Nestedness is one of the important patterns in island biogeography,community ecology and conservation biology.However,most previous nestedness studies focus on the taxonomic dimension while neglecting the functional a...Nestedness is one of the important patterns in island biogeography,community ecology and conservation biology.However,most previous nestedness studies focus on the taxonomic dimension while neglecting the functional and phylogenetic processes in generating nestedness.Moreover,few studies have examined the seasonal change of the nestedness and underlying processes.Here,we examined the seasonal nestedness of bird assemblages in taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic dimensions,and determined the underlying processes of nestedness patterns in the Zhoushan Archipelago,China.We surveyed the occurrence, abundance,and habitats of birds on 40 islands.We calculated taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic nestedness using WNODF and treeNODF.We determined the processes underlying nestedness by relating nestedness ranks to island characteristics and species traits.The WNODF analyses showed that bird assemblages in winter and summer were both significantly nested.The habitat-by-site matrix was also significantly nested.The nestedness of bird assemblages was significantly correlated with island area,habitat diversity,habitat specificity,minimum area requirement,habitat specificity and hand-wing index(HWI) of birds in both seasons.While the distance to the nearest mainland(DTM) exerted the influence on nestedness in summer,the distance to the nearest larger island(DTNL)affected nestedness only in winter.However,the nestedness of bird assemblages was not caused by passive sampling or human disturbance.The results of treeNODF analyses illustrated that bird assemblages were functionally and phylogenetically nested in summer and winter,but the exact mechanisms were somewhat different in these two seasons.Overall,our results supported the habitat nestedness hypothesis,selective extinction hypothesis,and selective colonization hypothesis in both seasons.From a conservation viewpoint,we should protect islands with large area and diverse habitats,islands close to the mainland,and species with large area requirement and high habitat specificity to prevent local extinction.展开更多
Urbanization is one of the most extreme forms of land-use alteration that is advancing across the world with unprecedented speed.As the largest developing country,China has developed a unique path through its high spe...Urbanization is one of the most extreme forms of land-use alteration that is advancing across the world with unprecedented speed.As the largest developing country,China has developed a unique path through its high speed and large scale of urbanization,offering valuable research opportunities for avian ecology.However,a comprehensive review on how birds respond to urbanization in China is still lacking.Here,we systematically reviewed 274 studies published from 1962 to 2024 to determine the research trends,current insights,and future directions of avian response to urbanization in China.We synthesized research trends across four core avian response dimensions to urbanization—diversity,behavior,physiology,and life-history—and their applications in conservation strategy design.The number of publications in avian response to urbanization in China increased annually,and it is influenced by China's developing policies of urbanization.The results also showed an unbalanced geographical pattern of the publications,as the research preferences are relatively prevalent in the developed areas of eastern China.In contrast,there are insufficient studies in the emerging urbanizing areas in the western and northeastern China.Regarding the research contents,most existing studies are focusing on the patterns of bird diversity,while there are few studies on the underlying mechanisms,such as physiological adjustments and life-history strategies.In addition,passerines are the most frequent ones among the studied species.Integrating multidimensional urbanization indices and citizen science data are gradually becoming a new trend in recent years.Our study emphasizes that future studies should pay more attention to the response mechanism of birds in urbanizing processes,multidimensional and interdisciplinary studies,and the transformation of the research results into conservation practices.展开更多
The acceleration of global urbanization has caused habitat loss,fragmentation,and decrease of habitat quality,often leading to a decline in biodiversity.However,most previous urbanization studies focused on taxonomic ...The acceleration of global urbanization has caused habitat loss,fragmentation,and decrease of habitat quality,often leading to a decline in biodiversity.However,most previous urbanization studies focused on taxonomic diversity,with relatively less research on functional and phylogenetic diversity.In this study,we examined the phylogenetic and functional diversity and underlying influencing factors of bird communities in 37 urban parks in Nanjing,China.We conducted a systematic survey of bird communities in Nanjing urban parks and selected six park characteristics that are generally considered to affect bird diversity.Model selection based on corrected Akaike Information Criterion(AICc)and model averaging showed that park area,habitat diversity and building index(a proxy for the degree of urbanization)were significant factors affecting avian phylogenetic and functional diversity in Nanjing urban parks.Specifically,habitat diversity and park area were positively correlated with bird diversity,while the building index was negatively correlated with bird diversity.Moreover,the phylogenetic and functional structures of urban bird communities exhibited a clustered pattern,indicating that environmental filtering might play a role in shaping community composition.In addition,building index had certain impact on the construction of bird phylogenetic communities in urban parks.Our results suggest that expanding park areas,increasing habitat diversity and reducing building indexes may be effective measures to increase the avian phylogenetic and functional diversity in our system.展开更多
Leaf-color mutants have proven valuable for studying chlorophyll metabolism,photosynthesis,and yield improvement.In this study,we identified a yellow-leaf(yl)mutant in soybean(Glycine max),characterized by reduced chl...Leaf-color mutants have proven valuable for studying chlorophyll metabolism,photosynthesis,and yield improvement.In this study,we identified a yellow-leaf(yl)mutant in soybean(Glycine max),characterized by reduced chlorophyll accumulation,lower net photosynthesis rate,and fewer grain number per plant than the wild type.To identify genes associated with chlorophyll content,we performed a largescale linkage mapping study using recombinant inbred lines from a cross between the yl mutant and a green-leaf cultivar across three environments.Using quantitative trait locus sequencing(QTL-seq)analysis,we mapped 12 QTL to chromosomes 5,13,15,19,and 20.Of these QTL,one new dominant locus with the largest LOD,named qCC1,was identified consistently and explained 31.73% of the total phenotypic variation on average.Notably,qCC1 was also associated with yield-related traits,including plant height and pod number per plant.Fine-mapping narrowed down qCC1 to an 82.29-kb region.Within this interval,we identified Glyma.15 g087500.1,encoding an ankyrin repeat-containing protein,as the most likely candidate gene,because its homologs are reported to function in thylakoid membrane biogenesis during plastid development.Phenotypic analysis of near-isogenic lines(NILs)revealed that those harboring the qCC1 allele conferring green leaves displayed significantly enhanced chlorophyll content by 136.53%-323.92%,net photosynthesis rate by 11.64%-42.13%,and yield by 111.32% compared with NILs carrying the allele conferring yellow leaves.Comparative transcriptome profiling of NILs coupled with RT-qPCR validation demonstrated that qCC1 up-regulated one differentially expressed gene(DEG)associated with chlorophyll biosynthesis and six DEGs related to photosystem,whereas it downregulated one gene involved in chlorophyll degradation.These findings provide valuable insights into the biological function and regulatory mechanism of chlorophyll metabolism and offer guidance for breeding soybean varieties with enhanced photosynthetic efficiency and high yield.展开更多
The factors controlling dust activity and humidity in Central Asia and their relationships remain controversial,partly due to a lack of high-resolution geological records for the mid-to-late last glaciation.In this st...The factors controlling dust activity and humidity in Central Asia and their relationships remain controversial,partly due to a lack of high-resolution geological records for the mid-to-late last glaciation.In this study,we established an optically stimulated luminescence chronology for the QSHA profile in the Yili Basin,a region influenced by westerlies.Grain size and trace element data were used as paleoclimatic indicators.We investigated the relationships among Central Asian dust activity,humidity,and westerlies strength on orbital to millennial scale from 37.4 ka to 11.6 ka.Our study reveals that,on orbital timescales,humidity is positively correlated with westerlies strength which controlled by precession.Dust activity is controlled by Siberian High which was regulated by Northern Hemisphere high-latitude temperature.Their responses to low-latitude and high-latitude forcing mechanisms respectively and present an opposite relationship.On millennial timescales,humidity and westerlies strength are positively correlated.During Marine Isotope Stage(MIS)2,humidity and dust activity show synchronous fluctuations,while during MIS 3,they exhibit an inverse relationship.Westerlies strength regulated humidity,which subsequently controlled glacial activity in the Tianshan Mountains,influencing dust activity in Central Asia.Additionally,the QSHA profile recorded seven Dansgaard-Oeschger(D-O)events on millennial timescales,indicating a potential link between Central Asian dust activity and high-latitude temperature variations in the Northern Hemisphere.Our findings provide new insights into dust and humidity interaction during the last glaciation periods in Central Asia and contribute to understanding global dust and hydrological cycles.展开更多
A geomagnetic field is a significant factor dur-ing the growth and development of trees.Changes in the magnetic field(MF)will result in reactions at the biochemi-cal,molecular,cellular and gene levels.However,it is no...A geomagnetic field is a significant factor dur-ing the growth and development of trees.Changes in the magnetic field(MF)will result in reactions at the biochemi-cal,molecular,cellular and gene levels.However,it is not clear how a magnetic field affects metabolism and home-ostasis under stressful conditions such as salinity.In this study,a novel method was developed of a static magnetic field(SMF)to investigate magnetobiological changes in trees.The results show that pre-treatment of poplar(Popu-lus×euramericana‘Neva’)cuttings with a static magnetic field significantly mitigated the negative effects of salinity stress on their growth and physiological activities.Bio-chemical assays revealed that several chemical messengers,including hydrogen peroxide(H2O2)and O_(2)^(·-),were sig-nificantly improved in roots treated with salt,implying an increase reactive oxygen species.A static magnetic field also significantly increased proline concentrations,soluble protein contents,and CAT and SOD activities.Electrophysiological experiments further revealed that pre-treatment with a static magnetic field remarkably decreased salt-induced Na^(+)influx and H^(+)efflux which control plant salt tolerance.In pharmacological experiments,because the Na^(+)/H^(+)cor-relation was closely related to the SMF-activated plasma membrane and Na^(+)antiporter activity alleviated the mas-sive accumulation of salt-induced reactive oxygen spe-cies(ROS)within the roots.In addition,a static magnetic field dramatically increased the transcriptional activity of stress-responsive genes,including PtrRBOHD and PtrHA5.Together,these results indicate that SMF reduced Na^(+)influx by activating Na^(+)/H^(+)antiporters and plasma membrane H^(+)-ATPase to effectively maintain homeostasis by regu-lating the reactive oxygen species system and cytoplasmic osmotic potential.Ultimately,these static magnetic field methods improved salt tolerance in poplar cuttings,and,for future research,similar methods could be applied to other plants.展开更多
Chronic kidney disease(CKD)is one kind of illness with abnormal renal structure and function caused by many factors.Probiotics can be used to regulate intestinal microflora and enhance intestinal mucosal barrier,thus,...Chronic kidney disease(CKD)is one kind of illness with abnormal renal structure and function caused by many factors.Probiotics can be used to regulate intestinal microflora and enhance intestinal mucosal barrier,thus,intervention with probiotics may be regarded as one of the potential ways to protect against CKD.In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that Lactiplantibacillus plantarum MA2(MA2),a probiotic separated from traditional Chinese Tibetan kefir grains,could degrade the uremic toxins including creatinine,urea nitrogen and uric acid.Oral administration of MA2 or its inactive strains(IMA2)could decrease serum uremic toxins of adenine-induced CKD mice,and also elevate the relative expression of claudin-1.Meanwhile,intervention of MA2 or IMA2 decreased the contents of lipopolysaccharide,Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)in the kidney.16S rDNA sequencing results indicated that the intervention of MA2 or IMA2 regulated the gut microbiota structure by elevating the abundance of Lactobacillus,and decreasing the abundance of Proteobacteria.Thus,oral administration of MA2 or IMA2 can reduce the uremic toxins in CKD mice by regulating gut microflora and restoring the intestinal mucosal barrier.Our study provided a theoretical basis for the application of MA2 and its postbiotics in the CKD intervention and treatment.展开更多
Nested subset pattern(nestedness)is an important part of the theoretical framework of island biogeography and community ecology.However,most previous studies often used nestedness metrics or randomization algorithms t...Nested subset pattern(nestedness)is an important part of the theoretical framework of island biogeography and community ecology.However,most previous studies often used nestedness metrics or randomization algorithms that are vulnerable to type I error.In this study,we inves-tigated the nestedness of lizard assemblages on 37 islands in the Zhoushan Archipelago,China.We used the line-transect method to survey species occurrence,abundance,and habitat types of lizards on 37 islands during 2 breeding seasons in 2021 and 2022.We applied the nested metric WNODF and the conservative rc null model to control for type I error and quantify the significance of nestedness.Spearman rank cor relations were used to evaluate the role of 4 habitat variables(island area,2 isolation indices,and habitat diversity)and 4 ecological traits(body size,geographic range size,clutch size,and minimum area requirement)in generating nestedness.The results of WNODF analyses showed that lizard assemblages were significantly nested.The habitat-by-site matrix estimated by the program NODF was also significantly nested,support-ing the habitat nestedness hypothesis.The nestedness of lizard assemblages were significantly correlated with island area,habitat diversity.clutch size,and minimum area requirement.Overall,our results suggest that selective extinction and habitat nestedness were the main drivers of lizard nestedness in our system.In contrast,the nestedness of lizard assemblages was not due to passive sampling or selective colonization.To maximize the number of species preserved,our results indicate that we should protect both large islands with diverse habitats and species with largearea requirement and clutch size.展开更多
Nestedness is an important part of the theoretical framework of island biogeography and community ecology.However,most previous studies focused on taxonomic dimension and overlooked functional and phylogenetic nestedn...Nestedness is an important part of the theoretical framework of island biogeography and community ecology.However,most previous studies focused on taxonomic dimension and overlooked functional and phylogenetic nestedness.Here,we simultaneously investigated taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic nestedness of terrestrial mammals on 39 land-bridge islands in the Zhoushan Archipelago,China.As mammals’response to the environment may depend on their body size,we performed analyses for three mammal assemblages separately:overall species,large and medium-sized species,and small species.The taxonomic nestedness was quantified by organizing the species incidence matrix,while the functional and phylogenetic nestedness were estimated by combining the similarity of their ecological traits and phylogeny.Island characteristics(island area,three isolation indices,land use intensity,and habitat diversity)and species traits(body size,litter size,habitat specificity,geographic range size,and minimum area requirement)were used as predictors of nestedness.Overall and small species were significantly nested in 3 facets of nestedness,and results supported the selective extinction,selective colonization,and habitat nestedness hypotheses.Large and medium-sized species were functionally and phylogenetically nested when matrices were ordered by increasing distance to mainland,supporting the selective colonization hypothesis.Overall,differences in nestedness and its underlying mechanisms were detected not only in 3 facets of nestedness but also in the 3 mammal assemblages.Therefore,frameworks that incorporate taxonomic,phylogenetic,and functional nestedness can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of nestedness processes.Additionally,it also improves our ability to understand the divergent responses of mammal assemblages to the insular environment.展开更多
Urbanization induced by human activities presents both challenges and adaptive opportunities for wildlife.One notable impact of urban sprawl is the vast amount of waste it produces,which has discernible effects on wil...Urbanization induced by human activities presents both challenges and adaptive opportunities for wildlife.One notable impact of urban sprawl is the vast amount of waste it produces,which has discernible effects on wildlife.Interestingly,an emerging trend has been observed that birds are incorporating anthropogenic materials into their nests.However,the relationship between anthropogenic nesting materials(ANMs)and the reproductive performance of urban birds is unclear.In this study,we investigated the relationship between the incorporation of ANMs into nests and the reproductive performance of Chinese Bulbuls(Pycnonotus sinensis)by monitoring and collecting data on 136 breeding nests in Hangzhou,China.We gathered data on seven reproductive traits of Chinese Bulbuls,including laying date,incubation period,nestling period,clutch size,egg volume,hatching success rate,and fledging success rate.We then calculated the urbanization synthetic index as a measure of the level of urbanization and examined its relationship with the proportion and weight of ANMs.Through examination of nest components,we observed significant increase in the proportion and weight of ANMs with the urbanization synthetic index.Notably,we found a higher hatching success rate of Chinese Bulbuls with an increasing proportion of ANMs.However,the inclusion of ANMs in nests was not correlated with other reproductive traits of Chinese Bulbuls.Overall,the use of ANMs by Chinese Bulbuls is consistent with the adaptive hypothesis and the availability hypothesis.Further studies should use controlled experiments to investigate the impact of ANMs on avian reproductive success.展开更多
Biological specimens are fundamental for taxonomy and flora/fauna research.More importantly,they also play crucial roles in recording environmental impacts on morphology and behavior,which is vital for biodiversity re...Biological specimens are fundamental for taxonomy and flora/fauna research.More importantly,they also play crucial roles in recording environmental impacts on morphology and behavior,which is vital for biodiversity research and conservation.However,there are few systematic studies on the patterns and drivers of bird specimen number at regional scales.This study is the first attempt to examine the relationships between bird specimen number and species traits as well as climate niche breadth in China,aiming to answer two questions:1)how do species’temperature niche breadth and precipitation niche breadth influence specimen number?2)which trait is most associated with bird specimen number?The associations between bird specimen number and explanatory variables were examined using ordinary least squares,generalized linear models,phylogenetic generalized linear mixed models,and multiple comparisons.The results showed that Muscicapidae was the family with the highest specimen number,and Passeriformes was the order with the highest specimen number.Bird specimen number significantly increased with larger temperature niche breadth and precipitation niche breadth.Specimen number was also positively associated with geographic range size,habitat specificity,hunting vulnerability and clutch size,but negatively associated with body size.These findings suggest that future bird specimen collection should pay more attention to birds with limited ecological niches,large body sizes,and small clutch sizes.This research enhances the use of bird specimen data to study and preserve biodiversity.展开更多
Objective:To explore the application effect of flipped classroom combined with case-based learning teaching methods in pharmacoeconomics teaching.Methods:The students majoring in clinical pharmacy in 2019 were selecte...Objective:To explore the application effect of flipped classroom combined with case-based learning teaching methods in pharmacoeconomics teaching.Methods:The students majoring in clinical pharmacy in 2019 were selected as the study subjects,and the cost-effectiveness analysis of different dosage forms of Yinzhihuang in the treatment of neonatal jaundice was selected as the teaching case.The flipped classroom combined with case-based learning teaching method was used to carry out theoretical teaching to the students.After the course,questionnaires were distributed through the Sojump platform to evaluate the teaching effect.Results:The results of the questionnaire showed that 85.71%of the students believed that the flipped classroom combined with case-based learning teaching method was helpful in mobilizing the learning enthusiasm and initiative,and improving the comprehensive application ability of the knowledge of pharmacoeconomics.92.86%of the students think that it is conducive to the understanding and memorization of learning content,as well as the cultivation of teamwork,communication,etc.Conclusion:Flipped classroom combined with case-based learning teaching method can improve students’knowledge mastery,thinking skills,and practical application skills,as well as optimize and improve teachers’teaching levels.展开更多
Nestedness is an important pattern frequently reported for species assemblages on islands or fragmented systems.However,to date,there are few studies that comprehensively investigated faunal nestedness and underlying ...Nestedness is an important pattern frequently reported for species assemblages on islands or fragmented systems.However,to date,there are few studies that comprehensively investigated faunal nestedness and underlying processes in urbanized landscapes.In this study,we examined the nestedness of bird assemblages and its underlying causal mechanisms in 37 urban parks in Nanjing,China.We used the line-transect method to survey birds from April 2019 to January 2020.We used the Weighted Nestedness metric based on Overlap and Decreasing Fill(WNODF)to estimate the nestedness of bird assemblages.We applied spearman partial correlation test to examine the relationships between nestedness ranks of sites and park characteristics(area,isolation,anthropogenic noise,number of habitat types,and building index),as well as between nestedness ranks of species and their ecological traits(body size,geographic range size,clutch size,minimum area requirement,dispersal ratio,and habitat specificity).We found that bird assemblages in urban parks were significantly nested.Park area,habitat diversity,building index,habitat specificity,and minimum area requirement of birds were significantly correlated with nestedness.Therefore,the nestedness of bird assemblages was caused by selective extinction,habitat nestedness,and urbanization.However,the nestedness of bird assemblages did not result from passive sampling,selective colonization,or human disturbance.Overall,to maximize the number of species preserved in our system,conservation priority should be given to parks with large area,rich habitat diversity,and less building index.From a species perspective,we should focus on species with large area requirement and high habitat specificity for their effective conservation.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32271734)。
文摘Nestedness is one of the important patterns in island biogeography,community ecology and conservation biology.However,most previous nestedness studies focus on the taxonomic dimension while neglecting the functional and phylogenetic processes in generating nestedness.Moreover,few studies have examined the seasonal change of the nestedness and underlying processes.Here,we examined the seasonal nestedness of bird assemblages in taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic dimensions,and determined the underlying processes of nestedness patterns in the Zhoushan Archipelago,China.We surveyed the occurrence, abundance,and habitats of birds on 40 islands.We calculated taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic nestedness using WNODF and treeNODF.We determined the processes underlying nestedness by relating nestedness ranks to island characteristics and species traits.The WNODF analyses showed that bird assemblages in winter and summer were both significantly nested.The habitat-by-site matrix was also significantly nested.The nestedness of bird assemblages was significantly correlated with island area,habitat diversity,habitat specificity,minimum area requirement,habitat specificity and hand-wing index(HWI) of birds in both seasons.While the distance to the nearest mainland(DTM) exerted the influence on nestedness in summer,the distance to the nearest larger island(DTNL)affected nestedness only in winter.However,the nestedness of bird assemblages was not caused by passive sampling or human disturbance.The results of treeNODF analyses illustrated that bird assemblages were functionally and phylogenetically nested in summer and winter,but the exact mechanisms were somewhat different in these two seasons.Overall,our results supported the habitat nestedness hypothesis,selective extinction hypothesis,and selective colonization hypothesis in both seasons.From a conservation viewpoint,we should protect islands with large area and diverse habitats,islands close to the mainland,and species with large area requirement and high habitat specificity to prevent local extinction.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32271743)。
文摘Urbanization is one of the most extreme forms of land-use alteration that is advancing across the world with unprecedented speed.As the largest developing country,China has developed a unique path through its high speed and large scale of urbanization,offering valuable research opportunities for avian ecology.However,a comprehensive review on how birds respond to urbanization in China is still lacking.Here,we systematically reviewed 274 studies published from 1962 to 2024 to determine the research trends,current insights,and future directions of avian response to urbanization in China.We synthesized research trends across four core avian response dimensions to urbanization—diversity,behavior,physiology,and life-history—and their applications in conservation strategy design.The number of publications in avian response to urbanization in China increased annually,and it is influenced by China's developing policies of urbanization.The results also showed an unbalanced geographical pattern of the publications,as the research preferences are relatively prevalent in the developed areas of eastern China.In contrast,there are insufficient studies in the emerging urbanizing areas in the western and northeastern China.Regarding the research contents,most existing studies are focusing on the patterns of bird diversity,while there are few studies on the underlying mechanisms,such as physiological adjustments and life-history strategies.In addition,passerines are the most frequent ones among the studied species.Integrating multidimensional urbanization indices and citizen science data are gradually becoming a new trend in recent years.Our study emphasizes that future studies should pay more attention to the response mechanism of birds in urbanizing processes,multidimensional and interdisciplinary studies,and the transformation of the research results into conservation practices.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32271734)。
文摘The acceleration of global urbanization has caused habitat loss,fragmentation,and decrease of habitat quality,often leading to a decline in biodiversity.However,most previous urbanization studies focused on taxonomic diversity,with relatively less research on functional and phylogenetic diversity.In this study,we examined the phylogenetic and functional diversity and underlying influencing factors of bird communities in 37 urban parks in Nanjing,China.We conducted a systematic survey of bird communities in Nanjing urban parks and selected six park characteristics that are generally considered to affect bird diversity.Model selection based on corrected Akaike Information Criterion(AICc)and model averaging showed that park area,habitat diversity and building index(a proxy for the degree of urbanization)were significant factors affecting avian phylogenetic and functional diversity in Nanjing urban parks.Specifically,habitat diversity and park area were positively correlated with bird diversity,while the building index was negatively correlated with bird diversity.Moreover,the phylogenetic and functional structures of urban bird communities exhibited a clustered pattern,indicating that environmental filtering might play a role in shaping community composition.In addition,building index had certain impact on the construction of bird phylogenetic communities in urban parks.Our results suggest that expanding park areas,increasing habitat diversity and reducing building indexes may be effective measures to increase the avian phylogenetic and functional diversity in our system.
基金supported by the Heilongjiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(SS2023C002)。
文摘Leaf-color mutants have proven valuable for studying chlorophyll metabolism,photosynthesis,and yield improvement.In this study,we identified a yellow-leaf(yl)mutant in soybean(Glycine max),characterized by reduced chlorophyll accumulation,lower net photosynthesis rate,and fewer grain number per plant than the wild type.To identify genes associated with chlorophyll content,we performed a largescale linkage mapping study using recombinant inbred lines from a cross between the yl mutant and a green-leaf cultivar across three environments.Using quantitative trait locus sequencing(QTL-seq)analysis,we mapped 12 QTL to chromosomes 5,13,15,19,and 20.Of these QTL,one new dominant locus with the largest LOD,named qCC1,was identified consistently and explained 31.73% of the total phenotypic variation on average.Notably,qCC1 was also associated with yield-related traits,including plant height and pod number per plant.Fine-mapping narrowed down qCC1 to an 82.29-kb region.Within this interval,we identified Glyma.15 g087500.1,encoding an ankyrin repeat-containing protein,as the most likely candidate gene,because its homologs are reported to function in thylakoid membrane biogenesis during plastid development.Phenotypic analysis of near-isogenic lines(NILs)revealed that those harboring the qCC1 allele conferring green leaves displayed significantly enhanced chlorophyll content by 136.53%-323.92%,net photosynthesis rate by 11.64%-42.13%,and yield by 111.32% compared with NILs carrying the allele conferring yellow leaves.Comparative transcriptome profiling of NILs coupled with RT-qPCR validation demonstrated that qCC1 up-regulated one differentially expressed gene(DEG)associated with chlorophyll biosynthesis and six DEGs related to photosystem,whereas it downregulated one gene involved in chlorophyll degradation.These findings provide valuable insights into the biological function and regulatory mechanism of chlorophyll metabolism and offer guidance for breeding soybean varieties with enhanced photosynthetic efficiency and high yield.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.42372220,42172207)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.Y2022102)+1 种基金the Science and Technology Innovation Project of Laoshan Laboratory(Grant No.LSKJ202203300)the International Partnership Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
文摘The factors controlling dust activity and humidity in Central Asia and their relationships remain controversial,partly due to a lack of high-resolution geological records for the mid-to-late last glaciation.In this study,we established an optically stimulated luminescence chronology for the QSHA profile in the Yili Basin,a region influenced by westerlies.Grain size and trace element data were used as paleoclimatic indicators.We investigated the relationships among Central Asian dust activity,humidity,and westerlies strength on orbital to millennial scale from 37.4 ka to 11.6 ka.Our study reveals that,on orbital timescales,humidity is positively correlated with westerlies strength which controlled by precession.Dust activity is controlled by Siberian High which was regulated by Northern Hemisphere high-latitude temperature.Their responses to low-latitude and high-latitude forcing mechanisms respectively and present an opposite relationship.On millennial timescales,humidity and westerlies strength are positively correlated.During Marine Isotope Stage(MIS)2,humidity and dust activity show synchronous fluctuations,while during MIS 3,they exhibit an inverse relationship.Westerlies strength regulated humidity,which subsequently controlled glacial activity in the Tianshan Mountains,influencing dust activity in Central Asia.Additionally,the QSHA profile recorded seven Dansgaard-Oeschger(D-O)events on millennial timescales,indicating a potential link between Central Asian dust activity and high-latitude temperature variations in the Northern Hemisphere.Our findings provide new insights into dust and humidity interaction during the last glaciation periods in Central Asia and contribute to understanding global dust and hydrological cycles.
基金supported by the the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32071751).
文摘A geomagnetic field is a significant factor dur-ing the growth and development of trees.Changes in the magnetic field(MF)will result in reactions at the biochemi-cal,molecular,cellular and gene levels.However,it is not clear how a magnetic field affects metabolism and home-ostasis under stressful conditions such as salinity.In this study,a novel method was developed of a static magnetic field(SMF)to investigate magnetobiological changes in trees.The results show that pre-treatment of poplar(Popu-lus×euramericana‘Neva’)cuttings with a static magnetic field significantly mitigated the negative effects of salinity stress on their growth and physiological activities.Bio-chemical assays revealed that several chemical messengers,including hydrogen peroxide(H2O2)and O_(2)^(·-),were sig-nificantly improved in roots treated with salt,implying an increase reactive oxygen species.A static magnetic field also significantly increased proline concentrations,soluble protein contents,and CAT and SOD activities.Electrophysiological experiments further revealed that pre-treatment with a static magnetic field remarkably decreased salt-induced Na^(+)influx and H^(+)efflux which control plant salt tolerance.In pharmacological experiments,because the Na^(+)/H^(+)cor-relation was closely related to the SMF-activated plasma membrane and Na^(+)antiporter activity alleviated the mas-sive accumulation of salt-induced reactive oxygen spe-cies(ROS)within the roots.In addition,a static magnetic field dramatically increased the transcriptional activity of stress-responsive genes,including PtrRBOHD and PtrHA5.Together,these results indicate that SMF reduced Na^(+)influx by activating Na^(+)/H^(+)antiporters and plasma membrane H^(+)-ATPase to effectively maintain homeostasis by regu-lating the reactive oxygen species system and cytoplasmic osmotic potential.Ultimately,these static magnetic field methods improved salt tolerance in poplar cuttings,and,for future research,similar methods could be applied to other plants.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31801514)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2020M680895)。
文摘Chronic kidney disease(CKD)is one kind of illness with abnormal renal structure and function caused by many factors.Probiotics can be used to regulate intestinal microflora and enhance intestinal mucosal barrier,thus,intervention with probiotics may be regarded as one of the potential ways to protect against CKD.In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that Lactiplantibacillus plantarum MA2(MA2),a probiotic separated from traditional Chinese Tibetan kefir grains,could degrade the uremic toxins including creatinine,urea nitrogen and uric acid.Oral administration of MA2 or its inactive strains(IMA2)could decrease serum uremic toxins of adenine-induced CKD mice,and also elevate the relative expression of claudin-1.Meanwhile,intervention of MA2 or IMA2 decreased the contents of lipopolysaccharide,Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)in the kidney.16S rDNA sequencing results indicated that the intervention of MA2 or IMA2 regulated the gut microbiota structure by elevating the abundance of Lactobacillus,and decreasing the abundance of Proteobacteria.Thus,oral administration of MA2 or IMA2 can reduce the uremic toxins in CKD mice by regulating gut microflora and restoring the intestinal mucosal barrier.Our study provided a theoretical basis for the application of MA2 and its postbiotics in the CKD intervention and treatment.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31971545 and 32271734).
文摘Nested subset pattern(nestedness)is an important part of the theoretical framework of island biogeography and community ecology.However,most previous studies often used nestedness metrics or randomization algorithms that are vulnerable to type I error.In this study,we inves-tigated the nestedness of lizard assemblages on 37 islands in the Zhoushan Archipelago,China.We used the line-transect method to survey species occurrence,abundance,and habitat types of lizards on 37 islands during 2 breeding seasons in 2021 and 2022.We applied the nested metric WNODF and the conservative rc null model to control for type I error and quantify the significance of nestedness.Spearman rank cor relations were used to evaluate the role of 4 habitat variables(island area,2 isolation indices,and habitat diversity)and 4 ecological traits(body size,geographic range size,clutch size,and minimum area requirement)in generating nestedness.The results of WNODF analyses showed that lizard assemblages were significantly nested.The habitat-by-site matrix estimated by the program NODF was also significantly nested,support-ing the habitat nestedness hypothesis.The nestedness of lizard assemblages were significantly correlated with island area,habitat diversity.clutch size,and minimum area requirement.Overall,our results suggest that selective extinction and habitat nestedness were the main drivers of lizard nestedness in our system.In contrast,the nestedness of lizard assemblages was not due to passive sampling or selective colonization.To maximize the number of species preserved,our results indicate that we should protect both large islands with diverse habitats and species with largearea requirement and clutch size.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32271734 and 31971545).
文摘Nestedness is an important part of the theoretical framework of island biogeography and community ecology.However,most previous studies focused on taxonomic dimension and overlooked functional and phylogenetic nestedness.Here,we simultaneously investigated taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic nestedness of terrestrial mammals on 39 land-bridge islands in the Zhoushan Archipelago,China.As mammals’response to the environment may depend on their body size,we performed analyses for three mammal assemblages separately:overall species,large and medium-sized species,and small species.The taxonomic nestedness was quantified by organizing the species incidence matrix,while the functional and phylogenetic nestedness were estimated by combining the similarity of their ecological traits and phylogeny.Island characteristics(island area,three isolation indices,land use intensity,and habitat diversity)and species traits(body size,litter size,habitat specificity,geographic range size,and minimum area requirement)were used as predictors of nestedness.Overall and small species were significantly nested in 3 facets of nestedness,and results supported the selective extinction,selective colonization,and habitat nestedness hypotheses.Large and medium-sized species were functionally and phylogenetically nested when matrices were ordered by increasing distance to mainland,supporting the selective colonization hypothesis.Overall,differences in nestedness and its underlying mechanisms were detected not only in 3 facets of nestedness but also in the 3 mammal assemblages.Therefore,frameworks that incorporate taxonomic,phylogenetic,and functional nestedness can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of nestedness processes.Additionally,it also improves our ability to understand the divergent responses of mammal assemblages to the insular environment.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32271743,31071908).
文摘Urbanization induced by human activities presents both challenges and adaptive opportunities for wildlife.One notable impact of urban sprawl is the vast amount of waste it produces,which has discernible effects on wildlife.Interestingly,an emerging trend has been observed that birds are incorporating anthropogenic materials into their nests.However,the relationship between anthropogenic nesting materials(ANMs)and the reproductive performance of urban birds is unclear.In this study,we investigated the relationship between the incorporation of ANMs into nests and the reproductive performance of Chinese Bulbuls(Pycnonotus sinensis)by monitoring and collecting data on 136 breeding nests in Hangzhou,China.We gathered data on seven reproductive traits of Chinese Bulbuls,including laying date,incubation period,nestling period,clutch size,egg volume,hatching success rate,and fledging success rate.We then calculated the urbanization synthetic index as a measure of the level of urbanization and examined its relationship with the proportion and weight of ANMs.Through examination of nest components,we observed significant increase in the proportion and weight of ANMs with the urbanization synthetic index.Notably,we found a higher hatching success rate of Chinese Bulbuls with an increasing proportion of ANMs.However,the inclusion of ANMs in nests was not correlated with other reproductive traits of Chinese Bulbuls.Overall,the use of ANMs by Chinese Bulbuls is consistent with the adaptive hypothesis and the availability hypothesis.Further studies should use controlled experiments to investigate the impact of ANMs on avian reproductive success.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia,China(2023JQ01)the National Key R&D Program of China(2019YFA0607103)+2 种基金the Central Government Guides Local Science and Technology Development Fund Projects(2022ZY0224)the Open Project Program of’Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resources Use of the Mongolian Plateau(KF2023003)’the Major Science and Technology Project of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region:Monitoring,Assessment and Early Warning Technology Research of Biodiversity in Inner Mongolia(2021ZD0011)。
文摘Biological specimens are fundamental for taxonomy and flora/fauna research.More importantly,they also play crucial roles in recording environmental impacts on morphology and behavior,which is vital for biodiversity research and conservation.However,there are few systematic studies on the patterns and drivers of bird specimen number at regional scales.This study is the first attempt to examine the relationships between bird specimen number and species traits as well as climate niche breadth in China,aiming to answer two questions:1)how do species’temperature niche breadth and precipitation niche breadth influence specimen number?2)which trait is most associated with bird specimen number?The associations between bird specimen number and explanatory variables were examined using ordinary least squares,generalized linear models,phylogenetic generalized linear mixed models,and multiple comparisons.The results showed that Muscicapidae was the family with the highest specimen number,and Passeriformes was the order with the highest specimen number.Bird specimen number significantly increased with larger temperature niche breadth and precipitation niche breadth.Specimen number was also positively associated with geographic range size,habitat specificity,hunting vulnerability and clutch size,but negatively associated with body size.These findings suggest that future bird specimen collection should pay more attention to birds with limited ecological niches,large body sizes,and small clutch sizes.This research enhances the use of bird specimen data to study and preserve biodiversity.
基金2022 Medical Innovation and Development Project of Lanzhou University(lzuyxcx-2022-40)2022 Education and Teaching Reform Research Project of Lanzhou University General Project(202201)The Foundation of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University(ldyyyn 2021-92)。
文摘Objective:To explore the application effect of flipped classroom combined with case-based learning teaching methods in pharmacoeconomics teaching.Methods:The students majoring in clinical pharmacy in 2019 were selected as the study subjects,and the cost-effectiveness analysis of different dosage forms of Yinzhihuang in the treatment of neonatal jaundice was selected as the teaching case.The flipped classroom combined with case-based learning teaching method was used to carry out theoretical teaching to the students.After the course,questionnaires were distributed through the Sojump platform to evaluate the teaching effect.Results:The results of the questionnaire showed that 85.71%of the students believed that the flipped classroom combined with case-based learning teaching method was helpful in mobilizing the learning enthusiasm and initiative,and improving the comprehensive application ability of the knowledge of pharmacoeconomics.92.86%of the students think that it is conducive to the understanding and memorization of learning content,as well as the cultivation of teamwork,communication,etc.Conclusion:Flipped classroom combined with case-based learning teaching method can improve students’knowledge mastery,thinking skills,and practical application skills,as well as optimize and improve teachers’teaching levels.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31770462 and 31971545)Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province(LZ18C030002).
文摘Nestedness is an important pattern frequently reported for species assemblages on islands or fragmented systems.However,to date,there are few studies that comprehensively investigated faunal nestedness and underlying processes in urbanized landscapes.In this study,we examined the nestedness of bird assemblages and its underlying causal mechanisms in 37 urban parks in Nanjing,China.We used the line-transect method to survey birds from April 2019 to January 2020.We used the Weighted Nestedness metric based on Overlap and Decreasing Fill(WNODF)to estimate the nestedness of bird assemblages.We applied spearman partial correlation test to examine the relationships between nestedness ranks of sites and park characteristics(area,isolation,anthropogenic noise,number of habitat types,and building index),as well as between nestedness ranks of species and their ecological traits(body size,geographic range size,clutch size,minimum area requirement,dispersal ratio,and habitat specificity).We found that bird assemblages in urban parks were significantly nested.Park area,habitat diversity,building index,habitat specificity,and minimum area requirement of birds were significantly correlated with nestedness.Therefore,the nestedness of bird assemblages was caused by selective extinction,habitat nestedness,and urbanization.However,the nestedness of bird assemblages did not result from passive sampling,selective colonization,or human disturbance.Overall,to maximize the number of species preserved in our system,conservation priority should be given to parks with large area,rich habitat diversity,and less building index.From a species perspective,we should focus on species with large area requirement and high habitat specificity for their effective conservation.
