Palaeoclimatic studies in South Shetland Islands,Antarctica, based on numerous stratigraphic variables in lake sediments

The hitherto longest found lake sediment sequence on Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, was analysed with respect to lithology, chronology, diatoms, Pediastrum, pollen and spores, mosses, mineralogy, and sediment chemistry. During the ca. 5000 year long development the sediments were influenced by frequent tephra fall-outs. This volcanic impact played a major role in the lake's history during two periods, 4700–4600 and 2800–2500 BP, but was of importance during the lake's entire history with considerable influence on many of the palaeoenvironmentally significant indicators. The large and complex data set was analysed and zonated with different types of multivariate analysis. This resulted in a subdivision of the sequence into 8 time periods and 21 variables. Redundancy analysis (RDA) of this data set, both without and with the tephra periods, and with 4–6 of the variables as explanatory environmental variables, reveal that climatic/environmental signals are detectable. The palaeoclimatic picture that emerged out of the tephra noise suggests that the first 100 years were characterized by mild, humid conditions. This was followed by a less mild and humid climate until ca. 4000 BP when a gradual warming seems to have started, coupled with increased humidity. These mild and humid conditions seem to have reached an optimum slightly after 3000 BP. At ca. 2500 BP a distinct climatic deterioration occurred with colder and drier conditions and long seasons with ice cover. This arid, cold phase probably reached its optimum conditions at ca. 1500 BP, when slightly warmer conditions might have prevailed for a while. Except for the modern sample with rather mild climate, the last 1400 years seem to have been fairly arid and cold, and the effects of the frequent volcanic activity during this period is only vaguely seen in the records.     

Ratios of stable carbon isotopes in some High Arctic plants and lake sediments

¹³C/¹²C ratios for a number of High Arctic vascular plants (51 determinations), mosses (11), and freshwater algae (11) show considerable variation, particularly among the freshwater algae (range from-6.9 to -36.3). In some cases the stable carbon ratios on modern and fossil materials provide guidance as to whether marine waters formerly occupied a given pond or lake basin. In other cases the ¹³C values for algae collected along the present-day shore of a pond or lake bear no relation to the values obtained on constituents preserved within the bottom sediments, suggesting that major changes have occurred in the last few thousand years.Geological Survey of Canada Contribution No. 17291. Contribution No. 41 from the Cape Herschel Project.     

河北围场早中新世藓类化石的植物地理学意义

对河北省围场地区广发永剖面藓类植物薄网藓Leptodictyum riparium、似叶镰刀藓Drepanocladus trichophyllus和多姿柳叶藓Amblystegium varium的古地理及其对应的现代植物地理分布研究显示,这些植物最早出现于早中新世的围场地区,可能起源于该时期的古北大陆,东亚为起源中心。之后向东通过白令陆桥扩散到北美,向西沿欧亚大陆扩散至欧洲西部,至全新世时主要分布在北半球。全新世后,薄网藓与多姿柳叶藓进一步向南扩散,分别由北美及亚洲东部扩散到南美洲及澳大利亚地区,逐步形成现在的分布格局;毛叶镰刀藓则在更新世就已形成与现代相近的分布格局。该研究确立了3种藓类植物的地理起源、地史分布及迁移路线。     

Biomonitoring of Atmospheric Heavy Metal Deposition by Mosses in the Vicinity of Industrial Sites

At four industrial regions, heavy metal concentrations and calculated depositions were investigated by sampling and analysing mosses. In each region, a special spatial pattern of heavy metal concentrations was detected, reflecting the industrial processes. Metals most likely originating from the industrial sites showed an exponential decrease of concentrations and depositions with increasing distance from the pollution source. The exponential deposition pattern was in some cases modified by a series of natural factors, like the main direction of winds or orographic conditions. The distance at which deposition dropped to background values was up to 20 km. Beside the fact that the moss-metho is a useful tool for deposition measurement in the vicinity of stationary sources, some improvements for using this method are discussed, highlighting factors such as a proper calculation of deposition from concentrations, or the better knowledge of correlations between heavy metal concentrations in mosses and effects on human health.     

贵州普定6种喀斯特石生植物及其土壤的碳酸酐酶活性

以贵州普定喀斯特石漠化区域石生银叶真藓（Bryum argenteum Hedw.）、扭口藓（Barbula unguiculata Hedw.）、穗枝赤齿藓（Erythrodontium julaceum(Schwaegr.)Par.）、美灰藓（Eurohypnum leptothollum(C. Muell. )Ando.）、东亚砂藓（Racomitrium japonicum Dozy et Molk.）和雪茶（地衣）（Thamnolia vermicularia(Ach.)Asa-hina）为对象,研究了这些石生植物和其基质土壤碳酸酐酶（CA）的活性,可为石生植物的生物岩溶作用机理和石漠化生态环境的治理提供一定的参考。结果表明,6种植物CA的活性存在一定的差异,以美灰藓的CA活性272.99 U·g-1(FW)最高,东亚砂藓的CA活性33.45 U·g-1(FW)最低;银叶真藓基部土壤CA活性最高,为101.81 U·g-1(干土),美灰藓CA活性15.95 U·g-1(干土)最低。CA活性与土壤全磷、全钾、石砾含量和土壤含水量之间呈极显著的相关性。      

Associated terrestrial and marine fossils in the late-glacial Presumpscot Formation, southern Maine, USA, and the marine reservoir effect on radiocarbon ages

Excavations in the late-glacial Presumpscot Formation at Portland, Maine, uncovered tree remains and other terrestrial organics associated with marine invertebrate shells in a landslide deposit. Buds of Populus balsamifera (balsam poplar) occurred with twigs of Picea glauca (white spruce) in the Presumpscot clay. Tree rings in Picea logs indicate that the trees all died during winter dormancy in the same year. Ring widths show patterns of variation indicating responses to environmental changes. Fossil mosses and insects represent a variety of species and wet to dry microsites. The late-glacial environment at the site was similar to that of today's Maine coast. Radiocarbon ages of 14 tree samples are 11,907 ± 31 to 11,650 ± 50 ¹⁴C yr BP. Wiggle matching of dated tree-ring segments to radiocarbon calibration data sets dates the landslide occurrence at ca. 13,520 + 95/−20 cal yr BP. Ages of shells juxtaposed with the logs are 12,850 ± 65 ¹⁴C yr BP (Mytilus edulis) and 12,800 ± 55 ¹⁴C yr BP (Balanus sp.), indicating a marine reservoir age of about 1000 yr. Using this value to correct previously published radiocarbon ages reduces the discrepancy between the Maine deglaciation chronology and the varve-based chronology elsewhere in New England.     

沙漠区生物结皮层中藓类植物繁殖体发育实验研究

对12种藓类植物（高山大帽藓,斜叶芦荟藓、芦荟藓、卵叶藓、厚肋流苏藓、盐土藓、无疣墙藓、土生对齿藓、红叶藓、真藓、丛生真藓、垂蒴真藓）的成熟孢子和6种藓类（斜叶芦荟藓、芦荟藓、卵叶藓、厚肋流苏藓、盐土藓、闭蒴盐土藓）的茎叶碎片在室温下培养,培养液为土壤浸出液,对照组为蒸馏水和自来水。在光学显微镜下描绘和照相记录孢子萌发与原丝体发育过程,发现除斜叶芦荟藓、盐土藓、卵叶藓、厚肋流苏藓外其余藓类的孢子均正常萌发。茎叶培养实验中除卵叶藓外的5个种都产生了大量的原丝体,表明旱生藓类的茎叶具有极强的无性繁殖能力。确定了孢子形态、萌发时间、萌发极向、萌发类型,探讨了藓类孢子萌发和原丝体的发育以及茎叶碎片的繁殖和传播特性,并分析了4种藓类孢子未萌发的原因以及无性繁殖对苔藓植物个体建成的重要性。实验结果为深入探索在生物结皮层形成过程中藓类植物的繁殖生物学作用提供了理论和实验依据。     

Development of new spectral reflectance indices for the detection of lichens and mosses moisture content in the Hudson Bay Lowlands,Canada

Assessing moisture contents of lichens and mosses using ground‐based high‐spectral resolution spectrometers offers immense opportunities for a comprehensive monitoring of peatland moisture status by satellite/airborne imagery. This study investigates the impact of various moisture conditions of the lichens Cladina stellaris and Cladina rangiferina, and the mosses Dicranum elongatum and Tomenthypnum nitens on the spectral signatures obtained. Reflectance and moisture content measurements of these species were made in a laboratory setting, while maintaining the natural moisture conditions of the samples; once the moisture and spectral measurements were complete, the samples were returned to the field and placed in their natural setting, continuously receiving moisture from precipitation and groundwater and losing water through evaporation and drainage. Previously, we correlated the present spectral indices with the moisture contents of the above species, whereas the current study developed new species‐specific indices to improve the detection of the plants' moisture contents. The relationship between the plants' moisture content and the water table position was examined as well. It was found that the lichens are not responsive to variations in the water table position, whereas the mosses, specifically D. elongatum, are quite sensitive to changes in the water table position. Thus, the use of the mosses spectral indices may contribute to an indirect evaluation of the water table position. Overall, the results suggest that the unique spectral signatures of the above species can be detected by satellite and airborne imagery, whereas the mosses, can be used as indicators of peatlands moisture status. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

沙坡头固定沙丘结皮层藓类植物繁殖生物学特性研究

采用撒茎法和芽胞培养土生对齿藓Didymodon vinealis的实验表明:芽胞由植物体叶腋腋毛顶端细胞反复再生,原丝体由芽胞和叶基部细胞产生或由腋毛直接生长为原丝体,附着在叶背面的芽胞比未附着芽胞产生的原丝体生长更好;老茎不直接生长为植物体,产生新生枝后死去.同时,实验室培养的真藓Bryum argenteum其植物体、叶和细胞形态特征与野生种有明显差异.为人工促进固定沙丘结皮层的形成提供理论和实验依据.     

固定沙丘生物结皮层藓类植物形态结构及其适应性研究

对腾格里沙漠沙坡头地区及其毗邻区域固定沙丘生物土壤结皮层6种有代表性藓类植物形态解剖结构及其适应性进行了观察和系统分析,结果表明:优势种真藓、土生对齿藓和刺叶赤藓植物体密集丛生,其中真藓和土生对齿藓易于通过茎叶碎片或芽胞进行无性繁殖,其茎的结构中皮部细胞壁明显增厚、中轴分化明显;刺叶赤藓和芦荟藓叶片结构最复杂,刺叶赤藓叶片具两层细胞,细胞密被透明马蹄形细疣,芦荟藓叶片内卷成兜形,中肋扁宽,背部有多层厚壁细胞,腹部着生许多绿色丝体;绿色流苏藓和盐土藓的叶片细胞也发生了明显的分化。藓类植物多样的形态结构特征使其适应沙漠环境中水分缺乏、基质不稳、强光辐射伤害等不利环境因子。植物体集群生长状态是其形态适应性的重要特征,与繁殖过程中植物体的连续分枝和原丝体反复再生及外延生长特性直接相关,个体和种群形态结构上的适应性对减缓细胞内生理条件的剧烈变化,减弱细胞器受损害的程度,加快其生理功能的恢复速度有重要作用。