Nitrogen fixation in polluted intertidal sediments of Waimea Inlet,Nelson

Abstract

Nitrogen fixing potential was measured in summer 1975 by acetylene reduction in situ at 5 stations on the intertidal flats of the Waimea Inlet, Nelson, New Zealand, which receive nutrients from several sources. Highest values (644 μmol?m^?2.d^?1) were obtained on sediments near an apple cannery effluent discharge and were linear through at least two tidal cycles. The cannery waste had the highest carbon to nitrogen ratio (10.3 : 1.0) of all the effluents examined and exhibited the highest rate of acetylene reduction (14.0 μmol?_‐l^?1.d^?1). Sizeable populations of the nitrogen fixing bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae were isolated from the cannery effluent (2 × 10⁴ per millilitre) and also from the mud adjacent to the discharge pipe (5 × 10⁵ per millilitrc). The stimulatory effect of the cannery effluent on nitrogen fixation in the sediment was shown to be restricted to close to the discharge point. Sediments in areas affected by slaughterhouse and sewage effluents exhibited the second and third highest rates of acetylene reduction, (130 &; 28 μmol?m^?2.d^?1 respectively). In both places, the activities were not restricted to the immediate vicinity of the effluent channels. Nitrogen fixation was lowest in sediments fronting a catchment of grazed pasture. Fixation was low also in sediments affected by effluents from the hydraulic debarker of a woodchip mill.     

Diet and dietary variation of New Zealand hoki Macruronus novaezelandiae

The diet of hoki was determined from examination of stomach contents of 1992 fish of 26–112 cm total length (TL) sampled at depths of 209–904m on Chatham Rise, New Zealand, from summer research trawl surveys and seasonal commercial fishing trawls, during 2004–2008. Prey was predominantly euphausiids, mesopelagic fishes and natant decapods. Multivariate analyses using distance-based linear models, non-parametric multi-dimensional scaling and similarity percentages indicated that the best predictors of diet variability were the position of the fish in relation to the subtropical front (STF), fish size and longitude. Pasiphaeids were more important to the north of the STF, and sternoptychid fishes and euphausiids more important in the STF convergence area. Euphausiids and sternoptychid fishes were important for smaller hoki (26–55 cm TL), myctophid fishes and natant decapods for larger hoki, and macrourids for the largest hoki (>84 cm TL). The longitudinal effect was characterised by pasiphaeids, euphausiids and sternoptychids to the west, and myctophids in the centre of Chatham Rise. Feeding activity was analysed using generalised additive models, and was found to vary with time of day, sample source (research or commercial), longitude, hoki size and depth. The variability in diet suggested hoki forage opportunistically within their preferred habitat and biological limits.     

Life history of Galaxias divergens (Salmonoidea: Galaxiidae)

Galaxias divergent Stokell is a small, bottom‐dwelling fish inhabiting streams in the North Island and the northern part of the South Island. Its ecology is similar in many respects to that of G. vulgaris. The fry develop in the same environment as the adults, unlike the sea‐going young of several other Galaxias spec'es. Spawning occurs in spring and summer, and at least some of the fish mature at the beginning of their second year. The maximum age attained seems to be about 3 years, and the fish can reach a length of about 80 mm in this time. The food consists mostly of small benthic invertebrates taken from both the stream bed and the drift fauna.     

Ecology of rocky reef fish of northeastern New Zealand: 50 years on

Abstract

This review examines the history and current understanding of the ecology of rocky reef fishes in northeastern New Zealand, marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Leigh Marine Laboratory. The cumulative number of publications increased steadily to c. 180 by 2012. Most attention has been on the snapper (Pagrus auratus, f. Sparidae), the largest in size and economically most important species, and on triplefins (Tripterygiidae), the smallest in size and most diverse family. A strong quantitative school emerged in the 1980s, a period when there was little research on temperate reef fishes elsewhere. A ‘bottom-up’ view of the effects of habitat structure on fish emerged, identifying the key roles of depth, topography and macroalgae. By 2000, attention shifted to using marine reserves as laboratories for ecological research. A ‘top-down’ view of fish as predators emerged, documenting cascading effects on prey communities and habitats. The two different viewpoints have not yet been integrated. Research gaps, including population connectivity and climate change, represent major challenges for the next 50 years.     

Use of particle-size data to predict potential pelagic-fish yields of some southern African areas

A particle-size spectrum model is used to estimate standing stocks of some pelagic fish from measurements of phytoplankton chlorophyll in two exploited regions in southern Africa (southern Benguela and off South West Africa/Namibia) and in two unexploited regions (the Agulhas Bank and off the eastern Cape Province). The model is based on the assumption that equal biomasses occur in logarithmically equal size classes in the pelagic marine environment. Phytoplankton, with an equivalent spherical diameter ranging from 1 to 128 μm, occupy 21 size classes on the logarithmic scale. Two different size ranges are assumed for some commercial, pelagic fish species, equivalent to exploitation with two different purse-seine mesh sizes. A mesh of 12,7 mm would catch 8 size classes of pilchard, horse mackerel and anchovy whereas a mesh of 32 mm would catch only 3,3 size classes of pilchard and horse mackerel. From the model, the potential biomass of these commercial pelagic fish is estimated, after allowing for the presence of other commercial and non-commercial fish and other taxa in the exploited size range. Total pelagic fish production is estimated by assuming constant turnover rates of 1·y^?1 and 1,5·y^?1 when exploited with 32 and 12,7 mm mesh nets respectively. Consideration of the maximum and mean reported catches in the exploited areas indicates that only some 25 per cent of pelagic fish production is exploitable by man. On this basis, the unexploited Agulhas Bank region may yield some 400 000 metric tons (wet) of pelagic fish of the species considered, and the East Coast region some 90 000 tons. Exploitation in these regions cannot be recommended, because the Agulhas Bank is an important spawning ground for many pelagic species, and the fish in both regions probably act as a reserve buffer for the heavily exploited pelagic resource of the Western Cape.     

The geographic distribution of Echiura from southern Africa

The echiuran fauna of southern Africa currently comprises two families, four genera and 16 species of which one has recently been described as new to science and four are new records for the region. The taxonomic characters distinguishing the genera are given. The zoogeographic distribution of the southern African species is outlined and discussed. Knowledge of the echiuran fauna is too scanty to throw any light on the division of the coastline into faunistic provinces.     

大亚湾三种经济贝类的营养生态位及潜在产量评估

通过周年4个季度对大亚湾3种主要经济贝类———珍珠贝Pinctadamartensii,华贵栉孔扇贝Chlamysnobilis　和贻贝Pernaviridis的采样、观测和鉴定,分析它们胃肠物中的食物组成及其季节变化,综合分析了它们的营养生态位。结果显示,3种贝类的食物组成相似,食物中以碎屑、碎片最多,其次是浮游植物,主要包括硅藻、甲藻、金藻和蓝藻,而浮游动物含量最少,偶尔见到原生动物、轮虫、枝角类和桡足类的残体或壳。大亚湾水体的年初级生产力为63万t有机碳,推算出大亚湾生态系统中贝类的最大产量约为1600t·km-2,潜在产量为16—160t·km-2。     

Study on the feeding habit and trophic level of main economic invertebrates in the Huanghai Sea

INTRODUCTIONTheHuanghaiSeaisrichwithfisheryspecies.Apartfromfishes,thereisagreatnumberofinvertebrates,ofwhichmanyareofcommercialimportance,playinganimportantroleintheHuanghaiSeafishery.Twogroupsofinvertebrates,CrustaceaandCephalopodawerelandedduringthetrawlsurveysintheHuanghaiSea.CrustaceaincludedPenaeusorientalis,Trachypenaeuscurvirostris,Crangonaffinis,Mitatynaeopsisdalei,Palaemongravieri,Portunustrituberculatus,Charybdisbimaculata,Oratosquillaoratoria,etc.andCephalopodainclucded…     

2004年夏季台湾海峡上升流海域悬浮颗粒物粒径谱分析

利用2004年夏季台湾海峡南部海域的现场激光粒度仪剖面测量数据,运用海洋食物链的粒径谱理论,分析了悬浮颗粒物的Sheldon谱图和正态化谱图的剖面分布精细结构。横跨台湾海峡沿岸及浅滩外斜上升流的A和B两断面Sheldon粒径谱类型相近,正态化谱图的斜率r的范围从-0.79到-0.65,在明显高于寡营养海域的水平上波动。斜率r的高值带或高变幅带,在上升流系高叶绿素带及叶绿素最大层的周边或前端的呈斑状分布。海洋食物链的粒径谱分析结果支持关于台湾海峡南部上升流生态系高生产力、短食物链和高营养转换效率的宏观认识,并深化对营养转换效率分布精细结构的了解。现场激光粒度仪可发展为探索海洋食物链时空分布精细结构的常备传感器。