Changes of movement patterns from early dispersal to settlement

Moving and spatial learning are two intertwined processes: (a) changes in movement behavior determine the learning of the spatial environment, and (b) information plays a crucial role in several animal decision-making processes like movement decisions. A useful way to explore the interactions between movement decisions and learning of the spatial environment is by comparing individual behaviors during the different phases of natal dispersal (when individuals move across more or less unknown habitats) with movements and choices of breeders (who repeatedly move within fixed home ranges), that is, by comparing behaviors between individuals who are still acquiring information vs. individuals with a more complete knowledge of their surroundings. When analyzing movement patterns of eagle owls, Bubo bubo, belonging to three status classes (floaters wandering across unknown environments, floaters already settled in temporary settlement areas, and territory owners with a well-established home range), we found that: (1) wandering individuals move faster than when established in a more stable or fixed settlement area, traveling larger and straighter paths with longer move steps; and (2) when floaters settle in a permanent area, then they show movement behavior similar to territory owners. Thus, movement patterns show a transition from exploratory strategies, when animals have incomplete environmental information, to a more familiar way to exploit their activity areas as they get to know the environment better.     

Inception of formation and early morphogenesis of the bacterial light organ of the sea urchin cardinalfish, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Siphamia versicolor</Emphasis>

The cardinalfish Siphamia versicolor (Perciformes: Apogonidae) forms a bioluminescent symbiosis with the marine luminous bacterium Photobacterium mandapamensis, harboring the bacteria in a ventral, disc-shaped light organ and using the bacterial light apparently for counterillumination and attracting prey. Little definitive information has been available on the developmental and microbiological events surrounding the initiation of symbiosis, a critical stage in the life history of the fish, in S. versicolor or any of the many other species of bacterially luminous fish. To identify the stage at which light organ formation begins, to determine the origin of cells forming the light organ, and to characterize its bacterial colonization status during development, early developmental stages of S. versicolor obtained and reared from wild-caught mouth-brooding males were examined with histological and microbiological methods. A light organ primordium was not evident in embryos, post-embryos, or pre-release larvae, whereas the light organ began to form within 1 day of release of full-term pre-flexion larvae from the mouths of male fish. Analysis of post-release larvae revealed that the light organ arises from a proliferation and differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells, and that it quickly develops structural complexity, including the formation of chambers and gaps contiguous with the intestinal epithelium. However, the nascent light organ remained uncolonized by the symbiotic bacteria through several days of post-release development, even in the presence of high numbers of the symbiotic bacteria. These results demonstrate that the inception of light organ formation in S. versicolor occurs independently of its symbiotic bacteria and that receptivity to bacterial colonization apparently requires substantial post-release development of the light organ. Larvae therefore most likely acquire their symbiotic bacteria from seawater, during or shortly after the transition from the pre-flexion to the flexion developmental stage.     

Clearance rates of the great scallop (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pecten maximus</Emphasis>) and blue mussel (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Mytilus edulis</Emphasis>) at low natural seston concentrations

Great scallop, Pecten maximus, and blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, clearance rate (CR) responses to low natural seston concentrations were investigated in the laboratory to study (1) short-term CR variations in individual bivalves exposed to a single low seston diet, and (2) seasonal variations in average CR responses of bivalve cohorts to natural environmental variations. On a short temporal scale, mean CR response of both species to 0.06 μg L⁻¹ chlorophyll a (Chl a) and 0.23 mg L⁻¹ suspended particulate matter (SPM) remained constant despite large intra-individual fluctuations in CR. In the seasonal study, cohorts of each species were exposed to four seston treatments consisting of ambient and diluted natural seston that ranged in mean concentration from 0.15 to 0.43 mg L⁻¹ SPM, 0.01 to 0.88 μg L⁻¹ Chl a, 36 to 131 μg L⁻¹ particulate organic carbon and 0.019 to 0.330 mm³ L⁻¹ particle volume. Although food abundance in all treatments was low, the nutritional quality of the seston was relatively high (e.g., mean particulate organic content ranged from 68 to 75%). Under these low seston conditions, a high percentage of P. maximus (81–98%) and M. edulis (67–97%) actively cleared particles at mean rates between 9 and 12 and between 4 and 6 L g⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively. For both species, minimum mean CR values were obtained for animals exposed to the lowest seston concentrations. Within treatments, P. maximus showed a greater degree of seasonality in CR than M. edulis, which fed at a relatively constant rate despite seasonal changes in food and temperature. P. maximus showed a non-linear CR response to increasing Chl a levels, with rates increasing to a maximum at approximately 0.4 μg L⁻¹ Chl a and then decreasing as food quantity continued to increase. Mean CR of M. edulis also peaked at a similar concentration, but remained high and stable as the food supply continued to increase and as temperatures varied between 4.6 and 19.6°C. The results show that P. maximus and M. edulis from a low seston environment, do not stop suspension-feeding at very low seston quantities; a result that contradicts previous conclusions on the suspension-feeding behavior of bivalve mollusks and which is pertinent to interpreting the biogeographic distribution of bivalve mollusks and site suitability for aquaculture.     

Implication of nitric oxide in the heat-stress-induced cell death of the symbiotic alga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Symbiodinium microadriaticum</Emphasis>

One of the major consequences of global warming is a rise in sea surface temperature which may affect the survival of marine organisms including phytoplankton. Here, we provide experimental evidence for heat-induced cell death in a symbiotic microalga. Shifting Symbiodinium microadriaticum from 27 to 32°C resulted in an increase in mortality, an increase in caspase 3-like activity, and an increase in nitric oxide (NO) production. The caspase-like activity was strongly correlated with the production of NO in thermally challenged microalgae. For this experiment, the application of Ac-DEVD-CHO, a mammalian caspase 3-specific inhibitor, partly prevented (by 65%) the increase in caspase-like activity. To verify the relationship between NO and the caspase-like activity, S. microadriaticum were subsequently incubated with 1.0 mM of the following chemical NO donors: sodium nitroprusside (SNP), S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) and 3,3bis(Aminoethyl)-1-hydroxy-2-oxo-1-triazene (NOC-18). The supplementation of both SNP and NOC-18 caused a significant increase in caspase-like activity compared to the control treatment. Pre-treatment of the microalgae with the inhibitor Ac-DEVD-CHO before the supplementation of the different NO donors completely prevented the increase in caspase-like activity. These results suggest that NO could play a role in the induction of cell death in heat-stressed S. microadriaticum by mediating an increase in caspase-like activity.     

天津永定新河沉积物中多卤联苯的污染水平和生物有效性

通过测定天津市永定新河沉积物和同步采集的溞体内多氯联苯（PCBs）和多溴联苯（PBBs）含量,初步评价此类持久性有机污染物的潜在生态风险.结果显示,经归一化处理后,在永定新河沉积物中主要检出的18种PCBs和14种PBBs总含量分别为492.4~3251.9ng·g-1和429.7~2950.0ng·g-1（以有机碳计）,而在溞体内PCBs和PBBs的总含量分别是301.8~1765.4ng·g-1和309.7~1987.8ng·g-1（以脂肪计）.计算得到的PCBs和PBBs沉积物生物富集系数（BSAF）分别在0.1~1.3和0.1~3.0之间,明显小于根据平衡分配模型的预测值和其他文献报道值.同时, BSAF数值与相应污染物的辛醇/水分配系数的对数(logKow)值之间无相关关系（p>0.08）,且在不同采样点间的变异系数相差较大（20%~90%）.研究结果还表明,与国内外已经发表数据相比,永定新河沉积物中PCBs和PBBs均处在较高污染水平,但是绝大部分目标污染物的BSAF数值偏低,沉积物结合态污染物的生物有效性相对较低,且在不同采样点间存在着较大差异.     

西南典型“退耕还林”区土地利用/覆被变化对土壤中硒及重金属含量的影响

人类活动（土地利用）和环境变化（土地覆被变化）对土壤中硒和重金属含量分布具有重要影响.“退耕还林”生态工程的实施改变了土地利用/覆被,为研究土地利用/覆被变化对土壤中硒和重金属影响提供了理想的实验场所.在西南典型“退耕还林”区,采集了旱地、水田和林地（天然林地和次生林地）的91件表层土壤样品.测定和分析了土壤中硒、重金属、 pH和有机质等参数.结果表明：（1）研究区表土中ω（Se）(0.42×10^-6)、ω（As）(13.0×10^-6)和ω（Sb）(1.03×10^-6)均值显著高于渝西地区的土壤背景值;（2）人工次生林地表土中Se、 Cd、 Cr、 Ni、 Pb和Zn含量都显著高于旱地,表明“退耕还林”工程的实施可能会显著影响表土中硒和重金属富集;（3）土壤有机质（SOM）含量水平是控制表土中硒和重金属含量差异的重要因子.结果发现土地利用/覆被变化通过影响土壤pH和SOM间接深刻地影响土壤中硒和重金属迁移和富集.     

京津冀臭氧变化特征及与气象要素的关系

基于2014~2017年京津冀13座城市的O₃-8h数据,分析O₃时间变化特征及污染状况.在此基础上,结合同期气象数据研究近地层O₃浓度与气象要素的关系.结果表明：2014~2017年京津冀区域O₃-8h整体呈上升趋势,增长率为4.50μg/m³.区域内O₃污染整体加重,北京、保定O₃污染较为严重;2014~2015年O₃浓度与超标情况的月变化主要呈单峰型变化,峰值出现在5月;而2016~2017年为不规则双峰型变化,峰值出现在5~6月和9月.与气象因子的相关性表明：气象要素对O₃的影响具有明显的季节差异,其中春、夏、秋季气温是影响O₃浓度变化的主要因素,而在冬季相对湿度与风速为影响O₃浓度变化的主要因素.此外,分析表明北京、天津、石家庄3大城市夏季形成高浓度O₃的阈值明显不同.     

生态文明制度体系研究——以江苏省为例

生态文明制度体系是由制度构成的一个相互配合、有机联系的整体。本文基于文献统计分析与实地调研咨询,从广义和狭义层面,分别对生态文明制度进行梳理。根据国家生态文明建设需求与省级层面实际情况,本文将广义的生态文明制度体系分为源头保护制度体系、损害赔偿与激励体系、追责考评制度体系和污染治理制度体系四大板块,并针对国家与省级重点生态文明制度,构建生态资源保护制度链与污染防治制度链。同时,对制度地位、制度衔接、相互关系及其优化选择进行分析,以提高环境管理效能,推进生态文明研究纵深发展。     

二次有机气溶胶估算方法研究进展

我国区域复合污染日趋严重,二次有机气溶胶(SOA)是细颗粒物PM2.5的重要组成之一.本研究总结了当前国内外定量估算SOA的主要方法,包括EC示踪法、WSOC法、受体模型法、示踪物产率法、数值模拟法等.通过对各种方法的原理介绍与比较,指出1)EC示踪法、WSOC法、受体模型法简单易行,与在线连续观测数据结合可估算高时间分辨率的SOA浓度,但受限于对当地源谱和特定物种的了解;2)示踪物产率法虽分析技术难度高,但可针对不同来源的SOA估算;3)数值模拟可获得大尺度SOA的空间分布.针对国内外的最新研究成果进行简单概述,不同方法的研究表明中国二次有机气溶胶是总有机气溶胶的重要部分,人为源VOCs对二次有机气溶胶发挥着重要贡献.本文旨在为未来我国二次有机气溶胶的研究提供基础信息和研究思路.     

挥发性有机污染物排放控制标准体系的建立与完善

以大气灰霾为代表的区域复合污染问题,导致挥发性有机物(VOCs)成为重点控制的污染物之一.通过对国家和地方挥发性有机污染物排放标准现状分析,依据排放特征以及我国挥发性有机物排放清单,建立和完善挥发性有机物排放控制标准体系.