Relationship between leaf vein traits of three dominant species and ecological factors in the Qinling Mountains, China.

We investigated the inter- and intra-species differences of leaf vein traits of three dominant species, , var. , and of Niubeiling (subtropical humid climate) and Taohuagou (warm temperate semi-humid climate), located in the eastern and western Qinling Mountains. The nine examined leaf vein traits included primary leaf vein width, secondary leaf vein width, mean fine vein width, primary vein density, fine vein density, vein areole diameter, areole density, 3D fine vein surface area, and fine vein volume.

Comparison of species composition and community characteristics of forests on south and north slopes of Taibai Mountain, China.

We examined species composition, community characteristics, diversity, and community similarity of five communities composed of three species (, var, ) on the altitudinal gradient on the south and north slopes of Taibai Mountain. The results showed that there was an altitudinal transition pattern from pure forest to . variabilis- var mixed forest, var pure forest, var mixed forest and pure forest on the south and north slopes of Taibai Mountain.

[Engineering the plastic degradation enzyme Ple629 from marine consortium to improve its thermal stability].

Petrochemical-derived polyester plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) have been widely used. However, the difficulty to be degraded in nature (PET) or the long biodegradation cycle (PBAT) resulted in serious environmental pollution. In this connection, treating these plastic wastes properly becomes one of the challenges of environment protection.

[Expression, purification and characterization of a novel bis (hydroxyethyl) terephthalate hydrolase from ].

PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is one of the most important petrochemicals that is widely used in mineral water bottles, food and beverage packaging and textile industry. Because of its stability under environmental conditions, the massive amount of PET wastes caused serious environmental pollution. The use of enzymes to depolymerize PET wastes and upcycling is one of the important directions for plastics pollution control, among which the key is the depolymerization efficiency of PET by PET hydrolase.

Structural insight and engineering of a plastic degrading hydrolase Ple629.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the most abundantly produced synthetic polyesters. The vast number of waste plastics including PET has challenged the waste management sector while also posing a serious threat to the environment due to improper littering. Recently, enzymatic PET degradation has been shown to be a viable option for a circular plastic economy, which can mitigate the plastic pollution.

Molecular and Biochemical Differences of the Tandem and Cold-Adapted PET Hydrolases Ple628 and Ple629, Isolated From a Marine Microbial Consortium.

Polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) is a biodegradable alternative to polyethylene and can be broadly used in various applications. These polymers can be degraded by hydrolases of terrestrial and aquatic origin. In a previous study, we identified tandem PETase-like hydrolases (Ples) from the marine microbial consortium I1 that were highly expressed when a PBAT blend was supplied as the only carbon source.

Parasitism of Two Spodoptera spp. by Microplitis prodeniae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

Early instar larvae of the tobacco cutworm Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) are recognized hosts of the parasitic wasp Microplitis prodeniae Rao and Kurian (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), although M. prodeniae has previously been regarded as monophagous. In this study, we found the immature period and longevity of M.

A Place to Grow? Host Choice and Larval Performance of Microplitis similis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in the Host Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Host selection is a key stage in the lifecycle of parasitoids, and is critical to both their function in control and to the maintenance of their population. The solitary endoparasitoid Microplitis similis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a potential biological control agent of Spodoptera litura (F.) larvae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Imperfection works: Survival, transmission and persistence in the system of Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h (HvAV-3h), Microplitis similis and Spodoptera exigua.

Ascoviruses are insect-specific large DNA viruses that mainly infect noctuid larvae, and are transmitted by parasitoids in the fields. Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h (HvAV-3h) has been recently isolated from Spodoptera exigua, without parasitoid vector identified previously. Here we report that Microplitis similis, a solitary endoparasitoid wasp, could transmit HvAV-3h between S.

A comparison of growth and development of three major agricultural insect pests infected with Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h (HvAV-3h).

Ascoviruses are double-stranded DNA viruses that are pathogenic to lepidopteran hosts, particularly noctuid larvae. Infection of a larva is characterized by retarded growth, reduced feeding and yellowish body color. In this paper, we reported the growth and development of three major agricultural noctuid insect pests, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) and Spodoptera litura (Fabricius), infected with Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h (HvAV-3h).