Effects of fine sediment inputs from a logging road on stream insect communities:a large-scale experimental approach in a Canadian headwater stream

A forest headwater stream was manipulated (logging road-crossing amended) to induce fine sediment inputs. Benthic inorganic sediment concentrations .particles 1.5–250 μm increased from a 2-year pre-disturbance average of about 800 g m^–2 to over 5000 g m^–2 that persisted for 3 years. Aquatic insect communities were examined over the 5-year study period in the manipulated and nearby reference streams. Overall, the effects of the fine sediment increases on aquatic insect communities were minimal. There were no significant effects of sedimentation on total aquatic insect abundance or biomass. An index of multivariate dispersion gave no evidence of community stress at the manipulated site. Multivariate ordination plots and time trends among univariate community metrics indicated only subtle changes in community structure. Among the univariate metrics (16 time series analyses in total), six gave evidence of a sediment impact on aquatic insect communities. Of those, the clearest indications of an effect were small reductions in diversity and richness of spring communities. These resulted from a significant decline in the proportion of spring shredders, accompanied by a significant increase in the percent Chironomidae. This large-scale experimental approach integrated the realism of a whole-stream study with the control of a manipulative study by including pre-manipulation measurements and excluding other confounding catchment disturbances. In this regard, it may provide a more realistic measure of benthic community level responses to sedimentation in streams at a magnitude associated with logging activity than many previous studies.     

Identification and expression of two novel cytochrome P450 genes, belonging to CYP4 and a new CYP331 family, in the polychaete Capitella capitata sp.I

The polychaete Capitella capitata sp.I has a high capacity to metabolize polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are among the most hazardous environmental pollutants with significant biological effects. In the present study, two novel cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes were identified in this species. One was named CYP331A1, the first member of a new family of CYP331, and the other CYP4AT1 is the first member of a new subfamily CYP4AT. Both of these genes are constitutively expressed in the worms and detectable by RT-PCR. The expression of CYP331A1 mRNA was observed to be more sensitive to PAH exposure than CYP4AT1, which indicated that CYP331A1 should play a more important role than CYP4AT1 in PAH metabolism in this species. Considering the importance of C. capitata sp.I in taking up PAH and other organic pollutants from contaminated marine sediments with the potential for subsequent food-chain transfer, our results are important for understanding the molecular basis of biotransformation and detoxification in this invertebrate, and also have evolutionary significance for understanding the diversity and history of the CYP superfamily.     

Deposition and cycling of carbon and nitrogen in carbonate mud of the lagoons of Arlington and Sudbury Reefs, Great Barrier Reef

The dynamics of carbon and nitrogen in carbonate mud were examined in the lagoons of Arlington and Sudbury Reefs, Great Barrier Reef. Most (89–93%) of the organic carbon and total nitrogen depositing to the carbonate mud zones was mineralized over a sediment depth of 1 m, with ∼50% of CO₂ produced during microbial decomposition involved in carbonate precipitation/dissolution reactions. There was proportionally little burial of organic carbon (10–11%) or nitrogen (7–10%). Nitrogen budgets suggest rapid turnover of porewater inorganic N pools on the order of hours to a few days. Incubation experiments indicate carbonate dissolution in surface deposits (≤20 cm depth) and carbonate precipitation in deeper sediments. Depth-integrated reaction rates indicate net carbonate precipitation of 7–10 mol CaCO₃ m² year⁻¹ over a depth of 1 m. Budget calculations at the whole-reef scale imply that deposition of CaCO₃ in the mud zones of both lagoons may equate to 50–90% of total reef carbonate production, with organic carbon fluxes equating to nearly all net primary production on each reef. These biogeochemical estimates point to the functional importance of carbonate mud zones in the lagoons of the shelf reefs of the Great Barrier Reef.     

Adult fiddler crabs Uca pugnax (Smith) enhance sediment-associated cues for molting of conspecific megalopae

Adult-associated chemical cues can stimulate settlement and metamorphosis of invertebrate larvae into habitats with an enhanced likelihood of juvenile and adult survival. For example, sediments from adult fiddler crab habitat stimulate fiddler crab megalopae to metamorphose (molt) sooner than sediments without adult cues. A similar stimulation of molting occurs after exposure to waterborne chemical cues from adult habitats and to exudates and extracts of adult crabs. We tested whether sediments from habitats without adult Uca pugnax (Smith), which do not stimulate molting of their megalopae, could become stimulatory through brief exposure to adult crabs. Sediments were collected from tidal flats at several distances (∼ 1 m, ∼ 50 m, and ∼ 5.4 km) from adult habitats, and incubated for 24 h with or without adult crabs. Molting rates of laboratory-reared megalopae exposed for 48 h to adult-conditioned sediments were compared to those for untreated controls. Sediments collected in or within 1 m of adult habitat elicited the highest molting rates, and natural sediments from 50 m and 5.4 km had little or no effect on molting. However, incubating sediments collected away from adult habitat with adult crabs produced a higher molting response, and the magnitude of the enhancement increased with distance from adult habitat. Results suggest that the chemical cues that adult crabs release are retained by sediments and consequently stimulate molting of megalopae, regardless of the nature of the sediments themselves. Lack of chemical cues may retard colonization of newly created or heavily disturbed habitats that are otherwise suitable settlement and adult habitat.     

The Vertical Pattern of Rooting and Nutrient Uptake at Different Altitudes of a South Ecuadorian Montane Forest

The vertical pattern of root length densities (RLD) of fine roots (<2 mm in diameter) and nitrogen (N) uptake potential were determined at different altitudes (1,900, 2,400, and 3,000 m a.s.l.) of a tropical montane forest in order to improve our knowledge about the depth distribution of nutrient uptake in this ecosystem. At higher altitudes, precipitation rate and frequency of fog were higher than at lower altitudes while mean annual air temperature decreased with increasing altitude. Soils were always very acid with significantly lower pH at a depth of 0.0–0.3 m in mineral soil at 3,000 m (2.8–2.9) than at 1,900 and 2,400 m (3.1–3.5). The vertical distribution of RLD was very similar both during the dry and the rainy season. During the dry season the percentage of root length in the organic layer increased from 51% at 1,900 m to 61% at 2,400 m and 76% at 3,000 m. At 3,000 m, RLD was markedly higher in the upper 0.05 m than in the remaining organic layer, whereas at 1,900 m and 2,400 m RLD were similar in all depths of the organic layer. In mineral soil, RLD decreased to a greater degree with increasing soil depth at the upper two study sites than at 1,900 m. The relative N uptake potential from different soil layers (RNUP) was determined by ¹⁵N enrichment of leaves after application of ¹⁵N enriched ammonium sulphate at various soil depths. RNUP closely followed fine root distribution confirming the shallower pattern of nutrient uptake at higher altitudes. RNUP was very similar for trees, shrubs and herbs, but shallower for saplings which obtained N only from the organic layer at both altitudes. Liming and fertilizing (N, P, K, Mg) of small patches in mineral soil had no significant impact on fine root growth. We conclude that the more superficial nutrient uptake ability at higher altitudes may be partly related to increased nutrient input from canopy by leaching. However, the specific constraints for root growth in the mineral soil of tropical montane forests warrant further investigations.     

Elastolytic Mechanism of a Novel M23 Metalloprotease Pseudoalterin from Deep-sea Pseudoalteromonas sp. CF6-2: CLEAVING NOT ONLY GLYCYL BONDS IN THE HYDROPHOBIC REGIONS BUT ALSO PEPTIDE BONDS IN THE HYDROPHILIC REGIONS INVOLVED IN CROSS-LINKING*

Elastin is a common insoluble protein that is abundant in marine vertebrates, and for this reason its degradation is important for the recycling of marine nitrogen. It is still unclear how marine elastin is degraded because of the limited study of marine elastases. Here, a novel protease belonging to the M23A subfamily, secreted by Pseudoalteromonas sp. CF6-2 from deep-sea sediment, was purified and characterized, and its elastolytic mechanism was studied. This protease, named pseudoalterin, has low identities (<40%) to the known M23 proteases. Pseudoalterin has a narrow specificity but high activity toward elastin. Analysis of the cleavage sites of pseudoalterin on elastin showed that pseudoalterin cleaves the glycyl bonds in hydrophobic regions and the peptide bonds Ala–Ala, Ala–Lys, and Lys–Ala involved in cross-linking. Two peptic derivatives of desmosine, desmosine-Ala-Ala and desmosine-Ala-Ala-Ala, were detected in the elastin hydrolysate, indicating that pseudoalterin can dissociate cross-linked elastin. These results reveal a new elastolytic mechanism of the M23 protease pseudoalterin, which is different from the reported mechanism where the M23 proteases only cleave glycyl bonds in elastin. Genome analysis suggests that M23 proteases may be popular in deep-sea sediments, implying their important role in elastin degradation. An elastin degradation model of pseudoalterin was proposed, based on these results and scanning electron microscopic analysis of the degradation by pseudoalterin of bovine elastin and cross-linked recombinant tropoelastin. Our results shed light on the mechanism of elastin degradation in deep-sea sediment.     

在沉积物暴露条件下2种海洋贝类对Cu、Pb 的富集动力学研究

首次通过构建海水-底泥-生物体体系,应用半静态双箱动力学模型室内模拟了沉积物暴露条件下文蛤(Meretrix meretrix)和缢蛏(Sinonovacula constricta)对Cu、Pb的生物富集实验,通过对富集与排出过程中文蛤体内重金属污染物的动态监测和对富集与排出过程监测结果的非线性拟合,得到了文蛤和缢蛏富集重金属的吸收速率常数K1、排出速率常数K2、生物富集因子BCF、富集平衡浓度CAmax、生物学半衰期B1/2等动力学参数。拟合结果得到的Cu、Pb各动力学参数分别为:文蛤K1为4.63—69.41,K2为0.05—0.08,CAmax为9.83—40.57,BCF为60.77—1444.56,B1/2为9.09—14.43;缢蛏K1为4.27—122.92。K2为0.05—0.07。CAmax为5.12—32.84。BCF为65.68—2112.02。B1/2为9.81—14.15。对模型的拟合优度检验结果显示,在沉积物暴露条件下文蛤和缢蛏对重金属Cu、Pb的生物富集数据符合双箱模型,模型的拟合优度良好。比较结果得出:吸收速率常数K1及生物富集因子BCF均随着外部水体金属暴露浓度的增大而减小;CAmax均随着外部水体金属暴露浓度的增大而增大;文蛤和缢蛏对Cu富集能力大于Pb;Cu在文蛤和缢蛏体内的生物学半衰期B1/2大于Pb;理论平衡状态下文蛤和缢蛏体内Cu、Pb的含量CAmax随着外部水体中金属暴露浓度的增大而增大,且呈显著正相关,实验结果表明在沉积物暴露条件下双箱动力学模型在一定条件下是可以应用于文蛤和缢蛏的富集动力学研究的,但仍需要进一步开展在不同条件下实验研究分析。     

Enhancement of bioremediation by Ralstonia sp. HM-1 in sediment polluted by Cd and Zn

In this study, the potential for the application of the bioaugmentation to Cd and Zn contaminated sediment was investigated. A batch experiment was performed in the lake sediments augmented with Ralstonia sp. HM-1. The degradation capacity of 18.7 mg-DOC/l/day in the treatment group was bigger than that of the blank group (4.4 mg-DOC/l/day). It can be regarded as the result of the reduction of the metal concentration in the liquid phase due to adsorption into the sediments, with the increased alkalinity resulting from the reduction of sulfate by sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB). The removal efficiency of cadmium and zinc in the treatment group was both 99.7% after 35 days. Restrain of elution to water phase from sediment in the Ralstonia sp. HM-1 added treatment group was also shown. In particular, the observed reduction of the exchangeable fraction and an increase in the bound to organics or sulfide fraction in the treatment group indicate its role in the prevention of metal elution from the sediment. Therefore, for bioremediation and restrain of elution from the sediment polluted by metal, Ralstonia sp. augmentation with indigenous microorganism including SRB, sediment stabilization and restrain of elution to surface water is recommended.     

An Integrated Case Study for Evaluating the Impacts of an Oil Refinery Effluent on Aquatic Biota in the Delaware River: Sediment Core Studies

The objectives of this study were to (1) determine if historical exceedences of oil and grease concentrations above the limits allowed in the National Pollution Elimination Discharge System permit for the wastewater treatment facility of Motiva Enterprises LLC Refinery, Delaware City, Delaware, could be determined from the sedimentary records of the Delaware River and, if so, (2) were the concentrations of contaminants high enough to be toxic to aquatic biota. Eighty-four surficial sediment samples, both within and outside the influence of the Refinery's discharge plume, were initially evaluated for their appropriateness for coring. Seven stations were ultimately selected for the historical core studies. Based on sediment type, radionuclide (Pb-210, Cs-137 and Be-7) geochronologies, and proximity of the cores to the Refinery, two cores were selected for more detailed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) analyses. The rapid accumulation area of one core (located in the near-field of the discharge plume) had maximum total PAH (TPAH) concentration peaks at depths of 4 cm (1997; 3100 ng/g dw) and at 8.5–9 cm (1993; 3200 ng/g dw); the second core (located on the far-field periphery of the plume) had a maximum TPAH peak at 6.5 cm (1997; 3200 ng/g dw). In all cases, the maximum TPAH concentrations were below NOAA's Effects Range-Low concentration of 4022 ng/g dw for sediment biota toxicity. A chemical fingerprinting analysis of the PAHs in the two cores showed, however, that the PAHs present in the cores were predominantly pyrogenic PAHs consistent with Delaware River background PAHs. The core results are consistent with historic sediment PAH inputs in an industrial river system. PAH from the Refinery, if present, exist as a non-detectable increment to a high PAH baseline from many sources.     

Emission and oxidation of methane in Equisetum fluviatile stands growing on organic sediment and sand bottoms

Methane emission and rhizospheric CH₄ oxidation were studied in stands of Equisetum fluviatile, a common cryptogam in boreal lakes. The experiment was performed in mesocosms with organic sediment or sand bottoms under natural variation of temperature and light using the light-oxic – dark-anoxic chamber (LO/DA) technique. Net CH₄ emission from the organic sediment during the growing season varied between 3.4 and 19.0 mg m^–2 h^–1, but from sand the net CH₄ emission was only 3–10% of that measured from the organic sediment. In the organic sediment net CH₄ emission was very significantly correlated with sediment temperature (r² = 0.92). In the sand mesocosms the variation of net CH₄ emission was better correlated with the shoot biomass than with sediment temperature variation during the growing season, indicating that methanogens were severely limited by substrate availability and were probably dependent on substrates produced by E. fluviatile. The proportion of the methane oxidized of the potential CH₄ emission in summer did not differ significantly between the bottom types. The net CH₄ emission during the growing season as a proportion of the seasonal maximum of the shoot biomass was significantly higher in the organic sediment mesocosms (6.5%) than in sand (1.7%). The high CH₄ emissions observed from dense well-established E. fluviatile stands in the field appear to be more related to temperature-regulated turnover of detritus in the anaerobic sediment and less to CH₄ oxidation and seasonal variation in plant growth dynamics