Distribution and relative density of cetaceans in the Hauraki Gulf,New Zealand

Understanding species distributions, and how they change in space and time, is vital when prioritising conservation or management initiatives. We assessed the distribution and density patterns of common dolphins (Delphinus sp.), bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and Bryde’s whales (Balaenoptera edeni) in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand. Dedicated boat-based surveys were conducted in the inner Hauraki Gulf (IHG) and off Great Barrier Island (GBI) during 2010–2012. Generalised linear models were used to investigate temporal changes in relative densities and kernel density estimation was implemented to examine spatial trends. Common dolphins were widely distributed during all seasons, with higher densities observed during winter and spring in the IHG but during autumn off GBI. There was inter-annual variation in Bryde’s whale distribution, with high densities recorded off GBI in 2011. Bottlenose dolphins were infrequently sighted in the IHG but regularly encountered off GBI, with the highest densities during spring and summer.     

南沙群岛海域长腹剑水蚤(Oithona spp.)的种类组成、数量分布及其与环境因子的关系

中小型桡足类是海洋食物网中重要的中间环节,在碳循环里细菌碳和藻类碳向高营养级转化的过程中扮演重要角色。本文通过分析2013年3—4月、6—7月、9—10月和11—12月南沙群岛海域(111°30′E—112°30′E,4°30′N—11°30′N)的生态环境调查数据,对长腹剑水蚤属(Oithona)的种类组成、数量分布及其与环境因子的关系进行了研究。结果表明:(1)南沙群岛海域共出现长腹剑水蚤15种(包括1个未定种),其中线长腹水蚤(Oithona linearis)、粗长腹剑水蚤(O.robusta)和长刺长腹剑水蚤(O.longispina)为南沙群岛海域首次记录,长腹剑水蚤属种类组成沿水深变化的现象较为明显,该属虽然在南沙群岛海域广泛分布,但单种的出现频率较低,其种类出现的季节性较强;(2)南沙群岛海域的长腹剑水蚤可以划分为常见广布组群Ⅰ和低频组群Ⅱ;(3)长腹剑水蚤年均栖息密度为30ind./m3,季节变化呈单峰型,秋季最高、冬季最低,高数量区主要出现在受南沙西部沿岸流和东部沿岸流影响的近岸海域;(4)在0—750m水深范围内,长腹剑水蚤数量沿水深梯度的垂直变化明显,呈现由浅至深数量明显减少的趋势,长腹剑水蚤主要集中分布在0—75m的水层中,75—500m数量急剧降低至最低后,在500—750m基本维持不变;(5)GAM分析表明,纬度、海水温度、盐度和叶绿素a浓度对长腹剑水蚤数量均有影响,以纬度的影响最为显著,其中长腹剑水蚤属最适温度为28.6—29.2℃,最适盐度为32.6—33.2,最适叶绿素a浓度为5—10μg/L;(6)长腹剑水蚤属更适栖息于低温和低盐,且受沿岸流影响的环境中。因此,其数量分布的季节变化与季风驱动的沿岸流势力强弱密切相关。     

秋季南黄海浮游动物分布及其影响因素

基于2007年秋季在南黄海（32°20'~37°00'N;124°E以西）进行的浮游动物及环境因子大面调查;分析了秋季南黄海浮游动物种类组成、分布特征及其影响因素;主要结果如下:共鉴定浮游动物113种（不包括25种浮游幼体）;中华哲水蚤（Calanus sinicus）、强壮滨箭虫（Aidanosagitta crassa）、磷虾幼体（Euphausia larvae）和小齿海樽（Doliolum denticulatum）是秋季优势种;浮游动物丰度为（156.37±12.04）ind/m3;生物量为（172.57±10.41）mg/m3;与历史调查数据相比;本航次浮游动物丰度和生物量相对处于较高水平;磷虾幼体分布趋势与中华假磷虾（Psudeuphausia sinica）一致;说明秋季是中华假磷虾种群的一个重要的补充时期;小齿海樽在南黄海的大量出现系自身种群补充的结果;精致真刺水蚤（Euchaeta concinna）和肥胖软箭虫（Flaccisagitta enflata）主要分布在深水区;在近岸海区很少出现。中华哲水蚤、强壮滨箭虫丰度高值区倾向分布于海洋锋附近;进一步佐证了海洋锋对浮游动物的积聚作用。     

黄、东海陆架2011年秋季活体浮游有孔虫生态分布

现代活体浮游有孔虫的生态研究是其古环境重建应用的重要基础。根据黄、东海陆架2011年秋季采集的20个垂直浮游拖网样品,分析了该海域浮游有孔虫的秋季生态分布特征。结果表明,黄海秋季基本上没有浮游有孔虫的出现。东海共发现13种活体浮游有孔虫,主要优势属种依次为Globigerinoides sacculifer、Pulleniatina obliquiloculata、Globigerina bulloides、Neogloboquadrina dutertrei和Globigerinoides ruber。浮游有孔虫丰度整体上呈现东南高,西北低的分布格局,这种分布格局反映了浮游有孔虫在黄、东海陆架区的分布主要受外海水影响强弱控制。浮游有孔虫主要属种在东海陆架呈现明显的区域分布差异:暖水种G. sacculifer是秋季陆架海区的主要优势种,其分布格局与总丰度基本一致,相对含量从南至北、从东至西逐渐降低,主要受区域表层海水温度变化的控制。G. bulloides与G. sacculifer呈相反的含量分布变化,其高含量主要出现在东海中陆架,从北往南逐渐降低,此外,在闽浙沿岸也有较高含量,表明了温度和生产力是影响G. bulloides在黄、东海陆架分布的主要因素。秋季P. obliquiloculata和N. dutertrei的高含量主要出现在东海南部中陆架区和济州岛西南黄海暖流影响区,可能受暖水与生产力的共同制约。     

2014年春季季风间期东印度洋赤道及其邻近海域硅藻群落

2014年4月10日至5月13日在东印度洋赤道区及其邻近海域(10.08°N-6.00°S,80.00°~96.10°E)进行硅藻物种组成和群落结构的调查。分析了45个网采样品,共鉴定出浮游硅藻34属113种(包括变种、变形及未定名种),大部分物种为热带外洋性种以及暖海外洋性种,与该海区的热带及亚热带的环境特征一致。优势种为佛氏梯形藻(Climacodium frauenfeldianum)、地中海细柱藻(Leptocylindrus mediterraneus)、密聚角毛藻(Chaetoceros coarctatus)、美丽漂流藻(Planktoniella foromsa)、大西洋角毛藻那不勒斯变种(Chaetoceros atlanticus var. neapolitanus)、距端假管藻(Pseudosolenia calcar-avis,即距端根管藻Rhizosolenia calcaravis)、圆柱几内亚藻(Guinardia cylindrus)、达蒂角毛藻(Chaetoceros dadayi)、伏氏海线藻(Thalassionema frauenfeldii)、离心列海链藻(Thalassiosira excentrica)、瘤面角毛藻(Chaetoceros bacteriastroides)以及笔尖根管藻粗径变种(Rhizosolenia styliformis var. latissima)等。硅藻的平均细胞丰度为1.855×103个/m3,其平面分布不均匀,赤道断面细胞丰度较低,高值区出现在海区北部。聚类分析发现有7种生态类群,这些硅藻的种类和丰度平面分布与上层水体(200 m以浅)温度、盐度及营养盐的水柱平均值有较好的对应关系。     

象山港海洋牧场示范区大型底栖生物的时空变化

根据象山港海洋牧场示范区建设前(2011年)、建设中(2012年)、建设后(2013年)对象山港全港区、邻近区、示范区11个站位,进行5个航次调查所获得的大型底栖生物的资料,对比分析建设前后大型底栖生物的时空变化。结果表明:共鉴定出大型底栖生物59种,建设后建设中建设前,优势种变化明显。大型底栖生物密度、生物量表现为:建设前建设中建设后;建设中建设后建设前。多样性指数H’、丰富度指数d均表现为:建设前建设后建设中,均匀度指数J则表现为建设中建设后建设前。多因子方差分析结果表明:建设前后,大型底栖生物种类数、栖息密度、生物多样性指数均存在显著性差异。根据群落聚类及n MDS排序分析,建设前后大型底栖生物群落组成存在明显差异,双因素相似性分析(ANOSIM)结果同时表明,群落建设前后存在显著性差异(综合检验R=0.215,P=0.004)。SIMPER分析,大型底栖生物群落的平均相似性建设前建设后建设中。根据调查站位的数据作出丰度/生物量比较曲线(ABC曲线)分析表明,建设中大型底栖生物受到了强烈的干扰,人工鱼礁投放、大型海藻移植、增殖放流会对其周围海域产生影响,但建设后扰动消失,表明随着时间的推移,海洋牧场建设过程中带来的扰动逐渐减小,并围绕鱼礁群逐渐形成新的人工生态系统。     

白令海夏季浮游植物的群落结构与时空变化

通过1999年和2010年夏季同期7月在白令海(169°E~166°W,50°N~67°N)获取的94份浮游植物样品分析,获得了近十年的始末两个时间节点的浮游植物群落结构与时空变化,探讨了浮游植物群落动态及其与环境因素的关联。研究结果显示,共鉴定浮游植物(>10μm)5门58属153种,分为3个生态类群。硅藻是浮游植物的主体,种类多丰度高,占总种类数目的66.7%,占总丰度的95.2%。鉴于样品属性和空间范围的不同,物种组成有细微差别,丰度有较大差异且空间分布明显不同,高丰度区受控于上层营养盐供给和表层环流系统。优势种从北方温带大洋性硅藻演变为广温广盐性与冷水性硅藻,1999年以西氏新细齿状藻为第一优势种,柔弱伪菱形藻次之;2010年以丹麦细柱藻为第一优势种,冷水性的诺登海链藻次之并在陆架和陆坡占优。浮游植物群落结构较为稳定,由深水群落和浅水群落组成。深水群落分布于太平洋西北部和白令海盆,种类组成以温带大洋性的西氏新细齿状藻、长海毛藻、大西洋角毛藻和广布性的菱形海线藻、扁面角毛藻、笔尖根管藻为主,丰度低,种间丰度分配均匀,优势种多元化,物种多样性高;浅水群落分布于白令海陆坡和陆架,主要由冷水性的诺登海链藻、叉尖角毛藻、聚生角毛藻和广布性的丹麦细柱藻、旋链角毛藻组成,丰度高,种间丰度分配不均匀,优势种突出,物种多样性低。白令海夏季浮游植物种类组成及丰度变化直接受控于表层环流、营养盐、春季冰缘线等环境因素。     

黄海南部小黄鱼洄游分布及种群结构特征

Monthly fishery survey data of the small yellow croaker Larimichthys polyactis in the southern Yellow Sea from2003 and 2013 were employed to evaluate the variation in the resource distribution and biological characteristics(especially body length and sex ratio) in the population on a decadal scale.The results indicated that the small yellow croaker migrated from the Shawai fishing ground to the Dasha fishing ground in spring and was mainly distributed in the central and western parts of the Dasha fishing ground in April and May.Larimichthys polyactis in the Dasha fishing ground migrated eastward to offshore wintering grounds in autumn and reached the central Dasha fishing ground in October and November.The small yellow croaker entered the western waters of the Shawai fishing ground in winter.A large number of age 0+ fish occurred in the Shawai and Jiangwai fishing grounds in October of 2003 and 2013.The body lengths of the spawning stock and wintering stock in 2013 were larger than those in 2003,and the monthly sex ratios(female to male) were significantly less than 1 in both years.The monthly distribution of this fish in the southern Yellow Sea was consistent with a previous finding that "the stock migrated between the wintering grounds in the west of Jeju Island and the Lüsi spawning grounds" but tended to move more northward,with the spawning grounds extending outward.In the past decade,body length variation experienced a decline after an increase,rather than a steady decrease.The sex ratio in the single-stick stow net showed a tendency to increase over the decade,but was either less than or more than 1 depending on the fishing gear;therefore,further studies should be conducted to determine the sex structure.     

A synthetic aperture radar sea surface distribution estimation by n-order Bézier curve and its application in ship detection

To dates,most ship detection approaches for single-pol synthetic aperture radar(SAR) imagery try to ensure a constant false-alarm rate(CFAR).A high performance ship detector relies on two key components:an accurate estimation to a sea surface distribution and a fine designed CFAR algorithm.First,a novel nonparametric sea surface distribution estimation method is developed based on n-order Bézier curve.To estimate the sea surface distribution using n-order Bézier curve,an explicit analytical solution is derived based on a least square optimization,and the optimal selection also is presented to two essential parameters,the order n of Bézier curve and the number m of sample points.Next,to validate the ship detection performance of the estimated sea surface distribution,the estimated sea surface distribution by n-order Bézier curve is combined with a cell averaging CFAR(CA-CFAR).To eliminate the possible interfering ship targets in background window,an improved automatic censoring method is applied.Comprehensive experiments prove that in terms of sea surface estimation performance,the proposed method is as good as a traditional nonparametric Parzen window kernel method,and in most cases,outperforms two widely used parametric methods,K and G0 models.In terms of computation speed,a major advantage of the proposed estimation method is the time consuming only depended on the number m of sample points while independent of imagery size,which makes it can achieve a significant speed improvement to the Parzen window kernel method,and in some cases,it is even faster than two parametric methods.In terms of ship detection performance,the experiments show that the ship detector which constructed by the proposed sea surface distribution model and the given CA-CFAR algorithm has wide adaptability to different SAR sensors,resolutions and sea surface homogeneities and obtains a leading performance on the test dataset.     

Implications of structural inheritance in oblique rift zones for basin compartmentalization: Nkhata Basin,Malawi Rift (EARS)

The Cenozoic East African Rift System (EARS) is an exceptional example of active continental extension, providing opportunities for furthering our understanding of hydrocarbon plays within rifts. It is divided into structurally distinct western and eastern branches. The western branch comprises deep rift basins separated by transfer zones, commonly localised onto pre-existing structures, offering good regional scale hydrocarbon traps. At a basin-scale, local discrete inherited structures might also play an important role on fault localisation and hydrocarbon distribution. Here, we consider the evolution of the Central basin of the Malawi Rift, in particular the influence of pre-existing structural fabrics.Integrating basin-scale multichannel 2D, and high resolution seismic datasets we constrain the border, Mlowe-Nkhata, fault system (MNF) to the west of the basin and smaller Mbamba fault (MF) to the east and document their evolution. Intra basin structures define a series of horsts, which initiated as convergent transfers, along the basin axis. The horsts are offset along a NE–SW striking transfer fault parallel to and along strike of the onshore Karoo (Permo-Triassic) Ruhuhu graben. Discrete pre-existing structures probably determined its location and, oriented obliquely to the extension orientation it accommodated predominantly strike-slip deformation, with more slowly accrued dip-slip.To the north of this transfer fault, the overall basin architecture is asymmetric, thickening to the west throughout; while to the south, an initially symmetric graben architecture became increasingly asymmetric in sediment distribution as strain localised onto the western MNF. The presence of the axial horst increasingly focussed sediment supply to the west. As the transfer fault increased its displacement, so this axial supply was interrupted, effectively starving the south-east while ponding sediments between the western horst margin and the transfer fault. This asymmetric bathymetry and partitioned sedimentation continues to the present-day, overprinting the early basin symmetry and configuration. Sediments deposited earlier become increasingly dissected and fault juxtapositions changed at a small (10–100 m) scale. The observed influence of basin-scale transfer faults on sediment dispersal and fault compartmentalization due to pre-existing structures oblique to the extension orientation is relevant to analogous exploration settings.