Trophic ecology of the sea urchin Spatangus purpureus elucidated from gonad fatty acids composition analysis

Irregular sea urchins such as the spatangoid Spatangus purpureus are important bioturbators that contribute to natural biogenic disturbance and the functioning of biogeochemical cycles in soft sediments. In the coastal waters of the Balearic Islands S. purpureus occurs in soft red algal beds, and can reach high densities. The diet of S. purpureus is unknown and it is particularly difficult to analyze the stomach contents of this group; therefore, we analyzed the fatty acid (FA) composition of the gonads and potential food resources in order to assess the trophic relationships of this species. The FA profiles of the gonads of S. purpureus agree well with the FA composition of the potential trophic resources (algae and sediment) and reveals changes between localities with different available resources. Three polyunsaturated FAs mainly contributes in the composition in the S. purpureus gonads: eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5n-3) and arachidonic acid (C20:4n-6), both abundant in the macroalgal material, and palmitoleic acid (C16:1n-7), which is characteristic of sediment samples. Trophic markers of bacterial input and carnivorous feeding were significantly more abundant in sea urchins caught on bottoms with less vegetation. The current study demonstrates that the FA content of S. purpureus gonads is a useful marker of diet, as differences in the profiles reflected the variations in detritus composition. The results of this study show that this species has omnivorous feeding behavior; however, viewed in conjunction with available abundance data the results suggest that phytodetritus found within algal beds is an important carbon source for this species.     

Organic matter features, degradation and remineralisation at two coastal sites in the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean) differently influenced by anthropogenic forcing

Organic matter (OM) features, degradation and remineralisation were studied in the seawater of a natural coastal site (Marine Protected Area of Portofino) and at an urbanised coastal site (Quarto, Genoa city) of the Ligurian Sea. The accumulation of low trophic value OM and the persistence of phytoplanktonic biomass throughout the year were observed only at the urbanised site. Efficient OM degradation and remineralisation via high-activity (two times higher than at the Portofino site) hydrolytic enzymatic activities (alkaline phosphatase and leucine aminopeptidase) were recorded. This active degradation indicated a generally good resistance of the Quarto system to environmental pressures (coastal inputs and anthropogenic influence). However, the high potential release of recycled inorganic nutrients and the favourable environmental conditions (i.e. higher seawater temperature at the Quarto site and allochthonous inputs), could encourage unpredictable development of the autotrophic fraction, including an already observed dystrophic blooming of toxic microalgae.     

Tree Population Dynamics of Three Altitudinal Vegetation Communities on Mount Cameroon(1989-2004)

Changes in permanent sample plots in the lowland,submontane and montane forests on Mount Cameroon(4,095 m above sea level),an active volcano,are described for 15 years from 1989 to 2004.Throughout the study period,the stocking level of trees with a diameter at breast height(DBH) ≥ 10 cm in the three forests were lower than in pan-tropical stands suggesting a significant impact of volcanic and human-related activities on the vegetation communities on the mountain.Annual mortality rates in the submontane and ...     

REVIEW ARTICLE MULTIVARIATE EXPLORATORY DATA ANALYSIS AND GRAPHICS:A TUTORIAL

Exploratory data analysis(EDA)is a toolbox of data manipulation methods for looking at data to seewhat they seem to say,i.e.one tries to let the data speak for themselves.In this way there is hope thatthe data will lead to indications about'models'of relationships not expected a priori.In this respect EDAis a pre-step to confirmatory data analysis which delivers measures of how adequate a model is.In thistutorial the focus is on multivariate exploratory data analysis for quantitative data using linear methodsfor dimension reduction and prediction.Purely graphical multivariate tools such as 3D rotation andscatterplot matrices are discussed after having introduced the univariate and bivariate tools on which theyare based.The main tasks of multivariate exploratory data analysis are identified as'search for structure'by dimension reduction and'model selection'by comparing predictive power.Resampling is used tosupport validity,and variables selection to improve interpretability.     

中大西洋洋脊裂谷沉积中烃气的形成

本文总结了中大西洋洋脊裂谷沉积和水的地化研究结果，在外来烃的作用下，烃气的形成过程异常活跃，氢的浓度也很高。不饱和烃气的最低浓度是７－１０％，裂谷沉积中有机物和深层流体紧密接触是形成烃气有利条件，因为流体本身就有象氢那样重要的还原剂。     

An Early Tertiary Vertebrate Fauna from Yuauchü

In the Yuanchü-Mienchih border along the Huangho,a very promis-ing early Tertiary basin was known and first reported by Andersson.~1The fauna was later described by Zdansky.~2 Although most of the formsdescribed are in bad condition of preservation,this basin represents so     

Macrobenthic community response to copper in Shelter Island Yacht Basin, San Diego Bay, California

We examined Cu contamination effects on macrobenthic communities and Cu concentration in invertebrates within Shelter Island Yacht Basin, San Diego Bay, California. Results indicate that at some sites, Cu in sediment has exceeded a threshold for “self defense” mechanisms and highlight the potential negative impacts on benthic faunal communities where Cu accumulates and persists in sediments. At sites with elevated Cu levels in sediment, macrobenthic communities were not only less diverse but also their total biomass and body size (individual biomass) were reduced compared to sites with lower Cu. Cu concentration in tissue varied between species and within the same species, reflecting differing abilities to “regulate” their body load. The spatial complexity of Cu effects in a small marina such as SIYB emphasizes that sediment-quality criteria based solely on laboratory experiments should be used with caution, as they do not necessarily reflect the condition at the community and ecosystem levels.     

UPPER CAMBRIAN OF KAIPING BASIN.

The Cambrian of China is developed in Yunnan, Shantung, Chihliand Manchuria. The first collection of Cambrian fossils was made by VonRichthofen and described by Dames and Kayser. Dames studied thetrilobites and Kayser described the brachiopods.     

Organochlorine and heavy metal concentrations in blubber and liver tissue collected from Queensland (Australia) dugong (Dugong dugon)

Tissue samples of liver and blubber were salvaged from fifty-three dugong (Dugong dugon) carcasses stranded along the Queensland coast between 1996 and 2000. Liver tissue was analysed for a range of heavy metals and blubber samples were analysed for organochlorine compounds. Metal concentrations were similar in male and female animals and were generally highest in mature animals. Liver concentrations of arsenic, chromium, iron, lead, manganese, mercury and nickel in a number of individual animals were elevated in comparison to concentrations previously reported in Australian dugong. Dieldrin, DDT (and its breakdown products) and/or heptachlor epoxide were detected in 59% of dugong blubber samples. In general, concentrations of organochlorines were similar to those reported in dugong 20 years earlier, and were low in comparison to concentrations recorded from marine mammal tissue collected elsewhere in the world. With the exception of lead, the extent of carcass decomposition, the presence of disease or evidence of animal starvation prior to death did not significantly affect dugong tissue concentrations of metals or organochlorines. The results of the study suggest that bioaccumulation of metals and organochlorine compounds (other than dioxins) does not represent a significant risk to Great Barrier Reef dugong populations, particularly in the context of other pressures associated with coastal development and other anthropogenic activities.     

最近150000年中南半球的增温期

国际地圈-生物圈计划中由PAGES项目研究过去的全球变化,这个项目的主要依据是过去全球变化可以为将来伴随温室增温效应而来的全球变化提供有用的类似信息。在缺乏理解大气中具温室效应的气体通量变化对调节气候变化的机制的条件下,对于这种类似信息的运用存在着不同的看法。尽管如此,来自南极东方站(Vostok)冰芯的证据