Modelling the effects of temperature and food on individual growth and reproduction of Daphnia and their consequences on the population level

Individual based simulations of population dynamics require the availability of growth models with adequate complexity. For this purpose a simple-to-use model (non-linear multiple regression approach) is presented describing somatic growth and reproduction of Daphnia as a function of time, temperature and food quantity. The model showed a good agreement with published observations of somatic growth (r² = 0.954, n = 88) and egg production (r² = 0.898, n = 35). Temperature is the main determinant of initial somatic growth and food concentration is the main determinant of maximal body length and clutch size. An individual based simulation was used to demonstrate the simultaneous effects of food and temperature on the population level. Evidently, both temperature and food supply affected the population growth rate but at food concentrations above approximately 0.4 mg Cl⁻¹ Scenedesmus acutus temperature appeared as the main determinant of population growth.

Four simulation examples are given to show the wide applicability of the model: (1) analysis of the correlation between population birth rate and somatic growth rate, (2) contribution of egg development time and delayed somatic growth to temperature-effects on population growth, (3) comparison of population birth rate in simulations with constant vs. decreasing size at maturity with declining food concentrations and (4) costs of diel vertical migration. Due to its plausible behaviour over a broad range of temperature (2–20 °C) and food conditions (0.1–4 mg Cl⁻¹) the model can be used as a module for more detailed simulations of Daphnia population dynamics under realistic environmental conditions.     

贵州夜郎湖表层水体地球化学昼夜变化及其影响因素

为探究岩溶水库水文地球化学行为过程,对贵州普定夜郎湖表层水体进行了为期3 d的高分辨率昼夜监测。结果表明：1）多变的天气和水文条件叠加导致水体离子指标昼夜变化不显著,规律性较差。而水温、DO、pH值、SpC、SIc、pCO₂等常规理化指标受水温变化和生物作用表现出明显的昼夜波动。2）利用亨利常数和主成分分析,得到温度变化、生物作用、人类活动、水库的蓄水与放水对夜郎湖水库水文地球化学特征变化的贡献率分别为21.66%、17.28%、14.08%和10.22%,说明作用于水库水文地球化学行为的因子具有多元性。3）δ ¹⁸O表现出与DO一致的波动趋势,即白天上升,晚上下降,反映在短时间尺度上,氢氧稳定同位素变化受控于生物过程（主要是呼吸作用过程）;而对比水库水体和大气降水的d-excess（d值）发现,水库水体的d值（8.21‰）显著偏低于当地大气降水的d值（9.64‰）,说明在长时间尺度上,主要受蒸发效应引起的不平衡分馏影响。     

南海东北部分粒级叶绿素a和超微型光合生物的周日变化

分别于2014年春、秋和2015年夏3个季节对南海东北部A站位(118°E,21.5°N)分粒级叶绿素a浓度和超微型光合生物(原绿球藻、聚球藻和超微型真核藻类)细胞丰度的昼夜变化进行了24 h时间序列连续观测和分析。通过萃取荧光法分析叶绿素a浓度,发现叶绿素a浓度呈现明显的昼夜变化,春季正午最高,秋季和夏季基本变化趋势为白天升高,夜晚降低;而因夏季中午的光抑制作用,叶绿素a的浓度相对较低。超微型光合生物(0.2~3μm)对总叶绿素a的贡献最高(71.49%),小型浮游植物(20μm)贡献率最低(10.41%)。通过流式细胞技术检测到3个超微型光合生物类群;其中,原绿球藻为优势类群,最大细胞丰度达1.05×10~5cells/m L,其次是聚球藻,超微型真核藻类的细胞丰度最低,但由于其单位细胞内的叶绿素a含量高,所以可能对叶绿素a的贡献最大。聚球藻丰度基本上白天下降,傍晚到午夜上升;秋季和夏季,超微型真核藻类的丰度白天高,夜晚低,而春季则相反;原绿球藻在秋季和春季的昼夜变化规律和超微型真核藻类相似。在多种因素共同影响下,光照是调控叶绿素a浓度和超微型光合生物丰度昼夜变化的一个关键因素。季节变化上,原绿球藻的细胞丰度季节间没有统计学差异(P0.05),聚球藻的季节变化为秋夏春,超微型真核藻类的季节变化规律和聚球藻相反。     

Fish utilization of a salt marsh intertidal creek in the Yangtze River estuary, China

The structure and temporal variations of the fish community in salt marshes of Chinese estuaries are poorly understood. Fish utilization of a salt marsh intertidal creek in the Yangtze River estuary was studied based on quarterly sampling surveys in July and November, 2004, and February and May, 2005. Fishes were collected by consecutive day and night samplings using fyke nets during the ebbing spring tides. A total of 25,010 individuals were caught during the study. 17 families and 33 species were documented, and the most species-rich family was Gobiidae. Three species, Synechogobius ommaturus, Chelon haematocheilus and Lateolabrax maculatus together comprised 95.65% of the total catch, which were also the most important commercial fishery species in the Yangtze River estuary. The fish community was dominated by juvenile individuals of estuarine resident species. Time of year significantly affected fish use of salt marshes, but no significant effects of diel periodicity on the fish community were found except for fish sampling in July. These findings indicate that salt marshes in the Yangtze River estuary may play important nursery roles for fish community.     

Ontogenetic and gender-modulated behavioural rhythms in the deep-water decapods Liocarcinus depurator (Brachyura: Portunidae), Munida tenuimana and Munida intermedia (Anomura: Galatheidae)

The regulation and expression of biological rhythms with respect to sex and ontogeny in deep-water benthic decapod crustaceans constitutes an exciting field in marine biology that is far from understood. Liocarcinus depurator , Munida intermedia and Munida tenuimana are ecologically key crustacean decapod species of the Atlantic and Mediterranean shelves and slopes, and their activity rhythms in the field are poorly known. Our aim was to measure the behavioural rhythms of these species, while at the same time defining their type of displacement ( i.e. endobenthic, nektobenthic or benthopelagic). Whether gender and ontogeny modulate the rhythmic behaviour of these decapods is unknown, and we sought to clarify this issue. A temporally scheduled series of trawl hauls and light intensity measures was performed on the western Mediterranean shelf (100–110 m depth) and slope (400–430 m), close to the autumn equinox and the summer solstice. The sex and the size of animals in the catches were analysed. Catch patterns were evaluated through waveform and periodogram analyses. Liocarcinus depurator was captured at night on the shelf, whereas on the slope, animals displayed peaks both in the middle of the day and night. Size-related differences (but no gender differences) were found in its rhythmic behaviour, possibly due to intra-specific competition ( e.g. fighting) between juveniles and adults. Munida intermedia were weakly diurnal in October and both diurnal and nocturnal in June. Munida tenuimana presented no discernible rhythmicity in October, but was nocturnal in June. Both species showed no evident sex or size modulation of their behaviour. Data were interpreted assuming that all tested species present an endobenthic behaviour ( i.e. animals emerge from the substrate during the active phase of their behavioural cycle).     

Ingestion rates and grazing impact of the brackwater mussel Brachidontes virgiliae in Lake St Lucia,iSimangaliso Wetland Park,South Africa

Bivalves feed on a combination of phytoplankton and zooplankton and have the potential to impact considerably the planktonic biomass, especially when they occur in high densities, such as in oyster and mussel beds. The brackwater mussel Brachidontes virgiliae is numerically dominant during wet phases within Africa’s largest estuarine lake, St Lucia, in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park on the east coast of South Africa. The ingestion rates and potential grazing impact of this small mussel (maximum shell length = 2.5 cm) were estimated for both the wet and dry seasons using an in situ gut fluorescence technique. Ingestion rates were higher during the wet season (5.78 µg pigment ind.^?1 d^?1) than during the dry season (4.44 µg pigment ind.^?1 d^?1). This might be explained by the increased water temperature and food availability during the wet season. Because of the patchy distribution of mussel populations, there could be higher localised grazing impact near mussel aggregations. Results showed a potential grazing impact of up to 20 times the available phytoplankton biomass at specific sites. These high grazing impacts have the potential to deplete phytoplankton stocks in the lake, especially during wet phases in the northern reaches, where mussel densities are highest. This needs to be factored into ecological models of Lake St Lucia, because the system might function differently during increased flood events.     

Diel feeding of the transparent goby Aphia minuta (Pisces,Gobiidae) in the Northwestern Adriatic Sea in spring time

The present study provides the first estimate of the daily ration for a goby species in the Mediterranean Sea, using a new approach to determine the mass of fish stomach contents through the sum of individual prey dry mass derived indirectly from prey size. Diel feeding activity and daily ration of the pelagic goby Aphia minuta were studied under natural conditions in the coastal waters off Comacchio (Northwestern Adriatic Sea) during the spring season. A total of 318 individuals of A. minuta, collected by 14 trawls carried out on 4 consecutive days, was examined for gut contents. The diel pattern of the vacuity index and the stomach fullness index indicated that A. minuta has nocturnal feeding behaviour. The daily ration, computed over a period of 16 h, was equivalent to 2.23% wet body mass.