Spatial variations of size-fractionated chlorophyll, cyanobacteria and heterotrophic bacteria in the Central and Western Pacific

Geographic and vertical variations of size-fractionated (0.2-1 mu m, 1-10 mu m, and >10 mu m) Chlorophyll a (Chl.a) concentration, cyanobacteria abundance and heterotrophic bacteria abundance were investigated at 13 stations from 4 degrees S, 160 degrees W to 30 degrees N, 140 degrees E in November 1993. The results indicated a geographic distribution pattern of these parameters with instances of high values occurring in the equatorial region and offshore areas, and with instance of low values occurring in the oligotrophic regions where nutrients were almost undetectable. Cyanobacteria showed the highest geographic variation (ranging from 27x10(3) to 16,582x10(3) cell l(-1)), followed by Chl.a (ranging from 0.048 to 0.178 mu g l(-1)), and heterotrophic bacteria (ranging from 2.84x10(3) to 6.50 x 10(5) cell l(-1)). Positive correlations were observed between nutrients and Chl.a abundance. Correspondences of cyanobacteria and heterotrophic bacteria abundances to nutrients were less significant than that of Chl.a. The total Chl.a was accounted for 1.0-30.9%, 35.9-53.7%, and 28.1-57.3% by the >10 mu m, 1-10 mu m and 0.2-1 mu m fractions respectively. Correlation between size-fractionated Chl.a and nutrients suggest that the larger the cell size, the more nutrient-dependent growth and production of the organism. The ratio of pheophytin to chlorophyll implys that more than half of the > 10 mu m and about one third of the 1-10 mu m pigment-containing particles in the oligotrophic region were non-living fragments, while most of the 1-10 mu m fraction was living cells. In the depth profiles, cyanobacteria were distributed mainly in the surface layer, whereas heterotrophic bacteria were abundant from surface to below the euphotic zone. Chl.a peaked at the surface layer (0-20 m) in the equatorial area and at the nitracline (75-100 m) in the oligotrophic regions. Cyanobacteria were not the principle component of the picoplankton. The carbon biomass ratio of heterotroph to phytoplankton was greater than 1 in the eutrophic area and lower than 1 in oligotrophic waters.

宣龙式赤铁矿含矿岩系的成矿过程研究

Xuanlong-type Hematite Deposits, distributed in Xuanhua and Longguang area in Hebei province and hosted in the Changchengian Chuanlinggou Formation of Mesoproterozoic, is an oldest depositional iron deposit characterized by oolitic and stromatolitic hematite and siderite. This thesis made an systematic study of its sedimentary, sedimentology, geochemistry, mineralogy and sequence stratigraphy. Based on above, the mechanism and background of biomineralization are discussed. There are four types of hematite ores including stromatolite, algal oolite, algal pisolite and oncolite. Based on detailed study on ore texture, the authors think both algal oolite and algal pisolite ores are organic texture ores, and related to the role of microorganisms. The process of blue-green algae and bacteria in the Xuanlong basin absorbing, adsorbing and sticking iron to build up stromatolite is the formation process of Xuanlong-type hematite deposit. Researches on ore-bearing series and ore geochemistry show that the enrichment of elements is closely related to the microorganism activities. Fe_2O_3 is enriched in dark laminations of stromatolite with much organic matter and SiO_2 in light laminations with detrital matters. The trace elements, especially biogenic elements, including V, P, Mo are enriched in ores but relatively low in country rocks. The paper also demonstrates on the sequence stratigraphy of hematite deposits and five sequences and twelve systems are divided. The characteristics of sequence stratigraphy show that the deposit-forming location has obviously selectivity and always exists under a transgressive setting. The oxygen isotope in hematite is about -2.2～5.7‰, which is similar to that of Hamlys iron formation of Australia but more negative than that of volcanic or hydrothermal iron deposits characterized by high positive values. The calculation by the result of oxygen isotope analysis shows that the temperature of ancient sea water was 48.53℃. The negative value of carbon isotope from siderite indicates its biogenic carbon source. Meanwhile, the occurrence of seismite in the ore-beds, which indicates the formation of hematite deposits is associated with frequent shock caused by structural movement such as distal volcano or ocean-bottom earthquake etc, show the occurrence of hematite deposits is eventual, not gradual. In shorts, Xuanlong-type hematite deposits were the result of interaction among geological setting of semi-isolated Xuanglong basin, favorable hot and humid climate condition, abundant iron source, microorganism such as algae and bateria as well as the fluctuation of the sea level.

Rapid identification of pathogenic bacteria by capillary electrophoretic analysis of rRNA genes

Molecular diagnosis is playing an increasingly important role in the rapid detection and identification of pathogenic organisms in clinical samples. The genetic variation of ribosomal genes in bacteria offers an alternative to culturing for the detection and identification of these organisms. Here 16S rRNA and 16S-23S rRNA spacer region genes were chosen as the amplified targets for single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) capillary electrophoresis analysis and bacterial identification. The multiple fluorescence based SSCP method for the 16S rRNA gene and the RFLP method for the 16S-23S rRNA spacer region gene were developed and applied to the identification of pathogenic bacteria in clinical samples, in which home-made short-chained linear polyacrylamide (LPA) was used as a sieving matrix; a higher sieving capability and shorter analysis time were achieved than with a commercial sieving matrix because of the simplified template preparation procedure. A set of 270 pathogenic bacteria representing 34 species in 14 genera were analyzed, and a total of 34 unique SSCP patterns representing 34 different pathogenic bacterial species were determined. Based on the use of machine code to represent peak patterns developed in this paper, the identification of bacterial species becomes much easier.