Coral bleaching: thermal adaptation in reef coral symbionts

Many corals bleach as a result of increased seawater temperature, which causes them to lose their vital symbiotic algae (Symbiodinium spp.) - unless these symbioses are able to adapt to global warming, bleaching threatens coral reefs worldwide. Here I show that some corals have adapted to higher temperatures, at least in part, by hosting specifically adapted Symbiodinium. If other coral species can host these or similar Symbiodinium taxa, they might adapt to warmer habitats relatively easily.     

Mangroves enhance the biomass of coral reef fish communities in the Caribbean

Mangrove forests are one of the world's most threatened tropical ecosystems with global loss exceeding 35% (ref. 1). Juvenile coral reef fish often inhabit mangroves, but the importance of these nurseries to reef fish population dynamics has not been quantified. Indeed, mangroves might be expected to have negligible influence on reef fish communities: juvenile fish can inhabit alternative habitats and fish populations may be regulated by other limiting factors such as larval supply or fishing. Here we show that mangroves are unexpectedly important, serving as an intermediate nursery habitat that may increase the survivorship of young fish. Mangroves in the Caribbean strongly influence the community structure of fish on neighbouring coral reefs. In addition, the biomass of several commercially important species is more than doubled when adult habitat is connected to mangroves. The largest herbivorous fish in the Atlantic, Scarus guacamaia, has a functional dependency on mangroves and has suffered local extinction after mangrove removal. Current rates of mangrove deforestation are likely to have severe deleterious consequences for the ecosystem function, fisheries productivity and resilience of reefs. Conservation efforts should protect connected corridors of mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs.     

珊瑚礁地形上胸墙波浪力大水槽试验

基于大比尺波浪水槽试验,开展了珊瑚礁地形上的波浪与斜坡堤相互作用试验。在不同水深和波浪条件下测量斜坡堤胸墙的水平力和浮托力,并与规范值进行对比。试验结果表明:胸墙的波浪力受波浪破碎后的堤前壅水、破碎波高和水流冲击的共同影响;胸墙水平力呈矩形分布,浮托力呈三角形分布;由于波浪在珊瑚岛礁上传播过程中的能量耗散,平均水平力和前趾浮托力试验结果均小于采用深水波要素计算的规范值,所提出的基于胸墙距礁缘的相对距离和礁盘上相对水深的波浪力修正系数,修正后的公式计算结果与试验值吻合较好。     

珊瑚礁地层桥梁基础钢管打入桩承载特性

钢管桩基础作为桥梁、港口码头、海上风机、近海钻井平台等领域广泛应用的基础型式之一,单桩竖向承载力是钢管桩基础设计的关键内容之一。但由于珊瑚礁地质条件复杂性,珊瑚礁地质钢管桩承载特性尚未明确。对中马友谊大桥28根钢管桩基础开展试验研究与数值计算,结果表明中等-强胶结的礁灰岩地层取芯岩样具较高抗压强度,能提供一定桩端承载力,可作为临时结构打入桩基础的持力层。揭示了珊瑚礁地质钢管桩承载机理,提出了改进的钢管桩竖向承载力设计方法,为珊瑚礁地质区域的工程建设提供有力支撑。     

The genesis and environmental significance of red and black sedimentary interlayers in coral reef of well Nanyong 2

The results of paleogeomagnetics and geochemistry of the coral reef in well Nanyong 2 of Nansha Islands showed that the bottom of the black sedimentary interlayer corresponds to the conversion boundary line between Brunhes Postive Polarity and Matuyama Reversed Polarity (B/M) and the cold/warm (19/20) climatic conversion bounds on δ¹⁸O curve, 0.78 Ma ago; and the red sedimentary interlayer corresponds to the ReunionⅠpolarity excursion (reversion) of the geomagnetic field, 2.01—2.04 Ma ago. Comparing with the normal light-coloured coral reef rock, the magnetic susceptibility (c), residual magnetization intensity (Mr) and the content of MnO and Fe₂O₃ of the black sedimentary layer appeared obviously positive abnormity. The magnetic susceptibility (c), residual magnetization intensity (Mr) and the content of Fe₂O₃ of the red sedimentary layer also appeared positive abnormity. Combining with the analyzing results of paleontology, we hold that this pair of special and typical sedimentary interlayers was relative to the sudden change of paleoclimate, i.e. the global climatic change and its incidental polarity reversal of the geomagnetic field directly affected the living environment of the paleontological species as well as the dispersion and enrichment of some chemical elements, especially the elements sensitive to redox such as Fe and Mn. For example, the elements Fe and Mn concentrated in the glacial period would be largely oxidized and diluted when the climate warmed up suddenly, and the originally oxidized high valence Fe would be condensed again when the climate cooled suddenly. This is possibly one of the important reasons of appearing and disappearing of the red and black sedimentary events of coral reef in well Nanyong 2.     

Interspecies and spatial diversity in the symbiotic zooxanthellae density in corals from northern South China Sea and its relationship to coral reef bleaching

Coral reef bleaching is usually characterized by expulsion of symbiotic zooxanthellae, loss of zooxanthellae pigmentation, or both. We collected 128 samples comprising 39 species of 21 genera of reef-building corals from Luhuitou and Xiaodonghai in Sanya of Hainan Island and Daya Bay of Guangdong Province, respectively, and analyzed the symbiotic zooxanthellae population density. The results show that： （1） the symbiotic zooxanthella density varies from 0.67×10^6 to 8.48×10^6 cell/cm^2, displaying significant interspecies variability, with branch corals usually having relatively less zooxanthellae （ranging from 0.67×10^6 to 2.47×10^6 cell/cm^2） than massive species （from 1.0×10^6 to 8.48×10^6 cell/cm^2）; （2） corals inhabiting within 4 m water depth have higher levels of symbiotic zooxanthellae than those living at the bottom （-7 m depth） of the reef area; （3） there is no discernable difference in the zooxanthellae density between corals from relatively high latitude Daya Bay （-22°N） and those from relatively low latitude Sanya （-18°N） at comparable sea surface temperatures （SST）; （4） in partially-bleached corals, the density of zooxanthellae shows the following order： healthy-looking part〉 semi-bleached part 〉 bleached part. Based on the above results, we suggest that （1） the zooxanthellae density difference between branching and massive coral species is the main cause that branching corals are more vulnerable to bleaching than massive corals. For example, symbiotic zooxanthellae levels are low in branching Acropora and Pocillopora corals and thus these corals are more susceptible to bleaching and mortality; （2） symbiotic zooxanthellae density can also be affected by environmental conditions, such as sediment loads, diving-related turbidity, and aquaculture-related nitrate and phosphate input, and their increase may reduce symbiotic zooxanthellae density in corals.     

Timing of Holocene sea-level highstands by mass spectrometric U-series ages of a coral reef from Leizhou Peninsula, South China Sea

Systematic mass spectrometric 230Th ages are reported for a Porites coral reef terrace from Dengloujiao,Leizhou Peninsula, South China Sea. Seven episodes of coral growth were recognized in this terrace: 7125±96, 6764±29,5826±37, 5006±54, 2543±24, 1915±15, and 1513±22 calendar years before present (cal. aBP). 50% of the coral age population fall between 7200 and 6600 cal. aBP, marking post-glacial stabdization of global sea level. Considering the facts that ( i ) Dengloujiao reef fiat was measured at 1.6-2.5m above modern tidal datum plane; (ii) modern Porites corals in the South China Sea are living at least ～1 m below the modern tidal datum plane; (iii) the top 20-30 cm of the reef was eroded; and (iv) crustal subsidence in the region since mid-Holocene was negligible, we conclude that the above age groups record at least two major periods (7200-5000 and 2500-1500 cal. aBP) of high sea-level at least 2.9-3.8 m above the present-day level.     

光伏产业面临多晶硅瓶颈及对策

叙述了世界以及中国光伏电池材料发展的形势。目前,世界光伏电池产业仍然以硅光电池为主,然而,自2004年以来,全球出现多晶硅短缺,中国的多晶硅也严重不足。这已成为光伏电池发展的瓶颈。因此,必须尽快完成下列紧迫任务:①国内已在建的多晶硅厂应早日建成、投产;②应改进多晶硅生产技术,降低硅生产的能耗、冶金硅消耗、氢耗和氯耗,每kg硅生产成本和环保指标都应该处于世界先进水平。从长远来看,流床技术将被一些工厂用来生产太阳能级多晶硅。薄膜太阳能电池(含非晶硅、微晶硅基及各种化合物半导体薄膜)具有相当大的潜力,但其产品性能还须改进,应努力使之形成规模生产。     

用有机食品突破绿色壁垒的思路分析

我国食品出口遭遇“绿色壁垒”，损失严重，而我国的有机食品以其安全无污染得到了世界的广泛认同，有着广阔的市场前景；此外，我国还有着发展有机食品的传统优势。本文通过分析上述因素，提出了我国用“有机食品”突破“绿色壁垒”的食品业发展思路。     

大学新生面临的适应问题与自我调适

大学新生进入大学后，由于扮演的角色，所处的生活环境、学习环境以及人际关系等发生了诸多变化，给他们带来了心理、生活、学习、交往等方面的不适。为尽快适应大学生活，每个大学新生都应积极主动地在这些方面进行自我调适。     

Thresholds and the resilience of Caribbean coral reefs

The deteriorating health of the world's coral reefs threatens global biodiversity, ecosystem function, and the livelihoods of millions of people living in tropical coastal regions. Reefs in the Caribbean are among the most heavily affected, having experienced mass disease-induced mortality of the herbivorous urchin Diadema antillarum in 1983 and two framework-building species of coral. Declining reef health is characterized by increases in macroalgae. A critical question is whether the observed macroalgal bloom on Caribbean reefs is easily reversible. To answer this question, we must resolve whether algal-dominated reefs are an alternative stable state of the ecosystem or simply the readily reversible result of a phase change along a gradient of some environmental or ecological parameter. Here, using a fully parameterized simulation model in combination with a simple analytical model, we show that Caribbean reefs became susceptible to alternative stable states once the urchin mortality event of 1983 confined the majority of grazing to parrotfishes. We reveal dramatic hysteresis in a natural system and define critical thresholds of grazing and coral cover beyond which resilience is lost. Most grazing thresholds lie near the upper level observed for parrotfishes in nature, suggesting that reefs are highly sensitive to parrotfish exploitation. Ecosystem thresholds can be combined with stochastic models of disturbance to identify targets for the restoration of ecosystem processes. We illustrate this principle by estimating the relationship between current reef state (coral cover and grazing) and the probability that the reef will withstand moderate hurricane intensity for two decades without becoming entrained in a shift towards a stable macroalgal-dominated state. Such targets may help reef managers face the challenge of addressing global disturbance at local scales.     

新时期高校图书馆采访工作面临的问题与对策

采访工作是图书馆业务的基础工作，也是学校教学科研工作的重要组成部分。在新时期完善和提高采访工作质量，首先要搞好读者需求的调研工作，了解学院学科发展和专业建设情况，摸清本馆的文献资源布局；其次，成立“专家荐书委员会”，建立“学科采访馆员制”；最后，要拓宽文献采购来源，实行网上采购。     

面对世界的中国传统——人类学与中国传统漫谈

在2007年10月27日“人类学与中国传统”圆桌论坛的大会中,徐杰舜教授提出“人类学的中国话语”,引起了各方的激烈论争。这是一个关系到中国人类学学科发展未来走向的命题。同时,问题也不止于此。在“中国话语”论争的表征背后所触及到的,应该是一个更为坚实和更为深刻的基底——中国传统。人类学如何面对多元一体的中国传统？这关涉到中国人类学研究的理论诉求、方法范式,以及现实关怀等一系列值得我们共同思考的问题。因此,作为对圆桌论坛的“人类学的中国话语”学术论争的一种回应和延伸,人类学与中国传统的圆桌座谈会的意义就显得格外重要。本刊将陆续发表由徐杰舜教授策划、主持的“人类学与中国传统”圆桌系列座谈会的纪实,以飨读者。     

Stromatolite reef from the Early Archaean era of Australia

The 3,430-million-year-old Strelley Pool Chert (SPC) (Pilbara Craton, Australia) is a sedimentary rock formation containing laminated structures of probable biological origin (stromatolites). Determining the biogenicity of such ancient fossils is the subject of ongoing debate. However, many obstacles to interpretation of the fossils are overcome in the SPC because of the broad extent, excellent preservation and morphological variety of its stromatolitic outcrops--which provide comprehensive palaeontological information on a scale exceeding other rocks of such age. Here we present a multi-kilometre-scale palaeontological and palaeoenvironmental study of the SPC, in which we identify seven stromatolite morphotypes--many previously undiscovered--in different parts of a peritidal carbonate platform. We undertake the first morphotype-specific analysis of the structures within their palaeoenvironment and refute contemporary abiogenic hypotheses for their formation. Finally, we argue that the diversity, complexity and environmental associations of the stromatolites describe patterns that--in similar settings throughout Earth's history--reflect the presence of organisms.     

Coral reef diversity refutes the neutral theory of biodiversity

The global decline of coral reefs highlights the need to understand the mechanisms that regulate community structure and sustain biodiversity in these systems. The neutral theory, which assumes that individuals are demographically identical regardless of species, seeks to explain ubiquitous features of community structure and biodiversity patterns. Here we present a test of neutral-theory predictions with the use of an extensive species-level data set of Indo-Pacific coral communities. We show that coral assemblages differ markedly from neutral-model predictions for patterns of community similarity and the relative abundance of species. Within local communities, neutral models do not fit relative abundance distributions as well as the classical log-normal distribution. Relative abundances of species across local communities also differ markedly from neutral-theory predictions: coral communities exhibit community similarity values that are far more variable, and lower on average, than the neutral theory can produce. Empirical community similarities deviate from the neutral model in a direction opposite to that predicted in previous critiques of the neutral theory. Instead, our results support spatio-temporal environmental stochasticity as a major driver of diversity patterns on coral reefs.     

危机期间践行良好的科学

 科学共同体是人类文明中一种特有的组织，是科学家在科学活动中通过相对稳定的联系而结成的组织和团体，是集体科学劳动的一般社会存在形式。科学发展极大地推动了社会进步，科学与社会的联系比过去更加紧密，科学共同体的社会责任也在不断增强，本次新冠肺炎疫情在全球形势严峻，也暴露出科学共同体开展推进开放合作的迫切性。发展科学知识、服务人类社会是科学共同体的价值担当，也是科技期刊和出版机构应承担的责任。面对抗击新冠肺炎疫情的重大挑战，在疫情爆发之时，作为科技期刊和出版商，我认为在危急时刻，科技期刊和出版商在信息处理方面的表现尤为重要，要保证信息的可发现性、具备能快速应对大量的信息的能力以及确保信息有价值。     

危机期间践行良好的科学

<正>科学共同体是人类文明中一种特有的组织,是科学家在科学活动中通过相对稳定的联系而结成的组织和团体,是集体科学劳动的一般社会存在形式。科学发展极大地推动了社会进步,科学与社会的联系比过去更加紧密,科学共同体的社会责任也在不断增强,本次新冠肺炎疫情在全球形势严峻,也暴露出科学共同体开展推进开放合作的迫切性。