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Background: Biological traits are mainly determined by genotype and are also influenced by environmental factors, especially in the process of adapting to different environments, corresponding phenotypic variations may occur. Even for the same animal, there may be some morphological differences due to its long-term adaptation to different habitat environments. Molar teeth are the direct contact point between animals and the environment, which are of great significance in the study of animal adaptability to different environments. Methods: To explore the relationship between the morphology of the molars (upper molars and lower molars) of tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri) and environmental variations in different regions, we applied geometric morphometric methods to measure the morphological characteristics of the molars of T. belangeri in 12 different regions of China (Hainan, Daxin, Leye, Xingyi, Xichang, Hekou, Kunming, Mengla, Dali, Tengchong, Pianma, Laboratory bred F1 generation). Result: The results showed that the morphological variations of the lower molars of T. belangeri in 12 different regions were larger, which was more suitable and reference valuable for studying the morphological differences among different geographical populations. The Principal component analysis showed that T. belangeri from 12 regions were clustered into 4 branches: Hainan was clustered into one branch, Daxin was clustered into one branch, Pianma and Tengchong were clustered into one branch and Leye, Xingyi, Hekou, Kunming, Xichang, Mengla, Dali and laboratory bred F1 generation were clustered into one branch. The thin plate spline analysis showed that deformations in the upper molars were mostly concentrated in the alveolar and dental margins. The deformations of the lower molars were mainly concentrated in the alveolar, marginal and occlusal surfaces. Multidimensional scaling showed that there were differences in molars morphology among the 12 locations, with significant variations in Hainan, Daxin, Pianma and Tengchong regions, reflecting the adaptive variation of T. belangeri to different ecological environments. The present results can provide a certain basis for the study of phenotypic adaptation in T. belangeri. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local climate zones (LCZs) provide a comprehensive framework to examine surface urban heat islands (SUHIs), but information is lacking on their thermal contributions and spatial effects in different macroclimate cities. A standard framework for distinguishing between the cooling effect and heating effect and spatial effect analysis based on the LCZ scheme was conducted in five distinct macroclimate cities, i.e., Yuanjiang (arid climate), Jinghong (tropical climate), Kunming (subtropical climate), Zhaotong (temperate climate), and Shangri-La (alpine climate). The results indicated that (1) built-up zones presented heating effects in Jinghong and Shangri-La, but opposite results were observed in Yuanjiang and Zhaotong. (2) The thermal contributions of natural zones with dense trees (LCZAs) and waterbodies (LCZGs) showed cooling effects in the five cities regardless of season. (3) The spatial effect of heating LCZs on land surface temperature (LST) was more significant than that of cooling LCZs in Jinghong and Shangri-La, but the opposite results occurred in Yuanjiang and Kunming. Moreover, the spatial effect was lower in Zhaotong than in other cities. (4) Lower LST differences between natural zones and built-up zones in winter than in summer decreased the spatial effects. In summary, the thermal contributions of LCZs and their spatial heating/cooling effects were different among five distinct climate backgrounds, which implies that targeted measures must be used in different macroclimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]