Cover Story：The electron back-scattering micrograph of bamboo root. The studies on rice plants and bamboo plants in China find that silica is ex-clusively in endodermis cells(En) in roots, but mainly in epidermal cells in stem and leaves. Systematical variations of silica contents and silicon isotope compo- sitions are observed from their roots to stem to leaves, which provide us reliable evidences for studying the mechanisms of adsorption, transpor- tation and precipitation of silicon in plants, as well as the role of plants in silicon biogeochemical cycle. The research achievement directed by Profes-sor DING Ti-ping, Institute of Mineral Re-sources, CAGS, ranks “Top Ten Scientific and Technological Progresses of CAGS in 2008”. For details, see pp.129-142. (Photo by DING Ti-ping)
