Effect of lower pH on settlement and development of coral,Pocillopora damicornis (Linnaeus, 1758)

The effects of pH reduction on the settlement and development of the coral Pocillopora damicornis were investigated. Three different pH treatments (pH = 7.6, 7.9, and 8.1) were used. In addition, water quality (temperature, salinity, total alkalinity) around the study site was monitored. The results showed significant differences in the settlement rates of Pocillopora damicornis larvae between pH treatments (p ≤ 0.05). A decrease in pH levels caused a strong decline in larval settlement rate. In addition, at pH 7.6 and 7.9, all larvae were unable to complete metamorphosis, and metamorphosis delay was observed. Field monitoring showed low fluctuation of all seawater parameters within 24 hours, and there was no difference between seasons. From this study, a strong negative effect of pH reduction on P. damicornis larvae was observed. Although the function of physiology is still not clearly understood, correlations are likely to exist.

     

Does cannibalism of larvae by adults affect settlement and connectivity of mussel populations?

Intertidal population dynamics are driven by a complex series of processes, including larval supply and the possibility of larval predation by benthic animals such as filter-feeders. We hypothesised that cannibalism by adults could play a major role in the population connectivity of mussel populations by removing larvae as they attempt to settle in the adult habitat. Specifically, we tested hypotheses that consumption of mussel larvae by adults removes a significant proportion of potential settlers and is influenced by both settlement intensity and tidal state (flooding or ebbing). Predation of mussel larvae by adult mussels was investigated on incoming and ebbing tides during four spring tides by analysing the gut contents of adult Perna perna and Mytilus galloprovincialis collected from the low intertidal mussel zone between October 2005 and January 2006. Consumption rates were then compared with estimates of successful settler densities on natural beds. The results showed that mortality of competent mussel larvae through adult ingestion removes up to 77% a of potential settlers. Rates of larval consumption were highest during months of intense settlement, suggesting that mussels feed opportunistically, filtering a relatively fixed volume of water and removing particles, including larvae, in proportion to their densities in the water. Rates of larviphagy were also higher during receding than incoming tides. We suggest that this is due to changes in larval density or, more probably, in adult filtration efficiency that are related to the state of the tide. Despite significant effects of both tidal state and settlement intensity on rates of larval ingestion, neither had a significant effect on the proportion of potential settlers removed. During settlement more than half of all potential settlers are lost through cannibalism, with potentially serious consequences for population maintenance. The results highlight the paradoxical nature of the evolution of settlement mechanisms in mussels, which must balance the advantages of settlement in habitats favourable to adults against the consumption of larvae by adults.     

Experimental analysis of recruitment patterns of coral reef fishes in seagrass beds: Effects of substrate type, shape, and rigidity

Habitat choice of reef fish larvae at settlement is one of the mechanisms proposed to explain spatial patterns in the distribution of fishes and the corresponding spatial structure of communities. Field experiments using Pomacentridae were conducted at Iriomote Island, southern Japan, in order to determine if rare recruitment of coral reef fishes in seagrass beds is due to larval settlement preference. When three types of natural patch treatments (branching coral patch, seagrass patch, and control without patches) were established in cleared seagrass squares in the center of a seagrass bed, four pomacentrid species, Amblyglyphidodon curacao, Dischistodus prosopotaenia, Cheiloprion labiatus, and Dascyllus aruanus, recruited exclusively onto the coral patches, indicating that larvae distributed in the seagrass bed may have preferred a coral rather than seagrass substrate as a settlement habitat. The effects of differences in physical shape (grid structure for branching coral vs. vertical structure for seagrass leaves) and rigidity (rigid substrate for coral vs. flexible substrate for seagrass) between coral and seagrass substrates on such recruitment patterns were investigated using artificial coral and seagrass units. When artificial habitat units with predator exclusion cages were established in the cleared seagrass squares as above, high densities of A. curacao and D. prosopotaenia recruits were observed on the rigid rather than flexible habitat units (both unit types having similar shape), whereas differences in recruit numbers of the two species were unclear in differently shaped units. These results demonstrated that even though pomacentrid larvae are distributed in the seagrass bed, they do not settle on the seagrass substrate owing to their habitat choice being partially based on a preference for substrate rigidity. Moreover, non-recruitment of C. labiatus and D. aruanus on artificial habitat units suggested that the presence of living coral substrates rather than physical shape/rigidity of substrates are an important cue for habitat choice of these fishes.     

Dispersal patterns of the eggs and larvae of spring-spawning fish in the Irish Sea, UK

Many marine species produce pelagic propagules which, because of their life-history characteristics and the local hydrodynamics, can disperse considerable distances from the point of release. Distances travelled are affected by factors such as: release time and location, egg and larval stage duration, local environmental conditions and active swimming and settlement behaviours. Understanding such dispersal patterns is important for the design of effective ecosystem-conservation strategies. We used a regional scale, coupled physical-biological model for the Irish Sea to simulate the possible dispersal of eggs and larvae of five species of fish with contrasting early life histories (cod Gadus morhua, plaice Pleuronectes platessa, witch Glyptocephalus cynoglossus, sprat Sprattus sprattus and pogge Agonus cataphractus). The hydrodynamic model was forced with meteorological data for 1995, a year when extensive plankton surveys were conducted in the Irish Sea. A particle tracking method featuring particle release (spawning) and species-dependent particle development and behaviour was then run based on flow and temperature fields from the hydrodynamical model. Modelled larval distributions and settlement areas corresponded favourably with observations from field sampling. The settlement destinations (or onset of shoaling for sprat) were affected both by their initial spawning location and by the species-specific development rates and behaviours coded into the model. Eggs and larvae typically remained within 160 km of their spawning origin, although a minority travelled up to 300 km. Even in a relatively enclosed sea such as the Irish Sea, fish eggs and larvae can be dispersed over 100s of km. This provides a major challenge for the design of effective spatial management strategies if it is necessary to protect a species across its life-history stages. Further progress in the design of effective conservation measures for species or communities will need an integrated approach taking account of key aspects of early life history and behaviour.     

Larval life span,larval settlement,and early growth of Evechinus chloroticus (Valenciennes)

Development, settlement, and subsequent metamorphosis on several substrata were observed in cultures of Evechinus chloroticus larvae. The period from fertilisation to metamorphosis ranged between 30 and 63 days for larvae collected from spawnings induced at 3 different times. Newly settled sea urchins collected from the field grew about 1 mm per month in aquaria. Correlation of the larval life span with the growth rate of newly settled sea urchins suggested that the earliest spawning could occur was mid‐November. This finding corroborates the results of previous histo‐logical studies of the gonads of adult sea urchins in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand.     

Some effects of experimental procedure on settlement of Ostrea Lutaria Hutton

The effect of experimental method on the settlement pattern of Ostrea Iutaria was tested. The intensity of settlement differed with the type of settlement surface and the angle of the surface. The method of arranging the plates, in series or singly, was critical in determining the variation of spatfall with surface angle; the type of plate had no effect on this. Possibly, a factor such as turbulence differences within the plate units affecting free‐swimming larvae about to settle could account for the different settlement patterns but whether these could be caused by a reversal of iesponses or to some passive concentraton mechanism is unknown. Similar variation in experimental techniques probably accounts for most of the conflict in previous reports on the pattern of oyster settlement related to surface angle.     

Seasonal settlement of shipworms (Bivalvia: Teredinidae) in Tauranga Harbour and Wellington Harbour

The seasons of settlement of shipworms in Tauranga and Wellington harbours in 1970–72 were studied using Pinus radiata test‐blocks. At Wellington the seasonal abundance of late‐stage shipworm larvae was monitored in the plankton. In Tauranga Harbour Bankia australis, Lyrodus medilobatus, Lyrodus pedicellatus, and Nototeredo edaxspawned and settled predominantly in summer, when water temperatures were above 17–18°C. Bankia neztalia had peak periods of settlement in winter and early summer and there was no correlation of settlement with water temperature. In Wellington Harbour B. neztalia spawned and settled mainly during winter when water temperatures were 11–15°C. Total larval abundance at the 2 test sites in Wellington Harbour was an approximate indication of the relative intensity of settlement, but seasonal larval abundance did not correlate well with seasonal settlement. B. neztalia larvae settled on air‐dried Pinus radiata wood within 6 days of the immersion of the wood. Annual variations in patterns of settlement of shipworms in the 2 harbours are related to variations in water temperatures.     

Recruitment,habitat selection and larval photoresponse of Paraleucilla magna (Porifera,Calcarea) in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil

Little is known about the recruitment and behaviour of sponge larvae, especially of the class Calcarea. The calcareous sponge Paraleucilla magna is very common in Southeast Brazil, where it is considered a cryptogenic species. This study quantified recruitment rates in shaded and illuminated habitats for 2 years in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and analyzed larval photoresponses of this species. Four structures, each containing a shaded and an illuminated surface, were exchanged every 3 months for 2 years. The number of recruits was quantified on each plate. In the laboratory, larvae of P. magna were placed in half‐shaded Petri dishes and the number of settlers in each side was counted after 24 h. Paraleucilla magna recruited continuously throughout the experiment. Recruits occurred in greater abundance on shaded surfaces than on illuminated surfaces, and the larvae were negatively phototactic in vitro. Despite the possible influence of other factors in the recruitment of sponges (such as sedimentation, competition and predation), the prevalence of P. magna in shaded habitats may also be related to larval choice.     

Fish settlement in the ocean vs. estuary: Comparison of pelagic larval and settled juvenile composition and abundance from southern New Jersey,U.S.A.

To describe the larval and juvenile fish fauna and to evaluate the relative contribution of the ocean and the estuary as settlement areas for benthic species, we compared the composition and abundance of larval fish supply to that of recently settled juvenile fishes in both ocean and an adjacent estuary habitats in southern New Jersey. The study was conducted from May to November 1992 in the Great Bay–Little Egg Harbor estuary (<1–8 m sampling depth) and on the adjacent inner continental shelf in the vicinity of Beach Haven Ridge (8–16 m). During the study more larvae nearing settlement (postflexion) were captured in the estuary than in the ocean. Settlement occurred earlier in the estuary than in the ocean perhaps under the influence of earlier, seasonal warming of estuarine waters. There appeared to be two spatial patterns of settlement in the study area based on the dominant species (n = 17) represented by a sufficient number of individuals (n ≥ 25 individuals). There were species that primarily settle in the estuary, as represented by both estuarine residents (n = 3) and transients (n = 4), and those that settle in both the estuary and the ocean (n = 10). However, there were no species whose larvae were present in the estuary yet settle in the ocean. The fact that many of the species settle in both the estuary and the ocean indicates an overlap between these habitats because, at least for some species, these habitats may function in the same way. Further resolution of fish settlement patterns, and its influence on recruitment will need to rely on synoptic comparisons between estuaries and the ocean over multiple years.     

不同材料塑料挂板对海月水母浮浪幼虫附着的影响

通过野外海区挂板的方法,探讨高密度聚乙烯(HDPE)、低密度聚乙烯(LDPE)、聚氯乙烯(PVC)、聚苯乙烯(PS)、聚对苯二甲酸乙二酯(PET)和聚氨酯(PUR)6种不同材料的塑料挂板对海月水母(Aurelia sp.1)附着的影响,分析不同塑料挂板表面粗糙度和海月水母附着的关系.研究结果表明:海月水母浮浪幼虫在夏末秋初可以附着在人工投放的塑料挂板附着基上,表明海岸带工程造成的人工附着基增多可能为海月水母的附着提供便利条件;海月水母螅状幼体在不同材料塑料挂板上的附着率有明显差异,PET、PUR和PVC塑料挂板海月水母螅状幼体附着率显著大于其他3种塑料挂板,其中PUR塑料挂板海月水母螅状幼体附着率最大,附着率为3.21±0.74 ind./cm2,HDPE塑料挂板海月水母螅状幼体附着率最低为0.26±0.08 ind./cm2;海月水母浮浪幼虫附着率与不同材料表面的粗糙度并不显著相关,表明塑料挂板材料的表面粗糙度并不是影响海月水母螅状幼体附着率的关键因子,而不同材料塑料挂板上形成的生物膜可能也对海月水母浮浪幼虫的附着产生影响.研究结果可为我国近岸海域有害水母海月水母暴发和防控研究提供一定的重要参考数据.     

Recruitment patterns of Serpula vermicularis L. (Polychaeta, Serpulidae) in Loch Creran, Scotland

This study aimed to contribute to conservation management of reefs of Serpula vermicularis by increasing understanding of the factors influencing larval settlement. The study was carried out in Loch Creran, which supports the most extensive known development of S. vermicularis reefs in the world. Settlement plates were deployed to examine the influence of season, depth, reef density, substrate type and orientation. Monthly deployment of plates revealed settlement of S. vermicularis to occur predominantly from mid-June to mid-October, peaking in late August to early September. Settlement of Pomatoceros spp. peaked much earlier, in late May to early June. Deployment of plates at different depths revealed a marked reduction in S. vermicularis settlement intensity between 6 and 12 m. As this corresponds with the deeper limit of the peripheral fringe of serpulid reefs in the loch, it is suggested that this limit is imposed by a depth-correlated settlement response, rather than reduction in available substrata. Comparisons of various substrata showed a preference by S. vermicularis larvae for a slate over a scallop substrate and no evidence of enhanced recruitment to occupied or unoccupied tubes of S. vermicularis, suggesting that gregarious attraction is unlikely to be a factor causing reef formation. Settlement onto the upper side of a horizontal scallop substrate was found to be insignificant in comparison with the underside or a vertically orientated scallop. Evidence for the role of light in controlling the depth and substrate-orientation preferences of S. vermicularis larvae is discussed. Based on the results of this study, recommendations are made regarding remediation of areas suffering reef damage.     

Annual pattern of brooding and settlement in a population of the flat oyster Ostrea chilensis from central New Zealand

Temporal patterns of larval brooding and settlement were investigated in a flat oyster (Ostrea chilensis) population in Tasman Bay, central New Zealand. The proportion of the population brooding larvae and larval settlement rates were monitored over 26 months. A peak period of brooding activity began in late spring and continued through summer. Maximum rates of 17% and 23% of adult oysters brooding larvae occurred in November and December, and an estimated 55–78% of adult oysters incubated larvae over the entire summer breeding period. These proportions of brooders are higher than those previously reported for Tasman Bay. A very low level of brooding activity (1%) occurred during winter. Temporal trends in larval settlement closely tracked brooding patterns. Settlement was greatest between November and January, and there were very low rates in winter. The seasonal breeding pattern in the population was intermediate between northern and southern populations, confirming a latitudinal gradient of reproductive behaviour for O. chilensis in New Zealand. Results are useful in optimising the timing of substrate deployment in an enhancement programme for the oyster fishery.     

底物中钙赋存形态对太平洋牡蛎(Crassostrea gigas)幼虫附着的诱导效应

为探讨底物中钙赋存形态对牡蛎幼虫附着的诱导效应,本研究设计3因子随机区组实验,检验实验底物钙含量、钙赋存形态及海水中牡蛎幼虫丰度对实验底物上太平洋牡蛎(Crassostrea gigas)稚贝附着效果(密度和壳高)的影响。结果表明,在3个因子中,实验底物钙含量对附着稚贝密度和壳高的影响不显著(P0.05),而其它2个因子(钙赋存形态和海水中牡蛎幼虫丰度)均显著影响着实验底物上附着牡蛎稚贝的密度和壳高(P0.05)。在相同的牡蛎浮游幼虫丰度下,3种钙形态底物对牡蛎幼虫附着的诱导能力大小顺序为:有机钙碳酸钙=硫酸钙(P0.05);壳高的结果却恰恰相反。在同样的钙形态底物中,高牡蛎幼虫丰度下牡蛎稚贝附着量均显著高于低幼虫丰度的处理组(P0.05)。     

The larval fish assemblage at the mouth of the Kosi Estuary,KwaZulu-Natal,South Africa

The composition of the larval fish assemblage at the mouth of the Kosi Estuary, KwaZulu-Natal, was investigated. Fish larvae were collected from a sample site adjacent to a rocky reef within the estuary, 200 m upstream from the mouth, on six occasions between January 1988 and March 1989. A total of 2 418 fish larvae, representing 60 families and 154 taxa, was collected. The catch was dominated by the families Myctophidae (13,8%), Gobiidae (10,1%), Tripterygiidae (8,2%), Engraulidae (6,4%), Blenniidae (4,7%), Labridae (4,4%), Pempheridae (4,4%), Apogonidae (3,7%), Sparidae (3,6%) and Schindleriidae (2,6%). The most abundant larval species were the engraulid Stolephorus holodon and the tripterygiid Euneapterygius clarkae. The larval assemblage in the estuary reflected the nearshore coral reef fish community and was determined by oceanic and tidal conditions. Larval densities were significantly greater (p < 0,05) on flood tides than on ebb tides. Most larvae (50%) were reef-associated, estuarine-associated species contributing 28% of the total taxa. The presence of oceanic taxa, in particular myctophids, was attributed to shoreward intrusions of Agulhas Current surface water. The Kosi Estuary possibly plays an important role as a retention area and the associated reef functions as a settlement site for recruiting reef fish.     

Spawning site selection,egg development,and larval drift of Galaxias postvectis and G. fasciatus in a New Zealand stream

Twelve Galaxias postvectis (shortjaw kokopu) and four G. fasciatus (banded kokopu) spawning sites were found on the margins of the Katikara Stream, Taranaki, New Zealand. This is the first time G. postvectis spawning sites have been documented. G. fasciatus spawning sites discovered in this study confirm previous observations elsewhere in New Zealand. These spawning sites were all found out of water, variable distances from the base flow water level amongst stony substrate, vegetation, and debris. Most G. fasciatus appeared to lay their eggs, and subsequently hatch, c. 3 weeks earlier than G. postvectis, which spawned from 9 to 17 May 2001. G. brevipinnis (koaro) larvae were also identified drifting downstream in late May and mid June 2001. Deposition of eggs and subsequent hatching were found to be associated with elevated flows.     

Measuring depth of settlement in the red rock lobster,Jasus edwardsii

Settlement of the puerulus stage of Jasus edwardsii (Decapoda: Palinuridae) near the shore takes place over a wide depth range. It occurs intertidally, and, as determined by crevice collectors, also takes place down to depths of at least 50 m. At sites along the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand, depth of greatest settlement found on collectors varied with locality and time, but was within the upper 11.5 m. Surface‐buoyed collectors caught fewer animals than did collectors at greater depths. Settlement levels generally increased with depth to about 10–12 m, then decreased with increasing depth and distance from shore. The ability of/, edwardsii to settle over a wide depth range may improve its chances of recruitment. A device (closing crevice collector) for measuring puerulus settlement of J. edwardsii at depth is described.     

Early development of Forsterygion varium,Gilloblennius decemdigitatus,and G. tripennis (Pisces: Tripterygiidae)

In the Wellington area (central New Zealand) Forsterygion varium (Forster, in Bloch & Schneider 1801) spawns from early June to late November, Gilloblennius decemdigitatus (Clarke, 1879) from early June to early October, and G. tripennis (Forster, in Bloch & Schneider 1801) from July to October. They deposit their eggs on firm substrates below the low tide level. Egg clusters are attended by an adult fish until hatching, which in the laboratory at 11.5–13.5°C, occurs after 18 days for F. varium and 20 days for G. decemdigitatus. Development to hatching for G. tripennis takes about 21 days at 13–15°c. The egg development of all three species is illustrated. The yolk‐sac larvae (prolarvae) of F. varium, G. decemdigitatus, and G. tripennis at hatching average 5.85, 5.03, and 5.72 mm standard length respectively. Yolk‐sac larvae of F. varium have a single row of 9–17 small, stellate melanophores along the ventral midline of the tail. The yolk‐sac larvae of G. tripennis have up to nine melanophores along the ventral midline of the tail, a medium‐sized melanophore above the optic lobes, and a further two above the medulla. The yolk‐sac larvae of G. decemdigitatus have three large mid‐dorsal melanophores interspersed with five smaller, paler pigment cells, and three large mid‐ventral melanophores interspersed with three of the smaller cells.     

Spatio-temporal patterns of coral recruitment at Vamizi Island,Quirimbas Archipelago,Mozambique

Spatial and temporal patterns of recruitment of reef corals were assessed for the first time in Mozambique by deploying settlement plates at various spatio-temporal scales between October 2012 and October 2013. The abundance of juvenile corals (5?50?mm in diameter) was assessed along transects. Settlement of acroporids was highly seasonal, with 97% of spat settling between July and October 2013. Pocilloporids settled throughout the year, peaking slightly between October 2012 and January 2013. The annual mean larval settlement of up to 1 135 spat m^?2 was comparable to that on other East African reefs, but was dominated by acroporids, which constituted over 80% of all spat, whereas pocilloporids settle in higher densities in Kenya and South Africa. The peak settlement season also differed from other African locations. A greater proportion of variance in settlement rates occurred at the spatial scale of kilometres (between sites) and centimetres (between settlement plates) than at the scale of metres (between subsites), implying that most patchiness occurs at those scales. The peak in acroporid settlement coincided with the period of multispecific spawning, with settlement occurring as early as nine days after a spawning event. As no similar spawning events have been reported for other reefs in the area, our results suggest that these spawning events strongly influence overall annual settlement rates and promote high levels of self-seeding at Vamizi. There was no relationship between settlement of larvae to settlement plates and juvenile density on adjacent reefs, suggesting either variable levels of early post-settlement mortality or high interannual variability in settlement.     

Distribution of fouling bryozoans in thenorthern South China Sea

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底栖硅藻生物膜附着基对扇贝幼虫附着和变态的影响

为了建立生态、高效的扇贝幼虫附着和变态诱导技术,采用底栖硅藻生物膜附着基对栉孔扇贝和海湾扇贝开展了附着和变态诱导的现场实验。实验围绕底栖硅藻在扇贝幼虫培育池内的数量变动、存活状态、在栉孔扇贝食谱组成中的贡献以及其对两种扇贝附着和变态的诱导效果开展。结果表明,底栖硅藻附着基能极显著提高海湾扇贝和栉孔扇贝幼虫的附苗量和变态率(P<0.01)。在海湾扇贝实验中,底栖硅藻处理组比对照组附苗量提高220.19%(P<0.01),变态率和壳长两组差异不显著(P>0.05)。在栉孔扇贝实验中,底栖硅藻处理组比对照组附苗量提高43.02%(P<0.01),变态率提高87.31%(P<0.01),底栖硅藻处理组壳长和对照组差异不显著(P>0.05)。对照组附着基比对照组早3d检查到变态的稚贝。底栖硅藻附着基在进入幼虫培育池的黑暗环境后光合作用受限,对于扇贝幼虫的日常管理导致底栖硅藻脱落,数量有一定的下降,但丰度最终能保持为56.0-183.9个/mm2。使用基于混合模型对栉孔扇贝稚贝食物来源进行分析结果显示金藻Isochrysis galbana对稚贝的食物贡献较高,底栖硅藻的贡献较低,其0.95水平的置信区间的贡献率为0%-44%,表明底栖硅藻也是扇贝物来源之一。本研究为底栖硅藻生物膜在贝类幼虫附着变态过程中作用的研究奠定了良好的基础,并为生态、高效的商业化苗种培育提供理论和技术支撑。