Meiofauna distributions at the oxygen minimum zone in Changjiang (Yangtze) River Estuary waters

1 IntroductionOxygen minimum zone (OMZ) is a midwaterregion in the open ocean where dissolved oxygen con-centrations fall below 0.5 ml/L (0.714 mg/dm3,Kamykowski and Zentara, 1990; Levin et al.,1991). It results from the biological oxygen demandand is wel…     

胶州湾小型底栖生物的丰度和生物量

1995年 5月— 1 996年 1月 ,在胶州湾北部软底水域进行每 2月一次的调查。结果表明 ,小型底栖生物的年平均丰度为 1 .51× 1 0 6ind/m2 ,最高值出现在 95B1和 95B2站 ,分别为 2 .73× 1 0 6 和 2 .75× 1 0 6ind/m2 ,最低值出现在 95B3站 ,数量为 0 .46× 1 0 6ind/m2 。小型底栖生物的年平均生物量为 1 .32 g/m2 (干重 )。皮尔逊相关分析表明 ,小型生物的数量与以碳和氮表示的浮游植物的生物量呈负相关 ,相关系数分别为 - 0 .969和 - 0 .947(P <0 .0 5)。共鉴定出 1 4个小型生物类群。自由生活的海洋线虫占总数量的 86.6% ,底栖桡足类居第 2位 ,占总数量的 5.7%。按生物量 ,海洋线虫 (35.9% )、介形类 (32 .6% )、多毛类 (1 3.7% )和桡足类 (8.3% )共同构成小型动物的优势类群 ,80 %以上的小型生物分布在 0— 2cm以浅表层内。与国内外同类研究结果进行了比较 ,并对小型生物在胶州湾生态系中的作用进行了探讨     

Spatial variability of meiofaunal communities at areas of contrasting depth and productivity in the Aegean Sea (NE Mediterranean)

The abundance and community structure of metazoan meiofauna were studied in deep-sea sediments from the north and south Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean) in summer 1997 and spring 1998. The two areas varied in their surface primary productivity with the northern area being more productive. Meiofaunal densities displayed strong spatial variability while no temporal changes were observed. Total metazoan density ranged from 128 to 1251 ind./10 cm², with significantly higher values in the north. Meiofaunal biomass ranged from 27 to 391 μgC/10 cm² with higher values also in the north. At all stations nematodes dominated the community, comprising on average more than 91% of the total abundance. On a broad scale, meiofaunal densities displayed a positive correlation with food availability (sediment-bound chloroplastic pigments, carbohydrates and lipids); carbon mineralization (an indicator of organic matter turnover) was significantly higher in the northern Aegean, providing evidence of high organic-matter input and intense benthic-pelagic coupling. The spatial structure of the nematode community indicated that the two areas were similar in terms of their dominant genera (Halalaimus, Acantholaimus, and Thalassomonhystera).     

Nematode Community Structure Along a Mediterranean Shelf-slope Gradient

Abstract. Nematode assemblages along a Mediterranean depth transect (160–1220 m) and vertically in the sediment were investigated. The station at the edge of the continental shelf (160 m) was distinctly different from those situated on the continental slope (280–1220 m). On the slope, nematode communities in the upper centimetre differed significantly from communities in the deeper sediment layers, which were dominated by fewer and larger species. Vertical segregation could be a factor explaining the coexistence of several species belonging to the genus Sabatieria , with larger species penetrating deeper into the sediment. Clear differences in buccal morphology suggest food resource partitioning as the dominant factor promoting coexistence of several species belonging to the other dominant genus, Acantholaimus .     

Macrofaunal nematodes of the deep Whittard Canyon (NE Atlantic): assemblage characteristics and comparison with polychaetes

Large nematodes form an important component of deep‐sea macrofaunal assemblages, but are often considered to be part of the meiobenthos and are rarely studied. We analysed the standing stocks, diversity, and functional group and genus‐level composition of macrofaunal nematodes at lower bathyal depths (3,500 m water depth) in the Whittard Canyon system (NE Atlantic) and on the adjacent continental slope. Five replicate sample sets were obtained using a Megacorer, at four locations (three canyon branches, one slope). Sediment samples were processed on a 500‐μm mesh to provide both nematode and polychaete data from the same samples. The dominant nematode genera included Paramesacanthion, Metacylicolaimus, Cylicolaimus and Phanodermopsis. Nematode standing stocks (density and biomass) increased significantly from slope to canyon locations. Similarly, nematode dominance increased substantially (and diversity decreased) from slope to canyon locations. Nematode feeding groups and tail shape groups also appeared to exhibit common trends across study locations. Nematode genus‐level faunal composition varied significantly between slope and canyon locations. We describe and discuss the broadly similar trends detected in the matching polychaete data, noting some differences in the polychaete density and diversity responses. We suggest that the similar trends in macrofaunal nematode and polychaete ecology across our four study locations reflect responses to both changing sedimentology and food availability.     

Lack of population genetic structure in the marine nematodes Ptycholaimellus pandispiculatus and Terschellingia longicaudata in beaches of the Persian Gulf,Iran

We investigated genetic diversity and population genetic structure of two common benthic nematode species, Ptycholaimellus pandispiculatus and Terschellingia longicaudata, from sandy beaches in the area of Bandar Abbas (Iran), Persian Gulf. Based upon partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase c subunit 1 (COI) gene data, 17 and two haplotypes were found for P. pandispiculatus and Te. longicaudata, respectively. Analysis of molecular variance did not reveal a significant population genetic structure for either species. The absence of genetic structuring indicates substantial dispersal and gene flow in our study area. To assess the species structure of Te. longicaudata at a larger geographic scale, we compared 18S rDNA and COI sequences from Iran and the Scheldt Estuary in The Netherlands to ascertain whether they truly belong to the same species. Our data confirmed previous studies that Te. longicaudata likely constitutes a complex of multiple cryptic species, with one of these species having a (near) cosmopolitan distribution.     

TWO NEW SPECIES OF THE GENUS DORYLAIMOPSIS DITLEVSEN, 1918 (NEMATODA : ADENOPHORA,COMESOMATIDAE) FROM THE BOHAI SEA,CHINA

Two nematode species of the genus Dorylaimopsis (Family Comesometidae) from the Bohai Sea are described. Dorylaimopsis rabalaisi n. sp. similar to D. punctata Ditlevsen, 1918 from which it can be separated by the small size, short and simple spicules without ventral apophyses or joint line. Dorylaimopsis turneri n. sp. differs from the closest species Dorylaimopsis angelae (Inglis, 1967) by its higher values of de Man ratio 'a', much shorter spicules and higher ratio of gubernacular to spicules length. A key to species of the genus based on the key by Jensen (1979) is given .     

黄海自由生活线虫两个新纪录种描述

作者以山东烟台养马岛采集的未受扰动的样品为研究材料,对中国黄海潮间带自由生活线虫的种类和多样性展开研究,发现两个新纪录种八棘单茎线虫(Monoposthia octalata Galtsova,1976)和瑞氏拟单宫线虫(Paramonohystera riemanni (Platt,1973) Lorenzen,1977)并进行描述。八棘单茎线虫主要特征为体表具有八排侧装饰,化感器呈圆形、较小,口腔具有一个大的背齿,口腔前端具有明显角质化波浪形的结构,无交接刺,引带作镰刀状,尾呈锥状。标本特征与Galtsova描述的模式标本特征基本吻合,只是黄海的标本虫体稍长,化感器略大,引带稍长。瑞氏拟单宫线虫主要特征为虫体较细,头刚毛短,化感器呈圆形位于口腔后部,口腔内不具齿,交接刺稍弯曲,为对应体径的4.1倍,引带简单,尾细长呈纤毛状。标本特征与Platt描述的模式标本特征基本吻合,只是黄海的标本虫体稍长,头刚毛和尾部更长,交接刺略长。