Negative effects of blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) presence in eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds in Flensborg fjord,Denmark

The effect of blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) presence in eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds was studied from June 2004 to July 2005 in Flensborg fjord, Denmark. The field experiments were conducted at two stations, one with only Z. marina (Eelgrass station) present and one where M. edulis were present in the Z. marina beds (Mixed station). Zostera marina parameters were measured (growth of leaves, shoot density, leaf length, and nutrient content) in combination with epiphyte cover and sediment parameters (sulphate reduction rates, sediment nutrient fluxes, organic content, C, N and P content) to examine possible positive and negative effects of the mussels on eelgrass performance. The fluxes of ammonium from the sediments were stimulated at all sampling dates at the Mixed station, and possibly stimulated epiphyte growth at this station. Further ¹⁵N signals in epiphytes from the Mixed station suggested that excretion products from the mussels were important nitrogen sources at this station. Sulphate reduction rates were enhanced at the Mixed station and also sediment sulphide concentrations increased under mussel influence, which may have resulted in sulphide toxicity and decreased growth of Z. marina at this station. The study indicates that for Z. marina beds in Flensborg Fjord the effects of M. edulis in seagrass beds are primarily negative, and raises the question whether this leads to negative effects on the stability and expansion of Z. marina beds.     

Otolith reading and multi-model inference for improved estimation of age and growth in the gilthead seabream Sparus aurata (L.)

Accurate knowledge of fish age and growth is crucial for species conservation and management of exploited marine stocks. In exploited species, age estimation based on otolith reading is routinely used for building growth curves that are used to implement fishery management models. However, the universal fit of the von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF) on data from commercial landings can lead to uncertainty in growth parameter inference, preventing accurate comparison of growth-based history traits between fish populations. In the present paper, we used a comprehensive annual sample of wild gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) in the Gulf of Lions (France, NW Mediterranean) to test a methodology improving growth modelling for exploited fish populations. After validating the timing for otolith annual increment formation for all life stages, a comprehensive set of growth models (including VBGF) were fitted to the obtained age–length data, used as a whole or sub-divided between group 0 individuals and those coming from commercial landings (ages 1–6). Comparisons in growth model accuracy based on Akaike Information Criterion allowed assessment of the best model for each dataset and, when no model correctly fitted the data, a multi-model inference (MMI) based on model averaging was carried out. The results provided evidence that growth parameters inferred with VBGF must be used with high caution. Hence, VBGF turned to be among the less accurate for growth prediction irrespective of the dataset and its fit to the whole population, the juvenile or the adult datasets provided different growth parameters. The best models for growth prediction were the Tanaka model, for group 0 juveniles, and the MMI, for the older fish, confirming that growth differs substantially between juveniles and adults. All asymptotic models failed to correctly describe the growth of adult S. aurata, probably because of the poor representation of old individuals in the dataset. Multi-model inference associated with separate analysis of juveniles and adult fish is then advised to obtain objective estimations of growth parameters when sampling cannot be corrected towards older fish.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water,mussels (Brachidontes sp., Tagelus sp.) and fish (Odontesthes sp.) from Bahía Blanca Estuary,Argentina

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), one of the major groups of anthropogenic environmental pollutants, were firstly identified and measured in coastal waters, native mussels and fish of an industrialized South American estuary.     

Latitudinal comparison of spawning season and growth of 0-group sole, Solea solea (L.)

0-Group sole, Solea solea (Linnaeus, 1758) were sampled in four nursery grounds: two on the Northern French coast and two on the Portuguese coast. Juvenile sole were collected at the Vilaine estuary (Northern Bay of Biscay) in 1992, in the Authie estuary (Eastern English Channel) in 1997, and in the Douro and Tagus estuary (Northern and central Portugal, respectively) in 2005. Left lapilli otoliths were used to estimate age and investigate variability in growth rates and hatch dates. In the French study areas nursery colonisation ended in early June in the Vilaine estuary and in late June in the Authie estuary. In the Portuguese estuaries nursery colonisation ended in May in the Douro estuary and in late June in the Tagus estuary. Growth rates were higher in the Portuguese estuaries, 0.767 mm d⁻¹ in the Tagus estuary and 0.903 mm d⁻¹ in the Douro estuary. In the French nurseries, growth rates were estimated to be 0.473 mm d⁻¹ in the Villaine estuary and 0.460 mm d⁻¹ in the Authie estuary. Data on growth rates from other studies shows that growth rates are higher at lower latitudes, probably due to higher water temperature. Spawning took place between early January and early April in the Villaine estuary's coastal area in 1992. In 1997, in the Authie estuary spawning started in late January and ended in early April. On the Douro estuary's adjacent coast spawning started in mid-January and ended in late March, in 2005, while on the Tagus estuary's adjacent coast spawning started in mid-February and ended in mid-April, in the same year. Literature analysis of the spawning period of sole along a latitudinal gradient ranging from 38°N to 55°N in the Northeast Atlantic indicated that there is a latitudinal trend, in that spawning starts sooner at lower latitudes. Results support that local conditions, particularly hydrodynamics, may overrule general latitudinal trends.     

The action of heavy metals on the gametes of the marine mussel, Mytilus edulis (L.)-II. Uptake of copper and zinc and their effect on respiration in the sperm and unfertilized egg

The addition of stock copper and zinc nitrate solutions to filtered seawater (pH 7·91) resulted in a large pH shift which was more pronounced with copper. The pH shift was minimized by increasing the buffering capacity of seawater using 10 mm Tris-Tes pH 7·91. Subsequent experimentation was carried out in both unbuffered and buffered seawater.In unbuffered seawater, both copper and zinc had a pronounced inhibitory effect on Mytilus edulis sperm respiration with 50% inhibition occurring at 0.65 mm (41·3 ppm) copper and 1.0 mm (65·4 ppm) zinc. Egg respiration was also inhibited by copper with 50% inhibition occurring at 0.9 mm (57·2 ppm) whereas zinc inhibited egg respiration by only 30% at 1·5 mM (98·1 ppm).In buffered seawater, both copper and zinc produced an inhibitory effect on sperm respiration. However, with copper the inhibition was much reduced whereas zinc had tthe same inhibitory effect as in unbuffered seawater. In contrast to unbuffered seawater, egg respiration was stimulated by copper but zinc produced a comparable respiratory inhibition. The uptake of both copper and zinc in sperm and egg in buffered seawater increased with increasing metal concentration. Metal ion uptake, when expressed as ng ions μl cell volume^?1, was approximately 3-fold greater in the sperm than in the eggs and in both cases zinc uptake exceeded copper uptake.At a seawater pH of < 7·5, in the absence of copper or zinc, the respiration of both egg and sperm was inhibited. The maximum levels of inhibition at pH 5·4 were 15% and 30% for sperm and egg, respectively.The differing actions of copper on egg respiration in buffered and unbuffered seawater appear to be due to enhanced copper uptake in unbuffered seawater.     

Factors affecting offspring growth and daily nest survival rates in the coastal breeding Western Reef Heron (Egretta gularis) in the Persian Gulf

Offspring growth and nest survival of waterbirds are important and prominent characteristics of their life history. Nestling growth and daily survival rates of the Western Reef Heron Egretta gularis were studied in Hara Biosphere Reserve, Persian Gulf, Iran. Growth parameters were determined in relation to both age ranking of each nestling within a brood and the brood size using data from known‐age nestlings. Nesting success was modeled based on the information‐theoretic approach implemented by the program MARK to assess the effects of clutch initiation date, nest size and location on daily survival rates of nests. Mean daily growth rate of body mass was 18.06 ± 6.22 g during the first 2 weeks of age and was independent of brood size but was greater in nestlings hatching earlier within the brood. Wing and tarsus growth rate was influenced by both brood size and nestling rank within the brood, but culmen growth was independent of both factors. Earlier hatched nestlings grew faster than those hatched later. Growth of all morphometric parameters followed the Logistic growth curve model except for wing chord, which fitted the Gompertz growth model. Nest size and nest height above the ground were the most important predictors of nest survival (ω_i = 0.79 and ω_i = 0.69, respectively), with survival among Western Reef Heron nests improving as the nest size and nest height increased. This study shows the importance of temporal and spatial variables for breeding ecology of a common but little‐known breeding heron in coastal areas of Persian Gulf.     

水体中组织胺对日本新糠虾生长、发育和体内组织胺含量的影响

将日本新糠虾(Neomysis japonica)从新孵幼体至性成熟,养殖于不同质量浓度组织胺水体中,其质量浓度分别为0mg/L(对照组),5mg/L(低剂量组,L组),10mg/L(中剂量组,M组),15mg/L(高剂量组,H组),以研究水体中组织胺对日本新糠虾存活、生长和发育的影响及糠虾体内组织胺含量的变化。结果表明,随组织胺质量浓度的升高,日本新糠虾的体长、体质量和存活率均呈现下降趋势;M组和H组日本新糠虾的体长和体质量显著小于对照组(P0.05),而L组与对照组间无显著差异;较高质量浓度的组织胺(15mg/L)能显著降低日本新糠虾的存活率,H组存活率仅为53.92%±3.58%;各组织胺质量浓度组对雄性日本新糠虾性征出现时间无显著的影响,但对雄性日本新糠虾性成熟时间有不同程度的延迟作用,对照组性成熟时间为(25.71±0.76)d,而H组为(28.00±0.82)d,两组间差异显著(P0.05);雌性日本新糠虾的性成熟时间也有随组织胺质量浓度升高而呈延迟的趋势,但仅H组与对照组存在显著差异(P0.05),延迟近3d。经HPLC(High Performance Liquid Chromatography,简称HPLC)法检测日本新糠虾体内组织胺后,发现M和H组中检测出了较高含量的组织胺,分别达到(435.33±56.94)pg/g和(478.67±140.57)pg/g,显著高于对照组(P0.05)。上述结果说明,水体中一定质量浓度的组织胺能抑制日本新糠虾的生长和发育,其体内组织胺含量的升高可能是重要的诱因之一。     

移植操作胁迫对天鹅湖大叶藻存活、生长及光合色素含量的影响

2009年4月利用植株枚订移植法在山东荣成天鹅湖海域开展大叶藻植株移植,于5~10月监测移植大叶藻植株的存活率,并逐月采集自然和移植大叶藻植株,比较了植株生长、叶绿素含量和类胡萝卜素含量的变化,分析了移植操作胁迫对大叶藻存活、生长、叶绿素含量和类胡萝卜素含量的影响。结果显示,移植后1~2个月,移植植株的平均成活率较高,至移植后4个月,平均成活率降至57.8%,之后保持稳定。移植后6个月内,叶长移植植株均极显著低于自然植株;根长和茎节长在移植后1个月时移植植株显著低于自然植株,移植2个月后与自然植株无明显差异,甚至显著高于自然植株;叶绿素含量和类胡萝卜素含量在移植后1个月时移植植株显著低于自然植株,移植2个月后则与天然植株无明显不同,甚至显著高于自然植株,但10月份移植植株的叶绿素含量明显下降。结果表明,移植操作对大叶藻植株的地上部分产生了严重的胁迫作用和较长的胁迫时间,而移植植株的地下部分及叶片叶绿素和类胡萝卜素在经过短期胁迫后,能够通过自身的补偿机制分别实现快速生长和显著增加,从而利于植株的扎根、固着和提高植株的光合作用能力。     

Quantitative assessment of intertidal blue mussel (Mytilus edulis L.) stocks: combined methods of remote sensing, field investigation and sampling

The aim of this investigation was to develop appropriate methods for quantitative assessment of blue mussel beds. Combined methods of remote sensing, ground truth investigation and sampling in the field were applied to mature and young intertidal mussel beds. Three variables were measured to obtain reliable quantitative estimates of biomass and abundance: the total area covered by a bed; the cover, i.e. the area of mussel-covered patches in relation to the total mussel bed area; and the proportion, i.e. the area covered by mussels within the patches in relation to the total area of mussel patches. Cover and proportion of intertidal blue mussel beds were measured in the field by the transection method. Aerial photographs enabled the total area of the beds to be determined and large-scale surveys of mussel beds to be carried out synchronously. By examining large-scale aerial photographs it was possible also to determine the cover by remote sensing. The proportion could not be derived from aerial photographs, even from pictures at the largest scale tested during this investigation (scale 1:2500). By statistical methods it was estimated that 12 sub-samples (each covering 177 cm²) from mature beds, and 12 sub-samples (each covering 38 cm²) from young beds are needed to obtain reliable data on biomass and abundance.     

流速对封闭循环水养殖大菱鲆生长、摄食及水质氮素的影响

在封闭循环水高密度养殖条件下(平均密度14.1 kg/m²±0.51 kg/m²), 设置4 个流速梯度(200, 400,600, 800 L/h,分别以A～D 组表示), 挑选相近体质量(200.3g±7.6 g)的大菱鲆进行42 d 养殖试验, 每个梯度设置3 个重复, 每个重复55 尾鱼, 研究流速对封闭循环水养殖大菱鲆生长、摄食以及水质氮素的影响。试验结果表明: (1) 大菱鲆(Scophthatmus maximus L)特定生长率、增质量率、摄食量随流速增大先快速上升后缓升趋稳, 饲料系数则相反。B、C、D 3 组特定生长率、摄食量分别显著高于A 组30.77%～52.31%、17.30%～22.05%; 饲料系数则显著低于A 组13.83%～22.34%; (2) 养殖水体中总氨氮、非离子氨及亚硝酸氮浓度随流速的增大先快速下降后缓降趋稳。B、C、D 3 组水质总氨氮氨浓度均显著低于A 组53.70%～79.07%; (3) 根据流速对特定生长率、水体总氨氮二者的影响, 得出养殖的生态适宜流速为625 L/h。再结合流速对水循环动力的影响, 得出养殖的生态经济适宜流速为480 L/h。     

An annual cycle of recruitment,growth and production in a Malaysian population of the trochacean gastropod Umbonium vestiarium (L.)

From July 1981 to July 1982 Umbonium vestiarium (L.) on a north Penang sand shore numbered 573–11 077 m^?2 (mean 4126 or 53·1 g dry tissue) near MLWN and 2164–12 414 m^?2 (mean 6500 or 59·8 g dry tissue) further downshore. Heavy recruitment of young became evident in June and July 1982 and a closely corresponding cohort of young was present in July 1981. Progression of this cohort indicated that young settling in May–June grew to full size (11–13 mm diameter) by January–March the following year and that virtually all died during their second year, presumably having spawned in March–May. Recruitment of young was chiefly on the lower shore but adults came to be more abundant and predominant on the upper shore. There is some evidence of migration upshore during growth.Production is estimated at 105·4 g dry tissue m^?2 y^?1 (2118 kj) at the lower shore level and this is almost double the 58·8 g m^?2 y^?1 (1176·6 kj) at the higher level. These values represent almost the entire secondary production across much of the sand flats.Possible causes of such a marked annual cycle in the very weakly seasonal tropics of the Malacca Strait are considered and it is suggested that monsoonal changes in wind, wave action and salinity might be involved.     

蛋白质营养对工业化养殖大菱鲆生长、消化和免疫的效应

在封闭循环水养殖条件下, 选用体质量为(145.08±0.56)g 大菱鲆(Scophthatmus maximus L.)幼鱼,进行4 种蛋白质梯度水平(41%、46%、50%、55%, 即I、II、III、IV 组)的单因素试验74 d, 研究蛋白质营养对工业化养殖大菱鲆生长、消化酶、免疫机能的影响。结果表明: (1) 试验鱼增质量率随日粮蛋白质含量升高而提高, 中高蛋白水平(III、IV 组)增质量率分别极显著或显著高于I、II 组18.46%~65.75%,III、IV 组间无显著差异; 饲料系数则相应下降, III、IV 组分别极显著低于I 组21.15%~27.73%(P<0.01),II、III、IV 组间无显著差异;(2)大菱鲆胃肠、肝胰脏的蛋白酶活力随蛋白水平升高而显著增强, 其中IV组胃蛋白酶活力分别极显著高于其他组15.28%~31.96% (P<0.01), 肝胰脏胰蛋白酶活力分别显著或极显著高于其他组9.74%~26.29%; 胃肠淀粉酶、肝胰脏淀粉酶及脂肪酶活性受饲料蛋白水平影响不显著;(3)随日粮蛋白含量提高, 各试组鱼成活率与主要免疫器官溶菌酶活力呈先上升后缓降的趋势, III 组最优, 其成活率高于低、高蛋白水平组2.86%~9.34%, 但4 组间差异不显著; 肝脏溶菌酶活力分别极显著高于I 组80.07%(P< 0.01), 显著高于II 组43.56%(P< 0.05); 头肾溶菌酶活力极显著高于I、II 组67.78%和35.76%(P< 0.01); 与IV 组差异不显著;(4)血清ACP 及LYZ 活力随日粮蛋白水平提高先升后降, III组LYZ 活力极显著高于I 组31.92%(P< 0.01), 显著高于II 组18.72%(P< 0.05); 血MDA 随蛋白水平提高显著降低, IV 组分别极显著低于I、II、III 组13.26%~31.61%; 血清SOD 活力及C3 补体含量随日粮蛋白含量增加而提高, 但各组间差异不显著。结果表明, 日粮中、高蛋白质含量显著促进大菱鲆幼鱼的生长性能和蛋白质消化酶活力, 而中等蛋白水平更加有利于幼鱼重要免疫机能的发挥和成活率的提高。因而, 日粮中等蛋白质含量更适宜于工业化循环水养殖大菱鲆幼鱼的蛋白质营养和健康生长。