Episodic Events: Their Relevance to Ecology and Evolution

Abstract. An episodic event can be one of the many "episodes" forming a normal flow of related events. But it can also be an "incident" interrupting a trend and initiating a new one. Appreciation of contrasting meanings of apparently identical categories of phenomena is familiar to evolutionary biologists who, for instance, envisage evolution as the result of both gradual and punctuated events. Seasonal plankton blooms (both normal and noxious), species outbreaks, mass mortalities, and human predation are taken as examples of "episodes" that can influence and/or modify what we perceive as "normality". Recruitment is another example of an episodic event heavily conditioning both community structure and function, as recently highlighted by the so-called supply-side ecology. The reductionistic study of ecology. more linked to thermodynamics than to history, allowed the formulation of general ecological laws which, however, stem from the laws of thermodynamics. The totalizing value of such laws blurs appreciation of heterogeneity and change, so that many ecologists tend to be rather conservative, using a concept like "conservation" as an absolute paradigm to follow and to consider "change" as an a priori negative phenomenon. Episodes can have a "conservative" or "innovative" meaning, and are the driving force of the history of life. Their importance is recognized mainly when dealing with the history of organisms (evolutionary biology), whereas the assemblages of organisms ( i.e ., communities) are too often described and interpreted in an ahistorical context or in a too narrow time frame. Recognition of the importance of history in ecology (evolutionary ecology) can lead to a better understanding of environmental dynamics, albeit restricting the supposed predictive strength of ecology, a science timely integrating the reductionistic-thermodynamic approach with the holistic-historical one.     

Seasonal and inter-annual dynamics of mesoplankton in the northwestern Japan Sea

Based upon four decades of observations in the northwestern part of the Japan Sea, the seasonal and inter-annual variations of zooplankton abundance and species composition in the epipelagic layer are considered. Seasonal characteristics of the zooplankton community are described in detail for five domains that occur within this part of the Japan Sea. Inter-decadal variation was not significant, but inter-annual variation was considerable and generally opposite to water temperature changes in the upper layer. Exceptional years such as 1996 were noted when a maximum abundance of zooplankton in summer occurred along with a slowing of the seasonal pattern of succession.     

The zooplankton community of the Mpenjati Estuary, a South African temporarily open/closed system

The aim of this study was to examine spatial and temporal variability in zooplankton abundance and biomass, both during the closed (dry season) and open (wet season) phases of the Mpenjati Estuary, South Africa. On average, nighttime abundance values were 1–3 orders of magnitude higher than daytime values. A total of 51 and 36 zooplankton taxa were identified during the open and closed phases, respectively. The estuarine species Pseudodiaptomus hessei, Acartia natalensis and Gastrosaccus brevifissura dominated the assemblage during both phases. During the open phase marine zooplankton species entered the estuary and increased the zooplankton species diversity. At the same time, the biomass of the estuarine zooplankton species decreased substantially due to scouring of the sediment, increase in salinity and turbulence, and possibly also in grazing pressure. Conversely, during the closed phase the zooplankton diversity decreased, since no marine organisms entered the estuary, but the biomass of typical estuarine species increased due to the stability of the estuary. The fluctuations in the zooplankton community structure between the closed and the open phases suggest that the opening and the closing of the estuary are very important processes in determining the food web of the estuary.     

Sponge Communities in Three Submarine Caves of the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean): Adaptations and Faunistic Composition

Abstract. The sponge fauna of three neighbouring submarine caves of the Island of Majorca (Balcaric Islands) is studied along a light gradient; 45 species have been recorded and systematic data are given for those showing morphological, pigmentary, or spicule differences. Adaptation to darkness and precarious trophic conditions is also discussed.     

Copepod assemblages in a highly complex hydrographic region

Community structure and diversity patterns of planktonic copepods were investigated for the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean between 34 and 41°S. Our objectives were (1) to define copepod assemblages, (2) to accurately identify their association to different water masses/hydrodynamic regimes, (3) to characterize the assemblages in terms of their community structure, and (4) to test if frontal boundaries between water masses separate copepod assemblages. Biogeographic patterns were investigated using multivariate analysis (cluster and ANOSIM analyses). Biodiversity patterns were examined using different univariate indexes (point species richness and taxonomic distinctness). Five regions of similar copepod assemblages were defined for our study area each one corresponding to different environments (freshwater, estuarine, continental shelf, Malvinas and Brazil current assemblages). These assemblages have major community structure differences. In spite of the complex oceanographic scenario of our study area, that can lead us to expect a pattern of copepod communities with diffuse boundaries, we found a strong spatial correspondence between these limits and the presence of permanent frontal structures.     

长江口春季鱼类浮游生物群落结构与环境因子的关系

随着源源不断的淡水径流入海与营养物质的输入，使长江口及其邻近海域成为生产力最高的水域，也孕育了我国近海重要的舟山渔场、吕泗渔场和长江口渔场。成淡水的交汇形成了长江口水域复杂的水文物理条件，使之成为众多鱼类的产卵场和育幼场(赵保仁等，1992；罗秉征等，1994)。河口鱼类浮游生物群落结构及其季节变化格局，既受制于其生殖种群的资源量，也与水域环境稳定性密切相关(Blaber et al.，1997；Joyeux，1998；Whitfield，1999)，因而受到国内外的广泛关注。有关以成体为基础的河口鱼类群落生态学已有较多的调查研究(杨伟祥等，1992；朱鑫华等，1994a，b)；而鱼类补充群体的研究，亦多集中于鱼卵和仔稚鱼的种类组成和分布等(杨东菜等，1990；沙学绅，1962)。本文利用1999年5月长江口生态环境与资源综合调査资料，主要研究鱼类浮游生物群落结构及其与环境因子的关系，以期深入探讨河口区鱼类补充过程与近海资源数量变动的关系，为动态监测三峡工程对河口生态环境影响提供科学依据。     

南海三亚湾及邻近海域海洋蓝藻类群组成、分布及演替特征

对海南省三亚湾及邻近海域的主要生态系统的真光层水域、珊瑚礁、红树林、海藻垫生态系统中的海洋蓝藻的种类、分布和季节变化特点进行调查研究,共采集和分离了11属24种蓝藻。结果表明,三亚湾海域真光层水域主要以来自外海的外源性海洋蓝藻束毛藻为主要优势群落,其次有共生蓝藻胞内植生藻Richelia intracelluu-laris和单细胞蓝藻集胞藻属Synechocystis,其中束毛藻主要在南海季风转换期和西南季风控制期的3—8月为主,而蓝藻胞内植生藻的硅藻根管藻共生体主要出现在8—10月的另一季风转换期。在珊瑚礁生态系统中,蓝藻呈多样性分布,有集胞藻属、鱼腥藻属Anabaena、念珠藻属Nostoc、眉藻属Catothrix、颤藻属Oscillatoria和鞘丝藻属Lyngbya,它们主要在3月下旬至8月生物量较高,束毛藻也是珊瑚礁生态系中蓝藻的重要组成部分。红树林生态系统中蓝藻主要以颤藻为主要优势种,其次是鞘丝藻也占重要的比例,在4—10月底都有较高的生物量,它们主要分布在0—5cm深的表土层,其次在红树的根际、气生根和幼苗的茎叶表面都有分布。海洋近岸微型海藻垫中,有些群落主要以颤藻属和鞘丝藻属为主,有些微藻垫以眉藻属为主要优势属种,蓝藻种群随季节的变化有明显的演替。