A new linkage group involved in sex determination in haplotilapiine cichlids

The high diversity of sex chromosomes and sex determination systems among haplotilapiines suggests that this large cichlid clade is a good model for investigating the evolution of genetics of sex determination. Nonetheless, information about sex determination in this clade remains sparse. The present study reports a microsatellite marker that is closely associated with sex in Xenotilapia rotundiventralis from Lake Tanganyika, Africa. This study is the first to suggest the role of linkage group 17 in sex determination in haplotilapiine cichlids.     

基于Ecopath模型的千岛湖生态系统结构和功能分析

为探索千岛湖生态系统现状及其历史变化, 根据2016年千岛湖的渔业资源与生态环境调查数据, 构建了千岛湖生态系统的 Ecopath 模型, 综合分析系统的能量流动过程、营养级结构和生态系统总体特征。2016年千岛湖 Ecopath 模型由18个功能组组成, 有效营养级范围为1—3.41, 牧食食物链的能量流动占系统总能量的56%。系统杂食指数(SOI)、联结指数(CI)、Finn循环指数分别为0.13, 0.26和5.15%。千岛湖与其他湖泊和水库比较, 其生态系统的各功能组的聚合度较高, 联结程度较为紧密, 物质再循环比例较高, 系统较为成熟。但千岛湖的系统总流量较低为24698.27 t/(km2·a), 总初级生产量与总呼吸量的比值为6.51, 表明系统总体规模较小且仍处于发展阶段。根据千岛湖生态系统历年变化趋势分析: 千岛湖生态系统的总体规模有变大趋势, 稳定性和复杂性有所增强, 但营养交互关系变弱, 系统抵抗外界干扰的能力仍较低。同时, 千岛湖生态系统的初级生产者转化效率较低, 食物网趋于简单, 应采取适当的管理措施, 以保障千岛湖生态系统的健康发展。     

贵州草海岩溶湿地水体不同形态氮的时空分布特征

为揭示贵州草海岩溶湿地水体中不同形态氮时空分布特征及其变化规律,通过网格布点法采集了该湿地丰、枯水期表层水,并对其不同形态溶解性氮含量进行了测定,运用Arc GIS统计模块分析了草海不同形态氮的时空分布特征,并分析了各形态氮与环境因子之间的相关性。结果表明:草海水体丰、枯水期TN的平均含量分别为(0.96±0.52)、(0.90±0.71) mg·L^-1,总体表现呈丰水期高于枯水期;丰水期氮形态以无机氮为主,NH4⁺-N与NO3^--N之和占比总氮的54%,二者平均含量分别为(0.14±0.08)、(0.38±0.56) mg·L^-1,这两种形态氮的高值区均分布在西侧区域,主要受外源输入影响;而枯水期氮形态以有机氮为主,DON占比TN的49%,平均含量为(0.44±0.26) mg·L^-1,高值区出现在南侧区域,枯水期草海补给水量减少,加之水生生物的衰亡以及沉积物中氮的释放,使得该时期水体氮素主要通过湖泊内源进行释放转化。草海水体氮形态分布的季节性差异主要受水环境变化、外源氮输入以及内源氮释放的共同影响,丰水期应加强草海西部地区3条入湖河流的污染控制,而枯水期应主要控制湖内沉积物氮素的释放,进而有效降低草海水体中氮含量。     

鄱阳湖流域极端降水时空分布和非平稳性特征

全球变暖背景下的极端天气气候事件显著增加。本研究基于PreWhitening Mann-Kendall(PWMK)、极点对称模态分解法和广义可加模型,利用鄱阳湖流域1959—2019年16个国家级气象站点的逐日降水数据,从极端降水的强度、频率和持续性3个维度系统检测和分析流域极端降水的时空分布和非平稳性特征。结果表明: 研究期间,鄱阳湖流域极端降水强度和频率呈显著增加趋势,持续性呈下降趋势,极端降水整体表现出强度大、频率高、持续时间短的特点;极端降水存在明显的汛期和非汛期时间分异规律,汛期极端降水集中在流域北部和中部,而非汛期多集中于中部,子流域中信江流域降水量增加趋势最显著,达到2.10 mm·a^-1;汛期极端降水的持续时间越长,强度和范围越小,非汛期极端降水则相反;鄱阳湖流域的极端降水强度和频率以平稳性特征为主,持续性表现出非平稳性特征。随着鄱阳湖流域极端降水量的不断增加,其可能引发的灾害风险将进一步增大。     

不同水位时期东洞庭湖湿地土壤微生物生物量碳氮和酶活性变化

为从土壤微生物的角度分析东洞庭湖不同植被类型湿地土壤质量状况,本研究选取了苔草、芦苇和柳树3种典型植被类型为对象,在平水期、丰水期和枯水期对其土壤微生物生物量碳(MBC)、氮(MBN)和酶活性进行监测,并分析其主要影响因子。结果表明: 1)3个水位时期,各植被类型湿地土壤MBC、MBN、蔗糖酶和纤维素酶活性(枯水期纤维素酶除外)均表现为0～10 cm高于10～20 cm,而土壤过氧化氢酶活性则相反。2)各植被类型湿地0～20 cm土层土壤MBC、MBN和MBC/TOC(总有机碳)、MBN/TN(总氮)皆以丰水期最低。3)各植被类型湿地0～20 cm土层土壤蔗糖酶活性峰值均出现在枯水期,而纤维素酶活性峰值出现在平水期,过氧化氢酶活性季节性波动较小,以丰水期稍高。4)不同植被类型间比较:平水期和丰水期,芦苇湿地土壤蔗糖酶活性显著高于其他植被类型,而其土壤纤维素酶活性最低,枯水期不同湿地间两种酶活性差异不显著。土壤过氧化氢酶活性在平水期以苔草湿地最高,枯水期以柳树湿地最高,丰水期以芦苇湿地最低。5)相关性分析表明,土壤MBC、MBN和蔗糖酶与TOC、TN、总磷(TP)呈显著正相关,而与pH值呈显著负相关。土壤纤维素酶和过氧化氢酶与TOC、TN、TP呈显著负相关,与pH值呈显著正相关。表明季节性水位波动影响土壤C、N、P和pH值,并对土壤微生物生物量碳、氮和酶活性产生显著影响,使其呈现明显的季节性变化特征。     

Trophic divergence of Lake Kivu cichlid fishes along a pelagic versus littoral habitat axis

Local adaptation to the littoral and pelagic zones in two cichlid haplochromine fish species from Lake Kivu was investigated using morphometrics. Cranial variation and inferred jaw mechanics in both sexes of the two species across the two habitat types were quantified and compared. Comparisons of littoral versus pelagic populations revealed habitat‐specific differences in the shape of the feeding apparatus. Also, kinematic transmission of the anterior jaw four‐bar linkage that promotes greater jaw protrusion was higher in the pelagic zone than in the littoral zone for both species. Inferred bite force was likewise higher in pelagic zone fish. There were also sex‐specific differences in craniofacial morphology as males exhibited longer heads than females in both habitats. As has been described for other cichlids in the East African Great Lakes, local adaptation to trophic resources in the littoral and pelagic habitats characterizes these two Lake Kivu cichlids. Similar studies involving other types of the Lake Kivu fishes are recommended to test the evidence of the observed trophic patterns and their genetic basis of divergences.     

Ecological Risk Assessment of Organochlorine Pesticides in Surface Waters of Lake Taihu,China

The residues of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in surface waters from Meiliang Bay, Gonghu Bay, and Xukou Bay of Lake Taihu, China, were investigated, and their ecological risks were assessed using the risk quotient method and probabilistic risk assessment. Environmental concentrations of OCPs in surface water of these bays were relatively lower compared with other rivers or lakes in China. Calculation of risk quotient associated with taxonomic groups indicates moderate ecological risks from OCPs for crustaceans and insects in these bays, while the ecological risks were low for fish and negligible for phytoplankton. The ecological risk quotients associated with individual OCPs were lower than 0.01 in these bays, suggesting a negligible risk to aquatic organisms. Ecological risk from α-HCH was relatively lower compared with DDTs, endosulfans, and γ-HCH. The combined ecological risks were evaluated using probabilistic risk assessment for only eight OCPs owing to a lack of available toxicity data for β-HCH and δ-HCH. The percentage of species with the potential to be at risk from mixture of OCPs was lower than the criteria of 5% in each bay, indicating that the combined ecological risks were acceptable.     

THE LAKE ST. LUCIA SYSTEM—A RESEARCH ASSESSMENT

SUMMARY

This paper assesses the research undertaken at Lake St. Lucia over the past 25 years based on over 300 documents from that period. Trends related to both time and subject matter are evident, and these are considered in relation to the gaps in our current knowledge concerning the system.

A feature evident throughout the period under consideration is that the major portion of documented material available relates to reports and contributions to workshops (77%) with only 23% from scientific publications. Contributions by these two sources to the subject group being considered for St. Lucia are markedly different with research publications dominating the biological field and reports dominating in physical aspects, catchment characteristics, man's activities, management, dredging and hydrological modelling. However, some 55% of all unpublished data related to reviews or assessments of the state of research on St. Lucia.

The importance of the scientific publications group as an indicator of the state of research into the system is considered in the light of an apparent decline in the number of completed projects being published. It is also considered in the light of the recent establishment of a co-ordinated Lake St. Lucia Research Programme, which may provide the impetus for a more concentrated and directed research effort on the Lake System.     

A CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF A SILTATION SYSTEM IN SHALLOW LAKES WITH LITTORAL VEGETATION

SUMMARY

In shallow lakes a siltation system develops when wind driven water turbulence erodes the lake floor, silt is resuspended and transported by means of waterdrift into the littoral vegetation. Here, due to the resistance of the vegetation, the turbulence is reduced and the silt deposited. Through this mechanism, the prevailing winds have a major rôle in the erosion and siltation pattern, lake morphology, vegetation pattern and in the mixing of water and nutrients from the open water and the reedswamp and vice versa. The model explains the uneven distribution of vegetation at the lakes Neusiedlersee (Austria) and Chilwa (Malawi) satisfactorily, if one assumes a positive correlation between siltation and reedswamp growth and spread.