Atomically dispersed asymmetric cobalt electrocatalyst for efficient hydrogen peroxide production in neutral media.

Electrochemical hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production (EHPP) via a two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e- ORR) provides a promising alternative to replace the energy-intensive anthraquinone process. M-N-C electrocatalysts, which consist of atomically dispersed transition metals and nitrogen-doped carbon, have demonstrated considerable EHPP efficiency. However, their full potential, particularly regarding the correlation between structural configurations and performances in neutral media, remains underexplored. Herein, a series of ultralow metal-loading M-N-C electrocatalysts are synthesized and investigated for the EHPP process in the neutral electrolyte. CoNCB material with the asymmetric Co-C/N/O configuration exhibits the highest EHPP activity and selectivity among various as-prepared M-N-C electrocatalyst, with an outstanding mass activity (6.1 × 105 A gCo-1 at 0.5 V vs. RHE), and a high practical H2O2 production rate (4.72 mol gcatalyst-1 h-1 cm-2). Compared with the popularly recognized square-planar symmetric Co-N4 configuration, the superiority of asymmetric Co-C/N/O configurations is elucidated by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy analysis and computational studies.

Developing Safe Organohydrogel Sunscreens Using Polyelectrolyte-Betaine Surfactant Complexes.

Oil-in-water emulsions are extensively used in skincare products due to their improved texture, stability, and effectiveness. There is limited success in developing effective delivery systems that can selectively target the active sunscreen ingredients onto the skin surface. Herein, an organohydrogel was prepared by physical cross-linking of an oil-in-water nanoemulsion with chitosan under neutral pH conditions. In the presence of a small quantity of coconut oil, lauramidopropyl betaine and glycerol were able to emulsify the active sunscreen ingredients into nanoscale droplets with enhanced ultraviolet light absorption. A facile pH-triggered interfacial cross-linking approach was applied to transform the nanoemulsion into an organohydrogel sunscreen. Furthermore, the organohydrogel sunscreen displayed encouraging characteristics including efficient UV-blocking capacity, resistance to water, simple removal, and minimal skin penetration. This facile approach provides an effective pathway for scaling up the organohydrogels, which are highly suitable for the safe application of sunscreen.

Seed settling and trapping during submerged secondary dispersal: Implications for saltmarsh recruitment and restoration.

Given the decline of global salt marshes, there is a pressing need to pinpoint the key processes that limit and facilitate seed-based pioneer recruitment. Secondary seed dispersal, in the form of short-distance submerged movement, is a prerequisite for initiating pioneer establishment in adjacent tidal flats but has not been fully appreciated and understood. In this study, using a settling tube and race-track flume, seeds of four global occurring saltmarsh species were studied in terms of their settlement speed and trapping opportunity to understand how seed traits and physical settings affect submerged dispersal behavior and thus seed-based saltmarsh recruitment. Present study led to the following novel insights: 1) Seeds have density-dependent settling speeds, which are comparable to that of fine sand, but much faster than that of very fine sand and silt. Since the latter is the type of sediment commonly found in many estuaries worldwide (such as the Scheldt), seeds will typically settle faster than local sediments. A sufficiently long hydrodynamic-calm period allows slowly settling sediment to bury settled seeds, otherwise, seeds will remain uncovered if the period is short. 2) Seed trapping ratio increased linearly with surface roughness (a proxy for local topographic complexity), but this effect becomes smaller with increasing hydrodynamic intensity. Seed drag coefficient was identified as the key biotic factor contributing to interspecies variability in trapping ratio. Overall, present results suggest that submerged seed dispersal may form a primary bottleneck for salt marsh recruitment by limiting seed availability via two mechanisms: i) reduced chance of seed burial through asynchronous settling of seeds and sediment particles; ii) reduced probability of seed trapping due to encountering smooth tidal flat surfaces. This study provide mechanistic and data basis for the targeted application of biophysical models in predicting outcomes of saltmarsh recruitment and long-term maintenance, thereby informing seed-based conservation and restoration.

Top ten priorities for global saltmarsh restoration, conservation and ecosystem service research.

Coastal saltmarshes provide globally important ecosystem services including 'blue carbon' sequestration, flood protection, pollutant remediation, habitat provision and cultural value. Large portions of marshes have been lost or fragmented as a result of land reclamation, embankment construction, and pollution. Sea level rise threatens marsh survival by blocking landward migration where coastlines have been developed. Research-informed saltmarsh conservation and restoration efforts are helping to prevent further loss, yet significant knowledge gaps remain. Using a mixed methods approach, this paper identifies ten research priorities through an online questionnaire and a residential workshop attended by an international, multi-disciplinary network of 35 saltmarsh experts spanning natural, physical and social sciences across research, policy, and practitioner sectors. Priorities have been grouped under four thematic areas of research: Saltmarsh Area Extent, Change and Restoration Potential (including past, present, global variation), Spatio-social contexts of Ecosystem Service delivery (e.g. influences of environmental context, climate change, and stakeholder groups on service provisioning), Patterns and Processes in saltmarsh functioning (global drivers of saltmarsh ecosystem structure/function) and Management and Policy Needs (how management varies contextually; challenges/opportunities for management). Although not intended to be exhaustive, the challenges, opportunities, and strategies for addressing each research priority examined here, providing a blueprint of the work that needs to be done to protect saltmarshes for future generations.

Spatial heterogeneity ensures long-term stability in vegetation and Fritillaria meleagris flowering in Uppsala Kungsäng, a semi-natural meadow.

Semi-natural grasslands are becoming increasingly rare, and their vegetation may be affected by environmental changes and altered management. At Kungsängen Nature Reserve, a wet to mesic semi-natural meadow near Uppsala, Sweden, we analysed long-term changes in the vegetation using data from 1940, 1982, 1995 and 2016. We also analysed the spatial and temporal dynamics in the Fritillaria meleagris population based on countings of flowering individuals in 1938, 1981-1988 and 2016-2021. Between 1940 and 1982 the wet part of the meadow became wetter, which led to an increased cover of Carex acuta and pushed the main area of flowering of F. meleagris up towards the mesic part. Annual variation in the flowering propensity of F. meleagris (in May) was affected by temperature and precipitation in the phenological phases of growth and bud initiation (June in the previous year), shoot development (September in the previous year) and initiation of flowering (March-April). However, the response to weather was in opposite directions in the wet and mesic parts of the meadow, and the flowering population showed large year-to-year variation but no long-term trend. Variation in management (poorly documented) led to changes in different parts of the meadow, but the overall composition of the vegetation, species richness and diversity changed little after 1982. Species richness and species composition of the meadow vegetation, and the long-term stability of the F. meleagris population are maintained by the variation in wetness, highlighting the importance of spatial heterogeneity as an insurance against biodiversity loss in semi-natural grasslands and nature reserves generally.

Loss of tidal creek ecosystem vitality caused by tidal flat narrowing on the central Jiangsu coast, China.

Globally, tidal flats are increasingly narrowing due to continuous reclamation and sea level rise. Nonetheless, the impact of tidal flat narrowing (TFN) on tidal creek systems that play a crucial role in the formation and shaping of tidal flats is not well understood, despite a cognition that the tidal flat-creek system is integrated and coevolved. In this study, based on the quantification and mapping of tidal creek ecosystem vitality (TCEV), we detected the state evolution of tidal creek systems in response to TFN process on the central Jiangsu coast (CJC), China. The results showed that two thirds of the original tidal flat width was lost from 1984 to 2020, with a narrowing rate of 210.9 m/yr. The seaward movement of seawall lines and the landward movement of low tide lines contributed 82.5 % and 17.5 % to this serious TFN process, respectively. Across the study period, the overall TCEV lost 82.3 % with a substantial transformation from high level to low level. In terms of three dimensions of structural complexity, functional integrity and spatial occupancy, the tidal creek system of CJC has greatly deviated from the high-quality state in 1984, which was significantly associated with TFN. For a natural mature tidal flat, the loss of its initial width seems acceptable when <1/3, but unacceptable when >1/2, which are two important thresholds corresponding to the lower and higher loss of TCEV, respectively. It is worried that the CJC tidal flat-creek system would fall into a vicious circle of state evolution. Therefore, efforts should be made to control irrational reclamation and perform ecological restoration based on an insight into the relationship between TCEV and TFN.

Unraveling the wheel of recruitment for salt-marsh seedlings: Resistance to and recovery after dislodgement.

Elucidating bottlenecks at critical life stages and quantifying associated resilience (including resistance and recovery) to physical processes are central in inform restoration and attain sustainable development of coastal biogeomorphic ecosystems. Seedling establishment is a key life stage determines saltmarsh restoration potentials. However, the resilience of these recruits, especially through recovery, remains poorly understood. Here, two contrasting globally occurring saltmarsh species, namely Salicornia europaea and Spartina anglica, were employed to generate insights in i) seedling resistance against dislodgement, and ii) seedling recovery potential after dislodgement. Regarding resistance, we found that 1) root-shoot antagonism characterizes the growth rate of seedling resistance to dislodgement through hydraulic disturbance, 2) the root length determines seedling resistance to dislodgement through sheet erosion; 3) a 5 mm sedimentary setting amplifies seedling resistance without inhibiting their morphological evolution. Regarding recovery, we found that 4) dislodged seedlings have a high probability for achieving long-distance dispersal; 5) seedling age and the inundation-free period regulate the re-establishment potential of dislodged seedlings. Overall, S. anglica showed stronger resilience than S. europaea, characterized by stronger seedling resistance against dislodgement and higher re-establishment potential. Our results on seedling resilience suggest that seedling dislodgement is not an end-of-life cycle but a new spin on the "Wheel of Recruitment", a proposed short-term cyclic behavior with alternating phases of seedling dislodgement, dispersal, and (re-)establishment. The Wheel of Recruitment concept is important for forecasting resilience and persistence of biogeomorphic systems such as salt marshes under global change and for guiding life cycle informed restoration.

Differential Responses to Salt Stress in Four White Clover Genotypes Associated With Root Growth, Endogenous Polyamines Metabolism, and Sodium/Potassium Accumulation and Transport.

Selection and utilization of salt-tolerant crops are essential strategies for mitigating salinity damage to crop productivity with increasing soil salinization worldwide. This study was conducted to identify salt-tolerant white clover (Trifolium repens) genotypes among 37 materials based on a comprehensive evaluation of five physiological parameters, namely, chlorophyll (Chl) content, photochemical efficiency of PS II (Fv/Fm), performance index on an absorption basis (PIABS), and leaf relative water content (RWC), and to further analyze the potential mechanism of salt tolerance associated with changes in growth, photosynthetic performance, endogenous polyamine metabolism, and Na+/K+ uptake and transport. The results showed that significant variations in salt tolerance were identified among 37 genotypes, as PI237292 and Tr005 were the top two genotypes with the highest salt tolerance, and PI251432 and Korla were the most salt-sensitive genotypes compared to other materials. The salt-tolerant PI237292 and Tr005 not only maintained significantly lower EL but also showed significantly better photosynthetic performance, higher leaf RWC, underground dry weight, and the root to shoot ratio than the salt-sensitive PI251432 and Korla under salt stress. Increases in endogenous PAs, putrescine (Put), and spermidine (Spd) contents could be key adaptive responses to salt stress in the PI237292 and the Tr005 through upregulating genes encoding Put and Spd biosynthesis (NCA, ADC, SAMDC, and SPDS2). For Na+ and K+ accumulation and transport, higher salt tolerance of the PI237292 could be associated with the maintenance of Na+ and Ca+ homeostasis associated with upregulations of NCLX and BTB/POZ. The K+ homeostasis-related genes (KEA2, HAK25, SKOR, POT2/8/11, TPK3/5, and AKT1/5) are differentially expressed among four genotypes under salt stress. However, the K+ level and K+/Na+ ratio were not completely consistent with the salt tolerance of the four genotypes. The regulatory function of these differentially expressed genes (DEGs) on salt tolerance in the white clover and other leguminous plants needs to be investigated further. The current findings also provide basic genotypes for molecular-based breeding for salt tolerance in white clover species.

Global Metabolites Reprogramming Induced by Spermine Contributing to Salt Tolerance in Creeping Bentgrass.

Soil salinization has become a serious challenge to modern agriculture worldwide. The purpose of the study was to reveal salt tolerance induced by spermine (Spm) associated with alterations in water and redox homeostasis, photosynthetic performance, and global metabolites reprogramming based on analyses of physiological responses and metabolomics in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera). Plants pretreated with or without 0.5 mM Spm were subjected to salt stress induced by NaCl for 25 days in controlled growth chambers. Results showed that a prolonged period of salt stress caused a great deal of sodium (Na) accumulation, water loss, photoinhibition, and oxidative damage to plants. However, exogenous application of Spm significantly improved endogenous spermidine (Spd) and Spm contents, followed by significant enhancement of osmotic adjustment (OA), photosynthesis, and antioxidant capacity in leaves under salt stress. The Spm inhibited salt-induced Na accumulation but did not affect potassium (K) content. The analysis of metabolomics demonstrated that the Spm increased intermediate metabolites of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt (GABA, glutamic acid, and alanine) and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle (aconitic acid) under salt stress. In addition, the Spm also up-regulated the accumulation of multiple amino acids (glutamine, valine, isoleucine, methionine, serine, lysine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan), sugars (mannose, fructose, sucrose-6-phosphate, tagatose, and cellobiose), organic acid (gallic acid), and other metabolites (glycerol) in response to salt stress. These metabolites played important roles in OA, energy metabolism, signal transduction, and antioxidant defense under salt stress. More importantly, the Spm enhanced GABA shunt and the TCA cycle for energy supply in leaves. Current findings provide new evidence about the regulatory roles of the Spm in alleviating salt damage to plants associated with global metabolites reprogramming and metabolic homeostasis.

A solution for restoration of critical wetlands and waterbird habitats in coastal deltaic systems.

Loss of coastal wetland habitats has been directly linked to a decline in waterbird populations including migratory species, leading to calls to reverse this trend in part by restoring these habitats. However, distinct "sediment scarcity" has hindered coastal habitat restoration. Here, taking the Yangtze River Delta, China as an example, we put forward a feasible solution to solve the sediment shortage in habitat restoration so necessary to restore migratory waterbird numbers. Four biological indices including total wetland area, wetland vegetation area and waterbird species richness and abundance, were used to compare and assess the restorative efforts. Three solutions were adopted for the rehabilitation sites, including promoting sediment deposition and settlement through engineering intervention in Chongming Dongtan (CD) and Eastern Nanhui (EN), and using dredged sediments to nourish and create new habitats in Hengsha Eastern Shoal (HES). The mean wetland area increased 19.66 km2/yr in EN, 8.78 km2/yr in HES and 3.83 km2/yr in CD after rehabilitation. Along with the increase of wetlands and habitats, the abundance of waterbirds increased 1.3 times, 121 times and 1.5 times in EN, HES and CD, respectively. In contrast, in the site of Fengxian and Jinshan (FJ) where no any rehabilitation measure was taken after reclamation, the habitats were lost almost completely and the waterbird abundance dropped drastically. The comparison and assessment results demonstrate that proper coastal silting structures and ecological utilization of nearby dredged sediments are the feasible and effective solutions to retain sediments, restore coastal habitats and increase waterbird diversity and abundance.

High-depth resequencing of 312 accessions reveals the local adaptation of foxtail millet.

KEY MESSAGE: Based on the high-density variation map, we identified genome-level evidence for local adaptation and demonstrated that Siprr37 with transposon insertion contributes to the fitness of foxtail millet in the northeastern ecoregion. Adaptation is a robust way through which plants are able to overcome environmental constraints. The mechanisms of adaptation in heterogeneous natural environments are largely unknown. Deciphering the genomic basis of local adaptation will contribute to further improvement in domesticated plants. To this end, we describe a high-depth (19.4 ×) haplotype map of 3.02 million single nucleotide polymorphisms in foxtail millet (Setaria italica) from whole-genome resequencing of 312 accessions. In the genome-wide scan, we identified a set of improvement signals (including the homologous gene of OsIPA1, a key gene controlling ideal plant architecture) related to the geographical adaptation to four ecoregions in China. In particular, based on the genome-wide association analysis results, we identified the contribution of a pseudo-response regulator gene, SiPRR37, to heading date adaptation in foxtail millet. We observed the expression changes of SiPRR37 resulted from a key Tc1-Mariner transposon insertion in the first intron. Positive selection analyses revealed that SiPRR37 mainly contributed to the adaptation of northeastern ecoregions. Taken together, foxtail millet adapted to the northeastern region by regulating the function of SiPRR37, which sheds lights on genome-level evidence for adaptive geographical divergence. Besides, our data provide a nearly complete catalog of genomic variation aiding the identification of functionally important variants.

Synthesis of polyacrylamide/polystyrene interpenetrating polymer networks and the effect of textural properties on adsorption performance of fermentation inhibitors from sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate.

Economical removal of fermentation inhibitors from lignocellulosic hydrolysate plays a considerable role in bioconversion of lignocellulose biomass. In this work, the textural properties of polyacrylamide/polystyrene interpenetrating polymer networks (PAM/PS IPNs) on adsorption of fermentation inhibitors from sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate (SCBH) were investigated for the first time. The results showed that, the specific surface area, pore diameter and surface polarity had important influence on its adsorption performance towards sugars, organic acids, furans and acid-soluble lignin. The PAM/PS IPNs under the optimal copolymerization situation achieved the high selectivity coefficients of 4.07, 14.9, 21.2 and 25.8 with respective to levulinic acid, furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and acid-soluble lignin, and had a low total sugar loss of 2.09%. Overall, this research puts forward a design and synthetic strategy for adsorbent to remove fermentation inhibitors from lignocellulosic hydrolysate.

Re-invasion of Spartina alterniflora in restored saltmarshes: Seed arrival, retention, germination, and establishment.

The invasive plant Spartina alterniflora presents a serious threat to the saltmarsh ecosystems in the Yangtze Estuary. Various measures have been implemented to control S. alterniflora and restore the natural saltmarshes in this area. However, many saltmarsh restoration activities often fail partly because of recursions of this invasive plant. In this study, we investigated the re-invasion of S. alterniflora in a restored saltmarsh in the Chongming Dongtan National Nature Reserve by analysing the aspects of seed arrival, retention, germination, and establishment, to better understand the potential factors that may influence the re-invasion of restored saltmarshes. The results showed that 1) tidal currents dispersed the seeds from the possible source area to the restored saltmarsh and adjacent mudflat. The spatio-temporal dynamics of arrived seeds were shown to vary greatly depending on the intertidal geomorphology, vegetation, and hydrodynamic processes. 2) Seed retention in the re-invaded area was shown to be greatly influenced by burial depth, and moderate sedimentation rates provided safe sites for the retention of arrived seeds. 3) Only when both the burial depth and inundation duration below certain thresholds, the retained seeds could germinate and establish in the recipient habitats successfully. The results from this study highlight that control efforts and the management of S. alterniflora should not only focus on the re-invaded areas of restored saltmarshes, but also on the possible source areas of re-invasive species.

Molecular characterisation and expression analysis of NAC transcription factor genes in wild Medicago falcata under abiotic stresses.

The No apical meristem-Arabidopsis transcription activation factor-Cup-shaped cotyledon (NAC) proteins play vital roles in plant development processes and responses to abiotic stress. In this study, 146 unigenes were identified as NAC genes from wild Medicago falcata L. by RNA sequencing. Among these were 30 full-length NACs, which, except for MfNAC63, MfNAC64 and MfNAC91, contained a complete DNA-binding domain and a variable transcriptional activation region. Sequence analyses of MfNACs along with their Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. counterparts allowed these proteins to be phylogenetically classified into nine groups. MfNAC35, MfNAC88, MfNAC79, MfNAC26 and MfNAC95 were found to be stress-responsive genes. The eight MfNAC genes that were chosen for further analysis had different expression abilities in the leaves, stems and roots of M. falcata. Additionally, their expression levels were regulated by salinity, drought and cold stress, and ABA. This study will be useful for understanding the roles of MfNACs in wild M. falcata and could provide important information for the selection of candidate genes associated with stress tolerance.

Preparation of Polar-Modified Styrene-Divinylbenzene Copolymer and Its Adsorption Performance for Comprehensive Utilization of Sugarcane Bagasse Dilute-Acid Hydrolysate.

Lignocellulosic hydrolysate contains complex nonsugar compounds and undegraded sugars in the process of preparing platform compound levulinic acid (LA) and furfural by one-step dilute-acid hydrolysis. For efficiently and comprehensively utilizing the hydrolysate, a series of polar modified resins were synthesized for adsorption and separation of the sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate to obtain platform compounds and fermentable hydrolysate simultaneously. The adsorption capacities of LA and furfural were optimized to 85.32 mg/g and 33.55 mg/g on polar modified resin prepared with 80 wt% glycidyl methacrylate (GMA -80), which was much higher than nonpolar resin (4.16 mg/g and 16.14 mg/g). GMA-80 obtained the best comprehensive adsorption property, whose desorption rates were 99.90% and 89.86% for LA and furfural, respectively, and its regeneration performance was also excellent, indicating that the resin is a potential adsorbent and expected to be used in the separation and purification of the lignocellulosic hydrolysate.

Wave effects on seedling establishment of three pioneer marsh species: survival, morphology and biomechanics.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: It is important to have an in-depth mechanistic understanding of tidal marsh establishment and dynamics to ensure the long-term persistence of these valuable ecosystems. As wave forcing may be expected to impact seedling establishment, we studied the effect of water-imposed drag forces on seedling survival, morphology and biomechanical properties of three marsh pioneer species that are dominant along the salinity gradient in many areas around the world: Spartina anglica (salt to brackish), Scirpus maritimus (brackish) and Phragmites australis (brackish to fresh). METHODS: Using a newly developed plant-shaking mesocosm (PSM) that mimicked water-imposed wave drag forces, the effect of wave stress on seedling survival was examined, together with impacts on morphology and biomechanical properties. KEY RESULTS: After 7 weeks of exposure to wave stress, lowered seedling survival and growth for all species was revealed. Wave treatments increased the root/shoot biomass ratio to enhance anchorage and made seedlings more flexible (i.e. reduced flexural rigidity), which might be regarded as a mixed outcome between a stress avoidance and stress tolerance strategy. CONCLUSIONS: The different biomechanical responses between the three dominant marsh pioneer species, overall, make them less resistant to external stress. Therefore, our results indicate that the likelihood of marshes becoming established is reduced if wave energy increases. Despite the different biomechanical response of these three pioneer species to waves, the seedlings of all species were found to have low resistance to external stresses.

Production, separation, and characterization of high-purity xylobiose from enzymatic hydrolysis of alkaline oxidation pretreated sugarcane bagasse.

The production of high-purity xylobiose from lignocellulose is an expensive and tedious process. In this work, the production of xylobiose from enzymatic hydrolysis of alkaline oxidation pretreated sugarcane bagasse was investigated. Furthermore, a simple process for the separation of xylobiose from enzymatic hydrolysate by activated carbon absorption, water washing, and ethanol-water desorption was developed. Under the optimized separation conditions, 96.77% xylobiose was adsorbed at 16% activated carbon loadings. Moreover, xylose and acetate could not be detected after washing by 3-fold volume of water. Xylobiose with 80.16% yield was eluted by 5-fold volume of 5% (v/v) ethanol-water. The reusability of activated carbon was evaluated by 5 cycles of adsorption-desorption process, suggesting that the activated carbon exhibited good reusability. The separated xylobiose sample with high-purity (97.29%) was confirmed by HPLC, ESI-MS, and NMR. Overall, this study provided a low-cost and robust technology for the production and separation of high-purity xylobiose from lignocellulose.

Adsorption Study of Acid Soluble Lignin Removal from Sugarcane Bagasse Hydrolysate by a Self-Synthesized Resin for Lipid Production.

An adsorption resin CX-6 was synthesized and used for acid soluble lignin (ASL) removal from sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate (SCBH). The adsorption conditions of pH value, amount of adsorbent, initial ASL concentration, and temperature on ASL adsorption were discussed. The results showed the adsorption capacity of ASL was negatively affected by increasing temperature, solution pH, and adsorbent dose, and was positively affected by increasing initial concentration. The maximum adsorption capacity of ASL was 135.3 mg/g at initial ASL concentration 6.46 g/L, adsorption temperature 298 K, and pH 1. Thermodynamic study demonstrated that the adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic. Equilibrium and kinetics experiments were proved to fit the Freundlich isotherm model and pseudo-second-order model well, respectively. Fermentation experiment showed that the SCBH after combined overliming with resin adsorption as fermentation substrate for microbial lipid production by Trichosporon cutaneum and Trichosporon coremiiforme was as better as that of SCBH by combined overliming with active charcoal adsorption, and more efficient than that of SCBH only by overliming. Moreover, the regeneration experiment indicated that the CX-6 resin is easy to regenerate and its recirculated performance is stable. In conclusion, our results provide a promising adsorbent to detoxify lignocellulose hydrolysate for further fermentation.

Environmental status assessment using biological traits analyses and functional diversity indices of benthic ciliate communities.

In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the functional diversity of benthic ciliates has high potential to monitor marine ecological status. Therefore, we investigated the spatial and temporal variation of functional diversity of benthic ciliates in the Yangtze Estuary during one year using biological traits analyses and functional diversity indices. Traits and community compositions showed clear spatial and temporal variations. Among a variety of biological traits, feeding type and body size emerged as strongest predictable variables. Functional divergence (FDiv) had an advantage over two other functional diversity indices, as well as over classical diversity measures (i.e. richness, evenness, Shannon-Wiener) to infer environmental status. Significant correlations between biological traits, FDiv and environmental variables (i.e. nutrients, temperature, salinity) suggested that functional diversity of benthic ciliates might be used as a bio-indicator in environmental status assessments. Further mandatory researches need to implement functional diversity of ciliates in routine monitoring programs were discussed.