Philopatry and dispersal of juvenile leervis Lichia amia (Teleostei: Carangidae) tagged in a warm-temperate South African estuary

Understanding and characterising movement and area-use patterns of fishes within estuaries, as well as understanding the degree of connectivity between estuaries and the marine environment, can provide important insights into a species’ ecology, which is fundamental for effective management and conservation. Mark-and-recapture data obtained from the 082 TAG FISH Project, a dart-tagging programme, were used to describe movement patterns of juvenile leervis Lichia amia in the permanently open Swartkops Estuary, South Africa, as well as the degree of connectivity with the adjacent marine environment. A total of 628 juvenile leervis were tagged from 2008 to 2015, of which 77 fish (12.3%) were recaptured, with juveniles comprising 85.7% of all measured recaptures. The majority of recaptures (75.3%) were made within the Swartkops Estuary, indicating estuarine philopatry, with 23.4% having moved less than 1 km, revealing site fidelity, but most (51.9%) displaying estuarine roaming. A smaller portion of recaptures (27.7%) had dispersed to other habitats; 16 (20.8%) displayed multiple-habitat connectivity, while only 3 (3.9%) had undertaken long-distance movements (>100 km) and were recaptured up to 825 km northeast of the Swartkops Estuary. Lichia amia that had moved greater distances were characterised by a greater mean size and age at the time of recapture. This study provides valuable information on the philopatry and dispersal of juvenile L. amia.     

Influence of prey abundance and abiotic factors on the long-term home-range and movement dynamics of spotted grunter Pomadasys commersonnii in an intermittently open estuary

Long-term home-range and movement dynamics of spotted grunter Pomadasys commersonnii and the distribution of their dominant prey, the sandprawn Callichirus kraussi, were investigated in the intermittently open East Kleinemonde Estuary, South Africa. In addition, the effects of fish length, diel cycle, season and other abiotic factors on home range and area use were examined. Nine adult spotted grunter (326–489?mm total length) were tagged with acoustic transmitters, and their movements were studied by manual tracking on six consecutive days and nights during each of five tracking sessions from March to November 2004. In addition, movement patterns were recorded by stationary data-logging receivers. Kernel home ranges (95% utilised distribution) varied in size (mean: 76 797?m²?, range: 26 296–165 321?m²), but were all located in the lower one-third of the 3.6 km-long estuary. There was no effect of season, the diel cycle or fish length on the home-range estimates. However, the distribution of prey corresponded with the home-range distribution of tagged fish. Although sandprawn distribution was highly variable within and among transects and depth classes, sandprawns were most abundant in the lower region of the estuary, which corresponded to the home-range distribution of spotted grunter. Spatial distribution of prey appears to be a dominant factor influencing home-range parameters of this species within an intermittently open estuary.     

Spatial intertidal distribution of bivalves and polychaetes in relation to environmental conditions in the Natori River estuary,Japan

This paper aims to reveal spatial variation in the abundance of infaunal bivalves and polychaetes at different spatial scales (station: 200–800 m intervals; plot: 5–20 m), and to reveal environmental variables affecting the spatial distribution of animals in the Natori River estuary, Japan. We found six bivalve species and eight polychaete species from 52 plots at 12 stations. Nuttallia olivacea and Heteromastus sp. were found to be the most abundant species of bivalves and polychaetes, respectively. Assemblage patterns of bivalves and polychaetes were classified into five distinct groups. Substrata (silt-clay contents), salinity, and relative elevation were the variables found to affect the infaunal assemblage patterns. Chlorophyll a was not a significant variable, but benthic animals were absent at sites with extremely low chlorophyll a conditions. Macrobenthic assemblage patterns were different not only between stations but often differed between plots at the same station, reflecting the complex assemblage structure of benthic invertebrates. Detailing such animal–environment relationship is essential in understanding the potential food supply for estuarine fishes.     

Jamaica Bay studies VII: Factors affecting the distribution and abundance of ducks in a New York estuary

The abundance and distribution of ducks (Anatini, Cairinini, Aythyini, Mergini, Oxyurini) were examined at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, a coastal estuary on Long Island, New York. The refuge contains a variety of tidal habitats as well two freshwater impoundments. The largest concentrations of diving ducks were present in March and April, and from October through December; while the largest concentrations of dabbling ducks were present from June through December. Thus, diving ducks used the refuge on migration whereas dabbling ducks used the refuge during and following the breeding season. Time of year was thus the most significant factor affecting distribution and abundance. Some species were present all year, including Black Duck Anas rubripes, Mallard A. platyrhynchos, Gadwall A. strepera, and Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis. Although both dabblers and divers used all areas of the bay, dabblers used both ponds while divers used only the East Pond. Dabbling ducks concentrated in the bay at low tide, and on the ponds at high tide. There were more divers on the bay on a falling tide although tide direction did not influence the abundance or distribution of dabblers. Temperature and wind variables influenced the distribution of all ducks: they used the bay at low temperatures, and rafted in large flocks on the bay in intermediate, Northwest winds. Only the numbers and distribution of dabblers were significantly influenced by cloud cover. We conclude that abiotic factors influence the abundance and distribution of ducks on Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, and that tidal factors should be considered when managing migratory or wintering populations of ducks.     

A diagnostic modelling framework to construct indices of biotic integrity: A case study of fish in the Zeeschelde estuary (Belgium)

We propose a coherent regression model building framework to construct fish-based indices. More specifically, we concentrate on the selection of an optimal set of metrics which remains a difficult problem. The paper departs from the observation that an index of biotic integrity (IBI) is analogous to a diagnostic model in medicine assessing the health condition of a patient from a series of biomarkers. In the same vein, an IBI is a diagnostic model predicting the ecosystem condition of a site from a set of (scored) metrics. Metrics are community attributes sensitive to anthropogenic pressure and their scores express the “distance to target” to a reference condition. In a medical context, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves are commonly used to assess the diagnostic accuracy of laboratory tests. An ROC curve plots the sensitivity of a test (Se; the capacity to detect a disease or degradation) as a function of its false positive fraction (FPF) which is the complement of the specificity (Sp = 1 - FPF; the capacity to recognise a healthy person or a reference condition). The ROC curve represents the strength of the index to discriminate between degraded and reference sites. Higher curves correspond to stronger tests as then a higher sensitivity can be combined with a lower false positive fraction. Hence, it is intuitively clear to use summary statistics of the ROC curve as criteria to optimise medical tests or biotic indices. In this paper, we illustrate the value of this modelling framework with a case study in the Zeeschelde estuary in Belgium. In essence, a “traditional” IBI is an average of metrics scoring relevant properties of the ecosystem. We demonstrate this average score model (AVG) is a special member of the more flexible predictive logistic model (PLM) family. The selection of a set of metrics becomes equivalent to variable selection in statistical model building. We apply model building techniques as best subsets regression to facilitate the search for an optimal suite of metrics from a candidate set and use cross-validation to avoid overfitting. The results show that a few metrics suffice to discriminate between most-impacted and least-impacted sites.     

Response of zooplankton to improving water quality in the Scheldt estuary (Belgium)

Data obtained from 14 years of monthly samplings (1996–2009) were used to investigate the response of the crustacean zooplankton community to improving water quality in the Scheldt estuary. A strong reduction of poor water quality indicators, such as NH₄⁺ and BOD₅, as well as an increase in oxygen and in chlorophyll a concentrations were observed during the study period. During the study period, important changes were observed in the zooplankton community composition and spatial distribution. From 2007 onwards, most of the calanoid population, previously mainly found in the brackish water reach of the estuary, moved to the freshwater, where they reached higher abundances than previously observed. Simultaneously, cyclopoids populations strongly decreased in freshwater while cladocerans did not change their abundance, except during years with high chlorophyll a concentrations. Redundancy analyses (RDA) showed that the variability within the calanoid population can be explained by the improvement in water quality. Variability within the cyclopoids and cladoceran community is mainly explained by chlorinity and chlorophyll a concentrations. Their presence in the most polluted upstream area until 2007 suggests they are more tolerant to poor water quality than calanoids. Several hypotheses to explain the disappearance of cyclopoids after the move of calanoids to the freshwater are presented and discussed.     

基于GIS的近30年长江口及其邻近海域赤潮时空分布特征研究

收集了1990年—2019年长江口及其邻近海域(120°30'E～123°30'E,29°00'N～32°30'N)记载的赤潮事件,基于GIS软件对所有赤潮事件进行整理,分析了赤潮的时空分布规律,并绘制长江口及邻近海域赤潮分布图.结果表明:近30年来,长江口及其邻近海域赤潮经历了先升高后下降的过程,赤潮次数共计144次...     

Spatial and temporal variation in the abundance and composition of ichthyoplankton in a large South Island,New Zealand river estuary

Larval and juvenile fish drifting on ebb tides were collected from early summer to mid autumn at various locations in the Taieri River and Waipori River estuary, South Island, New Zealand. A total of seven species of fish were recorded, however only three species were regularly collected. These were the larval common bully (Gobiomorphus cotidianus McDowall), larval inanga (Galaxias maculatus Jenyns), and postlarval cockabully (Tripterygion nigripenne Valenciennes). Common bully densities were highest in mid January, with the highest densities being recorded drifting out of Lake Waihola. Inanga densities were highest in March and April, with the highest densities being recorded in the channels draining wetland areas where extensive tidal inundation of riparian vegetation occurred. Cockabully were recorded from February to April, mostly at more downstream sites. Inland penetration by marine species was considerable, with two marine species, clingfish (Trachelochismus pinnulatus Forster) and smooth leatherjacket (Parika scaber Forster), being recorded c. 12 km upstream in late summer.     

Using salt intrusion measurements to determine the freshwater discharge distribution over the branches of a multi-channel estuary: The Mekong Delta case

The fresh water discharge is an important parameter for modelling salt intrusion in an estuary. In alluvial converging estuaries during periods of low flow, when salinity is highest, the river discharge is generally small compared to the tidal flow. This makes the determination of the fresh water discharge a challenging task. Even if discharge observations are available during a full tidal cycle, the fresh water discharge is seldom much larger than the measurement error in the tidal discharge. Observations further upstream, outside the tidal region, do not always reflect the actual flow in the saline area due to withdrawals or additional drainage. Discharge computation is even more difficult in a complex system such as the Mekong Delta, which is a multi-channel estuary consisting of many branches, over which the freshwater discharge distribution cannot be measured directly. This paper presents a new approach to determine the freshwater discharge distribution over the branches of the Mekong Delta by means of an analytical salt intrusion model, based on measurements made during the dry season of 2005 and 2006. It appears that the analytical model agrees well with observations and with a hydraulic model. This paper demonstrates that with relatively simple and appropriate salinity measurements and making use of the analytical salt intrusion model, it is possible to obtain an accurate discharge distribution over the branches of a complex estuary system. This makes the analytical model a powerful tool to analyze the water resources in tidal regions.     

Variations in the quantity and composition of seston from an estuary in southern Chile on different temporal scales

Estuaries are characterised by highly variable environmental conditions largely driven by tidal and atmospheric forces. This study investigates variation in the physical environment and the composition of the seston on various temporal scales in the Quempillén estuary, southern Chile. The water column was sampled throughout the tidal cycle at various times of the year. Total particulate matter, particulate inorganic matter, particulate organic matter, particle numbers, total particle volume, proximate biochemical composition and energy content of the seston, chlorophyll a and chloropigments were routinely measured. In each of the months in which sampling took place, two or three tidal cycles were examined. The information not only helps to explain the dynamics of the estuary, but is essential for an understanding of the physiology and ecology of the suspension-feeders which exploit the seston as a food source, the most dominant being the gastropod Crepipatella dilatata. Temperature and salinity were generally highest during summer, but seston quality, defined by energy content and biochemical composition (lipid, protein and carbohydrate) was higher at the end of winter and during spring. Chlorophyll a values were greatest in late spring (November). Many of the variables studied changed frequently according to the phase of the tidal cycle, and in several cases significant differences were observed among tidal cycles from the same month of the same year. In general the variables measured did not exhibit consistent patterns linked to the tidal cycle, possibly because any such patterns were masked by atmospheric conditions (wind and rain) that dominate the region and greatly influence the estuary. The quantity and quality of the seston available to suspension-feeders is largely determined by these atmospheric forces, which cause an influx of terrigenous material from adjacent areas and also resuspend bottom sediment. These effects are magnified by the shallowness of the estuary (<2 m depth). The food supply for C. dilatata and other suspension-feeders therefore varies on temporal scales varying from hourly (tidal cycle) to daily/weekly (atmospheric forces) to monthly (seasonal influences), but inhibition of feeding by low salinity sometimes limits the ability of C. dilatata to exploit fully the available organic matter.     

Statistical analysis of estuarine profiles: II application to arsenic in the Tamar estuary (S.W. England)

By combining field observations with a statistical approach and a simple but effective estuarine analogue, the main features of the cycling of arsenic in the Tamar estuary have been elucidated. As(III) and As(V) enrichment in the water column is due to a combination of localized inputs and effective recycling of sediment interstitial waters. The profiles of As(V) are similar to those of NH₄⁺ and are dominated by an estuarine maximum resulting from an input from the sediments. As(III) profiles are correlated with those of dissolved manganese and exhibit both fresh water and estuarine maxima. As(III) appears to be effectively removed at the freshwater/brackish water interface by a combination of heterogenous oxidation, catalysed by hydrous manganese dioxide, and adsorption on to iron oxyhydroxide. The estuarine distribution of As(III) within the water column is consistent with the published rates of oxidation of As(III) to As(V) by both inorganic and microbiological processes. The reduction of As(V) to As(III) in the sediments is incomplete. On the basis of our observations a tentative estuarine arsenic cycle is presented.     

潮优型河口动力对水深变化的响应机制研究——以葡萄牙Guadiana河口为例*

强人类活动(如航道疏浚)和自然气候变化(如海平面上升)对近岸河口环境不同影响的辨识是目前河口海岸学研究的热点和难点问题。在地形概化和动力简化条件下, 解析模型能够快速辨识强人类活动和自然气候变化对河口环境的影响, 它是探讨河口动力过程对外界干扰的响应机制的重要工具。本文基于前人对葡萄牙Guadiana河口不同分潮之间非线性相互作用的研究, 采用一维水动力解析模型探讨河口不同分潮潮波传播过程对水深变化(模拟航道疏浚和河道淤积过程)的响应机制。研究结果表明: 平均水深$\overline{h}$的变化影响无量纲河口地形参数γ和摩擦参数χ, 进一步影响河口动力参数包括潮波振幅参数ζ、流速振幅参数μ、波速参数λ、潮波振幅增大/衰减率参数δ以及流速与水位之间的相位差?等; 平均水深变化对河口中下游段(x=0~60km)的潮汐动力影响较大, 而对河口上游段(x=60~78km)影响较弱; 主要半日分潮(M₂、S₂、N₂)对水深变化的响应略大于全日分潮(K₁、O₁); 航道疏浚幅度小于2m时, 对河口潮汐动力格局影响不大, 而当疏浚幅度大于2m时, 将对河口潮汐动力格局及水环境(如盐水入侵等)产生较大影响; 河道淤积将导致潮汐动力减弱, 流速振幅、潮波振幅及传播速度减小, 流速和水位之间的相位差也减小。     

Groundwater response to the tide in wetlands: Observations from the Gillman Marshes,South Australia

We present results from a series of piezometers installed in the foreshore flat and mangrove environments of the Gillman Marshes, South Australia in an interdisciplinary study of the propagation of the ocean tide into the coastal aquifers. A unique feature of the analysis is that all water level records were harmonically analysed so that the behaviour of the four major tidal constituents could be independently examined. The main findings were that: (1) the decay of the groundwater tide in the coastal aquifers was greater than that predicted by the Ferris solution. A theoretical model has been developed and applied to the study site. The model suggests that this behaviour is due to the occurrence of a time delay in the Darcian response in the shelly and muddy sand substrate; (2) when the tide is incident over a gently sloping bank, the time delay in response gives rise to a spiked signal in which high water is confined to a small fraction of the tidal cycle; and (3) at the coastal interface tidal propagation across a sloping bank causes a rise in the water table relative to mean sea level which is proportional to the variance of tidal elevation and inversely proportional to the decay constant of the groundwater tide. The model developed in this study is also applicable to other coastal groundwater systems with tidal influence.     

The influence of an extreme drought event in the fish community of a southern Europe temperate estuary

Between 2003 and 2006, a severe drought occurred throughout the Mondego River catchment's area, inducing lower freshwater flows into the estuary. As a consequence, both 2004 and 2005 were considered as extreme drought events. From June 2003 to June 2006, the fish assemblage of the Mondego Estuary was sampled monthly in five stations during the night, using a 2 m beam trawl. Fish abundance was standardized as the number of individuals per 1000 m² per season and the assemblage was analyzed based on ecological guilds: estuarine residents, marine juveniles, marine adventitious, freshwater, catadromous and marine species that use the estuary as a nursery area. A total of 42 species belonging to 23 families were identified, with estuarine residents and nursery species dominating the fish community. Variations in the fish community were assessed using non-metric MDS, being defined as three distinct periods: summer and autumn 2003, 2004/2005 and winter and summer 2006. The main drought-induced effects detected were the depletion of freshwater species and an increase in marine adventitious in 2004/2005, due to an extended intrusion of seawater inside the estuary and a significant reduction in abundance during the driest period of estuarine resident species. Nevertheless, from the management point of view, it could be stated that although some variations occurred due to environmental stress, the main core of the Mondego Estuary fish community remained relatively unchanged.     

Diatom succession and silicon removal from freshwater in estuarine mixing zones: From experiment to modelling

Estuaries act as filters for land derived material reducing the river input to the coastal zone. Silicon (Si) removal from freshwater which is tightly linked to the growth of diatoms was studied in the estuarine mixing zone where the mixing of freshwater and seawater results in a salinity gradient. Three planktonic diatom species with different origin and salinity tolerance were grown in an artificial salinity gradient. Salinity stress and nutrient depletion led to a specific succession of the three diatoms along the salinity gradient. When available light was increased, diatoms reached higher biomass and the Si removal from water column was more efficient along the mixing. From this experiment, a conceptual model of Si transformations and removal from freshwater was build and applied to an idealized stratified estuary. Sensitivity analysis with varying initial conditions and parameter values pointed transit time of freshwater in the estuary, freshwater and seawater mixing rate and river turbidity as important interactive factors influencing Si removal from freshwater. Other factors like the total amount and the salinity tolerance of diatoms in the upstream river were shown to significantly affect riverine Si removal from the surface layer of an estuary. Finally it appears that Si removal from freshwater in estuarine mixing zones proceeds in two ways: a first rapid death and sedimentation of planktonic stenohaline diatoms imported from the river and second, the growth and subsequent settling of planktonic euryhaline diatoms of either freshwater or marine origin.