Mapping the current and future distributions of Onosma species endemic to Iran

Climate change may cause shifts in the natural range of species especially for those that are geographically restricted and/or endemic species. In this study, the spatial distribution of five endemic and threatened species belonging to the genus Onosma (including O. asperrima, O. bisotunensis, O. kotschyi, O. platyphylla, and O. straussii) was investigated under present and future climate change scenarios: RCP2.6 (RCP, representative concentration pathway; optimistic scenario) and RCP8.5 (pessimistic scenario) for the years 2050 and 2080 in Iran. Analysis was conducted using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model to provide a basis for the protection and conservation of these species. Seven environmental variables including aspect, depth of soil, silt content, slope, annual precipitation, minimum temperature of the coldest month, and annual temperature range were used as main predictors in this study. The model output for the potential habitat suitability of the studied species showed acceptable performance for all species (i.e., the area under the curve (AUC)>0.800). According to the models generated by MaxEnt, the potential current patterns of the species were consistent with the observed areas of distributions. The projected climate maps under optimistic and pessimistic scenarios (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5, respectively) of 2050 and 2080 resulted in reductions and expansions as well as positive range changes for all species in comparison to their current predicted distributions. Among all species, O. bisotunensis showed the most significant and highest increase under the pessimistic scenario of 2050 and 2080. Finally, the results of this study revealed that the studied plant species have shown an acute adaptability to environmental changes. The results can provide useful information to managers to apply appropriate strategies for the management and conservation of these valuable Iranian medicinal and threatened plant species in the future.     

黑肩绿盲蝽和中华淡翅盲蝽的适宜生态空间和潜在分布分析

为明确稻飞虱的2种重要天敌黑肩绿盲蝽Cyrtorhinus lividipennis和中华淡翅盲蝽Tytthus chinensis在中国的适宜生态空间,根据二者已有的分布记录,通过选取具有限制性意义的气候变量,对2种盲蝽的生态空间进行了对比;并通过界定合适的模型构建区域,基于赤池信息量准则选取最优模型,在默认参数和校正优化参数下分别构建MaxEnt模型,对其预测结果进行比较分析。结果显示,2种盲蝽在我国所占有的生态空间具有较大的重叠,基于默认和优化参数的MaxEnt模型的预测结果差别较大,其中基于默认参数的MaxEnt模型预测结果较为保守,而基于优化参数后的MaxEnt模型能够较好地预测中华淡翅盲蝽与黑肩绿盲蝽在我国的生态空间和潜在分布,二者在我国中部及东南部有较大的生态空间和潜在分布区重叠,包括河南、江苏、浙江、湖北、湖南、福建、广东、广西等省区,其中黑肩绿盲蝽在我国华北和西北部亦有较高的适生性。     

基于MAXENT的稻水象甲在中国的入侵扩散动态及适生性分析

稻水象甲Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel是中国水稻上的重要植物检疫性害虫,根据稻水象甲的分布数据及其主要寄主水稻的分布,利用MAXENT生态位模型和ArcGIS对其在中国的入侵扩散动态及适生性进行了再分析和预测。稻水象甲在中国的扩散主要分为2个阶段:1988—1996年为零星扩散阶段,稻水象甲分布集中在环渤海湾及东南沿海地区,首次入侵发现地大多出现在港口城市;2001年至今为快速扩散阶段,稻水象甲逐步从沿海地区向内陆省份扩散,首次入侵发现地大多位于铁路或公路沿线城市。稻水象甲在中国的适生区广泛,90%以上水稻种植区均适合其生存,高度适生区域主要集中分布在南方稻区,少量分布在环渤海湾一带。     

A brief review of the past, present and future of wood preservation

Wood products used in exterior applications must be protected against biodeterioration by decay fungi, insects such as termites, and other organisms. Traditionally, wood products for residential or industrial applications have been protected by treatment with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) or older inexpensive organic biocides, but environmental and disposal concerns and governmental regulations have resulted in a rapid and dramatic worldwide shift to copper-based systems. The current development trend is towards employing totally organic biocides based on relatively benign and expensive agrochemicals, with continuing research directed towards developing non-biocidal methods to protect wood.     

基于MaxEnt和ArcGIS的黑腹尼虎天牛潜在地理分布预测

为明确我国检疫性有害生物黑腹尼虎天牛Neoclytus acuminatus的潜在地理分布范围,基于MaxEnt模型、ArcGIS软件及全球分布数据预测当前气候和未来气候（2个情景）条件下黑腹尼虎天牛在全球和中国的潜在分布区域,并分析影响黑腹尼虎天牛分布的关键环境变量。结果显示,MaxEnt模型的曲线下面积（area under curve,AUC）为0.962,表明模型预测结果可靠;影响黑腹尼虎天牛潜在地理分布的5个关键环境变量分别是5月平均降雨量、11月平均最高温度、温度变化方差、7月平均降雨量和最湿季度平均气温,贡献率分别为40.5%、33.2%、23.9%、2.2%和0.1%。在当前气候条件下,黑腹尼虎天牛在全球的适生区较广泛,总面积约为3 928.63×10⁴ km²,且在我国湖北、安徽及浙江等省存在高适生区和中适生区;在未来气候条件下,黑腹尼虎天牛在全球范围内的适生区总面积会进一步增加,并且在我国的高适生区面积也会进一步扩大。     

Studies on the action mechanism of benzoylurea insecticides to inhibit the process of chitin synthesis in insects: A review on the status of research activities in the past, the present and the future prospects

In this review an effort was made to summarize the up to date information on the knowledge on the action mechanism of diflubenzuron (DFB), a prototype chemical for the benzoylurea type insecticides, with respect to its molecular mechanism to inhibit insect chitin synthesis. The key problem in pinpointing the action site of this insecticide has been the lack of in vitro demonstration of its action to inhibit insect chitin synthesis under cell free conditions. This problem was solved when an approach using a intracellular vesicle preparation from the cuticle of newly molted Periplaneta americana was developed. Using this approach it has become possible to identify that DFB indeed inhibits the process of incorporation of N-acetylglucosamine into insect chitin. Recently there has been a breakthrough in this field, when a sulfonylurea receptor (SUR) was identified in Drosophila melanogaster. This information was instrumental in establishing that insect SUR in the above intracellular vesicular preparation from P. americana as well as Blattella germanica is likely the actual target site of DFB to cause inhibition of chitin synthesis. The role of SUR in this case has been determined, by using glibenclamide, a typical SUR specific inhibitor as an aid, to be helping the exocytotic movement of these vesicles as is the case of other members of the group of ABC-transporters to which insect SUR belongs. In this case both DFB and glibenclamide have been shown to cause the depolarization of the vesicle membrane through inhibition of the K⁺ channel, which leads to their inhibition of chitin synthesis.     

Using statistical models and GIS to delimit the groundwater recharge potential areas and to estimate the infiltration rate: A case study of Nadhour-Sisseb-El Alem Basin,Tunisia

The water resources of the Nadhour-Sisseb-El Alem Basin in Tunisia exhibit semi-arid and arid climatic conditions. This induces an excessive pumping of groundwater, which creates drops in water level ranging about 1-2 m/a. Indeed, these unfavorable conditions require interventions to rationalize integrated management in decision making. The aim of this study is to determine a water recharge index (WRI), delineate the potential groundwater recharge area and estimate the potential groundwater recharge rate based on the integration of statistical models resulted from remote sensing imagery, GIS digital data (e.g., lithology, soil, runoff), measured artificial recharge data, fuzzy set theory and multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Eight factors affecting potential groundwater recharge were determined, namely lithology, soil, slope, topography, land cover/use, runoff, drainage and lineaments. The WRI is between 1.2 and 3.1, which is classified into five classes as poor, weak, moderate, good and very good sites of potential groundwater recharge area. The very good and good classes occupied respectively 27% and 44% of the study area. The potential groundwater recharge rate was 43% of total precipitation. According to the results of the study, river beds are favorable sites for groundwater recharge.