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- Green synthesis of iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles using two selected brown seaweeds: Characterization and application for lead bioremediation
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, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2384-x
Abstract:
The oceanic trace metals iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and cadmium (Cd) are crucial to marine phytoplankton growth and global carbon cycle, and the analysis of their stable isotopes can provide valuable insights into their biogeochemical cycles within the ocean. However, the simultaneous isotopic analysis of multiple elements present in seawater is challenging because of their low concentrations, limited volumes of the test samples, and high salt matrix. In this study, we present the novel method developed for the simultaneous analysis of five isotope systems by 1 L seawater sample. In the developed method, the NOBIAS Chelate-PA1 resin was used to extract metals from seawater, the AG MP-1M anion-exchange resin to purify Cu, Fe, Zn, Cd, and the NOBIAS Chelate-PA1 resin to further extract Ni from the matrix elements. Finally, a multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscope (MC-ICPMS) was employed for the isotopic measurements using a double-spike technique or sample-standard bracketing combined with internal normalization. This method exhibited low total procedural blanks (0.04 pg, 0.04 pg, 0.21 pg, 0.15 pg, and 3 pg for Ni, Cu, Fe, Zn, and Cd, respectively) and high extraction efficiencies (100.5% ± 0.3%, 100.2% ± 0.5%, 97.8% ± 1.4%, 99.9% ± 0.8%, and 100.1% ± 0.2% for Ni, Cu, Fe, Zn, and Cd, respectively). The external errors and external precisions of this method could be considered negligible. The proposed method was further tested on the seawater samples obtained from the whole vertical profile of a water column during the Chinese GEOTRACES GP09 cruise in the Northwest Pacific, and the results showed good agreement with previous related data. This innovative method will contribute to the advancement of isotope research and enhance our understanding of the marine biogeochemical cycling of Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Cd.
The oceanic trace metals iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and cadmium (Cd) are crucial to marine phytoplankton growth and global carbon cycle, and the analysis of their stable isotopes can provide valuable insights into their biogeochemical cycles within the ocean. However, the simultaneous isotopic analysis of multiple elements present in seawater is challenging because of their low concentrations, limited volumes of the test samples, and high salt matrix. In this study, we present the novel method developed for the simultaneous analysis of five isotope systems by 1 L seawater sample. In the developed method, the NOBIAS Chelate-PA1 resin was used to extract metals from seawater, the AG MP-1M anion-exchange resin to purify Cu, Fe, Zn, Cd, and the NOBIAS Chelate-PA1 resin to further extract Ni from the matrix elements. Finally, a multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscope (MC-ICPMS) was employed for the isotopic measurements using a double-spike technique or sample-standard bracketing combined with internal normalization. This method exhibited low total procedural blanks (0.04 pg, 0.04 pg, 0.21 pg, 0.15 pg, and 3 pg for Ni, Cu, Fe, Zn, and Cd, respectively) and high extraction efficiencies (100.5% ± 0.3%, 100.2% ± 0.5%, 97.8% ± 1.4%, 99.9% ± 0.8%, and 100.1% ± 0.2% for Ni, Cu, Fe, Zn, and Cd, respectively). The external errors and external precisions of this method could be considered negligible. The proposed method was further tested on the seawater samples obtained from the whole vertical profile of a water column during the Chinese GEOTRACES GP09 cruise in the Northwest Pacific, and the results showed good agreement with previous related data. This innovative method will contribute to the advancement of isotope research and enhance our understanding of the marine biogeochemical cycling of Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Cd.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-023-2228-0
Abstract:
Based on the Ocean Reanalysis System version 5 (ORAS5) and the fifth-generation reanalysis datasets derived from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ERA5), we investigate the different impacts of the central Pacific (CP) El Niño and the eastern Pacific (EP) El Niño on the Southern Ocean (SO) mixed layer depth (MLD) during austral winter. The MLD response to the EP El Niño shows a dipole pattern in the South Pacific, namely the MLD dipole, which is the leading El Niño-induced MLD variability in the SO. The tropical Pacific warm sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) signal associated with the EP El Niño excites a Rossby wave train propagating southeastward and then enhances the Amundsen Sea low (ASL). This results in an anomalous cyclone over the Amundsen Sea. As a result, the anomalous southerly wind to the west of this anomalous cyclone advects colder and drier air into the southeast of New Zealand, leading to surface cooling through less total surface heat flux, especially surface sensible heat (SH) flux and latent heat (LH) flux, and thus contributing to the mix layer (ML) deepening. The east of the anomalous cyclone brings warmer and wetter air to the southwest of Chile, but the total heat flux anomaly shows no significant change. The warm air promotes the sea ice melting and maintains fresh water, which strengthens stratification. This results in a shallower MLD. During the CP El Niño, the response of MLD shows a separate negative MLD anomaly center in the central South Pacific. The Rossby wave train triggered by the warm SSTA in the central Pacific Ocean spreads to the Amundsen Sea, which weakens the ASL. Therefore, the anomalous anticyclone dominates the Amundsen Sea. Consequently, the anomalous northerly wind to the west of anomalous anticyclone advects warmer and wetter air into the central and southern Pacific, causing surface warming through increased SH, LH, and longwave radiation flux, and thus contributing to the ML shoaling. However, to the east of the anomalous anticyclone, there is no statistically significant impact on the MLD.
Based on the Ocean Reanalysis System version 5 (ORAS5) and the fifth-generation reanalysis datasets derived from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ERA5), we investigate the different impacts of the central Pacific (CP) El Niño and the eastern Pacific (EP) El Niño on the Southern Ocean (SO) mixed layer depth (MLD) during austral winter. The MLD response to the EP El Niño shows a dipole pattern in the South Pacific, namely the MLD dipole, which is the leading El Niño-induced MLD variability in the SO. The tropical Pacific warm sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) signal associated with the EP El Niño excites a Rossby wave train propagating southeastward and then enhances the Amundsen Sea low (ASL). This results in an anomalous cyclone over the Amundsen Sea. As a result, the anomalous southerly wind to the west of this anomalous cyclone advects colder and drier air into the southeast of New Zealand, leading to surface cooling through less total surface heat flux, especially surface sensible heat (SH) flux and latent heat (LH) flux, and thus contributing to the mix layer (ML) deepening. The east of the anomalous cyclone brings warmer and wetter air to the southwest of Chile, but the total heat flux anomaly shows no significant change. The warm air promotes the sea ice melting and maintains fresh water, which strengthens stratification. This results in a shallower MLD. During the CP El Niño, the response of MLD shows a separate negative MLD anomaly center in the central South Pacific. The Rossby wave train triggered by the warm SSTA in the central Pacific Ocean spreads to the Amundsen Sea, which weakens the ASL. Therefore, the anomalous anticyclone dominates the Amundsen Sea. Consequently, the anomalous northerly wind to the west of anomalous anticyclone advects warmer and wetter air into the central and southern Pacific, causing surface warming through increased SH, LH, and longwave radiation flux, and thus contributing to the ML shoaling. However, to the east of the anomalous anticyclone, there is no statistically significant impact on the MLD.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2361-4
Abstract:
Shipboard radiosonde soundings are important for detecting and quantifying the multiscale variability of atmosphere-ocean interactions associated with mass exchanges. This study evaluated the accuracies of shipboard global positioning system (GPS) soundings in the eastern tropical Indian Ocean and South China Sea through a simultaneous balloon-borne inter-comparison of different radiosonde types. Our results indicate that the temperature and relative humidity (RH) measurements of GPS-TK radiosonde (used at most stations before 2012) have larger biases than those of CF-06-A radiosonde (widely used in current observation) when compared to reference data from Vaisala RS92-SGP radiosonde, with a warm bias of 5℃ and dry bias of 10% during daytimes, and a cooling bias of –0.8℃ and a moist bias of 6% during nighttime. These systematic biases are primarily attributed to the radiation effects and altitude deviation. An empirical correction algorithm was developed to retrieve the atmospheric temperature and RH profiles. The corrected profiles agree well with that of RS92-SGP, except for uncertainties of CF-06-A in the stratosphere. These correction algorithms were applied to the GPS-TK historical sounding records, reducing biases in the corrected temperature and RH profiles when compared to radio occultation data. The correction of GPS-TK historical records illustrated an improvement in capturing the marine atmospheric structure, with more accurate atmospheric boundary layer height, convective available potential energy, and convective inhibition in the tropical ocean. This study contributes significantly to improving the quality of GPS radiosonde soundings and promotes the sharing of observation in the eastern tropical Indian Ocean and South China Sea.
Shipboard radiosonde soundings are important for detecting and quantifying the multiscale variability of atmosphere-ocean interactions associated with mass exchanges. This study evaluated the accuracies of shipboard global positioning system (GPS) soundings in the eastern tropical Indian Ocean and South China Sea through a simultaneous balloon-borne inter-comparison of different radiosonde types. Our results indicate that the temperature and relative humidity (RH) measurements of GPS-TK radiosonde (used at most stations before 2012) have larger biases than those of CF-06-A radiosonde (widely used in current observation) when compared to reference data from Vaisala RS92-SGP radiosonde, with a warm bias of 5℃ and dry bias of 10% during daytimes, and a cooling bias of –0.8℃ and a moist bias of 6% during nighttime. These systematic biases are primarily attributed to the radiation effects and altitude deviation. An empirical correction algorithm was developed to retrieve the atmospheric temperature and RH profiles. The corrected profiles agree well with that of RS92-SGP, except for uncertainties of CF-06-A in the stratosphere. These correction algorithms were applied to the GPS-TK historical sounding records, reducing biases in the corrected temperature and RH profiles when compared to radio occultation data. The correction of GPS-TK historical records illustrated an improvement in capturing the marine atmospheric structure, with more accurate atmospheric boundary layer height, convective available potential energy, and convective inhibition in the tropical ocean. This study contributes significantly to improving the quality of GPS radiosonde soundings and promotes the sharing of observation in the eastern tropical Indian Ocean and South China Sea.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2357-0
Abstract:
The frontogenetic processes of a submesoscale cold filament driven by the thermal convection turbulence are studied by a non-hydrostatic large eddy simulation. The results show that the periodic changes in the direction of the cross-filament secondary circulations are induced by the inertial oscillation. The change in the direction of the secondary circulations induces the enhancement and reduction of the horizontal temperature gradient during the former and later inertial period, which indicates that the frontogenetical processes of the cold filament include both of frontogenesis and frontolysis. The structure of the cold filament may be broken and restored by frontogenesis and frontolysis, respectively. The magnitude of the down-filament currents has a periodic variation, while its direction is unchanged with time. The coupling effect of the turbulent mixing and the frontogenesis and frontolysis gradually weakens the temperature gradient of the cold filament with time, which reduces frontogenetical intensity and enlarges the width of cold filament.
The frontogenetic processes of a submesoscale cold filament driven by the thermal convection turbulence are studied by a non-hydrostatic large eddy simulation. The results show that the periodic changes in the direction of the cross-filament secondary circulations are induced by the inertial oscillation. The change in the direction of the secondary circulations induces the enhancement and reduction of the horizontal temperature gradient during the former and later inertial period, which indicates that the frontogenetical processes of the cold filament include both of frontogenesis and frontolysis. The structure of the cold filament may be broken and restored by frontogenesis and frontolysis, respectively. The magnitude of the down-filament currents has a periodic variation, while its direction is unchanged with time. The coupling effect of the turbulent mixing and the frontogenesis and frontolysis gradually weakens the temperature gradient of the cold filament with time, which reduces frontogenetical intensity and enlarges the width of cold filament.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2352-5
Abstract:
The tide plays a pivotal role in the ocean, affecting the global ocean circulation and supplying the bulk of the energy for the global meridional overturning circulation. To further investigate internal tides and their impacts on circulation, it is imperative to incorporate tidal forcing into the eddy-resolving global ocean circulation model. In this study, we successfully incorporated explicit tides (eight major constituents) into a global eddy-resolving general ocean circulation model and evaluated its tidal simulation ability. We obtained harmonic constants by analyzing sea surface height through tidal harmonic analysis and compared them with the analysis data Topex Poseidon Cross-Overs v9 (TPXO9), the open ocean tide dataset from 102 open-ocean tide observations, and tide gauge stations from World Ocean Circulation Experiment. The results demonstrated that LASG/IAP Climate System Ocean Model 3.0 (LICOM3.0) effectively simulated tides, with errors predominantly occurring in nearshore regions. The tidal amplitude simulated in LICOM3.0 was greater than that of TPXO9, and these high-amplitude areas exhibited greater errors. The amplitude error of the M2 constituent was larger, while the phase error of the K1 constituent was more significant. Furthermore, we further compared our results with those from other models.
The tide plays a pivotal role in the ocean, affecting the global ocean circulation and supplying the bulk of the energy for the global meridional overturning circulation. To further investigate internal tides and their impacts on circulation, it is imperative to incorporate tidal forcing into the eddy-resolving global ocean circulation model. In this study, we successfully incorporated explicit tides (eight major constituents) into a global eddy-resolving general ocean circulation model and evaluated its tidal simulation ability. We obtained harmonic constants by analyzing sea surface height through tidal harmonic analysis and compared them with the analysis data Topex Poseidon Cross-Overs v9 (TPXO9), the open ocean tide dataset from 102 open-ocean tide observations, and tide gauge stations from World Ocean Circulation Experiment. The results demonstrated that LASG/IAP Climate System Ocean Model 3.0 (LICOM3.0) effectively simulated tides, with errors predominantly occurring in nearshore regions. The tidal amplitude simulated in LICOM3.0 was greater than that of TPXO9, and these high-amplitude areas exhibited greater errors. The amplitude error of the M2 constituent was larger, while the phase error of the K1 constituent was more significant. Furthermore, we further compared our results with those from other models.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2360-5
Abstract:
It is found that the winter (December–February) barrier layer (BL) in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) acts as a dynamical thermostat, modulating the subsequent summer BoB sea surface temperature (SST) variability and potentially affecting the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) onset and associated rainfall variability. In the years when the prior winter BL is anomalously thick, anomalous sea surface cooling caused by intensified latent heat flux loss appears in the BoB starting in October and persists into the following year by positive cloud-SST feedback. During January–March, the vertical entrainment of warmer subsurface water induced by the anomalously thick BL acts to damp excessive cooling of the sea surface caused by atmospheric forcing and favors the development of deep atmospheric convection over the BoB. During March–May, the thinner mixed layer linked to the anomalously thick BL allows more shortwave radiation to penetrate below the mixed layer. This tends to maintain existing cold SST anomalies, advancing the onset of ISM and enhancing June ISM precipitation through an increase in the land-sea tropospheric thermal contrast. We also find that most of the coupled model intercomparison project phase 5 (CMIP5) models fail to reproduce the observed relationship between June ISM rainfall and the prior winter BL thickness. This may be attributable to their difficulties in realistically simulating the winter BL in the BoB and ISM precipitation. The present results indicate that it is important to realistically capture the winter BL of the BoB in climate models for improving the simulation and prediction of ISM.
It is found that the winter (December–February) barrier layer (BL) in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) acts as a dynamical thermostat, modulating the subsequent summer BoB sea surface temperature (SST) variability and potentially affecting the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) onset and associated rainfall variability. In the years when the prior winter BL is anomalously thick, anomalous sea surface cooling caused by intensified latent heat flux loss appears in the BoB starting in October and persists into the following year by positive cloud-SST feedback. During January–March, the vertical entrainment of warmer subsurface water induced by the anomalously thick BL acts to damp excessive cooling of the sea surface caused by atmospheric forcing and favors the development of deep atmospheric convection over the BoB. During March–May, the thinner mixed layer linked to the anomalously thick BL allows more shortwave radiation to penetrate below the mixed layer. This tends to maintain existing cold SST anomalies, advancing the onset of ISM and enhancing June ISM precipitation through an increase in the land-sea tropospheric thermal contrast. We also find that most of the coupled model intercomparison project phase 5 (CMIP5) models fail to reproduce the observed relationship between June ISM rainfall and the prior winter BL thickness. This may be attributable to their difficulties in realistically simulating the winter BL in the BoB and ISM precipitation. The present results indicate that it is important to realistically capture the winter BL of the BoB in climate models for improving the simulation and prediction of ISM.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2356-1
Abstract:
Mangroves are indispensable to coastlines, maintaining biodiversity, and mitigating climate change. Therefore, improving the accuracy of mangrove information identification is crucial for their ecological protection. Aiming at the limited morphological information of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images, which is greatly interfered by noise, and the susceptibility of optical images to weather and lighting conditions, this paper proposes a pixel-level weighted fusion method for SAR and optical images. Image fusion enhanced the target features and made mangrove monitoring more comprehensive and accurate. To address the problem of high similarity between mangrove forests and other forests, this paper is based on the U-Net convolutional neural network, and an attention mechanism is added in the feature extraction stage to make the model pay more attention to the mangrove vegetation area in the image. In order to accelerate the convergence and normalize the input, batch normalization (BN) layer and Dropout layer are added after each convolutional layer. Since mangroves are a minority class in the image, an improved cross-entropy loss function is introduced in this paper to improve the model’s ability to recognize mangroves. The AttU-Net model for mangrove recognition in high similarity environments is thus constructed based on the fused images. Through comparison experiments, the overall accuracy of the improved U-Net model trained from the fused images to recognize the predicted regions is significantly improved. Based on the fused images, the recognition results of the AttU-Net model proposed in this paper are compared with its benchmark model, U-Net, and the Dense-Net, Res-Net, and Seg-Net methods. The AttU-Net model captured mangroves’ complex structures and textural features in images more effectively. The average OA, F1-score, and Kappa coefficient in the four tested regions were 94.406%, 90.006%, and 84.045%, which were significantly higher than several other methods. This method can provide some technical support for the monitoring and protection of mangrove ecosystems.
Mangroves are indispensable to coastlines, maintaining biodiversity, and mitigating climate change. Therefore, improving the accuracy of mangrove information identification is crucial for their ecological protection. Aiming at the limited morphological information of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images, which is greatly interfered by noise, and the susceptibility of optical images to weather and lighting conditions, this paper proposes a pixel-level weighted fusion method for SAR and optical images. Image fusion enhanced the target features and made mangrove monitoring more comprehensive and accurate. To address the problem of high similarity between mangrove forests and other forests, this paper is based on the U-Net convolutional neural network, and an attention mechanism is added in the feature extraction stage to make the model pay more attention to the mangrove vegetation area in the image. In order to accelerate the convergence and normalize the input, batch normalization (BN) layer and Dropout layer are added after each convolutional layer. Since mangroves are a minority class in the image, an improved cross-entropy loss function is introduced in this paper to improve the model’s ability to recognize mangroves. The AttU-Net model for mangrove recognition in high similarity environments is thus constructed based on the fused images. Through comparison experiments, the overall accuracy of the improved U-Net model trained from the fused images to recognize the predicted regions is significantly improved. Based on the fused images, the recognition results of the AttU-Net model proposed in this paper are compared with its benchmark model, U-Net, and the Dense-Net, Res-Net, and Seg-Net methods. The AttU-Net model captured mangroves’ complex structures and textural features in images more effectively. The average OA, F1-score, and Kappa coefficient in the four tested regions were 94.406%, 90.006%, and 84.045%, which were significantly higher than several other methods. This method can provide some technical support for the monitoring and protection of mangrove ecosystems.
, Available online
Abstract:
To understand the temporal and spatial variations in nutrient dynamics, as well as the potential cross-shelf transport of nutrients between the East China Sea (ECS) shelf and the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, six field observations covering the ECS were conducted in spring, summer, and autumn in 2011 and 2013. Nutrient dynamics in the ECS and nutrient exchange between shelf water and the open ocean were examined. High concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients were detected in the nearshore surface layer and offshore bottom layer in different seasons, and the concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients in surface seawater were lower in summer and autumn than in spring. The concentrations of dissolved organic nutrients in Kuroshio surface water were slightly lower in summer than in spring, but the concentrations in Kuroshio subsurface water were slightly higher in summer than in spring. There were abundant nutrient reservoirs in the euphotic zone of the ECS, which explained the high primary productivity. The evaluation of cross-shelf transport indicated that nutrients from shelf water were transported out across the 200 m isobath through the surface layer with the σ less than 23.0 kg/m3 in spring. The flux of dissolved inorganic nitrogen transported from the East China Sea shelf to the Northwest Pacific Ocean in spring was equivalent to 21% of the atmospheric nitrogen deposition in the Northwest Pacific Ocean. In summer, the onshore flux in the surface and bottom layers accounted for 80% of the total flux, and the transportation of nutrients along the surface layer to the continental shelf contributed to the nutrient storage and primary productivity of the euphotic zone in the ECS shelf in summer.
To understand the temporal and spatial variations in nutrient dynamics, as well as the potential cross-shelf transport of nutrients between the East China Sea (ECS) shelf and the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, six field observations covering the ECS were conducted in spring, summer, and autumn in 2011 and 2013. Nutrient dynamics in the ECS and nutrient exchange between shelf water and the open ocean were examined. High concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients were detected in the nearshore surface layer and offshore bottom layer in different seasons, and the concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients in surface seawater were lower in summer and autumn than in spring. The concentrations of dissolved organic nutrients in Kuroshio surface water were slightly lower in summer than in spring, but the concentrations in Kuroshio subsurface water were slightly higher in summer than in spring. There were abundant nutrient reservoirs in the euphotic zone of the ECS, which explained the high primary productivity. The evaluation of cross-shelf transport indicated that nutrients from shelf water were transported out across the 200 m isobath through the surface layer with the σ less than 23.0 kg/m3 in spring. The flux of dissolved inorganic nitrogen transported from the East China Sea shelf to the Northwest Pacific Ocean in spring was equivalent to 21% of the atmospheric nitrogen deposition in the Northwest Pacific Ocean. In summer, the onshore flux in the surface and bottom layers accounted for 80% of the total flux, and the transportation of nutrients along the surface layer to the continental shelf contributed to the nutrient storage and primary productivity of the euphotic zone in the ECS shelf in summer.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2362-3
Abstract:
In the last 10 years (2012–2021), five hypoxic events have been observed in summer in the central Bohai Sea (CBS). Frequent and persistent hypoxia will have an impact on the ecosystem of the CBS. In this paper, historical sea temperature (ST), salinity (SAL), density (Den), and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration data from three stations in the CBS are analyzed via the linear regression method, and the correlations between the stratification factors (ST, SAL, and Den) and DO concentration are determined. The thresholds of the stratification factors at the three stations in June in the year in which hypoxia occurred were determined and applied to survey data from 29 stations in late May to early June in 2022 in the CBS; this assessment found that the data from 19 stations indicated that hypoxia was about to occur. In August, the survey data showed that 14 out of the 29 stations indicated hypoxic conditions, of which 12 were from the predicted 19 stations, meaning that the estimation accuracy reached 63%. The same approach was applied to data from June 2023. The data for August from a bottom-type online monitoring system in the CBS verified the occurrence of hypoxic events around Station M2. The results show that the strength of the seawater stratification plays a leading role in hypoxic events in the summer in the CBS, and the thresholds of the stratification factors can be used to predict the occurrence of hypoxic events.
In the last 10 years (2012–2021), five hypoxic events have been observed in summer in the central Bohai Sea (CBS). Frequent and persistent hypoxia will have an impact on the ecosystem of the CBS. In this paper, historical sea temperature (ST), salinity (SAL), density (Den), and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration data from three stations in the CBS are analyzed via the linear regression method, and the correlations between the stratification factors (ST, SAL, and Den) and DO concentration are determined. The thresholds of the stratification factors at the three stations in June in the year in which hypoxia occurred were determined and applied to survey data from 29 stations in late May to early June in 2022 in the CBS; this assessment found that the data from 19 stations indicated that hypoxia was about to occur. In August, the survey data showed that 14 out of the 29 stations indicated hypoxic conditions, of which 12 were from the predicted 19 stations, meaning that the estimation accuracy reached 63%. The same approach was applied to data from June 2023. The data for August from a bottom-type online monitoring system in the CBS verified the occurrence of hypoxic events around Station M2. The results show that the strength of the seawater stratification plays a leading role in hypoxic events in the summer in the CBS, and the thresholds of the stratification factors can be used to predict the occurrence of hypoxic events.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2381-0
Abstract:
The characteristics of the terrain of a strait can lead to a “fine tube” effect that enhances a monsoon and thereby affects the physical, chemical, and biological processes of marine ecosystems. This effect is a highly dynamic and complex phenomenon involving interactions among atmospheric, oceanic, and terrestrial systems, as well as biogeochemical cycles and biological responses driven by it. However, current understanding has been focused mainly on the differences between monsoons, and there have been few studies concerned with the weakening or strengthening of monsoons. To explore the biogeochemical and phytoplankton responses during varying intensities of the northeast (NE) monsoon in the Taiwan Strait (TWS), high-resolution, across-front observations combined with FerryBox online data and satellite observations were conducted in this study during a strong, moderate, and weak NE monsoon. The spatiotemporal changes of nutrient concentrations and phytoplankton communities were regulated by the dynamics of ocean currents forced by NE winds. The weakening of the NE monsoon caused shrinkage of the coastal currents that led to a reduction of nutrient concentrations and an alteration of the distribution patterns of phytoplankton communities along cross-front sections. Specifically, there was a notable decrease in the proportions of dinoflagellates and cryptophytes in inshore regions and of prasinophytes in offshore areas. This study showed for the first time the dynamics of phytoplankton with changes of ocean currents during varying intensities of the NE monsoon in a strait system. The findings helped to elucidate the general spatial patterns of the phytoplankton community based on satellite-derived surface temperature and wind patterns and further enhanced the understanding of biogeochemical cycles in marine systems.
The characteristics of the terrain of a strait can lead to a “fine tube” effect that enhances a monsoon and thereby affects the physical, chemical, and biological processes of marine ecosystems. This effect is a highly dynamic and complex phenomenon involving interactions among atmospheric, oceanic, and terrestrial systems, as well as biogeochemical cycles and biological responses driven by it. However, current understanding has been focused mainly on the differences between monsoons, and there have been few studies concerned with the weakening or strengthening of monsoons. To explore the biogeochemical and phytoplankton responses during varying intensities of the northeast (NE) monsoon in the Taiwan Strait (TWS), high-resolution, across-front observations combined with FerryBox online data and satellite observations were conducted in this study during a strong, moderate, and weak NE monsoon. The spatiotemporal changes of nutrient concentrations and phytoplankton communities were regulated by the dynamics of ocean currents forced by NE winds. The weakening of the NE monsoon caused shrinkage of the coastal currents that led to a reduction of nutrient concentrations and an alteration of the distribution patterns of phytoplankton communities along cross-front sections. Specifically, there was a notable decrease in the proportions of dinoflagellates and cryptophytes in inshore regions and of prasinophytes in offshore areas. This study showed for the first time the dynamics of phytoplankton with changes of ocean currents during varying intensities of the NE monsoon in a strait system. The findings helped to elucidate the general spatial patterns of the phytoplankton community based on satellite-derived surface temperature and wind patterns and further enhanced the understanding of biogeochemical cycles in marine systems.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2303-1
Abstract:
Macrobenthic organisms are commonly employed as biomonitors for environmental risk assessment. In this study, we aimed to investigate the spatial and temporal patterns of the macrobenthic community, which is influenced by environmental factors of sediments and bottom water layer. We sampled a total of 12, 11, 10, and 11 stations in the Shengsi Archipelago during June 2010, August 2010, November 2020, and April 2021 respectively. A total of 124 species of macrobenthos were identified, with polychaetes being the dominant group. The abundance, biomass, and diversity indices exhibited no significant temporal differences. Similarly, biodiversity did not exhibit a clear spatial gradient, likely due to the small study area and the absence of significant differences in key factors such as depth. However, the stations with the lowest biodiversity values consistently appeared in the southwest region, possibly due to the impact of human activities. Significant differences in the macrobenthic community were observed between all months except between June and August, and mollusk Endopleura lubrica and polychaete Sigambra hanaokai were important contributors to these differences according to the results of the Similarity Percentages analysis. Suspended particulate matter (SPM) was identified as the primary driving factors of macrobenthic variability. In summary, the community structure underwent temporal changes influenced by complex current patterns, while biodiversity remained relatively stable. This study contributes to our understanding of the key environmental factors affecting macrobenthic communities and biodiversity. It also provides valuable data support for the long-term monitoring of macrobenthos and the environment in the Shengsi Archipelago.
Macrobenthic organisms are commonly employed as biomonitors for environmental risk assessment. In this study, we aimed to investigate the spatial and temporal patterns of the macrobenthic community, which is influenced by environmental factors of sediments and bottom water layer. We sampled a total of 12, 11, 10, and 11 stations in the Shengsi Archipelago during June 2010, August 2010, November 2020, and April 2021 respectively. A total of 124 species of macrobenthos were identified, with polychaetes being the dominant group. The abundance, biomass, and diversity indices exhibited no significant temporal differences. Similarly, biodiversity did not exhibit a clear spatial gradient, likely due to the small study area and the absence of significant differences in key factors such as depth. However, the stations with the lowest biodiversity values consistently appeared in the southwest region, possibly due to the impact of human activities. Significant differences in the macrobenthic community were observed between all months except between June and August, and mollusk Endopleura lubrica and polychaete Sigambra hanaokai were important contributors to these differences according to the results of the Similarity Percentages analysis. Suspended particulate matter (SPM) was identified as the primary driving factors of macrobenthic variability. In summary, the community structure underwent temporal changes influenced by complex current patterns, while biodiversity remained relatively stable. This study contributes to our understanding of the key environmental factors affecting macrobenthic communities and biodiversity. It also provides valuable data support for the long-term monitoring of macrobenthos and the environment in the Shengsi Archipelago.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2350-7
Abstract:
Typhoons in the Western Pacific have a significant impact on the transport of heat, salt and particles through the Luzon Strait. However, there are very limited field observations of this impact because of extreme difficulties and even dangers for ship-based measurements during the rough weather. Here, we present the preliminary results from analyzing a dataset collected by a glider deployed west of the Luzon Strait a few days prior to the arrival of typhoon “MITAG”. The gilder data revealed an abnormally salinity (>34.8) subsurface water apparently sourced from Kuroshio intrusion during the typhoon. When typhoon “MITAG” traveled on the east of the Luzon Strait, the positive wind stress curl strengthened the cyclonic eddy and weakened the anti-cyclonic eddy. This led to a slowdown of Kuroshio and made its intrusion easier. The main axis of the Kuroshio at the northern part of the strait shifted westward after the typhoon and did not return to its original position until a week later. The Ekman transport from persistent northerly wind of typhoon “MITAG” was significant, but its importance in enhancing the Kuroshio intrusion is only secondary relative to the eddies variations.
Typhoons in the Western Pacific have a significant impact on the transport of heat, salt and particles through the Luzon Strait. However, there are very limited field observations of this impact because of extreme difficulties and even dangers for ship-based measurements during the rough weather. Here, we present the preliminary results from analyzing a dataset collected by a glider deployed west of the Luzon Strait a few days prior to the arrival of typhoon “MITAG”. The gilder data revealed an abnormally salinity (>34.8) subsurface water apparently sourced from Kuroshio intrusion during the typhoon. When typhoon “MITAG” traveled on the east of the Luzon Strait, the positive wind stress curl strengthened the cyclonic eddy and weakened the anti-cyclonic eddy. This led to a slowdown of Kuroshio and made its intrusion easier. The main axis of the Kuroshio at the northern part of the strait shifted westward after the typhoon and did not return to its original position until a week later. The Ekman transport from persistent northerly wind of typhoon “MITAG” was significant, but its importance in enhancing the Kuroshio intrusion is only secondary relative to the eddies variations.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2353-4
Abstract:
The element iron limitation is one of the crucial factors contributing to High Nutrient Low Chlorophyll in the Southern Ocean (SO). Mixed layer dynamics regulate the availability of iron to phytoplankton. In this study, we investigate the influence of surface iron supplementation triggered by the mixed layer depth (MLD) variation on chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a) in the SO on seasonal and interannual timescales. This analysis is based on the Biogeochemical Southern Ocean State Estimate for the period from 2013 to 2021. We provide a comprehensive and systematic mapping of the regions within the SO, where Chl-a is affected by iron input related to MLD deepening. The relationship between the MLD and the Chl-a varies with the latitude on the seasonal time scale. Both the MLD and sea ice melting affect the distribution of Chl-a. On the interannual scale, iron supply due to MLD deepening occurs primarily north of 60°S. Horizontal advection-induced entrainment enhances the surface iron input during the austral summer, which favors Chl-a increase. In addition to the MLD, the melting of sea ice and cooling of the sea surface can also alter iron input and subsequently affect Chl-a distribution in the austral summer. During the austral winter, entrainment can boost iron stocks, stimulating a subsequent spring increase of Chl-a in the SO. Furthermore, sea surface temperature declines during the austral winter, promoting an increased iron supply and creating favorable conditions for the subsequent spring Chl-a increase in the SO.
The element iron limitation is one of the crucial factors contributing to High Nutrient Low Chlorophyll in the Southern Ocean (SO). Mixed layer dynamics regulate the availability of iron to phytoplankton. In this study, we investigate the influence of surface iron supplementation triggered by the mixed layer depth (MLD) variation on chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a) in the SO on seasonal and interannual timescales. This analysis is based on the Biogeochemical Southern Ocean State Estimate for the period from 2013 to 2021. We provide a comprehensive and systematic mapping of the regions within the SO, where Chl-a is affected by iron input related to MLD deepening. The relationship between the MLD and the Chl-a varies with the latitude on the seasonal time scale. Both the MLD and sea ice melting affect the distribution of Chl-a. On the interannual scale, iron supply due to MLD deepening occurs primarily north of 60°S. Horizontal advection-induced entrainment enhances the surface iron input during the austral summer, which favors Chl-a increase. In addition to the MLD, the melting of sea ice and cooling of the sea surface can also alter iron input and subsequently affect Chl-a distribution in the austral summer. During the austral winter, entrainment can boost iron stocks, stimulating a subsequent spring increase of Chl-a in the SO. Furthermore, sea surface temperature declines during the austral winter, promoting an increased iron supply and creating favorable conditions for the subsequent spring Chl-a increase in the SO.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2363-2
Abstract:
Forecasting of ocean currents is critical for both marine meteorological research and ocean engineering and construction. Timely and accurate forecasting of coastal current velocities offers a scientific foundation and decision support for multiple practices such as search and rescue, disaster avoidance and remediation, and offshore construction. This research established a framework to generate short-term surface current forecasts based on ensemble machine learning trained on High Frequency radar observation. Results indicate that an ensemble algorithm that used random forests to filter forecasting features by weighting them, and then used the AdaBoost method to forecast can significantly reduce the model training time, while ensuring the model forecasting effectiveness, with great economic benefits. Model accuracy is a function of surface current variability and the forecasting horizon. In order to improve the forecasting capability and accuracy of the model, the model structure of the ensemble algorithm was optimized, and the random forest algorithm was used to dynamically select model features. The results show that the error variation of the optimized surface current forecasting model has a more regular error variation, and the importance of the features varies with the forecasting time-step. At ten-step ahead forecasting horizon the model reported RMSE, MAE and correlation coefficient by 2.84 cm/s, 2.02 cm/s, and 0.96, respectively. The model error is affected by factors such as topography, boundaries, and geometric accuracy of the observation system. This paper demonstrates the potential of ensemble-based machine learning algorithm to improve forecasting of ocean currents.
Forecasting of ocean currents is critical for both marine meteorological research and ocean engineering and construction. Timely and accurate forecasting of coastal current velocities offers a scientific foundation and decision support for multiple practices such as search and rescue, disaster avoidance and remediation, and offshore construction. This research established a framework to generate short-term surface current forecasts based on ensemble machine learning trained on High Frequency radar observation. Results indicate that an ensemble algorithm that used random forests to filter forecasting features by weighting them, and then used the AdaBoost method to forecast can significantly reduce the model training time, while ensuring the model forecasting effectiveness, with great economic benefits. Model accuracy is a function of surface current variability and the forecasting horizon. In order to improve the forecasting capability and accuracy of the model, the model structure of the ensemble algorithm was optimized, and the random forest algorithm was used to dynamically select model features. The results show that the error variation of the optimized surface current forecasting model has a more regular error variation, and the importance of the features varies with the forecasting time-step. At ten-step ahead forecasting horizon the model reported RMSE, MAE and correlation coefficient by 2.84 cm/s, 2.02 cm/s, and 0.96, respectively. The model error is affected by factors such as topography, boundaries, and geometric accuracy of the observation system. This paper demonstrates the potential of ensemble-based machine learning algorithm to improve forecasting of ocean currents.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2379-7
Abstract:
Nitrification, a central process in the marine nitrogen cycle, produces regenerated nitrate in the euphotic zone and emits N2O, a potent greenhouse gas as a by-product. The regulatory mechanisms of nitrification in the Southern Ocean, which is a critical region for CO2 sequestration and radiative benefits, remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the in situ and dark nitrification rates in the upper 500 m and conducted substrate kinetics experiments across the Indian Sector in the Cosmonaut and Cooperation Seas in the late austral summer. Our findings indicate that light inhibition of nitrification decreases exponentially with depth, exhibiting a light threshold of 0.53% photosynthetically active radiation. A positive relationship between dark nitrification and apparent oxygen utilization suggests a dependence on substrate availability from primary production. Importantly, an increased\begin{document}${\mathrm{NH}}_4^+ $\end{document} ![]()
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supply can act as a buffer against photo-inhibitory damage. Globally, substrate affinity (α) increases with depth and transitions from light to dark, decreases with increasing ambient \begin{document}${\mathrm{NH}}_4^+ $\end{document} ![]()
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, and exhibits a latitudinal distribution, reflecting substrate utilization strategies. We also reveal that upwelling in Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) stimulates nitrification through the introduction of potentially higher iron and deep diverse nitrifying microorganisms with higher α. We conclude that although light is the primary limiting factor for nitrification in summer, coupling between substrate availability and CDW upwelling can overcome this limitation, thereby alleviating photoinhibition by up to (45 ± 5.3)%.
Nitrification, a central process in the marine nitrogen cycle, produces regenerated nitrate in the euphotic zone and emits N2O, a potent greenhouse gas as a by-product. The regulatory mechanisms of nitrification in the Southern Ocean, which is a critical region for CO2 sequestration and radiative benefits, remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the in situ and dark nitrification rates in the upper 500 m and conducted substrate kinetics experiments across the Indian Sector in the Cosmonaut and Cooperation Seas in the late austral summer. Our findings indicate that light inhibition of nitrification decreases exponentially with depth, exhibiting a light threshold of 0.53% photosynthetically active radiation. A positive relationship between dark nitrification and apparent oxygen utilization suggests a dependence on substrate availability from primary production. Importantly, an increased
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2358-z
Abstract:
The three-dimensional displacements caused by ocean loading effects are significant enough to impact spatial geodetic measurements on sub-daily or longer timescales, particularly in the vertical direction. Currently, most tide models incorporate the distribution of vertical displacement loading tides; however, their accuracy has not been assessed for the equatorial and Indian Ocean regions. Global Positioning System (GPS) observations provide high-precision data on sea-level changes, enabling the assessment of the accuracy and reliability of vertical displacement tide models. However, because the tidal period of the K2 constituent is almost identical to the orbital period of GPS constellations, the estimation of the K2 tidal constituent from GPS observations is not satisfactory. In this study, the principle of smoothness is employed to correct the systematic error in K2 estimates in GPS observations through quadratic fitting. Using the adjusted harmonic constants from 31 GPS stations for the equatorial and Indian Ocean, the accuracy of eight major constituents from five global vertical displacement tide models (FES2014, EOT11a, GOT4.10c, GOT4.8, and NAO.99b) is evaluated for the equatorial and Indian Ocean. The results indicate that the EOT11a and FES2014 models exhibit higher accuracy in the vertical displacement tide models for the equatorial and Indian Ocean, with root sum squares (RSS) errors of 2.29 mm and 2.34 mm, respectively. Furthermore, a brief analysis of the vertical displacement tide distribution characteristics of the eight major constituents for the equatorial and Indian Ocean was conducted using the EOT11a model.
The three-dimensional displacements caused by ocean loading effects are significant enough to impact spatial geodetic measurements on sub-daily or longer timescales, particularly in the vertical direction. Currently, most tide models incorporate the distribution of vertical displacement loading tides; however, their accuracy has not been assessed for the equatorial and Indian Ocean regions. Global Positioning System (GPS) observations provide high-precision data on sea-level changes, enabling the assessment of the accuracy and reliability of vertical displacement tide models. However, because the tidal period of the K2 constituent is almost identical to the orbital period of GPS constellations, the estimation of the K2 tidal constituent from GPS observations is not satisfactory. In this study, the principle of smoothness is employed to correct the systematic error in K2 estimates in GPS observations through quadratic fitting. Using the adjusted harmonic constants from 31 GPS stations for the equatorial and Indian Ocean, the accuracy of eight major constituents from five global vertical displacement tide models (FES2014, EOT11a, GOT4.10c, GOT4.8, and NAO.99b) is evaluated for the equatorial and Indian Ocean. The results indicate that the EOT11a and FES2014 models exhibit higher accuracy in the vertical displacement tide models for the equatorial and Indian Ocean, with root sum squares (RSS) errors of 2.29 mm and 2.34 mm, respectively. Furthermore, a brief analysis of the vertical displacement tide distribution characteristics of the eight major constituents for the equatorial and Indian Ocean was conducted using the EOT11a model.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2355-2
Abstract:
During August and September 2023, three giant icebergs, each bigger than Paris, successively grazed Clarence Island in the northeast of the Antarctic Peninsula, a home to a population of over 100 000 penguins. This incident may serve as a clarion call for the increasing iceberg calving due to global warming and its subsequent impact on the Antarctic ecosystem. Here we investigate this unexpected event and employ historical records and probabilistic analyses of iceberg grounding to assess the degree of impact on penguin colonies of Clarence Island. Among the eleven colonies, there is one with low impact, eight with medium impact, and two with high impact. The low-impact colony, Cape Lloyd, is located in the northern part of the island, while the high-impact colonies, False Ridge and Pink Pool, are in the southeast. The eight medium-impact colonies are distributed along both the eastern and western coasts of the island. This study provides essential support for evaluating the impact of iceberg activity on penguin colonies. We argue that penguin colonies located in areas prone to iceberg drift, such as Clarence Island, may become more vulnerable to the heightened risk of iceberg collisions or groundings in the warming future. Therefore, we hope the public will become more aware of the grave impacts of climate change on penguins and underscore the urgent need for effective conservation strategies.
During August and September 2023, three giant icebergs, each bigger than Paris, successively grazed Clarence Island in the northeast of the Antarctic Peninsula, a home to a population of over 100 000 penguins. This incident may serve as a clarion call for the increasing iceberg calving due to global warming and its subsequent impact on the Antarctic ecosystem. Here we investigate this unexpected event and employ historical records and probabilistic analyses of iceberg grounding to assess the degree of impact on penguin colonies of Clarence Island. Among the eleven colonies, there is one with low impact, eight with medium impact, and two with high impact. The low-impact colony, Cape Lloyd, is located in the northern part of the island, while the high-impact colonies, False Ridge and Pink Pool, are in the southeast. The eight medium-impact colonies are distributed along both the eastern and western coasts of the island. This study provides essential support for evaluating the impact of iceberg activity on penguin colonies. We argue that penguin colonies located in areas prone to iceberg drift, such as Clarence Island, may become more vulnerable to the heightened risk of iceberg collisions or groundings in the warming future. Therefore, we hope the public will become more aware of the grave impacts of climate change on penguins and underscore the urgent need for effective conservation strategies.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2359-y
Abstract:
Wave information retrieval from videos captured by a single camera has been increasingly applied in marine observation. However, when the camera observes ocean waves at low grazing angles, the accurate extraction of wave information from videos will be effected by the interference of the fine ripples on the sea surface. To solve this problem, this study develops a method for estimating peak wave periods from videos captured at low grazing angles. The method extracts the motion of the sea surface texture from the video and obtains the peak wave period via the spectral analysis. The calculation results captured from real-world videos are compared with those obtained from X-band radar inversion and tracking buoy movement, with maximum deviations of 8% and 14%, respectively. The analysis of the results shows that the peak wave period of the method has good stability. In addition, this paper uses a pinhole camera model to convert the displacement of the texture from pixel height to actual height and performs moving average filtering on the displacement of the texture, thus conducting a preliminary exploration of the inversion of significant wave height. This study helps to extend the application of sea surface videos.
Wave information retrieval from videos captured by a single camera has been increasingly applied in marine observation. However, when the camera observes ocean waves at low grazing angles, the accurate extraction of wave information from videos will be effected by the interference of the fine ripples on the sea surface. To solve this problem, this study develops a method for estimating peak wave periods from videos captured at low grazing angles. The method extracts the motion of the sea surface texture from the video and obtains the peak wave period via the spectral analysis. The calculation results captured from real-world videos are compared with those obtained from X-band radar inversion and tracking buoy movement, with maximum deviations of 8% and 14%, respectively. The analysis of the results shows that the peak wave period of the method has good stability. In addition, this paper uses a pinhole camera model to convert the displacement of the texture from pixel height to actual height and performs moving average filtering on the displacement of the texture, thus conducting a preliminary exploration of the inversion of significant wave height. This study helps to extend the application of sea surface videos.
Observed features of stable surface seawater isotopes across the Pacific, Indian and Southern oceans
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2378-8
Abstract:
The marine hydrological process is still unclear due to scarce observations. Based on stable water isotopes in surface seawater along the 33rd Chinese National Antarctic Science Expedition from November 2016 to April 2017, this study explored the hydrological processes in the Pacific, Indian and Southern Oceans. The results show that the Northwest Pacific (0—26° N) is a region with strong evaporation (the δ18O-δD slope is 6.58), while the southern Indian Ocean is a region with strong precipitation (the δ18O-δD slope is 9.57). The influence of continental runoff and water mass mixing reduces the correlation between δ18O and salinity in the eastern Indian Ocean. The characteristics of the isotopes and hydrological parameters indicate that the Agulhas front and subtropical convergence do not merge in the Antarctic–Indian Ocean region. The freezing of sea ice near the Antarctic continent decreases the δ18O and δD by 0.40‰ and 7.0‰, respectively, compared with those near 67°S. This study is helpful for understanding marine hydrological processes and promoting the understanding and research of the nature of ocean responses in the context of climate change.
The marine hydrological process is still unclear due to scarce observations. Based on stable water isotopes in surface seawater along the 33rd Chinese National Antarctic Science Expedition from November 2016 to April 2017, this study explored the hydrological processes in the Pacific, Indian and Southern Oceans. The results show that the Northwest Pacific (0—26° N) is a region with strong evaporation (the δ18O-δD slope is 6.58), while the southern Indian Ocean is a region with strong precipitation (the δ18O-δD slope is 9.57). The influence of continental runoff and water mass mixing reduces the correlation between δ18O and salinity in the eastern Indian Ocean. The characteristics of the isotopes and hydrological parameters indicate that the Agulhas front and subtropical convergence do not merge in the Antarctic–Indian Ocean region. The freezing of sea ice near the Antarctic continent decreases the δ18O and δD by 0.40‰ and 7.0‰, respectively, compared with those near 67°S. This study is helpful for understanding marine hydrological processes and promoting the understanding and research of the nature of ocean responses in the context of climate change.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2351-6
Abstract:
The long-term dynamic evolution and underlying mechanisms of coastal landscape pattern stability, driven by strong anthropogenic interference and consequently climate change, are topics of major interest in national and international scientific research. Guangdong Province, located in southeastern China, has been undergoing rapid urbanization over several decades. In this study, we quantitatively determined the scale threshold characteristics of coastal landscape pattern stability in Guangdong Province, from the dual perspective of spatial heterogeneity and spatial autocorrelation. An analysis of the spatiotemporal evolution of the coastal landscape was conducted after the optical scale was determined. Then, we applied the geodetector statistical method to quantitatively explore the mechanisms underlying coastal landscape pattern stability. Based on the inflection point of landscape metrics and the maximum value of the Moran I index, the optimal scale for analyzing coastal landscape pattern stability in Guangdong Province was 240 m × 240 m. Within the past several decades, coastal landscape pattern stability increased slightly and then decreased, with a turning point around 2005. The most significant variations in coastal landscape pattern stability were observed in the transition zone of rural-urban expansion. A q-statistics analysis showed that the explanatory power of paired factors was greater than that of a single driving factor; the paired factors with the greatest impact on coastal landscape pattern stability in Guangdong Province were the change in gross industrial output and change in average annual precipitation from 2010 to 2015, based on a q value of 0.604. These results will contribute to future efforts to achieve sustainable coastal development and provide a scientific basis and technical support for the rational planning and utilization of resources in large estuarine areas, including marine disaster prevention and seawall ecological restoration.
The long-term dynamic evolution and underlying mechanisms of coastal landscape pattern stability, driven by strong anthropogenic interference and consequently climate change, are topics of major interest in national and international scientific research. Guangdong Province, located in southeastern China, has been undergoing rapid urbanization over several decades. In this study, we quantitatively determined the scale threshold characteristics of coastal landscape pattern stability in Guangdong Province, from the dual perspective of spatial heterogeneity and spatial autocorrelation. An analysis of the spatiotemporal evolution of the coastal landscape was conducted after the optical scale was determined. Then, we applied the geodetector statistical method to quantitatively explore the mechanisms underlying coastal landscape pattern stability. Based on the inflection point of landscape metrics and the maximum value of the Moran I index, the optimal scale for analyzing coastal landscape pattern stability in Guangdong Province was 240 m × 240 m. Within the past several decades, coastal landscape pattern stability increased slightly and then decreased, with a turning point around 2005. The most significant variations in coastal landscape pattern stability were observed in the transition zone of rural-urban expansion. A q-statistics analysis showed that the explanatory power of paired factors was greater than that of a single driving factor; the paired factors with the greatest impact on coastal landscape pattern stability in Guangdong Province were the change in gross industrial output and change in average annual precipitation from 2010 to 2015, based on a q value of 0.604. These results will contribute to future efforts to achieve sustainable coastal development and provide a scientific basis and technical support for the rational planning and utilization of resources in large estuarine areas, including marine disaster prevention and seawall ecological restoration.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2302-2
Abstract:
More than 30 species of benthic Prorocentrum have been identified, some of which produce okadaic acid (OA) and its derivatives, dinophysistoxins (DTXs), which cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP). Increasing numbers of benthic Prorocentrum species have been reported in tropical and subtropical waters of the China Sea. In contrast, only a few benthic Prorocentrum species have been reported in temperate waters. In this study, morphological descriptions obtained using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and molecular characterization of one Prorocentrum clipeus strain isolated from the Yellow Sea of China are presented. Prorocentrum clipeus cells were nearly circular in shape, with a collar, ridge, and one protrusion. The periflagellar area was wide U-shaped, with two curved projections on platelet 1a. Nine periflagellar platelets of different sizes were observed. The morphology closely fits that of the species isolated from other locations. Phylogenetic analysis based on the molecular sequences of the small subunit (SSU) rDNA, internal transcribed spacer (ITS), and large subunit (LSU) rDNA was performed. A comprehensive metabolomic analysis incorporating target, suspect and non-target screenings was first applied to investigate the intracellular and extracellular metabolite profiles of the current isolate of P. clipeus. According to the results of the target and suspect screenings, 179 metabolites or toxins produced by DSP-related algal species, including OA, dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX1), dinophysistoxin-2 (DTX2) and pectenotoxin-2 (PTX2), were not detected. Non-target screening involving feature-based molecular networking (FBMN) provided a global view of major metabolites produced by the P. clipeus DF128 strain and revealed 23 clusters belonging to at least 13 compound classes, with organometallic compounds, lipids and lipid-like molecules, phenylpropanoids and polyketides, and benzenoids as major types. To date, this is the first record of the characterization of P. clipeus in samples from Chinese waters. Our results support the wide distribution of epibenthic Prorocentrum species.
More than 30 species of benthic Prorocentrum have been identified, some of which produce okadaic acid (OA) and its derivatives, dinophysistoxins (DTXs), which cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP). Increasing numbers of benthic Prorocentrum species have been reported in tropical and subtropical waters of the China Sea. In contrast, only a few benthic Prorocentrum species have been reported in temperate waters. In this study, morphological descriptions obtained using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and molecular characterization of one Prorocentrum clipeus strain isolated from the Yellow Sea of China are presented. Prorocentrum clipeus cells were nearly circular in shape, with a collar, ridge, and one protrusion. The periflagellar area was wide U-shaped, with two curved projections on platelet 1a. Nine periflagellar platelets of different sizes were observed. The morphology closely fits that of the species isolated from other locations. Phylogenetic analysis based on the molecular sequences of the small subunit (SSU) rDNA, internal transcribed spacer (ITS), and large subunit (LSU) rDNA was performed. A comprehensive metabolomic analysis incorporating target, suspect and non-target screenings was first applied to investigate the intracellular and extracellular metabolite profiles of the current isolate of P. clipeus. According to the results of the target and suspect screenings, 179 metabolites or toxins produced by DSP-related algal species, including OA, dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX1), dinophysistoxin-2 (DTX2) and pectenotoxin-2 (PTX2), were not detected. Non-target screening involving feature-based molecular networking (FBMN) provided a global view of major metabolites produced by the P. clipeus DF128 strain and revealed 23 clusters belonging to at least 13 compound classes, with organometallic compounds, lipids and lipid-like molecules, phenylpropanoids and polyketides, and benzenoids as major types. To date, this is the first record of the characterization of P. clipeus in samples from Chinese waters. Our results support the wide distribution of epibenthic Prorocentrum species.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2343-6
Abstract:
The complexity of river-tide interaction poses a significant challenge in predicting discharge in tidal rivers. Long short-term memory (LSTM) networks excel in processing and predicting crucial events with extended intervals and time delays in time series data. Additionally, the sequence-to-sequence (Seq2Seq) model, known for handling temporal relationships, adapting to variable-length sequences, effectively capturing historical information, and accommodating various influencing factors, emerges as a robust and flexible tool in discharge forecasting. In this study, we introduce the application of LSTM-based Seq2Seq models for the first time in forecasting the discharge of a tidal reach of the Changjiang River (Yangtze River) Estuary. This study focuses on discharge forecasting using three key input characteristics: flow velocity, water level, and discharge, which means the structure of multiple input and single output is adopted. The experiment used the discharge data of the whole year of 2020, of which the first 80% is used as the training set, and the last 20% is used as the test set. This means that the data covers different tidal cycles, which helps to test the forecasting effect of different models in different tidal cycles and different runoff. The experimental results indicate that the proposed models demonstrate advantages in long-term, mid-term, and short-term discharge forecasting. The Seq2Seq models improved by 6%–60% and 5%–20% of the relative standard deviation compared to the harmonic analysis models and improved back propagation neural network models in discharge prediction, respectively. In addition, the relative accuracy of the Seq2Seq model is 1% to 3% higher than that of the LSTM model. Analytical assessment of the prediction errors shows that the Seq2Seq models are insensitive to the forecast lead time and they can capture characteristic values such as maximum flood tide flow and maximum ebb tide flow in the tidal cycle well. This indicates the significance of the Seq2Seq models.
The complexity of river-tide interaction poses a significant challenge in predicting discharge in tidal rivers. Long short-term memory (LSTM) networks excel in processing and predicting crucial events with extended intervals and time delays in time series data. Additionally, the sequence-to-sequence (Seq2Seq) model, known for handling temporal relationships, adapting to variable-length sequences, effectively capturing historical information, and accommodating various influencing factors, emerges as a robust and flexible tool in discharge forecasting. In this study, we introduce the application of LSTM-based Seq2Seq models for the first time in forecasting the discharge of a tidal reach of the Changjiang River (Yangtze River) Estuary. This study focuses on discharge forecasting using three key input characteristics: flow velocity, water level, and discharge, which means the structure of multiple input and single output is adopted. The experiment used the discharge data of the whole year of 2020, of which the first 80% is used as the training set, and the last 20% is used as the test set. This means that the data covers different tidal cycles, which helps to test the forecasting effect of different models in different tidal cycles and different runoff. The experimental results indicate that the proposed models demonstrate advantages in long-term, mid-term, and short-term discharge forecasting. The Seq2Seq models improved by 6%–60% and 5%–20% of the relative standard deviation compared to the harmonic analysis models and improved back propagation neural network models in discharge prediction, respectively. In addition, the relative accuracy of the Seq2Seq model is 1% to 3% higher than that of the LSTM model. Analytical assessment of the prediction errors shows that the Seq2Seq models are insensitive to the forecast lead time and they can capture characteristic values such as maximum flood tide flow and maximum ebb tide flow in the tidal cycle well. This indicates the significance of the Seq2Seq models.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-023-2197-3
Abstract:
To protect the sustainability of the benefits from seas and near coastal areas, which have under the effect of the very complex hydrodynamic conditions and intensive human activities, without disrupting the balance of nature, it is necessary to image the status of the seafloor features. Therefore, this study presents the deformations, depositional conditions, underwater constructions, and the other non-natural impacts on the seafloor of the nearshore area at western Istanbul (between Küçükçekmece and Büyükçekmece lagoons) where it intensely used by the citizens. The results of the study may provide some guidance for understanding the impacts and risk factors of uses that are or will be conducted in coastal and/or near-coastal areas. Construction planning for civil coastal structures and areas should be done in great harmony with nature, minimizing negative environmental impacts. Although sediment distribution in the area is generally quite complex, the current state of the region, wave action, hydrodynamic conditions, the amount of material transported from the land, and bathymetry are important influencing factors. The seafloor has been damaged primarily by anchor deformation and associated bottom scanning, as well as disturbing trawl tracks. The seafloor was observed as partially shallowing near the constructions (such as natural gas pipelines, fishermen’s shelter, and port piles) of coastal areas and associated with sand deposits. Therefore, scanning the seafloor using side-scan sonar may provide valuable frequency data to prevent future disruptions.
To protect the sustainability of the benefits from seas and near coastal areas, which have under the effect of the very complex hydrodynamic conditions and intensive human activities, without disrupting the balance of nature, it is necessary to image the status of the seafloor features. Therefore, this study presents the deformations, depositional conditions, underwater constructions, and the other non-natural impacts on the seafloor of the nearshore area at western Istanbul (between Küçükçekmece and Büyükçekmece lagoons) where it intensely used by the citizens. The results of the study may provide some guidance for understanding the impacts and risk factors of uses that are or will be conducted in coastal and/or near-coastal areas. Construction planning for civil coastal structures and areas should be done in great harmony with nature, minimizing negative environmental impacts. Although sediment distribution in the area is generally quite complex, the current state of the region, wave action, hydrodynamic conditions, the amount of material transported from the land, and bathymetry are important influencing factors. The seafloor has been damaged primarily by anchor deformation and associated bottom scanning, as well as disturbing trawl tracks. The seafloor was observed as partially shallowing near the constructions (such as natural gas pipelines, fishermen’s shelter, and port piles) of coastal areas and associated with sand deposits. Therefore, scanning the seafloor using side-scan sonar may provide valuable frequency data to prevent future disruptions.
, Available online
Abstract:
Sediment-laden sea ice plays an important role in Arctic sediment transport and biogeochemical cycles, as well as the shortwave radiation budget and melt onset of ice surface. However, at present, there is a lack of efficient observation approach from both space and in situ for the coverage of Arctic sediment-laden sea ice. Thus, both spatial distribution and long-term changes in area fraction of such ice floes are still unclear. This study proposes a new classification method to extract Arctic sediment-laden sea ice on the basic of the difference in spectral characteristics between sediment-laden sea ice and clean sea ice in the visible band using the MOD09A1 data with the resolution of 500 m, and obtains its area fraction over the pan Arctic Ocean during 2000−2021. Compared with Landsat-8 true color verification images with a resolution of 30 m, the overall accuracy of our classification method is 92.3%, and the Kappa coefficient is 0.84. The impact of clouds on the results of recognition and spatiotemporal changes of sediment-laden sea ice is relatively small from June to July, compared to that in May or August. Spatially, sediment-laden sea ice mostly appears over the marginal seas of the Arctic Ocean, especially the continental shelf of Chukchi Sea and the Siberian Seas. Associated with the retreat of Arctic sea ice extent, the total area of sediment-laden sea ice in June–July also shows a significant decreasing trend of 8.99 × 104 km2 per year. The occurrence of sediment-laden sea ice over the Arctic Ocean in June–July leads to the reduce of surface albedo over the ice-covered ocean by 14.1%. This study will help thoroughly understanding of the role of sediment-laden sea ice in the evolution of Arctic climate system and marine ecological environment, as well as the heat budget and mass balance of sea ice itself.
Sediment-laden sea ice plays an important role in Arctic sediment transport and biogeochemical cycles, as well as the shortwave radiation budget and melt onset of ice surface. However, at present, there is a lack of efficient observation approach from both space and in situ for the coverage of Arctic sediment-laden sea ice. Thus, both spatial distribution and long-term changes in area fraction of such ice floes are still unclear. This study proposes a new classification method to extract Arctic sediment-laden sea ice on the basic of the difference in spectral characteristics between sediment-laden sea ice and clean sea ice in the visible band using the MOD09A1 data with the resolution of 500 m, and obtains its area fraction over the pan Arctic Ocean during 2000−2021. Compared with Landsat-8 true color verification images with a resolution of 30 m, the overall accuracy of our classification method is 92.3%, and the Kappa coefficient is 0.84. The impact of clouds on the results of recognition and spatiotemporal changes of sediment-laden sea ice is relatively small from June to July, compared to that in May or August. Spatially, sediment-laden sea ice mostly appears over the marginal seas of the Arctic Ocean, especially the continental shelf of Chukchi Sea and the Siberian Seas. Associated with the retreat of Arctic sea ice extent, the total area of sediment-laden sea ice in June–July also shows a significant decreasing trend of 8.99 × 104 km2 per year. The occurrence of sediment-laden sea ice over the Arctic Ocean in June–July leads to the reduce of surface albedo over the ice-covered ocean by 14.1%. This study will help thoroughly understanding of the role of sediment-laden sea ice in the evolution of Arctic climate system and marine ecological environment, as well as the heat budget and mass balance of sea ice itself.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2289-8
Abstract:
In the coastal environment, the co-occurrence of antibiotic and nanoplastic pollution is common. Investigating their individual and combined toxicity to marine organisms is of great necessity. In the present study, the reproductive toxicity of sulfamethazine (SMZ) and nanoplastics (polystyrene, PS) via the dietary route on the spermatogenesis of marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) was examined. After 30 days of dietary exposure, SMZ alone decreased the gonadosomatic index (GSI) value (~ 35%) and the proportion of undifferentiated type A spermatogonia (Aund) (~ 40%), probably by disrupting the testicular sex hormone production, the spermatogenesis-related growth factor network and the balance of apoptosis. Individual exposure to PS did not affect the GSI value or the proportions of germ cells at different developmental stages, but dysregulated the expression of several spermatogenesis-related genes. Interestingly, the presence of PS alleviated the decreased GSI value caused by SMZ. This alleviation effect was achieved by enhancing the spermatogonia differentiation instead of reversing the suppressed self-renewal of Aund, suggesting that the mixture of PS and SMZ could cause reproductive effects in a different way. These findings expand our knowledge of threats of ubiquitous antibiotic and nanoplastic pollution to fish reproduction and population.
In the coastal environment, the co-occurrence of antibiotic and nanoplastic pollution is common. Investigating their individual and combined toxicity to marine organisms is of great necessity. In the present study, the reproductive toxicity of sulfamethazine (SMZ) and nanoplastics (polystyrene, PS) via the dietary route on the spermatogenesis of marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) was examined. After 30 days of dietary exposure, SMZ alone decreased the gonadosomatic index (GSI) value (~ 35%) and the proportion of undifferentiated type A spermatogonia (Aund) (~ 40%), probably by disrupting the testicular sex hormone production, the spermatogenesis-related growth factor network and the balance of apoptosis. Individual exposure to PS did not affect the GSI value or the proportions of germ cells at different developmental stages, but dysregulated the expression of several spermatogenesis-related genes. Interestingly, the presence of PS alleviated the decreased GSI value caused by SMZ. This alleviation effect was achieved by enhancing the spermatogonia differentiation instead of reversing the suppressed self-renewal of Aund, suggesting that the mixture of PS and SMZ could cause reproductive effects in a different way. These findings expand our knowledge of threats of ubiquitous antibiotic and nanoplastic pollution to fish reproduction and population.
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Abstract:
The northern South China Sea, including the Zhujiangkou Basin and the Beibuwan Basin, developed high-quality lacustrine source rocks during the Eocene rifting period. These source rocks are vital for hydrocarbon generation in the northern South China Sea. The Zhu I depression in the Zhujiangkou Basin and the Beibuwan Basin typically exhibit high abundance of C30 4-methyl steranes. However, shales in the Eocene Wenchang Formation in the Zhu III depression of the Zhujiangkou Basin contains lower quantities of high-quality lacustrine source rocks with 4-methyl steranes, which often co-elute with some pentacyclic triterpanes in gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Therefore, the single 4-methylsterane parameter based on GC-MS cannot accurately distinguish organic source in the deep to semi-deep water lacustrine source rocks of the Wenchang Formation from other source rocks, thus impeding the recognition of their contributions to petroleum reservoirs. In this study, GC-MS of aliphatic hydrocarbons, palynofacies and algal identification, as well as stable carbon isotope data of organic matter were used to identify the algal species and construct the paleoclimate during deposition of the Wenchang Formation source rocks in the Zhu III depression of the Zhujiangkou Basin. It is suggested that during the Wenchang Formation period, freshwater green algae prevailed in the lake, which is likely account for the relatively low content of 4-methyl steranes in the high-quality lacustrine source rocks. Controlled by the algal species, it is proposed that the content of C30 tetracyclic polyprenoids (TPP) can better indicate the quality of the Wenchang source rocks than C30 4-methyl steranes. Consequently, a relationship between the TPP index and the quality of the lacustrine source rocks in the Wenchang Formation of the Zhu III depression was established. A higher TPP index indicates higher organic matter abundance and hydrogen index of the lacustrine source rocks. When applied to the origin analysis of oils in the Zhu III depression, it is believed that the organic-rich deep lacustrine source rocks in the Wenchang Formation made great contribution to the transitional zone crude oils in the Wenchang A and Wenchang B depressions.
The northern South China Sea, including the Zhujiangkou Basin and the Beibuwan Basin, developed high-quality lacustrine source rocks during the Eocene rifting period. These source rocks are vital for hydrocarbon generation in the northern South China Sea. The Zhu I depression in the Zhujiangkou Basin and the Beibuwan Basin typically exhibit high abundance of C30 4-methyl steranes. However, shales in the Eocene Wenchang Formation in the Zhu III depression of the Zhujiangkou Basin contains lower quantities of high-quality lacustrine source rocks with 4-methyl steranes, which often co-elute with some pentacyclic triterpanes in gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Therefore, the single 4-methylsterane parameter based on GC-MS cannot accurately distinguish organic source in the deep to semi-deep water lacustrine source rocks of the Wenchang Formation from other source rocks, thus impeding the recognition of their contributions to petroleum reservoirs. In this study, GC-MS of aliphatic hydrocarbons, palynofacies and algal identification, as well as stable carbon isotope data of organic matter were used to identify the algal species and construct the paleoclimate during deposition of the Wenchang Formation source rocks in the Zhu III depression of the Zhujiangkou Basin. It is suggested that during the Wenchang Formation period, freshwater green algae prevailed in the lake, which is likely account for the relatively low content of 4-methyl steranes in the high-quality lacustrine source rocks. Controlled by the algal species, it is proposed that the content of C30 tetracyclic polyprenoids (TPP) can better indicate the quality of the Wenchang source rocks than C30 4-methyl steranes. Consequently, a relationship between the TPP index and the quality of the lacustrine source rocks in the Wenchang Formation of the Zhu III depression was established. A higher TPP index indicates higher organic matter abundance and hydrogen index of the lacustrine source rocks. When applied to the origin analysis of oils in the Zhu III depression, it is believed that the organic-rich deep lacustrine source rocks in the Wenchang Formation made great contribution to the transitional zone crude oils in the Wenchang A and Wenchang B depressions.
, Available online
Abstract:
The gas sources in the Eastern Cote d’Ivoire Basin (Tano Basin) are seldom reported and remain controversial due to multiple sets of potential source rocks and poorly documented geochemical characteristics of natural gases. The marine source rock potential from the Upper Albian to Turonian as well as the molecular composition and the stable carbon isotope composition of natural gases in the Eastern Cote d’Ivoire Basin were studied in detail to investigate the origins of natural gases. The total organic carbon (TOC), hydrogen index (HI), and generation potential (S1 + S2) of source rocks indicate that both sapropelic source rocks and humic source rocks developed during the Late Albian, whereas sapropelic source rocks developed during the Cenomanian and the Turonian. The normal order of δ13CH4 < δ13C2H6 < δ13C3H8 (δ13C1 < δ13C2 < δ13C3), the relationship between C2/C3 molar ratio and δ13C2 - δ13C3, and the plot of δ13C1 versus C1/(C2+C3) collectively show that the natural gases are thermogenic due to the primary cracking of kerogen, including the typical oil-associated gases from Well D-1, the mixed oil-associated gases and coal-derived gases from Well G-1 and Well L-1. Based on the plot of δ13C1 versus δ13C2 and the established relationship between δ13C1 and equivalent vitrinite reflectance (Ro), we proposed that the natural gases are in a mature stage (Ro generally varies from 1.0% to 1.3%). Combined with results of basin modelling and oil-to-source correlation, the transitional to marine source rocks during the Late Albian were thought to have made a great contribution to the natural gases. Our study will make a better understanding on petroleum system in the Eastern Cote d’Ivoire Basin.
The gas sources in the Eastern Cote d’Ivoire Basin (Tano Basin) are seldom reported and remain controversial due to multiple sets of potential source rocks and poorly documented geochemical characteristics of natural gases. The marine source rock potential from the Upper Albian to Turonian as well as the molecular composition and the stable carbon isotope composition of natural gases in the Eastern Cote d’Ivoire Basin were studied in detail to investigate the origins of natural gases. The total organic carbon (TOC), hydrogen index (HI), and generation potential (S1 + S2) of source rocks indicate that both sapropelic source rocks and humic source rocks developed during the Late Albian, whereas sapropelic source rocks developed during the Cenomanian and the Turonian. The normal order of δ13CH4 < δ13C2H6 < δ13C3H8 (δ13C1 < δ13C2 < δ13C3), the relationship between C2/C3 molar ratio and δ13C2 - δ13C3, and the plot of δ13C1 versus C1/(C2+C3) collectively show that the natural gases are thermogenic due to the primary cracking of kerogen, including the typical oil-associated gases from Well D-1, the mixed oil-associated gases and coal-derived gases from Well G-1 and Well L-1. Based on the plot of δ13C1 versus δ13C2 and the established relationship between δ13C1 and equivalent vitrinite reflectance (Ro), we proposed that the natural gases are in a mature stage (Ro generally varies from 1.0% to 1.3%). Combined with results of basin modelling and oil-to-source correlation, the transitional to marine source rocks during the Late Albian were thought to have made a great contribution to the natural gases. Our study will make a better understanding on petroleum system in the Eastern Cote d’Ivoire Basin.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2313-z
Abstract:
The deltas serve as the primary interactive zone where terrestrial and marine environments converge, playing a pivotal role in the coastal deposition. In the Holocene, climate changes and sea level fluctuation are the principal driving factors in the evolution of deltas. However, human activities such as the construction of dams and reservoirs in the Anthropocene have significantly altered sediment transport in rivers, leading to depositional pattern variation during deltaic evolution. In this study, we have conducted a comparative analysis of the morphological variations (1986–2021) in the barrier system of the Hanjiang River Delta (HRD) using satellite remote sensing (SRS) method. Additionally, we have examined the lithological changes and facies alterations observed in eight boreholes on the present barrier spit. Our findings indicate that the intensification of anthropogenic activities led to a significant reduction in the sediment flux of the Hanjiang River (HR), resulting in depocenter landward migration at the estuary. SRS analysis reveals their periodical morphological characteristics and spatial variations of estuarine sandbars (1986–1992), barrier islands-lagoons (1993–2009), and barrier spits (2010–2021) during 1986 to 2021. The stratigraphy of boreholes demonstrates a south-to-north facies transition from lagoon to lagoon-barrier spit and barrier spit in vertical lithology. Therefore, the depositional evolution of the HRD barrier system is categorized into three phases: estuarine sandbar-barrier island phase (1986–1998); barrier island-lagoon phase (1999–2009); and barrier spit phase (2010–2021). During the estuarine sandbar-barrier island phase, fluvial processes played a predominate role in the deposition. Consequently, with a significant decrease in river sediment load, the dominant factors driving depositional processes shifted towards wave action and alongshore current. Based on the conceptual model in the Holocene, we propose a modified depositional model of wave-dominated deltas during Anthropocene that encompasses three evolutionary phases: estuarine sandbars and delta front platforms, barrier island-lagoon formation and landward migration of barrier spits. This pattern highlights that human-induced reduction in river sediment flux has led to a seaward deltaic progradation driven by barrier landward migration.
The deltas serve as the primary interactive zone where terrestrial and marine environments converge, playing a pivotal role in the coastal deposition. In the Holocene, climate changes and sea level fluctuation are the principal driving factors in the evolution of deltas. However, human activities such as the construction of dams and reservoirs in the Anthropocene have significantly altered sediment transport in rivers, leading to depositional pattern variation during deltaic evolution. In this study, we have conducted a comparative analysis of the morphological variations (1986–2021) in the barrier system of the Hanjiang River Delta (HRD) using satellite remote sensing (SRS) method. Additionally, we have examined the lithological changes and facies alterations observed in eight boreholes on the present barrier spit. Our findings indicate that the intensification of anthropogenic activities led to a significant reduction in the sediment flux of the Hanjiang River (HR), resulting in depocenter landward migration at the estuary. SRS analysis reveals their periodical morphological characteristics and spatial variations of estuarine sandbars (1986–1992), barrier islands-lagoons (1993–2009), and barrier spits (2010–2021) during 1986 to 2021. The stratigraphy of boreholes demonstrates a south-to-north facies transition from lagoon to lagoon-barrier spit and barrier spit in vertical lithology. Therefore, the depositional evolution of the HRD barrier system is categorized into three phases: estuarine sandbar-barrier island phase (1986–1998); barrier island-lagoon phase (1999–2009); and barrier spit phase (2010–2021). During the estuarine sandbar-barrier island phase, fluvial processes played a predominate role in the deposition. Consequently, with a significant decrease in river sediment load, the dominant factors driving depositional processes shifted towards wave action and alongshore current. Based on the conceptual model in the Holocene, we propose a modified depositional model of wave-dominated deltas during Anthropocene that encompasses three evolutionary phases: estuarine sandbars and delta front platforms, barrier island-lagoon formation and landward migration of barrier spits. This pattern highlights that human-induced reduction in river sediment flux has led to a seaward deltaic progradation driven by barrier landward migration.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-023-2272-9
Abstract:
The Caroline Plate is located among the Pacific Plate, the Philippine Sea Plate, and the India Australia Plate, and plays a key role in controlling the spreading direction of the Philippine Sea Plate. The Caroline Submarine Plateau (or Caroline Ridge) and the Eauripik Rise on the south formed a remarkable T-shaped large igneous rock province, which covered the northern boundary between the Caroline Plate and the Pacific Plate. However, relationship between these tectonic units and magma evolution remains unclear. Based on magnetic data from the Earth Magnetic Anomaly Grid (2-arc-minute resolution) (V2), the normalized vertical derivative of the total horizontal derivative (NVDR-THDR) technique was used to study the boundary of the Caroline Plate. Results show that the northern boundary is a transform fault that runs 1400 km long in approximately 28 km wide along the N8° in E-W direction. The eastern boundary is an NNW-SSE trending fault zone and subduction zone with a width of tens to hundreds of kilometers; and the north of N4° is a fracture zone of dense faults. The southeastern boundary may be the Lyra Trough. The area between the southwestern part of the Caroline Plate and the Ayu Trough is occupied by a wide shear zone up to 100 km wide in nearly S-N trending in general. The Eauripik transform fault (ETF) in the center of the Caroline Plate and the fault zones in the east and west basins are mostly semi-parallel sinistral NNW-SSE–trending faults, which together with the eastern boundary Mussau Trench sinistral fault, the northern Caroline transform fault, and the southern shear zone of the western boundary, indicates the sinistral characteristics of the Caroline Plate. The Caroline hotspot erupted in the Pacific Plate near the Caroline transform fault and formed the West Caroline Ridge, and then joined with the Caroline transform fault at the N8°. A large amount of magma erupted along the Caroline transform fault, by which the East Caroline Ridge was formed. At the same time, a large amount of magma developed southward via the eastern branch of the ETF, forming the northern segment of the Eauripik Rise. Therefore, the magmatic activity of the T-shaped large igneous province is obviously related to the fault structure of the boundary faults between the Caroline Plate and Pacific Plate, and the active faults within the Caroline Plate.
The Caroline Plate is located among the Pacific Plate, the Philippine Sea Plate, and the India Australia Plate, and plays a key role in controlling the spreading direction of the Philippine Sea Plate. The Caroline Submarine Plateau (or Caroline Ridge) and the Eauripik Rise on the south formed a remarkable T-shaped large igneous rock province, which covered the northern boundary between the Caroline Plate and the Pacific Plate. However, relationship between these tectonic units and magma evolution remains unclear. Based on magnetic data from the Earth Magnetic Anomaly Grid (2-arc-minute resolution) (V2), the normalized vertical derivative of the total horizontal derivative (NVDR-THDR) technique was used to study the boundary of the Caroline Plate. Results show that the northern boundary is a transform fault that runs 1400 km long in approximately 28 km wide along the N8° in E-W direction. The eastern boundary is an NNW-SSE trending fault zone and subduction zone with a width of tens to hundreds of kilometers; and the north of N4° is a fracture zone of dense faults. The southeastern boundary may be the Lyra Trough. The area between the southwestern part of the Caroline Plate and the Ayu Trough is occupied by a wide shear zone up to 100 km wide in nearly S-N trending in general. The Eauripik transform fault (ETF) in the center of the Caroline Plate and the fault zones in the east and west basins are mostly semi-parallel sinistral NNW-SSE–trending faults, which together with the eastern boundary Mussau Trench sinistral fault, the northern Caroline transform fault, and the southern shear zone of the western boundary, indicates the sinistral characteristics of the Caroline Plate. The Caroline hotspot erupted in the Pacific Plate near the Caroline transform fault and formed the West Caroline Ridge, and then joined with the Caroline transform fault at the N8°. A large amount of magma erupted along the Caroline transform fault, by which the East Caroline Ridge was formed. At the same time, a large amount of magma developed southward via the eastern branch of the ETF, forming the northern segment of the Eauripik Rise. Therefore, the magmatic activity of the T-shaped large igneous province is obviously related to the fault structure of the boundary faults between the Caroline Plate and Pacific Plate, and the active faults within the Caroline Plate.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-023-2273-8
Abstract:
Climate change has led to significant fluctuations in marine ecosystems, including alterations in the structure and function of food webs and ecosystem status. Coastal ecosystems are critical to the functioning of the earth’s life-supporting systems. However, temporal variations in most of these ecosystems have remained unclear so far. In this study, we employed a linear inverse model with Markov Chain Monte Carlo (LIM-MCMC) combined with ecological network analysis (ENA) to reveal the temporal variations of the food web in Haizhou Bay of China. Food webs were constructed based on diet composition data in this ecosystem during the year of 2011 and 2018. Results indicated that there were obvious temporal variations in the composition of food webs in autumn of 2011 and 2018. The number of prey and predators for most species in food web decreased in 2018 compared with 2011, especially for Trichiurus lepturus, zooplankton, Amblychaeturichthys hexanema, and Loligo sp. ENA showed that the complexity of food web structure could be reflected by comprehensive analysis of compartmentalized indicators. Haizhou Bay ecosystem was more mature and stable in 2011, while the ecosystem’s self-sustainability and recovery from disturbances were accelerated from 2011 to 2018. These findings contribute to our understanding of the dynamics of marine ecosystems and highlight the importance of comprehensive analysis of marine food webs. This work provides a framework for assessing and comparing temporal variations in marine ecosystems, which provides essential information and scientific guidance for the Ecosystem-based Fisheries Management (EBFM).
Climate change has led to significant fluctuations in marine ecosystems, including alterations in the structure and function of food webs and ecosystem status. Coastal ecosystems are critical to the functioning of the earth’s life-supporting systems. However, temporal variations in most of these ecosystems have remained unclear so far. In this study, we employed a linear inverse model with Markov Chain Monte Carlo (LIM-MCMC) combined with ecological network analysis (ENA) to reveal the temporal variations of the food web in Haizhou Bay of China. Food webs were constructed based on diet composition data in this ecosystem during the year of 2011 and 2018. Results indicated that there were obvious temporal variations in the composition of food webs in autumn of 2011 and 2018. The number of prey and predators for most species in food web decreased in 2018 compared with 2011, especially for Trichiurus lepturus, zooplankton, Amblychaeturichthys hexanema, and Loligo sp. ENA showed that the complexity of food web structure could be reflected by comprehensive analysis of compartmentalized indicators. Haizhou Bay ecosystem was more mature and stable in 2011, while the ecosystem’s self-sustainability and recovery from disturbances were accelerated from 2011 to 2018. These findings contribute to our understanding of the dynamics of marine ecosystems and highlight the importance of comprehensive analysis of marine food webs. This work provides a framework for assessing and comparing temporal variations in marine ecosystems, which provides essential information and scientific guidance for the Ecosystem-based Fisheries Management (EBFM).
, Available online
Abstract:
Studies of converted S-wave data recorded on the Ocean Bottom Seismometer (OBS) allow for the estimation of crustal S-wave velocity, from which is further derived the Vp/Vs ratio to constrain the crustal lithology and geophysical properties. Constructing a precise S-wave velocity model is important for deep structural research, and inversion of converted S-waves provides a potential solution. However, the inversion of the converted S-wave remains a weakness because of the complexity of the seismic ray path and the inconsistent conversion interface. In this study, we introduced two travel time correction methods for the S-wave velocity inversion and imaged different S-wave velocity structures in accordance with the corresponding corrected S-wave phases using seismic data of profile EW6 in the northeastern South China Sea (SCS). The two inversion models show a similar trend in velocities, and the velocity difference is < 0.15 km/s (mostly in the range of 0–0.1 km/s), indicating the accuracy of the two travel time correction methods and the reliability of the inversion results. According to simulations of seismic ray tracing based on different models, the velocity of sediments is the primary influencing factor in ray tracing for S-wave phases. If the sedimentary layer has high velocities, the near offset crustal S-wave refractions cannot be traced. In contrast, the ray tracing of Moho S-wave reflections was not significantly impacted by the velocity of the sediments. The two travel time correction methods have their own advantages, and the application of different approaches is based on additional requirements. These works provide an important reference for future improvements in converted S-wave research.
Studies of converted S-wave data recorded on the Ocean Bottom Seismometer (OBS) allow for the estimation of crustal S-wave velocity, from which is further derived the Vp/Vs ratio to constrain the crustal lithology and geophysical properties. Constructing a precise S-wave velocity model is important for deep structural research, and inversion of converted S-waves provides a potential solution. However, the inversion of the converted S-wave remains a weakness because of the complexity of the seismic ray path and the inconsistent conversion interface. In this study, we introduced two travel time correction methods for the S-wave velocity inversion and imaged different S-wave velocity structures in accordance with the corresponding corrected S-wave phases using seismic data of profile EW6 in the northeastern South China Sea (SCS). The two inversion models show a similar trend in velocities, and the velocity difference is < 0.15 km/s (mostly in the range of 0–0.1 km/s), indicating the accuracy of the two travel time correction methods and the reliability of the inversion results. According to simulations of seismic ray tracing based on different models, the velocity of sediments is the primary influencing factor in ray tracing for S-wave phases. If the sedimentary layer has high velocities, the near offset crustal S-wave refractions cannot be traced. In contrast, the ray tracing of Moho S-wave reflections was not significantly impacted by the velocity of the sediments. The two travel time correction methods have their own advantages, and the application of different approaches is based on additional requirements. These works provide an important reference for future improvements in converted S-wave research.
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Abstract:
The genus Marinobacter is very broadly distributed in global environments and is considered as aerobic heterotroph. In this study, six Marinobacter strains were identified with autotrophic thiosulfate oxidation capacity. These strains, namely Marinobacter guineae M3BT, Marinobacter aromaticivorans D15-8PT, Marinobacter vulgaris F01T, Marinobacter profundi PWS21T, Marinobacter denitrificans JB02H27T, and Marinobacter sp. ST-1M (with a 99.93 % similarity to the 16S rDNA sequences of Marinobacter salsuginis SD-14BT), were screened out of 32 Marinobacter strains by autotrophic thiosulfate oxidization medium. The population of cells grew in a chemolithotrophic medium, increasing from 105 to 107 cells /mL within 5 days. This growth was accompanied by the consumption of thiosulfate 3.59 mM to 9.64 mM and the accumulation of sulfate up to 0.96 mM, and occasionally produced sulfur containing complex particles. Among these Marinobacter strains, it was also found their capability of oxidizing thiosulfate to sulfate in a heterotrophic medium. Notably, M. vulgaris F01T and M. antarcticus ZS2-30T showed highly significant production of sulfate at 9.45 mM and 3.10 mM. Genome annotation indicated that these Marinobacter strains possess a complete Sox cluster for thiosulfate oxidation. Further phylogenetic analysis of the soxB gene revealed that six Marinobacter strains formed a separate lineage within Gammaproteobacteria and close to obligate chemolithoautotroph Thiomicrorhabdus arctica. The results indicated that thiosulfate oxidizing and chemolithoautotrophic potential in Marinobacter genus, which may contribute to the widespread of Marinobacter in the global ocean.
The genus Marinobacter is very broadly distributed in global environments and is considered as aerobic heterotroph. In this study, six Marinobacter strains were identified with autotrophic thiosulfate oxidation capacity. These strains, namely Marinobacter guineae M3BT, Marinobacter aromaticivorans D15-8PT, Marinobacter vulgaris F01T, Marinobacter profundi PWS21T, Marinobacter denitrificans JB02H27T, and Marinobacter sp. ST-1M (with a 99.93 % similarity to the 16S rDNA sequences of Marinobacter salsuginis SD-14BT), were screened out of 32 Marinobacter strains by autotrophic thiosulfate oxidization medium. The population of cells grew in a chemolithotrophic medium, increasing from 105 to 107 cells /mL within 5 days. This growth was accompanied by the consumption of thiosulfate 3.59 mM to 9.64 mM and the accumulation of sulfate up to 0.96 mM, and occasionally produced sulfur containing complex particles. Among these Marinobacter strains, it was also found their capability of oxidizing thiosulfate to sulfate in a heterotrophic medium. Notably, M. vulgaris F01T and M. antarcticus ZS2-30T showed highly significant production of sulfate at 9.45 mM and 3.10 mM. Genome annotation indicated that these Marinobacter strains possess a complete Sox cluster for thiosulfate oxidation. Further phylogenetic analysis of the soxB gene revealed that six Marinobacter strains formed a separate lineage within Gammaproteobacteria and close to obligate chemolithoautotroph Thiomicrorhabdus arctica. The results indicated that thiosulfate oxidizing and chemolithoautotrophic potential in Marinobacter genus, which may contribute to the widespread of Marinobacter in the global ocean.
, Available online
Abstract:
This study aims at identifying the microevolutionary processes responsible for the onset of the remarkable phylogeographic structure already recorded for the endangered giant clam Tridacna squamosa across its distribution range. For this purpose, the evolutionary, biogeographic and demographic histories of the species were comprehensively reconstructed in a mitochondrial dataset comprising nearly the whole available published cytochrome c oxidase 1 gene sequences of T. squamosa. Relatively higher level of genetic diversification was unveiled within T. squamosa, in comparison to earlier macro-geographic investigations, whereby five mitochondrial clusters were delineated. The resulting divergent gene pools in the Red Sea, Western Indian Ocean, Indo-Malay Archipelago and Western Pacific were found to be driven by Early Pleistocene glacial vicariance events among refugial lineages. Accentuated genetic diversification of the species across the Indo-Malay Archipelago was successively triggered by historical dispersal event during the Mid-Pleistocene MIS19c interglacial. This latter historical event might have also enabled genetically distinct giant clams from the Indo-Malay Archipelago to subsequently colonize the Western Pacific, accounting for the genetic diversity hotspot detected within this region (comprising three divergent mitochondrial clusters). Late Pleistocene demographic expansion of T. squamosa, during the Last Interglacial period, could have contributed to forging spatial distribution of the so far delineated genetic entities across the Indo-Western Pacific. Overall, being resilient to major climate shifts during the Pleistocene through adaptation and consequent diversification, T. squamosa could be used as a model species to track the impact of climate change on genetic variability and structure of marine species. In particular, the new information, provided in this investigation, may help with understanding and/or predicting the consequences of ongoing global warming on genetic polymorphism of endangered coral reef species among which Tridacna sp. are listed as ecologically important.
This study aims at identifying the microevolutionary processes responsible for the onset of the remarkable phylogeographic structure already recorded for the endangered giant clam Tridacna squamosa across its distribution range. For this purpose, the evolutionary, biogeographic and demographic histories of the species were comprehensively reconstructed in a mitochondrial dataset comprising nearly the whole available published cytochrome c oxidase 1 gene sequences of T. squamosa. Relatively higher level of genetic diversification was unveiled within T. squamosa, in comparison to earlier macro-geographic investigations, whereby five mitochondrial clusters were delineated. The resulting divergent gene pools in the Red Sea, Western Indian Ocean, Indo-Malay Archipelago and Western Pacific were found to be driven by Early Pleistocene glacial vicariance events among refugial lineages. Accentuated genetic diversification of the species across the Indo-Malay Archipelago was successively triggered by historical dispersal event during the Mid-Pleistocene MIS19c interglacial. This latter historical event might have also enabled genetically distinct giant clams from the Indo-Malay Archipelago to subsequently colonize the Western Pacific, accounting for the genetic diversity hotspot detected within this region (comprising three divergent mitochondrial clusters). Late Pleistocene demographic expansion of T. squamosa, during the Last Interglacial period, could have contributed to forging spatial distribution of the so far delineated genetic entities across the Indo-Western Pacific. Overall, being resilient to major climate shifts during the Pleistocene through adaptation and consequent diversification, T. squamosa could be used as a model species to track the impact of climate change on genetic variability and structure of marine species. In particular, the new information, provided in this investigation, may help with understanding and/or predicting the consequences of ongoing global warming on genetic polymorphism of endangered coral reef species among which Tridacna sp. are listed as ecologically important.
, Available online
Abstract:
Owing to the significant differences in environmental characteristics and explanatory factors among estuarine and coastal regions, research on diatom transfer functions and database establishment remains incomplete. This study analysed diatoms in surface sediment samples and a sediment core from the Lianjiang coast of the East China Sea, together with environmental variables. Principal component analysis of the environmental variables showed that sea surface salinity (SSS) and sea surface temperature were the most important factors controlling hydrological conditions in the Lianjiang coastal area, whereas canonical correspondence analysis indicated that SSS and pH were the main environmental factors affecting diatom distribution. Based on the modern diatom species–environmental variable database, we developed a diatom-based SSS transfer function to quantitatively reconstruct the variability in SSS between 1984 and 2021 for sediment core HK3 from the Lianjiang coastal area. The agreement between the reconstructed SSS and instrument SSS data from 1984–2021 suggests that diatom-based SSS reconstruction is reliable for studying past SSS variability in the Lianjiang coastal area. Three low SSS events in AD 2019, 2013, and 1999, together with an increased relative concentration of freshwater diatom species and coarser sediment grain sizes, corresponded to two super-typhoon events and a catastrophic flooding event in Lianjiang County. Thus, a diatom-based SSS transfer function for reconstructing past SSS variability in the estuarine and coastal areas of the East China Sea can be further used to reflect the paleoenvironmental events in this region.
Owing to the significant differences in environmental characteristics and explanatory factors among estuarine and coastal regions, research on diatom transfer functions and database establishment remains incomplete. This study analysed diatoms in surface sediment samples and a sediment core from the Lianjiang coast of the East China Sea, together with environmental variables. Principal component analysis of the environmental variables showed that sea surface salinity (SSS) and sea surface temperature were the most important factors controlling hydrological conditions in the Lianjiang coastal area, whereas canonical correspondence analysis indicated that SSS and pH were the main environmental factors affecting diatom distribution. Based on the modern diatom species–environmental variable database, we developed a diatom-based SSS transfer function to quantitatively reconstruct the variability in SSS between 1984 and 2021 for sediment core HK3 from the Lianjiang coastal area. The agreement between the reconstructed SSS and instrument SSS data from 1984–2021 suggests that diatom-based SSS reconstruction is reliable for studying past SSS variability in the Lianjiang coastal area. Three low SSS events in AD 2019, 2013, and 1999, together with an increased relative concentration of freshwater diatom species and coarser sediment grain sizes, corresponded to two super-typhoon events and a catastrophic flooding event in Lianjiang County. Thus, a diatom-based SSS transfer function for reconstructing past SSS variability in the estuarine and coastal areas of the East China Sea can be further used to reflect the paleoenvironmental events in this region.
, Available online
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The conventional theory of concerted evolution has been used to explain the lack of sequence variation in ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes across diverse eukaryotic species. However, recent investigations into rRNA genes in flatfish genome have resulted in controversial findings. This study focuses on 18S rRNA genes of the widely distributed tongue sole, Cynoglossus abbreviatus (Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae), aiming to explore sequence polymorphism. Five distinct 18S rDNA sequence types (Type A, B, R1, R2, and R3) were identified, suggesting a departure from concerted evolution. A combination of general criteria and variations in highly conserved regions were employed to detect pseudogenes. The results pinpointed Type A sequences as potential pseudogenes due to significant sequence variations and deviations in secondary structure within highly conserved regions. Three types (Type R1, R2, and R3) were identified as recombinants between Type A and B sequences, with simple crossing over and gene conversion as the most likely recombination mechanisms. These findings not only contribute to rRNA pseudogene identification but also shed light on the evolutionary dynamics of rRNA genes in teleost genomes.
The conventional theory of concerted evolution has been used to explain the lack of sequence variation in ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes across diverse eukaryotic species. However, recent investigations into rRNA genes in flatfish genome have resulted in controversial findings. This study focuses on 18S rRNA genes of the widely distributed tongue sole, Cynoglossus abbreviatus (Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae), aiming to explore sequence polymorphism. Five distinct 18S rDNA sequence types (Type A, B, R1, R2, and R3) were identified, suggesting a departure from concerted evolution. A combination of general criteria and variations in highly conserved regions were employed to detect pseudogenes. The results pinpointed Type A sequences as potential pseudogenes due to significant sequence variations and deviations in secondary structure within highly conserved regions. Three types (Type R1, R2, and R3) were identified as recombinants between Type A and B sequences, with simple crossing over and gene conversion as the most likely recombination mechanisms. These findings not only contribute to rRNA pseudogene identification but also shed light on the evolutionary dynamics of rRNA genes in teleost genomes.
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doi: 10.1007/s13131-023-2217-3
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Isopod crustaceans of the family Dajidae are exclusively marine ectoparasites. The genus NotophryxusG. O. Sars, 1883 currently includes nine nominal species, which are very rarely reported as the chances for encountering these specimens are unpredictable. Our comprehension of the taxonomy, biology, ecology, and life cycle of species belonging to the Notophryxus genus is notably lacking. All nominal species of Notophryxus genus are reviewed here to obtain a comprehensive and integrative taxonomic understanding of this genus, in an attempt to address the lacunae. This paper also documents the rediscovery of an ectoparasitic isopod from the genus Notophryxus in Indian waters, after 55 years. Adult isopod specimens obtained from the outer reefs of Amini Island in the Lakshadweep archipelago, Southeastern Arabian Sea, display morphological congruence to Notophryxus globularis G.O. Sars, 1885 . The only previous report on this species dates back to 1885 from G.O. Sars' description of N. globularis as an ectoparasite on the euphausiid Thysanoessa gregaria G.O. Sars, 1883 in the North Pacific. This discovery represents a range extension of N. globularis from the North Pacific to the Arabian Sea. Two cryptoniscid larvae and three adult females of N. globularis (with dwarf males) were found attached to four adult mysid specimens of Siriella aequiremis Hansen, 1910 . The present study provides an improved diagnosis of N. globularis with the aid of light microscopy images and line drawings which was not given in the original G O Sars, 1885 report. This research also provides a concise description of cryptoniscid larvae from the same sampling location and same host which is most likely to be N. globularis larvae.
Isopod crustaceans of the family Dajidae are exclusively marine ectoparasites. The genus Notophryxus
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-023-2209-3
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The spaceborne platform has unprecedently provided the global eddy-permitting (typically ~0.25°) products of Sea Surface Salinity (SSS), however the existing SSS products can hardly resolve mesoscale motions due to the heavy noises therein and the over-smoothing in denoising processes. By means of the Multi-fractal Fusion (MFF), the high-resolution SSS product is synthesized with the template of Sea Surface Temperature (SST). Two low-resolution SSS products and four SST products are considered as the source data and the templates respectively to determine the best combination. The fused products are validated by the in situ observations and intercompared via SSS maps, Singularity Exponent maps and wavenumber spectra. The results demonstrate that the MFF can perform a good work in mitigating the noises and improving the resolution. The Climate Change Initiative (CCI) SSS + the REMote Sensing System (REMSS) SST can produce the 0.1° denoised product whose global mean STandard Derivation (STD) against Argo is 0.21 psu and the feature resolution can reach 30-40 km.
The spaceborne platform has unprecedently provided the global eddy-permitting (typically ~0.25°) products of Sea Surface Salinity (SSS), however the existing SSS products can hardly resolve mesoscale motions due to the heavy noises therein and the over-smoothing in denoising processes. By means of the Multi-fractal Fusion (MFF), the high-resolution SSS product is synthesized with the template of Sea Surface Temperature (SST). Two low-resolution SSS products and four SST products are considered as the source data and the templates respectively to determine the best combination. The fused products are validated by the in situ observations and intercompared via SSS maps, Singularity Exponent maps and wavenumber spectra. The results demonstrate that the MFF can perform a good work in mitigating the noises and improving the resolution. The Climate Change Initiative (CCI) SSS + the REMote Sensing System (REMSS) SST can produce the 0.1° denoised product whose global mean STandard Derivation (STD) against Argo is 0.21 psu and the feature resolution can reach 30-40 km.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-023-2210-x
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Retrieval of thin-ice thickness (TIT) using thermodynamic modeling is sensitive to the parameterization of the independent variables (coded in the model) and the uncertainty of the measured input variables. This article examines the deviation of the classical model’s TIT output when using different parameterization schemes and the sensitivity of the output to the ice thickness. Moreover, it estimates the uncertainty of the output in response to the uncertainties of the input variables. The parameterized independent variables include atmospheric longwave emissivity, air density, specific heat of air, latent heat of ice, conductivity of ice, snow depth, and snow conductivity. Measured input parameters include air temperature, ice surface temperature, and wind speed. Among the independent variables, the results show that the highest deviation is caused by adjusting the parameterization of snow conductivity and depth, followed ice conductivity. The sensitivity of the output TIT to ice thickness is highest when using parameterization of ice conductivity, atmospheric emissivity, and snow conductivity and depth. The retrieved TIT obtained using each parameterization scheme is validated using in situ measurements and satellite-retrieved data. From in situ measurements, the uncertainties of the measured air temperature and surface temperature are found to be high. The resulting uncertainties of TIT are evaluated using perturbations of the input data selected based on the probability distribution of the measurement error. The results show that the overall uncertainty of TIT to air temperature, surface temperature, and wind speed uncertainty is around 0.09 m, 0.049 m, and −0.005 m, respectively.
Retrieval of thin-ice thickness (TIT) using thermodynamic modeling is sensitive to the parameterization of the independent variables (coded in the model) and the uncertainty of the measured input variables. This article examines the deviation of the classical model’s TIT output when using different parameterization schemes and the sensitivity of the output to the ice thickness. Moreover, it estimates the uncertainty of the output in response to the uncertainties of the input variables. The parameterized independent variables include atmospheric longwave emissivity, air density, specific heat of air, latent heat of ice, conductivity of ice, snow depth, and snow conductivity. Measured input parameters include air temperature, ice surface temperature, and wind speed. Among the independent variables, the results show that the highest deviation is caused by adjusting the parameterization of snow conductivity and depth, followed ice conductivity. The sensitivity of the output TIT to ice thickness is highest when using parameterization of ice conductivity, atmospheric emissivity, and snow conductivity and depth. The retrieved TIT obtained using each parameterization scheme is validated using in situ measurements and satellite-retrieved data. From in situ measurements, the uncertainties of the measured air temperature and surface temperature are found to be high. The resulting uncertainties of TIT are evaluated using perturbations of the input data selected based on the probability distribution of the measurement error. The results show that the overall uncertainty of TIT to air temperature, surface temperature, and wind speed uncertainty is around 0.09 m, 0.049 m, and −0.005 m, respectively.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-023-2282-7
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Under global climate change, water flow and related nutrient biogeochemistry in the Arctic are changing at an unprecedented rate, and potentially affect nutrient cycling in the Arctic Ocean. However, nutrient fluxes via submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) are potentially important yet poorly understood in the Arctic. Here we quantified that nutrient fluxes through radium-derived SGD were three orders of magnitude higher than those from the local river and constituted 25-96% of the total nutrient inputs into the Kongsfjorden. These large groundwater nutrient fluxes with high N/P ratio (average 99) may change the biomass and community structure of phytoplankton. Meanwhile, combining other SGD study cases around the Arctic region, SGD rates tend to increase over the past three decades, possibly on account of the effects of global warming. The SGD-derived nutrient may cause the increase of net primary productivity in the Arctic Ocean. The results will provide important basic data for land-ocean interactions in the typical fjord of the Arctic under the influence of global warming.
Under global climate change, water flow and related nutrient biogeochemistry in the Arctic are changing at an unprecedented rate, and potentially affect nutrient cycling in the Arctic Ocean. However, nutrient fluxes via submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) are potentially important yet poorly understood in the Arctic. Here we quantified that nutrient fluxes through radium-derived SGD were three orders of magnitude higher than those from the local river and constituted 25-96% of the total nutrient inputs into the Kongsfjorden. These large groundwater nutrient fluxes with high N/P ratio (average 99) may change the biomass and community structure of phytoplankton. Meanwhile, combining other SGD study cases around the Arctic region, SGD rates tend to increase over the past three decades, possibly on account of the effects of global warming. The SGD-derived nutrient may cause the increase of net primary productivity in the Arctic Ocean. The results will provide important basic data for land-ocean interactions in the typical fjord of the Arctic under the influence of global warming.
, Available online
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Global carbon cycle has received extensive attention, among which the river-estuary system is one of the important links connecting the carbon cycle between land and ocean. In this paper, the distribution and control factors of particulate organic carbon (POC) were studied by using the data of organic carbon contents and its carbon isotopic composition (δ13C) in the mainstream and estuary of Passur River in the Sundarban area, combined with the hydrological and biological data measured by CTD. The results show that POC content ranged from 0.263 to 9.292 mg/L, and the POC content in the river section (averaged 4.129 mg/L) was significantly higher than that in the estuary area (averaged 0.858 mg/L). Two distinct stages of POC transport from land to sea in the Sundarban area were identified. The first stage occurred in the river section, where POC distribution was mainly controlled by the dynamic process of runoff and the organic carbon was mainly terrestrial source. The second stage occurred during estuarine mixing, where the POC distribution was mainly controlled by the mixing process of seawater and freshwater. The source of POC was predominantly marine and exhibiting vertical differences. The surface and middle layers were primarily influenced by marine sources, while the bottom layer was jointly controlled by terrestrial and marine sources of organic carbon. These findings are of great significance for understanding the carbon cycle in such a large mangrove ecosystem like the Sundarban Mangrove.
Global carbon cycle has received extensive attention, among which the river-estuary system is one of the important links connecting the carbon cycle between land and ocean. In this paper, the distribution and control factors of particulate organic carbon (POC) were studied by using the data of organic carbon contents and its carbon isotopic composition (δ13C) in the mainstream and estuary of Passur River in the Sundarban area, combined with the hydrological and biological data measured by CTD. The results show that POC content ranged from 0.263 to 9.292 mg/L, and the POC content in the river section (averaged 4.129 mg/L) was significantly higher than that in the estuary area (averaged 0.858 mg/L). Two distinct stages of POC transport from land to sea in the Sundarban area were identified. The first stage occurred in the river section, where POC distribution was mainly controlled by the dynamic process of runoff and the organic carbon was mainly terrestrial source. The second stage occurred during estuarine mixing, where the POC distribution was mainly controlled by the mixing process of seawater and freshwater. The source of POC was predominantly marine and exhibiting vertical differences. The surface and middle layers were primarily influenced by marine sources, while the bottom layer was jointly controlled by terrestrial and marine sources of organic carbon. These findings are of great significance for understanding the carbon cycle in such a large mangrove ecosystem like the Sundarban Mangrove.
, Available online
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Ocean temperature is an important physical variable in marine ecosystems, and ocean temperature prediction is an important research objective in ocean-related fields. Currently, one of the commonly used methods for ocean temperature prediction is based on data-driven, but research on this method is mostly limited to the sea surface, with few studies on the prediction of internal ocean temperature. Existing graph neural network-based methods usually use predefined graphs or learned static graphs, which cannot capture the dynamic associations among data. In this study, we propose a novel dynamic spatiotemporal graph neural network (DSTGN) to predict three-dimensional ocean temperature (3D-OT), which combines static graph learning and dynamic graph learning to automatically mine two unknown dependencies between sequences based on the original 3D-OT data without prior knowledge. Temporal and spatial dependencies in the time series were then captured using temporal and graph convolutions. We also integrated dynamic graph learning, static graph learning, graph convolution, and temporal convolution into an end-to-end framework for 3D-OT prediction using time-series grid data. In this study, we conducted prediction experiments using high-resolution 3D-OT from the Copernicus global ocean physical reanalysis, with data covering the vertical variation of temperature from the sea surface to 1,000 m below the sea surface. We compared five mainstream models that are commonly used for ocean temperature prediction, and the results showed that the method achieved the best prediction results at all prediction scales.
Ocean temperature is an important physical variable in marine ecosystems, and ocean temperature prediction is an important research objective in ocean-related fields. Currently, one of the commonly used methods for ocean temperature prediction is based on data-driven, but research on this method is mostly limited to the sea surface, with few studies on the prediction of internal ocean temperature. Existing graph neural network-based methods usually use predefined graphs or learned static graphs, which cannot capture the dynamic associations among data. In this study, we propose a novel dynamic spatiotemporal graph neural network (DSTGN) to predict three-dimensional ocean temperature (3D-OT), which combines static graph learning and dynamic graph learning to automatically mine two unknown dependencies between sequences based on the original 3D-OT data without prior knowledge. Temporal and spatial dependencies in the time series were then captured using temporal and graph convolutions. We also integrated dynamic graph learning, static graph learning, graph convolution, and temporal convolution into an end-to-end framework for 3D-OT prediction using time-series grid data. In this study, we conducted prediction experiments using high-resolution 3D-OT from the Copernicus global ocean physical reanalysis, with data covering the vertical variation of temperature from the sea surface to 1,000 m below the sea surface. We compared five mainstream models that are commonly used for ocean temperature prediction, and the results showed that the method achieved the best prediction results at all prediction scales.
, Available online
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The biogeochemical processes of marine sediments are influenced by bioturbation and organic carbon decomposition, which is crucial for understanding global element cycles and climate change. Two sediment cores were acquired in 2017 from abyssal basins in the central-eastern tropical Pacific to determine the bioturbation and organic carbon degradation processes. The radioactivity concentrations of 210Pb and 226Ra in the sediment cores were measured, indicating the presence of significant excess 210Pb (210Pbex) signals in the sediment cores. Besides, a manganese nodule was discovered in one core, which had a substantial influence on the distribution of 210Pbex. With the exception of this anomalous finding, the bioturbation coefficients in the remaining core were estimated to be 10.6 cm2/a using a steady-state diffusion model, greater than most of the deep-sea sediments from the Equatorial Eastern Pacific. By using a bio-diffusion model, we further calculated the degradation rates of organic carbon (8.02 ka-1), which is also higher than other areas of the Pacific. Our findings displayed the presence of a biologically active benthic ecosystem in the central-eastern tropical Pacific.
The biogeochemical processes of marine sediments are influenced by bioturbation and organic carbon decomposition, which is crucial for understanding global element cycles and climate change. Two sediment cores were acquired in 2017 from abyssal basins in the central-eastern tropical Pacific to determine the bioturbation and organic carbon degradation processes. The radioactivity concentrations of 210Pb and 226Ra in the sediment cores were measured, indicating the presence of significant excess 210Pb (210Pbex) signals in the sediment cores. Besides, a manganese nodule was discovered in one core, which had a substantial influence on the distribution of 210Pbex. With the exception of this anomalous finding, the bioturbation coefficients in the remaining core were estimated to be 10.6 cm2/a using a steady-state diffusion model, greater than most of the deep-sea sediments from the Equatorial Eastern Pacific. By using a bio-diffusion model, we further calculated the degradation rates of organic carbon (8.02 ka-1), which is also higher than other areas of the Pacific. Our findings displayed the presence of a biologically active benthic ecosystem in the central-eastern tropical Pacific.
, Available online
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This study evaluates the performance of 16 models sourced from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) in simulating marine heatwaves (MHWs) in the South China Sea (SCS) during the historical period (1982−2014), and also investigates future changes in SCS MHWs based on simulations from three Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) scenarios (SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585) using CMIP6 models. Results demonstrate that the CMIP6 models perform well in simulating the spatial-temporal distribution and intensity of SCS MHWs, with their multi-model ensemble (MME) results showing the best performance. The reasonable agreement between the observations and CMIP6 MME reveals that the increasing trends of SCS MHWs are attributed to the warming sea surface temperature trend. Under various SSP scenarios, the year 2040 emerges as pivotal juncture for future shifts in SCS MHWs, marked by distinct variations in changing rate and amplitudes. This is characterized by an accelerated decrease in MHWs frequency and a notably heightened increase in mean intensity, duration, and total days after 2040. Furthermore, the projection results for SCS MHWs suggest that the spatial pattern of MHWs remains consistent across future periods. However, the intensity shows higher consistency only during the near-term period (2021−2050), while notable inconsistencies are observed during the medium-term (2041−2700) and long-term (2701−2100) periods under the three SSP scenarios. During the near-term period, the SCS MHWs are characterized by moderate and strong events with high frequencies and relatively shorter durations. In contrast, during the medium-term period, MHWs are also characterized by moderate and strong events, but with longer-lasting and more intense events under the SSP245 and SSP585 scenarios. However, in the long-term period, extreme MHWs become the dominant feature under the SSP585 scenario, indicating a substantial intensification of SCS MHWs, effectively establishing a near-permanent state.
This study evaluates the performance of 16 models sourced from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) in simulating marine heatwaves (MHWs) in the South China Sea (SCS) during the historical period (1982−2014), and also investigates future changes in SCS MHWs based on simulations from three Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) scenarios (SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585) using CMIP6 models. Results demonstrate that the CMIP6 models perform well in simulating the spatial-temporal distribution and intensity of SCS MHWs, with their multi-model ensemble (MME) results showing the best performance. The reasonable agreement between the observations and CMIP6 MME reveals that the increasing trends of SCS MHWs are attributed to the warming sea surface temperature trend. Under various SSP scenarios, the year 2040 emerges as pivotal juncture for future shifts in SCS MHWs, marked by distinct variations in changing rate and amplitudes. This is characterized by an accelerated decrease in MHWs frequency and a notably heightened increase in mean intensity, duration, and total days after 2040. Furthermore, the projection results for SCS MHWs suggest that the spatial pattern of MHWs remains consistent across future periods. However, the intensity shows higher consistency only during the near-term period (2021−2050), while notable inconsistencies are observed during the medium-term (2041−2700) and long-term (2701−2100) periods under the three SSP scenarios. During the near-term period, the SCS MHWs are characterized by moderate and strong events with high frequencies and relatively shorter durations. In contrast, during the medium-term period, MHWs are also characterized by moderate and strong events, but with longer-lasting and more intense events under the SSP245 and SSP585 scenarios. However, in the long-term period, extreme MHWs become the dominant feature under the SSP585 scenario, indicating a substantial intensification of SCS MHWs, effectively establishing a near-permanent state.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-022-2131-0
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Seasonal location and intensity changes in the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) are important factors dominating the synoptic weather and the distribution and magnitude of precipitation in the rain belt over East Asia. Therefore, this article delves into the forecast of the western Pacific subtropical high index during typhoon activity by adopting a hybrid deep learning model. Firstly, the predictors, which are the inputs of the model, are analysed based on three characteristics: the first is the statistical discipline of the WPSH index anomalies corresponding to the three types of typhoon paths; the second is the correspondence of distributions between sea surface temperature (SST), 850 hPa zonal wind (u), meridional wind (v), and 500 hPa potential height field; and the third is the numerical sensitivity experiment, which reflects the evident impact of variations in the physical field around the typhoon to the WPSH index. Secondly, the model is repeatedly trained through the backward propagation algorithm to predict the WPSH index using 2011-2018 atmospheric variables as the input of the training set. The model predicts the WPSH index after 6 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h. The validation set using independent data in 2019 is utilized to illustrate the performance. Finally, the model is improved by changing the CNN2D module to the DeCNN module to enhance its ability to predict images. Taking the 2019 Typhoon Lekima as an example, it shows the promising performance of this model to predict the 500 hPa potential height field.
Seasonal location and intensity changes in the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) are important factors dominating the synoptic weather and the distribution and magnitude of precipitation in the rain belt over East Asia. Therefore, this article delves into the forecast of the western Pacific subtropical high index during typhoon activity by adopting a hybrid deep learning model. Firstly, the predictors, which are the inputs of the model, are analysed based on three characteristics: the first is the statistical discipline of the WPSH index anomalies corresponding to the three types of typhoon paths; the second is the correspondence of distributions between sea surface temperature (SST), 850 hPa zonal wind (u), meridional wind (v), and 500 hPa potential height field; and the third is the numerical sensitivity experiment, which reflects the evident impact of variations in the physical field around the typhoon to the WPSH index. Secondly, the model is repeatedly trained through the backward propagation algorithm to predict the WPSH index using 2011-2018 atmospheric variables as the input of the training set. The model predicts the WPSH index after 6 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h. The validation set using independent data in 2019 is utilized to illustrate the performance. Finally, the model is improved by changing the CNN2D module to the DeCNN module to enhance its ability to predict images. Taking the 2019 Typhoon Lekima as an example, it shows the promising performance of this model to predict the 500 hPa potential height field.
, Available online ,
doi: 10.1007/s13131-020-1589-x
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Protease-producing bacteria play key roles in the degradation of organic nitrogen materials in marine sediments. However, their diversity, production of proteases and other extracellular enzymes, even in situ ecological functions remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the diversity of cultivable extracellular protease-producing bacteria in the sediments of the Bohai Bay. A total of 109 bacterial isolates were obtained from the sediments of 7 stations. The abundance of cultivable protease-producing bacteria was about 104 CFU/g of sediment in all the samples. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences classified all the isolates into 14 genera from phyla Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria, with Pseudoalteromonas (63/109, 57.8%), Bacillus (9/109, 8.2%), Sulfitobacter (8/109, 7.3%) and Salegentibacter (6/109, 5.5%) as the dominant taxa. Enzymatic inhibition tests indicated that all the tested isolates produced serine and/or metalloprotease, with only a small proportion producing cysteine and/or aspartic proteases. Several extracellular enzyme activities, including alginase, lipase, amylase and cellulose, and nitrate reduction were also detected for strains with higher protease activities. According the results, the protease-producing bacteria could also be participate in many biogeochemical processes in marine sediments. Our study broadened understanding and knowledge on the potential ecological functions of protease-producing bacteria in marine sediments.
Protease-producing bacteria play key roles in the degradation of organic nitrogen materials in marine sediments. However, their diversity, production of proteases and other extracellular enzymes, even in situ ecological functions remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the diversity of cultivable extracellular protease-producing bacteria in the sediments of the Bohai Bay. A total of 109 bacterial isolates were obtained from the sediments of 7 stations. The abundance of cultivable protease-producing bacteria was about 104 CFU/g of sediment in all the samples. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences classified all the isolates into 14 genera from phyla Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria, with Pseudoalteromonas (63/109, 57.8%), Bacillus (9/109, 8.2%), Sulfitobacter (8/109, 7.3%) and Salegentibacter (6/109, 5.5%) as the dominant taxa. Enzymatic inhibition tests indicated that all the tested isolates produced serine and/or metalloprotease, with only a small proportion producing cysteine and/or aspartic proteases. Several extracellular enzyme activities, including alginase, lipase, amylase and cellulose, and nitrate reduction were also detected for strains with higher protease activities. According the results, the protease-producing bacteria could also be participate in many biogeochemical processes in marine sediments. Our study broadened understanding and knowledge on the potential ecological functions of protease-producing bacteria in marine sediments.
2024, 43(6): 1-14.
doi: 10.1007/s13131-023-2254-y
Abstract:
Ocean productivity is the foundation of marine food web, which continuously removes atmospheric carbon dioxide and supports life at sea and on land. Spatio-temporal variability of net primary productivity (NPP), sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface salinity (SSS), mixed layer depth (MLD), and euphotic zone depth (EZD) in the northern Bay of Bengal (BoB) during three monsoon seasons were examined in this study based on remote sensing data for the period 2005 to 2020. To compare the NPP distribution between the coastal zones and open BoB, the study area was divided into five zones (Z1−Z5). Results suggest that most productive zones Z2 and Z1 are located at the head bay area and are directly influenced by freshwater discharge together with riverine sediment and nutrient loads. Across Z1−Z5, the NPP ranges from5315.38 mg/(m2·d) to 346.7 mg/(m2·d) (carbon, since then the same). The highest monthly average NPP of 5315.38 mg/(m2·d) in February and 5039.36 mg/(m2·d) in June were observed from Z2, while the lowest monthly average of 346.72 mg/(m2·d) was observed in March from Z4, which is an oceanic zone. EZD values vary from 6−154 m for the study area, and it has an inverse correlation with NPP concentration. EZD is deeper during the summer season and shallower during the wintertime, with a corresponding increase in productivity. Throughout the year, monthly SST shows slight fluctuation for the entire study area, and statistical analysis shows a significant correlation among NPP, and EZD, overall positive between NPP and MLD, whereas no significant correlation among SSS, and SST for the northern BoB. Long-term trends in SST and productivity were significantly positive in head bay zones but negatively productive in the open ocean. The findings in this study on the distribution of NPP, SST, SSS, MLD, and EZD and their seasonal variability in five different zones of BoB can be used to further improve the management of marine resources and overall environmental condition in response to climate changes in BoB as they are of utmost relevance to the fisheries for the three bordering countries.
Ocean productivity is the foundation of marine food web, which continuously removes atmospheric carbon dioxide and supports life at sea and on land. Spatio-temporal variability of net primary productivity (NPP), sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface salinity (SSS), mixed layer depth (MLD), and euphotic zone depth (EZD) in the northern Bay of Bengal (BoB) during three monsoon seasons were examined in this study based on remote sensing data for the period 2005 to 2020. To compare the NPP distribution between the coastal zones and open BoB, the study area was divided into five zones (Z1−Z5). Results suggest that most productive zones Z2 and Z1 are located at the head bay area and are directly influenced by freshwater discharge together with riverine sediment and nutrient loads. Across Z1−Z5, the NPP ranges from
2024, 43(6): 15-31.
doi: 10.1007/s13131-023-2283-6
Abstract:
Highly productive estuaries facilitate intense decomposition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) as a carbon source. However, the specific impacts of typhoons on DOM decomposition in eutrophic bays remain unclear. To address this issue, we investigated the spectral characteristics of DOM before and after Typhoon Ewiniar in Zhanjiang Bay, a eutrophic semi-enclosed bay in the northwestern South China Sea. The results revealed that intense microbial decomposition of DOM occurred during the pre-typhoon period because high nutrient inputs facilitated the mobilization of DOM in the bay. However, the intrusion of external seawater induced by the typhoon diluted the nutrient levels in Zhanjiang Bay, reducing the impact of microbial decomposition on DOM during the post-typhoon period. Nevertheless, the net addition of DOM occurred in Zhanjiang Bay during the post-typhoon period, possibly because of the decomposition of particulate organic matter (POM) and desorption of particulate matter. In addition, an increase in apparent oxygen utilization, a decrease in DO saturation and the reduced level of Chl a indicated that organic matter (OM) decomposition was enhanced and OM decomposition shifted to POM decomposition in Zhanjiang Bay after the typhoon. Overall, our study highlighted the shift in the intense OM decomposition from DOM to POM decomposition before and after typhoons in eutrophic bays, providing new insights into the response of typhoons to biogeochemistry.
Highly productive estuaries facilitate intense decomposition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) as a carbon source. However, the specific impacts of typhoons on DOM decomposition in eutrophic bays remain unclear. To address this issue, we investigated the spectral characteristics of DOM before and after Typhoon Ewiniar in Zhanjiang Bay, a eutrophic semi-enclosed bay in the northwestern South China Sea. The results revealed that intense microbial decomposition of DOM occurred during the pre-typhoon period because high nutrient inputs facilitated the mobilization of DOM in the bay. However, the intrusion of external seawater induced by the typhoon diluted the nutrient levels in Zhanjiang Bay, reducing the impact of microbial decomposition on DOM during the post-typhoon period. Nevertheless, the net addition of DOM occurred in Zhanjiang Bay during the post-typhoon period, possibly because of the decomposition of particulate organic matter (POM) and desorption of particulate matter. In addition, an increase in apparent oxygen utilization, a decrease in DO saturation and the reduced level of Chl a indicated that organic matter (OM) decomposition was enhanced and OM decomposition shifted to POM decomposition in Zhanjiang Bay after the typhoon. Overall, our study highlighted the shift in the intense OM decomposition from DOM to POM decomposition before and after typhoons in eutrophic bays, providing new insights into the response of typhoons to biogeochemistry.
2024, 43(6): 32-37.
doi: 10.1007/s13131-023-2267-6
Abstract:
Marine sediments collected from the Zhujiang (Pearl) River Estuary (ZRE) and South China Sea (SCS) were utilized to study the occurrence and spatial distribution of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD). The levels of TBBPA and HBCDD in sediments ranged from not detected (nd) to 6.14 ng/g dry weight (dw) and nd to 0.42 ng/g dw. TBBPA concentrations in marine sediments were substantially higher than HBCDD. The concentrations of TBBPA and HBCDD in the ZRE sediments were significantly greater than those in the SCS. α-HBCDD (48.7%) and γ-HBCDD (46.2%) were the two main diastereoisomers of HBCDD in sediments from the ZRE, with minor contribution of β-HBCDD (5.1%). HBCDD were only found in one sample from the northern SCS. The enantiomeric fraction of α-HBCDD in sediments from the ZRE was obviously greater than 0.5, indicating an accumulation of (+)-α-HBCDD. The enantiomers of HBCDD were not measured in sediments from the SCS. This work highlighted the environmental behaviors of TBBPA and HBCDD in marine sediments.
Marine sediments collected from the Zhujiang (Pearl) River Estuary (ZRE) and South China Sea (SCS) were utilized to study the occurrence and spatial distribution of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD). The levels of TBBPA and HBCDD in sediments ranged from not detected (nd) to 6.14 ng/g dry weight (dw) and nd to 0.42 ng/g dw. TBBPA concentrations in marine sediments were substantially higher than HBCDD. The concentrations of TBBPA and HBCDD in the ZRE sediments were significantly greater than those in the SCS. α-HBCDD (48.7%) and γ-HBCDD (46.2%) were the two main diastereoisomers of HBCDD in sediments from the ZRE, with minor contribution of β-HBCDD (5.1%). HBCDD were only found in one sample from the northern SCS. The enantiomeric fraction of α-HBCDD in sediments from the ZRE was obviously greater than 0.5, indicating an accumulation of (+)-α-HBCDD. The enantiomers of HBCDD were not measured in sediments from the SCS. This work highlighted the environmental behaviors of TBBPA and HBCDD in marine sediments.
2024, 43(6): 38-48.
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2377-9
Abstract:
Zhanjiang Bay is a major aquaculture area in China with many types of mariculture products (such as oysters, fish, and shrimp). The culture area and shrimp output in Zhanjiang Bay are ranked first in China. We investigated the total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), TOC/TN ratio, and stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) of the fish and shrimp feed, fish and shrimp feces, and sedimentary organic matter (SOM) in and around different aquaculture areas of northeastern Zhanjiang Bay to study the impact of aquaculture activities on SOM. The average TOC contents of fish and shrimp feed were 39.20% ± 0.91% and 39.29% ± 0.21%, respectively. The average TOC content in the surface sediments of the oyster culture area, the mixed (fish and shrimp) culture area, and the cage fish farm area were 0.66%, 0.88% ± 0.10%, and 0.58% ± 0.19%, respectively, which may indicate that mixed culture had a greater impact on SOM. The relatively high TOC and TN contents and relatively low TOC/TN ratios, and δ15N values in the upper layer of the core sediment in the mixed culture area could also support the significant influence of mixed culture. The average δ13C and δ15N values of fish and shrimp feed were −20.6‰ ± 2.2‰ and 1.8‰ ± 1.2‰, respectively, which were different from the isotopic values of SOM in the study area. δ13C and δ15N values for SOM in different aquaculture areas were different from those of nearby reference stations, probably reflecting the influence of aquaculture. The δ13C and δ15N values in the oyster culture area (−25.9‰ and 6.0‰, respectively) seemed to have reduced δ13C and enriched δ15N relative to those of the reference station (−24.6‰ and 5.8‰, respectively). This may reflect the influence of organic matter on oyster culture. The δ15N value of the station in the mixed culture area (7.1‰ ± 0.4‰) seemed to be relatively enriched in δ15N relative to that of the reference station (6.6‰). Sedimentation and the subsequent degradation of organic matter from mixed cultures may have contributed to this phenomenon. The surface sediment at the cage fish farm area seemed to be affected by fish feces and primary production based on the indication of δ13C and δ15N values. The sediment core at the mixed culture region (NS6) had lower TOC/TN ratios and more positive δ13C and δ15N values than the sediment core at the oyster culture area, suggesting a higher proportionate contribution of marine organic matter in the mixed culture area. In summary, oyster culture, mixed culture, and cage fish culture in northeastern Zhanjiang Bay had a certain degree of impact on SOM, and mixed culture had more significant influences on SOM based on the high TOC contents and the significant vertical variations of TOC/TN ratio and δ15N value in the sediment of this area. This study provides new insights into the impact of aquaculture activities on SOM content.
Zhanjiang Bay is a major aquaculture area in China with many types of mariculture products (such as oysters, fish, and shrimp). The culture area and shrimp output in Zhanjiang Bay are ranked first in China. We investigated the total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), TOC/TN ratio, and stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) of the fish and shrimp feed, fish and shrimp feces, and sedimentary organic matter (SOM) in and around different aquaculture areas of northeastern Zhanjiang Bay to study the impact of aquaculture activities on SOM. The average TOC contents of fish and shrimp feed were 39.20% ± 0.91% and 39.29% ± 0.21%, respectively. The average TOC content in the surface sediments of the oyster culture area, the mixed (fish and shrimp) culture area, and the cage fish farm area were 0.66%, 0.88% ± 0.10%, and 0.58% ± 0.19%, respectively, which may indicate that mixed culture had a greater impact on SOM. The relatively high TOC and TN contents and relatively low TOC/TN ratios, and δ15N values in the upper layer of the core sediment in the mixed culture area could also support the significant influence of mixed culture. The average δ13C and δ15N values of fish and shrimp feed were −20.6‰ ± 2.2‰ and 1.8‰ ± 1.2‰, respectively, which were different from the isotopic values of SOM in the study area. δ13C and δ15N values for SOM in different aquaculture areas were different from those of nearby reference stations, probably reflecting the influence of aquaculture. The δ13C and δ15N values in the oyster culture area (−25.9‰ and 6.0‰, respectively) seemed to have reduced δ13C and enriched δ15N relative to those of the reference station (−24.6‰ and 5.8‰, respectively). This may reflect the influence of organic matter on oyster culture. The δ15N value of the station in the mixed culture area (7.1‰ ± 0.4‰) seemed to be relatively enriched in δ15N relative to that of the reference station (6.6‰). Sedimentation and the subsequent degradation of organic matter from mixed cultures may have contributed to this phenomenon. The surface sediment at the cage fish farm area seemed to be affected by fish feces and primary production based on the indication of δ13C and δ15N values. The sediment core at the mixed culture region (NS6) had lower TOC/TN ratios and more positive δ13C and δ15N values than the sediment core at the oyster culture area, suggesting a higher proportionate contribution of marine organic matter in the mixed culture area. In summary, oyster culture, mixed culture, and cage fish culture in northeastern Zhanjiang Bay had a certain degree of impact on SOM, and mixed culture had more significant influences on SOM based on the high TOC contents and the significant vertical variations of TOC/TN ratio and δ15N value in the sediment of this area. This study provides new insights into the impact of aquaculture activities on SOM content.
2024, 43(6): 49-59.
doi: 10.1007/s13131-023-2243-1
Abstract:
Oxygen facilitates the breakdown of the organic material to provide energy for life. The concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) in the water must exceed a certain threshold to support the normal metabolism of marine organisms. Located in the northern Beibu Gulf, Qinzhou Bay receives abundant freshwater and nutrients from several rivers which significantly influence the level of the dissolved oxygen. However, the spatial-temporal variations of DO as well as the associated driving mechanisms have been rarely studied through field observations. In this study, a three-dimensional coupled physical-biogeochemical model is used to investigate the spatial and seasonal variations of the DO and the associated driving mechanisms in Qinzhou Bay. The validation against observations indicates that the model can capture the seasonal and inter-annual variability of the DO concentration with the range of 5−10 mg/L. Sensitivity experiments show that the river discharges, winds and tides play crucial roles in the seasonal variability of the DO by changing the vertical mixing and stratification of the water column and the circulation pattern. In winter, the tide and wind forces have strong effects on the DO distribution by enhancing the vertical mixing, especially near the bay mouth. In summer, the river discharges play a dominant role in the DO distribution by inhibiting the vertical water exchange and delivering more nutrients to the Bay, which increases the DO depletion and results in lower DO on the bottom of the estuary salt wedge. These findings can contribute to the preservation and management of the coastal environment in the northern Beibu Gulf.
Oxygen facilitates the breakdown of the organic material to provide energy for life. The concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) in the water must exceed a certain threshold to support the normal metabolism of marine organisms. Located in the northern Beibu Gulf, Qinzhou Bay receives abundant freshwater and nutrients from several rivers which significantly influence the level of the dissolved oxygen. However, the spatial-temporal variations of DO as well as the associated driving mechanisms have been rarely studied through field observations. In this study, a three-dimensional coupled physical-biogeochemical model is used to investigate the spatial and seasonal variations of the DO and the associated driving mechanisms in Qinzhou Bay. The validation against observations indicates that the model can capture the seasonal and inter-annual variability of the DO concentration with the range of 5−10 mg/L. Sensitivity experiments show that the river discharges, winds and tides play crucial roles in the seasonal variability of the DO by changing the vertical mixing and stratification of the water column and the circulation pattern. In winter, the tide and wind forces have strong effects on the DO distribution by enhancing the vertical mixing, especially near the bay mouth. In summer, the river discharges play a dominant role in the DO distribution by inhibiting the vertical water exchange and delivering more nutrients to the Bay, which increases the DO depletion and results in lower DO on the bottom of the estuary salt wedge. These findings can contribute to the preservation and management of the coastal environment in the northern Beibu Gulf.
2024, 43(6): 60-70.
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2373-0
Abstract:
Eutrophication in coastal waters has been increasing remarkably, severely impacting the water quality in mariculture bays. In this study, we conducted multiple isotopic measurements on suspended particulate nitrogen (δ15N-PN) and dissolved nitrate (δ15N-\begin{document}${\mathrm{NO}}_3^- $\end{document} ![]()
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and δ18O-\begin{document}${\mathrm{NO}}_3^- $\end{document} ![]()
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) in Zhanjiang Bay, a typical mariculture bay with a high level of eutrophication in South China, to investigate the changes in nitrogen sources and their cycling between the rainy and dry seasons. During the rainy season, the study found no significant relation between δ15N-PN and δ15N-\begin{document}${\mathrm{NO}}_3^- $\end{document} ![]()
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due to the impact of heavy rainfall and terrestrial erosion. In the upper bay, a slight nitrate loss and slightly higher δ15N-\begin{document}${\mathrm{NO}}_3^- $\end{document} ![]()
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and δ18O-\begin{document}${\mathrm{NO}}_3^- $\end{document} ![]()
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values were observed , attributed to intense physical sediment-water interactions. Despite some fluctuations, nitrate concentrations in the lower bay mainly aligned with the theoretical mixing line during the rainy season, suggesting that nitrate was primarily influenced by terrestrial erosion and that nitrate isotopes resembled the source. Consequently, the isotopic values of nitrate can be used for source apportionment in the rainy season. The results indicated that soil nitrogen (36%) and manure and sewage (33%) were the predominant nitrogen sources contributing to nitrogen loads during this period. In contrast, the dry season saw a deficient ammonium concentration (<0.2 μmol/L) in the bay, due to nearly complete consumption by phytoplankton during the red tide period. Additionally, the significant loss of nitrate and simultaneous increase in the stable isotopes of dissolved and particulate nitrogen suggest a strong coupling of assimilation and mineralization during the dry season. More active biogeochemical processes during the dry season may be related to decreased runoff and increased water retention time. Overall, our study illustrated the major seasonal nitrogen sources and their dynamics in Zhanjiang Bay, providing valuable insights for formulating effective policies to mitigate eutrophication in mariculture bays.
Eutrophication in coastal waters has been increasing remarkably, severely impacting the water quality in mariculture bays. In this study, we conducted multiple isotopic measurements on suspended particulate nitrogen (δ15N-PN) and dissolved nitrate (δ15N-
2024, 43(6): 71-85.
doi: 10.1007/s13131-023-2308-9
Abstract:
Understanding the mechanism of harmful algal bloom formation is vital for effectively preventing algal bloom outbreaks in coastal environments. Karenia spp. blooms in the East China Sea show a significant correlation with nutrient regimes. However, the impact of key components of nutrients, especially dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), on the blooms of Karenia spp. is not clear. Quantitative research is still lacking. In this study, the cruise observations, field mesocosm-flask culture experiments, and a multinitrogen-tri-phytoplankton-detritus model (NTPD) are combined to reveal the quantitative influence of nutrient regimes on the shift of Prorocentrum donghaiense and Karenia spp. in the East China Sea. It has a synchronism rhythm of diatom-P. donghaiense-Karenia spp.-diatom loop in the field culture experiment, which is consistent with the results of the cruise observation. The results showed that the processes of terrigenous DON (TeDON) and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN:\begin{document}$\mathrm{NO}_{3}^{-} $\end{document} ![]()
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-N, \begin{document}$\mathrm{NH}_{4}^{+} $\end{document} ![]()
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-N) absorption promoted P. donghaiense to become the dominant algae in the community; whereas the processes of DON from P. donghaiense absorption promoted Karenia spp. to become the dominant algae in ambient DIN exhaustion. In addition, the three-dimensional fluorescence components of humus C, tyrosine and fulvic acid can indicate the processes of growth and extinction of P. donghaiense and Karenia spp., respectively. This study infers that P. donghaiense and Karenia spp. regime shift mechanism associated with the nutrient regime in coastal waters, which provides a scientific basis for the environmental management of coastal ecosystem health.
Understanding the mechanism of harmful algal bloom formation is vital for effectively preventing algal bloom outbreaks in coastal environments. Karenia spp. blooms in the East China Sea show a significant correlation with nutrient regimes. However, the impact of key components of nutrients, especially dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), on the blooms of Karenia spp. is not clear. Quantitative research is still lacking. In this study, the cruise observations, field mesocosm-flask culture experiments, and a multinitrogen-tri-phytoplankton-detritus model (NTPD) are combined to reveal the quantitative influence of nutrient regimes on the shift of Prorocentrum donghaiense and Karenia spp. in the East China Sea. It has a synchronism rhythm of diatom-P. donghaiense-Karenia spp.-diatom loop in the field culture experiment, which is consistent with the results of the cruise observation. The results showed that the processes of terrigenous DON (TeDON) and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN:
2024, 43(6): 86-95.
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2375-y
Abstract:
Eutrophication caused by inputs of excess nitrogen (N) has become a serious environmental problem in Hangzhou Bay (China), but the sources of this nitrogen are not well understood. In this study, the August 2019 distributions of salinity, nutrients [nitrate (\begin{document}${{\rm {NO}}_3^-} $\end{document} ![]()
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), nitrite, ammonium, and phosphate], and the stable isotopic composition of \begin{document}${{\rm {NO}}_3^-} $\end{document} ![]()
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(δ15N and δ18O) were used to investigate sources of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) to Hangzhou Bay. Spatial distributions of nitrate, salinity, and nitrate δ18O indicate that the Qiantang River, the Changjiang River, and nearshore coastal waters may all contribute nitrate to the bay. Based on the isotopic compositions of nitrate in these potential source waters and conservative mixing of nitrate in our study area, we suggest that the \begin{document}${{\rm {NO}}_3^-} $\end{document} ![]()
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in Hangzhou Bay was likely derived mainly from soils, synthetic N fertilizer, and manure and sewage. End-member modeling indicates that in the upper half of the bay, the Qiantang River was a very important DIN source, possibly contributing more than 50% of DIN in the bay head area. In the lower half of the bay, DIN was sourced mainly from strongly intruding coastal water. DIN coming directly from the Changjiang River made a relatively small contribution to Hangzhou Bay DIN in August 2019.
Eutrophication caused by inputs of excess nitrogen (N) has become a serious environmental problem in Hangzhou Bay (China), but the sources of this nitrogen are not well understood. In this study, the August 2019 distributions of salinity, nutrients [nitrate (
2024, 43(6): 96-106.
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2374-z
Abstract:
Ocean fronts play important roles in nutrient transport and in the shaping ecological patterns. Frontal zones in small bays are typically small in scale, have a complex structure, and they are spatially and temporally variable, but there are limited data on how biological communities respond to this variation. Hangzhou Bay, a medium-sized estuary in China, is an ideal place in which to study the response of plankton to small-scale ocean fronts, because three water masses (Qiantang River Diluted Water, Changjiang River Diluted Water, and the East China Sea current) converge here and form dynamic salinity fronts throughout the year. We investigate zooplankton communities, and temperature, salinity and chlorophyll a (Chl a) in Hangzhou Bay in June (wet period) and December (dry period) of 2022 and examine the dominant environmental factors that affect zooplankton community spatial variability. We then match the spatial distributions of zooplankton communities with those of salinity fronts. Salinity is the most important explanatory variable to affect zooplankton community spatial variability during both wet and dry periods, in that it contributes >60% of the variability in community structure. Furthermore, the spatial distributions of zooplankton match well with salinity fronts. During December, with weaker Qiantang River Diluted Water and a stronger secondary Changjiang River Plume, zooplankton communities occur in moderate salinity (MS, salinity range 15.6 ± 2.2) and high salinity (HS, 22.4 ± 1.7) regions, and their ecological boundaries closely match the Qiantang River Diluted Water front. In June, different zooplankton communities occur in low salinity (LS, 3.9 ± 1.0), MS (11.7 ± 3.6) and HS (21.3 ± 1.9) regions. Although the LS region occurs abnormally in the central bay rather than its apex because of the anomalous influence of rising and falling tides during the sampling period, the ecological boundaries still match salinity interfaces. Low-salinity or brackish-water zooplankter taxa are relatively more abundant in LS or MS regions, and the biomass and abundance of zooplankton is higher in the MS region.
Ocean fronts play important roles in nutrient transport and in the shaping ecological patterns. Frontal zones in small bays are typically small in scale, have a complex structure, and they are spatially and temporally variable, but there are limited data on how biological communities respond to this variation. Hangzhou Bay, a medium-sized estuary in China, is an ideal place in which to study the response of plankton to small-scale ocean fronts, because three water masses (Qiantang River Diluted Water, Changjiang River Diluted Water, and the East China Sea current) converge here and form dynamic salinity fronts throughout the year. We investigate zooplankton communities, and temperature, salinity and chlorophyll a (Chl a) in Hangzhou Bay in June (wet period) and December (dry period) of 2022 and examine the dominant environmental factors that affect zooplankton community spatial variability. We then match the spatial distributions of zooplankton communities with those of salinity fronts. Salinity is the most important explanatory variable to affect zooplankton community spatial variability during both wet and dry periods, in that it contributes >60% of the variability in community structure. Furthermore, the spatial distributions of zooplankton match well with salinity fronts. During December, with weaker Qiantang River Diluted Water and a stronger secondary Changjiang River Plume, zooplankton communities occur in moderate salinity (MS, salinity range 15.6 ± 2.2) and high salinity (HS, 22.4 ± 1.7) regions, and their ecological boundaries closely match the Qiantang River Diluted Water front. In June, different zooplankton communities occur in low salinity (LS, 3.9 ± 1.0), MS (11.7 ± 3.6) and HS (21.3 ± 1.9) regions. Although the LS region occurs abnormally in the central bay rather than its apex because of the anomalous influence of rising and falling tides during the sampling period, the ecological boundaries still match salinity interfaces. Low-salinity or brackish-water zooplankter taxa are relatively more abundant in LS or MS regions, and the biomass and abundance of zooplankton is higher in the MS region.
2024, 43(6): 107-118.
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2311-1
Abstract:
Massive bodies of low-oxygen bottom waters are found in coastal areas worldwide, which are detrimental to coastal ecosystems. In summer 2020, the response of coastal hypoxia to extreme weather events, including a catastrophic flooding, an extreme marine heatwave, and Typhoon Bavi, is investigated based on multiple satellite, four cruises, and mooring observations. The extensive fan-shaped hypoxia zone presents significant northward extension during July−September 2020, and is estimated as large as 13 000 km2 with rather low oxygen minimum (0.42 mg/L) during its peak in 28−30 August. This severe hypoxia is attributed to the persistent strong stratification, which is indicated by flood-induced larger amount of riverine freshwater input and subsequent marine heatwave off the Changjiang River Estuary. Moreover, the Typhoon Bavi has limited effect on the marine heatwave and coastal hypoxia in summer 2020.
Massive bodies of low-oxygen bottom waters are found in coastal areas worldwide, which are detrimental to coastal ecosystems. In summer 2020, the response of coastal hypoxia to extreme weather events, including a catastrophic flooding, an extreme marine heatwave, and Typhoon Bavi, is investigated based on multiple satellite, four cruises, and mooring observations. The extensive fan-shaped hypoxia zone presents significant northward extension during July−September 2020, and is estimated as large as 13 000 km2 with rather low oxygen minimum (0.42 mg/L) during its peak in 28−30 August. This severe hypoxia is attributed to the persistent strong stratification, which is indicated by flood-induced larger amount of riverine freshwater input and subsequent marine heatwave off the Changjiang River Estuary. Moreover, the Typhoon Bavi has limited effect on the marine heatwave and coastal hypoxia in summer 2020.
2024, 43(6): 119-130.
doi: 10.1007/s13131-023-2244-0
Abstract:
Hypoxia off the Changjiang River Estuary has been the subject of much attention, yet systematic observations have been lacking, resulting in a lack of knowledge regarding its long-term change and drivers. By revisiting the repeated surveys of dissolved oxygen (DO) and other relevant hydrographic parameters along the section from the Changjiang River Estuary to the Jeju-do in the summer from 1997 to 2014, rather different trends were revealed for the dual low-DO cores. The nearshore low-DO core, located close to the river mouth and relatively stable, shows that hypoxia has become more severe with the lowest DO descending at a rate of −0.07 mg/(L·a) and the thickness of low-DO zone rising at a rate of 0.43 m/a. The offshore core, centered around 40-m isobath but moving back and forth between 123.5°–125°E, shows large fluctuations in the minimum DO concentration, with the thickness of low-DO zone falling at a rate of −1.55 m/a. The probable factors affecting the minimum DO concentration in the two regions also vary. In the nearshore region, the decreasing minimum DO is driven by the increase in both stratification and primary productivity, with the enhanced extension of the Changjiang River Diluted Water (CDW) strengthening stratification. In the offshore region, the fluctuating trend of the minimum DO concentration indicates that both DO loss and DO supplement are distinct. The DO loss is primarily attributed to bottom apparent oxygen utilization caused by the organic matter decay and is also relevant to the advection of low-DO water from the nearshore region. The DO supplement is primarily due to weakened stratification. Our analysis also shows that the minimum DO concentration in the nearshore region was extremely low in 1998, 2003, 2007 and 2010, related to El Niño signal in these summers.
Hypoxia off the Changjiang River Estuary has been the subject of much attention, yet systematic observations have been lacking, resulting in a lack of knowledge regarding its long-term change and drivers. By revisiting the repeated surveys of dissolved oxygen (DO) and other relevant hydrographic parameters along the section from the Changjiang River Estuary to the Jeju-do in the summer from 1997 to 2014, rather different trends were revealed for the dual low-DO cores. The nearshore low-DO core, located close to the river mouth and relatively stable, shows that hypoxia has become more severe with the lowest DO descending at a rate of −0.07 mg/(L·a) and the thickness of low-DO zone rising at a rate of 0.43 m/a. The offshore core, centered around 40-m isobath but moving back and forth between 123.5°–125°E, shows large fluctuations in the minimum DO concentration, with the thickness of low-DO zone falling at a rate of −1.55 m/a. The probable factors affecting the minimum DO concentration in the two regions also vary. In the nearshore region, the decreasing minimum DO is driven by the increase in both stratification and primary productivity, with the enhanced extension of the Changjiang River Diluted Water (CDW) strengthening stratification. In the offshore region, the fluctuating trend of the minimum DO concentration indicates that both DO loss and DO supplement are distinct. The DO loss is primarily attributed to bottom apparent oxygen utilization caused by the organic matter decay and is also relevant to the advection of low-DO water from the nearshore region. The DO supplement is primarily due to weakened stratification. Our analysis also shows that the minimum DO concentration in the nearshore region was extremely low in 1998, 2003, 2007 and 2010, related to El Niño signal in these summers.
2024, 43(6): 131-141.
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2376-x
Abstract:
The sinking of phytoplankton is critical to organic matter transportation in the ocean and it is an essential process for the formation of coastal hypoxic zones. This study was based on a field investigation conducted during the summer of 2022 in the Changjiang River (Yangtze River) Estuary (CJE) and its adjacent waters. The settling column method was employed to measure the sinking velocity (SV) of different size fractions of phytoplankton at the surface of the sea and to analyze their environmental control mechanisms. The findings reveal significant spatial variation in phytoplankton SV (−0.55–2.41 m/d) within the CJE. High-speed sinking was predominantly observed in phosphate-depleted regions beyond the CJE front. At the same time, an upward trend was more commonly observed in the phosphate-rich regions near the CJE mouth. The SV ranges for different size-fractionated phytoplankton, including micro- (>20 μm), nano- (2–20 μm), and picophytoplankton (0.7–2 μm), were −0.50–4.74 m/d, −1.04–1.59 m/d, and −1.24–1.65 m/d, respectively. Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between SV and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), implying that the influence of DIP contributes to SV. The variations in phytoplankton alkaline phosphatase activity suggested a significant increase in SV across all size fractions in the event of phosphorus limitation. Phytoplankton communities with limited photosynthetic capacity (maximum photochemical efficience, Fv/Fm < 0.3) were found to have higher SV than that of communities with strong capacity, suggesting a link between sinking and alterations in physiological conditions due to phosphate depletion. The findings from the in situ phosphate enrichment experiments confirmed a marked decrease in SV following phosphate supplementation. These findings suggest that phosphorus limitation is the primary driver of elevated SV in the CJE. This study enhances the comprehension of the potential mechanisms underlying hypoxic zone formation in the CJE, providing novel insights into how nearshore eutrophication influences organic carbon migration.
The sinking of phytoplankton is critical to organic matter transportation in the ocean and it is an essential process for the formation of coastal hypoxic zones. This study was based on a field investigation conducted during the summer of 2022 in the Changjiang River (Yangtze River) Estuary (CJE) and its adjacent waters. The settling column method was employed to measure the sinking velocity (SV) of different size fractions of phytoplankton at the surface of the sea and to analyze their environmental control mechanisms. The findings reveal significant spatial variation in phytoplankton SV (−0.55–2.41 m/d) within the CJE. High-speed sinking was predominantly observed in phosphate-depleted regions beyond the CJE front. At the same time, an upward trend was more commonly observed in the phosphate-rich regions near the CJE mouth. The SV ranges for different size-fractionated phytoplankton, including micro- (>20 μm), nano- (2–20 μm), and picophytoplankton (0.7–2 μm), were −0.50–4.74 m/d, −1.04–1.59 m/d, and −1.24–1.65 m/d, respectively. Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between SV and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), implying that the influence of DIP contributes to SV. The variations in phytoplankton alkaline phosphatase activity suggested a significant increase in SV across all size fractions in the event of phosphorus limitation. Phytoplankton communities with limited photosynthetic capacity (maximum photochemical efficience, Fv/Fm < 0.3) were found to have higher SV than that of communities with strong capacity, suggesting a link between sinking and alterations in physiological conditions due to phosphate depletion. The findings from the in situ phosphate enrichment experiments confirmed a marked decrease in SV following phosphate supplementation. These findings suggest that phosphorus limitation is the primary driver of elevated SV in the CJE. This study enhances the comprehension of the potential mechanisms underlying hypoxic zone formation in the CJE, providing novel insights into how nearshore eutrophication influences organic carbon migration.
2024, 43(6): 142-152.
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2372-1
Abstract:
The nutrients from the East China Sea (ECS) through the Tsushima/Korea Strait (TS) strongly impact the ecosystem of the Japan Sea (JS). The complex origins of the Tsushima Warm Current and the various nutrient sources in the ECS result in complex spatial-temporal variations in nutrients in the TS. Using a physical-biological model with a tracking technique, we studied the effects of nutrient sources from the ECS on the TS. Among all the nutrient sources, the Kuroshio has the highest nutrient concentrations in the TS. Its maximum concentration occurs at the bottom, while those of rivers and atmospheric deposition occur at the surface, and that of the Taiwan Strait occurs in the middle layer. The nutrient transport through the TS exhibits similar seasonal variations, as does the volume transport. The transport of nutrients from the Kuroshio accounts for more than 85% of the total. The transport of nutrients from the Taiwan Strait is greater during autumn and winter. The transport of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) from both rivers and atmospheric deposition through the TS peak in August. Nutrient transport cannot be equated with volume transport. The DIN in the less saline zone originates not only from rivers but also from atmospheric deposition and the Kuroshio. The transport of nutrients from the Taiwan Strait is not as significant as its volume transport in the TS.
The nutrients from the East China Sea (ECS) through the Tsushima/Korea Strait (TS) strongly impact the ecosystem of the Japan Sea (JS). The complex origins of the Tsushima Warm Current and the various nutrient sources in the ECS result in complex spatial-temporal variations in nutrients in the TS. Using a physical-biological model with a tracking technique, we studied the effects of nutrient sources from the ECS on the TS. Among all the nutrient sources, the Kuroshio has the highest nutrient concentrations in the TS. Its maximum concentration occurs at the bottom, while those of rivers and atmospheric deposition occur at the surface, and that of the Taiwan Strait occurs in the middle layer. The nutrient transport through the TS exhibits similar seasonal variations, as does the volume transport. The transport of nutrients from the Kuroshio accounts for more than 85% of the total. The transport of nutrients from the Taiwan Strait is greater during autumn and winter. The transport of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) from both rivers and atmospheric deposition through the TS peak in August. Nutrient transport cannot be equated with volume transport. The DIN in the less saline zone originates not only from rivers but also from atmospheric deposition and the Kuroshio. The transport of nutrients from the Taiwan Strait is not as significant as its volume transport in the TS.
2024, 43(6): 153-162.
doi: 10.1007/s13131-023-2245-z
Abstract:
Petroleum hydrocarbon pollution is a global concern, particularly in coastal environments. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are regarded as the most toxic components of petroleum hydrocarbons. In this study, the biomonitoring and ranking effects of petroleum hydrocarbons and PAHs on the marine fish model Oryzias melastigma embryos were determined in the Jiulong River Estuary (JRE) and its adjacent waters in China. The results showed that the levels of petroleum hydrocarbons from almost all sites met the primary standard for marine seawater quality, and the concentrations of the 16 priority PAHs in the surface seawater were lower compared with those in other coastal areas worldwide. A new fish expert system based on the embryotoxicity of O. melastigma (OME-FES) was developed and applied in the field to evaluate the biological effects of petroleum hydrocarbons and PAHs. The selected physiological index and molecular indicators in OME-FES were appropriate biomarkers for indicating the harmful effects of petroleum hydrocarbons and PAHs. The outcome of OME-FES revealed that the biological effect levels of the sampling sites ranged from level Ⅰ (no stress) to level Ⅲ (medium stress), which is further corroborated by the findings of nested analysis of variance (ANOVA) models. Our results suggest that the OME-FES is an effective tool for evaluating and ranking the biological effects of marine petroleum hydrocarbons and PAHs. This method may also be applied to evaluate other marine pollutants based on its framework.
Petroleum hydrocarbon pollution is a global concern, particularly in coastal environments. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are regarded as the most toxic components of petroleum hydrocarbons. In this study, the biomonitoring and ranking effects of petroleum hydrocarbons and PAHs on the marine fish model Oryzias melastigma embryos were determined in the Jiulong River Estuary (JRE) and its adjacent waters in China. The results showed that the levels of petroleum hydrocarbons from almost all sites met the primary standard for marine seawater quality, and the concentrations of the 16 priority PAHs in the surface seawater were lower compared with those in other coastal areas worldwide. A new fish expert system based on the embryotoxicity of O. melastigma (OME-FES) was developed and applied in the field to evaluate the biological effects of petroleum hydrocarbons and PAHs. The selected physiological index and molecular indicators in OME-FES were appropriate biomarkers for indicating the harmful effects of petroleum hydrocarbons and PAHs. The outcome of OME-FES revealed that the biological effect levels of the sampling sites ranged from level Ⅰ (no stress) to level Ⅲ (medium stress), which is further corroborated by the findings of nested analysis of variance (ANOVA) models. Our results suggest that the OME-FES is an effective tool for evaluating and ranking the biological effects of marine petroleum hydrocarbons and PAHs. This method may also be applied to evaluate other marine pollutants based on its framework.
2024, 43(6): 163-172.
doi: 10.1007/s13131-024-2309-8
Abstract:
The sinking of diatoms is critical to the formation of oceanic biological pumps and coastal hypoxic zones. However, little is known about the effects of different nutrient restrictions on diatom sinking. In this study, we measured the sinking velocity (SV) of Thalassiosira weissflogii using a new phytoplankton video observation instrument and analyzed major biochemical components under varying nutrient conditions. Our results showed that the SV of T. weissflogii under different nutrient limitation conditions varied substantially. The highest SV of (1.77 ± 0.02) m/d was obtained under nitrate limitation, significantly surpassing that under phosphate limitation at (0.98 ± 0.13) m/d. As the nutrient limitation was released, the SV steadily decreased to (0.32 ± 0.03) m/d and (0.15 ± 0.05) m/d, respectively. Notably, under conditions with limited nitrate and phosphate concentrations, the SV values of T. weissflogii significantly positively correlated with the lipid content (P < 0.001), with R2 values of 0.86 and 0.69, respectively. The change of the phytoplankton SV was primarily related to the intracellular composition, which is controlled by nutrient conditions but did not significantly correlate with transparent extracellular polymer and biosilica contents. The results of this study help to understand the regulation of the vertical sinking process of diatoms by nutrient restriction and provide new insights into phytoplankton dynamics and their relationship with the marine nutrient structure.
The sinking of diatoms is critical to the formation of oceanic biological pumps and coastal hypoxic zones. However, little is known about the effects of different nutrient restrictions on diatom sinking. In this study, we measured the sinking velocity (SV) of Thalassiosira weissflogii using a new phytoplankton video observation instrument and analyzed major biochemical components under varying nutrient conditions. Our results showed that the SV of T. weissflogii under different nutrient limitation conditions varied substantially. The highest SV of (1.77 ± 0.02) m/d was obtained under nitrate limitation, significantly surpassing that under phosphate limitation at (0.98 ± 0.13) m/d. As the nutrient limitation was released, the SV steadily decreased to (0.32 ± 0.03) m/d and (0.15 ± 0.05) m/d, respectively. Notably, under conditions with limited nitrate and phosphate concentrations, the SV values of T. weissflogii significantly positively correlated with the lipid content (P < 0.001), with R2 values of 0.86 and 0.69, respectively. The change of the phytoplankton SV was primarily related to the intracellular composition, which is controlled by nutrient conditions but did not significantly correlate with transparent extracellular polymer and biosilica contents. The results of this study help to understand the regulation of the vertical sinking process of diatoms by nutrient restriction and provide new insights into phytoplankton dynamics and their relationship with the marine nutrient structure.