Algivory in hawksbill turtles: Eretmochelys imbricata food selection within a foraging area on the Northern Great Barrier Reef

This paper describes the food selection of hawksbill turtles, Eretmochelys imbricata, using reefs of the Far Northern Section of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (nGBR) during 2006 and 2007. A total of 467 gastric lavage and 71 buccal cavity ingesta items were collected from 120 individual E. imbricata, comprising adult female and immature turtles of both sexes. Nineteen E. imbricata that were captured in 2006 were recaptured and sampled again in 2007. Within the total pooled buccal and lavage sample (n = 538), the occurrence of food items was dominated (72.7%) by only three algal taxonomic divisions: Rhodophyta (red algae; 53.7%, n = 289); Chlorophyta (green algae; 11.0%, n = 59) and algae from the division of Phaeophyceae (brown algae; 8.0%, n = 43). The remaining total (buccal and lavage) ingesta sample comprised sponges (10.4%, n = 56), soft corals and a wide variety of possibly nutritionally important invertebrate species (12.6%, n = 68), and a small percentage (5.4%, n = 22) of inorganic material. Generally, E. imbricata were considered to be primarily a sponge‐feeding specialist and secondarily an omnivorous species; within coral reef habitats and in various parts of the world this is the case. However, this study has shown that E. imbricata found foraging on reefs of the nGBR are primarily algivorous and secondarily omnivorous. A feeding strategy that relies on a predominantly algal diet may infer important benefits to the species if the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification inhibit coral growth, while promoting algal density and distribution within the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem.     

Computer system for processing copious biological data,IBM 1130 fortran format

An IBM 1130 computer program system for preliminary processing of copious biological data is described. Its advantage ia comparison with the more usual manual calculation methods is the speed at which data can be handled, sorted, and analysed. Only a small computer need be available to the user.     

Mixing and transport near the shallow-crested Rumble III seamount and the implications for plankton distribution

Vessel-based observations of water column structure and flow near a shallow-crested seamount are used to quantify the physical disturbance induced by that seamount. The implications of this disturbance on the ‘feeding hole’ hypothesis are then examined based on data from moored thermistors and acoustic current profilers, as well as vessel-based acoustic sounding-derived biomass estimates, currents, and conductivity-temperature-depth profiles from a 55 km square grid of stations around the crest. Mean currents in the region of 0.2 m s^?1 are comparable to observations from surface drifters whereas the semidiurnal tidal flow amplitude was one third of this. Thorpe Scale-based estimates of energy dissipation rate were in the range 10^?9 to 2.10^?8 W kg^?1 and vertical diffusivities K_z were in the range 10^?4 to 10^?3 m² s^?1. Turbulence levels were higher upstream of the seamount–likely due to the influence of nearby seamounts Rumble IV and V. There was no evidence of a Taylor Cap in the Rumble III velocity field. The sounder data provide some evidence of a feeding hole and analysis based on diffusivities suggests that this might persist downstream of the seamount for as much as 7 days.     

基于声学方法的南黄海浮游动物垂直迁移季节变化研究

为研究南黄海浮游动物垂直迁移的季节变化, 分析了2006 年至2007 年4 个季节布放潜标中声学测流仪的观测数据。结果是: 声学测流仪测量的后向散射强度呈现显著的日变化特征, 这是由浮游动物垂直迁移造成的; 在4 个季节中都出现这一凌晨向下、黄昏向上的垂直迁移, 但是垂直迁移发生的时间有季节变化。利用南黄海辐射通量的直接观测数据, 讨论了垂直迁移发生时间与光照的关系,结果表明垂直迁移的季节变化主要受光照的影响。这对于研究浮游动物垂直迁移机制有一定意义。     

十溴联苯醚(BDE-209)胁迫对褶皱臂尾轮虫(Brachionus plicatilis)摄食与选食的影响

实验生态条件下研究十溴联苯醚(BDE-209)的急性毒性胁迫对褶皱臂尾轮虫(Branchionus plicatilis)运动行为与摄食行为的影响,探讨可用以表征胁迫-响应的生物标志物。结果表明:(1)BDE-209胁迫24h显著性增加了褶皱臂尾轮虫的运动抑制率,由此得到24h半数有效抑制浓度(24h-EC_(50))为9.084mg/L,但未达到半数致死作用;(2)当分别以四种海洋微藻:小球藻(Chlorella vulgaris)、青岛大扁藻(Platymonas helgolandica)、等鞭金藻8701(Isochrysis galbana)和小新月菱形藻(Cylindrotheca closterium)为单一饵料来源时,褶皱臂尾轮虫对四种饵料单胞藻的滤水率(F)和摄食率(G)均随着胁迫时间和胁迫浓度的增加而不断下降,呈现出明显的浓度依赖性,说明BDE-209胁迫能显著抑制褶皱臂尾轮虫的摄食作用。(3)将其中三种微藻等生物量混合投喂时,褶皱臂尾轮虫对三种微藻的滤水率和摄食率与单一饵料投喂条件相比均发生变化,且对各种微藻的选食率(Sr)和摄食总生物量均随着胁迫时间和浓度的增加呈下降趋势,选择性指数(Si)发生变化,对小球藻的摄食选择性最高。滤水率的变化较其它指标更敏感,可用以指示浮游动物在个体水平上响应外源环境变化的标志物。结果表明,BDE-209胁迫能有效改变褶皱臂尾轮虫的摄食与选食行为,且其最适宜的饵料是小球藻。     

Short‐term temporal variation in gelatinous zooplankton populations over 48 hours in a coral reef at Redang Island,Malaysia

Gelatinous zooplankton abundance and species composition were investigated at 3‐h intervals for a 48‐h period at a fringing reef in Malaysia. A total of 20 gelatinous zooplankton species were observed; the community was dominated by the calycophoran siphonophore Diphyes chamissonis (79.9%), followed by the trachymedusdae Aglaura hemistoma (5.6%) and Liriope tetraphylla (4.8%). The gelatinous zooplankton were not collected in the water column during most of the daytime hours (1200, 1500 and 1800 h) but were common during the night. However, an abrupt peak in abundance was found at 0900 h on the second day. The times of appearance at night were different depending on the species, and the number of species was also different depending on the hour of sampling. Sampling at 3‐h intervals over a 48‐h period revealed that the temporal variation (or sampling availability) was large in this study. Careful consideration should be given to the sampling variability in handling the gelatinous zooplankton samples in coral reef areas.     

Ecological aspects of fin whale and humpback whale distribution during summer in the Norwegian Sea

The Norwegian Sea is a migration and feeding ground for fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in summer. During the last decade, significant structural changes in the prey community, including northerly expansion and movement in the distribution of pelagic fish species, have been reported from this ecosystem. However, little information on whale feeding ecology exists in the Norwegian Sea and surrounding waters. A total of 59 fin whales and 48 humpback whales were sighted during 864 h of observation over an observation distance of about 8200 nmi (15,200 km) in the Norwegian Sea from 15 July to 6 August 2006 and 2007. The fin whale group size, as mean (±SD), varied between one and five individuals (2.1 ± 1.2 ind.) and humpback whale group size varied between one and six individuals (2.5 ± 1.7 ind.). Fin‐ and humpback whales were observed mainly in the northern part of the study area, and were only found correlated with the presence of macro‐zooplankton in cold Arctic water. Humpback whales were not correlated with the occurrence of adult Norwegian spring‐spawning herring (Clupea harengus) except for the northernmost areas. Despite changes in the whale prey communities in the Norwegian Sea, no apparent changes in fin‐ or humpback whale distribution pattern could be found in our study compared to their observed summer distribution 10–15 years ago.     

Floating mucus aggregates derived from benthic microorganisms on rocky intertidal reefs: Potential as food sources for benthic animals

Mucus films, flocs or foams consisting of fine sand, algae and detritus frequently occur in the surface waters of rocky intertidal reef flats during incoming tide. These masses are referred to as mucus aggregates. We examined the developmental process of mucus aggregates and their abundance, distribution, migration and trophic composition. The trophic composition of mucus aggregates was then compared to those of sediments to evaluate their potential nutritional value for benthic animals. The organic matter content, chlorophyll a concentration, microalgal density and bacteria-derived fatty acid contents of mucus aggregates were higher than those observed in sediment, suggesting that mucus aggregates contain not only high levels of organic matter but also dense concentrations of microalgae and bacteria; therefore, mucus aggregates may serve as a qualitatively more energetic food source for benthic fauna compared to sediments. Benthic diatoms were the most abundant organisms in mucus aggregates. Large numbers of diatoms were trapped in fine mineral particles and mucilage-like strings, suggesting that a portion of the mucus is secreted by these benthic microalgae.Mucus aggregate accounted for only 0.01-3.9% of the daily feeding requirements of the dominant detritivore, Ophiocoma scolopendrina (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) over the entire sampling area. In contrast, for the species population on the back reef, where mucus aggregates ultimately accumulate, mucus aggregates provided from 0.4 to 113.3% of food for this species. These results suggest that mucus aggregate availability varies spatiotemporally and that they do not always provide adequate food sources for O. scolopendrina populations.     

瘦尾胸刺水蚤适应近岸多变环境的灵活摄食策略

Centropages tenuiremis is a species with a wide distribution range in disturbed coastal waters.However,due to a lack of dietary information,it remains unclear as to how they maintain such dominance in fluctuating conditions.In this study,C.tenuiremis was collected from the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant both in inlet and outfall regions at 06:00,12:00 and 18:00 on April 27,2011 and their in situ diet was analyzed using a PCR protocol targeting 18S ribosomal genes.Thirty-four species of prey organisms were identified totally,including Dinophyta,Baciliariophyta,Viridiplantae,Rhizaria,Apicomplexa,Chordata,Mollusca,Arthropoda and Fungi,indicating an obvious omnivorous feeding habit of C.tenuiremis.Centropages tenuiremis obviously exhibited spatial and temporal variations in diet composition.More plant prey(land plants and phytoplankton)were consumed in the morning(~50%),while more animal prey(metazoans and protozoans)were ingested at midday and night(60%–70%).Furthermore,a more diverse diet was detected in the outfall region(10–11 taxa),where the temperatures were relatively higher and more fluctuating,than in the control region(5–10 taxa).This finding indicated that C.tenuiremis could potentially expand its food spectrum under stressful condition.Specifically,C.tenuiremis exhibited phytoplankton preference(58.62%–67.64%)in the outfall region with a lower omnivory index(0.27–0.35)than in the control region(0.51–0.95).However,phytoplankton density was lower than that in the control region,suggesting a possible herbivorous tendency of C.tenuiremis under elevated temperatures to balance the energy acquirement and feeding effort.The flexible food choices of C.tenuiremis observed here could effectively buffer environmental fluctuations and might be an important survival strategy in coastal ecosystems.