Toxicity of five phenolic compounds to brine shrimp Artemia sinica (Crustacea: Artemiidae)

The acute toxicity of five phenolic compounds each to 15 d old Artemia sinica was determined in this study. The brine shrimp A. sinica was hatched from the encysted dry eggs(Bohai Bay Brand) produced by Dongying Ocean Artemia Co., Ltd., China at 27℃± 1℃ in pre-filtered(through pores of 0.45 μm in diameter) and autoclaved seawater(salinity 31, pH 7.5–8.0) in a cilindroconical glass beaker(2000 mL in volume) under continuous illumination(provided by a side set 20 W fluorescent lamp) with slight aeration. Ten Artemia individuals from the same batch of the hatched were cultured in 10 mL toxicant solution prepared with seawater(salinity 31, pH 7.5–8.0) at room temperature(about 20℃) to determine 24 h, 48 h and 72 h medium lethal concentration(LC50) of 5 phenolic compounds each. It was found that the toxicity of n-heptylphenol was the highest followed by nonylphenol, t-butylphenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol and bisphenol A in order. The LC50 values of the 5 compounds were calculated with regression analysis. The real concentration(in μg- L1) of 5 phenolic compounds each in toxicant solutions was measured with GC/MS analysis. Significant loss of phenolic compounds caused by either adsorption or desorption was not found. The significant difference of LC50 values was found among the five compounds 3 exposure times each. The range between the highest no-observed-effect concentration(NOEC) and 100% death causing concentration of five phenolic compounds each was determined. The toxicity in term of 24 h LC50 value of n-HP was 9.10 times higher than that of BPA, 1.71 times higher than t-BP, 1.53 times higher than 2,4-DCP and 1.36 times higher than NP, respectively.     

Reduction of hydrocarbon contamination on viability of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acartia pacifica</Emphasis> benthic resting eggs

The potential effect of hydrocarbon contamination on the hatching success of benthic resting eggs of Acartia pacifica in Xiamen Bay was investigated experimentally. The number of nauplii emerging from the sediment samples decreased with increasing Fuel Oil #0 concentration. The estimated rate of mortality increased markedly with the increase of Fuel Oil #0 concentration. Successive fuel Oil #0 concentrations from 50 mg/kg to 5000 mg/kg reduced the number of hatched nauplii by 3.8% -100%. The mortality of A. pacifica resting eggs due to Fuel Oil #0 contamination did not significantly increase as time progressed at each concentration level. The LC50 values of resting eggs, changing from 237.12 to 279.59 mg/kg, remained at an almost stable level in two months. The number of A. pacifica nauplii that hatched from the sediment at 10℃ was higher than those from the sediment at 30℃, which indicates that the toxicity of Fuel Oil #0 on A. pacifica resting eggs increases with increasing temperature.     

Effects of Calanoid Copepod Schmackeriapoplesia as a Live Food on the Growth,Survival and Fatty Acid Composition of Larvae and Juveniles of Japanese Flounder,Paralichthys olivaceus

Zooplankton constitutes a major part of the diet for fish larvae in the marine food web, and it is generally believed that copepods can meet the nutritional requirements of fish larvae. In this study, calanoid copepod Schmackeria poplesia, rotifer Brachionus plicatilis and anostraca crustacean Artemia sp. were analyzed for fatty acid contents, and were used as live food for cul- turing larval Japanese flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus. The total content of three types of HUFAs （DHA, EPA and ARA） in S. po- plesia was significantly higher than that in the other two live foods （P〈O.O1）. Three live organisms were used for raising larvae and juveniles of Paralichthys olivaceus respectively for 15 and 10 d. Then the growth, survival and fatty acid composition of the larvae and juveniles were investigated. The results showed that the larvae and juveniles fed with copepods （S. poplesia） had significantly higher growth rate than those fed with the other two organisms （P〈0.01）. The survival of the flounder larvae fed with copepods was significantly higher than that of the others （P〈0.01）, and the survival of the juvenile fish fed with copepods was higher than that fed with Artemia （P〈0.05）. The contents of three types of HUFAs （DHA, EPA and ARA） and the ratio of DHA/EPA in larval and juve- nile flounder P. olivaceus were analyzed. The results showed that the contents of DHA, EPA and ARA in the larvae and juveniles fed with S. poplesia were higher than those fed with a mixed diet orArtemia only, and the ratio of EPA/ARA in larvae and juveniles of P. olivaceus fed with S. poplesia was lower than that in the case of feeding with a mixed diet or Artemia only. The present data showed that copepod is the best choice for feeding the larvae and juveniles of fish considering its effects on the survival, growth and nutrition composition of the fish.     

Toxicity and Accumulation of Selenite in Four Microalgae

The toxicity and bioaccumulation of selenite in four microalgae, Spirulina platensis,Dunaliella salina, DunalieUa bardawill and Phaeodactylum tricornutum cultured in the presence of selenite were investigated. Lower concentrations of selenite were generally nontoxic and frequently stimulated algal growth, while higher concentrations of selenite inhibited algal growth. Selenite was more toxic to D. salina and D. bardawill than to S. platensis and P. tricornutum. All algae cultured in selenite were able to incorporate Se to different degrees, which depended on algal species. The distributions of selenite among intracellular macromolecular compounds were different among algal species : most of the selenite was associated with proteins in S. platensis, D. salina and D. bardawill, while most of the selenite was associated with lipids in P. tricornutum, which reflected the physiological differences among the algae. These observations suggest that algae are able to accumulate selenite and bind it with intracell~ar macromolecular compounds when exposed to high concentration of selenite. This may represent a form of storage or detoxification of selenite by the algae.     

Intentional introduction of Artemia sinica (Anostraca) in the high-altitude Tibetan lake Dangxiong Co: the new population and consequences for the environment and for humans

The imbalance between supply and demand of Artemia cysts in China and around the world is increasing now.Salt lakes in Tibet may contribute to the solution of the problem.In Northern Tibet there are 26 saline lakes whose salinity and temperature may support Artemia survival at an altitude of 4 000–5 100 m.We found Artemia in 15 of these lakes.The saline lakes with Artemia populations mainly belong to the shallow basin lakes,and the majority of these lakes are small in area.The total area of lakes without Artemia is more than 1 000 km 2.Lake Dangxiong Co(Co means lake in Tibet) was chosen for the intentional introduction of Artemia sinica.In 2004,850 g of A.sinica cysts,originating from Qinghai,were introduced in the lake.Surveys in 2006–2014 showed that the average abundance of Artemia adults in the lake gradually increased from 20 ind./m 3 in 2006 to 1950 ind./m 3 in 2013.We assume that two subpopulations of A.sinica,separated by depth,may exist in the lake.The new Artemia population caused an increase in the number of species of phytoplankton and heterotrophic protozoa with a decrease of their total abundance.Water transparency also increased.Dominance in phytoplankton passed from cyanobacteria to diatoms.Changes occurred not only in the lake ecosystem;the number of water birds using the lakes also dramatically increased.Preliminary calculations showed that is it possible to harvest at least about 150 t cysts per year from the lake as well as 3.2 thousand tons of frozen or 350 t of dried biomass of adult Artemia.     

An approach to determination of phenolic compounds in seawater using SPME-GC-MS based on SWCNTs coating

Phenolic compounds have become one kind of the important pollutants of the marine environment. Single-walled Carbon nanotubes, as one-dimensional nano materials, have light weight and perfect hexagonal structure of connections, with many unusual mechanical, chemical and electrical properties. In recent years, with the research of carbon nanotubes and other nano materials, the application prospect is also constantly discussed. In this paper, homemade single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWCNTs) coating was used for establishing an analytical approach to the determination of five kinds of phenolic compounds in seawater using SPME-GC-MS. Optimal conditions: After saturation was conducted with Na Cl, and p H was adjusted to 2.0 with H_2SO_4, the extract was immersed in a water bath at 40 for GC℃-MS determination through 40-min agitating extraction at 500 rmin~(-1) and 3-min desorption at 280℃. The liniearities ranged between 0.01-100 μg L~(-1), and the determination limits ranged between 1.5-10 ngL~(-1). The relative standard deviation(RSD, n = 5) was less than 6.5%. For the phenolic compounds obtained from the spiked recovery test for actual seawater samples, the rates of recovery were 87.5%-101.7%, and the RSDs were less than 8.8%, which met the requirements of determination. Due to its simplicity, high efficiency and low consumption, this approach is suitable for the analysis of trace amounts of phenolic compounds in marine waters.     

Genetic Parameters of Body Length and Response to Selection for Growth Across Four Generations of Artemia sinica

To investigate the genetic components of growth in the brine shrimp Artemia sinica, we estimated the genetic parameters of body length and the response to selection using a fully pedigreed population of A. sinica. The base population was generated from four wild founder populations. We tested 4160 offspring in 360 families over four generations for growth and survival performance. Across four generations, we produced full-and half-sib families with nested mating, where two dams were mated to the same sire. Individual body length was measured for each nauplius at day 20 post-hatching. Heritability of body length was estimated across four generations with the restricted maximum likelihood method. The heritability of body length in A. sinica was low(0.14 ± 0.05), and the common environmental effect was 0.14 ± 0.02. We estimated the response to selection for body length by calculating the difference in the mean breeding values between different generations. The accumulated genetic gain in body length was 278.94 μm after three generations of selection. This low response to selection was probably caused by the low heritability of body length, small sample size, and the low selection intensity(50%). The results suggest that A. sinica selective breeding programs must be changed to generate any substantial, sustainable genetic increases in body length. We suggest that optimal genetic gains could be achieved by introducing wild strains into the nuclear breeding population to increase genetic variation, and by increasing the size of the breeding population to allow for increased selection intensity.     

Evaluation of the biological toxicity of lfuorine in Antarctic krill

Antarctic krill is a potentially nutritious food source for humans, but lfuorine （F） toxicity is a matter of concern. To evaluate the toxicity of F in Antarctic krill, 30 Wistar rats were divided into three groups with different dietary regimens：a control group, a krill treatment group （150 mg＆#183;kg-1 F）, and a sodium lfuoride （NaF） treatment group （150 mg＆#183;kg-1 F）. After three months, F concentrations in feces, plasma, and bone were determined, and the degree of dental and skeletal lfuorosis was assessed. The F concentrations in plasma and bone from the krill treatment group were 0.167 0＆#177;0.020 4 mg.L-1 and 2 709.8＆#177;301.9 mg＆#183;kg-1, respectively, compared with 0.043 8＆#177;0.005 5 mg＆#183;L-1 and 442.4＆#177;60.7 mg＆#183;kg-1, respectively, in samples from the control group. Concentrations of F in plasma and bone in the krill treatment group were higher than in the control group, but lower than in the NaF treatment group. The degree of dental lfuorosis in the krill treatment group was moderate, compared with severe in the NaF treatment group and normal in the control group. The degree of skeletal lfuorosis did not change signiifcantly in any group. These results showed that the toxicity of F in Antarctic krill was lower than for an equivalent concentration of F in NaF, but it was toxic for rats consuming krill in large quantities. To conclude, we discuss possible reasons for the reduced toxicity of F in Antarctic krill. The present study provides a direct toxicological reference for the consideration of Antarctic krill for human consumption.     

Effect of bis(tributyltin)oxide on reproduction and population growth rate of calanoid copepod Schmackeria poplesia

A full life-cycle toxicity test,combined with histology,on calanoid copepod Schmackeria poplesia was used to study the effect of bis(tributyltin)oxide(TBTO).The results indicate no sex-specific differences in TBTO toxicity.Long-term mortalities of the copepods exposed to concentrations higher than 20 ng TBTO L-1were significantly elevated compared with that of control,and larval development was inhibited when they were exposed to 40 and 60 ng TBTO L-1.The percentages of ovigerous females were reduced compared with the control(P0.01)after 24 days exposure to concentrations higher than 10 ng TBTO L-1.Histological examinations suggest that exposure to TBTO might block the posterior end of the diverticula and inhibits the production of egg sacs.A modified Euler-Lotka equation was used to calculate a population-level endpoint,the intrinsic rate of natural increase(rm),from individual life-table endpoints,i.e.mortality rate,time of release of first brood,sex ratio,the fraction of ovigerous females among all females as well as the number of nauplii per ovigerous female.Apart from the highest TBTO concentration(60 ng L-1),where all females aborted their egg sacs,20 ng TBTO L-1was the only concentration that significantly decreased rm compared with that of control(an effect associated with decreased sex ratio).The results show that the S.poplesia is affected by prolonged exposure to low concentrations of TBTO.The full life-cycle toxicity test combined with histology experiments provides more integral understanding of the toxicity of endocrine disrupters.     

Difference in organic carbon contents and distributions in particle-size fractions between soil and sediment on the Southern Loess Plateau,China

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of long-term cultivation and water erosion on the soil organic carbon （OC） in particle-size fractions. The study site is located at Nihegou Watershed in the Southern Loess Plateau, China. The soil at this site is loess with loose and silty structure, and contains macropores. The results showed that the OC concentrations in sediments and in the particle-size fractions of sediments were higher than those in soils and in the particle-size fractions of soils. The OC concentration was highest in the clay particles and was lowest in the sand particles. Clay particles possessed higher OC enrichment ability than silt and sand particles. The proportions of OC in the silt fractions of soil and sediment were the highest （mean value of 53.87% and 58.48%, respectively）, and the total proportion of OC in the clay and silt fractions accounted for 96% and 98% of the total OC in the soil and sediment, respectively. The loss of OC was highest in silt particles, with an average value of 0.16 Mg ha^-1 y^-1, and was lowest in the sand （0.003 Mg ha^-1 y^-l）. This result suggests that the fine particle-size fraction in the removed sediment may be an important indicator to assess soil OC losses.     

Evaluation of the biological toxicity of fluorine in Antarctic krill

Antarctic krill is a potentially nutritious food source for humans, but fluorine(F) toxicity is a matter of concern. To evaluate the toxicity of F in Antarctic krill, 30 Wistar rats were divided into three groups with different dietary regimens: a control group, a krill treatment group(150 mg·kg-1 F), and a sodium fluoride(NaF) treatment group(150 mg·kg-1 F). After three months, F concentrations in feces, plasma, and bone were determined, and the degree of dental and skeletal fluorosis was assessed. The F concentrations in plasma and bone from the krill treatment group were 0.167 0±0.020 4 mg.L-1 and 2 709.8±301.9 mg·kg-1, respectively, compared with 0.043 8±0.005 5 mg·L-1 and 442.4±60.7 mg·kg-1, respectively, in samples from the control group. Concentrations of F in plasma and bone in the krill treatment group were higher than in the control group, but lower than in the NaF treatment group. The degree of dental fluorosis in the krill treatment group was moderate, compared with severe in the NaF treatment group and normal in the control group. The degree of skeletal fluorosis did not change significantly in any group. These results showed that the toxicity of F in Antarctic krill was lower than for an equivalent concentration of F in NaF, but it was toxic for rats consuming krill in large quantities. To conclude, we discuss possible reasons for the reduced toxicity of F in Antarctic krill. The present study provides a direct toxicological reference for the consideration of Antarctic krill for human consumption.     

Characterization of a mutant of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alteromonas aurantia</Emphasis> A18 and its application in mariculture

Mutant J61321 with enhanced siderophore production of Alteromonas aurantia AI8 was obtained after a series of chemical-physical mutageneses. It was found that the antibacterial activity against Vibrio anguillarum W-1 and siderophore production of the mutant were higher than those by the original strain A 18 which had been used in mariculture. The results of the specific assay（Csaky and Arnow methods） of siderophore showed that the sidrophore with hydroxamate group was produced by mutant J61321 and the original strain A 18, respectively, while the siderophore with catechol group was yielded by strain W-1 （Aibrio anguillarum）. Meanwhile, the siderophore yield, antibacterial activity and anti-chelator activity of strain J61321 were higher than those of its parent strain A 18.     

Effect of polystyrene microplastics and temperature on growth,intestinal histology and immune responses of brine shrimp Artemia franciscana

Microplastics pollution and seawater temperature rise have been the major environmental issues, threatening the survival and biodiversity of marine organisms. This study evaluated the combined effect of temperature and polystyrene microplastics(MP) on Artemia, a filter-feeding crustacean that is widely used for environmental toxicology studies. Brine shrimp Artemia franciscana were exposed to three MP concentrations(0, 0.2, and 2.0 mg/L) and three temperatures(22, 26, and 30 °C) for 14 d. In general, higher MP concentration and temperature led to a decreased survival rate and growth. Two-way ANOVA analysis indicated that the survival rate of Artemia was significantly impacted by both MP concentration and temperature( P 0.05), but there was no significant interaction between two factors( P 0.05). Growth of Artemia was significantly impacted by temperature( P 0.05), and with a significant interaction between two factors( P 0.05). Furthermore, the enzymatic activity, intestinal histological analyses, and immune gene expression were determined for Artemia reared at 30 °C with three MP concentrations(0, 0.2, and 2.0 mg/L). The results showed that 2.0-mg/L MP resulted in reduced Artemia intestinal microvilli and exfoliated epithelia cells, significantly increased acid phosphatase(ACP) activity( P 0.05) and immunerelated gene ADRA1 B and CREB3 expression, revealing that higher MP concentration could induce oxidative and immunological stress on Artemia at 30 °C. Overall, our study suggests that MP and temperature have combined adverse effect on Artemia, especially at relatively high temperature and polystyrene MP concentration. These findings are important to understand the potential ecological risks posed by these two factors on the organisms in marine environment.     

Substrate selection and seasonal variation in abundance and size composition of isopod Lirceus fontinalis in Ontario streams, Canada

The abundance and size composition of stream isopods Lirceus fontinalis were investigated from April 2001 to August 2002 in 3 streams in southern Ontario, Canada. Effects of current speed was released from the analysis by choosing slow flowing water. The effects of substrate, season and water depth on the abundance, distribution and size composition of the isopods were analyzed. It was found that substrate and season influence isopods the most. The rocky substrate with attached filamentous macro-algae contains an isopod abundance 7.05 times that of bare rock substrate and 14.6 times that of fine-sand and mud substrate. There was a large variation with respect to seasonality in both abundance and size composition of the isopods, with the highest abundance occurring in summer and the lowest in winter and spring; individual isopods also tend to be larger in the winter and spring. In all substrates, shallow areas tend to support higher densities of isopods than deeper areas.     

Annual time-series analyses of total gaseous mercury measurement and its impact factors on the Gongga Mountains in the southeastern fringe of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Long-term monitoring programs for measurement of atmospheric mercury concentrations are presently recognized as powerful tools for local,regional and global studies of atmospheric long-range transport processes,and they could also provide valuable information about the impact of emission controls on the global budget of atmospheric mercury,their observance and an insight into the global mercury cycle. China is believed to be an increasing atmospheric mercury emission source. However,only a few measurements of mercury,to our knowledge,have been done in ambient air over China. The highly-time resolved atmospheric mercury concen-trations have been measured at Moxi Base Station （102°72′E 29°92′N,1640 m asl） of the Gongga Alpine Ecosystem Observation and Experiment Station of Chinese Academy of Sciences （CAS） from May 2005 to June 2006 by using a set of Automatic Atmospheric Mercury Speciation Analyzers （Tekran 2537A）. Measurements were carried out with a time resolution of every 15 minutes. The overall average total gaseous mercury （TGM） covering the measurement periods was 4±1.38 ng·m^-3 （N=57310）,which is higher than the global background level of approximately 1.5～2.0 ng·m^-3. The measurements in all seasons showed a similar diurnal change pattern with a high concentration during daytime relative to nighttime and maximum concentration near solar noon and minimum concentration immediately before sunrise. The presence of diurnal TGM peaks during spring and summer was found earlier than that during autumn and winter. When divided seasonally,it was found that the concentrations of TGM were highest in winter with 6.13 ± 1.78 ng·m^-3 and lowest in summer with 3.17 ± 0.67 ng·m^-3. There were no significant differences in TGM among wind sectors during each season. Whereas Hg generally exhibited significant correlations with the parameters,such as temperature,saturated vapor pressure,precipitation,ultraviolet radiation （UV） and atmospheric pressure at the whole measurement stage,and t     

Effect of Salinity on Hemolymph Osmotic Pressure, Sodium Concentration and Na^＋-K^＋-ATPase Activity of Gill of Chinese Crab, Eriocheir sinensis

The effects of salinity on hemolymph osmotic pressure, Na^＋ concentration and Na^＋-K^＋-ATPase activity of gill of Chinese crab Eriocheir sinensis were studied. The results showed that hemolymph osmotic pressure and Na^＋ concentration increased significantly （P〈0.05）, and the Na^＋-K^＋-ATPase activity of gills decreased significantly （P〈0.05） when salinity increased from 0 to 16. The hemolymph osmotic pressure and Na^＋ concentration in each treatment group rose remarkably at 0.125 d or 0.25 d, while the Na^＋-K^＋-ATPase activity of gill reduced gradually with increased experiment time in 3 d. Then the three parameters remained at a constant level after 0.25 d, 0.125 d and 3 d, respectively, and higher hemolymph osmotic pressure, higher Na^＋ concentration and lower Na^＋-K^＋-ATPase activity of gill occurred at higher salinity. The effect of salinity change on protein concentration of hemolymph was indistinct （P〉0.05）; However, the protein concentration decreased gradually with the increase of salinity from 0.25 d to 1d, and then tended to be stable from day 1 to day 15.     

Crustaceous lichens sensitive monitor of caesium-137 radiation level in terrestrial environment

The activity of caesium-137 （Bq/kg） in the crustaceous lichens and other samples was determined to prove the feasibility that crustaceous lichens work as a sensitive biology monitor to record the caesium-137 （Bq/kg） radiation levels of terrestrial environment. The measurements were performed with GEM series HPGe （ high-purity Germanium） coaxial detector system （ADCAM -100 ） made by EC ＆ GORTEC Company in USA. It was found that the activity of caesium-137 （Bq/kg） in the crustaceous lichens was one order of magnitude higher than that found in surface soil, and was over throe orders of magnitude higher than those found in the familiar biological samples. These results proved that crustaceous lichens may be one of the most sensitive biological monitors about the remote transmission and environmental radiation levels of caesium-137.     

Morphological and toxicity characteristics of Pseudo-nitzschia pungens strain PP0201-01 isolated from the East China Sea

The morphology and toxicity of Pseudo-nitzschia strain PP0201-01, isolated near the estuary of Changjiang （Yangtze） River in Year 2002 and tentatively identified as Pseudo-nitzschia pungens, were studied. The strain was identified morphologically as P. pungens using scanning electronic microscope （SEM）. The analytical results of LC-PDA （liquid chromatography with photodiode array detector）, LC-MS （liquid chromatography with mass detector）, and the toxicity data from mouse bioassay, showed that no domoic acid was produced by the strain. However, the mechanism of domoic acid production by Pseudo-nitzschia species is complicated. More works are needed to assess the toxic species and to evaluate the potential risk of amnesic shellfish poisoning （ASP） in China.     

Effects of afforestation on carbon storage in Boyang Lake Basin, China

By using field survey data from the sixth forest inventory of Jiangxi Province in 2003, the biomass and carbon storage for three studied species （Pinus massoniana, Cunninghamia lanceolata, and Pinus elliottii） were estimated in Taihe and Xingguo counties of Boyang Lake Basin, Jiangxi Province, China. The relationship between carbon density and forest age was analyzed by logistic equations. Spatio-temporal dynamics of forest biomass and carbon storage in 1985-2003 were also described. The results show that total stand area of the three forest species was 3.10 × 10^5 ha, total biomass 22.20 Tg, vegetation carbon storage 13.07 Tg C, and average carbon density 42.36 Mg C/ha in the study area in 2003. Carbon storage by forest type in descending order was： P. massoniana, C. lanceolata and P. elliottii. Carbon storage by forest age group in descending order was： middle stand, young stand, near-mature stand and mature stand. Carbon storage by plantation forests was 1.89 times higher than that by natural forests. Carbon density of the three species increased 8.58 Mg C/ha during the study period. The carbon density of Taihe County was higher in the east and west, and lower in the middle. The carbon density of Xingguo County was higher in the northeast and lower in the middle. In general, the carbon density increased with altitude and gradient. Afforestation projects contribute significantly to increasing stand area and carbon storage. Appropriate forest management may improve the carbon sequestration capacity of forest ecosystems.     

Effects of spectral nudging on the 2010 East Asia summer monsoon using WRF model

The performance of spectral nudging in an investigation of the 2010 East Asia summer monsoon was assessed using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, forced by 1-degree NCEP Global Final Analysis (FNL). Two pairs of experiments were made, spectral nudging (SP) and non-spectral nudging (NOSP), with five members in each group. The members were distinguished by different initial times, and the analysis was based on the ensemble mean of the two simulation pairs. The SP was able to constrain error growth in large-scale circulation in upper-level, during simulation, and generate realistic regional scale patterns. The main focus was the model ability to simulate precipitation. The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 3B42 product was used for precipitation verification. Mean precipitation magnitude was generally overestimated by WRF. Nevertheless, SP simulations suppressed overestimation relative to the NOSP experiments. Compared to TRMM, SP also improved model simulation of precipitation in spatial and temporal distributions, with the ability to reproduce movement of rainbands. However, extreme precipitation events were suppressed in the SP simulations.