Cretaceous tectonic and biotic evolution of the southeastern Russian continental margin

The Cretaceous tectonic and geodynamic settings of the southeastern Russian continental margin are discussed using data generated during several recent geological studies. The structural patterns of the East Asian Cretaceous continental margin are the result of the influence of global and regional processes. The interaction and reorganization of the Eurasian, Pacific and other related plates induced intraplate tectonic processes such as rifting, subduction, collision, transform faulting, and basin formation. Three major basin types are recognized in this area: (i) mainly marine active continental margins associated with shear components (Sangjian–Middle Amur Basin); (ii) passive continental margins (Bureya, Partizansk, and Razdolny basins); (iii) intracontinental basins (Amur–Zeya Basin). The evolution of the biota in this region allows the examination of Early and Late Cretaceous biostratigraphy, faunal and floral changes, and the phytogeography of the southeastern Russian continental margin.     

黄海夏季典型站位的底边界层动物

2002年8月25~26日,在黄海夏季冷水团区域内的抛锚站位(35°22′N,121°59′E),使用柱状界面采样器进行了昼夜连续取样,对底边界层动物的种类组成与昼夜丰度变化进行了研究,以获得对黄海底边界层动物的初步认识。共记录底边界层动物21种,隶属18科、19属。超底栖动物和中型浮游动物是黄海夏季底边界层动物的2个重要类群,主要种类有尖额真猛水蚤(Euterpina acutifrons)、挪威小毛猛水蚤(Microsetella norvegica)、异厚盖钩虾(Synchelidium miraculum)、双刺纺缍水蚤(Acartia bifilosa)和小拟哲水蚤(Paracalanus parvus),其丰度皆有明显的昼夜波动现象。以桡足类无节幼体为代表的小型浮游动物也是底边界层动物中不容忽视的类群之一。采集到5个黄海区的新记录物种:美丽猛水蚤(Nitocrasp.)、跛足猛水蚤(Mesochrasp.)、咸水剑水蚤(Halicyclopssp.)、掌刺梭剑水蚤(Lubbockia squillimana)和异厚盖钩虾(Synchelidi-um miraculum),显示出底边界层动物种类组成的特殊性。     

Anthropogenic threat assessment of marine-associated fauna in Spencer Gulf,South Australia

Assessing the vulnerability of species to [anthropogenic threats is an essential step when developing management strategies for wild populations. With industrial development forecasted to increase in Spencer Gulf, South Australia, it is crucial to assess the ongoing effects of anthropogenic threats to resident and migratory species. Expert elicitation was used to assess 27 threats against 38 threatened, protected, and iconic marine-associated species. Species and threat interactions were assessed individually, and as taxonomic or functional groups. Climate change had the greatest overall exposure (c.f. risk) across species, followed by disturbance, pollution, disease/invasive species, and fishing/aquaculture threats. The largest overall sensitivities (c.f. consequences) were pollution and disease/invasive species, followed by climate change, disturbance and fishing/aquaculture threats. Vulnerability scores (exposure x sensitivity) showed the climate change group posing the greatest overall threat in Spencer Gulf, with individual climatic threats ranking as three of the top four biggest threats to most animal groups. Noise, shipping, and net fishing were considered the greatest region-specific individual threats to marine mammals; as were trawl fishing, line fishing, and coastal activities to fish/cuttlefish; trawl fishing, line fishing, and net fishing to elasmobranchs; and oil spill, disease, and coastal activities to sea/shorebirds. Eighteen of the 20 highest vulnerability scores involved the short-beaked common dolphin, Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, and Australian sea lion, highlighting the particular susceptibility of these species to specific threats. These findings provide a synthesis of key threats and vulnerable species, and give management a basis to direct future monitoring and threat mitigation efforts in the region.     

Fauna and standing crop of freshwater mussels in Poyang Lake, China

Freshwater mussels are a major component of the zoobenthos and they therefore play an important role in freshwater ecosystems. The community composition and the standing crop of freshwater mussels in Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China and one of two lakes connected to the Changjiang (Yangtze) River, were investigated from February 2008 to May 2009. Mussels were sampled in hydrologically and geographically distinct sampling areas. A total of 42 species and 13 genera were identified, of which 32 species were endemic to China. Two species, Unio douglasiae and Lamprotula caveata, dominated all sampling areas. The number of genera and species, and the number of species within each genus, differed significantly among sampling areas. Freshwater mussels were very abundant, with an overall density of 0.28 ± 0.22 ind./m2 and biomass of 4.08 ± 3.96 g/m2. Significant variation observed among sampling areas and among genera was probably due to the variety of habitats among the areas sampled and to the adaptability of different freshwater mussels to environments. This study suggests that Poyang Lake and other freshwater lakes in the region are important sites of freshwater mussel biodiversity and conservation.     

Biogeographic characteristics of Zhesi brachiopod fauna and reconstruction of tectonopaleogeography of Jiamusi-Mongolia Block

The Kungurian-Capitanian ( Permian) Zhesi branchiopod fauna is mainly composed of cold-water typed taxa with high diversity and abundance. This fauna is similar with the coeval brachiopod faunas from Timan-Pechora,Svalbard,and Queen Elizabeth Islands of the Boreal Realm,with no real"warm-water"species. Zhesi brachiopod fauna is a cold-water fauna and should be assigned to the Boreal Realm. Considering the paleogeographic characteristics of this fauna and the basic rationale of paleobiogeographic provinces being controlled by latitude-temperate,and that the above areas were located at 50°N 70°N in the global paleoclimate reconstruction map compiled by Boucot et al. ,the paleo-latitude of the southern margin of Jiamusi-Mongolia Block,where developed the Zhesi brachiopod fauna,is suggested ranging from 40°N to 60°N. Zhesi brachiopod fauna is an endemic fauna,containing more than 75% endemic species and self-grouped as a biogeographic province,termed Inner Mongolia Province. These characteristics indicate that this area was closed or semiclosed at that time. On the Jiamusi-Mongolia Block,the Herlen-Jiamusi Old-land as an obvious "continental barrier"hindered the northward migration of the Zhesi brachiopod fauna and the immigration of brachiopod species from other areas. The Tarim plate has collided with the Kazakhstan plate and the western part of South Tianshan-Beishan-Xar Moron Ocean has been closed. At the same time,the western margin of Jiamusi-Mongolia Block was joined with the Tarim plate. The Xar Moron Ocean in south of Jiamusi-Mongolia Block was wide enough and the ocean temperature rose gradually southward,so that it is not suitable for the cold-water brachiopods to survive and thrive on the northern margin of the North China plate. Thus,the ocean with large width and high temperature formed another natural barrier for the southward migration of the cold-water brachiopods.     

流动沙地灌丛内外生境中土壤动物群落结构研究

以中国科学院奈曼沙漠化研究站为依托,调查了小叶锦鸡儿灌丛内外生境中土壤动物群落特征及土壤理化特性,分析了灌丛内外生境中土壤动物群落结构的差异性,并探讨了土壤动物对灌丛覆盖流沙地表产生小生境的响应特征。结果发现,共捕获土壤动物30科,优势类群有大赤螨科、等节跳科和虱啮科,常见类群有球角跳科,中型土壤动物占绝对优势。土壤动物密度、类群数和多样性指数灌丛内显著高于灌丛外（p<0.05）;土壤动物群落均匀度和优势度变化趋势相反,但灌丛内外无显著差异性（p>0.05）。调查季节（夏季）灌丛内外小生境的土壤温度、酸碱度及有机碳含量差异是主要影响因素。流动沙地灌丛下生境中土壤动物分布表现出了明显的聚集现象,土壤动物多样性显著增加,表明小叶锦鸡儿灌丛覆盖流动沙地后能够显著改变土壤动物生存的微生境,从而导致土壤动物群落结构发生了深刻变化。而且,由于对灌丛内外微生境的选择性和适应性差异,动物类群产生了不同的响应模式。     

北吕宋岛菲律宾活动带蛇绿岩及其上覆浊积岩的放射虫研究新进展

The basement of the Philippine Mobile Belt (PMB) is mainly composed of ophiolites that are mostly overlain by Paleogene to Miocene turbidites in central Luzon. To clarify the geological development of the PMB with respect to the initial stage of the arc volcanism (eg. Yumul et al., 2003, 2008; Dimalanta and Yumul, 2003; Suzuki et al., 2011), radiolarian dating was examined in siliceous sediments associated with the ophiolites and turbidites. The samples were collected from sites identified with the Zambales and Montalban ophiolites, basic tuff phyllites in NW Din-galan, and their overlying formations.     

中朝古陆的解体与华北、华泰二克拉通的确立

半个世纪之前,黄汲清和任纪舜等将华北、东北南部以及西北的阿拉善这类凡有前寒武纪结晶基底出露的地区确定为单一的中朝古陆(或准地台).这种观念一直被沿用迄今.近年,构造地层地体的研究发现原称之“中朝古陆”是由华北和华泰两个克拉通构成,计 11个地块或地体.重新厘定的华北克拉通,其范围只限于辽宁省西部和北部、河北省、内蒙古南...     

Coastal defence through low crested breakwater structures: jumping out of the frying pan into the fire?

The Adriatic coast of Punta Marina (Ravenna) is protected by 3-km long low crested breakwater structures (LCSs). Through a 3-years long multidisciplinar study, we assessed the impact of such defensive structures on environmental and biological condition. LCSs create pools where conditions are very different from the surrounding nearshore system. Mechanical disturbance by currents and waves varied greatly in intensity and frequency between seaward and landward sides of the structures. Sedimentary budget was positive at the landward side, but it was due to a gain on the seafloor and not on the emerged beach. The budget at seaward was negative. LCSs determine differences in benthic assemblages, alter the seasonal pattern of communities, and modify seasonal fluctuations of animal assemblages. Landward sheltered areas can be seen as “lagoonal island” surrounded by a “sea of marine habitat”. Differences in ecological quality status, obtained through M-AMBI, are due to the sum of these factors.     

西藏南部吉隆盆地晚中新世-早更新世介形类群落研究

本文在西藏南部吉隆盆地新生代沉积中获得丰富的介形类化石,根据介形类动物群在地层剖面上的分布规律,建立了8个介形类群落,自下而上为:Leucocytherella trinoda-Ilyocypris群落;Ilyocypris pentanada-Leucocytherella hyalina群落;Candoniella zadaensis-Leucocytherella群落;Eucypris subgyrongensis-Candoniella zadaensis群落;Leucocytherella-Cadoniella zadaensis群落;Leucocythere mirabilis-Leucocytherella hyalina群落;Leucocythere mirabilis-Leucocytherella glabra群落和Leucocythere mirabilis-Leucocytherella trinoda群落。通过对介形类群落进行详细的特征分析,并结合磁性地层年代学数据,将吉隆盆地7.2～1.67Ma的古气候划分为5个期次:①7.2～6.7Ma为暖湿期;②6.7～5.8Ma为凉湿期;③5.8～3.6Ma为暖湿期;④3.6～2.6Ma为凉湿期;⑤2.6～1.67Ma为冷干期。将研究区的7.2Ma以来的气候演化特征与全球气候演变对比认为:吉隆盆地7.2～5.8Ma间的气候以暖湿为主,可能与来自印度的东南季风加强有关;5.8～3.6Ma间吉隆盆地古气候分析显示为相对暖湿期,可能与来自印度洋的东南季风再次加强有关;3.6Ma后,由于是受全球气候变冷、冬季风加强及青藏高原强烈隆升的影响,吉隆盆地气候向更寒冷干旱的环境转变。