Radioactivity as a Significant Energy Source in Prebiotic Synthesis

Radioactivity in the continental crust (due mainly to the isotopes ²³⁸U,²³⁵U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K), as a energysource for chemical evolution in the early Archean (between 3.5 and 4 Ga bp), is reviewed.The most important radioactive sourcein the continental crust is due to theproduction and accumulation of radioactivegases within the crust voids (porosity). Thestudy of such mechanism has allowed us toreach a deeper understanding about the nature of the radioactive source and to describe itsbehavior, particularly with regard to prebiotic chemical evolution. An effectivetotal energy of 3 × 10^{18 Ja -1} hasbeen obtained for a depth of 1 km, 4 Ga ago. If a depth of 30 km is taken, the obtained valueis almost equal to the UV solar energyradiation (<150 nm). Within thevoids the radioactive source of thecontinental crust played a relevant role inprebiotic synthesis. In uraniumdeposits of the same age, the role ofradiactivity must have been even more relevantin favoring chemical evolution.     

La Stazione Bio-Fenologica al Cavallino (Venezia)

Abstract

From March 1988 to April 1989 a survey was carried out on the phytoplankton of Lake Bidighinzu, a hypertrophic reservoir in Northern Sardinia. The purpose of this work was to assess the general limnological conditions of the reservoir after a diversion of the urban and industrial wastes. The dynamics of chlorophyll a, and the structure and composition of the phytoplankton density and of its biomass in the study period were determined. Moreover the found trends for trasparency, temperature, conductivity, alkalinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, reactive and total phosphorus, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium nitrogen, and reactive silica are reported. The effect of water aeration on the dynamics of the other parameters is discussed.     

Gymnodinium aeruginosum (Dinophyta): A blue-green dinoflagellate with a vestigial,anucleate, cryptophycean endosymbiont

Gymnodinium aeruginosum has the usual fine structure of a dinoflagellate but does not seem to contain a well elaborated peduncle or a microtubular basket. Naked cells are surrounded by a single large amphiesmal vesicle. It houses an endosymbiont with typical blue-green cryptophycean chloroplasts (generally only one), cryptophycean starch grains in the periplastidal cytoplasm without a nucleomorph, and two membranes separating the periplastidal cytoplasm from the cryptophycean cytoplasm which contains mitochondria, ER, vesicles and ribosomes, but no eukaryotic nucleus. The endosymbiont is surrounded by a single membrane. Possible ways of the acquisition of the endosymbiont and the problem of the existence of ribosomes within a compartment without nucleus are discussed.Devoted to Prof. Dr.L. Geitler, the Nestor of phycology and endosymbiosis research, on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of his birthday.     

The survival of different vibrios in association with a laboratory culture of the red-tide-causing organism Amphidinium carterae

The survival of different vibrios in association with a red-tide-causing organism Amphidinium carterae was studied in the laboratory. Vibrio alginolyticus and V. harveyi could not survive beyond 14 days in an actively growing culture of A. carterae. On the other hand, V. parahaemolyticus could be detected up to 40 days.     

Modeling the bacterial contribution to planktonic community respiration in the regulation of solar energy and nutrient availability

In planktonic ecosystems, algae and bacteria exhibit complex interrelationships, as algae provide an important organic matter source for microbial growth while microbial metabolism recycles limiting nutrients for algae in a loose commensalism. However, algae and bacteria can also compete for available nutrients if supplies of organic matter are sufficient to satisfy bacterial demand. We developed a stoichiometrically explicit model of bacteria–algae interactions that incorporated realistic assumptions about algal light and nutrient utilization, algal exudation of organic matter, and bacterial processing of organic matter and nutrients. The model makes specific predictions about how the relative balance of algae and bacteria should change in response to varied nutrient and light availability seen in lakes and oceans. The model successfully reproduces published empirical data and indicates that, under moderate nutrient supply, the bacterial percentage of total respiration should be maximal at intermediate light intensity.     

Hydraulic sorting of microbiota in calciturbidites— A dinantian case study from the rheinische schiefergebirge,Germany

Summary A calciturbidite bed from the lower part of the Kieselkalk Formation (late cd II) at Wallau, eastern Rheinisches Schiefergebirge, displays ideal grading of reworked calcareous shallow-water microbiota, ranging from plurimillimetric agglutinated foraminifers and fragments of calcareous algae (Koninckopora sp.) to plurimicronic calcispheres, radiolarians and sponge spicules. Microbiota derived from all levels of the platform. Correspondingly, several carbonate microfacies types could be discerned. The early diagenetic micrite base of the turbidite preserved the anoxic basinal facies. The turbidite bed belongs to Foraminiferal Zone 15 (V3bα), theAlbaillella cartalla Zone (radiolarian chronology), and is the Lower and part of the Uppertexanus Zone (standard conodont zonation). From the few published data on foraminifers, the Kieselkalk is thought to range from Mid Viséan V2b to Late Viséan V3b gamma.     

甘肃省民勤沙区土壤结皮理化性质研究

以甘肃民勤沙区为研究区域 ,分别采集了不同地貌部位和不同植被类型下的土壤结皮 ,并对其理化性质进行了初步分析。从结皮土壤的机械组成、土壤盐分、土壤养分、土壤阳离子交换量等方面来看 ,丘间地状况都明显要优于灌丛沙包。这可能与丘间地地形低洼 ,有利于土壤物质汇聚 ,以及其接受的大气降尘远较灌丛沙包为多有关。对于灌丛沙包来讲 ,白刺沙包在理化性质上 ,其状况要优于红柳结皮和梭梭结皮 ,这主要与其对环境的适应性及其所处的演替阶段有关。从目前的植被演替情况来看 ,白刺是当地的顶极种群 ,最适应环境 ,因此结皮发育状况也好 ;红柳目前已经处于极度退化进程中 ,而梭梭为人工植被 ,人工植被因在演替阶段中不起决定作用 ,故理化性质较差。另外从该研究工作还可以看出 ,对白刺植被采取围封措施之后 ,可以显著地促进结皮的生长发育 ,提高结皮中的有机质、全 N、全 P、速效 N等养分以及 Ca CO3含量。     

Eco‐evolutionary dynamics in a coevolving host–virus system

Eco‐evolutionary dynamics have been shown to be important for understanding population and community stability and their adaptive potential. However, coevolution in the framework of eco‐evolutionary theory has not been addressed directly. Combining experiments with an algal host and its viral parasite, and mathematical model analyses we show eco‐evolutionary dynamics in antagonistic coevolving populations. The interaction between antagonists initially resulted in arms race dynamics (ARD) with selective sweeps, causing oscillating host–virus population dynamics. However, ARD ended and populations stabilised after the evolution of a general resistant host, whereas a trade‐off between host resistance and growth then maintained host diversity over time (trade‐off driven dynamics). Most importantly, our study shows that the interaction between ecology and evolution had important consequences for the predictability of the mode and tempo of adaptive change and for the stability and adaptive potential of populations.     

一株结皮真菌胞外多糖的初步研究

探究一株真菌胞外多糖最佳生产时间及其组成成分。通过对其发酵液胞外多糖含量及上清液黏度的测定,确定其最佳产糖时间,并用此条件提取胞外多糖粗品,用蒽酮-比色法测得提取的胞外多糖粗品的糖含量,薄层色谱法对所得的胞外多糖进行组分分析。当发酵至第5天时该株真菌的生物量、胞外多糖产量及发酵液的黏度均达到最高峰,分别为0.606 4 g/60 mL、20.22 μg/mL和4.74 mPa/s,并且胞外多糖含量与发酵上清液黏度在一定程度上呈正相关。用蒽酮-比色法测得提取的胞外多糖粗品的糖含量为19.58 μg/mL,并用4 mol/L的硫酸完全水解,硅胶G薄层层析,甲醇-氯仿(1:1,体积比）展层,苯胺-二苯胺-磷酸显色,表明其组成成分可能为D-甘露糖、D-半乳糖和D-葡萄糖。该菌株所产的胞外多糖具有提高结皮能力和防沙保水作用,为利用微生物治沙提供参考和种质资源。