A gradient diver for measurement of respiration in individual organisms from the micro- and meiofauna

A gradient diver method suitable for gasometric studies on aquatic organisms of 1.0 g–1.0 mg wet weight is described. The microgasometer consists of an open glass capillary (diver) which encloses the biological object and an air bubble. It floats in an aqueous density gradient with constant pressure above the gradient. In response to changes in the volume of the air bubble, caused by consumption or release of gas by the biological object, the diver migrates either downwards or upwards in the gradient. On the basis of the rate of migration the rate of gas exchanges is calculated. The method is adaptable to a wide range of laboratory conditions and should also be of use in field laboratories.     

Trace metal distribution in different chemical fractions of marine sediments along the eastern Aegean shelf

The major objective of this study was to carry out sequential chemical extraction for the partitioning of particulate trace metals in sediment samples, collected along the eastern Aegean shelf during cruises July‐August 1994, in the framework of a National Marine Measurement and Monitoring Programme for the Aegean Sea.

Five metals, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn and Cr were examined in each of sediment samples. Three chemical fractions of the sediments were separated and concentrations of the trace metals were determined by AAS techniques. The three different leaches used were hydroxylamine hydrochloride‐acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide and nitric‐perchloric acids.

Metals were concentrated mainly in the fraction extracted by nitric‐perchloric acids. Lead in the first fraction were found in the sediments of Northern part of Aegean, where the concentration of organic material was high.

The total concentrations of Cd, Cu, Zn, Cr were higher in Izmir Bay than the other sampling points. The distribution of Pb concentrations was the highest in Edremit Bay and Izmir Bay.     

海洋沉积物中的镉及不同形态镉的生物有效性

镉是一种生物非必需的毒副作用很强的重金属元素.进入海洋环境中的镉,最终有相当部分进入沉积物中,并对底栖生物造成危害.通过测定不同镉质量浓度暴露条件下海水、沉积物和生物体内的镉的形态和含量,研究了海洋沉积物中不同形态镉的生物有效性.结果表明,菲律宾蛤仔对Cd的蓄积随着时间增加,呈现先快速增加的趋势,在24 h内其蓄积速率最大,96 h后生物体内镉的质量分数出现缓慢下降趋势.在蓄积时间一定的条件下,在任何Cd含量沉积物下,菲律宾蛤仔都可以蓄积Cd,而且随着沉积物中镉质量分数升高,生物体内蓄积的镉的质量分数也呈现上升趋势.活性镉(可交换态)是沉积物中镉存在的主要形式(45.48x.96%),硅酸盐结合态和黄铁矿结合态的金属只占较小的比例,活性镉是影响沉积物中重金属镉生物可利用性的最有效形态.     

Reproduction on the edge: large-scale patterns of individual performance in a marine invertebrate

Reproductive output is a central attribute of life history, providing a measure of individual and population performance. The fields of ecology, biogeography, and evolutionary biology take disparate approaches in addressing spatial variation in reproduction, and thus we lack clear predictions for how reproductive output should vary geographically. We empirically investigate these contrasting theoretical approaches by determining geographic patterns in reproductive output for intertidal populations of the purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, at 15 sites spanning a large geographic distance (9 degrees span of latitude) from central California, USA, to Baja California, Mexico. Contrary to predictions from biogeography, some of the highest values of reproductive output are at sites near the species' southern range boundary. Additionally, sea urchins do not exhibit a latitudinal gradient in reproduction, but rather show considerable mesoscale variation in reproductive output. Spatial analyses reveal that this variation is correlated with coastal topographic features that are known to influence the pattern of nearshore nutrient flux and circulation. We hypothesize that urchins' reproductive output may be driven by the spatial distribution of their food supply, drift macroalgae, the abundance of which is influenced by both nutrient supply and alongshore transport processes that are coupled to topographic features. Large-scale studies such as this provide valuable insight into the causes of species' range limits, population connectivity, habitat reserve design, and forecasting the effects of climate change on species' distributions.     

Characteristic volume fractions of different grains in porous media for anomalous dispersion

Anomalous solute transport in porous media is an important issue in groundwater research. In this paper, we explore the relationship between the anomalous solute transport and the volume fractions of different grains in the porous media. Via simulation, we find that there is a maximum and a minimum in the degree of anomalous transport when changing the volume fractions of different grains. Moreover, the characteristic volume fractions corresponding to the anomalous transport maximum and minimum vary little with the flow field and diffusion coefficient of the solute. We also find that the volume fraction corresponding to the most anomalous dispersion is close to the threshold of the site percolation for simple-cubic networks.     

Relative growth of different species of marine algae in wasterwater-seawater mixtures

In recent studies, we developed a combined nutrient removal-marine aquaculture process for the tertiary treatment of wastewater and the production of commercially important shellfish. Part of this process consists of an outdoor mass cultivation system for marine algae. During our previous experiments we observed that marine diatoms almost exclusively are the dominant algal species in our outdoor cultures. To better understand this phenomenon of diatom dominance we grew 16 species of marine algae in continuous monoculture under laboratory conditions simulating to some degree the conditions prevailing in our outdoor experiments. Species such as Skeletonema costatum, Monochrysis lutheri and Tetraselmis sp., which were never dominant in our outdoor cultures, grew as well in monoculture, as Phaeodactylum tricornutum, frequently, the prevalent species outdoors. However, when monocultures of Dunaliella tertiolecta and Thalassiosira pseudonana (3H) were purposely contaminated with P. tricornutum, the latter species quickly became dominant. It is suggested that a complex interaction of environmental factors is usually responsible for the dominance of a particular species; one such factor may be the nitrogen source in the growth media. Under conditions of virtually, complete nitrogen assimilation, the carbon: nitrogen ratio in the algae was high (7 to 8) when NO ₃ ^- –N was the source of nitrogen, and low (4 to 6) when NH ₄ ⁺ –N was the prime form of nitrogen. When algal growth was low, resulting in a large inorganic nitrogen residue, the carbon:nitrogen ratio was low regardless of whether NO ₃ ^- –N or NH ₄ ⁺ –N was the main nitrogen source.Contribution No. 3297 from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.     

Composition and seasonal fluctuations of meiofauna in a Southern African mangrove estuary

Fluctuations in population structure and abundance of mangrove meiofauna were monitored over a period of 14 months. The greatest mean abundance was directly correlated with mean redox potential (Eh), but showed poor relationships with pH and temperature. Maximum density occurred at the mid to high tide levels and nematodes accounted for 80% of the total numbers. Large ciliates were the next most abundant group accounting for 6.4%. These were followed by oligochaetes (4.5%), turbellarians (3%) and kinorhynchs (2.7%). The remainder consisted of low numbers of copepods, polychaetes, gastrotrichs, the larvae of crustacea (prawns and crabs) and insects. Although there was a tendency for density to increase in summer, the numbers were variable and seasonal correlations with physical parameters were obscure. The estimated production from the standing crop is 4.34 gC m^-2 vr^-1.     

Vertical and horizontal distribution of sub-littoral meiofauna in Algoa Bay,South Africa

Meiofauna was sampled using SCUBA along 4 transects from 5 to 30 m depth in Algoa Bay, South Africa. Substrates were well-sorted medium to fine sands with traces of sewage pollution in some areas. Meiofauna numbers recorded in the upper 10 cm of sediment were 55 to 584 10 cm^-2, but total numbers, including deeper-living animals, were 680 to 2090 10 cm^-2 at 6 stations. Longer cores showed meiofauna to be abundant down to at least 35 cm, and samples of interstitial water taken from this depth in the sediment were 7% saturated with oxygen. This is the first detailed record of meiofauna penetration into sub-littoral sand and stresses the need for long cores for quantitative work. Nematode numbers were found to be significantly related to nitrogen in the sand while interstitial harpacticoid numbers were related to median particle diameters, which determine pore space. Effects of sewage were slight and only one station showed notable enrichment, increased meiofaunal numbers and extreme dominance by nematodes.     

Seasonal variations in distribution patterns of sympagic meiofauna in Arctic pack ice

During two expeditions of the R.V. Polarstern to the Arctic Ocean, pack ice and under-ice water samples were collected during two different seasons: late summer (September 2002) and late winter (March/April 2003). Physical and biological properties of the ice were investigated to explain seasonal differences in species composition, abundance and distribution patterns of sympagic meiofauna (in this case: heterotrophs >20 µm). In winter, the ice near the surface was characterized by extreme physical conditions (minimum ice temperature: –22°C, maximum brine salinity: 223, brine volume: 5%) and more moderate conditions in summer (minimum ice temperature: –5.6°C, maximum brine salinity: 94, most brine volumes: 5%). Conditions in the lowermost part of the ice did not differ to a high degree between summer and winter. Chlorophyll a concentrations (chl a) showed significant differences between summer and winter: during winter, concentrations were mostly <1.0 µg chl a l^–1, while chl a concentrations of up to 67.4 µmol l^–1 were measured during summer. The median of depth-integrated chl a concentration in summer was significantly higher than in winter. Integrated abundances of sympagic meiofauna were within the same range for both seasons and varied between 0.6 and 34.1×10³ organisms m^–2 in summer and between 3.7 and 24.8×10³ organisms m^–2 in winter. With regard to species composition, a comparison between the two seasons showed distinct differences: while copepods (42.7%) and rotifers (33.4%) were the most abundant sea-ice meiofaunal taxa during summer, copepod nauplii dominated the community, comprising 92.9% of the fauna, in winter. Low species abundances were found in the under-ice water, indicating that overwintering of the other sympagic organisms did not take place there, either. Therefore, their survival strategy over the polar winter remains unclear.Communicated by O. Kinne, Oldendorf/Luhe     

Differential response of benthic macrofauna and meiofauna to hypoxia in the Gullmar Fjord basin

The response of benthic macro-and meiofauna to severe hypoxia was studied in the deep basis (115 m) of Gullmar Fjord, western Sweden. Abundances and bionasses of the faunal taxa, the redox-potential of the sediment, and the temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen in the bottom water were recorded over the period 1977 to 1981. In the winter of 1979/80, when a depressed oxygen level of 0.21 ml l^-1 was recorded, the macrofaunal component of the fauna disappeared. The ensuing recolonization, with an initial peak of opportunistic capitellid polychaetes, proceeded slowly and the pre-collapse community was not reestablished within 1 1/2 yr after the hypoxia. In contrast, the permanent meiofauna exhibited no clear signs of being affected by the hypoxia. In the temporary meiofauna, polychaetes seemed to be negatively affected. The finding of a differential response of macro-and meiofauna confirms previous studies which indicate that macrofauna in general is more sensitive than meiofauna to low oxygen concentrations.     

Determination of photosynthetic rates for the marine algae Fucus vesiculosus and Laminaria digitata

A continuously recording, flow-through oxygen electrode system for the measurement of oxygen exchange is described and applied to an investigation of photosynthetic rates in the marine algae Fucus vesiculosus L. and Laminaria digitata (Huds.) Lam. The photosynthetic rate (mg O₂.g dry weight^-1.h^-1) at 15°C and 21.5 mW.cm^-2 (usually just saturating) ranges in F. vesiculosus from 1.20 in basal portions of the thallus to 9.27 at the apices and in L. digitata from 1.19 mg O₂ at the thallus base to 3.97 mg O₂ at distances of several centimetres behind the upper thallus margin. This variation is reduced when the photosynthetic rate is expressed in terms of fresh weight or surface area.This research was carried out while one of us (R.J.K.) was an Alexander von Humboldt fellow at the University of Kiel, and is part of the programme Sonderforschungsbereich 95, Wechselwirkung Meer-Meeresboden, Universität Kiel.     

Distribution pattern of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in particle-size fractions of coking plant soils from different depth

The concentrations of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in four size fractions (<2, 2–20, 20–200, >200 μm) in soils at different depth from a heavily contaminated crude benzol production facility of a coking plant were determined using GC–MS. Vertically, elevated total PAHs concentrations were observed in the soils at 3.0–4.5 m (layer B) and 6.0–7.5 m (layer C), relatively lower at 1.5–3.0 m (layer A) and 10.5–12.0 m (layer D). At all sampling sites, the silt (2–20 μm) contained the highest PAHs concentration (ranged from 726 to 2,711 mg/kg). Despite the substantial change in PAHs concentrations in soils with different particle sizes and lithologies, PAHs composition was similarly dominated by 2–3 ring species (86.5–98.3 %), including acenaphthene, fluorene, and phenanthrene. For the contribution of PAHs mass in each fraction to the bulk soil, the 20–200 μm size fraction had the greatest accumulation of PAHs in loamy sand layers at 1.0–7.5 m, increasing with depth; while in deeper sand layer at 10.5–12.0 m, the >200 μm size fraction showed highest percentages and contributed 81 % of total PAHs mass. For individual PAH distribution, the 2–3 ring PAHs were highly concentrated in the small size fraction (<2 and 2–20 μm); the 4–6 ring PAHs showed the highest concentrations in the 2–20 μm size fraction, increasing with depth. The distribution of PAHs was primarily determined by the sorption on soil organic matter and the characteristics of PAHs. This research should have significant contribution to PAH migration study and remediation design for PAHs-contaminated sites.     

Effects of humic acid fractions with different polarities on photodegradation of 2,4-D in aqueous environments

Four fractions (A, B, C, and D) of humic acids (HAs) were separated based on the polarity from weak to strong. UV-vis absorption and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis show that the fractions C and Dpossessedmore aromatic C=C content. The influences of HAs and their fractions on the photolysis were investigated by the photodegradation of 2,4-D solutions under simulated solar light irradiation. The degradation rate of 2,4-D was found to decrease in the presence of bulk HAs or their fractions especially at high HAs concentration. The fractions of strong polarity C and D retarded the degradation rate more than the fractions of weak polarity A and B. This could be attributed to the different absorption intensity of the four HAs fractions in the order of D ? C > A > B, and the stronger π-π electron donor-acceptor interactions between the strong polar fractions and 2,4-D.     

Analysis of individual year-classes of a marine fish reveals little evidence of first-generation hybrids between cryptic species in sympatric regions

As settled juveniles and adults, blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) are nonmigratory inhabitants of kelp and rocky reef habitats along the California coast, USA, and prior to settlement, they possess a pelagic larval and juvenile stage lasting 3–5 months. A previous study of adults revealed two cryptic species within S. mystinus and evidence of reproductive isolation in a region where both cryptic adults co-occur. Given this pattern of reproductive isolation, we investigated the degree of hybridization or introgression in individual year-classes shortly after juvenile settlement in two different years (2001 and 2002). Using microsatellite markers, we found little indication of hybridization in new juvenile year-classes despite an adult population that comprised both cryptic species. However, we found an average of two percent of hybrid or introgressed individuals in regions with a low frequency of one of the two species. Therefore, while the lack of hybrids or introgression supports the hypothesis of reproductive isolation between the cryptic species within S. mystinus, the age-structured analysis also revealed a spatial pattern of low-frequency differences in the number of introgressed individuals. These results suggest that reproductive barriers may breakdown when one of the two species predominates the regional adult gene pool.     

施肥对不同肥力水平春玉米农田土壤有机碳及其组分的影响

选取辽河灌区不同肥力水平春玉米(Zea mays ssp. mays L.)农田土壤为研究对象,通过连续3年田间定位试验研究施肥对不同层次土壤有机碳组分(TOC、ASOC、LFOC、DOC和MBC)的影响,分析土壤有机碳组分的产量效应.结果表明,连续种植春玉米能够显著增加低产田土壤w(TOC),增加各产田土壤w(ASOC)和w(MBC),降低各产田土壤w(LFOC),土壤w(DOC)变化较小.施肥使土壤w(TOC)增加了-13.41%~7.54%,平均增加了0.16%;使高产田表层(0~10 cm)土壤w(TOC)显著增加,低产田犁底层(20~40 cm)土壤w(TOC)显著降低.施肥使土壤w(ASOC)增加了-13.98%~72.22%,平均增加了15.82%;使低产田犁底层和高产田耕层(10~20 cm)土壤w(ASOC)显著增加,中产田耕层土壤w(ASOC)显著降低.施肥使土壤w(LFOC)增加了-42.60%~168.57%,平均增加了48.83%;使中产田表层和犁底层、高产田表层和耕层土壤w(LFOC)显著增加,高产田犁底层土壤 w(LFOC)显著降低.施肥使土壤 w(DOC)增加了-42.74%~51.29%,平均增加了9.36%;使中产田耕层和犁底层、高产田表层和耕层土壤 w(DOC)显著增加,低产田耕层土壤 w(DOC)显著降低.施肥使土壤 w(MBC)增加了-1.16%~19.97%,平均增加了9.32%,除中产田耕层土壤之外其他土层土壤w(MBC)均有所增加.施肥主要提高土壤ASOC和LFOC含量,促进土壤DOC的变化.施肥显著增加低产田土壤有机碳组分含量,促进中产田土壤有机碳组分变化,增加高产田土壤有机碳耗损.施肥主要增加表层(0~10 cm)土壤有机碳组分含量,耗损犁底层(20~40 cm)土壤有机碳,调解耕层(10~20 cm)土壤活性有机碳组分.施肥对微生物可利用性及结构不同的活性有机碳组分影响不同;高、中、低产田因其土壤理化性状及有机碳本底值不同,对施肥的响应存在差异.施肥总体增加土壤活性有机碳各组分含量,同时通过改变微生物及玉米根系活力影响活性有机碳含量及组分.土壤中有机碳组分与产量的回归方程为(产量)=-4665.61-0.008×w(SOC)-0.421×w (ASOC)-0.777×w (LFOC)+5.370×w (DOC)+33.408×w (MBC).ASOC和MBC具有土壤肥力指示作用,施肥主要通过调控土壤ASOC提高玉米产量.     

Effect of UV-B radiation on the marine diatoms Lauderia annulata and Thalassiorsira rotula grown in different salinities

The marine diatoms Lauderia annulata Cleve and Thalassiosira rotula Meunier were grown at different salinities (20, 35 and 45) and exposed to different levels of midultraviolet, UV-B) 439, 717 and 1230 J m^-2 d^-1, weighted) for 2 d. A low UV-B dose (439 J m^-2 d^-1) usually caused a slight increase in biomass production (dry weight) compared to non-UV-B irradiated cells. Enhanced UV-B radiation (717 J m^-2 d^-1) depressed protein and pigment content (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll c ₁+c₂ and carotenoids), especially in algae grown at 20 or 35 salt concentration of the nutrient solution. The effect of UV-B radiation (717 J m^-2 d^-1) on the pattern and concentration of amino acids was species-dependent. Aspartic acid was reduced in all tested diatoms. A drastic increase in glutamine and a reduction in glutamic acid pools could be observed in L. annulata samples, but no significant variation of the impact of UV-B was found in dependence on the salt concentration of the nutrient medium. T. rotula cells grown at 35 S showed an increase of glutamic acid and a decrease of glutamine levels after UV-B radiation. The results are discussed in relation to the impact of UV-B upon carbon and nitrogen metabolism.     

Movement of oxybiotic and thiobiotic meiofauna in response to changes in pore-water oxygen and sulfide gradients around macro-infaunal tubes

The effects of changes in vertical and horizontal microscale gradients of oxygen and sulfide on meiofaunal distributions were examined in laboratory microcosms. Specifically, the effect of tube abandonment and reestablishment by macro-infauna on the distribution of subsurface turbellarians, gnathostomulids and gastrotrichs was studied. Meiofauna responded rapidly (within 6 h) to changing sediment chemistry, consistently trying to reoccupy optimal habitat. Every subsurface taxon had a preferred suboptimal habitat which it occupied primarily during transit from deteriorating to newly established optimal habitat. Only during this time did the distribution of ecologically similar taxa overlap substantially. Changes in oxygen and sulfide gradients could explain most but not all of the response; food availability might also be important. Oxybios consistently chose oxic suboptimal microhabitat. Thus behaviorally, as well as biochemically and ecologically, thiobios represent a distinct group among the meiofauna.     

Seasonal studies on the relative importance of different size fractions of phytoplankton in Narragansett Bay (USA)

The composition and productivity of four different size-fractions (<20, 20 to 60, 60 to 100, >100 μm) of the phytoplankton of lower Narragansett Bay (USA) were followed over an annual cycle from November, 1972 to October, 1973. Diatoms dominated the population in the winter-spring bloom and in the fall, the summer population was dominated by flagellates. The nannoplankton (<20 μm) were the most important, accounting for 46.6% of the annual biomass as chlorophyll a and 50.8% of the total production. The relative importance of the different fractions showed a marked seasonality. During the winter-spring and fall blooms the netplankton fractions (>20 μm) were the most important. Nannoplankters domnated in the summer. The yearly mean assimilation numbers for the different fractions were not signfficantly different. During the winter-spring bloom, however, the assimilation numbers for the netplankters were significantly higher than those for the nannoplankton fraction. Temperature accounted for most of the variability in assimilation numbers; a marked nutrient stress was observed on only two occasions. Growth rates calculated from ¹⁴C uptake and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-cell carbon were generally quite high; maxima were >1.90 doublings per day during blooms of a flagellate in the summer and of Skeletonema costatum in the fall. The series of short cycles observed in which the dominant species changed were related to changes in the physiological state of the population. Higher growth rates were generally observed at times of peak phytoplankton abundance while lower growth rates were observed between these peaks. The high growth rates and assimilation numbers usually found suggest that the phytoplankton in lower Narragansett Bay was not generally nutrient-limited between November, 1972 and October, 1973. Nutrient regeneration in this shallow estuary, therefore, must be very rapid when in situ nutrient levels are low.     

贵州喀斯特地区不同土地利用方式土壤CO_2体积分数变化及影响因素

为了解不同土地利用方式对土壤剖面CO2体积分数的影响,采用气相色谱法对贵州喀斯特地区土壤不同深度空气CO2体积分数进行观测。结果表明：不同土地利用对土壤平均CO2体积分数影响较大,其次序为：次生林（0.35%±0.06%）〉草地（0.34%±0.05%）〉人工林（0.27%±0.03%）〉农田（0.16%±0.03%）。次生林、草地与农田之间土壤CO2体积分数差异性显著,而人工林与农田之间无显著性差异。不同土地利用方式土壤剖面CO2体积分数的时空变化特征比较一致：从春季到夏季逐渐增加而从秋季到冬季又逐渐降低,与该区域的温度和降雨量变化趋势一致。同时随着土壤剖面深度增加CO2体积分数逐渐增大,但在土层12 cm处有突然降低现象（农田除外）。不同土地利用方式土壤空气CO2体积分数变化与大气、土壤温度密切相关（r=0.602~0.886,P〈0.05）,土壤温度升高会导致土壤CO2体积分数上升。土壤湿度虽然也在一定程度上影响了剖面CO2体积分数,但相关性分析表明二者之间并不显著（r=0.105~0.393,P〉0.05）,说明在贵州喀斯特地区,土壤温度对土壤空气CO2体积分数的影响大于土壤湿度。     

茜素络合剂-微分吸附计时电位法测定高含铁量土壤中铝形态

研究了茜素络合剂-微分吸附计时电位法(AC-ASV)测定土壤溶液中铝形态的最佳条件,着重探讨了共存离子,特别是土壤溶液中的无机离子和有机阴离子对测定铝的影响,建立了测定土壤溶液中铝形态方法。用该法可测定总反应性铝、总单核铝[Ala]和稳定性单核铝[Ali],由总反应性铝减去总单核铝求得酸溶性铝[Als],由总单核铝[Ala]减去稳定单核铝求得不稳定单核铝[Alo],与标准的Driscoll方法(阳离子树脂交换分离-8-羟基喹啉-原子吸收法)进行了比较。结果表明:茜素络合剂(AC)-微分吸附计时电位法灵敏度较高,铁的干扰较少。该法适合于测定含铁量比较高的土壤溶液中的铝形态。