Observations on the hydrography and inshore plankton of the bay of Bengal of Balasore

The hydrographical features and the inshore plankton of the northern part of the Bay of Bengal was studied from the Balasore coast. The hydrology is mainly governed by the monsoons and river systems flowing into the bay. The surface temperature showed a bimodal pattern with a summer and autumn maximum. The salinity was below the oceanic average with the lowest value during October. The coastal water was found to be rich in nutrients, with peak values during the southwest monsoon. Three phytoplankton blooms followed by zooplankton maxima were observed between early spring and late fall.     

Seasonal variations of diatoms and dinoflagellates in a shallow,temperate estuary,with emphasis on neritic assemblages

Seasonal changes in the diatom and dinoflagellate assemblages were examined in the neritic zone of the Urdaibai estuary (north Spain) with regard to some major physical and chemical variables during an annual cycle. A total of 81 diatoms and 38 dinoflagellates were identified and quantified during the study period. Both groups displayed a distinctive pattern of seasonal succession. The seasonal distribution of the Shannon index showed a trend of increasing values from the upper estuary to the lower neritic segment. The diatom diversity maxima were observed in February, April and September, and dinoflagellate maxima in April–May, July and October. Diatoms dominated the assemblages, reaching 1×10⁶ cells l^–1 from April to September. A shift from large diatoms and dinoflagellates to small bloom-forming taxa was observed during winter–early spring. A spring diatom bloom composed of Rhizosolenia spp. was observed in April, while small chain-forming taxa (chiefly Chaetoceros spp.) dominated from June to September. Cell maxima for both groups in late summer were produced by the diatoms Chaetoceros salsugineum and Skeletonema costatum, and by the dinoflagellates Heterocapsa pygmaea and Peridinium quinquecorne. Silicate availability by river supply and strong tidal-mixing of the water column seem to determine the year-round dominance of diatoms over dinoflagellates.     

Occurrence of okadaic acid in the feeding grounds of dugongs (Dugong dugon) and green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Moreton Bay, Australia

Okadaic acid (OA) is a diarrhetic shellfish poison (DSP) produced by a number of marine organisms including the benthic dinoflagellate Prorocentrum lima, which are often found on seagrass. As seagrass forms the basis of the diet of dugong (Dugong dugon) and green turtle (Chelonia mydas), these herbivores may potentially be exposed to OA through ingestion of P. lima found on the seagrass. In this study, the abundance of epiphytic P. lima, on seagrass, and the concentration of OA produced by these epiphytic dinoflagellates was measured in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. P. lima and OA were found on all four species of seagrass collected. OA was detected in epiphytic material collected from seagrass, with a maximum of 460 ng OA/kg_(wwtSG) found on Halophila spinulosa. From this information, the estimated maximum daily intake (DI) of OA by an adult dugong consuming 40 kg_(wwtSG)/day was 18,400 ng/day, and an adult turtle consuming 2 kg_(wwtSG)/day was 920 ng/day. Analysis by HPLC/MS/MS of 54 stranded dugongs and 19 stranded turtles did not yield OA above the detection limit of 10,000 ng/kg_{(animal tissue)}. OA was found on seagrass, however it was not detected in the tissue samples of dugongs and turtles.     

Growth and phosphate uptake kinetics of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense from Hiroshima Bay in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan

Shellfish poisoning by the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense (Lebour) Balech occurred for the first time in Hiroshima Bay, Japan, in 1992. Oyster culture in the bay produces as much as 60% of the total production in Japan, and it suffered severe damage. In the present study, we experimentally investigated the growth rate and phosphate uptake kinetics of A. tamarense, Hiroshima Bay strain. A short-term phosphate uptake experiment revealed that the maximum uptake rate was 1.4 pmol P cell^-1 per h and the half-saturation constant was 2.6 umol L^-1. In semicontin-uous culture, the maximum specific growth rate and the minimum phosphorus cell quota were 0.54 day^-1 and 0.56 pmol P cell^-1, respectively. These uptake rates suggest that A. tamarense is a poor phosphorus competitor compared with other species. However, the large phosphorus storage capacity (Q_pmax/q_o= 36), the surge phosphorus uptake ability (V_s/V_i= 4.1) and the low growth rate would be advantageous for surviving brief periods of phosphorus limitation which frequently occur in Hiroshima Bay.     

A population size estimate of the finless porpoise,Neophocaena phocaenoides, from aerial sighting surveys in Ariake Sound and Tachibana Bay, Japan

We estimated the population size of the finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) in Ariake Sound and Tachibana Bay of western Kyushu, southwestern Japan, from aerial sighting surveys using line transect methods. All 12 surveys were conducted from May 1993 to May 1994 (8 in Ariake Sound and 4 in Tachibana Bay). In addition to these, 14 surveys were also carried out to obtain information on porpoise occurrence in Tachibana Bay (5 surveys) and in neighboring Sumo Nada (5) and Yatsushiro Sound (4). In Ariake Sound, 225 porpoise groups (369 animals) were detected during all flights totalling 1,694.4 km. In Tachibana Bay, a total of 997.8 km was surveyed and 55 groups (290 animals) were sighted. However, no sightings were recorded in Sumo Nada (distance searched = 148.7 km) and Yatsushiro Sound (208.4 km). In Ariake Sound, few sightings were recorded from waters shallower than 5 m in depth. In Tachibana Bay all animals were detected from waters of less than 50 m depth. The population size was estimated as 1,983 animals in Ariake Sound (95% CI = 1,382-2,847), 1,110 in Tachibana Bay (95% CI = 642-1,920), and 3,093 in the 2 waters (1.3 individuals/km², 95% CI = 2,278-4,201).     

Mechanisms of GABA- and Glycine-Induced Increases of Cytosolic Ca2+ Concentrations in Chick Embryo Ciliary Ganglion Cells

Abstract: We used fura-2 microfluorometry and the gramicidin-perforated patch clamp technique in an attempt to clarify the mechanisms underlying the GABA-and glycine-induced increases in the cytosolic Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca]_in) in acutely isolated chick embryo ciliary ganglion neurons. GABA, glycine, and isoguvacine, but not baclofen, increased [Ca]_in in a dose- and a Ca²⁺-dependent manner. The GABA-induced [Ca]_in increase was inhibited by bicuculline and picrotoxin, and potentiated by pentobarbital, flunitrazepam, and alphaxalone, whereas the glycine-induced [Ca]_in increase was inhibited by strychnine but not by bicuculline or picrotoxin. L-and N-type Ca²⁺ channel blockers inhibited the GABA-and glycine-induced [Ca]_in increases, whereas Bay K-8644 potentiated these responses. These responses were also substantially potentiated by blockers of various K⁺ channels and by lowering the external Cl⁻ concentrations. The high KCI- and nicotine-induced [Ca]_in increases were substantially reduced during continuous stimulation with either 2 µ M GABA or 1 m M glycine. Electrophysiological studies indicated that the reversal potential of the GABA-induced current exhibited a more depolarized value than the resting membrane potential in 17 of the 25 cells examined. Taken together, these results suggest that both GABA and glycine depolarize the membrane potentials by increasing Cl⁻ conductance via respective receptors and thus increase the Ca²⁺ influxes through L- and N-type voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ channels.     

First Record of Tropical Crabs <Emphasis Type="Italic">Portunus sanguinolentus</Emphasis> (Herbst, 1783) and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plagusia depressa tuberculata</Emphasis> Lamarck, 1818 in Peter the Great Bay,Sea of Japan

Crabs Portunus sanguinolentus (Herbst, 1783) and Plagusia depressa tuberculata Lamarck, 1818 were found in Peter the Great Bay (Sea of Japan) on a drifting buoy. The occurrence of the members of tropical fauna along the coast of Primorye was due, in all likelihood, to the enlargement of the amount of anthropogenic garbage transported with sea currents that serves as a substrate for settlement of different marine organisms.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Biologiya Morya, Kepel, Tsareva.     

Daily stress protein (hsp70) cycle in chitons (Acanthopleura granulata Gmelin, 1791) which inhabit the rocky intertidal shoreline in a tropical ecosystem

Stress protein (heat shock protein, hsp70) response is involved in protecting organisms from the detrimental effects of environmental stressors, such as radiation and high temperatures. Tropical chitons can briefly tolerate high temperatures. However, they minimize the effects of elevated temperature during daylight hours and periods of tidal air exposure by remaining in rocky intertidal microhabitats along the shoreline of tropical waters. To study the natural variability of the hsp70 level, individuals of the polyplacophoran species Acanthopleura granulata Gmelin, 1791 were sampled every 4 h on two days in spring of 1999. Hsp70 levels were separately measured in the supernatant of the intestinal tract and foot muscle homogenates with a standardized immunoassay. The hsp70 level in the intestinal tract was highest in the early morning, decreased during the mid-morning hours and dropped to a comparatively low level in the afternoon, before increasing again during the night. The stress protein level in the foot muscle followed the daily air temperature curve with a time delay of a few hours, reaching the highest level in the afternoon and the lowest level in the early morning. The stress protein response can be interpreted as a sign of heat tolerance development and may play a role in allowing A. granulata to tolerate the temperature variability typical of its intertidal habitat.     

胍丁胺对大鼠穹隆下器神经元电活动的影响

应用细胞外记录单位放电技术,在73个大鼠穹隆下器脑片上观察了胍丁胺(agmatine,Agm)对神经元电活动的影响。实验结果如下：(1)在28个穹隆下器脑片上灌流Agm(1．0μmol／L)2min,有24个单位(85．7％)自发放电频率明显降低,4个单位(14．3％)无明显变化：(2)预先用L-谷氨酸(0．3mmol／L)灌流,24个放电单位中有19个单位(79．2％)放电频率明显增加,表现为癫痫样放电,5个单位(20．8％)的变化不明显,在此基础上灌流Agm(1．0gmol／L)2min,有15个单位(78．9％)的癫痫样放电被抑制,另外4个单位(21．1％)无明显变化：(3)灌流L型钙通道激动剂Bay K-8644(0．1μmol／L),在12个神经元放电单位中有10个单位(83．3％)的放电频率明显增加,另外2个单位(16．7％)变化不明显,然后灌流Agm(1．0μmol／L)2min,有8个单位(80％)的放电频率被抑制,其余无明显变化;(4)9个单位在灌流一氧化氮合酶(NOS)抑制剂N^G-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester(L-NAME,50μmol／L)后,其中6个单位(66．7％)放电频率明显增加,另外3个单位(33．3％)放电频率变化不明显,在此基础上再给予Agm(1．0μmol)2min,增加的放电频率被抑制。上述结果提示：胍丁胺可抑制大鼠穹隆下器神经元自发放电以及由L-谷氨酸,Bay K-8644和L-NAME诱发的放电,这一效应可能与胍丁胺阻断了神经元的NMDA受体,从而减少钙离子内流有关。     

Geographic Variations in Dorsal and Anal Ray Counts of Juvenile Japanese Flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus, in the Japan Sea

Meristic counts of early and late wild settled juveniles of Japanese flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus (Paralichthyidae), in Wakasa Bay, Japan, were compared, with specimens collected from 26 sites spread along ca. 1700km of coastline facing the Japan Sea. Mean dorsal and anal ray counts of the early settled group at Kyoto were significantly larger than those of the late settled group. A discontinuous geographic boundary in mean dorsal and anal ray counts was found around Wakasa Bay and the Noto Peninsula with both means significantly larger in the southern group than in the northern group. Mean ray counts of the early and late settlers at Kyoto were similar to those of the southern and northern groups, respectively. The effect of water temperature on meristic characters was tested on two groups of laboratory-reared juveniles. Mean dorsal and anal ray counts were larger in juveniles reared at higher water temperatures. The early and late settler groups were estimated to hatch in late February and late April, respectively, representing negative response of meristic characters to water temperatures if these two groups hatched out in Wakasa Bay. Differences in the dorsal and anal ray counts between the early and late settled groups at Kyoto can, therefore be attributed to genotypic, not phenotypic variation. This suggests the possibility of transport of larvae of the early group from areas further south to Wakasa Bay by the warm Tsushima Current, a branch of the Kuroshio, which flows northeastward along the coast of the Japan Sea, particularly when the temperature gradation between the south and north areas during these seasons is considered.