Variation in Leaf Shapes of Nitraria Species and Effect on Leaf δ13C

Leaf shapes are not only the useful indicators in plant taxonomy,but also the important factors affecting energy and material exchange in leaves.In this paper,we collected and scanned the leaves of Nitraria tangutorum in Dengkou of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region（the mean annual precipitation 145 mm） and Minqin of Gansu Province （the mean annual precipitation 115 mm） and N. sphaerocarpa in Dunhuang,and then analyzed leaf shape parameters with Image - Pro Plus6.0 image processing software and leafδ¹³C values in the isotope laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Forestry.The result showed that:1) as leaf area increased with increasing water availability the increases in the leaf length and width were asynchronously;2) with the same leaf width,the 1 eaves of N.tangutorum and N.sphaerocarpa were significantly longer in high water available conditions;and 3) although there were significantly differences in water availability between Dengkou and Minqin,as well as between the bottom and middle of the alluvial fan near the East Lake in Dunhuang,the leafδ¹³C values of N.tangutorum or N.sphaerocarpa were similar in different water conditions（P>0.05）.Our results suggested that the ratio of leaf perimeter to area would be an important factor which linked leaf shape to plant water physiology.During growing procedure of leaf area,leaf length increase was prior to its width to alleviate the reduction in ratio of perimeter to area and maintain water use efficiency of the plant.     

FEEDING HABITS OF HAINAN ELDI''''S DEER

Hainan eldi's deer is a precious species of deer in the tropic zone,it is regardedas the first—class animal under protection in China.Based on all-year-round observation on thedeer's feeding habit in the reserve from 1985 to 1988,we discovered that Hainan eldi’s deer is aeuryphangous herbivore.They take various herbs as their main food and have fairly strongselectivity for woody plants,especially tending to eat the tender parts of plants and some fruits andflowers.Like other species of deer,they also like to lick the alkaline soil.This paper reports the re-search and evaluation on the feeding and choosing food characteristics of Hainan eldi’s deer,and onthe palatability of the main plants in the reserve.     

THE MECHANISM OF SEED DETERIORATION

Seed deterioration is an irresistible physiological phenomenon.The aim to studyseed deterioration is to see if seed deterioration can be retarded artificially and the higher seedvigor of fine varieties be maintained.The change of seed deterioration occurs in almost every sys-tem,and affects many kinds of enzyme and almost all organelle,as a result,the seed loses its vig-or.The reason of seed deterioration and the lost of seed vigor are mainly studied and discussed inthis paper.According to the external and internal two kinds of theory advanced by E.H.Roberts,Much deep discussions are made from the view of biochemistry.     

Root carbohydrate reserves, mineral nutrient concentrations and biomass in a healthy and a declining sugar maple (Acer saccharum) stand

Soil and root characteristics were contrasted between a "declining" and a "healthy" sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) stand in Vermont, USA. The declining stand had lower basal area increment and more crown dieback than the healthy stand. Soil pH and base cation content were lower and soil water content was higher at the site of the declining stand than at the site of the healthy stand, whereas soil temperature did not differ significantly between the sites. In live fine roots, concentrations of K and Ca were marginally (P < 0.07) lower in the declining than in the healthy stand, whereas concentrations of N, P, Mg, and Al were not significantly different (P = 0.13 to 0.87) between stands. Starch and soluble sugar concentrations of fine and coarse roots did not differ significantly between stands, indicating that crown dieback did not affect carbohydrate supply to the roots in the declining stand. Throughout the growing season, the standing live and dead root biomass were significantly higher in the declining stand than in the healthy stand, indicating that more carbon was allocated to roots and that root turnover was higher in the declining stand than in the healthy stand.     

Cytotoxic, cytoprotective and antioxidant effects of isolated phenolic compounds from fresh ginger

Twenty-nine phenolic compounds were isolated from the root bark of fresh (Yunnan) ginger and their structures fully characterized. Selected compounds were divided into structural categories and twelve compounds subjected to in-vitro assays including DPPH radical scavenging, xanthine-oxidase inhibition, monoamine oxidase inhibition, rat-brain homogenate lipid peroxidation, and rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cell and primary liver cell viability to determine their antioxidant and cytoprotective properties. Isolated compounds were also tested against nine human tumor cell lines to characterize anticancer potency. Several diarylheptanoids and epoxidic diarylheptanoids were effective DPPH radical scavengers and moderately effective at inhibiting xanthine oxidase. An enone–dione analog of 6-shogaol (compound 2) was isolated and identified to be most effective at protecting PC12 cells from H₂O₂-induced damage. Almost all tested compounds inhibited lipid peroxidation. Three compounds, 6-shogaol, 10-gingerol and an enone-diarylheptanoid analog of curcumin (compound 6) were identified to be cytotoxic in cell lines tested, with KB and HL60 cells most susceptible to 6-shogaol and the curcumin analog with IC₅₀ < 10 μM. QSAR analysis revealed cytotoxicity was related to compound lipophilicity and chemical reactivity. In conclusion, we observed distinct compounds in fresh ginger to have biological activities relevant in diseases associated with reactive oxygen species.     

Two new chalcone glycosides from the stems of Entada phaseoloides

Two new chalcone glycosides 4′-O-(6″-O-galloyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-2′,4-dihydroxychalcone (1) and 4′-O-(6″-O-galloyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-2′-hydroxy-4-methoxychalcone (2) together with one known chalcone glycoside 4′-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-2′-hydroxy-4-methoxychalcone (3) were isolated from the stems of Entada phaseoloides. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including HSQC, HMBC, ¹H–¹H COSY, and chemical evidences. This is the first report of chalcone-type compounds isolated from the genus Entada.     

NOVEL SYNTHETIC METHOD OF LINGNINAMINETYPE ASPHALT EMULSIFIER

The slurry sealing with cationic emulsified asphalt,which is a new technique inhighway construction,is rapidly extended at home and abroad.The technique should apply an ex-cellent slow set cationic cmulsifier.Now,slow set emulsifiers are ligninamines which are synthesizedby trimethylamine-epichlorohydrin route.Owing to high price and unstable quality,the extendingof slurry sealing technique is affected seriously.We prepare the ligninamine by a novel syntheticmethod.By the novel method,the cost of production is reduced by more than 30%,and the prod-ucts have stable quality,high emulsifying function and broad daptability for various asphalts.Thenovel synthetic method uses soda lignin,secondary amines and inexpensive aminating assistants asraw materials.The technological process of the method may use either one or two-step process,andthe technological condition are uncomplicated and easy to master.master.     

A STUDY ON ENERGY OF ARTIFICIAL DAHURIAN LARCH COMMUNITY

By means of calorimetry measurement,the caloric values of various components,the standing crop of energy,not energy production and energy conversing efficiency of an artifi-cial dahurian larch community at Laoshan Plantation Experimental Station of Maoer Shan For-est Farm in the eastern part of northeast China were determined and studied in the present paper.The result of the experiment were as follows:(1)caloric value varied with plant species and plant organs,in general,the order of caloric value was tree,shrub and herb,and for different organs,was leaf, branch,trunk(stem),bark and root.(2)The standing crop of energy of larch community and tree layer were 269.719×10~(10)J/ha.and 264.440×10~10J/ha.respectively.Theree xisted different distributions of energy in various components and different layers.(3)Net ener-gy prduction of larch community and its tree layer were 264.346×10~8J/ha.a and 243.678×10~8J/ha.a respectively.To the photosythetical active radiation on the stand,its energy con-versing eff     

Regulatory effect of salicylic acid and methyl jasmonate supplementation on ergosterol production in Hericium erinaceus mycelia

We evaluated the biomass and ergosterol content of Hericium erinaceus mycelium, and extracellular enzyme activities in H. erinaceus liquid culture following salicylic acid(SA) and methyl jasmonic acid(Me JA)supplementation. The optimal SA concentration was100 lmoláL-1, where the highest ergosterol content of 2.33 mgág-1was obtained following 6-day cultivation with100 lmoláL-1SA supplementation, and which was significantly higher than the unsupplemented control(p 0.01). Following 4-day supplementation with50 lmoláL-1Me JA, the highest ergosterol content obtained was 1.988 mgág-1, which was 25.8 % higher than the unsupplemented control. Our data indicate that SA and Me JA supplementation improves ergosterol content in H.erinaceus mycelium.     

Genetic variation and selection of introduced provenances of Siberian Pine （Pinus sibirica） in frigid regions of the Greater Xing’an Range,Northeast China

Siberian Pine （Pinus sibirica） is an ecologically and eco-nomically important species in pristine forests throughout northern Rus-sia. Four provenances of P. sibirica were introduced from Mongolia and Russia to the Greater Xing’an Range （the Daxing’anling）, northeast China in 1993. The aim of this research was to study genetic variation and selection of the introduced four Pinus sibirica provenances. Heights （H）, basal diameters （BD）, survival rates （SR） and crown lengths （CL） of different families were measured as primary outcomes in different growth years. Results of data analyses demonstrated high coefficients of phenotypic variation （PCV） and heritability （H2） for H, BD and CL at 18 years after introduction. PCV and H2 increased with age. Correlations of＆amp;nbsp;growth traits between any two growth years were all significantly positive, but the correlation coefficient was smaller when the growth year interval was larger. Correlations between H and the original environment factors decreased gradually, indicating that with long-term subsistence in the new environment, the influence of the source environment declined. Colligation of multiple traits to estimate provenances showed that Novosibirsk, Tomsk, and Altai Mountains had higher survival rates and biomass, and proved more suitable for introduction and plantation in the Greater Xing’an Range in China.