Seasonal distribution of macrobenthos and its relationship with environmental factors in Yellow Sea and East China Sea

Macrobenthos samples were collected from the Yellow and East China Seas in four seasons during 2011 to 2012. The seasonal distribution of macrobenthos and its relationship with environmental factors were analyzed. A total of 562 macrobenthic species were identified, with polychaetes and mollusks accounting for 67% of the total number of species. A similarity percentage(SIMPER) analysis showed that the dominant species were bivalve mollusks in the Yellow Sea and small-sized polychaetes in the East China Sea. A two-factor analysis of variance showed significant seasonal variations in species number, density and diversity index, and significant regional differences of biomass and density. Two-factor community similarity analysis also showed significant seasonal and regional differences in macrobenthic communities. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that the main environmental factors af fecting the macrobenthic communities were water depth, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and inorganic nitrogen. The results demonstrate significant regional differences and seasonal variations in macrobenthos in the two seas. Sediment properties and water mass characteristics are speculated to be the causes of regional differences.     

海水淡化排放的高盐废水对海洋生态环境的影响

盐度是海洋环境中最重要的生态因子之一,每种生物各有其适宜生长盐度要求,当环境盐度超过该范围时,生物体的生长、发育、生殖、行为和分布都会受到影响.近10年来,随着淡水资源紧缺和海水淡化处理成本的下降,海水淡化厂数量急剧增加,大量浓盐水进入海区导致受纳海域盐度升高.高浓度盐水给海洋生态环境带来许多负面影响,有关浓盐水的海洋生态安全问题备受人们关注.在总结和分析浓盐水对海洋浮游生物、底栖动物、甲壳类动物、鱼类和海草等影响的基础上,指出海水淡化厂排放的高盐废水对海洋生态的潜在威胁,浓盐水的排放使一些经济水产种类产量减少,给渔业资源和海洋经济带来损失.不同地域环境对海水淡化厂排放水的敏感程度不同,且潮流、海流和水团等水文因素以及海水淡化厂的日处理量和规模等因子决定了排放的高盐废水对海域生态影响的程度.为减少排放的高盐废水对出水口附近海域的影响,提出了海水淡化工程合理规划和布局的可行措施,要选择水体交换良好的海域作为海水淡化工程所在地,对排水口要进行因地制宜地设计,做好高盐废水的再利用工作,以最大限度地减少排放的高盐废水对海区环境的负面影响.建议对海水淡化厂附近海域进行有针对性的水质调查和监测,并做好环境风险影响的评价工作;制定及完善相关的法律法规,建立统一的高盐废水排放标准,而该标准则要以排放的高盐废水对当地海洋生态不造成较大的影响为依据,使海水淡化产业的发展有法可依.