Alternative nursery habitat for estuarine associated marine fish during prolonged closure of the St Lucia estuary,South Africa

The Mfolozi estuary, located on the east coast of South Africa, was historically directly linked to the adjacent St Lucia estuarine system, the largest estuarine system in Africa and a World Heritage Site. The Mfolozi used to be the main feeder system to maintain lake levels in St Lucia, but increased siltation from sugar cane farming in the Mfolozi floodplain led to artificial separation of the two systems in 1950. Reduced freshwater inflow due to drought conditions caused the St Lucia mouth to remain closed from June 2002 to present, coinciding with low lake levels and hypersaline conditions, except for a brief period during 2007 after the St Lucia mouth breached. These conditions led to disruption of larval recruitment into the system and major changes in biotic communities. Due to the importance of the St Lucia – Mfolozi System link, a study was initiated in 2007 on the fish community of the Mfolozi system, which was sampled using seine and gill nets. The 48 species recorded were dominated by juveniles of marine spawners, particularly Leiognathus equula and Valamugil cunnesius and the estuarine spawners Ambassis dussumieri and Ambassis natalensis. Estuarine dependent marine spawning species formed 68% of both the species numbers and CPUE, an indication of the regional importance of the Mfolozi estuary as an alternate refuge for juvenile marine fish during periods when the St Lucia system remained closed. Post-larval recruits of marine spawning species were particularly abundant, but low zoobenthic densities caused a rapid decline in numbers of benthic feeders shortly after their recruitment into the system. The importance of the Mfolozi estuary in maintaining marine brood stocks of estuarine dependent marine fish is discussed with particular reference to estuarine degradation and the ecological integrity of the St Lucia system.     

Shallow waters: social science research in South Africa's marine environment

This paper provides an overview of social science research in the marine environment of South Africa for the period 1994–2012. A bibliography based on a review of relevant literature and social science projects funded under the SEAChange programme of the South African Network for Coastal and Oceanic Research (SANCOR) was used to identify nine main themes that capture the knowledge generated in the marine social science field. Within these themes, a wide diversity of topics has been explored, covering a wide geographic area. The review suggests that there has been a steady increase in social science research activities and outputs over the past 18 years, with a marked increase in postgraduate dissertations in this field. The SEAChange programme has contributed to enhancing understanding of certain issues and social interactions in the marine environment but this work is limited. Furthermore, there has been limited dissemination of these research results amongst the broader marine science community and incorporation of this information into policy and management decisions has also been limited. However, marine scientists are increasingly recognising the importance of taking a more holistic and integrated approach to management, and are encouraging further social science research, as well as interdisciplinary research across the natural and social sciences. Possible reasons for the lack of communication and coordination amongst natural and social scientists, as well as the limited uptake of research results in policy and management decisions, are discussed and recommendations are proposed.     

Characteristics and landcover of estuarine boundaries: implications for the delineation of the South African estuarine functional zone

This study investigated whether the current lateral boundary for estuaries in South Africa, i.e. the estuarine functional zone (EFZ), includes all estuarine habitats. The EFZ covers 173 930 ha in 304 estuaries/outlets nationally. Field surveys and analysis of available aerial images showed that 82 (12 956.70 ha) of these estuaries (26%) had estuarine habitats occurring outside of this boundary. As a result of mapping scale, the National Vegetation Map does not represent habitats that are associated with small estuaries (approximately 50% of South Africa's estuaries). For estuaries in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces, most habitats have been lost due to urban development, whereas in subtropical areas (northern Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal), cultivation has removed estuarine habitat. Although delineation of boundaries can be complicated by landcover changes, the estuarine lateral boundary in Cape estuaries could be identified based on sediment characteristics (moisture content, organic content, electrical conductivity), groundwater characteristics (salinity, conductivity and depth) and plant species. The delineation of the EFZ needs to be consistent, inclusive of all estuarine physical and biological processes, and cost-effective to identify so that it can protect estuarine habitats.     

What role do beds of submerged macrophytes play in structuring estuarine fish assemblages? Lessons from a warm-temperate South African estuary

Habitat variability is one of the factors influencing species richness within estuarine systems, and a loss of habitat can result in a restructuring of the estuarine ichthyofaunal assemblage, particularly if these conditions persist over long time periods. The potential effects of the loss of extensive submerged macrophyte beds (Ruppia cirrhosa and Potamogeton pectinatus) on an estuarine fish assemblage were investigated through an analysis of a long-term seine net catch dataset from the temporarily open/closed East Kleinemonde Estuary, South Africa. Catch data for a 12-year period, encompassing six years of macrophyte presence and six years of macrophyte senescence, indicated that the loss of this habitat did not influence species richness but changes in the relative abundance of certain species were evident. A shift in dominance from vegetation-associated species to those associated with sandy environments (e.g. members of the family Mugilidae) was observed. However, species wholly dependent on macrophytes such as the critically endangered estuarine pipefish Syngnathus watermeyeri were only recorded during years when macrophyte beds were present, while vegetation-associated species such as the sparid Rhabdosargus holubi persisted at lower levels of relative abundance. The reduced abundance of all vegetation-associated fish species during years of macrophyte senescence was probably reflective of declining food resources resulting from the loss of macrophyte beds and/or increased vulnerability to predation. Submerged beds of aquatic plants are therefore important habitats within temporarily open/closed estuaries, South Africa’s dominant estuary type.     

The importance of estuary head waters as nursery areas for young estuary- and marine-spawned fishes in temperate South Africa

The restriction of freshwater flow into estuaries, the presence of in-stream barriers and the occurrence of invasive fish species in these habitats are identified as major threats to these young estuary- and marine-spawned fish species. These aspects have been investigated using the distribution and abundance of young estuary- and marine-spawned fish species in the headwater environments of four permanently open estuaries of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Fishes were collected twice per season over the 2009 and 2010 period, using mixed method sampling with seine net hauls and overnight fyke net deployments. Of the 74,751 fishes collected, 37,444 fishes, 18 families and 34 species were taken in fyke net catches, while 34,308 fishes, 21 families and 38 species were caught in seine nets. In the Great Fish, Kowie, Kariega and Sundays River systems, juveniles of estuarine residents dominated headwater catches, followed by juveniles of estuary-dependent marine species. The prevalence of larval and small juvenile stages of estuary- and marine-spawned fish species highlights the potential importance of these transitional areas for young fish.     

Decline of Terebralia palustris in South African mangroves

Terebralia palustris (Linnaeus, 1767), the giant mangrove whelk, is a prominent component of mangrove ecosystem malacofauna in the Indo-West-Pacific region. On the east coast of Africa, the range of T. palustris extends from Kenya to the south-eastern region of South Africa. Here we confirm reports that, in the past three decades, South African populations of T. palustris have declined. Terebralia palustris was recorded from only two estuarine mangrove forests during a survey conducted in 2013/2014, compared with six estuaries in the mid-20th century. At Kosi Bay, the average density was 186 ind. m^-2 (SD 106) in comparison to only 7.1 ind. m^-2 (SD 2.5) at Durban Bay. Additionally, the average shell height of individuals at Durban Bay (60.3 mm; SD 13.6) was larger than at Kosi Bay (31.84 mm; SD 16.09), indicating the absence of juvenile snails at Durban. In South Africa there have been no previous ecological assessments for T. palustris and, aside from one detailed survey in the early 1960s, most of the occurrence records are vague and incomplete. The ultimate causes for the decline of this charismatic gastropod in South Africa are unknown, although habitat loss and degradation are suspected. Further research is urgently required, particularly into aspects concerning its disappearance at the limit of its global distribution.     

Cape cormorants decrease,move east and adapt foraging strategies following eastward displacement of their main prey

Numbers of Cape cormorants Phalacrocorax capensis breeding in South Africa decreased by nearly 50% from approximately 107 000 pairs in 1977–1981 to 57 000 pairs in 2010–2014. Although four colonies had >10 000 pairs in 1977–1981, there was just one such colony in 2010–2014. Almost all the decrease occurred after the early 1990s off north-west South Africa, between the Orange River estuary and Dassen Island. South of this, the number breeding in the two periods was stable, with some colonies being formed or growing rapidly in the 2000s. The proportion of South Africa’s Cape cormorants that bred south of Dassen Island increased from 35% in 1977–1981 to 66% in 2010–2014, with the opposite situation observed in the north-west. This matched a shift to the south and east in the distributions of two of the Cape cormorant’s main prey species, anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus and sardine Sardinops sagax. In 2014, an apparent scarcity of prey in the north-west resulted in Cape cormorants attempting to take bait from hooks of fishing lines over an extended period, a behaviour not previously recorded. The number of Cape cormorants breeding in the south may be constrained by the absence of large islands between Dyer Island in the west and Algoa Bay in the east. If so, it may be possible to bolster the southern population through the provision of appropriate breeding habitat, such as platforms, or restricting human disturbance at suitable mainland cliff breeding sites.     

近60年来长江河口河势变化及其对水动力和盐水入侵的影响Ⅲ.盐水入侵

本文应用本系列论文Ⅱ中建立的长江河口水动力和盐水入侵三维数值模式,模拟长江河口20世纪50年代、70年代和2012年盐水入侵,定量分析不同年代河势下盐水入侵状况和变化程度及其原因。在北支,不同年代盐水入侵的变化是由分流比和潮差共同作用造成的。50年代北支盐水入侵较强,70年代大幅下降,中上段出现淡水,2012年盐水入侵极为严重,整个北支被高盐水占据,上段出现强烈的盐度锋面。50年代和2012年,北支盐水倒灌南支,大潮期间远大于小潮期间,2012年远强于50年代,70年代没有北支盐水倒灌南支现象。在南支,50年代、70年代南支大部分为盐度都小于0.45的淡水,在2012年大潮期间由于出现了强烈的北支盐水倒灌,南支上段出现盐度大于0.45的盐水。在南北港,在50年代盐水入侵最严重;大潮期间,北港净分流比南港大21.6%,北港盐度小于南港盐度,外海盐水主要通过南港入侵,出现南港盐水倒灌进入北港的现象。至70年代,南支主流转向南港,南港净分流比增大,比北港大10.4%,南港盐度明显小于北港盐度;南北港盐水入侵较弱。在2012年,南支主流再次转向北港,北港分流比比南港大10.4%,南港的盐水入侵再次强于北港。小潮期间,50年代由于南港分流比相比于大潮时更小,南港盐水上溯距离更远,上段盐度比更大;至70年代,北港分流比减少,盐水入侵减弱;至2012年,由于大潮时期北支倒灌的盐水在小潮期间到达北港,北港净盐通量比大潮时期大。由于潮动力减弱,小潮期间各年代垂向盐度分层更明显,盐水入侵变化与大潮期间一致。     

Latitudinal gradients and poleward expansion of mangrove ecosystems in South Africa: 50 years after Macnae’s first assessment

Mangroves occur in South African estuaries at their poleward distribution limits, extending into temperate habitats. In 1963, William Macnae published the first comprehensive assessment of mangrove swamps in South Africa and made firsthand observations of these mangrove ecosystems. This article reassesses South African mangrove habitats, highlighting changes since Macnae’s assessment, through a literature review of research done in the past 50 years and using the results of a dedicated mangrove survey spanning 2012–2017. Until now, changes have been recorded mostly for mangrove vegetation, including a change in mangrove cover and a poleward shift of mangrove species. While some mangrove-associated fauna have disappeared from most sites (e.g. the gastropod Terebralia palustris), others, such as fiddler crabs, have spread farther south. The effects of decreasing diversity with an increase in latitude were not observed along the South African coast. Instead, habitat quality and estuarine mouth state seem to exert greater influence on species diversity in the mangroves, and a poleward shift in species distribution is now evident not just for the mangrove flora but for the fauna as well. South African mangrove research needs to include a continuous monitoring plan, especially if we are to contribute to global knowledge on blue carbon, the effects of sea-level rise, and the resilience of the mangrove ecosystem.     

Perceptions of subsistence and informal fishers in South Africa regarding the management of living marine resources

Following the legal recognition of subsistence fishers in 1998 through the promulgation of the Marine Living Resources Act, a Subsistence Fisheries Task Group (SFTG) was appointed by national government to provide recommendations on the management of subsistence fishing in South Africa. To achieve effective management, the SFTG recognized that fishers' needs, perceptions and concerns must be understood and incorporated into future management strategies. As a result, information from fishers was gathered through a five-month research programme that included questionnaire surveys, focus-group meetings, a "roadshow" and a national workshop. Research findings indicated that the fishers' responses centred on four key themes related to (1) the criteria for defining a subsistence fisher, (2) current management practices, (3) resource use and (4) livelihood strategies. Feedback from fishers revealed several issues that have led to uncertainty and dissatisfaction among informal and subsistence fishers. However, these perceptions need to be contextualized within the historical circumstances of fisheries management in South Africa, and it must be recognized that attitudes will only change when management approaches embrace the needs, perceptions and concerns of the users. The information outlined in this paper was instrumental in guiding the formulation of the SFTG recommendations regarding the definition of subsistence fishers and their future management in South Africa.     

St Helena Bay (southern Benguela) then and now: muted climate signals,large human impact

The development of suitable reference states for ecosystem-based management requires documentation of changes in structure and functioning of marine ecosystems, including assessment of the relative importance of bottom-up and top-down processes as drivers of change. We used monitoring data available from St Helena Bay, the most productive bay and an important nursery area situated on the west coast of South Africa, during 1950–2010 to reveal changes in the abiotic and biotic components. St Helena Bay in the 1950s showed similarities to 2000–2010 in terms of wind patterns, hydrology and phytoplankton. Upwelling, oxygen and nutrient concentrations in subthermocline water displayed pronounced decadal-scale variability. Primary production in St Helena Bay is variable, but consistently higher than that on the adjacent Namaqua shelf. Zooplankton size composition and biomass in August have changed markedly since the 1950s. During 2001–2010, mesozooplankton biomass in autumn was considerably lower than in summer, probably due to predation by small pelagic fish. Pelagic fish catch patterns and distributions have altered dramatically. Conservation measures, implemented to reverse past negative human impact, have benefitted marine mammals, the abundance of which has increased in the area, but additional conservation measures are necessary to reverse the decline in African penguins Spheniscus demersus. St Helena Bay shows a muted response to long-term change in the southern Benguela, with marked decadal variability but no clear long-term trend in oceanography and biogeochemistry. Changes in ecosystem boundary conditions and fishing pressure cannot be ignored as important drivers of change in the southern Benguela since the 1950s.     

Evolution of operational management procedures for the South African West Coast rock lobster (Jasus lalandii) fishery

The commercial fishery for Jasus lalandii, the South Africa West Coast rock lobster, began in the late 1800s and at its peak in the early 1950s yielded an annual catch of 18 000 t. Although this annual catch has dropped to only some 2000 t over recent years, the fishery remains South Africa's third most valuable for landed value. The primary reason for the low total allowable catch (TAC) over these recent years has been a marked drop in somatic growth rate that occurred at the end of the 1980s, for reasons that remain unexplained. A key problem in formulating TAC recommendations with longer‐term objectives in mind, has been uncertainties about likely future trends, particularly in somatic growth and recruitment. To address this problem, an “operational management procedure” (OMP) was adopted in 1997 and has twice been re‐evaluated and modified (in 2000 and 2003) in the light of further data and changing perceptions of resource dynamics. The history of this process is reviewed, concentrating on the most recent modification. In particular, a summary is given of the process by which the merits of alternative management procedures were evaluated over a range of important uncertainties about the dynamics of the resource. This summary includes a discussion of the key trade‐offs between resource rebuilding, future TAC trends and TAC variability, and the eventual choice that was made. The paper concludes by listing a number of lessons learnt concerning best practice for OMP development as this process evolved.     

Are African penguins worth saving? The ecotourism value of the Boulders Beach colony

Populations of the African penguin Spheniscus demersus have decreased dramatically over the past century, due in part to competition for food with commercial fisheries, and the species is now endangered as a result. Economic arguments are used to favour fisheries over the needs of penguins, but penguins have direct value to the South African economy thanks to penguin-based tourism at several breeding colonies. We estimated the value of African penguins at the most important tourist site for African penguins: Boulders on the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. As a mainland colony close to Cape Town, Boulders is accessible to large numbers of visitors; gate revenues in 2009/2010 alone were R14.5 million (US$2 million). A zonal travel-cost analysis revealed an average consumer surplus among Cape Town residents of some R20 per visit. Penguin-based tourism thus forms an integral part of the R25 billion Western Cape tourism sector. Given that the future survival of this valuable resource is dependent, among others, on the availability of sufficient prey, competition with South Africa's purse-seine fishing fleet should be limited through management strategies that lessen the potential effects of fishing on prey available at the local scale.     

Ingestion rates and grazing impact of the brackwater mussel Brachidontes virgiliae in Lake St Lucia,iSimangaliso Wetland Park,South Africa

Bivalves feed on a combination of phytoplankton and zooplankton and have the potential to impact considerably the planktonic biomass, especially when they occur in high densities, such as in oyster and mussel beds. The brackwater mussel Brachidontes virgiliae is numerically dominant during wet phases within Africa’s largest estuarine lake, St Lucia, in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park on the east coast of South Africa. The ingestion rates and potential grazing impact of this small mussel (maximum shell length = 2.5 cm) were estimated for both the wet and dry seasons using an in situ gut fluorescence technique. Ingestion rates were higher during the wet season (5.78 µg pigment ind.^?1 d^?1) than during the dry season (4.44 µg pigment ind.^?1 d^?1). This might be explained by the increased water temperature and food availability during the wet season. Because of the patchy distribution of mussel populations, there could be higher localised grazing impact near mussel aggregations. Results showed a potential grazing impact of up to 20 times the available phytoplankton biomass at specific sites. These high grazing impacts have the potential to deplete phytoplankton stocks in the lake, especially during wet phases in the northern reaches, where mussel densities are highest. This needs to be factored into ecological models of Lake St Lucia, because the system might function differently during increased flood events.     

Microphytobenthic biomass and species composition in intertidal flats of the Nakdong River estuary, Korea

Intertidal microphytobenthos (MPB) were investigated monthly from August 2006 to March 2008 at four different sites in the sand flats of Nakdong River estuary, Korea. Samples of surface sediment (ca. 1 cm) were collected, and chlorophyll a was extracted as biomass estimation. Species identification and enumeration were carried out by light microscopy, assisted where necessary by scanning electronic microscopy. Biomass varied between 0.47 and 16.58 μg cm⁻³, abundance changed from 5.25 to 414.75 × 10³ cells cm⁻³, while the Shannon diversity indexes ranged between 0.69 and 2.35 H′. Thirty-nine MPB taxa were identified, primarily composed of epipelic diatoms, among which Amphora and Navicula were the most abundant genera. Based on the biomass, abundance, species composition and their dynamics, MPB assemblages of sampling sites were grouped into three distinct communities corresponding to their sediment composition characteristics. Multivariate correlation analysis revealed that biomass was positively related to mud and very fine sand, negatively related to fine and medium sand, but not significantly related to environmental factors such as pore water nutrients, light intensity and salinity, which fluctuated rapidly during emersion period. Cluster analysis corroborated the division of MPB communities according to site types on seasonal scales, and also showed seasonality between sites by cluster of all summer groups. Principal component analysis identified that variability in species composition was significantly affected by mud, very fine sand, fine sand, light intensity, and sediment temperature. This study suggests that sediment composition plays an important role in the functioning of intertidal MPB communities in estuarine ecosystems.     

Testing for the occurrence of pilchard herpesvirus (PHV) in South African sardine Sardinops sagax

Catches of South African sardine Sardinops sagax have declined in recent years from about 200 000 t harvested annually during the period 2002–2006 to less than 100 000 t. Consequently, some companies are now importing sardine from sources elsewhere in the world to meet local demand for canned sardine and bait. This importation has the potential for the introduction of sardine pathogens, in particular the pilchard herpesvirus (PHV), which could have a negative impact on the currently small South African sardine population. The aims of the current study were to determine whether PHV is present in the local sardine population and to assess the extent to which sardine is being imported into the country and whether imported fish are from countries where the virus is known to be endemic. Fish sampled from South Africa’s western (n = 150), southern (n = 182) and eastern (n = 96) putative stocks of S. sagax were analysed for the presence of PHV using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The origin and amount of potentially infected material imported into South Africa during the period 2010–2014 was also assessed. None of the South African sardine collected during this study tested positive for PHV, suggesting that active PHV was not prevalent in the local population of S. sagax at the time of this study. Between 56 000 and 71 000 t of frozen sardine was imported annually into South Africa from countries where S. sagax occurs, including some from areas (Australia and New Zealand) where sardine infection by PHV is known to be endemic. Hence, it is plausible that the PHV pathogen, capable of perpetuating infections in local sardine populations, could be imported into South Africa along with the importation of frozen sardine. Should local sardine be naïve to the virus, as suggested by this study, then the population is at risk of infection and precautions against such must be taken.     

1950～2000年黄河入海水沙的逐日变化及其影响因素

对 195 0～ 2 0 0 0年的 5 1年黄河经利津水文站入海的逐日水沙实测资料进行统计分析 ,展示了黄河入海水沙的极端情况 ,如洪峰和沙峰等逐渐变少到消失的过程及逐日入海水沙量的变化规律 ,并对其影响因素进行了初步分析。结果显示 :在黄河年均入海水沙锐减的背景下 ,2 0世纪 90年代日均流量 <5 0 0m3 /s的天数增加到了是 2 0世纪 5 0年代的 3倍多 ;>2 0 0 0m3 /s的洪季流量由初期频发至 1997年消失 ;>40 0 0m3 /s的洪峰流量自 1989年以后消失 ;>60 0 0m3 /s的洪峰流量从 1986年就不再发生。 >5 0 0t/s的日均输沙率 (4 3 .2× 10 6t/d的沙峰 )都出现在 1989年以前 ;>70 0t/s的日均输沙率 (60 .5× 10 6t/d的沙峰 )出现在 1977年以前 ;含沙量 >80kg/m3 的历时和可能产生异重流的含沙量天数都逐步减少。进入 2 0世纪 90年代以来基本不存在大洪灾及由沙峰造成的河口河道快速堆积而使河流改道现象 ,引起这些变化的因素除降雨外主要为流域耗水量不断增加及大中型水库的建成运用等 ,黄河入海水沙的这种锐减及水沙峰的极端情况都会对河口演变和河口区的生态环境产生重要的影响。     

关于印度洋副热带模态水的研究:潜沉率及其水体性质

The annual subduction rate in the South Indian Ocean was calculated by analyzing Simple Ocean Data Assimilation(SODA) outputs in the period of 1950–2008. The subduction rate census for potential density classes showed a peak corresponding to Indian Ocean subtropical mode water(IOSTMW) in the southwestern part of the South Indian Ocean subtropical gyre. The deeper mixed layer depth, the sharper mixed-layer fronts and the associated relatively faster circulation in the present climatology resulted in a larger lateral induction, which primarily dominants the IOSTMW subduction rate, while with only minor contribution from vertical pumping.Without loss of generality, through careful analysis of the water characteristics in the layer of minimum vertical temperature gradient(LMVTG), the authors suggest that the IOSTMW was identified as a thermostad, with a lateral minimum of low potential vorticity(PV, less than 200×10~(–12) m~(–1)·s~(–1)) and a low d T?dz(less than 1.5°C/(100m)). The IOSTMW within the South Indian Ocean subtropical gyre distributed in the region approximately from25° to 50° E and from 30° to 39°S. Additionally, the average characteristics(temperature, salinity, potential density)of the mode water were estimated about(16.38 ± 0.29)°C,(35.46 ± 0.04),(26.02 ± 0.04) σ_θ over the past 60 years.     

南海开放共享航次关键科学问题的思考——从多尺度海洋动力学角度出发

南海是西太平洋最大的边缘海, 通过一系列的海峡与西太平洋和印度洋相联通, 其不同时空尺度的海洋环流动力过程及其生态环境效应是南海区域海洋学研究的重要内容。自20世纪50年代末全国第一次海洋普查开始, 我国对海洋调查的支持力度不断加大, 以科学考察船为代表的海洋科学观测平台建设不断加强; 进入新千年以来, 国内海洋科考船依托的各主要研究所和院校本着开放的理念, 先后组织多单位联合进行海上观测。尤其是最近10年, 国家自然科学基金委员会支持实施了船时共享航次计划, 进一步促进了国内海洋界的交流和合作, 南海区域海洋学的相关研究取得了很多重要的成果。从多尺度环流动力学的角度出发, 本文简要回顾了南海海洋观测的发展历程, 并初步总结了近些年来南海关键科学问题的研究进展, 包括南海和西太平洋的水体交换过程、南海中小尺度过程、多尺度相互作用及其生态环境效应等; 并且在现有的研究基础上, 对未来南海的观测和科学问题提出若干思考与展望。     

长江口大型工程对河口生境破碎化影响的初步研究

通过对工程海域26个站位的调查采样,研究分析了长江口深水航道治理一期工程对河口生境破碎化的影响。结果表明,工程已对长江河口区局部海域水体和底栖生境破碎化产生了明显影响,而对工程海域小尺度海洋水团、底栖生境和渔业资源生境的破碎化影响最大,造成局部小尺度海洋水团改变,部分渔业资源种类洄游通道、产卵场、肥育场、渔场生境破碎化。建议建立长江口生态特别保护区,加强对河口大型工程综合影响研究与生态修复,加强河口生态系统管理与执法力度,为长江口沿岸城市社会经济的可持续健康发展提供良好的海洋生态环境基础。