Potential long-term growth gains from early clump thinning of coppice-regenerated oak stands

A study was established in the Missouri Ozarks to evaluate coppice regeneration of oak. Five years after a 32-year-old stand was clearcut and regenerated naturally through stump sprouts, the dominant sprout on each stump was identified based upon height. Treated plots were thinned to the single dominant sprout on each stump whereas control plots were not thinned. Twenty-five years later the largest 247, 371, 494, and 618 stems per ha were examined and height of the dominant sprout at age 5 was found to be strongly related to dbh at age 30 in both thinned and unthinned plots. However, in the thinned plots, the largest 494 stems per ha were on average 11%, 28%, and 58% greater, respectively, in height, dbh, and volume compared to similar dominant sprouts in unthinned plots. Logistic regression analysis was used to develop curves for the evaluation of potential gains from clump thinning. In this analysis, the average height of a stand at age 5 was used to estimate thinning gains at age 30.     

Bats as the main prey of wintering long‐eared owl (Asio otus) in Beijing: Integrating biodiversity protection and urban management

The loss of biodiversity from urbanized areas is a major environmental problem challenging policy‐makers throughout the world. Solutions to this problem are urgently required in China. We carried out a case study of wintering long‐eared owls (Asio otus) and their main prey to illustrate the negative effects of urbanization combined with ineffective conservation of biodiversity in Beijing. Field monitoring of owl numbers at two roosting sites from 2004 to 2012 showed that the owl population had fallen rapidly in metropolitan Beijing. Analysis of pellet contents identified only seven individuals of two species of shrew. The majority of mammalian prey comprised four bat and seven rodent species, making up 29.3% and 29.5% of the prey items, respectively. Prey composition varied significantly among years at the two sample sites. At the urban site the consumption of bats and rodents declined gradually over time, while predation on birds increased. In contrast, at the suburban site the prey composition showed an overall decrease in the number of bats, a sharp increase and a subsequent decrease in bird prey, and the number of rodent prey fell to a low point. Rapid development of real estate and inadequate greenfield management in city parks resulted in negative effects on the bird and small mammal habitat of urban areas in Beijing. We suggest that measures to conserve biodiversity should be integrated into future urban planning to maintain China's rich biodiversity while also achieving sustainable economic development.     

基于双阶段注意力机制和LSTM的鸡舍氨气浓度预测算法

为寻求准确的鸡舍氨气浓度预测方法,构建基于双阶段注意力机制和长短时记忆神经网络(Long shortterm memory,LSTM)的鸡舍氨气浓度预测模型,将该模型应用于山东省商河县某蛋鸡养殖场,采集二氧化碳(CO_2)、氧气(O_2)和氨气(NH_3)的体积分数,细颗粒物(PM_(2.5))质量浓度,温度,相对湿度时间序列数据对模型进行验证,并与支持向量回归(Support vector regression,SVR)、人工神经网络(Artificial neural network,ANN)模型和无注意力机制的LSTM模型对比研究。结果表明:1)不同时间窗口T下NH_3体积分数预测精度不同。T∈{2,3,4,8}时,均方根误差(Root mean square error,RMSE)分别为0.433 4,0.394 8,0.379 9和0.405 1μL/L,平均绝对误差(Mean absolute error,MAE)分别为0.267 4,0.262 9,0.228 9和0.272 4μL/L;2)基于双阶段注意力机制和LSTM的鸡舍NH_3浓度预测模型在RMSE和MAE评价指标框架下优于SVR、ANN和无注意力机制的LSTM模型。基于双阶段注意机制和LSTM的模型能较好地对鸡舍氨气浓度进行预测,可为鸡舍氨气浓度预测及调控提供技术支持。     

不同断奶日龄对奶公犊生长性能和体尺指标的影响

30头新生荷斯坦奶公犊出生日期和体重相近,随机分成6组,对照组按常规饲喂鲜牛奶,60日龄断奶;各试验组分别于10、20、30、40和50日龄断奶,试验期为60d。结果表明:试验结束时,20日龄断奶组、30日龄断奶组的体重、平均日增重均显著高于对照组,40日龄断奶组、50日龄断奶组与对照组间无明显差异;各试验组犊牛与对照组在体长和体斜长上无显著差异。     

双峰驼乳和牛乳中长链多不饱和脂肪酸质量浓度测定

采用国标法检测8份新疆双峰驼乳和7份荷斯坦牛乳中5种长链多不饱和脂肪酸的质量浓度和质量分数。结果表明：新疆双峰驼乳中亚油酸（LA）、α-亚麻酸（ALA）、花生四烯酸（ARA）、二十碳五烯酸（EPA）和二十二碳六烯酸（DHA）的平均质量浓度分别为142.99、18.09、9.83、1.51和1.30 mg/100 g,各种脂肪酸占总脂肪酸的比率依次为2.88%、0.37%、0.20%、0.031%和0.026%;荷斯坦牛乳中LA、ALA、ARA、EPA和DHA的平均质量浓度分别为88.37、5.13、6.57、0.69和4.24 mg/100 g,各种脂肪酸占总脂肪酸的比率依次为2.86%、0.17%、0.21%、0.023%和0.14%。     

Complete mitochondrial DNA sequence of the Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus

ABSTRACT: The complete nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial genome for the Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus (Teleostei: Clupeiformes) was determined. The entire genome was purified by gene amplification using the long polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, and products were subsequently used as templates for PCR with 56 fish-versatile primers that amplify contiguous, overlapping segments of the entire genome. Direct sequencing of the PCR products demonstrated that the genome (16 675 base pairs [bp]) contained the same 37 mitochondrial genes (two ribosomal RNA, 22 transfer RNA and 13 protein-coding genes) as those found in other vertebrates, with the gene order being identical to that in typical vertebrates. A major non-coding region between the tRNA^Pro and tRNA^Phe genes (1024 bp) was considered to be the control (D-loop) region, as it has several conservative blocks characteristic to this region.     

Analysis of series of variety trials with perennial crops

Field trials with perennial crops give rise to repeated measurements taken on the same plot on several occasions. It is important to account for serial correlation among repeated measurements in such trials. This study illustrates the use of mixed models for this purpose. We consider the analysis of trials conducted at several locations and the combination of trials with different starting years. A key issue in the analysis is the distinction between effects of calendar years, which are associated with external environmental variation, and harvest years, which represent internal yield formation processes of the perennial crop. Two methods of two‐stage analysis are compared with single‐stage analysis. It is shown that results of two‐stage analysis are very similar to those of single‐stage analysis, if serial correlation is properly taken into account. Program code for the MIXED procedure of the SAS system is given in an Appendix S1 for all considered cases.     

Carbon Sequestration in Soil Humic Substances Under Long-Term Fertilization in a Wheat-Maize System from North China

The changes in humic substances （HS） is fundamental in detecting soil carbon sequestration mechanisms in natural and cultivated environments. Based on a long-term trial, the amounts of water dissolved substances （WSS）, humic acid （HA）, fulvic acid （FA） and humin （HU） were determined to explore the impact of long-term fertilization on HS. Increases in the amounts of WSS, HA, FA and HU were significant different among the treatments with manure. A significant correlation was found between the increased soil organic carbon （SOC） and HS （R^2=0.98, P〈0.01）. The change in the E4/E6 ratio was significantly correlated with the increased SOC （R2=0.88, P〈0.01）, HA （R^2=0.91, P〈0.01）, FA （R^2=0.91, P〈0.01） and HU （R^2=0.88, P〈0.01）. The cluster was mainly divided into two parts as manure fertilization and inorganic fertilization, based on the increases in HA, FA and HU. These results suggest that long term fertilization with manure favours carbon sequestration in HS and is mainly stabilized as HU, while the HA becomes more aliphatic. We conclude that increases in SOC can be linked to changes in the molecular characteristics of HS fractions under long term fertilization.     

灵武长枣嫁接育苗技术

文章总结了经二改(改进嫁接方法和嫁接部位)、二优(优选砧木培育方法、优质接穗)覆膜播种酸枣仁培育灵武长枣的嫁接育苗技术。