Bridging the gap between ecophysiological and genetic knowledge to assess the adaptive potential of European beech

In this study we aimed to combine knowledge of the ecophysiology and genetics of European beech to assess the potential of this species to adapt to environmental change. Therefore, we performed field and experimental studies on the genetic and ecophysiological functioning of beech. This information was integrated through a coupled genetic–ecophysiological model for individual trees that was parameterized with information derived from our own studies or from the literature. Using the model, we evaluated the adaptive response of beech stands in two ways: firstly, through sensitivity analyses (of initial genetic diversity, pollen dispersal distance, heritability of selected phenotypic traits, and forest management, representing disturbances) and secondly, through the evaluation of the responses of phenotypic traits and their genetic diversity to four management regimes applied to 10 study plots distributed over Western Europe. The model results indicate that the interval between recruitment events strongly affects the rate of adaptive response, because selection is most severe during the early stages of forest development. Forest management regimes largely determine recruitment intervals and thereby the potential for adaptive responses. Forest management regimes also determine the number of mother trees that contribute to the next generation and thereby the genetic variation that is maintained. Consequently, undisturbed forests maintain the largest amount of genetic variation, as recruitment intervals approach the longevity of trees and many mother trees contribute to the next generation. However, undisturbed forests have the slowest adaptive response, for the same reasons.Gene flow through pollen dispersal may compensate for the loss in genetic diversity brought about by selection. The sensitivity analysis showed that the total genetic diversity of a 2 ha stand is not affected by gene flow if the pollen distance distribution is varied from highly left-skewed to almost flat. However, a stand with a prevailing short-distance gene flow has a more pronounced spatial genetic structure than stands with equal short- and long-distance gene flows. The build-up of a spatial genetic structure is also strongly determined by the recruitment interval. Overall, the modelling results indicate that European beech has high adaptive potential to environmental change if recruitment intervals are short and many mother trees contribute to the next generation.The findings have two implications for modelling studies on the impacts of climate change on forests. Firstly: it cannot be taken for granted that parameter values remain constant over a time horizon of even a few generations – this is particularly important for threshold values subject to strong selection, like budburst, frost hardiness, drought tolerance, as used in species area models. Secondly: forest management should be taken into account in future assessments, as management affects the rate of adaptive response and thereby the response on trees and forests to environmental change, and because few forests are unmanaged. We conclude that a coupled ecophysiological and quantitative genetic tree model is a useful tool for such studies.     

Mitochondrial toxicity and in vitro biological effects of ambient PM2.5 from an urban site in China

Abstract

The roles of PM_2.5-induced mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress on mast cell degranulation were examined in vitro. Mast cells were treated with suspensions of PM_2.5 in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium at concentrations from 25 to 200?mg/L in the absence or presence of 10?mmol/L N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Biological effects and mitochondrial function were assessed by determining cell viability, β-hexosaminidase release, interleukin-4 secretion, reactive oxygen species generation, adenosine triphosphate production, potential alteration of mitochondrial membrane, and activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes I and III. Exposure of mast cells to PM_2.5 induced reduction of adenosine triphosphate production, collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential, and inhibition of the activity of complex III. Co-treatment of mast cells exposed to PM_2.5 with N-acetyl-L-cysteine attenuated cytotoxicity and the production of reactive oxygen species, and decreased the release of β-hexosaminidase and interleukin-4. Evidently, PM_2.5-induced oxidative stress plays an essential role in mitochondrial toxicity and mast cell activation.     

我国低碳城市建设水平及潜能比较

面对国际发展低碳经济大趋势和世界各国低碳发展指标的强力约束,研究探讨了低碳城市建设的概念和关联性因素,包括：经济增长、产业结构、能源结构、能源效率、交通体系、消费方式、碳汇发展和制度创新等。尝试构建了低碳城市建设水平测度指标体系并比较分析了我国一些主要城市低碳发展水平和潜能,以期加快我国低碳城市建设,促使我国从传统经济发展方式向低碳经济发展方式转型。     

冬季淹水稻田CH_4产生、氧化和排放规律及其影响因素研究

采用静态箱/气象色谱法——田间原位观测和室内培养试验连续一年研究了冬季淹水稻田的CH4产生潜力、氧化潜力和排放通量,以探讨冬季淹水稻田CH4产生、氧化和排放的季节变化规律及其影响因素。结果表明：0~251 d（d表示淹水后天数）,CH4产生潜力逐渐增大,到251 d达最大值,之后逐渐减小;0~204 d,CH4氧化潜力变化较小,但到235 d急剧增至最大值,随后逐渐减小;0~169 d,稻田几乎没有CH4排放,192 d才开始有较明显的CH4排放,到230 d达最大值,为80.2 mg.m-2.h-1,随后逐渐减小,331 d出现一个CH4排放高峰。全观测期内CH4排放量为69.9 g.m-2,其中非水稻生长期排放6.7 g.m-2,占总量的9.5%。全观测期内CH4产生潜力与土温及土壤Eh均无显著相关性;全观测期内CH4氧化潜力与土温极显著正相关（P〈0.01）,水稻生长期CH4氧化潜力与土壤中氨氮含量呈极显著正相关（P〈0.01）;全观测期内稻田CH4排放与土温和CH4产生潜力两个因素均显著正相关（P〈0.05）而与土壤Eh呈显著负相关（P〈0.05）。     

Development of a hydrothermal time seed germination model which uses the Weibull distribution to describe base water potential

Seed germination has been modelled extensively using hydrothermal time (HTT) models, that predict time to germination as a function of the extent to which seedbed temperature, T, and water potential, Ψ, exceed the base temperature, T_b, and base water potential, Ψ_b, of each seed percentile, g. Within a seed population the variation in time to germination arises from variation in Ψ_b(g) modelled by a normal distribution. We tested the assumption of normality in the distribution of Ψ_b(g) by germinating seed of two unrelated species with non-dormant seed (Buddleja davidii (Franch.) and Pinus radiata D. Don) across a range of constant Ψ at sub-optimal T. When incorporated into a HTT model the Weibull distribution more accurately described both the right skewed distribution of Ψ_b(g) and germination time course over sub-optimal T than the HTT based on the normal distribution, for both species. Given the flexibility of the Weibull distribution this model not only provides a useful method for predicting germination but also a means of determining the distribution of Ψ_b(g).     

冬季土地管理对稻季CH4产生、氧化和排放的影响

通过室内培养和田间试验测定了冬季休闲、种麦和淹水处理水稻生长期CH4的产生潜力、氧化潜力及其排放通量,以探讨冬季土地管理对后续稻季CH4产生、氧化和排放的影响。结果表明：休闲与种麦处理间CH4产生潜力无显著差异（P〉0．05）,但2者均显著低于淹水处理（P〈0．05）;各处理间CH4氧化潜力无显著差异（P〉0．05）,土壤中NH4^＋-N含量可能是较冬季土地管理更为重要的影响CH4氧化潜力的因素;休闲处理CH4平均排放通量显著高于种麦处理（P〈0．05）,但2者均显著低于淹水处理（P〈0．05）。冬季持续淹水稻田CH4产生潜力显著高于冬季排水稻田是其CH4排放量远高于冬季排水稻田的原因。冬季土地管理对稻季CH4排放的影响主要受CH4产生潜力而非CH4氧化潜力的限制。     

全氟化合物的生物富集效应研究进展

研究污染物的生物富集效应,对于预测污染物在生物体内的含量、建立环境标准以及评估污染物的生态风险具有重要的意义。结合近年来国内外报道的有关全氟化合物（PFCs）的生物浓缩因子（BCF）、生物富集因子（BAF）、生物放大因子（BMF）和营养级放大因子（TMF）等参数,对PFCs的生物富集效应及其影响因素进行了综述。研究结果表明,氟代碳原子数高于7的PFCs一般在生物体或食物链（网）上具有生物富集效应,而氟代碳原子数低于7的PFCs的生物富集效应较低。PFCs的理化性质（碳链长度、碳链末端基团类型和是否含有支链等）、生物的种类及其生理生化参数（体长、体重和性别等）和环境条件（生态系统的组成、水温和污染物含量等）等都影响PFCs在生物体内或食物链（网）上的富集。综观当前研究成果,PFCs在食物链（网）上生物放大效应研究主要集中于极地地区海洋食物网,应加强其他区域（特别是典型污染区域）、各种类型食物网（如淡水食物网和陆生食物网）上PFCs的生物富集效应及其影响因素研究,为全面评估PFCs的生态风险提供基础数据。     

论全球生态经济系统的不可持续性——基于农业生态系统承载力视角

运用3种方法预测的作物产量潜力分别为：（1）利用作物历年单产回归拟合后进行趋势外推,得出多数作物的未来产量潜力极限大约将是现在单产的2～3倍;（2）运用＂国际应用系统研究所＂（IIASA）与＂联合国粮农组织＂（FAO）共同开发的＂农业生态区划＂（AEZ）模型计算我国主要粮油作物的区域单产最高潜力,得出水稻、小麦、玉米、马铃薯、油菜和大豆的单产潜力分别是它们2005年全国平均单产的1.2、2.2、2.2、2.9、2.0、1.9倍;（3）运用自然界中植物的最大光能利用率计算世界主要粮油作物单产的光合潜力,得出水稻、小麦、玉米、马铃薯、油菜、大豆产量的最大光合生产潜力大约分别是目前高产地区单产的1.4、2.5、1.2、1.8、1.9、2.2倍。据此：从作物产量潜力极限出发,阐述了农业生态系统的承载力;再从＂封闭＂系统特性出发,论述了全球生态经济系统的不可持续性。人类所能做的是尽力延缓＂终点＂的出现：行动越早,效果越好。     

长期施肥对土壤有机质积累的影响

20年的NPK施肥定位试验,有利于深刻揭示土壤肥力特征与营养平衡规律。以位于黄淮海平原的中国科学院禹城综合试验站为例,探讨和估算了长期定量施肥对冬小麦（TriticuspaestvumL．）、夏玉米（ZeaMaysL．）生长和土壤有机质（SOM）的影响。结果表明,长期的N、P肥配施或N、P、K均衡施肥,可显著增加SOM储量,并且后者要优于前者;SOM增加主要集中在0-20cm深度的土层,40-60cm基本不变;生物量对SOM储量变化影响明显,NPK,NP处理作物生长良好,作物残体输人明显优于其他处理;0-40cm可以代表该区用以计算土壤固碳潜力,并且在N、P、K均衡施肥条件下,0-40cm土层中SOM储量长期以来持续增加,并未达到上限,每年的平均固碳速率（以C计）达182．8kg·hm-1,约是全球平均水平的1．5倍,全国平均水平的1．1倍。华北平原若按N、P、K均衡施肥,农田土壤每年固碳潜力将达到1．6-2．4Tg·a-1。     

我国“四荒”资源的成因及其开发潜力

“四荒”是指可资农业利用而目前尚未开发的土地和水面，包括荒山、荒地、荒滩和荒水。人为开发利用不当是我国“四荒”资源的主要成因。“四荒”资源按其适宜性可分为宜农、宜园、宜林、宜牧、宜水产养殖５种类型，都有一定规模的开发潜力。