Microscale Spatial Distribution Research Articles

Depth, hard coral, and turf cover as predictors of micro-scale spatial distribution of fishes in a subtropical rocky reef

Depth, hard coral, and turf cover as predictors of micro-scale spatial distribution of fishes in a subtropical rocky reef

Temperature dependence of resistivity of carbon micro/nanostructures: Microscale spatial distribution with mixed metallic and semiconductive behaviors

The temperature coefficient of resistivity (θT) of carbon-based materials is a critical property that directly determines their electrical response upon thermal impulses. It could have metal- (positive) or semiconductor-like (negative) behavior, depending on the combined temperature dependence of electron density and electron scattering. Its distribution in space is very difficult to measure and is rarely studied. Here, for the first time, we report that carbon-based micro/nanoscale structures have a strong non-uniform spatial distribution of θT. This distribution is probed by measuring the transient electro-thermal response of the material under extremely localized step laser heating and scanning, which magnifies the local θT effect in the measured transient voltage evolution. For carbon microfibers (CMFs), after electrical current annealing, θT varies from negative to positive from the sample end to the center with a magnitude change of >130% over <1 mm. This θT sign change is confirmed by directly testing smaller segments from different regions of an annealed CMF. For micro-thick carbon nanotube bundles, θT is found to have a relative change of >125% within a length of ∼2 mm, uncovering strong metallic to semiconductive behavior change in space. Our θT scanning technique can be readily extended to nm-thick samples with μm scanning resolution to explore the distribution of θT and provide a deep insight into the local electron conduction.

Modeling the radiative, thermal and chemical microenvironment of 3D scanned corals

Reef building corals are efficient biological collectors of solar radiation and consist of a thin stratified tissue layer spread over a light scattering calcium carbonate skeleton surface that together construct complex three dimensional (3D) colony structures forming the foundation of coral reefs. They exhibit a vast diversity of structural forms to maximize photosynthesis of their dinoflagellate endosymbionts (Symbiodiniaceae), while simultaneously minimizing photodamage, offer resistance to hydrodynamic stress, reduce attack by predators and increase prey capture and heterotrophic feeding. The symbiosis takes place in the presence of dynamic gradients of light, temperature and chemical species that are affected by the interaction of incident irradiance and water flow with the coral colony. We developed a multiphysics modelling approach to simulate the microscale spatial distribution of light, temperature and O2 in a coral fragment with its morphology determined by 3D scanning techniques. Model results compared well with spatial measurements of light, O2 and temperature under similar flow and light conditions. The model enabled us to infer the effect of coral morphology and light scattering in tissue and skeleton on the internal light environment experienced by the endosymbionts, as well as the combined contribution of light, water flow and ciliary movement on O2 and temperature distributions in the coral.

Multiple upscaling procedures for gas transfer in tight shale matrix-fracture systems

Multiple upscaling schemes for gas transfer in nanoporous media, microporous matrix, core-scale matrix, and centimeter-scale matrix-fracture systems are investigated. An Open Multi-Processing (OpenMP)-based parallelized multi-scale numerical solver for micro-gaseous flow in composite microporous media is developed by coupling the pore-scale multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann method (MRT-LBM) and representative elementary volume (REV)-scale LBM model. The permeability of the microporous matrix is calculated through hundreds of pore-scale simulations for gas transfer in nanoporous media, before being imported into the REV-scale LBM to predict the core-scale matrix permeability. It is followed by the investigations of the variations of core-scale permeability with the heterogeneous spatial distribution of organic matter aggregates, mineral aggregates, interparticle pores, and microfractures. The parallel and sequential gas transfer processes in a larger shale system containing the tight matrix and hydraulic fractures are studied and analyzed. The results reveal several new insights: 1) the microscale spatial distribution of multiple constituents has relatively little effect on the core-scale permeability; 2) an ultra-large local pressure gradient occurs in a thin boundary layer of tight shale matrix, which is shown to be proportional to the square root of the permeability ratio, resulting in considerable flow characteristic velocity in the matrix; 3) the in-situ matrix-fracture transfer satisfies a sequential transport process due to a long equilibration time delay between the tight matrix and fractures; 4) the observed high production rate for tight shale may be caused by the ultra-large local pressure gradient in the matrix (and not by a large apparent permeability as commonly assumed). The results also reveal some anomalous phenomena for multiscale gas transfer in tight shale formations.

Microscale spatial distribution and soil organic matter persistence in top and subsoil

The spatial distribution of organic substrates and microscale soil heterogeneity significantly influence organic matter (OM) persistence as constraints on OM accessibility to microorganisms. However, it is unclear how changes in OM spatial heterogeneity driven by factors such as soil depth affect the relative importance of substrate spatial distribution on OM persistence. This work evaluated the decomposition and persistence of 13C and 15N labeled water-extractable OM inputs over 50 days as either hotspot (i.e., pelleted in 1–2 mm-size pieces) or distributed (i.e., added as OM < 0.07 μm suspended in water) forms in topsoil (0–0.2 m) and subsoil (0.8–0.9 m) samples of an Andisol. We observed greater persistence of added C in the subsoil with distributed OM inputs relative to hotspot OM, indicated by a 17% reduction in cumulative mineralization of the added C and a 10% higher conversion to mineral-associated OM. A lower substrate availability potentially reduced mineralization due to OM dispersion throughout the soil. NanoSIMS (nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry) analysis identified organo-mineral associations on cross-sectioned aggregate interiors in the subsoil. On the other hand, in the topsoil, we did not observe significant differences in the persistence of OM, suggesting that the large amounts of particulate OM already present in the soil outweighed the influence of added OM spatial distribution. Here, we demonstrated under laboratory conditions that the spatial distribution of fresh OM input alone significantly affected the decomposition and persistence of OM inputs in the subsoil. On the other hand, spatial distribution seems to play a lower role in topsoils rich in particulate OM. The divergence in the influence of OM spatial distribution between the top and subsoil is likely driven by differences in soil mineralogy and OM composition.

Micro-scale spatial distribution of bacterioplankton in the Priplotinny (Near-dam) Reach of the Kuibyshev Reservoir in the early autumn period 2020

A detailed study of the distribution of bacterioplankton and photosynthetic pigments of the Priplotinny Reach of the Kuibyshev Reservoir was carried out in early autumn 2020. The bacterioplankton cell numbers were 0.8-2.1 106 cells ml−1, and the biomass varied from 7 to 56 μg C L−1. The average chlorophyll a concentration of in the integral samples was 2.91 μg L−1, varying in the range of 1.1-9.6 μg L−1 (CV 30.7%). The pheophytin content was relatively low, 19.2 ± 10.4% of chlorophyll concentration, indicating the continued active phytoplankton development in the seston in the fall of 2020. From September 17 to October 3, a weak trend for an increase in bacterioplankton abundance as well as for a decrease in the chlorophyll a concentration and in the average cell volume was revealed. A significant (p < 0.05) correlation between the Chl a concentration in the total biomass of heterotrophic bacteria (r = 0.48) was observed. Under conditions of intense wind mixing, anthropogenic sources of pollution and the inflow of the inflow did not have a significant effect on the size structure of bacterioplankton. No pronounced local spatial complexes of stations were revealed in terms of quantitative and structural parameters of bacterioplankton and chlorophyll concentrations in the investigated part of the reservoir. In general, the concentration of pigments and the abundance and biomass of bacterioplankton correspond to the mesotrophic status of the Reach. Both the total number of bacterioplankton and the chlorophyll content in Pryplotinny Reach at the beginning of autumn 2020 are within the range of long-term monitoring values. While in the summer there is a clear long-term increasing trend of the bacterioplankton abundance, in the autumn the bacterioplankton numbers remain stable throughout the entire reservoir existence period.

The extracellular DNA can baffle the assessment of soil bacterial community, but the effect varies with microscale spatial distribution.

Environmental DNA is made-up of intracellular (iDNA) and extracellular (eDNA) pools. In soils, eDNA can be present up to 40% and could distort the assessment of living microorganisms. Distribution of microbial community is inconsistent among different size-aggregates, and the persistence and turnover of eDNA are thus uneven. Uneven persistence and distribution of eDNA could lead to heterogeneity in community analysis biases that arise due to eDNA sequences at micro-scale distribution. Here, we investigated the diversity and structure of eDNA and iDNA bacterial communities in bulk soil and different size-aggregates. Significant differences were observed between eDNA and iDNA bacterial diversity and composition. Changes in community composition are more important than the amount of eDNA to assess the biases caused by eDNA in community analysis. Furthermore, variations were also observed in aggregates-levels for eDNA and iDNA community which indicates that colonization pattern of iDNA community and protection of eDNA through absorbance on particle surface within soil-matrix is heterogeneous. Our work provides empirical evidence that eDNA presence could mask the detection of aggregates-level spatial dynamics in soil microbial community and have potential to qualitatively baffle observed live effects of given treatment by adequately muting the actual response dynamics of the soil microbiome.

Understanding the microscale spatial distribution and mineralogical residency of Re in pyrite: Examples from carbonate-hosted Zn-Pb ores and implications for pyrite Re-Os geochronology

Accurate and precise geochronology using the Re-Os isotopic system in pyrite is an invaluable tool for developing and confirming genetic models of ore systems. However, as a bulk method, the results produced by pyrite Re-Os geochronology are commonly complex, and many imprecise isochrons exist in the literature. Using LA-ICPMS methods it is now possible to map and quantify Re distribution at the ppb level, allowing an unprecedented look into the Re-Os systematics of pyrite-bearing ore.Two samples from the Lisheen Zn-Pb ore deposit in Ireland showing disparate Re-Os isotopic behavior were investigated. In-situ sulfur isotope measurements using SIMS, an analytical technique not previously attempted on the Irish deposits, was used to supplement the Re-Os dataset. A massive pyrite sample from the Main Zone produced a precise, low-scatter isochron (346.6 ± 3.0 Ma, MSWD = 1.6). The Re distribution in this sample is relatively homogeneous, with the Re budget dominated by pyrite containing 1–5 ppb Re, but the δ34S varies significantly from −45.2‰ to 8.2‰. A second, more paragenetically complex, sample from the Derryville Zone produced a younger age with high scatter (322 ± 11 Ma, MSWD = 206) and this also displays a large variation in δ34S (−53‰ to +4‰). The cores of grains of main-stage iron sulfide are depleted in trace elements and show low Re abundances (<10 ppb) but have been altered in an irregular fashion leading to Re-enriched domains that exceed 100 ppb. Additionally, micron-scale molybdenite crystals, found in close association with altered sulfides, contain Re at levels that locally exceed 10 ppm. The highly scattered (MSWD = 206) and younger age (322 Ma), produced by the Derryville Zone sample are interpreted to result from mixing of different generations of sulfide, potentially involving fluids associated with Variscan deformation (<310 Ma). Therefore, the Re-Os data produced from the Derryville Zone sample does not reflect the timing of iron sulfide mineralization, even though a relatively precise age was obtained.A second Re-Os dataset from Zn-Pb mineralization at Hawker Creek, Nunavut, Canada was produced from massive pyrite that displays low Re concentrations (<1 ppb). However, on grain boundaries and in fractures, silicate-rich material contains Re at levels that can locally exceed 500 ppb. Analyses of fracture-free pyrite produced by bulk separation using magnetic separation yielded the oldest model age (1083 Ma), whereas mineral separates containing the highest fracture density produced the youngest age (413 Ma).In general, therefore, the complexities of pyrite Re-Os geochronology can result from impurities in mineral separates. Attempts to eliminate impurities through different mineral separation techniques (e.g. crushing, heavy liquid separation, magnetic separation, acid leaching) are frequently only partially successful and therefore full characterization of any resulting mineral separates is extremely important. We conclude that LA-ICPMS mapping of Re and Mo distributions is essential for the identification of such impurities. Although other trace element LA-ICPMS maps, in-situ sulfur isotope measurements, and petrographic evidence were of limited use in assessing the Re budget of a sample, they are invaluable in linking the documented Re distribution obtained through LA-ICPMS to Re-Os geochronological results.

Asymmetric competitive effects during species range expansion: An experimental assessment of interaction strength between "equivalent" grazer species in their range overlap.

Biotic interactions are central to the development of theory and concepts in community ecology; experimental evidence has shown their strong effects on patterns of population and community organization and dynamics over local spatial scales. The role of competition in determining range limits and preventing invasions at biogeographic scales is more controversial, partly because of the complexity of processes involved in species colonization of novel habitats and the difficulties in performing appropriate manipulations and controls. We examined experimentally whether competition is likely to affect poleward range expansion hindering or facilitating the establishment of the limpet Scurria viridula along the south-eastern Pacific rocky shore (30°S, Chile) in the region occupied by the congeneric S.zebrina. We also assessed whether competition with the "invader" or range-expanding species could reduce individual performance of the "native" S.zebrina and depress local populations Geographic field surveys were conducted to characterize the abundance and identity of limpets along the south-eastern Pacific coast from 18°S to 41°S, and the micro-scale (few cm) spatial distribution across the range overlap of the two species. Field-based competition experiments were conducted at the southern leading edge of the range of S.viridula (33°S) and at the northern limit of S.zebrina (30°S). Field surveys showed poleward range expansion of S.viridula of ca. 210km since year 2000, with an expansion rate of 13.1km/year. No range shift was detected for S.zebrina. The resident S.zebrina had significant negative effects on the growth rate of the invading juvenile S.viridula, while no effect of the latter was found on S.zebrina. Spatial segregation between species was found at the scale of cms. Our results provide novel evidence of an asymmetric competitive effect of a resident species on an invader, which may hamper further range expansion. No negative effect of the invader on the resident species was detected. This study highlights the complexities of evaluating the role of species interactions in setting range limits of species, but showed how interspecific competition might slow the advance of an invader by reducing individual performance and overall population size at the advancing front.

Intra-colony disease progression induces fragmentation of coral fluorescent pigments

As disease spreads through living coral, it can induce changes in the distribution of coral’s naturally fluorescent pigments, making fluorescence a potentially powerful non-invasive intrinsic marker of coral disease. Here, we show the usefulness of live-imaging laser scanning confocal microscopy to investigate coral health state. We demonstrate that the Hawaiian coral Montipora capitata consistently emits cyan and red fluorescence across a depth gradient in reef habitats, but the micro-scale spatial distribution of those pigments differ between healthy coral and coral affected by a tissue loss disease. Naturally diseased and laboratory infected coral systematically exhibited fragmented fluorescent pigments adjacent to the disease front as indicated by several measures of landscape structure (e.g., number of patches) relative to healthy coral. Histology results supported these findings. Pigment fragmentation indicates a disruption in coral tissue that likely impedes translocation of energy within a colony. The area of fragmented fluorescent pigments in diseased coral extended 3.03 mm ± 1.80 mm adjacent to the disease front, indicating pathogenesis was highly localized rather than systemic. Our study demonstrates that coral fluorescence can be used as a proxy for coral health state, and, such patterns may help refine hypotheses about modes of pathogenesis.

Prediction of microscale plastic strain rate fields in two-phase composites subjected to an arbitrary macroscale strain rate using the materials knowledge system framework

In this work, a data-driven reduced-order model is presented to predict the microscale spatial distribution of the plastic strain rate tensor in an isotropic two-phase composite subjected to an arbitrary macroscopically imposed strain rate tensor. This model was built using the framework of localization linkages called Material Knowledge Systems (MKS), which has been demonstrated to exhibit a remarkable combination of accuracy and low computational cost. In prior work, the MKS framework was successfully used to predict the local strain rate fields in multiphase composites subjected to a selected macroscale strain rate tensor. In this work, the MKS framework is extended to include the complete set of all macroscale strain rate tensors that could be applied. This is accomplished by developing novel representations that allow a parametrization of the localization kernel over the complete space of unit symmetric traceless second-rank tensors and implementing them with the required fast computational strategies. The MKS localization linkage produced in this work was calibrated and validated to results from microscale finite element models.

Microscale spatial distribution and health assessment of PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at nine communities in Xi'an, China

Spatial variability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was investigated in Xi'an, China, in summer of 2013. Sixteen priority PAHs were quantified in 24-h integrated air samples collected simultaneously at nine urban and suburban communities. The total quantified PAHs mass concentrations ranged from 32.4 to 104.7 ng m−3, with an average value of 57.1 ± 23.0 ng m−3. PAHs were observed higher concentrations at suburban communities (average: 86.3 ng m−3) than at urban ones (average: 48.8 ng m−3) due to a better enforcement of the pollution control policies at the urban scale, and meanwhile the disorganized management of motor vehicles and massive building constructions in the suburbs. Elevated PAH levels were observed in the industrialized regions (west and northwest of Xi'an) from Kriging interpolation analysis. Satellite-based visual interpretations of land use were also applied for the supporting the spatial distribution of PAHs among the communities. The average benzo[a]pyrene-equivalent toxicity (Σ[BaP]eq) at the nine communities was 6.9 ± 2.2 ng m−3 during the sampling period, showing a generally similar spatial distribution to PAHs levels. On average, the excess inhalation lifetime cancer risk derived from Σ[BaP]eq indicated that eight persons per million of community residents would develop cancer due to PM2.5-bound PAHs exposure in Xi'an. The great in-city spatial variability of PAHs confirmed the importance of multiple points sampling to conduct exposure health risk assessment.

Pinpointing the level of isolation between two cryptic species sharing the same microhabitat: a case study with a scarabaeid species complex

Understanding the processes of speciation is an important challenge in improving knowledge of the origin of biodiversity. One crucial point is to assess the causes of reproductive isolation, especially in the case of co‐occurring species. Differences in microscale spatial distribution in small organisms may blur the issue. We explored biological processes underlying speciation within dung beetles belonging to the vacca species complex (Scarabaeidae: Onthophagus). The two taxa of this complex, O. vacca and O. medius, not only are known to have a large overlapping Palearctic distribution range but also share the same cowpat with no physical barriers and no observed specific aggregated patterns in the local distribution. The present study aimed at determining the level of isolation between the two taxa and discusses the most likely scenario of the speciation (sympatry vs. allopatry) based on the Coyne &amp; Orr's (2004) four criteria. We conducted a full study on populations sampled within the Mediterranean region integrating morphological analysis (digital image analysis of the elytral melanism pattern), two‐gene phylogenies, population genetic analyses on populations sampled from an area where both species occur and another one with O. vacca only, as well as intra‐ and interspecific mating and crossing bioassays. The variation in the elytral melanism pattern clearly followed a bimodal distribution, with O. medius being more melanic than O. vacca, with a very limited overlapping area. The two taxa are reproductively isolated, with a strong postzygotic incompatibility despite the absence of sexual isolation. Sequence analysis of both nuclear and mitochondrial markers revealed a deep divergence between the two taxa dating back to 8.7 Mya. All findings concurred with some phenological observations and the conclusion that the most likely scenario for speciation in the vacca complex was an allopatric speciation followed by secondary contact.

The spatial distribution of exoenzyme activities across the soil micro-landscape, as measured in micro- and macro-aggregates, and ecosystem processes

The spatial ecology of soil microbial communities and their functioning is an understudied aspect of soil microbial ecology. Much of our understanding of the spatial organisation of microbial communities has been obtained at scales that are inappropriate for identifying how microbial functioning and spatial patterns are related. In order to reveal the spatial strategies of soil microorganisms, we measured the microscale spatial distribution of 6 exoenzyme activities (EEA) and related them to the catalytic potential of three soils. The relationship between EEA profiles and microbial community structure was also measured in soil aggregates. All the EEA exhibited scale-invariant spatial clustering. The extent of spatial clustering varied significantly among EEA, suggesting that microbial communities employ different spatial strategies when foraging for different elements. The dispersed distribution of alkaline phosphatase suggests that microorganisms invest more heavily in the acquisition of P. The EEA associated with the C and N cycles, but not the P cycle, were significantly affected by management practices in the loamy soil. A significant negative relationship between the extent of spatial clustering of EEA and the overall intensity of the EEA was identified in the two loamy soils, indicating that the microscale spatial ecology of microbial activity may have a significant impact on biogeochemical cycles. No relationship was found between microbial community structure and EEA profiles in aggregates. However, a number of negative relationships between the relative abundance of certain taxa and the most dispersed EEA (alkaline phosphatase and β-glucosidase) were found, suggesting that these taxa make the EEA products available by means other than the production of exoenzymes (e.g. solubilisation of phosphate through the production of organic acids).

Phosphorus speciation and micro-scale spatial distribution in North-American temperate agricultural soils from micro X-ray fluorescence and X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for plants but its low availability often necessitates amendments for agronomical issues. Objectives were to determine P spatial distribution and speciation that remain poorly understood in cultivated soils. Aquic Argiudoll soil samples developed on a calcareous loam glacial till were collected from experimental plots submitted to contrasting crop rotations and amendments. Micro-X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) maps were collected on undisturbed samples. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectra were collected on bulk samples and on fractions thereof, and on points of interests selected from μ-XRF maps. Results were compared with chemical analyses and extraction techniques results. Chemical analyses show variations in total and exchangeable P contents depending on the samples but no significant difference is observed in terms of P distribution and speciation. P distribution is dominated by a low-concentration diffuse background with a minor contribution from minute hot spots. P speciation is dominated by phosphate groups bound to clay-humic complexes. No modification of P distribution and speciation is observed close to roots. This study evidenced minor effect of cropping and fertilizing practices on P speciation in cultivated soils. Despite analytical challenges, the combined use of μ-XRF and XANES provides relevant information on P speciation in heterogeneous soil media.

Calibrated localization relationships for elastic response of polycrystalline aggregates

In recent years, our research group has formulated a new framework called materials knowledge systems (MKS) for establishing highly accurate reduced-order (surrogate) models for localization (opposite of homogenization) linkages in hierarchical materials systems. These new computationally efficient linkages are designed to capture accurately the microscale spatial distribution of a response field of interest in the representative volume element (RVE) of a material, when subjected to an imposed macroscale loading condition. In prior work, the viability and computational advantages of the MKS approach were demonstrated in a number of case studies involving multiphase composites, where the local material state in each spatial bin of the RVE was permitted to be any one of a limited number of material phases (i.e. restricted to a set of discrete local states of the material). In this paper, we present a major extension to the MKS framework that allows a computationally efficient treatment of a significantly more complex local state of the material, i.e. crystal lattice orientation. This extension of the MKS framework is formulated by the use of suitable Fourier representation of the influence functions. This paper describes this new formulation and the associated calibration protocols, and demonstrates its viability with case studies comprising low and moderate contrast cubic and hexagonal polycrystals.

Impact of hard-bottom substrata on the small-scale distribution of fish and decapods in shallow subtidal temperate waters

The micro-scale spatial distribution patterns of a demersal fish and decapod crustacean assemblage were assessed in a hard-bottom kelp environment in the southern North Sea. Using quadrats along line transects, we assessed the in situ fish and crustacean abundance in relation to substratum types (rock, cobbles and large pebbles) and the density of algae. Six fish and four crustacean species were abundant, with Ctenolabrus rupestris clearly dominating the fish community and Galathea squamifera dominating the crustacean community. Differences in the substratum types had an even stronger effect on the micro-scale distribution than the density of the dominating algae species. Kelp had a negative effect on the fish abundances, with significantly lower average densities in kelp beds compared with adjacent open areas. Averaged over all of the substrata, the most attractive substratum for the fish was large pebbles. In contrast, crustaceans did not show a specific substratum affinity. The results clearly indicate that, similar to other complex systems, significant micro-scale species–habitat associations occur in northern hard-bottom environments. However, because of the frequently harsh environmental conditions, these habitats are mainly sampled from ships with sampling gear, and the resulting data cannot be used to resolve small-scale species–habitat associations. A detailed substratum classification and community assessment, often only possible using SCUBA diving, is therefore important to reach a better understanding of the functional relationships between species and their environment in northern temperate waters, knowledge that is very important with respect to the increasing environmental pressure caused by global climate change.

Spatial distribution of crystalline phases in Sm-doped ZrO2

The aim of the present paper was to investigate micro-scale spatial distribution of tetragonal and monoclinic zirconia phases by simultaneous spatial mapping of zirconia Raman scattering signal and the Sm3+ dopant photoluminescence. A set of 4, 8 and 10 mol% Sm3+ doped zirconia samples was prepared via scull-melting technique. In two samples (8 and 10 mol% Sm-doped) tetragonally stabilised zirconia is dominating, whereas in the 4 mol% doped samples a specific microscopic scale segregation of both tetragonal and monoclinic phase ZrO2 was found.

Microscale spatial distribution patterns of red oak (Quercus rubra L.) ectomycorrhizae

The microscale spatial distribution patterns of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) morphotypes of red oak (Quercus rubra L.) were analyzed over a 600 × 6 × 3 cm (length x width x depth) soil monolith. For this purpose, the soil monolith was divided into 2 × 2 × 1 cm cuboids. Each cuboid was assigned to an organic sublayer, namely the F- or H-layer. A new classification method was used to combine morphotypes with similar distribution patterns into five different groups. For identification of the ECM fungi, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions from nuclear rDNA were sequenced and compared with sequences from the international GenBank. Twenty-eight ECM types were identified in the soil monolith. Using this new classification method, it was found that the majority of morphotypes (16) appeared in a scattered horizontal distribution and that only 5 morphotypes formed clusters. In addition, it was found that many morphotypes had a clear preference for a specific organic sublayer: 14 morphotypes preferred the F-layer, 5 the H-layer, and only 4 morphotypes showed no preference for a given layer. Analysis of the distribution patterns showed that ECM fungi either exclude each other or occur together. The most frequent morphotypes, Cenococcum geophilum and Tomentella spec. 01, were associated with the whole ECM community. In contrast, the frequent morphotype Tomentella terrestris showed the lowest degree of association among the identified morphotypes.

Understanding otolith biomineralization processes: new insights into microscale spatial distribution of organic and mineral fractions from Raman microspectrometry

It is generally accepted that the formation of otolith microstructures (L- and D-zones) and in particular the organic and mineral fractions vary on a daily basis. Raman microspectrometry provides a nondestructive technique that can be used to provide structural information on organic and mineral compounds. We applied it to thin otolith sections of hake in order to address the following issues: (1) the simultaneous characterization of variations in the organic and mineral fractions both in the core area and along successive otolith microstructures; (2) elucidation of significant differences between these fractions; (3) quantification of the effects of etching and staining protocols on otolith structures. The primordium appeared as a punctual area depicting higher luminescence and greater concentrations in organic compounds containing CH groups. Sulcus side showed similar composition suggesting that the contact of the otolith with the macula and its orientation in otosac occur rapidly (about 10 days). The characterization of L- and D-zones in the opaque zones indicated that both structures contained organic and aragonitic fractions with cyclic and synchronous variations. Contrary to the results obtained after EDTA etching, L-zones depicted greater concentrations in organic compounds containing CH groups, whereas D-zones appear richer in aragonite. This organic fraction seemed to be revealed by Mutvei's staining and was affected by EDTA etching which suggests that it corresponds to the soluble fraction of organic matrix. Such results indicate that L- and D-zones differ in their respective organic constituents. Raman microspectrometry thus appears as a powerful technique to acquire quantitative information that is required for a better understanding of otolith biomineralization.