The phytoplankton community of the River Meuse,Belgium: seasonal dynamics (year 1992) and the possible incidence of zooplankton grazing

Qualitative and quantitative aspects of the phytoplankton of the River Meuse were studied during 1992, at a point 537 km from the source. The phytoplankton was dominated by diatoms and green algae. The Stephanodiscus hantzschii-group was especially prominent. Other important taxa were Cyclotella meneghiniana, small Cyclotella and Thalassiosira, Aulacoseira ambigua and Nitzschia acicularis. Cell abundances varied from less than 1000 units ml^–1 to about 25 000 – 30 000 units ml^–1 during the blooms. The Stephanodiscus hantzchii-group constituted almost entirely the first spring bloom. During the summer period, small Thalassiosiraceae developed markedly and large Thalassiosira weissflogii appeared. During this period, green algae dominated diatoms as expressed in cell abundances. The main Chlorococcales were Scenedesmus quadricauda, Scenedesmus div. sp., Dictyosphaerium ehrenbergianum and Pediastrum duplex. Dinophyceae contributed a significant biomass during the summer period. Total biomass varied between 100 and 3 650 µg Cl^–1. As previously observed (Descy, 1987), the factors regulating the phytoplankton growth were clearly physical variables: discharge, temperature and irradiance. However, in the summer period, low abundances might indicate a regulation by biotic factors. The impact of grazing by zooplankton is discussed, on the basis of observations of zooplankton development in the River Meuse and on the basis of simulation by a mathematical model. A comparison is carried out with recent data of phytoplankton in large European rivers.     

地下水生态系统健康评价指标体系的构建

地下水生态系统是重要的生态系统类型,由于地下水资源不合理的开发利用和污染物排放强度的增大、并长期积累,已导致许多地方产生生态环境劣变,甚至酿成难以弥补的严重后果,地下水生态系统健康问题已经成为许多国家和地区重点关注的环境问题之一.在科学把握地下水生态系统健康的概念和内涵的基础上,从系统结构特征、生态功能、资源功能、系统保护以及社会环境等5个方面选取了29个典型指标构建了地下水生态系统健康指标体系,对关键评价指标的意义进行了具体分析.出于服务于地下水生态系统健康评价的目的,对重要指标的评价标准进行了划分,并探讨了地下水生态系统健康评价的主要方法及发展方向,研究成果在一定程度上可以丰富生态系统健康评价研究理论与方法体系.     

基于MCE的饶河流域国土空间生态质量综合评价及其空间分异

开展国土空间生态调查与评价,摸清区域三类空间生态现状与问题所在,是进行区域国土空间生态修复、空间格局优化等工作的必要前提。基于城镇、农业和生态空间自身的结构、功能和效应,构建国土空间生态质量综合评价体系,以饶河流域所涉县市为研究区域,采用多目标综合评价法开展国土空间生态质量综合评价研究并进行分区,探究结果的空间分异特征。结果表明:(1)研究区国土空间生态质量整体水平良好,中等以上区域占比70.6%。(2)Ⅰ级和Ⅱ级分区主要分布于研究区东北部,该区域的生态环境、生态效益与社会经济呈协同发展态势。(3)研究区国土空间生态质量存在较强的空间相关性和聚集性特征,冷点和热点区域面积基本持平。(4)结合综合评估及障碍度诊断结果,建议依据研究区自然优势,调整社会经济结构,推进工业健康转型,改善城镇空间人居环境,整体提高生态效益水平。研究可为研究区国土空间规划、生态修复、生态-经济-社会可持续发展等提供科学依据和参考价值。     

Are cryptic species of the Lesser Egyptian Jerboa,Jaculus jaculus (Rodentia,Dipodidae), really cryptic? Re‐evaluation of their taxonomic status with new data from Israel and Sinai

Two clades of the lesser Egyptian jerboa Jaculus jaculus sensu lato were recently described in North Africa and considered as cryptic species. Members of both clades are also found in Israel, where they can be easily identified according to fur and tail colouration and morphology of the male external genitalia, but cannot be separated confidently using skull characters. Examination of type specimens demonstrated that the correct names for the two species are Jaculus jaculus (Linnaeus 1758) and Jaculus hirtipes (Lichtenstein, 1823). Comparisons of geographic and habitat differences of the two species revealed a high niche divergence between them, slightly higher in the sympatric North African populations than in the parapatric populations of Israel and Sinai. A low niche divergence was detected between North African and Middle Eastern populations of J. jaculus, and a low niche convergence between North African and Middle Eastern populations of J. hirtipes. The levels of niche differentiation coincide with those of genetic differences.     

Effect of carbon addition and predation on acetate-assimilating bacterial cells in groundwater

Groundwater microbial community dynamics are poorly understood due to the challenges associated with accessing subsurface environments. In particular, microbial interactions and their impact on the subsurface carbon cycle remain unclear. In the present project, stable isotope probing with uniformly labeled [¹³C]-acetate was used to identify metabolically active and inactive bacterial populations based on their ability to assimilate acetate and/or its metabolites. Furthermore, we assessed whether substrate availability (bottom–up control) or grazing mortality (top–down control) played a greater role in shaping bacterial community composition by separately manipulating the organic carbon supply and the protozoan grazer population. A community fingerprinting technique, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism, revealed that the bacterial community was not affected by changes in acetate availability but was significantly altered by the removal of protozoan grazers. In silico identification of terminal restriction fragments and 16S rRNA gene sequences from clone libraries revealed a bacterial community dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes , and Bacteroidetes . Elucidation of the factors that structure the bacterial community will improve our understanding of the bacterial role in the carbon cycle of this important subterranean environment.     

New Triassic beetles (Coleoptera) from northern European Russia

Beetle remains from the Triassic Khey-Yaga locality, Nenets National District, Korotaikha Basin, Nyadeita Formation, Olenekian-Anisian are described. Only isolated elytra have been found. Tetracoleus tshalyshevi gen. et sp. nov. and T. minimus sp. nov. are described and assigned to Tricoleidae, and six new species are described in formal taxa. Tetracoleus is close to Permian tricoleids just found in the Newcastle Group of Australia and the Vyatkian Aristovo locality of northern European Russia. The composition of elytra in the locality is closer to that of Lower Triassic localities than other Middle Triassic localities and characterizes the beginning of a recovery after the Permian-Triassic ecological crisis. Longxianocupes Hong in Liu, Liu et Hong, 1985 is shown to be a junior synonym of Sogdelytron Ponomarenko, 1969. The species Palademosyne ovum Ponomarenko, 2004, P. elongatum Ponomarenko, 2004, and P. latum Ponomarenko, 2004 are transferred to the genus Pseudochrysomelites Handlirsch, 1906.     

植物群落对昆虫群落及种群生态效应的数学分析

为探讨植物群落与昆虫群落及种群之间的生态关系,本文运用典范相关,双重筛选逐步回归,判别分析等数学方法,以植物群落9个参数为自变量,以昆虫群落14个参数及松毛虫种群密度为因变量,对森林植物群落结构变化对昆虫群落及赤松毛虫种群所产生的生态效应进行了定量分析。结果表明:森林植物群落以其垂直结构的复杂程度对捕食昆虫类群多样性产生较大影响,植物群落科种组成的复杂程度则对寄生昆虫多样性产生明显的影响,而且二者皆对整个昆虫群落的多样性和稳定性有显著影响。用植物群落结构参数对赤松毛虫种群的发生类别进行判别,经检验与实际情况完全相符。     

Changes in Prokaryote and Eukaryote Assemblages Along a Gradient of Hydrocarbon Contamination in Groundwater

Groundwater biota are particularly sensitive to environmental perturbations such as groundwater contamination. The diversity of prokaryotic and eukaryotic biota has been examined along a gradient of chlorinated hydrocarbon (CHC) contamination in the Botany Sands, an urban coastal sand-bed aquifer (Sydney, Australia). Molecular techniques were used to analyze the richness and composition of prokaryote and eukaryote assemblages using 16S and 18S rDNA, respectively. Taxon richness did not change significantly along the gradient for either prokaryotes or eukaryotes; however, significant shifts in assemblage composition were evident for both groups. Assemblage changes were most strongly correlated with concentrations of the major CHC, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, but the concentrations of a number of the contaminants were also correlated, making it difficult to infer if effects were due to any particular contaminant. The presence of cis-1,2-dichloroethene and other secondary ethenes suggests in situ breakdown of the primary CHCs via natural attenuation. The current focus of management of the Botany aquifer is to stop the contaminant plume reaching the adjoining estuary. This approach is clearly justified given the changes evident in the microbial assemblages in the groundwater, which are a likely consequence of the contamination.     

颗粒蛋白前体抑制钙盐诱导主动脉瓣膜间质细胞成骨分化

该文主要研究颗粒蛋白前体(progranulin,PGRN)对猪主动脉瓣膜间质细胞(valve interstitial cells,VICs)成骨分化的影响及机制,为钙化性主动脉瓣膜病(calcific aortic valve disease,CAVD)的早期干预及治疗提供理论依据。采用免疫组化检测正常组和CAVD组中Runx2、OPN的表达,Western blot检测PGRN、纤维化指标α-SMA、钙化指标(Runx2、OPN)的表达以及AKT磷酸化水平。采用胶原酶连续消化法分离VICs,并用免疫荧光染色行表型鉴定。体外实验加入人PGRN重组蛋白,采用ALP染色、茜素红S染色、qPCR和Western blot检测细胞早期及晚期成骨分化能力以及AKT的磷酸化水平;并加入AKT的激活剂SC-79进行反向验证。结果表明,与正常组织相比,CAVD瓣膜组织中PGRN明显降低,α-SMA、Runx2、OPN和p-AKT在CAVD组中表达均明显高于正常组。成功分离出原代VICs,α-SMA和vimentin阳性,vWF阴性。PGRN可使VICs的ALP活性降低、钙盐沉积明显减少;PGRN可下调纤维化/钙化指标,且AKT的磷酸化水平降低;SC-79可减弱PGRN对纤维化/钙化指标的下调作用。提示PGRN能够抑制静止的VIC向肌纤维母细胞样的活化VIC乃至成骨样VIC进行转化,AKT信号通路可能在该过程中发挥重要作用。