Chemical constituents of marine medicinal mangrove plant Sonneratia caseolaris

Twenty-four compounds including eight steroids (1-8), nine triterpenoids (9-16, 24), three flavonoids (20-22), and four benzenecarboxylic derivatives (17-19, 23) were isolated and identified from stems and twigs of medicinal mangrove plant Sonneratia caseolaris. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by extensive analysis of their spectroscopic data. Among these metabolites, compounds 1, 4-20 and 22-24 were isolated and identified for the first time from S. caseolaris. In the in vitro cytotoxic assay against SMMC-7721 human hepatoma cells, compound 21 (3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone) exhibited significant activity with IC50 2.8 mu g/mL, while oleanolic acid (14), 3,3'-di-O-methyl ether ellagic acid (18), and 3,3',4-O-tri-O-methyl ether ellagic acid (19) showed weak activity. None of these compounds displayed significant antibacterial activites.

中国红树林生态系统外来种的潜在入侵性研究

外来生物入侵已严重影响生态系统的结构和功能，威胁生物多样性，受到国内外学者的高度重视。我国50%的外来有害植物是人为引种的结果。因此，在引种造林之前对引入种的入侵潜力的研究和评估极为重要。过去几十年，中国南方地区外来的红树植物物种经常被用于人工造林，但这些外来植物的入侵性却缺乏系统的研究。本研究将个体、种群、群落和生态系统四个尺度的研究有机结合，对海南和广东两地的原产于孟加拉国的红树植物无瓣海桑(Sonneratia apetala) (1985年由申达本引入海南东寨港，1993年引种到深圳)和原产我国海南的海桑(S.caseolaris) (1993年引种到深圳)的生物学特性如种子和幼苗的扩散特性、光合生理特性、抵抗潮汐淹水特性以及本地种、外来种林下和光滩大型底栖动物的营养关系进行了综合研究，结论如下： 1． 果期长和果实种子数量大是海桑属植物的共有特点，但海南的本地种海桑不管在海南还是在引种地深圳都具有比引入种无瓣海桑更优势的萌发和漂浮能力。在没有天然海桑属植物分布的天然红树林区开展海桑属植物造林，应高度重视海桑属红树植物果实和种子的漂浮以及萌发早期的幼苗漂浮可能造成的扩散。 2． 通过对深圳福田红树林保护区实验区引种海桑和无瓣海桑幼苗的自然更新和种苗扩散的调查结果表明：海桑和无瓣海桑在深圳湾经过十几年的引种驯化之后，幼苗的更新和扩散能力逐年增高。虽然林下当年生幼苗受光强和温度等环境因子的影响在定居后大量死亡，林缘、林内空地和光滩上良好的光照条件很适合这些红树幼苗的生长。这是近年来深圳福田国家级自然保护区周边出现海桑和无瓣海桑幼苗扩散现象的主要原因。幼苗成功定居相关的机制有待进一步的研究。 3． 在海南，引种的无瓣海桑的光合速率(A)和光合N利用率(PNUE)都低于本地种海桑和白骨壤，而在深圳引种的海桑和无瓣海桑其光合速率和营养循环速度与本地种相当或低于本地种。因此，海南的外来种与本地种红树植物竞争生境的可能性不大，而深圳的外来种海桑具有较高的光合速率(A)和光合N利用率(PNUE)，和本地红树植物竞争生境的可能性依然存在。因此，海南以外的天然红树林区，引种的海桑与本地的红树植物竞争生境的可能性依然存在。 4． 无瓣海桑对潮汐淹水时间的敏感性低于海南本地种海桑，在淹水时间最长的10-12 h的淹水处理下，无瓣海桑还能通过增加茎长度、扩大叶面积来缓解厌氧胁迫和增加光合速率。因此，无瓣海桑比海桑具有更强的抗淹水能力。从叶片气体交换和养分利用的特征上来看，由于同属的海桑和无瓣海桑在天然状态下存在生态位重叠，因此，从本研究的结果看，它们对于中低潮带的生态位竞争是可能存在的。在低潮带无瓣海桑的生长较海桑有优势，因此低潮带区域很可能成为无瓣海桑与海桑竞争空间和资源的主要区域。 5． 人工海桑林的动物营养结构相对于光滩和天然白骨壤林都发生了一定的变化。人工海桑林的动物之间对于食物的竞争大于天然白骨壤林。因而，造林后的海桑人工林的营养结构的稳定性可能低于天然白骨壤林。但是，对于各种底栖动物的可能食物来源和营养关系的证明还需要进一步研究。 基于以上研究结果，本研究结论如下： 两种海桑属植物的果实、种子的数量和种苗的漂浮扩散特性都可能导致外来种幼苗在原生红树林周边的光滩和林缘空地成功定居，这一特点需要长期的监测。但是从植株的光合特性、潮汐淹水的适应性等生理生态学的证据表明：现阶段两个研究样地上的两种外来种红树植物发生生物入侵的可能性不大。但是，引种后在中、低潮位滩涂上存在外来种无瓣海桑与海南本地种海桑竞争生态位的可能性依然存在。对引种后人工生态系统的底栖动物多样性还需要进一步研究。

两种海洋生物内生真菌的化学成分及其生物活性研究

海洋微生物次生代谢产物是海洋天然产物研究的重要组成部分。其中海洋真菌因其代谢可以产生大量结构新颖活性独特的化合物，已经成为天然药物的重要来源。近来已经有许多关于海洋生物内生真菌的生理活性次生代谢的报道，为寻找发现新的药物先导化合物提供了可能。本论文对一株毛壳霉属海藻内生真菌Chaetomium sp和一株红树林内生真菌的次生代谢产物的化学成分进行了研究，对其中分离得到的化合物进行了初步的生物活性筛选。 毛壳霉属海藻内生真菌Chaetomium sp.系从青岛近海采集的红藻多管藻Polysiphonia urceolate Grev中分离得到。红树林内生真菌Fs系从采自中国南海红树林植物海桑Sonneratia caseolaris中分离得到。对这两株真菌分别进行了发酵培养，对真菌培养物的菌丝体和发酵液分别用甲醇和乙酸乙脂进行提取。将提取液经减压蒸干后经HPLC检测，两部分基本相同，合并进行化学分离。 对发酵提取物采用常规的硅胶柱层析、制备薄层层析、凝胶Sephadex LH-20柱层析、反相硅胶柱层析，重结晶以及半制备高效液相色谱等分离手段，得到单体化合物。利用各种现代波谱技术(IR、UV、EI-MS、FAB-MS、HR-ESI-MS、1H-NMR、13C-NMR、DEPT、1H-1H COSY、HMQC、HMBC等)，结合甲醇解等化学转化方法鉴定了其中45个化合物的结构。其中，从Chaetomium sp分离鉴定了35个化合物，其中2个为新化合物，分别为化合物EN1 （命名为Chaetopyranin）、EN2 （命名为Chaetofuranin）。从Fs中分离鉴定了10个化合物的结构，其中1个为新化合物Fs1。 对大部分分离到的单体化合物进行了细胞毒活性测试，结果显示新化合物EN1对3株细胞系SMMC-7721, HMEC和A-549具有中等细胞毒活性，IC50分别为28.5, 15.4, 39.1 μg/mL。同时一些已知化合物特别是苯甲醛类衍生物对A-549显示了较强的细胞毒活性，这些在以前文献中未见报道。

两种红树林植物海漆和海桑化学成分研究

本论文对两种红树林植物海漆 (Excoecaria agallocha L.) 和海桑（Sonneratia caseolaris L.）的化学成分进行了系统研究。 采用常规的硅胶柱层析、制备薄层层析、凝胶 Sephadex LH-20 柱层析、MCI柱层析、反相硅胶柱层析、半制备型 HPLC 以及重结晶等手段，从海漆 (Excoecaria agalloch L. ) 中分离得到 40 个化合物，从海桑（Sonneratia caseolaris L.）中分离得到 30 个化合物。利用各种现代波谱技术 (IR、UV、ESI-MS、EI-MS、1D-NMR、2D-NMR等) 及其化学物理性质，确定了海漆中 32 个化合物的结构，其中包括 1 个新的三萜天然产物以及 15 个首次从海漆中报道的化合物；确定了海桑中 27 个化合物的结构，其中包括 1 个新化合物和一个首次报道其碳谱数据的化合物。本文为首次报道海桑的化学成分研究。 对海漆和海桑粗提物及分离得到的部分化合物进行了抗肝癌细胞毒活性筛选，化合物S22表现出较强活性，其IC50为2.8 μg/mL；海漆和海桑粗提物及其它部分单体化合物只表现出微弱活性；阳性对照丝裂霉素C的IC50为1.1 μg/mL。 对分离得到的部分样品还进行了抗菌活性测试，各样品在测试浓度下对测试菌均未表现出明显的抗菌活性。 首次研究了海漆挥发性成分及其季节性变化。利用水蒸汽法提取了不同季节海漆的挥发性成分，通过GC-MS鉴定其化学组成，发现脂肪酸、二萜和倍半萜是海漆挥发性成分的主要组成，不同季节的挥发性成分差异较大。

Bioactive Metabolites and Biomarkers from Rhizophoraceae mangroves- A Chemotaxonomic Approach

Mangroves are specialised ecosystems developed along estuarine sea coasts and river mouths in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, mainly in the intertidal zone. Hence, the ecosystem and its biological components is under the influence of both marine and freshwater conditions and has developed a set of physiological adaptations to overcome problems of anoxia, salinity and frequent tidal inundations. This has led to the assemblage of a wide variety of plant and animal species of special adaptations suited to the ecosystem. The path of photosynthesis in mangroves is different from other glycophytes. There are modifications or alterations in other physiological processes such as carbohydrate metabolism or polyphenol synthesis. As they survive under extreme conditions of salinity, temperature, tides and anoxic soil conditions they may have chemical compounds, which protect them from these destructive elements. Mangroves are necessarily tolerant of high salt levels and have mechanisms to take up water despite strong osmotic potentials. Some also take up salts, but excrete them through specialised glands in the leaves. Others transfer salts into senescent leaves or store them in the bark or the wood. Still others simply become increasingly conservative in their water use as water salinity increases. A usual transportation or biosynthetic path as other plants cannot be expected in mangrove plants. In India, the states like West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra, and Gujarat occupy vast area of mangroves. Kerala has only 6 km2 total mangrove area with Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Bruguiera cylindrica, Avicennia officinalis, Sonneratia caseolaris, Sonneratia apetala and Kandelia candal, as the important species present, most of which belong to the family Rhizophoraceae.Rhizophoraceae mangroves are ranked as “major elements of mangroves” as they give the real shape of this unique and interesting ecosystem and these mangrove species most productive and typical characteristic ecosystem of World renowned. It was found that the Rhizophoraceae mangrove extracts exhibit several bioactive properties. Various parts of these mangroves are used in ethnomedicinal practices. Even though extracts from these mangroves possess therapeutic activity against humans, animal and plant pathogens, the specific metabolites responsible for these bioactivities remains to be elucidated. Various parts of these mangroves are used in ethnomedicinal practices. There is a gap of information towards the chemistry of Rhizophoraceae mangroves from Kerala. Thorough phytochemical investigation can achieve the validity of ethnomedicines as well as apply the use of mangrove plants in the development of new drugs. Such studies can pave a firm base for their use in biomarker and chemotaxonomic studies as well as for the better management of the existing mangrove ecosystem. In this study, the various chemical parameters including minerals, biochemical components, bioactive and biomarker molecules were used to classify and assess the possible potentials of the mangrove plants of the true mangrove family Rhizophoraceae from Kochi.

深圳湾两种引种海桑属红树植物的竞争关系

红树林是生长在热带亚热带低能海岸潮间带的一种特殊的生态系统，它是海岸生态关键区。近年来由于人为的破坏，我国红树林面积日益减少，面临濒危的境地。红树林生态系统的恢复和可持续发展成为了有关研究人员和组织的焦点。引种是红树林恢复最重要的手段。无瓣海桑和海桑作为很有发展前景的红树林造林树种，已经成为了东南沿海一带主要的引种红树种。 海桑和无瓣海桑具有很多相似的特征，在生产实践中往往同时被引种到同一生境中。为了比较两个种之间的生长趋势以及相互作用关系，本实验采用替代序列设计，对无瓣海桑（Sonneratia apetala）和海桑（S. caseolaris）的竞争进行了研究，于2005年8月~2007年8月期间对无瓣海桑和海桑的形态学指标、生理学指标以及营养元素的分配进行了连续测定，采用多个竞争系数评估两个种的竞争。结果表明： 1. 在生物量及其它形态学指标的测定中，海桑比无瓣海桑具有显著的优势，说明海桑具有更强的生长优势，对深圳湾的生境更加适应。通过对无瓣海桑和海桑竞争系数的计算，发现无瓣海桑和海桑之间存在对相同资源的竞争，海桑的相对竞争能力比无瓣海桑强，而受到的竞争抑制小于无瓣海桑。 2. 海桑的净光合速率显著高于无瓣海桑，同时无瓣海桑在混种情况下具有较低的净光合速率，说明种间竞争对无瓣海桑的光合作用产生抑制作用。同时，种间竞争也对无瓣海桑的水分利用效率、光合N利用效率产生了抑制作用，但两个种之间的蒸腾速率差异不显著。 3. 植物光合叶片的N含量水平越高，叶片的净光合速率、水分利用效率和光合N利用效率越高，而光合叶片的C/N值越低。海桑在营养元素吸收和积累方面具有优势，进一步解释了海桑的竞争机制。 在深圳湾，引入种海桑比无瓣海桑具有更强的竞争力。加强对海桑属外来种的研究是很有必要的，特别是对海桑的研究，应该受到更多的关注。而对于海桑属外来种是否能引起生物入侵，还需要进一步的研究。

Sedimentological and palynological study of sediment cores from the northern Mekong River Delta

A sedimentological and palynological study of three sediment cores from the northern Mekong River Delta shows the regional sedimentary and environmental development since the mid-Holocene sea level highstand. A sub- to intertidal flat deposit of mid-Holocene age is recorded in the northernmost core. Shoreline deposits in all three cores show descending ages from N to S documenting 1) the early stages of the late Holocene regression and 2) the subsequent delta progradation. The delta plain successions vary from floodplain deposits with swamp-like elements to natural levee sediments. The uppermost sediments in all cores show human disturbance to varying degrees. The most intense alteration is recorded in the northernmost core where the palynological signal together with a charcoal peak indicates the profound change of the environment during the modern land reclamation. The sediments from at least one of the three presented cores do not show a "true" delta facies succession, but rather estuary-like features, as also observed in records from southern Cambodia. This absence is probably due to lack of accommodation space during the initial phase of rapid delta progradation which impeded the development of "true" delta successions as shown in cores from the southern Mekong River Delta.

Sedimentological and palynological analysis of sediment cores from the northeastern Vietnamese Mekong River Delta

Three radiocarbon-dated sediment cores from the northeastern Vietnamese Mekong River Delta have been analysed with a multiproxy approach (grain size, pollen and spores, macro-charcoal, carbon content) to unravel the palaeoenvironmental history of the region since the mid Holocene. During the mid-Holocene sea-level highstand a diverse, zoned and widespread mangrove belt (dominated by Rhizophora) covered the extended tidal flats. The subsequent regression and coeval delta progradation led to the rapid development of a back-mangrove community dominated by Ceriops and Bruguiera but also represented locally by e.g. Kandelia, Excoecaria and Phoenix. Along rivers this community seems to have endured even when the adjoining floodplain had already shifted to freshwater vegetation. Generally this freshwater vegetation has a strong swamp signature but locally Arecaceae, Fabaceae, Moraceae/Urticaceae and Myrsinaceae are important and mirror the geomorphological diversity of the delta plain. The macro-charcoal record implies that natural burning of vegetation occurred throughout the records, however, the occurrence of the highest amounts of macro-charcoal particles is linked with modern human activity.

Late Holocene pollen and organic walled dinoflagellate cysts analyses of sedimet cores from the Java Sea

The pollen, spore and organic walled dinoflagelletas cyst associations of two marine sediment cores from the Java Sea off the mouths of Jelai River (South Kalimantan) and Solo River (East Java) reflect environment and vegetation changes during the last ca 3500 years in the region. A decline in primary forest taxa (e.g. Agathis, Allophylus, Dacrycarpus, Dacrydium, Dipterocarpaceae, Phyllocladus, and Podocarpus) suggest that the major change in vegetation is caused by the forest canopy opening that can be related to human activity. The successively increase of pollen of pioneer canopy and herb taxa (e.g. Acalypha, Ficus, Macaranga/Mallotus, Trema, Pandanus) indicate the development of a secondary vegetation. In Java these changes started much earlier (ca at 2950 cal yr BP) then in Kalimantan (ca at 910 cal yr BP) and seem to be more severe. Changes in the marine realm, reflected by the dinoflagellate cyst association correspond to changes in vegetation on land. They reflect a gradual change from relatively well ventilated to more hypoxic bottom/pore water conditions in a more eutrophic environment. Near the coast of Java, the shift of the water trophic status took place between ca 820 and 500 cal yrs BP, while near the coast of Kalimantan it occurred as late as at the beginning of the 20th century. We observe an increasing amount of the cyst of Polykrikos schwarzii, cyst of P. kofoidii, Lingulodinium machaerophorum, Nematosphaeropsis labyrinthus and Selenopemphix nephroides at times of secondary vegetation development on land, suggesting that these species react strongly on human induced changes in the marine environment, probably related to increased pollution and eutrophication.

Palaeoenvironment records of six sediment cores collected in the Gulf of Carpentaria

The Gulf of Carpentaria is an epicontinental sea (maximum depth 70 m) between Australia and New Guinea, bordered to the east by Torres Strait (currently 12 m deep) and to the west by the Arafura Sill (53 m below present sea level). Throughout the Quaternary, during times of low sea-level, the Gulf was separated from the open waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, forming Lake Carpentaria, an isolation basin, perched above contemporaneous sea-level with outlet channels to the Arafura Sea. A preliminary interpretation is presented of the palaeoenvironments recorded in six sediment cores collected by the IMAGES program in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The longest core (approx. 15 m) spans the past 130 ka and includes a record of sea-level/lake-level changes, with particular complexity between 80 and 40 ka when sea-level repeatedly breached and withdrew from Gulf/Lake Carpentaria. Evidence from biotic remains (foraminifers, ostracods, pollen), sedimentology and geochemistry clearly identifies a final marine transgression at about 9.7 ka (radiocarbon years). Before this transgression, Lake Carpentaria was surrounded by grassland, was near full, and may have had a surface area approaching 600 km-300 km and a depth of about 15 m. The earlier rise in sea-level which accompanied the Marine Isotopic Stage 6/5 transgression at about 130 ka is constrained by sedimentological and biotic evidence and dated by optical- and thermoluminescence and amino acid racemisation methods.