The stable isotope fingerprint of chemosymbiosis in the shell organic matrix of seep-dwelling bivalves

Chemosymbiotic bivalves harboring endosymbiotic, chemotrophic bacteria have been investigated from a variety of hydrocarbon seeps worldwide. It has been shown that carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotopic compositions of the animal soft body parts are excellent indicators for evaluating energy transfer and food sources for the respective deep-sea habitats. However, recognition of chemosymbiosis has proven to be difficult for bivalves that dwelled at ancient seeps due to the lack of soft tissue. Here, we investigated delta C-13, delta N-15, and delta S-34 signatures of the tissue (mantle) and the shell organic matrix (SOM) of the same specimens of three bathymodiolin mussel species with different chemotrophic symbionts (methanotrophs in Bathymodiolus platifrons and B. childressi and thiotrophs in B. aduloides) and one vesicomyid clam (Calyptogena sp.) from a variety of hydrocarbon seeps from the South China Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The data obtained demonstrate that all seep bivalves regardless of species or locations reveal overall small differences in delta C-13 (<= + 4 parts per thousand), delta N-15 (<= + 1 parts per thousand), and delta S-34 (<= + 5 parts per thousand) values between SOM and mantle (Delta(SOM-mantle)) of the specimens. Relatively larger Delta(SOM-mantle) for d13C values (as high as + 10 parts per thousand)in B. platifrons and larger Delta(SOM-mantle) for delta S-34 values (up to 16 parts per thousand) in B. aduloides and Calyptogena sp. might be due to different symbionts in their gills. Since SOM can be extracted from fossil bivalve shells, the proxy can be used as a fingerprint of chemosynthesis-based food chains, although its utility will depend on the quality of preservation of the shell organic matter. Despite this uncertainty, the new proxy has great potential to reconstruct energy flow through different types of chemosynthesis-based ecosystems

面向GF-5卫星高光谱传感器的浑浊水体叶绿素a浓度反演算法研究——以鄱阳湖为例

为了分析即将发射的高分5号卫星(GF-5)的高光谱数据在内陆水体水色遥感中的应用潜力,以鄱阳湖为研究区域,利用2009年、2011年和2016年共134组现场实测光谱及其对应的叶绿素a、总悬浮物浓度数据,考虑高浑浊水体引起的叶绿素a浓度变化的光谱响应差异,在进行水体光学分区基础上通过光谱模拟与差分处理开展了叶绿素a浓度跨阶分高光谱反演研究.结果表明:1)进行光学分区有利于提高反演精度,非高浑浊水体(NDCI≥0.06)区域,反演模型判定系数R2达到0.82,均方根误差RMSE为1.12,平均相对误差MRE为0.32,而不进行光学分区的全湖区反演建模R2仅为0.37;2)相较于鄱阳湖前期研究得到的最优多波段反演模型(R2=0.76),利用495、591、675、679、684、688、692和696nm等波长的原始光谱以及差分光谱(一阶差分、二阶差分)建立的跨阶分多波段组合模型可以更有效地反演非高浑浊水体叶绿素a浓度(R2=0.82),但对于高浑浊水体(NDCI<0.06),叶绿素a浓度的高光谱反演能力还需要进一步挖掘

造礁石珊瑚共附生固氮微生物的固氮活性

造礁石珊瑚是珊瑚礁生态系统的主要建造者,其共附生微生物参与的生物固氮过程可以缓解寡营养海域的氮素限制,从而维持珊瑚礁生态系统较高的初级生产力。本研究以位于海南三亚鹿回头和西沙南沙洲两地的造礁石珊瑚为对象,采用乙炔还原法测定了不同季节及不同物种的珊瑚共附生固氮微生物的固氮活性;同时测定了海水营养盐含量,分析了珊瑚固氮活性与环境因子之间的关系。结果表明:三亚鹿回头海域的鹿角杯形珊瑚(Pocillopora damicornis)、澄黄滨珊瑚(Porites lutea)和芽枝鹿角珊瑚(Acropora gemmifera)的固氮活性无季节性差异;但相同季节3种珊瑚的固氮活性具有显著的物种间差异,其中鹿角杯形珊瑚的固氮活性最高(P<0.05),夏季为5.925×10~(-11)mol C_2H_4·g~(-1)·h~(-1),冬季为6.471×10~(-11)mol C_2H_4·g~(-1)·h~(-1);西沙寡营养条件下的澄黄滨珊瑚的固氮活性在夏季为5.401×10~(-11)mol C_2H_4·g~(-1)·h~(-1),显著高于同一季节三亚鹿回头的澄黄滨珊瑚的固氮活性(1.971×10~(-11)mol C_2H_4·g~(-1)·h~(-1))(P<0.01)。研究表明,在营养盐浓度较高的背景下,珊瑚的固氮活性受环境因子和季节变化的影响较小。西沙南沙州海水中溶解性营养盐浓度的升高可能会减弱珊瑚共附生固氮微生物的固氮能力

An improved method for integrated ecosystem health assessments based on the structure and function of coastal ecosystems: A case study of the Jiangsu coastal area, China

Ecosystem health status assessment is very complex and requires an integrated approach based on combined and synoptic estimates of the environmental background and the study of the structure and function of different ecosystems at a systems level. Here, we present the main results gained over six years (2006-2007, 2009-2012) with the aim of obtaining concise and comprehensive assessment results at 30 routine investigation sites in the Jiangsu coastal area. Our improved approach follows consecutive and interconnected steps. First, we conducted a quantitative assessment of community structure, including species abundance, biomass, and diversity utilizing a multidimensional scaling method. Then, a systemic functional assessment was carried out at the genetic level, including eco-exergy and structural eco-exergy, using a means clustering method, passing through a dimensionless polygonal area to reflect the integrated assessment results. Our results indicate that among the four seasons, the health status was best in autumn, followed by spring and winter, and worst in summer. Among the six assessed years, 2006 had the best health status, whereas 2012 had the worst. The general trend of annual variation in ecosystem health status was in decline. As for the regions, the health status was good or moderate in the southern and northern regions, and worst in the central region. Various human interventions and environmental stresses contributed to the stability and resilience of the ecosystem at different time scales and in different areas; however, these effects were not absolutely negative. This new method has strong applicability for assessing the status of ecosystems composed of several communities, as long as the eco-exergy quality and community structure of the system can be estimated

Global trends in phytoplankton research of river ecosystems during 1991-2016: A bibliometric analysis

Rivers are representative lotic freshwater ecosystems and are regarded as the lotic belt for transportation of nutrients and pollutants from the land to the sea. To understand the global research profile and fronts of river phytoplankton, 13,434 publications regarding river phytoplankton indexed by Web of Science during 1991-2016 were analyzed using a bibliometric approach. The EU Water Framework Directive presents a good case for promoting not only frequent cooperation between European countries but also the development of river phytoplankton studies. Such directives are anticipated to promote global consistency of the water evaluations and management in the future. Phytoplankton play important roles in bio-assessments and energy flow of river ecosystems. The trait-based method has many advantages compared with traditional methods based on community composition and metric indices. The trait-based method considers a complex mixture of stressors by combining qualitative and quantitative parameters but also transfers different geographic taxonomic compositions to a similar complement of traits. Moreover, phytoplankton-based food chains are generally considered to transfer energy and carbon more efficiently to higher trophic levels than bacterial-based food chains. Algae are a high-quality food for higher trophic levels, compared with bacteria and terrestrial material. The algal component of periphyton has been demonstrated to be the major basal component of stream food webs

Structures within the oceanic crust of the central South China Sea basin and their implications for oceanic accretionary processes

Internal structures in mature oceanic crust can elucidate understanding of the processes and mechanism of crustal accretion. In this study, we present two multi-channel seismic (MCS) transects across the northern flank of the South China Sea basin to reveal the internal structures related to Cenozoic tectono-magmatic processes during seafloor spreading. Bright reflectors within the oceanic crust, including the Moho, upper crustal reflectors, and lower crustal reflectors, are clearly imaged in these two transects. The Moho reflection displays varied character in continuity, shape and amplitude from the continental slope area to the abyssal basin, and becomes absent in the central part of the basin where abundant seamounts and seamount chains formed after the cessation of seafloor spreading. Dipping reflectors are distinct in most parts of the MCS data but generally confined to the lower crust above the Moho reflection. These lower crustal reflectors merge downward into the Moho without offsetting it, probably arising from shear zones between the crust and mantle characterized by interstitial melt, although we cannot exclude other possibilities such as brittle faulting or magmatic layering in the local area. A notable feature of these lower crustal reflector events is their opposite inclinations. We suggest the two groups of conjugate lower crustal reflector events observed between magnetic anomalies C11 and C8 were associated with two unusual accretionary processes arising from plate reorganizations with southward ridge jumps. (C) 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V

Characterization and heterologous expression of the neoabyssomicin/abyssomicin biosynthetic gene cluster from Streptomyces koyangensis SCSIO 5802

Background: The deep-sea-derived microbe Streptomyces koyangensis SCSIO 5802 produces neoabyssomicins A-B (1-2) and abyssomicins 2 (3) and 4 (4). Neoabyssomicin A (1) augments human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) replication whereas abyssomicin 2 (3) selectively reactivates latent HIV and is also active against Gram-positive pathogens including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Structurally, neoabyssomicins A-B constitute a new subtype within the abyssomicin family and feature unique structural traits characteristic of extremely interesting biosynthetic transformations. Results: In this work, the biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) for the neoabyssomicins and abyssomicins, composed of 28 opening reading frames, was identified in S. koyangensis SCSIO 5802, and its role in neoabyssomicin/abyssomicin biosynthesis was confirmed via gene inactivation and heterologous expression experiments. Bioinformatics and genomics analyses enabled us to propose a biosynthetic pathway for neoabyssomicin/abyssomicin biosynthesis. Similarly, a protective export system by which both types of compounds are secreted from the S. koyangensis producer was identified, as was a four-component ABC transporter-based import system central to neoabyssomicin/ abyssomicin biosynthesis. Furthermore, two regulatory genes, abmI and abmH, were unambiguously shown to be positive regulators of neoabyssomicin/abyssomicin biosynthesis. Consistent with their roles as positive regulatory genes, the overexpression of abmI and abmH (independent of each other) was shown to improve neoabyssomicin/ abyssomicin titers. Conclusions: These studies provide new insight into the biosynthesis of the abyssomicin class of natural products, and highlight important exploitable features of its BGC for future efforts. Elucidation of the neoabyssomicin/abyssomicin BGC now enables combinatorial biosynthetic initiatives aimed at improving both the titers and pharmaceutical properties of these important natural products-based drug leads

An outbreak of sea cucumbers hinders coral recruitment

An outbreak of a small sessile sea cucumber, Ocnus sanya, occurred on the degraded Luhuitou coral reef in Sanya Bay, Hainan, China. This study explored the pattern of distribution of O. sanya on the reef and the impacts of the high abundance of O. sanya on post-settlement mortality of Pocillopora damicornis recruits. The density of O. sanya ranged from about 500 to over 2000 individuals m(-2) with 10.95-23.69% cover on hard substrate. Terracotta tiles with O. sanya on the surface accumulated 19.7% more surface sediment than those without sea cucumbers. Post-settlement P. damicornis recruits had significantly higher mortality on terracotta tiles with O. sanya than those without O. sanya after 21 d. Overall, O. sanya appears to increase sediment stress and inhibit coral recruitment, exacerbating the degradation of Luhuitou Reef. This study raises the possibility that such novel outbreak species could contribute significant additional stress on coral reefs at larger scales

Concentrations, Distribution, and Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Daya Bay, China

Surface sediment samples were collected from 19 sites throughout Daya Bay, China to study the concentrations, spatial distributions, potential ecological risk, and possible sources of heavy, including metals copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and chromium (Cr). The mean concentrations of the eight heavy metals were 24, 109, 6.5, 0.09, 35.3, 26.8, 0.07, and 109 mu g g(-1), respectively. The concentrations of most heavy metals were within range of those recorded in previous years. The spatial distribution pattern of most heavy metals were similar, with lowest values recorded along the southeast coast and the open sea area; the highest values were recorded in the northern Daya Bay, especially the northwest. Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb, and Hg were classified as Class I, and Ni and Cr were classified as Class II according to the Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs) of China. The potential ecological risk (E-f(i)) indices of Cu, Zn, As, Pb, Ni, and Cr specify that these metals pose low risk to the ecosystem of the Bay, whereas Cd and Hg pose a very high risk in some sites. The geoaccumulation indices (I-geo) of Cu, Zn, As, Ni, and Cr specify weak or no pollution in Daya Bay, whereas those of Pb, Cd, and Hg in some sites indicate moderate or even high pollution. Spatial distribution, carbon/nitrogen analysis, Pearson correlation, and principal components analysis indicated that Cu, Zn, As, Pb, Ni, Cr, total organic carbon (TOC), and total nitrogen (TN) originated from the same sources. Ballast water or sewage from the cargo ships that park at the harbors or anchor in the Bay were the important sources for Cu, Zn, As, Pb, Ni, Cr, TOC, and TN. Other anthropogenic sources, such as agricultural runoff and aquaculture, might also be responsible, whereas Hg and Cd originated from other point sources

Three New Records of Gastropoda (Mollusca) from the Nansha Islands, China

The Nansha Islands, China, have extremely high marine biodiversity and hundreds of mollusks have been reported there. Benthos resources investigations of the intertidal and subtidal zone around the Nansha Islands have been continuously performed for decades, and recently, dozens of new species and new records of mollusks have been reported from this area. This paper dealt with three new record species of the Gastropoda from Chinese waters: Cerithium salebrosum Sowerby II, 1855, Vexillum militare (Reeve, 1845) and Vexillum bizonale (Dautzenberg et Bouge, 1923), respectively belonging to three families: Cerithiidae Fleming, 1822, and Costellariidae MacDonald, 1860. All specimens were collected from the Nansha Islands during the benthos resources investigations on the intertidal zone of islands and reefs in the South China Sea in recent years. Diagnosis and geographic descriptions of both genus and species, illustrations of each species were given in this contribution, and discussion of taxonomy, identification features and faunal characteristics were presented. All examined specimens were deposited in the Marine Biodiversity Collections of South China Sea, Chinese Academy of Sciences