Adaptations for feeding on rock surfaces and sandy sediment by the fiddler crabs (Brachyura: Ocypodidae) Uca tetragonon(Herbst, 1790) and Uca vocans(Linnaeus, 1758)

Two species of fiddler crab, Uca tetragonon(Herbst, 1790) and Uca vocans(Linnaeus, 1758), which belong to the subgenus Gelasimus, dwell on rocky shores and muddy–sandy tidal flats, respectively, in Phuket Is., Thailand. We investigated their feeding ecology in relation to the morphology of their feeding organs: minor food-handling chelipeds and maxillipeds. U. tetragononfed chiefly on rocks covered by filamentous green algae. U. vocansfed on the emerged sand and in shallow water along the shoreline and in pools. While feeding, both crabs made sand pellets beneath their mouthparts and discarded them, indicating that they divided the matter scooped up with their minor chelipeds into edible and inedible fractions by using the maxillipeds in the water passing through their buccal cavity. The morphology of maxillipeds hardly differed between the two species, which means that both species are flotation-feeders. The morphology of their minor chelipeds, however, differed: the tips of the dactyl and pollex were flat in U. tetragononand pointed in U. vocans.When the minor cheliped was closed, U. tetragononhad a hemispherical space in the distal one-fourth of the gape, which was closed by the framing keratin layers and a few setae of the dactyl and pollex. On the other hand, U. vocanshad an ellipsoidal space in the distal half of the gape. We consider these morphological characters to be adaptations to the different feeding substrates for retaining more food-laden sediment. We discuss the role of the setae on the minor chelipeds on the basis of the morphological differences between populations of U. tetragononin Phuket Is. and East Africa where the crab inhabits muddy–sandy tidal flats.     

Migration of Naphthalene through Low Organic Content Sandy Soil Columns: Comparison of Unsaturated and Saturated Conditions

The transient transport of naphthalene through low organic matter content soil columns was investigated in different water-saturation and flow conditions. Some parameters were tested as flow rate, column height, and water saturation conditions. The soil was a clayed sandy soil from the Algerian coast near Boumerdes. The organic carbon content was 0.13% and the main mineral components were quartz (88%), clays minerals (7%) and calcite (3%). The height of the packing of the soil column (5.1 cm in diameter) varied from 15 to 40 cm. Simultaneous step injections of inert tracer (calcium chloride) and naphthalene at 10 mg L^?1 were performed. Tracer and naphthalene breakthrough curves (BTCs) were measured continuously by conductimetry and UV – 220 nm, respectively. The BTCs were simulated using the classical mixing cells in series with exchange model (MCE). In unsaturated conditions the comparison of the mean residence time of tracer BTCs with the geometrical pore volume gave us access to average water saturation along the column as a function of height. The higher the soil bed was, the higher the mean water saturation. The comparison of naphthalene distribution coefficients (K_d) in different flow conditions with the theoretical value from the Karickhoff law showed that in saturated conditions the obtained value was close to the theoretical one. In unsaturated conditions, the measured naphthalene K_d's were much lower than the theoretical value and correlated to the water saturation.     

整治"三滥"是从源头遏制生态脆弱地区土地荒漠化的必由之路——以科尔沁沙地为例

针对中国土地荒漠化的现状和关键问题,以科尔沁沙地为例,阐述了荒漠化的发展历程、主要动因与未来趋势。科尔沁沙地正处在现代土地荒漠化过程之中,导致快速发展的荒漠化动因主要是源于人们不合理的土地利用方式,即滥垦、滥牧和滥伐(简称“三滥”);而在各种利农政策下,滥垦可能会重新滋生和蔓延,是非常值得借鉴的历史教训。本文应用复合生态系统的观点剖析了“三滥”与荒漠化的关系,并据此提出从源头减轻土地压力的6项对策。     

Keynote papers on sandhopper orientation and navigation

This article analyses the relevant studies that have made sandhoppers a model subject for the study of orientation, and traces the development of the paradigm through innovative hypotheses and empirical evidence. Sandhoppers are able to maintain their direction without sensorial contact with the goal, which is their burrowing zone extended along the beach, but very narrow across it. They actively determine the direction of their movements, according to their internal state and the environmental features encountered. Each population shows an 'innate directional tendency' adapted to the shoreline of origin, and the inexpert laboratory-born young behave in a similar way to the adults. Genetic differences have been demonstrated between, as well as within natural populations. The question of the calibration of the sun compass to orientation on a particular shoreline implies a redundancy of mechanisms of orientation. Orientation mechanisms may involve environmental cues perceived through diverse sensory modalities, and range from simple orientation reflexes to sun compass navigational systems. These include scototaxis and geotaxis, and the response to the silhouette of the dune, in addition to sun and moon orientation, which is dependent on the time of the day and orientates daily migrations on the beach. Different modalities of orientation may operate singly, or in conjunction with each other, and their ecological significance may vary according to the habitat and lifestyle of the animals. Taken collectively, the orientation behaviour of the group appears to be a most accommodating phenotype, with considerable adaptive potential. The evidence from comparative studies of different populations promotes consideration of behavioural plasticity as an adaptation to changing coastlines.     

Observations on Chrysophyceae from a Norwegian mountain lake

Chrysosphaerella coronasircumspina Wujek & Kristiansen and Spiniferomonas bilacunosa Takahashi have been shown by electron microscopy to be regular members of the phytoplankton society in an oligotrophic Norwegian mountain lake. This is the first published record of these species in Norway.     

科尔沁沙地湖泊消涨对气候变化的响应

湖泊是受气候变化影响显著的地理单元之一,不同地区湖泊消涨与气候变化关系的分析是理解陆地水文过程对未来气候变化响应的关键之一。对干旱、半干旱地区而言,湖泊消涨对气候变化的响应是干旱区生态保护和未来可持续发展的重要指征。气候变化对湖泊的影响研究在不同的区域已有较多的研究,但是针对湖泊群且基于湖泊大小分级和不同降水强度的对应研究还很鲜见。有鉴于此,作者在RS和GIS技术支持下,采用湖泊大小和降水强度分级的方法,分析了科尔沁沙地湖泊群消涨与气候变化的关系。在1971-2010年间,年均气温波动升高和降水量波动减少是该区域的主要气候变化特点。从5年移动平均分析来看,1990年是气温变化的转折点,1991-2010年的平均气温7.36（?0.55）℃,高于全球同期平均增温0.52℃。在1975-2009年间,科尔沁沙地湖泊面积和数量的变化趋势呈抛物线型减少,在1995年湖泊面积与数量最高。进入21世纪,湖泊面积萎缩、数量减少呈明显的加快趋势。到2009年,面积>0.05km2湖泊数量仅为81个,不足高峰期（1995年）的11%;湖泊总面积为4375.0hm2,不到1995年的26%。本研究表明,湖泊消涨主要受到年降水量波动影响,与年内降水分布格局无关,气温变化的影响不显著。     

毛乌素沙地南缘沙丘生物结皮对凝结水形成和蒸发的影响

在水分极度匮乏的荒漠生态系统,凝结水是除降雨之外最重要的水分来源之一,它对荒漠生态系统结构、功能和过程的维持产生重要的影响。为探明半干旱沙区生物结皮表面的凝结水形成和蒸发特征,采用自制的微型蒸渗计(直径7 cm、高5 cm的PVC管)实验观测了不同类型地表(裸沙、浅灰色藻类结皮、黑褐色藻类结皮和苔藓结皮)对凝结水形成和蒸发的影响。结果表明:(1)观测期间共有20次凝结水形成记录,除降雨天气外,几乎每天都能观测到水分凝结现象;(2)不同类型地表凝结水总量依次为(1.998±0.075),(2.326±0.083),(2.790±0.058)和(3.416±0.068) mm,生物结皮表面的凝结水总量显著大于裸沙(P < 0.05);随生物结皮的发育,不同类型生物结皮表面的凝结水总量呈增加的趋势,凝结水总量之间差异显著(P < 0.05);观测期间不同类型地表日平均凝结水量依次为(0.100±0.003),(0.116±0.004),(0.140±0.002)和(0.171± 0.003) mm,不同类型地表日平均凝结水量之间差异极显著(P < 0.01);(3)凝结水形成过程的观测结果显示,凝结水19:00开始形成,23:00-凌晨1:00形成不明显,1:00-7:00继续形成,除浅灰色藻类结皮外,太阳升出后在黑褐色藻类结皮和苔藓结皮表面继续形成少量的凝结水;凝结水7:30开始蒸发,10:30到11:00之间结束蒸发,凝结水在裸沙和浅灰色藻类结皮中的保持时间显著大于黑褐色藻类结皮和苔藓结皮中的保持时间(P < 0.05);(4)凝结水的形成受大气温度、地表温度、空气相对湿度和大气地表温度差等气象因素的影响,但其形成过程不与某一个气象因素呈简单的线性关系。     

沙化草地土壤碳氮磷化学计量特征及其对植被生产力和多样性的影响

沙化草地土壤碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)化学计量特征及其对植被生产力与多样性的影响对于认识草地沙漠化过程中土壤与植被的互馈关系,以及沙漠化发展的生态学机理具有重要的意义。通过对科尔沁沙地75个沙化样地的野外调查,研究了科尔沁沙地不同程度沙化草地的表层土壤C、N、P化学计量特征及其与生产力和多样性的相关关系。结果表明:1)科尔沁沙地沙化草地表层土壤具有较低的有机C、全N、全P含量及C∶N、N∶P和C∶P,平均值分别为1.39 mg/g、0.117 mg/g、0.079 mg/g和7.50、2.22、16.91;草地沙漠化过程中,土壤有机C、全N、全P含量显著降低的同时,C∶N、N∶P和C∶P亦显著降低,表明土壤有机C、全N、全P在沙漠化过程中的损失是不同步的;2)科尔沁沙地沙化草地表层土壤有机C、全N、全P元素间均呈显著正相关,具有一定的耦合关系,且土壤有机C和全P间的耦合关系不随沙漠化的发展而发生改变;3)草地沙化过程中,土壤养分的损失限制着草地生产力,而土壤N∶P较全N、全P含量更能反映土壤养分对生产力的限制作用;4)沙化草地土壤全N含量与物种丰富度间具有显著正相关关系,而土壤全P含量与其无显著相关性;多样性指数与全N、全P含量间均具有显著正相关关系;相对于土壤全N、全P含量,N∶P能更好地反映养分平衡对物种多样性的影响作用。