A comparison of terpenoid and leaf fossil vegetation proxies in Paleocene and Eocene Bighorn Basin sediments

Plant-derived terpenoids, long recognized as biomarkers, can help reveal the major taxonomic groups of land plants present in ancient environments, even if rocks and sediments do not preserve plant macro- or microfossils. Previous studies have used simple di- to triterpenoid ratios to reconstruct floral changes in the geologic past, but few have compared terpenoid ratios with estimates of floral composition from fossils. Further, reconstructions have not taken into account differences in biomarker production (i.e. concentration relative to leaf biomass) between different types of plants. Here, we have examined terpenoids from early Cenozoic fluvial rocks from the Bighorn Basin (Wyoming, USA), where fossil flora has been studied in detail. We analyzed the distributions of diterpenoids, triterpenoids and n-alkanes from leaf wax in a total of 43 samples from 15 stratigraphic horizons of late Paleocene (63 Ma) to early Eocene (53 Ma) in age. In nearly all samples, triterpenoids, derived from angiosperms, were significantly lower in abundance than conifer-specific diterpenoids, a finding that contrasted with plant fossil evidence for the same rocks. This suggests that di- to triterpenoid ratios severely underestimate the abundance of angiosperms in paleovegetation. Angiosperms dominated n-alkane production among modern plants, and we propose a new paleovegetation proxy based on the ratio of diterpenoids (conifers) to n-alkanes (angiosperms), corrected for lipid production estimated from extant vegetation. Using diterpenoids and alkanes, we infer the composition of paleovegetation to be similar to that inferred from plant fossils. Although the approach works well for the Bighorn Basin, we stress the new paleovegetation proxy will need to be evaluated for other time periods, communities, paleogeography and depositional environments with pollen or megafossil data available.     

Isolation,purification and characterization of the hydrogen evolution promoting factor of hydrogenase ofSpirulina platensis

A component (s-factor) with obvious promoting effect on hydrogen evolution of hydrogenase has been isolated and extracted from a cell-free preparation ofSpirulina platensis. The effect of the s-factor in the reaction system is similar to that of Na₂S₂O₄, but is coupled with light. The s-factor has the maximum absorption peak at 620 nm in the oxidized state, at 590 nm in the reduced state. The partially purified s-factor showed two bands by SDS-PAGE and is distinctly different from phycocyanin, which has no change of oxidized state and reduced state absorption spectra, and also has no promoting effect on hydrogenase ofSpirulina platensis under the light. The research supported by the NSFC.     

长江三角洲晚第四纪地层沉积特征与生物气成藏条件分析

对长江三角洲晚第四纪地层沉积特征进行了精细研究,探讨了研究区层序地层格架,在此基础上分析了浅层生物气成藏条件、特征和分布规律。研究表明,长江三角洲晚第四纪发育3期下切河谷,形成了3套沉积层序;因后期河流的强烈下切破坏,早期沉积层序往往被剥蚀殆尽,仅残留下部的河床相粗粒沉积,造成不同期河床相的叠置;相对而言,末次冰期以来形成的下切河谷沉积层序以相对完整的沉积相组合被保存下来。长江三角洲浅层天然气是未经运移的原生生物气,其主要富集于末次冰期以来的沉积层序内,气藏为自生自储同生型的岩性圈闭。河口湾—河漫滩和浅海相泥质沉积物既是气源岩,又是盖层,后者可作为良好的区域盖层;河口湾—河漫滩和河床相砂质沉积物为主要储集层。因此,研究区晚第四纪多期下切河谷沉积层序有利于浅层生物气藏的形成,特别是晚期下切河谷内河口湾—河漫滩相砂质透镜体以及河床相砂体可作为优先勘探目标。     

Effect of germanium dioxide on growth of Spirulina platensis

This study on the effect of different concentrations of germanium dioxide (GeO₂) on the specific growth rate (SGR), pigment contents, protein content and amino acid composition ofSpirulina platensis showed that Ge was not the essential element of this alga; that GeO₂ could speed up growth and raise protein content ofS. platensis, and could possibly influence the photosynthesis system. The concentration range of GeO₂ beneficial to growth ofS. platensis is from 5–100mg/l. GeO₂ is proposed to be utilized to remove contamination byChlorella spp. usually occurring in the cultivation ofSpirulina.     

Relations entre production organique et apports terrigènes dans les sédiments fluviatiles holocènes : observations et conclusions hétérodoxes

Accumulation of organic matter in fens of fluvial valleys is often related to a low terrigenous matter delivery and to palaeoenvironmental conditions inducing low mechanical erosion. These assumptions come from the interpretation of contents in organic (MO) and mineral (MM) matters in sediments, expressed in percents, and then exactly anticorrelated. Calculation of mass accumulation rates of MO $(T_{{\mathrm{a}}_{\mathrm{MO}}})$ and MM $(T_{{\mathrm{a}}_{\mathrm{MM}}})$, expressed in g?m^?2?yr^?1, shows that $T_{{\mathrm{a}}_{\mathrm{MO}}}$ and $T_{{\mathrm{a}}_{\mathrm{MM}}}$ generally are not anticorrelated and that high values of $T_{{\mathrm{a}}_{\mathrm{MO}}}$ and $T_{{\mathrm{a}}_{\mathrm{MM}}}$ could appear simultaneously. That expression of MO and MM accumulation makes it possible to precise the climatic and human impact on sedimentation. To cite this article: J.-J. Macaire et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).     

Freezing of sediments inappropriate for pore water selenium analysis

The common practice of freezing sediment cores for later chemical investigation was shown to be inappropriate for samples containing selenium. Pore waters from frozen estuarine sediment cores contained up to eighty times the selenium content of those extracted from chilled but unfrozen cores. Experiments suggested that the increase in selenium concentrations resulted from rupturing the cells of selenium-accumulating bacteria present in the samples.     

汶川地震重灾区泥石流沟内崩滑物空间分布的RS-GIS定量方法

汶川地震在山区引发大量崩塌、滑坡,形成大量的固体松散碎屑物质堆积在沟谷内(CLCAR,崩滑碎屑区),使得地震山区泥石流活动性增强。以岷江上游四川省汶川县银杏乡、映秀镇的15条泥石流沟的SPOT遥感影像为基础,利用GIS技术对CLCAR空间分布进行分析。建立CLCAR与流域高程、主沟侧距和沟口纵距的分布函数T(x)、M(x)和G(x),对CLCAR的空间分布特征进行描述;并计算其积分(DT、DM和DG)作为CLCAR空间分布特征的定量化参数。结果表明,函数T(x)、M(x)和G(x)能够较全面描述CLCAR的空间分布特征,DT、DM和DG能够作为CLCAR空间分布特征的定量化参数。泥石流沟谷内CLCAR的空间分布对泥石流的形成及规模具有一定的影响;在对灾区泥石流研究时有必要考虑泥石流沟内CLCAR空间分布特征。     

珠三角沿海地区土壤硒的来源和富集成因初探

本文总结了珠三角沿海地区土壤硒含量的分布特征及其与成土母质的关系,探讨了该区域土壤中硒的来源及富集影响因素,提出珠三角地区土壤富硒是亚热带季风性气候湿热条件下花岗岩类强烈化学风化和富集改造的结果,土壤富硒作用的实质是杂质元素从成土母质中大量活化并分离移出,从而使硒元素发生相对富集的过程。本文对珠三角沿海地区土壤硒富集规律的总结显示该地区硒资源具有巨大潜力,具有广阔的开发富硒资源前景。     

The cumulative characteristics of PAEs in PM2.5 in Changji,Northwest China

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses characteristics of the seasonal variation in phthalate acid esters (PAEs) in the PM_2.5 in the city of Changji, which is located an arid area of Xinjiang Province, northwest China. Samples were collected using a Laoying 2030 median discharge intelligent total suspended particulate (TSP) sampler and analyzed by a Shimadzu GC-2010 gas chromatograph. The results showed that PAEs in PM_2.5 were mainly composed of phthalic acid dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and phthalic acid (2-)ethyl hexyl ester (DEHP). DBP and DEHP are the most commonly used plasticizers, accounting for the majority of plasticizers used, and have large environmental emissions. Compared with the proportions of TSPs, proportions of DBP and DEHP in the PM_2.5 were lower, while the proportions of DMP and DEP were higher. A correlation exists between the distribution of PAEs and the particle size and concentration of atmospheric particulates. Seasonal variations in DBP and DEHP were the same, with lowest concentrations in the summer. Although seasonal variation in DMP was not the same as those of DBP and DEHP, the general trend was similar. Seasonal variation in DEP was different from those of other PAEs. This pattern is related to PAE characteristics and seasonal variations in their sources.     

螺旋藻多糖对CD3AK细胞增殖能力的影响

研究了螺旋藻多糖（ＰＳ）对ＣＤ３ＭｃＡｂ激活的杀伤细胞（ＣＤ３ＭｃＡｂ Ａｃｔｉｖａｔｅｄ Ｋｉｌｌｅｒ Ｃｅｌｌｓ,ＣＤ３ＡＫ Ｃｅｌｌｓ）增殖能力的影响。结果表明,当ＰＳ浓度为２．５μｇ·ｍｌ＾－１培养体系条件下,对ＣＤ３ＡＫ细胞具有明显的刺激细胞增殖作用（Ｐ〈０．０２）;对培养长达２３ｄ的ＣＤ３ＡＫ细胞杀伤肿瘤细胞（Ｋ５６２细胞）的活性仍维持在较高的水平（４６．５％￣５０％）。提示ＰＳ对辐射