Mats of Beggiatoa bacteria reveal that organic pollution from lumber mills inhibits growth of Zostera marina

The objectives of this study were to determine the distribution and abundance of Zostera marina (eelgrass) in relation to the distribution of the mat forming bacteria Beggiatoa spp., and the levels of sulfide and organic material (wood waste) in the sediment. Underwater videography and intertidal surveys were used to map the distribution and abundance of Z. marina beds and Beggiatoa in the nearshore area of Commencement Bay, WA (USA), a location that has a long history of sawmill activity. Zostera marina occurred from the intertidal to ?6 m mean lower low water (MLLW) on sandy substrates in areas with low levels of sulfide (<50 μm ) and organic material (<5 % total volatile solids). Areas with high sulfide levels (>200 μm ) occurred where there were significant amounts of organic material in the sediments, which was found to be wood waste that had been discarded from sawmills. Zostera marina was absent from the intertidal and occurred at lower densities in areas with high sulfide levels. In contrast, mats of Beggiatoa were only found in areas where the sulfide levels were >1000 μm and there were significant deposits of wood. Thus, the negative correlation between the distribution and abundance of Z. marina and Beggiatoa suggests that the presence of Beggiatoa mats could be used as a biological indicator of inhibiting levels of hydrogen sulfide in the marine environment.     

基于人为调控盐度的促进大叶藻种子萌发及建苗技术研究

Vast declines in Zostera marina seagrass beds demand effective methods of rehabilitation. In this study, we developed a practical method by reducing salinity to induce seed germination followed with recovering salinity to facilitate seedling production of Z. marina. The results showed that Z. marina seeds collected from natural seawater(salinity 30) were induced to germinate at reduced salinities. Percent germination(GR) was higher and mean-time-to-germinate(MTG) was shorter at lower salinities. The highest GR and shortest MTG occurred at salinity 0(deionized freshwater). After germination in freshwater, seeds could develop into seedlings at salinities5–30 and continue the growth. Viability or development of germinated seeds was not significantly different during the 40 d of post-germination incubation at salinities 5–15 after 1–20 d of germination in freshwater. However,during the process of translating germinated seeds from salinity 0 and 5 to salinity 30, reducing the gradients of post-germination acclimation facilitated more seeds forming seedlings in less time. On average, after 60 d of static incubation, including 20 d in freshwater for germination followed with immediate shift to salinity 5 and increasing to salinity 30 at increment of 5 every two days until cultivation at constant salinity 30, 33% of Z. marina seeds produced healthy seedlings. The results indicate that the salinity-manipulation based method of artificial germination and seedling production is practical and effective in supporting rehabilitation of Z. marina bed.     

Conservation of vaquita marina in the Northern Gulf of California

Vaquita marina, a small species of porpoise endemic to the Northern Gulf of California in Mexico, is the world's most endangered cetacean species. With the purpose of preserving vaquita, the Mexican government launched PACE-Vaquita in 2008. This voluntary program offers an innovative schedule of compensations: as in a payment-for-conservation program, PACE-Vaquita compensates for temporary reductions in fishing effort; as in a program to accelerate technology adoption, PACE-Vaquita compensates for switching to vaquita-safe fishing methods; and as in a buyback program, PACE-Vaquita compensates fishermen for a permanent exit from fisheries. This paper seeks the factors explaining fishermen's participation in PACE-Vaquita during its first year of operation. Analysis is carried out through a multinomial logit specification on a data set collected one week after the enrollment deadline. This paper shows that fishermen with skills in alternative economic activities more likely quit fishing, and fishermen with relatively less productive vessels more likely switched to vaquita-safe fishing methods. Discussion of public policy implications is provided.     

潮滩冲淤扰动下外来与乡土红树植物幼苗稳定性差异

引种外来树种是我国各地在红树林修复实践中常用的措施。由于更容易在困难立林地存活, 外来树种被认为更具竞争优势。为弄清外来与乡土红树植物物种在困难立林地存活能力的差异及其原因, 本研究选取典型外来引种先锋树种拉关木(Laguncularia racemosa)与乡土先锋植物白骨壤(Avicennia marina)为研究对象, 通过控制实验探究潮滩冲淤扰动条件下幼苗稳定性差异及其形成机制。结果表明, 幼苗抗侵蚀能力与幼苗根冠比显著正相关, 泥沙淤积抑制幼苗根系生长, 而底床侵蚀则促进根系伸长。与白骨壤相比, 拉关木幼苗的主根更长, 根冠长度比更大, 更能抵抗底泥的侵蚀扰动, 且通过根系伸长以增强幼苗稳定性的能力也更强。拉关木幼苗比白骨壤更能适应潮滩冲淤扰动, 其竞争优势从幼苗阶段就已经建立。本研究结果可为红树林修复实践中树种和宜林地的选择提供参考, 亦可为评估外来红树物种入侵风险评价提供依据。     

Influence of environmental disturbances and reproductive strategy on genetic diversity and differentiation of Zostera marina populations on the southern coast of Korea

The genetic diversity and differentiation of four Zostera marina populations along the southern coast of Korea were estimated using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers to determine the effects of natural and anthropogenic stresses and reproductive strategy on within‐population genetic diversity. The mean number of alleles and gene diversities, indicating population genetic diversity, was highest in the Z. marina population that was exposed to repeated environmental disturbances, and lowest in the most undisturbed population. The higher genetic diversity in the disturbed population was associated with a higher contribution of sexual reproduction to population persistence. This suggests that both the level of disturbances and the reproductive strategy for population persistence contributed significantly to population genetic diversity at the study sites. According to the analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), 76% genetic variation was attributable to differences among individuals within populations. The observed genetic differentiation (F_ST = 0.241) among Z. marina populations at the study sites appeared to result from reduced meadow size, increased genetic drift, and a high incidence of asexual reproduction. Increased population genetic diversity can enhance resistance and resilience to environmental disturbances; thus, this investigation of seagrass population genetics provides valuable new insights for the conservation, management, and restoration of seagrass habitats.     

荣成天鹅湖大叶藻(Zostera marina)间2种小型腹足类的分类学研究

小型腹足类生物在我国种类繁多,但其相关研究在国内基本属于空白.本文对荣成天鹅湖大叶藻间的2种小型腹足类生物进行了形态学及分子生物学(16S和28S rRNA基因片段)研究.结果表明,根据形态学所鉴定的短剑螺属未定种Machaeroplax sp.,应为畦螺属未定种Lirularia sp.;分子生物学研究结果支持形态学对刺绣翼螺Alaba picta的鉴定.同时,与A.picta有一定形态学差异的其它4种相近形态的小型腹足类,在基因序列及遗传距离上与刺绣翼螺非常接近,亦应为刺绣翼螺Alaba picta.     

Vegetation of Mangroves： Spatial and Temporal Pattern of itsDominant Populations in Futian National Nature Reserve

The community characteristics of mangroves in the Futian Nature Reserve,Shenzhen, China are given based on surveying of 33 quadrats in 4 transects which stretch from the higher tidal zone to the lower tidal zone. The results show that there are 6 community types in this area: Kandelia candel association, Avicennia marina association, A egiceras corniculatum association, Kandelia candel Aegiceras corniculatum association,degiceras corniculatum Kandelia candel association and Acanthus ilicifolius association.Kandelia candel, degiceras corniculatum and dvicennia marina dominate the typicalquadrats. Kandelia candel can be seen at almost all quadrats, Aegiceras corniculatumdistributes mostly toward the estuary and the higher tidal zone, Avicennia marina distributesmostly toward the bay and the lower tidal zone, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza occasionally occurs toward the Estuary with one or several individuals, Acanthus ilicifolius was common towardthe higher tidal zone, as an accompanying species, Derris trifoliata was common in manymature ouadrats. Totallv. 6 snecies of man~rove plants and 3 soecies of semi-mangrove plants appear in this research area. From the higher tidal zone to the lower tidal zone, the average diameter and basal area of mangrove trees increase gradually. According to the results, the dvicennia marina dominates in average diameter and basal area, and the degicerascorniculatum trees are on the contrary. From the transect ! to the transect 4, the importance value ot dvicennia marina, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and Kandelia candel decreases, and degiceras corniculatum increases. In this area, the Kandelia candel population and Ae giceras corniculatum population are developing populations with many seedlings and saplings, but the Avicennia marina population is in a mature stage with few seedlings and not so many total individuals. According to this research, we suppose that Aegiceras corniculatum should be developed toward the estuary and the dvicennia marina association should be protected.     

响应面法优化鱿鱼(Ommastrephes bartrami)皮胶原蛋白提取液脱色工艺

采用活性炭吸附法脱除鱿鱼(Ommastrephes bartrami)皮胶原蛋白提取液中色素,优化脱色条件,以进一步利用鱿鱼皮胶原蛋白。在确定该色素特征吸收波长为420 nm条件下,分别研究了活性炭添加量、脱色时间、溶液p H值和脱色温度对鱿鱼皮胶原蛋白液色素脱除效果影响。在单因素实验基础上,选择脱色时间30 min,进行活性炭添加量、溶液p H值、脱色温度三因素三水平BoxBehnken中心组合响应面分析试验。结果表明,活性炭吸附鱿鱼皮胶原蛋白液色素最佳条件为活性炭添加量4.2%,溶液p H值2.27,脱色温度35°C,该条件下鱿鱼皮胶原蛋白液的脱色率为45.6%,蛋白质和氨基酸损耗率分别为19.65%和22.93%。脱色后鱿鱼皮胶原蛋白的甘氨酸含量最高(136.02 mg/g,相对含量23.05%),谷氨酸、精氨酸和脯氨酸含量也较高,而半胱氨酸和蛋氨酸总量不到1%,符合水产蛋白氨基酸和I型胶原蛋白氨基酸特点。     

Towards a more ecologically relevant assessment of the impact of heavy metals on the photosynthesis of the seagrass, Zostera capricorni

This in situ study used photosynthetic activity (measured as chlorophyll a fluorescence) and photosynthetic pigment concentrations to assess the effect of copper, cadmium, lead and zinc on the seagrass Zostera capricorni. Custom-made portable in situ exposure (PIE) chambers were developed so seagrasses could be dosed within the meadow. Z. capricorni was exposed to 0.1 and 1 mg l⁻¹ of metal solutions for 10 h. During this time and for the subsequent four-day recovery period, the effective quantum yield of photosystem II (PS II) (ΔF/Fm^′) was measured. While the results were variable, copper and zinc exposed samples had a depressed ΔF/Fm^′ during the exposure period. Samples exposed to zinc recovered to pre-exposure levels but those exposed to copper did not. Cadmium and lead did not impact on the chlorophyll a fluorescence and the chlorophyll pigment data supported these findings. This study presents an innovative new application of chlorophyll a fluorescence stress assessment.     

Recent (post-1930) changes in the extent of subtidal seagrass (Zostera muelleri) beds of the eastern Bay of Islands,New Zealand

The surface areas of 12 subtidal seagrass Zostera muelleri beds at the islands and adjacent mainland shores of the eastern Bay of Islands (35° 12′ S, 174° 10′ E), New Zealand were estimated from aerial images. It appears that little subtidal seagrass existed until after the early-1950s, so significant beds here may be a relatively recent biome. Possible explanations for recent emergence of subtidal seagrass include that debilitating periods of turbid water and pulses of sedimentation associated with the land clearances of the late 1800s had worked through the marine ecosystem. An overall peak in seagrass-cover in the 1960s to 1980s was followed by declines in several beds in the 1990s to 2000s, with recovery since. The temporal presence of seagrass was well-correlated among the three mainland beds, and moderately well among the south-facing beds on the islands, consistent with mechanisms driving seagrass establishment and persistence operating at reasonably broad scales.