Pacific sand lance of the Port Moller estuary, southeastern Bering Sea: an estuarine^dependent early life history

Three waves of spawning Pacific sand lance (Ammo-dytes hexapterus) entered the Port Moller estuary from mid-January to late May 1990. Each wave laid its eggs on sand in lower Moller Bay with the center of egg distribution about 14 km inside the estuary. After incubation for 45 to 94 d, each cohort of eggs hatched out over a 41- to 63-d period. Larvae moved at a rate of 0.21 knvd“¹ toward a deep fjordlike basin at the head of Herendeen Bay inside the estuary about 20 km southwest of the center of hatch. The basin has the lowest flushing rate of the estuary, and unlike the rest of Port Moller, it is vertically stratified, which allows the development of a spring-summer zooplankton community with greater biomass than any other location in the estuary. Larvae may have moved to the basin to enhance growth or to avoid offshore transport to areas of low food abundance, but we cannot demonstrate a direct link between growth and habitat. We conclude that the Port Moller sand lance stock has an estuarine early life history that evolved in response to the unique physical conditions of the Port Moller estuary–a shallow, well-mixed site with sandy substrate that is suitable for incubation of demersal eggs next to a deep, vertically stratified fjord with a rich zooplankton community that is suitable for rearing of larvae.     

华北石质山区刺槐人工林的土壤呼吸

2006年1-12月,利用Li-8100土壤呼吸自动观测系统及AR5土壤温度湿度自动观测系统观测土壤呼吸速率、土壤温度及湿度,分析华北石质山区35年生刺槐林土壤呼吸速率时间变化规律及其影响机制.结果表明:1)刺槐林土壤呼吸速率日内变化特征不明显,但日际及季节变化明显,全年呈现出单峰变化趋势,且与土壤温度的日际及季节变化趋势基本一致.具体表现为: 1-3月土壤呼吸速率较低,日际变化略有波动,从4月开始逐渐上升 ,直至7月达到最大值,而后开始逐渐下降,直至11月约降低至1-3月时的水平,并保持到1 2月.全年土壤呼吸速率平均值为2.50 μmol·m-2s-1,主要生长季(4-10月 )土壤呼吸速率明显高于非主要生长季(1、2、11及12月),二者分别为3.63与0.90 μmo l·m-2s-1 .2) 刺槐林地土壤呼吸速率与表层0 cm、地下5、10、15和20 cm 深度处土壤温度都存在极显著的指数相关关系(p<0.01),且与土深20 cm处温度的相关性最好.上述不同深度处的Q10值分别是2.20、2.28、2.34、2.40和2.48. 3)刺槐林地土壤含水量与土壤呼吸速率的相关关系不明显.     

Elemental analysis of otoliths of Japanese anchovy: trial to discriminate between Seto Inland Sea and Pacific stock

The ability to discriminate local stocks of Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus was assessed based on data from four elements (K, Na, P, and Sr) using an electron probe micro analyzer (EPMA) and data from three elements (Ba, Mn, and Sr) using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) from the otoliths of 40 anchovy (23.6–47.0 mm body length). Anchovy were caught at three sites (Aki-nada, Hiuchi-nada, and Osaka Bay) in the Seto Inland Sea, and one site (Kuroshio extension) in the Pacific Ocean in 2002. In order to discriminate different spawning grounds, EPMA data from the core portion (from core to 30 μm in the core-posterior axis) were used. Results showed that it was difficult to discriminate between the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific anchovy by EPMA data. Conversely, it was possible to discriminate between the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific anchovy by ICP-MS data from bulk otoliths. Our results showed that Mn contents of otoliths using ICP-MS discriminate between spawning grounds most, and Ba and Sr discriminate less. The difference in elemental compositions in anchovy otoliths between the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean might be reflected by cumulative experienced elemental composition of ambient sea water during life history between the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific anchovy.     

The effects of density and artificial substrate on intensive shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei nursery production

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) can be installed indoors, allowing year-round production of tropical animals in nearly any climate. A nursery phase is commonly used in Litopenaeus vannamei production since it allows for enhanced biosecurity and better quantification of animals while reducing space requirements. However, it is unclear whether animal density and inclusion of artificial substrate may improve shrimp performance during the nursery phase. In this experiment, we compared shrimp production parameters in two stocking densities with or without the use of an artificial substrate by creating four treatments: low-density LD; 1500 PL/m⁻³, low-density with substrate LDS, high-density HD; 3000 PL/m⁻³), and high-density with substrate (HDS). The LDS and HDS treatments included 0.46-m² of high-density polyethylene 2.5-cm mesh as a substrate, which increased the tank surface area by 21 %. Each treatment was randomly assigned to four 160-l culture tanks, each with a biofilter. The shrimp had an initial weight of 4 mg and were grown for 50 days. The low-density treatments had significantly higher dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH than the high-density treatments (P ≤ 0.001). Specifically, LDS had the highest DO and pH followed by the LD, HD, and HDS treatments, respectively. High-density treatments had significantly higher NO₂-N levels than low-density treatments during week 2 of the experiment when an unusually high concentration of nitrite was observed. FCR was significantly lower in both low-density treatments than in high-density treatments. At harvest, the total biomass (kg m⁻³) was significantly higher in high-density treatments than in low-density treatments (P ≤ 0.001), and the HDS treatment had a significantly greater biomass output than HD. Producers should consider artificial substrate and higher densities during nursery production to maximize shrimp production; however, the effects on water quality should also be taken into account.     

北太平洋(160°E～170°E)大型柔鱼渔场的初步研究

本文根据1997年6月～7月北太平洋（16°E～170°E）海域柔鱼探捕调查的资料，对渔场形成的海洋环境条件进行了初步分析。160°E～170°E海域的大型柔鱼渔场主要由亲潮策3和第4分支与黑潮的第4和第5分支交汇形成，特别是在深层（100米水层）的暖水域前端形成。其表层水温一般为11～13°，100米水层水温约为9～10℃。其中167°E～170°E海域的渔场较为稳定，可供北太平洋鱿钓船的前期生产。中心渔场形成时常有浮游生物层。浮游生物层越厚实，渔获量越高，但有关浮游生物层的形成原因需作进一步的研究与探讨。     

北虫草葡萄补酒的研制

以鲜葡萄和北虫草菌丝体为主要原料,经正交试验得出北虫草—葡萄补酒的最佳发酵条件为温度25℃,酵母菌种添加量为2%,北虫草菌丝体的添加量为30%,糖度15%,偏重亚硫酸钠添加量为140mg.L-1。北虫草菌丝体在后发酵中加入,得到营养丰富、酒香醇厚、风味独具,具有保健功效的北虫草—葡萄酒补酒。     

What the soil reveals: Potential total ecosystem C stores of the Pacific Northwest region, USA

How much organic C can a region naturally store in its ecosystems? How can this be determined, when land management has altered the vegetation of the landscape substantially? The answers may lie in the soil: this study synthesized the spatial distribution of soil properties derived from the state soils geographic database with empirical measurements of old-growth forest ecosystem C to yield a regional distribution of potential maximum total-ecosystem organic C stores. The region under consideration is 179,000 square kilometers extending from the southern Oregon border to the northern Washington border, and from the Pacific Ocean to the east side of the Cascade Mountains. Total ecosystem organic C (TEC) was measured in 16 diverse old-growth forests encompassing 35 stands and 79 pedons to a depth of 100 cm. The TEC ranged between 185 and 1200 Mg C ha⁻¹. On an average, 63% of TEC was in the vegetation, 13% in woody detritus, 3% in the forest floor, 7% in the 0–20 cm mineral soil, and 13% in 20–100 cm mineral soil. The TEC was strongly related to soil organic C (SOC) in the 0–20 cm mineral soil, yielding a monotonically increasing, curvilinear relation. To apply this relation to estimate the TEC distribution throughout the region, 211 map units of the state soils geographic database (STATSGO) were used. The SOC in the 0–20 cm mineral soil of the map units was consistent with values from previously measured pedons distributed throughout the region. Resampling of 13 second-growth forests 25 years after initial sampling indicated no regional change in mineral SOC, and supported the use of a static state soils map. The SOC spatial distribution combined with the quantitative old-growth TEC–SOC relation yielded an estimate of potential TEC storage throughout the region under the hypothetical condition of old-growth forest coverage. The area-weighted TEC was 760 Mg C ha⁻¹. This is 100 Mg C ha⁻¹ more than a previous estimate based on a coarser resolution of six physiographic provinces, and 400 Mg C ha⁻¹ more than current regional stores. The map of potential TEC may be useful in forecasting regional C dynamics and in land-management decisions related to C sequestration.     

Effect of culture system on the nutrition and growth performance of Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) fed different diets

Two 8-week feeding trials were conducted with juvenile Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) to compare the growth and performance of animals fed a series of experimental and commercial pelleted shrimp and fish feeds and dietary feeding regimes within an indoor running-water culture system and an outdoor zero-water-exchange culture system. The best overall shrimp growth performance was observed for animals fed the experimental shrimp diet and all-day feeding regime under outdoor zero-water-exchange culture conditions. Final body weight and average weekly growth rate under these conditions were 2.8 and 3.4 times greater, respectively, than animals of similar size fed with the same diet under indoor running-water culture conditions. Although direct comparison between indoor and outdoor culture systems is difficult because of the lower indoor water temperatures, and consequently lower mean daily feed intake of animals, it is believed that the higher growth and feed performance of animals reared under outdoor `green-water' culture conditions was primarily due to their ability to obtain additional nutrients from food organisms endogenously produced within the zero-water-exchange culture system. The most promising features of zero-water-exchange culture systems are that they offer increased biosecurity, reduced feed costs and water use for the farmer, and by doing so provide a potential avenue of moving the shrimp culture industry along a path of greater sustainability and environmental compatibility.     

Women

In New Zealand while women dominate leadership positions in constitutional, political and business areas, gender inequality remains entrenched. Despite significant gains in rights (employment, pay equity, property), as a group women earn less and perform more family care and unpaid work than men. In part these disparities result from the economic restructuring of the last 15 years which saw a loss in unskilled manufacturing jobs, less social support and greater rewards to business and public sector elites. Maori and Pacific Island women are the most disadvantaged groups. Labour/Alliance government initiatives to reduce poverty particularly among Maori and Pacific Island peoples by strengthening access to health and education services and supporting and replicating successful community initiatives are also likely to benefit other low income women.