Differential reproductive strategies of two bivalves in the Dutch Wadden Sea

Cerastoderma edule and Mya arenaria are two common bivalve species in European waters. Longevity and maximum size are much greater in the latter species. Because comparison of species life-history strategies states that a long life span (i.e. high annual survival) generally goes with lower fecundity, we hypothesise that reproductive output would be lower in M. arenaria than in C. edule. In the present paper, we studied the reproductive strategies of these two species in an intertidal and a subtidal area of the western Dutch Wadden Sea, by following seasonal changes in absolute and relative weights of somatic and gonadal tissues in these bivalves. Starting of spawning was similar in the two species, around May, except for intertidal M. arenaria, which initiated spawning in August. Individual energy investment in reproduction was similar for the two species but, unlike M. arenaria, C. edule spawned completely, releasing all energy of gonadal mass in the form of gametes. Mya arenaria used the gonad not only for reproduction but also for storage. In the intertidal area, we found a trade-off between longevity and reproduction, i.e. maximum reproductive output (expressed as a proportion of body mass) was higher in C. edule than in M. arenaria. However, since body size is larger and life span longer in M. arenaria than in C. edule, mean lifetime reproductive output per individual must be higher in the first than in the latter. Based on the differences in reproductive strategies of these two species, we hypothesise that the negative effects of warming climate on bivalve population dynamics in the Wadden Sea will be stronger in C. edule than in M. arenaria.     

Feeding of the Norwegian spring spawning herring Clupea harengus (Linne) at the different stages of its life cycle

The aim of the research was to investigate the diet of herring at different stages of its life cycle. For that purpose feeding of 0-group and immature herring in the Barents Sea, as well as of mature fish from the Norwegian Sea, was studied. 0-Group herring was sampled in the Barents Sea in August–September 2002–2005 during the international 0-group and trawl-acoustic survey of pelagic fish, as well as during the trawl-acoustic survey of demersal fish in November–December 2003–2004. Stomach samples of immature herring (1–3 years) were collected in late May and early of June 2001 and 2005 in the south-western part of the Barents Sea during the trawl-acoustic survey for young herring. Stomach samples of mature herring were collected in the Norwegian Sea in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, and 2002 in the course of the international trawl-acoustic survey of pelagic fish. Feeding intensity of herring of all age groups varied considerably between years and this was probably associated with availability and accessibility of their prey. The 0-group herring was found to have the most diverse diet, including 31 different taxa. In August–September, copepods, euphausiids, Cladocera, and larvae Bivalvia were most frequent in the diet of 0-group herring, but euphausiids and Calanus finmarchicus were the main prey taken. In November–December, euphausiids and tunicates were major prey groups. It was found that C. finmarchicus in the diet of 0-group herring was replaced by larval and adult euphausiids with increasing fish length. C. finmarchicus was the principal prey of immature herring and dominated in the diet of both small and large individuals and mainly older copepodites of C. finmarchicus were taken. Larval and adult euphausiids were found in stomachs of immature herring as well, but their share was not large. The importance of different prey for mature herring in the Norwegian Sea varied depending on the feeding area and length of the herring. On the whole C. finmarchicus and 0-group fish were the most important prey for mature herring diet, but fish prey were only important in a small sampling area. Hyperiids, euphausiids, tunicates, and pteropods were less important prey, and in 2002 herring actively consumed herring fry and redfish larvae.     

MedFlux: Investigations of particle flux in the Twilight Zone

The MedFlux project was devised to determine and model relationships between organic matter and mineral ballasts of sinking particulate matter in the ocean. Specifically we investigated the ballast ratio hypothesis, tested various commonly used sampling and modeling techniques, and developed new technologies that would allow better characterization of particle biogeochemistry. Here we describe the rationale for the project, the biogeochemical provenance of the DYFAMED site, the international support structure, and highlights from the papers published here. Additional MedFlux papers can be accessed at the MedFlux web site (http://msrc.sunysb.edu/MedFlux/).     

渤海鱼类复殖吸虫群落结构

根据 1983-1986 年渤海鱼类复殖吸虫调查的结果,对其群落结构进行研究.共发现复殖吸虫 14 科 48 属 84 种.多元分析结果表明:渤海复殖吸虫可以分为内海和外海两个群落:内海的黄姑鱼多睾吸虫(Pleorchis nibeae)-天津褶膜吸虫(Ectenurus tiagjinensis)-多变颈源吸虫(Derogenes varicus)群落(简称PED);外海的球形孔肠吸虫(Opecoelus sphaericus)-褐菖鲉孔肠吸虫(Opecoelus sebastisci)-马面魨拟孟氏吸虫(Paramanteriella cantherini)群落(简称OOP).PED 的种类组成、数量和多样性均高于 OOP,但优势种类和优势度却相对较低.群落结构差异与渤海地理环境、宿主组成、水环境等多因子相关.     

南海东部深海沉积中的孢粉研究及其古环境意义

通过对南海东部 149 站深海柱状剖面的孢粉、藻类研究,根据孢粉成分的变化将该孔沉积层从下至上划分为 4 个孢粉组合带.1 带:Pinus-Quercus(常绿)-Umbellferae-Gramineae-Pteris 孢粉带(407～270cm);2 带:Dacrydium-Quercus-Cyathea-Pinus-Polypodiaceae 孢粉带(270～105 cm);3 带:Pinus-Polypodiaceae-Quercus(常绿)-Pteridium 孢粉带(105～30 cm);4 带:Gleditsia-Cyathea-Pinus-Polypodiaceae 孢粉带(30～0 cm).并相应恢复了南海东部 7.5 万 a 以来 4 个植被、气候、古环境演替阶段:热带北缘半常绿季雨林、热带季雨林、热带北缘半常绿季雨林和热带季雨林.结合氧同位素测年资料,对 149 站柱状地层时代作了划分.     

南海南部断裂的分形研究

分形几何作为定量描述自然界中复杂非线性现象的强有力工具,将其应用于南海南部断裂体系的研究中,通过数盒子法计算了断裂分布的分维值。研究结果表明这种方法是可行的,断裂分布的分维值能有效地描述断裂的空间分布特征。南海南部断裂体系在标度区间25～250km内具有很好的统计自相似性,全部断裂的分维值为1．6601,北东向断裂的为1．3875,北西向断裂的为1．2693。根据断裂分维等值线,沿西南海盆扩张轴,两侧断裂呈对称展布;北东向的与北西向的在空间上有一定的互补性,这反映了两组断裂在发育过程中的相互制约性。结合南海的构造演化及南海南部油气盆地的分布,初步探讨了断裂分形特征与南海的构造演化及断裂分形特征与油气盆地分布之间的关系。     

黄海冷水团海域微型异养鞭毛虫对异养细菌和蓝细菌摄食作用的初步研究

2006年10月在黄海冷水团海域的三个站点开展了微型异养鞭毛虫、异养细菌和蓝细菌的密度和生物量调查,进行了微型异养鞭毛虫的现场摄食实验,通过荧光标记细菌法和消化系数法获得该海区微型异养鞭毛虫对异养细菌和蓝细菌的摄食率,并估算了微型异养鞭毛虫对异养细菌和蓝细菌现存量及生产力的摄食压。结果显示,微型异养鞭毛虫、异养细菌和蓝细菌的密度分别为0.36×103~1.13×103,0.39×106~1.13×106和0.04×104~3.74×104cells/cm3,温跃层以上明显高于底层。微型异养鞭毛虫对异养细菌的摄食率为5.33~14.89个/(HF·h),对蓝细菌的摄食率为0.26×102~23.10×10-2cells/(HF·h),摄食率随深度而下降。微型异养鞭毛虫每天能消耗9.27%~33.08%的异养细菌现存量和8.12%~16.09%的蓝细菌现存量。同时,微型异养鞭毛虫对异养细菌和蓝细菌的日摄食量各占它们生产力的2.66%~13.10%和8.12%~16.09%。研究表明微型异养鞭毛虫的摄食可能不是秋季黄海冷水团海域浮游细菌及其生产力的主归宿。     

晚中新世南海珍贝-黄岩海山岩浆活动及其演化:岩石地球化学和年代学证据

南海海盆15°N附近呈东西向展布的珍贝-黄岩海山被认为是32~17Ma前南海海盆的残留扩张中心.对采自黄岩海山的两个火山岩样品(9DG,9DG-2)进行了岩石学、地球化学和年代学研究.两个样品的SiO₂含量分别为60.3%和63.6%,Al₂O₃含量分别为17.56%和17.55%,TiO₂含量分别为0.48%和0.31%,碱度率分别为3.88和3.62.根据岩石学和岩石化学分类,样品属碱性系列的粗面岩.对稀土元素和微量元素分析表明岩石具有洋岛玄武岩(OIB)型配分型式,轻重稀土总量比(∑c(LREE)/∑c(HREE))和球粒陨石标准化镧镱比((La/Yb)N)分别高达17.22和27.23,并具有铕负异常和锶、磷、钛亏损的特点.样品9DG的锶-钕-铅同位素分析结果为锶-87的含量与锶-86的含量之比值为0.704183,钕-143的含量与钕-144的含量之比值为0.512827,铅-206的含量与铅-207的含量之比值为18.68668,铅-207的含量与铅-204的含量之值为15.67962,铅-208的含量与铅-204的含量之比值为39.00261,表明初始岩浆来自软流圈地幔,具有与珍贝海山玄武岩相似的同位素组成.经钾-氩法测年,粗面岩的年龄为(7.77±0.49)Ma,略晚于珍贝海山玄武岩的年龄[(9.1±1.29)~10.0±1.80Ma],属于南海扩张期后晚中新世火山活动的产物.对比珍贝海山玄武岩的地球化学和同位素特征,认为两者有相同的岩浆源区,但是它们经历了不同程度的结晶分异过程,在晚中新世期间珍贝-黄岩海山可能有地幔柱活动.     

Analysis of petroleum hydrocarbons in mangrove sediments of Red Sea of Yemen

A field work has been carried out to identify the occurrence of oil and oil products pollution in mangrove sediment from Red Sea of Yemen. The concentration of total petroleum hydrocarbons is from 700ng/g at Kamaran Island station to 400 ng/g at Al-Hodiedah station, and the total organic carbon （TOC） in samples ranges from 0. 07% at Dhubab station to 0. 03% at Kamaran Island station. This pollution is as a result of localized oil pollution and/or heavy ship traffic in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.     

Contribution of a pathway through the Arctic Ocean to the re cent reduction in the ice cover

The sea ice cover in the Arctic Ocean has been reducing and hit the low record in the summer of 2007. The anomaly was extremely large in the Pacific sector. The sea level height in the Bering Sea vs. the Greenland Sea has been analyzed and compared with the current meter data through the Bering Strait. A recent peak existed as a consequence of atmospheric circulation and is considered to contribute to inflow of the Pacific Water into the Arctic Basin. The timing of the Pacific Water inflow matched with the sea ice reduction in the Pacific sector and suggests a significant increase in heat flux. This component should be included in the model prediction for answering the question when the Arctic sea ice becomes a seasonal ice cover.