Effects of water level fluctuations on phytoplankton in a river-floodplain lake system (Paraná River,Argentina)

Several aspects of community organization wereanalyzed comparatively in a small side-arm of theParaná River (Correntoso) and a shallowfloodplain lake (El Tigre) (31° 41 S and60° 42 W), in relation to the hydrology of thesystem. Taxonomic and morphological composition inthe river differed from that in the lake: the riverhad lower species richness (151 vs 218),different contributions of some Classes to totalspecies number (higher Cyano-, Zygo- andDiatomophyceae vs higher Chlorophyceae), anddiffent proportions of nannoplanktonic algae (67.5%vs 80.7%) and netplanktonic filamentousspecies (18.2% vs 4.2%). Phytoplanktonbiomass, higher in the lake than in the river due tothe retention time, was mostly dominated bynannoplankton and netplankton. Loticphytoplankton was dominated by typical fluvialspecies of Diatomophyceae (R-strategists). Riverconditions seem to maintain a subclimacticcommunity, which was little impacted by the flushingof populations from floodplain lakes. Water levelwas the main factor controlling phytoplanktonbiomass, species diversity (H), evenness (E) andcommunity change rate () in the river. Inthe lake, phytoplankton had an autogenicsuccessional sequence during the isolation phase (C-to S-strategists) and other responses todisturbance, mainly during the flood(R-strategists). Frequent changes in phytoplanktoncomposition, biomass, H, E and , revealed aenvironmental instability in the lake, which may beexplained by interactions of external factors(hydrology and climatology) and those of internalorigin, such as nutrients and grazing.     

Molecular genetic and phenotypic alteration of Escherichia coli in natural water microcosms containing toxic chemicals

Abstract Microcosms of sterile Chesapeake Bay water were used to study effects of sub-lethal concentrations (1 μl/l) of nitrobenzene, m -cresol, and dibutyl phthalate on Escherichia coli H10407. E. coli remained viable during the 19-day test period in estuarine water, both in the presence and absence of the chemicals, long after it became non-culturable. Analysis of membrane proteins revealed changes in the protein composition. Carbohydrate and amino acid utilization was affected by these changes. Plasmids in E. coli H10407 could not be detected following microcosm exposure. When the cells were transferred to rich medium without toxic chemicals, growth resumed and plasmid bands were again detectable.     

Molecular and cytological characteristics of nuclear DNA and chromatin for angiosperm systematics: DNA diversification in the evolution of four orchids

The species- and genus-specific DNA content, average base composition of nuclear DNA, presence or absence of satellite DNA, the percentage of heterochromatin and other characteristics of nuclear DNA and nuclear structure allow to deduce the molecular changes which accompanied, or more probably caused, cladogenesis in the orchids studied. It is suggested that saltatory replication (generative amplification) of certain DNA sequenes, diversification of reiterated DNA sequences, and loss of DNA play an important role in the evolution of orchids.—The relationship between changes of genome composition and of nuclear structure and ultrastructure is discussed on the basis of cot curves, heterochromatin staining with Giemsa (C banding), electron microscopy of nuclei, and molecular hybridization in situ.Some aspects of this paper have been presented at the Helsinki Chromosome Conference, August 1977 (Nagl & Capesius 1977).     

Structural properties of two types of mangrove stands on the northwestern coast of Sri Lanka

Mangrove stands in Puttalam lagoon and Dutch bay, two interconnected lagoons situated on the northwestern coast of Sri Lanka have been classified broadly into two groups, i.e., estuarine and island/mainland-fringing stands. Structural diversity of six mangrove stands, representing the two types was studied in terms of floristic composition, density, basal area, mean stand diameter, tree height, standing above-ground biomass and leaf-area index.Rhizophora mucronata andAvicennia marina were the dominant species. Higher mean stand diameters for the mangrove stands in Puttalam lagoon indicated greater maturity than the estuarine mangrove stands in Dutch bay. Nevertheless, estuarine stands in Dutch bay were structurally more complex (complexity indices 8.11–22.7) than the island/mainland-fringing mangrove stands (complexity indices 1.38–6.78). Higher number of species present in the estuarine mangrove stands is the major element that contributes to the higher values for the complexity indices for those stands. This appears to mask the contribution of stand-age to the complexity of a mangrove stand. Therefore complexity indices alone may not be used to explain adequately the structural diversity among mangrove stands.     

Membranes of the protoplast L-form of Proteus mirabilis

Isolated membranes of the cell wall-less stable protoplast L-form of Proteus mirabilis were characterized by density gradient centrifugation and by assay for their major chemical constituents, proteins, phospholipids and lipopolysaccharide, and for some specific marker enzymes of the cytoplasmic membrane. In most of the analyzed properties the L-form protoplast membrane resembled the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane, with some notable modifications. considerable amounts of lipopolysaccharide, normally an exclusive constituent of the outer membrane, were found. Furthermore, the L-form membranes contained the functions of the reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidase system, of d-lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.28) and of succinate dehydrogenase (EC 1.3.99.1) at specific activities comparable to, or in some cases considerably higher than, those present in cytoplasmic membranes of the bacterial form. Of two peptidoglycan DD-carboxypetidase/transpeptidases (EC 3.4.17.8 and EC 2.3.2.10), which are normally present in the cytoplasmic membrane of the bacterial form of P. mirabilis, the membrane of the protoplast L-form contained only one. Electron microscopy of thin sectioned L-form protoplasts showed extensive heterogeneity of membraneous structures. In addition to the single membraneous integument, internal membrane-bounded vesicles and multiple stacks of membranes were present, as the result of unbalanced growth and membrane synthesis in the L-form state.     

Estimating thermal properties of simulated aquatic soils from their composition

Heat penetration and thermal lag in the submersed soil surrounding the roots of aquatic plants depends on two fundamental thermal properties of the substrate, volumetric heat capacity (C_V) and thermal conductivity (k). The relationship of these parameters to the fractions of organic and mineral matter, gas and water in natural and simulated aquatic soils was investigated. The gas fraction was found to be insignificant and it was possible to make good estimates of C_V and k from a knowledge of substrate water content alone.     

Molecular weight and amino acid composition of purified spinach beet phenolase

The purification of spinach beet phenolase has been modified to include equilibration of the crude macerate with 0.5% cetyl-trimethylammonium bromide a     

兰州滨河公园自生植物物种组成及多样性分析

调查研究兰州4处滨河公园自生植物的物种组成和多样性特征,为低成本、低养护和野趣自然的园林景观规划提供参考。在黄河兰州主城区段自西向东选取银滩湿地公园、马滩湿地公园、马拉松主题公园、雁滩公园,通过网格系统取样法共设置344个样方,调查研究滨河公园自生植物物种组成和分布特征。结果表明,4处滨河公园共有44科118属163种;在物种来源中,乡土物种79种（48.46%）、国内外来物种53种（32.51%）、国外外来物种14种（8.58%）、入侵植物有17种（10.42%）;4处滨河公园间α多样性存在显著差异（P<0.05）;银滩湿地公园、马滩湿地公园、马拉松主题公园、雁滩公园的多样性指数H''分别为4.76、4.36、4.064、3.99;均匀度指数J''分别为0.53、0.586、0.56、0.54;丰富度指数R''分别为30.68、29.47、22.80、20.27;平均多度分别为55.43、44.82、50.16、39.40。兰州滨河公园自生植物资源较为丰富,在未来的城市园林绿地建设中可合理规划,提高自生植物的应用比例,并根据不同环境营造具有地域特色的自生植物景观。     

Winter spatial distribution of fish larvae assemblages relative to the hydrography of the waters surrounding Taiwan

The aim of this study was to investigate the species composition and distribution of fish larvae in relation to hydrographic conditions in the waters surrounding Taiwan Island (TI) in February 2003. In total, 242 kinds of fish larvae belonging to 127 genera and 75 families were recognized. Among these, 109 taxa were identified to the family or genus level, others to the species level. The 12 predominant types, which constituted 71% of the total fish larvae, were Engraulis japonica, Scomber sp., Diaphus spp., Benthosema pterotum, Carangoides ferdau, Embolichthys mitsukurii, Maurolicus sp., unidentified Myctophidae, Gonostoma gracile, Trichiurus lepturus, unidentified Gobiidae, and Myctophum asperum. The distribution of fish larvae showed a clear association with water masses around TI, with higher abundances and lower species richness northwest of TI where the China Coastal Current prevails, and lower abundances and higher species diversity east of TI where the Kuroshio Current dominates. Cluster analysis distinguished three station groups and four species groups, and the distribution patterns of fish larvae also corresponded to hydrographic conditions. The total abundances of fish larvae and eight of the 12 predominant taxa showed significant and positive correlations with zooplankton abundance, which suggests that food source might be a key factor determining the abundance and distribution of fish larvae during the winter.     

限制能量平衡膳食联合运动干预对肥胖儿童身体成分、脂质代谢及肠道菌群的影响

摘要 目的：观察限制能量平衡膳食联合运动干预对肥胖儿童身体成分、脂质代谢及肠道菌群的影响。方法：选取2020年4月至2022年10月期间浙江大学医学院附属儿童医院收治的肥胖儿童104例作为研究对象。按照随机数字表法将肥胖儿童分为对照组（n=52,限制能量平衡膳食）和观察组（n=52,限制能量平衡膳食联合运动干预）。对比两组身体成分、脂质代谢及肠道菌群变化情况。结果：观察组干预2个月后体重、体质量指数（BMI）、去脂体重、脂肪量、体脂率低于对照组（P<0.05）。观察组干预2个月后总胆固醇（TC）、甘油三酯（TG）、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL-C）低于对照组;高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（HDL-C）高于对照组（P<0.05）。观察组干预2个月后肠球菌、大肠杆菌低于对照组;乳杆菌、双歧杆菌高于对照组（P<0.05）。结论：限制能量平衡膳食联合运动干预可有效改善肥胖儿童身体成分,调节脂质代谢及肠道菌群平衡。