Structures,dynamics and stability of reef fish assemblages in non‐reefal coral communities in Hong Kong,China

• 1. A detailed study on the spatial and temporal patterns of reef fish assemblages associated with non‐reefal coral communities at A Ma Wan (AMW) and A Ye Wan (AYW) in Tung Ping Chau, Hong Kong, China, was carried out using an underwater visual census method from January 1998 to December 1999.
• 2. The study identified a total of 106 species (76 genera in 39 families) of fish in the study sites, in which 88 species were recorded in AMW and 78 species in AYW. Seasonal patterns in the abundance and species richness of all reef fishes and most of the frequently encountered families/trophic groups in both study sites were observed. Seasonal fluctuation of macroalgae, the influence of recruitment of larvae, and the possible seasonal variation in the behaviour of fish may all contribute to these observed seasonal patterns.
• 3. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) ordinations demonstrated that there were spatial variations in the fish community structures within and between sites. Such spatial patterns were possibly related to the spatial variation of the coral community structures in the study sites. The ordinations also showed that the fish community structures in the study sites were not seasonally stable. Such temporal instability of the fish community structures may be partly due to habitat isolation among the fish communities around the island.
• 4. These results imply that preservation and enhancement of habitat connectivity of the coral communities should be one of the main conservation strategies for the reef fish communities of Tung Ping Chau, and those of Hong Kong in general. This strategy may be equally applicable to other non‐reefal coral communities elsewhere around the world.

Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A 20‐year census of a rocky littoral fish community in Lake Tanganyika

Takeuchi Y, Ochi H, Kohda M, Sinyinza D, Hori M. A 20‐year census of a rocky littoral fish community in Lake Tanganyika. Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2010: 19: 239–248. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract – Tropical fish communities are highly diverse with large numbers of allied species coexisting. Concerns have been raised about changes in such communities caused by anthropogenic disturbances, but little is known about long‐term changes. We investigated changes in the littoral fish community of Lake Tanganyika. A 10 × 40‐m quadrat was placed on a rocky shore in the southern part of the lake, and fish censuses were conducted once a year during most years in 1988–2008. In total, 54 cichlid and 6 non‐cichlid species were recorded. Aufwuch feeders were most abundant, followed by plankton feeders, detritus feeders, piscivores, shrimp eaters, zoo‐benthos eaters, and scale eaters. Species richness and abundance were sustained over the study period, with biodiversity, as evaluated by the Shannon–Wiener index, remaining high. However, Mantel tests between the Bray–Curtis index and the difference in years between compared censuses revealed that the species composition of the community gradually changed with time. The fish community gradually underwent a change that may be due to low anthropogenic impacts on food condition. Our results promote awareness about the conservation of diversity in Lake Tanganyika.     

Survival and growth of reciprocal crosses between two stocks of the Hong Kong oyster Crassostrea hongkongensis (Lam & Morton, 2003) in southern China

The Hong Kong oyster, Crassostrea hongkongensis, is one of the most economically important and well‐known oyster species in southern China. To explore the possibility of improving the performance of the Hong Kong oyster, complete diallel crosses between two oyster stocks, the Zhuhai stock (Z: fast growth line F4) and the Maowei Sea stock (M: resistant line F3), were conducted using pooled gametes. Three replicates, each consisting of two pure stocks (ZZ and MM) and two reciprocal crosses (ZM and MZ), were successfully generated. High fertilization rate and hatching level were observed among all the experimental groups, suggesting that there was no sperm–egg recognition barrier between geographic populations. Reciprocal crosses had higher survival rate compared to the pure stock crosses and the rate of survival increased with progeny growth. Growth heterosis became obvious both in larval and adult stages, and was primarily influenced by the egg origin and mating strategy at the larval stage. Also, the phenotypic traits of all progeny differed amongst the culture sites, suggesting a significant environmental effect. The Zhuhai site was more suitable for oyster aquaculture than the Maowei Sea site. Thus, our results demonstrated that crossbreeding between Zhuhai and Maowei Sea stocks of Hong Kong oyster to produce superior heterosis represents a promising means to improve the fishery yield of this species in southern China.     

黄、东海冬季底层鱼类群落结构及多样性变化

根据1991年和2000年冬季在黄海中南部和东海中北部海域进行的底拖网调查资料，对黄、东海底层鱼类群落的资源状况、重要种类的生态优势度与结构、多样性及其空间分布格局等方面的动态变化进行了分析。结果表明，生物量指数明显下降，个体小型化使生物资源密度显著上升；重要种类成分发生演替，优势度有较大变化；物种丰富度指数(D)下降极其显著，Shannon—Wiener多样度指数(H′)也有所下降，但不显著。     

南海中沙西沙海域海樽类群落结构特征研究

根据2014年~2015年中沙西沙海域12°30'N~17°32'N、110°00'E~110°11'E 4个航次调查资料,对该海域海樽的种类组成及季节变化、总栖息密度和生物多样性分布以及群落格局进行了研究。结果表明,共鉴定出海樽23种,夏季种类最多为16种,其次为冬季15种,春季14种,秋季10种;冬季与其他3个季节在种类组成上存在比较明显的更替现象,其他季节更替现象不明显;中沙西沙海域海樽类平均丰度为0.99个·m-3,夏季最高为1.93个·m-3,其次为冬季1.12个·m-3,春季为0.59个·m-3,秋季最小为0.32个·m-3;周年优势种小齿海樽(Doliolum denticulatum)和双尾纽鳃樽(Thalia democratic)以及春、夏季的优势种大西洋火体虫(Pyrosoma atlanticum)是影响中沙西沙海域海樽类数量分布格局的主要种类;优势种的集聚分布导致中沙西沙海域海樽类多样性水平一般;多维尺度分析表明中沙西沙海域海樽类群落的季节变化较小。海樽类栖息密度的平面分布及群落格局与海流的变化密切相关。     

Larger biomass of targeted reef fish in no‐take marine reserves on the Great Barrier Reef,Australia

• 1. An expansion of no‐take marine reserve zones of Australia's 348 000 km² Great Barrier Reef (GBR) Marine Park from 4.6% to 33.4% of the park area is proposed in 2004. However, limited evidence currently exists that no‐take marine reserves on the GBR have increased abundance of reef fish targeted by fisheries. This study provides such evidence for inshore reefs of the GBR.
• 2. Underwater visual surveys were used to estimate the effect of no‐take reserves on abundance of species targeted by hook‐and‐line fisheries around the Palm, Whitsunday and Keppel Islands, spanning 600 km of the length of the GBR. The reserves had been zoned ‘no fishing’ for 14 yr.
• 3. Densities of Plectropomus spp. and Lutjanus carponotatus, both targeted by fisheries, were much higher in protected zones than fished zones in two of the three island groups. Plectropomus spp. were 3.6 and 2.3 times more abundant in protected than fished zones of the Palm and Whitsunday island groups. L. carponotatus were 2.3 and 2.2 times more abundant in protected zones than fished zones of the Whitsunday and Keppel island groups.
• 4. The biomasses of Plectropomus spp. and L. carponotatus were significantly greater (3.9 and 2.6 times respectively) in the protected zones than fished zones at all three island groups.
• 5. Legal minimum sizes of Plectropomus spp. and L. carponotatus are ?38 cm and 25 cm TL respectively. There were significantly higher densities and biomasses of Plectropomus spp. >35 cm TL (density: 3.8 times; biomass: 5.1 times) and L. carponotatus >25 cm TL (density: 4.2 times; biomass: 5.3 times) in protected zones than fished zones at all three island groups.
• 6. No significant difference in abundance between protected and fished zones was found for two species not captured by fisheries (Siganus doliatus and Chaetodon aureofasciatus), and there were no significant differences in benthic characteristics between protected and fished zones.
• 7. Results suggest that no‐take marine reserves have increased stock biomass of targeted fish species on inshore GBR reefs.

Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

流溪河底栖硅藻群落结构的时空异质性及其影响因素

底栖硅藻能够较好地响应河流水环境变化,其群落物种组成与分布已被广泛应用于河流水质与生态状况的指示与评估。为了解流溪河底栖硅藻群落结构的时空异质性及其受河流水文与水质的影响,从上游到下游共设置了 20个样点,于2018年3月、6月、9月和12月进行季节采样和观测,采集底栖硅藻,同步测定了水体理化因子;在分析群落组成的基础上,进一步探究河流环境变量和空间变量对流溪河底栖硅藻群落的影响。结果表明,4次调查共检 出底栖硅藻276种,隶属于2纲、6目、9科、55属,底栖硅藻多样性具有明显的时空差异。在季节上,丰水期的物种丰 富度和真辛普森多样性指数高于枯水期。枯水期曲壳藻科的相对丰度超过50%,高于丰水期;而舟形藻科在丰水期 时相对丰度比枯水期高。在空间上,三级河流物种多样性最高,一级河流物种多样最低;一级河流和二级河流的优 势种主要以曲丝藻属的种类为主,三级河流的优势种主要以菱形藻属的种类为主。随着河流等级增加,曲壳藻科相 对丰度降低,而菱形藻科的相对丰度逐渐升高。冗余分析（RDA）表明,环境选择和空间要素对流溪河硅藻群落结构 均有显著影响,但营养盐水平比空间要素有更高的解释率。     

Seasonal patterns in the community of gill monogeneans on wild versus cultured orange‐spotted grouper,Epinephelus coioides Hamilton, 1822 in Daya Bay,South China Sea

Epinephelus is among the most important fish genera in the Southeast Asian Pacific coastal systems. In Chinese coast, the orange‐spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides is one of the most significant species based on culture volume, and it is consumed all over the world. Very little information exists on this species’ parasitofauna. Composition and temporal variation in the community structure of the gill monogeneans on wild versus cultured E. coioides from Daya Bay (23°25′N, 117°2′E), South China Sea were determined using seasonal samples taken between April 2008 and January 2009. Eight species of monogeneans of three families and four genera on the gills of E. coioides were found: Neobenedenia melleni, Haliotrema cromileptis, Diplectanum grouperi, Pseudorhabdosynochus justinei, P. lantauensis, P. coioidesis, P. serrani and P. shenzhenensis. Eight of the monogenean species exhibited seasonal variation in their infection dynamics associated with environmental changes during seasons. The variations in the infection dynamics generated changes in the community structure during the sampling periods. Moreover, in the three different host living environments (wild, monocultured and polycultured), the monogenean communities exhibited the different seasonal patterns.     

Influence of abiotic factors on ichthyoplankton occurrence in stretches with and without dams in the upper Grande River basin,south‐eastern Brazil

The influence of abiotic factors on ichthyoplankton occurrence was assessed in lotic stretches with and without dams in the Grande River basin from November 2008 to March 2009. Water transparency and temperature were the main abiotic factors that influenced temporal variation of ichthyoplankton occurrence in unregulated stretches. On the other hand, the best predictors of ichthyoplankton occurrence in regulated sites were water transparency and time of day. The catch of ichthyoplankton was significantly greater at low transparency and during night‐time in areas downstream of dams, which may be attributed to either adaptive behaviour of fish species in favouring greater protection of offspring, or the greater predation rate of ichthyoplankton at higher transparencies and during daytime. Results of this study indicate an association between abiotic factors and fish reproduction, but the nature of this relationship in regulated rivers contrasts with that found in stretches without dams.     

Condition assessment of lamprey populations in the Yorkshire Ouse catchment,north‐east England,and the potential influence of physical migration barriers

• 1. River lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) and sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) are designated features of the River Derwent Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and the Humber Estuary (a possible SAC). This study determined the condition of lamprey populations in the Yorkshire Ouse catchment by assessing the species composition, distribution, abundance and size‐structure of larval (ammocoete) populations in five major tributary rivers (Derwent, Swale, Ure, Nidd and Wharfe).
• 2. According to EU condition assessment criteria, Lampetra populations (assumed to be mostly river lamprey) are at present in favourable condition, with site mean (±SE) densities ranging from 2.7 (±1.2) to 160.3 (±50.5) individuals m^?2 (all river means >2 individuals m^?2), and at least two size (≈age) classes present in optimal microhabitats. By contrast, no sea lamprey larvae were recorded, suggesting that populations of this species are in unfavourable condition.
• 3. Actions to protect and enhance nationally or internationally important stocks must be implemented from at least a catchment perspective, because many of the issues affecting such species are not localized. With respect to lampreys, particular attention should be given to protecting spawning and nursery habitats, improving water quality, reducing impingement at abstraction points, preventing exploitation at spawning grounds and increasing passage at potential physical obstructions.

Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.