Long-term preservation of amino acid racemization interlaboratory comparison samples

This report summarizes the present status and future preservation of four Interlaboratory Comparison Samples (ILC) used in the Amino Acid Racemization (AAR) community over the past 40 years. The ILC samples are now housed in the archival collection of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.     

Cloning and expression patterns of two Smad genes during embryonic development and shell formation of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas

Increasing evidence indicates that transforming growth factor β(TGF-P) signaling pathways play many important roles in the early development of mollusks.However,limited information is known concerning their detailed mechanisms.Here,we describe the identification,cloning and characterization of two Smad genes,the key components of TGF-P signaling pathways,from the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas.Sequence analysis of the two genes,designated as cgi-smad1/5/8 and cgi-smad4,revealed conserved functional characteristics.The two genes were widely expressed in embryos and larvae,suggesting multiple roles in the early development of C.gigas.The mRNA of the two genes aggregated in the D quadrant and cgi-smad4 was highly expressed on the dorsal side of the gastrula,indicating that TGF-P signaling pathways may be involved in dorsoventral patterning in C.gigas.Furthermore,high expression levels of the two genes in the shell fields of embryos at different stages suggested important roles for TGF-P signaling pathways in particular phases of shell development,including the formation of the initial shell field and the biomineralization of larval shells.The results of this study provide fundamental support for elucidating how TGF-P signaling pathways participate in the early development of bivalve mollusks,and suggest that further work is warranted to this end.     

Toxicological impact assessment of heavy metal contamination on macrobenthic communities in southern coastal sediments of Korea

In the heavily industrialized Masan Bay of southern coast, Korea, the potential harmful effects of heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sn, Zn, and Hg) were evaluated in terms of the pollution load index (PLI) and ecological risk assessment index (ERI) methods, and the results obtained were considered alongside the health of the macrobenthic fauna communities. The results revealed that the bay sediments, especially in the inner bay and the outfall area of a sewage treatment plant, are exposed to moderate to serious levels of metal pollution. Hg and Cd contributed the most to the potential toxicity response indices in sediments recently deposited in the bay. The potential ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in the bay was highlighted by the use of the benthic biological pollution index (BPI), suggesting that the ERI is a useful toxicity response index, which can quantify the overall ecological risk level to a target environment.     

黄土高原35万年来冬、夏季风变化周期的差异——陆生蜗牛化石的证据

针对我国北方风积黄土广泛分布、不同地点黄土-古土壤序列可准确对比和黄土沉积剩磁稳定等特征,通过对不同地壳块体上相同层位的黄土样品沉积剩磁方向的测定,进一步探讨了应用"虚磁极法"研究鄂尔多斯块体与相邻块体的相对运动的可能性.初步的研究结果显示:该方法有可能应用于块体相对运动的定量研究,并初步得到,在第四纪时期鄂尔多斯块体相对于邻近块体作逆时针转动,自2.5Ma B.P.以来相对秦岭块体的转动约为31.5°±11.4°,自1.17Ma B.P.以来相对西宁块体的转动约为29.8°±14.7°,自0.46Ma B.P.以来相对太行山块体的转动约为8.2°±5.8°,相对于西宁块体的转动约为10.5°±6.4°.本文还根据这些块体间相对转动的角度初步估算了鄂尔多斯块体与相邻块体之间的活动断裂带不同时期的水平位移总量.     

Multi-Annual Variations of Macrobenthos along the Emilia-Romagna Coast (Northern Adriatic)

Abstract. A three-year set of data from six stations is analysed in order to monitor the environmental quality by use of macrobenthos in addition to chemical data. The communities differ along the depth gradient and no seasonal cycle is evident. Stronger temporal differences in community composition are evident when examining a four-year cycle at one of the stations in connection with an improvement of environmental parameters.     

Zoogeography and paleozoology of leeches,molluscs, and amphibians in Western Bonneville Basin,Utah, USA

The artesian springs of Tule Valley are similar to those of adjacent Snake Valley and Fish Springs Flat based on conductivity and temperature. All three valleys support Ranidae amphibians and the leechErpobdella punctata. The artesian springs in Snake Valley and Fish Springs Flat contain six and two species of fish and contained up to 18 and 12 species of mollusk respectively, whereas Tule Valley artesian springs contain neither fish nor mollusks. The leechesHelobdella stagnalis, Glossiphonia complanata, andHaemopis grandis were found in Snake Valley whereasHelobdella triserialis, Theromyzon rude, andHaemopis marmorata were found in Tule Valley. These springs which were covered by Lake Bonneville to a depth of several hundred meters, 16 000 BP., became isolated after the paleolake desiccated 13 000 years BP. The marsh snailCatinella is found above the paleolake level in Snake and Tule Valley and has not penetrated to the valley floor habitats once covered by the paleolake, whereas another marsh snailOxyloma has penetrated into these habitats in Snake Valley. The leech and molluscan distributions in Tule, Snake and Fish Springs Valleys suggest that the paleolake did not allow for much movement among the valleys, and successful passive aerial transport has not occurred after the paleolake desiccation 13 000 years BP. Paleozoological models are proposed to explain the presence and absence of these species in Tule Valley. Both lateral movement (along paleolake shorelines) and vertical movement (to new habitats formed after the desiccation of the paleolake) by amphibians, mollusks and leeches is restricted in large terminal lakes and is species dependent in both spatial and temporal scales of the hydrological cycle.     

A general integrated ecotoxicological method for marine sediment quality assessment: application to sediments from littoral ecosystems on Southern Spain's Atlantic coast

In the last few decades, several integrated methods for marine sediment quality evaluation have been developed and applied to many coastal sites. This paper describes the development of a general integrated method based on the determination of organic and inorganic sediment contamination, lethal and sublethal toxicity assessments, in situ benthonic community structure alteration and bioaccumulation of contaminants. The proposed method was applied to sediments from Southern Spain's Atlantic coast where six rivers (Guadiana, Carreras, Piedras, Tinto, Odiel and Guadalquivir) drain pollutants from various anthropogenic sources. A series of experiments was conducted to determine the characteristics of the sediments: granulometry, organic matter content, etc. (1); metal contamination of sediments and Chamelea gallina (bivalves widely distributed in the area studied) (2); lethal and sublethal toxicity by a series of biological tests (3); and macrofauna distribution at the 16 stations included in the study (4). Ratio-to-reference values (RTR) calculated for each parameter were used to determine the organic and inorganic contamination indices, the lethal and sublethal toxicity indices, the index of bioavailability of metals in the organisms analyzed and the macrobenthic alteration index. The data were plotted on six-axis plots to describe better the relations between the physical, chemical and biological properties studied. A general integrated sediment quality index (ISQI) was determined and used as an indicator of pollution-induced degradation. The ISQI values summarize the main characteristics of the environmental situation at each sampling point and can be used for purposes of comparison.     

胶州湾大型底栖甲壳动物数量动态变化

采用大型底栖生物调查研究方法,根据2000年2月-2002午11月共11个季度月在胶州湾10个站的综合调查资料,分析了胶州湾大型底栖甲壳动物的种类、生物量和栖息密度,并与1991年的调查结果进行了比较。结果表明,甲壳动物在胶州湾大型底栖生物中是仅次于多毛类的类群,本次调查共得到了大型底栖甲壳动物75种,其中端足类32种,占整个甲壳动物种数的42．1％;获得的甲壳动物平均栖息密度为39个／m^2,平均生物量为2．4g／m^2,均超过了1991年调查结果,这可能与近年来对胶州湾生物资源实施有效保护有关。胶州湾甲壳动物的数量分布与温度关系不明显,但盐度和初级生产力对其生物量和栖息密度影响较大。     

深圳市潮间带动物体内的重金属含量

2005年12月和2006年5月调查了深圳海岸潮间带动物体内的重金属含量.结果表明,动物体内重金属Cr、Mn、Fe、Co、Ni、Cu、Zn、As、Se、Mo、Pb、Cd、Sn、Sb、Ba和Hg的平均含量分别为0.63、9.24、137.22、0.13、1.46、97.36、283.77、1.96、0.49、0.27、0.68、0.62、0.28、0.01、1.23和0.01mg·kg-1(湿重).采用中国海岸带污染综合调查技术组推荐使用的海洋生物污染评价标准以及贾晓平等提出的污染评价标准参考值,结果表明深圳潮间带软体动物体内的Cu、Zn超标较为严重,其中牡蛎的Cu、Zn超幅分别达到5.27和9.05倍.所有样品中的Cr、Ni、Pb和Hg都没有超标,而As则全部超过人类食用限量标准,部分样品如疣荔枝螺Thais clavigera的超幅达5.63倍.分析表明,深圳市潮间带软体动物Cu含量超标源自珠江口、深圳湾及大鹏湾海水中的Cu超标,而所调查动物中Zn和As的超标原因有待进一步研究.     

海产贝类体内类胡萝卜素的研究进展

类胡萝卜素是一类脂溶性的大分子量的有机化合物,在染色、医药、食品等行业中具有很高的应用价值.类胡萝卜素也广泛地存在于海产贝类体内.本文详细综述了国内外海产贝类体内类胡萝卜素的来源、种类和含量、功能及吸收代谢方面的研究状况,为今后的研究提供参考.