[Value evaluation and ecological compensation of endangered species from the perspective of stakeholders: A cases study with Elaeagnus mollise]. / åˆ©ç›Šç›¸å ³è€ è§†è§’ä¸‹çš„æ¿’å±ç‰©ç§ä»·å€¼è¯„ä¼°ä¸Žç”Ÿæ€è¡¥å¿­­ä»¥ç¿ æžœæ²¹æ ‘ä¸ºä¾‹.

The value evaluation of endangered species can provide important supports for policy-making in biodiversity conservation. We evaluated the stakeholders' preference and willingness to pay (WTP) from the perspective of stakeholders by the choice experiment method (CEM) and discussed the ecological compensation mechanism, with Elaeagnus mollis, a national secondary key protected plant as an example. Based on the interest demands analysis of three stakeholders, the management departments, enterprises and farmers, we measured five species attributes of E. mollis, including planting area, product classification, seedling varieties, protection investment, and far-mers' income. Furthermore, the preference of stakeholders and WTP for different attribute variables were analyzed using random parameter model (RPL). The results showed that the preference of respondents for the variable of "increase investment in protection" was the strongest and WTP was the highest (331.00 yuan·a-1·household-1). The stakeholders had stronger preference for the variables of "simultaneous development of high and low-end products" and "development of high-end products", with WTP being 242.71 and 227.57 yuan·a-1·household-1, respectively. For the variables of "farmers' income", "unchanged investment in protection", "seedling varieties" and "planting area", stakeholders showed certain preference and WTP from strong to weak. The prefe-rence for "no investment in protection" and "development of low-end products" was weaker and the WTP was negative. Through direct and indirect approaches of compensation, ecological compensation could be implemented for the objects of ecological compensation (E. mollis and associated habitat). The value of compensating surplus (CS) calculated was 285.62 yuan·a-1·household-1.

[Flora and geographic pattern of mountain forests at community level in Taihang Mountains: Results based on plant community survey]. / å¤ªè¡Œå±±å±±åœ°æ£®æž—ç¾¤è½æ¤ç‰©åŒºç³»ä¸Žåœ°ç†æ ¼å±€­­åŸºäºŽæ¤ç‰©ç¾¤è½æ¸ 查数据.

Taihang Mountains is located on the eastern edge of the second step of Chinese topography, which is the natural boundary between Loess Plateau and North China Plain and is considered as one of the important priority areas for biodiversity conservation in China. We took 108 counties involved in the generalized Taihang Mountains as the research area to systematically analyze the characteristics of family and genus characters, floristic composition, geographical pattern of plant diversity and species richness hotspots at community level of mountain forests in Taihang Mountains. A total of 963 species of seed plants belonging to 447 genera and 100 families were recorded in 778 forest plots in Taihang Mountains. Within all the species, 12 species of gymnosperms belonging to 7 genera of 3 families, 951 species of angiosperms belonging to 440 genera of 97 families. Herbaceous plants (71.1%) was the dominant life form. The distribution types of families were mainly tropical (38%) and temperate (24%), and the distribution types of genera were mainly temperate (68.7%). The horizontal distribution pattern of plant diversity showed a trend of increasing from southwest to northeast. Species richness was positively correlated with the latitude and longitude. However, the richness patterns of different life-form plants were different, in that herbaceous richness was positively correlated with the longitude and latitude but that of woody plants was not. In the vertical gradient, plant richness of Taihang Mountains presented a single-peak distribution, which was concentrated in the low and middle elevations of 400-1800 m and peaked at 1000-1200 m. Based on the community inventory data, we mapped plant richness of Taihang Mountain forest community. The mountain areas such as Xiaowutai Mountain, Yuntai Mountain, Taiyue Mountain, Wangwu Mountain and Zhongtiao Mountain were identified as hotspots of plant richness, which should be included in the key planning and management areas of the Taihang Mountains priority protection.

[Prediction on spatial migration of suitable distribution of Elaeagnus mollis under climate change conditions in Shanxi Province, China]. / æ°”å€™å˜åŒ–æ¡ä»¶ä¸‹å±±è¥¿ç¿ æžœæ²¹æ ‘é€‚å®œåˆ†å¸ƒåŒºçš„ç©ºé—´è¿ç§»é¢„æµ‹.

The impacts of climate change on biodiversity and its adaptation will directly affect the efficiency of biodiversity conservation. Predicting spatial variation of suitable habitats of threatened species under future climate change has important theoretical and practical significance for biodiversity conservation. In this study, we predicted the suitable distribution of Elaeagnus mollis, an endemic endangered plant in China, under climate change at regional scales. Then, we simulated the spatial variation and migration tend of suitable distribution under different climate change scenarios by spatial analysis. The results from Maxent model showed that the two suitable distribution areas of E. mollis presented different migration trends under the future climate change scenarios: the suitable areas of Lyuliang Mountain would fluctuate slightly in latitudinal direction, while that in Zhongtiao Mountain would migrate to high elevation. Analysis of the spatial pattern change of the suitable areas indicated that the areas with obvious change occurred at the boundary of the suitable areas of E. mollis, including new suitable area and lost suitable area. The new suitable areas were scattered in the marginal of the original, with the increase rate of 9.1% to 20.9%, and the lost suitable areas were concentrated in the northern Lyuliang Mountain suitable areas and the southeast Zhongtiao Mountain suitable areas, with the loss rate of 16.4% to 31.1%. These regions were more sensitive to climate change. Using the classification statistical tool of Zonal, we found that the central points of the Lyuliang Mountain suitable areas showed southward migration trend under the future climate change, with the maximum migration distance of 7.451 km, while the center point of the Zhongtiao Mountain suitable areas showed migration trend to the northwest, with the maximum migration distance of 8.284 km. Our results indicated that the response of E. mollis distribution in Shanxi to climate change was intense.

[Interactive Effects of Ozone and Drought on Antioxidant Enzyme Activities of Poplar Leaves].

Ground-level ozone (O3) pollution and drought have become major environmental factors that threaten the normal growth of plants. In this study, we determined the effects of three O3 concentrations (charcoal-filtered air, CF, non-filtered air, NF and non-filtered air+40 nmol·mol-1, NF40), two water treatments (well-watered, WW, and mild drought, MD, 60% of WW in volumetric soil water content), and their interactions on the light-saturated photosynthesis rate (Asat) and on the activity of antioxidant enzymes and soluble proteins of the poplar '546' (Populus deltoids cv. 55/56×P. deltoides cv. Imperial). Results showed that Asat significantly decreased with elevated O3, and with interactions between O3 and drought. Drought significantly reduced the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) but did not affect the activities of peroxidase (POD) or ascorbate peroxidase (APX). Reduction ranges in CAT and SOD increased with drought duration. APX activity significantly decreased with increasing O3 and drought, but soluble protein content did not. Activities of antioxidant enzymes were not significantly affected by elevated O3 and their interactions. Results provide a scientific basis for protection of poplar plantations in response to increasing O3 concentrations and drought under environmental changes.

[Prediction of the suitable distribution and responses to climate change of Elaeagnus mollis in Shanxi Province, China]. / å±±è¥¿ç¿ æžœæ²¹æ ‘çš„é€‚ç”ŸåŒºé¢„æµ‹åŠå ¶å¯¹æ°”å€™å˜åŒ–çš„å“åº”.

Understanding the responses of the habitats of endangered species to climate change is of great significance for biodiversity conservation and the maintenance of the integrity of ecosystem function. In this study, the potential suitable distribution habitats of Elaeagnus mollis in Shanxi Province was simulated by the maximum entropy model, based on 73 occurrence field records and 35 environmental factors under the current climate condition. Moreover, with the Fifth Assessment Report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the dynamics of distribution pattern was analyzed for E. mollis under different climate scenarios. The results showed that the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value was 0.987, indicating that the data fitted the model very well and that the prediction was highly reliable. Results from the Jackknife test showed that the main environmental variables affecting the E. mollis distribution were the precipitation seasonality, the range of annual temperature, annual mean temperature, isothermality, annual precipitation, and pH of topsoil, with the cumulative contribution reaching 94.8%. At present, the potential suitable habitats of E. mollis are mainly located in two regions, the southern of Lyuliang Mountain and Zhongtiao Mountain in Shanxi Province. Under different climate scenarios, the total suitable area of E. mollis would shrink in 2070s. In RCP 2.6 the suitable area would firstly increase and then decrease, while in RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 it would response sensitively and first decrease and then increase. Its spatial distribution in two suitable regions would show divergent responses to climate change. The distribution in southern Lyuliang Mountain would fluctuate slightly in latitudinal direction, while that in Zhongtiao Mountain would migrate along elevation.

Occurrence, profiles, and ecological risks of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in mangrove sediments of Shantou, China.

Surface sediments were collected from three mangrove wetlands (Yifeng Xi, Shuanghan, and Su'ai Wan) in Shantou coastal zone of South China to investigate spatial distributions of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The results demonstrate that PBDEs were detected in all the samples, indicating their widespread occurrence in coastal sediments of the studied area. Σ9PBDEs (defined as the sum of nine targeted PBDE congeners except BDE-209) and BDE-209 are in the range of 2.3 to 11.5 and 16.7 to 58.2 ng/g, respectively. BDE-209 is the dominant PBDE congener in all sediment samples. The sediment concentrations of ∑9PBDEs and BDE-209 among the three wetlands decrease in the order of Su'ai Wan > Shuanghan > Yifeng Xi. The concentrations of ∑9PBDEs are higher in mangrove sediments than in mudflats, but no obvious regularity can be found on the correlation between mangrove species and PBDE levels in sediments. The contents of total organic carbon are moderately correlated with BDE-209 concentrations in sediments but not with ∑9PBDE concentrations. The samples collected from different locations show slightly different composition profiles except BDE-209, with BDE-100 and BDE-47 being the pre-dominated congeners. The mudflats exhibit higher abundances of tri- to hexa-substituted congeners than the mangrove sediments. Ecological risk assessment demonstrates that the surface sediments from Shantou may pose a potential ecological risk of exposure to sediment-dwelling organisms.

[Geographic distribution characteristics of the national key protected wild plants in China].

Rare and endangered wild plants, being an important component of biological diversity, have become one of the hot issues for conservation biology, and the study of their geographic distribution is of significance to the theories of biodiversity conservation and the mechanisms of their endangerment. In this study, the floristic elements and geographic distribution characteristics of national key protected wild plants in China were analyzed at national scale, based on the information from published literatures and the specimen records mainly from the Chinese Virtual Herbarium. The results indicated that there are 2177 species of protected plants, belonging to 130 families and 484 genera. The flora is characteristic of extremely diversified, old and endemic, and obviously rich in tropical and temperate elements. The geographic distribution of the protected plants is uneven, and concentrates in the southwestern regions and Taiwan of China. Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangxi, Tibet, Guizhou and Taiwan are the hotspots of protected plant diversity. The protected plants have a pretty wide vertical distribution range, but mainly distribute in lower and middle mountains with an elevation from 800 m to 1600 m. The spatial pattern of the protected plants is unimodal along elevation gradient. This study would provide sound basis for the identification of the priority areas of biodiversity conservation, and the establishment of conservation strategies.

[A SCAR marker for resistance to Aspergillus flavus in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)].

Aflatoxin contamination is an important constraint to peanut (Archis hypogaea L. ) industry worldwide. Genetic improvement for host resistance in peanut to fungal infection and aflatoxin (Aspergillus flavus) production is among the approaches for integrated management of the problem. However, the progress in peanut breeding for resistance to aflatoxin is slow due to various reasons, among which, lack of cost-effective method for resistance identification in breeding materials or segregating progenies has been encountered in most breeding programs. Hence there is a need to develop a rapid and reliable screening method for selecting A. flavus infection resistance in peanut. Here we report a SCAR (Sequence characterized Amplified Region) marker "AFs-412" converted from AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism) marker "E45/M53-440" which closely linked with resistance to A. flavus infection. Twenty peanut genotypes with resistance to infection of A. flavus were used to verify the reliability of the resistance markers, and high correlation between the molecular markers and the resistance result. The result shows that the potential of the markers which can be used in other resistant peanut genotypes to seed infection by Aspergillus flavus.

[Expression of a laccase gene from Pleurotus ostreatus in Pichia pastoris and characterization of the recombinant enzyme].

A Pleuotus ostreatus laccase gene was cloned by RT-PCR and designated as lccPol. Its sequence was submitted to GenBank with the accession number AY450404 obtained. The open reading frame was transformed into three Pichia pastoris strains GS115, KM71 and SMD1168, respectively, under control of the AOX1 promoter by using the vector pHBM906. LCCPo1 can be expressed by all three P. pastoris recombinant strains. Three different strategies for shake-flask cultures were compared: (1) (25 degrees C, 1.0% methanol), (2) (20 degrees C, 1.0% methanol), (3) (20 degrees C, 0.5% methanol). The laccase activity could be improved by increasing the methanol concentration befittingly. The results showed that the cultivation temperature had a marked effect on the production of active heterologous laccase. 2 - 6 folds higher laccase activities were obtained when the cultivation temperature was kept at 20 degrees C instead of 25 degrees C. The highest activities, 3.19U/mL [GS115 (pHBM565)], 2.56U/mL [KM71 (pHBM565)], and 2.49U/mL [SMD1168 (pHBM565)], were gotten when the induction were performed at 20 degrees C with 1.0% (V/V) methanol supplied. The temperature and pH optimum for the recombinant laccase produced by three strains were 60 degrees C and pH4.2, respectively.

[Cloning of a laccase gene from Flammulina velutipes and study on its expression in Pichia pastoris].

Laccase(EC1.10.3.2) can be used for enzymatic detoxification of lignocellulosic hydrolysates. By using molecular techniques such as RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends) and Genome-Walking, a laccase gene and its corresponding full-length cDNA were cloned from Flammulina velutipes and designated as glccFv and IccFv. The sequences were submitted to GenBank, and the accession numbers obtained were AY485826 and AY450406, respectively. Analysis of amino acids sequence suggested that one laccase from Polyporus ciliatus possessed the highest homology with the protein encoded by lccFv showing for 72%. The ORF (open reading frame) of lccFv was transformed into Pichia pastoris strain GS115 through the P. pastoris expression vector pHBM906, which contains both the promoter and transcription terminator of the AOX1 gene. The recombinant laccase LCCFv was detected from the engineering strain GS115 (pHBM557) which was fermented with BMMY liquid medium and induced by 1.0% (V/V) methanol at 20 degrees C with the highest expression level (0.1070 U/mL). The optimal reaction temperature of LCCFv that secreted from P. pastoris GS115(pHBM557) was 45 degrees C, the optimal reaction pH value was pH3.9 and the thermostability and pH stability were very well under the optimal conditions.