Cypermethrin induces glutathione S-transferase activity in the shore crab,Carcinus maenas

Cypermethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid that is particularly toxic to crustacea. It is therefore applied as a chemotherapeutant in the salmonid aquaculture industry for the treatment of sea lice infestations. After use, cypermethrin is released directly into the marine environment, to be diluted by fresh seawater. The shore crab, Carcinus maenas is found in the vicinity of fish farms, and may come into contact with released cypermethrin. The detoxification enzyme, glutathione S-transferase (GST) has been implicated in cypermethrin metabolism in terrestrial arthropods, but this has not yet been demonstrated in crustacea. In this paper we investigate the response of GST activity in Carcinus to cypermethrin exposure, and also the time course of the induction process. GST activity is significantly increased in Carcinus exposed to nominal concentrations of 50 and 500 ng/l of water-borne cypermethrin. Carcinus demonstrate a significant elevation in GST activity following intra-cephalothoracic injection with 10 ng of cypermethrin. GST activity returns to basal levels after 36 h. The potential application of GST activity in Carcinus as a biomarker of cypermethrin exposure is discussed.     

Extending the versatility of the Bullard heat probe

A versatile probe for simultaneous studies of heat flow and near-bottom water parameters has evolved through modifications of the Bullard heat probe frame. Suitable sensor arrays have been used with this instrument to study (1) heat flow through the ocean floor, (2) water column temperature structure, (3) near-bottom current speeds, and (4) the differential cooling of water-column temperature sensors placed in a current speed gradient.Some of the advantages of such a modified Bullard probe are: (1) several parameters, including heat flow, can be measured across the sediment-water interface simultaneously, (2) the instrument frame is rigidly pinned to the ocean floor during measurement, permitting true Eulerian measurement in the water column with no effects of ship movement, swaying moorings or cable oscillation, and (3) the device is inexpensive and simple.     

安塞油田延长组储集层特征及物性影响因素分析

通过研究区内大量岩心铸体薄片及物性等资料分析，对安塞油田延长组主要产油层组长2和长6储集层的岩石学特征、孔渗特征及孔隙类型等进行了深入研究，分析了影响储层储集性能的主要因素。结果表明：三角洲平原亚相沉积的长2储层和三角洲前缘亚相沉积的长6储层均具矿物成熟度低而结构成熟度高的岩石学特点，但长2成分成熟度稍优于长6，长2孔隙类型为碳酸盐溶孔-长石溶孔-原生粒间孔组合，物性表现为中孔、低渗型；而长6孔隙类型为长石溶孔-原生粒间孔-浊沸石溶孔组合。物性特点为中孔、特低渗型。沉积环境、岩石成分及粒径、填隙物成分及含量、成岩作用等是影响物性的主要因素。     

鄂东一次大暴雨过程的成因分析

利用NCEP1°×1°再分析资料、卫星云图TBB资料和逐小时地面降水资料对2012年7月12~13日发生在湖北东部地区一次大暴雨过程进行了分析,结果表明:(1)在华北横槽转竖带动冷空气南下的过程中,中低层有中尺度低涡的发生发展,中尺度低涡的稳定维持与副高外围西南暖湿气流共同作用,导致了这次强降雨的发生。(2)鄂东强降水主要由两个中尺度暴雨云团影响,前一个暴雨云团为MCC,受副高外围西南气流向偏东方向移动,后一个暴雨云团受冷空气影响向东南方向移动。(3)低层露点锋与本次强降水天气过程的发生发展有较好的对应,锋区北侧偏北气流穿越露点锋,使得低层气旋式涡度增大、辐合加强。(4)本次过程干湿空气的相互作用形成能量锋区,锋区的维持和加强导致了强降水的发生。     

2012年7月12日鄂东北准静止中尺度对流系统分析

使用高空天气图、NCEP（National Centers for Environmental Prediction）再分析场、新-代天气雷达及地面观测资料分析了导致2012 年7 月12 日鄂东北强降水的准静止中尺度对流系统MCS（Mesoscale Convective System）的演变特征,解释了MCS 维持准静止状态的成因.南支槽、东北冷涡、副热带高压是MCS 形成的主要大尺度天气系统,MCS 形成于副高外围西南气流和冷涡高空槽底部之间,副高位置稳定和冷涡高空槽缓慢南压有利于MCS 稳定少动,且随南支槽加深西南急流的建立有利于持续向MCS 输送水汽和不稳定能量.MCS 表现为单个中α尺度对流云团,成熟时外形呈椭圆型,边缘光滑,亮温低值中心位于MCS 西侧,且有指状突起,亮温低值区域对应中β尺度对流回波带,强降水组合反射率因子为45～55 dBz,回波顶高18 km,中心高度低于6 km,MCS 维持准静止状态.强降水与MCS 亮温低值中心、强回波带相对应,降水效率高,持续时间长.中尺度分析表明,辐合线的维持是MCS 呈准静止状态的主要原因.地形阻挡产生的地面辐合线触发了初始对流,强降水在地面产生冷池、雷暴高压及弧状出流边界,出流边界上风速辐合较强且温度梯度较大区域又触发出新的对流,并在气压梯度力推动下向东南方向传播,抵消了环境风平流运动.MCS 低层主要有西南气流和西北气流,西北气流逐渐从MCS 后部进入,与西南气流形成辐合线,西南气流沿西北气流爬升产生对流,形成自东南向西北倾斜的中尺度锋面,地面出流边界和高空辐合线是中尺度锋面在风场的表现形式,对回波加强、维持有重要作用,且高空辐合线引起的后向传播也抵消了环境风平流运动.     

RAPD对红鳍笛鲷(♀)×千年笛鲷(♂)子一代杂种优势预测的分析

应用RAPD技术对红鳍笛鲷(♀)、千年笛鲷(♂)和红鳍笛鲷(♀)×千年笛鲷(♂)子一代3个群体的RAPD扩增带谱进行了分析,并对杂交子代F₁杂种优势进行了预测。从100个随机引物中筛选出35个扩增带丰富的引物进行扩增,共得到190条清晰稳定的扩增带,其中有176个扩增位点具有多态性,多态性位点比率为92.6%。红鳍笛鲷、F₁、千年笛鲷3个群体的遗传相似性指数分别为0.831 9,0.726 3,0.916 8;Nei多样性指数分别为0.174 5,0.264 0,0.118 4;Shannon信息指数分别为0.256 4,0.384 5,0.171 2。红鳍笛鲷(♀)-F₁,F₁-千年笛鲷(♂),红鳍笛鲷(♀)-千年笛鲷(♂)的遗传距离分别为0.397 2,0.317 0,0.854 1。从相似性指数、Nei多样性指数和Shannon信息指数均显示F₁代有杂种优势,并找到了种间特异性标记。     

Investigating the impact of climate change on New York City’s primary water supply

Future climate scenarios projected by three different General Circulation Models and a delta-change methodology are used as input to the Generalized Watershed Loading Functions – Variable Source Area (GWLF-VSA) watershed model to simulate future inflows to reservoirs that are part of the New York City water supply system (NYCWSS). These inflows are in turn used as part of the NYC OASIS model designed to simulate operations for the NYCWSS. In this study future demands and operation rules are assumed stationary and future climate variability is based on historical data to which change factors were applied in order to develop the future scenarios. Our results for the West of Hudson portion of the NYCWSS suggest that future climate change will impact regional hydrology on a seasonal basis. The combined effect of projected increases in winter air temperatures, increased winter rain, and earlier snowmelt results in more runoff occurring during winter and slightly less runoff in early spring, increased spring and summer evapotranspiration, and reduction in number of days the system is under drought conditions. At subsystem level reservoir storages, water releases and spills appear to be higher and less variable during the winter months and are slightly reduced during summer. Under the projected future climate and assumptions in this study the NYC reservoir system continues to show high resilience, high annual reliability and relatively low vulnerability.     

Ontogenetic habitat use by mangrove/seagrass-associated coral reef fishes shows flexibility in time and space

Tropical shallow-water habitats such as mangroves and seagrass beds are widely acknowledged as important juvenile habitats for various coral reef fish species, most of which are commercially important to fisheries. Spatio-temporal variability in ontogenetic habitat use by fish among these tropical coastal ecosystems has rarely been investigated, yet there are sufficient reasons to believe that this plays an important role. In the present study, we test the spatio-temporal variability in patterns of ontogenetic habitat use by some mangrove/seagrass-associated coral reef fishes (Lethrinus harak, Lethrinus lentjan, Lutjanus fulviflamma and Siganus sutor). Abundances of these four species were investigated during two years in Tanzanian coastal waters, using underwater visual census in mangrove, seagrass, shallow and deep mudflat, and shallow and deep coral reef habitats. The study covered four distinct seasons of the year and was done at two spatially separated (>40 km) locations. Averaged across locations, seasons and years, juveniles (≤10 cm length) of the four study species had significantly higher relative densities in shallow-water (mangroves and seagrass beds) than in deep-water habitats (deep mudflats or coral reefs), whereas the opposite pattern was found for the adults (>15 cm). These findings suggest a strong and general pattern of ontogenetic habitat shifts from shallow- to deep-water habitats. However, specific habitat-use patterns of juveniles as well as adults differed significantly in time and space. Various species showed subtle to considerable flexibility in juvenile as well as adult habitat use across seasons, years, or at different locations. Furthermore, for some species the data suggest presence of ontogenetic habitat shifts at one location but lack thereof at the other location. In summary, ontogenetic habitat use needs to be considered at various spatial and temporal scales for the interpretation of habitat utilization by fish during different life stages. This is important for conservation and management of these habitats, as essential habitats or seasons may be ignored or over-emphasized with respect to their importance for fish during different parts of their life cycle.     

Evaluating the quality of hydraulic conductivity estimates from piezometer slug tests in peat

Although widely used in wetland hydrological studies, hydraulic conductivity (K) estimates from piezometer slug tests are often of questionable validity. Frequently, this is because insufficient attention is paid to the details of the test procedure. Further, in a potentially heterogeneous and anisotropic medium such as peat, the use of slug tests is prone to error. In this paper we address some of the methodological issues surrounding piezometer slug tests in peat. We compare slug test data with laboratory determinations of vertical and horizontal K obtained using a new method. Piezometers were installed at three depths in a floodplain fen peat in Norfolk, UK. Slug tests were initiated by both slug insertion and slug withdrawal, and repeat tests were conducted to examine the robustness of our K estimates. Most of the tests displayed departures from the log‐linear model of Hvorslev, the form of departure being consistent with compressible soil behaviour. The results suggest that insertion tests gave similar results to those initiated by withdrawal. Repeat testing showed that withdrawal data, in particular, gave highly reproducible normalized responses that were independent of the initial head. Values for K estimated using the slug tests were in the range 1 × 10⁻⁴ to 1·6 × 10⁻³ cm s⁻¹, which is towards the upper end of the range reported for peats generally. Laboratory tests yielded similar values of K to those obtained from the slug tests. Although the laboratory tests showed that the peat was anisotropic, the K values generated by slug testing proved relatively good estimates of both vertical and horizontal K. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.