Frontal ambulacral and peribuccal areas of the spatangoid echinoid Echinocardium cordatum (Echinodermata): a functional entity in feeding mechanism

Echinocardium cordatum (Pennant, 1777) were collected in Normandy, France, in March and November 1985. The grooved frontal ambulacrum of the burrowing echinoid E. cordatum functions in transferring surface sediment from the apex to the mouth of the echinoid. Particles that fall down the burrow's chimney accumulate between the spines of the apical tuft and are taken over by specialized groove spines. Due to the slope of the groove and the type of floor spines it harbours, four successive regions can be recognized, namely the adapical region, the fasciolar region, the ambital region, and the adoral region. As a general rule aboral floor spines (i.e. club-shaped, golf-club-shaped, and isodiametric spines) function in gathering particles while propelling them mouthwards; they simultaneously embed particles in a mucous string. The oral floor spines (i.e. spatulated spines) function in hauling and guiding the mucous string towards the peribuccal area of the echinoid. Once facing the peribuccal area, particles are picked up by the peribuccal tube feet that either transfer them into the esophagus or scrape them out against the peribuccal spines. Spine-retained particles are either sucked up by the pumping action of the esophagus or fall to the burrow's floor where the tube feet may pick them up again. Together the apical tuft, the frontal groove, and the peribuccal area form an efficient food-collecting system that transfers trapped surface particles from the echinoid apex down to the mouth. Compared to that of most other spatangoids the frontal ambulacrum of E. cordatum is highly specialized. Such specialization is related to colonization of fine sediment, as is the occurrence of a chimney linking the burrow to the sediment surface. Actually the burrow's chimney is the only route for oxygen and food supply; it acts as a real ecological umbilical cord for spatangoids buried in fine sediment.     

Chemical camouflage of the slave-making ant Polyergus samurai queen in the process of the host colony usurpation (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Founding queens of the obligatory social parasite ant Polyergus samurai usurp the host ant Formica japonica colony. The aggressive behaviors of F. japonica workers on the parasite queen disappear after the parasite queen kills the resident queen. To determine whether the parasite queen chemically mimics the host ants, we examined the aggressive behavior of F. japonica workers toward glass dummies applied with various extracts of the parasite queen and host workers. The crude extracts and hydrocarbon fraction reproduced the host workers’ behavior to the live ants. The extracts of the post-adoption parasite queen, as well as the nestmate extracts of F. japonica, did not elicit the aggressive behavior, but the extract of the pre-adoption parasite queen triggered attacks by the host workers. The nestmate recognition of host workers did not change, regardless of contact with the parasite. The gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analyses indicated that the cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profile of the parasite queen drastically changed during the process of usurpation. Discriminant analysis showed the successfully usurped P. samurai queen had colony-specific CHC profiles. CHC profiles of the P. samurai queen who killed the host queen were more similar to those of the host queen than the workers, while the P. samurai queen who usurped the queenless colony had a profile similar to those of host workers. These results suggest that the P. samurai queen usually acquires the CHCs from the host queen during the fight, but from host wokers in queenless host colonies.     

黑土微生物量和酶活性对邻苯二甲酸二丁酯污染的响应

邻苯二甲酸二丁酯(di-n-butyl phthalate,DBP)是一种在环境中广泛存在的有毒有机化合物,已被我国列为优先控制污染物之一。本研究探讨了不同浓度的DBP污染对黑土呼吸、微生物量以及黑土酶活性的影响。结果表明,DBP污染处理的黑土呼吸速率和微生物量碳较对照均显著增加;微生物氮在DBP污染过程中呈"降低-升高-降低"波动性变化;微生物磷与DBP污染浓度呈显著负相关;DBP对黑土多酚氧化酶表现为先促进后抑制,对转化酶和蛋白酶活性表现为低浓度促进而高浓度抑制;在DBP污染过程中脲酶呈现被激活状态;黑土过氧化氢酶和酸性磷酸酶均受到DBP污染的显著抑制。通过相关性分析发现,土壤微生物量、土壤酶活性与DBP污染浓度之间存在着高度的相关性。由此可推断,DBP污染改变了黑土呼吸、微生物量和酶学活性的代谢特征,进而有可能影响了黑土的生态系统功能,威胁到黑土的可持续利用。     

芦苇化感组分对斜生栅藻Scenedesmus obliquus生长特性的影响

水华或赤潮现象是备受关注的环境问题之一。利用植物化感作用抑制藻类生长作为一种新型的生物抑藻技术在近年来开始受到研究者的重视,并取得了一定的研究成果。文章研究了从芦苇PhragmitiscommunisTrin中分离得到的化感组分对斜生栅藻Scenedesmusobliquus生长特性的影响。在藻类的对数生长期向培养液中投加不同浓度的化感组分,分别测定并观察了培养期间受试藻种藻密度、藻细胞结构和群体形态的变化。结果表明,该化感组分在培养初期对斜生栅藻藻密度的增长具有明显的抑制作用,半效应质量浓度(EC50,4d)值为0.45mg·L-1,但在培养6d后,出现促进作用,且随投加浓度的增加而增强。斜生栅藻生长受到抑制期间,藻细胞形态变大,投加0.5mg·L-1化感组分时,藻细胞平均宽度是对照组的2倍。TEM观察观察结果表明藻细胞亚显微结构受到破坏。另外,EMA提高了斜生栅藻的沉降性和吸附性。     

土壤有机碳储量估算的影响因素和不确定性

土壤作为陆地生态系统最大的碳库和碳循环过程的关键环节,其源、汇的变化直接影响全球碳平衡,因此,土壤有机碳储量估算成为生态领域的重要研究内容之一。通过比较不同研究者在不同研究尺度上报道的有机碳储量的研究结果,发现这些研究结果较不一致。分析认为导致土壤有机碳储量评估结果存在较大差异的原因,主要是来自于采样过程中人类干扰以及气候变化等环境要素的波动,特别是研究者所采取的不同估算方法和背景资料。从环境要素（外因）和估算方法（内因）两个角度出发,提出了土壤有机碳储量的研究意义,阐述了造成土壤有机碳储量估算的不确定性和目前研究中存在的问题,并在此基础上,对其未来研究方向和重点进行了展望。     

Stratification and Tidal Current Effects on Larval Transport in the Eastern English Channel: Observations and 3D Modeling

We study how the combination of tides and freshwater buoyancy affects the marine organisms accumulation and horizontal transport in the ROFI system of the eastern English Channel. The Princeton Ocean Model coupled with a particle-tracking module is used to study the migration of fish eggs and larvae under different forcing conditions. Results of modeling are validated against observed concentrations of Flounder (Pleuronectes flesus) larvae. Numerical Lagrangian tracking experiments are performed with passive and active particles, representing sea-water organisms. Passive particles are neutrally buoyant whereas active particles are able to exercise light dependent vertical migrations equating to the swimming behavior of larvae. The experiments reveal that the strongest accumulation of particles occurs along the French coast on the margin of the ROFI. This happens because the interaction between the turbulence, the freshwater buoyancy input, and tidal dynamics, produces particle trapping and vertical spreading within the frontal convergence zone. Tides and freshwater input induce net alongshore horizontal transport toward the North. Tidal currents modulate the magnitude of horizontal transport whereas the fresh water input controls more the location of accumulation zones. Tracking experiments with active particles indicate that the vertical migration leads to a significant departure from the passive particle transport pattern. Differences lie in the shape of the particle transport pattern and the rate of the northward migration. In particular, vertically migrating particles travel slower. To find possible Flounder migration pathways, particles are released within the assumed spawning area of Flounder. The model predicts larvae drift routes and demonstrates that throughout the entire particle-tracking period the horizontal structure of the particle distribution is consistent with the larvae concentrations observed during the field experiments.     

Teil IV: Nachwachsende Rohstoffe als Alternative zu Kunststoffen

This paper presents a Life Cycle Assessment of a hemp fibre reinforced component for automotive parts. Its aim is to identify the optimisation strategies within the product system and also provide decision support for automotive engineers for or against the employment of renewable raw materials within the production process. The investigated life cycle contains the agricultural cultivation of the fibre plant, the method of harvesting and the processing of the crop. The analysis includes the further processing of the fibre, i.e. the manufacturing of the fibre composite matrix, on which the production of form press components for the automotive industry is based. Manufacturing the required preproducts is also taken into account. The differences of energy demand (CED) and emission amount during the use phase of a passenger car and different disposal options for the end of the life cycle (deposition or incineration) are assessed as well. It is shown that the natural fibre composite is ecologically preferable to the injection moulded reference as the results of the Eco-indicator 95 method show. Optimisation is necessary for the epoxy-resin-hardener system, although the cultivation of fibre plants is ecologically an insignificant process regarding the system boundaries. The weight difference and resulting energy savings during the use phase of a car reveal further advantages of a fibre panel.     

Characterizing the vegetation community in the provenance slope with high-frequency debris flow北大核心CSCD

In order to explore the characteristics and species diversity of the vegetation growing in the provenance slope with high-frequency debris flow, we selected the slopes on the north and south sides of the valley in the Jiangjiagou watershed as the research object. The structural characteristics and quantitative compositions of the communities of vegetation growing on different positions of the slopes were investigated. The species composition, important value, species diversity, and ground and underground biomass of the different communities on the slope were statistically analyzed, and the correlations of the ground and underground biomass with the diversity were determined. The results showed that: of the total 49 species found, the herbs were the dominant flora, of which 33 were found on the northern slope and 23 were found on the southern slope. There were significant differences in the species composition and composition of the important values along the different positions on the slope, being mainly affected by the pioneer herbaceous plants. We found that Heteropogon contortus, Eulaliopsis binata, Arthraxon hispidus, and Sesbania cannabina were highly adaptable to debris flow. These four species are common to the area and can be used as the main configuration species for future ecological restoration. There were differences in the community characteristics and species diversity at different positions on the slope. For the southern slope of the valley, the Shannon-Wiener diversity index was in the order: stable zone (2.311) > instable zone (2.161) > deposit zone (2.036), and in the order: deposit zone (2.626) > stable zone (1.338) > instable zone (1.057) for the northern slope. There were significant differences in the biomass, being in the order: stable zone > instable zone > deposit zone, with higher values in the northern slope than in the southern slope. Based on the aforementioned results, we suggest that the restoration of vegetation in the area of the provenance slope having high-frequency debris flow should focus on the prevention and protection of the instable zone of the slope by natural processes of recovery. The deposit zone needs rational remediation measures. We should introduce local shrub and arbor to increase the species composition and promote the development of plant communities with vertical structures. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Environmental concerns for marina planning in the Gulf of Suez

This paper presents a case study where numerical modelling was utilized for the first time to estimate shoreline changes during the planning of a private pleasure marina in the Gulf of Suez. The study was made to compliment an environmental impact assessment study (EIA) requested by the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA). The paper presents data collected during two surveys and the results of the numerical model. The impact of the marina on the sediment budget was investigated using the GENESIS one-line program. One of the main reasons for the study was to confirm that the choice of the marina location ensured minimum erosion of the shoreline. In the model, the sediment transport calibration constants were determined using the results of two surveys. The choice of the formula is discussed in the paper. Two locations for the marina were tested against minimum erosion at the down drift side of the marina. This study was performed in close co-ordination with the EEAA and several solutions were suggested to minimize the expected accretion before the final location was approved.     

游蛇科（Colubridae）10种蛇的随机扩增多态DNA研究

用随机扩增多态ＤＮＡ（ＲＡＰＤ）技术对游蛇科１０种蛇基因组ＤＮＡ的多态性进行了分子遗传标记的研究．所得数据经聚类分析结果提示：１．蛇类种内个体间存在着遗传多样性即个体间的差异，随机扩增多态ＤＮＡ片段共享度的分析表明，种间差异显著大于种内个体间的差异，说明在研究种间系统演化关系时．可以用随机取样的个体代表一个种作种间比较．２．锦蛇属是一高度分化的大属，本研究中的５种锦蛇间．玉斑锦蛇和红点锦蛇关系较近．可以井为１组．另３种归为１组还是分为３个不同的组尚难定论．３．游蛇科６个属之间．锦蛇属、乌梢蛇属和鼠蛇属３属间亲缘关系较近．Ｒｈａｂｏｐｈｉｓ和Ｓｉｎｏｎａｔｒｉｘ与链蛇属较近．它们可能代表该科中较原始的类群．     

三峡水库1956—2017年坝下径流特征分析

采用三峡水库坝下宜昌水文站1956—2017年日径流监测数据和长江上游80个国家气象站年均降水量长系列资料,利用一元线性分析法、滑动平均法、线性趋势回归法、非参数统计检验法、Mann-Kendall秩次相关、累积距平法和滑动T检验法分析三峡工程运行前后坝下径流的变化特征,其成果可为三峡工程调度提供参考。结果表明:三峡水库坝下宜昌水文站径流量变化趋势具有显著阶段性。三峡水库蓄水运行前宜昌水文站径流量和上游降水量相关性超过90%,该时期径流量主要受上游天然来水影响。三峡水库运行后,径流量主要受人类活动影响。宜昌水文站径流年际变化减少趋势不显著,长江上游降水量呈显著减少趋势。坝下径流量和上游降水量在2002年发生了突变且变化趋势相同,但径流量减少趋势不显著。径流年内分布发生了一定变化,其中汛期径流量占年径流总量百分比从72%下降到66%,枯期径流量占年径流量总量百分比从11%增加到15%。三峡工程调蓄是人类活动的直接表现,枯期宜昌水文站径流量增大是三峡工程生态效益的具体体现。     

Hochwasser 2002

In August 2002, highly contaminated areas in the region of Bitterfeld, e.g. the floodplain of the creek Spittelwasser, as well as the adjacent regions of Jeßnitz and Raguhn, were submerged by the river Mulde. An input of mobilized contaminated sediments in residential areas was the matter of concern. The objective of the present study was to estimate the pollutants load on the basis of chemical and biological data and identify the sources of pollutants. Deposited sludge and flood water samples were assessed on the basis of biological and chemical analyses and in comparison with administrative reference values. The pollution of the investigated sites was rather heterogeneous. At several sites, tolerance limits of the German Klärschlammverordnung or the Bundesbodenschutzverordnung were clearly exceeded, e.g. for Pb, As and HCH. Organic extracts exhibited significant effects in several biotests. This may be relevant with respect to direct particle uptake via ingestion or respiration. Pollution patterns for heavy metals as well as for organic pollutants differed significantly from the pattern found in the Spittelwasser flood plain before the inundation, which is in contrast to the initial hypothesis of a possible transport of contaminated Spittelwasser sediments into residential areas. Interestingly, a correlation of chemical load and the overall biological effect could be shown. From the viewpoint of the precautionary principle, the identification of the compounds exerting toxic effects and of the respective pollutant sources would be desirable.     

Effect of Edge Structure on the Flux of Species into Forest Interiors

Abstract: A key goal of conservation biology is to prevent the spread of exotic species. Previous work on exotic invasion has two limitations: (1) the lack of a spatially explicit approach and (2) a primary focus on the net effect of invasion by examining invasive species already present in the community. We address these limitations by focusing on the arrival of a potential invader into a community and use a spatially explicit approach to quantify the flow of seeds from the surrounding landscape into the interior of a forest. We hypothesize that the structure of forest-edge vegetation influences how the edge mediates seed flux. To test our hypothesis, we experimentally altered vegetation structure within 20 m of the edge to create two edge treatments: thinned and intact. We quantified the flux of seeds moving into the forest interior across the two treatments. We used seed traps randomly arrayed on transects from 5 to 50 m into the forest. More seeds crossed the thinned treatment than crossed the intact treatment to reach the forest interior. In addition, seeds that crossed the thinned treatment dispersed farther into the forest than those that crossed the intact treatment. These results were consistent throughout the period of maximum autumn dispersal, including periods before and after leaf drop. Our results show that the structure of vegetation on the edge interacts with the flux of wind-dispersed seed across the edge. We demonstrated that an edge with intact vegetation can function as a physical barrier to seed dispersal. Therefore, the structure of vegetation on edges can influence the function of edges as barriers to seed flux into the forest interior.     

Biology of marine fouling in Mangalore waters

A comprehensive study of the fouling organisms encountered at the New Mangalore Port at Panambur and the Fish Landing Jetty on the Nethravati-Gurpur estuary near the old Mangalore Port, India, was made. Barnacles, oysters, bryozoans, polychaetes and hydroids are the dominant groups of foulers encountered in this region. Barnacles are by far the most important foulers. Distinct seasonal abundance in settlement was noticed in the different groups. The major peak settlement of barnacles occurs in November and December. Continuous settlement of this group in the harbour indicates the presence of larvae throughout the year in the marine locality. The absence of freshly settled spat in the estuarine locality shows that these larvae do not foul structures in the Fish Landing Jetty during the monsson period. The pattern of oyster settlement indicates that the spat of Crassostrea madrasensis and c. cucullata settle during January, March, May and October in this region. This group remains in the fouling community throughout the year. Only typical marine bryozoans are harboured in abundance in the fouling community. Polychaetes occur in great numbers during April and December.The differences in the quality and quantity of the fouling communities are controlled by their breeding periodicity,seasonal fluctuations in the hydrographical conditions, and the species composition of the sedentary community of this region.     

Der kammerbauvorgang der großforaminifere Heterostegina depressa (Nummulitidae)

Chamber formation of Heterostegina depressa d'Orbigny 1826 mostly starts with the beginning of the daily light period. First, the necessary space for the construction of the new chamber (“Kammerhof”) is provided by rotation of the test inside the ectoplasm sheath, which is well fixed to the substrate. At the same time, protoplasm flows out of the aperture and out of the pores of the last chamber transporting organic particles. Three to 4 h after beginning of chamber formation, these particles coalesce to an organic layer between the ectoplasm sheath and the edge of the test. A short time later, this layer is bound on the outside by an organic membrane. Organic layer and organic membrane indicate the contour of the new chamber together with its chamberlets; they represent the “anlage” of the new chamber. Calcification takes place at this membrane. After the beginning of calcification, which lasts 15 to 20 h, the organic layer is removed and the ectoplasm sheath is retracted to the test.     

Robust analysis of variance with imprecise data: an ad hoc algorithm

We present an easy to implement algorithm, which is valid to analyse the variance of data under several robust conditions. Firstly, the observations may be precise or imprecise. Secondly, the error distributions may vary within the wide class of the strongly unimodal distributions, symmetrical or not. Thirdly, the variance of the errors is unknown. The algorithm starts by estimating the parameters of the ANOVA linear model. Then, the asymptotic covariance matrix of the effects is estimated. Finally, the algorithm uses this matrix estimate to test ANOVA hypotheses posed in terms of linear combinations of the effects.     

Fourier analysis of the roll-up and merging of coherent structures in shallow mixing layers

The current study investigates the role of nonlinearity in the development of two-dimensional coherent structures (2DCS) in shallow mixing layers. A nonlinear numerical model based on the depth-averaged shallow water equations is used to investigate temporal shallow mixing layers, where the mapping from temporal to spatial results is made using the velocity at the center of the mixing layer. The flow is periodic in the stream-wise direction and the transmissive boundary conditions are used in the cross-stream boundaries to prevent reflections. The numerical results are examined with the aid of Fourier decomposition. Results show that the previous success in applying local linear theory to shallow mixing layers does not imply that the flow is truly linear. Linear stability theory is confirmed to be only valid within a short distance from the inflow boundary. Downstream of this linear region, nonlinearity becomes important for the roll-up and merging of 2DCS. While the energy required for the merging of 2DCS is still largely provided by the velocity shear, the merging mechanism is one where nonlinear mode interaction changes the velocity field of the subharmonic mode and the gradient of the along-stream velocity profile which, in turn, changes the magnitude of the energy production of the subharmonic mode by the velocity shear implicitly. The nonlinear mode interaction is associated with energy up-scaling and is consistent with the inverse energy cascade which is expected to occur in shallow shear flows. Current results also show that such implicit nonlinear interaction is sensitive to the phase angle difference between the most unstable mode and its subharmonic. The bed friction effect on the 2DCS is relatively small initially and grows in tandem with the size of the 2DCS. The bed friction also causes a decrease in the velocity gradient as the flow develops downstream. The transition from unstable to stable flow occurs when the bed friction balances the energy production. Beyond this point, the bed friction is more dominant and the 2DCS are progressively damped and eventually get annihilated. The energy production by the velocity shear plays an important role from the upstream end all the way to the point of transition to stable flow. The fact that linear stability theory is valid only for a short distance from the inflow boundary suggests that some elements of nonlinearity is incorporated in the mean velocity profile in experiments by the averaging process. The implicit nature of nonlinear interaction in shallow mixing layers and the sensitivity of the nonlinear interaction to phase angle difference between the most unstable mode and its subharmonic allows local linear theory to be successful in reproducing features of the instability such as the dominant mode of the 2DCS and its amplitude.     

The representation of the environment in the context of individual-based modeling

Individual-based modeling includes the explicit representation of the environment, to which individual organisms interact. From the perspective of spatial representation, spatially extended environment is different from discrete individual organisms, thus the success of object-orientation in the representation of individual organisms may not be applicable to the representation of the environment. Over the past few years, the attempt to adopt object-orientation in the representation of the environment has stimulated interesting discussions over what space is and how it may be represented in ecological modeling. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the merit of two traditional approaches used to represent the environment, i.e., the grid model and the patch model, and, in particular, the object-oriented versions of the two approaches in the representation of the environment. Two case studies are provided in support of the discussions of how the environment may be represented. One case study concerns individual fish growth and movement in an aquatic environment and the other concerns the movement of calving elk in a short-grass prairie. The discussion stresses the importance of two issues in the context of individual-based modeling: (1) the distinction between object-orientation used as a programming technique and as a representation means, and (2) the conceptual compatibility between a perceived phenomenon and the approach used to represent the phenomenon. It is suggested that caution be exercised in the practice of treating cells as objects. The paper concludes that two approaches may be appropriate for individual-based modeling. One is a hybrid approach that incorporates the traditional grid model of the environment and an object-oriented model of individual organisms. The other is the all-object approach that combines the object-oriented patches of the environment and the object-oriented individual organisms.     

Vertical distributions of Calanus finmarchicus and C. helgolandicus (Crustacea: Copepoda)

The vertical distributions of the spring populations of Calanus finmarchicus (Gunnerus) and C. helgolandicus Claus are described and compared. The differences we observed between the two species have probably confused the understanding of the vertical distribution and development of the populations of Calanus spp. in the shelf seas around the United Kingdom where the species occur together. The results imply that these two congeneric species have different behaviour patterns which minimise interspecific competition where the species have sympatric distributions. C. finmarchicus has its younger development stages overlying the older stages in the water column. In C. helgolandicus the converse is true; i. e., the majority of the populations of Stage I and II copepodites of the first spring generations are found below the thermocline. It is also suggested that the different behaviour patterns lead to different feeding regimes and strategies.JONSDAP Contribution No. 52     

不同土地利用方式对城市土壤活性有机碳的影响——以开封市为例

以开封市为例,采集不同土地利用方式下城市表层土壤并测定其有机碳含量,进而探讨土地利用方式对城市土壤活性有机碳特性的影响。结果表明:土地利用方式对城市土壤活性有机碳的影响差异显著,其中易氧化态和水溶性有机碳含量依次为近郊蔬菜地>城区>近郊非农业区>远郊,微生物量有机碳含量则为近郊蔬菜地>近郊非农业区>城区>远郊,这与不同土地利用方式下土壤有机碳总量的变化情况不一样;土壤活性有机碳占总有机碳的比率也随土地利用方式的不同而变化,但其变化与土壤活性有机碳的变化情况不一致;土壤易氧化态、水溶性和微生物量有机碳之间有较强的相关性,其变化趋势在同一土地利用方式下近于一致。