The distribution of monogenean parasites on aquatic vertebrates inhabiting Chinese inland waters

The general distribution of monogenean parasites of aquatic vertebrates inhabiting Chinese inland waters is summarised. Five hundred and seventy-two out of a total of 581 species of monogeneans were discovered on fish, while only nine species were found on Amphibia and Reptilia. Most dactylogyrids and diplozoids parasitise cyprinids, while ancyrocephalids occur on silurids and cyprinids, and gyrodactylids are found mainly on cyprinids and cobitids. Analyses of host-specificity and host-diversity suggests that the family Ancyrocephalidae should be divided into several families parallel with the Dactylogyridae. Of 12 subfamilies of the Cyprinidae, only the Gobiobotinae was found to be free of infection with monogeneans, and the genus Dactylogyrus has more species than any other monogenean genus associated with every cyprinid subfamily.

Changes of Leptodora kindti abundance (1957-1996) in a planktivorous fishes-dominated subtropical Chinese lake (Lake Donghu)

The changes of L. kindti density from 1957 to 1996 were studied in a shallow, eutrophic Chinese lake, Lake Donghu. Despite the fact that the fish yield of planktivorous fish (silver carp and bighead carp) has increased steadily, the population density of L. kindti has also increased since 1957 and peaked in 1982/1983, The increase of both fish and L. kindti densities during this period may have benefitted from a considerable increase in the densities of their zooplankton prey. and fish predation on L. kindti might have been minor. As the fish yield increased further, their predation began to suppress most zooplankton prey including L. kindti. The largely increased fish predation on L. kindti is also evidenced by the remarkable decline of their body length after 1984. The density of L. kindti was significantly higher at the pelagic station (II) than at the littoral station (I), although for L. kindti, the littoral zone was significantly more resource profitable than the pelagic zone. The gradient of fish predation (more fish in the littoral zone) is the most likely explanation, since L. kindti is reported to be a preferred prey for many planktivorous fishes. The maximum density of L. kindti was 1.78 ind./I (on Aug. 17, 1984) at Station I and 1.55 ind./I (on Sep. 13, 1985) at Station II, respectively, which are close to those in several other eutrophic lakes.

A comparative study of benthic nematodes in two Chinese lakes with contrasting sources of primary production

Ecological studies on benthic nematodes were conducted in two small, shallow lakes in the middle Yangtze basin, China; Lake Houhu, where the main source of primary production is phytoplankton and Lake Biandantang where it is predominantly macrophytic in origin. Monthly sampling was carried out from April 1996 to March 1997. A total of 36 species of nematodes was found in Lake Houhu and 51 species in Lake Biandantang. The dominant trophic groups of nematodes were algophages in Lake Houhu and bacteriophages associated with omniphages and phytophages in Lake Biandantang. Community analyses based on K-dominance curves, Shannon-Wiener and Simpson diversity indices, demonstrate that the benthic nematodes are more diverse in Lake Biandantang than in Lake Houhu. The results suggest that the abundance of submerged vegetation is essential for maintenance of habitat heterogeneity and biodiversity of nematodes in shallow lakes.

Long-term changes in crustacean zooplankton and water quality in a shallow, eutrophic Chinese lake densely stocked with fish

From surveys made in 1962-1963, 1973-1974, 1979-1996 at two Stations in Lake Donghu, a shallow eutrophic water body near Wuhan, P. R. China, the authors, derive long-term changes in species composition, standing crop and body-size of planktonic crustaceans. The species number decreased from the 1960s to the 1990s. The cladocerans dropped from 46 (1960s) to 26 (1980s) to 13 (1990s); the copepods decreased from 14 (1960s) to 10 (1980s) to 7 (1990s). From the mid-1980s on, the dominant crustaceans also changed: Daphnia hyalina and D. carinata ssp. were replaced by Moina micrura and Diaphanosoma brachyurum at Stations 1 and 2, respectively; Cyclops vicinus replaced Mesocyclops leuckarti. Densities and biomass of Cladocera decreased markedly after 1987. Annual average densities and biomass of cladocerans were statistically differences between 1962-1986 and 1987-1996 (P < 0.01). Annual average densities of Daphnia (Station 1 + Station 2) were negatively correlated with fish yield. Since the 1980s, annual average body length of Cladocera and Calanoida decreased, while annual average body length of Cyclopoida increased. In the same years, average body length of copepods was lower during May-October than during January-April and November-December. A 12-yr data analysis showed annual average concentration of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) to be negatively correlated with annual average density of Daphnia, whilst lake transparency was positively correlated with annual average densities of Daphnia. The results imply that, since Daphnia feeds efficiently on phytoplankton, it could decrease concentration of Chl-a, and enhance water transparency.

Food consumption and growth of two piscivorous fishes, the mandarin fish and the Chinese snakehead

Rates of maximum food consumption and growth were determined for immature mandarin fish Siniperca chuatsi (47.2-540.2 g) and Chinese snakehead Channa argus (45.0-546.2 g) at 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 degrees C. The relationship between maximum rate of food consumption (C-max), body weight (W) and temperature (T) was described by the multiple regression equations: lnC(max) = -4.880 + 0.597 lnW+0.284T - 0.0048T(2) for the mandarin fish, and lnC(max)= -6.718 + 0.522 lnW+0.440T-0.0077T(2) for the Chinese snakehead. The optimum temperature for consumption was 29.6 degrees C for the mandarin fish and 28.6 degrees C for the Chinese snakehead. The relationship between growth rate (G), body weight and temperature was ln(G+0.25)= - 0.439 - 0.500 lnW+0.270T - 0.0046T(2) for the mandarin fish, and ln(G+0.25)= - 6.150+ (0.175 - 0.026T) lnW+0.571T - 0.0078T(2) for the Chinese snakehead. The weight exponent in the growth-weight relationship was -0.83 for the mandarin fish, but decreased with increasing temperature for the Chinese snakehead. The optimum temperature for growth was 29.3 degrees C for the mandarin fish, but tended to decrease with increasing weight for the Chinese snakehead, being 30.3 degrees C for a 45-g fish, and 26.1 degrees C for a 550-g fish. (C) 1998 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Chinese studies on the edible blue-green alga, Nostoc flagelliforme: a review

Nostoc flagelliforme, which is distributed in arid or semiarid steppes of the west and west-northern parts of China, has been used by the Chinese as a food delicacy and for its herbal values for hundreds of years. However, the resource is being over-exploited and is diminishing, while the market demands are increasing with the economic growth. This review deals mainly with the Chinese studies on the ecology, physiology, reproduction, morphology and culture of this species in an attempt to promote research and development of its cultivation technology.

The role of sense organs in the feeding behaviour of Chinese perch

Experiments were conducted to identify the rules of the individual sense organs in the feeding behaviour of Chinese perch Siniperca chuatsi by determining the consumption of natural food after selective removal or blocking of eyes, lateral lines and olfactory organs, and also by observing the behavioural response to visual, mechanical and chemical stimulation by artificial prey. Chinese perch were able to feed properly on live prey fish when either eyes or lateral lines were intact or functional, but could scarcely feed without these two senses. Chinese perch recognized its prey by vision through the perception of motion and shape, and showed a greater dependence on vision in predation when both visual and mechanical cues were available. Chemical stimulation by natural food could not elicit any feeding response in Chinese perch, and gustation was only important to the fish for the last stage of food discrimination in the oropharyngeal cavity. The sensory basis of Chinese perch in feeding is well adapted to its nocturnal stalking hunting strategy. and also explains its peculiar food habit of accepting live prey fish only and refusing dead prey fish or artificial diets. (C) 1998 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Seasonal variation in kinetic parameters of alkaline phosphatase activity in a shallow Chinese freshwater lake (Donghu Lake)

Seasonal variation of the kinetic parameters of total alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) was studied in a shallow Chinese freshwater lake (Donghu Lake). At the three experimental stations the values of V-max of APA were higher and the negative correlation between orthophosphate and the total APA specific activity (V-max/Chl.) was stronger during summer (from June to September) P depletion. At the same time, the values of Michaelis constant (K-m) of APA at the three stations decreased. Phytoplankton seem to compensate for their phosphorus deficiency not only by an increase in enzyme production but also by an improved ability to use low substrate concentrations. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.

UV-sensitive P compounds: Release mechanism, seasonal fluctuation and inhibitory effects on alkaline phosphatase activity in a shallow Chinese freshwater lake (Donghu Lake)

Filtrable phosphorus compounds in a shallow Chinese freshwater lake (Donghu Lake) were fractionated by Sephadex G-25 gel-filtration chromatography. Some portions of those compounds released soluble reactive phosphorus upon irradiation with low dose ultraviolet light. Catalase and a hydroxyl radical scavenger (mannitol) markedly prevented photosensitive phosphorus release. The observed effects may be explained by the action of oxidizing reagents such as hydroxyl radicals, produced in photochemical reactions between UV irradiation and humic substances in the water. There was a strong seasonality in UV-sensitive P (UVSP) release. Michaels constants (K-m) of total alkaline phosphatase in the lake water showed a direct positive relation to UVSP. Plot of K-m against the UVSP/phosphomonoester ratio reveals a strong relationship between the two variables. These results suggest that in some situations UVSP may be a competitive inhibitor of alkaline phosphatase activity in the lake. The competitive inhibition of fractionated UVSP on alkaline phosphatase reagent (Sigma) apparently supports this hypothesis.

PLANKTON AND SESTON STRUCTURE IN A SHALLOW, EUTROPHIC SUBTROPICAL CHINESE LAKE

The seasonal dynamics in the nutrient concentrations, chlorophyll-a amount (Chl-a), total algal volume (CV), Chl-a/CV ratio, seston structure were studied at two sampling stations in a shallow, highly eutrophicated subtropic lake (the Guozheng Hu area of the East Lake) on the plain of the middle basin of the Chang Jiang (the Yangtze River) of China. The lake ecosystem of the Guozheng Hu area is dominated by two planktivorous fishes (silver carp and bighead carp), phytoplankton and zooplankton. Macrophytes are extremely scarce in this area. Concentrations of the total dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus in the Guozheng Hu area in 1990 were very high. Fish yield, of which, more than 90 % was composed of silver carp and bighead carp in the Guozheng Hu area was very high (ca. 1140 kg/ha or 45.6 g/m3 in 1990). Grazing pressure by the fishes on the plankton community is considered to be rather strong. The annual average biomass of zooplankton was ca. 1/3 - 1/2 that of phytoplankton. On the average, dry matter in the living plankton only constituted ca. 3-7 % of the total dry seston, and plankton carbon only constituted ca. 5 - 10 % of the seston carbon. The present results indicate that, in the Guozheng Hu area of the East Lake, of the organic part of the seston, detritus is quantitatively an important constituent, while living plankton is only a very small component.

A new year message from Chinese Science Bulletin

Submitted by 阎军 (yanj@red.semi.ac.cn) on 2010-04-13T14:02:33Z No. of bitstreams: 1 A new year message from Chinese Science Bulletin.pdf: 888462 bytes, checksum: 950ebfe3456fc0d42f8d058a5d2b3979 (MD5)

Mathematical symbols and computing methods in high dimensional biomimetic informatics and their applications

High dimensional biomimetic informatics (HDBI) is a novel theory of informatics developed in recent years. Its primary object of research is points in high dimensional Euclidean space, and its exploratory and resolving procedures are based on simple geometric computations. However, the mathematical descriptions and computing of geometric objects are inconvenient because of the characters of geometry. With the increase of the dimension and the multiformity of geometric objects, these descriptions are more complicated and prolix especially in high dimensional space. In this paper, we give some definitions and mathematical symbols, and discuss some symbolic computing methods in high dimensional space systematically from the viewpoint of HDBI. With these methods, some multi-variables problems in high dimensional space can be solved easily. Three detailed algorithms are presented as examples to show the efficiency of our symbolic computing methods: the algorithm for judging the center of a circle given three points on this circle, the algorithm for judging whether two points are on the same side of a hyperplane, and the algorithm for judging whether a point is in a simplex constructed by points in high dimensional space. Two experiments in blurred image restoration and uneven lighting image correction are presented for all these algorithms to show their good behaviors.

Recent progresses of Si-based photonics in chinese main land

Si-based photonic materials and devices, including SiGe/Si quantum structures, SOI and InGaAs bonded on Si, PL of Si nanocrystals, SOI photonic crystal filter, Si based RCE (Resonant Cavity Enhanced) photodiodes, SOI TO (thermai-optical) switch matrix were investigated in Institute of Serniconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The main results in recent years are presented in the paper. The mechanism of PL from Si NCs embedded in SiO2 matrix was studied, a greater contribution of the interface state recombination (PL peak in 850 similar to 900 nm) is associated with larger Si NCs and higher interface state density. Ge dots with density of order of 10(11) cm(-2) were obtained by UHV/CVD growth and 193 nm excimer laser annealing. SOI photonic crystal filter with resonant wavelength of 1598 nm and Q factor of 1140 was designed and made. Si based hybrid InGaAs RCE PD with eta of 34.4% and FWHM of 27 nut were achieved by MOCVD growth and bonding technology between InGaAs epitaxial and Si wafers. A 16x16 SOI optical switch matrix were designed and made. A new current driving circuit was used to improve the response speed of a 4x4 SOI rearrangeable nonblocking TO switch matrix, rising and failing time is 970 and 750 ns, respectively.