River flow and fish abundance in a South African estuary

The ichthyofauna of the Thukela Estuary, a small (55 ha), shallow (<1·5 m) system on the KwaZulu-Natal coast (mean annual river runoff of 3865 × 10⁶ m³, from a large catchment of 29 000 km², is seasonal: peak inputs occurring between November and March), was dominated by the juveniles of marine taxa that used the estuary as a nursery area. A striking feature of the above community was the decline in fish abundance with increasing river input, with flow values >100 m³ s⁻¹ leading to increased loss of species from the system. This decline was linked to the lack of saline intrusion into the estuary and increased freshwater flooding through the system.     

长江,珠江,黑龙江鲢,鳙和草鱼原种种群形态差异

对长江、珠江、黑龙江的鲢、鳙、草鱼原种种群的十项形态特征,于高维空间上用统计方法进行判别分析,发现种群间具有显著差异,不同江河鲢、鳙的侧线鳞数也有明显不同。这些形态特征上的差异的大小与种群间的地理距离呈正相关。 根据上述显著性差异的特征,用模式分类法推导得鉴别程序,可在IBM-PC-AT计算机上对鱼逐尾自动判别鉴定其种群,除长江鲢外,准确率在75％～100％。     

长江口邻近海域营养盐分布特征及其控制过程的初步研究

利用1997年秋季和1998年春季对长江口邻近海域两个航次的调查结果,对该海域营养盐分布、结构特征以及其主要控制过程进行了探讨．结果表明,该海域的营养盐分布及结构具有明显的季节变化,秋季海水中NO3--N、SiO3^2-．SiSiO3^2-,Si及PO4^3--P,DOP、PP均高于春季,平均含量分别为4．97、11．6、0．44、0．26、0．82μmol·L-1,而春季则是NO2--N、NH4+-N、DON、PN含量高,平均含量分别为0．70、2．26、9．88、7．88μmol·L-·PP(54％)和PO4^3--P(51％)分别为秋季和春季磷的主要形态,两个季节氮结构基本一致,均以DON和PN为主．除春季PO4^3--P外,营养盐受长江冲淡水等陆源输入的影响而呈现近岸含量较高,溶解无机氮秋季以NO3^- -N为主而春季则以NH4^+-N为主,秋季PO4^3- -P同时来源于长江冲淡水和台湾暖流．而春季则主要来源于台湾暖流．显示出春季台湾暖流对调查海区的影响程度大于秋季．     

Biomass size spectra of net plankton in the adjacent area near the Yangtze River Estuary in spring

Based on data from survey carried out in spring 2005, the biomass size spectra of net plankton were explored in the adjacent sea of Yangtze River Estuary. Results revealed an approximately continuous size distribution of plankton individuals, from phytoplankton (5–250 μm cell^?1 in equivalent sphere diameter (ESD), 15 pg–146 ng C cell^?1) to zooplankton (120 μm–2 cm ESD, 115 ng–7.5 mg C ind^?1). The normalized spectra (carbon scale) were linear with slope ranged from –0.889 to –0.445, and intercept ranged from 12.866 to 16.863 (all stations together, slope = –0.606, intercept = 19.448), indicating strong deviations from the ideal value (slope = –1.22) of a steady pelagic ecosystem. Correlation analysis presented that intercept and regression coefficient of net plankton size spectra had significant relationship with plankton biomass size diversity.     

长江口和杭州湾凤鲚胃含物与海洋浮游动物的种类组成比较

2009年6月—8月期间在长江口及杭州湾水域收集了1355尾的凤鲚（Coilia mystus）标本,对其胃含物进行分析,期间采用出现频率（F）、个数百分比（N）、重量百分比（W）、相对重要性指标（IRI）、优势度（Y）公式计算,并进行种类的相似性分析,同步采集了取样点附近的浮游动物,比较了凤鲚胃含物食谱与该海域浮游动物种类组成。结果表明：河口性的长额刺糠虾IRI 为703.25,%IRI为62.94%,远远超过其他种类,甚至超过任何一个桡足类优势种,因而是凤鲚食谱中的最重要的种类。凤鲚摄食的其他主要种类包括：火腿许水蚤（Schmackeria poplesia）（IRI = 261.04）,虫肢歪水蚤（Tortanus vermiculus）（IRI = 107.53）、真刺唇角水蚤（Labidocera euchaeta）（IRI = 27.27）。以上四种浮游动物重要性合计%IRI为98.36%。在主要食物种类占绝对优势。因而是凤鲚饵料中最重要的优势种。种类组成相似性分析结果显示：胃含物和海域浮游动物之间的相似度值大致在0.363—0.365之间;而两者桡足类之间的相似值在0.521—0.575之间。推测凤鲚对个体较小的桡足类摄食方法是过滤性摄食,对种类的选择性较低。而对个体较大的糠虾则是有选择性追逐摄食。     

珠江口超微型浮游植物时空分布及其与环境因子的关系

对珠江口及近海区域进行了夏季和冬季超微型浮游植物(0.2-3μm)调查,分析了其时空分布及其与环境因子的关系.夏季,珠江口浮游植物密度与磷酸盐成显著正相关,且N/P远远高于30,表明浮游植物受到P限制.夏季超微型藻数量比冬季高一个数量级,其丰度与盐度成显著正相关而和营养盐(溶解性无机氮(DIN),PO4-P,SiO4-Si)显著负相关,表明珠江口超微型藻受到径流的负面影响,表现出其数量在虎门附近海域低,随着咸淡水混合程度的加剧逐渐增大的分布特征;超微型浮游植物叶绿素a在总叶绿素a中的比例也表现为河口上游低,到万山群岛附近海域达到最大,推测近海高光照、低营养盐更适宜超微型藻的生长,同时也说明超微型浮游植物适应贫营养环境的生态特点.     

The prediction of nutrients into estuaries and their subsequent behaviour: application to the Tamar and comparison with the Tweed,U.K.

Some of the techniques used to model nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) discharges from a terrestrial catchment to an estuary are discussed and applied to the River Tamar and Tamar Estuary system in Southwest England, U.K. Data are presented for dissolved inorganic nutrient concentrations in the Tamar Estuary and compared with those from the contrasting, low turbidity and rapidly flushed Tweed Estuary in Northeast England. In the Tamar catchment, simulations showed that effluent nitrate loads for typical freshwater flows contributed less than 1% of the total N load. The effect of effluent inputs on ammonium loads was more significant (10%). Cattle, sheep and permanent grassland dominated the N catchment export, with diffuse-source N export greatly dominating that due to point sources. Cattle, sheep, permanent grassland and cereal crops generated the greatest rates of diffuse-source P export. This reflected the higher rates of P fertiliser applications to arable land and the susceptibility of bare, arable land to P export in wetter winter months. N and P export to the Tamar Estuary from human sewage was insignificant. Non-conservative behaviour of phosphate was particularly marked in the Tamar Estuary. Silicate concentrations were slightly less than conservative levels, whereas nitrate was essentially conservative. The coastal sea acted as a sink for these terrestrially derived nutrients. A pronounced sag in dissolved oxygen that was associated with strong nitrite and ammonium peaks occurred in the turbidity maximum region of the Tamar Estuary. Nutrient behaviour within the Tweed was very different. The low turbidity and rapid flushing ensured that nutrients there were essentially conservative, so that flushing of nutrients to the coastal zone from the river occurred with little estuarine modification.     

Variation in populations of Littorina obtusata and L. mariae (Gastropoda) in the Severn Estuary

Populations of both species of flat periwinkle were examined at five discrete sites along the Severn Estuary, and at a marine site in Dyfed. The vertical distribution of the two species showed a clear partitioning of the shore – Littorina obtusata occupied the high/mid shore and L. mariae the low shore area. L. obtusata also extended further up the Severn Estuary than L. mariae. Maximum densities of both species were found in Milford Haven. Biometric investigations revealed intra and inter-specific differences in colour morphs, shell damage and size between populations. The possible influence of differential selection pressures at the various sites is discussed.     

Impacts of variability of habitat factors on species composition of ichthyoplankton and distribution of fish spawning ground in the Changjiang River estuary and its adjacent waters

During June, August and October 2006, there were three multi-disciplinary surveys carried out in the Changjiang River estuary and its adjacent waters (122°00′–125°00′E, 27°50′–34°00′N) by R/V Beidou to study the species composition and abundance of ichthyoplankton (including fish eggs, larvae and juveniles), the spatial distribution of fish spawning ground and their relationship with habitat factors. There were 29, 29 and 25 grid stations sampled in the three cruises, respectively. The ichthyoplankton samples were collected by horizontally towing with a macro-plankton net (mouth diameter 80 cm, length 270 cm, mesh size 0.50 mm) at the sea surface, and the towing speed was 3.0 n mile/h at each sampling station. The towing lasted for 10 min. After hauling for each station, habitat factors including temperature and salinity were measured by Sea Bird-25 CTD. Samples were preserved in 5% formaldehyde solution immediately after sampling for analysis in laboratory. Since the trawl speed could not be accurately evaluated due to the effects of ocean currents and wind-induced wave, the amount of ichthyoplankton was evaluated by actual number of the sampling haul in each station. Ichthyoplankton collected were divided into three categories: dominant species, important species and main species by the index of relative importance (IRI). There are 71 species (including 1200 fish eggs and 2575 fish larvae and juveniles) collected during 3 cruises and 59 species have been correctly identified to species level, which belongs to 50 genera, 37 families and 9 orders; while 5 species can only be identified to genera level, 1 species only identified to family level and 6 species identified to order level. These 59 species identified to species level and 5 species identified to genera level are divided into three ecological patterns, i.e., brackish water species, neritic water species and coastal water species. Warm water species have 34 species in those 59 species identified to species level, accounting for 57.63%, warm temperature species have 25 species, accounting for 42.37%. According to the analysis of IRI, the dominant species are Engraulis japonicus (in June and August, that is important species in October), Scomber japonicus (in August), and Johnius grypotus (in October) during the survey; important species are Cynoglossus joyneri (in June and August), Trichiurus lepturus (in June, August and October), Gonorhynchus abbreviatus (in August), Stolephorus commersonii (in October), Saurida undosquamis (in October) and Saurida elongate (in October), and main species have 12 species in June, 9 species in August and 10 species in October, respectively. The amount of fish eggs and larvae of the dominant species, important species and main species (28 species) are 97.50% and 97.13% of the total amount of fish eggs and larvae, respectively, which are the important composition of fish eggs and larvae in the Changjiang River estuary and its adjacent waters.
In June and August of 2006, if compared with that in corresponding months in 1986, there are great changes in the habitat factors especially for temperature and salinity in the investigating areas: high salinity water from off-shelf is much closer to the coastal areas which results in the dramatic increase of sea surface salinity during all three surveys. Sea surface temperature, on the other hand, decreases distinctively in June, but significantly increases in August. The run-off of the Changjiang River greatly reduced due to the long-term drought in summer 2006, which is responsible for the great changes of habitat factors in the Changjiang River estuary and its adjacent waters. The habitat of the Changjiang River estuary is greatly changed, which consequently has significant influences on the spawning, breeding and the spatial distribution of spawning ground of neritic water species, such as Sardinella zunasi, Thryssa kammalensis, Thryssa mystax, Setipinna taty and S. commersonii ect, and coastal water species, such as Ilisha elongate and Konosirus punctatus ect.