Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Seashore ecology'

Thesis (M.Phil.)--City University of Hong Kong, 2005.
"Submitted to Department of Biology and Chemistry in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy" Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-161)

A comprehensive study involving 52 microtidal beaches spanning from reflective to dissipative states and located in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans was carried out to unravel the relative roles of latitude and beach morphodynamics in determining beach macrobenthic species richness, abundance, biomass and mean individual body sizes. Since beach slope is one of the most important factors controlling beach fauna, a model based on beach geometry was applied to the sub-aerial beach deposit to understand the role of physical factors in predicting equilibrium beach slopes. Additionally, it was tested if the occurrence of beach types is related to latitude, and how physical factors change with morphodynamics and latitude. The beach morphometric model makes three assumptions: 1) that the cross-section of a beach deposit is equivalent to a right-angled triangle, 2) that the physical hydrodynamic factors (wave height and spring tide amplitude) and the beach deposit characteristics (sand grain size, beach slope and width) are interchangeable with their geometric counterparts producing an equation to explain beach geometry, and 3) that the predicted beach slope is in equilibrium with the hydrodynamic and sedimentological forces. The equation for predicting beach slope was derived and then tested against field data collected over 52 beaches. The predicted slopes were not significantly different from the observed slopes of the studied natural beaches. However some estimated slopes were different than observed ones. Possible sources of deviation between calculated and observed slopes may be the systematic sampling errors associated with field data. Alternatively, observed slopes could be the result of past hydrodynamic conditions, explaining the differences with the slopes calculated by the beach morphometric model, which assumes a state of equilibrium between beach slope and hydrodynamic conditions. A higher correlation of beach faunal structure with observed slopes rather than with present hydrodynamic conditions could then be indicative of faunal responses to previous hydrodynamic conditions in the same way was the observed slopes. The beach morphometric model could therefore be also useful in predicting faunal responses to changing hydrodynamic conditions. Since the model does not consider wave period, it is concluded that further tests should be done using laboratory and time-series field data and incorporating the role of wave period and beach permeability to ascertain its predictive value. Tropical regions had significantly more beaches in a reflective state than temperate and subtropical regions. Some tropical beaches were fronted by coral reefs, which not only provided coarse carbonate particles, but also additionally dissipated the low wave energy present in these climatic areas. Only one dissipative beach with high energy was found in the tropics, in southeast Madagascar. Temperate and subtropical regions, on the other hand, were dominated by dissipative beaches with medium to fine sands. Open oceanic reflective beaches were non-existent in the subtropics and rare in temperate regions, only occurring in estuaries, enclosed bays or on islands facing the continent. Intermediate beaches were more common in the subtropics but also occurred frequently in the other two regions, having higher energy in temperate regions. Reflective beaches had significantly steeper slopes, coarser sands, smaller waves and shorter swash lengths when compared to dissipative beaches. Additionally, reflective beaches were narrower, had deeper water tables and in consequence shorter saturation zones. Wave periods and surfzone widths were on average larger on dissipative than on reflective beaches. The frequency of occurrence of beach types is therefore related to the climatic signature of each latitude. Mid latitudes would be predicted to have more dissipative beaches with large and long waves because of their proximity to the storm generating belt around 50-60° S - these beaches will have a predominantly finer sands because of the input by rivers in rainy areas. Lower latitudes will have more reflective beaches due to a modal low energy wave climate and also because of the presence of inshore and offshore biotic structures such as coral reefs that dissipate even more the energy from the waves. Tropical and subtropical regions had larger marine species pools than temperate regions. After controlling for biogeographical differences in total species pool, dissipative beaches were on average significantly richer than intermediate and reflective beaches. Crustaceans were also more diverse on dissipative beaches, this difference being not significant for either molluscs or polychaetes. Significant relationships were found between total beach species richness (with or without terrestrial species), crustacean and mollusc species richness with beach morphodynamics as represented by the Dean’s index. Indices incorporating the role of tide, such as BSI, were less important in predicting species richness on the microtidal beaches studied here. Several other physical factors were also significantly correlated with species richness, the most important being the Beach Deposit Index, i.e. BDI, a composite index of beach slope and grain size. The highest correlation was between BDI and relative species richness, i.e. local beach species richness / regional species richness. Total regional marine species richness was higher in Madagascar and North Brazil (tropical beaches) than in Southeast Brazil (subtropical), or the West Coast of South Africa and South-Central Chile (temperate beaches). Not only was the pool of species capable of colonizing beaches richer in tropical and subtropical regions, but also local diversity of each morphodynamic beach type was higher among tropical beaches than their temperate counterparts. Although the results of this study agree with the predictions of the swash exclusion hypotheses, several reflective and intermediate beaches had higher species richness than predicted before and this seems to be linked to the presence of finer sediments and a less turbulent flow for larvae to settle. It is concluded that beach species richness is not necessarily controlled by one major morphodynamic parameter; this control is complex and probably involves multiple interacting biotic (biological interactions) and abiotic (e.g. grain size, wave height, beach slope and width, water table) factors. Species richness seems to be controlled on two different scales: on an evolutionary one where tropical and subtropical regions have higher regional and local diversity due to higher speciation rates; and on an ecological scale, where fine grained sand beaches have their carrying capacity enhanced by higher larval settlement rates and survival of recruits towards adulthood. On average dissipative beaches had higher total densities and macrofaunal abundances than reflective ones. Crustaceans, terrestrial species and cirolanid isopods such as Excirolana spp. were also more abundant on dissipative beaches. The difference was not significant for molluscs and polychaetes. Significant relationships were found between total abundance, crustacean species richness and beach morphodynamics as represented by the Dean’s index. Again, BSI was less important than individual physical factors in determining faunal abundance on the studied microtidal beaches. Several other physical factors were also significantly correlated with abundance, the most important being the Beach Deposit Index (BDI). The highest correlation was between BDI and total macrofaunal abundance. Factors related to surf zone processes, and possibly productivity, were highly correlated with total community, crustaceans, Excirolana spp. and terrestrial species abundances. The abundances of polychaetes and molluscs were better correlated with factors related to the beach deposit (BDI, slope, grain size and water table depth). Significant differences were observed between latitudinal regions for the average beach and also for each beach type. In general temperate beaches harboured larger community densities and abundances, and also crustacean, Excirolana spp. and terrestrial abundances. Mollusc and polychaete abundances were larger on subtropical and tropical beaches. The control of abundance on a sandy beach is complex and involves multifactorial processes at evolutionary and ecological scales. At evolutionary scales animals seem to attain higher abundances in the region where they first evolved, e.g. amphipods and isopods in temperate regions. At ecological scales they attain higher abundances where productivity is higher (total macrofaunal, crustaceans, Excirolana spp., terrestrial spp.) or where the settlement environment is more benign (molluscs and polychaetes). Dissipative beaches supported larger average and total community biomass than reflective beaches. Crustaceans, terrestrial species and cirolanid isopods such as Excirolana spp. also had larger biomass on dissipative beaches. The difference was not significant for molluscs and polychaetes. Significant relationships were found between the biomass of community and taxonomic groups with beach morphodynamics as represented by the Dean’s morphodynamic index. On the microtidal beaches studied here, BSI was less important than other morphodynamic indices and single physical factors in determining faunal biomass and mean individual body size. Surf zone characteristics such as wave height, period and surf zone width had the highest correlations with community, crustacean.

Thesis (M.Phil.)--City University of Hong Kong, 2005.
"Submitted to Department of Biology and Chemistry in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy" Includes bibliographical references (leaves 153-181)

Includes bibliography.
Recreation has an important social function in modern societies, with ever-increasing pressures in the day-to-day life being felt by most people. This study addresses the impact of recreational activity on metropolitan shorelines, with particular reference to the False Bay shoreline. During summer holiday periods shoreline utilization in the Western Cape peaks on the public holidays of 26 December, 1 and 2 January, beach attendances reaching levels of 2 to 10 times higher than attendances on other days during the summer holidays. The greatest proportion of visitors to the beach (94%) engage in non-exploitative activities, such as sunbathing and swimming. Most visitors occur on the beaches between 12h00 and 16h00, week-ends being most popular during out-of-season periods, but in-season week day attendances exceed those of weekends. Only 6% of visitors surveyed were engaged in exploitative activities such as angling and bait- or food-gathering. Conservation awareness of visitors to the shore is related to the place of residence of the person, as well as activity engaged in by the person. Fish numbers and their size frequency distributions in protected areas differs to those of unprotected areas. If boulders on a sheltered shore are over-turned during bait gathering it has an adverse effect on the boulder communities, whether the boulders are replaced or left over-turned. When bait gatherers target on mussel-worms as bait, they may cause inadvertent damage to the primary matrix of mussel bed or tube-worm reef in the process, thereby affecting ecological succession processes in the intertidal environment. Management of metropolitan shorelines must therefore provide for quality recreational experiences, while applying conservation measures to selected areas that are susceptible to over-exploitation under the onslaught of ever-increasing numbers of recreationists. For such measures to be of any benefit to the marine environment, it is essential that people are not only informed, but that the regulations are also properly enforced.

This thesis examines a number of natural and anthropogenic disturbances within marine macrophyte habitats of the Caribbean. Understanding the effects of disturbance and the patterns associated with such dynamics is fundamental to ecological studies. Dynamics of interest included: interactions between populations; interactions between life history strategies; successional regimes; and alterations of community structure including loss of trophic heterogeneity and the possibility of "alternate" states. First I explored natural physical disturbance and succession. The dominance of macroalgae in the mid-shore, between areas of seagrass, challenged "classic" succession in such communities. I therefore proposed a model that included chronic "stress" by wave energy that could lead to a reversal in the climax state. Next, I investigated the importance of other grazers (i.e. trophic heterogeneity) in mediating the strength of trophic cascades (e.g. overgrazing). The enclosure experiments used suggested that different life history strategies respond differently to experimental conditions and that interference competition between specialist (conch) and generalist (urchins) grazers results in urchins switching to alternate resources and displaying lower condition. This dynamic may indirectly "buffer" the community against population expansions of urchins and overgrazing of diversity enhancing detritus. Under high nutrient enrichment, urchins maintained themselves, the trophic cascade and low diversity by switching to "expanded" autochthonous and "new" allochthonous resources. I continued to examine the effects of increasing nutrient enrichment, which correlated well with increasing human density, by examining eleven seagrass beds. The patterns of increasing consumer density and decreasing consumer diversity corresponded well to increasing enrichment and loss of autochthonous detritus. At high levels of enrichment, the community was dominated (> 90%) b

Anthropogenic sound has profoundly changed the acoustic environment of aquatic habitats, with growing evidence that even a short exposure to man-made sound sources can negatively affect marine organisms. Marine invertebrates have received little attention regarding their responses to anthropogenic sound, despite their pivotal role in marine ecosystems, and preliminary evidence of their sensitivity. In this thesis, I critically review the methods used in studies investigating the effects of anthropogenic noise on marine invertebrates. I identify methodological trends that have developed along the timeline of this topic, and use this information to suggest three research strategies to further the development of research in this field. From this review, current knowledge gaps are identified, and two main routes to address them are taken in this thesis. Firstly, to address the shortage of particle motion data in anthropogenic sound literature, two new low-cost and easily accessible particle motion sensors were developed and tested, one of them at 0.1% of the cost of currently commercially available models. These sensors will allow the measurement and reproduction of the sound fields experienced by marine invertebrates in bioacoustic research, even when research budgets are tight. Particle motion is the main sound component detected by invertebrates, yet neglected in many aquatic bioacoustical studies. Secondly, to expand on the comparably small quantity of research investigating the effects of anthropogenic sound on marine invertebrates, a series of controlled laboratory experiments were conducted. Two commercially and ecologically important model species were chosen, the blue mussel Mytilus edulis, representing sessile benthic invertebrates, and the European lobster Homarus gammarus, representing mobile benthic invertebrates. Experiments on M. edulis were conducted taking a mechanistic, integrative approach to investigate the effects of sound on multiple levels of biological organisation, including biochemistry, physiology, and behaviour. The ultimate aim was to understand the underlying drivers behind, and interactions between, responses. Comet assay analysis of haemocytes and gill cells demonstrated a significant six-fold higher single strand breakage in the DNA of cells of mussels exposed to ship-noise playback, compared to those kept under ambient conditions. Superoxide dismutase analysis did not identify an excess of superoxide ions, and glutathione, and glutathione peroxidase assays showed no increase in either glutathione or glutathione peroxidase. TBAR assays however revealed 68% more thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, indicating lipid peroxidation in the gill epithelia of noise exposed specimens. Algal clearance rates and oxygen-consumption rates of noise-exposed mussels were significantly lower (84% reduction and 12% reduction respectively), than those of control animals, while valve gape was significantly (60%) wider. This seemingly converse reaction indicates a shock response in mussels with the onset of noise exposure. Finally, at the genetic level, heat shock protein 70 expression was investigated, but no change was identified during noise exposure. Investigation into the noise induced behavioural responses of H. gammarus suggests seasonal differences in behaviour, using movement as a metric, in response to anthropogenic noise playbacks. During both summer and winter exposures, lobsters spent most time away from the highest noise area (98% of the observed time in summer and 78% in winter). The observed seasonal differences in the time spent in the highest noise area (2% in summer and 22% in winter) could be linked to the lobsters' requirement for shelter during winter. This requirement seems to have had a stronger influence over the animals' behaviour than any desire to avoid high noise levels. The information generated in this thesis can be used by researchers working in the field of marine sound to develop well rounded studies exploring the effects of sound on not only marine invertebrates but other faunal groups as well. The construction details provided to produce low cost particle motion sensors, will allow bioacoustic researchers to easily include particle motion measurements in all future studies investigating the effects of sound on fish and invertebrates. The results of the conducted mussel and lobster experiments evidence how multiple aspects of invertebrate biology can be affected by noise. The observed impacts on both sessile and mobile life forms highlight that the effects of noise cannot be fully understood before a wide range of species with different biological and ecological traits have been studied. The integrative approach to noise research used here can serve as a model for other species, and the results pooled to inform governments and industry of the effects of anthropogenic noise in the marine environment.

Hard substrates in the marine environment are an important ecosystem of great scientific and economic value. Hard substrates provide suitable habitat for a diverse assemblage of benthic organisms. This thesis investigated the ecology of benthic hard substrate communities along a section of wave-exposed coastline, including the Sardinia Bay Marine Protected Area (MPA), in the warm-temperate Agulhas bioregion of South Africa. The effect of physical variables on benthic communities, including both the intertidal and shallow subtidal, was quantitatively assessed across (Chapter 3) and along (Chapter 4) the shore to provide a model of zonation for this bioregion and a baseline of community patters and biodiversity, as this information was lacking especially for the Sardinia Bay MPA. The zones described in Chapter 3 were in agreement with previous trends described for this bioregion with the addition of different biotopes in the upper Balanoid and deeper subtidal zones as well as the addition of an intermediate/transition zone in the subtidal between the algal dominated shallow subtidal and deeper subtidal, which has an increased abundance of sessile invertebrates. Disturbance is an important process in structuring benthic communities, and its role in structuring shallow benthic communities was investigated using a disturbance simulation experiment across a wave-exposure gradient (Chapter 5). Communities were found to change along the exposure gradient and monitoring the undisturbed communities showed that large waves caused disturbances across all the exposures. The recovery process was similar across all exposures mainly through lateral vegetative growth and regrowth from basal parts with communities in disturbed quadrats recovering to resemble the surrounding undisturbed community. Recruitment did not have a significant effect in the recovery process and community composition was therefore a result of the effects of the physical environment along the exposure gradient. Lastly this thesis investigated the indirect effects of protection in the small Sardinia Bay MPA (Chapter 6). Despite the small size of the MPA this study found differences in diversity and abundance between communities inside and outside the MPA. These differences in benthic biota infer indirect effects of protection that are probably due to the increase in abundance of exploited fish inside the MPA. Lower abundances of red algae, macroinvertebrates and diversity inside the MPA in the shallow depth category was attributed to the higher abundance of the generalist fish species that concentrate in the shallows. Significantly lower abundances of Chordata in the shallow and medium depth categories inside the MPA was attributed to predation by the benthic carnivorous species as ascidians are included in the diet of these species. This chapter also compared the effectiveness of destructive (scraped quadrats) and non-destructive (visually assessed quadrats) sampling methods. Scraped quadrats were found to be more effective in detecting changes across the MPA compared to visually assessed quadrats. Destructive methods sample the entire assemblage, to a higher taxonomic level, and measure abundance using biomass. It was concluded that biomass is a better metric when comparing communities across protection or other treatments as it provides better biological information of the community.

The intertidal red algal genus Porphyra is found on rocky shores worldwide. In the Northern Hemisphere the genus is well studied but there is a paucity of data on southern hemisphere Porphyra and even less on New Zealand Porphyra. The species� taxonomy has been undergoing revision since the late 1990�s, when it was discovered that the main species P. columbina and P. lilliputana reported for New Zealand were a combination of several endemic species. These species are found from the low to the high intertidal watermark; hence they are exposed to fluctuating stresses such as desiccation, temperature, high light and UV radiation. Algae have evolved a number of mechanisms to adapt to naturally changing increasing abiotic conditions, such as accumulation of screening pigments and changes in antioxidant metabolism during light stress. For terrestrial plants, polyamines (small aliphatic amines) have been shown to be involved in protecting cells from damage under conditions of stress including UV-B radiation; such mechanisms have yet to be identified in algae. The overall aim of this study was to determine the importance of cellular processes in shaping the community structure of Porphyra on a wave-exposed shore on the east coast of the South Island, New Zealand. Porphyra distribution and community structure was assessed by regular monthly monitoring of presence and absence of Porphyra along four transect lines at the site. Enviromnental information was recorded to determine the effects of temperature, light, UV radiation, humidity and wind on Porphyra�s spatial and temporal distribution. Regular tissue samples were taken for species identification by the application of primers, which were specifically designed during this study. P. cinnamomea and Porphyra spec. "ROS 54" were identified as dominant species present almost throughout the year with a pronounced maximum in presence during late winter and spring, and some weeks of absence during April or May. The two dominant species were recorded from the low to the high intertidal shore, but the mid intertidal was identified as the preferred habitat. Other species that were found were rare and only present for a few months in a very restricted area. It was hypothesised that free radical generation and antioxidant metabolism are associated with desiccation tolerance in Porphyra. An attempt was made to investigate the impact of desiccation stress on Porphyra. The extraction process of antioxidants was problematic and no reproducible results could be obtained. It was attempted to investigate the spatial distribution of spores and conchocelis of different Porphyra species in the field, and determine if those found at Brighton Beach are species-specific in their morphology. This indicated that the two main Porphyra species at Brighton Beach not only prefer to occupy the same habitat but that they also have a morphologically similar conchocelis phase. Mechanisms on a cellular level such as polyamine metabolism affected by environmental (abiotic) stresses are related to the alga�s ability to adapt to stress and therefore can have an effect on Porphyra�s distribution along the shore and its presence throughout the year. The depletion of the ozone layer has become an important issue as the effects of increased UV radiation on the environment, especially the intertidal habitat, are revealed. Marine macrophytes possess the main three. polyamines: putrescine, spermidine and spermine of varying levels. For the few species studied, Rhodophyta generally contain higher levels of polyamines than Chlorophyta, while polyamine levels for the one heterokontophyte analysed were between Chlorophyta and Rhodophyta. Levels of the three most common polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, spermine) were determined in P. cinnamomea under controlled UV exposure. Tissue discs were exposed to visible light (PAR), PAR and UV-A or PAR, UV-A and UV-B radiation. Discs exposed to PAR and PAR and UV-A showed little change in polyamine levels over a six day trial period, while discs exposed to PAR, UV-A and UV-B showed a significant increase in free, bound soluble and bound insoluble polyamines over the same period of time. Correspondingly levels of ADC and ODC, two enzymes involved in polyamine synthesis, were measured. ODC levels changed little while ADC levels increased significantly during UV-B treatment, indicating that under UV-B stress polyamines are mainly synthesized via the ADC pathway. The experimental set-up and process of this study has not been applied in macroalgal polyamine research and results obtained are the first indication that increased levels of polyamines are involved in protection and/or protection mechanisms in macrophytic algae to prevent UV-B damage.

An investigation of ecosystem functioning of sandy beaches in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) was carried out with the aim of describing their type and pollution status. Water salinity, temperature, pH, beach slope, water inorganic nutrient concentrations, urea, and chlorophyll-a concentration as well as the composition of zooplankton, phytoplankton, meiofauna, benthic microalgae and bacteria were examined at thirteen beaches. The beaches were classified into three types: short beaches; long beaches with surf diatoms; and long beaches that import biomass (without surf diatoms). Of the thirteen beaches, five were non-polluted and eight polluted with polluting human activities in and around them. Most beaches were dominated by fine sand except for St. Georges Strand where the particles were medium to fine sand and Maitland’s River Beach, Bluewater Bay and Sardinia Bay that had coarse sand. Nutrient concentrations ranged from 1.98 ± 0.10 μM to 19.30 ± 3.02 μM nitrate; 4.88 ± 1.00 μM to 11.97 ± 1.00 μM ammonium; 0.67 ± 0.00 μM to 2.31 ±1.00 μM soluble reactive phosphorus; and 0.00 to 0.03 ± 0.00 μg l-1 urea-N. Chlorophyll-a concentrations ranged from 0.04 ± 0.02 to 1.57 ± 0.11 μg l-1. Chlorophyll-a concentrations were negatively correlated to ammonium for all beach types (short beaches: r = 0.94; long importing beaches: r = 0.95 and surf diatom beaches: 0.94) and to nitrate for short and long importing beaches (short: r = 0.97 and long importing: r = 0.85). By contrast, a positive correlation was found between observed between chlorophyll-a concentrations and urea for surf diatom beaches (r = 0.93) and for long importing beaches (r = 0.73). Chlorophyll-a concentrations were negatively correlated to short beaches (r = 0.99) and long importing beaches (r = 0.76). The E. coli and total coliforms in all the sampled beaches were within the recommended South African water quality guidelines for contact recreation as specified by DWAF (1995) except at New Brighton Beach (2 419 total coliforms/100 ml and 1 853 E. coli cells/100 ml) and St. Georges Strand (274 total coliforms/100 ml). Diatoms dominated the phytoplankton and benthic microflora; calanoid copepods dominated the zooplankton and deposit-feeding nematodes dominated the meiofauna in all the beaches with no changes found at polluted beaches.

Li, Cheuk Yan Vivian.
Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 89-99).
Abstracts in English and Chinese.
Abstract (in English) --- p.I
Abstract (in Chinese) --- p.III
Acknowledgements --- p.IV
Table of contents --- p.V
List of figures --- p.VIII
List of tables --- p.XII
List of plates --- p.XIII
Chapter Chapter 1 --- Population Dynamics of Marine Cladocerans in Tolo Harbour
Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.1
Chapter 1.1.1 --- Study site --- p.1
Chapter 1.1.2 --- Species description and distribution --- p.2
Chapter 1.1.3 --- Population dynamics of marine cladocerans --- p.4
Chapter 1.1.3.1 --- Reproduction --- p.5
Chapter 1.1.3.2 --- Fecundity of marine cladocerans --- p.6
Chapter 1.1.3.3 --- Embryonic development time --- p.7
Chapter 1.1.3.4 --- Food --- p.7
Chapter 1.1.3.5 --- Predation --- p.8
Chapter 1.2 --- Objective --- p.9
Chapter 1.3 --- Materials and method --- p.10
Chapter 1.3.1 --- Field sampling --- p.10
Chapter 1.3.2 --- Hydrographical parameters and chlorophyll a concentration --- p.10
Chapter 1.3.3 --- Zooplankton sampling --- p.11
Chapter 1.3.4 --- Zooplankton analysis --- p.11
Chapter 1.3.5 --- Calculation of Population Parameters --- p.12
Chapter 1.4 --- Results --- p.16
Chapter 1.4.1 --- Hydrographical parameters --- p.16
Chapter 1.4.1.1 --- Temperature --- p.16
Chapter 1.4.1.2 --- Salinity --- p.16
Chapter 1.4.1.3 --- Dissolved Oxygen content --- p.17
Chapter 1.4.2 --- Chlorophyll a concentration --- p.17
Chapter 1.4.3 --- Seasonal occurrence of marine cladocerans in Tolo Harbour --- p.26
Chapter 1.4.4 --- Parameters of the marine cladocerans populations --- p.32
Chapter 1.4.5 --- Occurrence of gamogenic individuals of marine cladocerans --- p.51
Chapter 1.4.6 --- Occurrence of chaetognaths --- p.51
Chapter 1.5 --- Discussion --- p.57
Chapter 1.6 --- Conclusion --- p.66
Chapter Chapter 2 --- "Molecular detection of the diet of the marine cladocerans, Pseudevadne tergestina"
Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.68
Chapter 2.1.1 --- The importance of marine cladocerans --- p.68
Chapter 2.1.2 --- Previous findings on cladoceran diet --- p.69
Chapter 2.1.2.1 --- Sidid cladocerans --- p.69
Chapter 2.1.2.2 --- Podonid cladocerans --- p.69
Chapter 2.1.3 --- Methods to investigate the feeding habit of animals --- p.71
Chapter 2.1.4 --- Application of molecular detection --- p.72
Chapter 2.2 --- Objectives --- p.73
Chapter 2.3 --- Materials and method --- p.74
Chapter 2.3.1 --- Zooplankton sampling and preparation --- p.74
Chapter 2.3.2 --- DNA extraction --- p.74
Chapter 2.3.3 --- 18S rRNA gene amplification --- p.75
Chapter 2.3.4 --- 18S rRNA Cloning --- p.76
Chapter 2.3.5 --- Clone screening by RFLP --- p.76
Chapter 2.3.6 --- Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis --- p.77
Chapter 2.4 --- Results --- p.78
Chapter 2.4.1 --- Alveolata --- p.78
Chapter 2.4.2 --- Other lineages --- p.79
Chapter 2.5 --- Discussion and conclusion --- p.85
Chapter 2.5.1 --- Errors and improvements --- p.87
Reference --- p.89

Ji Changhai.
"February 2001."
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 156-183).
Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
Abstracts in English and Chinese.
Abstracts in English and Chinese.

沿岸上升流和河流沖淡水都會嚴重影響近岸水體的物理、化學性質及其生態系統；南海北部的廣東沿岸同時存在著這兩種現象，因此對於沿岸上升流和沖淡水的運動規律和動力機制的研究對於認識廣東沿岸水體性質和生態環境的變化具有重要的理論意義。本文首先利用多種衛星遙感觀測資料和實地調查資料研究珠江沖淡水和紅海灣內的上升流進而揭示其空間分佈特徵和時間變化規律。而後利用三維的高解析度區域海洋模式（ROMS）建立一個適用於南海北部的海洋動力模式，從而成功反演珠江沖淡水和紅海灣內上升流的發展變化規律，進而揭示對其產生影響的動力原因。
通過分析MODIS在2003年7月14日至16日的海表面溫度影像以及同一時期的QuikSCAT風場資料，本文發現在西南風盛行時紅海灣記憶體在一個明顯的上升流區域，而且湧升的冷水首先在紅海灣的西岸出現並呈尖形向東南輸送。通過MODIS衛星觀測的海表面28oC等溫度線和模式類比結果的相互印證，證明本文利用ROMS建立的上升流模式能夠成功再現上升流的發展變化過程。基於模式類比結果的動量平衡分析揭示沿岸方向的壓強梯度和非線性項導致湧升的冷水首先出現在紅海灣西岸，而冷水的楔形離岸輸運則是由東南風引起的Ekman輸運和水準的非線性共同作用的結果。本文還進一步討論了季風、潮汐和海底地形對上升流的產生和擴散過程的影響。模式類比結果表明：在紅海灣觀測到的海表冷水是由西南風驅動的上升流造成的；由海底地形引起的內潮和上升流之間的相互作用會增強底層水的上升運動；湧升冷水的離岸輸運距離受海底地形在垂直於岸線方向的影響：坡度較緩的海底有助於冷水在距離海岸較寬的區域湧升至水面，而坡度陡的海底會將上升流限制在距離海岸較近的區域。
珠江沖淡水是本文的另外一個研究重點。通過對2012年6月4日-14日在珠江口和鄰近海域的調查資料的分析，可以看出調查期間珠江沖淡水呈現兩種截然不同的分佈特徵。利用ROMS的嵌套技術，本文建立了一個覆蓋南海北部陸架區的小區域模式。通過與實測資料的對比，驗證了本文建立的區域模式可以很好的反演珠江沖淡水在不同風場作用下的空間分佈特徵。基於模式類比結果的動量平衡分析表明，除了由風引起的海表面Ekman輸運外，非線性对流项項是另外一個影響沖淡水離岸輸運距離的重要因素。
通過計算不同風場作用下不同潮時的Froude數發現，在東南風和大潮共同作用下，珠江口鋒面處於超臨界狀態。這與實際調查結果相符合。進一步對潮汐羽流的分析表明，在東南風盛行時，珠江沖淡水由潮汐羽流、再迴圈羽流和羽流沿岸流三部分組成。當盛行風向轉為西南風時，再迴圈羽流部分消失。此時，珠江沖淡水羽流只由潮汐羽流、羽流遠場兩部分組成。計算海表面水準方向上的鹽量輸運發現，鹽量輸運受風場和潮汐的共同作用影響，潮汐導致的表層負鹽度通量可達到風生平均流引起表層負鹽度通量的12.5%。風場影響著沖淡水區域的垂向層化強度和離岸輸運距離。東南風和大潮的共同作用下，水體垂向混合加強，沖淡水離岸輸運距離變短。而盛行西南風時，強密度躍層將表層風引起的混合與底層混合隔開，有助於層化的建立，此時表層沖淡水離岸輸運距離增加。
The upwelling event that occurred in Guangdong coastal water during 14-16 July, 2003 is observed by using satellite multi-sensor data including the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sea surface temperature (SST) and QuikSCAT ocean surface winds. Successive MODIS SST images reveal a jet-like upwelling cold water body in surface layer under the forcing of southwesterly winds. The ROMS is used to simulate the upwelling process and explore its dynamics. The model successfully reproduces the jet-like shape of the surface upwelling water as well as the upwelling-developing process by comparisons of 28°C isotherms between the modeling and MODIS SSTs. Analyses of modeled momentums reveal that the large offshore transport appeared on the west side of Honghai Bay as results of high alongshore pressure gradient and nonlinear advections, and in addition to the offshore-ward Ekman transport generated by the southwesterly winds, the enhanced horizontal advection also played an important role in developing the prominent upwelling in Honghai Bay.
As testified by a numerical experiment, it is the wind-driven upwelling not the wind-induced vertical turbulent mixing that induced the surface cold water. Further numerical analyses reveal strong internal tides occurring in Honghai Bay caused by the local bottom topography. The interaction between the upwelling and internal tides enhances the bottom water uplifting. The offshore expansion of the upwelling water is controlled by the cross-shore topography slope: a gentle and offshore-extended slope helps the bottom water to climb up to the surface in a wide range in cross-shore direction, whereas a steep and narrow slope restricts the expansion of the upwelling water and confines the cold water in a narrow band along the shore.
A sea cruise was carried out to capture Pearl River plume structure in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) and its adjacent coastal waters from 4 June to 14 June, 2012. The cruise data are analyzed to unveil the plume dynamics. A nested model is used to simulate the plume expansion process as well. Model results are compared with cruise observations and tidal gauge sea level data. Modeling results suggest that there is a sub-tidal, anti-cyclonic bulge on the west side out of the river mouth under southeasterly winds, which constitutes a plume re-circulating. When the wind changes to the southwesterly, however, the plume re-circulating vanishes and a plume far-field appears.
The distinct, supercritical plume front occurs with southeasterly winds prevailing in spring tide. The tidal salt deficit flux can reach as high as 12.5% of the mean current flux, and indicates an interaction between the wind forcing and tides. The variation of plume stratification is studied by a scalar parameter. It is found that the stratification of the plume is sensitive to the wind forcing: The southeasterly winds can enhance vertical mixing in the whole water column and restrict seaward expansion of the plume water. Under the southwesterly winds, the strong stratification acts as a barrier separating wind-induced surface vertical mixing and bottom mixing. The plume water in the surface layer maintains its stratification and spreads horizontally.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Gu, Yanzhen.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 137-148).
Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.
Abstracts also in Chinese.
ABSTRACT --- p.I
摘要 --- p.IV
CONTENTS --- p.VI
List of Tables --- p.VIII
List of Figures --- p.VIII
Acknowledgments --- p.XII
Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1
Chapter 1.1 --- General Circulation in the Northern SCS --- p.6
Chapter 1.1.1 --- Dongsha Current --- p.6
Chapter 1.1.2 --- SCS Warm Current --- p.7
Chapter 1.1.3 --- Other Features --- p.8
Chapter 1.2 --- Coastal Upwelling --- p.8
Chapter 1.2.1 --- Wind-induced Coastal Upwelling --- p.8
Chapter 1.2.2 --- Overview of Coastal Upwelling Studies --- p.9
Chapter 1.3 --- The Pearl River Plume --- p.12
Chapter 1.3.1 --- Physical Setting --- p.12
Chapter 1.3.2 --- Overview of River Plume Studies --- p.15
Chapter 2 --- Regional Ocean Model System --- p.18
Chapter 2.1 --- Equation of Motion --- p.19
Chapter 2.2 --- Model Time-Stepping Scheme --- p.20
Chapter 2.3 --- Boundary Conditions --- p.21
Chapter 2.4 --- Coordinate System Transformation --- p.22
Chapter 2.5 --- Vertical Viscosity and Diffusion --- p.26
Chapter 3 --- Dynamical Study of Coastal Upwelling --- p.27
Chapter 3.1 --- Satellite Data --- p.27
Chapter 3.2 --- Data Interpretation --- p.28
Chapter 3.2.1 --- Upwelling and Wind Fields --- p.28
Chapter 3.2.2 --- Horizontal Structure and Expansion of the Cold Water Area --- p.33
Chapter 3.3 --- Model Configuration --- p.34
Chapter 3.4 --- Model Results --- p.38
Chapter 3.4.1 --- Sea Surface Temperature and Horizontal Currents --- p.38
Chapter 3.4.2 --- Cross-shelf Structure --- p.44
Chapter 3.4.3 --- Momentum Balance --- p.46
Chapter 3.5 --- Discussions --- p.50
Chapter 3.5.1 --- Winds --- p.50
Chapter 3.5.2 --- Internal Tides --- p.53
Chapter 3.5.3 --- Topography --- p.56
Chapter 4 --- Dynamical Study of the Pearl River Plume --- p.63
Chapter 4.1 --- Cruise Observations --- p.63
Chapter 4.2 --- Data Interpretation --- p.66
Chapter 4.2.1 --- Observed Surface Salinity Distribution --- p.66
Chapter 4.2.2 --- Salinity Vertical Distribution --- p.68
Chapter 4.2.3 --- River Plume Front --- p.74
Chapter 4.3 --- Model Configuration --- p.76
Chapter 4.3.1 --- Northern South China Sea Model --- p.78
Chapter 4.3.2 --- Pearl River Estuary Model --- p.79
Chapter 4.4 --- Model Results and Verification --- p.80
Chapter 4.4.1 --- Validation of Surface Salinity --- p.80
Chapter 4.4.2 --- Validation of Salinity Profile --- p.82
Chapter 4.4.3 --- Validation of Tidal Elevations --- p.83
Chapter 4.4.4 --- Plume Horizontal Structure --- p.87
Chapter 4.4.5 --- Plume Cross-shelf Structure --- p.91
Chapter 4.4.6 --- Momentum Balance --- p.95
Chapter 4.5 --- Stratification --- p.101
Chapter 4.6 --- Plume frontal Froude number --- p.106
Chapter 4.7 --- Tidal Plume --- p.111
Chapter 4.8 --- Horizontal salt deficit flux --- p.114
Chapter 4.9 --- Turbulence Mixing --- p.118
Chapter 5 --- Conclusions --- p.124
Chapter Appendix I: --- List of Publications during Ph. D. Study --- p.128
Chapter Appendix II: --- MODIS SST Image --- p.129
Reference --- p.137

碩士
國立屏東科技大學
森林系
95
The aims of this study were to investigate the vegetation diversity and the relationship between the environmental factors from Haichian Bridge to Oluanbee Park in Hengchun Peninsula. The study area stretching from the north to the south is 14 kms and 0.32 ha. Within 45 plots and seven environmental factors were examined. The correlation between the plots and the environmental factors were analyzed by detrended correspondence analysis (DCA), vegetation classification by two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) of the multivariate analysis method, the diversity of plant and vegetation types were analyzed by SPSS. Five families of Monocotyledons were found in the investigation, the most common family is Gramineae. Altogether 36 species were recorded, 42 families of Dicotyledons and 21 species of Fabaceae occurred in the sample area, the most frequent family is Fabaceae, but none of Gymnospermae, Orchidaceae or Pteridophyte was recorded. There are 156 species within the sample plots. 52 families included in 188 species of plants were investigated within research area, Gramineae and Fabaceae occupied about 40 % in all species and the dominance in Gramineae is the highest. Some rare species are Limonium sinense (Girard) Kuntze in Plumbaginaceae, Crotalaria similis Hemsl in Fabaceae, Kalanchoe garambiensis Kudo in Crassulaceae, Berchemia lineata (L.) DC. in Rhamnaceae, Ardisia cornudentata Mez subsp. morrisonensis (Hayata) Yuen P. Yang var. morrisonensis in Myrsinaceae. The vegetation ordination of the research area is influnced by the major environmental factors such as aspect, stone content of soil, soil pH, soil EC and the distance from the sea. There are six vegetation types in the research area according to the analysis of TWINSPAN, they are Cynodon dactylon-Fimbristylis cymosa type, Phyla nodiflora-Ipomoea pescaprae type, Rhynchosia minima-Evolvulus alsinoides type, Spinifex littoreus type, Pemphis acidula-Hedyotis coreana type and Hibiscus tiliaceus-Scaevola sericea type. In α diversity, the number of spicies (S) in Cynodon dactylon-Fimbristylis cymosa type is more significant less than Rhynchosia minima-Evolvulus alsinoides type. In Shannon’s index of diversity (H), Cynodon dactylon-Fimbristylis cymosa type is more significant less than Rhynchosia minima-Evolvulus alsinoides type and Hibiscus tiliaceus-Scaevola sericea type. But in evenness index (E) and Simpson index of diversity (D), there is no any significant difference each other. Keywords: Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA), Multivariate regression analysis method, Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), Vegetation ecology, Two-way indicator of species analysis (TWINSPAN).

The eastern spadefoot (Scaphiopus holbrookii) is an ephemeral wetland breeding amphibian that ranges from southern Florida north and westward to southeastern Missouri and northward along the Atlantic coastal plain to Massachusetts. This species is listed as either "threatened" or "endangered" in the four states (Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island) in the northeastern United States where it is known to exist. Population declines and extirpations throughout the region over the past century have been documented and are largely believed to be the result of habitat loss and/or alteration. Very limited empirical results exist on many life history attributes of S. holbrookii anywhere in its range, including movement patterns, upland habitat selection, and breeding habitat preferences. These are critical information gaps that must be filled in order to effectively conserve and manage for this rare species in the northeastern U.S. While S. holbrookii is extremely rare throughout most of the Northeast, it is locally common in specific areas of Cape Cod National Seashore, most notably in an extensive sand-dune ecosystem known as the Province Lands located at the northern terminus of the Cape Cod peninsula. During 2005 and 2006, we conducted larval trapping surveys at 102 wetlands in the Province Lands primarily to: 1) identify breeding wetlands and 2) to assess breeding habitat use and preferences of S. holbrookii with respect to a suite of selected abiotic and biotic covariates. We captured S. holbrookii larvae at 140/652 (~21.5%) trap locations and 41/102 (~40.2%) wetlands sampled. Model results identified a number of additional habitat covariates that exhibited a statistically significant relationship with larval S. holbrookii abundance including: the percent cover of 1) cranberry (positive relationship), and 2) woody shrub (positive relationship) at a 4m radius from the trap location; 3) percent woody shrub cover at the wetland-scale (negative relationship); 4) percent canopy cover at the wetland-scale (positive relationship); 5) wetland pH (positive relationship); 6) distance to the closest paved road (positive relationship); and the kernel density cover of 7) deciduous shrubland edge (positive relationship), 8) deciduous shrubland (negative relationship), 9) pine (positive relationship), and 10) open dune (positive relationship) in the uplands surrounding the study wetlands. During 2006 and 2008 we radio-tracked adult S. holbrookii in the Province Lands using surgically implanted radio-transmitters to: 1) describe movement patterns and estimate home range sizes, and 2) assess upland habitat preferences of S. holbrookii. We tracked 19/20 individuals (11 males and 8 females) and 12/20 individuals (7 males and 5 females) for at least the first 30 and 100 days post-surgery, respectively, during 2006. During 2008 we successfully tracked 15/25 individuals (10 males and 5 females) and 5/25 individuals (3 males and 2 females) for at least the first 30 and 100 days post-surgery, respectively. In addition to results obtained on a suite of movement attributes we identified a number of upland habitat preferences for S. holbrookii. Use locations were: 1) closer to the nearest deciduous shrub edge, 2) had a greater percent cover of ground-running pitch pine branches at a 1 m scale, 3) had a greater percent cover of deciduous shrubs at a 1 m scale, and 4) had a greater percent cover of reindeer lichen at a 5 m scale. Results from this research provide much needed empirical results on these critical life history attributes related to the movement and breeding ecology of S. holbrookii. These results will aid biologists and Park management staff at Cape Cod National Seashore in more effectively employing conservation and management strategies aimed at enhancing the long-term persistence probability of this regionally rare species in the Province Lands.

The eastern spadefoot (Scaphiopus holbrookii) is an ephemeral wetland breeding amphibian that ranges from southern Florida north and westward to southeastern Missouri and northward along the Atlantic coastal plain to Massachusetts. This species is listed as either "threatened" or "endangered" in the four states (Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island) in the northeastern United States where it is known to exist. Population declines and extirpations throughout the region over the past century have been documented and are largely believed to be the result of habitat loss and/or alteration. Very limited empirical results exist on many life history attributes of S. holbrookii anywhere in its range, including movement patterns, upland habitat selection, and breeding habitat preferences. These are critical information gaps that must be filled in order to effectively conserve and manage for this rare species in the northeastern U.S. While S. holbrookii is extremely rare throughout most of the Northeast, it is locally common in specific areas of Cape Cod National Seashore, most notably in an extensive sand-dune ecosystem known as the Province Lands located at the northern terminus of the Cape Cod peninsula. During 2005 and 2006, we conducted larval trapping surveys at 102 wetlands in the Province Lands primarily to: 1) identify breeding wetlands and 2) to assess breeding habitat use and preferences of S. holbrookii with respect to a suite of selected abiotic and biotic covariates. We captured S. holbrookii larvae at 140/652 (~21.5%) trap locations and 41/102 (~40.2%) wetlands sampled. Model results identified a number of additional habitat covariates that exhibited a statistically significant relationship with larval S. holbrookii abundance including: the percent cover of 1) cranberry (positive relationship), and 2) woody shrub (positive relationship) at a 4m radius from the trap location; 3) percent woody shrub cover at the wetland-scale (negative relationship); 4) percent canopy cover at the wetland-scale (positive relationship); 5) wetland pH (positive relationship); 6) distance to the closest paved road (positive relationship); and the kernel density cover of 7) deciduous shrubland edge (positive relationship), 8) deciduous shrubland (negative relationship), 9) pine (positive relationship), and 10) open dune (positive relationship) in the uplands surrounding the study wetlands. During 2006 and 2008 we radio-tracked adult S. holbrookii in the Province Lands using surgically implanted radio-transmitters to: 1) describe movement patterns and estimate home range sizes, and 2) assess upland habitat preferences of S. holbrookii. We tracked 19/20 individuals (11 males and 8 females) and 12/20 individuals (7 males and 5 females) for at least the first 30 and 100 days post-surgery, respectively, during 2006. During 2008 we successfully tracked 15/25 individuals (10 males and 5 females) and 5/25 individuals (3 males and 2 females) for at least the first 30 and 100 days post-surgery, respectively. In addition to results obtained on a suite of movement attributes we identified a number of upland habitat preferences for S. holbrookii. Use locations were: 1) closer to the nearest deciduous shrub edge, 2) had a greater percent cover of ground-running pitch pine branches at a 1 m scale, 3) had a greater percent cover of deciduous shrubs at a 1 m scale, and 4) had a greater percent cover of reindeer lichen at a 5 m scale. Results from this research provide much needed empirical results on these critical life history attributes related to the movement and breeding ecology of S. holbrookii. These results will aid biologists and Park management staff at Cape Cod National Seashore in more effectively employing conservation and management strategies aimed at enhancing the long-term persistence probability of this regionally rare species in the Province Lands.