中华神州鸟的发现及其科学意义

本文简要回顾了国际鸟类起源研究的历史，论述了中华神州鸟的发现在鸟类起源和早期演化研究中的科学意义，有力支持了鸟类的“兽脚类恐龙起源假说”和“陆地奔跑飞行起源假说”。     

论鸟类飞行起源的“树栖”与“地栖”假说之争

简要介绍了鸟类飞行起源的2种假说:"树栖起源"假说与"地栖起源"假说。详细讨论了2种假说的理论支撑点及存在的问题,认为鸟类的祖先和原始鸟类可以借助自然界中任何有利的地形和地物来帮助滑翔和起飞,而不是仅仅依赖直立高大的树木。"地栖起源"假说更合乎情理,也更接近或更符合客观事实,同时提出了"地栖起源"假说的新模式图。     

现代人起源的多地区进化学说在中国的实证

关于现代人起源主要有两种学说:多地区进化说和近期出自非洲说。文章介绍了中国人类进化的假说:'连续进化附带杂交’。构成这个假说的基础的中国资料为多地区进化说提供实证。其直接证据来自人类化石,包括中国人类化石具有一系列共同特征,直立人与智人之间有形态学上的镶嵌,中国化石中有表现西方基因的形态学证据。另外,本文还简略介绍了用DNA研究中国现代人起源目前达到的结论,并从体质人类学、旧石器时代考古学、古环境研究和分子生物学研究等诸方面的资料对这个结论进行检验。     

关于生命起源研究的问题及其主攻方向的探讨

本文综述和分析了近几十年来国内外关于生命起源的研究的问题及各种假说和见解，提出物质的起源是生命起源问题研究的核心，生命起源问题应是研究原始地球的非生命物质如何演变成为生命物质的，地球上分子手性的起源是生命起源问题研究的主攻方向，有机分子光学活性百发生在由化学进化转入生物进化这一过渡阶段。     

中国现代人类起源:来自南方化石地点的年代学证据

现代人类起源的时间和地点是当前古人类学研究和争议的热点。文中评述了 2 0多年来第四纪测年技术取得的进展及其对现代人类起源研究的影响。基于新生碳酸盐岩铀系测年 ,研究了中国南方柳江人洞等多个晚期人类化石地点的年代 ,结果远大于原认为的 2 0～ 30ka。晚期智人在中国出现的时间很可能不晚于西亚和南非 ,中国 4 0～ 1 0 0ka间人类化石的“缺环” ,很可能只是测年技术系统误差造成的假象。上述年代学新证据不支持中国现代人类全部来自非洲的假说。对岩溶洞穴遗址进一步的综合研究 ,有可能为破解有关现代人类起源的诸多疑点提供重要的以至一锤定音的证据     

鸟类之恐龙起源的飞行演化

近年来,在中国发现的大量“热河生物群“的化石标本支持了“鸟类的恐龙起源“说,表明飞行的鸟类是由两足行走的兽脚类恐龙演化而来,同时作为鸟类祖先的恐龙还生有四只翅膀,这类恐龙翅膀的功能还主要是用于滑翔,尚不能振翅高飞.     

人类进化与第四纪研究

人类的进化是第四纪的重要事件。本文论术了人类进化中的两个基本问题,即人类的起源和现代人的起源。现有的各方面的证据都表明人类起源于距今大约七八百万年前,中国发现的人类化石,从猿人到晚期智人具有明显的连续性和继承性,支持现代人的多地区起源说。     

铁镍硫化物及其在生命起源中的可能作用

20世纪80年代后期国际上众多学者指出,过渡金属硫化物能促进无氧反应,可能在生命起源演化过程中起到重要作用。本文介绍了目前流行的生命起源理论,分析了实验条件下已取得的有机合成成果及相关生命的重要物质(如丙酮酸、乙酸和一些短的多肽等)在铁镍硫化物作用下的合成;讨论了几种可能的有机化合反应机理,开展铁镍硫化物催化剂性能、厌氧有机合成机理、合成条件最优化的研究,以及古洋底环境,提供了与地球早期生命起源相关的信息。     

新论生命起源

有关生命起源的“化学进化论”,笔者认为,与事实不相符合。作者根据许多事实,认为石里的低分子有机质是形成生命的主要物质来源。     

新元古代”雪球”假说与生命演化的环境

新元古代末期，地球至少经历了两次全球性的冰川作用，研究者提出了“雪球”假说来解释新元古代时期一系列特殊的地质现象，该假说已成为研究新元古代全球冰川作用和其后生物大爆发事件的窗口。但一些学者并不赞成地球曾经是被冰雪完全覆盖的“雪球”，并分别提出了“半融雪球/无冰水体”和“薄冰”假说。尽管每一种假说都不能解释所有的地质、地球化学现象，但越来越越多的证据，特别是分子有机地球化学和古生物学的证据表明，“雪球”时期的海洋并没有完全被冰封盖，在赤道地区的冰盖可能很薄或存在无冰的水体。无冰水体的存在可以使一些光合生物继续生存和演化，这对其后的“寒武纪生物大爆发”事件和生命演化具有重要的意义。     

The effect of long-term atmospheric changes on the macroevolution of birds

Atmospheric conditions are critical for a range of biological functions—locomotion among others—and long-term changes in these conditions have been identified as causal for different macroevolutionary patterns. Here we examine the influence of variations in atmospheric O₂ concentration (AOC), temperature (T_air), and air density (ρ_air) on the power efficiency, as it relates to locomotion, during the evolutionary history of birds. Specifically, our study centers on four key evolutionary events: (1) the body mass reduction of non-avian theropods prior to the rise of birds; (2) the emergence of flapping flight in the earliest birds; (3) the divergence of basal pygostylians; and (4) the diversification of modern birds. Our results suggest that a marked increase in AOC and ρ_air during the Middle Jurassic—coeval with a trend in miniaturization—improved the power efficiency of the dinosaurian predecessors of birds. Likewise, an increase in these conditions is hypothesized as having played a major role in the diversification of early pygostylians during the Early Cretaceous. However, our analyses do not identify any significant paleoatmospheric effects on either the emergence of flapping flight or the early cladogenesis of modern birds. Extinct birds flew within the range of atmospheric conditions in which modern birds fly but varying past conditions influenced their flight performance. Our study thus highlights the importance of considering paleoatmospheric conditions when reconstructing the flight efficiency of the forerunners of modern birds.     

Enantiornithine Birds in China

A brief introduction to the morphology, flight, size, habits, diet, feathers and systematic paleontology of fossil enantiornithine birds known from the Mesozoic of China is provided. Enantiornithine birds were the dominant land birds of the Mesozoic (245–65 Myr). Although they show great morphological differences from modern birds, their diversification in many respects mimics that of the modern land bird radiation and the reasons for their extinction at the end-Cretaceous remain a mystery.     

A densely feathered ornithomimid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation,Alberta, Canada

A recently discovered articulated partial skeleton of Ornithomimus from the Upper Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta, Canada is remarkable in the extent and quality of preservation of integumentary structures including feathers. It is the first ornithomimid to preserve a tail bearing extensive plumaceous feathers that are slightly more elongate in comparison to those present on the remainder of the body. However, the underside of the tail and the hind limb distal to the middle of the femur appear devoid of plumage. Overall, the plumage pattern in Ornithomimus is similar to that of Struthio camelus (ostrich) and other large palaeognaths, indicating a probable function in thermoregulation. The specimen also preserves the body outline around the legs, including a skin contour anterior to the femur, analogous to skin webs in extant birds. Whereas the knee web of birds bridges the knee to the abdomen, in Ornithomimus it spans from the mid-femoral shaft to the abdomen, and is herein referred to as an anterior femoral web. This is the first report of such soft tissue structures in non-avian theropods. It may indicate that the resting position of the femur was positioned more anteroventrally in ornithomimids than in most theropods, and in that sense may have been transitional to the situation in modern birds.     

“醉汉林”作为滑坡和边坡变形特征标志的意义——以陕西陇县地区为例

“醉汉林”一般被当做滑坡存在的一种标志。在陕西宝鸡地区进行地质灾害详细调查的过程中,发现变形边坡也有“醉汉林”分布。对陕西陇县郭家庄变形边坡“醉汉林”的树木倾斜角与边坡的倾角进行了测量,并结合几何学分析,认为树木倾斜角反映了边坡倾角的变化,并得出边坡倾角不断变陡是该地区边坡变形的一种主要方式的结论。研究结果表明,“醉汉林”有着多样而具体的指示意义:“醉汉林”记录了边坡变形的历史,可以作为区分滑坡与变形边坡的标志,“醉汉林”可以指示滑坡及边坡的状态,还可以判断滑坡剪出口是否存在。     

铁假说和HNLC海区的现场铁加富实验

20世纪90年代,JohnMart in提出的"铁假说（ironhypothesis）"和以此为中心的海洋铁加富实验（ironenrichments）成为海洋科学领域最受瞩目的事件。"铁假说"的主要内容是：铁限制了HNLC海区中浮游生物的生产力,并进而影响了CO₂由海洋上层向深层的输出;如果在HNLC海区加入铁,就可以促进浮游植物的生长,消耗掉过剩的 N、P营养盐,加速C从海洋表层向深层输出,最终降低大气中CO₂含量,缓解温室效应。在赤道太平洋和南大洋进行的现场加富实验证明,加入铁以后,这些海区的浮游植物生物量增加,N、P等营养盐被消耗。但是,这些实验并没有降低大气中CO₂含量。铁假说只被证实了一半。     

大地构造理论假说争论的历史及地质哲学的贫困

地球科学中大地构造理论假说争论的历史经历了山脉臆说的“实在论”与“唯名论”的探索、“塌陷说”与“隆起说”对立时期以及受“形而上学”和“自然哲学”的影响这一过程。“收缩说”统治时期,“机械唯物主义”阻碍了“自然辩证法”的指导;“活动论”兴起后,并未找到先进的地学哲学武器。中国古代有机论自然观蕴藏了丰富的地学哲学思想－有机论辩证唯物主义的天地生整体自然观。“立地之道,曰柔与刚”,“合乎谓之坤,辟乎谓之乾,一合一辟谓之变”,“刚柔相摩,八卦相摩,八卦相荡”等精辟论述。早已从地质哲学高度,把“威尔逊旋回”、“开合运动”等大地构造假说涵蓄其内。大地构造理论的未来发展必然由此获得新的启迪。     

Reproductive success of wading birds using<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phragmites</Emphasis> marsh and upland nesting habitats

Colonial nesting of long-legged wading birds (Ciconiiformes) in the coastal northeastern U.S. is limited primarily to islands, which provide isolated habitats that are relatively free of ground predators. Estuarine wetlands in this heavily developed region, including foraging wetlands and fringe marshes surrounding nesting islands, are often dominated byPhragmites australis. On Pea Patch Island in Delaware Bay, site of one of the largest and most enduring mixed-species heron colonies on the East Coast, wading birds nest inPhragmites marsh habitat as well as in adjacent upland shrubs and trees. BecausePhragmites is aggressively managed in Delaware Bay, we investigated the relative habitat value of marsh and upland nesting sites for the purpose of developing recommendations for marsh and wildlife management. Utilization of marsh habitat by nesting birds ranged from 27–82% during 1993–1998. Two species (great blue heronArdea herodias and great egretA. alba) never nested inPhragmites, four species (little blue heronEgretta caerulea, snowy egretE. thula, cattle egretBubulcus ibis, and black-crowned night-heronNycticorax nycticorax) nested in approximately equal proportions in both habitats, and one species (glossy ibisPlegadis falcinellus) was largely confined to marsh nesting. Productivity (egg and nestling production) varied between habitats for some species. Cattle egrets produced larger clutches and had higher hatching rates inPhragmites compared to upland habitat. Little blue herons were more successful in the uplands. Managers should retainPhragmites marsh at colony sites, such as Pea Patch Island, where it provides critical habitat for nesting wading birds both as substrate for nesting and buffer habitat to control human disturbance.     

中国发现世界上最原始的鸟类化石：华美金凤鸟（新属、新种）

始祖鸟的发现被认为是19世纪最重要的科学发现之一,迄今为止共发现了7枚保存骨骼、羽毛印痕的化石标本和1枚单根羽毛化石标本。由于始祖鸟既显示了明显的爬行动物的特征又保存了精美的羽毛,140多年来人们一直将其作为介于恐龙与鸟类之间的“中间环节”(“missing link”),但更倾向认为它是世界上最古老的鸟,或鸟类的始祖。由于始祖鸟化石稀少,加之地理分布十分局限,长期以来国际上一直围绕鸟类起源问题展开了激烈的争论,提出了各种各样的假说。直到20世纪90年代,在中国辽西晚中生代地层中发现了大量长羽毛的恐龙和原始鸟类化石,有力地支持了鸟类起源于小型兽脚类恐龙的学术观点,使赫 140多年前提出的“假说”成为当今国际科学界占主流地位的学说和理论,基本解决了长期困扰国际科学界的鸟类起源问题,遗憾的是,在过去的几年中,中国一直没有发现与德国始祖鸟十分接近或与德国始祖鸟处于同样进化水平的原始鸟类化石,这种缺憾使我们难以对鸟类定义问题进行深入的研究和探讨,2002年,笔者等在中国辽西早白垩世断层中发现了2种初鸟类化石,即中华神州鸟和东方吉祥鸟。通过比较解剖学研究和支序分析,这2种初鸟类要比始祖鸟略微进步一些,在研究鸟类的早期演化方面具有重要意义;但仍然难以对鸟类定义问题作进一步研究。本文首次报道了一件采自中国河北省丰宁县龙凤山桥头组的初鸟类化石——华美金凤鸟（新属、新种）(Jinfengopteryx elegans gen.et sp.nov),与其共生的化石有Lycoptera davidi,Peipiaosteus pani,yanosteus longidorsalis（鱼类）;Jibeinia luanhera,Protopteryx fengningensis(鸟类）;Ephemeropsis trisetalis(昆虫）及少量植物。支序分析表明,华美金凤鸟处于初鸟类谱系树的基部,比始祖鸟略微原始,与后者为姊妹群关系。奔龙等兽脚类恐龙是它们的外类群。金凤鸟、始祖鸟是中华神州鸟等原始鸟类的外类群。这说明华美金凤鸟处在恐龙向鸟类演化过程中一个非常关键的位置,是世界上迄今所发现的最原始的初鸟类。华美金凤鸟的发现在研究鸟类起源、恐龙-鸟类的系统关系等方面具有重要的科学意义。     

Biomechanical conflicts between adaptations for diving and aerial flight in estuarine birds

Diving and aerial flight place conflicting physiological constraints on diving birds depending on their typical dive depths. The amount by which air volumes in the respiratory system and plumage are reduced by hydrostatic pressure decreases rapidly with depth. Thus, birds diving shallowly, and ascending passively by means of positive buoyancy, content with greater work against buoyancy as well as more unstable buoyancy as they move vertically in the water column. The buoyancy of air far exceeds that of tissues or blood, whose buoyancy does not change appreciably with depth. Accordingly, experiments on ducks suggest that birds adapt to shallow diving by increasing blood volume and thus blood oxygen stores while decreasing respiratory volume. During dives, increased inertia from greater mass of blood and associated muscle lowers the costs of foraging at the bottom by resisting the upward buoyant force, but raises the costs of descent because of higher inertial work in accelerating the body with each stroke. Thus, average dive depth (compression of buoyant air spaces), stroke kinematics (inertial effects), and the relative time spent descending versus bottom foraging will determine the appropriate balance between buoyancy and inertia for diving. Greater blood volume also increases wing loading, so elements of dive costs must be balanced against flight costs in optimizing allocation of oxygen stores to blood versus the respiratory system. For example, biomechanical models for ducks suggest that increasing blood volume while decreasing respiratory volume lowers dive costs only for dives to depths <5 m or for dives with extended time at constant depth. If flight costs are also considered, these anti-buoyancy mechanisms reduce daily energy expenditure only if average dive depth is <2 m. High wing-loading in many foot-propelled divers is probably not an adaptation to diving but rather a result of modifications in wing size and shape for high flight-speed. These wing modifications appear possible because competing demands on wing morphology (maneuverability, takeoff ability) are relaxed in open aquatic environments.