麻痹性贝毒研究进展

根据８０－９０年代中际上对麻痹性贝毒研究的最新进展,就研究中的几个热点问题进行综合评述,包括：麻痹性贝毒产毒藻的识别;毒素产生机制;毒素监测和分析方法;麻痹性贝毒对海洋生物的影响;麻痹怀贝毒对水产养殖业的影响及对策等。概括了麻痹性贝毒研究的现状和研究中的亟待解决的问题。中国在麻痹性贝毒毒素研究领域只进行了一些初步的工作,本文结合中中国的研究现状,提出以后在此领域内的重点研究方向。     

Physical processes contributing to harmful algal blooms in Saldanha Bay,South Africa

The study synthesises current understanding of the predominant physical processes responsible for the seasonality of harmful algal blooms, notably Alexandrium catenella and Dinophysis spp., in the nearshore environment of Saldanha Bay on the west coast of South Africa. Saldanha Bay is one of the few naturally sheltered areas on the South African coastline suitable for in situ shellfish farming and is the major site for the production of black mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis in South Africa. Mussel farming started there in 1985 and the present level of production is some 2 700 tons per annum. Since 1994, disruption of harvesting as a result of the presence of harmful algal species has been a regular late-summer phenomenon. Toxic blooms that are ultimately advected into the bay develop on the continental shelf to the north between 32°S and St Helena Bay, a region characterized by favourable conditions for dinoflagellate growth and circulation patterns that facilitate build-up of intense blooms during late summer. Offshore dinoflagellate populations are advected shorewards and polewards in response to relaxation of upwelling at the Namaqua cell to the north. Dinoflagellate blooms are advected south from the southern Namaqua shelf during upwelling relaxation. Under such conditions, the gyre south of Elands Bay moves offshore and a barotropic flow past Cape Columbine is established. Evidence suggests that the near surface component of the flow occurs as a sudden "flood" event. These dinoflagellate-containing shelf waters are in turn advected into Saldanha Bay when upwelling relaxes, when the density gradient between the bay and the shelf drives surface inflow and bottom water outflow. These flows are reversed with the resumption of upwelling over the shelf, resulting in intrusion and entrainment of bottom water and surface outflow. Entrainment dictates that the bay acts as a net importer of bottom water and net exporter of surface waters over a synoptic cycle. This system of exchange between Saldanha Bay and the shelf curtails the duration and severity of toxic episodes in the bay relative to the shelf.     

An Inshore Poleward Current in the NW of the Iberian Peninsula Detected from Satellite Images, and its Relation withG. catenatum and D. acuminata Blooms in the Galician Rias

Toxic Gymnodinium catenatum blooms usually occur in the Galician Rias at the end of the upwelling season, which necessitates a ban on harvesting shellfish extraction, with subsequent economic losses for this sector. One of the possible causes cited in the literature is the advection of populations from outside the area but no evidence was available to substantiate this.Oceanographic conditions at the end of the upwelling season in the NW coast of the Iberian Peninsula (39°–43°N) have been studied for the years 1986, 1990, 1995 and 1998. Sea surface temperature data from satellite images, wind data, drifter tracks and in situ oceanic data from the Galician Rias have been combined to clarify the oceanographic structures in the area at the commencement of the blooms. On the inner shelf, an inshore poleward current advecting warm water has been identified after the cessation of upwelling. On the middle and outer shelf, a tongue of cold water as a remnant of the previous upwelling continued to move southward. On the slope and offshore, the poleward counter current reported by several authors was detected carrying warm oceanic water northwards.It is suggested that the inshore poleward current, not previously reported in the literature, could advect initial populations of dinoflagellates to the Rias from northern Portuguese waters. This would explain why blooms such as G. catenatum have been found usually in Portuguese waters several weeks before the Galician Rias, showing an apparent northward movement, but cells of this toxic dinoflagellate species have not been found in waters of the offshore poleward counter current.     

Accumulation of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning toxins in the oyster Crassostrea gigas and the mussel Choromytilus meridionalis in the southern Benguela ecosystem

Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) poses a significant threat to the safe consumption of shellfish in the southern Benguela ecosystem. The accumulation of DSP toxins was investigated in two cultivated bivalve species, the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas and the mussel Choromytilus meridio-nalis, suspended from a mooring located off Lambert's Bay on the west coast of South Africa. The dinoflagellate Dinophysis acuminata, a known source of polyether toxins associated with DSP, was common through most of the study period. The toxin composition of the dinoflagellate was dominated by okadaic acid (OA) (91%), with lesser quantities of the dinophysistoxin DTX-1 (6.5%) and pecteno-toxin PTX-2 (2.4%), and traces of PTX-2sa and PTX-11. The mean cell toxin quota of D. acuminata was 7.8 pg OA cell^–1. The toxin profile in shellfish was characterised by a notably higher relative content of DTX-1. The study showed the average concentration of DSP toxins in the mussels to exceed that in the oysters by approximately 20-fold. The results indicate a need to establish species-specific sampling frequencies in shellfish safety monitoring programmes.     

Ecological features of harmful algal blooms in coastal upwelling ecosystems

Upwelling regions are the most complex habitats in which dinoflagellates produce red tides, but the flora is not unique. Many species also bloom in nutrient-enriched, non-upwelling systems, share the collective dinoflagellate trait of low-nutrient affinity, and can achieve relatively fast growth rates. Blooms occur over the range of nutrient – mixing – advection combinations found in upwelling habitats, rather than being restricted to the high-nutrient high-irradiance low-turbulence conditions posited by Margalef's classical Mandala and its Bowman et al. and Pingree versions. The bloom species are primarily ruderal strategists (R-species), which typify "mixing – drift" life-forms adapted to the velocities associated with frontal zones, entrainment within coastal currents, and vertical mixing during upwelling relaxations. Collectively, dinoflagellates appear capable of surviving fairly high turbulence spectra formed at representative Kolmogorov length scale – wind speed conditions. This biophysical protection might be the result of cell size-facilitated entrainment within the micro-eddies formed during turbulent energy dissipation. The swimming speeds of 71 clones of dinoflagellates are compared and related to reported rates of vertical motion in coastal upwelling systems. There are slow and fast swimmers; many exhibit motility rates that can exceed representative in situ vertical and horizontal water mass movements. At least four dinoflagellates from upwelling systems form chains leading to increased swimming speeds, and may be an adaptation for growth in coastal upwelling habitats. Red tides are frequent and fundamental features of upwelling systems, particularly during intermittent upwelling relaxations, rather than dichotomous (sometimes catastrophic) interruptions of the diatom blooms characteristically induced by upwelling. Successional sequences and the "red tide" zone may differ between upwelling and non-upwelling systems. In the latter, red tides diverge from the main sequence and are appropriately positioned in the Mandala's ecological space of high nutrients and low turbulence. An amended Mandala based on Pingree's S-kh model and the Smayda and Reynolds life-form model is presented to accommodate the range of red tide development and their successional routing found in coastal upwelling systems. Ecophysiological data support the Pitcher and Boyd seeding mechanism model, which can lead to red tides in upwelling systems. Nutrients, phyto-stimulation and grazing pressure as triggering factors in upwelling-system red tides are considered. Some red tides may be stimulated by nutrients and growth promoting factors excreted by migrating shoals and "boils" of c1upeoid stocks, with selective zooplankton grazing contributory. Substantial collapses in grazing pressure may be essential in anoxic red tide events. The mass mortalities that accompany anoxia, common to the Benguela and Peru upwelling systems, may be a trophic control mechanism to maintain biogeochemical balance and regional homeostasis, which are vital to upwelling ecosystem dynamics. Some traditional concepts of phytoplankton ecology may not completely apply to dinoflagellate bloom events in coastal upwelling systems.     

The influence of upwelling on South African west coast seaweeds

Upwelling from the Benguela Current system on the South African west coast has produced a seaweed flora distinct from that in the region east of Cape Agulhas. The origins of the major red algal component of the West Coast flora appear to be in temperate and polar regions of the southern Pacific Ocean, whereas the South and East Coast floras are more closely related to the floras of the tropical Indian Ocean and of South and West Australia. Although the West Coast flora has a high degree of endemism, recent evidence suggests that events since the initiation of the Benguela system < 12 million years ago have been crucial in its formation. Evidence on the effects of upwelling on growth and physiology suggests that rapid irregular fluctuations in temperature and nutrients on the West Coast have little effect on the strongly seasonal patterns of development, which are probably brought about by aspects of the light regime. Variations in light intensity in the sublittoral caused by upwelling or downwelling conditions appear to have relatively minor effects on seaweed production. Little is known of the effects of high concentrations of available nutrients in upwelled water, although the kelp Ecklonia maxima appears to have evolved both morphologically and physiologically to the West Coast conditions.     

Distribution and abundance of eggs,larvae and early juveniles of saury Scomberesox saurus scombroides (Richardson) off the south-western Cape,South Africa, 1977/78

The distribution patterns of saury eggs, larvae and early juveniles have been investigated over the continental shelf off the South-Western Cape from August 1977 to August 1978. Young saury tend to occupy water of 18°C or warmer in all seasons and are found offshore of the Benguela oceanic front when inshore upwelling is evident. Their distribution in the region appears to be linked to seasonal hydrography. Spawning in the study area occurs mainly between Cape Columbine and Cape Point, and to a lesser extent east of Cape Point. The ratio of large larvae and early juveniles to small larvae is greater off the West Coast than off the South Coast. Most spawning appears to take place in summer, with a peak abundance of larvae and early juveniles towards the end of this season. Instantaneous natural mortality was calculated: 5 – 30 mm, Z = 0,14·day^?1; 30 – 100 mm, Z = 0,02·day^?1. There is therefore a marked but unexplained decline in mortality shortly after the transition from the larval to the juvenile phase.     

"Predation" of anchovy by an Agulhas ring: a possible contributory cause of the very poor year-class of 1989

There was a marked decrease in abundance of anchovy Engraulis capensis off South Africa between November 1988 and November 1990 caused by formation of poor year-classes in 1989 and 1990. The percentage of anchovy in the diet of Cape gannets Morus capensis indicated that the most marked decrease in anchovy biomass was between June and July 1989. A filament from the Benguela upwelling front was in the process of being entrained by a passing ring of Agulhas Current water at that time. The ring extracted a large volume of frontal water over a period of 2–3 months, prevented its return to the shelf region and possibly removed anchovy larvae and pre-recruits from the Benguela system. It may have played a role in depressing the 1989 anchovy year-class, and hence the 1989 recruit biomass.     

Modelling the effect of food availability on recruitment success of Cape anchovy ichthyoplankton in the southern Benguela upwelling system

Cape anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus adapted its reproductive strategies to the southern Benguela system by spawning over the Agulhas Bank, an area of low productivity that is located upstream of the predominant upwelling system. Frontal jet currents transport eggs and larvae toward the west coast of South Africa, where recruitment takes place. To characterise the recruitment dynamics of Cape anchovy ichthyoplankton, we used an individual-based model forced by a coupled hydrodynamic–biogeochemical model. The results show the importance of food (especially diatoms and copepods) dynamics on the spatial and temporal patterns of recruitment success, and also confirm the importance of the spawning area, timing and water depth on the recruitment success of Cape anchovy larvae.     

福建福宁湾表层沉积物中甲藻孢囊分布与多样性研究

孢囊是甲藻生活史中特殊的休眠阶段,被认为是赤潮发生的种源。于2018年4月采集了福建福宁湾海域表层沉积物,对沉积物中甲藻孢囊的分布规律进行了研究,重点揭示有毒有害甲藻孢囊的分布;同时测定了沉积物中生源要素含量,以揭示孢囊分布与生源要素的关系。共鉴定甲藻孢囊25种,其中别什藻(Biecheleria tirezensis)孢囊占据优势。孢囊的种类多样性指数(H'')偏低,为2.06~2.34;均匀度指数(J)为0.71~0.81。孢囊密度介于178.6~386.3 cysts/g (以干重计,下同),平均为286.0cysts/g。孢囊密度高值区位于水深较深、沉积物颗粒较细的长表岛外海域,而低值区则位于长表岛至海尾角的近岸海域。值得注意的是,研究分析鉴定出9种有毒有害甲藻的孢囊,包括麻痹性贝类毒素(paralytic shellfish poisoning,PSP)原因种奥氏亚历山大藻(Alexandrium ostenfeldii)和链状/塔玛亚历山大藻(Alexandrium catenella/tamarense)孢囊复合体、goniodomine A原因种平野亚历山大藻(Alexandrium hiranoi)、虾夷扇贝毒素(yessotoxin,YTX)原因种具刺膝沟藻(Gonyaulax spinifera)和网状原角藻(Protoceratium reticulatum)、产生鱼毒素的哈曼褐多沟藻(Pheopolykrikos hartmannii)以及赤潮藻类Barrufeta bravensis、锥状斯氏藻(Scrippsiella acuminata)和垂裂莱万藻(Levanderina fissa),其中Barrufeta bravensis、Gonyaulax spinifera和Scrippsiella acuminata的孢囊分布广泛且密度较高,需引起关注。     

A hard-knock life: the foraging ecology of Cape cormorants amidst shifting prey resources and industrial fishing pressure

Once one of the most numerous seabirds of the Benguela upwelling system, the population of Cape cormorants Phalacrocorax capensis has decreased by 60% in the past three decades and the species is listed as Near Threatened. Declines in prey availability and/or abundance brought about by recent changes in the distribution of pelagic fish stocks and industrial purse-seine fishing are hypothesised to be a key driver of seabird population decreases in the southern Benguela. We investigated the foraging behaviour of breeding Cape cormorants by deploying GPS and temperature–depth recorders on 24 breeding adults from three islands off the coast of South Africa, two of them to the north of Cape Point and a third farther south on the western Agulhas Bank. This provided the first measures of foraging dispersal by a cormorant in the Benguela system, and enabled a comparison of foraging behaviour between birds from these islands. Foraging trips of Cape cormorants lasted between 17 min and >7 h, at a maximum distance of between 2 and 58 km away from their colony. Foraging effort was significantly greater for birds from farther north off the West Coast in terms of trip duration, distance travelled, number of dives and time spent flying compared to those from the southernmost island (Dyer), which is probably a response to low prey availability in the north. Coastal reserves that exclude pelagic fishing from inshore feeding grounds around Cape cormorant breeding colonies may result in increased local prey availability, which would benefit Cape cormorant populations.     

Mesopelagic fish derivatives in the southern Benguela upwelling region

Discussion of mesopelagic fish within the southern Benguela system necessitates recognition of both oceanic and neritic realms, demarcated by the continental shelf-break. In the eastern South Atlantic (FAO Area 47), the stock size of two oceanic, mesopelagic families (Myctophidae, Sternoptychidae) have been estimated at 8–12 million and 750 000 metric tons respectively. Each possesses pseudoceanic species, populations of which constitute a possible alternative fishery resource to conventional pelagic stocks. Of these upper-slope/shelf derivatives, Lampanytodes hectoris (Myctophidae) and Maurolicus muelleri (Sternoptychidae) are most abundant. In the southern Benguela system (Orange River mouth to Cape Point), both species appear to be restricted mainly to the region east of the offshore divergence, corresponding roughly to the continental shelf-break. Maurolicus muelleri has not been taken by the fishery, but purse-seine landings of Lampanyctodes hectoris have accounted for up to some 10 per cent of the total South African pelagic catch. Anomalies in the commercial catch (sexual disparity, sexual immaturity) have been linked to expatriatism. This phenomenon is re-examined in the light of more recent data from research sampling in the southern Benguela region, and alternative biological hypotheses are presented to explain the anomalies. It is suggested that the energy "bonus" derived from vertical migration in summer is enhanced both by a physical component, termed "cycle riding", and by a biochemical component, linked to long-chain wax esters. Seasonal variation in percentage lipid concentration also appears to be associated with reproductive activity in the late winter-spring spawning period. Vertical migration may be reduced at this time, in tandem with the cessation of upwelling within the system and paucity of food in the upper water column. Comparative data for Maurolicus muelleri are presented.     

改性粘土对虾夷扇贝(Mizuhopecten yessoensis)体内麻痹性贝毒的影响

目前,改性粘土技术已成为国内外普遍认可的有害赤潮治理方法,但在利用该技术治理产毒藻赤潮过程中,对底栖滤食性贝类体内毒素累积和排出的影响尚不清楚。通过室内实验,考察了聚合氯化铝改性粘土(MC I)絮凝典型产毒藻——太平洋亚历山大藻(Alexandrium pacificum)后,虾夷扇贝食用组织和消化腺组织中麻痹性贝毒(paralytic shellfish poisoning,PSP)含量、组分的变化情况。研究结果表明,在前期毒素累积阶段,虾夷扇贝暴露于A. pacificum 3 h后,未添加改性粘土的对照组中虾夷扇贝食用组织毒素水平由空白组的未检出迅速升高至13.24µg STXeq/kg,消化腺组织毒素水平由0.68µg STXeq/kg升高至42.97µg STXeq/kg,第4 d时对照组食用组织、消化腺组织毒素水平达到最高,分别为258.67和3 208.40µg STXeq/kg。添加0.2 g/L MC I的实验组中,3 h后水体中97%的A.pacificum藻细胞被絮凝沉降,此时虾夷扇贝食用组织和消化腺组织毒素水平远低于对照组,分别为6.33和18.39µg STXeq/kg,第2 d时达到98.92和574.54µg STXeq/kg,均显著低于对照组(P<0.05),随后呈下降趋势。在随后的毒素排出阶段,实验组虾夷扇贝食用组织和消化腺组织毒素水平显著低于对照组(P<0.05)。另外,在累积阶段,对照组和实验组虾夷扇贝食用组织和消化腺组织中PSP各组分相对含量差异不大,说明改性粘土未对虾夷扇贝体内的PSP转化造成明显影响。由实验结果可见,改性粘土可有效絮凝去除水体中的A.pacificum藻细胞,减少虾夷扇贝对其的滤食,从而降低了PSP在贝类体内的积累,该研究结果将为改性粘土治理底栖贝类养殖水体有毒赤潮提供科学依据。     

Comparing trophic flows in the southern Benguela to those in other upwelling ecosystems

A balanced trophic flow model of the southern Benguela ecosystem is presented, averaging the period 1980–1989 and emphasizing upper trophic levels. The model is based largely on studies conducted within the framework of the Benguela Ecology Programme and updates the results of an expert workshop held in Cape Town in September 1989. Small pelagic fish other than anchovy Engraulis capensis and sardine Sardinops sagax, mainly round herring Etrumeus whiteheadi and mesopelagic fish, were important components of the food web in the southern Benguela. Severe balancing difficulties were encountered with respect to the semi-pelagic resources (hake Merluccius spp.) and demersal top predators (sharks), indicating the need for further research on the interaction of these groups with their ecosystem. The model is compared to other existing trophic flow models of ecosystems in major upwelling areas, i.e. the northern Humboldt Current (4–14°S), the California Current (28–42°N) and the southern Canary Current (l2–25°N), and to two independently constructed models of the northern Benguela ecosystem. These models are compared using network analysis routines of the ECOPATH software, focusing on the interactions between the five dominant fish species (anchovy, sardine, horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus capensis, chub mackerel Scomber japonicus and hake) that support important fisheries in all systems. The upwelling systems rank by size rather than species dominance. The ratio of catches and primary production differs between systems, partly because of differences in fishing regimes. Predation on the five dominant fish groups by other fish in the system was the most important cause of fish mortality in all models. Fishery catches are generally a larger cause of mortality for these groups than predation by mammals. The ecological cost of fishing appears to be comparatively low in the southern Benguela, because catches are low compared with the primary production, but also because the fishery is relatively low in the foodweb. However, in view of the very tight foodweb demonstrated in the model. it is likely that an increase in fishing pressure would cause severe trade-offs with respect to other components of the southern Benguela ecosystem.     

Biophysical models of larval dispersal in the Benguela Current ecosystem

We synthesise and update results from the suite of biophysical, larval-dispersal models developed in the Benguela Current ecosystem. Biophysical models of larval dispersal use outputs of physical hydrodynamic models as inputs to individual-based models in which biological processes acting during the larval life are included. In the Benguela, such models were first applied to simulate the dispersal of anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus and sardine Sardinops sagax ichthyoplankton, and more recently of the early life stages of chokka-squid Loligo reynaudii and Cape hakes Merluccius spp. We identify how the models have helped advance understanding of key processes for these species. We then discuss which aspects of the early life of marine species in the Benguela Current ecosystem are still not well understood and could benefit from new modelling studies.     

Mesoscale coupling between planktonic cnidarian distribution and water masses during a temporal transition between active upwelling and abatement in the northern Benguela system

The composition and spatio-temporal distribution of planktonic cnidarians in the northern Benguela system are described from plankton samples collected on four cruises between December 1981 and March 1982. The sampling period was characterized by initially active coastal upwelling, followed by abatement of upwelling. In all, 20 species of medusae and 24 species of siphonophores were identified. The most abundant medusae were Chrysaora hysoscella, Aequorea aequorea and Liriope tetraphylla, and the most abundant siphonophores were Muggiaea atlantica, Abylopsis tetragona and Bassia bassensis. Three assemblages of planktonic cnidarians were differentiated. The first was associated with coastal upwelling and consisted of the medusae Proboscidactyla menoni, Aglauropsis edwardsii and juvenile C. hysoscella, along with the siphonophore M. atlantica. The second assemblage was associated with oceanic water and the component species were indicative of the offshore influence of the Benguela system; L. tetraphylla and most of the siphonophores belonged to this assemblage. The third assemblage consisted of species typical of shelf fauna, namely A. aequorea, Mitrocomella grandis and adult C. hysoscella, all also typical of the northernmost waters of the Benguela system. Overall, there was coupling between mesoscale hydrographic features and the pattern of distribution of cnidarian populations, with a distinct cross-shelf gradient that was more pronounced during active upwelling.     

Productivity of dinoflagellate blooms on the west coast of South Africa,as measured by natural fluorescence

The biomass and productivity of phytoplankton populations inshore on the west coast of South Africa were investigated towards the end of the upwelling season, a period when high-biomass dinoflagellate blooms are common. Productivity was estimated from natural fluorescence measurements (P_NF ), using photosynthesis (P) v. irradiance (E) relationships (P_E ) and by means of the in situ ¹⁴C-method (P_C ) A linear regression of P_NF productivity against P_C and P_E productivities yielded a slope of 0.911 and an r ₂ of 0.83 (n = 41). Physical and biological variability was high inshore, reflecting alternating periods of upwelling and quiescence. Mean chlorophyll inshore (within a 12 m water column) ranged from 0.7 to 57.8 (mean = 8.9) mg·m^&minus3, mean P_NF productivity ranged from 8.4 to 51.0 (mean = 24.6) mgC·m^?3·h^?1 and daily integral P_NF productivity from 0.8 to 4.8 (mean = 2.3) gC·m^?2·day^?l. Transects sampled during active and relaxation phases of upwelling had different chlorophyll distributions. High chlorophyll concentrations (sometimes >50 mg·m^?3) were associated with surface blooms within the region of the upwelling front. Estimates of daily water-column P_NF productivity within these frontal blooms ranged from 4.0 to 5.6 gC·m^?2·day^?1. With relaxation of wind stress, blooms dominated by dinoflagellates flooded shorewards and often formed red tides. Chlorophyll concentrations of > 175 mg·m^?3 and productivity rates > 500 mgC·m^?3·h^?1 and 12 gC·m^?2·day^?1 were measured during a particularly intense red tide. Offshore, the water column was highly stratified with a well-defined subsurface chlorophyll maximum layer within the pycnocline region. Estimates of daily water-column P_NF productivity ranged from 2.4 to 4.0 gC·m^?2·day^?1 offshore. The high productivity of shelf waters on the West Coast in late summer can be ascribed largely to dinoflagellate populations and their success in both upwelling systems and stratified conditions.     

麻痹性贝毒毒素的应用研究进展

由于有害赤潮的发生日趋频繁，对养殖业、自然生态系统和人类健康的危害越来越大，造成的经济损失也逐渐增加，因而有害赤潮问题成为人们关注的焦点。藻毒素是有害赤潮致害的重要因子之一，而麻痹性贝毒(Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning，PSP)毒素又是藻毒素中分布最广、危害最大的一类毒素。随着科学家们对PSP毒素的来源(Steidinger，1993)、结构和作用方式(Penzotti et al.,1998)的深入研究，PSP毒素在赤潮研究、分子生物学和神经生物学基础研究、医药、军事防化等的应用也逐渐受到重视。本文作者针对这些问题进行了综合评述，以期为深入开展PSP毒素应用研究提供参考依据。     

Spawning strategies and transport of early stages of the two Cape hake species,Merluccius paradoxus and M. capensis,in the southern Benguela upwelling system

Seasonal and short-term variability of environmental parameters influence the spawning strategies of fish species. In this study, the spawning strategies and the transport of early stages of the two Cape hake species off South Africa were investigated. Distribution of eggs and larvae of Merluccius paradoxus and M. capensis was analysed in order to derive more detailed and species-specific information on spawning season, spawning location, and transport of early stages. Samples were collected during three pilot surveys between January and October 2007 and during an extensive survey in September/October 2008 in the southern Benguela upwelling system off South Africa. Eggs and larvae of M. paradoxus were found in greater numbers than those of M. capensis during all surveys. Highest abundances were found from September to October, indicating one spawning peak for M. paradoxus during late austral winter to spring. The western Agulhas Bank was identified as the primary spawning ground, and smaller spawning events occurred on the West Coast. Larvae of both species were mainly distributed in subsurface waters between 25 and 100 m. More than 50% of all larvae caught had a total length between 3 and 4 mm and size increased significantly with decreasing latitude. Merluccius capensis were found closer inshore than M. paradoxus, indicating that early stages of the two species followed separate drift routes. We assume that this distribution pattern most likely evolved from differences in spawning location and phenology. The spawning strategies of M. paradoxus and M. capensis are well adapted to a time-frame of optimal transport conditions favourable for larval survival in the highly variable environment of the southern Benguela upwelling system, but the peak spawning of the two species is separated in time and space.     

舟山港4艘商船压舱箱沉积物中甲藻孢囊种群结构的分析

为了解商船压舱箱沉积物在海洋水生生物入侵过程中扮演的潜在媒介作用,本文利用光学显微镜观察法,研究了停泊于我国舟山港4艘商船压舱箱沉积物中甲藻孢囊的种类组成、孢囊密度、香农-威纳指数(H′)和PSP原因种,并对甲藻孢囊种群结构进行了相关性分析。结果表明,鉴定出的甲藻孢囊隶属于5大类,共24种,4份样品中甲藻孢囊的种群结构各有差异,但均检测出能产生麻痹性贝毒(Paralytic Shellfish Poisons,PSP)的甲藻孢囊,如亚历山大藻Alexandriumspp.和链状裸甲藻Gymnodium catenatum。在4艘商船的压舱箱沉积物中均检测出有硅藻分布,其中在富成轮压舱箱沉积物中还检测出3种未知种孢囊。通过相关性分析可知,甲藻孢囊H′值与PSP甲藻孢囊密度占总甲藻孢囊密度的比率呈负相关。甲藻可以通过商船压舱箱沉积物为传播媒介,以孢囊形式来扩大其生物地理分布,提高甲藻物种多样性可有助于降低PSP甲藻的破坏风险。因此,有效处理船只压舱箱沉积物、积极保护当地海洋生物物种多样性,对于降低外来甲藻物种(特别是一些有毒有害种)的赤潮风险和保持当地海洋生态系统的平衡,具有十分重要的意义。