青年使者赴美交流微博直播

继《巴西环保之窗》微博直播后,贾峰总编再次尝试利用新媒体来增强环境宣传的影响力。本期我们从其百余条相关微博中精选了24条来与读者分享使者赴美交流的瞬间和感悟。此外,我们专门与新浪和腾讯合作,在代表团出发前分别作了一期微访谈来吸引网友关注,短短一周新增粉丝数量超过10万。     

Approaches to studying the genomic architecture of complex birth defects

Every year nearly 6 percent of children worldwide are born with a serious congenital malformation, resulting in death or lifelong disability. In the United States, birth defects remain one of the leading causes of infant mortality. Among the common structural congenital defects are conditions known as neural tube defects (NTDs). These are a class of malformation of the brain and spinal cord where the neural tube fails to close during the neurulation. Although NTDs remain among the most pervasive and debilitating of all human developmental anomalies, there is insufficient understanding of their etiology. Previous studies have proposed that complex birth defects like NTDs are likely omnigenic, involving interconnected gene regulatory networks with associated signals throughout the genome. Advances in technologies have allowed researchers to more critically investigate regulatory gene networks in ever increasing detail, informing our understanding of the genetic basis of NTDs. Employing a systematic analysis of these complex birth defects using massively parallel DNA sequencing with stringent bioinformatic algorithms, it is possible to approach a greater level of understanding of the genomic architecture underlying NTDs. Herein, we present a brief overview of different approaches undertaken in our laboratory to dissect out the genetics of susceptibility to NTDs. This involves the use of mouse models to identify candidate genes, as well as large scale whole genome/whole exome (WGS/WES) studies to interrogate the genomic landscape of NTDs. The goal of this research is to elucidate the gene-environment interactions contributing to NTDs, thus encouraging global research efforts in their prevention.     

To roll or not to roll: nyctinastic behavior in young leaves of sacred lotus,Nelumbo nucifera

The Science of Nature -     

Physiological responses and detoxific mechanisms to Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd in young seedlings of Paulownia fortunei

Paulownia fortunei has been successfully used in the phytoremediation of many Pb/Zn mine tailings. However, seed germination and young seedlings of P. fortunei rarely occurred in these mine tailings. The physiological responses and detoxific mechanisms of P. fortunei young seedling to Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd stress were investigated. The germinated rate, shoot length, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in leaves of young seedlings had a great reduction under Zn and Cu treatments, but had little decrease under Pb and Cd treatments. The production rate of O₂^•−, H₂O₂ and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents significantly increased in response to added Zn and Cu indicating great oxidative stress for young seedlings, but they had no significant change to added Pb and Cd. Young seedlings had effective detoxific mechanism to Pb and Cd, as antioxidant enzymes activities, phytochelatins (PCs-SH) and proline contents increased with increasing rates of added Pb and Cd. However, young seedlings had un-effective detoxific mechanisms to Zn and Cu stress. Results revealed the heavy metals (such as Cu) that present at low concentrations in mine tailings may be major constraint for the survival of young seedlings.     

杉木幼林土壤垂直剖面CO2通量对土壤增温的响应

研究土壤垂直剖面CO_2通量的分布是了解生态系统碳循环的重要环节.本研究以亚热带杉木幼林为研究对象,于2014年5月至2015年5月,采用气井法结合Fick扩散法则和扩散系数模型计算15、30、60 cm各层土壤的CO_2通量,探讨增温对其影响.结果表明:杉木幼林土壤增温影响可至60 cm土层,增温显著降低了各层土壤含水量(p0.05).增温显著增加了杉木幼林土壤CO_2通量(p0.05),深层尤为显著;增温处理(W)后15、30、60 cm土层的土壤CO_2通量年均值分别为1.35、0.73和0.36μmol·m-2·s-1,比对照(CT)相应增加了36%、180%和192%,并且增温显著影响了土壤基础呼吸速率F10和土壤温度敏感性指数Q10(p0.05).土壤温度和含水量能够共同解释各层土壤CO_2通量季节变异的62%~87%,且增温处理后其R2增大.双因子模型拟合结果优于单因子模型.增温能够增加土壤呼吸,对全球大气CO_2浓度升高具有正反馈作用.     

新时代中国乡村振兴：探索与思考——乡村地理青年学者笔谈

乡村振兴是新时期国家重大战略,是一项系统工程。中国地域广阔,资源禀赋和经济发展区域差异显著,乡村振兴路径需要体现乡村发展的综合性、复杂性和区域性。来自乡村地理学领域的16位青年学者,以笔谈方式,对中国乡村振兴的科学路径开展了深入讨论。核心观点如下：（1）乡村振兴需要遵循时空分异规律,重点关注乡村发展的时空传承与现实需求之间的衔接,建立彰显地域特色和具有可操行性的理论和技术体系,分类、有序地推进乡村的人居环境、产业体系、生态环境和治理模式等转型。（2）力求城乡融合和联动,构建城乡复合多中心网络体系,创新采用“乡村群”空间组织模式,以乡村内生力、城镇辐射力与规划约束力共同驱动乡村振兴。（3）在中国“大国小农”的基本国情下,农业承载着食品安全、社会稳定和生态产品等多重功能,需要构建农业“全价值链”的发展路径,促进一二三产业深度融合,助力乡村产业兴旺。（4）在能源富集区,在保障国家能源安全需求前提下,需从根本上解决农村发展不平衡不充分问题;在西南地区,依托山区特色生态、人文资源打造山区现代农业产业体系、重塑乡村旅游新品牌、构筑山水田园乡村家园;在东北地区,乡村振兴应与“东北振兴”战略协同推进,有序分类推进;在长三角地区,应在全面认知乡村工业化到乡村城镇化,再到乡村特色化,到乡村的社会、文化和生态建设的阶段演化特征基础上,寻求差异化的乡村振兴路径;在西北地区,应在生态保护的前提下有效提升乡村“自主脱贫”的能力,实现从“输血”扶贫向“造血”扶贫转变;在京津冀地区,需以城乡基本公共服务均等化为目标,推动城乡融合与乡村振兴;在资源型地区,乡村振兴核心将以一二三产业融合的高效农业体系替代以资源开采为核心的产业体系;在传统农区,优化耕地利用转型同农村劳动力结构变化的耦合格局是实现乡村振兴的关键;在经济发达地区,具有“混杂性”特征的乡村,需激活农村土地资源的资产和资本属性,推进空间有序整合与活化,寻求多主体共同参与和缔造的现代乡村治理模式。     

Injury to young cashew plants, Anacardium occidentale L., by the red-banded thrips Selenothrips rubrocinctus Giard (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

The damage caused to young cashew plants, — Anacardium occidentale L. — by the red-banded thrips, Selenothrips rubrocinctus Giard was studied with the objective of establishing the economic injury threshold of this insect on the crop to effect a timely control.Six infestation levels (0, 40, 80, 160, 240 and 320) of adult thrips were used on 6-week-old cashew seedlings in a randomized complete block design of five replicates. The results showed that the mean leaf number and shoot weight bore significant linear relationships (P<0.001) (without detectable higher power components) to increased number of thrips. Damage by up to 160 adult thrips on 6-week-old cashew plants did not differ significantly from the control at P<0.05. On the other hand, infestation rates of 240 thrips and above caused significant defoliation and shoot weight loss when compared with the control. The need to spray chemical insecticides to control thrips on the basis of pest numbers as against spraying to a schedule is discussed.