Carbon cycling in a high-arctic marine ecosystem – Young Sound, NE Greenland

Young Sound is a deep-sill fjord in NE Greenland (74°N). Sea ice usually begins to form in late September and gains a thickness of 1.5 m topped with 0–40 cm of snow before breaking up in mid-July the following year. Primary production starts in spring when sea ice algae begin to flourish at the ice–water interface. Most biomass accumulation occurs in the lower parts of the sea ice, but sea ice algae are observed throughout the sea ice matrix. However, sea ice algal primary production in the fjord is low and often contributes only a few percent of the annual phytoplankton production. Following the break-up of ice, the immediate increase in light penetration to the water column causes a steep increase in pelagic primary production. Usually, the bloom lasts until August–September when nutrients begin to limit production in surface waters and sea ice starts to form. The grazer community, dominated by copepods, soon takes advantage of the increased phytoplankton production, and on an annual basis their carbon demand (7–11 g C m⁻²) is similar to phytoplankton production (6–10 g C m⁻²). Furthermore, the carbon demand of pelagic bacteria amounts to 7–12 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹. Thus, the carbon demand of the heterotrophic plankton is approximately twice the estimated pelagic primary production, illustrating the importance of advected carbon from the Greenland Sea and from land in fuelling the ecosystem.In the shallow parts of the fjord (<40 m) benthic primary producers dominate primary production. As a minimum estimate, a total of 41 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹ is fixed by primary production, of which phytoplankton contributes 15%, sea ice algae <1%, benthic macrophytes 62% and benthic microphytes 22%. A high and diverse benthic infauna dominated by polychaetes and bivalves exists in these shallow-water sediments (<40 m), which are colonized by benthic primary producers and in direct contact with the pelagic phytoplankton bloom. The annual benthic mineralization is 32 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹ of which megafauna accounts for 17%. In deeper waters benthic mineralization is 40% lower than in shallow waters and megafauna, primarily brittle stars, accounts for 27% of the benthic mineralization. The carbon that escapes degradation is permanently accumulated in the sediment, and for the locality investigated a rate of 7 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹ was determined.A group of walruses (up to 50 adult males) feed in the area in shallow waters (<40 m) during the short, productive, ice-free period, and they have been shown to be able to consume <3% of the standing stock of bivalves (Hiatella arctica, Mya truncata and Serripes Groenlandicus), or half of the annual bivalve somatic production. Feeding at greater depths is negligible in comparison with their feeding in the bivalve-rich shallow waters.     

Diurnal changes in the bio-optical properties of the phytoplankton in the Alborán Sea (Mediterranean Sea)

The changes in the phytoplankton absorption properties during a diurnal cycle were investigated at one station located in the north-western area of the Alborán Sea. The experiment was performed in spring when the water column was strongly stratified. This hydrological situation permitted the establishment of a deep chlorophyll a (chl a) fluorescence maximum (DFM) which was located on average close to the lower limit of the mixed layer and the nutricline. The relative abundance of pico-phytoplankton (estimated as its contribution to the total chl a) was higher in the surface, however, micro-phytoplankton dominated the community at the DFM level. Chl a specific absorption coefficient (a*(λ)) also varied with optical depth, with a* (the spectrally average specific absorption coefficient) decreasing by 30% at the DFM depth with respect to the surface. A significant negative correlation between the contribution of the micro-phytoplankton to the total chl a and a* was obtained indicating that a* reduction was due to changes in the packaging effect. Below the euphotic layer, a* increased three-fold with respect to the DFM, which agrees with the expected accumulation of accessory pigments relative to chl a as an acclimation response to the low available irradiance. The most conspicuous change during the diurnal cycle was produced in the euphotic layer where the chl a concentration decreased significantly in the afternoon (from a mean concentration of 1.1 μg L⁻¹ to 0.7 μg L⁻¹) and increased at dusk when it averaged 1.4 μg L⁻¹. In addition, a* and the blue-to-red absorption band ratio increased in the afternoon. These results suggest that a*(λ) diurnal variability was due to increase in photo-protective and accessory pigments relative to chl a. The variation ranges of a*(λ) at 675 and 440 nm (the absorption peaks in the red and blue spectral bands, respectively) in the euphotic layer were 0.01–0.04 and 0.02–0.10 m² mg⁻¹ chl a, respectively. Approximately 30% out of this variability can be attributed to the diurnal cycle. This factor should therefore be taken into account in refining primary production models based on phytoplankton light absorption.     

Breeding in the freshwater crayfish paranephrops planifrons white

The breeding cycle of female Paranephrops planifrons is described. The incubation of eggs and young takes place between April and December and covers about 25–26 weeks. The winter population contains some apparently adult females which do not breed. The number of eggs laid increases with the size of the parent, and in the population studied varied from some 20 to 30 eggs at 17 mm carapace length to 150 eggs at 30 mm carapace length. After hatching the young pass through two moults while still attached to the parent.     

Common bivalve larvae from New Zealand: Leptonacea

The late stage larvae of three erycinid bivalves (Mollusca: Pelecypoda: Leptonacea) taken from the brood chamber of the adult are described (Kellia cycladiformis, Lasaea rubra hinemoa, and L. maoria), and the provisionally identified late stage larva of the erycinid Arthritica bijurca taken from the plankton is described. Also, the D‐shaped larvae of the erycinid bivalves Kellia cycladiformis, Borniola reniformis, Arlhritica crassijormis, and A. bifurca taken from the parent brood chamber are described. The seasonal occurrence of each late stage larva in the plankton at the Bay of Islands (35° 15'S, 174° 10'E), Wellington Harbour (41° 16'S, 174° 51'E), and Raumati Beach (40° 56'S, 174° 58'E), New Zealand is described. Aspects of the reproductive cycles of Lasaea rubra hinemoa and Arthritica bifurca are presented.     

海洋寄生性甲藻——阿米巴藻Amoebophrya spp.的研究进展

寄生性甲藻阿米巴藻Amoebophrya是一类广泛寄生于纤毛虫类、放射虫类、甲藻类等海水浮游生物的原生生物,在北大西洋、北太平洋和地中海等营养盐丰富、宿主密度较高的河口和近海水环境中普遍存在,是海洋浮游食物网的重要组成部分。这类寄生性甲藻能够特异性感染海洋浮游甲藻,在有害藻华(harmful algal bloom,HAB)的发生过程中起下行控制作用,将逃脱了浮游动物摄食的浮游植物补充到微食物环(microbial loop)中去。Amoebophrya在近海海洋生态系统中的独特作用日益受到国际上越来越多研究者的关注和重视,并逐渐成为国际上海洋微型生物研究的新热点之一。近年来,已有初步调查研究表明这类寄生性甲藻在我国近海海域广泛存在;然而,目前我国尚缺乏该类寄生性甲藻的相关研究。本文系统综述了国际上该类寄生性甲藻的研究进展,针对目前研究中存在的问题并结合我国有害藻华发生机制相关研究的现状做出了分析和展望,以期推动我国该类寄生性甲藻的相关研究,为进一步阐释寄生性甲藻等海洋微型生物在有害藻华消长过程和海洋微食物环中的作用奠定基础。     

三疣梭子蟹HMGR基因的克隆及其在蜕皮中的表达分析

为了研究3-羟基-3-甲基戊二酰辅酶A还原酶(3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase,HMGR)在甲壳动物蜕皮调控中的作用,采用RT-PCR和c DNA末端快速扩增技术(RACE),克隆得到三疣梭子蟹(Portunus trituberculatus)HMGR基因的c DNA序列(Gen Bank登录号:KF280756)。该序列全长2575bp,包括一个53bp的5′端非编码区,一个686bp的3′端非编码区和一个长度为1836bp的开放阅读框,编码611个氨基酸。该氨基酸序列与已公布的美洲海鳌虾HMGR氨基酸序列相比一致性达65%,具有Ⅰ型HMGR保守催化区域、两个HMG-Co A结合基序和两个NADP(H)结合基序。采用实时荧光定量PCR(q RT-PCR)技术,分析三疣梭子蟹HMGR基因的组织差异表达及在蜕皮周期中的表达水平变化,结果表明HMGR基因在三疣梭子蟹大颚器(MO)中的表达量最高,在其它组织中表达量均极低;在三疣梭子蟹蜕皮周期中,大颚器中HMGR基因的表达量自A期至D0亚期升至最高,然后下降,至D4亚期最低。验证了大颚器是三疣梭子蟹合成甲基法尼酯的唯一器官,表明HMGR在三疣梭子蟹蜕皮调控中起着重要作用。     

基于可靠性的海洋石油平台维修策略研究

针对海洋石油平台传统维修方式依赖经验的缺陷,从可靠性分析角度来制定维修策略,包括确定最佳维修周期和制定设备的检修顺序。以胜利油田埕岛中心一号海洋石油动力平台电力系统为例,采用基于最小割集的数值仿真方法进行故障树分析,通过任务可靠度推出任务时间,实现以可靠性为中心的最佳预防性维修周期的确定。此外,对系统进行重要度分析,按关键重要度大小进行排序,从而制定设备的检修顺序。     

准噶尔盆地火山岩分类研究与应用

岩石分类一直是人们长期探索的课题。由于油气勘探的需要,针对储层研究的盆地火山岩分类已经成为火成岩研究的重要新方向。在综合分析国内外火山岩分类研究的基础上,根据3条野外剖面和21口钻井岩心岩屑的观察描述、岩石薄片鉴定和化学成分分析等资料,依照结构-成分-成因分类原则,建立了适于储层评价的准噶尔盆地石炭系火山岩及其他岩类的岩性分类体系和识别标准。将本区火山岩划分为火山熔岩、火山碎屑熔岩、火山碎屑岩、沉火山碎屑岩等4大类;同时将盆地内与火山岩共生的其他岩类也进行分类和识别,共划分出8大类45种基本类型。与我国东部的中新生代盆地火山岩不同,本区古生代火山岩普遍遭受较长期风化改造和蚀变作用,常见有绿泥石化、碳酸盐化和黏土矿化。这些蚀变会影响到TAS图解岩性判别的结果,因此笔者探讨了蚀变条件下的岩石识别和定名方法。本文分类体系针对火山岩储层研究,结果显示,基于该分类体系岩性与储集空间的类型及其变化规律呈现明显相关性,不同岩性的储集空间类型、组合方式和发育程度存在差异,由此可指导火山岩油气勘探。     

准噶尔盆地阜东斜坡区侏罗系沉积特征

通过对准噶尔盆地阜东斜坡区侏罗系的沉积背景,沉积岩成分、结构、构造及岩性序列等综合研究表明,该区侏罗系具有较好的旋回性,可划分为6个沉积层序和两个构造层序,侏罗系沉积物具有较低的成分成熟度和中等结构成熟度,粒度概率图及沉积构造均显示其具有牵引流沉积特征及三角洲沉积序列。在研究区侏罗系发育南、北两大物源区及方向的水系,据此可识别出辫状河、辫状河三角洲、曲流河、正常三角洲、滑塌浊积扇和湖泊等多种沉积体系类型。     

济南十大泉群特征、形成模式及水循环差异性浅析

为了全面系统地认识济南十大泉群,文章采用对比分析法揭示十大泉群分布、流量、景观及水质特征,通过水文地质结构精细刻画与泉水排泄条件分析,进一步明确十大泉群成因差异性,归纳泉水形成模式,揭示十大泉群水循环的差异性。结果表明：十大泉群基本特征可大致分为两类,即排泄区6个泉群均为上升泉、南部补给区4个泉群均为下降泉;十大泉群形成模式可划分为五类,即构造凸起—灰岩“天窗”成泉、构造凸起—裂隙连通成泉、浅埋多层砂层与高渗透黏土导通成泉、断裂切割成泉和侵蚀溢流成泉模式;宏观上济南十大泉群水循环受北倾单斜构造控制,其输入条件、输导系统和输出方式差异较小;微观上6个承压型泉群泉水输出方式差异性明显,其灰岩覆盖层类型、厚度、渗透性及灰岩顶板埋深差别较大,导致泉水出流形态、流量及水质不同,形成各自独特的景观。岩溶泉水微观成因的详细研究可为济南十大泉群分类保护提供重要地质依据。