Surviving off junk: low-energy prey dominates the diet of African penguins Spheniscus demersus at Mercury Island,Namibia, between 1996 and 2009

The diet of African penguins Spheniscus demersus in Namibia consisted mainly of sardine Sardinops sagax in the 1950s. Since the collapse of pelagic fish stocks in the 1970s, birds fed mainly on bearded (pelagic) goby Sufflogobius bibarbatus, a low-energy prey species. We present diet data for African penguins breeding at Mercury Island, the largest colony for this species in Namibia, between 1996 and 2009. Bearded goby was the main prey item throughout the study period, both in terms of frequency of occurrence (67.8%; SD 31.2) and in terms of mass (59.2%; SD 31.5). Diet composition varied throughout the year as well as between years; birds occasionally fed on a variety of fish species other than bearded goby. In Namibia, poor prey abundance is considered as a major factor contributing to the decline of penguin numbers after the collapse of the sardine stocks. However, bearded goby appears to be relatively abundant along Namibia's southern coast and low prey quality rather than low abundance appears to be a key factor influencing population dynamics of African penguins and other marine top predators in southern Namibia.     

St Helena Bay (southern Benguela) then and now: muted climate signals,large human impact

The development of suitable reference states for ecosystem-based management requires documentation of changes in structure and functioning of marine ecosystems, including assessment of the relative importance of bottom-up and top-down processes as drivers of change. We used monitoring data available from St Helena Bay, the most productive bay and an important nursery area situated on the west coast of South Africa, during 1950–2010 to reveal changes in the abiotic and biotic components. St Helena Bay in the 1950s showed similarities to 2000–2010 in terms of wind patterns, hydrology and phytoplankton. Upwelling, oxygen and nutrient concentrations in subthermocline water displayed pronounced decadal-scale variability. Primary production in St Helena Bay is variable, but consistently higher than that on the adjacent Namaqua shelf. Zooplankton size composition and biomass in August have changed markedly since the 1950s. During 2001–2010, mesozooplankton biomass in autumn was considerably lower than in summer, probably due to predation by small pelagic fish. Pelagic fish catch patterns and distributions have altered dramatically. Conservation measures, implemented to reverse past negative human impact, have benefitted marine mammals, the abundance of which has increased in the area, but additional conservation measures are necessary to reverse the decline in African penguins Spheniscus demersus. St Helena Bay shows a muted response to long-term change in the southern Benguela, with marked decadal variability but no clear long-term trend in oceanography and biogeochemistry. Changes in ecosystem boundary conditions and fishing pressure cannot be ignored as important drivers of change in the southern Benguela since the 1950s.     

Profitability and economic drivers of small pelagic fisheries in West Africa: A twenty year perspective

Small pelagics are the main fish resource in North West Africa. In Senegal, these are mainly sardinellas (Sardinella aurita and S. maderensis) and bonga shad (Ethmalosa fimbriata). The fisheries, mainly encircling gillnets and purse seines, are predominantly performed by artisanal fishers and are of great importance for the Senegalese economy and for food security in the region. However, in recent years, the main conditions for these fisheries have changed and recent observations have shown strong declines in profit. An analysis over the last twenty years (1993–2013) show that the fisheries lost profit between 65% and 100% while operating costs increased by 25% and 90%, for encircling gillnet and purse seine, respectively. While the fuel price dominates as determining factor during the survey period, important other drivers during the last five years were a decrease in fish biomass and an increase in fishing effort.     

Curie Temperature Analyses of Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous Pelagic Limestones

Summary. Magnetic extracts were prepared from samples of Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous pelagic limestones from France and Spain. Thermomagnetic analysis of the magnetic extracts using a microbalance required careful monitoring of base weight changes during heating. Heating in argon gas atmosphere induced production of magnetite during heating while slight oxidation occurred during heating in air. the dominant Curie temperature detected by the thermomagnetic analyses was the 585°C Curie temperature of magnetite. the 680°C Curie temperature of haematite was only detected when isothermal remanent magnetism (IRM) data indicated large concentrations of haematite. Even when IRM data indicated its presence, the thermomagnetic analyses did not detect the Neel temperature of goethite. Although thermomagnetic analyses of magnetic extracts provide more direct identification of the dominant, strongly ferromagnetic minerals, IRM acquisition and subsequent thermal demagnetization is a superior technique in detecting high coercivity, weakly ferromagnetic minerals such as goethite and haematite.     

东经90°海岭的远洋沉积记录与晚新生代重大构造-环境事件

东经 90°海岭的北部远洋型沉积记录是青藏高原隆升的远程监视器。文章应用有孔虫组合分析和壳体微量元素分析 ,结合相关的沉积学、地球化学、古地磁学和微体古生物学工作 ,对以ODP75 8钻孔为代表的 9Ma以来的沉积记录综合研讨 ,识别出对应于高原阶段隆升 (3 7～ 3 2Ma、0 .8～ 0 .6Ma、0 .17～ 0 .16Ma)的重大环境变化信号。文章还提出印度冬季季风强度是反映高原构造活动关键标志的观点。按照这种观点 ,海岭远洋记录提供的晚新生代最大环境转折时段位于 3.7～ 3.2Ma间。     

Albian and Cenomanian palaeobathymetry in the Pieniny Klippen Belt Basin, Polish Carpathians

During the Albian and Cenomanian, the Pieniny Klippen Belt Basin, a part of the Carpathian geosynclinal domain, showed a clear differentiation into an axial deepest part represented by the Pieniny and Branisko successions and two marginal zones, a southern (Nizna and Haligovce successions, in Slovakia) and a northern zone (in Poland and Slovakia) represented by the Niedzica, Czertezik and Czorsztyn successions, becoming progressively more shallow towards the north. Five palaeobathymetric foraminiferal associations have been distinguished in the axial and northern marginal zone sediments of the Klippen Basin, corresponding to: ‘A’ shelf and upper slope: relatively large proportion of nodosariids and miliolids (Czorsztyn succession); ‘B1’ middle part of slope; oligotaxic planktonic assemblage dominant (Niedzica through Branisko successions and northern part of the Pieniny succession); ‘B2’ middle part of slope: larger proportion of agglutinated foraminifers, association characteristic of sediments influenced by turbidites (submarine flyschoid channels in the Branisko succession); ‘Cl’ middle and lower parts of slope: scarce microfauna, Hedbergella and textularids dominant (Pieniny succession, middle part); ‘C2’ slope/abyssal plain transition, close to foraminiferal lysocline (probably about 3500m below sea level): scarce specimens corroded and slightly dissolved (Pieniny succession, southern part).     

南沙海域虫戎群落特征与季风、管水母关系分析

根据2013年3-4月、6-7月、9月和11-12月4个航次的调查资料;分析南沙海域浮游虫戎亚目的种类组成、优势种、栖息密度和群落结构特征;并探讨季风转换对其影响及其与管水母的关系。研究海域内共鉴定浮游虫戎亚目12科26属63种。生态类群结构属于热带大洋性。优势种较少;共出现7种;其中;孟加拉蛮虫戎（Lestrigonus bengalensis）为唯一的年度优势种;优势地位显著。物种组成存在季节性变化;分为春季、夏季与秋-冬季3个群落。虫戎年均栖息密度为18.30×10-2 ind/m3;高数量区主要分布于近岸水域;数量季节变化不明显;但平面分布季节差异明显。虫戎年均丰富度、多样性、均匀度指数和多样性阈值各是1.23、1.28、0.33、0.48。虫戎物种组成随季风转换左右近岸低盐水影响程度而变化;群落结构、生物多样性和栖息密度平面分布随季风转换所驱动的表层环流结构改变而变化。虫戎群落分布与管水母间的相关性证实研究海域两类群物种间的寄宿关系。这种关系促使孟加拉蛮虫戎在沿岸低盐水影响下更易形成高优势度;而表现出类似近岸海域优势种优势地位显著的特点。     

印尼穿越流区现代浮游有孔虫四个属种壳体的稳定碳、氧同位素及其意义

Horizontal and vertical distributions of δ~(18)O and δ~(13)C were investigated in shells of four planktonic foraminiferal species, Globigerinoides ruber, Globigerinoides sacculifer, Pulleniatina obliquiloculata and Neogloboquedrina dutertrei, from a total of 62 core-top sediment samples from the Indonesian throughflow region. Results were compared to modern hydrologic conditions in order to explore potential of proxies in reconstructing fluvial discharge and upper ocean water column characteristics in this region. Our results show that, in the Makassar Strait, both of depleted δ~(18)O and δ~(13)C of these four species were linked to freshwater input. In the Bali Sea,however, depleted δ~(18)O and δ~(13)C for these species may be due to different reasons. Depleted δ~(18)O was a result of freshwater input and as well influenced by along-shore currents while depleted δ~(13)C was more likely due to the Java-Sumatra upwelling. Comparison of shell δ~(18)O records and hydrographic data of World Ocean Atlas 2005 suggests that G. ruber and G. sacculifer calcify within the mixed-layer, respectively at 0–50 m and 20–75 m water depth, and P. obliquiloculata and N. dutertrei within the upper thermocline, both at 75–125 m water depth. N.dutertrei calcifies at slightly deeper water depth than P. obliquiloculata does. In general, δ~(13)C values of both G.ruber and G. sacculifer are larger than those of P. obliquiloculata and N. dutertrei at all sites, possibly related to depth habitats of these species and vertical distribution of nutrients in the Indonesian throughflow region.     

中国远洋作业渔场海表温度异常年际变动分析

基于美国国家海洋大气局(NOAA)气候预测中心月平均SST资料,利用时间序列的统计学特征分析了中国7个主要远洋作业渔场1982~2011年海表温度异常(SSTA)年际变动,用功率谱方法计算时间序列的显著变动周期,并用相关分析探讨了去除趋势项后的SSTA与南方涛动指数(Southern Oscillation Index,SOI)的相关性。结果表明,1982~2011年中国主要远洋作业渔场SSTA为–0.3~0.3℃,波动周期约为3~4 a,平均SSTA总体呈现上升趋势,与SOI存在显著的相关性(r=–0.509),说明渔场的SSTA与ENSO事件有着密切联系;从渔场SSTA升降趋势来看,除了东太平洋和东南太平洋SSTA出现下降趋势,其余渔场的SSTA均有一定程度的上升,其中西北太平洋SSTA上升最为显著;从渔场SSTA的变化周期来看,东太平洋和西南大西洋的SSTA变化周期为3~4 a,东南太平洋为4 a,西太平洋为5 a,其余的短期周期性较不明显,约为10 a;与SOI时间序列进行相关分析得到,东太平洋、中大西洋以及西南大西洋均与SOI存在显著的相关性,相关系数分别为–0.895、0.471和–0.598,其余渔场与SOI无显著相关。通过各渔场间的对比得到以下特征:赤道附近海域东太平洋SSTA变化往往与西太平洋和中大西洋反相,而与印度洋同相;中纬度海域的3个渔场中,南半球中纬度渔场温度变化要比北半球中纬度渔场小;东、西印度洋SSTA存在显著相关性,印度洋内部SSTA正负变化情况基本一致。     

A brief overview of the ACEP project: Ecosystem Processes in the KwaZulu-Natal Bight§

This introductory paper lays the basis for this supplementary issue by briefly presenting the state of knowledge on the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Bight at the start of this multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional, ship-based research project that ran from 2009 to 2013. The rationale and aims of the project are also described. The project was a major component of the South African Department of Science and Technology’s African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP), which has been prominent in supporting research on the east coast of South Africa and the wider South-West Indian Ocean. Pivotal to this was the RS Algoa, which was made available for two 30-day surveys (winter and summer) in the KZN Bight by the Department of Environmental Affairs. Although some aspects of the bight ecology are known, much of the research is dated and fragmented, and required refreshing and consolidation in order to produce a platform upon which the understanding of the region’s ecosystem functioning could be established. Much of the oceanographic knowledge is also dated, with no dedicated surveys and significant measurements undertaken since 1989. The overarching theme of the KZN Bight project was to examine the relative importance of sources of nutrients to the central KZN coast and how these are taken up and recycled in the ecosystem, and to describe aspects of the benthic biodiversity, which is poorly described in much of this region. An ambitious project, its accessibility to a ship-based research platform and the diverse scientific skills of the participating scientists allowed considerable success, as reflected in the papers that follow.