Modeling the effects of El Niño, density-dependence, and disturbance on harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) counts in Drakes Estero, California: 1997–2007

Harbor seal ( Phoca vitulina ) haul-out site use may be affected by natural or anthropogenic factors. Here, we use an 11-yr (1997–2007) study of a seal colony located near a mariculture operation in Drakes Estero, California, to test for natural (El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), density-dependence, long-term trends) and anthropogenic (disturbance or displacement related to oyster production activities) factors that may influence the use of haul-out subsites. Annual mariculture related seal disturbance rates increased significantly with increases in oyster harvest ( r _s= 0.55). Using generalized linear models (GLMs) ranked by best fit and Akaike's Information Criteria, ENSO and oyster production (as a proxy for disturbance/displacement) best explained the patterns of seal use at all three subsites near the mariculture operations, with effects being stronger at the two subsites closest to operations. Conversely, density-dependence and linear trend effects poorly explained the counts at these subsites. We conclude that a combination of ENSO and mariculture activities best explain the patterns of seal haul-out use during the breeding/pupping season at the seal haul-out sites closest to oyster activities.     

Colony growth responses of the Caribbean octocoral, Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae, to harvesting

Abstract. Colonies of the branching Caribbean gorgonian Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae were subjected to partial mortality at 2 sites in the Bahamas to study how colony growth responds to disturbances such as harvesting, grazing, and storm damage. Colonies were clipped so that either 4 branches or 10 branches remained. Growth rates of branches were then monitored over 1 year and compared with nearby unclipped colonies. No significant differences were found between branch extension rates among the 3 treatments. Extension rates of newly formed branches were significantly greater in all treatments than among branches present at the start of the experiment. Per capita branching rates were greater on the more severely clipped colonies and were smallest on control colonies. The absolute number of branches that became mother branches did not differ among treatments. Colonies clipped so that 4 and 10 branches remained had the same average number of mother branches per colony, and there was no significant difference between treatments in the average number of new branches formed on the colonies. Per capita branching rates were significantly different among treatments only because the relative proportion of branches that became mother branches was higher in colonies with four branches than in treatments with more initial branches. Total growth (cumulative growth on all branches) was not significantly different between the 2 clipped treatments. Many of the control colonies suffered extensive damage, which may have obscured the comparison of clipped and unclipped treatments; however, within the range of these clipping treatments, differing levels of partial mortality did not lead to different recovery rates. The lack of treatment effects is particularly relevant to assessing the effects of harvest techniques on the recovery and productivity of harvested, naturally occurring, colonies.     

微生态制剂对海水养殖系统硝化功能建立过程的影响

比较分析投加不同微生态制剂的海水养殖系统硝化功能建立的过程,为实际应用提供依据。利用海水素构建4个海水养殖系统,通过投加硝化细菌、光合细菌、枯草芽胞杆菌3种微生态制剂以及纤维毛球作为生物膜载体,比较分析不同养殖系统硝化功能的建立过程及硝化强度差异。投加硝化细菌+光合细菌和硝化细菌+枯草芽胞杆菌系统硝化功能建立时间分别为108 h和96 h,氨氮初始质量浓度为6 mg/L时,氨氧化强度分别为1.69 mg/(L·d)和1.36 mg/(L·d);添加纤维毛球的生物膜系统与生物絮团系统硝化功能建立时间分别为96 h和120 h,氨氮初始质量浓度为6 mg/L时,氨氧化强度分别为1.36 mg/(L·d)和0.98 mg/(L·d);投加碳源系统和对照系统硝化功能建立时间分别为84 h和96 h,氨氮初始质量浓度为6 mg/L时,氨氧化强度分别为1.18 mg/(L·d)和1.36 mg/(L·d)。硝化细菌+枯草芽胞杆菌系统硝化功能建立时间更短,但系统硝化强度低于硝化细菌+光合细菌系统;生物膜系统硝化强度高于生物絮团系统且硝化功能建立更快;添加碳源能够加快系统硝化功能建立过程,但降低了硝化细菌+枯草芽胞杆菌系统的硝化强度。     

象山港不同养殖类型海域大型底栖动物群落比较研究

于2009年2月在象山港顶部海域分别对海带、牡蛎和鱼类网箱3种不同养殖区进行了大型底栖动物调查。调查共鉴定大型底栖动物73种,隶属8门12纲53科,以软体动物和环节动物为主。海带养殖区优势种有5种;牡蛎养殖区有4种;网箱养殖区有9种。海带、牡蛎和网箱养殖区大型底栖动物平均栖息密度分别为(132±71)个/m²、(94±91)个/m²和(210±132)个/m²;平均生物量分别为(26.51±11.06) g/m²、(53.03±61.94) g/m²和(108.80±73.56) g/m²。栖息密度和生物量不同养殖区和不同调查站位间差异显著。Tukey多重比较结果显示,栖息密度海带养殖区与牡蛎和网箱养殖区间均无显著差异,而牡蛎与鱼类网箱养殖区间存在显著差异;生物量海带养殖区与牡蛎养殖区间无显著差异,海带养殖区和牡蛎养殖区与网箱养殖区间均显著差异。典范对应分析结果表明,对大型底栖动物群落起主要影响的环境因子有温度、盐度、总氮和总磷等,排序轴对物种-环境关系的贡献率计算结果表明环境变量可以较好的解释主要类群的变化情况。丰度/生物量比较曲线(ABC曲线)分析结果表明,网箱养殖区大型底栖动物群落受较明显扰动,而海带和牡蛎养殖区大型底栖动物群落未受扰动。     

Annual Changes in Meiobenthos Community Structure in Alekseev Bight, Sea of Japan

We performed a comparative analysis of the taxonomical composition and population density of the meiobenthos and substrate types of Alekseev Bight, Sea of Japan, throughout the period when a plantation for mariculture of Japanese scallop was exploited in the bight and for a decade after the plantation had been removed. We found that silting of substrates in the bight decreased and the number of taxonomical groups that constituted the meiobenthos increased. The nematodes that, earlier, dominated the meiobenthos in terms of population density were later exceeded by foraminiferans, the species diversity of which increased. Changes are revealed in the composition of the dominant species of these groups.     

Taxonomic composition of bacteria associated with cultivated mollusks <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassostrea lugubris</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Perna viridis</Emphasis> and with the water of the Gulf of Nha Trang lagoon,Vietnam

One hundred and four strains of heterotrophic bacteria have been isolated and characterized from two species of bivalve mollusks cultivated in the Gulf of Nha Trang (Vietnam) and from the water of a mariculture farm. The isolates have been identified on the basis of morphological, physiological, biochemical, and chemotaxonomic properties, as well as by the content of G+C bases in DNA. In the microflora of mollusks, Vibrio alginolyticus was predominant; the pathogenic species V. harveyi and V. splendidus were found as well. Staphylococci and bacilli occupied the second place in abundance after vibrios. In addition, coryneforms and enterobacteria, as well as Pseudomonas spp. and Pseudoalteromonas spp., were revealed. The composition of the water microflora was more diverse as compared with the microflora of mollusks. In the water, Bacillus spp., Vibrio spp., and Pseudomonas spp. were predominant. Brevibacterium spp. and other coryneform bacteria, as well as enterobacteria, occurred in significant amounts. In addition, Pseudoalteromonas spp., Marinococcus sp., Halobacillus sp., Shewanella sp., Sulfitobacter sp., and bacteria of the CFB cluster were noticed. The presence of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic bacterial species in the water and mollusks is probably the reason for the high death rate of cultivated animals at the mariculture farm.     

Effect of temperature on the growth,total lipid content and fatty acid composition of recently isolated tropical microalgae Isochrysis sp., Nitzschia closterium,Nitzschia paleacea,and commercial species Isochrysis sp. (clone T.ISO)

The effect of temperature from 10 °C to 35 °C on the growth, total lipid content, and fatty acid composition of three species of tropical marine microalgae, Isochrysis sp., Nitzschia closterium, N. paleacea (formerly frustulum), and the Tahitian Isochrysis sp. (T.ISO), was investigated.Cultures of N. closterium, Isochrysis sp. and T.ISO grew very slowly at 35 °C, while N. closterium did not grow at temperatures higher than 30 °C or lower than 20 °C. N. paleacea was low-temperature tolerant, with cells growing slowly at 10 °C. N. paleacea produced the highest percentage of lipids at 10 °C, while the other species produced maximum amounts of lipid at 20 °C. None of the species maintained high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) at high growth temperature and there was a significant inverse relationship between the percentage of PUFAs and temperature for N. paleacea. A curved relationship was found between temperature and percentage of PUFA for N. closterium and tropical Isochrysis sp., with the maximum production of PUFA at 25 °C and 20 °C, respectively. The two Nitzschia species produced higher levels of the essential fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid [20:5(n-3)] at lower growth temperatures, but the two Isochrysis species had little change in percentage of 20:5(n-3) with temperature. Only T.ISO had the highest percentage of 22:6(n-3) at lowest growth temperature (11.4% total fatty acids at 10 °C).School of Mathematical and Physical SciencesAuthor for correspondence     

Cultivation of Macrocystis integrifolia (Laminariales,Phaeophyta) in southeastern Alaskan waters

The artificial culture of Macrocystis integrifolia in southeastern Alaskan waters has been initiated as a first step in a project to augment the existing herring roe-on-kelp fishery in the state. The growing of Macrocystis in Prince William Sound has the potential of considerably enhancing this fishery by eliminating the costly importation of this kelp from southeast Alaska. In an ongoing feasibility study, Macrocystis has been cultured under laboratory conditions through the embryonic sporophyte stage and outplanted in waters near Sitka, Alaska (57° N). Growth of the outplanted kelps has been monitored as a function of the time and depth of the outplanting. Preliminary results suggest that light is limiting for growth in winter and that the optimal depth for outplanting will vary with the season.     

Mass propagation techniques currently being used in the spawning and rearing of marine fish species

Propagation techniques for marine fish species, applicable to public aquariums, are reviewed based on work with ornamental tropicals and foodfish species. Adult conditioning, spawning procedures, incubation of eggs, larval rearing, larval food culture, and facilities are discussed with specific references to techniques used at Instant Ocean Hatcheries, Inc, for Anemonefish (Amphiprion spp) culture in synthetic seawater.     

STUDIES OF MESOHERBIVORY IN AQUARIA AND IN AN UNBARRICADED MARICULTURE FARM ON THE CHINESE COAST1

The effects upon macrophytic and epiphytic algae of caprellid amphipods, including Caprella irregularis Mayer, and of gammarid amphipods, including Ampithoe lacertosa Bate, Jassa falcata (Montagu) and Pontogeneia rostrata Gurjanova, were studied in aquaria and in a coastal mariculture farm near Qingdao, People's Republic of China. The macrophytic species studied included Enteromorpha linza (L.) J. Agardh, Gracilaria asiatica Zhang & Xia, Gracilaria lemaneiformis (Bory) Weber-van Bosse and Scytosiphon lomentaria (Lyngbye) C. Agardh. These algae and amphipods were selected for study because of their local abundances. Aquarium experiments demonstrated that C. irregularis, J. falcata and P. rostrata feed on ephemeral/epiphytic algae. A. lacertosa (adults and juveniles) ate Gracilaria but preferred E. linza. The different species of amphipods had substantially different patterns of daily activity. Caprellids prevented epiphytic overgrowth of G. asiatica when added to plants in an experimental, openocean, mariculture farm, despite the presence of numerous amphipod predators (e.g. the fishes Hexagrammos otakii Jordan & Starks and Sebastes thompsoni Jordan & Hubbs). Periodic removals of all (naturally colonizing) amphipods from another group of plants in the farm resulted in heavy epiphytic overgrowth. Since these results were obtained in an unbarricaded mariculture farm, we conclude that mesoherbivores may have large effects upon algal community structure in temperate intertidal and subtidal habitats.