中国近海裸甲藻类分类研究

裸甲藻的分类鉴定工作是其生理生态学研究和赤潮研究的基础,为进一步完善我国裸甲藻分类体系,并为裸甲藻鉴定提供参考依据,收集了国家海洋局第一海洋研究所近年来在中国近海海域进行浮游植物调查所采集的水样与网样标本,针对裸甲藻目进行鉴定,初步鉴定出裸甲藻25种,其中在我国海域首次记录的有6种。以《中国海洋生物名录》收录的分类体系为基础,参照World Register of Marine Species的最新分类系统,将鉴定的25种裸甲藻分为5个科15个属。     

我国海域常见有毒水母的分类检索

综合现有资料编制了我国海域常见的19种有毒水母种类的分类检索表.我国常见有毒水母分属于3纲8目14科17属,包括水螅水母类3种、管水母类2种、立方水母类2种、钵水母类12种,其中钵水母纲旗口水母目和根口水母目种类较多(各5种),其它目每目含1～2科且每科仅1属1种.对我国现有的水母分类体系中部分与国际通用体系不统一之处进行了厘正,如:火水母拉丁文种名应由Tamoya alata Uchida,1929厘正为Tamoya gargantua Haeckel,1880,建议将灯罩水母[Linuche draco (Haeckel,1880)]命名厘正为爪罩水母[Linuche unguiculata (Schwartz,1788)]等.     

Molecular research on the systematically challenging smoothhound shark genus Mustelus: a synthesis of the past 30 years

The species-rich genus Mustelus (smoothhounds) of the shark family Triakidae is one of the most bio-economically important groups of elasmobranchs in the world’s oceans. Despite the commercial value of Mustelus, the systematics of the group remains largely unresolved and there is no global review or synthesis of knowledge about the conservation status and conservation genetics of smoothhounds across all oceanic regions. Here, we analysed published studies as well as grey literature to gain insight into the biogeographic, ecological and behavioural factors that shape genetic diversity in smoothhounds, and we identify critical knowledge gaps. From a series of molecular phylogenetic studies it can be inferred that the genus Mustelus is paraphyletic and that the aplacental species evolved secondarily from the placental species of the genus. The increasing availability of genetic data aids in disentangling systematic issues, such that more meaningful morphological characters can be chosen for use in practical field-identification keys for co-occurring smoothhounds. An integrative taxonomic approach to the genus Mustelus may offer the best chance of recording and protecting the biodiversity of these sharks. Furthermore, it is evident that different smoothhound species exhibit unique gene-flow patterns, suggesting varying rates within species and hence that species-level conservation approaches would be most appropriate. Molecular studies have advanced our understanding of smoothhound biology (including reproductive traits), ecology and evolution. While many knowledge gaps remain, a crucial lesson from this review is that, when doing assessments on a molecular level, it is important to place genetic results in a broader context, by assimilating biological and ecological data, if definitive conclusions are to be drawn.     

THE DATA,THE READER,AND THE INNOCENT BYSTANDER—A PARABLE FOR MAP USERS*

In 1977, I published a set of coarse-resolution dot maps that showed the general distributions of soil orders in the 48 states. Through a sequence of copies made by various people, one of those maps eventually appeared in a planning document as a shaded-area map with the title “Principal Peatlands of the United States.” Along the way a saline desert muck of conjectural extent and location was “transformed” into a documented energy resource for the nation. The history of this map offers a clear lesson for mapmakers: we have a three-fold duty, to the data, to the map reader, and to any third party who might be affected by a foreseeable misinterpretation of our maps.     

Diatom taxonomy for paleolimnologists

The present chaotic state of diatom taxonomy presents both significant difficulties and large opportunities for paleolimnologists. Lack of complete and generally available taxonomic treatises and rapid and substantial changes in nomenclature make it necessary for persons using diatom populations to infer environmental conditions to become more deeply and directly involved in diatom systematics, in the broad sense, than is generally realized. Paleolimnologists develop collections that are extremely valuable in addressing classic questions in evolution and biogeography, and should be encouraged to use these resources to advance diatom systematics, either themselves or in collaboration.     

A method for testing the distinctness of clusters: A test of the disjunction of two clusters in Euclidean space as measured by their overlap

A method is described for testing the distinctness of two clusters in Euclidean space. One first calculates the projections, q,of the N₁ and N₂ members of the clusters onto the line joining the cluster centroids. From the distributions of qan index of disjunction, W,is calculated, which corresponds to an index of overlap, V_G.The quantity W√(N₁+N₂)is distributed as noncentral tsubject to assumptions on the multivariate normal distribution of the clusters. This allows a test of whether the observed disjunction is significantly greater than a chosen figure, which is equivalent to testing whether the overlap of the clusters is significantly less than a corresponding value of V_G.Two clusters that appear distinct may be produced simply by the partitioning of a homogeneous swarm into two contiguous regions. Provided that the clusters form a dichotomy in a dendrogram, and that the clustering method yields geometrically convex clusters, a conservative test of this situation can be derived by determining the excess of Wover the value expected for a rectangular distribution.     

What makes territory important: tangible and intangible dimensions

Conflicts over territory have resulted in innumerable wars and other violent incidents, but the reasons that some territory is more highly valued or volatile than other areas may not be obvious. This paper demonstrates a taxonomy for analyzing international territorial disputes that seeks to capture their tangible and symbolic dimensions and to weigh them as the international community might. Twenty-six territorial disputes, including offshore areas and separatist issues, were examined and scored according to 15 criteria for objective prominence and 7 criteria related to how a country might view the dispute in terms of its national interest. The taxonomy used Saaty’s Analytic Hierarchy Process to identify tangible and intangible properties, measure their interrelations, and produce intermediate and overall ranks. Each dispute was evaluated for prominence by examining intensifying (symbolic) factors, measures of magnitude, and characteristics that retard resolution. The magnitude of a dispute was judged to contribute the most to overall prominence, having twice the weight of the other two factors. The top five disputes in terms of prominence were the Kurdish issue, Kashmir, Tibet, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Xinjiang. The second hierarchy evaluated the disputes from the perspective of an international actor, in this case the United States. When judged by U.S. national interest, the most important factors were the deployment of U.S. forces in the claimant countries and if one of the claimants were a U.S. ally. Finally, the results from the two hierarchies were compared.     

Two New Species of Eretmophyllum (Ginkgoales) from the Jurassic of Eastern Siberia

Two new species of Eretmophyllum Thomas are described from the lower (Toarcian) and upper (Aalenian) Prisayan Formation of the Irkutsk Basin, Eastern Siberia, Russia based on distinct morphological and cuticular features of the leaves that distinguish them from other species of the genus. Eretmophyllum polypapillosum sp. nov. is characterized by the presence of 2–3 papillae on the lower and upper epidermis of ordinary cells. Taphonomically, the leaf burials of E. polypapillosum sp. nov. indicate that it preferred mesophilic forests developed on river terraces and/or low watersheds. Eretmophyllum yershowskiensis sp. nov. is represented exclusively by leaf cuticles extracted by coal maceration, and it probably inhabited the low banks of peat bogs. The presence of the genus Eretmophyllum in the Early Jurassic of France and Eastern Siberia shows that it was already widespread in the territory of Eurasia, distributed from Western Europe to Eastern Siberia. This indicates the possible existence of Eretmophyllum species elsewhere in the Early Jurassic such as Central Asia and Northwest China.     

PITCHER PLANTS RECORDED FROM BRIS FOREST IN JAMBU BONGKOK, KUALA TRENGGANU, MALAYSIA

1INTRODUCTION NepentheswhichareknownlocallyinPeninsular Malaysiaasperiukkerabelongtoamonogenericfami lyNepenthaceae.Atpresent,atotalofninespecies(excludingnaturalhybrids)arerecordedfromPenin sularMalaysia.Ofthese,fourspeciesareendemic,whilsttheotherfivespeciesarefoundoutsidethepen insula.Thespeciescanarbitrarilybeclassifiedinto thelowlandspeciesandthehighlandspecies(Clarke,2002;Shivas,1984;Kurata,1976).Threespeciesarefoundinthehighlandhabitatscom monlyatanelevationofabove1000mforaboves…