Jumping Ship: A Stepping Stone Event Mediating Transfer of a Non-indigenous Species Via a Potentially Unsuitable Environment

The smooth shelled blue mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis Lmk (Bivalvia: Mollusca) arrived in Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawai'i on 22 June 1998 as a member of the fouling community of the USS Missouri, and mussel spawning activity was observed within 2h of the vessel's arrival. Small mussels (<10mm shell length, approximately 6 weeks post-metamorphosis) were collected on 30 September 1998 from a submarine ballast tank in Pearl Harbor, indicating that a successful recruitment event had taken place very soon after the first arrival of the species at this location. We suggest that even if M. galloprovincialis is not able to establish permanently within Pearl Harbor, the fact that it has been able to successfully spawn and recruit to another shipping vector within the Harbor indicates that a stepping stone model of range expansion from temperate to temperate region via an intermediary subtropical environment is quite feasible for this species. Data from worldwide distributions of mussels of the family Mytilidae indicate that preferred habitats are eutrophic continental shelf regions, which suggests that successful establishment within Pearl Harbor is possible. However, oceanic coral-reef environments are not preferred habitat types, suggesting that M. galloprovincialis is not likely to become widely distributed in the Hawaiian Islands.     

Comparative mapping reveals a complex relationship between the pearl millet genome and those of foxtail millet and rice

Comparative genetic maps were constructed of the pearl millet genome with foxtail millet and used to describe the homoeology between the genomes of pearl millet, foxtail millet and rice. Despite the close taxonomic relationship of pearl and foxtail millet, their genomes were highly, rearranged. A comparison of the millet and rice genomes indicated that most of these rearrangements were likely to have taken place in pearl millet. Two duplications were identified in pearl millet. A duplication between the distal segments of linkage groups 1 and 4 corresponds to the ancient duplication previously identified between rice chromosome arms 11S and 12S and foxtail millet chromosomes VII and VIII. The other putative duplication, also between regions of linkage groups 1 and 4, is likely to be species-specific. The exploitation of the comparative maps in pearl millet research is discussed. Received: 10 February 1999 / Accepted: 6 July 1999     

珠江口近海浮游植物生态特征研究

1998～1999年对珠江口近海浮游植物进行了5个航次现场调查,共鉴定出浮游植物239种．其中。硅藻最多,占72．4％,甲藻次之,占23．8％,其他门类合占3．8％．种类组成以暖水种和广温种为主;优势种季节更替明显,四季的主要优势种依次为伏氏海毛藻(Thalassiothrix frauenfeldli)、柔弱菱形藻(Nitzschia delicatlssima)、伏氏海毛藻、细弱海链藻(Thalassiosira subtilis)．细胞密度全年变幅0．2×10^4～2767．1×10^4cell·m^-3,四季平均98．7×10^4cell·m^-3,夏、冬季明显高于春、秋季．平面分布呈近岸明显高于外海趋势。密集区终年出现在西北海域上川岛附近．Shannon—Wiener指数、Pielou均匀度和多样性阈值四季均值变幅分别为2．63～3．17、0．53～0．71和1．74～2．23,群落多样性水平较高,结构较稳定．     

Somatic embryogenesis in Zea mays L.

Summary Combining ability studies with respect to such green fodder quality characteristics as oxalic acid, calcium, sodium, potassium and green fodder yield were carried out in a 12 × 12 diallel cross set in pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoides (Burm) S. & H.). With regard to differential expression of gene effects, studies for quality traits were carried out in different seasons and on different plant parts. The relative proportions of general and specific combining variances indicated the preponderance of non-additive genetic variance. Parents possessing desirable fodder quality characteristics were identified on the basis of combining ability and per se performance, and selection criterion for crosses was discussed. It was recommended that leaf portion should be biochemically analysed and manipulated in an environment when the genes are expressed.Part of the Ph. D. dissertation submitted to the Punjab Agricultural University by the senior author in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree     

Black liquor and the hangover effect: fish assemblage recovery dynamics following a pulse disturbance

Anthropogenic perturbations impact aquatic systems causing wide‐ranging responses, from assemblage restructuring to assemblage recovery. Previous studies indicate the duration and intensity of disturbances play a role in the dynamics of assemblage recovery. In August 2011, the Pearl River, United States, was subjected to a weak black liquor spill from a paper mill which resulted in substantial loss of fish in a large stretch of the main channel. We quantified resilience and recovery of fish assemblage structure in the impacted area following the event. We compared downstream (impacted) assemblages to upstream (unimpacted) assemblages to determine initial impacts on structure. Additionally, we incorporated historic fish collections (1988–2011) to examine impacts on assemblage structure across broad temporal scales. Based on NMDS, upstream and downstream sites generally showed similar assemblage structure across sample periods with the exception of the 2 months postdischarge, where upstream and downstream sites visually differed. Multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) indicated significant seasonal variation among samples, but found no significant interaction between impacted and unimpacted assemblages following the discharge event. However, multivariate dispersion (MVDISP) showed greater variance among assemblage structure following the discharge event. These results suggest that 2 months following the disturbance represent a time period of stochasticity in regard to assemblage structure dynamics, and this was followed by rapid recovery. We term this dynamic the “hangover effect” as it represents the time frame from the cessation of the perturbation to the assemblage's return to predisturbance conditions. The availability and proximity of tributaries and upstream refugia, which were not affected by the disturbance, as well as the rapid recovery of abiotic parameters likely played a substantial role in assemblage recovery. This study not only demonstrates rapid recovery in an aquatic system, but further demonstrates the value of continuous, long‐term, data collections which enhance our understanding of assemblage dynamics.     

珠江口及毗邻海域营养盐对浮游植物生长的影响

基于2006年7月(夏季),10月(秋季)和2007年3月(春季)的现场调查数据,对珠江口及毗邻海域中的营养盐和叶绿素a等环境生态因子的时空分布特性进行了对比分析,研究了氮磷比与叶绿素a含量和种群多样性之间的联系,探讨了该海域营养盐对于浮游植物生长的影响。结果表明:(1)研究海域营养盐表现出较强的季节和空间差异性,总氮(TN)和总磷(TP)浓度均值春季(1.545 mg/L、0.056 mg/L)和夏季(1.570 mg/L、0.058 mg/L)均大于秋季(1.442 mg/L、0.034 mg/L),且春夏季浓度空间差异更明显。(2)调查期间海域营养盐含量超标现象突出,夏季尤为明显。无机氮(DIN)总体均值0.99 mg/L,超四类海水标准限值1倍,活性磷酸盐(PO4-P)总体均值0.021 mg/L,DIN∶PO4-P平均值为130;叶绿素a浓度与营养盐、p H、温度有较显著的相关性。(3)叶绿素a浓度较高的站位,具有较高的DIN∶PO4-P值,但浮游植物多样性指数偏低,优势种明显,主要为中肋骨条藻。氮磷比的改变会影响不同生长特性的浮游植物间的竞争和种群结构的改变;今后海洋污染治理中,在控制氮、磷污染时要注意氮磷比的改变可能造成的浮游生态影响。     

珠江水系鱼类一新纪录——带刺光唇鱼(鲤形目：鲤科)

2008年5月及2010年8月在广东省增城市及河源市采得一批鱼类标本,其中20尾经鉴定为珠江水系鱼类新纪录——带刺光唇鱼(Acrossocheilus spinifer Yuan,WuZhang,2006)。该种主要鉴别特征包括:(1)体侧具有5~6条垂直的黑色条纹,每条约占2列鳞片宽,向下延伸至侧线以下2行鳞片,呈对称或不对称分布;(2)第2条垂直条纹位于背鳍末根不分枝鳍条的下方;(3)背鳍末根不分枝鳍条为粗壮的硬刺,后缘具细小的锯齿;(4)背鳍鳍间膜外缘2/3黑色。标本现保存于华南师范大学生命科学学院鱼类标本室。     

珠三角河网链状硅藻物种组成及生态特征

珠三角河网水域是珠江之水流入南海的必经之地,于2012年和2015年对该水域的链状硅藻的时空特征及其影响因素进行了分析。共发现链状硅藻18种(包括变种和变型),颗粒沟链藻是该水域的绝对优势种,也是该区域水体富营养化的重要指示物种。总生物量的时间变化模式呈现枯水期差异较大,丰水期差异较小的特点,主要是受到径流量、透明度和水温差异的影响;空间特征主要表现为广州市周边站位的生物量明显偏高,主要受水体富营养化的影响。不同链状硅藻的相对百分组成显示,颗粒沟链藻是绝对优势种,变异直链藻易在枯水期与其形成竞争优势。沟链藻属的链长一般大于直链藻属,这主要得益于其形态结构较稳固的优势;此外,透明度、营养盐和pH值等也是影响链长的重要因素。     

珠三角河网浮游植物生物量的时空特征

珠三角河网水域是珠江之水流入南海的必经之地,对2012年该水域浮游植物生物量的时空特征及其影响因素进行系统阐析。调查期间共发现浮游植物7门,383种(包括变种、变型),其中硅藻和绿藻是最主要类群,其次是裸藻和蓝藻。颗粒直链藻原变种是调查水域的本底物种,也是最优势种;而变异直链藻和网球藻分别是枯水季节和丰水季节的指示物种。从季节变动看,浮游植物总生物量呈现枯水季节高、丰水季节低的特征,主要与径流导致的稀释作用和透明度升高引发的沉降损失有关。从空间分布看,总生物量呈现自西南向东北升高的趋势,主要与营养盐的空间分布格局有关,而且空间分布格局无季节差异。从不同类群的相对组成上看,硅藻占据绝对优势地位,绿藻和裸藻次之,这与20世纪80年度初的调查结果基本一致。硅藻在枯水季节占据绝对优势地位,而在丰水季节由于绿藻和裸藻优势的明显增大,导致硅藻的优势下降,这与流域中一些死水区域如水库、浅滩中的蓝绿藻和裸藻在丰水期涌入干流有关,PCA分析结果也证明了这一点。此外,不同站位在相对组成上的季节变动还受盐度的影响。综上,物理因子包括与径流相关的稀释作用和与透明度相关的沉降损失不仅影响总生物量的季节变动,也影响不同类群的相对组成;而化学因素如营养盐含量是决定总生物量空间分布的关键因素,与河口潮汐作用相关的盐度变化对类群相对组成的空间分布起到一定的影响作用。     

珠江口超微型浮游植物时空分布及其与环境因子的关系

对珠江口及近海区域进行了夏季和冬季超微型浮游植物(0.2-3μm)调查,分析了其时空分布及其与环境因子的关系.夏季,珠江口浮游植物密度与磷酸盐成显著正相关,且N/P远远高于30,表明浮游植物受到P限制.夏季超微型藻数量比冬季高一个数量级,其丰度与盐度成显著正相关而和营养盐(溶解性无机氮(DIN),PO4-P,SiO4-Si)显著负相关,表明珠江口超微型藻受到径流的负面影响,表现出其数量在虎门附近海域低,随着咸淡水混合程度的加剧逐渐增大的分布特征;超微型浮游植物叶绿素a在总叶绿素a中的比例也表现为河口上游低,到万山群岛附近海域达到最大,推测近海高光照、低营养盐更适宜超微型藻的生长,同时也说明超微型浮游植物适应贫营养环境的生态特点.