Ecological conversion efficiency and its influencers in twelve species of fish in the Yellow Sea Ecosystem

The ecological conversion efficiencies in twelve species of fish in the Yellow Sea Ecosystem, i.e., anchovy (Engraulis japonicus), rednose anchovy (Thrissa kammalensis), chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus), halfbeak (Hyporhamphus sajori), gizzard shad (Konosirus punctatus), sand lance (Ammodytes personatus), red seabream (Pagrus major), black porgy (Acanthopagrus schlegeli), black rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli), finespot goby (Chaeturichthys stigmatias), tiger puffer (Takifugu rubripes), and fat greenling (Hexagrammos otakii), were estimated through experiments conducted either in situ or in a laboratory. The ecological conversion efficiencies were significantly different among these species. As indicated, the food conversion efficiencies and the energy conversion efficiencies varied from 12.9% to 42.1% and from 12.7% to 43.0%, respectively. Water temperature and ration level are the main factors influencing the ecological conversion efficiencies of marine fish. The higher conversion efficiency of a given species in a natural ecosystem is acquired only under the moderate environment conditions. A negative relationship between ecological conversion efficiency and trophic level among ten species was observed. Such a relationship indicates that the ecological efficiency in the upper trophic levels would increase after fishing down marine food web in the Yellow Sea ecosystem.     

Sea level and Eddy Kinetic Energy variability in the Bay of Biscay, inferred from satellite altimeter data

Twelve years (1993–2005) of altimetric data, combining different missions (ERS-1/2, TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1 and Envisat), are used to analyse sea level and Eddy Kinetic Energy variability in the Bay of Biscay at different time-scales. A specific processing of coastal data has been applied, to remove erroneous artefacts. Likewise, an optimal interpolation has been used, to create a series of regional Sea Level Anomaly maps, merging data sets from two satellites.The sea level presents a trend of about 2.7 mm/year, which is within the averaged values of sea level rise in the global ocean. Frequency spectra show that the seasonal cycle is the main time-scale affecting the sea level and Eddy Kinetic Energy variability. The maximum sea level occurs in October, whilst the minimum is observed in April. The steric effect is the cause of this annual cycle. The Northern French shelf/slope presents intense variability which is likely due to internal tides. Some areas of the ocean basin are also characterised by intense variability, due to the presence of eddies.The Eddy Kinetic Energy, in turn, is higher from December to May, than during the rest of the year and presents a weak positive trend from April 1995 to April 2005. Several documented mesoscale events, occurring at the end of 1997 and during 1998, are analysed. Altimetry maps prove to be a useful tool to monitor swoddy-like eddies from their birth to their decay, as well as the inflow of seasonal slope water current into the southeastern corner of the Bay of Biscay.     

Distribution of total dissolved and C18 extractable copper and nickel in relation to dissolved organic matter sources, in the Thermaikos Gulf (eastern Mediterranean)

Organically complexed and total dissolved copper and nickel were measured in the Thermaikos Gulf waters during winter 1998. Total concentrations ranged from 1.13 nmol/L to 7.02 nmol/L for copper and from 3.04 nmol/L to 9.50 nmol/L for nickel. The C18 Sep-Pak solid phase extraction technique was used in order to determine the amount of copper and nickel complexed with the hydrophobic component of the dissolved organic matter (DOM). Up to 32.4% of total copper and 4.57% of total nickel were complexed with the DOM extracted by C18. By applying HPLC analysis it was shown that the majority of the organic compounds retained by C18 had intermediate to low polarity. Using the absorbance ratio a₂₅₄/a₄₃₆ it was possible to unravel that humic substances of both terrestrial and marine origin were present in the Thermaikos Gulf and their distribution followed the dilution of riverine waters. Moreover our results indicated that organic binding of both Cu and Ni was stronger with the hydrophobic compounds of terrestrial origin than with those of marine origin.     

Trace metals in water, sediments and marine organisms from the northern part of the Gulf of Suez, Red Sea

Concentrations of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn were determined in water, sediments, gastropod (Bulla umpulla) and green algae (Ulva lactuca) collected from five stations in the western side of the northern part of the Gulf of Suez during the period February 1993–January 1994. Sediments recorded the highest concentrations of Cd (2.26–4.40 μg/g) and Pb (13.90–28.34 μg/g), While the highest concentrations of the essential metals Cu and Zn were found in B. umpulla (28.19–72.04 and 60.24–108.74 μg/g, respectively). Water and sediments showed similar spatial distribution patterns for the highest mean values of the different metals. Highest values of the studied metals were found at stations influenced by various pollution sources such as harbours, and sewage and industrial drains. In contrast, the lowest concentrations were observed faraway from any pollution source. Calculations of concentration factors (C.F.) for gastropod and algae showed highest C.F. of Cd (4312.5–8705.9) and Pb (2103.3–8317.9) in algae, and highest C.F. of Cu (5288.9–42376.5) and Zn (3686.7–9631.5) in gastropod.