Grazing rates of organic matter and living fungal biomass of decaying Spartina alterniflora by three species of salt-marsh invertebrates

 The pathway for the flow of salt-marsh grass production into marsh food-webs is still not well defined. We compared the abilities of three marsh macroinvertebrates [salt marsh periwinkles, Littoraria irrorata (Say) (=Littorina irrorata), salt-marsh coffee-bean snails, Melampus bidentatus (Say); and a talitrid amphipod, Uhlorchestia spartinophila Bounsfield and Heard] to access standing-dead leaves of smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora Loisel). The invertebrates were incubated with naturally-decaying leaves, and the rates of removal of organic matter and living fungal biomass (ergosterol) were measured. The impact of invertebrate activity upon fungal growth rates was measured as rates of fungal-membrane synthesis (incorporation of radioacetate into ergosterol). The removal rates of organic leaf biomass per mg individual biomass were highest for amphipods (700 μg mg⁻¹ d⁻¹) and lowest for periwinkles (90 μg mg⁻¹ d⁻¹), but the relatively large biomass of the snails made their removal rates per individual greater than those of amphipods. Net removal of ergosterol by all three invertebrates was >50% for yellow-brown (early-decay) leaf blades. For fully-brown (advanced-decay) blades, >50% removal of ergosterol was found only for periwinkles; exposure to coffee-bean snails and amphipods resulted in a net ergosterol reduction of ≤20%. The lower net reduction of living fungal biomass by coffee-bean snails and amphipods may have been due to fungal-growth stimulation (2.3-fold stimulation in coffee-bean snails and 1.5-fold stimulation in amphipods). Grazing by periwinkles did not stimulate fungal growth, possibly because of its high intensity. Grazing by these three salt-marsh shredders may affect marsh-grass shoot-decay in different ways. Periwinkles may abbreviate the period of fungal production, and incorporate the decaying material relatively quickly into snail biomass and fecal-pellet rain to the sediments. Coffee-bean snails and amphipods may enhance and prolong fungal production, along with the formation of fecal-pellet rain. All three invertebrates fed preferentially on leaf blades rather than leaf sheaths, and feeding rates of gastropods were higher during the night than during the day. Received: 25 November 1998 / Accepted: 4 November 1999     

Metabolic differences between “demersal” and “pelagic” development of the Antarctic sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri

 Early development of the Antarctic sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri was examined under two differ-ent culture regimes: one to simulate development near-bottom (“demersal development”) and the other to simulate the development of embryos in the water column (“pelagic development”). When embryos of both treatments reached the hatching blastula stage at 5 d post-fertilization (−1.5 °C), the blastulae that had undergone demersal development evidenced significant differences (by ANOVA or suitable non-parametric comparison) in the following: a thicker blastoderm layer (12%, P < 0.001), higher ash-free dry weights (19%, P < 0.01), lower mass-specific respiration rates (50%, P < 0.001), higher incorporation rates of ³⁵S-methionine into protein (23%, P < 0.003), and a differential pattern of protein synthesis. When embryos developed demersally, they remained in the jelly-coat material released with the eggs at spawning. Quantitative isolation of this jelly-coat material in S. neumayeri demonstrated that it contained a significant amount of organic matter, 115 ng ash-free dry mass per egg, equivalent to 17% of the egg's initial organic mass. Uptake of external nutrients during embryogenesis may be a significant component of the physiological energetics of this polar invertebrate by allowing the utilization of jelly-coat material released by a female during spawning. Received: 21 April 1999 / Accepted: 5 June 2000     

Simultaneous hermaphroditism in the marine shrimp Lysmata wurdemanni (Caridea: Hippolytidae): an undescribed sexual system in the decapod Crustacea

Simultaneous hermaphroditism with outcrossing, a previously unconfirmed sexual system in decapod crustaceans, is documented in the shrimp Lysmata wurdemanni (Gibbes), using time-lapse video observations on mating in pairs of “female-phase” (FP) individuals. Copulations between FPs resulted in successful spawning and development of embryos. However, female-phase hermaphrodites maintained in isolation were unable to self-fertilize spawned eggs. All smaller individuals possessed characters typical of caridean males, including male gonopores, appendices masculinae, ejaculatory ducts, and cincinnuli on the first pleopods. However, the gonad of these male-phase (MP) individuals was an ovotestis with an undeveloped ovarian portion. FPs, which spawn eggs and incubate embryos, also had male gonopores and an ovotestis terminating in ejaculatory ducts containing sperm. In FPs, male pleopod characters were absent or reduced, and a female incubatory character, expanded pleopod flanges, showed a greater relative size. Smaller size classes of the population were composed only of MPs while larger size classes consisted of both MPs and FPs. “Transitionals,” individuals with MP characters but an ovotestis containing vitellogenic oocytes, were rare and overlapped completely in size with FP and larger MP individuals. It is suggested that not all MPs transform into FP hermaphrodites. Social interactions may mediate MP change into FP hermaphrodites in L. wurdemanni. The social system of L. wurdemanni and other Lysmata spp. may determine the exact form of the sexual system in these species. Received: 26 October 1997 / Accepted: 21 April 1998     

鸡粪腐解过程中不同溶性腐殖质结合铜的变化

以鸡粪为材料,添加不同比例的铜锌进行腐解试验,研究了腐解过程中不同溶性腐殖质结合态铜(水溶性、氢氧化钠溶性、氢氧化钠-焦磷酸钠混合液溶性)浓度的动态变化、受锌含量的影响及其与有效铜的关系.结果表明,粪肥原样H2O-Cu(水溶性腐殖质结合态铜)占其全铜量的10.97%,在腐解过程中先上升后下降;随着粪肥中添加铜量的增加(1:1、2:1、3:1处理),H2O-Cu占其全铜的比例相应减少了(平均分别占其全铜的比例的7.10%、5.18%和3.74%);H2O-Cu随着腐解时间延长呈增加趋势;在腐解的后期(45、60d),粪肥中锌含量的增加会降低H2O-Cu含量.腐解初期粪肥原样NaOH浸提腐殖质-铜(NaOH-Cu)占其全铜量的70.87%,随腐解进行其比例大幅度下降;NaOH-Cu占其全铜的比例随着加入铜的增大而有所下降,分别为55.59%、46.04%和38.08%,且随着腐解时间延长呈下降趋势;粪肥中锌含量的增加对NaOH-Cu含量变化影响较小.粪肥原样中NaOH-Na4P2O7提取腐殖质结合态铜(NaOH-Na4P2O7-Cu)占其全铜量的24.29%,随腐解过程呈增加趋势,NaOH-Na4P2O7-Cu量随着加入铜量的增加而增加,占其全铜比例的15%～25%;粪肥中锌含量增加对NaOH-Na4P2O7-Cu有促进作用.粪肥添加铜锌后,3种浸提剂提取的可溶性腐殖质结合态铜有55%～80%分配在NaOH的溶液中,10%～30%分配在NaOH-Na4P2O7碱性混合液中,0～10%在水溶液中;随加入铜含量和锌含量的增加,NaOH-Na4P2O7-Cu平均分配比(占3种町浸提性腐殖质-Cu的比例)增加,NaOH-Cu和H2O-Cu的分配比减少.相关性分析结果表明:H2O-Cu、NaOH-Cu和NaOH-Na4P2O7-Cu之间显著正相关,它们与有效铜之间呈显著正相关关系(p<0.01).     

我国主要蔬菜和粮油作物的砷含量与砷富集能力比较

根据国内外文献报道,对蔬菜和粮油作物中砷的累积特点和富集能力进行总结和分析.结果表明.清洁区和污染区蔬菜的砷含量变幅分别为0.001-1.07 mg·kg-1和0.001-8.51 mg·kg-1(鲜重),均值分别为0.035 mg·kg-1和0.068 mg·kg-1不同种类蔬菜的砷含量由大到小,依次为:叶菜类>根茎类>茄果类>鲜豆类;清洁区和污染区粮油作物的砷含量变幅分别为0.001-2.20 mg·kg-1和0.007-6.83 mg·kg-1(干重),均值分别为0.081 mg·kg-1和0.294 mg·kg-1,其中水稻的砷含量显著高于小麦和玉米.从富集系数来看,叶莱类蔬菜的砷富集系数最高,芹菜、蕹菜、茼蒿、芥菜等蔬菜的抗砷污染能力较弱.粮食作物玉米的抗砷污染能力较强.与蔬菜砷限量标准(GB4810-1994)相比,我国砷污染区的蔬菜中有32.2%的样本砷含量超标,其中叶菜类和根茎类的超标率分别为47.9%和12.8%.与粮食砷限量标准(GB4810-1994)比较,我国污染区粮油作物的样本砷超标率为34.8%,其中水稻的超标率高达42.9%.玉米和小麦的超标率均高于20%.     

小煤柱巷道围岩变形的力学机理及演化过程研究

为研究小煤柱巷道围岩变形力学机理与演化过程,以石槽村矿某回风巷为研究对象,采用理论分析、FLAC3D数值模拟以及现场实测等方法,分析小煤柱条件下巷道围岩变形的主要影响因素以及表征特点。研究结果表明:侧压系数为巷道围岩变形的主控因素;侧压系数与巷道顶底板位移量呈正比关系,与两帮位移量呈反比关系;回风巷每次受采动影响时,变形可分为巷道稳定阶段、位移分化阶段以及位移加速变化阶段;围岩变形主要发生在一次采动影响时,此时巷道变形呈现明显的不对称,左右两帮的位移量差异明显,巷道的中心位置明显偏移。研究结果可为小煤柱巷道围岩支护提供技术参考。     

Clean and effective removal of Cl(-I) from strongly acidic wastewater by PbO2

Recycling strongly acidic wastewater as diluted H₂SO₄ after contaminants contained being removed was previously proposed, however, Cl(-I), a kind of contaminant contained in strongly acidic wastewater, is difficult to remove, which severely degrades the quality of recycled H₂SO₄. In this study, the removal of Cl(-I) using PbO₂ was investigated and the involved mechanisms were explored. The removal efficiency of Cl(-I) reached 93.38% at 50℃ when PbO₂/Cl(-I) mole ratio reached 2:1. The identification of reaction products shows that Cl(-I) was oxidized to Cl₂, and PbO₂ was reduced to PbSO₄. Cl₂ was absorbed by NaOH to form NaClO, which was used for the regeneration of PbO₂ from the generated PbSO₄. Cl(-I) was removed through two pathways, i.e., surface oxidation and •OH radical oxidation. •OH generated by the reaction of PbO₂ and OH⁻ plays an important role in Cl(-I) removal. The regenerated PbO₂ had excellent performance to remove Cl(-I) after six-time regeneration. This study provided an in-depth understanding on the effective removal of Cl(-I) by the oxidation method.     

Hybrid zeolite-based ion-exchange and sulfur oxidizing denitrification for advanced slaughterhouse wastewater treatment

The discharge of slau ghterhouse wastewater（SWW） is incre asing and its wastewater has to be treated thoroughly to avoid the eutrophication.The hybrid zeolite-based ion-exchange and sulfur autotrophic denitrification（IX-AD） process was developed to advanced treat SWW after traditional secondary biological process.Compared with traditional sulfur oxidizing denitrification（SOD）,this study found that IX-AD column showed:（1） stronger ability to resist NO₃^-pollution load,（2） low...     

Photocatalytic degradation of dye effluent by titanium dioxide pillar pellets in aqueous solution

Photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) process is an effective way to deal with organic pollutants in wastewater which could be difficult to be degraded by conventional biological treatment methods. Normally the TiO2 powder in nanometre size range was directly used as photocatalyst for dye degradation in wastewater. However the titanium dioxide powder was arduous to be recovered from the solution after treatment. In this application, a new form of TiO2(i. e. pillar pellets ranging from 2.5 to 5.3 mm long and with a diameter of 3.7 mm) was used and investigated for photocatalytic degradation of textile dye effluent. A test system was built with a flat plate reactor(FPR) and UV light source(blacklight and solar simulator as light source respectively) for investigating the effectiveness of the new form of TiO2. It was found that the photocatalytic process under this configuration could efficiently remove colours from textile dyeing effluent. Comparing with the TiO2 powder, the pellet was very easy to recovered from the treated solution and can be reused in multiple times without the significant change on the photocatalytic property. The results also showed that to achieve the same photocatalytic performance, the FPR area by pellets was about 91% smaller than required by TiO2 powder. At least TiO2 pellet could be used as an alternative form of photocatalyst in applications for textile effluent treatment process, also other wastewater treatment processes.