长吻帆蜥鱼作为生物采集器探究海洋中深层生物微塑料污染特征

海洋中深层生物作为链接海洋上层与深层食物网的媒介,对维系大洋生态系统结构和功能的稳定有着不可替代的重要作用。由于样品采集的困难性,针对中深层生物微塑料污染研究十分缺乏。长吻帆蜥鱼(Alepisaurus ferox)具有特殊的消化机制,是优秀的生物采集器。本研究利用激光红外成像光谱技术,量化分析了长吻帆蜥鱼胃中保存的中深层物种体内微塑料的丰度和理化特征。共采集中深层鱼类和头足类7种,其肠道中检测出微塑料146个,检出率85.71%,丰度为10.43 ± 12.12个/尾, 粒径为20.34~309.89 μm(47.36 μm ± 43.41 μm)。微塑料以颗粒状(59.58%)和碎片状(36.30%)为主,聚合物成分主要是丙烯酸酯共聚物(Acrylate copolymer),占比60.27%。本研究首次证明了长吻帆蜥鱼作为生物采集器开展海洋中深层生物微塑料污染研究的可行性,研究结果对解析大洋生态系统微塑料污染及其潜在生态风险具有重要意义。     

Variability in conspecific predation among longnose lancetfish Alepisaurus ferox in the western Indian Ocean

ABSTRACT:   Conspecific predation among longnose lancetfish Alepisaurus ferox was investigated in four spatio-temporal strata of the western Indian Ocean. The cannibalism level varied from 0 to 45.5% by frequency of occurrence and was negatively related with abundance of non-evasive prey (such as crustaceans Charybdis smithii and Natosquilla investigatoris ) and foraging success. Predation by lancetfish is often described as a non-selective process, constrained by local prey availability and by its feeding speed during an attack of prey. Our results show that lancetfish may adapt its opportunistic foraging behavior, feeding on non-conspecific abundant prey such as crustaceans when available, and switching to a high level of conspecific predation in poor waters.