Oceanographic variability and changes in Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) abundance at South Georgia

Oceanographic data collected to the north of South Georgia were examined for three consecutive summers (1996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99). The results show the existence of a shelf break front during each period. The most reliable means of defining the front was the potential density anomaly at the near‐surface potential temperature minimum. In each year, off‐shelf waters were separated from on‐shelf waters by water with a potential density anomaly between 27.22 and 27.29 kg m^?3. During 1997/98, the near‐surface potential temperature minimum was much colder and much shallower than in other years and was consistent with waters originating from much further south than South Georgia; these differences were further evident at a single deep off‐shelf station. The oceanographic changes during 1997/98 were consistent with a mesoscale or large‐scale movement of the southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current front. Acoustically determined densities of Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, at South Georgia showed consistent patterns between years. Densities were substantially higher over the shelf compared with off‐shelf, with the highest densities at the shelf edge; densities were also higher to the east of the island. During 1997/98, acoustic densities of krill were substantially higher than in other years. The coincidence of the elevated acoustic density and the cooler oceanographic conditions was explored. When data from all years were combined and analysed by Generalized Additive Model, an inverse relationship between acoustic density and temperature was apparent. Historical data were also examined and it was noted that the only other occurrence of such a high estimate of krill density at South Georgia, was when oceanographic conditions were also colder.     

Early life history connectivity of Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica) in the Ross Sea

A recent population hypothesis for Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica), a critical forage species, argued that interactions between life history and circulation associated with glacial trough systems drive circumpolar distributions over the continental shelf. In the Ross Sea, aggregations of eggs and larvae occur under fast ice in Terra Nova Bay, and the hypothesis predicted that dispersing larvae encounter outflow along the western side of Drygalski Trough. The outflow advects larvae towards the shelf‐break, and mixing with trough inflow facilitates return toward the inner shelf. To examine the hypothesis, we compared samples of P. antarctica collected near Coulman Island in the outflow, along Crary Bank in the inflow, and a third set taken over the rest of the Ross Sea. We ruled out misidentification using an innovative genetic validation. Silverfish larvae comprised 99.5% of the catch, and the highest population densities were found in Drygalski Trough. The results provided no evidence to reject the population hypothesis. Abundance indices, back‐calculated hatching dates, length distributions and growth were congruent with a unified early life history in the western Ross Sea, constrained by cryopelagic early stages in Terra Nova Bay. By contrast, a sample in the Bay of Whales revealed much smaller larvae, suggesting either a geographically separate population in the eastern Ross Sea, or westward connectivity with larvae spawned nearby by fish sourced from troughs upstream in the Amundsen Sea. These results illustrate how hypotheses that integrate population structure with life history can provide precise spatial predictions for subsequent testing.     

Prey selection of common minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and Bryde's (Balaenoptera edeni) whales in the western North Pacific in 2000 and 2001

A study of common minke and Bryde's whales was conducted in the western North Pacific in the 2000 and 2001 summer seasons to estimate prey selection of cetaceans as this is an important parameter in ecosystem models. Whale sighting and sampling surveys and prey surveys using quantitative echosounder and mid‐water trawl were carried out concurrently in the study. Biomasses of Japanese anchovy, walleye pollock and krill, which were major prey species of common minke and Bryde's whales, were estimated using an echosounder. The results suggested that common minke whale showed prey selection for Japanese anchovy while they seemed to avoid krill in both the offshore and coastal regions and walleye pollock in the continental shelf region. Selection for shoaling pelagic fish was similar to that in the eastern North Atlantic. Bryde's whale showed selection for Japanese anchovy in August 2000 and July 2001, while it showed prey selection for krill in May and June in 2001.     

The effect of low inclusion levels of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) meal on growth performance,apparent digestibility and slaughter quality of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Two trials with Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) were conducted to evaluate the potential of krill meal to improve feed intake. In the first experiment, after transfer to sea water, salmon smolts were fed diets added 75 or 150 g kg^?1 Antarctic krill meal in substitution for fish meal for 13 weeks. The apparent digestibility coefficient for crude protein and the majority of the amino acids was significantly lower in the feeds added krill meal (around 83.5%) than in the control diet (84.9%), whereas the digestibility of crude lipids, dry matter and energy was not significantly different among the three diets. Krill meal addition resulted in higher feed intake, which led to higher growth rates and final body weights. In the second experiment, large salmon were fed a diet containing 100 g kg^?1 krill meal for 6 weeks before slaughter. Their feed intake and growth performance were assessed, and fillet and visceral fat contents were measured. Salmon fed the 100 g kg^?1 krill meal diet tended to eat more, resulting in significantly increased growth rates, when compared to control fish. Fish fed krill meal also had a significantly lower condition factor.     

Distribution of minke whales in the Bellingshausen and Amundsen Seas (60°W–120°W), with special reference to environmental/physiographic variables

The relationship between the distribution of minke whales ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata ) in the Bellingshausen and Amundsen Seas (longitude between 60°W and 120°W), and environmental and physiographic variables (sea-surface temperature, sea-ice extension, and sea-floor-slope type), was studied to determine whether these environmental and physical factors affect the distribution and density of minke whales. The analysis was based on sightings data obtained from the 1989/90 and 1982/83 IWC/IDCR cruises. The mean sea-surface temperatures for comparable areas were significantly higher in 1989/90 (2.04°C) than in 1982/83 (1.12°C), and the area where the sea-surface temperature was greater than 1°C in the 1989/90 study was approximately twice that of the 1982/83 study. Additionally, during the surveys, the extent of the sea ice in 1989/90 was less than that in 1982/83, with the mean ice edge about 92.6 km (50 nautical miles; 1 nautical mile ≈1.852 km) farther south in 1989/90 than in 1982/83. This is consistent with the sea ice extent observed in winter, when the sea ice extent was less in 1989 than in 1982. The distribution of minke whales was substantially different between the two surveys, with the density and abundance of minke whales being greater in 1982/83 than in 1989/90. The warmer sea-surface temperatures, fewer cold-water intrusions, and the smaller extent of sea ice in 1989/90 may be related to the difference in distribution of minke whales from 1982/83, possibly owing to the shift in availability of prey.     

南极普里兹湾南极大磷虾资源时空分布与海洋环境要素的相 关性

基于我国第29次南极科学考察在普里兹湾附近海域断面的调查,对2012年12月31日至2013年3月5日期间,普里兹湾南极大磷虾(Euphausia superba Dana)资源时空分布和资源量评估展开研究。结果表明,调查海域大磷虾平均资源密度为32.8 g/m2,总资源量为9.34×107 t;普里兹湾附近海域大磷虾资源量年度变化明显,种群年龄结构以2+龄或3+龄的补充群体为主,补充群体的生长状况将直接影响资源量变化;调查期间大磷虾主要集群于普里兹湾口的陆架坡折区,其范围为70.50°E~75.50°E、67°S~68.5°S,海底水深介于250~1 000 m;叶绿素浓度与大磷虾资源时空分布极显著相关(P0.01),相关系数为0.193;未发现水温、盐度和海底水深与大磷虾资源时空分布的直接相关关系(P0.05);盐度与叶绿素浓度呈显著负相关关系(P0.01),相关系数为–0.23;叶绿素浓度深层极大值现象(简称DCM现象)出现在以73°E 67°S为中心的普里兹湾口附近海域,DCM现象可能与冬季残留水团关系密切。     

Effects of stratification and misspecification of covariates on species distribution models for abundance estimation from virtual line transect survey data

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of stratification of the survey region on the performance of species distribution models (SDMs) described by generalized linear models or generalized additive models when estimating school abundance by using a line transect survey. True covariates that define spatial school distribution are not always obtainable explanatory variables. When the true covariates differ from explanatory variables in the model, the explanatory variables are determined to be misspecified. We evaluated the performance of SDMs in abundance estimation with misspecified covariates by using dummy datasets for which the true abundance was known. Simulated replicates of spatial distributions of a whale school and sighting data were generated from possible scenarios motivated by the spatial school distribution of Antarctic minke whales Balaenoptera bonaerensis. This distribution was obtained from the Japanese Whale Research Program under Special Permit in the Antarctic. Our results showed that the relative bias of the abundance estimators was large when covariates were misspecified and a survey region was stratified. Although stratification of the survey region is intended to produce a conventional line transect estimator with a smaller variance than that of non-stratified survey region, it also acts to increase the bias of the abundance estimate obtained from SDMs.     

Interannual spatial variability of krill (Euphausia superba) influences seabird foraging behavior near Elephant Island, Antarctica

We investigate the influence of krill (principally Euphausia superba ) patchiness on the foraging distributions of seabirds to understand how variation in krill influences patch dynamics between krill and birds. At sea-surveys were conducted near Elephant Island, Antarctica, for 3 yr (2004–2006) during the annual U.S. Antarctic Marine Living Resources (AMLR) program. Standardized strip-transect surveys were used to map seabirds, and a combination of acoustic and net surveys was used to map krill. We measured patch size of krill and seabirds and elucidated how krill patch dynamics influence foraging seabirds. The spatial association between krill and predators was influenced by the size and arrangement of krill patches. We found a negative relationship between abundance and patchiness of krill and predators, indicating that when krill is less abundant, its predators are less abundant and concentrated. We conclude that annual patch dynamics of krill strongly influences the local abundance and distribution of seabirds. Such information should be used to interpret potential interactions between seabirds and krill fisheries operating near Elephant Island.     

Spatio‐temporal trends of the Krill fisheries in the Western Antarctic Peninsula and Southern Scotia Arc

Krill fisheries in Antarctica have concentrated their effort on the Western Antarctic Peninsula and Scotia Arc (WAP) in the last decades, following a steady increase in annual catch. Short‐term shifts in habitat exploration may have occurred and may be the cause for the increasing catch. Habitat use and effort in krill fisheries in the WAP during summer between 2012/2013 and 2016/2017, inclusive, were tested to determine how habitat use and effort reflected in the catch. Increasing trends in fishing tow duration and depth of fishing in deeper and colder waters were found. No association of the catch with the habitat explored was found, but catch was higher in years when the variability of explored habitat was lower. The relevance of these findings for fisheries management and conservation of Antarctic marine ecosystems is discussed.     

南极磷虾商业捕捞动态

基于国际南极海洋生物资源保护协会最新发表南大洋渔业生物捕捞统计数据,对近30年以来南极磷虾捕捞水域分布、产量年变化以及捕捞的季节变化进行了分析和概述,以期对我国远洋渔业生产有所参考。     

Patterns of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in the baleen of common minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata from the western North Pacific

ABSTRACT:   Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios were determined in the baleen plates of 17 common minke whales Balaenoptera acutorostrata from the north-western Pacific Ocean off Japan, as well as prey species (krill Euphausia pacifica , Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus and Pacific saury Cololabis saira ) collected in the stomach contents, to investigate the trophic relationship between the minke whales and their prey. A few δ¹⁵N-depleted peaks occurred along the length of baleen plates for 10 males irrespective of stomach content (anchovies and sauries). Similar δ¹⁵N-depleted peaks were also found for one female and two immature individuals. It was likely that these δ¹⁵N-depleted peaks formed in early summer. The stable nitrogen isotope ratio (δ¹⁵N) values in Pacific saury (9.3 ± 1.4‰) did not differ significantly from that in Japanese anchovy (8.8 ± 0.9‰). In contrast, δ¹⁵N in krill (7.2 ± 0.5‰ in July and 8.0 ± 0.2‰ in September) were significantly lower than in the Pacific saury. Thus, these peaks may reflect the dietary change from krill to fishes in the feeding migration of the whales. Growth rate of the baleen plate was estimated to be 129 mm/y, and it appeared that a dietary record of about 1.4 years remained in the baleen plate. For two immature whales, the maximum value of δ¹⁵N occurred at the tip of baleen. This δ¹⁵N enrichment may possibly be useful for discriminating weanlings and older whales.     

The efficacy of MS‐222 as anaesthetic agent in four freshwater aquarium fish species

The efficacy of anaesthetic tricaine methanesulfonate (MS‐222) was evaluated in four freshwater aquarium fish species, Zebrafish (Danio rerio), Guppy (Poecilia reticulata), Discu (Symphysodon discus) and Green swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri). The correct dose of anaesthetic should induce the plane 4 of anaesthesia in less than 180 s, recovery in less than 300 s and must survive when exposed during 30 min to anaesthetic. Fishes were exposed to six concentrations of anaesthetic (75, 100, 125, 150, 200 and 250 mg L^?1) and the time of fish reaching plane 4 of anaesthesia, post exposure recovery, and the percentage of survival when fish were subject to 30 min in the anaesthetic were recorded. The optimal doses varied according to the species: D. rerio – 75, 100 and 125 mg L^?1, P. reticulata – 125, 150 and 200 mg L^?1, S. discus – 75 and 100 mg L^?1 and X. helleri – 125 and 150 mg L^?1. The induction time generally decreased significantly with increasing concentration of MS‐222 for all of the species evaluated. The recovery time had a tendency to increase with the increase of the MS‐222 concentration for D. rerio, P. reticulata and S. discus. On the other hand, X. helleri recovery time decreased with the increase of MS‐222 concentration. MS‐222 proved to be effective in anaesthesia for all the freshwater ornamental species studied. The main results clearly show that the optimal dose to anesthetize is fish species dependent and it is completely wrong to extrapolate optimal anaesthetic concentrations between different species.     

2020年秋季南极布兰斯菲尔德海峡南极磷虾集群时空分布

南极磷虾是南极海洋生态系统中的关键物种,具有重要的商业开发潜力,但其集群的类型与分布存在较大时空异质性,这增加了南极磷虾资源评估的难度,也对南极磷虾渔业的海上作业与企业生产安排带来了较大的挑战.为了探究布兰斯菲尔德海峡渔场内南极磷虾的集群分布和结构特征,提高渔船作业效率,基于渔船采集的声学数据,分析其时空分布特征,昼夜...     

Relative influence of static and dynamic features on black‐footed albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) habitat use in central California Sanctuaries

Effective conservation of highly mobile species requires an understanding of the factors that influence their habitat use patterns, locally and within a large‐scale oceanographic context. We characterized the seasonal (chick‐rearing, post‐breeding) and inter‐annual (2004–2008) distribution and abundance of black‐footed albatross (Phoebastria nigripes; BFAL) along the central California continental shelf/slope using standardized vessel‐based surveys. We used a hypothesis‐based information‐theoretic approach to quantify the relative influence of environmental conditions on BFAL occurrence and abundance by assessing their association with: (i) local static bathymetric features, (ii) local and regional dynamic oceanographic processes, and (iii) seasonal and inter‐annual basin‐wide variability. While the presence/absence models yielded stronger results than the abundance models, both revealed that static and dynamic features influence BFAL habitat use. Specifically, occurrence was greatest near the shelf‐break, particularly in months with strong upwelling. High BFAL densities were associated with Rittenburg Bank, especially during the chick‐rearing season, periods of positive North Pacific Gyre Oscillation index and large northern monthly upwelling, evidenced by cool, salty waters in the study area. BFAL aggregation intensity was greatest onshore of the shelf‐break (200 m isobath). Behavioral observations reinforced the notion that transiting BFAL are widely dispersed near the shelf‐break and concentrate in large flocks of birds sitting on the water farther onshore. These results underscore the need to consider oceanographic processes at multiple spatial scales when interpreting changes in BFAL dispersion within marine sanctuaries, and highlight the feasibility of implementing bathymetrically defined protected areas targeting predictable BFAL aggregations within these larger management jurisdictions.     

Hen egg yolk and skinned krill as possible foods for rearing leptocephalus larvae of Anguilla japonica Temminck & Schlegel

Usual diets for rearing leptocephalus larvae of Japanese eel Anguilla japonica include eggs of the endangered spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias (SE). We investigated the effects of alternative food materials, hen egg yolk (HEY) and exoskeleton‐free (skinned) Antarctic krill (SAK), on the growth and survival of eel larvae. We found that feed comprising whole krill including exoskeleton (WAK) containing higher levels of fluoride (37.89 mg kg^?1) was acutely toxic to eel larvae exposed to this alone. In contrast, extract from SAK containing lower concentrations of fluoride (4.25 mg kg^?1) showed no apparent adverse effects. Growth of larvae fed a mixture of SE and SAK in a feed trial of 58 days [mean body weight (BW), 6.0 mg] was about twofold higher than that of larvae fed a mixture of SE and WAK (3.2 mg) (P < 0.01). A mixture of HEY and SAK also had some dietary benefits for eel larvae, enabling them to survive for up to 58 days and to grow significantly (mean BW, 2.4 mg), compared with their initial weight (mean BW, 0.2 mg) (P < 0.001). Although additional nutritional improvements are needed, the present results suggest that combination diet HEY and SAK may be a good alternative to SE as an effective diet for eel larvae.     

南极磷虾渔业CPUE及其丰度估算适用性

作为一种衡量渔业资源丰度变化的指标,CPUE常用于多种渔业资源评估。南极磷虾作为一种集群性的生物资源,其资源存在着较为明显的时空变化特征,加之该物种本身所具有的特殊性以及渔业特点,这也使得采用CPUE作为衡量该资源丰度指标的有效性存在着较大的不确定性。为此,本实验详细介绍了4种南极磷虾渔业CPUE的常用估算方法,并总结了这些方法所具有的特点、优势以及劣势,在此基础上从时空尺度和环境影响因素等方面对南极磷虾渔业CPUE估算的影响进行了分析。最后,实验就CPUE作为评估南极磷虾资源丰度的适用性及可行性进行了探讨。近年来,南极磷虾渔业日益受到全球的关注,但如何将渔业调查数据纳入到南极磷虾资源评估当中,一直未得到统一的结论,从而导致基于生态系统的南极磷虾渔业管理进展缓慢,本研究结果可为更好地开展南极磷虾资源评估和丰度估算提供思路。     

Southern Ocean iron fertilization by baleen whales and Antarctic krill

Iron is the limiting micronutrient in the Southern Ocean and experiments have demonstrated that addition of soluble iron to surface waters results in phytoplankton blooms, particularly by large diatoms. Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) eat diatoms and recycle iron in surface waters when feeding. Baleen whales eat krill, and, historically, defecation by baleen whales could have been a major mechanism for recycling iron, if whale faeces contain significant quantities of iron. We analysed the iron content in 27 samples of faeces from four species of baleen whale. Faecal iron content (145.9 ± 133.7 mg kg^?1) is approximately ten million times that of Antarctic seawater, suggesting that it could act as a fertilizer. Furthermore, we analysed the iron content of seven krill species and of muscle tissue of two species of baleen whales; all samples had high iron levels. Using these figures, together with recent estimates of the range and biomass of krill, we calculate that the Antarctic krill population contains ～24% of the total iron in the surface waters in its range. Thus, krill can act as a long‐term reservoir of iron in Antarctic surface waters, by storing the iron in their body tissue. Pre‐exploitation populations of whales and krill must have stored larger quantities of iron and would have also recycled more iron in surface waters, enhancing overall ocean productivity through a positive feedback loop. Thus, allowing the great whales to recover might actually increase Southern Ocean productivity through enhancing iron levels in the surface layer.     

基于渔业调查的利文斯顿岛西南部2012年秋冬季南极大磷虾体长时空分布

基于南极磷虾渔业科学观察员收集的南极大磷虾(Euphausia superba)体长数据,将研究区域划分成经纬度10'×10'小尺度单元,分析了利文斯顿岛西南部水域2012年秋冬季南极大磷虾体长分布的时空特征。结果表明,10个单元的平均体长范围为35.3～51.0 mm,其中最小体长为23.1 mm,最大体长为61.0 mm,各单元间体长分布存在显著性差异。由秋末转至冬初,南极大磷虾平均体长及优势体长范围均呈逐渐减小趋势。14～16时和22～24时南极大磷虾个体较小,而4～6时、8～10时以及20～22时的南极大磷虾则以大个体为主。一半以上(72%)的样本分布于40～80 m水层。80 m以深水层,南极大磷虾个体均大于38 mm。随着海区水深的增加,南极大磷虾平均体长逐渐减小,且南极大磷虾体长组成在不同水深海区呈现不同的分布模式。     

南极磷虾生物量估算方法

南极磷虾是南大洋生态系统食物网中的关键种,在南大洋中上层生态系统中起着至关重要的连接作用,其资源的养护和持续利用受到国际社会日益关注。磷虾研究已有90多年的历史,其生物量及其分布一直是研究的重点。生物量评估方法也在不断发展,从早期的浮游动物干重法、生产量与生物量比例系数转换法,到网具采样法以及现在流行的声学法,评估手段也变得更为高效。本文通过系统梳理磷虾生物量的主要评估方法,分析其优缺点,并着重从磷虾目标强度模型(TS)参数的海上实测、声学数据中磷虾信号的提取,磷虾单位平方海里声学反射系数(NASC)的计算,基于渔船声学数据修正磷虾渔业单位捕捞努力量渔获量(CPUE),基于渔船声学数据的磷虾集群、洄游和渔场形成机制研究等5个方面对现行生物量声学评估法提出改进建议,提高资源评估的精度,以期为磷虾生物资源的开发与管理提供科学依据。     

Raw frozen Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) as an alternative feed source for cuttlefish Sepiella japonica in artificial breeding systems

The study aims to evaluate the feasibility of completely replacing raw frozen shrimp Palaemon gravieri diets with raw frozen Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) in the diets of cuttlefish Sepiella japonica. To address the knowledge gap, we conducted a 60‐day feeding trial. At the end of the experiment (day 60), the cuttlefish Sepiella japonica eating Palaemon gravieri (SJP) grew significantly faster than those eating Euphausia superba (SJE), with the specific growth rate (SGR)_SJP (7.92%) > (SGR)_SJE (7.09%). Approximately 33.3% and 20.0% mortality was observed in the SJE and SJP, during the course of the experiment respectively. Some important fatty acids (i.e. n‐3 and n‐6 PUFAs) were elevated in SJE with respect to SJP. Replacement of Antarctic krill increased the diversity of the gut microbiome composition in the SJE group. Fluoride accumulated in the ink sac and cuttlebone of cuttlefish in SJE. Overall, these findings imply that PUFA‐rich Antarctic krill could replace P. gravieri shrimp for feeding cuttlefish S. japonica.