Determination of the water-use patterns for two xerophyte shrubs by hydrogen isotope offset correction.

The stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope technique is typically used to explore plant water uptake; however, the accuracy of the technique has been challenged by hydrogen isotope offsets between plant xylem water and its potential source water. In this study, the soil hydrogen and oxygen isotope waterline was used to correct the hydrogen isotope offsets for Salix psammophila and Caragana korshinskii, two typical shrub species on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Five different types of isotopic data [(i) δ18O, (ii) δ2H, (iii) combination δ18O with δ2H, (iv) corrected δ2H and (v) combination δ18O with corrected δ2H] were separately used to determine the water-use patterns of the two shrubs.

Bismuth Incorporation in Palladium Hydride for the Electrocatalytic Ethanol Oxidation with Enhanced CO Tolerance.

Introducing nonmetal and oxophilic metal into palladium (Pd)-based catalysts is beneficial for boosting electrocatalysis, especially regarding the improvement of mass activity (MA) and CO tolerance. Herein, the stable bismuth-doped palladium hydride (Bi/PdH) networks have been successfully fabricated through a simple one-step method. The intercalation of interstitial H atoms expands the lattice of Pd, and the doping of oxophilic metal Bi restrains the adsorption of poisonous intermediates on the surface of Pd, thereby improving the activity and durability of the as-prepared catalysts in the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR).

[Comprehensive evaluation of soil quality of different land use types on the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China].

Soil quality evaluation is an important prerequisite for the rational soil resource utilization. We collected soil samples from forest (=9), grassland (=18) and cropland (=38) in Tianzhu County, Gansu Province, which is located on the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Soil quality was evaluated based on thirteen soil physical and chemical indicators, including soil bulk density, field capacity, and organic matter.

Ternary PdCoP nanoparticles with nanopore structures: synergic boosting of electrocatalytic activity for ethanol oxidation.

PdCoP nanoparticles (PdCoP NPs) with nanopore structures were synthesized by a facile one-pot solvothermal approach. Due to their unique geometric structures and the electronic and synergistic effects among multiple components, the optimized PdCoP NPs (PdCoP-NPs-1) show superior mass activity (5.97 A mg) for the ethanol oxidation reaction under alkaline conditions.

Low Pt-Doped Crystalline/Amorphous Heterophase PdP Nanowires as Efficient Catalysts for Methanol Oxidation.

Pd-based catalysts are attractive anodic electrocatalysts for direct methanol fuel cells owing to their low cost and natural abundance. However, they suffer from sluggish reaction kinetic and insufficient electroactivity in methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). In this work, we developed a facile one-pot approach to fabricate low Pt-doped PdP nanowires with crystalline/amorphous heterophase (termed Pt-PdP NWs) for MOR.

[Effects of different re-vegetation patterns on soil organic carbon and total nitrogen in the wind-water erosion crisscross region, China].

This study was conducted to analyze the responses of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) to three typical re-vegetation patterns, i.e., grassland, alfalfa land and peashrub land on the Loess Plateau of China, and also to assess the dynamics of SOC and TN with re-vegetation age.

[Nitrate leaching characteristics of wheat-corn rotation farmland in Guanzhong area of Shaanxi].

By using in situ leaching device, a field experiment was conducted to study the effects of nitrogen fertilization rate and straw mulching on the nitrate leaching at 90 cm soil depth, nitrate accumulation in soil profile (0-100 cm), crop yield, and nitrogen balance of wheat-corn rotation farmland in Guanzhong area of Shaanxi. Six treatments were installed, i. e.