Geographical distribution of morphological abnormalities and wing color pattern modifications of the pale grass blue butterfly in northeastern Japan

The pale grass blue butterfly Zizeeria maha has been used as an environmental indicator to evaluate the biological impacts of the Fukushima nuclear accident. A high morphological abnormality rate (AR) of this butterfly was detected in 2011 from radioactively contaminated areas at 37–38°N. However, the geographical AR distribution has not been documented for the entirety of northeastern Japan. Additionally, the geographical distribution of the wing color pattern modification rate (MR) of temperature‐shock type remains undocumented. Here, we collected adult butterflies from many localities in northeastern Japan in 2014 and examined the local AR and MR. Both AR and MR were generally low throughout the 44 local populations surveyed. Latitudinal AR and MR distributions indicated a gap zone at approximately 39°N. The mean AR and the mean MR of the populations south of the gap zone were low (AR = 3.0%, MR = 1.1%), whereas those of the northern populations were relatively high (AR = 10.6%, MR =10.3%). Logistic regression analyses revealed that abnormalities and modifications were associated with temperature‐related variables. We conclude that abnormalities and modifications are generally rare, but that their rates are higher in the northern populations than in the southern ones. These results, along with evidence from other studies, strongly suggest that the high AR detected in 2011 from contaminated areas was induced by anthropogenic radioactive mutagens. This study presents a basic dataset of the current wildlife state of Z. maha in northeastern Japan, which facilitates a future use of this butterfly species as an environmental indicator.     

A Comparative Analysis of Accident Risks in Fossil,Hydro, and Nuclear Energy Chains

This study presents a comparative assessment of severe accident risks in the energy sector, based on the historical experience of fossil (coal, oil, natural gas, and LPG [Liquefied Petroleum Gas]) and hydro chains contained in the comprehensive Energy-related Severe Accident Database (ENSAD), as well as Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) for the nuclear chain. Full energy chains were considered because accidents can take place at every stage of the chain. Comparative analyses for the years 1969–2000 included a total of 1870 severe (≥ 5 fatalities) accidents, amounting to 81,258 fatalities. Although 79.1% of all accidents and 88.9% of associated fatalities occurred in less developed, non-OECD countries, industrialized OECD countries dominated insured losses (78.0%), reflecting their substantially higher insurance density and stricter safety regulations. Aggregated indicators and frequency-consequence (F-N) curves showed that energy-related accident risks in non-OECD countries are distinctly higher than in OECD countries. Hydropower in non-OECD countries and upstream stages within fossil energy chains are most accident-prone. Expected fatality rates are lowest for Western hydropower and nuclear power plants; however, the maximum credible consequences can be very large. Total economic damages due to severe accidents are substantial, but small when compared with natural disasters. Similarly, external costs associated with severe accidents are generally much smaller than monetized damages caused by air pollution.     

Rounding a corner of a bent termite tunnel and tunnel traffic efficiency

Subterranean termites construct underground tunnels, tens to hundreds of feet, to reach feeding sites and to transport food items to their nest. To ensure a high rate food return to the nest, an optimized tunnel should be constructed. We found that termites (Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki) fill the corner of a bent tunnel with soil particles excavated from tunnel tip where their digging behavior is activated. The corner-filling behavior, eventually, made a sharp corner smooth-rounded. In the present study, we showed that the corner-filling behavior could play an important role in improving the tunnel traffic efficiency. To do this, we compared the termites' time spent for passing corners between with a right-angled flat tip (RA-corner), corresponding to the sharp corner, and with a rounded tip (R-corner) corresponding to the smooth-rounded corner. As a result, the passing time in the R-corner was significantly shorter than in the RA-corner. In addition, tunnel width effect was discussed in terms of individual movement.     

Longitudinal monitoring of selected elements in blood of healthy young children

There are limited data on essential nutrients in the whole blood of young children. As part of a longitudinal study of the impact on young children and the environment from the introduction of an organic Mn compound into unleaded gasoline in Australia, we have measured a suite of elements in whole blood. The children, aged between 6 and 31 months at recruitment, have been monitored at 6-month intervals for up to 5 years. Blood samples were analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Pb. Mixed model analyses of 665 blood samples using backward elimination showed significant positive relationships between Ca, Mg and Zn and season, variable relationships with time, but no association with gender or traffic exposure. The elements Ca, Mg and Zn showed higher concentrations in summer compared with winter, whereas Fe and Pb showed lower concentrations in summer compared with winter. Concentrations of all elements except Fe showed significant effects over time: Ca, Cu, Mg, Pb and Mn showed decreases over time, whereas Zn showed an increase. The mixed model analyses with the individual elements as the dependent variable showed some interesting relationships and require further follow-up as some of these appear to conflict with pre-existing concepts, although the multi-element data on which these concepts are based are limited. The variance for blood Pb and blood Mn arising from the other elements was small with 0.5% in the case of blood Pb and 3.7% for blood Mn.     

Accumulation of point mutations in mitochondrial DNA of aging mice

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) exists in a highly genotoxic environment created by exposure to reactive oxygen species, somewhat deficient DNA repair, and the relatively low fidelity of polymerase gamma. Given the severity of the environment, it was anticipated that mutation accumulation in the mtDNA of aging animals should exceed that of nuclear genes by several orders of magnitude. We have analyzed fragments amplified from the D-loop region of mtDNA from 2 to 22-month-old mice. The amplified 432 bp fragments were cloned into plasmid vectors, and plasmid DNAs from individual clones were purified and sequenced. None of 110 fragments from young mice contained a mutation, while 9 of 87 clones originating from old animals contained base substitutions (chi square = 11.9, P<0.001). The estimated mutation frequency in mtDNA from old mice was 11.6+/-2.7 or 25.4+/-7.8 per 10(5) nucleotides (depending on assumptions of clonality), which exceeds existing estimates for mutation frequencies for nuclear genes by approximately 1000-fold. Our data suggest that at 22 months of age, which roughly corresponds to 3/4 of the mouse natural life span, most mtDNA molecules carry multiple point mutations.     

Effects of PM2.5 and NO2 on the 8-isoprostane and lung function indices of FVC and FEV1 in students of Ahvaz city,Iran

The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between PM_2.5 and NO₂ pollutants and oxidative stress marker (8-isoprostane) and lung function tests (FVC and FEV₁) in healthy children who were living and studying in three different areas of Ahvaz city including A₁: Naderi site with high traffic, A₂: Alavi Alley site with average traffic, and A₃: Ein 2 site with low traffic (a rural area on the suburb of Ahvaz). 30 students in the 12–13 year-old range were selected from each studied zone (1, 2 and 3 sites) during three months of year. Of each student, one sample was taken every two weeks to measure 8-isoprostane of exhaled breath condensate (EBC). Air pollution data were collected from three air quality monitoring stations. Also, the relationship between air pollution and 8-isoprostane as well as lung function tests were determined using generalized estimating equations (GEE). The mean concentration of PM_2.5 and NO₂ in A₁, A₂ and A₃ areas were 116, 92 and 45 (μg/m³) also 77, 53 and 14 (ppb) respectively. Among all studied students, there was a significant correlation between the increase of mean concentration of PM_2.5 and NO₂ in 1–4 before sampling day, increased 8-isoprostane concentration and decreased FEV₁, while there was no significant correlation between them and decreased FVC. In A₁ site, an increase in IQR (13 μg/m³) PM_2.5 and IQR (6.5 ppb) NO₂ on 1–4 days before sampling was associated with 0.38 unit (95% CI: 0.11, 0.65) and 1.1 unit (95% CI: 0.85, 1.35) increase in 8-isoprostane concentration, also decreased 121 ml and 190 ml FEV₁, respectively. Results showed that the short-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution can decrease the values of lung function indices and increase the oxidative stress. It may adversely affect children’s lungs.     

长白山国家级自然保护区两栖类动物道路致死特征分析

为了解旅游道路交通导致的两栖类致死效应,于2007~2014年在环绕长白山国家级自然保护区的环长白山旅游公路(环区公路)、头道环区公路以及白山公路分别选取1条样线,采用直接计数法统计了交通致死的两栖类种类、数量,以及致死个体处于交通路段的位置,共统计257次,累计调查样带总长2 441 km。道路致死两栖类种类有5种,累计致死个体数为7 910只,平均致死率为3.34只/km。最容易致死的两栖类动物是中国林蛙(Rana chensinensi)、东方铃蟾(Bombina orientalis)、中华蟾蜍(Bufo gargariza),这3种动物占到致死总数的96.36%;经Moses Test检验,白山公路的致死率、头道公路的致死率及环区公路致死率均与对照土路致死率差异显著(白山公路:n=67,P=0.000;头道公路:n=76,P=0.000;环区公路:n=164,P=0.000)。白山公路与头道公路两栖类致死率差异显著(n=93,P=0.010),白山公路与环区公路的两栖类道路致死率差异显著(n=181,P=0.000);头道公路与环区公路的两栖类道路致死率差异显著(n=190,P=0.000)。两栖类道路致死高峰期在8月份,其次较集中出现在4~6月的繁殖期。从公路年度致死变化来看,2007~2014年期间除了中国林蛙和中华蟾蜍致死率呈小幅波动外,其他种类致死率总体呈下降趋势,只有日本树蟾(Hyla japonica)年度致死率差异显著(Kruskal Wallis Test:χ2=18.031,df=7,P=0.012);不同月份中华蟾蜍(Pearson:R=0.939,n=7,P=0.002)、中国林蛙(Pearson:R=0.912,n=7,P=0.004)、日本树蟾(Pearson:R=0.904,n=7,P=0.005)致死率与交通量显著相关。本研究认为,两栖类的道路致死率与两栖类种群大小、种群密度、生活史及交通量等都存在显著相关性。     

Time-dependent changes of the physiological status of Bromus inermis Leyss. seeds from chronic low-level radiation exposure areas

The seed progeny of smooth brome (Bromus inermis Leyss.) were evaluated over a year for their viability, mutation rate, resistance to radiation and antioxidant status in response to chronic radiation exposure. Bromus inermis is found in the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace (EURT) area and the background territories (surrounding territories that are used as controls as they only have natural background radiation). The absorbed doses by smooth brome from the EURT area were 1.5–18.5 times higher compared to background locations for parent plants and 1.1–11.6 times higher for the seed embryos. There are predictable and asynchronous changes in the survival of shoots and root growth rate between background populations and chronically irradiated samples. The provocative dose of 250 Gy is more damaging in the winter months, than in the summer and autumn. The frequency of anomalies in shoots varied in different months, with the biggest rate of mutation recorded in physiologically harsher period (autumn–winter). There is no correlation between resulting survival rate of shoots and their resistance to radiation. The intense activity of the antioxidant systems (estimated by the content of low molecular weight antioxidants) allowed faster growth of the shoots and reduced the number of abnormalities seen in development.     

抚顺市突发性氯气污染事故对植物影响的生态调查

1　引　言突发性环境污染是指在非正常情况下的污染,它有一定的特殊性。它没有固定的排放方式和排放途径,具有突发性,在瞬时或短时间内大量排放污染物质,对生态环境造成严重污染和破坏,给人民生命财产造成重大损失。这类污染事故越来越引起世界各国环境学家和政府的重视,正在探索如何防止突发性环境污染事故,以及当发生时应当采取的对策[1,4]。但对突发性环境污染造成的生态环境影响及长期效应缺乏足够重视,国内外少见报道。本文报道抚顺市突发性氯气污染事故的生态影响调查结果。2　研究的范围、内容和方法2.1　事故发生的背景某年8月一辆…     

长白山自然保护区兽类道路交通致死的初步分析

2007 ～ 2009 年,按月对吉林长白山自然保护区环保护区的2 条要道所造成兽类交通死亡状况以及车流量 和车速等因素进行了调查。结果表明:(1)保护区道路交通致死的兽类种类达14种,占保护区种类的27% ,以棕背鼠平、花鼠和大林姬鼠等为优势种类;(2)道路交通所造成的动物个体死亡为2. 57 ± 0.53 头/10km,其中夜行性种类的致死率很高,达69.8% ;(3) 动物死亡主要发生在车流量为1 ～ 40 辆/ h 的区间,占69.4% ,尤以30 ～ 40 辆/ h 区间的致死率最高;(4)动物致死率与每月的车流量显著相关,主要集中在5 ～ 10 月,以9 月的致死率最高。通过对兽类活动时间和生态习性分析,兽类交通致死主要发生在凌晨、傍晚或夜间时段。这可能与夜间车辆照明对动物产生视觉障碍有较大关系,加上车速快和车流量大,极易造成晨昏或夜间活动的动物的大量死亡。因此,建议在保护区路段上合理控制夜间车辆行驶时间,并对车流量和车速予以限制,从而有效减少动物道路交通致死。