Due to the Tibetan Plateau's unique high altitude and low temperature climate conditions,the region's alpine steppe ecosystem is highly fragile and is suffering from severe degradation under the stress of increasing population,overgrazing,and climate change.The soil stoichiometry,a crucial part of ecological stoichiometry,provides a fundamental approach for understanding ecosystem processes by examining the relative proportions and balance of the three elements.Understanding the impact of degradation on the soil stoichiometry is vital for conservation and management in the alpine steppe on the Tibetan Plateau.This study aims to examine the response of soil stoichiometry to degradation and explore the underlying biotic and abiotic mechanisms in the alpine steppe.We conducted a field survey in a sequent degraded alpine steppe with seven levels inNorthern Tibet.The plant species,aboveground biomass,and physical and chemical soil properties such as the moisture content,temperature,pH,compactness,total carbon(C),total nitrogen(N),and total phosphorus(P)were measured and recorded.The results showed that the contents of soil C/N,C/P,and N/P consistently decreased along intensifying degradation gradients.Using regression analysis and a structural equation model(SEM),we found that the C/N,C/P,and N/P ratios were positively affected by the soil compactness,soil moisture content and species richness of graminoids but negatively affected by soil pH and the proportion of aboveground biomass of forbs.The soil temperature had a negative effect on the C/N ratio but showed positive effect on the C/P and N/P ratios.The current study shows that degradation-induced changes in abiotic and biotic conditions such as soil warming and drying,which accelerated the soil organic carbon mineralization,as well as the increase in the proportion of forbs,whichwere difficult to decompose and input less organic carbon into soil,resulted in the decreases in soil C/N,C/P,and N/P contents to a great extent.Our results provide a sound basis for sustainable conservation and management of the alpine steppe. 相似文献
Atlantic salmon reared in recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) may lead to inappropriately high stocking density, because fish live in a limited space. Finding the suitable stocking density of Atlantic salmon reared in RAS is very important for RAS industry. In this paper, the influence of stocking density on growth and some stress related physiological factors were investigated to evaluate the effects of stocking density. The fish were reared for 220 days at five densities (A: 24 kg/m3; B: 21 kg/m3; C: 15 kg/m3; D: 9 kg/ m3 and E: 6 kg/m3 ). The results show that 30 kg/m3 might be the maximum density which RAS can afford in China. The stocking densities under 30 kg/m3 have no effect on mortality of Atlantic salmon reared in RAS. However, the specific growth rate (SGR), final weight and weight gain in the high density group were significantly lower than the lower density groups and middle density groups. Moreover, feed conversion rate (FCR) had a negative correlation with density. Plasma hormone T3 and GH showed significant decrease with the increase of the stocking density of the experiment. Furthermore, thyroid hormone (T3), GH (growth hormone) activities were decreased with stocking density increase. However, plasma cortisol, GOT (glutamic oxalacetic transaminase) and GPT (glutamic pyruvic transaminase) activities were increase with stocking density increase. And the stocking density has no effects on plasma lysozyme of Atlantic salmon reared in RAS. These investigations would also help devise efficient ways to rear adult Atlantic salmon in China and may, in a way, help spread salmon mariculture in China.
Natural Resources Research - A large ore loss and dilution can be expected when using a pre-blast ore boundary for shovel guidance because of the movement and re-distribution of ore in the muck... 相似文献
Polypeptide fromChlamys farreri (PCF), a topical polypeptide isolated fromChlamys farreri, was used in this experiment aimed to investigate the photoprotective effect of PCF against chronic skin damage induced by
ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. The chronic ultraviolet-irradiated guinea pig model was established,
and visible changes in the skin including wrinkling, sagging and erythema were observed. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant
enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) in the dorsal skin were determined using
biochemical methods. The results showed: (1) PCF (5 % and 20%) could greatly protect the dorsal skin of guinea pig against
wrinkling, sagging and erythema induced by UV radiation in a concentration-dependent manner. (2) PCF could reduce MDA formation
in the dorsal skin caused by UV irradiation, while increasing the activities of SOD and GSH-px. (3) The differences among
the PCF groups and UV model group were significant (P<0.05,P<0.01). These results indicated that topical application, of PCF provided broad solar UV spectrum photoprotection; and that
the antioxidant property of PCF might play a role in photoprotection.
Project No. 39970638 supported by the NSFC, and the Science and Technology Bureau of Qingdao (No. 2001-28-50). 相似文献