不同厚度冰层下的冰下火山喷发产物：两个来自南极的实例

不同厚度冰层下的冰下火山喷发产物：两个来自南极的实例Ｊ．Ｌ．Ｓｍｅｌｌｉｅ等本文着重介绍南极半岛两个保存最好的冰下层序（亚历山大岛的芒特皮纳佛和格雷厄姆地北部的布朗布拉夫）．通过对岩相和岩相组合的分析确定喷发时和喷发后作用过程，以及原始冰层的最小厚度...     

塞内加尔舌鳎仔鱼消化酶的发育

研究了投喂活饵料的塞内加尔舌鳎仔鱼从开始摄食到孵化后第1个月内消化酶活性的变化情况。孵化21d以内的仔鱼整体匀浆用于酶活力分析。孵化21d以后的仔鱼先解剖,取其胰脏和肠道,匀浆后用于酶活力分析。肠道刷缘膜上皮由肠道组织片段纯化得到。从孵化后2d到孵化后18d,胰脏和肠道酶类表现出动物发育的特征性模式：孵化后的前10d,酶活力增长,而后下降。孵化后21d到27d,碱性磷酸酶活力的大幅增加表明肠道细胞刷缘膜层正逐步发育。与此同时,细胞溶质酶(亮氨酸-丙氨酸肽酶)的活力下降。这种对立的模式体现了消化道的成熟过程以及成熟消化方式的形成。     

太平洋东北部水合物脊现代甲烷渗漏区有孔虫记录甲烷的碳同位素证据

俄勒冈州外海水合物脊现代甲烷渗漏区的发现,为研究甲烷对活体有孔虫生态和地球化学方面的影响提供了机会。2002年在水合物脊南部高点获取一批岩心。样品经保存和染色后用来测定Uvigerina peregrina、Cibicidoidesmckannai和Globobuliminaauriculata3个底栖有孔虫属种的活体（经染色）和死体的碳同位素（δ13C）组成。有孔虫样经光学显微镜和扫描电镜检查,未发现有成岩作用或自生碳酸盐沉淀作用的迹象。渗漏区活底栖有孔虫单体记录的乎δ13C值在-0．4％--21．2％0之间,说明受高浓度甲烷碳同位素的影响。渗漏区底栖有孔虫护C平均值（由单体样品计算）范围在-1．28％--5．64％0之间,而背景区（没有甲烷渗漏）的介于-0．81％--0．85％之间。为了解环境因素对底栖有孔虫δ13C值的影响,对细菌席和蛤床两种截然不同的甲烷渗漏环境的底栖有孔虫进行研究。细菌席区的有孔虫单体比蛤床区的具有更负的δ13C值。我们解释这种差异是食物来源或共生细菌对底栖有孔虫δ13C值影响的结果,通过溶解无机碳（DIC）作用于底栖有孔虫,使其δ13C值负偏移。对比活体和死体底栖有孔虫的δ13C值,并未发现统计上的差异。这说明自生碳酸盐沉淀作用未在观测到的同位素组成中起主导作用。然而,少量极度亏损δ13C（〈-12％）的死体底栖有孔虫确实显示了自生碳酸盐岩沉积对有孔虫δ13C值影响的潜在证据。     

南极Scotia海Dove山脉形成的火山作用及其岩石学、地球化学和构造环境

本研究对来自DOVE盆地（Scotia海南部）中部火山山脊的拖网样品进行了详细的岩石学、地球化学分析,辅以K—Ar年代学分析。研究区水深2000～3000m,地理坐标范围为59°21～23′S和42°27～31′w。本研究的目的在于,通过比较研究区火成岩和形成Scotia、Antartic—Phoenix洋中脊及南设得兰群岛的火山岩之间的地球化学特征和同位素特征,厘定研究区岩浆形成的地球动力学背景以及岩浆作用的绝对年龄。     

Protein carbonyls and antioxidant defenses in corkwing wrasse (Symphodus melops) from a heavy metal polluted and a PAH polluted site

The use of fish in environmental monitoring has become increasingly important in recent years as anthropogenic substances, many of which function as prooxidants, are accumulating in aquatic environments. We have measured a battery of antioxidant defenses as a measure of oxidative status, as well as protein carbonylation as a measure of oxidative damage, in corkwing wrasse (Symphodus melops) captured near a disused copper mine, where water and sediment are contaminated with heavy metals, and an aluminum smelter, a site contaminated with PAHs. Results were compared to two different reference sites. Fish at the heavy metal site had lower glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity and elevated protein carbonyls (1.8 times) compared to fish from the reference site. At the PAH site, EROD was increased 2-fold, while total glutathione and methemoglobin reductase concentration, were decreased. No differences were seen in protein carbonyl levels at the PAH site. Measures of both antioxidant defenses and oxidative damage should be used when assessing effects of xenobiotics on oxidative stress in fish species.     

Use of immunofluorescence technique in cultured fibroblasts from Mediterranean cetaceans as new "in vitro" tool to investigate effects of environmental contaminants

The aim of the present study was to propose the immunofluorescence technique in cultured fibroblasts from Mediterranean cetaceans as a new "in vitro" tool to explore the susceptibility of these marine mammals to different xenobiotic compounds. The cell lines were cultured from integument biopsies of free-ranging and stranded cetaceans (dead within 12h). Using the indirect immunofluorescence assay, we detected endogenous proteins induced by different contaminants. Here we present the method used for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of cytochromes P450 (CYP1A1 and CYP2B) induced by some POPs (DDTs and PCBs) and emerging contaminants (PBDEs) in fibroblast cell cultures of striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) and bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Immunofluorescence was quantified with a specially designed Olympus macro, DetectIntZ. A major result was the possibility of using this "in vitro" assay to quantify induction of endogenous proteins.     

Diagnosis of trace metal contamination in sediments: the example of Ensenada and El Sauzal, two harbors in Baja California, Mexico

Total metal concentrations in sediments from within Ensenada and El Sauzal Harbors are generally higher than at the mouths. Grain-size analyses suggested that this enrichment could be due to the presence of fine-grained sediments in the inner part of the harbors rather than to anthropogenic perturbations. The (Me/Al)(sample) ratios for Pb, Co, Ni and Fe were significantly higher for Ensenada Harbor relative to El Sauzal Harbor, whereas the ratios for Cd, Mn, Zn and Cu were statistically equivalent for both harbors. Calculated enrichment factors [EF(Me)=(Me/Al)(sample)/(Me/Al)(shale)] indicated that the metals showing slight enrichment were those associated with anthropogenic contamination (Pb, Zn), or probably related to primary productivity in the water column (Cd, Co). The levels of most of the metals were not greatly enriched, a consideration that is of the utmost importance when contamination issues are at stake.     

Anoxia over the western continental shelf of India: bacterial indications of intrinsic nitrification feeding denitrification

Studies on the Arabian Sea coastal anoxia have been of immense interest, but despite its ecological significance there is sparse understanding of the microbes involved. Hence, observations were carried out off Goa (15 degrees 30'N, 72 degrees 40'E to 15 degrees 30'N, 72 degrees 59'E) to understand the processes that mediate the changes in various inorganic nitrogen species in the water column during anoxia. Water column chemistry showed a clear distinct oxic environment in the month of April and anoxic condition in October. Our study based on microbial signatures indicated that oxygen deficit appeared as a well-defined nucleus almost 40 km away from the coast during the oxic period (April) and spreads there after to the entire water column synchronizing with the water chemistry. Striking results of net changes in inorganic nitrogen species in nitrification blocked and unblocked experimental systems show that denitrification is the predominant process in the water column consuming available nitrate ( approximately 0.5 microM) to near zero levels within approximately 72 h of incubation. These observations have been supported by concomitant increase in nitrite concentration ( approximately 4 microM). Similar studies on denitrification-blocked incubations, demonstrate the potential of nitrification to feed denitrification. Nitrification could contribute almost 4.5 microM to the total nitrate pool. It was found that the relation between ammonium and total dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) pool (r=0.98, p<0.001, n=122) was significant compared to the latter with nitrite and nitrate. The occurrence of high ammonium under low phosphate conditions corroborates our observations that ammonium does not appear to be locked under low oxygen regimes. It is suggested that ammonium actively produced by detrital breakdown (ammonification) is efficiently consumed through nitrification process. The three processes in concert viz. ammonification, nitrification and denitrification appear to operate in more temporal and spatial proximity than hitherto appreciated in these systems and this gives additional cues on the absence of measurable nitrate at surface waters, which was earlier attributed only to efficient algal uptake. Hence we hypothesize that the alarming nitrous oxide input into the atmosphere could be due to high productivity driven tighter nitrification-denitrification coupling, rather than denitrification driven by extraneous nitrate.     

Does sediment grain size affect diatom grazing by harpacticoid copepods?

Estuarine soft sediments support a diverse group of eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms though the role of the sediment per se for the functioning of these organisms remains largely unknown. The present study aimed to test the effect of sediment grain size on the grazing activities of harpacticoid copepods. In controlled experiments, two common intertidal harpacticoid species (Paramphiascella fulvofasciata and Nitokra spinipes) were each offered a mix of two benthic diatom species (Navicula phyllepta and Seminavis robusta) in different sedimentary conditions. Several microcosms were created using a variety of sediment types, including fine silt (<63 microm), coarser grained sands (125-250, 250-450, 100-300 microm), artificial 'sediments' of glass beads (250-500, 2000 microm) and even the absence of sediment was tested. The diatoms were enriched in the stable carbon (13)C to facilitate tracing in the harpacticoids. Both copepod species were able to graze on the diatoms with highest uptake when sediment was absent. In contrast, both harpacticoid species showed no uptake in silty conditions. In general, grazing was favoured when mean sediment grain size increased. The strong negative effect of fine grains on the grazer's efficiency can be explained by the resulting differences in the structure (and accessibility) of the diatom biofilm on the one hand and the mobility of the grazer on the other hand. In view of the subtle equilibrium between primary producers and grazers, these results might have important implications for the effect of siltation of tidal flats due to, e.g., human activities.