Holocene mangrove and coastal environmental changes in the western Ganga–Brahmaputra Delta, India

A 50 m-long radiocarbon dated core was studied through sediment and pollen analysis to reconstruct the Holocene mangrove and environmental changes at a coastal site Pakhiralaya in the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve in the western Ganga–Brahmaputra Delta, India. This biosphere reserve harbours a diverse mangrove ecosystem and supports a large number of people living in the area. Pollen and stratigraphic data indicate the existence of a brackish water estuarine mangrove swamp forest in this area during the last 9880 cal yr b.p. The development of the mangrove forest is not shown continuously in the Holocene record. Rapid transgression of the sea (9240 cal yr b.p.) halted the development of the mangrove. After about 8420 cal yr b.p. mangrove recolonised the area and persisted until 7560 cal yr b.p. as a result of a balance between the sedimentation and sea level fluctuation. The mangrove disappeared again from the site until 4800 cal yr b.p. because of a high sedimentation rate and possible delta progradation with loss of habitats. The reappearance of mangrove at the study site occurred with a return of a brackish water estuarine environment and the site then gradually became supra tidal during the mid-late Holocene. The continuity of the mangrove development and dynamics was interrupted by the fluctuating sea levels. Climatic fluctuations were viewed as an indirect factor influencing the mangrove ecosystem.     

下扬子区奥陶纪牙形刺多样性演变初探

根据前人和作者现有资料,对下扬子地区,特别是宁镇地区奥陶纪已经报道的牙形刺属种进行厘定,并按牙形刺带逐带进行多样性统计分析,初步编制出该地区奥陶纪牙形刺属种的地层延限表.研究表明;下扬子区牙形刺在奥陶纪的宏演化经历了3次较明显的辐射事件,分别发生在特马豆克期晚期-弗洛期早期(Serratognathus diversua带)、大坪期早期(Baltoniodus triangularis带)、达瑞威尔期晚期(Eoplacognathus suecicus带);此外,还经历了2次快速增长期,分别发生在达瑞威尔期早期(Lenodus antivariabilis带)、桑比期晚期至凯迪期早期(Hamarodus europaeus带),后者可能与局部环境变化有关.研究表明:华南海平面升降对下扬子区牙形刺宏演化趋势有重要影响.     

Tackling aquatic invasions: risks and opportunities for the aquarium fish industry

The aquarium trade is an important and rapidly growing vector for introduced species in the United States. We examined this vector by surveying pet stores in the San Francisco Bay–Delta region to compile a list of aquarium fish species commonly stocked. We identified which of these species might be able to survive in the Bay–Delta, and investigated store representatives’ knowledge and attitudes about biological invasions. A restrictive analysis using conservative estimates of fish temperature tolerances and environmental conditions found that the local aquarium trade includes 5 fish species that can survive in a temperate system such as the Bay–Delta. Under more inclusive parameters, up to 27 fish species met the criteria for survival in the Bay–Delta. We further explored these results by comparing potential invader incidence between different types of stores. In the more restrictive analysis, three national retail chains stocked significantly more potentially invasive species than independent aquarium stores, but there was no difference in the more inclusive analysis. A significantly higher percentage of fish taxa were easily identifiable and well-labeled in chain stores than in independent stores. Most aquarium store representatives indicated willingness to take action to reduce the threat of trade-related introductions, although chain store employees were more willing to assign responsibility for reducing this threat to the aquarium industry than were independent store employees. Management efforts for this vector should focus on (a) improving labeling and identification of fish species in stores, (b) expanding the often spotty data on fish physiological tolerances, especially for saltwater species, (c) educating customers and store employees about the risks posed by pet release, and (d) providing better options for responsible disposal of unwanted fish. Electronic Supplementary Material   The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

White-Tailed Deer Foraging Habitat in Intensively Established Loblolly Pine Plantations

ABSTRACT Stand establishment techniques involving multiple herbicide applications are commonly used on industrial pine (Pinus spp.) plantations, raising concern over potential effects on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) forage production. We tested effects of stand establishment intensity on deer forage in 1–5-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations (n = 4) in the East Gulf Coastal Plain of Mississippi using forage biomass and 4 measures of nutritional carrying capacity that reflected crude protein or digestible energy requirements for body maintenance and lactation. We also assessed whether forage biomass combined with a deer use rating effectively indexed nutritional carrying capacity. Treatments were combinations of mechanical site preparation, chemical site preparation (CSP), and herbaceous weed control (HWC). Total forage biomass and forage biomass of grasses and forbs were reduced by broadcast HWC. Forage biomass of vines was reduced both by CSP and by multiple broadcast HWC applications. Maintenance-level carrying capacity estimates were reduced by broadcast HWC; lactation-level estimates were higher in moderate-intensity treatments. We believe the inherently low fertility of this region makes high-quality forage production a more important management priority than increasing forage quantity. Chemical or chemical and mechanical site preparation combined with banded HWC provided the best option for providing both forage quality and quantity in open-canopied, intensively managed pine plantations. Biomass-based indices may be suitable for indexing protein-based maintenance-level carrying capacity in this region, but our results indicated they were not useful for indexing other carrying capacity estimates.     

Assessing Ecoregional-Scale Habitat Suitability Index Models for Priority Landbirds

ABSTRACT Emerging methods in habitat and wildlife population modeling promise new horizons in conservation but only if these methods provide robust population-habitat linkages. We used Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data to verify and validate newly developed habitat suitability index (HSI) models for 40 priority landbird species in the Central Hardwoods and West Gulf Coastal Plain/Ouachitas Bird Conservation Regions. We considered a species’ HSI model verified if there was a significant rank correlation between mean predicted HSI score and mean observed BBS abundance across the 88 ecological subsections within these Bird Conservation Regions. When we included all subsections, correlations verified 37 models. Models for 3 species were unverified. Rank correlations for an additional 5 species were not significant when analyses included only subsections with BBS abundance >0. To validate models, we developed generalized linear models with mean observed BBS abundance as the response variable and mean HSI score and Bird Conservation Region as predictor variables. We considered verified models validated if the overall model was an improvement over an intercept-only null model and the coefficient on the HSI variable in the model was >0. Validation provided a more rigorous assessment of model performance than verification, and models for 12 species that we verified failed validation. Species whose models failed validation were either poorly sampled by BBS protocols or associated with woodland and shrubland habitats embedded within predominantly open landscapes. We validated models for 25 species. Habitat specialists and species reaching their highest densities in predominantly forested landscapes were more likely to have validated models. In their current form, validated models are useful for conservation planning of priority landbirds and offer both insight into limiting factors at ecoregional scales and a framework for monitoring priority landbird populations from readily available national data sets.     

Docking studies suggest ligand-specific δ-opioid receptor conformations

An automated docking procedure was used to study binding of a series of δ-selective ligands to three models of the δ-opioid receptor. These models are thought to represent the three ligand-specific receptor conformations. Docking results are in agreement with point mutation studies and suggest that different ligands—agonists and antagonists—may bind to the same binding site under different receptor conformations. Docking to different receptor models (conformations) also suggests that by changing to a receptor-specific conformation, the receptor may open or close different binding sites to other ligands. Figure  Ligands 5 (green) and 6 (orange) in bindingpocket BP1 of the R1 δ-opioid receptor model     

Developing a Benthic Index of Biological Integrity and Some Relationships to Environmental Factors in the Subtropical Xiangxi River,China

The aim of this study is to develop a benthic index of biotic integrity (B‐IBI) to help understand how the increasing anthropogenic pressure may impact the subtropical Xiangxi River in China. Benthic macroinvertebrate and environmental surveys were conducted at 77 sites in early summer 2004. Each collection site was categorized as reference or impaired based on physical, chemical, biological, and land‐use information. Six non‐redundant metrics from 35 metrics were used to differentiate between reference and impaired sites. We selected six metrics for the final IBI. The scoring criteria of each metric were normalized based on the quadrisection and 0–10 scaling systems. Both scaling methods were used to assess the aquatic health of each site in the Xiangxi River watershed. The results showed that most sites were in fairly poor condition. Furthermore, we identified the relationship between B‐IBI metrics, water‐quality, and land‐use variables with a principal component analysis. A composite of nutrients and land‐use intensity explained most variances. These results suggest that the B‐IBI may be a suitable method for assessing river conditions within the subtropical Xiangxi River in central China (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Seasonal change and habitat selection of shorebird community at the South Yangtze River Mouth and North Hangzhou Bay, China

Coastal regions are important habitats for migratory shorebirds. The aim of the study is to understand habitat use by migratory shorebirds and to develop a conservation strategy in the sustainable use of wetlands. From March 2004 to January 2005, we conducted a seasonal shorebirds census in ten coastal habitats along the South Yangtze River mouth and North Hangzhou Bay, simultaneously examining the relative seasonal abundance of shorebirds and their spatial distribution. A total of 25 species were identified, the dominant seasonal species were Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris), Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris alpine) and Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis) in spring; Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus), Common Greenshank(Tringa nebularia) and Lesser Sand Plover (Charadrius mongolus) in summer; Kentish Plover, Red-necked Stint and Common Greenshank in autumn; Dunlin(Calidris alpine), Kentish Plover and Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis) in winter. These species accounted for more than 85% of the total shorebirds. The numbers of shorebirds counted was highest in spring and then in autumn, winter and summer respectively. Among the four seasons, there were few significant differences in the number of bird species between the sites outside the seawall (intertidal mudflat) and the sites inside the seawall (artificial wetland), but the average density of shorebirds was obviously different. The habitat-selection analysis of the environmental factors (outside and inside the seawall) impacting on the shorebird community was made in the 10 study sites with Canonical Correspondence Analysis. The study results indicated that: (1) Outside the seawall, the widths of the total intertidal mudflat and bare mudflat were the key factors affecting the shorebirds; the proportion of bulrush (Scirpus×mariquete) covering and supertidal mudflat width had a positive correlation with the abundance of birds, while human disturbance and the proportion of both reed (Phragmites communis) and smooth cord-grass (Spartina alterniflora) covering in total surveyed areas had negative impacts on bird numbers; (2) Inside the seawall, the proportions of areas with shallow water and mudflats occupying the total surveyed area were key factors influencing the number of birds; the size of the bulrush area should have a positive impact on the appearance of shorebirds. Habitats with heavy human disturbance, dense reed and smooth cord-grass or a high water level were not conducive to be inhabited by shorebirds.     

长江江豚和瓶鼻海豚的血清转铁蛋白

血清转铁蛋白(Serum transferrin,Tf)是广泛存在于血清中的β球蛋白,其主要功能是将铁离子以安全的形式(Fe3 )在机体的吸收、储存和利用部位之间进行传递,为细胞生长提供铁(Fe3 )(Welch,1990);同时具有保护细胞、促进细胞分化和生长、抑菌和杀菌的作用(Paezetal.,2002;Liuet al     

河口地区牡蛎礁的生态功能及恢复措施

在许多温带河口区,牡蛎礁是具有重要生态功能的特殊生境。牡蛎礁在净化水体、提供栖息生境、保护生物多样性和耦合生态系统能量流动等方面均具有重要的功能。近100年来,由于过度采捕、环境污染、病害和生境破坏等原因,许多温带河口区牡蛎种群数量持续下降,河口生态系统的结构与功能受到破坏,富营养化越来越严重。为了修复河口生态系统、净化水质和促进渔业可持续发展,近20年来,世界各地开展了一系列牡蛎礁的恢复活动,尤其美国在东海岸及墨西哥湾建立了大量的人工牡蛎礁,许多研究结果证实,构建的人工牡蛎礁经过2~3年时间,就能恢复自然生境的生态功能。本文介绍了我国首次牡蛎增殖放流工程-长江口南北导堤牡蛎礁,近2年的监测结果显示,长江口导堤牡蛎种群数量快速增长,附近水生生态系统的结构与功能得到明显改善。最后,针对目前牡蛎礁恢复过程中存在的不足,提出了需进一步研究的课题,包括牡蛎基础生物学(病害和分子系统进化),牡蛎礁恢复的关键技术、科学程序及成功的评价标准等。