Estimating time-based instantaneous total mortality rate based on the age-structured abundance index

The instantaneous total mortality rate(Z) of a fish population is one of the important parameters in fisheries stock assessment. The estimation of Z is crucial to fish population dynamics analysis,abundance and catch forecast,and fisheries management. A catch curve-based method for estimating time-based Z and its change trend from catch per unit effort(CPUE) data of multiple cohorts is developed. Unlike the traditional catch-curve method,the method developed here does not need the assumption of constant Z throughout the time,but the Z values in n continuous years are assumed constant,and then the Z values in different n continuous years are estimated using the age-based CPUE data within these years. The results of the simulation analyses show that the trends of the estimated time-based Z are consistent with the trends of the true Z,and the estimated rates of change from this approach are close to the true change rates(the relative differences between the change rates of the estimated Z and the true Z are smaller than 10%). Variations of both Z and recruitment can affect the estimates of Z value and the trend of Z. The most appropriate value of n can be different given the effects of different factors. Therefore,the appropriate value of n for different fisheries should be determined through a simulation analysis as we demonstrated in this study. Further analyses suggested that selectivity and age estimation are also two factors that can affect the estimated Z values if there is error in either of them,but the estimated change rates of Z are still close to the true change rates. We also applied this approach to the Atlantic cod(G adus morhua) fishery of eastern Newfoundland and Labrador from 1983 to 1997,and obtained reasonable estimates of time-based Z.     

台湾海峡南部夏季微型浮游动物对浮游植物的摄食压力及其生产力

2004年7~8月在台湾海峡南部的5个站位,用稀释法研究了浮游植物的生长率,微型浮游动物对浮游植物的摄食率及其生产力.微型浮游动物主要为无壳纤毛虫,尤其是急游虫类和侠盗虫类.浮游植物的生长率为0.52~0.72/d,浮游动物的摄食率为0.45~1.33/d,相当于每天摄食浮游植物现存量的36%~74%和初级生产力的88%~141%.微型浮游动物的次级生产力(MP02)为初级生产力的28.5%~58.4%.表明微型浮游动物在台湾海峡夏季海洋生态系统的能量流动中发挥着重要的作用.     

First evidence of a massive recruitment event in Posidonia oceanica: Spatial variation in first-year seedling abundance on a heterogeneous substrate

A recruitment event of Posidonia oceanica was recorded in the Gulf of Ventilegne (Corsica, Western Mediterranean) in June 2005. One-year seedlings (alive and dead) were found at shallow depth (2–3 m) on a mix of rock and sand substrates. Pattern in the distribution of seedlings was examined over spatial scales ranging from centimetres to hundreds of metres. We also examined (a) whether establishment was preferentially associated with a specific substrate type; (b) the relation between proportional mortality and the density of established seedlings; and (c) the growth characteristics of seedlings. The average density of seedlings varied from 19 to 189 seedlings m⁻², with a maximum of 480 seedlings m⁻². While significant variation was detected at the scale of area (i.e., tens of metres), no difference was found in abundance of seedlings at the scale of sites (i.e., hundreds of metres). Most of the overall variability was, however, at on the smallest scale examined (i.e., among sampling units tens of centimetres apart). No differences were also observed in the establishment probability and seedling abundance between sand and rock substrates. The fine scale analysis of spatial patterns on rock and sand substrates showed a clumped distribution of seedlings. These results indicated that the spatial distribution of seedlings was not random, but organized at small spatial scales within the study sites. Hydrodynamics and micro-scale bottom features appeared to account for such patterning. Proportional seedling mortality was highly variable (ranging from 0.3 to 0.8), and tended to increase with increasing settlement density. A total of 128,000 seedlings were recoded over the 1600 m² surface area investigated. Such event reflected conspicuous seed supply and particularly favourable local conditions. This finding contradicts the current statement of low recruitment ability of P. oceanica and indicates that the species can recruit both on consolidated and unconsolidated substrates, at least in the study area.     

Recovery from demographic shock in the New Länder of Germany

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, East Germany experienced a demographic shock as the ensuing insecurity and disorientation of the population was mirrored in their demographic behaviour. The situation is examined with respect to marriage, fertility and mortality. There are now signs of recovery but most people in the New Länder are still traumatised by events: nuptiality and fertility are still extremely low, while mortality is rapidly moving towards West German levels. Future demographic development will very much depend on socio-economic development and the provision of both hard and soft infrastructure conducive to stable partnerships and families since the current 'framework' has proved to be particularly unfriendly to women and children.     

Small macro‐benthic invertebrates influence the survival,growth and behaviour of juvenile green sea urchins Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis in the laboratory

Recent settlers of many marine benthic invertebrates are cryptic, which exposes them to a suite of animals that differs from those they may experience as adults, potentially resulting in interactions causing mortality and/or reducing growth. Previous field experiments have indicated that such is the case with small juvenile green sea urchins Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis but which taxa are responsible for the mortality and reduced growth was not determined. A laboratory study was conducted to examine the effects of small macro‐benthic invertebrates, specifically chitons, scaleworms and larger juvenile conspecifics, as well as the full suite of cobble‐dwelling organisms, on the mortality, growth and behaviour of small (<3 mm) juvenile sea urchins. The likelihood of survival of small juvenile sea urchins was lower in the presence of larger juvenile sea urchins or with the full suite of cobble‐dwelling organisms than in the absence of animals. The small juvenile sea urchins survived and grew the best when they were with chitons and scaleworms. The behaviour of small sea urchins with the full suite of cobble‐dwelling organisms was more cryptic than the behaviour of urchins with scaleworms. This study indicates that interactions with the suite of small organisms living amongst cobbles can affect survival, growth and behaviour of small juvenile sea urchins, and that larger juvenile sea urchins can be a source of mortality for smaller conspecifics.     

Does cannibalism of larvae by adults affect settlement and connectivity of mussel populations?

Intertidal population dynamics are driven by a complex series of processes, including larval supply and the possibility of larval predation by benthic animals such as filter-feeders. We hypothesised that cannibalism by adults could play a major role in the population connectivity of mussel populations by removing larvae as they attempt to settle in the adult habitat. Specifically, we tested hypotheses that consumption of mussel larvae by adults removes a significant proportion of potential settlers and is influenced by both settlement intensity and tidal state (flooding or ebbing). Predation of mussel larvae by adult mussels was investigated on incoming and ebbing tides during four spring tides by analysing the gut contents of adult Perna perna and Mytilus galloprovincialis collected from the low intertidal mussel zone between October 2005 and January 2006. Consumption rates were then compared with estimates of successful settler densities on natural beds. The results showed that mortality of competent mussel larvae through adult ingestion removes up to 77% a of potential settlers. Rates of larval consumption were highest during months of intense settlement, suggesting that mussels feed opportunistically, filtering a relatively fixed volume of water and removing particles, including larvae, in proportion to their densities in the water. Rates of larviphagy were also higher during receding than incoming tides. We suggest that this is due to changes in larval density or, more probably, in adult filtration efficiency that are related to the state of the tide. Despite significant effects of both tidal state and settlement intensity on rates of larval ingestion, neither had a significant effect on the proportion of potential settlers removed. During settlement more than half of all potential settlers are lost through cannibalism, with potentially serious consequences for population maintenance. The results highlight the paradoxical nature of the evolution of settlement mechanisms in mussels, which must balance the advantages of settlement in habitats favourable to adults against the consumption of larvae by adults.     

应用世代分析法估算鱼类自然死亡率的初步研究

根据已开发鱼类种群的自然死亡率（M）在鱼类资源评估中的重要作用,讨论了1种应用实际种群分析（VPA）（亦即世代分析方法）估算鱼类自然死亡率的方法.文中假设了捕捞努力量（E）已知和未知2种情况,并同时求出了其他种群参数,如可捕系数,补充量等.在蒙特卡罗模拟分析中,假设了4种模拟渔业（管理良好的渔业,掠夺式渔业,恢复性渔业和稳定性渔业）对该方法进行了验证.并将von-Bertalanffy生长方程（VBGF）引入VPA模型来估算鱼类的自然死亡率.当CV等于20%时,在4种模拟渔业中鱼类各龄自然死亡率（Ma）的EP均小于10%.在已知单位捕捞努力量渔获量数据时,计算北大西洋长鳍金枪鱼（Thunnus alalunga）的M等于0.119,这个结果比先前假定的值（0.3）小,但考虑到该鱼种所承受的高的捕捞压力作者认为该估计值是合理的.     

南海北部带鱼生长死亡与参数动态综合模式

根据我国近海带鱼分种研究结果,利用南海北部底拖网调查收集的带鱼属3鱼种的生物学资料,运用长度频率法估算了3鱼种的生长和死亡参数.带鱼、南海带鱼和短带鱼von Bertalanffy生长方程的渐近肛长分别为70.0,54.5和48.0 cm;生长系数分别为0.27,0.27和0.17;理论生长起点年龄分别为-0.60,-0.68和-1.10龄.用长度变换渔获曲线法估算的3鱼种总死亡系数分别为3.02,0.80和2.43;用经验公式估算的自然死亡系数分别为0.39,0.58和0.44;捕捞死亡系数分别为2.63,0.22和1.99.动态综合模式的分析结果表明,3鱼种都能承受较大的捕捞压力,资源利用的不合理之处是大量捕捞1龄以内的幼鱼;在最适利用状态下,带鱼、南海带鱼和短带鱼的开捕年龄分别应为3.0,2.0和2.7龄,对应的肛长分别为44,28和23 cm.     

南海北部陆架区蓝圆鲹的生长、死亡及合理利用研究

本文根据1997年12月至1999年6月在南海北部陆架区进行的大规模底拖网渔业资源调查资料中的蓝圆鲹生物学测定资料,运用FAO开发的最新的体长频率数据分析软件FiSATⅡ对蓝圆鲹的生长、死亡参数进行估算,并进一步应用Beverton-Holt模式对南海北部陆架区的蓝圆鲹最新资源状况进行研究.结果表明:(1)蓝圆鲹的叉长和体重的关系式为:W=1.4084×10~(-2)L~(2.9931),其生长规律可用von Bertalanffy的生长方程描述.(2)其von Bertalanffy生长方程各参数为:渐近叉长L_∞=33.1cm,渐近体重W_∞=498.6g,生长系数K=0.36,t_0=-0.44.(3)总死亡的系数Z=1.87,自然死亡系数M=0.85,捕捞死亡系数F=1.02,开发率E=0.55.在估算结果的基础上,进一步提出南海北部陆架区蓝圆鲹在目前的捕捞强度下的最佳可捕规格叉长为14.7cm,为我国实施拖网目限制提供了科学依据.