Long-term grazing improved soil chemical properties and benefited community traits under climatic influence in an alpine typical steppe.

Grazing and climate change both contribute to diversity loss and productivity fluctuations. Sensitive climate conditions and long-term grazing activities have a profound influence on community change, particularly in high-altitude mountain grassland ecosystems. However, knowledge about the role of long-term continuous grazing management on diversity, productivity and the regulation mechanisms in fragile grassland ecosystems is still rudimentary.

A Novel High-Sensitivity MEMS Pressure Sensor for Rock Mass Stress Sensing.

This paper proposes a novel high-sensitivity micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) piezoresistive pressure sensor that can be used for rock mass stress monitoring. The entire sensor consists of a cross, dual-cavity, and all-silicon bulk-type (CCSB) structure. Firstly, the theoretical analysis is carried out, and the relationship between the structural parameters of the sensor and the stress is analyzed by finite element simulation and curve-fitting prediction, and then the optimal structural parameters are also analyzed.

Development of biomaterials based on plasticized polylactic acid and tea polyphenols for active-packaging application.

Bioactive-packaging films based on polylactic acid (PLA), acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC), and tea polyphenol (TP) were prepared by melt blending. Results of mechanical-property test revealed that adding ATBC and TP can significantly improve mechanical properties of PLA. The shift of CO to lower wavelengths in FTIR and the morphology of the films in SEM indicated physical or chemical interactions in the PLA/ATBC/TP films.

Grazing Intensity Alters Leaf and Spike Photosynthesis, Transpiration, and Related Parameters of Three Grass Species on an Alpine Steppe in the Qilian Mountains.

The effect of grazing on leaf photosynthesis has been extensively studied. However, the influence of grazing on photosynthesis in other green tissues, especially spike, has remained poorly understood. This study investigated the impact of different grazing intensities (light grazing (LG), medium grazing (MG), and heavy grazing (HG)) on leaf and spike photosynthesis parameters and photosynthetic pigments of three grass species (, , and ) on an alpine steppe in the Qilian Mountains.

Development of biobased multilayer films with improved compatibility between polylactic acid-chitosan as a function of transition coating of SiOx.

A SiOx coating prepared via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) technique was used as a transition layer between polylactic acid (PLA) and chitosan (CS) to form a three-layer composite film of PLA/SiOx/CS. The effect of oxygen plasma irradiation time (0 s, 30s and 60s) on SiOx surface and PLA-CS interface was examined based on the contact angle, pull-off test and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The mechanical, barrier and antibacterial properties of PLA/SiOx/CS films were also investigated.

Assessing the spatiotemporal variation in distribution, extent and NPP of terrestrial ecosystems in response to climate change from 1911 to 2000.

To assess the variation in distribution, extent, and NPP of global natural vegetation in response to climate change in the period 1911-2000 and to provide a feasible method for climate change research in regions where historical data is difficult to obtain. In this research, variations in spatiotemporal distributions of global potential natural vegetation (PNV) from 1911 to 2000 were analyzed with the comprehensive sequential classification system (CSCS) and net primary production (NPP) of different ecosystems was evaluated with the synthetic model to determine the effect of climate change on the terrestrial ecosystems. The results showed that consistently rising global temperature and altered precipitation patterns had exerted strong influence on spatiotemporal distribution and productivities of terrestrial ecosystems, especially in the mid/high latitudes.

Isolation and characterization of GoRAV, a novel gene encoding a RAV-type protein in Galegae orientalis.

RAV is a unique transcription factor in higher plants with AP2 and B3-like two distinct DNA-binding domains, but its roles in plant growth and development remains unknown. We have isolated a novel RAV family gene from Galegae orientalis, called GoRAV, which responds to cold induction. Sequence alignment showed that it shares high identity with other RAV family members in AP2 and B3 domain.

[Food nourishment utilization efficiency of different month aged sheep].

Studies on the food nourishment utilization efficiency of different month aged sheep showed that under same food nourishment condition, the ingested nourishment, weight increase, and nourishment depletion per unit weight increase of sheep were increased with the ingestion of dry matter, and the protein content of 34 months old sheep was significantly higher than that of 22 months old sheep (P < 0.01), and the latter was significantly higher than that of 10 months old sheep (P < 0.01).

[Research progress and trend on grassland agroecology].

The connotation, progress, research frontiers and developmental trend of grassland agroecology are discussed in this paper. The interface theory, structure and function, coupling and discordance, and health assessment of grassland agroecosystems were recognized as the four research frontiers of the discipline. There exist three primary interfaces in a grassland agroecosystem, i.

[Bio-geological temporal zonation and its agricultural significance].

Bio-geological temporal zonation can be defined as a subsistent spatial-temporal style that the organisms clip from a geographical zone to break through its limit, and extend their survival extent with the strategy of excluding the environmental period of time which is not suitable to live and intercepting it which is suitable. It is the consequence that organisms temporally adapt the heat distribution pattern caused by the rotation and revolution of the Earth. Bio-geological temporal zonation relies on spatial zone, and the zonation spectrum changes in different spatial zones and has different basal heat zone.

[Landscape ecological mechanism on system coupling of the meta-ecosystem consisted of mountain, desert and oasis in Hexi corridor, Gansu, China].

The fundament of system coupling is heterogeneity, and the basic prerequisite is that there are connective corridors in the same type between ecosystems. The landscape ecological mechanism of system coupling is the spatial difference of non-biotic environment and the heterogeneity caused by disturbances. The force or energy of system coupling is disturbances.

[Landscape pattern and productivity characteristics of the oasis landscape ecosystem in Linze, Gansu, China].

Oasis landscape ecosystem is composed of 10 landscape elements, i.e., residence land, cultivated land, grassland, forestland, water area, water system, road, rocky desert, sandy desert, and gravel desert.