Spatial differences of chemical features of atmospheric deposition between rainy season and winter in the areas facing to the Japan Sea, Japan

Atmospheric deposition was collected using filtrating bulk samplers at 32 sites in the areas facing to the Japan Sea (AFJS) from April 1991 to March 1994. The data were analyzed for winter (January and February) and the rainy season (June and July) when the climate is just the opposite. The AFJS was geographically divided into five areas, that is western Tohoku (WT), Hokuriku (HR), eastern San-in (ES), western San-in (WS) and northern Kyushu (NK). WT, HR and ES receive more precipitation than other regions in winter. H+ depositions increase in winter except NK. This is mainly due to high winter H+ concentrations. In spite of large amounts of precipitation in WT, HR and ES in winter, nss-SO4(2-) concentration was nearly equal to the average throughout Japan. Namely, nss-SO4(2-) depositions in these areas were nearly twice the national mean. In WT, HR and ES, nss-Ca2+ concentrations in winter are lower than the average of the whole country (less than the half). This may be the cause of the lower potentials of neutralization and the higher remaining acid concentrations in WT, HR and ES than NK and WS.     

Burrow morphology of the ghost shrimp<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Nihonotrypaea petalura</Emphasis> (Decapoda: Thalassinidea: Callianassidae) from western Kyushu,Japan

The callianassid shrimp Nihonotrypaea petalura (Stimpson, 1860) is a common member on boulder beaches in Japanese waters. Its burrow morphology was investigated, based on 28 resin casts collected from a steeply sloping beach with dense boulders and 30 from a more gently sloping beach with less dense boulders in Ariake Sound, southern Japan. The structure and dimensions of the burrows from the two beaches were basically the same, and thus a combined mean value could be given to most of their constituent elements. In its entire dimensions, the burrow is greater in lateral extent than depth, with a mean maximum horizontal extension of 145 mm and a mean maximum depth of 119 mm for the shrimp with a mean total length of 31.8 mm. The burrow winds along boulders or cobbles and consists of, from top to bottom, a single surface opening with an ejected mound, a top shaft leading to the uppermost chamber at a mean depth of 48–56 mm, a passage with a regular cross section that is wider than that of the top shaft, and bulbous chambers (mean no.=4.7) with an irregular cross section associated with branches (mean no. per burrow=1.2). Bulbous chambers are much larger than the uppermost chamber and are usually connected by passages, with some directly attached to each other. The combined architecture of these features is unique and relatively simple among the burrows of all callianassid species, the majority of which inhabit bare soft sediments. The structure and function of the N. petalura burrow are discussed in relation to lifestyle.Communicated by T. Ikeda, Hakodate     

利用四段滤膜法进行干沉积监测

在酸雨研究领域,人们普遍是对降雨或降雪等湿沉积过程进行研究.近年来,干沉积也引起了大家的关注,但尚未建立成熟的方法.文章介绍了利用四段滤膜法进行干沉积监测的方法,作为日本全国公害研究协会的合作项目在日本神户和丰冈市进行了实际测量和评估.     

Intraspecific behaviors and major cheliped sexual dimorphism in three congeneric callianassid shrimp

Decapod callianassid shrimps are usually solitary occupants of their burrows. They are known to show distinct sexual dimorphism of the major cheliped, which is used as a weapon for intraspecific fighting. Three species of Nihonotrypaea occur in an estuary in southern Japan; they consist of two tidal flat species (N. harmandi; N. japonica) and one boulder beach species (N. petalura), with maximum population densities of 1,400, 340, and 12 m^–2, respectively. The major cheliped size and total length of shrimp were recorded from each population. The degrees of major cheliped sexual dimorphism were ordered as N. harmandi >N. japonica >N. petalura. In the laboratory, intra- and intersexual behaviors at forced encounters between two shrimps were recorded, for the former behavior throughout the year and the latter in the non-breeding season. At their intersected burrows, the shrimps either fought or retreated or filled the burrow crack. Males interacted aggressively with each other, with the intensity being N. petalura >N. harmandi N. japonica. Females of the tidal flat species were non-aggressive, while those of N. petalura were as aggressive with each other as were males. Intersexually, males of all species and females of N. petalura were much less aggressive than intrasexually. In N. petalura only, burrow-sharing behavior between sexes occasionally occurred. The interspecific difference in these behaviors is in parallel with the degree of major cheliped sexual dimorphism. Different intensities of intrasexual competition for mates could have been imposed by the different population densities of these species.Communicated by T. Ikeda, Hakodate     

An unusual archosaurian from the marine Triassic of China

A new Triassic archosaurian from China shows a number of aquatic specializations, of which the most striking is the extreme lateral compression of the long tail. Others that may also reflect aquatic adaptations include platelike scapula and coracoid, elongate neck with extremely long and slender ribs, and reduction of osteoderms. In contrast, its pelvic girdle and hind limb have no aquatic modifications. Anatomic features, taphonomy, and local geological data suggest that it may have lived in a coastal–island environment. This lifestyle, convergent with some Jurassic marine crocodyliforms that lived at least 40 million years later and the saltwater species of extant Crocodylus, contradicts with the prevailing view that Triassic archosaurians were restricted to nonmarine ecosystems. Its mosaic anatomy represents a previously unknown ecomorph within primitive archosaurians.Electronic Supplementary Material  Supplementary material is available for this article at     

百里酚对酸雨样品分析的影响

在东亚酸雨监测网湿沉降监测的技术指南中 ,百里酚 (thymol)作为杀菌剂被推荐用于预先加入采样容器以抑制微生物对有机酸的分解 ,解决没有冰箱或难以使用冰箱地区的酸雨样品保存问题。本文实验了它对酸雨样品分析的影响。由于百里酚与苯酚结构相似 ,造成靛酚法的铵离子分析中吸光度有所降低。此外 ,在每 10 0 ml样品中百里酚加入量大于 40 mg时 ,离子色谱的基线明显变差     

Field Survey of Trans-boundary Air Pollution with High Time Resolution at Coastal Sites on the Sea of Japan during Winter in Japan}

An intensive field survey, with 6-h measurement intervals, of concentrations of chemical species in particulate matter and gaseous compounds was carried out at coastal sites on the Sea of Japan during winter. The concentration variation of SO₂(g) and HNO₃(g) were well correlated, whereas the NH₃(g) concentration variation had no correlation with those of SO₂(g) and HNO₃(g). The NH₄ ⁺ (p)/non-sea-salt- (nss-)SO₄ ^{2 −}(p) ratio in particulate matter was mainly affected by the location of the sampling site. One or more concentration peaks of nss-Ca^{2 +} for survey period were observed. Backward trajectories analyses for the highest nss-Ca^{2 +} concentration peaks showed some inconsistency in pathways. We consider that insufficient mixing of the atmosphere and/or insufficient time for the transported air pollutants to react with those discharged locally are the most likely explanations for the discrepancies between the measured products [HNO₃][NH₃] and the calculated values.     

Degradation behaviors of nonylphenol ethoxylates by isolated bacteria using improved isolation method

Nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPEO)-degrading bacteria were isolated from activated sludge using an improved isolation method, and the corresponding degradation behaviours were investigated. Eight NPEO-degrading strains distributed in genera Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas, Sphingobium, Cupriavidus, Ralstonia, Achromobacter, and Staphylococcus were acquired. The latter five genera have never been reported for the degradation of NPEOs. Four degradation patterns were observed for the eight pure strains. In pattern A, NPE...     

Estimation of the amount of dry deposition in an urban area (Kobe city, Japan) by the inferential method

The amount of dry deposition of SO₂(g) and HNO₃(g) in an urban area in Japan has been estimated by the inferential method. The mean annual dry deposition of SO₂(g) (2.91 kgS/ha/year) was close to or less than that in the Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet) of the U.S. (3.59 kgS/ha/year). The mean annual dry deposition of HNO₃(g) (10.8 kgN/ha/year) was approximately six times larger than that in CASTNet (1.85 kgN/ha/year). The proportions of dry/(dry+wet) deposition for sulfur and nitrogen were 0.301 and 0.785, respectively.