Characterization of extracellular polymers synthesized by tropical intertidal biofilm bacteria

AIM: This study was performed to determine the potential of tropical intertidal biofilm bacteria as a source of novel exopolymers (EPS). METHODS AND RESULTS: A screening procedure was implemented to detect EPS-producing biofilm bacteria. Isolates MC3B-10 and MC6B-22, identified respectively as a Microbacterium species and Bacillus species by 16S rDNA and cellular fatty acids analyses, produced different EPS, as evidenced by colorimetric and gas chromatographic analyses. The polymer produced by isolate MC3B-10 displays significant surfactant activity, and may chelate calcium as evidenced by spectroscopic analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Polymer MC3B-10 appears to be a glycoprotein, while EPS MC6B-22 seems to be a true polysaccharide dominated by neutral sugars but with significant concentrations of uronic acids and hexosamines. EPS MC3B-10 possesses a higher surfactant activity than that of commercial surfactants, and given its anionic nature, may chelate cations thus proving useful in bioremediation. The chemical composition of polymer MC6B-22 suggests its potential biomedical application in tissue regeneration. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This is the first report of a Microbacterium species producing EPS with surfactant properties, which expands our knowledge of the micro-organisms capable of producing these biomolecules. Furthermore, this work shows that tropical intertidal environments are a nonpreviously recognized habitat for bioprospecting EPS-producing bacteria, and that these molecules might be involved in ecological roles protecting the cells against dessication.     

西双版纳热带雨林凋落叶分解的生态过程.Ⅲ.酶活性动态

 该文通过野外试验和室内模拟相结合,系统研究了西双版纳热带雨林生态系统混合凋落叶分解过程中的酶活性动态。野外试验采用网袋法（1 mm和100μm网眼）限制土壤动物的出入,室内模拟试验采用灭菌-接种法控制生物组成,从而研究不同生物组成或食物链结构条件下,凋落叶分解过程中的酶活性变化,以及酶活性与分解进程之间的动态响应。研究结果表明,转化酶和淀粉酶在有机残体的最初分解阶段发挥重要作用,参与易分解成分的转化和分解,这些酶与凋落叶分解进程之间存在显著的负相关性,且参与分解的生物组成越简单（缩短食物链）,这些酶活性越高,是微生物在分解初期对底物加以利用的关键酶类; Cx酶、 β-葡萄糖苷酶、木聚糖酶活性均在分解中期达到高峰,多酚氧化酶在分解后期迅速上升,对凋落叶中、后期木质素的分解起到关键性的作用,这些酶与凋落叶分解进程之间存在显著的正相关性,且参与分解的生物组成越复杂（延长食物链）,这些酶活性越高,是微生物在分解后期对底物进一步利用的关键酶类;与C循环有关的酶类都可以作为有机物质分解进程的重要指标,与分解进程之间存在一定的动态响应,有机残体的分解过程实质上是一个酶解过程。     

东北长白山垂直林带下现代表土花粉与植被关系

在长白山北坡5个垂直植被带的林下采集29个表土(苔藓)样品进行孢粉分析,同时将其结果作对应分析.结果表明,除个别样品,在长白山垂直植被带的孢粉组合中乔木花粉占优势,其中以松属和桦木属最多,在各植被带均有分布.松属花粉最高含量出现在以红松为主的针阔混交林带的孢粉组合中;桦木属花粉则大量见于亚高山岳桦林带和以栎桦为主的阔叶落叶林带,但前者伴有耐寒、早的小灌丛杜鹃花属花粉,而在后者中则见有大量蕨类孢子.阔叶落叶林带的孢粉组合是以类型多、百分含量高的落叶乔木花粉和大量蕨类孢子为特征.亚高山针叶林带的孢粉组合中出现数量众多的云杉属花粉.在高山苔原带孢粉组合中虽然乔木花粉略占优势,但极少或不见蕨类孢子,与其他植被带比较,草本植物和小灌丛花粉明鲜较多,其中杜鹃属花粉含量在草本中占优势,其中出现苔原带的指示花粉--仙女木属.     

Rufous‐capped Warblers Basileuterus rufifrons show seasonal,temporal and annual variation in song use

In the majority of songbird species, males have repertoires of multiple song types used for mate attraction and territory defence. The wood‐warblers (family Parulidae) are a diverse family of songbirds in which males of many migratory species use different song types or patterns of song delivery (known as ‘singing modes’) depending on context. The vocal behaviour of most tropical resident warblers remains undescribed, although these species differ ecologically and behaviourally from migratory species, and may therefore differ in their vocal behaviour. We test whether male Rufous‐capped Warblers Basileuterus rufifrons use distinct singing modes by examining song structure and context‐dependent variation in their songs. We recorded multiple song bouts from 50 male Warblers in a Costa Rican population over 3 years to describe seasonal, diel and annual variation in song structure and vocal behaviour. We found that Rufous‐capped Warbler songs are complex, with many syllable types shared both within and between males’ repertoires. Males varied their song output depending on context: they sang long songs at a high rate at dawn and during the breeding season, and shortened songs in the presence of a vocalizing female mate. Unlike many migratory species, Rufous‐capped Warblers do not appear to have different singing modes; they did not change the song variants used or the pattern of song delivery according to time of day, season or female vocal activity. Our research provides the first detailed vocal analysis of any Basileuterus warbler species, and enhances our understanding of the evolution of repertoire specialization in tropical resident songbirds.     

Daily activity patterns of coyotes (Canis latrans) in a tropical deciduous forest of western Mexico

We studied the activity patterns of the coyote (Canis latrans) in a tropical deciduous forest in the Mexican Pacific coast over 3 years. Fifteen coyotes (six females, nine males) were fitted with radio-collars equipped with activity sensors to determine the influence of seasonality (dry vs. wet), gender (males vs. females) and diel intervals (dusk, night, dawn, and day) on activity patterns. We found differences in activity patterns between diel intervals, but the only pair of diel intervals that showed significant differences was dawn (more active) vs. day (less active). We found no differences due to sex or season on any of the four studied diel intervals. Coyote activity patterns in this tropical forest could be responding to prey availability, human avoidance or thermoregulation.     

南宁市青秀山风景区景观格局动态研究

景观格局是景观生态学研究的主要内容之一,在生物多样性保护方面具有重要的作用。运用景观生态学原理,借助地理信息系统技术,选取景观多样性、分维数、均匀度等指数,分析了南宁市青秀山风景区不同景观类型的空间分布及其动态变化特征,并定量分析了景观格局演变的驱动力。结果显示,人类活动的干扰是青秀山景观格局演变的主导因素,在整个研究区域中,景观多样性和均匀度逐年增高,除针阔混交林和纯林外,各景观类型的斑块数都有所增加,斑块形状在经过1985年比较大的波动后,趋于规则。     

Trophic relationships in a tropical stream food web assessed by stable isotope analysis

1. Stable isotope analysis, coupled with dietary data from the literature, was used to investigate trophic patterns of freshwater fauna in a tropical stream food web (Guadeloupe, French West Indies).
2. Primary producers (biofilm, algae and plant detritus of terrestrial origin) showed distinct δ¹³C signatures, which allowed for a powerful discrimination of carbon sources. Both autochthonous (¹³C-enriched signatures) and allochthonous (¹³C-depleted signatures) resources enter the food web. The migrating behaviour of fishes and shrimps between marine and freshwater during their life cycles can be followed by carbon isotopes. Here, shrimp δ¹³C signatures were shown to shift from −16‰ (for juveniles under marine influence) to −24.7‰ (for adults in freshwater habitats). For resident species, δ¹³C values partly reflected the species' habitat preferences along the river continuum : species living in river mouths were ¹³C-enriched in comparison with those collected upstream.
3. Nitrogen isotopic ratios were also discriminating and defined three main trophic guilds among consumers. The δ¹⁵N values of herbivores/detritivores were 5.0–8.4‰, omnivores 8.8–10.2‰ and carnivores 11–12.7‰.
4. Mixing model equations were employed to calculate the possible range of contribution made by respective food sources to the diet of each species. The results revealed the importance of omnivorous species and the dependence of riverine biota on terrestrial subsidies, such as leaf detritus and fruits. Finally, the abundance of shrimps and their feeding habits placed in relief their key role in tropical freshwater food webs. Isotopic analysis provides a useful tool for assessing animal feeding patterns.     

北京山区防护林优势树种分布与环境的关系

在北京山区,以该区防护林主要树种为依据,选择在典型天然林中设置26块具有代表性的样地,并计测样地中乔木树种的重要值以及包括海拔、坡度、土壤含水量、土壤养分等14个环境因子,采用除趋势典范对应分析(DCCA)方法对样地乔木和环境因子进行分析,以揭示该区防护林优势树种与环境因子间的关系。根据样地树种组成及树种重要值首先将26块样地划分为以油松(Pinus tabuliformis)、侧柏(Platycladus orientalis)、栎类(Quercus spp.)、杨桦(Populus davidiana-Betula platyphylla)及落叶松(Larix principis-rupprechtii)为优势种的5个典型群落类型,然后应用DCCA方法进行分析,结果表明,在各个环境因子中,海拔作为大多数环境因子的综合反映,是影响植被群落分布最重要的环境因子,第一排序轴主要反映海拔、水分、土壤有机质等的变化,第二排序轴主要反映坡度、坡向的变化,各植被群落类型沿着第一排序轴呈有规律的分布;将环境因子对物种分布格局的影响进行定量分离,结果显示,14个环境因子解释了43.19%的物种分布格局,其中地形因子解释部分为20.36%,土壤因子解释部分为11.9%,土壤和地形的交互作用解释部分为10.93%。     

海南尖峰岭热带山地雨林近冠层CO2及通量特征研究

采用梯度法及CI-301PS CO2系统,实现了海南尖峰岭热带山地雨林近冠层CO 2、微气象因子梯度观测研究,结果表明雨季晴、晴间少云及多云天气,900～1800CO 2浓度平均值分别在349～350ml/m3(冠上2.8m)、346～348ml/m3(冠上0.8m)、345～349ml/m3(林内16m)、352～357ml/m3(林内5m),较旱季相应天气分别小14～17.5、10.1～23.7、1 6.4～35.7和18.1～36.1ml/m3;100～800,则雨季CO2浓度大于旱季;梯度浓度廓变量和实时动力计算反映出,800～1800CO2通量由大气向林冠层,旱、雨季平均CO2通量分别为(0.61×10-6kg/(m2·s)和0.71×10-6kg/(m 2·s),1900通量甚微,2000～700CO2通量则由林冠向大气,平均CO2通量分别为0.36×10-6kg/(m2·s)和0.32×10-6kg/(m2·s);雨季昼夜大气流向冠层的净CO2通量是相应旱季的1.56倍.总辐射、冠顶净辐射通量以1300～1 500为最大时域,相对林内21m,80%的辐射热能被冠层吸收,与CO2通量正相关;晴天冠上潜热、感热最高值分别在1300～1400和900,反映热带山地雨林近冠层的汇、源即白昼光合固定CO2大于夜间呼吸排放CO2效应,且雨季高于旱季.     

海南岛霸王岭热带云雾林木本植物功能性状的分异规律

研究植物功能性状的分异,有助于理解植物适应环境的方式和策略,也能为预测物种分布和环境变化提供依据。以海南霸王岭热带云雾林为对象,建立21个20 m×20 m固定样方,划分为336个5 m×5 m小样方;测定胸径在5cm以上所有乔灌木植物个体的功能性状(叶面积LA;叶干重LDW;比叶重LMA;叶绿素含量Chl;叶厚度LTh;木材密度WD)和土壤养分含量,通过方差分解分析植物功能性状在个体、种内、种间、群落水平的分异大小,探究土壤养分对功能性状分异的影响。结果表明,LA、LDW、LMA、CHl、LTh、WD在个体、种内、种间、群落水平的解释方差范围分别为0.06—0.47、0.09—0.35、0.35—0.72、0—0.07,在个体、种内、种间、群落层次上,种间水平的功能性状分异最大,而群落水平的分异最小。逐步回归分析表明,不同尺度的功能性状变化与土壤有机质、氮和磷含量都有密切关系。