海洋哺乳动物饲养设施的空间要求与设计标准

近年来,随着国内经济和旅游业的发展,许多城市开始兴建水族馆,在一些大型水族馆中海兽的饲养正日益普遍。由于我国在这方面起步较晚,加之对海洋哺乳动物的生理和生活习性并不十分了解,一些海兽饲养设施在设计上比较盲目,有些与饲养和展示的要求不符,甚至影响到海兽的正常活动与健康。本文参照有关国家海兽饲养设施的设计标准,向业内人士介绍有关海兽饲养设施设计的基本要求,以供参考。1　设计依据人工饲养条件下,海洋哺乳动物的活动必然会受到饲养设施空间的制约,据House等1988年报道,海兽饲养过程中的高死亡率很大程度上是由于饲养空间狭…     

人工饲养条件下海洋哺乳动物几种常见的病理行为

动物行为变化往往是疾病的先兆,对人工饲养的海兽在其特定环境中的行为进行正确分析和评价,对疾病的诊断和预防极为重要。本文从行为学角度介绍海洋哺乳动物在人工饲养条件下几种常见的病理行为及处理方法。1　呕吐人工饲养的海洋哺乳动物呕吐行为一般可分为神经性呕吐和器质性呕吐两种。神经性呕吐,又称自发性呕吐,多发生在海兽进食之后,呕吐常不费力,呕吐物较完整,无明显臭味,海兽活动正常,精神兴奋紧张;器质性呕吐又称干呕,其特点是发生时间不确定,呕吐常伴随腹部剧烈收缩,呕吐物消化一般比较充分,且有不愉快的气味,海兽多表现为精神不振…     

海兽表演训练的秘密

海兽表演是水族业发展的产物。随着水族展示业的发展,以及人们日益增长的消费需求,海兽表演已经在水族界成为明星产业。带有传奇色彩的海兽表演,不仅为人们开启了一扇热爱海洋、了解海洋动物的窗口,而且还开拓了人们的视野,增强了环保意识。     

海洋哺乳动物的开发利用

海洋哺乳动物通常也简称作海兽,与人类生活和其他海洋科学有着密切的关系,是生物学、生理学甚至医学上重要的研究内容。海兽是重要的水产资源,它与其他渔业目标又构成错综复杂的关系,它们的数量变动、洄游规律、摄食习性等又与水产科学密切相关。由于有些种捕捞过度,数量锐减;加之海洋污染的影响,     

海兽与人类的竞争与共存

１前言海兽类主要生活在海洋，而人类生活在陆地，所以一般认为两者之间没有什么关系。事实上，在远古时代生活在世界一部分海岸的原始居民和海兽类有过一定的关系。现代在世界广阔的区域内首先是渔业，另外在军事、交通、工业、教育等等的海洋和陆地的许多领域内，人类活动和海兽类有着种种关系。从１９世纪６０年代起，在世界范围内日益高涨的保护自然运动中，随着对海兽类的保护日益加强，人们对人类和海兽类的关系给予了更大的关注。在１９７２年召开的联合国人类环境会议上，海兽类的话题甚至涉及政治领域。海兽类，既有人类可以利用的…     

趁着夜阑更深时——海洋动物“爱情史”

一夫多妻的海兽海狮因雄兽颈部多有鬃状长毛其状如狮而得名。其中既有身体密披绒毛的海狗和毛皮海狮，又包括体形很大，常破坏鱼网、危害渔业的北海狮，以及常被训练作各种表演的加州海狮等。海狮以北太平洋和南极海域为主要分布区。它们整年以２／３的时间分散在海上漂泊巡游，索铒觅食，主要吃鱼和乌贼。每到生殖季节，便陆续返回它们的生身故乡，离海登陆，交配繁殖。与鲸类相比，海狮（也包括其他鳍脚类）对海洋的适应程度低，它们必须在陆地上生育后代。它们虽称作海兽，但尚未完全和陆地脱离联系，实际上应算是两栖性海洋动物。它们在…     

病毒引起的海洋哺乳动物疾病

在对海洋哺乳动物的疾病研究中,Britt和Howard认为病毒研究领域仍处于萌芽阶段。至今为止,科学家们已发现了几种病毒:如痘病毒、杯状病毒、腺病毒等,通过对这些病毒的形态、超微结构等方面的深入研究,揭示出了这些病毒的一些性质、特点以及引起疾病的机理等。这一领域已越来越引起人们的重视。本文就此方面进行一下综述,以减少在海兽诊治过程中出现的盲目性,及时得出准确的诊断。从而更好的保护海兽。1　痘病毒Wilson及其合作者在1969年第一次发现了痘病毒。他是从一头喂养的1岁的雌性加州海狮中诊断出该病毒的。Wilson,Sweeney及其合作者…     

长乐东南和海坛岛风沙资源特征及其开发利用

长乐东部和海坛是福建省的主要风沙分布区，风成沙是重要的自然资源。本文分析了风沙地貌类型及其分布特征、风成沙成分等，探讨了风沙资源的开发利用和保护等问题。     

福建省并非雨热两季

福建省是个热量和雨量都很丰富的地区。由于受季风的影响，干，雨季分明，年内雨量分布很不均匀，年际变化大，干旱与洪涝是本省最主要的气象这害，本省雨量与热量的配置很不协调，因此，福建省雨热同季的提法是不确切的。     

福建省并非雨热同季

福建省是个热量和雨量都很丰富的地区。由于受季风的影响，干、雨季分明，年内雨量分布很不均匀，年际变化大。干旱与洪涝是本省最主要的气象灾害。本省雨量与热量的配置很不协调，因此，福建省雨热同季的提法是不确切的。     

Structure of a toothed cetacean community around a tropical island (Mayotte,Mozambique Channel)

We describe the structure of a toothed cetacean community around the island of Mayotte (South-West Indian Ocean, 45°10′ E, 12°50′ S), using data collected from small boat-based surveys conducted between July 2004 and June 2006. In all, 16 odontocete species were recorded. Diversity (Shannon-Weaver index) was particularly high along the outer slope of the barrier reef. Patterns of spatial distribution underscore the existence of three main cetacean habitat types: the inner lagoon (Indo-Pacific bottlenosed dolphin Tursiops aduncus and humpback dolphin Sousa chinensis), the outer-reef slope (spinner dolphin Stenella longirostris, pantropical spotted dolphin S. attenuate and melon-headed whale Peponocephala electra) and oceanic waters deeper than 500 m (e.g. Blainville's beaked whale Mesoplodon densirostris). Group characteristics were highly variable among species, with oceanic small delphinids characterised by larger group sizes than strictly coastal and non-delphinid oceanic species. The outer slope of the barrier reef appears to be of primary importance in terms of density and diversity of odontocetes around Mayotte. Results support the hypothesis that a number of cetacean species, particularly several delphinid species, are dependent on coral reef complexes.     

Cetacean research in the southern African subregion: a review of previous studies and current knowledge

Cetacean research, in terms of the number of papers, and areas for which data are available, has expanded considerably in the southern African subregion in the past decade, especially in the South-West Indian Ocean. We review cetacean research within this subregion from the 1800s to the present to provide an overview of findings, investigate trends and identify knowledge gaps. Data are presented separately for large whales (those subject to commercial whaling) and smaller cetaceans, and are separated by era and ocean basin. Over 550 peer-reviewed papers and books were identified relating to research on cetaceans within the subregion. More than half (284) have been produced since 1990 and 193 relate specifically to South African waters. The most-studied species are those that are most accessible due to their coastal distributions (southern right whale Eubalaena australis: 45 papers, humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae: 31 papers, killer whales Orcinus orca: 27 papers, Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin Tursiops aduncus: 30 papers, Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin Sousa chinensis (plumbea form): 25 papers) and/or were hunted commercially (sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus: 25 papers). Identified conservation concerns vary throughout the subregion, but include bycatch and directed hunts, oil and gas development, ecotourism activities, shifts in prey resources, and noise and chemical pollution. The inshore stocks of Bryde's whales Balaenoptera edeni, the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin and the Atlantic humpback dolphin S. teuszii were identified as the populations of highest conservation concern, although there are considerable knowledge gaps relating to deep-water species and almost no data (even on species occurrence) are available for several areas and countries.     

Skin biopsy of Mediterranean cetaceans for the investigation of interspecies susceptibility to xenobiotic contaminants.

Various studies on Mediterranean cetaceans have revealed bioaccumulation of contaminants such as organochlorines (OCs) and heavy metals. The susceptibility of these animals to organic pollutants and the relationship between bioaccumulation and population decline (as in the case of Delphinus delphis) are unexplored fields. In this study, we used a non-destructive approach (skin biopsy) to explore OC bioaccumulation processes and mixed-function oxidase activity (BPMO) in four species of cetaceans: striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba), bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), common dolphin (D. delphis) and fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus). Significant differences in BPMO induction and OC levels were found between odontocetes and mysticetes, the former having mixed-function oxidase activities four times higher than the latter, binding with levels of OCs one order of magnitude higher in odontocetes. A significant correlation (P < 0.05) between BPMO activities and OC levels was found in B. physalus. In an ongoing project, fibroblast cultures have been used as an alternative in vitro method of evaluating interspecies susceptibility to contaminants such as OCs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These results suggest that cetacean skin biopsies are a powerful non-invasive tool for assessing ecotoxicological risk to Mediterranean marine mammals species.     

鲸豚声信号实时采集与分析系统

本文设计了一套基于FPGA的鲸豚声信号实时数据采集与分析系统,在采集存储水族馆内声信号的同时,应用改进的HHT算法处理鲸豚叫声中的click信号,实现实时的甄别瓶鼻海豚和白鲸功能,可用于针对大型哺乳动物的远洋实时跟踪科考。     

Long-term trends in cetacean occurrence during the annual sardine run off the Wild Coast,South Africa

During the austral winter, cetaceans and other apex predators follow the annual northeastward movement of shoaling sardines, known as the sardine run, along the southeast coast of South Africa, including a 400-km stretch called the Wild Coast. In total, 131 opportunistic aerial surveys were conducted between May and July, from 1996 to 2014, to monitor sardine movement. Cetacean-sighting data from these surveys were analysed, focusing on long-term trends in frequencies of the cetaceans. In total, 630 sightings involving five cetacean species were recorded: 268 (approximately 32 400 individuals) of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin Tursiops aduncus, 108 (approximately 79 400 individuals) of long-beaked common dolphin Delphinus capensis, 242 (approximately 670 individuals) of humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae, 1 (two individuals) of southern right whale Eubalaena australis, and 11 (16 individuals) of Bryde’s whale Balaenoptera edeni. The occurrence of common dolphins, typically associated with sardines, decreased significantly in average group size over the study period (p = 0.0343); bottlenose dolphins, considered generalist feeders, demonstrated no such trend (p = 0.916). Humpback whales were most frequently sighted between 2010 and 2014, and with significantly larger groups observed towards the end of the study period (p = 0.0121). For all these species, more sightings were made inside than outside of marine protected areas (>70% of the dolphin species, and >65% of the humpback whales), both pre- and post-2005 (from 2005 the size of the survey area increased). The results indicate that movements of the common dolphin may be employed as a proxy for sardine occurrence. Long-term trends evident in the data also demonstrate the importance of this coastal region for bottlenose dolphins as well as use as a migratory corridor for humpback whales.     

The autumn occurrence and spatial distribution of cetaceans in the waters of Mauritania during a geophysical survey in 2012

This study aimed to identify the occurrence and spatial distribution of cetaceans in Mauritanian waters (eastern Atlantic). A geophysical survey was conducted over 92 days between September and December 2012. Over 967 km was surveyed, with 1 017 h of observer effort recorded. Visual watches for marine mammals resulted in 228 cetacean sightings of 16 different species, including 12 odontocetes and 4 mysticetes. The short-finned pilot whale Globicephala macrorhynchus was the most frequently encountered odontocete, followed by the Atlantic spotted dolphin Stenella frontalis. Of the mysticetes, the sei whale Balaenoptera borealis and blue whale B. musculus were encountered most frequently. We used generalised additive models and generalised linear models to examine the relationships between environmental factors and cetacean distribution. The results showed depth had a significant influence on presence of the short-finned pilot whale, which preferred waters deeper than 1 800 m. The model for mysticetes identified bathymetry as a significant environmental predictor, whereas slope of the ocean floor had a positive effect but was not significant. This study contributes to our understanding of cetaceans in Mauritanian waters, using data from a platform of opportunity.     

The sequential megafaunal collapse hypothesis: Testing with existing data

Springer et al. [Springer, A.M., Estes, J.A., van Vliet, G.B., Williams, T.M., Doak, D.F., Danner, E.M., Forney, K.A., Pfister, B., 2003. Sequential megafaunal collapse in the North Pacific Ocean: an ongoing legacy of industrial whaling? Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 100 (21), 12,223–12,228] hypothesized that great whales were an important prey resource for killer whales, and that the removal of fin and sperm whales by commercial whaling in the region of the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI) in the late 1960s and 1970s led to cascading trophic interactions that caused the sequential decline of populations of harbor seal, northern fur seal, Steller sea lion and northern sea otter. This hypothesis, referred to as the Sequential Megafaunal Collapse (SMC), has stirred considerable interest because of its implication for ecosystem-based management. The SMC has the following assumptions: (1) fin whales and sperm whales were important as prey species in the Bering Sea; (2) the biomass of all large whale species (i.e., North Pacific right, fin, humpback, gray, sperm, minke and bowhead whales) was in decline in the Bering Sea in the 1960s and early 1970s; and (3) pinniped declines in the 1970s and 1980s were sequential. We concluded that the available data are not consistent with the first two assumptions of the SMC. Statistical tests of the timing of the declines do not support the assumption that pinniped declines were sequential. We propose two alternative hypotheses for the declines that are more consistent with the available data. While it is plausible, from energetic arguments, for predation by killer whales to have been an important factor in the declines of one or more of the three populations of pinnipeds and the sea otter population in the BSAI region over the last 30 years, we hypothesize that the declines in pinniped populations in the BSAI can best be understood by invoking a multiple factor hypothesis that includes both bottom–up forcing (as indicated by evidence of nutritional stress in the western Steller sea lion population) and top–down forcing (e.g., predation by killer whales, mortality incidental to commercial fishing, directed harvests). Our second hypothesis is a modification of the top–down forcing mechanism (i.e., killer whale predation on one or more of the pinniped populations and the sea otter population is mediated via the recovery of the eastern North Pacific population of the gray whale). We remain skeptical about the proposed link between commercial whaling on fin and sperm whales, which ended in the mid-1960s, and the observed decline of populations of northern fur seal, harbor seal, and Steller sea lion some 15 years later.     

A preliminary study of habitat and resource partitioning among co-occurring tropical dolphins around Mayotte, southwest Indian Ocean

Mayotte in the southwest Indian Ocean is characterized by high dolphin diversity. They may coexist within a fairly small area around the island because they exploit neither the same preferential habitats nor the same resources. This preliminary study aimed to investigate ecological niche segregation among these delphinid communities: the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops aduncus, the pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata, the spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris, and the melon-headed whale, Peponocephala electra. Two approaches were used. Habitat preferences were investigated by analysing dolphin sighting data and associated physiographical characteristics. Resource partitioning was explored by analysing C and N stable isotopes in skin and blubber biopsies. Only T. aduncus, which showed clear association with coastal habitats in the lagoon, differed from the others in terms of habitat preferences, characterised by shallow depth and slope, and proximity to the coast. All other species shared similar oceanic habitats immediately outside the lagoon, these being of higher depth and slope, greater distance from the coast and were not discernable by discriminant analysis. The two Stenella species and the melon-headed whale displayed very high overlap in habitat physiographic variables. The analysis of stable isotopes confirmed the ecological isolation of T. aduncus and revealed a clear segregation of P. electra compared to the two Stenella that was not apparent in the habitat analysis. This may reflect ecological differences that were not observable from diurnal surface observations.     

Scutocyamus antipodensis n.sp. (Amphipoda: Cyamidae) on Hector's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori) from New Zealand

The whale‐louse Scutocyamus antipodensis n.sp., ectoparasitic on Hector's dolphin, Cephalorhynchus hectori (van Beneden), is described and figured from material collected in Cloudy Bay, Cook Strait, New Zealand. Morphologically the new species is very close to S. parvus Lincoln & Hurley, the type and only other species of the genus, known only from the North Sea. However, the two species differ in the detailed structure and spinosity of the body and pereopods.     

Propulsive performance of three naturally occurring oscillating propeller planforms

A numerical method, the quasi-vortex-lattice method (QVLM), was applied to predict the propulsive performance of three naturally occurring oscillating propellers. These were cetacean flukes for a fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus); white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus); and white whale (Delphinapterus leucas). The fin whale's flukes had the highest aspect ratio (6.1) and moderate sweep angle (31°); the white-sided dolphin's flukes had the highest sweep angle (47°) and lowest aspect ratio (2.7); and the white whale's flukes had moderate aspect ratio (3.3) and the lowest sweep angle (28°). In the numerical simulations, the planforms were assumed to be rigid both in chordwise and spanwise directions, and to be oscillating harmonically in an irrotational, incompressible fluid. Calculation and comparisons of propulsive efficiency and thrust coefficient vs advance ratio for each of the planforms were made in three cases: varied heave amplitude; different pitching axis positions; and varied angular amplitude of pitch.