Bait-attending fauna of the Kermadec Trench, SW Pacific Ocean: Evidence for an ecotone across the abyssal-hadal transition zone

The bait-attending fauna of the abyssal-hadal transition zone of the Kermadec Trench, SW Pacific Ocean (4329-7966 m), was investigated using a baited camera and a trap lander. The abyssal stations (4329-6007 m) revealed a typical scavenging fish community comprising macrourids and synaphobranchid eels, as well as natantian decapods. At the hadal depths of 7199 and 7561 m, the endemic liparid Notoliparis kermadecensis was observed aggregating at the bait reaching surprisingly high numbers of 5 and 13, respectively. A total of 3183 invertebrate samples were collected (mean deployment time=16 h) of which 97.8% were of the order Amphipoda (nine families, 16 species). Ten of the amphipod species represent new distributional records for the Kermadec Trench and the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone; this includes the shallowest known record of the endemic hadal amphipod Hirondellea dubia (6000, 6007 m). Using amphipods to statistically examine the compositional change across the abyssal-hadal boundary, an ecotone between depths <6007 and >6890 m was found, indicating that there is an ecologically distinct bait-attending fauna in this trench.     

青岛岩礁海藻附植动物的区系组成和季节动态

于2007年11月～2008年10月对青岛太平角岩石潮间带鼠尾藻附植动物进行了连续12个月的逐月采样调查,并根据蜈蚣藻、角叉菜、扇形叉枝藻、海蒿子和叉节藻等海藻生长期的不同而在不同月份对其分别进行了采样,研究了附植动物的类群组成、丰度、生物量及其季节动态。所有海藻样品共鉴定出附植动物16个类群。鼠尾藻附植动物的年平均丰度为606ind/gdwtalgae,优势类群为线虫和桡足类,其次是腹足类和多毛类。鼠尾藻附植动物的平均丰度最高值出现在4月,最低值出现在7月。鼠尾藻附植动物的年平均生物量为282×103μg/g dwt algae,最高值出现在6月,最低值为2月。其他海藻附植动物的类群数、丰度、生物量均低于鼠尾藻。海藻附植动物的优势类群及其丰度和生物量在不同月份和不同海藻之间均显著不同。相对于海水理化因子季节变化的影响,不同海藻生长型形态的复杂性及同一种海藻随生长周期而发生的形态变化对附植动物的区系组成和季节动态的影响可能占居更主要地位。     

Vertical distribution of first stage larvae of the blue crab,Callinectes sapidus,at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay

The vertical distribution of stage I blue crab larvae, near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, was examined over four diurnal cycles. Each of two stations was occupied for 30 hours twice during the summer of 1979.On each of the four cruises, peak larval abundance occurred after a night time high slack tide, suggesting a synchronized hatch of blue crab larvae. 90–99% of all larvae collected were taken in the neuston layer. The apparent timing of the hatches to coincide with the beginning of an ebb tide and the concentration of larvae in the neuston layer strongly suggests seaward transport of these early stage larvae and the probability of offshore development.     

On the Yangtzeconus Priscus-Archaeospira Ornata Assemblage (Mollusca) of the Earliest Cambrian of China

Yangtzeconus priscus-Archaeospira ornata, an important earliest Cambrian benthonic Assemblage of the Yangtze micromolluscan fauna, occurs mainly in the Lower Cambrian Zhongyicun and Dahai Members of the Yuhucun Formation in E Yunnan, the Tianzhushan Member （=Huangshandong Member） of the Dengying Formation in W Hubei and the Maidiping Member of the Hungchunping Formation in C Sichuan, China. About 90% of the genera of this Assemblage are unknown from the Nemakit-Daldynian and Tommotian molluscan Assemblages of the Siberian Platform, Russia. About 90% of the Siberian molluscan genera do not occur in the Zhongyicun and Dahai Members in the Meishucun section and in the corresponding beds of the Yangtze Platform, because the Tommotian molluscan Assemblage is characterizedly abundant archaeocyathids. It is clearly indicated that the Yangtze and Siberian molluscan Assemblages represent different bio- and lithofacies and ages. The age of the pre-trilobitic Yangtzeconus priscus-Archaeospira ornata Assemblage is older than that of the Nemakit-Daldynian and Tommotian molluscan Assemblages and referable to the Earliest Cambrian. Two new genera Mcnamaraconus and Zhangwentangoconus are herein proposed.     

关岭生物群和卡尼期早期裂谷

讨论晚三叠世卡尼期早期关岭生物群的生存环境和死亡埋葬特点,认为该生物群分布于裂谷地区;生物群的群体死亡并被迅速埋葬的原因是地震;贵州龙生物群与关岭生物群是同期生物群;"S形带"是一构造断陷带,在卡尼期早期是裂谷。     

澄江动物群洪家冲剖面沉积环境分析

下寒武统黑林铺组玉案山段洪家冲剖面的岩层主要以泥岩、粉砂质泥岩为主,且有粉砂质泥岩与薄层砂岩互层,岩石颜色偏深,胶结物多含铁泥质。岩石种类和岩石成分特征反映出这一地点的古沉积环境应为具有还原环境、低能水动力条件的外滨海地带。由铁泥质重结晶而形成的绢云母大量存在,说明这一地区在玉案山段沉积时期属于长期稳定的低级变质条件,而且海水温度较高。化石组合特征表明曾发生过频繁的风暴沉积,即显示平静的浅海环境曾经不断遭受强动力风暴破坏的近积风暴流沉积相特征。     

贵州断杉剖面长兴期晚期腕足动物群及其地质意义

贵州断杉剖面长兴阶上部发现的腕足类化石包括:Paracrurithyris pigmaea,Attenuatella mengi,Neochonetes (Huangichonetes) substrophomenoides,Spinomarginifera kueichowensis,Anidanthus mucronata,? Hustedia orbicostata,Pygmochonetes sp.,Crurithyris sp.和Martinia sp..通过对该腕足动物群的分析以及和其他地区同时期的腕足动物群的对比,认为断杉剖面腕足动物群是深水分子与浅水分子混生的动物群,同时也是暖水分子与凉水分子混生的动物群.深水分子与浅水分子混生的特征与长兴期晚期断杉剖面位于深水盆地相的边缘,并且离浅水碳酸盐岩台地较近的古地理位置一致;暖水分子与凉水分子混生暗示扬子海盆当时可能存在洋流活动.     

Benthic community and biological trait composition in respect to artificial coastal defence structures: A study case in the northern Adriatic Sea

Biological Traits Analysis (BTA) is a method for addressing ecological functioning based on traits exhibited by members of biological assemblages. This study explores and compares species and biological trait patterns on either side (landward and seaward) of coastal breakwater structures in northwestern Adriatic Sea (Italy), with the aim of giving insights and knowledge for management of sandy beach systems affected by coastal development. Eight ecological traits of 96 benthic species were considered. Taxon composition evidenced differences in benthic assemblages across time and exposure: landward and seaward communities shared less than 50% of the total number of species. BTA suggested a no-management effect in the functioning of benthic assemblages. Dominant traits modalities were deposit-feeding, short life, small body size, short life span, iteroparity, gonocorism, with plankto-planktotrophic larvae. The results of BTA highlighted similarities and stability in trait composition contrary to species composition, suggesting a possible persistence in benthic functioning despite the occurrence of species replacements. To best of my knowledge, this study is one of the first attempts to investigate the effects of a management measure (submerged shore-parallel barriers with groynes) in a shallow marine system by means of BTA.     

Temporal variation of ophiuroids associated with the macroalga Amphiroa fragilissima on a Southwest Atlantic coral reef

The species of Ophiuroidea that commonly occur on coral reefs can be found on different substrates and associated with other organisms including algae, sponges, and corals. This study evaluated the temporal variability of the ophiuroid fauna associated with the alga Amphiroa fragilissima on the Ponta Verde coral reef on the coast of Maceió in Alagoas, Northeastern Brazil. Replicate samples of algal substrate were collected at low tide during in the dry and rainy seasons, over a 10‐year period, from 1998–2007. Eight species of Ophiuroidea were identified, with a total of 8736 individuals associated with A. fragilissima. The most dominant and frequent species of Ophiuroidea were Amphipholis squamata and Ophiactis savignyi; all other species were rare. Cluster analysis and nMDS detected four groups, with two groups each occurring only in summer or winter periods, as well as other groups occurring in both periods.     

Temporal and spatial changes in marine benthic habitats in relation to the EU Water Framework Directive: The use of sediment profile imagery

In 2002 to 2006, sediment profile imagery (SPI) was used to study the environmental impact of eutrophication-induced irregular and seasonal hypoxia on marine benthic habitats in six regions in the Skagerrak and Kattegat (West Sweden). The benthic habitat quality (BHQ) was assessed by parameterisation of biogenic structures observed by the SPI technique, and benthic quality status was related to the EU Water Framework Directive (EU-WFD). The temporal changes were analysed by a 5-factor nested ANOVA and significant temporal differences were recorded within three of the regions. Two of these were affected by hypoxia in the deeper parts and one was probably affected by hypoxia below the halocline. The environmental quality status according to the EU-WFD was bad to high in two regions, moderate to good in three regions, and good to high, i.e., acceptable according to the EU-WFD, in only one region. As BHQ is highly correlated to benthic faunal data, measures have to be taken to improve the coastal water quality in five of the six studied areas.