Seasonal variations in prey selection by estuarine black-headed gulls (Larus ridibundus)

The number of black-headed gulls (Larus ridibundus) in the Clyde Estuary is large. In summer the average density has reached 1350 gulls km^?2 and in winter 180 gulls km^?2. This paper compares prey selection and feeding efficiency in gulls during summer and winter on tidal flats, and considers how seasonal differences may be adaptations to cope with seasonal changes in prey availability.Gross and net rates of energy intake were highest in summer because gulls captured more of the polychaete N. diversicolor than the amphipod C. volutator. In winter, gulls selected for C. volutator and therefore an energetically less profitable diet. Throughout the year gulls selected more C. volutator relative to N. diversicolor than expected on energetic grounds and so apparently did not maximize potential net rate of energy intake.Gulls used three techniques to capture prey and made most intensive use of the ‘crouch’ technique. Crouching gulls attained a much higher net rate of energy intake than ‘upright’ or ‘paddling’ gulls.A log-linear model showed that (a) season, water depth and gull density determined feeding technique and (b) feeding technique and season independently determined foraging success and prey selection. Thus gull density and water depth acted on prey selection through imposed variations in feeding technique.Reasons for gulls selecting energetically unprofitable C. volutator and for the use of several distinct feeding techniques are discussed.     

Sea‐surface temperature and salinity changes in the northwest Pacific since the Last Glacial Maximum

The oxygen isotope records of both benthic and planktonic Foraminifera in five piston cores, collected from the region between the Oyashio and Kuroshio Currents near Japan, clearly show the marked latitudinal shifts of these two currents during the past 25 kyr. Under the present hydrographic condition, a clear relationship between the sea‐surface temperature (SST) and oxygen isotope differences from benthic to planktonic Foraminifera is observed in this region. Using this relationship, we find decreased SSTs of 12–13°C (maximum 15°C) in the southernmost core site at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), indicating the Oyashio Current shifted southward. The SSTs at the southern two core sites abruptly increased more than 10°C at 10–11 ka, suggesting the Kuroshio Current shifted northward over these sites at 10–11 ka. In contrast, the northern two core sites have remained under the influence of the cold Oyashio Current for the past 25 kyr. With the reasonable estimate of bottom‐water temperature decrease of 2.5°C at the LGM, the SSTs estimated by this new method give exactly the same SST values calculated from Mg/Ca ratio of planktonic Foraminifera, allowing palaeosea‐surface salinities to be reconstructed. The result suggests that the ice volume effect was 1.0 ± 0.1‰ at the LGM. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Benthic photosynthesis in submerged Wadden Sea intertidal flats

In this study we compare benthic photosynthesis during inundation in coarse sand, fine sand, and mixed sediment (sand/mud) intertidal flats in the German Wadden Sea. In situ determinations of oxygen-, DIC- and nutrient fluxes in stirred benthic chamber incubations were combined with measurements of sedimentary chlorophyll, incident light intensity at the sediment surface and scalar irradiance within the sediment. During submergence, microphytobenthos was light limited at all study sites as indicated by rapid response of gross photosynthesis to increasing incident light at the sea floor. However, depth integrated scalar irradiance was 2 to 3 times higher in the sands than in the mud. Consequently, gross photosynthesis in the net autotrophic fine sand and coarse sand flats during inundation was on average 4 and 11 times higher than in the net heterotrophic mud flat, despite higher total chlorophyll concentration in mud. Benthic photosynthesis may be enhanced in intertidal sands during inundation due to: (1) higher light availability to the microphytobenthos in the sands compared to muds, (2) more efficient transport of photosynthesis-limiting solutes to the microalgae with pore water flows in the permeable sands, and (3) more active metabolic state and different life strategies of microphytobenthos inhabiting sands.     

Understanding governance and networks: EU-US interactions and the regulation of genetically modified organisms

EU-US (European Union-United States) interactions in relation to the regulation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been examined in detail in recent years. To do this scholars have tended to focus on a small number of high profile processes, such as the formal complaint of the US to the World Trade Organisation regarding the regulation of GMOs in the Europe. It is important to analyse developments of this kind but overemphasis on them has also lead to a distorted view of the case and a failure to appreciate the significance of other, less visible, types of interaction. In this paper we focus instead on trying to understand the roles played by various EU-US transnational networks—The Transatlantic Business Dialogue, The Transatlantic Economic Partnership, The Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue, The Transatlantic Environmental Dialogue and the EU-US Consultative Forum on Biotechnology. These networks have been trying to shape the regulation of GMOs in both jurisdictions since the mid 1990s. By analysing them through a ‘governance lens’ we find that we can better understand EU-US interactions and the dynamics and influences around the regulation of GMOs. This gives us valuable insights into processes of contemporary governance.     

武汉东湖不同营养型子湖的水生生物与水域功能

于１９９１－１９９３年研究了武汉东湖４个营养型不同的子湖中水生生物与水域功能,表明各子湖之间各类水生生物的生态特征存在明显差异,茶港湾的ＨＢＣ和ＦＣ的数量,藻类的细胞密度和初级生产量,浮游动物和底栖动物的个体密度等均居４个子湖之首,其水质已达到了超富营养水平,将该湖区的作为污水天然净化区进行管理,可望对东湖的主体湖区起到缓冲和保护作用,郭郑湖的水质状况仅次于茶港湾湖区,处于富营养阶段,该湖区多项生     

16 Ma以来南海北部海域古水温变化规律与机制

长期以来古海洋表层古水温研究的热点主要集中在第四纪,很少涉及到2.5 Ma之前。利用ODP 184航次1147和1148站位的获得的相关资料,并主要采用长链烯酮U37k)和底栖有孔虫氧同位素(δ18O)两种方法,计算海水氧同位素组成,然后,利用浮游有孔虫氧同位素法计算16 Ma以来的海水温度变化,探讨南海北部16 Ma以来的古海水温度变化机制。结果表明,南海北部水温总体趋势与全球气候发展相对应,在北半球冰盖形成时期,海水表层温度与代表高纬冰盖体积大小的底栖有孔虫δ18O几乎同步变化,反映出南海热带海区古气候变化的特殊性,为进一步研究低纬热带海区在全球古气候变化中的作用提供了新证据。     

微量元素锰对底栖甲藻热带库里亚藻(Coolia tropicalis)生长及叶绿素荧光特性的影响

以热带库里亚藻(Coolia tropicalis)为研究对象, 在不同锰浓度(0、1、5、10、50μmol·L ^-1)的人工海水培养15d, 利用叶绿素荧光动力学技术研究了其生长和光合作用对不同锰环境的响应。结果表明: 1)比生长速率(μ)和最大相对电子传递速率(rETR_max)与锰浓度均呈指数关系且对锰胁迫具有相同程度的响应; 2)锰浓度至少大于1μmol·L ^-1才能维持热带库里亚藻正常的光合作用活性, 当锰浓度低于该浓度时, 光合作用活性(F_v/F_m)在6d后开始下降, 而单位反应中心吸收光能(ABS/RC)和热能耗散(DI₀/RC)升高; 两个反应中心之间的电子传递(φ_E0)及生长并未受影响, 表明此阶段锰缺乏只影响活性光反应中心数量并提高热耗散途径; 当锰缺乏延长至15d时, 胁迫作用显现(F₀上升)并且电子传递(φ_E0)和生长受到抑制, 这阶段锰缺乏使光反应中心关闭且电子传递受阻; 3)锰缺乏的修复损伤比(r/k)并未降低, 表明锰缺乏并未影响热带库里亚藻的光保护能力。