Native Trees as Biomonitors of Chemical Elements in the Biodiversity Conservation of the Atlantic Forest

The Atlantic Forest, a hotspot in the world with a great diversity of plants and animals, is located in the most industrialized area of Brazil, a potential source of chemical elements for the atmosphere. From its original area about 10% has been preserved mainly through the implementation of conservation units, among which the Parque Estadual Carlos Botelho (PECB) is one of the most representative. Here, leaves of the predominant species in the PECB were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) for the establishment of natural backgrounds of As, Ba, Br, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cs, Fe, Hg, K, Na, Rb, Sc, Se, Sr and Zn. Biomonitoring of the Atlantic Forest was realized through the tree community study taking in account the interspecies and the intraspecies variability of chemical concentrations. Results pointed out the low status of pollution based on the concentrations of chemical elements of environmental concerning. However, Br concentrations were higher in the understory species, which could be related to the possible effects of atmospheric pollution or sea influence. In addition, some Hyeronima alchorneoides trees showed to be hyperaccumulators of Co.     

Interactive Effects of UV-B Radiation and Chemical Contamination on Physiological Parameters in the Lichen Ramalina lacera

To assess the impact of ultraviolet B (UV-B) radiation under laboratory conditions on lichens from different biomonitoring sites, thalli of the lichen Ramalina lacera were transplanted from a clean air site to nine different polluted sites in Israel. Our objective was to determine the probability of synergistic/antagonistic effects on physiological parameters by considering two stressors: chemical contamination and UV-B. Exposure to both airborne pollutants in the field and subsequent UV-B radiation in the laboratory which led to a severe disintegration of cell membranes, followed by electrolyte leakage, indicate the probability of a synergistic effect. The impairment of the potential quantum yield of electron transfer through photosystem II (PSII) of photosynthesis indicated by a significant decrease of the ratio F_v/F_m, further demonstrated the synergistic effect of both chemical contamination and UV-B radiation. Besides enlarged amounts of stress-ethylene in lichens at contaminated sites, the reduced levels of ethylene production upon UV-B radiation in the present study suggest the likelihood of an antagonistic effect of xenobiotic elements and UV-B radiation as a result of an impaired ethylene-producing system.     

A Kriging-based Estimate of the Survey Quality in Biomonitoring of Trace Element Air Pollution

The present paper addresses Kriging-based approaches to estimate survey quality, thereby using data on biomonitoring surveys of trace element air pollution. Data were used of a 1995 moss monitoring study in The Netherlands, thereby taking sodium (Na), arsenic (As) and bromium (Br) to illustrate the points made. Survey quality was expressed as the survey signal-to-noise ratio (SSNR), with the survey variance as the signal and the local variance as the noise. The Kriging approaches were regarded in parallel to direct approaches where local variances are determined from multi-fold local sampling.The paper addresses the uncertainties in SSNR associated to the uncertainties in local values and variances if based on pooled samples and a limited 5-fold sub-sampling in a restricted number of sampling sites. It further introduces a Kriging approach to SSNR_K (_K for Kriging), by Kriging-assisted recalculation of local values and variances, in turn based on fitted experimental variograms. The outcomes suggest that the Kriging approach may yield reliable SSNR_K values; the approach implies that SSNR_K depends on survey set-up, site density and sampling grid characteristics. The discussion of the paper addresses the points made and further suggests the use of large sample analytical facilities to permit a change in survey approach from mixing and milling of pooled sub-samples to bulk analyses of all sampled material in higher site-density surveys.     

青岛团岛、汇泉角水域中松藻和石荨体内元素含量的分析研究

选择典型的海洋生物进行其体内微量元素的含量测定 ,是指示生物反映环境变化的一种最根本和有效的方法［２,３］。孙道元等曾用过指示生物的有无和数量多少来反映环境的变化 ;也有不少科学家用过海洋底栖生物的群落结构作为指标 ,进行环境监测。这些方法都是粗略地对环境进行评估 ,而对海洋污染究竟是什么元素造成的 ,污染物是什么时候开始进入海洋的 ,又是什么时候造成污染的等具体表1　取自团岛中潮区和汇泉角中潮区的不同藻类的体内元素的含量Ｔａｂ .1　Ｅｌｅｍｅｎｔａｌｃｏｎｔｅｎｔｓｉｎａｌｇａｅｆｒｏｍｔｈｅｍｉｄｄｌｅｉ…     

Composition of epiphytic leaf community of Posidonia oceanica as a tool for environmental biomonitoring

The demand for sensitive biological tools to assess the environmental quality of coastal waters at broad spatial scales is increasing. Many of the tools used are based on the taxonomic composition of biotic assemblages. They usually require a valuable taxonomic expertise while are unique reflecting the overall ecosystem integrity. Here, we evaluate the potential indicator value of several features of the epiphytic community (overall assemblage composition, species richness, and proportion of the main taxonomic groups) growing on the seagrass Posidonia oceanica leaves. We do so by empirically examining their changes along a disturbance gradient where multiple human activities have interactive and cumulative impacts, sampling at different spatial scales and at two different depths (5 and 15 m). Our results show that the specific composition of the epiphytic assemblages (i.e. species composition) closely reflects, in the deep meadows, the combined effects of different anthropogenic stressors along the gradient, showing an integrative and non-specific response. Similarly, an increase in the proportion of hydrozoans, and a decrease in the proportion of rhodophytes and chlorophytes are observed in deep meadows along the gradient. In shallow meadows, grazing and biotic features of the seagrass seem the main forcing factors determining species composition, and therefore masking the response of epiphytes to the deterioration gradient. After address the effect of natural sources of variability (water depth, within- and between-meadow heterogeneity), changes in epiphyte assemblages and in the proportion of hydrozoans, rhodophytes and chlorophytes in relatively deep meadows seem promising monitoring tools for detecting coastal environmental deterioration.     

湖北清江流域胡家溪大型底栖动物群落结构及水质评价

2006年4月至2007年3月,对清江流域上游一二级支流--胡家溪的大型底栖动物群落结构进行了调查研究,并利用生物指数对河水水质进行了系统评价.结果表明,共采集到大型底柄动物87种,其中环节动物3种,软甲动物3种,水生昆虫76种,软体动物5种.群落表现出明显的时空特点,6月份的物种最多,12月份的物种最少,S5的物种最多.S1的物种最少;各微生境中共有种占据优势,物种相似性均大于75%;功能摄食群则以收集者占优,共计达51种.群落密度在4月份达到最大,为3293ind/m2;而生物量则在12月份达到最大,为163g/m2.采用Shannon多样性指数、生物指数和科级水平生物指数对胡家溪水质评价的结果是河水水质比较清洁.     

应用15N稀释技术定量华北平原大气氮沉降的输入总量（英文）

本文采用定量氮沉降总量的ITNI（Integrated Total Nitrogen Input）系统,利用¹⁵N稀释原理和生物监测技术,定量研究了华北平原大气氮沉降的农田输入总量及其在推荐施肥中的作用。结果表明,以玉米和小麦为指示植物,监测到在玉米-小麦轮作体系中整个华北平原大气氮沉降的输入总量高达80-90 kgN ha^-1yr^-1,对玉米和小麦植物有效性的沉降氮总量约为50 kgN ha^-1yr^-1。以黑麦草为指示植物,监测到华北平原大气氮沉降的输入总量约为100 kgN ha^-1yr^-1,对其植物有效性的沉降氮约为76 kgN ha^-1yr^-1,占总沉降氮的77%。由于华北平原小麦季扬尘较多,因此干沉降可能是该时期大气氮沉降输入总量的主要贡献。     

淡水贝类观察——生物阐释水污染和毒理的创新手段

淡水渔业是国民经济重要产业,在产量和产值均取得巨大成就的同时,也面临着严峻的水域生态环境污染形势.与此相适应,自2003年系统性提出以背角无齿蚌(Anodonta woodiana)为专用指示生物的创新性“淡水贝类观察”研究体系(Freshwater Mussel Watch)以来,已经成功地应用于国内外的江河、湖泊和池塘等渔业生态环境无机(特别是重金属)和有机污染物胁迫的监测、评价和预警,以及毒理学、污染物积累动力学和水质净化等方面研究.本文梳理了“淡水贝类观察”在被动监测、主动监测及渔业环境研究用模式动物开发等方面的研究进展,以期为渔业以及水域生态环境污染的有效监测、评价、保护以及阐释污染毒性机制提供有益参考.     

Marine ciliate community in relation to eutrophication of coastal waters in the Yellow Sea

We assessed the potential of marine ciliate community as an indicator to coastal water quality using water samples collected from four stations in the Yellow Sea in the summer 2000. The four stations were characterized by different levels of pollution. The ciliate communities consisted primarily of tintinnids and aloricate ciliates that were <30 μm. A total of 78 species were classified: 55 species at Station 2, 51 species each at Stations 1 and 4, and 47 species at Station 3. The mean number of species at each site was 29.2±2.0 (Station 1), 28.5±2.9 (Station 2), 27.8±1.7 (Station 3), and 24.5±2.3 (Station 4). The abundance was highly variable: 19 331±11 187 ind./L at Station 1, 7 960±5 639 ind./L at Station 2, 29 015±12 999 ind./L at Station 3, and 8 190±4 658 ind./L at Station 4. Our results suggest that neither the simple chemical analysis (e.g. chemical oxygen demand, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, and phosphate) nor the eutrophication/pollution index adequately described the water quality at the four stations. The same was true of the number of species and their abundance, both of which had no correlation with the chemical indices. In contrast, Margalef’s diversity index values (3.12 at Station 2, 2.89 at Station 1, and 2.64 at Stations 3 and 4) generally discriminated the water quality status of the four stations. The difference in water quality among the stations was strongly supported by the pattern of species richness (i.e. the total number of species) of ciliates at each station. Our evaluation was consistent with the results of long-term water quality monitoring at the four stations. With increasing eutrophication, we observed also a compositional and functional shift in the ciliate assemblages from algivorous oligotrich/choreotrich to nonselective-omnivorous gymnostomatids to bacterivorous-detrivorous scuticociliatids. Thus, ciliates may be used to indicate the coastal water quality status of a given site.     

浙江金华江支流白沙溪水质硅藻生物监测方法

以白沙溪为示范区,比较了硅藻生物指数评价与我国现阶段河流水质理化评价结果的异同性,同时对白沙溪进行水生态评估.水质理化评价显示白沙溪水质从Ⅰ类到劣Ⅴ类均有出现,而硅藻特定污染敏感指数和硅藻生物指数评价白沙溪水质为"优"到"差"均有出现.二者评价结果总体上相吻合,同时亦存在一定差异.硅藻生态类群组成显示前三个断面以耐低污染硅藻、自养硅藻和喜好很高氧饱和度硅藻为主,4#断面(除2010年11月)以耐中污染和强污染硅藻、异养硅藻、喜好低氧硅藻类群占优势.全年水体各断面均以喜中性和碱性的硅藻类群为主.特定污染敏感指数和硅藻生物指数均与电导率、总磷、氨氮、氯化物之间呈显著负相关,此外硅藻生物指数还与高锰酸盐指数、总氮、亚硝酸盐氮和可溶性磷酸盐之间呈显著负相关.本研究结果对开展我国河流水质生物监测具有一定的借鉴意义,但其在我国的适用性还需要开展进一步的研究.