Bioaccumulation of lanthanum by the mussels Mytilus edulis collected from French coasts. Microanalysis by X-ray spectrography and secondary ion emission

The common marine mussel Mytilus edulis collected from French coastal waters of the Channel, Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea was shown to contain lanthanum; higher levels were found in the samples collected from the Eastern Channel and more particularly from the Baie de Seine. 139La+ was detected within lysosomes of digestive gland, labial palp and gill epithelium, macrophage hemocytes and chitinous tissue. Lanthanum was always associated with high phosphorus contents in the lysosomes. Thus, lanthanum which exists in sea water at trace level is taken up by the Mussel, via gill and digestive tractus, in a soluble form and then concentrated in the form of an insoluble phosphate in the storage organelles. A comparison is made between the behaviour of lanthanides and actinides in the biological systems.     

Demonstration of silver and lead contamination of oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and mussels (Mytilus edulis) in French coastal waters. Microanalytical study by secondary ion emission

The Oyster Crassostrea gigas and the marine Mussel Mytilus edulis collected from French coastal waters of the Channel, Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea were shown to contain silver and lead. For the Oysters, the highest silver and lead levels were detected in the Marennes Oléron samples; for the Mussels, the highest silver levels were detected in the Seine Bay samples and the lead ones in the Boulogne samples. Target organs for uptake, storage and excretion, including macrophage haemocytes, were established. Ecotoxicological effects of both heavy metals are evaluated.     

The site of action of lithium ions in morphogenesis of Lymnaea stagnalis analyzed by secondary ion mass spectroscopy

Abstract. Exogastrulation as a disturbance of development in eggs of Lymnaea stagnalis is caused by the action of LiCl at the second cleavage stage and not at the first or third. The percentage of exogastrulae formed is strongly concentration dependent. To determine the site of action of lithium ions, the cellular contents of Li, C, Na, Mg, P, K, and Ca were analyzed by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). The mean elemental concentrations of Na, Mg, K, and Ca are close to those found earlier by electron probe microanalysis and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Lymnaea eggs at the first, second, and third cleavage stage were treated with LiCl in a series of concentrations ranging from 50 to 0.1 mM. In all cases the cells contained a few mM lithium after treatment. After treatment at the insensitive first cleavage stage the lithium content is carried over by the cells through the sensitive second cleavage to the insensitive third cleavage stage. These data allow the conclusion that it is the external lithium concentration which is responsible for the specific effect. This presents direct analytical evidence that the primary action of lithium ions is located at the cell membrane.     

海岸带地区的固氮、氨化、硝化与反硝化特征

海岸带是海洋环境中受人类活动影响最大、生物地球化学循环最为活跃的地区。这一地区氮的生物地球化学循环包括 :生物固氮、有机氮的氨化、氮的硝化、反硝化等 4个主要过程。概括性地介绍了有关这四个过程的发生机制、环境影响因素及研究方法等方面的研究动态、进展、存在的科学问题与今后的研究方向。过去十几年来 ,固氮主要集中在对束毛藻属的研究上 ,其间有两个重要发现 ,一是生物固氮在海洋氮循环中的作用远比人们以前的想象要重要得多 ;二是蓝细菌已经在海洋中存在了 2 0亿年 ,它们有可能调节大气中的 CO2 ,进而影响全球气候。由于有机物的结构千差万别 ,含氮有机物的氨化过程可能是一个简单的矿化反应 ,也有可能是一系列复杂的代谢过程 ,在水解酶的作用下含氮有机物降解为下一级化合物。硝化过程分两步进行 ,氨的硝化为反硝化细菌提供了重要的硝酸盐来源 ,通常采用同位素方法来研究硝化过程。发生在沉积物中的反硝化过程是氮循环的关键步骤 ,反硝化过程一方面减少了海水中初级生产者可利用的氮 ,另一方面产生了终结产物 N2 和 N2 O,而 N2 O是一种温室气体 ,可能影响全球气候变化     

Comparative study of acidic glycosphingolipids by field desorption and secondary ion mass spectrometry

Acidic glycosphingolipids were analyzed by field desorption (FD-MS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SI-MS) using the primary ion Xe+ with a glycerol matrix. In the analysis of underivatized gangliosides by FD-MS, the fragment corresponding to the asialo residue resulting from the cationized cluster ion (M + Na)+ was the base peak, and ions due to cleavage at the glycosidic linkages were detected, as in the neutral glycosphingolipids. In the case of sulfatide, the ceramide fragment showed the highest intensity in the spectrum. In SI-MS spectra of acidic glycosphingolipids, (M + Na)+, (M + 2Na-H)+, and (M + K)+ were continuously detected as relatively high intensity ions during analysis of gangliosides and sulfatide. Other ions were mostly similar to those obtained by FD-MS. In FD-MS spectra of permethylated gangliosides, the cationized molecular ion (M + Na)+ was the base peak, and fragment ions due to asialo gangliosides were prominent. Other peaks were hard to detect. In SI-MS, molecular ions (M + H)+ and (M + H-32)+ and other ions due to cleavage of the glycosidic linkages were clearly detected. In this case, the sensitivity was greatly improved. Ions due to the non reducing end sugars were clearly detected, because of the relatively low intensity of ion peaks due to the glycerol matrix. It is concluded that the combination with FD-MS and SI-MS is particularly useful for the determination of molecular weight, sugar sequence and ceramide structure with sample amounting to only a few micrograms order.     

Navigation of marine, freshwater and coastal animals: concepts and current problems

The animals from the environments focused on here share the same navigational mechanisms with terrestrial animals. However, some of them seem to rely on additional ways of detecting and/or processing navigational cues, some of which are perhaps still unknown. A classification of the mechanisms of navigation is given. This is based on the source of information that animals use to head for their targets. A selected series of phenomena of current interest is presented, starting with olfactory beaconing in oceanic birds, which allows the detection of patchily distributed food and productive areas from long distances. Animals of sandy beaches rely on an array of mechanisms of orientation, which have an adaptive value for their ecotonal system. As some species are capable of using both the moon and sun compass in orientation, attention and experiments are focused on the significance of these celestial cues in the navigational process. Two clocks of different periods, one of which would appear to regulate both the activity rhythm and the sun compass, are presumed to underlie the two compass mechanisms. The feats of global navigators in and over the oceans are especially puzzling considering their ability of homing to the natal and nesting sites after long lasting, extended wandering in the open ocean, and of pinpointing tiny, isolated oceanic islands. The existent literature allows comparison of the navigational capabilities of oceanic birds with those of sea turtles. Their performances in natural conditions seem to be similar, but sea turtles exhibit a reduced capacity of compensation for experimental relocation. Capacity of positioning based on geomagnetic parameters has been indicated for sea turtles through laboratory experiments, but this is not confirmed by the routes of magnetically disturbed turtles tracked while migrating or attempting to compensate for relocation. Also albatrosses with fitted magnets are not disturbed in their homing.     

Cultural Differences in the Experience of Everyday Symptoms: A Comparative Study of South Asian and European American Women

This paper describes a study of medically ambiguous symptoms in two contrasting cultural groups. The study combined a qualitative, meaning-centered approach with a structured coding system and comparative design. Thirty-six South Asian immigrants and thirty-seven European Americans participated in a semistructured health history interview designed to elicit conceptual models of medically unexplained illness. The groups reported similar symptoms, but the organization of illness episodes and explanatory models associated with these episodes differed sharply. A variety of cultural variables and processes is proposed to account for observed differences, including somatization, the role of local illness categories, and the divergent core conflicts and values associated with gender roles. It is argued that the comparative design of the study provided insights that could not have been achieved through the study of a single group.     

Some lower food web organisms in the nutrition of marine harpacticoid copepods: an experimental study

Some lower food web organisms from the marine littoral environment were studied as food for harpacticoid copepods. In laboratory experiments, it could be shown that, among the ciliates, the slow-movingUronema sp. was taken up while the fast-movingEuplotes sp. was not.Asterionella glacialis, a pennate diatom with spiny projections, was unsuitable as food. The centric diatomSkeletonema costatum was ingested by all harpacticoid species tested, includingTisbe holothuriae, Paramphiascella vararensis, Amphiascoides debilis andDactylopodia vulgaris. All are epibenthic and phytal species occurring in the shallow waters of Helgoland (North Sea). The amount of ciliate and algal carbon taken up was less than that provided by bacteria under laboratory conditions. However, some diatom food may be essential for the development ofD. vulgaris.     

Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA phylogeography of European grayling (Thymallus thymallus): evidence for secondary contact zones in central Europe

Mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA markers were applied to infer the phylogeography, intraspecific diversity and dynamics of the distributional history of European grayling (Thymallus thymallus) with focus on its central and northern European distribution range. Phylogenetic and nested clade analyses revealed at least four major mtDNA lineages, which evolved in geographical isolation during the Pleistocene. These lineages should be recognized as the basic evolutionary significant units (ESUs) for grayling in central and northern Europe. In addition, and in contrast to previous work on grayling, the results of Bayesian analysis of individual admixture coefficients, two-dimensional scaling analysis and spatial analysis of molecular variance provided evidence for a high level of admixture among major lineages in contact zones between drainages (e.g. the low mountain range of Germany), most likely resulting from glacial perturbations and ancient river connections between drainages during the Pleistocene glaciations. Even within river systems, a high level of differentiation among populations was revealed as indicated by the microsatellite data. Grayling sampled from 29 sites displayed high levels of differentiation (overall F(ST) = 0.367), a high number of private alleles and high bootstrap support for the genetic distance-based population clusters across 12 loci. We specifically discuss our results in context of phylogeograpic studies on other European freshwater fish species with habitat preferences similar to those of grayling. Our study shows that both large-scale phylogeographical and detailed genetic analyses on a fine scale are mandatory for developing appropriate conservation guidelines of endangered species.     

Towards an urban marine ecology: characterizing the drivers,patterns and processes of marine ecosystems in coastal cities

Human population density within 100 km of the sea is approximately three times higher than the global average. People in this zone are concentrated in coastal cities that are hubs for transport and trade – which transform the marine environment. Here, we review the impacts of three interacting drivers of marine urbanization (resource exploitation, pollution pathways and ocean sprawl) and discuss key characteristics that are symptomatic of urban marine ecosystems. Current evidence suggests these systems comprise spatially heterogeneous mosaics with respect to artificial structures, pollutants and community composition, while also undergoing biotic homogenization over time. Urban marine ecosystem dynamics are often influenced by several commonly observed patterns and processes, including the loss of foundation species, changes in biodiversity and productivity, and the establishment of ruderal species, synanthropes and novel assemblages. We discuss potential urban acclimatization and adaptation among marine taxa, interactive effects of climate change and marine urbanization, and ecological engineering strategies for enhancing urban marine ecosystems. By assimilating research findings across disparate disciplines, we aim to build the groundwork for urban marine ecology – a nascent field; we also discuss research challenges and future directions for this new field as it advances and matures. Ultimately, all sides of coastal city design: architecture, urban planning and civil and municipal engineering, will need to prioritize the marine environment if negative effects of urbanization are to be minimized. In particular, planning strategies that account for the interactive effects of urban drivers and accommodate complex system dynamics could enhance the ecological and human functions of future urban marine ecosystems.     

Comparative susceptibility and immune responses of Asian and European honey bees to the American foulbrood pathogen,Paenibacillus larvae

American foulbrood (AFB) disease is caused by Paenibacillus larvae. Currently, this pathogen is widespread in the European honey bee— Apis mellifera. However, little is known about infectivity and pathogenicity of P. lan'ae in the Asiatic cavity-nesting honey bees, Apis cerana. Moreover, comparative knowledge of P. larvae infectivity and pathogenicity between both honey bee species is scarce. In this study, we examined susceptibility, larval mortality, survival rate and expression of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) including defensin, apidaecin, abaecin, and hymenoptaecin in A. mellifera and A. cerana when infected with P. larvae. Our results showed similar effects of P. larvae on the survival rate and patterns of AMP gene expression in both honey bee species when bee larvae are infected with spores at the median lethal concentration (LC5 0 ) for A. mellifera. All AMPs of infected bee larvae showed significant upregulation compared with noninfected bee larvae in both honey bee species. However, larvae of A. cerana were more susceptible than A. mellifera when the same larval ages and spore concentration of P. larvae were used. It also appears that A. cerana showed higher levels of AMP expression than A. mellifera. This research provides the first evidence of survival rate, LC50 and immune response profiles of Asian honey bees, A. cerana, when infected by P. larvae in comparison with the European honey bee, A. mellifera.     

Geobiological investigations using secondary ion mass spectrometry: microanalysis of extant and paleo-microbial processes

The application of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) has tremendous value for the field of geobiology, representing a powerful tool for identifying the specific role of micro-organisms in biogeochemical cycles. In this review, we highlight a number of diverse applications for SIMS and nanoSIMS in geobiological research. SIMS performs isotope and elemental analysis at microscale enabling the investigation of the physiology of individual microbes within complex communities. Additionally, through the study of isotopic or chemical characteristics that are common in both living and ancient microbial communities, SIMS allows for direct comparisons of potential biosignatures derived from extant microbial cells and their fossil equivalents.     

A decade of climate change experiments on marine organisms: procedures,patterns and problems

The first decade of the new millennium saw a flurry of experiments to establish a mechanistic understanding of how climate change might transform the global biota, including marine organisms. However, the biophysical properties of the marine environment impose challenges to experiments, which can weaken their inference space. To facilitate strengthening the experimental evidence for possible ecological consequences of climate change, we reviewed the physical, biological and procedural scope of 110 marine climate change experiments published between 2000 and 2009. We found that 65% of these experiments only tested a single climate change factor (warming or acidification), 54% targeted temperate organisms, 58% were restricted to a single species and 73% to benthic invertebrates. In addition, 49% of the reviewed experiments had issues with the experimental design, principally related to replication of the main test‐factors (temperature or pH), and only 11% included field assessments of processes or associated patterns. Guiding future research by this inventory of current strengths and weaknesses will expand the overall inference space of marine climate change experiments. Specifically, increased effort is required in five areas: (i) the combined effects of concurrent climate and non‐climate stressors; (ii) responses of a broader range of species, particularly from tropical and polar regions as well as primary producers, pelagic invertebrates, and fish; (iii) species interactions and responses of species assemblages, (iv) reducing pseudo‐replication in controlled experiments; and (v) increasing realism in experiments through broad‐scale observations and field experiments. Attention in these areas will improve the generality and accuracy of our understanding of climate change as a driver of biological change in marine ecosystems.     

Quenching of the emission of tryptophan, tyrosine, and serum albumins by cupric ion

The effect of cupric ion on the emission of tryptophan, tyrosine, and serum albumins is studied by emission spectroscopy and lifetime measurements. It is found that whenever cupric ion is bound to tryptophan or tyrosine, their emissions are quenched completely. The quenching may be due to an electron transfer mechanism. The fluorescence of complexes of cupric ions with serum albumins is partially quenched; this is because energy is transferred from tryptophan to the complexed cupric ions by a dipolar energy transfer mechanism. It is deduced from the present study that the tryptophan in the human serum albumin molecule is between 11 and 16 Å from the nearest eupric ion binding sites (assumed to be at the surface of the protein) and that one of the tryptophan in the bovine serum albumin molecule is very close to the cupric ion binding sites and the other is near the center of the bovine serum albumin molecule. It is also found that the deuterium solvent effect on serum albumin fluorescence is very small, and that the quenching of bovine serum albumin fluorescence at the N-F transition is the result of quenching of the fluorescence of both tryptophans. The phosphorescence lifetime apparatus, capable of measuring decay times of signals with intensities changing over a few orders of magnitude, and the ratio spectrofluorometer, both of which were constructed in this laboratory, are also described.     

Episodic global dispersal in shallow water marine organisms: the case history of the European shore crabs Carcinus maenas and C. aestuarii

Aim This paper evaluates global collection records, evidence of anthropogenic transport methods, and experimental and distributional data relative to temperature requirements to understand the historical and potential dispersal of a well‐known genus of estuarine crab. Location The records analysed are from temperate and tropical coastal ocean areas. Methods The study is based primarily on literature analysis and examination of museum specimens. Results The human‐mediated successful global dispersal of the European shore crabs Carcinus maenas (Linnaeus, 1758) and C. aestuarii (Nardo, 1847) occurred in three major episodes: around 1800, in the 1850s–70s, and in the 1980s–90s. The nineteenth century introductions occurred through transport by ships (probably in hull fouling or in solid ballast), while the introductions in the 1980s could have occurred through a greater variety of dispersal mechanisms (ships’ hull fouling and seawater system fouling; fouling on semisubmersible drilling platforms; ballast water; transport with fisheries products intended for food or bait; scientific research; releases from aquaria maintained for educational or scientific purposes; or intentional non‐governmental releases for human food production). These introductions have resulted in Carcinus’ establishment in five temperate regions outside of its native Europe in Atlantic North America, Australia, South Africa, Japan and Pacific North America, while releases into tropical regions have not established populations. C. maenas’ range in both its native and introduced regions appears to be regulated by similar temperature parameters, enabling an assessment of its potential distribution. Main conclusions The second episode of Carcinus’ global dispersal, the period from the 1850s to 1870s, may be part of a broader surge of world‐wide invasions caused by an increase in shipping.     

Visualization of air and metal inhomogeneities in phantoms irradiated by carbon ion beams using prompt secondary ions

PurposeNon-invasive methods for monitoring of the therapeutic ion beam extension in the patient are desired in order to handle deteriorations of the dose distribution related to changes of the patient geometry. In carbon ion radiotherapy, secondary light ions represent one of potential sources of information about the dose distribution in the irradiated target. The capability to detect range-changing inhomogeneities inside of an otherwise homogeneous phantom, based on single track measurements, is addressed in this paper.MethodsAir and stainless steel inhomogeneities, with PMMA equivalent thickness of 10 mm and 4.8 mm respectively, were inserted into a PMMA-phantom at different positions in depth. Irradiations of the phantom with therapeutic carbon ion pencil beams were performed at the Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center. Tracks of single secondary ions escaping the phantom under irradiation were detected with a pixelized semiconductor detector Timepix. The statistical relevance of the found differences between the track distributions with and without inhomogeneities was evaluated.ResultsMeasured shifts of the distal edge and changes in the fragmentation probability make the presence of inhomogeneities inserted into the traversed medium detectable for both, 10 mm air cavities and 1 mm thick stainless steel. Moreover, the method was shown to be sensitive also on their position in the observed body, even when localized behind the Bragg-peak.ConclusionsThe presented results demonstrate experimentally, that the method using distributions of single secondary ion tracks is sensitive to the changes of homogeneity of the traversed material for the studied geometries of the target.     

Interspecific variation in resistance of Asian, European, and North American birches (Betula spp.) to bronze birch borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)

Bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius Gory) is the key pest of birches (Betula spp.) in North America, several of which have been recommended for ornamental landscapes based on anecdotal reports of borer resistance that had not been confirmed experimentally. In a 20-yr common garden experiment initiated in 1979 in Ohio, North American birch species, including paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marshall), 'Whitespire' gray birch (Betula populifolia Marshall), and river birch (Betula nigra L.), were much more resistant to bronze birch borer than species indigenous to Europe and Asia, including European white birch (Betula pendula Roth), downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.), monarch birch (Betula maximowicziana Regel), and Szechuan white birch (Betula szechuanica Jansson). Within 8 yr of planting, every European white, downy, and Szechuan birch had been colonized and killed, although 100% of monarch birch had been colonized and 88% of these plants were killed after nine years. Conversely, 97% of river birch, 76% of paper birch, and 73% Whitespire gray birch were alive 20 yr after planting, and river birch showed no evidence of colonization. This pattern is consistent with biogeographic theory of plant defense: North American birch species that share a coevolutionary history with bronze birch borer were much more resistant than na?ve hosts endemic to Europe and Asia, possibly by virtue of evolution of targeted defenses. This information suggests that if bronze birch borer were introduced to Europe or Asia, it could threaten its hosts there on a continental scale. This study also exposed limitations of anecdotal observation as evidence of host plant resistance.     

Spatial variance of mobile aquatic organisms: capelin and cod in Newfoundland coastal waters

Spatial variance in the distribution of aquatic mobile organisms differs from that of passive tracers such as phytoplankton or water temperature. On average, spatial variance of phytoplankton scales with sample unit as $L^2$ or equivalently with frequency as $f^{-2}$. Limited evidence suggests that spatial variance in the distribution of mobile organisms is concentrated at relatively small scales, with little increase over larger scales: spatial variance scales as $f^{-1}$ or less. We investigated whether spatial variance in distributions of a mobile predator, Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), and a schooling prey, capelin (Mallotus villosus), also scale with frequency as $f^{-1}$. Acoustic surveys showed that at short time scales spatial variance in cod and capelin densities, as measured by spectral density, peaked at various scales ranging from 20 m to 10 km. At longer time scales, spatial variance of cod scaled as $f^{-1.08}$ at resolutions finer than 90 m, while scaling as $f^{-0.18}$ at coarser scales. Spatial variance of capelin scaled as $f^{-1.1}$ at resolutions finer than 400 m, while scaling as $f^{-0.21}$ at coarser scales. Spatial variance plots of krill and marine birds showed similar transitions from shallow to steep scaling. Shoaling, schooling and the aggregative response by predators to concentrations of prey were three processes hypothesized to influence spatial variance in distributions of mobile organisms. Numerical experiments showed that shoaling injects variance at large to intermediate scales, resulting in scalings flatter than $f^{-1}$. Additional experiments showed that schooling produces a transition from shallow to steep scaling as frequency increases. Spatial variance patterns in cod density were not due to aggregative responses by the predator to concentrations of capelin: there was no association, on average, at resolution scales from 20 m to 10 km. Exponent values for aquatic or terrestrial mobile organisms are predicted to be approximately two at the scale of an individual organism, 0.2 at scales that contain aggregations, and two at scales larger than that of populations. These findings suggest that relations between mobile organisms and large scale habitat variables will be difficult to detect, that stratified survey designs used to estimate commercial population sizes will be inefficient, and that rates of interaction between predator and prey will be underestimated if local observations are averaged over the spatial scale of the population.