Competition between links in "producer-consumer" trophic chains in an aquatic closed system with spatially separated components.

The work analyzes functioning of a "producer-consumer" closed aquatic system with spatially separated links, where each component consisted of two species. Producers in the system were the microalgae of Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus sp., consumers--Paramecium caudatum infusoria and Brachionus sp. rotifers. In the experiment the competing predators were consuming on a mixed culture of algae, and the competition of algae was studied under nitrogen limitation. Under these conditions competitiveness of Scenedesmus was higher than that of Chlorella vulgaris. Metabolism products of Scenedesmus algae have been found to have negative effect on reproduction of Paramecium caudatum protozoa. Predator population dynamics in the "consumer" link demonstrated that the rotifers that consume two algal species are more competitive compared to protozoa feeding on chlorella only. Grant numbers: N99-04-96017, N25.     

Experimental and mathematical model of the interactions in the mixed culture of links in the “producer–consumer” cycle

The paper presents a experimental and mathematical model of interactions between invertebrates (the ciliates Paramecium caudatum and the rotifers Brachionus plicatilis) in the “producer–consumer” aquatic biotic cycle with spatially separated components. The model describes the dynamics of the mixed culture of ciliates and rotifers in the “consumer” component, feeding on the mixed algal culture of the “producer” component. It has been found that metabolites of the algae Scenedesmus produce an adverse effect on the reproduction of the ciliates P. caudatum. Taking into account this effect, the results of investigation of the mathematical model were in qualitative agreement with the experimental results. In the “producer–consumer” biotic cycle it was shown that coexistence is impossible in the mixed culture of invertebrates of the “consumer” component. The ciliates P. caudatum are driven out by the rotifers B. plicatilis.     

Experimental and mathematical modeling of the consumer's influence on productivity of algae in a model aquatic ecosystem.

A "producer-consumer" (Chlorella vulgaris-Paramecium caudatum) closed aquatic system has been investigated experimentally and theoretically. It has been found that there is a direct relationship between the growth of the paramecia population and their release of ammonia nitrogen, which is the best form of nitrogen for Chlorella growth. The theoretical study of a model of a "producer-consumer" aquatic biotic cycle with spatially separated compartments has confirmed the contribution of paramecia to nitrogen cycling. It has been shown that an increase in the concentration of nitrogen released as metabolites of paramecia is accompanied by an increase in the productivity of microalgae.     

Behavioural changes in Paramecium and Didinium exposed to short-term microgravity and hypergravity.

The swimming behaviour of two ciliate species, Paramecium caudatum and Didinium nasutum was analyzed under microgravity and hypergravity. In Paramecium the differences between former upward and downward swimming rates disappeared under weightlessness. At microgravity the swimming rates equalled those of horizontally swimming cells at 1g. In contrast, the swimming rates of Didinium increased under microgravity conditions, being larger than horizontal swimming rates at 1g. These findings are in accordance with a hypothesis of gravireception in ciliates based on electrophysiological data, which considers the different topology of mechanoreceptor channels in theses species. The hypothesis received further support by data recorded under hypergravity conditions.     

Computer modeling of the biotic cycle formation in a closed ecological system.

The process of biotic turnover in a closed ecological system (CES) with an external energy flow was analyzed by mathematical modeling of the biotic cycle formation. The formation of hierarchical structure in model CESs is governed by energy criteria. Energy flow through the ecosystem increases when a predator is introduced into a "producer-reducer" system at steady state. Analysis of the model shows that under certain conditions the presence of the primary predator with its high mineralization ability accelerates the biotic turnover measured by primary production. We, therefore, conclude that for every system it is possible to find a suitable predator able to provide the system with a higher biotic turnover rate and energy consumption. Grant numbers: 99-04-96017/2000.     

Waste bioregeneration in life support CES: development of soil organic substrate.

An experimental model of matter turnover in the biotic cycle: plants (plant biomass) --> mushrooms (residual substrate + mushroom fruit bodies) --> worms (biohumus) --> microorganisms (soillike substrate) --> plants is presented. The initial mass of soillike substrate was produced from wheat plants grown in a hydroponic system. Three cycles of matter turnover in the biotic cycle were carried out. Grain productivity on soillike substrate was 21.87 g/m2 day. The results obtained were used for designing a CES containing man, plants, soillike substrate, bioregeneration module and aquaculture. It was shown, that the circulating dry mass of the CES is 756 kg. The main part (88%) of the circulating mass accumulates in the soillike substrate and bioregeneration module.     

How gravity acts on Paramecium: new insights from free-fall experiments.

The swimming behaviour of Paramecium is affected by media of various specific gravities. At 1g, the negative gravitaxis of Paramecium virtually disappears in solutions the specific gravity of which is about the same as that of the organism (1.04). In solutions with a higher specific gravity (1.08), Paramecium becomes positively gravitactic. We recorded the swimming tracks of Paramecium in these media on videotape before, during and after free-falls. The records show that the density-dependent differences in the swimming behaviour disappeared immediately following the onset of the free-fall. The recorded tracks and distributions of cells in the experimental chambers were compared with computer-simulated traces and distributions based on gravitactic and gravikinetic models proposed for Paramecium. Our preliminary analysis favors a novel gravitactic mechanism involving modification of the ciliary movement The drop shaft at the Japan Microgravity Center, Hokkaido (JAMIC) was used for the free-fall experiments.     

Population dynamics of an algal-bacterial cenosis in closed ecological system.

The paper deals with microalgae-bacteria interrelationships in the "autotroph-heterotroph" aquatic biotic cycle. Explanations of why and how algal-bacterial ecosystems are formed still remain controversial. The paper presents results of experimental and theoretical investigations of the functioning of the algal-bacterial cenosis (the microalga Chlorella vulgaris and concomitant microflora). The Chlorella microbial community is dominated by representatives of the genus Pseudomonas. Experiments with non-sterile batch cultures of Chlorella on Tamiya medium showed that the biomass of microorganisms increases simultaneously with the increase in microalgal biomass. The microflora of Chlorella can grow on organic substances released by photosynthesizing Chlorella. Microorganisms can also use dying Chlorella cells, i.e. form a "producer-reducer" biocycle. To get a better insight into the cenosis-forming role of microalgae, a mathematical model of the "autotroph-heterotroph" aquatic biotic cycle has been constructed, taking into account the utilization of Chlorella photosynthates and dead cells by microorganisms and the contribution of the components to the nitrogen cycle. A theoretical study showed that the biomass of concomitant bacteria grown on glucose and detritus is larger than the biomass of bacteria utilizing only microalgal photosynthates, which agrees well with the experimental data.     

Comparative studies of the graviresponses of Paramecium and Loxodes.

Gravitactic protozoa offer advantages in studying how the gravity stimulus is perceived on the cellular level. By means of a slow rotating centrifuge microscope in space the acceleration thresholds for gravitaxis of Loxodes striatus and Paramecium biaurelia were determined: < or = 0.15 x g for Loxodes and 0.3 x g for Paramecium, indicating different sensitivities of these species. Neutral-buoyant densities of immobilized cells were determined using media of different densities, revealing densities of 1.03 to 1.035 g/cm3 for Loxodes and 1.04 g/cm3 to 1.045 g/cm3 for Paramecium. Behavioral studies revealed that gravitaxis of Loxodes persisted independent of the density of the medium. In contrast, negative gravitaxis of Paramecium was no longer measurable if the density of the medium approached the density of the cell. The results suggest that in the case of Loxodes gravity is perceived by an intracellular receptor and, in the case of Paramecium by its own mass via the pressure on the lower cell membrane.     

Electric potentiation of gravikinesis in Paramecium is possibly mediated by filaments.

Sensitivity of Paramecium to mechanical stress including gravitational force is organized along two opposing gradients of membrane channel distribution: depolarizing Ca channels and hyperpolarizing K channels. Mechanoreceptor channels reside in the membrane of the cell soma and are activated, when the weight of the cytoplasm deforms the "lower" plasma membrane. Channel distribution is such as to generate ciliary activation which can counteract sedimentation of the cells: a reduction in downward swimming rate and an augmentation in upward swimming rate. Application of weak DC fields does not only induce the well-known cathodal orientation and swimming of Paramecium toward the cathode (galvano-taxis). We document that swimming velocity is augmented up to 175% as a function of the voltage gradient between 0.3 V/cm and 0.8 V/cm (galvanokinesis). A gradient of 0.3 V/cm was highly effective in raising the common negative gravikinesis of downward swimmers threefold. The gravikinesis of upward swimmers reversed polarity under field stimulation inducing cells to augment sedimentation effects (positive gravikinesis). Both effects of electric-field stimulation on ciliary activation are of the depolarizing type: reduction in the frequency of normally beating cilia. Analysis of the data shows that a voltage-sensitivity of gravireceptor channels would not account for the observed potentiation of negative gravikinesis. It is suggested that a previously described voltage-dependent Ca channel of the soma membrane interferes with a Ca(2+)-sensitive, peripheral filament system, which directly connects to gravireceptor channels.     

Paramecium--a model system for studying cellular graviperception.

Experiments under varied gravitational accelerations as well as in density-adjusted media showed that sensation of gravity in protists may be linked to the known principles of mechanosensation. Paramecium, a ciliate with clear graviresponses (gravitaxis and gravikinesis) is an ideal model system to prove this hypothesis since the ciliary activity and thus the swimming behaviour is controlled by the membrane potential. It has also been assumed that the cytoplasmic mass causes a distinct stimulation of the bipolarly distributed mechano-sensitive K+ and Ca2+ ion channels in the plasma membrane in dependence of the spatial orientation of the cell. In order to prove this hypothesis, different channel blockers are currently under investigation. Gadolinium did not inhibit gravitaxis in Paramecium, showing that it does not specifically block gravireceptors. Further studies concentrated on the question of whether second messengers are involved in the gravity signal transduction chain. Exposure to 5 g for up to 10 min led to a significant increase in cAMP.     

Gravitaxis in unicellular microorganisms.

Orientation of organisms with respect to the gravitational field of the Earth has been studied for more than 100 years in a number of unicellular microorganisms including flagellates and ciliates. Several hypotheses have been developed how the weak stimulus is perceived. Intracellular statoliths have been found to be involved in gravitaxis of Loxodes, while no specialized organelles have been detected in other ciliates, e.g. Paramecium. Also in the slime mold Physarum no specialized gravireceptors have been identified yet. In the flagellate Euglena gracilis the whole cell body, which is denser than the surrounding medium, seems to act as a statolith pressing onto the lower membrane where it activates mechanosensitive ion channels. Similar results were obtained for the ciliate Paramecium. In contrast to the flagellate Euglena, several ciliates have been found to show gravikinesis, which is defined as a dependence of the swimming velocity on the direction of movement in the gravity field.     

Protozoa as model systems for the study of cellular responses to altered gravity conditions.

The orientation behavior of Paramecium changed in a similar way after transition to conditions of free-fall in a sounding rocket and after transition to conditions of simulated weightlessness on a fast rotating clinostat. After a period of residual orientation, Paramecium cells distributed themselves randomly 80 s (120 s) after onset of free-fall (simulated weightlessness). Swimming velocity increased significantly; however, the increase was transient and subsided after 3 min in the rocket experiments, while the velocity remained enhanced even during 2 h of rotation on a fast clinostat. Trichocysts were present and without morphological changes in Paramecium cells which had been exposed to a rocket flight, as well as to fast or slow rotation on a clinostat. Regeneration of the oral apparatus of Stentor and morphogenesis of Eufolliculina proceeded normally on the clinostat. The results demonstrate that the clinostat is a useful tool to simulate the conditions of weightlessness on earth and to detect gravisensitive cellular functions.     

A theory of gravikinesis in Paramecium.

The archaic eukaryote unicellular microorganism, Paramecium, is propelled by thousands of cilia, which are regulated by modulation of the membrane potential. Ciliates can successfully cope with gravity, which is the phylogenetically oldest stimulus for living things. One mechanism for overcoming sedimentation is negative gravitaxis, an orientational response antiparallel to the gravity vector. We have postulated the existence of a negative gravikinesis in Paramecium, i.e. a modulation of swimming speed as a function of cellular orientation in space. With negative gravikinesis, an upward oriented cell actively augments the rate of forward swimming and depresses active locomotion during downward orientation. A brief outline of the gravikinesis hypothesis is given on a quantitative basis and experimental data are presented which have confirmed the major assumptions.     

翅尖轨迹对食蚜蝇悬停时气动特性的影响

食蚜蝇悬停飞行时的抬升角相对较小,在上下拍起始和结束时刻要比拍动中部的大,这样就使得翅尖的拍动轨迹呈现出浅“U”形。为了分析该翅尖轨迹是否会对其气动特性产生影响,利用计算流体力学的方法分别计算了4只食蚜蝇在考虑抬升角和忽略抬升角2种情形下的气动力,分析对比了2种情形下的不同时刻绕翅膀的瞬时流线,并计算比较了2种情形下气动功率系数与平均举力系数的比值。研究结果表明:抬升角的存在会使其维持体重所需的举力增加10%左右;举力增大的同时能耗却比忽略抬升角情形下要低3%左右。      

Kinetic characteristics of the theoretical ecosystems with different extent of openness.

In this paper, the influence of the extent of openness of ecosystem that is defined by the dilution rate, which characterizes the extent of flowage of the pond, on the intensity of the biotic circulation in ecosystems with different regulation types, number of trophic links and extent of closing has been investigated. We considered open systems, we took into account the return of the limiting substances, such as nitrogen and phosphorous, into the cycle by degradation of detritus and products of vital functions of consumers. It was shown by the numerical calculations that the increase of the dilution rate in without recycle ecosystems leads to increase of the net primary production up to the maximum value corresponding to the two-link trophic chain (biogenic substance and producer) and then, to gradually decrease. The residual concentration of biogenic limiting substances monotone increases. Net primary production and residual concentration of biogenic limiting substances in systems with recycle with even number of links behaves similarly to that in without recycle ecosystems. In the systems with recycle with the odd number of links that values lies on the stable level. We showed that in wide range of the dilution rate the recycling of the ecosystem can highly increase the net primary production and reduce residual concentration of biogenic limiting substances. The influence of the dilution rate on numbers of links that may exist in the system was analyzed.     

基于CHAMP卫星观测数据对热层大气密度的经验正交分析

对2003年(太阳活动较高年)至2007年(太阳活动低年) CHAMP卫星的热层大气密度观测数据进行了经验正交函数(EOF)分析, 得到了400 km高度上白天平均大气密度ρ的太阳活动周变化与年度变化等不同变化分量. 研究结果表明, ρ受太阳活动影响较大, 其太阳周变化分量与F10.7指数变化之间的相关系数可高达94.5 %; ρ的太阳周变化分量随纬度增加而减小, 且在中高纬地区, 南半球的值明显大于北半球的值, 在低纬地区则出现基本对称的双峰分布, 即赤道质量密度异常(EMA)结构. 在ρ的年变化中, 呈现出明显的季节变化, 即夏季低冬季高; 同时ρ的年变化幅度随太阳活动增加而增强, 随纬度增加而增强. 将本文结果与经验模式NRLMSISE00在观测条件下的输出数据进行对比, 发现两者的太阳周变化与年变化分量基本一致, 但本文观测数据的太阳周成分随纬度变化略小, 年变化幅度略大, 且NRLMSISE00模式不能再现EMA结构. 研究结果对揭示热层气候学变化特征具有重要意义.      

Swimming behavior of Paramecium--first results with the low-speed centrifuge microscope (NIZEMI).

The low-speed centrifuge microscope NIZEMI (= Nieder-Geschwindigkeits-Zentrifugen-Mikroskop) is an excellent tool with which to investigate the effects of slightly increased gravity in the fields of biology and material sciences. We investigated the swimming behavior of Paramecium in the NIZEMI, by aid of a computer-controlled image analysis system. In the range of acceleration (1 g to 5 g), cells retained their swimming capability, did not sediment, and even increased the precision of their negative gravitaxis but reduced their mean swimming velocity.