Temporal dynamics and persistence of sponge assemblages in a Central Pacific atoll lagoon

Sponges are important components of coral reef fauna, although little is known of their temporal dynamics. Sponges dominate the lagoon system at Palmyra Atoll in the Central Pacific, which may not be its natural state. Here we examined the temporal variability and recruitment rates of these sponge assemblages to determine if they are stable and examined the evidence that a recent transition has occurred from a coral‐ to sponge‐dominated system. We found 24 sponge species in permanent quadrats in the lagoon between 2009 and 2011, and 11 species on our recruitment panels. The sponge assemblage composition and abundance did not vary significantly between years and appear stable. Many sponge recruits were found in both years that the panels were examined although higher rates were recorded in the second year of the study. While it seems very possible that a change to a sponge‐dominated lagoon is associated with declining environmental quality at Palmyra as a result of modifications over 70 years ago, without pre‐modification data on reef assemblage composition this remains speculative. Our observations of short‐term temporal stability in the sponge assemblages at Palmyra highlight the potential for sponge‐dominated reef states to be maintained in degraded reef environments that are seemingly unsuitable for coral survival.     

黄海浒苔绿潮及其溯源研究进展

2007-2012年,黄海连续6a暴发了大规模绿潮。分析了过去5a国内外对黄海绿潮以及绿潮形成种浒苔的研究进展,并总结了对黄海绿潮浒苔溯源的主要观点。结合国内外对绿潮浒苔生物学研究结果,深入分析了大规模黄海绿潮暴发的关键要素(绿潮形成种、近海海水富营养化和其它海洋环境因子)以及生物生态学机制,根据已知的结果推演黄海绿潮全年发生发展过程。据此,认为黄海绿潮大暴发与江苏省近岸海域海水富营养化密切相关,辐射沙洲的浒苔微观繁殖体(孢子、配子及其不同发育程度的显微个体)在绿潮暴发过程中扮演重要角色。     

Changes in amphipod (Crustacea) assemblages associated with shallow-water algal habitats invaded by Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea in the western Mediterranean Sea

The effects of the invasive species Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea (hereafter C. racemosa) on amphipod assemblages associated with shallow-water rocky habitats were studied. Two habitats located along the SE Iberian Peninsula were compared; invaded and non-invaded. The results showed that growth of C. racemosa affects habitat structure, influencing the species composition and biomass of macroalgae, and detritus accumulation. In turn, such changes in habitat features affected the associated amphipod assemblages with different ecological requirements. However, the species richness of amphipods was relatively high in both habitats, while the species composition of amphipods changed completely. For example, some species such as Ampithoe ramondi and Hyale schmidti did not colonize invaded habitats, while others such as Apocorophium acutum were favoured by the spread of C. racemosa. Habitat invasion by C. racemosa can have an important influence on biotic assemblages, modifying both habitat structure and the associated fauna, with unknown effects on the overall ecosystem.     

An Unusual Bluegreen Alga Symbiotic with Two New Species of Ulosa (Porifera: Hymeniacidonidae) from Carrie Bow Cay,Belize*

Abstract. Two new species of the sponge genus Ulosa were found living in symbiosis with a chroococcacean cyanophyte (cyanobacterium) in shallow Caribbean coral reefs off Belize (Central America). Ulosa funicularis is a stringy green sponge (styles: 157 × 2.5 μm, mean dimensions); U. arenosa is a thickly encrusting, shaggy, brownish-greenish mottled species with sandy ectosome (styles: 175 × 3.6 μm). The endosymbiotic algae make up 50% of the cellular sponge tissue. The algal cells are light green, spherical, 5–9 μm in diameter, and divide by median constriction. Electron microscopy shows that cell walls are fully developed but that thylakoids are unusual for their inflated sacs, which are in communication with the nucleoplasmic regions. Although the pigment composition is typical for the Cyanophyta, the phycobiliproteins occur in considerably     

The Sponge Community in a Semi-Submerged Temperate Sea Cave: Density, Diversity and Richness

Abstract. The sponge communities inhabiting a temperate semi-submerged sea cave were investigated at Lough Hyne Marine Nature Reserve, Co. Cork, Ireland. Thirty-one species of sponge were reported, the majority of which exhibited either an encrusting or massive morphology. Sponge density (averaged over depth) increased with horizontal distance (5  m intervals) into the cave until approximately 30  m, corresponding to the maximum algal intrusion (algal information from Norton et al. , 1971) . Species diversity and richness (averaged over depth) were highest at 10  m horizontal distance from the cave entrance. Variability in sponge density, diversity and richness was observed with increasing vertical depth (0.5  m intervals) at most horizontal intervals sampled (5  m apart). These three variables increased initially with depth, but then decreased towards the seabed. Bray-Curtis Similarity Analysis and Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS) showed cave sponge community composition to have greater similarity (50 %) with local loose rock habitats than the nearby cliffs. Similar processes structuring cave and loose rock sponge communities may account for this situation. Information collected from this and previous studies on the biotic (algal communities, other fauna and competition) and abiotic factors (water flow rate, depth, aerial exposure, light, cave morphology, nutrient depletion and humidity) affecting this and other caves is discussed with respect to its influence on the sponges inhabiting different parts of the cave. Although horizontal zonation patterns have been considered analogous to vertical distribution patterns for algal communities (due to similar decreases in light), this was not the case for the studied sponge communities.     

Effects of temporal variation of the seaweed Caulerpa prolifera cover on the associated crustacean community

The aim of this study was to establish the effect of temporal variation of the alga Caulerpa prolifera cover on the composition and stability of the associated crustacean community. Forty‐five crustacean species were found, amphipods and tanaidaceans being the most abundant groups. The stations were grouped mainly based on the gradient of algal cover, independently of location or sampling period (MDS analyses). Considering separately epifaunal and infaunal species, the epifauna occurred mainly at high cover (HC) and medium–low cover (MLC) stations, while the infauna occurred at MLC and unvegetated (UV) stations. Infaunal species were predominant in all stations and sampling periods, and the abundance and numbers of epifaunal species showed a clear dependence of algal cover. To quantify the loss of biodiversity due to the plant cover variations, we applied the average and variation in taxonomic distinctness (Δ⁺ and Λ⁺, respectively). The HC stations, especially those with fewer algal cover variations along the study period, showed few fluctuations of Δ⁺,and Λ⁺ was usually located near mean; however, UV stations tended to fall in the area where the statistical power of the test is reduced and showed more oscillations of Λ⁺. The ability of these indices to test the fauna composition in function of the alga presence is discussed.     

Phytoplankton of the Peter the Great Bay and its remote sensing problem

The problem of recognition of algal genera based on the remote sensing data requires the analysis of the algae biomass’s distribution. This study provides the analysis of the algae spatial and temporal variations in the Peter the Great Bay. While 116 algal genera were observed, only a few genera have dominated. Usually, the dominant genus contributed about 60% of the sample’s biomass (the minimal value is 20% usually) and 4 dominant genera contributed about 90% of the total phytoplankton biomass. The effective scattering crosssection of the algae in the samples is very changeable and this feature looks promising for the recognition problem. It was found that the spatial and temporal variations of the algal biomass are significant, but the percentage characteristics of a few dominant genera are relatively stable with no significant dependence on a region and a biomass value. The algae’s composition analysis has demonstrated that the same algal genera are propagated in different parts of the Bay. For a given region and month, the set of algae dominated that constitutes about 90% of the monthly biomass is rather small (not more than 10 genera usually). Most of the alga genera (∼75%) do not ever reach a mono domination state (more than 50% of the sample’s biomass).     

Mycobiota associated with the rhodophyte alien species Asparagopsis taxiformis (Delile) Trevisan de Saint‐Léon in the Mediterranean Sea

This study is the first to investigate and characterize the mycobiota associated with the alien species Asparagopsis taxiformis, a rhodophyte classified as one of the ‘100 worst invasive species’ in the Mediterranean Sea by the Hellenic Center for Marine Research, as it threatens biodiversity. Fungal endophyte and epiphyte communities were investigated on algal specimens from two sampling sites on the island of Linosa (Marine Protected Area Isole Pelagie, Italy). 87% of the 24 specimens that were analysed for epiphytes displayed a microfungal colonization. No endophytes were found. Only a small amount of microfungi was found to be associated with this alga. Only five fungal taxa were isolated; two of which are sporadically associated with the alga, while three, Eurotium rubrum, Cladosporium cladosporioides and Cladosporium pseudocladosporioides, seem to be related to A. taxiformis. This scarcity could be related to algal chemical composition.     

Sponge epibionts on ecosystem-engineering ascidians: The case of Microcosmus sabatieri

The study of epibionts on habitat engineering ascidians is of increasing interest because changes in the population structure of the latter may affect associated communities, especially in the case of commercially exploited species. The solitary ascidian Microcosmus sabatieri lives on rocky cliffs in the Eastern Mediterranean and is harvested in certain Aegean areas. Its hard, wrinkled tunic is usually fouled by various epibionts both sessile and motile. Sponges are an important component of this complex and their biomass may be higher than that of the ascidian itself, strongly affecting diversity and abundance of the motile epifauna. The aim of this study was to examine in detail the structure of the epibiotic sponge assemblage on ascidians collected from their main fishing grounds in the South Aegean Sea. A rich (41 species) and taxonomically diverse sponge assemblage was found, while only eight species contributed 80% of the total sponge cover. Most of the epibiotic sponges commonly grow on the surrounding sublittoral cliffs. The encrusting sponge growth form prevailed in cover of the ascidian tunic, while two massive species dominated in terms of frequency of appearance and abundance. Ascidian dimensions, weight and volume were significantly correlated with sponge diversity, abundance and cover area, thus structuring the epibiotic sponge assemblage. Spatial patterns in sponge cover were not clear, but a general declining NW to SE trend in sponge richness, abundance and cover appeared in accordance with previous records. Sponge distribution on the ascidian tunic presented a clear pattern related with characteristic features of the ascidian: the posterior zone supported the richest and most expansive sponge fauna. The ecosystem-engineering process performed by the ascidian is enhanced by the diverse epibiotic sponge assemblage, thus further increasing habitat complexity in this space-limited, temperate, sublittoral, rocky environment.     

An analysis of sponge diversity and distribution at three taxonomic levels in the Thousand Islands/Jakarta Bay reef complex, West-Java, Indonesia

Very few coral reefs are located close enough to large cities to study the influence of large urban populations on reef assemblages. An exception is the Thousand Islands reef complex to the north of Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, and one of the largest conurbations in the world. Here we present data from a detailed survey where sponge assemblages were assessed at 30 patch reefs associated with islands in three coastal zones along an in-to-offshore gradient. Sponge assemblages are described at three taxonomic levels of detail (species, genus and family level). We recorded a total of 118 sponge species, 64 genera and 36 families, Aaptos suberitoides (Brønsted, 1934), Clathria (Thalysias) reinwardti (Vosmaer, 1880), Petrosia (Petrosia) nigricans (Lindgren, 1897) and Xestospongia testudinaria (Lamarck, 1813) were the most common species overall. There was a pronounced difference in composition among zones with the most distinct difference between the inshore zone and the other two zones. The inshore environment was characterised by very high turbidity and low live coral cover; the dominant substrate consisted of algal turf and sand. Environmental conditions improved and sponge diversity increased further offshore, although most areas appeared to have been affected by some form of disturbance. Ordinations were also largely congruent, at species, generic and family levels of taxonomic resolution. This indicates that variation in composition at higher taxonomic levels is a good indicator of variation at lower taxonomic levels, at least when there is a pronounced environmental gradient.     

塔玛亚历山大藻对海产双壳类生命活动的影响

通过一种重要有毒赤潮藻——产麻痹性贝毒毒素PSP的塔玛亚历山大藻对几种海产双壳类主要发育阶段:受精卵、D形幼虫、眼点幼虫、稚贝、仔贝和成贝生命活动的影响研究,发现该藻对双壳类孵化率、存活率、运动能力、滤食率和生长都有影响,毒性效应与藻密度有明显的相关关系.该藻对受精卵的抑制作用在100个/cm3的密度下最显著,36h后孵化率仅为对照组的30%.进一步的逐项毒性筛选实验表明此毒性来源于藻液、藻细胞和细胞碎片,而与去藻过滤液、藻细胞内容物、标准毒素STX无关,由此可以证实塔玛亚历山大藻确能产生一类非PSP毒素,并与细胞表面的未知毒素相关.     

模拟电厂温排水温升和游离余氯对亚心形扁藻生长影响的研究

以亚心形扁藻(Platymonas subcordiformis)为受试藻种,模拟温升和游离余氯条件,研究浮游植物对核电厂温排水的生态响应。结果表明,春秋季温升对其生长影响较小,而在夏季,其生长受到显著抑制。亚心形扁藻对游离余氯非常敏感,0.1 mg/L游离余氯既能抑制其生长,抑制作用随着游离余氯浓度的升高而增强。温升会加剧游离余氯的抑制作用,4℃温升和0.1 mg/L游离余氯联合作用对亚心形扁藻的抑制效果明显增加。由于温升和游离余氯的联合作用,即使在离排口较远的水域,仍然会导致亚心形扁藻数量减少。     

Network analysis to inform invasive species spread among lakes

Often facilitated by human-mediated pathways,aquatic invasive species are a threat to the health and biodiversity of global ecosystems.We present a novel approach incorporating survey data of watercraft movement in a social network analysis to reconstruct potential pathways of aquatic invasive species spread between lakes.As an example,we use the green alga Nitellopsis obtusa,also known as starry stonewort,an aquatic invasive species affecting the Great Lakes region in the United States and Canada.The movement of algal fragments via human-mediated pathways(i.e.,watercraft)has been hypothesized as the primary driver of starry stonewort invasion.We used survey data collected at boat ramps during the 2013 and 2014 openwater seasons to describe the flow of watercraft from Lake Koronis,where N.obtusa was first detected in Minnesota,to other lakes in the state.Our results suggest that the risk of N.obtusa expansion is not highly constrained by geographic proximity and management efforts should consider highly connected lakes.Estimating human movement via network analysis may help to explain past and future routes of aquatic invasive species infestation between lakes and can improve evidence-based prevention and control efforts.     

Network analysis to inform invasive species spread among lakes

Often facilitated by human-mediated pathways,aquatic invasive species are a threat to the health and biodiversity of global ecosystems.We present a novel approach incorporating survey data of watercraft movement in a social network analysis to reconstruct potential pathways of aquatic invasive species spread between lakes.As an example,we use the green alga Nitellopsis obtusa,also known as starry stonewort,an aquatic invasive species affecting the Great Lakes region in the United States and Canada.The movement of algal fragments via human-mediated pathways(i.e.,watercraft)has been hypothesized as the primary driver of starry stonewort invasion.We used survey data collected at boat ramps during the 2013 and 2014 openwater seasons to describe the flow of watercraft from Lake Koronis,where N.obtusa was first detected in Minnesota,to other lakes in the state.Our results suggest that the risk of N.obtusa expansion is not highly constrained by geographic proximity and management efforts should consider highly connected lakes.Estimating human movement via network analysis may help to explain past and future routes of aquatic invasive species infestation between lakes and can improve evidence-based prevention and control efforts.     

Network analysis to inform invasive species spread among lakes

Often facilitated by human-mediated pathways,aquatic invasive species are a threat to the health and biodiversity of global ecosystems.We present a novel approach incorporating survey data of watercraft movement in a social network analysis to reconstruct potential pathways of aquatic invasive species spread between lakes.As an example,we use the green alga Nitellopsis obtusa,also known as starry stonewort,an aquatic invasive species affecting the Great Lakes region in the United States and Canada.The movement of algal fragments via human-mediated pathways(i.e.,watercraft)has been hypothesized as the primary driver of starry stonewort invasion.We used survey data collected at boat ramps during the 2013 and 2014 openwater seasons to describe the flow of watercraft from Lake Koronis,where N.obtusa was first detected in Minnesota,to other lakes in the state.Our results suggest that the risk of N.obtusa expansion is not highly constrained by geographic proximity and management efforts should consider highly connected lakes.Estimating human movement via network analysis may help to explain past and future routes of aquatic invasive species infestation between lakes and can improve evidence-based prevention and control efforts.     

Network analysis to inform invasive species spread among lakes

Often facilitated by human-mediated pathways,aquatic invasive species are a threat to the health and biodiversity of global ecosystems.We present a novel approach incorporating survey data of watercraft movement in a social network analysis to reconstruct potential pathways of aquatic invasive species spread between lakes.As an example,we use the green alga Nitellopsis obtusa,also known as starry stonewort,an aquatic invasive species affecting the Great Lakes region in the United States and Canada.The movement of algal fragments via human-mediated pathways(i.e.,watercraft)has been hypothesized as the primary driver of starry stonewort invasion.We used survey data collected at boat ramps during the 2013 and 2014 openwater seasons to describe the flow of watercraft from Lake Koronis,where N.obtusa was first detected in Minnesota,to other lakes in the state.Our results suggest that the risk of N.obtusa expansion is not highly constrained by geographic proximity and management efforts should consider highly connected lakes.Estimating human movement via network analysis may help to explain past and future routes of aquatic invasive species infestation between lakes and can improve evidence-based prevention and control efforts.     

东海海域典型赤潮水体反射光谱模拟研究

东海原甲藻(Prorocentrum donghaiense Lu)是我国东海海域的典型赤潮藻种,其在水体中通常呈垂直非均匀分布,并存在季节性和日内的垂直迁移现象。本文通过量化垂直迁移过程中东海原甲藻的分布状态,利用Hydrolight软件数值模拟各状态下的水体反射光谱,研究其光谱特征和变化规律。利用叶绿素浓度高斯垂向模型表征东海原甲藻在水体中的垂直分布,结合东海近岸海域二类水体的生物光学模型,模拟得到垂直迁移过程中东海原甲藻赤潮水体的反射光谱。对比分析叶绿素浓度垂向分布参数(背景叶绿素浓度、甲藻主体水层厚度、水体总生物量和叶绿素浓度峰值深度)对水体反射光谱的影响。研究结果表明,在东海原甲藻从次表层向表层垂直向上迁移过程中,水体反射光谱数值在蓝绿波段(400—570nm)减小,在黄红波段(570—720nm)增大,特别是在叶绿素荧光效应波段(680nm)处的变化尤为明显。     

Patterns in megabenthic assemblages on a seamount summit (Ormonde Peak,Gorringe Bank,Northeast Atlantic)

Gettysburg and Ormonde are two shallow peaks located on the Gorringe seamount about 200 and 240 km WSW off Cape St. Vincent (Portugal, NE Atlantic), within the Portuguese Economic Exclusive Zone. Despite the ecological importance of the biological assemblages on these peaks and the need to preserve seamounts as valuable habitats, no management plans have been yet implemented at this site, which only recently has been included in the list of Sites of Community Importance of Portugal. Video imagery collected using a ROV during the 2011 Oceana campaigns was used here to analyse qualitative and quantitative patterns of benthic assemblage composition at the summit of the seamount (between 30 and 230 m depth). The results suggest that Ormonde is a biologically important area made up of vulnerable marine ecosystem elements that change significantly with depth. These include: kelp beds, in the euphotic zone; encrusting coralline algal communities and solitary colonies or mixed associations of suspension‐feeders (scleractinians, gorgonians, antipatharians, encrusting demosponges and ascidians), at the lower limit of the euphotic zone; mixed coral gardens and erect sponges, in the disphotic zone; and dense sponge aggregations, on the upper slope. These results were further used to propose amendments to the European Nature Information System habitat classification as a tool to work towards resolving the seamounts management issue. The results also provide information on taxa and habitats with high ecological value and classified as threatened or vulnerable, which is essential for the implementation of the cornerstones of Europe's biodiversity conservation policy, namely the OSPAR Convention and the EU Habitats Directive.     

海水小球藻脂肪酸组成研究

“Ｍａｒｉｎｅ’,Ｃｈｌｏｒｅｌｌａ,俗称海水小球藻,是水产养殖中一种常用的饵料微藻。其细胞较小,呈卵形或圆形,在形态上与绿藻纲小球藻属中的许多种类极为相似,因而人们常把它与绿藻纲的小球藻混为一谈。为了澄清人们长期以来对海水小球藻的模糊认识,本文对海水小球藻的脂肪酸组成进行了研究,并与盐生杜氏藻（Ｄｕｎａｌｉｅｌｌａ　ｓａｌｉｎａ）及一种微绿藻Ｎａｎｎｏｃｈｌｏｒｏｐｓｉｓ　ｏｃ－ｕｌａｔａ的脂肪酸组成进行了比较,以明确海水小球藻的分类地位。１材料和方法１．１藻类的培养取刚扩大的海水小球藻和盐生…     

2017年春、夏季黄海35°N共发的绿潮、金潮和赤潮

于2017年4月至6月,沿南黄海35°N断面出现了罕见的绿潮、金潮和赤潮等有害藻华共发现象。本研究通过现场定时定速拖网等方法,对黄海35°N断面不同站位的大型漂浮藻类进行了定量观测,并对赤潮区浮游植物进行了显微镜观察。结果表明：沿35°N断面的漂浮绿藻和马尾藻生物量具有明显的时空变化特征,4月下旬漂浮绿藻和马尾藻开始零星出现,5月下旬生物量和分布范围明显增加,在6月上旬达到最大,随后在6月下旬降低。漂浮绿藻和马尾藻的分布区域存在差异,120°30''—122°30''E为两者共同分布海域,向西以漂浮绿藻为主,向东则以马尾藻为主。分别于5月下旬和6月下旬在黄海35°N断面发现了1次米氏凯伦藻（Karenia mikimotoi）赤潮和1次赤潮异弯藻（Heterosigma akashiwo）赤潮。基于现场获取的水文数据,本文对南黄海海域的环境条件及其对有害藻华分布的影响进行了讨论。沿35°N断面共发的绿潮、金潮和赤潮现象表明黄海海域正面临严峻的海洋生态问题,通过对该海域赤潮、金潮和绿潮的长期观测,可望揭示这些藻华灾害形成机制和演变规律,为针对性地开展有害藻华预报、预警和防控提供科学依据。