Population Biology and Life History of the North American Menhadens, Brevoortia spp.

Four recognized species of menhaden, Brevoortia spp., occur in North American marine waters: Atlantic menhaden, B. tyrannus; Gulf menhaden, B. patronus; yellowfin menhaden. B. smithi; and finescale menhaden, B. gunteri. Three of the menhaden species are known to form two hybrid types. Members of the genus range from coastal waters of Veracruz, Mex., to Nova Scotia, Can. Atlantic and Gulf menhaden are extremely abundant within their respective ranges and support extensive purse-seine reduction (to fish meal and oil) fisheries. All menhaden species are estuarine dependent through late larval and juvenile stages. Depending on species and location within the range, spawning may occur within bays and sounds to a substantial distance offshore. Menhaden are considered to be filter-feeding, planktivorous omnivores as juveniles and adults. Menhaden eggs, immature developmental stages, and adults are potential prey for a large and diverse number of predators. North American menhadens, including two hybrids, are hosts for the parasitic isopod, Olencira praegustator, and the parasitic copepod, Lemaeenicus radiatus. Although the data are quite variable, a dome-shaped Ricker function is frequently used to describe the spawner-recruitment relationship for Atlantic and Gulf menhaden. Each of these species is treated as a single stock with respect to exploitation by the purse-seine reduction fishery. Estimates of instantaneous natural (other) mortality rates are O.45 for Atlantic menhaden and 1.1 for Gulf menhaden.

Filtration in some tropical intertidal bivalves exposed to mercury and cadmium mixtures

Three species of intertidal filter feeding bivalves (Modiolus carvalhoi, Modiolus sp. and Donax spiculum) exposed to mercury and cadmium filtered significantly less volume of water under individual metal and metal mixture stress. Mercury and cadmium in mixtures interacted additively and more than additively (Synergism) in depressing the filtration rate of the bivalves.

Seasonal variations in stable isotope ratios of two biomanipulation fishes and seston in a large pen culture in hypereutrophic Meiliang Bay, Lake Taihu

This paper reports on seasonal changes in stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of seston and muscle tissue of silver carp and bighead carp during 2004 and 2005, focusing primarily on the carbon sources and trophic relationships among phytoplankton, zooplankton and silver carp and bighead carp in a large fish pen of Meiliang Bay (Lake Taihu, China). delta C-13 showed a minimal value in March 2005 and a maximal value in August 2005 in seston both inside and outside the pen, whereas delta N-15 of seston showed the minimum in winter and the maximum during algal blooms. A positive correlation between delta C-13 of silver carp and that of seston suggested that temporal variation Of delta C-13 in seston was preserved in fish via the food chain. The differences of delta C-13 among seston, zooplankton and muscle tissue of silver carp and bighead carp ranged only 0.2-1.7%, indicating that plankton production was the primary food source of filter-feeding fishes. According to a mass balance model, we estimated that the contributions of zooplankton to the diets of silver carp and bighead carp were 45.7% and 54.3%, respectively, based on the delta N-15 values of zooplankton and planktivorous fishes. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Impacts of two biomanipulation fishes stocked in a large pen on the plankton abundance and water quality during a period of phytoplankton seasonal succession

Silver and bighead carp were stocked in a large pen to control the nuisance cyanobacterial blooms in Meiliang Bay of Lake Taihu. Plankton abundance and water quality were investigated about once a week from 9 May to 7 July in 2005. Biomass of both total crustacean zooplankton and cladocerans was significantly suppressed by the predation of pen-cultured fishes. There was a significant negative correlation between the N:P weight ratio and phytoplankton biomass. The size-selective predation by the two carps had no effect on the biomass of green alga Ulothrix sp. It may be attributed to the low fish stocking density (less than 40 g m(-3)) before June. When Microcystis dominated in the water of fish pen, the pen-cultured carps effectively suppressed the biomass of Microcystis, as indicated by the significant decline of chlorophyll a in the >38 mu m fractions of the fish pen. Based on the results of our experiment and previous other studies, we conclude that silver and bighead carp are two efficient biomanipulation tools to control cyanobacterial (Microcystis) blooms in the tropical/subtropical eutrophic waters. Moreover, we should maintain an enough stocking density for an effective control of phytoplankton biomass. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved

A Review of Nontraditional Biomanipulation

The aim of this review is to identify problems, find general patterns, and extract recommendations for successful management using nontraditional biomanipulation to improve water quality. There are many obstacles that prevent traditional biomanipulation from achieving expectations: expending largely to remove planktivorous fish, reduction of external and internal phosphorus, and macrophyte re-establishment. Grazing pressure from large zooplankton is decoupled in hypereutrophic waters where cyanobacterial blooms flourish. The original idea of biomanipulation (increased zooplankton grazing rate as a tool for controlling nuisance algae) is not the only means of controlling nuisance algae via biotic manipulations. Stocking phytoplanktivorous fish may be considered to be a nontraditional method; however, it can be an effective management tool to control nuisance algal blooms in tropical lakes that are highly productive and unmanageable to reduce nutrient concentrations to low levels. Although small enclosures increase spatial overlap between predators and prey, leading to overestimates of the impact of predation, microcosm and whole-lake experiments have revealed similar community responses to major factors that regulate lake communities, such as nutrients and planktivorous fish. Both enclosure experiments and large-scale observations revealed that the initial phytoplankton community composition greatly impacted the success of biomanipulation. Long-term observations in Lake Donghu and Lake Qiandaohu have documented that silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead carp (H. nobilis) (two filter-feeding planktivorous species commonly used in management) can suppress Microcystis blooms efficiently. The introduction of silver and bighead carp could be an effective management technique in eutrophic systems that lack macrozooplankton. We confirmed that nontraditional biomanipulation is only appropriate if the primary aim is to reduce nuisance blooms of large algal species, which cannot be controlled effectively by large herbivorous zooplankton. Alternatively, this type of biomanipulation did not work efficiently in less eutrophic systems where nanophytoplankton dominated.

Crustacean zooplankton size structure in aquaculture lakes: is larger size structure always associated with higher grazing pressure?

Crustacean zooplankton size structure in 27 aquaculture lakes was studied to test the hypothesis that larger size structure is associated with higher grazing pressure. Mean body length of crustaceans was positively correlated with increasing Chl a (r(2) = 0.40, P = 0.000) and TP (r(2) = 0.38, P = 0.000), contrary to the empirical studies. However, the ratio of zooplankton to phytoplankton biomass decreased significantly with increasing TP (r(2) = 0.27, P = 0.005) and mean body length (r(2) = 0.46, P = 0.000). Meanwhile, size structure showed no significant effect in explaining residual variations of phosphorus-chlorophyll relationship (P = 0.231). These results indicate that larger size structure was not always associated with higher zooplankton grazing pressure. It is likely that in aquaculture lakes crustacean zooplankton size structure was of minor importance in control of phytoplankton biomass, and it was mainly regulated by fish predation. The results showed in our study and the empirical studies might be a reflection of two different stages of lake eutrophication and fish predation intensity.

Biological mechanisms driving the seasonal changes in the internal loading of phosphorus in shallow lakes

Because of the obvious importance of P as a nutrient that often accelerates growth of phytoplankton (including toxic cyanobacteria) and therefore worsens water quality, much interest has been devoted to P exchange across the sediment-water interface. Generally, the release mode of P from the sediment differed greatly between shallow and deep lakes, and much of the effort has been focused on iron and oxygen, and also on the relevant environmental factors, for example, turbulence and decomposition, but a large part of the P variation in shallow lakes remains unexplained. This paper reviews experimental and field studies on the mechanisms of P release from the sediment in the shallow temperate (in Europe) and subtropical (in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China) lakes, and it is suggested that pH rather than DO might be more important in driving the seasonal dynamics of internal P loading in these shallow lakes, i.e., intense photosynthesis of phytoplankton increases pH of the lake water and thus may increase pH of the surface sediment, leading to enhanced release of P (especially iron-bound P) from the sediment. Based on the selective pump of P (but not N) from the sediment by algal blooms, it is concluded that photosynthesis which is closely related to eutrophication level is the driving force for the seasonal variation of internal P loading in shallow lakes. This is a new finding. Additionally, the selective pump of P from the sediment by algal blooms not only explains satisfactorily why both TP and PO4-P in the hypereutrophic Lake Donghu declined significantly since the mid-1980s when heavy cyanobacterial blooms were eliminated by the nontraditional biomanipulation (massive stocking of the filter-feeding silver and bighead carps), but also explains why TP in European lakes decreased remarkably in the spring clear-water phase with less phytoplankton during the seasonal succession of aquatic communities or when phytoplankton biomass was decreased by traditional biomanipulation. Compared with deep lakes, wax and wane of phytoplankton due to alternations in the ecosystem structure is also able to exert significant influences on the P exchange at the sediment-water interface in shallow lakes. In other words, biological activities are also able to drive P release from sediments, and such a static P release process is especially more prominent in eutrophic shallow lakes with dense phytoplankton.

Dynamics of microcystins-LR and -RR in the phytoplanktivorous silver carp in a sub-chronic toxicity experiment

A sub-chronic toxicity experiment was conducted to examine tissue distribution and depuration of two microcystins (microcystin-LR and microcystin -RR) in the phytoplanktivorous filter-feeding silver carp during a course of 80 days. Two large tanks (A, B) were used, and in Tank A, the fish were fed naturally with fresh Microcystis viridis cells (collected from a eutrophic pond) throughout the experiment, while in Tank B, the food of the fish were M. viridis cells for the first 40 days and then changed to artificial carp feed. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was used to measure MC-LR and MC-RR in the M. viridis cells, the seston, and the intestine, blood, liver and muscle tissue of silver carp at an interval of 20 days. MC-RR and MC-LR in the collected Microcystis cells varied between 268-580 and 110-292 mug g(-1) DW, respectively. In Tank A, MC-RR and MC-LR varied between 41.5-99.5 and 6.9-15.8 mug g(-1) DW in the seston, respectively. The maximum MC-RR in the blood, liver and muscle of the fish was 49.7, 17.8 and 1.77 mug g(-1) DW, respectively. No MC-LR was detectable in the muscle and blood samples of the silver carp in spite of the abundant presence of this toxin in the intestines (for the liver, there was only one case when a relatively minor quantity was detected). These findings contrast with previous experimental results on rainbow trout. Perhaps silver carp has a mechanism to degrade MC-LR actively and to inhibit MC-LR transportation across the intestines. The depuration of MC-RR concentrations occurred slowly than uptakes in blood, liver and muscle, and the depuration rate was in the order of blood > liver > muscle. The grazing ability of silver carp on toxic cyanobacteria suggests an applicability of using phytoplanktivorous fish to counteract cyanotoxin contamination in eutrophic waters. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental study of trophic cascade effect of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrixon) in a subtropical lake, Lake Donghu: on plankton community and underlying mechanisms of changes of crustacean community

An enclosure experiment was carried out to test trophic cascade effect of filter-feeding fish on the ecosystem: growth of crustacean zooplankton, and possible mechanism of changes of crustacean community structure. Four fish biomass levels were set as follows: 0, 116, 176 and 316 g m(-2), and lake water ( containing ca. 190 g m(-2) of filter-feeding fishes) was comparatively monitored. Nutrient levels were high in all treatments during the experiment. Lowest algal biomass were measured in fishless treatment. Algal biomass decreased during days 21-56 as a function of fish biomass in treatments of low (LF), medium (MF) and high (HF) fish biomass. Crustaceans biomass decreased with increasing fish biomass. Small-bodied cladocerans, Moina micrura, Diaphanosoma brachyurum and Scapholeberis kingii survived when fish biomass was high whilst, large-bodied cladocerans Daphnia spp. and the cyclopoids Theromcyclops taihokuensis, T. brevifuratus, Mescyclops notius and Cyclops vicinus were abundant only in NF enclosures. Evasive calanoid Sinodiaptomus sarsi was significantly enhanced in LF, but decreased significantly with further increase of fish biomass. Demographic data indicated that M. micrura was well developed in all treatments. Our study indicates that algal biomass might be controlled by silver carp biomass in eutrophic environment. Changes of crustacean community are probably affected by the age of the first generation of species. Species with short generation time were dominant and species with long generation time survived less with high fish biomass. Evasive calanoids hardly developed in treatments with high fish biomass because of the ( bottle neck) effect of nauplii. Species abundance were positively related to fish predation avoidance. Other than direct predation, zooplankton might also be suppressed by filter-feeding fish via competition.

Enhancement of planktonic rotifers by Microcystis aeruginosa blooms: An enclosure experiment in a shallow eutrophic lake

Enclosure experiments with three treatments (sediment addition, sediment + nitrogen enrichment, sediment + phosphorus enrichment) and unfertilized controls were performed in shallow hypereutrophic Lake Donghu during the summer of 2000. Dense Microcystis aeruginosa blooms occurred in all the enclosures during the experimental period but not in the surrounding lake water. Generally, the dominant rotifers were Polyarthra vulgalis, Filinia longiseta, Proales sp. and Asplanchna sp. at the beginning of the experiment, followed by a shift to Brachionus calyciflorus, Trichocerca similis, Cephalodella catellina and Anuraeopsis fissa, and finally to F. longiseta, Proales sp. and Keratella cochleris. M. aeruginosa blooms strongly suppressed the larger Diaphanosoma brachyurum but enhanced the development of the smaller cladocerans and rotifers that probably efficiently utilized organic matter from M. aeruginosa through the detritus food chain. The smaller cladoceran and rotifers coexisted successfully throughout the experimental period.

Gut contents of bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) and the processing and digestion of algal cells in the alimentary canal

Bighead carp is one of the most important freshwater filter-feeding fish of Chinese aquaculture. In recent decades, there have been a number of contradictory conclusions on the digestibility of algae by bighead carp based on the results from gut contents and digestive enzyme analysis or radiolabelled isotope techniques. Phytoplankton in the gut contents of bighead carp (cultured in a large net cage in Lake Donghu) were studied during March-May. In biomass, the dominant phytoplankters in the fore-gut contents were the centric diatom Cyclotella (average 54.5%, range 33.8-74.3%) and the dinoflagellate Cryptomonas (average 22.8%, range 6.8-55.8%). Phytoplankton in water samples were generally present in proportionate amounts in samples from the fore-guts of bighead carp. The size of most phytoplankton present in the intestine of bighead carp was between 8 and 20 mum in length. Bighead carp was also able to collect particles (as small as 5-6 mum) much smaller than their filtering net meshes, suggesting the importance of mucus in collecting small particles, Examination of the change in the integrity of Cyclotella on passage through the esophagus of bighead carp indicated that disruption of the algal cell walls is principally by the pharyngeal teeth, explaining the previous contradictory conclusions. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Gut contents of silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, and the disruption of a centric diatom, Cyclotella, on passage through the esophagus and intestine

The digestibility of algae by stomachless filter-feeding fish has been debated for decades. Results from gut contents and digestive enzyme analysis suggest poor utilization, while the measurement of food assimilation using radiolabeled isotope techniques indicate reasonable assimilation efficiency. Phytoplankton in the gut contents of the planktivorous filter-feeding silver carp were studied during March-May. The fish were cultured in a large net cage in a shallow, hypertrophic subtropical Chinese lake, Lake Donghu. In terms of biomass, the dominant phytoplankton in the fore-gut contents were Cyclotella (average 77.8%, range 69.7-93.5%) and Cryptomonas (average 9.57%, range 0-20.4%). The Ivlev's electivity index E of silver carp was much higher for Cyclotella (1.54) than for Cryptomonas (0.56). The majority of the phytoplankton found in the intestines of silver carp were 8-20 mu m, but they were also able to collect particles as small as 4.5-10 mu m, smaller than their filtering net meshes, suggesting that the secretion of mucus may play an important role in collecting such small particles. We conclude that disruption of cell walls is principally by the pharyngeal teeth, explaining previous contradictory conclusions. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

滤食性贝类养殖活动对海域生态系统的影响及生态容量评估

滤食性贝类以水体中的浮游植物和有机碎屑为主要食物，养殖海域的初级生产力水平、水动力学特性等生态环境因子的差异，不仅直接影响养殖贝类的产量，而且也与贝类养殖活动对生态环境的压力密切相关。由于养殖的种类、密度、方式及养殖海域的特性不同，关于贝类对生态环境的影响往往有不同的结果。本文以我国北方大连獐子岛扇贝底播海区和荣成桑沟湾贝类筏式养殖区为研究对象，采用现场调查、室内受控实验及生态数值模型模拟方法，分析研究了滤食性贝类对海域生态系统的影响，对这两个海域贝类养殖的生态容量进行了初步的评价。 主要结果： 1. 獐子岛海域底播贝类养殖活动对该海域生态系统的影响较小。非参数统计—符号检验的结果显示，养殖区与非养殖区之间的溶解性无机氮、磷酸盐浓度、氮磷摩尔比及浮游植物群落结构没有统计学上的差异（p>0.05）。但是从变化的趋势上来看，贝类养殖活动对水域环境的某些参数有一定程度的影响。例如，獐子岛底播贝类养殖海域的溶解性无机氮以氨氮为主，可能与贝类的代泄活动有关；不论是叶绿素浓度，还是网采浮游植物的生物量都是贝类高密度养殖区<贝类低密度养殖区<非养殖区（7月份除外），这种趋势可能与贝类的摄食压力有关。 桑沟湾各环境指标表现出明显的区域性。除春季外，非养殖区的DIN浓度高于各养殖区。在春季和冬季，贝类区的磷酸盐浓度显著降低；而硅酸盐浓度在夏季和秋季显著增大。综合分析DIN、PO4-P及SiO3-Si三个参数的四季变化，海带区、贝藻区及贝类区发生显著性变异的概率分别为25%，42%和50%，贝类区的变异较大。浮游植物、小型浮游动物的生物多样性指数都是以非养殖区为最高，贝类区的多样性指数最低。尤其是浮游动物的丰度，贝类区显著低于非养殖区。 2. 利用挪威的MOM (Modelling-Ongrowing fish farms-Monitoring)评价系统，评价了桑沟湾长期大规模的贝藻筏式养殖活动对底质环境的压力。在桑沟湾设10个取样站位，共获得66个底泥样品。比较了MOM－B评价系统的3组参数的季节变化特性。结果显示，底质条件属于1级，说明桑沟湾贝藻长期大规模的养殖活动对底质环境的压力较低。结合桑沟湾的环境及养殖特点，分析了压力较低的原因。 3. 经计算，2006年中国海水养殖的贝类和藻类使用浅海生态系统的碳可达396万吨，并通过收获从海中移出至少136.9万吨的碳。从1995年至2006年，养殖大型藻类和贝类累计移出的碳分别约为365万吨和893万吨，总计达1258万吨。证明了浅海的贝类和藻类养殖活动直接或间接地使用了大量的海洋碳，提高了浅海生态系统吸收大气CO2的能力。 4. 采用模拟现场生物沉积法测定了虾夷扇贝的滤水率、摄食率等生理指标及其与贝类个体大小、水温的关系。虾夷扇贝单位个体的滤水率与组织干重的关系符合幂函数方程CR=a×DWb，b值在0.45～0.65范围内；水温对虾夷扇贝滤水率的影响极其显著(p<0.01)，温度（T）与滤水率（CR）呈抛物线的关系：CR=-0.0009T2+0.0188T-0.0306，水温为10℃时，虾夷扇贝的滤水率、摄食较大。 5. 采用模拟现场流水法测定了3种滤食性贝类的食物选择性。紫贻贝、长牡蛎及栉孔扇贝分别对直径4m, 6m 和 8m颗粒的保留效率达到最大值；对小颗粒（直径2m）的保留效率分别为17%, 19% 和 8％。栉孔扇贝对食物数量和质量浓度的变化相对敏感，随着数量浓度的增加，栉孔扇贝倾向于摄食较大的颗粒；随着颗粒食物质量浓度的增加，倾向于摄食较小的颗粒。 6. 獐子岛海域四个航次的调查结果显示，叶绿素浓度在1.23～2.85mg.m-3范围内，均值为1.78±0.57 mg.m-3；初级生产力的变化范围为30.4～117.0 mg C. m-2.d-1，平均值为76.6±41.9 mg C. m-2.d-1。通过虾夷扇贝生物量断面调查，获得了虾夷扇贝的壳高频率分布情况，7月份的众数值出现在100 mm，10月份壳高的众数值为80 mm。利用以上测定的虾夷扇贝的滤水率等基本生物学特性，结合虾夷扇贝的年产量、海域面积和有关的水文状况等数据，计算了滤水效率、摄食压力、调节比率3个食物限制性指标参数，全年的均值分别为0.048, 0.31和 0.16，都小于1，说明目前该海域虾夷扇贝的养殖量未达到养殖容量。 7. 利用STELLA软件，建立的桑沟湾贝藻养殖的数值模型，模拟了叶绿素a浓度及氮磷营养盐的周年变化情况，及其对贝类养殖生物量变化的响应。以叶绿素a浓度为指标，初步探讨了桑沟湾贝类的生态容量。

贝藻混养系统中贝类食物来源的定量分析

应用稳定碳、氮同位素比值法和脂肪酸标志分析法，较为系统地研究了贝藻混养系统中滤食性贝类的食物来源，评估了大型藻类对混养系统及滤食性贝类的物质贡献。主要研究结果如下： 1.综述了典型生态系统中大型藻类和滤食性贝类各自的生态学地位和作用，大型藻类与滤食性贝类不仅在水体营养盐方面存在互利关系，二者在物质循环与收支方面同样具有耦合性，大型藻类提供的颗粒态有机质可以为滤食性贝类提供饵料来源。 2.总结了稳定同位素比值法和脂肪酸标志法在海洋生态系统食物来源及食物网分析中的应用，并建立了两种方法的具体操作规程。 3.分析了栉孔扇贝Chlamys farreri和海带Laminaria japonica混养系统中海带碎屑形成及释放不同阶段的生态学特征，评估了碎屑对扇贝的饵料贡献。海带在6周内释放了自身约27％的碳；碎屑形成及释放过程中C:N比值显著下降，同时伴随着旺盛的细菌降解，碎屑中也发现有大量硅藻类和原生动物存在。稳定同位素分析证实海带碎屑是混养期间扇贝的主要食物来源。 4.查明了春季胶州湾潮间带自然分布的长牡蛎Crassostrea gigas、紫贻贝Mytilus galloprovincialis和湾内浅海筏式养殖栉孔扇贝的可能食物来源。湾内栉孔扇贝饵料组成中浮游硅藻类为最主要部分，同时混杂有陆源有机质和细菌类物质；潮间带自然生长的牡蛎和贻贝饵料组成中，浮游植物占86.2-89.0％，种类组成中除硅藻外还包括一定比例的金藻和甲藻类；潮间带繁盛的孔石莼Ulva pertusa藻床为两种贝类提供了8.7-11.0％的补充食物来源。 5.揭示了桑沟湾贝藻混养海区春、夏季栉孔扇贝饵料来源组成情况及其季节变化，评估了海带养殖区碎屑碳量季节变化及海带来源碳对扇贝组织碳的贡献。结果表明，湾内贝藻混养区碎屑碳量为75.52-265.19 μg l-1，其在水体总颗粒态有机碳中的比例为25.6-73.8％。海带来源碎屑碳对栉孔扇贝组织碳的贡献比例为14.1-42.8％，且与水体碎屑碳比例的季节变化存在极显著相关性(F=0.992, P=0.004)。5月份湾外海带养殖区水体碎屑碳量为110.12-144.71 μg l-1，显著高于湾内无海带区（75.52 μg l-1），湾外养殖的扇贝组织中海带来源碳比例为22.0-24.1％，显著高于湾内单养区扇贝（9.6％）。估算结果表明，桑沟湾每年收获的6967吨（总湿重）栉孔扇贝中，海带提供了约57.1吨碳，换算为海带干物质为219.6吨。脂肪酸标志分析结果表明，2月份至8月份硅藻类在扇贝饵料组成中比例逐渐下降，而细菌类比例逐渐升高。整个采样期间，EPA/DHA比例较低，说明扇贝饵料组成中可能包括高DHA含量的组分。