Growth and mortality of small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) inhabiting Haizhou bay of China

Length frequency data of small yellow croaker(Larimichthys polyactis) were acquired from the survey vessel in May,July,September and December,2011 in Haizhou Bay of China.In this study,921 fish individuals were analyzed for the estimation of growth and mortality parameters.Between length and weight,the power coefficient b was 2.7321,2.9703,3.0418 and 2.7252 for the 4 surveying months,respectively.The estimated von Bertalanffy growth function parameters were 230mm(L ∞) and 0.26yr-1(K) as were calculated with ELEFAN method equipped in FiSAT computer package.With length-converted catch curve analysis,the total mortality rate(Z) and its 95% confidence interval were 2.16(1.69-2.64) yr-1,0.59(0.15-1.04) yr-1,1.16(0.80-1.52) yr-1 and 0.96(0.70-1.23) yr-1 for the 4 surveying months,respectively,with the pooled data the value was 1.15(0.81-1.48) yr-1.The natural mortality rate(M) was 0.516 yr-1 as was calculated with Pauly’s equation(the annual average sea water temperature was 11℃).Therefore,fish mortality rate was 0.634 yr-1.The yield-per-recruit analysis indicated that when t c was 1,F max was 0.7 and F 0.1 was 0.55.Currently,the age at first capture is about 1 year and F current was 0.634.Therefore,F current was larger than F 0.1 and less than F max.This indicates that current fish mortality is at a dangerously high level.With Gulland method,the biological reference point for fishery(F opt) was estimated as 0.516 yr-1,lower than current fish mortality.Accordingly,reducing catch in the region was strongly recommended.     

Beak measurements of octopus (Octopus variabilis) in Jiaozhou Bay and their use in size and biomass estimation

Cephalopods play key roles in global marine ecosystems as both predators and preys. Regressive estimation of original size and weight of cephalopod from beak measurements is a powerful tool of interrogating the feeding ecology of predators at higher trophic levels. In this study, regressive relationships among beak measurements and body length and weight were determined for an octopus species (Octopus variabilis), an important endemic cephalopod species in the northwest Pacific Ocean. A total of 193 individuals (63 males and 130 females) were collected at a monthly interval from Jiaozhou Bay, China. Regressive relationships among 6 beak measurements (upper hood length, UHL; upper crest length, UCL; lower hood length, LHL; lower crest length, LCL; and upper and lower beak weights) and mantle length (ML), total length (TL) and body weight (W) were determined. Results showed that the relationships between beak size and TL and beak size and ML were linearly regressive, while those between beak size and W fitted a power function model. LHL and UCL were the most useful measurements for estimating the size and biomass of O. variabilis. The relationships among beak measurements and body length (either ML or TL) were not significantly different between two sexes; while those among several beak measurements (UHL, LHL and LBW) and body weight (W) were sexually different. Since male individuals of this species have a slightly greater body weight distribution than female individuals, the body weight was not an appropriate measurement for estimating size and biomass, especially when the sex of individuals in the stomachs of predators was unknown. These relationships provided essential information for future use in size and biomass estimation of O. variabilis, as well as the estimation of predator/prey size ratios in the diet of top predators.     

Newly recorded bloom-forming dinoflagellate Gymnodinium impudicum in Haizhou Bay,Yellow Sea,China

Journal of Oceanology and Limnology - With the development of industrialization and aquaculture in Jiangsu and Shandong Provinces along the South Yellow Sea coast, China, eutrophication has greatly...     

Spatio-Temporal Variations in Co-Occurrence Patterns of Fish Communities in Haizhou Bay,China: Null Model Analysis

Co-occurrence pattern of fish species plays an important role in understanding the spatio-temporal structure and the stability of fish community. Species coexistence may vary with time and space. The co-occurrence patterns of fish species were examined using the C-score under fixed-fixed null model for fish communities in spring and autumn over different years in the Haizhou Bay, China. The results showed that fish assemblages in the whole bay had non-random patterns in spring and autumn over different years. However, the fish co-occurrence patterns were different for the northern and southern fish assemblages in spring and autumn. The northern fish assemblage showed structured pattern, whereas the southern assemblage were randomly assembled in spring. The co-occurrence patterns of fish communities were relatively stable over different years, and the number of significant species pairs in northern assemblage was more than that in the southern assemblage. Environmental heterogeneity played an important role in determining the distributions of fish species that formed significant species pairs, which might affect the co-occurrence patterns of northern and southern assemblages further in the Haizhou Bay.     

Variations of Summer Phytoplankton Community Related to Environmental Factors in a Macro-Tidal Estuarine Embayment,Hangzhou Bay,China

To explore the distribution and composition of phytoplankton community and their responses to environmental changes, summer net-collected phytoplankton and physicochemical parameters in the Hangzhou Bay during 2004–2010 were investigated. A total of four phyla and 84 species were identified, including 67 diatom and 12 dinoflagellate species. The dominant species con- stantly consisted of the diatoms, although the dominance of dinoflagellate and cyanobacteria increased recently. Due to great spa- tio-temporal variations in environmental factors(salinity, suspended solids, and nutrient concentration), significant heterogeneities in community compositions among different years and subregions(inner and middle sections, and bay mouth) were found based on the analyses of multidimensional scaling and similarity. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that salinity and Si/N were the main variables associated with algal assemblage. Compared with the historical data since the 1980 s, eutrophication(N, P, and N/P increased with decreasing Si/N) was exacerbated drastically. Moreover, climatic forcing and human activities resulted in a series of physical alterations, including sediment retention, temperature increase, and salinity decrease as well as reduction in water exchanges. All these changes induced obvious increases in cell density and Chl-a while decreases in species diversity and diatom-dinoflagellate ratio as well as the shifting of dominant species. Therefore, the long-term phytoplankton variations were closely related to anthropogenic and climatic perturbations in the Hangzhou Bay.     

Evaluating the effect of input variables on quantifying the spatial distribution of croaker Johnius belangerii in Haizhou Bay,China

A habitat model has been widely used to manage marine species and analyze relationship between species distribution and environmental factors.The predictive skill in habitat model depends on whether the models include appropriate explanatory variables.Due to limited habitat range,low density,and low detection rate,the number of zero catches could be very large even in favorable habitats.Excessive zeroes will increase the bias and uncertainty in estimation of habitat.Therefore,appropriate explanatory variables need to be chosen first to prevent underestimate or overestimate species abundance in habitat models.In addition,biotic variables such as prey data and spatial autocovariate(SAC) of target species are often ignored in species distribution models.Therefore,we evaluated the effects of input variables on the performance of generalized additive models(GAMs) under excessive zero catch(70%).Five types of input variables were selected,i.e.,(1) abiotic variables,(2) abiotic and biotic variables,(3) abiotic variables and SAC,(4) abiotic,biotic variables and SAC,and(5) principal component analysis(PCA) based abiotic and biotic variables and SAC.Belanger 's croaker Johnius belangerii is one of the dominant demersal fish in Haizhou Bay,with a large number of zero catches,thus was used for the case study.Results show that the PCA-based GAM incorporated with abiotic and biotic variables and SAC was the most appropriate model to quantify the spatial distribution of the croaker.Biotic variables and SAC were important and should be incorporated as one of the drivers to predict species distribution.Our study suggests that the process of input variables is critical to habitat modelling,which could improve the performance of habitat models and enhance our understanding of the habitat suitability of target species.     

Spatial and Seasonal Patterns of Ichthyoplankton Assemblages in the Haizhou Bay and Its Adjacent Waters of China

Surveys were conducted in five voyages in Haizhou Bay and its adjacent coastal area from March to December 2011 during full moon spring tides. The ichthyoplankton assemblages and the environmental factors that affect their spatial and seasonal patterns were determined. Totally 35 and 12 fish egg and larvae taxa were identified, respectively. Over the past several decades, the egg and larval species composition has significantly changed in Haizhou Bay and its adjacent waters, most likely corresponding with the alteration of fishery resources, which are strongly affected by anthropogenic activities and climate change. The Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index identified four assemblages: near-shore bay assemblage, middle bay assemblage and two closely related assemblages(near-shore/middle bay assemblage and middle/edge of bay assemblage). The primary species of each assemblage principally reflected the spawning strategies of adult fish. The near-shore bay assemblage generally occurred in near-shore bay, with depths measuring 20 m, and the middle bay assemblage generally occurred in the middle of bay, with depths measuring 20 to 40 m. Spatial and seasonal variations in ichthyoplankton in each assemblage were determined by interactions between biological behavioral traits and oceanographic features, particularly the variation of local conditions within the constraint of a general reproductive strategy. The results of Spearman's rank correlation analysis indicated that both fish egg and larval abundance were positively correlated with depth, which is critical to the oceanographic features in Haizhou Bay.     

Influence of Seawater Temperature on Phytoplankton Growth in Jiaozhou Bay, China

The phytoplankton reproduction capacity (PRC), as a new concept regarding chlorophyll-a and primary production (PP) is described. PRC is different from PP, carbon assimilation number (CAN) or photosynthetic rate ( P^B ) . PRC quantifies phytoplankton growth with a special consideration of the effect of seawater temperature. Observation data in Jiaozhou Bay, Qingdao, China, collected from May 1991 to February 1994 were used to analyze the horizontal distribution and seasonal variation of the PRC in Jiaozhou Bay in order to determine the characteristics, dynamic cycles and trends of phytoplankton growth in Jiaozhou Bay; and to develop a corresponding dynamic model of seawater temperature vs. PRC. Simulation curves showed that seawater temperature has a dual function of limiting and enhancing PRC. PRC‘s periodicity and fluctuation are similar to those of the seawater temperature. Nutrient silicon in Jiaozhou Bay satisfies phytoplankton growth from June 7 to November 3. When nutrients N, P and Si satisfy the phytoplankton growth and solar irradiation is sufficient, the PRC would reflect the influence of seawater temperature on phytoplankton growth. Moreover, the result quantitatively explains the scenario of one-peak or two-peak phytoplankton reproduction in Jiaozhou Bay, and also quantitatively elucidates the internal mechanism of the one- or two-peak phytoplankton reproduction in the global marine areas.     

Species Composition and Diversity of Macrobenthos in the Intertidal Zone of Xiangshan Bay,China

Xiangshan bay is a narrow semi-closed bay and situated on the northwestern coast of the East China Sea. Over past decades, it has become to a major bay with intensive human activities, dense urbanized area, and poor water quality. The aim of this paper was to reveal the ecological status through the elucidation of the species composition, abundance, biomass and diversity of macrobenthos in this bay. Six intertidal sections were surveyed from January 2007 to November 2008 quarterly. Sections TG, HD and XH are located in the three inner bays, sections QJ and WS are located near the thermal power plants, and section XX is located at the outer part of Xiangshan Bay. Great variations in macrobenthos community were indentified, and the species composition of the community in the present study showed the dominance in the order of molluscs(bivalves and gastropods), crustaceans and others, and only few Polychaeta were recorded. Only three dominant species, Littorina brevicula, Ilyplax tansuiensis, and Cerithidea cingulata were collected in all the sections, and a total of 19 dominant species were recorded only in one section. Two-way ANOVA analyses of abundance indicated that there were significant differences among sections or seasons. Shannon-Wiener diversity index(H’) had its maximum(2.45) in section QJ, and minimum(1.76) in section TG. Multiple irregular k-dominance plots clearly showed that the study area was polluted and the macrobenthos community was under stress. We conclude that the macrobenthos of Xiangshan Bay have been disturbed by human activities, especially at the interior bay.     

Distribution Characteristics of Fat Greenling(Hexagrammos otakii) Inhabiting Artificial Reefs Around Qiansandao Island,Haizhou Bay,China

Chinese government has provided vigorous financial supports to artificial reef(AR) projects to repair marine ecosystem. Qiansandao AR, an important AR project of Fishery Resource Restoration Program in Shandong Province, was built during 2002 to 2007. It has enhanced the local fishery harvest and generated positive economic benefits. Fat greenling(Hexagrammos otakii) is a major commercial reef fish in Qiansandao with high economic values. Its distribution characteristics need to be further studied. In this research, we studied the potential influence of environmental variables and distance from ARs on catch per unit effort(CPUE) and body length of fat greenlings. The results showed that the average body length of fat greenlings distributed within 10 m from ARs was longer than that of fat greenlings distributed more than 600 m away from ARs. Body length also increased with the increased salinity, while it declined as temperature increased. The probability of the presence of fat greenling increased when temperature was below 20℃, then it slightly decreased. CPUE decreased as the distance increased. Our results elucidate the potential effects of environmental variables and distance from ARs on the distribution of fat greenling, which may also be helpful to the distribution research of other reef fish species.     

Examination of Daytime Length''''s Influence on Phytoplankton Growth in Jiaozhou Bay, China

1　INTRODUCTIONSystematicstudyisusefulforhumanvisualizationandcomprehensionofanetworkofcomplicatedcompo nentsandprocessesinvolvingfrequentenergyflow ,consideringenergyasthebasisofbothstructureandprocess (Automa ,1 993) .Energylanguageisaconceptfordepictingasysteminwhichallphenomenaareac companiedbyenergytransformation .Thefunctionoftheecosystemovertheworlddependsontheenergyfixationbymarineplantphotosynthesis ,mostofthemarefixedbymicrophytoplanktonnearseasurfaceexposedtosunlight (Niebaken …     

Environmental capacity of petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants in Jiaozhou Bay, China: Modeling and calculation

An environmental capacity model for the petroleum hydrocarbon pollutions (PHs) in Jiaozhou Bay is constructed based on field surveys, mesocosm, and parallel laboratory experiments. Simulated results of PHs seasonal successions in 2003 match the field surveys of Jiaozhou Bay resaonably well with a highest value in July. The Monte Carlo analysis confirms that the variation of PHs concentration significantly correlates with the river input. The water body in the bay is reasonably subjected to self-purification processes, such as volatilization to the atmosphere, biodegradation by microorganism, and transport to the Yellow Sea by water exchange. The environmental capacity of PHs in Jiaozhou Bay is 1500 tons per year IF the seawater quality criterion (Grade Ⅰ/Ⅱ, 0.05 mgL-1) in the region is to be satisfied. The contribution to self-purification by volatilization, biodegradation, and transport to the Yellow Sea accounts for 48%, 28%, and 23%, respectively, which make these three processes the main ways of PHs purification in Jiaozhou Bay.     

The application of stereo-video technology for the assessment on population change of black rockfish Sebastes schlegeli in a vessel reef area in Haizhou Bay,China

The assessment of population structure and abundance of fish assemblages associated with artificial reefs(ARs) is an important aspect of AR management.In the present study,we used a DiveOperated Stereo Video(stereo-DOV) technique to assess the population structure and abundance of Sebastes schlegeli associated with two metallic,and three wooden,vessel reefs in Haizhou Bay during 2012 and2013.The study used video systems to obtain length measurements and estimates of abundance.The size composition of S.schlegeli differed among reefs and individuals around vessel reefs were all adults,with total lengths(TL) of 20 cm.Juvenile fish were encountered by divers in a rocky area near the island away from the vessel reefs.The largest individual S.schlegeli(with the highest TL) among five reefs were found around a metallic vessel reef in both 2012 and 2013.TL of S.schlegeli from all reefs increased by an average of 3.2 cm(P0.05) from 2012 to 2013,with an estimated mean weight increase of 250.4 g(P0.05).The video survey also indicated a decrease in the biomass of schools near two metallic vessels between the years.Stereo-video technology was found to be suitable for rockfish surveys around the reefs.     

Survival, growth and immune activity of scallop Chlamys farreri cultured at different depths in Haizhou Bay (Yellow Sea, China) during hot season

Survival, growth and immune response of the scallop, Chlamys farreri, cultured in lantern nets at five different depths (2, 5, 10, 15, and 20 m below the sea surface) were studied in Haizhou Bay during the hot season (summer and autumn) of 2007. Survival and growth rates were quantified bimonthly. Immune activities in hemolymph (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and acid phosphatase (ACP)) were measured to evaluate the health of scallops at the end of the study. Environmental parameters at the five depths were also monitored during the experiment. Mortalities mainly occurred during summer. Survival of scallops suspended at 15 m (78.0%) and 20 m (86.7%) was significantly higher than at 2 m (62.9%), 5 m (60.8%) or 10 m (66.8%) at the end of the study. Mean shell height grew significantly faster at 10 m (205.0 μm/d) and 20 m (236.9 μm/d) than at 2, 5 or 15 m in summer (July 9 to September 1); however, shell growth rate at 20 m was significantly lower than at the other four depths in autumn (September 2 to November 6). In contrast to summer, scallops at 5 m grew faster (262.9 μm/d) during autumn. The growth of soft tissue at different depths showed a similar trend to the shell. Growth rates of shell height and soft tissue were faster in autumn than in summer, with the exception of shell height at 20 m. SOD activity of scallops increased with depth, and ACP activity was significantly higher at 15 and 20 m than at other depths, which suggests that scallops were healthier near the bottom. Factors explaining the depth-related mortality and growth of scallops are also discussed. We conclude that the mass mortality of scallop, C. farreri, during summer can be prevented by moving the culture area to deeper water and yield can be maximized by suspending the scallops in deep water during summer and then transferring them to shallow water in autumn.     

Survival, growth and immune activity of scallop Chlamys farreri cultured at different depths in Haizhou Bay(Yellow Sea,China)during hot season

Survival, growth and immune response of the scallop, Chlamys farreri, cultured in lantern nets at five different depths (2, 5, 10, 15, and 20 m below the sea surface) were studied in Haizhou Bay during the hot season (summer and autumn) of 2007. Survival and growth rates were quantified bimonthly. Immune activities in hemolymph (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and acid phosphatase (ACP)) were measured to evaluate the health of scallops at the end of the study. Environmental parameters at the five depths were also monitored during the experiment. Mortalities mainly occurred during summer. Survival of scallops suspended at 15 m (78.0%) and 20 m (86.7%) was significantly higher than at 2 m (62.9%), 5 m (60.8%) or 10 m (66.8%) at the end of the study. Mean shell height grew significantly faster at 10 m (205.0 μm/d) and 20 m (236.9 μm/d) than at 2, 5 or 15 m in summer (July 9 to September 1); however, shell growth rate at 20 m was significantly lower than at the other four depths in autumn (September 2 to November 6). In contrast to summer, scallops at 5 m grew faster (262.9 μm/d) during autumn. The growth of soft tissue at different depths showed a similar trend to the shell. Growth rates of shell height and soft tissue were faster in autumn than in summer, with the exception of shell height at 20 m. SOD activity of scallops increased with depth, and ACP activity was significantly higher at 15 and 20 m than at other depths, which suggests that scallops were healthier near the bottom. Factors explaining the depth-related mortality and growth of scallops are also discussed. We conclude that the mass mortality of scallop, C. farreri, during summer can be prevented by moving the culture area to deeper water and yield can be maximized by suspending the scallops in deep water during summer and then transferring them to shallow water in autumn.     

Interactions between Soil Characteristics,Environmental Factors,and Plant Species Abundance: A Case Study in the Karst Mountains of Longhushan Nature Reserve,Southwest China

The ability to manage and restore plant communities in the face of human-induced landscape change may rely on our ability to predict how species respond to environmental variables.Understanding this response requires examining factors or their interactions that have influence on plant and resource availability.Our objective was to analyze the relationships between changes in plant abundance and the interaction among environmental habitat factors including soil, geological(rock type), and other environmental variables in the Longhushan karst mountains ecosystem.Species density and dominance were examined using ANOVA, ANCOVA,and Generalized Linear Models to establish the single or combined effects of these groups of factors.The results showed that trends in abundance were mainly affected by rock type(related to the percentage content of dolomite and calcite), soil characteristics in association with topography.Both plant indices were higher in dolomite dominated areas and varied positively with moisture, and elevation, but negatively with organic matter, while density also increased with slope degree.The results demonstrate that significant variations in species abundance was produced with the combination of variables from soil, geological, andenvironmental factors, suggesting their interaction influence on plants.We postulate that spatial variations in plant abundance in karst ecosystem depends on the carbonate rock type in addition to water and nutrient availability which are mainly controlled by topography and other factors such as soil texture and temperature.The study suggests that in karst areas carbonate rock type, in addition to local environmental variables, should be taken into account when analyzing the factors that have impact on plant communities.     

Effects of Environmental Conditions and Aboveground Biomass on CO_2 Budget in Phragmites australis Wetland of Jiaozhou Bay,China

Estuarial saline wetlands have been recognized as a vital role in CO_2 cycling.However,insufficient attention has been paid to estimating CO_2 fluxes from estuarial saline wetlands.In this study,the static chamber-gas chromatography(GC) method was used to quantify CO_2 budget of an estuarial saline reed(Phragmites australis) wetland in Jiaozhou Bay in Qingdao City of Shandong Province,China during the reed growing season(May to October) in 2014.The CO_2 budget study involved net ecosystem CO_2 exchange(NEE),ecosystem respiration(Reco) and gross primary production(GPP).Temporal variation in CO_2 budget and the impact of air/soil temperature,illumination intensity and aboveground biomass exerted on CO_2 budget were analyzed.Results indicated that the wetland was acting as a net sink of 1129.16 g/m~2 during the entire growing season.Moreover,the values of Reco and GPP were 1744.89 g/m~2 and 2874.05 g/m~2,respectively;the ratio of Reco and GPP was 0.61.Diurnal and monthly patterns of CO_2 budget varied significantly during the study period.Reco showed exponential relationships with air temperature and soil temperature at 5 cm,10 cm,20 cm depths,and soil temperature at 5 cm depth was the most crucial influence factor among them.Meanwhile,temperature sensitivity(Q10) of Reco was negatively correlated with soil temperature.Light and temperature exerted strong controls over NEE and GPP.Aboveground biomass over the whole growing season showed non-linear relationships with CO_2 budget,while those during the early and peak growing season showed significant linear relationships with CO_2 budget.This research provides valuable reference for CO_2 exchange in estuarial saline wetland ecosystem.     

中国地级城市建成区蓝绿空间时空格局及其气候影响因素分析

蓝绿空间是城市生态安全的重要保障。本文通过谷歌地球引擎（GEE）提取2005、2010、2015与2020年的植被与水体指数数据,构建了包含272个地级城市建成区的蓝绿空间数据库。运用蓝绿空间覆盖率、300 m服务半径覆盖率、分维数与分离度4个指标分析其时空格局与演化模式,并进一步探讨其气候影响因素。结果表明：(1)地级城市建成区蓝绿空间整体呈现为“南高北低”的格局,且南方“西高东低”、北方“东高西低”,但环渤海地区为蓝绿空间覆盖率“洼地”;时间格局为“总体增长、局部降低”,华中地区呈下降趋势的城市最多;(2)就分区而言,西南地区城市建成区蓝绿空间覆盖率最高（平均高于65%）、分离度最低（平均低于0.60）,西北地区覆盖率分异较大,华北地区覆盖率最低（平均10%～30%）且分离度最高（平均约0.98）;(3)采用多尺度地理加权回归模型所得R2为0.85（校正R2为0.83）,其中,降水量对城市建成区蓝绿空间的影响最显著,降水量变化成正相关,气温则成负相关;整体上气候影响与比人为影响相当,但在某些时段间更大。     

Environmental Drivers of Temporal and Spatial Fluctuations of Mesozooplankton Community in Daya Bay,Northern South China Sea

The response of zooplankton to the ecological environment in Daya Bay is unclear under the influence of both climate changes and anthropogenic activities on a seasonal to inter-annual scale. Based on monthly surveys and historical data, we found the zooplankton community had changed temporally and spatially. A total of 134 species was recorded during the study, and copepods dominated numerically in terms of diversity and abundance. Both copepods and cladocerans were the main contributors to zooplankton abundance. The community structure of zooplankton was temporally classified into the warm and cold groups, and spatially into the three groups located in the marine cage-culture area(MCCA), the outflow of nuclear power plants(ONPP) and unpolluted waters(UPW). The zooplankton was characterized by low biomass(dry weight), high diversity and abundance in the warm period in contrast to that in the cold period. Compared with the other two groups, the MCCA group of zooplankton showed high abundance, low diversity and biomass. Variations in dominant species were closely related to temperature, salinity and chlorophyll a concentration.Species diversity and dry weight decreased in comparison with 30 years ago, while zooplankton abundance increased. The seasonal variation in zooplankton was affected mainly by temperature that was controlled by monsoon, while the spatial difference in the community structure was probably due to eutrophication in the MCCA and thermal water discharge from ONPP. The zooplankton community is undergoing great changes with the tendency of miniaturization and gelatinization in recent 30 years in Daya Bay.     

Analyses of egg size,otolith shape,and growth revealed two components of small yellow croaker in Haizhou Bay spawning stock

The geographic al variations in life history characteristic s of small yellow cro aker Larimich thys polyactis,caused by experienced different environmental conditions,have been observed in China seas.Previous studies based on spatial distribution,migration route,and body morphometrics suggested a complex stock structure.In this study,to clarify the source of a spawning stock,we investigated the reproduction strategy and inter-structure of the Haizhou Bay(HZB)spawning stock in the middle Yellow Sea from both egg survey and adult otolith increment analysis.Egg and adult samples were collected from three surveys during spawning season in 2013.Distinct spatial and temporal variations were detected in egg distribution and size,and otolith shape analy sis of adult fishes revealed two morphotypes with different increment growth using random forest cluster.The results indicate the existence of two components within the same spawning stock in HZB from different wintering grounds,and accordingly special protection should be required for this stock given the significance to maintain connectivity between adj acent subpopulations.