Change in Fish Fauna as Indication of Aquatic Ecosystem Condition in Río Grande de Morelia–Lago de Cuitzeo Basin, Mexico

Chirostoma charari and C. compressum, and they are presumed extinct. Twelve (63%) of the remaining species had declines in distribution. Sixteen (80%) of the 20 localities sampled had lost species. The greatest declines occurred in Lago de Cuitzeo proper and in the lower portion of the Río Grande de Morelia watershed. Species losses from the lake were attributable to drying and hypereutrophication of the lake because of substantial reductions in the amount and quality of tributary inputs, whereas losses from the Río Grande de Morelia watershed were the result of pollution from agricultural, municipal, and industrial sources, especially in the region around the city of Morelia. Three localities in the upper portion of the Río Grande de Morelia watershed—Cointzio reservoir, La Mintzita spring, and Insurgente Morelos stream—contained most of the remaining fish species diversity in the basin and deserve additional protection. Fish faunal changes indicated major declines in the health of aquatic ecosystems in the Morelia–Cuitzeo basin.     

Adaptive peaks and alternative foraging tactics in brook charr: evidence of short-term divergent selection for sitting-and-waiting and actively searching

Some recently emerged brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis) inhabiting still-water pools along the sides of streams are sedentary and eat crustaceans from the lower portion of the water column. Others are more active and eat insects from the upper portion of the water column. We provide evidence that this divergent foraging behavior reflects short-term divergent selection brought about by intraspecific competition in the presence of alternative food sources. Rates of encounters and interactions between individuals were density dependent, and encounter and interaction events were closely timed with prey capture attempts. In addition, aggressive fish made more foraging attempts per minute than nonaggressive fish. Aggressive fish were also either inactive or very active, while nonaggressive fish exhibited intermediate levels of activity. Growth rate potential, an important component of fitness during the early life stages of brook charr, was assessed using tissue concentrations of RNA and found to be highest for sedentary fish and for active fish making frequent foraging attempts, and lower for fish exhibiting intermediate levels of activity. Our findings support contentions that individual behavior plays an important role during initial steps in the evolution of resource polymorphisms. Received: 27 July 1998 / Accepted after revision: 16 November 1998     

Variation in metabolism of BOA among species in various field communities – biochemical evidence for co-evolutionary processes in plant communities?

Summary. The capacity of benzoxazolinone metabolization of dicotyledonous species characteristic for the former vegetation classes Secalietea (grain field weed communities) and Chenopodietea (hoed vegetable communities) was estimated by the production of BOA-6-OH, BOA-6-β-O-glucoside, and BOA-N-glucoside. Except for Urtica urens, Galinsoga ciliata, and Polygonum aviculare (Chenopodietea), all species tested were able to synthesize BOA-6-OH, its glucoside, and BOA-N-glucoside, but effectiveness of BOA metabolism differed highly depending on species and plant organ. There was no correlation between bacterial phenoxazinone production and appearance of metabolites in the plants. Bioassays demonstrated that N-glucosylation is more efficient in BOA detoxification than O-glucosylation. The intermediate BOA-6-OH, however, is more harmful than BOA itself. It is therefore assumed that the ability to synthesize BOA-N-glucoside reduces the sensitivity to BOA strikingly. Since the detoxification capacity did not correlate with the taxonomic position, the affiliation of the species tested with the corresponding plant communities was taken into consideration. Evidently, the ecobiochemical potential of species to detoxify benzoxazolinone, regarded as an essential secondary compound in rye and wheat fields, reflects their occurrence in those plant associations. The ability to cope with the compound could be the result of co-evolutionary processes and presents a hidden aspect of allelopathic interaction. Received 4 January 1999; accepted 14 June 1999.     

砾间接触氧化法对白鹤溪低污染水体的净化效果

为研究生物膜技术在低污染水体净化中的应用前景,以洱海入湖河流——白鹤溪为研究对象,采用分段进水和分区曝气方式强化砾间接触氧化工艺的脱氮性能,探讨HRT(水力停留时间)、O/A(曝气区和非曝气区容积比)对低污染水体中COD_Mn、NH₄+-N、TN去除的影响. 结果显示:①HRT对有机物去除效果影响较大,在HRT为0.8、1.5、2.5、3.5 h下,COD_Mn去除率平均值分别为14.7%、28.6%、42.7%、48.8%;而当HRT为2.5 h时为较佳运行工况,COD_Mn、NH₄+-N、TN去除率平均值分别为42.7%、83.6%、31.6%. ②O/A对NH₄+-N的去除影响不大,在O/A为1∶1、1∶2、1∶3下,NH₄+-N去除率平均值分别为86.7%、83.1%、80.5%;而当O/A为1∶3时具有较佳的脱氮除碳效果,COD_Mn、NH₄+-N、TN去除率平均值分别为42.2%、80.5%、40.2%. ③在HRT为2.5 h、O/A为1∶3下稳定运行15 d后,对生物膜样品的微生物群落结构分析表明,在装置后段有脱氮微生物的富集,其优势菌为Pseudomonas、Pantoe、Synechococcus、Chloroflexi bacterium. 研究表明,砾间接触氧化工艺对低污染水具有较好的脱氮除碳效果.      

互花米草入侵对广西北海光滩大型底栖动物群落的影响

为探讨互花米草入侵对广西北部湾光滩的生态影响,于2012年7月—2013年9月对北海市青山头地区的互花米草群丛和光滩2种生境分别连续进行5次大型底栖动物群落采样,分析不同采样时间和生境下大型底栖动物的物种组成、生物量、总栖息密度、群落生物多样性、群落结构等群落特征. 结果表明:①该区域内大型底栖动物共15种,隶属于4门5纲11科,其中中国绿螂(Glauconome chinensis)占互花米草群丛大型底栖动物个体总数的86.7%,为绝对优势物种;短指和尚蟹(Mictyris brevidactylus)为光滩的优势物种. ②双因素方差分析(two-way ANOVA)结果显示,互花米草入侵光滩后大型底栖动物物种数量显著增加,并且互花米草群丛中中国绿螂个体数量的剧增也显著增加了大型底栖动物的生物量和总栖息密度,而采样时间对大型底栖动物物种数、生物量和总栖息密度的影响不显著;不同生境和采样时间均未对大型底栖动物的多样性指数产生显著影响. ③非度量多维度分析(non-metric multidimensional scaling,NMDS)结果表明,互花米草群丛与光滩的大型底栖动物物种群落相似度较高,但与2012年10月相比,2013年9月互花米草和光滩大型底栖动物群落相似度降低,因此可能随着互花米草入侵时间的增加,其对大型底栖动物群落的影响也不同.      

乐安河-鄱阳湖湿地植物群落分布及其环境影响因子

于2012年平水期(4月)、丰水期(8月)和枯水期(11月)对乐安河自上游至下游及入鄱阳湖区域内湿地植物群落分布和水土环境因子进行调查,分析乐安河不同水期湿地植物群落的分布特征,通过DCCA(detrended canonical correspondence analysis,除趋势典范对应分析)探讨不同水期植物群落分布特征与环境因子间的定量关系. 结果表明:3个水期内共观测到湿地植物167种,不同水期植物种类及组成结构均具有显著差异. 其中平水期湿地植物102种,分属于33科75属;枯水期71种,分属于27科53属;丰水期种类最少,为55种,分属于20科42属. 乐安河上游处于未受矿山开采影响的对照区域内,水生植物群落分布主要受河流自然环境因素的影响. 对于受重金属酸性污染影响较严重的区域,DCCA排序结果显示,水土环境中pH和Cu、Pb、Cd等重金属含量是影响植物群落分布的重要因素. 其中,上游湿地植物群落分布主要受Cu含量和pH的影响;中、下游主要受水、土环境中重金属Pb、Cd的复合污染以及pH的影响. 乐安河湿地植物群落分布与环境因子间具有明显的对应关系,DCCA法能准确识别影响湿地植物群落分布的关键环境因子.      

半干旱区人工封育草场植物群落物种多样性与复杂性研究──以宁夏盐池为例

围栏封育促进植被恢复效果研究方法很多,其中通过研究植被的群落特征及物种多样性来阐述恢复状况仍是比较常用和有效的手段,但多样性测度对生物群落的自组织及有序性方面的特征描述欠缺,鉴于此,多样性与复杂性测度结合起来研究群落结构与功能显得更有意义。研究人工封育对植被恢复过程中群落的多样性与复杂性的影响,必然有助于揭示生态恢复过程机理。目前,利用多样性与复杂性测度相结合来对群落结构进行量化研究不多,用于对草原生态系统植物群落结构研究更少。本文通过样地调查,利用多样性和复杂性指数相结合定量研究半干旱区人工封育草场植物群落物种多样性、复杂性随封育年限的变化规律,并对比分析复杂性与物种多样性之间的相关性。结果表明,（1）老封育区、新封育区丰富度指数整体高于对照区,说明封育有利于物种丰富度的增加。但随封育时间的延长,封育区的优势种占据主要的资源空间,丰富度指数降低。长时间封育,草场植被丰富度将发生规律性波动变化,低峰值和高峰值出现频率均约为4~5年/次。老封育区、新封育区的SW、SP多样性指数值大部分也高于对照区,说明封育措施增加草场植被的多样性。物种多样性指数受降水影响显著,当降水量增加或减少时,多样性指数也相应出现增加或减少,但降水影响效应具有一定的滞后性。老封育区、新封育区均匀度变化比较平稳,且指数值高于对照区,说明封育有利于均匀度的增加。（2）老封育区、新封育区总复杂性指数、无序结构复杂性指数值大部分比对照区指数值高,且指数波动相对平稳,说明封育区群落结构比对照区稳定,更适合荒漠草原植被的生长,封育增加了群落总复杂性、无序结构复杂性。封育也提高群落有序结构复杂性,但?     

Electron microscopy documenting the cellular metabolic fate of Zn IONS∗

In vertebrates and invertebrates Zn exist as complexed compounds with metallothioneins. However, its cellular level effects and metabolic fates are scantly documented. In the elucidation of this fact, EM results on hepatic cellular alterations in fish under lethal dose exposure at 4.0 ppm over a week is illustrated.

A large number of lysosomes in hepatic cells prevailed on exposure to Zn in its sulfate form. Evidently, due to metal compound stress and cellular damage lysosomal activity is augmented. The lysosomes harboured digestible material, presumably the aforementioned substrates. Contrary to it, fat droplets prevailed while glycogen depletion is noticeable. Unlike the effects of Hg, the nuclei were normal with granular chromatin and prominent nucleoli. However, the mitochondria contained some small intramitochondrial bodies. Similar to the effects of Hg, the cell membrane remained intact.

In vivo enzymatic studies indicated augmentation in catalase, acid‐ and alkaline‐phosphatases, while glucose‐6‐phosphatase is inhibited. However, only alkaline‐ and glucose‐6‐phosphatases are inhibited under in vitro conditions.

Thus, it is evident that Zn enhances cellular bioenergetic requirements culminating in glycogen depletion owing to stress, concomitantly envisaging inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation in the electron transport system.     

Effect on benthic communities of a major input of organic matter and other pollutants (coast off Barcelona,Western Mediterranean)

Benthic communities on soft bottoms off Barcelona, at and around two main pollution sources, the mouth of the Besòs River and the outlet of the submarine pipeline draining wastewater and organic sludges from the wastewater treatment plant of Sant Adrià del Besòs, have been studied. Samples were obtained with a Van Veen grab from 36 stations covering a 100 km² grid, between 10 and 70 m in depth. The effect of both pollution sources is clearly seen both at the species (the following macrofauna groups have been studied: Polychaeta, Mollusca, Echinodermata and Crustacea Decapoda) and community levels. The distribution of species and individuals numbers, species diversity and a pollution index, and of some selected (indicator) polychaeta species, all clearly define the degree of environmental degradation and the extent of the areas under the influence of the organic pollution.     

Mapping of the benthic communities in the Taranto seas using side-scan sonar and an underwater video camera

Side-scan sonar and underwater video camera records as well as dredging samples were used to map the bottom morphology and biocoenoses in the Taranto seas. A 1:20,000 scale chart has been produced with all the data recorded. Most of the study area consists of biocoenoses affected by the anthropogenic activities of the town of Taranto. Some native broadly tolerant species seem to benefit from these activities and become increasingly dominant. Environmental modifications also seem to favour the settlement of exotic species.