Nutritional condition of fish larvae in South African estuaries: an appraisal of three biochemical methods

Estuaries are exposed to a number of threats and many South African estuarine systems are functionally and structurally altered. The extent to which fish are affected by these alterations is not fully understood. The estuarine round herring Gilchristella aestuaria is an appropriate species to use when examining such effects. The most widely used approaches to evaluating the nutritional condition of fish larvae are based on biochemical methods. In order to identify the most suitable technique for assessing body condition of fish larvae in estuaries, the nutritional condition of post-flexion larvae of G. aestuaria from the Sundays and Kariega estuaries on the south-east coast of South Africa was evaluated using three different biochemical techniques: (i) total lipid content analysis and the triacylglycerol/cholesterol (TAG/CHOL) ratio; (ii) protein content analysis; and (iii) the RNA/DNA ratio. Results from techniques (ii) and (iii) revealed that G. aestuaria larvae from the Kariega Estuary were in better condition than larvae from the Sundays Estuary, probably due to a recent plankton bloom. It is concluded that the individual RNA/DNA ratio can provide a reliable, sensitive and cost-effective method to assess the immediate effects of environmental changes on the nutritional condition of estuarine fish larvae.     

Evaluating the relationship between spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability of larval fish assemblages in a coastal marine ecosystem (Haizhou Bay,China)

In coastal marine ecosystems, spatial patterns of larval fish assemblages (LFAs) tend to exhibit geographic stability because of relatively stable spawning site selection and predictable oceanographic phenomena such as eddies. To evaluate the relationship between spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability of LFAs, we conducted a high spatiotemporal resolution ichthyoplankton survey from April to July in 2013 in the shallow waters (<20 m) of Haizhou Bay, China. Our analysis indicated three distinct assemblages, which were stable geographically but exhibited a gradual and directional change of species composition and abundance over our study period. Sea surface temperature was the most important environmental co‐variate for determining temporal variability of LFAs, likely owing to temperature effects of species composition and spawning period selection of adult fish, along with known temperature‐dependent survival rates of larval fish. Study of LFA spatiotemporal dynamics is essential for improved understanding of adult fish spawning behavior, and has potential to inform design and implementation of conservation and management measures (e.g. marine protected areas) in coastal systems.     

DNA/RNA提取及处理方法对评价沉积物中纤毛虫分子多样性的影响

环境DNA(eDNA)技术结合高通量测序已广泛应用于评价微型生物多样性与群落构成。相较于eDNA,RNA在环境中易降解,环境RNA(eRNA)可更准确地反映群落近期生命活性状态。理论上,基于eRNA检获的生物多样性要低于eDNA检获的总体多样性。但前期已发表研究显示同一站点eDNA获得的多样性低于eRNA检获量,推测可能原因包括:1)样本量不同;2)RNA中存在DNA污染。为验证假设,本研究以陆架区2个站位沉积物中的纤毛虫为实验对象,系统性比较4种DNA/RNA提取方法:DNA直接提取(0.9 g沉积物),大样本量DNA直接提取(2 g), DNA洗脱法(2 g), RNA直接提取法(2g);以及3种RNA提取后的处理方法:无DNA酶反转录,含DNA酶反转录,先纯化RNA再反转录。研究结果表明,大样本量(2 g)DNA直接提取法所检获的可操作分类单元(OTUs)约为小样本量(0.9 g)的2倍。相同样本量下, DNA洗脱法检获的OTUs最多,而DNA直接提取检获的OTUs低于有/无DNA酶反转检获的数量,先纯化再反转录所获得OTUs最少。就群落构成而言, DNA洗脱法和RNA纯化可有效...     

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.     

Juvenile fish condition in estuarine nurseries along the Portuguese coast

Connectivity between estuarine fish nurseries and coastal adult habitats can be affected by variations in juvenile growth and survival. Condition indices are renowned proxies of juvenile nutritional status and growth rates and are valuable tools to assess habitat quality. Biochemical (RNA:DNA ratio) and morphometric (Fulton's condition factor K) condition indices were determined in juveniles of Solea solea, Solea senegalensis, Platichthys flesus, Diplodus vulgaris and Dicentrarchus labrax collected in putative nursery areas of nine estuaries along the Portuguese coast (Minho, Douro, Ria de Aveiro, Mondego, Tejo, Sado, Mira, Ria Formosa and Guadiana) in the Spring and Summer of two consecutive years (2005 and 2006) with distinct climatic characteristics. Individual condition showed significant variation amongst species. The combined use of both condition indices highlighted the low correlation between them and that RNA:DNA had a higher sensitivity. RNA:DNA varied between years but overall the site relative patterns in condition were maintained from one year to the other. Higher RNA:DNA values were found in Spring than in Summer in most species. Intra-estuarine variation also occurred in several cases. Species specific trends in the variability of condition amongst estuaries were highlighted. Some estuaries had higher juvenile condition for more than one species but results did not reveal an identical trend for all species and sites, hindering the hypotheses of one estuarine nursery promoting superior growth for all present species. Significant correlations were found between condition indices, juvenile densities and environmental variables (water temperature, salinity and depth) in the estuarine nurseries. These influenced juvenile nutritional condition and growth, contributing to the variability in estuarine nursery habitat quality. Management and conservation wise, interest in multi-species approaches is reinforced as assessments based on a single species may not reflect the overall nursery habitat quality.     

超声波对湛江等鞭金藻生长和脂肪酸组成的影响

设计了一个超声频率、超声功率和处理时间三因素四水平的正交实验,研究了超声波对湛江等鞭金藻的生物学效应.实验结果表明,超声频率对湛江等鞭金藻的生物学效应显著,而超声功率和处理时间的影响相对较小.对于提高湛江等鞭金藻生长速率常数,最佳超声条件为20kHz,6W,10s3次;对于提高其脂肪酸不饱和度和主要不饱和脂肪酸百分比,最佳超声条件为20kHz,4～6W,30s.在最佳超声条件下,湛江等鞭金藻生长速率常数最高可达0.630d,是对照组的2.02倍,其脂肪酸不饱和度最高可达79.6%,比对照组提高7.8%,其中主要不饱和脂肪酸的百分含量均得到不同程度的提高.     

Effects of the environment on fish juvenile growth in West African stressful estuaries

The knowledge of juvenile fish growth in extreme environmental conditions is a key to the understanding of adaptive responses and to the relevant management of natural populations. The juvenile growth of an extreme euryhaline tilapia species, Sarotherodon melanotheron (Cichlidae), was examined across a salinity gradient (20–118) in several West African estuarine ecosystems. Juveniles were collected during the reproduction period of two consecutive years (2003 and 2004) in six locations in the Saloum (Senegal) and Gambia estuaries. Age and growth were estimated using daily otolith microincrements. For each individual, otolith growth rates showed three different stages (slow, fast, decreasing): around 4 ± 0.5 μm d⁻¹ during the first five days, 9 ± 0.5 μm d⁻¹ during the next 15 days and 4 ± 0.50 μm d⁻¹ at 60 days. Growth modelling and model comparisons were objectively made within an information theory framework using the multi-model inference from five growth models (linear, power, Gompertz, von Bertalanffy, and logistic). The combination of both the model adjustment inspection and the information theory model selection procedure allowed identification of the final set of models, including the less parameterised ones. The estimated growth rates were variable across spatial scales but not across temporal scales (except for one location), following exactly the salinity gradient with growth decrease towards the hypersaline conditions. The salinity gradient was closely related to all measured variables (condition factor, mean age, multi-model absolute growth rate) demonstrating the strong effect of hypersaline environmental conditions—induced by climate changes—on fish populations at an early stage.     

阿根廷巴塔哥尼亚陆架拉氏南美南极鱼(Patagonotothen ramsayi)不同组织中脂肪酸分布及食物来源指示

作为南美南极鱼科中数量最为丰富的一个种,拉氏南美南极鱼(Patagonotothen ramsayi)在巴塔哥尼亚海域食物网能量流动中起着重要的传递作用。目前针对该鱼种的营养及摄食生态学研究主要集中于反映短期摄食的传统胃含物分析上。为此,本研究分析了拉氏南美南极鱼3种组织(肌肉、肝脏和性腺)中脂肪酸含量及分布情况,并就3种组织中的脂肪酸是否能表征其食性及食性转换进行了探究。结果表明,拉氏南美南极鱼体内共检测出27种脂肪酸;由于涉及生长、繁殖等因素影响,肝脏、性腺组织对于脂肪酸的储存及使用情况并不适用于指征食性,而肌肉组织更新时间相对较长,故能够较好地反映其对食物中脂肪酸的吸收。对不同体长组拉氏南美南极鱼肌肉组织中脂肪酸分析可知,未成熟拉氏南美南极鱼(100～240 mm)主要摄食浮游性生物;随着体长增加对底栖生物的摄食也随之增加,由浮游性摄食方式转变为浮游-底栖性摄食。另外,因拉氏南美南极鱼摄食一定量的渔业丢弃物,导致腐生食物链和捕食食物链的贡献率特征弱化。研究结果进一步显示,针对大洋性鱼类,与肝脏和性腺相比,肌肉组织脂肪酸更适用于表征食物来源。     

Marine science and blue growth: Assessing the marine academic production of 123 cities and territories worldwide

The role of academic research in the economic growth process has been widely considered over the last two decades in the theoretical and empirical literature, particularly around the concept of knowledge-based economy. Meanwhile, the very recent notion of “blue growth” and the significant development potential related to marine environments have gained more and more concern for policy makers on different scales. It is therefore interesting to assess the academic research related to marine issues, owing to its potential contribution to this dynamics growth through knowledge transfers and academic spillovers. This paper provides a global evaluation of the marine academic production, using a spatialized, open and transdisciplinary approach. In particular, this approach is to mobilize indicators to assess scientific production, transpose it to the territorial scale and make a global comparison of “research territories” in the case of marine science, with a specific focus on European cities. The results show that the five main centres are Tokyo (Japan), Paris (France), San Diego (USA), Moscow (Russia) and Woods Hole (USA). A dense European territorial coverage in marine science centres also appears, and new world major centres such as Chinese and Brazilian ones emerge.     

Larval fish assemblages,environment and circulation in a semienclosed sea (Gulf of California,Mexico)

Fish larvae and hydrographic data collected in the Gulf of California (GC) in December 2002 are used to describe larval fish assemblages (LFAs) and to explore their relationships with environmental variables (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, fluorescence maximum, ?$?$ and superficial chlorophyll a). The Bray–Curtis dissimilarity index defined three LFAs, distributed in areas with distinctly different environmental conditions. The affinity of most of the species with the environmental characteristics of their areas of distribution could be interpreted as an indication that spawning occurred inside those areas. Particle tracking in current fields from a 3D numerical model and connectivity matrices are used to assess larval retention in the LFA areas. The technique is well suited for seas like the GC that have well-defined circulation patterns. On time scales around 30 days, retention (from 56% to 73% of the particles) occurred (1) for the North LFA in the Upper GC, (2) for the Channel-Center LFA in the anticyclone over the Northern GC and in Ballenas Channel, and (3) for the South LFA in the eddy over San Pedro Mártir basin and in the shallow zone off the peninsula. Therefore, the Lagrangian analysis revealed that the observed LFAs have a permanency long enough to allow fish larvae to remain in a favorable environment until they develop motility. The main particle export path (less than 26% of the particles) was from the North to the South LFA, following the anticyclonic main flow and coinciding with the gradient in species number and larval abundance.     

Culture environment and hatchery of origin influence growth,condition and feeding organ morphology in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas in South Africa

South Africa lacks a commercial oyster hatchery. To inform the sourcing of seed for future hatchery establishments, we compared half-sib Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas cohorts from hatcheries in Namibia and Chile. We measured oyster growth, mortality, condition and feeding organ morphology in Algoa Bay (AB, Eastern Cape) and Saldanha Bay (SB, Western Cape), South Africa, from July 2011 to June 2012. Within SB, 14.3% of mean daily sea temperatures exceeded this species’ thermal optimum of 19 °C, compared to 50.5% in AB. Food abundance (mean daily chlorophyll a concentration) in SB (7.8 mg m^–3) was double that in AB (3.9 mg m^–3) where, presumably to increase particle clearance rates in a relatively phytoplankton-poor environment, oysters had larger gill:palp surface area ratios. Plankton fatty acid profiles (indicators of food quality) differed between locations. In AB, instantaneous growth rates differed between cohorts, and trends varied seasonally. Within both locations, condition index was usually higher in Chilean oysters, whereas shell density was higher in Namibian oysters. In AB only, Chilean seed suffered substantially higher summer mortalities than Namibian seed, suggesting that the latter are more suited to temperatures in AB. AB should also be assessed for culture of the indigenous oyster species that occur there.