Population assessment and potential functional roles of native mussels in the Upper Mississippi River

• 1. Despite a heightened global concern for native mussels, fundamental research on mussel ecology in large rivers is lacking. These gaps in knowledge about where mussels occur, and why, are limiting habitat restoration activities.
• 2. Large‐scale systematic surveys for native mussels in three reaches of the Upper Mississippi River documented mussel communities composed of 16–23 species and ranging from 2.9–4.5 live mussels m^?2 that were actively recruiting new cohorts into their populations (87–100% of the species were found as juveniles ?5 years old). Estimates of mean tissue biomass and production in these reaches ranged from 2.1–3.1 g C m^?2 and 0.4–0.6 g C m^?2 year^?1, respectively.
• 3. Mussels filtered a significant amount of water (range, 0.05–0.07 m³ m^?2 d^?1) over a 480 km reach of the Upper Mississippi River – amounting to a filtration rate of 53.1 million m³ day^?1. The filtration rate of mussels as a percentage of river discharge ranged from 0.5–1.4% at high flows (5% exceedance), from 1.5–4.4% at moderate flows (50% exceedance) and from 4.4–12.2% during low flows (95% exceedance).
• 4. Collectively, these data suggest that native mussels play an integral role in this ecosystem by sequestering suspended materials that can be used by other benthic organisms. Published in 2011 by John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.

     

What are the consequences of infection by the introduced parasite Philometroides sanguineus for threatened crucian carp Carassius carassius populations in England?

Abstract – Nonnative parasites have the potential to detrimentally affect naïve hosts, resulting in negative consequences for their growth, condition and energetics. Here, the effect of the introduced parasitic nematode Philometroides sanguineus on crucian carp Carassius carassius populations in England was investigated. Populations of C. carassius populations are increasingly spatially restricted in England and under increasing threat from habitat loss and hybridisation. Parasite prevalence across 6 infected populations was <27% and, generally, there was no significant relationship between levels of infection and fish length and age. Parasite abundance ranged between 1 and 8 nematodes and was not significantly related to fish length and age. Comparison of the growth, body weight and condition, and energy reserves between infected and noninfected C. carassius revealed infection did not incur significant detrimental impacts on these parameters. Whilst this suggests that infection had only minimal impacts on the examined host fish, this may have been a consequence of a low proportion of fish <100 mm in samples (i.e., size‐selective effects) and some tests did suffer from low statistical power because of, for example, unbalanced sample sizes. It does, however, suggest that P. sanguineus may not be a major threat to the status of these C. carassius populations and infection by introduced parasites may not always incur significant impacts in naïve fishes.     

Interannual decrease in condition factor of the western sand lance Ammodytes japonicus in Japan in the last decade: Evidence for food‐limited decline of the catch

Annual catch of the western sand lance Ammodytes japonicus in the eastern Seto Inland Sea, Japan, has shown a decreasing trend since the 1990s. To examine whether food shortage was the main cause for the catch decrease, we investigated the condition factor of the age‐0 fish at the beginning of the estivation period (late July) in Harima‐Nada, eastern Seto Inland Sea, for 10 years from 2008 to 2017. The mean abundance of copepods as food for the age‐0 fish during the fish growth period (from February to June) around the estivation area was also determined. The condition factor showed a significant decrease, and values for 2011 and later years were mostly lower than the known minimum threshold (4.2) for maturation. In the recent 4 years from 2013 to 2016, the mean copepod abundance was much lower than values for the other years. The condition factor showed a significant positive correlation with the copepod abundance. These results indicate that decline of western sand lance catch after 1990 was caused mainly by food shortage.     

Long‐term changes of marine subtidal benthic communities in North East Asia (Yellow and Japan seas) in a global change context: A review

1. A review of the long‐term changes and variations in benthic communities and the current status of the marine invasive species (MIS) in shallow waters of the Yellow Sea (Chinese sector) and the Sea of Japan (Russian and partly Korean sectors) is presented. This paper reflects on the progress and lessons learned, recommending actions for the future about the conservation of biodiversity.
2. In the Bohai Sea, the benthic ecosystem has been degenerating due to anthropogenic activities such as overfishing and pollution since the 1950s. The dominant position of K‐strategy species is gradually being lost and replaced by R‐strategy species. In the Yellow Sea, the macrobenthic community is different from other areas due to the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass. Many economic species have been destroyed, and the biotic structure has changed significantly due to overfishing and climate change.
3. In the Russian sector of the Sea of Japan, the macrobenthic communities in the shallow‐water soft bottom have generally been in a stable condition for the last decades, except for some heavily polluted or disturbed areas due to dredging operations. The abundance of select large invertebrate species has changed considerably due to commercial fishing and poaching. Variations in macro? and meiobenthic communities under aquaculture conditions have occurred on a local scale during the last five decades.
4. MIS show obvious differences between China and Russia in the following aspects: introduction pathways of MIS, composition and number of non‐native species, threats and impacts of MIS to native communities and ecosystems, and economic and public health impacts.
5. Long‐term monitoring programmes should be developed to reveal future biotic changes and to separate the effects of cyclic variations of benthic communities from the impacts of pollution and eutrophication. Standardization of sampling procedures is required to compare changes/alternations in benthos across various regions worldwide.

     

大亚湾海域鱼类分类多样性研究

根据20世纪80年代起大亚湾海域鱼类调查研究的历史资料,采用Nelson分类系统对鱼类物种组成进行了系统整理,从不同分类阶元分析了大亚湾海域鱼类的多样性。分类阶元包含指数(TINCL_i),分类多样性指数(Δ⁺和∧⁺),目级和科级水平丰富度(R)以及目级和科级水平相似性系数(C)为本研究的主要研究指数,其中分类阶元包含指数TINCL_i为本文首次提出。结果显示,大亚湾海域共记录鱼类22目94科206属,以鲈形目种类居绝对优势。采用分类阶元包含指数分析,大亚湾海域鱼类组成目、科、属所分别拥有的(科、属、种),(属、种)和(种)的平均数目分别为(4.27、9.36、14.55),(2.19、3.40)和(1.55),高于东海陆架,而低于东沙群岛海域,并且与纬度梯度成反比,证明低纬度海域的鱼类分类多样性低,种类组成主要集中分布于较少数的分类类群。使用PRIMER 5.2软件计算了平均分类差异指数Δ⁺和分类差异变异指数∧⁺,数值分别为62.2和110.0,其中Δ⁺低于东海陆架区(65.7),高于东沙群岛海域(55.2),说明大亚湾海域鱼类的亲缘关系比东海陆架区海域鱼类近,比东沙群岛海域鱼类的远,并且分布较不均匀。3个海区的相似性系数比较结果显示,在目级水平上,大亚湾海域鱼类组成同东沙群岛接近,而科级水平上同东海陆架区更为接近。本研究在种以上的分类阶元审视大亚湾海域鱼类组成,以期增加对大亚湾鱼类多样性的认识,为该区域鱼类资源的开发、利用和保护提供参考依据。     

Fish community response to environmental variations in an impacted Neotropical basin

Fish communities’ organisation is a challenging task due to global, local and temporal variations related to biotic and abiotic factors, highlighting anthropic activities. The Verde River Basin (VRB) was chosen as a model to the fish community study due to its complexity, presenting a longitudinal gradient of degradation. The ichthyofauna and abiotic factors were sampled during twelve months in four sites. Analyses employed rarefaction curves with Hill numbers estimators and canonical correspondence analysis. The endemic Apareiodon sp. (not described), Hypostomus albopunctatus, H. strigaticeps, Oligosarcus paranensis, Neoplecostomus yapo and Trichomycterus diabolus were associated with structurally complex and well‐preserved environments. In contrary, Astyanax aff. fasciatus, Corydoras ehrhardti, Geophagus brasiliensis, H. ancistroides and Phalloceros harpagos showed tolerance to impacted environments. The methods here employed allowed to identify and explain differences in the ichthyofauna structure, distinguishing the influence of spatial, temporal and human effects on the fish communities.     

基于海表温因子的太平洋褶柔鱼冬生群资源丰度预测模型比较

太平洋褶柔鱼是世界上重要的大洋性经济柔鱼类资源,其资源易受海洋环境因子的影响,科学预测其资源丰度有利于科学生产和管理。本实验依据2000—2010年太平洋褶柔鱼冬生群单位捕捞努力量渔获量(CPUE),以及产卵期间(1—3月)产卵场(28°~40°N、125°~140°E)的海表温(SST)数据,进行SST与CPUE的相关性分析,选取统计学有意义的SST作为影响资源丰度的因子,分别建立多元线性和BP神经网络的资源丰度预报模型,并利用2011和2012年的CPUE进行验证。结果显示,CPUE与产卵场1—3月SST相关系数较高的海域分别为1月的S1(30.5°N,136.5°E)和S2(31.5°N,136.5°E),2月的S3(30.5°N,137.5°E)和S4(30.5°N,135.5°E),3月的S5(37.5°N,129.5°E)和S6(37.5°N,130.5°E)。在多元线性及不同结构的BP神经网络等5种预报模型中,结构为6-4-1的BP神经网络模型预测精度最高,2011—2012年CPUE预测值精度平均为98%。研究表明,30°~32°N、135°~138°E和37°~38°N、129°~131°E附近海域的6个环境因子代表着1—3月产卵场暖流(黑潮和对马海流)势力的强弱,决定着当年太平洋褶柔鱼冬生群资源丰度,所建立的BP神经网络模型可作为其资源丰度的预测模型。     

Gradients of abundance of fish across no‐take marine reserve boundaries: evidence from Philippine coral reefs

• 1. An abundance gradient from high inside to low outside a no‐take marine reserve may indicate net emigration of adult fish from the reserve (‘spillover’).
• 2. We examined spatial patterns of abundance of fish across two ～900 m long sections of coral reef slope at each of two small Philippine islands (Apo and Balicasag). One section sampled the entire length of a no‐take reserve and extended 200–400 m outside the two lateral reserve boundaries. The other section, without a reserve, was a control. The reserves had had 20 (Apo) and 15 (Balicasag) years of protection when sampled in 2002.
• 3. Significant spatial gradients of decreasing abundance of target fish occurred across only one (Apo Reserve northern boundary = ARNB) of four real reserve boundaries, and across none of the control ‘boundaries’. Abundance of non‐target fish did not decline significantly across reserve boundaries.
• 4. Abundance of target fish declined sharply 50 m outside the ARNB, but enhanced abundance extended 100–350 m beyond this boundary, depending on fish mobility.
• 5. Density of sedentary target fish declined 2–6 times faster than density of highly vagile and vagile target fish across the ARNB.
• 6. Habitat factors could not account for these ARNB results for target fish, but did influence abundance patterns of non‐target fish.
• 7. The lack of abundance gradients of target fish at Balicasag may reflect reduced fishing outside the reserve since it was established.
• 8. Apo Reserve had a gradient of abundance of target fish across at least one boundary, a result consistent with spillover.

Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

气候变化对长江口鱼类资源密度分布的重塑作用

本研究以2012-2013年长江口鱼类资源密度分布为基础,通过动态生物气候分室模型(DBEM)预估了不同气候变化情景下(IPCC,RCP2.6、RCP6.0和RCP8.5)长江口鱼类资源密度增量分布的变化.在RCP2.6、RCP6.0和RCP8.5这3种气候变化情景下,鱼类资源密度增量、底层鱼类资源密度增量随着时间推移均呈递增趋势,且递增程度和增量重心分布范围随着温室气体排放的增加而扩大(RCP8.5＞RCP6.0＞RCP2.6).鱼类资源密度增量重心主要分布在长江口崇明岛沿岸水域,长江口外侧水域资源密度增量相对较低,并且资源密度增量重心有向南迁移的趋势.     

不同季节江蓠脱落物对大型海藻场上覆水的影响

通过在实验室模拟野外环境, 研究了不同季节温度下江蓠( Gracilaria confervoides) 腐烂对上覆水溶解氧 ( DO) 和营养盐浓度的影响。根据广东沿海气候特点设计春秋20 ℃、夏28 ℃、冬15 ℃ 3 个对照组, 海水平均流速为0. 24 ms - 1。结果表明, 随着温度升高DO 逐渐下降, DO 浓度与加入江蓠质量呈负相关关系; 江蓠腐烂分解使上覆水总氮( TN) 、总磷( TP) 浓度先增后减, 铵态氮( NH4+-N) 与亚硝态氮( NO2--N) 、硝态氮( NO3--N) 浓度同步出现峰值, 磷( P) 元素的释放早于氮( N) 元素; 冬季( 15 ℃) 和春秋季( 20 ℃) 时,NO2--N和NO3--N浓度均随江蓠丰度的增加而增大, 夏季( 28 ℃) 则相反, 海藻加入的质量同时影响NH4+ -N、NO2--N、NO3--N和活性磷( PO43--P) 的峰值浓度, 海藻质量与营养盐浓度呈正相关; 低温条件下N、P 元素营养盐浓度在上覆水中累积均超过高温条件。研究大型海藻脱落物在不同季节里水解后对上覆水的影响, 可为大型海藻增殖密度的确定提供理论依据。