Chemical defence in ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae). II. Amount of reflex fluid,the alkaloid adaline and individual variation in defence in 2-spot ladybirds (Adalia bipunctata)

Summary 2-spot ladybirds secrete alkaloid (adaline)-rich defence fluid (reflex blood) in response to predator attack. Reflex fluid was collected from individual ladybirds and weighed and the alkaloid content measured by GC. The amount of fluid produced built up rapidly following winter hibernation in animals feeding on aphids. The concentration of adaline in the fluid was highest in the first bleeding after winter hibernation. A large sample of beetles was reflex bled several times. Significant among beetle variation was found in the amount of fluid produced and the concentration of the reflex blood. The results are discussed in relation to the possibility that 2-spot ladybirds are Batesian mimics of 7-spot ladybirds and to the possible functions of adaline.     

Population Analysis of Sables in the Ural–Ob Region of the Species Range

An attempt at population analysis of sables in the Ural–Ob region of the species range was made with the use of vast biological material (craniometry, 1909 specimens; ecological structure, 2157 specimens; and coat color, 439169 pelts). Population groups in the region were mainly described on the basis of morphological, geographic, historical, and ecological criteria. Seven spatially separated population groups were found, which were named after the main rivers of their habitats: the Tavda–Konda–Sos'va, Dem'yanka, Salym–Yugan, Agan–Vakh, Kazym–Nazym, Nadym–Kunovat, and Pur–Taz groups. They distinctly differed from one another with respect to cranial measurements, coat color, and some structural demographic parameters. In some cases, morphological differences reached the subspecies level. The data obtained make it possible to revise the pattern of geographic variation within the species range.     

Nutrients Seasonal Variation and Budget in Jiaozhou Bay,China: A 3-Dimensional Physical–Biological Coupled Model Study

A 3-D biological model was developed and coupled to a hydrodynamic model, i.e., Princeton Ocean Model, to simulate the seasonal variation and budget of dissolved inorganic nitrogen, phosphate, and silicate in Jiaozhou Bay. The modeled nutrients distribution pattern is consistent with observation. Silicate, the most important limiting element for phytoplankton growth, is characterized by consumption in spring, increase in summer and autumn, and accumulation in winter, whereas dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorous have increasing trend with low rates in spring, due to excessive river loads. Phytoplankton plays an important role in nutrient renewal by photosynthesis and respiration processes. During an annual cycle, 7.83 × 10³ t N, 0.28 × 10³ t P, and 3.93 × 10³ t Si are transported to the bay’s outer sea, i.e., the Yellow Sea, suggesting that Jiaozhou Bay is a significant source of nutrients for the Yellow Sea. The spatial distribution of nutrients is characterized by vertically homogeneous profiles, with high concentration inside the bay and low concentration toward the bay channel. These features are mainly governed by strong turbulent mixing, fluvial influx, water exchange rate, and Yellow Sea water intrusion. Numerical experiments suggest that the government should pay enough attention to proper layout of sewage drainage.     

华北地区干旱强度的表征形式及其气候变异

在分析1951-2001年华北地区降水量、气温及蒸发量变化特征的基础上,确定利用月降水量与蒸发量之差的Z指数表征干旱强度.该指数在时间及空问分布上的实际概率与理论概率均很接近,可以较好地表征华北地区干旱强度状况.分析表明,华北地区干旱强度不但具有显著的年代际变化特征,且年际振荡的信号也很强.华北地区四季的干旱强度变化在干旱期的开始时间、干旱持续时间和干旱强度等方面存在一定的差异.     

Distribution of perfluorinated alkyl substances in marine shellfish along the Chinese Bohai Sea coast

Perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) are emerging persistent organic pollutants, which pose a threat to human health primarily by dietary exposure, especially through seafood. Bohai Sea (a semi-closed sea located north of China) is an important shellfish aquaculture area that is possibly highly-polluted with PFASs. In this study, we first evaluated contamination by PFASs in a total of 230 samples of marine shellfish from the Bohai Sea. Samples included five important shellfish species, collected from important aquaculture spots distributed around the Bohai Sea. Samples were analyzed by an ultra-fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method, which could simultaneously detect 23 PFASs in shellfish. Our research verified that PFASs have become a threat to the safety of shellfish products in this area. Furthermore, contamination by PFASs in shellfish changed depending on the components of PFASs, the species of shellfish, and the sampling sites. Many of the 23 target compounds contributed to the high detection ratio (>50%) as follows: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)?>?perfluorononanoic acid?>?perfluorodecanesulfonic acid?>?perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). Compared with other dominant components, PFOA not only had the highest detection percentage in shellfish samples (98.3%), but its detection level contributed to 87.2% of total PFASs concentrations, indicating that PFOA is the major threat to the safety of shellfish products. The highest level of PFAS was found in clams (62.5?ng?g^?1 wet weight of PFOA). The concentration of total PFAS in different shellfish species showed the following trend: clams?>?mussels?>?scallops?>?whelks?>?oysters. The maximum concentration of total PFAS or PFOA was found in Shouguang. The total concentration of PFOS and its precursor were highest in Cangzhou, possibly due to local industrial activities. The results presented in this paper provide new data on the contamination of marine shellfish along the Bohai Sea coasts in China, and constitute a reference for future monitoring of contamination by emerging contaminants in Bohai coast.     

鄱阳湖鱼类群落结构及其时空动态

为系统阐明鄱阳湖鱼类群落特征及其影响因素,以便为鄱阳湖的鱼类资源保护及可持续利用提供理论依据,2010年4~11月对鄱阳湖鱼类群落空间差异和季节动态进行了调查。结果表明,共调查到鱼类72种,隶属于7目14科46属。在群落结构上,江湖洄游型鱼类占鱼类种数的25.00%,河流型鱼类占鱼类种数的19.44%,湖泊定居型鱼类占鱼类种数的55.56%。在空间结构上,沿岸带共采集到鱼类49种,其中鲫(Carassius auratus)、鲤(Cyprinus carpio)、鲇(Silurus asotus)、黄颡鱼(Pelteobagrus fulvidraco)等10个种类在数量上占优势;敞水区共采集到鱼类68种,其中刀鲚(Coilia ectenes)、鲫(Carassius auratus)、贝氏(Hemiculter bleekeri)、似鳊(Pseudobrama simoni)等10个种类在数量上占优势;沿岸带鱼类密度和生物量在各样点间存在显著差异。在季节变化方面,敞水区物种数和生物量在月份间存在显著差异。鱼类群落组成与环境因子的CCA分析发现,影响鄱阳湖沿岸带鱼类群落的环境因子为水温、支流影响、离长江距离和透明度,而影响敞水区鱼类群落的环境因子为离长江距离和透明度。     

贵州省石漠化敏感区生态红线空间分异与管控措施研究

贵州省石漠化演变态势遏制了长江、珠江流域的生态安全需要。为响应国家生态环境保护与修复政策,加强长江上游生态保护工作,遏制贵州省生态环境恶化趋势,研究基于遥感和GIS技术,针对贵州省喀斯特石漠化等典型生态环境问题,依据《生态红线划定技术指南》(2015-06)建立敏感性评价指标体系及评价模型,评价贵州省石漠化敏感性现状,划定石漠化敏感区生态保护红线,定量揭示贵州省石漠化敏感区生态红线现状及地域分异,并根据贵州省石漠化治理实际情况,提出具体管控措施。结果表明:(1)2011年贵州省石漠化敏感性以强度敏感性为主,面积达36 227.83 km~2,占全省喀斯特地貌面积的32.23%,总体分布规律呈条带状分布;(2)通过叠加分析得出石漠化敏感区的空间分布与石漠化现状有一定关系,表现为除去无明显石漠化、潜在石漠化、不敏感性、轻度敏感性之外,已石漠化土地与中度以上敏感性所占面积比例变化趋势呈正相关。(3)贵州省石漠化敏感区生态红线面积达6 814.25 km~2,占全省国土面积的3.87%;主要由破碎斑块组成,较集中分布于贵州北部、南部及西部地区,其中遵义市、毕节市以及黔南州面积最大、最集中;(4)石漠化敏感区生态红线的管控措施应实施治理与保护并行,主要以保护为主,同时,加强石漠化敏感区综合治理以及生态保护政策体系建设。     

1982~2010年洞庭湖流域植被指数的变化及其与气候因子的相关分析

基于GIMMS 3 g、PAL、LTDR V3、FASIR及MODIS 5种不同的遥感影像数据,及洞庭湖流域30个气象站点的气温、降水和日照时数月值数据,采用逐像元一元线性回归模型,对比分析了在不同数据集背景下的植被变化趋势,并基于时间序列长度以及数据精度的考虑,选择GIMMS 3 g作为研究洞庭湖流域植被覆盖变化的基础数据集,进而利用相关系数和多元线性回归分析模型探讨流域植被覆盖变化与降水、气温、日照时数的关系。结果表明:(1)过去29 a间,流域GIMMS 3 g NDVI在时空尺度上均以增加趋势为主,1998~2000年出现最大的降低,以植被覆盖较好的山区减少最快;(2)去除年际变化趋势和季节性影响的NDVI与同期降水量距平、累积3个月气温距平值及同期日照时数距平值相关性程度最高;(3)统计意义上,降水量、气温和日照时数解释洞庭湖流域植被月NDVI变化的37%,日照时数对该流域NDVI变化的影响最大,其次为降水和气温;(4)在时间和空间范畴,生长季NDVI可以作为反映洞庭湖流域森林覆盖率变化的指标。     

江汉-洞庭湖平原湿地的历史变迁与可持续利用

2200aBP以前，江汉－洞庭湖平原是一个完整的湿地生态系统，在人类活动影响下，其湿地空间逐渐由平原边缘向腹心萎缩，水陆交错型湿地之生物多样性的破坏早于水体型湿地之生物多样性的破坏，耕地转化是湿地空间萎缩和湿地生物多样性损失的主因，从湿地历史变迁看，江汉一洞庭湖平原现有湿地的保护与可持续利用必须：调整传统的“国家粮仓”的区域战略定位，实施湿地生态大农业和湿地生态旅游发展战略，加强湿地效益和宣传教育，提高湿地保护与可持续利用的政府决策能力和公众参与水平；协调耕地保护与湿地保护关系，推行湿地总量动态平衡制度，优化湿地生态系统的整体功能，将退田还湖作为区域发展的一项长期战略，扩大湿地自然保护区面积，恢复和增强湿地的景观多样性，文化多样性和生物多样性，加强国际合作，借鉴国外先进的成功管理湿地的经验。     

Ontogeny and Population: Developmental Stability and Population Variation

By definition, the ontogenetic and population organization levels are fundamentally different. Studies at these levels are traditionally independent. However, it becomes increasingly evident that special analysis of individuals in terms of ontogeny is necessary for correct estimation of populations and their spatiotemporal dynamics, as well as for understanding the mechanisms of population processes.