人为干扰栖息地退化对潮间带中华鲎幼鲎种群数量的影响

栖息地退化是中华鲎（Tachypleus tridentatus）面临的主要威胁因素。然而，人类活动和中华鲎栖息地退化之间的关系研究尚且不足。为了厘清人类活动对中华鲎幼鲎栖息地退化的影响，以北部湾潮间带为研究范围，于2014、2017和2020年对潮间带中华鲎幼鲎丰度进行随机样方法调查，并获取对应年份遥感影像（分辨率30m）作为数据源，借助GIS空间分析、景观格局分析和人为干扰度指数（human disturbance index，HDI）模型，量化评估人为干扰对北部湾潮间带中华鲎幼鲎栖息地景观格局及种群丰度的影响。结果表明：（1）2014-2020年，北部湾潮间带幼鲎栖息地退化严重，无干扰类型景观面积逐渐减少，大部分转化为养殖；（2）北部湾潮间带人为干扰逐渐加强，无干扰等级HDI指数面积不断减少，潮间带大部分面积HDI指数呈增强趋势；（3） HDI指数与幼鲎种群丰度呈显著负相关性，HDI指数高值斑块不适合幼鲎生存。依据HDI指数动态变化及空间分布，可为潮间带中华鲎幼鲎种群栖息地景观格局优化及鲎人工放流增殖选址等保护行动提供理论依据。     

福建及中国其他沿岸海域中国鲎资源分布现状调查

采用调访渔民、浅海底拖网、野外观测潮间带亲鲎产卵和幼鲎孵育情况等调查方法,重点调查了福建沿岸海域中国鲎(Tachypleus tridentatus)资源分布和数量,并走访调查了浙江省、广东省、海南省、广西壮族自治区和台湾地区金门岛等地代表性的中国鲎栖息地,对中国沿岸海域中国鲎资源现状作了较全面的调查。结果表明,大部分海滩已多年未见中国鲎上岸产卵,中国鲎在上岸之前已被渔民通过底拖网捕获,能见到幼鲎的海滩寥寥无几,中国鲎已经从大部分海域消失,中国鲎资源量濒临枯竭。目前尚存少量中国鲎的海域主要是东山湾和北部湾海域。金门岛海域则因为人工放流和设立了中国鲎保护区,中国鲎资源得到较好的恢复。中国鲎资源衰竭的主要原因是人类的过度捕捞、栖息地的破坏和海域环境污染等。中国鲎资源的保护迫在眉睫。建议将中国鲎列入国家级重点保护动物名录,增设中国鲎自然保护区,加强渔业管理以及人工增殖放流等措施。     

夏季广东省鲎保护区潮间带大型底栖动物群落研究

广东省划设有6个鲎保护区,但对鲎种群具体分布位置、数量及趋势数据几近空白,阻碍了科学管理策略制定和保护行动推进。为此,采用野外调查方法分别对该6个鲎保护区幼鲎资源现状展开调查,并对保护区潮间带大型底栖动物群落进行分析。结果表明,广东省6个鲎保护区中仅遂溪中国鲎保护区和徐闻圆尾鲎保护区发现有幼鲎分布,其中徐闻圆尾鲎保护区内幼鲎丰度极低,调查整个保护区仅发现2只幼鲎;遂溪中国鲎保护区幼鲎丰度为6.45 ind·100m^–2,但低龄期幼鲎个体数量明显低于高龄期。保护区潮间带大型底栖动物功能群分析显示,遂溪大型底栖动物以浮游生物食者为主,徐闻以植食者为主,浮游动物、微藻类以及浮游植物等天然饵料资源充足,符合幼鲎的摄食习性。此次鲎保护区资源调查表明广东省鲎资源现状严峻,鲎保护区管理亟待改善。提升鲎的保护等级、科学的人工放流、行之有效的保护区管理措施等行动已势在必行。     

山口红树林保护区圆尾蝎鲎种群动态

鲎是珍贵的海洋“活化石”生物。本研究于2014—2020年在广西北海山口红树林生态自然保护区开展圆尾蝎鲎(Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda)种群动态调查。总计观察到圆尾蝎鲎990只,种群数量呈现逐年下降趋势,其中第6个调查年相比第1个调查年下降94.60%,表明圆尾蝎鲎资源保护已势在必行;雄鲎占80.28%,雌鲎占17.50%。圆尾蝎鲎种群动态呈现显著季节规律性,种群数量与温度及北风和南风风向状态值(0和4)呈显著正相关,显示出滨海风向标生物特征。本研究揭示了圆尾蝎鲎种群动态及其影响因素,为保护区鲎资源保护提供参考依据。     

中国鲎保育工作研究进展

近年来中国鲎种群数量呈急剧下降,资源几近枯竭,如何有效开展其保育工作成为研究热点。从中国鲎的地理分布、生活习性、资源价值、保育工作开展现状、保育措施等5个方面对中国鲎资源现状以及其保育工作开展情况进行概括,为完善中国鲎保育工作提供最新资料。     

全球中华鲎资源保护现状及对策建议

鲎是古老的海洋节肢动物。中华鲎(Tachypleus tridentatus)是世界现存4种鲎中体型最大的一种, 是河口生态系统的标志物种, 同时其血液被用于生产医用检验试剂――鲎试剂。中华鲎的自然地理分布范围相当狭窄, 仅局限于日本濑户内海向南延伸至印度尼西亚爪哇岛北岸以北的太平洋西岸海域, 其中在中国东岸和日本南部海域的历史产量较高。自20世纪50年代以来中华鲎种群数量出现了显著减少, 2019年中华鲎在IUCN红色名录中的濒危等级正式更新为濒危(EN), 明确了中华鲎资源呈现全球性衰退的状态, 究其原因可归纳为鲎生境破坏和过度捕捞两个方面。在开展鲎资源保护的实践工作中, 作者深刻反思当前鲎资源保护在海洋保护区划定、增殖放流及科普和野生动物保护法宣传中存在的问题并提出相应建议, 包括加快完善种群基线数据, 制定标准化种群和生境基线监测指南, 构建科学放流体系等, 以期推进全球范围内的中华鲎资源保护与科学管理。     

中国鲎幼体阶段(黄皮鲎)的形态特点

经研究发现,中国鲎幼体阶段（黄皮鲎）生殖盖板中叶不长于侧叶,尾呈三角形,上有一列小刺,腹甲后端尾上有三个棘突,尾两个侧边无小刺,腹甲背面无小刺分布,但其头胸甲和腹甲背面棘突较长,明显呈幼体状,中国鲎的胚后幼体发育从小到大,身体背部颜色处于黑色→土黄色→褐色的一种渐变过程,当中国鲎幼体头胸甲宽度处于10-25cm时,也就是胚后发育的第12至第16次蜕皮期间时,其体色呈土黄色,在粤西、海南、北部湾一带俗称“黄皮鲎”。所以,黄皮鲎为中国鲎一定阶段未成熟的幼体,而不是一个新种或亚种。标本采自广东省湛江市,保存于湛江海洋大学水生生物博物馆。     

中国鲎和圆尾鲎血淋巴细胞分类和特征的比较研究

为了更好地了解中国鲎(Tachpleus tridentatus)和圆尾鲎(Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda)血淋巴细胞的种类组成和特征差异,综合运用光学显微镜、扫描电镜和粒度仪,较为系统地对两种鲎的血淋巴细胞进行了分类和特征研究,从而为两种鲎的血淋巴细胞和分子生物学研究提供基础资料。根据血淋巴细胞大小、核质比、细胞着色特点、细胞中颗粒存在与否、颗粒的密集程度等,中国鲎和圆尾鲎的血淋巴细胞均可分为大颗粒细胞、小颗粒细胞和透明细胞三种主要类型,且两种鲎的血淋巴细胞均以颗粒细胞为主,透明细胞在血淋巴细胞中所占比例最小,但具有高核质比。两种鲎的同类血淋巴细胞在染色和形态上无显著性差异,但在同一种鲎中,血淋巴细胞密度存在显著的雌雄差异。       

海洋活化石——鲎的研究进展

海洋活化石——鲎（hòu）是十分宝贵的自然资源,在科研、经济、生态等方面都有着不可估量的价值。鲎作为古老的海洋底栖动物被过度捕捞,现已到了枯竭的程度,2021年2月,我国《国家重点保护野生动物名录》正式更新和发布,我国海域的中国鲎和圆尾鲎被列为国家二级保护动物。为推动鲎研究和有效制定实施鲎资源的保护措施,本文主要从鲎的生物学研究、资源利用和生态保护三个方面入手,瞄准鲎的分类学问题、鲎的生物学前沿问题包括神经系统、视觉系统、消化系统、循环系统、生殖与发育和共附生微生物等、生态保护现状以及存在的问题等方面国内外的研究进展进行综述,明确研究重点和难点的同时,扩大对鲎的认知。     

中国连香树(Cercidiphyllum japonicum)生态适宜区及种群特征

连香树为国家二级保护植物,其种群自然更新困难且分布不连续。预测其潜在适生区可为划定不同区域连香树的保护和管理单元提供科学依据。本文根据连香树在中国的地理分布数据,结合22个环境因子,应用最大熵模型(MaxEnt)预测连香树在中国的潜在适生区,同时对比分析不同区域的连香树种群结构特征,探讨影响连香树现状分布及种群特征的生态因子。结果表明:连香树的潜在适生区主要集中于四川盆地西部边缘地区、神农架地区、秦巴山脉地区以及华东孤立的山地;气候因子和地形因子共同影响着连香树的分布,年均降水量、最冷月最低温、坡度和海拔对连香树潜在适生区影响最大;经主成分排序分析,11个调查地点的种群大致可划分为3组,即秦岭-大巴山脉种群、四川盆地西部边缘种群、中国东部地区种群;种群密度和存活率与环境因子的关系随连香树的不同生长阶段发生变化,连香树种群特征在生长前期与气候因子的相关性较强。     

Estimation of total hemolymph volume in the horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus

Biomedical companies extract blood from the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, for the production of Limulus Amebocyte Lysate, used worldwide for detecting endotoxins in injectable solutions and medical devices. Despite the extensive use of horseshoe crabs by the biomedical industry, total hemolymph volume for this species is not known. The hemolymph volume of 60 adult horseshoe crabs was estimated using an inulin dilution technique. Blood volume of the horseshoe crab represented as a percentage of wet body weight was 25?±?2.2% for males and 25?±?5.1% (mean?±?SD) for females. Relationships between hemolymph volume and weight (p?=?0.0026, r ²?=?0.8762), hemolymph volume and prosomal width (p?<?0.0001), and hemolymph volume and inter-ocular width (p?<?0.0001) were observed. No significant differences were observed between males and females. The relationship of animal size and hemolymph volume can be used to predict how much blood can be drawn from horseshoe crabs used by the biomedical industry, and can be of further use in future bleeding mortality studies.     

Sufficiency of horseshoe crab eggs for red knots during spring migration stopover in Delaware Bay USA

Horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) eggs are a dietary staple of the red knot (Calidris canutus) during its spring stopover on the Delaware Bay. Numbers of knots stopping in Delaware Bay declined in the 1990s concurrent with a decline in horseshoe crabs, leading to the hypothesis that reduced horseshoe crab egg abundance limited the red knot population. Management efforts, including a seasonal harvest moratorium in the Delaware Bay, have been instituted to restore crab populations to levels of sustainable use by multiple users, including migratory birds. Our objective was to evaluate the sufficiency of horseshoe crab eggs in Delaware Bay in May–June 2004 and 2005 for knots to refuel for their migratory flight to the Arctic breeding grounds. We examined egg counts to determine if there were fewer high egg-density sites later than earlier in the day and season, as migrating birds might deplete this resource. We studied foraging rates at red knot locations to determine if foraging probes increased with time of day and season as birds depleted surface eggs by pecking, then began probing for subsurface eggs. Finally, we experimentally tested whether red knots and their competitors depleted horseshoe crab eggs. Crab egg numbers at knot foraging sites did not decline throughout the day or season in 2004. In both years, we found no evidence that knots switched from pecking to probing with increases in time since sunrise or start of the stopover. Egg numbers were similar in exclosed and accessible plots on crab nesting depressions and in areas of open intertidal zone, but were significantly lower in accessible than in exclosed plots in the wrack line. Our results indicate that horseshoe crab eggs in Delaware Bay were sufficient to support the refueling of the present-day stopover population of red knots. If an increase in the availability of crab eggs to foraging birds does not result in an increase in knot numbers, managers must prioritize mitigation of limiting factors at other historically important spring stopovers and on the poorly understood breeding and wintering grounds in addition to the Delaware Bay. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.     

Entrainment of juvenile horseshoe crab activity to artificial tides

Juvenile American horseshoe crabs, Limulus polyphemus, express both daily and tidal rhythms. To determine if, and how, tidal cues influence the expression of these rhythms, we exposed 25 animals to artificial tides, and 17 to artificial tides with inundation, both with a 12:12 LD cycle. In the first experiment, 24% expressed daily rhythms of activity, 24% tidal rhythms, 12% a combination of the two, and the rest were arrhythmic. Under subsequent atidal conditions some expressed daily rhythms, but more were circatidal. In the second experiment, 6% expressed daily rhythms, 71% tidal, 12% a combination, and 12% were arrhythmic. Those expressing tidal rhythms were more active during flood/high tide, while daily animals tended to be nocturnal. Under subsequent constant conditions, the majority exhibited circatidal activity, with some expressing one activity bout per day. We conclude that juvenile horseshoe crabs entrain to artificial tides, with inundation cycles providing stronger cues than water depth changes.     

Microsatellite DNA markers for the study of horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) population structure

Twenty‐two microsatellite DNA loci were identified and characterized for horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) collected from two Atlantic coast and one Gulf of Mexico site. These markers revealed a high degree of genetic diversity (8–35 alleles per locus), heterozygosity (25.0% to 100.0%), and allelic heterogeneity (69.8% of comparisons). Considerable regional differentiation was observed as genetic distances (chord) ranged between 0.25 and 0.45, and all F_ST values (0.014–0.092) were significant. These preliminary findings are consistent with patterns of regional differentiation observed using allozyme variation and contradictory to findings of limited gene flow reported for sequence variation at the mitochondrial DNA COI region.     

Conservation education program for threatened Asian horseshoe crabs: A step towards reducing community apathy to environmental conservation

Long-term and locally-based public education programs are essential in supporting conservation initiatives for horseshoe crab protection, particularly in Asia, where their populations have been largely exploited for food and biomedical applications. However, the implementation of such conservation initiatives can be difficult due to a community’s ingrained apathy towards the environment. In addition, the effectiveness of similar education programs to engage the community in conservation work has rarely been assessed. We described the implementation strategies of a conservation education program in Hong Kong, with the objective to improve the community’s awareness, engagement and environmental attitudes towards the conservation of Asian horseshoe crabs. This study evaluated the program’s outreach, outcomes and impacts between 2009 and 2016. By raising laboratory-cultured juvenile horseshoe crabs at local secondary schools, this long-term conservation education program succeeded in enhancing students’ knowledge on the biology and ecology of horseshoe crabs, as well as promoting positive attitudes and behaviors towards relevant conservation issues. Lessons and recommendations derived from this program can serve as guidance for similar campaigns in other places.     

Middle Triassic horseshoe crab reproduction areas on intertidal flats of Europe with evidence of predation by archosaurs

A systematically excavated track site in a 243.5 Myr old Middle Triassic (Karlstadt Formation, Pelsonian, middle Anisian) intertidal carbonate mud‐flat palaeoenvironment at Bernburg (Saxony‐Anhalt, central Germany) has revealed extensive horseshoe crab trackways attributable to the Kouphichnium Nopsca, 1923 ichnogenus. The exposed track bed of a Germanic Basin‐wide spanned intertidal megatrack site is a mud‐cracked biolaminate surface on which detailed tracks have been preserved because of rapid drying and cementation as a result of high temperatures, followed by rapid covering with a protective layer of arenitic storm or tsunami sediments. The different trackway types and their orientations have allowed a tidal sequence to be reconstructed, with the initial appearance of swimming horseshoe crabs followed by half‐swimming/half‐hopping limulids under the shallowest water conditions. The Bernburg trackways, which have mapped lengths of up to 40 m, were all produced by adult animals and exhibit a variety of shapes and patterns that reflect a range of subaquatic locomotion behaviour more typical of mating than of feeding activities. The closest match to the proportions and dimensions of the horseshoe crab tracks at Bernburg is provided by the largest known Middle Triassic limulid Tachypleus gadeai, which is known from the north‐western Tethys in Spain. The horseshoe crab body fossils recognized in the German Mesozoic intertidal zones, instead, are from juveniles. The uniformly adult size indicated by the trackways therefore suggests that they may record the oldest intertidal reproductive zones of horseshoe crabs known from anywhere in the world, with the track‐makers having possibly migrated thousands of kilometres from shallow marine areas of the north‐western Tethys to reproduce in the intertidal palaeoenvironments of the Germanic Basin. Chirotherium trackways of large thecodont archosaurs also appeared on these flats where they appear to have fed on the limulids. With the tidal ebb, smaller reptiles such as Macrocnemus (Rhynchosauroides trackways) appeared on the dry intertidal flats, probably feeding on marine organisms and possibly also on horseshoe crab eggs. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 103 , 76–105.     

The competitive and predatory impacts of the nonindigenous crab Carcinus maenas (L.) on early benthic phase Dungeness crab Cancer magister Dana

We evaluate the potential competitive and predatory impacts of nonindigenous European green crab Carcinus maenas on native Dungeness crab Cancer magister in the northeast Pacific. The coastal estuaries of Washington State, USA, provide appropriate habitat for recently introduced green crab, yet these areas are important nursery grounds for Dungeness crab and contribute greatly to the coastal crab fishery. Juvenile Dungeness crabs are dependent on limited intertidal epibenthic shell for refuge habitat during early benthic life and experience increased mortality on open sand and mud as a result of predation by fish and birds. Early juveniles throughout the subtidal are similarly at risk due to predation by fish and especially adult conspecifics. Laboratory experiments and infrared video observations revealed that juvenile green crab displace Dungeness crab of equal size from shelters during one-on-one competition. Green crab also consistently win nocturnal foraging trials in which the species compete for fresh, damaged clams. Field and laboratory enclosure experiments show that juvenile Dungeness crab emigrate from oyster shell habitat as a result of competition and predation by adult green crab. Depending on the extent to which the two species overlap, interactions with the dominant nonindigenous species could have a negative influence on juvenile Dungeness crab survival and could conceivably impact recruitment to the fishery. However, current evidence indicates that the distribution of green crab in Washington State is far removed from nursery areas of Dungeness crab.