Early Cretaceous calcareous nannofossils from high latitudes: implications for palaeobiogeography and palaeoclimate

In order to better understand the palaeoceanography and palaeoclimate of the Early Cretaceous, nannofossil data have been obtained from high-latitudinal sites from offshore mid-Norway and from the Barents Sea. No consistent nannofossil data are yet available for Early Cretaceous high latitudes, which should more clearly reflect possible palaeoclimatic changes, as recorded in fluctuations of diversity and abundance. Existing data from France, Italy, Romania, Poland and NW Europe (Germany, North Sea, England) have been complemented by material from higher latitudes. In order to record the Arctic–Boreal nannofossil assemblages, 400 samples from the Norwegian Shelf and the Barents Sea have been analysed. Sixty samples, covering the Berriasian–Barremian interval, yielded calcareous nannofossils. These are derived from cores between 63 and 73°N of present-day latitudes. The nannofossil assemblages recorded are generally of a low diversity and characterized by abundant Watznaueria barnesae and Crucibiscutum salebrosum, whereas Biscutum constans is less common. C. salebrosum, rare or absent at low latitudes, is extremely common in the Norwegian samples. It shows a bipolar distribution especially during Valanginian–Hauterivian times. In the early Valanginian, a distinctive latitudinal gradient in the abundance of C. salebrosum, impoverished in low latitudes and abundant in high latitudes, possibly reflects latitudinal differences in temperature. Restricted palaeoceanographic settings, caused by a sea-level lowstand, may have amplified these thermal gradients. Palaeoclimatically this implies the existence of climatic belts throughout parts of the Early Cretaceous (early Valanginian, Hauterivian), resulting from considerable temperature gradients from north to south. The palaeobiogeographic patterns discussed resulted in the formation of distinctive latitudinally bound nannofossil zones, which, to a certain extent, are similar to those of modern oceans. The palaeobiogeographic patterns described support the idea of an ice-house phase for the early Valanginian and disagree with the suggestion of a globally warm equable climate during that time.     

The mycorrhizal fungus Paxillus involutus transports magnesium to Norway spruce seedlings. Evidence from stable isotope labeling

Although it is well established that ectomycorrhizas improve the mineral nutrition of forest trees, there has been little evidence that they mediate uptake of divalent cations such as Mg. We grew nonmycorrhizal seedlings and seedlings mycorrhizal with Paxillus involutus Batsch in a sand culture system with two compartments separated by a 45-μm Nylon mesh. Hyphae, but not roots, can penetrate this net. Labeling the compartment only accessible to hyphae with ²⁵Mg showed that hyphae of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Paxillus involutus transported Mg to their host plant. No label was found in nonmycorrhizal control plants. Our data support the idea that ectomycorrhizas are important for the Mg nutrition of forest trees. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The effect of foliar nutrition on yield of greenhouse tomatoes and quality of the crop

Tomatoes grown in traditional mediums such as peat moss are usually supplied with essential nutrients by preplant fertilization and in the later growth stages by top dressing application to the root zone. According to the data from literature the efficient method of nutrient supply during the intensive stage of growth may be estimated as by foliar spraying. In the greenhouse experiment conducted in 1998–1999 a preplant fertilization by multicomponential fertilizer MIS-4 was applied to peat moss growing medium in full (4 kg per m³) and half (2 kg per m³) of recommended rate. Supplemental fertilization during the growing period was provided to the root zone or by using liquid multicomponential fertilizers Ekolist S and Mikrosol U in 5 sprays conducted at two week intervals. Results of the study proved that advantageous effect of foliar tomato nutrion grown in eat substrate was observed only in treatments with restricted supply of fertilizers to the growing medium. The maximum fruit yield was received from plots provided by the reduced preplant MIS-4 dose to 50 % of recommended rate combined with foliar sprays by Ekolist S. Such system of fertilization enhanced the marketable yield of fruit by 9.8 % and early yield by 11.3 % as compared to that obtained with preplant and top dressing soil application. Foliar nutrion did not change dry matter and vitamin C content and increased total and reducing sugars accumulation in tomato fruits.     

Effect of activated charcoal and 6-benzyladenine on in vitro nitrogen uptake by Lagerstroemia indica

A sterile hydroponic culture system suitable for studying nitrogen (N) uptake ofLagerstroemia indica L.in vitro was developed. Four different treatments were assayed: with and without activated charcoal (AC and NAC, respectively), with and without 50 μM of 6-benzyladenine (+BA and −BA, respectively). Medium pH, electrical conductivity (EC), NO₃ ⁻ and NH₄ ⁺ concentrations were measured weekly. At the end of the culture, propagules were sampled and SPAD indices, and shoot and root fresh weights were determined. Explants grown in media with activated charcoal were able to take up both NO₃ ⁻ and NH₄ ⁺, although NH₄ ⁺ uptake was lower. Subsequently the pH of the media was maintained between 5.5–6.0. In treatments with no addition of activated charcoal, NH₄ ⁺ uptake was preferential and the pH dropped to 3.1. Explants in these conditions were unable to raise the pH by taking up NO₃ ⁻, especially when root morphogenesis was inhibited by addition of BA. Supply of this PGR produced root growth inhibition, which was almost complete in the treatment without activated charcoal. This component significantly reduced the inhibitory effect of 50 μM BA on root growth. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

甘肃玉门旱峡早白垩世孢粉组合

本文研究了甘肃玉门旱峡沟口剖面下沟组,中沟组的孢粉化石,共鉴定孢粉３７属５３种;藻类化石２属２种。根据上孢粉化石建立了Ｃｉｃａｔｒｉｃｏｓｉｓｐｏｒｉｔｅｓ－Ｓｃｈｉｚａｅｏｉｓｐｏｒｉｔｅｓ－Ｃｌａｓｓｏｐｏｌｌｉｓ－Ｊｉａｏｈｅｐｏｌｌｉｓ组合,包括下亚组合,包括下晋组合（下沟组）和上亚组合（中沟组）。鉴定组合地质时代为Ｈａｕｔｅｒｉｖ－ｉａｎ－Ｂａｒｒｅｍｉａｎ。推测气候属于温暖湿润的亚热带     

贵州威宁及邻近地区新生界中再沉积有孔虫

８０年代,当时的一些主要报纸和有关杂志相继报道过贵州威宁及其邻近地区上第三系中曾发现一批海相有孔虫化石,由此推断云贵高原曾受到晚第三纪的海侵。经过笔者鉴定,这批有孔虫为再沉积的石炭纪标本,其中不仅有非Ｔｉｎｇ小有孔虫,还有Ｔｉｎｇ类,从Ｔ类化石分析,其时代无疑为早石灰世,从而匡正了对云贵高原新生代地质历史的认识。     

新疆克拉玛依吐孜阿克内沟三工河组孢粉组合

通过对新疆克拉玛依地区吐孜阿克内沟剖面三工河组孢粉组合的研究,共鉴定孢粉２３属３２种,藻类化石２属４种,命名为Ｄｉｓａｃｃｉａｔｒｉｌｅｔｉ－Ｍｏｎｏｃｏｌｐａｔｅｓ－Ｃｙａｔｈｉｄｉｔｅｓ组合（简称ＤＭＣ组合）。描述了５种花粉Ａｂｉｅｔｉｎｅａｅｐｏｌｌｅｎｉｔｅｓ ｄｕｎｒｏｂｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ Ｃｏｕｐｅｒ,Ｐｓｅｕｄｏｐｉｃｅａ ｍｏｎｓｔｒｕｏｓａ Ｂｏｌｃｈ．,Ｐｏｄｏｃａｒｐｉｄｉｔｅｓ     

尾羽龙(Caudipteryx)的新材料及其重要骨骼特征的补充和修订

尾羽龙和原始祖鸟一起被认为是最早发现的带有真正鸟类羽毛的恐龙（Ji et al., 1998）,迄今已发现的尾羽龙包括邹氏尾羽龙（Caudipteryx zoui）和董氏尾羽龙（Caudipteryx dongi）两种（周忠和、汪筱林,2000）,前者包括保存在中国地质博物馆的NGMC 97*4朅和NGMC 97*9朅两件标本,而后者依据的材料仅为保存在中国科学院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所的V 12344。以上标本都不是十分完整。本文依据最近新发现的两件几乎完整的尾羽龙标本,对该属的一些重要形态特征进行补充和修订,以期对其系统关系的讨论及其他相关理论问题的研究提供新的…     

安徽繁昌早更新世人字洞古人类活动遗址及其哺乳动物群

1998年,在安徽繁昌县癞痢山发现了两处洞穴、裂隙堆积。在随后两年中对其中之一的人 字洞进行了系统发掘,采集到一定数量的石制品、骨制品和属种丰富、生态习性多样的大量脊 椎动物化石。人字洞发育于三叠纪灰岩中,洞穴堆积物厚约30米,可分为上下两个堆积单元, 脊椎动物化石和古人类遗物主要产于上堆积单元。经初步研究,人字洞动物群包含67种哺乳动 物,与我国南、北方第四纪早期的其它主要动物群相比,其绝灭属、种比例更高,动物群中主 要属种的形态特征更原始,然而该动物群中真马(Equus)的出现,表明其地质时代为早更新世 早期。这一动物群具有浓郁的北方色彩,显示出更新世初期我国境内有一次明显的降温事件,促 使北方动物大规模向南迁徒,在长江以南形成东洋界和古北界动物地理区系交错带的过渡区动 物群。人字洞动物群的发现为研究我国第四纪早期动物群的特征和动物地理区系演化及古气候 环境变迁提供了重要的信息。     

实验动物新西兰兔适宜营养水平的研究

根据地方饲料资源特点 ,应用计算机软件 ,设计不同的饲料配方 ,并生产相应的颗粒料 ,饲喂 6 0只一级新西兰幼兔、 2 4只繁殖母兔。在饲养管理条件相同的情况下 ,进行动物分组对比试验 ,观察幼兔生长情况、母兔繁殖情况 ,研究新西兰兔不同发育阶段所需的适宜的营养水平。试验按 2× 3因子设计。试验结果 :1、幼兔生长发育的最佳配方 :消化能 11 0 3MJ/kg ,粗蛋白质 15 10 % ,粗脂肪 3 0 4% ,粗纤维 10 2 6 % ,钙 1 34 5 % ,磷0 5 6 %。 2、繁殖母兔的最佳配方 :消化能 10 91MJ/kg ,粗蛋白质 18 17% ,粗脂肪 2 96 % ,粗纤维 10 2 8% ,钙1 47% ,磷 0 5 8%。