Impact of climate change on maize yield in China from 1979 to 2016

Climate change severely impacts agricultural production, which jeopardizes food security. China is the second largest maize producer in the world and also the largest consumer of maize. Analyzing the impact of climate change on maize yields can provide effective guidance to national and international economics and politics. Panel models are unable to determine the group-wise heteroscedasticity, cross-sectional correlation and autocorrelation of datasets, therefore we adopted the feasible generalized least square(FGLS) model to evaluate the impact of climate change on maize yields in China from 1979–2016 and got the following results:(1) During the 1979–2016 period, increases in temperature negatively impacted the maize yield of China. For every 1°C increase in temperature, the maize yield was reduced by 5.19 kg 667 m–2(1.7%). Precipitation increased only marginally during this time, and therefore its impact on the maize yield was negligible. For every 1 mm increase in precipitation, the maize yield increased by an insignificant amount of 0.043 kg 667 m–2(0.014%).(2) The impacts of climate change on maize yield differ spatially, with more significant impacts experienced in southern China. In this region, a 1°C increase in temperature resulted in a 7.49 kg 667 m–2 decrease in the maize yield, while the impact of temperature on the maize yield in northern China was insignificant. For every 1 mm increase in precipitation, the maize yield increased by 0.013 kg 667 m–2 in southern China and 0.066 kg 667 m–2 in northern China.(3) The resilience of the maize crop to climate change is strong. The marginal effect of temperature in both southern and northern China during the 1990–2016 period was smaller than that for the 1979–2016 period.     

轮叶狐尾藻对水体重金属铅污染的耐性研究

以狐尾藻(Myriophyllum verticillatum)为试验材料,采用液体培养法,研究了不同浓度Pb尾矿液单一胁迫下对其幼苗生长及生理指标的影响,以期为今后在探讨狐尾藻对Pb耐性机理方面提供参考依据和实践指导。结果表明:随着Pb尾矿渗出液单位浓度的升高,狐尾藻幼苗的株高和根长以及干质量整体呈不断下降趋势,其中,在100%Pb尾矿液处理下地下部的干质量较对照下降显著(P0.05)。此时,地上部干质量较对照也呈下降趋势,但整体幅度不大,说明狐尾藻幼苗的生长整体受到明显抑制;随着Pb尾矿渗出液单位浓度的升高,幼苗中光合色素含量逐渐下降且整体均低于对照。在纯Pb尾矿液处理条件下,Chla、Chlb和Car的含量比对照下降了14.6%、29.6%和23.2%;所有处理中幼苗地下及地上部相对电导率与Pb尾矿液浓度成正比且均高于对照。各个处理的地上及地下部Pro含量随着Pb尾矿液浓度增高整体呈上升趋势。其地上和地下部的AsA含量和GSH含量变化呈低浓度上升,高浓度下降的趋势。在25%Pb胁迫处理下,幼苗中AsA含量在地上和地下部均达到最高,与对照相比差异明显(P0.05),较对照增加了93.5%和89.8%。而地上和地下部GSH含量较对照增加了35.7%、4.36%。数据表明,狐尾藻对Pb胁迫下的环境有一定的抗性,可被用于Pb污染环境的生态修复。     

Compatibility of root growth and tuber production of potato cultivars with dynamic and static water‐saving irrigation managements

The important root characteristics of root length density (RLD) and root mass density (RMD) generally differ among irrigation managements and potato cultivars. The objective of this study was to investigate the RLD and RMD variations and their functional relationships with gross potato tuber yield for two commercial potato cultivars, Agria and Sante, under different irrigation strategies. Full irrigation and water‐saving irrigation strategies, deficit and partial root drying irrigations, were applied statically (S) and dynamically (D) based on daily crop evapotranspiration. Results showed that SPRD had significantly greater RLD (3.64 cm/cm³) and RMD (132.7 μg/cm³) than other irrigation treatments. Between the potato cultivars, Agria had significantly larger values of RLD (3.50 cm/cm³) and RMD (138.7 μg/cm³) than Sante. The functional relationship between the root growth characteristics and tuber yield showed that under water‐saving irrigations, Agria increased root mass at the expense of gross tuber yield but Sante increased root mass to maintain larger gross tuber yields. However, Agria produced more roots and gross tuber yield than Sante, and it is concluded that Agria is a more drought‐tolerant potato cultivar, which is recommended for tuber production in regions where water might be scarce. It was shown that larger root production in potatoes was associated with improved tolerance to water stress.     

Getting cosy in freshwater: Assumed to be brackish pike are not so brackish after all

Pike (Esox lucius) occupy coastal streams and rivers of the Baltic Sea, where they attain large sizes (>5 kg). These large sizes are perhaps due to the fact that they can tolerate relatively high salinities and can thus forage in the nearby more productive brackish environments. In an attempt to quantify the extent to which pike utilise brackish environments, and to provide some insight into the underlying causes for brackish water migrations, we tagged 30 pike from a western Baltic river with acoustic transmitters and were able to track 21 individuals for 1 year. Based on experienced from local anglers, this population was assumed to be brackish in nature, where individuals underwent freshwater migrations to spawn. Our findings however suggest that the smallest and most active individuals make short exits into brackish waters and do so on rare occasions. Our results further indicate that neither sex nor size is related to activity level. We suggest that these patterns reflect two distinct behaviours—active and passive—and that large pike can be supported by the food availability in the river, without the need to venture into coastal zones, thus defying the conventional view that Baltic pike are all brackish in nature.     

典型山地草甸草原主要牧草生长发育情况分析

对天山北坡中山带典型山地草甸草原4种具有代表性的天然牧草——老芒麦（Elymus sibiricus）、黄（Astragalus membranaceus）、老鹳草（Geranium wilfordii）、千叶蓍（Achillea millefolium）的生长发育情况进行了研究。结果表明，4种牧草的高度变化趋势表现为“慢-快-慢”的植物基本生长规律；老芒麦、千叶蓍、老鹳草的生长速率在返青期到分蘖期时较快，而黄芪的生长速率则在返青后就较快，分蘖期后4种牧草的生长速率开始变慢；盖度和产量的最大值出现在6月和7月。     

Studies on Tomato Seedling Quality Indices Under Simulated Shipping and Storage Conditions

Indices of the tomato seedling quality maintenance level after production before field planting were studied through simulated experiments, small--scale operation, indoor analyses and measurements, and field observation. The results showed that under simulated shipping and storage conditions, seedling quality change following different durations (days) of shipping and storage was correlated significantly or even very significantly with certain physiological and morphological indices. With various measured indices following different periods of shipping and storage treatment subjected to multinomial successive regressive correlation analysis, the principal factors influencing seedling quality maintenance level are identified to be chlorophyll content→dry short weight→ leaf freshness index in order of their importance. Significance analysis with multinomial fitted equation indicated that correlations between any one of above three factors and the growth index after field planting reached very significant difference level.     

进口木地板坯料应注意的问题

本文提出了进口木地板坯料时应考虑南北气候差异及木材密度等材性差异来确定留有不同的加工余量，并建议海关按照国际惯例制定以净尺寸材积作为计税材积的标准，避免各港口实行不同征税标准，给企业进口地板坯料带来诸多困难。该建议已引起海关总署重视，并委托国家林业局起草单耗标准。     

Investigation of Cervical Patency and Uterine Appearance in Domestic Cats by Fluoroscopy and Scintigraphy

The cervical patency of six domestic female cats was monitored under sedation by infusion of contrast medium (Omnipaque) into the cranial vagina during early oestrus, mid‐oestrus, late oestrus and interoestrus or a radiopharmaceutical (^99mTc‐HSA) during mid‐ and interoestrus in a non‐ovulatory oestrous cycle. The transport of the contrast medium or the radiopharmaceutical through the cervix and within the uterine horns was observed under fluoroscopy and with the aid of scintigraphy. In three of the queens, transcervical transport of contrast medium was demonstrated in all stages of oestrus, in one queen during mid‐oestrus, late oestrus and 1 day after oestrus, and in two queens only during late oestrus. The relations between the cervical patency to the contrast medium and the oestrous behaviour, cornification of the vaginal cells and the serum oestradiol‐17β concentration were evaluated, and a relationship was found between the cervical patency and the degree of vaginal cornification. Transcervical transport of the radiopharmaceutical was observed in three queens during mid‐oestrus. When the cervix was open, hysterography under a fluoroscope and hysteroscintigraphy were performed. The fluoroscopic and scintigraphic recordings revealed the patterns of the uterine contractions during oestrus in both ascending and descending directions, and the movement of the uterine contents back and forth between the uterine horns. The hysterograms were classified according to the shape of the uterine horns and the appearance of the endometrial lining. Spiral‐shaped uterine horns with a smooth inner contour were observed in two queens, and a corkscrew appearance with irregular filling defects in the uterine lumen was shown in two queens that had developed subclinical cystic endometrial hyperplasia. These findings demonstrated that fluids or particles deposited in the cranial vagina of the cat can be transported into the uterus during some stages of the oestrous cycle. The fluoroscopic and scintigraphic techniques developed in this study may be further modified to permit more detailed studies of uterine contractile patterns and sperm transport in the feline female reproductive tract. Hysterography proved useful to diagnose uterine disease. The information on cervical patency is of value also for the development of techniques for artificial insemination in this species, and should be studied also in the ovulatory cycle.