Observations of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) in the Svalbard area 1940–2009

Forty-six sightings of bowhead whales have been reported from the Svalbard area between 1940 and 2009. But, only three of these sightings are reported prior to 1980. Most observations involve only one or two whales, but groups of up to seven individuals have been seen recently. Increased ship traffic, particularly cruise-based tourism, in the north undoubtedly provides more opportunities for spotting this species, and the establishment of a structured cetacean sighting programme, as well as increase in effort in documenting sightings from a wider marine user-community, likely all play a role in more records being documented in recent years. The absence of a dedicated monitoring programme for ice-associated cetaceans and the generally low scientific activity level in this field in Svalbard Waters hampers firm conclusions about the trends in abundance of bowhead whales in the Svalbard area.     

Upper Triassic (Keuper) non-marine trace fossils from the Haßberge area (Franconia, south-eastern Germany)

Various trace fossils from the Hassberge Formation and the Löwenstein Formation (Middle Keuper, Upper Triassic) of the Haßberge region are described. Twenty-three different forms have been identified, 17 of which are named, includingCruziana pascens n. isp.,Lockeia cunctator n. isp., andRusophycus versans n. isp.Lockeia siliquaria James, 1879,L. amygdaloides (Seilacher, 1953),L. triangulichnus Kim, 1994, andL. elongata (Yang, 1984) are revised and synonymized under the oldest available name,L. siliquaria James, 1879.Rusophycus eutendorfensis (Linck, 1942) andR. carbonarius Dawson, 1864 are revised. The diagnosis ofPolykladichnus Fürsich, 1981 is emended, and a diagnosis forHelminthoidichnites Fitch, 1850 is given for the first time. Among the described ichnotaxa,Skolithos ispp.,Rusophycus carbonarius, andTaenidium barretti are the most common forms. The trace fossil association is typical of theScoyenia ichnofacies, which indicates non-marine, periodically or completely inundated environments, such as floodplains and lake margins. Two palaeoichnocoenoses are identified. One ichnocoenosis, dominated byCruziana problematica, cf.Polykladichnus isp., andSkolithos isp. B characterizes margins of trough cross-bedded sandstones. Another ichnocoenosis, dominated byRusophycus versans n. isp.,Taenidium barretti,Scoyenia gracilis andSkolithos isp. A is related to ephemeral lake deposits. Taxonomic recommendations for the use of hitherto described and figured invertebrate Keuper trace fossils from Germany are given.     

Forest plant community changes in the Spačva lowland area (E Croatia)

The forests in the Spa?va Basin are a complex of lowland forests in the region of Slavonia (eastern Croatia). The present state of the forests is strongly influenced by intensive exploitation and hydro-ameliorative activities carried out in the past. The aim of this study was to consider the extent of changes in species composition, and the extent of environmental changes in forest communities of the Spa?va Basin in relation to research conducted between 1969 and 1971. The species composition of four communities (Carpino betuli-Quercetum roboris, Genisto elatae-Quercetum roboris aceretosum tatarici, and caricetosum remotae, and Leucojo-Fraxinetum angustifoliae) is studied by comparing 41 old and 57 new relevés. Changes were estimated using ordinations (RDA, CCA, DCA) and changes in species frequency and cover. A general trend of moisture reduction was noticeable among all communities. All vegetation types are becoming floristically more similar. An increase in frequency and cover of flood intolerant woody species (such as Carpinus betulus, Cornus sanguinea, Tilia tomentosa, and Acer tataricum) as well as a decrease of vernal species related to wet habitats are particularly evident. The succession of all studied communities is resulting in loss of the mosaic community pattern characteristic of lowland alluvial forests.     

Ongoing anthropogenic eutrophication of the catchment area threatens the Doñana World Heritage Site (South-west Spain)

Eutrophication is a major cause of wetland degradation worldwide. In recent decades, reductions in nutrient inputs have led to improvements in water quality in many rivers and lakes in central and northern Europe, but long-term trends are less clear in southern Europe. We conducted the first comprehensive study of water quality in Doñana (SW Spain), one of the most important wetland complexes in Europe and the Mediterranean region. The core area of Doñana is a large shallow, seasonal marsh (UNESCO World Heritage Site—WHS) that floods during rainy, cool winter months, then dries out during the summer. The marsh is fed by three main streams whose catchments are within a Biosphere Reserve but are impacted by greenhouses (for cultivating fruit, irrigated with groundwater), poorly treated urban wastewaters and tourism. From 2013 to 2016, we monitored nutrient (Total P, Total N, PO₄^?3, NH₄⁺, NO₃^?, NO₂^?) and phytoplankton chlorophyll-a (chla) concentrations in surface waters of the Doñana marsh and the three main streams. We quantified changes in greenhouse cover since 1995 using satellite images. Nutrient concentrations in streams were consistently higher than in the marsh, particularly in the Partido and Rocina streams that regularly reached concentrations equivalent to a “bad physico-chemical status” under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), and whose catchments suffered a fivefold expansion of greenhouses from 1995 to 2016. The Partido was the most polluted stream, and the most affected by wastewater effluents, and had particularly high concentrations of NH₄⁺ (Geometric Mean?=?0.3 mg L^?1) and NO₂^? (GM?=?0.52 mg L^?1) across seasons. Patterns in chla concentrations were less consistent, but streams (GM?=?6.78 µg L^?1) generally had higher concentrations than the marsh (GM?=?4.27 µg L^?1). Nutrient concentrations in spot samples within the marsh largely depended on a combination of evaporation (as revealed by higher stable isotope δ²H values in the water column) and spatial processes (concentrations increase close to stream entry points, where conductivity is lower). Anthropogenic nutrient pollution in entry streams is a serious problem in Doñana, with extensive stretches too toxic for fish. Reinforcement of policies aimed at reducing nutrient inputs to Doñana are urgently required to meet the biodiversity conservation and environmental objectives for the WHS and WFD, respectively. Paradoxically, the marsh is currently relied upon to purify the water entering from streams.

     

Revision of the lower Viséan (MFZ11) calcareous algae and archaediscoid foraminifers of the Sari area (central Alborz,Iran)

The microfloral and microfaunal assemblages of the MFZ11 foraminiferal biozone (late early SomervilleViséan; formerly V2a) are well developed in the Kiyasar section of the Sari area (central Alborz; northern Iran). Regionally, this biozone MFZ11 may be subdivided into three subzones. The lower subzone, MFZ11A, is characterized by the appearances of the algae Koninckopora tenuiramosa, coeloporellacean indet. Fourstonella fusiformis, and Nanopora anglica and, among the foraminifers, by the occurrence of Ammarchaediscus bozorgniai and the disappearance of Eoparastaffella simplex; the absence of Uralodiscus rotundus, U. spp., and primitive Glomodiscus spp. in this subzone is noticeable. The next subzone, MFZ11B1, is well characterized by the appearance of Glomodiscus spp. (G. oblongus and G. cf. miloni) and the local range zone of Pararchaediscus, a genus emended herein and interpreted as a junior synonym of Archaediscus at the involutus stage and Propermodiscus; only a few characteristic issinellacean and palaeoberesellacean algae are present in this subzone. Then, the last subzone, MFZ11B2, is characterized by Hemiarchaediscus (emended herein) and Glomodiscus miloni; the upper part of this latter subzone is only marked by the apparent absence of the archaediscids and the presence of two incertae sedis algae: Crassikamaena scabrosa and Epistacheoides bozorgniai nov. sp. These assemblages indicate that at that time, Alborz remained located on the Perigondwanan southern border of the Palaeotethys, and was probably connected with the Urals as well as the northwestern branch the Palaeotethys, from Belgium to the Donets Basin.     

Family Dibrachicystidae (Echinodermata: Rhombifera) from the “Middle” Cambrian of the Barrandian area,Czech Republic

A slightly crushed but otherwise nearly complete specimen of the recently described rhombiferan echinoderm genus Vizcainoia Zamora and Smith, 2012 is documented from the “Middle” Cambrian Jince Formation of the P?íbram–Jince Basin of the Czech Republic. Isolated thecal plates, earlier determined as calyx plates of the eocrinoid Acanthocystites briareus Barrande, 1887 and/or as eocrinoid sp., occurring in diverse levels of the Jince Formation are reassigned to Dibrachicystidae gen. et sp. indet. Similarly, isolated thecal plates collected from the Buchava Formation of the Skryje–Tý?ovice Basin could be classified as Dibrachicystidae gen. et sp. indet. Specimens from the Barrandian area are the first records of the family Dibrachicystidae outside of southwestern Europe, of the family otherwise known only from the Languedocian of Montagne Noire of France and from the Caesaraugustian and Languedocian of Iberian Chains of northern Spain.     

Seven members of the (1→3)-β-glucanase gene family in barley (Hordeum vulgare) are clustered on the long arm of chromosome 3 (3HL)

Members of the (13)--glucan glucanohydrolase (EC 3.2.1.39) gene family have been mapped on the barley genome using three doubled haploid populations and seven wheat-barley addition lines. Specific probes or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers were generated for the seven barley (13)--glucanase genes for which cDNA or genomic clones are currently available. The seven genes are all located on the long arm of chromosome 3 (3HL), and genes encoding isoenzymes GI, GII, GIII, GIV, GV and GVII (ABG2) are clustered in a region less than 20 cM in length. The region is flanked by the RFLP marker MWG2099 on the proximal side and the Barley Yellow Mosaic Virus (BYMV) resistance gene ym4 at the distal end. The gene encoding isoenzyme GVI lies approximately 50 cM outside this cluster, towards the centromere. With the exception of the gene encoding isoenzyme GIV, all of the (13)--glucanase genes are represented by single copies on the barley genome. The probe for the isoenzyme GIV gene hybridized with four DNA bands during Southern blot analysis, only one of which could be incorporated into the consensus linkage map.     

Cordaites schatzlarensis sp. nov. and Samaropsis newberryi (Andrews) Seward from the Westphalian (Carboniferous) of the ?aclé? area (Czech Republic)

The monotonous cordaitalean leaves are usually difficult to determine as leaf shape and venation can be similar in many species. Therefore cuticular analysis is an important method for distinguishing cordaitalean leaves. Pennsylvanian Cordaites schatzlarensis nov. sp. comes from the ?aclé? locality in the Intrasudetic Basin, Czech Republic. It has been found in mudstone accompanying the upper coal seams No. 9 and 10 of the Jan Šverma Coals, Lampertice Member, ?aclé? Formation and are late Duckmantian in age. The leaves of Cordaites schatzlarensis are lanceolate, amphistomatic. Stomata of the adaxial epidermis are scarce, isolated, or in very short stomatal rows. In contrast, the density of stomata on the abaxial cuticle is high and stomata are arranged into single or double stomatal rows. The cuticles of C. schatzlarensis are comparable with the Chinese Upper Permian C. baodeensis Ge. Leaves can be narrow, comparable to French Bolsovian Dorycordaites zeilleri Ledran, or relatively wide. Accompanying big seeds more than 5 cm in diameter are attributed to Samaropsis newberryi (Andrews) Seward. The pith casts Artisia Sternberg were found in sandy channel fill deposits.     

Sedimentological and paleoecological aspects of the Norian–Rhaetian transition (Late Triassic) in the Xuanhan area of the Sichuan Basin,Southwest China

The end-Triassic mass extinction is one of the five big extinction events in the Phanerozoic, and its impact on marine organisms has been extensively studied. However, whether the terrestrial ecosystem had begun to deteriorate or even collapsed prior to the end-Triassic mass extinction remains controversial and the related studies in Asia are very limited. In this study, we provide a comprehensive investigation of the sedimentary environments, their implications for floral changes, and the paleoecology during the Norian–Rhaetian transition in Xuanhan area, northeastern Sichuan Basin, Southwest China. The sedimentary environments and climatic conditions changed coupling the transgression and regression caused by the tectonic movements. Climatic oscillations were identified during the Norian–Rhaetian transition in the Xuanhan area, including a short-term cooling event. The diversity and composition of the plant communities changed through the Norian–Rhaetian transition in Xuanhan area, but the terrestrial ecosystem as a whole didn’t collapse or deteriorate prior to the end-Triassic mass extinction.     

Why is the South Orkney Island shelf (the world's first high seas marine protected area) a carbon immobilization hotspot?

The Southern Ocean archipelago, the South Orkney Islands (SOI), became the world's first entirely high seas marine protected area (MPA) in 2010. The SOI continental shelf (~44 000 km²), was less than half covered by grounded ice sheet during glaciations, is biologically rich and a key area of both sea surface warming and sea‐ice losses. Little was known of the carbon cycle there, but recent work showed it was a very important site of carbon immobilization (net annual carbon accumulation) by benthos, one of the few demonstrable negative feedbacks to climate change. Carbon immobilization by SOI bryozoans was higher, per species, unit area and ice‐free day, than anywhere‐else polar. Here, we investigate why carbon immobilization has been so high at SOI, and whether this is due to high density, longevity or high annual production in six study species of bryozoans (benthic suspension feeders). We compared benthic carbon immobilization across major regions around West Antarctica with sea‐ice and primary production, from remotely sensed and directly sampled sources. Lowest carbon immobilization was at the northernmost study regions (South Georgia) and southernmost Amundsen Sea. However, data standardized for age and density showed that only SOI was anomalous (high). High immobilization at SOI was due to very high annual production of bryozoans (rather than high densities or longevity), which were 2x, 3x and 5x higher than on the Bellingshausen, South Georgia and Amundsen shelves, respectively. We found that carbon immobilization correlated to the duration (but not peak or integrated biomass) of phytoplankton blooms, both in directly sampled, local scale data and across regions using remote‐sensed data. The long bloom at SOI seems to drive considerable carbon immobilization, but sea‐ice losses across West Antarctica mean that significant carbon sinks and negative feedbacks to climate change could also develop in the Bellingshausen and Amundsen seas.     

Synthesis and characterization of [Pt(COD)Cl(NO3)] and [Pt(COD)(NO3)2] and the use of [Pt(COD)Clx(NO3)2−x] in the preparation of cis[Pt(PPh3)2Clx(NO3)2−x] (x=0, 1, 2) and [Pt(PPh3)3L](NO3) (L=Cl,NO3)

[Pt(COD)Cl₂] (COD=1,5-cyclooctadiene) is a versatile starting material for the synthesis of Pt(II) compounds. The preparations of the new compounds [Pt(COD)Cl(NO₃)], [Pt(COD)(NO₃)₂] and [Pt(PPh₃)₃(NO₃)](NO₃) and also of the known compounds cis[Pt(PPh₃)₂Cl₂], cis [Pt(PPh₃)₂Cl(NO₃)], cis[Pt(PPh₃)₂(NO₃)₂] and [Pt(PPh₃)₃Cl](NO₃)are reported. The compounds are characterized by elemental analysis, ³¹P{¹H} NMR spectroscopy and IR spectroscopy.     

Food supply for waders (Aves: Charadrii) in an estuarine area in the Bay of Cádiz (SW Iberian Peninsula)

We studied the composition, density, size distribution and biomass of the food supply for waders in an estuarine area in the Bay of Cádiz (SW Iberian Peninsula), in winter (January-February) and in the pre-migratory period (late March). The estuarine area comprises an intertidal mudflat and an adjacent salina or salt-pan. On the intertidal mudflat, the biomass was 53 and 37 g  AFDW.m^-2in winter and the pre-migratory period, respectively. The main food source on mudflat was the polychaete Nereis diversicolor (44–54 % of the total biomass). On the other hand, the biomass in the salina was comparatively very poor, ranging from 0.008 to 0.079 g  AFDW.m^-2in winter and ranging from 0.011 to 0.09 g AFDW in late March. The main source of food in the salina was the crustacean Artemia. The total biomass on the mudflat during the pre-migratory period was 1.4 times lower than in February. This depletion could be caused by wader predation, mainly by Nereis diversicolor consumption. Although the potential food on the mudflats could allow high intertidal densities of waders, the availability of high tide foraging areas in the salina seems to contribute to the maintenance of these high intertidal densities.     

Sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in a Cerrado area of the Maranhão state, Brazil

The present paper aims to increase the knowledge on the sand fly fauna in the cerrado areas of Maranh?o state in urban, rural and forest environments. The research was carried out from October 2007 to September 2008, between 18:00h and 06:00h, in the municipality of Chapadinha, northeast Maranh?o. For insect sampling, CDC light traps were set up in peridomicile and domicile areas of urban and rural zones as well as in Cerrado and Gallery forests. The total of 1,401 specimens belonging to 17 species were sampled, all within the genus Lutzomyia. Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva) (52.5%), Lu. evandroi (Costa Lima & Antunes) (18.3%), Lu. whitmani (Antunes & Coutinho) (12.1%), Lu. lenti (Mangabeira) (4.7%) and Lu. termitophila (Martins, Falc?o & Silva) (4.0%) were the most frequently collected. From an epidemiological viewpoint, five from all of the collected species are vectors of leishmaniasis: Lu. longipalpis, Lu. whitmani, Lu. flaviscutellata (Mangabeira), Lu. gomezi (Nitzulescu) and Lu. chagasi (Costa Lima). Lutzomyia chagasi was registered for the first time in Maranh?o state and Lu. saulensis (Floch & Abonnenc), Lu. monstruosa (Floch & Abonnenc) and Lu. gomezi were found for the first time in the eastern part of the state, since they had been reported only in the Amazonian region of Maranh?o. Regarding to the studied environments, the urban chicken house had the highest number of specimens collected (801), while the Gallery Forest was the most diverse (15 species). This study demonstrates that the northeast cerrado exhibits a mixed sand fly fauna characterized by an extremely important species vectors assortment involved in the epidemiological cycle of leishmaniasis in Maranh?o state.     

Partial trisomy of the short arm of chromosome 3 (3p25→3pter)

Summary Two profoundly mentally mentally retarded brothers with partial trisomy for the distal part of the short arm of chromosome 3 (3p253pter) are described. Their anomaly arose as a segregation product of a balanced t(3p-;18q+) translocation in the mother. Compared with the other cases of partial 3p trisomy reported up to now, the present patients display a similar craniofacial dysmorphism with hypertelorism, broad nasal tip, short upper lip with prominent philtrum, and a large mouth with down-turned corners. Other stigmata, such as a prominent, high forehead with frontal bossing and full cheeks, were present during childhood but progressively disappeared.     

The impact of the Scheldt input on the trace metal distribution in the Belgian coastal area (results of 1981–1983 and 1995–1996)

Offshore fluxes of Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and Hg were calculated based onresidual flow patterns and salinity gradients along the Belgian coast. Theresidual flow lines along the Belgian coast are more or less parallel to thecoast except in the area where the north-easterly flowing watermass comingfrom the Channel encounters the south-westerly-oriented Scheldt outflow,forming a residual hydrodynamical front. From the steady-state salinitypattern, diffusion coefficients perpendicular to the residual flow werededuced; they ranged from 21 to 108 m² s^-1. Offshore fluxes of dissolved and particulate trace metals based on diffusiveand mixing processes are calculated. The steady state profiles of dissolvedmetals show a dilution effect in the coastal waters, reaching an almostconstant concentration in the marine watermass in the 1981–1983dataset. The ratios of the Scheldt input of trace metals to the totaldissolved offshore flux vary from 38 to 55% (1981–1983),depending on the kind of metal, and from 55 to 91% (1995–1996).The ratio of the Scheldt input to the dissolved metal flow parallel to thecoast, is in both periods (1981–1983 and 1995–1996), smallerthan 1%. The steady-state concentration profiles of particular metalsversus salinity are fairly constant in the coastal-estuarine and marinewatermasses, but decrease very abruptly from the first to the secondwatermass. Assuming a conservative behaviour of the particular metals,offshore fluxes and the resulting concentration increases agree fairly wellwith the observed values. The ratios of the Scheldt input to the particulatetrace metal offshore flux vary between 30 to 46% (1981–1983)and 13 to 37% (1995–1996). The contribution of the Scheldtestuary to the flows parallel to the coast ranges from 1.6 to 2.9%(1981–1983) and from 0.6 to 1.6% (1995). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Does damming of the Colorado River affect the nursery area of blue shrimp Litopenaeus stylirostris (Decapoda: Penaeidae) in the Upper Gulf of California?

After damming the Colorado River the freshwater flow was reduced to 1% of its virgin flow to the Upper Gulf of California (UGC). The ecological effects need to be properly documented. The UGC is the nursery area for Litopenaeus stylirostris, the most profitable fishery in the zone. In order to know the relative abundance of L. stylirostris postlarval stage we conducted a sampled survey every 14 days in 1993, 1994 and 1997, plus an intensive sampling during a complete tide cycle in July 1995 and 1996. We did 10 min trawls each hour during the flood tide. Relative abundance of postlarvae was higher (p < 0.05) in those years when freshwater flow reached the UGC.     

Studies on the Chinese Woodsiaceae (3)—Phylogeny and Speciation

The history of the study on the woodsiodes is briefly surveyed in the paper. The family Woodsiaceae is recognized by the present author. The relationships among the species and the probable evolution of the family are discussed based on author's cytological and comparative morphological studies, and are indicated by Wagner's method, with numerical values as the indices. Woodsiaceae may have originated from the common ancestor of modern Dicranopteris and Sticherus of Gleicheniaceae, and evolved from it into two main branches, i.e., Woodsia and Protowoodsia. The origin of species through polyploid series are discussed, and W. andersonii, W. subcordata, W. alpina and Cheilanthopsis indosiosa considered as fertile allopolyploids; the probable way of speciation is also suggested for these species.