Microphytobenthos primary production of Tagus estuary intertidal flats (Portugal)

The purpose of this study was to measure primary productivity of microphytobenthos of intertidal mudflats of Tagus estuary. Sampling occurred from 1991 to 1992, during low tide of spring waters on 2 stations, each one representative of a typical habitat. Net photosynthesis rates (NP) were measured in undisturbed sediment cores incubated in the laboratory andin situ. The results obtained indicated that NP in the laboratory was similar for the two stations, (mean values of 1.1 and 1.3 mmol O₂ m^–2 h^–1, within a range of 5-fold). A stepwise regression analysis combining biotic and abiotic factors was performed to explain temporal variability, indicating that NP in each site was influenced by different parameters, with the exception of precipitation, which might play an important role in the disruption of sediment-water interface. Photosynthesis-Irradiance curves constructed with the results obtained insitu showed similar photophysiological responses of the two communities. Based on the values of photosynthetic efficiency (), and of optimal light intensity (l_k) measured and on the combination of the photoperiod pattern and the amount of light available for each sampling site, an estimation of total annual productivity is given: 47–178 g C m^–2.     

Spatial Patterns of Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Intertidal Areas of a Southern European Estuary: The Tagus, Portugal

This study characterizes the composition and spatial distribution patterns of the benthic macrofauna in the intertidal mudflats of the Tagus estuary, western Portugal. A total of 68 species, more than 226,000 specimens with a total wet weight biomass of approximately 1170 g were identified in 380 sites. The species Streblospio shrubsolii, Cyathura carinata, Tharyx sp., Hydrobia ulvae and Tubificids were the most common and abundant. Scrobicularia plana strongly dominated the biomass. The invertebrate macrofauna of the Tagus estuary shows similarities to what is known from other temperate mudflats. The diversity of species, their overall abundance and the ratio of Molluscs plus Crustaceans to Polychaete species corroborate the distinctiveness between temperate and tropical mudflats and sandflats. The spatial distribution of the fauna reflects the sediment characteristics but the relationship between the environmental and the biological data is not as strong as obtained for sublittoral areas. This relationship diminishes from the sublittoral shelf to sublittoral estuarine areas, showing minimum values in this study, suggesting that such a relationship is less straightforward as natural disturbance increases. Nevertheless, a mixture of grain-size, elevation (inundation time) and particular habitats (relic oyster beds) form the best explanatory factors for the spatial distribution patterns of the intertidal benthic macrofauna of the Tagus estuary.     

Oxygen profiles in intertidal sediments of Ria Formosa (S. Portugal)

Microelectrode oxygen profiles were measured in intertidal sediments from Ria Formosa (S. Portugal), a very productive shallow coastal lagoon. Four intertidal sampling sites were selected according to different sediment characteristics. Individual profiles revealed a high degree of lateral variability on a centimeter spatial scale. Nevertheless, consistent differences were observed between oxygen profiles measured in atmosphere-exposed and inundated intertidal sediments: in organically poor sand oxygen-penetration depth varied from 3 mm in inundated cores to more than 7 mm in exposed ones, while in organically rich muddy sand and mud it remained between 0.5–2.0 mm. The oxygen input from inundated to exposed conditions was estimated for each sampling site. Semi-diurnal tidal fluctuation, leading to periodical atmospheric exposure of sediments plays a major role in the oxygenation process of intertidal zones of Ria Formosa.     

盐城自然保护区射阳河口潮间带大型底栖动物空间分布与季节变化

2008年11月—2009年10月,在盐城自然保护区射阳河口潮间带按月份对大型底栖动物群落进行取样。共得到大型底栖动物16种,隶属3门4纲15科,为软体动物、节肢动物甲壳类和环节动物多毛类,其中,潮间带米草丛6种,高潮带光滩7种,中潮带光滩13种,低潮带光滩7种。对潮间带各样点的物种数、密度、生物量以及不同样点的生物多样性指数Margalef指数(S)、Shannon指数(H)、Pielou指数(J)和Simpson指数(D)进行样点-季节间无重复双因素方差分析,发现样点间物种数、密度和生物量差异极显著(所有P<0.01),三者季节间差异均不显著;样点间H、D和S差异显著(所有P<0.05),季节间差异均不显著;而季节间和样点间J差异均不显著。对四季4个样点的群落进行聚类和排序分析发现,中、高潮带光滩界限不明显,潮间带米草丛和低潮带光滩界限明显。结果表明:生境条件的不同是潮间带大型底栖动物群落组成差异的主要原因,同一生境大型底栖动物群落季节间差异不显著。     

Responses of estuarine intertidal microphytobenthic algal assemblages to enhanced ultraviolet B radiation

As a result of ozone depletion, ground doses of ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation in the mid latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere have increased since the 1980s, and current predictions indicate no possible alleviation until at least post 2020. Mudflats and sandflats are important coastal-zone habitats, and support extensive biofilms of benthic microalgae (microphytobenthos). In intertidal situations, these assemblages are exposed to high levels of UVB radiation during periods of tidal exposure. Exposure of intertidal biofilms dominated by epipelic (mud-inhabiting) diatoms to 0, 0.18 or 0.35 W m⁻² UVB radiation for between 4 and 10 days resulted in no significant decreases in the maximum PSII quantum efficiency (F_v/F_m) throughout diel exposure periods. Although the quantum efficiency of electron transport (F_q′/F_m′) showed significant reductions early in some experiments, the major response was an increase in F_q′/F_m′ in UVB exposed biofilms. This increase in F_q′/F_m′ was suggestive of a protective vertical migration down into the sediment. Single-cell and whole biofilm fluorescence imaging demonstrated, for the first time, that motile diatoms are able to detect UVB radiation independently of UVA or photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and migrate rapidly down (within 15 min) into the sediments to avoid it. This behavioural acclimation mechanism appears to prevent significant accumulation of UVB induced damage to the algae. UVB exposure had no significant effect of biofilm photosynthesis (measured by ¹⁴C carbon fixation), but did alter organic carbon allocation patterns, with significantly less new carbon allocated to intracellular storage (glucan) and extracellular colloidal carbohydrate fractions. Significant reductions in the sediment standing stocks of chlorophyll a (Chl a), colloidal carbohydrates, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) were seen after 7 days of UVB exposure. This study showed that marine intertidal benthic diatoms use a behavioural strategy to avoid exposure to UVB and that this response is effective as a short-term protection mechanism against UVB damage. However, altered carbon allocation patterns feed forward over time into changes in biofilm biomass and sediment carbohydrate dynamics. This suggests that continual long-term exposure to UVB may impact on sediment carbon cycling and trophic interactions and on the stabilization of sediments by microalgal biofilms through their production of extracellular carbohydrates.     

Secondary production of an intertidal mussel (Mytilus edulis L.) population in the Eastern Scheldt (S.W. Netherlands)

We monitored an intertidal mussel (Mytilus edulis L.) population between June 1981 and June 1982 in the Eastern Scheldt estuary (S.W. Netherlands). Density and biomass of the population remained relatively constant over the study period. The shell length growth was described by a Gompertz growth curve. The parameters of this equation were estimated from a log-log-modified Ford-Walford plot of the growth-ring data. The slope of the relationship between animal weight and shell length is season-dependent, mainly due to the spawning cycle in larger mussels.Secondary production is estimated with the growth rate method. In the calculated growth rates the change in slope of the length-weight relationship is incorporated, as well as differences in length growth rates between summer and winter. Secondary production amounts to 156 g AFDW m^–2a ^–1 (expressed per m² of mussel bank). P:B is 0.50 a^–1. The mussel productivity is probably a limiting factor for the density of overwintering Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus).     

长江口潮间带底栖生物生态及变化趋势

基于长江口3个区域潮间带(崇明东滩、南汇边滩和嵊山岛)监测数据,对长江口区域潮间带底栖生物生态现状及变化趋势进行评价。结果表明,2019年长江口海域泥相和岩相潮间带共鉴定大型底栖生物9门57种,软体动物、甲壳类和多毛类构成主要类群。崇明东滩、南汇边滩两个泥相潮间带底栖生物平均栖息密度分别为96.4个/m~2和160.4个/m~2,平均生物量分别为68.42 g/m~2和45.71 g/m~2;嵊山岛岩相潮间带平均栖息密度和生物量分别为488.9个/m~2和763.72 g/m~2。各断面多样性、丰富度和均匀度指数分别位于1.36—3.24、0.75—2.88和0.48—0.77,泥相潮间带低潮区生物多样性优于中潮区和高潮区,岩相潮间带中潮区生物多样性最好。聚类分析可见长江口海域潮间带底栖生物分为泥相和岩相2个大组群,物种分布存在明显的分潮区现象,高潮区站位成群或与个别中潮区站位成群,低潮区站位成群或与个别中潮区站位成群,表明底质类型和潮汐是影响潮间带大型底栖生物群落结构的主要因子。近30年来,崇明东滩和南汇边滩底栖生物种类数存在一定波动,嵊山后陀湾断面生物种类数明显下降;3个区域潮间带...     

Composition,distribution and biomass of meiobenthos in the Oosterschelde estuary (SW Netherlands)

Meiofauna composition, abundance, biomass, distribution and diversity were investigated for 31 stations in summer. The sampling covered the whole Oosterschelde and comparisons between the subtidal — intertidal and between the western-central — eastern compartment were made.Meiofauna had a community density ranging between 200 and 17 500 ind 10 cm^–2, corresponding to a dry weight of 0.2 and 8.4 gm^–2. Abundance ranged between 130 and 17 200 ind 10 cm^–2 for nematodes and between 10 and 1600 ind 10 cm^–2 for copepods. Dry weight biomass of these taxa was between 0.5–7.0 gm^–2 and 0.008–0.3 gm^–2 for nematodes and copepods respectively.The meiofauna was strongly dominated by the nematodes (36–99%), who's abundance, biomass and diversity were significantly higher intertidally than subtidally and significantly higher in the eastern part than in the western part. High numbers were positively correlated with the percentage silt and negatively with the median grain size of the sand fraction. The abundance and diversity of the copepods were highest in the subtidal, but their biomass showed an inverse trend being highest on the tidal flats.The taxa diversity of the meiofauna community and species diversity of both the nematodes and the copepods were higher in subtidal stations than on tidal flats. In the subtidal, the meiofauna and copepod diversity decreased from west to east, whereas nematode diversity increased.The vertical profile clearly reflected the sediment characteristics and could be explained by local hydrodynamic conditions.Seasonal variation was pronounced for the different taxa with peak abundance in spring, summer or autumn and minimum abundance in winter.Changes in tidal amplitude and current velocity enhanced by the storm-surge barrier will alter the meiofauna community structure. As a result meiofauna will become more important in terms of density and biomass, mainly due to increasing numbers of nematodes, increasing bioturbation, nutrient mineralisation and sustaining bacterial growth. A general decrease in meiofauna diversity is predicted. The number of copepods is expected to decrease and interstitial species will be replaced by epibenthic species, the latter being more important in terms of biomass and as food for the epibenthic macrofauna and fishes.     

上川岛潮间带不同生境底栖软体动物物种多样性初步研究

目的:研究上川岛潮间带不同生境底栖软体动物物种多样性。方法:对上川岛潮间带(沙滩、泥沙滩、红树林泥滩、岩石滩) 4种不同生境的7个样方的底栖软体动物进行了生物多样性的初步调查。结果:共鉴定底栖软体动物14科30种,上川岛潮间带底栖软体动物物种丰富度指数为岩石滩(平均为1.784 ) >泥沙滩(平均为1.5 2 1) >红树林泥滩(平均为1.2 35 ) >沙滩(平均为0 .6 92 ) ;多样性指数岩石滩(平均为1.5 5 1) >红树林泥滩(平均为1.30 4 ) >泥沙滩(平均为1.16 2 ) >沙滩(平均为0 .4 0 3)。结论:底栖软体动物的种类及数量分布受底质、浪击等因素的影响。     

Composition of organic matter in sediments facing a river estuary (Tyrrhenian Sea): relationships with bacteria and microphytobenthic biomass

The relationships between the biochemical composition of sediment organic matter and bacteria and microphytobenthic biomass distribution, were investigated along the coast of Northern Tuscany (Tyrrhenian Sea). Organic matter appeared to be of highly refractory composition. Among the three main biochemical classes, proteins were the major component (0.96 mg g^-1 sediment d.w.) followed by total carbohydrates (0.81 mg g^-1 sediment d.w.) and lipids (8.1 µg g^-1 sediment d.w.). Bacterial number in surface sediments (0–2 cm) ranged from 1.7 to 24.5 × 10⁸ cells g^-1 of sediment dry weight showing a strong decrease with sediment depth. In surface sediments, significant correlations were found between bacterial biomass and protein concentration. Bacterial activity (measured by the frequency of dividing cells) was significantly related to lipid concentration. Bacterial and microphytobenthic biomass accounted for 3.1 and 18.1% respectively of the sediment organic carbon. In surface sediments bacterial lipids accounted, on average, for 27 % of total lipids, whereas bacterial proteins and carbohydrates accounted for 2.5 and 0.5% of total proteins and carbohydrates, respectively.The benthic degradation process indicated that lipids were a highly degradable compound (about 35% in the top 10 cm). Carbohydrate decreased for 25.6% in the top 10 cm, whereas proteins increased with depth, thus indicating that this compound may resist to diagenetic decomposition.These data suggest that specific organic compounds need to be measured rather than bulk carbon and nitrogen measurements in order to relate microbial biomass to the quality of organic matter.     

Structure and diversity of intertidal benthic diatom assemblages in contrasting shores: a case study from the Tagus estuary1

The structure of intertidal benthic diatoms assemblages in the Tagus estuary was investigated during a 2‐year survey, carried out in six stations with different sediment texture. Nonparametric multivariate analyses were used to characterize spatial and temporal patterns of the assemblages and to link them to the measured environmental variables. In addition, diversity and other features related to community physiognomy, such as size‐class or life‐form distributions, were used to describe the diatom assemblages. A total of 183 diatom taxa were identified during cell counts and their biovolume was determined. Differences between stations (analysis of similarity (ANOSIM), R = 0.932) were more evident than temporal patterns (R = 0.308) and mud content alone was the environmental variable most correlated to the biotic data (BEST, ρ = 0.863). Mudflat stations were typically colonized by low diversity diatom assemblages (H′ ~ 1.9), mainly composed of medium‐sized motile epipelic species (250–1,000 μm³), that showed species‐specific seasonal blooms (e.g., Navicula gregaria Donkin). Sandy stations had more complex and diverse diatom assemblages (H′ ~ 3.2). They were mostly composed by a large set of minute epipsammic species (<250 μm³) that, generally, did not show temporal patterns. The structure of intertidal diatom assemblages was largely defined by the interplay between epipelon and epipsammon, and its diversity was explained within the framework of the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis. However, the spatial distribution of epipelic and epipsammic life‐forms showed that the definition of both functional groups should not be over‐simplified.     

Exchange of Cu and Cd across the sediment-water interface in intertidal mud flats from Ria Formosa (Portugal)

Depth profiles of Fe, Mn, (HS)_t, Cu and Cd concentrations in pore water were determined on a seasonal scale in intertidal sediments of Ria Formosa. Concentrations of Cu and Cd were also determined in near-bottom water during the short period that water inundates the sediment. A maximum near the sediment-water interface was observed in depth profiles of Mn and Fe concentrations followed by a decrease with depth. Otherwise, depth profiles of (HS⁻)_t were irregular but peak concentrations was observed below Mn and Fe maximum. Although subsurface maximum was observed at deeper layers for Cu and Cd, the profiles shape varied among sites and sampling dates. This suggests site specificity and alterations associated with early diagenetic reactions. In order to assess exchanges of Cu and Cd across the sediment water interface, diffusive fluxes and advective transport were estimated. Both contribute substantially to the daily transfer of Cd from intertidal sediments to the water column of Ria Formosa. In the case of Cu, the flux associated with tidal flooding (advective flux) was the major contributor. Presumably, the exchange of trace elements between the sediment-water interface in intertidal areas of macro- and meso-tidal systems are underestimated since do not take into consideration the pulse contribution associated with tidal flooding.     

Spatial analyses of intertidal assemblages on sheltered rocky shores

Abstract Understanding processes in complex assemblages depends on good understanding of spatial and temporal patterns of structure at various spatial scales. There has been little quantitative information about spatial patterns and natural temporal changes in intertidal assemblages on sheltered rocky shores in temperate Australia. Natural changes and responses to anthropogenic disturbances in these habitats cannot be accurately measured and assessed without quantitative data on patterns of natural variability in space and through time. This paper describes some suitable quantitative methods for examining spatial and temporal patterns of diversity and abundances of highshore, midshore and lowshore intertidal assemblages and the important component species for a number of shores in a bay that has not been severely altered by human disturbance. Despite a diverse flora and fauna on these shores, the midshore and lowshore assemblages on sheltered shores were characterized by a few species which were also the most important in discriminating among assemblages on a shore and, for each assemblage, among different shores. The same set of species was also important for measuring small-scale patchiness within each assemblage (i.e. between replicate sites on a shore). Therefore, these data provide a rationale for selecting species that are useful for measuring differences and changes in abundance among places and times at different scales and, hence, can be used in the more complex sampling designs necessary to detect environmental impacts. There was considerable spatial variability in all assemblages and all species (or taxa) examined at scales of metres, tens of metres and kilometres. There were no clear seasonal trends for most measures, with as much or more variability at intervals of 3 months as from year to year. Most interactions between spatial and temporal measures were at the smallest scale, with different sites on the same shore generally showing different changes from time to time. The cause(s) of this apparently idiosyncratic variability1 were not examined, but some potential causes are discussed. These data are appropriate for testing hypotheses about the applicability of these findings to other relatively undisturbed sheltered shores, about effects of different anthropogenic disturbances on sheltered intertidal assemblages and to test hypotheses about differences in intertidal assemblages on sheltered versus wave-exposed shores.     

三亚岩相潮间带底栖海藻群落结构及其季节变化

为了解三亚潮间带大型海藻生态现状,布设6条岩相断面,于2008年1—11月进行了四季野外的调查,并使用物种多样性指数与聚类分析研究了潮间带大型海藻四季的群落结构和多样性变化。调查共鉴定出大型底栖藻类130种,隶属于4门75属,其中红藻门41属67种、褐藻门16属31种、绿藻门15属29种、蓝藻门3属3种。潮间带海藻种类数季节变化不大,并呈低潮带>中潮带>高潮带的垂直分布特征,且中低潮带有共同分布种,夏季尤为普遍。潮间带海藻夏冬两季平均生物量高于春秋两季,但并无显著差异。优势种季节变化明显:春季有波利团扇藻Padina boryana、日本仙菜Ceramium japonicum、半叶马尾藻Sargassum hemiphyllum、海柏Polyopes polyideoides,夏季有波状软凹藻Chondrophycus undulates、冠叶马尾藻Sargassum cristaefolium、宽扁叉节藻Amphiroa dilatata、石花菜Gelidium amansii,秋季有冠叶马尾藻、波状软凹藻、叶状铁钉菜Ishige foliacea,冬季有瓦氏马尾藻Sargassum vachellianum、苔状鸭毛藻Symphyocladia marchantioides、珊瑚藻Corallina officinalis、波利团扇藻、日本仙菜。群落多样性冬高夏低:Shannon多样性和Margalef丰富度指数最大值出现在冬季,Shannon多样性和Pielou均匀度指数最低值出现在夏季。区域底栖藻类以暖水性热带-亚热带种为主,其次为温水性的暖温带种类,基本符合南海南区暖水区系特点。研究表明,尽管三亚潮间带底栖海藻种类数与生物量上并无显著的季节差异,但群落结构与多样性均显示出一定的季节变化。     

泉州湾蟳埔潮间带大型底栖动物群落的时空分布

为了比较泉州湾蟳埔潮间带沙滩、互花米草滩和牡蛎石泥滩3种生境(3个潮层)的大型底栖动物群落,2011年4月至2012年1月对3种生境的大型底栖动物进行了季度定量取样。在3种生境共获得85种大型底栖动物,其中环节动物39种,软体动物20种,节肢动物21种,刺胞动物、扁形动物、纽虫动物、星虫动物和脊索动物各1种。多维标度排序(MDS)分析表明,春季和冬季泉州湾蟳埔潮间带3种生境的大型底栖动物群落相似性较低;夏季和秋季互花米草滩与牡蛎石泥滩的大型底栖动物群落相似性较高,而与沙滩的大型底栖动物群落相似性较低。沙滩大型底栖动物群落的季节变化较明显,其次是牡蛎石泥滩,而互花米草滩大型底栖动物群落的季节变化较不明显。大型底栖动物栖息密度和生物量随着潮层降低而增加。单变量双因素方差分析(Two-way ANOVA)表明,不同生境之间的大型底栖动物物种数、栖息密度、多样性指数、均匀度指数和丰度指数有显著差异,但生物量无显著差异,这是因为沙滩的物种数较少,栖息密度较低,但优势种弧边招潮蟹(Uca arcuata)个体较大,互花米草滩和牡蛎石泥滩的优势种为加州中蚓虫(Mediomastus californiensis),个体相对弧边招潮蟹小。不同季节之间大型底栖动物物种数、栖息密度、生物量和丰度指数有显著差异,但多样性指数和均匀度指数元显著差异,这是因为沙滩物种数少,但个体分布比较均匀,而互花米草滩和牡蛎石泥滩物种数较多,个体分布较不均匀。以上结果表明,潮汐、沉积物粒径和生境是影响潮间带大型底栖动物群落的主要因素。潮汐导致潮间带的空间异质性,空间异质性导致大型底栖动物群落的差异。     

鄂尔多斯草地退化过程中植被地上生物量空间分布的异质性

应用地统计学方法分析研究了鄂尔多斯草地荒漠化过程中植被地上生物量空间分布的异质性。发现从本氏针茅(Stipa bungeana)、本氏针茅 油蒿(Artemisia ordosicn)、油蒿、油蒿 牛心朴子(cynanchum komarovii)、牛心朴子群落的5个退化系列群落中,植被地上生物量空间格局异质化程度及其相关范围变化非常明显。变异函数的基台值(C0 C)在5个退化群落中的变化表明,在本氏针茅群落中,植被地上生物量空间分布异质性较低(0．48),本氏针茅 油蒿群落增强(19．47),油蒿群落显著增强(1522),油蒿 牛心朴子群落减弱(171．6),牛心朴子群落显著减弱(4．164)。变异函数的相关范围(A0)表明,在本氏针茅群落空间相关范围较小(53．9cm),本氏针茅 油蒿群落增加(77．8cm),油蒿群落减小(51．7cm),油蒿 牛心朴子群落增加(62．9cm),牛心朴子群落增加(94．6cm)。空间变异比分析表明,由空间自相关因素引起的空间异质性占主要部分(74．2％～80．7％)。空间分布格局图(Kriging map)分析进一步显示,退化群落中植被地上生物量格局变化显著。从本氏针茅群落退化到油蒿群落的中度荒漠化过程中,植被地上生物量空间分布的异质性的增强。由油蒿群落退化到牛心朴子群落的严重荒漠化过程中,植被地上生物量空间分布的异质性减弱。     

Influence of macrofaunal assemblages and environmental heterogeneity on microphytobenthic production in experimental systems

Despite the complexity of natural systems, heterogeneity caused by the fragmentation of habitats has seldom been considered when investigating ecosystem processes. Empirical approaches that have included the influence of heterogeneity tend to be biased towards terrestrial habitats; yet marine systems offer opportunities by virtue of their relative ease of manipulation, rapid response times and the well-understood effects of macrofauna on sediment processes. Here, the influence of heterogeneity on microphytobenthic production in synthetic estuarine assemblages is examined. Heterogeneity was created by enriching patches of sediment with detrital algae (Enteromorpha intestinalis) to provide a source of allochthonous organic matter. A gradient of species density for four numerically dominant intertidal macrofauna (Hediste diversicolor, Hydrobia ulvae, Corophium volutator, Macoma balthica) was constructed, and microphytobenthic biomass at the sediment surface was measured. Statistical analysis using generalized least squares regression indicated that heterogeneity within our system was a significant driving factor that interacted with macrofaunal density and species identity. Microphytobenthic biomass was highest in enriched patches, suggesting that nutrients were obtained locally from the sediment-water interface and not from the water column. Our findings demonstrate that organic enrichment can cause the development of heterogeneity which influences infaunal bioturbation and consequent nutrient generation, a driver of microphytobenthic production.     

Contrasting responses of intertidal microphytobenthos and phytoplankton biomass and taxonomic composition to the nutrient loads in the Jiulong River Estuary

Microphytobenthos (MPB) and phytoplankton are important primary producers in the estuarial ecosystem, and their functions are critical to the ecosystem's biodiversity and environmental safety. The aim of this study was to compare the response of MPB and phytoplankton to the nutrient loads in a eutrophic estuary, which has seldom been studied. We used high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and CHEMTAX software to examine the biomass and taxonomic composition of both MPB and phytoplankton at Da‐yu Island (DYI) and Ji‐yu Island (JYI) in the Jiulong River Estuary from July 2010 to March 2012. The results showed that MPB chlorophyll a was low in the summer and high in the winter at both DYI and JYI, indicating a unimodal pattern. However, the phytoplankton chlorophyll a showed a mirrored pattern. Diatoms were the dominant class in both benthic and pelagic environments. Although redundancy analysis indicated that the effects of different environmental factors could not be easily separated, it is likely that phosphate and temperature were the most important factors regulating the seasonal patterns of MPB and phytoplankton diatoms, respectively. MPB and phytoplankton cyanobacteria was co‐limited by salinity and temperature. The high N/P ratio and low phosphate favored chlorophytes and cyanobacteria. Our study demonstrates the use of HPLC and CHEMTAX in an integrated survey of the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of MPB and phytoplankton in an estuarial ecosystem. The contrasting responses of MPB and phytoplankton to nutrient loads indicate the critical role of MPB in subtropical estuarial ecosystem function. The relationship between nutrients and MPB may indicate a significant contribution to carbon and nutrient cycling.     

Diet of the twaite shad Alosa fallax (Lacépède) (Clupeidae) in the River Tagus Estuary, Portugal

The diet of Alosafallax was studied by means of the frequency of occurrence of prey items. In the Tagus Estuary, shads feed preferentially on fish, with mysids, shrimp, isopods and insects occurring as secondary prey.     

长江口潮间带大型底栖动物群落演替

2006年1月在崇明岛西端的潮间带湿地进行了一项生态工程,经过土方工程的区域被选为大型底栖动物群落演替区,因为其中的大型底栖动物群落受到了较大破坏,在其周边未受干扰区设立对照样点。试图通过群落重建群的研究分析3个问题：（1）在群落恢复过程中不同的生态学指标如何变化？（2）群落演替过程中什么先增长,生物量还是复杂性？（3）是否可以选择生态学指标以利于演替过程中3类不同增长模式（生物量、网络结构和信息量）的识别？多变量分析用于检验被干扰区群落是否已经得到恢复。Shannon-Wiener指数、Margalef指数、Pielou均匀度指数、能质（exergy）和结构能质（Specificexergy）用于分析演替过程中群落状态的变化。结果显示物种随时间的更替与群落结构变化密切相关。物种丰富度增长迅速,而且对照区和演替区的物种组成非常相似。演替进行1个月左右之后,演替区的生物多样性已经超过了对照区。能质和结构能质提供了群落结构发展的有用信息,但仍然缺乏鉴别系统所处信息状态的能力。多样性分析结果可以从中度干扰假说（Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis）得到很好地解释。总体而言,干扰的空间尺度决定了群落的恢复特征,如果干扰区域明显小于周边未受干扰的区域,那么群落的复杂性（信息量和网络结构）将先于生物量得到恢复。