Mugil cephalus L.—a first British record and a further 5°N

The occurrence of a 29 mm juvenile Mugil cephalus in the Camel estuary at 50°30' N represents the first British record of this widespread tropical and subtropical species. Its origins, however, are obscure.     

The determination of spatial pattern inDictyostelium discoideum

Free-living amoebae of the cellular slime mouldDictyostelium discoideum aggregate when starved and give rise to a long and thin multicellular structure, the slug. The slug resembles a metazoan embryo, and as with other embryos it is possible to specify a fate map. In the case ofDictyostelium discoideum the map is especially simple: cells in the anterior fifth of the slug die and form a stalk while the majority of those in the posterior differentiate into spores. The genesis of this anterior-posterior distinction is the subject of our review. In particular, we ask: what are the relative roles of individual pre-aggregative predispositions and post-aggregative position in determining cell fate? We review the literature on the subject and conclude that both factors are important. Variations in nutritional status, or in cell cycle phase at starvation, can bias the probability that an amoeba differentiates into a stalk cell or a spore. On the other hand, isolates, or slug fragments, consisting of only prestalk cells or only prespore cells can regulate so as to result in a normal range of both cell types. We identify three levels of control, each being responsible for guiding patterning in normal development: (i) ‘coin tossing’, whereby a cell autonomously exhibits a preference for developing along either the stalk or the spore pathway with relative probabilities that can be influenced by the environment; (ii) ‘chemical kinetics’, whereby prestalk and prespore cells originate from undifferentiated amoebae on a probabilistic basis but, having originated, interact (e.g. via positive and negative feedbacks), and the interaction influences the possibility of conversion of one cell type into the other; and (iii) ‘positional information’, in which the spatial distribution of morphogens in the slug influences the pathway of differentiation. In the case of possibilities (i) and (ii), sorting out of like cell types leads to the final spatial pattern. In the case of possibility (iii), the pattern arisesin situ     

Volatile production by Aspergillus versicolor as a possible cause of odor in houses affected by fungi

Aspergillus versicolor, which has been isolated from several mould affected houses was shown by laboratory studies under axenic conditions to produce several specific volatile compounds on water agar. These compounds were not produced by the fungus when grown on a rich malt extract medium or on several synthetic media. The volatile compounds were analysed by GC-MS. The majority of the peaks represented aromatic compounds. A non-aromatic substance which previously has been revealed by us among prominent volatile compounds sampled from building materials from so-called mould houses was produced only on water agar. According to a comparison with the mass spectrum and retention time of pure reference compound this compound is ethylhexanol, a compound not previously reported as a mould metabolite. The presence of this compound was correlated with pungent odor in the cultures.     

Suppression of cyclic AMP-induced cell excitation in Dictyostelium discoideum by inhibitors of eicosanoid oxidation

Abstract Receptor-mediated stimulation of Dictyostelium cells by the aggregative chemoattractant cyclic AMP leads to a complex excitatory response resulting in chemotaxis and the synthesis and release of cyclic AMP as the relayed chemotactic signal. However, the mechanism of this stimulus-response coupling is not well understood. In this study, we show that a number of compounds, best known as inhibitors of cyclooxygenase activity in mammalian cells, prevent cyclic AMP receptor-mediated cell excitation and cyclic AMP accumulation in aggregation-competent Dictyostelium cells. These observations suggest that some eicosanoid-like compound(s) may be involved in stimulus-response coupling in this organism, as is the case in higher eukaryotic cells.     

Observations on the Endogenous Stages of Eimeria confusa Joseph, 1969 from the Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis*

SYNOPSIS. Stages in the endogenous cycle of Eimeria confusa from the grey squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis, are described from mixed infections with another species, Eimeria lancasterensis. All corresponding stages were markedly different in the 2 species. In E. confusa infections, the parasites were located below the host cell nuclei of the epithelial cells of the villi of the jejunum and ileum. Mature schizonts were ellipsoidal, averaged 20.9 × 18.6 μm and had 18–30 merozoites. The mature microgamonts measured 34.3 × 24.7 μm and had hundreds of microgametes. Mature macrogametes were ovoid, averaged 31.3 × 25.6 μm, and contained 2 kinds of plastic granules.     

Increase in proteinase activity in the cellular slime mould Polysphondylium pallidum induced by bacteria

Abstract Polysphondylium pallidum strain PPHU8 grown in association with bacteria contains aspartic and cysteine proteinases. When myxamoebae were grown in axenic medium the contribution of cysteine proteinases was much lower. The proteinase activity could be altered by addition of heat-killed bacteria to axenically growing cells. This was detected as an increase in the specific activity towards N -benzoyl-L-prolyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-arginine- p -nitroanilide, a cysteine proteinase substrate, and by the appearance of cysteine proteinase bands after electrophoretic analysis. The changes were inhibited by cycloheximide, azide and dinitrophenol. All the available evidence suggests that they are due to the de novo synthesis of cysteine proteinases.     

Foraging strategies of the acellular slime moulds Didymium iridis and Didymium bahiense

Organisms can increase their foraging efficiency by modifying their behaviour according to information about the quality of currently exploited resource patches. Here we examine the effect of food concentration on the foraging strategies of two previously unstudied species of slime mould: Didymium iridis and Didymium bahiense. We studied two main foraging decisions: how long to wait before commencing exploration of the surrounding environment (exploitation strategy) and how intensely to search the environment for new opportunities (exploration strategy). Food concentration did not affect exploitation behaviour in either D. iridis or D. bahiense. Food concentration did affect exploration behaviour in D. iridis, but not in D. bahiense. Encounters with food resources, irrespective of concentration, resulted in increased exploitation and decreased exploration in D. iridis but did not influence foraging behaviour in D. bahiense. We suggest that the varying foraging strategies of slime moulds may have evolved to exploit different resource distributions in their natural environments. We also discuss the potential impact of microbial contamination and differences in handling regimes.     

基于灰色三角白化权集对分析模型的喀斯特山区农业生态环境脆弱性评价

生态脆弱性一直是全球变化与可持续发展研究的热点问题,研究农业生态环境脆弱性问题有利于合理利用区域农业资源,提出有效的农业生态环境保护措施。针对农业生态环境脆弱性评价未考虑不同评价级别内各指标之间同、异、反关系,本研究基于灰色三角白化权集对分析(SPA)模型,从生态环境外在脆弱性方面选择人口密度、人均耕地面积、人均造林面积等11个评价指标,对喀斯特山区农业生态环境脆弱性进行评价。结果表明: 研究区农业生态环境比较脆弱,以极度、高度和中度脆弱度为主;极度、高度、中度、轻度和微度农业生态环境脆弱区比例分别为32.4%、14.1%、17.7%、23.6%和12.2%;评价结果与研究区域农业生态环境脆弱性实际状况相符。说明以灰色三角白化权SPA模型评价农业生态环境脆弱性具有可行性,可为农业生态环境脆弱性评价提供一种新的方法和思路。     

福建省灰水足迹时空变化及驱动因素

灰水足迹是稀释水污染物至达标需要的淡水体积,是评价水污染程度与水环境质量的重要方法,对灰水足迹进行核算与分析,可以促进福建省提高水环境质量,构建可持续的水生态环境。借鉴Hoekstra等提出的灰水足迹核算方法,对福建省及各地市2001-2017年的灰水足迹进行核算,对其时空变化特征进行评价并使用对数平均迪式指数分解法（Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index Method,LMDI）模型对灰水足迹变动的驱动因素进行分解。结果表明：a）总氮是决定灰水足迹总量的主要污染物,非点源污染是灰水足迹的最主要来源但占比由68.25%降至63.35%;b）福建省灰水足迹总量降低了9.58%,且各项指标都呈下降趋势,在空间上,灰水足迹总量及剩余灰水足迹东南多西北少,人均灰水足迹及灰水足迹强度东少西多;c）福建省灰水足迹变动的驱动因素中,经济因素是最大正向驱动因素,产生2932.96亿m³的贡献量,技术因素是最大负向驱动因素,产生-2630.31亿m³的贡献量。最后,针对福建省水污染问题提出建议：a）开展非点源污染防治专项;b）加快速度提高城镇生活污水处理水平;c）优化产业结构,提高灰水足迹效率;d）切实落实生态补偿制度,调动各市水环境保护积极性;e）加强环境监管力度,加大技术投入。     

漓江流域生态系统服务价值最大化的土地利用结构优化

土地利用结构优化是促进生态系统可持续发展的重中之重,而生态管理的最终目标是优化生态系统服务,使生态系统提供的服务达到最大化。选择典型生态脆弱区漓江流域为研究区,将整个生态系统服务价值的最大化作为研究目标,首先结合野外实验和五期Landsat高分遥感影像获取基础数据,对研究区1998-2018年各项生态系统服务价值进行估算,然后结合灰色线性模型对2018-2028年价值进行预测,借助Lingo软件提出生态效益最大化的土地结构优化方案,进而对优化前后研究区生态系统服务价值进行比较与分析。结果表明：（1）近20年间研究区主要土地利用类型一直以林地与耕地为主,所占比例保持在整个流域的95%。水域与耕地面积逐年减少,林地、建设用地及未利用地面积持续增加。此外,未利用地面积发生的变化最为显著,增加了近30倍,主要由林地与耕地转变而来。（2）研究区生态系统服务价值总体约减少了19.55×10⁶元,呈现先上升后下降趋势,并将长期处于下降趋势,至2028年时流域生态系统服务价值将减少至8067.43×10⁶元。在流域整体生态系统中,林地价值最高,在历年约占流域总价值的86%,其次是水域及耕地,分别占比8%、6%。（3）对研究区进行优化后,漓江流域总生态系统服务价值增长了2%,其中主要来源于林地与水域面积的增加,提高了生态系统调节服务的供给能力,耕地、建设用地面积略微增加,未利用地面积显著减少,基本与2008年水平持平。本研究通过优化喀斯特地区关键生态系统服务价值,为该区域生态管理提供科学支撑。