Microbial Mats in Tibetan Hot Springs and their Contributions to the Cesium‐bearing Geyserite Ore Formation

Microbial mats, mainly dominated by filamentous algae Calothrix and Oscillatoria, are well developed in Tibetan hot springs. A great number of fossil microorganisms, which existed as algae lamination in thermal depositional cesium-bearing geyserite in this area, are identified as Calothrix and Oscillatoria through microexamination and culture experiments. These microbial mats show the ability to accumulate cesium from spring water to the extent of cesium concentration of 0.46–1.03% cell dry weight, 900 times higher than that in water, and capture large numbers of cesium-bearing opal grain. Silicon dioxide colloid in spring water replaces and fills with the organism and deposits on it to form algae laminated geyserite after dehydration and congelation. Cesium in the microbial mats and opal grain is then reserved in the geyserite. Eventually, cesium-bearing algae laminated geyserite is formed. Study on cesium distribution in geyserite also shows that cesium content in algae lamination, especially in heavily compacted algae lamination, is higher than in the opal layer. For geyserite with no algae lamination or other organism structure, which is generally formed in spring water with low silicon content, cesium accumulation and cesium-bearing opal grain assembled by the microbial mats are also indispensable. After the microbial mats accumulating cesium from spring water, silicon dioxide colloid poorly replaces and fills with the organism to form opal grain-bearing tremellose microbial mats. The shape and structure of the organisms are then destroyed, resulting in cesium-bearing geyserite with no algae lamination structure after dehydration and congelation. It is then concluded that microbial mats in the spring area contribute to the enrichment of cesium in the formation of cesium-bearing geyserite, and a biological genesis of the geyserite, besides of the physical and chemical genesis, is likely.     

Combination Patterns and Depositional Characteristics of Ordovician Carbonate Banks in the Western Tarim Basin,China

The combination patterns and depositional characteristics of the carbonate banks are investigated based on outcrop sections, thin sections, and carbon isotopes of Ordovician in the western Tarim Basin, China. Four carbonate bank combination patterns are deposited in the Ordovician, western Tarim Basin, including: Reef-Bank Complex (RBC), Algae-Reef-Bank Interbed (ARBI), Thick-Layer Cake Aggradation Bank (TLCAB), and Thin-Layer Cake Retrogradation Bank (TLCRB). All combination patterns show clear periods vertically. The RBC is mainly composed of reefs and bioclastic banks, and the dimension of the RBC depends on the scale of the reefs. Bioclastic banks deposits surround the reefs. The range of the ARBI is determined by the scale of algae-reefs, algae peloid dolomite microfacies and algal dolomite microfacies deposit alternating vertically. TLCAB and TLCRB are deposited as layer-cakes stacking in cycles and extending widely with cross bedding developed. The grains of TLCAB and TLCRB are diverse and multi-source. With the impacting of relative sea level change, biological development and geomorphology, the ARBI, TLCAB or TLCRB, RBC are successively developed from the Lower Ordovician Penglaiba Formation to the Middle Ordovician Yijianfang Formation. The depositional environment analysis of Ordovician indicates that the RBC and ARBI can form effective oil and gas reservoirs, and the TLCAB and TLCRB have the potential to form the huge scale oil and gas reservoirs and to be the crucial targets of exploration for the Ordovician carbonate banks in the future.     

四川黄龙钙华藻类及其生物岩溶作用

从探索黄龙钙华的生物成因角度出发,对黄龙钙华藻类进行了采集、鉴定和分析,并对钙华藻类的生物岩溶作用做了初步探讨。研究得出黄龙钙华藻类分属于4门19属86种,优势种属为Tolypothrix属、Gloeocapsa属和Cymbella属。黄龙景区不同环境区域的优势藻类有所不同,藻类参与的碳酸盐沉积在不同岩溶景观中所起作用也有所差异。其中蓝藻参与的碳酸盐沉积主要表现于黄龙钙华坝景观的形成过程中,由硅藻参与碳酸盐沉积主要表现于斜坡滩华景观的形成过程中。藻类既能在钙华形成过程中发挥作用,藻类的生长也能侵蚀破坏钙华景观,在长期缺乏岩溶水补给的条件下,藻类对钙华景观的破坏性尤为突出。      

从孢粉、藻类化石组合看长江三角洲第一硬质粘土层的成因及其古环境意义

文章通过对长江三角洲南翼7个钻孔样品的孢粉、藻类分析,从晚第四纪第一硬质粘土层中提取出了种类和数量均较可观的孢粉、藻类化石,从而可以判别第一硬质粘土层形成时的沉积环境和植被类型,为长江三角洲地区硬质粘土层的成因研究提供了生物化石依据。研究结果表明,第一硬质粘土层中有多种孢粉、藻类化石组合。高含量淡水藻类的存在说明硬质粘土形成受到流水的作用,亦即硬粘土的形成环境可能为水域环境。化石组合中含量较低的海生沟鞭藻表明,长江三角洲地区在硬质粘土形成时曾受到海水影响。硬质粘土层中的禾本科-莎草科-落叶栎-松、禾本科-落叶栎-松-蒿和莎草科-落叶栎-香蒲孢粉组合指示研究区低地为平原区草甸,而周边的山地有针阔叶混交林分布,当时该地区属于温凉略湿的温带气候。     

南极红藻Iridaea cordata和Curdiea racovitzae转录组分析及其极端光环境适应相关基因的挖掘

南极红藻具有重要的生态学功能和开发利用价值。南极极端环境赋予了其独特的生理耐受机制,也是发现新基因和代谢途径的理想材料。我们测序分析了南极产胶红藻Iridaea cordata (Turner) Bory和Curdiea racovitzae Hariot的转录组序列,并与其常温近缘种进行了比较,同时挖掘了其与光限制和强紫外线辐射等光环境适应相关的基因。I. cordata和C. racovitzae的转录组序列分别拼接成了14 055条和12 006条非冗余基因,平均长度分别为1 473 bp和1 448 bp。在I. cordata转录组中发现多条与绿藻基因同源的捕光复合物LHC基因Lhca2、Lhca6和Lhcb,并且在两种南极红藻中都各发现了1条编码结合岩藻黄质和Chl a/c蛋白的Lhcf基因,目前尚未在其他红藻中发现这类基因。光裂解酶修复紫外线诱导DNA损伤,在I. cordata的转录组序列中发现了6-4光裂解酶,光裂解酶CPD Ⅰ和CPD Ⅱ基因,而C. racovitzae转录组序列中仅找到了光裂解酶CPD Ⅱ基因。尽管南极红藻中这些特有基因的功能有待进一步的验证,但...     

藻类基因转录调控研究进展

转录调控是基因表达调控的重要方式。转录调控的研究主要集中在启动子的克隆与分析、反式作用因子(即DNA结合蛋白)的检测及转录量的检测三方面。介绍了基因组步移、凝胶阻滞、酵母双杂交系统、cDNA微阵列等基因转录调控的常用研究方法,并对藻类基因转录调控的最新研究进展进行了评述。     

硝态氮对库区水体藻类和细菌群落的影响

水体富营养化极易引起湖泊水库如藻类水华等水生态系统环境问题。氮素作为初级生产力的限制性生源要素之一,认识其在水华形成过程中潜在作用至关重要。本研究选取胶东半岛低碳高氮水库水体进行模拟实验,通过添加不同剂量硝态氮,探究高硝态氮输入对库区水体藻类和细菌群落结构的影响。结果表明:(1)当硝态氮作为唯一氮源,随着培养时间延长,硝态氮浓度显著下降,亚硝态氮和氨氮浓度逐渐升高,表明微藻和细菌共同作用可能将硝态氮转化为亚硝态氮和氨氮;(2)当硝态氮浓度为6 mg/L时,藻类叶绿素a浓度达到最高值,随着硝态氮浓度升高,叶绿素a浓度则会降低;(3)添加硝态氮后,蓝藻门成为优势藻类,绿藻门次之;变形菌门相对丰度显著升高。研究结果为低碳高氮类水体暴发蓝绿藻水华及有效防控提供理论依据和技术支撑。     

中国球状绿藻新纪录属-索囊藻属(Choricystis)

在西藏那曲的错鄂和湖北武汉的紫阳湖采集到两株淡水绿色海绵。形态观察显示,两株海绵呈现绿色是由于其内共生有球状绿藻。基于形态观察和分子系统发育分析确定为该球状绿藻为索囊藻属的寄生索囊藻(Choricystis parasitica(K.Brandt)Pr?scholdDarienko)。结果表明:(1)两株藻均为纺锤形或倒卵形,长1.2—2.8μm,宽0.8—1.5μm;具一个侧位片状色素体;(2)依据18S r DNA和rbc L cp DNA的进化分析显示这两株藻均位于胶球藻科(Coccomyxaceae),索囊藻属(Choricystis);(3)基于ITS2的二级结构分析显示这两株藻与寄生索囊藻具有相同的二级结构,表明这两株内共生的球状绿藻均为寄生索囊藻。寄生索囊藻为中国新纪录种,所在属索囊藻属为中国新纪录属。本研究以形态性状和分子性状描述了采自中国的寄生索囊藻标本,为今后研究提供依据和参考。     

Biological aspects of pollution in the Heathcote river,Christchurch, New Zealand

The presence and degree of pollution in the Heathcote River was estimated from bacterial and chemical analyses of water sampled at low tide from five stations in summer 1967–68. The river is very badly polluted in the industrial area and downstream of it, but is fairly clean upstream of the industrial area. Results of analyses of micro‐organisms and macrofauna at 20 stations are presented and distributions of these organisms are related to salinity and pollution in the river. Pollution is restricting the macrofauna of the river but is encouraging micro‐organism populations. Three groups of macrofauna are present:

• Those present in clean freshwater only,

• Those tolerating pollution but restricted to freshwater, and

• Those tolerating pollution but restricted to saline water.

The use of these groups of species as biological indicators of pollution in the Heathcote River has been evaluated; pollution appears to be indicated by absence of a group of species rather than by presence of one species.     

New Zealand xenophyophores: Upper bathyal distribution,photographs of growth position,and a new species

Xenophyophores are a group of giant, but extremely fragile, rhizopod protozoans generally found at lower bathyal or abyssal depths. Recent dredge samples and photographs suggest that there is a largely endemic fauna of xenophyophores with anastomosing branches living at upper bathyal depths around New Zealand. Their distribution may be related to the layer of Antarctic Intermediate water that bathes the upper slope of the New Zealand Plateau.

Photographs of the seafloor at depths of 800–1300 m on the Lord Howe Rise show hemispherical masses, 5 cm across, of which the majority appear to be Syringammina tasmanensis Lewis, 1966 and at least one specimen may be Reticulammina lamellata Tendal, 1972. The photographs indicate that these species live on the seabed, not beneath it, that they are probably filter feeders and that they can reach a density of about one specimen per square metre.

A new species, Reticulammina maini, is described from the continental slope east of Auckland. A key to the New Zealand species of xenophyophore is presented.