Heavy metals inUlva lactuca collected within Tolo Harbour,an almost landlocked sea

Summary The sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca), a littoral and sublittoral marine macroalga grows abundantly around shorewaters of Hong Kong, especially Tolo Harbour whereU.lactuca is collected from the mudflat for local human consumption as well as for export. Samples ofU.lactuca, together with the ambient seawater and sediment, were collected from several localities around Tolo Harbour, an almost land-locked sea, receiving polluted water from several major streams. For comparison samples were also collected from areas near the unpolluted south coast of Hong Kong Island. It was demonstrated that the samples of seawater and sediment collected within Tolo Harbour were polluted from domestic, agricultural and industrial sources. The extent of the metal (copper, lead, zinc and iron) contamination was further reflected and amplified in the tissue ofU.lactuca.     

Effects of copper, cadmium and contaminated harbour sediments on recolonisation of soft-bottom communities

An extensive field experiment on benthic colonisation on polluted sediments was carried out at 50 m depth at three locations representative of the pollution gradient in the inner Oslofjord. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of copper, cadmium and polluted harbour sediment on recolonisation of benthic fauna, and whether the response varied with a varying degree of background pollution. Copper and cadmium were added to the local sediments at the three locations, while the contaminated harbour sediment was taken from the hypoxic Oslo harbour and transplanted to well-oxygenated and less-polluted locations. Oslo harbour has a poor macrofauna, the sediments are heavily contaminated and the oxygen levels in the bottom waters are low. One of the aims of this experiment was to separate effects of contamination from effects of low oxygen. Sediments with high levels of copper (∼400-1500 mg/kg) clearly had a negative effect on colonisation by several taxa. This negative response was more pronounced at the relatively pristine location in the outer fjord compared to the more polluted sites, probably as a result of an increased bioavailability of the metals in sediments with lower concentrations of organic carbon. Sediments with high levels of cadmium (∼9-23 mg/kg), on the other hand, did not have negative effects on colonisation of any taxa. In the boxes with polluted harbour sediments, only the polychaete Raricirrus beryli showed reduced abundance. This lack of community response clearly indicates that hypoxia is more critical than high concentrations of contaminants for the establishment of a normal benthic fauna in the Oslo harbour area. The experiment only lasted for 6 months and the recolonising fauna was dominated by opportunistic and r-selected species. Long-term toxic effects may therefore have occurred if the experiment had lasted longer. The experiment also showed that the time for the development of a community resembling the ambient community was faster on the polluted than on the more pristine location.     

Adaptive Multi-scale Sampling to Determine an Invasive Crab’s Habitat Usage and Range in New Zealand

Patterns of local abundance and geographical distribution are often prime correlates of invasive species’ impacts on native ecosystems. Here we adaptively increased the spatial scale of delimitation surveys to determine the local abundance, range and habitat associations of the introduced portunid Charybdis japonica (Milne-Edwards, 1861) in New Zealand. The crab was first discovered in Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour in September 2000, and by April 2002 trapping surveys revealed the invader had spread widely throughout the Harbour. Experiments using three deployment times (1, 3 and 24 h) optimized detection rates prior to larger scale geographic surveys that defined the range of the introduced population. We surveyed >300 sites in coastal waters within the predicted range of larval dispersal and then 14 major shipping ports throughout New Zealand. C. japonica was abundant in the Waitemata Harbour and present in two nearby estuaries, but there was no evidence of spread to other shipping ports nationwide. Subtidal habitat associations were explored in the main area of infestation which indicated that the invader occupied a range of substrata from fine, silty muds to coarse, shelly sands. Although its distribution overlaps with the native portunid crab Ovalipes catharus, the invader was more abundant throughout Waitemata Harbour and occurred in muddy sediments where native portunids are rare. It is not yet clear whether the C. japonica population in New Zealand is self-sustaining, however if it persists and continues to spread, it is likely to have significant impacts on native estuarine benthic assemblages.     

A preliminary survey of organic pollution of shellfish in Tolo Harbour,Hong Kong

A preliminary survey on the contamination of clams and sea-waters in various towns in Tolo Harbour was carried out using bacteriological tests. The ‘percentage clean’ method and the ‘most probably number’ method were employed. The pH, salinity and temperature of the seawater were also tested in the field. It was discovered that the number of coliform bacteria obtained by the ‘percentage clean’ was zero in both seawater and clams from all sites including the control. The ‘most probable number’ indicated that the water and the clam tissue collected in the three sites in Tolo Harbour ranged from 15–1,100/100 ml in the water and 825–11,000/g in the clams compared with 0/100 ml and 115/g of the control site. Due to the high level of organic pollution in Tolo Harbour, improvement of the sanitary situation is urged. Cultivation of clams collected in this area in clean and sterilized water for a few days before consumption is recommended.     

浙江近海春、夏季蟹类群落结构及其与环境因子的关系

根据2015年4月和7月浙江近岸海域单船底拖网调查资料, 分析了春、夏两个季节浙江近岸海域蟹类的种类组成、优势种及资源密度分布, 采用生态多样性指数和丰度/生物量比较曲线(ABC曲线)分析了群落物种多样性及其动态变化, 同时运用典范对应分析(CCA)研究了蟹类群落变化与海洋环境因子的关系。结果表明: 浙江沿岸海域春、夏季共捕获蟹类28种, 隶属于11科19属, 调查海域蟹类主要以暖水性种类占优势; 春季优势种为双斑蟳(Charybdis bimaculata)、三疣梭子蟹(Portunus trituberculatus)和日本蟳(Charybdis japonica), 夏季优势种为三疣梭子蟹和双斑蟳; 两个季节蟹类平均资源密度分别为244.38 和585.60 kg/km2, 中北部海域资源密度高于南部海域; 种类丰富度指数(D)、物种多样性指数(H′)和种类均匀度指数(J′)三种群落多样性指数均不高, 蟹类群落多样性水平处于较低水平; 根据ABC曲线评估干扰对蟹类群落的影响可得: 春、夏季浙江近岸蟹类群落分别处于严重干扰和中等干扰状态; 典范对应分析结果表明: 在进行对应分析的9个环境因子中, 水深为影响研究海域春夏两季蟹类分布的首要环境因子; 盐度(表层和底层)为影响蟹类分布的次要环境因子, 其他环境因子也均在一定程度上影响蟹类群落分布。     

Geobacteraceae Community Composition Is Related to Hydrochemistry and Biodegradation in an Iron-Reducing Aquifer Polluted by a Neighboring Landfill

Relationships between community composition of the iron-reducing Geobacteraceae, pollution levels, and the occurrence of biodegradation were established for an iron-reducing aquifer polluted with landfill leachate by using cultivation-independent Geobacteraceae 16S rRNA gene-targeting techniques. Numerical analysis of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles and sequencing revealed a high Geobacteraceae diversity and showed that community composition within the leachate plume differed considerably from that of the unpolluted aquifer. This suggests that pollution has selected for specific species out of a large pool of Geobacteraceae. DGGE profiles of polluted groundwater taken near the landfill (6- to 39-m distance) clustered together. DGGE profiles from less-polluted groundwater taken further downstream did not fall in the same cluster. Several individual DGGE bands were indicative of either the redox process or the level of pollution. This included a pollution-indicative band that dominated the DGGE profiles from groundwater samples taken close to the landfill (6 to 39 m distance). The clustering of these profiles and the dominance by a single DGGE band corresponded to the part of the aquifer where organic micropollutants and reactive dissolved organic matter were attenuated at relatively high rates.     

The phytoplankton along a pollution gradient in the river Mahanadi (M.P. state) India – a multivariate approach

Phytoplankton of the River Seonath, a major tributary of Mahanadi river system, was studied for 15 months together with physical–chemical variables in relation to a pollution gradient. Multivariate analysis and ordination by Principal Components Analysis of the physical–chemical variables and phytoplankton density indicated a community replacement along a pollution gradient. The dominant benthic diatom community, mainly comprising Achnanthes trigibba and A. affinis of the upstream was replaced by Chlorophycea at the middle stretch and Cyanophycea at the downstream sites. Chlorella, Scenedesmus and Coelastrum dominated among Chlorophyceae in the middle stretch in the highly polluted sites, followed by the Cyanophycean assemblage of Microcystis and Merismopedia.     

Coupling of autotrophic and heterotrophic processes in a Baltic estuarine mixing gradient (Pomeranian Bight)

This paper presents the results of a long-term survey of the hydrography, nutrients and phytoplankton in Tolo Harbour carried out between 1982 and 1992. Some nutrients such as total inorganic nitrogen, ammonia and total phosphorus increased during the 10 year period, but chlorophyll a, which indicated algal biomass, did not show an increasing trend. The phytoplankton of Tolo Harbour consisted largely of diatoms. Dinoflagellates and minor algal groups such as cryptomonads and small flagellates constituted a smaller fraction of the phytoplankton population. Densities of diatoms and minor algal groups increased in some stations, but the density of dinoflagellates remained relatively unchanged during the study period. Most nutrient variables were negatively correlated with densities of diatom and total phytoplankton, and positively correlated with densities of minor algal groups. While dinoflagellate densities were positively correlated with total nitrogen in some stations, no correlation existed between dinoflagellate density and most of the nutrient variables. Our results show that there is a gradual change in phytoplankton community in Tolo Harbour,most notably in the nutrient-rich inner harbour waters, with the smaller algae assuming increasing abundance. Thus there was a net increase in density of total phytoplankton even though chlorophyll a concentrations did not increase. No evidence was found in this study to show that increased nutrient loading would inevitably lead to increase in densities of dinoflagellates in Tolo Harbour. Instead, dinoflagellate densities showed stronger correlations with physical variables such as temperature, pH and salinity. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect of fish predation on intertidal benthic fauna is modified by crab bioturbation

The burrowing crab Chasmagnathus granulatus is an important bioturbator in SW Atlantic estuaries where they generate dense and extended intertidal beds. Its bioturbation leads to profound changes in the structure, quality and dynamics of sediments with concomitant impacts on the entire benthic community. In this study, we evaluate whether the presence of this crab affects the predator-prey interaction between juvenile fishes and their benthic prey. Gut content and benthic prey selection by juvenile fishes inside and outside crab beds were evaluated, and predation effect was experimentally contrasted between areas using fish exclosures. The results show that in crab beds the percentage of fish with empty guts was lower and the number of polychaetes consumed by fish higher than outside crab beds. The silverside Odontesthes argentinensis and the catfish Pimelodella laticeps fed on larger polychaetes outside than inside crab bed areas, while the white mouth croaker Micropogonias furnieri preyed upon larger polychaetes inside crab beds. In addition, field experiments shows that fish predation decreases polychaete abundances only in crab beds. These results suggest that crab bioturbation facilitate fish predation on benthic prey.     

Responses of the saucer scallop Amusium balloti to potential predators

A high natural mortality rate has been documented for the saucer scallop Amusium balloti, an Australian scallop found on sediment bottoms at 30–60 m deep, but little is known about the causes of mortality. We studied escape responses of A. balloti to five consumers common in the bycatch of the scallop fishery as a means of identifying potential predators. The scallop showed a negligible to weak response when touched with the sea star Pentaceraster regulus and the red portunid crab Portunus rubromarginatus. The response was similar to that observed when the scallop was touched with a plastic object. In contrast, A. balloti showed a consistent and vigorous swimming response to contact with the slipper lobster Thenus orientalis, the blue swimmer crab Portunus pelagicus and the coral crab Charybdis cruciata. This was not a generalized response to crustaceans, given the scallop's weak response to the red portunid crab. This is the first report of a scallop that has a strong swimming escape response to contact with decapod crustacean predators.     

Food segregation in three species of portunid crabs

Gastric mills of 2,619 specimens of portunid crabs(Portunus pelagicus, P. sanguinolentus andCharybdis feriatus) in Tolo Harbour, Hong Kongwere examined. Of these, 1,498 containedrecognizable food items. A total of 34 food items wereidentified, 10 of which (29.4%) were common to thethree crab species. The principal food items werebivalves, decapods, fish and algae. However, thepercent frequency of occurrence of these food itemsdiffered significantly (ANOVA, p < 0.001) among thecrabs. In addition to these principalfood items, differences were noted in other dietarycategories: P. pelagicusand P. sanguinolentus fed on the brittle starOphiura kinbergi, whereas P.sanguinolentus and C. feriatus fed on detritusand gastropods. The diet of P. sanguinolentuswas found to be more similar to C. feriatus thanto P. pelagicus. Exploitation of different fooditems and selective feeding on common prey may reduceinter-specific competition for natural food resourcesand allow the three portunid crabs to co-exist in thesame habitat. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Detecting anthropogenic disturbance in an environment with multiple gradients of physical disturbance,Manukau Harbour,New Zealand

Demonstrating spatial or temporal gradients of effects on macrobenthic communities can be a useful way of providing strong empirical evidence of natural or anthropogenic disturbance. Gradient designs for environmental assessment are sensitive to change for point source data, enabling the scale of the effects of a disturbance to be readily identified. If the spatial scale that is sampled from the point source is adequate, problems of selecting control sites can be avoided. However, sources of spatial variation in macrobenthic communities, which are not related to the impact, can confound the use of gradient designs. This can occur if the natural spatial structure overlaps that of the gradient and cannot be identified either as a location or environmental covariable. The ability to detect point source impacts using a gradient design against natural spatial variability was tested using benthic macrofaunal data collected from Manukau Harbour, New Zealand. Treated sewage wastewater is discharged into the north-west area of the Manukau Harbour. Sandflats in the vicinity of the outfall are also subject to physical disturbance from wind-waves and strong tides. Ordination techniques and the testing of a priori predictions were used to try and separate the relative effects of organic and physical disturbance on the benthic communities. While the occurrence of other environmental disturbances along a gradient of anthropogenic disturbance makes interpretation of community pattern more difficult, the use of a gradient sampling layout, ordination analysis and the testing of a priori predictions enabled impacts of the anthropogenic and natural environmental disturbances to be interpreted. Gradient designs, therefore, provide a method of assessing complex impacts that operate over broad spatial and temporal scales.     

Changes in the planktonic copepod community in a landlocked bay in the subtropical coastal waters of Hong Kong during recovery from eutrophication

Tolo Harbour is a poorly flushed bay in the northeastern corner of Hong Kong. Eutrophication caused by discharge of untreated and secondarily treated sewage into the bay was first detected during the 1970s. Increased nutrient input led to a noticeable increase in algal biomass and algal bloom occurrences. Nutrient reduction measures, including the construction of a pipeline to export all sewage effluents from Tolo Harbour, were introduced during the late 1980s. Decline in nutrient levels and decrease in the number of algal blooms have been recorded since 1998 when all nutrient reduction measures became fully operational. Zooplankton samples collected during 2003–2004 revealed that Tolo Harbour still contained a higher density and lower diversity of planktonic copepods compared to Mirs Bay, a less-polluted sea area outside Tolo Harbour. A comparison between data collected in this study to those collected during 1988–1990, several years before nutrient reduction measures were to be fully implemented, showed a decrease in copepod densities and an increase in copepod diversity. Small copepods, notably species of Paracalanus and Oithona, dominated the copepod communities in both periods, but there was an increase in species evenness during 2003–2004, caused by an increase in the number of dominant species. These observations confirm that eutrophication may lead to increases in copepod densities accompanied by increased dominance of small species.     

Study of phytoplankton characteristics in Tolo Harbour,Hong Kong,by HPLC analysis of chemotaxonomic pigments

Spatial and seasonal characteristics of phytoplankton in Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong, were studied by microscopic observation of phytoplankton samples and HPLC analysis of chemotaxonomic pigments. Diatoms dominated the phytoplankton. Common diatoms included Skeletonema costatum and species of Cerataulina, Leptocylindrus, Pseudo-nitzschia and Thalassiosira. Dinoflagellates occurred sporadically and mainly in the inner part of the harbour. The dinoflagellate Scrippsiella trochoidea was the causative organism for the red tide occurrences in March, April and September 2001. Significant positive correlations between fucoxanthin and diatoms and between peridinin and dinoflagellates suggested that fucoxanthin and peridinin were valuable chemotaxonomic markers for diatoms and dinoflagellates, respectively. Analysis of pigment ratios revealed that red tide events caused by dinoflagellates were marked by increase in the value of PERI:chl a and decrease in the value of FUCO:chl a. Increase in the value of FUCO:chl a also revealed the presence of a dense population of Pseudo-nitzschia that was not indicated by increase in chlorophyll a and fucoxanthin concentrations. Pigment analysis also revealed the presence of cyanobacteria, silicoflagellates, cryptophytes and green algae in the surface waters of Tolo Harbour.     

Bioassessment of Selected Inland Water Bodies in Sri Lanka Using Benthic Oligochaetes with Consideration of Temporal Variations

The organic pollution status of three inland water bodies in Sri Lanka was evaluated using benthic oligochaete communities with the environmental characteristics considering temporal variation over one year period. Oligochaete species richness and abundance was consistently higher in the highly eutrophic and organically polluted Lake Beira in comparison with the less polluted water bodies. In a cluster analysis of oligochaete community compositions, the assemblages grouped by the water bodies rather than by months. Principal component analysis revealed that the structure of the oligochate community was mainly influenced by conductivity, nitrate, biochemical oxygen demand levels of water and organic carbon content of the sediment. In the ordination, the polluted Lake Beira separated from the other water bodies along the first axis. The results revealed that there could be a potential for using benthic oligochaetes for bioassessment of inland water bodies in Sri Lanka. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The synergism between hydrocarbon pollutants and UV radiation: a potential link between coastal pollution and larval mortality

Coastal, benthic invertebrates with complex life history strategies are exposed to stage- and habitat-specific selective forces. In the coastal environment, benthic adults are exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollutants (PAHs) due to their proximity to human activities (shipping, urbanization, and industrialization). Benthic invertebrates produce lipid-rich eggs or larvae that absorb PAHs from polluted estuaries and coastal waters. The larvae of many coastal invertebrates move offshore following release from benthic adults. During development in offshore waters, larvae of some species are exposed to relatively high levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Marine organisms vary in their tolerance to PAHs and UV radiation. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the sequential exposure of the larvae of marine crabs to PAHs and UV radiation.Using laboratory experiments, the larvae of four crab species were exposed to PAHs and UV radiation. There was a significant synergistic effect of exposure to PAH (fluoranthene or pyrene) and UV radiation on larvae of the spider crab (Libinia dubia), the stone crab (Menippe adina) and the mud crab (Panopeus herbstii). Larvae of blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) were exposed to PAHs and UV radiation in both laboratory and solar UV experiments. Significantly higher mortality occurred for C. sapidus larvae using either type of UV-artificial or solar.Larvae of coastal invertebrates with complex life history strategies are susceptible to the combined effects of PAHs and UV radiation. In this study, the exposure of crab larvae to PAHs and UV radiation resulted in mortality to crab larvae using laboratory and solar UV experiments. There were no effects on larval crab mortality due to PAH or UV radiation independently but mortality was as high as 100% when both factors were present.     

Composition and Productivity of the Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community of a Subtropical Reservoir

Physical-chemical conditions, phytoplankton productivity, community structure and productivity of the macroinvertebrate benthic community were determined during 1976–77 in a subtropical reservoir. Physical-chemical results revealed high nitrate and phosphate concentrations with highest values in the riverine segment. Large phytoplankton populations were present during most of the year. Phytoplankton productivity was high, producing an annual mean of 87 mg C · m⁻³ · h⁻¹ (12 hours light day). High turbidity in the riverine segment limited phytoplankton productivity during winter and spring. Macrobenthos was dominated by chironomids (Chironomus, Procladius, Coelotanypus and Tanypus) and oligochaetes (Limnodrilus). The annual mean benthic population was estimated at 1,626 · m⁻² with a mean dry weight of 0.66 g · m⁻². Mean benthic species diversity was 1.80. A lacustrine-riverine community gradient was revealed. Benthic productivity was 6.8 g · m⁻² · yr⁻¹ (dry weight) with a P: B ratio of 10. A low correlation was observed between benthic and phytoplankton productivity, and between phytoplankton standing crop and benthic macroinvertebrate numbers throughout the reservoir. Algal food supplies had little impact on the benthic community which was composed predominately of species which fed mostly on organic detritus. Stressful conditions caused by low dissolved oxygen concentrations probably inhibited development of the benthic community throughout the reservoir during summer months, while high sedimentation rates limited development in the head waters.     

Feeding ecology of larval and juvenile black seabream (Acanthopagrus schlegeli) and Japanese seaperch (Lateolabrax japonicus) in Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong

Black seabream, Acanthopagrus schlegeli, and Japanese seaperch, Lateolabrax japonicus, are important commercial species in the coastal waters of western Pacific Ocean, including Japan, Korea and China. In Hong Kong, larvae and juveniles of these two species occur in bays and estuaries during late winter and spring. This study reports on the ontogenetic changes in food habits in larvae and juveniles of these species in an artificial rocky shore area. Copepods and cladocerans were the most numerous food items for black seabream. There was a shift to larger and benthic prey as the fishes grew. Japanese seaperch <2.1cm fed predominantly on copepods and cladocerans, while larger prey were added as fish size increased. Japanese seaperch >6.0cm were piscivorous. Maximum prey width increased with fish standard length and mouth gape width in both species. Overall, black seabream showed greater diet breadth than did Japanese seaperch. In black seabream, diet breadth increased with fish size. In Japanese seaperch, diet breadth increased with size for fishes <4.0cm, then decreased as the fishes became piscivorous. Prey selectivity in black seabream was determined using information on prey availability in plankton samples. In general, preference was stronger for cypris larvae, Penilia avirostris and decapod larvae than for copepods and podonids. In recent years, overfishing and environmental degradation have led to the decline of fish populations in Tolo Harbour. Absence of fishes with empty gut indicates that inner Tolo Harbour is still an important nursery area for these two commercial species.     

香港吐露港附近岛屿植被与植物多样性研究

通过实地调查统计,香港吐露港附近岛屿共有维管植物180种,隶属于71科148属;植被类型主要有常绿灌丛和灌草丛、次生性常绿阔叶林、海边沙滩植物群落和红树林。热带、亚热带成分在该地区植物区系中占有较强优势。本文首次系统报道了吐露港附近各岛屿的植物种类和分布特点,比较了不同岛屿之间及与其邻近地区之间植物物种多样性特点,并对诸岛上分布的珍稀濒危植物的保护提出了相关建议。     

Control of Histidine Biosynthesis in Streptomyces Coelicolor

Abstract

Some data on the benthic flora of Pantelleria Harbour (Channel of Sicily, Mediterranean).—The benthic flora of the harbour of Pantelleria includes: 10 Myxophyceae, 56 Rhodophyceae, 44 Diatomeae, 19 Phaeophyceae, 18 Chlorophyceae and 2 Angiospermae. The Rh/Ph value (2.9) is in agreement with the values found from the open-sea. A chorological examination shows a dominance of Atlantic-Mediterranean species (54.36%).