Reconstructing pre-colonial oyster demographics in the Chesapeake Bay, USA

Recent estimates of growth and mortality rates in extant Chesapeake Bay, USA oyster (Crassostrea virginica) populations are used to quantify changes in both population abundance (dN/dT) and shell accretion (dS/dT) associated with modern population demographics. The demographics of oyster populations that would be required to maintain reef accretion rates commensurate with sea level rise over geological time frames are examined using estimates of oyster longevity in pre-colonial (pre -1600) times combined with parallel estimates of pre-disease endemic mortality. The analysis demonstrates that modern populations, with their disease related, age-truncated demographics, are generally not capable of maintaining and building biogenic reefs through accretion. Estimates of filtration rates associated with Chesapeake Bay oyster populations prior to 1600 considerably underestimate actual benthic-pelagic coupling during that period. Pristine oyster populations would have supported water column turnover rates on the order of minutes to hours. Thus, the spatial footprint of oyster reefs was limited by available productivity in the estuary. Accretion rate calculations for pristine (pre-1600) oyster reefs describe the intimate relationship between benthic-pelagic coupling and the presence or absence of oyster reefs and the associated communities.     

Differential response of benthic macrofauna to the formation of novel oyster reefs (Crassostrea gigas,Thunberg) on soft and rocky substrate in the intertidal of the Bay of Brest,France

When the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas, Thunberg) was introduced into France for aquaculture in the mid-sixties, it was initially confined to the sites where it was farmed. Subsequent global warming most likely facilitated the establishment of wild populations throughout the French coastline. This phenomenon of spread has become so great that oyster reefs have recently appeared in sheltered estuaries, on both soft and hard substrate. The present study examined two such sites in the Bay of Brest, Brittany. It is the first to investigate the impacts of this new substrate on the biocoenosis of uncolonised intertidal habitats in France. Increased species richness and abundance of intertidal macrofauna were observed in the presence of oyster reefs on both, mud (4 and 20 fold respectively) and rock (5 fold for both). The dominance of suspension feeders in mud changed to carnivores in reefs and their underlying sediment. Calculation of biotic coefficients (BC) of the soft-bottom fauna revealed only a slight organic enrichment, and the organic and silt composition in the sediment beneath oyster reefs were not significantly different from that on bare sites. On rock, the dominance of grazers remained unchanged between bare rock and oyster reef, while reef on rock was also characterised by deposit and detritic feeders. C. gigas is suspected to cause a homogenisation of coastal habitats with an impoverishment of overall quality but we detected only 11 common species between reefs on mud (60 species) and those on rock (55 species).     

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)。     

Modelling growth and reproduction of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas: Advances in the oyster-DEB model through application to a coastal pond

A bio-energetic model, based on the DEB theory exists for the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. Pouvreau et al. [Pouvreau, S., Bourles, Y., Lefebvre, S., Gangnery, A., Alunno-Bruscia, M., 2006. Application of a dynamic energy budget model to the Pacific oyster, C. gigas, reared under various environmental conditions. J. Sea Res. 56, 156–167.] successfully applied this model to oysters reared in three environments with no tide and low turbidity, using chlorophyll a concentration as food quantifier. However, the robustness of the oyster-DEB model needs to be validated in varying environments where different food quantifiers reflect the food available for oysters, as is the case in estuaries and most coastal ecosystems. We therefore tested the oyster-DEB model on C. gigas reared in an Atlantic coastal pond from January 2006 to January 2007. The model relies on two forcing variables: seawater temperature and food density monitored through various food quantifiers. Based on the high temperature range measured in this oyster pond (3–30 °C), new boundary values of the temperature tolerance range were estimated both for ingestion and respiration rates. Several food quantifiers were then tested to select the most suitable for explaining the observed growth and reproduction of C. gigas reared in an oyster pond. These were: particulate organic matter and carbon, chlorophyll a concentration and phytoplankton enumeration (expressed in cell number per litre or in cumulative cell biovolume). We conclude that when phytoplankton enumeration was used as food quantifier, the new version of oyster-DEB model presented here reproduced the growth and reproduction of C. gigas very accurately. The next step will be to validate the model under contrasting coastal environmental conditions so as to confirm the accuracy of phytoplankton enumeration as a way of representing the available food that sustains oyster growth.     

Trophic resource use by macrozoobenthic primary consumers within a semi-enclosed coastal ecosystem: Stable isotope and fatty acid assessment

The diet of different macrozoobenthic trophic groups was investigated in the Arcachon Bay—a semi-enclosed macrotidal ecosystem that shelters the largest Zostera noltei seagrass meadow in Europe—in early spring and late summer 2009, using stable isotopes and fatty acids. Fatty acid profiles and literature information about the biology and physiology of benthic consumers were combined to identify the main organic matter sources for the benthic primary consumers. An isotope mixing model was then run to evaluate the contribution of each organic matter source to each identified trophic group (suspension feeders, sub-surface deposit feeders, micro-and macrograzers, suspension-oriented interface feeders and deposit-oriented interface feeders). Variations in organism' diets with respect to both habitats (intertidal seagrass meadows, intertidal bare sediments and subtidal bare sediments) and study periods were also investigated. At the scale of this study, it appeared that the diet of macrozoobenthos primary consumers was based exclusively on autochthonous material (no use of terrestrial organic matter): mainly microphytobenthos, seagrasses and their epiphytes, and phytoplankton. In addition, the different trophic groups relied on different organic matter pools: for instance, suspension feeders mainly fed on microphytobenthos and phytoplankton, whereas subsurface deposit feeders fed on microphytobenthos, decayed seagrasses and bacteria, and grazers mainly fed on microphytobenthos, and seagrasses and their epiphytes. The same pattern was observed in both early spring and late summer, indicating a stability of the benthic system at a six-month time scale. Finally our results showed that, in Arcachon Bay, the seagrass meadow directly or indirectly (through detritus) plays a significant role in the diet of most benthic consumers.     

Seasonal Variation in the Phytoplanktonic Community,Seston and Environmental Variables During a 2-Year Period and Oyster Growth at Two Mariculture Sites,Southern Chile

Phytoplankton and its relationships with physical and chemical variables were analysed over a 2-year period in Hueihue and Linao Bays (southern Chile). Samples were collected on a monthly basis from May 1991 to May 1993. The growth rate of a single stock of hatchery-produced oysters (Ostrea chilensis) distributed between these two bays was also monitored monthly. The growth rate of oysters maintained at Linao Bay (site associated with a fish farm) was significantly higher, at every depth, compared with the oysters maintained at Hueihue Bay. Temperature and salinity values and their annual fluctuations were similar at both locations, presenting higher variations at the surface (1 m) due to the influence of air temperature and local precipitation than at depth. However, significant differences in phytoplankton abundance and composition were found between the two locations. The phytoplankton community was characterized by high biomass values during spring and summer, the dominance of diatoms and an inverse relationship between temperature and species diversity. However, phytoplankton cell abundance, biovolume and chlorophyll a concentration were significantly higher at Linao at every depth sampled. Cell abundance ranged between 4.49 × 10⁴ and 7.45 × 10⁶ cells · l^?1 in Hueihue and between 6.48 × 10⁴ and 8.71 × 10⁶ cells ·1^?1 in Linao. The influence of temperature on chlorophyll a concentration was significant except at 8 m at both locations. The instantaneous oyster growth rate was found to be positively correlated with temperature, chlorophyll a concentration and particulate organic matter at both locations. A significant negative relationship between oyster growth and amount of particulate inorganic matter was found; this confirms the important role played by seston composition in oyster growth. The demonstration of variation in oyster growth rate associated with differences in food availability between the two locations provides insight into the ecological role played by fish farms in southern Chile. The results suggest a strong link between food availability and oyster growth.     

Promising signs of regeneration of blue cod and oyster habitat changed by dredging in Foveaux Strait,southern New Zealand

Epifaunal reefs in Foveaux Strait are oyster (Ostrea chilensis Philippi, 1845) habitat. One hundred and thirty years of oyster dredging has diminished the complexity and distribution of these reefs. Commercial densities of blue cod (Parapercis colias (Forster in Bloch and Schneider, 1801)) were discovered on epifaunal reef habitat in 1989 and became the focus of a major blue cod fishery. We document habitat changes that followed the closing of the oyster fishery in 1993 and interactions between the blue cod and oyster fisheries after the oyster fishery was reopened in 1996. Evidence from blue cod fishers and oyster surveys suggests that the benthic habitat of some oyster beds regenerated in the absence of dredging and that the relative density of blue cod, and then oysters, rebuilt to commercial levels. Benthic habitat was modified once more when oyster dredging restarted and the relative density of blue cod on oyster beds fell again. The observations suggest that rotational fishing of oysters could mitigate the effects of dredging on habitat and that marine protected areas could expedite habitat recovery. Increasing habitat complexity and blue cod density on a reef of oyster shells formed by an oyster fisher suggests that habitat enhancement might remedy effects of dredging. The questions raised by the observations could be answered by management experiments on the scale of the fisheries.     

Bivalves,Tributyltin and Green Tides: Ecosystem-Level Impact?

Filter feeders such as bivalves are increasingly being shown to control phytoplankton blooms in eutrophic estuaries. The possibility of such a top-down effect on macroalgae, however, has not been considered previously even though most green tide algal species reproduce by pelagic swarmers that are equivalent to phytoplankton. This work presents circumstantial evidence from an oyster-culturing French embayment where, despite eutrophication since the mid-1970s, macroalgae did not proliferate until 1982. This was also the year when tributyltin pollution from antifouling paints dropped substantially following a world-wide prime ban that was implemented to save the shellfish industry. From the recorded evolution of the oyster stock, it is shown how tributyltin reduced the bivalve filter capacity within those years and resulted in Enteromorpha swarmers being much more likely to germinate and bloom. This suggests that the green tides had been successively contained by the biological activity and the chemical pressure. The effects of the latter on the former would thus have cascaded to ecosystem-level changes, and so the functional role of bivalves should be evaluated and preserved wherever relevant.     

Modelling the influence of environmental factors on the physiological status of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas in an estuarine embayment; The Baie des Veys (France)

It is well known that temporal changes in bivalve body mass are strongly correlated with temporal variations in water temperature and food supply. In order to study the influence of the year-to-year variability of environmental factors on oyster growth, we coupled a biogeochemical sub-model, which simulates trophic resources of oysters (i.e. phytoplankton biomass via chlorophyll a), and an ecophysiological sub-model, which simulates growth and reproduction (i.e. gametogenesis and spawning), using mechanistic bases. The biogeochemical sub-model successfully simulated phytoplankton dynamics using river nutrient inputs and meteorological factors as forcing functions. Adequate simulation of oyster growth dynamics requires a relevant food quantifier compatible with outputs of the biogeochemical sub-model (i.e. chlorophyll a concentration). We decided to use the phytoplankton carbon concentration as quantifier for food, as it is a better estimator of the energy really available to oysters. The transformation of chlorophyll a concentration into carbon concentration using a variable chlorophyll a to carbon ratio enabled us to improve the simulation of oyster growth especially during the starvation period (i.e. autumn and winter). Once validated, the coupled model was a suitable tool to study the influence of the year-to-year variability of phytoplankton dynamics and water temperature on the gonado-somatic growth of the Pacific oyster. Four years with highly contrasted meteorological conditions (river inputs, water temperature and light) 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003, were simulated. The years were split into two groups, wet years (2000 and 2001) and dry years (2002 and 2003). Significant variability of the response of oysters to environmental conditions was highlighted between the four scenarios. In the wet years, an increase in loadings of river nutrients and suspended particulate matter led to a shift in the initiation and the magnitude of the phytoplanktonic spring bloom, and consequently to a shift in oyster growth patterns. In contrast, in the dry years, an increase in water temperature—especially during summer—resulted in early spawning. Thus, the gonado-somatic growth pattern of oysters was shown to be sensitive to variations in river loadings and water temperature. In this context, the physiological status of oysters is discussed using a relevant indicator of energy needs.     

Ecohydrographic constraints on biodiversity and distribution of phytoplankton and zooplankton in coral reefs of the Red Sea,Saudi Arabia

An integral concept of ecological research is the constraint of biodiversity along latitudinal and environmental gradients. The Red Sea features a natural example of a latitudinal gradient of salinity, temperature and nutrient richness. Coral reefs along the Red Sea coasts are supported with allochthonous resources such as oceanic and neritic phytoplankton and zooplankton; however, relatively little is known about how the ecohydrography correlates with plankton biodiversity and abundance. In this article we present the biodiversity of phytoplankton and zooplankton in Red Sea coral reefs. Oceanographic data (temperature, salinity), water samples for nutrient analysis, particulate organic matter, phytoplankton and zooplankton, the latter with special reference to Copepoda (Crustacea), were collected at nine coral reefs over ~1500 km distance along the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. The trophic state of ambient waters [as indicated by chlorophyll a (Chl a)] changed from strong oligotrophy in the north to mesotrophy in the south and was associated with increasing biomasses of Bacillariophyceae, picoeukaryotes and Synechococcus as indicated by pigment fingerprinting (CHEMTAX) and flow cytometry. Net‐phytoplankton microscopy revealed a Trichodesmium erythraeum (Cyanobacteria) bloom north of the Farasan Islands. Several potentially harmful algae, including Dinophysis miles and Gonyaulax spinifera (Dinophyceae), were encountered in larger numbers in the vicinity of the aquaculture facilities at Al Lith. Changes in zooplankton abundance were mainly correlated to the phytoplankton biomass following the latitudinal gradient. The largest zooplankton abundance was observed at the Farasan Archipelago, despite high abundances of copepodites, veligers (Gastropoda larvae) and Chaetognatha at Al Lith. Although the community composition changed over latitude, biodiversity indices of phytoplankton and zooplankton did not exhibit a systematic pattern. As this study constitutes the first current account of the plankton biodiversity in Red Sea coral reefs at a large spatial scale, the results will be informative for ecosystem‐based management along the coastline of Saudi Arabia.     

The physiology of the larva of the Chilean oyster Ostrea chilensis and the utilisation of biochemical energy reserves during development: An extreme case of the brooding habit

In the oyster Ostrea chilensis the adult female broods the young for almost the entire developmental period, releasing a large pediveliger larva (450 μm shell length) with an extremely short pelagic phase. In this study of the larval physiology, the dry weight of the embryo or larva remained constant during the early developmental stages (as far as, and including, the trochophore), but the veliger grew steadily to reach 8 μg at 450 μm shell length, the stage at which it was ready for release. During this growth period the veliger consumed metabolic reserves (62% protein and 38% lipid). Carbohydrate levels were negligible. Chilean oyster veligers larger than 275 μm shell length were able to remove particles from suspension, but clearance rate (2 μl h^− 1 larva^− 1 at 450 μm shell length) was much lower than published values for planktotrophic veligers. Low clearance rate in the veliger of O. chilensis is probably attributable to the absence of the postoral ciliary band. Oxygen uptake increased from 19 – 22 nl O₂ h^− 1 ind^− 1 for pre-veliger stages to 32 nl O₂ h^− 1 ind^− 1 for a veliger 450 μm long, which is consistent with published values for veligers in general when corrected for body weight. Excretion rate was low, increasing from 0.04 ng NH₄-N h^− 1 larva^− 1 in the trochophore to 0.13 ng NH₄-N h^− 1 larva^− 1 in a pediveliger of shell length 450 μm. Biochemical energy reserves were insufficient to meet the metabolic demands of the developing larva, suggesting that uptake of particles and/or dissolved organic matter from the mantle cavity of the female is necessary for successful development.     

Reconstructing estuarine conditions: oyster shells as recorders of environmental change, Southwest Florida

Live-collected shells of the oyster, Crassostrea virginica, contain geochemical records of modern temperature and salinity, so records of prehistoric conditions may be obtained from subfossil shells. Restoration of channelized watersheds in Florida is receiving much attention, and plans for targeted watersheds require information about estuarine conditions before channelization. Lack of historical records necessitates alternative methods to understand pre-disturbance conditions. A ¹⁴C-calibrated, amino-acid geochronology based on racemization of glutamic acid yielded ages ranging from 190–1220 AD and from 1270–1860 AD for subfossil oysters from Blackwater River (near-natural watershed) and for Faka-Union Bay (channelized watershed), respectively. δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values of subfossil shells from Blackwater River indicate salinity and summer temperatures similar to present. Winter temperatures recorded in shells from 190, 590, 720, and 1050 AD appear 1–5 °C colder than present winter temperatures, whereas the shell from 1220 AD records winter temperatures similar to modern winter temperatures. These temperature shifts may indicate change in climate or natural seasonal variation of winter temperature from year to year. Subfossils from Faka-Union Bay may reflect a complicated hydrology, which cannot be evaluated by isotopic compositions alone and demonstrates the need for development of independent elemental proxies for temperature and salinity. Decreases in δ¹³C from subfossil to modern shells may in part result from CO₂ added to the atmosphere from fossil fuel burning (the Suess effect). Subfossil δ¹³C that is >1‰ more positive than modern shells suggest a change in the dominant carbon sources from terrestrial C₄ or aquatic plants to C₃ plants (mangroves).     

长牡蛎(Crassostrea gigas)黑色壳表面微生物多样性的研究

为探究自然海区与室内养殖环境对软体动物壳色及壳表面细菌群落多样性的影响，以黑色壳长牡蛎（Crassostrea gigas）为研究对象，在自然海区与室内环境分别暂养30 d后，对长牡蛎的壳色及壳表面细菌群落的多样性和差异细菌功能进行分析。结果表明，室内养殖的黑壳长牡蛎出现较为明显的壳褪色现象，其黑色素含量显著下降，远低于自然海区养殖的黑壳长牡蛎。16S rRNA基因测序结果显示，变形杆菌门（Proteobacteria）、拟杆菌门（Bacteroidetes）、蓝细菌（Cyanobacteria）为长牡蛎壳表面的主要优势菌，其中变形杆菌的丰度超过50%。在门水平上，放线菌（Actinobacteria）、俭菌超门（Parcubateria）和Bacterial rice cluster 1（BRC1）在室内、外养殖长牡蛎之间存在较为显著的差异（P<0.05），而具有降解作用的放线菌和俭菌超门细菌在室内养殖的黑壳长牡蛎壳表面丰度较高。在属水平上，两组之间存在显著差异的细菌共计67种。该研究揭示了不同生境条件下，黑壳长牡蛎壳表面的微生物群落物种组成及差异，为解析长牡蛎壳色的形成机制提供了新的分析视角。     

一种酪氨酸酶基因在笠贝初生壳形成中的表达分析

软体动物初生壳形成是贝壳早期发育研究的重要内容。目前,初生壳形成的机制尚不清晰。本文从笠贝(Lottia goshimai)中克隆了一个酪氨酸酶基因(lgo-tyr1),聚类分析表明其与长牡蛎基因cgi-tyr1是直系同源基因。Lgo-TYR1的序列分析显示它具有两个典型的铜离子结合结构域和一个信号肽。通过整装原位杂交和电子扫描显微镜观察,检测到lgo-tyr1在担轮幼虫的圆形贝壳区以及紧邻的环状细胞带中表达,表明lgo-tyr1可能参与了担轮幼虫初生贝壳的生物合成以及贝壳区边界的确立。     

珍珠和贝壳的晶体结构新结论

国内外贝类学界都认为贝壳角质层仅由贝壳素构成.棱柱层由方解石构成.珍珠层通常为霰石构成.日本的小林新二郎提出棱柱珍珠是方解石结构,国内外许多论文对此都没有提出异议.本研究采用X-射线对贝壳和棱柱珍珠衍射结果证明:(1)贝壳珍珠层全是是霰石结构,只有牡蛎(Ostrea rivularis)壳例外,符合以上理论;(2)棱柱层几乎全是霰石结构,只有牡蛎壳和紫色裂江珧(Pinna atropurpurea)壳的棱柱层是方解石结构,基本否定了以上理论;(3)角质层由有机物—贝壳素和方解石或霰石组成的,有些还含二氧化硅等杂质,这不完全相符上面理论;(4)棱柱珍珠完全是霰石结构,证明小林新二郎的结论是错误的.     

Effects of epibionts on Sabellaria alveolata (L.) biogenic reefs and their associated fauna in the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel

Biogenic structures built by ecosystem engineers such as corals, bivalves, polychaetes, and sea grasses provide habitat for benthic vertebrates and invertebrates. The polychaete Sabellaria alveolata is an important foundation species whose reef structure adds topographic complexity and high levels of biodiversity to the otherwise low-relief, low diversity, soft-bottom environments in the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel, France, where the largest such reef formations in Europe are found. In this bay, reefs are being increasingly colonised by oysters (Crassostrea gigas) from local aquaculture operations and by green algae (Ulva sp.) due to the increasing inputs of nitrates from terrestrial origin. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible impacts of epibiotic oysters and green algae on the S. alveolata population and reef community structure in the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel, France. Univariate and multivariate comparisons of macrofauna were conducted for five reef types: controls (no epibionts), low oyster density, high oyster density, green algae, and oyster and green algae. Results showed that all the three reef types with oysters had significantly higher species richness and diversity values than control and algae-only reef types. Pairwise ANOSIM and SIMPER comparisons of controls versus the four reef types with epibionts revealed that all three of the reef types with oysters were significantly different from controls, but there was no significant difference between controls and algae-only reef types. A striking feature of the reef comparisons is that no single species in this species-rich system contributed more than 8.86% to the dissimilarity between the reef types. Thus, k-dominance curves for species abundances were not effective in revealing differences among the reef types. Our results demonstrate that recent anthropogenic inputs of oysters affect the reef species assemblage more strongly than algal epibionts. In addition, epibionts, especially green algae, alter S. alveolata population structure, causing a reduction in new recruits that over the long run may cause significant damage to the reef structure itself. These results are a first step towards understanding anthropogenic threats to S. alveolata reefs and may be useful in the development of strategies for their protection and management.     

Esterification of vertebrate-like steroids in the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica)

The esterification of two model vertebrate steroid hormones – estradiol (E2) and dehidroepiandrosterone (DHEA) – was studied in the oyster Crassostrea virginica. The activity of acyl-CoA:steroid acyltransferase was characterized in microsomal fractions isolated from oyster digestive glands. The apparent K_m and V_max values changed with the fatty acid acyl-CoA used (C20:4, C18:2, C18:1, C16:1, C18:0 or C16:0), and were in the range of 9–17 μM, and 35–74 pmol/min/mg protein for E2, and in the range of 45–120 μM, and 30–182 pmol/min/mg protein for DHEA. Kinetic parameters were also assessed in gonadal tissue. The enzyme saturated at similar concentrations, although conjugation rates were lower than in digestive gland. Preliminary data shows that tributyltin (TBT) in the low μM range (1–50) strongly inhibits E2 and DHEA esterification, the esterification of E2 being more sensitive to inhibition than that of DHEA. Overall, results indicate that apolar conjugation occurs in oysters, in both digestive gland and gonads, at a very similar rate to mammals, suggesting that this is a well conserved conjugation pathway during evolution. Esterification, together with other mechanisms, can modulate endogenous steroid levels in C. virginica, and might be a target for endocrine disrupters, such as TBT.     

大鹏澳牡蛎养殖对浮游植物种群结构的影响研究

于2013年8、10月及2014年2、5月对大鹏澳牡蛎养殖区及其邻近海域进行了采样调查。利用设置的3个站位(牡蛎养殖区S1、养殖区外S2、靠近湾口S3)的数据研究了牡蛎养殖对海区浮游植物种群结构和丰度的影响。本次考察共鉴定出大鹏澳浮游植物58属144种,丰度为6.15×103—5.94×106cells/L。其中,硅藻36属100种,占种类总数的69.4%,丰度在4.5×103—5.93×106cells/L之间;甲藻15属34种,占总种类的23.6%,丰度范围为1.5×102—4.53×104 cells/L;蓝藻、绿藻、隐藻等共7属10种。在牡蛎养殖期(8月至2月),养殖区内养殖水层浮游植物总丰度低于非养殖区,硅藻丰度占浮游植物总丰度的90%以上,硅藻丰度与总浮游植物细胞丰度的空间分布特征一致;与硅藻空间分布特点不同,养殖区内甲藻丰度显著低于非养殖区。牡蛎收获后的5月,养殖区内的甲藻丰度高于非养殖区。牡蛎养殖区站位S1浮游植物多样性指数平均值为1.35,明显低于非养殖区S2(2.68)和S3(2.69)。与此相似,养殖区内站位S1均匀度J(0.27)明显低于非养殖区站位S2(0.49)和S3(0.51)。本研究表明,大鹏澳牡蛎养殖对浮游植物群落结构造成了一定影响,能够显著降低浮游植物丰度、种类多样性和均匀度。     

Macrozoobenthic biomass in the Bay of Seine (eastern English Channel)

The benthic biomass values of various trophic groups were studied for the first time at the scale of the entire Bay of Seine (50 × 100 km) in the eastern English Channel. Sampling was carried out before and after the winter of 1999. In both cruises the suspension feeders dominated (66% of the 12 gAFDW m^− 2 in 1998 and 56% of the 10 gAFDW m^− 2 in 1999).The common European ophiuroid Ophiothrix fragilis was the most important contributor to total biomass. The repartition of its patches (sometimes > 20 gAFDW m^− 2) cannot be explained by the environmental parameters recorded (viz., granulometry, organic matter and pigment content).     

赤潮异弯藻有色可溶性有机物的变化以及对其他微藻的影响

赤潮消长显著影响海洋中有色可溶性有机物(CDOM)的变化.赤潮异弯藻(Heterosigma akashiwo)是一种常发的鱼毒性赤潮种类,是产生CDOM较显著的种类.本文以赤潮异弯藻CDOM为研究对象,分析了CDOM在种群消长中的变化特征,研究了光对赤潮异弯藻CDOM组成物质变化的影响,并就此变化对其他微藻种群生长造成的影响进行了定量研究.结果表明:(1)以紫外吸收的定量变化为指标,赤潮异弯藻CDOM的量与种群消长呈互逆相关:种群密度增加, CDOM降低;种群密度降低, CDOM增加;长期培养种群中, CDOM含量增加.(2)光对该藻产生的CDOM物质组成和定量有显著影响,紫外照射能显著漂白CDOM,类腐殖质和腐殖酸降解明显.(3)该藻CDOM变化影响其他微藻种群生长:CDOM显著促进微小卡罗藻(Karlodinium micrum)、小硅藻(Nitzschia closterium f. minutissima)的种群生长,受光降解后对小硅藻的促进作用降低,但对微小卡罗藻的促进作用不变; CDOM 抑制海洋原甲藻(Prorocenturm micans)种群生长,光降解后,其抑制作用降低.赤潮异弯藻赤潮产生的大量且稳定的CDOM可以影响海洋微型生物群落结构.