Cultivation of the brown alga Hizikia fusiformis (Harvey) Okamura: controlled fertilization and early development of seedlings in raceway tanks in ambient light and temperature

Commercial cultivation of the dioecious brown macroalga Hizikia fusiformis (Harvey) Okamura in East Asia depends on the supply of young seedlings from regenerated holdfasts or from wild population. Recent development of synchronized release of male and female gametes in tumble culture provides a possibility of mass production of young seedlings via sexual reproduction. In this paper, we demonstrate that controlled fertilization can be efficiently realized in ambient light and temperature in a specially designed raceway tank in which the sperm-containing water has been recirculated. The effective fertilization time of eggs by sperm was found to be within six hours. Fast growth and development of the young seedlings relied on the presence of water currents. Velocity tests demonstrated that young seedlings of 2-3 mm in length could withstand a water current of 190 cm s(-1) stop without detachment. Culture experiments at 24 h postfertilization showed that elongation of both the seedlings and their rhizoids were not hampered by high irradiance up to 600 mu mol photons m(-2) stop s(-1) stop. However, growth was slightly retarded if cultured at a temperature of 16 degrees C compared to other culture temperatures of 22, 25 and 29 degrees C. No seedling detachment was observed after transfer of the young seedlings to raft cultivation in the sea after one and 1.5 months post-fertilization, indicating the feasibility of obtaining large quantity of seedlings in such a system.

Formation and early development of tetraspores of Gracilaria lemaneiformis (Gracilaria, Gracilariaceae) under laboratory conditions

Morphological and culture studies of tetraspores of Gracilaria lemaneiformis were carried out under laboratory conditions. Relationships of germination rate, diameter and survival rate of tetraspores from 1st generation branches with grads of temperature and irradiance were determined, respectively. The result showed that 1st generation branches is in the majority of the tetraspores shedding and tetraspores from which had highest survival rates than other parts of the sporophytic plant. The time tetraspores used developing from giant unicells to diads, which both existed on the epidermis, then to tetraspores off the matrix, was only approximately 3 weeks all through. However, tetraspores spent more than two months developing into germlings of gametophytes. It was shown that temperature variation (10, 15, 25, 30 degrees C) with the light of 30 mu mol m(-2) s(-1) had significant effects on the germination rate and diameter, but had no apparent effect on survival rate (ANOVA, P < 0.01). Germination rates of tetraspores reached the maximum at 20 degrees C, which was significantly higher than those at other temperature levels (P < 0.01), whereas 15 degrees C seemed to be optimal temperature for the diameter. All the three growth parameters (germination rate, diameter and survival rate) yield highly significant variations with irradiance treatments at room temperature (ANOVA, P < 0.01). The optimal germination rate was detected at the irradiance of 30 mu mol m(-2) s(-1) (P < 0.01). The photon flux density which exceeds 480 nnol m(-2) s(-1) have apparently negative effect on diameter and survival rate. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nd isotope as the tracer of seawater evolution of early Miocene in the eastern Pacific Ocean

Fifty-six samples of nannofossil ooze were collected from Core PC5794 in the northern equatorial Pacific at 5 em intervals. With the methods of mass spectrometer (VG354) and ICP, the Nd isotopic compositions (epsilon(Nd)(t)), Mn contents and Mg/Sr ratios of carbonate phase have been analyzed. CaCO3 contents of bulk sediments were obtained by dissolution of 0.5 mol/L HCl. Based on these data, the high-resolution epsilon(Nd)(t) profile of seawater in early Miocene with core depth(or time) have been established. The values of epsilon(Nd)(t) range from -6.2 to -2.97 and 4 fluctuation cycles existed during 24.06-22.02 Ma. 4 low epsilon(Nd)(t) values (about -6.4) correspond to high CaCO3 contents, which implicates that there were 4 cold epochs or 4 times of Antarctic Bottom Water activity. They occurred at the time of 24.06 Ma, 23.85 Ma, 22.88 Ma and 22.26 Ma, respectively. High epsilon(Nd)(t) values correspond to the high Mn contents and high values of Mg/Sr ratio, which indicates the existence of 4 intense hydrothermal activity periods during 24.06-22 Ma, the durations of them are 4.05-23.98 Ma, 23.69-23.15 Ma, 22.74-22.37 Ma and 22.06-22.02 Ma, respectively.

PYRITE GENESIS DURING EARLY DIAGENESIS IN YELLOW SEA AND EAST-CHINA-SEA

The content and isotopic compositions of different sulphur species in pore-water and solid phases have been examined on five sediment cores taken from muddy sediment region in the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea. Relationships among these data have been investigated with the combination of morphology of mineral pyrite and organic matter so as to role out the diagenetic behaviour of sulphur species at the early stage of diagenesis in modern marine sediment and the origin of pyrite formation.

Distribution pattern of marine flagellate and its controlling factors in the central and north part of the Huanghai Sea in early summer

A survey was carried out in the central and north part of the Huanghai Sea (34.5degrees similar to 37.0degreesN, 120.5degrees similar to124.0degreesE) during June 12 similar to 27, 2000. It was found that the abundance of marine flagellate ranged from 45 to 1278 cell/ml, 479 cell/ml in average. Flagellate was more abundant in the central part than in the north part of Huanghai Sea, and the abundance decreased with the increasing distance from the coast, showing a similar distribution pattern with isotherm. Vertically, high density of flagellate was always presented in the bottom of thermocline, and formed a dense accumulation in the central area of the Huanghai Sea Cold Water Mass. The effects of physical and biological factors on the distribution of marine flagellate in early summer were discussed. Water temperature (especially the existence of thermocline) rather than salinity showed significant effect on the distribution pattern of marine flagellate in the Huanghai Sea in early summer. When comparing the abundance of marine flagellate with that of other microorganisms, it revealed a comparatively stable relationship among these organhisms, with a ratio of heterotrophic bacteria: cyanobacteria: flagellate: dinoflagellate: ciliate being 10(5) 10(3):10(2):10(1):10(0).

Effects of the dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense on early development of the scallop Argopecten irradians concentricus

The effects of Alexandrium tamarense (strain ATHK) on early development of the bay scallop Argopecten irradians concentricus were studied under laboratory conditions. The algal culture was verified by HPLC to produce paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) at a level of 37.48 fmol/cell. Survival of the scallop larvae was not affected when they were grown with A. tamarense at concentrations of 500-10,000 cells/ml for 48 h. However, the activity of D-shape larvae was inhibited after 48-h exposure to A. tamarense at the algal cell density of 10,000 cells/ml. Scallop growth was inhibited significantly by A. tantarense during a 14-day exposure starting at the eye-spot larval stage. The size of juvenile scallops in the group of 10,000 cells/ml was only about 32% of that of the controls, although no obvious effect of A. tamarense was found on the rate of larval metamorphosis. All juvenile scallops survived in algal concentrations of 600-2400 cells/ml, however, attachment rates were significantly lower than control values after a 5-h exposure to A. tamarense at concentrations >600 cells/ml, while they were not obviously reduced after only 1 h of exposure. At concentrations >600 cells/ml, the climbing ability of juveniles was clearly reduced by exposure to A. tamarense after only 1 h. The climbing rate and height were only 55% and 45%, respectively, of those of the controls, when exposed to A. tantarense at a concentration of 600 cells/ml. The results indicated that A. tamarense blooms may have detrimental impacts on shellfish at early life stages, therefore, special attention should be paid to the toxic algal blooms in shellfish breeding area. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Meso-scale spatial distribution of large tintinnids in early summer in southern Yellow Sea

The spatial distribution of some large tintinnid species (nominally>76 mu m) was investigated according to samples collected by vertical towing in cruises to the southern Yellow Sea in summer 2000-2002 and 2004. Eight species were identified: Codonellopsis mobilis, Leprotintinnus netritus, Tintinnopsis karajacensis, T. japonica, T. kiaochowensis, T. butschlii, T. radix, and Parafavella sp. With maximum abundance of 158.2 ind/L in June 2004, C mobilis was the dominant species, lasting from May to July 2004. Tintinnid communities were patchy and distributed mainly in shallow waters along the shore.

Impact of microzooplankton and Calanus sinicus (Brodsky, 1962) on phytoplankton in the Yellow Sea during early summer

Dilution incubations and Calanus sinicus addition incubations were simultaneously conducted at five stations in the Yellow Sea in June of 2004 to evaluate the impact of microzooplankton and Calanus sinicus on phytoplankton based on the Chlorophyll a (Chl-a) levels. The Chl-a growth rates (k) ranged from 0.60-1.67 d(-1), while microzooplankton grazed the Chl-a at rates (g) of 0.29-0.62 d(t-1). The addition of C. sinicus enhanced the Chl-a growth rate (Z) by 0.004-0.037 d(-1) ind.(-1) L. C. sinicus abundance ranged from 84.1-160.9 ind. m(-3), which occupied 90.7%-99.1% of the copepod (> 500 mu m) population. The in-situ increase in phytoplankton by C. sinicus community was estimated to be 0.000 4-0.005 9 d(-1). These results showed that microzooplankton were the main grazers of phytoplankton, while C. sinicus induced a slight increase in the levels of phytoplankton.

Impacts of HAB species Heterosigma akashiwo on early development of the scallop Argopecten irradians Lamarck

The effects of Heterosigma akashiwo on the early development of Argopecten irradians Lamarck: eggs, D-shaped larvae, eye-spot larvae and juveniles, were investigated under laboratory conditions. Exposing fertilized eggs to various densities of H. akashiwo algal culture revealed that the development of the embryos to the gastrula was significantly slowed at densities of more than 1 X 10(4) cells/ml algal cells, and mostly was arrested when the embryos reached the trochophore larvae stage. At this stage, several trochophore larvae were adhered together by the algal cells, resulting in the inhibition of their swimming activity. Larvae had still not developed into D-shaped larvae after 30 h, and therefore did not finish the hatching process. The attachment and adherence of the algal cells to the larvae might be an important process in the mechanism of the impact on egg hatching success. The activity of the D-shaped larvae was significantly inhibited after 48 h exposure to H. akashiwo at a density of 15 X 10(4) cells/ml and after 96 h at 10 X 10(4) cells/ml. The survival rate of the eye-spot larvae was decreased significantly after 48 h exposure to the algal culture at densities of more than 1 X 10(4) cells/ml. However, all the juveniles could survive and their climbing and attachment activity were not affected after 1 and 5 h exposure to the algal culture at all the various algal cell densities tested from 5 to 20 X 10(4) cells/ml. The results indicated that susceptibility of embryos or larvae to the alga H. akashiwo differs depending on the developmental stage. The embryos and the eye-spot larvae of A. irradians are more sensitive stages to the toxicity of H. akashiwo. Observed effects of H. akashiwo exposure on early development of A. irradians serve to point out to the potential danger of this alga for scallop populations. The possible toxicological mechanisms of H. akashiwo on the scallop embryos and larvae are discussed. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Genetic parameter estimates for growth traits at early stage of Pacific abalone, Haliotis discus hannai Ino

Heritability and genetic and phenotypic correlations were estimated for juvenile growth traits of Pacific abalone Haliotis discus hannai Ino. The estimates were calculated from shell length and shell width measurements on progeny resulting from 12 half-sib families and 36 full-sib families obtained using artificial fertilization of mating three females to each male. The measurements were taken at 10, 20 and 30 d after fertilization. It was found that heritability estimates based on sire component ranged from 0.23 to 0.36 for shell length and 0.21 to 0.32 for shell width. Heritability estimates from dam component were larger than those from sire component at three ages, indicating presence of maternal effects, non-additive genetic effects and common environmental effects. Phenotypic correlations were significant at three ages (P < 0.05), with values of 0.92, 0.93 and 0.92, respectively. Genetic correlations from the paternal half-sib correlation analysis were highly positive at three ages, with values of 0.50, 0.78 and 0.81, respectively. The results suggest that selective breeding is an effective approach to improving growth traits of Pacific abalone stocks.

Sedimentary-volcanic tufts formed during the early Middle Triassic volcanic event in Guizhou Province and their stratigraphic significance

The sedimentary-volcanic tuff （locally called ＂green-bean rock＂） formed during the early Middle Triassic volcanic event in Guizhou Province is characterized as being thin, stable, widespread, short in forming time and predominantly green in color. The green-bean rock is a perfect indicator for stratigraphic division. Its petrographic and geochemical features are unique, and it is composed mainly of glassy fragments and subordinately of crystal fragments and volcanic ash balls. Analysis of the major and trace elements and rare-earth elements （ REE）, as well as the related diagrams, permits us to believe that the green-bean rock is acidic volcanic material of the calc-alkaline series formed in the Indosinian orogenic belt on the Sino-Vietnam border, which was atmospherically transported to the tectonically stable areas and then deposited as sedimentary-volcanic rocks there. According to the age of green-bean rock, it is deduced that the boundary age of the Middle-Lower Triassic overlain by the sedimentary-volcanic tuff is about 247 Ma.