A major developmental defect observed in several Biscayne Bay,Florida, fish species

Synopsis Stunted or missing dorsal spines or rays, sometimes accompanied by a depression in the dorsal profile, were found in 10 fish species in six families from North Biscayne Bay. The same morphological abnormality occurred inHaemulon sciurus, H. parrai, H. plumieri, Lagodon rhomboides, Archosargus rhomboidalis, Diplodus argenteus, Lutjanus griseus, Kyphosus sectatrix, Sphoeroides testudineus, andLactrophyrys quadricornis. Another morphological abnormality, scale disorientation, was found in six species:H. parrai, L. rhomboides, A. rhomboidalis, L. griseus, andAbudefduf saxatilis. Pugheadedness, jaw deformities, and other abnormalities also were observed. The occurrence of similar deformities across such a spectrum of fishes from the same location suggests the deformity was induced by something in the environment common to all these species. Although there could be other explanations for the unusual cluster of abnormalities, it is suspected that the same environmental contaminant or group of contaminants is adversely affecting a common developmental pathway of these fishes. Biscayne Bay is an urban estuary that receives agricultural, industrial, and residential run off.     

Interactive effects of habitat selection, food supply and predation on recruitment of an estuarine fish

 Seagrass meadows are often important habitats for newly recruited juvenile fishes. Although substantial effort has gone into documenting patterns of association of fishes with attributes of seagrass beds, experimental investigations of why fish use seagrass habitats are rare. We performed two short-term manipulative field experiments to test (1) the effects of food supply on growth and densities of fish, and (2) effects of predation on the density and size distribution of fish recruits, and how this varies among habitat types. Experiments were conducted in Galveston Bay, Texas, and we focused on the common estuarine fish, pinfish Lagodon rhomboides. In the first experiment, replicate artifical seagrass and sand plots were either supplemented with food or left as controls. Recruitment of pinfish was significantly greater to seagrass than sand habitats; however, we detected no effect of food supplementation on the abundance of recruits in either habitat. Pinfish recruits in artifical seagrass grew at a significantly faster rate than those in sand habitats, and fish supplemented with food exhibited a greater growth rate than controls in both sand and artifical grass habitats. In our second experiment, we provided artificial seagrass and sand habitats with and without predator access. Predator access was manipulated with cages, and two-sided cages served as controls. Recruitment was significantly greater to the cage versus cage-control treatment, and this effect did not vary between habitats. In addition, the standard length of pinfish recruits was significantly larger in the predator access than in the predator exclusion treatment, suggesting size-selective predation on smaller settlers or density-dependent growth. Our results indicate that the impact of predation on pinfish recruits is equivalent in both sand and vegetated habitats, and thus differential predation does not explain the higher recruitment of pinfish to vegetated than to nonvegetated habitats. Since predators may disproportionately affect smaller fish, and a limited food resource appears to be more effectively utilized by fish in vegetated than in unvegetated habitats, we hypothesize that pinfish recruits may select vegetated habitats because high growth rates allow them to achieve a size that is relatively safe from predation more quickly. Received: 10 October 1996 / Accepted: 5 April 1997     

A scale-eating triacanthodid, Macrorhamphosodes uradoi: prey fishes and mouth "handedness" (Tetraodontiformes, Triacanthoidei)

Gut content analyses of deep-sea triacanthodid (Macrorhamphosodes uradoi) specimens from Tosa Bay and the Kyushu-Palau Ridge, southern Japan, revealed that the species primarily feeds on fish scales. A total of 55 042 scales from 48 specimens were grouped into 19 types, 14 being identifiable between family and species levels. Scale composition differed significantly between the two localities, with only 6 types occurring at both. Glossanodon semifasciatus (Argentinidae) and Emmelichthys struhsakeri (Emmelichthyidae) were the dominant prey in Tosa Bay and on the Kyushu-Palau Ridge, respectively. The scale morphology indicated that M. uradoi steals scales from the caudal fin and base of prey. The long tubular snout of M. uradoi was recognized as an adaptation for obtaining scales while keeping the body in a relatively posterior position, thereby minimizing the likelihood of being noticed by the prey. Furthermore, the mouth was twisted to various degrees, either to the left or the right, the angle of twisting not being correlated with specimen size. The variable nature of twist angles was hypothesized as providing a variety of strike tactics, each angle defining an optimum, resulting in lessened opportunities for learned responses by prey fishes. Received: April 17, 2001 / Revised: August 16, 2001 / Accepted: September 15, 2001     

The ecology of eelgrass, Zostera marina (L.), fish communities. I. Structural analysis

Fish populations utilizing eelgrass, Zostera marina (L.), beds in two different estuarine areas near Beaufort, North Carolina were analysed and compared to determine aspects of their community structure. The fish community of the eelgrass beds was characterized by low diversity and high standing crops of biomass and energy, both of which showed seasonal variation. Wide temperature fluctuations related to the overall shallowness of the beds probably regulated the diversity of fishes utilizing the beds. This community was dominated by pinfish, Lagodon rhombiodes (L.), which comprised 45% and 67% of the fish biomass in the Phillips Island and Bogue Sound beds, respectively.Changes in total body caloric content were probably related to developmental stages and changes in diet. Adult fish often had significantly higher weight-specific caloric contents than juvenile fish. Monthly or seasonal variations in caloric content of the organic matter of pinfish had little influence on the caloric content within the various sizes of pinfish.There was a significant correlation between fish biomass, temperature, and Zostera biomass. Fish biomass was highest when temperature and grass biomass were at a maximum. In general, water depth over the beds had little effect on the standing crop of fish within the bed, but cooler waters which occurred at night, darkness, or both, had a large effect.     

Spawning Site Selection and Contingent Behavior in Common Snook,Centropomus undecimalis

Reproductive behavior affects spatial population structure and our ability to manage for sustainability in marine and diadromous fishes. In this study, we used fishery independent capture-based sampling to evaluate where Common Snook occurred in Tampa Bay and if it changed with spawning season, and passive acoustic telemetry to assess fine scale behavior at an inlet spawning site (2007–2009). Snook concentrated in three areas during the spawning season only one of which fell within the expected spawning habitat. Although in lower numbers, they remained in these areas throughout the winter months. Acoustically-tagged snook (n = 31) showed two seasonal patterns at the spawning site: Most fish occurred during the spawning season but several fish displayed more extended residency, supporting the capture-based findings that Common Snook exhibit facultative catadromy. Spawning site selection for iteroparous, multiple-batch spawning fishes occurs at the lifetime, annual, or intra-annual temporal scales. In this study we show colonization of a new spawning site, indicating that lifetime spawning site fidelity of Common Snook is not fixed at this fine spatial scale. However, individuals did exhibit annual and intra-seasonal spawning site fidelity to this new site over the three years studied. The number of fish at the spawning site increased in June and July (peak spawning months) and on new and full lunar phases indicating within population variability in spawning and movement patterns. Intra-seasonal patterns of detection also differed significantly with sex. Common Snook exhibited divergent migration tactics and habitat use at the annual and estuarine scales, with contingents using different overwintering habitat. Migration tactics also varied at the spawning site at the intra-seasonal scale and with sex. These results have important implications for understanding how reproductive behavior affects spatio-temporal patterns of fish abundance and their resilience to disturbance events and fishing pressure.     

Dispersal patterns of coastal fish: implications for designing networks of marine protected areas

Information about dispersal scales of fish at various life history stages is critical for successful design of networks of marine protected areas, but is lacking for most species and regions. Otolith chemistry provides an opportunity to investigate dispersal patterns at a number of life history stages. Our aim was to assess patterns of larval and post-settlement (i.e. between settlement and recruitment) dispersal at two different spatial scales in a Mediterranean coastal fish (i.e. white sea bream, Diplodus sargus sargus) using otolith chemistry. At a large spatial scale (～200 km) we investigated natal origin of fish and at a smaller scale (～30 km) we assessed "site fidelity" (i.e. post-settlement dispersal until recruitment). Larvae dispersed from three spawning areas, and a single spawning area supplied post-settlers (proxy of larval supply) to sites spread from 100 to 200 km of coastline. Post-settlement dispersal occurred within the scale examined of ～30 km, although about a third of post-settlers were recruits in the same sites where they settled. Connectivity was recorded both from a MPA to unprotected areas and vice versa. The approach adopted in the present study provides some of the first quantitative evidence of dispersal at both larval and post-settlement stages of a key species in Mediterranean rocky reefs. Similar data taken from a number of species are needed to effectively design both single marine protected areas and networks of marine protected areas.     

Evaluating the effects of large marine predators on mobile prey behavior across subtropical reef ecosystems

The indirect effect of predators on prey behavior, recruitment, and spatial relationships continues to attract considerable attention. However, top predators like sharks or large, mobile teleosts, which can have substantial top–down effects in ecosystems, are often difficult to study due to their large size and mobility. This has created a knowledge gap in understanding how they affect their prey through nonconsumptive effects. Here, we investigated how different functional groups of predators affected potential prey fish populations across various habitats within Biscayne Bay, FL. Using baited remote underwater videos (BRUVs), we quantified predator abundance and activity as a rough proxy for predation risk and analyzed key prey behaviors across coral reef, sea fan, seagrass, and sandy habitats. Both predator abundance and prey arrival times to the bait were strongly influenced by habitat type, with open homogenous habitats receiving faster arrival times by prey. Other prey behaviors, such as residency and risk‐associated behaviors, were potentially driven by predator interaction. Our data suggest that small predators across functional groups do not have large controlling effects on prey behavior or stress responses over short temporal scales; however, habitats where predators are more unpredictable in their occurrence (i.e., open areas) may trigger risk‐associated behaviors such as avoidance and vigilance. Our data shed new light on the importance of habitat and context for understanding how marine predators may influence prey behaviors in marine ecosystems.     

Distribution and abundance of fishes in the San Francisco Bay estuary between 1980 and 1982

In 1980 a long-term study of the fishery resources of the San Francisco Bay estuary was initiated in an effort to delineate the importance of freshwater inflow to fish and invertebrate abundance and distribution in the bay. An analysis of the trawl data collected between January 1980 and December 1982 illustrates the influence of the timing and magnitude of freshwater inflows on fish fistribution and abundance in this estuary from the perspective of monthly, seasonal and annual time scales. Normally found in the delta, Suisun Bay and San Pablo Bay during periods of increased salinity, pelagic species moved downstream after the two peak flows studied, while demersal species usually found in Central San Francisco Bay moved upstream. Such upstream movements may be due in part to transport by strong density-driven currents.Timing and magnitude of monthly catches of some species varied on a seasonal cycle coincident with variations of freshwater inflow. Most species, especially the marine species, showed no consistent cycle of monthly catches. In the wet years of 1980 and 1982 the distributions of freshwater, estuarine and anadromous species were extended downstream into San Pablo, Central and South San Francisco Bays and some marine species, including the flatfish, were more abundant in the upstream areas. In the dry year of 1981 when bay salinities were higher, few marine species extended their distributions upstream into San Pablo and Suisun Bays. Jacksmelt was the only fish of the 15 most abundant species with its peak abundance in 1981. Most marine species were more abundant in the San Francisco Bay estuary in the wet years.     

Studies on scale regeneration in the Common goby, Pomatoschistus microps (Pisces)

The longevity of original scales and the process and consequences of scale regeneration in the euryhaline Common goby, Pomatoschistus microps (Kroyer), has been studied by monthly sampling of two populations. Scale regeneration comprises four stages: formation of a new growth centre, a regenerated area in the form of a wide central irregular area lacking concentric circuli: formation of short and widely spaced circuli at the outermost region of the regenerated area: a check in regenerated scale growth on reaching the size of the original scales: and the commencement of normal growth similar to that of the surrounding original scales. Growth of regenerated scales within 30 days was not sufficient to attain the same size of the original ones. The average percentage of regenerated scales in successive months during the life span of P. microps is about 20% in immature fish and sharply increases up to about 60% of the total scales during the breeding season. The correlation between sharp increases in regenerated scales and the breeding season is also confirmed on examining scales from two other gobioid species, Gobius paganellus and Gobius cobitis. It is suggested that the loss of a large number of scales may result in the check in body growth during the breeding season.     

Imaging scale surface topography of an endemic cyprinid fish,Garra sharq from the Arabian Peninsula: An integrated optical light and scanning electron microscopy approach

The optical light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques have proven to play a key and noteworthy role in the advancement of morphological studies in general, and in investigating fish scale morphology in particular. These techniques have illustrated several hidden architectural structures in scales that contribute effectively to fish identification and classification. The scale morphological and topological characters such as type, size, shape, lateral surface, focus position, circuli appearance, radii type, lepidonts, and posterior and anterior margin shapes were obtained using macro- and microscopic analysis in six body regions for three size classes of Garra sharq, a cyprinid endemic fish of the Arabian Peninsula. The general scale type in the studied G. sharq species was a basal elasmoid cycloid and a sectioned type. As a protective structure, the scales display several specific characteristics including firm attachment to the fish body, overlapping, and thin structure with a high surface area and high strength. These characteristics improve scale resistance to penetration, increase protection against mechanical injury and microbial infection, enhance scale flexibility, reduce fish weight (reduce friction drag), and increase scale transparency. The scales demonstrate plasticity in focus shape, size, and position in the six fish body parts and fish size groups. The examined scales displayed narrow or wide grooves (radii) in three types including primary, secondary, and tertiary present in all four scale fields (anterior, posterior, and laterals), thus a tetra-sectioned type that is almost specific to the genus Garra. This characteristic also increases scale flexibility. The rostral margin of scales was characterized by the presence of waved and striate types. The lepidont shape and size varied being blunt, flat, pointed, tiny, sharp, short, and long. Some of these scale characters and their morphologies could be used as an alternative tool for identification, classification, and phylogenetic interpretation among the different freshwater fish species and genera.     

Habitat linkages: the effect of intertidal saltmarshes and adjacent subtidal habitats on abundance, movement, and growth of an estuarine fish

In this study we used pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) in field experiments to examine linkages between intertidal saltmarsh and adjacent subtidal habitats. Pinfish are more than twice as abundant in intertidal marshes adjacent to seagrass beds than in those adjacent to the unvegetated subtidal bottom. Movement of pinfish between the marsh edge and the adjacent subtidal habitat was greater for fish captured in areas with both intertidal and subtidal vegetation than in those with intertidal vegetation and adjacent unvegetated mudflats. This movement provides an important link between habitats, allowing transfer of marsh-derived secondary production to subtidal seagrass beds and vice versa. Pinfish held in enclosures with both intertidal and subtidal vegetation were, on average, approximately 90% heavier than fish held in enclosures with intertidal vegetation and unvegetated subtidal bottom. Because saltmarshes and seagrass beds contribute to the production of living marine resources, active measures are being taken to preserve and restore these habitats. The results from this study have direct application to decisions concerning site selection and optimal spatial proximity of saltmarsh and seagrass habitats in the planning of restoration and mitigation projects. To maximize secondary production and utilization of intertidal marshes, managers may opt to restore and/or preserve marshes adjacent to subtidal seagrass beds. Received: 31 May 1996 / Accepted: 23 October 1996     

On the Optimal Size of Marine Reserves

The excessive and unsustainable exploitation of our marine resources has led to the promotion of marine reserves as a fisheries management tool. Marine reserves, areas in which fishing is restricted or prohibited, can offer opportunities for the recovery of exploited stock and fishery enhancement. This study examines the impact of the creation of marine protected areas, from both economic and biological perspectives. The consequences of reserve establishment on the long-run equilibrium fish biomass and fishery catch levels are evaluated. We include reserve size as control variable to maximize catch at equilibrium. A continuous time model is used to simulate the effects of reserve size on fishing catch. Fish movements between the sites is assumed to take place at a faster time scale than the variation of the stock and the change of the fleet size. We take advantage of these two time scales to derive a reduced model governing the dynamics of the total fish stock and the fishing effort. Simulation results suggest that the establishment of a protected marine reserve will always lead to an increase in total fish biomass, an optimal size of a marine reserve can achieve to maximize the catch at equilibrium.     

Environmental management of a highly impacted,urbanized tropical estuary: rehabilitation and restoration

The principles of the dynamics and interrelationships within the dominant subtropical and tropical Caribbean seagrass community have been studied previously before, during, and after impact. From these and scores of observations of damage and recovery patterns inThalassia ecosystems, a sense of management recovery strategy has emerged. Artificial restoring ofThalassia testudinum seeds into areas cut off from stock (fruit, seeds) appeared feasible on a large scale after the Turkey Point (Biscayne Bay, Miami, Florida) restoration and test sampling throughout North Biscayne Bay. Two large-scale seeding attempts were made; after 11 months they compared favorably with Turkey Point specimens with regard to growth parameters, despite the turbidity and other persistent pollution. Thus, the possible areas in whichThalassia seed restoration can be used has increased to include estuaries of multiple impact still in various stages of recovery after physical and sewage pollution. This technique should be especially useful to “developing” nations where important nearshore fisheries nurseries based onThalassia ecosystems have been heavily damaged and now lie barren. Man's impact on the estuary where seed restoration was attempted includes the following activities: 50% of the bay bottom directly dredged or filled (leaving much unconsolidated sediment); 50 million gallons of domestic waste dumped directly into a low flushing part of the bay for 20 years; seven major causeways transecting the bay, restricting circulation and flushing; two artificial inlets made into navigational channels; freshwater sheet flow drastically changed due to channelization by flood-control canals; urban runoff from a million people entering the bay. Most of the impacts have now abated; however, their long-term effects remain.     

Scale-eating habits of the marine teleost Terapon jarbua (Forskål)

Terapon jarbua , a marine teleost attaining a length of 25 cm, is abundant in the estuaries of the tropical and subtropical Indian Ocean. Fish scales removed from living fish are the most important food and represent the utilization of a niche previously unrecorded in the marine environment. Laboratory experiments show that T. jarbua can digest fish scales which have a relatively high energy content of 2cal mg⁻¹ and further that the scales are removed only from living fish and not collected off the bottom or from dead fish. The scales are taken under natural conditions from fish larger than T. jarbua and slow swimming species are favoured. T. jarbua always attacks the lateral surface of the prey species and scales are removed mainly from the posterior region of the body, particularly around the caudal peduncle. A variety of species are attacked. The black longitudinal stripes of T. jarbua fade during feeding but in the presence of conspecifics darken. This colour pattern, which is unique among south east African estuarine fish, together with the small size of T. jarbua scales, may prevent autopredation. It is suggested that the scale-eating habit of T. jarbua arose as a modified form of predation or as an extension of 'cleaning' ectoparasites from the scales of larger fish. Ectoparasites are relatively common in the diet of T. jarbua.     

Field studies on the ureogenic gulf toadfish, in a subtropical bay. II. Nitrogen excretion physiology

In order to examine the in situ nitrogen excretion physiology of gulf toadfish ( Opsanus beta ) (Fam. Batrachoididae), several biochemical and physiological measurements relating to urea synthesis and excretion were measured in samples taken from freshly collected gulf toadfish from a subtidal population in Biscayne Bay, Florida, U.S.A. This indirect appoach was used, instead of direct measurements of nitrogen excretion, because nitrogen excretion patterns of gulf toadfish are altered markedly during the first 24 h of capture disturbance or laboratory confinement. The values obtained for plasma cortisol levels, and the activities of hepatic ornithine-urea cycle enzymes, including glutamine synthetase (and its partitioning between cytosolic and mitochondrial compartments), suggest that gulf toadfish in Biscayne Bay may excrete a substantial portion of their waste nitrogen as urea. Also conducted were correlation analyses of several biotic variables (plasma [cortisol], enzyme activities, plasma [urea], hepatosomatic index, and plasma [Ca⁺⁺]) with several abiotic variables (temperature, salinity, depth and dissolved oxygen), and with collection site and season. Results of these analyses are discussed in the context of hypotheses to explain ureotely in this teleost fish.     

Projected impacts of climate warming on the functional and phylogenetic components of coastal Mediterranean fish biodiversity

Climate warming affects biodiversity distribution across all ecosystems. However, beyond changes in species richness, impacts on other biodiversity components are still overlooked, particularly in the marine realm. Here we forecasted the potential effect of climate warming on the phylogenetic and functional components of coastal Mediterranean fish biodiversity. To do so, we used species distribution models to project the potential distribution of 230 coastal fish species by the end of the 21st century based on the IPCC A2 scenario implemented with the Mediterranean climatic model NEMOMED8. From these projections, we assessed the changes in phylogenetic (PD) and functional diversity (FD) of fish assemblages at multiple spatial scales using a dated molecular phylogeny and an extensive functional trait database. At the scale of the entire Mediterranean Sea, the projected extinctions of 40 coastal fish species would lead to a concomitant erosion of PD and FD (13.6 and 3%, respectively). However, a null model revealed that species loss at this scale would not lead to a disproportionate erosion of PD and FD. Similar results were found when considering fish assemblages at the grid cell scale. Indeed, at this scale, the projected changes in species richness would lead to unexpected losses of PD and FD for localized and small areas only. A disproportionate erosion of PD under climate warming was only forecasted when analysing fish assemblages at an intermediate spatial scale, namely the Mediterranean marine ecoregions. Overall, our results emphasize the importance of considering multiple spatial scales when assessing potential impacts of climate warming on the multiple components marine biodiversity.     

Multi-Scale Identification of Urban Landscape Structure Based on Two-Dimensional Wavelet Analysis: The Case of Metropolitan Beijing,China

Scale dependence is one of the major characteristics of landscape. Urban landscape is highly affected by human activities with a multi-scale structure, which makes the multi-scale identification of urban structure an obligation for urban spatial studies. Although there have been many previous studies on urban landscape structure, most of them have been conducted on a single scale, and the multi-scale effects of landscape patterns were rarely involved. Two-dimensional wavelet transforms can link spatial structures to scale and spatial locations, and maybe an effective method for the multi-scale analysis of landscape. In this paper, we applied two-dimensional discrete wavelet transform and wavelet variance to analyze the multi-scale spatial structure characteristics and the nested hierarchical structure of the metropolitan Beijing area. The results indicated that the spatial distribution and configuration of the patches were highly scattered at small scales, and the urban landscape exhibited a relatively complicated structure. At medium scales, a combination of the polycentric and sectorial structure was identified due to the prominence of dominant patches within each administrative district. At larger scales, the urban landscape pattern exhibits typical concentric ring characteristics. Two characteristic scales were detected by the wavelet variance in the south-north direction of the main urban zones, scale 4 (112m) and 8 (1792m) in Dongcheng District, scale 3 (56m) and 6 (448m) in Xicheng District, which were corresponding to the extent of middle-small blocks and large blocks respectively. One characteristic scale was detected in each of the suburb areas (Chaoyang, Haidian, and Fengtai District). The spatial structure of the main urban zones is more complex than that of the suburb areas, and it presents a typical hierarchical structure in the south-north direction. In general, the spatial structure of Beijing metropolitan area appears polycentric and concentric ring structure at large scales, the main urban area has nested hierarchies at different characteristic scales, and the wavelet method can effectively identify multi-scale characteristics of urban spatial structure.     

A major fish stranding caused by a natural hypoxic event in a shallow bay of the eastern South Pacific Ocean

A massive beaching and mortality of fishes occurred in Coliumo Bay, a shallow bay located along the coast of the eastern South Pacific Ocean on 3 January 2008. This stranding was a consequence of an abrupt decrease in the dissolved oxygen concentration throughout the whole water column, due to the effect of intense upwelling along the coast off central‐southern Chile. The main objectives of this study were: (1) to characterize taxonomically and biologically the fish species assemblage present in this beaching; (2) to evaluate several physiological indicators for the condition of the beached species at the time of their death; and (3) to assess the possible cause–effect mechanisms involved in the fishes death and the changes that took place in the fish community throughout the time. In this beaching, 26 fish species were identified: 23 teleosts, one myxiniform and two elasmobranchs. Most beached specimens were juveniles. Haematological and histological evidence indicate that severe hypoxia that lasted for at least 48 h was the most plausible cause of death. The main conclusion of this study is that the presence of oxygen‐poor equatorial sub‐surface water in the shallow coastal zone due to intense regional‐scale upwelling caused the fish stranding. Although the effect of the hypoxic event was severe for the fish assemblage of Coliumo Bay, the rapid recuperation observed suggests that hypoxic events at the local spatial scale can be buffered by migration processes from the fish community inhabiting close by areas non‐affected by low oxygen conditions. The effect that severe hypoxic events may have on larger spatial scales remains unknown.     

Site fidelity, home range, and tidal migrations of juvenile pinfish, Lagodon rhomboides, in salt marsh creeks

We conducted a series of experiments to determine the movements and fidelity of juvenile pinfish, Lagodon rhomboides, in salt marsh creeks within North Inlet Estuary, SC. In Experiment 1, we investigated the fidelity of pinfish (40–100mm SL) at four subtidal locations (9–617m apart) along the axis of a major creek. We trapped and marked 2,297 individuals and recaptured 15–22% of the fishes released at each site, almost all of which (99.7%) had been marked at the same location of recapture up to 3 months earlier. In Experiment 2, we investigated pinfish movements between subtidal and intertidal areas. In the 8 weeks prior to sampling 2 intertidal creeks, we marked 950 juveniles in the adjacent subtidal areas. Sampling of the 2 flooded intertidal creeks showed that 9–20% of the pinfish collected bore marks, and all had been previously marked at the subtidal site immediately adjacent to the intertidal creek. Gut analysis of 60 individuals revealed that juveniles collected from the intertidal areas at high tide had consumed about ten times more food than those collected at the subtidal sites at low tide. In Experiment 3, we determined the fidelity of recently settled pinfish (<35mm SL) and showed that 15% of the 434 marked pinfish remained in the same area; some were at liberty up to 7 weeks. In Experiment 4, we determined home range by tagging and recapturing juvenile pinfish at sites separated by 20m along a 200m subtidal transect. We estimated that during periods when the intertidal zone was not accessible, the average home range was 9.4m with only 10% of tagged fish moving greater than 20m during the 4 month study. Our results indicate that soon after recruitment to the estuary, pinfish establish strong fidelity for sites within salt marsh creeks and exhibit tidal periodicity in both movements and feeding.     

华南海岸英罗港红树植物木榄种群结构的空间异质性

采用位置指数(CE)、分异指数(TC和TH)、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数(D)以及Ripley的K-方程,探讨了华南海岸英罗港树植物木榄种群的分布格局、胸转和树高分异以及冠层结构方面的空间异质性.多数种群呈现随机分布,其个体胸转和树高的分异程度较低;页少数种群呈现集群分布,其个体胸围和树高的分异程度明显.采用地理信息(GIS)对冠层和空隙斑块进行了多种水平垂直尺度的分析,冠层与空隙斑块之间的镶嵌格局因种群而异,这种可基于树冠抽影用Shannon-wiener多样性指数时行定量描述.冠层结构的窨异质性阻碍空间尺度而变化,但这种变化在一定尺度范围内保持相对的稳定.迷一尺度范围可作为木榄红树森更新或生态管理单位的参考尺度.