Parent-offspring relationship recognition based on SSR and mtDNA confirmed resource supplement effect of Fenneropenaeus chinensis release

The resource of Fenneropenaeus chinensis has declined sharply due to excessive fishing intensity,ecological changes and diseases.In order to supplement the fishing yield and restore resources of F.chinensis,the relevant authorities have carried out the activities of stock enhancement and releasing.It can increase biomass and recover resources.However,compared with increasing biomass,there were still few reports on its effect on the recovery of resources.Resource recovery is a process related to whether the released individuals can form a reproductive population.Up to now,there has been a lack of evidence whether the released F.chinensis can complete the entire life history,and form reproduction population.In this study,gravid female shrimp after spawning migration were captured from coastal waters of Haiyang,Qingdao,and Yellow Sea.After identifying parentage relationships using simple sequence repeat(SSR)and mtDNA haplotype,it was finally confirmed that there were eight released individuals in the recapture samples.It was confirmed for the first time that at least part of the released F.chinensis can complete overwintering and reproductive migration,and maintain the migration habits as their wild counterparts.Therefore,we infered that the released shrimp can reproduce under natural conditions,these F.chinensis can form reproductive populations theoretically if without human intervention.These results indicated that enhancenment and release activities have a positive effect on resource recovery.

Ensemble habitat suitability modeling of stomatopods with Oratosquilla oratoria as an example

Stomatopods are better known as mantis shrimp with considerable ecological importance in wide coastal waters globally. Some stomatopod species are exploited commercially, including Oratosquilla oratoria in the Northwest Pacific. Yet, few studies have published to promote accurate habitat identification of stomatopods, obstructing scientific management and conservation of these valuable organisms. This study provides an ensemble modeling framework for habitat suitability modeling of stomatopods, utilizing the O. oratoria stock in the Bohai Sea as an example. Two modeling techniques(i.e., generalized additive model(GAM) and geographical weighted regression(GWR)) were applied to select environmental predictors(especially the selection between two types of sediment metrics) that better characterize O. oratoria distribution and build separate habitat suitability models(HSM). The performance of the individual HSMs were compared on interpolation accuracy and transferability.Then, they were integrated to check whether the ensemble model outperforms either individual model, according to fishers’ knowledge and scientific survey data. As a result, grain-size metrics of sediment outperformed sediment content metrics in modeling O. oratoria habitat, possibly because grain-size metrics not only reflect the effect of substrates on burrow development, but also link to sediment heat capacity which influences individual thermoregulation. Moreover, the GWR-based HSM outperformed the GAM-based HSM in interpolation accuracy,while the latter one displayed better transferability. On balance, the ensemble HSM appeared to improve the predictive performance overall, as it could avoid dependence on a single model type and successfully identified fisher-recognized and survey-indicated suitable habitats in either sparsely sampled or well investigated areas.

Decadal variations in the community status of economically important invertebrates in the Bohai Sea

With the decline of fish stocks,the proportions of economically important invertebrates like crustaceans and cephalopods have increased in the Bohai Sea.The community structure and trophic level of economically important invertebrates were analyzed using the bottom trawl survey data collected by the Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute in the Bohai Sea in May and August of 1958–1959,1982,1992–1993,2004,2009 and 2015.A total of 37 species of economically important invertebrates,belonging to 5 orders,24 families,were captured.The biomass densities of economically important invertebrates in the Bohai Sea displayed an overall downward trend from 1982 to 2015.Oratosquilla oratoria and Loligo spp.were the most dominant species in the past 30 years,the biomass proportion of O.oratoria increased gradually in both May and August from 1982 to 2015.Moreover,biodiversity indices of economically important invertebrates in the Bohai Sea appeared to decline from 1982 to 2004 and then increased in 2015.Similarly,the mean trophic level of economically important invertebrates declined from 1982 to 2004 and increased slightly in 2015.Overall,although the proportions of invertebrates have increased,the biomass densities in the Bohai Sea have displayed an overall downward trend from 1982 to 2015.The increases in the biodiversity and trophic level of economically important invertebrates after the 2000s,possibly benefit from stock enhancement projects implemented by governments at different levels and national fishery management measures such as the“double-control”of the total number and engine power of fishing vessels and summer moratorium of fishing.

A model for the transportation and distribution of jellyfish Rhopilema esculentum for stock enhancement in the Liaodong Bay, China

A numerical model for jellyfish Rhopilema esculentum stock enhancement is developed for the first time. The model is based on an operational ocean circulation-surface wave coupled forecasting system for the seas off China and adjacent areas and uses a Lagrangian particle-tracking scheme to track the trajectories of released jellyfish. The Jellyfish are modeled as particles with diel vertical migration and are passively drifted by the current and dispersion due to the sub-grid processes. A comparison between the simulation and survey results demonstrate that the model can capture the primary distribution patterns of the released jellyfish. The model results show that the ocean current and indirect wind impact are the main drivers controlling the jellyfish transport. A connectivity matrix between the release sites and fishing grounds indicates the top of the bay is better than the eastern and western coasts for jellyfish fishing. The matrix also shows that only 45% and 27% of the jellyfish released from Wafangdian(WFD) can enter the fishing ground in 2008 and 2010; thus, the site near WFD is not an advisable location for jellyfish release. A Lagrangian probability density function based on a nine-year tracing experiment validates the results and further provides a "climatology" distribution of the released jellyfish.Several experiments are conducted to examine the sensitivity of the model to random walk schemes and to release conditions. The model requires a random walk but is insensitive to the random walk scheme. The experiments with different habitat depths show that if the jellyfish are fixed on the bottom of the water, most of them will be transported to the center, or even out of the bay, by the bottom circulation.

Estimating seasonal habitat suitability for migratory species in the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea:A case study of Tanaka's snailfish(Liparis tanakae)

Acquiring a comprehensive and accurate understanding of habitat preference is essential for species conservation and fishery management,especially for mobile species that migrate seasonally.Presence and absence data from field surveys are recommended when available due to their high reliability.Using field survey data,we investigated seasonal habitat suitability requirements for Tanaka's snailfish(Liparis tanakae)in the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea(BSYS)via a machine-learning method,random forests(RFs).Five environmental and biologically relevant variables(bottom temperature,bottom salinity,current velocity,depth and distance to shore)were used to build the ecological niches between the presence/absence data and suitable habitat.In addition,the degree to which false absence data might impact model performance was evaluated.Our results indicated that RFs provided accurate predictions,with seasonal habitat suitability maps of L.tanakae differing substantially.Bottom temperature and salinity were identified as important factors influencing the distribution of L.tanakae.False absence data were found to have negative effects on model performance and the decrease in evaluation metrics was usually significant(P<0.05)after 30%or more errors were added to the absence data.Through identifying highly suitable areas within its geographic range,our study provides a baseline for L.tanakae that can be further applied in ecosystem modelling and fishery management in the BSYS.

Research in migration route of hatchery released Chinese shrimp(Fenneropenaeus chinensis) in the Bohai Bay using method of SSR marker

This study provides new insights for the hatchery released Chinese shrimp(Fenneropenaeus chinensis),including proportion,dynamic migration route,after they were released into nature for stock enhancement using a new strategy quite different than ever.Chinese shrimp were sampled at 22 survey stations during two investigation voyages acrossing 74 survey stations in the Bohai Sea from July 16 to August 9 in 2015.Among 289 sampled individuals during the second voyage,totally 155 shrimps were identified as hatchery shrimp released into the Laizhou Bay at mid-May in 2015 based on finger-print of eight SSR(simple sequence repeats)markers,and the proportion of hatchery released shrimp in recapture samples were from 41.30%–85.71%in each station with an average value 53.63%,which verified a previous view point that up to 90%of autumn season Chinese shrimp landing in the Bohai Sea were composed of hatchery released.Meanwhile,the dynamic migration route of hatchery released shrimp revealed that part of released shrimp migrated heading northwest along the west coast of the Bohai Sea up to the Bohai Bay but just remained at the Laizhou Bay until over-wintering migration at midOctober when they initiate over-wintering migration.Present unnatural spring season shrimp fishing model cut the throat of spawner shrimp chance to swim back to their respective spawning plants at each spring,it still no chance to clarify whether the hatchery released shrimp could replenish to the reproduce population and complete a whole life cycle as same as their natural relatives.

Long-term and monthly changes in abundance,size composition and spatial distribution of the mantis shrimp Oratosquilla oratoriainthe BohaiSea

With the decline in fish resources worldwide,the ecological dominance and economic importance of crustaceans have obviously increased.Among crustacean species,mantis shrimps are increasingly dominant in many coastal waters of the world.In China,Oratosquilla oratoria is the most widely distributed and productive species of mantis shrimp,and its relative resource density is the highest in the Bohai Sea.In this study,we analysed the long-term and monthly population characteristics of O.oratoria in the Bohai Sea,including its relative resource density,body size and spatial distribution.The results showed that the relative resource density of O.oratoria in the Bohai Sea increased from 3.59 kg/h in 1982 to 14.48 kg/h in 2018,and the percentage of this species that serves as a fishery resource increased from 4.22%in 1982 to 35.27%in 2018,based on the mean relative resource density in May and August.The relative resource density of O.oratoria in the fishing moratorium season from May to August was significantly higher than that in the other months of fishing season,and the relative resource density decreased rapidly after the fishing moratorium ended.The relative resource density of O.oratoria was the highest in summer(August),followed by in autumn(October)and spring(May),and it was the lowest in winter(January).The relative resource density of O.oratoria in the western Bohai Sea was higher than that in the eastern Bohai Sea.The mean body weight of O.oratoria in the Bohai Sea decreased from 21.95 g in 1982 to 14.34 g in 2018,based on the mean body weight in May and August.The body size of O.oratoria in the fishing moratorium season was significantly higher than that in the fishing season,and the body size decreased rapidly after the fishing moratorium ended.Overall,in the context of declining resources of most fishery species,the relative resource density of O.oratoria increased due to its hardiness and adaptability,and its body size decreased under intensive fishing over the past 30 years.The fishing moratorium system had a great influence on the population dynamics of O.oratoria in terms of the relative resource density and body size in the Bohai Sea.

Ecological footprint and vulnerability of marine capture fisheries in China

China(herein referred as China’s mainland,and excluding Hong Kong,Macao and Taiwan)ranks as the world’s leading fishing nation,with approximately 11.1 million tons of domestic marine catch acquired in 2017.Marine fisheries resources in China are mainly exploited by its 11 coastal provinces and municipalities,and the development of fishing industry varies among them.However,few studies have examined the exploitation history of the 11 coastal provinces and municipalities.In this paper,we systematically quantified the exploitation history of marine fishery resources in China and then measured the vulnerability of the 11 coastal provinces and municipalities of China to a reduction in marine catches.Our analysis suggested that Chinese marine fisheries experienced rapid growth from the mid-1980 s to the end of the 20 th century,and this rapid increase in marine catches were mainly promoted by increased fishing effort.The total primary production required level amounted to approximately 80%of the average primary productivity in 2017,and Zhejiang,Fujian,Shandong,Hainan and Guangdong provinces were the main fishing provinces in China.By assessing three dimensions of vulnerability(exposure,sensitivity and adaptive capacity)to the impacts of a reduction in marine catches in the 11 coastal provinces and municipalities,we found that Hainan,Guangxi,Zhejiang and Fujian provinces had high or very high vulnerability,while the municipalities of Shanghai and Tianjin had low vulnerability.Identifying suitable adaptation policies and management plans based on the differences in vulnerability among coastal provinces is important in sustainable fisheries management.

Multi-factor Analysis Model for Improving Profit Management Using Excel in Shellfish Farming Projects

By using a farm's data in Yantai City and the theory of Cost-Volume-Profit analysis and the financial management methods,this paper construct a multi-factor analysis model for improving profit management using Excel 2007 in Shellfish farming projects and describes the procedures to construct a multi-factor analysis model.The model can quickly calculate the profit,improve the level of profit management,find out the breakeven point and enhance the decision-making efficiency of businesses etc.It is also a thought of the application to offer suggestions for government decisions and economic decisions for corporations as a simple analysis tool.While effort has been exerted to construct a four-variable model,some equally important variables may not be discussed sufficiently due to limitation of the paper's space and the authors'knowledge.All variables can be listed in EXCEL 2007 and can be associated in a logical way to manage the profit of shellfish farming projects more efficiently and more practically.

Bacterioplankton, Picoeukaryotes and Synechococcus Distribution Associated with Seagrass in South Coast of Hainan Island, China

Seagrass ecosystem is a potential bank for carbon sink. In the paper, we compared the distribution of bacterioplankton, picoeukaryotes and Synechococcus in seagrass ecosystem in Xincun Bay and coral ecosystem in Sanya Bay and found that quantity of bacterioplankton was higher in seagrass ecosystem, and picoeukaryotes had similar distribution pattern with that of bacterioplankton. However, quantity of Synechococcus distribution was higher in coral ecosystem and higher in Sanya Bay. Comparing the unit of quantity of bacterioplankton, picoeukaryotes and Synechococcus in Xincun Bay with that of Sanya Bay, open sea of the South China Sea and Indian Ocean, results showed that the highest quantity of bacterioplankton was in Xincun Bay, and the lowest was in open sea of the South China Sea. The quantity of picoeukaryotes had the similar pattern with that of bacterioplankton. Pattern of Synechococcus quantity was different, which was the highest in Sanya Bay. These results indicated that seagrass ecosystem was more suitable for bacterioplankton and picoeukaryotes growth.

Qualitative and quantitative detection using eDNA technology: A case study of Fenneropenaeus chinensis in the Bohai Sea

Accurate knowledge of species distributions and population dynamics is the basis for conservation biology.However, for certain species with unique life histories and very small populations, monitoring species distributions and population dynamics is extremely difficult. Recently, newly developed eDNA technology has been widely used in species monitoring, biodiversity assessments, and biomass assessments. In this research, we studied Fenneropenaeus chinensis in the Bohai Sea. We used a 0.45 μm glass fiber filter combined with a vacuum to filter 2 L seawater samples for eDNA enrichment from 54 stations in June and 60 stations in August. A DNeasy Blood and Tissue kit was used to extract the eDNA. After DNA extraction, the specific primers and probes of the mitochondrial DNA COI gene of F. chinensis were designed. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the eDNA in the Bohai Sea. The temporal and spatial distribution of F. chinensis was detected by the eDNA technique. The relationship between the eDNA copy number and trawl-netted F. chinensis biomass was explored. The applicability and sensitivity of eDNA technology in marine crustacean research were verified. The results showed that the mtDNA COI gene of F. chinensis was successfully amplified in the 54 water samples collected in June, and the detection rate reached 100%. Detections occurred in only 23 of the 60 stations sampled in August. F. chinensis had a detection rate of only 38%. The copy number of eDNA obtained by realtime PCR was fitted to the density of F. chinensis captured by bottom trawling. There was not a significant positive correlation between copy number and biomass. The results obtained through this research will provide a method and theoretical basis for the application of eDNA technology in marine crustacean research.

Special topic-Fisheries monitoring:Eyes in the ocean:Innovative and multidimensional solutions to monitor fisheries

In the era of climate change,the visibility of environmental changes dictates public attention.Pictures of untamable bushfires,intense hurricanes,collapsing ice sheets are all gripping images that alarm us and urge us to take action.The ocean,however,gives us less such visuals;the changes that are taking place there are often abstract and hidden.However,the environmental challenges in the ocean are less visible but no less grave;they come from multiple sources:pollution,plastic waste,ocean surface warming,ocean acidification(IPCC,2019).But the most direct and age-old impact we exert on the ocean and its ecosystems is overfishing(FAO,2018).

Effects of latitude gradient and seasonal variation on the community structure and biodiversity of commercially important crustaceans in the Yellow Sea and the northern East China Sea

To evaluate the spatio-temporal variations in the community structure and biodiversity of commercially important crustaceans in the Yellow Sea and the northern East China Sea(NECS),the seasonal and regional changes in species composition,biomass structure,biodiversity and distribution of commercially important species were analyzed using bottom trawl survey data during 2014-2015.The results showed that the latitudinal gradient was obvious in species richness,dominant species and biodiversity.The indices of biodiversity increased with the decreasing latitude.When the sampling sites shifted south by one latitudinal degree,Margalefs richness index(D),Pielou's evenness index(J')and Shannon-Wiener diversity index(H')increased by 0.10.0.03 and 0.09,respectively.The biomass proportion of the cold-temperate species represented by Crangon affinis declined with the decreasing latitude,and the warm-temperate species represented by Ovalipes punctatus and Portunus trituberculatus in creased.Because of the growth regulatio n of crustaceans and the fishing moratorium,the biomass of commercially important crustaceans in the Yellow Sea and NECS was highest in October and August,respectively.Salinity had a more significant influence on H'of commercially important crustaceans than other environmental factors(including zooplankton density,sea bottom temperature and water depth).Overall,the results of this study contribute to a better understanding of community dynamics of crustaceans in the Yellow Sea and NECS,and provide evidence to verify the latitudinal gradient theory in biodiversity.