Explore the vast range of titles available.

Northern China harbored the world’s earliest complex societies based on millet farming, in two major centers in the Yellow (YR) and West Liao (WLR) River basins. Until now, their genetic histories have remained largely unknown. Here we present 55 ancient genomes dating to 7500-1700 BP from the YR, WLR, and Amur River (AR) regions. Contrary to the genetic stability in the AR, the YR and WLR genetic profiles substantially changed over time. The YR populations show a monotonic increase over time in their genetic affinity with present-day southern Chinese and Southeast Asians. In the WLR, intensification of farming in the Late Neolithic is correlated with increased YR affinity while the inclusion of a pastoral economy in the Bronze Age was correlated with increased AR affinity. Our results suggest a link between changes in subsistence strategy and human migration, and fuel the debate about archaeolinguistic signatures of past human migration. Northern China contains some of the world’s earliest farming societies. Here, authors use 55 ancient genomes to trace the genetic history of human migrations across northern China for the last 7500 years, and document genetic changes mirroring shifts in subsistence strategy.

Naturally growing mosses have been successfully used as biomonitors of atmospheric heavy metal (HM) deposition. In recent years, with rapid economic development, environmental pollution in Yancheng, a coastal city in central Jiangsu Province, China, has become increasingly serious. However, to date, there have been no reports on atmospheric HM deposition in Yancheng. In this study, we investigated the HM concentrations and Pb isotopes in the moss Haplocladium microphyllum (Hedw.) Broth. from Yancheng and analyzed their main sources. The concentrations of HM in mosses from Yancheng were higher than those recorded in other studies of mosses from HM smelting regions and pollution-free areas of Eurasia and Alaska. The contamination factor value suggested that the pollution level of Cd was the highest. The pollution load index indicated that the studied area was severely contaminated with Cd, Cr, Pb, Zn, V, Ni, and Cu. Positive matrix factorization was employed to identify the contamination sources of HM and apportion their source contributions in mosses. The contributions of the natural source, together with manufacturing and construction, metal processing and chemical industries, traffic emissions and fuel burning in industrial activities, and agricultural activities, accounted for 53%, 33%, 12%, and 2%, respectively. The Pb isotopic ratios in the mosses (1.125–1.164 for 206 Pb/ 207 Pb, 2.059–2.148 for 208 Pb/ 206 Pb) further proved that metal processing and traffic emissions were the main sources of Pb contamination. These results are useful for developing various effective measures to prevent and reduce atmospheric HM deposition in Yancheng.

Major topographic features facilitate intraspecific divergence through geographic isolation. This process may be enhanced by environmental isolation along climatic gradients, but also may be reduced by range shifts under rapid climatic changes. In this study, we examined how topography and climate have interacted over time and space to influence the genetic structure and evolutionary history of Quercus chenii , a deciduous oak species representative of the East China flora. Based on the nuclear microsatellite variation at 14 loci, we identified multiple genetic boundaries that were well associated with persistent landscape barriers of East China. Redundancy analysis indicated that both geography and climate explained similar amounts of intraspecific variation. Ecological differences along altitudinal gradients may have driven the divergence between highlands and lowlands. However, range expansions during the Last Interglacial as inferred from approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) may have increased the genetic diversity and eliminated the differentiation of lowland populations via admixture. Chloroplast (cp) DNA analysis of four intergenic spacers (2,866 bp in length) identified a total of 18 haplotypes, 15 of which were private to a single population, probably a result of long-term isolation among multiple montane habitats. A time-calibrated phylogeny suggested that palaeoclimatic changes of the Miocene underlay the lineage divergence of three major clades. In combination with ecological niche modeling (ENM), we concluded that mountainous areas with higher climatic stability are more likely to be glacial refugia that preserved higher phylogenetic diversity, while plains and basins may have acted as dispersal corridors for the post-glacial south-to-north migration. Our findings provide compelling evidence that both topography and climate have shaped the pattern of genetic variation of Q. chenii . Mountains as barriers facilitated differentiation through both geographic and environmental isolation, whereas lowlands as corridors increased the population connectivity especially when the species experienced range expansions.

Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing have enabled detailed characterization of plant mitochondrial genomes. Here, we assembled and analyzed the mitochondrial genome of Quercus chenii Nakai, a key oak species in Fagaceae, using Illumina NovaSeq6000. The genome consists of a 364,958 bp linear and a 53,677 bp circular chromosome, totaling 418,635 bp with a GC content of 45.6%. Repeat-rich regions (210–250 and 300–340 kb) may facilitate structural rearrangements, while extensive RNA editing-particularly in nad4 and ccmF -likely enhances protein functionality and mitochondrial adaptability. Comparative collinearity analysis showed high structural conservation with Q. acutissima Carruth. (90.92%) but marked divergence from Fagus sylvatica L. (35.80%), suggesting lineage-specific rearrangements. Phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial genome supports the same placement of Q. chenii within Fagaceae as that derived from the chloroplast genome. The Ka/Ks analysis across Fagaceae mitochondrial genomes revealed strong conservation of core genes, with adaptive variations in energy metabolism-related genes, suggesting functional divergence linked to metabolic optimization under environmental stress. These findings highlight the distinct evolutionary strategies of mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes: the former optimizing energy production, while the latter fine-tunes photosynthesis and stress responses. Comparison analysis with the chloroplast genome further revealed both conserved ( psbT and psbC ) and divergent ( ndhD and ndhF ) genes, implying potential historical gene transfer events. Together, these findings highlight the dynamic yet conserved nature of the Q . chenii mitochondrial genome and provide new insights into organellar genome evolution, structural plasticity, and adaptive mechanisms within the Fagaceae family.

Background Hybridization and introgression are vital sources of novel genetic variation driving diversification during reticulated evolution. Quercus is an important model clade, having extraordinary diverse and abundant members in the Northern hemisphere, that are used to studying the introgression of species boundaries and adaptive processes. China is the second-largest distribution center of Quercus , but there are limited studies on introgressive hybridization. Results Here, we screened 17 co-dominant nuclear microsatellite markers to investigate the hybridization and introgression of four oaks ( Quercus acutissima , Quercus variabilis , Quercus fabri , and Quercus serrata ) in 10 populations. We identified 361 alleles in the four-oak species across 17 loci, and all loci were characterized by high genetic variability ( H E  = 0.844–0.944) and moderate differentiation ( F ST  = 0.037–0.156) levels. A population differentiation analysis revealed the following: allopatric homologous ( F ST  = 0.064) < sympatric heterogeneous ( F ST  = 0.071) < allopatric heterogeneous ( F ST  = 0.084). A Bayesian admixture analysis determined four types of hybrids ( Q. acutissima  ×  Q. variabilis , Q. fabri  ×  Q. serrata , Q. acutissima  ×  Q. fabri , and Q. acutissima  ×  Q. variabilis  ×  Q. fabri ) and their asymmetric introgression. Our results revealed that interspecific hybridization is commonly observed within the section Quercus , with members having tendency to hybridize. Conclusions Our study determined the basic hybridization and introgression states among the studied four oak species and extended our understanding of the evolutionary role of hybridization. The results provide useful theoretical data for formulating conservation strategies.

IntroductionThe impact of climate change on the distribution of Camellia japonica, an economically important ornamental shrub, is a critical concern for conservation. This study aims to explore its potential geographic distribution under climate change in China.MethodsWe used 56 carefully screened and spatially thinned occurrence records in a Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model. After filtering for multicollinearity, ten environmental variables were retained. Future projections were made for the SSP245 and SSP585 scenarios for the 2050s and 2070s.ResultsThe model showed high predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.958). Temperature factors, particularly Bio6 and Bio2, were the main determinants. Under current conditions, highly suitable habitats are mainly concentrated in eastern coastal regions. Future projections indicate a severe contraction of suitable habitats by the 2070s, with reductions of 80.1% and 90.9% under SSP245 and SSP585, respectively.DiscussionThe findings suggest a severe habitat contraction for wild C. japonica populations under future climate scenarios, with limited evidence of a range shift. This highlights their vulnerability and the urgent need for targeted, spatially explicit conservation strategies.

Accurate estimation of aboveground biomass (AGB) in tree–shrub communities is critical for quantifying forest ecosystem productivity and carbon sequestration potential. Although generalized allometric equations offer expediency in natural forest AGB estimation, their neglect of interspecific variability introduces methodological pitfalls. Precise AGB prediction necessitates resolving two biological constraints: phylogenetic conservation of allometric coefficients and ontogenetic regulation of scaling relationships. This study establishes an integrated framework combining the following: (1) phylogenetic signal detection (Blomberg’s K/Pagel’s λ) across 157 species’ allometric equations, revealing weak but significant evolutionary constraints (λ = 0.1249, p = 0.0027; K ≈ 0, p = 0.621); (2) hierarchical error decomposition of 9105 stems in a Mt. Wuyishan forest dynamics plot (15 species), identifying family-level error stratification (e.g., Theaceae vs. Myrtaceae, Δerror > 25%); (3) ontogenetic trajectory analysis of Castanopsis eyrei between Mt. Wuyishan and Mt. Huangshan, demonstrating significant biomass deviations in small trees (5–15 cm DBH, p < 0.05). Key findings resolve the following hypotheses: (1) absence of strong phylogenetic signals validates generalized models for phylogenetically diverse communities; (2) ontogenetic regulation dominates error magnitude, particularly in early developmental stages; (3) differential modeling is recommended: species-specific equations for pure forests/seedlings vs. generalized equations for mixed mature forests. This work establishes an error hierarchy: ontogeny > taxonomy > phylogeny, providing a mechanistic basis for optimizing forest carbon stock assessments.

The geographical distributions of plant species are being actively reshaped by climate change. Castanopsis eyrei , a cornerstone species of subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests in China, plays a critical role in community assembly and carbon sequestration. Understanding the key factors driving shifts in its potential distribution is vital to maintain biodiversity and formulate effective conservation strategies. Here, by comparing the soil-topographic-bioclimatic model with the bioclimatic-only model, we found that soil (base saturation) and climate (annual mean temperature, precipitation of the coldest quarter) jointly constrain the potential distribution of C. eyrei . The bioclimate-only model predicted larger suitable areas, highlighting that non-climatic variables can substantially alter the potential distribution forecasts. For the period 2041–2060, both models projected relatively stable distributions under low-emission (SSP1-2.6) and high-emission (SSP5-8.5) scenarios, with the latter showing greater northward expansion likely associated with increased temperature and precipitation. The soil-topographic-bioclimatic models showed lower inter-scenario variability, suggesting that soil and topographic factors may buffer against the effects of climatic change within our modeling framework. Our study demonstrates the necessity of integrating non-climatic variables into species distribution models, and provides projections to guide future monitoring and conservation efforts for C. eyrei .

The survival strategy of plants is to adjust their functional traits to adapt to the environment. However, these traits and survival strategies of evergreen broad-leaved forest species are not well understood. This study examined 10 leaf functional traits (LFTs) of 70 common plant species in an evergreen broad-leaved forest in Huangshan Mountain to decipher their adaptive strategies. The phylogenetic signals of these LFTs were assessed and phylogenetically independent contrasts (PIC) and correlation analyses were carried out. LFTs were analyzed to determine their CSR (C: competitor, S: stress-tolerator, R: ruderal) strategies. The results show that plant species exhibit different leaf functional traits and ecological strategies (nine strategies were identified; the most abundant were S/CS and S/CSR strategies). Some traits showed significant phylogenetic signals, indicating the effect of phylogeny on LFTs to an extent. Trait variations among species suggest distinct adaptation strategies to environmental changes. The study species were mainly clustered on the C-S strategy axis, with a high S component. Species leaning toward the C-strategy end (e.g., deciduous species), favored a resource acquisition strategy characterized by higher specific leaf area (SLA), greater nutrient contents (N and P), lower leaf dry matter content (LDMC), and reduced nutrient utilization efficiency (C: N and C: P). Conversely, species closer to the S-strategy end (e.g., evergreen species) usually adopted a resource conservative strategy with trait combinations contrary to those of C-strategy species. Overall, this study corroborated the applicability of the CSR strategy at a local scale and provides insights into the varied trait combinations and ecological strategies employed by plant species to adapt to their environment. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in biodiversity maintenance.