Recovery of meiofauna communities following mudflat disturbance by trampling associated with crab-tiling

The provision of artificial shelters for the collection of crabs, known as crab-tiling, and the subsequent harvesting of the soft "peeler" crabs for angling bait, are associated with trampling disturbance of intertidal mudflats in the United Kingdom. Recovery of meiofauna communities following crab-tiling activity was investigated on an intertidal mudflat in SW England. Harvesting of experimental plots was reproduced six times over a 2-week period. Meiofauna was collected at low tides 12h, 36 h and 144 h after treatment. Meiofaunal and nematode abundance, and nematode species number, was significantly greater in controls compared to crab-tile stations at 12h. At 36 h and 144 h there were no significant differences between treatments, indicating recovery had occurred in 12-36 h. Multivariate analysis showed nematode assemblage composition from control plots to be significantly different from crab-tile plots at 12h. No significant differences were observed between sediment physical parameters with treatment. Results suggest that the predominant effect of disturbance may be vibration-induced burial, which causes nematodes to bury deeper into the sediment, beyond the depth sampled, and explains the rapid recovery.     

Effects of acoustic alarms, designed to reduce small cetacean bycatch in gillnet fisheries, on the behaviour of North Sea fish species in a large tank

World-wide many cetaceans drown incidentally in fishing nets. To reduce the unwanted bycatch in gillnets, pingers (acoustic alarms) have been developed that are attached to the nets. In the European Union, pingers will be made compulsory in some areas in 2005 and in others in 2007. However, pingers may effect non-target marine fauna such as fish. Therefore in this study, the effects of seven commercially-available pingers on the behaviour of five North Sea fish species in a large tank were quantified. The species tested were: sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), pout (Trisopterus luscus), thicklip mullet (Chelon labrosus), herring (Clupea harengus), and cod (Gadus morhua). The fish were housed as single-species schools of 9-13 individuals in a tank. The behaviour of fish in quiet periods was compared with their behaviour during periods with active pingers. The results varied both between pingers and between fish species. Sea bass decreased their speed in response to one pinger and swam closer to the surface in response to another. Thicklip mullet swam closer to the bottom in response to two pingers and increased their swimming speed in response to one pinger. Herring swam faster in response to one pinger, and pout and cod (close relatives) showed no behavioural responses to any of the pingers. Of the seven pingers tested, four elicited responses in at least one fish species, and three elicited no responses. Whether similar responses would be elicited in these fish species in the wild, and if so, whether such responses would influence the catch rate of fisheries, cannot be derived from the results of this study. However, the results indicate the need for field studies with pingers and fish. Based on the small number of fish species tested, the present study suggests that the higher the frequency of a pinger, the less likely it is to affect the behaviour of marine fish.     

Biomarker responses in flounder (Platichthys flesus) and mussel (Mytilus edulis) in the Klaipeda-Būtinge area (Baltic Sea)

During the EU project BEEP a battery of biomarkers was applied in flounder (Platichthys flesus) and the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) collected at three locations off the Lithuanian coast (Baltic Sea) in June and September 2001 and 2002. The elevated biomarker responses in specimens sampled in September 2001 were apparently related to the extensive dredging activities in the Klaipeda port area and subsequent dumping of contaminated sediments. High concentrations of organic pollutants (organochlorines and PBDEs) were also measured in the tissues of both indicator species. In addition, response levels of genotoxicity, cytotoxicity, immunotoxicity as well as concentrations of PAH metabolites in the bile of flounder showed elevations in 2002 after an oil spill in the Būtinge oil terminal in November 2001. In flounder, biomarker measurements 10 months after the spill indicated recovery processes but in mussels a high level of genotoxicity could still be observed 22 months later. The present study illustrates the usefulness of the multi-biomarker approach in the detection of biological effects of pollution in this region of the Baltic Sea.     

The BEEP project in the Baltic Sea: overview of results and outline for a regional biological effects monitoring strategy

Field studies in the framework of the EU funded BEEP project (Biological Effects of Environmental Pollution in Marine Coastal Ecosystems, 2001-2004) aimed at validating and intercalibrating a battery of biomarkers of contaminant exposure and effects in selected indicator species in the Mediterranean, the North Atlantic and the Baltic Seas. Major strategic goals of the BEEP project were the development of a sensitive and cost-efficient biological effects monitoring approach, delivery of information and advice to end-user groups, and the implementation of a network of biomarker researchers around Europe. Based on the main results obtained in the Baltic Sea component of the BEEP the present paper summarises and assesses the applicability of biomarkers for different regions and species in this sea area. Moreover, a general strategy and some practical considerations for the monitoring of biological effects in the Baltic Sea are outlined.     

三明市PM10浓度突变及影响因子

利用2004—2007年三明市主要大气污染物PM10的监测值及气象因子(气压、风速、温度、湿度、降水、蒸发量)观测资料,以及同期08:00 850 hPa天气图资料,定量分析了PM10的突变特征以及突变与气象因子的相关关系。结果表明:PM10突变事件有明显的季节性特征,冬、春季节发生突变的概率较大;当地面气象要素场出现气压下降、风速减小、相对湿度下降、降水量减小而温度上升、蒸发量加大的配置时,PM10易发生正突变,当出现气压上升、风速加大、相对湿度上升、降水量增加而温度下降、蒸发量减小的配置时,PM10易发生负突变;当受大陆高压后部、暖区辐合系统影响时,PM10发生正突变的概率较高,受大陆高压前部、切变线系统影响时,PM10发生负突变的概率较高。     

Changes in zooxanthellae density,morphology, and mitotic index in hermatypic corals and anemones exposed to cyanide

Sodium cyanide (NaCN) is widely used for the capture of reef fish throughout Southeast Asia and causes extensive fish mortality, but the effect of NaCN on reef corals remains debated. To document the impact of cyanide exposure on corals, the species Acropora millepora, Goniopora sp., Favites abdita, Trachyphyllia geoffrio, Plerogyra sp., Heliofungia actinformis, Euphyllia divisa, and Scarophyton sp., and the sea anemone Aiptasia pallida were exposed to varying concentrations of cyanide for varying time periods. Corals were exposed to 50, 100, 300, and 600 mg/l of cyanide ion (CN(-)) for 1-2 min (in seawater, the CN(-) forms hydrocyanic acid). These concentrations are much lower than those reportedly used by fish collectors. Exposed corals and anemones immediately retracted their tentacles and mesenterial filaments, and discharged copious amounts of mucus containing zooxanthellae. Gel electrophoreses techniques found changes in protein expression in both zooxanthellae and host tissue. Corals and anemones exposed to cyanide showed an immediate increase in mitotic cell division of their zooxenthellae, and a decrease in zooxanthellae density. In contrast, zooxanthellae cell division and density remained constant in controls. Histopathological changes included gastrodermal disruption, mesogleal degradation, and increased mucus in coral tissues. Zooxanthellae showed pigment loss, swelling, and deformation. Mortality occurred at all exposure levels. Exposed specimens experienced an increase in the ratio of gram-negative to gram-positive bacteria on the coral surface. The results demonstrate that exposure cyanide causes mortality to corals and anemones, even when applied at lower levels than that used by fish collectors. Even brief exposure to cyanide caused slow-acting and long-term damage to corals and their zooxanthellae.     

容差粗糙集与神经网络结合的遥感数据分类方法

神经网络中的BP(Back Propagation)算法越来越多地用在遥感数据分类中. 但BP算法存在的缺点之一是网络训练时可能会导致网络出现全面的低性能. 为避免出现类似问题, 探索采用容差粗糙集方法对训练数据做分类预处理, 去除训练数据中的某些影响训练收敛的因素, 进而提高网络训练的成功率. 实验采用了北京地区2003年5月的TM数据, 分别用分类预处理前数据和经过分类预处理后的数据对BP网络进行了训练. 结果表明, 此方法不仅弥补了BP算法在处理遥感数据时的缺陷而且提高了分类精度.     

大绝灭后的生物复苏

对生物复苏的一些关键问题提供了一些线索。概述了人们如何看待生物复苏、复苏的总体型式、哪些类群会复苏及如何幸存下来，绝灭和复苏之间的联系。随着研究的深入，许多问题得到了解决，也将提出一些新的假设。     

在地球科学与社会中岩石学的地位何在？

美国国家科学院出版社于１９９３年出版了美国对地球科学的首次国家级学科调查报告－《固体地球科学与社会》。报告的中心思想是建议大力支持对整个地球体系进行研究。本文总结了报告中列出的许多研究机会，其中包括火成岩和变质岩岩石学，证实在目前提倡研究的绝大部分重要地球作用中岩石学均有强烈的体现。岩石学以其观察、测量、实验与理论密切相结合而在各领域的前沿不断发展，并将继续成为多学科地球科学研究中一个重要的基础课