Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) as bioturbators in neritic habitats: an insight through the analysis of benthic molluscs in the diet

Molluscs are a diverse and ubiquitous group of organisms which contribute to the formation of biogenic sediments and are one of the major prey taxa for the neritic‐stage loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) worldwide. Here we investigated to what degree molluscs contribute to the diet of individual turtles, and what role the feeding strategy of loggerheads might play in bioturbation, one of the key processes in nutrient transport in marine ecosystems. We performed a detailed analysis of benthic molluscs from the digestive tracts of 62 loggerhead sea turtles (curved carapace length: 25.0–85.4 cm) found in the Northern Adriatic Sea. From 50 of the turtles that contained benthic molluscs, we identified 87 species representing 40 families and three classes (Gastropoda, Bivalvia and Scaphopoda), including 72 new dietary records for loggerhead turtle. Most of the identified molluscs were small‐sized species (shell length ≤ 3 cm) and were often found in a subfossil condition. Their intake may be considered a byproduct of infaunal mining, while larger molluscs were mainly found crushed into smaller fragments. Through such foraging behaviour loggerheads actively rework sediments, increase the surface area of shells and the rate of shells disintegration, acting as bioturbators in this system. We conservatively estimate that loggerheads in the neritic zone of the Adriatic Sea bioturbate about 33 tonnes of mollusc shells per year, and hypothesize about the possible effects of bioturbation reduction on environmental changes in the Northern Adriatic ecosystem.     

福州沿海龟足的食性研究

龟足（Capitulum mitella Linnaeus）的食物组成可分为4类,动物性食物、植物性食物、有机碎屑和无机颗粒。动物性食物主要以桡足类为主,植物性食物主要以硅藻类为主,有机碎屑在龟足的食物组成中占据重要地位。龟足食物的食物多样性指数在夏季最高,冬季最低。小规格龟足主要摄食植物性食物和有机碎屑,未见摄食动物...     

Colonization and Probiotic Effect of Metschnikowia sp. C14 in the Intestine of Juvenile Sea Cucumber,Apostichopus japonicus

Viable cell count was used to determine whether Metschnikowia sp.C14 can colonize the intestine of juvenile sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus.Sea cucumber individuals were divided into two groups,which were fed the control diet for 38 days or the C14-supplemented diet at 105 cells g−1 diet for 28 days,then the control diet from day 29 to day 38.The number of C14 cells in the intestine of sea cucumber fed the C14-supplemented diet significantly increased from day 7 to day 28,and decreased from day 29 to day 38.Sea cucumber fed with the diet containing C14 showed a significant increase in trypsin activity and lipase activity from day 21 to day 33 compared with the control.Feeding C14 significantly improved the phagocytic activity and respiratory burst in coelomocytes from day 21 to day 35 and from day 14 to day 38,respectively.In addition,there was an obvious enhancement in lysozyme activity(from day 21 to day 38 or day 33),phenoloxidase activity(from day 21 to day 28)and total nitric oxide synthase activity(from day 14 to day 38)in coelomic fluid supernatant and/or coelomocyte cell lysate supernatant compared with the control.There were significant positive correlations between the number of C14 cells colonizing the intestine and trypsin activity of the intestine,lysozyme activity of the coelomic fluid supernatant and coelomocyte lysate supernatant from sea cucumber.These data suggested that the number of C14 cells should be maintained at 105 cfu(colony-forming units)g−1 intestine material for the maximum benefit.     

XL-5型机械动力头、液压控制长行程给进钻机的研制

分析了机械动力头、液压控制长行程给进钻机研发的必要性,提出了新型机械动力头钻机需要解决的相关问题,介绍了XL-5型钻机的结构形式、参数、特点及生产试验情况。     

Habitat use patterns of the invasive red lionfish Pterois volitans: a comparison between mangrove and reef systems in San Salvador,Bahamas

The Indo‐Pacific red lionfish Pterois volitans is widespread both in its native and its non‐native habitats. The rapid invasion of this top predator has had a marked negative effect on fish populations in the Western Atlantic and the Caribbean. It is now well documented that lionfish are invading many tropical and sub‐tropical habitats. However, there are fewer data available on the change in lionfish abundance over time and the variation of body size and diet across habitats. A recent study in San Salvador, Bahamas, found body size differences between individuals from mangrove and reef systems. That study further suggested that ontogenetic investigation of habitat use patterns could help clarify whether lionfish are using the mangrove areas of San Salvador as nurseries. The aim of the present study is to determine temporal trends in lionfish relative abundance in mangrove and reef systems in San Salvador, and to further assess whether there is evidence suggesting an ontogenetic shift from mangroves to reef areas. Accordingly, we collected lionfish from mangrove and reef habitats and calculated catch per unit effort (a proxy for relative abundance), compared body size distributions across these two systems, and employed a combination of stable isotope, stomach content, and genetic analyses of prey, to evaluate differences in lionfish trophic interactions and habitat use patterns. Our results show that populations may have increased in San Salvador during the last 4 years, and that there is a strong similarity in body size between habitats, stark differences in prey items, and no apparent overlap in the use of habitat and/or food resources. These results suggest that there is not evidence an for ontogenetic shift from mangroves to reefs, and support other studies that propose lionfish are opportunistic forages with little movement across habitats.     

PCR‐based techniques to determine diet of the Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea): a comparison with morphological analysis

Comprehensive dietary information for the endangered Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) is currently limited by the deficiency and poor quality of identifiable prey remains recovered from regurgitate and faeces and the difficulty of observing feeding in the wild. In this study, we investigated DNA‐based prey detection methods using conventional (end‐point) and quantitative real‐time PCR (qPCR) on faeces collected from two captive Australian sea lions fed experimental diets of whole teleost fish, squid and shark tissue. PCR prey detection methods using the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and 16S genes combined with clone sequencing were compared with prey identified using traditional hard part analysis. The molecular results indicated that prey DNA was degraded. However, prey amplification was successful by targeting short (71 bp) DNA fragments. Both conventional PCR and qPCR techniques significantly increased prey detection compared with analysis of hard parts. For both sea lions, the hard part analysis was constrained by sporadic and extremely low recovery of fish otoliths (<2%), and cephalopod beaks were not recovered from the 116 squid fed. Comparisons between PCR techniques indicated comparable prey detection frequencies for all species tested; however, the sensitivity and greater resolution of qPCR improved prey detection by ~25% in one sea lion fed the experimental squid and perch. The detection of squid DNA ≤ 6 day post‐ingestion by qPCR further exhibits the ability and potential of this method to detect low concentrations of infrequent or pulse prey. This study highlights the use of DNA‐based analysis to detect prey taxa in the absence of identifiable hard prey remains.     

放养密度对西伯利亚杂交鲟摄食、生长以及肌肉组分的影响

研究了放养密度对西伯利亚杂交鲟幼鱼生长、摄食以及肌肉组分的影响。结果表明,经过80d的野外试验观察,发现在初始养殖密度分别为:3.9、6.3、8.7和11.0kg/m3的微流水环境中,高密度组(D组)和低密度组(A组)的死亡率、日摄食量、饵料系数(FCE)和摄食率差异显著(P0.05);西伯利亚杂交鲟幼鱼的最终体重、特定生长率(SGR)、日增重(DWG)都随着养殖密度的增大而降低,而单位水体日增重显著升高,最终体长和肥满度无显著差异(P0.05)。试验结束时,高密度组西伯利亚杂交鲟幼鱼肌肉中水分和灰分所占的比重越大,而在粗蛋白质含量和粗脂肪含量方面则表现出相反的趋势,但均无显著性差异。综合各种因素,建议西伯利亚杂交鲟幼鱼阶段的养殖密度为6~9kg/m3。     

湿地松新梢化学成分与粉蚧为害关系初步研究

用五点法进行抽样调查并探讨了湿地松粉蚧（Ｏｒａｃｅｌｌａ ａｃｕｔａ Ｌｏｂｄｅｌｌ）侵入后,湿地松（Ｐｉｎｕｓｅｌｌｉｏｔｉｉ）新植树皮化学成分与粉蚧为害的关系。结果表明：均衡、协调的营养对粉蚧生长和繁殖有利;粉蚧为害主要导致新梢树皮蛋白质、粗灰分含量明显增加,还原糖含量明显减少;粉蚧发生高峰期,新梢树皮蛋白质含量与与粉蚧虫口密度呈显著正相关。     

湛江硇洲岛文昌鱼(Branchiostoma belcheri)的食性研究

于2006年4~7月在湛江硇洲岛海域采集文昌鱼,进行春夏季节不同性别、不同体长组等的胃含物观察分析。结果表明,湛江硇洲岛文昌鱼消化道残留食物成分以泥沙碎屑为主,可辨生物成分有34种,大部分为底栖硅藻,占58.8%,也有少量甲藻、瓣鳃类幼虫、底栖桡足类幼虫和原生动物等。春夏季节的文昌鱼的摄食喜好不尽相同,饵料生物的出现率随着季节的变化有所变化。不同性别文昌鱼的摄食喜好比较相近。文昌鱼到了性腺成熟后才开始进食动物性食物。研究结果表明,文昌鱼摄食藻类、微生物等而自身转化为其他动物的较高营养层次食物,在海洋食物网中具有一定的重要作用。