Dew formation characteristics in the gravel desert ecosystem and its ecological roles on Reaumuria soongorica

2021 ◽  
Vol 603 ◽  
pp. 126932
Author(s):  
Yanli Zhuang ◽  
Wenzhi Zhao ◽  
Lihui Luo ◽  
Lixin Wang
2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 1847-1863 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanxia Jin ◽  
Xinping Wang ◽  
Yafeng Zhang ◽  
Yanxia Pan ◽  
Haojie Xu ◽  
...  

Abstract Understanding the actual evapotranspiration (ET) variation of the sparsely distributed xerophytic shrubs is crucial to accurately upscale community ET to ecosystem scale. Here we quantified the actual ET of two dominant xerophytic shrubs of the Tengger Desert in northwestern China, i.e. Salsola passerina and Reaumuria soongorica, by using four large weighing lysimeters. The results showed that with the increase in precipitation from 140 to 171 mm in the year 2015/2016, the daily mean evaporation (E) of the bare area, and ET of the single shrub communities of S. passerina, R. soongorica, and the associated shrub community (S. passerina + R. soongorica) increased 50, 60, 44, and 47%, respectively; correspondingly, the total E and ET increased 49, 61, 44, and 47%, respectively. The variation of soil moisture within 0–40 cm depth plays a vital role in regulating the E and ET. The new shoot length, as one of important parameters of the xerophytic shrub, was significantly exponentially related to the cumulative ET. From the long- and short-term perspective, event-based precipitation and wind speed are the dominant driving factors behind changes in E and ET, respectively. Relative humidity is the main influencing factor for E and ET after a large rainfall event within 8 days.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (13) ◽  
pp. 12792-12799
Author(s):  
Anupama Saha ◽  
Susmita Gupta

Aquatic and semiaquatic Hemiptera bugs play significant ecological roles, and they are important indicators and pest control agents.  Little information is currently available concerning its populations in southern Assam.  This study assessed hemipterans in four sites of Sonebeel, the largest wetland in Assam (3458.12 ha at full storage level), situated in Karimganj District.  The major inflow and outflow of the wetland are the rivers Singla and Kachua, respectively (the Kachua drains into the Kushiyara River).  Samples were trapped with pond nets and were seasonally recorded.  This study recorded a total of 28 species of aquatic and semiaquatic hemipterans belonging to 20 genera under nine families.  Population, geographical and environmental data (e.g., rainfall) were used to assess the relative abundance of species, species richness and different diversity indices, and species distribution. 


Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 52
Author(s):  
Xiang He ◽  
Sijia Wang ◽  
Bingjian Zhang

Dew is a common but important phenomenon. Though water is previously considered to be a threat to earthen heritage sites, artificial dew is showing potential in relic preservation. A model of dew prediction on earthen sites will be essential for developing preventive protection methods, but studies of dew formation processes on relics are limited. In this study, a two parameter model is proposed. It makes approximations according to the features of earthen heritage sites, assuming that a thin and steady air layer exists close to the air–solid interface. This semi-theoretical model was based on calculations of the mass transfer process in the air layer, and was validated by simulations of laboratory experiments (R > 0.9) as well as field experiments. Additionally, a numerical simulation, performed by the commercial software COMSOL, confirmed that the difference between fitting parameter δ and the thickness of assumed mass transfer field was not significant. This model will be helpful in developing automatic environmental control systems for stabilizing water and soluble salts, thus enhancing preventive protection of earthen heritage sites.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6660
Author(s):  
Marco Ferrante ◽  
Anuma Dangol ◽  
Shoshana Didi-Cohen ◽  
Gidon Winters ◽  
Vered Tzin ◽  
...  

Vachellia (formerly Acacia) trees are native to arid environments in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, where they often support the local animal and plant communities acting as keystone species. The aim of this study was to examine whether oil pollution affected the central metabolism of the native keystone trees Vachellia tortilis (Forssk.) and V. raddiana (Savi), as either adults or seedlings. The study was conducted in the Evrona Nature Reserve, a desert ecosystem in southern Israel where two major oil spills occurred in 1975 and in 2014. Leaf samples were collected to analyze the central metabolite profiles from oil-polluted and unpolluted adult trees and from Vachellia seedlings growing in oil-polluted and unpolluted soils in an outdoor setup. We found that oil pollution had a stronger effect on one-year-old seedlings than on adult trees, reducing the levels of amino acids, sugars, and organic acids. While adult trees are mildly affected by oil pollution, the effects on young seedlings can cause a long-term reduction in the population of these keystone desert trees, ultimately threatening this entire ecosystem.


2002 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. 1299-1300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masaki Takeuchi ◽  
Tetuo Hasegawa ◽  
Hiroshi Okochi ◽  
Manabu Igawa

Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 522
Author(s):  
Patrick Romano Monteiro ◽  
Samuel Cavalcante do Amaral ◽  
Andrei Santos Siqueira ◽  
Luciana Pereira Xavier ◽  
Agenor Valadares Santos

Cyanobacteria are microorganisms with photosynthetic mechanisms capable of colonizing several distinct environments worldwide. They can produce a vast spectrum of bioactive compounds with different properties, resulting in an improved adaptative capacity. Their richness in secondary metabolites is related to their unique and diverse metabolic apparatus, such as Non-Ribosomal Peptide Synthetases (NRPSs). One important class of peptides produced by the non-ribosomal pathway is anabaenopeptins. These cyclic hexapeptides demonstrated inhibitory activity towards phosphatases and proteases, which could be related to their toxicity and adaptiveness against zooplankters and crustaceans. Thus, this review aims to identify key features related to anabaenopeptins, including the diversity of their structure, occurrence, the biosynthetic steps for their production, ecological roles, and biotechnological applications.


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