Behavioural observations of the common octopus Octopus vulgaris in Baía dos Tigres,southern Angola

Observations on the behaviour of the common octopus Octopus vulgaris were made during daytime and night-time sampling on an unexploited rocky reef habitat in Baía dos Tigres, southern Angola. The relative numerical abundance sampled was 0.47 octopus person^–1 h^–1 during the day and 5.33 octopus person^–1 h^–1 during the night, suggesting that the population under study was nocturnal. The activity patterns differed between sizes of octopus. Small octopus (<20 cm total length [TL]) were observed roaming during the night, whereas the large individuals (>20 cm TL) generally fed in their dens. This ontogenetic behavioural shift may be due to tidal constraints or could be a strategy to avoid cannibalism. Octopus inhabiting a shallow, small-boulder substratum made extensive modifications to their habitat, excavating dens of up to 1 m deep in the sand below the boulders. These dens were not visible during the day as the octopus appeared to retract the small boulders over their den entrances. This unique behavioural strategy is thought to be a means to reduce predation and reduce light intensity during the day. Octopus were not observed in the small-boulder habitat during the five hours of daytime sampling. With nocturnal activity and extensive habitat modification, it is likely that avoidance of predation may be an important driver influencing the behaviour of the octopus population under study.     

Seasonal growth in brown trout in two New Zealand streams

Brown trout Salmo trutta Linn, were marked with individual tags and recaptured throughout a year in two small Canterbury streams. The growth recorded showed a marked seasonal variation which differed in pattern in the two streams. There was a considerable difference in the growth rate between the two populations and fish transferred from the slow‐growth stream to the faster‐growth stream showed an immediate response to the change.     

Effects of salinity downshock on dimethylsulfide production

During time-series observations in Sagami Bay, Japan, the concentration of dissolved dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP_d), a precursor of dimethylsulfide (DMS), was negatively correlated with salinity. In the laboratory, low-salinity shock reduced DMS production rates of the natural bacterial community and induced rapid DMSP release from a dinophyte, Heterocapsa triquetra, suggesting that low-salinity shock reduced DMSP_d consumption but enhanced DMSP_d production, which agrees with the negative correlation between DMSP_d and salinity observed in Sagami bay. In addition, low-salinity shock did not affect DMSP lyase activity of H. triquetra. Low-salinity shock would increase the contribution from algae in DMS production, leading to an increase in potential DMS productivity in the environment.     

南大西洋沉积物中多环芳香化合物的组成特征研究

10 samples of sediments obtained from the South Mid-Atlantic Ridge were measured for the abundances and distributions of polycyclic aromatic compounds(PAHs). The total concentrations of PAHs(∑PAHs) ranged from 2.768 to 9.826 μg/g dry sediment. The ∑PAHs was higher in sample 22V-TVG10 and sample 26V-TVG05 which were close to hydrothermal fields, with the lowest value in sample 22V-TVG14 which was farthest from hydrothermal fields, suggesting a probable hydrothermal origin of ∑PAHs of samples. Approximately nine kinds of PAHs were identified, and low molecular mass tricyclic and tetracyclic aromatic compounds were predominant in the samples. The concentrations of fluoranthene which were typical as hydrothermal alteration compounds were the highest among PAHs with dry weight between 0.913–3.157 μg/g. The phenanthrene homologue was most abundant in the samples, and the ratios between parent phenanthrene and methylphenanthrene which probably reflected the degree of hydrothermal alteration ranged from 0.097 to 1.602. The sample 22V-TVG10 possessing a maximum ratio value showed the intense influence of the hydrothermal alteration on this sample, which might further imply that PAHs in sediments were mainly derived from the hydrothermal alteration.     

深海鲣鱼(Katsuwonus pelamis)眼窝油中DHA和EPA的提取及其抗抑郁活性研究

为了探索鲣鱼(Katsuwonus pelamis)鱼头眼窝肉中的DHA(C22:6n3)和EPA(C20:5n3)的抗抑郁活性效果,采用现代食品分离技术分离提取鲣鱼眼窝肉中的DHA和EPA,并对其抗抑郁活性效果进行研究。研究结果发现,当DHA和EPA剂量分别为50,100和300mg/kg时,能够对强迫游泳实验和悬尾实验的小鼠产生抗抑郁作用,其中低剂量(50mg/kg)表现为最活跃。DHA和EPA还能够对引起头抽动综合征的5-羟色胺小鼠产生轻微的增强作用。通过高效液相色谱-电化学法同时测定小鼠大脑区域内主要的单胺类神经递质及其代谢产物。本实验发现,与用压力媒介物处理的小鼠相比,DHA和EPA能够显著增加主要神经递质5-羟色胺和去肾上腺素在小鼠海马体、下丘脑及皮质层中的浓度,并减少5-羟色胺的代谢。DHA和EPA能够在预测抗抑郁特性的动物模型中(强迫游泳实验,悬尾实验)明确其具有抗抑郁活性效果,具有潜在的生物医学应用前景和环保效应。     

近50年火山喷发和太阳活动对我国气候影响的研究

利用特征向量分析与时序叠加分析和谱分析相结合的方法，分析了近50a来我国地面气温和降水场中火山喷发和太阳活动的气候信号，强烈的火山喷发导致全国大部分地区降温，喷发1a多以后降温最明显，并能持续约半年。除这个主信号以外，青藏高原、东南沿海和东北地区都可能出现较为复杂的温度变化，温度变化与太阳活动之间的联系更多地反映在二者的振荡关系上。在降水场中的火山信号较弱，表现为火山喷发后的秋冬季节南方地区降水偏多。在青藏高原积雪和深层地温的变化中，没有发现火山和太阳活动信号。     

Geochemical evidence (C,N and Pb isotopes) of recent anthropogenic impact in south‐central Chile from two environmentally distinct lake sediment records

In this paper, we compare the elemental and isotopic (C, N, Pb) geochemistry of lake sediments from two contrasted environments in south‐central Chile. The first lake, Laguna Chica de San Pedro (LCSP), is situated in the urbanised area of the Biobio Region (36°S). The second lake, Lago Puyehue (40° S), is located 400 km to the southeast of LCSP and within an Andean national park. Our aim is to identify environmental impacts associated with increasing industrial activities and land degradation during the last 150 a. In LCSP, shifts in C/N atomic ratios, δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N from 1915–1937 to the late 1980s are attributed to successive land degradation episodes in the lake watershed. Based on a Pb isotopic mixing model, we estimate that up to 20% of lead in LCSP sediments is supplied from urban atmospheric pollution. By contrast, human impact in the watershed of Lago Puyehue is very limited. We observe no change in organic geochemistry during the last 150 a and lead contamination remains lower than 5%, even during the last decades. Although contamination levels are much higher in LCSP than in Lago Puyehue, a peak in anthropogenic Pb is recorded during the same period (1974–1976) at both sites. This maximum contamination level is consistent with increased industrial activity in the vicinity of Concepción. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

三角帆蚌(Hyriopsis cumingii)珍珠钙代谢的周年性变化研究

采用生态调查和生理生化方法,对植片后的1龄三角帆蚌(Hyriopsis cumingii)进行了为期一年的调查研究,拟探讨珍珠形成和钙代谢的相关性。定期测定珍珠囊和珍珠的重量、直径及水温,同时取其鳃、围心腔和外套膜组织进行酸、碱性磷酸酶活性检测及钙含量等测定。结果表明,1龄植片后的三角帆其蚌珍珠囊和珍珠在一周年之中出现三次快速生长期。外套膜中的酸、碱性磷酸酶均在165d时升至最高。鳃组织中钙含量显著高于围心腔和外套膜。经Pearson相关分析显示,珍珠囊和珍珠的重量、直径分别与三种组织中的碱性磷酸酶活性及外套膜中的钙含量呈显著性正相关(P<0.05);同时,外套膜中的钙含量与三种组织中的碱性磷酸酶呈显著性正相关(P<0.05);水温与外套膜、围心腔中的钙含量呈显著性负相关(P<0.05),与三种组织中的酸性磷酸酶呈显著性正相关(P<0.05)。提示:鳃是三角帆蚌钙吸收、贮存和钙调节的重要器官,形成珍珠的钙一部分来源于循环系统,另一部分可由外套膜直接从环境中吸收,碱性磷酸酶对珍珠生长起着重要的调节作用。     

坛紫菜(Porphyra haitanensis)化学成分的研究

利用硅胶色谱、Sephadex LH-20凝胶色谱、HPLC等技术,从坛紫菜(Porphyra haitanensis)乙醇提取物首次分离纯化得到了7个化合物,通过质谱(MS)及核磁共振波谱(1H NMR、13C NMR)等现代波谱技术鉴定为：1,8-二羟基-9,10-蒽醌(1)、邻苯二甲酸二正丁酯(2)、邻苯二甲酸二异丁酯(3)、β-谷甾醇(4)、鲨肝醇(5)、(E)-N-2(1,3-二羟基-4-十八烯基)-十六酰胺(6)、胆甾醇(7)。其中,化合物1对金黄色葡萄球菌(Staphyloccocus aureus)的最低抑菌浓度(MIC)为80μg/mL。     

低聚羧甲基壳聚糖的抗氧化性能

将低聚壳聚糖(chitosan oligosaccharide,COS)醚化得到O-羧甲基壳聚糖(O-carboxymethyl chito-sanolig osaccharide,O-CMCOS)和N-羧甲基壳聚糖(N-carboxymethyl chitosanolig osaccharide,N-CMCOS),其取代度(substituting degree,DS)均为0.54,用红外光谱对其结构进行表征。同时,考察了其结构对超氧阴离子的清除活性以及还原能力。结果表明,COS及其衍生物清除超氧阴离子的活性及还原能力的强弱顺序均为:O-CMCOSCOSN-CMCOS。