ALBERT

Notes: Mechanical harvesting of intertidal bivalve molluscs inevitably leads to the physical disturbance of the substratum and its associated fauna. Hence, it is necessary to consider the consequences of such activities for the requirements of other species (e.g. fish and birds) which utilize these areas. The present study reports a long-term experiment that studied the effects of Manila clam, Tapes philippinarum Adams & Reeve, cultivation on an estuarine benthic habitat and its fauna. The study began with the initial seeding of the clams, and continued through ongrowing, and finally, harvesting 30 months later. Earlier observations revealed that plots covered with netting elevated sedimentation rate, and hence, encouraged the proliferation of certain deposit-feeding worm species which persisted throughout the cultivation cycle until harvesting took place. The immediate effects of harvesting by suction dredging caused a reduction of infaunal species and their abundance by ∼80%. Recovery of the sediment structure and the invertebrate infaunal communities, judged by similarity to the control plots on both the harvested and unharvested but originally netted plots, had occurred 12 months after harvesting. Comparisons with other similar studies demonstrate that, in general, suction harvesting causes large short-term changes to the intertidal habitat. The rate at which recolonization occurs and sediment structure is restored varies according to local hydrography, exposure to natural physical disturbance and sediment stability. The management of clam farming procedures and other forms of mechanical harvesting should incorporate a consideration of site selection, rotational seeding, cultivation and harvesting to create fallow areas, and seasonal harvesting to ameliorate the recovery of sites.

Notes: A study of the environmental effects associated with the trestle cultivation of Pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas Thunberg, was conducted at a commercial cultivation site in the River Exe estuary, Devon, England. Small, but significant, changes were detected in the macrofaunal community sampled beneath oyster trestles compared with that found in adjacent uncultivated areas. These changes were associated with an increase in organic and silt composition and a reduction in the depth of the oxygenated layer of the sediment beneath the trestles. Water velocity was decreased by the presence of the trestles which probably led to the increase in sedimentation rate observed beneath them. Although biological and physical changes were observed, they were relatively minor compared with the extreme environmental changes associated with the suspended culture techniques used for other bivalve species and fishes. However, other studies suggest that the environmental effects associated with oyster cultivation become more severe in areas of large-scale (hectares) cultivation.

Notes: With increasing awareness of the use of the coastal zone, it is necessary to understand the potential environmental effects of aquaculture practices. This is especially important when non-native species, which may be competitively superior to native species, are cultivated. A 5-year experiment was established to study the environmental effects of the various stages of Manila clam. Tapes philippinarum Adams & Reeve, cultivation, from seeding, through on-growing, harvesting and post-harvesting. The aim was to monitor changes in biological and physical variables in the sediment which may be useful in formulating an environmental management strategy for the cultivation of this species. This paper describes the biological and physical changes that occur in the sediment during the early phase of clam cultivation. We compared the changes in netted plots (with and without clams) and unnetted control areas, 6 months before and after laying the clams. The clams were planted in April 1992 under netting at a density of 500 m-2 (0.16 kg m-2), and in 6 months, had increased their weight to 3.2 kg m-2 but decreased their number to 410 m-2. A significant, but small increase in organic content (net only plots, 3.37%; control plots 2.42%) and in phaeopigment (netted plots, 8.6 mg m-2; control, 5.6 mg m-2) of the sediment in the netted plots relative to the control areas were seen. Short-term sedimentation rates on the netted plots were up to four times higher than in the control areas. The netting also encouraged the settlement of Enteromorpha sp. which, in turn, attracted Littorina littorea to feed on these plots. The infaunal community in the control areas was similar to that in samples 12 months earlier and continued to be dominated by the predatory polychaete Nephtys hombergii. Netted plots (with and without clams) had a greater abundance of deposit feeding polychaetes. particularly Ampharete acutifrons and Pygospio elegans, which were the dominant fauna in these plots. Within the clam treatments, the density of clams had a negative effect on the abundance of cirratulids, although mean abundance was generally greater than in the control areas. There were few physical changes to the experimental area after 6 months. The most important effect appears to be the increased sedimentation rate over plots with netting, which has led to an increase in productivity of those areas.

Notes: Predatory behaviour is similar in juvenile and adult fifteen-spined sticklebacks. Despite achieving velocities up to 20.2 times faster than the prey, juvenile fish do not employ low-energy attacks. This contrasts with adults which adjust predatory behaviour according to prey-type, but may be a result of the unpredictable prey escape response.

Notes: Scottish and Welsh populations of the 15-spined stickleback, Spinachia spinachia (L.), had similar growth rates. Scottish fish were generally smaller than Welsh fish. Most fish are annual, but some females may delay reproduction until the following year.

Notes: Manifestation of life-history strategy is through the allocation of resources acquired by foraging. Foraging efficiency can be improved by learning, as fishes adjust their behaviour to changing circumstances. We briefly review the influence of learning on the foraging behaviour of fishes and make recommendations for further research. We stress the importance of quantifying learning and memory in relation to ontogeny and life history.