Changes in properties of epicuticular wax and the related water loss in Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) affected by anthropogenic environmental factors

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 546-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Sase ◽  
Takejiro Takamatsu ◽  
Tomio Yoshida ◽  
Kazuyuki Inubushi
Keyword(s):  
Water Loss ◽  
Cryptomeria Japonica ◽  
Japanese Cedar ◽  
Epicuticular Wax ◽  
Additional Stress ◽  
Mountainous Area ◽  
Atmospheric Conditions ◽  
Mountainous Areas ◽  
Yakushima Island ◽  
Leaf Chlorophyll

The leaves of Cryptomeria japonica D. Don collected near an electrochemical plant (on Yakushima Island) had more wax (approximately 10% higher in 1-year leaves) and less chlorophyll (approximately 50 and 30% lower in 0- and 1-year leaves, respectively) than those from a reference area, although the trees showed no symptoms of decline. In the Kanto Plain around Tokyo (Saitama and Ibaraki), where C. japonica is declining (dieback and (or) defoliation), the amount of epicuticular wax in current-year leaves and the leaf chlorophyll content were almost equivalent to those of healthy plants in mountainous areas, but the wax eroded more rapidly (approximately 1.5 times faster). Although the C and O contents and the C/O ratio of epicuticular wax were approximately equivalent irrespective of the levels of decline, the cuticular transpiration rate, especially in 1-year leaves, was higher in Saitama (water loss: 0.92 ± 0.21%/h) and to some extent in Ibaraki (0.66 ± 0.08%/h) than in the mountainous area (0.60 ± 0.12%/h). This excessive transpiration, probably resulting from a degraded wax layer and the partial malfunctioning of stomata due to deposited aerosols, may be a significant factor causing the decline of C. japonica. Dry atmospheric conditions (e.g., rain factor <100), which have prevailed since the 1950s due to urbanization, may have inflicted additional stress on the tree.

Variation in amount and elemental composition of epicuticular wax in Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) leaves associated with natural environmental factors

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Sase ◽  
Takejiro Takamatsu ◽  
Tomio Yoshida
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Elemental Composition ◽  
Cryptomeria Japonica ◽  
Leaf Age ◽  
Japanese Cedar ◽  
Epicuticular Wax ◽  
Acidic Gases ◽  
Unit Leaf ◽  
Opposite Change

Leaf samples of Cryptomeria japonica D. Don (and some other conifers) taken from various locations in Japan were analyzed for differences in the amount and elemental composition of their epicuticular wax. In C. japonica the amount of wax per unit leaf mass was lower, and the C content of the wax relatively higher, than those of other species. The properties of the wax (amount, C and O contents) varied according to natural environmental factors such as altitude and exposure to volcanic acidic gases such as H2S, as well as branch height and leaf age within the tree. The amount of wax increased with leaf age (during the growing phase), altitude, branch height, and exposure to the gases, while the C content of wax decreased and the O content increased, except in the case of altitude, where they showed an opposite change. These findings suggest different alterations in wax properties under the effects of water stress (on high branches and at locations with a low rain factor), exposure to noxious gases, and strong UV radiation at high altitude.

Some physiological properties of Cryptomeria japonica leaves from Kanto, Japan: potential factors causing tree decline

2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 663-672 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Takamatsu ◽  
H Sase ◽  
J Takada
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Activation Analysis ◽  
Water Stress ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Cryptomeria Japonica ◽  
Japanese Cedar ◽  
Contact Angles ◽  
Epicuticular Wax ◽  
Tree Decline ◽  
Physiological Properties ◽  
Potential Factors

Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) has been declining in urban areas of Japan. We examined if the decline was associated with physiological deterioration of leaves and resulting water stress. Leaves from three locations (severe decline, slight decline, and healthy) were analyzed for minimum transpiration rates (MT), amounts of epicuticular wax (EW), contact angles (CA), fractions of unhealthy stomata (US), cuticular thickness, and leaching of elements (LE). Anthropogenic elements (e.g., antimony (Sb)) in aerosols on the leaves were also analyzed by neutron activation analysis. MT, US, and amounts of Sb were 2, 15, and 10 times greater, respectively, at the severe decline location compared with the healthy location. LE was also greater at the severe decline location than at the slight decline and healthy locations. In contrast, CA was greatest at the healthy location and least at the severe decline location. MT correlated with the values obtained from a linear trinomial function that included EW, CA, and US as variables (r = 0.872, P < 0.01), and US correlated with amounts of Sb in aerosols (r = 0.939, P < 0.01). Therefore, it is likely that the deterioration of epicuticular wax and stomatal unhealthiness resulting mainly from clogging with aerosols, in combination with environmental aridification, have placed C. japonica under chronic and sometimes fatal water stress, causing tree decline.

scholarly journals Association between the type of physical activity and metabolic syndrome in middle-aged and older adult residents of a semi-mountainous area in Japan

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriko Kudo ◽  
Ritsuko Nishide ◽  
Mayumi Mizutani ◽  
Shota Ogawa ◽  
Susumu Tanimura
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Older Women ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Daily Physical Activity ◽  
Mountainous Area ◽  
Mountainous Areas ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Type Activity ◽  
Specific Health

Abstract Background Physical activity is reported to prevent metabolic syndrome. However, it is unclear whether exercise or daily physical activity is more beneficial for residents of semi-mountainous areas. This study aimed to identify whether daily physical activity is more beneficial than exercise for the prevention of metabolic syndrome among middle-aged and older residents in semi-mountainous areas. Methods We analyzed secondary data of 636 people who underwent a specific health checkup in a semi-mountainous area of Japan. Physical activity was classified into four types: inactivity (I-type; without exercise and without daily physical activity), only exercise (E-type; with exercise and without daily physical activity), only daily physical activity (D-type; without exercise and with daily physical activity), and full physical activity type (F-type; with exercise and with daily physical activity). We compared the means of risk factors for metabolic syndrome by these four types, followed by logistic regression analysis, to identify whether and to what extent the D-type was less likely to have metabolic syndrome than the E-type. Results The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 28.5% (men 45.7%, women 15.8%). The proportions of men with exercise and daily physical activity were 38.7% and 52.8%, respectively. For women, the proportions were 33.0% and 47.1%, respectively. In women, the D-type had the significantly lowest BMI, smallest waist circumference, highest HDL-C, and lowest prevalence of metabolic syndrome of the four types; the same was not observed in men. Additionally, D-type activity was more strongly associated with a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome than E-type activity in women (adjusted odds ratio 0.24; 95% confidence interval 0.06–0.85, P = 0.028). Conclusions Compared to middle-aged and older women residents with exercise in a semi-mountainous area of Japan, those with daily physical activity may effectively prevent metabolic syndrome.

scholarly journals CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeted mutagenesis in Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don)

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshihiko Nanasato ◽  
Masafumi Mikami ◽  
Norihiro Futamura ◽  
Masaki Endo ◽  
Mitsuru Nishiguchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genome Editing ◽  
Cryptomeria Japonica ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Japanese Cedar ◽  
Targeted Mutagenesis ◽  
Embryogenic Tissue ◽  
Breeding Period ◽  
Single Mutation ◽  
Knock Out ◽  
Guide Rna

AbstractCryptomeria japonica (Japanese cedar or sugi) is one of the most important coniferous tree species in Japan and breeding programs for this species have been launched since 1950s. Genome editing technology can be used to shorten the breeding period. In this study, we performed targeted mutagenesis using the CRISPR/Cas9 system in C. japonica. First, the CRISPR/Cas9 system was tested using green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing transgenic embryogenic tissue lines. Knock-out efficiency of GFP ranged from 3.1 to 41.4% depending on U6 promoters and target sequences. The GFP knock-out region was mottled in many lines, indicating genome editing in individual cells. However, in 101 of 102 mutated individuals (> 99%) from 6 GFP knock-out lines, embryos had a single mutation pattern. Next, we knocked out the endogenous C. japonica magnesium chelatase subunit I (CjChlI) gene using two guide RNA targets. Green, pale green, and albino phenotypes were obtained in the gene-edited cell lines. Sequence analysis revealed random deletions, insertions, and replacements in the target region. Thus, targeted mutagenesis using the CRISPR/Cas9 system can be used to modify the C. japonica genome.

Ground motion detection in Central South Asturias (N Spain) by using Sentinel-1 SAR data

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Cuervas-Mons ◽  
María José Domínguez-Cuesta ◽  
Félix Mateos-Redondo ◽  
Oriol Monserrat ◽  
Anna Barra
Keyword(s):  
Motion Detection ◽  
Mountainous Area ◽  
Geological Hazards ◽  
Aquifer Recharge ◽  
Velocity Range ◽  
Mountainous Areas ◽  
Sar Images ◽  
Ground Deformations ◽  
Slope Instabilities ◽  
Central South

&lt;p&gt;In this work, the A-DInSAR techniques are applied in a mountainous area located in the Central South of Asturias (N Spain), where there are significant landslide and subsidence phenomena. The main aim of this study is detecting and analysing ground deformations associated to slope instabilities and subsidence processes. For this, 113 SAR images, provided by Sentinel-1A/B between January 2018 and February 2020, were acquired and processed by means of PSIG software (developed by the Geomatics Division of the CTTC). The results show a velocity range between -18.4 and 10.0 mm/year, and minimum and maximum accumulated ground displacements of -35.0 and 17.5 mm. This study has made possible to differentiate local sectors with recent deformation related to landslide incidence, urban/mining subsidence, and land recuperation due to aquifer recharge. This work corroborates the reliability and usefulness of the A-DInSAR processing as a powerful tool in the study and analysis of geological hazards on regional and local scales using Sentinel-1 data collection, showing also the high difficulty of processing mountainous areas with few urban sectors.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Fatigue Load Spectrum of Highway Bridge Vehicles in Plateau Mountainous Area Based on Wireless Sensing

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Li Rui ◽  
Xie Xiaoyu ◽  
Duan Xueyan
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Highway Bridges ◽  
Equivalent Model ◽  
Distribution Model ◽  
Mountainous Area ◽  
Wireless Sensing ◽  
Mountainous Areas ◽  
Load Spectrum ◽  
Fatigue Load

In Yunnan and other plateau mountainous areas, hydropower and mineral resources are abundant, and there are relatively many vehicles used for the transportation of large hydropower facilities. The widespread phenomenon of vehicle overload causes severe fatigue among the drivers. However, there is no reference vehicle load spectrum for fatigue analysis in the existing research. The application of wireless sensing technology to bridge health monitoring is favorable for the entire monitoring system’s low-cost and intelligent development. In this study, wireless sensors are used to collect sensing data in the measured area and perform preliminary filtering processing. The data collected by the sensing layer is aggregated at the TD gateway layer to realize local short-term storage of monitoring data, and 3G wireless transmission is used for the effective processing of the data. The clustering method is used to classify the vehicle models based on investigating the most representative expressway traffic flow information in Yunnan Province. Moreover, the weighted probability distribution model of different vehicle models is established through statistical analysis, which simplifies the composition’s fatigue intensity spectrum model. The selection of five vehicles of the equivalent model followed by a six-axle vehicle has the most significant impact on bridge damage as the standard fatigue vehicle. The research results establish a basis for the fatigue design of highway bridges in plateau and mountainous areas and provide data to establish vehicle fatigue load spectra in national highway regions.

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