黄芪复合体Astragalus penduliflorus Lam. complex (Leguminosae)的物种生物学研究

本文对黄芪复合体（Astragalus penduliflorus）复合体进行了物种生物学研究，主要内容包括如下： 1、形态学与物种生物学证据支持目前承认的黄芪复合体5种4变种应分为1种5亚种（其中新亚种一个）。它们是A. penduliflorus subsp. penduliflorus, A. penduliflorus subsp. seiceocanus, A. penduliflorus subsp. mongholicus, A. penduliflorus subsp. qinhaiensis（新亚种）和A. penduliflorus subsp. pallidipurpureus等5个分类实体。 2、讨论了分类群间的形态演化关系。黄芪复合体的进化趋势可能为：A. penduliflorus subsp. pallidipurpurous A. penduliflorus subsp. Qinhaiensis → A. penduliflorus subsp. Mongholius → A. penduliflorus subsp. Sericeocanus → A. penduliflorus subsp. pendulifloras。 3、分析了黄芪复合体3个亚种10个居群的染色体核型，它们的染色体2n=16，各居群间的核型呈现连续的变异式样。 4、分析了黄芪复合体5个亚种13个居群和两个近缘种的种子蛋白，并进行了聚类分析，认为种子蛋白性状在黄芪复合体的居群内比较稳定，且同一居群内的不同个体间无明显差异。同时，种子蛋白分析说明了复合体内居群也呈现连续变异。 5、应用最大同步分支分类法及最小平行进化分支分类法分析了黄芪复合体的谱系分支发生，确认复黄芪复合体为一自然复合种是比较客观的。

Synopsis of researcher meeting -- Bottlenose Dolphin Health & Risk Assessment Project, February 22-24, 2005

A meeting was convened on February 22-24, 2005 in Charleston, South Carolina to bring together researchers collaborating on the Bottlenose Dolphin Health and Risk Assessment (HERA) Project to review and discuss preliminary health-related findings from captured dolphins during 2003 and 2004 in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), FL and Charleston (CHS), SC. Over 30 researchers with diverse research expertise representing government, academic and marine institutions participated in the 2-1/2 day meeting. The Bottlenose Dolphin HERA Project is a comprehensive, integrated, multi-disciplinary research program designed to assess environmental and anthropogenic stressors, as well as the health and long-term viability of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Standardized and comprehensive protocols are being used to evaluate dolphin health in the coastal ecosystems in the IRL and CHS. The Bottlenose Dolphin Health and Risk Assessment (HERA) Project was initiated in 2003 by Dr. Patricia Fair at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Ocean Service/Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research and Dr. Gregory Bossart at the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution under NMFS Scientific Research Permit No. 998-1678-00 issued to Dr. Bossart. Towards this end, this study focuses on developing tools and techniques to better identify health threats to these dolphins, and to develop links to possible environmental stressors. Thus, the primary objective of the Dolphin HERA Project is to measure the overall health and as well as the potential health hazards for dolphin populations in the two sites by performing screening-level risk assessments using standardized methods. The screening-level assessment involves capture, sampling and release activities during which physical examinations are performed on dolphins and a suite of nonlethal morphologic and clinicopathologic parameters, to be used to develop indices of dolphin health, are collected. Thus far, standardized health assessments have been performed on 155 dolphins during capture-release studies conducted in Years 2003 and 2004 at the two sites. A major collaboration has been established involving numerous individuals and institutions, which provide the project with a broad assessment capability toward accomplishing the goals and objectives of this project.

Tag-reporting levels for red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) caught by anglers in South Carolina and Georgia estuaries

A total of 1784 legal-size (≥356 mm TL) hatchery-produced red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) were tagged and released to estimate tag-reporting levels of recreational anglers in South Carolina (SC) and Georgia (GA). Twelve groups of legal-size fish (~150 fish/group) were released. Half of the fish of each group were tagged with an external tag with the message “reward” and the other half of the fish were implanted with tags with the message “$100 reward.” These fish were released into two estuaries in each state (n=4); three replicate groups were released at different sites within each estuary (n=12). From results obtained in previous tag return experiments conducted by wildlife and fisheries biologists, it was hypothesized that reporting would be maximized at a reward level of $100/tag. Reporting level for the “reward” tags was estimated by dividing the number of “reward” tags returned by the number of “$100 reward” tags returned. The cumulative return level for both tag messages was 22.7 (±1.9)% in SC and 25.8 (±4.1)% in GA. These return levels were typical of those recorded by other red drum tagging programs in the region. Return data were partitioned according to verbal survey information obtained from anglers who reported tagged fish. Based on this partitioned data set, 14.3 (±2.1)% of “reward” tags were returned in SC, and 25.5 (±2.3)% of “$100 reward” tags were returned. This finding indicates that only 56.7% of the fish captured with “reward” tags were reported in SC. The pattern was similar for GA where 19.1 (±10.6)% of “reward” message tags were returned as compared with 30.1 (±15.6)% for “$100 reward” message tags. This difference yielded a reporting level of 63% for “reward” tags in GA. Currently, 50% is used as the estimate for the angler reporting level in population models for red drum and a number of other coastal finfish species in the South Atlantic region of the United States. Based on results of our study, the commonly used reporting estimate may result in an overestimate of angler exploitation for red drum.

Mechanisms of erosion of unfilled elastomers by solid particle impact

The mechanisms of material removal were studied during the erosion of two unfilled elastomers (natural rubber and epoxidised natural rubber). The effects of impact velocity and of lubrication by silicone oil were investigated. The development of surface features due to single impacts and during the early stages of erosion was followed by scanning electron microscopy. The basic material removal mechanism at impact angles of both 30° and 90° involves the formation and growth of fine fatigue cracks under the tensile surface stresses caused by impact. No damage was observed after single impacts; it was found that many successive impacts are necessary for material removal. It was found that the erosion rate has a very strong dependance on impact velocity above about 50 ms-1.