Ecotone or Ecocline: Ecological Boundaries in Estuaries

Two main ecological boundaries, ecotone and ecocline, have been defined in landscape ecology. At this scale, the estuary represents a boundary between rivers and the sea, but there has been no attempt to fit empirical data for estuaries to these boundary models. An extensive data set from the Thames estuary was analysed using multivariate techniques and species-range analysis, in order to investigate whether the ecocline or the ecotone model was most relevant to this estuary. Data for periods of high and low freshwater flow allowed the impact of large-scale fluctuations implicit in both models to be determined.A continuum of assemblages existed along the salinity gradient from freshwater river to the North Sea, with shifts in the ranges of organisms apparent in response to changes in freshwater flow. This pattern closely fits an ecocline model. However, the estuary differs from previously defined ecoclines in having two overlapping gradients in the major stressor: from river to mid-estuary for freshwater species and from sea to mid-estuary for marine species. We propose, therefore, that the estuary represents a two-ecocline model, with fauna inhabiting the mid-estuary being either freshwater or marine species at the edge of their range, rather than ‘ true estuarine organisms ’. This allows a redefinition of the Remane diagram, with estuarine species removed, and supports previous arguments that brackish-water species do not exist. Such two-ecocline models may also exist in other marine systems, such as rocky shores.     

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.     

Seagrass landscape-scale changes in response to disturbance created by the dynamics of barrier-islands: A case study from Ria Formosa (Southern Portugal)

This study documents long-term changes of a Zostera noltii landscape induced by a natural cyclic event in a coastal lagoon. The barrier-islands forming this system are very dynamic with drifting movements controlling ecological patterns and processes occurring in this area. Changes in the areal extent of the Z. noltii meadows were assessed using historical aerial photographs from 1940, 1980, 1989, 1996 and 1998. Landscape indices such as total patch area (TA), mean patch size (MPS), number of patches (NP), mean shape coefficient of variation (CV) and landscape fractal dimension (D) were calculated for each year and related to an index of disturbance intensity. The spatial distribution of the Z. noltii meadows varied greatly during the studied period and changes observed were related to the disturbance created by the barrier-islands' spatial dynamics. After an artificial inlet relocation the Z. noltii area, number of patches, patch mean size and coefficient of variation decreased. The fractal dimension of the Z. noltii landscape increased by 50% showing that besides a decrease in total area, number of patches, and patch mean area, patch fragmentation was an important consequence of this anthropogenic disturbance.Seagrass natural distribution patterns changed in response to natural and human-induced activities. This study emphasizes the importance of the landscape approach and the historical perspective when studying seagrass changes and the importance of taking into consideration long-term changes in seagrass landscapes to avoid confusion between man-induced effects with natural cyclic events.     

等深流沉积研究现状与展望

本文根据国内外等深流及其沉积的研究成果,概述了它们的研究进展,且详细阐述了等深流沉积特征和沉积类型,并指出等深岩丘的发现是该领域最为重要、最具特色的突出成果以及等深流沉积研究的油气勘探意义.虽然随着深海钻探计划和大洋钻探项目的开展,等深流沉积研究取得了较大进展,但现代等深流沉积和古代等深流沉积的研究在一定程度上发展尚不平衡,仍存在着较多问题,尤其是在古代等深流沉积研究方面显得更为薄弱.最为重要的是,等深流沉积的识别是该领域研究的最大难题.因此,在其未来研究上,应注意运用地震波识别、遥感等现代科技调查手段,进行多学科综合研究,尽快建立一套完善的识别标志,如沉积学标志、古生物标志等,以促使其逐渐成为海洋沉积学中一个更为完善的研究领域.     

Spatial Variation in the Structure of Kelp Forest Communities Along a Wave Exposure Gradient

Abstract. Four sites were sampled in kelp (Macrocysiis pyrifera) forests occupying rocky bottom habitats along a wave exposure gradient in central California. Consistent betwecn-site differences were found in the three major structural elements - the surface canopy, the undcrstory assemblage, and the ground cover/turf assemblage - of kelp forest communities. Macrocysiis pyrifera was found at all four sites. Nereucyslis tuelkeana only at the most exposed site. The understory kelps Laminaria setchellii and Pterygopltora californica were also characteristic of exposed sites. Articulated coralline algae were more abundant at exposed sites than protected, while fleshy red algae showed the opposite pattern. All four study sites were located along 8.5 km of coastline, and thus were assumed to have available to them the same species pool for colonization. The substrate composition was the same and the amount of unconsolidated substrate was similar at all four sites. We suggest that exposure to wave-generated water motion, through its influence on the surface canopy and therefore on the amount of light reaching the bottom, is responsible for these between-site differences.     

The Effect of Human Exclusion on the Population Structure of Key-Hole Limpets Fissurella crassa and F. limbata on the Coast of Central Chile

Abstract. We describe the basic ecology of two key-hole limpets, Fissurella crassa and Fissurella limbata , which are heavily harvested by coastal shellfishermen (mariscadores) at the rocky intertidal of central Chile. The ecological role of human predation on these species was assessed. Anthropic exclusion from a stretch of the rocky intertidal at Las Cruces (non-harvested area) for about two and a half years resulted in changes of the densities and size distributions of these fissurelid species as compared to populations in control zones (harvested area). Differential human predation generates, on key-hole limpets, responses of different intensities related to the accessibility of man to the mesohabitats (sheltered platforms, exposed platforms and vertical walls) and fringes of the intertidal (mid-low intertidal and Lessonia nigrescens fringe). Thus, size distributions and mean densities of both fissurelids differ widely between the harvested and non-harvested areas on both platform habitats but not on vertical walls. In the mid-low intertidal fringe, differences are greater than in the less accessible L. nigrescens intertidal fringe. Moreover, we discuss the way in which other species, directly harvested by mariscadores (i. e., the mollusc Concholepas concholepas) can affect the keyhole limpet populations of central Chile rocky shores. Finally, we highlight the ecological role of these limpets on the dynamics of intertidal ecosystems and how they can modify community landscape.     

Coastal geomorphic evolution at the Denglou Cape, the Leizhou Peninsula

ＩＮＴＲＯＤＵＣＴＩＯＮＴｈｅＤｅｎｇｌｏｕＣａｐｅ ,ｉｎｔｈｅｓｏｕｔｈｗｅｓｔｏｆｔｈｅＬｅｉｚｈｏｕＰｅｎｉｎｓｕｌａ ,ｉｓａｔｔｈｅｎｏｒｔｈｍａｒｇｉｎｏｆｔｒｏｐｉｃａｌｚｏｎｅ .ＳｅｖｅｒａｌｒｅｓｅａｒｃｈｅｓａｎｄｃａｒｔｏｇｒａｐｈｉｅｓｏｆｔｈｅｒｅｇｉｏｎａｌｇｅｏｍｏｒｐｈｏｌｏｇｙａｎｄＱｕａｔｅｒ ｎａｒｙｇｅｏｌｏｇｙ ,ｗｈｉｃｈｗｅｒｅｃａｒｒｉｅｄｏｕｔｉｎｔｈｅｐａｓｔ,ａｌｌｉｎｃｌｕｄｅｔｈｉｓａｒｅａ (ＭＧＬ ,ＳＣＳＩＯ ,ＣＡＳ ,1 978;ＧＰＣＳＧＲＣＺＴ…     

喀斯特荒漠化是一种地质—生态灾难

ＫＤＮ是一种ＧＥＯＬ－ＥＣＯＬ灾难,是发生潮湿的碳酸盐岩区的土壤侵蚀、土地退化与生态系统凋萎,致使人类很难生活在其中。ＫＤＮ是我国四大ＧＥＯＬ－ＥＣＯＬ灾害中最难整治、最难摆脱贫困的地区。本文按国际公认的原则为准,认定“石山化”≠ＫＤＮ,从地质结构性气候、物候和生态系统多因子厘定了ＫＤＮ术语,认定人为扰动与人口超载是其产生的序参量。其过程最迟也是３００多年前明清朝代屯垦开始,近半个世纪加速衰竭,森     

厦门港岩相潮间带多毛类的生态

本文根据１９８７年２、５、８、１１月调查资料，研究了厦门港岩相潮间带多毛类的种类组成、种类与数量的垂直分布、季节变化，并与大亚湾多毛类生态进行比较。结果表明，调查区域有多毛类４７种。平均栖息密度６０个／ｍ＾２，平均生物量１．７８ｇ／ｍ＾２，潮汐作用影响多毛类的种数、密度、生物量的垂直分布。多毛类数量的季节变化不甚明显，但冬季的栖息密度和春季的生物量较高。