Effects of area and isolation of woodland patches on herbaceous plant species richness across Great Britain

Richness of Ancient Woodland Indicator plant species was analysed in 308 woodland patches that were surveyed during the Countryside Survey of Great Britain carried out in 1998. The Countryside Survey recorded vegetation plots and landscape structure in 569 stratified 1 km sample squares and developed a remotely-sensed land cover map of the UK. Using these datasets, we tested the hypothesis that Ancient Woodland Indicator species richness in woodland fragments was limited by patch area, shape and spatial isolation and that woodland patches located in the lowland region of Great Britain would respond differently than those in the upland region. The variation in Ancient Woodland Indicator species richness in the British lowlands (n = 218) was mainly explained by patch area and two measures of connectivity, the length of hedgerows and lines of trees in the 1 km square and the area of woodland within 500 m of the vegetation plot. By contrast, variation in Ancient Woodland Indicator species richness in the British uplands (n = 90) was related to Ellenberg scores of the vegetation communities sampled – a surrogate for habitat quality – and no significant effect of spatial structure was detected. It therefore appears that the degree of fragmentation of woodland in the British lowlands limits the distribution of Ancient Woodland Indicator species, while in the uplands, failed colonisation is a matter of habitat quality rather than a result of landscape structure.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Role of vascular NAD(P)H oxidase in vascular remodeling

NAD(P)H oxidase was initially found in phagocytes and it participates in the generation of reactive oxygen species(ROS). Recent researches have showed that NAD(P)H oxidase also expresses in other tissues including blood vessels and it plays a critical role in vascular remodeling through ROS which are important signaling molecules in vascular cells.This article reviews the biochemical characterization, activation paradigms, structure, and function of this enzyme.     

我国部分地区猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒分离株ORF5基因的遗传变异分析

参考Genbank发表的猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒（PKRSV）ATCC VR-2332的ORF5基因序列，设计并合成了一对引物．对来自福建、浙江、山东等地的PRRSV分离毒株进行RT-PCR扩增．获得约748bp的DNA片断，将其分别克隆入pMD18-T载体中，并进行测序。应用DNAStar软件分析所测序列，并与ATCCVR-2332、CH-1a、MLV、Lv等毒株的ORF5序列进行比较，结果表明：SHDl与F114、MLV、ATCCVR-2332同源性高达98．5％，与CH-1a同源性为91．0％，与其它毒株同源性为86．6％~88．4％；F114与MLV、ATCCVR-2332同源性为99．3％～99．7％．其余分离毒株在遗传关系上和CH-1a又分为明显的两个群．显示近年来各地PRRSV分离毒株与cH-1a株的遗传差异越来越大。     

Melatonin reduces apoptotic cells,SOD2 and HSPB1 and improves the in vitro production and quality of bovine blastocysts

Effects of adding different concentrations of melatonin (10^?7, 10^?9 and 10^?11 M) to maturation (Experiment 1; Control, IVM  + 10^?7, IVM  + 10^?9, IVM  + 10^?11) and culture media (Experiment 2; Control, IVC  + 10^?7, IVC  + 10^?9, IVC  + 10^?11) were evaluated on in vitro bovine embryonic development. The optimal concentration of melatonin (10^?9 M) from Experiments 1–2 was tested in both maturation and/or culture media of Experiment 3 (Control, IVM  + 10^?9, IVC  + 10^?9, IVM /IVC  + 10^?9). In Experiment 1, maturated oocytes from Control and IVM  + 10^?9 treatments showed increased glutathione content, mitochondrial membrane potential and percentage of Grade I blastocysts (40.6% and 43%, respectively). In Experiment 2, an increase in the percentage of Grade I blastocysts was detected in IVC  + 10^?7 (43.5%; 56.7%) and IVC  + 10^?9 (47.4%; 57.4%). Moreover, a lower number and percentage of apoptotic cells in blastocysts were observed in the IVC  + 10^?9 group compared to Control (3.8 ± 0.6; 3.6% versus 6.1 ± 0.6; 5.3%). In Experiment 3, the IVC  + 10^?9 treatment increased percentage of Grade I blastocysts with a lower number of apoptotic cells compared to IVM /IVC  + 10^?9 group (52.6%; 3.0 ± 0.5 versus 46.0%; 5.4 ± 1.0). The IVC  + 10^?9 treatment also had a higher mRNA expression of antioxidant gene (SOD 2) compared to the Control, as well as the heat shock protein (HSPB 1) compared to the IVM  + 10^?9. Reactive oxygen species production was greater in the IVM /IVC  + 10^?9 treatment group. In conclusion, the 10^?9 M concentration of melatonin and the in vitro production phase in which it is used directly affected embryonic development and quality.     

The Situation for Quinoa and Its Production in Southern Bolivia: From Economic Success to Environmental Disaster

In Bolivia, one of the world’s most important centres of plant domestication, there is growing awareness of the value of native Andean crops, both for domestic consumption and for market sale – notably the virtually boom‐like consumer demand for quinoa around the world. The southern altiplano of Bolivia, south of Oruro, relies almost purely on the production of quinoa and breeding of llamas, which have also been selected as the two commodities of priority to the government to increase the income of the country. Presently, however, quinoa is facing increasing problems in production, owing to its increasing export market and price. The flat areas around the salt desert of the southern altiplano, previously characterized by natural vegetation fed by the llamas, are being increasingly sown with quinoa, hence transformed into deserts, because intensive cultivation methods make the soil loose its fertility. Possible solutions to these problems will require extensive efforts in the south, in addition to various strategies, which also include other parts of the Bolivian altiplano and a strengthened focus on other Andean crops.     

环境因子对太白山锐齿槲栎林林下草本植物组成和多样性的影响

【目的】探索太白山锐齿槲栎林林下草本植物组成和多样性与环境因子的关系,为该区域森林保护、经营管理提供理论指导。【方法】基于太白山锐齿槲栎林林下草本植物野外调查及室内试验数据,采用CCA和偏CCA排序法分析环境因子对太白山锐齿槲栎林林下草本植物组成的影响,采用相关分析和多元逐步回归分析探索环境因子对其草本植物多样性的影响。【结果】环境因子能显著解释太白山锐齿槲栎林林下草本植物组成变异,海拔、坡向、坡度、pH、枯落物厚度和有机质、碱解N、有效P、有效K含量及郁闭度、灌木盖度11个环境因子共解释了物种组成变异的39.05%。其中,郁闭度、土壤有效P含量、pH值和海拔是影响林下草本植物组成的主要环境因子。海拔、郁闭度、有效P和有效K含量能够显著影响太白山锐齿槲栎林林下草本植物的多样性,海拔较高、郁闭度较大、土壤有效P和有效K含量较高的生境具有较好的草本植物多样性。【结论】在太白山锐齿槲栎林经营管理中,可通过适量施用P肥和K肥来促进林下草本植物发育,提高物种多样性。     

内蒙古外来入侵物种及其对草原的影响

生物入侵严重威胁着内蒙古草原的生物多样性和生态安全。目前,内蒙古地区乃至于全国对外来物种只重引进、疏于管理,导致外来物种逃逸到自然环境中,造成潜在的环境灾害。本研究据文献查阅以及中国外来入侵物种数据库信息,整理分析内蒙古境内分布的外来入侵物种的种类、来源地、侵入途径及对草原的危害状况,并对内蒙古草原应对外来物种入侵提出了相应的防控措施。根据统计,外来入侵植物中的牛膝菊(Galinsoga parviflora)和光梗蒺藜草(Cenchrus calyculatus)已表现出蔓延趋势,其他物种有待进一步的调查。     

外来植物土荆芥入侵的化学基础探讨

土荆芥为藜科藜属一年生或多年生直立草本植物,1864年首次发现于中国台湾省台北淡水,2010年1月7日被列入中国《第二批外来入侵植物种名单》。目前对土荆芥的入侵学研究主要集中在生物学、生态学、化学成分、他感作用、逆境抗性等方面,因此其入侵机制主要是化学武器假说,如次生代谢旺盛,具化感潜力,抗逆性强等。但并未从分子学角度进行相关研究,如土荆芥的遗传进化特点、土荆芥入侵的分子标记、土荆芥的代谢组学等。尤其是土荆芥入侵之后,其与本土植物的种子萌发速度或生长速度比较(优先效应),目前尚未有报道。因此,未来在上述研究的基础上,必须对其分子生物学开展深入研究,尤其应重点研究土荆芥入侵的优先效应机制。