Sustainable shellfish aquaculture in Saldanha Bay,South Africa

The carrying capacity for bivalve shellfish culture in Saldanha Bay, South Africa, was analysed through the application of the well-tested EcoWin ecological model, in order to simulate key ecosystem variables. The model was set up using: (i) oceanographic and water-quality data collected from Saldanha Bay, and (ii) culture-practice information provided by local shellfish farmers. EcoWin successfully reproduced key ecological processes, simulating an annual mean phytoplankton biomass of 7.5 µg Chl a l^–1 and an annual harvested shellfish biomass of about 3 000 tonnes (t) y^–1, in good agreement with reported yield. The maximum annual carrying capacity of Small Bay was estimated as 20 000 t live weight (LW) of oysters Crassostrea gigas, or alternatively 5 100 t LW of mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis, and for Big Bay as 100 000 t LW of oysters. Two production scenarios were investigated for Small Bay: a production of 4 000 t LW y^–1 of mussels, and the most profitable scenario for oysters of 19 700 t LW y^–1. The main conclusions of this work are: (i) in 2015–2016, both Small Bay and Big Bay were below their maximum production capacity; (ii) the current production of shellfish potentially removes 85% of the human nitrogen inputs; (iii) a maximum-production scenario in both Big Bay and Small Bay would result in phytoplankton depletion in the farmed area; (iv) increasing the production intensity in Big Bay would probably impact the existing cultures in Small Bay; and (v) the production in Small Bay could be increased, resulting in higher income for farmers.     

Mussel Periostracum from Deep-Sea Redox Communities as a Microbial Habitat: 3. Secondary Inhabitants

Abstract. Vacated microborings in periostracum of live mussels of the Florida Escarpment redox community (depth of 3266 m) become a habitat for a prolific secondary microbiota consisting of a variety of prokaryotic and a few eukaryotic organisms. Periostracum surface is also colonized by diverse microorganisms, dominated by presumed chemolithotrophic bacteria with stacks of intracellular lamellae. Unlike sheltered microflora within borings, the surface community is heavily grazed upon by numerous archaeogastropods and ciliates.     

A rationale for beach selection by the public on the coast of Wales, UK

Questionnaires were completed by 2306 beach users at 19 Welsh beaches with respect to beach selection parameters. The modal group of respondents was female aged 30–39. Beach choice was primarily determined by clean litter-free sand and seawater, followed by safety. Refreshment facilities and beach awards were deemed minor considerations by the public when choosing a beach to visit. Approximately 58 per cent of respondents were aware of beach award and rating schemes. Of coastal visitors interviewed for this paper, 67 per cent rated a beach as 'important' or 'very important' to their holiday, with just 2 per cent replying that they were unimportant.     

History and necessity: the evolution of soil conservation technology in a Jamaican farming system

The soil conservation campaigns that have been a prominent feature of Jamaican agricultural policy since the 1950s are frequently presented as having failed to ameliorate the problem of soil erosion in hillside agriculture. A case study of a small farming community in the Blue Mountains explores the development of the soil conservation practices currently employed by farmers. The use of trash barriers in carrot farming is described and the origins of this technology and its subsequent adaptation are considered. The study concludes that extension interventions and government policy have influenced the development of current soil conservation practices; practices which have their roots in indigenous techniques. Other factors such as the adaptation of trash barriers to suit local conditions and their importance in soil fertility management also play a role in their widespread use in the study area. The study demonstrates that to understand the process of technical change in farming communities, it is necessary to consider a range of factors, external and internal, technical and social, that have over time influenced farmers' decision making.     

Hydrologic responses to land cover change: the case of Jedeb mesoscale catchment,Abay/Upper Blue Nile basin,Ethiopia

The objective of this study was to quantify the impacts of land use/land cover (LULC) change on the hydrology of the Jedeb, an agricultural dominated mesoscale catchment, in the Abay/Upper Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia. Two methods have been used. First, the trends of certain daily flow variability parameters were evaluated to detect statistical significance of the change of the hydrologic response. Second, a conceptual monthly hydrological model was used to detect changes in the model parameters over different periods to infer LULC change. The results from the statistical analysis of the daily flows between 1973 and 2010 reveal a significant change in the response of the catchment. Peak flow is enhanced, i.e. response appears to be flashier. There is a significant increase in the rise and fall rates of the flow hydrograph, as well as the number of low‐flow pulses below a threshold level. The discharge pulses show a declining duration with time. The model result depicts a change in model parameters over different periods, which could be attributed to an LULC change. The model parameters representing soil moisture conditions indicated a gradual decreasing trend, implying limited storage capacity likely attributed to increasing agricultural farming practices in the catchment. This resulted in more surface runoff and less infiltration into the soil layers. The results of the monthly flow duration curve analysis indicated large changes of the flow regime. The high flow has increased by 45% between the 1990s and 2000s, whereas the reduction in low flows was larger: a 15% decrease between 1970s and 1980s, 39% between 1980s and 1990s and up to 71% between 1990s and 2000s. These results, could guide informed catchment management practices to reduce surface runoff and augment soil moisture level in the Jedeb catchment. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of deforestation on pearl mussel habitats in the Russian section of the Baltic Sea basin

Changes in the vegetation cover associated with intensive forest extermination may have a strong effect on the riverine environment, including the chances of survival for bivalve mollusc populations in small streams and rivers. In order to check this hypothesis, drainage area properties of the rivers with extinct and existing pearl mussel populations in the Russian section of the Baltic Sea basin were compared. Preservation of forest vegetation along the river banks of the studied rivers was correlated with the presence of pearl mussel populations. Traditional agriculture turned out to be, in some cases, more harmful for river ecosystems than urbanization and industrialization.     

Ecosystem services assessment and compensation costs for installing seaweed farms

In a global context of promotion and expansion of blue growth initiatives, the development of activities such as aquaculture calls for the assessment of the potential impacts on biodiversity at different levels and associated services. This paper presents an assessment of the potential impact of the installation of seaweed farms on ecosystem services and the induced compensation costs. Biophysical and socioeconomic indicators have been developed for helping decision makers to select the most suitable locations. The approach considers a multi-criteria approach based on Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Habitat Equivalency Analysis (HEA). The former is used to obtain biophysical ecosystem services and socioeconomic indicators and the latter to evaluate the costs required to compensate the loss of cultural and provisioning ecosystem services. A case-study in the Normand-Breton (Saint Malo) Gulf, France, illustrates this method through the analysis of hypothetical locations of seaweed farms. Results highlight the differences between alternative locations regarding biophysical constraints (in terms of distance and depth), potential risks of conflicts with existing uses, impacts on habitats and the ecosystem services delivered, and compensation costs. This case-study illustrates the flexibility of this approach which can be further adapted to include other indicators in order to deliver integrated information to coastal planners.     

A Rhaetian microvertebrate fauna from Stowey Quarry,Somerset, U.K.

Rhaetian bone beds have been described from many locations in south-west England, around Bristol. One site that has never been reported is Stowey Quarry, some 13?km south of Bristol. This quarry yielded Lias, and revealed thin Rhaetian units in the quarry floor, including two bone beds, the basal Rhaetian bone bed, and a second, higher bone bed, also within the Westbury Formation. The fossil fauna of both includes elements typical of Rhaetian bone beds elsewhere, but showing differences in faunal composition between the two. The basal bone bed yielded more specimens and more species, with three taxa (Sargodon tomicus, Rhomphaiodon minor and Hybodus cloacinus) exclusive to this bed and eleven identified in total. Severnichthys acuminatus accounts for more than 50% of the countable teeth from the basal bone bed, followed by Gyrolepis albertii with 20%, Lissodus minimus with 14% and Rhomphaiodon minor with 9%. The basal bone bed, as ever, is dominated by chondrichthyans, whereas the upper bone bed is dominated by osteichthyans, which form 90% of the non-dental remains. The only unique taxon is Dapedium, and Gyrolepis albertii is the most abundant species with 45% of countable teeth, followed by Severnichthys acuminatus with 38% and Duffinselache holwellensis with 11%. These faunal differences, and the equally good condition of specimens between both samples confirms that the upper bone bed is independent of the basal bone bed, and is not a reworked subsample.     

春季西沙永乐龙洞浮游植物的昼夜垂直分布特征

南海永乐龙洞位于西沙群岛永乐环礁,是迄今为止发现的最深的海洋蓝洞,水文环境及理化因素特殊,90 m以下水体为无氧环境。为研究永乐龙洞浮游植物的群落组成及其昼夜变化,于2017年3月在龙洞、潟湖及外礁坡进行浮游植物样品采集。研究结果表明:龙洞内叶绿素a浓度呈现随深度先增大后减小的趋势,日间浓度最大值层出现在40 m层(0.42μg/L),夜间则出现在20 m层(0.59μg/L)。永乐龙洞微微型浮游植物丰度介于1.1×10^3~5.1×10^4 cells/mL。聚球藻在上层水体占优势(0~20 m),40 m以下水层原绿球藻丰度对微微型浮游植物丰度贡献率最大(90%以上),微微型真核浮游植物丰度在整个水体都较低(除20 m层)。微微型浮游植物昼夜存在明显差异,夜间其丰度最大值层为20 m层,日间则上移至表层。本研究共记录微型和小型浮游植物5门41属55种(含未定种)。其中,硅藻门25属34种、甲藻门12属15种、金藻门1属1种、蓝藻3属、隐藻1属。微型和小型浮游植物丰度介于3.3×10^2~9.8×10^4 cells/L。甲藻丰度对浮游植物总丰度贡献率最大,其次是硅藻,隐藻和蓝藻丰度仅在少数水层占优势。微型和小型浮游植物昼夜变化明显,夜间丰度最大值层为20 m层,日间则出现在40 m层。微微型、微型和小型浮游植物垂直分布与叶绿素a浓度垂直分布一致性高。龙洞浮游植物的种类数和丰度高于潟湖和外礁坡。     

贻贝(Mytilus edulis)的核型与减数分裂

利用体内注射ＰＨＡ和秋水仙素的方法，以锶和生殖腺为材料，对贻贝ＭｙｔｉｌｕｓｅｄｕｌｉｓＬｉｎｎａｅｕｓ的核型和减数分裂进行了观察分析，结果为，二倍体数２ｎ＝２８，核型为１０ｍ＋１２ｓｍ＋６ｓｔ，ＮＦ＝５０。没有发现异形性染色体，贻贝的减数分裂与其他动物类似，也没有发现异形染色体的特殊行为。