Diet shifts of Caribbean grunts (Haemulidae) and snappers (Lutjanidae) and the relation with nursery-to-coral reef migrations

The spatial size distribution of grunts and snappers have previously indicated the separation of juveniles in nursery habitats from the adults on the coral reef. This implies life cycle migrations from nursery habitats (such as seagrass beds and mangroves) to the coral reef. If diet shifts are related to such migrations, then the diets of these fish must change before or around the fish size at which such migrations take place. A wide size range of juveniles of two grunt species (Haemulon sciurus and Haemulon flavolineatum) and of two snapper species (Lutjanus apodus and Ocyurus chrysurus) were caught in seagrass beds and mangroves, and their gut contents identified and quantified. Regression analysis between fish size and dietary importance of small crustaceans showed a negative relationship in all four species. Positive relations were found for H. sciurus, L. apodus and O. chrysurus between fish length and the dietary importance of decapods, and for L. apodusand O. chrysurus between fish length and prey fish importance. Critical changes in the fish diets with fish size were examined by application of a Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). The CCA yielded three clusters of size-classes of fishes with similar diets, and application of a Mantel test showed that each of these clusters had significantly different diets, and that each cluster diet was significantly specialised. The size at which a fish species ‘switched’ from one cluster to another was compared with size-at-maturity data and with the typical size at which these species migrate from the nursery habitats to the coral reef. H. sciurus and H. flavolineatum may be prompted to migrate from the nursery habitats to coral reef habitats because of dietary changes, or because of the development of the gonads. For L. apodus and O. chrysurus, a dietary changeover forms a more likely explanation for nursery-to-reef migrations than does sexual maturation because these species reach maturity at sizes much larger than the maximum size of individuals found in nursery habitats. Although other factors may theoretically initiate or promote the migration patterns, the results of this study indicate that ontogenetic dietary changes may crucially influence the nursery-to-coral reef migrations of these reef fish species.     

Nouvelles données pour l’histoire des fluctuations holocènes du niveau du lac de Neuchatel (Suisse): la séquence sédimentaire de Marin-Les Piécettes

Resume. Les fouilles archéologiques réalisées de 1998 à 2002 sur le site néolithique de Marin-Les Piécettes sur la rive nord-ouest du lac de Neuchatel ont offert l’opportunité d’observer deux séquences sédimentaires intéressantes pour la reconstitution des variations holocènes du niveau du lac, en particulier au cours de la période correspondant au changement de cours de l’Aar en direction du nord-est, vers 5650–5500 cal BP. La géométrie des corps sédimentaires et les changements lithologiques permettent de reconna?tre plusieurs phases majeures de bas niveaux relatifs du plan d’eau vers 6870, 5660, 5060–3990, 3580, 2280, 1640 et 1170 cal BP. Le site néolithique de Marin-Les Piécettes s’est développé vers 5454–5433 cal BP à la faveur d’un court épisode de bas niveau du lac qui a interrompu une importante phase de haut niveau au début du Subboréal. Les événements paléohydrologiques identifiés à Marin-Les Piécettes apparaissent cohérents avec ceux reconstitués sur le site de Montilier au bord du lac de Morat, ainsi qu’avec les variations paléohydrologiques reconstituées à partir des lacs du Jura, du Plateau suisse et des Préalpes du Nord fran?aises. Ceci suggère qu’ils témoignent d’un signal climatique. La séquence sédimentaire de Marin-Les Piécettes met enfin en évidence la formation d’un cordon littoral sur la rive nord-ouest du lac juste après 5660 cal BP. Manuscrit re?u le 22 septembre 2004 Révision acceptée le 11 mars 2005     

广州市大学城湾咀头湿地公园“引鸟入城”方案浅析

广州市大学城湾咀头湿地公园"引鸟入城"项目是引鸟设计的一次探索与实践。项目通过鸟类栖息环境的改造、鸟类人工饲养与自然招引、鸟类监测与保护等方法的研究与实践,成功达到了引鸟效果,同时提出了规划和管理等方面的一些建议,希望对鸟类招引项目提供参考。     

黄河下游沿岸农业景观中蜘蛛对非农生境的响应（英文）

Non-crop habitats have been suggested to impact local biodiversity significantly in agricultural landscapes. However, there have been few studies of the effects of less-focused non-crop habitats(orchard, wetland, pit and ditch) on variation of spider abundance. In this study, spiders in 30 woodlands were captured using pitfall traps in Fengqiu County, China, and the effects of local and landscape variations at different scales(50 m, 100 m, 200 m, 350 m and 500 m) on spider abundance were analysed. The most important variation that influenced spider abundance at the 500 m scale was the less-focused non-crop habitat(LNH) cover, and 10% was an appropriate proportion of LNH cover to sustain high level of spider diversity in the investigated landscape. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analyses revealed that there were significant differences in the spider composition among the high, medium and low LNH coverage. Based on indicator species analysis, different spider species were associated with landscapes with different levels of LNH cover. Lycosidae, which accounted for 48% of the total specimens, preferred woodland habitats neighbouring areas with high LNH cover. Compared with woodland habitats, LNH provided more diverse food sources and habitat to sustain more spider species in the study area. Furthermore, linear elements composed of vegetation, such as pits and ditches, may prevent agricultural intensification by enhancing landscape connectivity and providing habitats for different spiders. Our findings may provide a theoretical basis for biodiversity conservation in agro-ecosystems and top-down control of pests.     

黑海参(Holothuria atra)对环境沉积物的摄食选择及消化系统功能适应性研究

黑海参(Holothuria atra)是热带珊瑚礁大型底栖动物群落中的代表种类之一,其摄食活动对珊瑚礁生境底质有机物的循环再利用具有重要作用。本文研究了三亚蜈支洲岛典型热带珊瑚礁海域野生黑海参的沉积物选择特征及其触手和消化系统结构功能的适应性。结果表明,黑海参摄取的沉积物颗粒相对较粗,其中粒径0.25mm部分占到了总重量的96.67%。触手上3—6个乳突形成乳突簇[直径(283.00±40.94)μm],适宜摄取大颗粒沉积物。黑海参胃内含物有机物含量显著高于环境沉积物,证实其对有机物含量的选择性;粒径0.25mm部分有机物含量占摄入总有机物量的75%,与环境沉积物中相同粒度的有机物总量占比接近(76%),表明黑海参选择的沉积物粒径范围有效保证了其高效摄入有机质。黑海参前肠的脂肪酶、淀粉酶、纤维素酶、胰蛋白酶活性最高,同时绝大部分的有机质(98.33%)在前肠被吸收。组织学定量分析表明,黑海参前肠黏膜层厚度最大,占总厚度的56.33%,这与其高效吸收有机质的功能相适应;后肠的肠壁总厚度和黏膜下层、肌层厚度均显著高于前肠和中肠,表明其具有相对更好的弹性和收缩能力,适合于大颗粒有机质的高效输送与排出。研究结果证实,黑海参摄食器官和消化道独特的结构与功能保证了其在珊瑚砂粗颗粒生境中高效摄取有机物。     

Macrofaunal communities in the habitats of intertidal marshes along the salinity gradient of the Schelde estuary

The macrobenthos is important in benthic remineralization processes; it represents a trophic link and is also often used as a bio-indicator in monitoring programs. Variations of the environmental parameters strongly influence the structure of the macrobenthic communities in the marshes and since macrobenthos is the most important food item for marsh-visiting fish species in the Schelde, the variation in food resources can have a strong effect on the higher trophic level. The present study deals with the variation in macrobenthic communities in different habitats of intertidal marshes along the salinity gradient and the differences between the marsh creeks and the intertidal part of the estuary. The study measured density and species richness together with the biomass, and sampled a large intertidal channel and a smaller creek within five marshes along the salinity gradient of the Schelde estuary every six weeks between May and October in 2000.     

The GW-Fauna-Index: A first approach to a quantitative ecological assessment of groundwater habitats

Between June 2001 and December 2002, 18 hyporheic and groundwater bores were sampled for fauna and environmental data using phreatic traps. The bores were situated in three different natural geographic regions in Palatinate, Southwestern Germany.Faunal data correlated with the relative amount of detritus, bacterial abundances and the standard deviation of temperature, while very few and weak correlations were found with physical–chemical variables. Dissolved oxygen was assumed to be a limiting factor for most metazoans with a critical concentration at around 0.5–1 mg l⁻¹.To quantify the strength of the hydrological exchange with surface water and its effects on fauna, a so-called GW-Fauna-Index was developed and calculated using the relative amount of detritus, standard deviation of temperature, and oxygen concentration. From all environmental data and on all spatial scales, this index best explained the total faunal abundance and taxonomic richness.To describe the availability of organic aliments in the groundwater, the terms of “alimonic” and “alimony” [from lat. alimonium=(food) supply] were proposed.Although stygofauna was different in the geographic regions investigated, the GW-Fauna-Index was independent from these regional particularities. Using the GW-Fauna-Index, three groups of groundwater habitats could be classified according to the alimonic conditions. From oligo-alimonic group I samples, fauna was mostly absent, while meso-alimonic group II samples were prevailingly populated by stygobites, and eu-alimonic group III samples by ubiquists and stygoxenes. Total abundances and taxonomic richness increased significantly from group I to group III. Group I samples were characterized by low index values, group II samples by intermediate and group III samples by high values.The GW-Fauna-Index provides promising perspectives for application, but needs some improvement. First of all, detritus should be analysed quantitatively and qualitatively, rather than semi-quantitatively. Also, a standard protocol for sampling has to be developed.