陆生植物气孔参数与大气CO_2浓度变化

陆生植物的起源与演化与全球气候和环境的变化密不可分,利用植物气孔参数(气孔密度和气孔指数)来指示或重建古大气CO2浓度变化是近年来全球变化研究的热点之一。就陆生植物气孔参数的研究进行了概述,对研究中存在的问题及其前景作了简要探讨,并对植物生物学方法在定量研究古气候和古环境变化的趋势进行了分析。     

陆生植物气孔参数与大气CO2浓度变化

陆生植物的起源与演化与全球气候和环境的变化密不可分,利用植物气孔参数(气孔密度和气孔指数)来指示或重建古大气CO₂浓度变化是近年来全球变化研究的热点之一。就陆生植物气孔参数的研究进行了概述,对研究中存在的问题及其前景作了简要探讨,并对植物生物学方法在定量研究古气候和古环境变化的趋势进行了分析。     

现代分子生物技术在湖泊沉积物古DNA研究中的应用

分子生物学技术的发展,为从分子生物学角度探讨湖泊生态系统演化提供了一个新窗口。依据湖泊沉积物中古DNA研究,从古微生物、动植物群落结构组成及数量变化等方面开展研究,可进一步反演湖泊及周边的气候环境变化,探讨生物与气候、人类活动之间的关系。本文首先介绍了湖泊沉积物中古DNA来源、保存特点以及提取方法,其次比较分析了现代分子生物技术在湖泊沉积物古DNA中的应用特点,并阐述了湖泊沉积物古DNA在重建古气候、古生态以及人类活动对古环境影响方面的应用,最后对目前湖泊沉积物古DNA研究方法存在的一些问题进行了总结。     

孢粉生态群模型(SEG)及其在古环境研究中的应用

介绍孢粉生态群(Sporomorph EcoGroup,简称SEG)模型的概念、方法及应用。孢粉生态群由荷兰学者Abbink等于1998年最早提出,定义了包括高地、低地、河流、先驱、海岸及潮汐六种SEG类型,并确立了相关古环境的指示参数。该模型成功应用于中生代非海相地层的高分辨率古环境重建、古气候波动及海平面变化等领域的分析与研究。与传统孢粉地层学相比,孢粉生态群模型的优势在于在对高分辨率孢粉记录进行半定量化研究的基础上,可以进行详细的古生态古环境解释,尤为重要的是可以反映出古气候、古环境的波动变化。该模型在中生代孢粉学中率先得到成功应用,涉及三叠纪—白垩纪地层及若干重要地质事件,为中生代非海相地层古环境重建研究提供了有效途径和成功范例,对于我国陆相中生代地层及古环境研究具有积极借鉴意义。     

三叠系-侏罗系界线古火灾事件研究:方法、进展及展望

三叠纪-侏罗纪之交发生了一次显著的全球生物大灭绝事件,为地质历史时期的五大灭绝事件之一,这一重大地质转折时期的古生态和古环境变化越来越受到科学界的重视。众多研究已经发现,沉积地层夹层中煤和含煤层的煤岩学特征、惰质组含量、植物化石形态、孢粉组合、碳同位素偏移等证据,均可以反映出古生态、古气候以及古环境的细微波动变化,因此三叠系-侏罗系界线(Triassic-Jurassic Boundary,简称为TJB)古火灾活动及其古环境可以通过以上证据来进行判定与恢复。本文旨在介绍国际上古火灾事件研究的几种主要方法、TJB古火灾事件研究进展,并对中国开展三叠纪-侏罗纪之交古火灾事件与古环境、古生态研究提出展望。     

植物叶片化石气孔参数与古海拔定量重建: 方法与进展

古海拔的定量重建在推演地球动力学模型、大气循环模式、古气候变化以及地球化学循环过程方面都具有十分重要的作用,但是迄今为止在古植物学和古环境研究领域中古海拔的定量重建仍然存在许多难点。本文在介绍目前古海拔定量重建领域几种方法的基础上,重点对植物叶片化石气孔参数及其应用与进展进行了讨论,着重介绍:(1)如何利用植物叶片化石气孔参数法恢复古海拔;(2)方法实践过程中的误差来源与分析;(3)应用实例及展望。     

深海底栖有孔虫在古海洋学研究中的应用

通过对海洋沉积物的调查分析,探讨地质历史上海洋环流模式和海水物理化学性质的变化是古海洋学研究的重要内容之一。深海底栖有孔虫对环境变化敏感、其壳体稳定同位素和微量元素与海水性质密切相关使得它成为研究古海洋学的有力工具。但同时,底栖有孔虫的生命效应、分布的区域性以及海水自身等因素在一定程度上制约了其应用。本文总结了底栖有孔虫在古海洋学研究中的应用以及限制因素,以利于在具体研究中客观分析,提高古海洋环境重建的可靠性。     

再谈腕足动物

海洋生物学家、古生物学家和地质工作者们对“腕足动物”是不陌生的,它是一种完全生活在海水中的底栖单体群生无脊椎动物。腕足动物在地质学和古生物学研究中的地位是十分重要的,而且它还可以成为古水动力条件、埋藏学、成岩作用乃至古病理学研究的重要对象。最近,腕足动物在地质学和古海洋学研究领域中又派上了新用场。在古环境和古气候研究中最令地质和古海洋学工     

孢粉信息函数在辽河断陷西部凹陷沙河街组古环境分析中的应用

为了加强含油气盆地的古环境和古气候研究,寻找古环境研究的多种途径,探索用孢粉信息函数半定量恢复古环境和古气候。孢粉是气候变化敏感的信息载体,气候适宜,孢粉信息函数值越高,而且在沉积过程中,从岸边到湖盆中心,随着水体加深,孢粉信息函数值逐渐降低。利用孢粉信息函数的这种变化规律,按<2.0、2.0—2.1、>2.1三个参数值,将辽河断陷西部凹陷沙河街组一段沉积时期的湖盆划分为半深湖、浅湖和滨浅湖环境。并依据沙河街组孢粉信息函数值从沙四段到沙一段呈现低(1.97)—高(2.12)—低(1.88)—高(2.28)的韵律性变化,判断古气候呈干热—潮湿—干热—潮湿的旋回性演变。西部凹陷沙河街组孢粉信息函数的变化规律与古气候演变有很好的响应,同时与盆地不同发育阶段的古地貌、古环境密切相关。因此,孢粉信息函数是重建古气候、古环境的有效手段之一,能弥补缺少大化石给含油气盆地沉积环境研究带来的不足。     

松辽盆地梨树断陷早白垩世微体古生物、沉积环境以及控油意义

根据松辽盆地梨树断陷早白垩世地层中孢粉百分含量的纵向变化特征,建立了自下而上各层组的孢粉组合。通过分析孢粉、藻类以及介形类的古环境指示特征,恢复了梨树断陷地层的气温带、古植被、干湿度以及湖水古盐度。沙河子组沉积时期为温暖潮湿的中亚热带气候,古植被为针叶林和灌草丛,湖水为淡水、微咸水;营城组沉积时期为南亚热带气候,古植被为针叶林和灌草丛,湖水同样为淡水、微咸水;到了登娄库组沉积时期,气候变得炎热干旱,为热带气候,古植被为针叶林,湖水则变为半咸水。本文的研究结果可以有效指示地层的划分与对比以及沉积环境的分析。同时,结合盆地发育讨论了古气候变化的控油意义,古气候的变化控制着烃源岩和储层的发育与分布。     

The evolution of deepwater dissolved oxygen in the northern South China Sea since 400 ka

The dissolved oxygen (DO) content of the ocean provides potential evidence and clues for the waxing and waning of marine productivity, ocean circulation, global climate change, and the evolution of ecological communities. On the basis of the analysis of the Benthic Foraminiferal Oxygen Index (BFOI), the percentage of epifaunal benthic foraminifers, and the redox-sensitive trace elements (Mo/Al) in Core MD12-3432, we reconstruct the evolution of deep water DO content in the northern South China Sea (SCS) during the past 400 ka and discuss the mechanisms of variable DO content. The results show that the changes of BFOI, Mo/Al, and the percentage of epifaunal benthic foraminifer present a similar pattern, which may reflect the variations of the DO content in seawater since 400 ka. Both variations in BFOI and Mo/Al indicate that the DO content was high during most time of marine isotope stage (MIS) 11 to mid-MIS 6, then decreased in late-MIS 6, and remained stable in MIS 5. It increased in MIS 4 and decreased until MIS 2, and then rose again. The non-synchronous variations between bottom water DO and benthic foraminiferal δ¹⁸O indicate that the DO content is not controlled by glacial-interglacial cyclic environmental variations. Comparing the biomarker productivity index with the DO content of water, we find that the DO content is affected mainly by productivity. Bulimina, Uvigerina and Chilostomella oolina are high productivity species. The accumulation rates of Bulimina and Uvigerina are higher during 61–15 kyr interval, but the accumulation rate of C. oolina is higher during 168–130 kyr. The results infer that different intensity of primary productivity and DO during these two periods. The DO and phytoplankton total (PT) show the opposite relation, which also indicates that the DO is affected by primary productivity, and the combined action of productivity and DO decides the growth of Bulimina, Uvigerina, and C. oolina. Besides the influences of productivity, the change of DO in the ocean is also affected by oceanic circulation.     

Climate change and seal survival: evidence for environmentally mediated changes in elephant seal, Mirounga leonina, pup survival

Maternal and physical factors play a significant role in animal life-history variability, which means that large scale climate change has the potential to affect the size and dynamics of animal populations indirectly through maternal investment and directly through conditions that animals are exposed to. However, little is known about the effects of large-scale oceanographic events such as the El-Ni?o southern oscillation (ENSO) that influence productivity in the Southern Ocean and the abundance, quality and distribution of prey. The possible mechanisms by which physical factors and primary productivity could influence life-history traits, such as survival of apex predators, includes direct influences such as food availability and foraging success and indirect influences such as stored maternal investment and resource transfer during lactation. Here, we quantify the relative contribution of maternal investment and climate conditions at remote foraging sites to survival in the first year of life for southern elephant seals. We present evidence linking climate (ENSO) and variations in a key demographic parameter--first-year survival--and demonstrate that survival was highest during ENSO events and that the ability of mothers to store and acquire resources, which is typically related to ocean productivity, is the most important determinant of survival in the first year. This functional link provides valuable insights that can be used to model the responses of the seal populations to climate change scenarios.     

Projecting marine species range shifts from only temperature can mask climate vulnerability

Climate change is causing range shifts in many marine species, with implications for biodiversity and fisheries. Previous research has mainly focused on how species' ranges will respond to changing ocean temperatures, without accounting for other environmental covariates that could affect future distribution patterns. Here, we integrate habitat suitability modeling approaches, a high‐resolution global climate model projection, and detailed fishery‐independent and ‐dependent faunal datasets from one of the most extensively monitored marine ecosystems—the U.S. Northeast Shelf. We project the responses of 125 species in this region to climate‐driven changes in multiple oceanographic factors (e.g., ocean temperature, salinity, sea surface height) and seabed characteristics (i.e., rugosity and depth). Comparing model outputs based on ocean temperature and seabed characteristics to those that also incorporated salinity and sea surface height (proxies for primary productivity and ocean circulation features), we explored how an emphasis on ocean temperature in projecting species' range shifts can impact assessments of species' climate vulnerability. We found that multifactor habitat suitability models performed better in explaining and predicting species historical distribution patterns than temperature‐based models. We also found that multifactor models provided more concerning assessments of species' future distribution patterns than temperature‐based models, projecting that species' ranges will largely shift northward and become more contracted and fragmented over time. Our results suggest that using ocean temperature as a primary determinant of range shifts can significantly alter projections, masking species' climate vulnerability, and potentially forestalling proactive management.     

Climate-driven dynamics of the forest-tundra vegetation in the Polar Ural Mountains

The paper presents the results of long-term studies of the effect of climate changes on the structure, productivity, and spatial distribution of forest-tundra communities growing in the upper treeline ecotone on the east-facing macroslope of the Polar Ural Mountains, in the Sob’ River basin. The study reveals variations in the stand age structure, density, productivity, and the altitude of the upper line of larch open forests and closed forests over the last 1000 years. These results were compared to long-term variations in summer temperature reconstructed using tree-ring analysis. Spatiotemporal dynamics of the forest-tundra communities was analyzed in detail in relation to the 20th century climate warming.     

Ocean iron fertilization may amplify climate change pressures on marine animal biomass for limited climate benefit

Climate change scenarios suggest that large-scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR) will be required to maintain global warming below 2°C, leading to renewed attention on ocean iron fertilization (OIF). Previous OIF modelling has found that while carbon export increases, nutrient transport to lower latitude ecosystems declines, resulting in a modest impact on atmospheric CO₂. However, the interaction of these CDR responses with ongoing climate change is unknown. Here, we combine global ocean biogeochemistry and ecosystem models to show that, while stimulating carbon sequestration, OIF may amplify climate-induced declines in tropical ocean productivity and ecosystem biomass under a high-emission scenario, with very limited potential atmospheric CO₂ drawdown. The ‘biogeochemical fingerprint’ of climate change, that leads to depletion of upper ocean major nutrients due to upper ocean stratification, is reinforced by OIF due to greater major nutrient consumption. Our simulations show that reductions in upper trophic level animal biomass in tropical regions due to climate change would be exacerbated by OIF within ~20 years, especially in coastal exclusive economic zones (EEZs), with potential implications for fisheries that underpin the livelihoods and economies of coastal communities. Any fertilization-based CDR should therefore consider its interaction with ongoing climate-driven changes and the ensuing ecosystem impacts in national EEZs.     

Temperature,but not pH,compromises sea urchin fertilization and early development under near-future climate change scenarios

Global warming is causing ocean warming and acidification. The distribution of Heliocidaris erythrogramma coincides with the eastern Australia climate change hot spot, where disproportionate warming makes marine biota particularly vulnerable to climate change. In keeping with near-future climate change scenarios, we determined the interactive effects of warming and acidification on fertilization and development of this echinoid. Experimental treatments (20–26°C, pH 7.6–8.2) were tested in all combinations for the ‘business-as-usual’ scenario, with 20°C/pH 8.2 being ambient. Percentage of fertilization was high (>89%) across all treatments. There was no difference in percentage of normal development in any pH treatment. In elevated temperature conditions, +4°C reduced cleavage by 40 per cent and +6°C by a further 20 per cent. Normal gastrulation fell below 4 per cent at +6°C. At 26°C, development was impaired. As the first study of interactive effects of temperature and pH on sea urchin development, we confirm the thermotolerance and pH resilience of fertilization and embryogenesis within predicted climate change scenarios, with negative effects at upper limits of ocean warming. Our findings place single stressor studies in context and emphasize the need for experiments that address ocean warming and acidification concurrently. Although ocean acidification research has focused on impaired calcification, embryos may not reach the skeletogenic stage in a warm ocean.     

Light variability illuminates niche-partitioning among marine Picocyanobacteria

Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus picocyanobacteria are dominant contributors to marine primary production over large areas of the ocean. Phytoplankton cells are entrained in the water column and are thus often exposed to rapid changes in irradiance within the upper mixed layer of the ocean. An upward fluctuation in irradiance can result in photosystem II photoinactivation exceeding counteracting repair rates through protein turnover, thereby leading to net photoinhibition of primary productivity, and potentially cell death. Here we show that the effective cross-section for photosystem II photoinactivation is conserved across the picocyanobacteria, but that their photosystem II repair capacity and protein-specific photosystem II light capture are negatively correlated and vary widely across the strains. The differences in repair rate correspond to the light and nutrient conditions that characterize the site of origin of the Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus isolates, and determine the upward fluctuation in irradiance they can tolerate, indicating that photoinhibition due to transient high-light exposure influences their distribution in the ocean.     

Regional differences in responses of chinook salmon populations to large-scale climatic patterns

Aim To quantitatively explore the extent to which many different populations of the same species (chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) respond cohesively to a common large‐scale climatic trend. Location The Columbia River basin of the northwestern US. Methods I used regression analyses to describe the downward trend in population growth (number of recruits per spawning adult) for thirteen populations of chinook salmon distributed among three geographical regions: Snake River, Upper Columbia River and Middle Columbia River. I then used residuals from these regressions to characterize per capita productivity for each brood year. Positive residuals indicated productivity higher than that predicted by the time series, while negative residuals revealed years in which productivity was lower than predicted. I next used analysis of covariance (ancova ) to test the null hypothesis that associations between ocean/climate conditions and deviations from predicted population growth did not vary among geographical regions. All ancova s used residuals generated from the regressions as the response variable, geographical region as the main effect, and climatic condition [characterized by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation index (PDO)] as the covariate. A major climate shift occurred in 1977, and because the association of the PDO with salmon productivity varied between the pre‐ and post‐1977 climate regimes, I analysed data from the two regimes separately. Results There were marked impacts of climate on salmon production that varied among geographical regions and between decade‐scale climate regimes. During the pre‐1977 climate regime, productivity of salmon populations from the Snake River tended to exceed expectations (i.e. residuals were positive) when values of the PDO were negative. In contrast, this pattern was not evident in populations from the upper or middle Columbia Rivers. During the post‐1977 regime when ocean productivity was generally lower, the association of the PDO with salmon productivity changed – productivity tended to fall short of expectations (i.e. residuals were negative) when values of the PDO were negative. Main conclusions Understanding the linkages between salmon populations and climate is critical as managers attempt to preserve threatened salmon populations in the face of both natural or human‐induced climate variation and the litany of human activities affecting salmon. An important step in this understanding is the recognition that the response to ocean/climate change by salmon populations of the same species and river basin is not necessarily homogeneous.     

Major imprint of surface plankton on deep ocean prokaryotic structure and activity

Deep ocean microbial communities rely on the organic carbon produced in the sunlit ocean, yet it remains unknown whether surface processes determine the assembly and function of bathypelagic prokaryotes to a larger extent than deep‐sea physicochemical conditions. Here, we explored whether variations in surface phytoplankton assemblages across Atlantic, Pacific and Indian ocean stations can explain structural changes in bathypelagic (ca. 4,000 m) free‐living and particle‐attached prokaryotic communities (characterized through 16S rRNA gene sequencing), as well as changes in prokaryotic activity and dissolved organic matter (DOM) quality. We show that the spatial structuring of prokaryotic communities in the bathypelagic strongly followed variations in the abundances of surface dinoflagellates and ciliates, as well as gradients in surface primary productivity, but were less influenced by bathypelagic physicochemical conditions. Amino acid‐like DOM components in the bathypelagic reflected variations of those components in surface waters, and seemed to control bathypelagic prokaryotic activity. The imprint of surface conditions was more evident in bathypelagic than in shallower mesopelagic (200–1,000 m) communities, suggesting a direct connectivity through fast‐sinking particles that escape mesopelagic transformations. Finally, we identified a pool of endemic deep‐sea prokaryotic taxa (including potentially chemoautotrophic groups) that appear less connected to surface processes than those bathypelagic taxa with a widespread vertical distribution. Our results suggest that surface planktonic communities shape the spatial structure of the bathypelagic microbiome to a larger extent than the local physicochemical environment, likely through determining the nature of the sinking particles and the associated prokaryotes reaching bathypelagic waters.