Oxidative stress in Laeonereis acuta (Polychaeta, Nereididae): environmental and seasonal effects

Laeonereis acuta was seasonally collected in an industrially polluted site (P) and in an unpolluted site (UP) at the Patos Lagoon estuary (southern Brazil). Glutathione S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity (U/mg protein) was determined in five groups of worms from each site. Metallothionein (MT – μmol GSH/g ww) and lipid peroxides content (LPO – nmoles of cumene hydroperoxide/g ww) were also measured. Annual mean values for CAT (UP=3.7±0.3; P=5.7±0.6), GST (UP=0.034±0.003; P=0.045±0.004) and MT (UP=0.15±0.02; P=0.23±0.03) were higher (p<0.05) in worms from the P site. In autumn, CAT activity was higher (p<0.05) in worms from the P site (7.6 ± 1.3) than in those from the UP site (3.6 ± 0.4). In summer, MT concentration was higher in worms from the P site (0.37 ± 0.03) than in those from the UP site (0.19 ± 0.01). No significant difference (p>0.05) in the LPO content was observed in worms from the different sites or collected in different seasons. These results indicate that worms from the polluted site showed higher antioxidant responses than those from the unpolluted site, sufficient to prevent oxidative damage in terms of LPO.     

The invasive Asian green mussel Perna viridis in South Africa: all that is green is not viridis

The Asian green mussel Perna viridis is an invasive Indo-Pacific species recently reported from South African harbours. To verify the invasion, a phylogenetic (and morphological) analysis of green-shelled mussels (n = 39), found in six South African harbours, was conducted using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI). Estimates of genetic distances using the neighbour-joining analysis identified P. viridis only from Durban Harbour. All other green mussels were more than 3.2% divergent from P. viridis and were identified as green-shelled variants of indigenous P. perna. The only reliable morphological differences distinguishing the two species were the poorly developed mantle papillae and the wavy pallial line in P. viridis. The confirmed occurrence of P. viridis in a South African harbour suggests that there is a possible threat of the species becoming established and then spreading onto the open coast and competing with indigenous P. perna.     

Numerical Modelling of the Destructive Meteotsunami of 15 June, 2006 on the Coast of the Balearic Islands

A destructive tsunami-like event (locally known as “rissaga” waves) occurring on 15 June, 2006 in Ciutadella Harbour (Menorca, Balearic Islands) is reproduced by a numerical model forced by a travelling atmospheric disturbance. The disturbance is reconstructed from microbarograph measurements, being the only available instrumental data at the time of the event. The model is verified based on two weaker 1997 events, which were recorded by a number of bottom pressure recorders operating at that time on the Menorca shelf, in Ciutadella Inlet and adjacent Platja Gran Inlet. Both 1997 events are numerically simulated and good agreement is achieved with observations in time, frequency (including eigenfrequencies of the affected inlets) and wave heights. Subsequently the same model is applied to simulate the 2006 event. The vigorous currents with speeds up to 400 cm/s are found to occur specifically at those areas of the harbour where the most severe damage and sinking of boats had been reported. Maximum simulated sea-level heights of 2.5 m were about one half of those reported by eyewitnesses. This difference is apparently caused by quality and spatial resolution of bathymetry data. However, in general, the model is capable of reproducing the event fairly well and can probably be used for future assessment and mitigation activities on the coasts of the Balearic Islands.     

Microcystin-induced oxidative stress in Laeonereis acuta (Polychaeta, Nereididae)

Oxidative stress induced by microcystins was evaluated in an estuarine worm, Laeonereis acuta (Nereididae). Ten organisms were exposed to lyophilized cells of a toxic Microcystisaeruginosa strain RST9501 ( approximately 2 microg/mL microcystins, MC); 10 were exposed to lyophilized cells of a nontoxic Aphanotece sp. strain RSMan92 and 10 were maintained without cyanobacterial cells. Exposure time was 48 h. The enzymatic antioxidant defenses, as well as the oxidative damage, were analyzed. Toxic and nontoxic cyanobacteria lowered catalase activity with no changes in glutathione reductase and glutathione-S-transferase activities. This may have led to toxin intracellular accumulation, which should favor oxidative stress generation, observed by the high lipid peroxide and DNA-protein crosslink levels in the group exposed to MC.     

内蒙古鸡冠山斑岩钼矿床成矿时代和成矿流体研究

内蒙古鸡冠山钼矿床是西拉沐伦钼成矿带上的典型斑岩矿床。矿床产于火山侵入杂岩中,矿化类型以细脉浸染状矿化为主。对矿床5件辉钼矿样品进行了铼-锇同位素分析,获得了151.1±1.3Ma的等时线年龄,表明成矿作用发生在晚侏罗世。成矿作用可划分为三个阶段:早阶段为石英-黄铁矿阶段,发育乳白色石英和粗粒浸染状黄铁矿;中阶段包括早期石英-多金属硫化物亚阶段和晚期石英-萤石-金属硫化物亚阶段;晚阶段为石英-碳酸盐细脉,穿切早、中阶段脉体和矿物组合。鸡冠山钼矿床流体包裹体岩相学研究表明,与成矿有关的包裹体主要有六种类型:富液相、富气相、含子晶多相、含CO2三相、纯CO2及纯液相包裹体。其中,早阶段以富气和富CO2包裹体为主,中阶段多种包裹体共存,晚阶段则主要为富液包裹体。冷热台显微测温和激光拉曼显微探针(LRM)成分分析结果表明,早阶段石英中原生包裹体的均一温度480℃,盐度最高66.75%NaCleqv,包裹体气相成分富含水和CO2,液相成分则以水为主,子晶矿物有石盐、黄铜矿以及指示氧化条件的赤铁矿等,同时也说明成矿流体是富含成矿金属元素的。中阶段早期石英中的流体包裹体均一温度为320～480℃,晚期石英和萤石中的流体包裹体的均一温度为180～320℃。中阶段流体盐度介于4.65%～56.76%NaCleqv。中阶段包裹体含石盐、方解石、黄铜矿、赤铁矿等子矿物,富气相、富液相与含子晶多相包裹体共存,且具有相近的均一温度,而盐度相差悬殊,指示流体发生了沸腾。晚阶段流体的温度降低至100～180℃,盐度则低于10.86%NaCleqv,流体包裹体成分主要为水。鸡冠山钼矿成矿流体演化从早至晚为:从早阶段高温、高盐度、高氧逸度、富CO2、富成矿物质以岩浆热液为主成矿流体,演化至晚期低温、低盐度、无子晶、贫CO2、以大气降水为主的流体。沸腾作用是鸡冠山钼矿形成的重要机制。     

东秦岭石窑沟斑岩钼矿床地质特征及辉钼矿Re-Os年龄

在东秦岭钼成矿带最近探明的石窑沟大型钼矿床位于近东西向马超营断裂带与北东向石窑沟-焦园断裂带的交汇部位,获得钼金属储量10余万吨,平均品位0.068%。钼矿化呈细脉-网脉状分布于花岗斑岩体及其围岩熊耳群火山岩中,与矿化有关的围岩蚀变有钾长石化、硅化、绢云母化、黄铁矿化等,具有斑岩型钼矿床的一些基本特点。在矿床中选取5件不同矿化类型的辉钼矿样品,采用ICP-MS法进行Re-Os同位素定年,获得模式年龄131.3±2.4～134.3±2.6Ma,等时线年龄135.2±1.8Ma(MSWD=0.18),形成于早白垩世,与豫西熊耳山地区雷门沟、鱼池岭等钼矿床形成时代相近。据辉钼矿Re含量(8.242×10-6～30.24×10-6)推测,矿床成矿物质主要来自于下地壳。矿床为东秦岭-大别山地区中生代第三期钼成矿作用产物,形成于早白垩世中国东部岩石圈伸展环境。     

西秦岭勉略带陆内构造变形研究

秦岭造山带勉略缝合带是古特提斯洋盆向北俯冲形成的华北与华南最后拼接带。这个主缝合带俯冲-碰撞过程中以由北向南的一系列韧性逆冲推覆构造为特征,形成由前泥盆系、泥盆-石炭系和蛇绿混杂岩等不同构造岩片叠置的复杂构造带,碰撞时代从245Ma一直延续到230Ma左右。最近,作者对勉略缝合带内发育的韧性和脆性左行走滑剪切变形进行了研究,结果表明这些顺造山带的左行韧性走滑剪切变形带的变形时代为223±2Ma,与碰撞后花岗岩所确定的碰撞后构造环境的起始时间(225Ma)一致,显示这些韧性走滑剪切变形带是勉略带陆内变形初期变形产物。亦即华北、扬子大陆碰撞之后很快就转入陆内变形阶段,并且是以顺造山带的侧向走滑位移为主要变形方式。勉略带内顺造山带的脆性左行走滑断层的发育,表明这种顺造山带的侧向位移过程从深部到地壳浅层是一致的。因此,大陆碰撞在直接碰撞之后很快转变为顺造山带的侧向走滑位移为主的陆内变形,这种位移可能表现为两个大陆碰撞后的相对走滑,或是碰撞带中强烈变形部分顺造山带的侧向挤出,从而消减了正向碰撞所造成的地壳缩短和增厚。     

Atmospheric processes responsible for generation of the 2008 Boothbay meteotsunami

We investigated the atmospheric processes and physics that were active during a tsunami-like event hitting Boothbay Harbor area (Maine, USA) on 28 October 2008. The data collected by tide gauges, ground and sounding stations and meteo–ocean buoys in the area were analyzed, together with satellite and radar images. The atmospheric processes were reproduced by the weather research and forecasting model, verified by in situ and remote sensing data. A cold front moved over the area at the time of the event, with embedded convective clouds detected by satellite and radar data and the internal gravity waves (IGWs) detected by radar and reproduced by the model at the rear of the frontal precipitation band. According to the model, the IGWs that passed over Boothbay Harbor generated strong ground air-pressure oscillations reaching 2.5 hPa/3 min. The IGWs were ducted towards the coast without significant dissipation, propagating in a stable near-surface layer capped by an instability at approximately 3.5 km height and satisfying all conditions for their maintenance over larger areas. The intensity, speed and direction of the IGWs were favourable for generation of a meteotsunami wave along the Gulf of Maine shelf. Operational observation systems were not capable of sufficiently capturing the ground disturbance due to a too coarse sampling rate, while the numerical model was found to be a useful tool in eventual future detection and warning systems.     

Generation of Meteorological Tsunamis (Large Amplitude Seiches) Near the Balearic and Kuril Islands

Extreme atmosphere-induced seiche oscillations occasionally occur in specific inlets and bays of the world ocean causing severe damage to coastal areas, ships and port constructions. Ciutadella inlet (Menorca Island, Western Mediterranean) can be singled out as a place where such large seiches, locally known as rissaga, are quite common. Similar (although weaker) oscillations are also regularly observed in bays of Shikotan Island (South Kuril Islands, northwestern Pacific). Several spectacular events in these regions, identified in the first part of this study (Rabinovich and Monserrat, 1996), are analysed to determine the atmospheric parameters responsible for the generation of large-amplitude seiches. Their generation mechanism was shown to be quite different from that causing ordinary background oscillations. Coincidence of some external factors and certain resonance effects seem to be necessary to produce the destructive waves. In particular, rissaga waves in Ciutadella inlet were found to be related to significant atmospheric disturbances propagating from the southwest, coinciding with the orientation of the inlet, and having a phase speed of about 3 m/s, which is close to the phase speed of long waves offshore from Menorca. Pronounced resonant properties of the inner basin strongly amplify incoming waves in Ciutadella inlet. In contrast, the bays of the northwestern coast of Shikotan Island are protected from normally incident atmosphere-induced waves by the elongated Kunashir Island, hence the whole situation there is not so favorable for the excitation of large seiches.