Soil water condition and small mammal spatial distribution in Inner Mongolian steppes, China

We studied the roles of soil moisture contents and vegetation structure in the spatial distribution of small mammals in the typical steppes of Inner Mongolia, China, using logistic and linear regressions of a data set collected in a 6-year study. Our results indicated that soil moisture contents remained in the most parsimonious models for Spermophilus dauricus, Cricetulus barabensis, Microtus maximowiczii, M. gregalis, and Ochotona daurica. The relative abundance of C. barabensis, M. maximowiczii, and O. daurica was inversely related to soil moisture contents, while that of M. gregalis and S. dauricus was positively related to soil moisture contents in logistic regressions. Linear regression analyses showed that soil moisture contents and the number of small mammal species were inversely related. The negative effects of wet soil were consistent at both small mammal population and community levels in the semi-arid steppes. Above-ground plant biomass and plant coverage also affected the spatial distribution of small mammals in the typical steppe of Inner Mongolia.     

Inter- and intraspecific variations of the chemical properties of high-Arctic mosses along water-regime gradients

We examined and compared the contents of organic chemical components (lignin-like compounds, total carbohydrates and extractives), carbon and nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium) among the mosses Calliergon giganteum, Hylocomium splendens, Racomitrium lanuginosum, and among three populations of H. splendens collected from habitats in contrasting water regimes in the Canadian high-arctic tundra. C:N:P ratios were analyzed among and within moss species. Mosses from hydric habitats had lower total carbohydrate and higher nutrients contents than did mosses from drier habitats; however, we found no intraspecific variations in nitrogen and calcium contents in the different populations of H. splendens along water-regime gradients. The contents in lignin-like compounds, extractives and carbon showed no clear trends along water-regime gradients. Mosses from hydric habitats had lower C:N, C:P and N:P ratios than mosses from drier habitats, although we found no intraspecific variations in C:N ratios in H. splendens along water-regime gradients. These results suggest that chemical properties of mosses, especially nutrient contents, are strongly correlated with water availability in high-Arctic tundra.     

ANALYSIS OF THE STOMACH CONTENTS OF ANTARCTIC KRILL, EUPHAUSIA SUPERBA DANA

Diet components of Euphausia superba of 12 sexual maturity stages from the adjacent waters off the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica were analysed. The major points observed are summaried as follows: 135 taxa of nano-and microorganisms were found in stomach contents of Euphausia superba, of which, the diatoms make up 60% of the total species number. Planktonic nano-diatoms and nano-flagellates smaller than 20μm in diameter accounted for 85% of diet total number. The dominant species in the stomach contents were Nitzschia angulata f. minima, N. curta f, minima, N. curta,Chrysostomum sp., the mean cell number of these species was about 56.99 cells/ind., The stomach fullness increases gradually with the sexual mature of the krill.     

南极海豹内脏组织——肝、脾、胃的蛋白质含量及氨基酸组成测定和比较

南极海豹是南极及南大洋的主要哺乳动物之一,它们在南极及南大洋生态系中占有重要地位,也是南极的主要生物资源之一。 关于南极海豹的数量分布、种群动态、生态习性以及它们之间的相互作用已有不少报导(陈万青,1973;宁修仁,1984;Bengtson, J. L.,Carrick, R.,1962;Erckson,A. W. , 1970,1971;和Davis, R. M. ,1970等)。现有的研究结果表明,在南极繁殖的真正海豹有四种,即锯齿海豹,又名食蟹海豹,其英文名为Crabeater Seal(Lobodon Carcino phagus),这是南极海豹中数量最多的一种,据估计有200—500万头,它们主要以南极磷虾而不是以蟹为食;威德尔海豹,其英文名为Weddell Seal(leptonychotes weddelli),这种海豹的数量占南极海豹第二位,估计有20—50万头;它们主要以乌贼和杜文鱼及磷虾为食;豹形海豹,其英文名为Leopard Seal(Hydrurga leptonyx);罗斯海豹,其英文名为Ross Seal(Ommatophoca ross Gray)。     

Supply and accumulation of metals in two Egyptian desert plant species growing onwadi-fill deposits

Sandy soils of thewadisin the Eastern Desert of Egypt have a poor retentive capacity for metals. The contents of Ca, Mg, K, Na, Fe, Al, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn in 37 soils from this area were highly variable. The metal contents of two dominant plant species of the Eastern Desert (Senna alexandrinaandCleome droserifolia) showed no correlation with soil metals. Metals accumulated in the leaves, withCleomehaving overall higher contents of Fe, Al, Mn, Co, Ni, Na and Si thanSenna, even thoughCleometended to grow in soil with low contents of these metals.     

Nutritive value of twoTamarixspecies in Egypt

Shoots ofTamarix niloticaandT. aphyllawere collected from north Sinai, the Nile Delta and North Western Desert of Egypt and analysed forin vitrototal digestible nutrients, nutritive value, gross energy and element contents. Pronounced differences were recorded between the two species for all the estimated variables. Variation in gross energy in the tissues of both species in relation to different locations was insignificant. The two evaluated species have relatively low contents of N, K, Ca and crude protein and high contents of P, Mg and Na. There was a moderate positive correlation between the N–NDF, K–CF and EE–NDF ofTamarix aphylla. The present study evaluated the nutrient status of both species as poor forage.     

Summer diet of the pichi Zaedyus pichiy (Xenarthra: Dasypodidae) in Mendoza Province,Argentina

The diet of the pichi armadillo (Zaedyus pichiy) was determined based on analysis of stomach contents of 26 dead individuals confiscated from poachers near Cerro Nevado, Mendoza Province, Argentina. Sand accounted for 66 ± 24% of stomach contents' dry weight. Beetles were the predominant food item in 14 and ants in 5 stomachs, while 5 animals had mainly ingested plant material. The remainder had mostly fed on fly larvae and arachnids. Coleoptera (mainly adults and Scarabeidae larvae) and plant material (seeds, leaves, and roots) were found in all stomachs examined. All pichis had fed on ants of different species and stages, suggesting that pichis eat any ant species they can find and actively prey on nests. Scorpions and spiders were observed in over 60% of stomachs but represented a low aggregate percent weight. Vertebrates were rarely found. Based on these results, the pichi of Mendoza Province can be described as an opportunistic omnivore that mainly feeds on insects and seems to be the least carnivorous of all carnivore–omnivore armadillos.     

乌鲁木齐城市土壤中重金属含量与影响机制探讨

乌鲁木齐城市土壤中Cr、Cu、Pb、Zn含量很高,超出相应土壤背景值1.65-2.84倍,Mn、Fe含量与背景值差别不大。除Mn、Fe以外,其他重金属空间分布差异都很大,Cr、Pb含量较高区域沿西北-东南走向交通干线分布,主要的影响因素可能是交通运输、工业布局和风向;Cu、Zn含量较高区域主要分布在北部,工业布局可能是主要的影响因素;中部商业区内Cu、Pb、Zn含量也较高,交通流量大、人类活动强度大、植被覆盖率低可能是主要影响因素。乌市城市土壤重金属主要有三个来源:工业生产污染源、原土壤母质、交通运输污染源。     

中国城市地表灰尘中重金属的富集状况及空间分布特征

在统计中国城市地表灰尘中重金属含量的已有相关文献基础上,探讨了中国地表灰尘中Cr、Cu、Pb、Zn、Cd五种元素的空间分布特征及各省份的富集状况。搜集到的各地区地表灰尘重金属含量的研究数据分别为69、84、86、79、58个。对研究数据剔除异常值后分别进行克里金插值和统计各省份地表灰尘重金属含量的平均值,并与土壤背景值作对比计算出累积指数,得到中国地表灰尘中重金属的空间分布状况和各省份的富集水平。结果表明：中国地表灰尘中重金属含量普遍较高,且各地区重金属含量水平存在不同程度上的差异。就整体而言,Cu、Pb、Zn三种重金属含量的空间分布较为相似,由高到低均大致呈南—北走势,而Cr含量呈中部高两侧低的趋势,Cd并无明显趋势。各省份平均值与土壤背景值相比,除Cr在山东省和贵州省无富集状况以外,各省的地表灰尘中Cu、Pb、Zn、Cd均具有一定的富集。其中,湖南省的Cd和Pb均富集最为严重,分别是土壤背景值的177.95和42.82倍;Cr在福建省富集最为严重,为背景值的7.11倍;广东省的Cu富集水平最高,是背景值的10.35倍,而Zn在江西省的富集水平最高,超出背景值39.13倍。     

Nutrient status of Populus euphratica growing in desert riparian forests of northwestern China

Seasonal and microhabitat variations of chemical constituents of foliar organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), total phosphorus (P), and total potassium (K), in Populus euphratica growing in desert riparian forests in northwestern China and their correlations were studied. Results show that ranges of C, N, P and K contents in the leaves of P. euphratica were 39.08%?46.16%, 0.28%?2.81%, 0.05%?0.18% and 0.35%?2.03%, with means of 43.51%, 1.49%, 0.102% and 1.17%, respectively. The ratio of C/N, C/P and N/P changed from 16.26 to 146.61, from 258.08 to 908.67 and from 2.89 to 26.67; the mean was 37.24, 466.27 and 15.14, respectively. The mean N content was significantly lower than of deciduous trees in China, but the mean P content was nearly equivalent. The ratio of C/N was remarkably higher than of global land plants. The ratio of N/P indicated that growth of P. euphratica was jointly limited by N and P nutrient deficiency. During the growth season, total trends of leaf C, N, P and K contents decreased. The maximum appeared in May, and the minimum in September. Among microhabitats, C, N and K contents gradually increased from riparian lowland, flatland, sandpile, Gobi and dune, but C/N ratio was opposite, and P content was not apparent. Foliar C content was extremely, significantly and positively correlated with N and K contents, respectively. The relationships of N-K and P-K were both significantly positive.     

Shrimp trawl catches and stomach contents of redfish, Greenland halibut and starry ray from West Greenland during a 24-hour cycle

A total of 179 redfish (Sebastes spp.), 495 Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) and 133 starry ray (Raja radiata) stomachs were collected from the catch in four bottom trawl hauls carried out at 6-hour intervals on a shrimp fishing ground off West Greenland in September 1991. Between 90 and 96% of the total catch in each of the four trawl hauls consisted of northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) . The fish catches were small and dominated by redfish, Greenland halibut, starry ray and polar cod (Boreogadus saida) . The stomach contents of redfish consisted of crustaceans (mysiids, hyperiids and copepods) followed by cephalopods, northern shrimp and redfish. Fish (mainly redfish), cephalopods and northern shrimp were the most important stomach content of Greenland halibut. The stomach content of starry ray consisted mainly of northern shrimp and redfish. Plots of redfish and shrimp sizes found in the stomachs of Greenland halibut and starry ray versus predator size showed only weak associations indicating that availability overruled the importance of size-dependent prey preference. The present study indicates that redfish, Greenland halibut and starry ray feed throughout the 24-hour cycle with no clear diel feeding rhythms.     

An analysis of mechanisms of ice-wedge casting based on geotechnical centrifuge simulations

Here we interpret the outcomes of scaled geotechnical centrifuge simulation of ice-wedge casting in terms of the likely significance of Quaternary ice-wedge pseudomorphs observed within different host sediments. Six experiments were completed in which 1/30th scale models of an ice-wedge embedded within frozen host sediments beneath a 25 mm thick unfrozen active layer were thawed from the surface downwards in the geotechnical centrifuge under a 30 times gravity (30×g) acceleration. Host sediment granulometry and/or ice contents were varied in each model, with host materials comprising medium sands, fine sandy silts and silty clays. The model ice-wedge was 50 mm at the top, 150 mm deep, and extended across the full width of the 450 mm wide test box. Centrifuge scaling laws indicate that under an acceleration of 30×g, stress distribution was equivalent to a 13.5 m long section of a 4.5 m high and 1.5 m wide full-scale prototype ice-wedge, covered in an active layer of thickness equivalent to 0.75 m. Thermal regimes, measured pore pressures during thaw, observed thaw consolidation and measured host sediment geotechnical properties are utilised in the interpretation of casting mechanisms. During a single uniform thaw event it is shown that arching of infilling sediment and the formation of a void is likely if negative pore pressures are developed in the host sediment. In fine silt and clays high ice contents are more likely than in sands, thaw consolidation is greater, positive pore pressures encourage complete filling of the ice-wedge void, and soft sediment deformation is likely to cause deformation of the cast and reduce its width and depth. Though natural casting mechanisms are likely to be more complex than those simulated here, modelling experiments highlight the need for care when inferring original ice-wedge geometry from observed shape and size of Quaternary ice-wedge casts.     

Physiological and growth responses of Populus davidiana ecotypes to different soil water contents

Changes in dry matter accumulation and allocation, gas exchange, abscisic acid content (ABA) and water use efficiency (WUE) of three contrasting Populus davidiana ecotypes were recorded after exposure to five different soil water contents. The ecotypes used were from dry, middle and wet climate regions, respectively. In the controlled environment study, five different soil water contents which were watered to 100%, 80%, 60%, 40% and 20% field capacity were used, respectively. Significant differences in height growth (HT), total biomass (TB), total leaf area (LA), total leaf number (TLN), specific leaf area (SLA), root/shoot ratio (RS), net photosynthesis (A), transpiration (E), stomatal conductance (C), transpiration efficiency (WUE_T) and instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE_i) between the ecotypes were detected under all soil water contents. Ecotypic differences in ABA and carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C) were also detected under low soil water contents, but these differences were not significant under high soil water content. Compared with the wet climate ecotype, the dry climate ecotype had lower HT, TB, LA, TLN, SLA, A, E and C, and higher RS, WUE_T and WUE_i under all soil water contents. On the other hand, the dry climate ecotype also exhibited higher ABA and δ¹³C as affected by low soil water contents than the wet climate ecotype. These morphological and physiological responses to water availability showed that the different ecotypes may employ different survival strategies under drought at the initial phase of seedling growth and establishment. The wet climate ecotype possesses a prodigal water use strategy and quick growth, while the dry climate ecotype exhibits a conservative water use strategies and slow growth.     

基于近红外光谱快速分析东南极湖泊沉积物化学元素含量

以东南极罗斯岛地区的3个湖泊沉积剖面为研究对象,利用紫外-可见-近红外反射光谱仪获得了沉积物样品的光谱曲线,讨论了东南极罗斯岛湖泊沉积物的光谱特征。在沉积物化学元素分析的基础上将样品分成建模集和验证集,采用偏最小二乘法建立光谱与化学元素指标的对应关系矩阵,通过验证集预测值和测定值之间的误差参数比较,发现研究的20种元素含量均能和光谱曲线建立有效的计算关系,其中,N、C、H、Mn、Ba、P、Al、Fe、K、Se、As和Hg等元素能够达到相当精确的预测水平(预测值与测量值之间的相关系数r20.90)。本研究结果表明,利用近红外反射光谱快速分析东南极湖泊沉积物中元素含量是一种潜在有效的方法。     

The ringed seal (Phoca hispida) spring diet in northwestern Spitsbergen, Svalbard

A total of 284 ringed seals (Phoca hispida) were sampled to determine their diet in the spring of 1981 and 1982. Few seals contained identifiable stomach contents. No significant age-or sex-related differences in choice of prey were found. It seems that in spring northwestern Spitsbergen ringed seals prey upon arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) , decapods and larger amphipods.? Diet, ringed seal, Svalbard .     

Feeding habits of harp and hooded seals in drift ice waters along the east coast of Greenland in summer and winter

Results of analyses of stomach and intestinal contents from hooded ( Cystophora cristata ) and harp ( Phoca groenlandica ) seals captured in the pack ice belt of the Greenland Sea in summer (July-August) in 2000 and winter (February-March) in 2001 revealed that the diet of both species were comprised of relatively few prey taxa. Pelagic amphipods of the genus Parathemisto , the squid Gonatus fabricii , polar cod ( Boreogadus saida ) and capelin ( Mallotus villosus ) constituted 63-99% of the observed diet biomass in both seal species, irrespective of sampling period, but their relative contribution to the diet varied both with species and sampling period/area. For hooded seals, G. fabricii and capelin were the dominant food items in winter 2001, but the summer 2000 diet comprised a mixture of this squid and polar cod. Parathemisto was most important for the harp seals during summer 2000; in winter 2001 the contribution from krill and capelin were comparable to that of Parathemisto . Multivariate analyses revealed differences in the intestinal contents of hooded and harp seals in areas where the two species' occurrence spatially overlapped. Different foraging depths of the two species may have contributed to the observed differences in diets.     

Eco-physiological mechanisms of Caragana korshinskii Kom. adaptation to extreme drought stress: Leaf abscission and maintaining stem chloroplast integrity

In order to study the eco-physiological mechanisms of C. korshinskii adaptation to extreme drought stress, we investigated the variations of water content in soil, leaves, and stems, the chlorophyll a and b and the carotenoid content in leaves and stems, as well as changes of chloroplast ultrastructure in 2-year-old C. korshinskii specimens during a progressive soil drought process (by ceasing watering until all leaves were shed) and a subsequent rehydration process. During the dehydration process, the chlorophyll a and b and carotenoid contents in the leaves decreased, as did the carotenoid content in the stems. During the 4-day rehydration process, the chlorophyll a and b and carotenoid contents in the leaves and stems increased and gradually returned to normal levels. During ongoing drought stress, chloroplasts in the leaves broke away from cell walls and appeared in the center of cells. Under severe drought stress, the mesophyll ultrastructure and chloroplast configuration in leaves were irreversibly disturbed, as manifested by the inner and outer membranes being destroyed; the thylakoid system disintegrated, the starch grain disappeared, and parts of cell tissue were dismantled into debris. However, the mesophyll ultrastructure and chloroplast configuration in the stems remained complete. This indicates that C. korshinskii utilizes leaf abscission to reduce the surface area to avoid damage from extreme drought stress, and maintains chloroplast integrity and a considerable amount of chlorophyll to enable a rapid recovery of photosynthesis under the rehydration process.     

Wind tunnel investigation of the influence of surface moisture content on the entrainment and erosion of beach sand by wind using sands from tropical humid coastal southern China

Wind erosion has major impacts on dune growth, desertification, and architecture on sea coasts. The deflation threshold shear velocity is a crucial parameter in predicting erosion, and surface moisture greatly affects this threshold and thus sand stability. Wind tunnel studies have shown that reduced moisture contents decrease entrainment thresholds and increase wind erosion, but field and wind tunnel test data is lacking for tropical humid coastal areas. In this study, we investigated the influence of surface moisture contents (at 1 mm depth) on sand entrainment and erosion using tropical humid coastal sands from southern China. Shear velocities were deduced from velocity profiles above the sand. The threshold shear velocity increased linearly with increasing ln100M (M, gravimetric moisture content). The increase was steepest below a moisture content of 0.0124 (i.e., at M_1.5, the moisture content in the sand at a matric potential of − 1.5 MPa). We compared several popular models that predict threshold shear velocity of moisture sediment, and found substantial differences between their predicted results. At a surface moisture content of 0.0124, the predicted increase in the wet threshold shear velocity compared with the dry threshold shear velocity ranged from 34% to 195%. The empirical model of Chepil and Selah simulated the data well for M < 0.0062 (i.e., 0.5M_1.5), whereas Belly's empirical model simulated the data best for M > 0.0062. Wind erosion modulus increased with increasing effective wind velocity following a power function with a positive exponent at all moisture contents, but decreased with increasing surface moisture content following a power function with a negative exponent. When wind speed and moisture content varied simultaneously, wind erosion modulus was proportional to the 0.73 power of effective wind velocity, but inversely proportional to the 1.48 power of M. The increase in resistance to erosion at low moisture contents probably results from cohesive forces in the water films surrounding the sand particles. At a moisture content near M_1.5, wind erosion ceases nearly for all wind velocities that we tested.     

Isotopic composition of rainfall and ground-water recharge in the western province of Saudi Arabia

The oxygen-18 and deuterium isotopic compositions of rainfall from eight meteorological stations are discussed. The results show that the stable isotope distribution of the rainfall over the western province display a difference in isotopic ratios, which can be attributed to the altitude effect and water vapour sources, and to some extent, to rainfall amount. The changes of δ¹⁸O and δ D contents with altitude are −0·08 and −0·38‰ per 100 m respectively. Comparison of the isotopic analyses of rainfall and local ground-water and springs indicates that the monsoon derived rainfall that prevails during the autumn season plays a crucial role in alluvial aquifer recharge. Although Atlantic water vapour can arrive virtually throughout the area in winter months, its influence seems to be of minor importance to the water balance in the study area.     

Plant functional traits and microbes vary with position on striped periglacial patterned ground at Glacier National Park,Montana

The retreating snowfields and glaciers of Glacier National Park, Montana, USA, present alpine plants with changes in habitat and hydrology. The adjacent and relic periglacial patterned ground consists of solifluction terraces of green, vegetation-rich stripes alternating with sparsely vegetated brown stripes. We established georeferenced transects on striped periglacial patterned ground for long-term monitoring and data collection on species distribution and plant functional traits at Siyeh Pass and at Piegan Pass at Glacier National Park. We documented species distribution and calculated the relative percent cover (RPC) of qualitative functional traits and used 16S rRNA from soil samples to characterize microbial distribution on green and brown stripes. Plant species distribution varied significantly and there were key differences in microbial distribution between the green and brown stripes. The rare arctic-alpine plants Draba macounii, Papaver pygmaeum, and Sagina nivalis were restricted to brown stripes, where the RPC of xeromorphic taprooted species was significantly higher at the leading edge of the Siyeh Pass snowfield. Brown stripes had a higher percentage of the thermophilic bacteria Thermacetogenium and Thermoflavimicrobium. Green stripes were co-dominated by the adventitiously-rooted dwarf shrubs Salix arctica and the possibly N-fixing Dryas octopetala. Green stripes were inhabited by Krummholz and seedlings of Abies lasiocarpa and Pinus albicaulus. Prosthecobacter, a hydrophilic bacterial genus, was more abundant on the green stripes, which had 6,524 bacterial sequences in comparison to the 1,183 sequences from the brown stripes. While further research can determine which functional traits are critical for these plants, knowledge of the current distribution of plant species and their functional traits can be used in predictive models of the responses of alpine plants to disappearing snowfields and glaciers. This research is important in conservation of rare arctic-alpine species on periglacial patterned ground.