Effects of Flowering Mode and Pollinator Sharing on Reproductive Success in Natural Hybrid of Two Epimedium(Berberidaceae)Species

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.

The fabrication of atomically thin-MoS_(2) based photoanodes for photoelectrochemical energy conversion and environment remediation:A review

Photoelectrochemical(PEC) technology has been proved a promising approach to solve the problems of energy shortages and environmental pollution damages.It can convert unlimited solar energy resources into energy forms needed by mankind.The development of highly efficient photoanodes is a key step in realizing the large-scale practical application of PEC systems.However,the development of PEC photoanodes has been severely hindered by the issues of easy recombination of photo-generated charge carriers,low photon-to-electron conversion efficiency,poor photo-corrosion resistance,and low catalytic activity.Therefore,constructing high-performance and stable photoanodes is an urgent research field to promote the progress of PEC technology.The atomically thin molybdenum disulfide(AT-MoS_(2)) with unique physical and chemical properties has been widely applied in the fabrication of PEC photoanodes.The AT-MoS_(2) based photoanodes have exhibited excellent PEC performance,which providing promising candidates for ideal PEC application.Here,we summarize the fundamental natures of MoS_(2) and present the research efforts in the preparation of AT-MoS_(2) based photoanodes.Strategies for the fabrication of high-efficient AT-MoS_(2) based photoanodes are emphasized to provide guidelines to advance emerging PEC photoanodes.Besides,perspectives for the development of more efficient AT-MoS_(2) based photoanodes are proposed.

Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of phytoplankton diversity and its relation to water environmental factors in the southern waters of Miaodao Archipelago,China

To study the water quality influenced by the anthropogenic activities and its impact on the phytoplankton diversity in the surface waters of Miaodao Archipelago, the spatiotemporal variations in phytoplankton communities and the environmental properties of the surface waters surrounding the Five Southern Islands of Miaodao Archipelago were investigated, based on seasonal field survey conducted from November 2012 to August 2013. During the survey, a total of 109 phytoplankton species from 3 groups were identified in the southern waters of Miaodao Archipelago, of which 77 were diatoms, 29 were dinoflagellates, and 3 were chrysophytes. Species number was higher in winter（73）, moderate in autumn（70）, but lower in summer（31） and spring（27）. The species richness index in autumn（5.92） and winter（4.28） was higher than that in summer（2.83） and spring（1.41）.The Shannon-Wiener diversity index was high in autumn（2.82）, followed by winter（1.99） and summer（1.92）, and low in spring（0.07）. The species evenness index in autumn（0.46） and summer（0.39） was higher than that in winter（0.32） and spring（0.02）. On the basis of principal component analysis（PCA） and redundancy analysis（RDA）, we found that dissolved inorganic nitrogen（DIN） and chemical oxygen demand（COD） in spring, COD in summer, p H in autumn, and salinity and oil pollutant in winter, respectively, showed the strongest association with the distribution of phytoplankton diversity. The spatial heterogeneity of the southern waters of Miaodao Archipelago was quite obvious, and three zones, i.e., northeastern, southwestern and inter-island water area, were identified by cluster analysis（CA） based on key environmental variables.

Development and application of water environment management information system based on ARCGIS Engine

Embedded ArcGIS Engine can improve development efficiency of environmental information system. The authors designed the structure, functions and database of the Yongjiang River Basin Water Environment Management Information System (YRBWEMIS) through the integration of ArcGIS Engine software with VC. The spatial data and attribute data in the YRBWEMIS are stored and managed separately. The system functions include display, query, statistics, spatial analysis and thematic mapping for water pollution sources, water quality, water function regionalization and catchments region.

Effect of Potassium and C/N Ratios on Conversion of NH_4^+ in Soils

Two soils, one consisting of 1:1 clay minerals at pH 4.5 and the other containing 2:1 clay minerals at pH 7.0, were used to estimate the conversion of added NH+4 under different C/N ratios (glucose as the C source) and the addition of potassium. Under lower C/N ratios (0:1 and 5:1), a large part of the added NH4+ in the acid soil was held in the forms of either exchangeable or water soluble NH4+ for a relatively long time and under higher C/N ratio (50:1), a large amount of the added NH4+ was directly immobilized by microorganisms. In the second soil containing appreciable 2:1 type clay minerals a large part of the added NH+4 at first quickly entered the interlayer of the minerals under both lower and higher C/N ratios. In second condition, however, owing to microbial assimilation stimulated by glucose the newly fixed NH4+c ould be completely released in further incubation because of a large concentration gradient between external NH4+ and fixed NH4+ in the mineral interlayer caused by heterotrophic microorganisms, which imply the fixed NH4+ to be available to plants. The results also showed that if a large amount of K+ with carbon source together was added to soil, the higher K+ concentration of soil solution could impede the release of fixed NH4+ , even if there was a lot of carbon source.

Preparation and Physical Properties of Ceramsite Filter Media for Water Treatment Obtained from Municipal Solid Wastes

Sludge,solid waste of sewage treatment plants,poses a threat as a secondary pollution if it is not handled properly.In this study,artifical ceramsite filter material(ACFM)for water treatment,was obtained from sludge by high-temperature sintering process,and then it’s physical properties,leaching toxicity and sintering mechanisms were investigated.The results showed that the preferred conditions for the preparation of ACFM were that the mass ratio of sludge,river sediment and fly ash was 5∶4∶1,preheated at 400℃for 20 min and sintered at 1 150℃for 5 min.After the optimal sintering conditions treatment,the physical properties of the rate of breaking and wear,solubility in hydrochloric acid,silt carrying capacity,void fraction and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET)specific surface area of ACFM were 0.2%,0.01%,0.2%,71.1%and 0.75×104cm2/g,respectively.The results confirmed that the ACFM’s physical properties were totally aligned to the requirements of China’s industry standard(CJ/T 299—2008).The leaching toxicity results indicated that the leaching contents of heavy metals,such as Cr,Zn and Cu,were much lower than the thresholds of China’s national standards(GB 5085.3—2007 and GB 8978—1996).

The pilot test of Pt-Pd and Pt-Rh feeds extracted and separated with a new sulfoxide extractant

Platinum, palladium and rhodium of the raw feeds extracted and separated with a new sulfoxide extractant （MSO） were studied in the paper. The pilot test results showed that the percentage extractions are more than 99% for platinum and palladium in Pt-Pd feed, and the percentage strippings are 100% and 99.2% with HCl and ammonia, respectively. The ratio of palladium to platinum is 0.0016 in stripping platinum solution, and the ratio of platinum to palladium is 0.0020 in stripping palladium solution. The percentage extraction of platinum is 99% in Pt-Rh feed, and the percentage stripping is 100%. The ratio of rhodium to platinum is 0.0002 in stripping platinum solution. Therefore, platinum, palladium, and rhodium feeds are separated effectively with MSO.

Energy and Exergy Analysis, and Thermoeconomic Performance of a BCHP System

Building cooling, heating and power (BCHP) systems should play an important role in achieving the goals of energy efficient use and environment protection in China. It will make big sense when this type of system shows a good performance energetically and economically. An on-site BCHP system being the first in the country was installed and put to use five years ago. As the first step to evaluate the project, computations were made based on thermodynamic and thermoeconomic theories to evaluate the system on full load and off-design conditions in summer. Discussion and analyses are made mainly in terms of exergetic efficiency and costs of unit amount of useful exergy produced in this paper.

Dynamic Model and Performance of Absorption Heat Pump in Shut-down Process

The dynamic model of LiBr absorption heat pump in shut-down process is established. The simulation results show good agreement with the experiments. The dynamic performance of high-pressure generator, low-pressure generator and heat exchanger are analyzed in detail. The proper shut-down mode of the heat pump is presented,which, in consideration of solution parameters, has a great effect on the possibility of crystallization of some components.

Effects of soil fauna on leaf litter decomposition under different land uses in eastern coast of China

Soil fauna decompose litter, whereas land use changes may significantly alter the composition and structure of soil fauna assemblages. However, little is known of the effects of land-use on the contribution of soil fauna to litter decomposition. We studied the impacts of soil fauna on the decomposition of litter from poplar trees under three different land uses （i.e. poplar-crop integrated system, poplar plantation, and cropland）, from December 2013 to December 2014, in a coastal area of Northern Jiangsu Province. We collected litter samples in litterbags with three mesh sizes （5, 1 and 0. 01 mm, respectively） to quantify the contribution of various soil fauna to the decomposition of poplar leaf litter. Litter decomposition rates differed significantly by land use and were highest in the cropland, intermediate in the poplar-crop integrated system, and lowest in the poplar plantation. Soil fauna in the poplar-crop integrated system was characterized by the highest numbers of taxa and individuals, and highest Margalef＇s diversity, which suggested that agro-forestry ecosystems may support a greater quantity, distribution, and biodiversity of soil fauna than can single-species agriculture or plantation forestry. The individuals and groups of soil fauna in the macro-mesh litterbags were higher than in the meso-mesh litterbags underthe same land use types. The average contribution rate of meso- and micro-fauna to litter decomposition was 18.46%, which was higher than the contribution rate of macro-fauna （3.31%）. The percentage of remaining litter mass was inversely related to the density of the soil fauna （P 〈 0.05） in poplar plantations; however, was unrelated in the poplar-crop integrated system and cropland. This may have been the result of anthropogenic interference in poplar-crop integrated systems and croplands. Our study suggested that when land-use change alters vegetation types, it can affect species composition and the structure of soil fauna assemblages, which, in turn, affects litter decomposition.

BiOBr nanosheets coupling with biomass carbon derived from locust leaves for enhanced photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B

A series of BiOBr@biomass carbon derived from locust leaves materials(BiOBr@BC)were fabricated and the photocatalytic property was investigated for photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B(RhB)under visible light.The morphology,structure and photoelectrochemical properties of the photocatalysts were characterized by means of SEM,TEM,XRD,XPS,FT-IR,BET,PL,UV-vis/DRS,and EIS techniques.The results showed that the introduction of BC significantly enhanced the photocatalytic activity.When the content of biomass carbon(BC)in a composite is 3%(based on the mass of BiOBr),the obtained BiOBr@BC-3 exhibits excellent photocatalytic activity,degrading 99%of RhB within 20 min.The excellent degradation efficiency after the introduction of BC can be attributed to the enhanced visible light absorption,narrower band gap,and fast electron-hole pair separation rate.The photocatalytic mechanism on the degradation of RhB was illustrated based on the radicals'trapping experiments and semiconductor energy band position.The proposed material is expected to be of significant application value in the field of wastewater treatment.

Research Status and Development Trend of Coastal Wetland Ecological Restoration

In recent years,with the influenced by both man-made and natural factors.coastal wetlands sharp decline in the area,lack of resources,biological diversity declined,and the ecosystem function damaged.Through on current issues such as pollution and destruction of coastal wetlands analysis of coastal wetlands in research conducted a review and prospect of ecological restoration.So the protection and restoration of coastal wetlands should be brook no delay.The article based on the current pollution and destruction of the coastal wetlands analyses,and reviewed the current effective measures to restore coastal wetlands mainly in china and abroad.

NiFe-based nanostructures on nickel foam as highly efficiently electrocatalysts for oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions

Water splitting,as an advanced energy conversion technology,consists of two half reactions,including oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).However,the ideal electrocatalysts are noble metal based catalysts.Their high cost and scarcity in earth seriously restrict the large deployments.Ni Fe-based materials have attracted great attention in recent years due to their excellent catalytic properties for OER and HER.Nevertheless,their conductivity and electrochemical stability at high current density are unsatisfactory,resulting in ineffective water splitting due to high impedance and low stability.Recently,a series of catalysts coating Ni Fe-based materials on 3 D nickel foam were found to be extremely stable under the circumstance of high current density.In this review,we summarized the recent advances of NiFe-based materials on nickel foam for OER and HER,respectively,and further provided the perspectives for their future development.

Seasonal variation of eddy kinetic energy in the South China Sea

Mesoscale eddy activity and its modulation mechanism in the South China Sea （SCS） are inves- tigated with newly reprocessed satellite altimetry observations and hydrographic data. The eddy kinetic energy （EKE） level of basin-wide averages show a distinct seasonal cycle with the maximum in August-December and the minimum in February-May. Furthermore, the seasonal pattern of EKE in the basin is dominated by region offshore of central Vietnam （OCV）, southwest of Taiwan Island （SWT）, and southwest of Luzon （SWL）, which are also the breeding grounds of mesoscale eddies in the SCS. Instability theory analysis suggests that the seasonal cycle of EKE is modulated by the baroclinic instability of the mean flow. High eddy growth rate （EGR） is found in the active eddy regions. Vertical velocity shear in the upper 50-500 m is crucial for the growth of baroclinic instability, leading to seasonal EKE evolution in the SCS.

Role of Ekman Transport Versus Ekman Pumping in Driving Summer Upwelling in the South China Sea

Relative roles of Ekman transport and Ekman pumping in driving summer upwelling in the South China Sea （SCS） are examined using QuikSCAT scatterometer wind data. The major upwelling regions in the SCS are the coastal regions east and south- east of Vietnam （UESEV）, east and southeast of Hainan Island （UESEH）, and southeast of Guangdong province （USEG）. It is shown that the Ekman transport due to alongshore winds and Ekman pumping due to offshore wind stress curl play different roles in the three upwelling systems. In UESEV, Ekman pumping and Ekman transport are equally important in generating upwelling. The Ek- man transport increases linearly from 0.49 Sv in May to 1.23 Sv in August, while the Ekman pumping increases from 0.36 to 1.22 Sv during the same period. In UESEH, the mean estimates of Ekman transport and Ekman pumping are 0.14 and 0.07 Sv, respectively, indicating that 33% of the total wind-driven upwelling is due to Ekman pumping. In USEC~ the mean Ekman transport is 0.041 Sv with the peak occurring in July, while Ekman pumping is much smaller （0.003 on average）, indicating that the upwelling in this area is primarily driven by Ekman transport. In the summers of 2003 and 2007 following E1 Nifio-Southern Oscillation （ENSO） events, both Ekman transport and Ekman pumping decrease in UESEV due to the abnormally weak southwest monsoon. During the same events, however, Ekman transport is slightly enhanced and Ekman pumping is weakened in UESEH and USEG.

A GIS-based Earthquake and Tsunami Emergency Command System for Seaside Cities

In this paper the geographical information system （GIS） is applied to earthquake and tsunami emergency work and an earthquake and tsunami emergency command system （ETECS） for seaside cities is developed which is composed of a basic database and six subsystems. By employing this system, the responsible municipal departments can make rapid prediction before the occurrence of earthquake or tsunami, make commanding decisions concerning the disaster-fight during the disastrous event, and make rapid estimates of the casualties and economic losses. So that the government could conduct relief work in time and planning for future disaster reduction and prevention.

Photosynthetic physiologies of phytoplankton in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean during the spring inter-monsoon

Phytoplankton physiologies are dynamic and have sensitive responses to the ambient environment. In this paper, we examine photosynthetic physiologies of phytoplankton communities with Phyto-PAM in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean during the spring inter-monsoon. Environmental parameters were measured to investigate the coupling between phytoplankton photosynthetic physiologies and their habitats. During the cruise, the water column was highly stratified. The mixed layer extended to about 75 m and was characterized by high temperature (>28°C) and low nutrient level. The Fv/Fm values and chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations were lower at the surface, as consequences of nutrient depletion and photo-inhibition. Subsurface Chl a maximum (SCM) occurred between 75 and 100 m, and had the highest Fv/Fm values. The formation of SCM was a balance between nutrient availability and light limitation. The SCM may contribute significantly to pelagic food web and primary production in the water column. Phytoplankton in different layers encountered different light, trophic and hydrographic dynamics and evolved distinct photosynthetic characteristics. Despite of co-limitation of nutrient limitation and photo-inhibition, phytoplankton in the surface layer showed their acclimation to high irradiance, had lower light utilization efficiencies (α: 0.061±0.032) and could exploit a wide range of light irradiance. Whereas, phytoplankton in the SCM layers presented the highest light utilization efficiencies (α: 0.146±0.48), which guaranteed higher photosynthetic capacities under low light level. These results provide insights into phytoplankton photo-adaption strategies in this less explored region.

A Novel 3D Zn-La Heterometallic Coordination Polymer Involving in situ Glycinate Ligand Synthesis

One novel 3D 3d-4f coordination polymer, [LaZn（glc）（ox）2（H20）2]n （1, glc = glycinate, ox = oxalate）, was obtained by the in situ synthesis of glycinate from the reaction of tetrazole-l-acetic acid, sodium oxalate, zinc nitrate and lanthanide oxide in the presence of a trace quantity of nitric acid under hydrothermal conditions. Compound 1 is of monoclinic, space group P21/n with a = 0.99601（9）, b = 1.14592（10）, c = 1.19107（10） nm and β = 108.7150（10）°. 1 exhibits an unusual 3D heterometallic coordination framework constructed by heterometallic dinuclear LaZn subunits and mixed ox and glc linkers with a uninodal 6-connected vine {33.43.58.6} net.

The Influence of Typical Forest Types on Soil Erosion Resistance in the Water Source Areas of Central Yunnan

In order to clarify the influence of different forest types on soil erosion resistance in water source area of Central Yunnan,with the soils under three different kinds of typical forest in Yizhe watershed as the research object,this paper uses field simulation method and principal component analysis to analyze the soil erosion resistance of three kinds of soils. The results show that there is a significant difference in the shear strength of soil among three types of typical forest,and the size of soil shear strength is in the order of Pinus yunnanensis forest land >mixed broadleaf-conifer forest land > eucalyptus forest land. The difference in the soil erosion coefficient among different forests is not significant,and the soil erosion resistance is highest in mixed broadleaf-conifer forest land( 39. 0%),followed by eucalyptus woodland( 37. 0%)and Pinus yunnanensis forest land( 24. 0%). Under heavy rain intensity and long duration of rainfall,the ability of soil under eucalyptus ×Pinus yunnanensis mixed forests to resist disintegration is more obvious. Using principal component analysis to analyze soil erosion resistance of soils under three different forests,we get the comprehensive evaluation model for soil erosion resistance: Y = 0. 763Y1+ 0. 236Y2. The soil erosion resistance is in the order of mixed broadleaf-conifer forest land( 0. 150) > eucalyptus forest land( 0. 127) > Pinus yunnanensis forest land(-0. 079),indicating that the mixed forests have better water loss and soil erosion control effect than pure forests.

Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting as an Alternative Domestic Water Resource in Zambia

Within the last decade, substantial progress has been achieved in the management of centralized water reticulation in Zambia. Characterized by diversified fiscal resourcing, concurrent institutional restructuring and introduction of new players in water governance, the water sector is set to achieve improved reliability on sustainable grounds. However, the threat of underground water pollution resulting from increased urbanization besides the unreliable energy sector presents new challenges for the current urban water. In effect, urban areas are affected by chronic water rationing creating public stress and insecurity which impacts domestic development. While the course of development has meant investment in the extension and expansion of water infrastructure in Zambia, alternative urban water resources are being sought to address challenges of traditional water systems globally. This paper therefore attempts to make a case for the modernization of Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting (RRWH) as an augmenting water resource in the Zambian urban housing sector. Here—in, it is identified as a Low Impact Development technology within the Integrated Urban Water Management framework currently being forged by local water. Based on a desktop literature survey and online questionnaire survey, an argument to support the development of RRWH in Zambia was developed. While literature survey results revealed evidence of economic loss and a growing compromise to public health resulting from inconsistent water supply in the study area of Lusaka city, the online questionnaire survey depicted significant domestic stress due to erratic water supply. Results confirmed that at one time residents observed an average of eight hours of power blackouts which effectively induced water disruption forcing homeowners to engage in various water storage methods which in turn are costly on domestic time, health and finances. A retrospective discussion based on both survey results attempts to present benefits and opportunities of urban RRWH to water sector stakeholders providing recommendations towards the mainstreaming of the practice in Zambia.