Can giant clam (Tridacna squamosa) populations be restored on Singapore's heavily impacted coral reefs?

• 1. Giant clams have been a sustainable resource for millennia, but unregulated harvesting has led to local extinctions within the Indo‐Pacific region. Giant clam mariculture can produce large numbers of juveniles for restocking wild populations where natural recruitment is low or absent.
• 2. Singapore is surrounded by more than 60 small islands, many with fringing reefs. These reefs, however, experience increased turbidity and sedimentation resulting from massive coastal development projects and regular dredging of shipping lanes.
• 3. Seven reefs off Singapore's southern islands were surveyed (9670 m²) for giant clams. Also, an experiment was conducted to determine the growth of Tridacna squamosa reared in aquaria under three light treatments: ～50% ambient photosynthetically active radiation (PAR); ～25% ambient PAR; and ～12% ambient PAR. Finally, 144 clams (T. squamosa) were transplanted to four reefs around Singapore to study survival and growth in a heavily impacted environment.
• 4. A total of 23 adult clams from three species were found during the survey, representing a mean density of 0.24 per 100 m². Most clams were found at Raffles Lighthouse, Singapore's ‘best’ reef. No juvenile clams were encountered. In the aquarium experiment, clam growth was significantly different among the three light treatments, with growth greatest in the ～50% ambient PAR treatment. Of the 144 transplanted clams, 116 (80.6%) were recovered after 7 months. All specimens had increased in size, with growth rates among reefs ranging from 3.3 mm month^?1 (SD=1.3 mm) to 4.8 mm month^?1 (SD=1.6 mm).
• 5. Results suggest that, despite high levels of sedimentation and turbidity on Singapore's reefs, giant clams can survive and grow well. Restocking efforts using maricultured clams may be effective in enhancing the dwindling local populations. It is not clear, however, whether a self‐sustaining community can be established as high sedimentation may hinder larval settlement and survival.

Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparison of three types of adhesives in attaching coral transplants to clam shell substrates

• 1. Nubbins from 12 coral species were transplanted onto dead giant clam shells at three sites in a lagoon near Bolinao, north‐western Philippines. Transplants were attached using three types of adhesives: cyanoacrylate glue (SG), epoxy putty (EP) and marine epoxy (ME) and were monitored over five months for detachment, in situ mortality and natural self‐attachment by tissue growth.
• 2. Corals attached with SG showed a significantly higher rate of detachment (logrank test) than those attached with either EP or ME (P<0.001 in each case). Also, those attached with EP showed a higher rate of detachment than corals attached with ME (logrank=6.46, P<0.05).
• 3. ANOVA (P>0.05) and survival analysis (logrank=2.85, P>0.05) showed no among‐adhesives differences in in situ mortality. Among the species used, Porites cylindrica, Pavona frondifera, Heliopora coerulea and Porites rus had the highest survivorship with 82%, 80%, 76% and 73%, respectively, of nubbins alive at the end of the experiment and also displayed the highest cumulative rates of self‐attachment. Species with the lowest survival rates included Acropora muricata and four pocilloporids.
• 4. Although there was no significant difference in the number of self‐attaching transplants among the adhesives, corals transplanted using ME and EP self‐attached earlier than those transplanted using SG (logrank=11.19, P<0.01).
• 5. Results from this study highlight the importance of selecting the appropriate means of attaching corals to substrates and carefully considering species‐specific traits of candidate corals for transplantation.

Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of temperature on the energy budget of the Manila clam, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ruditapes philippinarum</Emphasis>

In this study, the energy budget of the Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum, was evaluated after one-week acclimation periods at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25°C. Small clams (151 ± 12 mg DW) and large clams (353 ± 16 mg DW) were fed with the microalgae, Isochrysis galbana. Filtration rate, ingestion rate, assimilation efficiency, oxygen-consumption rate, and ammonia excretion rate were measured. Both filtration rate and ingestion rate of small and large clams were found to be related to temperature. The highest Q ₁₀ values were measured in the range 15–20°C for both small and large clams. Assimilation efficiency of both small and large clams was not significantly influenced by temperature, although the maximum mean values were detected at 20°C. Oxygen consumption rate and ammonia excretion rate of small and large clams were found to be related directly to temperature over the entire range, with a maximum being detected at 25°C. The highest Q ₁₀ value was estimated in the range 10–15°C with regard to oxygen consumption rate, and in the range of 15–20°C with regard to ammonia excretion rate. Scope for growth (SFG) was positive at all temperatures, achieving a maximum value at 20°C in both small and large clams, primarily as a consequence of the enhanced ingestion rate which offset the concomitant elevation in the metabolic rate. In this study we have estimated the thermal optimum for this species at 20°C.     

The reproductive biology of the baby clam, Marcia opima, from two geographically separated areas of India

A study of the reproductive cycle of the baby clam, Marcia opima (Gmelin) was conducted at two sites along the southeast (Tuticorin Bay) and southwest (Ashtamudi estuary) coast of India from December 1998 to January 2000. Histological evidence showed that baby clam from both the sites showed two spawning seasons. First spawning season was recorded from May to July in the southeast coast. In the southwest coast, the first spawning season was observed through March to May. A second spawning season from September to December was recorded in both the coasts. In the southeast coast, minimum and maximum condition indices were obtained in January 2000 and April 1999 respectively and decreased from May to June and November to January, signifying the two spawning periods. Most of the animals were either in spent or indeterminate gonadal stage from May to August and November to January indicating the active spawning during that months in the southeast coast.     

福建沿海文蛤产地和暂养地贝类素毒化状况

采集福建沿海文蛤产地，暂养地的文蛤，结合分析其所生长的个体情况，检测其DSP和PSP，结果表明：福建沿海文蛤产地和暂养地未出现的DSP，PSP毒化状况。     

青蛤生境及生长

青蛤生境及生长ＨＡＢＩＴＡＴＡＮＤＧＲＯＷＴＨＯＦＣＬＡＭ（ＣＹＣＬＩＮＡＳＩＮＥＮＳＩＳＧＭＥＬＩＮ）￥ＹｕＹｅｓｈａｏａｎｄＷａｎｇＨｕｉ（ＥａｓｔＣｈｉｎａＳｅａＦｉｓｈｅｒｉｅｓＲｅｓｅａｒｃｈＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅ，ＡＳＦ，Ｓｈａｎｇｈａｉ２０...     

高选择压力下蛤仔奶牛蛤品系两个世代连续选择的选择反应和现实遗传力

以1％为选择压力,以壳长为选择指标,对菲律宾蛤仔Ruditapes philippinarum奶牛蛤品系进行了两个世代的连续混合选择,并跟踪测量了各试验组在不同生长阶段的壳长,计算了选择反应、现实遗传力和遗传获得等遗传参数.结果表明：在奶牛蛤两个世代的各个生长阶段,选择组的平均壳长均大于对照组;F2和F3世代的选择反应在幼虫培育期、稚贝培育期和幼贝养成期的平均值分别为1.98、0.72、0.64和1.10、0.68、0.74,总平均值分别为1.19和0.90;F2和F3世代的现实遗传力在幼虫期、稚贝期和幼贝期的平均值分别为0.43、0.16、0.14和0.41、0.26、0.28,总平均值分别为0.26和0.34;F2和F3世代的遗传获得在幼虫期、稚贝期和幼贝期的平均值分别为4.79％、17.81％、13.27％和5.60％、4.28％、16.30％,总平均值分别为10.78％和7.94％;F2和F3世代的总遗传获得在幼虫期、稚贝期和幼贝期的平均值分别为10.73％、15.56％、29.34％,总平均值为16.59％.研究表明,在高选择压力下进行两个世代蛤仔连续混合选择的方法获得的选育效果较为理想,且该群体仍具有一定的改良潜力.     

不同虾类的过敏原及其过敏原性

美洲帘蛤Mercenaria mercenaria(Linnaeus,1758)隶属于软体动物门Mollusea、瓣鳃纲Lamellibrachia、帘蛤目Veneroida、帘蛤科Veneridae,又称硬壳蛤、北方帘蛤或小圆蛤。原产于美国佛罗里达州Cawrence湾,墨西哥湾,加利福尼亚Hamboldt湾到英格兰海域,在美国东、西海岸北纬25°~38°海域均有分布。美洲帘蛤与我国的文蛤(Meretrixmeretrix)同属帘蛤科,是一种生长快,适应能力强,适温、适盐范围广,经济价值高的大型双壳贝类[4-10]。美洲帘蛤软体部的蛋白质含量高达60.69%(DS),氨基酸的总含量为524.2mg·g-1,蛋白质的氨基酸含量为893.5mg·g-1…     

Biochemical indices (RNA/DNA ratio and protein content) in studying the nutritional status of Ruditapes decussatus (Linnaeus 1758) juveniles

In this work, we investigated the nutritional status of Ruditapes decussatus juveniles under different rearing conditions, using biochemical indices (RNA/DNA ratio and protein content) and the linear instantaneous growth rate (IGR). Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of starvation, addition of substrate (sand) as rearing support and diet composition on somatic growth and biochemical indices. Results show that biochemical indices of fed juveniles were significantly (P<0.05) higher. Highest RNA/DNA values and protein content were recorded in fed juveniles reared with substrate (P<0.05); conversely, lowest values were recorded in starved ones reared without substrate. In the second experiment, the highest RNA/DNA ratio was recorded in juveniles fed with control algal mixture composed of species commonly used in bivalve nurseries [Isochrysis galbana (clone T-Iso), Chaetoceros calcitrans and Tetraselmis suecica] and lowest in those fed with algal species isolated from Tunisian coasts. This confirms the usefulness of the RNA/DNA ratio and protein content in the clam's nutritional status evaluation. This assay is useful to provide information about the nutritional status and health of the clam in field conditions.     

文蛤对四种单胞藻的表观消化状况及同化率

水温22℃下,显微观察了文蛤对塔玛亚历山大藻及海水小球藻,等鞭金藻和青岛大扁藻的表观消化状况,以灰化法测定了文蛤对四种单胞藻的同化率。结果表明,低浓度时文蛤对四种藻类的表观消化状况优于高浓度组;文蛤对海水小球藻、等鞭金藻和青岛大扁藻的同化率随着藻类浓度的升高而降低,其同化率变化范围分别为87.9%~67.4%、83.4%~58.7%和67.5%~37.9%。当塔玛亚历山大藻浓度低于5.0×103cell/mL时,文蛤不会产生假粪,该藻能够被文蛤摄食。藻浓度在1.0×103cell/mL到3.0×103cell/mL时,文蛤对该藻的同化率从81.8%降至52.3%,4.0×103cell/mL组的同化率升高至67.6%,藻浓度升高至5.0×103cell/mL时同化率又降至52.4%,塔玛亚历山大藻3.0×103cell/mL浓度组是一个分界点,同化率最低,大于这一浓度时,同化率又呈上升趋势。