Effects of organochlorine compounds on cytochrome P450 aromatase activity in an immortal sea turtle cell line

Many classes of environmental contaminants affect the reproductive function of animals through interactions with the endocrine system. The primary components affected by endocrine active compounds (EACs) are the steroid receptors and the enzymes responsible for steroidogenesis. This study sought to develop an in vitro model for assessing EAC effects in sea turtles by examining their ability to alter cytochrome P450 aromatase (CYP19) activity. Aromatase is the enzyme responsible for the conversion of testosterone to estradiol. This enzyme is critical in the sexual differentiation of reptiles which demonstrate temperature-dependent sex determination. An immortal testis cell line GST-TS from a green sea turtle was grown in culture at 30 degrees C in RPMI 1640 media. The cells were exposed to three known aromatase inducers; dexamethasone (Dex), 8Br-cyclic AMP, or human chronic gonadotropin (HCG) and one aromatase inhibitor 4-androstenol-dione (4-OHA). In addition, the GST-TS cells were exposed to 0.1-30 microM atrazine and 3-100 microM 4,4'-DDE. The inducing compounds that have been shown to increase aromatase activity in other systems failed to induce aromatase activity in the GST-TS cells, yet exposure to the inhibiting compound, 4-OHA, did result in a significant reduction. Atrazine (0.1, 1.0 and 10 microM) significantly induced aromatase activity following a 24 h exposure, and 4,4'-DDE inhibited the activity but only at cytotoxic concentrations (100 microM). Based on these results, this in vitro model can be useful in examining the endocrine effects of EACs in sea turtles.     

2000年夏季莱州湾生态环境要素的分布特征

论文依据 2 0 0 0年夏季 8月 2 9日至 9月 2日莱州湾的 1次综合性生态环境调查资料 ,给出了表、中、底 3层的平均温度、盐度、主要营养盐浓度及其比例和叶绿素 a浓度 ,分析了莱州湾的温盐结构、主要营养盐和叶绿素 a的分布特征。由于莱州湾的水深较浅 ,各要素的垂直分布都比较均匀。生态环境要素的水平分布表现为小清河口为高温、低盐、高营养盐和高叶绿素 a浓度区 ,小清河口东测的湾顶区域为高温、高盐、相对低的营养盐和叶绿素 a浓度区。此次观测到的盐度较 1997年以前有明显升高。莱州湾各层平均的 N/ P和 Si/ N分别为 16.73和 1.67,都比 1998～ 1999年渤海中部的值大 ,但 N/ P比 1992 ,1995和 1996年莱州湾的 N/ P明显偏低。叶绿素 a浓度与硅酸盐浓度之间有较好的相关关系 (α=0 .0 1) ,表、中、底 3层叶绿素 a浓度同硅酸盐浓度的线性相关系数分别为 :0 .5 4 ,0 .68和 0 .67     

南海西部表层沉积物钙质浮游生物分布与碳酸盐溶解

对南海西部300多个表层沉积样品中的浮游有孔虫和钙质超微化石定量分析表明，几乎所有样品均含浮游有孔虫、钙质超微化石，但丰度相差十分悬殊，浮游有孔虫丰度介于0．5～36673个／g之间，钙质超微化石丰度为0～1725个／10个视域，两者的分布规律相似。在陆坡区钙质浮游生物最富集，尤其在西沙群岛西南、南沙西部礁滩附近海区丰度最高；向深海盆区和陆架浅水区，钙质浮游生物丰度均下降。但从两者的丰度分布来看，其溶解程度不同，浮游有孔虫更容易溶解，在200～2000m水深区，丰度最高，2000m以下丰度锐减；而钙质超微化石的最富集区在500～3000m，且3000m以下仍较丰富。从碳酸盐的分布来看，本区碳酸盐的临界补偿深度(CCrD)为3500m，而CCD大于4300m，碳酸盐的溶解主要由有孔虫和钙质超微化石构成。     

南海东北部末次冰期以来的沉积环境演变

利用南海东北部上陆坡处所取的D孔柱样进行硅藻分析,结合粒度与碎屑矿物分析结果,探讨该海域末次冰期以来沉积环境演变过程.结果表明：粒度与硅藻分析结果较为吻合,共同显示D孔柱样可分为上下两层.上表层（0～2 cm）的砂质沉积层为冰后期海进过程改造的晚更新世残留沉积层,即变余沉积;下层（2～130 cm）主要是末次冰期形成的浅海沉积.整个柱样可反映出海洋同位素MIS 4期海退至MIS 3期海进与MIS 2期海退至冰后期海进的沉积变化韵律.     

Are invasive species most successful in habitats of low native species richness across European brackish water seas?

European brackish water seas (Baltic Sea, Black Sea and Sea of Azov, Caspian Sea) are subject to intense invasion of non-indigenous species (NIS). In these seas, salinity is the most important range limiting factor and native species seem to reach a minimum species richness at intermediate salinities. This trend, revealed by Remane in 1934 and later on confirmed by many other scientists, was compared to the salinity range of already established NIS in the European brackish water seas. It turned out that most NIS are well adapted to the salinities holding lowest native species richness, already in their native area, and that NIS richness maximum in brackish water seas occurs in the salinity intervals of native species richness minimum. A predictable pattern in the salinity range of NIS can be used as a tool in initial risk assessment of future invasions in brackish water seas, especially when mapping highly potential donor and recipient areas. A product of empty niches, suitable environmental conditions, and availability of proper vectors might be the most effective predictor for the invasibility of brackish water areas.     

Fine resolution 3D temperature fields off Kerguelen from instrumented penguins

The use of diving animals as autonomous vectors of oceanographic instruments is rapidly increasing, because this approach yields cost-efficient new information and can be used in previously poorly sampled areas. However, methods for analyzing the collected data are still under development. In particular, difficulties may arise from the heterogeneous data distribution linked to animals’ behavior. Here we show how raw temperature data collected by penguin-borne loggers were transformed to a regular gridded dataset that provided new information on the local circulation off Kerguelen. A total of 16 king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) were equipped with satellite-positioning transmitters and with temperature–time–depth recorders (TTDRs) to record dive depth and sea temperature. The penguins’ foraging trips recorded during five summers ranged from 140 to 600 km from the colony and 11,000 dives >100 m were recorded. Temperature measurements recorded during diving were used to produce detailed 3D temperature fields of the area (0–200 m). The data treatment included dive location, determination of the vertical profile for each dive, averaging and gridding of those profiles onto 0.1°×0.1° cells, and optimal interpolation in both the horizontal and vertical using an objective analysis. Horizontal fields of temperature at the surface and 100 m are presented, as well as a vertical section along the main foraging direction of the penguins. Compared to conventional temperature databases (Levitus World Ocean Atlas and historical stations available in the area), the 3D temperature fields collected from penguins are extremely finely resolved, by one order finer. Although TTDRs were less accurate than conventional instruments, such a high spatial resolution of penguin-derived data provided unprecedented detailed information on the upper level circulation pattern east of Kerguelen, as well as the iron-enrichment mechanism leading to a high primary production over the Kerguelen Plateau.