贵州喀斯特高原湖泊物质循环过程中的铜锌同位素地球化学－以红枫湖、阿哈湖为例

近年来铜、锌同位素地球化学研究已经进入了快速发展时期。作为新兴的同位素技术手段，铜锌同位素工具已普遍应用于地球化学、矿床学、古海洋学和生物学等多种领域，然而铜、锌同位素在湖泊生态系统中的研究却相对较少。湖泊生态系统中，重金属的迁移、循环与转化一直是地球科学家们关注的焦点，但研究手段仅局限于含量与形态的测定。因此本论文旨在通过对湖泊生态系统中铜、锌同位素的研究，揭示影响铜、锌同位素组成的主要因素，为铜、锌同位素成为湖泊系统中新的重金属示踪工具奠定基础。 本论文通过一系列条件实验，确定了用于MC-ICP-MS测定环境样品中铜、锌同位素时最佳的化学分离条件。随后选取红枫湖和阿哈湖为主要研究对象，用此实验流程对湖泊水体及其主要支流悬浮物中的铜、锌同位素的季节及剖面变化进行了初步研究。除此之外，对水体中重金属如Cu、Zn、Mn、Ni、Co、Cr、Cd和Pb的形态分布特征及物质循环进行了研究。主要得出以下几点认识： 1、环境样品中铜锌的最佳分离条件是，采用AG MP-1(100-200目)阴离子交换树脂，分别以7 mol/L HCl + 0.001% H2O2，2 mol/L HCl+ 0.001% H2O2，0.5 mol/L HNO3作为淋洗液，并分别在适当的体积接收淋洗液，可以有效地分离沉积物、植物和悬浮物等样品中的铜和锌。化学分离过程中回收率接近100％，同位素比值的变化均在误差范围以内。 2、红枫湖、阿哈湖水体及主要支流悬浮物和红枫湖生物样品中的δ65Cu分布范围为-2.64‰~1.11‰，可达到3.75‰的变化。红枫湖夏季水体悬浮物的δ65Cu变化为-0.08‰~0.25‰，入湖河流水体悬浮物δ65Cu的变化范围为0.13‰~ 1.11‰；阿哈湖夏季水体悬浮物δ65Cu的变化范围为-0.62‰~0.37‰，入湖河流水体悬浮物δ65Cu的变化范围为-1.08‰~0.60‰。两湖冬季水体悬浮物的δ65Cu值均较负。红枫湖生物样品中δ65Cu较负（-1.54‰~ 0.03‰）。 红枫湖水体悬浮物中δ65Cu的随水深的变化趋势主要受到藻类吸收作用的控制，而阿哈湖δ65Cu的随水深的变化趋势主要受到其物源的控制。说明在贫营养化湖泊中，铜同位素组成可以示踪物源；而在富营养化湖泊中，铜同位素组成则可以示踪生物活动。同时水温的垂直变化也可能是其影响因素之一。 3、红枫湖水体及其主要支流水体悬浮物中的δ66Zn变化范围分别为-0.29‰~0.26‰和-0.04‰~0.48‰，阿哈湖水体及其主要支流水体悬浮物中的δ66Zn变化范围分别为-0.18‰~0.27‰和-0.17‰~0.46‰，均表现出支流中的锌同位素组成较重的趋势。而生物样品中的δ66Zn变化范围较大，为-0.35‰~0.57‰。说明湖泊生态系统中各端元的锌同位素组成存在明显差异。 红枫湖夏季δ66Zn随着湖水深度的变化，与Chla（叶绿素）呈极显著的正相关(R=0.97)。说明锌同位素组成与藻类生物量有一定的响应关系，主要是藻类对锌的有机吸附或是吸收过程改变了锌同位素组成。阿哈湖的锌同位素组成主要受到其源区的控制作用，从而可利用锌同位素示踪源区；此外，红枫湖和阿哈湖悬浮物中的锌同位素比值均表现出夏季小于冬季，说明大气的干湿沉降可能是一个较负的锌同位素源。生物样品中的δ66Zn变化范围较大，说明由于生物作用过程导致的锌同位素分馏大于非生物过程。 4、红枫湖重金属Mn、Ni、Co、Cr、Cd和Pb的含量在南湖高于北湖，主要是羊昌湖的输入所导致；重金属入湖通量的季节性变化，直接导致了重金属含量的季节性变化。沉积物－水界面在冬夏季节，由于“富氧”和“贫氧”状态的改变，导致了溶解态Mn、Ni和Cr的季节性变化；水粒相互作用过程中，溶解有机碳（DOC）、氧化铁胶体、氧化锰胶体和水生藻类的生长繁殖，影响了重金属不同结合形态的变化。

乌江中上游梯级水电开发对河流碳循环的影响

流域水环境是流域一切生态过程的基础，也是保障水资源发挥各项服务功能的必要条件。随着社会经济的发展，河流的自然性质和作用过程受到流域内不断加强的人文活动的强烈冲击。其中，水利大坝对河流的拦截调蓄可以算得上是对河流及流域生态系统的影响最为显著和重要。在河流上修筑水坝后，水库成为流域（河流）景观格局中重要的组成部分。目前对河流“水库效应”的研究主要集中在由水坝拦截引起的河流水文情势改变、泥砂淤积、地貌侵蚀以及鱼类迴游、水坝建设对生源要素的拦截、水库温室气体等方面，且大多数研究只针对单个水库或几个位于不同流域的独立水库，而对同一流域梯级开发形成的河流—水库体系中水环境演化的过程缺乏深入的了解，对单一水库中碳循环的生物地球化学作用研究不够。 碳是生命的核心元素，所有其它重要元素的生物循环过程都与碳密切相关。水体内生物活动与水库水环境变化之间的反馈、水体生态系统与营养元素载荷的相互作用关系以及响应过程是研究水环境变化的基础。其中，水体内部的元素循环、能量流动、CO2动力学与营养状况的关系等都是控制水环境变化的关键过程，碳作为这一切活动的核心元素，对它的研究对认识水环境变化、水生态过程、元素循环以及它们的相互作用具有重要的指示意义。 因此，本研究中选取中国西南喀斯特山区典型的梯级水库作为研究对象，以碳循环为研究主线，于2006年4月、7月、10月和2007年1月对乌江中上游干流已进行梯级开发的六个水库的入库水体、库区水体及出库水体进行一个水文年的采样，对溶解无机碳（DIC）、溶解有机碳（DOC）、颗粒有机碳（POC）、DIC同位素组成（δ13CDIC）和POC同位素组成（δ13CPOC）以及TN、TP、chla、和藻类种类和数量进行了分析，深入探讨了水电梯级开发对河流碳循环的影响，获得以下几点重要认识。这些认识将为我们理解和评价梯级开发对河流水环境的影响提供重要的科学依据: 1、河水化学的水库效应：河流梯级筑坝拦截使得水库水体基本水化学特征发生变化。研究区水化学类型主要为重碳酸盐-碳酸盐Ca组Ⅱ型水。河流经水坝拦截后，库区水位抬升，水库水化学性质表现出随季节变化的特征。水库中水体在春季开始出现水温的分层结构，这种状况持续到夏季和秋季，有效地限制了上下层水体的垂直交换。河流水体经水库作用后，出库水体水温、pH值均降低。除冬季外，各水库出库水体水温均低于入库水体和库区表层水体。水体水化学组成因此出现较为明显的上下差异。Na+、K+、Mg2+、Cl-、SO42-经水库作用而部分被吸收或滞留；而Ca2+、HCO3-和NO3-经水库作用后增加。 2、生物作用的水库效应：研究区水库中，洪家渡水库、引子渡水库和索风营以绿藻为主，处于中营养状态；普定水库和东风水库以硅藻为主，处于轻度富营养状态；乌江渡水库以蓝藻为主，处于富营养状态。总体上表现为水库库龄与水库营养程度正相关，建库时间越长，水库营养程度越高。 3、碳循环的水库效应：水库作用过程使得出库水体中DIC浓度增加，DOC和POC浓度减少。梯级水库作用使得乌江中上游河流体系DIC输出量增加22.18%，而DOC和POC输出量则分别减少18.19%和70.09%。研究区梯级水库是河流—水库体系DIC的“源”、DOC和POC的“汇”。经梯级水库作用后，乌江中上游河流—水库体系经乌江渡水库每年向下游河流输送的DIC（以C计）、DOC、POC通量分别为263.64 kt、12.40 kt、13.86 kt。 总体上，研究区梯级水库是下游河流DIC的“源”，DOC、POC的“汇”。在水体垂直剖面上，DIC浓度随水深的增加而增加，而DOC、POC浓度则随着水深的增加而减小，但由于底部沉积物的再悬浮作用，使得部分剖面中底部水体中DOC、POC浓度增加。溶解无机碳同位素组成（δ13CDIC）对水库作用过程有良好的响应，水库出库水体中δ13CDIC值比入库水体和库区表层水体均偏负，在库区坝前垂直剖面上，δ13CDIC值随着水深的增加而偏负，δ13CPOC值变化规律性较差。从研究结果来看，δ13CDIC值可用于对水库作用过程对水环境的影响进行示踪。 4、水库的温室气体释放：总体上，入库水体中溶解CO2分压（pCO2）低于出库水体。河流经水库截留后，水体中pCO2增高，向大气中释放的CO2增加，成为大气CO2的“源”。在水库内部垂直剖面上，水体中CO2分压随着深度的增加而增大。由于水库为下层泄水，使得出库水体中CO2分压显著高于大气分压，CO2释放通量平均为水库库区表层水体的6.51倍。由此可见，在研究水库作用过程对大气中温室气体的影响时，水库泄水的CO2释放问题需引起极大的重视。

The local and global dimensions of metalliferous pollution derived from a reconstruction of an eight thousand year record of copper smelting and mining at a desert-mountain frontier in southern Jordan

Grattan, J.P., Gilbertson, D.D., Hunt, C.O. (2007). The local and global dimensions of metaliferrous air pollution derived from a reconstruction of an 8 thousand year record of copper smelting and mining at a desert-mountain frontier in southern Jordan. Journal of Archaeological Science 34, 83-110

Effects of prior heavy exercise on V(over dot)O-2 kinetics during heavy exercise are related to changes in muscle activity

Burnley, M., Doust, J.H., Ball, D. and Jones, A.M. (2002) Effects of prior heavy exercise on VO2 kinetics during heavy exercise are related to changes in muscle activity. Journal of Applied Physiology 93, 167-174. RAE2008

Influence of blood donation on O-2 uptake on-kinetics, peak O-2 uptake and time to exhaustion during severe-intensity cycle exercise in humans

Thatcher, Rhys, et al., 'Influence of blood donation on O-2 uptake on-kinetics, peak O-2 uptake and time to exhaustion during severe-intensity cycle exercise in humans', Experimental Physiology (2006) 91(3) pp.499-509 RAE2008

A 3-min all-out test to determine peak oxygen uptake and the maximal steady state

Burnley, M., Doust, J., Vanhatalo, A., A 3-min all-out test to determine peak oxygen uptake and the maximal steady state, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 38(11):1995-2003, November 2006. RAE2008

Influence of acute vitamin C and/or carbohydrate ingestion on hormonal, cytokine, and immune responses to prolonged exercise

Davison, G. and Gleeson, M. (2005). Influence of Acute Vitamin C and/or Carbohydrate Ingestion on Hormonal, Cytokine, and Immune Responses to Prolonged Exercise. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 15(5), pp.465-479 RAE2008

Arctic microorganisms respond more to elevated UV-B radiation than CO2

David Johnson, Colin D. Campbell, John A. Lee, Terry V. Callaghan and Dylan Gwynn-Jones (2002). Arctic microorganisms respond more to elevated UV-B radiation than CO2. Nature, 416 (6876) pp.82-83 Sponsorship: NERC / EU / Swedish Academy of Sciences RAE2008

Avaliação das propriedades mecânicas e microestrutura de um ionómero de vidro experimental reforçado com nano partículas

Projeto de Pós-Graduação/Dissertação apresentado à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Medicina Dentária

3D Trajectory Recovery for Tracking Multiple Objects and Trajectory Guided Recognition of Actions

A mechanism is proposed that integrates low-level (image processing), mid-level (recursive 3D trajectory estimation), and high-level (action recognition) processes. It is assumed that the system observes multiple moving objects via a single, uncalibrated video camera. A novel extended Kalman filter formulation is used in estimating the relative 3D motion trajectories up to a scale factor. The recursive estimation process provides a prediction and error measure that is exploited in higher-level stages of action recognition. Conversely, higher-level mechanisms provide feedback that allows the system to reliably segment and maintain the tracking of moving objects before, during, and after occlusion. The 3D trajectory, occlusion, and segmentation information are utilized in extracting stabilized views of the moving object. Trajectory-guided recognition (TGR) is proposed as a new and efficient method for adaptive classification of action. The TGR approach is demonstrated using "motion history images" that are then recognized via a mixture of Gaussian classifier. The system was tested in recognizing various dynamic human outdoor activities; e.g., running, walking, roller blading, and cycling. Experiments with synthetic data sets are used to evaluate stability of the trajectory estimator with respect to noise.

Trajectory Guided Tracking and Recognition of Actions

A combined 2D, 3D approach is presented that allows for robust tracking of moving people and recognition of actions. It is assumed that the system observes multiple moving objects via a single, uncalibrated video camera. Low-level features are often insufficient for detection, segmentation, and tracking of non-rigid moving objects. Therefore, an improved mechanism is proposed that integrates low-level (image processing), mid-level (recursive 3D trajectory estimation), and high-level (action recognition) processes. A novel extended Kalman filter formulation is used in estimating the relative 3D motion trajectories up to a scale factor. The recursive estimation process provides a prediction and error measure that is exploited in higher-level stages of action recognition. Conversely, higher-level mechanisms provide feedback that allows the system to reliably segment and maintain the tracking of moving objects before, during, and after occlusion. The 3D trajectory, occlusion, and segmentation information are utilized in extracting stabilized views of the moving object that are then used as input to action recognition modules. Trajectory-guided recognition (TGR) is proposed as a new and efficient method for adaptive classification of action. The TGR approach is demonstrated using "motion history images" that are then recognized via a mixture-of-Gaussians classifier. The system was tested in recognizing various dynamic human outdoor activities: running, walking, roller blading, and cycling. Experiments with real and synthetic data sets are used to evaluate stability of the trajectory estimator with respect to noise.

A cycle route planner mobile-app for Dublin city

In a road network, cyclists are the group exposed to the maximum amount of risk. Route choice of a cyclist is often based on level of expertise, perceived or actual road risks, personal decisions, weather conditions and a number of other factors. Consequently, cycling tends to be the only significant travel mode where optimised route choice is not based on least-path or least-time. This paper presents an Android platform based mobile-app for personalised route planning of cyclists in Dublin. The mobile-app, apart from its immediate advantage to the cyclists, acts as the departure point for a number of research projects and aids in establishing some critical calibration values for the cycling network in Dublin. 

Exploiting the diverse microbial ecology of marine sponges

Marine sponges (phylum Porifera) are the oldest extant metazoan animals on earth and host large populations of symbiotic microbes: Bacteria, Archaea and unicellular Eukaryota. Those microbes play ecological functions which are essential to the health of the host including carbon, nitrogen and sulfur cycling as well as host defence through the production of bioactive secondary metabolites which protect against infection and predation. The diversity of sponge-associated microbes is remarkable with thousands of OTUs reported from individual sponge species. Amongst those populations are sponge-specific microbes which may be specific to sponges or specific to sponge species. While marine natural product discovery concerns many animal phyla, Porifera account for the largest proportion of novel compounds. Evidence suggests that many of these compounds are the products of symbiotic microbes. Descriptions of sponge-associated microbial community structures have been advanced by the development of next-generation sequencing technologies while the discovery and exploitation of sponge derived bioactive compounds has increased due to developments in sequence-based and function-based metagenomics. Here, we use pyrosequencing to describe the bacterial communities associated with two shallow, temperate water sponges (Raspailia ramosa and Stelligera stuposa) from Irish coastal waters and to describe the bacterial and archaeal communities of a single sponge species (Inflatella pellicula) from two different depths in deep waters in the Atlantic Ocean, including at a depth of 2900m, a depth far greater than that of any previous sequence-based sponge-microbe investigation. We identified diverse microbial communities in all sponges and the presence of sponge-specific taxa recruiting to previously described and novel spongespecific clusters. We also identified archaeal communities which dominated sponge-microbe communities. We demonstrate that sponge-associated microbial communities differ from seawater communities indicating host selection processes. We used sequence-based metagenomic techniques to identify genes of potential industrial and pharmacological interest in the metagenomes of various sponge species and functionbased metagenomic screening in an attempt to identify lipolytic and antibacterial activities from metagenomic clones from the metagenome of the marine sponge Stelletta normani. In addition we have cultured diverse bacterial species from sponge tissues, many of which display antimicrobial activities against clinically relevant bacterial and yeast test strains. Other isolates represent novel species in the genus Maribacter and require emendments to the description of that genus.

Investigation of polyhydroxyalkanoate production by an activated sludge microbial consortium treating artificial dairy wastewater

Petrochemical plastics/polymers are a common feature of day to day living as they occur in packaging, furniture, mobile phones, computers, construction equipment etc. However, these materials are produced from non-renewable materials and are resistant to microbial degradation in the environment. Considerable research has therefore been carried out into the production of sustainable, biodegradable polymers, amenable to microbial catabolism to CO2 and H2O. A key group of microbial polyesters, widely considered as optimal replacement polymers, are the Polyhydroxyalkaonates (PHAs). Primary research in this area has focused on using recombinant pure cultures to optimise PHA yields, however, despite considerable success, the high costs of pure culture fermentation have thus far hindered the commercial viability of PHAs thus produced. In more recent years work has begun to focus on mixed cultures for the optimisation of PHA production, with waste incorporations offering optimal production cost reductions. The scale of dairy processing in Ireland, and the high organic load wastewaters generated, represent an excellent potential substrate for bioconversion to PHAs in a mixed culture system. The current study sought to investigate the potential for such bioconversion in a laboratory scale biological system and to establish key operational and microbial characteristics of same. Two sequencing batch reactors were set up and operated along the lines of an enhanced biological phosphate removal (EBPR) system, which has PHA accumulation as a key step within repeated rounds of anaerobic/aerobic cycling. Influents to the reactors varied only in the carbon sources provided. Reactor 1 received artificial wastewater with acetate alone, which is known to be readily converted to PHA in the anaerobic step of EBPR. Reactor 2 wastewater influent contained acetate and skim milk to imitate a dairy processing effluent. Chemical monitoring of nutrient remediation within the reactors as continuously applied and EBPR consistent performances observed. Qualitative analysis of the sludge was carried out using fluorescence microscopy with Nile Blue A lipophillic stain and PHA production was confirmed in both reactors. Quantitative analysis via HPLC detection of crotonic acid derivatives revealed the fluorescence to be short chain length Polyhydroxybutyrate, with biomass dry weight accumulations of 11% and 13% being observed in reactors 1 and 2, respectively. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry for medium chain length methyl ester derivatives revealed the presence of hydroxyoctanoic, -decanoic and -dodecanoic acids in reactor 1. Similar analyses in reactor 2 revealed monomers of 3-hydroxydodecenoic and 3-hydroxytetradecanoic acids. Investigation of the microbial ecology of both reactors as conducted in an attempt to identify key species potentially contributing to reactor performance. Culture dependent investigations indicated that quite different communities were present in both reactors. Reactor 1 isolates demonstrated the following species distributions Pseudomonas (82%), Delftia acidovorans (3%), Acinetobacter sp. (5%) Aminobacter sp., (3%) Bacillus sp. (3%), Thauera sp., (3%) and Cytophaga sp. (3%). Relative species distributions among reactor 2 profiled isolates were more evenly distributed between Pseudoxanthomonas (32%), Thauera sp (24%), Acinetobacter (24%), Citrobacter sp (8%), Lactococcus lactis (5%), Lysinibacillus (5%) and Elizabethkingia (2%). In both reactors Gammaproteobacteria dominated the cultured isolates. Culture independent 16S rRNA gene analyses revealed differing profiles for both reactors. Reactor 1 clone distribution was as follows; Zooglea resiniphila (83%), Zooglea oryzae (2%), Pedobacter composti (5%), Neissericeae sp. (2%) Rhodobacter sp. (2%), Runella defluvii (3%) and Streptococcus sp. (3%). RFLP based species distribution among the reactor 2 clones was as follows; Runella defluvii (50%), Zoogloea oryzae (20%), Flavobacterium sp. (9%), Simplicispira sp. (6%), Uncultured Sphingobacteria sp. (6%), Arcicella (6%) and Leadbetterella bysophila (3%). Betaproteobacteria dominated the 16S rRNA gene clones identified in both reactors. FISH analysis with Nile Blue dual staining resolved these divergent findings, identifying the Betaproteobacteria as dominant PHA accumulators within the reactor sludges, although species/strain specific allocations could not be made. GC analysis of the sludge had indicated the presence of both medium chain length as well short chain length PHAs accumulating in both reactors. In addition the cultured isolates from the reactors had been identified previously as mcl and scl PHA producers, respectively. Characterisations of the PHA monomer profiles of the individual isolates were therefore performed to screen for potential novel scl-mcl PHAs. Nitrogen limitation driven PHA accumulation in E2 minimal media revealed a greater propensity among isoates for mcl-pHA production. HPLC analysis indicated that PHB production was not a major feature of the reactor isolates and this was supported by the low presence of scl phaC1 genes among PCR screened isolates. A high percentage distribution of phaC2 mcl-PHA synthase genes was recorded, with the majority sharing high percentage homology with class II synthases from Pseudomonas sp. The common presence of a phaC2 homologue was not reflected in the production of a common polymer. Considerable variation was noted in both the monomer composition and ratios following GC analysis. While co-polymer production could not be demonstrated, potentially novel synthase substrate specificities were noted which could be exploited further in the future.

Biodiversity change in the Irish uplands - the effects of grazing management

As a prominent form of land use across much of upland Europe, extensive livestock grazing may hold the key to the sustainable management of these landscapes. Recent agricultural policy reform, however, has resulted in a decline in upland sheep numbers, prompting concern for the biodiversity value of these areas. This study quantifies the effects of varying levels of grazing management on plant, ground beetle and breeding bird diversity and assemblage in the uplands and lowlands of hill sheep farms in County Kerry, Ireland. Farms represent a continuum of light to heavy grazing, measured using a series of field indicators across several habitats, such as the internationally important blanket bog, home to the ground beetle, Carabus clatratus. Linear mixed effects modelling and non-metric multidimensional scaling are employed to disentangle the most influential management and environmental factors. Grazing state may be determined by the presence of Molinia caerulea or Nardus stricta, and variables such as % traditional ewes, % vegetation litter and % scrub prove valuable indicators of diversity. Measures of ecosystem functioning, e.g. plant biomass (nutrient cycling) and % vegetation cover (erosion rates) are influenced by plant diversity, which is influenced by grazing management. Levels of the ecosystem service, soil organic carbon, vary with ground beetle abundance and diversity, potentially influencing carbon sequestration and thereby climate change. The majority of species from all three taxa are found in the lowlands, with the exception of birds such as meadow pipit and skylark. The scale of measurement should be determined by the size and mobility of the species in question. The challenge is to manage these high nature value landscapes using agri-environment schemes which enhance biodiversity by maintaining structural heterogeneity across a range of scales, altitudes and habitats whilst integrating the decisions of people living and working in these marginal areas.