Growth characters and photosynthetic capacity of Gracilaria lemaneiformis as a biofilter in a shellfish farming area in Sanggou Bay, China

Experiments on growth characters and ecological functions of the macroalgae Gracilaria lemaneiformis, collected from south China, were conducted in polyculture areas of kelp and filter-feeding bivalve in Sanggou Bay in Weihai City, Shandong, in north China from May 2002 to May 2003. The results of 116 days cultivation showed that the average wet weight of alga increased 89 times from 0.1 to 8.9 kg rope(-1), with an average specific growth rate ( based on wet weight) of 3.95% per day. The most favorable water layer for its growth was 1.0 - 1.8 m below the surface in July and August, with an average specific growth rate of 8.2% per day in 30-day experiments. Photosynthetic activity changed seasonally, with an average of 7.3 mg O-2 g dw(-1) h(-1). The maximum rate (14.4 mg O-2 g dw(-1) h(-1)) was recorded in July, or 19.3 mg CO2 g dw(-1) h(-1), while the minimum (0.40 mg CO2 g dw(-1) h(-1)) was in April. This study indicated that the culture of G. lemaneiformis is an effective way to improve water quality where scallops are cultivated intensively.

A new three-phase culture method for Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum, farming in northern China

Studies on reproduction, hatchery management, and culture of Manila clams Ruditapes philippinarum were carried out in an attempt to optimize their culture conditions and techniques. Results from these studies led to the development of a three-phase culture method for Manila clam farming in northern China. The key components of the new method were: 1) early spawning and over-wintering indoors (greenhouse); 2) optimized larval culture conditions and techniques; 3) juvenile rearing in shallow, fertilized nursery ponds; 4) optimized stocking size and density and substrate for mudflat grow out. Broodstock were maturated indoors for a month from early April to early May. Primarily because of higher water temperatures in the greenhouse the clams spawned more than one month earlier than in the natural environment. From May to July, juveniles were reared for 1-2 months indoors to a size of 2.0-3.0 mm in shell length before being moved to outdoor, pre-disinfected, nursery ponds. Juveniles were then reared in the nursery ponds for one month to about 1.0 cm before being transferred to the mudflat for grow out. Juvenile clams in nursery ponds grew considerably faster than in the natural environment probably because of higher temperatures and more abundant natural food. During grow out, the clams were reared for 4-7 months until they reached a market size (3.0-3.3 cm). Juveniles produced after August were over-wintered in the greenhouse in which the water temperature was about 3 degrees C higher than that of the outdoor environment. Juveniles grew at an average rate of > 20 mu m day(-1), while in the natural environment no growth was observed during winter because of low temperatures. Juveniles in the greenhouse grew to 2-3 mm by the following March before being moved into outdoor nursery ponds. The three-phase culture method not only shortened the production period from spawn to market size from 24-36 months to about 10-14 months, but also prolonged the spawning season from 2 to 7 months, resulting in increased production of seed and market-size clams. Compared with the traditional method, the new method could increase the yield of market-size clams by 10-11 times, and increase the profit per ha mudflat by as much as 124 times and the profit per kg market-size clams produced by 13 times. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

松嫩平原农牧交错区优化生态-生产范式——以长岭县为例

松嫩平原农牧交错区位于松嫩平原的西部，中国北方农牧交错带的最东端;具有独特的地质环境特点，环境问题突出，是我国生态脆弱地区之一，及世界三大苏打盐碱土集中分布区之一。近年来，由于人为的不合理利用和开垦、以及粗放的生产模式，使该地区生态系统严重受损，土地沙漠化、水土流失、盐碱化、土地生产力下降等生态环境问题日益突出。因此，建立一个适合该地区生态环境条件、社会经济发展状况的优化生态-生产范式是必要而紧迫的。 本论文以松嫩平原农牧交错区为研究对象，以其典型地段为切入点，通过大量数据的收集、文献资料的查阅、野外考察与测定、室内分析处理等，得出了以下主要结论： 一、生态-地理环境背景分析 松嫩平原农牧交错区是多种生态-地理环境危害并存的区域，其中包括盐碱化、沙漠化、气候灾害、水资源短缺等等。当前，沙化土地和盐碱化土地的面积已占该地区土地总面积的34.27 %，并且呈逐年递增的趋势。松嫩平原农牧交错区气候灾害频发，主要是旱灾、水灾、风灾。此外，水资源短缺以及水质问题，同样影响着农业生产及社会经济发展。造成松嫩平原农牧交错区多种生态-地质环境危害并存的主要影响机制是：该地区自身的地质-地理环境特点、气候因素和人类活动的综合效应，并且人类活动日益成为主要驱动因子。 二、实例研究 松嫩平原农牧交错区优化生态-生产范式研究是以长岭县为例，通过对长岭县景观格局变化分析、土壤格局分布、农牧业生产特点、以及农业可持续性评价等，得出以下结论： 1、对研究区内土地利用格局分析表明：1980 ~ 2000年，在土地利用类型没有发生变化的基础上，表现为各土地利用类型面积上的增减;草地、林地大面积地向农田转移，农田面积明显增加;大规模地开垦农田，已经导致了景观的优势度增加，破碎度增加，多样性下降，这最终将使整个景观趋于更加不稳定。 2、长岭县土壤总体水平较差，障碍性土壤占长岭县总土地面积的55.38 %。从土地利用变化对不同地势条件下土壤理化性状影响分析，结果表明：（1）地势相对高的平台地，土壤肥力较高，且开垦对土壤理化性质的影响相对较小，更适合农业开发;（2）低地原生植被为草甸草原，其养分状况也比较好，但其地势较低，易发生水渍和盐碱化;（3）坡地是当地土壤养分最为贫瘠地区，也是风沙土较集中分布的区域，对其开垦会增大土壤的风蚀和水蚀，使土壤养分状况严重下降。 3、对研究区牧草资源分布格局、牧草资源承载力和利用现状等进行分析，结果表明：放牧系统提供的牧草资源已不能满足当地畜牧业对牧草资源的需求。草地提供的牧草资源仅能满足总牧草需求的16.6 %，放牧系统提供的牧草仅占总牧草需求的47.3 %;玉米秸秆转化为牧草资源的潜力巨大，经估算，占总牧草资源的78.3 %，其承载力为总牧草需求的2.4倍。当前，农牧交错区牧草资源的粗蛋白含量普遍偏低，不能完全满足动物生产的需要，制约了当地畜牧业发展。根据当地畜牧业现状、牧草资源潜力，我们提出：应在合理利用当地牧草资源的基础上，有计划地建立高产优质、富含粗蛋白的人工牧草基地，实现畜牧业可持续发展与生态保护的协调统一。 4、长岭县是以第一产业为主，即农业生产为主要经济来源。对农业生产结构的分析表明：农牧业生产占总农业产值的90 %以上，并以种植业为主，种植业一直占总农业产值60 %以上。受当地气候条件、土壤格局分布的限制，单一粮食生产、粗放的生产模式以及对天然草地资源的过分依赖，最终导致该地区农牧业发展缓慢，经济条件落后。 5、在上述分析的基础上，作者提出了长岭县优化生态-生产范式，即以高效农业生产、生活圈，水土保持和自然生态保育圈、牧草生产基地及生态功能保护圈的三圈等级系统。以此为依据，对土地利用格局进行调整，通过粮、草、经多元农业结构的建设，在合理利用与保护草地的基础上，使长岭县畜牧业走向产业化的发展模式。