Spatial and seasonal variations in the trophic spectrum of demersal fish assemblages in Jiaozhou Bay, China

Trophic structure of fish communities is fundamental for ecosystem-based fisheries management, and trophic spectrum classifies fishes by their positions in food web, which provides a simple summary on the trophic structure and ecosystem function. In this study, both fish biomass and abundance trophic spectra were constructed to study the spatial and seasonal variations in the trophic structure of demersal fish assemblages in Jiaozhou Bay, China. Data were collected from four seasonal bottom trawl surveys in Jiaozhou Bay from February to November in 2011. Trophic levels(TLs) of fishes were determined by nitrogen stable isotope analysis. This study indicated that most of these trophic spectra had a single peak at trophic level(TL) of 3.4–3.7, suggesting that demersal fish assemblages of Jiaozhou Bay were dominated by secondary consumers(eg. Pholis fangi and Amblychaeturichthys hexanema). The spatial and seasonal variations of trophic spectra of Jiaozhou Bay reflected the influence of fish reproduction, fishing pressure and migration of fishes. Two-way analysis of variance(ANOVA) showed that seasonal variations in trophic spectra in Jiaozhou Bay were significant(P <0.05), but variations among different areas were not significant( P >0.05). The trophic spectrum has been proved to be a useful tool to monitor the trophic structure of fish assemblages. This study highlighted the comprehensive application of fish biomass and abundance trophic spectra in the study on trophic structure of fish assemblages.

Trophic Interactions between Anadromous Juvenile Alewife (<i>Alosa pseudoharengus</i>) and Cyanobacterial Populations in a Shallow Mesotrophic Pond

Alosa pseudoharengus is an anadromous fish that migrates from marine to freshwaters to spawn. The early larval and juvenile forms are known to be planktivorous, where heavy feeding upon their preferred food source of large crustacean zooplankton often results in changes to composition and size structure within this trophic guild which in turn can result in shifts within the trophic spectrum and a classic trophic cascade. In this study of Lower Mill Pond, Brewster MA, we evaluated the feeding strategy of juvenile Alosa to determine whether juvenile alewife switches to feeding largely on cyanobacteria and whether cyanotoxins microcystin (MC) and β-methlyamino-L-alanine (BMAA) bioaccumulate in their muscle tissue. Within 15 - 30 days of their estimated spawning date, overexploitation of crustacean zooplankton resulted in a shift from planktivory to benthic detritivory for the majority of their life history, although this did not reduce their condition based on weight-length relationships (Log Wwt. = -5.503 + (3.101 × Log Length). Mean MC (0.003 μg·g-1 dwt) and BMAA (4.49 μg·g-1 dwt) concentrations in the muscle tissue of out-migrating juveniles were presumably derived from benthic subsidies, exporting freshwater cyanotoxins and creating a potential transfer to consumer of 0.0012 μg MC and 1.85 μg BMAA. Biodilution of MC and biomagnification of BMAA were observed. Depletion of the crustacean biomass by >95% resulted in an increase in the rotifer biomass, where Log crustacean (μg·L-1 dwt) = - 5.642 - (7.976 × Log rotifer (μg·L-1 dwt), and an increase in the amount of potentially edible <50 μm cyanobacterial biomass (r(8) = - 0.676, p = 0.046). A secondary cascade appears to have been maintained via invertebrate planktivory by Chaoborus spp.; however for a period of time edible cyanobacteria growth exceeded grazing pressure, resulting in a bloom of edible cyanobacteria. Continued grazing resulted in a shift to larger, inedible cyanobacterial communities where late season (October) surface accumulations were observed. The mass occurrence of juvenile Alosa pseudoharengus appears to be coupled to the sequential increases of cyanobacterial biomass via its influence on the trophic spectrum. Overall, the rotifer biomass (μg·L-1) was positively correlated with MC (pg·mL-1) (r(8) = 0.577, p = 0.104), and negatively correlated with BMAA (μg·L-1) (r(8) = - 0.388, p = 0.373) in the edible cyanobacterial fraction of the water column, although neither of these were significant.

基于质量谱模型评估捕捞对蜈支洲岛海洋牧场鱼类群落的影响

基于生态系统的渔业管理的理念已得到广泛认同,但其在海洋牧场建设中的应用仍非常少见。本研究根据2020−2021年在蜈支洲岛海域开展的渔业资源底拖网调查数据,构建了海洋牧场鱼类群落的质量谱模型(SSM),反映了海洋牧场中食物网的复杂结构以及种间相互作用,以评估捕捞对海洋牧场鱼类群落的影响。研究通过对两种管理策略(单物种管理和多物种管理)的模拟,分析特定种类的捕捞死亡系数变化对鱼类群落产生的影响,并利用群落总生物量、质量谱斜率、平均最大质量、平均质量和大型鱼类指数5种群落生态指标监测了鱼类群落的特征状态。单物种管理策略结果显示,蜈支洲岛海洋牧场生态系统呈现下行控制效应,肉食性鱼类对浮游生物食性鱼类存在着强烈的调控作用。捕捞死亡系数变化后,不同物种间竞争捕食等复杂的相互作用会产生营养级联效应。多物种管理策略结果显示,灰海鳗(Muraenesox cinereus)的捕捞死亡系数对群落质量谱斜率影响最大,大头狗母鱼(Trachiocephalus myops)和灰海鳗的捕捞死亡系数对鱼类群落生物量和群落结构及功能的影响最大。研究结果对于保护和维持鱼类群落稳定方面具有重要意义,能够帮助管理者更好地了解捕捞死亡系数变化对鱼类群落产生的潜在影响,从而根据物种对渔业的重要性制定可行且有效的保护和管理策略。

Implementing a multispecies size-spectrum model in a datapoor ecosystem

Multispecies ecological models have been used for predicting the effects of fishing activity and evaluating the performance of management strategies. Size-spectrum models are one type of physiologically-structured ecological model that provide a feasible approach to describing fish communities in terms of individual dietary variation and ontogenetic niche shift. Despite the potential of ecological models in improving our understanding of ecosystems, their application is usually limited for data-poor fisheries. As a first step in implementing ecosystem-based fisheries management（EBFM）, this study built a size-spectrum model for the fish community in the Haizhou Bay, China. We describe data collection procedures and model parameterization to facilitate the implementation of such size-spectrum models for future studies of data-poor ecosystems. The effects of fishing on the ecosystem were exemplified with a range of fishing effort and were monitored with a set of ecological indicators. Total community biomass, biodiversity index, W-statistic, LFI（Large fish index）, Mean W（mean body weight） and Slope（slope of community size spectra） showed a strong non-linear pattern in response to fishing pressure, and largest fishing effort did not generate the most drastic responses in certain scenarios. We emphasize the value and feasibility of developing size-spectrum models to capture ecological dynamics and suggest limitations as well as potential for model improvement. This study aims to promote a wide use of this type of model in support of EBFM.

应用稳定同位素技术构建胶州湾食物网的连续营养谱

根据2011年春季和秋季在胶州湾进行的渔业资源综合调查,应用稳定同位素示踪技术,分析了胶州湾主要渔业生物的碳、氮稳定同位素比值(δ13C,δ15N),并计算其营养级,进而构建胶州湾食物网的连续营养谱。分析的生物种类包括浮游植物、浮游动物、大型无脊椎动物和鱼类,其生物量之和占总渔获量的95%。结果表明,胶州湾食物网的δ13C值范围是-25.63‰—-17.16‰,跨度为8.47‰,平均值为(-19.42±1.80)‰;δ15N值范围是4.15‰—14.11‰,跨度为9.96‰,平均值为(11.98±1.77)‰。胶州湾食物网中的主要生物种类可以划分为4个营养组群,即初级生产者、初级消费者、次级消费者以及顶级捕食者。δ15N值分析显示,胶州湾主要生物种类的营养级范围是1.10—4.03。与文献中基于胃含物分析计算的营养级相比较,37个种类中有29种的营养级分析结果基本一致(在0.5个营养级的误差范围之内)。因此,氮稳定同位素法是一种研究水生生态系统食物网营养位置的有效方法。其中,有8种鱼类的营养级与历史文献相比有所下降,分析方法的不同可能是原因之一,此外,这些鱼种摄食饵料生物营养级的下降也是导致其营养级降低的另一个主要原因。根据营养级计算的结果,构建了胶州湾食物网的连续营养谱,胶州湾食物网中,绝大多数生物种类都属于初级和中级肉食性种类。

大亚湾冬季不同粒级浮游生物的氮稳定同位素特征及其与生物量的关系

生物量在营养级上的分布作为一种生态系统的指示指标,可以指示因人类干扰和环境变化导致的生态系统的改变,揭示生态系统功能的差异性。调查了冬季大亚湾不同区域各粒级浮游生物的生物量大小及其氮稳定同位素丰度比值(δ15N)与环境因子的关系,通过构建营养级谱比较了大亚湾不同区域浮游食物网结构的差异。研究结果显示,浮游生物的δ15N值基本随着粒径的增大而增加,但100—212μm粒级的δ15N值为5.08‰,略低于1.2—100μm粒级的5.58‰。>500μm粒级的δ15N值最大,平均为8.16‰。在湾口和敞水带的S1、S9站各粒级的δ15N都要小于其他站位,而各粒级δ15N的最大值一般都出现在湾底的S8站。在各粒级颗粒物中,1.2—100μm粒级的δ15N最适合用来指示水体的环境状况,受陆源输入影响较小的海域的δ15N值小。生物量与氮稳定同位素构建的营养级谱的斜率与总溶解氮的浓度和氮磷比呈显著负相关关系。处于湾口的站位的营养级谱的谱线要更陡峭一些,表明该处捕食者/被捕食者的比率更低。

东海中北部游泳动物稳定碳氮同位素研究

利用稳定同位素方法分析2009年夏季东海中北部23种游泳动物的类群差异、种间和种内变异。结果显示,东海北部游泳动物种间C、N同位素比值变化范围较大,δ15N值范围为6.9‰~13.4‰,1δ3C值为-20.7‰^-14.7‰。其中虾类生物1δ3C平均值为(-17.06±1.43)‰,δ15N平均值为(10.26±0.84)‰;头足类生物1δ3C平均值为(-16.54±0.97)‰,δ15N平均值为(11.68±0.62)‰;小型鱼类δ13C平均值为(-16.27±0.84)‰,δ15N平均值为(10.36±1.25)‰;大中型鱼类δ13C平均值为(-16.89±1.32)‰,δ15N平均值为(11.25±1.03)‰。方差分析结果显示,4个类群的稳定C、N同位素比值具有显著差异(P<0.01)。种内不同个体间也存在较大差异。线性回归表明鹰爪虾(Trachypenaeus curvirostris)、戴氏赤虾(M etapenaeopsisdalei)、脊腹褐虾(Crangon affinis)、小黄鱼(Larim ichthys polyactis)、蓝圆鲹(Decapterus maruadsi)和黄鮟鱇(Lophius litulon)6种游泳动物体长和1δ3C值之间存在显著的相关关系,脊腹褐虾、小黄鱼、银鲳(Pampusargenteus)和白姑鱼(Argyrosomus argentatus)4种动物1δ5N值随体长增加发生显著变化。此外,1δ5N值与种间大小格局也具有显著相关性。稳定同位素分析结果表明,东海游泳动物生态位重叠现象明显,种类摄食特化程度不高,营养结构正趋向简单化。

南海中西部渔场主要渔业生物碳氮稳定同位素特征

南海中西部渔场是我国南海渔业开发的重点渔场之一。为了解该海域主要渔业生物的营养关系,应用碳、氮稳定同位素技术测定了该海域主要渔业生物样品的δ^(13)C和δ^(15)N值,由此构建该海域主要渔业生物的连续营养谱。结果显示,南海中西部渔场主要渔业生物同位素比值变化幅度较大,其中鱼类的δ^(13)C和δ^(15)N值范围分别为-20.00‰～-16.51‰和7.94‰～11.81‰;头足类的δ^(13)C和δ^(15)N值范围分别为-18.84‰～-17.60‰和10.10‰～12.85‰。以浮游动物为基线生物计算各物种相应的营养级,鱼类处于2.41～3.53,头足类处于3.03～3.84,头足类的平均营养级要高于鱼类。通过对不同体长(胴长)的鸢乌贼Symplectoteuthis oualaniensis、菱鳍乌贼Thysanoteuthis rhombus、红鳍圆鲹Decapterus russelli、细鳞圆鲹Decapterus lajang和黄鳍金枪鱼Thunnus albacares的营养级进行比较分析,结果发现,随着体长(胴长)增大其营养级有相应增大的趋势。研究初步建立了南海中西部渔场主要渔业生物营养级的连续营养谱,旨在为了解该海域食物网结构提供基础资料。