营养盐对微囊藻细胞组分及多糖组成的影响

胞外多糖是微囊藻形成群体的物质基础,营养盐是否会通过影响微囊藻多糖的含量进而影响群体的形成还不清楚.在室内培养实验中,设置不同N、P浓度的培养液并测定对数期胞内的细胞组分以及3种形态的多糖含量,从而探讨N、P对细胞中多糖的影响规律.实验结果表明:RNA在细胞中的含量相对恒定(约2.0 pg/cell).N对单细胞的蛋白质和多糖都产生了显著影响:N浓度的升高显著促进蛋白质的合成,细胞中总糖的含量降低.P浓度的升高同样造成细胞中多糖总量减少,但其对蛋白质影响不大(在4.6 pg/cell左右波动).N浓度的增加还促进多糖向胞外分泌并溶解于培养基中.在高生长率下,由于细胞中RNA、蛋白质的合成速度加快,多糖的合成较慢导致胞外固着性多糖减少,这可能是室内培养难以得到群体的原因之一.     

微囊藻胶鞘多糖和水溶性胞外多糖的化学特性

微囊藻(Microcystis)产生大量胞外多糖(EPS),包括包裹在细胞外的胶鞘多糖(CPS)和释放到周围环境中的水溶性多糖(RPS).为探究EPS在蓝藻水华发生中的生理生态学意义,迫切需要了解微囊藻EPS的化学特性.本文从太湖分离群体微囊藻,经过大约18个月实验室培养后,其中一些藻株转变为单细胞形态.选择5株群体藻和4株单细胞藻,比较分析这些藻株EPS的化学特性发现:(1)所有9株藻的EPS均为含有脱氧己糖的酸性杂多糖;(2)所有9株藻的CPS的糖醛酸含量(1.2%~2.1%)均低于RPS的糖醛酸含量(2.4%~6.2%);(3)所有9株藻的EPS均含有乙酰基和硫酸基,其中,每一株藻CPS的乙酰基含量均高于RPS的乙酰基含量,所有群体藻CPS的乙酰基含量(4.1%~6.6%)高于所有单细胞藻CPS的乙酰基含量(2.0%~3.2%).本文进而讨论了EPS化学特性对EPS水溶性和微囊藻群体形成的影响,以及对其生态学作用的影响.在这些化学特性中,乙酰取代基团被认为可能是影响微囊藻EPS生理生态学作用的重要因素.     

氮、磷浓度对太湖水华微囊藻(Microcystis flos-aquae)群体生长的影响

大量微囊藻群体的形成和聚集是微囊藻水华形成的重要条件.氮、磷浓度是影响微囊藻群体生长的重要因素之一.为了探讨氮、磷浓度对微囊藻群体生长的影响,本研究以太湖微囊藻水华优势种之一的水华微囊藻作为研究对象,开展了不同氮、磷浓度对水华微囊藻群体生长的影响研究.以近几年太湖微囊藻水华暴发最严重的梅梁湾氮磷比的平均值作参考,氮、磷浓度设置为5个水平组,依次是T1(TN=0.1 mg/L,TP=0.005 mg/L)、T2(TN=1 mg/L,TP=0.05 mg/L)、T3(TN=10 mg/L,TP=0.5 mg/L)、T4(TN=100 mg/L,TP=5 mg/L)和T5(TN=250 mg/L,TP=5.44 mg/L)(BG-11培养基中氮、磷的浓度).结果显示,T1、T2、T3和T4 4组微囊藻群体均增大,且都发现有大于100个细胞的群体形成,群体大小分别为151、217、437和160 cells,而T5组微囊藻群体实验初期增大,实验后期变小,T5整个实验期间未发现有大于100个细胞的群体形成.研究结果表明相对低的氮、磷浓度有利于水华微囊藻群体的生长,而过高的氮、磷浓度则会抑制微囊藻群体生长.本研究结果也表明目前太湖氮、磷浓度有利于水华微囊藻群体的生长,从而有利于微囊藻水华形成.     

角突网纹溞在太湖微囊藻群体形成中的作用

将太湖微囊藻水华中3种优势微囊藻包括水华微囊藻1028、惠氏微囊藻929、铜绿微囊藻469和铜绿微囊藻905培养在改良后的BG-11培养基(TN=10mg/L,TP=0.4mg/L)中,然后加入角突网纹搔,以研究3种优势微囊藻对浮游动物摄食压力的形态反应.整个实验共进行了12d.除了水华微囊藻1028以外,在惠氏微囊藻929、铜绿微囊藻469和铜绿微囊藻905中没有观察到有大群体(大于10个细胞)的出现.在水华微囊藻中,处理组大群体细胞所占总细胞的比例与对照组显著不同,其中对照组占22%,而试验组占53%.水华微囊藻对照组和处理组中单细胞、2细胞、小群体(3-10个细胞)和大群体(大于10个细胞)细胞密度存在显著的不同.实验第6-12d,水华微囊藻对照组和试验组单位大群体细胞数量存在显著差异.研究结果表明,角突网纹潘的摄食压力不能促使惠氏微囊藻929、铜绿微囊藻469和铜绿微囊藻905形成大群体.角突网纹溞的摄食促使水华微囊藻形成更大的群体.     

温度对铜绿微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa)和鱼腥藻(Anabaena sp.)生长及胞外有机物产生的影响

以巢湖优势种铜绿微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa)和鱼腥藻(Anabaena sp.)为研究对象,研究不同温度(35、25和10℃)对这两种藻生长特性和胞外有机物产生的影响.结果表明,温度对铜绿微囊藻和鱼腥藻的藻细胞密度、碱性磷酸酶活性和胞外有机物浓度影响显著.25℃是铜绿微囊藻和鱼腥藻最适宜的生长温度,最高细胞密度分别达到3.12×107cells/ml和2.03×107 cells/ml.不同温度下两种藻的碱性磷酸酶活性特征,证实了高温对鱼腥藻生长的抑制和低温对铜绿微囊藻生长的抑制.胞外有机物释放总量受蓝藻生物量和单位细胞有机物释放速率的影响.铜绿微囊藻的溶解性有机碳和胞外总多糖释放量在25℃最高,最大值分别为49.28和38.46 mg/L;而鱼腥藻在35℃时释放量最高,最大值分别为45.82和40.60 mg/L;10℃条件抑制了两种藻的生长及胞外有机物的释放.鱼腥藻胞外多糖含量在35℃培养条件下最高,而铜绿微囊藻在10℃条件下最高,说明不利的生长条件会促进蓝藻胞外多糖的分泌.三维荧光图谱分析结果表明,铜绿微囊藻和鱼腥藻胞外有机物以类蛋白质和类腐殖酸为主,温度主要影响藻细胞胞外有机物浓度,而对有机物种类组成没有影响.     

不同藻类对温度与磷叠加作用的响应模式

气候变暖对富营养化引起的蓝藻水华扩张具有叠加作用,为探索不同藻类对气候变暖与富营养化叠加作用的响应模式,选用富营养化水体常见藻类铜绿微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa)、水华鱼腥藻(Anabaena flos-aquae)和斜生栅藻(Scenedesmus obliquus)作为材料,采用室内培养方法,模拟春末不同升温幅度(20+3、23+3和20+6℃),5个磷浓度水平(0、0.05、0.15、0.30和0.50 mg/L),通过生长速率、光化学参数等的测定,分析不同藻类对温度升高和营养盐添加的生长与光化学响应.结果表明:3种藻的生长速率对温度和磷的叠加作用呈现不同的响应模式:随着磷浓度的升高,铜绿微囊藻的生长速率受温度的叠加作用不断增加,26℃时差异最大;水华鱼腥藻生长速率除在0.30 mg/L磷浓度时受温度叠加作用比较明显外,其他磷浓度水平均没有显著的叠加效应;斜生栅藻在不同磷浓度水平下受温度叠加作用影响有较大波动,但无明显差异.铜绿微囊藻对温度的叠加作用随着磷浓度的增加呈现逻辑斯蒂模式增长,而水华鱼腥藻和斜生栅藻均是在特定温度或特定营养盐浓度时呈现最大的叠加作用,叠加作用的趋势不明显.从Fv/Fm结果可知,铜绿微囊藻下降幅度明显高于水华鱼腥藻和斜生栅藻,随温度升高,磷浓度越高,铜绿微囊藻的Fv/Fm下降幅度越大,这可能是铜绿微囊藻在高生长速率下色素无法积累所致;水华鱼腥藻的Fv/Fm基本保持稳定,各组间差异较小;斜生栅藻的Fv/Fm在低磷浓度组明显低于高磷浓度组,并且随温度升高下降趋势增加,3种藻的光学特性响应反映了藻类在叠加作用下生长的变化.综上所述,铜绿微囊藻对温度上升与磷浓度的升高有更强的响应,导致其产生更高的生长速率,从而促进了蓝藻水华的扩张.     

氮磷比对微囊藻与栅藻磷赋存及分配的影响

太湖水体氮浓度及氮磷比的改变可能影响藻类对磷元素的赋存及分配,进而影响水体总磷浓度. 为此,本研究选取常见蓝藻(群体微囊藻和单细胞微囊藻)和绿藻(斜生栅藻),设置低氮磷比(N ∶P=2)和高氮磷比(N ∶P=20)培养实验,分析藻体胞内磷(INT-P)和胞外磷(EPS-P)含量、形态及分布,探究氮磷比对藻体磷元素赋存及分配的影响. 结果表明：低氮磷比组斜生栅藻和群体微囊藻的藻体磷(CTP,即INT-P与EPS-P之和)显著增加,分别为高氮磷比组的2.7和1.4倍. 斜生栅藻和群体微囊藻EPS-P含量(约占CTP的80%)分别增加了3.1和0.48倍,而INT-P含量对氮磷比无明显响应. 低氮磷比组的斜生栅藻和群体微囊藻EPS含量分别增加了51.7% 和63.5%. 此外,微囊藻的CTP与EPS-P主要以可交换态活性磷存在,而INT-P主要以铁铝结合态磷存在. 本研究发现低氮磷比促进了藻类EPS分泌,导致EPS-P升高,显著增加了藻体颗粒态磷的含量. 这或许是近年来太湖水体总磷波动的原因之一.     

温度波动对浮游藻类生长及多糖组成的影响

以铜绿微囊藻、蛋白核小球藻及梅尼小环藻为研究对象,分析了春季藻类演替期间主要门类藻对温度波动的响应,实验在恒温(20℃)和昼夜波动(20±5℃)2种温度模式下测定了3种藻的生长和不同形态多糖含量的变化.结果表明,蛋白核小球藻的生长曲线在不同处理条件下没有显著性差异,铜绿微囊藻和梅尼小环藻的生长曲线在波动温度组显著低于恒定温度组,而且温度波动对梅尼小环藻的生长抑制明显强于铜绿微囊藻.随着实验的进行,3种藻在2个温度处理组中的生长速率逐渐趋近,无显著差异,但是在实验中段3种藻的生长速率对2个温度处理的响应差异显著,其中温度波动对蛋白核小球藻的生长速率起到了显著的抑制作用,对梅尼小环藻起到短暂的显著抑制作用,而对铜绿微囊藻的生长速率无显著性影响,表明铜绿微囊藻对短期(3~6 d)的温度波动表现出较强的适应能力.铜绿微囊藻的游离多糖含量在温度波动条件下显著增加,而固着多糖和总多糖的含量显著减少;蛋白核小球藻和梅尼小环藻多糖的含量没有显著性变化,表明温度波动可能不利于铜绿微囊藻固着多糖的积累.因此,相对短期的温度波动有利于铜绿微囊藻生长优势的确立与维持,而相对长期的温度波动可能会通过影响铜绿微囊藻固着多糖的积累而影响其生长优势的维持.     

不同光照周期对铜绿微囊藻和绿色微囊藻生长的影响

研究了不同光照周期对铜绿微囊藻(Microcystisaeruginosa)和绿色微囊藻(Microcystisviridis)生长的影响.按光照周期不同将两种微囊藻各分为五组处理组I[2L/22D]、Ⅱ[5L/19D]、Ⅲ[7L/17D]、Ⅳ[9L/15D]、对照组[12L/12D],试验期为20d.试验表明铜绿微囊藻实验中处理组Ⅳ[9L/15D]的比增长率和最大细胞数均最大,超过了对照组[12L/12D].绿色微囊藻实验中对照组[12L/12D]的最大细胞数和比增长率最大.随光照周期的延长两种微囊藻的最大细胞数有增加的趋势.绿色微囊藻对光照周期较铜绿微囊藻敏感.两种微囊藻在每日2h的光照周期下生长均受到抑制.     

一株产碳酸酐酶附生菌对铜绿微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa)生长的影响

为研究生长环境中微生物对铜绿微囊藻碳代谢的影响,本文分析太湖典型微囊藻水华样品附生菌中产碳酸酐酶(CA)细菌的比例,结果显示CA菌占11.6%;从微囊藻群体中分离获得了一株高胞外CA附生菌P201,通过ITS基因鉴定,该菌为一株荧光假单胞菌(Pseudomonas fluorescence).并研究了该菌在不同浓度HCO3-条件下对铜绿微囊藻生长的影响,结果表明无论是高HCO3-浓度还是低HCO3-浓度环境中,加入该菌对铜绿微囊藻的生长均有促进作用,说明产CA酶附生菌对铜绿微囊藻的生长有一定的促进作用.     

PBDEs in the blubber of marine mammals from coastal areas of São Paulo, Brazil, southwestern Atlantic

Limited information is available in the literature on the levels of brominated flame retardants in the southern hemisphere. This study presents concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the blubber of small cetaceans from the coast of São Paulo (Brazil), southwestern Atlantic. PBDE levels were highest in Stenellafrontalis (770 ng g⁻¹ lipid) followed by Stenobredanensis (475 ng g⁻¹ lipid), Sotaliaguianensis (65.6 ng g⁻¹ lipid), Tursiopstruncatus (64.2 ng g⁻¹ lipid) and Pontoporiablainvillei (60.3 ng g⁻¹ lipid). In general, continental shelf individuals exhibited higher contamination than inshore animals. This might be related to larger prey items consumed by continental shelf dolphins. The pattern of contamination indicates that Penta-BDE commercial mixtures are a major source of PBDEs to top predators in the southwestern Atlantic. Congeners found in Octa-BDE formulations were not detected in the investigated animals.     

Differential piscivory of the native Percichthys trucha and exotic salmonids upon the native forage fish Galaxias maculatus in Patagonian Andean lakes

The present paper analyses predation patterns, of Percichthys trucha and salmonid fish upon Galaxias maculatus in five lakes of northern Patagonia with differing community and environmental characteristics. Tank experiments were performed to evaluate relative efficiency of native and exotic predators of G. maculatus under treatments with and without cover (aquatic vegetation). Important differences were found between predators with regards to distribution and consumption of G. maculatus. Salmonids are more efficient than P. trucha in consuming G. maculatus in deep environments with scarcely vegetation; in contrast to native species they frequently use the pelagic environment. Although pelagic habitat might have served in the past as a refuge from native predators in the past, G maculatus now experiences intense predation in the pelagic zone by exotic salmonids. It is suggested that the widespread distribution of G. maculatus in Patagonian lakes may have facilitated the success of salmonids throughout Patagonia.     

Determination of the Geopotential Scale Factor from TOPEX/POSEIDON Satellite Altimetry

The geopotential scale factor R _o = GM/W _o (the GM geocentric gravitational constant adopted) and/or geoidal potential Wo have been determined on the basis of the first year's (Oct 92 – Dec 93) ERS-1/TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter data and of the POCM 4B sea surface topography model: R _o °=(6 363 672.58°±0.05) m, W _o °=(62 636 855.8°±0.05)m ² s ^–2 . The 2°–°3 cm uncertainty in the altimeter calibration limits the actual accuracy of the solution. Monitoring dW _o /dt has been projected.     

外来种福寿螺(Pomacea canaliculata)对3种沉水植物的牧食偏好及水体理化因子的响应

外来种福寿螺(Pomacea canaliculata)相较我国本土螺类其牧食量更大且繁殖速度更快,对栖息地水生植物的现存量和实施水生植被恢复的生态治理工程的成功性可能构成威胁,目前对福寿螺影响浅水湖泊沉水植物的重建缺乏足够的研究.本文通过设置不同沉水植物种类组合系统,研究福寿螺对3种常用于浅水富营养化湖泊治理的沉水植物密刺苦草(Vallisneria denseserrulata)、轮叶黑藻(Hydrilla verticillata)、穗花狐尾藻(Myriophyllum spicatum)的牧食偏好以及不同植物配置系统理化因子的响应变化,结果表明福寿螺对沉水植物植株附着偏好为密刺苦草轮叶黑藻穗花狐尾藻,而牧食破坏强度为轮叶黑藻穗花狐尾藻密刺苦草,轮叶黑藻最容易受到福寿螺牧食影响而快速消亡,穗花狐尾藻叶片也会被全部牧食仅剩下茎,而苦草存活受到的影响较小.福寿螺会导致轮叶黑藻+密刺苦草组合系统中总氮、氨氮、总磷、正磷酸盐浓度显著升高,而密刺苦草+穗花狐尾藻组合中总磷、正磷酸盐浓度显著升高,但是在轮叶黑藻+穗花狐尾藻组合中仅总氮浓度显著升高.研究表明福寿螺能够影响沉水植物间的竞争关系,但是3种沉水植物均不能阻止福寿螺的牧食;福寿螺牧食会显著降低沉水植物生物量,最终会影响草型清水态系统的稳定性.     

Alien aquatic plants in a thermally abnormal river and their assembly to neophyte-dominated macrophyte stands (River Erft, Northrhine-Westphalia)

Floristic surveys, vegetation mapping, and detailed transect analyses rendered a macrophyte flora of 14 native and five alien taxa of flowering plants in the River Erft, a contributory of the River Rhine in Northrhine-Westphalia. Water temperatures of this river do not fall below 10 °C all the year round, for reasons of geothermically heated water discharged from nearby opencast mining areas. Macrophyte stand structures, composed of the neophytes Azolla filiculoides and Lemna minuta (floating) and Myriophyllum aquaticum, Egeria densa, and Vallisneria spiralis (rooted in the muddy or sandy ground of the river) are described and the ecological requirements of these taxa are characterized. The alien species can be seen as elements that increase the α-diversity of the aquatic vegetation of the River Erft. They do not replace any of the native species, even if shifts in the competition dynamics occur. The colonization by neophytes of the abnormally warmed River Erft can be appreciated as paradigmatic for trends in the macrophyte vegetation of medium-sized rivers in Central Europe when climate-related or discharge-based heating of the waterbody occurs and propagules of alien plants imported by waterfowl or – more important – plants from aquarium waste will find suitable places of existence and spread.     

近30 a云贵高原湖泊表面水体面积变化遥感监测与时空分析

以云贵高原湖泊近30 a来的TM、ETM~+和OLI遥感影像为数据源,采用归一化水体指数(NDWI)、改进归一化水体指数(MNDWI)、新型水体指数(NWI)、增强型水体指数(EWI)和自动水体提取指数5种水体指数提取了1985—2015年云贵高原10个湖泊表面水体面积,并对各种算法进行精度对比分析.针对湖泊各自特点采用不同的水体指数提取其表面水体面积,并进行水体面积变化时空分析.结果表明:云贵高原湖泊表面水体面积总体呈现先增加后缩减趋势,1985—1995年湖泊表面水体面积增加了30.86 km~2,1995—2015年湖泊水体表面面积减少了48.12 km~2,其中,面积变化最大的是杞麓湖与异龙湖.对云贵高原湖泊表面水体面积变化与该区域的年降水量、蒸发量、平均气温、流域植被覆盖面积和人类活动时空进行相关分析,结果表明:1)高原湖泊对区域气候变化的响应具有明显的空间差异性,云贵高原湖泊的表面水体面积与气候相关性较显著,气温升高引起蒸发加速,降水量下降,湖面不断缩小,与逐年上升的气温呈负相关,与逐年波动上升的蒸发量呈负相关,与逐年减少的降水量呈正相关;2)云贵高原湖泊各流域的植被覆盖面积与湖泊面积变化相关性较弱;3)人类活动是影响湖泊面积变化的重要因素,大肆围湖造田、围湖养殖以及旅游开发等人类活动直接导致云贵高原湖泊面积的锐减,并对湖泊生态环境产生重要影响.     

Species differences in stomatal control of water loss at the canopy scale in a mature bottomland deciduous forest

In order to evaluate factors controlling transpiration of six common eastern deciduous species in North America, a model describing responses of canopy stomatal conductance (G_S) to net radiation (R_N), vapor pressure deficit (D) and relative extractable soil water (REW) was parameterized from sap flux data. Sap flux was measured in 24 mature trees consisting of the species Carya tomentosa, Quercus alba, Q. rubra, Fraxinus americana, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Liquidambar styraciflua in a bottomland oak-hickory forest in the Duke Forest, NC. Species differences in model coefficients were found during the 1997 growing season. All species showed a reduction in G_S with increasing D. R_N influenced G_S in the overstory shade intolerant L. styraciflua to a larger extent than the other species measured. In addition, despite a severe drought during the study period, only L. tulipifera showed a decline in G_S with decreasing REW. The primary effect of the drought for the other species appeared to be early autumn leaf senescence and abscission. As a result, despite the drought in this bottomland forest accustomed to ample water supply, maximum daily transpiration (1.6 mm) and growing season transpiration (264 mm) were similar to a nearby upland forest measured during a year of above average precipitation. These results may aid in assessing differences in water use and the ability of bottomland deciduous species to tolerate alterations in the frequency or amount of precipitation. Results also suggest little variation in water use among forests of similar composition and structure growing in different positions in the landscape and subjected to large interannual variation in water supply.     

Cloning and developmental expression of kinesin superfamily7 (kif7) in the brackish medaka (Oryzias melastigma), a close relative of the Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes)

kif7 is a member of the kinesin superfamily members which are molecular motor proteins that move along microtubules in a highly regulated manner through ATP hydrolysis. In this paper, we report on the cloning of the Oryzias melastigma kif7 (omkif7) using primers designed according to the Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) database. The cloned omkif7 has an open reading frame of 3762bp and is deduced to encode a polypeptide of 1254 amino acids that possesses the putative ATP-binding and microtubule-binding motifs in its motor domain at the N-terminal region. We characterized the cloned omkif7 by comparison with the zebrafish kif7. Both omkif7 and zebrafish kif7 are shown to be expressed in all embryonic stages and adult tissues examined with higher expression level in the testis and ovary. Whole-mount in situ hybridization revealed that the expression of omkif7 is ubiquitous during the early stages of embryonic development, but became more restrictive and localized to the brain, fin bud and eye at later development. This study suggested that the brackish O.melastigma can serve as a good seawater model organism for developmental studies by utilizing the resources developed from its close relative of the Japanese medaka.     

1950s以来洪湖主要优势沉水植物群落变化

通过野外调查并结合历史数据对洪湖沉水植被进行长时间序列变化研究,构建自1950s以来洪湖主要优势沉水植物群落穗状狐尾藻(Myriophyllum spicatum)、微齿眼子菜(Potamogeton maackianus)、金鱼藻(Ceratophyllum demersum)和轮叶黑藻(Hydrilla verticillata)的群落分布图并计算其面积.结果表明:穗状狐尾藻群落面积从1950s占全湖的6%增加至1990s的65%,而后急剧下降至2010年的2%,然后又恢复至2014年的15%;微齿眼子菜群落面积从1950s的10%增至1990s的65%,然后下降至2014年的38%;金鱼藻群落面积从1980s的6%增至1990s的39%,2010年以后则稳定在25%;轮叶黑藻群落面积1950s占全湖的32%,随后急剧下降至1980s的6%,2000年以后逐步增加,至2014年为15%.1950s1990s,穗状狐尾藻、微齿眼子菜和金鱼藻群落分布范围从周边向湖心扩展,而轮叶黑藻群落从湖中心消失;2000年以后洪湖沉水植物群落分布破碎化明显.分析认为,1950s 1990s的围垦和水文过程变化,1990s 2005年的围网养殖、水生植物过度利用以及由此导致的水质恶化等,以及2006年至今开展的拆围和生态修复是导致这些变化的主要因素.建议取缔围网,控制入湖水质,提高水体透明度,促进水生植被恢复,但同时增加水位变幅,促进植物资源合理利用,避免沼泽化重演.     

Fungal infection of Eudiaptomus gracilis (Copepoda, crustacea) in Lake Mondsee

An Aphanomyces sp. (Oomycetes) was found to be an important egg parasite of Eudiaptomus gracilis (Copepoda) in Lake Mondsee (Austria). The infection is evidenced by densely packed infection hyphae, attached with holdfasts and wrapped around the female's abdomen. The infection hyphae give rise to hyphae which penetrate the egg sac, and subsequently kill all eggs. The infection obviously has no pathogenetic effects on the egg-carrying female. Infected females appear during summer and fall, mainly in warm water layers. Infected egg clutches are found at all seasons of the year, indicating considerable birth control of the Eudiaptomus population by parasite infection. It seems possible that the actual Aphanomyces sp. is not the only parasite involved.