Alongshore distribution and abundance of fish larvae off the coast of Kenya

Knowledge is limited on the fish larval assemblage in shallow lagoonal reefs along the Kenyan coast. Fish larvae from five lagoons, spanning 120 km on the Kenyan coast, were sampled in March 2007 and April 2008 to compare interannual spatial variations in species composition, abundance and diversity along the coast. In all, 2 644 fish larvae were sampled, comprising 26 families and 37 species in 2007 and 43 families and 73 species in 2008. The larval assemblage was dominated by Gobiidae, Blenniidae, Pomacentridae and Gerreidae during both years. Larvae hatched from non-pelagic mode of spawning constituting 92% of total numbers. Mean larval abundance (no. 100 m^?3 ± SE) along the coast ranged from 5.0 ± 1.0 to 414 ± 226, with highest densities occurring on the northern sites of Watamu (414 ± 226) and Malindi (31 ± 10). Interannual variation in larval abundance between 2007 (2.17 ± 0.3) and 2008 (2.16 ± 0.1) was not significant (p > 0.05). Shannon-Wiener species diversities between sites ranged from 1.2 ± 0.4 to 2.3 ± 0.3, with highest diversities occurring in Mombasa (2.2 ± 0.5) and Nyali (2.3 ± 0.3). In 2007, the occurrence of preflexion larvae increased northwards from Mombasa (18.2%) to Watamu (86.4%), whereas in 2008, the reverse was the case with the incidence of preflexion larvae reducing northwards from Mombasa Marine Park (76%) to Watamu Marine Park (2%). These trends indicate interannual variation in larval source sites for fish species. Correspondence analysis revealed distinct larval assemblages at sites along the coast, which varied between years.     

Ichthyoplankton abundance, distribution, and assemblage structure in the Gulf of Alaska during September 2000 and 2001

Autumn ichthyoplankton assemblage structure in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) region has not previously been characterized. Ichthyoplankton data from September 2000 and 2001 survey collections were analyzed to describe assemblages in the western GOA, to examine interannual variation in assemblages, and to relate observations to oceanographic conditions. Taxa with the highest frequency of occurrence (2000/2001) included Osmeridae (94/87%), Hexagrammos lagocephalus (57/45%), Sebastes spp. (35/47%) and Bathymaster spp. (27/57%). Through the use of clustering techniques and ordination, three identifiable larval assemblages common to both years were identified. Slope assemblages appeared well defined in both years, while nearshore and mid-shelf assemblages tended to be more loosely associated and variable between years. Analyses of environmental variables (temperature, salinity, water depth, distance from shore, and water transport) suggest ichthyoplankton assemblage structure is affected primarily by bathymetry and circulation. We demonstrate that early autumn ichthyoplankton assemblage structure in the GOA is fundamentally linked to variations in macro- (slope vs. shelf) and meso-scale topography (on-shelf proximity to land masses), and suggest that these intrinsic associations may be modified by spatial and temporal variations in local hydrographic conditions.     

Fluxes of organic carbon in a fjord on the west coast of Ireland

The supply of particulate organic carbon (POC) via freshwater influx, and its exchange with the open sea, were estimated for a fjord-like coastal inlet (Killary Harbour, Ireland) during 1981. Biological production and destruction of organic matter within the inlet were also studied. POC levels in rivers feeding the system were correlated with rainfall. C : N ratios suggested an increased proportion of POC of terrestrial origin at stations influenced by freshwater inflow, and throughout the fjord in the non-productive season.A tentative annual carbon budget is presented.     

The 1980/1981 phytoplankton cycle in the coastal waters off Connemara,Ireland

The results of a phytoplankton survey conducted in coastal waters off western Ireland in 1980/1981 are reported. Surface values of temperature, salinity, NO₃N, PO₄P, Si, total N, total P and chlorophyll a (Chla) collected at 6 stations during 14 cruises are presented along with the species composition of the net phytoplankton.The spring bloom occurred in late April and was dominated by diatoms. Between April and July further diatom blooms occurred. In July and August dinoflagellates were dominant. This change was associated with the stratification of offshore water and low concentrations of Chla and nutrients. In Autumn large blooms of Ceratium tripos were found; it is suggested that the cause was heavy freshwater runoff. In autumn and winter some warm water oceanic species (e.g. Oxytoxum scolopax) occurred.     

Food utilisation by coastal fish assemblages in rocky and soft bottoms on the Swedish west coast: Inference for identification of essential fish habitats

The concept of essential fish habitats (EFHs) is widely accepted for conservational and management purposes. EFHs are often considered as high quality habitats for fisheries species and subsequently of high values for society. In this study, fish and Substrate-Associated Prey (SAP) were sampled during the productive summer season 1998 (fish) and 2003 and 2004 (SAP) in shallow coastal rocky- and soft-bottom habitats on the Swedish west coast. The aim was to study the spatial and monthly variation of SAP as well as abundance and biomass of fish, and to examine if food items found in the diet of the fish assemblage were derived from SAP. We also examined if the diet of Ctenolabrus rupestris, a resident and abundant fish species in the shallow coastal habitats, and the diet of four seasonally abundant and commercially important fish species (Gadus morhua, Pleuronectes platessa, Salmo trutta and Scomber scombrus) were derived from SAP. There were significantly higher mean species number and abundance of the SAP assemblage on rocky compared to soft bottoms and the highest values were found on the rocky bottoms in August and in the shallowest (0–3 m) depth strata. There were no significant differences in number of fish species caught in the two habitats, although mean number of fish and mean biomass were significantly higher on rocky bottoms. Both habitats showed the same seasonal variation and the highest values of number of fish species, abundance and biomass were observed in June. On rocky bottoms, gastropods and amphipods were the most frequent food items in the diet of the entire fish assemblage and these items were also the most abundant SAP in this habitat. The dominant food items of the soft-bottom fish assemblage were decapods and fish, which were not common SAP. However, except for S. scombrus, the diet of the selected fish species showed a strong association to the SAP availability. Gadus morhua displayed the strongest association to SAP on rocky bottoms and P. platessa and C. rupestris to SAP on soft bottoms. Further, for C. rupestris, multivariate statistical analysis showed a significant association to the SAP assemblage on both rocky and soft bottoms. These results provide vital new information for the management and conservation of Essential Fish Habitats on the Swedish west coast.     

Regimes and the history of the major fisheries off Canada's west coast

The major fisheries on the Pacific coast of Canada can be grouped into 12 species that have consistently represented about 80–90% of the total catch from the past to the present. A review of population dynamics of these species indicates that climate and the ocean environment have a major impact on their productivity. We review the history of Canada's Pacific coast fishery to show that trends in catch were similar to trends in the climate and ocean environment. Decadal scale patterns in climate and the ocean are termed regimes and we show that it is the regime scale of climate variability that most influences the long-term trends in the catches in these major fisheries. Ignoring the impacts of regime shifts on the abundance trends in the future could result in collapses of major fisheries. The difficulty of knowing when a regime shift will occur may be overcome as we discover more about the mechanisms that affect the decadal-scale trends in the rotational velocity of the solid earth which is measured as the length of day (LOD).     

台湾海峡西岸地面风气候变化分析

利用1961—2005年台湾海峡西部沿岸平潭、崇武、东山及厦门等4个气象代表站的地面风观测资料,通过计算各代表站的年、季、月平均风速气候趋势系数和各风向频率趋势,较详细地分析了近45a来台湾海峡西部沿岸地面风的气候变化特征．结果表明：（1）近45a来各代表站年平均风速呈明显减小趋势,其中秋、冬、春季平均风速减小趋势明显,夏季风速减小趋势不明显．（2）海峡西部沿岸主导风向有沿海岸线由北向南顺转的特点．（3）海峡西部沿岸地面风速在上世纪80年代初存在着气候突变现象,80年代中期后年平均风速减小明显．     

莱州湾西岸岸滩冲淤特征分析

利用风暴潮前后潮滩剖面的实测对比及不同时期地形图和卫星遥感影像解译分析,研究了莱州湾西岸海滩冲淤变化特征。结果表明,莱州湾西岸海滩中、高潮滩处于相对稳定状况,低潮滩呈现弱淤积的特征。岸线50多年来的总体变化特征是1986年以前岸线淤进蚀退变化较明显,1986年以来海岸线逐渐趋于稳定。分析表明,岸滩变化的原因主要为人类活动对岸滩形态的改造以及大风暴潮的影响。     

Distribution, abundance, and growth of larval tautog, Tautoga onitis, in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, USA

Tautog, Tautoga onitis, is an abundant species of fish in estuaries of the northeastern United States. Planktonic tautog larvae are abundant in summer in these estuaries, but there is little information on rates of growth of tautog larvae feeding on natural assemblages of food in the plankton. We examined abundance and growth of larval tautog and environmental factors during weekly sampling at three sites along a nearshore‐to‐offshore transect in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, USA during summer 1994. This is the first study of a robust sample size (336 larvae) to estimate growth rates of field‐caught planktonic tautog larvae feeding on natural diets, using the otolith daily‐growth‐increment method. The study was over the entire summer period when tautog larvae were in the plankton. The sampling sites contrasted in several environmental variables including temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), and chlorophyll a concentration. There was a temporal progression in the abundance of tautog larvae over the summer, in relation to location and temperature. Tautog larvae were first present nearshore, with a pronounced peak in abundance occurring at the nearshore sites during the last 2 weeks in June. Larvae were absent at this time further offshore. From late June through August, larval abundance progressively decreased nearshore, but increased offshore although never approaching the abundance levels observed at the nearshore sites. The distribution and abundance of tautog larvae appeared to be related to a nearshore‐to‐offshore seasonal warming trend and a nearshore decrease in DO. Otoliths from 336 larvae ranging from 2.3 to 7.7 mm standard length had otolith increment counts ranging from 0 to 19 increments. Growth of larval tautog was estimated at 0.23 mm·day^?1, and length of larvae prior to first increment formation was estimated at 2.8 mm indicating that first increment formation occurs 3–4 days after hatching at 2.2 mm. Despite spatial and temporal differences in environmental factors, there were no significant differences in growth rates at any of three given sites over time, or between sites. Because larval presence only occurred at a narrow range of temperature (17–23.5 °C) and DO (6.5–9.3 mg·l^?1), in situ differences in growth did not appear to be because of differences in larval distribution and abundance patterns relative to these parameters.     

辽东湾西岸三维海陆风特征的数值模拟

本文所用的数值模式为地形影响修正的三维流体静力的中尺度气象学模式,模式对中尺度的海陆风环流和山谷风环流有较好的模拟效果.利用该模式对一个海陆风个例(1999年7月15～16日)进行了数值模拟,分析了海陆风环流的日变化规律和三维结构特征,以及地形对海陆风环流的影响,模拟结果与实际观测数据和已有研究成果具有较好的一致性.     

The nature and maximum extent of glacial sediments off the west coast of Wales

Offshore drilling and coring together with high-resolution seismic surveys have established that the southern Irish Sea was extensively glaciated during the Devensian stage. Ice flowed southwards from Scotland and overran the western tip of the Lleyn peninsula, before competing with local Welsh ice in Cardigan Bay. It eventually terminated its advance at the southern entrance to St. Georges Channel. To date no glacial sediments have been found on the sea floor to the south of this limit.During deglaciation, the shallower regions of the Irish Sea area underwent a short but intensive period of erosion which produced numerous meltwater channels. These subsequently acted as traps for the deposition of estuarine sediments associated with the early stages of the Flandrian Sea Transgression. The reworking of glacial drifts by marine action occurred primarily during the passage of the Flandrian surf zone and in most areas has now ceased.     

秋季长江口鱼类浮游生物群落时空结构

根据1998—2009年11月长江口及其邻近海域7个航次的调查资料,探讨了秋季长江口鱼类浮游生物群落种类组成、群落结构及多样性时空变化特征。研究结果显示,7个秋季航次共捕获鱼类浮游生物969个(尾),隶属于10目19科33种,以鲈形目种类最多(7科9种)。秋季长江口鱼类浮游生物以沿岸型种类最多(12种),其次是半咸水(10种)和近海种类(9种),淡水种类最少(4种)。秋季长江口鱼类浮游生物优势种年度间演替显著,对鱼类浮游生物群落丰度贡献最大的种类包括:半咸水型的矛尾鰕虎鱼(Chaeturichthys stigmatias)和前颌间银鱼(Salanx prognathus)、沿岸型的康氏小公鱼(Stolephorus commersonnii)、近海型的鳀(Engraulis japonicus)和带鱼(Trichiurus lepturus)。2004年以后,长江口鱼类浮游生物种类数量、丰度和多样性均显著高于2004之前的调查航次。ANOSIM分析显示,长江口鱼类浮游生物群落结构年度间差异显著,且2007和2009年与其他年度不相似性最高。可以看出,秋季长江口鱼类浮游生物种类组成呈年度变异状态,2004年后长江口鱼类浮游生物群落结构变异最大,多样性呈增加趋势。     

夏季粤西沿岸流特征及其产生机制

根据粤西海域漂流瓶的运动轨迹、海流周日定点连续观测结果、温盐大面站调查的资料、船测ADCP的流矢量和卫星遥感SST的综合分析结果发现,夏季珠江口以西的近岸流大部分时间向西运动,它构成琼州海峡东部气旋涡的北翼;向西的沿岸流还有一部分海水通过琼州海峡向西进入北部湾.并不像传统观点认为的那样,琼州海峡冬季余流向西,夏季余流向东.如果西南风强盛,向西的沿岸流方向可以暂时转而向东北.还揭示了粤西海域、琼州海峡和北部湾北部海域夏季沿岸流的重要特征并进行了机制分析.