The contribution of marine snow to the particle food supply of the benthic suspension feeder, Mytilus edulis

In order to examine the importance of the settling of large particles to the food supply and feeding behavior of a benthic culture of the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, we investigated the tidal dynamics of large (>0.5 mm diameter) marine aggregates, commonly known as marine snow, during three tidal cycles in July 1998 at a shallow, subtidal, low current flow regime site along the coast of Maine (Shorey Cove, Roque Island, Englishman's Bay, Maine).In situ, optically measured marine snow showed a distinct tidal signal displaying an increase in size and abundance through high tide with a peak on the early ebb tide as it settled to the bottom. Marine snow volume ranged an order of magnitude through the tidal cycle, from under 8 to over 80 mm³ l⁻¹. An increase in the in situ marine snow volume corresponded with an increase in benthic mussel feeding activity (from 20% to 60% of maximum exhalant siphon area, which is an estimate of pumping rate) and maximum rates of pseudofeces production by the mussels during periods of low tidal current speeds. In contrast, mussels from the same population feeding on surface waters in shipboard chambers produced no pseudofeces and had high pumping rates (80-100% maximum exhalant siphon area) over the whole tidal period. A second peak in benthic mussel pumping rates also occurred during flood tide.Food quality was lower in the bottom waters due to significantly higher particulate inorganic matter (PIM, >2 mg l⁻¹) when compared with the surface waters. PIM accounted for 95% of the total settled mass flux of 3.4 g m⁻² day⁻¹ measured in sediment traps deployed 1 m off the bottom, with organic carbon representing only 2.5% of the mass flux during the mid-summer conditions. At low-current sites such as Shorey Cove, Roque Island, Maine, the settling of marine snow provides an important additional source of food, albeit of low quality, to benthic populations of blue mussels.     

The Balearic Islands: a reservoir of cpDNA genetic variation for evergreen oaks

Aim To analyse the role of the Balearic Islands as a refuge area for evergreen Quercus (cork oak: Quercus suber L., holm oak: Q. ilex L., kermes oak: Q. coccifera L.), by using molecular, historical and palaeobotanical data. Location The Western Mediterranean Basin (Balearic Islands, eastern Iberia, Provence, Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily, Malta, Italy, Northern Africa). Methods We sampled 108 populations and used the PCR‐RFLP technique with five universal cpDNA primers to define haplotypes in the sampled populations. Diversity, differentiation parameters and spatial analysis of the populations, using a spatial version of amova , were linked to the geological history of the Western Mediterranean Basin in order to explain the present spatial pattern of the evergreen Quercus populations in the Balearics. Results Evergreen Quercus cpDNA shows a complex structure, with remnants of ancient diversity in the Balearics. Balearic populations of holm oak are related to Iberian populations, while for cork and kermes oaks, we found both Tyrrhenian and Iberian haplotypes. Main conclusions The complex spatial patterns of cpDNA in Balearic evergreen Quercus appears explicable in terms of a combination of physical (vicariance and long distance dispersal) and biological (introgressive hybridization) factors. The Balearics constitute a glacial refuge area and a reservoir of genetic variation with traces of ancient diversity from Messinian–Pliocene stages.     

Contrasting foliar responses to drought in Quercus ilex and Phillyrea latifolia

Leaf morphology, longevity, and demography were examined in Quercus ilex and Phillyrea latifolia growing in a holm oak forest in Prades mountains (northeast Spain). Four plots (10 × 15 m) of this forest were submitted to an experimental drought during three years (soil moisture was reduced about 15 %). Leaf area, thickness and leaf mass per area ratio (LMA) were measured in sun and shade leaves of both species. Leaf longevity, the mean number of current-year shoots produced per previous-year shoot (Sn/Sn-1), the mean number of current-year leaves per previous-year shoot (Ln/Sn-1), and the percentage of previous-year shoots that developed new ones were measured once a year, just after leaf flushing. LMA and leaf thickness increased since leaf unfolding except in summer periods, when stomatal closure imposed low photosynthetic rates and leaves consumed their reserves. LMA, leaf area, and leaf thickness were higher in Q. ilex than in P. latifolia, but leaf density was higher in the latter species. Drought reduced the leaf thickness and the LMA of both species ca. 2.5 %. Drought also increased leaf shedding up to ca. 20 % in Phillyrea latifolia and decreased it up to ca. 20 % in Q. ilex. In the later species, Sn/Sn-1 decreased by 32 %, Ln/Sn-1 by 41 %, percentage of shoots developed new ones by 26 %, and leaf area by 17 %. Thus the decrease of leaf number and area was stronger in the less drought-resistant Q. ilex, which, under increasingly drier conditions, might lose its current competitive advantage in these Mediterranean holm oak forests.     

Surface Rheology Parameters of Source-Specific Surfactant Films as Indicators of Organic Matter Dynamics

The paper contains the results of natural film experiments carried out on inland and coastal waters in the Dead Vistula catchment area and mouth during 2000–2002, using the integrated Langmuir trough–Wilhelmy plate system. The static film parameters result from the generalized scaling procedures applied to the surface pressure–area isotherms. They appear to reflect in a quantitative and sensitive way the film composition (A_lim, M_w, E_isoth), film solubility and the miscibility of its components (via R, ΔS_c and y factors), and surface concentration (π_eq, Γ_eq). The adsorption kinetics parameters: effective diffusion coefficient D_eff/D and activation energy barrier E_a/RT are derived from dynamic surface pressure. There is a reason to suggest that certain classes of film-forming components or ‘end-members’ may dominate the static and dynamic surface properties. Variation in the surface rheological parameters of source-specific biosurfactants is postulated to reflect organic matter dynamics in natural waters and were measured for the Dead Vistula river, its tributaries and the adjacent coastal area.     

浙江秀山岛湿地生态系统初探

秀山岛位于东海舟山渔场海域,岛上有大片的湿地资源分布,其滨海部分与舟山渔场的生物资源特别是渔业生物资源密切联系,具有罕见的海岛特色。海岛的特殊地理位置为秀山岛湿地赋予了独特的生态特征。秀山岛湿地内动植物资源丰富,生物多样性高,共有植物种类300余种,栖息的鸟类共有26个科108种,包括国家一级保护动物东方自鹳（Ixobrychus minutus）。还有国家二级保护动物獐（Hydropotes inermis）等珍贵动物自然栖息。秀山岛湿地包括潮下带湿地（浅海湾）、潮间带湿地（泥滩、芦苇丛）、潮上带湿地（咸水沼泽、半咸水沼泽）、异化湿地（盐田、养殖池、稻田）等几个紧密联系的部分。具有多方面的生态功能。由于对湿地的生态功能重视不够,湿地生态系统破碎化严重。目前在秀山岛湿地已经建立了湿地自然保护区,湿地生态系统得到了较好的发展。     

周边区域景观破碎对铜鼓岭国家级自然保护区的压力分析

以铜鼓岭自然保护区及其周边地区为研究对象,基于2004年的SPOT-5卫星遥感数据,应用ERDAS、ArcGIS等遥感和GIS软件提取出研究区的景观要素分类信息,并选用斑块密度(PD)、最大斑块指数(LPI)、面积加权平均形状指数(AWMSI)、面积加权平均斑块分维数(AWMPFD)、斑块面积变异系数(PSCOV)等景观指数和ArcGIS空间分析功能对保护区及其周边区域(缓冲区)进行景观指数分析。结果表明,铜鼓岭地区景观破碎化趋于严重,在保护区外1 km的范围内,海防林破坏,红树林锐减,生态压力大;高位养虾池的大量建造是威胁保护区生态健康的主要因素。     

不同大气校正方法对森林叶面积指数遥感估算影响的比较

利用TM原始图像以及经过6S模型和基于影像自身的Gilabert模型大气校正后的地面绝对反射率图像,分别计算了褒河流域阔叶林和针阔混交林2种林型的5类光谱植被指数(SR、NDVI、MNDVI、ARVI和RSR),并建立各林型森林叶面积指数与同时相的各个植被指数的相关关系。结果表明,2种大气校正模型均显著提高了各植被指数与森林叶面积指数的相关关系,除了对森林叶面积指数与植被指数SR和NDVI的相关关系影响不显著外,对森林叶面积指数与植被指数MNDVI、ARVI和RSR相关关系的影响均非常显著。说明不同大气校正模型对叶面积指数的遥感估算结果有较大影响。因此,在利用遥感数据进行定量分析、信息提取和生态遥感应用时,不仅要进行大气校正,而且还要慎重选择大气校正模型和植被指数。     

北京地区油松胚珠发育时期的确定

采用显微观察法对北京地区不同发育时期的油松胚珠进行解剖结构观察,以确定北京地区油松胚珠的发育时期。结果表明,北京地区油松胚珠的发育历时13个月(从2003年4月~2004年5月),具体时期为:2003年4月12日为胚珠分化期,4月21日左右为大孢子母细胞时期,5月至8月为游离核时期,2003年8月至2004年2月为胚珠休眠期,2004年4月15日左右进入雌配子体细胞化时期,4月21日左右为颈卵器原始细胞活动期,5月8日左右为中央细胞分裂期,5月14日左右为成熟颈卵器时期。本研究结果中油松胚珠经历的发育阶段与前人的研究基本一致,但在时间上存在差异,而且北京地区比辽宁兴城地区油松胚珠发育时期平均提前了大约20~30 d。     

西北地区草地生态系统生态安全评价初探

草地生态系统是我国西北生态脆弱地区的重要组成部分,开展其生态安全的评价对于西部大开发战略的实施有着重要的指导作用,对维护西部地区的政治稳定、经济可持续发展、军事安全等有着不可估量的价值.通过对西北生态脆弱地区草地生态系统现状的剖析,阐述了开展草地生态系统生态安全评价的意义,确立了草地生态系统生态安全评价的原则,分析影响草地生态系统生态安全的6个主要因子:人类活动、草地生态系统功能、植被群落动态、气候变化、土壤条件、有害生物等.在此基础上,初步构建草地生态安全评价的理论指标体系.     

岳麓山部分水域春季纤毛虫种类组成及生态研究

报道了岳麓山部分水域春季纤毛虫种类共24种,分别隶属9目,17属;裸口属等5属是所调查的3种水体中的优势类群;前口虫属等4属为常见类群;旋口虫属是偶见类群.并分析了温度、pH值对部分水域纤毛虫种类组成的影响.13℃是纤毛虫类生活的下限温度;俏裸口虫、大草履是水体中的广温性种类;猎半眉虫等是狭高温性种类.水体pH值为7时,叶绿尖毛虫等可见,为嗜中性种类;圆形半眉虫等只在pH为6.5的水中采到,为嗜酸性种类;俏裸口等在pH6.5～7的水中均可采到,可视为耐受pH范围广的种类.各水体由于污染物种类不同,优势种组成也不一样,通过与Fjerding制订的污水指示生物中的原生动物相对照,所采集到的3种水体均已达到多污和强中污程度,应引起相关部门的高度重视.