Change in a bacterial population during the process of degradation of a phytoplankton bloom in a brackish lake

Change in a bacterial population during the process of degradation of a phytoplankton bloom was investigated at Lake Hamana, Japan in June 1981. The predominant phytoplankton were Prorocentrum micans Ehrenberg and P. triestinum Schiller. While most phytoplankton cells were living and moving actively, most bacteria were those in a free-living state (free-living bacteria) and the number of bacteria associated with particulate materials (attached bacteria) was less than a few percent of the total bacterial number. As the decline process proceeded, the number of free-living bacteria remained almost constant or decreased slightly; on the other hand, the number of attached bacteria increased gradually and reached about 40% of the total bacterial number. These results indicate that some of the free-living bacteria become attached to particulate organic matter and grow on the surface of the particles.     

Primary production and heterotrophy of a pennate and a centric salt marsh diatom

Radionuclide labeled sodium bicarbonate and glucose were used to measure the rates of primary production and glucose uptake by Nitzschia obtusa var. undulata and Cymbella pusilla. The presence of glucose in the medium enhanced primary production in both diatom species. Uptake of glucose in C. pusilla was photoinhibited. A maximum of 9.3 nmol C mg dry wt^-1 h^-1 of glucose was taken up in the light without the presence of NaHCO₃ in the medium and with NaHCO₃ present the value was 18 nmol C mg dry wt^-1 h^-1. The ratio of inorganic carbon fixed to the total carbon budget (autotrophy and heterotrophy) was 0.51 for N. obtusa var. undulata and 0.62 for C. pusilla.     

PERFORMANCE AND PERSISTENCE OF GREEN FLUORESCENT PROTEIN （gfp） MARKED AZOTOBACTER CHROOCOCCUM IN STERILIZED AND UNSTERILIZED WHEAT RHIZOSPHERIC SOIL

ThepracticaluseofAzotobacterchroococcumasbiofertilizer hasbeenincreasinglyidentifiedinrecentyears.Oftentheefficacy ofthesebacteriaisassessedonthebasisofcropresponseswithout knowingthesurvival,persistenceandcompetitiveabilityofthein troducedstrain.Inoculat…     

Patterns of use and distribution of king eiders and black scoters during the annual cycle in northeastern Bristol Bay, Alaska

Northeastern Bristol Bay, Alaska, which includes three large estuaries, is used by multiple sea duck species during the annual cycle. Limited aerial surveys indicate that this area supports tens of thousands of king eiders and black scoters during spring migration and the autumn molt. Existing satellite telemetry data were used to assess the temporal patterns of habitat use and spatial distribution of king eiders and black scoters in northeastern Bristol Bay throughout the annual cycle. King eiders used northeastern Bristol Bay during all months of the annual cycle and black scoters used the area during spring through fall. Both species exhibited a similar seasonal pattern of use that corresponded with the timing of life-cycle stages. Abundance of both species was highest during spring migration and the autumn molting period and lowest during summer. Use by king eiders did not occur during all winter months in every year of the study. King eiders were more broadly distributed than black scoters and were located farther from shore in deeper water. Core use areas had minimal overlap, suggesting a degree of spatial segregation between species and a preference for different habitats in northeastern Bristol Bay. Further study of potential variation in invertebrate community structure that may correlate with the observed interspecific spatial segregation in habitat use is needed to determine preferred forage and describe habitat requirements for each species. Such information is necessary to assess the potential impact that future anthropogenic or environmental changes may have on habitat quality of northeastern Bristol Bay and demography of Pacific sea duck populations that use this area.     

The importance of monitoring and evaluation in adaptive maritime spatial planning

Adaptive maritime spatial planning (MSP) uses monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of spatial and temporal management measures to promote understanding and improve planning and decision-making. An adaptive approach to MSP involves exploring alternative ways to meet management objectives, predicting the outcomes of alternative management measures, implementing one or more of these alternative management measures, monitoring to learn about the effects of management measures, and then using the results to update knowledge and adjust management actions. A monitoring and evaluation plan should be designed to be both cost effective and comprehensive. The process of setting and assessing performance metrics requires that the ecological and socio-economic objectives of the spatial management plan must be clearly stated up front for management actions to reflect those objectives accurately. To evaluate the effectiveness of a MSP plan, a range of ecological, socio-economic and institutional indicators need to be developed and monitored.     

利用改进的SOS/umu方法检测水处理过程中污染物的遗传毒性效应

SOS/umu遗传毒性测试方法被广泛应用于化合物和复杂混合物遗传毒性的评价,但是目前已报道方法的实验周期长达17 h,给实验操作带来了不便,因此亟需对常规方法进行改进。建立了测试周期可小于8 h(2 h预培养,4.5 h暴露培养) 的SOS/umu快速测定方法之后,应用改进后的方法对5种典型遗传毒性物质, 4-硝基喹啉1-氧化物(4-NQO)、丝裂霉素C(MMC)、甲磺酸甲酯(MMS)、2-氨基蒽(2-AA)和苯并芘(BaP)进行测定,结果表明,改进后的SOS/umu方法对4-NQO、MMC、MMS、2-AA和BaP的检测限分别为0.013±0.0031、0.031±0.0028、229.18±60.51、2.29±1.22和1.28±0.0698 μmol·L^-1,优于或者相当于报道方法。采用经典方法和改进后的方法对全国两个地区6个环境水样的遗传毒性进行测定,结果表明,两种方法检测出的6个环境水样的遗传毒性强度无显著性差异。另外,将研究方法应用于北方某市甲乙两个水厂原水、出厂水和管网水的遗传毒性评价,结果表明,两个水厂的原水、出厂水和管网水均表现出一定的直接遗传毒性,对应的4-NQO当量浓度(TEQ4-NQO)在0.0012 μg·L^-1至0.0129 μg·L^-1之间;加入鼠肝微粒体酶系统(S9)后,仅有乙水厂的管网水检测出极其微弱的遗传毒性效应。以上研究结果表明,改进后的SOS/umu快速测定方法能够实现在短时间（8h）内完成环境化合物及环境样品的遗传毒性检测,为筛选和评价化合物和复杂环境样品的遗传毒性提供了更为快捷的手段。     

Indigo carmine removal by charcoal from rice bran as an agricultural by-product

On the utilization of agricultural by-product, charcoal from rice bran was produced. The adsorption characteristics of indigo carmine onto charcoals from rice bran were investigated by the batch method. The yield and surface area of charcoal were decreased and increased with increase of carbonization temperature, respectively. The removal ratio of indigo carmine was high with the charcoal carbonized at higher temperature. In the relationship between the amount of indigo carmine adsorbed and the square root of elapsed time, a good linearity was recognized. The kinetic constant of adsorption removal for indigo carmine was rapid in the charcoal carbonized at higher temperature. The adsorption characteristics for indigo carmine removal by charcoal from rice bran were dominated by the value of their surface area.     

Aphids are unaffected by the elemental defence of the nickel hyperaccumulator Streptanthus polygaloides (Brassicaceae)

Summary. Nickel hyperaccumulation, resulting in plant Ni contents of >1000 mg kg^у dry mass, has been shown to defend plants against folivorous herbivores. We determined whether this elemental defence tactic protected hyperaccumulating plants from attack by a phloem-feeding herbivore. We used the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, and the Ni-hyperaccumulating plant Streptanthus polygaloides. Aphids were allowed to colonize mixed arrays of S. polygaloides in which plants either were hyperaccumulating Ni, not hyperaccumulating Ni and treated with a systemic insecticide, or not hyperaccumulating Ni. Aphid numbers g^у dry mass of plant biomass were lowest for the insecticide treatment, intermediate for low-Ni plants, and highest for plants hyperaccumulating Ni. Artificial liquid aphid diet, amended with varying levels of Ni, resulted in decreased aphid survival at 2500 mg kg^у Ni dry mass (or 5.03 mM Ni). We concluded that Ni levels in the phloem of hyperaccumulating plants of S. polygaloides were < 5.03 mM and, as a result, were not effective in defending plants against aphid attack.