Patterns in the abundance of hyperbenthic zooplankton and colonization of marine benthic invertebrates on the seafloor of Saanich Inlet,a seasonally hypoxic fjord

This study describes changes in abundance of hyperbenthic zooplankton (including meroplankton) and benthic colonists at the seasonally hypoxic seabed of Saanich Inlet, British Columbia, Canada. We used the Victoria Experimental Network Under the Sea (VENUS) cabled observatory to measure water properties and to sample hyperbenthos with a sediment trap at 97 m from September 2008 to September 2009. Some faunal groups exhibited seasonal reproduction, and abundance peaked during their reproductive periods. These included larvae of the barnacle Balanus crenatus, and the crabs Petrolisthes eriomerus, Oregonia gracilis, and Lophopanopeus bellus bellus. Other groups were most abundant in spring and summer when food and oxygen levels were highest and temperature was lowest. These included cumaceans, the siphonophore Diphyes sp., the bryozoan Triticella pedicellata, and tintinnids. We also collected benthic colonists, predominantly bryozoans and polychaetes, on colonization plates deployed in spring/summer 2008, fall 2008/winter 2009, and spring/summer 2009. The total abundance of colonists and of bryozoans did not vary seasonally or with substrate complexity, whereas polychaetes were more numerous in spring/summer deployments and on a highly complex substrate. Taxon richness of colonists was higher in spring/summer 2008 than in fall 2008/winter 2009, whereas an anoxic episode in spring/summer 2009 reduced richness to similar values with that of fall 2008/winter 2009 levels. Substrate complexity had no effect on richness. Juvenile squat lobsters, digitally imaged in fall 2008/winter 2009, were most numerous when oxygen levels were lowest and potentially excluding larger predators. Our study illustrates how season, food availability, temperature, and oxygen can interact to shape community structure in a seasonally hypoxic habitat.     

Shifts from native to non-indigenous mussels: Enhanced habitat complexity and its effects on faunal assemblages

Ecosystem engineers such as mussels may affect strongly both the structure of benthic assemblages and the ecosystem functioning. The black-pygmy mussel Limnoperna securis is an invasive species that is spreading along the Galician coast (NW Spain). Its current distribution overlaps with the distribution of the commercial native mussel species Mytilus galloprovincialis, but only in the inner part of two southern Galician rias. Here, we analysed the assemblages associated with clumps of the two mussel species and evaluated if the invasive species increased complexity of habitat. To measure complexity of clumps we used a new method modified from the “chain and tape” method. Results showed that the identity of the mussel influenced macrofaunal assemblages, but not meiofauna. L. securis increased the complexity of clumps, and such complexity explained a high percentage of variability of macrofauna. The shift in dominance from M. galloprovincialis to L. securis may alter habitat structure and complexity, affecting the macrofaunal assemblages with unpredictable consequences on trophic web relations.     

Assessment of hydrological alterations on wandering beetle assemblages (coleoptera: Carabidae and Tenebrionidae) in coastal wetlands of arid Mediterranean systems

Changes in wandering beetle assemblages (Carabidae and Tenebrionidae) of different habitats situated in coastal wetlands of a Mediterranean arid area (Mar Menor, SE Spain) were analysed in 1984, 1992 and 2003 by pitfall trapping. Over two decades, the increase in irrigated lands at watershed scale led to rising water tables in the Mar Menor wetlands, which affected their beetle communities. These hydrological changes caused an increase in the carabid population, particularly in the sites most affected by flooding, where halobionts and halophiles, which were practically absent in 1984 and 1992, had become dominant by 2003. In contrast, tenebrionid assemblages simplified with time and by 2003 were dominated by one or two generalist species.     

渤海莱州湾晚第四纪底栖有孔虫分布特征及其地质意义

通过对渤海莱州湾GK138、GK111及GK95孔的255个沉积物样品中的有孔虫定量统计分析,共鉴定出底栖有孔虫15属32种。根据底栖有孔虫的丰度和分异度等分布特征和AMS14C和光释光（OSL）测年结果,揭示晚第四纪以来研究区共发育3套海相地层,分别是中更新世晚期的第三海相层、晚更新世的第二海相层和全新世的第一海相层,通过与全球海面变化曲线对比,发现其与MIS7、MIS5和MIS1阶段的高海面有良好的对应关系。样品的Q型聚类及主成分分析划分出3组代表不同沉积环境的有孔虫化石组合,第III化石组合带为中更新世晚期海侵的产物,为河口-滨岸浅海环境。第Ⅱ化石组合为晚更新世海侵的产物,为潮间带-潮下带沉积环境,第I化石组合带为潮上带-潮间带沉积环境。海相地层顶、底板高程和厚度的分析结果显示中更新世晚期至晚更新世期间发生过不同期次、不同强度的构造活动,而进入全新世以后构造活动相对减弱。     

Biostratigraphy and facies analysis of the Upper Cretaceous–Danian? platform carbonate succession in the Kuyucak area,western Central Taurides,S Turkey

The Upper Cretaceous succession outcropping in the Anamas–Akseki Autochton, consists of approximately 500 m thick purely platform carbonate sediments. It begins with Cenomanian limestones intercalated with limestone breccias (Unit-1) containing mainly Pseudorhapydionina dubia, Pseudonummoloculina heimi, Spiroloculina cretacea (Assemblage I) and unconformably overlies the Lower Cretaceous (Barremian–Aptian) limestones with Vercorsella laurentii, Praechrysalidina infracretacea and Salpingoporella hasi. The Cenomanian limestones include foraminiferal packstone–wackestone, peloidal packstone–wackestone and mudstone microfacies deposited in restricted platform conditions. The Cenomanian succession is truncated by an unconformity characterised by locale bauxite deposits. Immediately above the unconformable surface, dolomitic limestones and rudistid limestones (Unit-2) are assigned to the upper Campanian based on the benthic foraminiferal assemblage (Assemblage II) comprising mainly Murciella gr. cuvillieri, Pseudocyclammina sphaeroidea, Accordiella conica, Scandonea samnitica and Fleuryana adriatica (smaller-sized populations). The upper Campanian limestones composed of dominantly foraminiferal-microbial packstone–wackestone microfacies deposited in shallow water environment with low energy, restricted circulation. The following limestones of the Unit-2 is characterised by sporadic intercalation of “open shelf” Orbitoides, Omphalocyclus, Siderolites assemblage (Assemblage III), assigned to the Maastrichtian, in addition to pre-existing “restricted platform” species. In the upper part of this biozone, the Rhapydionina liburnica/Fleuryana adriatica concurrent range subzone (Assemblage IIIb) is distinguished by the presence of Valvulina aff. triangularis, Loftusia minor as well as the nominal species. The Maastrichtian limestones with sporadically open marine influence consist of bioclastic (rudist-bearing) packstone–floatstone, foraminiferal packstone–wackestone with rudist fragments and peloidal/intraclastic packstone–wackestone microfacies deposited in shallow subtidal–subtidal (lagoonal) environments. The Upper Cretaceous succession passes upwardly into 70 m thick limestones and clayey limestones (Unit-3) which do not contain rudists and pre-existing foraminiferal assemblage with one exception Valvulina aff. triangularis. Variable amounts of ostracoda, discorbids, miliolids, dasycladacean algae and Stomatorbina sp. (Assemblage IV) occur into mud-rich microfacies suggesting restricted conditions with low water energy. A probable Danian age is proposed for the Unit-3 based on the occurrence of Valvulina aff. triangularis and Stomatorbina sp. which were previously recorded from Danian of peri-Tethyan platforms.     

Implications of nutrient decline in the seagrass ecosystem success

The Mondego estuary (Portugal) suffered major changes in environmental quality due to eutrophication, however, in the late 1990s a restoration project was implemented in order to return the system to its original condition. The main goal of this paper is to evaluate the ecosystem response to the restoration measures applied at three different levels: water quality, primary producers and primary consumers.In post-restoration period a clear decline was observed in dissolved inorganic nitrogen which was reflected in the gradual recovery of Zostera noltii and a concomitant decline in green macroalgae.Macrobenthic assemblages responded variably to the recovery process. In the seagrass bed and intermediate area, there was a large increase in total biomass, but in the eutrophic area species diversity increased. Despite improvement in the ecological status of the system, full recovery has not been achieved yet, possible due to hysteresis in the dynamics of this system.     

Benthic indicators: From subjectivity to objectivity - Where is the line?

Over the last few years, the interest in using benthic indicators to assess marine environments has increased dramatically after a rather long period of relative stagnation, mostly due to the need to assess the status of coastal marine waters required by North American and European regulations. Numerous papers on this topic have been published in the domain of ecology, using a variety of different terms to refer to two categories of information: benthic species and the status of benthic communities. Nowadays, the abundant literature on these two categories makes it possible to comment on (1) the definition of the different terms used by benthic researchers, (2) the current increase of papers of rising complexity about benthic indicators, and (3) the subjectivity and objectivity involved in using benthic indicators. Faced with the increase in the number of methods, we recommend pragmatism and thus the transfer of simple methods to the research consultancies that are responsible for assessing benthic quality in numerous impact studies. Using certain procedures, such as the “sentinel species”, the best professional judgement (BPJ) and taxonomic sufficiency (TS), should clearly be encouraged.     

Towards the application of the Water Framework Directive in Italy: Assessing the potential of benthic tools in Adriatic coastal transitional ecosystems

The potential of four benthic indices (AMBI/M-AMBI, BENTIX, BITS) was assessed in Italian coastal transitional ecosystems. The community composition showed a strong dominance of lagoonal, tolerant species, and out of more of 400 species found, only about 40 taxa were dominant. The full agreement of the four indices on an undegraded (Good or better) or degraded (Moderate or worse) status occurred only in 32.3% of stations. This study evidenced that BENTIX is inappropriate for eutrophic Adriatic lagoons, and that in such environments M-AMBI classification is actually too much dependent on diversity and richness, and seems unable to capture some peculiarities of benthic assemblages in transitional waters. AMBI and BITS gave similar classifications despite the different level of taxonomic identification needed. The unmodified use of these indices might impair accurate assessment of ecological quality status and decision-making on the managers’ point of view.     

中国非海相白垩纪腹足类组合序列和分布

中国白垩纪非海相腹足类可划分为4个组合:1)早白垩世凡兰吟期巴列姆期Probaicalia vitimensis-Ptychostylus-口盖化石Reesidella robusta组合;2)早白垩世阿普特期阿尔必期Bellamya clavilithiformis-Mesocoshliopa cretacea-Zaptychius costatus-Brotiopsis组合,由于环境的不同,这一组合可分为2个亚组合:Brotiopsis亚组合和Bellamya clavilithiformis-Mesocoshliopacretacea-Zaptychius costatus亚组合;3)晚白垩世科尼亚克期中马斯特里赫特晚期Mesolanistes nanxiongensis组合,由于产出的层位不同,这一组合又可分为2个亚组合,Mesolanistes ziziformis亚组合和Mesolanistes-nanxiongensis亚组合;4)晚白垩世马斯特里赫特期最晚期Palaeoancylusna nxiongensi组合。     

中国非海相白垩纪介形类化石组合

我国非海相白垩纪介形类化石可以划分为7个组合:1)分布于我国西北和西南地区欧特里沃期巴列姆期的Jingguella-Minheella-Pinnocypridea组合;2)分布于我国西北和西南地区巴列姆期的Cypridea-Latonia-Darwinula组合;3)阿普特期阿尔必期的Cypridea(Morinina)-Bisulcocypridea-Mongolocypris组合;4)分布于我国东北、中部及东部地区欧特里沃期巴列姆期的Cypridea-Mongolianella-Darwinula组合;5)分布于我国东北、中部及东部地区巴列姆期阿普特期的Cypridea(Cypridea)-Cypridea(Ulwellia)-Limnocypridea组合;6)塞诺曼期塞农期的Cypridea-Triangulicypris-Sunliavia-Lycopterocypris组合;7)坎潘期马斯特里赫特期的Talicypridea-Cypridea-Quadracypris-Candona组合。依据以上7个介形类化石组合,我国22个地区含介形类的73个地层单元(群/组)得到了对比。