A synthesis of the life history and ecology of juvenile Pacific herring in Prince William Sound,Alaska

Physical and biological variables affecting juvenile Pacific herring (Clupea pallasi) in Prince William Sound (PWS) from 1995 to 1998 were investigated as part of a multifaceted study of recruitment, the Sound Ecosystem Assessment (SEA) program. Though more herring larvae were retained in eastern PWS bays, ages‐0 and ‐1 herring used bays throughout PWS as nursery areas. Water transported into PWS from the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) contributed oceanic prey species to neritic habitats. Consequently, variations in local food availability resulted in different diets and growth rates of herring among bays. Summer food availability and possible interspecific competition for food in nursery areas affected the autumn nutritional status and juvenile whole body energy content (WBEC), which differed among bays. The WBEC of age‐0 herring in autumn was related to over‐winter survival. The limited amount of food consumption in winter was not sufficient to meet metabolic needs. The smallest age‐0 fish were most at risk of starvation in winter. Autumn WBEC of herring and winter water temperature were used to model over‐winter mortality of age‐0 herring. Differences in feeding and energetics among nursery areas indicated that habitat quality and age‐0 survival were varied among areas and years. These conditions were measured by temperature, zooplankton abundance, size of juvenile herring, diet energy, energy source (GOA vs. neritic zooplankton), WBEC, and within‐bay competition.     

Foraging behaviour of juvenile pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and size‐dependent predation risk

Two hypotheses related to effects of juvenile pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) foraging behaviour and size on their predation risk were evaluated using field data collected in Prince William Sound, Alaska 1 995–97. My results supported the hypothesis that low macrozooplankton density leads to dispersion of juvenile salmon from shallow nearshore habitats and greater predation risk, but zooplankton type was an important factor. When the biomass of large copepods (primarily Neocalanus spp.) declined, salmon dispersed from shallow nearshore habitats, and mean daily individual predator consumption of salmon increased by a factor of 5. A concomitant five‐fold increase in the probability of occurrence of salmon in predator stomachs supported the notion that increased predation on salmon was caused by a greater overlap between predator and prey when salmon dispersed offshore, not an increase in the number of salmon consumed per feeding bout. The results also generally supported the hypothesis that the timing of predation events modifies the nature of size‐dependent predation losses of salmon to different predator groups (small and large planktivores and piscivores). Size‐dependent vulnerabilities of salmon to predators were a function of both predator and prey sizes. When simulated predation was shifted from May to June, the vulnerability of salmon became more dependent on their growth than initial size. But, the size‐ and growth‐dependent vulnerabilities of salmon differed more among predator groups than between May and June, suggesting that changes in the composition of predator fields could more strongly affect the nature of size‐dependent predation than changes in the timing of predation losses.     

Behavioural interactions of seabirds with suspended mussel longlines

Increased abundances of a number of seabird species have been found in areas of mussel longline aquaculture (compared to control sites) in a recent study at Bantry Bay, southwest Ireland. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this form of mussel aquaculture also affects the activity budgets and foraging behaviour of these seabirds. Scan-sampling was used to compare seabird activity budgets between three areas of mussel longline aquaculture and three control sites. Foraging activities of Great-Northern Divers Gavia immer, an Annex 1 species under the Euopean Union's Birds Directive, were also compared between sites using focal sampling. The behaviour of gulls (Larus sp.), Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo, Shags Phalacrocorax aristotelis and Great-Northern Divers (but not auks, Alcidae) differed significantly between areas of mussel aquaculture and control sites in this study. Mussel suspension buoys were heavily utilized by gulls, cormorants and shags as safe perching platforms for preening activities. Gulls also fed extensively on epifauna attached to the buoys. Great-Northern Divers spent more time snorkelling (head submerged in search of food) in mussel sites than in the control sites, however dive duration and visible foraging success rates did not differ significantly between sites. Overall, the environmental impact of mussel suspension culture appears to be positive or neutral on marine bird species occurring at this study site.     

四指马鲅仔稚鱼发育及生长特征的初步研究

在人工育苗条件下,对四指马鲅Eleutheronema tetradactylum ( Shaw)早期发育的形态及生长特性进行了观察和初步研究。形态发育观察结果表明：四指马鲅初孵仔鱼全长为(1·957依0·055) mm,在培育水温为26℃、盐度为30的条件下,第2天开口,第3天卵黄囊完全被吸收,可开始摄食;初孵仔鱼~13 d为仔鱼期,14~36 d为稚鱼期,之后转为幼鱼期。生长特性分析结果表明：四指马鲅仔鱼期全长、肛前长和体高的生长速度明显快于稚鱼期,全长、肛前长和体高与日龄均呈多项式函数关系( P<0·01);仔鱼培育过程中,个体生长速度存在明显差异,20日龄仔鱼全长和肛前长的差异较大,其最大值和最小值的比分别是2·437倍和2·004倍。因此,在仔鱼培育生产实践中要注意分池,足量投喂适口饵料,以减少个体间的相互残杀。     

光照对中国对虾稚虾3种消化酶活力的影响

在实验室条件下研究光照(光照周期、光照强度和光色)对中国对虾(Fenneropenaeus chinensis)稚虾3种消化酶(蛋白酶、淀粉酶和脂肪酶)活力的影响。在本实验条件下,主要结果如下:(1)4种光照周期下,对虾3种消化酶的活力差异不显著(P>0.05);(2)在完全黑暗、6μmol.m-2.s-1、30μmol.m-2.s-1和110μmol.m-2.s-1光照强度下,对虾蛋白酶的活力分别为0.361 U.mg-1(protein)、0.081 U.mg-1(protein)、0.088 U.mg-1(protein)和0.273 U.mg-1(protein),完全黑暗和110μmol.m-2.s-1下的活力显著高于其他两个光照强度(P<0.05),且两者间的差异达到显著水平(P<0.05);中国对虾淀粉酶的活力分别为0.386 U.mg-1(protein)、0.095 U.mg-1(protein)、0.111 U.mg-1(protein)和0.315 U.mg-1(protein),完全黑暗和110μmol.m-2.s-1条件下的活力显著高于其他两个光照强度(P<0.05),两者间的差异亦达到显著水平(P<0.05);对虾脂肪酶的活力分别为0.147×10-2U.mg-1(protein)、0.150×10-2U.mg-1(protein)、0.170×10-2U.mg-1(protein)和0.183×10-2U.mg-1(protein),完全黑暗和110μmol.m-2.s-1条件下的活力差异达到显著水平(P<0.05);(3)不同光色下,对虾蛋白酶和淀粉酶的活力差异不显著(P>0.05),脂肪酶的活力则存在一定的差异,蓝光和黄光下,对虾脂肪酶的活力分别为0.093×10-2U.mg-1(protein)和0.107×10-2U.mg-1(protein),显著高于白光和绿光下的活力(P<0.05),但蓝光组和黄光组间的差异不显著(P>0.05)。     

Cu2+和Cd2+对斑节对虾幼虾的毒性作用

研究了Cu^2 和Cd^2 对斑节对虾幼虾 的急性和亚急性毒性作用，获得了Cu^2 和Cd^2 的半致死浓度、安全浓度和累积量。     

影响刺参幼参成活和生长的几个因素的研究

在刺参人工育苗过程中，从稚参到幼参阶段极易受外界综合因子影响，成活率很低。本文采用数理统计的方法，选择四种因子对此阶段死亡率进行试验。从方差和直观分析看到稚参的附着密度和饵料品种对其成活率和生长的影响大于水温和换水方式。稚参附着密度以0．2头／cm^2为最佳，0．5头／cm^2次之；饵料以鼠尾藻磨碎液为最佳，其次是鼠尾藻液和叉鞭金藻的混合液．