A marked increase in lacustrine palaeoproductivity occurred from 11.06 to 9.98 cal. ka BP, which likely resulted from an enhanced Asian southwest monsoon and warm-humid climate. Between 9.98 and 5.93 cal. ka BP, a gradually increased lake level might have reached the optimum water depth, causing a marked decline in coverage by aquatic plants and lake productivity of the lake. This was caused by strong Asian southwest monsoon, and coincided with the global Holocene Optimum. During the period of 5.60-1.35 cal. ka BP, it resulted

in a selleck chemical warm and dry climate at this stage, which is comparable to the aridification of India during the mid- and late Holocene. The intensifying human activity and land-use in the lake catchment since the early Tang Dynasty(similar to 1.35 cal. ka BP) were associated with the ancient Dian culture within Xingyun’s catchment. The extensive deforestation and development of agriculture in the lake catchment caused heavy soil loss. Our study clearly shows that long-term human activities and land-use change have strongly impacted the evolution of the lake environment and therefore modulated the sediment records of the regional climate in central

Yunnan for more than one thousand years.”
“Despite increasing knowledge of the role of allelochemicals in the productivity decline of replanted Chinese fir plantations, relatively little is known about the levels and sources of allelochemicals in relation to autoinhibition. Allelopathic potential of litter, root AZD3965 exudates, and soils in successive

rotations of Chinese fir plantations were detected. An allelochemical cyclic dipeptide Bcl-2 inhibitor (6-hydroxy-1,3-dimethyl-8-nonadecyl-[1,4]-diazocane-2,5-dione) from litter, root exudates, and soils in successive rotations was quantified. Extracts of leaf litter, fine root, and root exudates significantly inhibited the growth of Chinese fir germinants, and inhibition increased with successive rotations. Similar results were observed in the rhizosphere soil, basal soil, and bulk soil. The largest observed inhibition occurred in the rhizosphere soil. Furthermore, cyclic dipeptide was found in litter, root exudates, and soils, and the concentrations increased with successive rotations. The rhizosphere soil had the highest cyclic dipeptide level, followed by basal soil, while bulk soil contained the lowest concentration. There was a significant positive relationship between the inhibition of radicle growth of Chinese fir germinants and the concentration of cyclic dipeptide. Annual release of cyclic dipeptide through root exudation was 2.08-9.78 mol ha(-1) annum, but the annual release of cyclic dipeptide through leaf litter decomposition was lowered to 0.32-1.41 mol ha(-1) annum. Cyclic dipeptide which caused autoinhibition of Chinese fir may be released into the soil through litter decomposition and root exudation.