Review of Studies on Rare Earth against Plant Disease

Agricultural application of rare earth (RE) has been generalized for several decades, and it is involved in crops, vegetables and stock raising in China. However, all the researches on RE mainly focus on the fields such as plant physiological activity, physiological and biochemical mechanism, sanitation toxicology and environmental security. Plant protection by using RE and the induced resistance of plant against diseases were summarized. The mechanism of rare earth against plant disease is highlighted, which includes following two aspects. First, RE elements can control some phytopathogen directly and reduce its virulence to host plant. Another possibility is that RE elements can affect host plant and induce the plant to produce some resistance to disease.

Stand structure and height-diameter relationship of a degraded Populus euphratica forest in the lower reaches of the Tarim River, Northwest China

Understanding stand structure and height-diameter relationship of trees provides very useful information to establish appropriate countermeasures for sustainable management of endangered forests. Populus euphratica, a dominant tree species along the Tarim River watershed, plays an irreplaceable role in the sustainable development of regional ecology, economy and society. However, as the result of climate changes and human activities, the natural riparian ecosystems within the whole river basin were degraded enormously, particularly in the lower reaches of the river where about 320 km of the riparian forests were either highly degraded or dead. In this study, we presented one of the main criteria for the assessment of vitality of P. euphrafica forests by estimating the defoliation level, and analyzed forest structure and determined the height-diameter （height means the height of a tree and diameter means the diameter at breast height （DBH） of a tree） relationship of trees in different vitality classes （i.e. healthy, good, medium, senesced, dying, dead and fallen）. Trees classified as healthy and good ac- counted for approximately 40% of all sample trees, while slightly and highly degraded trees took up nearly 60% of total sample trees. The values of TH （tree height） and DBH ranged from 0-19 m and 0-125 cm, respectively. Trees more than 15 m in TH and 60 cm in DBH appeared sporadically. Trees in different vitality classes had different distribution patterns. Healthy trees were mainly composed more of relatively younger trees than of degraded tress. The height-diameter relationships differed greatly among tress in different vitality classes, with the coefficients ranging from 0.1653 to 0.6942. Correlation coefficients of TH and DBH in healthy and good trees were higher than those in trees of other vitality classes. The correlation between TH and DBH decreased with the decline of tree vitality. Our results suggested that it might be able to differentiate degraded P. euphratica trees from healthy trees by determining the height-diameter correlation coefficient, and the coefficient would be a new parameter for detecting degradation and assessing sustainable management of floodplain forests in arid regions. In addition, tree vitality should be taken into account to make an accurate height-diameter model for tree height prediction.

Optimizing Parameters of CSM-CERES-Maize Model to Improve Simulation Performance of Maize Growth and Nitrogen Uptake in Northeast China

Crop models can be useful tools ibr optimizing fertilizer management for a targeted crop yield while minimizing nutrient losses. In this paper, the parameters of the decision support system for agrotechnology transfer （DSSAT）-CERES-Maize were optimized using a new method to provide a better simulation of maize （Zea mays L.） growth and N upfake in response to different nitrogen application rates. Field data were collected from a 5 yr field experiment （2006-2010） on a Black soil （Typic hapludoll） in Gongzhuling, Jilin Province, Northeast China. After cultivar calibration, the CERES-Maize model was able to simulate aboveground biomass and crop yield of in the evaluation data set （n-RMSE=5.0-14.6%）, but the model still over-estimated aboveground N uptake （i.e., with E values from -4.4 to -21.3 kg N ha-~）. By analyzing DSSAT equation, N stress coefficient for changes in concentration with growth stage （CTCNP2） is related to N uptake. Further sensitivity analysis of the CTCNP2 showed that the DSSAT model simulated maize nitrogen uptake more precisely after the CTCNP2 coefficient was adjusted to the field site condition. The results indicated that in addition to calibrating 6 coefficients of maize cultivars, radiation use efficiency （RUE）, growing degree days for emergence （GDDE）, N stress coefficient, CTCNP2, and soil fertility factor （SLPF） also need to be calibrated in order to simulate aboveground biomass, yield and N uptake correctly. Independent validation was conducted using 2008-2010 experiments and the good agreement between the simulated and the measured results indicates that the DSSAT CERES-Maize model could be a useful tool for predicting maize production in Northeast China.

Estimation of the Land Surface Emissivity in the Hinterland of Taklimakan Desert

An accurate accounting of land surface emissivity(ε) is important both for the retrieval of surface temperatures and the calculation of the longwave surface energy budgets.Since ε is one of the important parameterizations in land surface models(LSMs),accurate accounting also improves the accuracy of surface temperatures and sensible heat fluxes simulated by LSMs.In order to obtain an accurate emissivity,this paper focuses on estimating ε from data collected in the hinterland of Taklimakan Desert by two different methods.In the first method,ε was derived from the surface broadband emissivity in the 8–14 μm thermal infrared atmospheric window,which was determined from spectral radiances observed by field measurements using a portable Fourier transform infrared spectrometer,the mean ε being 0.9051.The second method compared the observed and calculated heat fluxes under nearneutral atmospheric stability and estimated ε indirectly by minimizing the root-mean-square difference between them.The result of the second method found a mean value of 0.9042,which is consistent with the result by the first method.Although the two methods recover ε from different field experiments and data,the difference of meanvalues is 0.0009.The first method is superior to the indirect method,and is also more convenient.

Interaction between Cd and Pb in the soil-plant system: a case study of an arid oasis soil-cole system

The Hexi Corridor,our study area,is located in Northwest China and is also the most developed area of oasis farming in arid regions of Northwestern China.However,the rapid development of metallurgy and chemical industries in this region poses a great threat to the accumulation of heavy metals in crops.The objectives of this study are(1)to determine the influence of heavy metals on plant growth;(2)to assess the translocation capability of heavy metals in soil-plant system;and(3)to investigate the interaction between heavy metals.Pot experiments were conducted on cole(Brassica campestris L.)grown in the arid oasis soils singly and jointly treated with cadmium(Cd)and lead(Pb).Nine treatments were applied into the pots.Under the same planting conditions,three scenarios of Cd,Pb and Cd–Pb were designed to compare the interaction between Cd and Pb.The results showed that the response of cole weights to Cd,Pb and Cd–Pb treatments was slight,while Cd and Pb uptakes in cole were more sensitive to the single effects of Cd and Pb concentration in soils from the lower treatment levels.Under the influence of the single Cd,Pb and joint Cd–Pb treatments,Cd concentrations were lower in the cole roots than in the shoots,while for Pb,the results were opposite.Comparison studies revealed that the interaction of Cd and Pb could weaken the cole’s ability to uptake,concentrate and translocate heavy metals in arid oasis soils.

Numerical simulation of pollutant diffusion and decay process after a water pollution incident in the Three Gorges Reservoir

We established a hydrodynamic model to simulate the pollutant transport and decay process in the case of a pollution incident in the sections of the Yangtze and the Jialing passing through the city area of Chongqing. The Boussinesq assumptions and the Navier-Stokes equations of incompressible fluid were applied to setting up the pollutant diffusion equations and the equations for the decay process. E. colt was taken as the example pollutant, and chloride dosage, light, temperature and ultraviolet intensity were considered in the equations for bacterial decay process. The calculated values of the fluid velocities in the two rivers agree well with corresponding measured results, indicating an ideal accuracy of the model. In simulation, the concentration of E. colt in water was assumed to be zero before the accident. The and 1.75 m/s for the Yangtze flow, and the downriver boundary was upriver boundary velocity was -1.35 m/s for the Jialing flow water depth set at 0. Simulation results show that the bacteria are transported downstream along the riverbank. A long and narrow pollutant belt develops at 12 h after the start of the accident ascribed to the quick longitudinal transfer. After the pollution sources are cut off, the pollutant concentration decreases slowly, mostly by advection and diffusion, suggesting inadequate self-purification ability of the rivers and the necessity of effective decontaminating measures in the case of a pollution incident, The model can be a useful tool for understanding the polluting situations of an improper discharge incident and evaluating the effects of decontaminating measures for the water body of the Three Gorges Reservoir.

Diversity and Distribution of Host Animal Species of Hantavirus and Risk to Human Health in Jiuhua Mountain Area,China

Objective To investigate the diversity and the distribution of host animal species of hantavirus and the effect on human health in Jiuhua Mountain area,China.Methods The host animal species of hantavirus was surveyed by using the trap method and the species diversity was evaluated by using the Simpson,Shannon-Weaner,and Pielou indices.Hantavirus antigens or antibodies in lung and blood samples of all the captured host animals were detected by direct or indirect immunofluorescence.Results Nine animal species of hantavirus were distributed in the forest ecosystem of Jiuhua Mountain.Of these,Niviventer confucianus and Apodemus agrarius were predominant,and N.confucianus,Rattus norvegicus,and Mus musculus had relatively large niche breadth index values.The host animals in the eastern and western mountain regions shared similar biodiversity index characteristics,predominant species,and species structures.Hantavirus was detected in 5 host animal species in Jiuhua Mountain area,the carriage rate of hantavirus was 6.03%.The average density of host animals in forest areas of the mountainous area was only 2.20%,and the virus infection rate in the healthy population was 2.33%.Conclusion The circulation of hantavirus was low in the forest areas of Jiuhua Mountain and did not pose a threat to human health.

The Econometric Assessment of Losses Caused by Water Pollution in Chongqing, Southwest China

As an important industrial city, Chongqing has experienced rapid economic growth in recent years, but at the same time the growth has been accompanied by serious pollution problems. Water quality monitoring shows that the waters of Chongqing are widely polluted. In this paper, the human capital approach is applied to assessing the economic losses and damages caused by water pollution in Chongqing. Based on previous studies and empirical investigations, water pollution-induced damage can be categorized into two general types: damage to ecosystems, including agriculture; and damage to non-ecosystems, including industry. The economic loss estimation of each type of the damage is conducted by taking into account a group of relevant parameters and methods.

Fluorescent detection of coenzyme A by analyte-induced aggregation of a cationic conjugated polymer

A new cationic conjugated polymer was designed and synthesized to optically discriminate coenzyme A(CoA) among structurally similar biomolecules, ATP, ADP and AMP. The analyte-induced aggregation of the conjugated polymer by π-stacking between their main chains leads to the fluorescence quenching. Except for the similar adenosine and phosphate moieties as those in ATP, ADP and AMP, the CoA molecule also includes a long side chain that is favorable for hydrophobic interactions. Thus, CoA can form a complex with oppositely charged conjugated polymer by cooperative electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, whereas ATP, ADP and AMP form the complexes with oppositely charged conjugated polymer mainly by electrostatic interactions. The increase of the ion strength of the assay solution screens the electrostatic attractions, and the remaining hydrophobic interactions dominate the formation of PFP-PTF/CoA complex. At this case, the quenching efficiency of PFP-PTF by CoA is much higher than that by ATP, ADP and AMP, which impart the PFP-PTF to sense CoA from these interferencing species.