[Effects of snow removal on soil labile nitrogen in a subalpine spruce forest of western Sichuan, China]. / 雪被去除对川西亚高山云杉林土壤活性氮的影响.

Warming-induced decrease in seasonal snow cover has a great potential to affect soil nitrogen cycle in alpine cold forest ecosystems. In this study, a wooden-shelter method was used to remove the snow accumulation. Soil nitrogen pools and mineralization rates in the snow removal and control plots were measured synchronously in three critical periods (early snow cover, deep snow cover and snow cover melting) in a subalpine spruce forest of western Sichuan, China. Seasonal snow cover kept soil from cold air temperature. Snow removal decreased average and minimum soil temperatures (5 cm) by 0.33 and 1.17 ℃, respectively. In addition, snow removal caused a positive effect on soil frost depth and freeze-thaw cycle. There was a significant dynamic in soil labile nitrogen pool among different periods. Snow removal on average increased NH4+-N, NO3--N and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) contents by 38.6%, 23.5% and 57.3%, respectively, over the winter. Moreover, snow removal increased soil net nitrification and mineralization rates in the snow co-ver melting period. Overall, warming-induced decrease in snow cover could stimulate winter soil nitrogen cycle of subalpine forests.

[Effects of altitudes on soil microbial biomass and enzyme activity in alpine-gorge regions.] / æµ·æ‹”å¯¹é«˜å±±å³¡è°·åŒºåœŸå£¤å¾®ç”Ÿç‰©ç”Ÿç‰©é‡å’Œé ¶æ´»æ€§çš„å½±å“.

In order to understand the variations of soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities with the change of altitude, a field incubation was conducted in dry valley, ecotone between dry valley and mountain forest, subalpine coniferous forest, alpine forest and alpine meadow from 1563 m to 3994 m of altitude in the alpine-gorge region of western Sichuan. The microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, and the activities of invertase, urease and acid phosphorus were measured in both soil organic layer and mineral soil layer. Both the soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities showed the similar tendency in soil organic layer. They increased from 2158 m to 3028 m, then decreased to the lowest value at 3593 m, and thereafter increased until 3994 m in the alpine-gorge region. In contrast, the soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities in mineral soil layer showed the trends as, the subalpine forest at 3028 m > alpine meadow at 3994 m > montane forest ecotone at 2158 m > alpine forest at 3593 m > dry valley at 1563 m. Regardless of altitudes, soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities were significantly higher in soil organic layer than in mineral soil layer. The soil microbial biomass was significantly positively correlated with the activities of the measured soil enzymes. Moreover, both the soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities were significantly positively correlated with soil water content, organic carbon, and total nitrogen. The activity of soil invertase was significantly positively correlated with soil phosphorus content, and the soil acid phosphatase was so with soil phosphorus content and soil temperature. In brief, changes in vegetation and other environmental factors resulting from altitude change might have strong effects on soil biochemical properties in the alpine-gorge region.

[Small mammals burrow selection and habitat characteristics in an alpine forest of eastern Tibet Plateau, China.] / é’è—é«˜åŽŸä¸œç¼˜é«˜å¯’æ£®æž—å°åž‹å ½ç±»åœ°è¡¨æ´žç©´é€‰æ‹©ä¸Žç”Ÿå¢ƒç‰¹å¾.

The burrows of small mammals are one of the obvious landscapes in the forest floor, and play important roles in understanding the distribution patterns of small mammals and their ecological functions in the high-frigid regions. Therefore, the burrow selection and habitat characteristics of small mammals were investigated in an alpine forest of eastern Tibet Plateau from July to September in 2015. The results indicated that the average density of small mammals burrow was 182.8 entrances per hectare. Forest vegetation had significant effects on burrow entrances density, which showed the order of coniferous vegetation (328.6 burrow entrances per hectare) > broad-leaved and coniferous mixed vegetation (160.0 burrow entrances per hectare) > shrubbery (125.0 burrow entrances per hectare) > broad-leaved vegetation (81.5 burrow entrances per hectare) > bamboo ve-getation (66.7 burrow entrances per hectare). Mann-Whitney U Test and PCA analysis displayed that the arbor canopy, arbor height, arbor DBH, arbor density, ground-plant cover, fallen log cover, fallen log density and shrub height in the small mammals utilized habitat plots were significantly higher than those in other habitat plots (P<0.05). Compared with other factors, arbor was the primary factor in dominating the selection of small mammal burrows, showing the contribution rate with 44.8%. The following dominant factors were fallen log and shrub, with the contribution rates being 23.2% and 13.9%, respectively. In summary, there were numerous small mammal burrows in the alpine forest floor, which were primarily dominated by vegetation and fallen logs.

[C, N and P stoichiometric characteristics of different root orders for three dominant tree species in subalpine forests of western Sichuan, China].

Fine root order was classified according to Pregitzer's method. This study measured carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations of the 1-5 root orders (diameter < 2 mm) in three dominant subalpine tree species (Betula albosinensis, Abies faxoniana and Picea asperata) of western Sichuan. Their stoichiometric ratios of different root orders were also calculated. The results showed that C concentration, C/N and C/P increased, but N and P concentrations decreased from the first to fifth order of fine root for all tree species. No significant changes in N/P among root orders were detected in each species. There were significant differences in C, N, P concentrations and their stoichiometric ratios among the tree species. The species-associated differences were dependent on root order. There were significant correlations between C, N, P concentrations and their stoichiometric ratios in the three tree species.

[Effects of snow pack on soil nitrogen transformation enzyme activities in a subalpine Abies faxioniana forest of western Sichuan, China].

This study characterized the dynamics of the activities of urease, nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase in both soil organic layer and mineral soil layer under three depths of snow pack (deep snowpack, moderate snowpack and shallow snowpack) over the three critical periods (snow formed period, snow stable period, and snow melt period) in the subalpine Abies faxoniana forest of western Sichuan in the winter of 2012 and 2013. Throughout the winter, soil temperature under deep snowpack increased by 46.2% and 26.2%, respectively in comparison with moderate snowpack and shallow snowpack. In general, the three nitrogen-related soil enzyme activities under shallow snowpack were 0.8 to 3.9 times of those under deep snowpack during the winter. In the beginning and thawing periods of seasonal snow pack, shallow snowpack significantly increased the activities of urease, nitrate and nitrite reductase enzyme in both soil organic layer and mineral soil layer. Although the activities of the studied enzymes in soil organic layer and mineral soil layer were observed to be higher than those under deep- and moderate snowpacks in deep winter, no significant difference was found under the three snow packs. Meanwhile, the effects of snowpack on the activities of the measured enzymes were related with season, soil layer and enzyme type. Significant variations of the activities of nitrogen-related enzymes were found in three critical periods over the winter, and the three measured soil enzymes were significantly higher in organic layer than in mineral layer. In addition, the activities of the three measured soil enzymes were closely related with temperature and moisture in soils. In conclusion, the decrease of snow pack induced by winter warming might increase the activities of soil enzymes related with nitrogen transformation and further stimulate the process of wintertime nitrogen transformation in soils of the subalpine forest.

Nitrogen distribution and cycling through water flows in a subtropical bamboo forest under high level of atmospheric deposition.

BACKGROUND: The hydrological cycle is an important way of transportation and reallocation of reactive nitrogen (N) in forest ecosystems. However, under a high level of atmospheric N deposition, the N distribution and cycling through water flows in forest ecosystems especially in bamboo ecosystems are not well understood. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In order to investigate N fluxes through water flows in a Pleioblastus amarus bamboo forest, event rainfall/snowfall (precipitation, PP), throughfall (TF), stemflow (SF), surface runoff (SR), forest floor leachate (FFL), soil water at the depth of 40 cm (SW1) and 100 cm (SW2) were collected and measured through the whole year of 2009. Nitrogen distribution in different pools in this ecosystem was also measured. Mean N pools in vegetation and soil (0-1 m) were 351.7 and 7752.8 kg ha(-1). Open field nitrogen deposition at the study site was 113.8 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1), which was one of the highest in the world. N-NH4(+), N-NO3(-) and dissolved organic N (DON) accounted for 54%, 22% and 24% of total wet N deposition. Net canopy accumulated of N occurred with N-NO3(-) and DON but not N-NH4(+). The flux of total dissolved N (TDN) to the forest floor was greater than that in open field precipitation by 17.7 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1), due to capture of dry and cloudwater deposition net of canopy uptake. There were significant negative exponential relationships between monthly water flow depths and monthly mean TDN concentrations in PP, TF, SR, FFL and SW1. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The open field nitrogen deposition through precipitation is very high over the world, which is the main way of reactive N input in this bamboo ecosystem. The water exchange and N consume mainly occurred in the litter floor layer and topsoil layer, where most of fine roots of bamboo distributed.

[Population structure of soil arthropod in different age Pinus massoniana plantations].

An investigation was conducted on the population structure of soil arthropod community in the 3-, 8-, 14-, 31-, and 40-years old Pinus massoniana plantations in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in spring (May) and autumn (October), 2011, aimed to search for the scientific management of the plantation. A total of 4045 soil arthropods were collected, belonging to 57 families. Both the individual density and the taxonomic group number of the soil arthropod community decreased obviously with increasing soil depth, and this trend increased with increasing stand age. The dominant groups and ordinary groups of the soil arthropod community varied greatly with the stand age of P. massoniana plantation, and a significant difference (P<0.05) was observed in the individual density and taxonomic group number among different age P. massoniana plantations. In comparison with other stand age P. massoniana plantations, 3years old P. massoniana plantation had a significant difference in the structure and diversity of soil arthropod community, and the similarity index of the soil arthropod community was lower. The individual density, taxonomic group number, and diversity of soil arthropod community were the highest in 8-years old P. massoniana plantation, and then, decreased obviously with increasing stand age. It was suggested that the land fertility of the P. massoniana plantations could be degraded with increasing stand age, and it would be appropriate to make artificial regulation and restoration in 8-years old P. massoniana plantation.

[Seasonal dynamics of soil labile nitrogen pools and net nitrogen mineralization in subalpine forests along an elevational gradient in western Sichuan, China].

The seasonal dynamics of soil labile nitrogen pools and net nitrogen mineralization of three subalpine forests along an elevation gradient (3600, 3300 and 3000 m), western Sichuan, China were examined. Obvious seasonal dynamics were found in soil labile nitrogen pools (ammonium, nitrate, microbial biomass nitrogen and dissolved organic nitrogen) and net nitrogen mineralization rate, but the seasonality varied with the measured nitrogen pools. The concentrations of soil nitrate (8.38-89.60 mg x kg(-1)) were significantly higher than those of ammonium (0.44-8.43 mg x kg(-1)) in four sampling periods (non-growing season, early, middle and late growing season). Regardless of the elevation, the rate of soil net nitrogen mineralization was negative (-0.77 to -0.56 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) early in the growing season, but positive in the other three periods. Except for nitrate, the contents of ammonium, microbial biomass nitrogen and dissolved organic nitrogen varied significantly with elevation and the altitude effects on those pools were dependent on seasons. In summary, soil nitrification was the major process of net soil nitrogen mineralization and soil nitrogen mineralization was not affected by elevational gradient. Soil nitrogen mineralization (0.42-0.99 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) in winter was considerable in this area. Relatively high inorganic nitrogen in early spring might be favorable for vegetation growth, but might also be lost from soil ecosystem through leaching.

[Contributions of soil fauna to litter decomposition in alpine/subalpine forests].

A field experiment was conducted using the litterbag method to quantify the contribution of soil fauna to litter mass loss of Salix paraplesia, Sabina saltuaria, Betula albosinensis and Abies faxoniana during different key periods of the decomposition process of the first year (from November 2011 to October 2012). The results showed that the mass loss rate showed S. paraplesia > B. albosinensis > A. faxoniana > S. saltuaria, and the rate in the growing season was greater than in the freeze-thaw season. The contribution rate of soil fauna to the mass decomposition displayed as S. saltuaria (26.7%) > A. faxoniana (18.8%) > B. albosinensis (15.7%) > S. paraplesia (13.2%), which was higher in the freeze-thaw season than in the growing season for litter of B. albo-sinensis and A. faxoniana while vice versa for litter of B. albosinensis and A. faxoniana. The contribution of soil fauna was mainly related to organic C, P and N/P in the freeze-thaw season, while N, C/N, lignin and lignin/cellulose in the growing season.

[Effects of snow pack removal on soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen and the number of soil culturable microorganisms during wintertime in alpine Abies faxoniana forest of western Sichuan, Southwest China].

To understand the effects of the lack of snow pack under global warming on the characteristics of soil microorganisms during wintertime, a snow-shading experiment was conducted in a primary fir (Abies faxoniana) forest after snow pack removal, with the soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN) and soil culturable microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) at the stages of snow forming, snow covering, and snow melting investigated. Snow pack removal had significant effects on the soil MBC and MBN and the number of soil culturable bacteria and fungi, but the responses of the culturable microorganisms differed with the stages of snow-shading. Under the condition of snow pack removal, the MBC and MBN in soil organic layer decreased significantly at the early stages of snow forming and snow melting but increased significantly at snow covering stage and at the later stage of snow melting, and the number of culturable bacteria decreased significantly from the early stage of snow forming to the stage of snow covering while that of culturable fungi had a significant increase from the early stage of snow forming to the stage of snow melting. After snow melting, the MBC and the number of culturable fungi in soil organic layer had a significant decrease, the number of cultural bacteria was in adverse, but the MBN had less change. The MBC and MBN and the number of culturable microorganisms in soil mineral layer had the similar variation trends as those in soil organic layer, but the fluctuations were smaller. It was suggested that snow pack removal changed the ratio of culturable bacteria to culturable fungi, showing positive effects on the number of soil culturable fungi during wintertime in alpine Abies faxoniana forest of western Sichuan.

Dynamics of the reactions of O(1D) with CD3OH and CH3OD studied with time-resolved Fourier-transform IR spectroscopy.

We investigated the reactivity of O((1)D) towards two types of hydrogen atoms in CH(3)OH. The reaction was initiated on irradiation of a flowing mixture of O(3) and CD(3)OH or CH(3)OD at 248 nm. Relative vibration-rotational populations of OH and OD (1 ≤ v ≤ 4) states were determined from their infrared emission recorded with a step-scan time-resolved Fourier-transform spectrometer. In O((1)D) + CD(3)OH, the rotational distribution of OD is nearly Boltzmann, whereas that of OH is bimodal; the product ratio [OH]/[OD] is 1.56 ± 0.36. In O((1)D) + CH(3)OD, the rotational distribution of OH is nearly Boltzmann, whereas that of OD is bimodal; the product ratio [OH]/[OD] is 0.59 ± 0.14. Quantum-chemical calculations of the potential energy and microcanonical rate coefficients of various channels indicate that the abstraction channels are unimportant and O((1)D) inserts into the C-H and O-H bonds of CH(3)OH to form HOCH(2)OH and CH(3)OOH, respectively. The observed three channels of OH are consistent with those produced via decomposition of the newly formed OH or the original OH moiety in HOCH(2)OH or decomposition of CH(3)OOH. The former decomposition channel of HOCH(2)OH produces vibrationally more excited OH because of incomplete intramolecular vibrational relaxation, and decomposition of CH(3)COOH produces OH with greater rotational excitation, likely due to a large torque angle during dissociation. The predicted [OH]/[OD] ratios are 1.31 and 0.61 for O((1)D) + CD(3)OH and CH(3)OD, respectively, at collision energy of 26 kJ mol(-1), in satisfactory agreement with the experimental results. These predicted product ratios vary weakly with collision energy.

Effects of Alloyed Metal on the Catalysis Activity of Pt for Ethanol Partial Oxidation: Adsorption and Dehydrogenation on Pt(3)M (M=Pt, Ru, Sn, Re, Rh, and Pd).

The adsorption and dehydrogenation reactions of ethanol over bimetallic clusters, Pt(3)M (M = Pt, Ru, Sn, Re, Rh, and Pd), have been extensively investigated with density functional theory. Both the α-hydrogen and hydroxyl adsorptions on Pt as well as on the alloyed transition metal M sites of PtM were considered as initial reaction steps. The adsorptions of ethanol on Pt and M sites of some PtM via the α-hydrogen were well established. Although the α-hydrogen adsorption on Pt site is weaker than the hydroxyl, the potential energy profiles show that the dehydrogenation via the α-hydrogen path has much lower energy barrier than that via the hydroxyl path. Generally for the α-hydrogen path the adsorption is a rate-determining-step because of rather low dehydrogenation barrier for the α-hydrogen adsorption complex (thermodynamic control), while the hydroxyl path is determined by its dehydrogenation step (kinetic control). The effects of alloyed metal on the catalysis activity of Pt for ethanol partial oxidation, including adsorption energy, energy barrier, electronic structure, and eventually rate constant were discussed. Among all of the alloyed metals only Sn enhances the rate constant of the dehydrogenation via the α-hydrogen path on the Pt site of Pt(3)Sn as compared with Pt alone, which interprets why the PtSn is the most active to the oxidation of ethanol.

[A study on population-based prenatal screening and diagnosis of Down's syndrome in Jiangsu province].

OBJECTIVE: To screen and diagnose Down's syndrome during mid-term pregnancy to reduce the number of babies with Down's syndrome. METHODS: With the multi-level of stratified cluster sampling, twenty thousand and eight hundred and three women at 15-20 weeks gestation were screened by maternal serum AFP and beta-hCG using the time resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TRFIA). Then the screened high-risk women were diagnosed by amniocentesis, cell culture and chromosome analyses. The born children were diagnosed by follow-up and peripheral blood chromosome analyses. RESULTS: Six fetuses were diagnosed by serum screening and amniotic fluid chromosome analyses, and 3 born children were diagnosed by follow-up and peripheral blood chromosome analyses. Nine cases of Down's syndrome were detected in total, with the positive prenatal screen rate being 67% (6/9). CONCLUSION: The prenatal screening and diagnosis can reduce the birth of Down's syndrome patients and improve the population quality. However, the diagnosis accuracy still needs to be improved to further reduce the false negative rate and prevent misdiagnosis.

[Effects of simulated warming on soil enzyme activities in two subalpine coniferous forests in west Sichuan].

With open top chamber (OTC), this paper studied the effects of simulated warming on the activities of soil invertase, urease, catalase, polyphenol oxidase in two contrasting subalpine coniferous forests (a dragon spruce plantation and a natural conifer forest) in west Sichuan. The dynamic changes of soil temperature and soil moisture were monitored synchronously. In the whole growth season, simulated warming enhanced the daily mean temperature at soil depth 5 cm by 0.61 degrees C in the plantation, and by 0.55 degrees C in the natural forest. Conversely, the volumetric moisture at soil depth 10 cm was declined by 4.10% and 2.55%, respectively. Simulated warming also increased soil invertase, urease, catalase, and polyphenol oxidase activities. The interactive effect of warming and forest type was significant on soil urease and catalase, but not significant on soil invertase and polyphenol oxidase. The warming effect on soil catalase depended, to some extent, on season change. In all treatments, the soil enzyme activities in the natural forest were significantly higher than those in the plantation. The seasonal changes of test soil enzyme activities were highly correlated with soil temperature, but less correlated with soil moisture. This study indicated that warming could enhance soil enzyme activities, and the effect had definite correlations with forest type, enzyme category, and season change. The soil enzyme activities in the subalpine coniferous forests were mainly controlled by soil temperature rather than soil moisture.

[Effects of simulated warming on the growth, leaf phenology, and leaf traits of Salix eriostachya in sub-alpine timberline ecotone of western Sichuan, China].

By using open-top chamber (OTC), the effects of simulated warming on the growth, leaf phenology, and leaf traits of Salix eriostachya in sub-alpine timberline ecotone of Western Sichuan were studied. The results showed that comparing with the control, the mean air temperature at 1.2 m above the ground throughout S. eriostachya growth season in OTC increased by 2.9 degrees C, while the soil temperature at the depth of 5 cm only increased by 0.4 degrees C. The temperature increase in OTC made S. eriostachya budding advanced and defoliation postponed obviously, and the leaf life-span longer. The leaf and branch growth rates as well as the specific leaf area in OTC increased obviously, whereas the leaf nitrogen concentration decreased significantly. In OTC, the stomata conductance, net photosynthetic rate, photorespiration, and dark respiration rate of S. eriostachya all exhibited an increasing trend. It was suggested that S. eriostachya had stronger capability to adapt to warming, and, under the background of future global climate change, the elevation of S. eriostachya distribution in the timberline ecotone would be likely to ascend.

Ab initio kinetics for decomposition/isomerization reactions of C2H5O radicals.

Radical reactions: The ground-state potential energy surface of the C(2)H(5)O system is investigated by ab initio methods using optimized geometries. The rate constants for the unimolecular isomerization and decomposition reactions of the three isomeric radicals (see picture) are calculated by microcanonical transition-state theory at 200-3000 K, varying the pressures of the diluents.The ground-state potential energy surface of the C(2)H(5)O system, including the decomposition and isomerization of the ethoxy (CH(3)CH(2)O), 1-hydroxyethyl (CH(3)CHOH), and 2-hydroxyethyl (CH(2)CH(2)OH) radicals, is computed by the modified Gaussian-2 (G2M) and CCSD(T)/6-311+G(3df,2p) methods by using the geometries optimized at the B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p) level of theory. These detailed reaction pathways are used to calculate the rate constants for the unimolecular isomerization and decomposition reactions of the three radicals by the microcanonical transition-state theory and Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) theory in the temperature range of 200-3000 K at varying pressures of He and other diluents. The predicted rate constants are in reasonable agreement with the available experimental data. In addition, the predicted heats of formation of the three isomeric radicals are compared with available experimental and theoretical values.

Theoretical study on the kinetics and mechanism for the reaction of FCO with NO.

The radical reaction mechanism of FCO + NO on the ground electronic state energy surface has been studied at the G2M level of theory based on the geometric parameters optimized at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d) level of theory. The two kinds of reaction pathways include the direct fluorine abstraction channel producing CO + FNO and the association channel forming the FC(O)NO complex. The former has a distinct barrier of 8.9 kcal mol(-1), while the latter is a barrierless association process. The rate constant of this reaction system in the temperature range 200-3000 K has been calculated by the microcanonical VTST/RRKM theory. The theoretical result shows that the predicted total rate constants exhibit a negative-temperature dependence and positive-pressure effect at lower temperatures. Under the experimental conditions, the predicted values are in good agreement with the experimental results. In addition, the predicted branching ratios clearly indicate that the dominant product channel is the formation of FC(O)NO at low temperatures and FNO + CO at high temperatures (>500 K).

Effect of electroacupuncture on the expression of interlukin-1beta mRNA after transient focal cerebral ischemia.

It has been reported that interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta ) play a key role in the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia. Acupuncture is an effective traditional medical therapy in China. The aim of present study was to evaluate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on IL-1beta mRNA expression after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats. Using in situ hybridization technique, it was found that in the MCAO group the expression of IL-1beta mRNA was significantly increased at 2h, 6h, 12h after reperfusion in cerebral ischemic cortex compared with normal group. In EA+ MCAO group the expression of IL-1beta mRNA was significantly decreased at 2h, 6h and 12h in ischemic cortex compared with MCAO group. The results indicated that EA might decrease the IL-1beta protein expression by reducing the IL-beta mRNA expression in ischemic cortex.