莱州湾小清河口近岸海域底栖生境健康评价

于2019年7月、8月和9月对莱州湾小清河口近岸海域的大型底栖动物进行调查，对该海域大型底栖动物群落的种类组成和群落结构等进行研究，利用丰度/生物量比较曲线法、AMBI指数法和M-AMBI指数法对研究海域大型底栖动物群落健康和底栖生境健康状况进行评价。研究结果表明，2019年7月、8月和9月共采集到大型底栖动物64种，其中多毛类24种，甲壳类19种，软体动物17种，其他类群4种。该海域的优势种为光滑河蓝蛤（Potamocorbula laevis）、彩虹明樱蛤（Moerella iridescens）、半褶织纹螺（Nassarius semiplicatus）、四角蛤蜊（Mactra veneriformis），寡鳃齿吻沙蚕（Nephthys oligobranchia）、中蚓虫（Mediomastus californiensis）、东方长眼虾（Ogyrides orientalis）、尖齿拳蟹（Philyra acutidens）和短角双眼钩虾（Ampelisca brevicornis），其中彩虹明樱蛤和寡鳃齿吻沙蚕在三次调查中均为优势物种，优势度明显。群落结构聚类分析和多维尺度分析表明，7月研究海域的大型底栖动物群落以10%的相似性可以分为3组，8月以18%相似性可以分为4组，9月以19%的相似性可以分为3组，三次调查的群落结构相似度均较低。丰度/生物量比较曲线法研究结果显示，底栖动物群落生物量优势显著，群落处于未干扰状态。AMBI指数及M-AMBI指数分析结果表明，莱州湾小清河口近岸海域底栖生境处于未干扰或者轻度干扰的状态，健康状况处于高等或者优良的状态。     

Is there a significant relationship between the benthic status of an area,determined by two broadly-used indices,and best professional judgment?

Two benthic indices to assess the quality status (the AZTI's Marine Biotic Index (AMBI) and multivariate-AMBI (M-AMBI)) are being used extensively in different habitats worldwide. We try to interpret what is behind these indices making them suitable for different habitats. To demonstrate that, we used best professional judgment (BPJ), applying it to a dataset from southern Chile, to determine the criteria proposed by 12 experts in assessing the status. The experts were provided with raw species abundance data, from 12 stations within a gradient of disturbance, from unaffected to severely affected. There was a very good agreement among experts (kappa values 0.72–0.77), with highly significant (p < 0.001) correlation between BPJ and AMBI and M-AMBI classifications, and an agreement of 76.4% and 81.9%, respectively. When comparing BPJ in Chile with other results in Europe, USA and northern Africa, similar patterns can be identified: (i) the number of criteria identified for classification is very high (range 7–12); (ii) the experts use several criteria together in the BPJ assessment; and (iii) the rank of the most important criteria is indicator species, richness, and diversity/dominance. These criteria are included in indices such as AMBI and M-AMBI. Hence, although experts are classifying samples subjectively when applying BPJ, they are corroborated in their opinions when using such indices. This fact can explain why these indices are so widely used.     

Assessing estuarine benthic quality conditions in Chesapeake Bay: A comparison of three indices

Legislation in US and Europe has been adopted to determine the ecological integrity of estuarine and coastal waters, including, as one of the most relevant elements, the benthic macroinvertebrate communities. It has been recommended that greater emphasis should be placed on evaluating the suitability of existing indices prior to developing new ones. This study compares two widely used measures of ecological integrity, the Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity (B-IBI) developed in USA and the European AZTI's Marine Biotic Index (AMBI) and its multivariate extension, the M-AMBI. Specific objectives were to identify the frequency, magnitude, and nature of differences in assessment of Chesapeake Bay sites as ‘degraded’ or ‘undegraded’ by the indices. A dataset of 275 subtidal samples taken in 2003 from Chesapeake Bay were used in this comparison. Linear regression of B-IBI and AMBI, accounted for 24% of the variability; however, when evaluated by salinity regimes, the explained variability increased in polyhaline (38%), high mesohaline (38%), and low mesohaline (35%) habitats, remained similar in the tidal freshwater (25%), and decreased in oligohaline areas (17%). Using the M-AMBI, the explained variability increased to 43% for linear regression, and 54% for logarithmic regression. By salinity regime, the highest explained variability was found in high mesohaline and low polyhaline areas (53–63%), while the lowest explained variability was in the oligohaline and tidal freshwater areas (6–17%). The total disagreement between methods, in terms of degraded-undegraded classifications, was 28%, with high spatial levels of agreement. Our study suggests that different methodologies in assessing benthic quality can provide similar results even though these methods have been developed within different geographical areas.     

Assessing benthic health in stressed subtropical estuaries,eastern Florida,USA using AMBI and M-AMBI

The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) and the St. Lucie Estuary (SLE), both located in Florida, USA, are affected by a variety of anthropogenic pressures. Benthic macroinvertebrates have been monitored quarterly since February 2005, at 15 stations, in order to assess benthic health. Since the SLE and IRL are situated in a subtropical area, it is affected by two major climatic seasons, dry (winter) and wet (summer). This contribution investigates the application of the AZTI's Marine Biotic Index (AMBI) and multivariate-AMBI (M-AMBI), to assess the ecological status of these estuaries. AMBI was firstly calculated after assigning most of the previously unassigned species to each of the five ecological groups (from sensitive to first order opportunistic species). Three main benthic assemblages, associated to oligohaline, meso-polyhaline and euhaline stretches, have been identified within the area. Reference conditions of richness, Shannon's diversity and AMBI have been derived for these assemblages; M-AMBI has then been calculated. Both methods show that the inner part of the SLE is affected by anthropogenic pressures (increased freshwater inflow, with elevated nutrient input, and sedimentation), whilst the IRL is less affected. We have demonstrated that AMBI and M-AMBI are insensitive to the dramatic seasonal changes occurring in the SLE/IRL. At some of the stations a significant positive trend in benthic quality has been identified, linked to the polluted freshwater discharges decrease. The use of both tools seems adequate in assessing benthic health in this subtropical area.     

Application of biotic and taxonomic distinctness indices in assessing the Ecological Quality Status of two coastal lakes: Caprolace and Fogliano lakes (Central Italy)

Marine biotic indices (AMBI, BENTIX) and the statistical tool M-AMBI (Multivariate AMBI) were applied as a comparative approach in assessing the Ecological Quality Status (EcoQS) of two Mediterranean coastal lakes (Caprolace and Fogliano lakes) situated in the Circeo National Park (Central Italy). The macrobenthic community was analysed using univariate indices (community structure), correspondence analysis (CA) and taxonomic distinctness indices (Δ⁺ and Λ⁺). The community composition showed a dominance of lagoonal species in both coastal lakes, while in Caprolace lake marine taxa were also found. Diversity index (H′) complies to ranges found in Mediterranean lagoons and taxonomic distinctness indices demonstrated that taxonomy structure is in accordance with natural variability ranges. Principal component analysis (PCA) on chemical parameters of water and sediment showed that both coastal lakes differ mainly in their organic matter composition. In fact, the protein fraction of bio-polymeric carbon prevails in Fogliano lake, while the ‘refractory’ component represented by carbohydrate fraction is predominant in Caprolace lake. The difference between the two coastal lakes was also demonstrated by co-inertia analysis (COIA) performed using abundance of species and concentrations of chemical parameters. The results from the application of the three biotic indices do not highlight a clear distinction between the two lagoons. However, the AMBI index provided a more suitable evaluation of EcoQS corresponding to ‘slightly polluted’ lagoons while M-AMBI and moreover BENTIX indices indicated a worsening situation. The biotic indices are widely used in assessing the EcoQS in marine environments, but their proper application in transitional waters would depend on a resettlement; thresholds established in the biotic index scale values need to be modified according to natural variability of transitional waters referring to abiotic conditions and abundance of tolerant species.     

M-AMBI revisited: looking inside a widely-used benthic index

M-AMBI is a multimetric index for assessing the ecological quality status of marine and transitional waters. It is based on benthic macroinvertebrates and integrates AMBI, a biotic index based on species sensitivity/tolerance, with diversity and richness, making it compliant with the European Water Framework Directive. The success of AMBI paved the way for the introduction of M-AMBI, which was subsequently incorporated into the regulations of several European countries. The M-AMBI algorithm integrates the metrics by means of factor analysis (FA). In this paper, we first reproduced the algorithm using the open source R software. This enabled us to point out that FA is not functional to M-AMBI, and its omission does not appreciably change the results. We then enhanced the applicability of the index, making it independent of the number of samples. In this way, M-AMBI is closely approximated by the simple mean of the normalised metrics with no need for multivariate techniques. Finally, we further simplified the approach, presenting a bivariate version that is still highly correlated with M-AMBI, in which the constitutive metrics are reduced to a diversity measure and a species sensitivity index. The properties of this bivariate version include simplicity, transparency, robustness, and openness.     

Hydrobiology of the Cochin backwater system – a review

On the south west coast of India, there is an extensiveestuarine system of backwaters, of which Vembanad Lake is the largest. The backwaters of Kerala support as much biological productivity and diversity as tropical rain forests. They are responsible for the rich fisheries potential of Kerala. Cochin backwaters situated at the tip of the northern Vembanad lake is a tropical positive estuarine system extending between 9° 40 and 10° 12N and 76° 10' and 76° 30 E with its northern boundary at Azheekode and southern boundary at Thannirmukham bund. The lake has a length of 80 km and the width varies between 500 and 4000 m. A channel, about 450 m wide at Cochin gut and another at Azheekode, make permanent connections with the Arabian Sea. The depth of the estuary varies considerably. While the shipping channels are maintained at a depth of 10–13 m, the major portion of the estuary has a depth range of 2–7 m. Water from two major rivers viz., Periyar and Muvattupuzha drain into this estuary. During south west monsoon, the estuary is virtually converted into a freshwater basin even in areas around barmouth where salt water penetration occurs below 5 m depth only. The major hydrological variable in the Cochin backwaters is salinity, similar to the situations encountered in estuaries with a gradual declension of salinity from 30 at the entrance of the estuary to 0.2 at the point of entry of the rivers. Salinity gradient in the Cochin backwaters supports diverse species of flora and fauna depending on their capacity to tolerate oligohaline, mesohaline or marine conditions. Low lying swamps and tidal creeks, dominated by sparse patches of mangroves with their nutrient rich physical environment, support larvae and juveniles of many economically important species. Backwaters also act as nursery grounds of commercially important prawns and fishes. The fields around the backwater are suitable for aquaculture. These areas support traditional, seasonal and perennial prawn fishery. The changes in the hydrology controlled by the seasons play an important role in regulating the migrant fauna of the estuary. The Cochin backwater supports a well established endemic fauna. The nutrients and pollutants introduced into the estuary control to a great extent the distribution and abundance of less tolerant species in ecologically sensitive areas in the backwaters. Cochin backwaters, widely regarded as one of the polluted estuaries in India, receive contaminated freshwater inputs and discharges of effluents and partially treated sewage from many points throughout its tidally mixed zone. Recently, changes brought about in the estuary like reclamation and consequent shrinkage of the backwaters and the discharge of pollutants have made an adverse impact on the potential of aquatic ecosystems that used to support high levels of bioproductivity and biodiversity. The construction of Thannirmukham bund and Thottapally spillway to prevent salt water penetration into the paddy fields during pre-monsoon has led to serious ecological problems by interrupting the natural ebb and flow of tides. The hydrography, floral and faunal composition – its spatial and temporal variation plus assessments of the impact of the anthropogenic activities are presented in this review. An attempt to critically evaluate the status of the estuary from the biological and pollutional stand point is also done.     

Evaluating the influence of off-shore cage aquaculture on the benthic ecosystem in Alghero Bay (Sardinia,Italy) using AMBI and M-AMBI

The impact of an off-shore fish farm in Alghero Bay (northwest Sardinia, Italy) on the benthic ecosystem was investigated in 2007 and 2008. In addition to studying the chemical and physical characteristics of the area (i.e., currents and sediment analyses), some biological analyses were also performed. The AZTI's Marine Biotic Index (AMBI) and the multivariate AMBI (M-AMBI) were calculated, which are being used in assessing the ecological status of benthic communities within the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). Clear impact gradients were detected according to both methods; they are related to farm production, prevailing currents, and characteristics of the area (i.e., water depth and distance to the cages). The site affected most was detected within 84 m from the cages; the area that no longer showed effects was over 907 m from the cages. The gradient is shown by decreasing AMBI values and percentage of opportunistic species and increasing richness, diversity, and the presence of sensitive species. This study highlights the importance of setting reference conditions for different areas when calculating M-AMBI. These reference conditions correspond to those in undisturbed sites in the opposite direction of the prevailing currents within the area.     

Relocation of dredged material in estuaries under the aspect of the Water Framework Directive—A comparison of benthic quality indicators at dumping areas in the Elbe estuary

In the context of the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) numerous benthic indices have been proposed recently to assess the ecological quality of marine and transitional waters. In several studies these metrics were applied to coastal and estuarine environments under diverse anthropogenic pressures. Although currently the dumping of dredged material is one of the most prominent human impacts that modify estuaries, the performance of benthic indices to detect effects of dredged sediment relocation has not yet been tested explicitly. Hence we examined a selection of common metrics (species richness, Shannon diversity, AMBI, M-AMBI, W-value, BO2A) at 11 dumping and 11 nearby reference areas in the highly modified Elbe estuary (Germany), where permanent dredging is necessary to maintain the depth of the navigation channel. In order to cover the entire estuary, the study area spanned over the whole salinity gradient from limnic to euhaline. Additionally, we investigated changes in benthic communities due to dredged material placement. All indices, except the W-value, were suitable to differentiate between dumping and reference areas and showed significantly better index values exclusively at reference areas. The applicability of AMBI and M-AMBI was restricted in the limnic stretch due to the more frequent occurrence of freshwater species there. The W-value and BO2A were non-satisfactory in the case of azoic sediment, and in most cases these two indices indicated much better ecological status classifications than the other indices tested. Furthermore, the BO2A had restricted applicability with increasing salinity. At eight of eleven sites the benthic communities differed significantly between dumping and reference areas. Our findings show that the power of conventional benthic indices to detect physical disturbances like the dumping of dredged sediment varies greatly. Having this in mind, we suggest to choose carefully the benthic indices for ecological quality assessments according to the WFD in estuaries in order to avoid misclassifications. Such errors may lead to unnecessarily expensive remediation activities or, in the opposite case, to inactivity although actions were necessary. Furthermore, in order to better meet the WFD requirements we suggest that, regarding frequency and volume, dumping should be adapted as far as possible to the natural processes of sediment movement.     

Assessing the suitability of five benthic indices for environmental health assessment in a large subtropical South American estuary

Despite the increased and widespread usage of benthic indices for environmental health assessment, some methodological ambiguities remain to be solved. We tested the congruence and consistency of the benthic indices ITI, BO2A, BENTIX, AMBI and M-AMBI in a subtropical estuary (Paranaguá Bay, Brazil). Indices were applied to non-vegetated tidal flats increasingly contaminated by sewage to test: (i) correlations with molecular biomarkers of sewage (consistency); and (ii) evaluate the overall agreement/similarity of responses (congruence). The responses of the benthic indexes ITI, AMBI and BO2A were congruent among themselves and consistent with molecular biomarkers values. BENTIX and M-AMBI were less consistent and congruent and possibly need a readjustment of boundaries for subtropical habitats. The indices seemed robust to natural background yearly variations not related to contamination. Faecal sterols associated to nutrient contents suitably supported the validation of indices and could integrate reference conditions for sewage impacted coastal habitats. Benthic indices can successfully integrate management guidelines, but their suitable application demands further research on tolerance shifts of key indicator species.     

不同底栖生物指数在福建省近岸海域的适用性

将3个底栖生物指数AZTI海洋生物指数(AMBI)、多毛类机会种和端足目动物指数(BOPA)、底栖动物多毛类和端足目指数(BPA)和Shannon多样性指数(H)应用于福建省近岸海域4个典型海湾和1个河口的生态质量评价,评估这4个指数在研究区的适用性.结果表明: 4个指数的评价结果差异较大,评价等级完全相同的站位仅有4个,占总评价站数的8.7%;AMBI将76.1%的站位评价为等级“良”,BOPA将89.1%的站位评价为等级“优”,BPA和H的评价结果等级梯度变化明显;对于海湾,BOPA、BPA和AMBI与营养盐因子活性磷酸盐(DIP)和无机氮(DIN)无显著相关性,不能响应研究区的富营养化压力;而H与DIN呈显著负相关.对于河口,BOPA、BPA和AMBI与DIP和DIN均呈显著正相关,且随着与入海口距离的减小,7个断面生态质量评价等级没有明显变化,不能识别河口高强度的富营养化压力,评价结果偏高;而H与DIN呈显著负相关,且随着与入海口距离的减小,7个断面生态质量评价等级呈现提高的趋势.总体上,BOPA、BPA和AMBI在福建近岸海域的适用性较低,而H更合适该研究区,能够响应研究区主要的环境压力.     

CO2 Supersaturation and Net Heterotrophy in a Tropical Estuary (Cochin, India): Influence of Anthropogenic Effect

Carbon biogeochemistry of a tropical ecosystem (The Cochin Estuary, India) undergoing increased human intervention was studied during February (premonsoon), April (early monsoon) and September (monsoon) 2005. The Cochin estuary sustains high levels of pCO₂ (up to 6000 μatm) and CO₂ effluxes (up to 274 mmolC m^?2 d^?1) especially during monsoon. A first-order estimate of the carbon mass balance shows that net production of dissolved inorganic carbon is an order of magnitude higher than the net loss of dissolved and particulate organic carbon from the estuary. This imbalance is attributed to the organic inputs to the estuary through anthropogenic supplies. The bacteria-mediated mineralization of organic matter is mainly responsible for the build-up of pCO₂ and increased CO₂ emission to the atmosphere indicating heterotrophy. The linear correlation between excess CO₂ and apparent oxygen utilization indicates respiration as the chief mechanism for CO₂ supersaturation. An increase in the net negative ecosystem production (–ve NEP) between premonsoon (?136 mmolC m^?2 d^?1 or ?376 MgC d^?1) and monsoon (?541 mmolC m^?2 d^?1 or ?1500 MgC d^?1) is supported by a corresponding increase in O₂ influxes from 17 mmol O₂ m^?2 d^?1 (126 MgC d^?1) to ?128 mmol O₂ m^?2 d^?1 (?946 MgC d^?1) and CO₂ emissions from 65 mmolC m^?2 d^?1 (180 MgC d^?1) to 267 mmolC m^?2 d^?1 (740 MgC d^?1). There is a significant north-south gradient in metabolic rates and CO₂ fluxes attributable to the varying flow patterns and anthropogenic inputs into the estuary. The study reveals that the Cochin estuary, a previously autotrophic (CO₂ sink) system, has been transformed to a heterotrophic (CO₂ source) system following rapid urbanization and industrialization. Moreover, the export fluxes from the Cochin estuary appear to be quite important in sustaining net heterotrophy in the southeastern Arabian Sea.     

A benthic perspective in assessing the ecological status of estuaries: The case of the Mondego estuary (Portugal)

In transitional waters the process of defining reference conditions (in the scope of the WFD) must account for the natural great variability of such environments. Therefore, stretches reflecting different physical–chemical and biological conditions throughout the system should be defined in order to correctly establish benthic specific reference conditions. Both salinity and sediment structure are major factors controlling physical–chemical conditions and therefore organisms’ distribution within an estuary. These environmental variables (salinity, sediment grain size composition and organic matter content) patterns were studied in the Mondego estuary and some clear gradients emerged. Also, ecological indices (AMBI, Margalef and Shannon-Wiener) were applied to subtidal benthic communities of the Mondego estuary and, generally, there was not only evidence of a decrease in diversity in the estuary from the downstream section towards its inner parts, but also differences were found between areas of distinct sediment composition. After comparing environmental patterns with biodiversity trends, the information was used to define homogeneous sectors along a temperate estuary in Portugal. In the Mondego estuary six zones, covering the main physical gradients affecting benthic communities, were defined: four in the northern arm and two in southern arm. Zones established will allow future determination of benthic reference conditions adjusted for each of the sectors, according to their characteristics, and consequently the conditions they provide for benthic assemblages settlement.     

Spatial and temporal response of multiple trait-based indices to natural- and anthropogenic seafloor disturbance (effluents)

To support ecosystem-based management and achieve the Good Environmental Status (GES) of marine waters it is important to better comprehend the relationships between biodiversity and environmental disturbance (anthropogenic and natural). Biotic indices are widely used in studies to help understanding these relationships and to assess the environmental status of waters. In recent years, trait-based indices rapidly emerged as an alternative ‘functional’ approach to serve this purpose. In this study, we analysed how two indices based upon the mean (community-weighted mean trait value–CWM) and the diversity of multiple traits (Rao’s quadratic entropy–Rao) in a macroinvertebrate community respond to natural- and anthropogenic seafloor disturbance (effluents) and we compared their performance with the widely used AMBI and M-AMBI. Our results demonstrate that CWM and Rao were not effective in indicating anthropogenic disturbance in the Basque coast, Bay of Biscay. The main reason was probably that many traits did not have a strong link with this type of disturbance. Besides, the mechanistic links between certain traits and their response to anthropogenic seafloor disturbance in marine environments is currently not well understood. From a management perspective: the CWM does not provide a single value indicating a quality status, which makes it a difficult tool to use and interpret. This index is probably more useful for scientists who want to explore and understand different aspects of community functioning. On the other hand, Rao and other indices expressing trait diversity do provide a single value of functioning; therefore they could potentially be effectively used for management purposes. However, to improve its performance, detailed and accurate trait data is required, which is currently lacking for many marine species.     

环境污染对小清河口大型底栖动物多样性的影响

利用2008年7月小清河口和黄河口各8个站位的底栖动物调查资料,运用多种多样性指数对两河口底栖动物群落多样性特征进行了比较,并运用Spearman相关分析分析了14个环境因素和底栖动物群落多样性特征的相关关系。结果显示,小清河口共有大型底栖动物4门6纲17目35科37属38种,平均分类差异指数为85.7,分类差异变异指数为585.6,黄河口共有大型底栖动物6门9纲24目42科45属48种,平均分类差异指数为89.3,分类差异变异指数为435.8。小清河口的多样性指数(H’)仅约为黄河口的1/3。Spearman相关分析表明,H’与铵盐、硝酸盐、铜和汞含量呈负相关性,说明底栖动物群落多样性随着富营养化程度的提高而相应降低,营养物质氮的大量输入和重金属的污染对小清河口大型底栖动物群落产生了一定负面影响。ABC曲线法分析显示,小清河口底栖动物的丰度优势度曲线与生物量优势度曲线相交,表明小清河口底栖动物群落处于中度干扰状态;BOPA指数显示,小清河口8个站位中有4个站位受到不同程度的环境污染,生活污水和工业废水的排放可能对小清河口底栖动物生态特征带来巨大影响,加强工业和生活污水排放管理,强化清洁生产,加强工业污染源的治理力度,对恢复小清河流域水质、改善生态环境具有重要意义。     

Optimising a widely-used coastal health index through quantitative ecological group classifications and associated thresholds

Many globally applied biotic indices, including the AMBI benthic index, are based on species’ sensitivity/tolerance to anthropogenic disturbances. The AMBI scoring primarily relies on the correct assignment of both taxon stressor-sensitivities and the disturbance thresholds or bands. Using an extensive, long-term monitoring dataset from New Zealand (NZ) estuaries, we describe how the AMBI has been strengthened through quantitative derivation of taxon-specific sensitivities and condition thresholds for two key estuarine stressors [mud and total organic carbon (TOC)], and the integration of taxon richness. The results support the use of the existing AMBI condition bands but improve the ability to identify cause; 2–30% mud reflected a ‘normal’ to ‘impoverished’ macrofaunal community; 30–95% mud and 1.2–3% TOC ‘unbalanced’ to ‘transitional’; and >3–4% TOC ‘transitional’ to ‘polluted’. The (refined) AMBI was also successfully validated (R² values >0.5 for mud, and >0.4 for TOC) for use in shallow, intertidal dominated estuaries NZ-wide. Most biotic indices lack the ability to differentiate between anthropogenic disturbances, which in turn undermine their effectiveness for applied purposes. By integrating key quantitative information to an existing benthic index, these results enable more robust identification of coastal stressors and facilitate defensible management decisions.     

M-AMBI derived from taxonomic levels higher than species allows Ecological Status assessments of benthic habitats in new geographical areas

Under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) benthic Ecological Quality Ratios (EQRs) are important tools for assessing Ecological Status (ES) of coastal and transitional waters. Calculation of the Multivariate-AZTI Marine Biotic Index (M-AMBI) EQR is based on the proportions of sensitive and stress tolerant benthic invertebrate species, number of species and Shannon–Wiener diversity. The sensitivity of many tropical/sub-tropical taxa has not yet been determined, presenting a barrier to the direct transfer of WFD EQRs, and the ideas underpinning them, to the management of coastal waters beyond Europe. To overcome this we examine using higher taxonomic level data with M-AMBI.Before applying such approaches to assessing ES in new geographical regions it is essential to determine the effects of using higher taxonomic level data on M-AMBI in areas where the tool was developed. To this end, we use macrofaunal data from three well studied sites in north-western Europe to examine the effects of using taxonomic level data higher than species on M-AMBI. Using the European datasets M-AMBI ES classification was shown to be robust to changes in taxonomic level data. We test the suitability of family-level M-AMBI for assessing ES in subtropical Hong Kong waters. Family level M-AMBI was useful in detecting stress in Hong Kong, where it successfully detected temporal and spatial shifts in ES in response to seasonal hypoxia and salinity variability, and anthropogenic organic enrichment.     

Holocene boundary dynamics of a northern Australian monsoon rainforest patch inferred from isotopic analysis of carbon, (14C and δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) in soil organic matter

Abstract Soil organic matter (SOM) was sampled from lateritic soil profiles across an abrupt eucalypt savanna–monsoon rainforest boundary on the north coast of Croker Island, northern Australia. Accelerator mass spectrometry dating revealed that SOM that had accumulated at the base of these 1.5 m profiles had a radiocarbon age of about 5000 years. The mean carbon and nitrogen stable isotope composition of SOM from 10 cm deep layers from the surface, middle and base of three monsoon rainforest soil profiles was significantly different from the means for these layers in three adjacent savanna soil profiles, suggesting the isotopic ‘footprint’ of the vegetation boundary has been stable since the mid Holocene. Although there were no obvious environmental discontinuities associated with the boundary, the monsoon rainforest was found to occur on significantly more clay rich soils than the surrounding savanna. Tiny fragments of monsoon rainforest and abandoned ‘nests’ (large earthen mounds) of the orange‐footed scrubfowl, an obligate monsoon rainforest species, occurred in the savanna, signalling that the rainforest was once more extensive. Despite episodic disturbances, such as tropical storm damage and fires, the stability of the boundary is probably maintained because clay rich soils enable monsoon rainforest tree species to grow rapidly and achieve canopy closure, thereby excluding grass and reducing the risk of fire. Conversely, slower tree growth rates, grass competition and fire on the savanna soils would impede the expansion of the rainforest although high rainfall periods with shorter dry seasons may enable rainforest trees to grow sufficiently quickly to colonize the savanna successfully.     

The suitability of the marine biotic index (AMBI) to new impact sources along European coasts

In recent years, several benthic biotic indices have been proposed to be used as ecological indicators in estuarine and coastal waters. One such indicator, the AZTI Marine Biotic Index (AMBI), was designed to establish the ecological quality of European coasts. The index examined the response of soft-bottom benthic communities to natural and man-induced disturbances in coastal and estuarine environments. It has been successfully applied to different geographical areas and under different impact sources, with increasing user numbers in European marine waters (Baltic, North Sea, Atlantic and Mediterranean). The AMBI has been used also for the determination of the ecological quality status (EcoQ) within the context of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD).In this contribution, 38 different applications including six new case studies (hypoxia processes, sand extraction, oil platform impacts, engineering works, dredging and fish aquaculture) are presented. The results show the response of the benthic communities to different disturbance sources in a simple way. Those communities act as ecological indicators of the ‘health’ of the system, indicating clearly the gradient associated with the disturbance.     

花后干旱和渍水对不同品质类型小麦籽粒品质形成的影响

 防雨池栽条件下研究了花后干旱和渍水胁迫对两个不同品质类型小麦（Triticum aestivum）品种籽粒产量和品质形成的影响。结果表明,花后渍水和干旱处理明显降低了小麦籽粒产量和蛋白质产量。在整个灌浆期内干旱处理明显提高了籽粒蛋白质和醇溶蛋白含量,而渍水处理降低了籽粒蛋白质及其组分的积累量。籽粒总淀粉和直链淀粉含量以渍水处理最高,而支链淀粉以对照最高。干旱处理提高了籽粒干、湿面筋含量、沉降值和降落值,而渍水处理降低了上述品质指标。试验表明干旱和渍水胁迫对小麦籽粒蛋白质与淀粉的含量和组分及面粉品质等均有不同程度的影响,从而改变了不同品质类型小麦的籽粒品质。