珊瑚骨骼生长特征的数字影像分析

造礁珊瑚骨骼一般呈年周期性带状生长,生长特征变化与周边环境有密切关系,具有重要的环境指示意义。本文依据珊瑚骨骼生长带X射线成像原理,利用计算机的数字化和影像处理功能,提出了珊瑚骨骼生长带数字影像分析的方法,能获得较传统方法更高分辨率和精度的珊瑚生长信息。利用该方法提取了海南岛三亚湾滨珊瑚骨骼月尺度的生长密度、生长率的变化序列,并探讨了生长密度、生长率的变化特征及其与主要环境因素的关系。     

两种短指软珊瑚提取物在化妆品开发中的应用潜力初探

以甲醇对2种短指软珊瑚进行提取,检测提取物对各波段紫外线的吸收效果以表征其防晒活性,以酪氨酸酶抑制实验检测其美白活性,并以DPPH法检测其抗氧化活性,首次探讨了软珊瑚来源物质在化妆品开发中的应用潜力。结果表明,在防晒活性方面,Sinularia compacta和Sinularia wanannensis提取物对紫外线具有较强的吸收特性,随浓度增加其光吸收波段也随之扩大,浓度在5. 0 mg/cm3以上时对280～400 nm波长范围的紫外线均有良好吸收,总体上S. compacta提取物的防晒活性略高于S. wanannensis提取物,两者对紫外线的吸收效果均优于阳性对照熊果苷和二苯甲酮,S. compacta提取物在10. 0 mg/cm3时对紫外线的吸收效果甚至与阳性对照芦丁相当,显示出较高的防紫外效能;在美白活性方面,S. compacta和S. wanannensis提取物均有一定的抑制酪氨酸酶活性作用,S. compacta和S. wanannensis提取物在此活性无显著性差异;在抗氧化活性方面,S. compacta和S. wanannensis提取物均显示出优异的清除自由基能力,且其活性随浓度的升高而升高,在1. 0～5. 0 mg/cm3浓度下S. compacta和S. wanannensis提取物的抗氧化活性与阳性对照Vc相当,在10. 0 mg/cm3时S. wanannensis提取物的抗氧化活性显著高于S. compacta提取物和Vc。研究结果为开发软珊瑚源天然新型化妆品物质奠定了重要基础。     

海南儋州海域造礁石珊瑚种类组成及动态变化研究

文章通过断面法调查分析了儋州海域海花岛沿岸、南华墟沿岸和磷枪石岛沿岸造礁石珊瑚的种类组成与群落分布,结果表明：儋州海域造礁石珊瑚共有12科25属55种,相较于此前的研究增加了10个种,优势种为斯氏角孔珊瑚、澄黄滨珊瑚、柱角孔珊瑚;活造礁石珊瑚覆盖率急剧下降,由2012年的42.92%下降至现在的22.24%,降幅高至48.18%;造礁石珊瑚死亡率高居不下,长期维持在35%左右;初级群落以团块状造礁石珊瑚为优势种的趋势愈发明显,且单一绝对优势种的情况频繁出现,说明该海域造礁石珊瑚群落受到了较为严重的破坏,导致群落退化演替,分析认为这种破坏是由自然因素和人为活动共同造成的。     

Intraspecific cleaning by juvenile Cape white seabream Diplodus capensis (Sparidae) off eastern South Africa

Juveniles of the Cape white seabream Diplodus capensis were observed cleaning adult conspecifics in a large tidepool off Sodwana Bay, South Africa. Although nine other tropical fish species were present and interacted with a nearby pair of Labroides cleaner wrasses, only adults of D. capensis posed for and were cleaned by the D. capensis juveniles. Such cleaning interactions have not been reported previously for this species or among marine fishes off South Africa, and thus add to the growing list of facultative cleaners globally.     

Biological structures as a source of habitat heterogeneity and biodiversity on the deep ocean margins

Biological structures exert a major influence on species diversity at both local and regional scales on deep continental margins. Some organisms use other species as substrates for attachment, shelter, feeding or parasitism, but there may also be mutual benefits from the association. Here, we highlight the structural attributes and biotic effects of the habitats that corals, sea pens, sponges and xenophyophores offer other organisms. The environmental setting of the biological structures influences their species composition. The importance of benthic species as substrates seems to increase with depth as the complexity of the surrounding geological substrate and food supply decline. There are marked differences in the degree of mutualistic relationships between habitat-forming taxa. This is especially evident for scleractinian corals, which have high numbers of facultative associates (commensals) and few obligate associates (mutualists), and gorgonians, with their few commensals and many obligate associates. Size, flexibility and architectural complexity of the habitat-forming organism are positively related to species diversity for both sessile and mobile species. This is mainly evident for commensal species sharing a facultative relationship with their host. Habitat complexity is enhanced by the architecture of biological structures, as well as by biological interactions. Colony morphology has a great influence on feeding efficiency for suspension feeders. Suspension feeding, habitat-forming organisms modify the environment to optimize their food uptake. This environmental advantage is also passed on to associated filter-feeding species. These effects are poorly understood but represent key points for understanding ecosystems and biodiversity on continental margins. In this paper we explore the contributions of organisms and the biotic structures they create (rather than physical modifications) to habitat heterogeneity and diversity on the deep continental margins.     

Coral assemblages and reef growth in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (Western Pacific Ocean)

Reef development varies considerably around the high, raised‐limestone islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Here we examine the modern assemblages at 30 sites for coral composition, colony density, colony size, and fidelity. We defined four reef types and hypothesize the presence of environmentally driven ecological stasis, whereby the environment continuously selects for coral species membership, defines colony sizes, and over time creates the noted reef types. Our results show that constructional spur‐and‐groove reefs supported significantly larger coral‐colony sizes and higher coral species richness compared with high‐relief interstitial framework, low‐relief incipient, and non‐constructional coral assemblages. Non‐constructional reefs supported much smaller coral colony sizes, despite similar population densities, and were consistently found in association with high wave exposure. The distinct coral assemblages found on interstitial framework and low‐relief incipient reefs were not affiliated with any wave exposure regime, but were located adjacent to large watersheds and on islands with unique geological history. These assemblages were nested within the spur‐and‐groove species pool. Overall, modern coral cover was well predicted by bathymetric slope and watershed size, while species richness was additively influenced by two proxies of pollution, suggesting the latter is better suited for establishing management targets. In contrast with previous studies that suggested modern assemblages were biologically controlled in the CNMI, we show reef assemblages and reef development are highly influenced by long‐term environmental forcing.     

Reef status in the Rasfari region (North Malé Atoll,Maldives) five years before the mass mortality event of 1998

The Maldives was severely hit by massive coral bleaching and subsequent mortality in 1998. The results of reef monitoring in the following years have supported contrasting views about their recovery potential, partly because of the scarcity of information on the situation before 1998. Quantitative data on coral assemblages collected in 1993 in the Rasfari region (North Malé Atoll) may provide a base-line for the evaluation of the present status of the Maldivian reefs. Five years before the 1998 mortality, most coral communities appeared to be similar, in terms of both coral cover and growth-form composition, to those described in 1958 and 1964, notwithstanding increased human pressure and local events such as minor bleaching episodes in 1987 and crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) attacks in 1989. Three lessons can be learnt from these results to help to understand the present situation, some ten years after the 1998 mass mortality. First, Maldivian reefs proved in the past to be capable of maintaining flourishing coral life despite various disturbances. Second, four years had been sufficient for complete reef recovery after a (minor) bleaching event. Third, recovery after both COTS attack and bleaching follows a predictable path suggesting that the presence of a three-dimensional community structure, which should reduce post settlement mortality of coral recruits, is essential for rapid coral recovery. As coral recruitment remains high and large tabular Acropora colonies are now reappearing, it is expected that Maldivian reefs should return to their original condition within the next few years.     

Importance of wave-induced bed liquefaction in the fine sediment budget of Cleveland Bay,Great Barrier Reef

Data from a three-year long field study of fine sediment dynamics in Cleveland Bay show that wave-induced liquefaction of the fine sediment bed on the seafloor in shallow water was the main process causing bed erosion under small waves during tradewinds, and that shear-induced erosion prevailed during cyclonic conditions. These data were used to verify a model of fine sediment dynamics that calculates sediment resuspension by both excess shear stress and wave-induced liquefaction of the bed. For present land-use conditions, the amount of riverine sediments settling on the bay may exceed by 50–75% the amount of sediment exported from the bay. Sediment is thus accumulating in the bay on an annual basis, which in turn may degrade the fringing coral reefs. For those years when a tropical cyclone impacted the bay there may be a net sediment outflow from the bay. During the dry, tradewind season, fine sediment was progressively winnowed out of the shallow, reefal waters.     

Impact of hydrographic parameters and seasonal variation in sediment fluxes on coral status at Chumbe and Bawe reefs,Zanzibar, Tanzania

Coral reefs which are an important resource to coastal communities and nation at large are adversely affected by rate of sediment flux to the reefs. However, there is little information on seasonal trend in sediment flux and its impact at the reefs off Zanzibar. Two years’ monthly data on sedimentation at Chumbe and Bawe reefs were used to assess seasonal variability in sediment flux and its implication on the coral status. Sediment flux to the Bawe reefs for the duration of the study ranged from 0.2 to 41.5 mg cm⁻² d⁻¹, while it ranged from 0.8 to 65.8 mg cm⁻² d⁻¹ at the Chumbe reefs. Sediment fluxes at Bawe reefs were highest between November and March, while they were highest between April and September at Chumbe reefs. Generally, sediment fluxes at Bawe reefs were low compared to those at Chumbe. The total sediment input to the reefs ranged from 4615 to 123,403 kg d⁻¹ for Bawe reefs and 2750 to 79,636 kg d⁻¹ for Chumbe reefs. High sediment fluxes at Bawe reefs between November and March; and the Chumbe reefs between April and September can be attributed to water currents and wind pattern in the east African region which are under the influence of the monsoons. The observed trend suggests that the period for coral transplant as a management option for the two sites should be different. Coral transplant can be undertaken in such a way that stress of the corals due to sedimentation can be felt after they have overcome stress from transplant process and temperature. The results from this study contribute to the much needed information for coral transplant, restoration, and management.     

Pacific coral oxygen isotope and the tropospheric temperature gradient over the Asian monsoon region: a tool to reconstruct past Indian summer monsoon rainfall

Having recognized that it is the tropospheric temperature (TT) gradient rather than the land–ocean surface temperature gradient that drives the Indian monsoon, a new mechanism of El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) monsoon teleconnection has been unveiled in which the ENSO influences the Indian monsoon by modifying the TT gradient over the region. Here we show that equatorial Pacific coralline oxygen isotopes reflect TT gradient variability over the Indian monsoon region and are strongly correlated to monsoon precipitation as well as to the length of the rainy season. Using these relationships we have been able to reconstruct past Indian monsoon rainfall variability of the first half of the 20th century in agreement with the instrumental record. Additionally, an older coral oxygen isotope record has been used to reconstruct seasonally resolved summer monsoon rainfall variability of the latter half of the 17th century, indicating that the average annual rainfall during this period was similar to that during the 20th century. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.