Measurement of Mercury Methylation in Lake Water and Sediment Samples

The production of various eremophilane-type sesquiterpenes by Penicillium roqueforti strains has allowed us to propose a biochemical pathway for PR toxin synthesis. A time-course study of P. roqueforti metabolite production by high-performance liquid chromatography was performed to check this hypothetical pathway. The results obtained suggested that eremofortin C was the direct precursor of PR toxin in the P. roqueforti cell. Attempts to determine the amount of PR toxin in the mycelium failed. It was shown that the absence of PR toxin in mycelium was due to its instability during the extraction procedure.     

Sediment microbial community structure and mercury methylation in mercury-polluted Clear Lake, California

Spatial and temporal variations in sediment microbial community structure in a eutrophic lake polluted with inorganic mercury were identified using polar lipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis. Microbial community structure was strongly related to mercury methylation potential, sediment organic carbon content, and lake location. Pore water sulfate, total mercury concentrations, and organic matter C/N ratios showed no relationships with microbial community structure. Seasonal changes and changes potentially attributable to temperature regulation of bacterial membranes were detectable but were less important influences on sediment PLFA composition than were differences due to lake sampling location. Analysis of biomarker PLFAs characteristic of Desulfobacter and Desulfovibrio groups of sulfate-reducing bacteria suggests that Desulfobacter-like organisms are important mercury methylators in the sediments, especially in the Lower Arm of Clear Lake.     

A Microbial Arsenic Cycle in Sediments of an Acidic Mine Impoundment: Herman Pit,Clear Lake,California

The involvement of prokaryotes in the redox reactions of arsenic occurring between its +5 [arsenate; As(V)] and +3 [arsenite; As(III)] oxidation states has been well established. Most research to date has focused upon circum-neutral pH environments (e.g., freshwater or estuarine sediments) or arsenic-rich “extreme” environments like hot springs and soda lakes. In contrast, relatively little work has been conducted in acidic environments. With this in mind we conducted experiments with sediments taken from the Herman Pit, an acid mine drainage impoundment of a former mercury (cinnabar) mine. Due to the large adsorptive capacity of the abundant Fe(III)-rich minerals, we were unable to initially detect in solution either As(V) or As(III) added to the aqueous phase of live sediment slurries or autoclaved controls, although the former consumed added electron donors (i.e., lactate, acetate, hydrogen), while the latter did not. This prompted us to conduct further experiments with diluted slurries using the live materials from the first incubation as inoculum. In these experiments we observed reduction of As(V) to As(III) under anoxic conditions and reduction rates were enhanced by addition of electron donors. We also observed oxidation of As(III) to As(V) in oxic slurries as well as in anoxic slurries amended with nitrate. We noted an acid-tolerant trend for sediment slurries in the cases of As(III) oxidation (aerobic and anaerobic) as well as for anaerobic As(V) reduction. These observations indicate the presence of a viable microbial arsenic redox cycle in the sediments of this extreme environment, a result reinforced by the successful amplification of arsenic functional genes (aioA, and arrA) from these materials.     

Microbial Community Structure and Dynamics in the Largest Natural French Lake (Lake Bourget)

We investigated the dynamics and diversity of heterotrophic bacteria, autotrophic and heterotrophic flagellates, and ciliates from March to July 2002 in the surface waters (0–50 m) of Lake Bourget. The heterotrophic bacteria consisted mainly of “small” cocci, but filaments (>2 μm), commonly considered to be grazing-resistant forms under increased nanoflagellate grazing, were also detected. These elongated cells mainly belonged to the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium (CF) cluster, and were most abundant during spring and early summer, when mixotrophic or heterotrophic flagellates were the main bacterial predators. The CF group strongly dominated fluorescent in situ hybridization–detected cells from March to June, whereas clear changes were observed in early summer when Beta-proteobacteria and Alpha-proteobacteria increased concomitantly with maximal protist grazing pressures. The analysis of protist community structure revealed that the flagellates consisted mainly of cryptomonad forms. The dynamics of Cryptomonas sp. and Dinobryon sp. suggested the potential importance of mixotrophs as consumers of bacteria. This point was verified by an experimental approach based on fluorescent microbeads to assess the potential grazing impact of all protist taxa in the epilimnion. From the results, three distinct periods in the functioning of the epilimnetic microbial loop were identified. In early spring, mixotrophic and heterotrophic flagellates constituted the main bacterivores, and were regulated by the availability of their resources mainly during April (phase 1). Once the “clear water phase” was established, the predation pressure of metazooplankton represented a strong top-down force on all microbial compartments. During this period only mixotrophic flagellates occasionally exerted a significant bacterivory pressure (phase 2). Finally, the early summer was characterized by the highest protozoan grazing impact and by a rapid shift in the carbon pathway transfer, with a fast change-over of the main predators contribution, i.e., mixotrophic, heterotrophic flagellates and ciliates in bacterial mortality. The high abundance of ciliates during this period was consistent with the high densities of resources (heterotrophic nanoflagellates, algae, bacteria) in deep layers containing the most chlorophyll. Bacteria, as ciliates, responded clearly to increasing phytoplankton abundance, and although bacterial grazing impact could vary largely, bacterial abundance seemed to be primarily bottom-up regulated (phase 3).     

Microbial Diversity in Water and Sediment of Lake Chaka, an Athalassohaline Lake in Northwestern China

We employed culture-dependent and -independent techniques to study microbial diversity in Lake Chaka, a unique hypersaline lake (32.5% salinity) in northwest China. It is situated at 3,214 m above sea level in a dry climate. The average water depth is 2 to 3 cm. Halophilic isolates were obtained from the lake water, and halotolerant isolates were obtained from the shallow sediment. The isolates exhibited resistance to UV and gamma radiation. Microbial abundance in the sediments ranged from 10⁸ cells/g at the water-sediment interface to 10⁷ cells/g at a sediment depth of 42 cm. A major change in the bacterial community composition was observed across the interface. In the lake water, clone sequences affiliated with the Bacteroidetes were the most abundant, whereas in the sediments, sequences related to low G+C gram-positive bacteria were predominant. A similar change was also present in the archaeal community. While all archaeal clone sequences in the lake water belonged to the Halobacteriales, the majority of the sequences in the sediments were related to those previously obtained from methanogenic soils and sediments. The observed changes in the microbial community structure across the water-sediment interface were correlated with a decrease in salinity from the lake water (32.5%) to the sediments (approximately 4%). Across the interface, the redox state also changed from oxic to anoxic and may also have contributed to the observed shift in the microbial community.     

Depth Distribution of Microbial Diversity in Mono Lake, a Meromictic Soda Lake in California

We analyzed the variation with depth in the composition of members of the domain Bacteria in samples from alkaline, hypersaline, and currently meromictic Mono Lake in California. DNA samples were collected from the mixolimnion (2 m), the base of the oxycline (17.5 m), the upper chemocline (23 m), and the monimolimnion (35 m). Composition was assessed by sequencing randomly selected cloned fragments of 16S rRNA genes retrieved from the DNA samples. Most of the 212 sequences retrieved from the samples fell into five major lineages of the domain Bacteria: α- and γ-Proteobacteria (6 and 10%, respectively), Cytophaga-Flexibacter-Bacteroides (19%), high-G+C-content gram-positive organisms (Actinobacteria; 25%), and low-G+C-content gram-positive organisms (Bacillus and Clostridium; 19%). Twelve percent were identified as chloroplasts. The remaining 9% represented β- and δ-Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobiales, and candidate divisions. Mixolimnion and oxycline samples had low microbial diversity, with only 9 and 12 distinct phylotypes, respectively, whereas chemocline and monimolimnion samples were more diverse, containing 27 and 25 phylotypes, respectively. The compositions of microbial assemblages from the mixolimnion and oxycline were not significantly different from each other (P = 0.314 and 0.877), but they were significantly different from those of chemocline and monimolimnion assemblages (P < 0.001), and the compositions of chemocline and monimolimnion assemblages were not significantly different from each other (P = 0.006 and 0.124). The populations of sequences retrieved from the mixolimnion and oxycline samples were dominated by sequences related to high-G+C-content gram-positive bacteria (49 and 63%, respectively) distributed in only three distinct phylotypes, while the population of sequences retrieved from the monimolimnion sample was dominated (52%) by sequences related to low-G+C-content gram-positive bacteria distributed in 12 distinct phylotypes. Twelve and 28% of the sequences retrieved from the chemocline sample were also found in the mixolimnion and monimolimnion samples, respectively. None of the sequences retrieved from the monimolimnion sample were found in the mixolimnion or oxycline samples. Elevated diversity in anoxic bottom water samples relative to oxic surface water samples suggests a greater opportunity for niche differentiation in bottom versus surface waters of this lake.     

Seasonal and Spatial Variations in Mercury Methylation and Demethylation in an Oligotrophic Lake

Microbial mercury methylation and methylmercury decomposition were examined in Lake Clara, an oligotrophic northern Wisconsin seepage lake, using radioisotopic tracers. Methylation activity was near background in the water column, was greatest in the profundal surficial sediments, and decreased with depth in sediment cores. Active demethylation occurred in the water column but was variable. Demethylation was greatest in the surficial sediments and decreased slightly with sediment depth. The methylation/demethylation ratio (M/D) was >1 in the water column, exhibited a sharp peak in surface sediments, and decreased in deeper sediments. Methylation and demethylation activity varied in surface sediments collected along a lake transect. The M/D ratio in surface sediments ranged from 1.4 to 5.8. Methylation in attached microbial communities was near background, while demethylation was high. The M/D ratios in the attached communities were all <0.20. Methylation activity in surface sediments incubated at in situ temperature increased from spring to late summer and decreased in the fall. Demethylation increased from early to midsummer and then declined. The M/D ratio in surface sediments increased from mid- to late summer, and decreased in the fall. These results indicate that the greatest potential for methylation in Lake Clara occurs in the surficial sediments and that methylation in surficial sediments is greatest from mid-July through September. In addition, the net rate of methylmercury production may be significantly affected by demethylation.     

Microbial Diversity and Resistance to Copper in Metal-Contaminated Lake Sediment

Contamination of habitats with heavy metals has become a worldwide problem. We describe herein the analysis of lake sediment contaminated with high concentrations of copper as a consequence of mine milling disposal over a 100-year period. Copper concentrations in the sediment were found to vary with depth and ranged from 200 to 5500 ppm. Analysis of the microbial community with T-RFLP identified a minimum of 20 operational taxonomic units (OTU). T-RFLP analysis along a depth profile detected as many as nine shared OTUs across 15 centimeters, suggesting a conservation of community structure over this range. Only two genera, Arthrobacter and Ralstonia, were detected among 50 aerobic copper-resistant isolates cultivated on R2A, one of which (Ralstonia sp.) was characterized by the sequestration of copper, identified by electron diffraction scanning, in growing colonies. Scanning electron microscopy showed changes to the outer envelope of the cells when grown in the presence of copper. The copper-resistant Ralstonia isolates were also resistant to Ni, Cd, and Zn, showing two patterns of phenotypic resistant to these three metals in which either resistance to Zn or Ni was expressed in an isolate but never both.     

Mercury Methylation and Demethylation in Anoxic Lake Sediments and by Strictly Anaerobic Bacteria

After spiking anoxic sediment slurries of three acidic oligotrophic lakes with either HgCl₂ at 1.0 μg/ml or CH₃HgI at 0.1 μg/ml, both mercury methylation and demethylation rates were measured. High mercury methylation potentials were accompanied by high demethylation potentials in the same sediment. These high potentials correlated positively with the concentrations of organic matter and dissolved sulfate in the sediment and with mercury levels in fish. Adjustment of the acidic sediment pH to neutrality failed to influence either the methylation or the demethylation rate of mercury. The opposing methylation and demethylation processes converged to establish similar Hg²⁺-CH₃Hg⁺ equilibria in all three sediments. Because of their metabolic dominance in anoxic sediments, mercury methylation and demethylation in pure cultures of sulfidogenic, methanogenic, and acetogenic bacteria were also measured. Sulfidogens both methylated and demethylated mercury, but the methanogen tested only catalyzed demethylation and the acetogen neither methylated nor demethylated mercury.     

Relationships between Sediment Microbial Communities and Pollutants in Two California Salt Marshes

Salt marshes are important ecosystems whose plant and microbial communities can alter terrestrially derived pollutants prior to coastal water discharge. However, knowledge regarding relationships between anthropogenic pollutant levels and salt marsh microbial communities is limited, and salt marshes on the West Coast of the United States are rarely examined. In this study, we investigated the relationships between microbial community composition and 24 pollutants (20 metals and 4 organics) in two California salt marshes. Multivariate ordination techniques were used to assess how bacterial community composition, as determined by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and phospholipid fatty acid analyses, was related to pollution. Sea urchin embryo toxicity measurements and plant tissue metabolite profiles were considered two other biometrics of pollution. Spatial effects were strongly manifested across marshes and across channel elevations within marshes. Utilizing partial canonical correspondence analysis, an ordination technique new to microbial ecology, we found that several metals were strongly associated with microbial community composition after accounting for spatial effects. The major patterns in plant metabolite profiles were consistent with patterns across microbial community profiles, but sea urchin embryo assays, which are commonly used to evaluate ecological toxicity, had no identifiable relationships with pollution. Whereas salt marshes are generally dynamic and complex habitats, microbial communities in these marshes appear to be relatively sensitive indicators of toxic pollutants.     

Characterization of Microbial Community Structure in the Surface Sediment of Osaka Bay, Japan, by Phospholipid Fatty Acid Analysis

Twenty-eight sediment samples collected from Osaka Bay, Japan, were analyzed for phospholipid ester-linked fatty acids (PLFA) to determine regional differences in microbial community structure of the bay. The abundance of three major groups of C₁₀ to C₁₉ PLFA (saturated, branched, and monounsaturated PLFA), which accounted for 84 to 97% of the total PLFA, indicated the predominance of prokaryotes in the sediment. The distribution of six clusters obtained by similarity analysis in the bay revealed a marked regional distribution in the PLFA profiles. Total PLFA concentrations (0.56 to 2.97 μg/g [dry weight] of the sediment) in sediments also showed marked variation among the stations, with higher concentrations of total PLFA in the central part of the bay. The biomass, calculated on the basis of total PLFA concentration, ranged from 0.25 × 10⁸ to 1.35 × 10⁸ cells per g (dry weight) of the sediment. The relative dominance of microbial groups in sediments was described by using the reported bacterial biomarker fatty acids. Very small amounts of the characteristic PLFA of microeukaryotes in sediments indicated the restricted distribution of microeukaryotes. By examining the distribution of clusters and groups of microorganisms in the bay, there were two characteristics of the distribution pattern: (i) the predominance of anaerobic bacteria and gram-positive prokaryotes, characterized by the high proportions of branched PLFA in the eastern and northeastern sides of the bay, where the reported concentrations of pollutants were also high, and (ii) the predominance of aerobic prokaryotes and eukaryotes, except for a few stations, in the western and southwestern sides of the bay, as evidenced by the large amounts of monounsaturated PLFA. Such significant regional differences in microbial community structure of the bay indicate shifts in microbial community structure.     

Abundance and Community Structure of Picoplankton and Protists in the Microbial Food Web of Barguzin Bay,Lake Baikal

We examined the vertical abundance of bacteria, phytoplankton and protists along a transect of six stations from near-shore (Stn. 1) to off-shore (Stn. 6) in Barguzin Bay of Lake Baikal, in the summer of 2002. Chlorophyll concentrations at Stn. 1 were higher (>10μg l⁻¹) than at the other five stations (<3μg l⁻¹). Planktonic and sessile diatoms dominated at Stn. 1, while pico-phytoplankon was dominant at other stations. Densities of heterotrophic bacteria were high in both the epilimnion and the thermocline at all stations. Nanoflagellates were abundant in the epilimnion, and ciliates in the thermocline, but no horizontal trend could be found for these heterotrophs. At Stn. 1, not only filter feeding (Strombidium and Strobilidium) and raptorial (Balanion) ciliates but also predatory ciliates (Prorodon and Spathidiosus) dominated, while at other stations only the filter feeding and raptorial ciliates were dominant. In off-shore stations (Stns. 5 and 6), significant correlations were detected between concentrations of chlorophyll a and density of filter feeding or raptorial ciliates, suggesting tight food linkages between phytoplankton and these ciliates. The concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was significantly correlated with chlorophyll a concentration, although there was no significant correlation between DOC concentration and bacterial density. We suggest that there is a shift of the dominant food linkage from a herbivorous food chain in near-shore areas to a microbial food web in off-shore areas in Barguzin Bay of Lake Baikal.     

Methanogenic Pathway and Archaeal Community Structure in the Sediment of Eutrophic Lake Dagow: Effect of Temperature

Methanogenic degradation of organic matter is an important microbial process in lake sediments. Temperature may affect not only the rate but also the pathway of CH₄ production by changing the activity and the abundance of individual microorganisms. Therefore, we studied the function and structure of a methanogenic community in anoxic sediment of Lake Dagow, a eutrophic lake in north-eastern Germany. Incubation of sediment samples (in situ 7.5°C) at increasing temperatures (4, 10, 15, 25, 30°C) resulted in increasing production rates of CH₄ and CO₂ and in increasing steady-state concentrations of H₂. Thermodynamic conditions for H₂/CO₂ -dependent methanogenesis were only exergonic at 25 and 30°C. Inhibition of methanogenesis with chloroform resulted in the accumulation of methanogenic precursors, i.e., acetate, propionate, and isobutyrate. Mass balance calculations indicated that less CH₄ was formed via H₂ at 4°C than at 30°C. Conversion of ¹⁴CO₂ to ¹⁴CH₄ also showed that H₂/CO₂ -dependent methanogenesis contributed less to total CH₄ production at 4°C than at 30°C. [2–¹⁴ C]Acetate turnover rates at 4°C accounted for a higher percentage of total CH₄ production than at 30°C. Collectively, these results showed a higher contribution of H₂-dependent methanogenesis and a lower contribution of acetate-dependent methanogenesis at high versus low temperature. The archaeal community was characterized by cloning, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA genes retrieved from the sediment. Sequences were affiliated with Methanosaetaceae, Methanomicrobiaceae, and three deeply branching euryarchaeotal clusters, i.e., group III, Rice cluster V, and a novel euryarchaeotal cluster, the LDS cluster. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis showed that 16S rRNA genes affiliated to Methanosaetaceae (20–30%), Methanomicrobiaceae (35–55%), and group III (10–25%) contributed most to the archaeal community. Incubation of the sediment at different temperatures (4–30°C) did not result in a systematic change of the archaeal community composition, indicating that change of temperature primarily affected the activity rather than the structure of the methanogenic community.     

安徽南漪湖大型底栖动物群落结构

2002年7月至2004年7月,对安徽南漪湖12个采样点的大型底栖动物群落结构进行了调查研究,共获得大型底栖动物39种,隶属于3门28属。大型底栖动物的现存量在2003年冬季出现最高值,密度最低值出现在2004年夏季。软体动物的现存量占绝对优势,其优势种为河蚬(Corbicula fluminea)、梨形环棱螺(Bellamya purificata)、铜锈环棱螺(B.aeruginosa)和长角涵螺(Alocinma longicornis)。Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Margalef多样性指数和Pielou指数的年均值分别为0.83、0.51和0.77。南漪湖西部物种数、物种多样性、现存量均较东部高。建闸蓄水后,南漪湖的环境发生了很大的改变,随水深增加,大型底栖动物的现存量呈明显下降的趋势。     

Sulfate-reducing Bacteria and Mercury Methylation in the Water Column of the Lake 658 of the Experimental Lake Area

Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) appear to be the main mediators of mercury methylation in sediments, which are deemed to be major sites of methylmercury (MMHg) production. However, recent studies have also found significant MMHg formation in the water column of lakes across North America. To investigate the potential involvement of SRB in mercury methylation in the water column of a stratified oligotrophic lake, two of the main families of SRB (Desulfobacteraceae and Desulfovibrionaceae) were quantified by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction of the 16S rRNA gene. MMHg production was measured applying a stable isotope technique using ¹⁹⁸HgCl. Methylation assays were conducted at different water depths and under stimulation with lactate, acetate or propionate and inhibition with molybdate. Desulfobacteraceae and Desulfovibrionaceae16S rRNA gene copies in control samples accounted for 0.05% to 33% and <0.01% to 1.12% of the total bacterial 16S rRNA, respectively. MMHg formation was as high as 0.3 ng L^?1 day^?1 and largest in lactate amended samples. Strain isolation was only achieved in lactate amended media with all isolated strains being SRB belonging to the Desulfovibrio genus according to their 16S rRNA gene sequence. Isolated strains methylated between 0.06 and 0.2% of ¹⁹⁸HgCl per day. Acetate and propionate did not stimulate mercury methylation as much as lactate. Two strains were identified as Desulfovibrio sp. 12ML1 (FJ865472) and Desulfovibrio sp. 12ML3 (FJ865473), based on partial sequences of their 16S rRNA and DSR gene. Methylation assays and bacteria characterization suggest that Desulfovibrionaceae is an important mercury methylators in Lake 658. Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Geomicrobiology Journal to view the free supplemental file.     

The Structure of Microbial Community and Degradation of Diatoms in the Deep Near-Bottom Layer of Lake Baikal

Insight into the role of bacteria in degradation of diatoms is important for understanding the factors and components of silica turnover in aquatic ecosystems. Using microscopic methods, it has been shown that the degree of diatom preservation and the numbers of diatom-associated bacteria in the surface layer of bottom sediments decrease with depth; in the near-bottom water layer, the majority of bacteria are associated with diatom cells, being located either on the cell surface or within the cell. The structure of microbial community in the near-bottom water layer has been characterized by pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, which has revealed 149 208 unique sequences. According to the results of metagenomic analysis, the community is dominated by representatives of Proteobacteria (41.9%), Actinobacteria (16%); then follow Acidobacteria (6.9%), Cyanobacteria (5%), Bacteroidetes (4.7%), Firmicutes (2.8%), Nitrospira (1.6%), and Verrucomicrobia (1%); other phylotypes account for less than 1% each. For 18.7% of the sequences, taxonomic identification has been possible only to the Bacteria domain level. Many bacteria identified to the genus level have close relatives occurring in other aquatic ecosystems and soils. The metagenome of the bacterial community from the near-bottom water layer also contains 16S rRNA gene sequences found in previously isolated bacterial strains possessing hydrolytic enzyme activity. These data show that potential degraders of diatoms occur among the vast variety of microorganisms in the near-bottom water of Lake Baikal.     

Sediment Enzyme Activities and Microbial Community Diversity in an Oligotrophic Drinking Water Reservoir,Eastern China

Drinking water reservoir plays a vital role in the security of urban water supply, yet little is known about microbial community diversity harbored in the sediment of this oligotrophic freshwater environmental ecosystem. In the present study, integrating community level physiological profiles (CLPPs), nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and clone sequence technologies, we examined the sediment urease and protease activities, bacterial community functional diversity, genetic diversity of bacterial and fungal communities in sediments from six sampling sites of Zhou cun drinking water reservoir, eastern China. The results showed that sediment urease activity was markedly distinct along the sites, ranged from 2.48 to 11.81 mg NH₃-N/(g·24h). The highest average well color development (AWCD) was found in site C, indicating the highest metabolic activity of heterotrophic bacterial community. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed tremendous differences in the functional (metabolic) diversity patterns of the sediment bacterial communities from different sites. Meanwhile, DGGE fingerprints also indicated spatial changes of genetic diversity of sediment bacterial and fungal communities. The sequence BLAST analysis of all the sediment samples found that Comamonas sp. was the dominant bacterial species harbored in site A. Alternaria alternate, Allomyces macrogynus and Rhizophydium sp. were most commonly detected fungal species in sediments of the Zhou cun drinking water reservoir. The results from this work provide new insights about the heterogeneity of sediment microbial community metabolic activity and genetic diversity in the oligotrophic drinking water reservoir.     

Aspects of the ecology of the prickly sculpin,Cottus asper Richardson,a persistent native species in Clear Lake,Lake County,California

Synopsis The biology of the prickly sculpin was investigated in Clear Lake, Lake County, California in order to determine how it has persisted in the face of introductions of numerous exotic species when most other native species have declined in abundance or have become extinct. Sculpins over 15 mm SL inhabited all types of benthic habitats in the lake, while post larval sculpins were pelagic when the postlarvae of exotic species were absent. The feeding ecology of sculpins was distinct from the other fishes in the lake in that they fed largely on amphipods and chironomid midge larvae regardless of the time of year, time of day, or habitat. Sculpins were uncommon in the stomachs of piscivorous fishes, except juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). It is concluded that prickly sculpins have persisted in Clear Lake in part because they are ecologically distinct from the exotic species and are not preyed upon by them to any great extent, and in part because they have managed to survive other man-related perturbations of this ecosystem.     

千岛湖浮游动物的群落结构

研究了贫－中营养型的大型,深水湖泊－－浙江千岛湖浮游动物的群落结构,包括种类组成,种群动态,现存量及群落多样性指数。在1a的研究中,共发现139种浮游动物（27种原生动物,70种轮虫,26种枝角类和16种桡足类）。根据年平均密度,各类浮游动物的优势种分别为褶累枝(Epistylis plicatilie),螺形龟甲轮虫9Keratella cochlearis),透明蚤（Daphnia hyalina)和一种中剑水蚤（Mesocyclops notius)。轮虫和枝角类群落多样性指数随着水体透明度的增大呈下降的趋势;采样站变异下,枝角类群落多样性指数与其种类数和密度呈显著的正相关关系;月份变异下,桡足类群落多样性指数与其密度呈显著的正相关关系。