A new genus and species of rodent from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae: Oryzomyini), with comments on oryzomyine biogeography

We describe in this paper a new genus and species of cricetid rodent from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, one of the most endangered eco‐regions of the world. The new form displays some but not all synapomorphies of the tribe Oryzomyini, but a suite of unique characteristics is also observed. This new forest rat possesses anatomical characteristics of arboreal taxa, such as very developed plantar pads, but was collected almost exclusively in pitfall traps. Phylogenetic analyses of morphological (integument, soft tissue, cranial, and dental characters) and molecular [nuclear – Interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein (Irbp) – and mitochondrial – cytochrome b– genes] datasets using maximum likelihood and cladistic parsimony approaches corroborate the inclusion of the new taxon within oryzomyines. The analyses also place the new form as sister species to Eremoryzomys polius, an Andean rat endemic to the Maranon valley. This biogeographical pattern is unusual amongst small terrestrial vertebrates, as a review of the literature points to few other similar examples of Andean–Atlantic Forest pairings, in hylid frogs, Pionus parrots, and other sigmodontine rodents. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 161 , 357–390.     

Ambiguous climate impacts on competition between submerged macrophytes and phytoplankton in shallow lakes

1. Shallow lakes may switch from a state dominated by submerged macrophytes to a phytoplankton‐dominated state when a critical nutrient concentration is exceeded. We explore how climate change may affect this critical nutrient concentration by linking a graphical model to data from 83 lakes along a large climate gradient in South America. 2. The data indicate that in warmer climates, submerged macrophytes may tolerate more underwater shade than in cooler lakes. By contrast, the relationship between phytoplankton biomass [approximated by chlorophyll‐a (chl‐a) or biovolume] and nutrient concentrations did not change consistently along the climate gradient. In warmer climates, the correlation between phytoplankton biomass and nutrient concentrations was overall weak, especially at low total phosphorus (TP) concentrations where the chl‐a/ TP ratio could be either low or high. 3. Although the enhanced shade tolerance of submerged plants in warmer lakes might promote the stability of their dominance, the potentially high phytoplankton biomass at low nutrient concentrations suggests an overall low predictability of climate effects. 4. We found that near‐bottom oxygen concentrations are lower in warm lakes than in cooler lakes, implying that anoxic P release from eutrophic sediment in warm lakes likely causes higher TP concentrations in the water column. Subsequently, this may lead to a higher phytoplankton biomass in warmer lakes than in cooler lakes with similar external nutrient loadings. 5. Our results indicate that climate effects on the competitive balance between submerged macrophytes and phytoplankton are not straightforward.     

A new species of watering pot shell (Bivalvia: Anomalodesmata: Clavagelloidea) from the Miocene of the Murray Basin,South Australia

Abstract: A new species of penicillid watering pot shell, Kendrickiana coquinacola sp. nov., is described from the middle Miocene (Balcombian) Bryant Creek Formation of the Murray Basin, South Australia. The new species differs from the extant K. veitchi in its smaller size, much shorter posterior tube, fewer tubules in the anterior watering pot structure, absence of the pedal slit, discontinuous dorsolateral bands of pitted muscle scars on the internal surface of the anterior bulb and habit of cementing itself to the shells in its surrounding environment. The fossil record of Kendrickiana is reviewed. The record from the Dry Creek Sands is discounted, while a record for the extant K. veitchi from the earliest Pleistocene of York Peninsula is added. K. coquinacola indicates the highly derived anatomy of the genus evolved over a 10‐Ma period from the late Oligocene through the early Miocene.     

Epidemiology of sudden cardiac death in rural South India - insights from the andhra pradesh rural health initiative

Background

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a common initial presentation of coronary artery disease (CAD). Despite the growing epidemic of CAD in India, the epidemiology of SCD is largely unknown.

Objective

The objective of the study was to define the prevalence and determinants of sudden cardiac deaths in rural South India.

Methods

Prospective mortality surveillance was conducted in 45 villages (180,162 subjects) in rural South India between January 2006 and October 2007. Trained multipurpose health workers sought to do verbal autopsies within 4 weeks of any death. Detailed questionnaires including comorbidities and circumstances surrounding death were recorded. SCD was adjudicated using the modified Hinkle-Thaler classification.

Results

A total of 1916 deaths occurred in the study population over the 22 month time period and verbal autopsy was obtained in 1827 (95%) subjects. Overall mean age of the deceased was 62 ± 20 years and 1007 (55%) were men. Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases together accounted for 559 deaths (31%), followed by infectious disease (163 deaths, 9%), cancer (126 deaths, 7%) and suicide (93 deaths, 5%).Of the 1827 deaths, after excluding accidental deaths (89 deaths), 309 deaths (17%) met criteria for SCD. Cardiovascular disease was the underlying causes in the majority of the SCD events (231/309 (75%)). On multivariate analyses, previous MI/CAD (p < 0.001, OR 14.25), hypertension (p < 0.001, OR 1.84), and age groups between 40-60 yrs (p=0.029) were significantly associated with SCD.

Conclusion

Sudden cardiac death accounted for up to half of the cardiovascular deaths in rural Southern India. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors were strongly associated with SCD.     

南海北部莺歌海盆地新近纪古环境与层序地层格架再认识

利用莺歌海盆地钻井中获得的丰富的有孔虫、钙质超微化石等微体古生物资料,对研究区新近纪各地层沉积时期的古环境及演化进行了研究。结合古环境及地震资料分析,重新认识了莺歌海盆地新近纪各层序界面。S40、S30、S28、S27等界面都具明显的峡谷侵蚀特征。另外,①号断层上升盘地层受峡谷侵蚀搬运后在下部S29界面上形成较好的储层,是下一步油气勘探的重要方向之一。     

近50年华南气象干旱时空特征及其变化趋势

采用标准化前期降水指数(SAPI)和常年平均相对湿润度指数(M)构建的逐日气象干旱指数(DI),根据华南(广东、广西)174个气象站资料分析了近50年(1961—2010年)气象干旱时空特征及其气候变化趋势。结果表明:(1)华南近30年(1981—2010年)总旱日频率平均为26.0%,其中轻旱、中旱、重旱和特旱日分别为12.3%、8.1%、4.2%和1.4%。(2)各等级旱日频率具有非汛期(10月至次年3月)高于汛期(4月至9月)、广西高于广东的特征。(3)近50年华南最旱的5a依次为:1963、1991、2004、2009、1977。(4)气候变化趋势分析表明,1至9月降水和月干旱指数(MI)以增加趋势为主,各等级旱日数以减少趋势为主,其中7月份MI增加趋势及各等级旱日减少趋势均达到0.1显著水平;而10至12月降水和MI以减小趋势为主,各等级旱日数以增加趋势为主,其中11月份MI减小趋势及中旱、重旱、总旱日增加趋势均达到0.05显著水平。(5)年总旱日趋于增加、减少的站点数各占60%、40%,有11%的站点达到0.1以上显著水平。各等级旱日显著增加的站点大多集中在广西,而旱日显著减少的站点主要集中在广东,表明广西干旱总体上重于广东的格局可能进一步加剧。目的为进一步开展华南气候变化影响评估、水资源利用及应对气候变化提供基础。     

2006年冬季南海北部浮游植物生物量和初级生产力及其环境调控

通过2006年2月在南海北部现场调查所获得的数据分析研究了海域的浮游植物现存量和生产力,结果表明冬季浮游植物的分布特征与东北季风引起的环流场的变化关系密切。调查海域水柱平均Chla浓度的变化范围为0.03～1.21mg&#183;m-3（平均（0.33&#177;0.33）mg&#183;m^-3）,高值区出现在广东沿岸及海南岛东部附近海域;初级生产力的分布范围为41.3～1040.0mgC&#183;m^-2d^-1。由于东北季风引起近岸水体混合剧烈,不利于浮游植物生长,因此虽然沿岸带Chla浓度（（0.53&#177;0.50）mg&#183;m^-3）较高,但初级生产力却是最低的,只有41.3mgC&#183;m^-2d^-1,同时冬季反气旋涡强度下降和底层富营养水的涌升,营养盐充足,因此开阔海的Chla浓度（（0.31&#177;0.30）mg&#183;m^-3）和初级生产力（（631.3&#177;578.0）mgC&#183;m^-&#183;2d^-1）均高。浮游植物粒度级份测定表明,Pico级份对冬季南海北部浮游植物现存量和生产力的贡献很大,特别是在开阔海区,分别占47%和66%。     

中国南方早更新世主要哺乳动物群层序对比和动物地理

我国南方早更新世哺乳动物群中学术界十分关注是含巨猿的"巨猿动物群"。上世纪50年代广西仅发现个别有确切层位的巨猿地点,现已扩展到鄂、桂、黔、琼和渝5省市12个地点;同时也发现了重要的人猿超科化石及文化遗存。这对探讨人类进化和古文化发展具有重要的意义。依动物群和年代学的研究,本文将早更新世哺乳动物群划分为早、中、晚三期。根据多重地层划分和对比,文中对含哺乳动物主要层位(遗址)的厘定、层序对比提出了一些不同的意见,以供讨论;同时对我国南北动物地理区系间过渡带作了必要的阐明。     

中国南海海域海洋深层水细菌多样性

中国南海与作为海洋生物多样性中心的印太珊瑚大三角区具有一定的环境与生物连通性,其生境多样,为各种生物类群提供了有利的热带和亚热带海洋环境栖息地,具有极其丰富的生物多样性,是中国海洋生物多样性热点地区,也是重要的海洋生物多样性资源宝库。海洋细菌在生态系统循环中发挥重要作用,通过对南海海洋深层水细菌的探测,可以更加清晰地了解西太平洋和印太交汇区的生物多样性。研究基于参加开放项目获得的南海的深海站点水样,采用高通量测序进行了16S rRNA基因序列测序,分析了南海深海海水细菌群落多样性、菌群构成和多样性特征。该站点南海海洋深层水测定的细菌分属于15门、20纲、24目、86科、140属、150种,表明该区海洋深层水细菌群落丰富。测得优势菌属包括类芽胞杆菌属(Paenibacillus)、芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)、海旋菌属(Thalassospira)、噬甲基菌属(Methylophaga)、拟杆菌属(Bacteroides)、纤细芽胞杆菌属(Gracilibacillus)、海洋芽胞杆菌属(Oceanobacillus)、海源菌属(Idiomarina)、嗜油菌属(Oleiphilus)、食碱菌属(Alcanivorax),这些属的细菌在生物材料或药物、生物燃料、水处理、降解石油烃等方面均有开发利用的潜力。属内的解淀粉芽孢杆菌(Lentibacillus amyloliquefaciens)、施氏假单胞菌(Pseudomonas stutzeri)、柴油食烷菌(Alcanivorax dieselolei)、三浦半岛盐乳杆菌(Halolactibacillus miurensis)、海迪茨氏菌(Dietzia maris)可以具体鉴定到种,这些深海细菌目前已在产抗生素、生物防治、石油降解、反硝化等方面被开发利用。基于高通量测序显示出采样点南海海洋深层水细菌具有独特菌群特征和多样性,有其极为丰富的生物学开发利用价值。