[Research progress on the ecological roles of 'marine ecosystem engineers'.].

'Marine ecosystem engineers' are marine species that can shape habitats and benefit other marine organisms, which are widely found in marine plants, animals and microorganisms. Their ecological roles are the basis of marine ecological functions. By analyzing the relevant literature, we systematically reviewed the research progress of the ecological roles of 'marine ecosystem engineers', and proposed the main research direction and content in the future.

[Effects of Phytoplankton Classifications on the Relationship Between Phytoplankton Community and Environment in Summer Subtropical Reservoirs, Southern China].

Phytoplankton communities are sensitive to environmental changes and are used to assess water quality and ecosystem states. However, their responses to environment are affected by the classifications. To understand the impact of different classifications, the response relationship between phytoplankton communities and environment were compared with five phytoplankton classifications (species, genus, phyla, morphology-based functional groups, and functional groups) by investigating eight reservoirs in summer in the southern subtropical region.

[Assessment of aquatic ecosystem health based on principal component analysis with entropy weight: a case study of Wanning Reservoir (Hainan Island, China)].

A new assessment method based on principal component analysis (PCA) and entropy weight for ecosystem health was applied to Wanning Reservoir, Hainan Island, China to investigate whether the new method could solve the overlap in weighting which existed in the traditional entropy weight-based method for ecosystem health. The results showed that, the ecosystem health status of Wanning Reservoir showed an improvement trend overall from 2010 to 2012; the means of ecosystem health comprehensive index (EHCI) in each year were 0.534, 0.

Organic acids on the growth, anatomical structure, biochemical parameters and heavy metal accumulation of Iris lactea var. chinensis seedling growing in Pb mine tailings.

The effect of citric acid (CA) and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) on the growth, anatomical structure, physiological responses and lead (Pb) accumulation of Iris lactea var. chinensis seedling growing in Pb mine tailings for 30 days were studied. Results showed that the dry weights (DW) of roots decreased significantly under both levels of CA.

[Characteristics of sediment heavy metal pollution in three water supply reservoirs in Huizhou, Guangdong Province of South China].

To understand the present status of the heavy metal (Cr, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and Hg) pollution of the sediments in water supply reservoirs in Huizhou, sediment cores were sampled from three representative reservoirs. The heavy metal concentrations were analyzed by ICP-MS, and the pollution status was assessed by geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and potential ecological risk index (RI). In the meantime, the possible sources of the heavy metals were analyzed by the principal component analysis (PCA).

Novel polymorphism of internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and their utilization in phylogenetic analysis of Neanthes glandicincta (Annelida: Polychaeta: Nereididae).

Sequences of internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) are increasingly being used to infer phylogenetic relationships at or below species levels. Here we report a novel case of ITS polymorphism within Neanthes glandicincta (Annelida: Polychaeta: Nereididae). Two types of ITS sequence (Type I and Type II) were cloned and sequenced, which showed significant differences both in nucleotide composition and length.

Evidence of iron cyanides as supplementary nitrogen source to rice seedlings.

The effect of iron cyanides on activities of nitrate reductase (NR) and glutamine synthetase (GS) of plants was investigated. Young rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L. cv.

[Isolation and characterization of a humic-reducing bacterium Shewanella strain W3 from mangrove sediment].

A humus-reducing bacterium strain W3 was isolated from the mangrove sediment. Based on the analysis of morphology, physiobiochemical characteristics and 16S rDNA gene sequence, this strain was identified as Shewanella sp. W3.

The physiological response and sub-cellular localization of lead and cadmium in Iris pseudacorus L.

The seedling development and physiological responses of Iris pseudacorus L. to Pb and Cd and their combination were studied for 28 days liquid culture and sub-cellular localization of Pb and Cd in the root tip cells treated with 2,070 mg L(-1) Pb and 1,000 mg L(-1)Cd for 16 days sand culture was evaluated. Results showed that the dry weights (DWs) of shoots and roots of I.

Tolerance and accumulation of lead by species of Iris L.

Seedling development, accumulation and distribution of lead (Pb) in Iris lactea var. chinensis (Fisch.) Koidz.

Improved production of ethanol by deleting FPS1 and over-expressing GLT1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

To improve ethanol production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, two yeast strains were constructed. In the mutant KAM-3, the FPS1 gene, which encodes a channel protein responsible for glycerol export, was deleted. The mutant KAM-11 had the GLT1 gene (encoding glutamate synthase) placed under the PGK1 promoter while having the FPS1 deletion.

Biodegradability of Atrazine, Cyanazine and Dicamba under methanogenic condition in three soils of China.

Persistence and degradation of the herbicides Atrazine, Cyanazine and Dicamba were measured in laboratory microcosms incubated under methanogenic condition using three soils of China. Results showed that Atrazine was more resistant to degradation than Cyanazine and Dicamba for the 300 days of incubation. Between 30% and 40% of the initially introduced chemicals were found to be not recoverable through solvent extraction of the incubated soils.