Fitting a predator–prey model to zooplankton time-series data in the Gironde estuary (France): Ecological significance of the parameters

The relationships between the seasonal fluctuations of the copepod Eurytemora affinis and the mysid Neomysis integer were studied from observed data and experimental results, using a predator–prey model in the oligo-mesohaline area of the Gironde estuary. Mean seasonal fluctuations of abundances were derived from long term data series collected from 1978 to 2003 for both species. In situ predator–prey experiments over a seasonal cycle were used to estimate the seasonal variation of the consumption rate of N. integer on E. affinis and to verify the order of magnitude of the biological parameters given by the model.Predator–prey experiments revealed a high seasonal variation in maximum consumption rates with a mean of 56 ± 9 ind. pred⁻¹ d⁻¹. Maximum consumption rates were always higher for adults than for juveniles of Neomysis integer. Recorded selectivities were higher on nauplii than on copepodids + adults of Eurytemora affinis, both for the juveniles and the adults of N. integer. Neomysis integer mainly fed on meroplanktonic larvae, when they were available in higher abundances, than E. affinis in their environment.Spring increases of abundance for Eurytemora affinis copepodids + adults seemed to be mainly controlled by temperature whereas its decreasing abundance in summer was more related to Neomysis integer predation, suggesting that summer fluctuations of E. affinis abundance are probably controlled by mysid predation at summer times. Using a Lotka–Volterra predator–prey model, the seasonal peak of abundance of the mysid N. integer was well reproduced considering a predation on copepodids + adults of E. affinis, and suggested a dependence between mysid and copepod seasonal variations. However, the seasonal peak amplitude could not be explained solely by a predation on copepodids + adults or on nauplii of the copepod. Thus, N. integer is probably dependent on the seasonal fluctuations of the copepod's abundance, complementing its diet with macrophytal detritus during periods of scarce food.     

用稳定氮同位素分析广东硇洲岛海域金线鱼营养级

应用稳定同位素方法测定广东硇洲岛海域的金线鱼(Nemipterus virgatus)鱼肉、鱼鳃、内脏团和鱼鳞的稳定氮同位素,并计算出营养级。结果表明,在规格较一致的情况下,金线鱼各部位δ15N值范围为10.09‰¹4.07‰,其中,鱼肉δ15N值范围为11.56‰14.07‰,其中,鱼肉δ15N值范围为11.56‰¹4.07‰,差值达2.51‰,平均为12.84‰;鱼鳃δ15N值范围10.41‰14.07‰,差值达2.51‰,平均为12.84‰;鱼鳃δ15N值范围10.41‰¹2.10‰,差值达1.69‰,平均为11.41‰;内脏团δ15N值范围10.09‰12.10‰,差值达1.69‰,平均为11.41‰;内脏团δ15N值范围10.09‰¹1.98‰,差值达1.89‰,平均为11.08‰;鱼鳞δ15N值范围10.10‰11.98‰,差值达1.89‰,平均为11.08‰;鱼鳞δ15N值范围10.10‰¹1.35‰,差值达1.25‰,平均为10.66‰。鱼肉、鱼鳃、内脏团、鱼鳞的δ15N值大小依次为:鱼肉、鱼鳃、内脏团、鱼鳞。由δ15N值推算出来金线鱼的营养级范围为2.4611.35‰,差值达1.25‰,平均为10.66‰。鱼肉、鱼鳃、内脏团、鱼鳞的δ15N值大小依次为:鱼肉、鱼鳃、内脏团、鱼鳞。由δ15N值推算出来金线鱼的营养级范围为2.46³.12,平均值为2.80,符合其主要摄食浮游和底栖动物的食性。     

Trophic interactions, ecosystem structure and function in the southern Yellow Sea

The southern Yellow Sea is an important fishing ground, providing abundant fishery resources. However, overfishing and climate change have caused a decline in the resource and damaged the ecosystem. We developed an ecosystem model to analyze the trophic interactions and ecosystem structure and function to guide sustainable development of the ecosystem. A trophic mass-balance model of the southern Yellow Sea during 2000–2001 was constructed using Ecopath with Ecosim software. We defined 22 important functional groups and studied their diet composition. The trophic levels of fish, shrimp, crabs, and cephalopods were between 2.78 and 4.39, and the mean trophic level of the fisheries was 3.24. The trophic flows within the food web occurred primarily in the lower trophic levels. The mean trophic transfer efficiency was 8.1%, of which 7.1% was from primary producers and 9.3% was from detritus within the ecosystem. The transfer efficiency between trophic levels II to III to IV to V to >V was 5.0%, 5.7%, 18.5%, and 19.7%–20.4%, respectively. Of the total flow, phytoplankton contributed 61% and detritus contributed 39%. Fishing is defined as a top predator within the ecosystem, and has a negative impact on most commercial species. Moreover, the ecosystem had a high gross efficiency of the fishery and a high value of primary production required to sustain the fishery. Together, our data suggest there is high fishing pressure in the southern Yellow Sea. Based on analysis of Odum’s ecological parameters, this ecosystem was at an immature stage. Our results provide some insights into the structure and development of this ecosystem.     

A preliminary study on benthos food web structure of tidal zone in the Laoshan Bay by using stable carbon isotopes

By analyses of carbon isotopic composition(δ¹³C values) of the benthos collected in the Laoshan Bay in August 1993 and February and May 1994, it is found that the main food sources of the benthos can be divided into four groups in terms of carbon isotope composition: Particulate Organic Matter (POM),benthic diatoms, benthic macroalgae and the organic matter in sediments.The results show that the carbon isotopic composition of the benthic animals has a close relation with that of the food they take in.The carbon isotopic compositions of benthos may be useful in elucidating their food sources.The carbon isotopic data have confirmed that POM is the main food source of the benthic filter feeders such as bivalves; crustaceans have a wide range of δ¹³C values, showing their food source has diversity; benthic diatoms are an important fraction of the food for most of gastropods.A preliminary investigation of the benthic-pelagic coupling in that region using the stable carbon isotopic tracers has confirmed the importance of POM as a food source for benthos in this region,but the organic matter in sediments and benthic diatoms are also relatively important for a lot of benthic animals.The benthic-pelagic coupling in the Laoshan Bay temperate ecosystem is not so tight as that in ecosystems at higher latitudes such as north-eastern water polynya.     

Trophic efficiency of the planktonic food web in a coastal ecosystem dominated by Phaeocystis colonies

The trophic efficiency of the planktonic food web in the Phaeocystis-dominated ecosystem of the Belgian coastal waters was inferred from the analysis of the carbon flow network of the planktonic system subdivided into its different trophodynamic groups. A carbon budget was constructed on the basis of process-level field experiments conducted during the spring bloom period of 1998. Biomass and major metabolic activities of auto- and heterotrophic planktonic communities (primary production, bacterial production, nanoproto-, micro- and mesozooplankton feeding activities) were determined in nine field assemblages collected during spring at reference station 330. In 1998, the phytoplankton spring flowering was characterised by a moderate diatom bloom followed by a massive Phaeocystis colony bloom. Phaeocystis colonies, contributing 70% to the net primary production, escaped the linear food chain while the early spring diatom production supplied 74% of the mesozooplankton carbon uptake. The rest of mesozooplankton food requirement was, at the time of the Phaeocystis colony bloom, partially fulfilled by microzooplankton. Only one-third of the microzooplankton production, however, was controlled by mesozooplankton grazing pressure. Ungrazed Phaeocystis colonies were stimulating the establishment of a very active microbial network. On the one hand, the release of free-living cells from ungrazed colonies has been shown to stimulate the growth of microzooplankton, which was controlling 97% of the nanophytoplankton production. On the other hand, the disruption of ungrazed Phaeocystis colonies supplied the water column with large amounts of dissolved organic matter available for planktonic bacteria. The budget calculation suggests that ungrazed colonies contributed up to 60% to the bacterial carbon demand, while alternative sources (exudation, zooplankton egestion and lysis of other organisms) provided some 30% of bacterial carbon requirements. This suggests that the spring carbon demand of planktonic bacteria was satisfied largely by autogenic production. The trophic efficiency was defined as the ratio between mesozooplankton grazing on a given source and food production. In spite of its major contribution to mesozooplankton feeding, the trophic efficiency of the linear food chain, restricted to the grazing on diatoms, represented only 5.6% of the available net primary production. The trophic efficiency of the microbial food chain, the ratio between mesozooplankton grazing on microzooplankton and the resource inflow (the bacterial carbon demand plus the nanophytoplankton production) amounted to only 1.6%. These low trophic efficiencies together with the potential contribution of ungrazed Phaeocystis-derived production to the bacterial carbon demand suggest that during spring 1998 most of the Phaeocystis-derived production in the Belgian coastal area was remineralised in the water column.     

汉江流域黑竹冲河五种优势摇蚊的周年生产量及营养基础分析

2003年6月至2004年6月间对汉江流域2级河流——黑竹冲河大型底栖动物群落优势种类的生产力进行为期一周年的调查研究,其中主要优势摇蚊中粗腹摇蚊(Pentaneura sp．)和多足摇蚊(Polypedilum sp.)的生活史为一年三代, 小摇蚊(Microtendipes sp．)和帕摇蚊(Pagastia sp．)为一年两代,刺突摇蚊(Chaetocladius sp．)为一年一代．粗腹摇蚊种群生物量和多度在一年中出现两次峰值,多足摇蚊则出现三次,小摇蚊在6月份达到最大峰值,刺突摇蚊在1月份达到最大峰值,帕摇蚊在10月份和次年1月份分别达到次峰值和主峰值．采用龄期频率法(instar-frequency method)测算的周年生产量(鲜重)分别为:粗腹摇蚊,19．9233g/(m2·a),P/B为8．7;多足摇蚊,7．2177g/(m2·a),P/B为8．1;小摇蚊, 0．8996g/(m2·a),P/B为6．0;刺突摇蚊,3．2533 g／(m2·a),P／B为3．4;帕摇蚊,8．5132g/(m2·a),P／B为8．4．除粗腹摇蚊外,其它四种摇蚊的前肠内含物中无形态碎屑所占比例均高于90％,对生产量的贡献率达到77％-96％;粗腹摇蚊的动物性食物所占比例达到14．73％,其对生产量的贡献率高达46．04％．     

Quantitative model of trophic interactions in Beibu Gulf ecosystem in the northern South China Sea

1IntroductionThe Beibu Gulf is a natural semiclosed conti-nental sea of the South China Sea,which is situatedat17°00′~21°45′N,105°40′~110°10′E,and sur-rounded by China and Vietnam(see Fig.1).It hasa subtropic monsoon climate with an average winter