scholarly journals Acoustic Target Strength of the Endangered Chinese Sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis) by Ex Situ Measurements and Theoretical Calculations

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 2554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Zhang ◽  
Junyi Li ◽  
Chongrui Wang ◽  
Chengyou Wang ◽  
Jinming Wu ◽  
...  

The Chinese sturgeon, Acipenser sinensis, is a large anadromous and highly endangered protected species. The assessment of its breeding population in the Yangtze River is critically important for effective management and population preservation. Currently, hydroacoustic methods have been widely used to study the adult sturgeons in the river, whereas the acoustic target strength (TS) characteristics of the species have not been studied. In this study, the TS of Chinese sturgeon was carefully evaluated both by ex situ measurements and theoretical calculations. Six Chinese sturgeons (Body Length (BL): 74.0−92.6 cm) were measured by a 199 kHz split echosounder in a 10-m deep net cage. The computed tomography of a Chinese sturgeon (BL: 110.0 cm) was conducted and the Kirchhoff ray mode (KRM) method was used to estimate the theoretical TS. As a result, the mean ex situ TS range of the six specimens was from −26.9 to −31.4 dB, which was very close to the KRM estimation (~1 dB difference). Then, the KRM method was used to predict the TS of Chinese sturgeon as a function of BL in six frequencies commonly used in freshwater environments and to estimate the TS of a representative adult Chinese sturgeon (250 cm) as a function of frequency and tilt angle. This study can provide a good basis for future hydroacoustic studies on the critically endangered Chinese sturgeon.

2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 779-789 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donhyug Kang ◽  
Tohru Mukai ◽  
Kohji Iida ◽  
Doojin Hwang ◽  
Jung-Goo Myoung

Abstract To measure the influence of changes in tilt angle on the acoustic target strength (TS) of the Japanese common squid (Todarodes pacificus), we conducted a series of experiments to estimate TS in relation to tilt angle and swimming angle. Swimming angle was measured in a seawater tank using two infrared, underwater cameras under dark conditions. Ex situ measurements of TS in relation to tilt angle on live specimens using a fishhook and cage method were then conducted at 38 and 120 kHz; mantle length (ML) ranged from 21 to 27 cm (mean 24.75 cm). For the more precise TS measurement with tilt angle, another set of ex situ TS measurements relative to tilt angle was made at 38 and 120 kHz on tethered, anesthetized specimens in seawater. The mean swimming angle was −17.7° (±12.7° s.d.). The mean TS varied from −48.6 to −44.6 dB and was relatively higher at 120 kHz than at 38 kHz, in the order of 0.7 and 2.5 dB. The empirical relationship between TS (dB) and ML (cm) is given by TS = 20 log10(ML) − 75.4 (r = 0.81) at 38 kHz or TS = 20 log10(ML) − 73.5 (r = 0.64) at 120 kHz. Based on the tethered method for the anesthetized squid, the mean standardized TS values (b20) were found to be highly correlated with the tilt angle, and the resultant fitted equations for b20 were expressed as: b20 = −73.3 + 0.48 × Θ + 0.0122 × Θ2 + 0.00016 × Θ3 for 38 kHz and b20 = −72.6 + 0.53 × Θ + 0.0134 × Θ2 + 0.00014 × Θ3 for 120 kHz, where Θ is the negative tilt angle in degrees. The mean TS based on the measurements using live squid was higher than that of tethered measurements, i.e., 2.6 dB at 38 kHz and 4.0 dB at 120 kHz. The higher mean TS in the ex situ measurements for the live squid can be explained by the influence of the low tilt angle on the overall TS data. The results can be used to understand the influence of tilt angle on the TS of Todarodes pacificus and thus improve the accuracy of biomass estimates.


2012 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 431-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. O'Driscoll ◽  
Johannes Oeffner ◽  
Adam J. Dunford

Abstract O'Driscoll, R. L., Oeffner, J., and Dunford, A. J. 2013. In situ target strength estimates of optically verified southern blue whiting (Micromesistius australis) – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 70: 431–439. Estimates of the acoustic target strength (TS) of southern blue whiting (Micromesistius australis) at 38 kHz were obtained using an autonomous acoustic–optical system (AOS) mounted on a demersal trawl. Data were collected from aggregations of spawning adult [mean fork length (FL) 34.4 cm] and immature (mean FL 24.6 cm) southern blue whiting south of New Zealand. Mean TS was estimated from 162 tracks containing 695 echoes from targets identified from video as southern blue whiting. The mean TS was –37.9 dB with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of –39.7 to –36.6 dB for 21 immature fish and –34.6 dB (95% CI –35.4 to –34.0 dB) for 141 adults. A logarithmic fit through the mean TS values produced a TS–fork length (FL) relationship from optically verified targets of TS = 22.06 log10FL – 68.54. This new relationship gives TS values within 1 dB of those estimated using the relationship recently adopted by ICES for blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) of TS = 20 log10TL – 65.2 (where TL is total length) obtained from in situ measurements, but higher values than those estimated from the previous relationship for southern blue whiting of TS = 38 log10FL – 97, which was based on swimbladder modelling.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yacheng Hu ◽  
Jing Yang ◽  
Xueqing Liu ◽  
Kan Xiao ◽  
Binzhong Wang ◽  
...  

Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) is an important economic fish because of its nourishing caviar, isinglass and flesh. In order to facilitate the recovery of this species, the full understanding of its population genetic structure is necessary for taking appropriate management actions. However, genetic data on the use of nuclear loci in sterlet is still quite poor because microsatellite markers in sterlet that had been developed appeared to be polyploidy which add difficulties in studying the genetic of the sterlet. In this study, 24 tetranucleotide microsatellite markers were developed in sterlet from 160 microsatellite markers of the endangered Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis). Ten (ZHX76, ZHX64, Z194, Z217, Z184, Z242, Z250, Z258, Z268 and Z269) of the 24 loci showed disomic patterns while the rest loci showed tetrasomic patterns. In this paper, 24 microsatellite markers were characterized in 16 sterlet individuals and all of them were polymorphic with 2 to 7 alleles per locus. The Hardy-Weinberg departure value (d), polymorphic information content (PIC), the observed heterozygosity (HO), the Shannon-Wiener Diversity Indices (H') and the mean expected heterozygosity (HE) of all 24 polymorphic loci ranged from -0.334 to 0.484, 0.367 to 0.725, 0.438 to 1, 0.659 to 1.695, from 0.466 to 0.777, respectively. The markers described here will help in addressing practical problems such as the study of population genetics, conservation genetics and evolution in the polyploidy derivative nature of sterlet.


2015 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 295-301
Author(s):  
Eun–A YOON ◽  
Doo–Jin HWANG ◽  
HIROSE Miyuki ◽  
Kouichi SAWADA ◽  
Yoshiaki FUKUDA ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 1536 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hansoo Kim ◽  
Donhyug Kang ◽  
Sungho Cho ◽  
Mira Kim ◽  
Jisung Park ◽  
...  

Redlip mullet (Chelon haematocheilus) is distributed in coastal waters of the North-Western Pacific Ocean and is a cultured fish in Korea. A hydroacoustic technique constitutes a useful method to assess the biomass and spatial distribution of mullet in sea cages or in coastal waters, and acoustic target strength (TS) information of the target fish is an essential parameter in using this method. In this study, ex situ TS measurements of 16 live mullets were made in an aquaculture sea cage in Korea. The split-beam scientific echo-sounder used for measurements was comprised of 38, 120, 200, and 420 kHz frequencies. An underwater video camera was simultaneously used to observe the mullets’ behavior during the TS measurements. The mullet TS data was analyzed from a wide range of total fish length (FL: 14.3–40.3 cm). As results for all frequencies, the frequency dependence of the mean TS values were relatively low, and the difference in mean TS was within 2.5 dB. When the slope of the least-squares regression line was forced to 20 into the TS equation, the resulting value for the constant term (b20) at each frequency was −67.0 dB, −68.3 dB, −66.3 dB, and −68.5 dB, respectively. The data tended to be frequency dependent. Additionally, the maximum TS appeared between tilt angles of 0° and 10°. These results indicate that TS measurements can be applied to estimate the biomass of the mullet in sea cages or in coastal waters.


2013 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 597-603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donhyug Kang ◽  
Jusam Park ◽  
Seom-Kyu Jung ◽  
Sungho Cho

Abstract Acoustic target strength (TS) measurements were made of ex situ giant jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai Kishinouye at 38 and 120 kHz. These TS data may be useful for developing acoustic scattering models, and surveying giant jellyfish distributions and biomasses. Each jellyfish was tethered in seawater using a monofilament line that vertically penetrated its bell's centre. During the acoustic measurements, an underwater video camera was used to continuously monitor the jellyfish's behaviour. Acoustic measurements were made using split-beam transducers. TS measurements were made of 27 individual jellyfish, but data were analysed for 23 specimens (bell diameter in air, Dair = 21–65 cm) at 38 kHz, and 19 specimens (Dair = 21–46 cm) at 120 kHz, respectively. Least-squares regression fits of TS vs. log(Dair) were TS38kHz = 20•log10Dair–82.7 (r = 0.76) and TS120kHz = 20•log10Dair–86.7 (r = 0.79). The mean TS values at 38 and 120 kHz, using the average Dair = 40.3 cm and 35.5 cm, respectively, were −50.6 and −55.7 dB. The reduced TS, a function of the ratio of Dair to wavelength (λ), was RTS(Dair/λ) = −6.1•log10(Dair/λ) –36.1 (r = 0.51). These RTS values decreased with increasing Dair/λ. Symbiotic medusa shrimp (Latreutes anoplonyx Kemp) contributed negligible bias to our TS measurements of giant jellyfish. These ex situ TS measurements may be used in acoustic surveys to estimate the distributions and biomasses of N. nomurai.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yacheng Hu ◽  
Jing Yang ◽  
Xueqing Liu ◽  
Kan Xiao ◽  
Binzhong Wang ◽  
...  

Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) is an important economic fish because of its nourishing caviar, isinglass and flesh. In order to facilitate the recovery of this species, the full understanding of its population genetic structure is necessary for taking appropriate management actions. However, genetic data on the use of nuclear loci in sterlet is still quite poor because microsatellite markers in sterlet that had been developed appeared to be polyploidy which add difficulties in studying the genetic of the sterlet. In this study, 24 tetranucleotide microsatellite markers were developed in sterlet from 160 microsatellite markers of the endangered Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis). Ten (ZHX76, ZHX64, Z194, Z217, Z184, Z242, Z250, Z258, Z268 and Z269) of the 24 loci showed disomic patterns while the rest loci showed tetrasomic patterns. In this paper, 24 microsatellite markers were characterized in 16 sterlet individuals and all of them were polymorphic with 2 to 7 alleles per locus. The Hardy-Weinberg departure value (d), polymorphic information content (PIC), the observed heterozygosity (HO), the Shannon-Wiener Diversity Indices (H') and the mean expected heterozygosity (HE) of all 24 polymorphic loci ranged from -0.334 to 0.484, 0.367 to 0.725, 0.438 to 1, 0.659 to 1.695, from 0.466 to 0.777, respectively. The markers described here will help in addressing practical problems such as the study of population genetics, conservation genetics and evolution in the polyploidy derivative nature of sterlet.


2008 ◽  
Vol 65 (6) ◽  
pp. 1012-1020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin M. Boswell ◽  
Charles A. Wilson

Abstract Boswell, K. M., and Wilson, C. A. 2008. Side-aspect target strength measurements of bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli) and Gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus) derived from ex situ experiments. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 1012–1020. Acoustic target strengths (TSs) of bay anchovy [Anchoa mitchilli, 4.7–6.1 cm TL (total length)] and Gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus, 5.1–7.7 cm TL) were measured at 420 kHz during side-aspect, ex situ experiments. TS–TL relationships were derived at aspect for tethered individuals, and TS distributions were compared with those of free-swimming fish. Linear models relating TS and TL were fitted to data at two levels of pulse duration (0.1 and 0.4 ms) for both side aspect and all horizontal aspects of each species, and for pooled data from both species. At a pulse duration of 0.4 ms, the side-aspect TS–TL relationships were anchovy: TSlateral = 19.5 log10 TLcm − 62.4; menhaden: TSlateral = 26.1 log10 Lcm − 65.6; pooled: TSlateral = 32 log10 TLcm − 70.9. For all horizontal-aspect orientations (0–180° in the horizontal) the best-fit TS–TL relationships were anchovy: TSall = 20 log10 TLcm− 65.4; menhaden: TSall = 20 log10 TLcm − 64.8; pooled: TSall = 20 log10 TLcm− 65. However, the “fit” for all angles was consistently low. Predicted TS comparisons with side-aspect models presented by earlier authors suggested biases in the estimated TL. Additionally, relationships between TS and wet weight (W) were derived for each species. Variation in TS by pulse-duration level suggests the potential for the use of this factor as a time-dependent variable by which to separate echoes from bay anchovy and Gulf menhaden.


2009 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 1205-1211 ◽  
Author(s):  
George A. Rose

Abstract Rose, G. A. 2009. Variations in the target strength of Atlantic cod during vertical migration. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 1205–1211. Experiments conducted at sea in June 1999 and January 2000 indicated that the mean target strength (TS) of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) varies not just with length, but also with pressure (depth) and fish orientation, particularly during vertical migration. In June, when fish were migrating and spawning, vertical migration was pronounced, extending up to 150 m off the seabed, and the associated TS declined by as much as 5 dB. In January, when the fish were located nearer the seabed, mean TS was more stable and matched a conventional model of TS vs. length [L, cm; i.e. TS = 20 log(L) − 66] based on measurements of ex situ fish orientated horizontally and positioned at close range. This paper demonstrates that mean TS is inversely related (p < 0.05) to the range off the seabed (r, m), which includes 90% of fish. Based on this finding, a new multivariate TS model is proposed: TS = 20 log(L) − 65 − 0.05 r. In this model, r is a proxy for swimbladder volume and fish orientation. A survey in May 2007 found that cod (mean L = 63 cm) dispersed in such a way that single targets could be resolved up to 100 m from the seabed. Measurements of TS of in situ individual fish (TSindividual) and mean TS inferred from a comparison of area-backscattering coefficients (sa) and count-based densities (TSindirect) were positively correlated with a slope not different from unity. Means of these TS estimates were −32.4 and −32.2 dB, respectively, or ∼2.3 dB less than that predicted by the conventional model. In contrast, the new multivariate model predicts TS = −32.5 dB, which is nearly identical with the means of TSindividual and TSindirect.


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