An AFLP Genetic Linkage Map of Pacific Abalone （Haliotis discus hannai）

A genetic linkage map of Pacific abalone （Haliotis discus hannai） was constructed using AFLP markers based on a two-way pseudo-testcross strategy in a full-sib family. With 33 primer combinations, a total of 455 markers （225 from the female parent and 230 from the male parent） segregated in a 1 ： 1 ratio, corresponding to DNA polymorphism： heterozygous in one parent and null in the other. The female framework map consisted of 174 markers distributed in 18 linkage groups, equivalent to the H. discus hannai haploid chromosome number, and spanning a total length of 2031.4 cM, with an average interval of 13.0 cM between adjacent markers. The male framework map consisted of 195 markers mapped on 19 linkage groups, spanning a total length of 2273.4cM, with an average spacing of 12.9cM between adjacent markers. The estimated coverage for the framework linkage maps was 81.2% for the female and 82.1% for the male, on the basis of two estimates of genome length. Fifty-two markers （11.4%） remained unlinked. The level of segregation distortion observed in this cross was 20.4%. These linkage maps will serve as a starting point for linkage studies in the Pacific abalone with potential application for marker-assisted selection in breeding programs.     

2500年来艾比湖的环境演变信息

通过对艾比湖缘1，8m浅孔的沉积相和孢粉组合，结合14C测年资料分析。指出近2500年来艾比湖的沉积环境总体是比较稳定的，但由于气候波动引起艾比湖水位曾发生较明显的变化。约在公元前300～400年，是艾比湖面积缩小时期；约公元前300—公元300年，即东周末至西晋，是艾比湖水位较高时期；约公元300—1400年，即东晋至15世纪初，是艾比湖的高水位时期；约15世纪初至17世纪中是艾比湖的水位下降期，但水位比现代仍然高；约17世纪中至19世纪初的小冰期是艾比湖的水位上升期。研究还提供了历史时期湖泊的盐度变化和湖周发生大火的信息。     

新生代深海冷水碳酸盐泥丘成因及IODP 307航次初步研究结果

记述了新生代深海冷水碳酸盐泥丘近期的9个重要研究事件;总结了冷水泥丘具有全球海洋(大陆斜坡为主)分布、形态各异、冷水枝状珊瑚构筑泥丘的特点;介绍了冷水泥丘形成的(地质流体渗流和微生物作用)内因及(海底牵引底流作用)外因两种主要观点.对2005年IODP 307航次实施的北大西洋Porcupine Seabight冷水泥丘大洋钻探工作初步成果进行了编译,公布了中国科学家在碳氧同位素方面的初步实验结果.实验结果显示上新世中期以来的2 Ma里冷水碳酸盐泥丘启动和发育过程中存在2次碳氧同位素偏移事件(Ⅰ和Ⅱ),碳氧同位素偏移事件Ⅰ与泥丘的启动相呼应,暗示北大西洋古海洋气候发生巨大变化,可能与北极冰盖极盛有关.     

Age determination of marine sediments in the western North Pacific by as partic acid chronology

The ages of fossil planktonic foraminifera,Pulleniatina obliquiloculata, in sediments (core 3bPC) from the western North Pacific were determined by aspartic acid chronology, which uses the racemization reaction rate constant of aspartic acid (k_Asp). Aspartic acid racemization-based ages (Asp ages) ranged from 7,600 yrBP at the surface, to 307,000 yrBP at a depth of 352.9 cm in the sediments. This sediment core was also dated by the glacial-interglacial fluctuation of δ¹⁸O chronology, and the ages determined by both chronologies were compared. The ages derived from aspartic acid chronology and δ¹⁸O stratigraphy were more or less consistent, but there appeared to be some differences in age estimates between these two dating methods at some depths within the core. In the core top sediments, the likely cause for the age discrepancy could be the loss of the surface sediment during sampling of the core. At depths of 66.3 and 139 cm within the core, Asp ages indicated reduced sedimentation rates duringca. 60,000-80,000 yrBP andca. 140,000–190,000 yrBP. The maximum age differences in both chronologies are 33,000 yr and 46,600 yr during each of these periods. These anomalous reductions in sedimentation rates occurring during these periods could possibly be related to some geological events, such as an increased dissolution effect of the calcium carbonate in the western North Pacific. Another possible reason for these age differences could be the unreliability in δ¹⁸O ages of core 3bPC as they were estimated by δ¹⁸O ages of another core, 3aPC.     

Simultaneous vertical measurements of in situ pH and CO2 in the sea using spectrophotometric profilers

We have developed new systems capable of profiling to >1000 m for measuring in situ pH and fugacity of CO₂ (fCO₂) in the ocean using spectrophotometric analysis (pH and CO₂ profilers). The in situ pH is determined by detecting the color change of the pH indicator (m-cresol purple). It can withstand ambient pressure to 1000 m depth. The CO₂ profiler analyzed in situ fCO₂ by detecting the change of pH in an inner solution, equilibrated with the seawater through a gas permeable membrane. It can be operated to 2500 m depth. We used an amorphous fluoropolymer tubing form of AF-2400 for the gas permeable membrane due to its high gas permeability coefficients. The inner solution was a mixture of 2 μM bromocresol purple (BCP) and 5 μM sodium hydroxide. This system gave us a response time of 1 minute, which is twice as fast as previous systems. The precisions of pH and CO₂ profilers were within 0.002 and 2.5% respectively. We have used these profilers to study the North Pacific, obtaining good agreement with the difference between the data from profilers and a discrete bottle of 0.002 ± 0.005 pH (SE, n = 25) and −0.4 ± 3 μatm (SE, n = 31).     

Emergence Patterns of Small Subtidal Arthropods in Relation to Day/Night, Tidal, and Surface/Bottom Factors: Investigations in the Boreal Sea, Japan (Akkeshi, Hokkaido)

The emergence of small arthropods was studied in the boreal sea, Japan (Akkeshi, Hokkaido). In the shallow subtidal zone, two impeller pumps were set in the surface and bottom waters. The pumps ran continuously for 25 days (22 August-16 September, 1998), and invertebrates were sampled using a nylon net (300 to 500 m in mesh size). The small arthropods collected with the net belonged to 16 orders comprising about 60 taxa. In the dominant 23 taxa, a two-way ANOVA was applied to determine whether there was any significant difference in abundance between day and night and between surface and bottom. While emergence of 15 taxa (65%) was significantly different with regard to the day/night factor, that of the other 8 taxa (35%) was not. As to the difference between the two depths, the distribution of 15 taxa (65%) was significantly different. Furthermore, in 25 taxa for which over 100 specimens were collected in each of the two depths of water, emergence patterns were examined with regard to the synchrony with day/night and tidal cycles. There were various nocturnal patterns, and the strength of the synchrony with the day/night cycle was different for each species or group. Within the same taxa, nocturnal patterns were more clearly manifested in the surface water than in the bottom water. A tidal rhythm of emergence was only seen in zoeas of shrimp. Variations of the emergence patterns of benthic crustaceans are accounted for by a hypothesis that the frequency of swimming during day versus at night is different in each species. On the other hand, the emergence patterns of some zooplankton reflect by the daily rhythm of vertical migration or dispersal in the water column.     

Origin and decomposition of sinking particulate organic matter in the deep water column inferred from the vertical distributions of its δN, δ and δ

Sinking particles were analyzed for their nitrogen isotopic ratio δ¹⁵N) of total particulate nitrogen (PN), stable carbon isotopic ratio (δ¹³C) and radioactive isotopic ratio (δ¹⁴C) of total particulate organic carbon (POC), at three different latitudinal (temperate, subpolar and equatorial) and geomorphological (trench, proximal abyssal plain and distal abyssal plain) sites in the western North Pacific Ocean using year-long time series sediment trap systems, to clarify the common vertical trends of the isotopic signals in deep water columns. Although the δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values of sinking particulate organic matter (POM) were partly affected by the resuspension of sedimentary POM from the sea floor, especially in the trench, the changes in δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values owing to the resuspension could be corrected by calculation of the isotopic mass balance from δ¹⁴C of sinking POC. After this correction, common downward decreasing trends in δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values were obtained in the deep water columns, irrespective of the latitudes and depths. These coincidental isotopic signals between δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values provide new constraints for the decomposition process of sinking POM, such as the preferential degradation of ¹⁵N- and ¹³C-rich compounds and the successive re-formation of the sinking particles by higher trophic level organisms in the deep water column.     

Large but variable particulate flux in the Antarctic Ocean and its significance for the chemistry of Antarctic water

Settling particles were collected at 1,460 m and 3,760 m depth in the Antarctic Ocean with sediment traps of time series type. The total deployment period of 40 days was divided into four terms of 10 days each. Seawater samples were collected both at deployment and retrieval of the traps at each site. During the 42 days the concentration of silicate in the surface water decreased by 32%, whereas those of nitrate and phosphate decreased by only 4–5%. The total particulate flux in the Antarctic Ocean is the largest among those hitherto observed in the world ocean. The time variation of the particulate flux at 1,460 m depth almost coincided with that at 3,760 m. The settling particles were comprised roughly of 80% biogenic silica, 15% organic matter and 5% other substances including sea salt. The clay fraction was only 0.05% at 1,460 m depth. The settling flux of biogenic silica agrees fairly well with the calculated rate of change in the concentration of silicate in the surface 100 m. Thus it is concluded that preferential propagation of diatoms reduces the concentration of silicate prior to other nutrients in the Antarctic Ocean.