Modelling the growth of cyanobacteria (GrowSCUM)

Toxic cyanobacteria have become a common nuisance in freshwater lakes and reservoirs throughout the world, sometimes resulting in the closure of sites with high amenity value. Cyanobacteria are able to regulate their buoyancy state in response to changing photosynthetic rates. Additionally, the cyanobacteria are liable to become entrained within wind-induced near-surface turbulent currents, resulting in mixing and mass transport. These movement processes have been modelled. A mathematical function is presented which describes light- and nutrient-limited cyanobacterial growth. The growth model is integrated with a previous movement model (SCUM: simulation of cyanobacterial underwater movement) as movement patterns and wind-induced lake mixing strongly affect the intensity and duration of light received by the cyanobacteria and thereby determine the photosynthetic potential. Results of the model suggest that cyanobacteria are resistant to periods of lake mixing and continue to increase their biomass, but at a depressed rate. Growth is most rapid under calm conditions. The results agree well with field-based findings, confirming the validity of the growth function.     

盐度胁迫下中肋骨条藻和东海原甲藻的生长与內源多胺调节作用的关系*

提要 实验室内开展了不同盐度梯度下培养常见的两种赤潮藻中肋骨条藻(Skeletonema costatum)和东海原甲藻(Prorocentrum donghaiense)的实验,根据logistic生长模型获得了生长参数Bf和mmax,并测定了藻体中过氧化物酶(POD)、二胺氧化酶(DAO)、多胺氧化酶(PAO)的活性和丙二醛(MDA)、腐胺(Put)、亚精胺(Spd)、精胺(Spm)的含量。结果表明,高、低盐度胁迫下,两种藻均会积累MDA,活性氧自由基的伤害增强,藻的生长受到了抑制。同时,两种藻都会提升多胺含量,通过多胺的调节作用来缓解胁迫的伤害,促进生长,但是在提升的多胺种类和形态上,两种藻存在着差异。高盐胁迫下,中肋骨条藻会提升多胺尤其是游离态多胺的含量来缓解伤害,东海原甲藻则依靠结合态的亚精胺和游离态的精胺的调节作用。低盐胁迫下,中肋骨条藻会提升游离态腐胺的含量,而东海原甲藻体内各形态的多胺都会上升。     

A Model Describing the Time Course and Variability in Toxicity of Hydrophobic Chemicals to Aquatic Organisms-Toxicity of chlorinated benzenes to marine algae

The growth of Chlorella marine, Nannochloris oculate, Pyramimonaos sp., Platymonas subcordiformis and Phaeodactylum tricornutum exposed to chlorobenzene, 1,2-dichlorobenzene, 1, 2, 3, 4-tetrachlorobenzene and pentachlorobenzene was tested. The Boltzman equation was used to describe organism growth. The time course for uptake of hydrophobic organic chemicals (HOCs) by aquatic organisms was expressed by incorporating growth and, if desired, the effect of metabolism into the HOC bioconcentration process. The probability of any given concentration of HOCs in the organisms causing a specified toxic endpoint was expressed with a modified Weibull distribution function. The combined bioconcentration and probability equations were tested with data for time course of incubation of algae exposed to chlorinated benzenes (CBs). A set of parameters, including the uptake rate constant k1, the elimination rate constant k2 and thereafter the bioconcentration factor on a dry weight basis, BCFD, the critical HOC concentration in the organism resulting in a specified toxic endpoint, C*A, and the spread factor, S, could be obtained by fitting only experimental data for percent growth inhibition(%)-time-CB exposure concentration. The average coefficients of variation within CBs were 15.2% for BCFD, 21.0%for k1, 18.3% for k2, 8.1% for C*A and 9.7% for S. The variability in toxicity (such as EC10, EC50, ECg0) derived from the model equations agreed well with those experimentally observed.     

Three new species of Batrachospermum Roth （Batrachospermaceae, Rhodophyta） in China

Three new species of Batrachospermum Roth (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta) from China are described in this paper. B. yunnanense sp. nov. has long-cylindrical trichogynes with long stalks and is diagnostic of section Virescentia. Within this section, B. yunnanense is similar to B. helminthosum Bory emend. Sheath et al., but it is dioecious and has curved carpogonial branches, while the latter is monoecious and has straight carpogonial branches. It is also similar to B. transtaganum Reis, but it differs from the latter in long carpogonia,big carposporophytes and carposporangia. It is considered that B. nothocladoideum sp. nov. is assigned to section Contorta, subsection Kushiroense, because its carpogonial branches are twisted and gonimoblast filaments are loosely agglomerated. This new species similar to B. iriomotense Kumano, but with short fascicles, long-ovoid or subpyriform cells, numerous terminal hairs, long-ellipsoid trichogynes, big carposporophytes and small carposporangia. The plant is quite tough and cartilaginous and similar to Nothocladus in gross morphology, but its carposporophytes are compact instead of diffuse. This shows that it may be a transitional species between section Contorta and genus Nothocladus. So, B. transitorium sp. nov. should belong to section Contorta, subsection Kushiroense, because of its curved or twisted carpogonial branches and loosely agglomerated gonimoblast filaments, with globose or subglobose cells in fascicles similar to B. spermatiophorum Vis et Sheath, but no colourless spermatiophores. In terms of small and numerous carposporophytes, B. transitorium sp. nov. is similar to some species of section Batrachospermum. However, their other features are unique, indicating its transitional nature between section Contorta and Batrachospermum.     

Composition,export and faunal utilization of drift vegetation in the salt river submarine canyon

Submarine canyons may be particularly important in the transport process of drift seagrasses and seaweeds from highly productive shallow lagoon areas to deeper water. We studied the composition, export, and faunal utilization of shallow, nearshore benthic vegetation as it was transported to offshore areas via the Salt River submarine canyon on the island of St Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. The study was conducted using a saturation diving system (NULS-1: Hydrolab) during two missions in April and August, 1980. Using bottom drifters deployed in Salt River Bay and the submarine canyon, we recorded net benthic current flow up to 2 cm s^?1 moving out of the lagoon and down the canyon to deeper water. Using bottom nets set up at the canyon head and at the 29 m isobar, and from transect surveys and drift clump samples, we determined drift plant export rates and drift clump biomass and species composition. The dominant drift plants were Thalassia testudinum and Syringodium filiforme and algae in the genera Dictyota, Dictyopterus, and Diloplus. During the second mission, the seagrass Halophila decipiens became more abundant, both in the drift and in large patches along the canyon floor. In both missions, more drift was collected in the nets during high wind conditions than during calmer days. Calculated turnover times ranged from 0·01 to 4·4 days for algae in the order Dictyotales and 4·4 to 18 days for Thalassia blades. Total exported biomass of drift vegetation varied between 1·4 to 65·1 kg wet wt day^?1. Samples of drift vegetation contained mostly juvenile forms of both invertebrates and fishes, but in relatively low numbers. Faunal numbers were most strongly related to rate of drift movement.     

Implications for improving paleolimnological inference models utilizing scale-bearing siliceous algae: transforming scale counts to cell counts

Microfossil remains of siliceous scale-bearing members of the Synurophyceae and Chrysophyceae have become of increasing importance in paleolimnological studies, especially ones involving the reconstruction of historical lakewater pH. Since the numbers of scales per cell for individual taxa are not known, inference models have been based on the relative abundances of scales, not cells. Theoretically, inference models based on the relative numbers of cells would be more appropriate. Morphometric characteristics of scales and cells were used to estimate the mean numbers of scales per cell for 38 taxa. The mean numbers of scales per cell ranged from a low of 27 to a high of 214; over 80% of the taxa had fewer than 100 scales per cell. A highly significant model for estimating the numbers of scales per cell was developed based on scale and cell surface area measurements. The application of the model in order to estimate the number of scales per cell for additional taxa, or ones found to have different morphometric measurements, is discussed.     

中国褐毛藻属Halothrix的分类学研究

对作者于1998~2003年间在中国沿海采集的褐毛藻属 Halothrix 标本进行了分类研究。经鉴定,确认有4个种,即可疑褐毛藻H. ambigua Yamada、细弱褐毛藻H. gracilis Luan et Ding sp. nov.、褐毛藻 H. lumbricalis (Kuetzing) Reinke和垫状褐毛藻 H. pulvinata Luan et Ding sp. nov.,其中新种2个。文中对这4个种进行了较详细的特征描述,以及较完整的其他分类学信息,并编制了检索表。细弱褐毛藻H. gracilis Luan et Ding sp. nov.的长同化丝稍细,直径15～55μm,中、上部细胞较长,长宽比为1.3～3;短同化丝的细胞较多,10~17个;具有匍匐丝体。垫状褐毛藻 H. pulvinata Luan et Ding sp. nov.具有明显垫状的基部,由多数无色丝体组成,丝体细胞13~20个,细胞长宽比为1.3~11,长同化丝在基部多分枝。其研究结果在一定程度上丰富了我国大型海藻的物种多样性。模式标本保存在中国科学院海洋研究所海洋生物标本馆(AST)。     

贵州清镇陡山沱组帽白云岩地球化学特征以及其中藻类化石Beltanelliodes podolicus发现

贵州清镇陡山沱组为浅海白云岩、泥质白云岩,在陡山沱组底部泥质白云岩中产大量的圆盘状炭质化石,个体直径为2~15 mm。由于以前发现类似的化石主要保存在泥岩中,而碳酸盐岩中这类化石只有俄罗斯地台上发现过,从化石保存的结构分析,其应该归属藻类中的Chuarid。通过对陡山沱组帽白云岩的碳同位素分析,其具有典型的帽碳酸盐岩碳同位素负异常的特征,这表明在冰后浅海滨岸泻湖环境,球形藻类已经繁盛。同时,研究发现浅海滨岸泻湖环境冰后碳酸盐沉积是一个钙质（白云质）逐渐增加的渐变过程,而非Hoffman等认为的非常快速沉积。     

Sediment fingerprinting as an environmental forensics tool explaining cyanobacteria blooms in lakes

Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) blooms in water bodies present serious public health issues with attendant economic and ecological impacts. Llyn Tegid (Lake Bala) is an important conservation and amenity asset within Snowdonia National Park, Wales which since the mid-1990s has experienced multiple toxic cyanobacteria blooms threatening the ecology and tourism-dependent local economy. Multiple working hypotheses explain the emergence of this problem, including climate change, land management linked to increased nutrient flux, hydromorphological alterations or changing trophic structure - any of which may operate individually or cumulatively to impair lake function. This paper reports the findings of a sediment fingerprinting study using dated lake cores to explore the linkages between catchment and lake management practices and the emergence of the algal blooms problem. Since 1900 AD lake bed sedimentation rates have varied from 0.06 to 1.07 g cm⁻² yr⁻¹, with a pronounced acceleration since the early 1980s. Geochemical analysis revealed increases in the concentrations of total phosphorus (TP), calcium and heavy metals such as zinc and lead consistent with eutrophication and a rising pollution burden, particularly since the late 1970s. An uncertainty-inclusive sediment fingerprinting approach was used to apportion the relative fluxes from the major catchment land cover types of improved pasture, rough grazing, forestry and channel banks. This showed improved pasture and channel banks are the dominant diffuse sources of sediment in the catchment, though forestry sources were important historically. Conversion of rough grazing to improved grassland, coupled with intensified land management and year-round livestock grazing, is concluded to provide the principal source of rising TP levels. Lake Habitat Survey and particle size analysis of lake cores demonstrate the hydromorphological impact of the River Dee Regulation Scheme, which controls water level and periodically diverts flow into Llyn Tegid from the adjacent Afon Tryweryn catchment. This hydromorphological impact has also been most pronounced since the late 1970s. It is concluded that an integrated approach combining land management to reduce agricultural runoff allied to improved water level regulation enabling recovery of littoral macrophytes offers the greatest chance halting the on-going cyanobacteria issue in Llyn Tegid.