Particle reworking by the sediment-living polychaetes Perinereis aibuhitensis

The infaunal polychaete Perinereis aibuhitensis Grube, distributes widelyalong Asian coasts and estuaries. In this research the particle reworking function of P.aibuhitensis was investigated in Beitang Estuary, Tianjin. The result showed that P.aibuhitensis displayed significant particle mixing function, in which small grain sizesediment particles were mixed more than the large size ones. Some small grain sizesediment particles could be ingested by P. aibuhitensis and egested with fecal pellets.

Toxic effect of marine petroleum hydrocarb on pollution for polychaetes

With the development of economic activities, marine oil pollution is becoming an increasing serious problem. Instead of dissolved in seawater, petroleum hydrocarbons are more easily enriched in sediments, which poses a serious threat to benthos. In this paper, the research progresses on toxicity of marine petroleum hydrocarbon for polychaetes were reviewed in recent years, including the toxic mechanism of petroleum hydrocarbons, the feeding habits, the effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on the antioxidant defense system, the nervous system damages, the molecular damages of polychaetes under the stress of petroleum hydrocarbon, the accumulation and metabolism of petroleum hydrocarbons in polychaetes. The future research direction were also prospected.

PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE PELAGIC POLYCHAETES FROM THE SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS,BISCOE ISLANDS AND THEIR VICINITIES

This report provides a result obtained by the First Chinese Antarctic and Southern Ocean Expedition. Specimens were collected by investigators of the Second Institute of Oceanography, SOA, with plankton nets in February and March of 1985 from the South Shetland Islands, the Biscoe Islands and their vicinities, between 61°15'20S-65°30'16S, 56°18'72W-67°59'45W. Eight species belonging to 5 genera in 4 families have been identified, of which 4 species, namely Maupasia coeca Viguier, Rhyn-chonerella petersii (Langerhans), Rhynchonerella bongraini (Gravier), and Tomopteris planktonis Aps-tein are recorded for the first time from the South Shetland Islands and 2 species, namely Rhynchonerella bongraini (Gravier), and Tomopteris carpenteri Quatrefages are endemic species of Antarctica.

Integrating a DNA barcoding project with an ecological survey:a case study on temperate intertidal polychaete communities in Qingdao,China

In this study,we integrated a DNA barcoding project with an ecological survey on intertidal polychaete communities and investigated the utility of CO1 gene sequence as a DNA barcode for the classification of the intertidal polychaetes.Using 16S rDNA as a complementary marker and combining morphological and ecological characterization,some of dominant and common polychaete species from Chinese coasts were assessed for their taxonomic status.We obtained 22 haplotype gene sequences of 13 taxa,including 10 CO1 sequences and 12 16S rDNA sequences.Based on intra-and inter-specific distances,we built phylogenetic trees using the neighbor-joining method.Our study suggested that the mitochondrial CO1 gene was a valid DNA barcoding marker for species identification in polychaetes,but other genes,such as 16S rDNA,could be used as a complementary genetic marker.For more accurate species identification and effective testing of species hypothesis,DNA barcoding should be incorporated with morphological,ecological,biogeographical,and phylogenetic information.The application of DNA barcoding and molecular identification in the ecological survey on the intertidal polychaete communities demonstrated the feasibility of integrating DNA taxonomy and ecology.

Spatial distribution and structure of benthic polychaete communities of Essaouira intertidal rocky shores(Atlantic coast of Morocco)

Polychaetes are one of the most important groups ofmacrobenthic organisms in coastal and marine environments,in terms of diversity and abundance,and play an important role in the functioning of ecosystem.This study aims to describe the structure and spatial distribution ofpolychaete communities along Essaouira's rocky shoreline(Atlantic coast of Morocco)in relation to the major environmental variables such as granulometry,salinity,temperature,pH,and intertidal range.Twelve sites from these intertidal rocky shores were sampled using a quadrat method during the summer 2016.A total of 4435 individuals belonging to 34 taxa were recorded.Among the families,Sabellaridae(24%)and Nereididae(23%)were ranked first in terms of abundance of individuals.Sabellaria alveolata(24%)and Perinereis cultrifera(13%)were the dominant species.Diversity(H')values varied from 2.28 to 3.95.Pielou's index(J')varied between 0.62 and 0.89.This was essentially due to the low dominance of few species.Cluster analysis was used to characterise Essaouira's rocky shores on the basis of benthic polychaete communities.SIMPER analysis confirmed the presence of three distinct communities.According to canonical correspondence analysis,the structure and distribution of faunal assemblages of benthic polychaetes was mainly related to topographical complexity,water temperature,hydrodynamic conditions and upwelling.We conclude that these rocky shores show typically high benthic polychaete diversity compared to the taxonomic list of other rocky coasts.In addition,these results constitute a baseline data for the development of a sustainable network for long-term monitoring of benthic polychaete community changes due to ecological factor influences and anthropogenic activity impacts.

Macrofaunal communities of threatened subtidal maёrl seabeds on Tenerife (Canary Islands, north-east Atlantic Ocean) in summer

This study contributes with the first data on physical and taxonomical structure of macrofaunal assemblages of maerl beds from the Canary Islands. Maerl beds and Cymodocea nodosa meadows of the Canary Islands are considered biodiversity hot-spots in terms of taxonomic and functional biodiversity with a broad geographical and depth ranges. The authors have studied the structure of the macrofaunal assemblages on different habitat types （Cymodocea, Caulerpa, sabellid field, garden eel and maerl beds）. Samples were taken at a range of depths between 14 and 46 m. Correlations were performed among abiotic variables （granulometry, organic matter, nitrogen and phosphates） and the most abundant taxa. Similarity analysis was performed to explore the patchiness of seabeds at a local scale. Significant differences were found in macrofaunal assemblages among seabed types, with highest abundances and lowest biodiversity in sabellid fields, where the sabellid Bispira viola dominated. The polychaetes Aponuphis bilineata and Chone filicauda and the mollusc Turritella brochii were the most abundant taxa on maerl beds. The mosaic of granulometric conditions would explain the associated macroinfaunal community structure and contribute to the creation of diversity on these relatively well preserved seabeds at a local scale.

The influence of cadmium on the antioxidant enzyme activities in polychaete Perinereis aibuhitensis Grube(Annelida:Polychaeta)

The infaunal polychaete Perinereis aibuhitensis Grube,distributed widely along Asian coasts and estuaries,is considered a useful animal model in ecotoxicological tests and a promising candidate in biomonitoring programs.This paper deals with the activities of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT),and glutathione peroxidases(GSH-Px) in infaunal polychaete P.aibuhitensis exposed to a series of sublethal water-bound cadmium(Cd) concentrations(0,0.34,1.72,3.44,6.89,and 17.22 mg L-1) under a short-term exposure(1-8 d).The results indicate that the SOD and GSH-Px activities in P.aibuhitensis are stimulated first and then renewed to the original level.The CAT activity of worms decreases at an earlier exposure time but increases to the control values at a later exposure time.Our study suggests that Cd can interfere with the antioxidant defense system of P.aibuhitensis.However,the changes in antioxidant enzyme activities for this species do not show the best promise as biomarkers in Cd biomonitoring of estuarine and coastal zones because weak or non-dose-effect relationships between the antioxidant enzymes activities and Cd levels are found.

POPULATION DYNAMICS AND PRODUCTION OF NEANTHES JAPONIC A (IZUKA)IN A SHRIMP POND

During late February to mid-March, 1991, when mature N. japonica swarmed in the sea surface off Jimo County, Qingdao, seawater containing numerous early embryos was pumped into a nearby 2.7 ha. muddy-sand shrimp pond, where the embryos continued to develop. 800000 Penaeus chinensis seedlings were introduced into the pond on May 30, 1991. Monthly benthic samplings were carried out to determine the population dynamics and production of N. japonica in this atypical environ -ment.The density of N. japonica varied from 0 to 20400 ind./m2. The predation of P. chinensis was considered to be responsible for the mass mortality of N. japonica in June through July, when the worms were 2.2-3.3cm in length and lived in the top 2-4cm sediment. From August to September of 1991, the hottest period in the site, there was no substantial mortality of N. japonica as reported in earlier literature. This was explained by the deeper burrowing of the’ worms that protected them from predation by shrimps.Monthly biomass ranged

Applicability of Perinereis aibuhitensis Grube for Fish Waste Removal from Fish Cages in Sanggou Bay,P.R.China

The present study investigated the applicability of integrated polychaete-fish culture for fish waste removal to offset negative impact induced by organic benthic enrichment.A field study demonstrated that deposition rate was significantly higher underneath the fish farm than that in control area.The material settling under the farm was characterized by a high amount of fish feces(45%) and uneaten feed(27%).Both feeding rate(FR) and apparent digestibility rate(ADR) increased with decreasing body weight,as was indicated by significantly a higher rate observed for the groups containing smaller individuals in a lab study.The nutrient in fresh deposited material(De) was higher than that in sediments collected under the farm(Se),resulting in lower feces production but higher apparent digestibility rate for the De group as feeding rate was similar.Consequently,higher nutrient removal efficiency was observed in the De group.A mass balance approach indicated that approximately 400–500 individuals m^(-2) is required for removing all waste materials deposited underneath the fish farm,whereas abundance can be lower(about 300–350 individuals m^(-2)) when only the fish waste needs to be removed.The results showed that a significant amount of waste had been accumulated in the fish cages in Sanggou Bay.The integration of fish with P.aibuhitensis seems promising for preventing organic pollution in the sediment and therefore is an effective strategy for mitigating negative effect of fish farms.Thus such integration can become a new IMTA(integrated multi-trophic aquaculture) model in Sanggou Bay.

Distribution of Polychaete Assemblage in Relation to Natural Environmental Variation and Anthropogenic Stress

Polychaete are diverse species of the soft-bottom community, and are often used as indicators in environment monitoring programs. However, the effects of anthropogenic activities and natural environmental variation on polychaete assemblage are rarely addressed. The goals of this study are to identify the effects of natural environmental variation and anthropogenic stress on poly- chaete assemblage, and to explore the relationship between the polychaete assemblage structure and anthropogenic stress without considering the natural environmental variation. Based on the data collected from the surveys conducted in the tidal fiat of Jiaozhou Bay, the relationship between polychaete assemblage structure and environmental variables was determined using multivariate statis- tical methods including hierarchical cluster analysis, multidimensional scaling （MDS） and canonical correspondence analysis （CCA）. The results showed that the polychaete assemblage was dominated by two species, Amphictenejaponica and Heteromastusfiliformis, and could be divided into two subgroups characterized by high and low species abundance. CCA illustrated that the natural environ- mental variables including water temperature and the distance from coast had primary effects on the polychaete assemblage structure; while stress of contaminants, such as As and Hg, had the secondary influences; and stress from the aquacultured species, mainly Ruditapes philippinarum, had a limited effect. Colinearity between the natural environmental variables and anthropogenic stress variables caused a critical divergence in the interpretation of CCA results, which highlighted the risk of a lack of information in en- vironment assessment. Glycinde gurjanovae, Sternaspis scutata and Eulalia bilineata may serve as the ＇contamination indicators＇, which need to be confirmed in future studies.

A new species of interstitial polychaete Hesionura shandongensis sp. n. (Polychaeta, Phyllodocidae) from Yantai, the Huanghai Sea

In a study of meiofauna polychaete from the Huanghai Sea, a previously undescribed species belonging to Hesionura has been found and described. The new species differs from the other species of the genus Hesinura mainly by the chaetation.

A new record ofAuchenoplax Ehlers, 1887 (Polychaeta： Ampharetidae) from the East China Sea

A new record of the ampharetid genus Auchenoplax, A. worsfoldi Jirkov and Leontovich, 2013, is reported and described from the East China Sea. The specimens agree well with the original description of Auchenoplax worsfoldi with two pairs of branchiae, two thoracic uncinigers with enlarged neuropodia and 12 abdominal uncinigerous segments. The present specimens have long and filiform branchiae extending to thoracic chaetiger 9, which was not included in the original description. This is the first record of this species in Chinese waters.

Effects of diesel oil on the polychaete Annelida in model benthic ecosystem

An experiment about the effect of diesel oil pollution on the model benthic ecosystem was conducted inthe land-based tank at the 3rd Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, in Xiamen, added with No.0 diesel oil at concentrations of 5, 25, 125, 625 mg/dm3 in water of series sub-tanks for 16 h. The changes in polychaete community were studied in the period of two weeks with results that though all concentrations did not basically altered the population structure and composition, the total biomass decreased significantly and individualstended to be smaller in size. The average weight of individual decreased with the increase of diesel pollutant stress.

Polychaete ecology in west of Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan Shoal

This paper deals with. comprehensively, for the first the, the shoes comfortion, number and its distributional characteristics of polychaetes in the soft bottom in the west of the Taiwan Start. This Paper is sorted out onthe has of the data from the; polychaete samples collected with quantitative benthic grab and quantitative trawl in thebiolwied seasons in four cruises including 220 stations from 1984 to 1985. The survey areas were located from theMinjiang Estuary in the north to the south of the Taiwan Shoal in the south (22°23. 1'～25°43. 0'N, 116°30. 8' ～120°30. 7'E). The survey ststions are shown in Fin. 1.