Seasonal Changes in Soluble Carbohydrates, Starch, and Energy Content in Mediterranean Seagrasses

Abstract. In all scagrass species investigated, rhizomes were the main storage organs for soluble carbohydrate reserves, and the highest levels were found in Cymodocea nodosa (U cria ) A scherson . Sucrose was the primary soluble carbohydrate identified in Posidonia oceanica (L.) D elile , and Zostera noltii H ornem . This disaccharide was dominant in Cymodocea nodosa roots, as well as in its rhizome in winter. Myo-inositol was the main cyclitol in Zostera noltii. In Cymodocea nodosa leaves 1-chiro-inositol was the main sugar component; it was also present to a lesser extent in the roots and rhizomes. The amounts of glucose and fructose were correlated with growth to a certain extent in all species. Higher amounts of starch were stored in the rhizomes of Posidonia oceanica and Zostera noltii. The energy content of Mediterranean scagrasses was significantly higher than in tropical species. No distinct seasonal trend in energy content could be observed.     

Seasonal Changes in Nitrogen, Free Amino Acids, and C/N Ratio in Mediterranean Seagrasses

Abstract. Seasonal changes in nitrogen, free amino acids, and carbon were investigated in the three Mediterranean seagrasses Posidonia oceanica, Cymodocea nodosa , and Zostera noltii. Leaves, rhizomes, roots, as well as dead plant material were analysed separately. Highest N-concentrations were obtained in the winter months, regardless of species or plant part. In contrast to the other two species, the N-content in Posidonia was higher in the rhizomes than in the leaves.
In the investigated species, marked differences in the free amino acid (FAA) composition were detected between species: Proline, lacking in Posidonia , was the main component in Cymodocea. In Posidonia , FAA decreased from 320umol g^-1 (dry wt) in leaf sheaths to 1.5 umol g^-1 (dry wt) in the leaf tips. The function of proline as a possible storage and/or stress metabolite is discussed.
High C/N values in dead P. oceanica and C. nodosa rhizomes as well as in P. oceanica wrack seem to be related to considerable resistance to decomposition. Low C/N ratios did not increase in detached C. nodosa and Z. noltii leaves, which began to decompose shortly after detachment from the plants.     

Natural expansion and experimental manipulation of seagrass (Zostera spp.) abundance and the response of infaunal invertebrates

A study of an expanding seagrass bed on the south-west coast of British Columbia, Canada involved documentation and explanation of the pattern of expansion of the vegetation as well as documentation and experimental investigation of the accompanying changes in the distribution of infaunal invertebrates. Expansion followed a major environmental change, improved water clarity initiated in 1969 when a causeway blocked access to the site for silty Fraser River water. The original eelgrass (Zostera marina) bed expanded landward over 30 m year⁻¹, probably causing more and more water to be retained in the bed at low tide and thus improving its own habitat. More rapid expansion occurred from 1979–1983 after Z.japonica colonized at the landward edge of the eelgrass bed and in a separate intertidal area. Expansion ceased around 1983 coincident with, but probably independent of, further construction.Burrowing shrimp (Callianassa californiensis) decreased in abundance between 1977 and 1984 in areas where the two seagrasses colonized. Short-term experiment over one summer and fall showed that removal of all shoots allowed adult shrimp and tube worms to colonize the sediment while addition of shoots of Z. japonica by transplanting caused temporary decreases in shrimp abundance. After a few weeks an established shrimp population destroyed the transplants. Among reasonable alternate hypotheses for the decline in Callianassa, the effect of sediment texture can be eliminated, but either direct negative effects of seagrass, i.e. inhibition of the burrowing of adult shrimp or of settlement of juveniles, or indirect effects, i.e. the harboring of more predators of shrimp in seagrass beds, deserve further study.     

Long-term changes in summer phytoplankton communities of the open northern Baltic Sea

Changes in the biomass and species composition of phytoplankton may reflect major shifts in environmental conditions. We investigated relationships between the late summer biomass of different phytoplankton taxa and environmental factors, and their long-term (1979–2003) trends in two areas of the Baltic Sea, the northern Baltic proper (NBP) and the Gulf of Finland (GF), with statistical analyses. An increasing trend was found in late summer temperature and chlorophyll a of the surface water layer (0–10 m) in both areas. There was also a significant decrease in summer salinity and an increase in winter dissolved inorganic nitrogen to phosphorus (DIN:DIP) ratio in the NBP, as well as increases in winter DIN concentrations and DIN:SiO₄ ratio in the GF. Simultaneously, the biomass of chrysophytes and chlorophytes increased in both areas. In the NBP, also the biomass of dinophytes increased and that of euglenophytes decreased, whereas in the GF, cyanobacteria increased and cryptophytes decreased. Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that summer temperature and winter DIN concentration were the most important factors with respect to changes in the phytoplankton community structure. Thus, the phytoplankton communities seem to reflect both hydrographic changes and the ongoing eutrophication process in the northern Baltic Sea.     

福建红树林区海藻的分布及季节变化

主要研究了福建省3个红树林区的海藻不同滩面分布的情况、海藻种类组成的季节变化以及不同季节的海藻群落类型.研究表明:(1)福建红树林区海藻在不同滩面分布表现出,红藻较喜荫蔽潮湿的环境,而绿藻适生在光照条件较好生境.(2)由福建红树林区各门海藻种类组成的季节变化来看,蓝藻种数在一年四季没有明显变化规律,红藻四季种数变化幅度不大,而绿藻在不同季节种数有明显变化,春季种数最多,进入夏季后种数逐渐减少,到秋、冬季后种数又开始上升,到第2年春季又达到最多.(3)不同季节福建红树林区海藻群落类型中,优势种主要是红藻,以及一些绿藻.     

Mid-Holocene evolution and paleoenvironments of the shoreface–offshore transition, north-eastern Argentina: New evidence based on benthic microfauna

A sedimentary record spanning 5792–5511 cal yr BP and 3188–2854 cal yr BP was recovered at 36° 45′ 43″ S–56 ° 37′ 13″ W, south-west South Atlantic. The sedimentological features and micropaleontological (benthic foraminifera and ostracoda) content were analyzed in order to reconstruct paleoenvironmental conditions. Considerable environmental fluctuations are indicated by all these proxies. Five different stages were distinguished: Stage 1 (ca. 5800–5000 cal yr BP) consists of muddy sand with abundant microfossils. In this interval, species typical for inner marine shelf environments maintained a high abundance. Stage 2 consists of plastic light greenish grey clays barren of microfossils, and probably represents fluvial input from the de la Plata River to the shelf contemporaneous of a lowering of sea level. Stage 3 is composed of brownish yellow sandy silts, and represents increasing marine conditions in the area as reflected by higher faunal diversity and typical foraminifera of inner shelf environments. Stage 4 is made of homogeneous mud, barren of microfossil, which represents a new pulse of fluvial input to the shelf in consequence of a new fall in sea level. The final part of the core (Stage 5) is a coarsening upward sequence, grading from greeny brown clayey sandy silts to coarse shelly sands and represents the modern sedimentation in the area. This interpretation strengthens the stepped model of late-Holocene sea-level fall between 5511–5792 cal yr BP and 2854–3188 cal yr BP in Buenos Aires coast, and agrees with the relative sea-level history previously proposed by some authors from western South Atlantic coasts.     

华南沿海地区全新世海平面变化特征

１海平面变化特征１．１全新世中期海侵根据地层中所含硅藻属种雷州半岛海康南田乡一１５ｍ钻孔岩芯，含有丰富的硅藻，主要属种是①：具槽直链藻（Ｍｅｌｏｓｉｒａ　ｓｕｌｃａｔａ（Ｅｈｒ）Ｋｕｔｚ）、范氏回箱藻（Ｐｙｘｉｃｌｉｃｕｌａ　ｗｅｙｐｒｅｃｈｔｉｉＧｒｕｎ）、条纹小环藻（Ｃｙｃｌｏｔｅｌｌａｓｔｒｉａｔａ（Ｋｕｔｚ）Ｇｒｕｎ）、流水双菱藻（ＳｕｒｉｒｅｌｌａｆｌｕｍｉｎｅｎｓｉｓＧｒｕｎ）。上述硅藻主要是海相生活属种，今日南田乡已距离海岸线５ｋｍ。徐闻海安西侧一１８．５ｍ钻孔岩芯中的硅藻除上述属…     

“3S”技术在四川生态环境动态监测中的应用研究

为有效实现四川省生态环境的动态监测,运用RS、GIS和GPS技术,以2004年中巴资源卫星(CBERS-02)遥感影像数据为信息源,2000年TM遥感影像解译的数据为基础,对2004年遥感影像进行解译,修改2000年数据库;手持GPS接收机,在野外对解译成果进行验证,更新数据库;利用GIS技术的空间分析功能,提取出2000～2004年期间土地利用/覆被变化信息,得到2000～2004年期间四川省高精度的土地利用/覆被变化数据库。最后对四川省土地利用/覆被变化信息进行分析,对四川省生态环境的下一步研究指名了方向。