Insight on Propolis from Mediterranean Countries: Chemical Composition,Biological Activities and Application Fields

This review updates the information upon the chemical composition of propolis from all Mediterranean countries as well as their biological properties and applications. The non‐volatile fraction of propolis was characterized by the presence of phenolic acids and their esters and flavonoids. Nevertheless, in some countries, diterpenes were also present: Sicily (Italy), Croatia, Malta, Creta (Greece), Turkey, Cyprus, Egypt, Libya, Algeria and Morocco. The volatile fraction of propolis was characterized by the presence of benzoic acid and its esters, mono‐ and sesquiterpenes, being the oxygenated sesquiterpene β‐eudesmol characteristic of poplar propolis, whereas the hydrocarbon monoterpene α‐pinene has been related with the presence of conifers. Regardless the chemical composition, there are common biological properties attributed to propolis. Owing to these attributes, propolis has been target of study for applications in diverse areas, such as food, medicine and livestock.     

中国东部沿海水仙归化群体的遗传多样性

为揭示我国东部归化水仙(Narcissus tazetta var. chinensis)的群体遗传多样性,利用2个叶绿体基因mat K和trn H-psb A片段对采自沪、浙、闽的5个代表群体的49株水仙进行了评估。结果表明,双基因联合序列的总长为1443bp,共定义6个单倍型,各归化群体的遗传多样性水平为DLSYPTDNJD=ZZCMD。AMOVA分析表明,群体内变异为遗传变异的主要来源(91.98%),群体间的遗传分化较低(Fst=0.080 22)。群体物种水平上的谱系结构不显著(Nst=0.020Gst=0.031;P0.05)。Mantel检验表明水仙群体间的遗传距离与地理距离呈显著的线性相关(r=0.929,P=0.02 0.05)。中性检验和错配分布分析结果均暗示水仙群体背离了快速扩张模型的假设。单倍型分布的中介网络图结合系统发育NJ树均将所有群体划分为2大分支。因此,我国东部沿海水仙归化群体整体遗传多样性水平较低,各群体间遗传分化较弱,遗传变异主要来自群体内,物种近期未经历扩张事件,可能是基因流受海岛隔离、自身生物学特征、生境异质性与及人为干扰的综合作用影响。     

A new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sebastes</Emphasis> (Scorpaeniformes: Scorpaenidae) from the Pacific coast of southern Japan

A new rockfish, Sebastes kiyomatsui, is described on the basis of 13 specimens from the Pacific coast of southern Japan. The new species resembles S. scythropus in having two sharp preorbital and robust preocular, supraocular, and postocular spines, but differs from the latter in having a black blotch on the opercle not extending to the subopercle, indistinct crimson marks on the body, blackish region of the oral cavity reaching to the prevomer and palatine, blackish tongue, a small ridge on the upper edge of the lachrymal, somewhat larger orbit, somewhat lower caudal peduncle, and seven lower unbranched pectoral fin rays. Sebastes kiyomatsui is a deep water (ca. 250m) inhabitant.     

The detection of vegetational change by multitemporal analysis of LANDSAT data: the effects of goose foraging

1 The North American mid-continent population of lesser snow geese now exceeds 3 million birds and the population is increasing in the order of 7% per annum. The foraging activities of the birds on Arctic breeding grounds are leading to loss of vegetation and habitat destruction, particularly in coastal areas bordering the Hudson and James Bays.
2 Multitemporal analysis of LANDSAT data has been carried out to detect vegetational change from 1973 to 1993 at La Pérouse Bay and its vicinity, the site of a breeding colony of snow geese.
3 Difference vegetation images (DVI) (difference between infra-red and red images) were prepared from images obtained in late summer in 1973, 1984 and 1993, in order to enhance vegetation density. Pair-wise differences were calculated between these DVI images, which resulted in three, secondary, classified images. Classification of the three secondary images (1973–84, 1984–93, 1973–93) yielded three well-defined classes: water, vegetation decline and no change in vegetation.
4 Histogram counts gave the following values for areas of vegetation decline: 1973–84, 1026 ha; 1984–93, 1428 ha; 1973–93, 2454 ha.
5 The loss of vegetation and the destruction of habitat are discussed in relation to the foraging activities of the expanding goose population.     

广东沿海几种赤潮生物的分类学研究

对１９９７年秋￣１９９８年春广东沿海多次赤潮发生期间的几种优势赤潮藻类进行了形态学和分类学研究。１种为我国首次报道引发赤潮的定革命金藻类（Ｐｒｙｍｎｅｓｉｏｐｈｙｔｅｓ）－球状棕囊藻（Ｐｈａｅｏｃｙｓｔｉｓ ｃｆ．ｇｌｉｏｂｏｓａ）。另有甲藻类７种,其中裸甲藻目（Ｇｙｍｎｏｄｉｎｉａｌｅｓ）３种：米氏裸甲藻（Ｇｙｍｎｏｄｉｎｉｕｍ ｃｆ．ｍｉｋｉｍｏｔｏｉ）、环节环沟藻（Ｇｙｒｏｄｉｎｉｕｍ ｉｎ     

A Holocene sequence of vegetation change at Lake Eteza, coastal KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Palynological and sedimentological data from a core extracted from Lake Eteza shed new light on the Holocene vegetation and climate history in KwaZulu-Natal and can be linked to regional and global climate change. A 2072 cm core with nineteen radiocarbon dates and chronological extrapolation to the bottom of the sequence suggests that sedimentation started ca. 10 200 cal yrs BP. Between ca. 10 200 and 6800 cal yrs BP pollen indicators point to a change from intermediately humid conditions to comparatively drier grassy environments. This is in good agreement with Sea Surface Temperature (SST) fluctuations from a core in the Mozambique Channel which influence precipitation in coastal KwaZulu-Natal, and the beginning of the Holocene Thermal Maximum ca. 10 500 cal yrs BP. The lower section of the core corresponds to gradually increasing Holocene sea levels along the coast and development of freshwater or estuarine conditions at Lake Eteza. The middle Holocene (ca. 6800-3600 cal yrs BP), when the sea level reached its highest stand and SST peak, indicate humid climatic conditions that favoured an increase of forest trees, e.g. Podocarpus, and undergrowth plants like Issoglossa. As a consequence of higher precipitation and increase of the water table, conditions were favourable for the spread of mangrove, swamp and possibly riverine forest. During the late Holocene after ca. 3600 cal yrs BP a decrease of Podocarpus and other trees as well as an increase of Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae, grasses and Phoenix coincide with a return to lower sea levels and drier conditions. The decrease of all trees including Phoenix at ca. 700 cal yrs BP, accompanied by rapid sedimentation rates, possibly reflect forest clearing and upland erosion induced by activities of Iron Age settlers. A dry period at the globally recognized onset of the Little Ice Age might have contributed to these changes. Late Iron Age settlers have probably already introduced Zea mays, which was detected in the profile since ca. 210 BP. The appearance of neophytes like Pinus, Casuarina and pollen of Ambrosia-type in the youngest sediments indicates increased disturbance of European settlements and land use since ca. 100 cal yrs BP.     

Distribution of saltmarsh plant communities associated with environmental factors along a latitudinal gradient on the south‐west Atlantic coast

Aim To produce an inventory of south‐west Atlantic saltmarshes (from latitude 31°48′ S to 43°20′ S) using remotely sensed images and field sampling; to quantify their total area; to describe the biogeographical variation of the main habitats characterized by dominant vascular plants, in relation to major environmental factors; to test the hypothesis of predominance of the reversal pattern in plant distribution (sedges and grasses dominate the lower, regularly inundated zones, while the upper zones are occupied by more halophytic species) previously described; and to compare these south‐west Atlantic saltmarshes with others world‐wide. Location South‐western Atlantic saltmarshes Methods Field samples of dominant emergent plant species positioned by the global positioning system (GPS) were obtained from most coastal saltmarshes (14) between southern Brazil and northern Patagonia, Argentina. Landsat satellite images were obtained and coastal saltmarsh habitats were quantified by supervised classification, utilizing points gathered in the field. Results Three main plant species dominated the low and middle intertidal saltmarsh, Spartina alterniflora Loesel., Spartina densiflora Brong. and Sarcocornia perennis (P. Mill.) A.J. Scott. The total area of the studied coastal saltmarshes was 2133 km², comprising 380 km² of Sp. alterniflora marsh, 366 km² of Sp. densiflora marsh, 746 km² of Sar. perennis marsh and 641 km² of brackish marsh (dominated by Juncus acutus L., Juncus kraussii Hochst., Scirpus maritimus L., Scirpus americanus Pers. and Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin.). Cluster analysis showed three habitat types: saltmarshes dominated by (1) Sp. densiflora and brackish species,(2) Sp. alterniflora and Sar. perennis and (3) Sp.densiflora only. The analysis of abiotic variables showed significant differences between groups of habitats and coordinated gradients of the abiotic variables. The south‐west Atlantic coast showed decreasing mean annual rainfall (1200 to 196 mm) and increasing mean tidal amplitude (< 0.5 to > 2.5 m) from latitude 31° to 43°. Main conclusions South‐west Atlantic saltmarshes are globally important by virtue of their total extent. Remote sensing showed that the reversal pattern in plant distribution is not widespread. Indeed, south‐west Atlantic saltmarshes are better characterized by the presence of the halophytic genera Spartina and Sarcocornia. Our results support the interpretation that south‐west Atlantic saltmarshes constitute a class of temperate type (sensu Adam, 1990 ) with transitional characteristics between Australasian–South African saltmarshes and west Atlantic saltmarshes.     

中国东南沿海裸鞘花水母一新属及三新种记述

记述了采自中国东南沿海台湾海峡南部、福建南部东山湾和福建东部宁德三都湾裸鞘花水母1新属——拟长管水母属Dipurenella gen.nov.和3新种,即刺胞海帽水母Halitiara knides sp.nov.,东山拟长管水母Dipurenella dongshanensis sp.nov.和粗管外肋水母Ectopleura crassocanalis sp.nov.。详细描述其形态特征,并与近似种进行比较。模式标本保存于厦门大学海洋与环境学院。     

Seasonal abundance of nonbreeding Piping Plovers on a Georgia barrier island

ABSTRACT.   Although breeding populations of Piping Plovers are well studied, their winter distribution is less clear. We studied the seasonal abundance of nonbreeding Piping Plovers ( Charadrius melodus ) during the winters of 2003–2004 and 2004–2005 on Little St. Simons Island (LSSI), Georgia. Our objectives were to determine the relative abundance of individuals from three breeding populations at LSSI, and identify possible differences among populations in arrival time, winter movements, or departure time. We observed up to 100 Piping Plovers during peak migration, and approximately 40 plovers wintered at LSSI. From July 2004 to May 2005, approximately 20% of the Great Lakes breeding population used LSSI. Plovers were not present at LSSI during June. All breeding populations of Piping Plovers had similar patterns of temporal occurrence on LSSI, suggesting no need for population-specific management plans at this site. Our results suggest that LSSI is among the most important wintering sites on the Atlantic coast for Piping Plovers, especially for individuals from the endangered Great Lakes population.     

Structural changes in the femur with the transition to agriculture on the Georgia coast

Structural characteristics of the femur are compared in preagricultural (2200 B.C.–A.D. 1150) and agricultural (A.D. 1150–1550) subsistence strategy groups from the Georgia coast. Using an automated technique, cross-sectional geometric properties used in structural analyses (areas, second moments of area) were determined at midshaft and distal to the lesser trochanter in 20 adults from each group. A significant decline in magnitude of almost every geometric property occurs in the agricultural group. The differences between groups are reduced but still significant for many properties after standardizing for bone length differences. In addition, a remodeling of the femoral cortex to one of relatively smaller medullary and subperiosteal diameter, as well as a more circular cross-sectional shape, is characteristic of agricultural femora. Thus, while the relative cross-sectional area of bone remains the same, the spatial distribution of bone area is different in the two groups. The results strongly suggest a relative reduction in mechanical loadings of the femur in the agricultural group, implying different levels and possibly types of activity involving the lower limb in the two groups. The data are also compared with similar data available for the Pecos Pueblo (agricultural) sample. The comparison indicates that types of activity may have been more similar in the two agricultural samples, but that general levels of activity were more similar in the Pecos Pueblo and Georgia coast preagricultural samples.