Horse mackerel egg identification using DNA methodology

Egg identification in plankton samples is usually needed for purposes of stock assessment. Until recently, only morphological characters were used for identifying the eggs of different fish species. Late developmental stages are easily distinguishable due to pigmentation as well as egg and oil globule size range. However, for early stages, these characteristics are difficult to be discriminated and may overlap with other species. European horse mackerel species (Trachurus trachurus, T. mediterraneus, T. picturatus) overlap significantly in their spawning areas in some European waters. Because of the fact that their eggs are morphologically similar, genetic methodologies are needed to identify eggs and larvae to species correctly. In the present study, formalin‐ and ethanol‐preserved eggs were tested to estimate the efficacy of genetic methodologies for species identification of eggs when different preservatives are used. A 370‐bp fragment of cytochrome b was successfully amplified followed by restriction fragment analysis with two restriction enzymes aiming to identify the eggs to species. Horse mackerel egg identification was accomplished with the maximum success in ethanol‐preserved eggs. However, it seems that various preservatives had different effects on the DNA quality of eggs as genetic identification was less successful in formalin‐preserved eggs. Preserving in ethanol a part of the eggs obtained in plankton surveys is suggested for purposes of accurate genetic identification, even if their morphological features are distorted in time.     

Feasibility Analysis of the Use of Binary Genetic Algorithms as Importance Samplers Application to a 1-D DC Resistivity Inverse Problem

DC resistivity inverse problems are ill-posed. For the Vertical Electrical Sounding method the acceptable solutions lie in very narrow elongated-shape regions in the model space. To characterize this ensemble of solutions is a central question. In a Bayesian framework this issue is solved adopting as solution the so-called model posterior probability distribution. However, due to the nonlinearity of the problem, this distribution is not explicitly known, or it is difficult to calculate. Therefore, algorithms that efficiently sample the model space according to it (importance sampling) are very desirable. The main goal of this paper is to numerically explore the performance of binary genetic algorithms as posterior importance sampling strategies. Their behavior will be firstly analyzed using 2D synthetic posterior test functions bearing the relevant properties of the real geo-electrical inverse problem. The conclusions will be again checked through the histogram reconstruction of parameters in a synthetic VES case, and eventually, in a real, higher dimensional, sea-water coastal intrusion problem, by comparing the results with those obtained with a theoretically correct Metropolis-Hasting importance sampler (simulated annealing without cooling). Percentile curves are introduced as an effective tool for risk assessment. We show that binary genetic algorithms perform well under very general assumptions. When the roulette wheel is the selection method used, mutation is over 10%, and the algorithm does not incorporate elitism. The results do not depend on the values of the remaining tuning parameters. Finally, to improve the efficiency of the sampling strategy, we introduce a binary genetic algorithm with oriented search space. This is done with the help of linearization of the forward operator and singular value decomposition around the maximum posterior estimate. It is shown, also, that the logarithmic model parameterization is adequate for this task.     

Biogenic silica in wetlands and their relationship with soil and groundwater biogeochemistry in the Southeastern of Buenos Aires Province,Argentina

Although phytoliths constitute part of the wetland suspended load, there are few studies focused on the quantification of them in the biogenic silica (BSi) pool. So, the aim of this paper is both to determine BSi content (diatoms and phytoliths) and its relationship with dissolved silica in surface waters, and the influence of soil and groundwater Si biogeochemistry in Los Padres wetland (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina). In the basin of the Los Padres wetland, dissolved silica (DSi) concentration is near 840 ± 232 μmol/L and 211.83 ± 275.92 μmol/L in groundwaters and surface waters, respectively. BSi represents an 5.6–22.1% of the total suspension material, and 8–34% of the total mineralogical components of the wetland bottom sediments. DSi and BSi vary seasonally, with highest BSi content (diatoms specifically) during the spring–summer in correlation to the lowest DSi concentration. DSi (660–917.5 μmol/L) and phytolith (3.35–5.84%) concentrations in the inflow stream are higher than in the wetland and its outflow stream (19.1–113 μmol/L; 0.45–3.2%, respectively), probably due to the high phytolith content in soils, the high silica concentration in the soil solution, and the groundwater inflow. Diatom content (5–16.8%) in the wetland and its outflow stream is higher than in the inflow stream (0.45–1.97%), controlling DSi in this system. The understanding of the groundwater–surface water interaction in an area is a significant element for determining the different components and the role that they play on the local biogeochemical cycle of Si.     

Mean Traveltime Curves Analysis: A Method to Improve Understanding of Data Behaviour in 2-D Transmission Tomography at the Pre-Inversion Stage

Transmission tomography methods show a great sensibility to data variability, which eventually includes data errors, often present in field experiments. Local optimization methods, traditionally used to solve this inverse problem, are very sensitive to these difficulties, failing to converge properly in the presence of spurious data. Regularization methods partially cope with these weaknesses, damping the instabilities.A complementary approach, adopted here, is to perform a structured analysis of data variability before the inversion, oriented to discriminate the contribution of errors from that of true geological heterogeneities. The key concept of mean traveltime curves ( and ) is introduced and described. Their analytical equations are deduced for isotropic homogeneous media and any recording geometry. Empirical mean traveltime curves can be inferred based solely on traveltime data, using the corresponding discrete estimators. The methodology proposed here proceeds through a user-defined subdivision of the domain of interest into isotropic homogeneous areas. Least squares velocity estimations and associated data misfits are used to scrutinize the behaviour of the implied source-receiver sets and of the ray-swept part of the geologic medium. Data are considered suspicious if zonal estimated velocities are non-consistent with a priori information. Also, independent fitting of both empirical curves helps to classify the genesis of the residuals: some situations are illustrated.Finally, we show the application of this technique to a data set from the Grimsel test site in Switzerland. Using this methodology, we detect some anomalous gathers, which may be responsible for the large range of velocities found in the initial imaging with this data set. Also, we give some indications of the possible sources of these anomalies. This approach offers a quick data variability analysis in the pre-processing stage, which, even if no data editing algorithms are finally used, always improves the understanding of the data structure.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987113000029

The Preandean geological configuration of the eastern North Patagonian Massif is established through the use of geological and geophysical analysis.The positive gravity anomalies located near the Atlantic coast are due to 535 and 540 Ma old rocks belonging to the Pampean Orogeny （Precambrian-middle Cambrian）,which are widely recognized in central and northern Argentina.The Famatinian Cycle （Ordovician-Devonian） is represented by a Silurian-Devonian marine basin equivalent to those of eastern-central Argentina and South Africa,and which was deformed at the end of the Devonian byan～E-W to WNW-ESE compressional event,part of the Famatinian Orogeny.Containing strong gravity gradients,the NW-SE belt is coincident with fault zones which were originated during the Gondwanide Orogeny.This event also produced NW-SE overthrusting of the Silurian-Devonian sequences and strike-slip faults that displaced blocks in the same direction.This deformation event belongs to the Gondwanide Orogeny that includes movements related to a counterclockwise rotation of blocks in northern Patagonia.The strong negative anomalies located in the western part of the area stem from the presence of rocks of the Jurassic Ca（n）adón Asfalto basin interbedded in the Marifil Complex.These volcaniclastic sequences show mild deformation of accommodation zones in a pre-Jurassic paleorelief.     

Changes in sub-fossil chironomid assemblages in two Northern Patagonian lake systems associated with the occurrence of historical fires

Patagonia is commonly seen as an exceptionally pristine area because of its wildlife and practically unpolluted waters. However, during the twentieth century the burning of natural forests was one of the most important human activities in Northern Chilean Patagonia. Some estimations indicate that three million hectares were burned during the first three decades of the century. Hence the objective of this study was to evaluate the impacts of the historical fires in Lake Burgos (45º42′S) and Lake Thompson (45º38′S) in Chilean Patagonia. The impact was measured by evaluating chironomid assemblage since they are sensitive enough to be used as an indicator of aquatic ecosystem health. Fires have a direct and drastic effect on a lake watershed but also indirectly affect a lake ecosystem, changing sedimentation patterns or increasing nutrient inputs. In the studied lakes the periods with higher prevalence of fires were identified by charcoal analysis, while organic matter and magnetic susceptibility allowed the confirmation of pre-fire and post-fire periods. The chironomid composition was evaluated through a PCA and an analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) to test the significance among periods while a Detrended Correspondence Analysis was applied to the chironomid assemblage downcore to assess compositional structure and taxa turnover. In Lake Burgos the ANOSIM test indicated significant differences between the pre-fire and fire periods (p < 0.05), while in Lake Thompson differences were not significant. However, in Lake Thompson the PCA clearly separated the pre-fire from the fire period but not the fire from the post-fire periods. In both lakes chironomid composition changed in relation to the period of higher prevalence of fires, which in turn implies catchment changes, pollution, and other anthropogenic impacts. Particularly a marked change in mesotrophic/eutrophic taxa was detected, reflecting an increase in nutrient input due to deforestation. Our findings point out that the lacustrine ecosystems are still affected by the impact of fires and the subsequent increase in nutrient supply that occurred almost 50 years ago. No sign of reverting to pre-disturbance conditions was observed, which makes these lakes highly sensitive to current human-induced impacts.     

Offshore Occurrences of Heavy-Mineral Placers,Northwest Galicia,Spain

ABSTRACT

Results of offshore water-jet sediment sampling demonstrate the potential for interstadial placer deposits of industrial minerals in the shore-face to inner-shelf of Cape Ortegal, NW Spain. Placer deposition is interpreted to have occurred during glacial interstadials since the Last Glacial Maximum, and deposits sampled at 24 to 42 m. BSL were formed during the Younger Dryas, and subsequently preserved as a result of very rapid rising sea-levels. The sediments are almost entirely terrestrially derived with a particularly high heavy mineral content (Sp. Gr. >2.9), of more than 75% in all samples. Reworked garnet from earlier-sedimentary deposits constitutes an important fraction of the placer deposits identified but is generally absent in other sediments. Indications of the presence of +5 m-thick paleo-placer deposits with sections include:

• Placer garnet + spinel grades increase with depth in those sediments at 24 to 42 m BSL to the ocean-floor.

• The d50 of sediments with background grades decrease with depth while those of placer deposits do not display any significant trend.

• Garnets in non-mineralized sediments are almost entirely angular, whereas in placer enriched sediments they vary in form from well-rounded to angular. Some grains in the latter display surface morphologies typical of reworked sediment while none of the former do.

Sediments deposited during glacial interstadials at depths of up to 130 m BSL may represent important, undeveloped exploration targets for offshore placer deposits of industrial minerals. Industrial mineral exploration should extend the depths of investigations to those corresponding to major interstadial periods.