Early succession of micro‐periphyton communities in kelp bed and barren ground ecological systems

In shallow sublittoral rocky habitats of the Southeast Pacific, two conspicuous ecological systems exist; kelp beds dominated by large Laminariales algae, and barren grounds dominated by crustose coralline algae and sea urchins. The aim of this study was to examine the successional development of micro‐periphyton communities in both ecological systems using a colonization experiment conducted in Northern Chile. In both ecological systems, we installed replicated ceramic plates at 10 m depth and samples were taken after 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 14 days of exposure. Bacteria, diatoms, protozoans and small eukaryotes were identified, quantified and analysed. The succession of micro‐periphyton communities in both ecological systems followed a common pattern consisting of a net accumulation of functional groups and taxa over time; however, the total density of all groups was significantly higher in the kelp beds. In addition, the community structure of the developing micro‐periphytons was different and specific for each ecological system. Although previous studies have suggested that kelp beds and barren grounds are capable of switching from one state to the other without substantial changes in biodiversity, our results show that each of these ecological systems promotes its own successional development, suggesting that they are unique, self‐organized entities. This study is the first step towards an understanding of these ecological systems operating independently at this scale of organization.     

Relative importance of hydrocarbon pollutants, salinity and tidal height in colonization of oyster reefs

The relative effects of hydrocarbon pollutants, salinity and tidal height on the invertebrates and fish that inhabit oyster reefs were studied along the Louisiana Gulf of Mexico coastline. Dried oyster shell (cultch) was first exposed to crude oil in the laboratory. In a series of experiments, plastic trays filled with control and oil-exposed cultch were then deployed at two locations differing in salinity, in two seasons and at two tidal levels. In experiments on hydrocarbon, salinity, and seasonal effects, trays were colonized for one month. To examine the effects of colonization time, half of the trays were retrieved after two and the rest after five weeks. Salinity dramatically affected oyster reef assemblages, with species richness and total abundance halved at the estuarine site. Hydrocarbon effects were less prominent, whether cultch was dosed with light or heavy crude oil. The sub-tidal site had higher colonization rates, but colonization interval did not affect colonization, and seasonal differences occurred only at the higher-diversity, sub-tidal site. To determine effects of cleaners, Corexit 9580 was applied alone and with oil on cultch, and trays were colonized for one month. At high concentrations, the cleaner ameliorated hydrocarbon effects. In general, hydrocarbon effects were less prominent than salinity and aerial exposure in explaining colonization of oyster reef assemblages. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis of oyster shells after one month immersion revealed considerable losses of oil, especially with higher flow at the inter-tidal site. Sediment on shell also diluted oil. We argue that oyster reef assemblages should recover from small-scale spills, unless they occur during periods of reproduction and dispersal.     

海洋生态环境监测的指标体系研究

本文在总结国内外各种海洋生态监测方法的基础上,构建生物分布指数、生物暴露指数和生物反应指数,并由此确定生态质量总指教。生态质量总指数可以综合反映特定海洋环境的生物群落特征,典型污染物在生物体内的蓄积特征以及生物体对环境污染的生理生化反应特征,因此可以应用于近岸海洋环境质量的生态监测。     

Succession and seasonal onset of colonization in subtidal hard‐bottom communities off northern Chile

Although there is extensive information concerning the colonization sequences of benthic communities, little is known about the successional development of subtidal hard‐bottom habitats in highly productive coastal upwelling areas. In these systems, succession is predicted to be fast due to high growth rate of the later dominant colonizers. Using artificial hard substrata a field experiment was conducted in a rocky subtidal area off Northern Chile (Humboldt Current System) and monitored at 3‐month intervals to test the following hypotheses: (i) epibenthic succession may proceed through consecutive replacement of species, (ii) there is a fast convergence rate towards natural communities, and (iii) different seasonal starting points for the colonization will produce different community structure over a 1‐year period of exposure. Panels were installed on a vertical wall at 17 m water depth. Three replicate panels were sampled every 3 months over a period of 27 months. As a reference, six haphazardly selected plots from the surrounding natural community were surveyed at each sampling date. To evaluate how seasonally varying substratum availability affects community development, further panels were exposed for a 12‐month period, starting in four different seasons (n = 3 replicates per season). Community succession was slow and occurred through progressive changes, between early encrusting red corallines, middle Balanus flosculus and late Lagenicella variabilis. After 27 months, the community composition, but not its structure, was similar between experimental and reference communities on surrounding rocky bottoms. Seasonality had no effects and after 1 year of exposure the experimental communities converged towards a common structure. This study indicates that succession of subtidal epibenthic communities follows a slow and predictable pattern with a dominant late colonial species. In addition, aseasonal variability might be more relevant during colonization and succession in this upwelling ecosystem.     

Dynamics of wood fall colonization in relation to sulfide concentration in a mangrove swamp

Wood debris are an important component of mangrove marine environments. Current knowledge of the ecological role of wood falls is limited by the absence of information on metazoan colonization processes over time. The aim of this study was to provide insights to their temporal dynamics of wood eukaryotic colonization from a shallow water experiment in a mangrove swamp. Combined in situ chemical monitoring and biological surveys revealed that the succession of colonizers in the mangrove swamp relates with the rapid evolution of sulfide concentration on the wood surface. Sulfide-tolerant species are among the first colonizers and dominate over several weeks when the sulfide content is at its maximum, followed by less tolerant opportunistic species when sulfide decreases. This study supports the idea that woody debris can sustain chemosynthetic symbioses over short time-scale in tropical shallow waters.     

Temporal variations in the deep-water colonization rates of small benthic foraminifera: the results of an experiment on Cross Seamount

Modern benthic foraminifera are important remineralizers of organic matter and a link between surface-ocean production and life in the deep sea. Assemblages of benthic foraminifera are preserved in the fossil record, providing clues to paleoceanographic conditions. These clues can be fully interpreted only when our knowledge of the biology and ecology of modern species is more complete. To study factors influencing foraminiferal colonization rates, artificial substrates were placed on Cross Seamount (18°40′N, 158°17′W) for 1 to 42 months between 1989 and 1994. The colonization rates of benthic foraminifera onto different substrates (five mineral types were used) at four water depths (800, 975, 1285 and 2000 m) were determined. Both calcareous and agglutinated foraminifera inhabited these artificial substrates at different rates. Many of the agglutinated forms colonized at a uniform rate through time. The colonization rates of other foraminifera, primarily calcareous forms, were not constant through time, nor could the variability be attributed to the controlled variables (water depth and substrate composition). Instead, these temporal variations in colonization rate corresponded with shifts in surface ocean conditions and export fluxes in the central Pacific. Other ecological observations are also presented, including size- and spatial-distributions.     

基于贝叶斯网络的海洋生态环境状况评价——以山东省为例

在海洋开发利用活动日益增多,海洋环境保护压力日益增大的背景下,进行海洋生态环境状况科学评价方法的研究可以为开展海洋生态环境监测评估与海洋生态环境保护政策制定提供科学依据,促进改善海洋生态环境状况。本文首先基于贝叶斯网络基本理论,构建了海洋生态环境状况贝叶斯网络评价模型;再以山东省为例,充分融合专家经验知识与客观数据,从定性与定量两个角度评价了2013—2019年山东省近海生态环境状况,分析了各评价指标间关系及其对近海生态环境状况的影响程度。评价结果表明2013—2019年山东省近海生态环境状况保持一般状态,海洋环境质量与海洋生态灾害类指标对评价结果影响最大,山东省海洋环境保护工作初见成效。研究结果表明该评价模型能有效评价海洋生态环境状况,分析结果对于环境保护政策制定具有一定的借鉴意义。     

中国北部黄海近岸水体周丛硅藻的群落群集动态特征的研究

The colonization features of periphytic diatoms were studied in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China from May to June 2010, using glass slides as an artificial substratum. Samples were collected at a time interval of 1, 3, 7, 10, 14, 21 and 28 d from two depths of 1 and 3 m. The dynamics of diatom colonization process had a similar pattern in community structure and fitted the logistic model in growth curve at both depths. The maximum abundance and the time for reaching 50% maximum abundance （10 d） showed no significant differences （P〉0.05） between two depths 1 and 3 m. Although the diatom communities repre- sented similar taxonomic composition, they differed in the temporal pattern of structural parameters and in succession dynamics of dominant species between the two layers. The species richness showed significantly higher values during the colonization period more than 14 d, while the species diversity and evenness rep- resented a higher variability with significantly different values （P〈0.05） at a depth of 1 m than at a deeper layer. The results suggest that the diatom colonization follows the logistic model growth curve and differs in colonization features between different depths in the coastal waters, and that the sampling strategy at i m is more effective to detect the ecological features for bioassessment in marine ecosystems.     

Oil well produced water discharges to the North Sea. Part II: comparison of deployed mussels (Mytilus edulis) and the DREAM model to predict ecological risk

Large volumes of water often are produced with oil and gas from offshore platforms. The produced water is separated from the oil and gas and either reinjected into a deep formation or discharged to the ocean. The Norwegian oil and gas industry advocates ecological risk assessment as the basis for managing produced water discharges to the North Sea. In this paper, we compare estimates of ecological risks to water-column communities based on data on hydrocarbon residues in soft tissues of blue mussels deployed for a month near offshore platforms and based on predictions of the Dose related Risk and Effect Assessment Model (DREAM). The study was performed near produced water discharges to the Tampen and Ekofisk Regions of the Norwegian Sector of the North Sea. Because polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are considered the most important contributors to the ecological hazard posed by produced water discharges, comparisons made here focus on this group of compounds. The mussel approach is based on predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) of individual PAH, estimated from PAH residues in mussels following deployment for a month near several produced water discharges, and predicted no effects concentrations (PNECs) based on a K(ow) regression model. In the DREAM method, PECs for three PAH fractions are estimated in the three-dimensional area around produced water discharge with the DREAM model. PNECs for each fraction are based on the chronic toxicity of a representative PAH from each fraction divided by an assessment factor to account for uncertainty in the chronic value. The mussel method gives much lower estimates of ecological risk than the DREAM method. The differences are caused by the much lower PNECs used in DREAM than derived from the regression model, and by the lower concentrations of aqueous PAH predicted by DREAM than estimated from PAH residues in mussel tissues. However, the two methods rank stations at different distances from produced water discharges in the same order and both identify 2- and 3-ring PAHs as the main contributors to the ecological risk of produced water discharges. Neither method identifies a significant ecological risk of PAH in the upper water column of the oil fields. The DREAM model may produce an overly conservative estimate of ecological risk of produced water discharges to the North Sea.     

Simulation ABC Model of Consumption of Natural Resources

The problem of simulation of possible scenarios of the development of processes running in ecological economic systems is studied as a part of the general problem of control over natural economic complexes. The consumption of mineral, food, and ecological resources is regarded as credits given by the society to the producer and then refunded as a part of his gains. If this nature-protective tax does not compensate the damage to the environment caused by production, then the debt of the producer (called accumulated credit) appears and, finally, the process of consumption of the resources is terminated. A universal simulation model is constructed by using a new method of adaptive balance of causes (ABC method). We present basic concepts of this method and some examples of application of the simulation model to the analysis of various scenarios of consumption of marine bioresources under variable economic conditions for a marine environment with variable assimilation capacity.     

A Study in Ultra-Ecology: Microorganisms on the Seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) DELILE

Abstract. Microbial colonization on the leaves of a shoot of the mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) DELILE was studied using Scanning Electron Microscopy. Methods of field ecology such as transect, random plot and stratified sampling survey were applied to the microbial niveau to gain both qualitative and quantitative information on the microbial assemblage. While macro-epiphytic growth was significantly greater on the outer leaf sides, microbial colonization density was significantly higher on the inner leaf sides, both on leaf surface and epiphyte surface. Diatoms colonized the surface of incrusting algae and epiphytic animals in significantly lower numbers than the Posidonia leaf surface and were absent on erect epiphytic algae. Bacterial densities on epiphyte surfaces even exceeded values of the corresponding leaf surfaces on algal thalli near the leaf tips and on old leaves. Diatoms reach highest mean density on mature leaves and close to the leaf tips, while bacteria reach their greatest density on the oldest leaf and closer to the leaf base. Diatom density in general increases with exposure time of plant surface, while greatest bacterial density was observed at 7–10 weeks exposure. Basal leaf parts on younger leaves were dominated by rod-shaped bacteria, while distal leaf parts and old leaves were dominated by small coccoid bacteria. Surfaces of epiphytic algae were always distinctly dominated by small coccoid bacteria, and edges of thalli attracted high microbial densities. Microbial biomass (calculated from cell volumes using standard conversion factors) amounts to 2.3 g dry weight m-² in the Posidonia stand where the shoot was sampled. The observed patterns of epiphytic colonization are interpreted as the result of a complex, dynamically changing system of interactions both within the epiphytic community and between the epiphytic community, the host plant, and it's environment. A model of the organization of the epiphytic community on Posidonia leaves is presented. “Ultra-ecology” is a term introduced to denote a type of SEM research in the micro-environment which is analogous to in situ investigation in “macroscopic” ecological work.     

Some questions and answers about the accumulation of fine-grained sediment in continental margin environments

Accumulation rates (100-yr time scale) in proximal regions of allochthonous dispersal systems range from centimeters to millimeters per year, depending primarily on fluvial discharge of sediment. A general decrease in accumulation rate occurs from proximal to distal regions, and the across-shelf maximum rate is in the mid-shelf region. Sedimentary structure generally changes from stratified in proximal deposits to homogeneous in distal deposits. Although the content of sand and coarse silt commonly decreases along dispersal systems, progressive fining of clay and fine silt is not as obvious. Deposition rates (100-day time scale) in proximal deposits can be significantly more rapid (centimeters per month) than longer-term accumulation rates. Rapid sedimentation does not necessarily produce mass movement.     

A model to assess fundamental and realized carrying capacities of island ecosystem: A case study in the southern Miaodao Archipelago of China

Research on carrying capacity, aiming at maintaining the limited ability of the Earth's life supporting system to sustain human development, requires a comprehensive and ecosystem-based approach to monitor and assess the localized sustainability of coupled social and ecological systems. A definition termed the ecosystem-based carrying capacity of island (EBCCI) was developed in this paper of which the indices of fundamental and realized carrying capacities of island (FCCI and RCCI) were highlighted to emphasize the inter-dependencies between social systems and ecological systems. In order to avoid the difficulties and uncertainties of direct assessment, the related assessment model was established on the basis of synthetic evaluation of inherent and external factors affecting the EBCCI. The southern Miaodao Archipelago (SMA) located in the intersection of the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea, China, was taken as a typical example to acquire integrated recognition of the island ecosystem and its carrying capacity so as to discuss its sustainable development. The index scores of FCCI and RCCI in the SMA were 0.818 5 and 0.712 9 out of 1.0, respectively, with acceptable uncertainties. The results showed a relatively well capacity to sustain progress and relatively well realization of the carrying capacity of island ecosystem, owing to a well capacity of ecologically regulating, general performance of both ecologically supporting and resource provisioning, and a relatively high level of social supporting system. The study implied that it was critical to optimize the inter-dependencies and to sustain the relative balance between social systems and ecological systems so as to improve the RCCI and further facilitate the sustainability of SMA. The approach proposed in this paper provides a powerful tool which is well applicative to the regional level of an oceanic island or archipelago to study the sustainable development and can be further popularized to the coastal zone.     

Complex dynamics and chaotic responses in the time domain simulations of a floating structure

The motion of a moored semi-submersible is modelled using a semi-empirical nonlinear ordinary differential equation. Time domain simulations, guided by the qualitative theory of dynamical systems, illustrate the extremely complex nature of typical responses in regular seas. The importance of nonlinearities is emphasised together with the implications for floating structures in general.     

Implications of variability on many time scales for scientific advice on sustainable management of living marine resources

The conceptual basis for understanding and management of living marine resources is built on three basic ecological principles developed in the first half of the past century: the law of the minimum, competitive exclusion, and succession. This paper highlights aspects of these principles that make them insufficient as a sound foundation for understanding and managing marine ecosystems, points out dangers of continuing to use approaches built on them, and presents alternatives which might be more appropriate and of lower risk.To do this, the paper considers variability of marine ecosystems on annual, medium and long-term time scales, highlighting that these scales correspond to less than, approximately equal to, and much greater than, the generation times of dominant predators in the systems. It also considers how each interval of variability may affect directly ecosystems which are controlled from the bottom up, top down, and middle outward, and how position and duration of forcing affect five types of responses: growth, maturation, recruitment, predation, and competition. Generally these five processes have manifestations at the scale of individuals, populations, and ecosystems, attention is drawn to which manifestations are the most significant for each duration and position of forcing.Effects of some combinations of duration of forcing and position of forcing can be explained reasonably well by conventional ecological theory. For other combinations, particularly forcing at time scales of predator generations on top-down or middle-out ecosystems, theory based on contest competition and equilibria are likely to be misleading. In these systems the major dynamics are transients, when many ecosystems are far from their carrying capacities, so scramble competition dominates, and the carrying capacity is not helpful in explaining the system dynamics. This review clarifies the sorts of questions that we should be asking, in order to begin to understand the transient behaviour of these non-equilibrium ecosystems. The answers to the new classes of questions may lead to great improvements in how ecosystems are managed, as well as how their variation is explained.     

海草床微生物研究进展

海草是一类生长于海洋环境中的单子叶植物。细菌、真菌、微藻、古生菌和病毒等微生物栖息在海草器官及其周围环境中,对海草生长、营养和健康以及海草床物质循环起着重要作用。本文通过分析与总结国内外参考文献,简要介绍了海草床微生物的一些新的研究进展,并讨论了将来可能进行的研究方向。海草微生物组与沉积物和海水中的微生物群落存在较大差异,其分布在离散且高度异质性的生态位,且该模式在广泛的地理尺度上保持不变,不是受海草种类和沉积物类型控制,而是主要取决于环境驱动与海草代谢。大部分海草核心微生物群落都参与硫循环。今后可采用模拟实验、生态模型、基因组、宏基因组、转录组与代谢组等技术方法研究海草床微生物的多样性、组成、功能、定植与病害等。此外,揭示海草床中微生物、海草和环境之间的相互关系,对保护受威胁的海草床具有重要意义。     

基于生态适宜性评价的海洋生态系统管理——以温州市洞头区为例

海洋为人类生存和社会经济发展提供了重要的资源和环境条件,海洋生态适宜性研究能够评定海域的固有属性对生态保护和开发利用的适宜等级和潜力-限制因素.本研究以典型的海岛区洞头为例,构建了海洋生态适宜性评价的空间分析模型,计算得到其空间分布,进而开展了生态适宜度的功能分区;据此划分了洞头区的生态管控空间,判断了未来海域资源保护和开发利用管理的主导方向,提出了各管控区发展的资源优势及限制性因素.结果表明,洞头海域按照生态适宜度值的高低可以清晰地划分为重点保护区、一般保护区、适度开发区和优化开发区等4类功能区,分别占区域总面积的23%、50%、18%和9%;前两者为生态保护及恢复的重要区域,后两者是未来海洋资源开发利用的主要区域; 4类区域可以归并为生态保护、农渔业养殖、城镇开发3类管控功能区.本研究对开展海洋生态功能区划、协调海洋资源开发与区域生态保护的关系、构建基于生态系统的海洋综合管理模式具有重要意义.     

生态海堤的发展历程与展望

海堤在防范海洋灾害,保障生命财产安全的同时,也造成了滨海湿地丧失或破碎化,生物多样性降低,消纳潮功能减弱,水质净化能力减弱等问题。生态海堤是满足海洋灾害防护要求、模拟滨海生态系统结构和生态过程,具有生态功能和美学价值的复合生态系统,具备抵御风暴潮涨水、抵御海浪侵蚀、防止水土流失、维护生物多样性和改善水质等功能,主要包括离岸防护、海向浅滩、海堤堤身三个系统。演替理论、边缘效应理论、中度干扰假说、生态位理论等生态学基础理论为生态海堤建设提供了理论依据。生态海堤建设应遵循防护优先、注重生态、因地制宜、自我维持的原则,通过减缓坡度、恢复植被或生境、增加微生境和提高表面粗糙程度等手段实现。生态海堤的关键技术主要包括设计技术、材料技术、系统集成技术和全过程管理技术。针对生态海堤建设存在的问题,下一步应加强基础研究和关键技术研发,开展生态海堤建设区划,建立标准体系,构建修复物种种质资源库,创新产业化发展模式。     

海洋生态经济学：内容、属性及学科构架

21世纪是海洋世纪,人类对海洋资源开发利用的重视程度达到前所未有的高度.如何在有效开发利用海洋资源和发展海洋经济时更好地保护海洋资源环境已成为沿海国家与地区的重要战略.因此,海洋生态经济研究已引起学术界和政府部门的普遍重视.构建海洋生态经济学学科体系,对海洋经济的稳定增长和持续发展具有十分重要的意义.在分析海洋生态经济学学科体系构建基点的基础上,从海洋生态经济学研究对象与研究内容、学科属性与学科关联、学科体系构架与主要分支学科等方面探讨了海洋生态经济学学科体系构建问题,指出海洋生态经济学研究中学科体系研究的范围和侧重方向,从理论与应用方面划分海洋生态经济学的二、三级分支学科体系,并进一步探讨了其发展趋势.     

海洋功能区划与海洋生态红线关系探讨

海洋生态红线制度是我国"五位一体"文明建设的具体要求。为进一步在自然科学与人文科学的联结点上探求深入开展生态红线工作的可能性,文章对比了实施多年的海洋功能区划与历史新阶段提出的海洋生态保护红线的概念和内涵,剖析了两者之间的区别与联系,指出海洋功能区划与海洋生态红线区划在法律地位和管控制度等方面具有一致性,在划分目标、空间管理及划分方法上具有差异性,海洋功能区划以"使用"为主,海洋生态红线以"保护"引领。在此基础上,建议未来海洋生态红线工作的开展可从海洋功能区划借鉴经验,建立完善的管控评估制度,确立生态保护红线的优先地位,处理好海洋功能区划与海洋生态红线区划的关系。同时,海洋生态红线区划应以维持海洋生态系统结构稳定和提高海洋生态系统服务功能为目标,将区域资源环境承载力评估作为一项参考指标,限制低承载区的开发利用,保证海洋生态环境健康可持续发展。