[Book Review] OMURA, Yutaka. 2008. The fundamental study regarding the history of prehistoric archaeology in Japan:The study of Sugao Yamanouchi and those around him Rokuichisyobo, pp.1-215.

大村 裕著『日本先史考古学史の基礎研究-山内清男の学問とその周辺の人々-』A5判 215頁,六一書房,2008年5月刊,本体価格2,500円+税本稿は大村裕氏『日本先史考古学史の基礎研究-山内清男の学問とその周辺の人々-』の書評である。著者はまず日本先史考古学の基盤を築いた山内清男を基軸として、その周囲に展開した研究者の活動を対象としつつ、わが国の先史考古学研究史の再検討を試みる。その中でとくに山内の先人として、その学問形成に直接的な影響を与えたと想定される研究者についてやや予察的な検討を行っている。これは、隣接する学問分野(人類学・歴史学・民俗学・社会学など)の方法論を採り入れたものであり、今後とも斯学に新たな視点を提供していくものと思われる。また、著者は研究史的な検証と併行して、山内の学問的体系とは如何なるものなのかということについても考究した。様々な資料を駆使して、山内が残した論文を詳細に読み解いていく手法は堅実で説得力がある。とくに従来、余りにも素朴に考えられてきた「繩紋」という用語について、原典の丹念な読解によって、その理解に一入の深化を与えたと言える。また文様帯系統論についても、その発想の根源にある生物学的な知見に注目し、難解と言われてきた理論の理解を援ける視点を提供した。さらに、これらを総合し、著者自身が直面する学問的課題に対処するための方法を実際の資料に即して展開したことは、山内の学問に真摯に学んだ研究者のものとして、後学にも資するところ大であると思われる

A comparative analysis of coastal environmental conditions in the eastern Norwegian Sea and southern Barents Sea by means of Arctica islandica growth records.

Since the 1970s tremendous changes have been observed in the Arctic region. As such, the surface air temperature within this region has increased twice the global average and according to existing climate model predictions, this trend will continue in the future (IPCC, 2007). However, interpretation of such transformation, which results from greenhouse warming, is still difficult. This is due to a lack of knowledge about the influence of multi-annual to decadal climate variations and the fact that climatic data from this region are usually temporally and spatially biased. Therefore, a better understanding and further research on the effects and predictability of climate variability is needed. We examined the growth variability in shells of the bivalve Arctica islandica which is affected by environmental factors, mainly temperature or food supply. We compare shells from two sampling sites, the northern Norwegian coast and Kola Peninsula coast (SW Barents Sea). Both localities are in the realm of the Norwegian Coastal Current (after crossing the border to Russia it is called the Murman Coastal Current). For the investigation of the annual and inter-annual growth variability all collected shells were cut parallel to the line of strongest growth (LSG) and 3 mm thick-sections were attached to a glass slide. After grinding and polishing, the cross-sections were stained in Mutvei´s solution. Annual growth bands were identified and measured. Samples for the stable oxygen isotope (δ18O) analysis and the seasonality approach were taken using a hand drill and the milling technique. As our prime objective we compared the shell growth of the Norwegian and the Russian populations and determined the external factors controlling the annual shell growth variability in A. islandica. Furthermore, the shells from both populations have been checked for decadal oscillations (NAO? ACRI?). Finally, stable oxygen isotope ratio (δ18O) profiles have been measured to identify seasonal signals and to reconstruct regional water temperature variability at a sub-annual level

Age dependent patterns of antioxidants in Arctica islandica from six regionally separate populations with different life spans

We compared six biogeographically and climatically distinct population of extremely long-lived ocean quahog Arctica islandica, for age-dependent differences in metabolic rates and antioxidant capacities (superoxide dismutase, catalase activity and total glutathione concentration). Different geographic locations, covering a temperature and salinity gradient of 3.7–9.3 °C and 20–35 ppt from the Norwegian coast, White Sea, Iceland, Kattegat, Kiel Bay and German Bight. The bivalve shells were used as age recorders by counting annual growth bands. Maximum lifespan in different populations varied between 30 and 192 y. The exceptionally long lifespan of A. islandica cannot be exclusively explained by a better-established antioxidant defense system. Extreme longevity observed in some North Atlantic populations seems to be grounded in its very low lifetime mass specific respiration, in combination with stable maintenance of antioxidant protection over life in mature specimens. The shorter-lived populations have the highest metabolic rates and show no metabolic response (Q10) when warmed to higher temperature. Low and fluctuating salinity in Baltic exerts a stress, which enhances respiration rates and shortens longevity

Does the membrane pacemaker theory of metabolism explain the size dependence of metabolic rate in marine mussels?

According to the Membrane Pacemaker Theory of metabolism (MPT) allometric scaling of metabolic rate in animals is determined by the composition of cellular and mitochondrial membranes that changes with body size in a predictable manner. MPT has been elaborated from interspecific comparisons in mammals. It projects that the degree of unsaturation of membrane phospholipids decreases in larger organisms, thereby lowering ion permeability of the membranes and making cellular and thus whole animal metabolism more efficient. Here we tested the applicability of the MPT to a marine ectotherm, the mussel Mytilus edulis at the intraspecific level. We determined effects of body mass on whole organism, tissue and cellular oxygen consumption rates, on heart rate, metabolic enzyme activities and on the lipid composition of membranes. In line with allometric patterns the organismal functions and processes such as heart rate, whole animal respiration rate and phospholipid contents showed a mass-dependent decline. However, the allometry of tissue and cellular respiration and activity of metabolic enzymes was poor; fatty acid unsaturation of membrane phospholipids of gill tissue was independent of animal size. It is thus conceivable that most of the metabolic allometry observed at the organismal level is determined by systemic functions. These whole organism patterns may be supported by energy savings associated with growing cell size but not by structural changes in membranes. Overall, the set of processes contributing to metabolic allometry in ectotherms may differ from that operative in mammals and birds, with a reduced involvement of the mechanisms proposed by the MPT

Data to Impact of ocean acidification on thermal tolerance and acid-base regulation of Mytilus edulis from the White Sea

Ocean warming and acidification are two important environmental drivers affecting marine organisms. Organisms living at high latitudes might be especially threatened in near future, as current environmental changes are larger and occur faster. Therefore, we investigated the effect of hypercapnia on thermal tolerance and physiological performance of sub-Arctic Mytilus edulis from the White Sea. Mussels were exposed (2 weeks) to 390 µatm (control) and 1,120 µatm CO2 (year 2100) before respiration rate (MO2), anaerobic metabolite (succinate) level, haemolymph acid-base status, and intracellular pH (pHi) were determined during acute warming (10-28°C, 3°C over night). In normocapnic mussels, warming induced MO2 to rise exponentially until it levelled off beyond a breakpoint temperature of 20.5°C. Concurrently, haemolymph PCO2 rose significantly >19°C followed by a decrease in PO2 indicating the pejus temperature (TP, onset of thermal limitation). Succinate started to accumulate at 28°C under normocapnia defining the critical temperature (TC). pHi was maintained during warming until it dropped at 28°C, in line with the concomitant transition to anaerobiosis. At acclimation temperature, CO2 had only a minor impact. During warming, MO2 was stimulated by CO2 resulting in an elevated breakpoint of 25.8°C. Nevertheless, alterations in haemolymph gases (>16°C) and the concomitant changes of pHi and succinate level (25°C) occurred at lower temperature under hypercapnia versus normocapnia indicating a downward shift of both thermal limits TP and TC by CO2. Compared to temperate conspecifics, sub-Arctic mussels showed an enhanced thermal sensitivity, exacerbated further by hypercapnia, indicating their potential vulnerability to environmental changes projected for 2100

Data from: Genetic diversity and connectivity within Mytilus spp. in the subarctic and Arctic

Climate changes in the Arctic are predicted to alter distributions of marine species. However, such changes are difficult to quantify because information on present species distribution and the genetic variation within species is lacking or poorly examined. Blue mussels, Mytilus spp. are ecosystem engineers in the coastal zone globally. In order to improve knowledge of distribution and genetic structure of the Mytilus edulis complex in the Arctic, we analyzed 81 SNPs in 534 Mytilus spp. individuals sampled at 13 sites to provide baseline data for distribution and genetic variation of Mytilus mussels in the European Arctic. Mytilus edulis was the most abundant species found with a clear genetic split between populations in Greenland and the Eastern Atlantic. Surprisingly, analyses revealed the presence of M. trossulus in high Arctic NW Greenland (77°N) and M. galloprovincialis or their hybrids in SW Greenland, Svalbard and the Pechora Sea. Furthermore, a high degree of hybridization and introgression between species was observed. Our study highlights the importance of distinguishing between congener species, which can display local adaptation and suggests that information on dispersal routes and barriers are essential for accurate predictions of regional susceptibility to range expansions or invasions of boreal species in the Arctic

Description of the SNP plates

Information sheet containing the description of which individuals were included in plates 2-

Plate no 2

Raw data from SNP plate no