Feeding ecology of Japanese Spanish mackerel(Scomberomorus niphonius) along the eastern coastal waters of China

Feeding activities provide necessary nutrition and energy to support the reproduction and development of fish populations. The feeding ecology and dietary plasticity of fish are important factors determining their recruitment and population dynamics. As a top predator, Japanese Spanish mackerel(Scomberomorus niphonius) supports one of the most valuable fisheries in China. In this study, the feeding ecology and diet composition of Japanese Spanish mackerel spawning groups were analysed based on samples collected from six spawning grounds along the eastern coastal waters of China during spring(March to May) in 2016 and 2017. Both stomach contents and stable isotope analysis were conducted. Stomach content analysis showed that spawning groups of Japanese Spanish mackerel mainly fed on fish, consuming more than 40 different prey species. Diets were significantly different among sampling locations. The most important prey species were Stolephorus in Fuzhou, Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus in Xiangshan, Euphausia pacifica in Lüsi, sand lance Ammodytes personatus in Qingdao and Weihai, and Leptochela gracilis in Laizhou Bay. Stable isotope analysis showed that the trophic level of Japanese Spanish mackerel was relatively high and generally increased with latitude from south to north. In the 1980 s, the diet of Japanese Spanish mackerel was dominated solely by Japanese anchovies in the eastern coastal waters of China. The results in the present study showed that the importance of Japanese anchovies declined considerably, and this fish was not the most dominant diet in most of the investigated waters. Both the spatial variations in diet composition and changes in the dominant diet over the long term indicated the high adaptability of Japanese Spanish mackerel to the environment. Combining the results of stomach analysis and stable isotope analysis from different tissues provided more comprehensive and accurate dietary information on Japanese Spanish mackerel. The study provides essential information about the feeding ecology of Japanese Spanish mackerel and will benefit the management of its populations in the future.     

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.     

Trophic analysis of two species of Atopsyche (Trichoptera: Hydrobiosidae)

To compare the trophic niche of coexisting larvae of Atopsyche yunguensis and Atopsyche spinosa we analysed their gut contents and found little niche overlap: A. yunguensis fed primarily on Trichoptera and amorphous matter, whereas A. spinosa fed on Diptera. A. spinosa showed both a spatial range and a niche breadth larger than those of A. yunguensis. Behavioural observations on A. spinosa may emphasize the use of chelate anterior legs for securing preys. Both species have been included into the predator-clingers functional group.     

Potential distributional changes of invasive crop pest species associated with global climate change

This study investigated the potential global distributional shifts of poikilothermic invasive crop pest species associated with climate change, aiming to understand if their overall global distributions will expand or contract, and how the species distributions will vary across different regions. An ecological niche modelling analysis was conducted for 76 species. The potential distributional changes of the species in 2050 and 2070 were scrutinized for two climate change scenarios, which were further examined across different temperature and precipitation ranges. Results showed that averages of the mean probabilities of presence of the 76 crop pest species were predicted to increase. Higher species turnovers were predicted mostly to occur in areas with increasing predicted species richness. Lower species turnovers, however, were predicted mostly to occur in areas with decreasing predicted species richness. Species richness increases were predicted to occur more often in currently lower temperature (annual mean temperature approximately < 21 °C) or lower precipitation (annual precipitation approximately < 1100 mm) regions. Areas with the current annual mean temperatures at around 27 °C and 7.5 °C, respectively, were predicted to experience the highest decrease and increase in species richness as the climate warms. In conclusion, climate change is likely to expand the pest species’ overall distribution across the globe. It could have more profound impacts on the species distributions of those regions where species richness increases are expected, by altering the species’ community compositions.     

浙江三门湾海域主要底上动物生态位及种间联结性

大型底上动物参与海洋生态系统中的物理、化学和生物过程,具有极高的研究价值。浙江三门湾是天然的半封闭海湾,也是海洋生物重要的栖息、觅食和育幼的场所。为探究三门湾海域物种间的资源利用情况及生态关系,在该海域进行了底拖网生物调查。根据2017年和2018年夏季在三门湾海域进行的大型底上生物研究结果,运用优势度(Y)、生态位宽度、生态位重叠、方差比率法(VR)、χ²检验、联结系数(AC)、共同出现百分率(PC)对生态位和种间联结性进行了研究。结果表明: 2017~2018年间三门湾海域共捕获大型底上动物53种,包括两年共有种,即主要底上动物22种。其中优势种3种,包括哈氏仿对虾(Mierspenaeopsis hardwickii)、中华栉孔虾虎鱼(Ctenotrypauchen chinensis)和棒锥螺(Turritella terebra),这三个物种属中生态位种;三门湾主要底上动物依据生态位宽度值划分为3组,即广生态位种、中生态位种和窄生态位种;种对间生态位重叠值总体差异性较大,其与种对的食性、栖息环境密切相关;根据总体联结性分析得主要底上动物总体呈显著正关联,群落结构较为稳定; χ²检验、联结系数(AC)和共同出现百分率(PC)表明种对间联结性较弱,趋近于相互独立。三门湾大型底上动物的群落结构比较稳定,但种对间的关联性在逐渐下降。     

基于遗传和蚁群组合算法优化的遥感图像分割

将遗传算法和蚁群算法组合对模糊聚类进行优化,巧妙地对图像的像素特征和空间特征进行提取,利用这些特征作为聚类依据,将图像的多个特征结合到智能计算中,充分利用了遗传算法和蚁群算法各自的优势和特点,既提高了图像分割的准确性,又加快了分割过程的速度。实验结果表明,遗传算法和蚁群组合算法优化的模糊聚类是一种性能良好的遥感图像分割方法。     

西藏拉萨河中下游不同水文期浮游植物优势种生态位及种间联结性

为了探究拉萨河中下游浮游植物群落优势种生态位及种间联结性,本文选取拉萨河中下游干流及其支流作为研究地点,设置了17个样点,于2015年5月、8月和2016年11月共采集了3个水文期的水样。通过定量样品和活体观察相结合的方法鉴定浮游植物物种,使用直接计数法统计浮游植物数量,共鉴定393种,隶属于6门8纲24目48科100属。计算优势种的优势度指数(Y),运用生态位宽度、生态位重叠值和生态响应速率、总体联结性、χ²检验以及共同岀现百分比分析优势种的生态位及种间联结性。结果表明：浮游植物整体为硅藻绿藻蓝藻型群落特征,浮游植物优势种(Y>0.02)共19种,均隶属硅藻门,其中尖针杆藻(Synedra acus)、双头针杆藻(S. amphicephala)等7个优势种是3个水文期的共有优势种,优势种岀现频率和优势度在不同水文期均有差异。优势种的生态位宽度变化范围为0.089～0.751,双头针杆藻在3个水文期均为优势种且生态位宽度值均大于0.5,表现出较强的生态适应性,属广生态位种;短小曲壳藻(Achnathes exigua)种间相互竞争激烈且生境趋向于特化,可作...     

Primary study on evaluation index system for groundwater exploitation potentiality based on the niche theories

This paper presents a method combining single-indicator comprehensive evaluation and influence factor identification to measure groundwater quality. This method not only reflects groundwater quality classification with clear physical significance, but also divides the possibilities of man-made pollution in regional groundwater. The paper selects 6 063 representative groundwater wells in the North China Plain to evaluate 49 groundwater inorganic and organic index and comes to a conclusion: Controlled by geological environment and hydrogeological conditions, the groundwater quality in the North China Plain deteriorates from the bottom of maintain to coastal area, with Class I to III groundwater decreasing from 49% to 3.9% while Class V groundwater increasing from 21% to 86.9%; the quality of deep groundwater is better than that of shallow groundwater; the contribution rate of manganese, total hardness, total dissolved solids and iodide in shallow groundwater to over-III type water exceeds 50%; the contribution rate of nitrite in pollution index reaches 20%; while heavy metal and organic indexes have limited impact on regional groundwater quality. The North China Plain is an important economic area in China. Over decades, it has witnessed intense human activities, and water resource quantity demanded has been far greater than quantity supplied. Due to scarce surface water resource, groundwater becomes the pillar supporting regional economic development. This has led to increasing groundwater exploitation and development. According to statistics, the exploitation degree of shallow groundwater reaches 105% in the North China Plain and 118% in the Hebei Plain; the exploitation degree of deep groundwater reaches 143% in the North China Plain and 163% in the Hebei Plain. The serious over-exploitation of groundwater brings various geological environmental problems, with the worsening of groundwater quality being a typical one. Besides impact brought by human activities, the poor quality of natural water in the North China Plain is also an important factor. Therefore, to understand the current regional groundwater quality situation and to master influence factors and influence degree can provide reliable scientific protection for regional economic development.     

Feeding behavior in Caribbean surgeonfishes varies across fish size,algal abundance,and habitat characteristics

Feeding behavior of coral reef fishes often determines their species‐specific ecological roles. We studied the two most common Caribbean surgeonfishes (Acanthurus coeruleus and Acanthurus tractus) to examine their species‐specific grazing rates and feeding preferences and how these differed with environmental context. We quantified the feeding activity of both surgeonfishes at four spur and groove reefs in the Florida Keys, USA, that varied in fish abundance, rugosity, algal community composition, and sediment loading. Overall, A. tractus fed twice as fast as A. coeruleus. Both species selected for turf algae but avoided feeding on turf algae that had become laden with sediment. Selectivity for upright macroalgae was more complex with A. tractus targeting Dictyota spp., while A. coeruleus avoided Dictyota spp. relative to the alga's abundance. Both species selected for epiphytes growing on other organisms such as macroalgae and sponges. However, several of these feeding patterns changed with ontogeny. For example, larger individuals of both species fed more frequently on long, sediment‐laden algal turf and less frequently on Dictyota spp. compared to smaller sized individuals. In addition, A. tractus also increased its preference for upright calcareous algae as they attained larger sizes. Overall, the disparity in feeding preferences of surgeonfishes likely indicates subtle differences in species‐specific ecological roles. Both A. coeruleus and A. tractus likely prevent development of turf algae and thus maintain algal communities in the early stages of succession. Additionally, A. tractus may also help reduce macroalgal abundance by targeting common macroalgal species.     

芦苇湿地共域繁殖的4种雀形目鸟类的巢址选择和繁殖成效比较

鸟类的巢址选择对其繁殖成效具有重要影响。对共域繁殖的不同鸟种繁殖策略的比较,有助于理解鸟类生活史对策的进化。为此,我们在河北永年洼湿地对利用芦苇繁殖的4种鸟类即东方大苇莺(Acrocephalus orientalis)、钝翅苇莺(Acrocephalus concinens)、震旦鸦雀(Paradoxornis heudei)和棕头鸦雀(Sinosuthora webbiana)的巢址选择和繁殖成效进行了比较。结果表明,尽管四种鸟类开始繁殖的时间明显不同,但其巢址、巢型和巢结构均类似,并在同一研究地内镶嵌分布,仅在巢离水面的高度、筑巢芦苇的高度和巢址样方内的芦苇密度三个变量参数上存在显著差异。四种鸟类在两个繁殖季的繁殖成效均较低,其中东方大苇莺为34.5%(86/249),钝翅苇莺为35.3%(6/17),震旦鸦雀为38.5%(15/39),棕头鸦雀为40.9%(9/22)。影响繁殖成效的主要生态因子包括巢捕食和恶劣天气如暴雨和强风暴,而被大杜鹃(Cuculuscanorus)寄生则是导致东方大苇莺繁殖成功率较低的主要原因。我们的研究表明,同域繁殖的鸟类可以通过繁殖时间的错峰和巢址的分化等而实现共存。