Seasonal warm-water refuge and sanctuary usage by the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) in Kings Bay,Citrus County,Florida

The largest Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) aggregation at a natural warm-water site occurs in Kings Bay, Crystal River, FL. In accordance with the Manatee Recovery Plan, manatee protection areas within Kings Bay have been created by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the State of Florida including a year-round refuge designation and seven Federal manatee sanctuaries during the winter manatee season (15 November–31 March). Over the last 30 years, an increase in manatee counts has been observed in Kings Bay which has prompted the need to review existing manatee protection measures. Aerial survey data collected between 1983 and 2012 were used to examine the seasonal change in manatee distribution within Kings Bay to assess the effectiveness of current sanctuary sizes and locations. Regression analysis suggested a significant change in manatee abundance among the winter seasons (p < 0.05). The average winter manatee counts increased by 4.81 animals per year over the 30-year period. Spatially explicit maps using geographic information system (GIS) analysis revealed a strong correlation between high manatee density and artesian springs in Kings Bay during the winter seasons. Highest abundances were identified at three locations: King Spring, Three Sisters Springs, and Magnolia Springs, which coincide with preexisting sanctuary designations. Additional coverage is advocated to support the overflow of manatees outside of sanctuary boundaries. As density patterns were not uniform across summer periods, a consideration of additional boat speed regulations is recommended.     

南岭山脉及周边鸟类β多样性分析

根据南岭山脉及周边46个地点的鸟类物种多样性数据,结合系统发育关系,运用β多样性比较南岭3个动物地理亚区的物种和谱系差异,探讨南岭地区是否构成华中区和华南区动物地理分界的一部分。结果表明：1）3个区域间物种构成和谱系构成的差异较小,闽广沿海亚区和东部丘陵平原亚区之间的差异主要源于物种丰富度的高低差别,闽广沿海亚区和西部山地高原亚区之间的差异主要源于物种组成和谱系结构两方面的替换;2）留鸟、夏候鸟和冬候鸟会对差异格局造成不同的影响,其中以留鸟各区域间的差异格局最为明显,将夏候鸟和冬候鸟并入分析后,各区域间的差异会缩小;3）鸟类群落在东西间和南北间均会发生明显的谱系分离,东西间的谱系分离主要发生在距离较远的地点之间,南北间的谱系分离在较远地点和较近地点之间均有发生。综合结果,南岭山脉的南侧和北侧的鸟类群落在谱系构成上发生了快速的改变,支持南岭山脉作为华中区和华南区动物地理分界的一部分。     

农牧交错带农田土壤风蚀PM10释放特征

粉尘释放是风蚀造成危害的一个重要过程。以农牧交错带沙区和非沙区农田土壤为研究对象,利用室内风洞模拟实验,实时监测了风蚀过程中释放的PM₁₀,分析了PM₁₀的动态变化特征,以深入认识土壤风蚀粉尘释放机理。结果表明：非沙区农田土壤风蚀强度远低于沙区农田,与风速呈指数函数关系;非沙区农田的土壤粉尘释放在不同风速下均以气流直接抬升模式为主,平均PM₁₀通量与风速呈线性函数关系,最大PM₁₀通量与风速呈幂函数关系;沙区农田的土壤粉尘释放在风速增大到一定程度后呈气流直接抬升和砂粒跃移冲击复合模式,最大PM₁₀通量增加不明显,但平均PM₁₀通量明显高于非沙区农田;对于沙区和非沙区农田而言,平均PM₁₀通量与风蚀速率呈对数函数关系。     

新疆县域农林牧渔业空间差异分析——基于ESDA与GIS方法

应用ESDA并结合标准差指数(S)、变异系数(V)等方法,从空间相关的视角分析新疆各县市农林牧渔业人均产值的空间差异。结果显示:以农林牧渔业人均产值来计算的新疆县域间的农林牧渔业人均产值呈现北疆高于东疆、南疆的空间差异。2003-2012年间:新疆县域农林牧渔业人均产值的空间自相关测度Moran's I呈曲线性增减态势,表明农林牧渔业人均产值的空间集聚性呈曲线性波动,但农林牧渔业人均产值的年增长率逐年上升。从局部自相关分析来看,区域间呈现两个极端化较为明显,说明新疆农林牧渔业人均产值在空间分布上具有不均衡性。     

Phosphatic microspherules and their geobiological implications from the Frasnian-Famennian transition at the Yangdi section,Guilin, South China

Abundant perfectly-preserved phosphatic microspherules have been discovered across the Frasnian-Famennian(F-F)transition from the Yangdi section in Guilin,Guangxi,South China.They are mostly spherical or elliptical in shape and about 150μm in diameter with smooth exterior surfaces.Each microspherule consistently possesses a small dimple on the surface.The internal texture of microspherules consists of concentric light-colored apatite and dark-colored organic matter bands alternating around a central core.Conodonts have also been found preserved together with phosphatic microspherules in the same horizon,and the abundance of the former is obviously higher than that of the latter.Laser Raman spectral studies show close similarities in spectral patterns between the outer shells of phosphatic microspherules and the blade of the conodont genus Palmatolepis sp.,as well as between the microspherule nucleus and the platform of the same conodont genus.Furthermore,the statistical results and geochemical data demonstrate that the elevated abundance of phosphatic microspherules roughly coincides with the blooms of bacteria and algae,but is later than the sharp increase of oceanic nutrients.The phosphatic microspherules are interpreted here to be the‘otoliths’secreted by conodont animals based on the compositional similarities between phosphatic microspherules and conodonts and their interrelated abundances.In addition,an analogous study reveals morphological and textural similarities between fish otoliths and phosphatic microspherules.The formation of phosphatic microspherules is probably related to seawater eutrophication.We speculate that the explosive growth of bacteria and algae is probably caused by the enrichment of nutrients that is most likely associated with the increase of terrestrial inputs,submarine hydrothermal activities or the upwelling anoxic bottom waters in the late Devonian,which would stimulate the conodont animals to secrete phosphatic microspherules—the‘otoliths’of conodont animals.This study reveals the coupling relationship between organisms and environments from the perspective of phosphatic microspherules and provides new evidence for the cause of faunal crisis during the Late Devonian F-F transition.     

Fifty-five-year longevity for the largest member of the family Sparidae: the endemic red steenbras Petrus rupestris from South Africa

A previous study that explored the age and growth of red steenbras Petrus rupestris (Valenciennes, 1830), a large sparid (family Sparidae, seabreams or porgies) endemic to South Africa and reported to approach 2 m in length, provided estimates as a moderately slow-growing species with a maximum age near 30 years. The stock is considered collapsed and a fishing moratorium was imposed in 2012, resulting in this species being assessed as Endangered by the IUCN. One consideration in addressing population status is validation of life-history traits. In this study, estimates of age for red steenbras from thin-sectioned otoliths were reassessed visually in terms of both the original ages and revised estimates using a different age-reading pattern. The revised ages exceeded the original ages by up to 30 years, with a maximum estimated age of 55 years from a well-defined otolith section that provided a basis for the revised age-reading procedure. Bomb radiocarbon (¹⁴C) dating revealed there was an offset in the timing of the ¹⁴C rise on the Agulhas Bank that, when coupled with considerations for regional oceanography, provided support for the revised age-reading pattern and an estimated longevity that exceeds 50 years. These findings were further supported by the fortuitous recapture of a tagged red steenbras that was at liberty for 22 years.     

Conservation status of New Zealand freshwater fish, 2009

The threat status of 74 freshwater and estuarine fish present in New Zealand was determined. Fifty-one native taxa were ranked of which 67% were considered Threatened or At Risk. A single species was classified as Extinct, the New Zealand grayling, which has not been observed since the 1920s. Four taxa were classified in the highest threat category, Nationally Critical, and a further 10 taxa as Threatened (Nationally Endangered or Nationally Vulnerable). Twenty taxa were ranked in the At Risk group with the majority ranked as Declining. Endemic galaxiids (Galaxiidae) dominated the Threatened and At Risk taxa. The majority (68%) belonged to the Galaxias genus, comprising 81% of recognised taxa in this genus and all five species in the genus Neochanna were also ranked as Threatened or At Risk. In addition to 51 native taxa, a further three fish species were considered colonists and 20 introduced species were classified as naturalised, although two of these are considered rare. The majority of the Threatened species occur in the Canterbury and Otago regions where a suite of rare non-migratory galaxiids exist. Threat mechanisms that were identified as causal in the decline of freshwater fish species were the impact of introduced fish species, declining water quality, effects of water abstraction, loss of habitat via land-use change and land-use activities, and river modifications.     

双源CT诊断兔急性肺栓塞实验研究

目的:应用双源CT探讨新西兰兔耳缘静脉注入明胶海绵制造急性肺动脉栓塞(PE)模型的可行性。方法:新西兰兔24只随机分为实验组(n=22只,按栓塞后检查时间分为2h、1d、3d和7d组)与对照组(n=2只)。实验组22只采用经耳缘静脉快速注射明胶海绵栓子制成急性PE模型,栓塞前后均行CTPA及肺灌注检查,检查结束后全部处死。对照组2只新西兰兔经耳缘静脉注入等渗盐水后立即处死。全部行病理检查。结果:22只实验组新西兰兔制模成功20只,其中有2只分别因为栓塞过量和麻醉过量而未取得数据,模型制备成功率为90%。以肺叶为单位,在CT图像上分析100个肺叶影像表现,可见栓塞后2h组对应的肺叶纹理稀疏12叶;1d及3d组对应肺叶呈磨玻璃改变22叶;7d组对应肺叶实变3叶。DEPI均呈现低灌注。病理检查发现:2h组相应肺组织呈鲜红色,未见结构破坏及肺泡渗出;1d组对应肺组织呈水肿、淤血、出血及炎细胞浸润改变;3d组部分肺组织轻度梗死,对应肺组织呈深红色,肺泡间隔增宽,大量炎细胞浸润;7d组肺泡腔被渗出物填充,对应肺组织呈暗红色,实变坏死。实验组共发现3只新西兰兔肺动脉管腔内含明胶海绵。结论:经新西兰兔耳缘静脉注射明胶海绵制作急性肺栓塞动物模型操作简单,成本低廉,成功率较高,是肺栓塞影像学研究较容易制作的实验模型。      

典型沙生植物差不嘎蒿研究进展与展望

差不嘎蒿（Artemisia halodendron）是我国半干旱沙区特有的菊科蒿属半灌木,具有抗风蚀、耐沙埋、耐高温、耐贫瘠和兼性克隆繁殖等生物学特性,是重要的先锋固沙植物和珍贵的抗逆种质资源,具有较高的生态和生物学开发利用价值。从生物学特性、种群生态学和生理生态适应性等几个方面较系统地评述了国内外关于差不嘎蒿的研究动态及其进展,并在此基础上,提出了差不嘎蒿研究的发展方向及需要进一步关注的关键科学问题,旨在为有效保护和合理利用这一濒临危境的乡土物种提供科学依据。