Sustainable shellfish aquaculture in Saldanha Bay,South Africa

The carrying capacity for bivalve shellfish culture in Saldanha Bay, South Africa, was analysed through the application of the well-tested EcoWin ecological model, in order to simulate key ecosystem variables. The model was set up using: (i) oceanographic and water-quality data collected from Saldanha Bay, and (ii) culture-practice information provided by local shellfish farmers. EcoWin successfully reproduced key ecological processes, simulating an annual mean phytoplankton biomass of 7.5 µg Chl a l^–1 and an annual harvested shellfish biomass of about 3 000 tonnes (t) y^–1, in good agreement with reported yield. The maximum annual carrying capacity of Small Bay was estimated as 20 000 t live weight (LW) of oysters Crassostrea gigas, or alternatively 5 100 t LW of mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis, and for Big Bay as 100 000 t LW of oysters. Two production scenarios were investigated for Small Bay: a production of 4 000 t LW y^–1 of mussels, and the most profitable scenario for oysters of 19 700 t LW y^–1. The main conclusions of this work are: (i) in 2015–2016, both Small Bay and Big Bay were below their maximum production capacity; (ii) the current production of shellfish potentially removes 85% of the human nitrogen inputs; (iii) a maximum-production scenario in both Big Bay and Small Bay would result in phytoplankton depletion in the farmed area; (iv) increasing the production intensity in Big Bay would probably impact the existing cultures in Small Bay; and (v) the production in Small Bay could be increased, resulting in higher income for farmers.     

The role of schizogenesis in population dynamics of Timarete filigera (Polychaeta: Cirratulidae): 2-years observations in the Port of Bari (South Adriatic Sea)

Different aspects of reproductive biology of the polychaete Timarete filigera (Delle Chiaje) were studied during a period of 2 years (from September 2002 to August 2003 and from September 2004 to August 2005). Timarete filigera specimens were collected monthly in the port of Bari (South Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean Sea). For population analysis, regenerating and entire specimens were separately analyzed, the regenerating individuals were assigned to different categories related to the region of the body from which they derived. Regenerating individuals were present throughout the year. There were three to four times more individuals deriving from the middle part than the anterior and posterior regenerating portions. From the high percentage of regenerating individuals observed in the T. filigera population, it can be supposed that this species reproduces mainly asexually by schizogenesis. However, histological analysis revealed the presence of female gametes in a few individuals. In contrast, males were never collected, probably due to the limited number of reproductive individuals collected. The abundance has shown wide fluctuations during the year, with a decrease from Winter to Spring. The analysis of the size‐frequency histograms has shown a growing phase of whole specimens from Spring to Winter. The life cycle of the investigated species is discussed with the hypothesis that strategies could be linked to the colonized environments, agamic reproduction coupled with sexual reproduction assures the presence and expansion of the population after the colonization by a limited number of larvae.     

Hydrography and phytoplankton of waters off south-west Ireland

Distributions of physical, chemical and biological characteristics were recorded for coastal waters off south-west Ireland during the summers of 1985–1987. A number of thermal fronts were identified from both shipboard measurements and satellite imagery. Upwelling was shown to be an important process in the area and enhanced phytoplankton biomass and productivity were associated with areas of upwelling and the fronts. Phytoplankton species composition, although varying between cruises, was associated with differences in hydrographic features.     

浮游植物叶绿素a含量简易测定方法的比较

用乙醇、DMF(N,N-二甲基甲酰胺)、丙酮3种不同有机溶剂分别萃取苏州环城河水样中的浮游植物细胞叶绿素a,在分光光度计上测定其叶绿素a含量,试验数据经方差分析、Q检验,结果显示,乙醇法、DMF法的叶绿素a萃取率极显著高于丙酮(F=54.20＞F0.01(2,18)(6.01)).另用这3种萃取方法分别测定无常蓝纤维藻(Dactylococcopsis irregularis )纯培养液叶绿素a含量,通过直线回归,同样证明乙醇法、DMF法重复率较高,稳定性好,萃取率高.从安全、简便、重复性高等方面综合考虑,认为用乙醇萃取法是目前水域环境中浮游植物叶绿素a简易测定的最佳方法.     

Phytoplankton biomass and size fractions in surface waters of the Australian sector of the southern ocean

We collected surface water along the 142nd E meridian from Tasmania to Antarctica in December 1999. We measured temperature, salinity and total chlorophyll a; additionally, we collected suspended particle size fractions and used fluorometric analysis to determine the quantity of chlorophyll a in each of four cell size classes: picoplankton (<3 μm), two nanoplankton fractions (3–10 μm and 10–20 μm) and microplankton (> 20 μm). Changes in temperature and salinity show that we crossed 6 water masses separated by 5 fronts. We found low abundance (<0.2 mg m⁻³) of chlorophyll in all size classes, with the exception of higher values near the continent (0.2 to 0.4 mg m⁻³). Lowest chlorophyll values (<0.1 mg m⁻³) were found in the Polar Frontal Zone (51° to 54°S). Microplankton made up the largest portion of total chlorophyll throughout most of the region. We conclude that biomass of all phytoplankton fractions, especially pico-and nanoplankton, was constrained by limiting factors, most probably iron, throughout the region and that ecosystem dynamics within a zone are not circumpolar but are regionalized within sectors.     

Small-scale variability of zooplankton pyruvate kinase activity in the Gironde Estuary plume (Atlantic French Coast): A case study under unusually low freshwater discharge

Pyruvate kinase (PK) activity measurements are used to assess the role of carbohydrates in global feeding of mesozooplankton communities inhabiting an estuary plume. As a consequence of a remarkably low freshwater discharge rate, the sea surface layers of the area under estuarine influence showed a very moderate salinity fall and a nearly total depletion in nitrates, whereas higher levels of these nutrients were found in deeper, more saline, layers. Small-scale PK activity variations in mesozooplankton appear to be closely correlated to nitrate integration values within the water column. The results were analysed in comparison with literature reports. The study produced a coherent overall interpretation, which strongly supports the reliability of this new biochemical tool in detecting assimilation of trace carbohydrates in the diet of mesozooplankton.