AUGUST 2003 NUMBER 29 Porcupine!
Newsletter of the Department of Ecology & Biodiversity, The University of Hong Kong Air pollution and biodiversity in Hong Kong
Nobody doubts that air pollution in Hong Kong is a major threat to human health, and nobody doubts that water pollution in Hong Kong is a major threat to freshwater and marine biodiversity. But what about the effects of air pollution on terrestrial biodiversity? This is an important question because the entire conservation strategy for terrestrial biodiversity in Hong Kong is based on the assumption that protecting areas – as Country Parks, Special Areas, SSSIs or whatever – protects species. Yet, as marine biologists know only too well, pollution does not respect park boundaries.
The only research on this problem in Hong Kong was into the effects of sulphur dioxide pollution on lichens (Thrower, 1980). High levels of this pollutant in the 1960s and 70s eliminated most lichens from urban areas and the most sensitive species from the whole of Hong Kong, but sulphur dioxide levels are now declining and there is some evidence of a recovery in lichen populations. Other pollutants, however, are getting worse. Most conspicuous over the last decade has been the regional haze that blankets large areas of southeastern China for much of the year, reducing the amount of sunlight reaching the ground by 5-30% (Chameides et al., 1999). Although this reduction may have serious implications for crop yields, photosynthesis in wild plants is more likely to be limited by water and/or nutrients, so unshaded leaves usually receive more sunlight than they can use.
The big worry is ozone (Corlett, 2001). Ozone is unique among air pollutants in that, although it is produced by reactions involving urban pollutants, urban ozone levels are reduced by reactions with nitrogen oxides so that the maximum levels occur downwind of cities, in rural areas (Gregg et al., 2003). Thus ozone concentrations measured at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University monitoring station at Cape D’Aguilar, in the remote southeastern tip of Hong Kong Island, often exceed those measured in urban areas, and the highest recorded hourly value in Hong Kong was in Tung Chung last September. There is no reason to believe that these sites are exceptional, but there has been very little monitoring of ozone in rural Hong Kong. Moreover, while much of Hong Kong’s ozone is generated locally, there are also regional high ozone events, covering much of eastern China, which would impact Hong Kong even if it were uninhabited.
Peak ozone concentrations measured in Hong Kong are within the range that has been shown to damage both crops and wild plants in Europe and North America. Ozone reduces photosynthesis and plant growth, as well as causing visible damage to leaves. We have no direct evidence that such damage is occurring locally, but the visible symptoms are easily confused with other forms of natural damage, and no detailed study has been carried out. Regional ozone concentrations are predicted to continue rising for at least the next decade, so this is a problem that can only get worse.
Richard T. Corlett (for bibliography see back page) 2 News from DEB Porcupine! As we embark upon yet another academic year at the Univer- sity of Hong Kong, we encounter many new faces: new first- NUMBER 29 year undergraduates in the classroom, and new research postgraduates in the laboratories. In the case of DEB, we are August 2003 lucky enough also to have some new teaching colleagues. Dr Cynthia Yau joined as Assistant Professor this Septem- ber, and an article introducing her will feature in the next Newsletter of the Department of Ecology & issue of Porcupine! And, while not new to exactly DEB, Dr Biodiversity, The University of Hong Kong Kenny Leung takes up a new position as Assistant Professor, also from September. For anyone who missed it, Kenny’s (revealing) personal profile is in Porcupine! 25. "And, INSIDE THIS ISSUE: finally, congratulations to Gray Williams who has been appointed Honorary Director of the Swire Marine Laboratory for the next three years. Gray is not, of course, new to DEB but this appointment will see him taking on an additional, important role on behalf of the department. We wish him Air pollution and biodiversity in Hong Kong 1 luck.”
Editorial 2 More newness: DEB, AFCD and Friends of the Country Park DEB news 2 have just published a series of four field guides to local habitats. First off the block was Rocky Shores and Hill- Feedback 3 streams, and by the time you read this, Hillsides and Sandy Invertebrates 5 Shores will have joined them on the shelves of Hong Kong Vertebrates 8 bookshops. All four volumes are bilingual, well- illustrated, and contain gazetteers for sites of interest. We hope they Flora 13 will be of value to secondary school students, teachers, SWIMS tidings... 14 biology undergraduates, and members of the public who want to find out a bit more about Hong Kong’s rich Diversity at a glance 14 biodiversity. Miscellany 16 Finally, new from Government is recently released and very In the News 18 long awaited Consultation Document entitled Nature Wild Corner 19 Outlook: A Review of Nature Conservation Policy (http:// www.etwb.gov.hk). It sets out conservation efforts and Recent publications 21 achievements of Government, describes their limitations, and makes some proposals for improvement that include the Editorial introduction of a scoring system for assessing ecological value of sites, and options for conserving ecologically impor- Colour coding – have you noticed that when an unpalatable or tant sites under private ownership. The sharp-eyed reader difficult conservation viewpoint is expressed, the apparent offender may note that this brief description of the contents of Nature is often glibly dismissed as being a ‘green’ (or even a greenie)? Outlook doesn’t seem to include anything on actual policy This is becoming a rather convenient retort to dodge what are (see pp.16 & 17), and the marine environment also gets short generally rather complex issues, ones that typically require shrift. However, Government has invited comments on the informed responses, creative thinking and pose real and important document, and I urge everyone with an interest in the protec- challenges to government and society. This easy let-out ignores the tion of the Hong Kong environment to read the document fact that there are many shades of ‘green’, from the rather extreme and send their views by October 18 2003 to the Environ- ‘environment above all else’ to the wholly practical, and very real, ment, Transport and Works Bureau. They can be need to balance man and nature for the benefit of both. It is time, reached at [email protected], 2138 3221 (fax) or maybe, to assign a colour to those who do not want to address core 2150 7144 (phone). There now an important opportunity issues, who procrastinate, are uninformed maybe, or who, all in all, to have an input into conservation initiatives in Hong Kong, continue to contribute to the environmental problems that surround and we should make the most of it. us simply by lack of action and obfuscation. In mulling this over, I concluded that ‘grey’ was rather fitting. The lack of colour reflects the absence of action, the distorting (sometimes) of truth, apathy David Dudgeon and general unwillingness to consider changing the status quo or meeting challenges. While there are shades of grey, few give much hope that things will improve substantially in the near term. We could do with more colour.
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swollen bellies have been observed. We have also observed many large adult fish tussling for territory at the artificial reef Feedback aggregation and noted courtship behaviour, including fin and tail flicking towards dusk. For these reasons we reported the ‘Sexed up’ fish data presence of a spawning group of Coral trout. During new moons on 31st May 2003 and 30th June 2003, 35-50, mostly Dear Feedback, 16”-22”, Coral trouts were again counted within a small area at the aggregation site (which is the same artificial reef site As the author of the Artificial Reefs and Reef Fish in Hong each year) and a male spawning rush was observed. We also Kong I must respond to the comments made in Andy pointed out on page 43 that recruitment of juvenile Coral trout Cornish’s review of this book in the April 2003 Porcupine!. has dramatically improved since 2000 when we first observed The first printing of this book involved the production of a spawning groups on an artificial reef. Following the limited number of books, which have already sold out. For the publication of the book we have also filmed pairs of Red second edition, which is currently in preparation, we are groupers, Epinephelus akaara spawning at the same attending to any errors identified and are taking the aggregation site. opportunity to update the book. An erratum for the first has been prepared and will be posted on AFCD artificial reef web Reef fishes are especially vulnerable during spawning pages. I am grateful to the reviewer for his helpful fish aggregation periods. Despite its status as a Marine Park there identification comments. The reviewer’s comments regarding is no statutory protection for Yan Chau Tong’s spawning the making of unsubstantiated claims regarding spawning groupers from licensed fishers. The artificial reef in question observations in the book are, however, entirely unjustified. It has developed into a primary aggregation site for spawning appears we are being accused of ‘sexing up’ our data in much reef fishes in Hong Kong and concerted efforts should be the same way the BBC have alleged that Tony Blair’s made to protect the site, especially during May and June new Government overstated the case to the British Parliament for moons. AFCD is reviewing the current voluntary ‘no-take’ war in Iraq based on a “sexed up” intelligence dossier. agreement at artificial reef sites and may change the fishing Fortunately I can dispel such allegations in relation to licence conditions to ensure statutory protection. AFCD’s AR and Reef Fish Book since we have good evidence of ‘weapons of mass destruction’ in the form of The Consultancy report conducted by MSE Ltd. reported, spawning fishes, including groupers. The main purpose of the “artificial reefs support higher numbers of medium and high book was to provide an account of the artificial reef value fish than both rocky shore and mud bottom controls.” programme and also provide summary information for our Andy takes the academics line and states that a control site fish observations on artificial reefs. For each species we should be similar in every practical way to the “treatment” provide summary details of its interaction with artificial reefs site. In view of the fact that there is no rocky habitat in Hoi Ha and its abundance status. This information has been obtained Wan and Yan Chau Tong Marine Parks at the 12-16 m depths, from more than 400 quantitative fish monitoring dives on where the artificial reefs were deployed, it is not possible to artificial reefs. select ideal control sites. We selected rocky shore controls at the deepest reef locations within the marine park. If rocky Andy comments that we have made unsubstantiated claims habitat had occurred in the open expanses of deeper water about ARs in Hong Kong in the book. In particular he singles throughout the Yan Chau Tong and Hoi Ha Wan Marine out Coral trout spawning aggregation on one of the ARs as Parks then the parks would not have been considered habitat “unlikely”. Our book states on page 155 that spawning groups limited and would not have been subjected to regular trawling. of Coral trout, Plectropomus leopardus occur on an artificial Moreover, we would not have considered the parks as high reef. Andy has made assumptions about our data that he is not priority areas for deployment of artificial reefs. Andy is entitled to make since he does not have possession of our data. confusing research with the practical implementation of a A fairer criticism would have been to remark that we have not fisheries management programme. We did not embark on an provided clear definitions or criteria for our use of the term academic exercise to support a null hypothesis, we ‘spawning group’. Andy refers to Australian research implemented an artificial reef programme to protect these two concerning the growth rate of Plectropomus leopardus in the marine parks from the damaging impacts of trawling and to mistaken belief that the book states the Coral trout grew and enhance fisheries in a habitat limited area. Since no trawling developed into adult fish on the artificial reef by the year now occurs in these parks the artificial reefs deployed have 2000. The book does not state this. We have simply reported achieved their principal objective and are fully justified. When what we have observed and further more we have posted we report that there are more high value fish on the artificial video, on AFCD’s web pages, of groups of adult Coral trout reefs than the natural rocky shores or open mud in these parks (16”-20”) interacting with each other on a Hong Kong we are simply reporting the facts. If there are more fish on the artificial reef. One sequence shows a group of at least eight artificial reefs than rocky shores it makes sense to increase our sizable adults all in view at the same time. Coral trouts are efforts to manage artificial reefs so small-scale fishers do not solitary in behaviour away from spawning aggregation sites fish them, permitting the full benefits of artificial reefs to be and will defend their reef territory from intrusions by other realised. They are certainly not meaningless comparisons. coral trout. We have observed densities of Coral trout building Yes, if there were complex hard bottom habitat in these up towards new moons and gravid females with highly marine parks at depth, they too would no doubt support high 4 numbers of valuable reef fish, but the reality is there is no (Co-editor comment: Mr. Wilson has been invited to present such habitat in these parks, hence the deployment of artificial his material on fish spawning and recent progress in fishery reefs and our comparison with the habitat that is actually legislation at DEB and will visit us on Friday, October 10, there. 2003.)
Andy’s final comment regarding the flimsiness of some of the Dear Feedback, evidence to justify this 100 million dollar programme is another entirely unwarranted allegation. The artificial reef In reply to Keith Wilson’s response to my review of his book, programme has achieved its objectives since they are Artificial Reefs and Reef Fish in Hong Kong (see above) I protecting and enhancing important fish spawning and nursery should firstly say that I enjoyed it enough to buy a copy. grounds by physically preventing bottom trawling and However, precious little data have been released on the providing complex three-dimensional habitat. In making his success of the AR programme as a fisheries enhancement tool remarks Andy fails to take note of the ecosystem modelling since the reefs were deployed in 1998, other than species lists reported on pages 9 and 51. We appointed arguably the and consultant’s reports which are not available to most. This foremost ecosystem modelling fisheries biologists from the book provides the best summary of the AR programme to date Fisheries Centre University of British Colombia comprising a and so I took the opportunity to critically evaluate various team headed by Fisheries Centre Director, with additional aspects of it. In response to Keith’s comments: inputs from Drs. Daniel Pauly, Carl Walters, Villy Christensen and Reg Watson. In addition to ecosystem 1. With regard to Coral trout spawning, the information modelling, bio-economic and game theoretic modelling of provided by Keith in his letter is more convincing than that cooperative and non-cooperative (‘cheating’) scenarios were previously reported by A.F.C.D. or their consultants’ report performed by Drs. Rashid Sumaila and Gordon Munro. The but is still indirect evidence according to Society for the modelling and cost benefit analysis conducted by these Conservation of Reef Fish Aggregation guidelines (see eminent biologists indicated that the greatest economic www.scrfa.org/doc/Database.pdf). Direct evidence includes fisheries benefits could be achieved by the imposition of a observations of actual spawning (i.e. release of sperm and territory-wide trawl ban with artificial reefs and not by the eggs), or histological examination revealing hydrated eggs or establishment of 20% ‘no-take’ fisheries as advocated by postovulatory follicles. If Coral trout and other fishes are some fisheries biologists. As part of Phase II of the project spawning on the artificial reefs that is great, I am only artificial reefs have been deployed at Long Harbour and Port advocating caution where the evidence is equivocal. Shelter in locations where trawling is legally permitted but now cannot take place. The modelling supports our 2. For $100 million the public expects more from the artificial management strategy that reduction of trawling pressure reefs than simply a list of species and a “sleeping policeman” through the use of artificial reefs will bring significant role in preventing trawling, particularly in marine parks where benefits to the local fishery. Another interesting prediction by trawling is already prohibited. The ecosystem modeling the game theory modelling is that the greatest benefits are mentioned, while providing some predictive justification for realized only with fishers’ cooperation with or without the AR programme, is still just modeling. The onus is on artificial reefs. Designating Marine Reserves, which permit no A.F.C.D. to show fisheries enhancement in the real world as hunting and are often fiercely objected to by local fishers, is a predicted, and to use science to do it. If “control” sites are not strategy that many Green groups are now beginning to such then the term should not be used. st question (see New Scientist June 21 , A Greyer Shade of Green). 3. While this is not the place for an in-depth discussion about appropriate methodology, I believe monitoring of catches Apart from the ecosystem modelling and monitoring of the from Hong Kong waters before and after deployment of the natural habitats where the artificial reefs were deployed, plus artificial reefs should be an essential part of demonstrating the monitoring of the artificial reefs themselves, I fail to see fisheries enhancement. what more we could have done, that is practical, to gather data on the potential impacts and actual effects of the artificial reefs. In this context I would welcome any suggestions for Andy Cornish improving future monitoring of artificial reefs but I can see few constructive comments in this review. The new book provides an overview of artificial reefs in Hong Kong and catalogues the fish life that has been found interacting with them. It was produced in a spirit of openness as part of an ongoing programme of fisheries protection and enhancement, which has a majority of support from the fishing community.
Keith Wilson Hong Kong [email protected]
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Extreme low tides
Partial coral mortality was apparent at Coral Beach, within the Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park, when the coral community there was visited on the 17 July. The top 3 or so centimeters of all of the shallowest corals, mostly Platygyra species, were bleached white and covered in various gastropods. It seems Natural mortality of hard corals likely that the upper surfaces had been exposed to the air and sun for extended periods on the 14 and 15 July when there during summer 2003 were extremely low tides (0.04 m and 0.06 m, respectively at Tai Po Kau, Hong Kong Observatory pers. comm.) and that the dead tissue was subsequently being eaten by the by Andy Cornish gastropods. Such mortality limits the vertical growth of corals on shallow reefs resulting in “micro-atolls” of massive corals, Natural mortality in local coral communities was observed where growth is only possible horizontally leading to colonies during July and August 2003 and attributed to 3 possible with a large dead eroded center and a ring of living tissue on causes, Drupella, low tides and typhoon Imbudo. the sides.
Drupella outbreak Typhoon Imbudo
Several hundred Drupella cf. rugosa snails were observed Typhoon Imbudo hit Hong Kong on the 24 July, causing feeding in dense concentrations on four large (around 70 cm damage to many large coral colonies in the Hoi Ha Wan and in height) Platygyra cf. sinensis colonies at Sharp Island on 10 Ping Chau Marine Parks. At Moon Island in Hoi Ha, a number July (Fig. 1). All four colonies were within 5 m of each other of large, internally bio-eroded Platygyra colonies in the and at < 3 m depth. When the site was revisited on 17 July the shallowest waters (< 2 m depth) toppled over. Also, at least majority of each colony had been completely stripped of live six large black coral colonies (Antipathes sp.) snapped near tissue and another colony nearby of the same species was the base, or the holdfast came free, and they were transported being attacked. The largest quantitative survey of the from depths of > 7 m into shallower waters. This species is phenomenon in Hong Kong (Morton and Blackmore, 2000) bush-like with numerous branches which must create noted that while Acropora pruinosa seems to be the favourite significant drag in the water, making them vulnerable to prey of Drupella rugosa, other species may be attacked when strong surges. Coral Beach (Hoi Ha) is dominated by Pavona the Acropora is scarce, such as at Sharp Island. That report decussata and less damage was evident although some concluded that such outbreaks posed “little threat” to coral individual Pavona plates and a large stand measuring around communities in Hong Kong, in part because the Drupella 2 x 1 x1 m had pulled out of the sand and fallen over. At Ping normally only eat the connective tissue between polyps, Chau the primary damage was caused by various species of allowing subsequent recovery. In the case reported in 2003, massive coral including Platygyra cf. sinensis separating at however, all tissue was removed with the loss of several the base from the siltstone bedrock and toppling down a decades-old colonies. siltstone “step.” There was also one small patch at < 2 m depth where loose siltstone slabs had been moved considerably by the waves, smashing corals in their path. Although greater than the damage caused by the direct hit of Typhoon Victor in 1997, I estimate that < 5% of all coral colonies were affected in both parks and even those that toppled should still be able to grow on those living surfaces not now smothered by sand etc.
Bibliography
Morton, B. & Blackmore, G. (2000). The impacts of an outbreak of corallivorous gastropods, Drupella rugosa and Cronia margariticola (Muricidae), on Hong Kong’s scleractinian corals. Final report to The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China 30 April 2000. Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong. pp 48.
Fig. 1. Drupella cf. rugosa snails feeding on Platygyra cf. sinensis at Sharp Island
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Bibliography Rediscovery of a rare skipper ─ Bascombe, M., Johnston, G. & Bascombe, F. (1999). The Butterflies of Hong White-banded Awl (Hasora Kong. London: Academic Press. taminatus) by Yik Fui Lo Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, 6/F., Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon [email protected]
On 29 May 2003, during a field trip in Pat Sin Leng Country Park, many leaf shelters were spotted on Derris alborubra (Fabaceae). Several skipper larvae were found inside the shelters and two were collected. The larvae pupated on 2 June and a male and female emerged on 11 June. The adults were examined and identified as Hasora taminatus.
Hasora taminatus is one of the rarest skippers in Hong Kong as only two specimens were known locally and no immature stage has been recorded (Bascombe, 1997). Since the last specimen was taken in 1957, this species has not been recorded in Hong Kong for nearly half a century. Fig. 1. Adult male of Hasora chromus (upperside). Five Hasora species have been recorded in Hong Kong. Among them, Hasora chromus (Figs. 1-4) and Hasora Fig. 2. Underside of an adult male of Hasora chromus. taminatus (Fig. 5-12) highly resemble each other. In both species, the hindwing underside of both sexes has a white postdiscal band; the male forewing upperside is spotless and the female forewing has two small hyaline spots. The main differences between the two species are shown in the table below:
H. taminatus H. chromus
Derris alborubra
(Fabaceae) and Pongamia pinnata Larval Foodplant probably (Fabaceae)
Millettia sp.
Female Forewing Smaller and Larger and Spots round elongate
Underside Gloss Metallic green Pale purple
However, a worn specimen may lose its underside gloss and makes identification more difficult. As many larvae were seen on Derris alborubra in that area on the same day, Hasora Fig. 3. Upperside of an adult female Hasora chromus taminatus could be locally common in Pat Sin Leng area. Fig. 4. Underside of an adult female Hasora chromus.
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Fig. 9. Last (fifth) instar larva of Hasora taminatus
Fig. 5. Upperside of an adult male Hasora taminatus.
Fig. 6. Underside of an adult male Hasora taminatus.
Fig. 10. Prepupatory larva of Hasora taminatus.
Fig. 11. Pupa (dorsal view) of Hasora taminatus.
Fig. 7. Upperside of an adult female Hasora taminatus.
Fig. 8. Underside of an adult female Hasora taminatus.
Fig. 12. Pupa (lateral view) of Hasora taminatus.
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Recently, these photo records have been sent to the leading A photo record of the coral reef authority of Stomatopoda, Dr. Shane T. Ahyong of the Department of Marine Invertebrates, Australian Museum for mantis shrimp, Pseudosquilla further identification. The photographed stomatopod is ciliata in Hong Kong confirmed to be Pseudosquilla ciliata (Fabricius, 1787) by Dr Ahyong. Probably, it is the first record of this reef stomatopod species in Hong Kong waters. This is a widespread coral reef by Ming-Hong Cheung, Joey K.W. species, which have been found in Australia, Vietnam and 1 Indo-West Pacific (Ahyong 2001). Due to its wide occurrence Leung and Kenny Leung throughout the region of South East Asia, it is not surprising
1 that P. ciliata also inhabits in the coral reef area of Hong International Elite Divers Training Centre, Ltd. Kong. Although this photographed specimen is green in colour, it is important to sound a note that the colour of the There is virtually no documentation or record of coral reef species is amazingly variable and can vary from lemon yellow associated Stomatopoda (i.e. mantis shrimps) in Hong Kong, to mottled green or brown to black-green; they can change as most local studies on stomatopod Crustacea have been their colour dramatically between moults (Ahyong, personal conducted in deeper waters (i.e. >20 m in water depth) using communication). Detailed information regarding the shrimp trawlers (Lai et al. 2003). On 18 May 2003, Ming- morphology and identification of this species can be found in Hong Cheung and Joey Leung were diving at the south of Ahyong (2001). Shelter Island, Port Shelter, Hong Kong (Grid reference: 22° 19’N 114° 18’E; water depth: ca. 8 m and visibility: 10 m) This is, once again, a good example to illustrate how much we where they discovered and photographed a greenish mantis still don’t know about the diversity of marine life in the shrimp walking across the coral reef area (Figs. 1 & 2). The marine environment of Hong Kong. In future, more studies total length of this stomatopod was ca. 100 mm estimated by should be carried out with a view to deepening our knowledge the divers. It could move very fast on the seabed and was about the diversity and ecology of reef Stomatopoda in Hong occasionally hidden under the sediment or reef structure. Kong.
Acknowledgements
The authors are very grateful to Dr Shane Ahyong for species identification and invaluable information about this reef stomatopod species.
Bibliography
Ahyong, S.T. (2001). Revision of the Australian Stomatopod Crustacea. Records of the Australian Museum, Supplement 26. 327 pp.
Lai, C.H., Tsui, J.C.Y. & Leung, K.M.Y. (2003). Distribution and demography of Stomatopoda in the subtidal marine environment of Hong Kong. In: Turning the Tides - A Festschrift in Honour of Professor Brian Morton, (ed. P.K.S. Shin), The Marine Biological Association of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. pp. 159-183.
Fish checklist grows further at Cape d’Aguilar
by Andy Cornish
Despite poor visibility at the Marine Reserve all summer, a number of new records have been made in recent months. On Figs. 1 & 2. The coral reef mantis shrimp Pseudosquilla 25 June a small school of Silvery Moony (Monodactylus ciliata found at Shelter Island, Port Shelter. argenteus) were recorded at 10 m depth. The same day, a 35 9 cm Giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) was observed in revelations are by no means complete, but two recent papers a small cave (Fig. 1). This huge species, which can reach 2.30 are relevant to Hong Kong birds. The first shows, using m in length, has been very rare in Hong Kong in recent mitochondrial sequence data, that the White-bellied Yuhina decades although a few have been seen on artificial reefs in (Yuhina zantholeuca) (Fig. 1) is not related to the other recent years (Wilson 2003). There has also been a resident yuhinas – which it doesn’t look like anyway - or even the school of Rivulated parrotfish (Scarus rivulatus) consisting of other babblers (Cibois et al., 2002). The second shows, using four terminal males and more then ten initial phase females. sequences of three mitochondrial genes, that the Japanese Although the females are relatively abundant locally, this is White-eye (Zosterops japonica) (Fig. 2) is not only a babbler, the first time I have seen a male in > 700 dives. A 20 cm but is also closely related to the two yuhinas included in the terminal male Globehead parrotfish (Scarus globiceps) seen analysis (Y. gularis and Y. diademata) (Cibois, 2003). on 10 July with the Rivulated parrotfishes is not just a new Although only one white-eye was included, the other record for the reserve, but also for Hong Kong. The Zosterops species are so similar they (but not necessarily the cumulative total of reef fishes at Cape d’Aguilar (see More rest of the family) must all belong with the babblers. This new fishes from the Cape d’Aguilar Marine Reserve, study also – less surprisingly – placed the Sylvia warblers Porcupine! 28) is now 184. firmly within the babblers, as well as the American Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata) (for which, see also Barhoum & Burns, Bibliography 2002). The laughingthrushes are not only back among the babblers (from which they had been separated by Sibley and Wilson K.D.P. (2003). Artificial Reefs and Reef Fish in Hong Monroe), but also not monophyletic. The Chinese Babax Kong. Friends of the Country Parks, A.F.C.D. and Cosmos (Babax lanceolatus) appears to be part of a group containing Books. pp 176. the White-browed Laughingthrush (Garrulax sannio). With all these inclusions, the expanded babblers now range throughout Africa and Eurasia to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, with the Wrentit as an outlier in North America.
Fig.1. Giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) at the Lema Islands, China. (Photo: Andy Cornish)
Trouble with babblers: the Fig. 1 “The White-bellied Yuhina” is neither a yuhina nor a babbler. (Photo: Kwok Hon Kai) White-bellied Yuhina is neither Bibliography a yuhina nor a babbler, but the Barhoum, D.N. & Burns. K.J. (2002). Phylogenetic relationships of the Japanese White-eye is both wrentit based on mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences. Condor 104: 740- 749. by Richard T. Corlett Cibois, A. (2003). Mitochondrial DNA phylogeny of babblers (Timaliidae). Auk 120: 35-54.
Alice Cibois has devoted most of her short career to sorting Cibois, A., Slikas, B., Schulenberg, T.S. & Pasquet E. (2001). An endemic out the phylogeny of the babblers – a group traditionally radiation of Malagasy songbirds is revealed by mitochondrial DNA sequence defined to include mostly Asian, mostly forest, mostly more data. Evolution 55: in press. or less insectivorous birds. The traditional babblers are Cibois, A., Pasquet, E. & Schulenberg, T.S. (1999). Molecular systematics of extremely diverse in morphology, ecology and behaviour, and the Malagasy babblers (Passeriformes: Timaliidae) and Warblers it has been obvious for a long time that the conventional (Passeriformes: Sylviidae), based on cytochrome b and 16S rRNA sequences. classification of the 200 or so species was a mess. Exactly Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 13: 581-595. how much of a mess is being revealed one paper at a time (Cibois et al., 1999, 2001, 2002; Cibois, 2003). The 10
Cibois, A., Kalyakin, M.V., Han, L.X. & Pasquet, E. (2002). Molecular The only bird species occurring in Hong Kong that have been phylogenetics of babblers (Timaliidae): revaluation of the genera Yuhina and shown to have the UVS form are the Blackbird (Turdus Stachyris. Journal of Avian Biology 33 :380-390. merula), the Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), and the Pekin Robin (Leiothrix lutea), but it has also been found in non-Hong Kong species of tits (Parus), munias (Lonchura), leaf warblers (Phylloscopus) and gulls (Larus) (Ödeen & Håstad, 2003). More generally, it appears that most passerine birds have cones with peak sensitivity in the UV, with all exceptions so far being either crows (Corvus) or tyrannids. In contrast, all non-passerines tested, apart from gulls, parrots and the rhea, have had the violet-sensitive form of the cone pigment. Hong Kong species shown to have the VS form include several species of raptor, the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), the Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius), the Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus), the Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) and the Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra). The UVS/VS character state is controlled by a single nucleotide difference, so one would expect bird species to rapidly evolve whichever form is most adaptive, but we are still a long way from understanding what factors control this. Fig. 2. The Japanese White-eye is a babbler. If prey detection is the most important factor, why are gulls UV-sensitive and raptors violet-sensitive? Why are both The Ultraviolet Whistling character states found among frugivores, insectivores and granivores? Perception of the colour of an object depends not Thrush and avian colour vision only on its reflectance properties, but also on the background colour(s) and the ambient light conditions, so predicting the most useful form is not easy. by Richard T. Corlett
The retinas of most birds have four different classes of cones, rather than the three we have in our retinas. Birds have visual pigments maximally sensitive in the red, green and blue parts of the spectrum, like us, plus an additional pigment that is most sensitive in either the violet (400-426 nm) or the ultraviolet (355-380 nm). Note that although the peak sensitivities differ between the two forms of the fourth pigment – called VS and UVS, respectively – they both permit birds to detect ultraviolet light. A number of experimental studies have now shown that birds use their ability to see UV in much the same way as they use other parts of the visual spectrum, i.e., for finding prey and for signaling to other members of their species. Birds are often more brightly coloured in the UV than they are in our visual range. The feathers of our familiar Violet (or Blue) Whistling Thrush (Myiophonus caeruleus), for example, display a peak reflectance at around 340 nm and they must appear much Fig. 1. The Ultraviolet Whistling Thrush (Myiophonus brighter to each other than they do to us (Prum et al., 2003). caeruleus) (Photo: Elsa Lee) Other studies have shown that many fruits that appear black to human ecologists reflect strongly in the UV, and that these Confused? Me too. Clearly, we have a long way to go before fruits become less attractive to frugivores if this UV signal is the evolution and ecology of bird vision is fully understood. It reduced (e.g. Altshuler, 2001). This presumably explains why is also likely that studies on a wider range of bird species will “black”, rather than the more conspicuous – to us - red, is the show that the situation is even more complex than it appears commonest fruit colour in Hong Kong (Corlett, 1996). Leaves at present. One lesson is clear, however: we cannot use what and bark reflect little UV so a UV-bright fruit will be as we see as a guide to the colour world perceived by birds. conspicuous as a red one to a UV-sensitive bird. And it is not Indeed this is not only true for birds: many reptiles and fish, just fruit: both raptors (e.g. Koivula & Viitala, 1999) and some amphibians and some rodents can see UV light, while shrikes (Probst et al., 2002) use the UV-reflecting scent marks most mammals lack red-sensitive cones and are thus red-green of rodents to detect areas where they are active. colour blind. Invertebrates have an even wider range of visual
systems. Of all the thousands of animal species in Hong 11
Kong, vertebrate and invertebrate, only the macaques see the the birds with a pair of decent Olympus 7x binoculars I hadn’t world in the same way that we do. noticed previously. I borrowed these off him and just in time, as the sun hit the top of the canopy and the true beauty of the Bibliography birds became apparent, three more males appeared and the contest to attract the ladies reached a new intensity. Their Altshuler, D.L. (2001). Ultraviolet reflectance in fruits, ambient light efforts weren’t wasted as within minutes, one and then composition and fruit removal in a tropical forest. Evolutionary Ecology another of the drab females landed in the tree. The males were Research 3: 767-778. visibly excited but the rules of courtship appeared to be that Corlett, R.T. (1996). Characteristics of vertebrate-dispersed fruits in Hong the female had to make the first move, even after one of the Kong. Journal of Tropical Ecology 12: 819-833. females liked what she saw, and hopped up to one of them. He started swaying from side to side in front of her and things Koivula, M. & Viitala, J. (1999). Rough-legged buzzards use vole scent marks to assess hunting areas. Journal of Avian Biology 30: 329-332. seemed to be going well but they disappeared behind some foliage and it was impossible to say whether copulation took Ödeen, A. & Håstad, O. (2003). Complex distribution of avian color vision place. On the way back later we also saw Blyth’s hornbill systems revealed by sequencing the SWS1 opsin from total DNA. Molecular (Rhyticeros plicatus), Eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus) and Biology and Evolution 20: 855-861. Sulphur crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita). HK$ 50 for the Probst, R., Pavlicev, M. & Viitala, J. (2002). UV reflecting vole scent marks guide may not seem much but it is more than a weeks wages attract a passerine, the great grey shrike Lanius excubitor. Journal of Avian for many Indonesians and counters the money to be made Biology 33: 437-440. from killing the birds for island villagers who have virtually
Prum, R.O., Andersson, S. & Torres, R.H. (2003). Coherent scattering of no other sources of income. ultraviolet light by avian feathers. Auk 120: 163-170. Hong Kong’s common rat Birds of Paradise in Irian Jaya, species Indonesia by Kylie Chung by Andy Cornish There are two common rat species in Hong Kong – Niviventer In late July I visited the Raja Ampat Islands in Irian Jaya (also fulvescens (Fig. 1) and Rattus sikkimensis (Fig. 2). N. known as West Papua) to dive their superb coral reefs. On a fulvescens, which is also called the chestnut spiny rat, has day off (the Papuan staff were all Seventh Day Adventists and unmistakable beautiful bright chestnut back fur interspersed so do not work Saturdays), I took the opportunity the visit with spines and a white belly. The bicolored tail with darker some nearby Birds of Paradise, birds that are mostly endemic upper part is another characteristic of this species. The body is to New Guinea. Wake-up was at 5 am and a boat sped me about 13 – 16 cm and the tail is usually 2 – 5 cm longer than across the channel from our dive camp on Kri Island to the the body. The other rat, R. sikkimensis is larger and looks much larger Gam Island. A guide appeared out of the dark more like a typical rat. It has greyish brown upperpart with from the local village and led me by torch for a half hour trek long black guard hair and the underpart can vary from creamy up into the rainforest where a crude hide had been made 10 m white to pale greyish. Body length is about 17 – 22 cm and the up a tree looking over a traditional “display” tree for the Red tail can be a bit shorter though is usually about 2 - 4 cm Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra). Males of this spectacular longer. Its ears are comparatively smaller than those of N. species are bright red apart from a dark green head, yellow fulvescens. neck and chest and have many long tail feathers including two elongate “wire” feathers. P. rubra is endemic to a small They are abundant and can be found in grassland, shrubland, number of islands in western Irian Jaya and there are woodland and forest. Both species are nocturnal and stay in conservation concerns about it due to hunting for skins (the their nests during daytime. Their nests were found feathers are used in traditional costumes) and habitat underground or within big rock crevices by radio-tracking but degradation, according to Birdlife International some researchers have found that they can build nests in trees. (www.birdlife.net). Three males were present as dawn broke, Separation of nests of the two species was found to be smaller periodically their squawks would increase in frequency and than 20 m showing they share the same territory. they would fly up to some large, leafless branches at the top of the tree and above the forest canopy, extend their wings and Both species are omnivorous and eat different parts of plants, swoop back a perch several metres below. This went on for 20 like fruits, seeds, leaves, grass and flowers; and invertebrates, minutes and I wasn’t terribly impressed. The birds were a like beetles and termites (Chandrasekar-Rao, 1994). Though good 10 m away and above so I could see little more than a seeds are not a major part of their diet, they are important seed small silhouette, even through the zoom on my camera. predators. They usually only consume the fresh endosperm Worse, the mosquitos had discovered me. and leave the seed coat behind. However, intact small seeds, like Rhodomyrtus tomentosa and Melastoma sanguinium have I looked down to the forest floor expecting my guide to be been found in their faeces (Chandrasekar-Rao, 1994), thoroughly bored and was gobsmacked to find him watching indicating that they are potential small seed dispersers. 12
Bibliography we visited the nearby Longyan Meihuashan South China Tiger Breeding and Wild-Naturalizing Research Centre (the Chandrasekar-Rao, A. (1994) Distribution and ecology of Hong Kong small Tiger Centre) where we learned that a litter of cubs was due mammals, with special reference to seasonality. M.Phil Thesis, University of any day. Less than 24 hours later two cubs were born. Hong Kong. 106pp.
MNNR covers 22,168.5 ha in Longyan City of southwest Fujian Province. Access to the reserve from Hong Kong is by air to Xiamen, then by bus or taxi 160 km northwest to Longyan City, and a further 35 km northwest to Gutian. The Tiger Center covers 467 ha adjacent to MNNR some 18 km north of Gutian. Detailed physical, ecological, and anthropological descriptions of Meihuashan are given by Coggins (2003). Most of the lush forest cover of the nature reserve and the Tiger Centre has been protected since establishment of MNNR in 1985 and the Tiger Centre in 1998. Access to MNNR is restricted to researchers and government officials.
Tourists are welcomed at the Tiger Centre where captive wildlife can be viewed and a new visitor centre offers meals and souvenirs. New bungalows can be rented for overnight lodging. Over RMB¥20 million has been invested to date, and
a specimen museum and additional tourist bungalows were Fig. 1. Niviventer fulvescens under construction in July 2003. A fenced outdoor enclosure
of some 20 ha was built for a herd of 18 Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) that are held in smaller pens for tourist viewing. An adjacent aviary houses breeding populations of Green Peafowl (Pavo cristatus), Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), Silver Pheasant (Lophura nycthemera), and Chukar (Alectoris chukar). Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta) are held in captivity where some are in need of treatment for mange. The captive populations all serve as tourist attractions.
Tigers are held in a 7 ha portion of the 467 ha Tiger Centre consisting of an office-residence building, a multi-cage tiger holding and viewing area, and three fenced outdoor tiger enclosures. Up to 5 tigers live mostly outdoors in the smallest fenced enclosure of about 1 ha. Others are kept in cages to avoid conflicts between tigers. Contrary to reports on the world wide web (e.g. www.china.com.cn), tigers cannot yet
be released to roam the entire 467 ha of the Tiger Centre: Fig. 2. Rattus sikkimensis There is no perimeter fence to keep them in and no internal fencing to separate tigers from tourists.
Update on South China Tigers The 7 ha breeding and holding facility was near capacity with 12 tigers. Holding such a large captive population strains at Meihuashan National Nature expense budgets given the estimated annual feeding cost of RMB¥10,000 per tiger. During the second half of 2003 larger Reserve, Fujian Province, China enclosures are planned to hold tigers while they learn to feed on wild prey. Some of 12 tigers in the existing 7 ha facility by Tom Dahmer will be moved to the larger enclosures. The new enclosures will be separated from the old by a mountain ridge that will Ecosystems Ltd. [email protected] block visual and most aural contact between the sites. From the new enclosures tigers will be released directly to the wild Around 6 am on Sunday 20 July 2003 tiger number 4 gave in MNNR beginning no later than 2008 to coincide with the birth to two cubs, increasing the Meihuashan population of summer Olympic games to be hosted by China. captive South China Tigers from 12 to 14. I arrived at Meihuashan National Nature Reserve (MNNR) headquarters The total investment in the tiger re-introduction project is two days earlier, traveling from my base in Hong Kong with often quoted as RMB¥146 million (Eastday.com.cn 22 July Paul Hilton, a professional photographer. Saturday morning 2001). Most of this is in a long-term plan that has yet to be 13 approved, and much of it appears dedicated to capital construction. Some of the budget was approved for buildings, roads and landscaping from 1998 through 2003. Funding for construction and operations after 2003 has yet to be approved. MNNR generates income at a rate of RMB¥20-30,000 per month from tourist gate receipts. This is enough to feed 12 tigers but provides little extra for salaries and other operating expenses (RMB 8.1 yuan = US$1). Losing a leaflet: why “Schefflera
The two cubs born on 20 July were the first litter for tiger octophylla” is Schefflera number 4. They were rejected by their mother and were reared for a few weeks by Tiger Centre personnel. This is a heptaphylla challenge, most importantly in terms of food supply. While goat milk was being used as a short-term substitute for tiger milk I shipped Feline Veterinary Diet Kitten Nursing by Richard T. Corlett Support (Waltham) on my return to Hong Kong. Unfortunately the cubs died before the milk replacer arrived. Schefflera octophylla (Lour.) Harms. (Araliaceae) is probably the best-known native tree species in Hong Kong. Apart from The China Action Plan for Saving the South China Tiger being exceedingly common, it is instantly recognizable by its (SFA 2001) put the captive South China Tiger population at palmately compound leaves, with 5-10 leaflets radiating from 62 in June 2000. Since 1998 the Meihuashan population has the end of the stalk. The specific epithet “octophylla” means doubled in size. The SFA (ibid.) target for the captive “eight leaves”, which is a good way of remembering the plant population at Meihuashan was “at least 10 captive-bred ...cubs if you know Greek (or the Greek if you know the plant). Now before 2007 and [to] prepare an integrated habitat of over 600 for the bad news. In 1990, David Frodin, the undisputed world square kilometers before 2010 for reintroduction back to expert on Schefflera, published a paper showing that our tree nature”. Meihuashan has already bred 6 cubs at the Tiger should actually be called Schefflera heptaphylla (L.) Frodin, Center and an additional litter was expected in mid-August with the specific epithet now meaning “seven leaves”. The 2003. This indicates that the breeding program is ahead of full story (Frodin, 1990) is long and complicated, but the schedule and that the emphasis at Meihuashan could shift essential facts are clear and the picture of the type specimen away from breeding and rearing to preparation of habitats for will convince any doubters. The original name for this release of tigers into the wild. This is probably the greater specimen was published by Linnaeus in 1771 as Vitis challenge because decades of over-hunting have left little tiger heptaphylla. He described it as a climber – although nothing prey in most reserves in south China, probably including on the specimen itself suggests this – and this may have MNNR. The 467 ha Tiger Center has adequate land area and influenced his decision to place it in the grape genus, Vitis high-quality habitat to take the first step toward releasing (Vitaceae), which, in any case, he considered to be close to tigers into the wild. SFA (2001) includes budgets for 5 km of the ivy genus, Hedera (Araliaceae). Linnaeus did not mention fence, rehabilitation of abandoned farmland, and prey re- a source or collector, but simply gave its origin as “in India introduction. However, a critical shift in thinking will be orientali”. Later, however, it came to be believed that this required at MNNR before release of tigers can begin. The supposed Asian origin was an error and the specimen then Tiger Centre must become a place where tourists are protected became (incorrectly) associated with an American species of in fenced enclosures and tigers are set free: At present these Schefflera, until Frodin recognized it as the plant long known roles are reversed. as Schefflera octophylla. The Linnaean name was published 19 years before Loureiro’s and so has precedence. Bibliography
Coggins, C. (2003). The Tiger and the Pangolin: Nature, Culture, and Conservation in China. Univ. Hawaii Press, Honolulu. 339pp.
SFA. (2001). China Action Plan for Saving the South China Tiger. State Forestry Administration, Beijing.
Fig. 1 Schefflera hepaphylla 14
Bibliography new Assistant Professors who join Dr Benny Chan as part of the research team at SWIMS. These staff are joined by a Frodin, D.G. (1990) Studies in Schefflera (Araliaceae). IV. The identity of number of new (and not so new) postgraduates who are now Vitis heptaphylla L., a long-misplaced Linnaean ivy tree. Botanical Journal of able to either start, or return to, their work at SWIMS the Linnean Society 104: 309-324. following the renovations. With the new facilities and the fresh start we plan to report on the research and other activities in future issues of Porcupine!
The new renovations are nearing completion. The official university opening will take place sometime in late October – dependent on the availability of senior members of The Swire Group and HKUs Vice Chancellor. There will, however, soon be an “unofficial opening” to thank everyone for their help and support over the last year or so and to celebrate the new SWIMS with friends and colleagues at DEB. I hope many Porcupine! readers will be able to attend both the formal and informal meetings that we plan at SWIMS over the next year and …. onwards into the future…! Gray A. Williams Hon. Director SWIMS
This is the start of a new section to Porcupine! in which we shall provide a regular update on activities at SWIMS (Swire This column aims to introduce interesting species of Hong Institute of Marine Science). As most of you may know there Kong flora and fauna that might be encountered during have been some pretty major changes at SWIMS over the last fieldwork. Distinctive physical characteristics and some few months. The Institute has, thanks to the generosity of The interesting ecological facts are included for each example. Swire Group and matching funds from the University, undergone an extensive refurbishment. This is going hand-in- Editors : Jacqueline Weir ([email protected]) and hand with a change in staff and a new influx of postgraduates. David Poon ([email protected])
The renovation has involved connecting the laboratory, and “Desmos” by Ada Ng most importantly for all our residents, the residence block to the mains freshwater supply. Within the Institute we have Desmos Lour. is a small genus in the pantropical plant family extensively upgraded the aquarium and seawater system. Annonaceae. This genus comprises about 25-30 species. They Now, thanks to a consultants report, we have a much- are either climbers or scandent shrubs that often have leaves improved water supply, having removed the high sediment that are glaucous below. Some species have edible fruits while loads which were a constant problem. The aquarium has been some are commonly used as folk medicines in Asian gutted and a more flexible system installed including separate countries. rooms for controlled experimental work. The main laboratory has been totally renovated and redesigned to provide greater One Desmos species, D. chinensis, is found in Hong Kong. It working space per student, as well as to rationalize the central is a spreading shrub in shady places and may develop into a facilities such as the chemical stores, ovens, freezers etc. This higher climber. This species is widespread in Asia and has also freed up the old small laboratory, now remodelled as northern Australia. The plants are commonly found in thickets a molecular/analytical facility. Along with these major and hedges in Victoria Peak, Pokfulam Country Park, Tai Mo renovations, SWIMS has had a face-lift, with a new reception Shan, Tai Po Kau, Sai Kung, Lantau Island, Lamma Island area and external façade, and further improvements in the etc. The flowers open between April and July and fruit can be seminar room. More good news for our resident postgrads is observed from June to March of the following year. that we have been able to renovate the old residence block – and also plan to install Broadband connections. Phenology
In line with the renovation there has also been a change of The solitary flower is pendent on a pedicel and often terminal personnel as Prof Morton has retired and left Hong Kong. Drs or supra-axillary. Each flower consists of three sepals and six Kenny Leung and Cynthia Yau have just been appointed as valvate petals in two whorls. The outer three petals are longer 15 than the inner ones, with numerous stamens and carpels in the The shape of the fruits makes them more easily recognisable centre. Young flowers are green and inconspicuous. The outer than the flowers. From the end of the flower pedicel, a series petals open first followed by the inner ones, and then some of carpels radiates outwards like a chain of beads. The fruit time later the reproductive organs in the middle are exposed. are fleshy berries and each carpel contains one to several The petals grow in length and breadth and with the colour seeds with constrictions between each segment. They are gradually changing from green to light yellow. The lower part green and inconspicuous at first and then change to yellow in of each inner petal grows closer again and then coheres autumn. They finally mature to red and later turn to brownish together, forming a pollination chamber between the petals, purple. It is observed that the ripe fruit is dispersed by birds. and allowing insects, like beetles, to enter it. Check Desmos out as you go hiking in Hong Kong countryside!
Atyid shrimps in Hong Kong streams by Rita S.W. Yam
Atyid shrimps, notably the genus Caridina, are widespread in tropical and subtropical streams. They can act as filter- feeders, collector-gatherers and omnivorous scavengers (Hart, 1981; Pringle et al., 1993) and, because of their biomass and abundance, may play a key role in the organization of lotic communities.
Atyid shrimps have a long rostrum that usually extends beyond the eyes. They are sexually dimorphic after maturation; ovigerous females have large eggs, and the larvae undergo direct development (Dudgeon, 1987; Cai & Ng, 1999). Four species of Caridina shrimps have so far been found in Hong Kong. Caridina cantonensis (Fig. 3), C. apodosis and one previously unrecorded species C. trifasciata (Yam & Cai, in press) occur in streams in the mainland New Fig. 1. Mature flower of Desmos chinensis. Territories, while C. serrata is apparently endemic to Hong Kong Island (Cai & Ng, 1999; Yam, unpublished data). The flower is hermaphrodic and protogynous, and the stigmas become receptive before the pollen is released from the These tiny little shrimps range between 0.9 – 9.8 mm (C. anthers. During the pistilate phase, bright red marks can be cantonensis), and 1.2 – 7.4 mm (C. serrata) in carapace observed on the petals and at the same time, and strong fruity length. Caridina usually inhabit trailing vegetation at stream scent can be detected at a distance, especially during the banks. They are also found associated with leaf packs evenings. It is observed that small beetles are attracted by the accumulated in stream pools. Hong Kong atyids generally scent and they visit the flowers during this period. This stage have an annual life cycle and breed when water temperatures can last for 24 hours or longer and is followed by pollen exceed 20oC (i.e. spring and summer) (Dudgeon, 1985). Wet exposure. When the flower fades, the petals turn to rusty-red season spates are common in Hong Kong streams, direct and then drop. development of the Caridina larvae, therefore, reduces spate- induced mortality because the juveniles, as a small replica of the adults, are able to grasp trailing vegetation and roots thereby avoiding being swept away during spates.
Studies on the ecology of atyids shrimps have, however, received scant attention. As a result, it is difficult to make any generalizations about the possible ecological roles of atyids, especially in southeast Asia. My research begins at studying the population dynamics of C. cantonensis and C. serrata in Hong Kong streams. My study is further directed to investigate the role of atyid shrimps in the stream food webs using stable isotope analysis. As C. cantonensis and C. serrata are truly freshwater species, gene flow among populations may be highly limited as a result of their intolerance to high salinity and incapability of terrestrial dispersal. Therefore, my study also focuses on the genetic
differentiation of C. cantonensis and C. serrata. The results Fig. 2. Mature fruit of D. chinensis. could have conservation implications for C. serrata, which is apparently an island endemic.
16
Bibliography government. The document is available at http://www.etwb.gov.hk and the deadline for submission is 18 Cai, Y. & Ng, N.K. (1999). A revision of the Caridina serrata species group, October 2003. with descriptions of five new species (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea: Atyidae). Journal of Natural History 33: 1606-1638. For those who have yet to go through the document, please Dudgeon, D. (1985). The population dynamics of some freshwater carideans don't be misled by its name. I have to say this consultation (Crustacea: Decapoda) in Hong Kong, with special reference to Neocaridina document is not a full review of the conservation policy. serrata (Atyidae). Hydrobiologia 120: 141-149. There is neither an overall policy objective nor anything about
Dudgeon, D. (1987). The larval development of Neocaridina serrata marine conservation. Though there is a review in Chapter 2 of (Stimpson) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea: Atyidae). Archiv für the achievements and inadequacies of the existing Hydrobiologie 110: 339-355. conservation policy and measures on the terrestrial system, this paper focuses only on private land with high conservation Hart, R.C. (1981). Population dynamics and production of the tropical freshwater shrimp Caridina nilotica (Decapoda: Atyidae) in the littoral of value. The two new items that this consultation paper is Lake Sibaya. Freshwater Biology 11: 531-547. seeking for public opinions i.e. the scoring system for objective assessment of the relative ecological importance of Pringle, C.M., Blake, G.A., Covich, A.P., Buzby, K.M., Finley, A. (1993). sites and the various options to protect important sites are Effects of omnivorous shrimp in a montane tropical stream: sediment removal, disturbance of sessile invertebrates and enhancement of understory concerned primarily about private lands. algal biomass. Oecologia 93: 1-11. As far as I understand, the scoring system has two main goals. Yam, R.S.W. & Cai, Y. (in press). Caridina trifasciata, a new species of Firstly, it is intended to be an objective assessment system and freshwater shrimp (Decapoda: Atyidae) From Hong Kong. The Raffles Bullettin of Zoology. secondly, it assigns priorities to sites (private lands) that need action. Unlike other conservation prioritisation methods where diversity and the presence of rare or endemic species are the most commonly used criteria for selecting sites for conservation such as nature reserves (Prendergast et al., 1993) and larger scale biogeographic units such as hotspots (Myers at al. 2000) and ecoregions (Olson et al., 2001), the proposed scoring system, however, gives "habitat" criteria a higher rating (total 60%) than "species" criteria (total 40%). If you apply this system to many of the small biodiversity hotspots in Hong Kong e.g. a 0.5 ha Romer's Tree Frog marsh in So Kwu Wan, Lamma Island the score will be very low. In recent consultation meetings with the Environment, Transport and Works Bureau, it was clarified that the proposed scoring system would apply to private land only. Clearly, there is a need for making known the detailed conditions under which the scoring system will be applied.
Fig.3. "Caridina cantonensis" It is rather obvious that this system is designed to protect those ecologically "important" private lands such as Long Valley and Sha Lo Tung (Note: site names are not mentioned in the whole document) which are relatively large in size in the local context. Even so, the species criteria (1. Diversity & richness. 2. Rarity & endemism) should be rated higher than the habitat criteria (I propose 30 % each rather than 20 %). There are several reasons. Firstly, species diversity, richness, rarity and endemism can be more objectively determined than Nature outlook: consultation many of the habitat criteria. Secondly, the ultimate aim of the scoring system is to protect sites with relatively better document - review of nature biodiversity but not sites that are natural or can be recreated. On the other hand, the habitat criteria (altogether 5) should be conservation policy further refined. The "Naturalness" of a site is given 15% but many of the unnatural habitats in Hong Kong such as Gei Wai by Billy Hau and fish pond support rich biodiversity. Thus, naturalness should be cancelled or given very low weighting e.g. 5 %. The The long-awaited Hong Kong conservation policy review "Habitat diversity" weighting (15 %) is fine. The "Size" (10 paper was put out for public consultation on 17 July 2003 for %) should be the size of the major habitats of a site but not the 3 months. No matter whether you are a conservationist, size of the site. "Non-recreatability" (10%) and "Degree of ecologist, naturalist or just a nature lover, you should submit disturbance" (10%) are rather arbitrary. If they have to be your comments and opinions on this policy paper to the included, their weighting should be reduced (to say, 5 % each) 17 to achieve a more "objective" system. Some other important elements are not included in the proposed scoring system. For Conservation policy in Hong example, the rarity or uniqueness of habitat types in Hong Kong; the importance of a site as feeding ground, nursery Kong – marine matters ground or corridor for the neighbouring habitats. by Yvonne Sadovy Two options to better protect ecologically important sites under private ownership are proposed. In the first option, the A public consultation on nature conservation policy in Hong government will encourage NGOs to enter into agreements Kong is underway (www.etwb.gov.hk) (see the previous with landowners of those ecologically important private lands article by Billy for more details). As a first step, this initiative to manage the lands for conservation, education or ecotourism is to be welcomed but, in focusing with private land (and only with or without government subsidies. This option is fine but terrestrial) issues, it falls far short of what is needed in Hong it may not be applicable to many sites especially those with Kong. For example, it barely grazes the marine environment, hundreds of different land owners. The second option is more excluded on the basis that, in Hong Kong, terrestrial attractive, especially to developers who have such lands in conservation is the centre of debates and criticisms. This their reserve. This "Private-public partnership" option will ignores significant concern and years of commentary and enable developers to develop the less sensitive part of their work by many on and in the local marine environment. sites under the condition that they will manage the remaining part for conservation on long-term basis. This option should Is the marine realm so unimportant? The marine environment be practical as there is already such a case in Fung Lok Wai, covers a comparable area to the terrestrial one, contains over Tsim Bei Tsui. In the consultation document, many other 1,000 vertebrate species and thousands of invertebrates, is options are considered impracticable. However, I believe that arguably more threatened and is afforded virtually no the government should keep some of these options open. For conservation at all. Our single tiny marine reserve at Cape example, whilst it is not possible to resume or exchange lands d’Aguilar is the only protected marine area (other than those for conservation for all ecologically important private lands, it off limits for security or other purposes) (see Porcupine! 28, may be possible for selected sites. Finally, the concept of p. 1). With very few exceptions marine species are not setting up a conservation trust fund as proposed by NGOs protected; most would not be included under the Wild such as the Conservancy Association is unfortunately not Animals Protection Ordinance (CAP 170), in which "animal" included in this review. means any form of animal life other than fish and marine invertebrates. The latter fall under the Fisheries Protection In summary, I definitely welcome the release of this review Ordinance (CAP 171). This separation of fish and wildlife is paper and appreciate the efforts put by the relevant officials not unusual, and is found elsewhere. However, it typically involved. However, this should only be taken as the first stage presupposes that ‘fish’ (all forms of aquatic life and turtles of the conservation policy review. Hong Kong still needs a under CAP 171), commercial species at least, are comprehensive review of the nature conservation policy, appropriately managed under fisheries regulations, of which taking into account the inadequacies of the current policy and virtually none occur in practice in Hong Kong. measures from biodiversity inventory to the conservation of existing biodiversity and ecological restoration of degraded So, neither marine habitats nor the overwhelming majority of habitats. The Convention on Biological Diversity has well marine species have any protection at all in Hong Kong, nor planned templates for any administration to follow in are they likely to have any in the near future. From a formulating its conservation policy. conservation perspective, this is a serious shortcoming of the Nature Conservancy Policy; marine habitats are being Bibliography degraded and many species of fish have virtually disappeared from Hong Kong’s waters with at least one, the Chinese Myers, N. et al. (2000). Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. bahaba, Bahaba taipingensis, very probably close to Nature 403: 853-858. extinction (Sadovy & Cheung, 2003). This species is Olson, D.M. et al. (2001). Terrestrial ecoregions of the world: a new map of protected in mainland China, but not locally. life on Earth. BioScience 51: 933-938. There is clearly not only a need for a full review of the Prendergast, R. et al. (1993). Rare species, the coincidence of diversity hotspots and conservation strategies. Nature 365: 335-337. conservation policy but a much greater emphasis on marine issues. The opportunity to comment on this shortcoming in the current consultation exercise should be taken. In the longer term, we must work towards developing a comprehensive listing of marine species of conservation concern, and practical but effective approaches to marine conservation. Comments on the consultation should be submitted by the October 18th deadline. Please participate in this process.
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snake shops and 600 employees in Hong Kong. (SCMP, “In the News” 29.5.2003) by Jacqueline Weir, Sukh Mantel and Reclamation work proposed by the SAR government at the Western District, Tsuen Wan Bay and Sham Tseng was put on Jasmine Ng hold due to the state of the property market and budget deficit. Environmentalists welcomed the moves. (SCMP, 29.5.2003) Reuters News Service stories can be accessed at www.planetark.org. China and International News can be A retrospective environmental impact assessment (EIA) on accessed on the web version of Porcupine! the World Wide Fund for Nature’s Marine Life Centre was urged by Hoi Ha Wan residents to protect the fragile Marine The Hong Kong government will not buy sites of ecological Park area where visitor numbers have increased dramatically. importance from land owners, according to a consultation (SCMP, 2.6.2003) paper to be released. Additionally, a proposal on land-swap, which allows private landlords to give up development rights Dioxin contamination at the Cheoy Lee Shipyard boosted on ecologically important land for compensatory land cleanup cost for the Disney project, with uncertainty as to elsewhere, is not expected to pass. Instead public-private whether the former shipyard operator would pay the extras. partnerships between non-governmental organisations (NGO) (SCMP, 2.6.2003) and private landowners will be introduced. Under this scheme, government will provide subsidies to the NGOs and the The government failed to stop illegal dumping of hundreds of owners. The areas where this will occur includes wetlands of tonnes of soil from two government projects, threatening 200 Mai Po and around Deep bay, Sha Lo Tung, Tai Ho, Wu Kau bird species in a conservation zone in Shuen Wan. (SCMP, Tang, Yung Shue O, Luk Keng, Long Valley and Ho Sheung 23.5.2003) Heung. Green groups cautiously welcomed the proposal suggesting that it will work only if landowners, villagers and Considering both ecology and human health issues, mainland developers cooperate. (SCMP, 14.7.2003) and Hong Kong green groups have demanded a ban on the eating of wild animals. (SCMP, 23.5.2003) A survey of 2000 Hong Kong people, including environmental specialists and students, highlighted the need Proposed by the Green Island Cement, Hong Kong’s first for including marine parks in the government’s proposed large-scale waste incinerator that turns waste into cement at scoring system for potential conservation sites. The new Lung Kwu Tan is facing public consultation. Green groups, scoring system by the government, as part of its new politicians and residents feared that with carcinogenic dioxin conservation policy, will only include privately owned land emission, the cement plant would pose serious health hazards. outside country parks and does not include marine parks. (SCMP, 6.6.2003) Three sites out of 20 that were recognized by the people surveyed as having highest conservation value were Tung The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Ping Chau, Hoi Ha Wan, and islands of Sha Chau and Lung (AFCD) received reports of giant lizards – probably water Kwu Chau. Activities of littering by tourists, illegal fishing monitors and endangered Bengal monitors – in New and disturbance to marine animals, such as dolphins, continue Territories villages. They were suspected to be escapes which even in marine parks. (SCMP, 26.7.2003) were originally being smuggled to mainland restaurants. (SCMP, 13.4.2003) Greenpeace China has highlighted the issue of waste incineration in Hong Kong with a representative interrupting Gloria Chau expressed concern on using mixed fish-feed to Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa’s opening speech at a feed maricultured fish in Hong Kong waters, fearing that tourism conference with the slogan “Support tourism, no massive removal of these small fishes might affect ecosystem incineration”. The government proposes to build the world’s structure. (SCMP, 28.6.2003) largest incinerator in Hong Kong. (SCMP, 15.7.2003) Hoi Ha residents protested against the World Wide Fund for Snorkelers disturbed coral communities in the Tung Ping Nature’s (WWF) Marine Centre during a charity walk raising Chau Marine Park, drawing the attention of conservationists funds for the Centre in the area, criticizing WWF’s ignorance to the negative impacts of city-dwellers on natural on the vulnerable marine populations and impacts of visitors ecosystems. (Apple Daily, 28.5.2003) in the Marine Park area. (SCMP, 28.4.2003)
Calm and warm weather trapped pollutants in the air and Once thought to colonise only islands off Sai Kung, long- pushed the air pollution index (API) up in Hong Kong. missed re-visitors Roseate Terns set new homes around Po (SCMP, 19.6.2003) Toi waters. Over 200 individuals of this rare tern species, which has a population of only around 60 000 worldwide, With the coronavirus found in civets, monkeys, snakes and were found breeding on these southern-most islands of Hong bats, the mainland was considering banning snake trade so as Kong. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation to control the spread of SARS. This might affect 70 local Department (AFCD) urged tern-watching organizations and 19 the public to reduce disturbance to this vulnerable species. (Mingpao Daily, 3.8.2003)
The Housing Authority (HA) developed a new technique which need not remove natural plantations to stabilise slopes. (Oriental Daily, 6.7.2003)
To improve cross-border efforts in tackling air pollution, the Any sightings of civets, mongooses, ferret badgers, leopard United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change cats, barking deer, pangolins and porcupines – live or dead – and the Kyoto Protocol, which control the emission of should be reported. Rare birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, greenhouse gases, were extended from the Mainland to Hong or unusual behaviour by common species, are also of interest, Kong. Although the protocol has not yet come into effect, it as are rare or interesting invertebrates and plants. If you was anticipated that it would bring far-reaching social and think it is interesting, our readers probably will! Please give economical implications. (SCMP, 29.5.2003) dates, times and localities as accurately as possible
Greenpeace campaigned for the introduction of mandatory MAMMALS labeling of genetically-modified (GM) ingredients in baby- food. However the government insisted that safety reviews on On 11 April Kwok Hon Kai and Vincent Lai saw a Javan GM products could be taken into account prior to their release Mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) trying to attack a Common into the market and that such labeling should be voluntary. Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosus) on a fishpond bund near the (SCMP, 28.4.2003) embankment of the channelised Shenzhen River near Ho Hok Wai. The mongoose failed. Three, including the alpha-male which is the leader, from a pack of wild monkeys were trapped by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) in Tai Wai after complaints from the neighbourhood were received. It was pointed out that the monkey population in Hong Kong grew by about 5.5 % to 7.8 % a year, and the Department was testing contraceptive injections to control the monkey population. (SCMP, 2.6.2003)
Over ten thousand reptiles – 10,260 Malaysian box turtles and 17 box tortoises – were seized by Customs officers at Kwai Chung. With only four surviving reptiles, they had been intended for live sale in Guangdong. (SCMP, 11.7.2003)
Hong Kong SARS experts questioned why forestry officials in Guangdong decided to lift the ban on trade and transportation Paul Crow obtained an infra-red camera trap picture of a Dog of wild animals, even though microbiologists detected SARS faced Fruit Bat (Cynopterus sphinx) feeding on nectar of a virus in civets and nearly 90 % of Guangdong residents were banana flower in the lower agricultural/residential area of Tai in favour of such legislation. (SCMP) Po Kau nature reserve. It was photographed on 26 March.
To find cleaner fuels and to improve air quality, Cheung Kong Infrastructure (CKI) and a Canadian-based company, Stuart Energy, invested in a one-year trial of a hydrogen-powered bus. Over the test period, the cost effectiveness of the vehicle and the technical feasibility of using the potential clean fuel, hydrogen, will be reviewed, and if it proves successful, this technology might be applied to buses in Hong Kong and on the mainland. (SCMP, 12.7.2003)
A Hong Kong triad was linked to the execution-style killings of two Hong Kong businessmen in Fiji in an apparent dispute over the shark fin trade. There is a billion-dollar-a-year trade between the South Pacific and Hong Kong. There is a lucrative shark fin trade operating out of Suva, the Fijian Capital and the murders were possibly due to a price war. (SCMP, 24.8. 2003)
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Yu Yat Tung, Jacqui Weir and Aidia Chan saw a Small On 28 March, Ken Ching photographed a small frogfish at Indian Civet (Viverricula indica) in shrubland near the top Kat O which was subsequently identified by Andy Cornish as car park of Tai Mo Shan at around 10.30 am on 5 August. It a Striated frogfish (Antennarius striatus), a new species for was causing great disturbance to birds in the area. Hong Kong. The frogfish was around 7-8 cm in length and was at 2 m depth. Billy Hau and Jacqui Weir noticed a Masked Palm Civet (Paguma larvata) on the podium of the Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, HKU, at around 8.45pm on 17 August. It appeared to move down the steps into the garden area below.
BIRDS
Kwok Hon Kai reported the following bird sightings:
A flock of 4 Mountain Bulbuls (Hypsipetes leucocephalus) in Tai Po Kau on 29 March 03. Only six birds were seen in Tai Po Kau throughout winter 02/03.
AMPHIBIANS/REPTILES Two juvenile Rufous-capped Babbler (Stachyris ruficeps) begging food from their parents in Tai Po Kau on 27 April. One late afternoon in early May, Robert Davison saw two 2 m Common Rat Snakes (Ptyas mucosus) being mobbed by A dead Chinese Starling (Sturnus chinensis) and a dead some sparrow-sized birds who seemed anxious to protect their Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) right under a line nests. Many of the birds were in the area - in trees, bushes and designed to discourage cormorants from landing in fishponds on the ground, all chattering vociferously. One bird actually in Lut Chau. The two birds may have died from collision with pecked one of the snakes. the line. Louis Cheung saw a sea turtle in Long Ke Wan, Sai Kung, on Yu Yat Tung mist-netted two Large Grass Warblers 10 August at around 11.30 am. It was about 100 cm in (Graminicola bengalensis) on Tai Mo Shan in July and early carapace width and was swimming about 20 m away from the August. These birds have a restricted range in Hong Kong, rocky shore. It had a light brown head. and are found mainly in this area. An adult Big Headed Terrapin (Platysternon megacephalum) was seen in a stream on Tai Mo Shan by FISH Jacqui Weir on 31 July. It was resting on a rock and jumped into the water when approached. On 12 July, Captain Wong saw one Racoon Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula) at Tung Wan, Double Island. Although Aidia Chan and Jacqui Weir found a road-killed Chinese Slug this fish is regarded as rare in Reef Fishes of HK, this species Snake (Pareas chinensis) in the upper car park of Tai Mo has become more widespread in the few years since the Shan on 6 August. publication of the book in 2000 (Andy Cornish, pers comm).
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INSECTS Lau, P.F. (2003). Knowing Hong Kong Marine Parks. AFCD, Hong Kong. A rare male dragonfly Rhodothemis rufa was sighted by Kwok Hon Kai in a fishpond near Shenzhen River on 10 Lock, N.Y. (2003). Hong Kong Country Parks - Natural April. Charms. Friends of the Country Parks, Hong Kong.
Kwok Hon Kai saw a male Rhyiothemis triangulare Lock, N.Y., & Hui, W.L. (2003). Appreciating Wild Birds. triangulare dragonfly in an abandoned fishpond near the Toll Friends of the Country Parks, Hong Kong. Plaza of Route 3 on 5 May. This species is uncommon in Hong Kong. Morton, B. (ed.) (2003). Perspectives on Marine Environmental Change in Hong Kong and Southern China, 1977-2001. Swire Institute of Marine Science, HKU, Hong Kong. [Details in the next issue].
Shin, P.K.S. (ed.) (2003). Turning the Tides: A Festschrift in Honour of Professor Brian Morton. Marine Biological Association of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. [Details in the next issue].
Williams, G.A. (2003). Rocky Shores: Hong Kong Field Guides 1. DEB & Wan Li Book Co. Ltd., Hong Kong.
Yiu, V. (2003). Photo Index of Hong Kong Butterflies. Hong Kong Lepidopterist's Society, Hong Kong.
Zhang, L. (2003). An updated and annotated inventory of Hong Kong bryophytes. Memoirs of the Hong Kong Natural History Society 26: 1-133.
Journal articles, book chapters and other published papers
Angelini, F., & Cooter, J. (1999). The Agathidiini of China with descriptions of twelve new species of Agathidium Panzer (Coleoptera: Leiodidae). Oriental Insects 33: 187-232.
Baker, D.B. (2002). On the identity of Ceratina hieroglyphica Smith (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophoridae) [New Books, monographs etc. HK species]. Reichenbachia 34: 357-373.
AFCD (2003). Lantau Island: Its beautiful countryside. Bi, D.Y., Zhang, W.N., & Lau, C.S.K. (2001). Study on the Friends of the Country Parks, AFCD & Cosmos Books, Hong walking stick insects (Phasmatodea) and the genus Sipyloidea Kong. from Hong Kong District of China. Entomotaxonomia 23: 253-258. AFCD (2003). The Peak. Friends of the Country Parks & Cosmos Books, Hong Kong. Bussaban, B., Lumyong, S., Lumyong, P., Hyde, K.D., & McKenzie, E.H.C. (2003). Three new species of Pyricularia Chan, B.K.K., & Caley, K.J. (2003). Sandy Shores. Hong are isolated as zingiberaceous endophytes from Thailand. Kong Field Guides 4. DEB & Wan Li Book Co. Ltd., Hong Mycologia 95: 519-524. Kong. Chan, B.K.K. (2003). Studies on Tetraclita squamosa and Dudgeon, D. (2003). Hillstreams. Hong Kong Field Guides 2. Tetraclita japonica (Cirripedia: Thoracica) II: Larval DEB & Wan Li Book Co. Ltd., Hong Kong. morphology and development. Journal of Crustacean Biology 23: 522-547. Environment, Transport and Works Bureau (2003). Nature Outlook: Public Consultation on Review of Nature Chandrasekar-Rao, A., & Musser, G.G. (1993). New Conservation Policy. Hong Kong Government, Hong Kong. distribution record for Mus caroli. Mammalia 57: 462-463. [Old and often overlooked!] Hau, B.C.H. (2003). Hillsides. Hong Kong Field Guides 3. DEB & Wan Li Book Co. Ltd., Hong Kong. 22
Cheung, K.H., & Gu, J.D. (2003). Reduction of chromate conditions in three soils of China. Chemosphere 52: 1515- (CrO42-) by an enrichment consortium and an isolate of 1521. marine sulfate-reducing bacteria. Chemosphere 52: 1523- 1529. Gu, J.D., & Wang, Y. (2003). Microbial degradation of endocrine-disrupting organic compounds and environmental Ciampor, F. (2001). Systematic revision of the genus residues of pharmaceutical compounds. Ecologic Science 22: Graphelmis (Coleoptera: Elmidae) I. Redescription of the 1-5. genus and description of four new species [One from HK]. Entomological Problems 32: 17-32. Hill, R.D. (2003). Guizhou. In: Encyclopedia of Modern Asia, II, pp. 459-460. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Cooter, J., & Hoshina, H. (2002). A new species of Creagrophorus Matthews (Col., Leiodidae, Scotocryptini) Hodgkiss, I.J. (2002). Coastal eutrophication: a review of 30 from China [Hong Kong]. Entomologist's Monthly Magazine years of study and the lessons learned. In: Proceedings of the 138: 81-84. 2nd International Workshop on Coastal Eutrophication, pp. 75-86, Tianjin. Cooter, J., & Kilian, A. (2002). New species of Leiodes Latreille, 1796 (Col., Leiodidae) from China [Hong Kong]. Hutchinson, N., & Williams, G.A. (2003). Disturbance and Entomologist's Monthly Magazine 138: 157-164. subsequent recovery of mid-shore assemblages on seasonal, tropical, rocky shores. Marine Ecology-Progress Series 249: Devyatkin, A.L. (2002). Hesperiidae of Vietnam, 11: New 25-38. taxa of the subfamily Hesperiinae (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae) [Includes a new subspecies from Hong Kong]. Atalanta 33: Hutchinson, N., & Williams, G.A. (2003). An assessment of 127-135, 230-231. variation in molluscan grazing pressure on Hong Kong rocky shores. Marine Biology 142: 495-507. Dudgeon, D. (2003). The contribution of scientific information to the conservation and management of Jeewon, R., Liew, E.C.Y., Simpson, J.A., Hodgkiss, I.J., & freshwater biodiversity in tropical Asia. Hydrobiologia 500: Hyde, K.D. (2003). Phylogenetic significance of 295-314. morphological characters in the taxonomy of Pestalotiopsis species. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 27: 372-383. Dudgeon, D. (2003). Clinging to the wreckage: unexpected persistence of freshwater biodiversity in a degraded tropical Jensen, K.R. (2003). Distributions, diets and reproduction of landscape. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Hong Kong Sacoglossa (Mollusca: Opisthobranchia): a Ecosystems 13: 93-97. summary of data, 1980 – 2001. In Perspectives on Marine Environmental Change in Hong Kong and southern China, Dulvy, N.K., Sadovy, Y.J., & Reynolds, J.D. (2003). 1977 – 2001 (ed. B. Morton), pp. 347-365, The Swire Institute Extinction vulnerability in marine populations. Fish and of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Fisheries 4:25-64. Kong.
Gao, Y.H., Chen, C.P., & Li, Y. (2003). Marine Jim, C.Y. (2003). Soil recovery from human disturbance in nanoplanktonic diatoms from the coastal waters of Hong tropical woodlands in Hong Kong. Catena 52: 85-103. Kong. In Perspectives on Marine Environmental Change in Hong Kong and southern China, 1977 – 2001 (ed. B. Lau, K.M., Li, N.H., & Hu, S.Y. (2003). A new species of Morton), pp. 93-107, The Swire Institute of Marine Science, Balanophora (Balanophoraceae) from Hong Kong. Harvard The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. Papers in Botany 7: 439-441.
Gu, J.D. (2003). Microorganisms and microbial biofilms in Lee, Y.C., & Hills, P.R. (2003). Cool season pollution the degradation of polymeric materials. In Corrosion/2003, episodes in Hong Kong, 1996-2002. Atmospheric Paper No. 3570. NACE International, Houston, Texas, 17 pp. Environment 37: 2927-2939.
Gu, J.D. (2003). Biodeterioration of synthetic polymeric Lee, J.H.W., Choi, K.W., & Arega, F. (2003). Environmental materials: a review. International Biodeterioration & management of marine fish culture in Hong Kong. Marine Biodegradation 52: 69-91. Pollution Bulletin 47: 202-210.
Gu, J.D. (2003). Microbial deterioration of synthetic and Lee, C.N.W., & Chen, Q.C. (2003). An historical and biological polymers used in engineering and construction. In biogeographical analysis of the marine planktonic copepod Biopolymers, Vol. 10. (ed A. Steinbuchel), pp. 97-138. Wiley- community in Hong Kong: a record of change. In VCH Verlag GmbH, Weinheim. Perspectives on Marine Environmental Change in Hong Kong and southern China, 1977 – 2001 (ed. B. Morton), pp. 433- Gu, J., Fan, Y., & Gu, J.D. (2003). Biodegradability of 457, The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Atrazine, Cyanzine and Dicamba under methanogenic Hong Kong, Hong Kong. 23
Leung, K.F., & Hodgson, P.A. (2003). The occurrence of ingestion dose from marine fish consumption in Hong Kong seabed debris in Hong Kong: a comparison of changes after an accidental release. Journal of Radiological Protection between the 1995 and 2001 trawl surveys. In Perspectives on 23: 97-104. Marine Environmental Change in Hong Kong and southern China, 1977 – 2001 (ed. B. Morton), pp. 593-613, The Swire Rhodes, K.L., Lewis, R.I., Chapman, R.W., & Sadovy, Y. Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, (2003). Genetic structure of camouflage grouper, Epinephelus Hong Kong. polyphekadion (Pisces: Serranidae), in the western central Pacific. Marine Biology 142: 771-776. Leung, K.M.Y., Chu, J.C.W., & Wu, R.S.S. (2003). Reducing nitrogen pollution loading from fish farming by changing Sadovy, Y.J., & Cheung, W.L. (2003). Near extinction of a feeding practices: an example from Hong Kong. In highly fecund fish; the one that nearly got away. Fish and Perspectives on Marine Environmental Change in Hong Kong Fisheries 4: 86-99. and southern China, 1977 – 2001 (ed. B. Morton), pp. 543- 554, The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Saunders, R.M.K. (2003). A synopsis of Goniothalamus Hong Kong, Hong Kong. species (Annonaceae) in Peninsular Malaysia, with a description of a new species. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Li, L. (2000). A new species of Dynoides (Crustacea: Isopoda: Society 142: 321-339. Sphaeromatidae) from the Cape d’Aguilar Marine Reserve, Hong Kong. Records of the Australian Museum 52: 137-149. So, K.L., & Wang, T. (2003). On the local and regional influence on ground-level ozone concentrations in Hong MacFarlane, G.R., Pulkownik, A., & Burchett, M.D. (2003). Kong. Environmental Pollution 123: 307-317. Accumulation and distribution of heavy metals in the grey mangrove, Avicennia marina (Forsk.)Vierh.: biological Tachi, T., & Shima, H. (2002). Systematic study of the genus indication potential. Environmental Pollution 123: 139-151. Peribaea Robineau-Desvoidy of East Asia (Diptera: Tachinidae) [New HK species]. Tijdschrift voor Entomologie MacPherson, K.L. (2003). The history of marine science in 145: 115-144. Hong Kong (1841 – 1977). In Perspectives on Marine Environmental Change in Hong Kong and southern China, Terayama, M., Fellowes, J.R., & Zhou, S. (2002). The East 1977 – 2001 (ed. B. Morton), pp. 7-29, The Swire Institute of Asian species of the ant genus Acropyga Roger, 1862 Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Edaphologia 70: 21- 32. Mifsud, D., & Burckhardt, D. (2002). Taxonomy and phylogeny of the Old World jumping plant-louse genus Thongkantha, S., Lumyong, S., Lumyong, P., Whitton, S.R., Paurocephala (Insecta, Hemiptera, Psylloidea). Journal of McKenzie, E.H.C., & Hyde, K.D. (2003). Microfungi on the Natural History 36: 1887-1986. Pandanaceae: Linocarbon lammiae sp nov., L-siamensis sp nov and L-suthepensis sp nov are described with a key to Morton, B. (2003). Fishing for diplomacy in China's Seas. Linocarpon species from the Pandanaceae. Mycologia 95: Marine Pollution Bulletin 46: 795-796. 360-367.
Morton, B. (2003). Hong Kong’s international malacological, Tong, X.L., & Dudgeon, D. (2003). First record of the genus wetland and marine biological workshop (1977 – 1998): Chopralla (Ephemeroptera : Baetidae) from China, and changing local attitudes towards marine conservation. In description of a new species. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 51: Perspectives on Marine Environmental Change in Hong Kong 17-19. and southern China, 1977 – 2001 (ed. B. Morton), pp. 31-71, The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Valentich-Scott, P. (2003). A taxonomic, distributional and Hong Kong, Hong Kong. bibliographic checklist of Hong Kong marine bivalve mollusks and research published on them from 1971 – 2000. Mound, L.A. (2002). Octothrips lygodii sp n. (Thysanoptera: In Perspectives on Marine Environmental Change in Hong Thripidae) damaging weedy Lygodium ferns in south-eastern Kong and southern China, 1977 – 2001 (ed. B. Morton), pp. Asia [including Hong Kong], with notes on other Thripidae 259-310, The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The reported from ferns. Australian Journal of Entomology 41: University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. 216-220. Wan, C.K., Sun, H., & Gu, J.D. (2003). Surface properties of Nip, T.H.M., Ho, W.Y., & Wong, C.K. (2003). Feeding galvanized metals and attachment by the bacterium ecology of larval and juvenile black seabream (Acanthopagrus Janthinobacterium lividum. In: Corrosion/2003, Paper No. schlegeli) and Japanese seaperch (Lateolabrax japonicus) in 3567. NACE International, Houston, Texas, 12 pp. Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong. Environmental Biology of Fishes 66: 197-209. Wang, Y., Yip, C.W., Fan, Y., & Gu, J.D. (2003). Aerobic and anaerobic degradation pathways for N-heterocyclic Poon, C.B., & Au, S.M. (2003). Predicting the Cs-137 aromatic compounds indole. Bulletin of Mineralogy, 24
Petrology and Geochemistry 22: 170-173. Porcupine! No. 29 Wong, W.H., & Cheung, S.G. (2003). Seasonal variation in the feeding physiology and scope for growth of green August 2003 mussels, Perna viridis in estuarine Ma Wan, Hong Kong. ISSN 1025-6946 Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 83: 543-552. Chief Editors: Yvonne Sadovy Wu, J.Y., Lu, J.Y., & Woo, N.Y.S. (2002). A new species and Richard Corlett new Chinese record of monogeans from marine fishes in the South China Sea (Trematoda: Monogenea). Acta
Zootaxonomica Sinica 27: 677-684. Assistant Editors: Rachel Wong Yan, Y. (2003). Larval development of the barnacle Laura Wong Chinochthamalus scutelliformis (Cirripedia : Chthamalidae) reared in the laboratory. Journal of Crustacean Biology 23: 513-521. Wild Corner: Jacqueline Weir Elsa Lee Yoshitomi, H. (2002). Two new species of the genus Cyphon (Coleoptera, Scirtidae) from China [One from HK]. Japanese Published by the Department of Ecology & Journal of Systematic Entomology 8: 41-44. Biodiversity, The University of Hong Kong.
Zan, Q.J., Wang, B.S., Wang, Y.J., & Li, M.G. (2003). Ecological assessment of the introduced Sonneratia caseolaris Article submissions: and S. apetala at the mangrove forest of Shenzhen Bay, Porcupine! China. Acta Botanica Sinica 45: 544-551. Ms Eva Tam, Department of Ecology & Zhang, L., & Corlett, R.T. (2003). Phytogeography of Hong Kong bryophytes. Journal of Biogeography 30: 1329-1337. Biodiversity The University of Hong Kong.
Zhang, L. (2003). An updated and annotated inventory of Tel: 22990612 Fax: 25176082
Hong Kong bryophytes. Memoirs of the Hong Kong Natural History Society 26: 1-133. Email address: [email protected] Zhou, H., & Ereus, C. (2003). Marine oligochaete assemblages in a Hong Kong mangrove and adjacent Website: foreshore sandflat, with a description of a new species. In www.hku.hk/ecology/porcupine/ Perspectives on Marine Environmental Change in Hong Kong and southern China, 1977 – 2001 (ed. B. Morton), pp. 121- Guidelines for contributions : 135, The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. All contributions are welcomed. Any original article related to natural history, conservation or
ecological research in Hong Kong will be considered for publication. Authors of long articles should send their work as a Word file, Bibliography (From front page article) either by post (on disk, with hard copy attached) or
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Gregg, J.W., Jones, C.G. & Dawson, T.E. (2003). Urbanization effects on tree author. growth in the vicinity of New York City. Nature 424: 183-187. All authors can be contacted through Porcupine! Thrower, S.L. (1980). Air pollution and lichens in Hong Kong. Lichenologist unless alternative contact details have been 12: 305-311. provided.