Prioritizing marine invasive alien species in the European Union through horizon scanning

1. The disproportionately low presence of marine species in the list of invasive alien species (IAS) of Union concern of the European Union (EU) Regulation 1143/2014 does not fully acknowledge the threat they pose to the EU marine environment.
2. In this study, the first EU‐scale Horizon Scanning (HS) focusing on marine alien species was performed, aiming to deliver a ranked list of species that should be of high priority for risk assessment (Article 5 of the EU IAS Regulation).
3. Species absent from or with a limited distribution in EU marine waters were targeted. In total, 363 alien species were initially screened for HS by a panel of experts, including a broad range of taxonomic groups. Species were scored for their likelihood of arrival, establishment, spread, and impact in EU waters.
4. A consensus workshop ranked 267 species, including a subset of 26 prioritized species. These species are considered to be mainly introduced by shipping (fouling and ballast water), via the Suez Canal, and aquaculture activities. The 26 priority species were also scrutinized in terms of feasibility of their management; 18 of them were suggested for performing risk assessments on the basis of the EU IAS Regulation.
5. Since biological invasions are dynamic and connected with accelerated globalization and diversified human activities, we recommend HS to be repeated periodically to review the species already listed and assess new ones.

     

Distribution of whale shark (Rhincodon typus) off northern Peru based on habitat suitability

1. In the south‐eastern Pacific Ocean, few studies of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) exist. In Peru, the northern coast has been identified as the area with the highest presence of whale sharks, yet their ecology in this area is poorly defined.
2. This study predicts the spatial distribution of whale sharks off coastal northern Peru (03°00′S–04°30′S) during La Niña and El Niño seasonal conditions, utilizing maximum entropy modelling. Between 2009 and 2018 (except for 2011), 347 whale sharks were geo‐referenced in northern Peru with greatest data recordings in the austral summer and spring during La Niña events.
3. Depth was the most important predictive variable for spatial distribution of whale sharks, followed by chlorophyll‐a. Sharks were predicted in shallower coastal waters in which chlorophyll‐a values are higher.
4. Habitat suitability was higher in the northern coastal part of the study area. Spring presents the most suitable environmental conditions for whale sharks, both during La Niña and El Niño conditions. The probability of whale shark presence in the north of Peru increases at higher chlorophyll‐a and sea surface temperature values. Therefore, whale sharks appear to aggregate seasonally in northern Peru, potentially exploiting rich foraging grounds.
5. In these areas of high suitability, whale sharks are susceptible to fisheries, bycatch, ship collisions, unmanaged tourism, and pollution; thus, management actions should focus in these areas.
6. This study represents a first step to understand the distribution and habitat suitability of whale shark in Peruvian waters. Further studies should identify suitable habitat for whale sharks in offshore areas. Also, these should focus on the connectivity of these aggregations with other localities in the south‐eastern Pacific in order to contribute to regional strategies for the conservation of this iconic species in this particular region.

     

Argo数据研究应用现状与发展趋势

海洋在调节大气环流和气候变化中起着非常重要的作用,但是受到技术条件和观测资料的限制,人们对广阔海洋垂直剖面上的温、盐度和海流资料则获之很少,不能满足气候预测的需求.国际Argo计划的实施,提供了大量、密集的和准同步、准实时的海洋要素资料.有助于准确、全面地了解全球气候的变化;对分析大洋渔场的形成、渔业资源的分布有重大意义.目前,Argo数据已经被广泛地应用于很多领域,取得了不少研究和应用的成果.     

Monitoring shallow methane‐derived authigenic carbonate: Insights from a UK Marine Protected Area

1. Methane‐derived authigenic carbonate (MDAC) is a biogenic rocky substrate formed by microbial assemblages below the seabed. It performs important ecosystem functions, including the provision of reef‐like habitats on soft sediments and the sequestration of carbon.
2. The protection of MDAC is limited at the global scale; however, 27 marine protected areas (MPAs) have been designated in European waters for ‘cold seep’ MDAC, mainly in shallow waters (<200 m). Few studies have been conducted on these habitats from a conservation perspective.
3. The effective management of MDAC structures requires an understanding of their ecology and physical characteristics in a healthy condition. This is best achieved using a multidisciplinary approach to provide evidence on predefined aspects of MDAC structures, termed feature attributes, which can be assessed to determine habitat condition over time.
4. This article presents the first UK effort to develop a multidisciplinary approach to monitoring shallow MDAC feature attributes, using the Croker Carbonate Slabs Special Area of Conservation (SAC) as a case study. A range of remote and physical survey methods were used to characterize the MDAC and associated relatively unimpacted and healthy biological communities.
5. The data confirm that the SAC contains the largest known area of shallow MDAC in European waters, that methane release is ongoing, and that MDAC is still likely to be forming. Specialized chemoautotrophic fauna were not recorded, possibly due to the dominance of fauna that derive carbon (ultimately) from photosynthesis. Five epifaunal taxa were found to be associated with MDAC, but not with the surrounding sediments.
6. The broad multidisciplinary survey allowed a detailed characterization of shallow MDAC but was resource intensive. We recommend a low‐resource monitoring strategy to deliver cost‐effective and robust evidence for condition assessment and suggest further studies to contextualize future interpretations of change.

     

Characterizing tourism benefits associated with top‐predator conservation in coastal British Columbia

1. Facing public concern over costs related to top‐predator reintroductions and conservation, ecosystem services such as ecotourism are often used to evoke benefits that outweigh or offset those costs. Quantifying these benefits using rigorous scientific methods can provide confidence to policymakers and other stakeholders that predators can in fact deliver positive outcomes to people living alongside them. The evaluation of these benefits is often anecdotal or qualitative, however, and empirical quantifications are rare.
2. In coastal marine ecosystems, sea otter reintroduction is seen as a conservation success to some but a bane to others. The contribution of sea otters (Enyhdra lutris) to tourism revenue is touted as a crucial ecosystem service benefit to offset the loss of shellfish harvesting and associated revenue, but remains unquantified, weakening the favourable reception of conservation action.
3. The potential economic benefits of sea otters associated with tourism and the extent to which benefits are realized were evaluated based on: (i) choice‐experiment surveys of tourists; and (ii) interviews with tourism operators in British Columbia.
4. Sea otters were a strong factor in people's choices regarding wildlife viewing, and sea otters could have large benefits for local economies. Alongside socio‐economic characteristics, tourism experience influences tourists’ preferences. Tourism operators did not perceive sea otters as strongly influencing tourist choice, highlighting the gap that can occur between the perception and the reality of tourist preferences, leading to missed opportunities for the alignment of economic development with conservation actions.

     

Surveys of recreational anglers reveal knowledge gaps and positive attitudes towards manta ray conservation in Florida

1. South Florida has a significant number of recreational anglers, and some shore-based fishing sites overlap with habitat for juvenile manta rays. Although manta rays are prohibited from harvest in Florida, they are frequently seen foul-hooked or entangled in fishing line.
2. Recreational anglers (n = 198) were surveyed at piers and inlet jetties in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA to assess their knowledge of and actions and attitudes towards manta rays.
3. Analysis of the responses revealed that while most anglers could identify a manta ray (66.7%) and expressed no interest in casting at (93.4%) or catching a manta ray (95.5%), they lacked knowledge about threats to mantas, as well as their conservation and protected status. Surveyed anglers overwhelmingly supported manta ray conservation (82.3%) and environmental protection (98.0%).
4. Results indicate pier and inlet anglers are not using tackle strong enough to land a large ray to remove fishing gear, therefore it is recommended that outreach focuses on preventing recreational fishery interactions with manta rays, encouraging use of environmentally friendly tackle, and fostering engagement with anglers as citizen scientists.
5. These results can inform the design of outreach materials aimed at closing knowledge gaps and encouraging best practices. Positive attitudes towards the environment and existing neutral behaviours towards manta rays indicate an opportunity to shift the behaviour of shore-based anglers in this area in support of manta ray conservation.

     

Anthropogenic injury and site fidelity in Maldivian whale sharks (Rhincodon typus)

1. Whale sharks collect in predictable seasonal aggregations across the tropics. South Ari Atoll in the Maldives is one of a few aggregation sites where whale sharks can be encountered year-round. Here, areas with high levels of tourism-related boating traffic overlap with the whale shark hotspot, increasing the probability of anthropogenic injury. Whale sharks have been reported to remain faithful to this aggregation site following injury, despite the costs of injury and the risk of re-injury. However, the impacts of injury on site fidelity and residency behaviour are not fully understood.
2. Encounter data on individual sharks from the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme database (2006–2018) were analysed to assess the relationship between injury and site fidelity in whale sharks. There was no difference in geographic site use, with injured and non-injured individuals being encountered in the same areas. However, there were differences in residency timings: injured resident whale sharks (individuals repeatedly encountered over 6 months or longer) spent significantly more time at the atoll and less time absent, and were seen more consistently than non-injured residents. Increased residency duration, return rate and number of residency periods correlated with increasing injury number.
3. These differences in behaviour imply a cost to injury, with whale sharks potentially remaining at this site to recover. With boat traffic being concentrated at the aggregation site, injured sharks may be more vulnerable to further injury. Alternatively, these individuals may remain at the atoll despite injury because the benefits gained from this area outweigh the potential costs, with more resident individuals facing greater exposure to anthropogenic threats. These findings highlight the importance of this location and emphasize the need for improved management of anthropogenic activities, particularly boating traffic, at aggregation hotspots to reduce injury rates and any subsequent impacts on behaviour and fitness.

     

远洋渔业多波束声呐主机高效散热设计与验证

为了解决多波束渔用声呐主机在远洋渔船高温、高湿环境下工作时面临的散热问题,该研究从多波束渔用声呐主机的散热分析出发,运用传热学和结构设计的相关理论,对渔用声呐主机进行了热设计。首先运用系统分析法对声呐主机整个散热过程中的结构和散热方式展开研究;然后,利用热仿真软件对声呐主机的散热过程进行仿真,对比信号处理机在不同风道设计方案下声呐主机的整机温度的变化,多款散热风扇对整机散热效果的影响,在不同环境温度下（20、30、40、50℃）声呐主机的散热能力,以及热设计前后的温度分布;最后,搭建了声呐主机散热测试平台,验证声呐主机的真实散热能力。结果表明,强迫对流与自然冷却结合的散热方式可以解决声呐主机的热量堆积问题。仿真结果表明,4条风道的设计可作为声呐主机的散热方案,选用的FFB0612SHE和FFB0612EHE散热风扇符合声呐主机的散热要求,通过热设计可使声呐主机的温升控制在25℃以内,热量堆积现象大幅改善。散热试验结果表明,热设计后的渔用声呐主机散热能力大幅提升,声呐主机的温升控制在25℃以内,各板卡之间的温度控制在5℃以内,验证了仿真分析结果,在热源与主机外部环境之间形成了一条低热阻的...     

河北省海洋可持续发展动态评价

以河北省海洋可持续发展为研究对象,采用国内外主流的指标体系评价法,在构建由1个总系统、2个分系统、5个子系统、9个亚子系统和27个指标构成的指标体系基础上,采用由指标层评价法、赋权和系统综合评价法、可持续发展水平判别准则和协调度评价法构成的评价方法体系,开展了1995-2008年河北省海洋可持续发展动态评价。结果表明,评价期内经济发展水平快速提升,结构进一步优化,海洋资源利用效率各项指标持续改善,资源利用的经济效率普遍提高。海洋生物资源密度和滩涂资源密度等重要海洋资源质量状况持续退化。海洋生态除了生物健康指数和风暴潮损失两项指标呈波动性改善外,其他各项指标整体恶化,单位岸线人海水量和赤潮发生频次恶化速率最快,滨海湿地森林覆盖率和单位岸线海水入侵面积恶化速率次之,侵蚀岸线比例恶化速率最慢。总之,评价期内河北省海洋开发处在以资源环境为代价获得经济增长的弱不可持续发展状态,但环境与发展的协调度持续好转,即单位经济发展的环境代价持续减小。