Recent changes in the spring microplankton of Lake Baikal,Russia

Lake Baikal is facing several environmental stressors, including climate change and nearshore eutrophication. To assess recent ecological changes in Lake Baikal and provide a baseline for future comparisons, we sampled spring plankton communities from the pelagic zone of the lake in 2016 and compared these data with unpublished and published historical information going back to 1990. In 2016, one pelagic long-term monitoring station was sampled in early spring (March) during ice cover and 21 long-term monitoring stations located throughout the lake were sampled in late spring (May-June). We measured water chemistry parameters at most stations and the abundance, taxonomic composition and biomass of bacteria, ciliates and phytoplankton at several locations in different areas of the lake. Biotic parameters from 2016 were compared with historical data, showing significant changes in the spring pelagic microbial community since the 1990s. We show increased quantities of small species, mixotrophic ciliates, and the appearance (or increasing number) of small coloured and colourless flagellates. We also show substantially decreased densities of formerly dominant heavily silicified diatoms such as Aulacoseira spp. Since 2007, Synedra acus subsp. radians, a smaller and weakly silicified diatom, has dominated the spring plankton of the lake. These results suggest that Lake Baikal’s pelagic plankton community may be changing, with climate likely playing a dominant role in these changes.     

Two acoustic surveys of pelagic fish in Hawke Bay,New Zealand, 1980

The design and execution of two acoustic surveys of Hawke Bay in February and September/October 1980 are described. Though the resulting acoustic data were, for technical reasons, of limited value, they illustrate the information which may be drawn from acoustic surveys. Fish distributions may be rapidly mapped, not only by area, but throughout most of the water column and over time. Qualitative observations on fish distribution may be quantified. The estimation of variance in acoustic surveys is discussed in detail with particular emphasis on the problems of systematic surveys. The role of replicate observations is stressed. Coefficients of variation for relative fish density estimates from the two surveys probably lie between 5 and 30%.     

A hard-knock life: the foraging ecology of Cape cormorants amidst shifting prey resources and industrial fishing pressure

Once one of the most numerous seabirds of the Benguela upwelling system, the population of Cape cormorants Phalacrocorax capensis has decreased by 60% in the past three decades and the species is listed as Near Threatened. Declines in prey availability and/or abundance brought about by recent changes in the distribution of pelagic fish stocks and industrial purse-seine fishing are hypothesised to be a key driver of seabird population decreases in the southern Benguela. We investigated the foraging behaviour of breeding Cape cormorants by deploying GPS and temperature–depth recorders on 24 breeding adults from three islands off the coast of South Africa, two of them to the north of Cape Point and a third farther south on the western Agulhas Bank. This provided the first measures of foraging dispersal by a cormorant in the Benguela system, and enabled a comparison of foraging behaviour between birds from these islands. Foraging trips of Cape cormorants lasted between 17 min and >7 h, at a maximum distance of between 2 and 58 km away from their colony. Foraging effort was significantly greater for birds from farther north off the West Coast in terms of trip duration, distance travelled, number of dives and time spent flying compared to those from the southernmost island (Dyer), which is probably a response to low prey availability in the north. Coastal reserves that exclude pelagic fishing from inshore feeding grounds around Cape cormorant breeding colonies may result in increased local prey availability, which would benefit Cape cormorant populations.     

Age,growth and natural mortality of blue jack mackerel Trachurus picturatus (Carangidae) from the Canary Islands,Spain (NW Africa)

Status assessment of exploited fish populations is a general requirement to ensure sustainability of fisheries in both global and local contexts. The blue jack mackerel Trachurus picturatus (Bowdich, 1825) remains unassessed in a data-limited fishery in the eastern central Atlantic, within the waters of the Canary Islands (Spain) off the coast of northwest Africa. This is the most southwestern targeted fishery in the species’ distributional range. To obtain basic life-history information, a total of 2 472 specimens were analysed, ranging from 10.2 to 31.9 cm total length, from samples collected monthly between March 2005 and March 2006. Length–weight relationships (a = 0.0023; b = 3.418; R ² = 0.97) showed no significant difference between sexes. Deposition periodicity and coherence of the ageing criteria were verified by analysis of the monthly evolution of the otolith edge. Ages were estimated by counting annual growth rings on whole otoliths, with these fish ranging from age 0 to 6 years. The von Bertalanffy growth model, which was used to estimate growth parameters from both direct readings and back-calculated length-at-age data, gave good statistical fits. The parameters from the direct readings were: L∞ = 34.9 cm; k = 0.214 y^–1; t ₀ = ?2.545 y (R ² = 0.84), and the natural mortality rates estimated from empirical methods varied between 0.20 and 0.55 y^–1.     

福建省主要海湾浮性鱼卵和仔稚鱼的种类组成与丰度分布

根据2007年8月至2009年10月期间在福建省主要海湾的调查资料,对其浮性鱼卵和仔稚鱼的种类组成与数量分布特点进行初步研究和探讨.结果表明,本调查海域共出现鱼卵和仔稚鱼68种,隶属于29科,主要是近海中上层鱼类、浅海底层鱼类和港湾河口型鱼类3个生态类型.各站鱼卵总平均丰度是497.5粒/网,仔稚鱼总平均丰度50.8个/网.优势种明显,占总量比例大;不同季节和不同海湾的种类数相差不大;数量平面分布呈现不同季节不同海湾差别较大,规律性不强,偶然性大等特点.     

Diel feeding of the transparent goby Aphia minuta (Pisces,Gobiidae) in the Northwestern Adriatic Sea in spring time

The present study provides the first estimate of the daily ration for a goby species in the Mediterranean Sea, using a new approach to determine the mass of fish stomach contents through the sum of individual prey dry mass derived indirectly from prey size. Diel feeding activity and daily ration of the pelagic goby Aphia minuta were studied under natural conditions in the coastal waters off Comacchio (Northwestern Adriatic Sea) during the spring season. A total of 318 individuals of A. minuta, collected by 14 trawls carried out on 4 consecutive days, was examined for gut contents. The diel pattern of the vacuity index and the stomach fullness index indicated that A. minuta has nocturnal feeding behaviour. The daily ration, computed over a period of 16 h, was equivalent to 2.23% wet body mass.     

遮浪湾浮游幼虫主要类别的形态

在对粤东遮浪湾浮游幼虫样品进行初步鉴定和分类的基础上,对其中主要类别的45个典型幼虫作简要的形态描述。湾中浮游幼虫分属12个动物门,30种类型,其中环节动物多毛类幼虫分属10个科。个别类型和形态的浮游幼虫在我国海区属首次报道。     

中国近海的浮游软体动物 I. 翼足类、异足类及海蜗牛类的分类研究

浮游软体动物是海洋中各种终生营浮游生活的软体动物的概称,为海洋浮游动物的一大类群,一般属于腹足纲(Gastropoda)。如前鳃亚纲(Prosobranchia)中的异足亚目(Heteropoda)及海蜗牛科(Janthiniidae),后鳃亚纲(Opisthobranchia)中的翼足目(Pteropoda)、腹翼螺科(Gastropteridae)、波叶海牛科(Phyllirrhoidae )及海神鳃科(Glaucidae)等。其中以翼足目、异足亚目及海蜗牛科为三个主要类群,其余三科无论种类或数量都非常少。 浮游软体动物大多数为暖水性、营大洋上层生活的种类,仅有极少数冷水种及深水种。有的种类在极海出现数量很大,为鲱鱼、鲸及某些海鸟的普通饵料;某些种类在暖海有时出现数量也相当可观,可能也会有一定的饵科意义(如Okutani, 1960,发现Argonauta boettgeri捕食龟螺;著者1960年在广东水产研究所采集的大眼鲷的胃含物中发现明螺。它们的死壳沉积于海底,为生物性沉积的一个组成部分,在热带海形成有名的翼足类软泥,在海洋学上,有的种类已被取用为水团或海流指标。在海洋动物地理学上,也已根据它们的分布特点,对大洋上层浮游动物区系进行过区划。 我国海浮游软体动物的研究工作,迄今还比较零散。 本文整理了中国科学院海洋研究所历年采集的标本、全国近海调查(1958-1960)的标本、中苏东海渔场调查(1958)的沉积样品及浙江近渔场调查(1960)的部分活体标本,共记录了我国近海浮游软体动物11科、28属、59种及6个变种,其中有1个新属、3个新种及1个新变种。以我国近海来说,其中除15种外,其他全为新记录;就南海与东海的全范围而论,约半数的种类为新记录。在本文记录中,翼足类为7科、19 属、35种及6个变种(Agadina属除外),约占翼足类总种数的1/3;异足类3科、8 属、20种,包括异足类所有的科、所有的属及绝大部分的种;海蜗牛类为2种。 另外的几科浮游软体动物,在我国海也有代表,将在以后另文报告。各种浮游软体动物在我国近海的分布状况,亦将另文论述。文中各种类的描述及插图,都是根据著者的实际观察结果。     

Reproductive biology of the mackerel scad Decapterus macarellus from Cabo Verde and the implications for its fishery management

The mackerel scad Decapterus macarellus is of great social and economic importance to Cabo Verde citizens; however, in recent years catches have shown an unexplained decline. The harvest is regulated by way of a minimum legal size and a seasonal closure, with both measures based on the results of reproductive studies that did not consider the microscopic characteristics of the gonads. This study aimed to analyse the gonads microscopically in order to classify the sexual development stage of individuals and to estimate the size at first maturity and the reproductive season. This information was then used to analyse the match between the reproductive parameters and the management measures. The samples comprised 284 females (20–36 cm fork length [FL]) and 85 males (21–35 cm FL). The annual variation in gonadosomatic index and the monthly frequencies of mature phases suggest that the reproductive season occurs from March to October, with two spawning peaks, one in March and another from July to October. The current seasonal closure (from July to September) covers the main reproductive period. However, the species has a long spawning period and the timing of peaks can vary between years; hence, a reassessment of this management measure is recommended. The sizes at first maturity were estimated at 24.1 cm FL for females, and 26.6 cm FL for males. These values are higher than the minimum legal size (20 cm FL) currently established for management of the species at Cabo Verde; thus, we strongly recommend an increase in the minimum legal size in an attempt to reduce catches of immature individuals.