Effects of electric fishing on the invertebrate fauna of a New Zealand stream

Electric fishing experiments were made in Woolly Creek, part of the Glenariffe system of tributaries to the Rakaia River, South Island, New Zealand, during December 1972. Two operators electric fished a 25‐m length of stream from the banks, with three runs in both upstream and downstream directions.

Large increases in drift were caused by the electric fishing process, which had a marked effect on the Ephemeroptera and the oligochaete families Tubificidae and Lumbriculidae.

The invertebrate drift leaving the experimental reach came predominantly from the downstream 10 m section, and larger numbers were caught in drift samples when fishing proceeded in a downstream direction. This was probably because the electrode passed over invertebrates which had previously entered the drift ‘higher’ upstream and re‐settled on the substrate lower in the reach.

Electric fishing caused a loss to the drift of 9.6% of the total benthos in the experimental area. This was slightly more than the 8% decrease in benthic numbers calculated from bottom samples.     

Invertebrate recolonisation of previously dry channels in the Rakaia River

Recolonisation of previously dry channels by stream invertebrates was studied in the Rakaia River during winter 1981 and summer 1982. The winter experiment continued for 42 days, with stable low flows, whereas the summer experiment was characterised by fluctuating large flows which caused it to be abandoned after 27 days. The fauna was dominated numerically by Chironomidae, a leptophlebiid mayfly (Deleatidium), and oligochaetes during the winter, and by Deleatidium alone during the summer. Recolonisation was considered complete after 33 days in winter and 15 days in summer. Flow fluctuations were the main factor affecting colonisation rates, and it was assumed that drift was the main source of colonising animals. Small freshes during low‐flow periods in winter resulted in a rapid increase in total density of invertebrates and number of taxa present and also affected the population structure of Deleatidium larvae in colonisation baskets. Before these freshes numbers had increased steadily over a 27 day period. In summer large floods during high flow periods initially decreased benthic invertebrate numbers in samples but numbers increased rapidly once the flood had passed. This appears to be the first study of its kind on a large unstable river system.     

Organic wastewater effects on benthic invertebrates in the Manawatu River

The effects of the 3 main wastewater discharges on the benthic fauna of the Manawatu River were studied between March 1979 and January 1980. At least 4 replicate Surber samples were taken from each of 6 sites, on 5 occasions during this period. Deleatidium sp. (Ephemeroptera), Hydora sp. (Coleoptera), and the Chironomidae were the most useful indicator organisms, according to a ranking system based on the occurrence of significant differences (P<0.05) between populations at different sites. These taxa exhibited significant differences between sites in about 70% of all inter‐site comparisons, using Mann‐Whitney U‐tests. The Coefficient of Similarity was successful at summarising the comparisons between the clean‐water and down‐stream sites, ranging between 95% similarity to the clean‐water site for a recovery site in winter, and less than 10% similarity to the clean water site for the lower reaches in summer. It is suggested that relative indices may be more appropriate than absolute indices for measuring water pollution. Water quality, indicated by species diversity, was generally good (allowing for the effects of agricultural runoff), although midsummer organic loading induced marked changes in benthic species composition, including the disappearance of Deleatidium sp. from several sites.     

Life history of Galaxias divergens (Salmonoidea: Galaxiidae)

Galaxias divergent Stokell is a small, bottom‐dwelling fish inhabiting streams in the North Island and the northern part of the South Island. Its ecology is similar in many respects to that of G. vulgaris. The fry develop in the same environment as the adults, unlike the sea‐going young of several other Galaxias spec'es. Spawning occurs in spring and summer, and at least some of the fish mature at the beginning of their second year. The maximum age attained seems to be about 3 years, and the fish can reach a length of about 80 mm in this time. The food consists mostly of small benthic invertebrates taken from both the stream bed and the drift fauna.     

Feeding habits of two fish species in relation to invertebrate drift in a New Zealand river

The relationship between the composition of the invertebrate drift fauna and the feeding habits of the common river galaxias Galaxias vulgaris and the upland bully Phily pnodon breviceps was examined in the Glentui River, Canterbury, New Zealand, between 1500 h on 12 November and 1500 h on 13 November 1971. The drift consisted of both night‐active and day‐active components. Galaxias vulgaris fed mainly at night, with peaks of feeding at dusk and dawn. Philypnodon breviceps had two peaks of feeding, at midday and midnight, between the peak feeding times of G. vulgaris. Feeding of G. vulgaris on its major food items coincided with the presence of the food items in the drift, whereas feeding of P. breviceps did not coincide with the occurrence of the food items in the drift. It is concluded that G. vulgaris is primarily an open‐water feeder and that P. breviceps searches for food on the river bed.     

Effect of the herbicide triclopyr on the abundance and species composition of benthic aquatic macroinvertebrates in the Ahuriri River,New Zealand

Abundance and species composition of aquatic benthic macroinvertebrates were compared between an area sprayed with the herbicide Grazon (active ingredient triclopyr), and an upstream control site (no triclopyr). Five Surber samples were collected from each of three riffles in control and treatment sites on eight occasions over a 1‐month period. Aquatic invertebrate species composition was similar in treatment and control sites, and did not change over time. The five taxa that made up 91–95% of all invertebrates by abundance did not vary significantly in treatment compared to control riffles. Abundance of three of the 15 most common taxa (>10 individuals per riffle) differed significantly between treatment and control sites over time. However, none of these fluctuations correspond to the presence of known concentrations of triclopyr in water samples, and it is unlikely that the declines resulted from triclopyr. These results are discussed with reference to known lethal concentrations of triclopyr for some invertebrates, and to the effect of floods on invertebrate populations.     

Diel changes in the abundance and size composition of invertebrate drift in five rivers in South Island,New Zealand

Drift was collected over 24‐h periods in five rivers in South Island, New Zealand, to determine whether diel periodicity was consistent across a range of river types, and whether the pattern was similar for different life stages/sizes of selected taxa. Total drift density (numbers per 100 m³ ) of aquatic invertebrates was greater at night than during the day in all rivers; peak abundance occurred shortly after sunset in clear water rivers and shortly before sunrise in a turbid, glacier‐fed river. Densities of drifting Deleatidium spp., Nesameletus spp. (both Ephemeroptera), Aoteapsyche spp., and Hydrobiosidae (both Trichoptera), were generally greater at night than during the day. However, the timing of peak abundance in the drift for other common taxa varied between rivers. Larger Deleatidium spp. larvae (> 1.00 mm head width) were more common in the drift at night than during the day in all rivers. However, this was not apparent for Aoteapsyche spp. and Hydrobiosidae, for which diel differences in the size of drifting animals were not consistent even within the same river. The propensity for some aquatic invertebrates to drift at night may influence fish feeding behaviour, particularly with respect to the timing of feeding and the species or life history stages of their prey.     

Megabenthic recolonization in an experimentally disturbed abyssal manganese nodule area 1

The near total removal of manganese nodules during commercial deep‐sea mining will destroy the habitat of the benthic hard‐bottom fauna within the mined areas and result in the formation of a soft‐bottom community of lower diversity. In 1989 the first large‐scale and long‐term experiment, DISCOL, was initiated in the abyssal tropical southeastern Pacific Ocean to study the impact of disturbances similar to ocean mining on the deep‐sea fauna. The megabenthic assemblage and the recolonization of the disturbed area were monitored during three cruises of the German research vessel SONNE by use of an Ocean Floor Observation System with real‐time TV and “photo‐on‐command” capabilities. The results of the image analyses of the baseline and three postimpact studies demonstrate not only a direct impact within the disturber tracks, but also an apparent impact on areas that were not primarily disturbed. Commercial mining will create a sediment plume, which will drift away with near‐bottom currents and also affect animals outside the mined areas. Reduction of environmental effects remains an important objective during development of future nodule collector systems.     

Fluxes of litter falling into a small beech forest stream

Fluxes of allochthonous litter were studied in a 93‐m long section of a small stream flowing through mountain beech forest at Cass in the South Island of New Zealand. Litter entered the stream throughout the year with maximum input from October to March. Mean annual input of beech litter was estimated to be 567 g.m^‐2 (dry weight). Down‐stream movement of litter correlated strongly with maximum stream discharge during the collection period. The seasonal distribution and accumulation of litter within the stream was examined using 1‐mm‐mesh colonisation trays. Litter was unevenly distributed over the stream bed, but the average amounts taken from riffles, pools, and among large stones were similar. Litter accumulations were greatest in a pool in summer. The most important factor governing the quantity and transport of litter within the stream was stream flow.     

Distribution of quinnat salmon,Oncorhynchus tshawytscha,off the east coast of the South Island, 1925–78

The distribution of 376 salmon caught at sea between 41 °S and 46 °S up to 48 km off the east coast of the South Island between 1925 and 1978 is discussed. The distribution appears to be related to strong currents in Cook and Foveaux Straits, and to the Southland Current off the east coast of the South Island. Samples from the sea at Moeraki Peninsula had a higher incidence of stream‐reared fish and a lower mean fork length than samples from the Waitaki or Rakaia Rivers at spawning.     

Aurelia labiata medusae (Scyphozoa) in Roscoe Bay avoid tidal dispersion by vertical migration

Aurelia labiata reside year around in Roscoe Bay on the west coast of Canada in spite of tides that exchange as much as 10% to 30% of the bay's water twice daily. Large numbers of medusae drift eastward over a gravel bar and out of the bay on ebb tides, only to return on flood tides. Drogues released into the tidal stream at the middle of an ebb tide drifted about 700 m out of the bay and into an adjacent large body of water. With the aid of a viewing box and lift net it was observed that after drifting out of the bay on an ebb tide, medusae remained within 300 m of the bay because they swam into still or counter current water below the turbulent ebb stream. When the tide turned to flood, medusae rose into the still water, became embedded in the nonturbulent flood stream, and drifted back into the bay. Vertical migration appears to enable the dense population of medusae to stay in a single location. This enhances reproductive success by keeping males and females in close proximity and increases survival by keeping the population in a favourable location.     

Recoveries of drift cards released from: Oil rigs around New Zealand, 1975–76 (note)

Drift cards were released in batches of 50 every 2 d at drilling sites off the north and south Taranaki coast (May‐October 1975), Banks Peninsula (July‐August 1975), and in Tasman (January‐March 1976) and Hawke Bays (November 1975‐January 1976). The shortest distance “despatch to recovery” trajectories indicate that only in the South Taranaki Bight are the trajectories predominantly unidirectional, the surface drift being southwards on the west coast of the North Island south of Cape Egmont. The trajectories of cards despatched in both Tasman and Hawke Bays highlight the variable nature of the surface drift in these bays.     

The advection effect of planetary vorticity on sea level slope in a western boundary current

Western boundary currents, such as the Gulf Stream, are often modeled as flows in near cross‐stream geostrophic balance with paths that are straight or nearly straight. The effect of planetary vorticity advection on the downstream sea‐level slope in these rectilinear flows is re‐examined and found negligible. Instead, the re‐examination reveals a much greater effect of the ageostrophic component of the horizontal divergence in determining the downstream slope. Overlooked in previous studies is the geostrophic component of the horizontal divergence because of a hidden assumption of parallel flow. To avoid this pitfall, we employ a natural coordinate system to follow precisely the downstream direction. Further, we differentiate between weak geostrophic flows with small accelerations and flows in cross‐stream geostrophic balance where downstream acceleration might be appreciable. Two Rossby numbers are employed: a small cross‐stream number (≤0.01) to describe the near cross‐stream balance, and a large downstream number (≤0.1) to describe the large downstream accelerations that are found in western boundary flows. Finally, by means of a scale analysis we show that over the whole range of possible Rossby numbers, the advection effect of planetary vorticity on downstream sea level slope is negligible compared to the effect of the ageostrophic component of the horizontal divergence. Some new data on the nearshore gradient of the Reynolds stress are also included.     

长江口宝钢码头溢油事故油膜漂移扩散数值模拟

溢油事故发生后,油膜的漂移扩散会对周围水域和环境敏感目标造成污染。研究溢油事故后油膜漂移扩散,可为溢油事故的处理提供理论指导。本文应用河口海岸三维水动力模式ECOM-si(semi-implicit estuarine,costal and ocean model),耦合溢油漂移扩散模块,模拟和分析长江口宝钢码头发生溢油事故后油膜的漂移扩散,以及对环境敏感保护目标的影响。基于长江口崇明东滩气象站实测风速风向资料,给出影响溢油漂移的主导风和不利风向。在冬季多年平均1月径流量11700m³·s^–1、主导风、3个不利风和潮汐作用下,数值模拟并详细给出了宝钢码头溢油事故发生后油膜的平面分布、油膜到达和离开4个水库取水口和饮用水水源保护区以及其他环境敏感保护区的时间、持续影响时间和最大油膜厚度。长江口宝钢码头溢油事故发生后,油膜随涨落潮流作上下游来回振荡,径流使油膜向海输运,风使油膜朝风向方向漂移。在主导风北风5.6m³·s^–1风速下,油膜沿长江口南岸向下游漂移扩散,小部分进入北槽南侧。在不利风向东南风4.0...     

Preliminary assessment of crustacean distribution patterns in New Zealand groundwater aquifers

Crustaceans were sampled in 17 groundwater wells at five locations in North and South Islands of New Zealand. Three sampling locations were associated with unconfined aquifers adjacent to gravel‐bed rivers, whereas the other two locations were distant from rivers, but associated with land‐based sewage effluent disposal sites. Crustaceans and basic physico‐chemical parameters were sampled in summer and winter. Total abundance varied from 1 to 1064 individuals/250 litre sample. Copepods dominated the fauna at four of the five locations, and were most abundant immediately downstream of a sewage effluent disposal area. Paraleptamphopus spp. (Amphipoda) was found at all five locations, and abundance was also greatest downstream of sewage effluent disposal areas. Several crustacean taxa were rare or limited in distribution, including the gammarid Paracrangonyx sp. and the anthurid isopod Cruregens sp. Syncarids were widely distributed, but found in low numbers, and no specimens were found immediately below sewage effluent disposal areas. We suggest that groundwater ecology in New Zealand is restricted by lack of knowledge of taxonomy and ecology of key groups, particularly the Copepoda.     

Effects of riparian manipulation on stream communities in small streams: Two case studies

The effects of riparian manipulation in New Zealand are described for two case studies, one a short‐term study of the effects of the removal of riparian vegetation on fish, and the second, a long‐term study of the effect of re‐establishment of riparian vegetation on fish and benthic macro invertebrates. The first case study was an experiment carried out between November 2001 and May 2002. Overhanging bank vegetation and in‐stream wood were removed from short reaches of a small pastoral stream that had intact riparian margins, resulting in a change in stream structure with the formation of shallow uniform runs rather than pool and riffle structures as in unmodified reaches. The removal of bank cover and consequential instream habitat changes reduced inanga (Galaxias maculatus) densities by a factor of four within months of vegetation removal, showing the importance of instream cover and habitat to inanga. Adult longfin eel (Anguilla dieffenbachii) also became less abundant in the cleared reaches, but elvers (Anguilla spp.) became more abundant. In the second case study, pastoral sections in two small streams draining from native forest catchments were restored in 1995/96 by planting riparian vegetation and preventing stock access. After 10 years, the restoration efforts had more than doubled the numbers of giant kokopu (G. argenteus) and redfin bullies (Gobiomorphus huttoni), slightly increased numbers of banded kokopu (G. fasciatus), and decreased shortfin eel (A. australis) numbers by about 40%. The macroinvertebrate communities changed so that they became more similar to those at upstream native forest reference sites. These two case studies show that riparian margins can influence the composition of the fish and macroinvertebrate communities in small streams through the effects on cover, instream habitat and probably water temperature. Riparian restoration was most effective for the fish species that use cover and pool habitat.     

Paleobiogeography of Ostracoda and Foraminifera in the China sea area

The distribution of ostracods and benthonic foraminifers in the China sea area is briefly reviewed from the paleobio-geographic viewpoint in this paper. Three regions can be distinguished in the area on the basis of modern distribution data: Region I (the Huanghai Sea and the Bohai Sea) with cool and temperate forms, Region I (the East China Sea and the northern part of the South China Sea) with subtropical warm-water forms and Region Ⅲ (central and southern parts of the South China Sea) with larger foraminifers and other tropical warm-water forms. The occurrence of Nummulites-Discocyclira fauna in the Eocene deposits of the East China Sea indicates a northward extension of tropical zoogeographical region at the time, whereas the distribution pattern of the Miocene Nephrolepidina-Miogypsiua-Austrotrillina fauna in the South China Sea resembles that of the present larger-foraminiferal fauna. In the South China Sea and Taiwan, a warm-water fauna with Asterorotalia and Pseudorotalia first appeared in late     

Recovery of benthic macroinvertebrate and epilithic communities following a large flood,in an unstable,braided, New Zealand river

Benthic macroinvertebrates and small stones were collected from a riffle in the Ashley River, North Canterbury, New Zealand, on 12 occasions within a 132‐day period following a particularly large flood in 1986. Despite the occurrence of smaller floods during this period, benthic macroinvertebrate communities and stone surface organic layers recovered rapidly. Mean concentration of stone surface organic carbon increased from 0.23 g/m² to 1.01 g/m² stone surface in the first 23 days after the flood and chlorophyll a concentration increased from 0.13 mg/m² (day 3) to 9.2 mg/m² by day 132. Minor floods during the recovery period had little effect on organic layer biomass. Mean faunal density increased from 230/m² to 7920/m² during this time and taxon richness from 7 to 21 per 5 benthic samples. Immediately after the flood and throughout the study period the fauna was dominated by larvae of Deleatidium (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae), Hydora (Coleoptera: Elmidae), and Chironomidae. Re‐establishment of Deleatidium populations in previously denuded brands was effected by oviposition, egg‐hatching, and larval immigration. Minor braids are likely to represent important epicentres from which recolonisation proceeds.     

In‐stream habitat suitability criteria for feeding inanga (Galaxias maculatus)

Inanga (Galaxias maculatus Jenyns) are the basis of an important recreational and commercial freshwater fishery that has declined over the past 100 years, probably because of habitat degradation in developed areas. Maintenance of suitable stream flows for inanga is one means of protecting the fishery. Observations of habitat use by drift‐feeding inanga were made in three streams. Most feeding inanga were stationary in the current taking food items from the drift and sometimes from the surface. Drift‐feeding locations were related to current patterns and water velocity, with inanga feeding at locations where the current concentrated food, and where water velocities were sufficiently low to allow the fish to hold position. The mean feeding velocity did not vary significantly between streams, although the range of velocities used did. Optimum feeding velocities were 0.03–0.07 m s^‐1, and were comparable with brown trout (Salmo trutta) feeding velocities, when adjusted for the differences in fish size. Depth use was very different between streams and this was attributed to the variation in available habitat. Depths greater than 0.3 m were optimum, with some use of depths between 0.1 and 0.3 m. It is suggested that inanga suitability criteria are dictated by biological factors, such as swimming ability and bio‐energetic requirements, rather than the river the fish is living in and that it is necessary to collect habitat use and availability data in a wide range of stream types to define optimal habitat and suitability criteria for generalised application.     

The invertebrate fauna of a forest stream and its association with fine particulate matter

The invertebrate fauna colonising wooden blocks placed in a beech forest stream was studied over a period of 1 year. At least 31 species were taken during the course of the study, with 3 species of Chironomidae predominating numerically. Most species were associated principally with fine particulate matter (FPM) deposited on the upper surfaces of blocks, although a stonefly, Spaniocerca zelandica, was most abundant on the barer surfaces. Of the Chironomidae, Paucispinig‐era approximata and Polypedilum canum had clearly defined life history patterns with emergence from February to April and October to January, respectively. Psectrocladius sp. had a poorly defined life history. Gut contents of 16 insect species showed that 4 were predominantly predatory, and the remainder were detritivores. The latter could be categorised as shredders (large particle detritivores) or collector‐browsers which mainly ingested particles in the dominant (<50 μm) size range. Oxygen consumption by fine stream sediments was similar at different times of year which suggests that the food quality of detritus may tie relatively constant at all times.