Estimating the abundance of clustered and cryptic marine macro-invertebrates in the Galápagos with particular reference to sea cucumbers

Estimating the abundance of marine macro-invertebrates is complicated by a variety of factors: 1) human factors, such as diver efficiency and diver error; and 2) biological factors, such as aggregation of organisms, crypsis, and nocturnal emergence behavior. Diver efficiency varied according to the detectability of an organism causing under-estimation of density by up to 50% in some species. All common species were aggregated at scales from 10-50 m. Transects need to be long enough to transcend the scale of patchiness to improve accuracy. Some species of sea urchins and sea cucumbers (pepinos) which are cryptic by day emerged at night so that daytime censuses underestimated their abundance by up to 10 times. In the sea cucumber fishery, estimates of abundance need to be made at the scale of the population, i.e. at hundreds of km. A strategy for this is proposed.

Caribbean corals in crisis: record thermal stress, bleaching, and mortality in 2005

Background: The rising temperature of the world’s oceans has become a major threat to coral reefs globally as the severity and frequency of mass coral bleaching and mortality events increase. In 2005, high ocean temperatures in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean resulted in the most severe bleaching event ever recorded in the basin. Methodology/Principal Findings: Satellite-based tools provided warnings for coral reef managers and scientists, guiding both the timing and location of researchers’ field observations as anomalously warm conditions developed and spread across the greater Caribbean region from June to October 2005. Field surveys of bleaching and mortality exceeded prior efforts in detail and extent, and provided a new standard for documenting the effects of bleaching and for testing nowcast and forecast products. Collaborators from 22 countries undertook the most comprehensive documentation of basin-scale bleaching to date and found that over 80% of corals bleached and over 40% died at many sites. The most severe bleaching coincided with waters nearest a western Atlantic warm pool that was centered off the northern end of the Lesser Antilles. Conclusions/Significance: Thermal stress during the 2005 event exceeded any observed from the Caribbean in the prior 20 years, and regionally-averaged temperatures were the warmest in over 150 years. Comparison of satellite data against field surveys demonstrated a significant predictive relationship between accumulated heat stress (measured using NOAA Coral Reef Watch’s Degree Heating Weeks) and bleaching intensity. This severe, widespread bleaching and mortality will undoubtedly have long-term consequences for reef ecosystems and suggests a troubled future for tropical marine ecosystems under a warming climate

Benthic macro-biota in Gaula River - Kumaon Himalaya

The density of benthic macro-biota in number over weight of biomass at three sampling stations was 29 units m²/0.614 g m² to 171 units m²/11.346 m² at Station I; 22 units m²/0.410 g m² to 155 units m²/8.717 m² at Station II; 15 units m² 10.321 g m² to 122 units m²/6.793 g m² at Station III. The Caddis fly larvae were the most dominant component and contributed 52.41% in the macro-biota. These animals were abundant in Gaula River when benthic algae were abundant; water is well oxygenated, alkaline and contains sufficient nutrients but observed to be less abundant during high velocity of water, high river depth and higher turbid waters.

Growth of juvenile freshwater prawn Macro brachium mslcolmsonii fed with various protein diets containing different biowastes

An experiment was conducted with juvenile prawns Macrobrachium malcolmso11ii, (0:76± 0.01 ro 0.94-::tO.Ol g) w evaluate various protein source diets. Six diets containing 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%,and 45% of crude protein were formulated, and fed to prawns in the form of pellet to evaluate their suitability. The experiment was designed for 60 days and sampling was made at every 15 days interval. At the end of the study period growth, feed conversion ration (FCR) specific growth rate (SGR), feed efficiency and survival were determined for prawns in each dietary treatment. Among the above five feeds poor FCR and higher weight gain observed in 35% protein diet (B-4). Similarly specific growth rate and feed efficiency are also highest with diet containing 35% protein. The dietary protein levels above 35% exerts a decrease in growth of prawn was observed in the present study. The feed efficiency ratio and protein efficiency ratio decreased with the increased dietary protein levels. It is concluded that 35% protein diet could be suitable with optimum protein supply for Macrobrachium malcolmsonii Therefore, above and below this 35% protein level in the formulated feed leads to metabolic stress which lowers the conversion efficiency and wastage of nutrients.

The diversity of macro invertebrates in the Victoria and Kyoga lake basin and their relationship to ecosystem functioning

Aquatic macro-invertebrates encompass all those organisms that be seen with unaided eyes. Most macro-invertebrates are categorised as semi-aquatic in that they are aquatic in early stages, but live as terrestrial organisms as adults, while others like gastropods, bivalves, Oligochaetae, Hirudinae and ostracods are exclusively aquatic. Some of them such as mayflies lay eggs in water and subsequent stages also live in water until adulthood when they emerge to live a terrestrial life. In others, eggs are laid near the water, while some like members of Tendipedidae (midges) lay their eggs on the leaves of aquatic macrophytes and after hatching their larvae creep into water