Results Of Multidimensional Scaling Research Articles

Paddy-Lilium Crop Rotation Improves Potential Beneficial Soil Fungi and Alleviates Soil Acidification in Lilium Cropping Soil

Lilium growth is severely impeded by continuous cropping, and crop rotation is essential to reducing the detrimental effects of monocultures. Soil (0–20 cm) was collected in three Lilium cropping patterns in Longshan County, Hunan Province, including continuous Lilium cropping (Lilium), corn upland rotation with Lilium (Corn), and paddy rotation with Lilium (Rice). Using Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology, the fungal ribosomal DNA internal-transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) was examined to evaluate the features of soil fungi communities among three cropping patterns. Crop rotation has an impact on soil properties and the microbial community. Rice soil has a significantly higher pH than Lilium and corn soil, while corn and rice soil have a greater total nitrogen and total phosphorus content than Lilium soil. Rotation cropping clearly shifted the fungi community diversity based on the results of principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). Ascomycota was the most prevalent phylum, with the highest levels in Lilium soil. Genetic analysis revealed that paddy rotation led to a clear reduction in or non-detection of eight potentially pathogenic fungal genera and a noticeable accumulation of eight beneficial fungal genera compared to Lilium continuous cropping. Fungi communities and their abundant taxa were correlated with soil pH and nutrients. Altogether, we propose that rice rotation, with its ability to mitigate soil acidification, reducing pathogenic and accumulating beneficial communities, may be an effective strategy for alleviating the continuous cropping barrier.

Bioaerosols released from multistage biofilter for gaseous benzene removal: Escape behavior and pathogenicity

Biological deodorization systems are widely used to control odors and volatile organic compounds. However, the secondary contamination of bioaerosol emissions is a noteworthy issue in the operation of biofilters for off-gas purification. In this study, a multistage biofilter for benzene treatment was utilized to investigate the bioaerosol emissions under different flow rates and spray intervals. At the outlet of the biofilter, 99–7173 CFU/m3 of bioaerosols were detected, among which pathogens accounted for 8.93–98.73 %. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes dominated bioaerosols at the phylum level. The Mantel test based on the Bray-Curtis distance revealed strong influences of flow rate introduced to the biofilter and biomass colonized on the packing materials (PMs) on bioaerosol emissions. The non-metric multidimensional scaling results suggested a correlation between the bioaerosol community and bacteria on the PMs. Bacillus and Stenotrophomonas were the two main genera stripped from the biofilm on PMs to form the bioaerosols. SourceTracker analysis confirmed that microorganisms from the PMs near outlet contributed an average of 22.3 % to bioaerosols. Pathogenic bacteria carried by bioaerosols included Bacillus, Serratia, Stenotrophomonas, Achromobacter, Enterococcus, and Pseudomonas. Bioaerosols were predicted to cause human diseases, with antimicrobial drug resistance and bacterial infectious disease being the two main pathogenic pathways. Stenotrophomonas sp. LMG 19833, Pseudomonas sp., and Stenotrophomonas sp. were the keystone species in the bioaerosol co-occurrence network. Overall, results of present study promote the insight of bioaerosols, particularly pathogen emissions, and provide a basis for controlling bioaerosol contamination from biofilters.

Дифференцирующие возможности папиллярных узоров средних фаланг пальцев рук (на примере евразийских популяций)

Introduction. An assessment of the currently known data on intergroup variability of papillary patterns of fingers' middle phalanges suggests the possibility of using these characteristics to differentiate Eurasian populations. Material and methods. The study conducted on the prints of fingers' middle phalanges of 1178 men from 12 ethno-territorial groups of Russia and Kyrgyzstan. These are mainly archival materials represented by impressions of the entire palmar surface of the hand. Therefore, we applied а classification that unites morphologically similar variants to eliminate possible errors in determining the types of skin patterns. Results. Statistically significant differences revealed when comparing the proportions of dermatoglyphic features in Caucasian populations, on the one hand, and mixed Caucasian-Mongoloid or Mongoloid populations, on the other. The occurrence frequencies of straight and hook patterns increase, and the frequencies of distal arc and complex double patterns decrease in the presence of a Mongoloid (or Uralic) component. The results of cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling confirmed the division of populations depending on the presence of a Mongoloid, including Ural, component in their racial composition. Within the main clusters, groups were differentiated according to anthropological similarity and territorial proximity. The skin patterns’ complex of digital middle phalanges is very sensitive to the presence of a Mongoloid (or Uralic) component in Caucasian populations, as well as the main dermatoglyphic features of the hand. The differentiation of samples according to the patterns of the middle phalanges largely corresponds to the division based on classical racial and key dermatoglyphic characteristics. However, as a result of multidimensional scaling, the Volga-Kama populations were located further from the Caucasoid than both Mongoloid samples. Therefore, shares’ distribution of united dermatoglyphic signs in Mongoloid populations requires clarification using additional data. Conclusion. The results of various statistical analyzes allow us to conclude that it is possible to use dermatoglyphic characteristics of digital middle phalanges to differentiate Caucasoid samples and groups with a Mongoloid (or Ural) component. The presence of the Mongoloid component in the groups is accompanied by a decrease in the complexity of the papillary patterns on the middle phalanges. @ 2023. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license

Bacterial community driven nitrogen cycling in coastal sediments of intertidal transition zone

Microorganisms inhabiting in coastal sediments significantly affect the nitrogen cycling in coastal waters and ecosystems. However, the bacterial community that related to the key active nitrogen transformation processes in intertidal transition zone are still not understood. Across a long flat intertidal zone at depths from 0 to 3 m in Daya Bay, China, the bacterial communities in sediments and their driven nitrogen cycling potential were evaluated with environmental factors and 16S rRNA sequencing. The results showed that the intertidal zone is a divide for environmental factors as pH, salinity and C/N ratio, instead of an average shift from freshwater to salt water. At the same time, the environmental factors influenced the abundance of bacterial community related to nitrogen cycling. Across the intertidal zone, the dominant nitrogen transformation processes were different. At the high tide and middle tide sites, the primary nitrogen cycling process was nitrification that worked with Nitrosomonadaceae, Nitrospiraceae, 0319-6A21, and wb1-A12. At the low tide sites, nitrogen fixation was the dominant function conducted by Bradyrhizobiaceae. The reduction of nitrate was carried out with the help of Xanthomonadales but relatively weak in all sampling sites especially for low tide sites. This was mostly because the richness and evenness of bacterial community were the lowest at the low tide sites. Meanwhile, the pH, Cl−, salinity, NH4+, NO3− and C/N ratio were the important factors that shaped the composition of local bacterial community. Further, the nonmetric multidimensional scaling results indicated that there were significant statistical differences in the composition of bacterial community among samples at different layers. The dominant nitrogen cycling processes in coastal sediments at different tide levels were revealed in this study, which offered an extended concept of nitrogen transformation along the groundwater discharge path in the intertidal transition zone. The distributions and compositions of bacterial communities and predicted functions provided a new insight for coastal environment and ecosystem management.

Malformed jaw phenotype and replacement of dietary fish oil by olive oil affect fatty acid composition, antioxidant defense and the expression of the retinoic signaling pathway in juvenile Seriola lalandi (Valenciennes, 1833)

Yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) is a valuable commercial aquacultural product in high demand in several countries. Growth performance, survival, lipid content, antioxidant enzyme system defense, gene expression and malformation were investigated in the juvenile specimens subjected to different diets. Three experimental diets with different proportions of fish oil (FO) and olive oil (OO) and different levels of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC PUFA), were formulated and manufactured: D1: 100% FO + 0% OO; D2: 50% FO + 50% OO; D3: 0% FO + 100% OO. S. lalandi juveniles weighing 0.81 g (57 days dph) were fed during four weeks with experimental diets (D1, D2, and D3). Samples of normal or malformed-jaw fish were collected at the end of the feeding trial. Although the incidence of malformations seemed to slightly increase with the incorporation of OO, the statistical association between diet and the malformation rate was not clear. The most frequent malformation observed was shortening of the lower jaw, followed by shortening of the upper jaw. At the gene expression level, the antioxidant genes CAT, SOD, GPX, RXR and PPAR were upregulated in malformed-jaw fish compared to normal specimens, independent of their diets. The results of multi-dimensional scaling suggest that a disruption of hepatic lipid composition may be associated with jaw and operculum malformations in juvenile S. lalandi.

Modeling the effectiveness of bacillus subtilis strains depending on natural and climatic factors in the soft wheat cultivation

The studies were carried out in 2017-2022 in order to identify natural and climatic factors that can influence the effectiveness of B. subtilis strains in relation to morphometric indicators and soft wheat productivity, the diseases development. The responsiveness of Leningradka 6, k-64900 spring wheat to the microbiological preparation Vitaplan, SP (titer of viable cells ×1011 CFU/g) and cultural liquid (CL) of the B. subtilis VKM B-2604D and B. subtilis VKM B-2605D (at a ratio of 1:1 with the titer of viable cells ×1010 CFU/ml). In the field conditions of the North- West of the Russian Federation, wheat seeds were treated before sowing and plants were sprayed three times during the growing season. The effectiveness of bacterial strains in relation to productivity and especially dangerous wheat diseases depended more on the indicators of moisture availability of the growing season. This was confirmed by the results of multidimensional scaling, correlation, factor analysis of indicators. In the variant «Vitaplan, SP» in F1, high positive factor loads were revealed for the precipitation amount in June, July, August, HTC in July, relative humidity in June (0.73…0.93), plant phase, plant height, area of ag and pre-flag leaves, vegetative part weight (0.71…0.80), and when using CL «B. subtilis VKM V-2604D + B. subtilis VKM B-2605D» - for the precipitation amount in June, August, HTC in July and August (0.71…0.88), productive bushiness, root weight, spike length, spikelets number per spike, grains number, spike grain weight, biological, potential yield (0.71…0.85). The B. subtilis strains application allowed to increase biological and potential yields by 32.5± 7.2 % and 24.3±7.0 %, and to reduce the intensity of diseases development (root rot - by 11.7 ± 1.6 %; powdery mildew, brown and yellow rust - by 7.6 ± 0.7 %), however, the effectiveness of bacterial strains significantly depended on the climatic factors of wheat growing season.

Multigenerational exposure of microplastics on the microbiota of E. affinis (copepod): a comparative study between biodegradable and nonbiodegradable microplastics

The accumulation of plastic debris around the world, especially in marine environments, has been well documented during the past decades. Recent studies have found that inorganic surfaces of microplastics (MPs) can be used by microorganisms as living substrates and form an ecosystem named “plastisphere.” Some microorganisms present in MPs are capable of producing polymer-degrading enzymes. In addition, MPs can also serve as vectors and carry microorganisms (including potential pathogens) into higher trophic levels through their ingestion by animals. In this study, impacts on copepod microbiota during chronic exposure to MPs were investigated by exposing copepods to a classic single-use polymer (low-density polyethylene (LDPE)) and a biodegradable polymer (polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT)). Copepods were exposed to “virgin” and “weathered” MPs during four generations at an environmentally relevant concentration of 300 µg/L, followed by one “detoxification” generation without MP exposition. Impacts of MP exposure on copepod microbiota were investigated using 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing. The result of nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis showed that copepods (with or without MP exposure) carried distinguishable microbiota as compared with the microbiota of water and microalgae used for maintaining copepods. According to the results of permutational analysis of variance (PERMANOVA), the microbiota of MP-exposed (both PBAT and LDPE) copepods was significantly different from the microbiota of unexposed copepods during generations one to four. After “detoxification,” however, no significant difference in microbiota composition was observed among all generation five copepods. Altogether, impacts on copepod microbiota of MP exposure for multiple generations were observed, despite plastic origin (biodegradable or not) and aging conditions. Furthermore, copepod microbiota seemed to return to their original structure as soon as the MP exposure stopped.

Spatiotemporal variation of phytoplankton communities and water quality among seaweed, shellfish and cage fish culture systems

Various marine aquaculture systems have different impacts on the environment, but few assessments were focused on the environmental impact by different systems in the same region. To study the effects of various aquaculture systems on phytoplankton community structure and water properties, 5 surveys were carried out in seaweed (Gracilaria lemaneiformis, GL), shellfish (Mytilus coruscus, MC) and cage fish (Larimichthys crocea, LC) mariculture areas in Dongji island, Zhejiang, China from June to September 2020. Significant differences were observed in some environmental parameters and phytoplankton communities among three aquaculture systems. The dissolved oxygen concentrations and Secchi depth in the surface waters in GL area were relatively higher than in the blank and other areas. As for nutrients concentration, LC and MC areas had higher concentrations than blank area, while GL area was the lowest. Though Chlorophyll-a concentration displayed fluctuations, relatively lower concentrations were found in GL area. Shannon diversity index was found to be relatively constant and higher in GL area. The Non-metric multidimensional scaling results revealed that phytoplankton composition had a distinct pattern among sampling times. The correlations and Redundancy analysis showed that total nitrogen, salinity and transparency were primary environmental factors associated with phytoplankton composition. Our study confirmed that different marine aquaculture systems can cause environmental fluctuations. Among the three systems, seaweed cultivation can bring multiple positive effects by improving surrounding water quality and increasing the phytoplankton composition. G. lemaneiformis culture in summer has great positive impact on seawater environment as it can maintain the ecological balance and reduce the risk of harmful algal blooms (HABs), and therefore, it is strongly recommended more G. lemaneiformis cultivation in this region in summer.

Multiple founding paternal lineages inferred from the newly-developed 639-plex Y-SNP panel suggested the complex admixture and migration history of Chinese people

BackgroundNon-recombining regions of the Y-chromosome recorded the evolutionary traces of male human populations and are inherited haplotype-dependently and male-specifically. Recent whole Y-chromosome sequencing studies have identified previously unrecognized population divergence, expansion and admixture processes, which promotes a better understanding and application of the observed patterns of Y-chromosome genetic diversity.ResultsHere, we developed one highest-resolution Y-chromosome single nucleotide polymorphism (Y-SNP) panel targeted for uniparental genealogy reconstruction and paternal biogeographical ancestry inference, which included 639 phylogenetically informative SNPs. We genotyped these loci in 1033 Chinese male individuals from 33 ethnolinguistically diverse populations and identified 256 terminal Y-chromosomal lineages with frequency ranging from 0.0010 (singleton) to 0.0687. We identified six dominant common founding lineages associated with different ethnolinguistic backgrounds, which included O2a2b1a1a1a1a1a1a1-M6539, O2a1b1a1a1a1a1a1-F17, O2a2b1a1a1a1a1b1a1b-MF15397, O2a2b2a1b1-A16609, O1b1a1a1a1b2a1a1-F2517, and O2a2b1a1a1a1a1a1-F155. The AMOVA and nucleotide diversity estimates revealed considerable differences and high genetic diversity among ethnolinguistically different populations. We constructed one representative phylogenetic tree among 33 studied populations based on the haplogroup frequency spectrum and sequence variations. Clustering patterns in principal component analysis and multidimensional scaling results showed a genetic differentiation between Tai-Kadai-speaking Li, Mongolic-speaking Mongolian, and other Sinitic-speaking Han Chinese populations. Phylogenetic topology inferred from the BEAST and Network relationships reconstructed from the popART further showed the founding lineages from culturally/linguistically diverse populations, such as C2a/C2b was dominant in Mongolian people and O1a/O1b was dominant in island Li people. We also identified many lineages shared by more than two ethnolinguistically different populations with a high proportion, suggesting their extensive admixture and migration history.ConclusionsOur findings indicated that our developed high-resolution Y-SNP panel included major dominant Y-lineages of Chinese populations from different ethnic groups and geographical regions, which can be used as the primary and powerful tool for forensic practice. We should emphasize the necessity and importance of whole sequencing of more ethnolinguistically different populations, which can help identify more unrecognized population-specific variations for the promotion of Y-chromosome-based forensic applications.

Effect of the Process of Returning Farmland to Forest in the Loess Hilly Area on Soil Fungal Communities

The conversion of farmland to forest significantly affects soil bacterial communities in the Loess Plateau. However, how soil fungal communities respond to the conversion of farmland to forest is not very clear in this region. To illustrate the problem, the loess hilly area located in Jiajiayao, Youyu County, Shanxi Province was taken as the study area, and soil from farmland (growing corn and millet) and artificial forest (growing sea buckthorn and Caragana) were sampled. Based on 18S rRNA high-throughput sequencing, the effect of the conversion of farmland to forest on soil fungal communities was investigated. Ascomycota dominated (61.03%-78.06%) in both farmland and forest soil, followed by Mucoromycota (12.11%-17.13%) and Basidiomycota (6.15%-18.42%). The relative abundance of other fungal phyla, such as Chytridiomycota, was low. At the genus level, the conversion of farmland to forest significantly affected the abundance of Chaetomium, Mortierella, Fusarium, and Geoglossum. Plant pathogenic fungi belonging to Fusarium were enriched in farmland. The results of non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) showed that the conversion of farmland to forest significantly affected soil fungal communities in the hilly area of the Loess Plateau. Differences in the community structure were closely related to changes in soil physicochemical properties. Available phosphorus was particularly the main driving factor affecting soil fungal communities. These results can provide scientific references for the ecological benefit evaluation of vegetation restoration in the loess hilly area.

“What matters to us”: The portrait values questionnaire to measure couple values

AbstractNo previous studies have analyzed values as qualities of relational microsystems, such as the romantic couple. Based on Schwartz's Theory of Human Values, this study examines the psychometric properties of the Portrait Couple Values Questionnaire (PCVQ). It measures four couple value dimensions: conservation, openness to change, self‐enhancement, and self‐transcendence. Five hundred and forty‐six Italian respondents (54.1% women), aged 41.52 years (SD = 7.19; range 23–63) and having a couple relationship, have filled in an anonymous online questionnaire. The results show the good psychometric properties of the PCVQ. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis Magnifying Glass Strategy shows good indexes of fit for each value dimension, except for the Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) for openness to change, thus confirming that the PCVQ measures the four values with satisfactory internal consistency. The Multidimensional Scaling results, by showing a Stress‐1 index of 0.07, confirm the circular structure of values because the four value dimensions are in the position predicted by Schwartz's model. Participants' personal and couple values are highly but not perfectly correlated, suggesting that couple values are a related but distinct construct compared to personal values. This study's contribution lies in introducing an innovative construct into the literature on values and couples, proposing a scale to assess it.

Retained fish catches of artisanal fishers is dependent on fishing area, season and fishing gear type: A case study from the south coast of Kenya

The artisanal fishery is one of the sources of livelihood along the Kenya coast. Catches of retained fish of artisanal fishers between two fishing areas on the south coast of Kenya were compared. Artisanal fishers usually retain a portion of their daily catch which is reserved for family consumption while the rest is traded for cash to meet other family needs. This study hypothesized that retained fish catches were influenced by fishing area, fishing gear type and season. Daily fish landings and retained fish catches among artisanal fishers were monitored between August 2020 to July 2021 covering the South East Monsoon (SEM) and North East Monsoon (NEM) in Msambweni and Vanga fishing areas. A total of 60 fishers (30 for each area) were randomly selected and their retained catch monitored on a daily basis. The overall total fish landings were 23.3 tons and 210 tons in Msambweni and Vanga, respectively. The mean catch rate at Msambweni was 3.3 ± 0.12 kg.fisher-1day-1 in the NEM season and 2.2 ± 0.09 kg.fisher-1day-1 in the SEM season. Fish catch rates in Vanga was 8.5 ± 0.28 kg.fisher-1day-1 in the NEM season and 7.9 ± 0.29 kg.fisher-1day-1 in the SEM season. A total of 0.98 tons (only 4.2 %) of fish was retained versus 22.32 tons (95.8 %) not retained by the artisanal fishers in Msambweni, while in Vanga a total of 1.64 tons (only 0.78 %) was retained versus 208.36 tons (99.22 %) not retained. Retained fish catch varied significantly with season and type of fishing gear used (p < 0.05). Among the retained species in Msambweni, Siganus sutor made the highest contribution (53 %), followed by Lethrinus mahsena, (5.08 %). The species Euthynnus affinis and Sphyraena obtusata were mostly retained in Vanga with a contribution of 10.4 % and 10.2 %, respectively. The same retained fish species represented the most abundant species in the overall fish landings, however sizes were significantly smaller than those not retained by fishers (p < 0.05). Results of non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (nMDS) ordination showed differences in species composition between fishing areas, seasons and fishing gear types with implication on fishers’ retained catches.

Forensic efficiencies of individual identification, kinship testing and ancestral inference in three Yunnan groups based on a self-developed multiple DIP panel.

Deletion/insertion polymorphism (DIP), as a short insertion/deletion sequence polymorphic genetic marker, has attracted the attention of forensic genetic scientist due to its lack of stutter, short amplicon and abundant ancestral information. In this study, based on a self-developed 43 autosomal deletion/insertion polymorphism (A-DIP) loci panel which could meet the forensic application purposes of individual identification, kinship testing and ancestral inference to some extent, we evaluated the forensic efficiencies of the above three forensic objectives in Chinese Yi, Hani and Miao groups of Yunnan province. The cumulative match probability (CPM) and combined probability of exclusion (CPE) of these three groups were 1.11433E-18, 8.24299E-19, 4.21721E-18; 0.999610217, 0.999629285 and 0.999582084, respectively. Average 96.65% full sibling pairs could be identified from unrelated individual pairs (as likelihood ratios > 1) using this DIP panel, whereas the average false positive rate was 3.69% in three target Yunnan groups. With the biogeographical ancestor prediction models constructed by extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms, 0.8239 (95% CI 0.7984, 0.8474) of the unrelated individuals could be correctly divided according to the continental origins based on the 43 A-DIPs which were large frequency distribution differentiations among different continental populations. The present results of principal component analysis (PCA), multidimensional scaling (MDS), neighbor joining (NJ) and maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetic trees and STRUCTURE analyses indicated that these three Yunnan groups had relatively close genetic distances with East Asian populations.

Comparison of environmental DNA metabarcoding and bottom trawling for detecting seasonal fish communities and habitat preference in a highly disturbed estuary

Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has been used to study fish diversity in various aquatic ecosystems. However, studies on fish community structure in estuarine ecosystems have not been well corroborated by eDNA metabarcoding, and comparisons with bottom trawling are lacking. We used eDNA sequencing of mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene to investigate the fish species composition and relative abundance, community temporal and spatial variations, and community-environment relationship of the Pearl River Estuary during spring and autumn. Then, we compared these results with those obtained by bottom trawling. Results showed that eDNA metabarcoding detected more species (214 vs 90), genera (148 vs 69), families (67 vs 38), and a significantly greater number of species at each station. Results of nonmetric multidimensional scaling and permutational multivariate analysis of variance based on the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index indicated that eDNA metabarcoding detected significant differences in fish communities between spring and autumn, which was similar to the bottom trawling results. eDNA metabarcoding revealed that the fish community differences increased with spatial distance among stations. However, when we compared results of the two methods using principal coordinates analysis, we observed discordance in the fish community differences among sites. eDNA metabarcoding may provide new insights into and a more detailed and comprehensive understanding of estuarine ecosystems. Additionally, eDNA metabarcoding revealed that salinity and temperature were closely linked to fish community composition in spring, and salinity and dissolved oxygen were closely associated with fish community composition in autumn. In conclusion, eDNA metabarcoding may represent an important supplementary method, or even replace current methods, to monitor and assess temporalandspatialvariation of fish communities and infer the community-environment relationship, especially in estuarine ecosystems, which are difficult to sample using traditional methods.

Acupuncture alters the intestinal microbiota in mice with valproic acid (VPA)-induced autism-like behavior

Gut microbiota influences the development of brain and behaviors in patients with autism. Acupuncture therapy reportedly alleviates the symptoms of patients with autism and can regulate the gut microbiota of patients with a disease of the central nervous system via the gut microbiota-brain axis. However, whether acupuncture therapy influences the function and composition of the gut microbiota in patients with autism remains unclear. Therefore, the present study was conducted using a valproic acid (VPA)-induced autism mouse model to investigate how acupuncture therapy influences the intestinal microbiota in terms of species diversity, composition, and function. Mice were treated with VPA to induce autism, and then divided into two groups: autism without treatment (ASD) and autism with manual acupuncture (ASD-MA). Mice in the ASD-MA group were treated with acupuncture once daily for four weeks. And behavior test was performed. Total bacterial DNA was extracted from stool samples to amplify and sequence the V3–V4 regions of 16 ​S rRNA. The alpha and beta diversity were analyzed, and changes in intestinal microbiota composition at various taxonomic levels were analyzed. The Morris water maze test results showed that the number of times the mice reached the platform was significantly higher in the ASD-MA group than in the ASD group. The results of nonmetric multidimensional scaling and principal coordinate analysis, which were used for beta diversity analyses, revealed significant differences in the microbial communities between the ASD and ASD-MA groups. The ASD-MA group mice had changed abundances of some specific microbiota, which were positively correlated with better cognitive performance. Accordingly, the gut microbiota, such as Flavonifractor, Akkermansia, Dorea, Ruminococcus, and Barnesiella, may affect cognitive function of VPA-induced autism mice after acupuncture treatment. In conclusion, the results revealed that acupuncture therapy could affect the composition of the gut microbiota in mice with VPA-induced autism-like behavior.

Vegetation dynamics in a disturbed lacustrine record: The Eocene maar lake of Groß-Zimmern (Hesse, SW Germany)

Palynological studies of lacustrine sediments in Eocene maar craters on the Sprendlinger Horst (Hesse, SW Germany) are complemented by 26 core samples from Groß-Zimmern. In addition, diatoms have been studied to assess palaeolimnological conditions. The palynomorph assemblage proves a middle Eocene age more or less coeval to the upper part of the nearby lacustrine succession at Messel. The core includes 33 m of massive to finely laminated bituminous shale abruptly following the underlying breccia of the diatreme filling. The lacustrine deposits are characterised by frequent mass movements and redeposition probably due to tectonic activity in combination with syn- and postsedimentary subsidence in the lake basin. Together with a diatom assemblage characteristic for shallow to moderately deep water, this indicates that the core was drilled in the area of a marginal syncline rather than in the centre of the basin. Freshwater conditions with low nutrient levels were inferred for Lake Groß-Zimmern from diatoms and coccal green algae. Despite the strong disturbance of the sedimentary record, results of cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) of the palynomorph assemblages can be compared to the undisturbed succession from Messel. This includes successional stages of the azonal vegetation in the crater area during an initial and early recolonisation phase as well as in the zonal vegetation, which are related to the reoccupation of the crater area by a thermophilic forest. Furthermore, slight changes of the climate can be inferred.

Geochemical characteristics of surface aeolian sand in the Badain Jaran Desert, northwestern China: Implications for weathering, sedimentary processes and provenance

Knowledge of the provenance of the aeolian sand in deserts is crucial for revealing their development and the corresponding driving mechanisms. As the second-largest desert in China, the Badain Jaran Desert (BJD) has developed the tallest megadunes on Earth. However, the material source of these dunes, especially the provenance of different particle size fractions, is debated. Here, we address these issues using new geochemical data, consisting of the major, trace, and rare earth elemental signatures of different particle-size fractions of dune sands in the BJD and sediments from potential source areas. The source area sediments are from the rivers originating in the Qilian Mts., the Gobi regions between the Heihe River and the BJD, the piedmont of the Gobi-Altay Mts., and the alluvial fan of the Beida Mts. The results show that the dune sands of the BJD are mainly derived from felsic source rocks subjected to weak chemical weathering in the source area. The fine fraction (<63 μm) of the aeolian sand in the BJD has experienced some degree of sedimentary sorting and recycling, despite its mineralogical immaturity. Furthermore, comparison of the immobile trace elements and rare earth element (REE) ratios of the samples from the BJD with those from the potential source regions, together with the results of multidimensional scaling and principal component analysis, shows that the coarse fraction (63–250 μm) of the dune sand in the BJD originated mainly from fluvial and Gobi deposits eroded from the Qilian Mts.; whereas the fine fraction has a mixture of provenances, including the Qilian Mts. and the Gobi-Altay Mts., although the latter contribution is of limited significance.

Role of the predaceous mosquito Toxorhynchites christophi (Diptera: Culicidae) in treehole ecosystems in a Korean forest.

Toxorhynchites mosquitoes have been studied as potential biological mosquito control agents because they consume other mosquito larvae. As a top predator, Toxorhynchites species are also considered keystone predators in phytotelmata. However, limited information is available regarding Toxorhynchites christophi, which is found in northeast Asia. The present study investigated whether Tx. christophi could reduce mosquito populations and increase species diversity by functioning as a mosquito control agent and keystone predator, respectively. During the study, aquatic insects were collected every three weeks (May-October, 2018) from tire habitats, which resemble treehole ecosystems, at the Korean National Arboretum in the central region of the Korean Peninsula. The samples were separated into the surface- and the substrate-groups based on their behavior, and the communities were compared based on the density of Tx. christophi. As a result, the communities with a higher density of the predators showed a higher diversity and evenness, and the communities also had a lower mosquito ratio, dominance, and density of the surface-group. The results of both non-metric multi-dimensional scaling and one-way analysis of similarities also indicated that the communities were affected by the density of Tx. christophi larvae. Similarity percentage analysis results revealed the effects of this predator on the communities could mainly be attributed to reductions in the densities of the three dominant mosquito species (Aedes koreicus, Ae. flavopictus, and Tripteroides bambusa). Thus, Tx. christophi may be valuable as both a biological mosquito control agent and keystone species of treehole ecosystems by reducing dominant mosquito species and improving species diversity.

Wetland plant-derived biochar enhances the diclofenac treatment performance in vertical subsurface flow constructed wetlands

Diclofenac (DFC) is a pharmacologically active compound frequently detected in various receiving waters. To improve the efficiency of constructed wetlands in removing DFC, biochar (BC) is added as a substrate. The study mainly involved the effect of adding wetland plant-derived BC to vertical subsurface flow constructed wetlands (VSF-CWs) on the DFC removal process. In addition, the study discussed the effects of the initial DFC concentration (0.05–1.00 mg L−1), pH (5.5–8.5), and hydraulic retention times (HRTs, 1–7 d) on the removal process and fluctuations in the microbial community. Preliminary results of the study showed optimal removal (>90%) achieved at an initial DFC concentration of 0.75–1 mg L−1, a pH of 6.5–7.5, and an HRT of 7 d. Moreover, no significant effects on the removal efficiency of conventional water quality parameters were observed. Non-metric multidimensional scaling results revealed a reshaped community structure, which was altered by the initial DFC concentration. DFC concentration is a key factor in the variation of microbial communities and controls the quantitative evolution of the species in experimental units. Therefore, the addition of BC to CWs effectively enhanced the removal efficiency of DFC and provided a viable and effective improvement of the CWs.

Bird Communities Vary under Different Urbanization Types—A Case Study in Mountain Parks of Fuzhou, China

Bird habitats are becoming increasingly fragmented as a result of rapid urbanization. As one of the essential refuges for urban bird communities, mountain parks are of practical significance for studying the spatial changes of birds, which can inform the future planning of mountain park planning. In this study, we assessed the α, β, and functional diversity of bird communities in mountain parks in Fuzhou, China, at three levels of urbanization (urban, peri-urban, suburban) and explored how diversity (abundance, richness, α-diversity, Chao1) varies along the urbanization gradient. A three-month bird survey was conducted using the transect method to examine the impact of urbanization on bird community structures in mountain parks. In addition, we evaluated the functional diversity of bird guilds in order to identify potential indicator species for monitoring different urbanization gradients in mountain parks. The results showed that: (1) During the three bird surveys from December 2021 to February 2022, 96 bird species and 2429 individuals of 9 orders, 34 families, and 63 genera were identified. (2) Urbanization had a significant impact on the overall bird α-diversity (p = 0.040) and richness (p = 0.024) but not on the overall bird abundance (p = 0.056). (3) The results of non-metric multidimensional scaling showed significant variations among overall birds in mountain parks along with three urbanization levels (stress = 0.155, p = 0.027). Similarly, significant differences were observed in the upper-stratum guild (stress = 0.183, p = 0.049) but not in other diet and vertical foraging stratum guilds. (4) Five species were identified as potential candidates for monitoring the trends of urban gradients. Moreover, compared to insectivorous or omnivorous guilds, most carnivorous and herbivorous guilds may not be suitable for monitoring the negative effects of urbanization in mountain parks. Our findings can help inform urban mountain park management or restoration strategies intended to mitigate the adverse impacts of urbanization.