Changes in the structure of a zooplankton community during a Ceratium (dinoflagellate) bloom in a eutrophic fishless pond

The community structure of zooplankton was studied in a eutrophic, fishless Japanese pond. The ecosystem was dominated by a dinoflagellate, Ceratium hirundinella, two filter-feeding cladocerans, Daphnia rosea and Ceriodaphnia reticulata, and an invertebrate predator, the dipteran Chaoborus flavicans. The midsummer zooplankton community showed a large change in species composition (the Daphnia population crashed) when a heavy Ceratium bloom occurred. It is shown that (i) the rapid density decline of D.rosea in mid-May was mainly caused by a shortage of edible phytoplankton, which was facilitated by the rapid increase in C.hirundinella abundance; (ii) the low density of D.rosea in June-July was considered to be mainly caused by the blooming of Ceratium hirundinella (which may inhibit the feeding process of D.rosea), while predation by C.flavicans larvae, the changing temperature, the interspecific competition and the scarcity of edible algae were not judged to be important; (iii) the high summer biomass of the planktonic C.flavicans larvae was maintained by the bloom of C.hirundinella, because >90% of the crop contents of C.flavicans larvae were C.hirundinella during this period. The present study indicates that the large-sized cells or colonies of phytoplankton are not only inedible by most cladocerans, but the selective effect of the blooming of these algae can also influence the composition and dominance of the zooplankton community, especially for the filter-feeding Cladocera, in a similar way as the selective predation by planktivorous fish. The large-sized phytoplankton can also be an important alternative food for ominivorous invertebrate predators such as Chaoborus larvae, and thus may affect the interactions between these predators and their zooplanktonic prey. In this way, such phytoplankton may play a very important role in regulating the dynamics of the aquatic food web, and become a driving force in shaping the community structure of zooplankton.

CO2浓度升高和氮肥管理对土壤线虫群落的影响

大气CO2浓度升高能够对农田生态系统产生一系列的影响。土壤线虫在农田生态系统腐屑食物网中占有重要的地位，能够对外界环境变化作出较迅速的响应。本文利用江苏省江都市小记镇的稻-麦轮作FACE系统研究平台，在2007-2008年小麦生长季，研究了大气CO2浓度升高和不同氮肥处理（高N和低N）对农田土壤线虫群落的影响。 研究结果表明：高氮肥施用情况下, CO2浓度升高显著降低了麦田土壤铵态氮和硝态氮含量。不同氮肥处理中CO2浓度升高条件下土壤可溶性碳的含量显著低于对照，而土壤总有机碳和微生物量碳含量高于对照。 大气CO2浓度升高条件下，麦田土壤线虫群落组成和多样性与对照相比表现出显著差异。CO2浓度升高显著增加了麦田土壤线虫总数、食细菌线虫、食真菌线虫和植物寄生线虫数量。在小麦拔节期和成熟期，低N和高N施用条件下，FACE处理中土壤线虫多样性指数（H’）、成熟度指数（MI和PPI）均低于对照处理，而结构指数（SI）高于对照处理。线虫生态指数的结果表明，大气CO2浓度升高条件下，土壤线虫群落多样性降低，土壤环境受到一定的干扰，食物网趋于结构化。

黄海纤毛虫的丰度和生物量

海洋浮游纤毛虫是在海洋中浮游生活的一类单细胞原生动物，主要是指寡毛类纤毛虫(Oligotrich ciliates)，隶属原生动物界(Protozoa)、纤毛门(Ciliophora)、寡毛纲(Oligotrichea)，分属于Oligotrichina 和Tintinnina两个亚纲。它们个体微小，粒径在5-200 µm之间，是微型浮游动物和海洋微食物环(Marine Microbial Food Web)的重要组成部分。 2006年4月至2007年12月，在黄海(包括胶州湾)采样分析海洋浮游纤毛虫的种类组成(砂壳纤毛虫)、丰度和生物量，分析纤毛虫在这一海区的季节变化和空间变化。 纤毛虫丰度和生物量的研究方法为：Rosette采水器(胶州湾用Niskin采水器)采集水样，取1 L水样，加Lugol’s试剂固定(终浓度1%)，Utermöhl方法100倍镜检。测量虫体的体长、体宽，按最接近的几何形状(圆柱体、球体和圆锥体)计算体积。生物量由体积乘转换系数(0.19 pgC/µm3)得到，砂壳纤毛虫的肉体体积按照壳体积的1/3近似。 本文的结果表明，胶州湾各站纤毛虫平均丰度于6月达到全年最高值6065 ind./L，12月为全年丰度最低值843 ind./L。平均生物量8月达全年最高值(18.5 µg C/L)，6月为全年最低值(0.6 µg C/L)。砂壳纤毛虫种丰富度于8月达到最高值，共发现25种砂壳纤毛虫，1月种类最少(6种)。湾内站位的纤毛虫平均丰度比湾外的高(6月和8月除外)。砂壳纤毛虫在纤毛虫总丰度中的比例较小，平均为25%，范围为8-57%，分别于1月和8月达到最低和最高值。 两次冷水团大面调查结果表明，4月表层纤毛虫平均丰度(1490 ind./L)要高于10月(972 ind./L)。10月表层纤毛虫生物量0.14-5.33 µg C/L，14194站、15694站和15894站生物量较高，为4.08-5.33 µg C/L。无壳纤毛虫优势种Laboea strobila在两个航次中均呈现斑块分布，4月航次丰度0-10000 ind./L，10月航次丰度11-350 ind./L；砂壳纤毛虫优势种Ptychocylis obtusa仅在4月航次发现，最大丰度2895 ind./L，10月航次未发现。4月航次砂壳纤毛虫有百乐拟铃虫(Tintinnopsis beroidea)，丰度为0-1920 ind./L；卡拉直克拟铃虫(Tintinnopsis karajacensis)，丰度很小(10-93 ind./L)。10月航次砂壳纤毛虫优势种Tintinnidium primitivum，丰度为35-700 ind./L；也出现了尖底类瓮虫(Amphorellopsis acuta)和网纹虫(Favella spp.)，但丰度不大(0-210 ind./L)；运动类铃虫(Codonellopsis mobilis)、筒状拟铃虫(Tintinnopsis tubulosoides)和Eutintinnus sp.丰度也较低(35-105 ind./L)；Craterella torulata丰度为0-120 ind./L，主要分布于15694站。10月航次已经出现了温跃层，位于30 m左右水层，纤毛虫主要分布于温跃层之上。 六次黄海断面航次表明：温跃层在5月已经出现，到12月消失。在有温跃层的5月、6月、8月、9月，纤毛虫主要分布于温跃层(30 m左右)之上。其中8月份航次纤毛虫丰度最高，表层平均丰度3103 ind./L。12月份纤毛虫丰度最低，表层平均丰度406 ind./L。纤毛虫生物量春夏季为0.02-5.5 µg C/L，冬季为0.04-1.99 µg C/L。小型无壳纤毛虫占优势，砂壳纤毛虫东方拟铃虫(Tintinnopsis orientalis)、筒状拟铃虫、运动类铃虫、Craterella torulata和Tintinnidium primitivum几乎在各个航次均有分布。

Summer feeding activities of zooplankton in Prydz Bay, Antarctica

Grazing of dominant zooplankton copepods (Calanoides acutus. and Metridia gerlachei), salps (Salpa thompsoni) and microzooplankton was determined during the austral summer of 1998/1999 at the seasonal ice zone of the Prydz Bay region. The objective was to measure the ingestion rates of zooplankton at the seasonal ice zone, so as to evaluate the importance of different groups of zooplankton in their grazing impact on phytoplankton standing stock and primary production. Grazing by copepods was low, and accounted for less than or equal to 1% of phytoplankton standing stocks and 3.8-12.5% of primary production for both species during this study, even the ingestion rates of individuals were at a high level compared with previous reports. S. thompsoni exhibited a relatively high grazing impact on primary production (72%) in the north of our investigation area. The highest grazing impact on phytoplankton was exerted by microzooplankton during this investigation, and accounted for 10-65% of the standing stock of phytoplankton and 34-100% of potential daily primary production. We concluded that microzooplankton was the dominant phytoplankton consumer in this study area. Salps also played an important role in control of phytoplankton where swarming occurred. The grazing of copepods had a relatively small effect on phytoplankton biomass development.

Zooplankton functional groups on the continental shelf of the yellow sea

Zooplankton plays a vital role in marine ecosystems. Variations in the zooplankton species composition, biomass, and secondary production will change the structure and function of the ecosystem. How to describe this process and make it easier to be modeled in the Yellow Sea ecosystem is the main purpose of this paper. The zooplankton functional groups approach, which is considered a good method of linking the structure of food webs and the energy flow in the ecosystems, is used to describe the main contributors of secondary produciton of the Yellow Sea ecosystem. The zooplankton can be classified into six functional groups: giant crustaceans, large copepods, small copepods, chaetognaths, medusae, and salps. The giant crustaceans, large copepods, and small copepods groups, which are the main food resources for fish, are defined depending on the size spectrum. Medusae and chaetognaths are the two gelatinous carnivorous groups, which compete with fish for food. The salps group, acting as passive filter-feeders, competes with other species feeding on phytoplankton, but their energy could not be efficiently transferred to higher trophic levels. From the viewpoint of biomass, which is the basis of the food web, and feeding activities, the contributions of each functional group to the ecosystem were evaluated; the seasonal variations, geographical distribution patterns, and species composition of each functional group were analyzed. The average zooplankton biomass was 2.1 g dry wt m(-2) in spring, to which the giant crustaceans, large copepods, and small copepods contributed 19, 44, and 26%, respectively. High biomasses of the large copepods and small copepods were distributed at the coastal waters, while the giant crustaceans were mainly located at offshore area. In summer, the mean biomass was 3.1 g dry wt m(-2), which was mostly contributed by the giant crustaceans (73%), and high biomasses of the giant crustaceans, large copepods, and small copepods were all distributed in the central part of the Yellow Sea. During autumn, the mean biomass was 1.8 g dry wt m(-2), which was similarly constituted by the giant crustaceans, large copepods, and small copepods (36, 33, and 23%, respectively), and high biomasses of the giant crustaceans and large copepods occurred in the central part of the Yellow Sea, while the small copepods were mainly located at offshore stations. The giant crustaceans and large copepods dominated the zooplankton biomass (2.9 g dry wt m(-2)) in winter, contributing respectively 57 and 27%, and they, as well as the small copepods, were all mainly located in the central part of the Yellow Sea. The chaetognaths group was mainly located in the northern part of the Yellow Sea during all seasons, but contributed less to the biomass compared with the other groups. The medusae and salps groups were distributed unevenly, with sporadic dynamics, mainly along the coastline and at the northern part of the Yellow Sea. No more than 10 species belonging to the respective functional groups dominated the zooplankton biomass and controlled the dynamics of the zooplankton community. The clear picture of the seasonal and spatial variations of each zooplankton functional group makes the complicated Yellow Sea ecosystem easier to be understood and modeled. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A three-dimensional coupled physical-biological model study in the spring of 1993 in the Bohai Sea of China

A three-dimensional (3-D) coupled physical and biological model was used to investigate the physical processes and their influence on the ecosystem dynamics of the Bohai Sea of China. The physical processes include M-2 tide, time - varying wind forcing and river discharge. Wind records from I to 31 May in 1993 were selected to force the model. The biological model is based on a simple, nitrate and phosphate limited, lower trophic food web system. The simulated results showed that variation of residual currents forced by M, tide, river discharge and time-varying wind had great impact on the distribution of phytoplankton biomass in the Laizhou Bay. High phytoplankton biomass appeared in the upwelling region. Numerical experiments based on the barotropic model and baroclinic model with no wind and water discharge were also conducted. Differences in the results by the baroclinic model and the barotropic model were significant: more patches appeared in the baroclinic model comparing with the barotropic model. And in the baroclinic model, the subsurface maximum phytoplankton biomass patches formed in the stratified water.

Burrowing rodents as ecosystem engineers: the ecology and management of plateau zokors Myospalax fontanierii in alpine meadow ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau

1. Plateau zokors, Myospalax fontanierii, are the only subterranean herbivores on the Tibetan plateau of China. Although the population biology of plateau zokors has been studied for many years, the interactions between zokors and plants, especially for the maintenance and structure of ecological communities, have been poorly recognized. In the past, plateau zokors have been traditionally viewed as pests, competitors with cattle, and agents of soil erosion, thus eradication programmes have been carried out by local governments and farmers. Zokors are also widely and heavily exploited for their use in traditional Chinese medicine.2. Like other fossorial animals, such as pocket gophers Geomys spp. and prairie dogs Cynomys spp. in similar ecosystems, zokors may act to increase local environmental heterogeneity at the landscape level, aid in the formation, aeration and mixing of soil, and enhance infiltration of water into the soil thus curtailing erosion. The changes that zokors cause in the physical environment, vegetation and soil clearly affect the herbivore food web. Equally, plateau zokors also provide a significant food source for many avian and mammalian predators on the plateau. Zokor control leading to depletion of prey and secondary poisoning may therefore present problems for populations of numerous other animals.3. We highlight the important role plateau zokors play in the Tibetan plateau ecosystem. Plateau zokors should be managed in concert with other comprehensive rangeland treatments to ensure the ecological equilibrium and preservation of native biodiversity, as well as the long-term sustainable use of pastureland by domestic livestock.