Mass mortality and recolonization of Pyura stolonifera (Heller) on the south coast of South Africa     

《African Journal of Marine Science》2013,35(1):117-137

The fauna and flora of two sublittoral communities situated in close proximity on the west coast of South Africa are described and shown to be radically different, despite the fact that both experience similar physical conditions. One of these communities, at Marcus Island, has prolific beds of the black mussel Choromytilus meridionalis (35 954 g wet weight·m^?2) accompanied by a large number of other species, notably sea urchins, holothurians, brittle stars, whelks and barnacles. In contrast, the other site, Malgas Island, is dominated by a large population of rock lobsters Jasus lalandii together with a dense seaweed flora (3 866 and 4 402 g wet weight·m^?2 respectively). The numbers of species are similar at both sites (102 at Malgas Island and 107 at Marcus Island) but only 34 per cent are common to both localities. Although preliminary research indicates that the two sites have fairly similar physical conditions and bottom topography, they maintained their contrasting communities for the whole research period (1983–1986) and have probably done so for at least nine years, suggesting that they represent two stable alternative states of the same ecosystem. In the absence of rock lobsters at Marcus Island, wave action and inter/intraspecific competition are the main forces structuring the benthic community. Stability is maintained here by the resilience and rapid recovery of the mussel population after disturbance by storms. Where rock lobsters are abundant, as at Malgas Island, intense predation pressure is the main force controlling the structure of the benthos, and it is continually maintained because the rock lobsters are resistant to the effect of storms. Therefore, the presence or absence of high densities of rock lobsters is fundamental to the maintenance of these two contrasting communities.  相似文献   

Nutritional condition of fish larvae in South African estuaries: an appraisal of three biochemical methods     

《African Journal of Marine Science》2013,35(3):377-386

Estuaries are exposed to a number of threats and many South African estuarine systems are functionally and structurally altered. The extent to which fish are affected by these alterations is not fully understood. The estuarine round herring Gilchristella aestuaria is an appropriate species to use when examining such effects. The most widely used approaches to evaluating the nutritional condition of fish larvae are based on biochemical methods. In order to identify the most suitable technique for assessing body condition of fish larvae in estuaries, the nutritional condition of post-flexion larvae of G. aestuaria from the Sundays and Kariega estuaries on the south-east coast of South Africa was evaluated using three different biochemical techniques: (i) total lipid content analysis and the triacylglycerol/cholesterol (TAG/CHOL) ratio; (ii) protein content analysis; and (iii) the RNA/DNA ratio. Results from techniques (ii) and (iii) revealed that G. aestuaria larvae from the Kariega Estuary were in better condition than larvae from the Sundays Estuary, probably due to a recent plankton bloom. It is concluded that the individual RNA/DNA ratio can provide a reliable, sensitive and cost-effective method to assess the immediate effects of environmental changes on the nutritional condition of estuarine fish larvae.  相似文献   

河口生态需水研究进展   总被引：4，自引：1，他引：3       下载免费PDF全文

孙涛  徐静  刘方方  赵芮  杨志峰 《水科学进展》2010,21(2):282-288

针对陆海交互作用下河口生态需水影响因素多且时空差异性显著的特点,在系统分析淡水输入对河口生态系统水环境过程和生物过程影响的基础上,按生态需水目标的差异,将河口生态需水分析方法划分为基于典型生物资源保护目标、基于生境保护目标以及基于多目标整合分析3种类型。从生态需水目标筛选、生态需水目标对淡水输入响应关系以及生态需水计算方法实用性方面探讨了河口生态需水研究中面临的主要问题。结论认为生态系统健康综合表征指标的确定应成为分析河口生态需水的关键科学基础,筛选控制性生态要素构建河口关键生态水文过程模型可成为有效提高生态需水计算方法实用性的主要技术手段。  相似文献   

珠江磨刀门河口潮波振幅梯度与上下游动力边界的关系异变研究     

李博  杨昊  欧素英  蔡华阳  刘锋  杨清书 《海洋与湖沼》2022,53(3):513-527

强人类活动目前已经成为河口演变的主要动力。阐明流量驱动下河控型河口潮波传播演变过程及机制,对河口治理及人类活动的影响评价具有重要指导意义。以珠江磨刀门河口为例,研究了径潮动力阶段性演变特征。采用流量驱动的R_TIDE数据驱动模型探究了该区潮波振幅梯度和上下游动力边界(即上游流量和口门振幅)关系的变化规律。结果表明,在强人类活动影响下,各潮位站M₂分潮振幅明显上升(三灶站除外),且具有季节性差异和阶段性变化,灯笼山-马口河段的M₂分潮振幅沿程平均增大约0.07 m,河段潮波振幅梯度平均增大约4.61×10^–6 m^–1。研究潮波振幅梯度与上下游动力边界的阈值的关系表明,阈值效应主要出现在甘竹-马口河段。在强人类活动影响下,潮波振幅梯度阈值增大,相应的流量阈值增大,而振幅阈值基本不变。在达到振幅阈值之前,由于底床摩擦效应,大潮振幅衰减效应大于小潮,而在超过振幅阈值后,地形辐聚效应成为影响潮波振幅梯度变化的主要因素,大潮振幅衰减效应小于小潮。阈值的变化主要与流量、地形、摩擦等多因子耦合作用有关,当地形辐聚效应和底床摩擦效应达到平衡时,潮波振幅梯度与上下游动力边界之间则出现阈值效应。该现象的发现可为河口海岸防灾减灾和水资源管理等实际问题提供重要理论支撑。  相似文献   

一次东北季风过程下珠江口磨刀门河口环流研究   总被引：3，自引：0，他引：3  

刘欢  吴超羽  包芸  温晶 《海洋工程》2008,26(2):102-111

根据2003年12月9日至15日的大、中潮同步水文观测资料及江门市斗门县气象局关于风的气象资料,结合Ecomsed三维斜压模型,对东北季风过程下的磨刀门垂向环流进行研究。通过理论分析和模型计算,表明向海的冬季风对河口垂向环流的形成起着重要的作用。风的作用有加强径流效果,加大了表层水体向下游的流动,同时底层水体的上溯使该地区形成了稳定的垂向环流。统计气象资料推断,枯季期间磨刀门水道出现垂向环流现象的时间约占总天数的51%。  相似文献   

The benthic macrofauna of the St. Lucia Estuary during the 2005 drought year     

D. Pillay  R. Perissinotto 《Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science》2008

The St. Lucia Estuary is the largest estuarine system in Africa. The estuary is part of the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, which has been declared a World Heritage Site. This ecosystem has been subjected to severe drought conditions over the last four to five years, resulting in its mouth being closed off from the ocean in June 2002 for a period of over four years. The main aim of this study was to document the effects of the prevailing drought on the macrofauna of the system, since the last work on this benthic component had been undertaken over a decade ago, during a normal-to-wet phase. Macrofauna samples together with physico-chemical data were collected at representative sites in the Narrows, and the South and North lakes in February, April, August and October 2005. The drought exerted a strong influence on the system, leading to hypersaline conditions developing in its northern regions (maximum of 126 at Hell's Gate), and to the loss of aquatic habitat. Ordinations and clustering indicated that the macrofauna of the system could generally be separated into three clusters viz. (1) the Narrows and the southern portion of South Lake, (2) the northern half of South Lake, and (3) the North Lake–False Bay complex. Multivariate correlations indicated weak relationships between macrofaunal community structure and physico-chemical parameters. The distinction in macrofaunal assemblages between these clusters was probably caused by these habitats being physically separated at the peak of the drought, with no water flow between them, thereby preventing exchange of planktonic larvae and retarding colonisation of habitats. There was a northward decline in taxonomic richness and diversity of macrofauna in the system, which correlated positively with water depth and negatively with the biomass of microphytobenthos. It is evident that the drought structured macrofauna communities primarily through its effects on water depth and habitat fragmentation. The results of this investigation provide valuable information regarding the effects of droughts on estuarine–lake systems and the possible mechanisms by which they occur.  相似文献   

Distinctive stable isotope ratios in important zooplankton species in relation to estuarine salinity gradients: Potential tracer of fish migration     

Keita W. Suzuki  Akihide Kasai  Takane Isoda  Kouji Nakayama  Masaru Tanaka 《Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science》2008

To assess the potential of stable isotope ratios as an indicator of fish migration within estuaries, stable isotope ratios in important zooplankton species were analyzed in relation to estuarine salinity gradients. Gut contents from migratory juveniles of the euryhaline marine fish Lateolabrax japonicus were examined along the Chikugo River estuary of the Ariake Sea, which has the most developed estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM) in Japan. Early juveniles in March and April preyed primarily on two copepod species; Sinocalanus sinensis at lower salinities and Acartia omorii at higher salinities. Late juveniles (standard length > 40 mm) at lower salinities preyed exclusively on the mysid Acanthomysis longirostris until July and complementarily on the decapod Acetes japonicus in August. These prey species were collected along the estuary during the spring–summer seasons of 2003 and 2004, and their carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) were evaluated. The δ¹³C values of prey species were distinct from each other and were primarily depleted within and in close proximity to the ETM (salinity < 10); S. sinensis (−26.6‰) < Acanthomysis longirostris (−23.3‰) < Acartia omorii (−21.1‰) < Acetes japonicus (−18.5‰). The overall gradient of δ¹³C with salinity occurred for all prey species and showed minor temporal fluctuations, while it was not directly influenced by the δ¹³C values in particulate organic matter along the estuary. In contrast to δ¹³C, the δ¹⁵N values of prey species did not exhibit any clear relationship with salinity. The present study demonstrated that δ¹³C has the potential for application as a tracer of fish migration into lower salinity areas including the ETM.  相似文献   

Juvenile fish condition in estuarine nurseries along the Portuguese coast     

R.P. Vasconcelos  P. Reis-Santos  V. Fonseca  M. Ruano  S. Tanner  M.J. Costa  H.N. Cabral 《Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science》2009

Connectivity between estuarine fish nurseries and coastal adult habitats can be affected by variations in juvenile growth and survival. Condition indices are renowned proxies of juvenile nutritional status and growth rates and are valuable tools to assess habitat quality. Biochemical (RNA:DNA ratio) and morphometric (Fulton's condition factor K) condition indices were determined in juveniles of Solea solea, Solea senegalensis, Platichthys flesus, Diplodus vulgaris and Dicentrarchus labrax collected in putative nursery areas of nine estuaries along the Portuguese coast (Minho, Douro, Ria de Aveiro, Mondego, Tejo, Sado, Mira, Ria Formosa and Guadiana) in the Spring and Summer of two consecutive years (2005 and 2006) with distinct climatic characteristics. Individual condition showed significant variation amongst species. The combined use of both condition indices highlighted the low correlation between them and that RNA:DNA had a higher sensitivity. RNA:DNA varied between years but overall the site relative patterns in condition were maintained from one year to the other. Higher RNA:DNA values were found in Spring than in Summer in most species. Intra-estuarine variation also occurred in several cases. Species specific trends in the variability of condition amongst estuaries were highlighted. Some estuaries had higher juvenile condition for more than one species but results did not reveal an identical trend for all species and sites, hindering the hypotheses of one estuarine nursery promoting superior growth for all present species. Significant correlations were found between condition indices, juvenile densities and environmental variables (water temperature, salinity and depth) in the estuarine nurseries. These influenced juvenile nutritional condition and growth, contributing to the variability in estuarine nursery habitat quality. Management and conservation wise, interest in multi-species approaches is reinforced as assessments based on a single species may not reflect the overall nursery habitat quality.  相似文献   

Survey abundance indices in a tropical estuarine lagoon and their management implications: a spatially-explicit approach   总被引：2，自引：1，他引：2  

Rueda  Mario; Defeo  Omar 《ICES Journal of Marine Science》2001,58(6):1219-1231

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Seasonal Variability in Circulation Pattern and Residence Time of Suo-Nada     

Rolando S. Balotro  Atsuhiko Isobe  Manabu Shimizu 《Journal of Oceanography》2003,59(3):259-277

The development and evolution of the persistent counterclockwise circulation in Suo-Nada have been studied in detail using a three-dimensional numerical model. The realistic circulation has been reproduced from the monthly climatological fields of salinity, temperature along the open boundary, wind, heat flux and buoyancy input from twenty-two major rivers surrounding the basin. The seasonal variation of fresh-water discharge from the rivers proved to be the most important forcing mechanism driving the circulation. The expansion and contraction of coastal low salinity water well corresponded with the development of counterclockwise circulation from spring to summer and dissipation from autumn to winter. The circulation was found to be vertically homogenous and quasi-barotropic. However, confined along the coastal zone is an estuarine flow (i.e., oppositely directed currents in the upper and lower layers) whose horizontal dimension conforms to the period of maximum buoyancy flux from the rivers. This indicates that the flow pattern in Suo-Nada can be separated into two distinct regions where the relative dominance of estuarine circulation plays a significant role. Furthermore, the monthly water exchange capacity for autonomous purification of the basin has been evaluated from the average residence time of conservative material based on the calculated current field. It is demonstrated that the kinetic energy of the basin is directly responsible in promoting water exchange in Suo-Nada. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.  相似文献