Distribution and abundance of New Zealand fur seals on the snares islands,New Zealand

The distribution and abundance of the New Zealand fur seal, Arctocephalus forsteri (Lesson), on the Snares Islands, New Zealand, were investigated during November and December 1970. Excluding pups, 1,021 seals were counted on the main island in late November, giving an amended total of 1,156 when correction factors for time of day were applied. The greatest number of seals was ashore between 1200 h and 1500 h daily.

Fur seals were widely but discontinuously distributed along the coast of the main island. Rookeries were present only on the boulder beaches of the west and south‐west coasts and the South‐West Promontory. Non‐breeding seals aggregated on rocky headlands, points and spurs mainly on the east coast.

Breeding bulls defended territories containing, on average, three females. The first pup was seen on 30 November 1970, and pupping continued throughout December. On 30 December, when pupping appeared to have finished, 234 pups were counted on the island.     

Hooker's sea lions in southern New Zealand

The discovery at Stewart Island of a hauling‐out ground regularly used by Hooker's sea lions (Phocarctos hooked) is described, and recent sightings of sea lions in southern New Zealand are reported. An attempted copulation between a male Hooker's sea lion and a dead female fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) is also described.     

Comparison of methods for the analysis of New Zealand sea lion,Phocarctos hookeri,milk

Abstract

The milk composition of New Zealand sea lion, Phocarctos hookeri, was determined using standard analytical methods, a MilkoScan? FT 120 and an accelerated solvent extractor (ASE) for fat concentration. The results for fat, protein and total solid concentrations between the different analytical methods were assessed using different measures of statistical fitness including coefficient of determination, concordance correlation coefficient, mean prediction error, and intraclass correlation coefficient. The repeatability and reliability of the results obtained with the calibrated MilkoScan? FT 120 were comparable with those obtained using standard methods, the Roese‐Gottlieb method for fat, Kjeldahl method for protein and gravimetric method for total solids. The MilkoScan? FT 120s are fast and cost‐effective and are widely used in dairy laboratories around the world, which should make them readily accessible to ecologists/biologists studying the milk composition of non‐domestic animals.     

Distribution,abundance and growth of New Zealand sea lion Phocarctos hookeri pups on Campbell Island

Nine weeks field work was completed during two trips in January/February and March/ April 2003 to investigate the distribution and abundance of New Zealand sea lion Phocarctos hookeri pups at Campbell Island. A total of 161 pups were tagged and a further 138 dead pups were found. A closed mark‐recapture model was used to estimate the total number of live pups (e.g., tagged plus untagged pups) at Campbell Island in April as 247 (SE = 28, 95% CI 198–308). Pup production at Campbell Island is estimated at 385, which comprises 13% of the total pup production for the species in the 2003 season. This is the first robust estimate of pup production for New Zealand sea lions at Campbell Island. The figure of 385 pups is considerably higher than any of the previous estimates reported from Campbell Island. The high level of pup mortality (36%) at Campbell Island for approximately the first 2 months after birth is higher than the 17% reported for the Auckland Islands for approximately the same period in 2003, but is similar to unusually high levels of mortality (20–30%) reported at the Auckland Islands in recent years. It was not possible to determine the cause of death of the 138 dead pups owing to scavenging and decomposition. Pups were found over the whole Island, with the exception of its northern end. Male pups were significantly heavier and faster growing than female pups over the same period.     

Echinodermata of The Snares islands,southern New Zealand

Habitat information, frequency of occurrence at depth ranges, collections and sight records, and live colours of Echinodermata from The Snares (48 ° 07′S, 166 ° 36′E) are recorded. Forty species are now known from the islands, 16 of which are new records. The Snares appear to be an ecotone between southern New Zealand (Forsterian Province) and the southern islands (Antipodean Province) having stronger affinities with southern New Zealand.     

Frictional influence on sea level oscillations in Otago Harbour,New Zealand

Oscillations in Otago Harbour, (45° 49’ S, 170° 38’ E) produced by the 1960 Chilean Tsunami are found by spectral analysis to have most of their energy at a period of about 80 min. By numerically integrating a one‐dimensional linear momentum equation and the continuity equation for various sections of the harbour, this period is found to correspond to the quarter wavelength oscillation in the main channel between the mouth of the harbour and the Halfway Islands. The large value of the linear frictional coefficient, calculated from the phase of the tide in the harbour, and the resulting excessive damping, indicates why long period non‐tidal oscillations are generally not found in the harbour.     

The seasonal range of sea temperature on the New Zealand shelf

Sea water temperatures measured over the New Zealand continental shelf in summer and winter 1967 are compared and discussed.     

Aerial radiometry of sea surface temperatures on the east coast,North Island,New Zealand

The results of two airborne radiometer surveys of sea surface temperatures carried out east of New Zealand on 11 March and 28 April 1969 are presented, discussed in terms of the known oceanic circulation in the region, and compared with the pattern of sea surface temperature derived from a shipboard survey east of New Zealand, 1–14 March 1969. Short‐term temperature variations may be almost as large as the extreme annual range of sea surface temperatures.     

Heavy metals in some New Zealand commercial sea fishes

To establish a base line against which future pollution may be measured, eight common commercial species of New Zealand sea fish were analysed for cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, and zinc. One sample of edible muscle tissue was analysed for each of 70 samples of each species. The internal organs of up to five specimens of each species were also analysed. The fish studied were: kahawai, Arripis trutta, trevally, Caranx lutescens, tarakihi, Cheilodactylis macropterus, snapper, Chrysophrys auratus, moki, Latridopsis ciliaris, hapuku, Polyprion oxygeneios, kingfish, Seriola grandis and gurnard, Trigla kumu.

Although, none of the edible parts of the fish appeared to have trace element levels likely to be a public health problem (cadmium 0.002–0.02 ppm, chromium 0.01–0.04 ppm, copper 0.04–0.95 ppm, iron 0.9–13.5 ppm, lead ‘ 0.14–0.95 ppm, manganese 0.04–2.00 ppm, nickel 0.01–0.08 ppm, zinc 2.0–36.0 ppm), some of the organs (particularly the liver) had relatively high concentrations of elements such as cadmium (up to 54 ppm). Only if some industry were to seek to exploit internal organs of fish for human consumption would such levels become important. There was some evidence for a relationship between trace element concentrations and fish size for copper in kingfish and snapper, iron in hapuku, manganese in gurnard, and for zinc in kingfish and tarakihi. Some element pairs such as copper and zinc, iron and manganese, appeared to have concentrations which were mutually related. It was assumed that the elemental concentrations reported represent natural levels and are not the result of significant man‐made pollution because there are no major industries or large urban centres adjacent to the fishing grounds.     

海岛生态综合评价方法探讨

从海岛生态状态及生态服务功能两个方面，探讨了海岛生态综合评价的指标和方法．其中海岛生态状态评价从海岛景观和生态系统两个层次进行分析．前者主要利用3S技术所获取的信息，从宏观角度定量分析海岛景观格局变化；后者从海岛生物和非生物环境两部分，采用与历史资料及相关环境质量标准对比的方法，分析海岛岛陆、潮间带及近海海域生态系统现状．海岛生态服务功能评价则从海岛物质生产、调节功能、支持功能及社会文化功能4个方面，分析海岛生态系统的服务能力．文中提出的海岛生态综合评价的框架、方法，可为海岛生态系统综合评价与管理提供参考．     

Calculated sea area of the New Zealand 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone

A calculation of the area of the New Zealand 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone is presented with definitions, cartographic methods, and calculations based on areas of quadrilaterals of the earth's surface of 1° extent in latitude and longitude. An area of 1 181 487 square international nautical miles (4 053 049 km²), ± 0.377%, includes enclaves adjacent to the Chatham Rise and the Pukaki Rise retained for assessments related to fisheries research programmes.     

Effects of sea urchin (Evechinus chloroticus) grazing in Dusky Sound,Fiordland, New Zealand

Evechinus chloroticus (Val.) is known to be an important grazer of subtidal barren habitats in northern New Zealand but its role in structuring rocky reef communities at colder southern localities is poorly understood. The present study was prompted by a proposal for the establishment of an E. chloroticus fishery in Dusky Sound, Fiordland, New Zealand. To determine the ecological importance of E. chloroticus in Dusky Sound, sea urchins were experimentally removed from shallow fucoid fringe (upper zone), mid‐depth barrens (middle zone), and deeper algal meadow (lower zone), at eight sites and compared with a paired set of eight control sites. Two years of continuous removal of E. chloroticus resulted in conspicuous changes to the algal community at all depth zones examined. The density of fucoid algae (Carpophyllum spp., Sargassum spp., Cystophora spp., and Landsburgia quercifolia) increased mostly in the upper and middle zones, although smaller increases were also observed in the lower zone. Changes in cover of herbaceous, turfing and crustose algae observed in the middle and lower zones were larger than in the upper zone. Density increases of the kelp Ecklonia radiata were observed mainly in the lower zone, although still important in the middle zone. These results show that E. chloroticus can have a strong influence on the structure of algal assemblages in Dusky Sound hence the development of an E. chloroticus fishery in this area should be treated with caution.     

Temperature and salinity of sea water at the ocean floor in the New Zealand region

The temperature and salinity of the water at the ocean floor has been estimated by extrapolation of selected serial station data. Plots of extrapolated bottom water temperatures and salinities against bottom depth are presented, together with a chart showing the regional distribution of bottom water temperature. Discussion of the results in terms of water masses is offered.     

Descriptions of two New Zealand sea anemones (Actiniaria: Hormathiidae)

The sea anemones Calliactis conchicola Parry, 1952 and Paracalliactis rosea n.sp. are described. This is the first report of the hormathiid genus Paracalliactis for New Zealand. Calliactis conchicola occurs with living gastropods, hermit crabs, and a true crab, and Paracalliactis rosea occurs with hermit crabs and a true crab. Certain characteristics of each of the two anemones suggest that the genera Calliactis and Paracalliactis may not be as discrete as was indicated by earlier reports.     

厦门市无居民海岛植被生态保护方案与规划

本文分析了厦门市无居民海岛植被生态现状与存在的问题,阐述了海岛生态功能定位,提出3种海岛生态保护方案,拟定了海岛生态保护措施及植被绿化规划,并得到当地政府的采纳.     

Behaviour of some New Zealand sea anemones and their molluscan and crustacean hosts

The sea anemones Calliactis conchicola Parry, 1952 and Paracalliactis rosea Hand, 1975, which live associated with gastropods, hermit crabs, and true crabs, possess mounting responses similar to those known for several species of Calliactis. In some areas of New Zealand Calliactis conchicola occurs most abundantly on living gastropods and in others on gastropod shells occupied by hermit crabs. No behaviour by either the gastropod or the hermit crabs was observed which explains this differential distribution. One hermit crab stimulates Paracalliactis rosea to mount its shell by a regular tapping of the anemone with its chelae or dactyls, but ignores Calliactis conchicola. Several other hermit crabs, which may be found carrying these anemones, do not stimulate them to mount. The spider crab Leptomithrax longipes may be found in nature carrying specimens of four kinds of anemones: Calliactis conchicola, Paracalliactis rosea, Bunodactis chrysobathys, and Phellia aucklandica. This crab prises these anemones from most substrates with its chelae, cleans them with its mouth parts, and places them on its legs and carapace with its chelae. From observation, Calliactis conchicola apparently protects this crab from octopus predatiori, but not from other predators such as small sharks. Though associations of anemones with hermit crabs and other invertebrates are usually considered to be commensal, it seems likely that these associations may be mutualistic.     

Tidal observations on the West Coast,South Island,New Zealand

Harmonic tidal constants, calculated from sea surface elevation observations at Jackson Bay on the West Coast of the South Island, are consistent with available semi‐diurnal and diurnal tidal phase distributions. Current observations taken over a 111 day period at mid‐depth in 1505 m of water on the southern flank of the Challenger Plateau and over a 240 day period in 1430 m of water on the South Island western coast continental slope, are subject to tidal analysis. At both sites there is a component of energy flux directed across the isobaths and only at the northern site for the M2 tide is the phase consistent with a dominant progressive barotropic tide. The successive 30 day harmonic constants at the southern continental slope site exhibit a trend in the M2 tidal ellipse speed and ellipticity suggesting the presence of a regular internal tide. Superposition of ‘internal tidal’ and barotropic tidal flows, as prescribed from progressive‐ and standing‐wave elevations, to fit the observations indicates that the ‘internal tide’ is probably associated with the first baroclinic mode. At the current‐meter depths the speeds of the ‘internal tide’ for the M2 tide are about the same as the barotropic speeds, whereas, the S2 ‘internal tide’ speeds are larger than those of the barotropic tide. The consistency of the trend in ellipse parameters lends support to the theoretical progressive trapped barotropic tidal flows being a good approximation to the actual barotropic tide. Some support for the hypothesis that the S2 tide on the West Coast of New Zealand has a substantial standing wave contribution is given by the northern observations, where the ratio of the S2: M2 internal tidal ellipse current amplitudes are substantially larger than the ratio of the elevations, the internal tide being generated by across‐isobath flows.     

Tributyl tin levels for sea water,sediment, and selected marine species in coastal Northland and Auckland,New Zealand

Water and sediment samples were collected from the Waitemata Harbour, Opua Inlet, and Tutukaka Harbour, and analysed for tributyl tin (TBT) using a hydride generation atomic absorption method. Specimens of oysters (Crassostrea gigas, Saccostrea glomerata, Ostrea heffordi) and oyster borer, Lepsiella scobina, were collected from the Tamaki Estuary and surrounding areas. These specimens were analysed for TBT using graphite furnace atomic absorption, and the oyster shell valves were examined for thickening. Concentrations of TBT in the water column were as high as 0.32 μg TBT‐Sn H. Marina sediments contained up to 0.240 μg TBT‐Sn g^‐1. Shell thickening was found to occur in C. gigas where its incidence was correlated with the TBT body burden. Concentrations up to 2.24 μg TBT‐Sn gr^‐1 (on a dry weight basis) were observed for C. gigas. This survey provides evidence for the toxic influence of TBT on non‐target organisms in New Zealand.     

Observations on the hydrology of bay of Islands,New Zealand

Observations were made on several hydrological features of Bay of Islands during 1970 to 1971. The topography of Bay of Islands allows for a gradual change from estuarine to oceanic conditions within the harbour.

Monthly means of sea surface temperatures ranged between 15°c and 23°c, and some sea stratification was observed during summer. Salinities in the main basin were about 35.5‰; water transparency ranged from 2 m to 6 m by Secchi disc in the estuaries, to more than 15m in outer basin areas. Dissolved oxygen content was high, usually exceeding 100% saturation in surface waters. Water circulation within the bay appears to consist of an anti‐clockwise movement of at least the surface water, induced by a north‐west moving current, possibly derived from the East Auckland Current.

The observations suggest that, except; for the estuarine areas, Bay of Islands is hydrologically a fairly homogeneous, well‐mixed body of water.