Spatial and temporal characterization of trace elements and nutrients in the Rawal Lake Reservoir,Pakistan using multivariate analysis techniques

Rawal Lake Reservoir is renowned for its ecological significance and is the sole source of drinking water of the third largest city of Pakistan. However, fish kill in recent years and anthropogenic impacts from human-related activities in its catchment area have resulted in deterioration of its surface water quality. This study aims to characterize spatial and temporal variations in surface water quality, identify contaminant sources, and compare their levels with quality guidelines. Surface water samples were collected from 10 sites and analyzed for 27 physicochemical parameters for a period of 2 years on a seasonal basis. Concentration of metals in surface water in pre-monsoon were in the order: Fe > Mg > Ca > Mn > Zn > Ni > Cr > Cu > Co > Pb, whereas in post-monsoon, the order of elemental concentrations was: Ca > Mg > Na > Fe > K > Zn > Cr > Li > Pb > Co > Ni > Cu > Mn > Cd. Metals (Ni, Fe, Zn, and Ca), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and nutrients (PO₄³⁻, NO₃–N, and SO₄²⁻) were measured higher in pre-monsoon, whereas concentration of Cu, Mn, Cr, Co, Pb, Cd, K, Na, Mg, Li, Cl⁻, and NH₄–N were recorded higher in post-monsoon. Results highlighted serious metal pollution of surface water. Mean concentration of Zn, Cd, Ni, Cu, Fe, Cr, and Pb in both seasons and Mn in post-monsoon were well above the permissible level of surface water quality criteria. Results stress the dire need to reduce heavy-metal input into the lake basin and suggest that heavy-metal contamination should be considered as an integral part of future planning and management strategies for restoration of water quality of the lake reservoir.     

Localisation of biogenic amines in larvae of Bugula neritina (Bryozoa: Cheilostomatida) and their effects on settlement

Distributions of serotonin and catecholamines in larvae of the marine bryozoan Bugula neritina (Bryozoa: Cheilostomatida) were investigated using immunohistochemistry with anti-serotonin antiserum and glyoxylic acid–induced fluorescence histochemistry. Anti-serotonin immunoreactive substances and glyoxylic acid–induced fluorescent substances had similar distributions in the equatorial neuromuscular ring, the neural plexus, the paired axial neuromuscular cords, and tracts connecting the neural plexus to ciliated cells bordering the pyriform organ. The effects of dopamine, noradrenaline, adrenaline, tyramine, octopamine, synephrine and serotonin, at 10⁻⁴, 10⁻⁵ and 10⁻⁶  M, on settlement were analysed. In filtered seawater, 98% of larvae settled in 3 h, but only 11%, 3% and 6% total settlement was observed after 8 h in 10⁻⁴  M dopamine, 10⁻⁴  M serotonin and 10⁻⁵  M serotonin, respectively. Total settlement was 70% in 10⁻⁴  M noradrenaline, 80% in 10⁻⁴  M adrenaline and 60% in 10⁻⁴  M tyramine. Less than 60% settlement was observed in 10⁻⁴ and 10⁻⁵  M octopamine and synephrine. Serotonin's inhibitory effect on settlement was mimicked by a range of serotonin receptor agonists and antagonists, among which 5-carboxamidotryptamine was the most potent. Received: 19 March 1999 / Accepted: 11 October 1999     

Effect of body mass,temperature and food deprivation on oxygen consumption rate of common cuttlefish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sepia officinalis</Emphasis>

Predictions of short and long term changes in Sepia officinalis metabolism are useful, since this species is both economically important for aquaculture and also is an ideal experimental laboratory organism. In this study standard and routine oxygen consumption rates of newly hatched and juvenile laboratory raised cuttlefish S. officinalis ranging between 0.04 and 18.48 g dry body mass (Dm), were measured over a range of temperatures (10, 15, 20 and 25°C). The mass exponent (b) ranged between 0.706 and 0.992 for standard oxygen consumption and between 0.694 and 0.990 for routine oxygen consumption. Oxygen consumption scaled allometrically (b = 0.7) with body mass for cuttlefish <2 g Dm and isometrically (b = 1) thereafter. No significant differences were apparent amongst the slopes of oxygen consumption and body mass at different temperatures for standard and routine oxygen consumption. However, the intercepts differed significantly amongst the regression lines, indicating a significant effect of temperature on the magnitude of oxygen consumption. The combined effect of temperature (T) and dry body mass (Dm) are best described by the following equations: cuttlefish <2 g, MO₂ = 0.116Dm^0.7111.086 ^T and >2 g, MO₂ = 0.076Dm^0.9831.091 ^T for standard oxygen consumption; cuttlefish <2 g, MO₂ = 0.538Dm^0.7291.057 ^T and >2 g, MO₂ = 0.225Dm^0.9621.081 ^T for routine oxygen consumption. Using these equations it was estimated that a cuttlefish of 1 g Dm held at 20°C, eating 5% Dm day⁻¹ and undergoing standard and routine metabolism consumes 21.3 and 35.4%, respectively of its total daily energy intake. Juvenile cuttlefish (3.32–5.08 g Dm) held at 15°C and deprived of food for 27 days maintained a stable standard oxygen consumption rate for the first 6 days following starvation. By the 18th day without food, oxygen consumption rate had declined by 53% and further declined to 65% below the standard oxygen consumption rate on the 27th day. Upon resumption of feeding, the respiration rate returned immediately to the initial level prior to food deprivation. The present study defines the basic energy requirements and general physiological state of young cuttlefish at temperatures of 10–25°C with and without food.     

Effects of organochlorines on the ultrastructure of the liver of the damselfish Parma microlepis from reefs in New South Wales, Australia

  Parma microlepis (Günther) were collected from Malabar, an urban location close to the centre of Sydney, Australia, and from Jervis Bay, a reference location 170 km south of the city centre. At each location, fish were collected from two sites separated by 100 to 200 m. The ultrastructure of normal liver tissue is described based on 20 female fish collected from Jervis Bay, where fish are known to be exposed to low levels of organochlorine contaminants. Alterations in the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, lysosomes and nuclei of hepatocytes were identified and quantified in the liver tissue of fish from this location and compared to alterations in 20 female fish collected from Malabar, where fish are exposed to higher concentrations of organochlorine pesticides such as DDT compounds. There were significant differences in the percentage of hepatocytes with swollen mitochondria (F = 124.025, df = 2, 2, P = 0.008) and atypical nuclei (F = 22.198, df = 2, 2, P = 0.043) between sites (100 to 200 m apart), but there were no clear differences between the percentage of structural alterations in the hepatocytes of P. microlepis from Jervis Bay and Malabar. Associations between liver morphology and the organochlorines aldrin, dieldrin, DDE and chlordane were examined using a Pearson correlation matrix. Significant correlations were detected between the percentage of hepatocytes with dilated endoplasmic reticulum and the concentrations of the pesticide aldrin (r = 0.600, df = 11, r _{crit(α = 0.05)} = 0.553). Significant associations were also detected between the percentage of hepatocytes with disorganised endoplasmic reticulum and the concentrations of dieldrin and DDE residues in fish (r = 0.576, r = 0.567, respectively, df = 13, r _{crit (α = 0.05)} = 0.514). However, there was little evidence that ultrastructural alterations in fish responded to increasing concentrations of these pesticides in a consistent dose-response manner. Received: 20 October 1998 / Accepted: 24 November 1999     

有机污染物的被动采样材料-水分配系数的QSAR研究

污染物的被动采样材料-水分配系数(K_(PW))是衡量被动采样器性能和进行优化的一个重要指标,由于实验方法难以逐个测定众多污染物的K_(PW)值,有必要发展其KP W预测方法。本研究选取聚乙烯(PE)、聚丙烯酸酯(PA)和硅橡胶(SR)3类常用的被动采样材料共7种,采用多元线性回归分析方法构建可用于K_(PW)预测的定量构效关系(QSAR)模型。所构建的QSAR模型具有良好的拟合优度(R2a dj介于0.806~0.989)、稳健性(Q2L O O和Q2B O O T分别介于0.786~0.988和0.773~0.801)和预测能力(R_(ext)~2和Q_(ext)~2分别介于0.769~0.989和0.757~0.982),可以用于预测烷烃、烯烃、芳香类、醇类、酮类、酯类、醚类等多种有机污染物的log KP W值。有机污染物的log KP W与分子Mc Gowan体积(Vx)、氯原子个数(n Cl)、环周长(Rperim)、多重键个数(n BM)、N,O极性贡献的拓扑极性表面积(TPSA(NO))、[-N(=)=]结构个数(Ndds N)和羟基个数(nROH)等参数有关。     

Plants growing in a mining area: screening for metal accumulator plants possibly useful for bioremediation

A field study was conducted in an iron mine in Hamedan (Iran) to find native accumulator plants and to evaluate the extent of metal bioaccumulation in the naturally growing vegetation. The concentrations of total As, Cd, Cr, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Si, and Zn were found to be higher in the mine than in soil. These plants accumulated the highest amounts of the following metals in their roots: Euphorbia cheiradenia As, Stipa barbata Cd, Pb and Cr, Euphorbia macroclada Cu, Centaurea iberica Fe, Reseda lutea Mo, Salvia spinosa Ni and Zn, and Xanthium strumarium Se. In the aerial parts, the highest metal accumulation was found in Epilobium fragilis As, Carthamus oxyacantha Cd, Fe, Mn, and Pb, Verbascum speciosum Cu, Centaurea iberica Mo, Salvia spinosa Ni and Cr, Glaucium grandiflorum Se, and Malva neglecta Zn. Enrichment factors and bioconcentration factors were also determined; C. oxyacantha, S. spinosa, M. neglecta, C. iberica, V. speciosum, G. grandiflorum, and E. fragilis are the most effective accumulators and are proposed for phytoremediation of polluted soils.     

Review of total suspended particles (TSP) and PM<Subscript>2.5</Subscript> concentration variations in Asia during the years of 1998–2015

In Asian countries such as China, Malaysia, Pakistan, India, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and Hong Kong, ambient air total suspended particulates and PM_2.5 concentration data were collected and discussed during the years of 1998–2015 in this study. The aim of the present study was to (1) investigate and collect ambient air total suspended particulates (TSP) and PM_2.5 concentrations for Asian countries during the past two decades. (2) Discuss, analyze and compare those particulates (TSP and PM_2.5) annual concentration distribution trends among those Asian countries during the past two decades. (3) Test the mean concentration differences in TSP and PM_2.5 among the Asian countries during the past decades. The results indicated that the mean TSP concentration order was shown as China > Malaysia > Pakistan > India > Taiwan > Korea > Japan. In addition, the mean PM_2.5 concentration order was shown as Vietnam > India > China > Hong Kong > Mongolia > Korea > Taiwan > Japan and the average percentages of PM_2.5 concentrations for Taiwan, China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Mongolia and Other (India and Vietnam) were 8, 21, 6, 8, 14, 13 and 30%, respectively, during the past two decades. Moreover, t test results revealed that there were significant mean TSP and PM_2.5 concentration differences for either China or India to any of the countries such as Taiwan, Korea and Japan in Asia during the past two decades for this study. Noteworthy, China and India are both occupied more than 60% of the TSP and PM_2.5 particulates concentrations out of all the Asia countries. As for Taiwan, the average PM_2.5 concentration displayed increasing trend in the years of 1998–1999. However, it showed decreasing trend in the years of 2000–2010. As for Korea, the average PM_2.5 concentrations showed decreasing trend during the years of 2001–2013. Finally, the average PM_2.5 concentrations for Mongolia displayed increasing trend in the years of 2004–2013.     

Microbial activity and carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus content in a subtropical seagrass estuary (Florida Bay): evidence for limited bacterial use of seagrass production

Bacterial abundance, production, and extracellular enzyme activity were determined in the shallow water column, in the epiphytic community of Thalassia testudinum, and at the sediment surface along with total carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in Florida Bay, a subtropical seagrass estuary. Data were statistically reduced by principle components analysis (PCA) and multidimensional scaling and related to T. testudinum leaf total phosphorus content and phytoplankton biomass. Each zone (i.e., pelagic, epiphytic, and surface sediment community) was significantly dissimilar to each other (Global R = 0.65). Pelagic aminopeptidase and sum of carbon hydrolytic enzyme (esterase, peptidase, and α- and β-glucosidase) activities ranged from 8 to 284 mg N m⁻² day⁻¹ and 113–1,671 mg C m⁻² day⁻¹, respectively, and were 1–3 orders of magnitude higher than epiphytic and sediment surface activities. Due to the phosphorus-limited nature of Florida Bay, alkaline phosphatase activity was similar between pelagic (51–710 mg P m⁻² day⁻¹) and sediment (77–224 mg P m⁻² day⁻¹) zones but lower in the epiphytes (1.1–5.2 mg P m⁻² day⁻¹). Total (and/or organic) C (111–311 g C m⁻²), N (9.4–27.2 g N m⁻²), and P (212–1,623 mg P m⁻²) content were the highest in the sediment surface and typically the lowest in the seagrass epiphytes, ranging from 0.6 to 8.7 g C m⁻², 0.02–0.99 g N m⁻², and 0.5–43.5 mg P m⁻². Unlike nutrient content and enzyme activities, bacterial production was highest in the epiphytes (8.0–235.1 mg C m⁻² day⁻¹) and sediment surface (11.5–233.2 mg C m⁻² day⁻¹) and low in the water column (1.6–85.6 mg C m⁻² day⁻¹). At an assumed 50% bacterial growth efficiency, for example, extracellular enzyme hydrolysis could supply 1.8 and 69% of epiphytic and sediment bacteria carbon demand, respectively, while pelagic bacteria could fulfill their carbon demand completely by enzyme-hydrolyzable organic matter. Similarly, previously measured T. testudinum extracellular photosynthetic carbon exudation rates could not satisfy epiphytic and sediment surface bacterial carbon demand, suggesting that epiphytic algae and microphytobenthos might provide usable substrates to support high benthic bacterial production rates. PCA revealed that T. testudinum nutrient content was related positively to epiphytic nutrient content and carbon hydrolase activity in the sediment, but unrelated to pelagic variables. Phytoplankton biomass correlated positively with all pelagic components and sediment aminopeptidase activity but negatively with epiphytic alkaline phosphatase activity. In conclusion, seagrass production and nutrient content was unrelated to pelagic bacteria activity, but did influence extracellular enzyme hydrolysis at the sediment surface and in the epiphytes. This study suggests that seagrass-derived organic matter is of secondary importance in Florida Bay and that bacteria rely primarily on algal/cyanobacteria production. Pelagic bacteria seem coupled to phytoplankton, while the benthic community appears supported by epiphytic and/or microphytobenthos production.     

Heavy metal concentration in water,sediment, and tissues of fish species (Heteropneustis fossilis and Puntius ticto) from Kali River,India

The river Kali has been one of the major recipients of industrial effluents in the Muzaffarnagar district of western Uttar Pradesh. The present studies revealed the occurrence and bioaccumulation of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Pb, Zn, Mn) in riverine water, sediment, and muscles of two fish species, Heteropneustis fossilis and Puntius ticto. Data showed that the order of occurrence of heavy metals was Pb > Zn > Mn > Cr > Cd in river water, Mn > Zn > Pb > Cr > Cd in sediment, Zn > Mn > Cr > Cd > Pb in Puntius ticto and Cr > Zn > Mn > Cd > Pb in Heteropneustis fossilis. Results indicate that the concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn in river water, Pb, Zn, and Mn in sediment, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Zn concentration in muscles of Puntius ticto and Cr, Pb, and Zn concentration in in muscles of Heteropneustis fossilis are higher than the permissible standard limits. The presence of heavy metals contributed to toxicity in different organs of fish in River Kali. The bioaccumulation of heavy metals in different biotic organisms in river ecosystem may have adverse consequences on humans and livestock.     

Automated method for the determination of total arsenic and selenium in natural and drinking water by HG-AAS

A multicommutated flow system was designed and evaluated for the determination of total arsenic and selenium by Hydride Generation Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (HG-AAS). It was applied to the determination of arsenic and selenium in samples of natural and drinking water. Detection limits were 0.46 and 0.08 μg l⁻¹ for arsenic and selenium, respectively; sampling frequency was 120 samples h⁻¹ for arsenic and 160 samples h⁻¹ for selenium. Linear ranges found were 1.54–10 μg l⁻¹ (R = 0.999) for arsenic and 0.27–27 μg l⁻¹ (R = 0.999) for selenium. Accuracy was evaluated by spiking various water samples and using a reference material. Recoveries were in the range 95–116%. Analytical precision (s _r (%), n = 10) was 6% for both elements. Compared with the Standard Methods, APHA, 3114B manual method, the system consumes at least 10 times less sample per determination, and the quantities of acid and reducing agent used are significantly lower with a reduction in the generation of pollutants and waste. As an additional advantage, the system is very fast, efficient and environmentally friendly for monitoring total arsenic and selenium levels in waters.     

Form-specific fragances fromOphrys insectifera L. (Orchidaceae) attract species of different pollinator genera. Evidence of sympatric speciation?

Two closely related forms ofOphrys insectifera were observed in the field to attract different pollinator species selectively.O. i. ssp.insectifera attracted males of two species ofArgogorytes (Sphecidae, Hymenoptera Aculeata) andO. i. ssp.aymoninii attractedAndrena combinata males (Andrenidae, Apoidea, Hymenoptera Aculeata). A third form,O. aff.i. ssp.insectifera, attracted none of these three species. Volatile compounds from flowers and inflorescences of the three forms (originating from Öland, Sweden, and Aveyron, France) were collected, using entrainment, enfleurage, and solvent extraction techniques, and identified by gas chromatography — mass spectrometry. Scent differences between the three forms were confirmed in the amounts of aliphatic hydrocarbons (C₁₁–C₁₉), methyl esters (C₁₄–C₁₈), short chain aliphatic 1-alcohols (C₆–C₁₂), and monoterpene alcohols (C₁₀).     

Specificity of communication channels in four limacodid moths: Darna bradleyi, Darna trima, Setothosea asigna, and Setora nitens (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae)

Summary. Darna bradleyi Holloway, D. trima Moore, Setothosea asigna van Eecke and Setora nitens Walker are sympatric and coseasonal limacodid moths in plantations of oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq. (Arecales: Palmae), in Borneo, southeast Asia. We tested the hypothesis that these four species maintain reproductive isolation through specificity in diel periods of communication, microlocation for communication and/or communication signal (pheromone). Studying diel periodicity of calling behavior by female moths and response by male moths to traps baited with virgin females or synthetic pheromone, we determined that sexual communication of D. bradleyi and D. trima took place from ˜17:30 to 18:45 hr and that of S. asigna and S. nitens from ˜18:45 to 20:00 hr and from ˜18:30 to 19:30 hr, respectively. Over 80% of male S. asigna and S. nitens were captured in pheromone-baited traps suspended >5 m high, whereas male D. bradleyi and D. trima were captured mostly in traps <5 m high. Synthetic pheromone baits attracted male moths in a species-specific manner. Moreover, baits containing both S. asigna and S. nitens pheromones failed to attract any male moths, indicating that female S. asigna and S. nitens, with overlapping communication periods, use bifunctional pheromone components that attract conspecific males while repelling heterospecifics. Similarly, addition of D. bradleyi pheromone to S. asigna or S. nitens pheromone reduced attraction of male S. asigna and S. nitens. The failure of D. bradleyi and D. trima, which overlap in time and microlocation for communication, to evolve bifunctional pheromones may be attributed to the recent occurrence of sympatry between D. bradleyi and D. trima in Borneo, apparently too recent for bifunctional pheromones to have evolved. We conclude that D. bradleyi, D. trima, S. asigna and S. nitens utilize any or all of diel periodicity, intra and interspecific effects of communication signal and/or microlocation for signaling, allowing these limacodids to co-inhabit the same habitat and remain reproductively isolated. Received 5 May 2000; accepted 18 August 2000     

Kinetic measurements of metal accumulation in two marine macroalgae

 We measured the uptake kinetics of four metals (Cd, Cr, Se and Zn) in two marine macroalgae (the green alga Ulva lactuca and the red alga Gracilaria blodgettii). Metal uptake generally displayed a linear pattern with increasing exposure time. With the exception of Cr, which exhibited comparable uptake rate constants at different concentrations, uptake rate constants of Cd, Se and Zn decreased with increasing metal concentration, indicating that the seaweeds had a higher relative uptake at lower metal concentration. Uptake of Cd and Zn was higher in U. lactuca than in G. blodgettii, whereas uptake of Cr and Se was comparable between the two species. Only Cd and Zn uptake in U. lactuca was significantly inhibited by dark exposure. A decrease in salinity from 28 to 10‰ enhanced the uptake of Cd, Cr, Se and Zn in U. lactuca 1.9-, 3.0-, 3.6-, and 1.9-fold, respectively. In G. blodgettii, Cd uptake increased twofold when salinity was decreased from 28 to 10‰, whereas uptake of Cr and Zn was not significantly affected by salinity change. The calculated depuration rate constants of metals in U. lactuca were 0.01 d⁻¹ for Cd, 0.05 to 0.08 d⁻¹ for Cr, 0.14 to 0.16 d⁻¹ for Se, and 0.12 to 0.15 d⁻¹ for Zn, and were relatively independent of the metal body burden in the algae. The predicted bioconcentration factor was 3 × 10⁴ for Cd, 2 × 10³ for Cr, 40 to 150 for Se, and 1 to 2 × 10⁴ for Zn in U. lactuca. Our kinetic study suggested that U. lactuca would be a good biomonitor of Cr and Zn contamination in coastal waters. Received: 14 September 1998 / Accepted: 29 May 1999     

Assimilation efficiencies and turnover rates of trace elements in marine bivalves: a comparison of oysters, clams and mussels

Assimilation efficiencies (AEs) and physiological turnover-rate constants (k) of six trace elements (Ag, Am, Cd, Co, Se, Zn) in four marine bivalves (Crassostrea virginica Gmelin, Macoma balthica Linnaeus, Mercenaria mercenaria Linnaeus, and Mytilus edulis Linnaeus) were measured in radiotracer-depuration experiments. Egestion rates of unassimilated elements were highest during the first 24 h of depuration and declined thereafter. Significant egestion of unassimilated Co, however, continued for up to 5 d in Macoma balthica, Mercenaria mercenaria and Mytilus edulis. With the exception of the extremely low values for ^110 mAg, ¹⁰⁹Cd, and ⁶⁵Zn in C. virginica, physiological turnover-rate constants (k) showed no general pattern of variation among elements, bivalve species or food types, and were relatively invariant. Values from  ≤0.001 to 0.1 d⁻¹ were observed, but excluding those for Co, most values were  ≤0.04 d⁻¹. In all four species, the AEs of Ag, Am, and Co were generally lower than those of Cd, Se, and Zn. The AEs of Ag, Cd, Se, and Zn in these bivalves are directly related to the proportion of each element in the cytoplasmic fraction of ingested phytoplankton, indicating that >80% of elements in a prey alga's cytoplasm was assimilated. C. virginica, Macoma balthica, and Mercenaria mercenaria assimilated ∼36% of the Ag and Cd associated with the non-cytoplasmic (membrane/organelle) fraction of ingested cells in addition to the cytoplasmic fraction. The ratio of AE:k, which is proportional to the consumer–prey trace-element bioaccumulation factor (concentration in consumer:concentration in prey) was generally greater for Cd, Se, and Zn than for Ag, Am, and Co. This ratio was lowest in Mytilus edulis, suggesting that this bivalve, the most widely employed organism in global biomonitoring, is relatively inefficient at accumulating important elements such as Ag, Cd, and Zn from ingested phytoplankton. Received: 7 February 1997 / Accepted: 24 February 1997     

Arsenic accumulation by ferns: a field survey in southern China

The objective of this study reported here was to characterize arsenic (As) accumulation by Pteris ferns by comparing 3 of the ferns of this genus with each other as well as with four non-Pteris ferns growing on seven sites in southern China with different As levels. A total of 112 samples, including 78 Pteris vittata, 13 P. cretica, 3 P. multifida and 18 ferns from other non-Pteris genera, with the soils in which they grew were collected for As and other elemental analyses. P. vittata was found to be the most dominant species and the most efficient As-accumulator, whereas P. multifida was the lowest As-accumulator among the Pteris ferns, with 4.54–3599, 28.7–757 and 11.2–341 mg kg^–1 As recorded in the fronds of P. vittata, P. cretica and P. multifida, respectively. Arsenic concentrations in non-Pteris ferns were generally much lower than those in Pteris ferns, with 0.81–1.32, 3.59, 10.7, 6.17–24.3 mg kg^–1 in the fronds of Blechumum orientale, Dicranopteris dichotoma, Pteridium aquilinum and Cyclosorus acuminatus, respectively. For P. vittata, the As bioaccumulation factor (ratio of As in fronds to that in soils) changed, whereas the As translocation factor (ratio of As in fronds to that in roots) remained unchanged among the different sites. The concentrations of Fe were very high in all of the collected fern sample, with the exception of B.␣orientale, with 207–6865, 637–3369, 375–1856, 1876, 493-6865 and 492 mg kg^–1 in the fronds of P. vittata, P. cretica, P. multifida, C. acuminatus, P. aquilinum and D. dichotoma, respectively. The association between Fe accumulation and As accumulation and tolerance in these ferns indicates the unique role of Fe in As-hyperaccumulation.     

Genotypic variation in element concentrations in brown rice from Yunnan landraces in China

The mineral elements present in brown rice play an important physiological role in global human health. We investigated genotypic variation of eight of these elements (P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn) in 11 different grades of brown rice on the basis of the number and distance coefficients of 282 alleles for 20 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Six-hundred and twenty-eight landraces from the same field in Yunnan Province, one of the largest centers of genetic diversity of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in the world, formed our core collection. The mean concentrations (mg kg⁻¹) of the eight elements in brown rice for these landraces were P (3,480) > K (2,540) > Mg (1,480) > Ca (157) > Zn (32.8) > Fe (32.0) > Cu (13.6) > Mn (13.2). Mean P concentrations in brown rice were 6.56 times total soil P, so the grains are important in tissue storage of P, but total soil K is 7.82 times mean K concentrations in brown rice. The concentrations of the eight elements in some grades of brown rice, on the basis of the number and distance coefficients of alleles for 20 SSR markers for the landraces, were significantly different (P < 0.05), and further understanding of the relationship between mineral elements and gene diversity is needed. There was large variation in element concentrations in brown rice, ranging from 2,160 to 5,500 mg P kg⁻¹, from 1,130 to 3,830 mg K kg⁻¹, from 61.8 to 488 mg Ca kg⁻¹, from 864 to 2,020 mg Mg kg⁻¹, from 0.40 to 147 mg Fe kg⁻¹, from 15.1 to 124 mg Zn kg⁻¹, from 0.10 to 59.1 mg Cu kg⁻¹, and from 6.7 to 26.6 mg Mn kg⁻¹. Therefore, germplasm evaluations for Ca, Fe, and Zn concentrations in rice grains have detected up to sevenfold genotypic differences, suggesting that selection for high levels of Ca, Fe, and Zn in breeding for mass production is a feasible approach. Increasing the concentrations of Ca, Fe, and Zn in rice grains will help alleviate chronic Ca, Zn, and Fe deficiencies in many areas of the world.     

GC-EAD responses to semiochemicals by eight beetles in the subcortical community associated with Monterey pine trees in coastal California: similarities and disparities across three trophic levels

Summary.  Antennae of six sympatric bark and ambrosia beetles (Scolytidae), Dendroctonus valens LeConte, Gnathotrichus retusus (LeConte), Hylastes tenuis Eichhoff, Ips mexicanus (Hopkins), Ips plastographus maritimus Lanier, and Pseudohylesinus sericeus (Mannerheim), and two scolytid predators, Enoclerus sphegeus (F.) (Cleridae) and Lascontonus tuberculatus Kraus (Colydiidae), were analyzed by gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) for their responses to synthetic Ips spp. pheromone components, and host and nonhost volatiles. The beetles emerged from cut logs of pitch canker-infected Monterey pine trees, Pinus radiata D. Don. There were significant disparities in EAD response patterns to the hemiterpene and monoterpene alcohol pheromone components that are typically produced by Ips spp. Antennae of I. p. maritimus responded strongly to ( ± )-ipsdienol, ( ± )-ipsenol, amitinol, and lanierone; antennae of I. mexicanus responded strongly to (1S,2S)-(–)-cis-verbenol, with weaker responses to ( ± )-ipsdienol, ( ± )-ipsenol, and amitinol; antennae of H. tenuis responded to (1S, 2R)-(–)-trans-ver-benol, with less pronounced responses to (–)-cis-verbenol and 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol; and antennae of D. valens, G. retusus, and P. sericeus generally responded to all Ips spp. pheromone components except 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol (D. valens and G. retusus) and E-myrcenol (G. retusus and P. sericeus). Ips mexicanus responded only to the (–)-enantiomers of ipsenol and ipsdienol, whereas I. p. maritimus responded to (–)-ipsenol, but to both the (+)- and (–)-enantiomers of ipsdienol. The antennae of the two predaceous insects (E. sphegeus and L. tuberculatus) responded to a range of the Ips spp. pheromone components. Host monoterpenes elicited no antennal responses from E. sphegeus, G. retusus, H. tenuis, and I. mexicanus, but several monoterpenes elicited various levels of responses from D. valens and I. p. maritimus antennae. Interestingly, antennae of female D. valens responded to (–), but not (+)-limonene. α- and β-Pinene elicited weak responses from L. tuberculatus antennae. EAD responses to selected nonhost volatiles were almost identical among the six scolytid species, with trans-conophthorin eliciting the strongest response in most cases, followed by three C₆- alcohols and two C₈-alcohols. The antennal responses by most of these species to linalool or geranylacetone were very weak; (E)-2-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, and benzyl alcohol elicited almost no response. The response pattern of P. sericeus to nonhost volatiles differed slightly from the rest of the scolytids: a strong response to linalool, weaker response to the C₈-alcohols. The two predaceous Coleoptera generally had weak, but detectable, responses to nonhost volatiles, except for a relatively strong response to trans-conophthorin by L. tuberculatus. No notable differences in EAD responses were observed between males and females of the two Ips spp. Our results provide an electrophysiological baseline for future efforts to identify attractive and repellent semiochemicals (aggregation pheromones, host kairomones, or nonhost interruptants) for this guild of scolytids and their key predators that are associated with moribund and pitch canker- infected P. radiata.     

Anti-grazing activity and seasonal variation of dimethylsulfoniopropionate-associated compounds in the invasive alga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Codium fragile</Emphasis> ssp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">tomentosoides</Emphasis>

In this study, we present evidence that the invasive alga Codium fragile ssp. tomentosoides is chemically defended against grazing by a wound-activated chemical defense involving dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and the products of its cleavage, dimethylsulfide (DMS), and acrylic acid (AA). DMSP in C. fragile ssp. tomentosoides was present throughout the year, but concentrations varied seasonally and were highest in the winter. Intra-thallus variation was neither large, nor consistent over time. High DMSP concentrations were uncommon among northwestern Atlantic macrophytes. Of 26 other species tested, only two, Ulva lactuca and Polysiphonia harveyi contained concentrations comparable to, or higher than, those of C. fragile ssp. tomentosoides. DMS and AA, both individually and together, deterred grazing by the green sea urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis at “natural” concentrations. These results suggest that DMS and AA contribute to the avoidance of C. fragile ssp. tomentosoides by S. droebachiensis. As a result, the production of DMSP and its subsequent cleavage, upon injury, may reduce herbivory on C. fragile ssp. tomentosoides and contribute to its success.     

Phylogenetic relationships among giant clam species (Mollusca: Tridacnidae) determined by protein electrophoresis

Analyses of allozyme variation at 26 loci in eight species of giant clams, collected from the Western Pacific between 1989 and 1991, have confirmed the major groupings currently recognised within the family Tridacnidae on the basis of morphological characters: the two genera Hippopus and Tridacna, and the subgenera within Tridacna; i.e. Chametrachea (comprising T.squamosa, T.crocea and T.maxima), Tridacna sensu stricto (containing only T. gigas), and Persikima (comprising T. derasa and T. tevoroa). All these groupings were each supported by several shared characters. In contrast to previous views, Persikima was found to be intermediate between Chametrachea and T. gigas. Although statistical support for branch lengths linking Chametrachea and T. gigas was limited in maximum-likelihood analyses, the occurrence of several shared alleles between these groups, and none shared between only Chametrachea and Persikima, suggests a closer relationship between Chametrachea and T. gigas or, at least, an unresolved trichotomy. Morphological data traditionally assumed to support a closer association of Chametrachea and Persikima demonstrated that only one shared character linked subgenera, and this character supported an evolutionary association between Chametrachea and T. gigas. These findings, together with the number of shared characters supporting the subgenus Persikima, suggest that Persikima is the most basal offshoot of the Tridacna line, and that the group may deserve generic status. Received: 21 November 1997 / Accepted: 24 March 1998     

Humic substances shorten human plasma prothrombin time

The prothrombin time of the normal human pooled plasma was shortened by Aldrich humic acid well water humic substances and lignin at final concentrations ranging from 5 × 10^–3 mg mL^–1 to 5 × 10^–2 mg mL^–1, with a maxmum effect at 1 × 10^–2 mg mL^–1. At this concentration the shortening was 5.5 s, 4.4 s, and 3.5 s by Aldrich humic acid, well water humic substances and lignin respectively. However, monomeric components of humic acid such as syringic acid, protocatechuic acid, pyrogallol, vanillic acid, gallic acid, resorcinol, ferulic acid, catechol, caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid did not have such ability to shorten prothrombin time at the same final concentration ranges. Certain reducing agents such as t-butanol (2.5 × 10^– –2.0 × 10^–2 mg mL^–1), glutathione (8.0 × 10^–2–1 .0 mg mL^–1), ascorbic acid (4.2 × 10^–2–5.0 × 10^–1 mg mL^–1) and dithiothreitol (1.0 × 10^–2–1.7 × 10^–1mg mL^–1) could prevent the shortening effects of humic substances or lignin on prothrombin time. These results suggested that humic substances and lignin with a polymerised structure had an ability to affect activities of some blood coagulating enzymes.