Comparisons between the influences of habitat, body size and season on the dietary composition of the sparid Acanthopagrus latus in a large marine embayment

Seasonal samples from Shark Bay on the west coast of Australia were used to determine (1) the habitats occupied by the juveniles and adults of Acanthopagrus latus in this large subtropical marine embayment and (2) the extent to which the dietary composition of this sparid is influenced by habitat type, body length and season. Sampling was undertaken in two habitat types in which A. latus was known to be abundant, namely mangrove (Avicennia marina) creeks and nearby rocky areas, the latter comprising sandstone boulders and/or limestone reefs. The mean total length ±95% CLs of A. latus was far lower in mangrove creeks, 126 ± 6.1 mm, than in rocky areas, 313 ± 4.7 mm. As A. latus attains maturity at ca. 245 mm, the juveniles of this species typically occupy mangrove areas and then, with increasing body size, move to nearshore rocky areas, where they become adults. The species composition of the food ingested by juvenile A. latus in mangrove creeks differed markedly from that of large juveniles and adults in rocky areas. Based on analyses of data for both habitat types combined, this difference was far greater than that between size classes and season, which was negligible. There were indications, however, that, overall within each habitat, the dietary composition did change seasonally, although not with body size. Acanthopagrus latus fed predominantly on mangrove material, sesarmid crabs and small gastropods in mangrove habitats, and mainly on Brachidontes ustulatus in rocky areas, where this mytilid bivalve is very abundant. The mangrove material, which contributed nearly 40% of its overall dietary volume in mangrove creeks, consisted mainly of lateral root primordia. This apparently unique food source for a teleost is presumably ingested through subsurface nipping, which would be facilitated by the mouth and dentitional characteristics of sparids. The almost total lack of correspondence in the dietary compositions of fish in the length class that was well represented in both mangrove and rocky areas illustrates the extent to which this sparid is capable of opportunistic feeding behaviour.     

围垦的社会经济价值及其对海洋环境影响的评估

从围垦滩涂与保护湿地的关系着手,针对浙江省的滩涂围垦现状,讨论了沿海滩涂实施围垦工程所创造的社会经济价值,分析了湿地生态的环境特征及其对自然界的贡献,指出并探讨了海岸带资源开发与海岸工程建设所带来的问题,从湿地保护和经济可持续发展的角度提出了相关的建议。     

Subsurface Water Masses in the Central North Pacific Transition Region: The Repeat Section along the 18° Meridian

A repeat hydrographic section has been maintained over two decades along the 180° meridian across the subarctic-subtropical transition region. The section is naturally divided into at least three distinct zones. In the Subarctic Zone north of 46°N, the permanent halocline dominates the density stratification, supporting a subsurface temperature minimum (STM). The Subarctic Frontal Zone (SFZ) between 42°–46°N is the region where the subarctic halocline outcrops. To the south is the Subtropical Zone, where the permanent thermocline dominates the density stratification, containing a pycnostad of North Pacific Central Mode Water (CMW). The STM water colder than 4°C in the Subarctic Zone is originated in the winter mixed layer of the Bering Sea. The temporal variation of its core temperature lags 12–16 months behind the variations of both the winter sea surface temperature (SST) and the summer STM temperature in the Bering Sea, suggesting that the thermal anomalies imposed on the STM water by wintertime air-sea interaction in the Bering Sea spread over the western subarctic gyre, reaching the 180° meridian within a year or so. The CMW in this section originates in the winter mixed layer near the northern edge of the Subtropical Zone between 160°E and 180°. The CMW properties changed abruptly from 1988 to 1989; its temperature and salinity increased and its potential density decreased. It is argued that these changes were caused by the climate regime shift in 1988/1989 characterized by weakening of the Aleutian Low and the westerlies and increase in the SST in the subarctic-subtropical transition region. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Embryonic and larval development of Babylonia formosae habei (Altena and Gittenberger, 1981) (Gastropoda:Buccinidae) on China''''s coast

The development of embryos and larvae of Babylonia formosae habei living along the southeast coast of China is observed under laboratory conditions. The egg masses are laid by females on hard substrate at night and each capsule contains 100-500 eggs. Each egg is 250-280 mm in diameter. The first two cleavages of the embryo are meridional and equal, and a polar lobe is produced. Larval kidney, which only consists of a single cell, appears during the gastrula stage on each side of the embryo. The right tentacle develops prior to the left one. At 25-27℃, an intracapsulate veliger stage is reached about 4.5 d after deposition. The larvae hatch on the fifth day as swimming veligers with a shell length of 360 -500 mm. The newly hatched larva can ingest suspended algal cells from the water column and remains in the pelagic stage for 8-10 d. The newly settled juveniles are 900-1 200 mm in shell length.     

真鲷早期发育阶段行为生态学研究

真鲷Pagrosomus major Temminck et Schlegel早期发育阶段游泳行为的发育可以分为:(1)旋转式运动;(2)阶梯型运动;(3)间断式水平运动和滑翔;(4)巡游以及(5)疾游五种类型。前期仔鱼的摄食方式主要是伴有甩头动作的前冲摄食;后期仔鱼的摄食主要有两种类型:一种是身体弯成S形的“S攻击型”;另一种为不作摄食姿势的“咬食攻击型”。摄食方式随着发育水平和饵料种类的不同而异。文中对发育过程中出现的攻击行为、护食行为、互食行为、猝死现象亦进行了描述。并对游泳、摄食以及各种行为的生态意义和实际意义进行了讨论。     

Processes Causing the Temporal Changes in Si/N Ratios of Nutrient Consumptions and Export Flux during the Spring Diatom Bloom

Two processes are generally explained as causes of temporal changes in the stoichiometric silicon/nitrogen (Si/N) ratios of sinking particles and of nutrient consumption in the surface water during the spring diatom bloom: (1) physiological changes of diatom under the stress of photosynthesis of diatom and (2) differences of regeneration between silicon and nitrogen. We investigated which process plays an important role in these changes using a one-dimensional ecosystem model that explicitly represents diatom and the other non-silicious phytoplankton. The model was applied to station A7 (41°30′ N, 145°30′ E) in the western North Pacific, where diatom regularly blooms in spring. Model simulations show that the Si/N ratios of the flux exported by the sinking particles at 100 m depth and of nutrient consumptions in the upper 100 m surface water have their maxima at the end of the spring diatom bloom, the values and timings of which are significantly different from each other. Analyses of the model results show that the differences of regeneration between silicon and nitrogen mainly cause the temporal changes of the Si/N ratios. On the other hand, the physiological changes of diatoms under stress can hardly cause these temporal changes, because the effect of the change in the diatom's uptake ratio of silicon to nitrogen is cancelled by that in its sinking rate.     

National ocean policy—new opportunities for Malaysian ocean development

Being a littoral state, Malaysian maritime sectors provide the basis for the growth and development of marine-related activities. As the country enters the new millennium along with the ‘2020 Vision’ which serves as the basic template against which the economic performance of these sectors should be judged, it poses a new challenge for Malaysia in developing these sectors. This paper attempts to address three basic issues: Firstly, is there any national ocean policy in place? Secondly, are the maritime sectors adequately organized to play an important role in achieving the objectives? Thirdly, what are the opportunities available in developing the ocean?It can be seen that existing policies to develop comprehensive ocean governance have not received the full attention they deserve. Organizational structures governing the ocean for implementing national policies are well in place but in a fragmented and uncoordinated fashion. As a result, sectoral and intersectoral management problems were created such as multiple-use conflicts, overlapping of jurisdiction and duplication of efforts. Environmental problems have also not been properly addressed. A few sectors have been identified as offering opportunities to further develop the Malaysian maritime areas. Among these are marine education and human resources development, marine tourism and the seafood industry.     

Embryonic and larval development of Babylonia formosae habei(Altena and Gittenberger, 1981)(Gastropoda: Buccinidae) on China''s coast

The development of embryos and larvae of Babyloniaformosae habei living along the southeast coast of China is observed under laboratory conditions. The egg masses are laid by females on hard substrate at night and each capsule contains 100-500 eggs. Each egg is 250-280 mm in diameter. The fast two cleavages of the embryo are meridional and equal, and a polar lobe is produced. Larval kidney, which only consists of a single cell, appears during the gastrula stage on each side of the embryo. The right tentacle develops prior to the left one. At 25-27 ℃, an intracapsulate veliger stage is reached about 4.5 d after deposition. The larvae hatch on the fifth day as swimming veligers with a shell length of 360 -500 mm. The newly hatched larva can ingest suspended algal cells from the water column and remains in the pelagic stage for 8-10 d. The newly settled juveniles are 900-1 200 mm in shell length.