珊瑚骨骼生长特征的数字影像分析

造礁珊瑚骨骼一般呈年周期性带状生长,生长特征变化与周边环境有密切关系,具有重要的环境指示意义。本文依据珊瑚骨骼生长带X射线成像原理,利用计算机的数字化和影像处理功能,提出了珊瑚骨骼生长带数字影像分析的方法,能获得较传统方法更高分辨率和精度的珊瑚生长信息。利用该方法提取了海南岛三亚湾滨珊瑚骨骼月尺度的生长密度、生长率的变化序列,并探讨了生长密度、生长率的变化特征及其与主要环境因素的关系。     

雷州半岛灯楼角珊瑚礁海区的浮游植物

雷州半岛西南岸的珊瑚礁,是唯一的中国大陆沿岸现代珊瑚礁。根据2004年8月的调查资料研究分析了雷州半岛灯楼角珊瑚礁海区浮游植物的种类组成、生态类群和数量分布等,以期为珊瑚礁生态系的研究提供基础资料。结果显示:浮游植物共有108种(含变种和变型),其中硅藻门34属85种、甲藻门10属21种、蓝藻门1属2种,浮游植物的种数分布由近岸往远岸递增;浮游植物大致划分为近岸低盐类群、近海广布类群和外海高温高盐类群等3个生态类群;优势种有中肋骨条藻Skeletonemacostatum、菱形海线藻Thalassionemanitzschioides、奇异菱形藻Nitzschiaparadoxa等8种;多样性指数和均匀度平均值分别为3.448和0.655,总体分布比较均匀;浮游植物细胞总量平均值为93×104cells/m3,其中硅藻类占绝对优势,浮游植物分布不均匀,密集于灯楼角南面的A断面。     

基于底质类型变化监测的2005—2018年西沙永乐群岛珊瑚礁白化分析

在海洋环境变化和人类活动的双重影响下,我国珊瑚礁白化现象日趋严重,珊瑚礁健康状况、珊瑚种群数量和丰富度呈逐年下降的趋势。本文基于2005-2007年QuickBird卫星影像、2011-2012年QuickBird/WorldView-2卫星影像和2016-2018年GF-1/2卫星影像等3期高分辨率遥感数据,以西沙永乐群岛羚羊礁、中建岛等14个岛礁为研究区（以下统称永乐群岛）,利用支持向量机（support vector machine,SVM）分类方法结合人机交互信息提取方法完成了3期永乐群岛的珊瑚礁底质类型分类,并通过珊瑚礁底质类型变化分析了永乐群岛珊瑚礁白化特征。主要结论包括：（1）提出了一种珊瑚礁白化程度分级的方法,将永乐群岛白化状况分为轻度、中度、重度和严重白化4个等级,通过分析发现在监测时段内14个岛礁中有13个发生了不同程度的白化,其中10个发生了重度白化（白化率20%以上）,1个严重白化（羚羊礁,白化率为33.36%）;（2）根据监测数据统计,上述珊瑚岛礁的白化主要是由珊瑚丛生区白化引起的,2005-2018年永乐群岛珊瑚丛生区白化面积占总的发生白化区域面积的70.55%;（3）14个岛礁中只有甘泉岛的活珊瑚覆盖在逐渐增加,活珊瑚覆盖面积由2006年5月10日的87.13 hm²增加到2018年3月7日的107.80 hm²。     

两种短指软珊瑚提取物在化妆品开发中的应用潜力初探

以甲醇对2种短指软珊瑚进行提取,检测提取物对各波段紫外线的吸收效果以表征其防晒活性,以酪氨酸酶抑制实验检测其美白活性,并以DPPH法检测其抗氧化活性,首次探讨了软珊瑚来源物质在化妆品开发中的应用潜力。结果表明,在防晒活性方面,Sinularia compacta和Sinularia wanannensis提取物对紫外线具有较强的吸收特性,随浓度增加其光吸收波段也随之扩大,浓度在5. 0 mg/cm3以上时对280～400 nm波长范围的紫外线均有良好吸收,总体上S. compacta提取物的防晒活性略高于S. wanannensis提取物,两者对紫外线的吸收效果均优于阳性对照熊果苷和二苯甲酮,S. compacta提取物在10. 0 mg/cm3时对紫外线的吸收效果甚至与阳性对照芦丁相当,显示出较高的防紫外效能;在美白活性方面,S. compacta和S. wanannensis提取物均有一定的抑制酪氨酸酶活性作用,S. compacta和S. wanannensis提取物在此活性无显著性差异;在抗氧化活性方面,S. compacta和S. wanannensis提取物均显示出优异的清除自由基能力,且其活性随浓度的升高而升高,在1. 0～5. 0 mg/cm3浓度下S. compacta和S. wanannensis提取物的抗氧化活性与阳性对照Vc相当,在10. 0 mg/cm3时S. wanannensis提取物的抗氧化活性显著高于S. compacta提取物和Vc。研究结果为开发软珊瑚源天然新型化妆品物质奠定了重要基础。     

海南儋州海域造礁石珊瑚种类组成及动态变化研究

文章通过断面法调查分析了儋州海域海花岛沿岸、南华墟沿岸和磷枪石岛沿岸造礁石珊瑚的种类组成与群落分布,结果表明：儋州海域造礁石珊瑚共有12科25属55种,相较于此前的研究增加了10个种,优势种为斯氏角孔珊瑚、澄黄滨珊瑚、柱角孔珊瑚;活造礁石珊瑚覆盖率急剧下降,由2012年的42.92%下降至现在的22.24%,降幅高至48.18%;造礁石珊瑚死亡率高居不下,长期维持在35%左右;初级群落以团块状造礁石珊瑚为优势种的趋势愈发明显,且单一绝对优势种的情况频繁出现,说明该海域造礁石珊瑚群落受到了较为严重的破坏,导致群落退化演替,分析认为这种破坏是由自然因素和人为活动共同造成的。     

砂质基底领海基点的保护范围选划及管理研究——以外磕脚领海基点为例

领海基点对于维护国家海洋权益等意义重大。文章基于外磕脚领海基点的保护实践工作,从前期准备、现场调查方法、保护范围选划结果3个方面,开展砂质基点领海基点保护范围选划的案例研究,据此提出砂质基底领海基点保护范围的选划依据和方法。研究表明:砂质基底领海基点的保护范围选划应依据海岛的特殊属性,由保护对象的边界向外延伸至潮汐水道,并充分体现地貌整体性和连续性。针对砂质基底领海基点保护,文章建议应加强工程手段实现基底稳定,维护领海基点安全;加强领海基点外业调查,夯实领海基点地形水文资料基础;加大领海基点巡查力度,持续推进领海基点实时动态监视监测;加强部门沟通协调,完善领海基点信息管理系统;加大宣传教育,树立全民海洋海岛意识等保护管理建议,为领海基点的保护管理工作提供理论和实践探索。     

Intraspecific cleaning by juvenile Cape white seabream Diplodus capensis (Sparidae) off eastern South Africa

Juveniles of the Cape white seabream Diplodus capensis were observed cleaning adult conspecifics in a large tidepool off Sodwana Bay, South Africa. Although nine other tropical fish species were present and interacted with a nearby pair of Labroides cleaner wrasses, only adults of D. capensis posed for and were cleaned by the D. capensis juveniles. Such cleaning interactions have not been reported previously for this species or among marine fishes off South Africa, and thus add to the growing list of facultative cleaners globally.     

Biological structures as a source of habitat heterogeneity and biodiversity on the deep ocean margins

Biological structures exert a major influence on species diversity at both local and regional scales on deep continental margins. Some organisms use other species as substrates for attachment, shelter, feeding or parasitism, but there may also be mutual benefits from the association. Here, we highlight the structural attributes and biotic effects of the habitats that corals, sea pens, sponges and xenophyophores offer other organisms. The environmental setting of the biological structures influences their species composition. The importance of benthic species as substrates seems to increase with depth as the complexity of the surrounding geological substrate and food supply decline. There are marked differences in the degree of mutualistic relationships between habitat-forming taxa. This is especially evident for scleractinian corals, which have high numbers of facultative associates (commensals) and few obligate associates (mutualists), and gorgonians, with their few commensals and many obligate associates. Size, flexibility and architectural complexity of the habitat-forming organism are positively related to species diversity for both sessile and mobile species. This is mainly evident for commensal species sharing a facultative relationship with their host. Habitat complexity is enhanced by the architecture of biological structures, as well as by biological interactions. Colony morphology has a great influence on feeding efficiency for suspension feeders. Suspension feeding, habitat-forming organisms modify the environment to optimize their food uptake. This environmental advantage is also passed on to associated filter-feeding species. These effects are poorly understood but represent key points for understanding ecosystems and biodiversity on continental margins. In this paper we explore the contributions of organisms and the biotic structures they create (rather than physical modifications) to habitat heterogeneity and diversity on the deep continental margins.     

Coral assemblages and reef growth in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (Western Pacific Ocean)

Reef development varies considerably around the high, raised‐limestone islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Here we examine the modern assemblages at 30 sites for coral composition, colony density, colony size, and fidelity. We defined four reef types and hypothesize the presence of environmentally driven ecological stasis, whereby the environment continuously selects for coral species membership, defines colony sizes, and over time creates the noted reef types. Our results show that constructional spur‐and‐groove reefs supported significantly larger coral‐colony sizes and higher coral species richness compared with high‐relief interstitial framework, low‐relief incipient, and non‐constructional coral assemblages. Non‐constructional reefs supported much smaller coral colony sizes, despite similar population densities, and were consistently found in association with high wave exposure. The distinct coral assemblages found on interstitial framework and low‐relief incipient reefs were not affiliated with any wave exposure regime, but were located adjacent to large watersheds and on islands with unique geological history. These assemblages were nested within the spur‐and‐groove species pool. Overall, modern coral cover was well predicted by bathymetric slope and watershed size, while species richness was additively influenced by two proxies of pollution, suggesting the latter is better suited for establishing management targets. In contrast with previous studies that suggested modern assemblages were biologically controlled in the CNMI, we show reef assemblages and reef development are highly influenced by long‐term environmental forcing.     

Reef status in the Rasfari region (North Malé Atoll,Maldives) five years before the mass mortality event of 1998

The Maldives was severely hit by massive coral bleaching and subsequent mortality in 1998. The results of reef monitoring in the following years have supported contrasting views about their recovery potential, partly because of the scarcity of information on the situation before 1998. Quantitative data on coral assemblages collected in 1993 in the Rasfari region (North Malé Atoll) may provide a base-line for the evaluation of the present status of the Maldivian reefs. Five years before the 1998 mortality, most coral communities appeared to be similar, in terms of both coral cover and growth-form composition, to those described in 1958 and 1964, notwithstanding increased human pressure and local events such as minor bleaching episodes in 1987 and crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) attacks in 1989. Three lessons can be learnt from these results to help to understand the present situation, some ten years after the 1998 mass mortality. First, Maldivian reefs proved in the past to be capable of maintaining flourishing coral life despite various disturbances. Second, four years had been sufficient for complete reef recovery after a (minor) bleaching event. Third, recovery after both COTS attack and bleaching follows a predictable path suggesting that the presence of a three-dimensional community structure, which should reduce post settlement mortality of coral recruits, is essential for rapid coral recovery. As coral recruitment remains high and large tabular Acropora colonies are now reappearing, it is expected that Maldivian reefs should return to their original condition within the next few years.