Respiration partitioning in contrasting subtidal sediments: seasonality and response to a spring phytoplankton deposition

Biomass and respiration rates of bacteria, nematodes and macrobenthos were estimated in relation to the deposition of the spring phytoplankton bloom at two contrasting sites in the Southern North Sea: one with fine‐grained sediment close to the coastline and another with highly permeable sediments. Sediment community oxygen consumption (SCOC) was also measured. Bacterial biomass was relatively similar at both stations, whereas nematode and macrobenthic biomass were higher in fine‐grained sediment. In fine sediments, bacterial biomass increased quickly after deposition of the phytoplankton bloom, whereas the response of nematodes and macrobenthos was delayed. In coarser sediments, nematodes and macrobenthos also showed a fast response in terms of density and biomass. Respiration in permeable sediments was mainly dominated by bacteria at all periods of the year. Hence, nematode and macrobenthic respiration did not contribute strongly to SCOC. This is in contrast to the patterns observed in finer sediments, where both macrofauna and nematodes were important oxygen consumers as well. Macrobenthos contributed more to total SCOC than did nematodes in winter. However, shortly after the arrival of phytodetritus at the sea floor, nematodes and macrobenthos contributed equally to the total SCOC, indicating that all benthic size classes should be taken into account when investigating marine benthic respiration rates.     

胶州湾大型底栖动物的丰度、生物量和生产量研究

为了研究胶州湾大型底栖动物的丰度、生物量和生产量,于2002年3月、6月、8月和12月,在胶州湾北部软底区、大沽河口、黄岛养殖区及养殖区邻域选取4个站位进行采样,对大型底栖动物进行了定量研究。共采到大型底栖动物138种,总平均丰度、平均生物量(湿质量)和年生产量(有机碳)分别为1 719个/m2,27 g/m2,2.2 g/(m2.a),初步估算,胶州湾大型底栖动物的总次级生产量为2.8万t/a。与渤海和南黄海大型底栖动物的丰度和生物量比较,丰度和生物量均低于这两个海域,但是胶州湾大型底栖动物的总次级生产量高于渤海。本研究对于了解胶州湾大型底栖动物现状及湾内养殖对大型底栖动物的影响具有重要的意义。     

青岛近海秋季大型底栖动物群落特征

利用2007年10月在青岛近海进行的大型底栖动物定量采集样品,采用大型多元统计分析软件PRIMER,研究了该海域大型底栖动物群落的物种组成、生物量和丰度分布、群落等级聚类分析(CLUSTER)以及群落受污染扰动情况。本次调查共获得青岛近海大型底栖动物160种,其中多毛类93种,甲壳动物37种,软体动物16种,棘皮动物7种,其它类群动物7种。群落中优势种的优势度均不明显,以多毛类巴氏钩毛虫(Sigambra bassi)和长须沙蚕(Nereis longior)贡献率最高。生物量和丰度空间分布没有明显的规律性,呈斑块状分布。群落结构聚类分析表明,15个取样站的群落结构相似性程度都非常低,为10%~30%,仅有S2和S4站、S11和S12站Bray-Curtis相似性系数达到30%。ABC曲线表明,该研究海域处于1个轻度人为扰动的状态。     

青岛近海春季大型底栖动物群落特征

分析2007年4月在青岛近海进行的大型底栖动物定量采集样品资料,研究了该海域大型底栖动物群落的优势种组成和物种多样性、生物量、丰度和群落等级聚类分析(CLUSTER)以及群落受污染扰动情况。本次调查中共获得青岛近海大型底栖动物89种,其中多毛类41种,甲壳动物32种,软体动物5种,棘皮动物6种,其它类群动物5种。群落中优势种以日本美人虾(Callianassa japonica)和日本倍棘蛇尾(Amphioplus japonicus)贡献率较高。平均生物量和丰度空间分布高值区均出现在近岸海域。群落结构聚类分析表明,15个取样站的群落结构相似性程度都非常低,为10%~30%,仅有S10站和S13站、S3站和S9站Bray-Curtis相似性系数达到40%。ABC曲线表明,S6,S7,S12,S13站的底栖动物群落已受到中度扰动,其它各站ABC曲线状态正常,表明底栖动物群落基本未受干扰,处于较稳定状态。     

黄海大型底栖动物功能摄食类群的空间格局

本研究根据2000年10月、2001年3月、2003年6月、2004年1月、2011年4月和8月黄海大型底栖动物调查资料(仅2011年4月和8月航次测定水体和沉积物环境数据)对黄海大型底栖动物功能摄食类群的空间格局及其与环境因子的相互关系进行研究。结果表明,黄海大型底栖动物功能摄食类群相对丰度较高的为肉食者、食底泥者和滤食者。黄海大型底栖动物食底泥者和肉食者相对丰度高值出现在2011年8月航次,分别为44.88%和39.04%。黄海大型底栖动物空间分布以黄海冷水团区域为参照,黄海大型底栖动物肉食者主要分布在黄海冷水团边缘靠近海州湾东侧。食底泥者主要分布在黄海近岸及黄海冷水团边缘。滤食者主要分布在黄海冷水团中央区域。运用摄食多样性指数(J′FD)对黄海水域生态质量和底栖群落健康状况进行评价,结果表明,黄海近岸海域生态质量状况较低。对2011年4月和8月航次黄海大型底栖动物功能群与环境因子进行冗余分析,结果表明,底层水温度、盐度、水深和中值粒径是影响黄海大型底栖动物功能摄食类群的主要环境因素。     

黄海多毛环节动物多样性及区系的初步研究

多毛环节动物是海洋底栖大型生物群落中最为习见且数量占优势的组成之一,有关其区系分类、生物多样性及地理分布特点一直是该类研究聚焦的领域.综合中国海域多毛环节动物的研究记录,基于对已往分类学报道的核实,系统分析了黄海的多毛类物种多样性特点,提订了黄海278种多毛环节动物的最新名录及地理分布状况,同时对黄海及其他中国海域的多毛环节动物的地理分布特点及区系概况进行了比较和初步探讨.     

福清核电站邻近潮间带大型底栖生物数量分布与群落结构

于2006年2、4、7和10月在福清核电厂运行前对其邻近潮间带不同底质断面的大型底栖生物进行采样,以了解该潮间带大型底栖生物的种类及资源分布.结果表明,该核电站附近潮间带大型底栖生物总共为146种,以多毛类、软体动物和甲壳动物为主.以季节和底质为因素对取样获得物种数进行双因素方差分析显示:种类获得数的季节变化无显著差异,底质间呈边缘性显著.4季的大型底栖生物平均生物量为1 446.11 g/m2、平均栖息密度为972个/m2.大型底栖生物生物量平均值为春季＞夏季＞冬季＞秋季,栖息密度平均值为夏季＞春季＞冬季＞秋季.以季节和底质为因素的双因素方差分析显示:大型底栖生物生物量和栖息密度季节间无显著差异但底质间差异极显著.底质和季节间大型底栖动物的Shannon-Weiner指数、Margalef种类丰度、Pielou均匀度和Simpson优势度指数均无显著差异.利用Bray-Curtis相似性聚类对福清核电站邻近潮间带大型底栖生物进行分析后得出,该潮间带大型底栖生物可划分为两个群落:岩礁群落和泥沙滩群落.分析表明,底质是影响大型底栖生物分布的主要环境因子,季节对大型底栖生物分布的影响不显著.     

More about taxonomic sufficiency: a case study using polychaete communities in a subtropical bay moderately affected by urban sewage

The taxonomic sufficiency approach has been proposed as a surrogate for the typical analysis of speciesabundance data, especially in conditions involving prominent pollution gradients. Here, we evaluate the use of taxonomic sufficiency with infralittoral macrobenthic data derived from samples taken in a moderate polluted subtropical environment in southeastern Brazil, analysing five taxonomic levels and including two functional levels throughout polychaete feeding guilds and trophic groups. The data were collected seasonally at nine stations and studied for two abundance data series (0.5 and 1.0 mm sieve mesh-size). The results showed a similar ordination pattern between the two sieve mesh-size, but with the 0.5 mm sieve data a different pattern was observed during austral summer. A slight loss of information was detected using genus, family, polychaete species and their feeding guilds as taxonomic/ functional units. These results together with those of the cost/ benefit ratio, suggested that the family level seemed to be sufficient to detect the impact caused by moderate pollution in this shallow-water, subtropical environment. In additional, through the use of feeding guilds, similar patterns are obtained. Correlation analysis showed that chlorophyll a, total organic matter, zinc, and chromium sediment content were the variables that best explained the biological pattern observed and not always the best correlation coefficient occurring at the species level. The feeding guild approach seems to be useful and generates interpretable results similar to those obtained with the species level of the whole macroinfauna. The results showed an important cost reduction in the sample processing, suggesting that it is possible to adopt a coarser taxonomic level monitoring program even in species-rich communities.     

A field experimental study on recolonization and succession of macrobenthic infauna in defaunated sediment contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons

A field experiment was carried out in Hong Kong to study the patterns of recolonization and succession of subtidal macrobenthos in defaunated sediment contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons and to determine the time required for benthic recovery from petroleum contamination. A total of 31 species was found and 83 animals/tray and 14 species/tray on an average were recorded after one month. Initial colonization was dominated by polychaetes in both abundance and species number (accounting for 69.1% and 64.5%, respectively). Abundance of macrobenthos came to a small crest (308 animals/tray) after three months, reached a sharp peak (1257 animals/tray) after six months, and then declined to a steady level. Abundance, species number and diversity in the petroleum-contaminated sediment were significantly lower than those in the control sediment in the early successional stages, indicating deleterious effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on recolonization and succession of macrobenthos. Petroleum hydrocarbons in sediment significantly altered species composition of macrobenthos in recolonization and succession. No significant differences in community parameters and species composition between the petroleum-contaminated and the control communities were found after 11 months, indicating that macrobenthic community had recovered from petroleum contamination.     

Marine and Brackish Ecosystems of South Brittany (Lorient and Vilaine Bays) with Particular Reference to the Effect of the Turbidity Maxima

The south Brittany coast of France offers considerable opportunities to study the transition between estuaries and the sea. The sea coast is semi-enclosed, due to the local geomorphology, with sheltered conditions. The infaunal macrobenthic communities have been identified and characterized by species richness (S), abundance (A) and biomass (B), related to environmental factors. The spatial succession of infauna along the estuarine gradient shows the presence of an area with a much reduced fauna, and an oligobiotic area with low values of S, A and B. In these strongly stratified estuaries, concentration of organic matter and sediment can result in oxygen depletion, which is not favourable for survival of the infauna. The oligobiotic area seems to be related to the presence of the turbidity maximum, the location and importance of which are functions of river discharge and hydrodynamic mixing. The turbidity maximum which causes these conditions is shown to be at a higher salinity than has previously been described for this phenomenon, and is shown to break the spatial gradient of marine to brackish communities which has been described in larger estuaries.