Habitat characteristics and spatial arrangement affecting the diversity of fish and decapod assemblages of seagrass (Zostera marina) beds around the coast of Jersey (English Channel)

Recent research and management plans for seagrass habitats have called for landscape level approaches. The present study examines the spatial utilisation of subtidal seagrass beds by fish and decapods around the coast of Jersey (49°N 02° W). A hierarchical scale of landscape configuration and the plant characteristics of eight seagrass beds were measured and the contributions of these variables as predictors of the properties of the fish and decapod assemblages were evaluated using multiple linear regression models. The results indicated that total diversity had a negative relationship with transect heterogeneity and total species number had a weak negative association with increasing fragmentation. Both total diversity and total species number showed a positive relationship with depth. In fact, in all models of species number and densities, values were higher in deeper seagrass beds. Total decapod density increased with aggregation of seagrass patches within a landscape. In addition to landscape configuration, smaller-scale structural changes in both canopy height and epiphyte load appeared to influence densities of decapod crustaceans. At night, fewer patterns could be explained by the independent variables in the model.     

东白令海三种经济鲽类捕捞群体结构与生长特性比较

对东白令海水域双线鲽(Lepidopsetta bilineata)、太平洋拟庸鲽(Hippoglosso-ides elassodon)和阿拉斯加鲽(Pleuronectes quadrituberculata)等三种经济鲽类的捕捞群体结构和生长特性进行比较。得出结论是:(1)捕捞群体结构复杂;(2)渐近体长和渐近体重较大、寿命长、K值小;(3)雌鱼比雄鱼个体大、生长快、寿命长;(4)三种鲽类的捕捞群体结构和生长特性有明显差异。     

Seasonal use of coastal resources by otters: Comparing sandy and rocky stretches

Seasonal patterns of use of coastal resources by otters have been studied, simultaneously performing diet analyses and spraint counts (expressed as marking intensity, MI). In spite of the small size of the study area, two different sectors could be clearly identified, a sandy and a rocky one. The origin (freshwater or coastal) of most prey types could also be determined. Surveys were performed bimonthly and classified as autumn–winter (A–W) or spring–summer (S–S).In the sandy sector, eels, flatfish and grey mullets were more frequently consumed in A–W, while crayfish was more frequently consumed in S–S. None of the identified prey types in the rocky sectors showed different frequency of occurrence values between the two periods. In this sector otter fed mainly on coastal prey throughout the year, while in the sandy one there was a clear shift from coastal prey to freshwater ones in S–S. The decrease of coastal prey consumption in S–S in the sandy sector coincided with the lowest MI values, showing that in this period otters use coastal areas less intensely. Though shifts in otter diet and use of space in the sandy sector are probably influenced by the population dynamics of estuarine fish species and crayfish, the increased tourist disturbance during spring and summer in the sandy sector could be an important determinant of the observed patterns. Finally, the results show that MI can be used as a reliable measure of habitat use by otters, at least in small areas.     

台湾海峡金色小沙丁鱼幼鱼索饵群体研究

本文研究了台湾海峡南部和北部的金色小沙丁鱼当年生幼鱼计数性状和量度性状特征差异,并结合其生物学特性、产卵场、洄游及海区环境特征进行综合分析。结果表明,台湾海峡南部和北部的索饵幼鱼仍属于同一地方种群:闽南-台湾浅滩语地方种群。根据其索饵洄游特点,可分为台湾海峡南部和北部两个索饵群体.     

Effects of variable winds on biological productivity on continental shelves in coastal upwelling systems

The production and distribution of biological material in wind-driven coastal upwelling systems are of global importance, yet they remain poorly understood. Production is frequently presumed to be proportional to upwelling rate, yet high winds can lead to advective losses from continental shelves, where many species at higher trophic levels reside. An idealized mixed-layer conveyor (MLC) model of biological production from constant upwelling winds demonstrated previously that the amount of new production available to shelf species increased with upwelling at low winds, but declined at high winds [Botsford, L.W., Lawrence, C.A., Dever, E.P., Hastings, A., Largier, J., 2003. Wind strength and biological productivity in upwelling systems: an idealized study. Fisheries Oceanography 12, 245–259]. Here we analyze the response of this model to time-varying winds for parameter values and observed winds from the Wind Events and Shelf Transport (WEST) study region. We compare this response to the conventional view that the results of upwelling are proportional to upwelled volume. Most new production per volume upwelled available to shelf species occurs following rapid increases in shelf transit time due to decreases in wind (i.e. relaxations). However, on synoptic, event time-scales shelf production is positively correlated with upwelling rate. This is primarily due to the effect of synchronous periods of low values in these time series, paradoxically due to wind relaxations. On inter-annual time-scales, computing model production from wind forcing from 20 previous years shows that these synchronous periods of low values have little effect on correlations between upwelling and production. Comparison of model production from 20 years of wind data over a range of shelf widths shows that upwelling rate will predict biological production well only in locations where cross-shelf transit times are greater than the time required for phytoplankton or zooplankton production. For stronger mean winds (narrower shelves), annual production falls below the peak of constant wind prediction [Botsford et al., 2003. Wind strength and biological productivity in upwelling systems: an idealized study. Fisheries Oceanography 12, 245–259], then as winds increase further (shelves become narrower) production does not decline as steeply as the constant wind prediction.     

Wave Defending Effects of V-Type Bottom-Mounted Breakwaters

An analytical method is developed for the study of the wave defending effects of the V-type bottom-mounted breakwater. The breakwater is assumed to be rigid, thin, impermeable and vertically located in water of constant depth. The fluid domain is divided into three sub-regions by an imaginary interface. The velocity potential in each region is expanded by eigenfunctions. By satisfying the corresponding boundary conditions and matching conditions in and between sub-regions, a set of hnear algebraic equations can be obtained to determine the unknown coetfficients for the eigenfunction expansions for each sub-region. The accuracy of the present model is verified by a comparison with existing results for the case of an isolated breakwater. Numerical results, in the form of contour maps of the relative wave amplitude around the breakwater, are presented for a range of wave and breakwater parameters. The results show that the V-type bottommounted breakwater is generally effective in defending against waves. In general, the wave height in the protected area is about 20-50 percent of the incident wave height.     

浮体间距对多浮体系统水动力系数的影响

根据三维线性势流理论，采用格林函数法，对多浮体系统的水动力系数进行了数值分析。数值算例中给出了在固定波频下水动力系数与浮体间相对位置关系曲线。水动力系数的变化幅度随着浮体间距离增大而变小。随着浮体间距的变化，水动力系数极值的出现具有明显的规律，相邻的极大值(或极小值)的间距为半个波长或一个波长。     

美国红鱼试养的初步研究

笔者自行培育的美国红鱼苗体长25～30mm．1996年6月上、中旬到当年12月中旬．其个体的平均重量分别达到了750g和800g，生长速度优于我国其他养殖鱼种。