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Aluminum (Al) toxicity is the primary limiting factor that affects crop yields in acid soil. However, the genes that contribute to the Al tolerance process in maize are still poorly understood. Previous studies have predicted that ZmAT6 is a novel protein which could be upregulated under Al stress condition. Here, we found that ZmAT6 is expressed in many tissues and organs and can be dramatically induced by Al in both the roots and shoots but particularly in the shoots. The overexpression of ZmAT6 in maize and Arabidopsis plants increased their root growth and reduced the accumulation of Al, suggesting the contribution of ZmAT6 to Al tolerance. Moreover, the ZmAT6 transgenic maize plants had lower contents of malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species (ROS), but much higher proline content and even lower Evans blue absorption in the roots compared with the wild type. Furthermore, the activity of several enzymes of the antioxidant system, such as peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), increased in ZmAT6 transgenic maize plants, particularly SOD. Consistently, the expression of ZmSOD in transgenic maize was predominant upregulated by Al stress. Taken together, these findings revealed that ZmAT6 could at least partially confer enhanced tolerance to Al toxicity by scavenging ROS in maize.

To understand the effects of forest gaps on lignin degradation during shrub foliar litter decomposition, a field litterbag experiment was conducted in an alpine fir (Abies faxoniana) forest of the eastern Tibet Plateau. Dwarf bamboo (Fargesia nitida) and willow (Salix paraplesia) foliar litterbags were placed on the forest floor from the gap center to the closed canopy. The litterbags were sampled during snow formation, snow coverage, snow melting and the growing season from October 2010 to October 2012. The lignin concentrations and loss in the litter were measured. Over 2 years, lignin loss was lower in the bamboo litter (34.64-43.89%) than in the willow litter (38.91-55.10%). In the bamboo litter, lignin loss mainly occurred during the first decomposition year, whereas it occurred during the second decomposition year in the willow litter. Both bamboo and willow litter lignin loss decreased from the gap center to the closed canopy during the first year and over the entire 2-year decomposition period. Compared with the closed canopy, the gap center showed higher lignin loss for both bamboo and willow litter during the two winters, but lower lignin loss during the early growing period. Additionally, the dynamics of microbial biomass carbon during litter decomposition followed the same trend as litter lignin loss during the two winters and growing period. These results indicated that alpine forest gaps had significant effects on shrub litter lignin loss and that reduced snow cover during winter warming would inhibit shrub lignin degradation in this alpine forest.

There is increasing attention on the effects of seasonal snowpack on wintertime litter decomposition, as well as the processes following it, in cold biomes. However, little information is available on how litter nitrogen (N) dynamics vary with snowpack variations created by tree crown canopies in alpine forests. Therefore, to understand the effects of seasonal snowpack on litter N dynamics during different critical stages, litterbags with fir (Abies faxoniana), birch (Betula albo-sinensis), larch (Larix mastersiana) and cypress (Sabina saltuaria) foliar litter were placed on the forest floor beneath snowpack created by forest gaps in the eastern Tibet Plateau. The litterbags were sampled at the onset of freezing, deep freezing, thawing and growing stages from October 2010 to October 2012. Mass loss and N concentrations in litter were measured. Over two years of decomposition, N release occurred mainly during the first year, especially during the first winter. Litter N release rates (both in the first year and during the entire two-year decomposition study period) were higher in the center of canopy gaps than under closed canopy, regardless of species. Litter N release rates in winter were also highest in the center of canopy gaps and lowest under closed canopy, regardless of species, however the reverse was found during the growing season. Compared with broadleaf litter, needle litter N release comparisons of gap center to closed canopy showed much stronger responses to the changes in snow cover in winter and availability of sunshine during the growing season. As the decomposition proceeded, decomposing litter quality, microbial biomass and environmental temperature were important factors related to litter N release rate. This suggests that if winter warm with climate change, reduced snow cover in winter might slow down litter N release in alpine forest.

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