Effects of the 'Prestige' oil spill on macroalgal assemblages: large-scale comparison

An assessment of the effects of the 'Prestige' oil spill on intertidal, macroalgal assemblages was carried out comparing abundance data obtained before and after the spill. Four zones in the North and Northwest coast of Spain were sampled, one of them located at the immediate vicinity of the spill, the zone most heavily oiled. Macroalgal assemblages had similar structure between years. Neither critical decrease in abundance of the dominant macroalgae, nor increase in opportunistic species were found. Some differences in abundance were observed, but they did not show any pattern, being more likely the result of the natural variability of the assemblage. Extensive, but not intense fuel deposition on the shores and a limited use of aggressive cleanup methods are suggested as possible causes for the lack of the effects in these assemblages after the 'Prestige' oil spill.     

中国北方森林群落现代花粉与植被和气候的关系

53 pollen traps and surface samples were collected in order to detect the characteristics of pollen assemblages and their relationships with vegetation and climate in 16 forest communities located in 10 mountains in northern China. The results show that 72% of the pollen taxa (80 taxa) are the same between the traps and the surface samples. The dominant taxa in the plant communities are consistent with the main pollen taxa in the pollen assemblages at the same sites. In Pinus plant communities, both Pinus pollen influx and concentration are higher, indicating the high pollen productivity and good pollen preservation ability of Pinus. In Picea and Abies plant communities, Picea and Abies have lower pollen influxes but higher concentrations, suggesting their low pollen productivities but better pollen preservation abilities. In Betula and Quercus plant communities, Betula and Quercus have higher pollen influxes but lower concentrations, revealing their high pollen productivities but poor pollen preservation abilities. The study of relationships between pollen and vegetation with discriminant analysis shows that pollen assemblages from both trap and surface samples can reflect the characteristics of different communities and distinguish different ecological areas, but surface samples can reflect the dominant components of communities much better than the traps. The study on correlations between pollen assemblages and climate with DCCA reveals that significant correlations exist between pollen assemblages and mean temperature of the coldest month (r = 0.84 for trap samples, r = 0.72 for surface samples), and then annual mean precipitation (r = 0.73 for trap samples, r = 0.71 for surface samples).     

江苏宜兴骆驼墩、西溪遗址全新世软体动物

江苏宜兴骆驼墩、西溪遗址化石丰富,除软体动物外,还有植物、孢粉、昆虫、脊椎动物等。作者研究的软体动物化石,计有8属17种,其中有一新种：Corbicula yixingensis Huang et Caisp．nov．,隶属于双壳类（Bivalvia）的殊蚌科（Unionidae）、蚬科（Corbiculidae）及腹足类（Gastropoda）的田螺科（Viviparidae）。可分成3个组合类群,一是Unio—Cuneopsis类群,本类群属种个体数量虽然少,但地质历程长,从第三纪晚期中新世至第四纪全新世均有,代表古老的类群。如：Cuneopsis spocki Leroy最早发现于内蒙古锡林郭勒盟二连第三纪晚期中新世通古尔期：Unio tschiliensis Sherany曾发现于河北张家口岔道口更新世早期,上述二种均未见现生种。二是Arconaia-Lamprotula类群。这个类群从第四纪早期至现代河、湖、池塘、水库中均有分布。其中Arconaia—laneceolata（Lea）见于江苏沭阳钱集西南更新世早期。Lamprotula（Sinolamprotula）leai（Gray）见于河南三门峡更新世早期。三是Corbicula-Bellamya类群。该类群时代长,分布广,适应性强,属种个体数量极多,其中Corbicula largillierti Heude从第三纪晚期至现代均有。化石种曾发现于内蒙古乌兰察布盟四子王旗第三纪晚期;山西垣曲,陕西大荔更新世早期：但在江苏金坛、江阴、宜兴的全新世时大量发育、繁衍、繁盛。以致现代长江流域太湖、洞庭湖、鄱阳湖及其相通的河流中也有,为中国广泛分布的特有种,本种似乎起源于中国内蒙古,而后向西、向南迁移。Bellamya quadrata（Benson）见于广西桂林南郊全新世,也有现生种。     

Demersal Continental Shelf and Upper Slope Cephalopod Assemblages from the Balearic Sea (North-Western Mediterranean). Biological Aspects of Some Deep-Sea Species

The analysis of 79 hauls performed by commercial bottom trawlers from 50 to 800 m depth in the Balearic Sea (north-western Mediterranean) from June 1995 to September 1996 yielded a total of 30 cephalopod species belonging to 12 families. Cluster analysis of these data gave as a result two main groups 50–200 m and 200–800 m each subdivided into two other groups (50–100 vs. 100–200 m and 200–600 vs. 600–800 m). These results suggested the existence of two assemblages that could be associated to the continental shelf (50–100 m) and the upper slope (600–800 m) separated by a wide transitional zone (100–600 m) representing a region of overlapping shelf and slope faunas (ecotone). The faunistic bathymetric gradient showed a continuous substitution of species with depth rather than discrete assemblages separated by distinct boundaries. The more coastal species such as Eledone moschata, Loligo vulgarisSepia officinalis and Octopus vulgaris were found on the continental shelf; on the transitional zone, apart from species characteristic of this zone (Illex coindetii, Sepietta oweniana, Rossia macrosoma, Scaeurgus unicirrhus and Pteroctopus tetracirrhus), we also observed species from both the continental shelf and slope. The upper slope was characterized by typical species of deeper waters, such asBathypolypus sponsalis , Histioteuthis reversa, H. bonnellii, Ancistroteuthis lichtensteinii andOnychoteuthis banksii . The octopod O. vulgaris was the dominant species on the continental shelf and upper transitional zone, being substituted by T. sagittatus on the lower transitional zone and upper slope. Mean biomass decreased abruptly from the continental shelf to the transitional zone and from there to the upper slope. Mean species richness and species diversity were higher in the transitional zone than in the continental shelf and upper slope. Finally, some biological aspects of the more abundant deep-sea cephalopod species are studied: Bathypolypus sponsalis, Octopus salutii,Pteroctopus tetracirrhus , Histioteuthis reversa and H. bonnellii.     

Late-glacial and early-Holocene Coleoptera assemblages as indicators of local environment and climate at Kråkenes Lake, western Norway

Thirty-six Coleoptera (beetle) taxa and other insects were identified from the late-glacial and early-Holocene sediments at Kråkenes Lake. Compared with other Scandinavian late-glacial sites, this is a rather sparse record. The water beetles found in the Allerod are characteristic of a poorly vegetated clear-water lake. The terrestrial fauna is indicative of dwarf-shrub and moss vegetation. A marked decline in the number of species at the start of the Younger Dryas was rather rapid, probably over less than 80 calendar yrs. No obligate tundra species replaced the Allerod fauna. Most of the Younger Dryas is virtually devoid of beetles. The increase in numbers and diversity of both aquatic and terrestrial species at the Younger Dryas/Holocene transition is very rapid. After an initial pioneer stage, beetles associated with dwarf-shrub heath and willow scrub appeared, but no obligate tree or forest taxa were recorded.Mutual Climatic Range (MCR) temperature reconstructions suggest that the Allerod was colder and more continental than present. The near absence of beetles in the Younger Dryas probably reflects very cold conditions. A rapid temperature rise at the start of the Holocene resulted in a warmer and more continental climate than present.     

太白山北坡花粉通量与表土花粉研究

太白山北坡各森林植被带乔木花粉百分比多高于45%,与植被组成类似。高山草甸带捕捉器样品乔木花粉百分比低于15%,与植被组成一致,但表土花粉组合中乔木花粉百分比高于50%,外来花粉数量较多,进行高山带古环境研究应予注意。太白红杉林花粉通量最低,高山灌丛草甸最高。落叶栎林带表土花粉浓度最低,红桦林带最高。表土中松、冷杉属花粉百分比远高于花粉捕捉器,表明其在表土中有较好的保存能力。落叶松属和杜鹃花科花粉在表土及捕捉器中百分比均较低,表明对植被指示性良好。栎属与桦属花粉通量类似,但桦属花粉浓度大于栎属,表明栎属较桦属易于保存。     

宝山铜钼多金属矿田矿化分带和蚀变组合特征

宝山多金属矿田的矿化产于下石炭统石磴子组灰岩中。以宝岭倒转背斜轴为核心,矿田中部是由矽卡岩型铜钼矿床红组成的铜钼矿带,向外是由多个铅锌银矿床组成的铅锌跟矿带。笔者通过铜钼矿石和东部铅锌银矿石的化学成分,矿物组合及黄铁矿、黝铜矿的标型特征,探讨了宝山多金属矿田的矿化及蚀变组合分分带,并以此作为同类型矿床的找矿标志。     

Mode of occurrence and significance of jadeite in the Kamuikotan metamorphic rocks, Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract In the Kamuikotan zone, jadeite occurs in pelitic rocks, in metaplagiogranites, in veins in amphibolites and mafic sedimentary rocks, and in jadeite-albite rocks. In the first and second types, jadeite is associated with quartz, and is often in direct contact with it. However, such rock-types never occur as part of the coherent metamorphic sequence, but are found only as exotic blocks enclosed in serpentinite. Thus, jadeite + quartz-bearing assemblages are not regarded as representative of the Kamuikotan metamorphism. Lawsonite and aragonite, however, commonly do occur in the Kamuikotan metamorphic rocks, and this metamorphism belongs to a subfacies of the lawsonite-albite facies, in which aragonite is stable. The serpentinite matrix which carried jadeite + quartz-bearing pelites and metaplagiogranites into the metamorphic sequence is interpreted as a tectonic rather than a sedimentary melange.     

Early Cretaceous Palynological Assemblages of the Shuangliao Fault Depression, Songliao Basin and their Geological Implications

The pollen and spores found in the Early Cretaceous strata of two cores from the Shuangliao Fault Depression were studied systematically, and two palynological assemblages have been recognized. Assemblage Ⅰ from the Yingcheng Formation is named Paleoconiferus-Pinuspollenites; the assemblage is characterized by an extremely high content of Paleoconifer pollen. Assemblage Ⅱ from Member 1 of the Denglouku Formation is named Cicatricosisporites-Cyathidites-Pinuspollenites; the assemblage is characterized by the abundant presence of Laevigati spores, but less Paleoconifer pollen. According to the palynological data and zircon U-Pb dating, the geological age of the Yingcheng Formation is thought to be Aptian-Albian, and that of the Denglouku Formation is thought to be Early Albian. On the basis of the composition of each assemblage, we can infer that during the depositional period of the Yingcheng Formation, the paleovegetation was mainly conifer forest, the paleoclimate was consistent with the temperate climate of today, and the paleoenvironment was humid feature. During the depositional period of Member 1 of the Denglouku Formation, the paleovegetation was mainly conifer forest and shrubs, the paleoclimate was consistent with the subtropical climate of today, and the paleoenvironment was humid. The results significantly improve our understanding of the stratigraphy in the Shuangliao Fault Depression, provide biostratigraphic evidence for the division and correlation of Early Cretaceous strata in the Shuangliao Fault Depression, and provide new data for analyzing paleovegetation and paleoclimate in the Songliao Basin.