Evidence of high-elevation amplification versus Arctic amplification.

Elevation-dependent warming in high-elevation regions and Arctic amplification are of tremendous interest to many scientists who are engaged in studies in climate change. Here, using annual mean temperatures from 2781 global stations for the 1961-2010 period, we find that the warming for the world's high-elevation stations (>500 m above sea level) is clearly stronger than their low-elevation counterparts; and the high-elevation amplification consists of not only an altitudinal amplification but also a latitudinal amplification. The warming for the high-elevation stations is linearly proportional to the temperature lapse rates along altitudinal and latitudinal gradients, as a result of the functional shape of Stefan-Boltzmann law in both vertical and latitudinal directions. In contrast, neither altitudinal amplification nor latitudinal amplification is found within the Arctic region despite its greater warming than lower latitudes. Further analysis shows that the Arctic amplification is an integrated part of the latitudinal amplification trend for the low-elevation stations (≤500 m above sea level) across the entire low- to high-latitude Northern Hemisphere, also a result of the mathematical shape of Stefan-Boltzmann law but only in latitudinal direction.

Warming Amplification of Minimum and Maximum Temperatures over High-Elevation Regions across the Globe.

An analysis of the annual mean temperature (TMEAN) (1961-2010) has revealed that warming amplification (altitudinal amplification and regional amplification) is a common feature of major high-elevation regions across the globe against the background of global warming since the mid-20th century. In this study, the authors further examine whether this holds for annual mean minimum temperature (TMIN) and annual mean maximum temperature (TMAX) (1961-2010) on a global scale. The extraction method of warming component of altitude, and the paired region comparison method were used in this study. Results show that a significant altitudinal amplification trend in TMIN (TMAX) is detected in all (four) of the six high-elevation regions tested, and the average magnitude of altitudinal amplification trend for TMIN (TMAX) [0.306±0.086 °C km-1(0.154±0.213 °C km-1)] is substantially larger (smaller) than TMEAN (0.230±0.073 °C km-1) during the period 1961-2010. For the five paired high- and low-elevation regions available, regional amplification is detected in the four high-elevation regions for TMIN and TMAX (respectively or as a whole). Qualitatively, highly (largely) consistent results are observed for TMIN (TMAX) compared with those for TMEAN.

Rangewide genetic diversity in natural populations of Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis).

Thirteen natural populations from throughout the range of the Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis Carr.) were examined using inter-simple sequence repeat markers to characterize the genetic structure at the species level and to compare the extent and distribution of genetic variation among central, intermediate, and marginal populations. Although the total genetic variation in the Chinese pine was mainly maintained within populations, the genetic differentiation among populations was significant (P < 0.001). The genetic divergence was significantly correlated with geographic distance (P < 0.05). Genetic diversity tended to decrease from the central to intermediate and marginal populations. The marginal populations had significantly lower intrapopulation genetic diversity than central populations (P < 0.05). Cluster analysis based on Nei's unbiased genetic distances confirmed the difference among four central populations and the rest. Both historical and contemporary factors may have played key roles in shaping the spatial genetic structure of this species.

Genetic variation in Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis), a woody species endemic to China.

Random amplified polymorphic DNA markers were used to investigate genetic variation of the Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis Carr.), a species endemic to China and the most widely distributed pine species in North China. The results revealed that P. tabulaeformis populations had a relatively high level of genetic diversity (H(t) = 0.3268), distributed mainly within (79.2%) rather than among (20.8%) populations. The populations of Lingkong Mountain and Wuling Mountain had a higher level of diversity (0.2687) than the other four populations (0.2537). No statistically significant relationships were found between genetic diversity and climatic factors by correlation analysis and between genetic distance and geographic distance by the Mantel test. These results suggest that the partitioning of genetic diversity in each population might have been influenced not only by water and temperature conditions but also by other factors such as human activities and the Holocene postglacial history of these populations.

[Determination of 10 elements in the feather of brown-eared pheasant by ICP and AAS].

Crossoptilon mantchuricum (brown-eared pheasant) is an endemic to northern China and one of the state first-protection animals, which is now confined to scattered localities in Guandi Mountains, Guancen Mountains, Luliang Ranges of western Shanxi, and the mountains of north-western Hebei, western Beijing and central Shaanxi. Its range is fragmented by habitat loss because of human activity and other intervention, and isolated populations are resulting in facing the extinction risk from further forest destroyed and other pressures. The trace elements are very important to the growth and development of brown-eared pheasant, and these elements in the feather are closely correlated to the contents in the organs of the bird. By research on the elements contents in the feather, the authors are able to get more information about the growth, development, reproduction, immunity and metabolism function for this bird. The aim of this study is to try providing scientific basis for further enhancing the protection and the artificial breeding. Ten elements including Mo, Zn, Ni, Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, K, Pb and Cd were determined in the feather of brown-eared pheasant by ICP and AAS, respectively. For the analysis two samples were from Luya Mountain Natural Reserve and Pangquangou Natural Reserve, and one was from Taiyuan Zoo, Shanxi. The contents of the elements in the feather of wild and captive brown-eared pheasants were compared each other. The results showed that the contents of the eight elements the feather from the Zoo were lower than those from Luya Mountain Natural Reserve and Pangquangou Natural Reserve. Moreover, Fe is the highest among those ten elements, Cd was not found, and Mo and Cr were much lower than the others. It is suggested that varying habitats have obvious effects on the elements contents of wild bird body, and wild habitant is more beneficial to the bird growth and development. Applying the results to wild animal management would be favorable to the protection, reproduction and expanding population of rare and endangered birds.

Protective role of exogenous nitric oxide against oxidative-stress induced by salt stress in barley (Hordeum vulgare).

To probe into the potential of relieving the oxidative damage of salt stress, we investigated the protective role of nitric oxide on barley under salt stress. Salt stress resulted in increased ion leakage, lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in barley leaves. Simultaneous treatments of barley leaves with 50 microM sodium nitroprusside, a nitric oxide donor, alleviated the damage of salt stress, reflected by decreased ion leakage, and malendialdehyde (MDA), carbonyl, and hydrogen peroxide content in barley leaves. The presence of the nitric oxide donor increased the activities of superoxide dismutases (SOD), ascorbate peroxidases (APX), and catalases (CAT). Meantime, sodium nitroprusside addition increased accumulation of ferritin at the protein level, indicating that nitric oxide directly regulated ferritin accumulation. These results suggested that nitric oxide can effectively protect seedlings from salt stress damage by enhancing activities of antioxidant enzymes to quench the excessive reactive oxygen species caused by salt stress and inducing the increase of ferritin accumulation to chelate larger number of ferrous ion. Information from this study can be used to improve soil management practices for sustainable use of salt-affected soils in the future.

[Spatial and temporal characteristics of soil moisture dynamics in Loess Plateau].

Field monitoring results of wasteland soil water content of during growing season of seven years in Zhuanyaogou valley of northwestern Shanxi Province, and the results showed that the seasonal dynamics of the soil water was controlled by annual precipitation and its distribution. The seasonal dynamics of soil water in a normal rainfall year could be divided into three stages, i.e., consumption stage from late spring to early summer, storage stage from late summer to early autumn, and second consumption stage from late autumn to early winter. The relationship equation between soil water content and measuring number was linear (1988, 1990), exponent (1992, 1995) and parabola curve (1993). The vertical profiles of soil water in the wasteland in different rainfall year were different, and the soil water content increased with increasing depth. The equations between soil water content and soil depth in all years were cubic. Taking 150 cm as a boundary, the ratio of soil water content in lower layers to upper layers was larger than 1, and the variance coefficient of soil water decreased with increasing depth. The soil water profile in 0-300 cm depth for seven year's average could be divided into three layers, i.e., active layer (above 200 cm), transitive layer (between 200-250 cm) and stable layer (below 250 cm), and the depth of each layer varied with the annual precipitation and its distribution. The ANOVA result of soil water content in extremely high rainfall showed a great difference with that in other years. The difference between soil water content in wasteland and in Caragana korshinskii plantation was significant, but was not different from that in Populus hopeiensis and Populus simonii plantation respectively. The quantitative analysis methods used in this paper facilitated the comparison of soil moisture in different region and in different vegetation.

Do morphological changes mediate plant responses to water stress? A steady-state experiment with two C4 grasses.

• We hypothesized that plant growth reduction under water stress is caused primarily by a reduction of leaf-area ratio (LAR, leaf area per unit of total plant dry mass). • Two perennial Chihuahuan desert grass species (slow-growing Bouteloua eriopoda and fast-growing Eragrostis lehmanniana) were subjected over 6 wk to a combination of two water-supply regimes (control and drought) and two levels of atmospheric CO2 partial pressure (375 and 750 µmol mol-1 ). • Drought reduced final biomass in Bouteloua by 60% regardless of CO2 concentration. Eragrostis experienced a similar biomass reduction at 375 µmol mol-1 , but large plants under elevated CO2 attained growth rates comparable to those of controls. Overall, for plants of similar size, drought reduced LAR in both species much more strongly than it affected net assimilation rate. This reduction in LAR was caused by reductions in both specific leaf area and leaf weight ratio. • We conclude that reduced growth under drought can be considered as a byproduct of the same plastic, developmental responses that result in a reduced water loss.