渤海湾地区红腹滨鹬迁徙动态的初步研究

红腹滨鹬(Calidris canutus)繁殖于环北极地区,属长距离迁徙鸟类,我国黄渤海地区是其在东亚-澳大利西亚迁徙路线上重要的停歇地。2003~2004年,通过对渤海湾北部双龙河口(东经118°21′,北纬37°2′)及其附近地区红腹滨鹬的种群调查,发现其迁徙高峰期出现在4月底到6月初,峰值为2004年5月15日的3 814只;2004年北迁时期,记录到佩戴有澳大利亚和新西兰脚旗的红腹滨鹬17只次,证实在澳大利亚西北部、东南部以及新西兰等3个地区越冬的2个红腹滨鹬亚种都在北迁时使用渤海湾作为其停歇地。     

人为干扰对黑腹滨鹬觅食行为的影响

2003年11月至2004年3月,采用目标动物取样法和人为干扰实验法,于浙江省乐清湾滩涂进行人类活动对黑腹滨鹬(Calidrisalpina)觅食行为影响的研究。取样观察结果表明,在每天沿海堤可观察黑腹滨鹬持续觅食的1h里,96.6%的黑腹滨鹬在35m或更小的距离上通过奔跑或惊飞对人类的活动作出反应;黑腹滨鹬花费90%(人类较多的盐盆滩涂为85%,较少的乐成滩涂为94%)的时间觅食,10%的时间用于避免人类的干扰;人数、人类活动类型对觅食时间具有显著影响,人数、人离黑腹滨鹬的距离、人类活动类型对黑腹滨鹬移动的距离、移动的次数以及黑腹滨鹬对人类靠近的反应均具有显著效应。人为干扰最小接近距离实验结果表明,黑腹滨鹬对人类反应的距离在3～30m;干扰人数为1人时的最小接近距离显著大于2人;人类行走和奔跑的两种活动类型对黑腹滨鹬的最小接近距离没有显著影响。本研究验证了滨鸟觅食区内的人为活动严重影响黑腹滨鹬觅食行为的假设。     

黑腹滨鹬亚种分类研究进展

黑腹滨鹬Calidris alpina因繁殖季节其腹部有黑斑而得名,是北半球最常见的鸻形目鸟类之一.黑腹滨鹬历史上共命名过11个亚种,经过2次主要的系统厘定后,目前认为分化有10个亚种.亚种间除在量度性状、体色性状和地理分布有区别外,还在换羽模式、线粒体谱系组成等方面有所不同,从而使其成为研究种群分化的理想对象之一.本文介绍了黑腹滨鹬的亚种分类性状、分类修订以及亚种分类系统,并就非繁殖期的相关研究作了概述.由于混群,非繁殖地的亚种鉴定与繁殖地的亚种鉴定在性状的使用侧重上有很大的不同.非繁殖地亚种的划分,以环志回收结果和线粒体DNA谱系组成为主,其它性状为辅.中国究竟有几个亚种分布还需要进一步研究后才能确定.     

辽宁鸟类分布新记录4种：小滨鹬、 长嘴半蹼鹬、斑胸滨鹬、流苏鹬

2010年至2019年间,鸟类研究者和观鸟爱好者在辽宁鸭绿江口和辽河口湿地累计记录到鸻形目（Charadriiformes）水鸟48种,其中小滨鹬（Calidris minuta）、长嘴半蹼鹬（Limnodromus scolopaceus）、斑胸滨鹬（C. melanotos）、流苏鹬（C. pugnax）等4种是辽宁省鸟类分布新记录种。     

细嘴滨鹬春季迁徙中转停歇期间机体结构的表型弹性

通过描述细嘴滨鹬（Calidris tenuirostris）春季在上海中转停歇期间个体与器官表型变化,分析了中转停歇期间机体结构表型弹性的变化。结果表明：细嘴滨鹬中转停歇期间,体质量显著增加,最大增量约相当于平均体质量的52.2％。体质量增加的最大因素是脂肪质量的增加;其次是胸肌质量的增加,胸肌质量随体质量平行变化;腿肌与心质量随体质量的增加也有增加趋势;消化器官的变化分为2方面,一是消化腺（肝、胰）质量增加,二是消化道质量（砂囊、肠）没有大的变化,推测消化道没有大变化的原因可能是保留有一定的备用容量,细嘴滨鹬通过消化腺的增大来快速提高停歇期的觅食效率,同时避免重建消化器官的能量与时间的消耗,提高整体迁徙速度;脑、肺、肾、脾、眼及盐腺等器官质量保持稳定。     

废弃工业场地有机氯农药分布及生态风险评价

对典型废弃有机氯农药生产场地中土壤中六六六（α-,β-,γ-,δ-HCH）和滴滴涕（p,p’-DDT,p,p′-DDE,p,p′-DDD,o,p’-DDT）的残留特征进行了分析。结果发现场地中六六六的残留水平为13.16～148.71mg/kg;滴滴涕残留水平为3.02～67.42mg/kg。表层土残留最大,随着土层加深,污染物残留逐渐下降。六六六的残留水平要高于滴滴涕。残留分析表明场地中有机氯农药有逐步降解的趋势,但是现有残留水平超出了国家的土壤质量二级标准。根据场地土地利用方向,运用CalTOX暴露模型结合Monte Carlo分析进行了健康风险评价,结果表明,健康风险主要来自于两种人体暴露途径：皮肤吸收和呼吸摄入,总的风险都超过了可接受风险水平（10^-6）,通过敏感性分析表明5个参数对于总的风险贡献较大。该研究对于有机氯农药场地土壤的风险管理提供了依据。     

云南省鸟类新纪录——黑腹滨鹬、彩鹮

<正>2010年11月21日在云南省昆明市呈贡大学城关山水库(海拔1940m,地理坐标102°50'E,24°49'N)进行鸟类调查时,观察并拍摄到一只鹬,拍摄距离约为10m。经查阅有关文献资料,该鹬为黑腹滨鹬Calidris alpine,系云南省鸟类新纪录。关山水库是一个以灌溉为主的小型水库,但在冬季会有多种水鸟在此越冬。除了黑腹滨鹬外,在调查中还记录到白鹭、牛背鹭、池鹭、苍鹭、红嘴鸥、反嘴鹬、黑翅长脚鹬、矶鹬、白腰草鹬、金眶鸻、小、凤头、普通鸬鹚、赤麻鸭、翘鼻麻鸭、斑嘴鸭等水禽。     

赣江流域底泥中有机氯农药残留特征及空间分布

基于"临水垂直插管法"采集赣江流域32个采样点的底泥样品,经索氏提取方法(Soxhlet Extraction,SE)前处理及气相色谱法(GC-ECD)检测样品中有机氯农药(OCPs)含量。结合多元统计学和ArcGIS9.3,研究了8种有机氯农药的残留状况及空间分布情况。结果表明,所检测8种OCPs中,除β-HCH有2个点未检出,其它7种OCPs检出率为100%。以DDTs残留含量最高,DDTs平均值为10.40μg/kg,其异构体以p,p’-DDT为主;HCHs的平均值为8.24μg/kg,其异构体以β-HCH为主。它们除了来自环境中的早期残留外,仍然具有新的外源HCHs和DDTs的输入。不同OCPs在研究区分布存在很大差异,HCHs总量分布较高的地区位于流域的中下游,DDTs总量分布较高的地区位于流域的中上游。     

海南东寨港发现斑胸滨鹬

正2013年11月15日上午,在海南省海口市东寨港国家级自然保护区周边一片农田(19°53'51.80″N,116°37'01.78″E)观察到1只斑胸滨鹬(Calidris melanotos)(图1),该片农田用作种植蔬菜和饲养水蚤。发现斑胸滨鹬的同时,也记录到林鹬(Tringa glareola)、泽鹬(T.stagnatilis)、白腰草鹬(T.ochropus)、黑尾塍鹬(Limosa     

宁波滩涂贝类养殖区沉积物中有机氯农药和多氯联苯残留及生态风险评估

利用GC-ECD对宁波市主要滩涂贝类养殖区表层沉积物中的多氯联苯(PCBs)和有机氯农药六六六(HCHs)、滴滴涕(DDTs)的残留量进行测定,研究其分布状况,并进行生态风险评估.结果表明:贝类养殖区表层沉积物中的总有机氯农药含量为0.80～32.40ng·g-1,多氯联苯含量为3.20～33.33 ng·g-1.HCHs主要来自远距离大气传输及历史残留,部分区域有DDTs输入,其来源可能是三氯杀螨醇的使用.大部分站位的p,p’-DDT和DDTs存在潜在的生态风险,其中墙头和西店海域的p,p’-DDT残留超过生物效应中值,对底栖生物毒害效应较高.大多数站位PCBs的生态风险较低.     

Age and environment affect constitutive immune function in Red Knots (Calidris canutus)

We studied subspecies, age and environmental effects on constitutive immune function (natural antibody and complement titres, haptoglobin activity and leukocyte concentrations) in Red Knots (Calidris canutus). We compared C. c. islandica and C. c. canutus in the Wadden Sea and found no difference in immune function between subspecies. However, C. c. canutus on their wintering grounds in Banc d’Arguin had higher natural antibody and lower complement levels than C. c. canutus or C. c. islandica in the Wadden Sea. This suggests that immune function is determined more by the surrounding environment than by subspecies. We also compared age classes in the Wadden Sea and found that first year birds had significantly lower natural antibody levels than adults, but that second year birds no longer differed from adults. Finally, we examined the interaction of age and environment in Banc d’Arguin. We found that first year birds (but not adults) in a low quality habitat had higher leukocyte concentrations than first year birds or adults in a high quality habitat. Differences in available resources and defence needs between environments, and differences among individuals differentially distributed between sites, are likely important contributors to the variation in immune function we report. Future studies, which examine these factors on wild birds, will be important for our understanding of how animals function in their natural environment. (220).     

Three Australian leg-flagged Great Knots (Calidris tenuirostris) found on the islet coast of Jinmen (Quimoy)in Fujian,China

DEAR EDITOR:On April 7,2013,approximately 50 Great Knots(Calidris tenuirostris),Red Knots(C.canutus)and Bar-tailed Godwits(Limosa lapponica)were seen on the coast of Jinmen(Quimoy)     

Knots (Calidris canutus) from Germany and South Africa parasitised by trematodeCyclocoelum mutabile

Two Knots, among 88 dissected, contained the trematodeCyclocoelum mutabile. One represents the first record of this trematode from the Afrotropics. Both birds showed retardation of moult, and it is possible that such parasites have an indirect lethal effect, and that they affect breeding performance of this migrant wader with a tight annual schedule.

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Zusammenfassung Zwei von 88 sezierten Knutts enthielten den SaugwurmCyclocoelum mutabile. Einer davon stellt den Erstnachweis dieses Trematoden für die Afrotropis dar. Beide Vögel waren in ihrer Mauser verspätet. Es ist möglich, daß die Parasiten indirekt tödliche Auswirkungen haben und den Brutverlauf des Knutts beeinflussen, dessen Jahreszyklus sehr gedrängt ist.

     

In Search of Functional Advantages of Knots in Proteins

We analysed the structure of deeply knotted proteins representing three unrelated families of knotted proteins. We looked at the correlation between positions of knotted cores in these proteins and such local structural characteristics as the number of intra-chain contacts, structural stability and solvent accessibility. We observed that the knotted cores and especially their borders showed strong enrichment in the number of contacts. These regions showed also increased thermal stability, whereas their solvent accessibility was decreased. Interestingly, the active sites within these knotted proteins preferentially located in the regions with increased number of contacts that also have increased thermal stability and decreased solvent accessibility. Our results suggest that knotting of polypeptide chains provides a favourable environment for the active sites observed in knotted proteins. Some knotted proteins have homologues without a knot. Interestingly, these unknotted homologues form local entanglements that retain structural characteristics of the knotted cores.     

Sequence-Specific Size, Structure, and Stability of Tight Protein Knots

Approximately 1% of known protein structures display knotted configurations in their native fold, but the function of these configurations is not understood. It has been speculated that the entanglement may inhibit mechanical protein unfolding or transport, e.g., as in cellular threading or translocation processes through narrow biological pores. Protein knot manipulation, e.g., knot tightening and localization, has become possible in single-molecule experiments. Here, we investigate tight peptide knot (TPK) characteristics in detail by pulling selected 3₁ and 4₁-knotted peptides using all-atom molecular dynamics computer simulations. We find that the 3₁- and 4₁-TPK lengths are typically Δl ≈ 47± 4 Å and 69 ± 4 Å, respectively, for a wide range of tensions (0.1 nN ≲ F ≲ 1.5 nN). The 4₁-knot length is in agreement with recent atomic force microscopy pulling experiments. Calculated TPK radii of gyration point to a pore diameter of ∼20 Å, below which a translocated knotted protein might get stuck. TPK characteristics, however, may be sequence-specific: we find a different size and structural behavior in polyglycines, and, strikingly, a strong hydrogen bonding and water trapping capability of hydrophobic TPKs. Water capture and release is found to be controllable by the tightening force in a few cases. These mechanisms result in a sequence-specific “locking” and metastability of TPKs, which might lead to a blocking of knotted peptide transport at designated sequence positions. We observe that macroscopic tight 4₁-knot structures are reproduced microscopically (“figure of eight” versus the “pretzel”) and can be tuned by sequence, in contrast to mathematical predictions. Our findings may explain a function of knots in native proteins, challenge previous studies on macromolecular knots, and prove useful in bio- and nanotechnology.     

Stopover Ecology of Red Knots in Southwestern James Bay During Southbound Migration

Many shorebirds rely on small numbers of staging sites during long annual migrations. Numerous shorebird species are declining and understanding the importance of these staging sites is important for successful conservation. We surveyed endangered rufa red knots (Calidris canutus rufa) staging in James Bay, Ontario, Canada, during southbound migration in 2017 and 2018. We used mark-resight data and count data in an integrated Bayesian analysis to quantify migration phenology, estimate passage population size, and model the age structure of the stopover population. Many adult red knots arrived in James Bay in a single wave in early August in 2017, whereas adult red knots arrived in multiple smaller waves in July and mid-August in 2018. These waves may correspond with breeding phenology where more red knots bred successfully and arrived in one large event in 2017 and the higher number of earlier arrivals in July 2018 may have been failed breeders. We included a binomial generalized linear model in the integrated analysis to estimate that 20% and 10% of staging red knots were juveniles in 2017 and 2018, respectively. In future applications, this method could provide a metric to assess breeding performance and develop our understanding of its role in population declines. Overall, we estimated that up to 23% of the estimated rufa red knot population staged in southwestern James Bay for an average of 10–12 days. The region is a key staging site for endangered red knots and could be included in conservation planning. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.