Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry in Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) from the Huanghai Sea, China

Generally, nutrient cycle is closely related to the element distribution in biomass and the popula- tion dynamics in ecosystems. Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in Japanese anchovy （Engraulis japonicus） of different body lengths from the Huanghai Sea （Yellow Sea） were determined to better understand their variability and reasons during its life history. The mean content was 45.12%, 10.12% and 2.02% for C, N and P, respectively. Significant differences in C, N and P elemental composition were found among different sizes, which could be explained by varying proportions of storage compounds in whole body fish, and varying degrees of ossification. Considering abun- dant resources in Japanese anchovy, it was an important P-pool in the cycle of P. Moreover, the excreted N/P ratio was significantly different in fishes of different sizes, especially at high gross growth efficiency. In the past two decades, overexploitation tended to cause smaller body length in the community structure of anchovy, which presumably changed the nutrient cycle in food webs of the Huanghai Sea. Exptrapolation of the results indicates that Japanese anchovy may be important for conveying nutrient in the Huanghai Sea.

Response of Japanese anchovy(Engraulis japonicus)to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation in the Yellow Sea over the past 400 a

Quantitative identification of long-term changes in the abundance of Japanese anchovy(Engraulis japonicus)in the Yellow Sea is particularly important for understanding evolutionary processes of the Yellow Sea ecosystem.Unfortunately,the driving mechanisms of climate variability on the anchovy are still unclear due to the lack of long-term observational data.In this study,we used the fish scale deposition rate in the central Yellow Sea to reconstruct the time series of the anchovy stock over the past 400 a.On this basis,we further explored the impacts of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO)on the anchovy.Our results show that the anchovy stock is positively correlated with the PDO on a decadal time scale.In addition,anchovy abundance was relatively high during1620–1860 AD(the Little Ice Age,LIA),though in a state of constant fluctuation;anchovy abundance maintained at a relatively low level after~1860 AD.In particular,followed by overfishing since the 1980 s,the anchovy stock has declined sharply.Based on these findings,we infer that fluctuations of the anchovy stock may be regulated by basin-scale“atmosphere–ocean”interactions.Nevertheless,the role of overfishing should not be ignored.