Equilibrium erosion of soft rock shores with a shallow or absent beach under increased sea level rise

A process-based numerical model was used to explore the response of soft rock shores with low volume beaches to variable rates of sea level rise. Equilibrium recession rates were simulated for ranges of wave height and period, tidal amplitude, rock strength, beach volume and rate of sea level rise. Equilibrium shore profiles were found to be steeper with higher rates of sea level rise. Beaches were represented as protective surfaces yet were found to cause no significant reduction in equilibrium recession rate when their volumes were below a critical threshold. Reduced equilibrium recession rates were found with beaches that extended sufficiently far below low tide level. The model results imply that, given several constraints, a very simple relationship exists between increased rates of sea level rise and the response of eroding composite soft rock/low volume beach shores.     

2004 年夏初、秋末长江口外海区冲淡水及羽状锋的盐度特征

用国家海洋局东海环境监测中心2004年夏初（6月）和秋末（11月）对长江口外海区现场观测资料,用Matlab计算机编程语言对观测资料进行质量控制、插值网格化,绘制研究海区盐度立体分布图,显示夏初、秋末两季的盐度分布特征。将2004年夏、秋两季长江口外海区冲淡水和羽状锋的分布与以往观测研究结果对比,可得：（1）长江口外海区冲淡水的盐度值主要在5—31之间,冲淡水前缘盐度锋面的盐度值为18—28;盐度值20—28的盐度锋面基本体现该海区羽状锋的特征及变化。（2）夏初长江口外海区冲淡水范围明显大于秋末,夏初该海区以冲淡水为主,秋末冲淡水的范围收缩,紧贴沿岸一带。相应地,夏初该海区羽状锋呈倾斜锋面,占据较大的海区;秋末则为垂直锋面,介于122．50°E-122．70°E海区。     

Application of Line Boundary Technique to 2D Tidal Current Simulation

To deal with the problems concerning the shore boundary,moving boundary and engineeringboundary which are encountered frequently in 2D tidal current simulation by the finite difference method,theconcept of line boundary is introduced and studied here,and then the line boundary technique in common useis proposed in this paper.Analysis of some calculation cases shows that this technique is practical,effective,and simple in 2D tidal current simulation involving different boundaries.     

东海渔山列岛浅海岩礁区大型消费者食源及营养级分析

采用碳氮稳定性同位素技术分析了东海渔山列岛浅海岩礁区生物的碳氮稳定性同位素比值,研究了浅海岩礁区14种初级生产者、61种消费者的营养级。结果表明,东海渔山列岛浅海岩礁区消费者的营养级(TL)变化范围为2.000—4.760,推断东海渔山列岛浅海岩礁区生物有4个营养级;初级生产者δ~(15)N值变化范围为2.75‰—6.85‰,消费者δ~(15)N值变化范围为4.57‰—13.39‰;通过对不同生物δ~(15)N值的比较发现,各类别生物间的δ~(15)N值差异高度显著(P0.01),短滨螺(Littorina brevicula)的δ~(15)N值最低(4.57‰),中国花鲈(Lateolabrax maculatum)和黑鲷(Acanthopagrus schlegelii)的δ~(15)N值最大,分别为11.87‰和13.39‰;单因素方差分析(One-Way ANOVA)表明4类食源间δ~(15)N和δ~(13)C值差异高度显著(P0.01);食源分析表明,鱼类的贡献范围(0.00%—7.09%)最小,初级生产者的贡献范围(27.05%—57.99%)最大;比较发现不同海域同一种生物体内富集的15N量也存在差异,这也从一个侧面反映出不同海域间生物的群落结构和稳定性存在差异。     

喀斯特山区石漠化成因的差异性定量研究——以贵州省盘县典型石漠化地区为例

珠东区的轻中度石漠化主要由人为因素引起,强度以上石漠化则由人为因素和恶劣的自然条件共同造成;保基区的轻中度石漠化主要是人为因素引起,强度以上石漠化则由自然因素造成;红果区的自然条件好于其它两个研究区,石漠化尤其是强度石漠化主要是土地利用强度大造成的,坡耕地发生中度甚至极强度石漠化。喀斯特石漠化土地的成因类型与恢复治理模式密切相关,在确定石漠化土地的治理恢复模式和治理重点时,有必要考虑石漠化土地的土地利用成因和成因的地域差异性。     

Biotic consequences of a shift in invertebrate ecosystem engineers: Invasion of New Zealand rocky shores by a zone‐forming ascidian

The pervasive effects of invasive ecosystem engineers, that is those species that modify their environment, are well documented, but rarely have the broader impacts of one foundation invertebrate species being replaced by another been examined. In New Zealand, green‐lipped mussels, Perna canaliculus, commonly dominate wave‐exposed rocky shores. The recent appearance of an invasive ecosystem engineer, the ascidian Pyura doppelgangera, at the very northern tip of New Zealand now threatens to exclude these bivalves from this habitat. Here, we report major shifts in assemblages associated with the invader and chronicle its continued spread. We examined epibiota associated with clumps of mussels and clumps of Pyura from two rocky shore habitats—pools and emergent substrata at two locations. We detected some differences in species richness in biota associated with the two foundation species, but faunal abundance only differed between the locations. These minor changes were dwarfed by the shift in species composition within clumps of each foundation species. Molluscs, particularly gastropods, and crustaceans dominated the assemblage within mussels. In contrast, tubicolous polychaetes dominated the fauna associated with the ascidian. Sessile epifauna, notably barnacles and calcareous tube‐dwelling polychaetes, were common on mussels, but never encountered on the ascidian. Multivariate analysis revealed marked dissimilarity (>80%) between the characteristic mussel and ascidian faunas with virtually no overlap. This biotic shift overshadowed any differences between habitats and locations. The broader implications of these faunal shifts for local and regional patterns of biodiversity, as well as ecosystem function, remain unclear, but deserve further attention.     

Scales of predator detection behavior and escape in Fissurella limbata: A field and laboratory assessment

The consumptive effects of predators are widely acknowledged, but predation can also impact prey populations through non‐consumptive effects (NCEs) such as costly antipredator behavioral responses. The magnitude of antipredator behavioral responses by prey is determined by an assessment of risk using sensory cues, which in turn is modulated by the environmental context. We studied the detection behavior and escape response of the keyhole limpet Fissurella limbata from the predatory sea star Heliaster helianthus. Through laboratory and field experimental trials, we quantified the distance and time of predator detection behavior by the prey, and measured their active escape responses when elicited. We found that predator detection by the limpet was chiefly mediated by distance, with experimental individuals capable of detecting predator presence effectively up to distances of at least 50 cm in the field and 70 cm under laboratory conditions. Our results indicate that this prey species is able to evaluate the proximity of its predator and use it as an indication of predation risk; therefore, predator–prey distance appears to be a primary predictor of the magnitude of the antipredator response. Given the tight relationship between predator distance and prey movement and the important role herbivores can play, particularly in this ecosystem, we expect that NCEs will cascade to the patterns of abundance and composition of rocky shore communities through changes in prey foraging behavior under risk.     

Limpets as prey: Lipophrys pholis choice for size

Patellid limpets are key species on rocky shores, structuring intertidal assemblages through their grazing. Their role as prey for fish is, however, often overlooked in studies of intertidal ecosystem functioning. The shanny Lipophrys pholis is a common predator of limpets on rocky shores in Northern Europe and, in this study, we examined the characteristics of its predation on limpets based on prey size. The limpet size range that adult L. pholis (10–12.5 cm) can eat was examined in the laboratory using Patella depressa in 0.2 cm classes, varying between 0.5 cm and 3.0 cm in maximum shell length. There was a limpet size refuge above 1.8 cm, while all smaller sizes were readily consumed by the shanny. The predator attacking behaviour was also examined and found to vary with prey size. Limpets up to 0.8 cm were crushed by the jaw‐constricting force and eaten whole, whereas larger prey were prised from the substratum and the body subsequently separated from the shell. To examine whether there was a L. pholis preference for P. depressa size, a two‐stage laboratory experiment was done using two size classes defined as small (0.7–0.8 cm maximum shell length) and large (1.5–1.6 cm maximum shell length). In the first stage, the predator was given each limpet size class separately. In the second stage, the fish was given a choice between the two classes. Lipophrys pholis was shown to have a preference for the large size class (1.5–1.6 cm). The average number of limpets consumed by the shanny was examined for the duration of one high‐tide typical of the central region of Portugal (≈ 4 h). On average, approximately five limpets (up to an eight limpet maximum) were consumed. The present study shows that L. pholis has a feeding preference based on limpet size, which suggests that the limpet population structure and intra‐ and inter‐specific interactions may be influenced by the shanny predation.     

Rates of tafoni weathering on uplifted shore platforms in Nojima-Zaki,Boso Peninsula,Japan

Many tafoni occur on the faces of marine cliffs on three uplifted shore platforms with different altitudes and with known ages of emergence. The mean value of the ten largest depths of tafoni, D (cm), was obtained and the period of their formation, t (years), was estimated. The relationship between the two variables was found to be D = 20·3 × (1?e^?0.005t).     

Spatial pattern of Karst rock desertification in the Middle of Guizhou Province,Southwestern China

Karst rocky desertification is a typical type of land degradation in the Southwestern China. It has great ecological and economical implications for the local people. Landsat images from the middle of Guizhou Province collected in 1974, 1993 and 2001 were used for change detection of the pattern of Karst rocky desertification. The results show the following findings: (1) Desertification area expanded drastically in 27 years, at an increasing rate about 116.2 km²/year. (2) High areas (900–1,500 m) are the most affected. (3) Areas with the slope <5° or >25° are also easily tend to be Karst rocky deserted. (4) The process of Karst rocky desertification is nearly irreversible. Few areas of Karst rocky desertification could be meliorated to non-desertification land. (5) Most of the degraded lands are located in the south and the central of the study region, and the meliorated land areas are sparsely located in the east and the west part of the region. All these findings would provide bases for the decision-making of the local government to improve the Karst rocky desertification