Understanding El Niño — The importance of Grey Literature in Coastal Ecosystem Research and Management

Access to information about past states of the environment and social systems is fundamental to understand, and cope with, the challenges of climate change and over-exploitation of natural resources at the onset of the 21st century. The loss of (old) data is a major threat to understanding better and mitigating long-term effects of human activities and anthropogenic changes to the environment. Although this is intuitively evident for old and local literature of any kind, even present-day international publishing of papers without the underlying raw data makes access to basic information a crucial issue. Here, we summarise experience resulting from a EU-funded International Science & Technology Cooperation (INCO) project (CENSOR) addressing Coastal Ecosystem Research and Management in the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) context. We show that indeed “Grey Literature” is still one of the most important sources of knowledge about natural science research and management of natural resource systems in Latin American countries. We argue that public archiving of original data of present-day research and old (Grey) Literature and easy public access are important for appreciating today's global environmental challenges caused by human activities, both past and present.     

Biogeochemistry of surface sediments off Concepción (∼36°S), Chile: El Niño vs. non-El Niño conditions

We compared the signals of several water column properties (upwelling intensity, sea level anomaly, temperature, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll-a, and surface sediments) of the continental shelf off Concepción (36°S) during the 1997-1998 El Niño with those of a normal year (2002-2003). We found that the primary hydrographic effect of El Niño 1997-1998 was a reduction in the input of nutrient-rich, oxygen-poor Equatorial Subsurface Water over the shelf. This affected the biology of the water column, as evidenced by the reduced phytoplankton biomass. Surface sediment properties (biogenic opal, organic carbon, bulk δ¹⁵N) observed during El Niño 1997-1998 reflected a reduced export production and the sediments failed to show the water column seasonality that occurs under normal conditions. In addition, weakened denitrification and/or upper water column fertilization could be inferred from the sedimentary δ¹⁵N. Although diminished, export production was preserved in the surface sediments, revealing less degraded organic matter in the upwelling period of the El Niño year than in the normal year. We suggest that the fresher organic material on the seafloor was probably associated with a severe reduction in the polychaete Parapronospio pinnata, which is considered to be the most important metazoan remineralizer of organic carbon at the sediment-water interface in the study area.     

Upper-ocean thermal structure and heat content off the US West Coast during the 1997-1998 El Niño event based on AXBT and satellite altimetry data

During the 1997/1998 El Niño event, extensive oceanic temperature profiles were taken off the coast of California in January and February 1998 using Airborne Expendable Bathythermographs (AXBTs). These AXBT measurements are compared with altimetry-based upper-ocean temperature estimates using TOPEX and ERS satellite altimetry data. The altimetry-based temperature estimates are well correlated with the AXBT data, in particular when combining the two satellite data sets together to form a blended altimeter temperature estimate. Both the AXBT and altimetry data show that the nearshore coastal El Niño signal differed from that further offshore. The AXBT data show that near shore, the warm anomalies extended to much greater depths and had greater amplitude. A time series of the satellite-derived layer-averaged temperatures, averaged separately over the nearshore and offshore halves of the AXBT analysis domain, also shows a larger El Niño signal in the nearshore half. The role of local atmospheric forcing of the coastal oceanic temperature anomalies is analyzed using NCEP reanalysis and coastal upwelling data sets. The forcing terms include Ekman pumping, radiation, surface heat fluxes, precipitation, and alongshore wind stresses that drive coastal upwelling (expressed as a coastal downwelling index, CDI). The temperature forcing from all of the terms except the CDI anomalies are small. The CDI anomalies can explain most of the slowly varying temperature changes that occur near the coast during a two-year period spanning the El Niño event, as well as some of the larger amplitude, rapid (monthly) warming episodes that appear to be part of the El Niño signal. Several distinct rapid warming episodes, however, are not correlated with the CDI anomalies, and therefore we conclude that the nearshore El Niño signal originates from a combination of both a remote oceanic pathway and local atmospheric forcing.     

Trophic modeling of the Northern Humboldt Current Ecosystem, Part I: Comparing trophic linkages under La Niña and El Niño conditions

The El Niño of 1997–98 was one of the strongest warming events of the past century; among many other effects, it impacted phytoplankton along the Peruvian coast by changing species composition and reducing biomass. While responses of the main fish resources to this natural perturbation are relatively well known, understanding the ecosystem response as a whole requires an ecotrophic multispecies approach. In this work, we construct trophic models of the Northern Humboldt Current Ecosystem (NHCE) and compare the La Niña (LN) years in 1995–96 with the El Niño (EN) years in 1997–98. The model area extends from 4°S–16°S and to 60 nm from the coast. The model consists of 32 functional groups of organisms and differs from previous trophic models of the Peruvian system through: (i) division of plankton into size classes to account for EN-associated changes and feeding preferences of small pelagic fish, (ii) increased division of demersal groups and separation of life history stages of hake, (iii) inclusion of mesopelagic fish, and (iv) incorporation of the jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas), which became abundant following EN. Results show that EN reduced the size and organization of energy flows of the NHCE, but the overall functioning (proportion of energy flows used for respiration, consumption by predators, detritus and export) of the ecosystem was maintained. The reduction of diatom biomass during EN forced omnivorous planktivorous fish to switch to a more zooplankton-dominated diet, raising their trophic level. Consequently, in the EN model the trophic level increased for several predatory groups (mackerel, other large pelagics, sea birds, pinnipeds) and for fishery catch. A high modeled biomass of macrozooplankton was needed to balance the consumption by planktivores, especially during EN condition when observed diatoms biomass diminished dramatically. Despite overall lower planktivorous fish catches, the higher primary production required-to-catch ratio implied a stronger ecological impact of the fishery and stresses the need for precautionary management of fisheries during and after EN. During EN energetic indicators such as the lower primary production/total biomass ratio suggest a more energetically efficient ecosystem, while reduced network indicators such as the cycling index and relative ascendency indicate of a less organized state of the ecosystem. Compared to previous trophic models of the NHCE we observed: (i) a shrinking of ecosystem size in term of energy flows, (ii) slight changes in overall functioning (proportion of energy flows used for respiration, consumption by predators and detritus), and (iii) the use of alternate pathways leading to a higher ecological impact of the fishery for planktivorous fish.     

南海海平面对两类El Ni?o的不同响应

利用ECMWF ORAS4重构数据,分析了南海海平面异常(SLA)对东部型(EP)El Ni?o和中部型(CP)El Ni?o的不同响应特征。南海SLA在两类El Ni?o期间表现出不同的时空演变规律。对于东部型El Ni?o,南海空间平均的SLA在发展年的秋、冬季显著下降,最低可达-2 cm,并在次年开始上升,至次年冬季可达2 cm。空间分布上,在发展年秋、冬季,除越南东南部海域存在一个正异常中心外,在南海绝大部分海域,SLA均表现为显著的负异常;从次年春季开始,SLA负异常减弱,而越南东南部的正异常开始发展,直至冬季南海大部分海域以正异常为主。对于中部型El Ni?o,南海SLA在整个El Ni?o发展和衰退期间均表现为显著负异常,异常值始终维持在-2 cm左右,并且在空间上表现为全海盆一致的负异常模态。相比于传统的经验正交分解(EOF),季节EOF(S-EOF)能够更好地刻画南海SLA在两类El Ni?o期间的时空演变特征,S-EOF的第一模态表现为中部型El Ni?o模态,而第二模态更多地表现为南海SLA在东部型El Ni?o期间的演变特征。南海海平面在两类El Ni?o期间的...     

Plankton biomass and larval fish abundance prior to and during the El Niño period of 1997-1998 along the central Pacific coast of México

The temporal and spatial distributions of zooplankton biomass and larval fish recorded during 27 months (December 1995-December 1998) off the Pacific coast of central México are analyzed. A total of 316 samples were obtained by surface (from 40-68 to 0 m) oblique hauls at 12 sampling sites using a Bongo net. Two well-defined periods were observed: a pre-ENSO period (December 1995-march 1997) and an ENSO event (July 1997-September 1998) characterized by impoverishment of the pelagic habitat. The highest biomass concentrations occurred at coastal stations during the pre-ENSO period. During the El Niño period no spatial patterns were found in coastal waters. The months with highest biomass were those in which the lowest sea surface temperature (SST) occurred (January-May), and this pattern was also observed during the ENSO period. A typical, although attenuated, seasonal environmental pattern with enhanced phytoplankton (diatoms and dinoflagellates) was prevalent during the El Niño event in nearshore waters. During the El Niño period the phytoplankton was mainly small diatoms (microphytoplankton), while dinoflagellates were practically absent. The most parsimonious generalized linear models explaining spatial and temporal distribution of larval fish species included the ENSO index (MEI), upwelling index (UI) and distance to the coast. The environmental variability defined on an interannual time-scale by the ENSO event and the seasonal hydroclimatic pattern defined by the UI (intra-annual-scale) controlled the ecosystem productivity patterns. The small-scale distribution patterns (defined by a cross-shore gradient) of plankton were related to the hydroclimatic seasonality and modulated by interannual anomalies.     

热带太平洋第二类El Nio事件及其对中国气候的影响

基于热带太平洋次表层海温资料,分析了热带太平洋第二类El Nio事件海温异常的分布特征及其形成机制,讨论了与经典El Nio事件、El Nio Modoki、WP(西太平洋暖池)及CT(冷舌)El Nio事件之间的关系,揭示了第二类El Nio事件对中国降水的影响,得到以下结论。(1)第二类El Nio事件表征为热带太平洋次表层海温异常第三模态,占总方差贡献的4.7%。在海洋表面层,第二类El Nio事件暖期赤道东太平洋为沿赤道西伸的冷舌,热带中西太平洋为环绕冷舌的马蹄型大范围暖区。该型具11a和30~40a年代际振荡及3~4a年际变率,峰值多出现在春季。第二类El Nio事件是热带太平洋异常海面风应力场和赤道两侧的风应力旋度共同作用的结果,在赤道东印度洋-中西太平洋与赤道东太平洋-南美洲上空出现以反号垂直运动为特征的异常Walker环流。(2)El Nio Modoki与第二类El Nio事件有密切关系,它实质上是第二类El Nio事件次表层海温与近海面大气相互作用的结果,捕捉了第二类El Nio事件的主要信息。(3)第二类El Nio事件对中国春季及夏初降水有一定影响。在事件暖期,东海地区存在一个显著的异常反气旋性环流,其南侧的中国南方地区盛行异常东北气流,水汽来源减少,导致该地区少雨,其西侧的异常偏南气流北上直达华北地区,异常多水汽向北输送,并与北方的偏北流场相遇,导致该地区降水偏多。在第二类El Nio事件冷期相反。本文结果还指出,WP与CT El Nio事件是由经典El Nio事件第一模态与El Nio Modoki事件组合而成,它们不是独立的El Nio类型。此外,还讨论了夏半年El Nio事件对大气环流影响的物理过程。     

气候模式FIO-ESM对2015/16年厄尔尼诺的预测

Recently atmospheric and oceanic observations indicate the tropical Pacific is at the El Ni?o condition. However,it's not clear whether this El Ni?o event of this year is comparable to the very strong one of 1997/98 which brought huge influence on the whole world. In this study, based on the Ensemble Adjusted Kalman Filter(EAKF)assimilation scheme and First Institute of Oceanography-Earth System Model(FIO-ESM), the assimilation system is setup, which can provide reasonable initial conditions for prediction. And the hindcast results suggest the skill of El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation(ENSO) prediction is comparable to other dynamical coupled models. Then the prediction for 2015/16 El Ni?o by using FIO-ESM is started from 1 November 2015. The ensemble results indicate that the 2015/16 El Ni?o will continue to be strong. By the end of 2015, the strongest strength is very like more than 2.0°C and the ensemble mean strength is 2.34°C, which indicates 2015/16 El Ni?o event will be very strong but slightly less than that of 1997/98 El Ni?o event(2.40°C) calculated relative a climatology based on the years1992–2014. The prediction results also suggest 2015/16 El Ni?o event will be a transition to ENSO-neutral level in the early spring(FMA) 2016, and then may transfer to La Ni?a in summer 2016.     

两类El Niño不同衰减型的演变特征及其与我国夏季降水的联系

利用中国气象局743站日降水、NCEP-/NCAR大气环流、英国气象局Hadley中心全球月平均海表温度（SST）等资料,探讨了两类El Niño不同衰减型的演变特征及其对衰减阶段夏季（6-8月）我国降水异常分布的可能影响。根据海表温度异常（SSTA）沿赤道（5°S~5°N）的演变特征,EP-El Niño存在两种衰减型:自东向西（E-W）衰减（大于0.5℃的海温正距平首先在南美沿岸消失,并向西扩展）和自西向东（W-E）衰减（大于0.5℃的海温正距平首先在赤道中太平洋消失,并向东扩展）;CP-El Niño存在3种衰减方式:对称（S）衰减（赤道中太平洋暖海温的发展和衰减关于某一峰值对称）、延迟（P）衰减（衰减阶段紧接着呈现EP-El Niño分布）、突然（A）衰减（衰减阶段紧接着发生EP-La Niña事件）。对于EP-El Niño,在华北、华南、长江和黄河（简称两河）之间及两河的上游地区,E-W与W-E衰减阶段夏季降水呈现完全相反的异常分布特征。E-W衰减阶段夏季两河之间及上游地区偏旱的可能性显著增大,华北地区降水异常偏多,长江以南略偏多;而W-E衰减阶段夏季,两河之间及上游地区降水偏多,降水异常大值中心主要位于沿江地区,华南大部和华北地区降水明显偏少。对于CP-El Niño的3种衰减方式:夏季降水异常大值带在S衰减方式下主要位于黄河和淮河之间;在P方式衰减时,出现在长江流域;而在A型衰减时,主要位于黄河下游地区。S和A衰减方式下,东北大部尤其东北北部降水偏少,而处于P衰减时,东北大部降水明显偏多;在西南地区,S衰减时夏季降水总体偏多,A衰减时情况相反;在西北北部地区,A衰减时偏旱,而S和P衰减时降水总体偏多。不同的衰减方式均对应不同的降水异常空间分布,区分衰减型使得两类El Niño次年我国夏季降水异常显著区的分布范围和信号强度均较未区分衰减型时有较好的改善,为我国汛期降水短期气候预测工作提供了重要依据。     

Impact of the central Pacific zonal wind divergence and convergence on the central Pacific El Nio event

The central Pacific(CP) zonal wind divergence and convergence indices are defined, and the forming mechanism of CP El Nio(La Nia) events is discussed preliminarily. The results show that the divergence and convergence of the zonal wind anomaly(ZWA) are the key process in the forming of CP El Nio(La Nia) events. A correlation analysis between the central Pacific zonal wind divergence and convergence indices and central Pacific El Nio indices indicates that there is a remarkable lag correlation between them. The central Pacific zonal wind divergence and convergence indices can be used to predict the CP events. Based on these results, a linear regression equation is obtained to predict the CP El Nio(La Nia) events 5 months ahead.     

Oceanographic influences on the distribution and relative abundance of market squid paralarvae (Doryteuthis opalescens) off the Southern and Central California coast

Market squid (Doryteuthis opalescens) are ecologically and economically important to the California Current Ecosystem, but populations undergo dramatic fluctuations that greatly affect food web dynamics and fishing communities. These population fluctuations are broadly attributed to 5–7‐years trends that can affect the oceanography across 1,000 km areas; however, monthly patterns over kilometer scales remain elusive. To investigate the population dynamics of market squid, we analysed the density and distribution of paralarvae in coastal waters from San Diego to Half Moon Bay, California, from 2011 to 2016. Warming local ocean conditions and a strong El Niño event drove a dramatic decline in relative paralarval abundance during the study period. Paralarval abundance was high during cool and productive La Niña conditions from 2011 to 2013, and extraordinarily low during warm and eutrophic El Niño conditions from 2015 to 2016 over the traditional spawning grounds in Southern and Central California. Market squid spawned earlier in the season and shifted northward during the transition from cool to warm ocean conditions. We used a general additive model to assess the variability in paralarval density and found that sea surface temperature (SST), zooplankton displacement volume, the log of surface chlorophyll‐a, and spatial and temporal predictor variables explained >40% of the deviance (adjusted r² of .29). Greatest paralarval densities were associated with cool SST, moderate zooplankton concentrations and low chlorophyll‐a concentrations. In this paper we explore yearly and monthly trends in nearshore spawning for an economically important squid species and identify the major environmental influences that control their population variability.     

海洋初始状态对预报2002/03年中太平洋型厄尔尼诺事件的作用

2002/03年厄尔尼诺事件,是暖海温中心出现在赤道中太平洋区域的一种新型厄尔尼诺,即中太平洋型厄尔尼诺。本文基于一个厄尔尼诺预测系统,利用三组回报试验来详细区分海洋表层和次表层初始状态对预报2002/03年中太平洋型厄尔尼诺事件的作用,并由此来探寻对预报厄尔尼诺演变过程最有利的初始条件。回报试验分为三组:(1)仅同化海表温度观测(sea surface temperature;简称SST)来优化海洋表层初始状态(Assim_SST);(2)仅同化海表高度观测(sea level;简称SL)来更新海洋次表层初始状态(Assim_SL);(3)同时同化SST和SL观测来一起更新海洋表层和次表层初始状态(Assim_SST+SL)。回报试验结果表明,三种不同的初始条件都可以使模式提前一年成功地预报2002/03年厄尔尼诺事件,并且"Assim_SST+SL"回报试验的效果最好。三组回报试验结果间的对比表明:海洋表层和次表层初始状态均对成功地预报该事件有重要作用,但其作用分别集中在事件发展的不同阶段。精确的海洋表层初始状态更容易激发模式预报出一次厄尔尼诺事件,而更合理的海洋次表层初始状态则能有效地提高厄尔尼诺事件预报的强度。     

The impact of overfishing and El Niño on the condition factor and reproductive success of Peruvian hake, Merluccius gayi peruanus

In this study we examine physiological responses of Peruvian hake (Merluccius gayi peruanus) to changes in their population structure and physical environment during the period 1971–2004. In particular, we assess the relative investment of energy in growth and/or reproduction of small (20–35 cm) and large (35–50 cm) hake. We calculated the (i) condition (Fulton’s K), (ii) gonad and (iii) gut fullness indices for 42,761 female hakes sampled from commercial landings; these indices indicate fish somatic, reproductive and feeding condition, respectively. Using Generalized Additive Models we then examined potential relationships between these indices and sea surface temperature anomalies and date. Drastic energy exhaustion and a decrease in female hake fecundity were observed during El Niño events. The long-term trend showed a general increase in condition factor and a decrease in gonad index for large hake between 1971 and 2004. Small hake exhibited a different trend with an increase in reproductive activity, which was accompanied by an earlier maturation. We hypothesise that the observed low investment of energy in reproduction by large female hake might be related to the lack of large males, due to a sex-selective fishery and the impact of El Niño. We suggest that fishing diminished hake reproductive capacity, modified the sex ratio in favour of females and increased population vulnerability to environmental stress, in particular to the El Niño. The impact of multidecadal variability and predators like the squid, Dosidicus gigas, remain unresolved until longer time series become available.     

Impact of the 1997–1998 El Niño and 1999 La Niña on nutrient supply in the Gulf of Alaska

Nutrient surveys of the Gulf of Alaska, from 1997 through 1999, show that coastal waters of British Columbia and southern Alaska experienced nitrate depletion each spring and summer. Through the 1997–1998 El Niño, waters with less than 1 μM NO₃ covered 250,000 km² area greater than 1999. Silicate levels as low as 0.2 μM were observed in coastal waters, suggesting that diatom growth may have been nutrient limited both in 1998 and 1999. Detailed sampling off the southern coast of British Columbia revealed that 1998 nitrate levels were only half the average of that during the 1970s winter, were depleted 1 month earlier in spring and remained low throughout the summer. Satellite images show that, compared to 1997 and 1999, chlorophyll levels were much lower in the spring of 1998 throughout the coastal waters of the Gulf of Alaska. Conditions changed dramatically during the 1999 La Niña, with ocean-mixed layer depths increasing by 20 m in winter and 40 m in spring when compared to that during 1997–1998 El Niño. Winter nutrient levels increased and summer upwelling returned. Over the past several decades, a trend towards greater stratification of coastal waters appears to be affecting the supply of nutrients to the mixed layer. The effects of stratification were especially obvious during the 1998 El Niño.     

南海北部海区波高与厄尔尼诺关系探究

以欧洲中期天气预报中心的23年再分析风场数据为基础,采用HIRHAM风场模式和SWAN海浪模型对南海北部海域的波浪场进行推算,并将南海北部海域的有效波高与厄尔尼诺指数作对比,探究两者的关系,分析结论如下：（1）南海海域波高具有较强的季节性变化特征,冬季波高大于夏季波高;（2）南海北部海域月平均波高与Niño3.4指数呈负相关,大部分海域呈中度相关,台湾和菲律宾之间的部分海域呈高度相关;（3）在强厄尔尼诺年,南海北部海域的有效波高明显偏小,且厄尔尼诺指数变化越大,波高越小;反之,在强拉尼娜年,南海北部海域的有效波高较大。     

两类El Niño事件对中国近海及毗邻海域海表温度的影响

为研究东部型和中部型两类厄尔尼诺(El Ni?o)事件与中国近海海表温度(sea surface temperature,SST)变化间的联系,基于中国科学院大气物理研究所连续80年(1940—2019年)的SST再分析数据,采用EOF分解、合成分析等方法做了初步分析,发现中国近海及毗邻海域近80年SST变化与全球变暖密切相关。并且两类El Ni?o事件对中国近海SST变化的影响存在显著差异。东部型El Ni?o事件发展过程中,中国近海及毗邻海域SST在发展年主要为负异常,衰退期为正异常;中部型ElNi?o事件发展过程中, SST变化区域差异大,发展年日本附近海域为正异常, 28°N以南为弱的负异常。两类El Ni?o事件引发西太平洋风场反气旋涡的时间、位置与强度等的不同,是造成中国近海风场与海表温度异常(sea surface temperature anomaly, SSTA)差异的主要原因。     

印度洋不同海温模态对两类厄尔尼诺事件与我国南方秋季降水关系的影响

利用1951—2015年NOAA气候预测中心的SST扩展重建资料（ERSST V3b）、国家气候中心提供的我国160站月降水量资料、美国国家环境预报中心/大气研究中心（NCEP/NCAR）提供的各气压层的水平风速、垂直速度和比湿资料,研究了印度洋不同海温模态对两类厄尔尼诺事件与我国南方秋季降水关系的影响。结果表明,虽然东部型（中部型）厄尔尼诺年秋季我国长江以南地区降水偏多（少）,但当东部型厄尔尼诺与印度洋正偶极子同时发生年秋季,我国长江以南地区降水偏多的程度显著提高;当中部型厄尔尼诺与印度洋正偶极子同时发生年秋季,我国西南地区降水转为偏多,其他南方地区降水仍然偏少;当中部型厄尔尼诺与印度洋一致增暖型海温同时发生年秋季,我国整个长江以南地区降水偏少,且偏少的幅度要显著高于不考虑印度洋海温异常的情况。此外还对印度洋不同海温模态对两类厄尔尼诺事件与我国南方秋季降水关系的影响的环流成因进行了分析。     

两类强度厄尔尼诺和拉尼娜事件对中国近海鲐鱼栖息地的影响

鲐鱼是中上层鱼类,具有较高经济价值,其种群受到气候和海洋环境的显著影响。本文根据2006-2015年7-9月中国远洋渔业数据中心提供的中国近海鲐鱼捕捞和海表温度以及海面高度两个关键环境因子的数据,构建了基于捕捞努力量的鲐鱼综合栖息地指数模型,分析研究了在不同强度厄尔尼诺和拉尼娜条件下鲐鱼栖息地适宜性的变动规律。通过计算和交叉验证,结果发现,基于算术平均法的栖息地模型能够较好地预测鲐鱼渔场栖息地适宜性指数。空间相关性结果表明,鲐鱼渔场主要作业海域范围内海表温度异常与栖息地指数值呈显著正相关关系,而海表面高度异常与栖息地指数值呈显著负相关关系。不同强度厄尔尼诺和拉尼娜事件对鲐鱼种群影响不同,具体表现为:相对于中强度厄尔尼诺事件（或中强度拉尼娜事件）,超强厄尔尼诺事件（或强拉尼娜事件）驱动鲐鱼主要作业海域内温度下降（或上升）,海面高度上升（或降低）,鲐鱼渔场适宜栖息地面积显著减小（或增大）,导致鲐鱼单位捕捞努力量渔获量骤减（或显著增加）。研究表明,中国近海鲐鱼栖息地适宜性与厄尔尼诺和拉尼娜事件显著相关,且随着异常气候事件强度的不同而发生变化。