Cyt-b)and nuclear(POMC)genes was higher in relatively rare P.nigromaculatus.The population density of P.plancyi and number of water patches within local habitats were significantly positively correlated with both occurrences and proportions of admixed individuals in the populations of P.plancyi and P.nigromaculatus.Considering the prevalent transformation of habitats in urbanized areas,these results imply that a high population density in isolated artificially altered habitats is likely to increase interspecific hybridization.Thus,population monitoring and improvement of landscape connectivity between habitats would be needed to control the intensity of interspecific hybridization between P.plancyi and P.nigromaculatus in anthropogenic-disturbed environments.
文摘Maintaining natural habitats is crucial for the preservation of insects and other species that indicate environmental changes. However, the Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve and its surrounding farmlands are facing disturbance due to human activities, which is putting many wildlife species, particularly larger mammals, at risk. To determine the impact of human activities on butterfly species diversity and abundance in the reserve and its surrounding areas, we conducted a study from November 2021 to October 2023. We collected butterfly data using transect walks and baited traps in two habitat types. Our study yielded 2799 butterfly Individuals ranging in 124 species divided into five families habitat, season, and anthropogenic factors are significant environmental variables influencing species diversity and abundance of butterflies. Therefore, it’s important to protect habitat and dry-season water for the conservation of invertebrates such as butterflies. Our study findings provide essential information for ecological monitoring and future assessment of the Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve ecosystem health.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(Nos.2019YFD0901204,2019YFD 0901205).
文摘Aggregation of species with similar ecological properties is one of the effective methods to simplify food web researches.However,species aggregation will affect not only the complexity of modeling process but also the accuracy of models’outputs.Selection of aggregation methods and the number of trophospecies are the keys to study the simplification of food web.In this study,three aggregation methods,including taxonomic aggregation(TA),structural equivalence aggregation(SEA),and self-organizing maps(SOM),were analyzed and compared with the linear inverse model–Markov Chain Monte Carlo(LIM-MCMC)model.Impacts of aggregation methods and trophospecies number on food webs were evaluated based on the robustness and unitless of ecological net-work indices.Results showed that aggregation method of SEA performed better than the other two methods in estimating food web structure and function indices.The effects of aggregation methods were driven by the differences in species aggregation principles,which will alter food web structure and function through the redistribution of energy flow.According to the results of mean absolute percentage error(MAPE)which can be applied to evaluate the accuracy of the model,we found that MAPE in food web indices will increase with the reducing trophospecies number,and MAPE in food web function indices were smaller and more stable than those in food web structure indices.Therefore,trade-off between simplifying food webs and reflecting the status of ecosystem should be con-sidered in food web studies.These findings highlight the importance of aggregation methods and trophospecies number in the analy-sis of food web simplification.This study provided a framework to explore the extent to which food web models are affected by dif-ferent species aggregation,and will provide scientific basis for the construction of food webs.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51977174)。
文摘Plasma-activated water(PAW),as an extended form of cold atmospheric-pressure plasma,greatly expands the application of plasma-based technology.The biological effects of PAW are closely related to the aqueous reactive species,which can be regulated by the activation process.In this study,surface plasma-activated air(SAA)and a He+O_(2)plasma jet(Jet)were parallelly combined(the SAA+Jet combination)or sequentially combined(the SAA→Jet combination and the Jet→SAA combination)to prepare plasma-activated saline(PAS).The PAS activated by the combinations exhibited stronger bactericidal effects than that activated by the SAA or the Jet alone.The concentrations of H_(2)O_(2)and NO_(2)^(-)were higher in the PAS activated by the Jet→SAA combination,while ONOO^(-)concentrations were close in the three kinds of PAS and^(1)O_(2)concentrations were higher in the PAS activated by the SAA+Jet combination.The analysis of scavengers also demonstrated that H_(2)O_(2),^(1)O_(2),and ONOO^(-)in the PAS activated by the SAA+Jet combination,and^(1)O_(2)in the PAS activated by the Jet→SAA combination played critical roles in bactericidal effects.Further,the effective placement time of the three PAS varied,and the PAS activated by the Jet→SAA combination could also inactivate 2.6-log_(10)of MRSA cells after placement for more than 60 min.The regulation of reactive species in plasma-activated water via different combinations of plasma devices could improve the directional application of plasma-activated water in the biomedical field.
基金This research was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province(No.2023NSFSC1282)the National General Cultivation Project of China West Normal University(No.19B029)Youth Foundation Specialization of West China Normal University(No.22KB004).
文摘Mediated by pollenflow,natural hybridization is deemed a crucial factor that propels speciation infloral plants.Despite the fact that the diversity of Epimedium species is concentrated mainly in Southwestern China,the poten-tial impact of interspecific pollination on natural hybridization has yet to be empirically scrutinized.To explore this,we studied theflowering period and the visitors offlowers in three frequently overlapping Epimedium species at Jinchengshan National Forest Park,located in Nanchong,Sichuan Province.Additionally,we performed a ser-ies of pollination experiments to examine breeding systems and hybrid compatibility.Morphologically,Epime-dium pubescens and Epimedium wushanense are clearly distinct and easily recognizable byflower morphology,while the putative hybrid is morphologically intermediate between them.Our observation revealed that E.pub-escens and E.wushanense had 15 days of overlapping anthesis.Both species are self-incompatible and require pol-linator services for successful reproduction.Although their pollinators differ in quantity and species,Lasioglossum sp.(Hymenoptera:Halictidae)visited all three species.Artificial pollination revealed no breeding barriers among the three species,and the resulting hybrid seeds exhibited fertility.The overlapping time offlowering,commonfloral visitors,and compatibility of hybrids may be important factors contributing to successful interspecific pol-lination and speciation for natural hybrid species of E.pubescens and E.wushanense.Consequently,the role of potential interspecific pollination is crucial for hybrid speciation and the evolutionary dynamics of Epimedium species.
基金the Youth Growth Technology Project,Science and Technology Department of Jilin Province(20230508130RC)Bureau of Forestry and Landscaping of Changchun.
文摘Differences in forest attributes and carbon sequestration of each organ and layer between broadleaved and conifer forests of central and outer urban areas are not well-defined,hindering the precise management of urban forests and improvement of function.To clarify the effect of two forest types with different urbanization intensities,we determined differences in vegetation composition and diversity,structural traits,and carbon stocks of 152 plots(20 m×20 m)in urban park forests in Changchun,which had the largest green quantity and carbon density effectiveness.We found that 1.1-fold thicker and healthier trees,and 1.6-to 2.0-fold higher,healthier,denser,and more various shrubs but with sparser trees and herbs occurred in the central urban forests(p<0.05)than in the outer forests.The conifer forests exhibited 30–70%obviously higher tree aboveground carbon sequestration(including stem and leaf)and 20%bigger trees,especially in the outer forests(p<0.05).In contrast,1.1-to 1.5-fold higher branch stocks,healthier and more diverse trees were found in broadleaved forests of both the inner and outer forests(p<0.05).Plant size and dominant species had similarly important roles in carbon stock improvement,especially big-sized woody plants and Pinus tabuliformis.In addition,a higher number of deciduous or needle species positively affected the broadleaved forest of the central urban area and conifer forest of the outer urban area,respectively.These findings can be used to guide precise management and accelerate the improvement of urban carbon function in Northeast China in the future.
基金supported by the project 2021B0038 of the Internal Grant Agency of Faculty of Environmental Sciences,CZU Prague entitled“Effect of incubation behaviour on predation risk in ducks(Common Pochard Aythya ferina and Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula)in two different habitats”the project SS01010280 of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic entitled“Fishpond management optimization as a tool to biodiversity conservation under climate change”.
文摘Despite all efforts,long-term changes in the adult sex ratios of breeding duck populations are still unclear;this uncertainty is especially true for male-bias populations,which are often under the scrutiny of researchers lacking convenient results for the active protection of endangered species.Species with male-bias populations are usually strongly affected by a decline in population size that leads to a higher extinction risk.In this study,we examined our long-term data of the abundance of breeding populations in six duck species(Mallard Anas platyrhynchos,Gadwall Mareca strepera,Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina,Common Pochard Aythya ferina,Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula,and Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula)from fishponds in South Bohemia,Czechia,between 2004 and 2022.This evidence was used to assess long-term changes in the adult sex ratio in these breeding populations and investigate the possible effects of the NAO index(North Atlantic Oscillation index)on them,indicating climate conditions in winter.We determined a long-term decrease of the proportion of females in the breeding season in two of the six examined species:Common Pochard and Red-crested Pochard,which is driven by the long-term increase in the number of males in contrast to the decreasing or stable number of females likely caused by different migration behaviours between females and males.In the case of Common Pochard,in breeding populations,we estimated 60-65%of males in the early 2000s rising to 75-80%in the early 2020s.However,we establish no significant effects linked to climate conditions of the previous winter in these species as a crucial cause of the changes of the proportion of females in the breeding population.
基金This work was financially supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(Nos.2021YFF1200700 and 2021YFA0911100)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.32171399,32171456,and T2225010)+6 种基金the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(No.2021A1515012261)the Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou,China(No.202103000076)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,Sun Yat-Sen University(No.22dfx02),and Pazhou Lab,Guangzhou(No.PZL2021KF0003)FML would like to thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.32171335 and 31900954)JL would like to thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.62105380)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2021M693686)QQOY would like to thank the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2022M713645).
文摘Conventional blood sampling for glucose detection is prone to cause pain and fails to continuously record glucose fluctuations in vivo.Continuous glucose monitoring based on implantable electrodes could induce pain and potential tissue inflammation,and the presence of reactive oxygen species(ROS)due to inflammationmay affect glucose detection.Microneedle technology is less invasive,yet microneedle adhesion with skin tissue is limited.In this work,we developed a microarrow sensor array(MASA),which provided enhanced skin surface adhesion and enabled simultaneous detection of glucose and H_(2)O_(2)(representative of ROS)in interstitial fluid in vivo.The microarrows fabricated via laser micromachining were modified with functional coating and integrated into a patch of a three-dimensional(3D)microneedle array.Due to the arrow tip mechanically interlocking with the tissue,the microarrow array could better adhere to the skin surface after penetration into skin.The MASA was demonstrated to provide continuous in vivo monitoring of glucose and H_(2)O_(2) concentrations,with the detection of H_(2)O_(2) providing a valuable reference for assessing the inflammation state.Finally,the MASA was integrated into a monitoring system using custom circuitry.This work provides a promising tool for the stable and reliable monitoring of blood glucose in diabetic patients.
基金funded by the Guangxi Natural Science Foundation Program (2022GXNSFAA035583 and 2020GXNSFAA159108)National Natural Science Foundation of China (32060305)+2 种基金Foundation of Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University)Ministry of Education, China (ERESEP 2021Z06)Chinese Forest Biodiversity Monitoring Network
文摘Here,we characterize the temporal and spatial dynamics of forest community structure and species diversity in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in China.We found that community structure in this forest changed over a 15-year period.Specifically,renewal and death of common species was large,with the renewal of individuals mainly concentrated within a few populations,especially those of Aidia canthioides and Cryptocarya concinna.The numbers of individual deaths for common species were concentrated in the small and mid-diameter level.The spatial distribution of community species diversity fluctuated in each monitoring period,showing a more dispersed diversity after the 15-year study period,and the coefficient of variation on quadrats increased.In 2010,the death and renewal of the community and the spatial variation of species diversity were different compared to other survey years.Extreme weather may have affected species regeneration and community stability in our subtropical monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forests.Our findings suggest that strengthening the monitoring and management of the forest community will help better understand the long-and short-term causes of dynamic fluctuations of community structure and species diversity,and reveal the factors that drive changes in community structure.
基金the Zhejiang Natural Science Foundation,China(Grant No.LY21C130004)the Key Research and Development Program of Zhejiang Province,China(Grant No.2021C02056-3)+1 种基金the Central Public-Interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund,China(Grant No.CPSIBRF-CNRRI-202202)the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program,China(Grant No.CAASASTIP-2021-CNRRI).
文摘The basic region/leucine zipper(bZIP)transcription factors play important roles in plant development and responses to abiotic and biotic stresses.OsbZIP53 regulates resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae in rice by analyzing APIP5-RNAi transgenic plants.To further investigate the biological functions of OsbZIP53,we generated osbzip53 mutants using CRISPR/Cas9 editing and also constructed OsbZIP53 over-expression transgenic plants.Comprehensive analysis of phenotypical,physiological,and transcriptional data showed that knocking-out OsbZIP53 not only improved disease resistance by inducing a hypersensitivity response in plants,but also regulated the immune response through the salicylic acid pathway.Specifically,disrupting OsbZIP53 increased H2O2 accumulation by promoting reactive oxygen species generation through up-regulation of several respiratory burst oxidase homologs(Osrboh genes)and weakened H2O2 degradation by directly targeting OsMYBS1.In addition,the growth of osbzip53 mutants was seriously impaired,while OsbZIP53 over-expression lines displayed a similar phenotype to the wild type,suggesting that OsbZIP53 has a balancing effect on rice immune response and growth.
基金supported by the Guangxi Key R&D Program (project No. AB16380254)a research project of Guangxi Forestry Department (Guilinkezi [2015] No.5)supported a grant for Bagui Senior Fellow (C33600992001)。
文摘Forests,the largest terrestrial carbon sinks,play an important role in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation.Although forest attributes and environmental factors have been shown to impact aboveground biomass,their influence on biomass stocks in species-rich forests in southern China,a biodiversity hotspot,has rarely been investigated.In this study,we characterized the effects of environmental factors,forest structure,and species diversity on aboveground biomass stocks of 30 plots(1 ha each) in natural forests located within seven nature reserves distributed across subtropical and marginal tropical zones in Guangxi,China.Our results indicate that forest aboveground biomass stocks in this region are lower than those in mature tropical and subtropical forests in other regions.Furthermore,we found that aboveground biomass was positively correlated with stand age,mean annual precipitation,elevation,structural attributes and species richness,although not with species evenness.When we compared stands with the same basal area,we found that aboveground biomass stock was higher in communities with a higher coefficient of variation of diameter at breast height.These findings highlight the importance of maintaining forest structural diversity and species richness to promote aboveground biomass accumulation and reveal the potential impacts of precipitation changes resulting from climate warming on the ecosystem services of subtropical and northern tropical forests in China.Notably,many natural forests in southern China are not fully stocked.Therefore,their continued growth will increase their carbon storage over time.
基金supported by the National Technology Extension Fund of Forestry,Forest Vegetation Carbon Storage Monitoring Technology Based on Watershed Algorithm ([2019]06)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No.PTYX202107).
文摘Since the launch of the Google Earth Engine(GEE)cloud platform in 2010,it has been widely used,leading to a wealth of valuable information.However,the potential of GEE for forest resource management has not been fully exploited.To extract dominant woody plant species,GEE combined Sen-tinel-1(S1)and Sentinel-2(S2)data with the addition of the National Forest Resources Inventory(NFRI)and topographic data,resulting in a 10 m resolution multimodal geospatial dataset for subtropical forests in southeast China.Spectral and texture features,red-edge bands,and vegetation indices of S1 and S2 data were computed.A hierarchical model obtained information on forest distribution and area and the dominant woody plant species.The results suggest that combining data sources from the S1 winter and S2 yearly ranges enhances accuracy in forest distribution and area extraction compared to using either data source independently.Similarly,for dominant woody species recognition,using S1 winter and S2 data across all four seasons was accurate.Including terrain factors and removing spatial correlation from NFRI sample points further improved the recognition accuracy.The optimal forest extraction achieved an overall accuracy(OA)of 97.4%and a maplevel image classification efficacy(MICE)of 96.7%.OA and MICE were 83.6%and 80.7%for dominant species extraction,respectively.The high accuracy and efficacy values indicate that the hierarchical recognition model based on multimodal remote sensing data performed extremely well for extracting information about dominant woody plant species.Visualizing the results using the GEE application allows for an intuitive display of forest and species distribution,offering significant convenience for forest resource monitoring.
文摘Savanna,semi-deserts,and hot deserts characterize the Saharo-Arabian region,which includes Morocco,Mauretania,Algeria,Tunisia,Libya,Egypt,Palestine,Kuwait,Saudi Arabia,Qatar,Bahrain,the United Arab Emirates,Oman,Yemen,southern Jordan,Syria,Iraq,Iran,Afghanistan,Pakistan,and northern India.Its neighboring regions,the Sudano-Zambezian region belonging to the Paleotropical Kingdom and the Mediterranean and Irano-Turanian regions included in the Holarctic Kingdom,share a large portion of their flora with the Saharo-Arabian region.Despite the widespread acknowledgment of the region's global importance for plant diversity,an up to date list of the Saharo-Arabian endemics is still unavailable.The available data are frequently insufficient or out of date at both the whole global and the national scales.Therefore,the present study aims at screening and verifying the Saharo-Arabian endemic plants and determining the phytogeographical distribution of these taxa in the Egyptian flora.Hence,a preliminary list of 429 Saharo-Arabian endemic plants in Egypt was compiled from the available literature.Indeed,by excluding the species that were recorded in any countries or regions outside the Saharo-Arabian region based on different literature,database reviews,and websites,the present study has reduced this number to 126 taxa belonging to 87 genera and 37 families.Regarding the national geographic distribution,South Sinai is the richest region with 83 endemic species compared with other eight phytogeographic regions in Egypt,followed by the Isthmic Desert(the middle of Sinai Peninsula,53 taxa).Sahara regional subzone(SS1)distributes all the 126 endemic species,Arabian regional subzone(SS2)owns 79 taxa,and Nubo-Sindian subzone(SS3)distributes only 14 endemics.Seven groups were recognized at the fourth level of classification as a result of the application of the two-way indicator species analysis(TWINSPAN)to the Saharo-Arabian endemic species in Egypt,i.e.,I Asphodelus refractus group,II Agathophora alopecuroides var.papillosa group,III Anvillea garcinii group,IV Reseda muricata group,V Agathophora alopecuroides var.alopecuroides group,VI Scrophularia deserti group,and VII Astragalus schimperi group.It's crucial to clearly define the Saharo-Arabian endemics and illustrate an updated verified database of these taxa for a given territory for providing future management plans that support the conservation and sustainable use of these valuable species under current thought-provoking devastating impacts of rapid anthropogenic and climate change in this region.
基金This publication is based upon work from COST Action CLIMO(CA15226) supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology)the UMBRACLIM project (PID2019-111781RB-I00)funded by the Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation. Teresa Valor was contracted with a grant“Juan de la Cierva-Formaci on”(FJC2018-036673-I). Z.S. received funds from the grant no. APVV-20-0365 and from project TreeAdapt supported by the MPRV SR. Aitor Ameztegui is supported by a Serra-Húnter fellowship by the Generalitat de Catalunya。
文摘Background: Understanding the role of species identity in interactions among individuals is crucial for assessing the productivity and stability of mixed forests over time. However, there is limited knowledge concerning the variation in competitive effect and response of different species along climatic gradients. In this study, we investigated the importance of climate, tree size, and competition on the growth of three tree species: spruce(Picea abies), fir(Abies alba), and beech(Fagus sylvatica), and examined their competitive response and effect along a climatic gradient.Methods: We selected 39 plots distributed across the European mountains with records of the position and growth of 5,759 individuals. For each target species, models relating tree growth to tree size, climate and competition were proposed. Competition was modelled using a neighbourhood competition index that considered the effects of inter-and intraspecific competition on target trees. Competitive responses and effects were related to climate.Likelihood methods and information theory were used to select the best model.Results: Our findings revealed that competition had a greater impact on target species growth than tree size or climate. Climate did influence the competitive effects of neighbouring species, but it did not affect the target species? response to competition. The strength of competitive effects varied along the gradient, contingent on the identity of the interacting species. When the target species exhibited an intermediate competitive effect relative to neighbouring species, both higher inter-than intraspecific competitive effects and competition reduction occurred along the gradient. Notably, species competitive effects were most pronounced when the target species' growth was at its peak and weakest when growing conditions were far from their maximum.Conclusions: Climate modulates the effects of competition from neighbouring trees on the target tree and not the susceptibility of the target tree to competition. The modelling approach should be useful in future research to expand our knowledge of how competition modulates forest communities across environmental gradients.