Average Annual Sunshine Research Articles

Plant diversity in the understory of Eucalyptus plantations on Hainan Island and its response to environmental factors

Research on understory plant diversity and its response to environmental factors helps in the sustainable development of plantation forests. We investigated the characteristics of understory plant diversity in Eucalyptus plantation forests located in Dongfang, Ding'an, Tunchang, and Lingao on Hainan Island by leveraging the plot survey method, and analyzing how the understory plant diversity in these Eucalyptus plantation forests responds to environmental factors. The results showed that a total of 124 plant species belonging to 62 families and 112 genera were recorded in the sampled plots of the Dongfang, Ding’an, Tunchang, and Lingao regional sites on Hainan Island, among which species of Fabaceae and Poaceae comprised the largest number of plants. The number of species and plant diversity indices of the shrub layer and herb layer in Eucalyptus plantation forests varied at different sites, The richest understory vegetation in Tunchang, located in the center of Hainan Island, and the highest α-diversity whether gauged by species or phylogenetically. The similarity of the understory plant community species was greatest between Ding’an and Tunchang, whereas the difference in composition was largest between Dongfang and the other three sites. Phylogenetically, the understory plant community at Ding’an had the most distant affinities among species, whereas that at Tunchang had the closest affinities among species. The results of the Mantel test and redundancy analysis revealed differing correlations between plant diversity in the shrub layer versus herb layer and various environmental factors. In particular, elevation and annual average temperature are the two main factors influencing plant diversity in the shrub layer, and soil available nitrogen and annual average sunshine duration are the two main factors influencing plant diversity in the herb layer. Variance decomposition showed that the combined effect of soil, climate, and topography factors is the main driver shaping plant diversity in the shrub layer of the understory in Eucalyptus plantation forests, while the combined effect of climate and soil factors is the main one determining plant diversity in their herb layer.

Identifying factors influencing the spatial distribution of minority cultural heritage in Southwest China

AbstractMinority Cultural Heritage (MCH) plays a crucial role in preserving human cultural and historical diversity. In Southwest China, there is a disparity between the abundance of ethnic minority cultural heritage resources and their inadequate protection and development. However, limited by interdisciplinary barriers, research into the distribution patterns of varied MCH in this area remains unexplored, making an initial step towards comprehensive preservation. The study investigates the relationship between MCH distribution and its association with factors of geography, climate, transportation, economics, and demographics, utilizing spatial geographic analysis, Geodetector methods, and social network analysis. The results indicate the following: (1) The distribution of 483 national-level MCH in Southwest China exhibits clustering, with a higher concentration in the southern regions. Honghe Prefecture, Dali Prefecture, and Qiandongnan Prefecture serve as the core areas with high MCH density, accounting for 47.2% of the total concentration. (2) All three categories of MCH show cohesive distribution patterns. cultural heritage clusters in the northern to southeastern regions of Yunnan Province, intangible cultural heritage clusters in the southeastern to southern regions of Guizhou Province, and agricultural cultural heritage clusters in the northern region of Yunnan Province. (3) The distribution of MCH among different ethnic minorities demonstrates polarization. The Yi and Tibetan ethnic groups have a higher quantity and diversity of MCH, while the Qiang, Lisu, and Jingpo ethnic groups have relatively fewer resources. (4) Single-factor analysis reveals that natural factors like the proportion of mountainous areas, river density, and annual average sunshine, as well as human factors like the proportion of minority population, urbanization rate, and road mileage, have the strongest explanatory power for the distribution of MCH. Furthermore, the interaction between these factors and others enhances the explanatory power for the distribution of MCH in Southwest China. This study provides scientific evidence for the assessment, protection, and sustainable development of MCH.

Impact of Climate on the Carbon Sink Capacity of Ecological Spaces: A Case Study from the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Urban Agglomeration

Climate plays a significant role in shaping ecosystem-level carbon sinks. Research on the mechanisms of climate impacts on carbon sinks can contribute to the achievement of carbon neutrality. Investigating the mechanisms by which climate impact on carbon sinks in ecological spaces in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, one of the most important urban clusters in China, is of great significance. This study employed spatial autocorrelation and econometric models to explore how various climatic factors impact net primary productivity (which is used to represent carbon sink capacity) on a spatial scale. We found an increasing trend in NPP across the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei urban agglomeration from 2000 to 2020, with marked spatial clustering. Climatic factors exhibited the best fit with the spatial Durbin model, except for average annual precipitation. The remaining factors had significant effects on NPP, showing spatial spillover effects. Results also showed that the average annual temperature, evaporation, and relative humidity had positive impacts on NPP at a local scale but adverse effects at a regional scale. Average annual sunshine duration and the ground temperature had negative effects on NPP locally but promoted effects regionally. Furthermore, the average annual wind speed negatively impacted both local- and regional-scale NPP. This research provides insights into how climate affects carbon sinks on a small spatial scale, offering important references for making policy decisions and improving the accuracy of carbon cycling simulations.

Quantifying the effects of urban development intensity on the surface urban heat island across building climate zones

Urban heat island (UHI) has gradually been a critical issue in the context of global environmental change and regional sustainability. The urban development intensity (UDI) increases with rapid urbanization and exacerbates the UHI problem, but the effects and contributions of UDI on UHI remain unclear. Based on Landsat 8 satellite images, this study quantified the effects of UDI on surface UHI intensity (SUHII) in 20 important cities across 5 building climate zones of China by using regression analysis, correlation analysis and boosted regression tree (BRT), and analyzed their potential influence mechanisms. Results indicated that there was apparent spatial heterogeneity of SUHII in different building climate zones (ranging from 3.26 °C to 4.43 °C) and cities (ranging from 1.44 °C to 6.61 °C). The effect of UDI on SHUII in cities of north was stronger than that in south, the average R2 values of the UDI-SUHII relationship in severe cold zone and cold zone were higher than the other climate zones. Building density, as the most critical predictor of SUHII among UDI metrics in all cities, was significantly positively correlated with SUHII. The R2 values showed significant positive correlation with annual average sunshine duration and aridity, and significant negative correlation with annual average precipitation, humidity and soil clay content. Our findings can offer new insights and decision-support in climate-adapted urban planning and heat-related risk management across different building climate zones.

Temporal and Spatial Variation Analysis of Lake Area Based on the ESTARFM Model: A Case Study of Qilu Lake in Yunnan Province, China

Qilu Lake is one of the nine plateau lakes in Yunnan Province, China. In recent years, under the influence of extreme climate and human activities, the area of Qilu Lake has shrunk significantly, the water level has dropped, and the problem of water shortage has become increasingly serious. Based on the Landsat and MODIS image data from 2000 to 2020, this study applied the ESTARFM spatiotemporal fusion model to unify the data images used in the study to February, used three kinds of water body indexes, selected the water body index most suitable for the study area to extract relevant information, and analyzed the spatiotemporal change characteristics of Qilu Lake area in the last 20 years. The results showed that: (1) Based on the ESTARFM model, the Landsat and MODIS data on 18 January 2020, the Landsat and MODIS data on 9 May 2020, and the MODIS data on the date to be predicted (February 13) were fused to obtain the Landsat image data of the predicted date, which met the accuracy requirements; (2) Taking 2005 as an example, the NDWI, MNDWI, and AWEIsh indexes were used to extract the water body with the precisions of 99.0%, 99.6% and 98.6%, respectively, and then the MNDWI water body index was selected to extract the lake area; (3) In the past 20 years, the overall area of Qilu Lake has shown a downward trend, with the area reduced by 0.7132 km2. From 2000 to 2010, the lake area was relatively stable, fluctuating up and down around 36 km2. From 2010 to 2015, the lake area decreased sharply, with a change rate of −40%. After 2015, the lake area gradually increased; (4) The spatial change of Qilu Lake area mainly occurred in the southwest and west, which decreased by 0.44 km2 and 0.49 km2, respectively, and there were small fluctuations in other directions. In the past two decades, the shape index of Qilu Lake has shown a downward trend as a whole; the contour of the lake tends to be simplified, the contour is complex and stable from 2000 to 2010, and the shape index decreases from 2.17 to 1.74 from 2010 to 2020; (5) The change in the Qilu Lake area is positively correlated with the change in the water level. Polynomial models with different times were selected as the model for retrieving water level elevation from the Qilu Lake water surface area, with a highest correlation coefficient of 0.9259. The temporal and spatial changes of the Qilu Lake area in the last 20 years are the result of the joint action of natural factors and socio-economic factors. According to the analysis, the annual average temperature, annual precipitation, annual average sunshine hours, and population density are the main driving forces leading to the change. In the future, the government and relevant researchers should strengthen real-time monitoring and regular research, formulate and optimize emergency plans to deal with changes in the ecological environment of lakes, and promote the sustainable development of the ecological environment and social economy of the basin.

Impact of Regional Climate Change on the Development of Lithium Resources in Zabuye Salt Lake, Tibet

Climate change has important implication for the ecological environment and human social activities. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is a sensitive area for climate change, and the lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are known as the “guardians” of climate change. However, there are few studies on the impact of climate variations on the exploitation of lithium resources in salt lakes. In this work, the collected data from Zabuye Salt Lake Observation Station and the experimental data of brine at different temperatures were employed as the research objects to investigate the relationship between regional climate change and lithium resources in salt lakes. The results indicated that Zabuye Salt Lake had abundant solar energy resources from 1991 to 2020 with the annual average sunshine duration of 3,122.4 h, the average annual evaporation of 2,579.07 mm/yr, and the annual average precipitation of 168.65 mm/yr. The average annual evaporation is around 15.3 times the average annual precipitation, owing to the short rainy season and the low rainfall. The phase diagram displayed that two lithium carbonate precipitation peaks clearly appeared at 25°C, and no obvious precipitation peak appeared at 15°C, indicating that a high-grade lithium carbonate mixed salt was prone to be formed at a higher temperature while lithium ions was more inclined to enrich in brine at a lower temperature. Therefore, Zabuye Salt Lake with the characteristics of low temperature, large temperature difference, less precipitation, strong radiation and large evaporation could be applied as unique lithium resources in the salt gradient solar pond, which would play a positive role in the development of salt lake resources.

Effect of Sunshine Duration on Myopia in Primary School Students from Northern and Southern China.

BackgroundTo assess the current myopia prevalence rate and evaluate the effect of sunshine duration on myopia among primary school students in the north and south of China.MethodsThis prospective cross-sectional study pooled data from 9171 primary school students (grades from 1 to 6) from four cities in the north and south of China. National Geomatics Center of China (NGCC) and China Meteorological Administration provided data about altitude, latitude, longitude, average annual temperature, and average annual sunshine duration. Non-cycloplegic refraction was recorded, and prevalence rates in primary school students and factors associated with myopia were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine the independent association of risk factors of myopia.ResultsThe overall myopia prevalence was 28.0%, from 7.5% to 50.6% for first and sixth grades, respectively. Low, moderate and high myopia significantly increased with school grades from 7.30% to 35.0%, 0.3% to 13.60% and 0.00% to 1.9%, respectively. Multiple regression analysis revealed that longer average cumulative daylight hours were connected to lower myopia prevalence in primary school students (OR, 0.721; 95% CI, [0.593–0.877]; P=0.001), whereas girls and higher grade was independently associated with higher myopia prevalence (girls: β=0.189; OR, 1.208; 95% CI, [1.052–1.387]; P=0.007; higher grade: β=0.502; OR, 1.652; 95% CI, [1.580–1.726]; P<0.001).ConclusionThis study demonstrated that myopia was highly prevalent in southern Chinese cities over northern ones, linked to shorter light exposure, higher education level, and female gender. Such findings reinforced the beneficial impact of daylight exposure with a protective role against myopia development.

Surface Basins Evaluation of the Southern Desert, West Iraq

The results of the present study show that the highest elevation point is (912) meters (a.s.l.) inside Wadi Al-Khur basin while the lowest elevation point is (6) meters (a.s.l.) inside Wadi Abu-Talha basin. The biggest catchment area is represented by Wadi Al-Khur (48840 km²) whereas the smallest catchment area is Wadi Taqtaq (1748 km²). The stream direction of all streams trends from South-West towards North-East. The soil available water capacity (AWC) (Moisture Deficit) in the studied area was15 mm. The average annual rainfall was133.11 mm, the average annual temperature was 25.65 Co, the total depth amount of E Apanwas 3691.85 mm/year, the relative humidity was 40 %, the average annual sunshine is 7.9 hrs., and the average annual wind speed is 2.7 m/s. The water surplus of the total studied area 46800 km) was about 488.592 m³⁄year, while the runoff amount was about 442.190 m³ ⁄year.

Correlations between content of linarin in Chrysanthemum indicum and climatic factors in habitats

Chrysanthemi Indici Flos(CIF), the capitulum of Chrysanthemum indicum, is widely used in proprietary Chinese medicine and daily chemical products. At present, CIF is mainly produced from wild resources and rarely cultivated. This study aims to reveal the correlations between linarin content in CIF and climatic factors in different habitats, and provide a theoretical basis for suitable zoning and rational production of medicinal materials. The content of linarin in CIF was determined by HPLC. Grey relational analysis and Pearson correlation analysis were carried out for linarin content with climatic factors. The results showed that the content of linarin in CIF was significantly different among different habitats. The grey relational degrees of climatic factors with linarin content was in an order of average annual precipitation&gt;annual average sunshine hours&gt;annual average temperature&gt;longitude&gt;annual frost-free period&gt;latitude&gt;altitude. Longitude, annual average temperature and average annual precipitation had significantly positive correlations with the content of linarin in CIF, whereas latitude and altitude showed negative correlations with it. The annual frost-free period and annual average sunshine hours had no significant correlation with the content of linarin in CIF. The content of linarin in CIF varied significantly in different habitats. High longitude, low latitude, low altitude, high annual average temperature and high annual average precipitation could be used as indicators for the habitats of high-quality Ch. indicum. This study provides a reference for selecting suitable producing areas of Ch. indicum and establishing artificial cultivation system.

Spatial distribution of rural population from a climate perspective: Evidence from Jiangxi Province in China.

The research on rural population distribution from a climate perspective is rare. Therefore, this study adopts this perspective and uses the ordinary least squares and spatial econometric models to explore the spatial distribution characteristics of the rural population in the Poyang Lake ecological economic zone. Results show that (1) a significant spatial autocorrelation is present in the distribution of rural population, and a spatial correlation exists between the population distribution and climatic factors, (2) the influence of climatic factors on the distribution of rural population in the Poyang Lake ecological economic zone is greater than that of economic factors, and (3) the annual average sunshine and annual average rainfall have a significant negative effect on the distribution of the regional rural population, which is contrary to the expectations., so we then analyze this negative effect on the regional rural population distribution. It is found that (1) the influence of climate factors on the distribution of rural population in lake area is far more than that of economic factors, and more consideration should be given to the influence of climate factors on the population distribution in the lake area, (2) different geographical capital and natural resource endowment, the influence of climate on micro-regional population distribution may be different from the general law, (3) the spatial measurement model which takes spatial dependence into account can reveal the influence of climate on rural population distribution more accurately.

Analysis of Eco-Tourism Climate Resources in Xingwen, China Based on the Comfort Index and the Negative Air (Oxygen) Ion

The present work investigates an analysis of Eco-Tourism Climate Resources in Xingwen, China based on the Comfort Index and Negative Air (Oxygen) Ion (“NAI” for short in this article) concentration. The daily temperature, precipitation, wind speed, sunshine hours, and relative humidity data of the Xingwen National Meteorological Station from 1999 to 2018, as well as the NAI data of Feiwu Cave station and Shoushan Lake station in Xingwen of 2018 were used in this study. Based on the analysis of the characteristics of basic meteorological elements, the index of climate comfort of human living environment and the NAI variation in Xingwen, the eco-tourism climate resources in this area were evaluated comprehensively. The results show that: The climate is mild, the precipitation is abundant and the seasonal variation trend of precipitation and heat is similar in the study area. The annual average temperature of this area is 17.8°C, the annual average precipitation is 1096 mm, the annual average precipitation days are 186 days, the annual average relative humidity is 81%, the annual average wind speed is 1.3 m/s, and the annual average sunshine hours are 999 h. The living environment comfort level reaches the “comfort” level for 6 months per year. In addition, the concentration of NAI in Xingwen remains at the highest level 7 throughout the year, and the rate of good air quality is extremely high. Overall, the study area has high-quality ecological climate resources that are conducive to the development of forest recuperation, leisure and vacation and other ecological tourism activities.

Assinatura Energética dos Manguezais no Domínio Costeiro Brasileiro

Esta pesquisa objetivou detalhar, a partir de uma visão sistêmica, o ecossistema manguezal na escala Brasil, baseando-se na escala de Unidades, e nas definições de ecossistema. A multiplicidade de fitofisionomias de mangues ao longo da costa brasileira requer conhecimentos específicos acerca dos agentes condicionantes que explicam tais configurações, assim buscou-se detalhar a assinatura energética da costa brasileira para melhor compreensão da dispersão, diversidade e zonação da vegetação de mangue. A base de dados foi secundária, coletados em artigos nacionais e internacionais, teses e dissertações e sites oficiais. Como resultados tem-se: 1- Foram identificadas nove Unidades Ambientais para o Domínio Costeiro brasileiro, com base em suas características gerais, onde estudo anterior estabelecia oito Unidades; 2- Os fluxogramas para cada Unidade foram elaborados a partir das energias subsidiárias, ou seja, insolação média anual; temperatura média anual; precipitação média anual; nutrientes; vazão média anual; amplitude média de maré, resultando assim em uma caracterização ambiental para cada Unidade. 3- Como resposta a Assinatura Energética de cada Unidade, foi possível identificar padrões de dispersão/ocorrência de espécies de mangue com ocorrência. 4- Para o Brasil o gênero de maior diversidade é Rhizophora, esse ocorre em toda a costa brasileira. Contudo, somente a Rhizophora mangle está presente desde a foz do Rio Oiapoque-AM até Santa Catarina. A R. racemosa e R. harrisonii se dispersam desde a Região Norte com seu limite sul no Delta do Rio Parnaíba-PI no Nordeste brasileiro. Energy Signature of Manguezals in the Brazilian Coastal Domain ABSTRACTThis research aimed to detail, from a systemic view, the mangrove ecosystem on the Brazil scale, based on the Units scale, and on the ecosystem definitions. The multiplicity of mangrove phytophysiognomies along the Brazilian coast requires specific knowledge about the conditioning agents that explain such configurations, so we sought to detail the energy signature of the Brazilian coast to better understand the dispersion, diversity and zoning of the mangrove vegetation. The database was secondary, collected in national and international articles, theses and dissertations and official websites. The results are: 1- Nine Environmental Units for the Brazilian Coastal Domain were identified, based on their general characteristics, where a previous study established eight Units; 2- The flowcharts for each Unit were prepared based on subsidiary energies, that is, average annual sunshine; annual average temperature; average annual precipitation; nutrients; average annual flow; average tidal range, thus resulting in an environmental characterization for each Unit. 3- In response to the Energy Signature of each Unit, it was possible to identify patterns of dispersion / occurrence of mangrove species with occurrence. 4- For Brazil, the most diverse genus is Rhizophora, which occurs throughout the Brazilian coast. However, only the Rhizophora mangle is present from the mouth of the Oiapoque-AM to Santa Catarina. R. racemosa and R. harrisonii are dispersed from the North Region with its southern limit in the Delta of the river Parnaíba-PI in the Northeast of Brazil.Keyworlds: structure and diversity; mangrove species; salt flats; stressor; subsidiary energy.

Potential adaptation of Ginkgo biloba- comparative analysis of plants from China and Ukraine

Ginkgo biloba is one of the oldest relict plants in the existing seed plants. It is a historical heritage and living fossil. It is a world natural heritage unimaginable by human beings and a milestone in revealing nature's mysteries. The primary study areas with G. biloba plants are located in North-East Ukraine (Sumy region). A comparative analysis of the condition of seedlings in 2018 and 2019 was conducted. The plants were examined for the following morphological parameters: plant height, annual growth size, shoot diameter at the base, and the number of leaves. In two variants, about 100 plants were examined. The vitality analysis of seedlings with the establishment of their quality index is carried out. Studies of G. biloba leaves' morphological parameters from artificial plantations in Ukraine (Sumy) and natural plantations of China from the province were also carried out. Zhejiang province covers an area of 105,500 square kilometers and is located on the southeast coast of China. 118°01'-123°10'E bounds Zhejiang Province, 27°02'-31°11' N, east of the East China Sea, north of Shanghai, which is China's largest city, and Qiantang River is the largest river in Zhejiang. Its climate is Subtropical monsoon. The average annual rainfall is 980-2 000 mm, the average annual sunshine is 1710-2100 hours, and the average annual temperature is 15-18 °C. We selected three G. biloba groups for investigation and data collection. These three places are located west of Zhuji City, Zhejiang Province, about 5 kilometers apart. The G. biloba tree group in Guanshan, Lingshanwu, and Wuxie Village Zhejiang Province, China, were measured in 2019. The age of the trees ranges from 20 years to 500 years. The height is generally more than 15 meters, and the breast diameter is more than 20 cm. In order to ensure the randomness of the data, we choose a tree every 50 meters. Studies have shown a statistically significant difference between leaves from China and Ukraine. Simultaneously, the leaf blade's size was more extensive in the leaves of G. biloba from artificial plantations in Ukraine. Morphometric analysis of G. biloba plantations (Ukraine) showed statistically significant differences between plant morphological parameters in 2018 compared to 2019, which indicates the intensity of growth and the positive trends in plants' vegetative growth mass. Plant height increased from 26.68 ± 1.01 cm in 2018 to 40.07 ± 1.72 cm in 2019, the annual increase, respectively, from 10.34 ± 0.89 to 13.90 ± 0.92. Such an indicator as the shoot diameter at the base has tripled (from 0.42 ± 0.02 cm in 2018 to 1.41 ± 0.02 cm in 2019). Differences between all morphological parameters have high statistical reliability (from 0.01 to 0.001). The differences were confirmed by the results of vitality analysis, which showed an increase in plant quality and their transition from equilibrium in 2018 (Q = 0.300) to prosperous in 2019 (Q = 0.465), which indicates optimal growth conditions and confirms the possibility of growing G. biloba plantation method for obtaining medicinal raw materials in North-East Ukraine.

Spatiotemporal Distribution Characteristics of Reference Evapotranspiration in Shandong Province from 1980 to 2019

Reference evapotranspiration (ET0) is an important part of the water cycle and energy cycle during crop growth. Understanding the influencing factors and spatiotemporal variations of ET0 can guide regional water-saving irrigation and regulate agricultural production. Data for daily meteorological observations of temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and sunshine hours from 38 surface meteorological stations were used to analyze the spatiotemporal variations and trends in Shandong Province from 1980 to 2019. (1) The ET0 from 1980 to 2019 was 1070.5 mm, and there was a significant downward trend in the climate tendency rate of −7.92/10 a. The climate of Shandong Province became warmer and drier. The average annual temperature showed a significant upward trend, while the average annual relative humidity and average annual sunshine hours showed significant downward trends. (2) The annual ET0 ratio in spring, summer, autumn, and winter was 29%, 40%, 21%, and 10%, respectively. (3) A change in Shandong Province’s interannual ET0 occurred in 2002, with a decrease of 130.74 mm since then. (4) The ET0 was positively correlated with temperature, wind speed, and sunshine hours and negatively correlated with relative humidity. This study provides a scientific basis for the regulation and control of agricultural production in Shandong Province.

A novel SNP of MYO1A gene associated with heat-tolerance in Chinese cattle

With the advent of global climate change, heat-tolerance is becoming more and more important to the sustainability of animal husbandry production systems. Previous studies have shown that MYO1A gene associated with pigmentation may be closely related to heat-tolerance in cattle. In this study, a novel missense mutation (NC_037332.1 g.56390345 A > G) was first detected in MYO1A in 891 individuals of 35 cattle breeds, which transformed the amino acid isoleucine into valine. The purpose of this study was to determine the allele frequencies distribution of this locus in Chinese indigenous cattle and to analyze the relationship between this locus and heat-tolerance. Further analysis showed that frequency of wild allele A decreased gradually from northern cattle to southern cattle, whereas frequency of mutant type allele G showed the opposite pattern, which was consistent with the distribution of various climatic conditions of China. Additionally, association analysis was carried out between genotypes and four climatic conditions (annual mean temperature (T), relative humidity (H), temperature-humidity index (THI) and average annual sunshine hours (100-cloudiness) (SR)). Analysis results showed that genotypes were significantly correlated with climatic conditions. Therefore, our results suggest that the novel SNP (rs209559414) is related to heat-tolerance trait of Chinese indigenous cattle.

Picea species from humid continental and temperate marine climates perform better in monsoonal areas of middle latitudes of China

Picea spp. are a prominent component of the boreal, montane, and sub-alpine forests in the Northern Hemisphere, and have substantial economic importance due to their high quality fibre. However, performance and wood properties of the genus have not been systematically evaluated in China. This study aimed to examine genetic variations in growth traits, phenology, and wood properties of 17 Picea species, (three from North America, two from Europe, and 12 from China), in response to specific climate factors using a randomized complete block design in a monsoonal, middle latitude area of China. Results show that all growth traits and wood properties significantly varied among species (P < 0.00). Of the 17 species examined, P. abies and P. pungens were the tallest with heights of 2.5 and 1.9 m at 9 years old, respectively, 90% and 50% greater than the average heights. Branch length, number, and angles of both P. abies and P. pungens were greater than those of the other species. Heights of P. glauca and P. omorika were 20–33% greater than the average. Fast-growing species had high quantities of first lateral branches and large top whorl branch lengths. The taller species exhibited greater tracheid lengths and average tracheid lengths to radial central diameter ratios (TL/R_D2), but smaller cell wall thicknesses to tracheid radial lumen diameter ratios (WT/R_D1), which is favorable for pulp production. Correlation analysis revealed that height and ring width had significant positive correlations with latitude but strongly negative correlations with longitude. Height was positively correlated with average annual rainfalls, but negative correlations with average yearly sunshine. Due to the increased average annual sunshine at the China test site relative to the seed source, species such as P. abies, P. pungens, P. glauca, and P. omorika from wet, humid areas performed better than native species. Considering similar temperatures, precipitation may be the main factor affecting growth, which is beneficial for predicting the extent of spruce expansion. These results should encourage further testing and provide reference information for future exotic species studies in this part of China.

Research on planting area and industrial development strategy of Tibetan medicine

Appropriate producing areas can guarantee the quality of Tibetan medicine, but research on the suitable ecological factors and suitable producing areas of Tibetan medicinal plants is scarce. This paper used the Geographic Information System for Global Medicinal Plants(GMPGIS) to analyze the ecological suitability of Tibetan medicinal plants nationwide. For the first time, the range of ecological factors and main soil types of Tibetan medicinal plants were extracted, such as the average annual temperature-19.4-24.2 ℃, annual average precipitation 17-4 088 mm, annual average sunshine 124.2-171.6 W·m~(-2). The main soil types were black calcareous soil, thin layer soil, chestnut soil and so on. Based on 337 sampling points, the largest ecological similarity area of Tibetan medicine across the country was obtained through ecological similarity analysis. In addition to Tibet and Qinghai provinces and Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures in Sichuan, Gansu, and Yunnan provinces, Jiuquan city and Linxia county in Gansu province, Panzhihua and Ya&apos;an in Sichuan province, and Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Shanxi provinces also had larger suitable cultivation areas. In addition, by analyzing the current situation of Tibetan medicine industry, the research pointed out that there were some problems such as unreasonable development and utilization of resources, lack of standards and norms, weak basic research and imperfect industrial system, and made corresponding countermeasures for sustainable development of resources, formulation of standards and specifications, promotion of medicine through science and technology, expansion of domestic and foreign markets, etc. This study provided the basis for guiding the rational layout of production bases, introduction and breeding of plant Tibetan medicine nationwide, laying the foundation for the scientific and standardized production of high-quality Tibetan medicine, clarifying the development direction of Tibetan medicine industry, and providing ideas for the development strategy of Tibetan medicine and other national medicine industry.

Leaf phenotypic variation of endangered plant Tetracentron sinense Oliv. and influence of geographical and climatic factors

To analyze the degree and pattern of phenotypic variation in leaves of Tetracentron sinense Oliv from the perspective of genetic and environmental adaptation and thus contribute to effective evidence-based conservation and management strategies for germplasm resources, we measured 17 morphological and epidermal micromorphological leaf traits from 24 natural populations of T. sinense. Nested analysis of variance, multiple comparison, principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis, and correlation analysis were used to explore phenotypic leaf variation among and within populations and potential correlations with geographic and environmental factors. There were significant differences in 17 leaf phenotypic traits among and within populations. The mean phenotypic differentiation coefficient of the 17 traits was 56.34%, and the variation among populations (36.4%) was greater than that within populations (27.2%). The coefficient of variation (CV) of each trait ranged from 4.6 to 23.8%, and the mean was 11.8%. Phenotypic variation of leaves was related to environmental factors such as average annual sunshine hours, average July temperature, and average annual rainfall. The variation changed along gradients of longitude, latitude, and altitude. The PCA clustered the 24 natural populations into four groups. Our study suggests that phenotypic variation in T. sinense occurred primarily among populations, with moderate levels of phenotypic differentiation among populations and low levels of phenotypic variation within populations. The plant’s poor adaptability to the environment is likely an important contributor to its endangerment. Accordingly, conservation strategies are proposed to protect and manage the natural populations of T. sinense.

Four Novel SNPs of MYO1A Gene Associated with Heat-Tolerance in Chinese Cattle.

Simple SummaryChinese indigenous cattle were clustered into two groups of southern and northern breeds. The populations distributed in the hot south are mainly dominated by Bos indicus, and the populations distributed in the cold north are mainly dominated by Bos taurus. Myosin-1a (MYO1A) gene is a candidate gene related to pigmentation, which may be closely related to the heat tolerance traits of cattle. Therefore, our study aimed to explore the relationship between MYO1A gene and heat tolerance in Chinese indigenous cattle. Based on the previous GWAS research related to bovine heat tolerance trait, this study aimed to explore the effect of myosin-1a (MYO1A) gene on bovine heat tolerance trait, and find the molecular markers related to the heat tolerance of Chinese cattle. In our study, four novel candidate SNPs highly conserved in B. indicus breeds but barely existed in B. taurus were identified in MYO1A gene according to Bovine Genome Variation Database and Selective Signatures (BGVD). PCR and DNA sequencing were used to genotype 1072 individuals including 34 Chinese indigenous cattle breeds as well as Angus and Indian zebu. Two synonymous mutations (rs208210464 and rs110123931), one missense mutation (rs209999142; Phe172Ser), and one intron mutation (rs135771836) were detected. The frequencies of mutant alleles of the four SNPs gradually increased from northern groups to southern groups of Chinese cattle, which was consistent with the distribution of various climatic conditions of China. Additionally, four SNPs were significantly associated with four climatic conditions including annual mean temperature (T), relative humidity (H), temperature-humidity index (THI), and average annual sunshine hours (100-cloudiness) (SR). Among these, rs209999142 and Hap 1/1 had better performance than others. Our results suggested that rs209999142 was associated with heat-tolerance trait and rs208210464, rs110123931, and rs135771836 showed high phenotypic effect on heat-tolerance trait because of the strong linkage with rs209999142. These SNPs could be used as candidates for marker-assisted selection (MAS) in cattle breeding.

The effect of geographic variation on chemical composition, antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities of Morus alba L. polysaccharides

Morus alba L. is an edible fruit with multiple medical function. To reveal the geographic variation pattern of polysaccharide content in the mulberry fruits and its antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities, the fruit samples were collected and analyzed from seven geographic locations throughout the distribution areas in China. The polysaccharide content in the mulberry fruits ranged from 4.13 ± 0.04% to 1.07 ± 0.07%. All the polysaccharides derived from mulberry fruit showed certain antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities with a significant variation. Significant differences were observed among polysaccharide content, antioxidant activity, and sunshine hours, but no clear geographical or polysaccharide content variation patterns were observed for hypoglycemic activity. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that the annual average sunshine hours was significantly correlated to the polysaccharide content and antioxidant activity. According to the polysaccharide contents and bioactivities, certain natural populations of M. alba L. such as Xinjiang, Hunan, and Anhui were recommended for food and medical use in future. Practical applications Morus alba L. belonging to the family Moraceae, is cultivated across an extensive range of geographical, climatic, and soil conditions. Polysaccharides from mulberry fruit have been proved to have the function of enhancing immunity, antiaging, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hypolipidemic, and hypoglycemic effects with no toxic record in clinic. It has been reported that the phytochemicals accumulation in plants is greatly affected by genetic, climatic, and harvesting factors during the growing period. We revealed the geographic variation pattern of polysaccharide content in the mulberry fruits and its antioxidant activity. Based on the polysaccharide contents and bioactivities, certain natural populations of M. alba L. such as Xinjiang, Hunan, and Anhui were recommended for food and medical use in future. The information obtained by this study could be useful for the selection of natural populations with adequate polysaccharide content, as well as high food and medical use for M. alba L.