Lithium isotopic records of anthropogenic activity in the Xiaoqing River basin, eastern China.

The environmental impact of the discharge of lithium (Li) by anthropogenic activity has been overlooked. By analyzing Li concentrations and isotope compositions (δ7Li) of water and sediment samples, this study evaluates the influence of anthropogenic Li discharge on the Xiaoqing River and Laizhou Bay, which are heavily polluted areas in China. High Li concentrations of the river water (up to 7.8 µmol/L) should be linked to anthropogenic Li discharge. However, no profound δ7Li anomalies were observed, preventing identification of the exact discharge sources. In the river sediments, Li concentrations (19.0-45.0 µg/g) were weakly correlated with Zn, Cu, and Cr concentrations, whereas δ7Li values ranged from 0.6 ‰ to 13.9 ‰ with high values being accompanied by high contents of total organic carbon and heavy Cr isotope compositions (δ53Cr). All these point to significant influence of anthropogenic activity on the Li budget of river sediments. A simple mass balance calculation indicates that smelters, Li-bearing therapeutic drugs, and secondary Li-ion batteries are the main anthropogenic Li sources. In contrast to river sediments, marine sediments in the Laizhou Bay were broadly homogeneous at both spatial and temporal scales, indicating no significant influence of anthropogenic Li discharge. Overall, our data indicate that Li isotope systematics in river sediments, especially sediments near intense anthropogenic activity, are effective at tracing potential Li pollution and can help obtain accurate results for environmental inspection.

Unraveling the Pollution and Discharge of Aminophenyl Sulfone Compounds, Sulfonamide Antibiotics, and Their Acetylation Products in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants.

Aminophenyl sulfone compounds (ASCs) are widely used in various fields, such as the pharmaceutical and textile industries. ASCs and their primary acetylation products are inevitably discharged into the environment. However, the high toxicity of ASCs could be released from the deacetylation of acetylation products. Still, the occurrence and ecological risks of ASCs and their acetylation products remain largely unknown. Here, we integrated all of the existing ASCs based on the core structure, together with their potential acetylation products, to establish a database covering 1105 compounds. By combining the database with R programming, 45 ASCs, sulfonamides, and their acetylation products were identified in the influent and effluent of 19 municipal wastewater treatment plants in 4 cities of China. 13 of them were detected for the first time in the aquatic environment, and 12 acetylation products were newly identified. The cumulative concentrations of 45 compounds in the influent and effluent were in the range of 231-9.96 × 103 and 26-2.70 × 103 ng/L, respectively. The proportion of the unrecognized compounds accounted for 60.6% of the influent and 62.8% of the effluent. Furthermore, nearly half of the ASCs (46.7%), other sulfonamides (49.9%), and their acetylation products (46.2%) were discharged from the effluent, posing a low-to-medium risk to aquatic organisms. The results provide a guideline for future monitoring programs, particularly for sulfadiazine and dronedarone, and emphasize that the ecological risk of ASCs, sulfonamides, and their acetylation products needs to be considered in the aquatic environment.

Unique high-temperature tolerance mechanisms of zoochlorellae Symbiochlorum hainanensis derived from scleractinian coral Porites lutea.

Global warming is a key issue that causes coral bleaching mainly because of the thermosensitivity of zooxanthellae. Compared with the well-studied zooxanthellae Symbiodiniaceae in coral holobionts, we rarely know about other coral symbiotic algae, let alone their thermal tolerance. In this study, a zoochlorellae, Symbiochlorum hainanensis, isolated from the coral Porites lutea, was proven to have a threshold temperature of 38°C. Meanwhile, unique high-temperature tolerance mechanisms were suggested by integrated transcriptomics and real-time quantitative PCR, physiological and biochemical analyses, and electron microscopy observation. Under heat stress, S. hainanensis shared some similar response strategies with zooxanthellae Effrenium sp., such as increased ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase activities and chlorophyll a, thiamine, and thiamine phosphate contents. In particular, more chloroplast internal layered structure, increased CAT activity, enhanced selenate reduction, and thylakoid assembly pathways were highlighted for S. hainanensis's high-temperature tolerance. Notably, it is the first time to reveal a whole selenate reduction pathway from SeO42- to Se2- and its contribution to the high-temperature tolerance of S. hainanensis. These unique mechanisms, including antioxidation and maintaining photosynthesis homeostasis, efficiently ensure the high-temperature tolerance of S. hainanensis than Effrenium sp. Compared with the thermosensitivity of coral symbiotic zooxanthellae Symbiodiniaceae, this study provides novel insights into the high-temperature tolerance mechanisms of coral symbiotic zoochlorellae S. hainanensis, which will contribute to corals' survival in the warming oceans caused by global climate change. IMPORTANCE: The increasing ocean temperature above 31°C-32°C might trigger a breakdown of the coral-Symbiodiniaceae symbioses or coral bleaching because of the thermosensitivity of Symbiodiniaceae; therefore, the exploration of alternative coral symbiotic algae with high-temperature tolerance is important for the corals' protection under warming oceans. This study proves that zoochlorellae Symbiochlorum hainanensis can tolerate 38°C, which is the highest temperature tolerance known for coral symbiotic algae to date, with unique high-temperature tolerance mechanisms. Particularly, for the first time, an internal selenium antioxidant mechanism of coral symbiotic S. hainanensis to high temperature was suggested.

Exposure levels and health implications of fungicides, neonicotinoid insecticides, triazine herbicides and their associated metabolites in pregnant women and men.

Exposure to pesticides can pose a series of advance effects on human health. However, the exposure levels and health implications of the current use pesticides and their metabolites in both men and pregnant women remain unclear. In this study, an analytical method was developed to quantify fungicides, neonicotinoid insecticides, triazine herbicides, and their metabolites in the human serum. Fifty of the 73 target pesticides and metabolites were detected in the human serum of men and pregnant women from Wuxi, China, which included 11 triazine herbicides and metabolites, 17 neonicotinoid insecticides and metabolites, and 22 fungicides. Fungicides had the highest cumulative concentration (49.5 ng/mL), followed by neonicotinoid insecticides and metabolites (6.38 ng/mL), and triazine herbicides and metabolites (5.10 ng/mL). Moreover, the estimated daily intake (EDI) of fungicides was 10.4 and 12.7 times higher than that of triazine herbicides (included their metabolites) and neonicotinoid insecticides (included their metabolites), respectively. Of the three categories of pesticides, exposure to fungicides contributed to the highest exposure risk within the hazard quotient in the range of 5.1 × 10-3-0.17. Correlation analysis revealed that the pesticide exposure levels in human serum were correlated with their maximum residue levels in vegetables and fruits. Pesticide exposure has also been correlated with the weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) of humans based on structural equation modeling. This study provides new insights into the exposure of men and pregnant women to a cocktail of fungicides, neonicotinoid insecticides, triazine herbicides and their metabolites.

Identification and Coexposure of Neonicotinoid Insecticides and Their Transformation Products in Retail Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata).

There is growing evidence that the transformation products of emerging contaminants in foodstuffs may pose a health risk to humans. However, the exact identities, levels, and estimated dietary intake (EDI) of neonicotinoid transformation products in crops remain poorly understood. We established an extended suspect screening strategy to investigate neonicotinoid insecticides and their transformation products in retail cowpea from 11 cities in Hainan Province, China. Forty-nine transformation products were identified in retail cowpea, of which 22-36 were found in 98.6% of the samples. Notably, 31 new transformation products were derived from new processes or a combination of different transformation processes. The mean concentrations of neonicotinoids and nine of the transformation products (with authentic standards) were in the ranges of 0.0824-5.34 and 0.0636-1.50 ng/g, respectively. The cumulative EDIs of the quantified transformation products were lower than those of parent neonicotinoids with the exception of clothianidin desmethyl, which had a ratio of 1157%. However, the coexistence of the other 40 transformation products (without authentic standards) in cowpea suggested that the exposure risk from all of the transformation products might be higher. This study demonstrated that pesticide transformation products should be considered in food chain risk assessments and included in future regulatory management.

Deep carbon cycling during subduction revealed by coexisting diamond-methane-magnesite in peridotite.

Identification of multiphase inclusions in peridotite suggests that released carbon from a subducting slab can be stored as diamond+methane+magnesite in the overlying mantle wedge, achieving deep carbon cycling.

The impacts of ocean acidification, warming and their interactive effects on coral prokaryotic symbionts.

BACKGROUND: Reef-building corals, the foundation of tropical coral reefs, are vulnerable to climate change e.g. ocean acidification and elevated seawater temperature. Coral microbiome plays a key role in host acclimatization and maintenance of the coral holobiont's homeostasis under different environmental conditions, however, the response patterns of coral prokaryotic symbionts to ocean acidification and/or warming are rarely known at the metatranscriptional level, particularly the knowledge of interactive and persistent effects is limited. Using branching Acropora valida and massive Galaxea fascicularis as models in a lab system simulating extreme ocean acidification (pH 7.7) and/or warming (32 °C) in the future, we investigated the changes of in situ active prokaryotic symbionts community and gene expression of corals under/after (6/9 d) acidification (A), warming (H) and acidification-warming (AH) by metatranscriptome analysis with pH8.1, 26 °C as the control. RESULTS: A, H and AH increased the relative abundance of in situ active pathogenic bacteria. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in virulence, stress resistance, and heat shock proteins were up-regulated. Many DEGs involved in photosynthesis, carbon dioxide fixation, amino acids, cofactors and vitamins, auxin synthesis were down-regulated. A broad array of new DEGs involved in carbohydrate metabolism and energy production emerged after the stress treatment. Different response patterns of prokaryotic symbionts of massive G. fascicularis and branching A. valida were suggested, as well as the interactive effects of combined AH and persistent effects. CONCLUSIONS: The metatranscriptome-based study indicates that acidification and/or warming might change coral's in situ active prokaryotic microbial diversity and functional gene expression towards more pathogenic and destabilized coral-microbes symbioses, particularly combined acidification and warming show interactive effects. These findings will aid in comprehension of the coral holobiont's ability for acclimatization under future climate change.

Supercritical fluid in deep subduction zones as revealed by multiphase fluid inclusions in an ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic vein.

Due to their low viscosity, high mobility, and high element contents, supercritical fluids are important agents in the cycling of elements. However, the chemical composition of supercritical fluids in natural rocks is poorly understood. Here, we investigate well-preserved primary multiphase fluid inclusions (MFIs) from an ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic vein of the Bixiling eclogite in Dabieshan, China, thus providing direct evidence for the components of supercritical fluid occurring in a natural system. Via the 3D modeling of MFIs by Raman scanning, we quantitatively determined the major composition of the fluid trapped in the MFIs. Combined with the peak-metamorphic pressure-temperature conditions and the cooccurrence of coesite, rutile, and garnet, we suggest that the trapped fluids in the MFIs represent supercritical fluids in a deep subduction zone. The strong mobility of the supercritical fluids with respect to carbon and sulfur suggests that such fluids have profound effects on global carbon and sulfur cycling.

Cytobacillus spongiae sp. nov. isolated from sponge Diacarnus spinipoculum.

A novel Gram-stain-positive, aerobic and motile bacterium, designated strain CY-GT, was isolated from a sponge (Diacarnus spinipoculum) collected from the Red Sea. The strain grew at 13-43 °C (optimum 30 °C), pH 5.5-10.0 (optimum pH 9.0) and with 0-8.0 % (w/v) (0-1.37 M) NaCl (optimum 0 %). The results of phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that CY-GT represents a member of the genus Cytobacillus, with the highest sequence identity to Cytobacillus oceanisediminis H2T (97.05 %), followed by Cytobacillus firmus IAM 12464T (96.76 %). The major cellular fatty acids (>5 % of the total) of CY-GT were C15 : 0iso, C16 : 0iso, C16 : 1ω7c alcohol, C16 : 0, C17 : 1iso ω10c and C17 : 0iso. The major polar lipids were glycolipid, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. The major respiratory quinone is menaquinone-7 (MK-7). The cell-wall peptidoglycan contains meso-diaminopimelic acid. The total genome size of CY-GT is 4 789 051 bp. The DNA G+C content is 38.83 mol%. The average nucleotide identity and DNA-DNA hybridization among CY-GT and type strains of other species of the genus Cytobacillus were 76.79-78.97 % and 20.10-24.90 %, respectively. On the basis of the results of phylogenetic analysis, physiological and biochemical characterization, strain CY-GT represents a novel species of the genus Cytobacillus, for which the name Cytobacillus spongiae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CY-GT (=MCCC 1K06383T=KCTC 43348T).

Fractionation of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) along the aquatic food chain promoted by competitive effects between longer and shorter chain PFAAs.

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are proteinophilic pollutants. We hypothesized that fractionation of PFAAs may occur along a food chain. To testify this hypothesis, we investigated the bioconcentration, bioaccumulation, and fractionation of 11 kinds of PFAAs (C-F = 3-11) along an aquatic food chain consisting of D. magna, zebrafish, and cichlid. The results showed that the proportions of PFNA, PFOA, and all shorter chain PFAAs in the D. magna and fish tissues were lower than the ones in exposure water, opposing to the other longer chain PFAAs. Predation promoted such fractionation differences, and the proportions of PFNA, PFOA, and all shorter chain PFAAs in organisms decreased while those of the other longer chain PFAAs increased along the food chain. The results of isothermal titration calorimetry and molecular docking experiments showed that binding affinities of PFAAs and fish proteins increased with the number of perfluorinated carbons, resulting in a substitution of shorter chain PFAAs by their longer chain analogues. It also triggered the differences in the uptake and elimination of PFFAs and competitive bioaccumulation between longer and shorter chain PFAAs. This study suggests that fractionation should be considered in studying environmental behaviors and evaluating ecological risks of multiple PFAAs.

Differential effects of low and high temperature stress on pollen germination and tube length of mango (Mangifera indica L.) genotypes.

Mango flowering is highly sensitive to temperature changes. In this research, the maximum values of pollen germination rate (PGR), pollen tube length (PTL) and their cardinal temperatures (Tmin, Topt and Tmax) were estimated by using quadratic equation and modified bilinear model under the conditions of 14-36 °C. The pollen germination rate in four mango varieties ranged from 29.1% ('Apple mango') to 35.5% ('Renong No. 1'); the length of pollen tube ranged from 51.2 µm ('Deshehari') to 56.6 µm ('Jinhuang'). The cardinal temperatures ranges (Tmin, Topt and Tmax) of pollen germination were 20.3-22.8 °C, 26.7-30.6 °C and 30.4-34.3 °C, respectively; similarly, cardinal temperatures (Tmin, Topt and Tmax) of pollen tube growth were 20.3-21.2 °C, 27.9-32.1 °C and 30.2-34.4 °C respectively. Of those, 'Renong No. 1' could maintain relatively high pollen germination rate even at 30 °C, however, 'Deshehari' had the narrowest adaptive temperature range. These results were further confirmed by changes of superoxide dismutase, catalase activity and malondialdehyde content. These results showed that mango flowering was highly sensitive to temperature changes and there were significant differences in pollen germination rate and pollen tube length among different varieties. Current research results were of great significance for the introduction of new mango varieties in different ecological regions, the cultivation and management of mango at the flowering stage and the breeding of new mango varieties.

Dermal Uptake is an Important Pathway for the Bioconcentration of Hydrophobic Organic Compounds by Zebrafish (Danio rerio).

For bioconcentration of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs), most of studies assumed that fish absorb HOCs mainly through gills but often ignored the dermal uptake. In this study, deuterated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs-d10, phenanthrene-d10, and pyrene-d10) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB-153) were selected to study whether zebrafish can absorb freely dissolved and dissolved organic matter (DOM)-associated HOCs through dermal uptake. The results showed that the freely dissolved PAHs and PCBs could directly enter the body of zebrafish through its skin. However, PAHs and PCB-153 associated with DOM (~ 10 kDa) could not enter zebrafish through the skin. When gill and dermal exposure coexisted, dermal uptake contributed 2.9 ~ 7.6% and 31.9 ~ 38.4% of PAHs and PCB-153 bioconcentration after exposure for 6 h, respectively. The present study demonstrates that dermal uptake is an important pathway for the bioconcentration of HOCs by fish, which should be considered when studying the toxicodynamics and toxicokinetics of HOCs in organisms.

A 3D-Printed Sole Design Bioinspired by Cat Paw Pad and Triply Periodic Minimal Surface for Improving Paratrooper Landing Protection.

Paratroopers are highly susceptible to lower extremity impact injuries during landing. To reduce the ground reaction force (GRF), inspired by the cat paw pad and triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS), a novel type of bionic cushion sole for paratrooper boots was designed and fabricated by additive manufacturing. A shear thickening fluid (STF) was used to mimic the unique adipose tissue with viscoelastic behavior found in cat paw pads, which is formed by a dermal layer encompassing a subcutaneous layer and acts as the primary energy dissipation mechanism for attenuating ground impact. Based on uniaxial compression tests using four typical types of cubic TPMS specimens, TPMSs with Gyroid and Diamond topologies were chosen to fill the midsole. The quasi-static and dynamic mechanical behaviors of the bionic sole were investigated by quasi-static compression tests and drop hammer tests, respectively. Then, drop landing tests at heights of 40 cm and 80 cm were performed on five kinds of soles to assess the cushioning capacity and compare them with standard paratrooper boots and sports shoes. The results showed that sports shoes had the highest cushioning capacity at a height of 40 cm, whereas at a height of 80 cm, the sole with a 1.5 mm thick Gyroid configuration and STF filling could reduce the maximum peak GRF by 15.5% when compared to standard paratrooper boots. The present work has implications for the design of novel bioinspired soles for reducing impact force.

Marine urease with higher thermostability, pH and salinity tolerance from marine sponge-derived Penicillium steckii S4-4.

Urease has a broad range of applications, however, the current studies on urease mainly focus on terrestrial plants or microbes. Thus, it is quite necessary to determine if marine-derived ureases have different characteristics from terrestrial origins since the finding of ureases with superior performance is of industrial interest. In this study, the marine urease produced by Penicillium steckii S4-4 derived from marine sponge Siphonochalina sp. was investigated. This marine urease exhibited a maximum specific activity of 1542.2 U mg protein-1. The molecular weight of the enzyme was 183 kDa and a single subunit of 47 kDa was detected, indicating that it was a tetramer. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the urease was arranged as GPVLKKTKAAAV with greatest similarity to that from marine algae Ectocarpus siliculosus. This urease exhibited a K m of 7.3 mmol L-1 and a V max of 1.8 mmol urea min-1 mg protein-1. The optimum temperature, pH and salinity are 55 â„ƒ, 8.5 and 10%, respectively. This urease was stable and more than 80% of its maximum specific activity was detected after incubating at 25-60 â„ƒ for 30 min, pH 5.5-10.0 or 0-25% salinity for 6 h. Compared with the terrestrial urease from Jack bean, this marine urease shows higher thermostability, alkaline preference and salinity tolerance, which extends the potential application fields of urease to a great extent.

The evaluation of a new multidimensional job insecurity measure in a Chinese context.

This study examines the psychometric properties of a new multidimensional job insecurity measure (JIM) by O'Neill and Sevastos in a Chinese context. Overall, the results corroborate the construct validity, reliability and criterion-related validity of the JIM. Based on the results of the exploratory factor analysis, the new scale has 15 items and three items were removed from the dimensions of job loss and job change because of differences in culture and understanding between Chinese and Western employees. Additionally, the relationship between job insecurity and theoretically viable antecedents (three different types of conflicts) and outcomes (i.e., job satisfaction and counterproductive work behaviour) were also examined, and the results show that the three conflicts are effective predictors of job insecurity and job insecurity is predictor of outcomes variables. All findings show that this new JIM is more parsimonious and more effective in assessing job insecurity in the Chinese context.

Ocean Acidification and Warming Lead to Increased Growth and Altered Chloroplast Morphology in the Thermo-Tolerant Alga Symbiochlorum hainanensis.

Ocean acidification and warming affect the growth and predominance of algae. However, the effects of ocean acidification and warming on the growth and gene transcription of thermo-tolerant algae are poorly understood. Here we determined the effects of elevated temperature (H) and acidification (A) on a recently discovered coral-associated thermo-tolerant alga Symbiochlorum hainanensis by culturing it under two temperature settings (26.0 and 32.0°C) crossed with two pH levels (8.16 and 7.81). The results showed that the growth of S. hainanensis was positively affected by H, A, and the combined treatment (AH). However, no superimposition effect of H and A on the growth of S. hainanensis was observed under AH. The analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence, pigment content, and subcellular morphology indicated that the chloroplast morphogenesis (enlargement) along with the increase of chlorophyll fluorescence and pigment content of S. hainanensis might be a universal mechanism for promoting the growth of S. hainanensis. Transcriptomic profiles revealed the effect of elevated temperature on the response of S. hainanensis to acidification involved in the down-regulation of photosynthesis- and carbohydrate metabolism-related genes but not the up-regulation of genes related to antioxidant and ubiquitination processes. Overall, this study firstly reports the growth, morphology, and molecular response of the thermo-tolerant alga S. hainanensis to future climate changes, suggesting the predominance of S. hainanensis in its associated corals and/or coral reefs in the future.

Flexible Symbiotic Associations of Symbiodinium With Five Typical Coral Species in Tropical and Subtropical Reef Regions of the Northern South China Sea.

The coral symbiont Symbiodinium plays important roles in the adaptation of coral to environmental changes. However, coral-Symbiodinium symbiotic associations are not well-understood in the South China Sea (SCS) whilst considering environmental factors and host taxa. In this study, next-generation sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region 2 (ITS2) marker gene was used to explore the symbiotic associations between Symbiodinium and five typical coral species across tropical and subtropical reef regions of the SCS. The results showed that Acropora sp., Galaxea fascicularis, Platygyra lamellina, and Sarcophyton glaucum exhibited distinct Symbiodinium compositions between tropical and subtropical reef regions, whereas Porites lutea had stable Symbiodinium compositions. More heterogeneous Symbiodinium compositions among different coral species were observed in the tropical region, but there were no statistically significant differences in Symbiodinium compositions among different coral species in subtropical reef regions. There was a correlation between the Symbiodinium compositions and environmental factors, except for the composition of P. lutea. Symbiodinium subclades D1, D2, C71, C71a, C21, C3b, and C161 were primarily explained by the seawater temperature, nitrate, ammonia, and phosphate. Several host-specific Symbiodinium subclades (e.g., C15, C15.6, and C91) were observed in P. lutea as well. The findings of this study demonstrate the relationship of Symbiodinium diversity with coral hosts and the environment are helpful for elucidating the adaptation of corals to global climate change and anthropogenic disturbance.

Symbiochlorum hainanensis gen. et sp. nov. (Ulvophyceae, Chlorophyta) isolated from bleached corals living in the South China Sea.

Light/scanning electron/transmission microscopy-based morphological analyses and multiple nucleotide sequences-based molecular phylogenetic analyses are used to identify and assess the phylogenetic position of a new unidentified green alga isolated from bleached corals living in the South China Sea. This new unidentified green alga is a unicellular marine alga and has uninucleate vegetative cells and multiple chloroplasts with a pyrenoid. It can form aplanosporangium covered by cell walls and reproduces by releasing autospore. These features differ substantially from those of the two genera Ignatius and Pseudocharacium. Those two genera have been accommodated in the Ignatius clade. Nucleotide sequences of the nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (18S rRNA), internal transcribed spacer 2 of ribosomal RNA gene (ITS2) and ribulose-1,5 bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit gene (rbcL, partial) are obtained and compared with published green algal sequences. The results from the morphology, ultrastructure, and multiple nucleotide sequences data support the placement of the new unidentified green alga in Ulvophyceae. This new unidentified isolate is described as Symbiochlorum hainanensis gen. et sp. nov., a new sister lineage to the Ignatius clade, Ulvophyceae, Chlorophyta.

Rapid enhancement of chemical weathering recorded by extremely light seawater lithium isotopes at the Permian-Triassic boundary.

Lithium (Li) isotope analyses of sedimentary rocks from the Meishan section in South China reveal extremely light seawater Li isotopic signatures at the Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB), which coincide with the most severe mass extinction in the history of animal life. Using a dynamic seawater lithium box model, we show that the light seawater Li isotopic signatures can be best explained by a significant influx of riverine [Li] with light δ7Li to the ocean realm. The seawater Li isotope excursion started ≥300 Ky before and persisted up to the main extinction event, which is consistent with the eruption time of the Siberian Traps. The eruption of the Siberian Traps exposed an enormous amount of fresh basalt and triggered CO2 release, rapid global warming, and acid rains, which in turn led to a rapid enhancement of continental weathering. The enhanced continental weathering delivered excessive nutrients to the oceans that could lead to marine eutrophication, anoxia, acidification, and ecological perturbation, ultimately resulting in the end-Permian mass extinction.

Authentic Leadership and Proactive Behavior: The Role of Psychological Capital and Compassion at Work.

This study, which is based on survey data provided by 445 employees from a Chinese enterprise, examines the impact of authentic leadership on the proactive behavior of subordinates, in particular the mediating effect of subordinate psychological capital and the moderating effect of compassion at work. The results of our structural equation model reveal that: (1) There is a significant positive correlation between authentic leadership and the proactive behavior of subordinates; (2) psychological capital plays a full mediating role between authentic leadership and subordinate proactive behavior; (3) Compassion at work has a moderating effect on the positive relationship between authentic leadership and subordinate psychological capital and proactive behavior.