海洋动物中褪黑素信号系统的研究进展

褪黑素是神经内分泌调控的关键激素之一,具有重要的生理功能,在改善睡眠、调节生殖、延缓衰老等生理过程中起到不可或缺的作用,其功能机制研究亦较为成熟。本文综述了褪黑素和褪黑素受体的基本特征,特别关注褪黑素受体介导的信号转导特征;总结了其海洋生物中的褪黑素信号系统研究现状和面临的挑战,并对海洋生物开展该信号系统研究的理论价值及应用前景进行展望,以期为进一步探明海洋鱼类及无脊椎动物中褪黑素及其受体的信号转导特征和生理功能提供一定的线索,为褪黑素信号系统进化演变的探讨提供一定的理论参考。     

科学认识大地震

笔者从汶川大地震的成因出发,根据地震序列的类型、发生大地震的时间尺度和都江堰-江油断裂带对地震波的消减,以及成都平原特殊的地壳结构,认为发生大地震或大余震对成都平原的影响有限。在大地震后,随着地壳应力场的改变,可能在成都平原引发小地震,应加强对熊坡活动断裂等的监测,以及附近房地产等工程建设的管理,提高民众的防震意识。地震宏观前兆异常并不是都很明显。单一动物的异常行为,如蟾蜍或青蛙迁徙,不能构成预测地震的依据。大地震诱因是很复杂的,现阶段的科学技术还不能准确预测地震。     

New Zealand xenophyophores: Upper bathyal distribution,photographs of growth position,and a new species

Xenophyophores are a group of giant, but extremely fragile, rhizopod protozoans generally found at lower bathyal or abyssal depths. Recent dredge samples and photographs suggest that there is a largely endemic fauna of xenophyophores with anastomosing branches living at upper bathyal depths around New Zealand. Their distribution may be related to the layer of Antarctic Intermediate water that bathes the upper slope of the New Zealand Plateau.

Photographs of the seafloor at depths of 800–1300 m on the Lord Howe Rise show hemispherical masses, 5 cm across, of which the majority appear to be Syringammina tasmanensis Lewis, 1966 and at least one specimen may be Reticulammina lamellata Tendal, 1972. The photographs indicate that these species live on the seabed, not beneath it, that they are probably filter feeders and that they can reach a density of about one specimen per square metre.

A new species, Reticulammina maini, is described from the continental slope east of Auckland. A key to the New Zealand species of xenophyophore is presented.     

Biological Impact of Elevated Ocean CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Concentrations: Lessons from Animal Physiology and Earth History

CO₂ currently accumulating in the atmosphere permeates into ocean surface layers, where it may impact on marine animals in addition to effects caused by global warming. At the same time, several countries are developing scenarios for the disposal of anthropogenic CO₂ in the worlds' oceans, especially the deep sea. Elevated CO₂ partial pressures (hypercapnia) will affect the physiology of water breathing animals, a phenomenon also considered in recent discussions of a role for CO₂ in mass extinction events in earth history. Our current knowledge of CO₂ effects ranges from effects of hypercapnia on acid-base regulation, calcification and growth to influences on respiration, energy turnover and mode of metabolism. The present paper attempts to evaluate critical processes and the thresholds beyond which these effects may become detrimental. CO₂ elicits acidosis not only in the water, but also in tissues and body fluids. Despite compensatory accumulation of bicarbonate, acid-base parameters (pH, bicarbonate and CO₂ levels) and ion levels reach new steady-state values, with specific, long-term effects on metabolic functions. Even though such processes may not be detrimental, they are expected to affect long-term growth and reproduction and may thus be harmful at population and species levels. Sensitivity is maximal in ommastrephid squid, which are characterized by a high metabolic rate and extremely pH-sensitive blood oxygen transport. Acute sensitivity is interpreted to be less in fish with intracellular blood pigments and higher capacities to compensate for CO₂ induced acid-base disturbances than invertebrates. Virtually nothing is known about the degree to which deep-sea fishes are affected by short or long term hypercapnia. Sensitivity to CO₂ is hypothesized to be related to the organizational level of an animal, its energy requirements and mode of life. Long-term effects expected at population and species levels are in line with recent considerations of a detrimental role of CO₂ during mass extinctions in the earth's history. Future research is needed in this area to evaluate critical effects of the various CO₂ disposal scenarios. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

临朐山旺古动物群简介

山旺国家自然保护区于1980年国务院批准公布,面积1．2km2,位于临朐县城东22km处,该区为玛珥湖,蕴藏古生物化石丰富,种类繁多,目前已发现10多个门类700多种,形成于新近纪中新世,距今约1800万年。     

南麂列岛国家海洋自然保护区几种海洋动物胃含物中的微、小型藻类组成分析

首次对南麂列岛国家海洋自然保护区不同生境的主要动物的食性进行分析。结果表明,在常见的２０种动物胃含物中,共鉴定出微、小型藻类８３种。不同生境的动物食物的优势种类组成是不相同的。各动物胃含物种类组成和数量与其海区生境中的优势微、小型藻类种类组成和数量基本相吻合。海洋动物摄食微、小型藻类具有季节变化,夏季虾类、鱼类的胃含物中均有出现的微、小型藻类种类高于其它季节。藤壶、贝类胃含物中均有出现的微、小型藻类种类数春季高于夏、秋、冬季。     

黄河三角洲潮间带动物多样性的研究

以１９９６年黄河三角洲潮间带动物定性调查结果,分析了黄河三角洲潮间带动物物种多样性;以定量调查结果研究了潮间带动物多样度以及与均度、单纯度的关系。研究表明：该区共鉴出潮间带动物１９３种,隶属于１３个门１５个纲４０个目９４个科;潮间带动物多样度为０～１．７０,均度为１～１．００,单纯度为０．２２～１．００;多样度与均度呈正相关,与单纯度呈负相关关系。     

A biogeochemical study of the Podili and Tirupati area of Andhra Pradesh, India

 The fluoride content of dung, urine and milk of grazing animals, for example cow, she-buffalo, doe and ewe, was studied in the Podili area, India, (endemic fluorosis) and also in Tirupati (non-fluorosis) for the purpose of comparison. The data reveal that the fluoride content of the urine of animals is suitable for the preparation of biogeochemical atlases studying the environmental effect in relation to health. Received: 1 August 1997 · Accepted: 2 March 1998     

海南蚂蟥岭流域桉树人工林土壤动物生态地理特征

海南蚂蟥岭流域土壤动物生态地理类群的调查,共获得土壤动物样本2036只,隶属3门7纲18个类目,说明蚂蟥岭流域土壤动物生态地理类群并不丰富。比较流域内5种不同土地利用方式中的土壤动物生态地理类群时发现:桉树人工林地对应尚未开发的原生灌木丛地,其土壤动物生态地理类群的Jaccard相似性系数仅为0.375;土壤动物类群与个体数量分别减少了53.33%与62.74%;土壤动物群落复杂性指数(C_j)下降了1.056;土壤动物群落密度-类群指数(DG)降低了4.620。研究结果还进一步表明:桉树人工林土壤动物多样性的减少,损伤了土壤生态系统中土壤动物分解者的生态功能,造成了桉树人工林种植地枯枝落叶滞留、物质循环功能受阻、肥力下降,流域内土壤生态系统日趋恶化。     

澄江动物群的核心价值:动物界成型和人类基础器官诞生

澄江动物群以富含多门类精美软躯体构造化石享誉学界,是寒武纪大爆发主幕的见证者;它亲眼目睹了地球动物树上几乎所有主要门类祖先的首次大聚会。对该动物群30多年的大规模调查研究大体上可以划分为3个阶段。始自1984年的第一个10年(1984—1994年),早期动物树上的基础动物亚界和原口动物亚界的大量门类被发现,然而对后口动物亚界全然无知。第二个10年研究(1995—2005年),基础动物亚界和原口动物亚界中的更多门类被发现;而最重要的进展,是西北大学团队主导的早期后口动物大发现使后口动物亚界的基本框架被构建,由此地球三分动物树首次成型。第三个10年及其以后时期(2005年之后),3个动物亚界中进一步添加了一些新的门类认知;综合20世纪40年代以来对埃迪卡拉生物群、寒武纪第一世和第二世的珍稀动物群研究成果,学界开始思考三分动物树分步成型与多幕式寒武纪大爆发事件的内在关联,提出了三幕式寒武纪大爆发新假说。澄江动物群研究具有多方面的科学价值,包括动物群结构研究,生态环境研究等,然其核心学术价值主要集中在如下两个方面:(1)作为寒武纪大爆发的主幕见证者,澄江动物群首次创建了地球上三分动物树的完整谱系框架。三幕式寒武纪大爆发假说揭示了地球上动物门类由低等到高等、分阶段爆发创造的本质内涵,即历时约0.4亿年的三幕式寒武纪大爆发与动物树阶段性快速成型的内在耦合性。第一幕发生于埃迪卡拉纪晚期,它诞生了众多基础动物亚界门类(包括大量绝灭门类),也可能出现了少量原口动物的先驱分子;第二幕发生于寒武纪的第一世,除了延续基础动物门类的繁盛外,更创生了原口动物亚界里的主要门类(包括蜕皮类和触手担轮类);第三幕发生于寒武纪第二世(以澄江动物群为代表),不仅延续了基础动物和原口动物门类的兴盛,更重要的是诞生了后口动物亚界里的所有门类。至此,整个三分动物树的框架成型,寒武纪大爆发创新事件宣告基本结束。文章还对几个重要动物类群的生物学属性进行了评述。第一鱼昆明鱼目是已知唯一的最古老脊椎动物,而云南虫、海口虫既不是脊椎动物(即高等脊索动物),也不属于低等脊索动物,而是一类特殊的低等后口动物;长江海鞘是可信的始祖尾索动物,它支持了经典的尾索动物起源假说;古虫动物门首创鳃裂构造,对后口动物亚界的起源探索提供了关键信息。(2)澄江动物群具有深刻的人文哲学意义,所发现的古虫动物门创造的“第一鳃裂”,昆明鱼目创造的“第一头脑”“第一脊椎”“第一心脏”,为达尔文在《人类的由来》中关于人类的主要基础器官起源悬案的破解提供了关键证据。澄江动物群承上启下,其各种形态解剖学信息对解读埃迪卡拉生物群以及寒武纪相关化石库中绝大多数生物类型都具有重要的参考价值。