Carbon isotopic fractionation in lipids from methanotrophic bacteria: relevance for interpretation of the geochemical record of biomarkers

Experiments with cultured aerobic methane oxidising bacteria confirm that their biomarker lipids will be significantly depleted in 13C compared to the substrate. The methanotrophic bacteria Methylococcus capsulatus and Methylomonas methanica, grown on methane and using the RuMP cycle for carbon assimilation, show maximum 13C fractionation of approximately 30% in the resultant biomass. In M. capsulatus, the maximum fractionation is observed in the earliest part of the exponential growth stage and decreases to approximately 16% as cells approach stationary phase. This change may be associated with a shift from the particulate form to the soluble form of the methane monooxygenase enzyme. Less than maximum fractionation is observed when cells are grown with reduced methane availability. Biomass of M. capsulatus grown on methanol was depleted by 9% compared to the substrate. Additional strong 13C fractionation takes place during polyisoprenoid biosynthesis in methanotrophs. The delta 13C values of individual hopanoid and steroid biomarkers produced by these organisms were as much as l0% more negative than total biomass. In individual cultures, squalene was 13C-enriched by as much as 14% compared to the triterpane skeleton of bacteriohopaneaminopentol. Much of the isotopic dispersion in lipid metabolites could be attributed to shifts in their relative abundances, combined with an overall reduction in fractionation during the growth cycle. In cells grown on methanol, where there was no apparent effect of growth stage on overall fractionation there were still significant isotopic differences between closely related lipids including a 5.3% difference between the hopane and 3 beta-methylhopane skeletons. Hopane and sterane polyisoprenoids were also 13C-depleted compared to fatty acids. These observations have significant implications for the interpretation of specific compound isotopic signatures now being measured for hydrocarbons and other lipids present in sediments and petroleum. In particular, biomarker lipids produced by a single organism do not necessarily have the same carbon isotopic composition.     

Population pressure and land use change: from tree crops to sawah in Northwestern Kalimantan,Indonesia

The author describes the role of population pressure in the current transition from tree crops to wet rice cultivation (sawah) in Northwestern Kalimantan, Indonesia. He contends that this change is occurring "because the senescent trees no longer produce enough commodities to exchange for rice to feed an enlarged population." The historical background is described, policies of the Indonesian government are discussed, and data are presented on the rate of population growth     

利用GCM模式对全球雷电活动的模拟分析

将修正的参数化方案嵌套入美国马里兰大学海-陆-气研究中心的全球大气环流谱模式(COLAGCM),建立了可用于全球雷电活动模拟与估测的模式系统.通过对模式输出与实况资料的对比,检验其气候模拟性能.虽然模式的分辨率较低但经过较长时间积分,仍可再现实况资料的主要特征.性能良好,计算稳定,且因时间步长较大可大大节省机时.耦合模式系统经长时间的积分后,模拟的多年平均的全球雷电频次时空分布及变化与观测分析较一致.全球范围内每秒钟平均有79次的雷电发生,陆海比为12.2.多发生在北半球夏季且具明显的季节变化特征.     

泌阳凹陷第三系湖相泥质白云岩中特殊甾烷化合物分布特征及地球化…

在研究羊毛甾烷的基础上，又从泌阳凹陷第三系湖相泥质白云岩地层中检测出了其他系列的特殊甾烷化合物，如３β－乙基甾烷（Ｃ２９－Ｃ３１），３β－正丙基甾烷（Ｃ３０－Ｃ３２）和３β－丁基甾烷（Ｃ３１－Ｃ３３）和甲藻甾烷等。这些特殊甾烷集中出现的情况曾未报道过。除母源输入具有特殊组合外，水体较高盐度和强还原环境可能是这些化合物得以保存的重要原因。