Effects of changing spatial scale on acoustic observations of patchiness in the Gulf Stream

We examine the influence of spatial scale on studies of nektonic patchiness at the north edge of the Gulf Stream by altering the grain size of acoustic cross sections and applying a patch-finding algorithm. From original pictures of 180 pixels deep by 540–1260 pixels long, we averaged depth and length, to give 9 scales ranging from fine grain (1 m vertical × 25 m horizontal sized pixels) to coarse grain (12 m × 300 m sized pixels). Measures of overall echo intensity within patches were the most predictable and showed little change with scale. Measures of variability of the echo within patches showed simple negative trends with scale and were best measured at fine spatial scales. Patch size and shape related variables have a more complex relationship with scale with differences between day and night transects more pronounced at intermediate scales. This suggests behavioral patch forming mechanisms within the nekton occur at a specific grain size (4 m vertical × 100 m horizontal) within the Gulf Stream front.     

北部湾浮游幼虫群落结构及其环境适应性分析

根据1998年2月至1999年5月在北部湾海域按季度进行的4个航次生态、环境综合调查资料,本文研究了北部湾海域浮游幼虫的主要类群及其季节变动。结果表明:北部湾海域浮游幼虫主要有15大类群;其中4类(长尾类幼虫、短尾类幼虫、口足类阿利玛幼虫、蛇尾类长腕幼虫)周年出现,其它为季节性出现。长尾类幼虫、口足类阿利玛幼虫、蛇尾类长腕幼虫、短尾类溞状幼虫、短尾类大眼幼虫及其它短尾类幼虫为优势类群。北部湾浮游幼虫的年丰度变化范围为0.02~7.65ind/m³,均值为0.50ind/m³,四季的丰度为夏季(0.86ind/m³)>春季(0.40ind/m³)>秋季(0.32ind/m³)>冬季(0.12ind/m³)。从春季到冬季整个浮游幼虫密集中心呈逆时针从湾的东北部向西北部海区移动,移至湾的中部后再返至西北部。K优势度曲线分析表明群落多样性由高到低依次为春季>冬季>夏季>秋季,总体上浮游幼虫群落多样性的季节差异不大。典范对应分析结果表明影响浮游幼虫栖息密度的主要因子是水温和pH,其次是盐度、溶解氧。     

Floristic diversity and vegetation patterns along disturbance gradient in arid coasts in southern Mediterranean: Case of the Gulf of Gabès,southern Tunisia

Knowledge about vegetation patterns along disturbance gradients is essential for conservation and management of coastal habitats in arid regions. This study focuses on the floristic diversity and the factors controlling the vegetation structure in the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia). For this purpose, the floristic diversity of 120 relevés belonging to three coastal sites with different disturbance levels (40 relevés per site) was analyzed in relation with 10 environmental and anthropogenic factors. Therophytes constitute 54% of the 237 plants species belonging to 44 families identified in the present study. The species richness and floristic diversity indices exhibited a similar trend and peaked in the slightly disturbed site (H′?=?3.38; S?=?176). The similarity between sites was relatively low and reached its maximum between the little and the highly disturbed sites. Two-way indicator species analysis and detrended correspondence analysis applied on the floristic data resulted in groups mainly determined by disturbance level by explicitly segregating the three sites. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) indicated that the spatial pattern of species composition was mainly influenced by anthropogenic variables. Partial CCA revealed that the effect of anthropogenic variables on floristic composition was thrice higher than the effect of environmental variables (57.5% vs. 18.4%, respectively). Overall, this study provides a broad understanding of the floristic diversity and vascular plant richness in the Gulf of Gabès. The obtained results reflected a disturbance–diversity pattern and thus revealed the obvious importance of maintaining the intermediate disturbance for biodiversity conservation and monitoring.     

The pond's shape matters: differential growth,physiological condition and survival of epibenthic Farfantepenaeus aztecus postlarvae

As a function of the water quality provided by square, circular and oval experimental ponds, the growth, survival and oxygen requirements in epibenthic postlarvae of Farfantepenaeus aztecus were analysed in relation to their routine metabolism and apparent heat increment. Temperature, oxygen concentration, pH and salinity were measured daily in two experimental ponds of each shape. The postlarvae oxygen consumption during two 24‐h cycles, their growth, physiological condition and survival and the productivity in the ponds were estimated. Low values of pH, oxygen concentration and phytobenthos productivity, and reduced postlarvae relative growth and survival were observed in the square ponds. We suggest that the latter results from a deficient water circulation related to the effect of the pond's shape on dissolved oxygen levels and, consequently, on growth and survival. The postlarvae routine metabolism, including feeding, varied between 1.91 and 2.25 mg O₂ h^?1 g^?1 wet weight, whereas the minimum oxygen concentration needed in the ponds is approximately 4.25 mg O₂ L^?1. These conditions were achieved in the oval ponds concurrent with higher survival and growth values, in which individuals distributed randomly, for which we suggest that oval‐shaped ponds could be the most adequate for the culture of this and other penaeid species.     

Discarding practices in a Mediterranean small-scale fishing fleet (Patraikos Gulf, Greece)

Abstract  Discarding practices from 110 fishing operations in a Mediterranean small-scale fishing fleet (Patraikos Gulf, western Greece) from August 2004 to July 2005 were analysed. On average, 1 kg of fish was discarded per fishing operation (10% of the catch). The reasons for discarding were: low commercial value (78% of discards), damage at sea before retrieval of the gear (5%), and bad handling on-board (17%). More than half of discards belonged to Spicara flexuosa (L.), Lepidopus caudatus (Euphrasen), Sardinella aurita Valenciennes and Merluccius merluccius (L.). The bulk of discards of each species were associated with a single fishing method (metier). A Generalized Linear Model (Delta-X – error-model) indicated that, when discards were present, significant differences existed in the discard ratio among different métier groups (groups comprising métiers with similar characteristics). Longlines and trammel nets with small mesh-sizes had the highest discard ratios. Discarding practices for the species Diplodus annularis (L.), S. aurita , Squilla mantis (L.), S. flexuosa and Scorpaena scrofa (L.) did not follow a consistent pattern (these species were either fully discarded or fully retained during a fishing operation). The decision seemed to be dependent on market demands rather than fish size. Significant correlation was found between discarded and catch weight, but the presence of many outliers indicated deviance from a case where discards are high when there is an abundant catch. The findings of the study imply that monitoring and management should be carried out preferably on the métier level. Discards could be reduced by technical measures, controlling effort regulations and by improving working conditions on-board fishing vessels.     

辽东湾斑海豹线粒体苏氨酸和脯氨酸及控制区部分序列分析

通过PCR产物测序法,测定了46只辽东湾斑海豹线粒体DNA的一段包括部分苏氨酸和脯氨酸tRNA基因及部分控制区的717 bp序列,得到17个序列单元型。与港海豹相比,所有辽东湾斑海豹17个单元型在控制区序列中都有2处缺失,是区分港海豹和斑海豹的种间分子标记。与日本海和鄂霍次克海区斑海豹m tDNA相同片段进行比较研究,发现辽东湾斑海豹的线粒体控制区DNA的单元型比例相对较少,遗传多样性水平相对较低。辽东湾斑海豹m tDNA的16296位点即苏氨酸tRNA基因序列的最后一位有1个C碱基的插入,16607位点存在T/C转换,这两个变异位点是鉴别辽东湾斑海豹与日本及鄂霍次克海区斑海豹的重要分子标记。初步表明,辽东湾斑海豹与日本海、鄂霍次克海斑海豹是属于不同的地理种群,或者辽东湾斑海豹同这两个海区斑海豹未发生基因交流或者雌性个体的相互交流。     

Biophysical dynamics of western transition zones: a preliminary synthesis

The nature of the western portions of the biogeographic temperate or transition zones in the North Pacific and North Atlantic is reviewed. The physical transport of nutrients and biomass into them from the Kuroshio and Gulf Stream as well as from the poleward sides are estimated. The conclusion is that the upwelling in the two western boundary currents makes the largest contribution to the nutrient and biomass fluxes into these transition zones. A conservative estimate of the amount of upwelled fluid is derived from absolute velocity sections in the Gulf Stream. The estimate suggests that upwelling into the euphotic zone exceeds 2 × 10⁶ m³ s^–1. This implies that upwelling in these western boundary currents matches or exceeds that in eastern boundary currents such as the California Current. The two western boundary regimes have very different poleward situations. The Oyashio extension flows parallel to the Kuroshio and is a deep current. The North Atlantic Shelf Front flow is to the west where it is ultimately entrained into the edge of the Gulf Stream. There does not seem to be any tendency for this to occur in the Kuroshio. Despite these differences in the northern and western boundaries, the two transition zones are similar with large amplitude meanders, anticyclonic rings and streamers dominating their physical structure. The physical features responsible for the transfer of materials from the boundary current extensions into the transition zones are similar in both systems. Ring formation contributes only ? 10% of the transfer, while ring‐induced streamers contribute 30%. The rest of the transport is contributed by branching of the boundary current front. Both currents have well developed secondary fronts consisting of subtropical surface water pulled into the transition zone. Biologically, the upwelling in both western boundary currents leads to a biomass maximum along the boundary in both secondary producers (copepods) and in small pelagic fish. In the Kuroshio, the latter are the Japanese sardine, Sardinops melanostictus, that spawn in the Kuroshio and then enter the transition zone for the summer and fall months. In the Gulf Stream, the dominate species are menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus and B. smithi. These species make use of the coastal environments of North America and although the adults spawn in the Gulf Stream, they are not thought to play a major role in the Slope Water, transition zone. The similar differences in the use of the Kuroshio and the Gulf Stream ecosystems occurs in the behaviour of bluefin tuna, squid and other large pelagics. The Gulf Stream system also lacks an equivalent to Pacific saury, Cololabis saira. The biology therefore is at least subtly different, with saury and sardines being replaced by mid‐water fish in the North Atlantic. A fuller comparison of the biology with quantitative methods in both systems should be encouraged.     

Growth and biometric relationships of the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata (Gould) on transplanting from the Gulf of Mannar to the Arabian Sea

Comparative studies were made on the growth and biometric relationships of the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata (Gould) Tuticorin stock at (Tuticorin (TST) – parent stock) transplanted from the Tuticorin Bay (8.7°N; 78.2°E) in the Gulf of Mannar along the Indian southeast coast to Kollam Bay (8.8°N; 76.5°E) in the Arabian Sea along the Indian southwest coast (Tuticorin stock at Kollam (TSK) – transplanted stock). At the time of transplantation, Kollam Bay did not have a native stock, however, within a year, the transplanted stock spawned and oyster spats were collected from within the farm (Kollam stock (KS) – progeny stock). The growth in dorso‐ventral measurement and total weight in Kollam Bay was 1.4–1.6 times and 3.1 to 6.8 times respectively greater than that observed at Tuticorin. Furthermore, at Kollam Bay, the thickness observed at the end of first year was similar to that obtained at the end of second year in Tuticorin. Both the TSK and KS had significantly higher instantaneous growth rates (IGR) than TST. All the stocks displayed significantly different biometric relationships. The increased growth in Kollam Bay is attributed to the almost double productivity in the Arabian Sea compared with the Bay of Bengal. It is concluded that in the case of P. fucata, the site and its interaction with environment are important determinants of growth and shell dimensions. The present study clearly indicates that the environmental conditions prevailing along the southeast Arabian Sea are congenial for the growth, gametogenesis, spawning and settlement of P. fucata larvae. In spite of strong monsoonal influences in the hydrology of Kollam Bay, the growth and reproduction of P. fucata stocks indicates its relative hardiness and ability to adapt to a changed environment.     

自然环境变动对北部湾渔业资源的影响

根据1949~1985年广西渔获量、捕捞努力量,以及降雨、风速和盐度等统计资料,分析了自然环境的变动对广西渔获量年际变化的影响,由于捕捞努力量的难以转换性,采取以时间系列代替捕捞努力量的变动,并建立了渔获量对时间序列和环境变量的回归模型,以此来反映北部湾渔业资源的变动情况。分析结果表明,渔获量波动与时间序列显著相关,还与广东沿岸平均降雨量、北部湾沿岸平均降雨量、涠洲岛盐度以及香港季候风等环境因素显著相关。包含时间序列和环境变量的渔获量模型的回归系数为0·93,其置信水平达到99%以上。研究的结果说明,除捕捞因素外,环境因素的变动对北部湾渔业资源的波动有显著的影响。