Nummulitic banks in the upper Lutetian ‘Buil level’, Ainsa Basin,South Central Pyrenean Zone: the impact of internal waves

Nummulites, a particularly abundant and diverse genus of larger benthonic foraminifera, formed huge accumulations (banks) during the Eocene, which are often good hydrocarbon reservoirs, especially in North Africa. Despite their economical interest, these accumulations are not well‐understood and their origin is still under discussion. Reasons for this debate are the absence of living Nummulites accumulations and the high‐variability of facies, including the size, shape and extension of the banks, which reflect the array of processes controlling sediment production and accumulation. The nummulitic banks near Santa María de Buil, in the Ainsa Basin (South Pyrenean Foreland Basin) are composed of recurrent facies associations within mappable bed units bounded by physical surfaces. The depositional processes that produced the Nummulites deshayesi accumulations are interpreted considering the shape of the banks, the type of bounding surfaces, the distribution of sedimentary textures, Nummulites test shapes and the associated skeletal components within the banks. This integrative analysis indicates that nummulitic banks accumulated from mass flows, with very poor sediment sorting. Textural and compositional differences among banks suggest that globose Nummulites thrived in the shallower part of the mesophotic zone with abundant nummulithoclasts, whereas flat nummulitic forms thrived in deeper mesophotic, clay‐dominated settings. Interbedded with nummulitic banks, coral biostromes and coral mounds bearing Operculina, Discocyclina and Asterocyclina, represent in situ accumulation near the base of the photic zone. Internal waves (waves that propagate along the pycnocline) are thought to be the triggering mechanism for the density flows. Internal waves and induced bottom currents are sporadic but strong enough to bring sediments into suspension. In contrast to surface waves (both fair‐weather and storm), whose impact is strongest near the sea surface and decreases with bathymetry, the impact of internal waves is usually strongest in the mid‐shelf region and weaker in shallow water. This explains the compositional character of the nummulitic banks.     

Lost in translation? Standardising the terminology used in marine invasion biology and updating South African alien species lists

Confusion between terms and ambiguities among definitions have long plagued the field of invasion biology. One result is disruption in flow of information from researchers to policy-makers and managers who rely on science to inform regulatory frameworks and management actions. We reviewed the South African marine biology literature to quantify the current usage of terminology describing marine invasions and found a variety of terms in use, few of which are defined when used. In response, we propose standard terminology that aligns with international practice. We then interpreted the Blackburn unified framework for biological invasions within the marine context and used this as a transparent way to apply the standardised terms to an updated list of marine alien species for the country. This resulted in the recognition of 36 alien and 53 invasive species within South Africa. Most notably, follow-up research is required to confirm the status of at least 11 listed species, the majority of which have been recorded only once, or not in the past 25 years. It is hoped that by standardising terminology, marine science in South Africa will better support authorities charged with managing the threat posed by marine alien species.     

In vivo and in vitro effects of benzothiazole on sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus).

Benzothiazole, a common chemical associated with tire manufacturing and industrial wastewater, is a principal component of both fresh water and estuarine tire leachate, a neurotoxicant to larval sheepshead minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus) in in vivo estuarine studies. The neurotoxic potential of benzothiazole was investigated following in vivo and in vitro exposure of sheepshead minnows to 3.75, 7.5, 15, 30 and 60 mg/l benzothiazole. Following benzothiazole exposure, fish were evaluated for survival, growth and histological alterations. Fish mortality occurred after 5 days of exposure to 60 mg/l (LC50 = 41.9). Significant decreases in larval growth were noted at all concentrations. Histologically, gills had cellular alterations but the central nervous system lacked the severe cellular damage seen in previous tire leachate exposure studies. Benzothiazole cytotoxicity to primary cultures of brain cells from sheepshead minnow and tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and two epithelial cell lines was evaluated using a tetrazolium salt assay (MTT) at 1 and 4 days. In vitro results indicate primary cultures of brain cells are less sensitive to benzothiazole than epithelial cell lines. Significant cytotoxicity to the epithelial cell lines was noted at 30 and 60 mg/l concentrations. Histologically and cytotoxicologically, the present study indicates that benzothiazole is a gill toxicant and not a neurotoxicant.     

High population connectivity and Pleistocene range expansion in the direct-developing plough shell Bullia rhodostoma along the South African coast

Pleistocene climatic and oceanographic changes have influenced the distribution of marine biodiversity in southern Africa. Most evidence, however, has been derived from rocky shore or demersal taxa; data on sandy shore species are limited, despite severe threats to many sandy beach ecosystems. To test the effects of past climatic changes on sandy shore species, we sampled 140 smooth plough shell Bullia rhodostoma individuals from eight localities and generated phylogeographic data derived from the mtDNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) marker. Nuclear markers (ATPSα, ATPSβ, ANT, SRPS4, TBP, LTRS and ZMP) showed no sequence variation. Bullia rhodostoma exhibited shallow genetic differentiation (Φ_ST = 0.07, p < 0.05) across its range. Isolation-by-distance suggests a stepping-stone model of migration, which is expected given the species’ direct-development life-history strategy. Demographic reconstruction suggests a post-LGM (Last Glacial Maximum) range expansion, concordant with the signal of shallow genetic differentiation. Phylogeographic patterns obtained suggest that, during lower sea levels than current, B. rhodostoma could have been restricted to the South-West Coast, the central Agulhas Bioregion and probably also the East Coast. When climatic conditions changed and temperatures began to rise after the LGM, the species began a rapid westward range expansion from these refugial regions.     

Spatial patterns and environmental drivers of benthic infaunal community structure and ecosystem function on the New Zealand continental margin

To investigate regional drivers of spatial patterns in macro- and meio-faunal community structure (abundance, biomass and taxonomic diversity) and ecosystem function (sediment community oxygen consumption [SCOC]), we sampled two regions in close proximity on New Zealand's continental margin—the Chatham Rise and the Challenger Plateau. Sites (n = 15) were selected in water depths ranging from 266–1212 m to generate a gradient in sedimentary properties and, in particular, surface pelagic productivity. Both macro- and meio-fauna abundance and biomass was 2–3.5 times higher on the Chatham Rise than on the Challenger Plateau, reflecting regional differences in pelagic primary production. We also found significant inter- and intra-regional differences in macro-fauna taxonomic diversity with two distinctive site groupings in each region. Univariate and multivariate measures of macro-fauna community attributes were most strongly correlated with sediment photosynthetic pigment (explaining 24%–59% of the variation). Sediment pigment content was as equally important in explaining meio-fauna community structure (36%–7%). Unlike community structure, SCOC was most strongly correlated with depth (44%), most likely reflecting temperature effects on benthic metabolism. Our results highlight the importance of a benthic labile food supply in structuring infaunal communities on continental margins and emphasise a tight coupling between pelagic and benthic habitats.     

石油污染地下水中细菌分子生态学研究

采集了某废弃炼油厂的石油污染地下水样品,提取水中微生物总DNA,构建细菌16S rDNA克隆文库,并通过16S rDNA序列的系统发育分析,对样品中的细菌种群多样性以及群落结构进行了研究。结果表明,文库中阳性克隆的16S rDNA序列分属11个细菌类群,分别为Betaproteobacteria(381％),Alphaproteobacteria(353％),Gamaproteobacteria(51％),Deltaroteobacteria(52％),Bacteroidetes(40％),Verrucomicrobia(25％),Epsilonproteobacteria(19％),Nitrospira(13％),Planctomycetes(13％),Candidate Division OD1(13％),Unclassified Bacteria(38％)。在这一生态系统中,Betaproteobacteria和Alphaproteobacteria类细菌占据主导地位,二者所占比例均在三分之一以上。群落中最主要的降解菌是噬氢菌属(Hydrogenophaga)和鞘氨醇单胞菌属(Sphingomonas)细菌,它们在文库中所占比例达239％和195％。该石油污染地下水样品中细菌与许多其他已知的降解菌亲缘关系较近,如Sulfuricurvum kujiense、Trichlorobacter thiogenes、Rhodoferax ferrireducens以及红细菌属(Rhodobacter)、甲基单胞菌属(Methylomonas)和涅瓦菌属(Nevskia)细菌等。此外,文库中克隆的16S rDNA序列与许多类似的污染场地中发现的环境克隆相似性很高,如煤焦油污染的地下水、苯污染的地下水、原油污染的土壤、溴甲烷和氯甲烷污染的土壤、抗生素生产废水以及活性污泥等,证明该石油污染地下水中有大量降解菌群的存在。石油污染物的种类对降解菌群的组成有一定的选择作用。     

北阿尔金巴什考供盆地南缘花岗杂岩体特征及锆石SHRIMP定年

北阿尔金巴什考供盆地南缘花岗杂岩体呈近东西向分布,长约49公里,出露面积约90平方公里,与围岩之间为明显的侵入接触关系,接触界线为不规则的渡状、锯齿状。围岩为前寒武纪砂岩、片岩、泥岩及凝灰质砂岩。该杂岩体主要由巨斑花岗岩、红色花岗岩、灰白色似斑状花岗岩和粉红色似斑状花岗岩组成。杂岩体的主元素含量变化不大,SiO2为65．14％- 75．66％,全碱含量为7．49-8．96％,K2O／Na2O比值为1．12-2．68,岩石的里特曼指数平均为2．34,CIPW标准矿物计算均出现刚玉(AC)(平均为1．78),说明岩石铝过饱和;杂岩体的稀土总量变化于89．44×10-6-335．28×10-6之间,不同岩石类型均有负铕异常,且从巨斑花岗岩→灰白色似斑状花岗岩→红色似斑状花岗岩→红色花岗岩,负铕异常越来越明显,表现在Eu／ Eu+值由0．65→0．51→0．48→0．30。在微量元素蛛网图上,所有样品的微量元素丰度均高于原始地幔值,并具有相似的配分模式,即在Ba、Nb、Sr、P、Ti处呈明显的低谷,显示出S型花岗岩的特征。锆石SHRIMP U-Pb定年得出,巨斑花岗岩、红色中细粒花岗岩、灰白色和粉红色似斑状花岗岩的年龄分别为474．3±6．8Ma、446．6±5．2Ma、434．5±3．8Ma和431．1±3．8Ma。结合区域地质特征,我们认为,该杂岩体形成于同碰撞-碰撞后的构造环境。     

接触交代夕卡岩型矿床中石榴子石和辉石成分特点及其与矿化的关系

本文对中国十四个接触交代钙夕卡岩矿床和钙-镁夕卡岩矿床中的三百多个样品的石榴子石和辉石成分进行了电子探针分析。不同矿床类型的石榴子石和辉石成分代表着钙夕卡岩矿床的十个矿种(Fe、Fe-Cu、Pb-Zn、W、Sn、Sn-Mo-Bi-W、、W-Bi-Cu-Mo、Cu-Zn、Cu-Sn、W-Zn-Cu)和钙-镁夕卡岩矿床的三个矿种(Fe-Cu、Mo、Pb-Zn)。石榴子石和辉石成分变化范围大,大多数石榴子石是含锰铝榴石+铁铝榴石+镁铝榴石小于15％(摩尔百分数)的钙铝榴石-钙铁榴石固溶体;大多数辉石是含小于5％的锰钙辉石的透辉石-钙铁辉石固溶体。有些Pb-Zn钙-镁夕卡岩矿床中的辉石显示出Mn含量有所增加。只有Sn和W钙夕卡岩矿床及Pb-Zn钙-镁夕卡岩矿床含(Sps+Alm+Pyr)总量大于15％的石榴子石。石榴子石和辉石成分与夕卡岩矿床金属矿化类型之间有某些联系。     

The Palomar planet-crossing asteroid survey, 1973–1978

Photographic coverage of about 80,000 deg² of sky with the Palomar 46-cm Schmidt camera has yielded 12 new planet-crossing asteroids as well as many objects in the main asteroid belt. The estimated population of planet-crossing asteroids includes ～100 Atens, 700 ± 300 Apollos, 1000–2000 Amors, 10,000 ± 5000 Mars crossers, and ～5000 Mars grazers.     

海岸带研究中的点滴认识

人类对地球环境的影响已从罗马时期的局部影响步入了全球性的时代。一系列前所未有的全球环境问题,导致了地球系统科学的产生。面对全球变化,科学家提出了七大关键科学问题,其中之一就是:人类活动和土地利用的变化对于海岸带资源将会产生怎样的影响?未来气候变化和海平面变化将如何改变海岸带的生态系统,这是关系到人类生存和持续发展的大问题。于是IGBP提出了海岸带陆海相互作用研究的重大课题,是与其在地球系统科学中的地位和作用分不开的。