Abnormalities in early Paleozoic trilobites from central and eastern China

Malformations are common in trilobites, but the majority of described specimens are from Europe and North America. Only a few abnormal trilobites have been reported from China. Ten abnormal trilobites from Cambrian, Ordovician and Silurian strata in central and eastern China are documented. The abnormal Ordovician trilobites are found for the first time in China. All malformations occur in the thoraxes and pygidia, and were caused by a sub-lethal predatory attack, genetic or embryological malfunction, or injury sustained during molting. It is difficult to identify the predators of the six injured trilobites, but potential predators include Cambrian non-trilobite arthropods, Ordovician cephalopods, and Silurian eurypterids, chondrichthyes or cephalopods, even cannibalistic trilobites. Abnormal specimens caused by sub-lethal predatory attacks mainly occur in Cambrian strata in China and other areas in the world, and are rare in post-Cambrian strata. This pattern may reflect the rise of predators and increased predation in the post-Cambrian, which led to an increased trilobite fatality rate, thus reducing the probability that injured specimens would become fossilized.     

南海北部近海头足类优势种及其生态位特征

为了解南海北部近海头足类优势种的种间关系,根据2014—2015年该海域4个季节底拖网渔业资源调查,应用相对重要性指数、生态位宽度和重叠指数从时空维度分析头足类优势种的生态位特征。结果表明: 该海域4个季节的头足类优势种共5种,分别为剑尖枪乌贼、中国枪乌贼、火枪乌贼、金乌贼和杜氏枪乌贼,前两种是4个季节的共同优势种。与历史数据相比,头足类优势种的种类组成已发生改变。头足类资源时空分布格局明显,海南岛南部至粤东海域资源密度高于北部湾,季节变化呈夏季高而冬季低特征。时空生态位分析表明,优势种的时间和空间生态位宽度没有一致位序,剑尖枪乌贼和中国枪乌贼分别占据最大的时间(1.32)和空间生态位宽度(3.90),而时间和空间生态位宽度最小的物种分别是金乌贼(0.98)和杜氏枪乌贼(2.04)。虽然时间生态位重叠在数值上显著高于空间生态位重叠,但二者均是在中国枪乌贼、剑尖枪乌贼、火枪乌贼等种对间有较高重叠,而杜氏枪乌贼与其余4个优势种的重叠较低。相关分析表明,在时空尺度上生态位宽度与丰度的变化均呈极显著负相关。生态位可反映物种资源量时空变化信息,丰富了传统渔业群落研究方法。     

Surface-feeding on cephalopods by procellariiform seabirds in the southern Benguela region, South Africa

Cephalopod beaks recovered from stomach samples taken from 14 seabird species in the southern Benguela region off Southern Africa and from one species at Sub-Antarctic Marion Island, were identified as far as possible, counted and the lower rostral lengths (LRLs) measured. Dorsal mantle lengths (DMLs) and body masses of the cephalopods eaten were estimated. The results of analyses by percentage frequency of occurrence and numerical abundance are discussed with reference to present knowledge of the distribution of cephalopods eaten by seabirds in the areas studied. Division of the cephalopod component of seabird diets into species which float, and species which sink, after death indicates that the birds forage on dead or moribund cephalopods on the surface, rather than catching live bioluminescent cephalopods at night.     

Palaeoecology and palaeogeography of Late Ordovician (Katian–Hirnantian) cephalopods of the Boda Limestone,Siljan district,Sweden

The carbonates associated with the Late Ordovician (Katian–Hirnantian) Boda mounds of the Siljan district, Sweden, contain a rich cephalopod fauna. Cephalopods are rare in the micritic stromatactis facies of the Katian Boda Core Member, but are concentrated together with other molluscs and trilobites in synsedimentary fillings of caves and crevices of the lithified mound limestone. More than 60 cephalopod species are known from these fillings. The assemblage is dominated in richness and abundance by small orthoconic proteoceratids of the genus Isorthoceras and by curved barrandeocerids, and is considerably less endemic than the benthic fauna of the Boda mounds. Similarities are remarkable at the species level with assemblages from elsewhere in Baltica, with Avalonia and south‐western Kazakhstan. A genus‐level comparison reveals affinities with Laurentia. However, the genus‐level similarities are interpreted as reflecting mainly similarities of the depositional environment and of physicochemical conditions. The presence of calcareous algae in the Boda Limestone and maximum hydrostatic septal strength of cephalopods indicate a depositional depth of <100 m, well within the euphotic zone. The dominance and diversity of cephalopods with vertical migrant lifestyle and the absence of actinocerids indicate a cool, nutrient‐rich deeper neritic environment. The post‐Katian sediments contain a drastically reduced diversity, dominated by orthocerids. The maximum hydrostatic septal strength of the Hirnantian cephalopods and sedimentological features indicate a shallowing during the Hirnantian, but a continuation of high food availability for cephalopods in the water column.     

大连海域食物网连续营养谱

根据2008年1月—2017年6月在大连海域收集的因搁浅、误捕及救助无效而死亡的斑海豹、江豚、小须鲸等海洋哺乳动物及2016年秋季和2017年春季在该海域进行的渔业资源调查,应用稳定同位素技术,分析了大连海域海洋哺乳动物及主要生物样品的碳、氮稳定同位素比值(δ¹³C、δ¹⁵N),并计算其营养级,进而构建大连海域食物网的连续营养谱.结果表明: 大连海域食物网的δ¹⁵N值范围为8.0‰～14.7‰,δ¹³C值范围为-21.1‰～-16.7‰.主要生物种类可划分为初级消费者、次级消费者及顶级捕食者3个营养组群.δ¹⁵N值分析显示,主要生物种类的营养级范围为2.63～4.59,其中,小须鲸、江豚、斑海豹的营养级依次为3.16、4.11、4.25,棘皮动物为3.24～3.84,头足类为3.81～3.93,腹足类为3.65～4.13,双壳类为2.63～3.15,甲壳类为3.58～4.12,鱼类为3.20～4.59.营养结构特征显示,初级消费者主要为双壳类,次级消费者主要为小须鲸、头足类、棘皮类、腹足类、甲壳类,顶级捕食者主要为江豚、斑海豹、鱼类.随着江豚体长的增加,δ¹⁵N值有增大趋势,说明随着江豚生长和摄食能力的增强,其摄食的食物趋向于更高营养层次的生物.研究建立了大连海域食物网的连续营养谱,可以为海洋哺乳动物和渔业资源的保护提供依据.     

Behavioural responses of juvenile cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) to local water movements

Physiological studies have shown that the epidermal head and arm lines in cephalopods are a mechanoreceptive system that is similar to the fish and amphibian lateral lines (Budelmann BU, Bleckmann H. 1988. A lateral line analogue in cephalopods: Water waves generate microphonic potentials in the epidermal head lines of Sepia officinalis and Lolliguncula brevis. J. Comp. Physiol. A 164:1-5.); however, the biological significance of the epidermal lines remains unclear. To test whether cuttlefish show behavioural responses to local water movements, juvenile Sepia officinalis were exposed to local sinusoidal water movements of different frequencies (0.01-1000 Hz) produced by a vibrating sphere. Five behavioural responses were recorded: body pattern changing, moving, burrowing, orienting, and swimming. Cuttlefish responded to a wide range of frequencies (20-600 Hz), but not to all of the frequencies tested within that range. No habituation to repeated stimuli was seen. Results indicate that cuttlefish can detect local water movements (most likely with the epidermal head and arm lines) and are able to integrate that information into behavioural responses.     

Cambrian–Ordovician trilobite family Missisquoiidae Hupé, 1955: Systematic revision and palaeogeographical considerations based on cladistic analysis

The missisquoiids are among the most important trilobites in the Cambrian–Ordovician boundary interval of Laurentia and Gondwana. This study deals with a systematic review of the family Missisquoiidae based on a cladistic analysis and explores their palaeobiogeographical history. A total of 22 missisquoiid species were selected for cladistic analysis. The cladistic results demonstrate that the family Missisquoiidae includes Parakoldinioidia, Pseudokoldinioidia, Tangshanaspis, and Tasmanocephalus; Lunacrania and Hardyia are included with reservation. The well-known genus Missisquoia is treated as a junior synonym of Parakoldinioidia. Based on the distribution of the missisquoiids, six palaeogeographical areas are recognised: Sino-Korea, Yangtze, Australia, southern Laurentia, northwestern Laurentia, and northeastern Laurentia. Palaeogeographical analyses show that the missisquoiids originated in Gondwana and continued to expand their geographical range within the continent and eventually expanded into the Laurentia. Optimisation results of geographical area transitions demonstrate that there were transitions between the two continents, and evolution of the Laurentian missisquoiids appears to have been strongly influenced by the Gondwanan counterparts. We suggest that dispersal of non-fossilised egg stage probably transported by oceanic currents may have been responsible for these inter-continental transitions.     

Two contemporaneous equilibrium communities in the Ordovician of Wisconsin

Two statistically different fossil assemblages were recognized in the Mifflin Submember of the Platteville Formation. These are believed to be ecologic communities because of their recurrence over a large area, their well-defined trophic structure, and their concurrence with lithofacies boundaries. The Hesperorthis—Eoleperditia community, which roughly coincides with the limestone facies of the Mifflin, has a diverse brachiopod fauna, abundant ostracodes, and several forms of trilobites and gastropods. The Hesperorthis-Sinuites community, coincident with the Miffin dolomite facies, contains abundant. but less diverse, brachiopods, and fewer trilobites and ostracodes. Gastropods and cephalopods are more abundant and diverse, and corals and bivalves are present. In both communities the most abundant genera were non-competitive in terms of trophic resources. and each trophic group was dominated by one or two genera. The two communities are interpreted to be equilibrium associations based on their vertical persistence through the section. Lithologic and faunal evidence indicates that these communities inhabited a quiet-water open-shelf environment which was occasionally disturbed by physical reworking (storm?) events. The distinction of two separate communities within an overall rather homogeneous environment suggests that the control was not physical energy or substrate type but a non-preservable factor such as food supply.     

Differential taphonomy of modern brachiopods (San Juan Islands, Washington State): effect of intrinsic factors on damage and community-level abundance

The differences in shell structure and population turnover between organic-poor, impunctate (Hemithiris) and organic-rich, punctate brachiopod (Terebratalia) in a mixed-bottom, siliciclastic setting (San Juan Islands, WA) lead to different taphonomic damage and fidelity with respect to community-level abundance in death assemblages. In comparing shell interiors of similar-sized specimens, Terebratalia is predominantly affected by fibre detachment and shows almost no microbioerosion at the SEM scale; whereas, Hemithiris shows less marked fibre detachment at the SEM scale and is more intensely affected by microbioerosion both at SEM and light microscope (LM) scales. Fibre detachment related to rapid, microbially-induced organic matter decay appears to be the main destructive process acting on Terebratalia. Higher bioerosion levels in Hemithiris at SEM and LM scales are probably related to a combination of a low maceration rate and a preferential settlement by borers. From their vastly different abundances in life assemblages it can be deduced that Terebratalia produces dead shells at a much higher rate than Hemithiris. Therefore, the proportion of altered Terebratalia, relative to Hemithiris, is expected to be decreased due to its higher production of recently dead cohorts. That Terebratalia is also characterized by high damage levels shows that differential population turnover alone is not responsible for the differences in taphonomic damage. This shows that organic-rich and organic-poor shells are characterized by differential post-mortem durability. Although very few Hemithiris are present in the life assemblages, high durability ensures its relative over-representation in death assemblages. Terebratalia is not strongly under-represented in death assemblages, despite its high destruction rate, because of large production of recently dead shells. Even with the biasing effect of differential durability, the good fidelity reported in previous live-dead studies can be enhanced by higher population turnover of numerically dominant taxa, leading to constant input of recently dead shells into death assemblages.     

Microbial combinatorics: a simplified approach for isolating insecticidal bacteria

Bacteria can control pest insects that damage food crops, vector diseases and defoliate trees. Conventionally, isolation of these bacteria has been from soil and sporadically from dead insects. A simplified approach for isolating insecticidal bacteria from soil using the target insect as the selective agent was employed in this study. Instead of isolating single strains of bacteria from soil and testing each individual strain for insect toxicity, mixtures of bacteria present in each soil sample were tested together directly for toxicity using Manduca sexta (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) as a model insect. Thirty-five soil suspensions or bacterial suspensions of the 40 suspensions tested killed at least one M. sexta larva. All but one bacterial culture isolated from dead larvae and retested for toxicity, killed at least one M. sexta larva. Nineteen bacterial strains isolated from larvae killed in the first test, were identical to the bacteria fed to the retested larvae. Of the 19 strains isolated, 14 were identified by 16S rDNA sequencing as belonging to the Bacillus cereus group including three strains that formed crystals that were identified as B. thuringiensis. Of the three other spore-forming strains, two were identified as psychrotrophic B. weihenstephanensis and the third as Lysinibacillus fusiformis. Two others were identified as Enterococcus faecalis. This approach, microbial combinatorics, reduces the number of insects necessary for toxicity screening and associated time and resources compared to conventional methods that first isolate bacteria and then individually test for toxicity as well as a means of discovery of new pathogens using the insect as the selective agent.     

感染羽茅的香柱菌属内生真菌对丛枝菌根真菌孢子萌发的影响

内生真菌与丛枝菌根(AM)真菌是构成草原生态系统的重要组成部分.内生真菌会抑制其宿主植物的AM真菌侵染率.本研究以感染2种香柱菌属内生真菌[Epichloё gansuensis(Eg)和E. sibirica(Es)]的天然禾草羽茅为供试材料,进行体外纯培养的内生真菌培养滤液、感染内生真菌的羽茅叶片(包括鲜叶和枯叶)浸提液,以及根系分泌物对摩西球囊霉(Gm)和幼套球囊霉(Ge)2种AM真菌孢子萌发影响试验.结果表明: 香柱菌属内生真菌的培养滤液会显著抑制2种AM真菌孢子的萌发,而感染香柱菌属内生真菌的羽茅根系分泌物只对Ge孢子萌发有显著抑制作用,且上述抑制作用与内生真菌种类无关;鲜叶浸提液对Gm和Ge的孢子萌发率均无显著影响,而枯叶浸提液对Ge的孢子萌发有显著抑制作用.在自然生态系统中,香柱菌属内生真菌通常存在于宿主植物体内,可能通过影响宿主植物的根系分泌物来影响AM真菌孢子的萌发.     

斑痣盘菌科一新种————五指山散斑壳

报道斑痣盘菌科Rhytismataceae一新种,即发生在海南省五指山景区乌心楠Phoebe tavoyana死叶上的五指山散斑壳 Lophodermium wuzhishanense.文中提供了该种的描述,子实体的外表与内部结构的照片及点线合成图和讨论.     

中国江西爱氏霉属三个新种

对江西省植物凋落物上的暗色丝孢真菌进行了调查研究,自植物枯枝上发现爱氏霉属3个新种——江西爱氏霉、井冈山爱氏霉和庐山爱氏霉,根据采集材料对其进行了详细的形态描述和显微拍照。爱氏霉属迄今已报道69个种。该属广布全球,多数种腐生于植物凋落物或沉水腐木上,未见作为植物病原菌引起植物病害的报道。     

Honey bees can disseminate a microbial control agent to more than one inflorescence pest of oilseed rape

Pollen beetles (Meligethes aeneus) and cabbage seed weevils (Ceutorhynchus assimilis) are major pests of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) throughout Europe. In field cage experiments in both winter and spring rape, honey bees (Apis mellifera) effectively transported the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae to the flowers, causing infection and mortality of both adult and larval pollen beetles, as well as of adult seed weevils. External conidiation was observed on many of the dead pest insects. Although some external conidiation also occurred on dead honey bees, reduction in honey bee colony size during the experiments appeared unrelated to the fungus. The potential of this technique for integration into pest management strategies for the crop, particularly in association with a trap crop, is discussed.     

马鞍列岛海洋牧场褐菖鲉的摄食习性

海洋牧场是近岸渔业资源保护和恢复的有效途径,为评估海洋牧场建设对岩礁性鱼类的影响,本文基于马鞍列岛海洋牧场建设前后资源调查数据,利用胃含物分析和稳定同位素测试,研究了褐菖鲉的摄食习性.结果表明:海洋牧场建设前褐菖鲉主要摄食端足类、蟹类和头足类,优势饵料生物种类为麦秆虫、日本枪乌贼、日本蟳、日本岩瓷蟹和滩栖阳遂足等.随体长的增大,蟹类的比例增加,而端足类的比例减少.洋牧场建设后褐菖鲉主要摄食蟹类、端足类和鱼类,优势饵料生物种类为双斑蟳、日本蟳、麦秆虫和赤鼻棱鳀等.随体长的增大,鱼类和蟹类的比例增加,而端足类的比例先增加后减少.根据稳定同位素分析结果,海洋牧场区褐菖鲉可以划分为体长<10.0 cm、10.0～13.9.0 cm和≥14.0 cm 3个摄食群体,平均营养级为3.40级.     

中国南海西沙群岛海域鸢乌贼耳石元素组成

耳石是头足类重要的硬组织,其微化学被广泛用于头足类生活史的重建、群体划分等研究领域.本文根据中国灯光罩网渔船于2017年5—8月在中国南海西沙群岛海域采集的鸢乌贼样本,利用激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子质谱法(LA-ICP-MS)分析了20枚鸢乌贼耳石的元素组成及其分布特性.结果表明: 西沙群岛海域鸢乌贼耳石主要由55种元素组成,含量最多的前10种元素分别为钙(Ca)、锶(Sr)、钠(Na)、磷(P)、硅(Si)、镁(Mg)、钾(K)、硼(B)、 铁(Fe)和钡(Ba).方差分析表明,不同性别间Ca、Sr、Na、P、Si、Mg、K、Fe、Ba和B的分布均不存在显著性差异;不同孵化群体间Ca、P、B、Fe和Ba的分布也不存在显著性差异,而Si、Sr、Mg、Na和K则差异显著;不同耳石部位间除了Ca和Fe的分布不存在群体间差异外,Sr、Na、P、K、Si、Mg、B、和Ba均存在显著性差异.表明Sr、Na、K 和 Mg可能比较适合用于鸢乌贼群体划分和生活史研究.     

青岛崂山湾人工鱼礁区底层游泳动物群落结构特征

基于2015年5月至2016年1月在青岛崂山湾人工鱼礁区的调查数据, 采用Margalef种类丰富度指数(d)、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数(H')、Pielou均匀度指数(J)、丰度/生物量曲线、等级聚类分析、SIMPER相似性百分比分析和非度量多维尺度排序(NMDS)分析, 对底层游泳动物群落结构和多样性进行研究。调查期间共捕获游泳动物61种, 隶属34科, 其中鱼类36种, 甲壳类22种, 头足类3种。优势种为日本蟳(Charybdis japonica)、许氏平鲉(Sebastes schlegelii)、大泷六线鱼(Hexagrammus otakii)、斑头鱼(H. agrammus)和星康吉鳗(Conger myriaster), 其中日本蟳(26.91%)和许氏平鲉(26.74%)的生物量占绝对优势。礁区游泳动物的渔获量和渔获种类数均多于对照区, 月平均单位捕捞努力量渔获量(CPUE)最高值出现在5月, 达到735.74 ± 316.59 g·net^-1·d^-1。游泳动物群落组成的特征值上, 7、8月的多样性指数较高, 但鱼礁区和对照区无显著差异(P>0.05)。丰度/生物量曲线表明, 5、6月游泳动物群落处于严重受干扰状态, 11月和次年1月群落处于相对稳定状态。聚类分析表明, 除1月外, 各月份不同区域的样方相似性都较高, 5、6月三亩前礁区的相似性最高, 达到86.21%。     

Effects of tree mortality on the spatial patterns and interspecific associations of plant species in a Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata forest in Baotianman,Henan, China

Aims Tree mortality is an important ecological process in forest ecosystems. The aims of this study were to determine how tree mortality influences the spatial patterns and interspecific associations of plant species, and what are the causes of tree mortality in a 1 hm² permanent plot in Baotianman National Nature Reserve, Nanyang City, Henan Province.
Methods We conducted field investigations in the plot and used spatial point pattern analysis to examine the spatial patterns and interspecific associations of 17 species prior to and following mortality.
Important findings (1) Most of the species in the study plot showed an aggregated distribution both pre- and post-mortality. However, the number of species showing aggregated distribution decreased and the number of species showing random distribution increased following the mortality event. (2) Most species were positively associated with Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata both pre- and post-mortality, while some had no apparent association. Following tree mortality, on fine scales, the number of species with positive associations increased, and the number of species with negative associations decreased. (3) Tree mortality was in consistency with the random death hypothesis. The interspecific associations of four species with Q. aliena var. acuteserrata completely changed following death. For most species, the spatial patterns and the interspecific association with Q. aliena var. acuteserrata either changed at minor scales or did not change. The variations in spatial patterns or interspecific associations were inconsistent among species. (4) The dead trees of Q. aliena var. acuteserrata were significantly associated with the living trees in 13 species, but the associations between dead and living trees were not in agreement with the changes in interspecific association following mortality. Only five living tree species competed with the dead trees of Q. aliena var. acuteserrata, and the competition between each of these species and Q. aliena var. acuteserrata intensified after individual death. Tree mortality is the result of a variety of factors. Although the tree mortality in the study plot was in accordance with the random death hypothesis, there were also a few individuals which were dead from competition.     

Population structure and spatial pattern of Caragana tibetica communities in Nei Mongol shrub-encroached grassland

Aims The community structure and function of the shrub-encroached grassland, as well as its formation mechanism, is one of hot scientific problems in vegetation science. The spatial pattern analysis is an important means for studying plant population interactions and the relationships between plant population and environment. The shrub-encroached grassland is one major vegetation type in Nei Mongol. Knowledge on the spatial pattern of shrub can improve our understanding on adaptive characteristics of shrub to steppe environment.
Methods We chose Caragana tibetica encroached grassland distributed in Ordos City as research objects. The spatial position of each C. tibetica individual in 64 m × 64 m study plot was determined by a method of “three-distance location method”, and then the spatial pattern and intraspecific associations of C. tibetica individuals was analyzed with the point pattern analysis.
Important findings The results showed that C. tibetica population was at the rising stage. The mature individuals showed a uniform distribution at the scale of less than 3.7 m, subsequently exhibiting a random distribution with an increased scale. The juvenile individuals showed an aggregation distribution at the scale of 0.3-20.4 m, but a uniform distribution at other scales. The dead C. tibetica individuals were distributed aggregately at the scale from 0.7 to 1.4 m, but randomly at other scales. An indistinctive positive association was found for live C. tibetica individuals to dead individuals at the scale of less than 9.9 m, but no associations was found between them at other scales. The mature individuals negatively interacted with juveniles at the scale of larger than 2.2 m, but unassociated at the other scales.     

蝉虫草（蝉花）来源的化合物鉴定与抗菌活性检测

蝉虫草（蝉花）是我国重要的传统中药材之一,用于治疗慢性肾炎等,但对其活性成分的研究仍不充分。本文采用硅胶柱、凝胶柱、ODS柱分离,以及HPLC等色谱技术,对蝉虫草子实体样品的乙酸乙酯提取物进行分离纯化,得到3个化合物。根据波谱学数据,化合物1-3分别鉴定为(E,E)-9-酮-10,12-十八碳二烯酸(E,E)-9-oxooctadeca-10,12-dienoic acid（1）、麦角甾醇ergosterol（2）和白僵菌酮bassiatin（3）,其中化合物1为首次从蝉虫草中分离获得。抑菌实验表明,3个化合物均对革兰氏阴性大肠杆菌Escherichia coli和革兰氏阳性枯草芽孢杆菌Bacillus subtilis有显著的抑菌活性,化合物1和3还对条件致病真菌白色念珠菌Candida albicans有明显的抑菌活性。本文的研究结果丰富了蝉虫草的活性化合物组成。