Sensitivity to chilling temperatures and distribution differ in the mangrove species Kandelia candel and Avicennia marina

We compared the effects of short-term (hours) and long-term (days) exposure to chilling temperatures on the photosynthetic gas exchange, leaf characteristics and chlorophyll a fluorescence of seedlings of the mangrove species Kandelia candel Druce and Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. Both species occur along the west coast of Taiwan, but K. candel occurs further north than A. marina. We hypothesized that temperature was one of the major environmental factors limiting the northern distribution of A. marina. Avicennia marina was more sensitive to chilling temperatures than K. candel. Leaves of both species showed reductions in light-saturated photosynthetic rates (Amax), stomatal conductance (gs) and quantum yield of photosystem II after a 1-h exposure to 15 degrees C, with A. marina showing significantly greater reductions in Amax and gs than K. candel. No significant differences in Amax, gs and electron transport rate (ETR) were found between leaves of K. candel grown at 15 and 30 degrees C for 10 days. However, leaves of A. marina grown for 10 days at 15 degrees C had significantly lower Amax, gs and ETR than plants grown at 30 degrees C. After 20 days at 15 degrees C, leaf mass per area of both species was increased significantly, whereas area-based chlorophyll concentrations were reduced, with significantly greater changes in A. marina than in K. candel. We concluded that sensitivity to low winter temperatures is a primary limiting factor in the distribution of A. marina along the western coast of Taiwan.     

Biodegradation Kinetics and Effects of Operating Parameters on the Performance of a Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether Degrading Biofilter

The goals of the study were to determine the effectiveness of a laboratory-scale biofilter on the removal of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and investigate the operating parameter effects on biofilter performance. The experimental results show that average MTBE removals of 53.6–93.2% were observed at loads of 2.5–20.1 gm^?3 h^?1 and an empty-bed residence time of three minutes, after continuous operation for four months throughout the biofilter acclimation period. After a one-day recovery period operation, the biofilter system recovered from the introduction of a shock load. More than 99% removal efficiencies were achieved for the inlet MTBE concentration at 50 ppmv and with the highest residence time. MTBE removals at the bottom section of the biofilter were consistently lower than for the top section, which was attributed to insufficient microorganism growth in the bottom section. The parameters estimated by using the Michaelis-Menten equation were 1.116 ± 0.51 ppmv s^?1 for the maximum removal rate (V _m ), and 26.38 ± 17.21 ppmv for the half-saturation constant (Ks), evaluated at the biofilter exit.     

Export of Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen in a Partially Cultivated Subtropical Mountainous Watershed in Taiwan

A spatial and temporal investigation of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN; NO₃, NO₂ and NH₄) was conducted under various water discharge conditions in Lanyang-Hsi, a subtropical mountainous stream, which drains through distinct degrees of agriculture-influenced sub-watersheds. In both the cultivated and non-cultivated sub-watersheds, NO₃ was the most abundant species accounting for >80% of total DIN, while NH₄ and NO₂ accounted for <15% and=" 5%=" of=" din,=" respectively.=" agricultural=" activities=" along=" the=" riverbank=" led=" to=" significantly=" higher=">₃ concentrations (13–246 M) and DIN yields (1300–3800 kg N km^–2 yr^–1) in main channel when compared to those of non-cultivated tributaries (9–38 M for NO₃ and 550–740 kg N km^–2 yr^–1 for yield). The much lower and less variable DIN yields observed in tributary stations (mean = 660 ± 120 kg N km^–2 yr^–1) are considered as the present day background of DIN yield, which is significantly higher than those of most natural watersheds in other regions. Elevated atmospheric DIN deposition is likely the cause for the high background DIN yield. Human activity within the watershed results in additional DIN yield, which accounted for 49% of total N export. However, the reported atmospheric DIN input in northern Taiwan (1800 kg N km^–2 yr^–1) is much higher than the background DIN yield implying that a major fraction (70%) of atmospheric inputs are retained or processed within the watershed. A dilution pattern occurred in the main channel where high NO₃ concentrations from the upstream sources decreased significantly in downstream direction due to inputs of NO₃-diluted water from non-cultivated areas. We adopted a two-source mixing model to predict the NO₃ dilution pattern. This model revealed a third yet not recognized N source in the lower part of watershed. Model results also indicated the importance of water discharge rate in regulating the relative contribution to total DIN export among these sources.     

Evaluation of extraction methodologies for corn kernel (Zea mays) DNA for detection of trace amounts of biotechnology-derived DNA

Sensitive and accurate testing for trace amounts of biotechnology-derived DNA from plant material requires pure, high-quality genomic DNA as template for subsequent amplification using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Six methodologies were evaluated for extracting DNA from ground corn kernels spiked with 0.1% (m/m) CBH351 (StarLink) corn. DNA preparations were evaluated for purity and fragment size. Extraction efficiency was determined. The alcohol dehydrogenase gene (adh1) and the CBH351 (cry9C, 35S promoter) genes in the genomic DNA were detected using PCR. DNA isolated by two of the methods proved unsuitable for performing PCR amplification. All other methods produced some DNA preparations that gave false negative PCR results. We observed that cornstarch, a primary component of corn kernels, was not an inhibitor of PCR, while acidic polysaccharides were. Our data suggest that amplification of an endogenous positive control gene, as an indicator for the absence of PCR inhibitors, is not always valid. This study points out aspects of DNA isolation that need to be considered when choosing a method for a particular plant/tissue type.     

A simplified modelling approach for pesticide transport in a tile-drained field: The PESTDRAIN model

The paper presents a simplified model called PESTDRAIN. It simulates pesticide transport in a subsurface tile-drained field. It computes surface runoff and tile-drainage flow rates, along with the associated pesticide concentrations, with a variable event-driven time step. PESTDRAIN consists of three coupled modules: SIDRA, SIRUP and SILASOL. SIDRA and SIRUP are the water flow simulation modules in the saturated and unsaturated zones, respectively. SIDRA follows a simplified physically based approach while SIRUP follows a conceptual capacitive approach. SILASOL is the solute transport module for both the saturated and unsaturated zones and is based on transfer functions. It includes simple representations of adsorption and degradation of pesticides.PESTDRAIN was tested on field data sets collected for three drainage seasons at the La Jaillière experimental site in north-western France, for the wheat herbicides isoproturon (IPU) and diflufenican (DFF). After model calibration, relative errors for drainage and surface runoff flows over the season were 14% and 4%, respectively, and the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (N_eff) value for drainage discharge was 0.58. A fair reproduction of a high temporal resolution IPU concentration data set in drainage discharge was also obtained (N_eff=0.28). For the validation data sets, PESTDRAIN was able to simulate accurately drainage discharge with Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficients of 0.57 and 0.69. The global N_eff was 0.44 for all flow-weighted average weekly concentrations in drainage. Relative errors for the pesticide losses were 2.5% and 35% (IPU), and 60% (DFF). For surface runoff the results were not as accurate, but they remained correct in terms of time location and order of magnitude. Although further validation is necessary with more field data, PESTDRAIN appears as a promising tool for agricultural water management.     

呼和浩特市国土空间功能评价及优化分区研究

市域国土空间功能评价研究是市级国土空间规划编制的基础,准确评价国土空间功能及分区可为规划实施和用途管制提供科学依据.以乡级行政单位为评价单元,通过归并分类、全局与局部空间自相关等方法分析国土空间功能及其空间分布特征;采用两维图论聚类算法,在空间邻接性和区域完整性前提下对国土空间功能进行分区,并根据分区结果提出发展建议....     

天然保鲜剂对冷却牦牛肉的保鲜效果研究

[目的]为了解决牦牛肉的保鲜问题.[方法]本研究采用天然保鲜材料魔芋、生姜、洋葱、月桂叶,经榨汁、浸提、分离等处理,配成一定比例的天然保鲜剂,对冷却牦牛肉进行涂膜处理,采用L9(34)正交试验,选出最优保鲜剂组合,即生姜15%、魔芋0.7%、月桂叶0.5%、洋葱15%.冷却牦牛肉经涂膜保鲜后,在0～3℃条件下贮藏、保鲜期可达17 d,贮藏期间,冷却牛肉经TVBN(挥发性盐基总氮)测定,pH值、感观表现均符合国标标准.[结果]表明,四种保鲜材料均有一定的保鲜效果,[结论]说明天然保鲜剂保鲜方法具有安全、经济、方便等特点.     

县级尺度“三生”用地动态变化及其空间集聚特征

[目的]深入探索土地"三生"(生态、生活、生产)功能格局特征,为土地利用总体规划提供指标控制的科学依据。[方法]利用内蒙古和林格尔县1996,2006,2015年3期遥感数据,采用动态度、空间变化分析模型、空间变化率指数对研究区"三生"用地数量变化、空间变化及其变化集聚特征进行分析。[结果](1)研究期间生态用地减少数量突出,后期逐渐减缓;生产生活用地增加幅度明显,年均变化率达5.9%,动态度达12.06%;从整个空间变化率分析,生产生态用地两期变化均强烈,生产生活用地呈增强趋势,生态用地变化逐渐减弱。(2)研究区"三生"用地空间变化前期集聚在黄土丘陵区和山区,后期集聚在平原地貌类型区。[结论]经过20a规划管控,研究区"三生"用地逐步形成北部平原区以生产生态用地和生产生活用地为主的生产生活空间,中部、南部黄土丘陵区和山区以生态用地和生态生产用地为主的生态空间,且生产生活用地功能区扩张和生产生态功能区减少的矛盾得到一定程度遏制。     

Automatic color separating system for printed fabric using the self-organizing map network approach

We can only use color numbers, color values and design to describe the color pattern of printed fabrics, which is different from woven fabrics with yarn disposition and texture as pattern determinants. Since most printed fabrics contain many different patterns nowadays, we need more than words and simple methods to describe the color patterns. The complication in pattern identification has made the analysis and comparison difficult and will have to be conducted manually. The automatic computer color separating system for printed fabrics proposed in this paper uses unsupervised learning network to automatically separate printed colors. The system first uses color scanner to pick the image of the printed fabrics and stores it as digital image. Then, it uses wavelet transformation to minify the fabric image to reduce the calculation load of color separation and also reserve the printing structure and color distribution of the original image. It also uses LAB color model to acquire characteristic value of the colors and the Self-Organizing Map Network (SOMN) to conduct color separation. According to our experimental results, this system can rapidly and automatically complete color separation and identify repeating patterns for printed fabrics’ images.