Effects of organic enrichment on sandy beach meiofauna: A laboratory microcosm experiment

Meiofauna samples from intertidal sediments of Qingdao No.2 Bathing Beach, China, were collected for field study, and subjected to organic enrichment in a laboratory microcosm experiment for 21 d. There were three different treatments including non-organic addition as the control, low-organic enrichment (2 g DW green algae per 150 mL) and high-organic enrichment (10 g DW green algae per 150 mL). After 21 d, the meiofauna richness decreased in both organic enrichment treatments. Among the three treatments, total meiofauna abundance was significantly different, and the control groups had higher abundance than the other two treatment groups. However, the responses of the meiofauna abundance in the two organic enrichment treatments were non-significantly different. The relationship of meiofaunal abundance and nematode/copepod ratios to organic matter and oxygen level in the microcosm experiments were discussed.     

Comparison of intestinal microbiota and activities of digestive and immune-related enzymes of sea cucumber A postichopus japonicus in two habitats

Sea cucumber A postichopus japonicus stock enhancement by releasing hatchery-produced seeds is a management tool used to recover its population under natural environmental conditions. To assess the suitability of releasing sites, we examined the microbiota of the gut contents of A. japonicus from two populations(one in sandy-muddy seagrass beds and one in rocky intertidal reefs) and the microbiota in their surrounding sediments. The activities of digestive and immune-related enzymes in the A. japonicus were also examined. The results indicated that higher bacterial richness and Shannon diversity index were observed in all the seagrass-bed samples. There were significant differences in intestinal and sediment microorganisms between the two habitats, with a 2.87 times higher abundance of Firmicutes in the seagrass bed sediments than that in the reefs. Meanwhile, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria were significantly higher abundant in the gut content of A. japonicus from seagrass bed than those from the reefs. In addition, the seagrass-bed samples exhibited a relatively higher abundance of potential probiotics. Principal coordinates analysis and heatmap showed the bacterial communities were classifi ed into two groups corresponding to the two habitat types. Moreover, compared to A. japonicus obtained from rocky intertidal habitat, those obtained from the seagrass bed showed higher lysozyme, superoxide dismutase and protease activities. Our results suggest that bacterial communities present in seagrass beds might enhance the digestive function and immunity of A. japonicus. Therefore, compared with the rocky intertidal reef, seagrass bed seems to be more beneficial for the survival of A. japonicus.     

Characterization of microbial communities in sediments of the South Yellow Sea

Illumina sequencing and quantitative PCR(qPCR) based on the 16 S ribosomal RNA(rRNA) gene were conducted to characterize the vertical distribution of bacterial and archaeal communities in the sediments of two sites from the South Yellow Sea. Both bacterial and archaeal communities showed a clear stratified distribution with sediment depth. The microbial communities in the upper layers were distinct from those in the deeper layers; the relative abundances of sequences of Thaumarchaeota, Gammaproteobacteria, and Actinobacteria were higher in the upper than in the deeper sediments, whereas the sequences of Bathyarchaeia, Lokiarchaeota, Euryarchaeota, Chloroflexi, and Deltaproteobacteria were relatively more abundant in the deeper sediments. Sediment depth and total organic carbon(TOC) can significantly influence both the bacterial and archaeal communities. Furthermore, bacterial and archaeal groups potentially involved in nitrogen, sulfur, and methane metabolism were detected in both sites. In our study, both ammonia-oxidizing bacteria( Nitrospira) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea( Candidatus Nitrosopumilus) were responsible for ammonia oxidization. Additionally, sulfur-reducing bacteria SEEP-SRB1 forming consortia with anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea ANME-2 a-2 b were capable of anaerobic methane oxidation(AOM) in the 3400-02 sediment samples.     

Assessing Conservation Values of Forest Communities in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve: Plant Diversity,Species Distribution and Endemicity

Present study has been conducted in a biodiversity rich Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve between 2000-3800 m in two different forest physiognomy holding sites to analyze the structure and composition of the forest communities including richness of native, non native and endemic species,and suggest conservation values at community and reserve level.A total of 60 sites were sampled and grouped in 11 and 8 communities for two representative sites Pindari-Sunderdhunga-Kafni(PSK) and Lata-Tolma-Phagti(LTP) respectively.From the sampled sites, 451 species(11.8%, 53 trees;17.71%, 80 shrubs; and 70.51%, 318 herbs) have been recorded.In general, PSK site represented 73.6% and LTP site represented only 54.9% of the total plant species recorded in the study area.Out of total species in PSK site, native species contributed 59.6%(198spp.) and 24.7% species were endemic and near endemic.In LTP site, 66.5% species were Himalayan natives and 33.5% were endemic and near endemic.The species richness ranged from 4-23 ind ha-1(tree),3-18 ind ha-1(sapling), 5-19 ind ha-1(seedling) in PSK site and 4-18 ind ha-1(tree), 4-11 ind ha-1(sapling), 4-16 ind ha-1(seedling) in LTP site.The density ranged from 260-535 ind ha-1(tree), 145-633 ind ha-1(sapling), 1450-8170 ind ha-1(seedling) in PSK site and 599-1211 ind ha-1(tree), 70-951 ind ha-1(sapling),470-1665 ind ha-1(seedling) in LTP site.Species diversity for trees ranged from 0.73-3.37, saplings,0.64-2.67, seedlings, 0.70-2.51, shrubs, 1-2.34 and herbs, 2.02-3.21 in PSK site and 0.63-1.61, saplings,0.76-1.36, seedlings, 0.35-1.79, shrubs, 0.98-2.73 and herbs, 2.48-3.61 in LTP site.These recorded values were almost comparable with the studies conducted in sub-tropical, temperate and sub-alpine regions of the west Himalaya.In some cases the values were slightly higher than the reported values.The important communities with high conservation values have been identified based on different ecological parameters and species distribution.Among all the prioritized communities, Mixed Silver firRhododendron-Maple community in PSK site and Taxus wallichana- A.pindrow mixed community in LTP site supports maximum richness and density of native and endemic species.This study calls for development of adequate strategy and action plan for the conservation and management of habitats, species,and communities under changing climate and socioeconomic scenarios, so that sustainable utilization of the species could be ensured.     

Distribution and source of main contaminants in surface sediments of tidal flats in the Northern Shandong Province

Twenty-nine samples of surface sediments from tidal flats in the Northern Shandong Province were collected for grain size, heavy metal(Hg, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, and Cr), and oil pollution analyses. The geoaccumulation index(Igeo) and factor analysis were introduced to evaluate sediment quality and source of contaminants. The mean concentrations of Hg, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, and oil in the surface sediments in the study area are 0.033, 17.756, 19.121, 55.700, 0.291, 59.563, and 14.213 μg g-1, respectively. The heavy metal contamination in the old delta lobe is slightly higher than that in the abandoned delta lobe; however, the opposite was observed for oil pollution. The Igeo results revealed that the overall quality of the surface sediments in the study area is in good condition. The heavy metal pollution levels show a descending order: Cd Hg Cr Cu Zn Pb, Cd being the main pollutant. The contamination level for in the study area is relatively lower than those for China's other tidal flats. Heavy metals are mainly derived from natural sources of rock weathering and erosion, partly influenced by industrial and agricultural discharge. However, oil pollution is mainly from runoff input, motorized fishing boat sewage, and oil exploitation.     

Bacterial diversity, composition and temporal-spatial variation in the sediment of Jiaozhou Bay, China

Studies on the diversity and distribution of bacterial populations will improve the overall understanding of the global patterns of marine bacteria and help to comprehend local biochemical processes and environments. We evaluated the composition and the dynamics of bacterial communities in the sediment of Jiaozhou Bay (China) using PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Sediment samples were collected from 10 different sites in May, August, and November 2008 and in February 2009. There was significant temporal variation in bacterial community composition at all sites. However, the spatial variation was very small. The DGGE analyses of bacterial communities were used to divide the 10 stations into three types. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) revealed that the changes in bacterial communities were driven by sediment properties. Sequence analysis of DGGE band-derived 16S rRNA gene fragments revealed that the dominant bacterial groups in the sediment were of the classes γ-proteobacteria and δ-proteobacteria and phyla Bacteroidetes and Nitrospirae. Our results provide considerable insight into the bacterial community structure in Jiaozhou Bay, China.     

Phylogenetic diversity and bioactivity of culturable deep-sea-derived fungi from Okinawa Trough

Deep-sea sediments are now recognized as a home for rich and largely microbial community. Recently, it has been believed in an increasing number of studies that bacteria could be abundant in deepsea sediments of many types; however, fungi in deep-sea sediments remain relatively unknown. The phylogenetic diversity and bioactivity of culturable deep-sea-derived fungi from Okinawa Trough sediments were investigated in traditional method combined with fungal identification of molecular biology in this study. A total of 76 isolates belonged to 15 fungal taxa were recovered in a harsh condition of low nutrient and low temperature, indicating that the fungal communities in deep-sea sediments from Okinawa Trough were relatively abundant and diversified. Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Penicillium were the dominant fungal genera, while Mycosphaerella, Purpureocillium, and Schizophyllum were relatively rare in the deep-sea sediments from Okinawa Trough. Among the six genera recovered, Mycosphaerella was firstly recovered from deep-sea sediments in this study. Moreover, about 75% of the extracts from the 15 fungal representative isolates displayed distinct bioactivity against at least one indicator bacterium or marine macrofouler, emphasizing the potentials of these deep-sea-derived fungi from Okinawa Trough as producers of bioactive metabolites. Notably, isolates Cladosporium oxysporum SCSIO z001 and Penicillium citrinum SCSIO z049 displayed a wide spectrum of bioactivities, isolates Cladosporium cladosporioides SCSIO z015, Cladosporium sphaerospermum SCSIO z030, and Penicillium verruculosum SCSIO z007 exhibited a strong anti-bacterial-growth activity, and isolate Penicillium chrysogenum SCSIO z062 displayed a strong anti-larval-settlement activity. These results suggest that these isolates deserved further study as potential sources of novel bioactive metabolites.     

Preliminary studies on methane fluxes in Hainan mangrove communities

INTRODUCTIONChrbondioxideandInehanearethetwomostabundantabosphericcarbonspedes.Methane'sconcenhati0nintheboposphereinonsesO.7-l.l%peryearraasmussenandKhaili,l98l,BlakeandRowand,l988,Scheeetal.,l989).Ihauseofmethne'sforpaCtontheearth'sclirnateandthechernistryoftheatInosphere,thebudgetofabosphericmethanehasmivedconsiderableattchti0n.Wetlandsareestirnataltobeoneofthelamptsoimofabosphericmethane,aocountingforab0ut4O%to5O%0ftheglobalInehanesoonannually(Cforneand0reInland,l988,WhitingandC…     

Spatial variations of bacterial community composition in sediments of the Jiaozhou Bay,China

Spatial variations of sediment microbes pose a great challenge for the estimation of anthropogenic influence on biogeochemical processes, yet remain very unclear in coastal ecosystems. Surface sediments in 9 stations from the eutrophic Jiaozhou Bay, China, were sampled, DNA was extracted within the sediments, and the 16 S rDNA was sequenced with the Illumina Hiseq sequencing. Results reveal considerable heterogeneity of sediment bacteria in the Jiaozhou Bay, of which Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes accounted for over 75%. Bacterial alpha-diversity indices decreased generally from the outside to the inner part of the bay and from the offshore to the nearshore area. Bacterial community structures of S3, S4, S7, and S8 clustered, those of S5, S13, and S14 grouped together, while those of S6 and S10 were distinct from each other and from those of the other stations. Major class Gammaproteobacteria were more abundant at the stations with mesoeutrophic to eutrophic levels(S4, S5, S8, and S10) and less abundant at oligotrophic stations(S6, S13, and S14), while Deltaproteobacteria had an opposite distribution pattern. Overall, bacterial community composition transitioned from being Xanthomonadales-dominant at S4 and S8 to being unidentifed_Gammaproteobacteria-dominant at S5, S6, S13, and S14, while in other stations there were comparable orders. The biogeochemical processes correspondingly changed from being nitrogen cycling-dominant at S4 and S8 to being sulfur cycling-dominant at S5, S6, S13, and S14. The bacterial distribution patterns were especially affected by the factors(dissolved organic phosphorus, DOP) in the overlying seawater due to the habitat status of P-insu fficiency in the bay. Both orders Xanthomonadales and Alteromonadales could serve as bioindicators of anthropogenic pollution to different pollution types. At last, divergent distribution patterns of individual bacterial populations in the bay were revealed, the influential environmental gradients were clarified, and the uncertainty of microbes was reduced, helping to predict environmental functions in coastal areas.     

Alpine Ecosystems of Northwest Yunnan, China： an Initial Assessment for Conservation

Implementing conservation actions on-the-ground is not a straightforward process,especially when faced with high scientific uncertainty due to limited available information. This is especially acute in regions of the world that harbor many unique species that have not been well studied,such as the alpine zone of the Hengduan Mountains of Northwest Yunnan (NWY),a global biodiversity hotspot and site of The Nature Conservancy’s Yunnan Great Rivers Project. We conducted a quantitative,but rapid regional-level assessment of the alpine flora across NWY to provide a broad-based understanding of local and regional patterns of the alpine flora,the first large-scale analysis of alpine biodiversity patterns in this region. Multivariate analyses were used to classify the major plant community types and link community patterns to habitat variables. Our analysis indicated that most species had small distributions and/or small population sizes. Strong patterns emerged with higher diversity in the more northern mountains,but beta diversity was high,averaging only 10% among sites. The ordinations indicated that elevation and geographic location were the dominant environ-mental gradients underlying the differences in the species composition among communities. The high beta diversity across the alpine of these mountains implies that conservation strategies ultimately will require the protection of large numbers of species over a large geographical area. However,prioritiza-tion should be given to areas where potential payoffs are greatest. Sites with high species richness also have a greater number of endemic species,and,by focusing efforts on these sites,conservation investments would be maximized by protecting the greatest number of unique species.     

Metabolic and phylogenetic profile of bacterial community in Guishan coastal water (Pearl River Estuary), South China Sea

Characteristics of a microbial community are important as they indicate the status of aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, the metabolic and phylogenetic profile of the bacterioplankton community in Guishan coastal water(Pearl River Estuary), South China Sea, at 12 sites(S1–S12) were explored by community-level physiological profiling(CLPP) with BIOLOG Eco-plate and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis(DGGE). Our results showed that the core mariculture area(S6, S7 and S8) and the sites associating with human activity and sewage discharge(S11 and S12) had higher microbial metabolic capability and bacterial community diversity than others(S1–5, S9–10). Especially, the diversity index of S11 and S12 calculated from both CLPP and DGGE data(H 3.2) was higher than that of others as sewage discharge may increase water nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient. The bacterial community structure of S6, S8, S11 and S12 was greatly influenced by total phosphorous, salinity and total nitrogen. Based on DGGE fingerprinting, proteobacteria, especially γ- and α-proteobacteria, were found dominant at all sites. In conclusion, the aquaculture area and wharf had high microbial metabolic capability. The structure and composition of bacterial community were closely related to the level of phosphorus, salinity and nitrogen.     

武汉市东西湖区主要湖泊表层沉积物重金属污染特征与生态风险评价

人类活动对水环境影响巨大,同时水环境影响着人类的生产生活。采用地质累积指数法及潜在生态危害指数法对武汉市东西湖区主要湖泊表层沉积物重金属情况展开评价发现东西湖主要湖泊表层沉积物平均污染程度处于相对较低水平。地累积指数法评价结果表明,东大湖和金湖中Cd元素处于中度污染水平累积,墨水湖和上金湖中Cd元素为偏中度污染累积水平,其他湖泊沉积物中重金属均处于轻度或无污染水平。潜在生态危害指数法评价结果表明金湖和东大湖沉积物中重金属的潜在风险处于重度生态风险水平,墨水湖、上金湖、下银湖处于中度风险水平,其余湖泊沉积物中重金属的潜在风险均处于低风险水平。主成分分析表明,Hg、Cr、Ni、Cu、Zn、Cd、Pb可能来自于工业和交通源的排放,而As可能与农药的使用有关。后期金湖、东大湖、墨水湖、上金湖和下银湖的内源污染治理过程中需考虑重金属的生态风险问题。      

Anthropogenic Pressure on Structure and Composition of a Shola Forest in Kerala, India

Introduction Tropical region is endowed with a vast tract of diverse vegetation (Gentry 1992). Among different types of forests, the montane forests, due to their unique features including rich biodiversity andprominent ecological services, have always attracted biologists, bio-geographers, ecologists and forest managers (Doumenge et al. 1995). In India, montane forests covering 7.9 % of total forest area occur in the Himalayan, northeastern and southern parts of the country (Lal 1989). In s…     

铬在包气带的垂直污染机理研究

通过铬在包气带的垂直渗滤试验探讨了铬对地下水污染的机制，认识到地下水铬污染的主要途径是通过包气带渗入，铬在包气带中的垂直迁移性好，铬进入含水层后，在水动力条件及浓度的影响下，可发生运移—弥散作用，造成大面积地下水污染，严重影响生态环境。     

Nutrient-enhanced n-alkanes biodegradation and succession of bacterial communities

Bioremediation, is an effective and environment-friendly method of cleaning up crude oil pollution after an oil spill. However, the in situ bioremediation of crude oil is usually inhibited by deficiency of inorganic nutrients. To understand the effects of nutrient addition on the bioremediation of crude oil and the succession of bacterial communities during process of bioremediation, microcosms containing oilcontaminated sediments were constructed and biodegradation of crude oil was assessed based on the depletion of different ingredients. We used two culture-independent methods, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and a 16 S rRNA gene based clone library, to analyze the succession of bacterial communities. The results suggested n-alkanes were degraded after 30 days and that nutrient amendments significantly improved the efficiency of their biodegradation. Moreover, oil contamination and nutrient amendments could dramatically change bacterial community structures. Lower diversity was detected after being contaminated with oil. For instance, bacterial clones affiliated with the phylum Armatimonadetes, Firmicutes, Gemmatimonadetes, and Planctomycetes and the class Deltaproteobacteria and Epsilonproteobacteria could not be identified after 30 days of incubation with crude oil. However, "professional hydrocarbonocastic bacteria" became abundant in samples treated with oil during the bioremediation period, while these clones were almost completely absent from the control plots. Interestingly, bioinformatics analysis showed that even when dramatic differences in oil biodegradation efficiency were observed, bacterial communities in the plots with nutrient amendments were not significantly different from those in plots treated with oil alone. These findings indicated that nutrient amendments could stimulate the process of biodegradation but had less impact on bacterial communities. Overall, nutrient amendments might be able to stimulate the growth of n-alkane degrading bacteria.     

Temporal changes in wetland plant communities with decades of cumulative water pollution in two plateau lakes in China’s Yunnan Province

Wetland plant communities in the plateau lakes of Yunnan Province, China, have decreased significantly over the past decades. To better understand this degradation, we analyzed the processes and characteristics of changes in wetland plant communities in two of the largest lakes in Yunnan Province, Dianchi and Erhai lakes. We collected records of native and alien plant communities in the two lakes from literature published from the 1950s to current period. We calculated plant community types and their area in some historical periods when related data were reported, and analyzed the relationship between changes in plant communities and water pollution. In Dianchi Lake, 12 community types of native plant communities, covering over 80% of the surface in the 1950s and 1960s, were reduced to four types covering 2.4% by the late 2000s. Alien plant communities started to appear in the lake in the late 1970s, and have since come to cover 4.9% of the lake surface, thereby becoming dominant. In Erhai Lake, 16 community types of native plant communities, covering 47.1% of the lake surface in the late 1970s, declined to 10 community types, covering 9.3% of the surface, by the late 2000s. Alien plant communities appeared in the middle 1980s, and at present cover 0.7% of the surface area. It was indicated that changes in plant communities were significant related to water eutrophication. The area occupied by native and alien plant communities was, respectively, negatively and positively related to the content of nutrients in water. This showed lacustrine pollution played an important role in native plant loss and alien plant invasion in the two plateau lakes.     

Community structure changes of macrobenthos in the South Yellow Sea

The ecological environment in the Yellow Sea has changed greatly from the 1950s to 1990s and this has had significant impact on marine organisms. In this study, data on soft-sediment macrobenthos occurring in depths from 25 m to 81 m in the South Yellow Sea were used to compare changes in community structure. The agglomerative classification (CLUSTER) and multidimensional scaling (MDS) methods were applied. Five communities were recognized by cluster analysis: 1. The Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass community dominated by cold water species, which changed slightly in species composition since the 1950s; 2. The mixed community with the coexistence of cold water species and warm water species, as had been reported previously; 3. The polychaete-dominated eurythermal community in which the composition changed considerably as some dominant species disappeared or decreased; 4. The Changjiang (Yangtze) River Estuarine community, with some typical estuarine species; 5. The community affected by the Yellow Sea Warm Current. The greatest change occurred in the coastal area, which indicated that the change may be caused by human activities. Macrobenthos in the central region remained almost unchanged, particularly the cold water species shielded by the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass. The depth, temperature and median grain size of sediments were important factors affecting the distributions of macrobenthos in the South Yellow Sea.     

Dormant stages of crustaceans as a mechanism of propagation in the extreme and unpredictable environment in the Crimean hypersaline lakes

A pool of dormant stages of planktonic organisms in saline lakes is a substantial component in the plankton communities;we need to take it into account to understand plankton dynamics.Hypersaline water bodies in Crimea,the largest peninsula in the Black Sea,constitute a very characteristic and peculiar habitat type in the region.We examined the presence of crustacean resting stages in sediments of dried up sites of the Crimean hypersaline lakes.Sediment samples were taken in 9 different lakes.Experiments performed on the hatching of these resting stages showed the presence of Moina salina(Cladocera),parthenogenetic Artemia and Artemia urmiana(Anostraca),Eucypris mareotica( inflata)(Ostracoda),and Cletocamptus retrogressus(Harpacticoida).Comparing the experimental results obtained with clean dried brine shrimp cysts and those kept in sediment samples,it was noted that clean cysts hatched much faster than those from sediments did.Some components in bottom sediments slow down and desynchronize hatching from resting eggs in different groups of crustaceans.The sediments of different lakes inhibited the nauplii output from Artemia and ostracod resting eggs to different degrees.More data are needed before we can discuss the reasons of this inhibition.The nonsynchronous output of active stages from the bottom resting ones may be an adaptation that allows crustacean species to exist in extreme and unpredictably changing environments,avoiding the risk that all may emerge at once under unsuitable conditions.     

Distribution characteristics of polychlorinated biphenyls （PCBs） in coastal areas of Okinawa Island, Japan

Surface sediment and seawater samples were collected from coastal areas around Okinawa Island from September 2001 to May 2002. The samples were analyzed for total polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels and homolog composition. The results show that total PCB levels ranged from 0.32 to 128.7 ng/g (dry wt.) in sediment and 1.59 to 2.48 ng/L in seawater. The levels exceed the Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) for water pollution of Japan. The distribution of PCB homolog showed different patterns in the sediments and seawaters. Penta-chlorobiphenyls (CBs) comprised the main congener group in seawater, while hexa-CBs were more abundant homologs in the sediments. The heavily contaminated sites featured higher CBs, including penta-CBs, hexa-CBs, and hepta-CBs, than those in less contaminated sites where tri-CBs dominated. This study provides current distribution and geochemical behavior of PCBs in the coastal areas around Okinawa Island.