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Yu X, Jin N, Bai R, Mo Y, Pu X, Li J, Lu HZ. Effects of clonal fragmentation on Pyrrosia nuda depend on growth stages in a rubber plantation. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1371040. [PMID: 38742213 PMCID: PMC11089110 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1371040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Clonal fragmentation helps to assess clonal plants' growth resilience to human and environmental disturbance. Although clonal integration in epiphytes in tropical rubber plantations is important to understand their role in enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services, research on this subject is limited. These plantations are typically monospecific economic forests that face increased anthropogenic disturbances. Methods In this study, we selected the clonal fern Pyrrosia nuda to study its survival status, biomass, maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), and frond length in response to the level of clonal fragmentation in a tropical rubber plantation. Results and discussion The results showed that (1) clonal fragmentation significantly negatively affected the survival rate, biomass, and frond length of clonal plants, but with minimal effects on Fv/Fm at different growth stages; (2) the performance of a ramet (e.g., biomass or frond length) increased with ramet developmental ages and decreased with the number of ramets in a clonal fragment. The age-dependent impacts of clonal fragmentation provide insights into the biodiversity conservation of epiphytes and forest management in man-made plantations. Therefore, to better conserve the biodiversity in tropical forests, especially in environment-friendly rubber plantations, there is a need to reduce anthropogenic disturbances and alleviate the level of fragmentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaocheng Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
- National Forest Ecosystem Research Station at Xishuangbanna, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Yunnan Provincial Forest Ecosystem Research Station at Xishuangbanna, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
| | - Nan Jin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
- National Forest Ecosystem Research Station at Xishuangbanna, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
- Yunnan Provincial Forest Ecosystem Research Station at Xishuangbanna, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
| | - Rong Bai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
- National Forest Ecosystem Research Station at Xishuangbanna, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Yunnan Provincial Forest Ecosystem Research Station at Xishuangbanna, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
| | - Yuxuan Mo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
| | - Xiaoyan Pu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
- Party School of the Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture Committee of Communist Party of China, Yunnan Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture Committee and State Government, Jinghong, China
| | - Jingchao Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
- National Forest Ecosystem Research Station at Xishuangbanna, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
- Yunnan Provincial Forest Ecosystem Research Station at Xishuangbanna, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
| | - Hua-Zheng Lu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
- National Forest Ecosystem Research Station at Xishuangbanna, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
- Yunnan Provincial Forest Ecosystem Research Station at Xishuangbanna, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
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Suissa JS, Agbleke AA, Friedman WE. A bump in the node: The hydraulic implications of rhizomatous growth. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2023; 110:e16105. [PMID: 36401563 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Rhizomatous growth characterizes numerous taxa among vascular plants. While abundant information exists on nutrient sharing and demography, the question of how these metameric organisms move water through their bodies remains largely unstudied. Moreover, we lack an understanding of the evolutionary implications of rhizomatous growth across vascular plants. Here, we examined these questions by investigating how rhizomatous growth and vascular construction affect whole-plant hydraulic function. METHODS In five terrestrial fern species with diverse vascular construction, we used microcomputed tomography and bright-field microscopy to examine vascular construction across nodes along the rhizome. These data were integrated with measurements of leaf stomatal conductance under rooted and uprooted conditions to relate vascular patterning and hydraulic architecture to leaf water status. RESULTS Similar to phytomers of woody seed plants, nodal regions in rhizomatous ferns are areas of hydraulic resistance. While water is shared along the rhizomes of these investigated species, hydraulic conductivity drops at nodes and stomatal conductance declines when nodes were locally uprooted. Together, our data suggest that nodes are chokepoints in axial water movement along the rhizome. CONCLUSIONS Nodal chokepoints decrease hydraulic integration between phytomers. At the same time, chokepoints may act as "safety valves", hydraulically localizing each phytomer-potentially decreasing embolism and pathogen spread. This suggests a potential trade-off in the principal construction of the fern rhizome. Moreover, we propose that shoot-borne roots (homorhizy) and the prostrate habit of rhizomatous ferns decrease the hydraulic and structural burdens that upright plants typically incur. The absence of these hydraulic and structural demands may be one reason ferns (and many rhizomatous plants) lack, or have minimally developed, secondary xylem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob S Suissa
- The Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - William E Friedman
- The Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
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Lu HZ, Brooker R, Song L, Liu WY, Sack L, Zhang JL, Yu FH. When facilitation meets clonal integration in forest canopies. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 225:135-142. [PMID: 31571219 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Few studies have explored how - within the same system - clonality and positive plant-plant interactions might interact to regulate plant community composition. Canopy-dwelling epiphytes in species-rich forests provide an ideal system for studying this because many epiphytic vascular plants undertake clonal growth and because vascular epiphytes colonize canopy habitats after the formation of nonvascular epiphyte (i.e. bryophyte and lichen) mats. We investigated how clonal integration of seven dominant vascular epiphytes influenced inter-specific interactions between vascular epiphytes and nonvascular epiphytes in a subtropical montane moist forest in southwest China. Both clonal integration and environmental buffering from nonvascular epiphytes increased survival and growth of vascular epiphytes. The benefits of clonal integration for vascular epiphytes were higher when nonvascular epiphytes were removed. Similarly, facilitation from nonvascular epiphytes played a more important role when clonal integration of vascular epiphytes was eliminated. Overall, clonal integration had greater benefits than inter-specific facilitation. This study provides novel evidence for interactive effects of clonality and facilitation between vascular and nonvascular species, and has implications for our understanding of a wide range of ecosystems where both high levels of clonality and facilitation are expected to occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua-Zheng Lu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, 666303, China
- Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna, 666303, China
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Rob Brooker
- The James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Liang Song
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, 666303, China
- Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna, 666303, China
| | - Wen-Yao Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, 666303, China
- Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna, 666303, China
| | - Lawren Sack
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jiao-Lin Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, 666303, China
- Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna, 666303, China
| | - Fei-Hai Yu
- Institute of Wetland Ecology & Clone Ecology, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, China
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Huang J, Liu W, Li S, Song L, Lu H, Shi X, Chen X, Hu T, Liu S, Liu T. Ecological stoichiometry of the epiphyte community in a subtropical forest canopy. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:14394-14406. [PMID: 31938527 PMCID: PMC6953686 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Epiphytes in tree canopies make a considerable contribution to the species diversity, aboveground biomass, and nutrient pools in forest ecosystems. However, the nutrient status of epiphytes and their possible adaptations to nutrient deficiencies in the forest canopy remain unclear. Therefore, we analyzed the stoichiometry of five macroelements (C, N, P, K, and Ca) in four taxonomic groups (lichens, bryophytes, ferns, and spermatophytes) to investigate this issue in a subtropical montane moist evergreen broad-leaved forest in Southwest China. We found that the interspecific variations in element concentrations and mass ratios were generally greater than the intraspecific variations. And there were significant stoichiometric differences among functional groups. Allometric relationships between N and P across the epiphyte community indicated that P might be in greater demand than N with an increase in nutrients. Although canopy nutrients were deficient, most epiphytes could still maintain high N and P concentrations and low N:P ratios. Moreover, ferns and spermatophytes allocated more limited nutrients to leaves than to stems and roots. To alleviate frequent drought stress in the forest canopy, vascular epiphytes maintained several times higher K concentrations in their leaves than in the tissues of lichens and bryophytes. Our results suggest that epiphytes may have evolved specific nutrient characteristics and adaptations, so that they can distribute in heterogeneous canopy habitats and maintain the stability of nutrient metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun‐Biao Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest EcologyXishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenChinese Academy of SciencesMenglaChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Wen‐Yao Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest EcologyXishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenChinese Academy of SciencesMenglaChina
- Center of Plant EcologyCore Botanical GardensChinese Academy of SciencesXishuangbannaChina
| | - Su Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest EcologyXishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenChinese Academy of SciencesMenglaChina
- Center of Plant EcologyCore Botanical GardensChinese Academy of SciencesXishuangbannaChina
| | - Liang Song
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest EcologyXishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenChinese Academy of SciencesMenglaChina
- Center of Plant EcologyCore Botanical GardensChinese Academy of SciencesXishuangbannaChina
| | - Hua‐Zheng Lu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest EcologyXishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenChinese Academy of SciencesMenglaChina
- Center of Plant EcologyCore Botanical GardensChinese Academy of SciencesXishuangbannaChina
| | - Xian‐Meng Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest EcologyXishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenChinese Academy of SciencesMenglaChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Xi Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest EcologyXishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenChinese Academy of SciencesMenglaChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Tao Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest EcologyXishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenChinese Academy of SciencesMenglaChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Shuai Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest EcologyXishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenChinese Academy of SciencesMenglaChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Tao Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest EcologyXishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenChinese Academy of SciencesMenglaChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
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Chen Q, Sun J, Song L, Liu W, Yu F, Li S, Gong H, Lu H. Trait acclimation of the clonal fern
Selliguea griffithiana
to forest epiphytic and terrestrial habitats. Ecol Res 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Quan Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenChinese Academy of Sciences Mengla China
- College of Life Sciences, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Jing‐Qi Sun
- School of GeographySouthwest Forestry University Kunming China
| | - Liang Song
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenChinese Academy of Sciences Mengla China
| | - Wen‐Yao Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenChinese Academy of Sciences Mengla China
| | - Fei‐Hai Yu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and ConservationTaizhou University Taizhou China
| | - Su Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenChinese Academy of Sciences Mengla China
| | - He‐De Gong
- School of GeographySouthwest Forestry University Kunming China
| | - Hua‐Zheng Lu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenChinese Academy of Sciences Mengla China
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Gabriel y Galán JM, Murciano A, Sirvent L, Sánchez A, Watkins JE. Germination fitness of two temperate epiphytic ferns shifts under increasing temperatures and forest fragmentation. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197110. [PMID: 29750811 PMCID: PMC5947888 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ferns are an important component of ecosystems around the world. Studies of the impacts that global changes may have on ferns are scarce, yet emerging studies indicate that some species may be particularly sensitive to climate change. The lack of research in this subject is much more aggravated in the case of epiphytes, and especially those that live under temperate climates. A mathematical model was developed for two temperate epiphytic ferns in order to predict potential impacts on spore germination kinetics, in response to different scenarios of global change, coming from increasing temperature and forest fragmentation. Our results show that an increasing temperature will have a negative impact over the populations of these temperate epiphytic ferns. Under unfragmented forests the germination percentage was comparatively less influenced than in fragmented patches. This study highlight that, in the long term, populations of the studied epiphytic temperate ferns may decline due to climate change. Overall, epiphytic fern communities will suffer changes in diversity, richness and dominance. Our study draws attention to the role of ferns in epiphytic communities of temperate forests, emphasizing the importance of considering these plants in any conservation strategy, specifically forest conservation. From a methodological point of view, the model we propose could be easily used to dynamically monitor the status of ecosystems, allowing the quick prediction of possible future scenarios, which is a crucial issue in biodiversity conservation decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose María Gabriel y Galán
- Unit of Botany, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Murciano
- “Neural Plasticity Research Group, IdISSC”, Unit of Biomathematics, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
- “Neuro-computing and Neuro-robotics Research Group, UCM”, Unit of Biomathematics, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Abel Sánchez
- “Neural Plasticity Research Group, IdISSC”, Unit of Biomathematics, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
- “Neuro-computing and Neuro-robotics Research Group, UCM”, Unit of Biomathematics, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - James E. Watkins
- Department of Biology, Colgate University, Hamilton, New York, United States of America
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Wang P, Li H, Pang XY, Wang A, Dong BC, Lei JP, Yu FH, Li MH. Clonal integration increases tolerance of a phalanx clonal plant to defoliation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 593-594:236-241. [PMID: 28343043 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2017] [Revised: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 03/18/2017] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Defoliation by herbivores commonly imposes negative effects on plants, and physiological integration (resource sharing) can enhance the ability of guerilla clonal plants to tolerate stresses. Here we examined whether physiological integration can increase the ability of phalanx clonal plants to withstand defoliation. On a high mountain grassland in southwestern China, we subjected the phalanx clonal plant Iris delavayi within 10cm×10cm plots to three levels of defoliation intensity, i.e., control (no defoliation), moderate (50% shoot removal to simulate moderate herbivory) and heavy defoliation (100% shoot removal to simulate heavy herbivory), and kept rhizomes at the plot edges connected (allowing physiological integration) or disconnected (preventing integration) with intact ramets outside the plots. Defoliation significantly reduced leaf biomass, root biomass and ramet number of I. delavayi. Clonal integration did not affect the growth of I. delavayi under control, but significantly increased total biomass, rhizome and root biomass under heavy defoliation, and leaf biomass and ramet number under moderate defoliation. We conclude that clonal integration associated with resource reallocation plays an important role in maintaining the productivity of the alpine and subalpine grassland ecosystems in SW China where clonal plants are a dominant component of the grasslands and are commonly extensively managed with moderate grazing intensity. Our results also help to better understand the adaption and tolerance of phalanx clonal plants subjected to long-term grazing in the high mountain environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huan Li
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Pang
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Ao Wang
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Bi-Cheng Dong
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jing-Pin Lei
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Fei-Hai Yu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Mai-He Li
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland; Institute of Applied Ecology, 110061 Shenyang, China
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