The role of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A in the formation of long-term memory in Bactrocera dorsalis

The cAMP-dependent protein kinase A(PKA)signaling pathway has long been considered critical for long-term memory(LTM)formation.Previous studies have mostly focused on the role of PKA signaling in LTM induction by multiple spaced conditioning with less attention to LTM induction by a single conditioning.Here,we conducted behavioral-pharmacology,enzyme immunoassay and RNA interference experiments to study the role of the PKA signaling pathway in LTM formation in the agricultural pest Bactrocera dorsalis,which has a strong memory capacity allowing it to form a two-day memory even from a single conditioning trial.We found that either blocking or activating PKA prior to conditioning pretreatment affected multiple spaced LTM,and conversely,they did not affect LTM formed by single conditioning.This was further confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)and silencing of the protein kinase regulatory subunit 2 and catalytic subunit 1.Taken together,these results suggest that activating PKA during memory acquisition helps to induce the LTM formed by multiple spaced conditioning but not by a single conditioning.Our findings challenge the conserved role of PKA signaling in LTM,which provides a basis for the greater diversity of molecular mechanisms underlying LTM formation across species,as well as possible functional and evolutionary implications.

In Situ Generation of Copper Nanoparticles in Heat-Treated Copper-Containing Masson’s Pine as a Preservative Process for Sawn Timber

Heat-treated wood has good dimensional stability,durability,and color,but its susceptibility to fungal growth affects its commercial value.In this study,lumber harvested from mature Masson’s pine(Pinus massoniana Lamb.)was vacuum impregnated with a basic copper salt solution(copper hydroxide,diethanolamine,and polyethylene glycol 200)prior to heat-treatment at 220℃ for 3 h.Antifungal properties,surface chemistry,crystal structure and sugar contents were tested,compared with heat treatment alone.The results showed that the samples treated by heating without copper salt treatment showed poor suppression of fungal growth,the copperimpregnated heat-treated wood suppressed(100%)the growth of Botryodiplodia theobromae Pat.,Aspergillus niger V.Tiegh.,Penicillium citrinum Thom,and Trichoderma viride Pers.The combined results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,X-ray diffraction and sugars analysis suggested that fungal inhibition by the heat-treated copper-bearing Masson’s pine was mainly due to the reduction of the metal salt by PEG200 at high temperature to generate copper nanoparticles.In addition,the reduced sugar content of the treated timber,and hence the nutrient substrate for spoilage microbes,reduced in the presence of the metal salts at high-temperature.This study has demonstrated an effective method of increasing low-grade wood’s utility and commercial value.

High Water Resistance and Enhanced Mechanical Properties of Bio-Based Waterborne Polyurethane Enabled by in-situ Construction of Interpenetrating Polymer Network

In this study,acrylic acid was used as a neutralizer to prepare bio-based WPU with an interpenetrating polymer network structure by thermally induced free radical emulsion polymerization.The effects of the content of acrylic acid on the properties of the resulting waterborne polyurethane-poly(acrylic acid)(WPU-PAA)dispersion and the films were systematically investigated.The results showed that the cross-linking density of the interpenetrating network polymers was increased and the interlocking structure of the soft and hard phase dislocations in the molecular segments of the double networks was tailored with increasing the content of acrylic acid,leading to enhancement of the mechanical properties and water resistance of WPU-PAA films.Notably,with the increase in content of acrylic acid,the tensile strength,Young’s modulus,and toughness of the WPU-PAA-110 film increased by 3 times,and 8 times,and 2.4 times compared with WPU-PAA-80,respectively.The WPU-PAA-100 film showed the best water resistance,and the water absorption rate at 96 h was only 3.27%.This work provided a new design scheme for constructing bio-based WPU materials with excellent properties.

Plasticizing Effect of Camellia oleifera Seed-Oil-Based Plasticizer on PVC Material Modification

In this study,as the plasticizer,Camellia oleifera seed-oil-based cyclohexyl ester(COSOCE)was prepared by the reaction of cyclohexene oxide and refined C.oleifera seed oil(RCOSO)obtained by acidification hydrolysis after saponification.In addition,the structure of the target product was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared(FTIR)spectroscopy,nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)spectroscopy,and Raman spectroscopy.COSOCE was used as plasticizer-modified polyvinyl chloride(PVC)membranes.The structure of the COSOCE-modified PVC membranes were characterized by Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy(SEM).The properties of the COSOCE-modified PVC membrane were characterized by contact angle measurements,universal testing machine,thermogravimetric analysis(TGA),and differential scanning calorimetry(DSC).The results revealed that(1)The COSOCE-modified PVC membranes exhibit a good microscopic morphology.Combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS)and contact angle measurement results,the COSOCE-modified PVC membranes are confirmed to be a hydrophilic material.(2)The modified PVC membrane with 60%COSOCE exhibited the best mechanical properties.The tensile strength reached 23.56±2.94 MPa.(3)COSOCE-modified PVC material exhibited better thermal stability,with a loss rate of less than 75%at the end of the first decomposition stage.Compared with that of the dioctyl-phthalate(DOP)-modified PVC membrane,the initial decomposition temperature of PVC was increased by 1.17°C–8.17°C,and the residual rate was increased by 0.67%–5.75%.The carbon–carbon double bond in the COSOCE molecular structure can remove the free radicals generated during the degradation of PVC material and slow down the decomposition rate of PVC.In addition,the double bond can be cross-linked partially with the PVC molecular chain containing the conjugated polyene structure,thereby increasing the movement resistance of the PVC molecular chain segment.Hence,COSOCE can replace DOP as a PVC plasticizer.

Genotype × environmental interaction by AMMI and GGE biplot analysis for the provenances of Michelia chapensis in South China

A provenance trial of Michelia chapensis Dandy in the south of China was carried out in three sites to assess yield and stability analyses. The trials were conducted as randomized, complete block designs with four replications at each site. Additive main effects and multiplicative interaction（AMMI） and genotype main effect and genotype 9 environment interaction（GGE） were employed in the evaluation of provenances; AMMI analyses showed that significant genotype 9 environment interaction effects（P ／ 0.05） existed between provenances, capturing 15.11 % of the total sum of squares. The AMMI stability value revealed that provenance 2 was stable, but had low yield. GGE-biplot models showed that provenances 7, 8, 10, and 11 were more stable and highyielding. The GGE results also confirmed that among the three sites, site Jiu Qu Shui was the most ideal environment for representation and discrimination.

Changes in vegetation and soil properties during recovery of a subtropical forest in South China

Secondary forests account for a large amount of subtropical forest due to persistent anthropogenic disturbance in China.The interaction between vegetation and soil during recovery process is rather complex and dependent on forest conditions.Understanding how vegetation and soil properties changes and how their relationship develops in secondary forests is key to effective forest restoration and management.Here we explored the patterns of vegetation and soil properties as well as their correlations during forest recovery process in a subtropical forest in south China.Plots of three forest types,i.e.,broadleaf-conifermixedforest,broadleaved forest and old growth stand,were established to represent the recovery stages.The results showed that diversity patterns in the tree,shrub and herb layers were different:in the tree layer the species diversity peaked at the intermediate stage,while in the understory layers it decreased chronologically.Most of the soil factors showed an increasing trend,and different effects of soil factors were found for the three layers as well as for the two spatial scales.Together,our results suggested that vegetation and soil might be interdependent during the recovery course.Further studies are needed on exploring how vegetation interplays with soil at different scales and how nutrient limitations affects the vegetation development in a chronosequence.

Characterization of a collection of Chinese fir elite genotypes using sequence.related amplified polymorphism markers

Chinese fir [Cunninghamia lanceolata （Lamb.） Hook] is a major timber tree species in China. In the pre- sent study, sequence-related amplified polymorphism （SRAP） markers were used to evaluate the polymorphisms, diversity, and relationships in a collection of Chinese fir elite genotypes （n = 103） from the Lechang provenance, an endangered provenance. Thirty-five SRAP primer combinations produced 620 bands among the tested 103 Lechang provenance genotypes and 17 nonSLechang provenance genotypes; 577 （93.1%） of these were polymorphic, yielding an average of 16.5 polymorphic bands per primer combination. Of the SRAP primer combinations （n = 35）, I4 ones identified 〉70.0 % of the 120 genotypes. The Mel2-Eml9 combination had the strongest discriminatory ability with 93.3 % of the genotypes iden- tified. An UPGMA dendrogram further showed that most of the Lechang provenance genotypes （87.4 %） grouped together （Cluster A）. The Lechang genotypes had a con- siderable amount of genetic variation with genetic simi- larity from 0.40 to 0.81. The current work may facilitate the management of the endangered Lechang Chinese fir provenance.

Long-term changes of water acidity in an intact forested watershed in south China

Acid rain is a global environmental issue and causes serious adverse impacts on natural ecosystems and human health.The acid rain and its subsequent impacts have been extensively studied in temperate regions and in big cities globally,but the monitoring of acid rain in non-urban areas in subtropical region is still limited.Here,we analyze 18 years of water acidity observations from a non-urban site in western Pearl River Delta region,south China.From 2000 to 2018,annual mean precipitation pH values in the study site showed a marked increase(P<0.0001)from 4.96 in 2000 to 6.88 in 2018.This 18-year dataset of precipitation acidity shows a clear recovery from acid deposition over the annual period,dry seasons and wet seasons.Within a year,precipitation pH was relatively lower in dry seasons(5.46±0.95)than in wet seasons(5.80±0.89)during the whole study period,and the seasonal pattern of precipitation pH was amplified during drier years as a strong dilution effect was detected between precipitation amount and its acidity.The pH of surface runoff water(4.74±0.70)was significantly lower than that of precipitation as a result of the regulating effects of the highly acidified soil and the rich humus on the forest floor.The groundwater pH(6.32±0.63)was significantly higher than the precipitation pH especially during dry seasons.The results of the present study indicated that the groundwater has a strong acid buffer and neutralizing effects and thus plays an important role in supplies of clean water.

Impact of invasion of pine wood nematode on the growth of dominant shrub Pleioblastus amarus in Pinus massoniana communities

When pine trees are invaded by pine wilt diseases, the severely infected pine trees will die and fall down, or they will be removed when found to be damaged by the disease. It gives rise to the invasion of other species in these empty niches originally oc- cupied by pine trees, i.e., competing surrounding trees or understory shrubs will invade the empty niches during the following years. As a result, the spatial distribution and pattern of the main tree species in a pine forest will change, and a niche variety in the main population will occur. In the end, the direction of the succession and restoration of the pine forest ecosystem will be affected. In our study, a Pinus massoniana forest with the dominant shrub, Pleioblastus amarus, was invaded by pine wood nematode and was clear cut. Selecting this community as our research object, we studied the effect of the invasion of the pine wood nematode on the growth of the dominant shrub, P. amarus, in this Pinus massoniana forest. Our results show that, after the attacked pine trees were removed, the niche was occupied by Pleioblastus amarus and other shrubs, which benefited the growth ofP. amarus to its climax. Growth of P. amarus at the climax stage was greater compared with the unhealthy pine forest and the control group.

Determining the in vitro Anti-Aging Effect of the Characteristic Components from Eucommia ulmoides

To evaluate the potential anti-aging ability of Eucommia ulmoides,four characteristic components(chlorogenic acid,geniposidic acid,aucubin,quercetin)were selected to assess their effects on H_(2)O_(2)-induced oxidative damage model of human umbilical vein endothelial cell(HUVEC).Oxidative damage indexes,inflammatory factors,cell cycle,cell apoptosis,cell senescence,and their related proteins were analyzed by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT)assay,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),propidium iodide(PI)staining,annexin V-FITC/PI double staining,SAβ-galactosidase staining,and western blotting(WB).The results showed that H_(2)O_(2)-induced cell growth inhibition rate decreased as supplementation with characteristic components when compared to H_(2)O_(2) group.Meanwhile,the contents of antioxidant indexes(reactive oxygen species,lactate dehydrogenase,molondialdehyde,superoxide dismutase,glutathione),inflammatory factors(nuclear factor kappa-B,intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1,vascular cell adhesion protein 1),and functional factors(NO,Endothelin-1)in characteristic components treated groups improved if comparison with H_(2)O_(2) group,suggesting the characteristic components of E.ulmoides could alleviate H_(2)O_(2)-induced oxidative damage.Moreover,cell cycle,cell apoptosis,cell senescence,and their related proteins under characteristic components treatment exhibited a better effect than under H_(2)O_(2) treatment,implying the characteristic components could participate in anti-aging via multiple pathways.These results manifested that the characteristic components of E.ulmoides posses the capacity of anti-aging,which provided a basis for investigating the anti-aging ability of E.ulmoides itself.

Selection of Landscape Tree Species of Tolerant to Sulfur Dioxide Pollution in Subtropical China

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a major air pollutant, especially in developing countries. Many trees are seriously impaired by SO2, while other species can mitigate air pollution by absorbing this gas. Planting appropriate tree species near industrial complexes is critical for aesthetic value and pollution mitigation. In this study, six landscape tree species typical of a subtropical area were investigated for their tolerance of SO2: Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J. Presl., Ilex rotunda Thunb., Lysidice rhodostegia Hance, Ceiba insignis (Kunth) P. E. Gibbs & Semir, Cassia surattensis Burm. f., and Michelia chapensis Dandy. We measured net photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, leaf sulfur content, relative water content, relative proline content, and other parameters under 1.31 mg·m-3 SO2 fumigation for eight days. The results revealed that the six species differed in their biochemical characteristics under SO2 stress. Based on these data, the most appropriate species for planting in SO2 polluted areas was I. rotunda, because it grew normally under SO2 stress and could absorb SO2.

Relationship between the stoichiometric characteristics and leaf functional traits of Castanopsis hystrix in different ages

Both the stoichiometric characteristics and leaf functional traits can reflect the adaptability of plants to changes in the external living environment.In particular,for varying aged forest plants,the study of stoichiometric characteristics and leaf functional traits can reflect the plant’s life history strategy and its resource investment and allocation methods.In this paper,the 1.5-year-old,5-year-old,15-year-old and 20-year-old Castanopsis hystrix were selected as the research objects to investigate the trends of stoichiometry and leaf functional traits,and their synergistic changes were verified.The results showed that with the increase of age,the stability of C.hystrix stoichiometry gradually increased,and the functional traits also tended to invest in security.However,there was no synergistic change between the two,which might be attributed to the different sensitivity of the C.hystrix leaf to the environment at the life history level of 1.5-year-old to 20-year-old.

Waterlogging tolerance and wood properties of transgenic Populus alba×glandulosa expressing Vitreoscilla hemoglobin gene(Vgb)

Because overexpression of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin gene(Vgb)gene in plants can enhance tolerance to waterlogging,here Vgb was inserted into Populus alba×glandulosa to investigate its expression and effects on growth and physiological responses to waterlogging stress in the transgenic poplars.Southern blotting and RT-PCR analysis of Vgb-transgenic P.alba×glandulosa showed that the Vgb gene was integrated into the genome of the V13-81 and V13-85 transgenic lines and expressed.In greenhouse waterlogging stress tests,mortality of the transgenic poplar was significant lower than that of nontransgenic plants with increasing treatment time from 2 to 22 days.The transgenic plants had higher chlorophyll content and less chloroplast damage than in the control plants.Additionally,starch accumulation increased,and growth was enhanced in the transgenic plants,suggesting that the Vgb-expressing lines had improved energy reserves.Field trials of the transgenic poplar suggested that Vgb expression promotes growth and influences wood quality.Taken together,our results suggest that the expression of Vgb can increase the accumulation of chlorophyll and starch in the transgenic poplar,improve its ability to endure flooding,and improve growth and wood quality of the transgenic plants.

Effect of high temperature heat treatment on pH value of Masson Pine wood

Heat-treated wood has good dimensional stability,corrosion resistance and visual quality,but it is prone to mold,which limits its application.Based on the pH value of heat-treated wood,this study examines the factors affecting the pathogenesis causing heat-treated wood mold.Normally,the pH value of the heat-treated wood is between 4.38 and 5.10,which is suitable for the growth of mold.However,the pH of the heat-treated copper-containing material is between 6.63 and 7.12,which deviates the treated wood from the comfortable growth conditions for the mold,thereby reducing the occurrence of mold.

Susceptibility of male fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) to Metarhizium anisopliae

Increasing evidences indicate that male haploid are more susceptible to parasites than female diploid(workers,alate females and queens)although the generality and reasons causing such susceptibility are still under debate.The male haploids in eusocial Hymenoptera are perfect for examining the susceptibility assumption and unveiling the molecular mechanisms of this assumption.In the present study,the males,workers and alate females of red imported fire ants(Solenopsis invicta)were challenged with entomopathogenic fungus Metarrhizium anisopliae.By measuring the LC50 values of M.anisopliae against different castes of S.invicta,we found that haploid males suffered from reduced disease resistance than diploid workers and alate females,a proof that haploid susceptibility was diminished in S.invicta.In this study we also examined the assumption that males invest less in innate immunity contributing to haploid susceptibility based on the transcript levels of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides(AMP)with quantitative reverse transcription-PCR(qRT-PCR).We found that infection increased the mRNA levels of hymenoptaecin in females(workers and alate females),but not in males;no significant difference was found in the mRNA levels of defensin,transferrin or crustin between infected ants and control ants in each sxe/castes.However,this study suggested that any resistance traits like behavioral and other immunological responses,are contributing to haploid susceptibility.

Optimizing the growth and N status of containerized Australian Blackwood(Acacia melanoxylon)seedlings with exponential nitrogen loading

Exponential nitrogen(N) loading approach has been used to optimize seedling growth in container seedling production. However, the response of seedling growth to N loading and optimal N loading rates are species-dependent. There is a lack of information on optimal N loading in container production of Australian Blackwood(Acacia melanoxylon) seedlings. In this study, 7 exponential N loading at rates of 0, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 600 mg N seedling-1, respectively, were applied at the week 3, 6, 9, 12 and 14 after transplanting to determine optimal loading approach based on seedling height, root collar diameter(RCD), biomass accumulation and N uptake in tissue-cultured Australian Blackwood(A. melanoxylon) seedlings. Seedlings did not respond to N loading 3 wk after transplanting, then the accumulative addition of N loading for improved RCD and seedling height was 12.99 and 28.02 mg N seedlings-1 in the 100 N and 400 N treatment 6 wk after transplanting, respectively, and on 9 and 12 wk, that for improved seedling growth was 63.64 and 400 mg N seedling-1 in the 200 N and 400 N treatment, respectively. Vector diagnosis of final biomass and N status indicated that the dose of 100 and 400 mg N seedling-1 was characterized to be "deficient" and "optimum" dose of exponential N loading for Blackwood seedlings. These conclusions promise to figure out a precise fertilization regime for Blackwood seedlings and the demonstration of dynamic seedling performance could be used for other tree species.

Root morphology and biomass accumulation in hairy root culture of Psammosilene tunicoides by exogenous auxin treatments

Root morphology,growth rate and biomass accumulation in hairy root culture could be impacted by auxins.In this study,we investigated the responses of the morphology and growth of Psammosilene tunicoides hairy roots to different treatments of auxins at several concentrations in solid or liquid media.Results show that Naphthylacetic acid(NAA)principally accelerates the P.tunicoides primary or lateral hairy root elongation,while indolebutyric acid(IBA)mainly increases lateral hairy root density.The biomass of hairy roots was generally promoted by NAA,IBA or NAA/IBA combination.The optimal concentrations of NAA,IBA and NAA/IBA for root biomass enhancements are 0.5,0.1,0.5/0.2 mg/L for solid media,and 0.1,0.1,0.05/0.2 mg/L for liquid media,respectively.This study positively suggests that the root morphology of P.tunicoides hairy root can be improved by optimizing the ratio of NAA/IBA in the culture media,leading to an improving biomass in hairy root culture.

Assessment of Forest Soil Fertility in Yunfu City based on Grey Correlation

Due to the spatial heterogeneity of forest soil,it is a difficult problem to evaluate the forest soil fertility on a large scale.This study conducted a grid survey of forest soil in Yunfu City,Guangdong Province,and used the the gray correlation system to evaluate forest soil fertility in each county.The results showed that the effect of using the gray correlation analysis to evaluate soil fertility in Yunfu city was ideal,and the fertilizer strength in each county was in order of Yunan,Yun'an,Yuncheng,Xinxing,and Luoding.The results can provide an appropriate scientific basis for forestry division within the county scale.

A Review of the Engineering Role of Burrowing Animals: Implication of Chinese Pangolin as an Ecosystem Engineer

Ecosystem engineers are organisms that alter the distribution of resources in the environment by creating,modifying,maintaining and/or destroying the habitat.They can affect the structure and function of the whole ecosystem furthermore.Burrowing engineers are an important group in ecosystem engineers as they play a critical role in soil translocation and habitat creation in various types of environment.However,few researchers have systematically summarized and analyzed the studies of burrowing engineers.We reviewing the existing ecological studies of burrowing engineer about their interaction with habitat through five directions:(1)soil turnover;(2)changing soil physicochemical properties;(3)changing plant community structure;(4)providing limited resources for commensal animals;and/or(5)affecting animal communities.The Chinese pangolin(Manis pentadactyla)is a typical example of burrowing mammals,in part(5),we focus on the interspecific relationships among burrow commensal species of Chinese pangolin.The engineering effects vary with environmental gradient,literature indicates that burrowing engineer play a stronger role in habitat transformation in the tropical and subtropical areas.The most common experiment method is comparative measurements(include different spatial and temporal scale),manipulative experiment is relatively few.We found that most of the engineering effects had positive feedback to the local ecosystem,increased plant abundance and resilience,increased biodiversity and consequently improved ecosystem functioning.With the global background of dramatic climate change and biodiversity loss in recent decades,we recommend future studies should improving knowledge of long-term engineering effects on population scale and landscape scale,exploring ecological cascades through trophic and engineering pathways,to better understand the attribute of the burrowing behavior of engineers to restore ecosystems and habitat creation.The review is presented as an aid to systematically expound the engineering effect of burrowing animals in the ecosystem,and provided new ideas and advice for planning and implementing conservation management.

A chromosome-level genome assembly provides insights into Cornus wilsoniana evolution, oil biosynthesis, and floral bud development

Cornus wilsoniana W.is a woody oil plant with high oil content and strong hypolipidemic effects,making it a valuable species for medicinal,landscaping,and ecological purposes in China.To advance genetic research on this species,we employed PacBio together with Hi-C data to create a draft genome assembly for C.wilsoniana.Based on an 11-chromosome anchored chromosome-level assembly,the estimated genome size was determined to be 843.51 Mb.The N50 contig size and N50 scaffold size were calculated to be 4.49 and 78.00 Mb,respectively.Furthermore,30474 protein-coding genes were annotated.Comparative genomics analysis revealed that C.wilsoniana diverged from its closest species∼12.46 million years ago(Mya).Furthermore,the divergence between Cornaceae and Nyssaceae occurred>62.22 Mya.We also found evidence of whole-genome duplication events and whole-genome triplicationγ,occurring at∼44.90 and 115.86 Mya.We further inferred the origins of chromosomes,which sheds light on the complex evolutionary history of the karyotype of C.wilsoniana.Through transcriptional and metabolic analysis,we identified two FAD2 homologous genes that may play a crucial role in controlling the oleic to linoleic acid ratio.We further investigated the correlation between metabolites and genes and identified 33 MADS-TF homologous genes that may affect f lower morphology in C.wilsoniana.Overall,this study lays the groundwork for future research aimed at identifying the genetic basis of crucial traits in C.wilsoniana.