Habitat configuration affects colonisation of epifauna in a marine algal bed

Habitat fragmentation is a threat to the preservation of both terrestrial and marine biodiversity. While terrestrial systems have been well studied, relatively few studies have considered how changes to the spatial arrangement of habitats affect fauna in marine systems. In this study, sampling and manipulative experiments examined the effects of varying the size and isolation of habitat patches on the abundance of mobile invertebrates inhabiting an algal dominated rocky reef. Variation in the size of naturally occurring patches of the brown alga Sargassum linearifolium did not impact upon the abundance of any taxonomic groups, with the exception of polychaete worms, which were most abundant in small patches. When habitat patch size and isolation were manipulated, the abundance of colonising isopods increased with increasing isolation from contiguous habitat. Amphipods and ostracods colonised small patches to greater numbers than large patches. Sampling of the matrix was undertaken to examine the rarely tested assumption that the area between habitat patches is not a potential source of colonists to the habitat in question. The matrix was found to support a strikingly different community of invertebrates than did the algal habitats and thus was unlikely to be a source of colonists to isolated algal patches. The increased abundance on small and isolated patches for some taxa are inconsistent with traditional predictions of the effects of reduced habitat patch sizes and indicate that patchy landscapes should not necessarily be considered poor habitats. The variation in responses among taxonomic groups suggests that a range of patch sizes may be necessary to maintain species diversity.     

Phosphorus dynamics in tile-drain flow during storms in the US Midwest

Excess phosphorus (P) in freshwater systems has been associated with eutrophication in agro-ecosystems of the US Midwest and elsewhere. A better understanding of processes regulating both soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and total phosphorus (TP) exports to tile-drains is therefore critical to minimize P losses to streams while maintaining crop yield. This paper investigates SRP and TP dynamics at a high temporal resolution during four spring storms in two tile-drains in the US Midwest. Depending on the storm, median concentrations varied between 0.006-0.025 mg/L for SRP and 0.057-0.176 mg/L for TP. For large storms (>6 cm bulk precipitation), for which macropore flow represented between 43 and 50% of total tile-drain flow, SRP transport to tile-drains was primarily regulated by macropore flow. For smaller tile-flow generating events (<3 cm bulk precipitation), for which macropore flow only accounted for 11-17% of total tile-drain flow, SRP transport was primarily regulated by matrix flow. Total P transport to tile-drains was primarily regulated by macropore flow regardless of the storm. Soluble reactive P (0.01-1.83 mg m⁻²/storm) and TP (0.10-8.64 mg m⁻²/storm) export rates were extremely variable and positively significantly correlated to both mean discharge and bulk precipitation. Soluble reactive P accounted for 9.9-15.5% of TP fluxes for small tile-flow generating events (<3 cm bulk precipitation) and for 16.2-22.0% of TP fluxes for large precipitation events (>6 cm bulk precipitation). Although significant variations in tile-flow response to precipitation were observed, no significant differences in SRP and TP concentrations were observed between adjacent tile-drains. Results stress the dominance of particulate P and the importance of macropore flow in P transport to tile-drains in the US Midwest. Although only spring storms are investigated, this study brings critical insight into P dynamics in tile-drains at a critical time of the year for water quality management.     

老瓜头悬浮细胞培养及基质消耗规律的初探

[目的]为老瓜头资源利用提供前期的生物技术试验参考。[方法]以老瓜头愈伤组织为外植体,运用正交设计试验,进行细胞悬浮培养,对接种量及悬浮培养基进行筛选试验研究,并测定了老瓜头细胞悬浮培养过程中硝酸盐、氨盐、磷酸盐、蔗糖及可溶性总糖含量的消耗。[结果]老瓜头愈伤细胞最佳液体培养基为不添加任何激素的MS培养基;其最适接种量为40 g/L;黑暗培养条件适合其细胞生长,其生长周期较短,生物量大;在老瓜头细胞培养初期(0~9 d),培养中的硝酸盐、氨盐、磷酸盐、蔗糖含量均呈急剧下降趋势,分别为初始含量的7.19%、21.53%、0.28%、1.53%,之后各自变化趋于平缓。[结论]初步建立了老瓜头悬浮细胞培养技术体系。     

The fate of Amazonian forest fragments: A 32-year investigation

We synthesize findings to date from the world’s largest and longest-running experimental study of habitat fragmentation, located in central Amazonia. Over the past 32 years, Amazonian forest fragments ranging from 1 to 100 ha have experienced a wide array of ecological changes. Edge effects have been a dominant driver of fragment dynamics, strongly affecting forest microclimate, tree mortality, carbon storage, fauna, and other aspects of fragment ecology. However, edge-effect intensity varies markedly in space and time, and is influenced by factors such as edge age, the number of nearby edges, and the adjoining matrix of modified vegetation surrounding fragments. In our study area, the matrix has changed markedly over the course of the study (evolving from large cattle pastures to mosaics of abandoned pasture and regrowth forest) and this in turn has strongly influenced fragment dynamics and faunal persistence. Rare weather events, especially windstorms and droughts, have further altered fragment ecology. In general, populations and communities of species in fragments are hyperdynamic relative to nearby intact forest. Some edge and fragment-isolation effects have declined with a partial recovery of secondary forests around fragments, but other changes, such as altered patterns of tree recruitment, are ongoing. Fragments are highly sensitive to external vicissitudes, and even small changes in local land-management practices may drive fragmented ecosystems in markedly different directions. The effects of fragmentation are likely to interact synergistically with other anthropogenic threats such as logging, hunting, and especially fire, creating an even greater peril for the Amazonian biota.     

Does the matrix matter? A forest primate in a complex agricultural landscape

Many threatened primates now exist in fragmented forest habitats. The survival of these populations may depend on their ability to utilise agricultural or other matrix habitats between forest fragments, but this is poorly known. Here, we systematically investigate an arboreal primate’s use of a heterogeneous matrix in a fragmented forest landscape: the Angola black-and-white colobus (Colobus angolensis palliatus) in southern Kenya. We used a novel technique, based on semi-structured interviews with local informants, to address the difficulty of sampling relatively rare but important events, such as dispersal between fragments. We found that colobus frequently travelled and foraged in indigenous matrix vegetation (such as mangrove, wooded shrubland and shrubland) up to 4 km from the nearest forest fragments. Agricultural habitats, such as perennial plantation (coconut, mango and cashew nut) were also used by colobus for travelling and foraging (in remnant indigenous trees). The probability of sighting colobus in the matrix increased with the proportion of both tall (>6 m) vegetation cover and food tree cover, but declined with distance from forest habitat. Our findings suggest that certain matrix habitats are important for C. a. palliatus, and that future primate conservation initiatives might benefit from adopting a ‘landscape-level’ approach to habitat management, particularly in fragmented forest systems.     

DRASTIC法与矩阵法在地下水污染风险评价中的应用

将DRASTIC法与矩阵法相结合,从地下水固有脆弱性、地下水污染源荷载以及地下水的价值3个方面,评价了地下水受污染的风险.     

Characterisation of three novel canine osteosarcoma cell lines producing high levels of matrix metalloproteinases

Three canine osteosarcoma cell lines were established from spontaneous pelvic and radial osteosarcomas. The cell populations cultured exhibited characteristics of malignancy and consisted of adherent, pleomorphic, mostly large spindle-shaped or polyhedral cells, characterised by the presence of numerous cytoplasmic granules and vacuoles. The main ultrastructural features included the presence of abundant rough endoplasmic reticulum and numerous cytoplasmic vesicles, deposit vacuoles and small cytoplasmic protrusions. Zymography showed that the cell lines produce high levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9, enzymes directly involved in crucial aspects of the metastatic process. Consistent with their osteoblastic lineage and malignant phenotype, all cell lines were immunoreactive to vimentin, osteopontin, PCNA, p53, MMP-2 and MMP-9, while they were negative for cytokeratin, desmin, SMA, Factor VIII, NSE, GFAP, Rb and p21 protein. No retroviral particles or RNA were detected ultrastructurally or with RT-PCR, although the possibility of viral involvement in osteosarcoma cannot be excluded. The new cell lines provide excellent in vitro models that may allow further studies on the pathobiology of canine osteosarcoma to be undertaken.     

三角帆蚌免疫系统及其珍珠层研究进展

为蚌病害的防治及培育出更优质的珍珠,根据近年来淡水育珠蚌三角帆蚌(Hyriopsis cumingii)及部分其他贝类的研究资料,综述了三角帆蚌血细胞免疫、体液免疫,及其珍珠层结构与形成方面的研究进展,同时分析指出了现有研究的不足及以后的研究重点。     

牡丹基质栽培技术研究

[目的]寻找新的高效的牡丹(Paeonia suffruticosa)栽培基质。[方法]针对牡丹的出口苗木培育目标,配制了8种基质和3种营养液,就牡丹嫁接、分株苗培育进行了牡丹生长全过程的无土栽培试验研究。[结果]5年的研究发现,基质7(珍珠岩+泥炭土50%+50%)、基质8(珍珠岩+泥炭土+椰糠50%+40%+10%)与3号营养液[Ca(NO3)2.4H2O 0.882 00 g/L+KNO30.444 00 g/L+H2SO4 0.125 00 g/L+Na2Fe-EDTA 0.400 00 g/L+H3BO30.002 70 g/L+ZnSO4.7H2O 0.000 50 g/L+CuSO4.5H2O 0.000 08 g/L+NaMoO4.2H2O 0.000 13 g/L]组合在牡丹基质栽培中表现最佳,嫁接苗合格率达到95%;无土栽培有效地控制了牡丹病虫害的发生,尤其是根部病虫害未见发病株,所培育的苗木可全部用于出口;与大棚设施相结合,无土栽培技术可使牡丹"春提前、秋延后",缩短了培育周期,提高了苗木培育速度;无土栽培效益十分可观,投资利润率为112.18%,每年净利润超过30万元/hm2,是传统栽培净利润的4.59倍。[结论]该研究可为解决牡丹落后的生产管理技术,使牡丹的栽培技术与世界的花卉栽培技术相接轨,提高牡丹产品在国际市场上的竞争力,并进一步促进牡丹产业化的发展提供参考。     

不同浓度NaCl对矮牵牛穴盘苗生长发育的影响

[目的]研究NaCl对矮牵牛(Petunia hybrida Vilm)穴盘苗生长发育的影响,为我国大规模穴盘苗生产提供理论指导。[方法]NaCl浓度分别为0(CK)、0.25、0.50、1.00、1.25、1.50 g/L,测定矮牵牛地上、地下部鲜重等生长发育指标。[结果]低浓度NaCl有助于矮牵牛的养分吸收。其中,0.50、1.00 g/L NaCl处理的植株长势最好,并显著优于对照。虽然1.25、1.50 g/L NaCl处理植株生长也优于对照,但明显不如0.50、1.00 g/L NaCl处理。通过测定基质EC和基质中的养分含量发现,通常的穴盘苗基质具有对盐分的缓冲能力,基质EC受其影响不大,但对基质中的大量元素养分含量影响显著。[结论]一定低浓度盐分有助于穴盘苗的生长发育,符合要求的城市废水可直接用于园林幼苗培育。