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The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of origanum oil (ORO), hydrolysable tannins (HYT) and tea saponin (TES) on methane (CH 4 ) emission, rumen fermentation, productive performance and gas exchange in sheep by using in vitro and in vivo methods. The ORO, HYT and TES additive levels were normalized per kg dry matter (DM) in both in vitro and in vivo experiments: ORO‐0, 10, 20 and 40 ml/kg; HYT‐0, 15, 30 and 60 g/kg; and TES‐0, 15, 30 and 60 g/kg, respectively. During in vitro incubation, 40 ml/kg ORO linearly decreased CH 4 emission ( p < 0.05); 20 and 40 ml/kg ORO cubically decreased carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) production ( p < 0.05), and rumen pH was cubically raised with the increasing ORO additive level ( p < 0.01). The 60 g/kg HYT cubically decreased CH 4 production ( p < 0.05). The pH of 60 g/kg HYT was higher than that of 15 and 30 g/kg ( p < 0.01); the pH of 20 g/kg TES was higher than that of 5 g/kg ( p < 0.05). In the in vivo experiments, 40 ml/kg ORO inhibited dry matter intake ( p < 0.01) cubically and reduced average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) cubically ( p < 0.05), and 20 or 40 ml/kg ORO linearly decreased CH 4 production based on per day or metabolic weight (W 0.75 ) ( p < 0.05). Both 30 and 60 g/kg HYT linearly inhibited CH 4 emission on the bases of per day and W 0.75 ( p < 0.05). The 20 g/kg TES improved the apparent digestibility of crude protein ( p < 0.05), 10 and 20 g/kg of TES decreased CH 4 emission ( p < 0.05), and 5 g/kg of TES reduced O 2 consumption and CO 2 production ( p < 0.05). In conclusion, these three plant extracts all showed the abilities on mitigating CH 4 emission of sheep with appropriate additive ranges.

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This paper focuses on ancient settlements in the Luzhong region (the centre of Shandong Province) of China and analyses the spatial–temporal distribution and morphological characteristics of ancient settlements with the help of GIS technology and the perspectives of archaeology and cultural geography. Specifically, the 1972 settlements collected were used to establish a database of settlement site attributes. Then, the DEM data were superimposed with the settlement sites, and calculations of the kernel density, elevation, slope, aspect, and buffer zone were further carried out. The distribution and characteristics were refined based on quantitative and qualitative analyses. The study found that the Neolithic period, the Shang–Zhou period, and the Qin–Northern and Southern Dynasties were the three high points of settlement development. In these three periods, the centres of the large-scale distribution of settlements experienced changes from a “single centre” to a “continuous belt” to a “double centre’. In general, the spatial and temporal characteristics of the settlement distribution were continuously developed through time, while the spatial characteristics show that the main body continued to change locally. In different periods, settlements tended to be in the alluvial plains located between 20 and 60 m and with a slope of less than 6°. At the same time, they showed the obvious characteristic of living close to water. The past, present, and future are in the same chain of time; meanwhile, these settlements are the predecessors of today’s cities, towns, and villages. So, this study provides a basis for protecting their heritage value and provides a reference for the coordination of human–land relations, which can help achieve global sustainable development.

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