Asexual Reproduction of Aurelia coerulea Polyps in situ on Settling Plates in Jiaozhou Bay,China

Jellyfish blooms are increasingly prevalent coastal phenomena,with Aurelia coerulea being a significant contributor.The complex life history of jellyfish,featuring a sessile polyp stage,is a key factor in bloom formation,yet it is challenging to study in the field.This study aimed to describe the asexual reproduction of A.coerulea polyps in Jiaozhou Bay,China,and to assess their ability to form sedentary colonies and their relationship with environmental factors.Using settling plates,we observed polyps in situ and documented three asexual reproduction modes:budding,strobilation,and podocyst formation.Environmental parameters including temperature,salinity,dissolved oxygen(DO),chlorophyll a(Chl a),and the biomass of phytoplankton and zooplankton were monitored.Budding was the predominant reproductive method,featuring stolon budding in autumn and direct budding during the winter and spring seasons.Strobilation took place in the colder months,releasing ephyrae between April and May.Polyp abundance was positively correlated with seawater temperature and negatively correlated with DO concentration.Polyps at 1.0 m depth showed higher survivorship and proliferation over 8 months,whereas those at 2.0 m depth experienced a steady decline and died within 4 months.The study enhances our understanding of the life cycle and asexual reproduction strategies of A.coerulea polyps in the field,with implications for predicting and managing jellyfish blooms.The findings underscore the importance of temperature and DO in polyp survival and suggest that initial polyp population proliferation is crucial for long-term survival.

Definition of the Portuguese frameworks with international relevance as an input for the European geological heritage characterisation

This work constitutes the first contribution for the systematisation of geological heritage knowledge in Portugal, following the international recommendations for the characterisation of geological heritage （IUGS, ProGEO）. The application of the ProGEO methodology has resulted in the creation of fourteen frameworks with international relevance, established by consensus among the Portuguese geological community. The description of each category in this paper is not exhaustive and only the most relevant scientific settings are presented. The following are the three key outcomes of this work： i） At a national level, the most important geosites are identified, indicating where geoconservation efforts should be prioritised based on scientific justification; ii） At a regional level, conditions have been developed to foster dialogue with Spanish colleagues in order to create Iberian frameworks; iii） At an international level, it is now possible to integrate Portuguese geosites into the global inventories promoted by IUGS, UNESCO, and ProGEO.

School,Museum and University:A New Synergy in Science Education

In the last couple of years the Museum developed a project financed by the National Agency for Culture and Technology in partnership with four schools from Lisbon.The guidelines of this project were the climate change and its influence on human lives in our society and on other living beings."Changing climate, changing lives",our project,evolved 8 months work of about 150 high school grade students,in which

The PALDES Project—Development in Níger Trough Palaeontology

The PALDES project results from a partnership between the Aderbissinat government(N(?)ger) and the Elches Palaeontology Museum(Spain).It has the collaboration of the National Natural History Museum (Portugal) and it’s supported by the Spanish government and some spanish private enterprises.The project is based on the palaentological research by means of the development of an area of the Nigerian Sahara,located at the SSW from Agadez,through

盐分介导下芦苇对不同邻体植物的表型可塑性响应

随着滨海湿地生态系统盐胁迫增加,群落中的植物同时受到盐胁迫和植物相互作用的影响。非生物因素干扰植物之间竞争和促进效应的稳定,使植物产生复杂的表型可塑性响应。探讨不同的邻体物种及对性状可塑性的影响将会扩展胁迫梯度假说,深入理解盐沼湿地的物种分布特征。本研究开展温室控制实验,探究盐胁迫下(0和10 g/L)芦苇(Phragmites australis)对3种功能类型7种邻体植物(同种植物、禾草类植物和杂草类植物)的表型可塑性响应。实验测量了株高、基径、密度、叶厚度、比叶面积、总生物量和各部分生物量等性状,计算了邻体效应指数(基于生物量)和相对表型可塑性指数。结果表明,盐分显著降低了芦苇的生物量、株高、密度和基径。邻体植物的功能类型显著影响芦苇的生长性状。盐分为0 g/L时,禾草类植物对芦苇形成负的竞争效应,但在10 g/L盐分下,这种负效应转变为正的促进作用。芦苇的生长性状对盐分和竞争具有可塑性反应,如增加地下生物量以获得更多的水分和资源,可塑性指数在盐分条件下比竞争条件下更高。总之,植物-植物相互作用对胁迫的响应随植物功能类型和性状可塑性而异。