Does Manila clam cultivation affect habitats of the engineer species Lanice conchilega (Pallas, 1766)?

The major French site of Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum (Adams and Reeves, 1850) cultivation is located in the Chausey Archipelago where the associated practices are highly mechanized: every steps of production are made with tractor-driven machinery. The Manila clam concessions are concentrated on Lanice conchilega (Pallas, 1766) bioherms, which are known to increase alpha-diversity and to locally modify sediment dynamics. This study focus on the impacts of Manila clam cultivation on (i) the natural populations of L. conchilega and on (ii) the structure of the associated benthic assemblages during the different steps of the farming production cycle. We found that the L. conchilega populations are significantly affected within the concessions where their total abundances drastically decrease, their spatial patterns are modified and the associated benthic assemblages are significantly altered. Our results are discussed in a context of a sustainable management of the Manila clam cultivation in coastal areas.     

Temporal trends of mercury in marine biota of west and northwest Greenland

Temporal trends in mercury concentrations ([Hg]) during the last two to three decades were determined in liver of shorthorn sculpin, ringed seal and Atlantic walrus from northwest Greenland (NWG, 77 degrees N) and in liver of shorthorn sculpin and ringed seal from central west Greenland (CWG, 69 degrees N) during the last decade. Stable-nitrogen (delta(15)N) and carbon (delta(13)C) isotope values were determined in muscle of ringed seals to provide insight into potential trophic level changes through time. Log-linear regressions on annual median [Hg] did not reveal any temporal trend in shorthorn sculpin from CWG and NWG and walrus from NWG. In ringed seals from NWG, an increase in [Hg] of 7.8% per year was observed. When based on delta(15)N-adjusted [Hg] this rate increased to 8.5% but was still non-significant. In ringed seal from CWG no trend was found in [Hg] during the period 1994-2004. However, during the last part of the period (1999-2004) the [Hg] increased significantly. Including tissue delta(15)N values as a covariate had a marked effect on these results. The annual changes in delta(15)N-adjusted [Hg] was estimated to -5.0% for the whole period and 2.2% during the last 5 years compared to -1.3% and 12.4%, respectively, for the non-adjusted [Hg].     

PRELIMINARY NOTES ON THE COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE OF THE FIRST SPECIMEN OF METEORIC STONE RECEIVED BY THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CHINA.

In spite of the immense records of meteoric fall kept in many ofthe Chinese books, specimens of real meteorite were very seldom found.Perhaps the first found of iron meteorite was from Inner Mongolia described     

FOST PALEOZOIC FORMATIONS OF THE MN YIN AND LAI WU VALLEYS OF SHANTUNG.

INTRODUCTION. I was appointed to accompany Dr. J. G. Andersson to take a trip incentral Shantung. especially in Men Yin (蒙阴) and Lai Wu (莱芜),valleys,for the purpose of collecting fossils and observing the post-Palaeozoic forma-tions. We came back to Peking in December, 1922. The conclusion     

哈雷彗星的彗核分裂

彗核分裂是最重要的彗星性质之一。这是因为,不仅这一性质是支持P.L.Whipple的冰冻团块模型的强有力的证据,而且,对彗核分裂现象的理解亦将为研究彗星本质提供大量的信息。迄今为止,发现有彗核分裂的彗星总数已超过20。至于关于哈雷彗星的彗核分裂,上一次回归(1910年)提供的报告极少。国际天文界对此将信将疑,并无定论。     

极移的地震激发研究

本文采用Harvard目录中1977－1994年间的地震有关参数，及Dahlen计算的地震引起地球惯量矩的变化有关公式，得到由地震引起的极移要比观测值小2个量级．单个地震引起的极漂移呈现随机特性，但它的累积效应却表现出长期的变化，地震引起激发极的运动方向趋向于130—150°E，它与观测极漂移的方向相反．本文这一分析结果将随着观测技术的不断改进及观测精度的提高而得到证实．当考虑地球液核效应时，地震也可能对地球液核自由章动产生影响．我们的分析表明，大地震的这一影响与VLBI检测出的结果相比较，它在观测精度以下．