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Two Gram-staining negative strains (CPCC 101082T and CPCC 101083T) were isolated from biological sandy soil crusts samples collected from Badain Jaran desert, China. Both isolates were heterotrophic phototroph, could produce indole-3-acetic acid. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of these two strains were closely related to the members of the family Geminicoccaceae, showing high similarities with Geminicoccus roseus DSM 18922T (96.9%) and Arboricoccus pini B29T1T (90.1%), respectively. In phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain CPCC 101082T and CPCC 101083T formed a robust distinct clade with Geminicoccus roseus DSM 18922T within the family Geminicoccaceae, which indicated that these two isolates could be classified into the genus Geminicoccus. The growth of strain CPCC 101082T occurred at 15-42°C and pH 4.0-10.0 (optima at 28-37°C and pH 6.0-8.0). The growth of strain CPCC 101083T occurred at 4-45°C and pH 4.0-10.0 (optima at 25-30°C and pH 6.0-8.0). The major cellular fatty acids of CPCC 101082T and CPCC 101083T contained C18:1ω7c/C18:1ω6c, cyclo-C19:0ω8c, and C16:0. Q-10 was detected as the sole respiratory quinone. Diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified phospholipid and an unidentified aminolipid were tested in the polar lipids profile. The genomes of the two isolates were characterized as about 5.9 Mbp in size with the G + C content of nearly 68%. The IAAproducing encoding genes were predicated in both genomes. The values of average nucleotide identity were 80.6, 81.2 and 92.4% based on a pairwise comparison of the genomes of strains CPCC 101082T and CPCC 101083T and Geminicoccus roseus DSM 18922T, respectively. On the basis of the genotypic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic characteristics, the strains CPCC 101082T (=NBRC 113513T = KCTC 62853T) and CPCC 101083T (=NBRC 113514T = KCTC 62854T) are proposed to represent two novel species of the genus Geminicoccus with the names Geminicoccus flavidas sp. nov. and Geminicoccus harenae sp. nov. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of anatomically modern humans (AMHs) from Africa around 65,000 to 45,000 y ago (ca. 65 to 45 ka) led to the establishment of present-day non-African populations. Some paleoanthropologists have argued that fossil discoveries from Huanglong, Zhiren, Luna, and Fuyan caves in southern China indicate one or more prior dispersals, perhaps as early as ca. 120 ka. We investigated the age of the human remains from three of these localities and two additional early AMH sites (Yangjiapo and Sanyou caves, Hubei) by combining ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis with a multimethod geological dating strategy. Although U-Th dating of capping flowstones suggested they lie within the range ca. 168 to 70 ka, analyses of aDNA and direct AMS 14C dating on human teeth from Fuyan and Yangjiapo caves showed they derive from the Holocene. OSL dating of sediments and AMS 14C analysis of mammal teeth and charcoal also demonstrated major discrepancies from the flowstone ages; the difference between them being an order of magnitude or more at most of these localities. Our work highlights the surprisingly complex depositional history recorded at these subtropical caves which involved one or more episodes of erosion and redeposition or intrusion as recently as the late Holocene. In light of our findings, the first appearance datum for AMHs in southern China should probably lie within the timeframe set by molecular data of ca. 50 to 45 ka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PM2.5 pollution has been globally threatening human health. By monitoring PM2.5 concentrations and meteorological data, this study estimated the changes in PM2.5 concentrations before and after the implementation of an environmental protection tax law in 30 provincial capital cities in China by conducting a counterfactual curve-fitting simulation method and studied the effects of the environmental protection tax (EEPT) on PM2.5. Then, the influencing factors of the EEPT in China were investigated employing a Bayesian LASSO regression model. The environmental protection tax generally reduced the annual PM2.5 concentrations in China in 2018. The EEPT in various cities are different. Among the seven significant influencing factors, resident unemployment rate (RUR) and gross domestic product (GDP) were the top two influencing factors, with contributions up to 20.7% and 19.2%, respectively. Proportion of the secondary industry (PSI) (7.9%) and urbanisation rate (UR) (6.7%) were the bottom two influencing factors. The median influencing factors were resident average schooling years (RASY) (17.6%), relief amplitude (RA) (16.5%) and waste gas treatment input (WGTI) (11.5%). Furthermore, GDP and UR associated negatively with the EEPT on PM2.5 pollution, whereas the other five variables associated positively with the EEPT on PM2.5 pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct-detection Doppler LIDAR has been demonstrated for its high temporal and spatial resolution in atmosphere wind detection from troposphere to stratosphere. As Doppler frequency is a relative value, the zero point drift would lead to wind velocity error. So the zero Doppler correction was necessary for high-accuracy wind measurement. We analyzed the reasons that would cause zero point drift and demonstrated a designed Fabry- Pérot interferometer and front optics to measure Rayleigh scatter laser and emitted laser frequency in the meantime. Wind observation experiments were demonstrated in XinJiang, China, and the measured wind profile coincided well with radiosonde results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gigantopithecus was a giant ape once lived in Southeast Asia and China during the Pleistocene period. Longgupo and Jianshi Longgudong sites in West-Hubei and Three Gorges region in South China are the northernmost evidences of Gigantopithecus presence in the world up to date. To obtain the detailed chronology of these two sites, paleomagnetic and radiometric dating methods were attempted, including cosmogenic burial dating of the sediment. However, the efforts failed because of the scarce of quartz minerals in the sediment. Combined electron spin resonance and uranium series (ESR/U-series) method which could date the fossil teeth directly with the age range from Early to Late Pleistocene was also applied and the results obtained at Longgupo site already published. Here, we report the first radiometric dating results for teeth carried out from Jianshi Longgudong Western Branch cave which is renowned for the discovery of both Gigantopithecus fossils and undoubted stone artifacts. The main challenge of dating Jianshi Longgudong site is the reconstruction of external dose rate of the fossil samples where their provenance sections were not preserved. The mean radioelement concentrations in the sediments measured in the laboratory with different water content estimation were initially used to calculate the ESR/U-series ages. Our ESR/U-series dating of two mammalian fossil teeth from the lower layer 8 gives a weight mean age of 1512 ± 94 ka, while a mean age of 1044 ± 53 ka was obtained for two teeth from the upper layer 4. These ages support one of the previous paleomagnetic dating interpretation which propose that the hominin fossil layer in Jianshi site was not older than 1.78 Ma, i.e. that the upper boundary of the Olduvai subchron, and are in agreement with the faunal evidence which suggest that Jianshi site is younger than the adjacent Longgupo site dated also by combined ESR/U-series and paleomagnetic methods to 2.0-2.5 Ma. Further study of the site including the radiometric dating study of the fossil layers preserved in the Eastern Branch cave may help to achieve a definitive conclusion of the chronology of Gigantopithecus settlement in Jianshi Longgudong site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combined ESR and U-series methods have been increasingly applied to the paleolithic and paleoanthropological sites from Early to Middle Pleistocene period. However, this dating method is seldom used for the Late Pleistocene or even younger sites comparing with other radiometric methods, such as 14C charcoal dating, U-series carbonate dating and OSL sediment dating. The important advantage of ESR dating is that it allows direct analysis of fossil tooth from animal and human remains. Here, we report a combined ESR and U-series dating study of Naminan paleolithic site, a Paleolithic-Neolithic transition site located on the border between China and Myanmar. The stone artifacts with typical "Hoabinhian Industrial" characteristics indicate the human migration and interactions between Southeast Asia and South China. Apart from an obvious older age of 31 ka, our ESR analysis of ten tooth enamel samples gives the age estimation of 12-21 ka on fossils from the paleolithic cultural layer of Naminan site. The obtained ESR ages of fossil teeth are in agreement with the 14C and U-Th chronology for Naminan site in general. When dating the young fossil samples from the site like Naminan, we noticed that due to the relative low uranium concentration in the enamel tissues (0.01-0.3 ppm), the internal dose rate plays a much less important role than the external beta and gamma dose rate to the total dose rate in the fossil samples. Therefore, the dose rate evaluation of the surrounding sediment is the main source of uncertainty that may affect the reliability of the ESR dating results. In this study, we also attempt to use a standard growth curve (SGC) of enamel to determine the DE and compared with the values obtained by additive dose (AD) method (12-34 Gy). Although the current precision of DE results estimated by SGC are lower than AD, it shows the potential to quick decide a more reasonable Dmax for irradiation and identify the possible intrusion fossil samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many non-human primates produce species-specific loud calls to communicate within and between groups over long distances. Understanding these calling patterns can provide insights into how individuals modify their behavior in response to environmental variables as well as help to design efficient bioacoustic survey techniques. Eastern hoolock gibbons in Gaoligongshan inhabit the coldest habitat of all gibbon populations, but both conservation and research efforts on this population have been minimal. We studied singing patterns of two habituated and two unhabituated groups at two sites in Gaoligongshan between July 2010 and June 2015. We systematically collected data of their calls, and its relationship to temperature, group density, and hunting pressure over at least 1 year for each group. Our goal was to elucidate how these factors affect singing patterns of eastern hoolock gibbons. We found that adult pairs coordinated their singing to produce duet bouts that lasted for an average of 25.5 min. The singing rate (number of bouts/number on monitoring days*100%: 7.5-31.4%) was notably lower than other gibbon populations, presumably due to low group density (about 0.5 groups/km2) and prevalence of hunting at the study site. Cold temperature also affected gibbons' singing behavior. Our study groups called, on average, 2.5 hr after sunrise, probably foraging first in the early morning after long nights in this cold habitat delayed singing. Furthermore, mean temperatures in the morning (8:00-12:00 am) were higher on singing days than on non-singing days, and one group called less frequently when monthly mean temperature was below 10°C. Our findings indicate that both hunting pressure from humans and low temperatures suppress calling behavior in hoolock gibbons. Such information is critical in evaluating the use of duetting as a monitoring technique for this endangered gibbon species. Am. J. Primatol. 78:861-871, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the sleep-related behavior of two Cao Vit gibbon ( Nomascus nasutus) groups in Bangliang Nature Reserve in Jingxi County, China between January 2008 and December 2009 to test four hypotheses related to sleeping tree selection (predation avoidance, thermoregulation, food access, and range defense). Gibbons entered sleeping trees 88 ± SD 37 min before sunset before their main potential nocturnal predator become active. They usually moved rapidly and straight to sleeping trees and kept silent once settled. Over the course of the study, gibbon groups used many (87 and 57 per group) sleeping trees and reused them irregularly. They also tended to sleep in relatively tall trees without lianas, choosing small branches close to the treetop. These behaviors would make it difficult for potential terrestrial predators to detect and approach the gibbons. Therefore, these results strongly support the predation avoidance hypothesis. Gibbons tended to sleep closer to ridges than to valley bottoms and they did not sleep at lower elevations in colder months. They thus appeared not to select sleeping trees to minimize thermoregulatory stress. Gibbons very rarely slept in feeding trees, instead generally sleeping more than 100 m away from the last feeding trees of the day or the first feeding tree of the next morning. These patterns led us to reject the food access hypothesis. Lastly, we did not find evidence to support the range defense hypothesis because gibbons did not sleep in overlap areas with neighbors more often than expected based on the proportion of overlap and exclusively used areas. Am. J. Primatol. 74:998-1005, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cao Vit gibbon is a critically endangered species with only about 110 individuals remaining in a degraded karst forest along the China- Vietnam border. Behavioral data from this site are particularly useful in understanding gibbon behavioral adaptations to different sets of ecological conditions and will contribute to the conservation of the species. We studied seasonal variation in the time budget and diet of the Cao Vit gibbon in response to variation in food availability and ambient temperature by observing two groups for 1,379 hr between January and December 2009. We used 5-min scan samples to record the activity of gibbons. Both ambient temperature and food availability varied from month to month. Gibbon groups increased resting time and huddled together in sleeping places in cold months. Gibbons spent more time feeding on fruit when fruit was more abundant suggesting that fruit was their preferred food. Alternatively, leaf eating was negatively correlated with leaf availability which suggested that leaves may be used as a fallback food. Gibbons increased their diet diversity when they ate more leaves. This might be a strategy to cope with toxins or digestion inhibitor accumulation associated with feeding from a limited number of leaf species. Individuals consumed more buds when Broussonetia papyrifera produced buds in March and April. During this period, they decreased traveling time and engaged in less frequent social interactions. Gibbons spent more time searching for and feeding on invertebrates during June and October. However, we did not collect data on invertebrate abundance and therefore cannot determine the relationship between invertebrate feeding and availability. We conclude that flexibility in consuming diverse food types and food species, and in responding to the availability of preferred foods, has enabled the Cao Vit gibbon to survive in a degraded karst forest habitat. Am. J. Primatol. 74:632-641, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Knowledge of habitat and feeding ecology is essential for developing an effective conservation management plan for threatened primates. Despite having been rediscovered nearly a decade ago, very little is known of the critically endangered cao vit gibbon (Nomascus nasutus) or its habitat. We analysed forest cover, made direct observations and conducted interviews of local elders to better understand forest changes and to determine the forest characters and species important to the survival of the gibbon. Interviews indicated human-induced forest resource exploitation focused on species-specific and larger trees most easily accessed. Gibbon forest habitat comprised four primary forest types. The mean canopy height over the whole site was 10.52m. Gibbons consumed 81, or nearly half of the tree and liana species recorded in the site; however, only 19 species provide 77.8% of the diet. Six of the 19 food species were logged for different reasons throughout the history of the site. We conclude that effective conservation management of primates with highly limited distributions, focused dietary needs, and in degraded ecosystems will require active forest restoration, such as planting important food species in degraded sites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The main reservoir of Nanpu Oilfield has considerable lateral variation and uncertain stratigraphic dip and faults making its geological tracking difficult. Because of the environmental constraints, few wells were drilled and the implementation of efficient development level is difficult. After analyzing the stability of the well bores, pore pressure, fracture pressure, collapse pressure, drill ability of basalt, reservoir characteristics and physical properties, reservoir structure, characteristics of oil and gas shows, reservoir damage, and reservoir sand, optimization research and pilot applications of extended-reach horizontal drilling, including optimal design of well profile and structure, well path control, individualized design of bit, optimization of drilling fluid system, reservoir protection, and screen completion, were carried out. All the three horizontal wells tested were successful in oil production. The early daily oil production in the three wells is 505, 736, and 1058 t, respectively. The production was normal and no sand was produced in the case of high production. The main drilling and completion techniques established in this study proved to be efficient. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

More than four hundred million people suffer from respiratory diseases each year. Respiratory diseases are associated with a large disease burden. Heatwaves and cold spells, the two most common extreme weather events, have been shown to have crucial negative effects on the prevalence of respiratory diseases. However, impacts of extreme weather on the prevalence of respiratory diseases has been largely overlooked in western China, where more intense and frequent extreme temperature events have been occurring over the past decades. This research gap will obtain an attribution bias in the effects of extreme weather events on the prevalence of respiratory diseases. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed the impact of heatwaves and cold spells on the morbidity of respiratory diseases using a distributed lag nonlinear model with daily disease cases from 2013 to 2016 in Lanzhou, one of the largest cities in western China. A reverse U-shaped relationship depicted the relationship between temperature and the morbidity of respiratory diseases. The highest relative risk was found at 2.6 °C by 1.15 (95% confidence interval: 1.09–1.21). Furthermore, we found a significant decrease in the relative risk for heatwaves and a significant increase in the relative risk of cold spells when the temperature exceeded the corresponding threshold by 1 °C. Heatwaves and cold spells play harvest effects on the morbidity of respiratory diseases. Our study suggest that the relative risk of respiratory diseases will increase as the climate warms in the future, and thus a preventive system is needed for individuals and medical policy-makers. • A reverse U shape relationship between temperature and respiratory disease exists in Lanzhou. • Extreme temperature events exhibit a harvest effect on the respiratory disease. • The greatest relative risk of respiratory disease was found at 2.6 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild animals may encounter multiple challenges especially food shortage and altered diet composition in their suboptimal ranges. Yet, how the gut microbiome responds to dietary changes remains poorly understood. Prior studies on wild animal microbiomes have typically leaned upon relatively coarse dietary records and individually unresolved fecal samples. Here, we conducted a longitudinal study integrating 514 time-series individually recognized fecal samples with parallel fine-grained dietary data from two Skywalker hoolock gibbon (Hoolock tianxing) groups populating high-altitude mountainous forests in western Yunnan Province, China. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing showed a remarkable seasonal fluctuation in the gibbons' gut microbial community structure both across individuals and between the social groups, especially driven by the relative abundances of Lanchnospiraceae and Oscillospiraceae associated with fluctuating consumption of leaf. Metagenomic functional profiling revealed that diverse metabolisms associated with cellulose degradation and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production were enriched in the high-leaf periods possibly to compensate for energy intake. Genome-resolved metagenomics further enabled the resolving metabolic capacities associated with carbohydrate breakdown among community members which exhibited a high degree of functional redundancy. Our results highlight a taxonomically and functionally sensitive gut microbiome actively responding to the seasonally shifting diet, facilitating the survival and reproduction of the endangered gibbon species in their suboptimal habitats., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Considering the high energetic costs of maintaining constant body temperature, mammals must adjust their thermoregulatory behaviors in response to cold temperatures. Although primate daytime thermoregulation is relatively well studied, there is limited research in relation to nighttime strategies. To investigate how Skywalker hoolock gibbons (Hoolock tianxing) cope with the low temperatures found in montane forests, we collected sleep-related behavior data from one group (NA) and a single female (NB) at Nankang (characterized by extensive tsaoko plantations) between July 2010 and September 2011, and one group (BB) at Banchang (relatively well-managed reserve forest) between May 2013 and May 2015 in Mt. Gaoligong, Yunnan, China. The annual mean temperature was 13.3°C at Nankang (October 2010 to September 2011) and 13.0°C at Banchang (June 2013 to May 2015) with temperatures dropping below -2.0°C at both sites, making them the coldest known gibbon habitats. The lowest temperatures at both sites remained below 5.0°C from November to March, which we, therefore, defined as the "cold season". The hoolock gibbons remained in their sleeping trees for longer periods during the cold season compared to the warm season. Sleeping trees found at lower elevations and closer to potential feeding trees were favored during cold seasons at both sites. In addition, the gibbons were more likely to huddle together during cold seasons. Our results suggest that cold temperatures have a significant effect on the sleeping behavior of the Skywalker hoolock gibbon, highlighting the adaptability of this threatened species in response to cold climates., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Vocal individuality and stability has been used to conduct population surveys, monitor population dynamics, and detect dispersal patterns in avian studies. To our knowledge, it has never been used in these kinds of studies among primates. The cao vit gibbon is a critically endangered species with only one small population living in a karst forest along China-Vietnam border. Due to the difficult karst terrain, an international border, long life history, and similarity in male morphology, detailed monitoring of population dynamics and dispersal patterns are not possible using traditional observation methods. In this paper, we test individuality and stability in male songs of cao vit gibbons. We then discuss the possibility of using vocal individuality for population surveys and monitoring population dynamics and dispersal patterns. Significant individuality of vocalization was detected in all 9 males, and the correct rate of individual identification yielded by discriminant function analysis using a subset of variables was satisfactory (>90%). Vocal stability over 2-6 years was also documented in 4 males. Several characters of cao vit gibbons allowed long-term population monitoring using vocal recordings in both China and Vietnam: 1) regular loud calls, 2) strong individuality and stability in male songs, 3) stable territories, and 4) long male tenure. During the course of this research, we also observed one male replacement (confirmed by vocal analysis). This time- and labor-saving method might be the most effective way to detect dispersal patterns in this transboundary population.

In this study, the quadrat method was used to study the effects of tsaoko (Fructus tsaoko) plantation on tree diversity and canopy structure of two natural habitats of eastern hoolock gibbon (Hoolock leuconedys): Nankang (characterized by extensive tsaoko plantation) and Banchang (relatively well reserved and without tsaoko plantation). Totally, 102 tree species from 25 families and 16 woody liana species from 10 families were recorded in Nankang, whereas 108 tree species from 30 families and 17 woody liana species from 12 families were recorded in Banchang. Although the tree species between two habitats is different, both habitats are characterized by enriched food resources for eastern hoolock gibbons, sharing similar dominant plant families. Due to tsaoko plantation, tree density proportion and diversity of forest layerⅠ (>20 m) in Nankang were both significantly decreased, but the tree density of layerⅡ (10-20 m) increased. Likewise, in conjunction with these behavioral observations, we also address potential impacts of tsaoko plantation on the behavior of eastern hoolock gibbon.

Most gibbons dwell in the tropical forests of Southeastern Asia, but eastern hoolock gibbons (Hoolock leuconedys) survive in high montane forest ranging from 1,600 to 2,700 m a.s.l. in Gaoligongshan (>24°30'N), Yunnan, China. To assess the behavioral adaptations of hoolock gibbons to the montane forest, we related temperature and food availability within the habitat to the seasonal behavioral patterns of a family group and a solitary female between August 2010 and September 2011 in Nankang, Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve. The maximum temperature was 29.2 °C and the minimum temperature was -0.3 °C during the period. The monthly mean temperature was <10 °C between December and February, making Nankang the coldest gibbon habitat reported so far. Nonfig fruit and fig availability declined to nearly zero in cold months. The family group increased resting and decreased travel and social behaviors when the monthly mean temperature was low. Compared with other gibbon populations, the hoolock gibbons spent proportionally less time feeding on figs and other fruit than other gibbon populations except Nomascus concolor and Symphalangus syndactylus. Only 36 species of plants provided nonfig fruit or figs, which is less than the number of fruit species consumed by any other gibbon population observed during a similar period of time (about 1 year). Hoolock gibbons shifted their diet to leaves and increased feeding time when fruit was not available. We conclude that diet flexibility and an energy-conserving strategy during the cold season when fruit is scarce have enabled the hoolock gibbons to survive in a northern montane forest.