A ‘mathematical’ spider living on gravel plains of the Namib Desert

In certain areas of the Namib gravel plains a new Ariadna sp. was discovered. It rims its vertical burrow with a stone circle, made on average of seven quartz stones. Some mathematical relationships between hole diameter, stone sizes and weight, and animal size were studied. A correlation was found, and stone selection by this spider postulated. Different hypotheses on the adaptive value of stone circle are suggested.     

Fossil nothofagaceous leaves from the Eocene of western Antarctica and their bearing on the origin, dispersal and systematics of Nothofagus

Fossil leaves resembling Nothofagaceae have been investigated from the Eocene of western Antarctica and a new form genus Nothofagofolia is proposed for these kinds of fossils. Some new specimens belonging to this form genus are described. They were collected from the Fossil Hill locality of Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, South Shetland Islands, western Antarctica. Two new species, two new combinations and an unnamed species are reported. A number of published Nothofagus leaf fossils from the same locality are discussed and revised. As a result of these studies of Nothofagus leaf morphology, we conclude that (1) Nothofagus probably originated in high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere during the middle-late Late Cretaceous and diversified, dispersed gradually to the lower latitudes of the same hemisphere; (2) leaf morphological characters are significant for the systematics of the family Nothofagaceae, especially at the intrageneric level; and (3) extant species of Nothofagus known from southern temperate areas have more primitive leaf morphological characters and lower leaf ranks than those from tropical mountains as well as those of the Fagaceae and Betulaceae. Supported by the Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology & Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaoentology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. 013106), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 30670159) and the Fund of Innovation Program by Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences     

Spatio-temporal changes in the abundance of the populations of the gastrotrich community in a shallow lake of tropical Africa

Studies on the biodiversity and population dynamics of freshwater planktonic Gastrotricha have been carried out in conjunction with a physical–chemical analysis of the water in the Yaounde Municipal Lake (Cameroon, Central Africa) over a 14 months period (November 1996–December 1997). The results obtained allow to consider the Yaounde Municipal Lake as an eutrophic lake. It harbours eight species of Gastrotricha belonging to four genera (Chaetonotus, Dasydytes, Neogossea and Polymerurus) of the order Chaetonotida. This community was characterized by high abundances of populations, and was dominated by the genus Neogossea and Chaetonotusreaching up to 2000 ind. L⁻¹. Polymerurus was mostly abundant at the almost anoxic bottom layers. The highest abundances were found mostly during the rainy season, when there is an important sedimentation process of organic matter, and were influenced by several different environmental factors such as dissolved oxygen, temperature and pH of the water.

Finally this community which may play an important role in the water bodies, is a potential water quality indicator.     

四川南部珙县早侏罗世一新蜥脚类恐龙

简介在珙县下侏罗统自流井组东岳庙段中,发现的原始蜥脚类恐龙化石的一新属种石碑珙县龙。成年个体长约１４ｍ。化石材料相当丰富,除头骨不完全外,其他部分乃至全部均保存完好。它是早期的原始的蜥脚类,但又和蜥脚类有不少共同点。它对研究蜥脚类的起源和进化,具有重要意义     

Application of linear and nonlinear techniques in river flow forecasting in the Kilombero River basin,Tanzania / Application de techniques linéaires et non-linéaires à la prévision des débits dans le bassin de la Rivière Kilombero,en Tanzanie

Abstract

Modelling of the rainfall–runoff transformation process and routing of river flows in the Kilombero River basin and its five sub-catchments within the Rufiji River basin in Tanzania was undertaken using three system (black-box) models—a simple linear model, a linear perturbation model and a linear varying gain factor model—in their linear transfer function forms. A lumped conceptual model—the soil moisture accounting and routing model—was also applied to the sub-catchments and the basin. The HEC-HMS model, which is a distributed model, was applied only to the entire Kilombero River basin. River discharge, rainfall and potential evaporation data were used as inputs to the appropriate models and it was observed that sometimes the system models performed better than complex hydrological models, especially in large catchments, illustrating the usefulness of using simple black-box models in datascarce situations.     

High connectivity and directional gene flow in European Atlantic and Mediterranean populations of Ciona intestinalis sp. A

Understanding the factors that cause population divergence has long been of interest to marine biologists in their attempts to interpret the effect of human‐mediated vectors. Broadcast‐spawning species with limited dispersal capability are excellent candidates to measure the present‐day patterns of genetic diversity. The tunicate Ciona intestinalis (Ascidiacea) is comprised of a complex of morphologically cryptic species that form vigorous aggregates in eutrophic habitats (harbors, gulfs and lagoons) where they can compete with the epibenthic community and cause biofouling problems. This study investigated biogeographic variability and migration patterns of C. intestinalis sp. A along Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts using microsatellite markers. Data presented here on 371 specimens collected from 17 populations reveal high genetic polymorphism, but with a deficit of heterozygote deficiency. Absence of evidence for isolation by distance suggests that the genetic patterns do not reflect the geographic distribution of sampled populations. Substantial gene flow and artificial potential for dispersal boost high levels of within‐population genetic variability and prevent genetic differentiation within and between seas. A predominant eastward migration pattern was revealed by the data set, with very limited opportunity for C. intestinalis sp. A to travel westward. This directional movement indicates that other properties (e.g. habitat quality, genetic traits, mating system, life cycle) may cause adaptive divergence at a large biogeographic scale.     

中国南海一株固氮类芽孢杆菌的筛选和分离鉴定

为了解中国南海海洋自生固氮菌的种类,作者对采集的南海海底淤泥样品进行了固氮微生物的分离、筛选及鉴定。经过土样沸水加热处理,无氮培养基平板初筛后,对分离获得的细菌固氮酶结构基因nif H进行扩增,并对其固氮酶活性进行检测,最终获得一株能够产芽孢的固氮细菌。对该菌株进行生理生化性状测定、16S r DNA序列分析(Gen Bank登录号KJ627376),并基于nif H、16S r DNA系统进化树分析,确定该菌为一株固氮类芽孢菌(Paenibacillus sp.)NH-1。本研究表明固氮类芽孢杆菌在海洋中确有分布,海洋自生固氮菌的多样性远远超出人们之前的认识。     

盐田嗜盐单胞杆菌的分离鉴定及其PHB 积累的研究

微生物聚合物聚-?-羟基丁酸酯(PHB)具有良好的生物降解性、生物相容性和热塑性,在环保、医药和农业领域具有广阔的应用前景。高PHB积累菌株的获得及其发酵条件的研究具有很好的实用价值。作者从渤海湾日晒盐场盐田卤水中分离出一株杆状细菌,经16S r DNA序列测序比对,确定为盐杆菌属(Halomonas),命名为Halomonas 100-16-2,其最适生长盐度为50~100,最适生长p H为7~8,属中度嗜盐菌。在酸水解酪蛋白(7.5 g/L)的基础培养基中分别添加0、10、20和30 g/L葡萄糖,研究盐度100条件下不同葡萄糖添加量对Halomonas 100-16-2生长和PHB含量的影响。结果表明,随着葡萄糖浓度的增加,该菌株的生长和PHB积累显著提高。葡萄糖质量浓度为30 g/L时,细胞干质量达8.60 g/L,PHB含量达到5.57 g/L(即达到细胞干质量的65%)。本研究为渤海湾盐田微生物资源的开发和利用提供了有价值的基础数据。     

辽宁西部早白垩世朝阳翼龙科 (Chaoyangopteridae)化石一新种

中国辽宁西部早白垩世翼龙类化石非常丰富,其上部的九佛堂组翼龙类组合以含有丰富的无齿的古神翼龙科、朝阳翼龙科等进步类型而与下部的义县组翼龙类组合相区别。本文描述了辽宁西部建昌盆地九佛堂组一新的大型翼龙类化石,其以上下颌无齿、吻端指数为3.7、前颌骨背支细长且封闭鼻眶前孔背缘、很大的鼻眶前孔后端超过上下颌关节位置、轭骨的上颌骨突基部宽大而应被归入朝阳翼龙科(Chaoyangopteridae)神州翼龙属(Shenzhoupterus)。其以较大的体形(翼展2.05 m)、平直的上下颌咬合面、轭骨的眶后骨突较泪骨突长且基部略宽、第4～7颈椎长度依次减小等特征,区别于朝阳神州翼龙(Shenzhoupterus chaoyangensis),而被命名为三亚神州翼龙(新种)(Shenzhoupterus sanyainus sp. nov.)。这是辽宁西部早白垩世翼展最大且不具牙齿的翼龙类属种,它的发现丰富了九佛堂组翼龙类组合内容,对认识朝阳翼龙科的骨骼形态与生态习性亦具有积极意义。     

Survey of historical New Zealand shellfish samples for accumulation of gymnodimine

In 1994 a major biotoxin event occurred along the east coast of the South Island, New Zealand. Gymnodimine, a unique bioactive spiroimine, was isolated and characterised from Foveaux Strait dredge oysters (Tiostrea chilensis = Ostrea chilensis) collected during this outbreak. This study reports the results of liquid chromatographic‐mass spectrometric analysis for gymnodimine in 217 samples from eight species of shellfish over the years 1993–99. Of these samples 155, covering six species of shellfish, contained detectable gymnodimine with a range in concentration from 14.8 to 23 400 μg/kg. Gymnodimine‐containing shellfish occurred at 37 of the 63 sites sampled from around New Zealand. This study demonstrates that accumulation of gymnodimine is not limited to T. chilensis and can occur in other shellfish species over much of New Zealand. Gymnodimine is a possible cause of the numerous historical biotoxin screen‐positive results.