Seasonal variability in ichthyoplankton abundance and assemblage composition in the northern Gulf of Mexico off Alabama

Multiyear ichthyoplankton surveys used to monitor larval fish seasonality, abundance, and assemblage structure can provide early indicators of regional ecosystem changes. Numerous ichthyoplankton surveys have been conducted in the northern Gulf of Mexico, but few have had high levels of temporal resolution and sample replication. In this study, ichthyoplankton samples were collected monthly (October 2004–October 2006) at a single station off the coast of Alabama as part of a long-term biological survey. Four seasonal periods were identified from observed and historic water temperatures, including a relatively long (June–October) “summer” period (water temperature >26°C). Fish egg abundance, total larval abundance, and larval taxonomic diversity were significantly related to water temperature (but not salinity), with peaks in the spring, spring–summer, and summer periods, respectively. Larvae collected during the survey represented 58 different families, of which engraulids, sciaenids, carangids, and clupeids were the most prominent. The most abundant taxa collected were unidentified engraulids (50%), sand seatrout (Cynoscion arenarius, 7.5%), Atlantic bumper (Chloroscombrus chrysurus, 5.4%), Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus, 4.4%), Gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus, 3.8%), and unidentified gobiids (3.6%). Larval concentrations for dominant taxa were highly variable between years, but the timing of seasonal occurrence for these taxa was relatively consistent. Documented increases in sea surface temperature on the Alabama shelf may have various implications for larval fish dynamics, as indicated by the presence of tropical larval forms (e.g., fistularids, labrids, scarids, and acanthurids) in our ichthyoplankton collections and in recent juvenile surveys of Alabama and northern Gulf of Mexico seagrass habitats.

Temporal Changes in a Tropical Nekton Assemblage and Performance of a Prawn Selective Gear

The temporal variation of components of a moderately diverse (H=1.46) tropical estuarine fish assemblage (long. 146°30'E, lat. 8°45'S) was directed by salinities that had been determined by local oceanographic and probably topographic conditions. For this assemblage, two types of intrayear component profiles are predicted. Pooled data (1988-91) reveal a large component of regular/resident species (43%) in an assemblage which has been under a narrow temperature regime «5T). These results facilitate a discussion on the relevance and usefulness of three hypotheses often cited in studies concerning species diversity and component characteristics of the subtropical/tropical coastal nonreef fish assemblages. Manifestations of the assemblage are reflected in catch composition and weights of 39 trials conducted for a selective prawning gear whose performance in bycatch reduction, mainly for finfishes, is judged by an index, E, we have previously proposed. This gear is capable of harvesting the prawn while conserving the demersal fish. Behavioral responses to netting of the prawns and the finfishes, especially the nearshore surface schoolers such as leiognathids, are discussed from several points of view. An adaptation in terms of group selection for leiognathids of their locking mechanism of median fin spines has been interpreted. For the purpose of bycatch reduction or E enhancement, suggestions for improvements in net design and trawl configuration by considering the behavioral features of fish are made. Our original formula of E is modified for general use. Bycatch problems in the regional prawn fisheries and their possible impacts on fishery planning and development in Papua New Guinea as a developing country are discussed. The gear tested may offer enormous ecological and economic benefits. The gear is multipurpose, extremely simple, and can also be used as a biological sampler.

Seasonal and interannual variation in juvenile salmonids and associated fish assemblage in open waters of the lower Columbia River estuary

The transition between freshwater and marine environments is associated with high mortality for juvenile anadromous salmonids, yet little is known about this critical period in many large rivers. To address this deficiency, we investigated the estuarine ecology of juvenile salmonids and their associated fish assemblage in open-water habitats of the lower Columbia River estuary during spring of 2007–10. For coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch), sockeye (O. nerka), chum (O. keta), and yearling (age 1.0) Chinook (O. tshawytscha) salmon, and steelhead (O. mykiss), we observed a consistent seasonal pattern characterized by extremely low abundances in mid-April, maximum abundances in May, and near absence by late June. Subyearling (age 0.0) Chinook salmon were most abundant in late June. Although we observed interannual variation in the presence, abundance, and size of juvenile salmonids, no single year was exceptional across all species-and-age classes. We estimated that >90% of juvenile Chinook and coho salmon and steelhead were of hatchery origin, a rate higher than previously reported. In contrast to juvenile salmonids, the abundance and composition of the greater estuarine fish assemblage, of which juvenile salmon were minor members, were extremely variable and likely responding to dynamic physical conditions in the estuary. Comparisons with studies conducted 3 decades earlier suggest striking changes in the estuarine fish assemblage—changes that have unknown but potentially important consequences for juvenile salmon in the Columbia River estuary.

The role of cell-surface-bound phosphatases in species competition within natural phytoplankton assemblage: an in situ experiment

Despite it is widely acknowledged that the ability to hydrolyze dissolved organic matter using extracellular phosphatases is diverse in fresh water phytoplankton, the competition within single species related to presence and quantity of cell-surface-bound phosphatases has not been examined in natural conditions yet. Here, we studied phytoplankton species competition in a freshwater reservoir during an in situ experiment. A natural plankton community, with the exclusion of large zooplankton, was enclosed in permeable dialysis bags inside two large containers of different bioavailable phosphate concentrations. Phytoplankton species biomass and the abundance of bacteria were determined in purpose to compare the development of enclosed microbial communities. Total and cell-surface-bound phosphatase activities in the phytoplankton were investigated using the Fluorescently Labelled Enzyme Activity (FLEA) technique that allows for direct microscopic detection of phosphatase-positive cells and, with image cytometry, enables quantification of phosphatase hydrolytic capacity. Production of extracellular phosphatases was not completely inhibited or stopped in the phosphate-enriched environment, phytoplankton cells only showed the activity less often. Under the phosphate-nonenriched conditions, the production of phosphatases was enhanced, but active species did not proliferate amongst phytoplankton assemblage. Further, specific growth rates of the phosphatase-positive species in the non-enriched environment were lower than the same phosphatase-positive species in phosphate-enriched environment. Interestingly, the phosphatase-positive cells of Ankyra ancora increased their size in both treatments equally, although the population in phosphate-enriched environment grew much faster and the cell-specific phosphatase activity was lower. We hypothesize that brand new daughter cells had sufficient phosphorus reserves and therefore did not employ extracellular phosphatases until they matured and needed extra bioavailable phosphorus to support their metabolism before cell division. Based on presented in situ experiment, we propose that the ability to hydrolyze organic polymers and particles with cell-surface-hound phosphatases is advantageous for longer persistence of given population in a phosphate-scarce environment; although phosphatase-positive species cannot dominate the reservoir phytoplankton solely because of specific phosphorus-scavenging strategy.

The rotifer assemblage in a shallow, eutrophic Chinese lake and its relationships with cyanobacterial blooms and crustacean zooplankton

Rotifer assemblage in the subtropical eutrophic Lake Chaohu was investigated monthly from September 2002 to August 2003. Forty-nine species belonging to 18 genera and 14 families were recorded. The highest densities of rotifer were observed during summer when there were heavy cyanobacterial blooms. There was a significant positive correlation between total rotifer density and the biomass of cyanobacteria. However, no correlations were found between the densities of rotifer and crustacean zooplankton, possibly owing to the paucity of large-bodied planktonic crustaceans. It is likely that the occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms not only caused the shift of dominant crustacean zooplankton from large species to smaller ones but also weakened the negative interaction between crustaceans and rotifers.

Geochemical properties of the variolitic andesite from Susong in the Dabie orogenic belt, China

The variolitic andesite from the Susong County in the Dabie Mountains implies that it was erupted in water. The mineralogy of the varioles is primarily radiate plagioclase (albite sind oligoclase), with little pyroxene, hornblende and quartz (derived from alteration). The pyroxene, hornblende and quartz are in the interstices between plagiocalse. The matrix consists of glass, hornblende, chlorite, epidote and zoisite. It is clearly subjected an extensive alteration. The andesite has an uncommon chemical composition. The SiO2 content is about 56.8%, TiO2 = 0.9%, MgO = 6.4%, Fe2O3 (tot) = 6.7%similar to 7.6%, 100Mg/(Mg + Fe) = 64.1 similar to 66.2. Mg-# is significantly high. The andesite has high abundances of large-lithophile trace elements (e.g. K, Ba. Sr, LREE), e.g. La/Nb = 5.56 similar to 6.07, low abundances of high-strength-field elements (HFSE e.g. Ta, Nb, P, Ti), particularly Ta and Nb strongly depleted. These are consistent with the characteristics of subduction-related magmas. In the spider diagram of trace elements, from Ce to right hand, the abundances of elements decrease quickly, showing a character of the continental margins. There has a strong punishment of light-rare-earth elements, with a significant diffraction of REEs (the mean value of (La/Yb)(N) is 32.84). No Eu anomaly, but there are anomaly high (La/Yb)(N) = 28.63 similar to 36.74, (La/Y)(N) = 70.33 similar to 82.4. The elements Y and Yb are depleted greatly, Y<20 g/g, Y-N = 2.74 similar to 2.84, Yb-N = 2.18 similar to 2.35. From the La-(La/Sm) diagram, the andesite is derived from partial melting. But the epsilone value of Nd is - 18.7 similar to -19.2, so that the material source may be the mantle materials affected by the crustal materials. The Nd model age is 1.9 Ga indicating that the variolitic basaltic andesite was resulted from the mantle wedge of North China block, which had the Nd model age of 2.5Ga, when the Yangze block which had the Nd model age of 1.7Ga subducted beneath it. So the variolitic andesite has characteristics of the island-are volconic rocks oil a continental basement in the vicinity of the destructive continental margin.

Development of the East Asian summer monsoon: Evidence from the sediment record in the South China Sea since 8.5 Ma

128 samples from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1143 in the southern South China Sea were analyzed for grain size, clay minerals, biogenic opal content and quartz in order to reconstruct changes in East Asian monsoon climate since 8.5 Ma. An abrupt change of terrigenous mass accumulation rate (MAR), clay mineral assemblage, median grain size and biogenic opal MAR about 5.2 Ma suggests that between 8.5-5.2 Ma the source of terrigenous sediment was mainly in the region of surface uplift and basaltic volcanism in southern Vietnam. A simple model of East Asian summer monsoon evolution was based on the clay/feldspar ratio, kaolinite/chlorite ratio and biogenic opal MAR. The summer monsoon has two periods of maximum strength at 8.5-7.6 Ma and 7.1-6.2 Ma. Subsequently, there was a relatively stable period at 6.2-3.5 Ma, continued intensification about 3.5-2.5 Ma, and gradually weakening after 2.5 Ma. Since I Ma the monsoon has intensified, with remarkable high-frequency and amplitude variability. Simultaneous increase in sedimentation rates at ODP Sites 1143, 1146 and 1148, as well as in MAR of terrigenous materials, quartz, feldspar and clay minerals at ODP Site 1143 at 3.5-2.5 Ma, may be the erosional response to both global climatic deterioration and the strengthening of the East Asian summer monsoon after about 3-4 Ma. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The environment effect on fish assemblage structure in waters adjacent to the Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary (1998-2001)

We collected fish abundance data in the Changjiang (Yangtze River) estuary and adjacent waters in November 1998, May 1999, November 2000, and May 2001. Using the data, we evaluated the characteristics of the fish assemblages at each site and investigated the effect of several environmental factors. We used a multivariate analysis, including community ordination methods such as detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), and two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN). We analyzed the biological community structure and environmental factors to determine their spatial distributions, temporal dynamics, and seasonal variations. Among the fish species, five exceeded 5% of the total abundance: Harpodon nehereus (42.82%), Benthosema pterotum (13.85%), Setipinna taty (11.64%), Thryssa kammalensis (9.17%) and Apogonichthys lineatus (6.49%). These were separated into four ecological assemblages: hypsithermal-saline, hypsithermal-brackish, hypothermal-brackish, and hypothermal-saline. We evaluated the degree of influence of environmental factors on the fish community. Our analyses suggested that environmental factors including water depth, salinity, turbidity, transparency, nutrient, and suspended matter formed a synthetic spatial gradient between the coastal and pelagic areas. Ecological and environmental factors changed temporally from 1998 to 2001, and drove the fish community succession. The environmental factors driving the fish community structure included bottom temperature, water depth, bottom and surface pH, surface total phosphorous, and bottom dissolved oxygen. This investigation was completed before completion of the Three Gorges Dam; therefore the results of this study provide an important foundation for evaluating the influence of the human activities.

班公湖带多不杂超大型富金斑岩铜矿床的成岩成矿年代学、岩石学及高氧化岩浆¬流体-成矿作用

Duobuza copper deposit, newly discovered typical gold-rich porphyry copper deposit with superlarge potential, is located in the Tiegelong Mesozoic tectonic -magmatic arc of the southern edge of Qiangtang block and the northern margin of Bangonghu-Nujiang suture. Quartz diorite porphyrite and grandiorite porphyry, occurred in stock, are the main ore-bearing porphyries. As the emplacement of porphyry stock, a wide range of hydrothermal alteration has developed. Within the framework of the ore district, abundant hydrothermal magnetite developed, and the relationship between precipitation of copper and gold and hydrothermal magnetite seems much close. Correspondingly, a series of veinlets and network veinlets occurred in all alteration zones. Therefore, systematic research on such a superlarge high-grade Duobuza gold-rich porphyry copper deposit can fully revealed the metallogenic characteristics of gold-rich porphyry copper deposits in this region, establish metallogenetic model and prospecting criteria, and has important practical significance on the promotion of regional exploration. In addition, this research on it can enrich metallogenic theory of strong oxidation magma-fluid to gold-rich porphyry copper deposit, and will be helpful to understand the metallogenic characteristics in early of subduction of Gangdese arc stages and its entire evolution history of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the temporal and spatial distribution of ore deposits and their geodynamics settings. Northern ore body of Duobuza copper deposit have been controlled with width (north-south) about 100 ~ 400 m, length (east-west) about 1400 m, dip of 200 °, angle of dip 65 °~ 80 °. And controlled resource amount is of 2.7 million tons Cu with grade 0.94% and 13 tons Au with 0.21g/tAu. Overall features of ore body are large scale, higher grade copper, gold-rich. Ore occurred in the body of granodiotite porphyry and quartz diorite porphyrite and its contact zone with wall rock. Through the detailed mapping and field work studies, some typies of alteration are identificated as follows: albitization, biotititation, sericitization, silication, epidotization, chloritization, carbonatization, illitization, kaolinization and so on. The range of alteration is more than 10km2. Wall alteration zone can be divided into potassic alteration, moderate argillization alteration, argillization, illite-hydromuscovite or propylitization from ore-bearing porphyry center outwards, but phyllic alteration has not well developed and only sericite-quartz veins occurred in local area. Moreover, micro-fracture is development in ore district , and correspondingly a series of veinlets are development as follows: biotite vein (EB type), K-feldspar-biotite-chalcopyrite-quartz vein, magnetite-antinolite-K-feldspar vein, quartz-chalcopyrite-magnetite veins (A-type), quartz-magnetite-biotite-K-feldspar vein, chalcopyrite veinlets in potassic alteration zone; (2) chalcopyrite occurring in the center vein–quartz vein (B type), chalcopyrite veinlets, chalcopyrite-gypsum vein in intermediate argillization alteration; (3) chalcopyrite- pyrite-quartz vein, pyrite-quartz vein, chalcopyrite-gypsum veins, quartz-gypsum- molybdenite-chalcopyrite vein in argillization alteration; (4) gypsum veins, quartz-(molybdenite)-chalcopyrite vein, quartz-pyrite vein, gypsum- chalcopyrite vein, potassium feldspar veinlets, Carbonate veins, quartz-magnetite veins in the wall rock. In short, various veins are very abundant within the framework of the ore district. The results of electronic probe microscopy analysis (EMPA) indicate that Albite (Ab 91.5~99.7%) occurred along the rim of plagioclase phenocryst and fracture, and respresents the earliest stages of alteration. K-feldspar (Or 75.1~96.9%) altered plagioclase phenocryst and matrix or formed secondary potassium feldspar veinlets. Secondary biotite occurred mainly in phenocryst, matrix and veinlets, belong to magnesium-rich biotite formed under the conditions of high-oxidation magma- hydrothermal. Chloritization developed in all alteration zones and alterd iron- magnesium minerals such as biotite and hornblende and then formed chlorite veinlets. As the temperature rises, Si in the tetrahedral site of chlorite decreased, and chlorite component evolved from diabantite to ripiolite. The consistent 280℃~360℃ of formation temperature hinted that chlorite formed on the same temperature range in all alteration zones. However, formation temperature range of chlorite from the gypsum-carbonate-chlorite vein was 190℃~220℃, and it may be the product of the latest stage of hydrothermal activity. The closely relationship between biotite and rutile indicate that most of rutiles are precipitated in the process of biotite alteration and recrystallization. In addition, the V2O3 concentration of rutile from ore body in Duobuza gold-rich porphyry copper deposit is >0.4％, indicate that V concentration in rutile has important significance on marking main ore body of porphyry copper deposit. Apatites from Duobuza deposit all are F-rich. And apatite in the wall rock contained low MnO content and relatively high FeO content, which may due to the basaltic composition of the wall rocks. The MnO in apatite from altered porphyry show a strong positive correlation with FeO. In addition, Cl/F ratio of apatite from wall rock was highest, followed by the potassic alteration zone and potassic alteration zone overprinted by moderate argillization alteration was the lowest. SO2 in Apatite are in the scope of 0 to 0.66%, biotite in the apatite has the highest SO2, followed by the potassic alteration zone, potassic alteration zone overprinted by moderate argillization alteration, and the lowest in the surrounding rocks, which may be caused by the decrease of oxygen fugacity of hydrothermal fluid and S exhaust by sulfide precipitation in potassic alteration. Magnetite in the wall rock have higher Cr2O3 and lower Al2O3 features compared with altered porphyry, this may be due to basalt wall rock generally has high Cr content. And magnetites have higher TiO2 content in potassic alteration than moderate argillization alteration overprinted by potassic alteration, argillization and wall rock, suggested that its formation temperature in potassic alteration was the highest among them. The ore minerals mainly are chalcopyrite and bornite, and Au contents of chalcopyrite, bornite, and pyrite are similar with chalcopyrite slightly higher. The Eu* negative anomaly of disseminated chalcopyrite was relatively lower than chalcopyrite in veinlets. Within a drill hole, the Eu* negative anomaly of disseminated chalcopyrite was gradually larger from bottom to top. Magnetite has the same distribution model, with obvious negative Eu* abnormal, and ΣREE in great changes. The gypsum has the highest ΣREE content and the obvious negative anomaly, and biotite obviously has the Eu* abnormal. Based on the petrographic and geochemical characteristics, five series of magmatic rocks can be broadly classified; they are volcanic rocks of the normal island arc, high-Nb basaltic rocks, adakites, altered porphyry and diorite. The Sr, Nd, Hf isotopes and geochemistry of various series of magmatic rock show that they may be the result of mixing between basic magma and various degrees of acid magma coming from lower crust melted by high temperature basic underplating from partial melting of the subduction sediment melt metasomatic mantle wedge. Furthermore S isotope and Pb isotope of the sulfide, ore-bearing porphyries and volcanic rocks indicated ore-forming source is the mantle wedge metasomatied by subduction sediment melt. Oxygen fugacity of magma estimated by Fe2O3/FeO of whole rock and zircon Ce4+/Ce3+ indicated that the oxidation of basalt-andesitic rocks is higher than ore-forming porphyry, and might imply high-oxidation characteristics of underplated basic magma. Its high oxidative mechanism is likely mantle sources metasomatied by subduction sediment magma, including water and Fe3+. And such high oxidation of basaltic magma is conducive to the mantle of sulfides in the effective access to melt. And the An component of dark part within plagioclase phenocryst zoning belong to bytownite (An 74%), and its may be a result of magma composition changes refreshment by basaltic magma injection. SHRIMP zircon U-Pb and LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb geochronology study showed that the intrusions and volcanic rocks from Duobuza porphyry copper deposit belong to early Cretaceous magma series (126~105Ma). The magma evolution series are as follows: the earliest diorite and diorite porphyrite → ore-bearing porphyry and barren grandiorite porphyry →basaltic andesite → diorite porphyrite → andesite → basaltic andesite, and magma component shows a evolution trend from intermediate to intermediate-acid to basic. Based on the field evidences, the formation age of high-Nb basalt may be the latest. The Ar-Ar geochronology of altered secondary biotite, K-feldspar and sericite shows that the main mineralization lasting a interval of about 4 Ma, the duration limit of whole magma-hydrothermal evolution of about 6 Ma, and possibly such a long duration limit may result in the formation of Duobuza super-large copper deposit. Moreover, tectonic diagram and trace element geochemistry of volcanic rocks and diorite from Duobuza porphyry copper deposit confirm that it formed in a continental margin arc environment. Zircon U-Pb age of volcanic rocks and porphyry fall in the range of 105~121Ma, and Duobuza porphyry copper deposit locating in the north of the Bangonghu- Nujiang suture zone, suggested that Neo-Tethys ocean still subducted northward at least early Cretaceous, and its closure time should be later than 105 Ma. Three major inclusion types and ten subtypes are distinguished from quartz phenocrysts and various quartz veins. Vapor generally coexisting with brine inclusions, suggest that fluid boiling may be the main ore-forming mechanism. Raman spectrums of fluid inclusions display that the content of vapor and liquid inclusion mainly contain water, and vapor occasionally contain a little CO2. In addition, the component of liquid inclusions mainly include Cl-, SO42-, Na+, K+, a small amount of Ca2+, F-; and Cl- and Na+ show good correlation. Vapor mainly contains water, a small amount of CO2, CH4 and C2H6 and so on. The daughter minerals identified by Laman spectroscopy and SEM include gypsum, chalcopyrite, halite, sylvite, rutile, potassium feldspar, Fe-Mn-chloride and other minerals, and ore-forming fluid belong to a complex hydrothermal system containing H2O-NaCl-KClFeCl2CaCl2. H and O isotopic analysis of quartz phenocryst, vein quartz, magnetite, chlorite and gypsum from all alteration zones show that the ore-forming fluid of Duobuza gold-rich porphyry copper deposit consisted mainly of magmatic water, without addition of meteric water. Duobuza gold-rich porphyry copper deposit formed by the primary magmatic fluid (600-950C), which has high oxidation, ultra-high salinity and metallogenic element-rich, exsolution direct from the magma, and it is representative of the typical orthomagmatic end member of the porphyry continuum. Moreover, the fluid evolution model of Duobuza gold-rich porphyry copper deposit has been established. Furthermore, two key factors for formation of large Au-rich porphyry copper deposit have been summed up, which are ore-forming fluids earlier separated from magma and high oxidation magma-mineralization fluid system.