Upstream dams and downstream clams: growth rates of bivalve mollusks unveil impact of river management on estuarine ecosystems (Colorado River Delta, Mexico)

We studied how the extensive diversion of Colorado River water, induced by dams and agricultural activities of the last 70 years, affected the growth rates of two abundant bivalve mollusk species (Chione cortezi and Chione fluctifraga) in the northern Gulf of California. Shells alive on the delta today (‘Post-dam’ shells) grow 5.8–27.9% faster than shells alive prior to the construction of dams (‘Pre-dam’ shells). This increase in annual shell production is linked to the currently sharply reduced freshwater influx to the Colorado River estuary. Before the upstream river management, lower salinity retarded growth rates in these bivalves. Intra-annual growth rates were 50% lower during spring and early summer, when river flow was at its maximum. Growth rates in Chione today are largely controlled by temperature and nutrients; prior to the construction of dams and the diversion of the Colorado River flow, seasonal changes in salinity played an important role in regulating calcification rates.Our study employs sclerochronological (growth increment analysis) and geochemical techniques to assess the impact of reduced freshwater influx on bivalve growth rates in the Colorado River estuary. A combination of both techniques provides an excellent tool to evaluate the impact of river management in areas where no pre-impact studies were made.     

Taxonomical and Biogeochemical Investigation of Elements in Holocene Mollusk Shells in the South and Southwestern Marmara Basin,Turkey

Concentrations of some heavy metals and trace elements such as Cr, Ga, Ni, Zn, Mo, Cu, Pb, Yb, Y, Nb, Ti, Sr, Ba, Mn, Sc, Co, V, Zr, Fe, Al, W, Se, Bi, Sb, As, Cd in recent mollusk shells and factors affecting their distribution and deposits collected from various depths in the southern and southwestern parts of the Marmara Sea are investigated. The distribution of the elements in the shells is categorized into four groups. Of these, concentrations of 12 elements （As, Bi, Cd, Co, Ga, Mo, Nb, Sb, Se, Sc, W and Yb） are below zero [（0.053-0.79）×10^-6]; concentrations of seven elements （Cr, Ni, Pb, V, Y, Zr and Cu） are （1.0-6.0）×10^-6; concentrations of four elements （Ti, Mn, Ba and Zn） are 10- 20×10^-6; and concentrations of five elements （Si, Al, Fe, Mg and Sr） are （47.44-268.11）×10^-6. The taxonomic characteristics of the 29 elements were studied separately in mollusk shells such as Chamalea gallina （Linn6）, Pitar rudis （Poli）, Nassarius reticulatus （Linn6）, Venerupis senescens （Coocconi）, Mytilus galloprovincialis （Lamarck）, Mytilaster lineatus （Gemelin in Linne） and Chlamys glabra. It was found that, in mollusk taxonomy, the elements have unique values. In other words, element concentrations in various mollusk shells depend mainly on the taxonomic characteristics of mollusks. In various bionomic environments different element distributions of the same species are attributed to the different geochemical characters of the each environment. Data obtained in this study indicate that the organisms are the most active and deterministic factors of the environment.     

广州城区晚全新世环境变迁与人类活动

对广州市越秀区解放中路考古遗址剖面进行了年代学、岩性、硅藻和软体动物鉴定等研究,发现广州珠江北岸古城区南部在先秦时期为河道及河口湾湿地/洼地;因河流-河涌的淡水注入使河口盐度降低,故而沉积物中未见较高盐度的微体生物,仅发现了河口型咸水-半咸水硅藻;此时堆积的贝壳大多为淡水种,半咸水种少见,表明先秦(东周)时期,广州地区...     

滤食性贝类在对虾综合养殖生态系统中的作用

就混养虾池中滤食性贝类如何影响虾池整个生态系统这个问题，综合了国内外这方面的文献，从滤食性贝类对混养虾池的水质、底质和其中的浮游植物、浮游动物的影响，以及混养对养殖效益的影响这几个方面作了探讨。     

舟山渔场软体生物中PCBs的残留及潜在生态风险

本文测定了舟山渔场附近6个沿海城市5种软体动物体内多氯联苯的污染水平,并进一步探讨了其潜在来源以及生态风险。结果显示,样品中PCBs的总含量水平为18.0~95.9 ng/g干重,平均含量为51.9 ng/g干重,与世界其他海域相比处于中等污染水平。组分分析表明,五氯联苯和二氯联苯为主要组成。PCBs的健康风险HR值均远低于1,表明日常食用不会对人体健康产生明显危害。     

西沙群岛砗磲壳体碳、锶同位素研究及其对比

本文系统地测定了西沙群岛中双壳类鳞砗碟壳体碳、锶同位素，结果发现鳞砗碟壳体的碳、锶同位素的生长变化曲线表现出明显的周期性，碳同位素受到鳞砗碟新陈代谢作用的影响，幼年时期壳体的δ^13C变化，幅度小于发育期，这主要是由于鳞砗磲体内在幼年期能量的消耗大于发育期。通过与其壳体上的生长纹的对比，碳同位素的周期就是生物年生长周期。锶同位素的周期性主要是由于附近大陆年周期性降雨量的变化所引起的，它不受生物生长作用的影响。     

广西北仑河口红树林湿地大型底栖动物多样性的初步研究

2010年7月对广西北仑河口红树林湿地的大型底栖动物进行调查,共发现大型底栖动物8门10纲46科106种,其中软体动物49种,甲壳类36种,多毛类10种,其它类11种。生物量优势种和密度优势种都是软体动物门的珠带拟蟹守螺。大型底栖动物平均生物量是103.09g/m2,平均密度是196个/m2。与历史调查数据比较,本次调查发现了69种本地新种;对比国内6个红树林区底栖动物群落结构,其生物量及栖息密度属于中等偏下,物种多样性指数高于其它红树林区。结果表明:底栖动物的生物量及栖息密度与红树林发育状况呈负相关的关系,物种多样性与红树林发育状况呈正相关的关系。     

Implications of nutrient decline in the seagrass ecosystem success

The Mondego estuary (Portugal) suffered major changes in environmental quality due to eutrophication, however, in the late 1990s a restoration project was implemented in order to return the system to its original condition. The main goal of this paper is to evaluate the ecosystem response to the restoration measures applied at three different levels: water quality, primary producers and primary consumers.In post-restoration period a clear decline was observed in dissolved inorganic nitrogen which was reflected in the gradual recovery of Zostera noltii and a concomitant decline in green macroalgae.Macrobenthic assemblages responded variably to the recovery process. In the seagrass bed and intermediate area, there was a large increase in total biomass, but in the eutrophic area species diversity increased. Despite improvement in the ecological status of the system, full recovery has not been achieved yet, possible due to hysteresis in the dynamics of this system.     

Impact of flood events on macrobenthic community structure on an intertidal flat developing in the Ohta River Estuary

We investigated the effects of river floods on the macrobenthic community of the intertidal flat in the Ohta River Estuary, Japan, from 2005 to 2010. Sediment erosion by flood events ranged from about 2–3 cm to 12 cm, and the salinity dropped to 0‰ even during low-intensity flood events. Cluster analysis of the macrobenthic population showed that the community structure was controlled by the physical disturbance, decreased salinity, or both. The opportunistic polychaete Capitella sp. was the most dominant species in all clusters, and populations of the long-lived polychaete Ceratonereis erythraeensis increased in years with stable flow and almost disappeared in years with intense flooding. The bivalve Musculista senhousia was also an important opportunistic species that formed mats in summer of the stable years and influenced the structure of the macrobenthic community. Our results demonstrate the substantial effects of flood events on the macrobenthic community structure.     

Effects of reclamation on macrobenthic assemblages in the coastline of the Arabian Gulf: a microcosm experimental approach

Coastal reclamation and modifications are extensively carried out in Bahrain, which may physically smother the coastal and subtidal habitats resulting in changes to abundance and distribution of macrobenthic assemblages. A microcosm laboratory experiment using three common macrobenthic invertebrates from a proposed reclaimed coastal area was preformed to examine their responses to mud burial using marine sediment collected from a designated borrow area. Significant difference in numbers of survived organisms between control and experimental treatments with a survival percentage of 41.8% for all of the selected species was observed. The polychaete Perinereis nuntia showed the highest percentage of survival (57.1%) followed by the bivalve Tellinavaltonis (42.3%) and the gastropod Cerithidea cingulata (24.0%). Quantifying species responses to sediment burial resulted from dredging and reclamation will aid in predicting the expected ecological impacts associated with coastal developments and subsequently minimizing these impacts and maintaining a sustainable use of coastal and marine ecosystems in the Arabian Gulf.