Severity of killer whale behavioral responses to ship noise: A dose–response study

Critical habitats of at-risk populations of northeast Pacific “resident” killer whales can be heavily trafficked by large ships, with transits occurring on average once every hour in busy shipping lanes. We modeled behavioral responses of killer whales to ship transits during 35 “natural experiments” as a dose–response function of estimated received noise levels in both broadband and audiogram-weighted terms. Interpreting effects is contingent on a subjective and seemingly arbitrary decision about severity threshold indicating a response. Subtle responses were observed around broadband received levels of 130 dB re 1 μPa (rms); more severe responses are hypothesized to occur at received levels beyond 150 dB re 1 μPa, where our study lacked data. Avoidance responses are expected to carry minor energetic costs in terms of increased energy expenditure, but future research must assess the potential for reduced prey acquisition, and potential population consequences, under these noise levels.     

Pressure-specific and multiple pressure response of fish assemblages in European running waters

We classified homogenous river types across Europe and searched for fish metrics qualified to show responses to specific pressures (hydromorphological pressures or water quality pressures) vs. multiple pressures in these river types. We analysed fish taxa lists from 3105 sites in 16 ecoregions and 14 countries. Sites were pre-classified for 15 selected pressures to separate unimpacted from impacted sites. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to split unimpacted sites into four homogenous river types based on species composition and geographical location. Classification trees were employed to predict associated river types for impacted sites with four environmental variables. We defined a set of 129 candidate fish metrics to select the best reacting metrics for each river type. The candidate metrics represented tolerances/intolerances of species associated with six metric types: habitat, migration, water quality sensitivity, reproduction, trophic level and biodiversity. The results showed that 17 uncorrelated metrics reacted to pressures in the four river types. Metrics responded specifically to water quality pressures and hydromorphological pressures in three river types and to multiple pressures in all river types. Four metrics associated with water quality sensitivity showed a significant reaction in up to three river types, whereas 13 metrics were specific to individual river types. Our results contribute to the better understanding of fish assemblage response to human pressures at a pan-European scale. The results are especially important for European river management and restoration, as it is necessary to uncover underlying processes and effects of human pressures on aquatic communities.     

Influence of submerged aquatic vegetation on size class distribution of perch (Perca fluviatilis) and roach (Rutilus rutilus) in the littoral zone of Lake Geneva (Switzerland)

The abundance of different size classes of perch and roach in the littoral zone of Lake Geneva was compared between submerged aquatic vegetation and unvegetated zones. Samples were taken with gillnets during four periods between June and October 1993. During the vegetation period (June to September), perch 9 cm and roach 10 cm were more abundant in vegetation whereas roach > 20 cm were more abundant in open water. Perch larger than 18 cm and medium roach were equally distributed in both habitats whatever the period, whereas medium perch distribution fluctuated according to the period. In October, after the decline of the vegetation, no more differences in fish distribution were observed except for small roach, which were always more abundant in the vegetated sites.     

三峡水库枯水期补水调度对洞庭湖越冬白鹤(Grus leucogeranus)摄食栖息地的影响

摄食栖息地面积是反映越冬水鸟生存空间的直接指标,三峡水库运行后洞庭湖枯水期水文节律出现新的变化,给越冬水鸟摄食栖息地造成的影响尚不明确.为定量描述三峡水库枯水期不同出库流量对洞庭湖越冬水鸟摄食栖息地的影响,以洞庭湖典型的珍稀越冬水鸟——白鹤(Grus leucogeranus)为指示性候鸟,以白鹤摄食对栖息地水深需求作为关键生态因子,建立白鹤摄食对水深需求的栖息地适宜度模型.构建涵盖长江干流、三口河系、洞庭湖及其四水尾闾河段的江湖一体化耦合水动力模型,实现栖息地水动力分布特征的精确模拟.在此基础上耦合栖息地适宜度模型和水动力模型,建立了面向白鹤摄食对三峡水库出库流量需求的物理栖息地模型,量化不同出库流量对应的白鹤摄食栖息地加权可利用面积,定量分析水库运行对白鹤摄食栖息地面积的影响.结果表明:1月中旬三峡水库不同出库流量下洞庭湖白鹤潜在摄食栖息地面积保持稳定并随出库流量的增加呈增大趋势,维持在101.40~121.84 km²之间,其中东洞庭湖摄食栖息地面积在7.49~9.86 km²之间,南洞庭湖(含横岭湖)摄食栖息地面积在47.37~60.34 km²之间,西洞庭湖摄食栖息地面积在46.54~51.64 km²之间.不同湖区摄食栖息地面积随着三峡水库出库流量的增加均呈增大的趋势,说明三峡水库枯水期补水调度对于维持栖息地面积具有重要作用.较三峡水库运行前相比,白鹤摄食栖息地面积最大增加20.44 km²,对应的增幅为20.16%.成果明晰了三峡水库运行对洞庭湖白鹤摄食栖息地面积的影响规律,可为通过三峡水库补水调度改善洞庭湖越冬水鸟摄食栖息地生境提供理论基础.     

安徽升金湖国家级自然保护区水鸟生境适宜性变化

水鸟是湿地生态系统健康的指示生物,人类活动对其影响日益严重.研究自然保护区内的水鸟生境适宜性变化可以为湿地恢复提供帮助.通过层次分析法确定水鸟生境影响因子的权重,建立生境适宜性指数模型,根据TM遥感影像图和相关数据计算出安徽省升金湖国家级自然保护区1986-2011年5个年份的水鸟生境适宜指数,并结合GIS空间分析生成的水鸟生境适宜性分级图,分析升金湖建立保护区后水鸟生境适宜性变化.结果表明:升金湖地区在1986年建保护区后的几年间水鸟生境适宜性相对平稳,但是仍然有较为明显的下降;1990s后期,该地区水鸟生境适宜性开始显著恶化,一直持续到2000年之后才有小幅度的回升.水鸟生境适宜性最好的区域由片状分散逐渐转变成小范围聚集,适宜区域也在由实验区和缓冲区向核心区迁移的过程中显著缩减.本文还讨论了在研究中存在的不足,并提出一些恢复水鸟生境的建议.     

汉江中游鱼类资源现状

2003-2004年在汉江中游江段共监测654船次,统计渔获物6914.16 kg,生物学测定1682尾鱼,共采集鱼类78种,隶属18科58属.目前汉江中游渔获物组成和结构与20世纪70年代相比发生了较大变化,翘嘴红鲌、瓦氏黄颡鱼、鲶、鲢、黄尾鲴、大鳍蠖等在渔获物中比例已经很少;草鱼资源也明显下降;铜鱼、青鱼、蒙古红鲐、鳡、细鳞斜颌鲴、吻鮈、长吻鮠、拟尖头红鲌、鳙、鳜等在渔获物中已基本消失;而鲤、鲫、黄颡鱼、长春鳊、赤服鳟等中小型鱼类在渔获物中的比例却相对上升;渔获物中个体大的鱼减少,低龄鱼及幼鱼个体比重增加.与70年代资料相比,汉江中游鱼类资源已呈衰退趋势.     

中华绒螯蟹幼蟹蜕壳的生态学观察

本文对河蟹幼蟹蜕壳过程及蜕壳后的特征进行了比较详细的观察,并初步探讨了蜕壳与光照、温度及生境的关系对于0.5-2g的幼蟹,蜕壳期大约需要3-6h,软壳期需要2h,薄壳期需要15h．幼蟹特别喜欢选择有草的生境作为蜕壳地点,也喜欢在池塘浅水区蜕壳,但是在2m以内水深对蜕壳成功率没有影响．蜕壳存在明显的昼夜节律,白天蜕壳的数量显著高干夜间(F(1.30)=13.4,P=0.0009),蜕壳高峰发生在上午(07:00-11:00),低谷一般发生在夜间(23:00-03:00)．协方差分析（昼夜为协变量）表明：水温的昼夜变化(28-35℃)对蜕壳并没有显著的影响(F_7,11=1.99,P=0.1467),在水温高达 35℃时蜕壳仍然能顺利进行,蜕壳下限温度在14℃左右。     

基于环境DNA技术的舟山南部海域鱼类资源状况和多样性分析

为完善舟山南部海域鱼类种类组成及结构特征,文章使用环境DNA技术对该海域鱼类多样性进行检测。通过采集水样、过滤、提取环境DNA、PCR扩增、测序,在该海域6个站位中获得8个环境DNA样品,共检测到9种舟山海域常见鱼类。其中,软骨鱼纲1种,辐鳍鱼纲8种,龙头鱼(Harpadon nehereus)为优势种。研究结果表明,虽然环境DNA技术无法完全替代传统的鱼类资源调查方法,但是可以作为鱼类资源调查和空间分布的补充手段,与底拖网数据结合,为舟山南部海域鱼类组成和群落结构季节性变化提供依据。