2011 Vol. 30, No. 1

Display Method:
Articles
Evolution of a coastal upwelling event during summer 2004 in the southern Taiwan Strait
ZHANG Caiyun, HONG Huasheng, HU Chuanmin, SHANG Shaoling
2011, (1): 1-6. doi: 10.1007/s13131-011-0084-9
Abstract:
A coastal upwelling event in the southern Taiwan Strait (STWS) was investigated using intensive cruise surveys (four repeated transects in a month) and satellite data in July and early August 2004. The extensive upwelling-associated surface cold water was first observed in early July (~2.0×104 km2) along the STWS coast. Then, the cold surface water reduced in size by ~50% with decreased chlorophyll concentrations after 15 days, indicating the weakening of the upwelling event. At the end of July, the cold surface water disappeared. The temporal variations of the surface cold water and the 3-D hydrography around Dongshan Island are thought to be mainly attributed to the weakened upwelling-favorable southwestern wind, the asymmetric spatial structure of the wind field and the intrusion of warm water from the northern South China Sea.
Numerical study on spatially varying control parameters of a marine ecosystem dynamical model with adjoint method
QI Ping, WANG Chunhui, LI Xiaoyan, LV Xianqing
2011, (1): 7-14. doi: 10.1007/s13131-011-0085-8
Abstract:
Based on the simulation of a marine ecosystem dynamical model in the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea, chlorophyll data are assimilated to study the spatially varying control parameters (CPs) by using the adjoint method. In this study, the CPs at some grid points are selected as the independent CPs, while the CPs at other grid points can be obtained through linear interpolation with the independent CPs. The independent CPs are uniformly selected from each 30'×30' area, and we confirm that the optimal influence radius is 1.2° by a twin experiment. In the following experiments, when only the maximum growth rate of phytoplankton (Vm) is estimated by two given types of spatially varying CPs, the mean relative errors of Vm are 1.22% and 0.94% while the decrease rates of the mean error of chlorophyll in the surface are 94.6% and 95.8%, respectively. When the other four CPs are estimated respectively, the results are also satisfactory, which indicates that the adjoint method has a strong ability of optimizing the prescribed CP with spatial variations. However, when all these five most important CPs are estimated simultaneously, the collocation of the changing trend of each parameter influences the estimation results remarkably. Only when the collocation of the changing trend of each parameter is consistent with the ecological mechanisms which influence the growth of the phytoplankton in marine ecosystem, could the five most important CPs be estimated more accurately.
Assimilation of temperature and salinity using isotropic and anisotropic recursive filters in Tropic Pacific
LIU Ye, ZHAO Yanling
2011, (1): 15-23. doi: 10.1007/s13131-011-0086-7
Abstract:
A data assimilation scheme used in the updated Ocean three-dimensional Variational Assimilation System (OVALS), OVALS2, is described. Based on a recursive filter (RF) to estimate the background error covariance (BEC) over a predetermined scale, this new analysis system can be implemented with anisotropic and isotropic BECs. Similarities and differences of these two BEC schemes are briefly discussed and their impacts on the model simulation are also investigated. An idealized experiment demonstrates the ability of the updated analysis system to construct different BECs. Furthermore, a set of three years experiments is implemented by assimilating expendable bathythermograph (XBT) and ARGO data into a Tropical Pacific circulation model. The TAO and WOA01 data are used to validate the assimilation results. The results show that the model simulations are substantially improved by OVALS2. The inter-comparison of isotropic and anisotropic BEC shows that the corresponding temperature and salinity produced by the anisotropic BEC are almost as good as those obtained by the isotropic one. Moreover, the result of anisotropic RF is slightly closer to WOA01 and TAO than that of isotropic RF in some special area (e.g. the cold tongue area in the Tropic Pacific).
The effects of horizontal advection on the spring bloom of phytoplankton in the central Southern Huanghai Sea
HAN Jun, WEI Hao, ZHAO Liang, SHI Yao, SHI Jie, ZHANG Guosen
2011, (1): 24-31. doi: 10.1007/s13131-011-0087-6
Abstract:
An algal bloom is defined as a relatively rapid increase in the biomass of phytoplankton in an aquatic system. During 30 March to 24 April 2007, a cruise was conducted in the central Southern Huanghai Sea to investigate the spring bloom processes. The spatial and temporal variations of phytoplankton are discussed based on the in-situ observations and simultaneous remote sensing data. The explosive algal blooming varied quickly in temporal and spatial scales, due to the highly patchy distribution. Data obtained at the 2 anchor stations (BM1 and BM2) were analyzed in the present study. Horizontal advection is speculated to be responsible for the abrupt decrease in the concentration of chlorophyll-a at stations BM1 and BM2. At station BM2, the intermediate high chlorophyll-a concentration, coinciding with the low temperature, was found to be advected from the inshore colder water mass located to the east of the site.
Impacts of Typhoons Tianying and Dawei on seagrass distribution in Xincun Bay, Hainan Province, China
YANG Dingtian, HUANG Daojian
2011, (1): 32-39. doi: 10.1007/s13131-011-0088-5
Abstract:
More than 50% of the typhoons landing in China have landed on the southeast coast, where they have caused great pressure on the coastal environment. Seagrass, one of the most important constituents of coastal ecosystems, is also greatly affected by typhoons. In order to clarify how seagrass distribution variation is affected by typhoons in coastal areas in southeast China, data of Typhoons Dawei and Tianying (category 4 and category 2 respectively, which just ran through the southern part of Hainan province) have been studied. In situ observation and satellite remote sensing data (CBERS-China Brazil Earth Resources Satellite) in 2004 and 2006 were used to retrieve seagrass distribution in Xincun Bay, Hainan province. In situ observations showed that leaf length, stem biomass and above ground biomass on average showed evidence of reduction after Typhoons Tianying and Dawei. However, seagrass density showed no evidence of reduction after typhoon Tianying and Dawei passed by and increased rapidly in January 2006. From results of satellite remote sensing data, seagrass distribution can be detected with high accuracy, and the area of seagrass distribution on the south coast of Xincun Bay in 2006 after the typhoon passed by was smaller than that in 2004 in region A and B. However, in region C, area of seagrass coverage under 20% increased. These results demonstrated that typhoons Tianying and Dawei damaged seagrass bed and helped seagrass to get rid of aged and dead leaves, and this correspondingly facilitated seagrass growth.
Measurements of ocean wave spectrum from airborne radar at small incidence angles
REN Lin, PAN Delu, MAO Zhihua
2011, (1): 40-46. doi: 10.1007/s13131-011-0089-4
Abstract:
This paper proposes the retrieval method of ocean wave spectrum for airborne radar observations at small incidence angles, which is slightly modified from the method developed by Hauser. Firstly, it makes use of integration method to estimate total mean square slope instead of fitting method, which aims to reduce the affects of fluctuations superposed on normalized radar cross-section by integration. Secondly, for eliminating the noise spectrum contained in signal spectrum, the method considers the signal spectrum in certain look direction without any long wave components as the assumed noise spectrum, which would be subtracted from signal spectrum in any look direction for linear wave spectrum retrieval. Estimated ν from the integration method are lower than the one from fitting method and have a standard deviation of 0.004 between them approximately. The assumed noise spectrum energy almost has no big variations along with the wave number and is slightly lower to the high wave number part of signal spectrum in any look direction, which follows that the assumption makes sense. The retrieved directional spectra are compared with the buoy records in terms of peak wavelength, peak direction and the significant wave height. Comparisons show that the retrieved peak wavelength and significant wave height are slightly higher than the buoy records but don't differs significantly (error less than 10%). For peak direction, the swell waves in first case basically propagate in the wind direction 6 hours ago and the wind-generated waves in second case also propagate in the wind direction, but the 180° ambiguity remains. Results show that the modified method can carry out the retrieval of directional wave spectrum.
Seismic geomorphology of buried channel systems in the western South Huanghai Sea: retrodiction for paleoenvironments
KONG Xianghuai, LIU Jian, DU Yuansheng, WEN Chun, XU Gang
2011, (1): 47-58. doi: 10.1007/s13131-011-0090-y
Abstract:
Quantitative morphologic analysis of shallowly buried, dendritic channel systems in the continental shelf off the abandoned Huanghe River (Yellow River) mouth has been made based on interpretation of high resolution seismic profiles, with the attempt to estimate the paleo-hydrologic parameters when the incised-channels formed, then assess the paleoenvironment. The results indicate that the buried channel systems were formed about 44 cal ka BP when the shelf was subaerially exposed and subsequently drowned and filled during the Holocene transgression with the sea level rise continuously. The study area has experienced the processes from fluvial and estuarine to fully marine.
Heat flow pattern, base of methane hydrates stability zones and BSRs in Shenhu Area, northern South China Sea
ZHANG Yi, HE Lijuan, WANG Jiyang, XU Xing, SHA Zhibing, GONG Yuehua, WANG Hongbing, LIANG Jinqiang
2011, (1): 59-67. doi: 10.1007/s13131-011-0091-x
Abstract:
Using the collected 433 heat flow values, we estimated the bases of methane hydrate stability zone (BHSZ), in northern South China Sea (NSCS). Through comparing BHSZs with the depths of bottom simulating reflectors (BSRs), in Shenhu Area (SA), we found that there are big differences between them. In the north of SA, where the water depth is shallow, many slumps developed and the sedimentation rate is high, it appears great negative difference (as large as -192%). However, to the southeast of SA, where the water depth is deeper, sedimentation rate is relatively low and uplift basement topography exists, it changes to positive difference (as large as +45%). The differences change so great, which haven't been observed in other places of the world. After considering the errors from the process of heat flow measurement, the BSR depth, the relationship of thermal conductivity with the sediments depth, and the fluid flow activities, we conclude that the difference should be not caused by these errors. Such big disagreement may be due to the misunderstanding of BSR. The deviant "BSRs" could represent the paleo-BSRs or just gas-bearing sediment layers, such as unconformities or the specific strata where have different permeability, which are not hydraterelated BSRs.
Molecular cloning, characterization and expression analysis of Sox9a and Foxl2 genes in half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossussemilaevis)
DONG Xiaoli, CHEN Songlin, JI Xiangshan, SHAO Changwei
2011, (1): 68-77. doi: 10.1007/s13131-011-0092-9
Abstract:
Two transcription factors, Sox9a and Foxl2 were cloned from half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis). Sox9a is a new duplication of C.semilaevis Sox9 gene. The complete cDNA of Sox9a gene was 1 842 bp long coding for 487 amino acids and Foxl2 gene was 1 817 bp coding for 308 amino acids. Sox9a was expressed higher in male brain, pituitary and gonad and Foxl2 were higher in female brain, pituitary and gonad. The expression of Sox9a gene in gonads of neo-males was higher than that of normal females. Sox9a and Foxl2 were expressed higher in gastrula stage than in other stages. In the period of sex differentiation, the expression of Sox9a was first going up and then going down and Foxl2 was higher expressed at 37 dph. The highest expressions of Sox9a and Foxl2 genes occurred in nine-month and 12-month old gonad tissues, respectively. Sox9a gene was considered to have inevitable links with sex reversal, sex differentiation and cell differentiation of embryos and formation of spermatogenic cells. Foxl2 was considered to play a role in sex differentiation, cell differentiation of embryos but not to be necessary for sex determination and sex reversal.
Estimation of genetic parameters and breeding values in shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis using the REML/BLUP procedure
ZHANG Tianshi, KONG Jie, LUAN Sheng, WANG Qingyin, LUO Kun, TIAN Yi
2011, (1): 78-86. doi: 10.1007/s13131-011-0093-8
Abstract:
An analysis of a selection experiment was used to assess the impact of various animal model structures on REML estimates of variance components. The analyses were carried out based on 162 d body mass (BM) of 1 287 animals from 21 paternal half-sib groups of Fenneropenaeus chinensis. Estimated breeding values (EBV) of BM of all individuals were estimated using eight statistical models (A, AB, ABC, ABDC, ABMFC, ABMDC, ABFDC and ABMFDC) and BLUP (best linear unbiased prediction). These models were designed involving factors such as sex, spawn date as fixed effects, maternal genetic effects, full-sib family effects as random effects, mean BM of families at tagging and age at recording (covariate). The results demonstrate the importance of correct interpretation of effects in the data set, particularly those that can influence resemblance between relatives. The data structure and the particular model that was applied markedly influenced the magnitude of variance component estimates. Models based on few effects obtained upward biased estimates of additive genetic variance. The accuracy of genetic parameters and breeding value estimated by ABFDC model was higher than other models. The results imply that additive genetic direct value, full-sib family effects, and covariance effects besides sex and spawn date as fixed effects were very important for estimating genetic parameters and breeding value of body mass. This model had a heritability estimate of 162 d BM of 0.44. The comparison of the efficiency of selection based on breeding values or phenotypic value revealed great difference:average breeding value of the best 24 families selected by the 162 d BM breeding value and phenotype were 0.577 g and 0.366 g, respectively, representing a 36.57% higher efficiency in the former. In conclusion, selection based on breeding value was more effective than selection based on phenotypic value. Our results indicate that effects influencing the magnitude of estimates should be taken into account when estimating heritability and breeding values for BM.
In vivo and in vitro biomineralization in the presence of the inner-shell film of pearl oyster
YAN Zhenguang, MENG Wei, LIU Zhengtao, YANG Suwen, LIU Xiaojun, SUN Juan, XIE Liping, ZHANG Rongqing
2011, (1): 87-93. doi: 10.1007/s13131-011-0094-7
Abstract:
The inner shell surface is the biomineralization site in shell formation and an inner-shell film covers it. This surface is composed of two regions:an outer calcitic region and an inner aragonitic region. In this study, some amalgamated calcite crystals were found in the calcitic region and some aragonitic "imprints" were found in the central part of the aragonitic region. The "imprints" are probably the trace of mantle cells that adhered to the inner shell surface when the shell was produced. Furthermore, to build a novel in vitro biomineralization system, the inner-shell film was detached from the shell and introduced to the calcitic crystallization solution. Crystallization experiments showed that nacre proteins could induce aragonite crystals in the novel system but inhibited calcite growth in the absence of the inner-shell film. These data suggested that the inner-shell film may induce aragonite growth in vivo by combining nacre proteins.
Composition and ecological distribution of ichthyoplankton in eastern Beibu Gulf
ZHOU Meiyu, LIN Yuanshao, YANG Shengyun, CAO Wenqing, ZHENG Lianming
2011, (1): 94-105. doi: 10.1007/s13131-011-0095-6
Abstract:
Surveys were conducted in four seasons in the eastern Beibu Gulf from July 2006 to November 2007, to determine the ichthyoplankton composition, abundance, as well as environmental factors impacted on their spatiotemporal distributions. The fish eggs and larvae were sorted from 303 zooplankton quantitative samples, in which at least 1 order, 60 families, 31 genera and 61 species of fish eggs and larvae were identified. The species number was highest in summer whereas lowest in winter. With the most abundant fish egg (the average density was 2.41 ind./m3), spring was the main spawning season, while the greatest mean density of fish larva was 1.35 ind./m3 in summer. In the whole year around, fish eggs had the trends to aggregate in the nearshore of Guangxi coast, fish larvae were more abundant in the northern water. Relationships between fish eggs and larvae abundance and environmental factors were analyzed by using the Yield-Density model. The spatiotemporal distribution of ichthyoplankton in eastern Beibu Gulf was closely related to the Chl a concentration, and the optimal temperature, salinity and Chl a were 19.4-21.7℃, 31.8-33.1 and 1.5-4.8 mg/m3, respectively. Additionally, the distribution of fish larvae could be effected by ocean currents in summer and autumn.
Dark respiration in the light and in darkness of three marine macroalgal species grown under ambient and elevated CO2 concentrations
ZOU Dinghui, GAO Kunshan, XIA Jianrong
2011, (1): 106-112. doi: 10.1007/s13131-011-0096-5
Abstract:
Dark respiration (non-photorespiratory mitochondrial respiration), which occurs both in the light and in darkness, is vital for growth and survival of algae and plays a critical role in modulating the carbon balance of them. In the present study, we have investigated dark respiration in the light (RL) and in darkness (RD) in three marine macroalgal species, Hizikia fusiformis (phaeophyta), Gracilaria lemaneiformis (Rhodophyta) and Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyta), cultured at 20 ℃ using aeration with two CO2 conditions:current ambient (CO2 concentration about 380 μl/L) and elevated CO2 (approximately 720 μl/L) air. RL was estimated by using the Kok method, whereas RD was determined as the rate of O2 influx at zero light. The results showed that both RL and RD were unchanged for the elevated CO2-grown algae relative to ambient CO2 concentration for all the algal species tested. However, RL was significantly lower than RD across all the algal species and growth CO2 treatments, demonstrating that daytime respiration was partly depressed by the light. The percentage of inhibition of respiration by light was similar between ambient and elevated CO2-grown algae. The ratio of respiration to photosynthesis, which tended to decrease when estimated using RL instead of RD, was not altered for the elevated relative to ambient CO2 concentration. The results suggest that RL, rather than RD, is a more accurate estimate of nonphotorespiratory carbon loss in marine macroalgae during the daytime. It would not be anticipated that elevated atmospheric CO2 would exert a substantial influence on respiratory flux either in the light or in darkness in these particular marine macroalgal species.
Research Notes
First record of three giant marine Bathynomids (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cirolanidae) from India
Sankar R, Rajkumar M, SUN Jun, Gopalakrishnan A, Vasanthan T M, Ananthan G, Trilles J P
2011, (1): 113-117. doi: 10.1007/s13131-011-0097-4
Abstract:
Three species, Bathynomus decemspinosus, B. doederleini and B. kensleyi (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cirolanidae), are reported for the first time from the Parangipettai coastal waters, Southeast coast of India. Several Trilasmis (Temnaspis) tridens (Cirripedia Thoracica, Lepadomorpha) were attached to the pleopods of some individuals. So, five bathynomid species are currently reported from India.
Identification of a marine agarolytic bacterium Agarivorans albus QM38 and cloning and sequencing its beta-agarase genes
DU Zongjun, WANG Jing, YANG Lijun, CHEN Guanjun
2011, (1): 118-124. doi: 10.1007/s13131-011-0098-3
Abstract:
A total of 117 agar-decomposing cultures were isolated from coastal seawater around Qingdao, China. The phenotypic and agarolytic features of an agarolytic isolate, QM38, were investigated. The strain was gram negative, strictly aerobic, curved rod and polar flagellum. On the basis of several phenotypic characters, biochemical and morphological characters and phylogenetic analysis of the gene coding for the 16S rRNA, the strain was identified as Agarivorans albus strain QM38. This strain can liquefy the agar on the solid agar plate. An excellular agarase activity was determined in liquid culture. The enzyme exhibited maximal activity at 40 ℃, pH 7.6. Its activity was greatly affected by different concentrations of agarose. The highest activity 32 U/ml was achieved in the culture supernatant. The hydrolytic product was analyzed by fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate electrophoresis (FACE). After complete hydrolysis of agarose, a series of agaro-oligosaccharides were produced. The main products of the enzymes were oligosaccharides in the degree of polymerization (DP) of 2, 4, 6 and 8. Three genes agaD01, agaD02 and agaD03, encoding β-agarases, had been cloned from genomic DNA of Agarivorans albus strain QM38. The open reading frame of agaD01, consisted of 2 988 bp, and shared 95.5%-98.9% identity to the β-agarase genes of some strains of Vibrio and Agarivorans. Gene agaD02 comprised 2 868 bp and encoded a 955-amino-acid protein. It showed 97.4% and 98.7% identity to the β-agarase genes of strain Vibrio sp. PO-303 and strain Vibrio sp. JT0107, respectively. Only partial sequence of agaD03 gene has been cloned. It showed 96.5% identity to β-agarase gene (agaB) of Pseudoalteromonas sp. CY24, and shared 96.8% identity to β-agarase-c gene of Vibrio sp. PO-303.