Genetic structure of rhinoceros auklets,Cerorhinca monocerata,breeding in British Columbia,Alaska, and Japan

Data from eight microsatellite markers screened in 246 rhinoceros auklets (Cerorhinca monocerata) from across the North Pacific revealed multiple genetic groups. The east (North America) to west (Japan) split was clearly evident in all analyses. Within the eastern Pacific, a minimum of three genetic groups are present. Surprisingly, rhinoceros auklets from Triangle Island, British Columbia, were genetically isolated from other nearby populations, including the breeding colony on Pine Island (~100 km to the east). A fourth genetic cluster (Chowiet Is) was detected using principal coordinate’s analysis; however, sample sizes were limited. Patterns of differentiation correspond to nonbreeding distributions with the eastern and western Pacific birds spending time off the west coast of North America and Japan, respectively, and may represent historical isolation in separate refugia during the Pleistocene glaciations. The patterns of genetic structure result from a combination of historical and contemporary factors influencing dispersal of rhinoceros auklets.     

Importance of the Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) to breeding rhinoceros auklets (Cerorhinca monocerata) on Teuri Island, Sea of Japan

Temporal variation in the diet and chick growth of rhinoceros auklets (Cerorhinca monocerata), on Teuri Island, Sea of Japan, was studied to understand how local marine environmental changes affect the reproduction of this piscivorous seabird. The food delivered by parents to chicks was sampled every 1-2 weeks from late May to July, 1994-1998. Overall, the diet of nestling rhinoceros auklets consisted of (by mass) 61% Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus), 18% Japanese sand lance (Ammodytes personatus), 18% Japan Sea greenling (Pleurogrammus azonus), 2% other fish and 1% squid. Among years, the contribution of anchovy ranged from 16% to 93%. Once anchovy occurred in the diet, it dominated (80% on average) thereafter. Accordingly, when anchovy appeared in the diet early in the chick-rearing season (1994, 1998), the contribution of anchovy overall was large. The first appearance of anchovy in the diet of auklets late in the summer of 1997 was possibly related to negatively anomalous sea-surface temperature. Food loads composed of anchovy (34.0 g) were heavier than those of sand lance (22.5 g) and greenling (28.5 g). The energy density of anchovies also was higher: 6.3 kJ g^-1 wet mass compared to 0+ greenling (4.78 kJ g^-1) and 0+ sand lance (3.78 kJ g^-1). Thus, a high proportion of anchovy in the diet resulted in high food load mass, high daily growth rates of chicks and high fledging success. This study highlighted the importance of the time of arrival of migratory high-lipid prey, which is influenced by local oceanographic conditions, to the reproductive performance of a piscivorous seabird.     

Differences in stable isotopes in blood and feathers of seabirds are consistent across species, age and latitude: implications for food web studies

Stable isotopes of growing feathers and blood both represent assimilated diet, and both tissues are used to study the diet and foraging distribution of marine and terrestrial birds. Although most studies have assumed that both tissues represent a difference of one trophic level to diet, the enrichment factors of blood and feathers may differ, especially where endogenous reserves are used as precursors during feather synthesis. In this study, we compare carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes of blood and simultaneously growing feathers of five species of Procellariiformes, representing five genera, different geographical regions and different life stages (chicks and adults). In all species, feathers were enriched in ¹⁵N and ¹³C compared with blood. Isotopic values of carbon and nitrogen were correlated in different tissues growing simultaneously for most species analyzed, suggesting that mathematical corrections could be used to compare different tissues. Our results imply that more care needs to be taken when comparing stable isotope signatures across studies assuming different tissues are equivalent indicators of trophic ecology.     

Copepod communities in the middle Adriatic as affected by different levels of pollution

The paper describes some results on copepod studies from two different areas in the middle Adriatic. The Maloston Bay is a naturally eutrophicated area, and the Kastela Bay is under a variety of influences of industrial wastes, agricultural wastes, food processing industry, shipyard, etc.

Although these two shallow areas are under the similar impact of sea‐water dynamics, as to the different levels of pollution, different consequences have been found to the copepod communities.     

Numerical simulation of benzene transport in shoreline groundwater affected by tides under different conditions

● An approach for assessing the transport of benzene on the beach was proposed. ● The behavior of benzene in the subsurface of the beach was impacted by tide. ● Tidal amplitude influenced the travel speed and the benzene biodegradation. ● Hydraulic conductivity had the impact on plume residence time and biodegradation. ● Plume dispersed and concentration decreased due to high longitudinal dispersivity. The release and transport of benzene in coastal aquifers were investigated in the present study. Numerical simulations were implemented using the SEAM3D, coupled with GMS, to study the behavior of benzene in the subsurface of tidally influenced beaches. The transport and fate of the benzene plume were simulated, considering advection, dispersion, sorption, biodegradation, and dissolution on the beach. Different tide amplitudes, aquifer characteristics, and pollutant release locations were studied. It was found that the tide amplitude, hydraulic conductivity, and longitudinal dispersivity were the primary factors affecting the fate and transport of benzene. The tidal amplitude influenced the transport speed and percentage of biodegradation of benzene plume in the beach. A high tidal range reduced the spreading area and enhanced the rate of benzene biodegradation. Hydraulic conductivity had an impact on plume residence time and the percentage of contaminant biodegradation. Lower hydraulic conductivity induced longer residence time in each beach portion and a higher percentage of biodegradation on the beach. The plume dispersed and the concentration decreased due to high longitudinal dispersivity. The results can be used to support future risk assessment and management for the shorelines impacted by spill and leaking accidents. Modeling the heterogeneous beach aquifer subjected to tides can also be further explored in the future study.     

Innate movement rules in foraging bees: flight distances are affected by recent rewards and are correlated with choice of flower type

The non-random movement patterns of foraging bees are believed to increase their search efficiency. These patterns may be innate, or they may be learned through the bees’ early foraging experience. To identify the innate components of foraging rules, we characterized the flight of naive bumblebees, foraging on a non-patchy “field” of randomly scattered artificial flowers with three color displays. The flowers were randomly mixed and all three flower types offered equal nectar volumes. Visited flowers were refilled with probability 0.5. Flight distances, flight durations and nectar probing durations were determined and related to the bees’ recent experiences. The naive bees exhibited area-restricted search behavior, i.e., flew shorter distances following visits to rewarding flowers than after visits to empty flowers. Additionally, flight distances during flower-type transitions were longer than flight distances between flowers of the same type. The two movement rules operated together: flight distances were longest for flights between flower types following non-rewarding visits, shortest for within-type flights following rewarding visits. An increase in flight displacement during flower-type shifts was also observed in a second experiment, in which all three types were always rewarding. In this experiment, flower-type shifts were also accompanied by an increase in flight duration. Possible relationships between flight distances, flight durations and flower-type choice are discussed. Received: 20 November 1995/Accepted after revision: 10 May 1996     

广东省土壤砷元素空间变异与环境意义

利用广东省260个土壤剖面数据,开展区域尺度下的土壤砷（As）元素质量分数的空间分布和垂直变异研究。结果显示,研究区土壤砷的几何平均质量分数为10.4 mg.kg-1,高于全国的平均水平9.6 mg.kg-1。表层土壤As的上基线质量分数为23.4 mg.kg-1。土壤As的空间分布特征主要决定其成土母岩的类型,主要表现为A、B、C 3层土壤As的空间展布形式相似,高As背景质量分数主要分布于石灰岩和砂页岩地区。此外,由A层至C层,As质量分数呈逐渐增加的趋势（由低到高依次为10.4 mg.kg-1,10.7 mg.kg-1,11.3 mg.kg-1）,但无底层富集特征,这种垂直变异特征与低有机质含量和强烈的土壤侵蚀作用有关。计算得出,研究区由土壤侵蚀引发的流入周边水体的土壤As每年可高达1 040 t。     

广东省土壤硒空间分布及潜在环境风险分析

利用广东省260个土壤剖面数据,开展区域尺度下的土壤总硒（Se）质量分数的空间分布研究。结果表明,研究区内土壤硒含量变异性较强,符合对数正态分布特征,其几何质量分数为0.23 mg·kg-1,高于全国平均水平。表层土壤硒基线质量分数范围为0.13到0.41 mg·kg-1,处于硒缺乏与中等含量水平之间。土壤硒的空间分布格局与区域成土母质密切相关,表现为：高硒质量分数的土壤主要位于石灰岩和砂页岩区域,而低硒质量分数的土壤主要位于紫色页岩和花岗岩地区。土壤硒缺乏可能是影响研究区人体健康的重要问题。此外,研究区由土壤退化和土壤侵蚀引发的流入周边水体的土壤硒每年可高达23 t。     

Geographic variation in polyphenolic levels of Northeastern Pacific kelps and rockweeds

Brown algal polyphenolic compounds are secondary metabolites whose functions may include protecting plants from pathogens or damage by UV radiation, and deterring feeding by herbivores. We present here the first analysis of spatial variation (at scales from tens of meters to hundreds of kilometers) in concentration of these compounds in two orders of brown algae from the northeastern Pacific Ocean. In kelps (order Laminariales), variation among sites was significant in only 25% of species examined and was consistent within families (high in the Alariaceae and low in the Laminariaceae and Lessoniaceae). In rockweeds (order Fucales, family Fucaceae), site variation was high in three of four species examined. Both the proportion of high polyphenolic kelp species and the magnitude of spatial variation within species from both kelps and rockweeds were much higher than would have been predicted from previous studies in other regions. In one kelp (Laminaria groenlandica), significant differences between sites occurred at scales of only tens of meters. No latitudinal clines were observed. Differences in phenolic concentrations of kelps spanned nearly an order of magnitude in one species, Hedophyllum sessile. Phenolic levels were significantly higher in members of the Fucales than the Laminariales, but showed no significant differences between intertidal and subtidal species. Received: 22 July 1996 / Accepted: 26 October 1998     

Spider, bee, and bird communities in cities are shaped by environmental control and high stochasticity

Spatially organized distribution patterns of species and communities are shaped by both autogenic processes (neutral mechanism theory) and exogenous processes (niche theory). In the latter, environmental variables that are themselves spatially organized induce spatial structure in the response variables. The relative importance of these processes has not yet been investigated in urban habitats. We compared the variance explained by purely spatial, spatially structured environmental, and purely environmental components for the community composition of spiders (Araneae), bees (Apidae), and birds (Aves) at 96 locations in three Swiss cities. Environmental variables (topography, climate, land cover, urban green management) were measured on four different radii around sampling points (< 10 m, 50 m, 250 m, 1000 m), while Moran's eigenvector maps (MEMs) acted as spatial variables. All three taxonomic groups showed weak spatial structure. Spider communities reacted to very fine-scaled environmental changes of lawn and meadow management and climate. Bird community composition was determined by woody plants as well as solar radiation at all radii, the scale of the influence varying among species. Bee communities were weakly explained by isolated variables only. Our results suggest that the anthropogenic structuring of urban areas has disrupted the spatial organization of environmental variables and inhibited the development of biotic spatial processes. The near absence of spatial structure may therefore be a feature typical of urban species assemblages, resulting in urban community composition mainly influenced by local environmental variables. Urban environments represent a close-knit mosaic of habitats that are regularly disturbed. Species communities in urban areas are far from equilibrium. Our analysis also suggests that urban communities need to be considered as being in constant change to adapt to disturbances and changes imposed by human activities.     

Effects of coral transplantation in sites of varying distances and environmental conditions

Several scleractinian coral species with different growth forms and life history strategies were studied in terms of colony growth (expressed as projected linear increment) and survivorship over a range of distances and environmental conditions in the Philippines. The experimental design consisted of 1 m² plots grouped within a reef site, to several sites within reef systems separated by a distance of about 340 km. There were distinct differences among species, with submassive and massive forms displaying slower growth but better survival, confirming results of other studies. They probably play the role of framework builders of the reef. In contrast, the delicate branching and foliose species had higher growth rates but poor survivorship. This observation, plus their ease of fragmentation, suggests they act more as fillers of the reef matrix. There was high variability in colony increment of a species among the square meter plots, but not among sites within a reef system. Thus, more regular pattern could be observed at this level. In contrast to growth, survivorship differed significantly among sites, being lowest in the site which harbored the greatest amount of dead coral. Growth and survival, however, are not sufficient performance measures to evaluate the success of coral transplantation. Reproduction and subsequent recruitment must also be taken into account. It is recommended that coral transplant and restoration studies consider the broad environmental context of restoration and seek to develop assembly rules that will allow practitioners to match coral types and sequence of interventions to each unique context.     

The roles of competition and environmental heterogeneity in the maintenance of behavioral variation and covariation

Many models of selection predict that populations will lose variation in traits that affect fitness. Nonetheless, phenotypic variation is commonly observed in natural populations. We tested the influences of competition and spatial heterogeneity on behavioral variation within and among populations of Merriam's kangaroo rats (Dipodomys merriami) and tested for the differential expression of trait correlations. We found that populations of D. merriami exhibited more aggression at sites with more competition. Contrary to theoretical predictions and empirical results in other systems, the sites with the greatest spatial heterogeneity and highest levels of competition did not exhibit the most behavioral variation among individuals. However, the greatest within-individual behavioral variability in boldness (response to cues of predator presence) was exhibited where spatial heterogeneity was highest. Aggression and boldness of D. merriami were highly repeatable, that is, individuals behaved in a consistent manner over time, and the two behaviors were also highly correlated. Interestingly, the strength of this correlation was greatest where the competitive community was least diverse. These findings add to increasing evidence that natural populations of animals exhibit patterns of behavioral covariance, or personality structure, and suggest that competitive variation may act to erode personality structure.     

我国两大冻融侵蚀区气候环境变化对比分析

对我国东北及青藏高原两大主要冻融侵蚀区51 a的(1956-2006年)气候资料进行分析,主要采用一元回归、趋势系数等方法.通过分析气温和降水变化对两区冻融作用与冻融侵蚀的影响,进而揭示两地区冻融侵蚀发展趋势.结果表明:两地区年平均气温呈现波动上升且十分显著,在东北地区年降水呈波动下降趋势,而青藏高原区与其相反,但两地在春季解冻期降雨均有不同程度的增加.在气温和降水变化的情况下,这些地区土壤冻结期有推后的趋势,而解冻期有提前的趋势,因此冻融期有所缩短,加之冻融温差的减小,土壤所受冻融作用的程度与强度也将随之降低,但随着春季解冻期降水明显增加,这一时期土壤侵蚀仍有加剧的趋势.     

Impact of invasive plant and environmental conditions on denitrification potential in urban riparian ecosystems

One of the most serious problems involved in riparian restoration is the proliferation of invasive plants during or after a restoration project. Although many studies have assessed ecological influences of invasive plants, life history in particular, only a few have clarified the functional consequences of such changes. In this study, we aimed to determine the influences of an invasive plant, Humulus japonicus, and environmental conditions on riparian ecosystem functions, focusing on denitrification. Soil samples from five riparian ecosystems in Korea were collected on four occasions over a one-year period, and denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) was measured using an acetylene blocking method. DEA varied between 2.5 and>7000 ng N₂O g^?1 soil h^?1. Overall results suggest that DEA was fairly high in winter, but the influences of H. japonicus were minimal. The results suggest that water availability may be a more dominant controlling variable than the presence of H. japonicus for DEA.     

Aggregation and dissolution of silver nanoparticles in a laboratory-based freshwater microcosm under simulated environmental conditions

Silver nanoparticles (NP) are used in several applications, including their use as antimicrobial agents in textiles, personal care, and other domestic products. As such, there is a high potential for the release of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) in the aquatic environment. In aquatic ecosystems, nanomaterials are affected by abiotic factors, such as temperature, that alter their chemistry and influence their fate in the environment. Preliminary studies indicate that NP tend to form aggregates which are potentially more recalcitrant than unaggregated NP. These and other fate processes are largely dependent on both the characteristics of the NP and that of the environment. In this study, lab experiments were conducted to investigate the physicochemical properties and temperature solubility of AgNP (<100 nm) that may potentially influence the fate and behavior of AgNP in the aqueous environment. Results indicated that, under these tested conditions, AgNP may be transformed in size and thereby affect fate, bioavailability, and toxicity. In this study, a novel method was used to determine whether AgNP would form agglomerates, or behave as isolated particles, or dissolve when in aqueous media and under different environmental conditions. The new aspects evaluated in this study demonstrated that AgNP are transformed in both size and state under variable environmental conditions.     

Low levels of lead and glutathione markers of redox status in human blood

Exposure to lead (Pb) is implicated in a plethora of health threats in both adults and children. Increased exposure levels are associated with oxidative stress in the blood of workers exposed at occupational levels. However, it is not known whether lower Pb exposure levels are related to a shift toward a more oxidized state. To assess the association between blood lead level (BLL) and glutathione (GSH) redox biomarkers in a population of healthy adults, BLL and four GSH markers (GSH, GSSG, GSH/GSSG ratio and redox potential E _h ) were measured in the blood of a cross-sectional cohort of 282 avid seafood-eating healthy adults living on Long Island (NY). Additionally, blood levels of two other metals known to affect GSH redox status, selenium (Se) and mercury (Hg), and omega-3 index were tested for effect modification. Regression models were further adjusted for demographic and smoking status. Increasing exposure to Pb, measured in blood, was not associated with GSSG, but was associated with lower levels of GSH/GSSG ratio and more positive GSH redox potential E _h , driven by its association with GSH. No effect modification was observed in analyses stratified by Hg, Se, omega-3 index, sex, age, or smoking. Blood Pb is associated with lower levels of GSH and the GSH/GSSG ratio in this cross-sectional study of healthy adults.     

Diurnal variation in chlorophyll fluorescence of Thalassia testudinum seedlings in response to controlled salinity and light conditions

Diurnal variability in chlorophyll fluorescence caused by dynamic irradiance conditions is an important issue when using pulse amplitude modulation fluorometry to measure physiological conditions of plants at the landscape scale. We examined the use of slopes and y-intercepts of diurnal effective photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) (ΔF/F _m′) versus photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) regressions in addition to direct measurements of maximum photochemical efficiencies of PSII (F _v/F _m) values to assess physiological status of Thalassia testudinum seedlings in a controlled mesocosm study. Seedlings were exposed to two light treatments (full sun and 50–70 % light reduction) and three salinity treatments (20, 35, and 50). Measurements were taken at 0600, 0900, 1200, 1500, 1800, and 2100 hours in order to assess the diurnal variation in photochemical efficiency of PSII and PAR, with measurements at 2100 providing F _v/F _m. Results indicated significant effects of light and salinity on regression y-intercepts and measured F _v/F _m values. Shaded seedlings had higher values for both parameters, suggesting low-light acclimation. The highest salinity treatment resulted in significant reductions for both parameters, suggesting stress. Stress was also indicated by significant reductions in both seedling leaf growth and mean differences between seedling leaves and media osmolalities in the hypersaline treatments (152.0 ± 26.4 vs. 630 ± 40.2 mmol kg^?1 for the control treatments). Slopes of ΔF/F _m′ versus PAR significantly differed with varying light treatments, with full sun seedlings exhibiting shallower slopes than shaded seedlings, indicating higher efficiency of dissipation of excess energy (photoprotection). These experimental results confirm field data suggesting that diurnal ΔF/F _m′ versus PAR regressions are responsive to changes in the physiological status of T. testudinum and that the y-intercepts of diurnal regressions may be used as a proxy for F _v/F _m.