热带东印度洋春季浮游植物群落结构空间特征分析

基于2013年3月至5月采集的热带东印度洋海域(10.0°S～4.0°N, 83.0°～97.5°E)浮游植物水样样品,分析了其种类组成、优势类群、细胞丰度等群落特征参数,综合比较了水平和垂向上浮游植物种类及丰度的差异性,初步探讨了其成因。结果表明:2013年春季热带东印度洋微型浮游植物共鉴定出306种,主要由硅藻、甲藻、金藻、蓝藻、裸藻和隐藻六大门类组成,其优势类群主要以粒径较小的隐藻、微型甲藻、菱形藻、环沟藻等为主。水平分布上,各水层浮游植物细胞丰度分布趋势相似,但斑块特征明显,其高值区位于88°E断面赤道以南次表层水域(30 m、75 m),局部区域细胞丰度值可达104 cells/L以上;与其毗邻的东南部、东部水域为低值区,并向赤道延伸。垂直剖面上,硅藻和甲藻广泛分布在各取样深度,但分布特征有明显的空间差异和规律,0 m、30 m大部分站位硅藻种类比例在0.2～0.3甚至更低,甲藻在0.7～0.8,随着水层加深(75 m、100 m、150 m、300 m),硅藻种类占比上升到0.5～0.6,甲藻降低到0.4～0.5,无论硅藻还是甲藻种类数75 m层最丰富。30 m和75 m水层细胞丰度明显高于其他水层。甲藻是热带东印度洋微型浮游植物种类和细胞丰度的重要贡献者,低生物量海域表现的更为明显,贡献率大于80%。该研究将极大丰富东印度洋浮游植物群落空间特征基础信息较匮乏的现状,为量化、评估该海域的生物资源提供数据支撑。     

Long-term change in the abyssal NE Atlantic: The ‘Amperima Event’ revisited

The results from a time series study (1989–2005) at a depth of 4850 m on the Porcupine Abyssal Plain, NE Atlantic, are presented, showing radical changes in the density of large invertebrates (megafauna) over time. Major changes occurred in a number of different taxa between 1996 and 1999 and then again in 2002. One species of holothurian, Amperima rosea, was particularly important, increasing in density by over three orders of magnitude. There were no significant changes in total megafaunal biomass during the same period. Peaks in density were correlated to reductions in mean body size, indicating that the increases were related to large-scale recruitment events. The changes occurred over a wide area of the Porcupine Abyssal Plain. Comparisons made with changes in the density of protozoan and metazoan meiofauna, and with macrofauna, showed that major changes in community structure occurred in all size fractions of the benthic community at the same time. This suggests that the faunal changes were driven by environmental factors rather than being stochastic population imbalances of one or two species. Large-scale changes in the flux of organic matter to the abyssal seafloor have been noted in the time series, particularly in 2001, and may be related to the sudden mass occurrence of A. rosea the following year. Time-varying environmental factors are important in influencing the occurrence of megafauna on the abyssal seafloor.     

Organic matter assimilation and selective feeding by holothurians in the deep sea: some observations and comments

The selective feeding behaviour and assimilation efficiencies of deep-sea holothurians were investigated in order to assess their impact on carbon and nitrogen remineralisation on the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP; 49°N 16°W, 4850 m water depth). Unfortunately, reliable determination of organic matter in the gut contents of the organisms proved to be difficult, because of the lysis of cells associated with the death of the animals on recovery. This was expressed in high levels of free fatty acids in the gut contents of Oneirophanta mutabilis, which we ascribe to unregulated lipolysis of phospholipids and triacylglycerides. It was not possible to estimate accurately the contribution that such material made to the gut contents, but based on the distributions of sterols in the gut sediments, it is likely to have been substantial. Therefore, all assimilation efficiencies calculated for holothurians in the deep sea should be treated with caution.Fortuitously, a bloom of holothurians that feed on the sediment surface (namely Amperima rosea and Ellipinion molle) during the period of study provided an opportunity indirectly to assess the impact of megafauna on organic matter cycling at the PAP. Observations suggest that the depletion of phytosterols from the surficial sediments between July and October 1997 resulted from the selective uptake of fresh phytodetritus by the blooming species. Deep-sea holothurians do not biosynthesise sterols de novo and an estimate of the sterol required by the increased population of A. rosea and E. molle is equivalent to the sterol flux to the seafloor during the spring/summer of 1997. The implications are dramatic. Firstly, these and other megafauna apparently turned over and selectively removed phytosterols from the freshly arrived phytodetritus and the surficial sediment (0–5 mm) at the PAP in less than four months. Secondly, their action impacted the food resource available to other organisms. Finally, as phytosterols are expensive to biosynthesise and are apparently an important resource for holothurians, we speculate that the supply of these compounds to the sedimentary community may be one important control on their population in the abyssal ocean.     

Phytopigments as biomarkers of selectivity in abyssal holothurians; interspecific differences in response to a changing food supply

Holothurians dominate the abyssal megabenthos. They are key consumers and bioturbators of surficial sediment. Compounds essential for holothurian reproduction, such as carotenoids, are in short supply in the deep ocean. Holothurians cannot synthesise carotenoids de novo; the compounds are supplied with the flux of phytodetritus. Therefore, the supply of these compounds may play an important role in regulating processes on the seafloor. This study examines the link between the diet of abyssal holothurians and their ovarian carotenoid biochemistry. Phytodetritus, surficial sediment, holothurian gut content and ovaries were sampled in June 2004 and in July 2005 at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP), NE Atlantic. Gut content chlorophyll a concentration showed that Amperima rosea, Peniagone diaphana and Oneirophanta mutabilis fed selectively on fresh organic matter, although when this was scarce, O. mutabilis was outcompeted and fed on more refractory material. All three species display consistent ovarian carotenoid profiles and have relatively high carotenoid concentrations in their ovaries. Psychropotes longicauda, Paroriza prouhoi, Pseudostichopus aemulatus, P. villosus and Molpadia blakei fed less selectively and exhibited low ovarian carotenoid concentrations with inconsistent profiles. The results suggest that abyssal holothurian ovarian biochemistry is a complex function of OM supply, holothurian feeding guild and reproductive adaptation. Changes in upper ocean biogeochemistry, altering the composition of organic matter reaching the deep-sea floor, may favour certain holothurian species, as suggested by the interspecific differences in holothurian ovarian biochemistry. This may lead to large community changes as seen at the PAP, which can alter the reworking rates of sediment, probably affecting carbon burial. The study also demonstrated that using the presence of biomarkers in gut contents to infer feeding selectivity should be used with caution. Only biomarkers in gut contents that are not present in the tissues of the holothurians (e.g., chlorophyll a) should be used to determine their feeding selectivity.     

Food sources of benthic animals on intertidal and subtidal bottoms in inner Ariake Sound,southern Japan,determined by stable isotopes

To evaluate the relative importance of possible food sources, including riverine particulate organic matter, reeds, benthic microalgae, seaweeds, cultured laver (Porphyra) and coastal phytoplankton, for commercial bivalves and co-occurring benthic animals, 73 macrofaunal species were collected from intertidal and subtidal soft bottoms in the inner part of Ariake Sound, Kyushu, southern Japan, and their isotopic compositions were analyzed. The results revealed that (1) both intertidal and subtidal food webs were constituted of 3 trophic levels, (2) suspension-feeding bivalves utilize a mixture of benthic microalgae and coastal phytoplankton, and omnivores and carnivores incorporate benthic microalgae and phytoplankton through their intermediate prey, and (3) 3 bivalves (Scapharca kagoshimensis, Modiolus metcalfei and Atrina lischkeana) inhabiting both intertidal and subtidal bottoms showed similar seasonal fluctuations, suggesting no difference in the diet composition among the species and between the 2 habitats. We conclude that a large biomass of benthic microalgae which was approximately equal to that of phytoplankton and the strong tidal currents that would resuspend benthic microalgae and transport them to subtidal bottom areas account for the benthic microalgal and phytoplankton based trophic structure in the inner part of Ariake Sound.     

Spatial distribution of the phytoplankton in the White Sea during atypical domination of dinoflagellates (July 2009)

The species composition and biomass of phytoplankton, concentrations of chlorophyll a (Chl a) and nutrients, and accompanying hydrophysical conditions have been studied in the White Sea on July 6–11, 2009. The temperature of the surface water layer was lower than the multiyear average in July. Dinoflagellates dominated in the entire studied area; this was not the typical event for July. We suggest that domination of dinoflagellates was caused by low water temperature, when the nutrient regeneration rate was insufficient to support diatom growth. The abundance of microalgae and the structure of the phytoplankton community depended on the water structure. Variations in the phytoplankton community structure were caused not by substitution of specific species but rather by variability of the abundance of a single species, Heterocapsa triquetra. The highest phytoplankton biomass has been recorded in weakly stratified waters, where tidal mixing supplied the income of inorganic nutrients. The income of nutrients to the photic layer was limited in the stratified waters of Dvina Bay during the summer low-water period, so the phytoplankton abundance was low. We suggest that the lens of surface desalinated water presumably originated from the outlet of the Dvina River was registered in the central part of the White Sea.     

Spatio-temporal variability of micro- and meiobenthic communities in a White Sea intertidal sandflat

Meiobenthos (harpacticoids), microzoobenthos (ciliates) and microphytobenthos (epipelic diatoms and dinoflagellates) were collected during July 1999 using nested sampling at the scales of decimeters, meters and tens of meters. Similarity between samples decreased rapidly with distance for all groups, but unicellular organisms were distributed more heterogeneously at a large scale than meiobenthos. Microspatial (decimeter scale) variations contributed the main part of total variation of harpacticoid abundance, while the large-scale differences were less important. On the contrary, these differences yielded the main variability for ciliates and especially for microalgae. The relative role of temporal variability decreased steadily for the smaller-sized organisms. Stability of spatial structure at multiple scales was estimated by Mantel correlations, R_m, between the successive similarity matrices. For harpacticoids, the results showed intensive and chaotic turnover of microaggregations. For microbenthos, rather high R_m values were found in smaller scales: tens of meters—for ciliates, from meters on—for dinoflagellates, and already from decimeter scale and on—for diatoms. Thus, the general spatial pattern (that is the arrangement of micropatches) was more stable for microbenthos than for meiobenthos. Temporal variability of species structure, in contrast to the spatial one, was highest for the smallest organisms. Correlations between size groups, using both total abundance and species composition, differed for microspatial, meso-spatial or temporal distribution. At the microscale, there were slight but significant negative correlations between harpacticoids and microalgae. Meso-scale distribution of dinoflagellates and diatoms differed significantly due to their different preferences in sediment properties. Ciliates were strongly positively correlated with dinoflagellates. At the microscale, each group had an individual community pattern. At larger scales, species composition of diatoms, ciliates and harpacticoids varied in space in coordination, while dinoflagellates behaved independently. It is hypothesized that body size determines the spatio-temporal scale of the perception of environmental heterogeneity.     

Is long-term change in the abyssal Northeast Atlantic driven by qualitative changes in export flux? Evidence from selective feeding in deep-sea holothurians

The Porcupine Abyssal Plain (NE Atlantic) time-series has shown large, wide-scale, changes in the composition of the benthic community at 4800 m depth (48°50′N, 16°30′W). The abundance of holothurians has increased significantly since 1996 and one species in particular, Amperima rosea, has increased in abundance by three orders of magnitude. Environmental forcing in the form of phytodetrital food supply to the benthos is believed to be driving these changes. Chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments were determined from the gut sediments of seven species of abyssal holothurian, sampled from the Porcupine Abyssal Plain during Autumn 2000 and Spring 2002. These two samples fell either side of the main phytoplankton bloom in the NE Atlantic, providing an opportunity for seasonal comparisons. Significant inter-species differences in pigment profiles were observed among the seven species. Seasonal differences were noted among four species sampled in both time periods. All seven species were collected from the same geographical area and depth. As algal pigments cannot be synthesised by the holothurians, they provide good biomarkers for the composition of the phytodetritus. Differences in pigments from gut sediment profiles are indicative of selective feeding among the holothurians. A. rosea had a gut profile dominated by the pigments zeaxanthin, chlorophyll a/echineone and β-carotene; these pigments were all present in significantly smaller quantities in the other species. The high quantities of these pigments are indicative of a diet rich in cyanobacteria. The gut sediments of A. rosea also lacked many chloropigments characteristic of other phytoplankton groups, which were observed in the guts of other holothurian species. Ovarian tissue for the five species taken in the pre-spring bloom 2002 sample were examined. All species showed similar carotenoid profiles, dominated by zeaxanthin, echinenone and β-carotene, all of which are important compounds for reproductive success in echinoderms. The differences in gut pigment profiles highlight the potential for several species of deposit-feeding holothurians to partition the same phytodetrital food source, possibly providing a mechanism for maintaining the high diversity of deposit feeders at abyssal depths. The dominance of reproductively important carotenoids in the guts and gonads of A. rosea may highlight the ability of this species to rapidly utilise any change in the composition of the phytodetrital flux and translate that advantage into a successful reproductive and recruitment event. The results are discussed in relation to work on bathyal holothurians and the potential for food-driven regime shifts in both the abyssal and bathyal Northeast Atlantic.     

Phytoplankton blooms in the Urdaibai estuary during summer: Physico-chemical conditions and taxa involved

In the Urdaibai estuary, despite its small volume in relation to the tidal prism, phytoplankton grows massively in the upper and intermediate zones of the estuary during summer when rainfall is low to moderate. Data obtained in 23 sampling transects along the longitudinal axis of the estuary, undertaken in July 1993 and August 1994, showed three distinct zones in terms of the phytoplankton species composition: in the upper zone the phytoplankton assemblage was dominated by the diatoms Cyclotella spp., the dinoflagellate Glenodinium foliaceum, cryptophytes and euglenophytes; in the intermediate zone the diatom Chaetoceros ceratosporus, the dinoflagellates Peridinium quinquecorne and Prorocentrum minimum and cryptophytes were the most abundant; in the lower zone diatoms such as Leptocylindricus danicus and Skeletonema costatum together with the dinoflagellates Prorocentrum spp. were dominant. The distribution and abundance of these phytoplankton forms is discussed in relation to variations in salinity, water column stratification, nutrients and temperature, which in turn vary mainly as a function of meteorological conditions (i.e. rainfall, irradiance) and tidal amplitude. The longitudinal distribution of phytoplankton cells suggests that the diatoms Cyclotella spp. and Chaetoceros ceratosporus undergo a greater dispersion along the estuary during rain events than the flagellates, thus contributing to the transport of silica to the outer areas of the estuary.     

Variability in ultraplankton at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain study site

Observations of the ultraplankton (<5 μm) are presented from a 4 day mesoscale survey centred on the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) study site (49°00’N 16°30’W), in July 2006. The organisms enumerated include two groups of phytoplankton, Synechococcus cyanobacteria, heterotrophic bacteria, large viruses, and two size classes of heterotrophic protist. The dataset comprises over 400 samples from the mixed layer taken over a 100 × 100 km² area at a spatial resolution of typically 2-3 km.For phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria there is a clear bimodal structure to the histograms of abundance indicative of two distinct communities in the region. Using the strong bimodality of one of the phytoplankton groups’ histogram as a basis, the dataset is split into two subsets, with roughly 200 points in each, corresponding to the two histogram peaks. Doing so provides evidence that Synechococcus and viruses may also have a bimodal structure. Correlations between all pairings of these five organisms (both phytoplankton groups, Synechococcus, heterotrophic bacteria and viruses) are positive and quite high (r>0.7). The two communities can therefore be characterised as high and low abundance. Although there is a coincidence of low abundances with high temperatures in the southwest corner of the region, where there was known to be an eddy present, the spatial distributions of these organisms over the whole region is poorly predicted by temperature (or salinity or density). Furthermore, the spatial distributions of heterotrophic protists are found to differ strongly from those of the other organisms, having a unimodal structure and no obvious large scale structure. The more random structure of the heterotrophs’ spatial distribution compared to their prey is consistent with previous results from the continental shelf, but is demonstrated for the open ocean here for the first time.Spatial variability is a large potential source of error in point samples, such as those comprising time series or transect cruises, unless a sufficient number of samples are taken. This large dataset is further used to provide guidance on the number of samples that would be required to estimate the mean abundance for the organisms accurately in this spatially variable region. Even if the bimodal structure was known initially, many of the organisms would require 10 or more samples to estimate the mean with 25% accuracy.     

The 1980/1981 phytoplankton cycle in the coastal waters off Connemara,Ireland

The results of a phytoplankton survey conducted in coastal waters off western Ireland in 1980/1981 are reported. Surface values of temperature, salinity, NO₃N, PO₄P, Si, total N, total P and chlorophyll a (Chla) collected at 6 stations during 14 cruises are presented along with the species composition of the net phytoplankton.The spring bloom occurred in late April and was dominated by diatoms. Between April and July further diatom blooms occurred. In July and August dinoflagellates were dominant. This change was associated with the stratification of offshore water and low concentrations of Chla and nutrients. In Autumn large blooms of Ceratium tripos were found; it is suggested that the cause was heavy freshwater runoff. In autumn and winter some warm water oceanic species (e.g. Oxytoxum scolopax) occurred.     

Phytoplankton characteristics and hydrological conditions in the western part of the Sea of Okhotsk in the spring of 1999 and 2000 based on expeditionary and satellite data

Using the data obtained in 1999–2000 during the spring bloom of phytoplankton (late May–early June), the variability of the pigment concentrations, the phytoplankton biomass and species compositions, and the hydrological conditions on the eastern shelf of Sakhalin Island was studied. The study resulted in revealing 135 microalgae species belonging to eight divisions. The most diversely presented were the Dinophyta dinoflagellates and Bacillariophyta diatoms (70 and 53 species, respectively). The concentration of chlorophyll a in the euphotic zone amounted, on average, to 3.8 mg/m³ in 1999 and 2.4 mg/m³ in 2000. It was shown that, in the northern and southern parts of the coastal zone, the concentration of chlorophyll a and the phytoplankton density in the spring were considerably different and depended on the hydrological conditions. In the north, their maximum values were found in the area of the depth break and were determined by the tidal mixing. The increased algae concentrations and temperature inversions at depths of 400–600 m confirm the downslope sliding of the near-bottom shelf waters. In the southern part, the high phytoplankton concentrations in the surface layer in 1999 confirmed by the monthly averaged estimates from the SeaWiFS satellite color scanner were caused by the abnormal northward propagation of the Soya Current waters and by intense tidal mixing.     

Seasonal Dynamics of Phytoplankton and Environmental Factors around the Chagwi-do off the West Coast of Jeju Island,Korea

The dynamics of phytoplankton abundance with seasonal variation in physicochemical conditions were investigated monthly at 10 stations around the Chagwi-do off the west coast of Jeju Island, Korea, including inshore, middle shore, and offshore in the marine ranching area from September 2004 to November 2005. Water temperature varied from 12.1 to 28.9°C (average 18.8°C), and salinity from 28.9 to 34.9 psu (average 33.7 psu). The chlorophyll a concentration was 0.02-2.05 μg L¹ (average 0.70 μg L¹), and the maximum concentration occurred in the bottom layer in April. A total of 294 phytoplankton species belonging to 10 families was identified: 182 Bacillariophyceae, 52 Dinophyceae, 9 Chlorophyceae, 12 Cryptophyceae, 6 Chrysophyceae, 4 Dictyophyceae, 13 Euglenophyceae, 6 Prymnesiophyceae, 5 Prasinophyceae, and 5 Raphidophyceae. The standing crop was 2.21-48.69x10⁴ cells L¹ (average 9.23x 10⁴ cells L¹), and the maximum occurred in the bottom layer in April. Diatoms were most abundant throughout the year, followed by dinoflagellates and phytoflagellates. A phytoplankton bloom occurred twice: once in spring, peaking in April, and once in autumn, peaking in November. The spring bloom was represented by fourChaetoceros species andSkeletonema costatum; each contributed 10–20% of the total phytoplankton abundance. The autumn bloom comprised dinoflagellates, diatoms, and phytoflagellates, of which dinoflagellates were predominant.Gymnodinium conicum, Prorocentrum micans, andP. triestinum each contributed over 10% of the total phytoplankton abundance.     

长江口海域春季浮游植物的年际变化

于2014年5月在长江口海域采集海水样品,分析了浮游植物种类组成、细胞丰度、优势种等群落结构特征。共鉴定浮游植物105种,其中硅藻30属56种,甲藻19属41种,以及隶属于金藻、蓝藻等的8个种。浮游硅藻以近岸半咸水种为主,优势种类是中肋骨条藻(Skeletonema costatum);浮游甲藻以沿岸广布种为主,典型代表是东海原甲藻(Prorocentrum donghaiense)。为了更好地了解长江口海域浮游植物的年际变化趋势,本文收集整理了该海域1986—2014年间的春季数据,分析了浮游硅藻、浮游甲藻主要群落特征的年际变化,以及浮游硅藻优势种类细胞粒径的变化趋势。结果表明:(1)浮游硅藻、浮游甲藻的种类数均呈现不同程度的上升趋势,浮游甲藻的上升幅度更为明显;(2)浮游甲藻种类数在浮游植物种类数中的占有比例呈上升趋势,而浮游硅藻所占比例呈下降趋势;(3)浮游硅藻优势种类的细胞粒径呈现小型化趋势。     

AN ECOLOGICAL STUDY OF BENTHIC ORGANISMS IN THE NEARSHORE WATERS TO THE WEST OF TAIWAN STRAIT

In seven cruises on benthic organisms in the nearshore waters(>50 m) to the west of the Taiwan Strait(23°20''-25°54''N,117°11''-119°58''E) in 1961-1964,altogether 189 stations of quantitative grabbing and 33 stations of qualitative trawling were made.
Altogether 392 species of benthic organisms have been identified.The composition was dominated by nearshore shallow water species,with tropical and subtropical species absolutely dominant.The total average of biomass was 38.0 g/m² and average density,116.0 ind./m².The communities of benthic organisms in the area can be classified into five communities namely,(1) Amphiura sp.-Acaudina molpadioides Community;(2) Protankyra asymmetrica-Arnphioplus pracstans-Murex trapa Community;(3) Modiolus meicalfei-Phyllophorus liuwutiensis-Armandia letocirris-Nephtys sinensis Community;(4) Branchiostoma belcheri-Solenr oseomaculatus-Marphysa sinensis- Onuphis eremita Community;(5) Iconomtra japonica-Barbatia decussata Community.     

海洋发光甲藻研究进展

海洋发光甲藻是指海洋中在受到物理扰动刺激时可以发出可见光的一类甲藻,是海洋中非常重要的发光生物类群,也是海洋浮游植物中唯一具有发光能力的类群。近些年,由于其独特的发光功能,发光甲藻被人类应用到很多方面,比如环境污染物的毒性检测、海洋浮游植物的生物量监测和有害藻华的预警,以及海洋军事中的追踪和探潜等。国外关于海洋发光甲藻的研究起步较早,目前在分类、生态乃至生理和生化方面都取得了一定的进展。国内该方面的研究起步较晚且较少,相关的基础和应用性研究亟需开展。本文针对当前国内、外关于发光甲藻的研究进行综述,介绍了海洋发光甲藻的种类和分布、发光的机理及其影响因素,同时对发光甲藻的应用领域及未来的研究方向进行了总结和展望。希望可以引起国内同行的重视,并为相关研究提供借鉴和参考。     

Summer pattern of phytoplankton distribution at a station in jangmok bay

Daily changes in phytoplankton abundance and species composition were monitored from July to September 2003 (n=47) to understand which factors control the abundance at a station in Jangmok Bay. During the study, the phytoplankton community was mainly composed of small cell diatoms and dinoflagellates, and the dominant genera wereChaetoceros,Nitzschia, Skeletonema andThalassionema. Phytoplankton abundance varied significantly from 6.40x10⁴ to 1.22x10⁷ cells/l. The initially high level of phytoplankton abundance was dominated by diatoms, but replacement by dinoflagellates started when the N/P ratio decreased to < 5.0. On the basis of the N/P and Si/N ratios, the sampling period could be divided into two: an inorganic silicate limitation period (ISLP, 14^th July-12^th of August) and an inorganic nitrogen limitation period (INLP, 13^th of August - the end of the study). Phosphate might not limit the growth of phytoplankton assemblages in the bay during the study period. This study suggests that phytoplankton abundance and species composition might be affected by the concentrations of inorganic nutrients (N and Si), and provides baseline information for further studies on plankton dynamics in Jangmok Bay.     

Increased benthic grazing: An alternative explanation for low phytoplankton biomass in northern San Francisco Bay during the 1976–1977 drought

Among the consequences of extremely low river flow into northern San Francisco Bay during a two-year drought were (1) a gradual increase in salinity, (2) an unusual decline in chlorophyll a concentration, and (3) the upstream migration of estuarine benthic invertebrates to the normally brackish area of the bay. Total abundance in the benthos at a shallow monitoring site increased from a normal 2000 to greater than 20 000 individuals m^?2 during the summer of 1977, presumably in response to the increased salinity. Estimated filtration rates derived from equations in the literature for one of the species, the suspended-feeding bivalve Mya arenaria ranged from 1 to 4 m³ m^?2 day^?1 during 1977 depending on abundance and mean size on sampling dates. Because water depth at this site is less than 2 m, Mya could have filtered all of the particles (including diatoms) from the water column on the order of once per day. Several other immigrant species undoubtedly contributed to the removal of particles from the near-bottom water as well. Increased benthic grazing, therefore, could have accounted for the anomalously low phytoplankton biomass observed during the drought. These results suggest that during periods of prolonged low river flow and increased salinity benthic food webs could become more important than planktonic food webs in the upper part of the estuary.     

氮磷比对浙江近岸浮游植物群落结构影响的实验研究

通过室内受控实验方法研究不同氮磷比(N/P)(1:1,4:1,8:1,16:1,32:1,64:1,128:1和256:1)对浙江近岸秋季浮游植物群落结构的影响。结果表明,不同N/P对浮游植物群落的多样性指数、物种组成及演替过程均有显著影响。实验前期(6~12 d),低N/P组(1:1)H',Ma,J和D_r值均偏小,实验结束时(30 d)8:1和16:1组H',J和D_r值小于其他各组。实验初期(6 d),高N/P组(128:1和256:1)对硅藻生长有明显促进作用,实验结束时8:1和16:1组更适合硅藻生长。此外,各组中浮游植物群落都呈硅藻→甲藻的基本演替规律,外界环境条件的改变较之群落初始物种组成对浮游植物群落的演替顺序更具决定性作用。     

Biological characterization of a whale-fall near Vancouver Island,British Columbia,Canada

Video analysis of a whale-fall discovered in the northeast Pacific Ocean, off Vancouver Island at a depth of 1288 m during ROV diving operations has identified 26 taxa of deep-sea benthic organisms inhabiting the seafloor immediately surrounding remnants of the whale skeleton. A photo-mosaic derived from high-definition video provides a quantitative visual record of the present condition of the site, the species richness, and substrate preference. Only the skull and caudal vertebrae remains of this large whale skeleton are estimated to have been approximately 16.5 m in length. Most organisms identified near the whale-fall are common benthic deep-sea fauna, typical of this water depth and seafloor composition. Much of this species richness comes from sessile suspension feeding cnidarians attached to the numerous glacial dropstones found throughout the area rather than the presence of the whale skeleton. Seep and bone specialists are rare (4 taxa) and may be, in part, a remnant population from a sulphophilic stage of whale-fall decomposition. Evidence of past colonization by Osedax sp. is visible on the remaining bones and we conclude that rapid degradation of the missing bones has occurred at this site as has been observed at whale-falls off central California in Monterey Canyon.