This study aims to evaluate the landscape performance of rural microlandscapes in highly urbanized areas and propose optimization strategies based on the evaluation results. As a sustainable ...promotion mode, microlandscapes can effectively improve the damage caused by the development of rugged urbanization to the living environment. To improve the rural living environment, some achievements have been made in the construction of microlandscapes in the highly urbanized rural areas of southeast coastal areas, represented by Fujian Province, but there are still problems such as low utilization rate and difficult maintenance. As a qualitative and quantitative weighting method, the combination weighting method is widely used in the construction of evaluation models of safety engineering, environmental management, and other disciplines. This study constructed a landscape performance evaluation system based on the American landscape performance series and combined it with performance evaluation methods in other related fields to establish a landscape performance evaluation system suitable for rural microlandscapes in highly urbanized areas. Taking social benefits as an example, five main factors affecting social benefits are highlighted: comfort and health; safety and accessibility; sociability and service; aesthetics and education; and culture and inheritance. Each factor contains different sub-criteria to identify specific problems. Field observation, questionnaire survey, and interview records of 25 microlandscape projects in Yinglin Town, Jinjiang City were conducted. The combination weight calculation based on the AHP-entropy weight method and the comprehensive benefit ranking calculation based on the TOPSIS method is carried out. It was found that stress relief and the number of visitors were the main factors affecting the social benefits of microlandscape performance, and the top-ranked projects also had such characteristics. The seasonal phase and color richness had the least effect on social benefits. Therefore, the microlandscape should improve the healing effect of the project on users as much as possible in the design stage, so that users can better relax through the microlandscape. In addition, strategies such as space selection and path optimization should be adopted to improve the utilization rate of the microlandscape as much as possible, and the fairness of the use of vulnerable groups should be fully considered.
Faced with the current situation of the decay and alienation of traditional public space and the broken and disorderly spatial structure caused by the rapid urbanization of the Chinese countryside, ...rural micro-landscape creation has become an effective way to improve human living environments. However, it is currently difficult for rural micro-landscape construction to achieve the sustainable development of social benefits due to the lack of scientific design guidelines. Evaluating the social benefits of completed projects and identifying the important influencing factors are key to realizing the evidence-based design of rural micro-landscapes. To this end, this study deduces the mechanism of social benefit generation based on the psychological process of spatial perception and establishes a structural equation model containing compound influence pathways to measure the social benefits of micro-landscapes. The evaluation model consists of four latent variables, “physical element characteristics”, “perceptual quality”, “cognitive experience”, and “activity behavior”, and 35 observed variables. The researchers selected 18 micro-landscape areas in Jinjiang City, Fujian Province, China, as the survey sample and analyzed the influence of the potential variables and the explanatory power of the observed variables through a quantitative analysis of objective environmental elements and perception data from 102 respondents. The results showed that “perceptual quality” and “cognitive experience” had the greatest direct effect on social benefits, and, based on the progressive influence relationships among the dimensions, “physical element characteristics” dominated the total social benefits through direct and indirect means. Compared with single-function green space, comfortable and diverse artificial facilities encourage residents to enter and use micro-landscapes and contribute to their social benefits. The purpose of this paper is to explore the ideal form of rural micro-landscape creation and provide a theoretical basis for the future practice of high-quality and sustainable rural micro-landscape construction.
Previous studies have shown that plant diversity can enhance methane (CH
4
) emission and nitrogen purification efficiency in constructed wetlands (CWs), but effect of plant diversity on carbon ...dioxide (CO
2
) flux and carbon removal efficiency in CWs is unknown. Therefore, we established four plant diversity levels (each level containing 4, 3, 2, and 1 species, respectively) in laboratory-scale wetland microcosms fed with simulated wastewater. Results showed that plant species richness enhanced CO
2
emissions (84.7–124.7 mg CO
2
m
−2
h
−1
,
P
< 0.01), carbon fixation rate (
P
< 0.05), and microbial biomass carbon (
P
< 0.001), but did not improve carbon removal (
P
> 0.05). The presence of
Pontederia cordata
increased CO
2
emissions, carbon fixation rate of belowground, and microbial biomass carbon (
P
< 0.05), whereas the presence of
Phragmites australis
only enhanced CO
2
emission (
P
< 0.05). However, the presence of
Typha orientalis
or
Lythrum salicaria
did not show an influence on CO
2
emissions and carbon removal (
P
> 0.05). Hence, our study highlights the importance of plant diversity in mediating CO
2
emission intensity and carbon processes but not carbon removal in CWs.
The establishment of lateral organs and subsequent plant architecture involves factors intrinsic to the stem apical meristem (SAM) from which they are derived.
KNOTTED1-LIKE HOMEOBOX
(
KNOX
) genes ...are a family of plant-specific homeobox transcription factors that especially act in determining stem cell fate in SAM. Although KNOXs have been studied in many land plants for decades, there is a dearth of knowledge on KNOX’s role in Orchidaceae, the largest and most diverse lineage of flowering plants. In this study, a total of 32 putative KNOX genes were identified in the genomes of five orchid species and further designated into two classes (Class I and Class II) based on phylogenetic relationships. Sequence analysis showed that most orchid KNOX proteins retain four conserved domains (KNOX1, KNOX2, ELK, and Homeobox_KN). Comparative analysis of gene structure showed that the exon–intron structure is conserved in the same clade but most orchids exhibited longer intron, which may be a unique feature of Orchidaceae.
Cis
-elements identified in the promoter region of orchid KNOXs were found mostly enriched in a function of light responsiveness, followed by MeJA and ABA responsiveness, indicative of their roles in modulating light and phytohormones. Collinear analysis unraveled a one-to-one correspondence among KNOXs in orchids, and all KNOX genes experienced strong purifying selection, indicating the conservation of this gene family has been reinforced across the Orchidaceae lineage. Expression profiles based on transcriptomic data and real-time reverse transcription–quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) revealed a stem-specific expression of KNOX Class I genes and a broader expression pattern of Class II genes. Taken together, our results provided a comprehensive analysis to uncover the underlying function of KNOX genes in Orchidaceae.
Background
Gardenia jasminoides
is a species of Chinese medicinal plant, which has high medicinal and economic value and rich genetic diversity, but the study on its genetic diversity is far not ...enough.
Methods
In this study, one wild and one cultivated gardenia materials were resequenced using
Illumina
HiSeq sequencing platform and the data were evaluated to understand the genomic characteristics of
G. jasminoide
s.
Results
After data analysis, the results showed that clean data of 11.77G, Q30 reached 90.96%. The average comparison rate between the sample and reference genome was 96.08%, the average coverage depth was 15X, and the genome coverage was 85.93%. The SNPs of FD and YP1 were identified, and 3,087,176 and 3,241,416 SNPs were developed, respectively. In addition, SNP non-synonymous mutation, InDel mutation, SV mutation and CNV mutation were also detected between the sample and the reference genome, and KEGG, GO and COG database annotations were made for genes with DNA level variation. The structural gene variation in the biosynthetic pathway of crocin and gardenia, the main medicinal substance of
G. jasminoides
was further explored, which provided basic data for molecular breeding and genetic diversity of
G. jasminoide
s in the future.
represents a distinctive Orchidaceae plant that is more tolerant than other terrestrial orchids. Studies have shown that many members of the MYB transcription factor (TF) family, especially the ...R2R3-MYB subfamily, are responsive to drought stress. This study identified 103
; phylogenetic analysis classified these genes into 22 subgroups with
. Structural analysis showed that most
genes contained the same motifs, three exons and two introns, and showed a helix-turn-helix 3D structure in each R repeat. However, the members of subgroup 22 contained only one exon and no intron. Collinear analysis revealed that
had more orthologous R2R3-MYB genes with wheat than
and rice.
ratios indicated that most
genes were under purifying negative selection pressure.
-acting elements analysis revealed that drought-related elements were mainly focused on subgroups 4, 8, 18, 20, 21, and 22, and
(S20) contained the most. The transcriptome analysis results showed that expression patterns of most
genes were upregulated in leaves in response to slight drought stress and downregulated in roots. Among them, members in S8 and S20 significantly responded to drought stress in
. In addition, S14 and S17 also participated in these responses, and nine genes were selected for the real-time reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) experiment. The results were roughly consistent with the transcriptome. Our results, thus, provide an important contribution to understanding the role of
in stress-related metabolic processes.
transcription factors regulate important processes such as plant growth and development, metabolic regulation, and abiotic stress. They play crucial roles in the development of flower organs. ...However, little is known about the characteristics and functions of the
s in the Orchidaceae. In this study,
Rchb. f.,
Lindl., and
BI. were used as research objects. The SPL gene family of these orchids was analyzed on a genome-wide scale, and their physicochemical properties, phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, and expression patterns were studied. Transcriptome and qRT-PCR methods were combined to investigate the regulatory effect of
s on the development of flower organs during the flowering process (bud, initial bloom, and full bloom). This study identifies a total of 43
s from
(16),
(17), and
(10) and divides them into eight subfamilies according to the phylogenetic tree. Most SPL proteins contained conserved SBP domains and complex gene structures; half of the genes had introns longer than 10 kb. The largest number and variety of cis-acting elements associated with light reactions were enriched, accounting for about 45% of the total (444/985); 13/43
s contain response elements of
. GO enrichment analysis showed that the functions of most
s were mainly enriched in the development of plant flower organs and stems. In addition, expression patterns and qRT-PCR analysis suggested the involvement of
genes in the regulation of flower organ development in orchids. There was little change in the expression of the
in
, but
and
showed significant expression during the flowering process of
and
, respectively. In summary, this paper provides a reference for exploring the regulation of the SPL gene family in orchids.
National parks are important spatial places for environmental education. To improve the perception and effectiveness of environmental education, it is critical to facilitate the public’s spatial ...experience. To explore influencing factors of perception and effectiveness of environmental education from a spatial perspective is of great significance for stimulating the public’s pro-environmental behavior and promoting the high-quality development of environmental education in national parks. Educational mode plays an important role in environmental education space, and spatial element is also an important part of it. In this study, Wuyi Mountain National Park was selected as a sample to explore whether educational methods and spatial elements affect the perception and effectiveness of environmental education through questionnaires and statistical methods. The results show that: (1) tourists prefer guided education mode, open space and road with interactive facilities and characteristic paving; (2) both educational modes and spatial elements have positive influence on the perception and effectiveness of environmental education; (3) educational mode and environmental education effectiveness are affected by the demographic characteristics, of which educational background is the main influencing factor. After analysis, it is suggested that when environmental education space is designed, tourists’ preference should be considered and personalized environmental education program should be customized, so as to improve the readability of environmental education space, and provide reference and support for strengthening the environmental education function of national parks.
Global urbanisation has accelerated in recent years, especially in rapidly growing coastal cities, and the destruction of habitat and natural resources has intensified. Although much attention has ...been paid to the study of habitat quality, there are still gaps in our understanding of the factors that influence it and their interactions. In this study, the InVEST habitat quality evaluation model and the GeoDetector model were used to construct a framework for analysing the dynamic changes in habitat quality and their influencing factors from 1992 to 2015. Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China, was selected as the study area. The new framework extends studies on habitat quality change to annual analysis and reduces the lag between the actual change and the mapping time. The interactions between natural and anthropogenic factors are explored, and the effects of different types of land use conversion on habitat quality are further discussed. The results show that: (1) During the study period, cultivated and construction land areas in Wenzhou City increased the most, and forest land area decreased the most. (2) Habitat quality in Wenzhou City was generally good during the study period, but it showed a declining trend from year to year, and the distribution of habitat quality decreased from west to east. (3) The interactions between land use change and annual precipitation change and those between land use change and population density change have the most significant impact on habitat quality. The conversion of forest land to cultivated land, conversion of water area to cultivated land, and conversion of forest land to building land have the greatest impact on habitat quality. The results of the study can provide recommendations for ecological restoration, optimal integration of protected areas, and provide a reference for the healthy and sustainable development of coastal regions.
