ALBERT

Description: The Middle East-Minor 1 cryptic species (MEAM1), Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is a globally invasive pest. It spreads widely due to its high fecundity and mutualistic interactions with the virus they vector. Feeding on virus (tomato yellow leaf curl China virus, TYLCCNV)-infected host plants improves their fecundity, however, the key factor regulating the signaling transduction in reproduction of whitefly remains to be identified. Here, we cloned a full length cDNA encoding an insulin-like peptide in MEAM1 (BtILP1) and investigated its expression profile, functions, and the expression induced by feeding on virus-infected tobacco plants. The full length cDNA of BtILP1 was 590 bps and encoded an open reading frame containing 149 amino acid residues. Multiple sequences alignment results showed BtILP1 contained the structural features typical of the insulin family. Expression dynamics associated with development showed the expression level of BtILP1 peaked at 5 days posteclosion (PE). During 1 to 3 days PE, BtILP1 was expressed highly in the head and abdomen of female adults and highly in the head during 5 to 7 days PE. Knockdown of the BtILP1 expression also impaired vitellogenin gene expression at both transcript and protein levels. Downregulating BtILP1 expression decreased fecundity of female adults and hatching rate of eggs. Feeding on virus-infected tobacco increased BtILP1 expression in MEAM1 female adults. We infer feeding on begomovirus-infected tobacco enhances the reproduction of MEAM1 by inducing BtILP1 expression. Our results give a new sight into the mutualistic interactions between virus and its insect vector.

Description: Back–arc extension and asthenosphere upwelling associated with oceanic lithospheric subduction affect the structure and thermal regime of the arc lithosphere, which often triggers widespread extension–related mafic magmatism. Although it is commonly accepted that the Neo–Tethyan oceanic lithosphere subducted beneath the southern Lhasa block, resulting in the well-known Late Mesozoic Gangdese magmatic arc, the possible role of contemporary back–arc extension and asthenosphere upwelling has been disputed due to a lack of evidence for extension–related mafic magmatism. Here, we report detailed petrological, geochronological, geochemical and Sr–Nd–Hf–O isotopic data for the Dagze diabases located in the north of the Gangdese district, southern Lhasa block. The zircon U–Pb analyses indicate that they were generated in the Late Cretaceous (ca. 92 Ma) instead of the Eocene (42–38 Ma) as previously believed. These mafic rocks are characterized by variable MgO (4.0–12.2 wt.%) and Mg # (42 to 71) values combined with flat to slightly enriched ([La/Yb] N = 1.87–5.23) light rare earth elements (REEs) and relative flat heavy REEs ([Gd/Yb] N = 1.36–1.87) with negative Ta, Nb and Ti anomalies (e.g., [Nb/La] PM = 0.16–0.51). They also have slightly variable ε Nd (t) (–1.25 to +4.71) and low initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr (0.7045–0.7058) values with strong positive igneous zircon ε Hf (t) (+8.0 to +12.1) and low δ 18 O (5.31–6.12 ‰) values. The estimated primary melt compositions are similar to peridotite–derived experimental melts. Given their high melting temperature (1332 to 1372 °C) and hybrid geochemical characteristics, we propose that the Dagze mafic magmas likely represent mixtures of asthenospheric and enriched lithospheric mantle–derived melts that underwent minor crustal assimilation and fractional crystallization of clinopyroxene. Taking into account the spatial and temporal distribution of Mesozoic mafic–felsic magmatic rocks and regional paleomagnetic and basin data, we suggest that the Dagze mafic rocks resulted from asthenospheric upwelling associated with intra–continental back–arc extension during the roll–back of subducted Tethyan oceanic lithosphere in the Late Cretaceous.

Description: The augmented Noah land surface model described in the first part of the two-part series was evaluated here over global river basins. Across various climate zones, global-scale tests can reveal a model's weaknesses and strengths that a local-scale testing cannot. In addition, global-scale tests are more challenging than local- and catchment-scale tests. Given constant model parameters (e. g., runoff parameters) across global river basins, global-scale tests are more stringent. We assessed model performance against various satellite and ground-based observations over global river basins through six experiments that mimic a transition from the original Noah LSM to the fully augmented version. The model shows transitional improvements in modeling runoff, soil moisture, snow, and skin temperature, despite considerable increase in computational time by the fully augmented Noah-MP version compared to the original Noah LSM. The dynamic vegetation model favorably captures seasonal and spatial variability of leaf area index and green vegetation fraction. We also conducted 36 ensemble experiments with 36 combinations of optional schemes for runoff, leaf dynamics, stomatal resistance, and the β factor. Runoff schemes play a dominant and different role in controlling soil moisture and its relationship with evapotranspiration compared to ecological processes such as the β factor, vegetation dynamics, and stomatal resistance. The 36-member ensemble mean of runoff performs better than any single member over the world's 50 largest river basins, suggesting a great potential of land-based ensemble simulations for climate prediction.

Description: The influence of carbon impurities on phase composition, microstructure, and mechanical properties of hot-pressed ZrB 2 –SiC ceramics was studied. Carbon was either present in the starting ZrB 2 powders or introduced due to the carbon-rich sintering environment. Carbon present in the starting ZrB 2 powders removed the inherent oxygen impurities to enable ceramics that appeared phase pure by X-ray diffraction, had smaller average grain sizes, and had higher Vickers’ hardness, but lower fracture toughness. Carbon introduced from the sintering environment led to the formation of secondary ZrC , allowed the microstructure to coarsen, and decreased the fracture toughness. This study showed that ZrB 2 –SiC ceramics with refined microstructure could be obtained by introducing carbon impurities in the starting ZrB 2 powders, whereas the densification should be carried out at lower temperature to avoid the carbon uptake from sintering environment.

Description: Seven new orsellinic acid esters, 1 – 7 , and four known compounds were isolated from the solid, fermented rice culture of Chaetomium globosporum (cib-132). Their structures were elucidated by 1D- and 2D-NMR spectra, and the relative configuration of compound 1 was determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis.

Description: The decomposition and oxidation behavior of magnesium diboride ( MgB 2 ) have been studied using thermogravimetry (TG), XRD and SEM-EDS. The reactions were carried out by heating MgB 2 powder in a stream of argon or air at atmospheric pressure. In the temperature range explored (298–1673 K), four successive steps were observed in the decomposition process of MgB 2 . The rate-limiting steps of the decomposition process were found to be associated with the nucleation or formation of boron-rich phases. The oxidation process of MgB 2 comprised five successive phases in the temperature range explored (298–1673 K). There was close relationship between the decomposition and oxidation behavior of MgB 2 . Experimental results showed that the decomposition reactions occurred during the oxidation process. The acceleration shown in the weight gain curve can be ascribed to the rapid oxidation of Mg vapor released from the decomposition reactions. The microstructure and composition of the oxide scale formed in the oxidation process were investigated using XRD and SEM-EDS. The oxide layer structure was identified based on the experimental results in this study.

Description: Pollination systems and associated floral traits generally differ between core and marginal populations of a species. However, such differences are rarely examined in plants with a mixed wind- and bumblebee-pollination system, and the role of wind pollination during range expansion in ambophilous plants remains unclear. We compared floral traits and the contributions of bumblebee and wind pollination in refugium and marginal populations of the ambophilous plant Aconitum gymnandrum . We found that most floral traits differed between the two populations, and those traits associated with the shift to wind pollination were pronounced in the marginal population. Bumblebee visitation rates varied significantly, but were generally low in the marginal population. Wind pollination occurred in both populations, and the efficiency was lower than that of bumblebee pollination. Two types of pollen grains, namely round and fusiform pollen, were transported to a stigma by bumblebees and wind, but fusiform pollen contributed to wind pollination to a larger degree, especially in the marginal population. Our results suggest that wind pollination was enhanced by pollen dimorphism in the marginal population of A. gymnandrum , and wind pollination may provide reproductive assurance when bumblebee activity is unpredictable during range expansion, indicating that ambophily is stable in this species and shift in pollination system could be common when plants colonize new habitats. Our results suggested that wind pollination was enhanced by pollen dimorphism in the marginal population of Aconitum gymnandrum , and wind pollination may provide reproductive assurance when bumblebee activity is unpredictable during range expansion, indicating that ambophily is stable in this species.

Description: Forest restoration policies are often implemented without the assessment of their full environmental impact. In this study, we investigated the challenges of vegetation greening resulted from forest restoration on water resource sustainability, using a model-based simulation in northwestern China. Four different vegetation scenarios and twenty-five future climate scenarios were employed using the SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model. Results suggest that (1) the mean annual evapotranspiration changes from only 7.2% in the barren case to 100% in the forest case; however, it produced a 35.2% reduction in average annual streamflow and a 157% increase in soil water storage. The upstream vegetation greening caused the enhancement of water retention, while also creating great challenges for future downstream water resource sustainability; (2) seasonal effect was significant in that the 100% forest case increased evapotranspiration (+40%) but reduced the streamflow (-73%) compared to the barren case in growing season, which may exacerbate spring and summer drought; (3) changes of evapotranspiration and streamflow were only 0.3% and -0.9% at T + 3.9 °C when compared to the historic scenario in barren cases, while for all forest cases, variations were 3% and -21.8%, respectively; (4) vegetation greening induced more remarkable changes in hydrological components than those resulting from climate change. Our “what if” research provides new insights for promoting sustainable management of water resources and ecosystems in mountainous water source areas.

Description: China has more than 1,500 industrial parks, which, collectively, play a crucial role in facilitating industrialization and urbanization. A key characteristic of these parks is that most rely on shareable energy infrastructure, an efficient configuration that can also deliver substantial and sustainable reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study offers strategies for mitigating GHG emissions from Chinese industrial parks. We focus on extensive data collection for the 106 industrial parks listed in the national demonstration eco-industrial park (EIP) program. In doing so, we carefully examine the evolution of 608 serviceable energy infrastructure units by vintage year, fuel type, energy output, and technologies of combined heat and power units. We assess direct GHG emissions from both energy infrastructure and the parks, and then identify the features and driving forces of energy infrastructure development in the EIPs. We also offer recommendations for ways to mitigate the GHG emissions from these industrial parks. The energy infrastructure stocks in Chinese EIPs are characterized by heavy coal dependence (87% of capacity) and high ratios of direct GHG emissions versus the total direct emissions of the park (median value: 75.2%). These findings establish a baseline from which both technology and policy decisions can then be made in an informed way.