The plant species in the mountainous regions might be relatively more vulnerable to climate change. Understanding the potential effects of climate change on keystone species, such as Rhododendron species in the subalpine and alpine ecosystems, is critically important for montane ecosystems management and conservation. In this study, we used the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model, 53 distribution records, and 22 environmental variables to predict the potential impacts of climate change on the distribution of the endemic and vulnerable species Rhododendron purdomii in China. The main environmental variables affecting the habitat suitability of R. purdomii were altitude, temperature seasonality, annual precipitation, slope, and isothermality. Our results found suitable distribution areas of R. purdomii concentrated continuously in the Qinling-Daba Mountains of Central China under different climate scenarios, indicating that these areas could potentially be long-term climate refugia for this species. The suitable distribution areas of R. purdomii will expand under the SSP126 (2070s), SSP585 (2050s), and SSP585 (2070s) scenarios, but may be negatively influenced under the SSP126 (2050s) scenario. Moreover, the potential distribution changes of R. purdomii showed the pattern of northward shift and west–east migration in response to climate change, and were mainly limited to the marginal areas of species distribution. Finally, conservation strategies, such as habitat protection and assisted migration, are recommended. Our findings will shed light on biotic responses to climate change in the Qinling-Daba Mountains region and provide guidance for the effective conservation of other endangered tree species.

The infrageneric taxonomy system, species delimitation, and interspecies systematic relationships of Leontopodium remain controversial and complex. However, only a few studies have focused on the molecular phylogeny of this genus. In this study, the characteristics of 43 chloroplast genomes of Leontopodium and its closely related genera were analyzed. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred based on chloroplast genomes and nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA). Finally, together with the morphological characteristics, the relationships within Leontopodium were identified and discussed. The results showed that the chloroplast genomes of Filago, Gamochaeta, and Leontopodium were well-conserved in terms of gene number, gene order, and GC content. The most remarkable differences among the three genera were the length of the complete chloroplast genome, large single-copy region, small single-copy region, and inverted repeat region. In addition, the chloroplast genome structure of Leontopodium exhibited high consistency and was obviously different from that of Filago and Gamochaeta in some regions, such as matk, trnK (UUU)-rps16, petN-psbM, and trnE (UUC)-rpoB. All the phylogenetic trees indicated that Leontopodium was monophyletic. Except for the subgeneric level, our molecular phylogenetic results were inconsistent with the previous taxonomic system, which was based on morphological characteristics. Nevertheless, we found that the characteristics of the leaf base, stem types, and carpopodium base were phylogenetically correlated and may have potential value in the taxonomic study of Leontopodium. In the phylogenetic trees inferred using complete chloroplast genomes, the subgen. Leontopodium was divided into two clades (Clades 1 and 2), with most species in Clade 1 having herbaceous stems, amplexicaul, or sheathed leaves, and constricted carpopodium; most species in Clade 2 had woody stems, not amplexicaul and sheathed leaves, and not constricted carpopodium.

The HAP clade, mainly including Helichrysum Mill, Anaphalis DC., and Pseudognaphalium Kirp., is a major component of tribe Gnaphalieae (Asteraceae). In this clade, Anaphalis represents the largest genus of Asian Gnaphalieae. The intergeneric relationships among Anaphalis and its related genera and the infrageneric taxonomy of this genus are complex and remain controversial. However, there are few studies that have focused on these issues. Herein, based on the current most comprehensive sampling of the HAP clade, especially Anaphalis, we conducted phylogenetic analyses using chloroplast (cp) genome and nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) to evaluate the relationships within HAP clade, test the monophyly of Anaphalis, and examine the infrageneric taxonomy of this genus. Meanwhile, the morphological characters were verified to determine the circumscription and infrageneric taxonomy system of Anaphalis. Additionally, the biogeographical history, diversification processes, and evolution of crucial morphological characters were estimated and inferred. Our phylogenetic analyses suggested that Anaphalis is polyphyletic because it nested with Helichrysum and Pseudognaphalium. Two and four main clades of Anaphalis were identified in cp genome and nrDNA trees, respectively. Compared with nrDNA trees, the cp genome trees were more effective for phylogenetic resolution. After comprehensively analyzing morphological and phylogenetic evidence, it was concluded that the achene surface ornamentation and leaf base showed less homoplasy and supported the two Anaphalis lineages that were inferred from cp genome. Our biogeographical analyses based on cp genome indicated that HAP clade underwent rapid diversification from late Miocene to Pliocene. The two Anaphalis lineages appeared to have originated in Africa, then spread to Western and Southern Asia, and subsequently moved into Southwestern China forming a diversity center. The dispersal patterns of the two Anaphalis lineages were different. One dispersed around the world, except in Africa and South America. The other one dispersed to Eastern and Southeastern Asia from the ancestral origin region.

A pigeon robot is an ideal experimental animal for research in flying animal robots. The majority of current research publications have entailed electrical stimulation of the motor nuclei to regulate movement forcibly, and although a “virtual fear” behavior model has been proposed, the structure, location, and function of the nuclei that generate fear emotions remain obscure. Previous studies have shown that the Stratum Griseum Periventriculare (SGP) of pigeons is homologous to the mammalian periaqueductal gray (PAG), which plays an essential role in mammalian fear. To reveal the role of fear mediated by the SGP in behavioral regulation, we evaluated the structure and location of the SGP by histologic identification combined with magnetic resonance imaging, and analyzed the behavior of the SGP by electrical stimulation. Finally, the function of the SGP was verified with escape testing and homing experiments in an open field. Our results showed that the SGP is located in the pigeon midbrain and divided into two subregions, the dorsal part of the stratum griseum periventriculare (SGPd) and the ventral part of the stratum griseum periventriculare (SGPv) (the ranges were AP1.5–4.75 mm, ML1.75–6.75 mm, and DV2.2–7.1 mm), and that wired and wireless electrical stimulation freezing was the dominant behavior. In the escape test, SGP electrical stimulation caused the pigeons to flee to a safe place, while in the open-field homing test, electrical stimulation of the SGP induced evasive behavior in pigeons away from their original homing route. These results confirm that the SGP plays a crucial role in fear, and that electrical stimulation of this nucleus induces corresponding fear behaviors.

Opisthopappus taihangensis (Ling) Shih is a monotypic species (Anthemideae, Asteraceae) and an endemic endangered plant of China. In this study, we sequenced the complete chloroplast genome of O. taihangensis using Illumina HiSeq X Ten platform. The total length of O. taihangensis chloroplast genome is 151,089 bp, including a large single-copy region of length 82,877 bp, a small single-copy region of length 18304 bp, and a pair of 24,954-bp inverted repeat regions. The chloroplast genome of O. taihangensis has 132 genes, including 87 protein-coding, eight ribosomal RNA, and 37 transfer RNA genes. The overall GC content of the whole genome was 37.5%. The phylogenetic analysis revealed a close relationship between O. taihangensis and Chrysanthemum boreale.